Everything in business today hinges on how quickly you embrace technology, how you manage your time, and how you communicate with your target audience. And the key to communicating with your audience is meeting them where they are. And they are on social networks – Twitter, Facebook, and LinkedIn.

Like it or not, these applications have a foothold in our everyday business activities and it’s more important than ever to engage your target market through these mediums. There are many reasons for business owners and professionals not using social networking as a business strategy.

The main reason is they think it’s a waste of time. This comes from a lack of understanding in how to use these tools in a way that is beneficial to your business. The reality is you can maintain a strong presence on social networks by investing 15 minutes a day. That is around 5 hours a month you will invest to keep top of mind presence with your target market.

The other reason they give for not being involved in social media is they are “technologically challenged”. They are a little intimidated by technology. If you can use Microsoft Word, you can launch a successful social media campaign.

Here are five easy steps to get you started on the right track using social media:

1. Open a Twitter account, Facebook account, and LinkedIn account.

2. Go to your Facebook account and friend all your current and past clients. Go to Twitter, find all your current and past clients, and start following them. Go to LinkedIn and get connected with all your current and past clients. Set a goal to find one new person every day you can follow, friend, or connect with.

3. Open a ping.fm account. Click on the Dashboard at the top of the ping.fm page after you logon. In the left column, click on “Add More Networks”. On the next page, click on “Add Network” next Twitter and follow the prompts. Do the same for your Facebook account and your LinkedIn account.

4. After you have added your Twitter, Facebook, and LinkedIn accounts to ping.fm, click on Dashboard again. Now create a 140 character (or less) post in ping.fm. This will automatically post to your Twitter, Facebook, and LinkedIn account.

5. Every morning when you get on your computer, login to your ping.fm account and post something. When you post something, ask yourself if this is adding value to the people in your social network. For example, you may post a link to an interesting article, post something personal about a great trip you just took with your family, or post a quick note about a book you just read that changed the way you think about your business or profession.

That’s it. Five easy steps to becoming a social media maven. Now you have no excuse for not being involved in social networking and using it as a tool to build and grow your business.

How are you using social media?

was at a National Speakers Association meeting a few months ago and Dan Poynter was speaking to the group about book publishing, writing, and the speaking business.

After the meeting, Dan told me he was planning a trip to Europe to speak to several groups. I asked him if he thought he would ever retire since he had long since passed what our country considers retirement age and he is financially independent. He said that retirement is for people who hate what they do. And he loves what he does. So why would he retire? There is a lot of wisdom in that simple reply.

We have to change the way we view retirement in this country because people are healthier and living longer than ever before. The average life expectancy for a male in 1900 was 48.3 years. For a female, it was 46.3 years. In 2007, according to the National Vital Statistics Report, the average age at death in the U.S. was 86 years.

Also the “active” life expectancy is steadily increasing. This means you are healthier for a longer period of time. So you can work for a longer period of time and continue contributing to society.

So why do people think they are supposed to “retire” at 62 or 65 or whatever age? Who planted that idea into our minds and into our culture? It’s time to change our attitude about retirement.

It is more important than ever to find your life’s calling, pursue your passion, and figure out a way to make money by doing something you love to do. So many people live their lives working a job they don’t like with people they don’t like and look forward to the day they can “retire”. Why do they do this?

One reason is the “entitlement mentality”. Work for a company 30 years and keep getting paid even after you quit working. (Ask the United States Postal Service how that business model is working for them.)

I recently posted a question on LinkedIn asking people what their biggest challenge was in leaving their job and starting a business. The overwhelming response was fear. Fear is the main reason for people not living the life they want and longing for the day they can retire and do something else.

Don’t let fear keep you from living a fulfilled life. And that fulfilled life may include working a job. Having a job is not a bad thing if you love what you do. But having a job you do not enjoy and struggling to get up every morning to get to that job is no way to live.

There has never been a better time to start a business and become successful because of technology and the access we have to information. Success does not come easy. You will have to work. You will have to make sacrifices. You will have to do a little soul-searching to find your true calling or your passion. But, as a result, you will have an amazing life when you are passionate about what you do.

Will I ever retire? Probably not. Sounds boring to me.

What are your plans for retirement?

“Here’s to the crazy ones, the misfits, the rebels, the troublemakers, the round pegs in the square holes… the ones who see things differently — they’re not fond of rules… You can quote them, disagree with them, glorify or vilify them, but the only thing you can’t do is ignore them because they change things… they push the human race forward, and while some may see them as the crazy ones, we see genius, because the ones who are crazy enough to think that they can change the world, are the ones who do.”
- Steve Jobs