Social Networking "On The Go!"

So for anyone that knows me at all, you will know that I should have enough frequent flyer miles saved up to never have to pay for another ticket until Bush is out of office. In other words, I travel, A LOT!

So this last week while on my way back from our Nation’s Capital, I just started thinking to myself of all the different airports, and planes I had been on, that I took the opportunity to start talking to a complete stranger, and then actually start talking business more than anything else.

I’m not sure if it’s the absolute best way to spend one’s time, by starting up a conversation with someone you know nothing about, that has an extremely small chance of having any interest in what you do whatsoever.

So I decided to ask myself a couple questions in regards to this subject:

- Is this topic, one of talking business to complete strangers, still considered “Social Networking”;
- Is it tacky to be willing to “sell” anywhere?;
- Can you actually factor in some level of “Social ROI” to each experience?

First question – to answer we need to understand what “Social Networking” really is. A Social Network is a social structure that are tied by one or more specific types of relations. So by definition I would say that talking to anyone, as long as it has some form of purpose behind it, regardless of where you are, what you are doing, or where you are going, is considered Social Networking.

Tacky to sell anywhere? Selling yourself, selling your product/business. Sounds like it could be very tacky, and I think this comes down to distinguishing oneself as either a succesful businessman or woman, who again brings some level of purpose behind the conversation (and no, the purpoes of just hearing yourself speak doesn’t count). You distinguish yourself, you lose the tacky for most in my opinion.

In regards to the Social ROI, I would say that if you get someone to even smile and awknowledge that you aren’t crazy, then you could consider it a positive return on an easy investment. Because regardless of this world being very big, with billions of people on it, when it comes to Social Networking, the world is a very small place indeed.

That ONE person that you could have a conversation with, while chewing on your rubbery chicken, and dried out rice pilaf, may not show interest now, or have interest directly. But what he/she does with the knowledge of that conversation, or with your business card once they return to their normal life, is anyone’s guess. Just take into account, that one day (sooner, later, makes no difference), you may get a phone call from that person you talked to or a complete stranger, that makes the reference to that conversation you had while you were flying coach and eating your biohazard poultry, could very well be your next biggest client. The possibilities are endless. Not talking from a religious aspect at all, but sometimes things just happen for a reason. And most things that happen can be traced back to some form of “Cause & Effect”. In this situation, beCAUSE you took the initiative to start that conversation, and promote Social Networking for yourself, you now see the Effect of being handed a brand new client, a brand new partner, or even just a new friend.

Good communication is as stimulating as black coffee, and just as hard to sleep after.
~ Anne Morrow Lindbergh

Well till next time, open those lines of communication, expand your network, and we’ll talk to you soon.