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Building Valuable Relationships in the Information Age
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May 23, 2008 Posted by Layla Masri
It’s not what you know, but who you know that matters in business—I’ve come across that statement several times in the last few weeks (in an interviews, on blogs, in magazines), and I believe it’s true.
What is also true is that as business owners, we must often choose how much of our time is spent venturing out in the networking world to establish those relationships. While I know several successful business owners that attend at least five (and often more) networking events a week, and know even more who simply can’t spend that much time building their network. I belong in the latter group—I am active in NAWBO NOVA and the Reston Chamber, and that’s pretty much it. I don’t have time to participate in anything else. But I do have the time to check my Linked In and Facebook pages and catch up with friends old and new while I lounge in my jammies drinking my morning coffee.
I recently interviewed a Senior Partner at Booz Allen, and much of our conversation centered on the business impact of developing on-line relationships. Whether it’s through social/business networking sites like Facebook and Linked In, or via on-line communities for a specific hobby, the Internet provides a great way to build meaningful relationships—on your terms, at times that work in your life. Isn’t that great?
Yes, it’s great. It’s also a little scary for a lot of people. There are so many things to consider: how do you project the right image, which sites do you join, how do you use the site effectively for your needs? I’m still learning the answers to these questions, and I’m sure I’m making some mistakes. But I think as our lives get fuller, and more people become accustomed to interacting via the Internet, we won’t have a choice—I see on-line relationship building as being a critical factor in successful networking. And I for one am happy about it. How do you feel about this change in the way we do business?
Susan Rose is president of Two Sisters Creative, and can be reached at susan@twosisterscreative.com