March 29, 2008 67 Comments

Using Social Networking and Media Offline

countrystoreA great friend of mine mentioned that all my social media stuff was great, but that he was frustrated because a lot of his constituency wasn’t particularly connected to the Net, and didn’t really use computers too often. It came to me pretty quickly that computers really aren’t a hard and fast requirement for attempting to get the same results I often preach about. In fact, it kind of opened my own eyes, too.

Social Networking Online to Off

Online: Status message like in Twitter or Facebook.
Offline: Quick phone call to see if someone’s going to be at an event.

Online: Blog post.
Offline: Letter or newsletter.

Online: Friending.
Offline: Meeting new people at networking events.

Social Media Online to Off

Online: Flickr.
Offline: Mail some photos to people.

Online: Podcasts.
Offline: Mail them a CD.

You Get the Point

Essentially, you can do most of what you do online in the offline setting. It just takes a little longer and is a little less convenient. And yet, the MOTIVATION behind what we do in the social networking space can be carried forth, and probably would help us a bit.

Agree? Silly? What’s your take?

The Social Media 100 is a project by Chris Brogan dedicated to writing 100 useful blog posts in a row about the tools, techniques, and strategies behind using social media for your business, your organization, or your own personal interests. Swing by [chrisbrogan.com] for more posts in the series, and if you have topic ideas, feel free to share them, as this is a group project, and your opinion matters.

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Photo Credit, LiberalMind1012

Related posts:

  1. Five Things to Do at a Social Networking Meetup
  2. Share YOUR Social Networking Success Stories
  3. Free eBook on Social Media and Social Networks
  4. Social Networking Features are Toilets
  5. Connecting Local Offline Business to Social Discovery

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  • http://masterful-marketing.com Debra Murphy

    Chris – I like to think about this as developing relationships and building communities using the best tool to do so. We network at business events, we network via Twitter and LinkedIn etc. Many business people I know don’t use these tools yet and that’s ok, I connect via email, phone or in person. But the beauty of online is the ability to connect with people you’ve never met and probably may never meet, in places you’ve never been without the time or geographical constraints of an in-person meeting. However, once the connection is made, hopefully someday you get the chance to meet offline so that the relationship can take on a different dimension.

  • http://masterful-marketing.com Debra Murphy

    Chris – I like to think about this as developing relationships and building communities using the best tool to do so. We network at business events, we network via Twitter and LinkedIn etc. Many business people I know don’t use these tools yet and that’s ok, I connect via email, phone or in person. But the beauty of online is the ability to connect with people you’ve never met and probably may never meet, in places you’ve never been without the time or geographical constraints of an in-person meeting. However, once the connection is made, hopefully someday you get the chance to meet offline so that the relationship can take on a different dimension.

  • Allie Osmar

    Rather than seeing these online/offline events as one versus another, or one substituting another, you really have to see them as compliments – a symbiotic relationship. Sure, they can exist separately, but they are stronger together.

    Social Networking Online AND Off:

    I see a status message on twitter or facebook that someone I know is going to an event, so I call them for more a more in depth conversation and make plans to meet up.

    I meet someone at a networking event, and then go on to friend them, and then I get to know them on a deeper level online (I met you, Chris, at PodCamp Europe, and I feel like I know a lot more about you now because of your blogging and other online activities)

    Ultimately, a relationship can only go so far online – it definitely has limitations. But the two together – now that’s powerful.

  • Allie Osmar

    Rather than seeing these online/offline events as one versus another, or one substituting another, you really have to see them as compliments – a symbiotic relationship. Sure, they can exist separately, but they are stronger together.

    Social Networking Online AND Off:

    I see a status message on twitter or facebook that someone I know is going to an event, so I call them for more a more in depth conversation and make plans to meet up.

    I meet someone at a networking event, and then go on to friend them, and then I get to know them on a deeper level online (I met you, Chris, at PodCamp Europe, and I feel like I know a lot more about you now because of your blogging and other online activities)

    Ultimately, a relationship can only go so far online – it definitely has limitations. But the two together – now that’s powerful.

  • Allie Osmar

    Rather than seeing these online/offline events as one versus another, or one substituting another, you really have to see them as compliments – a symbiotic relationship. Sure, they can exist separately, but they are stronger together.

    Social Networking Online AND Off:

    I see a status message on twitter or facebook that someone I know is going to an event, so I call them for more a more in depth conversation and make plans to meet up.

    I meet someone at a networking event, and then go on to friend them, and then I get to know them on a deeper level online (I met you, Chris, at PodCamp Europe, and I feel like I know a lot more about you now because of your blogging and other online activities)

    Ultimately, a relationship can only go so far online – it definitely has limitations. But the two together – now that’s powerful.

  • http://Ratherthanseeingtheseonline/offlineeventsasoneversusanother,oronesubstitutinganother,youreallyhavetoseethemascomplimentsasymbioticrelationship.Sure,theycanexistseparately,buttheyarestrongertoge Allie Osmar

    Rather than seeing these online/offline events as one versus another, or one substituting another, you really have to see them as compliments – a symbiotic relationship. Sure, they can exist separately, but they are stronger together.

    Social Networking Online AND Off:

    I see a status message on twitter or facebook that someone I know is going to an event, so I call them for more a more in depth conversation and make plans to meet up.

    I meet someone at a networking event, and then go on to friend them, and then I get to know them on a deeper level online (I met you, Chris, at PodCamp Europe, and I feel like I know a lot more about you now because of your blogging and other online activities)

    Ultimately, a relationship can only go so far online – it definitely has limitations. But the two together – now that’s powerful.

  • http://shegeeks.net Corvida

    I definitely agree. Though it is ironic that half of the reasons why we socially network online is to be able to do the same offline. However, to be honest I’ve been doing the majority of my networking online. I feel this is because the online community is very much interested in doing the same and it’s much easier to ignore someone online than in person lol.

  • http://shegeeks.net Corvida

    I definitely agree. Though it is ironic that half of the reasons why we socially network online is to be able to do the same offline. However, to be honest I’ve been doing the majority of my networking online. I feel this is because the online community is very much interested in doing the same and it’s much easier to ignore someone online than in person lol.

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    Many business people I know don’t use these tools yet and that’s ok, I connect via email, phone or in person. But the beauty of online is the ability to connect with people you’ve never met and probably may never meet, in places you’ve never been without the time or geographical constraints of an in-person meeting. However, once the connection is made, hopefully someday you get the chance to meet offline so that the relationship can take on a different dimension.

  • http://www.123contracting.co.uk Accountants

    Love this article – going back to the good old days when people actually picked up the phone and had a conversation with one another.

  • http://www.123contracting.co.uk Accountants

    Love this article – going back to the good old days when people actually picked up the phone and had a conversation with one another.

  • http://www.123contracting.co.uk Accountants

    Love this article – going back to the good old days when people actually picked up the phone and had a conversation with one another.

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