Networking Super Powers: Activate!

I’ve been attending a series of webinars on the effective use of Social Media Networking .

While my initial interpretation is that a full frontal attack with a layered media tactic is time-consuming and probably best suited for a service-oriented business or sole proprietor, ongoing contemplation leads me to think that individual consultants can also make it work in marketing themselves for their assignments.

Ultimately the goal of any consultant is to find their way to the next assignment, The Emerald City, and as I’ve recently noted, in today’s market your network is the Yellow Brick Road.

As good real estate agents know, even your friends and former clients need to be constantly reminded that you are a hungry agent who would kill to help them in a wide array of real estate transactions. Which is why they send you emails, calendars, football schedules, and all kinds of things with magnetic backing that can be displayed on your refrigerator until next Spring Cleaning season.

The same is true of hiring managers… Except in this case, you are the one who should be reminding everyone you know that you are a fabulous consultant and you are available.

So here is how you can institute a multi-pronged Social Media attack. I know that you’ve Linked, Friend-ed and Follow-ed everyone from your career past. Edit your online profiles so that they each point to all the others --use the special ‘web site’ links where available. And, reference your URLs in the text of your profiles. You have now tapped into the Super Power of Social Media Networking -- Triangulation.

Networking Super Powers: Activate!

Update the “What are you doing now?” boxes. On LinkedIn, update this once per day – Facebook, 5X; and Twitter, 10X. And if you have a blog, update it at least three times a week

Now, your Links, Friends, Followers and Readers – and anyone who links to you from somewhere else – knows you’re available for your next assignment.

Additionally, this is where the Networking Super Powers comes into play, search engines love the smell of fresh content. So, in a web search, the pages about you that are most recent and most flattering will miraculously float to the top.

And rising to the top of the Google, can be a big help in landing your next assignment.