Two well-known social media experts have questioned whether we as consumers have created a monster of our own making.
Maureen Henderson’s post on Forbes.com listed three reasons “Why you should quit social media”. First, it harms your self esteem as you are constantly comparing yourself to your peers. Second, your blood pressure will thank you. Third, online is no substitute for offline.
As a marketing and fund development specialist, I found the third most intriguing. Whether you are creating top of mind awareness for your brand, or just showing friends you care, nothing beats the goodwill of picking up the phone or penning a handwritten note.
Some of us who follow Brian Solis, were a bit surprised this week when he stated that “the line between work and life isn’t blurred, it’s been overtly crossed and erased.” My take away from his post is that competition for relevance has created a culture that erases all boundaries between work and play.
I agree with both authors. So my resolution for 2013 is to find a better balance between social media time for Canter Consulting and time for interacting the old-fashioned way—person to person. A resolution isn’t achievable without tactics. Here are mine. I will analyze and prioritize which social media tools can best help me achieve my goals for Canter Consulting as well as for my personal life. That’s a no-brainer. My second tactic is more difficult. I will adopt and continually reinforce the mantra that it is ok not to be connected 24/7. The world won’t end. My clients won’t leave me, and my friends won’t desert me.
Wish me luck. Just don't do it via Twitter or Facebook.
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