Entrepreneurs are using the newest Internet trend to meet and collaborate with colleagues worldwide. Professional social networks such as LinkedIn, Plaxo, Twitter and Facebook, can provide legal nurse consultants another way to promote and expand their CLNC® business.
Social media marketing is the systematic approach to using social networks and other “Web 2.0″ and “Web 3.0″ technologies as a part of an all inclusive marketing plan.
Step One: Define your goals, then match the network tool to your goal.
Goals vary from business-to-business and professional-to-professional, but the identification of goals is key to determining what characteristics are needed in a social network.
Step Two: Set boundaries and budgets that govern the efforts expended in social networking.
Most professional social networks offer a free, and one or more “premium,” membership. In most or all of those with “premium” memberships, it is possible to “earn” free premium upgrades by recruiting new members to the network platform. With these incentives, it is only necessary to spend money on professional social network membership if a specific paid premium membership function or service is needed to achieve the goals set in Step One. This does not mean that social networking is free. Most successful business social networkers agree that success requires a minimum of 40 hours per month spent building the network and communicating with network members and online contacts.
The biggest area of budget bloat for online networking is time. Time has a definite value in real dollars and time spent on social media marketing must provide a real and measurable return on investment.
It is all too easy to spend endless hours enjoying the many “features” of social networking sites. Whether answering posted questions and earning the tag “Expert” or racking up endorsements and testimonials, every minute spent online must have a purpose, must contribute to achieving your legal nurse consulting goals and must provide a return.
Step Three: Begin networking.
Once your goals, budgets and boundaries are set, it is time to begin networking. Whether online or in person, the most important tool of the social networker is dialogue. Online networking must include direct and individual communications with every member of the network.
Every time a new member joins your network, that new contact must receive a personalized email welcoming them to the network. This mandates that the new contact’s network profile be read and the contact’s interests be made the focus of the email.
The process of customizing the welcome to the new contact has a side benefit to the business because it forces the business to define its relevance to an ever expanding and ever deepening market demographic described by the online social network.
Step Four: Communicate and connect, don’t just collect.
The object of the entire social media marketing effort is to build a network with a personal bond and the ability to refer paying customers or become a paying customer. This means the network members must become raving fans even before they make a buy or referral.
Those who have been networking in real life for years know this is much harder than turning a satisfied customer into a raving fan. Unlike in-person networking, online networking limits the level of interpersonal exchange and thus “likability.”
A social network makes the transition to raving fans because of the personality of the network leader. Use the regular communication with network members as a “personality conduit.”
Step Five: Attract like-minded people, then lead them.
The key to becoming a leader in a market niche is to become a gathering point for other online professionals and their respective networks. All professional social networking websites have the ability to create clubs, or groups, or collectives. By volunteering to create and manage such a group, the leader becomes the point of convergence for everyone interested in the topic.
Step Six: Make it real in real life.
Depending on the local culture and networking traditions as well as the subculture of the online network, a traditional “dinner and drinks” networking event may be in order, but a “picnic in the park” or a “burgers and baseball” format may be more appropriate. The key is not the surroundings, but the opportunity for people who have built an online, but nonetheless real relationship, to put a handshake, or a hug, to the profile and prose.
Guest Blogger Profile
Brian Horn is an Internet marketing consultant who specializes in search engine marketing, site optimization, social media marketing, link building and web data analytics. Brian has consulted with Vickie Milazzo Institute for over three years.
Brian also speaks at seminars and conferences throughout the U.S. and Canada on how to use the Internet to improve business.
Tags: Brian Horn, Certified Legal Nurse Consultant, Facebook, Legal Nurse Consultant, LinkedIn, Marketing, networking, online, Plaxo, social media, Twitter, using social networks, Vickie Milazzo
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February 18, 2009 at 6:27 pm
Brian Horn
Shannon,
Good to see you’re keeping up the latest tech and Internet news. Here’s a few things about the Facebook changes in Terms of Use.
February 18, they reverted back to their old Terms of Use due to the uproar from the blogosphere and the mainstream media.
Here is the update from their official blog: http://blog.facebook.com.
But what if they didn’t go back and update it?
To tell the truth, I wasn’t worried about it before they reversed to their old Terms of Use for three reasons:
1. I don’t post things that will come back to haunt me.
2. I’m not convinced there’s any commercial value to the content I post on Facebook.
3. The first time Facebook crosses the ethical line will be its last. It’s a commercial entity with designs on being THE social graph platform for the world. I’m sure Facebook is thinking IPO somewhere in the next few years. I believe this alone will curb excesses by the site.
