Last week I went hunting for a new entrepreneur who had disappeared from Twitter. I discovered that she hadn\u2019t closed her account, but hadn\u2019t participated for months. She had posted some interesting things so I wondered why she’d gone quiet. I sent her a message\u00a0inquiring into her whereabouts and got a quick, but terse, reply saying, \u201cDecided Twitter\u2019s not for me.\u201d<\/p>\n
She\u2019s not the first person I\u2019ve heard voice such an opinion, of course. Another more seasoned entrepreneur, who is currently struggling, refuses to even consider social networking, blogging or any of the handy free tools at her disposal that could ultimately open new avenues of opportunity for her. In fact, she\u2019s never understood the concept of e-mail as a form of conversation.<\/p>\n
At the same time, almost everyone agrees that the best marketing–even in our sophisticated high tech world–is word of mouth. As Gary Vaynerchuk<\/a>, host of Wine Library TV, told CNN, \u201cTwitter is word of mouth on steriods.\u201d \u00a0Why wouldn’t you want to take the time to be part of that? \u00a0At the very least, it’s an opportunity to promote other joyfully jobless folks. In fact, many social networkers enjoy giving support as much as they enjoy receiving it. (Not surprisingly, they’re the same ones getting lots of support in return, I’ve noticed.)<\/p>\n New entrepreneurs, especially those who are nervous about marketing, tend to hide out behind conventional forms of advertising, keeping a distance as it were. What they fail to realize is that all of us like to do business with people we know and like. And we can’t like you if you don’t let us get to know you.<\/p>\n When it comes to marketing, to creating visibility, to expanding your reach, what\u2019s your sign? I’m not talking about billboards or astrology here. I’m talking about the subtle signs that convey your attitude.<\/p>\n Alas, I see a lot of Do Not Disturb signs, almost daring anyone to come close. That is not the path to healthy longevity in business. If you\u2019re going to succeed, you\u2019ll find a Welcome Mat is far more effective. Connect, collaborate, welcome newcommers into your life. You never know when you’re the answer to somebody’s prayer.<\/p>\n Man without a smiling face must not open a shop. ~ Chinese proverb<\/em><\/p>\n \u00b0\u00b0\u00b0\u00b0\u00b0\u00b0\u00b0\u00b0\u00b0\u00b0\u00b0\u00b0\u00b0<\/span><\/em><\/p>\n