This weekend I met a man who didn’t understand blogging.
No offense he said as he waved his hand in my direction.
No offense.
I spoke with him for an hour about blogging, the internets, and social media. Everytime I spoke about how blogging was actually a huge reality in today’s world, he would wave that damn hand in my direction.
No offense.
I told him how our restie used social media to create a buzz TWO years before we were open. Two years. I told him how my facebook page helped me expand the readership of my blog nearly double. Your blog?
No offense.
I don’t no why anyone would read that dribble.
No offense.
I spoke to him about the younger generation who wanted information instantaneously and didn’t want to be bothered with old school scare sales tactics. I told him that the internet was in fact, the wave of the future.
I’ve been doing this for forty years. No offense.
By the time the conversation ended, I was not offended. I wanted to help him understand. He was my grandfather’s age. He grew up in a time without computers. Without the interwebs. Without social media. And he managed to create quite a successful business. But now that business had slowed down. The industry had taken a hit and couldn’t get back from it. Instead of looking at his own business model, he chose to blame the interwebs.
This blogging business has ruined our clientele.
No offense.
Time’s have changed old man. The internet is here to stay. Pretty sure Facebook ain’t going anywhere. And Twitter? It’s almost as addictive as the cigarettes I quit smoking 8 days ago (go me!) . Embrace them. Use them for that business you created so many years ago. Stop the salesman tactic. Change your marketing plan. Use. Social. Media.
And if you wave your hand in my direction one more time I’m gonna smack that bronzer right off of your old man face.
No offense.
Does your business or workplace integrate social media? Are you on the Twitter personally & professionally? I want to know.
Follow me on all the Twitter Book yo.
I’m impressed that you weren’t offended. I’d have been offended and pissed and done some mighty hand waving of my own.
But I’m sensitive.
I am the Director of Marketing for Ambiance (@storeforlovers) and do most of our Facebook/Twitter updates. I’m also on it personally. I, too, find Twitter addictive – to find out what’s going on with the movers and shakers in Cleveland, what local businesses are doing and, I’ll admit, to see what some of my favorite actors/musicians/celebrities are up to.
I’ve given up preaching to the unconverted. For those who don’t find value in social media, blogging, etc., it’s just not worth it. The numbers will grow without them.
Lastly, I have to ask – how’d you quit the smokes? I’m less than a month away from my quit date and I’m terrified.
This sounds remarkably like a conversation I had with my grandfather a number of years ago when television advertisers started displaying and saying their website URL at the end of the commercial.
One day he stops me, looks at me, and asks, “What the HELL is dot com? That’s all I hear on the TV anymore, dot com, dot com, dot com.”
I spend the next half-hour to forty-five minutes explaining the concept of the Internet (high level, of course), interconnectedness, and virtual “addresses”. I actually thought I did a pretty good job of explaining it to someone who was an admitted Luddite.
When I finish my speech, he pauses for a minute, an exasperated look appearing on his face and he asks, “Yes, but what the HELL is dot com?”
I use FB and Twitter personally and for the Orchard my husband and I own & operate. I blog for fun.
I have recently sat on a ‘SM Committee’ at my place of employment and after our last presentation to the presidents of the company, the stance is that they feel we NEED to engage into social media, but how to do it ‘effectively’ w/o creating more of a mess! Typical – overthinking. I say, dive in and take the chance
I almost got offended but then I kind of felt bad for the man. He worked his whole life for his business but hadn’t learned how to change for it.
What the hell is the dot com???? Ahahahahahahaha
I use Twitter personally and sometimes get aggravated when businesses don’t use it for professional reasons. I’ve often thought of trying to start a Twitter business- posting updates for independent bars and restaurants. I’m not looking for a career, as I’m happy at home. However, some local businesses could use the help and I’d love to see them succeed.
My friends and I are really interested in craft beer. Cleveland has some fantastic bars and restaurants with impressive tap line-ups. However, all too often their websites are outdated and we drive across town only to learn the keg we were interested in was kicked yesterday. A simple Tweet would have saved us the trip. Conversely, I’m sure we miss out on a lot of interesting drafts because we never even knew they were offered. I sign up for mailing lists, but they just aren’t as reliable as a 140 characters in real time. It would be so easy to send a Tweet and say, “Hopslam is gone for today, but Breakfast Stout is now available.”
About 10 days ago we went to a neighborhood bar/restaurant for a quick, cheap meal. Of course, it wasn’t my neighborhood, and it was a bit of a haul. This place isn’t supposed to be a “destination” restaurant, but it fills a niche and we feel it’s worth the drive. We got there only to learn that it was closed for a private event. I follow this restaurant on Twitter, and no message went out to warn us. We left pretty upset and the friends we were with probably won’t return. Such a missed opportunity to effectively communicate with their patrons.
I’m sure I could go on and on- talking about daily specials and events, but you already know how to use social networking correctly!
Most importantly- thanks for sharing with us your decision to stop smoking. I totally find myself rooting you on!
No offense Amelia, But at this time I have no reason to use twitter. Not being a jerk, it’s just not my deal. Perhaps if I had my own business it would fit my program, but for now it’s a non starter.
Steve
I don’t care if anyone uses any of these outlets. It’s not my place. What I do care about is the fact that this guy continued to rag on blogging while talking to a blogger (me). He knew in fact I am a blogger and had no issue telling me what I do is stupid and dribble.
I did not want to out him or his industry so I did not delve as much as maybe I should have to been clear of my point.
xo
A
when I first started blogging, my dad had a million questions for me and he was more concerned about me sharing my life with complete strangers. Seeing as I grew up online, it’s really all i’ve ever known from chat rooms to yahoo to aol to facebook. It’s not only blogging that strikes him as odd, it’s the whole process of how I get news versus how he does. He asks if I read that article on whatever story and I say “yep, saw it on Twitter or on the respective site.” His next question is always, “do you READ the newspaper?” Yes, I do, I just have my news available on several different platforms.
In the early 70′s there was the same discussion about microwave ovens. Now some homes and businesses choose not to use them but I have not had to explain what they do or how to use them in a long time.