Social Networking: Is This Really The Goal?

I was on Twitter the other day and @JamesFeudo posed the question, “Which do you like better.  Networking online or offline?”  It struck me as interesting, because when I think about networking, I think that it is most effective when our online and offline worlds collide – when we leverage one to make the most of the other.

First, here’s how I see the offline world closing in on the online world.

Imagine walking in to a conference.  During the brief period before the structured content begins, you had three good conversations and collected an additional 10 business cards.

Great work!  You made new contacts.  Prior to social media, the names and pertinent information entered a customer management tool and, depending on your business, it could be months before you connected with these people again.  Today, there’s simply no excuse for that.

Today, once you leave, boot up your computer or mobile device and access an abundance of sharing tools.  Seek out those people who you left only minutes before: you made the introduction in person, now connect online and develop the relationship.

The flip-side of this scenario is when the online world takes shape offline.  The original Twitterers caught on to this quickly when they initiated the “Tweet Up,” a forum for those who had met on Twitter to get together offline and meet in person.

Now, the “Tweet Up” may feel a bit too trendy for those of us who have been around for a while and don’t know the latest drink or have the latest electronic gadget, but the need to meet face-to-face is thriving.

A great example of this is the Inside919 and the associated websites.  These sites are creeping up across the nation and provide an outlet for local business owners to gather online.

Sharing occurs.

People come to know one another’s skills, opinions and values.  The foundation is set and, when you sit down for coffee one day, you feel comfortable getting straight to the point of the meeting.  You feel as though you’ve known this person for years!

So, as the marketing world races around thinking up new ways to measure brand awareness and evaluate community engagement, perhaps we should all step back for a moment and consider that the true return on investment in social media is precisely the same as what it always has been in traditional networking.  An opportunity for people to like, know and trust you first and foremost:  then, you can talk business!

– Rachel