chrisbrogan.com - Latest Comments in Shortening The Distance Between Us

Re: Shortening The Distance Between Us

The Writer Mama — Sat, 09 May 2009 00:59:59 -0000

This is what I was just saying in a comment to a later post. The thing is you are saying you take in a lot of information on people you meet on Twitter BEFORE you meet them. I might take in a bit of info about them before I meet them, I mean, as much as I can at a glance. But I can hold so much more information about a person in my memory once I've met them in person. I get content overload really easily, so for me, I'll pay more attention to what you are doing online AFTER I meet you in person, assuming what you are sharing interests me.

This probably sounds old fashioned and fickle. But I can't be the only one who still feels that face-to-face makes the deepest and most lasting impression. And with the numbers of people I'm meeting and greeting at any one time, I tend to default to what my mind can process easiest. Lately, I'm just trying to keep up with my to-do list and get my assistant up to speed so I can have a little more time to...make connections. :)

Re: Shortening The Distance Between Us

Beth Rosen — Thu, 07 May 2009 01:40:41 -0000

For all of us who believe that social media is not just the next phase but a must phase, that’s why were here reading Chris Brogan. At Sobcon "Chris Brogan, the guru of social media, took time to talk with me. Why? I may never know, but maybe it’s because he is really good at what he does, and that’s connecting with people in a personal way while being genuinely interested in what were doing/looking for online. But—and this may even be more important—he saw me as “Everyman.” (Or should I say “EveryMOM?”) As a blogging, tweeting mother-of-four teens—a buyer, a recommender, a shopper, and critic—Chris knew I embodied the all the angles of an audience that social media seeks to address. I am the real deal of the linked-up world. And the best part is it makes sense! The power of this new force is that it’s all about people, wherever and however they want to connect. That’s why Chris is Chris Brogan “he gets us we get him and together we get the future”

Re: Shortening The Distance Between Us

aliallsorts — Wed, 06 May 2009 19:47:54 -0000

I love this post Chris as it shows how honest and trustworthy people can be. I do understand people's reservations because some people aren't so honest and have bad intentions, but I personally don't think being sociable online poses any greater risk than being sociable offline.
But I also appreciate that everyone is entitled to their own opinions and concerns. Thanks for the post anyway.

Re: Shortening The Distance Between Us

conviojames — Tue, 05 May 2009 10:11:06 -0000

Spending time getting to know someone online is definitely worth it. I would go so far as to say that it is imperative. In a lot of cases, it is really the only option I have for most of the year. I work with nonprofits, and I tell them to do the same with their constituents. Their reality is that they may never be able to meet some of their constituents face to face, so an online relationship is all that they can develop. Spending the time to approximate real conversations pays off in a ll sorts of ways for the organization: engagement, loyalty, support, advocacy...

Re: Shortening The Distance Between Us

skweeds — Mon, 04 May 2009 16:17:50 -0000

I think it depends on what type of relationship you're looking for. There are some people I know IRL who are complete doofuses on the web, and vice versa.
I think it's very disappointing when you've talked to someone online a lot and you're great friends but you go to hang out IRL and they're just socially inept.
The other way around isn't so terrible, in my opinion. Having internet finesse isn't necessarily a requirement in my book. But actual social savoir-faire I think is a must-have.

Re: Shortening The Distance Between Us

Christine Fife — Mon, 04 May 2009 13:56:19 -0000

Absolutely! As a conversation marketing practice we show our clients how to "follow" the Influencers in their market conversation to really get to know them and understand them. It has long been a PR practice to really understand what reporters write about, how they like to receive news release information, and what their article deadlines are. Social media allows us to take this much, much further and apply it to more than just press.

At Idiom Strategies we look at the Market Conversation Universe:
The People
* Influencers: individuals and entities (organizations, conferences, groups, etc.) that most often raise new conversation topics and have their own audiences who listen and respond.
* Participants: individuals who are responding to the topics raised by the Influencers.
* Listeners: The vast majority of the population falls into this category—they are the individuals who look to Influencers and Participants to help them make purchase decisions and formulate their own opinions.

Conversation Locations:
* Physical and online places where people are interacting. These can include Social Media Networks, Blogs and other Social Media Outlets, Forums, Chat rooms, Conferences and Tradeshows, On and Offline Publications, User Groups, Trade Organizations, Webinars, Sponsored Events, Research Reports, etc.

