Using social media for business purposes

Using Soci@l Medi@ for business Using Soci@l Medi@ for business purposespurposes

Definition

“ Social media are media for social interaction, using highly accessible and scalable publishing

techniques. Social media uses web-based technologies to turn communication into

interactive dialogues. “

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Benefits from using Social Media • Expand your network beyond the local market• One can create and manage his reputation• Build easily brand and credibility by

– getting recommendations– demonstrating how connected you are in the industry

• Access to people and leads (Clients, Suppliers, Sponsors)• Great platforms for visibility and networking• Demonstrate your experience in the industry to prospective

leads and connections• Source of information: Educate yourself about people and

companies you want to do business with

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Social Media

• Very cost-effective and mainly free• More and more business from it:

– 40 % of my business opportunities came from it over last year !

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Main Social Media• Linkedin: http://www.linkedin.com/

– International– English is better– Biggest professionnal social media– Very expensive– Hard to contact people directly– Very good groups

• Viadeo: http://www.viadeo.com/ – Western Europe – French is better– Cost is approachable– Some good groups: Life Science Paris

• Xing: http://www.xing.com/ – Germany, northern Switzerland– English and/or Germany– 17 Euros per quarter– Very easy to contact directly– Groups are not that good

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What about Twitter ???

• Free social networking and microblog • Enables to send and read messages known as Tweets.• Text with up to 140 characters long and with links.• The larger the number of followers you have on Twitter and

the more impressive your Tweets, the wider they will reach• Great to build up reputation of expertise in some fields• Good source of information• Compatible and connectable to linkedin and viadeo platforms

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Linkedin exploration

• Most professionnal• Best groups and contents• Most international and global• No need to take paying version• Social network for professionals• Comprehensive profiles and summaries• Possibility to connect to people easily

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Tips for profile creation• Use a professional headline in your profile• Profile to be created in english !• Build a comprehensive profile: 100 %

completeness• Inspire yourself from your CV and other’s profile• Proper key words on summary and specialties• Key words relevant to your industry and function• Always insert a picture:

• 40 % more chances of being connected• Professionnal but smiling

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Tips for profile creation

• Allow your profile to be publicly available: critical for Google Search and ranking

• Check the result of your name search on Internet• Don’t show that you are desperately looking for a job !• Mention that you want to increase your network and

exchange ideas with people• Don’t be afraid to show your expertise in groups and

in answers

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Linkedin URL• Which looks better to you?:

– http://www.linkedin.com/pub/john-blue/4/74b/8b319- or -http://www.linkedin.com/in/John.Blue

• How ? – http://www.linkedin.com/myprofile?editwp= – Click the "[Edit]" link to the right of the title "Your Public Profile URL"

at the top of the web page's content area. – Type in your desired URL– Click "Set Address" and if no one has claimed if before you, you are

done! • Add it on signature for emails and you can easily share it

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Linkedin URL

• Control the elements of your profile that the public can see (through a Google search)– Only display your summary and current position,

but hide past experience, education, websites, etc).

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Valuable advices• Don’t spam

– Always have some good arguments and reasons for connecting with people !

– Always customize your message

• Include any links to websites or blogs or presentations

• Monitor growth of your network

– 1st connections

– Whole network: the larger the better ! For search and visibility

• Always try to meet or at least discuss with people you connect to

• Send them always a separate email when you connect to them

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Nurture your network• You can see who has visited your profile:

– «I noticed you consulted my profile, can I help you ? In addition, I would love to be part of your network. »

• Linkedin– You go to „add to my network“

• Import your contacts from webmails• Start to connect to each other• Ask to connect to the people from your group• Provide content and/or comments on regular basis• You can use apps from browser to social media• Keep your situation up to date

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Nurture your network

• Whenever you get a new contact, send linkedin invite

• Bring value to your network• Keep in touch, regurlar contacts (updates,

new year…)• Try to have oral contact with your connections• Propose recommendations and ask for it• Always ask people if they have linkedin profile

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To avoid

• Mixing personal and professionnal media: facebook to be more private

• Avoid religious or political statements• Don’t give personal informations• Don’t give confidential informations about your

business or company• This is not sufficient for relationship building, this is

just a catalysor• Don’t obsess on number of connections

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Linkedin groups

• Be member for relevant groups– Very good source of informations– Easier to connect with people

• If possible, create your own group. Why ?– You show expertise and leadership– You can control the content– You can send messages to all the group rapidly– You can initiate discussions and forums

• Very Easy and rapid

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Tips on linkedin groups

• Avoid sell directly your services • Don’t use groups to “say you want to connect”• Post relevant news topics to groups• Post and answer questions• Select carefully your groups

– Topics of interest– Target group– Contribute to discussions– Connect to members

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What can you do with Linkedin groups ?

• Use groups in order – to answer questions and give advices

• Invite from your own connections• Increase your network• Get access to information• Why don’t you Create your own Biotech group

2011 ?

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Business case

• Interested by a company• Wants to identify Hiring manager or decision maker in

Marketing department• Make search based on company, industry, locations,

title….• Identify potential contacts on linkedin:

– Names– Colleagues– Analyse profile: groups, number of connections,

shared connections, depth of informations04/12/23

Search tips

• Combination of parameters• Sort by relationships, by location…• Give priority to people with high connections

and eliminate people with less than 50 connections

• Check if they are on same group• Check if you have common connections

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Useful tools• IT apps

– Browser plugin: shareaholic– Outlook linkedin– Adressbookone– Central social media softwares

• Smartphones apps (Iphone, blackberry, Android)– Linkedin, Viadeo, Xing applications– Inews– Twittelator

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Summary of actions

1. Create your profile2. Import your contacts3. Connect to each other4. Enter in some groups5. Create your own group6. Install relevant apps on laptop and

smartphones7. Manage your connections04/12/23

Thank you !!!

Zaki SELLAM MSc, MBA

E-mail: [email protected] Phone: +41 76 215 47 96

LinkedIn: http://ch.linkedin.com/in/zakisellam Twitter: http://twitter.com/zakisellam

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