Facebook and Twitter A Waste Of Time
By Tim Somers on Nov 4, 2008 in Featured, General, Online Advertising, Tools Of The Trade
Early this week I attended a networking event and started some basic dialog with a gentleman, I asked him if he have been utilizing any social networks to build his business. He blasted me with “Facebook and Twitter are a waste of time” and went on to tell me his sales staff do not get any work done and have not meet their sales goals since joining the social network craze.
I had to sit back and just listen; I really was thrown back and speechless for the first time in a long time. Normally I would have gave my 2 cents sharing the great experiences my company has had since I started using Facebook, Twitter and LinkedIn to name a few. But I was actually scared that this guy was gonna go off the deep end if just one more person spouted off about it.
This guy may have a point to some extent; it is easy to get wrapped up in the whole social networking thing. You can easily find your self trapped in an endless loop of posts, pictures and links only realizing 3 hours have flown by and you have not generated any new business. Time management is key to maximizing your online networking efforts. I spent 30 to 45 minutes tops per day on all the various networks I participate in, anymore could just be a waste of valuable time as “Mr Facebook Sucks” was preaching.
I can say that using these networks have opened the doors to many new customers not to mention I have reconnected with past customers opening opportunities that would have not been available otherwise. I am a social network success story that would never consider these avenues a waste of time.
Here are some quick points to remember with using Twitter
Remember, you have only 140 characters for your tweet (Twitter post).
1. Tweet about how you helped a client today. Example: “Today we shipped 1,000 Pens to Purple Banana Construction for their 2008 Convention”
2. Tweet about what you are doing in your business today. Are you blogging, prospecting, sending thank you cards, finalizing a quote for a client?
3. Tweet about a useful tool you are using to increase your productivity. Example: Just downloaded a new Firefox Plug-In that saves me time doing…
4 Tweet a question. I need a new Fax Machine – any suggestions?
5 Tweet a survey. Example: I am considering a new laptop – should I get a Mac or PC?
6. Respond to others with advice or answers. Building relationships is key to maximizing Twitter, so help your Tweeps, if someone asks a question chime in or ask a follow-up question.
7. Acknowledging new followers is huge. This will help out the new follower because it exposes their Twitter profiles to others who may have never heard of them. So, to thank your followers, you’d tweet, “Welcome new followers @twittername, @twittername, etc.”
10. Automate your tweets. TwitterFeed turns all of my blog posts into tweets. aWeber.comturns each ezine issue into a tweet. EzineArticles.com tweets my followers every time I publish an article through their service. You just need to connect the particular service to your Twitter account. Once all the services are connected, you get free and automated Twitter posts with no effort.
Twitter can be a great time-waster or an amazing way to market your business and build relationships that will last a life time and increase your bottom line.
Connect With Me On LinkedIn: tim (at) promostuff4u.com
Tim Somers
Bizarre Promotions, Inc.
michael | Nov 7, 2008 | Reply
Unfortunately I don’t think that most people have your discipline. Most people are checking FB constantly. The tools can be used for good, especially for small companies and proprietors trying to make a name for themselves. But the lost producitvity by MOST people who are online all day long is astonishing. How do I know? Because we review the network logs and those who log on the most and show the most activity on the network are the ones whose job performance is suffring the most.
now someone may respond that this is a management issue. I respectfully and aggressively disagree. This is a respect for a person’s job and place of work/revenue and their own self-control issue.
If employees use it to further work when at work, then that’s terrific. But most people are using it to keep in touch with old friends and “play” online (ie wasteful time).
There is also a diff between FB and Twitter. Twitter can be one-to-many information dissemination. FB is more about friends, not business contacts. Most people I know do mix their FB and business clients together.
Tim Somers | Nov 7, 2008 | Reply
Hey Michael,
Well said - I just had a friend of mine email me that his work (a Ford Dealer) is now blocking Facebook and like social networks, because of abuse. He’s bummed, because of the large customer following he has built.
I told him now he’ll have to spend some home time keeping connected to those valuable customers.
Tim
Linda Vorves Pastor | Nov 7, 2008 | Reply
Tim, I believe online social networking [OSN] is like any other marketing…you take the time to set it up and you need time to work the system, but you don’t ‘play’ while at work.
I understand why FB & the like are blocked many places. Too many employees seem to think that computer time at work is free time.
I’m old-school. Work is work, and play is not done at work. Taking time away from the job is really STEALING from the employer–unless you ARE the employer. And even then the time better be used wisely.
I sense the real issue could be this irate OSN-hater is losing $$ while the employees are playing.
Blessings, Linda
http://www.LindaPastor.com
Hubert Sawyers III | Nov 11, 2008 | Reply
I would imagine companies will realize the benefits of proper OSN for the workplace. I understand many PR and Ad agencies give their new employees a crash course on social media as soon as they come on board.
For the longest time, sites like MySpace and Facebook were just used by young people for socializing frivolously. Obviously some smart individuals have figured it’s best to use it to further their careers. I would imagine that with the more stories of negative results using social media in relation to a place of employment will see a trend of people resorting to abandoning social media or adopting a mature approach to it.
To only use social media sites around 30 - 45 minutes a day [while at work] is a good idea, Tim!
Tim Somers | Nov 11, 2008 | Reply
Hubert, thank you for your comments.
I still haven’t jumped on the MySpace bandwagon yet, I see many businesses using it - I am not a fan - I could be missing out.
Hubert Sawyers III | Nov 11, 2008 | Reply
Actually, I think MySpace isonly good for entertainers (ie, musicians, comedians, famous celebrities) in terms of using it for business purposes. The teeny-bopper demographic and design of the site is conducive to such usage.
I dabble with music myself, so I have a MySpace music page. I have a personal page too, but only because I joined it… like 4 years ago.
I like Facebook a lot better, because it’s demographic is rooted in college-age and older folks. In fact, you had to be a college student to use it when it was first created. That, in turn, has given way to those that have graduated and taken on careers to still use it to keep up with each other. BOOM! You’ve got quite the intelligent group there. The social nature of that alone makes it prime real estate in terms of doing business.
Tim Somers | Nov 11, 2008 | Reply
OK Hubert, you have talked me out of MySpace - I pretty much felt that way from the get go, but needed a little nudge…Thanks!