People are always looking for a shortcut. Whether in Social Media, fitness, finances, relationships or whatever, it doesn’t matter. I’ve found the shortcut. Small efforts repeated over time is the shortcut. That’s it. There is no other short cut. None. Nada. Bupkiss. Goose egg. Implement this strategy in whatever you’re seeking to accomplish and you’ll leave 95% of the population in the dust. Probably 98%. It takes so little to be above average. How bad do you want it?
Stop And Think
No matter how sophisticated technology becomes, success will always come down to the ability to consistently serve and add value to people. One of the best pieces of advice I ever got from a wise guy (not to be confused with the Jersey-type of wise guy) is to sit down for an hour in the morning with a legal pad and pen and write down as many ways as you can think of that you can possibly add more value to your clients, customers, boss, company, referral sources and networking partners. This is not an easy thing to do on a consistent basis. Most of the ideas will be thrown out but you will uncover some gems. When you do, implement them. There’s gold in them thar hills. Edison said that 2% of the people think, 3% think they think, and 95% would rather die than think. He was right. …
You’re A Mosquito In A Nudist Colony Of Opportunity
We have almost unlimited ways to connect with each other. When you meet someone either personally or professionally do you look to connect with them on LinkedIn, Facebook and Twitter? I do. It’s a good habit to start. Then after you connect online, offer to help them in some way. Without an agenda. And not so they can owe you. There are a lot of people who are out of work for long periods of time, tolerating jobs that they hate, dealing with clients they’d love to fire, and a hundred others types of soul-sucking torture. The reason they’re living in this situation has nothing to do with the economy, the Democrats, the Republicans, global warming, the Mayan calendar, or any other excuse. It has to do with the fact that most people don’t understand that all things being equal people do business with and refer business to people they …
Hanging Out On The Corner
I’m writing this in the beautiful Loews Hotel at 12th and Market in Philadelphia after delivering a speaking engagement. I’m in the lounge by the piano with floor to ceiling windows that look out 180 degrees on this busy intersection. It’s amazing to watch the people go by. You see folks of every size, shape and color. You see people who are in a hurry, walking slowly, looking happy and sad. It’s a lot like watching your news and status feeds on your Social Media sites. But life changes when you stop just observing and start interacting….
Morning Standard Operating Procedure (TMI Category)
This post may fall under the TMI category. What do you do first thing in the morning? I mean after you pee. For most people it’s check their iPhone for Facebook and Twitter updates. And that’s before they brush their teeth. Airline pilots use a Standard Operating Procedure before each flight. They check their plane from top to bottom to ensure that they’re ready to fly. Developing your own SOP is a good idea. You already have one, by the way, whether you realize it or not. It was the answer to the question I asked you above. Every morning (after I pee) I get in the shower and while I’m washing my body and shampooing my hair I recite out loud the thirty principles outlined in Dale Carnegie’s book “How to Win Friends and Influence People”. Then I do it again. Then I recite out loud the “Self-Confidence Formula” …
Happy People
Happy people are better clients. Happy people refer more business. Happy people perform better work. Happy people are a joy to get together with. Happy people spend more and are repeat customers. Happy people become raving fans. Happy people make life a lot more fun and profitable. And yet so few people invest time in studying how to make people happy. Become a black belt in happiness creation. You’ll be happy you did.
Most Social Media Questions Aren’t Social Media Questions
After speaking, training, and writing books about Social Media for over nine years, I can completely assure you that most questions people ask regarding Social Media aren’t Social Media questions. They’re relationship questions. They’re also networking questions, but I’m gonna include networking questions in the relationship category. When you were learning to drive you probably didn’t ask many questions about transmissions and brake calipers. You probably asked questions about traffic signals, signs and speed. You don’t need to be an auto mechanic to drive a car. Connecting with people on Social Media platforms is just the first step. Not the last, as a lot of people think. Now the relationship begins. And this is when your character shows up. If you’re someone who’s just collecting “Likes”, “Follows”, and “Friends”, you’re in deep doo-doo, because after they connect with you, you have no idea what to do next. And no, the …
Follow Friday Everyday
Those of us who use Twitter a lot are familiar with the hashtag #FF, which stands for Follow Friday. On Fridays, many people tweet #FF followed by the Twitter handles of people they’re recommending that their followers should also follow. Got that? It’s a nice way to pay it forward and drive visibility to people you see value in who your followers may have never heard of. Don’t think you have to wait for Fridays to promote other people. And don’t think this only has to do with Twitter. Be a “Do It Now” person. If there’s someone you think deserves some recognition, do it now. Sure, wait until Friday to do the whole #FF thing, but don’t be afraid to post something on your Social Media platforms letting people know that you consider this person to be awesome. The only recognition that many people get in life is when …
Share Your Unique Voice
We can’t outrun our character. And that’s a good thing. In a more and more interconnected world, when we sincerely strive to add massive value what goes around comes around. A lot of folks think they have to “be” a certain way on Social Media. Here’s the nine-hundred pound elephant in the middle of the room: if you’re trying to present yourself as anything other than what you really are, you will be found out very quickly and any knowable, likeable, trustable traits you’ve been attempting to present will be shattered. You’re unique. Just like everyone else. You were designed a certain way and to attempt to be anything that you’re not is a lesson in futility. Be what you are while continually getting better at being you. Share yourself, what’s interesting to you, your passions and your enthusiasm. That’s your unique voice.
