It's amazing that the three social media presentations I saw over the past couple of weeks all seemed to be presented like classroom curriculum, building on the previous material and ending with a call to action. Mike McDowell with KPS3 laid the foundation, Gideon F. For-mukwai of XtraMile Solutions stressed quality over quantity and the last presenter, Dr. Bret L. Simmons, management professor at University of Nevada-Reno, ended with giving the motivation to start sooner rather than later.
Last week I attended the monthly luncheon at the Carson Valley Chamber of Commerce to network and listen to Dr. Simmons speak on social media. While the first two presentations I attended where directed at those of us that are members of ProNet Reno, this presentation was for members of the business community, those that are at various stages of testing the social media waters. Most folks knew about the major players in social media (Facebook, Twitter and LinkedIn) and were aware of the blogging phenomenon, but many were there to learn how these tools could make a difference in their everyday business lives.
The key message that we were all left with, was a vision similar to a young child standing on the high dive - scared, anxious, needing a little prodding, wanting to be like everyone else and knowing that the thrill came at a cost. We were all encouraged by Dr. Simmons, like a parent at the edge of the pool, providing positive reinforcement about what a big world social media is and how we can play. And in all defense, Dr. Simmons couldn't teach us all how to swim in one hour, and yet he focused on the benefits of just jumping in, knowing that it may look a little ugly at first, but soon learning that how to navigate the content jungle would be worth it in the end. For more about Dr. Simmons, check out his website for lots of good stuff including his knowledge on leadership - http://www.bretlsimmons.com/.
So, in support of the message delivered by Dr. Simmons, I will add that I have been blogging for business and personal use over the past three years and it does take practice and discipline, but the more that you do it, the easier it gets. Also, please remember that this is all about creating relationships and social media is a tool.
And oh, what a tool it is! The vastness of connections that are possible based on what YOU are interested in, is a bit overwhelming at first. And as long as you stay true to your passions and what you stand for, the rest will start to flow. If you have ever kept a diary as a kid or a journal as an adult, you know that writing can be therapeutic as well as cathartic. For business, many out there have true passion for what you do every day - for what motivates you to get up in the morning, to support yourself and your family, to create jobs and prosperity for others... I say let social media be a vehicle of connection and communication. Or at the very least use the medium to share pictures and video, so that others close and far away can stay connected, stay in touch and can make distances seem just a little bit closer. The phone company used to say about using the telephone to just "reach out and touch someone". Now you can share so much more than just your voice. What a great opportunity to be a bigger part of your community, however you define it.
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