Family Weekends

Cain spent the past long weekend at the vet, where we boarded him while we traveled out west to visit our son, daughter-in-law and grandson.  He never seems to resist going to the vet, thank goodness, but he’s clearly excited and ready to go when we come to take him home.  This time he nearly jumped through the car window when we pulled into our driveway and within seconds he was through the house and out the back door to his “kingdom” where he overlooks the yard and reigns supreme.

Over the past several years, our immediate family has grown and scattered, driven by love, careers and other economic factors.  Two weddings, multiple job pursuits and a grandson later, our expanded family now finds itself in three different states (after stops in five others), hoping to find some way to close the distance and get us back together again.  In the meantime, we all do our best to visit each other as much as possible, relying on cell phones, video calls, social media, emails and instant messanging to fill the gaps in between.

Weekend trips are, of course, the most realistic and practical option for seeing our kids these days, primarily due to work schedules and the scarcity of valuable vacation days.  And while we dearly cherish these short visits together, they do present some challenges, with time being the most precious.  Trying to balance the need to spend quality time together vs. the risk of smothering each other and disrupting individual freedoms and routines is often difficult.  Squeezing weeks and months of lost family time into a single weekend can be like slugging down a six-pack of Red Bull energy drinks – it gets you pumped up and overly-focused on enjoying each minute until all too soon true reality sets in and you come crashing down with the recognition that it’s time to leave.  Still, we always look forward to our trips to see our kids (or having them come see us).  And all of our visits are wonderful – at least for my wife and I.  This past weekend was another great one.

I think we’d all prefer the more even-keeled pace, frequent drop-ins and level of comfort that would come from living in the same city (or even same state!).  Hopefully we can find a way to make that happen soon – before the Red Bull runs out.

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Looks like the Red Wings will make the playoffs this year after all – we’re not used to having to sweat it out like this! 

Go Spartans – headed for the Final Four!

A Dog’s Tips on Using Social Media

It seems that everywhere you look, someone has come up with a “Top Ten List” to provide advice, make us laugh or otherwise spur a new controversy.  David Letterman made Top Ten lists famous and has even ventured into the world of social media with his “Top Ten Signs You Spend Too Much Time on Twitter” earlier this week (including Sign #6:  “You ask yourself, ‘What Would Jesus Tweet?'”).  A quick Google search will provide a “Top 20,200,000” list of social media top ten tips lists, confirming the fact that social media is, if nothing else, social!  Everyone has an opinion or their own expert advice on what works, what doesn’t, proper etiquette, best things about Twitter, worst things about Facebook, favorite sites, etc.  For me, I think it’s most important to stick with the basics and focus on those key things that will make social media tools and networks most effective for businesses; the core elements of a social media marketing approach and strategy that will help businesses grow. 

So, with an emphasis on fundamental success factors, basic common sense, considerable research on the success and failures of companies using social media, and after extensive consultation and observation of my Siberian Husky, Cain, during the past several months of morning walks and social interactions along the way, he and I offer the following tips on How Businesses (and Individuals) Can Be Most Successful Using Social Media:

