Don’t let Social Networking Kill Your Business

June 19th, 2009 No comment

When I started in the corporate world, I was shocked at how religiously people kept the “Coffee Break” tradition, NOBODY would move a muscle during Coffee Break, even if they didn’t even had coffee… soon, I discovered that the water cooler was another religious icon.

Almost always I was considered as “anti-social” because I would go take my mug, fill it up and go back to my desk and drink my water there… same goes with the coffee.

Nowadays I work at home, online since 2004 and now there is Social “NETworking”, there are social networking sites as diverse as there are people, and of course there are many for work at home individuals and that is great, because working at home can be PRETTY isolating!

We are social beings, so we need to interact with other people, but when you work at home and you don’t have anyone supervising you it requires a lot of discipline not to let your Social Networking kill your business.

I’m telling you from personal experience, when I discovered message forums and social networking sites, I was so happy! There is so many people out there who struggle with the same things I struggle, who know things I need to know, who have so many things in common with me, who ask things that I might be able to answer… Oh wow, I can keep going and going and that is why, in the beginning, I had NO control and the “addictive” nature of these sites made me work on my business late nights, in order to make up for the time lost.

Social networking is necessary for internet marketing success, people need to know who you are in order to trust you and buy from you, but you need to create a “social networking budget” you just can’t be all day spending your time on sites doing things that won’t make you money.

When social networking, ask yourself this question: Is this going to help me get more sales, bookings, or sign ups? In other words, is this activity going to make me any MONEY? If the answer is “No” or “In the long run” then STOP!

Put your priorities in order, work on your business, and when you need a break (because we do need a break from time to time!) check on the new posts on your favorite message boards, contribute and then go back to work. After you finish crossing out all the items in your “to-do list” and you need to relax and have margaritas with co-workers … go and do your social networking.

About Mariangie - She lives in Puerto Rico where she works full time as an Agronomist, owns a home based business since 2004 and is the proud mother of 2 bright kids (and 2 cute cats).