The Buzz
Cures for Summertime Networking Blues

This month I want to touch on something that has helped my company over the years, networking. A friend of mine wrote a wonderful article last year that seams timely as Alaskans enter into the short season of summer while still having to make sales quotas. Please enjoy an abbreviated version of his article, "There ARE Cures for the Summertime Networking Blues" By David Crumbaugh, CPA
 
"In 1958, Eddie Cochran sang a very famous rock-n-roll chorus:
"Sometimes I wonder what l'm-a-gonna-do
But there ain't no cure
For the summertime blues"
 
...In the networking world, summer brings challenges we don't face at other times of the year. Referral partners take longer to follow up, are out of the office, or are less intentional in their networking... it is [also] difficult to find ... new referral partners in our normal spots.
 
As intentional net-workers, we must step outside of our networking comfort zones and look in other places to find new partners. Where does an intentional net-worker start? Begin by searching for your new referral partnership where you spend your time during the summer months.
 
1. Sports Fields. Kids play baseball, softball, and soccer. Parents spend night after night at practices, games, or volunteering at the concession stands. These parents/athletes are business people-people who may share your target market. Discussions can range from vacation, work, home repairs, to neighborhood politics. A simple conversation or offer to help amid the extra innings, may lead to growing your business. Remember, the only way to get to know the people these sport parents know is to get to know them first.
 
2. Vacation. We love our time off to recharge and relax. However, during that time networking is usually left off the agenda. We are missing an opportunity to see BNI chapters [or other networking opportunities] in another area-or even another country. This is a great chance to pick up new networking ideas, ...[and] find new markets for your product or services.
 
3. Neighborhood Festivals. Summer is the time of festivals and county fairs. It's a time for rides, music, games, and good greasy food! It can also be the time to talk to neighbors in more detail. We can build relationships beyond the friendly waves while mowing grass. Take the time to get to know your neighbors. Host a neighborhood cookout to strengthen or even start relationships.  Who knows, they may hold the key to your ideal referral partner.
 
4.  Weekly BNI Meeting.  More than ever, intentional net-workers must be diligent in attending weekly [networking] meetings.  Visibility is crucial during the summer months... When you bring value in true Givers Gain fashion, you will receive results! [This goes true with whatever networking group you are associated with.]
 
Fun abounds during the summer. Networking can, too. But it requires you to be intentional. Remember, networking can occur anywhere, anytime. Avoid the summertime networking blues and make the most of the fun (and networking) in the sun!"

 
At last, the final three mistakes that may be ruining your social-media marketing efforts. If you missed parts one or two  of this series, please check out our archives at www.buzzbizz.biz. As we mentioned last month, the information used for this series is paraphrased from a white paper written by MediaPost Publications, social media insider, Catharine P. Taylor. Without further ado.

Mistake 6: Take negative feedback personally.

Look, this is the Internet, where there are always going to be trolls and other nasty individuals who delight in saying unpleasant things about your company. Don't let it bug you. On the other hand, don't overlook the opportunity to address real concerns head-on.

Comcast began to repair its dismal customer-service reputation several years ago by using Twitter to reach out to complaining customers, offering to troubleshoot problems or sometimes offering refunds. Frank Eliason, the director of digital care, originally manned the account, @comcastcares; it's now staffed by a small platoon of Comcast employees. According to the American Customer Satisfaction Index, Comcast's score is inching upward. "It's still not where we would like to see it, but we are happy it is heading in the right direction," Eliason says.

Mistake 7: Fret about return on investment.

Solid return on investment in social media is tough to measure. You can, however, evaluate your outreach efforts the same way you might a PR or advertising campaign. You can start by looking at simple tallies such as your number of Facebook fans and Twitter followers, or how often people visit your company's blog. Other metrics, such as the number of blog comments and the number of times consumers shared a link to your content, can show how engaged users are with your brand. That said, many companies still take the value of social media largely on faith. Context Optional's Sebastian Gard, who until June was a social-media manager at Microsoft, admits, "The only way I can tell you it's effective [at Microsoft] is that they continue to do more of it."

Mistake 8: Underestimate the power of seemingly small efforts.

Embracing social media isn't about achieving specific goals so much as it is establishing a real bond with your customers. Rick Karp, president and "keeper of the karma" for the San Francisco-based Cole Hardware chain, recently announced via Twitter (@colehardware) that the company would exchange a particular water bottle suspected of chemical contamination - no questions asked. Within two weeks, consumers returned about 1,000 of the bottles. "We lost money, but we gained so much [for our brand] by virtue of our doing it," he says. "I will do a lot to build our brand, regardless of whether it pays off immediately economically or not."