I don't like using facebook for business or for the type of business I do. So if I had to cut one out it would be facebook especially with their new privacy issues. In fact, I've put it out there how to close out your facebook account for my friends and for my use.

Beyond that LinkedIn, if you spend time in their forums, has some of the best info, content out there. The discussions go way beyond what you can get from reading/viewing media....you get better perspectives from the people who are making things happen, plus people are on there watching or reading that you don't even know about. Big site for professionals.

Chris Brogan is now an internet star; that makes him too cool and too big for LI. And he doesn't spend his time there. Twitter and his blog and his newsletter are the best ways to keep his name out there. Would you find Ashton Kutcher on LI? So whatever Brogan has to say on the subject is really very specific to his set of circumstances. I don't think it carries any weight for most of the users of LI's site.

You may be falling in this same boat, David. Not sure. Twitter can create a false sense of community because it's tunneled in terms of who you are connected to and interact with on a regular basis. LI casts the net farther and wider. Facebook on that basis is the most non relevant then because it's truly based on strict connectedness. I'm not sure if you are finding new clients as a consequence. It's just your regular base. So, it's advertising, and that's boring to me.

For me as a business owner and the type of business I do, my goals are to connect with people on a quality basis, not quantity. LI and Twitter are better for me because of that and I have a blog. My connections seem incredibly unconnected but aren't if someone knew what they were looking for, which I do. For some 80% of who I am connected to, there is value. That's a pretty good percentage and one I want to keep.

Facebook is strictly personal for me. I'm not very active on it. In fact, I am considering closing it down.

In most of the forums where I participate on LinkedIn, Chris Brogan is never brought up. On the other hand, on Twitter Brogan's names is retweeted often. Twitter is in one sense a very closed community in terms of retweeting. Let's me honest. Fortunately I think there are a lot of people on Twitter who are willing to go out beyond the Chris Brogan's of the internet world and actually create conversation that has appeal beyond just how to manage social media :) It may take a little more time, but twitter should gain more appeal in that sense. I have a number of LI connections I've made who are now connected to me on Twitter and that makes it a really nice extended family for me.

Final word....lots and lots of pet friendly people, sites, businesses, non profits are on Twitter. Who knew? But it's true. And for part of what I do, that makes Twitter one of the most valuable.

So, depends on where your audience is and what your goals are. Strategy, as usual.

Kim -

Some very valid points. The key here for everyone is it is whatever works for you.

I might love Twitter. It might do a lot for me. You might not.
You might love LinkedIn. It might do a lot for you. I might not.

The bottom line is I'd rather spend time the places that I enjoy, I can put full effort into it and that have worked the best for business. For me, it is Twitter and Facebook.

I have to say a resounding “Yes, LinkedIn is sexy enough to spend time with”. From a business perspective, it is a useful tool to understand the professional essentials of people you meet, know or with whom you want to be acquainted. It is also an instrument to learn what and how other people are thinking on topics that have professional relevance via Q&A. The ability to find and connect to others in my industry or in affiliated industries enables me to expand my professional knowledge and opportunities. That said, Facebook, Twitter and others are sexy too, just for different reasons. Facebook relationships in my professional network provide a greater level of insight into the person behind the professional façade – coupled with LinkedIn, I gain a holistic understanding of who I know. Facebook provides more frequent opportunities to enhance a relationship via immediate comments or conversation starters when face to face. It also mixes the professional with the personal, ultimately enhancing professional relationships. Twitter is right now - what is my connection thinking, learning and sharing that may be relevant to my current work or interests? So all three are beneficial on professional and personal levels and have augmented my career and opportunities.

Rick - Very well said.

All three provide a plethora of benefits (I haven't said plethora since 1997)

This is a really interesting post. Within the last couple months I started to look more into LinkedIn and how I can utilize it more. I think it acts as a nice resource for career inquiries but at the same time another way to display yourself in the community or industry you’re working in. I found it pleasant to communicate to people and read more about what they have to offer compared to the little blurb twitter gives you.

I get to see how their past working history and how they grew over the years and also peek at their recommendations from others.

I like LinkedIn alot and will continue to learn more and use it on the daily!
Really nice Video David!

-John
Blackredxtreme.com

John - Thanks for sharing my man. Bottom line? Whatever works!

I don't see the relevance of viewing LinkedIn as "sexy" since I don't perceive any of the popular social networking sites as being "sexy." That being said, I agree with Vinnie Slavin - LinkedIn is best suited as a venue for business professionals to develop and utilize connections for career searches or connecting people and services. Social media was never designed to sell, although I will concede that our buying decisions are often based on the recommendations of people within our sphere of influence.

Hi Cindy - Thanks for weighing in.

Sexy in the eye of the beholder, eh?

I'm a business junkie and really enjoy it so for me it is exciting, fun, sexy.

I would argue though, social media was designed as a communication tool and has (and will continue) to develop a life of its own.

The Internet wasn't designed for sales, but quick information. But it is fair to say quite a few sales happen online.

Very, very true about influencing buying decisions from trusted folks.

Interesting links and discussion on Linkedin. Lewis always has a powerful, useful position for consideration of the value.

For now, I have and will keep a Linkedin profile as well but am much more active in areas such as FB and Twitter...Agree with comments above that tools and trends will change

Thanks Kevin for sharing your thoughts. It is definitely a different strokes situation. People in all different industries preferring different things.

Definitely no generalizations such as all entrepreneurs enjoy LinkedIn OR Twitter OR Facebook.

Interesting discussion. I find Linkedin also more boring than the other SM tools, but I thinks it's very useful, for a different target audience. For now you find more professionals on Linkedin then you find on Twitter. I'm talking employed executives who don't run their own business. I am also working with people in Europe, and they just haven't switched to Twitter just yet. Probably a matter of time, but I don't think Linkedin will become obsolete !

