I’ve been off the road for a little bit and I’ve been getting back to the basics of connecting with people. Even though I speak all over the USA and internationally on a weekly basis on the subjects of Social Media, Networking, Personal Development, and Relationship Building, it’s easy to fall out of the habit of connecting with people like we should. What if every morning you got up a little earlier and checked in on your LinkedIn account to see who’s changed their photo, updated their profile, started a new job, joined a new group, received a recommendation or any of a ton of other updates that LinkedIn can provide you with. And then what if you sent them a brief personal message congratulating them or at least acknowledging that you’re interested in their success? What if you also looked at your Facebook account and congratulated your friends on …
We Become Like The Social Media Peeps We Associate With
There are certain kids that we don’t want our kids hanging out with. That’s because we know that they’ll be a bad influence. So at what age does this change? Remember that adults are just kids with long, hairy legs. We become like the people we associate with. Regardless of our age. Knowing that people are spending huge amounts of time on Facebook and other Social Media sites, it serves us well to remember that we’re associating with people online as well as offline. And we become like the people we associate with. Don’t complain and gripe if you’re hanging around a bunch of complainers and gripers online or offline. Of course you’re complaining and griping if that’s what you’re surrounding yourself with. Surround yourself with people who are inspirational and uplifting. Communicate with people who make you feel better about yourself. Spend time with people who are succeeding and …
All Relationships Start With “Hi”
Read books on interpersonal skills. Learn how to most effectively interact with people. Become a networking professional. Study how to be a charming conversationalist. But, let’s not over-complicate this. All relationships start with “hi.” Develop the habit of saying “hi” to just about everyone who crosses your path. Do it with a smile. It will change your life.
Tim Sanders’ Masterpiece
Since today is Valentine’s Day, I thought I’d mention a book that I read back in 2003 which changed my life. That’s not an exaggeration. The book is “Love Is The Killer App” by Tim Sanders. The subtitle is “How to Win Business and Influence Friends.” Tim explains how to bring your compassion into business. It’s not a sappy book. It’s profound in its originality and authenticity. I applied what I learned in his book to my business efforts and saw huge immediate results. The book actually steered me toward the course I’m now on around the world with my speaking and training. Tim was actually going to kindly write a blurb for my book “The Social Media Sales Revolution” but it didn’t align with McGraw-Hill’s editorial calendar. Maybe he’ll kindly endorse my next book. I’m intentionally not going into a lot of detail here on what’s in the book. Wanna …
People Skills Are Your Only Limitation
As we all become more connected, we’re finding exponentially more opportunities to impact people and organizations. This assumes that you are committed to adding massive value in everything you do. I believe that the only limitation you will have as you move forward is your relationship skills limitation. Let’s agree that your technical expertise in your chosen profession and aligning yourself with a good organization (or starting your own business) that offers a viable product or service at a reasonable price is just admission to the game. That just gets you in the room. In a world (use that guy who does the movie trailer voice) where finding talent has never been easier (LinkedIn, Facebook, Twitter, etc.) the differentiator is no longer your technical expertise. Wanna get good at something – just watch YouTube. Anything in the world you want to learn is there. Just go to khanacademy.org, heck…MIT just put …
Social Media And Relationships Take A Little Work
Success in Social Media and success in relationships doesn’t just happen. Success requires some work. And Social Media and relationships have a lot in common. That’s probably because they’re the same thing. Having success in Social Media means understanding that it’s not about technology, it’s about relationships. You don’t need to be an expert transmission repair specialist in order to drive a car and you don’t need to be a “Social Media Guru” in order to have success in Social Media. Investing a little time on a daily basis in your Social Media efforts and in your relationships produce massive results over time. Updating your LinkedIn, Facebook, and Twitter statuses on a regular basis let people know that you’re still there. Kinda like a relationship. If you don’t let the people you care about know that you care about them, they tend to go away. Touch the people you’re connected …
Rumi Was Right
“Sell your cleverness and purchase bewilderment.” – Rumi Rumi was a pretty deep 13th-century poet and Sufi mystic. I love reading his works. He must have been fun guy to hang around with. Let’s change the word ‘bewilderment’ to ‘gratitude’, and his profound saying becomes “Sell your cleverness and purchase gratitude.” Instead of trying to figure out clever ways of gaining followers on your Social Media channels, or burning brain cells trying to get more people to read your blog, or whatever, what would happen if you went on a rampage of gratitude? Everyone wants to be appreciated and the funny thing is that very few people invest time in their daily routines to show appreciation and gratitude. Set a goal to let at least five people a day know that you are grateful to and/or for them in some way. Show appreciation. Being clever is okay, but being sincere …
Social Proof Isn’t New, It’s Just Much Easier Now
Ever since the earth was cooling, the best form of credibility has been word of mouth. We do business with and refer business to people we know, like and trust. This is as natural as gravity. Whether it’s 912 AD or 2012 AD, word gets around. When people have good experiences and outcomes after working with you, you develop word of mouth. This is called a reputation. Prior to Social Media, we had limited ways of showing that we are credible, do a good job, take pride in our work, and have people saying good things about us. By creating a robust LinkedIn Profile including Recommendations from people who are in a position to endorse you based on your work experience, it’s never been easier to showcase your credibility. Similar displays of credibility can be created on Facebook, Twitter, and other Social Media platforms. The so-called, and often self-professed ‘Social …
Wipe Your Feet
“Do we live in a barn? Wipe your feet!” Ever hear that when you were a kid? I did, because my brothers and I tramped in mud, leaves and God knows what else into our home. My Mom did a great job of keeping a clean house and didn’t want us messing it up with our carelessness. Let’s apply that thinking to Social Media. Remember that every human being with a cell phone is effectively a media company. We can transmit Facebook posts, LinkedIn Status Updates, Tweets on Twitter, photos, video and just about anything else around the globe in seconds. You’re leaving tracks one way or another. Is it mud or is it adding value? Wipe your feet. Leave the mud outside….off the internet and Social Media. Post good things. Add value. Most people have enough mud in their own homes and don’t need yours or mine.
You Are What You Eat
Years ago, I learned a very important success principle. You are what you eat. And you don’t eat with just your mouth. You consume with your eyes and ears too. Small efforts repeated over time produce massive results. Like eating a Big Mac every day. Like watching the news every evening. Like hanging around with negative people. This works both ways – whether we consume positive or negative. I’m suggesting positive. Go on a diet of positivity. When you get up in the morning, repeat something positive while you’re brushing your teeth or taking a shower. Years ago, I taped positive quotes in my shower and read them over and over while I lathered up. During your day, invest a few minutes feeding yourself positive thoughts in terms of uplifting quotes and videos on YouTube. They’re pretty easy to find. Make sure right before you go to sleep at night …