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Here are a few typical responses business owners have when they receive a recommendation to use social networking as a tool to increase the number of newsletter subscribers and clients:
- People who use the same social networking web sites that I do are not interested in business coaching or in working with a business coach. I spend a significant amount of time on social networking sites, and have absolutely no business coaching clients to show for this. No one from any social networking sites has ever become a coaching client.
- I keep posting about my business coaching services on social networking web sites every chance I get, but have no takers.
- I have spent months using social media, but no one asked me about my business, much less become a business coaching client.
If you are a business coach and haven't gotten any business coaching clients from social networking web sites, such as Twitter and Facebook, it is likely that you are making one of several common mistakes and you need to adjust your social media marketing strategy. If you have been using social networking websites for a while and are not getting results, let's see if you are making these mistakes:
If your social networking objective is to get business coaching clients, you should use social networking web sites that your potential clients frequent. For example, if you are a business coach, you should network in the communities frequented by your target market (business owners). If you are frequenting a community created around your favorite book, you will have fun discussing the book, but are not likely to generate new coaching clients.
If you are only networking when you need to get more business coaching clients, you are wasting your time. Networking, including social networking, is not a one-time action; rather, it is a process of having others get to know you and building relationships with them. You need to network continuously to raise your online visibility and develop relationships with people in your target market.
Remember the person who said "I keep posting about my business every chance I get, but have no takers." This person is not really networking. Rather, he is selling his products and services instead of building relationships. Networking is about creating awareness for your products, not blatantly advertising them.
While some people try to sell their products more then they should, there are others who don't tell people anything about their coaching business when networking online. Remember, if people you are networking with have no way of learning more about you and what business you are in, they will not be able to do business with you.
How do you let others know about your coaching business? Use a signature at the end of every message you post when using social networking web sites. Make sure your signature contains some information about your business and a link to your web site, so that everyone reading your posts can learn more about you and your business.
The best signature to use when you are networking online is to invite people reading your message to subscribe to your newsletter. When they do, you can continue building relationships even if you or they stop networking on the forum altogether.
Are you making any of the above mistakes when you are using social networking web sites? If you are, make changes as soon as possible.
- How To Use Social Networking To Get Clients
- How To Use Social Networking Sites To Promote Your Expertise
- Are You Wasting Time Or Networking?