You may not "like" it, but it's here to stay

"You can't beat picking up a phone and just talking to people." If only I had a penny for every time a social sceptic has said that to me!

There's a couple of issues here that are worth thinking about.

The first thing is that there have always been late adopters for any new technology (although social media can hardly be called "new" any more). I can remember companies declaring that they'd never use email as a letter was "far more personal" and that if they'd wanted to talk to someone they'd pick up the phone. Sound familiar?

Eventually, all new fangled technology either becomes mainstream or dies out. The problem for a business comes when there's a refusal to adopt "new" ideas that their customers consider mainstream. That mismatch of communication styles can be fatal for a company.

You don't have to like social media, but you do have to take it seriously. If you wait until your lack of engagement affects your bottom line then it may be too late to recover.

There are still a number people I meet when I'm out networking that only want to talk to people in person. This brings me on to my second issue...

Only using one form of communication severely limits your reach and influence. We all have our preferred methods whether that be face to face, phone, print, email or social media. However, to broaden our customer base then we need to have a presence on as many communication channels as we can manage effectively.

Of course social media won't replace meeting people in person, the telephone didn't do that either! What it does give you is a very powerful tool to use in your business that works with all your other activities.

Generation Y is growing up. They are your new customers. Make sure you're there to meet them on their own ground.

Is your business ready for Generation Y?

There's some debate as to when "Generation Y" came into being. My personal preference is to cite the start of the 1990s. Whatever the academic niceties of the exact timing, the characteristics of this generation cannot be ignored by business.

Imagine a world where the Internet has always existed. Phones have always been mobile. CDs are cumbersome. You have always been able to shop online. Your first port of call for information is always a search engine, not a book. You don't buy a newspaper, you read your news online. If you don't like what's on TV, you find something you do want to watch on the Internet. If you want a takeaway, you order it online and someone delivers it to your door.

On demand, online, 24/7... Welcome the world of Generation Y.

These young people are now in the workplace and at University. They're an influential lot too. How many parents/grandparents have joined Facebook so they can keep in touch with Generation Y? How many employers are facing a rising pressure to accept social media to be as much a part of work life as the ubiquitous watercooler?

Now, consider your business from their viewpoint:

Can you be found - easily - online?
If the answer is "no" then Generation Y won't come looking for you. There will somebody else there to pick up the business.

Is your virtual presence polished?
Does your shop/website work flawlessly?
Do you make it easy for people to conduct business online with you?
Do you engage with your customers in several ways online?

"No" to any of these will mean that Generation Y will scroll passed you to someone that does business the way that they want. You'll also have to keep an eye out for the online fallout - Generation Y share their opinions freely!

A step change in consumer behaviour is a rare occurrence. Make sure you don't get left behind.