Remember to be yourself
Kevin Woodward advises against trying too hard to impress online
The North Devon Business Alliance promotes the use of internet based networking as a way of maintaining contact with our members in between monthly face-to-face lunches.
It is important to maintain contact, because that is how we get to know one another, and why we start to recommend each other's services.
Networking online
I have been using the internet to make contact with new people, to maintain contact with both old and new friends and network with business colleagues.
I have been using twitter for two years now, changing my allegiance from another business networking web site. Yes, I have it linked to facebook and to LinkedIn among others, and enjoy the interaction and banter that those web sites provide, but spend most of my online networking time on twitter.
Interacting with the outside world from a home business
Like many businesses in North Devon, I work from home and often alone, and need the interaction with the outside world as a break from the intensity of what I do. I find that break is similar to the meeting at the coffee machine or photocopier that used to happen when I worked in the big corporate world on the Slough Trading Estate, nearly eight years ago now.
I have gradually built up a following of well over 2,500 and follow some 1,700 back. Not everyone who follows me is followed back, and I have my reasons as to why not, but they're welcome to follow my tweets.
This brings me to Stephen Fry - a well-known 'British Actor, Writer, Lord of Dance, Prince of Swimwear and Blogger' - he's followed by over 1.8 million and follows back just over 50,000 people, and I'm honoured to say that I am one of those that he follows back, but doubt very much whether he sees any of my tweets.
However, a local blogger and writer wrote a very interesting blog back in August entitled The Day I Dumped @StephenFry and Kept @LlamaKevin.
Yes, @llamakevin is my twitter name and I find myself the subject of a blog along with the said Stephen Fry. It's well worth a read, but it made me think why I had made that headline and not anyone else. I believe it's because I remember to be myself.
A sociable business
I am on twitter to engage socially, to spread the word about myself and my business, what I do and to increase my business income. Yes, I have done that. I have had several QuickBooks training sessions booked, I have let out my holiday cottage at least three times through the use of twitter, I have had people come look at my llamas and goats, but in the main I am myself. I talk business, I talk politics (nothing contentious), I talk sport, I talk gardening, I talk North Devon, I talk about the weather and, obviously, I talk llamas, but throughout I remember to be me.
There are many people around who try to be something they are not. Some try to be the product that they try to sell, some are full of wonderful quotes, others are constantly telling you where their web site is, but the people who get it the most are those who are just being themselves.
Just be yourself
So, if you are about to embark on twitter, facebook, LinkedIn or any of the other 100s of networking sites, remember to be yourself, because in the end that is important.
BUSINESS ACTION
> Be sociable.
> Don’t try to be something you are not.
> Don’t try to sell too hard.
> Just be yourself.
Kevin Woodward
t: 01237 451848
e: kevin@kvassociates.co.uk
w: kvassociates.co.uk
twitter: @llamakevin
