. . . PS

My last blog asked if entering the world of Social Media had "all been worth it"? So here's what happened next . . .

A week last Saturday around 5.30pm I let my year-old pup out. He didn't come back.  By 10.30pm I had done all that i could - I was beside myself with worry! What more could I do?

Lost Poster

Then it dawned on me that I should use Facebook and Twitter.  I posted a picture of Bertie and asked my contacts to share the picture.  A huge boost came when Kerry Sykes posted his picture and details on her "What's On Calendar" page. Someone thought they had seen Bertie at Sands Recreation ground that evening!

At 8am the next morning I took my weary, anxious heart for yet another trip around Holmfirth.  Imagine my amazement when every person I asked said they had seen Bertie's picture on Facebook and were looking out for him!  I even heard complete strangers calling out his name at Sands!!

As it happens Bertie made his own way home by 11 the next day - tired, filthy and sick but otherwise absolutely fine.

One Tired Puppy

From 10.30 on Saturday night to 8am Sunday morning Bertie's picture had been viewed by over 10,000 people and over 500 people were commenting and looking for him!

The power of Social Media finally dawned on me! This was a little dog - imagine if it has been a child?  WOW!

Bertie now has celebrity status in Holmfirth people recognise him wherever we go. A few days after losing him I went to a meeting for Honley Business Association.  When one man expressed his dislike of Facebook I smiled and began to tell Bertie's story at which point I was interrupted by half the room exclaiming "Oh! Was that your dog?".  I had never met these people before!

So when I previously suggested  that it was preferable to have a mixture of being "liked on Facebook" and then for those people to come over and "shake my hand" I got just what I asked for!
My last blog asked the question was the effort worthwhile - answer - absolutely!

I have now had a very clear and personal lesson, not only to how powerful a medium Facebook/Twitter  are but also how compassionate and unifying they can be!

Social/ Anti-Social Media?

As a woman used to using her hands for a living, I have recently exercised my brain - and what a work out its had! - trying to be liked on Facebook, endorsed on LinkedIn, Favourited on Twitter and heaven only knows what on Google+!  So "why?" you may ask.

Back in 1991 I launched my new business.  I did so by placing adverts in the newspapers and touring the circuit delivering talks to local groups such as the WI.   It was very successful. So much so that word-of-mouth carried me through the next couple of decades.

Now, my daughter has gone to university, I have more time.  Time to take on new customers and time to learn how to use Social Media in order to attract them.

It has been a mind-boggling exercise.  So much more involved than I had ever imagined.  It all seemed so easy! I mean, teenagers use social media all the time and they seem barely able to co-ordinate a hand-to-mouth movement!

Not only that but the very topic seems to ignite very strong reactions all round.  From those, well-versed in the art of social media there is a feint air of incredulity that I am so woefully ignorant.  From others, and I quote "I am not a footballer or a footballer's wife, so I have no need of Twitter.  I am not a teenager so have no use for Facebook and I haven't even heard of the rest!" They seem quite affronted that I would see them as "those sort of people"!

The lovely and very patient Janet Bebb of Social Progress.co.uk  says it is simply the modern equivalent of walking into a room and introducing yourself.  I know how to do that! It involves eye contact, body language, a smile and a handshake.

Using this medium needed a lot of help. The wonderful Helen J Bray to take my portrait so I didn't look gruesome, Terry Savage from Savage Advertising Services Ltd  to tell me what to say and how to say it and I would've been lost without Jon Burdon from Branch Out Websites to guide me through how to present myself!  Has it all been worthwhile?

I realise that this is the modern world and certainly acknowledge its worth but how do you read a person's body language over the internet? How about a mixture of both -"like" me on Facebook then come over and shake my hand?

What do you think?