DEAR HARRIETTE: I’m feeling old and washed up. I do good work that people acknowledge me for, but my universe is very small. I keep up on social media, but I have a tiny footprint compared to my friends and peers. Whenever people start talking about their social media, I get nervous. If they go and look at mine, they will see that I don’t have the thousands of followers that they do. I want to be competitive in my field, but I worry that it’s too late for me. When my friends were building up their social profiles, I was raising my family. Now I feel like it’s too late for me. What should I do? -- Poor Social Media
DEAR POOR SOCIAL MEDIA: Believe it or not, the world doesn’t solely revolve around social media. Create a narrative that speaks to your uniqueness and how you and your services may be of value to others. Spend time thinking about this so that you can clearly emphasize who you are and why others should be interested in you and what you have to offer.
Simultaneously, consider hiring a PR firm that specializes in social media to help you build your social footprint. It is not too late to bolster your presence. But know that you can promote who you are through more traditional means, including word of mouth, which will always be important.
(Harriette Cole is a lifestylist and founder of DREAMLEAPERS, an initiative to help people access and activate their dreams. You can send questions to askharriette@harriettecole.com or c/o Andrews McMeel Syndication, 1130 Walnut St., Kansas City, MO 64106.)