Sarah - Thanks for chiming in.

True in that respect that LinkedIn is very, very targeted.

I think there is room for everything, but it will be interesting to see (now and in the future) where everyone finds the most value.

I don't care for Linked-in because of the 6 degrees concept. I dislike when I link to a friend or client that I have known for years and it pulls up some obscure connection that we share who had nothing to do with bringing us together.

Hah! Interesting.

I would just rather have an email intro if it it makes sense.

Joe meet David
David meet Joe

Joe is an entrepreneur
David produces content for a community of entrepreneurs.

Makes it more personal.

And relevant.

Definitely.

Lewis looks like Patrick Warburton there. Puddy!

Oh Chris, your sly comments.

Great interview. I've personally found LinkedIn to be very useful despite being the least sexy of the networks I participate in. Thanks Lewis for advocating LinkedIn :)

Appreciate your opinion! Blonds vs. Brunettes vs. Redheads. Linkedin vs. Twitter vs. Facebook.

LinkedIn rocks!

Thanks for getting my back Mike ;)

Great interview with Lewis. I am a believer in Linkedin and I credit Lewis for that. I attended a seminar with him & Ria Sharon (http://mymommymanual.com/) and gained more knowledge and inspiration in 1 hour than I had in years. Linkedin has given me the ability to connect and interact with individuals in my industry that I would have NEVER been able to have contact with in the past. The company I work for has also benefited in that now we are participating in the conversation - not just reacting, and are showing the industry that we are trustworthy, and experts at our profession. Linkedin is an endless source of leads - for sales, networking, and knowledge. The Linkedin Community, like the Twitter Community, is very charitable. If you have a question, post it and within minutes you will have a variety of helpful answers at your fingertips. My last point is this...I completely understand being spread too thin. Too many apps - not enough time - constantly flipping through multiple screens. You do have to edit...find your own cadence and follow it. If Linkedin is not your thing, so be it. BUT I encourage everyone to give it an earnest try. Take advantage of it's features. If you don't know what the features are, then buy Lewis's book!
Oh, and connect with me on linkedin!!! http://www.linkedin.com/in/missyknight

Great points Missy and thanks for sharing the story.

It is definitely a case of every site having positives/negatives and bottom line is it comes down to choice.

Nobody HAS to be on Twitter.
Nobody HAS to be on Facebook.
Nobody HAS to be LinkedIn.
Heck, nobody HAS to be on the Internet.

Of course...

Many people CAN benefit from LinkedIn.
Many people CAN benefit from Twitter.
Many people CAN benefit from Facebook.
Many people CAN benefit from the Internet.

:)

Great thoughts!

With all that said ~ David ~ Linkedin is indeed unsexy. It is boring, stuffy...you really have jump in there to make it interesting. As you know...There are ways to be professional AND unboring.

For the record... I think Linkedin is more sexy than Facebook any day of the week.

The way Facebook manages your relationships and filters your info is lacking in my opinion and Linkedin constantly beefs theirs up. If you could search and filter contacts and messages in Facebook the way you do in Linkedin it would be a different story.

Facebook has numbers and apps... if Farmville does it for you... but Linkedin has business potential written all over it. +1 Lewis.

Keep in mind with my recruiting background I'm biased... Linkedin has 100% changed the business of recruiting as much as Monster.com did.

Brad I would say with confidence LinkedIn is definitely a FANTASTIC place to recruit.

I agree Missy

Hate to say it but if I had to delete one it would be LinkedIn --- I just spruced up my profile a bit with my RSS feed, etc ----- maybe I just need to devote some time to it.

see my comment above.... would you still delete it then? Why is it more powerful than Facebook when you can only have 5,000 friends that you can't even export their email addresses? I know it has value, but think about the power of LinkedIn for your business.

Russ - Fair point.

I don't think any of us ACTUALLY plan on deleting anything, it is just where to spend the time.

Meaning where are you the most active?

For me, it is Twitter and Facebook. Plus my website, email. Plus other people's websites/blogs.

Lewis obviously spends more time on LinkedIn which is cool as well.

I still think LinkedIn will be more passive for me. I'll post updates from Ping. Go in a few times a week to check messages/requests, but I'd rather have my convos elsewhere.

Did a little more thinking about this and maybe part of the perception I have of LinkedIn (that it isn't sexy) is because they aren't emailing me every time one of my connections sneezes. :)

I like the updates I get about my network --- in the weekly digest format but maybe it is hurting LI to not be more intrusive.

Russ - My solution to that one is turn everything off for email updates (maybbeeee once a week). :)

LinkedIn is not sexy, but damn is it useful. Some of the user groups have great discussions and a bunch of useful information. LinkedIn is also great for networking with professionals when you're on the job hunt or looking to promote your business.

What is your definition of sexy Vinny? If building awesome relationships and growing your business so you can have the freedom to do whatever you want in your life isn't sexy... then I should stop using LinkedIn also :)

I think we have different definitions of sexy here Lewis :). Oh and I never said that I was considering not using LinkedIn. I agree with you on all aspects of LinkedIn, just maybe not the sexy part lol.

Oh and thanks David for the kind words :p.

Lewis and Vinny - You are both sexy.

Lewis absolutely dominates at LinkedIn which makes it sexy for him. I like to spend more time on Twitter/Facebook which makes it sexy to me.

Just like some people prefer blonds and other brunettes :)

"The tools are going to change over time, but the principles of social networking and the social web are here to stay. As long as your goal is forming better relationships, you will win."

You have just hit the nail on the head.

Robert- So true. No matter what site you are on.

Fastest way to lose: Game the system, not be human, push, push, push, corporate-speak, lack of patience, lack of time spent.

Fastest way to win: Focus on building better relationships. Being helpful.