I attend many business development workshops and networking events that target African Americans. I find that 98% of us fall into one of two categories:
1. Clueless and refuse to use any social networking.
2. On a million different networks but are not gaining a lick of business.
Meanwhile, maybe 2% of the black entrepreneurs that I network with are using social networking to truly build their business. They not only gain valuable contacts from being on networks like Linkedin, Twitter, Myspace, Facebook, Ning and others, but they also see results in their bottom line.
I am not in the business of trying to convince those in Group One that social networking is a valuable tool. However, I would like to help those that fall into Group Two. These business owners have the desire to leverage social networking to increase their business, they just lack organized planning.
What are your frustrations with social networking? Are you getting business as a result. How do you gauge if you are successful?
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I have a small business and share a few tips on how to marketing on iseecolor.com, Twitter, and blogs. If you are interested in tips and advice, please visit my blog for the kitchen table CEOs - http://tomokastwists.blogspot.com
Thank you,
Carmen of Tomoka's Twists
*Everyday is a good hair day with Tomoka's Twists*
Please email information which social networks you utilize, how to use them and how often, and how it has made a huge financial impact on your business bottom line.
Please email information which social networks you utilize, how to use them and how often, and how it has made a huge financial impact on your business bottom line.
blacksynergist said:
Blessings Debrah! I can certainly understand your frustration with business owners who are not actually "social" on social networks. After all, the entire point is to build relationships, right?
I will respectfully disagree with you in calling social networking a novice marketing tool. Some of the country's top grossing companies have been smart enough to utilize social networking as a means to increase sales. If you know how to utilize social networks; meaning which ones to use, how to use them and how often, you can make a huge financial impact on your bottom line. I have seen this happen in my own business.
I do agree with you 100% in stating that we must also use face-to-face marketing. I I understand that social networking is not really affecting your bottom line. What information would help you better use social networking to increase your sales?
The frustration might come from being aggressively pursued by 'hunter-type' businesses who are solely interested in moving product versus building a relationship. Once the sale is made, they move on to another prey. Credibility must first be established.
As for business results produced from social networking? The answer is 'not yet.'
My business is unique in that I offer the best luxury novelty products for couples or women sex life. There are offerings for everyone's discriminating taste, financial resource, and preference which is presented in a very stylish manner. Women can make purchases easily online in the privacy of their home without the embarrassment of walking into an adult entertainment store or similar establishments or host a social gathering in a comfortable setting.
I gauge my success by diversified marketing, i.e. not relying soley on social networking. It's a novice marketing tool for businesses to get started and an innovative way to exchange ideas. But eventually you must have face-to-face interaction with potential consumers.
Blessings Debrah! I can certainly understand your frustration with business owners who are not actually "social" on social networks. After all, the entire point is to build relationships, right?
I will respectfully disagree with you in calling social networking a novice marketing tool. Some of the country's top grossing companies have been smart enough to utilize social networking as a means to increase sales. If you know how to utilize social networks; meaning which ones to use, how to use them and how often, you can make a huge financial impact on your bottom line. I have seen this happen in my own business.
I do agree with you 100% in stating that we must also use face-to-face marketing. I I understand that social networking is not really affecting your bottom line. What information would help you better use social networking to increase your sales?
I frankly am just now taking a more firm "make money on line" position when it comes to social networking.
My first foray into social networking was in Ryze beginning in August io 2007. I had heard of Ryze (www.ryze.com) but didn't know exactly what it was. So I joined in that capacity -- only to find out that people were using it pretty hot and heavy to promote their products and services. The thing is, I had no digital products to promote and was still finding my stride in my service business so for me, Ryze became primarily social (I have gotten SOME clients) network as opposed to a huge business building machine.
I think we are a point now in social networking that until you have all your ducks in a row, you can network but don't expect a lot of business simply because you're on a dozen social networks.
In another blog here on Black Business On Line, someone wrote about the need for information products. That is SO true. I think it is hard for people to buy ideas, but they WILL buy products and they WILL buy ideas that have products behind them.
I have a wonderful service that I offer "The Check-In" but do not have an accompanying information product at this time. But I'm not going to get wigged out over that because the service stands alone and I have gotten a great person-to-person response to it. I think the issue is that there is a tendency to get caught up in social networking as your primary means of getting business because it is so easy and fun -- when you really need to get away from your computer and start meeting people face-to- face. That's how you REALLY start to build relationships unless you just happen to hit if off with someone. And that brings me to another point. It's not just a matter of networking, you actually have to CLICK with someone (as networking guru George Fraser wrote an entire book about). First you network, then you connect, then you click, Fraser writes.