1. Be the Best of Your Breed.  Be honest.  Be authentic.  If you’re a Siberian Husky, don’t masquerade as a greyhound.  Communicate your strengths, what value you offer to your customers.  Let them know that you really are man’s best friend.
2. Don’t Bark At Your Audience.  No one wants to hear you blatantly and incessently trumpet your obnoxious marketing message across the digital airwaves; you’ll only irritate and even scare your neighbors and potential customers.  Go for a more subtle approach; offer something valuable to them, roll over, do some tricks, give them a reason to watch or listen to you.
3. Don’t Follow Every Scent on the Trail.  Sure, there are millions of places to go online and plenty of opportunities to pursue through social media.  But without a focused strategy or a specific route to follow, you’ll never make it back from your walk around the block.  Do some research and develop the best plan you can that fits your business – then stick to it and give it a chance.  If it doesn’t work after awhile, you can always plan an alternate route.
4. Be the Alpha-Dog.  Be a leader through your social media interface to the world.  Be interesting.  Be proud.  Create a stir with your content and interactions online.  Stay visible and maintain a strong and ongoing digital presence.  This is not the time to be shy.  Why act like a poodle when you can be Great Dane?
5. Get Groomed.  Take special care when setting up your social media profiles and websites.  You don’t need literary or artistic masterpieces to describe how amazing your business is; just make it clear, to the point and relevant to who your customers are.  Build and maintain the image that truly reflects who you are and where you want to go. 
6. Wag Your Tail.  Be friendly.  Be conversational.  Engage your audience and let them know you’re approachable, if not excited to hear from them.  Interact.  Show enthusiasm.  They’ll want to play with you.
7. Confront Your Threats.  So what if the other dog is bigger or has a deeper growl?  He might turn out to be a friend, partner or ally.  Research your competition online and see what they’re doing with social media.  You’ll learn from them and make your business even stronger. 
8. Respect Your Master.  Don’t lose sight of who feeds you and your business – your customers.  Listen to them.  Be loyal.  Show them love when you’re with them and especially whenever they return.  Even an alpha-dog can’t survive on its own.
9. Stay Out of the Mud.  Don’t let your image get tarnished or polluted by others.  Slinging mud or wading into caustic waters online can leave a stain on your business that no shampoo can remove.  Sometimes you just have to turn up your nose and walk away.  And watch out for those skunks that might surprise you during those nighttime walks!
10. Protect Your Privacy.  You can be open and friendly – but don’t share your dirty laundry (like the pictures of that night at the kennel with the terrier; or the Japanese maple you killed by burying a ham-bone in its roots).  Implement just enough control to keep your company safe, without stifling your message.  No one wants to end up in the doghouse. 

March Madness starts tomorrow!  For the record, my final four is Kansas, Syracuse, Kentucky and West Virginia, with Kentucky beating Kansas for the National Championship.

Drawing a Crowd

Being a purebred Siberian Husky, Cain has evoked plenty of interest and comments from fellow dogwalkers, friends and random observers (or “randoms”, as my daughter calls them) wherever we go.  When we’ve taken him with us on roadtrips (usually defined as delivering him to or picking him up from my son’s latest place of residence), we’re always hearing comments of praise and admiration from people along the way, usually followed cautiously by “is he friendly?” or “will he bite?”.  While his wolfish appearance might seem threatening at first, I’ve found that school-age kids have the least amount of hesitation or fear in approaching him, followed in increasing order by older men, stay-at-home moms, owners of “kick-me”-type dogs (ie. Shih-Tzus and Yorkies), pre-school children, other dogs, and of course, door-to-door solicitors.  But in every case, he draws attention – because he’s unique, because he’s interesting.

Our recent walks have continued that theme.  This morning was a female jogger, iPod-equipped (as was I), coming up from behind us.  Before I could answer her typical “is he friendly?” greeting, she was crouching down next to Cain, stroking his thick coat and mimicking the baby-talk she’d obviously been practicing at home for years.   Other days it may be “Dave the Neighbor” coming out to say hi, accompanied by his two spaniels that he took in after a shelter rescued them from abuse.  Or on those few days when I was ahead of the bus, the schoolkids on selected corners would excitedly surround Cain with just enough caution to make me grab his harness so he’d keep calm, allowing the kids to relax.  A little intrigue (maybe even a little danger) mixed with an attractive appearance – that’s what makes him unique and interesting.

Relationships with people are often much the same.  We’re attracted to interesting people; people who are entertaining, physically attractive, have a unique point of view, have done different or exciting things, have an engaging personality, or even present some type of mystery about them.  Consider the class clown in school, the Hollywood heartthrob, the mountain climber, or your local CIA agent.  But while the initial attraction may be more artificial (their appearance, job or showmanship), our real relationships develop where there is an enduring interest beyond the first impression.  These relationships come from a sense of caring and trust that brings mutual value to both parties.

Beyond our personal lives, we also need relationships in business to be truly successful and fulfilled.  With the advent of social media and digital marketing, one may think it’s relatively easy to “sell” a product or service by littering the internet with sales pitches and catch-phrases that tout your wares or laud your expertise.  But the truth is, “no one cares what you know until they know that you care.”  One size does not fit all anymore.  People won’t flock to your website and buy your goods without knowing more about you.  Where is the value of what you have to offer to me as a customer?  Why should I have a business relationship with you?  Where is the trust?  Who are you?

Digital marketing can be highly successful using relationship-enabling websites and blogs, combined with effective use of social media tools such as Facebook, Twitter, YouTube and Meetup.  But it takes much more than a traditional advertising approach across the digital landscape.  You need to build a base for developing new relationships; share who you are, be interesting, offer something of value, build trust and credibility, engage in other’s online conversations.  Show that you care. 

