Social Network Marketing is a term we are going to be hearing a lot as Social Media and Network Marketing are drawn together. Network marketing has always been a social experience, so what’s the big deal? Social networking is the big deal and it is going to get much, much bigger.
Studies not so long ago indicated that the 500 million plus Facebook users didn’t pay much attention to the Facebook ads. It was thought that people go to Facebook to hangout with friends and not much more. However, that may be changing. The fastest growing user group on Facebook are women in the 55 – 65 age group.
Yes, these are the same women that make 80% of the family buying decision. Turns out that currently the majority of Facebooks advertising revenues are from casual gaming promoters. Why? The users of casual games (Farmville, mafia wars) are women.
A recent PopCap study showed that 55 percent of all social gamers in the U.S. are women. The average age of the women users is 48. Interestingly, 46 percent of American social gamers are 50 or older while only 6 percent of all social gamers are age 21 or younger. So, it appears the kids aren’t playing the Facebook games as much as the women who just happen to be the target of most advertisers.
Why is this such good news for network marketers? Since women make up approximately 85% of the distributor force it would seem that a lot of our new distributors are on Facebook and other social media sites waiting for us to contact them.
How do we contact them? Advertising? Not on your life. Social media marketingis about communicating, not advertising. Recent studies have shown that while 78% of consumers trust peer recommendations only 14% trust advertisements. That brings us back to the question, how do you contact them?
Obviously, if consumers want peer recommendations the trick is going to be how to get them to listen to your recommendations. The key is to establish a Web presence that establishes you as a peer and an expert.
Networking presentations were once dominated by presentations that brought forth an emotional response. There was the saying that “people hear your music not your words.” In fact, scientific studies indicate that an audience is influenced 7% by your content, 38% by your vocal presentation and 55% by your visual presence. The keys to great presentation were your tonality and your enthusiasm.
How do we make inspiring presentation using social media? Sincerity. Yep, there it is again, you have to be real. You must be authentic and transparent. Presentations using social media are not a filled with emotional triggers. For a social media product launch when you are filling a specific need by providing specific product you may be able to be effective by using hard sell and emotional triggers. However, using social media to find compatible business partners requires that you build a relationship.
Sure you have webinars, product presentations and meetings over the Internet, however, they are just extensions of your relationship building. These events are not what creates a social network marketing organization. The important elements to creating your online social network marketing organization are the social media funnels you develop to encourage people to want to find out more about you and ultimately join you or purchase what you have to offer.
Your social network marketing matrix consists of your Facebook site, twitter account, YouTube channel, blog, website, newsletter and/or capture page. You are creating a funnel that will pre-qualify your business partners. By the way, the pre-qualifying goes both ways. Your potential partners are using the elements of your social network marketing matrix to determine if they want to get to know you better and possibly become your business partner.
Do you need all of these elements to integrate social media into you network marketing business plan? Yes. It takes some time to set things up properly, however, once your funnels are in place you will have the tools to build an online home based business social networking organization that is yours and will last.
The basic need for business networking has not changed. However, the use of social media business networking has moved the meeting room to your computer screen.
Online business social media marketing is dominated by home based businesses. Big business is moving is as quickly as they can, however, they are having a difficult time understanding social media marketing. They want it to be like traditional marketing, I.e you throw enough advertising dollarsa at a given market and you own it.
Business networking events strategically spaced throughout the year are critical elements in building a successful business. For the Direct Selling/Network Marketing industry they have always been the critical catalyst for growth. Conventions, regional meetings, monthly opportunity and training sessions, weekly in-home presentations were the way it was done.
Has the Internet changed all that? Actually, society has changed that business model and the Internet has offered us an alternative.
A few short years ago the term social networking meant getting together with family and friends for a BBQ or other social event. Person-to-person contact, that’s what social networking meant. Not anymore, when we talk about social networking today we can just as easily be talking about socializing with some of the soon to be 2 BILLION, that’s B as in BIG, friends we have online.
If you have not adapted to this new reality you are, or soon will be, in trouble. The basic need for business networking has not changed. However, the use of social media business networking has moved the meeting room to your computer screen.
That’s the change, society in general no longer gets face to face with their peers that often. The annual meeting will most likely remain as a opportunity for leaders of the industry to forge personal bonds. And as a place for people on the way up to establish themselves. However, the bulk of the energy put into building your networking business will be online.
So, how do you reach these 2 Billion potential business partners? Advertising and flashy promotions are not effective in reaching people online. Facebook is a great case in point. Facebook is valued at somewhere between 20 and 30 Billion dollars. Why? Because they have over 500 million users. Advertiser are drooling. 500 Million users on one platfrom ready to receive my advertising. Oops; turns out those 500 Million users don’t care for advertisements. They just don’t pay any attention to them.
Does that mean that Facebook is toast? No! Facebook has 500 Million (and growing) potential buyers, sellers just have to figure out how to reach them. Some of us have. The day of the traditional advertisers is over and the time of the Natural Networker is here.
People online want to interact with people who provide them with something of value. From this exchange they form relationships that lead to online friendships and trust. It is natural for friends to exchange information and give and receive advice. It is the same network marketing model that has always existed the difference is the medium of the personal exchange of information.
In a personal relationship status, looks and influence in the community are often significant factors. In an online friendship the value of the information or advice exchanged is often the most important factor.
The natural networker loves helping people and teaching them how they can be, do or have anything they want. It’s natural and comes out in social exchanges. The natural networker thrives on teaching people how to use social media and social networking to build change their lives. The natural networker is usually an industry evangelist who believes in the industry, studies it and spreads the message by word and deed.
A natural networker is always looking for positive, self motivated people who want to make a change and are seriously committed to getting the job done. Natural networkers are seldom interested in selling anything, they are interested in sharing and partnering.
If your business is one of the thousands that want to work with others online you need to become a natural networker.
