10 tips for online networking for smes

© Penmaen Media 2009

Carolyn Morgan 27 May 2010

10 tips for online networking for SMEs

© Penmaen Media 2009 2

Carolyn Morgan – Penmaen Media

• Strategist and New business development in digital media and marketing

• 20 years strategic, marketing, publishing, events, digital experience in media businesses

• Grown, launched, acquired media businesses in print, events and digital

• Consultancy for media businesses on digital strategy (Guardian, ABC, CDS, Archant, CIOnet, Eye magazine, Emap, RHS Media)

• Trainer for ebusiness programme on planning websites and SEO for SMEs

• Workshops for SMEs on digital media and marketing

• Launched Specialist Media Show for media businesses – national quality speakers and exhibitors in a regional venue

• Regularly speak on digital media and marketing at conferences, write articles for trade publications and the Penmaen Media blog

• www.penmaen-media.co.uk


How to win business

• Best way is personal referrals

• But how to expand your network and influence?

• For SMEs time is precious

• Online networking can accelerate referrals

• Here are 10 tips to get you started


1. You are the brand

• You represent your company best

• People buy people

• People remember people

• Social networking is based on individuals

• What are your particular strengths, skills, expertise?


2. Know who is buying you

• Who are your best clients?

• Who is your dream client?

• What is important to them in buying your services?

• Where do they spend time online?– Linked-in– Facebook– Twitter– Industry forums/ discussion groups


3. What makes them contact you?

• Have a problem?

• Want to buy?

• Comparing products?

• Have read a recommendation?

• Know you are the expert?


4. Organise your online presence

• Website in order – with testimonials and calls to action

• Linked-in professional profile – contacts, recommendations, links

• Professional profile on twitter – start posting

• Company page on facebook

• Profile on professional sites with good pagerank

• Keep it all up to date


5. Create useful content

• What are you expert in?

• What is important to your dream client?

• Start a blog or add useful content to your site

• Get it published in the right places

• Talk about it on facebook, twitter, linked-in and include a link

• Post comments on forums and add a link


6. Take part in discussions

• Find out where your ideal clients hang out online

• Comment on forums/ discussions

• Answer questions – eg Linked-in, Yahoo

• Review relevant books on Amazon


7. Build your network

• Add your current clients to your linked-in network

• Ask them for recommendations

• Add people you email regularly and go through your business cards

• Go to events

• Use online tools (people you might know)

• Add your personal contacts, old colleagues, suppliers…

• Invite contacts from facebook, twitter, forums to linked-in

• You can export your linked-in list to excel for mailing


8. Be helpful and connect people

• Be helpful to your network

• Pass on interesting articles and links

• Offer recommendations

• Answer questions

• Help make introductions

• Comment on posts


9. Use events strategically• Identify events your dream clients may attend

• Go to the most important ones, chat and get business cards

• Contact organisers and offer to speak (for free) to establish yourself as an expert

• Provide an article on your content in advance and offer it free in return for a link.

• If you can’t attend, see if there is a twitter hashtag and join in the discussion, adding helpful content and following interesting people

• You may just get noticed and someone will follow you back


10. Repeat from the start

• Networking takes time to build

• Connections build on connections

• Business often comes from the 4th or 5th connection

• Clients can take months to make a decision

• Keep adding content, speaking, writing, helping people out to build a reputation

• Enjoy! It’s great when the phone rings!

10 tips for online networking for smes

Business

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