I've had a few clients from Facebook. Its like every other form of marketing and networking, you need to do it regularly over a long period for it to work. Don't let it take over your life though.
Who would ever let contributing to an online site take over your life!!!! (And you can't gloat Kris, you're on here as much as I am).
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Shaun
Responses are not meant as a substitute for professional advice. Answers are intended as outline only the advice of a qualified professional with access to all relevant information should be sought before acting on any response given.
I read a post where someone on here got a client through twitter can't remember who it was now, I myself have been trying twitter & linkedin but its the time involved I just don't seem to have to dedicate to it over a period of time.
I don't really rate twitter or linked in for drumming up business, but for keeping in touch with contacts or building a network it's good. A bit like a networking meeting, don't try to sell to the room.
I'm not on Twitter but I did find that to be true of Linkedin Kris that there are some on there who think of it as a sales platform.
Must admit that I've not actually been on there for a couple of months as I just don't have the time, plus of course if I'm chatting on there I'm not chatting on here.
To date my main use of Linkedin seems to have been more about tracking down old freinds, work colleagues and linking up with a few people from this site rather than actual business networking.
In theory, because of the intended membership I would say that Linkedin is from our perspective is definitely the best of the bunch. Just wished that people would stop trying to sell me various consultancy and mentoring services.
How the heck do people find the tiime to be on Facebook, Twitter, Linkedin, etc. plus on here and manage to run a business! beats me.
Also, Twitter to me is just a totally alien concept. Short messages!!!! Nope, does not compute.
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Shaun
Responses are not meant as a substitute for professional advice. Answers are intended as outline only the advice of a qualified professional with access to all relevant information should be sought before acting on any response given.
I know I sent messages on facebook and tweet when I'm waiting outside the school for the kids. I reply to emails there too, or waiting for the mrs. You don't need to be at a desk to do it now.
I do need to limit my forum time now. I find that before I even get out of bed I've checked the latest here and at the ICB forum, and throughout the day I look here, the ICB forum, Aweb and UKBF.
Ah but emailing during wait time would infringe on my index card time.
at least once everyday I go through every financial, audit and ethical standard, practice note, guidance note and major quote (such as materialarity, what is an asset etc.) to ensure that I have everything important memorised.
I know that my little brain can't possibly hope to hold all of the information it needs to but I always make sure that I know which standard does what so that I at least know where to look.
To quote Albert Einstein, Never memorize something that you can look up.
Actually, far better use of a Sunday afternoon, have a read through these :
My webtime is spent on here and Aweb but I only listen over there rather than contributing.
Of the two though I think that we know where the bulk of my time is spent! It all started off so small and before you know it your logging it at three in the morning to check for Peasies late night posts.
Actually, sure you've noticed but with a few exceptions I generally don't come on the site before 16:00 each day to ensure I do actually commit myself to work rather thn the site for at least part of the day!
Talk in a bit,
Shaun.
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Shaun
Responses are not meant as a substitute for professional advice. Answers are intended as outline only the advice of a qualified professional with access to all relevant information should be sought before acting on any response given.
The index card thing... how many cards do you have now, and how long does that take you?
Re the social networking point, I notice that the Monster job site is trying to set up a facebook-based networking thing called "BeKnown". With a bee. http://go.beknown.com/uk-en
Personally, I don't see the appeal of using it because I consider that (when I get to that point) LinkedIn would be my network of choice, it seems more professional somehow, and in any case I don't like facebook after all the privacy hassle recently. But considering it is attached to a job searching site, it might give some results.
I've got several thousand cards all nicely indexed and all of them get reviewed occassionally but the pack that I have with me at all times and gets done every day is just 135 cards. The real restriction is the size of the bulldog clip to hold them all together.
Everytime a standard is changed, replaced, removed the deck gets updated.
I always shuffle them to know that I'm not just memorising them in sequence. My timing is get to school to pick up my boy at 14:45. He's in the car a 15:10 (ish) so about 25 mins to do 135 cards.
Most are just the names of the standards but some include lists such as the criteria for recognition of non current assets held for resale, when development costs may be capitalised and when a provision should be recognised.
Its taken a long time to ensure that the right cards are in the deck and I'm quite happy now that what's included plus my list of acronyms for lists (which I write out everyday rather than doing from cards) gives me a sound knowledge base.
I've also been working on a deck of the larger cards where all key points for each standard are encapsulated on a single card each... Some of those have ended up with some pretty small writing!
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Shaun
Responses are not meant as a substitute for professional advice. Answers are intended as outline only the advice of a qualified professional with access to all relevant information should be sought before acting on any response given.
I have had to cut my "social networking" down a lot as I had to stop accepting new clients last November. I've turned away a lot of new business since then.
50% of the new clients I accepted in the previous 12 months came via social networking. A couple of clients found me online, and it was my LinkedIn profile that made them decide I was the person they needed for their business. My budget for advertising/networking has always been less than £100pa (!) I keep thinking I should spend more but I've never had to, so don't.
-- Edited by YLB-HO on Monday 30th of April 2012 09:47:46 PM
I have got a client from Twitter, my one and only at the moment. Though I have had another enquiry from Twitter. I target all the local businesses. I usually go on in the morning and send approx 2 tweets a day. I do limit my time and don't read all the other tweets just a few to get ideas. I either reply to someone else's Tweet or comment on something happening locally. Most of my Tweets have links to local businesses. Occasionally I tweet something about business/accounts.
I have had an enquiry via LinkedIn as well but don't spend much time there. I have a face book page but not taken that any further, I get the impression most people Tweet and 'do' facebook - if that is true I only need to do one to be known by local businesses on social media.
