What Does SOCIAL Mean?

There seems to be a lot of confusion swirling around this on the SOCIAL networks these days. Few remember what the definition of SOCIAL is so allow me to help you. According to Webster’s (still my favorite . . . )

“of or relating to human society, the interaction of the individual and the group; tending to form cooperative and interdependent relationships with others of one’s kind; tending to grow in groups or masses to as to form a pure stand.”

Notice the word HUMAN, so please while it is great that you want to share your pet, your passions, and your purpose, really this is about YOU and those whom YOU want to connect with, relate to and get social with. That means a picture (avatar) of YOU, not a sunset, not your pet, not your children, not furniture, not food. I know you’ve heard this before but some of you aren’t listening!

This is about relating, not shouting into the vastness of the internet what you ate for lunch, that you hate (or love) Britney Spears, or yelling at us to buy this or that. Being social means INTERACTING. You are out on the social networks to build relationships, to generate visibility and credibility and to establish your KNOW, LIKE, and TRUST factor.

Sure I know you want to make money, we all do. But you can’t go at it like Crazy Eddie or even like Billy Mays (RIP). Times have changed, and today it is all about finding your points of connection, unique to you and forming an indelible bond with other people. There is an adage that is profoundly true, your client/customer doesn’t care about you or your product, until they know how much YOU care!

Stop proposing on the first date, and instead create a courtship that if it doesn’t lead to marriage it will lead to referrals to other great matches for YOU and your business, your purpose, and your passions. Relate, get social, create conversation, interact. You’ll have more fun, meet more people, and go a lot farther.