I think I finally had the lightbulb moment. Social Media is the perfect business tool because it’s actually using very old fashioned techniques to allow people to communicate with one another. Sounds simple but add a couple of big branded social media names in to the conversation and everyone gets in a bit of a tizz.
Social networking or digital networking as a colleague of mine re-named it, is about people with a need talking to other people with a solution, service or product. Its an easier, faster and more effective way of being able to open the lines of communication. Through Twitter I can see what 10 of my competitors are doing while arranging to meet a new prospective client or keeping up to date with the latest news across the industry.
The only problem at the moment is that many people are still too afraid to enter conversations through social media, they are frightened to network, so at best they broadcast, then wonder why no one wants to listen.
We’ll all get there eventually, maybe we will still need email, maybe Facebook and Twitter will dissolve into history, but the techniques will remain the same, even if the tools evolve.
