I started a meeting off the other day with a potential client by saying, “So, how do you feel about social media?” He says, “I feel as if it is the detriment to our society and will end our culture as we know it.” Ouch! However, he really made me start to think about how social media is changing our world. We have all heard the negative stories with social media, cell phone use and the internet. I truly feel that we are all responsible to be an example of how to use these technologies.
Please keep these tips in mind
1. Don’t leave your cell phone out while eating.
Checking your phone while in a conversation with some is very rude. Yes, we are doing this but friends; just get a watch. You know you will check the phone and get distracted by some bright shinny object and end up missing the point of the conversation.
2. Online 24/7
How did my cell phone become a convenience for you? I thought it was a convenience for me. I thought these technologies would give me more time? Checking your status update, email and text messages 100 times a day is a waste of your time. Try to think about a few things that you should be doing instead. Maybe helping a charity, learning a new language or reading a book.
3. Settings are very important!
Knowing the difference between public and private settings is very important. You need to understand what they are and how to use them. If you would like a free overview on how to eliminate the posts about what your friend had for dinner; while keeping them as a friend please email me.
4. Help teenagers with this new responsibility.
First of all, the online regulations require you to be at least 13 years old. Giving your child unlimited and unknown access to the internet is a very bad plan. You need rules and guidelines to help manage this. How many of you have seen someone’s child post something inappropriate online? What did you do about it? Go to our Facebook pages and let me know what they said and how you handled it. (www.facebook.com/bluefrogmarketing) We all need to help them understand why posting a negative photos and comments, will have a negative effect on their lives down the road. Teach them to talk on the phone, handle conflict in person and over all respect for themselves and their friends. Email me for a free contract for your teen to sign prior to starting their social media journey.
Remember, we are all in this together! No one knows where technology is headed. If we all agree to have a social media, email and phone etiquette, it will change the way we are headed.
