We’ve all come across them… we all know they’re out there… we may even know some of them personally as is the case here…
I have a friend, a true lifelong friend. He’s Godfather to my daughter and was in my wedding. He’s worked for a now defunct large retail (cards & gifts) chain which was based in Philly. He’s also worked in a bank and now currently works for Social Security.
He’s a very well-educated and well-read man. 
But he’s a non believer. See he doesn’t use Facebook or Twitter. Doesn’t blog or use Linked In and if I were to bring up something like Digg or Stumble Upon he would ask something along the lines of “Why did you stumble upon a dig?”
He knows of what I do so he decided to pose the ultimate, $64,000 query ALL of us who see the true power of Social Media for what it is…
“What is Social Media?”
He followed it up with this…
“Facebook? Twitter? I am neither a 17 year old girl nor a celebrity craving shut-in therefore I do not subscribe to either.”
How would you respond to that?
Before you answer… I responded… telling him my opinion of social media and if you’ve read anything I’ve posted here, you know I believe Social Media to be one part of an overall comprehensive marketing/advertising strategy.
His response…
“Show me one piece of legitimate business that produces quantifiable results that is done on Facebook or Twitter that isn’t related to the entertainment industry and I’ll bake you a cake. Facebook is merely a place where married men solicit adulterous affairs and young girls go to talk about boys and that Vampire movie”
How would you respond to that?
Before you answer… I responded… by showing him some tangible examples of how Social Media can help AND has helped many a business… I shared this story from Mashable.
His response…
“Oh stop it. Quantifiable results… that’s all that matters. Show me where going on Facebook contributes to the bottom line. You can’t because it doesn’t.”
I didn’t respond to this latest retort rather I wanted to get all of your collective thoughts, answers, etc…
How would you respond to all of this?
How DO you respond to the question: ‘What is Social Media?’
How do you respond to someone to who clearly doesn’t see the power of Social Media?
And what do you say to a Social Media non believer?
I am very curious and thankful for all of your help in advance.