Social media: It's natural, that's why it won't go away

March 2, 2:14 PMSF Boomers ExaminerSuzanna Stinnett

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We have a communication problem. In the world of business and marketing, things are changing so fast and so profoundly that we struggle to find words to describe the next step.

We have two alien mindsets  (out of Davos, Switzerland)

In January, the World Economic Forum hosted a panel of bright minds to speak on “The Future of Digital Communication.” Here Hamid Akhavan, the International CEO of T-Mobile, articulated a striking contrast.

He described two groups – I belong to the first: Engaging social media, adopting new tools, excited about the potential. The second group ranges from apathetic to hostile toward new media. They fear loss of privacy, are sharing less, removing themselves from lists, and avoiding new learning curves.

Mr. Akhavan’s definition resonated with me. In my conversations about social media I get the same two mutually alien responses. One is from Planet “Enthusiasm,” the other from Planet “Exasperation.”

Social media returns us to human interaction

Brian Clark, owner of the successful and respected site, Copyblogger, shared another puzzle piece in his recent article, “Blog Money: The Income Outlook for 2009.”

In the article, he said:

“Mass media is a historical aberration. For a short 70-odd years of human history, a relatively small group of people told us what to think and what to buy, and we were expected to passively accept it.

“That’s not how things worked for thousands of years before, and that’s not how it’s going to work in the future.

“Before mass media, people marketed their wares directly to one another in a social context.”

This is why social media is working

Today, the new media called social media offers up that rich context once again. And it is being used heavily by all kinds of people to discuss every topic under the sun.
 
So are you in business?

If you have a product that you need to market, NOW HEAR THIS. Millions of people are sharing their experiences as consumers on social media sites. Business owners who know how to enter these conversations can show that they are friendly and helpful, and grow their presence through actual relationships. The potential available to innovative business is huge. And most social media tools are free.

Adolescent tools tend to grow up eventually

While LinkedIn stands as the preferred site for interacting as a professional, there’s no doubt that Facebook is being used as a serious business marketing tool. Hint: Just use the application “Groups.” That’s how you bypass the sometimes overly social aspect of Facebook.

Perhaps the fact that Facebook established itself in the adolescent realm makes it hard for people to see the value here.
It doesn’t really matter why people resist social media. The reality is that hanging on to a perceived stigma is costing business owners – big time.

Things change, yes indeed, quickly, and often. The important thing is to enter new media somewhere. Once you engage the tools, it will be easier to prepare for future changes.
 

Suzanna

Three little social media goals