Social Networking.
April 4, 2008 on 12:35 pm
Filed Under:Web
I’ve got an e-buddy who came up with this beauty over Christmas, The Original Social Network. While born for hilarity, it is no less true, and got me thinking about the social aspects of our e-work and how important it is to get back to basics once in a while.
So, when someone on the local nerd forum here in Perth suggested that we have a meetup for coffee as opposed to the pub fun that we can never seem to make it to (because we, unlike some of the others, decided to procreate, the efforts of which keeping us quite busy), I was excited.
At first, I was excited just for the fact that I would finally get to meet some of these people in person. Then, I thought about the networking opportunities and got so excited that I forgot to bring more than 3 business cards. Even though I didn’t think a huge amount of folks would be there, I figured on more than 3. We did have more than I thought, and that was awesome. So many, in fact, that I didn’t get a chance to sit and talk to everybody before they had to dash out and please demanding clients.
For those that I did talk to though, were most impressive. In my brief tenure as a small business owner, I’ve spent substantial time networking online, I’m signed up for all the techie accounts, I post in several forums, I comment on just about every blog I can find… I’m networking all over the place.
And yet here, in what is sometimes very reminiscent of a small town of Perth, is where I’ve found my “network”. It’s no, Original Social Network, as it’s got its online component, but I’m meeting people. People that now know me, in person, and have just that little bit more idea of what I do and how I do it. That knowledge, combined with my winning smile (notice I don’t mention what it would win) is sure to get me some business through these folks.
And all I had to do was sit, have a coffee, and shoot the breeze with some pretty interesting folks. That’s what I call Social Networking.
Next is beer and barbecue, THEN we’ll start talking about “social”. I can’t wait.
As one of the people there, I agree with your comments. There’s no substitute for face-to-face communication.
Comment by James Bull — April 7, 2008 #