Simply sending out e-mails about your product, seeing your face plastered everywhere promoting your product, being invited to 1000 conference calls on your product may be networking, but it is not causing me to "click" with you. There has to be a balance and I think balance is being lost in social networking.
Last not least, I'm at the point now where when I join the primary Ning group, that's the one I'm sticking with. I'm not going to create profile after profile for every new subgroup that begins.
So to answer your question (finally) for me, social networking is just a part of my marketing approach. As a solopreneur, social networking fills in the gap of working alone. I like being able to carry on conversations with people I don't know. It's cheaper than BNI, but there again, BNI allows for one-on-one contact. Social networking allows me to tap into pop culture to see what's happening. Social networking allows me to have a presence. It's kind of like a trade show. At minimum it shows that you are a player and promotes your brand, but hopefully you're not totally depending upon a trade show for all your business. Social networking allows me to throw out some ideas, test some ideas. If I get business fine, but I am very clear about what my priorities are here.
When I have digital products to promote I will do so, but I'm not going to just throw something together hastily either.
At the end of the day, social networking is serving an adequate purpose for me. It allows me to market myself, socialize and connect with a handful of people with whom I feel I genuinely have something in common -- like you )))))
Looking forward to reading additional responses. By the lead I DO lead a network on Ryze called Marketplace Ministers, in case anyone is interested.
You make some fabulous points Paula! I especially appreciate your pointing out that just "being" on tons of social networks will not bring business. I also think that you made a fabulous point in pointing out that we should not be handicapped by social networks by refusing to go out and physically meet people. Thank you very much for your excellent input. I look forward to hearing more about your upcoming products.
How do you think social networks can gain the balance that you feel that they are lacking?
PaulaNQ > blacksynergistDecember 7, 2008 at 5:29am
Well, so much for balance. It's past midnight on Saturday and here I am on the computer :)
Actually I think it is up to the individual to designate x number of hours to social networking and then call it a day, or night. In other words, the individual needs to find balance between on-line and off-line networking, number one.
Secondly, as I observe the various social networks I belong to, especially on Ning, I am seeing nothing but ads. It's too much. When you see so many ads, they all get lost in the crowd in my opinion.
So I would rather see fewer ads. And I'm glad that network moderators are starting to crack down on posts people make that clearly are ads or which don't even include any text, just an ad graphic.
I know of one network (non-Ning) where the moderator doesn't allow ANY advertising because she wants the site to be content rich. I think this is over-kill, too, since there needs to be SOME forum to advertise your business. I also know of one network that is ALL social and where I wouldn't dare promote my business. That doesn't feel quite right to me either.
Going back to social networks and making money, I think the winners are people who TRULY are experts on the topic they're writing on and not just amateurs masquerading as experts. In fact, there's a book I saw at Barnes & Noble about how we are becoming a society of amateur experts -- can't remember the name of the book.
I see many posts on social networks that clearly are news releases or recycled articles with no original writing involved whatsoever.
So, fewer ads, more articles, and content rich for balance.
Having said that, however, joining networks is purely elective. You can come and go into groups as they meet your needs.
Replies
Thank you,
Carmen of Tomoka's Twists
*Everyday is a good hair day with Tomoka's Twists*
I am holding a conference call on this very topic on Tuesday. Please join the call in order to receive the information- http://bizsynergy.ning.com/events/double-your-income-now-with.
Blessings,
Crystal
Debrah said:
blacksynergist said:
As for business results produced from social networking? The answer is 'not yet.'
My business is unique in that I offer the best luxury novelty products for couples or women sex life. There are offerings for everyone's discriminating taste, financial resource, and preference which is presented in a very stylish manner. Women can make purchases easily online in the privacy of their home without the embarrassment of walking into an adult entertainment store or similar establishments or host a social gathering in a comfortable setting.
I gauge my success by diversified marketing, i.e. not relying soley on social networking. It's a novice marketing tool for businesses to get started and an innovative way to exchange ideas. But eventually you must have face-to-face interaction with potential consumers.
