Face Time

A couple of years ago, I sat in a room with a hundred or so college students and more than a few aftermarket veterans.

It was “Aftermarket Day” at Georgian College’s Canadian Automotive Institute, and you could easily tell which group anyone there fell into by the colour of their hair. If their hair wasn’t white, there was a pretty good chance they were a student.

Of course there were other clues too–like if they showed up like they said they would, they were probably not a student. I still feel a bit sorry for the young fellow who could have walked away with a pricey laptop as a prize just for showing up, if he had only bothered to actually show up. (Okay, so I only feel a bit sorry.) It’s a good life lesson though: you never know what you’re missing.

One thing I did notice that was missing–amidst all the talk of the industry, its marketing works, what methods were being used, and what was most effective– was any reference to social media.

That’s right, not a single mention of Facebook, Twitter, or any social media, even as the conversations segued to the use of the Internet and marketing. Let me be clear here: I’m not just talking about the grizzled attendees; none of the students mentioned any of this stuff either.

Today, it’s hard to imagine any conversation, let alone one about marketing, that doesn’t have the word “Facebook” inserted.

Now, I am not a technophile, or Facebook-phile, or whatever you want to call it. But I have recognized that what has become known collectively as social media can be a powerful tool for staying connected.

I finally had to get a Facebook page because there were so many conversations going on there that I started feeling a bit left out. A lot left out, actually. Every-thing from information about community group meetings to invitations to events were only being communicated via Facebook.

There is no question that it has a role to play in many people’s lives.

The big question is, though, what role does it play in business? There are ongo-ing attempts to make Facebook work for business, but in my estimation the jury is still out. There’s something about trying to sell me, your friend, that rubs me the wrong way. It reminds me of the time a friend of mine got a job at an insurance company and the next time a bunch of us got together at a pub he handed me his new business card and started with the spiel–wrong place, wrong time.

And that is the question businesses face with social media marketing: is it the right place, and if so, what is the right time? Twitter can be a great way to reach out, but is it for you?

One question you should not be asking yourself, however, is whether you should be learning about it. You should. Learn about the possibilities, and learn what you have to do to protect your business against the dark side of social media. Sadly, it’s not all gumdrops and lollipops out there.

You should get personally acquainted not only with the theory, but also the fact and tone of the conversations that populate social media. Absolutely do not leave it up to the under-30s at your business. Do it yourself. All it will cost is your time. I can’t tell you that it will be worth it for you, but you owe it to yourself to find out. — Andrew Ross, Publisher and Editor

aross@jobbernews.com

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