Friending, following, replying, wall posts; a constant stream of communication seems to overflowing into our lives. We read magazines, hear radio, watch pundits, everyone is talking about being social and connecting with their audience. As a business we don’t have an audience, we have customers, we have clients. We’re told we should be on Twitter, Facebook, LinkedIn because we can make more money but more often it seems too good to be true. Often it is. So is there a need to be on social networks and to be involved in social media? Yes, but there is more than just getting online and talking about every mundane moment of your personal and professional life. I’ll discuss why you should be involved in social media, what networks you should be on, and what you should be talking about once you’re signed up.

Image via CrunchBase

So why should you and your firm be on social networks? There are many reasons such as customer service, sales, client communication, and don’t forget about search engine ranking. To assume that many of your clients are not on social networks is very naive. That’s not to say that all of your clients are on social networks but many of them are being forced on them either by their occupation or their children. And if your clients are online you should be talking to them, not necessarily directly but keeping your client abreast of what is changing in the industry that might have an affect on them. Also, you have an opportunity to show potential clients how educated and professional you are. Social networks are a great place to connect with people and to show people who you and your firm are. It also helps brand your company in your local area. The fact is that local networking online is huge, very strong, you have an opportunity to meet people that you would not normally have the chance to meet.

There are many networks out there and sometimes this can be the most confusing part, because many people sign up for one network and get overwhelmed thinking that they’re going to waste all of their time online. That is very true of many people, they log onto social networks and lose track of all time. This is why it is important to establish a general policy for yourself and your staff members to help limit wasting time online. However, just because the possibility of productivity loss is apparent doesn’t mean you should stray from being involved. So what networks should you join? Twitter is a great network for what is called the “real-time internet” the conversation that is going on at this very moment. This would be great for people who want to reach out to people who are talking about how rough of a time they are having with their taxes; a perfect opportunity to help and get a client. Facebook is the largest social network, which is why you should be there. Once you get a profile page you should consider getting a Fan Page for your business. A fan page helps you network with your customers easier as well as giving you slightly more privacy with your profile page. LinkedIn is a social network for business people, many people use LinkedIn as a digital resume but it is much more than a simple resume. LinkedIn has many groups that are very active and can help you be involved either with colleagues or with potential customers. A social network that is usually overlooked is Flickr, a photo sharing network, that allows you to share photos of your firm. The main reason this is overlooked is because many people think that there is nothing photo worthy of sharing from their firm but the reality is that online people want stories told through pictures and text. You can always show office life, pictures from trainings, or even happy customers. This shows that new things are always happening at your office and that you’re always striving to help customers. There are many additional social networks available, even ones that are specific for your industry or geographical location. Be an active part of these groups and networks, they will help you just as much and sometimes more than other social networks due to the concentration of the right people on the same network. Many people become overwhelmed with all of the networks, it’s important to be a part of all of them to understand how they might best impact your business but it is not mandatory to be active in all of them. Choose which ones best suit your business and get active, talk to others and share relevant information.

Now that you know why you should be involved with social networks and which social networks you should be a part of, I know you’re wondering about what to say once you’re on there. The first and most requested of every social network is “What are you doing?” This seems like a mundane piece of information and for many it is but if crafted well this can be an ice breaker for people who follow you. You don’t need share everything in your day but share worthwhile information to show that you are professional and that you are more than a marketing machine. You should talk about what you do, your passion and your purpose. You don’t need to talk about individual clients but you can talk about a client’s situation generically as not to disclose your client’s identity. By talking about a client’s situation you can show your followers how you helped them solve their problems. This not only shows your customer service but your professionalism and your ability. You should talk about who you are, certifications you’re working on or ones you’ve recently renewed. Talk about new segments of your industry you’re researching. This shows your followers that you are always working on bettering yourself and your firm as a whole. This speaks loudly to your professionalism and can put your potential clients at ease knowing that you are always working on being in the forefront. You should also share some of your interests, both work related and personal, this shows that you are human, that you care about other things besides your clients’ money. It is also important to share information, websites, and blogs that interests not only you but your clients and followers. This will help establish you as a resource for your followers rather than being just another person talking about their business. Don’t forget that social networks are permission based, that means you have no control over who follows you, if you come off talking only about your company people may unfollow you. It’s much harder to get someone back after they have unfollowed you. Remember, everyone is online trying to make a buck, don’t be that person, work on sharing pertinent information that matters to your followers. They are following you for a reason, make it worth their time.

Initially this can be overwhelming and you might think that this isn’t worth your time but remember that it will take at least six months to see something of value happen. It is worth your time because more people every day are logging on and hanging out online. You should be there, your competitors are. Take the time, take it one step at a time, don’t get lost in social networking, it can suck you in leaving you with nothing accomplished at the end of the day. Establish a few times during the day where you check in and share something of value. As you do it more, the easier it will get and the more value you’ll find in it.

(For help with setting up your social media presence contact my firm: Coffee House Ideas)