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V O L . X X I I I N O. X X I S E P T E M B E R 1 8 , 2 0 1 7 16 S ome believe social media is ruining our personal relation- ships. I believe the opposite. anks to Facebook, LinkedIn, Instagram, Twitter and other social media plat- forms, we are able to stay connected to a much larger network of people. It contributes to our sense of commu- nity and belonging. When it comes to business, it makes it easier to build a high level of the"know, like, trust" equity among those you want to count among your clients and supporters. Your social media content is a steady reminder of who you are, what's important to you and the values you represent, which is also known as your personal brand. By putting yourself out there on social media, you stay top of mind with those in your circle. ink about how much time this would take if we had to rely solely on personal meetings to do our networking? at one-on-one contact is still a very important part of the picture, but social media makes it much easier to keep those personal connections alive. I have been active on Facebook for a decade and have reconnected with friends from my various schools and from all phases of my adult life. Some of these have led to business. Others have led to wonderful reunions. Using social media has broadened my net- work, encouraged people to seek me out because of my interests and expertise, and brought new clients to my agency. It's sometimes called social capital and it improves your life in countless ways. Here are ve basic methods I employ to harness social media as a tool for business networking: 1. Choose a select number of social media platforms to focus on: It's better to create a really solid presence on a limited number of platforms than trying to establish yourself on all of them. is way, you can really focus on your content and build- ing your following. Facebook is the largest platform by far, so probably a good place to start. LinkedIn is the most professional, so if you just want to share professionally, start there. 2. Post regularly but not too often: If you rarely post, people will forget you exist. If you do it too often, fol- lowers may become frustrated by your posts overcrowding their feeds. I generally post no more than two times a day (unless I've got some- thing really interesting to share) and no less than three times a week. 3. Curate your content: ink about how you want people to see you, and craft posts to re ect that. For example, it's a good idea to stay away from o -color jokes and in ammatory statements. 4. Use a mix of personal and professional content: Share your expertise and achievements as a businessperson, but it's equally important to share who you are outside of work. Remember, people like to do business with those they know, like and trust. To establish that kind of rapport, you have to share a little bit of yourself. 5. Like, share and comment on the posts of your followers: ey don't just want to see and read about all the exciting things you are doing. ey want to know you take a personal interest in their endeavors too. Investing time in building your social media presence can have a big pay-o for business. It has the potential to bring new prospects to your door, and it makes it possible to stay con- nected to the many people you meet in a business and socially. An important thing to remember is that social media was never intended to take the place of personal relation- ships. It is meant to be used as a tool to strengthen and maintain them. N M, CEO of Nancy Marshall Communications, a P R a g e n c y s p e c i a l i z i n g i n t o u r i s m , h e a l t h c a r e a n d e d u c a t i o n , c a n b e r e a c h e d @ . Make social media part of your networking strategy B Y N A N C Y M A R S H A L L H OW TO Delivering the highest-quality CARE and COVERAGE to the people of Maine and beyond for over 35 years. Visit us at MartinsPoint.org H E A LT H C A R E C E N T E R S Primary and specialty care for patients in 7 convenient locations in southern Maine and New Hampshire Accepting Most Major Health Insurance Plans G E N E R AT I O N S A D VA N TA G E Medicare Advantage insurance plans for seniors in Maine and New Hampshire U S FA M I LY H E A LT H P L A N TRICARE Prime insurance for military families in Maine and beyond People Caring for People A healthy community begins with trusted care. It's better to create a It's better to create a It's better to create a It's better to create a It's better to create a It's better to create a It's better to create a It's better to create a It's better to create a really solid presence really solid presence really solid presence really solid presence really solid presence really solid presence really solid presence really solid presence really solid presence really solid presence really solid presence really solid presence really solid presence on a limited number of platforms than trying to establish yourself on all of them.

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