So, as I look across the room at my 10 year-old daughter and 13 year-old son, I wonder what the future with social media holds for them – fearful and excited all at the same time.
Sure, the opportunities are endless with all of the technology they are growing up with, but times are tough and competition is fierce – and you really have to wonder if just sending them to the right schools and making sure they go into the "money making" careers are really the right way to go. Does the world really need another lawyer, accountant, etc?
I believe that it's important for our kids – as well as for ourselves, to know that there are always choices – and opportunities to be found Because of all of the constraints that are put on us as we get older, we don't always see things and follow our dreams as we wish we could.
With the growth of social media, it is now possible to think about doing things that you may not have before thought possible, such as going into your own business.
With so many social media tools at our fingertips, there's never been a better time to go off on your own – to make your own path instead of always having to follow someone else's. But when taking on any type of social media, it's important to get your social media right from the start. People make judgments and opinions in a split second, so every piece of information you put forth on line better be on the mark. And, because of all of the confusion about what works and doesn't work in social media, as well as how much information you need to know, I have even written a book on the subject that will take you from start to finish.
We cannot use the same business standards that have been used for the last 50 years, just as kids today should not be taught in the same way that worked in the past.
Social Media allows us to reach so many people – to network and build our brand faster than ever.
Often you can do this without even having to leave our home office. So why not utilize these amazing tools to the fullest? All of these technologies are not only supposed to take our businesses further, but hopefully also give us back some of this "quality of life" that seems to be constantly pushed to the wayside.
Of course, running a business isn't for everyone. We just need to allow ourselves to think this way once in a while – to open the doors to innovation and creativity in the same way we did when we were younger.
Know yourself – your strengths, and capitalize on them to the fullest.
I recently watched a video of a man who admitted he was terrible in school, but loved being in front of a room and giving speeches, and was comfortable doing this – even at a young age. However, while in school, they never addressed his strengths, but rather, continued to "fix", with the help of tutors, those things that he struggled with. How great would it have been if the focus was put not only on correcting the negative, but encouraging the positive? He admitted that even today,he is terrible at accounting, so he just hires an accountant. Once again, know YOUR strengths in business, and do all that you can with them – whether you work for someone, or for yourself. He now travels the world giving speeches and doing what he loves, and makes his speeches available on the web, as well.
Social Media today provides us with a road with an infinite amount of paths in front of us – it's just a matter of finding the one that works best for you and your business. Learn all that you can about them, as they will be critical for managing business in the future and in helping you stay ahead of your competition.
I believe that you CAN sell anything to anyone through social media. The key is to know what works in today's online environment – to become comfortable using them and make them work for YOU.
Marco Giunta
Latest posts by Marco Giunta (see all)
- Is Your Company Using Social Media Effectively? - January 28, 2013
- Approaching the Sales Prospect - December 19, 2012
- How To Listen EFFECTIVELY During Negotiations - December 18, 2012
