So if you shifted your mindset about technology and decided to take on the techno-challenge, how would you go about doing so? 

Start here: 

Ask dumb questions.  I know, I know.  As a coach I’m supposed to say, “there are no dumb questions.”  True, but that doesn’t mean we don’t feel dumb when we ask certain questions.  Like, “what is SEO?”  or “how do I upload a pdf file?”  Ask the questions anyway.  You’ll survive.

Find new friends.  You need techno-types in your life who are willing to answer your questions in ways you can understand them.  Search for them.  Find people you enjoy connecting with and who have a passion for helping you learn. 

Try new things.  “Learn by doing” is the growth model here.  It may not be fun, but you can do this.  Roll up your sleeves and learn how to post at that blog.  Start exploring the online account (Constant Contact, perhaps) that you’ve been avoiding.  You will make progress and get results - and that’s when it becomes fun.

Make mistakes.  Recently, I sent the wrong coupon code to a group on my email list and thankfully one of my recipients alerted me.  A coach friend forgot a word making a sentence in his e-newsletter the complete opposite of what he intended to say.  Mistakes happen.  We press on.

Accept “do overs.”  Of course, since mistakes are inevitable, so are “do overs.”  Just plan for them.  Try to avoid them by thoroughly proofing your work - and expect that to take time.  But don’t be surprised when you need to go back and do something over.

And if you learn all you can about technology and become a hands-on user, what else can you expect?

            a more effective marketing strategy

            increased options for effectively getting your message out

            cost-savings and increased income

            a growing mailing list

            more opportunities to establish your expertise

            and much more…

Just do it!

And again, I say buy my friend Beth Cole’s book, Essential Web Marketing.  CLICK HERE to learn more about Beth’s book.

Technology was not my best friend last week. 

My excellent assistant is working on a Word file that has a life of it’s own.  Marketing for WinZip took over my ability to open zip files and my brother had to help me nurse Vista back to full zip file retrieval health.  Both Explorer and Adobe Reader gave me problems - but this is probably due to my own lack of understanding rather than the failure of the software.

Today Christopher McCluskey’s newsletter* started with the title, Business Success and Computer Junk, and the following:

“I don’t want to know all that computer junk – I just want to coach!” The words came out half-laughing half-crying yesterday from a coach I am mentoring. I hear them frequently and, as an acknowledged technophobe, I completely relate to their sentiment!

However, we live in the early 21st Century and that means we must work effectively with ‘computer junk’. To pretend otherwise is like launching a business in the early 20th Century without a telephone. We’re doomed to failure from the start.

Yep, he said “doomed to failure from the start.”  I agree.

Even if you can afford to hire someone to do much of the technology required to run your business, you need to understand how it works.  In today’s world, understanding online marketing is critical to developing strategies for success.  Avoiding learning about technology can cost you more money in inefficiency, but improving your understanding and leveraging technology makes you money.  And the more you learn, the more headaches and stress you will avoid in the end.  Really.

I did not become a coach thinking Vista and Constant Contact would become my friends.  But day by day we’ve gotten to know each other better, and the results have been good.  As with all relationships, work is involved to maintain and enhance the experience. 

For a technology relationship manual try my “real friend” Beth Cole’s book,  Essential Web Marketing.  CLICK HERE to learn more about Beth’s book.

If you are a new Christian coach and want to set the stage for a successful coaching business  or ministry, CLICK HERE to learn more about coaching with me (Linda Hedberg) and then contact me to arrange an initial no-cost meeting by phone. 

*Christopher McCluskey is the Director of the Professional Christian Coaching Program.  To view a copy of today’s newlsetter CLICK HERE.  You’ll be able to sign up at that page for future PCCP newsletters, if you’d like.