Tim Bursch

If you need to find a business, do you call or look online? I look online.

I recently filled out two web forms. I waited a few days because it was the weekend and I wanted to at least give them the benefit of a doubt. Still waiting. No response.

So, why would you have a door to you company that no one answers? It is like having a phone with your voicemail not set-up. Please don’t put something out there unless you are going to cover it. Same could apply to Twitter or an email newsletter. Do you have a sign-up form, but only deliver content sporadically?

I know I don’t always call or email people back immediately. That’s not the point. The point is coverage. If you offer a customer a connection point, cover it.
Here are some ideas for consistent coverage:
-One person owns the online entrances
-Rotate the weekend coverage (we don’t want to wait two days or we’re going somewhere else)
-If you have an autoresponse, set realistic expectations and follow though

What would you add? How do you cover your connection points?

Image by: madmolecule

Tags: contacts, online, web.

I had the privilege to be part of KaneCo’s first monthly business book club. The book: Linchpin by Seth Godin. The group: all rockstars.

We had a lively discussion about work, being remarkable, and bucking the system. The book was good, but I think what Jen is building is even more interesting. She wanted to read more, connect with business leaders, and learn. I think she’s building community. Taking things deeper. Bringing others into learning together.

Okay, why not just have coffee with your friends and talk about a book you read last month? That works. You could just read great books in isolation too. You might miss a piece that someone different caught.

I don’t know about you, but when I’m in a good book I want to talk about it. I share pieces with friends and my patient wife. And it’s more than just being about a book. It is being open and transformed and learning. I think we all want more community. We are wired for connection as Seth says.

So, here’s my question for you: What is something you are practicing (reading, writing, blogging) that you could invite others into?

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Do we own our networks? I’ve been thinking about this for a long time. Now Shannon’s post has me thinking some more.

The old strategy has been and still is for some to collect contacts and keep them to yourself and for your own goals. If you get a new connection for your network it’s a hash mark on your networking scoreboard. The more people in your address book/Rolodex/Blackberry the more successful you should be. The aggressive card collector wins. Swim with the barracudas right?

What about generosity? About 7 years ago I stumbled upon Love is The Killer App by Tim Sanders. It’s the simple concept of sharing your knowledge, your network, and your compassion and it fits with the growing online networks. Simple result: The person who shares the most actually wins.

Here’s the deal, did we ever own our contacts? I hope not. They are real people with their own voice and their own choice. What if we looked at this whole interconnected web of relationships as THE network instead of MY network? Would you hoard? Take? Or how about contribute, invest and then share.

What do you think? Is the network yours or ours?

Image by: cloudzilla

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So, we read more today than ever before. If you are like me you get most of your information and news online. And more and more from blogs.

Reading is great. You can learn a lot. You can hear new voices and discover different paradigms. But here’s the deal, if you are only reading, you might be missing out on a conversation.

More content being created today is not just out there with the hopes of being read. Not only is that one-way, it is just plain dull. We all want comments. We want to be heard and have it reflected back to us or challenged.

I have personally made some new connections and met awesome people through commenting and engaging in the conversation.

So, next time you read a blog, try sharing a comment. No, it doesn’t have to be ego-stroking or a pat on the back. Just be honest. Use your voice. Connect. We need you in the conversation.

Image by: Emborg

Tags: comments.

I was listening to the radio recently and the DJ was talking about asking her colleague for feedback on a movie instead of just checking Google. She emphasized the value of the human process.

Everyday we have questions and problems, right? How many times do you just Google it? I know that’s where I turn sometimes.

But what about our networks? The thing about the Human Process vs the Google Process is that you get more depth, insight, and that connection of helping each other. Nothing wrong with Googling for an answer. I just wonder what we miss out on sometimes in our rush for an immediate answer.

So, what do you think? How about we try the Human Process this week at least 3 times instead of a search engine?
Are you with me?

Image credit: jamuraa

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All of the cool web tools, social networks, and third party apps are absolutely nothing compared to real people connecting and making the world better.

My contribution to Liz’s idea on collecting social media wisdom.
What would you add?

Image credit: Elvire.R.

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You should be. I tweet about connecting, business, social impact, and share valueable links.

Feel free to follow me @timbursch

You might also be interested in trying out a simple and easy blogging platform called Posterous. I will be testing it out here.

Thanks for checking it out.

Tags: posterous, twitter.

My father-in-law has a favorite saying, “You can’t build up by tearing down.”

So why do so many people go for the subtle (or not so subtle) rips on people in social networks? Is it easier because we are not face-to-face?

I have seen status updates, tweets, etc that are downright mean. It’s just stupid. If you want to build a good brand (personal or business), you need to stay clear of the slime.

What’s your tip on how NOT to build your brand?

Image credit: Wolfgang Staudt

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There was a discussion this week about online vs. offline relationships over at Liz’s blog. I could not join in, but here is what I would have brought to the table.

It’s all real.

Facebook friend= real.

Linkedin connection= real person.

Twitter followers= again, real people.

All online relationships are real. Yes, you might have a difference level of intimacy with people offline.
Do we need to distinguish between online and offline friends? If I meet you on Twitter are you less real? No.
Let’s just work on relationships.

What do you think? Is it necessary to say IRL (in real life)?

Image credit: quinet

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The closed networker might be someone who collects their contacts in secret, keeps a record of favors, and will hesitate to make introductions. The driving question seems to be “What’s in it for me?” The closed mindset tries to hold the power.

The open networker is a connector. They don’t keep track. They are open and generous with their contacts. The driving question seems to be “How can I help you?” The open mindset tries to empower others.

I know some who disagree and feel that the closed networker is necessary in some industries. This might work short term. But if you want to build stronger trusting relationships that last, I think you need to be open.

What do you think?

Related posts:

Growth Squared

Network Check-up

Image credit: Clearly Ambiguous

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