It Pays to Network Online - Second International openBC Survey “Communication & Networking on the Internet”
With "Communication & Networking on the Internet", openBC is publishing the second international survey on Internet networking. The target of the survey is to make comparisons among the global users of openBC. More than 24,500 members took part in the survey.
The results of the survey demonstrate that networking on the Internet is a global success. Up to 85% of openBC users rate maintaining contacts on the Internet as being "important" or "very important". Beyond establishing business contacts (55%), almost one in six are now reporting business deals with openBC contact partners - networking on the Internet pays off financially.
Hamburg, Germany (PRWEB) April 13, 2006 -- Online business networking is a global success: Up to 85% of openBC users rate maintaining their contacts online as being either “important” or “very important”. Beyond establishing business contacts (55%), almost one in six are now reporting business deals with their openBC contacts.
With “Communication & Networking on the Internet”, openBC is publishing its second international survey on internet networking. The survey investigates online communication and networking behaviour and compares this activity across openBC’s global user base.
The survey took place between November 14, 2005 and January 31, 2006. During this period, 24,511 openBC users from around the world were interviewed in depth about their communication behaviour and use of the openBC networking platform. This year the questionnaire was published for the first time in Chinese as well.
Networking is a worthwhile business activity: Approximately 55% have established new business contacts, 16% have generated new business
The purpose of business networking on openBC is to consolidate existing relationships and to establish new, interesting contacts. If these lead to new business, then this networking activity is deemed to have paid off financially.
In terms of actual new revenue-generating business from openBC contacts, 16% report at least one success; and of these, one in four had sealed more than six new deals. At 59%, overall expectations of bringing in new revenue are relatively high – despite the fact that one quarter of networkers interviewed are not directly seeking business deals through openBC.
Those high expectations are justified: more than half of openBC users (approximately 55%) have already made worthwhile new business contacts through the openBC platform, whilst 39% expect it in the future. Less than 7% of respondents do not expect to make any new business contacts via openBC.
-- Key figures --
- Around 55% of users have made new business contacts on the openBC platform
- Whilst China has the lowest rate of new contact formation (45.8%), it has the highest rate of conversion to new business, with 22% reporting that openBC has generated new sales. This suggests that openBC fulfills a very real need for business networking on a global and cross-cultural scale.
Networkers on openBC: an active online community
Half of openBC users communicate with a quarter of their contacts online every month, another 25% exchange information with up to half of their contacts monthly.
Approximately 39% of networkers participate in open discussion groups on business-related topics on a weekly basis, whilst 54% of users communicate with one another on openBC via private messages every week.
Networking has increased by up to 300% year on year in some territories
Networking on online platforms is established via mutually confirmed contacts. The average openBC user has 50 such con-tacts in their personal network. Approximately 10% of users have more than 100 confirmed contacts. In particular, the growth of confirmed contacts in Germany, Austria and Switzerland in the past year clearly shows increased networking: the number of contacts per person in these countries has risen by up to 300%.
-- Key figures --
Average number of contacts:
- Germany: 58.8, up 179%
- Austria: 59.5, up 258%
- Switzerland: 62.0, up 292%
Globally overall, openBC users classify approximately 55% of their confirmed contacts as business-related. This ratio varies greatly in Europe. In comparison with the previous 12 months, the increased networking reported in some European openBC territories is characterised by a similar increase in private, non-business related activity. This suggests that as usage of business networks becomes more advanced in each territory, these services are put to broader use, building private and personal connections as well as business relationships.
Networking online is now more important than networking at live events
Communication online is standard business practice. Networking platforms for maintaining contacts with business associates and friends have developed into as convenient and essential an application as email, instant messaging and blogging. It’s interesting to note that networking on the internet is currently a higher priority for openBC users than maintaining contacts at live events. Cultural differences play hardly any role in this trend.
-- Key figures --
- Among those respondents who rated online networking and live event networking as “important” or “very important”, online networking was consistently rated higher than face-to-face contact:
- Europe: live 63.5%, online 67.9%
- USA: live 65.8%, online 72.1%
- China: live 68.4%, online 74.9%
- Australia/NZ: live 62.7%, online 63.1%
- South America: live 65.3%, online 84.9%
A comparison of communications channels used – the telephone, email, networking platform, instant messenger, conferences, etc. – results in a uniform “world view”: Over 95% communicate via email – the killer application. Communication via networking platforms ranges from 48.0% in Australia/New Zealand to 84.3% in South America (USA 64.7%, Europe 56.6%, China 71.8%).
More charts and results are available. Therefore see the attachements.
About openBC
openBC is the leading global online networking platform in Europe and Asia for professional and secure contact management and open networking. openBC is designed for all business people. openBC is more than a contact manager: it is a meeting place where entrepreneurs, employees, freelancers, directors and venture capitalists find new qualified business partners, develop deals and partnerships, and create new markets and opportunities. The Open Business Club’s innovative networking and communications technologies are available in 16 languages, including English, Spanish, French, Dutch, Russian, Japanese and Chinese. openBC provides a full range of services including customized branded Private Clubs. This delivers strong and innovative new value propositions for companies, universities and alumni. openBC is profitable and operates in full compliance with internationally approved data protection and privacy regulations as set by the European Commission.
http://www.openbc.com
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