why care about social media?
DESCRIPTION
A compelling and interactive presentation on why it is important to integrate Social Media into your lives, no matter what your career and goals.TRANSCRIPT
Next Level Development Conference ~ October 2, 2010
Why care about Social Media? A Guide to Success through New Mediapresented by Kelly A. Galanis
Picture it:
You’ve just attend a networking event where you met some key individuals there - people who could be strong connections for you to land that dream job or make the next step in your career. How do you follow up
with these people and give them a subtle glimpse at what you’re made of and what you could do for the industry?
The answer: Social Media.
“Confidence is about losing the fear of telling the world who you are.” – Kelly Galanis
This session will cover:
★ Social Networking 101: A Crash Course
★ The RULES of Networking (Social and Otherwise)
★ How to CONNECT with others
★ Keep it personal: put your FACE on
★ Make connections, develop FRIENDS
Social Networking 101: A Crash Course
★ The BIG 3 at a glance
★ Which Social Media sites are for me?
★ Getting started on the right foot!
★ The largest social network – over 500 million users
★ Primarily used to connect with friends and former classmates
★ Fan Pages allow users to “like” pages for companies, celebrities and public figures and receive timely updates
★ Applications allow users to play game and enhance their experience
★ Professional, business-style networking
★ Allows users to connect to current and former colleagues, supervisors and classmates
★ Users post a professional profile outlining their career history and business affiliations
★ Recommendations for users can be written and posted on users’ pages
★ User-created groups allow for collaboration among like-minded individuals (ex. colleges/universities, professional organizations, career focused, etc.)
Real-time information network that lets you share and discover what’s happening now.
Twitter asks “what’s happening” and makes the answer spread across the globe to millions, immediately.
Gives users the opportunity to share their opinions, thoughts and ideas
★ Consumers can connect with businesses and other consumers to express their good and bad experiences
★ More than just “TMI” Tweets!
Wait a sec, there are RULES to networking?
★ RESEARCH who will be attending through social media channels
★ UNDERSTAND who they are, what they like, what commonalities you share
★ LISTEN to what they have to say; look for key points in a conversation
★ ENGAGE in lively conversation; base questions on what you can relate to
★ SHARE your experience and work in a chance to SELL yourself
RESEARCH
How you prepare for a networking event is just as important as what happens when you walk through the door. If you have access to a guest list, identify those key individuals you want to connect with. Then, sit down at the computer and research their online presence.
Do they have a LinkedIn, Twitter or Facebook page? How about a blog or website? Google their name and company. Identify some commonalities you share and make some notes for yourself. This will help you get conversations started when you make that face-to-face encounter.
UNDERSTAND
Once your research is done, it’s important to understand who these people are.
Have you found a common link you can converse about? Is there a hobby or
interest you share?
Let’s keep the social in Social Networking!
LISTEN
Once the introduction has been made and the small talk is out of
the way, be sure to ask open-ended questions you know will produce
solid answers. Then, close your mouth and open your ears. Pay
attention to the words they are saying and make note of something
you might be able to respond with.
ENGAGE
Now that you’ve listened to a great response from your
contact, it’s time to start a real conversation. Enter into
a discussion on the topic that you just asked about, pulling
from the answer that they’ve just shared with you. This is
also an excellent opportunity to slip in some comments about
what work you do and make mention of a topic relating to your
Personal Brand.
SHARE
Sharing is an extended form of engaging. It brings the
discussion to the next level, allowing both individuals to
interact comfortably. Sharing is that turning point that
turns strangers into acquaintances and eventually friends.
Can anyone share an experience that followed the RULES of networking? How did it turn out?
Personality is Key
Don’t be fooled by the many tools Social Networking provides today. While we are able to reach and connect to many individuals faster, it still is not as easy as it seems. The best networking connections are made by a PERSONAL connection, so be sure to keep it real!
Exercise:
★ Share an example of a time you might have tried connecting but did not succeed. What do you feel went wrong?
★ Share an example of a time you were successful in connecting. What went well? Why do you feel it was a success?
What is the secret to a great networking experience? You need to CONNECT:★ Communicate
★ Often
★ Network
★ Naturally
★ Explore
★ Casual
★ Talks
Remember, put on a happy FACE:
★ Friends
★ Are
★ Created
★ Easily
Once you are connected, always remain FRIENDS:
★ For
★ Real
★ Interesting
★ Exchanges
★ Networking
★ Doesn’t
★ Stop
Let’s Discuss:
What are some examples of connections you have made that have been well-maintained over time? How have you kept in contact? What does it take for you or that individual to reach out to one another? What is your method of communication?
Personality is Key, Personal Branding is Ideal
Having a personal brand is all the buzz today. What does it
mean? Why is it so important? The simple answer is that a
personal brand defines YOU. It tells the world who you are,
what you stand for and what you hope to become. It requires
you to reflect on your qualities and positive traits, then
feeling comfortable enough to share them with the world.
Networking and Your Personal Brand
Incorporating your Personal Brand into networking doesn’t
take much more effort than what we’ve just reviewed. When
networking your Brand, you must make sure that you have fully
developed your Brand, and that you know the key selling
points.
Can you answer the following about your Personal Brand?
★ How do you describe your Personal Brand in 3 words?
★ Do you have a tagline or selling point of your Personal Brand?
★ What is the mission or purpose of your Personal Brand?
★ What is the focus of your Personal Brand?
★ What IS your Personal Brand?
Your Personal Brand: A Closer Look
If you find yourself stuck on some of these questions, you need to take a closer look at your Personal Brand. It is important to focus and hone in on the key strengths you possess - what is it you want people to remember or know you for?
Consider following the rules of Twitter - limit your Personal Brand to 140 characters. Can you say it all in that short line? If not, keep working at it until you can.
Remember, it’s really that easy!
★ Follow the RULES
★ CONNECT with others
★ Keep it personal, put your FACE on
★ Make connections, develop FRIENDS
Questions and Answers?
Thank you!