marketing sites on a social nw

a plan

[brookbend]

I have a unique site going up. Call it a streamlined version of Nextag with a better search mechanism, and narrow product focus. Let's take Twitter as example:

1) There are only 2 threads you can partake in: one's you join and one's you start. Right?

2) I assume starting one is a longer time out to productivity, right?

3)So you'd pick a conversation and weasel yourself into it somehow, trying not to offend too many people by dropping your website, right?

[For now let's forget about all the tools for doing that.. automation.. other conveniences for pay, not for pay services peripheral to Twitter, etc.]

4) I'll be honest. I don't care about someone else's lifestyle, really. I'm a marketer. I got stuff I have to sell. I've got business founders that have to see a payout and we all have limited time. It's all about money. Marketing is my passion, not socializing..not asking what u up to, etc. We have many income streams and methods to do it..hardly just social networking. Nevertheless, if it works I'll do it.

Is 1-3 above the general approach? Or am I missing something? And what do you all think about someone with such a mercenary outlook getting engaged in social networking?

[rogerd]

Brookbend, while the mores of every community vary, someone trying to promote stuff will generally stand out as being a jerk.

Imagine you are in the insurance business and go to a cocktail party. If within a minute of meeting someone you are telling them about your products, you will be shunned like a leper. Instead, that kind of social gathering can be used for building relationships that might have a business benefit at some point in the future.

WebmasterWorld is similar. Certainly, members here have developed business via their participation here, but not by dropping their URL. Rather, they establish their expertise by helping others unselfishly and let the business aspect develop over time.

That may not be what you want to hear if you are looking to promote with minimum time invested. For that purpose, I'd focus on activities where some level of self-promotion is expected: Facebook fan pages, a Twitter account that tweets sales and bargains, etc.

If socializing doesn't appeal to you, your foray into social networking probably won't be very effective. Even fan pages and the like need human interaction. Consider hiring an inexpensive person who enjoys it.