———

To me, as a professional networker, the silliness of the Quality
versus Quantity argument can’t die soon enough!  But, unfortunately,
that old bromide of an argument seems as hard to get rid of as ridding
the Earth of the cockroaches which have been around since before the
dinosaurs faced extinction.

But, whether or not the argument dies, there is a persistent group of
“network SIZE monitors” (NSM), who just seem hell-bent on watching the
size of networks which they themselves don’t have to manage.

Why they choose to invest their time monitoring other people’s
networks is food for another discussion but, briefly, these network
SIZE monitors spend THEIR time monitoring the size of your network
seemingly for no other reason than to condemn your network once it
reaches a certain size.   (Never mind that you may be making effective
use of your networks for the purposes for which you built it.)

Some seem to think that if they can get their condemnation of the size
of YOUR network out quickly enough, it will somehow help THEM
establish themselves as a better, more accountable, more professional,
more successful networker.

I think that attitude and presumption is sheer silliness – and
speaking of managing things – a mismanagement of their own
professional time.

For their own productivity, I recommend that NSM’s reduce the size of
the number of things they worry about which is not theirs to worry
about in the first place.

My questions:
1. What difference does it make to YOU what size MY network is?
(Focus on yours.  I’ll focus on mine.)
2. Why use your precious time trying to figure out my relationship
with my network(s) and how I manage them?
3. Do you count the steps to the grocery store?
4. Do you eat to eat the precise number of calories – OR – do you eat
for nutrition, health, energy, and power?
5. Do you focus on how many calories you allocate to loving?  Or, do
you focus on loving the people who mean most to you – irrespective of
how many calories you burn up in the process?

Theoretically, music, art, human conversation, blogging, and even
loving can be done by the numbers but, for me, I prefer a less
mechanical, more human means of managing and interacting with the
people in my networks, in my life – irrespective of numerical size.

What say you?

Thanks, and Keep STRONG!!
Vincent Wright
Online Community Manager
MyLinkingPowerForum.ning.com | MyVirtualPowerForum.com |

Part I: The Best of the Best

Unless you’ve been living under a rock, you know that social networking (otherwise known as Web 2.0) has revolutionized the way every industry thinks about their marketing and advertising.  People who are buying are buying online—and from companies they have formed a connection with through their social networks. Thousands of networking sites have cropped up hoping to be the next MySpace or Facebook, luring people by the millions to build profiles and create virtual communities that are ripe for savvy marketers to infiltrate.

One of the most interesting things about these different communities is how each of them has its own unique environment that is almost tangible.  In the same way that real life locations have their own ambiance, so do these cyber hangouts.  Spending a few minutes on these sites, you’ll see huge differences in demographics, communication styles, professionalism, and usability.  The key then, is not simply putting in time building a network, but building a network on a site that is going to be most receptive to your marketing style and/or product.

In this four-part series, I’ll discuss some of the ways to identify the best social networks, and give you the readers the opportunity to vote on the overall BEST social networking sites from your perspective.  I’ve entitled it “Going for the Gold:  The Best of Social Marketing Online.”  Inspired by the Olympics, where only the best compete and the best of the best gets the gold, we will bestow our own “Gold Medal” on the overall best social networking site.  Naturally, since there are so many excellent sites out there to choose from, we’ll have a “Silver” and “Bronze” category, too.   Join me tomorrow for Part II:  “Choose Wisely.”