debbiebradleyI don’t know about you, but I’ve made more friends through work than I have work through friends….
It sprung into my mind at stupid o’clock last night, and I haven’t been able to kick it since…
I noticed a habit of my friends, who know what I do, asking to pick my brain, or asking for favours, sending the odd message ‘just to ask’ … a few (who are starting their own businesses) asking me to “just do the work for them and they’ll pay me when the business takes off” (cos that’s how it works 🙄) but then also ask me to buy their shit (because services can be free, but products can’t)
On social media, I now have more business contacts on my friends’ list, than actual real-life friends. (that’s not to say some of those contacts haven’t/aren’t becoming friends)
It makes me question whether I want to post private stuff on my personal profile, every. single. time.
I’ve been ‘advised’ numerous times, by various people, to change a picture (profile or cover photo) to something less personal ON my personal profile… to help attract more clients.
To keep my posts more ‘professional’ so people don’t get offended. (I offend my friends regularly, they’re cool with it) – you know the thing; less swearing, fewer game apps, less inappropriate humour – keep it sorta personal, but keep posting about work and what you do.
It has, on occasion, made me cringe from a Facebook post I’m tagged in (I now authorise posts I’m tagged in to show on my feed) or comments from real-life friends on the posts I actually put up in case a business acquaintance sees it.
This is bullshit.
When did that line blur? (When everyone started using Facebook for everything)
Why did we let it? (Because everyone else was doing it)
Why did I let it? (Because that’s what I was advised to do, duh!)
It makes me question why people are sending me a friend request… are they adding me as a friend or a prospect? (odds are on prospect)
Will I get pitched in 5 minutes? Or completely ignored for the foreseeable… or will they invite me to like their page, or join their facebook group? If they do, am I obligated to join? And what happens if I start liking their posts? Will they be sending a pitch to my inbox?
I closed my Pinterest focused Facebook group a couple of nights ago, I felt the weight lift from me instantly, because I noticed that as long as I had my group, I was making more ‘friends’ than clients… yes, that’s on me.
I love groups, I’m in quite a few, but sometimes, for my sanity, my friends, acquaintances, and work need to be kept separate. I don’t want people sending me friend requests because they’ve seen my name in a group. That’s why I have a list of pending requests that I won’t answer because I don’t know who they are, or where/how they found me.
Friendzoning is as bad for business as it is for relationships!
There, I said it.
Now don’t get me wrong, I have great clients, and I love to talk with them, and through that, we can become friends. That I don’t mind, I actually enjoy the relationship growing that way.
But if you’re coming to work with me, then you need to come as a client first.
Then as we move forward, we’ll have some fun 😉
