I was attending a break out session the other day at the Sales and Marketing 2.0 Conference when someone asked a question that quite frankly too many people are still asking.

“What if my company doesn’t support the idea of Social Media?”

Here’s a crazy idea . . . do it anyway!

I’m not suggesting that you march right in and give the executive team the finger nor am I suggesting that you make statements on behalf of your company that could get you in trouble.

I’m suggesting that you take ownership of your personal brand on your time and on your terms.

I’m also suggesting that if you wait for the heavens to open up and your boss to come down on some chariot with a sign that says “I was wrong. Now get out there and commence with the Social Media you Social Media Mo Fo” You are wasting valuable time.

Are time and money holding you back?

1)    Don’t kid yourself into thinking you need their financial backing to create an online presence . . . you don’t! Twitter, Linkedin and Facebook are all free. When I first started my blog back in 2008, I used a free account on Blogspot. A year later I created this website for a whopping $1500 which is like 2 Lattes at Starbucks.

2)    Don’t kid yourself into thinking you don’t have the time if they don’t let you do it on company time. For starters, there are better things for you to be doing during company time. If you’re serious enough about your success, you’ll consider a Moonlighting Strategy!

Another “Do It Anyway” thought:

When you first get out there whether it be with a blog or participating in a discussion etc, it’s going to seem like you went on stage with a wonderful message and yet no one showed up to hear you.

Do it anyway!

When I first showed up on Linkedin I felt like that Middle School version of myself trying to hang with the popular kids. Truth be told, I felt like I was getting rejected. I decided to do it anyway. Within 30 days, something really odd happened. People started acknowledging my content. The story doesn’t end there.

I wasn’t happy with the way group managers were running their groups. I tried talking with them, offering my help and made zero progress.

So I did it anyway!

I went ahead without them and created my own Linkedin Group which has grown to over 16,000 members.

The point of all this is simple

What if you could build an army of evangelists singing your praises to their armies and do so for next to nothing?

What if there are conversations going on right now, that you are missing out on that could put money in your pocket?

What if the people who get that have been eating your lunch while you’re waiting for everyone’s approval?

And for the bonus . . .

What if the “approval” process is just a convenient way for us to avoid fear?

Do it anyway!