Social Media is changing how we do BD and Networking

Are you engaging with your network on social media? Social media is a great way to build and nurture your network. This can make it easier to “keep in touch” with your contacts and referrers.

Social media can be a great way to supplement your usual networking activities and that is why we often write about the use of Social Media for networking (and in particular, using LinkedIn).

Develop your Niche

A key aspect of business development (traditional and online) is to choose and develop a nice and build a reputation based on this. In the online space, to truly develop an engaged network this specialism/niche should be narrow and targeted at your audience (existing clients and potential clients).

Your networking strategy should develop your niche.

Build an Online Presence to be Seen

People are busy. It can be hard to constantly network and build relationships face to face. This is where building an online presence and utilising your online presence can help. People spend more and more time online and in front of their computers. Often consuming professional content. So why not ensure that some of the content that they are consuming is yours and invest more time in building an online presence.

But why bother?

Yes, you are unlikely to win a multi-million-pound deal from social media. However, what it does do is help you network and be more memorable to others in your target audience and can be a straightforward way to keep up to date, keep in touch and share content and information. So that when someone in your network needs your expertise – they remember you, can refer you and know your name.

Further Reading:

• A to Z of Networking Using Instagram [Round-up]
• A to Z of Networking on Social Media [Round-up]
• The Beginner’s A to Z Guide to LinkedIn [Round-up]