U.S. NEW ENGLAND: Diva Toolbox tries Social Networking

by Noelle Southwick

U.S. New England Bureau Chief
(Maine, New Hampshire, Vermont, Massachusetts, Rhode Island, Connecticut)

After speaking with Janet Powers from the Diva Toolbox for my article last month I wanted to hear what she has to say about the social networking sites.

Janet jokingly says her most effective form of promotion has been the “my two feet and my big mouth” method. Like most people who are growing businesses, Janet has been out at networking events making personal introductions to grow the Diva Toolbox. Now she admits that she had undervalued the impact of social networking. She has been extremely impressed with how effective it has been in spreading her message and growing her contributors to the Diva Toolbox, particularly in the New England area.

Janet spent about one month contributing regularly to Facebook, LinkedIn and Twitter. In only one month Janet has increased by three times the contributions to the Diva Toolbox. She is convinced that if you have products and services you want to share with a local market then social networking is the way to go.

“It’s free and very effective. You can’t beat that mathematical equation.” says Janet.

How to integrate social networking into everyday life?

With everyone having such overbooked schedules it is understandable that one might feel it’s too much to keep up with contributions to social networking too. You don’t need to be online 24/7 simply check in on your social networks when you check your emails.

The Diva Toolbox’s media expert Cindy Morrison (on twitter at http://twitter.com/CindyWMorrison) shared that the tool she uses to keep up is Ping.fm (http://ping.fm). It is a free tool that allows you to contribute to multiple social networking sites at the same time.

This removes any argument about not having enough time.

Don’t know what to say?

Janet is very practical with her advice on what to share on the social networks. She suggests you share the answers to the questions frequently asked by your clients.

Whatever you explain over and over again is what you explain on the social networking sites. Educate people on your business and you become their local expert. People do business with experts and they refer business to them too. Janet advises to just be you and answer the questions people have.

Think of a short conversation you might have with someone in the grocery. “Is that a good tomato sauce you’re buying?” “How do you like your child’s soccer team?” It really is that simple.

Power in simplicity

Social networking is asking someone who is using a product what he or she thinks of it. With social networking sometimes you’re asking and sometimes, as in Janet’s example, you are the one with spaghetti sauce in your carriage.

Through these interactions people get to know each other & then they will tend to ask more specific questions.

Janet offers the suggestion to schedule 15 minutes a couple of times a day as your social networking time. I am sure it will pay off for you too.

“What I am sure of is that social networking isn’t just for the kids anymore.” Janet insists that it is an effective tool for businesses to reach clients, vendors and partners.

Find more information

There are many articles written about networking and about connecting through the social networks posted on the Diva Toolbox. You can also listen to tips about social networking with media expert Cindy Morrison.

Janet is optimistic that The National Networker readers have great advice to share with people. She welcomes you to contribute to Diva Toolbox.

Janet Powers Founder and President

Diva Toolbox www.divatoolbox.com Information on Articles: articles@divatoolbox.com 600 West Cummings Park, Suite 1225 Woburn, MA 01801 (781) 995-2342

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U.S., NEW ENGLAND: Practical Networking Advice from Janet Powers of Diva Toolbox

by Noelle Southwick

New England Bureau Chief
(Maine, New Hampshire, Vermont, Massachusetts, Rhode Island, Connecticut)

Janet Powers worked in the corporate world until about 2 years ago. Although she thought she had a large network of contacts she soon realized she needed more. Most of her contacts were internal to the large company for which she had been working. In order to be in business for herself she needed to grow her network.

It has been only a few months since Diva Toolbox was launched in July of 2008. Out of millions of sites in the United States Janet’s site ranks in the top 47,000 of favorite sites. That puts her in the top 0.6% and her rank is improving each day. She has increased unique users by over 2000%. In the process of growing the Diva Toolbox Janet has learned some things about growing a network.

Choose 3 networks
You could love blogging and spend all your time reading and writing blogs. Networking events can be the same way. You could attend so many networking events that you have little time for much else.

Initially Janet says she spent too much time running herself ragged trying to do lots of networking. Now she recognizes that being involved in too many groups can mean you seem almost desperate. She advises being really good at doing a few things.

Three groups is a manageable number of groups in which to be involved. They can be on-line groups, in-person groups or both.

Decide what you need from a networking group. Is it clients, referrals, business support, ideas or connections that you want? Once you know what you desire it will be easier to locate groups to support you. Next do some investigating, and then try some out.

You want there to be lots of people you like in your networking groups. People do business with those they like.

You want to find a group where you feel good. Since you are going to be putting your effort into these groups it is important to choose ones that fit for you. If you can find your niche and like the people there it will be better for you and for your business.

Currently, Janet’s three networks are the Diva Toolbox, the eWomen Network and she is deciding between a major regional Chamber of Commerce and the National Association of Women Business Owners.

“Everyone wants to be part of a community.”

Define your audience
Is your ideal client an everyday person or a businessperson? Is it an individual or a business owner? Decide who your ideal client is and then you can discover where your audience is. Put yourself in places that you are most likely to find your ideal client.

As an example, the Chamber of Commerce or a BNI group would be a good place to try if your business is as a web designer or you are looking for business-to-business contacts.

Janet’s audience includes women in business, in the home or outside the home, with multi faceted lives.

Refer business to others
Think of referrals as part of your business not something you do because you are asked. Too often people are afraid to refer but partnering is important. If you are confident in what you do then it’s easy to send people who are not a good fit for you to someone else.

Janet advises having a network of people in which you feel confident and to which you can refer business. If a contact is not a fit for you, you can refer them to someone in your network. Then you have two happy people, the contact and the other businessperson. It builds the relationships you have if you refer business to someone. Also the contact trusts that you are there to serve their needs. She says referring business to others will come back to you in abundance.

“ We need other people around us.”

Diva Toolbox
Diva Toolbox was born as a way for women to help each other. It is a community built on practical advice. There is a wide variety of topics covered like business and family. The articles allow women to contribute information to the community and at the bottom they can promote their business for free. Janet says it’s your neighbor. It’s an opportunity to share information in a casual way like you would with a friend over your kitchen table. Janet feels if you have some experience then you probably know something that can help others. The Diva Toolbox community shares information in a way that’s practical for anyone.

Contact information:
Janet Powers, President of Diva Toolbox, LLC
www.divatoolbox.com
Janet@divatoolbox.com

Janet welcomes all The National Networker readers to share their advice and expertise on the Diva Toolbox.

“Networking is nothing more than the neighborhood you grew up in but now it’s the people you do business with.” ~ Janet Powers, President Diva Toolbox

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Posted to THE NATIONAL NETWORKER.



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U.S., NEW ENGLAND: Practical Networking Advice from Janet Powers of Diva Toolbox