Six Degrees of Separation - Busted by #Twitter (#networking)

In Networking, as the theory goes, you are (up to) six degrees separated from anyone else in the world. Experiments have played tested this theory and we have written about this in our Business Networking Blog. Need to speak with John McCain or Steve Case (ex-AOL)?  You should be able to find someone in your close network that knows someone in their network... and so on.. that could lead to an introduction. All within up to six steps.

Six Degree's, in fact, has been the mantra of Business Networking. In the social networking sphere, there is no better platform than LinkedIn. This business social platform is based on the six degree concept.

Then along comes Twitter... a networking game changer.

Twitter is an open social environment made up of “followers” (who see your valuable 140 character musings) and those that you “follow” - to see their words of wisdom. Some top twitterers have 100,000 and more followers. Shaq has (as of this writing) 644,038 followers, CNN Breaking News is about to achieve over 1 million...  and your humble blogger has...  just over 200!

So let's say you want to reach Steve Case for a business deal. You would have to do some homework, to locate AOL or Time Warner Management, and work your way through the business networking food chain... eventually (hopefully) gain an audience. Yet on Twitter - just “follow” him - he Tweets often. And respond to him with a well worded attention getting "reply" to one of his writings. If your peaks his interest, he might reply back to you (or “reTweet your comment) and even “follow” you...   then shoot him a "direct" message...   and who knows what that could lead to.

There are no guarantee of success, as he receives 100’s of replies – but if you are successful - you just skipped the '6' degree step process.

Of course, your intended target has to be in Twitter.

Comments

[Fernando Labastida]

Stephen, that is so true. In a span of 3 months I have pretty much gotten on a first name basis with the who's who of the Latin American software industry almost exclusively through Twitter (and a bit of help from LinkedIn). Good stuff Stephen!

[Justin Cooke]

This is amazingly true. A good portion of our business contacts are finding us (or we're finding them) through Twitter...who knows if we would have connected otherwise. Good article.