This morning I decided to try TweetDeck as a Facebook client. Easy as pie to install the settings for my profile...but wait...

What about posting to pages?

Twenty minutes later...I was ready to give up. Finally I break down and ask for directions. In this case it's the TweetDeck support page - guess the title of the latest post, only a few hours old. "Facebook API issues affecting TweetDeck...Currently the Facebook API is not allowing many users to access their accounts via TweetDeck. We are working to resolve this situation as quickly as possible..."

Okay. No real surprise there. I move on over to HootSuite in the clouds. They get a star for helping me avoid 20 minutes of frustration. After registering for the service I get..."Due to troubles with Twitter's API, you may be unable to add new accounts today. More info on Twitter's status blog..."

So...no work on Facebook or Twitter today right?

Those of us who work in the industry know stuff happens. We know enough to move on to the next project for a few hours or a day and then to live to fight another time.

Small businesses don't have this kind of knowledge or time. Especially with rapidly evolving technologies.

The most successful businesses ask for directions.

The lesson: if at first you don't succeed, ask for directions. Then try again. Then go fishing. Then try try again.