Conversation Tools
Influencers, as well as different types of Participants and Listeners, utilize tools to receive market conversation content. Tools can include: Social media technology such as blogs, wikis, networking sites and many others; News aggregators, RSS Feeds, alerts and other tracking systems; Podcast, webcast and webinar technologies; Live speeches and presentations; Calendaring technologies; Email, and yes, even snail mail; and Web communities.

The more you understand The People, The Conversation Locations where they converse and The Tools they use, the more you will understand your prospects and customers and the easier it will be to get to know all of these people and for them to know you.

Re: Shortening The Distance Between Us

amberportercox — Mon, 04 May 2009 10:40:31 -0000

Agreed. Meeting you at the SOBcon event was great - but it might have been more 'connected' had been following you and reading your blog regularly. (not that I'm shy and there was a problem) I also find the reverse to be true --> I met a lot of very talented people, and will now make a point to understand and learn from them via Blog, Twitter (social media) communication even more - my personal experience with them allowed me to get a feel to who they are, and reading their blogs will now become more memorable and relevant. Thanks for the reminder: share and connect to build warm relationships on and offline!! @amberportercox

Re: Shortening The Distance Between Us

Maxengage — Mon, 04 May 2009 02:31:20 -0000

It's great that social networks are bringing people closer together and i applaud anybody who has the time to follow individual’s social streams. It's just not quite the same though as meeting people face to face. Maybe if the bandwidth was equal for everyone you could communicate in a more meaningful way. I agree with some of your commenters that a few people are just too shy to make that extra effort to connect.

I find that it can be beneficial to have that buffer of the Internet, to communicate with a lot more people than i would in real life. Sometimes it just comes down to confidence and who you are that determines your online path.

Thanks for the read

Re: Shortening The Distance Between Us

bob robbins — Sun, 03 May 2009 15:51:06 -0000

I have found this to be very true. I have at least as many online friends as I do face-to-face friends and maybe more. When I get a chance to me online friends in person it's like we have known each other for a long time.

Re: Shortening The Distance Between Us

rachelgittel — Sun, 03 May 2009 10:58:14 -0000

It is destined that you two would meet. Beth is so connected with people and a natural networker. She was doing this type of thing long before blogging and twittering were on the radar screen. She has encouraged me to start blogging, and she has advised me as to who to follow and so much more! She even told me that I had to introduce myself (a real blogginer) when I was at SocComm in New York. It is so nice to see how meetings like this make the twitterverse go round.

Re: Shortening The Distance Between Us

Susan Murphy — Sun, 03 May 2009 08:57:16 -0000

Though I think this is true in some ways - these tools facilitate the connections that can result in close friendships, new opportunities, and such...I do think that there's a tendency for us to over analyze what's really going on in this space, and sometimes to "try too hard" to make friends with everyone all the time. There's often an expectation that just because I reach out to someone or they reach out to me that we must then become good friends. People simply don't have the bandwidth to manage that many REAL friendships, let alone add new ones all the time.

Really, what it comes down to, is we either make a connection with someone or we don't. We become friends or we don't. We do business together or we don't. It's not really THAT much different than the offline world, come to think of it.

Re: Shortening The Distance Between Us

ajmunn — Sun, 03 May 2009 08:43:16 -0000

There have been several occasions where emails have begun very formal in their back and forth while setting up an initial meeting. Through finding the person on twitter or facebook and connecting, even in the most basic level, the emails tone changed dramatically. It was less formal and less staid. There are many uses for online profiles. The most basic of these is to put some context around a person.

As a result the meetings generally got off to a far more productive start. It also allows for a greater understanding of the person you are meeting. Having an inkling of their learning styles, how they communicate and their interests helps you tune in and deliver what you have to say in a manner that will ring true for them and make sense.

Re: Shortening The Distance Between Us

Deirdre — Sun, 03 May 2009 08:39:07 -0000

I definitely think this is true. There are quite a few people who I've connected with on twitter and Facebook that when I finally met them in person, I felt like we were old friends. It's also especially important for me in the promotion of my books and business as I'm noticing that the actual physical meeting is the "sale." This could be a speaking engagement for a business association, lecture for a college, counseling for a group of executives, etc. In some cases, Social Media can shorten the sales process.

