How many of us love to make new connections and find new clients online? Well, I do, and I would like to share with you some different places that are awesome for online networking and also, why, especially now, becoming a part of online networking and social media sites is such an important part of business.
To put it simply, social media and online networking gives you the power to make contact with millions of people all over the world. Facebook topped 300 million users and is used by newscasters to get opinions on topics, by radio shows to get recos for music to play, Best Buy now uses twitter to answer questions about tech and much more. This is happening folks. People, potentially your clients, are online and clicking away everyday and if your competition is in on it and working it, you are losing out. Don’t take this the wrong way. Your sales may be off the charts and money is coming in from everywhere and you might say, “I don’t need to get online, everything is working for me just the way it is.” and you would be totally right. In that case, establishing an online presence in the online networking and social media world would only grow your business more. For those who can’t say that and are looking for another way to get the word out, social media and online networking should be considered. If done right and effectively, it can’t hurt.
You have probably heard of the online phenomenon Facebook. I just mentioned it above and with 300 million users and more joinin
g daily, it’s a big one. Originally created as a social media site (which it still is) Facebook put a little twist on things and added the ability to create pages. This is where your business would come into play. If you create a page for your business, you can build a following, provide updates on services and products, inform people of newindustry news that may affect them, etc. Having a facebook page and effectively growing your fan base through Facebook gives you one more avenue through which to reach your current customers and potential customers. Keep this in mind though, when on Facebook and your doing all of this, DON”T SPAM!!! Apologies for the change in tone but the fastest way to lose fans of your page is to post every 5 min. the same thing you just posted about this product or that service. Mix it up and keep the content relevant and interesting. 
Through facebook you can also join groups and create groups to further your reach into the networking world. There are business groups galore, so get on and start meeting people.
As a business, you have probably heard at some point or another about LinkedIn. Think of it as a business facebook. This one is all business, no joke. Through LinkedIn, you can meet all sorts of people (CEO’s and presidents of companies, etc.) and do all sorts of things to get the word out about your business or products/services, and the best part 
is, it’s free. Yay, free stuff!! Once you create a LinkedIn profile, you want to make sure you fill it out completely and put a picture up there. After that, join some groups that you think match your industry or your customers and start meeting people within the groups. LinkedIn also has a thing called Q&A. You can answer questions other people have and also ask questions of your own to your network. Build up your network, spread the word about your company and meet other business people. LinkedIn is awesome for business networking but once again, DON’T SPAM. It’s getting to be a real issue in some of the groups and you will be booted if you SPAM the group. It’s pretty serious and can completely ruin what you are trying to do.
Things to Remember about Social Media and Online Networking:
One thing to remember about these online networking sites and just the principle in general is that you are building your reputation as a business just as much as you are building clientele for your products or services. Protect that reputation by not SPAMMING other members and by offering good information on your products and services in an unobtrusive way. This is very important because you can achieve awesome results but you can also, just as easily, loose your rep for your business.
Another thing to remember: It takes time and effort if you are to succeed in networking online. You have to build your following and your friends and connections from the ground up and keep at it. The payoff may not be immediate but just remember that when you have established yourself in these different places online, you are that much easier to be found online and you have more exposure to potential clients and customers.
If you have more questions about networking online or social media, please don’t hesitate to leave me a comment or contact me through my online form. Big Cloud Media also offers consultation on these matters if you are having trouble effectively using them to get word out about your business so please feel free to contact me if you are interested in that as well.
Thank you for reading and God bless.
Koji Flowers
Big Cloud Media
Posted in The Buzz on { September 17th, 2009 } ~ No Comments
Tagged with: Big Cloud Media • bigcloudmedia • business • effective • facebook • linkedin • new clients • new connections • online • online networking • reputation • services • social media • websites
Good day all. I just wanted to let you know that the wedding went without a hitch thanks to all of the support from family and friends. Thank you all so much.
Big Cloud Media has relocated to Dallas, TX and is back up and running so please feel free to write or call (210-373-7352) if you need our services. Just to recap we currently offer the following services:
- Custom website design and development
- Custom web-application design and development
- Marketing services and consultation including but not limited to: social media, blogging, online marketing, offline marketing, marketing plans and more.
- Printing, from billboards to business cards
- Search Engine Optimization
- Website Effectiveness Consultation and Planning
Please let us know if you are in need of, or are interested in any of these services for your business, band, corp etc. We will be more than happy to help.
Thank you all and have a great day.
Big Cloud Media
Posted in The Big Cloud, The Buzz on { September 9th, 2009 } ~ No Comments
Tagged with: Big Cloud Media • bigcloudmedia • business • companies • dallas • effective • redesign • services • social media
Twack is my nickname for Twitter. You are on Twack!! Twitter is highly addictive and can take over people’s lives, much like crack addiction tends to do, only without the legal issues. Thus, Twack is born.
You know you are addicted to Twack if you…
- Shun hanging with family and friends to update your status.
- Have a twitter app on your blackberry, G1 or other app supporting phones.
- Have the twitter number as a contact in your phone to make for easier texting
- Start speaking in 140 character sentences in regular conversation
- Get nervous if you can’t update your status
- Show real concern when your follow count goes down
- Miss twittering while on vacation
- Have gotten in an accident because you updated twitter while driving
- Get moody if you have to be away from Twitter (in any fashion) for more than 5 min.
- Would rather dm your friends instead of phone them
For all of you hardcore Twitter users out there, know that you are not alone in your fight with Twack. With much willpower and therapy, I am sure that you, me and all the other Twackheads can defeat this life-draining social media induced habit, but as with most struggles, it takes time.
That’s it for now. I am starting to get withdrawals from the Twack and need my next fix before I go completely crazy.
Yall have a great day and God bless.
By the way, you can follow me at twitter.com/bigcloudmedia.
Posted in The Big Cloud on { August 26th, 2009 } ~ No Comments
Tagged with: addiction • bigcloudmedia • habit • media • people • social media • twack • twitter
