Back in the earl
y days, business was done eyeball to eyeball and with a handshake. If you looked away too early you couldn’t be trusted. If you dressed wrong, you couldn’t be trusted.
It was a very visual experience in many cases because you always did business looking at the person, their body language and “how” they responded as much as what they said. Oh, and don’t forget the “gut instinct factor” where if something just didn’t “feel right” you were out. And if you didn’t come prepared to “name drop” about the other people you knew in common, you were under great suspicion. I’m too young to have lived in those days – wait a minute, we’re still in those days! Meeting people and doing business face-to-face is still how the majority of business gets done. But what about all this new technology we have today and even social media? Where does that fit into this equation?
Wait, but what about the telephone. Back in the early days (somewhere around 1930) they were selling phones door-to-door to businesses and I’m sure received a very similar response as someone might get today with social media. I’m sure the conversation went something like this, “Greetings Mr./Mrs. Business Owner, I have something amazing to show you that you need to have to better and more effectively talk and communicate with your customers. It’s called a TELEPHONE and you simply buy one to sit on everyone’s desk. You also will need a couple other things – an equipment room with a switchboard and several new secretaries, about 1 for every 10 employees, to answer them so they can send the calls directly to your phone.”
How well do you think that went over – or more importantly, how easy do you think that was to sell? This had to be one tough sales job for people back then. Do you think the CEO might have said something like, “We don’t need some new fangled gadget to talk to our customers, we use face-to-face meetings, letters, and Western Union (wow, that is old, what happened to those guys), and have for decades. Why do we need something like this? Besides, what’s the ROI on these new phone systems? Why would our customers buy one or want to call us on it when we can meet with them face-to-face anyway?
Within a decade, no one asked about the ROI of the telephone – it was a staple for every business to REMAIN IN BUSINESS. Any of this starting to sound familiar? There isn’t anyone spending time figuring out the ROI of the telephone these days – probably not even a cell phone any longer. In the next 10 years, or most likely less, social media will be like the telephone. It will be THE WAY WE TALK TO CUSTOMERS and no one will be asking about the ROI because the ROI will be that you are still in business to answer the question…
10 years ago, there were still many business owners that said, “Website, why would I need one of those?” [when I have a telephone to use… LOL]
You are right, of course. Adoption takes time, and were still relatively early in the game with the social media. Ultimately, they will be come an integrated part of a business’ marketing toolkit, complementing some items and replacing others.
Russ-
Thanks for your comment – and exactly my point. We KNOW we will be there at some point so why resist – it is better to put your energies into trying to figure you “HOW” you can change rather than “resisting” the change. Appreciate your thoughts…
Blaine
As a consumer I find it easier to communicate with companies via social media. This last winter here in the Pacific Northwest we endured a snow storm quickly followed by an ice storm which knocked out power for so many of us. It was through Twitter that we stayed in touch with the utility companies. We stayed in the loop via social media.
John…
I wish you were inside the brains of most CEOs out there – that is exactly what I try to help them understand. When they get engaged, they get it, but before that, it is a battle for sure for them to see this.
I like your story – if you don’t mind I will use it in some of my speeches and give you full credit. Thanks for taking time to share…
Blaine
I don’t mind at all. I’ve noticed that reluctance can AF also come from employees at many levels, not just those steering the ship. A major insurance company that I worked for has been going through major changes. I noticed that many employees were reluctant and failed to see the importance of social media. An agent in Oregon uses various social media platforms very well. He presented to the whole division and woke some people up. It was good to see.
Regards
Yes, Insurance companies and financial services companies and a host of others are still in the “Laggard” category. They are avoiding it as long as possible. But when someone see’s how effective it can be, the light at least starts to go on and they move a little bit closer to getting out of the dark.
I tell a story in my speeches and use various references to the telephone, the computer, the cell phone, the internet – today they are “expected forms of business” and no one is asking why you use them or even the ROI of them any longer…so is the path for social media. It is truly our next industrial revolution and those that don’t resist stand to benefit – the others, well we know what happens to them…
Blaine