By building your personal brand and reputation online, you’ll begin to draw a crowd.  Stay true to your brand and listen to what your customers tell you – their feedback is valuable to improving yourself and your business.  Then get out in the real world and cement these relationships in person.  It may be a digital world, but the care and nurturing of your personal relationships are what will truly drive your business.

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Went to the Red Wings game vs. Calgary on Tuesday, thanks to my good friend Jim Campbell.  If you’re in Livingston County and looking for commerical insurance, drop him an email at JimCampbell@hartlandinsurance.com.

The Ability to Adapt – and Thrive!

It’s probably a one-week tease but the shepherds of Spring are finally making an appearance here in southern Michigan.  While 50 degrees and sunshine will take a few days to melt the mounds of snow that still flank the roads and sidewalks, it’s a welcome change.  For my morning walks with Cain, I’ve put away the cleated boot-straps, hopefully until next winter (although I know this is just wishful thinking).  While the early mornings are still fairly cold, I’ve traded the down jacket for a hooded sweatshirt, entrusting the sun to make up for the reduced insulation.  The softer sneakers are a  more comfortable exchange for my walking boots.  And our walking pace has had to slow a little as Cain now finds more grass, mud and scents to explore, all gradually exposed to his nose and paws by the warmer temperatures.  The weather warms, we adapt, and we move forward under slightly different terms. 

And things get better.

This change and adaptation parallels when Cain came back to live with my wife and I last year, after spending two years prior with our son in California.  Soon after the birth of our grandson, there were a couple of incidents when Cain got a little too close to the baby; I’m sure it was just curiousity or paternal instinct with no harm intended.  But to be safe and eliminate apprehension by all family members, we decided to bring Cain back home to Michigan.  We all adapted – my son gave up his dog, but had a greater gift to focus on; I built a fence and adjusted my morning routine; my wife learned to live with two “alpha-dogs” in her life; and after Cain figured out the maze of fences and doggie-doors to get in and out of the house, he seemed to welcome the cooler weather and winter snows of the Midwest.  The environment changed, we adapted, and we moved forward under different terms. 

And things got better.

My professional career at IBM was full of changes.  I was trained on technologies, which in turn were changing constantly.  I’d specialize in a couple and become an expert.  Before long, the technology would change.  I would adapt and move on to learn the next big thing. 

And things got better. 

Later, the next big thing became management; I would learn, I would adapt and move on under new terms.  The business would change; the strategy would adjust; the roles and responsibilities would be new.  I would learn, I would adapt and continue to move forward. 

And things got better.  Success happened.  Life is good. 

But what if I hadn’t adapted?

In today’s business, the pace and magnitude of change is extraordinary.  The difficult economy is squeezing budgets.  Competition is fierce and growing.  Governmental actions are raising doubts and uncertainty.  Technology is changing at light-speed while it opens up new methods and new opportunities for business to get done.  We’ve become interconnected in a digital world.  Social media tools are redefining marketing and relationships while saving money and increasing efficiencies.  The successful companies of the future will be embracing these changes, learning from them, adapting and capitalizing on them, and then moving on under new and different terms.

And things will get better.

Are you prepared to adapt and capitalize on today’s opportunities?

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Yesterday was (finally) a good day for Michigan sports:

Dog Time and Ice Patches

It’s become very evident that more daylight is creeping into our lives here, now that March has arrived.  Whatever sun there is rises slightly earlier each morning, which adds a little more energy to the walks that Cain and I take every day.  I haven’t quite figured out what triggers his internal clock to tell him when it’s time for us to walk.  Is it his sense of the true time of day (I tend to shoot for around 8:00am to avoid the bus stop kids) or does he come looking for me based on how long it’s been daylight?  Or perhaps more likely, does he gauge our walk time by my own habits and movements each morning?  Truth is, I haven’t picked up on any changes from him as of yet due to the greater daylight – maybe our switch to Daylight Savings Time in a week and a half will tell me something.

