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| DigitalOttawa's Marquis Cote. (Darren Brown, OBJ) |
Social networking site becoming popular as business building tool
How many times have you attended a busy networking function and met several important contacts worthy of follow up, but in the days that followed either lost their business cards or forgotten their significance?
Enter Facebook, the online social networking website. Once just for students, it is now proving invaluable for business professionals.
"With Facebook, all I have to do is remember their name and I can (add them to my friends list), there is no need for a business card, an e-mail or a phone call. Essentially, Facebook has become my business relationship manager. It allows me to easily stay in touch, track, manage and interact with my contacts in real time," Garrett Smith, author of the Facebook Observer blog, told the OBJ.
"It is also a passive, non-intrusive way to meet people that you may never have the chance to meet. Once you have a friend in your network, you can then work to build a relationship and rapport that will eventually allow both parties to leverage for mutual gain," he said.
It is that kind of ease of use that has attracted real estate, high tech, marketing and communications professionals and entrepreneurs in Ottawa, who all have business groups on Facebook.
Founded in February 2004, Facebook has more than 61 million active users, with an average of 250,000 new registrations per day since January 2007. With over 55,000 regional, work-related, collegiate, and high-school networks, more than half of Facebook users are now outside of the college realm and the fastest growing demographic is over 25.
One of the most popular Ottawa networking groups on Facebook, digitalOttawa, is a "grassroots industry-led initiative" to connect Ottawa's creative content development community. It was created in 2006 and has grown to 185 members, including web designers and developers, animators, photographers, video, audio, multimedia designer and developers, graphic designers, and those involved with e-communications, marketing and advertising. DigitalOttawa provides a way to network through discussions, job postings and event announcements.
"The main reason for digitalOttawa was to connect freelancers and give an opportunity for people of different skill sets to work together. We have used a few different social networking tools and with Facebook, it's easy to create events and invite people, who then invite other people and it trickles down," said Marquis Cote, an administrator of digitalOttawa.
"There is a big shift going on right now from social networking for business versus networking for pleasure. Facebook is interesting because it doesn't segregate the business contacts from the social. I'm noticing some of my business associates on there and I see what some of their hobbies and interests are that I may not have known about otherwise, it builds more of a relationship."
Mr. Cote said digitalOttawa is also shifting in the next couple months with a new focus on gathering public sector consultants and employees to discuss and share best practices on electronic communication strategies.
The Canadian Advanced Technology Alliance (CATA), the largest high-tech association in Canada, also has a very active Facebook group with over 300 members, mostly from Ottawa, with videos, discussion topics and events posted. Although he said that the site was very important to his members, Barry Gander, executive vice-president of CATA, told the OBJ the organization isn't yet read to discuss in detail its plans for Facebook.
"The CATA governing council is having CATA explore social networking as a business tool. We have been working on networks like Facebook for some time, and found them to be very valuable for research as well as expanding the funnel of business relationships. We plan to make an announcement in mid-February," Mr. Gander wrote in an e-mail.
Of course, Facebook and other social media will never be the end all of networking, but with so many active users, it is a tool that is hard to ignore and will only become increasing vital for business, according to Mr. Smith.
"While the best way to network and build relationships is still meeting face to face, Facebook is enhancing and extending your off-line efforts. It really is a phenomenal tool for business professionals," said Mr. Smith.
10 best Facebook applications for business professionals
Free conference calls: allows users to organize free conference calls. Features include PIN-less dial-in, ability to see in real-time who will be attending/not attending the call, and SMS reminders for those invited to the conference call.
Facebook Voicemail: allows user to send personalized voicemails to their Facebook friends.
My Questions: allows users to ask their Facebook friends questions, with a central repository for viewing the answers to do research.
Facebook Video: allows users to create video messages and upload third-party videos that are then available to be sent to others on Facebook.
Introductions: allows users to introduce friends to one another and introduces users to new people. This application allows business users to build their network of contacts through referrals, much easier than trying to "cold-add" an individual.
Business Cards: allows users to attach a business card to Facebook messages, customize the card design and content and browse postings and network with others.
Phonebook: application allows user to call and send voicemails to Facebook users, all while keeping their phone number private.
Workin' It: allows users to leave kind words or recommendations for their fellow Facebook friends. Also allows users to search for over five million job openings.
Define Me: allows others to anonymously list words that define you. The words are then displayed on your profile in a cloud, ensuring that new contacts, clients and partners get a true view of who you are.
What I Do: allows business professionals to promote their business on their Facebook profile. It features a directory for people looking for products and services allowing them to find you and can be used to drive new sales for any business.
Source: Facebook Observer blog
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