MySpace as Networking Tool

MySpace overtook me last night.  Being the active experimenter that I am, I couldn't stay away from MySpace as I poked around and thought about how this networking space could work for me as a business tool.

It's pretty easy to set up a profile and it's free. If you're using it as a business tool, then I recommend you use it wisely to let people know who you are and what you do (see Chris Knight's profile for an excellent example). 

What I noticed in looking at random profiles is that most are crappy.  A lot have no information and no photo.  What's the point?  My sense is that a lot of profiles get set up and then abandoned, much like blogs. So can you use it as a marketing tool for your business?

My guess is yes, if you're very targeted and strategic about what you do.

• You can use your "About Me" section to talk about your business, products and services.
• You can use the blog module to write about your business and events.
• You can send "bulletins" to all your "friends" about your product launches, press releases, events, etc.
• You can join MySpace groups that represent your target audience and participate in discussions and send bulletins to everyone in the group. No spamming!
• You can post your Events on the public calendar
• Ultimately it's a networking tool.  As you add new friends, you can communicate privately, people can leave public comments and you build a community.
• You can reconnect with people from your high school, college or university

In an email conversation I'm having with Marlon Sanders, which would never have happened in a million years if I hadn't received his email invite, then signed up, then requested to be on his friends list, he responded to my skepticism this way:

Ummmmm, I CAN tell you this. So a guy I guess who knew me but I didn't know him sent me a message wanting me to speak at his conferences.

You could argue it would've happened anyway. But he'd never contacted me before. Or frankly, maybe I blew him off.

I've also reconnected with some people who will make good JV partners. Just seeing people's PIX is huge to me and being able to go to their site and see pix of their products or what they got going on.

So, is it worth trying out?  That's only for you to know.  If you like trying new things, if you like testing new systems, then give it try.  Visit my profile, set up your own and then add me as a friend.  We'll see where it goes.

Related posts:
MySpace as Marketing Tool
My Space at MySpace