The best place to build meaningful professional relationships, according to company founder Derek Andersen, is Commonred.
Whether that statement is true is to be determined.
“I’ve found that people are more likely to help you when you’re genuinely interested in helping them,” writes Derek in a welcome email message that all new users receive.
You can cultivate those relationships on the fledgling networking website through 1) connecting your Twitter, Facebook, and LinkedIn profiles to find common interests and connections with other users; 2) inviting contacts to join your board of directors; 3) earning points for common threads shared with contacts; and 4) pitching ideas to venture capitalists and other VIPs to explore deeper relationships.
It’s in the fourth bullet where Commonred shines. Rip Empson elaborates this in his latest article for Techcrunch about how you can meet those VIPs.
Traditionally, for those founders and entrepreneurs who may not necessarily have access to VCs or angels, or may not have had success with AngelList, accelerators, or pitching their ideas to media outlets, the road to victory can be a tough one. Which is what makes Commonred’s contests appealing to aspiring entrepreneurs out there.
Featuring a who’s who roster of people both known and mysterious, VIPs are people with scores of contacts and interests and who are dying to explore common threads. Learn about Berrie Pelser, for instance, and discover why people want to meet him.
While Commonred appears to be a great place for you to meet that angel investor for your startup product, it’s unlikely that Joe Facebook User will flock over and create an account. Why should Joe, anyway?
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Hi Ari
You know me and social media… only just signed up with twitter, but I do read a bit on the subject.
As soon as the penny drops, I go for it.
Facebook, Google+ and now commonred.
Facebook is well established, Google+ carries the full weight of big G and the third player?
The third player has to be struggling.
If I had to sign up with one of the three tonight, it wouldn’t be commonred.
Cheers Ari
I like to consider myself above the average “Joe Facebook User” and I still don’t find a need to sign-up. That said, it seems to be *really* valuable for the niche it serves, and there is no need to expand past that niche. It seems to be working for them very well.
You can’t be everything to everyone. We aren’t trying to.
What’s your opinion on the mechanics of commonred? What is the engagement? What keeps people coming back and checking in every single day? I’m probably using it the wrong way but I use LinkedIn as an online resume. I’m wondering of commonred would be more engaging…
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