A guide to networking and social media networking

1. Networking: Offline and Online
Sep , 2012

2. What is “networking”?

3. Network and Networking
net·work (ntwûrk)n.
1. An openwork fabric or structure in which cords, threads, or wires cross at regular
intervals.
2. Something resembling an openwork fabric or structure in form or concept, especially:
a. A system of lines or channels that cross or interconnect: a network of railroads.
b. A complex, interconnected group or system: an espionage network.
c. An extended group of people with similar interests or concerns who interact and remain in informal
contact for mutual assistance or support.
3.a. A chain of radio or television broadcasting stations linked by wire or microwave relay.
b. A company that produces the programs for these stations.
4.a. A group or system of electric components and connecting circuitry designed to
function in a specific manner.
b. Computer Science A system of computers interconnected by telephone wires or other
means in order to share information. Also called net1.

4. Wikipedia: Business Networking
• Business networking is a socioeconomic activity by which groups
of like-minded businesspeople recognize, create, or act upon
business opportunities.
• A business network is a type of social network whose reason for
existing is business activity. There are several prominent business
networking organizations that create models of networking activity
that, when followed, allow the business person to build new
business relationships and generate business opportunities at the
same time.

5. What are the images that come to your
mind when one says “networking”
Can someone tell me

6. Images associated with Networking

8. Is networking important?
Can someone tell me why?

9. Why is networking so important
We are constantly moving in and out of circles, meeting new people
Jessica Hagy, Indexed Blog

10. "It's not what you know, it's who you know.."
• A route to market for you, and a marketing method.
• It offers a way to reach decision-makers which might otherwise be
very difficult to engage with using conventional advertising
methods.
• Added advantage of recommendation and personal introduction

11. But networking is just not related to business
It is what you do all the time

12. Networking is natural and normal

13. Humans sphere of relationships follow a
common pattern
5-15-50-150
Core group: we turn to for
5 advice, emotional support
and in times of trouble
12-15: Sympathy group.
15 Whose deaths would leave
you distraught
Who you communicate to on
a semi –regular basis. You
50 can confidently say you know
something that happened to
them recently
You maintain stable social
150 relations. You know each,
and you know which of them
150 is the physiological limit of our brain. know each other
In Neolithic times, when villages would reach 150, a new
village would get formed. The Roman army would be split into
groups of 150 so that everyone knew each other

14. The key to networking is “conversations” and
therefore one should understand the basics of
conversations

15. Why we talk
• We talk to survive
– People talk because sharing information makes life easier.
• We talk to form social bonds
– Talking to someone sends out strong social signals.
– It shows people that we consider them important enough to spend time
together.
• We talk to help others
• We talk to manage how others perceive us

16. What we talk about
• Many of our conversations are about other people
– Social relationships and recounting personal experiences account for
about 70 %of conversations
• We share feelings, not facts
– People don’t share facts, they share feelings
• We talk about the things that surround us
• We talk about brands in passing
– People talk about approximately 70 brands every week, an average of
10 a day. Most references to brands in conversations happen in passing.

17. In the physical world
Meeting people everyday

18. What does this mean in
“practice”
Some thoughts from you on this

19. Start with Mindset
• Orient oneself
– Open, articulate, like meeting people
• Shyness
– Networking is a trial for shy people—geeks especially
• Clothes that tell a story
• Handshake
– Learn it, love it, and live by it
• Any occasion can become a networking occasion

20. Preparation for any situation
• Elevator pitch
– Who are you, what is your offer, how will it help the other, why is it
different from others offering the same
– Thoroughly research the people and organizations that you will be
meeting or speaking with in advance of your conversations with them.
– When asking for help, make specific and focused requests. Have a clear,
actionable and reasonable response to the question, “How can I help
you?”
– Follow through quickly and efficiently on referrals you are given..
– Call those you meet who may benefit from what you do and vice versa
• Visiting cards
• Brochure

21. Strategies to “network” in an event
• Know the organizer
• Offer assistance
• Be polite, Smile
• Meet the influencers
• Meet the newcomers
• Bring a gift: Bring something to share
• Follow up
• Don’t sell and don’t spam
• Find new events
• Introduce a new person

22. Creating and maintaining a list of contacts
• Join professional and alumni organizations, clubs, societies, etc. that
will help expand the network you are trying to create.
• Volunteering and/or taking leadership roles
• Keep an open mind about who can be helpful to you and to others.
– Do not make the mistake of thinking that more powerful people are
necessarily more useful contacts.

