Point: Maria Lemos
Belonging to many social networks gives you exponential access.

Social networks are essential to my work life. The field of sustainable tourism is very new and is constantly being updated. What seems so right today may be proven wrong tomorrow. The exchange of ideas and best practices with like-minded colleagues - which social networks make possible - is a must.

Social networks are set in different geographical areas, reach different demographics, and give us a broader perspective on the issues in our industry. By casting a wide net, you are able to reach different cultures - and hence gain different ways to look at problems. You never know which social network will pay off with really big dividends. That being said, I still follow some common e-mail best practices that give me time to think and work.

By connecting on social networks first, people go to meetings better informed. It is something that has already begun and will culminate at the meeting. For example, through one of my online social networks, I "met" a very knowledgeable woman in a renowned industry group based in Asia, who had worked in Asia following the tsunami that devastated the region in 2004.

I was interested in learning from her how the reconstruction of that area was handled in a sustainable way. So we began keeping in touch. I wasn't sure about going to the World Travel Market in London in November, but I thought that it might be a good opportunity to meet her face-to-face, as well as other people from Asia from whom I also could learn. We made plans to meet at a stand at ExCeL London.

Because, despite all the connections you can make through numerous online social networks, some things you just can't dot-com. 

Maria Lemos is president of Sustainable Side of the Street (www.sustainablesideofthestreet.com), a Portuguese company for responsible tourism. She can be reached at maria@sustainablesideofthestreet.com.  

Counterpoint: Sharon Fisher
You need to choose very few tools and use them wisely.

Technology sometimes overwhelms me. Not because I don't love it, but because there are so many choices. As social-networking tools grow exponentially, so do the options for places to be present. Google "social networking sites" and close to three million listings pop up. A quick search for meetings-related sites? More than 100! How can I spend my resources - time, attention, knowledge - in the most effective way for my business? I choose very few tools and use them smartly.

First: I don't want to use a tool unless I can learn it quickly and be able to use it really well. It's like Halloween. If I can't win the costume contest, I don't have a lot of interest in dressing up. Doing anything halfway is worse than doing nothing at all.

Second: I believe in being the big fish in the small pond. There is something to be said for being where "everybody knows your name." I agree with Seth Godin, who said, "Critical mass is what happens when you have enough and do enough that you connect to a tribe, one that matters." Critical mass is what you don't get if you are constantly dabbling on dozens, if not hundreds, of sites.

Third: We only have so many hours to accomplish our goals. It's easy to get sucked in to the seeming productivity of working the sites. If we spend just 15 minutes a day on five different sites, that adds up to more than six hours a week. But is it paying off? That six hours could be spent creating new events, contacting clients, or learning. Just because it's stimulating does not mean it is helping me with my goals.

Effectively working multiple networking sites is a full-time job. I'll stick to just a couple. Then I'm going out to play! 

Sharon Fisher is idea-sparker/president of Play with a Purpose (www.playwithapurpose.com), which specializes in producing interactive events. She can be reached at sharon@playwithapurpose.com.