Thank you Jewish Family Services!

This morning I gave a presentation to the Career Services of Jewish Family Services in Columbus.

It was a great time and I met a lot of great people! We discussed how to use (or not to use) social media when you’re in the market for a job.

It’s funny how similar it is to using social media when you have your own business. Well, I guess it’s not FUNNY, LOL! (Sometimes I crack myself up for no reason.)

I thought this would be a great time to preach my “5 Rules of Engagement” for Social Media Use (and I’m adding one more at the end)

1. Be Authentic: au·then·tic: not false or copied; genuine; real

There is no way around this. It’s Rule #1. The Big Kahuna. If you aren’t 100% honest, genuine and real, you will not be successful online. You cannot copy someone else’s style. You can’t fake it till you make it. You must be open, honest and your true self to be successful in today’s online environment.

2. Be Discerning: dis·cern: to distinguish mentally

Being authentic requires that you share information about yourself. But you must DISCERN what you want to be part of your personal brand.

For instance, you may be of a certain political persuasion.  If this is important in what you do and what you bring to the world, then use this as part of your message. If not, I recommend you leave it alone.

The same goes for religion, politically charged issues, and your personal life. If you’ve, for instance, filed bankruptcy, are divorced or lost your job, make sure you want everyone to know before you mention it. It’s better to hesitate because you can’t take it back!

Remember that everything, EVERYTHING you do online, (comments on blogs, picture and video uploads, personal Facebook page, etc.,) become part of your PERSONAL brand.

3. Educate: ed·u·cate: to inform

People will follow you because they’re interested in who you are and what you do. It’s a known fact that people now go to the internet to research something, find a business, recruit employees, etc.

(When’s the last time you read an ENCYCLOPEDIA or a phone book??)

If you are selling a service, you better show expertise and give some of that away for free. Y

You don’t have to write an article every day, but your goal should always be to educate your audiences, NOT SELL TO THEM.

To do this, you must clearly demonstrate your experience and knowledge in your given field by providing useful and actionable information FOR FREE.

IV. Entertain: en·ter·tain: to hold the attention of, pleasantly or agreeably; divert;
amuse

Your tribe will follow you because you make them feel good. There are countless ways to entertain your tribe online today. YouTube videos, cartoons, analogies, and personal stories. Your personal stories will make them feel closer to you, and relate to you as someone who has gone through similar experiences.

Good proof of this is the YouTube sensation “Charlie Bit My Finger”.

This is a silly video that has been viewed a half a BILLION times.

V.  People do business with people they KNOW, LIKE AND TRUST

And lastly: If your mom wouldn’t like it, neither will a potential client or employer!

By tekmiss on April 4, 2012   /   Authenticity, Blogging, Conscious Entrepreneur   /   Leave a comment