How do you dispel the idea that computer people are all knowing?
An acquaintance and I were pondering the challenge of this seemingly pervasive idea that computer professionals formed an all-knowing brother/sisterhood. And how it leads to frustration for the client. Nor does it seem to matter if the person is in web hosting (my acquaintance), social media (me), computer repair, or web design - many of the questions that come in don't fit the individual’s field. And one cannot blame the client for asking, since computers can be challenging and mysterious, with so many details to understand. It can also be granted that if you work in a computer-related field that you pick up some of the various in's - and out's, and some of those can be used to help the clients. It is because computers and the Internet are so complex that it is impossible for one person to know its whole scope. It is also this vastness that is frightening to your client, and once they have someone knowledgeable and trustworthy they want to depend on them to solve all the mysteries. I am not sure there is an easy way to deal with the unspoken belief. The best I can come up with is recognition of the belief, and honesty about the limits of one's knowledge. Of course, what it also argues for is having a good network of various experts to call on when your client brings you a question you can't answer.
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There are so many aspects to our businesses, so many little details, it is easy to forget those that have “been dealt with.” This particularly holds true for websites, and also for social media platforms.
When many of us came to the internet, and faced the fact that a website was necessary, we turned to an expert. And for the smaller businesses that meant either going with a friend (or a friend of friend), or a mid-range web design business. Of course, for many of us this was before even Facebook had been heard of. So we had our website designed, and it really looked high tech, and we even remembered to put it in our brochures. Then social media came along…… The internet became that much more interactive, and just having a static web site was not enough. So some got brave, and went out and created a Facebook page. Time passed and now the internet, along with our offices, is a Sargasso sea of lost passwords, and stray social media pages. So, whether you are floundering in that sea, or are contemplating entering the world of social media, here are some things to check off. 1. Is your web designer still available? 2. Do you have all of the log ins and passwords for your website if you need to get a new designer? 3. Do you know where you put the passwords to your social media sites? 4. And if so, have you actually used those passwords in the last six months? The reasons for these questions are simple. If you have decided to make the commitment to enter the realm of social media then you will need to have the icons on your website. And if you are doing blogging you will either need a blog on the site, or a link to a popular blog site (such Wordpress or Blogger). And with some of these sites, such as Pinterest and Google Analytics, you may have to have meta-tags installed to your site so information can be tracked. Also, if your social media passwords are old then you will need to set up new ones. You may also need to track down old, dead, social media pages. The main thing to remember is that nothing is static anymore. So having the information at hand will save you time and frustration in the long term. |
Cathy Mosley
Cathy Mosley brings her 26 years of storytelling and writing experience to the realm of Social Media. To help small businesses. Archives
July 2021
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