Yesterday I posed a question about social networking and politics on my blog, Twitter, Facebook, and the many other sites where my posts pop up. Very interesting responses! Be sure to read the blog comments too for more lengthier insights.

	RawkinRadio @NancyMarmolejo noooo. I work w/people ABOUT their beliefs but it’s about if it’s keeping them from being, doing, having.. how & why.
	RawkinRadio @NancyMarmolejo I wouldn’t even talk politics to clients ~ or religion. So, I go to a cashier and check all that before I pay for something?
	PeggyChamplin @NancyMarmolejo I’m cautious in business situations unless I know it’s OK. Can cause discomfort and that’s not good for business!
	PeggyChamplin @NancyMarmolejo No, I would question the relationship over significant ETHICAL disagreements, but not political ones.
	lisacall @NancyMarmolejo Nice article. I fall on the “avoid those subjects” side of things but can see the arguments for voicing ones opinion.
	lunasdream @NancyMarmolejo I just recently stopped a business relationship.They let the “n” word slip in conversation.Apologized yet 4 me, se acabo!
	ProfOrganizer @NancyMarmolejo That said, beliefs only (without distasteful activities or proselytizing) are personal, and biz is biz. Never the twain…
	ProfOrganizer @NancyMarmolejo Won’t actively do business w/someone who participates in activities of intolerance or shoehorns the issues into our work.
	HISPANICITY @NancyMarmolejo Issues like anti-diversity or complete racism come to mind.
	HISPANICITY @NancyMarmolejo Not simply because they are from another party. Perhaps ethics or morality (I have none) issues.
	patweber @NancyMarmolejo politics & religion do not influence most of my biz decisions; the “click” works better 4 me as the litmus test.
	BianaBabinsky @NancyMarmolejo, and what’s your opinion on the q’s? about 1 hour ago from web in reply to NancyMarmolejo
	BianaBabinsky @NancyMarmolejo, i dont think i know the pol views of 99.9% of my clients. i am guessing you are asking about the .1% whose views i know?
	BianaBabinsky @NancyMarmolejo, no - we are free to have personal opinions
	wesowsley @NancyMarmolejo only if those beliefs negatively effect their judgement. Or their prejudices become apparant by the way they conduct work

	LouiseBJ @NancyMarmolejo No, just as I would continue to do business w/someone with different religious beliefs - I respect their right to differ.
	PattyHankins @NancyMarmolejo No - unless they say/do things to make it clear they don’t respect my right to have different beliefs and opinions.
	sunshinerawtism @NancyMarmolejo No, just like I would not discriminate in business based on religiion. Both are highly personal choices.

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Social networking allows entrepreneurs to increase their know-like-trust factors by revealing more personal information about themselves in their profiles on sites like Facebook or Twitter.

Successful social networking revolves around successful relationship building… but when do your personal opinions support or turn against your business goals?

2 scenarios to think about:

Scenario A:

Let’s say you’re friends with someone on Twitter. You send Tweets back and forth, you’ve created a great sense of rapport, you may even consider this person a respected colleague. Then one day you go on Twitter and learn you’re polar opposites around politics. What do you do? Unfriend the person? Unsusbscribe from their list? Avoid all interactions from this point on? Do you have a litmus test to determine the extent you’ll put up with?

Scenario B:

You feel like the world is going to hell in a hand-basket and want to leverage your social networking visibility to raise awareness for your favorite candidate/ballot item. Your business and your brand aren’t really “message” vehicles, but you can’t resist the call. What do you do?

These scenarios are general in nature but meant to get people thinking.

The 7 questions below offer some pondering points for you to consider:

1. By voicing my political opinion in my social networking or marketing, am I creating connection with the people I want to connect with?

2. I realize I am going to lose followers, friends, and potential business. Do the positive returns outweigh the negative?

3. Is this something that holds potential to jeopardize future opportunities? Am I putting my foot in my mouth?

4. Are my opinions creating so much of a distraction that people forget what my business is about?

5. Is this what I want to be known for? What are the pros and cons?

6. Does this align with my brand, my style, and my messages I want people to remember?

7.  How important is it?

Each person’s brand and business will fare differently here.

What are your thoughts on this topic? I also wonder if you’d stop doing business with someone because you learn you have opposite political beliefs. Hmmm, food for thought!

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