I attended the Social Media Camp Workshop this past Monday at the Nanaimo Convention Centre. I was fully expecting to be in the company of younger IT types, with a group of no more than 50 people. It was to my surprise that there were 155 who attended the 'camp', and they were ALL business people of all ages. I am astonished at how our older generation is understanding the benefits, and even embracing Social Media as a part of their business strategy.
The question was posed, "if your business is not on LinkedIn or Facebook yet, or you aren't Twittering at least 3 times a day, WHY are you making it so difficult for people to connect with you?!" Social Media is the future of business networking. Social Media is not considered advertising, rather it's aboutbuilding and fostering relationships. It is a give and take. One can glean valuable information in their relevant field by asking questions (or by 'following' their competitors unbeknown to them), as well, they can share their expertise with others in their cyber 'communities'.
I felt it was noteworthy how important it is for a company to have a "Homebase" (their website), then their "Outposts", which is their Social Media. After attending the 'camp', I came away feeling slightly anxious, as I feel I am the one running behind! It's NOT all young IT guys that are on board with Social Media, it is now the average business owner. To my surprise, many of these are already well connected in this new world. They've built a community of people who support them and likewise. Social Media is not something to fear, nor to criticize as a 'popularity contest', nor to be deemed a 'time waster', (some of my past claims). Social Media is truly a smarter and more efficient way to do business. One can reach a very large audience with very little time and effort. It was a great workshop; I found it inspiring and am convinced that this is where every business needs to be.
Bridgette McKamey, Project Manager