Social Networking is the hot topic these days. I've recently started playing with LinkedIn and Twitter. Can it make you any money? Not sure yet, however, in filling out my profile, LinkedIn asked if I would like to see other members that went to the University of Kentucky during the same years that I was there.
I have tried to find my college roommates several times over the years, but it can be hard to find women if they have since married. I knew their maiden name, but have no way of knowing what their married name might be. I looked and of course couldn't find them. Then my eyes stopped on the name Patricia. I didn't recognize the last name, but she was in marketing. I followed through to the website and found a photo of the college roommate I hadn't spoken to in over 20 years. We've had a fun time catching up.
I also located a fellow MBA graduate, but he was easier to find (no name change). Even if I never make any money from this new tool, the time I spent so far was more than worth locating and reconnecting with 2 great friends.
However, I am determined to take this further to see where I can go with it. Oh yeah and my LinkedIn profile is:
View Susan Clark's profile
I have tried to find my college roommates several times over the years, but it can be hard to find women if they have since married. I knew their maiden name, but have no way of knowing what their married name might be. I looked and of course couldn't find them. Then my eyes stopped on the name Patricia. I didn't recognize the last name, but she was in marketing. I followed through to the website and found a photo of the college roommate I hadn't spoken to in over 20 years. We've had a fun time catching up.
I also located a fellow MBA graduate, but he was easier to find (no name change). Even if I never make any money from this new tool, the time I spent so far was more than worth locating and reconnecting with 2 great friends.
However, I am determined to take this further to see where I can go with it. Oh yeah and my LinkedIn profile is:
View Susan Clark's profile 
There were only two new websites added to About.com's list of Top 10 employment sites this year, Linkedin.com and another site called Realmatch.com. Lots of news ways to find jobs nowadays.
Top 10 Employment site list here:
http://jobsearch.about.com/od/joblistings/tp/jobbanks.htm
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OK, good for job hunters, but how can it help me in my business? I'm playing with the SEO (Search Engine Optomization) side of it. I'm looking at the question side of it. Still working on finding out how "Social Networking" should play into my marketing model.
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Hi Susan, I'm starting to get into LinkedIn too. I have the free Contact Web Context Browser (man that's a mouthful!) that allows you to have a Google Maps tab in ACT!. It also has a LinkedIN template in it that I use and I setup for clients where suitable. It just parses the contact name from ACT! into LinkedIn and displays their profile in a tab in ACT!. Something I check when I'm on hold when making calls.
I have been in LinkedIn for years but not really used it much until recently. I just started coming across it more with clients.
The thing I have noticed is that people who use it do have a certain level of IT and Internet saviness about them. Whilst I wouldn't say it is necessarily an ideal tool for generating sales from cold contacts it is particularly good for building a good network of good contacts. This can develop into a valuable resource. I don't know about you, but I find great contacts & clients tend to refer great contacts & clients and vice versa! Therefore I'm interested in anything that will help me develop and enhance a network of those sort of contacts.
One feature I do like is that I get an email from LinkedIN telling me what my contacts have done recently, who they have linked to and questions they have posted etc. This is always interesting reading and it reminds me that I should build my network out further and spruce up my profile (still on the to-do list).
In this web2.0 world there seems to be so many technologies to keep on top of and so little time to do it but I think LinkedIn is worth the effort. It's like Facebook/Myspace for business people.
Anyway, a long post. I haven't figured out what use Twitter is yet, let me know when you do.
Cheers, Darren.
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