Business Networking Trends (Part 1): Online Vs. Face-to-Face
Several emerging issues and trends surrounding the process of networking are being created out of the need to find an effective way to develop business for entrepreneurs and salespeople in this new century. Over the next few blogs, I will address three of the most prominent trends that I believe will become more important in the coming years. Here is the first one:
Online and face-to-face networking will both continue to flourish.
Iâm a proponent of online networks such as Ecademy.com and others. I think they will continue to grow successfully and help many of their members. However, they are not the final answer to business marketing or to networking. They are another great tool for people to connect with others (especially outside their local geographic area).
On my Referrals For Life blog, someone recently said: âI donât know that it is true anymore that referrals are about relationships.â? He went on to say, essentially, that technology is changing the rules and that just participating in a website will be good enough. Well, in one word, Iâd have to say, “wrong.”
Referrals are and will be, for the foreseeable future, all about relationships. Whether they are relationships built online or face to face, they will still involve relationships. People refer people they know and trust. They will not regularly refer someone just because he or she is listed on a website. Thatâs called advertising, not networking.
Online networking works, but relationships must still be part of the process. Using the internet to exchange ideas, share knowledge and increase your visibility will be imperative in the coming years. Virtual networking is catching on in many circles. Some people involved in face-to-face networking feel threatened, as if online networking were going to replace their tried-and-true system.
Those who foretell the demise of face-to-face networking fail to note one important thing: the facts. Face-to-face networking groups continue to expand. The growth rate of my own referral networking organization, BNI, bears this out. Since the internet first became popular in the mid 1990s, BNI has experienced more than a 1,000 percent growth rate. That is not a typo.
Technology flattens the communication hierarchy and provides opportunities to improve your networking efforts–not replace them. I believe people who understand this will begin to use technology effectively–without replacing relationships–to take their marketing to new levels in the years to come.
Dear Friend,
A group of researchers at University of Nevada, Las Vegas, are investigating effects of Weblogs on âSocial Capitalâ?. Therefore, they have designed an online survey. By participating in this survey you will help researches in âManagement Information Systemsâ? and âSociologyâ?. You must be at least 18 years old to participate in this survey. It will take 5 to 12 minutes of your time.
Your participation is greatly appreciated. You will find the survey at the following link. http://faculty.unlv.edu/rtorkzadeh/survey
This group has already done another study on Weblogs effects on âSocial Interactionsâ? and âTrustâ?. To obtain a copy of the previous study brief report of findings you can email Reza Vaezi at reza.vaezi@yahoo.com.
To have the idea on business market and to gain knowledge on the business strategies are the key steps in the initial stages and also in the long run of any business. I definitely look forward to join these programs.
Ivan,
You nailed it. Woe until those who think life and business are only about online lives! If we lose our face-to -face, we will face a life that has less depth, few real friends and the opportunity for the serendipity that happens in shared space. We must have both sets of skills…online and offline. You just validated the time I have spent on my next book. THANK YOU!!!!
Ivan you are illuminating —-as usual!
Susan RoAne
Hello,
Greetings from Wahoo Nebraska!
Glamour Tags, the World’s First Couture Jewelry Name Tags just launched in January 2008! People who do social and business networking will never have to wear unattractive plastic and sticker name tags again!
75% of how we are remembered is by how we look.
Go See at http://www.glamourtags.com
Warmly,
Tammie Kavan
Co-Founder, Glamour Tags Worldwide
http://www.glamourtags.com
tammie@glamourtags.com
402.443.8386
Enoyed your post and bookmarked you for future reading.. Thinking of adding some of your content to my website ZestforMarketing
really nice post.
Really great article, love the site. And the template is really nice – is this designed just for this site or is it a template you bought. I’m looking for a good one for one of my blogs (I have several).
Great post. YOu make it seem so easy to share your experiences. I wish I could do as well in sharing on my blog. I just got it started and sometimes feel stuck on what to share or if it is the right thing to share. what to do?