"Networkers" that refuse to Network will kill your business model. Bye Bye.

I have been thinking about this, watching it in so so many companies, and finally have a nice minute to write about it. Have you ever met a networker, business or group of people who seem like they are a "Starfish" (open) or at least Hybrid (semi/learning to open) mind? But then, with a few simple actions, the selfish "Spider" that they are is so easily revealed.

The other day, I was in Chuck E' Cheese, just ordered food for the fam (7 this time), and started to talk to a man who claimed he was the "Regional Tech" for the store and many more. I was like "cool" and pulled out an AskAsheville business card for him. He looked at it and said "don't give these cards out to anyone else here okay?" All it had was a web address to AskAsheville.com and an email. I kind of snickered at him, and asked him if he really thought that I was in Chuck E' Cheese, staging it with my family, to give out business cards. He did not know what to say and walked away. People are closed, closed minded, and may end up with closed doors soon if they do not wake up to the new direction and attitude of the World and media.

Do you know there are people who will not become friends with you or your company on YouTube because they are worried about "giving a link" to you or your company when they accept your friendship. How unhealthy! This is a new age and you cannot put blinders on people and keep them in your little circle, no matter how big it is, lol.

In closed groups and organizations, when someone needs a referral or info, they do not get comprehensive information and the most options available. They are looking among their little room and their handful of people, and denying the rest of the World their business existence. Lets just say you needed to know about "Web Marketing", but the only options they gave you were the people who are paying them to "know them". Would you get the best answers? No, of course not. Or if you went to Google and wanted some information on "Pets"... and Google just gave you the 4 results of the companies that are paying $500 per year to be listed, and they happen to overcharge and not do the job right. People and clients cannot make an informed educated universal decision behind locked doors and with limited information. Information has a new platform and it is free. Charging people and companies to simply be, is old.

Even with "Bloggers", they can be so "closed" and get so territorial, not "accepting" anyone that is doing or even trying to do what they do, because they are the "Official Blog". What bad thinking. And I thought we were headed toward the Free World, lol. Live and let live are the screams of today if you listen close enough. You cannot go forward in this new world with your old school mentality. Open up!

Many organizations will not, and under a lot of scenarios, cannot network with you. They are not allowed to! They will get into trouble! It does not matter how good or big your business is; if you do not pay, you are not of any use to them. Oh, they will take a link or support from you and your organization, but when someone asks about your company, there is a sudden unexpected memory loss because you have not "paid your dues" financially to them. They will give you their paid alternative no matter how inadequate it is. Do you want this? "Pay the Piper" or else. One sided until you "pad their pockets". So if money is the motivator for these organizations, how long will they last? How long will this "Pride in being a MEMBER" continue? Will the World soon look at these organizations and associations as "Cliques", that many times claim a sort of false superiority (based off of money) and exclude others great businesses simply because they cannot or will not pay up for one reason or another? These types of "networkers" are closed minded and may soon have closed doors if they do not fix it. The world is changing. Businesses like these must revamp their policies and find new ways to make the money among participants to keep them alive. Keeping your "niche" and opening the doors takes innovative marketing and new ideas, which many "logical" businesses will not even consider. I have some of them.

Remember Yahoo, and several other organizations that had a "leash" around the search engine neck, until Google came in and kind of "blew it away"? You had to pay if you REALLY wanted to be indexed. Old philosophy. Now, it is all about information and making an informed, non-partial decision. The ones with the most information wins! Yahoo knows this and are making all the moves they can to secure some of the market with this in mind.

Organizations, Associations, and Bureaus should find ways to fairly include everyone and make a community out of what they are doing... instead of looking for ways to exclude. Pay and Live? That mentality is a dying breed. Accountabilty? If I need information or non-partial ratings, I ask Google, Yahoo, Yelp, and the sorts. Open community environment. In a multitude of Counselors there is wisdom; especially when those counselors are not trained (or paid) to give the same answers.

Network with a true networker that opens all doors to you and your company. I can show you how to network right. I can show you how to turn your "Spider" (one headed, overruling) organization around to blend with this new "Starfish" (distributed, networked strength) media age. The life preserver has been offered!