Wednesday, June 23, 2010

Networking guru Dr Ivan Misner warns of 'tapping up' on Facebook and Twitter


One of the world's leading business networking gurus has hit out the explosion of "premature solicitation" for work on social media websites by people who hunt for contacts rather than cultivate relationships.

Dr Ivan Misner, the US founder of Business Network International (BNI), which has 120,000 members globally and 15,000 in the UK, said that the misuse of internet self-publicising tools such as LinkedIn.com and Twitter is fuelling a backlash against business networking.

He said too many people are now being tapped up for business by people they did not really know or trust. "It comes from people who either practice premature solicitation or receive it and are frustrated," he said. "They think hitting on people to do business is networking. And people don't like it. There is this backlash against bad networking."

Dr Misner, who is in the UK this week to mark his network's 25th anniversary, believes social media sites can be as effective in drumming up business as local chambers of commerce or rotary clubs. But he warned that the web exposes the amateur networker mercilessly: "I say absolutely do social media. It substantially builds the visibility side of your business. But everything is faster online. If you are a really bad at networking you are bad at light speed.One of the world's leading business networking gurus has hit out the explosion of "premature solicitation" for work on social media websites by people who hunt for contacts rather than cultivate relationships.

Dr Ivan Misner, the US founder of Business Network International (BNI), which has 120,000 members globally and 15,000 in the UK, said that the misuse of internet self-publicising tools such as LinkedIn.com and Twitter is fuelling a backlash against business networking.

He said too many people are now being tapped up for business by people they did not really know or trust. "It comes from people who either practice premature solicitation or receive it and are frustrated," he said. "They think hitting on people to do business is networking. And people don't like it. There is this backlash against bad networking."

Dr Misner, who is in the UK this week to mark his network's 25th anniversary, believes social media sites can be as effective in drumming up business as local chambers of commerce or rotary clubs. But he warned that the web exposes the amateur networker mercilessly: "I say absolutely do social media. It substantially builds the visibility side of your business. But everything is faster online. If you are a really bad at networking you are bad at light speed....

Read the whole article @ http://uk.finance.yahoo.com/news/networking-guru-dr-ivan-misner-warns-of-tapping-up-on-facebook-and-twitter-tele-beabbadbbe63.html?x=0

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