One of the biggest advantages of using one or many of the Social Media Networking (SMN) tools, Facebook, Linked in, Twitter, and your personal website, is to stay easily connected with family, friends, and your professional network.  So, at the very least, once you get started, you should have a better relationship with everyone you are connected with.  To some of us, such brief online pigeon-talk conversation and texting contradicts communication entirely...as it's not a telephone call, or physical face to face conversation.  But what it is, though, is natural, personal, informal dialogue with many people at the same time.  It is very low-cost and, ultimately drives traffic to your website.  SMN is not used to blatantly sell you or your services.  Your objective is to position yourself as a value-provider who helps their network on their buying journey. 

Facebook

 

Facebook is probably the most logical social media tool to start with because of its massive popularity, and friendly social appeal.  It is free and easy to create an account that invites friends, family, colleagues and maybe some good customers to be your friend.  It`s a good way to get your feet wet and get acquainted with technology and connecting online.  The primary purpose of Facebook is to stay in touch, update, and share personal information.  For example, you may want to share photos of you and your family celebrating the 4th of July.    (Always be mindful with what you write and post on the Internet as it just might come back in a way that you might not have expected.)  www.facebook.com

 

Linked in

Linked in is another easy to use, free, and widely accepted social media tool to connect to your professional network.  Your professional colleagues, suppliers, mentors, and customers need to be connected here.  The difference between Linked in from Facebook is that you professionally and formally describe you, your business and your brand.  On Linked in you advertise, brand, and publically market yourself, your past and present experience, and add as much value to you as you can.  You should join professional Linked in groups to network, collaborate, and share experience for everyone's benefit.  A great way to network with other home-based professionals and suppliers in your region is to search their names on Linked in. Start today by creating your own Linked in account and then connect with me on my page www.linkedin.com/in/coryandrichuk.  

 

Millions have signed onto this social media tool.  The rest either have heard about it or wonder why people would want to spend their time firing off 140-character updates to everyone they know or don't know.  Again, it`s another free service that lets you keep in touch with people through the exchange of quick, frequent answers to one simple question:  What are you doing?  Remember, it's all about sharing information!!!  How cool would it be to be tweeting from a cruise ship on your FAM?  Or from a beach resort when touring the latest and greatest hotel in Jamaica, to then upload your pictures to your site and advertise them to your network.  Real-time travel advertising with a personal touch!  Join me today to start receiving my updates at http://twitter.com/brandUcoach.

 

Yourownwebsitename.com

 

Your own web site showcases who you are (your brand) and what you have to sell.  I cannot stress enough the importance of creating a personal website.  Stake out your own real estate (your first and last name.com) with GoDaddy.com today for less than $15.00 a year. 

 

Start developing your own brand along with your specialty niche on your own website, even if you have a website from your employer, franchisor, or hosted organization.  Even more critical, is to hire a professional that designs it for you.  DO NOT save the money and design it yourself!!!  I am here to remind you that you are a selling machine - a travel entrepreneur that knows your strengths and weaknesses and that your time is better spent connecting with your prospects and customers (both online and in-person) than learning Internet programming code. 

 

Your website needs to be an extension of your marketing, your business card, and you.  A big advantage is that your email now becomes personalized to your site and you can finally stop advertising other online travel companies through your own email address (e.g. @yahoo.com/ @msn.com/ @aol.com).  You can find my site (I paid a professional designer) at www.brandUcoaching.com or email me at cory@brandUcoaching.com, which is my professional email. 

 

In conclusion, a positive mindset will help you see social media networking as a valid and profitable business opportunity.  Remember, the core of such online networking is all about connecting, developing a relationship and sharing information.  Some require more updates than others, but as everything in life, you get out what you put in.  Start small... but get started! 

Let me help you get started!  I offer a FREE 30-minute personal coaching session.  To sign up for your FREE session to help you get started on your SMN plan, click here.