***Social Networking PR Tip: Be Approachable And Smile!

Using social networking to market your business isn’t too different than marketing your business in person. Think about a time when you walked into a networking mixer full of strangers. How did you decide who to go up to and who to avoid? A natural inclination is to scan the room, and then go up to someone who seems approachable. What makes a person approachable is going to vary, but usually clues in body language, facial expression, and general demeanor will play into it. Now take yourself online and examine your social networking profiles. Are you approachable? Do you create the space for people to comfortably want to find out more about you… or are you putting up a wall that keeps prospects and potential JV partners at bay? Take this list of questions and hold it up against your social networking profiles. If you see anything out of alignment, make a few tweaks then spot what results happen for you.nnDoes your social networking profile “smile”? Besides a nice photo of yourself, is the language and wording on your profile friendly? A good exercise is to actually SMILE as you write. Seriously, give that a try when you update your profile and see what words flow from you.nnWhat does your profile photo say? A picture speaks a thousand words, and with the quantum power of social networking, your photo is going to be seen by a lot of people! Whether you want something relaxed or posed, it’s important to understand the energy your profile photo is conveying. Use a close-up shot for best results- remember, the actual profile image is going to be quite small and anything farther away than a close up won’t be seen well.nnAre your comments projecting a positive or negative attitude? How you break the ice with others will set the tone for how people perceive you. If your habit is to complain, then that’s what you’ll get known as: a complainer. If you’re a person who spots the positive and shares with others positive things, then that’s what you’ll get known as. (Hint: go for the positive approach!) Is everything always about YOU or do you leave space for others? As wonderful as you are, social networking is not the place to grandstand or endlessly self-promote. One of the best ways to raise your approachability quotient is to step out and put the focus away from yourself. nnDo you balance the personal and the professional?