In “real life” I’m not much of a networker. Maybe that’s one reason I love the “virtual world” so much. For introverts like me it’s much easier to connect with people–on my schedule and within my comfort zone.
If you’ve listened in to any of my teleclasses about Twitter or social networking you’ve probably heard me tell the story about the time my daughter got gum stuck in her hair and my Twitter friends rescued us (peanut butter works, for the record). Or about how helpful my Facebook friends have been in helping me try different things for my recurring migraines.
The human connection. That’s what I love most about social networking sites. It’s more than just swapping business cards and trying to sell our services or products. It’s two-way communication, building relationships.
How about you? Do you enjoy social networking? What’s your favorite part?
Photo Credit: andresr/StockFresh
Great insight Michelle, the borderless connection is key. One of the things I really like about social networking is that – most of the time – you can get a better sense of who people are and what motivates them. Additional, I’m a big believer that teams make better decisions than individuals and there are lots of teams (aka TRIBES) to join for help – like the UBC ;-)
It does give us a bigger picture of people. I enjoy seeing more about the people I’m connected with — the things they care about outside of “business.”
Tribes rock. We can accomplish so much more together that we can alone.
I so hear you Michelle! I’m an introvert too and social networking has succeeded in opening up myself and my life to so much more then I could ever have dreamt or hoped for.
I think a lot of introverts do well with social media once we figure it out. :)
Hi Michelle,
For me it’s meeting and connecting with folks from all over the globe and finding out what they are doing. I would never have found some of the great blogs and bloggers otherwise. I also love how I can find out so much techie stuff from you all…particularly for wordpress. If I’m away for too long I start to get serious withdrawals…Long live social media,
Eleanor
I miss Twitter pretty quick if I’m offline for very long. I think there’s probably a long official medical name for this condition. LOL
Have you tried this map out? It’s fun to see where your connections are geographically:
http://www.mapmyfollowers.com/
And here’s another one, just because it’s fun:
http://apps.asterisq.com/mentionmap/
I’m also more of a handful of friends type of person. I’m finding that this way of connecting is easier and you learn so much about people. And find so many interesting facts that I can utilize. And for me, I’m not much of a phone person.
I’m not a phone person either, Nancy. I’d much rather email. :) I love that I can do social networking on my own schedule (and reply to blog comments at midnight when a phone call wouldn’t exactly be appropriate/welcome LOL).
I do really like social networking for many of the same reasons as you. I too feel comfortable networking online. My favorite part is helping people. If I can brighten someones day by retweeting a helpful post or by liking something on Facebook then I’m feeling pretty good.
Most of us spend quality time writing content that means something and can have an impact so I want to do my best to connect with others and help them get the word out.
And that one RT, comment or sharing can brighten someone’s day and help keep them motivated. :) Such an easy way to send a smile.
I love the whole social networking world. I am quite new to it (only 1 year) but it has really created “friendships without borders” for me. I’m an ex-pat living in Spain, so doing business in Spain is more difficult for me because of the language barriers. But with SN I can just cast my net so much wider.
It’s awesome how we can connect with people from all over the world. It gives us so many opportunities we wouldn’t have otherwise.
This post inspired me because it was so short! And still said something worthwhile. I keep forgetting that can be done!
When I got bitten by a dog while out for a run I tweeted about it and got dozens of bits of advice — some from total strangers about going to the emergency room, getting tetanus shots, getting the name of the dog’s vet from the owner, lawsuits –you name it. I was touched by the outpouring of support from the Twitterverse.
Another time, a lady I had connected with and given advice over a period of months asked for my mailing address. I didn’t know why she wanted it but I gave it anyway. Weeks went by and I forgot about it. Then — on a horrible day when I really needed a lift — a package arrives. My Twitter friend, a jewelry designer, had sent me a bracelet she’d made just for me out of champagne cork tops — all with images from Leonardo Da Vinci, since she knew that’s an interest of mine. What a wonderful act of kindness. I wear it all the time. Hooray for Twitter, and for nice people! It pays to be social :-)
You can find her creations at http://www.champagnebaubles.com/
Yeah, I like to sneak a short post in here every once in a while just to surprise my readers. I can blog in less than 1,000 words!
And OUCH! Yeah, there’s got to be some sort of shot or something you needed for that one… It’s amazing the advice/help that can come pouring in through social media.
What a fun gift — that’s just perfect for you. :)
I was reluctant to embrace social media and I’m so glad I did! I LOVE it. Best part is the support from all around the world. I’ve found ‘my voice’ through blogging and I’ve gained confidence and courage to share my message. (This may seem weird since I wrote a book, but somehow blogging super exposed me!) Love your posts, Michelle!
I’m kind of the opposite. I finally got blogging figured out, but writing a book scares me right now. Eventually, maybe.
There are so many things to love about social media. :)
I’m afraid that social media is one of the areas I have been failing at. I am not the social media type of person and I know that I am going to have to learn to overcome this weakness. I’m sure if I just take action it will benefit me in the long run.
Once you jump in and get it figured out a bit it’s fun. I mostly focus on just Facebook and Twitter — any more than that and it’s overwhelming for me. My suggestion would be to just pick one network to start with and give it a try to see how you like it.
I see a sea of comments — people really love social networking xD xD xD
I have met some really remarkable people through the ‘net, I’ve broadened my horizons, I’ve had fun, I’ve shared advice. And I like the fact that I don’t have to dress up to meet all of these wonderful people. One word of caution: do not forget that there is a world outside of your screen. Every once in a while… get dressed up and meet live with people.
In a world where we can do everything from build to a business to order a pizza online, it’s important to remember the real world still exists out there and visit it once in a while. :)
I love finding those old friends that you haven’t seen or heard from in forever…. I’ve reconnected and met up with some of these great friends as well as made many, many new friends.
Michelle, like you, I am an introvert. I also homeschool during the day, so I don’t have much time to get out and socialize. That’s why I love social networking sites. I can hop on a site later in the evening and find friends there waiting to talk. It’s a great outlet and a good way to learn from others.
I have met some really remarkable people through the ‘net, I’ve broadened my horizons, I’ve had fun, I’ve shared advice. And I like the fact that I don’t have to dress up to meet all of these wonderful people . This post inspired me because it was so short! And still said something worthwhile. I keep forgetting that can be done!
Sometimes it only takes a few words. Other times, it’s like that quote from Mark Twain: “I didn’t have time to write a short letter, so I wrote a long one instead.”