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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Whether you work in an office, or your business is out in the elements, your business has seasons. And most people can track those in their minds, even if they never put the information to paper. You know when the peak times are, and when the slow times stretch. You also know why. And for those with seasonal businesses you know that there are fluctuations within the seasons, which will affect you. A wet spring? A steamy summer? Those fluctuations require different reactions.
All of this is the mother lode of content! And at the beginning of the year is the perfect time to sit down, and do an outline of your season. While you are doing this, ask yourself some questions. 1. Can you give a head's up to your clients about what is coming up? Can you put out a call for action? 2. What suggestions can you give to them? What tips? 3. What causes your slack times? What types of promotional can you use to head them off? Or at least ease them. 4. If your work is seasonal, what can you suggest for preparation for the coming season? 5. What should your clients know about weather related delays? Of course, there are also those who are just starting out, and don't know your "seasons" yet? Then you take a hard look at your products, or services. And ask yourself, what stories can you tell about those products or services? Start off by telling about yourself. Your personnel. Why you were passionate enough to have started a business. Spend time detailing aspects of your products, and services. Information - not just sales pitches. And tell about your passions in the community. What are your favored charities? Where do you pitch in? Established or new - tab into your seasons! Reflection is always good at the beginning of the year. It not so much about resolutions, which always sound grand, but are hard to implement. Probably because they sound grand. We simply put too many expectations into them.
But reflection is a quiet word, and by its nature implies calm introspection. So reflection is exactly what is needed when you are considering your approach to social media in 2014. It doesn’t matter whether you already are doing social media, or if you are just considering it, this is a perfect time to take a hard look at your approach. Here are some things to consider as you are reflecting on the question: 1. What are your expectations of social media?
(Here you need to realize that social media is a marketing tool. Granted good material will help you attract a solid following, and that could well mean customers, but its part of a larger marketing campaign. Networking, brochures, and whatever else your marketing budget allows, are necessary. Yet, whether you are networking, or have materials to hand out, you need to make sure that your social media is listed. ) 2. What platforms are you going to use? Are you thinking of only using just one?
(These social media platforms, and many of the others, such as Tumblr, are strongly influencing the search engines. Steady activity on the social media sites builds your visibility. It should also be kept in mind that each of the various platforms has their following. So by using all of them you reach those differing audiences.) 3. After you have decided on your platforms the next thing you need to ask yourself is, “How much time do I have for this?” (This is a crucial question, because if you don’t have time for it, or can hire someone, then wait to implement a social media strategy when you can give it the time it needs.)
(Activity is one of the main keys to a social media strategy. Activity influences even how you show up in the newsfeeds of a your followers, and how long. It also influences how often you are mentioned on the search engines.) 4. “Sharing,” “Liking,” “Following,” and “Pinning” are aspects that businesses forget about in their social media strategies.
5. This brings us to the absolutely most vital part of your social media campaign – content!
(A few words on blogging. Blogging is a great original content, and usually someone, or many individuals, have expertise to share. However, many do not consider themselves writers, or get nervous. Blogging doesn’t have to be an essay. It can be biographical material about staff, or short tips. Or, if no one wants to write a blog, just offer tips out on the social media platforms.) 6. Lastly, a few ideas to consider in wrap up.
When you are thinking about doing social media what should you have ready?
1. Look around your business, and think about questions your customers have asked. Are there reoccurring ones? Are there special products that normally need a little more explaining. What is your history with the business? And general trends that you are aware of in your profession? 2. Then think of your seasons. What is your down time? What is your busy season? What produces these highs and lows? 3. What pictures, photos, or graphics do you associate with your business? Always keep in mind that images are a powerful tool on social media sites. 4. What organizations, hobbies, or charities are you involved in? What industry magazines do you subscribe to? 5. And never forget to keep track of special events that might be coming up, or are reoccurring. All of these provide the "meat" for your ongoing social media campaign. It doesn't matter whether you, a staff member, or a consultant is handling the day to day - all of this will be needed. The knowledge of the highs and lows, and the special events, will help to create a calendar for your campaign. Just keep in mind, it really is no different than the thought processes that every business owner uses in the life of their business. You know it better than you know your home, and you can discuss it at length. And all of that is what it takes to make a good social media campaign. I am starting to think that one of the scariest thing for many business owners is that social media demands ongoing activity. The fact that business is coming into an era of "digital word of mouth" is intimidating.
