Are you starting a business? Are you running an existing business?
If you answered yes to either of those questions, you are probably thinking about how you could use social networking to promote, sell, or get visibility for your company and products.
This is the book for you!
I am a big fan of Miriam Salpeter, Keppie Careers, and Hannah Morgan, Career Sherpa. When they released their book, Social Network for Business Success, last September, I immediately bought a copy. What I like about the book is that Miriam and Hannah wrote a book they wished they’d had when they started their own businesses.
The introduction states:
We wrote it to be useful whether you are just thinking of starting a business “on the side,” or if you have a company that’s doing well but are ready to launch it to the next level.
What I found useful in the book is, besides giving you guidance in using Social Media and doing business in general via the Internet, they direct you to resources that they have found useful. I highlighted sections in just about every chapter that I plan to go back and review.
Useful online resources
For example, in chapter 3, What Social Media Does For Your Business, I found the section called Review Third-Party Twitter List a valuable resource. They listed a variety of online tools/websites that made it easy to identify key players in your field.
In the same chapter, they have a section titled Find And Own Your Name Online. They listed two websites (KnowEm.com and Namechk.com) that you can use to research the availability of names on hundreds of social networks. I found a lot of social “real estate” where I needed to claim my name!
Offline resources
In chapter 7, called Research the Competition, there is a section called Professional Organizations Who Help Small Businesses. What impressed me here is that they have a section on Small Business Development Centers (SBDCs). These SBDCs are typically housed in Universities but are funded by the U.S. Small Business Advisory (SBA). We have one of these organizations at Texas State University, and I have sent numerous clients to them for help with their business plans and mentorship.
Other chapters
There are chapters on:
- Creating Your Website
- How to Choose the Best Social Networks for your Business
- Creating a Buzz for your Business
- Social Sharing – Tools and Applications
- Monitoring Your Activity – Tools and Tips
- and lots more!
What I like about Social Network for Business Success is it does not tell how to do it but directs you to the resources that will tell you how to do it!
Check out my book Repurpose Your Career – A Practical Guide for Baby Boomers
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