Yesterday I have the honor of being at panelist at the Fair Media Council’s Connection Day on the topic of Twitter. After I, and the other distinguished panelists, shared our experiences and strong belief in the power of Twitter, Richard Kessel, CEO of the New York Power Authority and our moderator, commented that he still preferred human-to-human interaction via phone or in-person.
Little did Mr. Kessel know that I had planned on writing today’s post about that exact topic. I too, prefer human contact. So why use social media tools to connect with people? Does using Twitter diminish personal communications? Is it easier to send an email or a tweet than it is to pick-up a phone? And if so, is it just as effective?
I think the answer is it yes. Yes, to which question you ask? Yes to both. Social media is not a trend. It is simply a new way of communicating. Sometimes a phone call is the best way to communicate a message. Sometimes an email is the most appropriate way. And sometimes, sending a tweet to 5000 followers on Twitter is just as effective and can have the same or greater impact.
The bottom line is that the goal of social networking is to ultimately connect people with other people.
There is no best way and the world is just now figuring out the best way to use the new and rapidly changing tools available to us. These tools often, but not always, make it easier for humans to meet each other, develop relationships and do business.
So who is right when it comes to communicating? You are.