Let our love open the door

A good lunch for me consists of online reputation management talk over a nice Greek salad. I actively seek out people who won’t tire too quickly of my enthusiasm for online networking. My kids call me a “twitterholic.”

So when I meet people who think my rants against making people register to comment on blogs mean I’ve just had too much caffeine, what do I talk about? You guessed it.

Just as twitter is the Chuck Norris of Ice Breakers, social media is a great conversation starter. Because almost everyone wants to know more about it. And most people don’t check for @replies and DMs before they start coffee in the morning. (What, you don’t?)

I know I can help people outside the social media “fish bowl.” And I like that. Networking is all about giving before you get, and my rabid interest in social media gives me plenty to share. 

When you walk into a room of people who “don’t get it” it’s easy to write them off and start checking your watch. But when I show a company leader that Yammer can alert her to problems just beginning to brew, explain how an authentic company blog can be like a town square, or demonstrate that social media offer powerful customer service enhancements, people of all ages and industries want to know more.

You never know where your next client or job opportunity may come from.

The next time you’re moving through a room of people who think their static website creates an online presence, don’t head straight to the bar. Connecting the dots between technology and business development can open their eyes – and open some doors.

Photo credit: robynejay via Flickr