It is the social media mantra – be yourself! But, are you really succeeding at that or are you just following the crowd? I recognized a long time ago that my resistance to doing something just because everyone else is stems from being the middle child of seven. This saved me a lot of money on therapy. It is one of the reasons my tagline includes “keep it uniquely yours.”
Social Media Fallout
I applaud the connection of social media. I really do. At least we are communicating – maybe with only 140 characters – but we are communicating. I just hope we stay true to ourselves. One of my favorites places to visit is Anne Wayman’s site, About Freelance Writing. Anne defines social. She is gracious, respectful of others, and very practical. Recently Anne had a post with a killer headline, I Can’t Stand Social Media Either. It started me thinking about this whole topic.
In essence, Anne’s post (with shout-outs to Carson Brackney’s Anti-Social Social Networking and Naomi Dunford’s Itty Biz) is telling us it’s okay to stand out – away from the crowd – with our social media strategy. When using Twitter, Facebook, LinkedIn or whatever platform you use, do what makes sense for you – be yourself. Or, as I like to say it here at Simply stated business – Keep it simple, clear & uniquely yours.
In Search of Balance
Keep it simple – Don’t lose your message in the delivery. When the method of delivery becomes more important than the message, you’ve lost something. On a previous post, I gave the example of a social media guru who responded to my Tweet by telling me to post it on Facebook. Customer lost.
Keep it clear – Stay focused on your message. Just what is it you are trying to communicate? Today’s technology is amazing. I am in awe of the creative ingenuity. But they are tools of communication. If you focus on what you are trying to communicate, how you do it becomes clear.
In the days when email was the only social media game in town, I never understood why so many people used email instead of picking up the phone. They spent an hour crafting an email that one quick phone call could solve.
My favorite was the coworkers who were literally feet from my office door, but sent an email instead of just talking to me. If the idea is building relationships, don’t forget the value of one-on-one conversations.
Keep it uniquely yours – And it all comes back to this – This above all: to thine own self be true. If you find the advice of social gurus for using social media is just not working for you, adjust what you’re doing. If you are feeling overwhelmed, your customer probably is too. I think Anne, Carson and Naomi hit on a shared sentiment. Social media offers fabulous tools. Use what works for you and believe in your business – it shows.
How do you find the right balance in social media?
I so often tell folks to pick up the phone… often writers can get the info they need in minutes if they call… they may not get the editor, but the receptionist probably knows… and if they do get the editor they’ve just got a wonderful contact.
.-= Anne Wayman – About Freelance Writing´s last blog ..Freelance Writing Jobs For Wednesday, March 3, 2010 =-.
I couldn’t agree more, Anne. When I worked in the Corporate world, I traveled a lot for business. I used to say it kept me “real” and in touch with our customers. There is a danger in getting into a silo-view of the world when you are tied to your office all the time.
I think there is a similar effect if your only contact with customers is through emails or other social media.
Thanks for sharing your thoughts, Anne.