“It’s a dialogue, not a monologue, and some people don’t understand that. Social media is more like a telephone than a television.”
Amy Jo Martin
I wrote this blog in 2014. It’s even more prophetic today. Here it is again, unedited:
Some of you may remember the classic line from Tweety Bird whenever he/she saw Sylvester the Cat conspiring to attack and have poor Tweety Bird as a munchy snack – “I tawt I taw a puddy tat. I did! I did! I taw a puddy tat.” Such an observation usually led to a pretty bad situation for Sylvester.
Tweety Bird is like the small, nameless blue bird under the Twitter logo. And if you don’t deal with it, you may see the same fate as poor Sylvester the Cat.
The firm just completed its 2014 Partner Meeting in Houston and it was a great time. However, one of my most telling moments was when Prof. Richard Susskind, author of Tomorrow’s Lawyers, asked for a show of hands from those who used Twitter. Of the more than 600 attendees, I don’t think more than 25 raised their hands. He didn’t ask about Facebook, LinkedIn, Instagram, or any other social media site. But his message was clear: get connected.
Regarding social media engagement, at least at the partner level, we’re a bunch of Luddites. And while having a few Luddites is good, they must be the exception, not the rule.
So, let’s get to the bottom line: Why participate in social media networks? The answer couldn’t be more straightforward: Because our clients and competitors are engaging in social media networks.
If you don’t feel comfortable tweeting on Twitter or posting on Facebook, you don’t have to. You can become a passive participant and use the platforms to keep up-to-date on what others say and post. Not participating at all really isn’t a viable competitive alternative.
It’s really very easy. Start with Twitter, Facebook, and LinkedIn. Simply log on to their sites and register. Choose some folks to follow on Twitter, friends on Facebook, and connect with on LinkedIn. Or search for someone. The platforms will make suggestions. It all works amazingly well.
One suggestion: Decide whether you’ll use any platform to post personal or business information. Or both. For me, I only post business matters. But there is no reason not to post both. And even if you only post business matters, that should not prevent you from posting comments on others’ posts, whether business or personal.
The alternatives are simple: Get online or get left behind.