Debrah
Where Sexy Meets Fabulous
I will respectfully disagree with you in calling social networking a novice marketing tool. Some of the country's top grossing companies have been smart enough to utilize social networking as a means to increase sales. If you know how to utilize social networks; meaning which ones to use, how to use them and how often, you can make a huge financial impact on your bottom line. I have seen this happen in my own business.
I do agree with you 100% in stating that we must also use face-to-face marketing. I I understand that social networking is not really affecting your bottom line. What information would help you better use social networking to increase your sales?
My first foray into social networking was in Ryze beginning in August io 2007. I had heard of Ryze (www.ryze.com) but didn't know exactly what it was. So I joined in that capacity -- only to find out that people were using it pretty hot and heavy to promote their products and services. The thing is, I had no digital products to promote and was still finding my stride in my service business so for me, Ryze became primarily social (I have gotten SOME clients) network as opposed to a huge business building machine.
I think we are a point now in social networking that until you have all your ducks in a row, you can network but don't expect a lot of business simply because you're on a dozen social networks.
In another blog here on Black Business On Line, someone wrote about the need for information products. That is SO true. I think it is hard for people to buy ideas, but they WILL buy products and they WILL buy ideas that have products behind them.
I have a wonderful service that I offer "The Check-In" but do not have an accompanying information product at this time. But I'm not going to get wigged out over that because the service stands alone and I have gotten a great person-to-person response to it. I think the issue is that there is a tendency to get caught up in social networking as your primary means of getting business because it is so easy and fun -- when you really need to get away from your computer and start meeting people face-to- face. That's how you REALLY start to build relationships unless you just happen to hit if off with someone. And that brings me to another point. It's not just a matter of networking, you actually have to CLICK with someone (as networking guru George Fraser wrote an entire book about). First you network, then you connect, then you click, Fraser writes.
Simply sending out e-mails about your product, seeing your face plastered everywhere promoting your product, being invited to 1000 conference calls on your product may be networking, but it is not causing me to "click" with you. There has to be a balance and I think balance is being lost in social networking.
Last not least, I'm at the point now where when I join the primary Ning group, that's the one I'm sticking with. I'm not going to create profile after profile for every new subgroup that begins.
So to answer your question (finally) for me, social networking is just a part of my marketing approach. As a solopreneur, social networking fills in the gap of working alone. I like being able to carry on conversations with people I don't know. It's cheaper than BNI, but there again, BNI allows for one-on-one contact. Social networking allows me to tap into pop culture to see what's happening. Social networking allows me to have a presence. It's kind of like a trade show. At minimum it shows that you are a player and promotes your brand, but hopefully you're not totally depending upon a trade show for all your business. Social networking allows me to throw out some ideas, test some ideas. If I get business fine, but I am very clear about what my priorities are here.
When I have digital products to promote I will do so, but I'm not going to just throw something together hastily either.
At the end of the day, social networking is serving an adequate purpose for me. It allows me to market myself, socialize and connect with a handful of people with whom I feel I genuinely have something in common -- like you )))))
Looking forward to reading additional responses. By the lead I DO lead a network on Ryze called Marketplace Ministers, in case anyone is interested.
Good question!
Be Blessed!
Paula Quick
"The Check-In"
\
How do you think social networks can gain the balance that you feel that they are lacking?
Actually I think it is up to the individual to designate x number of hours to social networking and then call it a day, or night. In other words, the individual needs to find balance between on-line and off-line networking, number one.
Secondly, as I observe the various social networks I belong to, especially on Ning, I am seeing nothing but ads. It's too much. When you see so many ads, they all get lost in the crowd in my opinion.
So I would rather see fewer ads. And I'm glad that network moderators are starting to crack down on posts people make that clearly are ads or which don't even include any text, just an ad graphic.
I know of one network (non-Ning) where the moderator doesn't allow ANY advertising because she wants the site to be content rich. I think this is over-kill, too, since there needs to be SOME forum to advertise your business. I also know of one network that is ALL social and where I wouldn't dare promote my business. That doesn't feel quite right to me either.
Going back to social networks and making money, I think the winners are people who TRULY are experts on the topic they're writing on and not just amateurs masquerading as experts. In fact, there's a book I saw at Barnes & Noble about how we are becoming a society of amateur experts -- can't remember the name of the book.
I see many posts on social networks that clearly are news releases or recycled articles with no original writing involved whatsoever.
So, fewer ads, more articles, and content rich for balance.
Having said that, however, joining networks is purely elective. You can come and go into groups as they meet your needs.
That's all for now. Past my bedtime :))))