Some of you will remember how much I like Seth Godin, well
Mike Fortin is coming up fast too!
On his blog today he did a post about using Twitter, and it's something that has seemed a bit 'worthless' to me in using social media. And that's 'following' any and everybody that sends you a Tweet.
Seriously, how many of these people can you really say bring you money
in fist business from all the following?
If you are lonely, go by a dog or get a job but following everybody simply because you think you have some kind of instant connection friendship is being an idiot!
3,000 friends? Really. And exactly how many of these friends do you know anything about? Can you ask them to mentor you in an area of your business that has you stuck. Do they offer friendly tech help when your website or blog looks like crap, for free?!
I joined LinkedIn, Merchant Circle, Twitter (one post to date), and other trangeness that came along when 'social networking' became the 'Hot-Now' thing to do.
Using them to get traffic to your sites, connecting with other professionals
who may help your career or refer your business - yes.
But relying solely on any of them to build your business is a big mistake, my
opinion like it or not.
The only way I know anything about you is a 140 character 'this is my day' piece of crap with a url (that I have no idea where it goes) does not build confidence.
Let's see, maybe all those 'friends' are salvageable. What if you spend a little coin this year and actually go to one of those seminars or workshops the 'guru you love to hate' promotes? Maybe that nameless Twitter Tweet might actually be a real person.
Or maybe on LinkedIn's next Meet-Up in your city, contact the coordinator and
go mingle. If this seems to be too much trouble or you are still looking for
'free-cheap-eats', then Tweet On!
That way, when you're still stuck at your 'Day Job' this time next year (if you
still have one), you can always tell your co-workers about what a scam internet businesses are. They'll sympathize with you. Afterall, they're your friends.
Ooooh, blasphemy!: Go Outside the internet - circle jerk - world?! Yes, in the world where flesh and blood people have coffee at Starbucks, chat about their upcoming projects or share information about what's going on in the world.
How can I suggest such a thing? Because not everyone wants to be a voyeur into the Jerry Springer minutiae of other people's lives nor want thousands of fake friends involved in theirs. Surprise,surprise.
So are you maximizing the networking capabilities of Twitter, Linkedin or any of the other hundreds out there? Or are you simply playing follow-the-leader (which means your view doesn't change, you're still looking up the caboose of the train) with garbage that wastes everyone's time.
Until next time: Don't Be An Idiot!
