Meeting your Social Graph at Conferences
Posted by Pat Kitano at 12/17/2007 11:11 PM 
Categories: social networking, Events and Premieres, Transparency
Categories: social networking, Events and Premieres, Transparency
Social networking and the transparency of the social graph profoundly changes how people meet and interact. Yesterday, I discussed Chris Anderson's premise that the marginal cost of online information exchange is essentially free. 99% of the interaction within online social networks is the free exchange of information and insights that do not translate to commercial value - a transaction, a lead, a gift. Instead, the interactions create value by establishing reputation and credibility that eventually facilitate the prize of the business relationship.
The social media speeds up the process of forming business relationships by exposing each parties' experiences, knowledge and social graphs, and each find their commonalities. But what really catalyzes a business relationship after an online relationship is established is the face-to-face meeting. The visceral physical introduction binds the relationship like the meeting of pen pals.
Conferences become far more important as physical extensions of the social network. Institutional conferences like Inman News' Real Estate Connect next January 9-11, 2008 draw the industry leaders... their Bloggers Connect program fits the new "conference as party" paradigm, and the bloggers that attend all feel like the in-crowd.
The best conferences are free - why? They reflect the spirit of abundance... making them free facilitates the spirit of innovation and good will that conferences should foster (yes, that Chris Anderson video really drove home this idea into my brain) -
Bloodhound Blog Unchained - May 17-19, 2008. Thank you Greg and the BB gang. I'll try to make it, but will confirm later.
BarCamp Block - a series of free tech/internet focused conferences set up adhoc by its participants for one day in various cities.
BarCamp Block - a series of free tech/internet focused conferences set up adhoc by its participants for one day in various cities.
I used to go to tech conferences during San Francisco's dotcom heyday in the late 90's and the audiences seemed to run in mysterious, impenetrable cliques. I hardly met anybody. The scarcity paradigm was still prevalent to Dotcom #1's culture - entrepreneurs were paranoid and guarded their ideas and business models. And since online social networking didn't exist, nobody understood the hierarchies and could assess who was approachable beyond their immediate network. I love the new abundance paradigm where transparency of purpose has become a value proposition... and stealth starts to be perceived more as a question mark.
Conclusion:
The real estate blogosphere ("RE.net") is a metaphor for the office water cooler... ideas are exchanged, relationships are formed and, in the case of the Google and Microsoft company coolers, new companies launched. RE.net is comprised of many industry movers and shakers, and collectively this burgeoning community will be where the ideas, relationships and new companies are formed. And they are meeting at conferences like RE Connect next month. Just watch...
Thanks for the great information. I am attending my second RE Connect and find your comments to be dead on. During the fall 07' RE Connect, Inman offered a meet and greet session with the Chief Executives from many of the more well known recent entrants such as Zillow, Trulia, Redfin, Zip, etc. as well as Craig Newmark from Craigslist and others. Besides these hot shots, many fresh start ups and talent from around the country had ample opportunities to make new relationships.
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Excellent points, Pat. I made it a point to meet and talk to 100 people from my online contacts in 2007.
I stopped counting at around 50 before Inman (in August). I may have been a bit shy of the century mark but the outreach has enhanced me personally and professionally.
This idea will be the cornerstone of my forum at Inman in NYC.
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And I look forward to seeing you in a couple of weeks Brian!
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