At the sixth annual D Conference, it brought a reminder that while social networking has changed some things, and offers some value as to making deals, there's still nothing like face-to-face contact to keep the wheels spinning.
Frank Quattrone, an major investor in techology, concurs saying that while there aren't many deals that are done at the conference, it is a pump to prime potential future deals.
The point is technology has its place and importance, but to think you can bypass social skills in real-life situations is a big mistake in business.
Some of the tools at social networks obviously make it easier to do some things, and you can make some contacts you never would have made if you didn't have access to some people using them.
At the same time, there's more of a chance you'll meet people who have money and drive at physical events, and meet a much higher quality candidate to do business with. There's obvious exceptions to the rule, but overall that's how it works in real life situations.
Whether we're writing, talking or communicating via the internet, we must have the skill and social ability to communicate with people. To rely solely on the hype of social networking as the place where deals are done is a mistake; especially for those that waste so much time on them.
Deals are far more apt to be done as a result of direct communication than it is digitally. Don't bypass the importance of developing social skills because you're in love with social networking through the Internet. The time it takes to sift through potential partners online can be stifling and waste a lot of valuable time.
When you meet people face-to-face, there's a lot more power and potential than doing the Web thing solely.
All of this depends on how you value and measure your time. If you love doing the social networking thing, there's nothing wrong with that, but just keep in mind the time factor.
The other major factor is not that many people are going to spend a lot of time on social networks that are busy making money. They have not need to, as there are so many deals and opportunities out there that those solely using the Internet miss.
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