This trend is capitalizing on non traditional networking opportunities as a way to keep in touch with the customers, thus building customer trust and loyalty while building company and product visibility. Also, any negative feedback can be used for improvement. Many executives have directed their sales managers to spend over half of their day on Twitter and Facebook as part of their online networking campaign.
The Twitter phenomenon has turned short message networking into a national pastime. The executives that encourage ''Twittering'' on company time are using it to monitor things that are said about the company or its products. They can also start conversations regarding the products for exposure they might not have had to a certain group of consumers.
The other thing is that the company can also interact and use online networking presence to help influence the opinions one way or another, as well. For example, if a derogatory comment is made about a company's product, that is not totally accurate, damage control can be done by setting the record straight immediately before the rumor becomes widespread. This counteraction can keep negative publicity to a minimum and instead use positive interactions to bolster a product's image and identity.
Online networking can also involve blogs, which work on the same principles. For those that aren't into ''Twittering'', this is a more conventional online networking method, as is Facebook. Many executives are aware that networking can be the way to land a new job, and now they have expanded the networking principle as a way to get their company and its products ''in the loop''.
Online networking has become a part of many companies' marketing plan, much the same as Internet presence, keyword optimization and link building for exposure. It used to be that these were terms few people knew, now everybody knows what search engine optimization is and how it can affect a company's sales. The same can be said about online networking opportunities.
The Internet changed the way the traditional business was done, and now the new methods of online networking offer additional opportunities that must be capitalized on. If you are absent from online networking, your competitors may very well be taking advantage of it and can gain a competitive edge.
In a world where it used to be that television, radio and newspapers were the main ways to advertise a company or product, they are no longer the primary media that most people are influenced by. The Internet has become the place where many people get their news, do their shopping and read about promotions on products. Online networking has become the newest media to reach a certain group of consumers, and executives are finding it helpful in their sales and marketing efforts.