Re: Shortening The Distance Between Us

Roundpeg — Sun, 03 May 2009 08:11:41 -0000

I have found this to be very true, particularly locally. In Indianapolis, we have a site www.smallerindiana.com. As we hit milestones, 1,000 members, 2,000 members we throw parties and bring people together. Right from the first event, it felt more like a high school reunion, with people sort of squinting, and saying wow are you.. so and so, and hugging even if it was the first time they met in person.

I don't thing social media will ever replace Face to Face, but I do think it accelerates the connections when you do meet.

Re: Shortening The Distance Between Us

Mike McCready — Sun, 03 May 2009 03:28:34 -0000

I think is so true Chris. Last November at the Stamats conference in St. Petersburg, I recall hearing how many of the people there had never met before but had established good relationships online through Twitter, blogs, etc.

I look forward to conferences in the future to be able to meet those I've established relationships online with.

Re: Shortening The Distance Between Us

Jim Gray — Sat, 02 May 2009 23:21:21 -0000

i'm seeing this everyday and trying meetup offline as much as humanly possible.

Re: Shortening The Distance Between Us

Malcolm Bastien — Sat, 02 May 2009 17:15:48 -0000

This is one of my favourite sort of tactics to take advantage of, especially as someone who's more introverted and who hates small chat. Being able to first of all scope out WHO I want to talk to helps me avoid awkward situations before its too late, and makes the whole meeting in real life process a lot easier.

Re: Shortening The Distance Between Us

Malcolm Bastien — Sat, 02 May 2009 17:13:59 -0000

Even where I'm from, where not everyone opens or shares themselves online, there are always enough that do that is is never really a problem. Another thing which just happens to be cool about these online meetings first is that the places where we do end up meeting in real life often happens to be big geek get togethers like a meet-up or an conference/unconference like Word Camp.

So you can't meet everyone online in the same way, but when you do they will probably be the sort of people who share some of the same characteristics as you do.

Re: Shortening The Distance Between Us

Paul Merrill — Sat, 02 May 2009 17:01:52 -0000

Chris, you're awesome. Great to meet you live and in person.

Keep pushing this space.

Re: Shortening The Distance Between Us

cleverwebtech — Sat, 02 May 2009 15:56:55 -0000

Hey Chris,

For me, getitng to know people first in real life will always make a better relationship then getting to know them first online. Despite this, it's always a good idea to collect facts online about people you're about to meet in real life.

Brian
cleverwebtech.com

Re: Shortening The Distance Between Us

mandypriestarnold — Sat, 02 May 2009 15:52:30 -0000

Agree, I feel that I know those that I follow through social networks. When I have the opportunity to meet them at an event or otherwise, I feel like I should make the effort - stronger intent to engage them in person because I have built an online relationship with them.

Re: Shortening The Distance Between Us

Jim Gaudet — Sat, 02 May 2009 14:09:33 -0000

It is this kind of diversity that makes the world so textured, so interesting and so hard.

Wow, well said. Although they do not know about Facebook, at least I can still email them :)

Re: Shortening The Distance Between Us

Tim Kilroy — Sat, 02 May 2009 13:29:18 -0000

But, thejimgaudet, not knowing what Facebook (or even being online) isn't a requirement for citizenship. We are very excited about social media as a new way to interact and engage and learn and grow, but others don't have the need, the opportunity, or even desire to interact online. And others, like Ritsa, are more reserved and find in uncomfortable to be open online.

It is this kind of diversity that makes the world so textured, so interesting and so hard. Those of us who feel compelled to comment on blogs, tweet, facebook, and whatever else we may do online are simply part of a self-selected community who thrives in this kind of sharing. So, for your friends who aren't facebookers or tweeters, I applaud them!

Re: Shortening The Distance Between Us

Jim Gaudet — Sat, 02 May 2009 13:13:04 -0000

Very true. Not to mention there are a lot of people who are still not "online". I can't believe it, but I know a ton of people from high school who don't even know what Facebook is...Seriously..

Re: Shortening The Distance Between Us

MatthewRay — Sat, 02 May 2009 13:06:11 -0000

Absolutely! Ever sense joining twitter I have conversed with some really talented people not only in Rochester, NY, but also around the world. With the Rochester Crew, I was able to find out about @SMC_Rochester - and from there was able to strike up a quick conversation with people I haddn't met before, but knew them online.

I would have never connected with the people I met in Rochester in this short period of time since joining the @SMC_Rochester - and especially not without Twitter. It stream-lined my efforts to meet and talk with an innovative crowd!