23. Translating that to the digital
world

24. Find your people
Where are they “online”

25. Large internet population
About estimated 80 million
active and over 100 million
claimed internet user
With an even spread
through SECs A, B, C

26. Across all township sizes
Skewed towards college
students and young men
(23-28yrs)

27. Mostly use internet for emails and
social networking sites

28. Facebook leading the pack with linked in,
twitter and google+ distant followers

29. The internet user has a routine to
follow
Microsoft Advertising, MEC and Mindshare study
Across 11 countries, including Brazil, Canada, China, France, India, Japan, Mexico, Russia, Spain, the United
Kingdom and the US, and focused on 7,000 participants

30. Smart phone usage still highest for
Nokia and Samsung
93% smartphone users in India access social
media via handsets

31. Implications
• Digital cannot be ignored
• Digital means internet via pc as well as via mobile
• Digital is extremely important for our target audience
• Facebook is the most popular social media channel in India followed
by linked-in and tweeter
• The customer journey through the social media needs to be thought
through

32. Need to be clear about the objective
Why?
Examples of some conversation objectives
Conversations for reflecting
Conversations for exploring and understanding
What? OBJECTIVES Conversations for connecting
Conversations for generating new thinking and ideas
Conversations for actions
…………………..
How?

33. The Website is key
Customer makes up his/ her Easy
mind in 3 seconds about
someone else
Website has little choice but to Quick
be……
Relevant
Information

34. Social Media: what all is possible
Brian Solis and JESS3

35. Youtube
Fb application
Featured user Blog
Specials
Twitter
Mobile
Pinterest
Application

36. Website basics
• Clean
• Content that is well organised
• Being active
• Dive traffic
• Keep a blog

37. Example of some website heat maps

38. Eample of heat maps of a website

40. Guide lines for website layout

41. Driving traffic to your website
Owning “Search”
SEO, SEM

42. Getting the best out of search

43. Where do people look when they are searching

44. How to “up” your rank: Keywords
• Keywords identified – to tag your website with
Eg.
• ICBI
– Image management
– Image consulting
– Suman Agarwal
– Rakesh Agarwal

45. How to up your rank: Others
• Active track of your content
• Inter-linkages with other sites
– Etc content can refer to content on ICBI page
– Share content (with credits)

46. Examples of linkages

47. Examples of linkages

48. Google Analytics to keep track

49. Blog basics
• Relevant content
• Content changed at least once a week
• Combination of “classic” stories and seasonality and topical
• Updates that are relevant – well written
• Referred to other sites eg ICBI articles
• Create a bank of blogs
• Have a plan to popularise
• Kinds of topics
– Clusters etc
– Case studies, before and afters
– Projects etc

50. Example of topical blog

51. Example of blog:“Classic” or relevant beyond one season

52. Preparing a Blog Calendar

53. Linkedin basics
• Definite profile
• Your profile, your company’s
• Products and services
• Experience
• Recommendations
• Groups to be members of and participate in

54. Company page as well as individual page

55. Products and services

56. Highlighting projects

57. Recommendations

58. Groups to participate in

59. So after you create your profile and
your company’s profile
• Invite all your known circle to be connected to your profile
• Participate in groups
• Update your profile with projects and recommendations

60. Fb basics
• Most popular social network currently
• Many mechanisms to draw crowds to your business and self
• Keep your profile and business profile separate
– Personal profile
• Careful about what you post
• Separate your close friends from others
• Everything online is visible
– FB page
• Props up in google search
• Helps in “upping” you rank in search

61. Fb basics: Creating a page

62. FB: Driving traffic to your page
• Inform all your friends – announce to your world
• Post on ICBI, Share every post of ICBI
• Post on ICBI for taking advantage of current ICBI following
• Original content
• FB ads
• Send email – to contact list

63. Keeping track

64. Facebook analytics

65. pinterest
• Visual content
• A social photo-sharing website that some call the new Facebook
killer. Its users 'pin' photographs on virtual boards sorted by
'interests'. It's as easy to use as Twitter, except that it's visual. It's
about photos, but unlike with Flickr, Pinterest users pin other
people's photographs, not their own. It's like a Facebook page, but
less personal.

66. An individual can start a topic

67. Example

69. Preparing a complete calendar by day,
week and month
Date Blog update Fb post Linkedin Pinterest
Sep 1, 2012 Maintaining your image in Dress smart for Senior management Pictures of various
the rains dealing with the practices to look the options of rain wear
rains part during the rains
Sep 2, 2012 ICBI link on article on
same topic
Sep 3, 2012 Senior management Corporate wear
practices to look the during the rains
part during the rains
Sep 4, 2012 Article from other
published sources
Sep 5, 2012
Sep 6, 2012

70. Recap of Activities
• Networking in the physical space
– Self
– Elevator pitch
– Business Card
– Events
• Social Media Networking
– Website – basic plus look at it at least once a quarter
– Blog – one a week
– FB – everyday (may not be on a Sunday)
– Linkedin – every weekday
– Pinterest – every day
– Emailers – avoid Mondays and Fridays

71. Thank you