Remember the days of beeps and buzzes, answering machines and pagers? These not-so-old communication and contact methods today rank somewhere among pink princess phones and pulse dialing. And where we used to wait until we returned home to check our messages, today a missed cell phone call is a rarity. 24/7 accessibility has become literal for many, and I’m tempted to break into dance when a funky ringtone interrupts my grocery shopping. And while I may be old enough to remember telephone party lines, I have evolved with the instant-communication times.
Most recently, I advanced from email and texting and jumped on the virtual b
andwagon to social media networking. I logged on and linked in. I blogged, pinged and twittered (or is it tweeted). And mostly I chuckled as I created usernames and secret passwords, at the realization that my space really isn’t my space if my face is in everyone’s virtual address book.
No doubt, it takes time to become a media-networking socialite and I’d like to share some of the lessons I’ve learned along the way:
- Start slow – Join as many networking sites as you feel you can follow, then, sit on the sidelines for a bit.
- Follow and observe – Groups form like beehives. Who’s talking? What are they saying?
- Read and Learn – Is the information relevant to your needs? If not, think of them like C prospects. Put them on a back burner and stay in touch every now and then.
- Ease in – Contribute an idea here, a thought there.
- Join in and reap the benefits – Social media networking is a great business tool. Where will you take it?
Technology changes faster than we can click a mouse button. Perhaps you’ve already dived into social networking in your business or maybe you’re still testing the waters. One thing is certain – sooner or later, you’ll ride the wave. And just as you feel really confident, another wave will come along.
