Networking on Twitter…Possible or Not?

Networking is one of the biggest buzzwords in the business world these days and with good reason. If you aren’t actively networking, you aren’t making those connections to your next business venture, your next client, and your next big partnership.

What is networking?

You can find hundreds of seminars, membership groups groups and a ton of leading names that will teach you all about networking for a payment of only $$ (insert big dollars here!)

I’m going to let you in a little secret: Networking is simply a matter of getting out there, getting to know others and letting people get to know who you are. That’s it. That’s the B.I.G. secret that’s not so secret, eh?

Everything you need to know about networking you learned in kindergarten: play nice, share and make new friends.

Based on its exponential growth, Twitter is one of the number one places to network. All you need to do is create a Twitter account and start using it. Use your business name or your real name for your Twitter username and upload a real picture of yourself. Plug in the link to your site or blog and create a quick little bio that tells fellow Twitterers who you are and what you do. Next, post a few tweets saying hello. Offer up wisdom relating to your expertise. Then, start following people.

Don’t know who to follow? Use Twitter search (the link is at the bottom of your main page) and type in a keyword or two describing the topics you’re interested in. For business, it’s often easiest to begin by following people in your own field. Type in your industry and step back while you watch the results start pouring in. Click on the usernames you see and start checking people out until you find some you like, then follow those people and start interacting.

Do not go on Twitter and start posting link after link about your business. Instead, share some of the insight and wisdom you have about your business, good and useful information. Share links to blog posts or information you find on the web related to your expertise. Cut and paste someone else’s post with “RT” in front of it. (This is called a “retweet” and it’s an easy way to share and make new friends.)

There are all kinds of tips and tricks to using Twitter (and other networking sites) effectively for marketing your business. Remember to:

1. Join in the conversation
2. Tweet often
3. Tweet responsibly
4. Retweet
5. Get to know others
6. You only get out of it what you put into it

I would love to get to know you on Twitter. Click here to follow me.