But, not to worry anyway…they are back to their original Terms of Use.
February 18, 2009 at 4:44 pm
Shannon
Vickie,
First of all, I love, love, love your blog! It’s great. However, I was reading Brian’s post about social marketing and remembered an article I just read earlier today about Facebook. The article is online at http://www.pcworld.com. It talks about Facebook claiming rights to any content one uploads about their own business. They claim rights to use all/parts of it to use for their advertising. What are your thoughts on this matter? Have you heard of this before?
February 18, 2009 at 9:48 am
Brian Horn
Good to hear it Judie!
A recent study showed that 60% of Americans participate in social media:
http://www.coneinc.com/content1182
…at least SOME of those have to be potential attorneys-clients!
Keep at it and you’ll find more.
February 18, 2009 at 9:31 am
Judie Threatt
I joined Facebook last month and found a friend from my childhood. He is an attorney in NY City now and a Facebook junkie. He is a general practitioner with a lot of cases involving medical issues. We have reconnected and he has committed to sending me all of his medical cases from now on. I am going to NYC next week to meet with him and take him to lunch. Social networking works!
February 17, 2009 at 2:01 am
Claire Hull
I think these networking avenues are just great! Except I would just caution a bit. I have been to some where the information is not reliable. Not always, but sometimes. So, I would just say use caution. Be sure you know who you are sharing with, who you are following if you are on Twitter. And just a little pearl…be aware that others have businesses to and they are advertising and networking just like you hope to do.
Use your keen eye and the recommendations. Vickie is aware of these things. In the past, Vickie has shared how to use good sense. Just remember to use it in these social networks too.
I love this blog Vickie. Thanks so much for sharing your time.
February 14, 2009 at 7:28 pm
Adene Balzer
I am an RN and now enrolled to become a CLNC® consultant. I love the blog articles, Vickie, but this one I can use right now and it is SO informative to add to what I am already doing on Twitter & Facebook. Thanx so much for these useful tips. Since its Hearts Day, I hope your family has a happy one!
February 13, 2009 at 11:26 am
Brian Horn
Start with Facebook. Fill out your complete profile. During the process of signing up, Facebook will help you start finding “Friends” from your high school and college.
You can also import your contacts from Outlook, Gmail or Hotmail, and see if they already have accounts.
Twitter is also a good tool that’s gaining in popularity.
LinkedIn is another one where you can find a TON of attorneys and attorney groups to join. It is a little harder to connect with people of LinkedIn that you don’t actually know in “real life”…but it can be done.
Those are the 3 I’d recommend.
February 13, 2009 at 5:45 am
Kevin Robinson, RN, CLNC
This all sounds really good and I’m sure this can help me get my CLNC® practice off the ground and start running.
I am new to the world of cyber networking. Not sure of the best places to start. Any particular sites or do I just jump in and try several? I would really like to learn more. Any suggestions?
February 12, 2009 at 1:30 pm
Brian Horn
You can really cut down on your time by linking many of the social networking sites together. For example…when ever I update something on Twitter, my Facebook, Plaxo and LinkedIn statuses are updated automatically also.
To help monetize:
Make sure you try to drive people to your website, so they can see your full sales pitch…profiles on the social media sites are somewhat limited.
Network with the right people. Join Facebook groups for attorneys (there are a bunch). Then interact with as many as possible in the groups and “Friend” them. This way you’re spreading your message to the best targeted group…and make sure to post about things that your targeted group is interested in.
February 12, 2009 at 12:28 pm
Jennifer Robinson RNC, CLNC
Terrific information and insight. The steps you’ve outlined are really good when you are faced with the overwhelming amount of information on the web and just sit there thinking “Ok, I’ve signed up for this site, what do I do now?”
I’ve been exploring this type of networking after seeing it come up repeatedly in legal and other professional journals.
It definitely can be time intensive, especially in the beginning while exploring the site offerings and learning how to network the “right” way and not offend others unintentionally.
While I have not seen any monetary ROI with this social networking outlet (newbie at this form of networking), I have gained some valuable information to help my business and my personal life grow from those I’ve connected with.
February 12, 2009 at 1:06 pm
Abbie Citron, RN, BSN, CLNC
Jennifer,
Well said and my feelings exactly!
Besides the time learning to navigate the sites, I think social media networking is very positive. I have learned a tremendous amount of useful information for my business and met many nice, professional people along the way.
I have enjoyed getting to know you (my cyber GF) and being a newbie with you on many different social media network sites.
Thanks for the blog Vickie. It is nice to know you feel our media marketing is worthwhile!