The concept that technology and social media is making us anti-social isn’t a new one. Just Google it and see. There is no denying that social media is opening up the doors for communication and providing us with opportunities that may otherwise have been impossible. It certainly has for me. However, I’d hazard a guess that many of us aren’t taking those relationships and/or opportunities offline in order to seize their full potential.
While I have benefited immensely from social media, it some ways, it’s also hindering my business when it comes to my communication skills. Though many are surprised to hear this, I can be a pretty shy person in real life. Until I get to know someone, I’m often the quietest person in a room. This isn’t because I’m guarded or intentionally anti-social, plain and simple, I’m just shy. Nothing wrong with that. However, if technology is allowing you to avoid dealing with that shyness/self-confidence/whatever, I do believe you’ll begin to see the effects trickle over into your business where a lack of confidence isn’t invited to the table.
Think about it. It’s far easier to exude confidence in an email or online situation. We have all the time in the world to script a typed communication that’s laced with conviction and self-confidence. Yet, ask yourself this… could you do that via the phone or face-to-face? If your answer is no, you may want to assess how your reliance on online communications is effecting your business today and potentially in the future.
Often when my cell rings, I’ll let it go to voice-mail and later respond via email. Rather than set up an face-to-face meeting with someone, I’ll drive all communications through online venues. When talking in person with someone about my business, a quick exchange of URLs/email addresses will occur. While all of these scenarios are certainly convenient, I do believe this convenience can manifest into a problem overtime. If we are constantly by-passing face-to-face interactions in favor of online interactions, is it safe to say that for many our communication skills in person will begin to deteriorate?
Case in point (and this is one of many I could share), James and I were in a very high-end store here in Toronto a little while ago. Amongst other things, this store offers stationery – primarily for weddings – but also other paper goods. While I chose to walk around the store as inconspicuous as possible, James being a very outgoing person, walked up to a chap sat at a desk and plain out asked for the buyer. Turns out, he was the buyer and I was suddenly forced to communicate face-to-face about my business.
Did I have the same confidence/conviction as I would have via email? No. I didn’t have the time to “script” the perfect pitch and so I fumbled my way through the conversation. Sure, I walked away with his business card, but did I do my business justice? No. While that awkward interaction may be forgotten when I approach him for a possible wholesale opportunity, if I overlook the fact that I’m relying too much on online interactions and my communication skills in person are deteriorating as a result, I will continually fumble my way through face-to-face interactions and eventually it will be remembered.
Therein potentially lies the problem. The strategies and confidence we play out and display online need to extend offline too. The time we invest in building our “online presence” and relationships needs to be invested in our offline communications/personalities also. Both are equally important and combined can significantly drive the growth of your business. While you can certainly play in the online world with great success, if you can’t play face-to-face with the same confidence, the only person you’ll exclude is yourself and ultimately your business.
So, my question to you is this… while you may be navigating the world of social media with confidence and conviction are you doing so face-to-face as well? Or are you relying too much on online communications and becoming a technology recluse?
Photo Credit: aftab
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