Years of working in the social media world have caused me to learn a few lessons and make plenty of mistakes. I made a point to write them down so I would remember them and could share with other folks…
What’s the Point?
The glass house question – When everything is on display, you need to really consider what’s too much and what’s just right.
The world comes to you. I have a friends on three separate continents that I talk to more often than my next door neighbor. Stop fighting it. It’s not right or wrong, it’s simply the world we live in today.
Ethos, Pathos, Logos… Charisma, Credibility and Logic… have them… maintain them.
What it Does, How It Acts and What It’s Not
It’s a tool, not a miracle
You can stay in touch, but you can’t actually touch
Social media is organic and circumvents established hierarchies… not to mention that informal communication is a GOOD thing. It’s like the water that feeds the plant. Don’t try to shut it down. Use the structure to connect rather than control.
Communication is reciprocal – Your job is to listen and watch as much as it is to broadcast. A couple of great tools to help you along that path are Google Alerts and Social Mention
Pulse: Crowd aggregation reflects what is important at the moment. The more back-story you know the better off you are.
It’s PR… you’re there because you care. Long term consistency will set up that great conversation down the road
Status updates are for social interaction as a stock ticker is for a shareholder. You’re simply keeping track of things of value.
Peer recommendation vs. direct advertisement. Which has more value?
Statement #1: You should come to come to MY restaurant.
Statement #2: I love THAT restaurant
A peer recommendation is always more valuable because the provider has nothing to gain or lose from sharing that information
Old vs. New
It’s no longer about them coming to you, but rather you going to them
It’s about being accessible. You want to make strong connections? Be available.
It’s about knowing the norm and understanding when someone in the community is outside of it. – you know them well enough to know their baseline.
It’s no longer about structure and bricks and mortar. It’s about decentralized community and fluidity.
Non-Negotiables
You can not dictate the conversation. People will only connect for the reasons they want to connect. I learned this one the hard way.
Community is always byproduct of something else
- build community not a stalker site
- If your goal is to create community, then you’ll ultimately destroy it.
- You facilitate the environment that’s kind to community development
Everything/Everyone Shares (They’re always willing to tell you what they love or hate, but seldom what they’re indifferent toward)
Don’t think for a second that you can control the masses. It will only backfire. Set them free to create… they’re going to do it anyway.
Connections always starts from local connections and move outward. A viral video simply starts out as something among friends before it gets a million views
Frame of Mind
You can stay in touch, but you can’t actually touch… That may sound a little creepy, but the greater the physical distance, the less connection actually occurs.
Your online community is going to evolve continually… never think it’s in a permanent state.
Don’t force it. If it’s not your thing, then it’s not your thing.
It’s not just “one more thing to do…do it right and it’ll make your life easier”
You’re an evangelist not just a spokesperson
People should feel like the best version of themselves when they’re around you.
How to Act
You always get what you put into it… Do nothing…get nothing.
Don’t shove stuff down their throats (people connect for the reasons they want to connect)
Have strategy and consistency, it’s the only way to achieve consistent results.
Stop chasing cars – know exactly who you’re after, don’t simply chase every possible client that drives by.
Do not get into an argument online… It’s never productive…ever.
Be proactive, not reactive. Proactive always wins.
Be human or forget about it… People are going to connect with your organization because of a relationship with your brand/purpose (a.k.a. have a personality)
Keep it social and professional…Farmville be damned
Your communication strategy must constantly be buffering. (Don’t wait till it’s perfect or complete to start) Think of it as dating… people don’t plan the step by step process of a relationship through marriage with someone before they ever ask them out. It simply starts with a “hello”. You need to know a general direction and build from there
