The Time Is Now To Address Social Media

Well, like it or not, social media is not going away. With users increasing daily, small businesses need to realize the fact that social media is here to stay. However, with the continued development of Twitter, Facebook, LinkedIn, YouTube and other web tools, there is an unprecedented opportunity for small business to take advantage of low-cost and even no-cost marketing tools. Now is the time for small business to address social media.

Recent surveys have found the majority of small businesses are not taking advantage of social media - either from lack of understanding or lack of time. It is a tough spot to be in but the benefits are clear - direct communication with your target market equals an increased potential for sales.

A simple way to get started is to begin in one place - start with just one of the social media platforms. Learn what you can, enlist help from others you know, read articles and jump in. Keep in mind the purpose of social media is to build relationships with others. As a business, your goal is to build a network of connections that mean something to your company...and even more importantly, you want to offer valuable information about your business to your connections.

Free promotion is truly priceless. So now is the time for small business to get on the social media bandwagon and take their marketing message to whole new level - all for little or no-cost. Now that is a strategy you just can't beat and one that should be implemented sooner rather than later!

Ethical Standards Apply To Everyone

Within the last several weeks, there has been a flurry of news about high-profile people engaging in less than appropriate behavior. From Roman Polanski's 22-year flight from justice to David Letterman's admission of relationships with women working on his show, the details of their actions have been reported and discussed all over the world.

I have heard it said more than once over the last few weeks that as an example, these two men are a part of a "different professional environment" where the standards are different, than say a politician or a Fortune 500 CEO. It has been suggested that the entertainment industry is not necessarily subject to the same ethical standards that other professionals or industries are. To me, that is a convenient way to avoid accountability.

The reality is, ethical standards are just that...a level of quality and excellent actions viewed as the customary pattern of behavior by our society. There is no room for exceptions in this consideration...actions viewed as appropriate and ethical for business are universal.

So I ask you to consider all business circumstances under the same ethical umbrella. It is never acceptable for a superior to sleep with a subordinate...it is never acceptable to steal or misuse company property...it is never acceptable...and the list goes on and on, without exception for profession or industry.