How Small is your World?

Social networking allows you to play to a larger audience than ever before.  Think about my grandparents going to the theatre to see newsreels about what was happening in World War II.  Then as everyone was adopting television there were less than a handful of channels to watch.  Heck, just drop-back a few years to when “snail-mail” was a critical form of communication because long-distance was so expensive.  Then came faxes, instant messages, email, blackberries, Facebook, blogs and viral YouTube videos.  I’m working on a new song parody, so I’ve listened to the original song on Youtube, which has had 124 million views (that’s an eighth of a billion.)  This morning as I push the “send” buttons, this message will reach about 250 jewellers in several provinces and maybe up to 10 countries.

While the world becomes smaller and easier to reach; you still can’t email a sympathetic look.  You can’t YouTube a hug.  The technology doesn’t exist for you to digitally slide a ring onto a person’s finger and hold their hand-up for them to admire the look and feel of an amazing jewellery design.

The jewellery industry in particular needs the close and personal touch.  Don’t get so carried away with social media and digital marketing that you forget that it’s only a “lead generator.”  The stories I’ve heard of people coming into your store because one of their friends had a great experience and Facebooked about it, still ended with that “lead” coming into your store and experiencing your excellence of product and service.

Your challenge for the day?  Try to get the song It’s a Small World out of your head.