5 Steps to Building Rapport with Social Media in 5 Minutes or Less

Social networking has created a brand new world for many who see the opportunity. However, there is no replacement for meeting someone in person. Networking events, conferences, and industry trade shows won’t be leaving us anytime soon, after all it is at these offline events where many of the most profitable relationships are formed. These in-person activities coupled with a solid social network ‘connection strategy’ can accelerate the bonding process with prospects and customers in your market, and it is very simple to do.

5 Steps to Building Rapport with Social Media in 5 Minutes or Less

Here’s an approach that works well:
*Caution: May Be Habit Forming (and should be)
1.) Meet someone in person, get their business card.
2.) Ask if they are on any social networks (this alone can be a great conversation piece), and if they have one they like more than another.
3.) When you get back to the office, send a personal greeting via email letting them know you appreciated meeting them, and that you will connect with them on their preferred social network(s).
4.) When connecting, *always* include a personal greeting as a part of the friend or connection request (I am now ignoring many connection requests that don’t have a personal greeting).
5.) Post a status update on that social network about your new connection with a link to their profile or company website. Something like:

“Just connected with Bob at [Event name]. Sounds like great things happing at [Company Name] [website URL].”

If using Twitter, be sure to use their “at” reply (@BobsTwitterID), this will give others the ability to connect with Bob more easily, and the tweet will show up on Bob’s reply tweet list.

The Result:

• Stronger bond with the new connection.
• You are on social networks as a connector, not merely a consumer.
• You did this in less than 5 minutes (nice!).
• You are savvy mon (a shout out to my Jamaican readers).

Your Turn: What’s missing? How can this process be improved? Ideas welcome in the comments boxes below.
*Image by Slava

Technorati Tags: social marketing strategy, Social Networking for Business, web 2.0 marketing strategies