This is a guest post from Mohammed Al-Taee, a blogger who lives in Amman, Jordan. His Altaee Blog focuses on social media and career development topics. Mohammed and I met on Twitter and have started a value exchange. His post below is a must read for anyone looking to build a powerful long-term network (a new, feel good form of social capital). You can follow Mohammed on Twitter to begin your own conversation with him!
Recently, I ended my presentation at Amman International Toastmasters Club with a quote by Author Tim Sanders who said: “Someday this will be true for all of us: Our network will equal our net worth.”
The quote is true for me and it’s the reason I write this post. In the near past, we used to have a circle of friends who we met offline and it was the only way to be connected. But today, for many of us, our circle of friends is mostly our online network, i.e. the connections that we add everyday are our net worth. Think of your net worth potential as a job offer from one of your Facebook friends, a Follow Friday #FF from your Twitter followers that could get you another 10 followers, or an invitation to write a guest blog post as I’m honored today. Think of net worth as a new opportunity that could bring a new business, career or the most valuable thing, a new connection to your network.
Here are some proven ways to build a high value network:
1 – Engage your followers and friends through interesting updates, don’t just be a broadcaster of normal information. Read an article and share your favorite statement as a tweet or make a question from an article and share it with your friends. Engagement is must-have skill in today’s social media revolution.
2 – Update your status frequently but remember that each social network has its audience so try to share business, training and presentation events on Linkedin; personal, questions and kind of interesting things on Facebook; and everything else can be shared on Twitter. Twitter will become your online biography in the near future so keep your tweets professional.
3 – Promote what’s important to your network. Whether it’s a tweet, a link in a blog post or even writing Linkedin recommendation. I have today three recommendations from my Twitter friends, we never met but I know them now like any of my colleagues. We collaborate online most of the time and that was enough to know my brand.
4 – Grow your network by connecting with more non-spam people. It’s right that the more connections you have, the less social interactions you make with your friends but it’s worth to have a big network. Think big when it come to social networking.
5 - Tag your followers when you RT or share a status via Facebook. This tag could connect more like-minded people in your network and by that your and your friend’s network becomes a network of values.
6 – Help your network by selectivity inviting the right people into the right group or fan page. I always mention some of my Twitter followers in resource or a tweet but after making sure its suits their needs. Always give before receive. Offer value and don’t expect something in return, this is a great way to build your personal brand.
7 – Connect people. Play the role of connector on your social networks, I’m enjoying doing that everyday. It doesn’t require any physical efforts; you can do it while you are on Linkedin or Twitter. I realized that the more people I connect, the more people will connect to me.
8 – Gratitude for your network. Write at least one Linkedin recommendation to one of your colleague even if he/she is overseas, Tweet 10 Follow Friday to the best tweeple, and comment everyday on your favorite blogs. Do it and make it part of your brand attributes. Remember, adding value to your network starts with you so be generous.
9 – Ask your network. I wouldn’t able to make my Brand Conversations with experts on my Blog without inviting them. I wouldn’t write my guest post here without Tim’s invitation. Ask your network for help or advice because it’s about mutual interests. I add value to your network and you do the same.
10 – Brand yourself, in order for people to remember you, you need to position yourself on your social networks. Be remarkable so you become the first in other people’s minds when they want to share resource, invitation for an event, business opportunity or even a coffee meeting. Your personal brand is key to build your network as mentioned in a recent book called Career Distinction: “when the members of your network respect you and understand your brand, they give you their support as you advance your careers.”