While our spirits are buoyed by the earlier daylight, Cain and I still share a bit of a risk during these still below-freezing mornings.  Ice patches of various configurations continue to smear the pavement along our route, a result of snow melting the day before.  Some of these patches are jagged with frozen snow and dirty gray ice while others are more treacherous, disguised as thin layers of Michigan “black ice” that cover the road like a coat of paint.  In an attempt to avoid spending the coming Spring confined to a plaster cast on a leg or an arm, I had bought some strap-on boot treads with metal teeth to reduce this risk to me.  While they’ve no doubt kept me on my feet many times, I’ve still had to catch myself periodically when the black ice would suddenly sneak up beneath me and play havoc with my balance. 

Cain could have used his own paw-treads yesterday.  Near the end of our walk, he climbed up a short snowbank lining the side of the street.  Jumping back down to the pavement, he landed squarely on a patch of black ice that sent him flat on his belly, his four legs pointed in each direction of a compass.  Stunned, he sat there for a minute, not knowing how to react, or even if he could.  Slowly and carefully he got back on his feet and I was relieved to see no major damage done.  He had just experienced one new trick that an old dog should not have to endure.

And selfishly, I was glad it wasn’t me.

The Detroit Tigers won their first game in spring training yesterday, 13-1.  So what if it was Florida Southern University.  Bring on the Yankees!

Dog Grooming and Social Media Trends

Cain must have slept pretty well last night based on the workout experience he had the previous day.  After one of our longer walks yesterday morning, I thought I’d take him in for a well-overdue bath and brushing at a local grooming shop.  It was time to clean him up and try to eliminate a growing odor from his matted winter coat.  I’ve given him baths at home in the past, but he’s clearly not a fan.  Our last episode left our bathroom walls, mirrors and ceiling spattered with rinsewater shaken from his coat and sent him dashing around the rest of the house trying to dry himself on any carpet, rug or bed he could find.  My wife was not pleased – and I was drenched and beaten.

So this time, I outsourced the work to professional groomers that I found on Facebook (yes, even pet grooming has hit social media).  Three-and-a-half hours later, the deed was done and I went to pick up a clean but completed exhausted husky who had obviously treated his groomer to 15-rounds of big time dog-wrestling.  Based on the bill I received, I think I was the biggest loser of the match. 

The growth of social media in the past couple years has been astounding.  In the US, there were 142 million unique visitors to social media sites in December 2009, with each visitor spending 143% more time on social media vs December 2008.  As a result, the retail industry is expected to increase their social media marketing budgets by 79% in 2010.  Likewise, publishing and media will be up 63%, manufacturing and packaged goods up 53%, travel & leisure up 52% and education and healthcare up 43%. 

Overall, businesses are increasing their spending on digitial marketing and social media by an average of 17% this year, much of it at the expense of traditional media (TV, print and radio).  Pepsi launched it’s $20 million “Refresh Project” on Facebook, opting to not publicize this community-based campaign via Super Bowl TV ads, where Pepsi had spent $33 million last year.   Ford Motor Company, the only automotive firm not receiving a federal bailout, is spending 25% of their marketing budget this year on social media, compared to an average of 9% for the rest of their industry. 

Why is this shift occuring?  It’s because social media is where their customers are; it’s where businesses are now getting the greatest return on their marketing investment; and it’s where they can have more direct “conversations” with their customers about their products and services. 

If you haven’t seen it before, the “Social Media Revolution” video below provides an excellent basis for understanding this trend.  Social media is clearly not just a fad – it has quickly become a most effective vehicle for growing business and improving our products and services everywhere.

Social Media Revolution – video

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NhPgUcjGQAw&feature=channel

The Irony of Snow and Duct Tape

Clearly they weren’t kidding about the 5 to 7 inches of snow expected overnight and throughout today.  My initial plan was to wait it out, leave the snowblower in the shed until late this afternoon when most of the dumping was done.  Blow it all at once, I figured – my 12-year-old snowblower (or is it 20?) can still handle 6 inches without too much stress.  Why double the effort by doing it now and then again later?  Satisfied with this approach, I at least convinced myself to prepare the snowblower by gassing it up and moving it to the garage for a more strategic frontal attack. 

By the time I reached the shed, I was covered in snow, standing in at least 8 inches of wet, snowman-caliber building material and coming to the realization that if I don’t clear it now, the snowblower will be spitting, coughing and likely dying on me during any later attempt. 

