Recently I asked some friends on FaceBook for “requests,” something all DJs hate. The topic of Time Management was suggested by one of my peers, Heidi Cool. Heidi is a great Cleveland resource for website and blog design and implementation, who also leads our local blogging meet up – the Lake Erie Moose. I get asked regularly, “How much time is this going to take?” The simple answer is as much time as you can afford. The obnoxious answer is, “depends on how much you want to increase your revenue.” The true answer is 15 minutes per week per network.
That is a lie. It generally takes about 2 hours to get your profile set-up and learn how to use the network. Once you are set-up you generally need to dedicate another 2 hours to expanding your presence on that network. Now you can start using your time efficiently. Some networks need to be checked daily. For example, I log into LinkedIn every day, but only spend a few minutes checking my newsfeed, looking for long lost connections/friends and replying to emails. Once a week you should spend 5 minutes writing a recommendation. If you want to dive into Questions and Answers, prepare to dedicate 15 minutes per question. I generally don’t advise newbies to invest their time in Questions and Answers. Why? Because they are a great way to establish your knowledge base and credibility, but they take an enormous time commitment most people are not willing to give. The ROI is 8-12 months on answering questions. I’d rather see you writing recommendations on a weekly basis. End conclusion, use your time wisely on LinkedIn and you can do very well with 15 minutes per week.
FaceBook. 15 minutes. Yeah right. FaceBook is way too engaging to limit yourself to 15 minutes. But, if you are maintaining a Fan Page then 15 minutes may be perfect. Check the Wall every day and delete any junk posts as well as respond to posts. Once a week make a post (aim for between 2-5 pm EST) and once a week add some pictures. 15 well spent minutes every week on FaceBook.
Twitter. Oy Vey. The first couple of weeks take hours. You should be making posts, Re-Tweeting and finding niche people to follow, adding the ones who follow you back to Lists. Once you get thru the ramp up period, you can settle back into a 15 minute per week routine. Check your List, Re-Tweet someone who has posted something valuable, Tweet, Follow back your new Followers and Follow a few new people. Week in and week out this is the perfect 15 minute routine.
Blogging. Good luck. The 15 minute rule doesn’t apply here. Good blog posts can take hours, sometimes minutes. You determine the frequency, quality and quantity. Be considerate of your readers and avoid doing what I have done here, share excessively.Sometimes a picture is a brilliant Blog Post and it takes just a few seconds to post. Be that bold.
Niche networks. I participate in a variety of niche networks based on my interests and I encourage you to do the same. You will find the conversation more stimulating and the content more engaging, because you are following your passion. How much time do these networks deserve? The real anser is how much time can you afford. Every network we participate in can take hours of each day. Since you control the flow of information you must prioritize based on work/passion balance. All answers are correct here, but I encourage you to keep the 15 minute rule in mind. Limit the number of networks you participate in to the ones you can afford to commit time to.
Real world networking events. This is a tough one. Meet everybody, but invest your time wisely in getting to know new people. You are the best judge of who you want to meet. When you meet interesting people, take the time to get to know them. It may be the only time you ever get to talk in person. If you are at an event and see someone from your network that you have not met before, introduce yourself and remind them how you know them. A few weeks ago I was at a concert and saw a guy I had connected with on faceBook, but never met in person. I shed that uncomfortable feeling and introduced myself. If I didn’t, I would have felt obligated to delete him from my friend list (basic rule – only stay friends with people you would say hi to if you saw them in a random situation – like the supermarket or a show). Whatever you do, know when to say when and move on from a conversation and meet someone else. Use your time effectively!
In conclusion, the 15 minute rule can apply per day or per week on each network. Explore the networks beyond FaceBook and participate in communities based on your passion/hobby. Share you knowledge, your life and your media; but, respect your time and use your time effectively when networking in the real world and online.
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