An Entrepreneur’s Guide to Networking and Socializing While Social Distancing

The coronavirus lockdowns have put a temporary stop to almost all aspects of social living. That doesn’t mean that people, especially entrepreneurs, can have an excuse to stop working though.

Regular business transactions may be impossible at the moment, but entrepreneurs can certainly continue to stay connected to their customers and build new connections even when social distancing. Here’s how business owners can stay as social as ever despite the shelter-in-place orders.

Be Where People Are

13_Phunkod/Shutterstock — Determine which social media networks your client base is most active in and maintain a presence there

One thing that made staying home easier for many people is social media. Entrepreneurs can take advantage of the spike in the hours people spend on sites like LinkedIn, Instagram or Twitter.

Follow their example and start posting more on social networking sites where potential clients may be active most in. Use this as an opportunity to share genuine content and establish authentic connections with people through virtual engagement.

One way to do so is by revisiting old connections and starting new conversations. Entrepreneurs can also make a habit of commenting on posts and maybe engaging in meaningful discussions in the process. Just remember to limit the number of posts one makes in a day to keep one’s online presence as authentic as possible.

Going Back to Basics

agneskantaruk/Deposit Photos — Carve out a few minutes of your day to send out physical cards and notes

Delving further into the creation of genuine connections on the Internet, entrepreneurs can go back to basics and send out thoughtful handwritten cards and notes. This will help them deepen their relationships with contacts.

One thing to keep in mind though is to refrain from making the cards about one’s services or products. Keep the message purely social. It would also be logistically helpful to prioritize sending the notes to hot leads or potential ones first.

Going this route would be specifically useful as we might not go back to the way it was before for several months more. What more, receiving a note would certainly brighten a person’s day.

Be Genuinely Generous

Rawpixel/Deposit Photos — You can offer anything from making tutorials free to giving discounts on services

The current challenging times are also perfect to show one’s generosity. Entrepreneurs can do this by making some of their content or other offerings free for a period of time.

Determine which to ‘gift’ by observing what people might need the most at the moment. Business owners may also choose to simply offer significant discounts if they can’t afford to give things for free at the moment.

The key is to not expect anything in return. This would hopefully endear one’s business to people and remember it when things go back to normal.