Step Away from the Bright Shiny Object!

This is a post I’ve been pondering for some time. It’s the result of a bit of SME (social media exhaustion) and frustration with the focus on the latest-greatest-newest-widget – without focusing on the heart of what it is all about.

So – I’m writing to urge you to step away from the bright shiny object.

Don’t misunderstand.  This isn’t to say only the self-anointed social media gurus and experts should engage with the new channels of communication. Or that social media is only for a special few.

Because I truly do believe that social media is for the masses – that’s what gives it its power and relevance. Gen X, Gen Y, Millenniums, Boomers & beyond – it is for all of us.

As an individual, I believe it is a great way to connect and converse with friends, family, peers, classmates, colleagues, your community  – providing insights into the way we think, feel and react in ways never before experienced. It is a wonderful way to get a pulse on what is inspiring, exciting, traumatizing, entertaining and/or energizing those people that you choose to connect with. Finding out what matters to them at this moment.

But for a cause, an organization, and especially a business – it’s not a space you should jump into with no forethought, no planning, and with no focus on the key question…What are you trying to accomplish?

That point was driven home when during a presentation by tech evangelist and SVP of Fleishman Hillard Matthew Dickman, who spoke at the Idaho Conference on Recreation and Tourism I was attending. Suffice to say he was fabulous and inspiring. You can see his full presentation deck here Some of his memorable comments:

• Social media is people connecting to people via technology – it’s that simple
• It’s no longer about spamming a million people to convert a thousand people. The new formula is reaching the right 10 people who reach 100 people who reach 1,000.
• Choice is growing exponentially
• Make your online content easily shareable and easily remixed
• David has the advantage over Goliath
• Beware of Bright Shiny Object Syndrome

And that last bullet is what stuck with me the most.

Not to dampen enthusiasm for engaging with social media – but lately it has felt that everyone is more enraptured with the technology – the shiny object if you will – then what they are actually saying, and who they are trying to listen to or talk with.

Not a day goes by that someone doesn’t ask me about Twitter and getting on it. Now, I could speak all day about how I utilize Twitter and why I think it’s a great way to listen, learn and engage. But that isn’t always at the forefront of why people are enamored with climbing on board the social media wagon.

Don’t let the pressure of ‘everyone’s doing it’ force your hand. For your business or organization, approach it the same way you would any other strategic decision – with thought and purpose.

Stop, breathe deeply , think through your who’s and why’s, strategize, and then move forward to the ‘how’. Because that is what social media opens up to you – a new ‘how’ for communicating and engaging.

Because ultimately, it is not a fad. Technology elevating our ability to communicate and connect is here to stay – and will continue to evolve and impact every facet of our lives.

“If you do not like change you’re going to like irrelevance even less” Gen. Eric Shineski (via @mattdickman)

-Jess