I've spent the last year wondering what has reallly gone on in the world of small business and I've come to a conclusion - some of you may like it and others will not. I'll go back a bit to give you some background before I tell you exactly what I'm referring to in this article.
I strongly believe that we shouldn't 'take on' everything we read, hear or see. You know 'taking it on' as in believing, or adopting it as one your premises for rationalizing what you do, or how you do it and so forth. It has taken me a long time over the years to understand that the media - no matter what it is - radio, TV, newspapers, and now social media is all about one thing and one thing only. Making money! Well maybe 2 things - scaring people into taking actions that they really just don't need to take.
Let's focus on the latter because at the end of the day we all need to make money whether you are a small business or a large corporation. We won't debate the pleasures or evils money can bring in this article because I'm sure we are pretty clear that even though it can't purchase happiness, we can buy a lot of other things with money that brings pleasure to our lives.
Now scaring people into taking actions that they really just don't need to take - that's a whole different story!
I've told this story a few dozen times in the past 2 years but this weekend I actually listened to myself while I was telling the story yet one more time. After 15 years of doing business one way and getting excellent results, I've bought into all this hype with social media - I can't believe I did this! There was nothing wrong with how I was marketing because in the end I was achieving my business goals. Along comes social media and all of a sudden my old ways aren't working anymore - or are they??
Now, I'm not prepared to do a 360 on everything I've learned about social media, and all the money I've spent on my website or facebook ads but the buck stops here. Enough already! There comes a point when you have to work the business, the old fashioned way, to get business. We can write blogs, post on facebook or linkedin but it's the relationships you build IN PERSON, no less, that is going to get you the work. Will people buy off social media? Sure they will! It isn't the only way they are buying and this is the point we need to remember.
Yes! Millions of people are doing it! So you need to be doing it too! True but to what degree?
I don't want to get lost among the milliions that are doing it - I want to stand out. If we are all doing the same thing, how do we get noticed? I can hear it - I've heard the advice upteen times in the past few years but I'm just a little fish in an ocean of piranhas.
I don't wont to succumb any further to the digital world or the virtual world or whatever you call it these days. I want to meet people face to face, shake their hands, tell them why I'm the girl for the job and let's get to it! You can research, google and chat your way to finding whatever you want in this world but I'm all for personal interactions. I think the reason we think we need social media is that we believe we need it to survive in today's world - but it isn't the be all and end all of how you get business or life in general. It's just a tool. One that requires balancing with every other marketing tactic to do one thing, and one thing only - attract clients that appreciate and believe in what you have to offer when it comes to getting the job done.
Just an opinion,
Lucie Fournier
Founder/Workplace Health Strategist
www.fournierhealth.com
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