Recently I was speaking with a prospective customer, and was working with a new approach. I had decided to develop this approach because I thought the term "social media" was what was terrifying people. So I set off to explain that instead of worrying about the technical end of social media that they should first think of it as doing what they always did - interacting with their customers. To look at it as an extension of the local word of mouth. As we were discussing traditional advertising, and what made this different, I pointed out that standard advertising was one way. You develop your flyers, your newspaper ads, T. V. spots, and radio strategies, and all of these are sent out into the great world. And basically, unless someone mentions any of the business's advertisements, you will never really know what brought the customer in. With social media you have a better chance of interacting with your customers, and giving them a chance to know you. They know they can contact you quickly from any number of mobile tools, and express themselves in "real time." And as I was listening to my potential client I realized that it may not be a fear of the term "social media," but stage fright. That the need to come up with interesting material on a weekly basis caused him to freeze. It didn't matter that I can help with finding content - it was that owner input would be required. Nor was it just a terror of needing original content it was that there had to be a consistent strategy. This also got me thinking of some of my other clients. When I am setting up for a new client I will talk to them about the aspects of their business that could be used for blogging, or helpful hints. And I will also ask about organizations, hobbies, and charities they are involved in. The later gives me filler material to work with when I don't have original content. The first response I often get is, "Oh, I'll leave that to you!" I always do a follow up email after the initial fright goes away. In the email I will ask the same questions, and usually get better input. Really it is a case of realizing that while social media is more interactive that basic marketing still applies. The business owner knows their products, and when they create the standard advertising they know they will need images and focused content. With social media you need all of that, but you also need to have an idea what you want to do week to week. You need to know consistently, "what is the meat of the story?" Recently I overheard a conversation while I was at a dinner, and during the course of the meal the conversation managed to cover both the uses and liabilities of social media. The over-dependence on social media in this particular case had caused hard feelings amongst friends. This "why"was being discussed in length by my table partners. The lament was that some had been invited to a party, and some hadn’t. It turned out that their friend had only used Facebook’s “Events” to notify everyone. He had not calculated that some were not daily Facebook users, and if they were, that they didn’t check the notifications. At the opposite end of the spectrum was a woman who admitted she usually didn’t know where her daughter was. And in order to keep track of the girl her mother would call the girl’s aunt. The reason the woman’s sister was in the “know” was because she kept an eye on Facebook and Twitter, since she had children of her own. The woman’s excuse was, “I don't pay much attention to Facebook.” It all comes down to social media being a communication tool. And with all tools there are times when it needs to be used in concert with other tools. When having a party, or a meeting, it needs to be kept in mind that not everyone is going to be checking their social media. Invitations and announcements also need to be put out in either paper form, or email; along with social media reminders. Yet, on the other hand, social media is a powerful tool. There shouldn’t be a disdain for it just because it’s “just” social media. This holds particularly true for parents. Parents need to stay aware of popular trends in social media, and know how their children are communicating. It has been noted that with a teenager a “tweet” is rarely ever left unread. For me the last week the theme has been "communication." This hasn't been so much about my personal communication as about how it may be changing. Or not. When it comes to social media the popular outcry is, "It's killing social skills - Everyone is on their text!" and "It will do away with real letter writing - it will kill how we write at all!" Yet, this week I have seen more business articles on the need for businesses to actually communicate with their customers. To actually interact, and be social. And I have been avidly reading these articles in hopes of learning a means to get that idea across to clients. And, of course, being a history buff, my mind also began making comparisons to older forms of communication. The first, and most popular, comparison, and statement, is that there is always a outcry that new technology will kill the older. And while communication methods change - they never really kills the original. So I decided to do a two part blog on letter writing and social media; part history and part business. The first part will concern itself with a communications overview. And Part 2 will be concerned with the power and spread of opinion. I'd say that letter writing really hit its heyday as families and friends became separated by marriage and necessity, particularly as people immigrated off to more distant lands. The price of posting and of writing materials always was a factor, and so information was often crammed into as much white space as was possible. Even when telephones came along - the price of a call, particularly long distance calls, impacted how much time and information could be shared. And so back to the letter. When email came along it allowed for communicating across far greater distances, for next to nothing, and in a shorter time. Much more could actually be shared, and letter writing flourished again. Now we are seeing the same with the social media, though not at the length. People now don't have to save up a bulk of information, and then condense it all into cliffnote versions in their lives. It can be communicated as they think of it, and responded to just as quickly. Now back to business.... I know from having a father who was a salesman that business people are very social individuals. Often times business associates become lifelong friends, and conversations can go on for hours - if schedules allow. However, they are also trained in a business mind set. That says, "You have to get your sales point across quickly and efficiently." Mailings and advertisements are aimed at this. Even networking groups don't really allow social interaction; the members come in, present their product/service, and only if they have a minute at the end of the event can they grab a second to socialize. So when business personnel are dealing with social media they are still in the same "get to the point, and advertise" mindset. Getting your product and service out there is definitely the "why" of being on the internet, but the way of communicating needs to go back to the concept of knowing your customers. To do this, you have to think "conversation." This allows customers, particularly new customers, get a feel for who you are, and how you interact. You become a little bit more "real" to them, and they will feel more comfortable doing business with you. It wasn't till recently that I had really pondered how old username and email habits might affect an individual's views of social media. Maybe it was because I came to the internet at the time when email interaction was the newest "social" craze, and so I hadn't stepped far enough back in order to consider the question.
