Referral Friday: Biznik
Referral Friday is an ongoing series inspired by John Jantsch’s Make-a-Referral Week. For more about that—and loads more referrals for everything from cobblers to coaches to gee-tar teachers, start here. Pass it on, baby!
I am the first to confess that I did not “get” Biznik when I first encountered it.
What was up with the cute name and the forum boosterism? Seemed pretty at odds with a saucy tagline (“Business networking that doesn’t suck.”) Mostly, why were these people all so goddamn friendly?
It took a month-long trip up to Seattle last year to see the light: Biznik, the site works because it’s designed to develop Biznik, the real-life community. These are not people who just hang out on the Internet all the time (although some hang out a lot of the time, I’ll tell you); these are people using the web, and specifically Biznik, to cultivate relationships that they then take offline—a.k.a. “meatspace,” a.k.a. “the actual three-dimensional world.” The easy-to-use interface that lets them sort and connect and reach out and share helps like-minded people save time and shoe leather and agita by doing a lot of the heavy lifting of maintaining relationships, which is really the small, upkeep-type stuff that falls by the wayside without these tools.
So on Biznik, you can write an article about your area of expertise or interest, then publish it for a pre-selected group of interested people to read. You can read other people’s stuff and start conversations about it, or chat on message boards, or use any number of other tools—search, email, forums, groups—to get to know them, sifting and sorting online so you’re not walking into a room cold when you do finally venture out. Rather than certain other networking sites where people go just to sleaze off the land and skim off what they can, you’re building something cool every time you connect on, and then off of it.
A caution or two if you decide to jump in.
First, give it time. Like any new spot, it takes a while to get the lay of the land. Click around, see what’s up, get comfortable. Read the “about” page and skim the FAQ to get a feel for the way things work there. And for a view from someone who’s been there/done that, here’s a very illuminating “best practices” post from my former coach/mentor, Ilise Benun, who PUSHED me into Biznik.
Second, give it attention. Most great things in life get that way because you apply yourself to them, and this is no exception. I didn’t start “getting” Biznik, much less getting much out of it, until my trip to the PacNW last year, where, after going to several events and co-hosting a few, I finally got the hell out of it.
I know that no one has time to waste on social networking (unless they’re playing those damned word games on Facebook, in which case they appear to have all the time in the world). Ultimately, what I love about Biznik—other than the fine, fine people I’ve met through it—is the idea of what it could become: a built-in network of awesome people you can tap into anywhere you go. Toastmasters runs on this model: as a member you are warmly welcomed as a guest at any Toastmasters meeting you attend, anywhere in the world. Show up in Beijing or Manchester or Sao Paulo and POOF!, you’ve got insta-community.
With enough of us onboard, I can see Biznik becoming a mini-version of this for indie biz types as they make their way around the world, helping to connect the people and passion that, in combination, make great things start happening.
- Join Biznik…for free! (then…)
- Sign up to attend next week’s L.A. “Chicken Wing Thing” at the beach! (September 29, 2009)
- Sign up to attend the next L.A. Meetup in Marina del Rey (October 14, 2009)
Photos of various Bizniks by various other Bizniks grabbing Dyana Valentine’s camera.
11 Comments, Comment or Ping
Léan Ní Chuilleanáin
(Hi, by the way. I’ve been reading for a few weeks, but this is my first time commenting.)
This looks like a really cool site. It’d be great if it took off in Ireland – at the moment there are sections in Dublin and Cork, but they don’t seem exactly vibrant. Still, maybe I’ll set up a profile and see if anything comes of it. Thanks for the pointer!
Sep 25th, 2009
Dyana Valentine
one thing I have noticed about my biznik experiences that is different from other networking groups I belong to: a much higher percentage of people who mean what they say and follow through on stuff. You can’t put a price on that: either in time or money! Gitty up on over to biznik–I’m happy to join your network and not-suck with you for a while. http://biznik.com/members/dyana-valentine
Sep 25th, 2009
Ilise Benun
Excellent post, Colleen, and thanks for linking to my “best practices.” I wholeheartedly agree about Biznik. It’s one of the only social networking sites I actually spend time on.
As for starting a group that meets live in Dublin, I volunteer Deidre Rienzo to help coordinate that. She’s very active on Biznik and could use a live group in Dublin, where she is currently living. Here’s her profile: http://biznik.com/members/deidre-rienzo
Sep 25th, 2009
Catherine Cantieri, Sorted
A networking group where people mean what they say?! I’m definitely intrigued. Gonna check this out.
Sep 25th, 2009
heather parlato
great post, colleen! and not because i got a photo shout-out, neither. excited to eat chicken wings at the beach on tuesday with regulars & newcomers alike!
Sep 25th, 2009
ET
“got the hell out of it” can be wildly misunderstood…
Sep 25th, 2009
the communicatrix
Léan – Definitely go for it! As Ilise says, our gal, Deidre, is in Dublin and would be all for it, I’m sure. And thanks for stepping out and commenting. Always happy to meet a fellow traveler!
Dyana – Agreed, and excellent point. I think the other value to Biznik locally is the recurring thing—you’re part of a group, but it’s a changing group. So you get the best of both worlds.
Ilise – You’re welcome! Also, you were right!
Catherine – Awesome. Always happy to have more aboard. My dream comes that much closer to coming true!
Heather – Thanks, pard’! It’s been so much better since we started co-hosting. Would also reco that to anyone thinking of it. Really helps spread the work and the love around.
ET – Haha. Too true. Adding some strategically placed italics now.
Sep 26th, 2009
Kate Phillips
Great post, Colleen. I think we just “barely” met when you were here (like for 60 seconds, w/ one coming and the other going), but I’m not surprised you found the Biznik community a welcoming one. I love the comparison to Toastmaster’s. Although they are completely different beasts, there is a similar quality of welcoming, belonging and also loyalty.
And you nailed it in your comment that it’s both a recurring and changing group which helps to create the communiy. I found the weekly networking groups too stagnant/inflexible and, in a weird way, like an incestuously close family with often-vulture-like visitors. There’s an “organic” quality that exists in Biznik, probably because the events and content are 98% user generated, rather than corporately pre-determined.
Oct 5th, 2009
Howard Howell
Colleen… It’s great to see you nurturing the L.A. Community. I’m going to start spending some time working the I-5 corridor very soon. When I make it to L.A., we’ll have to co-host an event together, if you’re interested. …Howard
Oct 5th, 2009
Sparky Firepants
I jumped into Biznik last year, but I didn’t really “get it” until recently.
I’m a slow learner in the community department.
The thing I finally get about Biznik is that it’s about making real human connections vs talking to avatars all day.
For a weird work-from-home guy like me, that’s huge.
A lot of people ask me how much business I get from Biznik.
I don’t answer directly anymore because it’s not the point. It’s just people. Let’s start from there, hmmm?
Before I start humming kumbaya, I still want to know: why is everyone so goddamned friendly?
Oct 7th, 2009
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