Social Media: Bully or Lifesaver

One theme seems to be uniform when I speak with clients about their small business needs and aspirations; technology is overwhelming. The Internet and social media have single-handedly changed the way we communicate and do business.

In 2007, I remember talking to clients about the need to create a strong online presence integrated with social media. No matter how many facts I came up with or trends I shared, for most, the concensus was that social media was something silly that they “just weren’t in to.” For many, as long as they had any kind of website running that was a plus. Today’s web has evolved drastically in the past six years and it’s on track to make even more leaps very soon.

The Value of Business

The primary asset of any business is it’s value. Without value you can have supply and demand without fulfillment. Businesses build value by first establishing a solid product or service. From this foundation their brand or identity is made clear or at least, it should be. For example, once you know what you want to sell or provide, the development process churns that idea into something beautiful that the buyer will find useful and of value. This development process should form the basis for your logo and identity.

Conundrum

I took you on that short stroll down the memory lane of business because what today’s consumer sees as value is completely digital. Everyone is connected to their device of choice and if your business isn’t represented digitally where they spend their time, you may as well be invisible.

At one time, it was enough to have a website to give the heir of professionalism, but now the website has to be of a certain caliper and it must be connected and engaged with social networks. Once upon a time cold calling and print advertising were the preferred methods of advertising to potential customers. While these methods are still used, an exponentially greater number of these customers are signed in to their favorite social networks on a daily basis sharing every aspect of their lives.

Without a strong online presence which includes social media,
your business will unnecessarily struggle.

Strength in Numbers

So where do you start and what do you do? The first thing you should understand is you’re not too late. The best time for a business to make changes, no matter how severe, is when things aren’t working. You don’t have to be the most tech-savy person in the world, but you do have to know how to connect with them. Outsource your social media needs while you focus on the daily operation of your business.

The nature of technology is to change rapidly, if it didn’t, then you’d figure it out and it wouldn’t be so amazing and awe-inspiring. The ooo’s and ah’s we experience when new tech is released stems from our utter state of bewilderment by something totally new. The reward of figuring out a piece of tech is like a dam being broken down leaving tons gallons of water to flow freely, expanding your mind and utility.

Your business cannot grow in stagnation. New ideas and techniques must flow through constantly, whether your product is simple or complex. Your market is always changing so you naturally have to change with it. Look around you. Are things slowing down?