Making Your Social Network
Work For You
By Sam Mahlstadt

You have stepped into the online world, alongside many ministry and small business leaders, and embraced social networking sites like Facebook, YouTube, and Twitter. I hate to tell you that you’ve only just begun. Simply becoming a member of an online community does nothing to further your cause if you don’t engage and interact with that community in a meaningful way. If you do choose, however, to dedicate a portion of your time and attention to simple interaction and quality input, your social network can be invaluable. Whether you are building a community, raising awareness to a cause or generating financial support, your social network can become an important extension of your vision.

In order to see your ministry or business grow through your involvement in social media, a portion of your time and attention must be committed to the online community. This may seem strange, but it is vital for you to click around and get to know the people who are following you, becoming your friend, and watching you online. In order to have significant dialogue with your network, you need to precisely identify who makes up the community so you know how best to connect. The only way to do this is by what many people would consider a waste of time: Reading blogs, following links, watching videos, and joining conversations, as trivial as they may seem. You will earn people’s trust and attention when you take the time to become a part of their community. Only then will you see people respond to your cause or listen to your message. In the grand scheme of things, fostering your online presence can be just as beneficial to your goals as face-to-face encounters with those around you. Both types of relationships require the same amount of time and energy.


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