Anymore, though, I have to consider the "whys" of potential clients' reluctance regarding social media usage, and am always looking at what might impact their outlook. It is a topic I often discuss with a friend of mine, and he mentioned that many over the age of 50 are suspicious of social media and how much it might intrude on their privacy. This I could accept as a relative given, and what I ran into recently supports this, but with a twist. Not too long ago a old friend tried to connect with me on Linkedin, but for her profile she was using a old fantasy character name. One I have heard her mention off and on from her various online games, since she often plays, and reviews, them. When I asked her about it she said that she had only created an account because someone recommended Linkedin, but that she wasn't about to tell anything about herself! Yes, she fits the demographics on age, with the attendant suspicions about privacy, but I realized she also fits into another demographic. The demographic I am considering is made up of people who still strive to have the anonymity of their username/email. I can remember the time, particularly in regards to participating in any online group, that the email names often defined the "who" you were emailing, or talking to on AIM. The anonymity of the users names were an accepted part of the masquerade. In many ways the email groups were the realm of make believe, but this was also the cause of concern, because the unwary could be led astray. Now transparency is becoming the byword. Social media, like the earlier use of email, originally was a playground; a new “toy” where people could express themselves – usually behind a “mask.” Yet, like email, businesses have begun to rely on social media, and reality, rules, and etiquette are setting in. And once again a person's reputation is vital. And open for scrutiny. Yes, a frightening thought for many, but the playground has given way to "reality" for any who desire to be in the professional world. Keeping the story consistent is vital for any business pursuing social media as a marketing tool.
In many ways, strange as this sounds, it is often easier for the larger businesses. There they can meticulously study how to tell their brand's story; decide who will implement it; and monitor the responses. This even holds true when several departments are involved. There are guidelines and common structure. So what do they have that smaller companies don't? People. Smaller companies need social media, and a consistent message, as much as the bigger companies. Yet, when they are working on social media themselves it is often a case of "just put something out there." And where this comes from is, "We have to deal with business, and as long as we keep our media active we are good." Yes, activity is a necessity, but here is where the real challenge comes in - "What is going to make the effort worthwhile?" Even if you have managed to have a variety of material - text, links, photos, and videos - the question needs to be, "Are they relevant to your story? Or is it too random?" These are the best questions to ask. And are the best criteria to give yourself, your employee, or your hired specialist. Last Friday I stood wiping away tears as I washed off my old rocking horse for the auctioneer. Up until that moment it had sat in the basement, unacknowledged, and covered in forty years of dust, but with the contact, and the care, memories whispered back. This was the present my Uncle Dewey gave me. He had walked me across the street to the Thirfty's, and let me pick out any toy I wanted. Even if it was a black plastic rocking horse nearly too big for me. But Uncle Dewey lived large, even for a family that lived large, and in a heartbeat he had purchased it, and carried it back across the street for me. On my daring steed I dreamed many adventures, as an only child will, and that Friday morning, as I gently washed its molded black mane, I sorrowed for forgetting my brave companion. Harder the still was the idea that I was planning on including it in a auctioneer's lot. But what does a fifty-five year old woman need with a rocking horse? When the auctioneer began to haul stuff from the basement, and reached for the rocking horse all I could say was, "Stop." Such memories are not given away lightly. Particularly not to someone who shrugs off other people's loves and memories with a jaded shoulder. Originally I thought this tale more fitting for my White Fox Stories page, but I realized that it had more to do with social media. I have heard friends say, "Our history will be lost! Everything will be digital and in two hundred years will be gone!" But then I think of the theory that all of our radio signals and T. V. shows are eternally broadcasting across the universe, and I have to wonder - What of all the media consigned to the internet? Shared, liked, and commented on - working further and further away from its source. Does this give some immortality to our memories? Granted I have no answers, and am admittedly waxing a bit maudlin, but any who reached middle age (and many before) are faced with the remnants of family lives. And the question soon becomes, "How many memories can I save?" "How many talismans of my life can I store?" As I worked through my house I also found my bronze baby shoes. "Ah, who would want the footwear of another''s baby?" And yes, I am endeavoring to save the above memories - to send them off into a digital land of the young. Because all of this reminded me of all of those photos that are saved onto the internet - lifetimes of vacation, celebrations, births, and memorials. Personal stories of both human and pet, and the wild too.
Oh the technology and the media will change, and who knows if all of these memories will be able to be accessed in two hundred years. But I find some reassurance in the possibility that like our old radio signals the digital transmissions of our memories will live on. |
Cathy Mosley
Cathy Mosley brings her 26 years of storytelling and writing experience to the realm of Social Media. To help small businesses. Archives
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