During the Australian Tennis Open and there was a great deal of chatter about Rafael Nadal possibly having OCD tendencies. When the public was asked to comment, many people were upset with the person making the statement. Ours is the age of the death of experts in that comedians like Steve Harvey now give life skill coping advice that the general public favors over someone trained in the field.
This situation got me thinking, exactly how have we gotten to this point? And then it came to me that we as providers have failed to embrace technology to spread a message that says we understand how people are trying to live their lives and are able to provide something other than a label. Doctors get angry when patients consult Doctor Google and the rest of us speak in our jargon and insulate ourselves in Associations that sometimes become echo chambers for everyone doing the same thing despite the fact that that thing is probably rooted in what worked a long time ago.
As a former history major I can speak volumes on the benefits of a Liberal Arts education, but as a former Stockbroker I also appreciate the need to embrace technology and understand the tools of this century that allow us to, on a mass market level, spread a message that truly explains our worth. A few business or marketing courses in graduate training programs is a good start.
Technology has opened up a broad frontier where the barriers to entry have been dramatically lowered. Anyone can become a film maker with as little as a smart phone camera; the chance to blog about an issue important to you is practically free to the person with time and an inclination; influencing people around the world is open to anyone willing to start an online petition or other social media campaign, and money for all kinds of projects can come from “kick-starter” funding where people voluntarily give money to a cause to get it up and running. And yet, one has to wonder where are the helping profession film makers, bloggers, petition pushers to influence law makers, or non government organizations members using these sources where individuals willing to give a few dollars can turn into millions (think Wikipedia). We are still stuck in a model that says “this is the way we have always done it.” And because of that mindset are at the mercy of an increasingly libertarian “everyone is on their own” march into a seemingly bleaker future.
Below are a list of tools or sites that can help you become more familiar with tech and social media to ease your transition into presenting your message.
Skype: An internet based video phone service that has made getting setup almost effortless. The world wide service is free unless you opt for the upgraded pay program. You can purchase a microphone or a webcam that has a built-in microphone. Some webcams are HD for a crystal clear picture.
Audacity: A free feature rich audio editing program for both Windows and Mac that has been used to record and mix entire albums. As of 10 October 2011, it was the 11th most popular download with 76.5 million downloads.
Video editing software: There are a number of products to use depending on your desires or skill level. Cost can run from as low as $40 to $80. Don’t let the low cost fool you, a low cost program and be feature rich. Try doing an Amazon search for video editing software and decide what works best for you.
Blogger.com: A free blogging website offered by Google that offers template to make set up very simple. Once your account has been set up, you simply type in or copy and paste your blog post.
You Tube: Also a free service offered by Google where you can post the videos you have created with your video editing software. You Tube is fast becoming an alternative to TV programs and is always looking for content and pretty much has videos for any topic you could imagine.
Pinterest: One of the fastest growing sites where you pin or follow the pins of others. Women have primarily been its driving force but more and more businesses are moving to the platform.
Twitter: A microblogging site where members can read and post tweets or messages in 140 characters. A limit on the length of a tweet does not mean you can’t make friends, get information on articles, or post pictures; all of which you can do. And, it is possible to get into some interesting conversations once you find like minded groups.
Facebook: A social networking site that will allow you to interact and post items of interest to others. Keep in mind though that facebook is a closed system in that it attempts to be one stop self contained platform. A good number of businesses also use it to establish a social media presence.
To hear the full version of this post please listen to the podcast. It will walk you through why a broader technology presence is necessary and explains how to make it work.