Relating Real Life Interactions & the Web Through Social Media

Jan. 10th, 2008 by Barry Hurd

There is a growing trend in social media to relate real life interactions to the web, and web interactions to real life. This is nowhere more apparent than in the CEO and executive space- where sites like Linkedin and Zoodango are trying to harness the power from both sides of the offline vs online equation.

This is not an entirely new trend- in fact I have spent most of the last five years visiting and networking with groups to understand how they function in the real world and how that synergy can be merged online. From dozens of nationwide chamber of commerce events, local groups like BNI or Letip, and premium level social clubs such as ClubCorp- my team and I have probably been to thousands of different networking events (I know I’ve personally been to over 500.)

For the past few months we have been morphing those experiences into a very basic idea- how to create a networking group that works.

Our most recent side-project was SeattleNetwork.net, with the first real world event of that club we had dozens of members showing up and exchanging personal introductions and stories. We had taken a slightly different approach- instead of being absolutely boring an passive, handing out business cards and drawing out sixty second commercials… we instead gave value, entertainment, and a good crowd.

Wait a minute… did I say entertainment? Yep.

As busy professionals, none of us wants to go to a business networking event and experience nothing but the same old mindless introductions we are forced to endure on a daily basis. We have personal lives and motivations… and one of those is having entertainment and the occasional laugh. Regardless of how much many any of us makes- the ability to find common bonds within certain forms of entertainment and personal interests is invaluable to our networking endeavors.

Business networking- is considered to be about a needs vs requirements pitch. I need X, you have X. We negotiate a price and both sides are happy.
Personal networking- is considered by most to be about finding someone to play golf with, or perhaps a date. Maybe you want to find a new buddy to have drinks with at the local sports bar.
Social Networking-is a mixture of the two. It is about forming points of interests that blur the line and establish relationships on both sides of the fence.

Executives and successful business owners should not be afraid to network with everyone- as you never know the true background and connections of the people you are laughing with until you have pealed back a few layers of interaction. An example: sometimes the catering staff provides me with the best introductions in the world- they have often dealt with hundreds of business professionals over the course of years and establish personal relationships with them. Five minutes of talking to a waiter at an event while everyone harasses the “A List” networkers often provides me with five times the return I would have received from sixty seconds of interaction with an over-inflated personality.

One of the most powerful series of questions I use in my line of work is very simple:

What does your family do professionally?
Your wife?
Your brother?
Your sister?
Your kids?

In sixty seconds I’ve taken someone serving my drink to me and turned them into an amazing hub of networking. By treating them as equals and being genuinely interested, I can ask for an introduction to someone they know with an amazing personal relationship.

With that type of introduction- say good-bye to the gatekeepers protecting high level decision makers. I can schedule coffee, lunch, golf, or a night at the club with them (and even invite the family member I met them through)

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About the Author

Barry Hurd is a fifteen year veteran of online marketing and interactive advertising. As president of Social Media Systems online marketing company, he is an evangelist for emerging social technology and shares his daily thoughts on the 3net Search Engine Marketing Blog.