I’m Getting Fit by Playing Catch-Up?!
Get your media strategy in shape by playing a bit of catch-up!
I’ve talked a lot about feeling behind, poor time-management or simply getting with the times. Today I want to encourage others to make that bold effort to step out, put the running shoes on and hit the pavement. Catch up to the world around you by learning something new everyday. Here’s how I did it myself.
I was slow to join Myspace and I joined Facebook at the same time. To this day I do not think I have a full grasp on all of the features of either. So when I started my business I quickly realized that if I wanted to ride the new ‘Social Media Wave’ I had to play a lot of catch-up.
It’s a lot to handle at once. I meet a lot of clients that are in the same boat I was. When realizing that you’re in a technology sink-hole you cannot ignore it. That’s the first mistake. The second mistake is that people avoid asking for help because they get embarrassed. Trust me, I know EXACTLY how that feels…
So after I realized I couldn’t ignore my sink-hole and because I don’t like asking for help I found a great friend: Google News. There I found my way to the Sci/Tech section where I became even more baffled by what I read. I do not speak tech jargon. I do not know more about computers other than email, internet and turning the darn thing on. Call me simple, but finding news that wasn’t on TMZ, PerezHilton, MSNBC or WFAA was a revelation. A very daunting revelation at that.
I’ve known many people who have quit at this step. What sites do you trust? What does any of this mean? Am I doomed? I was flabbergasted. I have spent over 15 years in the ‘traditional’ media. New online media is gaining strength and at the time I didn’t have any experts on staff to help my clients with websites, social media or networking. I was alone getting my clients on television, radio and in the newspaper. But I knew that soon clients would come to me to answer their online media questions and I needed to prepare.
After a day or two of browsing these new sites I found a friend gave me an analogy that helped a ton. It was suggested that I approach learning about online media like I approach working out in a gym. You can’t lift all of the weights on the first day. You can’t run that seven-minute mile right away. You can, however, get your feet wet and pick up a light weight. You can run a half-mile the first time. You won’t be a gym pro by any means, but you’ll catch-up. You just have to get ‘fit’ before you become an expert.
Slowly, over a week or two, I read a few articles here and there that interested me. Most importantly, I focused on those that I understood. I learned new things, heard the latest rumors and found myself reading more and more. I found new ideas to execute and when I went to add to my team – I knew exactly what I wanted. My business has grown significantly and it was all because I took the reigns and grew my media strategy to encompass something new.
It’s essential to my clients now too. Everytime I visit Wired News, ZDNet and CNet there’s something new or revealing that makes my business better. It allows me to offer more to my clients. I’m not a full six-pack of online media muscle, but I’m definitely well-versed and able to keep up with the best of them.
Hope everyone’s week is going well! Shoot back with some of your favorite sites and I’ll see you back on Friday!
Tell a Friend,
TZ
Tony Zazza, a 15-year media, marketing and advertising expert, is the Principal of Zazza Media Strategies, a Dallas Texas Marketing Firm, that specializes in growing small to medium sized businesses to their fullest potential.
