Hudson Valley Happenings Blog : You Want To Be A Part Of Their World.

I participate in several youth advocacy groups in my community. At present they are in the process of developing an on line presence.  It is my opinion that they need to create a vibrant interactive presence not a static web site.  In this world, be it business, community organizations, or even just plain you, you need to interact. And most people are exchanging greetings and getting involved on line.  You can have gadgets and gizmos aplenty and the most beautiful web page EVER but without exchange of information and the engagement of your target you are lost.

In our fast paced world, many people simply don't make time to get out and attend meetings.  It's not that they are apathetic for the most part. They are either unaware your efforts in the first place or they forgot you were there. I think they would be involved if they remembered.  You have to find a way to engage them and remind them.  They need to feel a part of your community.

I know that there are security concerns.  Some people are out there on the Internet that will prey on us.  Some people may use the Internet to play a huge joke that can cause harm.  But if you let fear keep you from interacting with your real life community you would be a housebound recluse.  Without allowing interaction you will lose more than you protect.  There are things you can do to keep yourself as safe as possible, just as you do when you walk out the door, but you can't let fear keep you out of social media or on line interaction.

I am no tech genius.  I learn enough about what I am doing to get by.  I don't have the time or the interest to delve deeply into the whys and hows and I know I probably could be more effective if I spent some time or money to expand what I do. But I do know that interaction on ActiveRain, my facebook "family", and other on line efforts has brought me more business recently.  It has also gotten me back in touch with many old friends and relatives, made new relationships with a whole slew of great people across the country and even connections with people here in my real life community.  Heck I am exchanging greetings with real world neighbors who I have spoken to maybe three times in the almost ten years I have lived here.  Connections are formed and strengthened because you get yourself in their view.