"SOCIAL" NETWORK--NOT SO "SOCIAL"?...Is The Real Use Of FB "Social" Or Is It A "Forum Of Unrest"?

Congrats on the feature.  Nice post, Facebook some do great with social networking and some folks don't.  I have gotten several leads that turned into sales in the real estate market.  Which I would have gotten anyway, old friends that were looking for me.  They found me not by way of facebook but by my parents.  For the most part it's been a connecting point with old school friends, and long distance relatives.

I also agree with Pamela(#40) that for some (actually a lot), facebook is a place to play silly games. With work and family I don't have time for silly games. I don't post my every move on facebook either, had a co-worker that did.  Posted she was leaving on vacation, had to cut her vacation short due to her house gotten broken into.  Not sure if it was related to her post, sure was odd timing though.

Facebook, there are positives and negatives. Religion and politics on facebook I stay away from that.

Paula,

I have never completely understood how a social network like Facebook can grow a business? I understand the "your face in front of potential customers" thing, however if I need someone to service my septic tank for example, I wouldn't send a message out canvassing my "friends" for a recommendation. For Baby-Boomers like myself, gathering or sharing such information using a social network, is often viewed as taboo, sort of an invasion of one's privacy if you will.

I have two Generation X children. They were brought up under a different set of circumstances than their parents, as a consequence, during the developing years their environment evolved around what I identify as group association or "herding". My intent is not to belittle this generation, their mores, or values, but to simply state that individualism is not viewed by a majority of Xer's as a virtue. With this said, social media is a very popular communication medium with Xer's and Echo-Boomers. For Boomers and their parents, sharing your private life and daily coming and going seems out of place. The rub here is a collision of generational values, for Xer's and Echo Boomers it is considered the norm to communicate using social media, for Boomers like myself, we are more comfortable with a telephone or email.

From a business standpoint, success using social media depends on a number of factors. Because others are having some success utilizing social media to grow their business doesn't mean that your participation will guarantee similar results. 

Although I have attended numerous seminars and training programs on the use of social media, no one have ever been able to give me a concise example of how the use of social media can grow a business. Many have written about "staying in touch" or keeping your name out front. Look at it this way, in days gone by we used billboards and the yellow pages to advertise our business. Today for many, the use of Facebook, Linkedin and the like, is a twenty-first century medium to advertise their presence, expertise or specialty. If social media works for you - go for it. If you've tried it without success, don't worry, you are not alone. 

If social media is your passion and you want to incorporate it as part of your business plan, find people who have used it successfully to grow their business. Ask specific questions about their customer base ie... age/generation, education, social stature, income level etc. On the other hand, if your sphere of influence includes mostly people who are considered Baby-Boomers proceed with caution. My dad used a slid-rule to make calculations, my grandson uses an X-Box to entertain himself. Don't sweat it, it's O.K. to be different!

Dear Paula:

I COMPLETELY AGREE WITH WHAT YOU SAY !!!  I'm sure glad you posted this blog, because so many people always tell me that FB is the number one social place to be. NO WAY, as far as I am concerned. I believe ActiveRain is the best social network for real estate, because it is designed for real estate. The social networking thing has just become a Big Money Maker for the site developers. I think that in a few years, there will be well over 20 social networking sites. I think people serious about real estate mostly go to the internet and use Google. Again, thank you so very much, for posting your wonderful informative blog.  Take Care,  Myrna :) :) :)