Millions of people have professional social network profiles but only a small percentage really know how to use them. Wayne Gibbins, director of professional social network Viadeo argues consultants can win business, friends and influence people online.
It’s the online equivalent of promenading but what use is that if you are a management consultant? There is so much more to professional social networking than just being seen. Understandably most people regard social networking as a recruitment tool. Why wouldn’t you? But like anything, you get out of it what you put it. If you spend time developing a profile and thinking clearly about how best to use professional networking, the rewards are more than just a bit of personal flag waving.
Breaking out of the CV mindset will go a long way to helping businesses flourish online. Unfortunately the CV mindset is fairly entrenched, so giving people tangible reasons to invest time in developing their profile and extending their networks is essential. The strongest pull of course is business. Can social networking actually improve your chances of winning new business?
Yes. There are plenty of examples where this has happened and for that reason alone it is worth investing time in developing a snappy and interesting profile. Social networking is increasingly part of the business sales and marketing mix. It is not a replacement for more traditional methods but an additional one, one that can open new channels and avenues for business and partnerships that previously did not exist.
So which network? There are of course a number of different networks so it’s important to cover the bases. It’s like advertising on ITV and Channel Four. You are reaching different audiences. Yes there is overlap but there are strengths in all networks. Viadeo for example gives its members strong links with emerging markets such as China, India and Brazil but also excellent links across Europe.
One of the biggest obstacles to business and in particular outsourcing (I would include consultants within the outsourcing bracket) is trust. It is perhaps for this reason that most professionals are no putting greater emphasis on raising personal profiles and this is where the social network is working.
A recent survey by recruitment consultants Kelly found a growing number of UK employees are developing their own personal ‘brand’ as part of a trend towards taking greater control over their careers, including steps to help differentiate themselves in a fast-changing workplace. Part of this branding is also about increasing links with other business contacts and ultimately building trust through association and recommendation. This, according to Kiron Ravindran, Professor of Information Systems of the IE Business School in Madrid is key to the length of outsourcing contracts.
Ravindran claims that a firm’s social capital offers a likely measure of its trust worthiness. Social capital, he says, or the quantum of social ties one possesses, has been linked to various social phenomena like influence, status, power, and reputation. He goes on to talk about how as individuals we trust celebrity too. Celebrity endorsements and the Oprah effect, he adds, are testimony to the role of social capital on influence. When Oprah announces to her few million fans that she likes Garrett Popcorn, those few million demonstrate their trust in Oprah´s taste by buying some themselves.
Along with researchers at University of California, Irvine and Carnegie Mellon University, Ravindran has studied over 2000 outsourcing arrangements to test the validity of this hypothesis. His conclusion is that a company’s social capital does indeed help in terms of the length of outsourcing contracts. From the initial contacts through to the signing of the contract, the social element of a business is having increasing influence. Managing online reputation is spawning a new industry of consultants too and we are only at the bottom of the growth curve in professional social networking.
By 2015, 500m professionals will be on social networks and much of this growth will be in developing economies such as China, India and Brazil. By this stage, professional social networks will have evolved into business platforms on which local and international business communications can be managed and reputations developed.
For consultants the professional network is a source of huge potential now and an essential platform for the future. Cross-border links with fast growing economies, partnerships with both local and international consultancies plus the ability to share information, advice and ideas through groups and forums make the network a must-have in the business armoury.
We have over 35m members on the site, which is not an insignificant number of global professionals with which to communicate. Increasingly businesses are using forums and groups to enhance their positions and provide communications platforms for discussion and sharing. It’s a basic level but one that has value. Any individual or business that is seen to be proactive, seen to have a deep understanding of their industry plus a willingness to be open, approachable and communicative is going to do well both offline and online. With so much visibility online both locally and globally, it’s only a matter of time before any consultant can see a justifiable reason for professional networking.
So to get the most of your professional social network presence we have put together a list of top 10 tips:
1: Attend industry networking events and connect with the people you meet offline, online.
2: Make sure you have a great engaging profile, not just a replica CV
3: Use the network to get introductions to useful contacts
4: Send a personalised message with your connection request - mention where you met and why you think it would be good to stay in touch
5: Have a professional photo on your profile - worth investing in a headshot. Profiles with pics get clicked on 10 times as often.
6: Keep an eye on who has viewed your profile, take note of any recruiters or potential contacts and think about sending them a message or connection request
7. Join groups relevant to your work experience and interest
8. Engage with other users through comments, recommendations and suggestions
9. Integrate your media – use the ability to link various accounts such as Twitter with your social network profile
10. Include your social networking profile address on business cards and email signatures