Two hours later, the snow is falling harder than ever, the driveway is lined with 20 inch banks – and Cain wants to go for a walk.  Wet all over from snow and sweat, I grab his leash and my iPod and we trudge our way through the neighborhood, channeling our steps through the few quickly disappearing tire tracks in the snow.  Ironically, the first song I hear on the iPod is Suzy Bogguss’s 1992 hit song, “Drive South“.  Great advice, I figured.  Although I don’t think I’ve even make it out of the subdivision today.

Making the final turn back toward home, my next door neighbor and his son-in-law are armed with shovels and trying to keep pace with the storm.  In the middle of their driveway sits the saddest excuse for a snowblower I’ve ever seen; an obviously crippled mass of green metal, with a scarred and tattered plastic snow-throwing chute held together by spaghetti strands of grey duct tape and ribbons of bell wire.  I could only shake my head at him.  After we shared a chuckle over that, I walked Cain home and returned next door with my own snowblower to finish the job.  Only wish I would have remembered to take my camera with me to capture the green spaghetti machine for posterity.  I think my neighbor would be insulted or at least embarrassed if I went back again to take a picture, so you’ll have to visualize it yourself.

Time to dry out, get some lunch and prepare for Phase Two sometime before dark.  Assuming it stops snowing by then……

USA!  USA!  USA!   US Olympic Hockey Team beats Canada, 5-3, led by Michigan native and MSU grad Ryan Miller in goal.

The Concept of Sharing

This weekend’s warmer temperatures and the growing temptation to Think Spring bring a quicker pace to the morning walks that Cain and I share.  One less layer of clothes, lighter shoes and streets clear of ice and snow tend to loosen the muscles a little easier and make us both feel a bit younger than our winter bodies actually are.  Our walks now are beginning the annual process of getting back into playing shape, kind of a “spring training” for cabin fever victims (and their dogs).  It’s a responsibility we both share, with Cain as my daily encouragement (to the point of harassment) to get moving, and me as the enabler to his never-ending search for treasures and new scents along our route.  Mutual contribution – mutual benefits.  Give and take.  Action and reaction.  Ying and Yang.  It’s how the world works – in relationships, in science, and in business.

Social media and the digital world offer a whole new dimension to this concept of sharing and mutual benefit.  With an instantaneous network for communication and a host of tools and applications to facilitate it, people are sharing information like never before.  Friends new and old are texting, “tweeting” and documenting their personal thoughts and lives through sites like Facebook and MySpace.  Career-minded professionals are profiling themselves on LinkedIn and Xing.com.  Bloggers are writing articles, offering opinions and creating new content that can be reused by others.  And businesses and news organizations are publishing their products and services through their own websites, while extending their reach through Twitter, Facebook and online public relations campaigns. 

So why are they sharing?  It’s the search for, or more importantly, the need for the response, that resulting reaction that has value.  The response that will help make a decision, build a relationship, form an opinion, or demonstrate interest in a person, product or service.  It’s the validation that what we share is important or meaningful to someone else, whether personally, professionally, or for the viability and growth of a business.  Sharing is our attempt to become relevant to the world.  A response to our sharing confirms that we are, while helping us improve to become even more relevant and important.  It drives our lives, our relationships and our businesses.

On a side note, it will be interesting this week to see how much sharing will actually occur and what reactions will be invoked when President Obama meets with our representatives this week to discuss healthcare.  Up to now, I’m not convinced the concept of sharing has worked in the ethereal world of politics.

Pitchers and catchers are now reporting for baseball’s Spring Training down south, so clearly spring is approaching.  So we’ll just overlook tomorrow’s forecast for another 8 inches of snow here.  Glad to see Detroit has signed Johnny Damon – hopefully he’ll have sufficient value to share with the Tigers this year!

Temptations of Spring

This morning introduces one of those “temptation days” that occur each February or March in this part of the country.  Bright sunshine, reasonable and warming temperatures, melting snow and the beginning of a weekend.  It’s the lure of an early spring, a light in the tunnel that carries a feeling of optimism and freedom from the dog days of winter.  While we know it won’t last, Cain and I are energized for our walk and head out to the clear and dry pavement, trading in my boots for sneakers for the first time this year.

As an avid news junkie, I’ve noticed that there have been a number of fairly dramatic and diverse news stories hitting the digital and broadcast networks this past week.  It’s interesting and even emotionally draining to hear about and absorb so many different events and the feelings they stir during the course of a week, even in the course of a day.  But this week has been particularly wide-ranging and intense.  As a result, I offer my list of ten top stories of the week, categorized by key themes that seem to capture the range of emotions we feel when learning about them.  

