We're already super busy people: we're moms, corporate executives, students; lawyers, entrepreneurs, high-tech workers.
We have a thousand commitments, a family to support, many interests, and probably a long commute. So how could we possibly find the time to add yet another thing— social media networking— to our to-do lists? Because we can't afford to not to! Otherwise, it'd be impossible to connect, stay connected, and participate in the conversations both in person and online.
And, it'd be impossible to run a networking group for women in business, without EVERYONE socializing online. As founder of the non-profit business networking group WIB for German-American women in the Bay Area, the group could not run without social media engagement. Organizers, speakers, moderators— we're all volunteers— and every "department" builds this community through social media: "sales" reaches out to members, partners and sponsors via the LinkedIn and Facebook groups; "product management" collects feedback after events via SurveyMonkey; "marketing" posts event photos and videos to Flickr and blip.tv, and announcements to Twitter. And nearly every operation to create and execute the quarterly panel discussion sessions, involving dozens of women, each with very busy schedules and living in various locations, uses social media.
It makes sense that businesses would discount the need for social media to be cross functional. Better to outsource than involve every single department, right? Wrong. The online conversation affects every department, each customer, all constituents. And whether corporate or non-profit, entrepreneur or individual, no one can afford to "outsource."
What do you think about the current state of social media, and should it be cross-functional? Please share!
* Illustration courtesy of cartoonist and social media panelist Betsy Streeter