Tuesday 11 June 2013

. . . 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!