Going Social – But MOM! Everybody’s Doing It!

Here’s a sneak peek at Chapter 4 from my new book entitled “Going Social – Business Success is at Your Fingertips”

But MOM! Everybody’s Doing It!

Remember when we were kids? We’d want something, or we’d want to go somewhere, be part of the “in crowd” or participate in whatever the “fad” was at the time. If mom or dad said “no” or “not right now”, a typical response from us would be “But EVERYBODY’S doing it!” And a typical reply from the parent would be “If everybody wanted to jump off the Empire State Building, would you?”

Obviously I’m not here to encourage jumping off the Empire State Building. And, generally speaking, the fact that everyone else was doing something wasn’t necessarily a good indicator that we, as kids, should be doing it too. However, where Social Networking is concerned, I AM here to encourage you to take seriously the fact that EVERYBODY’S DOING IT!

Don’t fool yourself. I can assure you, with a near 100% degree of certainty, that your competitor or someone with a business or organization similar to yours is out there using Social Networking tools for their business.

I’ve heard ALL of the excuses and I hear the new ones as they emerge.

• I don’t use computers. Well, THAT excuse has its own set of issues. Yes folks, believe it or not, in some parts of the country this remains a fact. I’ve witnessed it first hand and have simply scratched my head. However, to those of you who have made this decision, you need to realize one important fact. Although YOU have decided, for whatever reason, NOT to use a computer or embrace technology, the majority of your audience, your potential customers and clients DO! They’re using smartphones, smartbooks, tablets, laptops, and other devices to search for your products and services. Young and old alike are embracing technology at a rapid pace. Don’t believe me? See the chart on page 47 if you need more convincing.
  
  
  So, what’s your solution? I strongly recommend finding a professional to handle your social networking for you. Not your high school child or your young niece or nephew who “knows” Facebook, Twitter, YouTube, or the other tools being used today. You need to enlist the help of someone who understands business and marketing. You can choose to never use a computer during your entire lifetime. Your business doesn’t need to suffer because of your personal preference and decision.
  
  
• MY business is different. Using these tools won’t benefit me. Most everyone likes to think that their business is so unique, so special, their audience so “niche” the simple fact that the business exists is enough. The people will see it and they will come. I hate to be the bearer of bad news, but that thinking is a recipe for disaster.
  
  
  Isn’t business all about people? Relationships? Networking? Of course it is! From consumers, clients, and donors to vendors, wholesalers, resellers, etc… No matter how you slice it, you’re working with people in some, way, shape, or form. You know what? Social Networking is all about people, relationships, and networking. Whether you choose to use them as sales and promotional tools, customer service tools, or employee recruitment and retention tools, your business is not so unique that it can’t benefit from using these tools in some way.
  
  
• I don’t know HOW to use them. I don’t have time to learn. I call this the “I don’t know it, I don’t need it” attitude and it can, quite possibly, be one of the most detrimental to your business. Nowhere is it written that you’re supposed to know everything.
  
  
  Don’t you consult with an accountant to handle some of the monetary issues surrounding your business? Don’t you utilize the services of an attorney regarding some of the legal issues where your business is concerned? This is no different.One of the worst mistakes business owners made in the old days was thinking THEY had to develop, design, and launch their own websites. They would take a great deal of time out of their day to day schedules to “play with” one of the most important marketing tools of the day! They didn’t understand nor did they comprehend some of the key elements associated with the process and their efforts were futile. The result? A great deal of wasted time and money.
  
  
  I can change the oil in my truck but that doesn’t make me a mechanic. I can sell my own home but that doesn’t make me a REALTOR®. Find a professional. As I mentioned earlier, this really is NOT an environment to “dabble in” or experiment with. Shouldn’t your business or organization, your reputation and your brand be more important to you than that?
  
  
• It’s just for youngsters and kids. Look closely at the chart below. More specifically, look at the lower section in all green. Note the increase in use by the older generation. Enough said.
  

There are certainly plenty more excuses and justifications to be heard out there. As long as you keep coming up with them and using them, the more damage you’ll be doing to your business or organization. The more you resist, the further behind you fall. In this type of environment, days and weeks of procrastination can result in months and years of playing “catch-up”.

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