Using social networking to build your business is one of the most popular methods of marketing available. When done properly, you can reach potential clients from every corner of the world and create a client base broader than you ever imagined.

Many of the more frequently used social network sites, Facebook, Linked in, Stumbleupon and Twitter, offer specific friend searches to allow you to interact with others of a like mind or business.

Successful business people know you never stop learning and perfecting your trade and a great way to do so is by interacting with others in your profession.

Your business is your “child” so to say, and everyone knows the saying “It takes a village to raise a child”.

Do you have a village, or community that is the best environment for your child?

Smart consumers do their homework before hiring or buying. What are they seeing on your social network pages when they check you out? Are they seeing a professional with a strong work ethic that is up to date on all the latest current developments in the field? Or are they seeing bah-humbug posts and status updates that don’t necessarily convey a professional image?

Remember, even the posts and comments of others linked to your page can have a detrimental effect on your image.

Periodically you should visit the pages of your online associates. They may have some activity going on at their home page that would reflect poorly towards you. Perhaps they’re having a bad day or circumstances in their professional or personal life are being broadcast over their home page. Regardless, you don’t want to risk a potential client seeing their frustrations and associating them with you. All it takes is a seed of doubt and they will move on to another prospect for their business.

If you see activity that poorly reflects the image or message you want to convey for yourself or your business, remove or block the individual that would present you in a bad light. Don’t take a chance on a potential client viewing the negative and associating it with you.

Look at it this way, imagine your office is at the end of a long hallway and potential clients have to walk past several associates to get to you. Those other associates are in that hallway because you invited them. That walk down the hallway from the beginning to the destination of your desk is either going to make or break the decision of your potential client.

Online presence is no different than real life, in person presence. You must always be aware of your surroundings and the company you keep. Marketing yourself and self promotion is much more productive and produces optimal results when the associates you surround yourself with are presenting the same image you are striving to convey for yourself.

photo credit: sk8geek