As more and more marketers join into the Social Networking arena they are creating more ways for failure than for success. Social sites keep emerging and more people keep jumping from one to another to be the first to ADVERTISE their business and to 'build a down line of friends'. This method will only waste your time and never really build you for true residual income.
Let's look at the title for a second ... "social ... network". I separate it so you see what we are really talking about. First is social. Let's see what social means. From Wikipedia we have:
In the absence of agreement about its meaning, the term "social" is
used in many different senses, referring among other things to:
- attitudes, orientations or behaviors which take the interests, intentions or needs of other people into account (in contrast to anti-social behavior);
- common characteristics of people or descriptions of collectivities (social facts);
- relations between people (social relations) generally, or particular associations among people;
- interactions between people (social action);
- membership of a group of people or inclusion or belonging to a community of people;
- co-operation or co-operative characteristics between people;
- relations of (mutual) dependence;
- the public sector ("social sector") or the need for governance for the good of all, contrasted with the private sector;
- in existentialist and postmodernist thought, relationships between the Self and the Other;
- interactive systems in communities of animal or insect populations, or any living organisms.
In one broad meaning, "social" refers only to society as "a system of common life", but in another sense it contrasts specifically with "individual" and individualist theories of society. This is reflected for instance in the different perspectives of liberalism and socialism on society and public affairs.
The adjective "social" implies that the verb or noun to which it is
applied is somehow more communicative, cooperative, and moderated by
contact with human beings, than if it were omitted. That is, it implies
that larger society has played some role in defining the idea or the
principle. For instance terms like social realism, social justice, social constructivism,
social psychology and social capital imply that there is some social
process involved or considered, a process that is not there in regular,
"non-social", realism, justice, constructivism, psychology, or capital.
The adjective "social" is also used often in political discourse,
although its meaning in such a context depends heavily on who is using
it. In left-wing circles it is often used to imply a positive
characteristic, while in right-wing circles it is generally used to
imply a negative characteristic. It should also be noted that, overall,
this adjective is used much more often by those on the political left
than by those on the political right.
For these reasons, those seeking to avoid association with the
left-right political debates often seek to label their work with
phrases that do not include the word "social". An example is quasi-empiricism in mathematics
which is sometimes labeled social constructivism by those who see it
as an unwarranted intrusion of social considerations in mathematical
practice, which is supposed to be "objective" and "above" social
concerns.
Most will say that the social sites are to bring common like people together to be sociable; to interact. Sites were first started to share common interests of lifestyles, hobbies, sports and other things of a more personal detail. Totally informal and sometimes can get rude with behavior.
Let's take the second word of the the title now ... networking. The action that has been stated a moment ago ... to bring common like people together. Now let me add to that. To bring people together with common and uncommon interests. In days of yesteryear, before internet at least, people networked by telling others of products and services they were pleased with. People, still today, rely on others recommendations. Referring a good mechanic, a hair stylist, a doctor, a lawyer and whatever else people look for has and is what people base their decisions on. But, the commonality of these recommendations comes from 'friends'. People that you know and trust.
So, earlier, when I said, "As more and more marketers join into the Social Networking arena they are creating more ways for failure than for success", I am saying that you don't have time to be social in all socail sites. You will lose credibility when you are not responsive, not interactive within these sites. If you think creating a profile with your business only is going to boost your sales, think again.
What happens is people see a business and not a person. So there isn't any built trust. Without trust how are you going to get any sales without being shady or crooked.
Take time to know people and offer help and advise. Be a friend. The advise you give doesn't have to be related to your business, either. But give honest advise.
When people get to know you then they will be more apt to buy from your recommendations.
Trust is your greatest asset on the internet and people have to trust you, not the business. They will decide if a business is right for them. But those that choose to look at your business need to trust you.
Best to your social networking.
Kenneth R Sword Jr