Maintaining Your Network
Posted in Online Networking
A common mistake many marketers commit when using online communication as a means of marketing their brand is that they think it can simply be turned on and off like an advertisement campaign. Obviously, it is not.
Online networks are generally not very receptive to marketing message from new members, and you need to earn the right to talk about your product through participation in and contribution to the community. And once you have flourished in your campaign, you cannot just leave it or you will be only be seen as shallow.
Once you have established your personal presence and started growing your network online, here are ways of maintaining your online networking campaign and take to leverage virtual relationships for marketing.
Focus on awareness, not persuasion - Your participation, your signatures, and your profiles will create awareness. Those who are interested will be attracted to you and will come to you for information and assistance.
Create a standard template form e-mail and Web signatures for all your employees - Reinforce your brand in every communication through this. This can be a simple text with your corporate logo, as a more elaborate signature is considered by some people as inappropriate.
Cross-promote - Link your e-mail signature or your communities to your website.
Create a community around a cause or topic associated with your brand - Music groups, films, authors, and many technology companies can often support a community around their brand. If you do not have that type of user base, you can simply create one.
Be consistent, not persistent - Long gaps in your online participation will be noticed, and this will be viewed as simply manipulative. Be careful.
