Some Misplaced Fears About Social Networking

Networking is networking, whether it is online or traditional. It is basically connecting with people for the purpose of expanding your friends, acquaintances and contacts, whether for business purposes or simply for exchange of ideas.

With the advent of Internet, however, came the necessary distinction between online networking, popularly called “social networking,” and traditional networking. By definition, both are “social” networking in the sense that whether online or not, you are socializing with others to expand your network.

There’s no conflict between the two types of networking. They complement each other. In fact, some networking groups, like the National Association of Professional Women, or NAPW, make full use of both types of networking to advance the careers of their members.

But some people are hesitant to venture into social networking because of fears which, while understandable, are completely misplaced. Most of these people are those who have grown accustomed to networking through events, chamber mixers, charity events and other similar gatherings.

To learn more about it, let’s discuss some of these fears here.

Some people are stuck in tried and tested traditional networking. Some people find it difficult to adapt themselves to changes. It’s the fear leaving one’s comfort zone and venturing into an unknown territory. Their attitude is that they’ve been doing traditional networking all their lives and it worked fine for them, so why try something new and risk?

Some people find social networking too overwhelming. There are just too many things to discover and learn in social networking. For one, there’s the intimidating computer. That alone scares a lot of traditional networkers. Then there are all those tools online that are changing each day. Some people find these things too daunting.

Some people believe social networking is not effective. How do they know if this type of networking doesn’t work when they haven’t tried it out yet? Besides, thousands of businesses have flourished online because of social networking. Just like in traditional networking, some businesses are bound to fail and some will become successful with the help of social networking. It all depends on the entrepreneur.

Some people fear they might do something wrong online. Does it mean you don’t commit mistakes in traditional networking? You are always bound to commit mistakes, especially if you are new in the field. But the potential to commit mistakes should not stop an entrepreneur from giving social networking a try. There are always people who are willing to guide a newbie as he explores the amazing world of social networking.

Article source: http://goarticles.com/article/Some-Misplaced-Fears-About-Social-Networking/5504898/