Ok, before you start drafting your hate-mail, please read on.  The more time I spend online, the more times I run across people still receiving an allowance from Mom and Dad that call themselves a “Social Media Expert,” or “Social Media Consultant,” or something else that probably impresses a lot of their friends.  They make bold claims about how the networking world is changing and if you don’t have a blog, Twitter, LinkedIn, and Facebook page, you’re doomed.  Doomed!
 
Let’s be clear: social media networking is important to many people and businesses.  If you’re in sales, consulting, freelance, or something of that nature for yourself, I’d argue that you’re doing yourself a great disservice by not having a dynamic online presence.  It’s crucial for people to know who you are, what you do, and why they should use you to do what you do when they need you to do it.  Go ahead, re-read that if you must.
 
It’s also a set of tools you need to be using if you’re in media (duh), or you communicate any kind of message to anyone about anything at all.  Social media sites provide a platform for you to not only deliver a message, but get interaction from your audience.  This interaction, positive or negative, helps you shape what you do and improve customer interaction, which customers always crave.  And if nothing else, everyone else is doing it and there is a segment of your target audience that probably refuses to touch a print publication.  But enough about that, we’re talking about networking here.  Relationships, baby.

Social media is a networking tool, but strong relationships are made in person.

If you’re at all shy, it’s easy to try to convince yourself that you can do all of the networking you need to from the privacy and safety of your own home.  But people generally don’t deeply connect with clever Facebook pages, dazzling LinkedIn resumes, or @ImAFingSocMediaGenius on Twitter.  They may enjoy your posts, be impressed by your resume, or find that the minute-by-minute translation of your enormous brainwaves really resonates with them, but they still don’t feel like they owe you any favors.  If I wasn’t clear before, I’m not talking about broadcasting a message here or selling anything – I’m talking about building two-way relationships.
 
We still (and always will) need to meet people face to face in order to build deep, lasting relationships.  There’s something about looking someone in the eye, finding a common interest, and sharing a smile and a handshake that no online interaction can mimic.  As online video conferences continue to take off, I still don’t think it’s going to have the same effect.  When someone asks for a referral, or you are deciding who to work with for your own purposes, your brain goes immediately to the cast of characters you know best and have shared that personal interaction with.

In summary, social media should be used as a tool to deepen relationships through good follow-ups, education about what you do, and to explore new networks you’d like to be a part of.  But at the end of the day, you’re always going to need to get off your butt, throw on a decent shirt, smile big, and say hello to someone without the assistance of technology.

Next week, I’m going to cover some simple ways to use social media to reduce the stress of networking and strengthen the relationships you make in person.  Now, go shake some hands.

(And please don’t hesitate to leave a comment, especially if you think I’m nuts.)