So someone asks you: "What's your Twitter name?" And you
look at them like they are a loony. Twitter? Huh?
And then the next person asks you, "You blog, right? What's
the URL?"
Hold it. What happened? In the seeming blink of an eye,
suddenly there's all this new so-called 'social media' on
the web, and you know nothing about it.
What's worse, is that everyone else seems to be there
already. It's like you went to the bathroom, and when you
came out, the party moved on, leaving you in a dark room
with empty glasses all around you.
Time to drop everything and catch up with the party...
quickly! Quickly!
And let's say you catch up with the party...
You've got your blog, your Twitter name, and all of those
things. And no matter how fast you run with it all, it
doesn't seem to be making much of a difference.
The world IS moving, you can't safely ignore it. And yet
chasing after it isn't working. What to do?
Innovation is a no-no.
There is a teaching in Sufism that speaks against
innovation. Well, not all innovation, and only in certain
circumstances.
This is sometimes where people get the idea that Islam is
anti-science or anti-progress. Not true.
In the twelth century, during Europe's 'dark ages,' Islamic
culture had some of the most advanced universities,
scientists, and doctors in the world, at the very cutting
edge of modern technology. The problem with innovation is
that it can feed on itself.
Innovation is forbidden when it becomes a false idol.
We've come to think about technology as 'computers' or
'science.' But, the word 'technology comes from the Greek
'tekhnologia' meaning, an interest in an 'art or craft'
(Oxford American Dictionaries).
The problem comes when someone studies technology for its
own sake. For our personalities, our egos, the lure of
'newness' is strong. New sensations and learnings can
encompass all of our attention, immerse us in the
experience.
This can be a good, because immersion is a great way to
learn. The problem is that with something like all the
innovation happening in web technology, is that there is no
defined 'end' point. There is no way to tell externally
when you've done enough.
If you get caught in this loop, you can emerge months or
years later, having totally lost track of the path you are
on.
The irony is- people want connection. The irony of
web-based social media like blogs and Twitter is that it's
coming out of the deeper hunger to connect to community, to
love, to Source. Yet all of this innovation in the internet
can leave you exhausted and isolated- even if you're good
at it and like it.
As you may already know, that connection you're yearning
for is in your heart, not Twitter. It's in the hearts of
other people, not in the technology. If you forget that,
you'll be lost. By remembering your true intention, then
technology can be useful to you.
So do I blog and Twitter, or not?
Well, I'll give you a definitive answer: it depends. :) It
depends on your business, and the hearts of the people you
are trying to reach.
If you work with younger adults or teens, or with engineers
or gadget geeks, then yes, you're going to want to meet
them where they are, which is usually on the cutting edge
of the latest toys. If you don't, it may not be as
critical. And, even if you suspect that a good portion of
your audience is found in the 'blogosphere' as it's
sometimes called, there's still no need to be so urgent
about it.
How do you proceed? Well, take breath, connect to your
heart, and let's take a look.
Keys to Technology
• Your current website and newsletter is not obsolete!
Don't panic and discard what you've got now. Just because
all of this new stuff is out there doesn't mean what you
already have isn't perfect for what you're doing. My
bicycle is more than fifteen years old, and it gets me
around just fine. And, if you haven't even gotten your
website done yet, it's still more than worthwhile to finish.
• You don't need the latest, just adequate. Unless your
business is about social media and cutting-edge web
technology, in which case you probably aren't even reading
this article (hiya!), then forget about Twitter, Pownce,
Digg, Stumble-Upon, del.icio.us for right now. You don't
need anything but entry-level basic. Just start reading
some blogs, without being in a rush. Here's a few to start
with:
Dawud Miracle
Michael Martine
Adam Kayce
• Set a 1-3 month 'safe zone' of learning.
As you begin to learn, tell yourself that you don't have to
do anything about it for one to three months, that you are
just going to learn. It will work even better if you find a
friend or colleague who can give you an hour or three for a
personal guided tour of this stuff.
This approach doesn't just apply to blogs, but it applies
to most anything new you need to learn about your business.
And, once you understand the basics, the more obscure
pieces will come MUCH more quickly.
You might actually find yourself enjoying the technology. :)
With blogs and other social media, remember that technology
is just a tool, and that the craft you are studying is not
blogs. You are involved with the craft of connection, and
you're just learning a new tool to do what you already know
something about.
Don't let gurus rush you. Take a breath, and dip in. You
may find that all of this innovation and technology can
actually increase your connection to what you care about
most.
----------------------------------------------------
Mark Silver is the author of Unveiling the Heart of Your
Business: How Money, Marketing and Sales can Deepen Your
Heart, Heal the World, and Still Add to Your Bottom Line.
He has helped hundreds of small business owners around the
globe succeed in business without lousing their hearts. Get
three free chapters of the book online:
http://www.heartofbusiness.com
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