Since over 80% of the world’s golfing population is in business, in some shape or form, it would be to their best interest to promote the future of golf and their business’ interest online. The internet needs business golfers as much as business golfers need the internet. Here are 5 Things a Business Golfer Should Consider Doing Online TODAY!
1. Get Online
Many business people new and experienced to the internet are at a lost on how to use the internet. Most all just jump online anywhere and ultimately set themselves up to be scammed, shammed and/or spammed to death which leads them to leave the internet as fast as they came.
There is always going to be some negative or dark side of the internet to surface from time to time. So, to keep from getting slapped in the face as soon as the web browser paints on the screen business golfers (everyone for that matter) should create a positive impression of themselves online from the very beginning.
Have a nice headshot photo along with a prepared personal and professional profile ready. This information will be used everywhere online and should be consistent. Take yourself serious since the only impression anyone online has of you is what you place online for them to see. If it is a lie..meaning you place a cartoon character or other image beside a picture of your actual face or take on a humorous name… then the image portrayed is not going to do any good. A false impression is not favorable and leads everyone to turn away instead of wanting to connect.
2. Start a Blog
There is not any simpler website technology to start and master than a blogging. There are cheap and free blogging platforms readily available. Again, how you start and how your blog appears reflects on what you think about yourself. Start off with a blogging platform like WordPress that pays off for the learning curve.
Blogs are the first thing potential customers, business associates and golf partners are going to look for after they validate your legitimacy.
What you blog about could also reflect positively or negatively on who you are so be conscious that your blog is seen by EVERYONE as being part of you. Posting information on how you think or feel about an issue is what people are going to take as who you are and how you think.
Blogging is a very important part of social media and should be a top priority to post relevant information that expresses your true feels about a subject or subjects that are part of your interests. Passing on experience in a field of interest shows viewers your range on things outside your business mission.
Be casual but professional. Tell people straight up who you are, what you like, dislike and your purpose online. Blogging establishes and validates in detail your existence online.
3. Join a Business/Social Network
Unfortunately, recent statistics show nearly 75% of the information posted in personal/professional profiles, and photo images provided, are not legitimate. Knowing this going in should temper your expectations of being part of trillions of other business people in a social network site. Fortunately, there is a movement by many social networking sites to clean up their act and improve upon their image of housing the undesirables of society. To keep from being kicked off a site make sure to take your self serious and portray a fitting image.
Joining a social network to do business networking is counterproductive. Becoming overly anxious to track down golfers or a specific demographic in a social only networking group will become an exercise in futility due to the skittishness of golfers to trust anyone online. Again, you are out to establish a professional image to draw in serious people so if social networking groups fit your fancy then make sure the image portrayed there fits your image elsewhere.
Also, just because all your family and friends are on Facebook you should not focus on just a Facebook existence. Do not be naive in thinking that future employers or potential clients are not going to review your existence on Facebook. Even if you use Facebook for personal or casual conversations with close friends and family, you have to remember you are on stage for the entire world to see and there is no place to hide.
It may have been cool to post on Facebook quirky images of yourself at your fraternity rush beer bash while you were in College, but not cool after you get out in the business world. If the peer pressure is too much for you to handle and you feel you have to with Facebook, then make a personal account under your own name, and start a fan page for your business. Then, good luck.
As Chris Brogan eloquently stated recently in his blog..5 Things Small Business Owners Should Do Today Online…
“Facebook has many more users (than other social networks), but it’s a bit harder to find customers, prospects, partners and colleagues.”
There are many other social networks sites online. LinkedIn is one of the better since it is a business/social network that is the standard barer for validating a person’s professional existence online. Since LI focus is business it also is a good place to start your journey online. Just remember, even LinkedIn has its downsides so stand ready to stay positive and professional in any group you join.
4. ‘Twitter Dat’
It is going to be hard to get around NOT using the micro-blogging social network, Twitter. Unlike other social networking platforms claiming to have trillions of members, Twitter is easier to use and faster to connect with people, but there are far fewer users on Twitter today than there were a few months ago. Still, used correctly, Twitter can attract potential business associates and golfers.
There are several of the micro-blogging..140 character max… platforms. FriendFeed could be an alternative to Twitter. FF is smaller in the number of users but seems to have a more robust dialogue for business issues.
Remember, the hunt for golfers is much harder online because there just are not that many REAL golfers online, so keep your expectations low and use these fast paced micro-blogging social networks to show your personal side with a reference to your business interests posted periodically. Resist the urge to SPAM and post just links to your web-site or blog.
The golfers usually are looking for each other other on Twitter so make sure to use the word GOLF in your posts so golfers searching for issues on GOLF pick you up.
5. Make It Worth It
If you’re going to spend time posting your profile, photo and building your existence on social sites then you are going to have to make it worth your while by letting it be known OFFLINE that you are online. Over 80% of the golfers in the world stay OFFLINE. If you want more golfers to contact you and interact with you online then have business cards printed with your company name your address to your LinkedIn profile or request to follow you on Twitter.
Draw more golfers online by offering them a reason to come online. Offer them a discount on your services if they sign up for your blog…
Be creative..it is YOU who is online..not your company..so take it seriously and let me know how I can help.
BONUS:
Of course, I can’t not pass up the opportunity to mention the Business Golf Country Club. I have all clients who are newbies, and even some staunch veterans, of the internet join the BGCC as a place to get acclimated to how things work out here in La-La-Land. It also gives them a chance to meet real golfers and learn from them what is going on in the internet.
The BGCC is perfect for the golfer, business people who use golf in business and the professional golfers who service the golf industry. The BGCC is private..only serious golfers and business golfers are approved as members..so it is safe and will remain safe for members to enjoy. The Business Golf Country Club is a true Golf Community that is in its Alpha growth stage with plans to launch its Beta site soon. Come join in the fun and learn more on how business golf is played online. Click Here to go to the BGCC.
