It’s no secret that one of the best ways to make money for any small company is to network. At its heart, meeting more people increases your number of connections, which may lead to new business. However, many people think that networking simply involves setting a profile page for your company on social media websites like Facebook and Twitter, and this couldn’t be further from the truth. Although these Internet sites may boost your small business’ (SMB) exposure, they don’t guarantee that you’ll see a boost in profits.
In fact, a recent article from Entrepreneur Magazine stated that social media websites can actually inhibit networking opportunities. Sure, your small business may have thousands of friends on Facebook, but this and other sites like LinkedIn, Twitter and Pinterest have yet to prove that they are more than just a way for people to keep in touch. While no one is going to tell you that certain web pages aren’t valuable forms of communication, often they don’t have the same effect as personal connections do.
In order to expand your SMB’s customer and potential client base, you may want to meter your Facebook status updates and get out and meet individuals face to face. When you do, you can ask direct questions about how they would like to see your company improve, what is important to them and make a personal connection with your customer . Remember that, as the source so accurately said, “People like to do business with people that they know and trust.”
Of course, networking is only part of the equation for a successful small business. As an SMB owner, you may want to also consider working with a local online marketing company that not only understands your company’s goals, but also is well-versed in various advertising tactics, ranging from ad production to search engine optimization.