You don’t know who’s watching or when. So…..
Keep posting on your blog.
Keep updating your Facebook status.
Keep engaging on Twitter.
Keep working to understand Linkedin.
That’s my social media “plan” in four easy steps. Over the last year the size and quality of the network these four activities have allowed me to grow is nothing short of amazing. The tools are powerful and the only way to learn and understand the power is by utilizing the tools and being part of the community.
Keep putting yourself out there. It’s working. Trust me on this one.
So true Jim… participating in the social spaces is just like any other thing. Sometimes it seems we’re just speaking into an echo chamber. But real influence and opportunity are building, we just have to wait for the right time for them to become apparent. Thanks for the reminder!
I completely agree Jim! This is exactly the approach I have taken and have also seen my network grow significantly. I have never looked or though about it in the simplistic and no nonsense process you describe above. If you really take a moment to think about it, all of your steps are about engaging others and being a strong communicator/ contributor. Each time I read something of yours I learn just a bit more about communicating, and often times even myself. Thanks for sharing Jim.
Sharif
Cindi, I find it’s like many things in life. The feedback from Social either feels like a drought of a rain storm. Seldom much of in between. I’m watching that phenomenon and trying to quantify it.
Yesterday, for example I had so much positive feedback from the social space (and business space as well) that I really thought I was being punked. Other days, I’m putting myself out there like crazy and nothing – crickets. (Oh, and yesterday I was not really out there – I had my head down doing the work that pays the bills).
OK, now I’ve written a comment longer than the post. Time to stop.
Sharif, as a business guy you get the concept that the basics never really change. Above are the basics. Knowing what they are is easy. Taking the time to make sure they get done almost every day, that’s the hard part. Glad to hear a similar strategy is working for you as well.
It’s great advice – it’s’ all about sharing of yourself and getting to know others. What you’ll find is that the connections come naturally and what you don’t need will filter and fall out. I’ve been focusing so much on Twitter, blogging, and Facebook – so recently I’ve been updating my Linkedin. I’m already making amazing connections and being part of new conversations. To borrow a phrase, “It works when you work it.”
Couldn’t agree more Jim.
The fact of the matter is that our audience doesn’t have us on the brain. While we might think they do, and wish they do, there are too many things competing for their attention.
At a minimum, we need to make sure we at least show up and stay on their radar screen.
You inspire me Jim . . . keep up the great work my friend!
Respectfully,
Paul Castain
The most amazing things seem to happen when you continue to generate content and put yourself out there. You just never, ever know. 😉
Kind of like opening the door of a restaurant with good food and great service each day. You don’t really know who or how many are going to walk through the door. On average, however, you know they are going to show up – good analogy?
Paul,
Agreed. It’s out job to stay in front of the audience. Not their job to come find us. Even Lady Gaga promotes…as a matter of a fact we all know who she is because she does promote!
Thank you Paul, you inspire me as well. As it should be. We surround ourselves with successful people and we become successful.
Who’s phases is that? I like it. 🙂
Also, do tell, what are you doing on Linkedin? That monster vexes me.
Well I’ve tailored it to reflect my passion (fitness), and then everything else came easy. I request connections with personalized messages so people know I’m real, and I joined several groups and even created one. They are set up like forums so it allows for expansion of ideas just like these Disqus comments. I also linked to all the websites I contribute to and to my ‘accomplishments’. It’s less of a resume to me and more of a way to show find people who share my interests. Make it whatever you want it to be!
Great stuff Jim. Consistency is HUGE. We’ve talked before about the huge impact of consistency in blogging. Likewise, I’ve been off Facebook for a while now and am going back now, noticing quite the dropoff in engagement, needing to rebuild. I got a lot more out of LinkedIn when for a brief time I participated in some of my groups’ conversations. The only real constant for me is Twitter, my true love ; )
All of that said, you really have more of a plan than this. This is just the tool stuff. You, with your years of experience online, have a clear sense of your online self and what “putting yourself out there” means in terms of content and the HOW of it (strategy). Not everyone has that. There are so many different ways of putting yourself out there, some of which are more engaging, some less. Started a post about this yesterday, finishing/editing today. Thanks for the inspiration.
Guess I am a bit of contrarian today. ; ) Sue
Sue
I think my two real constants are Twitter and this blog (both writing the posts and responding the the comments). I keep trying to like Linkedin. I know there is huge value there I just have to find a way to consistently work engagement there into an already tight schedule. Facebook is Facebook, my consistency there is to be inconsistent. Other than my one post a day to announce a new blog post I show up when I can. I think that’s OK with both Linkedin and Facebook. It seems to me the expected response time in both forums is something less than a day and way more than the instantaneous we all expect from Twitter.
I think the putting myself out there experience actually comes from the offline world. I’m still learning how to use the online tools to duplicate my success with face to face and telemarketing networking.
At the risk of sounding too over the top, I think this is the best post on social media that I have read in a while. Short, succinct and oh so true.
-Matt
Matt, Thank you. The response to this post is far beyond what I expected.
I agree.
It’s all about engagement! Well said Jim!
Jim,
I came back to re-read this post. You’ve done well once again! Thank you for inspiring me to keep putting myself out there. You’re one of the reasons I decided to start my own website. I hate to sound redundant — scratch that, it needs to be said again and again: you inspire me.
I’m so lucky to have you and your wonderful wife in my circle of new, yet very dear friends.
-Alicia
Alicia,
It’s always special when an old post gets a new comments. It’s even more special when you validate the last sentence of the post 🙂 I’m still learning to get comfortable with the fact that what I do here inspires people. Thank you for coming back to share. I’m looking forward to seeing the new site.