It's Not What You Know, It's Who You Can Reach

I found this study of connectedness from Plaxo - the online address book software company founded by the folks who started Napster- interesting. The average amount of contacts people have on Plaxo is 203 contacts (fear not oh hermit, if people are using the software, they likely are part of an above average connected set already). Here's an excerpt:

"According to the survey, which aggregated data from more than 15 million users, including those from 98 of the Fortune 100 companies, talent agents boast the highest number of contacts, with more than 628 in their address books; publicists were ranked second, with 490 contacts. Rounding out the top 10 were publishers, with 475; executive assistants, 458; heads of a company, 454; casting directors, 442; marketing employees, 376; lawyers, 364; politicians, 332; and event planners, 320.

People who reported their job titles as "IT or Tech Specialist" ranked 24th, with 230 contacts, while Web designers and webmasters came in at 33rd with 163 contacts. Other top-scoring job titles included pastors, 297; real estate agents, 280; and veterinarians, 216. Lawyers trumped judges in the race for contacts, and nurses outdo doctors, the study found. Students came in last in the study, reporting just 46 contacts."

Insights:

- The power of the exec. assistant

- People in the people business know more people

- Geeks may not inherit the earth after all

Surprises:

- Surprisingly low - students and promoters, moms and hairdressers

- Surprisingly high , marketers, nurses, IT

- Bloggers beat journalists

- Marketing beat Sales

- Lawyers beat politicians

Which raises one important question - does influence equal connectedness? Yes, but it only partly tells the story....but that's another story for another post.