A new guest post by Mindy Byers, Business Growth Strategist, Coach and Consultant in the greater Seattle area. Ms. Byers will be a special presenter at Bigfoot – the Northwests social networking/social media conference

One of the most important things in social networking is WHO YOU KNOW!

The good thing about Social Media is that it is really easy to meet a lot of people quickly on the internet, as long as you do it the right way.

Social Media is all about creating relationships.  You want to connect with as many like-minded people as you can within your niche.  You want to make sure that you find people who already have:

* A massive presence on the internet in your niche

* Large followings on their blogs

* Lots of friends on Facebook

* Tons of followers on Twitter

* A message that you agree with and can relate to

If you have spent any time on the internet, you can probably think of at least a few people who meet these criteria already.

If not, that is ok too. I encourage you take out all those business cards you have collected over the years and add them to your social networking sites. (Like Twitter, Facebook, etc.). Spend some time on their sites, learning as much about them as possible. Send them a direct message, and start to build a relationship with them.

Then take it one step further.

Start connecting with other people that have developed a relationship with them.  Read the comments that have been left by other people.  Follow any links to other Blogs that you find on their website.  Follow the people that they are following on Twitter.  Send friend requests to their Facebook friends and fans.  It is important that you send personal messages to people you are trying to connect with so you can start to build relationships.

Don’t forget that this is a public forum. This means that the key “don’t” when it comes to social networking is to not post anything you are not ready for the entire world to see. You certainly should not hesitate to personalize your online profile, yet it may be beneficial to your career and reputation to limit photos to a G-rated level and keep off-color hobbies and comments off of your page. If your mother would not approve, your employer probably would not either.

Do be selective. You should be selective not only when it comes to content, but also in regards to who you allow in your network. While the goal of social networking is to build a large web of friends, family, and colleagues with whom you can stay connected, the company you keep, even online, is a reflection of you. Be sure that the messages and photos that your contacts post are in line with the image and reputation you hope to portray.

Don’t be negative. Everyone understands that you will have bad days. And while it is certainly okay to share that things are not going well for you or ask for help from your network to solve a difficult problem, don’t make a habit of being negative. Just as being overly negative and pessimistic can be a turn off in an in-person social situation or interview, being overly negative online can be a quick way to alienate people.

Do update often. If you make a habit of updating your profile with new information and photos, you will become a more valuable to your network. Have a blog? Post a link and short blurb about your latest entry when you make a new post. You will stay active on everyone’s newsfeed and top-of-mind when they are looking for a new employee, contact, or resource.

Don’t forget the privacy settings. While some people are comfortable with the whole world having access to all photos, notes, and posts, others tend to be a little more conservative. On sites such as Facebook® or LinkedIn®, you can use the privacy settings to limit how much of your personal information is available to people searching for you. You can also designate that certain people can only see specific portions of your online profile. Spending time reviewing your privacy settings is time well spent.

Do think before you post. While it should go without saying, be careful that the information you post is neither inaccurate nor offensive. You want to become noted in your network, not notorious. It is also important to consider in what context your message will be taken. Will your attempt at sarcasm translate well through the Internet? Is the topic that you’re commenting on a sensitive subject area for some of your contacts? When in doubt, do not post. You could ruin relationships – both personal and professional if you do.

Don’t forget to continue to add new contacts. Along with updating your information on a regular basis, you should seek out and add new contacts regularly as well. You can request introductions from current contacts to help build your network or initiate contact on your own by writing a note explaining why being a part of one another’s networks might be mutually beneficial. You should also be sure to update your online networks with people you meet in person – the two worlds of networking (on and offline) are not mutually exclusive. Furthermore, building a network online gives you the advantage of being able to view your friends’ contacts – and easily learn about connections to potential clients.

While this is just a brief overview of the many do’s and don’ts of social networking, the best guide to social networking is your common sense. By posting, networking, and participating in a way that is reflective of your personality, intelligence, and respect for others, you are likely to have few problems when it comes to social networking. And without obstacles in the way, you can use your social network to build your business, enhance your career, and enrich your life.

Mindy Byers is a Business Growth Strategist, Coach and Consultant in the greater Seattle area. Clients and friends alike describe Mindy as a Team Centered Leader a Passionate Catalyst for Transformation, Authentic Living and Renewal. Mindy is committed to exposing the power of possibility in individuals, organizations, and communities while building personalized growth strategies that profoundly affect the future success of her clients.