blog

Camaraderie and Community

By Deb Wetherbee

Having just finished the Boston Marathon (which I am happy to talk about with anyone willing to listen) I am struck by the camaraderie and community the runners develop while preparing for the race. More than 27,000 runners come, each with personal reasons and goals for the marathon, all aiming for the same spot in downtown Boston. The support, goodwill, sharing of advice and experience is truly a wonderful thing to experience. Coincidentally, Inc. Magazine published, "The Case, and the Plan for the Virtual Company", which got me thinking about camaraderie and community in the work environment, two things virtual employees, such as wholesalers, can miss. However, this is changing with the proliferation of social media and technology that make virtual communities possible.

Over the years, our industry has tried to build great communication and community for wholesalers using company intranets. Social media and technology allow us to emulate environments in which we can exchange experiences and ideas. Wholesalers are usually only at corporate headquarters or sales meetings a few times a year. This has been their only time to catch up with peers, compare notes and war stories, refresh knowledge on products and get up to speed on the programs their firms offer. The infrequency of this contact leaves a lot to be desired. Technology and social networking offer additional ways for wholesalers to support each other and share best practices. Groups on LinkedIn (Wholesaler Connect, Investment Wholesalers of America), blogs and Web sites specifically focused on wholesalers (www.wholesalerbriefcase.com), provide access to articles and discussion threads, enabling wholesalers to connect with their colleagues and peers at other firms. As they all focus on the same goal - improving sales, they can easily share their successes, tools and war stories.

Technology improvements, coupled with the proliferation of social networks, have greatly expanded our access to continued learning, support, idea exchange, and even the coveted sales lead. As social networking tools devlop, wholsalers will reap the benefits of this new type of community, especially if it is as inspirational and full of advice as the marathon blogs were for me. There is nothing like personal support and community at sales meetings, as well as at the marathon. Wholesaler social communities and networks will continue to connect great wholesalers and help them improve their businesses.