I heard from Scott M. a couple of months ago. I went to college with the guy and I’m relatively sure that since I graduated in 1989, I haven’t seen or heard from him. While Scott M. was a nice guy, he was more of an acquaintance than a friend category.

So why did I hear from him? It’s part of the new craze toward social networking that is sweeping the nation ­– and that may eventually redefine how people in the kitchen and bath industry do business. Social networking breaks down just as easily as it sounds: it’s networking socially, online.

While social networking sites such as MySpace and Facebook have been around for a while now, the professional networking site LinkedIn.com is a relatively recent addition to the online networking scene. Predicated on the notion of seven degrees of separation, the site is about having a formal forum to network with people you know, and the people they know – not just friends from college, but professional acquaintances, colleagues and clients – for mutual benefit.

When I first registered on LinkedIn, I did so because so many people had contacted me asking me to link to them. Yet, I hadn’t pursued it, in part because of time constraints, and in part because I wasn’t quite sure why I needed to.

I don’t know about you, but I don’t need anything else to do. I’m busy, I’m content, I have a lot going on in my life and I really don’t need another project! And social networking can be a project.

However, what I’ve since learned is that it can also be a fabulous avenue to bring clients to you.

Why Get ‘Linkedin?’

So, is LinkedIn.com something you should consider? What does LinkedIn.com do for you and your business and why should you join?

In search of an answer, I went to the site with renewed vigor. I filled out my profile, uploaded my photo and then wasn’t quite sure what to do. Did I just sit back and wait for people to contact me? Should I contact them? Unfortunately, the site doesn’t have a “Getting Started” section, so, in search of answers, I read the site’s “About LinkedIn.”

It said, “When you join, you create a profile that summarizes your professional accomplishments. Your profile helps you find and be found by former colleagues, clients and partners. You can add more connections by inviting trusted contacts to join LinkedIn and connect to you. Your network consists of your connections, your connections’ connections, and the people they know, linking you to thousands of qualified professionals.”

Next, I clicked on “Groups,” which offered lots of networking opportunities with groups ranging from college alumni groups to hobbyists to career groups.

I searched for Kitchen Design Professionals and came across “Friends of Kitchen Living,” which had this description: “Kitchen Living was founded in 2001 with strong principles and creative solutions. Located at the Boston Design Center, Kitchen Living is now one of the premiere customer cabinet design studios on the East Coast. Kitchen Living specializes in designing custom cabinetry for the private residence. This includes the kitchen as well as other rooms in the home: wet bars, libraries, wine cellars, baths, butler pantries and more. Kitchen Living aims to fashion the kitchen that perfectly complements clients’ lifestyle and home.”

Intrigued that a kitchen and bath dealer had recently created a group site, I picked up the phone and called Donna Venegas-Kenniston. This kitchen dealer in Boston is certainly a pioneer in regard to our industry and LinkedIn! When I asked her why she put her company on the site, she told me, “I was contacted via LinkedIn after my 20th high school reunion, so I just started to play with social networking.”

She explained, “LinkedIn is a bit more professional than Facebook.com. Within days, I’d gotten links from clients and friends, and the thought occurred to me, why not put the business on LinkedIn? LinkedIn can be updated constantly by me, where a Web site can be static. I’m in control on LinkedIn and I don’t have to wait for a meeting with my Web designer to get changes made.”

What was her goal by creating “Friends of Kitchen Living?” She told me, “I thought, wouldn’t it be nice to get in touch with old clients, and have a place to bring them to online. Let’s create a group, where I could invite old clients, architects and interior designers to connect. I want to create a place for feedback, a place where we could have discussions, and where new clients could go for references. It would be a place where new clients could find insights about the business.

“I was also thinking all these little bits of neat information that I have as a designer could be useful to those in the group. I could have an insider tip area. I just sort of envisioned this place I could go to and manipulate. I was sort of experimenting. Besides, it’s inexpensive, and I’m almost 40, [so to make my business succeed] I have to change my mentality. It is a younger person’s thing, social networking.”

However, as Donna pointed out, younger people are only getting older, and these people are both current and future clients. So learning to reach them in ways they are familiar and comfortable with is important.

When I expressed my concerns to Donna about the time and commitment that social networking takes, she replied, “It’s not working harder, it’s working smarter. I just created the ‘Friends of Kitchen Living’ group, so it’s not yet too much of a commitment, time-wise. I have a list of who I’m going to start contacting and inviting and I’m willing to commit to that. I’ve put my portfolio up there, my resume is there and people just come to me and invite me to join their network. I’ve gotten recruited by recruiters in the industry. I did This Old House last year and someone contacted me wanting more expert advice on a few parts of the project he’d seen. I really didn’t have to do anything other than post a little information. Will I do that in Facebook.com? Probably not. I see a lot of my clients on the [LinkedIn] network.

During my conversation with Donna, she said something that echoed the goal I’ve always had with this column, and that I think is particularly timely in light of the current state of the economy. She said, “I think that with what’s going on in the economy, the Internet can really distinguish you from other dealers. If I Google a company and it doesn’t come up, it ‘doesn’t exist.’”

She continued, “The empty nesters are tech savvy, and people at the high end want value more than ever before. They still want the best, and want you to be known as the best.” To achieve this, though, she noted that it’s critical to have a Web site that’s current and up to date. Since updating a Web site often takes time and coordination, social networking provides a way to keep information current and fresh in the meanwhile.

For my next column, I’m going to follow up with Donna and let you know how her “Friends of Kitchen Living” group is doing and find out how much time and effort she’s put into it. Meanwhile, I’m off to update my LinkedIn.com profile!