The Importance of a Handshake and a Business Card

 

 

Social networks such as LinkedIn, PartnerUp, Ryze, Biznik, Facebook, and Twitter can all be used to virtually shake hands with business people and entrepreneurs. LinkedIn, for example, allows you to get introduced to and collaborate with other professionals; while Ryze is a networking community that allows you to unite with other by categories such as interests, location, and past and present employers.

 

 

This is what networking is really all about. Social media business marketing might help you realize “who you know,” but maybe not. I’ve found that usually social media simply grows the number of people a person can end up superficially “knowing.” Just because the scale is bigger, that doesn’t mean it is necessarily better for your business connections.

 

Do introductions and collaborations done through social media really leave a lasting mark? According to a 2011 article by Rob Cross and Robert Thomas at the Harvard Business Review, a business person who has a rather large network may be spreading themselves too thin, leaving themselves with a lot of low-quality relationships that do little to benefit their business.

 

Cross and Thomas maintain that what allows someone to grow a business is high-quality relationships with people who both back you up and challenge you while helping you achieve influence and expertise. The trick is finding purpose and balance and a good support system.

 

 

Having 1,000 Facebook friends and 5,000 Twitter followers obviously doesn’t say anything about how many high-quality relationships you have, those that will actually help you succeed, but what about other sites like LinkedIn and Ryze?

 

Because sites like LinkedIn are strictly for professional use, they are helpful for finding people with good ideas, which can lead you to opportunities for high-quality relationships. Like-minded, innovative people usually hang out together, so try to find and join these people on social media. You need to know what to look for though.

 

Evaluate the individual members of a group (in your geographical region) and find what experiences, interests and values you might share with them. The physical space you share is important to consider for the increasingly important face-to-face meetings. Try connecting with locals and incorporate yourself into a circle to foster trust and cooperation in your region and industry.

 

 

Meeting with people of your region in person is a huge part of nurturing the kind of friends you will need to grow a healthy, sustainable network. A business card, a handshake, and a smile with the right group of people will do much more than a day filled with Tweeting. Your business will start to grow if you have even twenty people carrying your business card and ready to hand it out when your type of service comes up. 

 

Conferences are also a huge part of business card handout lesson time. It’s vital that you attend conferences in your industry and get your name out there. These are connections you must make if you want to really build your network with strong relationships.

 

 

The business card not only provides prospective clients information about your business and a way to contact you, but it also displays your sense of style and personality. Think of a funny or interesting way to display the information. Remember, you can venture outside of the printed material realm of business cards and invest in other printing assets like booklets, brochures, catalogs, flyers, newsletters, and postcards.

 

If you plan on doing this type of color printing, I recommend online printing with Best Value Copy. Ordering your prints online allows you to choose from more options of paper, printers, and have customizable quantities—that means no minimum orders. Nothing says you are a new, inexperienced business with no clients quite like the palpable cheapness of certain printing services.

 

 

Overusing online networking while neglecting physically meeting people, or simply using social media the wrong way will get your business nowhere. The winning combination is a balanced combination of both online social networking and in person networking. Make meaningful connections and remember the power of handing out your memorable business cards to those who will support you and your goals for your business.