Work it Wednesday: The Social Networking Nanny

MINNEAPOLIS -- Lanae Paaverud was skeptical when she first heard about Twitter. Now, as The Social Networking Nanny, she tweets daily.  Not just for her own business, but for other business owners as well.

"When Facebook and Twitter came on the scene I, as like others, was apprehensive about it," said Paaverud from her home office in the south metro.

As an online retailer herself, Paaverud saw that other business owners  were using social networking to reach out to customers, "And I realized that this is something that I needed to be on with my own Web site."

Paaverud now tweets and posts for others.  It's part of her latest venture she calls The Social Networking Nanny.

Paaverud says her goal is to help other business owners get online, and eventually teach them how to use social networking on their own.  From her point of view, businesses can't afford not to network.

"You can meet other businesses in your like industries, you can possibly obtain new vendors, you can get PR possibilities, you can have limitless opportunities when you're out on the Web," said Paaverud.

Paaverud cites Best Buy's Twelpforce as an example of a business using Twitter successfully to reach customers and solve problems.

"Follow through with your customers is key," said Paaverud.

If you are unwilling or don't have the time to go online yourself, Paaverud says there are other businesses like hers that can do the job for you.

She recommends you find someone who has a background in your business, or who at least has a solid understanding of your business so they can respond to your needs.

Paaverud says one way to learn how to network online yourself is to create a personal account to familiarize yourself with how to post, blog and tweet.

She also recommends you don't focus exclusively on your product or your business.

"Show them that you're real," said Paaverud.

"I've got a client who does dog products, and she's a huge proponent of rescue dogs. Her customers love that because a lot of her customers have a passion about rescue dogs."

Check out our KARE family of Web sites:
	takeKARE		Metromix
	Moms Like Me		Minnesota Bound
	Showcase Minnesota