LONDON, April 29, 2013 /PRNewswire/ --

In my first article on PR Newswire, I shared a simple tactic whereby, by personalising requests to connect on social media, (and sending thank you messages when accepting peoples' requests), you can make a positive difference.

In a world seemingly too hectic and 'noisy' for most to bother, these small - yet effective - gestures add up. It puts you in a minority that shows a caring attitude and, certainly, it's the first step to building effective rapport.

There are more opportunities to adopt simple techniques. I call them 'tactical engagement strategies.'  You see, when most cite "engage!" and encourage us to strategise - which of course is important - there's a tendency to inadvertently join the crowd.

Our world is certainly a crowded and noisy place. The on-line word is no exception.

So, with the 'buzz', not to mention the incessant hype from many quarters about on-line marketing, you need to outsmart. By this, I don't mean everyone being a smarty pants!

Here's what I mean: Take LinkedIn for example.

There you are, still sitting in front of your screen at 6pm on a midweek evening.  All of a sudden, one of the best recommendations you've received pops up on LinkedIn from a customer. When will you accept that written recommendation?  Having asked many business people, I can share with you that the vast majority would accept it there and then.

By being tactical, thank your customer there and then, however hold back on accepting that well earned recommendation until a weekday morning.  Around 8.30am to 9am would be ideal. Why? Well you want to flaunt that recommendation. You worked hard for it after all, so why not? Accepting it at peak time, (when many of your LinkedIn connections are logging into LinkedIn, not logging off), optimises the opportunity for your connections to see it on their network update stream. Sure, your recommendation will stay on your LinkedIn profile, however by adopting this simple tactic, you're increasing the probability for others to see your worth!

Do you feel you deserve more written recommendations?  Ok, ask!  Step forward and ask your customer(s) to drop you a line. If they do, not only thank them, however value they took the time to write one, especially in a world that seems more time-bound.

There are many other tactics like this you can apply when on-line I share in my book, ACCELerate™ Your Social Media, helping busy professionals realise return on investment is a realistic and practical way.

Being strategic is one thing. Being able to outsmart, not just your competitors, but the noise out there is an entirely different matter.

John Coupland, author of 'ACCELerate™ Your Social Media', is a multi-award winning e-Business & Networking Professional. John has over 25 years of award-winning experience in retail and account management, with over 18 years in e-business. He left the corporate world in 2009 and founded and runs a number of influential social networking groups, consisting of thousands of business owners, alongside his business, @networkerplus Social Media. He helps businesses with their social media strategies, speaks at events and also runs on-line campaigns for SMEs and leading brands.

http://www.networkerplus.net

http://www.ACCELerateYourSocialMedia.com (Book)

SOURCE @networkerplus Social Media