It’s getting more and more obvious that the initial euphoria of online visibility is wearing thin. Having 10,000 followers on Twitter is now a cake walk, and sudden fame due to your YouTube channel going viral is not uncommon.
Getting visible is great- in fact I’ve crafted this entire blog to support your online visibility, branding, and overall public presence- but without a clearly outlined Profit Path, your visibility ends up being all window dressing and no substance.
A Profit Path illustrates the different ways your visibility can pay off. While you’re building a network on social media sites, keep in mind the type of opportunities that await you.
Profit Path #1: Clients
One of the biggest mistakes people make when connecting through social media is assuming that EVERYONE on their contact list is a potential client. Wrong! Making that assumption can cost you heavily in the long run. Be sure to have a clear idea of who your ideal client is so you know how to approach people.
Profit Path #2: Referrals
The majority of your contacts actually fit into this category. I always advise people to default all their opportunities to “referral” before ruining a relationship with a premature sales pitch or offer. The best way to learn about creating mutually beneficial referral relationships is through old fashioned connecting. Try picking up the phone (read my tips here on how to take your online social media contacts into offline conversations) and go from there.
Profit Path #3: Leverage
A leverage opportunity is one that allows you to step up in front of someone else’s audience. These can include joint ventures, media, and other “platform” type online visibility and offline visibility opportunities. Having a solid media plan and topics you are known for will help you attract great leverage opportunities. Read the posts on PR and Publicity to help you in this area.
Action Steps:
1. If you’re highly visible but still not making any money from your connections, chances are you don’t have your Profit Path clearly outlined.Use the criteria here to help you along.
2. If you’re making lots of connections in one area but not in others, then take steps to achieve more balance between your profit paths. Maybe you’re doing great at publicity but you’re not getting enough referrals. Or maybe you feel maxed out sending offers to prospective clients and need to tap into someone else’s network. You’ll know what steps to take when you clearly reflect upon the Profit Path model.
Share your comments below… it’s always great to know how you’re maximizing your connections!
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