Facebook and Twitter - are they any good for business networking?

I had an interesting exchange of ideas with Arnie Fabius this week, using the inernal messaging system here within NiS, so I thought I'd share my side of the story here...

Are there too many alternative channels of communication out there these days?

We all use them differently - it's one of the challenges of 21st-century living!

Facebook is winning the personal (consumer) communication market hands down, alongside SMS texting and PM systems like Blackberry Messenger.  Linked In and Twitter are the equivalent 'Terrible Twins' of the business world. Email is still by far the most widely used form of communication, especially in business, but it's almost crippled by spam, and we're told the under-25s just don't use it.

Which channel shall we use?

A sense of belonging to the same group (membership) is the deciding factor when two parties decide which channel they will use to communicate with each other. On a personal communicator like a smart phone, membership is being 'real world' friends and in each other's address book, so you always accept each other's calls - very direct. Equally on Facebook it's who your accepted Friends are that counts - you follow their postings because you know and like and trust them.

Businesses are usually less committed to each other (unless they're working closely together). That makes Twitter and Facebook far less compelling as a universal means of communication in the business world, and most businesses relegate them to 'advertising channel' status. They are used to broadcast about products and services rater then to create dialogue with business followers (and followings).

As a result, most businesses Tweets are never read, and Facebook business pages are most useful if your product or service is aimed at the consumer rather than the B2B market. Membership (and member benefits) are far more important than the medium - which is why it will be hard for any single business communications channel to prevail over the others as Facebook and texting have in the personal arena.

Do I know you?

In-person networking (supported by online communication services to stay in touch once the 'connection' has been made at a personal level) is one of the most effective ways for businesses to connect - as opposed to just sell to each other - which is why I have concentrated on this area for the past 2 years!

Networking in Surrey is about Membership and knowing people in person - as opposed to being linked to people all round the world on Linked In (or Ecademy) whom we will never meet. So I'm delighted for Members to contact each other using whatever channels they prefer (Twitter, Facebook, internal NiS mails, carrier pigeon!) That way they will actually do so... I'm just offering the framework and the reason to connect - and with NiS+, it's reinforced to a far more intense level of connection, ceating a more engaged community.

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