Victory – 3 US Olympic athletes, led by injured Lindsey Vonn, win gold medals in Vancouver.  http://bit.ly/caCUGF 

Love – Cancer-free dad sees son in the Olympics.  http://bit.ly/bHO634

Inspiration – Owner of multi-million dollar company hands over business to employees. http://bit.ly/c07GIH  

Humor – Police capture escaped zebra in Atlanta.  http://bit.ly/cJklg5

Joy – 6 months late, couple wins Indiana lottery.  http://bit.ly/9OmxFH 

Stress – Toyota deals with recalls.  http://bit.ly/b4Egjq 

Remorse – Tiger Woods makes his apology.  http://bit.ly/c9lm6o 

Threat – Iran working on nuclear warhead.  http://bit.ly/drSBf4 

Tragedy – Man crashes plane into building.  http://bit.ly/bWrwAk 

Loss – ConocoPhillips exec dies in Alaska avalanche.  http://bit.ly/d0FzmM

A Bridge For Everyone

It’s snowing this morning; a soft, windless snow that drifts slowly to the ground and sprinkles the hard-packed sheet of snow and ice on the road with a fresh coat of white.  Cain is fully energized and pulling harder than I ever remember on his leash to get to the streets.  He desperately wants to run, leaping up off the ground before the leash tightens and drops him back to earth, putting a pretty good strain on my left rotator cuff.  I tell him I’d run with him if I could, but the slippery conditions, my flat feet and my own lack of conditioning (can’t be age!) insist on a slower pace.

Despite their intelligence and playfulness, Siberian Huskies are pretty stubborn dogs.  They are difficult to train, as they seem to have problems distinguishing discipline from play time.  Our only real struggle with Cain has always been the fear of him getting loose in the neighborhood.  These temporarily liberating escapes for him inevitably turn out to be an exhausting and extremely frustrating adventure for me trying to lure him back.  He interprets my advances as a game of chase and he’s learned to be wisely suspicious of open hands holding lunch meat, hot dogs or whatever other treats I might find to tempt him closer.  Half the time he’s caught, it’s with the help of a brave neighbor who might get close enough to him to grab his harness (sometimes accompanied by a low growl).  The other times, I think Cain just feels sorry for me and gives himself up so we can play this game again next time. 

Fortunately, Cain has only been loose once since we brought him back from California.  Of course now that I’ve pointed that out, I’m sure his next escape will happen tomorrow.

Our two children are grown, married and moved out, living in Ohio and California respectively.  And all four are now bucking the current mass exodus from Michigan (due to the economy and automotive industry decline) and trying to return closer to home.  I’ve come to realize that so much more of their personal lives and careers are supported by (and to a degree, dependent upon) electronic media than what my wife and I have experienced.  The internet has brought the world to their fingertips, giving them immediate access to information and answers that we struggled for years ago.  They shop, find entertainment, “virtually” explore destinations, pay their bills, communicate with others, read books and articles, get the latest news – essentially run their daily lives – electronically.  Their careers are also highly reliant on these technologies; my daughter, son-in-law and daughter-in-law are in the retail industry, now being transformed through online sales; and my son is in computer animation and gaming, essentially a whole new industry driven by electronic and digital technology.

Empowered with easy access to so much information and incredible new capabilities to conduct personal and professional business, there is an interesting dichotomy occuring.  This growing autonomy is creating greater isolation of individuals.  Increased personal productivity is leading to smaller, more dispersed teams or loosely-connected individuals in the workforce.  Social lives and personal business are being managed more and more from home in the glow of a computer monitor.  As a result, people are beginning to feel isolated and detached, with fewer personal interactions and relationships than they’ve experienced in the past.

This is one trend that is drawing in social media to help.  The explosion of social media tools such as Facebook (now over 400 million users) and Twitter (45 million) reflect the need to bridge that autonomy/relationship gap by connecting and re-connecting friends, families, business associates and others.  Networks are being built; conversations are taking place; information is being shared – all at a much faster pace than have ever happened before. 

People need these connections and relationships.  Social media helps bring them closer, while also creating an incredible opportunity for businesses join in these conversations and build their own relationships with future digitally-empowered customers.