You’re absolutely right. It’s just as Sharon said, the human nature. I always find that people will never participate in a discussion or something unless they have something to gain or motivate them. If this fact wasn’t there, the groups would be much better. By the way, if you didn’t notice, I’m new to your blog and really enjoy it. Thanks for posting…

Heck, I now belong to a monthly membership forum; something I swore I would never pay for eons ago when I first started forum marketing.

I couldn’t be happier…
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You make an interesting point as far as the dwindling group activity, but then it wouldn’t explain why less than 7% of all Twitter members are commenting at all. That’s definitely real time.

I was thinking about it after you wrote this, and I’m wondering if what happens now is one, people can access information easier because of the internet, which means they don’t have to wait on others, and two, if people want to talk to someone, they can easily message their friends, and thus don’t have to participate in these groups as much anymore. They still want to be counted as someone who cares or likes something, but beyond a quick hello just don’t have much of anything else to say.

Then again, the old bulletin board system used to be like that, before the internet was what it is now. Maybe it’s just human nature.

You bring up some very interesting points and I’ve been wondering some of the same things, but never took the time to write about them.

In the past, I’ve been a chamber member and came to much the same conclusions you have. It was a waste of time, effort, and money. But that was long ago and far away.

I’ve not joined the local chamber here in Murphy, but I’ve been considering it, lately.

I don’t expect to get much from the networking events, but I’ve been thinking about volunteering to help with new members. My main reason for doing this is to meet new people in the area who are opening businesses and seeing if there is a way I can promote them to both our benefits.

I haven’t made up my mind, but I’m considering it.

I’ve noticed the same thing you have about groups on all the major social networking sites. I’ve created a few and closed all of them. No participation.

Even when it is obviously in someone’s best interest to participate, they just don’t do it.

Perhaps Sharon’s observation is correct.

On the other hand, maybe we’re all just over-committed and so scattered that we just don’t find the time and energy to follow-up on all the things we start.

Perhaps it’s a lack of focus or a clear intention to start something and then persevere with doing it over time.

By cutting out the things we want to do, but don’t, maybe that makes it possible for us to really do the things we intend to do.

Just some thoughts on a rainy morning in the mountains.

Act on your dream!

JD

I wonder if it is the real-time direct interaction with people on social networks that have made groups not as useful. The theory before was that you had to go to a group if you wanted to get an opinion on something, because you couldn’t just befriend a random stranger that happened to be interested in the same things as you.

Now, you can just look at a Twitter directory, find a bunch of people into, say, blogging, and send them direct messages and replies to get your questions answered.

The only real “groups” I have seen that are very active are the ones in forums. Not all forums are thriving, but the ones that are have a lot of great discussions carrying on.

~ Kristi
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