One of the most common complaints we hear from our clients about the social
media is that it eats up time. They fear that once their employees get on the
sites, they will no longer have time to do their jobs. I remember hearing this
same complaint about allowing employees access to the internet. There's no
question that internet access and email correspondence eat up much of our day.
Does it waste time? There's also no question that access to the social media
will eat up your day. Will it waste time?
Today, no business can function without the internet. We predict that
tomorrow no business can perform without the social media. But, how can we
incorporate it into our day and save time? Here are five tips:
1. Create a social media strategy. Think about what you want to
accomplish by using the social media. Do not join Facebook or Twitter just
because someone asks you. Decide why you want to participate and then set some
clear goals for doing so. Think about how participating on these sites will help
move you closer to your customer.
2. Limit your time on the social media. Allow yourself no more than an
hour a day to update, explore and contribute to the sites. Block off the time as
if it were an appointment.
3. Look for ways to network on the social sites without having to go
to networking events. Networking events consume a lot of time. They require you
to get in your car and go someplace. Use the social sites to network with others
as you would at a networking event. Here are some ways: a) Find a niche you want
to network with. It could be sales managers, human resource managers,
recruiters, etc. b) Share information that you think would be helpful to someone
as you might face-to-face at an event. LinkedIn gives you lots of opportunities
to do this in the Discussion section of their groups. Look over the discussions.
Can you add anything that might answer someone's question? c) Sign up on other
people's sites. This is like asking for someone's business card. d) Comment on
other people's blogs.
4. Use the social sites to find potential leads. In other words, use
the social sites to prospect. You can use the search function on LinkedIn or
Twitter to locate businesses that fit your niche.
5. With all the time you've saved by not going to networking events,
and by eliminating cold calling, you can add another hour or 30 minutes to your
social media daily schedule. But, never allow yourself to exceed two hours daily
on the social sites. If you do, your friends will accuse you of a new
addiction!
The New Handshake offers even more suggestions to help you use the
social media and save time. As with anything new, it takes time to learn what to
do. In the beginning you'll spend more time learning. After a few weeks, your
learning curve will diminish and you'll spend less time on the sites. You'll
create your own system for connecting with people. You'll learn the best ways to
leverage the social media to accomplish your goals. Don't take my word for it,
give it a try!