Get Off Your Computer - It’s About Real Life Connections

March 26, 2008

 My brother/business partner and I are heading to WordCamp Dallas this weekend - actually being held in Frisco, TX - just north of Dallas. (As a side note, I told Julie Gomoll of LaunchPad Coworking last week that this is being held in Frisco and she was just about to remind me that “folks in San Francisco don’t like being referred to as Frisco” until I clarified  - Frisco,  Texas. )

In any case, we’re using this weekend to connect with a bunch of WordPress related people with whom we’ve been emailing, commenting on their blogs and otherwise connecting through Social Media. If you are going to WordCamp Dallas - please comment or drop me a line. We’d love to meet!

It is actually perfect timing because we’ve just started a  new trend for ourselves - getting off our damn computers and off of people’s blogs - and actually going to meet them, grab coffee or a beer. We’ve initiated some pretty amazing new relationships this way so far, but in only the way that could have come FROM Social Networking & our own Social Media strategy.

If you write a blog on a regular basis, whether about your take on the coming election or sharing your expertise on Content Marketing, obviously, over time, your personality tends to shine through. All the better for getting to know someone, or someone getting to know you, before a real life, face to face meeting. You actually walk in knowing the person rather than walking in cold. How cool! In the last few days, we’ve had some pretty amazing meetings that all spawned from blog postings, content on our websites and just general desire to know more like-minded people.

We first met Julie Gomoll to talk about LaunchPad Coworking - coming to Austin in the next few months. Check it out - you’ll love it. And, we are going to begin working with Julie and her team to create a regular video profile of their process as they work with their architect and move to open their space.  More to come here - I think you’ll love it.

 Next we had coffee (lots of coffee that morning!) with Jack Hollingsworth. Jack runs a long time high-end stock photography company here in Austin. He’s a very cool Austin business owner who is in the throes of rethinking his whole approach to business life. We met in his amazing studio and talked all things photography, video production, blogging and social media. We intend to continue that relationship and do some fun, profitable things together as we go.

So, I challenge you to get off your butt, leave your computer on your desk, and go meet at least 2 new people each week. Don’t try to turn them into sales calls, don’t look for how you can make money off that person - just make a new connection with someone you want to know. Then, do it again, and again. It turns out, that’s how real, fun and passionate business happens naturally.  

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