A couple of things are true about business networking. 

 And three things are true about business networking in a shaky economy. 

 That defines the problem. What, then, defines the solution?

 

Well, in a nutshell, it’s Internet business networking using the social networking model.

 

Here’s why social networking works in business networking.

 

The object of social networking is to connect with other people. Maybe it’s friends and relatives. And maybe it’s business contacts. And social networking sites like Facebook allow you to utilize the most sacred of business networking tactics – always keep your name in front of your clients and prospects. Always.

 

And social networking sites provide another advantage to the business networker. You can connect to people outside your main geographical area. But wherever they are, you can connect with new people. People that know people that you know are now in your sites. Usually, just the mutual friendship is enough to get you connected.

 

All that being said, and all that being true, how come you’re not getting rich having a profile on Facebook?

 

To answer that, we have to examine the true core of Facebook. It’s not business networking. It’s social sharing. Go to the Facebook site without being logged in. The message that greets you is this – Facebook helps you connect and share with the people in your life.

 

Fine. I like to look at my old college chums’ latest vacation pics. And I actually kind of like the pics of their dogs. I like to share with the folks already IN my life. But I want to do business with folks I don’t yet even know.

 

For the moment, let’s go back to the good old days of business networking. We joined civic clubs. We attended professional meetings. And, most of all, we joined business networking groups. (As many new ones as we could without getting in trouble with the old ones.) And that cost money. And that cost time. And, sooner or later, we ran out of new people to meet and greet.

 

If you’re currently in a business networking group (maybe it’s called a tip club or a tips club), chances are you’re frothing at the mouth to bring new people in. You may not like to say it, but Ole Joe just doesn’t have any more referrals in him. And Ole Joe’s looking for new people, too, because he can’t get any more referrals from you. 

 

It’s a sad truth, but without membership turnover, all tip clubs will eventually either die out or evolve into mostly social clubs.