We had a great open discussion this morning at my weekly networking group about social media, and many other topics too. But one thing that came up was how impersonal Social Media can feel and how some people in the group did not like it because of that. The discussion really reminded me of how important it is to make sure that you connect with people beyond online.
A great example was given this morning, think about the online dating sites. There’s lots of people on their with different profiles saying all kinds of things that they do and how amazing they are, but do you really know someone after just seeing some pictures online and communicating through written text? Absolutely not! We’ve all heard how low of a percentage just words are for communication, the majority of communication is through both intonation and body language – things one can only get when really connecting with the live person!
Perhaps this is a total re-think of social media for you, perhaps not. But one should not consider Social Media as the sole point of contact with someone, but as a great way to either stay connected with someone you meet or be introduced to someone you should meet. It should enhance a personal relationship, not replace it. Think of it as a great networking tool. All the new followers, “likes”, friends, etc that you haven’t met in person are new people that you could get together with for coffee and get to know better, who knows maybe they could be a great referral source!
So the next time you’re updating your Facebook status, or getting ready to Tweet about your day, why not invite your followers to connect with you in person? I know I always like putting faces to names – and I mean the 3D version, not just their profile photo!
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