What do you need?

Hey Mark, that is one loaded question : )

No, seriously, I think you are onto something with the one item you found actionable. I remember Lara, co-founder of Biznik, telling me they had started that initially with the idea of people using the community to fill your needs. Such as, I need a plumber, I need someone to do my taxes, I need.....

Yes, the needs are varied, and when someone says they need clients, or referrals, or more jobs. All I can think of, is who doesn't?

It will be interesting to follow this conversation.

Great topic - and as Bob said, you're on to something. I myself am consumed with a huge project, turning out a magazine. My needs are so numerous…it's hard to pick one.

This post, I hope, does for others what it just did for me. To reassess what it is I really need and actually use the tools available to get those needs met. Thank you.

Hey Mark, you can order a back copy from Business Week via their website. Or maybe you are looking to get it sooner!

Mark. Thank you for this discussion. I have reworded my need so it is not vauge.

What I need: Entrepreneurs to collaborate on Investing In Women. Options include reciprocal marketing, link exchanges, adding resources and articles, offering free services for the newsletter. I am open to new suggestions.

I also need paid advertisers for http://iiwomen.com.

Paid advertisements and donations will fund our micro-grant program for businesses in the USA.

Is that clear enough? Leah

It does not bother me if someone posts a vague need. I like your idea of very actionable things, but I posted that I need support and encouragement.

Maybe someone will read that and tune in to the types of things I want to get out of a networking site such as this one.

What bugz me, though, -- personally -- is people who seem to be using the Needs item as yet another sales device:

• I need... to tell you all about the exciting new discounts I'm offering, over at http://www...
• I need... to invite you to attend my exciting webinar event!
• I need... to ask you if you'd like to bring MASSIVE TRAFFIC to your site RIGHT NOW!

There is a specific place on this site for offers, and that's really neat. For me, the Needs section seems about finding out what people actually, themselves, as it relates to their busiensses, actually need?

Maybe people have a hard time saying that they need something? Or maybe they just have a hard time relaxing the self-promotion habit?

Who knows?

I need a beer.

Mark. Thanks for the extra advice. I changed Investing In Women, to Business Resource site.

It does give a clear picture of the site as opposed to the name only. Leah

I love this conversation because it's helping inform the direction we want to move the "I Need" feature. Ideas include using tagging/keywords to match your "need" with content in others' "about me" fields.

I've often wondered if changing the verbiage from "I Need..." to something else would help deter people from the perennial, "I need clients..." - thoughts?

The next thing I need to move forward...

In the next week, I need...

Great conversation! As one bugged by the inverse sales-pitch needs as well, its a 'needed' conversation (though it seems to come up here semi-annually).

Lara: I think that guiding the needs with phrases is a good idea, and I think that tagging is a good idea as well as it would serve aggregating/matching needs. Would love to see both combined. -Leif

This is great. Helping me think about this too!

Reflection has got me thinking,

I need people to bounce ideas off of.

I need people who have similar challenges of a small business, but different experience.

I need places to admit I don't know what I'm doing, in a space where others are struggling, working at it, succeeding, with common issues..

I know why the promotional "needs" entries bothered me: They made me feel lonely.

Here, where there's an opportunity to actually connect about what we do, who we are, and why we're doing it ... to waste this opportunity with another place to try to sell something ... I think that is what I was feeling.

Missed opportunity.

It's almost like, can we let down our guard for a minute and stop selling, and share who we are?

I looked up an old acquaintance recently, and the first thing she said to me, was to tell me about her exciting MLM opportunity. It made me so sad, and I have not connected with her again yet.

An excellent post, Mark! I've been inspired. I used to have one of the "Send me some clients!" -type of Need. Now it asks for advice on things that have been rolling around in my brain for months. Here's what it says:

Brainstorming! Please send me one quick tip on how I can do one of the following: - Rewrite one existing sentence on my Web site with a more active voice. - Get more of my clients and prospects to give me referrals. - Stop procrastinating!

Excellent suggestions, Mark!

And yes, I was totally motivated to go to Paul's site and give feedback.

A common thread I see, is very actionable items, as per Mark's suggestion.

Mark, Great words of wisdom! I am guilty... and plan on making some changes on my needs directly after I Post this. In a recent event posted, I actually mentioned bringing to the event two needs (other than clients).

Lara, I like your idea of re-wording "what I need" and suggest maybe re-wording it to give several choices such as the one you listed above. (((The next thing I need to move forward..., To get to the next step..., I could use..., I need help with..., In the next week, I need...)))

Thanks to all for your comments!

@Lara: I really like the idea of limiting the "What I need" feature to a timeframe. You did it with text - "What I need this week..." - but it could also be that each "What I need" has an expiration date. People can choose pre-set expiration dates like "1 week", "2 weeks", or "1 month".

That way you would know that every single Need you saw posted was active and current. No more thinking "Oh! I can help with that!" only to find they haven't updated it in 8 months, and they don't have that need any more... There are few things more frustrating than reaching out to help someone only to find they don't actually need your help...

@Mark: I like the idea of sitting people down with Biznik and giving them the basics as a way of developing leads! That is a win-win all the way around.

And, it also recognizes the fact that we all need to get business to stay in business. "Embrace your inner capitalist", as they say...

Christian, great comments.

I think the nail has been hit on the head! I see so many benefits to it.

Also, placing a max time on the timeframe, for example a month, would not only help us all with our constant "re-evaluation" process of we really need but could help automatically delete forgotten needs.

Sorry about that... we deleted the comment.