I had a hard time deciding which noun to use in the title of this post- does “complacency” accurately depict what happens when a business refuses to grow and adapt to the changing times? I also thought of the word “atrophy” because if we fail to change, we fail to grow and thrive, and we eventually diminish and die. And despite being somewhat stodgy and set in my ways, I refuse to let this business I have cultivated and nurtured one day at a time for the past six years, wither away and die.

I’ve been struggling with the idea of “change vs. complacency” lately, largely due to being presented with an abundance of ideas for how to expand and grow, at least in our little slice of cyberspace. I’ve been told firmly how vital it is to have a “web presence” and what exactly that entails…SEO on the website, redesigning the site so it’s more functional and current, blogging on a regular basis, keeping up with Facebook posts, Tweeting, and continuously adding LinkedIn contacts. What I’ve learned is that web-based marketing and networking via social media constitutes a rather exhausting fulltime job…but it’s one that I believe is critical to make time for (despite already having several “fulltime jobs”, i.e. a business to run, son to raise, household to maintain, and friendships and relationships to nurture.)

Which begs the question- how do I manage it all? How do I successfully integrate social media and a strong online presence with the paper industry when the whole foundation of my business is based on an organic, tactile experience – not a virtual one. I support writing letters. Why? Several reasons. Paper is beautiful; to fully experience it appeals to the senses…there are gorgeous textures, colors and styles, creating endless opportunities to express oneself artistically and uniquely. But I also believe in writing because it is meaningful. It literally sends the message, “I care about you. I took the time to get out a pen, pick out a card, and write to you.” And in a society that is racing at lightning speed toward convenience and efficiency, and how much we can accomplish in as little time as possible, some would argue that letter-writing is a dying art. Case in point, someone said to me recently, “I can punch out three text messages and an email at a 30-second stoplight.” And while this is the very definition of “efficiency” it makes me question the depth of our relationships if they are easily maintained with a text or an email sent while sitting at a red light.

This is why I struggle. Everything I know about social media and the web dictates the necessity in having a kick-ass online presence not just to stay competitive, but in order to actually survive as a small business. So the only solution I can entertain is to figure out how to integrate a) the value of written correspondence with b) web-based marketing and social media.

I think the following Wall Street Journal article sums it up perfectly, and I hope you’ll enjoy it. As always, I welcome your thoughts and feedback….

WSJ- Stationery’s New Followers from August 25, 2011

For any of you who have happened to make it through all of the FAQ’s (and actually read the blurb at the top about not getting answers to ALL of your questions), here is the final answer to a pretty darn important life question, if I do say so myself.

What is the secret to good guacamole?

I’m going to tell you. The secret is to hand mash it, not blend it or puree it like some foodies would have you believe.

1) You’re going to want to get a couple of perfect avocados (they should barely indent to the touch), split them open and remove the pit – you do this by whacking the sharp edge of the knife into the pit without stabbing it into your hand. It’ll stick into the pit nicely and – pop!- it’ll come right out, with no digging around and ruining the perfectly good fruit.

2) Next you’re going to slice the avocado while it’s still in the skin. Cut it lengthwise into strips and then crosswise into chunks, and they will fall right out into your awaiting bowl.

3) Now add your other ingredients, of which there aren’t many. I add minced garlic, olive oil, lemon juice, salt and pepper to taste (this is where it gets tricky because there really aren’t appropriate measurements, it’s all according to your palette). You can also add a little bit of red onion and some cilantro, but don’t go overboard here because you don’t want to risk overpowering the delightful avocado flavor itself- which is the whole reason we eat guac in the first place. *If you’re planning on using garlic salt, you need to go ahead and close this window and go sit in the corner because you need punished (and publicly shamed) for thinking that garlic salt is an acceptable seasoning in any recipe, much less home-made (awesome-sauce) guacamole.

4) Before you go any further, STOP! Don’t dive into the bowl with a whisk, spoon, blender or other such device with the intent of mashing the mixture into a pulp- back away from any sort of mixing tool and instead, gently stir the mixture with a fork. That’s all you need to do.

Voila – perfect guacamole. See what we’ve learned here? You never know what you’ll find when you read all the way to the end…you might just end up with a treat. Enjoy! 🙂

There is a poignant greeting card from Curly Girl Design that says “It is without question our duty to honor the love of every human heart as we would our very own.” I just had a woman stop in and buy this particular card to send to a friend’s adult son who had been particularly hurtful to his mother (who was a dear friend of hers). She was hurting for her friend and felt it was her duty to gently suggest to the son that he be kinder to his mother…and she believed the best way to do this was through writing. I couldn’t agree more.

I’ve personally found myself in situations where I’ve opened my mouth and said things, only to wish I could reach out and take back the words- not necessarily because they were hurtful (although as humans that happens, especially when emotions run high), but because the words I spoke didn’t accurately convey what I really meant, what I deeply felt- and it ultimately ended up making things worse or more complicated than they needed to be. You’ve been there before- found yourself in an argument with someone you care about; you’re feeling frustrated, sad, angry, and like no matter what you say, it just keeps getting messier and more intense. It’s one of the worst places to be – stuck in a communication vortex where you find yourself and the other person spinning in circles around each other, waiting for the dizziness to stop so you can surface, regroup, and take emotional inventory.

In communicating with others it’s vital to not just be articulate, but empathetic and sincere. I’ve found the most effective way to communicate is to put my thoughts down on paper first- the simple act of putting them in writing is clarifying. Sometimes I write to myself. Sometimes I write to others, and even if I don’t always share those thoughts the act of getting them down on paper is therapeutic. It gives me a clearer look at my own feelings, and helps me express my needs and inner truths in ways that spoken communication sometimes isn’t able to.

Writing gives us certain luxuries that blurting out whatever comes to mind cannot – it’s an insurance policy. Through writing we get to self-edit. We get to save our thoughts and come back to them later, editing, re-reading, deleting, and cultivating our words until they are juuuuuuust right (I love Evernote!). Writing gives us total control over when/how/what we communicate to others, so we can ensure that our words are true to our thoughts and will hopefully result in the outcome we’re aiming for- with as little collateral damage as possible.

So who do you need to write to today? What do you need to say? Think about it, write it down, and let it marinate for a little while…Trust me, you’ll be happy you did.