When social media (Facebook & LinkedIn) first became popular, I thought it was an incredible medium˳ I continually received invites from high school friends or business contacts, Before long, I had hundreds of contacts on each site, and thought I was quite well-connected˳ I too, reached out to others to build my networks even more˳
As an entrepreneur, I thought all the online networking would help grow my business services company˳ I even posted online ads through both mediums˳ I eagerly entered this new online world with high hopes for future business and personal connections˳ These endeavors were the future – I had entered the Internet 2˳0 edition˳
Issues Emerged
Questioning the importance came slowly, yet my gut told that there were issues˳ Out of the hundreds of clients over eight years in business, not one client told me they found out about my company through social media˳ They may have reviewed my resume, yet we did not become introduced through a social media medium˳
Another sense of doubt came from political commentary˳ I started reading memes or comments from the same people over and over again especially as an election approached˳ As fake news emerged, it became obvious that many of these postings were complete nonsense˳ Beyond accuracy, the postings insulted the reader, who believed differently˳
Digital Shouting
As a part-time business instructor, I place considerable emphasis on entrepreneurship˳ I ask students how they will market their business to obtain new customers˳ The most common response is “I will blast my message all over social media˳” There you have it˳ The key to success in the digital age is to shout as loud as possible through our social mediums˳
Marketing and sales channels come and go, yet one thing remains the same˳ Crafting messages that motivate people to improve their lives through your product produces new customers˳ People hate to receive shouts, yet they love conversations which improve their lives or companies˳
Cyber Insults
When it comes to public policy, no one will change their voting choices by receiving insults˳ Am I going to change my ideas from the consistent shouting of someone I barely knew in high school? Let’s think through what we post on social˳ If you do want to post political stuff, consider something with humor or thoughtfulness that may motivate someone to stop and consider another point of view˳
There is a role for social media in business˳ Creating channels for branding, customer service, and product feedback is important for overall business development˳ However, the idea that the more you post, the more your business will grow is completely false˳ Marketing is complex˳ Branding, messaging, multiple channels, product quality, and reputation all contribute to new sales˳
No Easy Fix
Social media can be fun to see vacation photos, reconnect with varied people, and be entertained˳ Let’s wise up! There is no magic pill for marketing other than hard work˳ Outside of work, pick up the phone or meet people in person˳ You may be surprised, your personal network will be real instead of digital˳ Come on America, our true future awaits˳
Source by https://ezinearticles˳com/?Sobering-Our-Social-Media-Addiction&id=9970690
