Stop Whining and Transform Your Small Business with Social Media
It ISN’T small business as usual anymore. The small business climate ISN’T predictable. This ISN’T the time to rely on your old small business marketing practices. And there certainly ISN’T time to spend complaining about what’s happening with your small business.
I hear all walks of businesses whining constantly about our tough times. But mostly though, that’s all it is….whining. So many small businesses are not taking advantage of social media and what it can offer them. Instead they spend their time whining and talking about how things used to be. They blame the economy, the consumer, the weather and anything else that they possibly can.
We all have to deal with the economy. It’s how you choose to react to it that is your defining moment in small business.
My opinion – from what I have experienced and listened to for the past couple of years is:
If small businesses continue to whine and to look to place blame, they won’t be in business much longer. Small businesses have GOT TO CHANGE how they do business. Some component of social media must be included in the way small businesses work.
Bottom line, the business climate has changed. It’s not on the verge of changing, in the process of changing, IT HAS CHANGED. It has evolved. Those who have not recognized and embraced the social media change will be history.
And yes, I do know exactly how daunting it is to have to change how you do business:
*I have already lived through that part.
*It was 6 months of hell learning everything I could about social media and getting our destination’s social media program launched. I put in the long hours in the middle of the night.
*I work, am a mom, sit on many boards, on and on and on and made the time to make sure I learned social media as did everyone else who has succeeded with this business change. Those who are doing well with social media didn’t make excuses as to why they couldn’t fit it in. They somehow made it work and you must do that too.
*And guess what, the learning NEVER stops. You have to stay on top of social media daily. There’s no doubt about that. It is work, it doesn’t come easily. But if you don’t do it, your small business is going to be in worse shape than it is now.
So Stop Whining. Wake up and realize that in order for your small business to get ahead, you’ve got to make changes. And it doesn’t stop with social media and your computer screen. Once you connect, you have to offer value, offer a reason to get people to walk in your door and you have to offer top-of-the-line customer service. Doing business with your small business must be a terrific all-round experience. It can’t be simply OK.
Who are you going to blame when your small business doesn’t make it? It’s not the customer’s fault. It’s not solely the economy’s fault. Social Media puts the control in your hands. Every day you are given 86,400 seconds of opportunity. If you don’t use some of those seconds to get something going soon, the blame rests solely with you.