Don't understand social media? Talk to grandpa.

If you had a grain of sand for every time social media is mentioned today, you would have a private island by this point. There are training sessions, focus groups, news stories, marketing campaigns and dinner table discussions. (If you don't have a pulse, I am speaking of Twitter, Facebook, Blogger, Wordpress, Delicious, FriendFeed, Viddler, YouTube, etc.)

So what is all the hype REALLY about? It turns out Granpa might know best. If using social media for business or personal gain, true experts will tell you it is all about reaching your target market through transparency, openness, education and being a general resource. Of course they are correct.

So what is my discovery? What does Grandpa have to do with social media? It is quite simple. Social media avenues actually turned the business practice clock back about 50-60 years. Let me show you the three sales ages I've noticed to illustrate my point.

1. The Age of Character: 50-60 Years ago when companies were smaller, sales were made through listening, transparency, openness, education and great reputation. It truly was about a relationship!! Character played a big role.
2. The Age of Shut Up: We then moved into the advertising age, where the company with the most money won. Companies got bigger and started to flood their markets with tons of advertising that would silence the neigh sayer. If you had a bad experience your voice wasn't easily heard. Selling via "relationships" & "character" was merely tradition NOT actual practice.
3. The Next Age of Accountability: AKA, the new Age of Character. With our connected-ness and social media avenues today, grandpa's sales techniques are coming back into practice! It is again about the relationship and not flooding the industry with your marketing. It is again about listening to the customer.

My discovery isn't about the correct use of social media avenues, experts have been preaching that for the last 2 years. My discovery is that with this new technology, we have actually stepped backward in the way we sell. If your company doesn't care about the relationship with your customer or your own character, you won't survive. Your grandpa would be happy to know "the relationship" is making a comeback in business.

In addition new websites like SmartyPig.com and Mint.com also believe in Grandpa's way of not spending what you don't have. I turns out Grandpa knew best all along.