From time to time we revisit articles from the PartfinderMarine archive that generated a strong reaction from readers.

This was one of the most widely read pieces we published and, judging by the messages we still receive, the topic hasn’t gone away.

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Social media noise vs real business

The article was originally going to be titled “Social Media – the curse of our times.”

In the end, that didn’t quite hit the mark. What follows is less a conclusion and more an observation that has been building for some time.

Whatever we do, we all need marketing.
We all need new business.
We all need to stay close to our existing clients and customers.

And we should be proud of what we do.

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Plenty of visibility… but not much value

Over the years we’ve tried most of the available platforms.

Some worked for a while. Many didn’t.
What we are left with today is a huge amount of activity… but very little that translates into meaningful business.

It often feels like visibility has become the goal, rather than the outcome.

Connections are made, messages are sent, notifications pile up — but very few of these interactions lead anywhere useful.

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How business actually starts

In our industry, real business rarely begins with clever posts or viral comments.

It starts with something far simpler:

• a straightforward question
• a clear stock list
• a proper RFQ

Strip away the noise and most people still just want to deal with someone who:

• replies promptly
• understands what they are talking about
• and communicates clearly

Good communication still beats clever marketing every time.

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A different approach

That principle sits at the core of what we are building with PartfinderMarine.

The aim is simple: make it easier for buyers and suppliers to ask, answer, and transact — without the noise that often gets in the way elsewhere.

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And finally…

What we are encouraged by is this:

Our registration numbers are now approaching 12,000 users.
Our Substack publications continue to average around a 25% open rate.
And readership is steadily growing beyond our immediate network.

So thank you to everyone who reads, responds, and engages properly.

It is, genuinely, appreciated.

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