To so many of us, social networking is becoming more than just an online activity. It’s becoming a part of our lives—both professionally and personally. We use social media to reach our peers, potential clients and other brilliant (and sometimes not so brilliant) minds. This never-ending fount of opinions, stories, experiences and advice can be invaluable and sometimes all-consuming.
But are we focusing on social media to the detriment of face time. Where is the place in all of this for good old person to person interaction? Taking the time to meet with people outside of the virtual world has such a very important place in what we do. Consequently, here at Sync it’s something that we take pretty seriously. Why else would we spend so much time taking clients to lunch, accosting total strangers with video cameras in the name of market research or hosting Free Beer Friday? For those of you who just suddenly realized they’re a bit parched, Free Beer Friday is a Sync tradition in which we take a bit of time on Friday afternoons to connect with clients, friends and sometimes strangers as people rather than cogs in a project. It’s something we really look forward to, and, let’s be honest, the beer really helps attendance.
So, I live between these two worlds, one flesh and blood and one virtual. But what I love is when the two worlds meet…that’s when the really interesting stuff happens.
Recently, my virtual and flesh and blood worlds intersected. I was lucky enough to meet Reid Hoffman; an influential entrepreneur in the world of social networking at a regional technology event I was helping put together. Reid made his name by being a major part of the brain trust behind LinkedIn, and has followed that with a string of other uber-successful social media ventures. He has been called the “most connected man in all of Silicon Valley” and definitely knows his way around the web.
But it wasn’t until we were able to actually meet in person that I realized the real power behind social media. Would Reid and I have ever met without LinkedIn or Twitter or social media? Maybe. But those things definitely facilitated our meeting, hey, they may have even brought us together. And when we did get together, I already knew I was interested in Reid and what he had to say (his preconceived notions of me, if he had any are a matter for some debate). But for me, social media enabled me to skip the awkward “So, what do you do for a living” small talk. The fact that Reid seemed like the kind of guy I’d like to have a beer with…hey, that was just a bonus.
You can connect with us on LinkedIn, Facebook and Twitter (@SyncCreative), and via our website at www.synccreative.com or if you find yourself in town on a Friday afternoon…
Reid Hoffman and Jeff Beeler
