Welcome to the future. How social networking works for small business.
This whole social networking thing is certainly a new concept. Especially for us ‘older’ gens who have not grown up with facebook, youtube and IM, and thus are not in tune with what’s happening. As I have said in the past, keep asking your teenage kids what going on and maybe they can explain it to you…blogs, youtube video, facebook, myspace, and now twitter…it gives me a headache, but millions and millions of participants are involved in doing it daily so we had best pay attention. Something is happening.
The big question I have is how does this help business? I have learned quite clearly how blogs work, I am writing a post for my blog at this moment and every day hundreds and sometimes thousands of visitors read my posts. It’s the free dissemination of valuable information and appreciated by many who read it. I know as they tell me this in their comments. What does it do for me?
Sometimes it creates business opportunities, most times it is simply the gratification of my offering help to someone who will benefit from it without my expectation of any return…how does that help my business? I believe it helps me because I become a resource and part of an allusive community with members all over the country and world, people return and learn form my posts and eventually because I become part of a unique community, they create a relationship with me and when needed may become clients. Allusive, yes. Different, also yes. Does it work? Yes.
I speak with a half a dozen people per day who I invite to consult with me on my blog posts about their business debt issues with no obligation. Most I give advice to, some retain my services. The ones I give advice to are the more interesting as that is the true meaning and value of social networking for my business application. Sharing valuable information, solving problems and doing it without expectation of a return. That some hire my services is a welcome and obvious benefit that works for me and my clients, but the true value is in the dissemination of valuable information and my involvement in solving their business problems without expectation of a return that creates a social network that will support my business mission.
I enjoy it thoroughly, and benefit from it significantly. Yes it is tough to figure out but go with it, it works, it will become clearer as you develop your own community and give.
Verizon has discovered the same worthwhile results in a different application with a real social network twist.
They are experimenting with the 1% of their users who are experts in the setting up of networks, HD tv’s, and all the other applications they offer which have typically been handled through India customer service support and which are now being experimented with by being handled by volunteers, on line experts who want to hep others needing technical assistance.
In short, people want to help one another, they crave community, it may be hard to believe in this day of greed, but it remains true. People want to help one another and be involved in others lives. People who are very good at something, say hooking up in house tele-communication systems, very confusing to most and mastered by a few, are willing to spend their time assisting others in overcoming their technical barriers. They are very good at it, care and will take the time to help others in need of this technical support. Verizon reports that some volunteer’experts’ are putting in upwards of 20 hours per week doing an incredible job helping customers hook their electronics up.
Thus instead of talking to India, which everyone hates to do, and getting a low level of technical support, non-caring support. Now people can talk to volunteers who are on line for the purpose of helping others overcome their issues. It is working great, it costs Verizon nothing as these experts are doing it because they care and want to, not for a pay check, and the results are stunning. The 1% are willing to help the 99% because they get the point of social networking and are willing to participate because they care and enjoy the rush of helping others in need. Free without expectation of a return.
A business discovery that is very new, very different and very hard to insert into the normal business equation…people helping people in a business environment because they care, and because they enjoy being part of the social network that’s developing…that’s new. That’s radical.
I would say try it, but that’s also a huge leap of faith. Perhaps you can try a blog first, maybe facebook second then advance to a video on youtube and then maybe even twitter. By then you will be a regular participant in Web2 the new world of social networking…welcome to the future it has arrived. Now figure it out. Your kids understand it…it’s your turn.
