Some Men are Already Scared of the Real Women Revolution - Ha!

by Guest Blogger, Lena West, Chief of Social Media Strategy at xynoMedia

I've decided to step out and say what few people are willing to say: women business owners need to approach social media differently than male business owners.

This is not based on some "shrink it and pink it" mentality that I've adopted. This idea comes from YEARS of working with (for the most part) only women business owners -- and actually BEING a woman business owner myself. Call it generalizing or gender-based stereotypes (or any other politically correct label you want to give it), but women think differently and we LEARN differently. Period. I've seen it every single day for the past 13 years I've been self-employed.

I got sick and tired

of reading blogs written by guys (and gals, but mostly guys) giving advice like:

• "Just jump in and get your feet wet."
• "Send a note to your friends and connect."
• "Just create a Twitter account - it's free and easy."
• "Find people to follow on Twitter and then talk to them."

I don't know about you, but I don't have time to do stuff to "get my feet wet". I want to know what the hell I'm doing right from Jump Street and if I can't know that, I ain't doing it. I also have NO desire to connect with my pals and family on Facebook. This is BUSINESS, not some crazy chips and dip get together. And, if you create the account, what then?? How do you know who the right people to follow on Twitter are? How do you talk to them? All of this advice is so GENERAL and AMBIGUOUS that it makes me ill.

After getting tired of ranting about the problem (and because I'm someone that doesn't like people to complain without offering a solution), I started the Real Women Do Social Media Revolution -- and it kicks off on March 4th with the Real Women Do Social Media Program. We've already got a handful of Real Women signed-up and we're almost at our limit - I'm keeping the classes small. This isn't the kind of thing where there are 100 women on the call. No way. This ain't that kinda party. You know me and you know I'm all about quality and no B.S.

Here's where it gets interesting...

When I starting putting this idea together, I talked with some of my guy pals about the program - namely Jim Kukral and Jonathan Fields. They were 100% supportive, and in fact, have already been Tweeting about the program and doing give-aways (#RWDSM).

I also talked to someone else whom I thought was a guy pal (no names necessary, he knows who he is). In the past, he's asked me to retweet a thing or two and I took a look at the content, believed in it and what he was trying to do and so I retweeted. Yesterday, I asked him for his help in promoting the Real Women Do Social Media program and was told that he doesn't send people links to sales pages through Twitter or Facebook. He said that if he were following someone who did this, he would unfriend/unfollow them. Reeeeeally? How convenient.

Here's what I know: when people who you've helped and who made a commitment to help you start backing out -- or they try to stop your "shine", you're onto something -- and I believe I am onto something with the Real Women Do Social Media program. Thanks to all the guys who recognize the need for this program for women entrepreneurs and are promoting the hell out of it. And, of course, you know the women are doing their thing to spread the word, too!

One-size-fits-all only works for baseball caps and t-shirts. I hope you'll join me and the other Real Women who have signed-up to be part of the Real Women Do Social Media Revolution.

Comments

[@LenaWest]

@Lillie:

Thanks for the kind words and for subscribing to be notified when we start in mid-May.

"See" you in mid-May!

Thanks for reading and commenting, too!

[Lillie]

Lena, you're definitely on to something. I missed out on the first training session but I have signed up for the mid-May one. Please keep me posted. This is so exciting.

[@LenaWest]

@Yvonne:

Thanks SO MUCH! You know that means a lot coming from you because you've seen some of everything -- I know that for a fact! :)

Glad you like it and I thank you so much for who you are and everything you do.

[@LenaWest]

@Abel:

Thanks, Abel! We have load of guys who read the Lipsticking blog and they love it, too!

Thanks also for taking my course, it was great to meet you.

[Abel]

Came to check out the blog and I love it!

[Yvonne DiVita]

Lena, you rock! This is the best thing I've seen in 10 years! And you're just the gal to pull it off. You have the talent, the expertise, and the vision. I'm so happy to say I totally support you in this endeavor and ANYTHING I can do to help you get it in front of women, I will do.

My tweets will follow.

Ladies, you cannot do better than this. Get on board now. You'll kick yourself if you don't.