Not all cases of negative footprints or undesirable shadows end up bad, though. "We are all going to make mistakes. It is not a question of if, it is a question of when," said Qualman. He then referenced the term "flawsome." "It is when you turn your flaws into awesomeness," explained Qualman. In other words, if mistakes are addressed the right way, they can help build even stronger relationships with existing clients.
More Changes In Store
Qualman envisions a day when all products and services will be rated, and he went as far as to say people will be rated too. He explained how this is even starting to take shape with Klout and Kred, which measure individuals' online influence.
Qualman told attendees, "You need to network before you need your network. You can't replace face to face, but you can augment it."
To further show that we are living in a revolution, the group watched his video named "Technology Will Kill." It makes the case that there are many things that will be replaced in this digital decade.
To be successful five years from now, businesses need to be aware that social media is changing the way the game is being played. If they can stay ahead of the trends, they are likely to be more successful.
Mike Byrnes founded Byrnes Consulting to provide consulting services to help advisors become even more successful. His expertise is in business planning, marketing strategy, business development, client service and management effectiveness, along with several other areas. Read more at ByrnesConsulting.com and follow @ByrnesConsultin.