I love to fish.. deep sea trolling off the coast of Tofino – awesome! Facebook trolling…what’d you think? A good way to net new contacts or not?
There is actually a definition in the Urban Dictionary for this approach. It states that Facebook trolling is : “The act of scrolling through someones “friend list”, looking for anyone you know that you can “friend” for yourself.”
I’ve recently noticed an inordinate number of my Facebook friends becoming friends with my friends. Everyday I am getting notifications that Suzie, Bill or Terry - the hedge trimmer are now friends with Cindy, Joe and Mr. Muzzle. (names changed to protect identities).
It seems I accept a new friend and within hours I’m seeing that they are now friends with my people. Now I’m not being territorial …well maybe just a little… and I’m a promoter through and through or at least that’s what my personality profile quizzes will tell you and I’m all for building lists and creating new business …it can create jobs, boost the economy and so on…however when it’s blatantly obvious that you befriended me to get to the people I know and build your database…I’m thinking not so cool.
Have I ever systematically gone through my friends lists and chosen everyone on them and invited them to be my pals just to build my list? That I know I haven’t done. With some people, not all, I will look and see who you’re pals with and if I know the people or know of them I’ll say hello but only when the feeling strikes me. Like I’ve reported in a previous blog I’ve learned to add a note to a friend request to make that human connection.
I just checked out a friends list recently and found a couple of people I actually knew that I hadn’t remembered from school (funny how beer can cause brain fog) and it tweaked my memory and now we’re chatting back and forth and catching up. I like that.
Also recently I somehow had connected with a pretty influential person.. can’t remember how actually – if he found me or I found him but now guess what? We’re talking business! That’s all good and fine in my books but this systematic approach to trolling through lists to increase the number of people you can send your latest and greatest new product launch out to —- well you may have figured out my position on that so far so now it’s time for you to tell me yours?
Facebook trolling. Yes or No?
Consider this when you drop your shiny lure into the waters…Are you fishing with a rod and hook for one friend at a time or spreading your net and catching all that you can no matter what lands in your boat? If that’s how you want to troll the depths of your friendships just remember there are bottom feeders and sharks in the dark waters.
Again. Facebook trolling. Yes or No? Leave a comment.
Posted by biggerthanyourblock on February 15, 2010 at 4:27 pm
Yes and no.
Looking to connect with people that you genuinely think can add to your life, and you to theirs, is fine with me. Adding everyone that you see for the sake of spamming them or inviting them to different events each day is not okay.
A real pet peeve of mine is when people add you without a note. Why would I add you when I have no idea who you are or why we would connect on?
I’m glad someone brought up this topic.
=)
Thanks.
PEACE,
Shay Olivarria
Speaker/Author
Money Matters: The Get It Done in 1 Minute Workbook
http://www.BiggerThanYourBlock.com
Posted by Philip Burgess on February 16, 2010 at 2:29 am
I admit I did begin on Facebook connecting with anyone who I though would be like minded and may be useful in my network. Only about 6 people refused to be friends. All the others accepted even though I was a complete stranger. I did, however, send a message with each invitation saying why I thought we could connect and what I thought we might be able to share in the future. The majority of these friends are still strangers, I have not made any business contacts from this list bit I have made a few wonderful new friends from all over the world. People who I would never meet if it was not through a social network.
So I have mixed feelings. If it is trolling from a purely build my list and flog my product no matter what then forget it. Those contacts P… me off. If it is to make new connections whether you sell or not and maybe to see what you may be able to offer that other person then I’m all for it.
When one gets frustrated with requests remember there is the “delete” button. We do have choices.
Posted by siobhanshaw on February 16, 2010 at 10:14 am
Hi Philip,
I agree with you. If it’s a ‘build my list to flog my product’ deal no way. I mean you just click be my friend and nothing else then no. That’s easy for people to do – adding a message is time consuming. I think if you take that time to personalize it then I’m good with that. If that was the rule not the exception trolling would stop but I would say what would come from that are more fulfilling connections, ones that actually help. If you do it well and build rapport then I’m all for it. I have done business with previously complete strangers so I see the power of social networking. Everyone is free to find me on Facebook and send a message. Perhaps we can help each other, do business or become great pals!
Siobhan