A Case For Networking-Ending Interruptions One Relationship at a Time by David Lingholm

this biznik article stood out as a good one to link, because it deals with the changing climate of marketing, which is something i’m reading a lot about lately. though i think there is room for initiating relationships with research calling, i agree that dropping the quick sell and building lasting relationships is a much better approach to business.

a recurrent theme i’m finding when talking about social media networks and their relative worth to different business owners is the concern with conversion. in more traditional marketing strategies, putting effort into avenues that don’t have a high conversion rate is considered a waste of time, and while i see the confusion in their eyes when they ask me why they’d want to use twitter, the simple answer is: business, networking and relationship-building is about people. if you make it only about numbers and sales, you lose the most valuable connection in an ongoing relationship. i like lingholm’s reminder to check the scorecard at the door, concentrate on listening, consider giving without expectation. business relationships could use some zen reminders like these time & again.