So now that I have over 1000 Facebook friends, I’m trying to be a little more selective in who I add to my page. It’s not that hard to be my friend, but I thought I’d explain in case you wanted help creating your own Facebook friending policy.

1. I know who you are by name – If I know your name, I’ll accept your friend request or I’ll ask you to be my friend.
2. I know who you are by sight – If I recognize your picture, I’ll add you to my friends list.
3. I know who you are by site – If on your profile you have a website that I can click through and you look like an interesting person, I’ll add you to my friends list.
4. I know who you are because you tell me how I know you – I do a lot of speaking to a lot of different groups and have worked with many people over the year. Remind me how I know you (you attended one of my sessions, you read my blog, you worked with me, you met me at a conference, whatever. Just tell me how I know you, and I’ll add you to my friends list.
5. You know a lot of my friends – If you know over 20 of my friends, I’ll add you to my friends list.
6. I don’t know you but you tell me why I would benefit from knowing you – Some people tell me what they do and how it could benefit me. Multi-level-marketing people need not apply. Tell me a good story and I’ll add you to my friends list.
7. I don’t know you but you tell me how you could benefit from knowing me – I love to help people. If you are specific in telling me how I might help you, I’ll add you to my friends list.
8. You are a friend of a good friend of mine (and you tell me so) – I have some close friends that I think the world of. If you are a friend of any of them, and you mention that you’re friends with them (and I can verify it because I see them in your Facebook friends or because they’ve verified this in some other way),  I’ll add you to my friends list.
9. You’re from Milwaukee or Crivitz – I live in Milwaukee now. I’ve been here since 1996. It’s home to me. I love other people from Milwaukee! I’m from Crivitz, and that was home to me until I graduated high school. I still go up to visit my mom and dad. If I see you’re from Milwaukee (or one of the suburbs) or from Crivitz, I’ll add you to my friends list.
10. You look like an interesting person – If I read your public profile and you look interesting to me, I’ll add you to my friends list.

Do you want to by my Facebook friend? Go to http://facebook.com/philgerb and friend me (see #4 for how to do this the right way) and I’d be delighted to add you to my friends list.

Why do you add people to your Facebook friends list?

Number 10 photo credit to yoppy