The interwebs got me in touch with an old friend last week I had not talked to since I moved east. I picked up the phone and we picked up where we had left off – it was a great conversation. It was also connection worth renewing. But there are some people I see every week where the connection isn’t as valuable to me.

In social media, connections are the same way. Most will read this post and never think to comment on it. Some may comment but never think to connect personally. Some will connect personally but never choose to do business. This is all great. Because some will.

How many followers/friends/fans does it take to make a million dollars? Well, that depends on what you’re selling and even if you’re selling. This website has only been at it’s current address for a month, doesn’t have a lot of readers yet, isn’t overtly selling anything, but it has gotten me back in touch with an old colleague who needs some help. No, not a million dollars worth of help. But help.

Focusing on the value of connections is not really new thinking in marketing. Direct marketers have always focused on the quality of their lists – it can cost a lot to mail a compelling direct mail piece.

Social media practitioners should think about their target too when they’re planning a social media effort. If you’re trying to sell a enterprise software, a select group of fans, followers, or readers may be a lot more valuable than 100,000 fans on Facebook. But if you’re selling potato chips, heck, just about everyone buys those occasionally – by all means, talk to everyone.

Posted on: October 26, 2009, by : Jimmy Gilmore