The first time I used Facebook

The first time I used Facebook it was because I had to. One of my friends put her wedding photos up on Facebook and it was the only way she was sharing them so I signed up to see her pictures. 

Initially I hadn’t really wanted to join this online network, so after seeing my friend’s beautiful wedding pictures, I forgot about if for a while. I really had no intent on using it myself. However, people began to find me, old friends mostly and I was drawn into having mini high school reunions online. Someone would send me a friend request, I’d accept and we’d exchange a few messages back and forth. Generally, it was nice to see these people I hadn’t seen for years and hear how their lives had been going.

Eventually, though, I began to find other uses for Facebook. I used it as a search tool to find people I was looking for. One time I used it as a way to connect with someone who worked on a TV show, Extreme Home Makeover, that I wanted to get a product featured on. I didn’t get my product on that show, but I was successful in making the connection with the person who I learned about through my college magazine and had several great conversations. 

Nowadays I use Facebook for my personal connections, high school and college friends, and business connections. It doesn’t replace the face-to-face interactions that I really cherish, but it does keep a lot of people on my radar every day or week that I have been unable to stay in touch with on a regular basis. I find that it introduces me to business opportunities just by listening to what others are doing and being able to add value to the right conversations. 

As a working mom of three kids, I rarely find enough hours in the day to get everything done I’d like to. Facebook is a resource I use to help fill in some of the gaps on a personal level and to utilize as a business tool on a professional level. (More on Facebook for Business next week).