Many of my clients are just now getting used to using social media to help their businesses. Some are still not there yet. Most people who aren’t familiar with how to use social media to help in marketing and branding are still thinking of the model we’ve used since the ’50s. That is, to really polish and shine every message that goes out.
Building Your Network
What social media (blogging, Facebook, LinkedIn, Twitter, YouTube, etc…) is great at is putting the “human” factor back into the equation. This means just be yourself, not just a CEO or not just a Marketing Specialist or just an Author. It’s good to let people know that you are those things, but don’t stop there. These platforms are fantastic ways to connect with PEOPLE! Hey, you’re one of those, so that should work out for you!
This doesn’t mean everyone wants to know what you had for breakfast (unless it’s relevant or somehow entertaining). But be conversational; be helpful; be respectful; acknowledge other people and what they’re doing.
Make the Connections
These are great platforms that give you the opportunity to build great connections. You might not actually be “friends” with everyone in your network, but you never know when one of them might be the perfect person for a given situation. Or you might be the perfect person for their given situation.