Why social media rocks!

Social media is not just a necessity — it has become such an integral part of my life, that it’s now one of my favourite ways to interact. Twitter, Facebook, YouTube and this blog are great for engaging with fellow networkers, sharing news and getting feedback.

The amazing thing is that it’s all real-time – something lacking in traditional media. You can’t get immediate feedback through a newspaper or TV, can you?

At the Independent Entrepreneurs Cyber Convention 2011 in Kuala Lumpur, I spoke about how social media can be very effective for business. When done right, it can help network marketers build stronger relationships with customers, and grow their network.

Here are some of the reasons why social media rocks:

Getting personal

The unique thing about social media is it lets you get much closer to your customers in a way that other media can’t. Online, people tend to be more open with their thoughts and comments. Look at Facebook – you can get a good idea of how someone spent their day just by checking their status updates!

Take the opportunity to listen closely to what your target audience needs, what they want, and the problems they face.

Creating conversations

With the direct, real-time interaction that social media can provide, it can feel like you’re having a face-to-face chat.

Start a conversation to find out information, or join an existing one to engage with others and share your opinions. By establishing yourself as a thought leader or someone who offers useful advice, people are more likely to listen to you, or join your network.

Befriending customers

The immediate feedback lends a personal touch, a sense of intimacy, and a deeper level of involvement. By listening to what people want, and offering solutions to help them get what they want, you gain their trust. Who knows, you might even make new friends?

Improving yourself

Positive feedback lets you know you’re on the right track, but occasionally you may receive a negative comment. What do you do? Well, the worst thing to do is ignore negative feedback, or filter it out entirely. Try a proactive approach and take it as constructive criticism to help you improve. Do you need to brush up on a business skill? Could your interpersonal skills be better?

With all the advantages, it’s no surprise so many businesses have jumped – no, leapt – on the social media bandwagon! But just like a powerful weapon, technology must be used correctly, or all sorts of problems can happen.

Watch out for my next post – I’ll be talking about what happens when social media becomes unsociable.

Which social media tools do you use? What do you like and dislike about them?

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