Are people too plugged in to get out in the real world? Would you rather talk to people from your computer or face to face? Can you learn more about a person in 140 characters, or by playing Mafia Wars with them?
Beth Brody recently asked whether online networking was replacing offline networking in her “Lessons Learned” blog.
She wondered, did online networking kill an organization that boasted hundreds of members just 15 years ago? When Brody first started as a self-employed PR flak, she joined the New Jersey Communications, Advertising and Marketing Association, they had hundreds of members in the 1990s. They’re about to fold completely today.
While Brody said online networking may have drawn members away from real world meetings, NJ CAMA made the mistake of holding monthly lunch meetings, even though people didn’t have time to leave the office for a long lunch.
Bill Petzinger, president of NJ CAMA said,
“Online networking has impacted offline networking groups. For example, one reason attendance went down considerably at NJ CAMA’s monthly networking events was folks couldn’t commit to a three-hour event when you factor in travel. Most individuals prefer to network online because they can accomplish more in a few hours spread out over a week at their convenience versus what may take months. Offline groups can’t compete with the efficiency of online networking. That said, you still need face-to-face networking, which is vital. So offline networking still has its benefits. I think the most successful networking groups are those that have the right balance of online networking and off.”
Can we blame online networking for an offline networking’s group demise? Is there a direct cause-and-effect relationship between online surges and offline declines?
Sure, online networking is convenient, but I don’t believe it’s taking the place of people meeting face to face. I’ve organized tweetups, attend nearly every N-thousandth member party of Smaller Indiana (we’re celebrating the 7,000th member on Thursday, September 17th, 5:30 at the Rathskeller Restaurant in Indianapolis).
If anything, online is increasing offline relationships.
I can count to a large number of relationships that started online, and have developed into strong offline relationships.
- I met both Kyle Lacy and Doug Karr because of Smaller Indiana. (I even helped Kyle write his book, Twitter Marketing for Dummies — an opportunity that came about because of our friendship).
- I reconnected with Big Joe Clark, a certified financial planner and media darling for MSNBC and Fox Business, a kid I went to elementary school with.
- I even became an owner of Pro Blog Service after first joining the company as an employee. I got the job because Mike Seidle saw my work on Smaller Indiana. (And it turns out we grew up in the same city and went to Ball State University at the same time, but never knew each other. We met online instead).
Would I have gotten these opportunities or connected with these people without an online network? Never.
These relationships, and many more, came about strictly because of an online contact first.
But what nurtured these relationships? A whoooole lot of offline relationship building.
And that’s where the NJ CAMA and other failing organizations are having problems. While NJ CAMA may have made a mistake with long lunches every month, the members are more to blame for not putting a priority on NJ CAMA. People get busy, so they don’t put the effort into their organizations or relationships that gave them the opportunities they have, and six months later, they wonder why they’re not getting the opportunities they used to have.
I can’t point fingers at anyone without having three fingers point back at me. I used to be a regular attender of Rainmakers meetings, a networking organization for small businesses and entrepreneurs here in Indiana. I used to go to 6 or 7 meetings a month (out of a possible 35 at the time). Now, I’m lucky if I make 2 or 3.
Online networking hasn’t kept me away. Rather it’s the priority I give to Rainmakers compared to my workload, and the need to keep clients happy. Obviously getting work done and making money is more important than going to a meeting. I figure I can always make another meeting — we’ve got 41 of them in Indiana now — or go next month. But next month rolls around, and I have the same problem.
I think this is what has happened to NJ CAMA and the other organizations. We’re not getting enough of a reason to continue to go. I don’t have a reason to make Rainmakers a top priority, and I would bet the members of NJ CAMA don’t have a reason to take the extra time for a 2 hour lunch (3 hours with travel time).
While online networking has many faults, killing offline relationships isn’t one of them. If anything online enhances offline, it doesn’t replace it. You can maintain contacts and open communication with people you would rarely, if ever, talk to otherwise.
