You can’t teach an old dog new tricks

They say “You can’t teach an old dog new tricks,” we’ll see.  Now I’m confronted with this “Social Networking” thing.  First I ignore it but then, next thing people I know want to be friends on Facebook, or Linkedin and since they are my friends of course I agree.  This keeps going on and on until one day I notice I have close to two hundred friends on Facebook that I don’t know what to do with.  Next, many of the organizations who’s meetings I attend are also talking about social networking and conducting workshops.  So I found out at the last seminar the definition of social networking is simply a conversation between two people.  Well now this has been the core element of Jazz Advocate from the beginning, so the old dog doesn’t have to learn a new trick, just another software program or two - this also has been going on since the advent of computers.  Where they rope you in on new technology is the productivity it offers.  I first started with publishing a website on this new Internet thing.  Next I began emailing newsletters out to over 5,000 supposed readers.  After a while the ISPs stopped allowing bulk emails and I had to go to an online emailing service (Constant Contact), at an additional cost.  I found composing newsletters on their server had a number of formatting issues so I now post my newsletters on our website, where I can have better control the formatting and then send out announcements using the Constant Contact email service.  The announcements include the list of subjects covered and a link to the website.  It’s now my understanding we (you and I) can set up Facebook to post my newsletter announcements on your news feed.  This simple act of networking will allow me to eliminate Constant Contact and let Jazz Advocate use that money for other jazz promotions.  I have about five months left on my current contract with Constant Contact in which to get Facebook set up.  I have created a Facebook page called Jazz Advocate in Dayton, Cincinnati & Columbus, which I will be using to post newsletter announcement.  The thing you need to do is find the page and click “Like” this page if you desire to receive our announcements.  Those not wanting to be on Facebook will be able to get the newsletters directly on our website but will have to check on a regular basis without the usual email notice.  I will say I’m finding Facebook easier to use than traditional email.  Rosemary has found it a better way to keep up with distant grandkids and their pictures. I’m not giving up on email or websites but at the same time I have no fear of this “Social Networking” thing.