- Date published
Amy Jackson speaks on the importance of social networking.
Social networking is more important now than ever. Being able to meet people in their respective areas of expertise can help increase your knowledge and understanding of the topic.
Amy Jackson, Regional Small Business Consultant at the Missouri SBDC at MSU, provides her perspective on why networking is important. She also gives different ideas on how to expand your network.
“No one is an expert on everything. Create mentorship relationships,” Jackson said.
She distinguishes a mentorship relationship like this: It is someone outside of your personal network who has expertise in your area (or related professional experience) that can provide constructive criticism. Friends and family can often be very biased, Jackson said, noting that especially in a startup business, you need to have a wider circle of people that can test your idea.
Ways to start social networking
“Engage in things like chambers, rotaries, local activities, and of course, LinkedIn,” Jackson said.
These avenues of engagement are a great way to find people who are interested in the same topics you’re interested in.
Another place to engage and join are Facebook groups. While Facebook is more of a personal social platform, it can still serve a great purpose to networking. Often, Jackson will scroll through the comments on posts, giving her ideas she has never thought about.
Using social networks that are available on digital platforms is a great way to enhance your knowledge in a field. You can meet experts and even grow your customer base by broadening your reach.
