Social Networking equals Fake Networking

Posted by justanbrandt under Social Media
From http://thebestdamnconsultant.com 1215 days ago
Made Hot by: waltgoshert on January 26, 2010 6:47 am

I recently came across a video of Seth Godin answering a question about social-networking for business. The following quotes from the video will give you an idea of Seth’s feelings and answer:

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Written by ShawnHessinger
1214 days ago

I think a subtlety Seth is assuming his audience will get that Anita alludes to is that there are many different kinds of relationships. Astoundingly on Facebook and LinkedIn when I began I had tons of people wanting to be my friends who I had known from high school and college, but ironically these relationships while "real" were absolutely worthless because these people have absolutely no interest in what I do now. By contrast, when I share interesting information on the range of topics on which I focus on various blogs and social networks, I attract "friends" who I have never met before and by sharing interaction online we develop an ever deepening relationships which in the past has led to sales, jobs etc. I think what's important in social media is the kind of friends you develop not how real or "fake" they may be when you are first introduced.

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Written by smallbiztrends
1214 days ago

I agree with Seth about some online networking being fake. But I'd add two points:

(1) I don't think you can measure business networking connections by $100K contracts or sleeping in one's living room. I for one would never ask a business networking connection (in-person or online) for such things -- to me that would be overreaching our relationship.

(2) I think he misses the branding and content distribution value of Twitter. If I follow CNN on Twitter, should I have the expectation that I can call up the president of CNN and ask to sleep in his living room? Of course not. Following is like subscribing to receive RSS feeds or a newsletter. It's not networking. For networking you'd need to have a back and forth exchange, etc. But followers, like email subscribers, are still important to businesses.

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Written by q4sales
1215 days ago

I respectfully disagree. Business is personal. I'm not a Seth groupie, but I get what he means here -- just clicking accept to thousands of connections is meaningless. Unless, unless, you show some good intent, unless you do something to serve others. One by one. Some business no doubt gets done without personal friendship or a personal bond or connection, but very little. Around the world, people break bread and drink coffee, tea, yak butter, alcohol, to spend time understanding their business relationships so that they have a trust relationship. And trust is inherently personal.

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Written by MiniMe
1215 days ago

Dr. Evil says: Ole Seth is confusing personal friendships with business connections. Of course a connection you make thru Facebook is not your friend! What idiot would think that? You have business connections and you have friends. The connections you make thru soc networking are no more, no less sincere than the connections you make at a Chamber meeting. It's not the socnet aspect of it that makes it less sincere. Its the nature of business networking. If your too stupid to understand that your too stupid to be in business.

Ooooh... (he says with finger next to mouth)

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