The Simplest Success Formula Ever
Step One: Clearly define what you want to have, do, or become. Step Two: Do the work. The irony is that 95% of the population never does Step One. Complete Step One and the work is a pleasure. It’s actually not even work at that point. Work is doing something you don’t want to do, when you don’t want to do it, with people you don’t want to do it with, for unsatisfactory compensation. Why would you do that? ?
You Are What You Tweet
In regards to our bodies, we know that we are what we eat. In our conversations, we know that what’s in our thoughts eventually comes out of our mouths. In Social Media, we can’t out-run our character. You are what you tweet. On Twitter, are you tweeting things of value that help, inform, educate, and encourage people? And then are you engaging with those peeps to create mutually beneficial, win-win relationships? It will serve you well to remember that people have always been able to figure you out by what you say and what you do. Social Media just allows people to identify the Value Generators much, much more quickly. Tweet well.
Be An Encourager
The only time most folks get any recognition is when they screw something up. And most of the time they already know they screwed it up and don’t need someone else shoving it in their face. I’m no management guru, but I know one thing that will help people perform better and make them feel better about themselves and also about you. Sneak up and catch them doing something right. And even if you’re not catching them doing something right, a little encouragement goes a long way. Let people know that you believe in them and make sure you’re sincere about it. Who can you encourage live in the flesh today, and also on Social Media platforms? It takes so little to spread a little sunshine and the return for doing so (for everyone involved including you) is so large that it’s pretty much a no-brainer. Encourage people.
Who Are Your Five?
Years ago, a man I respect a lot told me to identify the five people who I spend the most time with, and add up their incomes. He said that my income would be about the average of the five. And when I did what he suggested, I found out that he was right. This works with a lot more than money. Observe the attitudes, family relationships, health, and spirituality of the five people you spend the most time with and you’ll probably find that the corresponding areas of your life are probably also the average of their’s. And you don’t need to be physically with these people all the time. Who are you hanging out with on LinkedIn, Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest, etc? This is very good news. Because you get to choose your five. Is there anyone you need to remove from your five? Is there anyone you need …
Opt-Out Of The Negative
We all receive email, newsletters, sales pitches and other forms of communication that we can opt-out of. We opt-out because we have no interest in what the person is sending our way. Sometimes we even wonder how we got on their list in the first place. When people around you start being negative, start complaining, moaning about the weather, the economy, the Democrats, the Republicans, Kim Kardashian, their lazy spouse, the crappy traffic, or whatever, just opt-out. Say politely, “My well-being, my family’s financial stability, my closest relationships, and my long-term success is dependent on my ability to focus on the positive and this conversation is putting everything valuable to me in jeopardy, so I must politely remove myself from the discussion.” And then smile and walk away. You’re too special to get bogged down in that crap. Life is too short to focus on the negative. You’re not in …
2
Timely Follow-Up Will Always Be Important
We’re all running faster than we’ve ever run before. And when we’re cruising at Mach 5 with our hairline on fire things tend to fall through the cracks. With the ever-increasing amount of LinkedIn connection requests, Facebook posts, tweets, and a million other things including email that come at us every day, it’s easy to get backed up. Social Media Constipation. It’s still important to get back to people in a timely manner and it will always be important. This is something that I work on on a daily basis. Sometimes I’m on top of my communications and sometimes I’m backed up. Way backed up. It would be easy for you and me to use the “I’m so busy” excuse. But that’s a cop-out. We make time for the things that are important to us. And our relationships are very important. People may forget what we say, but they never …
Let Other People Toot Your Horn
There are a lot of self-professed “Social Media Guru’s” out there. I think that many people call themselves guru’s because they can’t spell “charlatan.” When you deliver massive value, the word gets around. All things being equal, people do business with and refer business to people they know, like, and trust. Not people who call themselves “guru’s.” It’s kinda like being a lady. If you have to tell people you are….maybe you’re not. Someone tooting their own horn is actually telling people a lot more about themselves than they realize. And it’s not a good thing they’re telling about themselves. Add massive value. What goes around comes around. Let other people toot your horn. Do awesome work and they’ll toot your horn all day long. Don’t worry about the tooting. Just massively deliver the goods.
2
Ask And It Shall Be Given Unto You
There’s an old saying in the sales biz that goes, “You no ask, you no get.” And it’s an old saying because it’s true. There’s an even older saying from a pretty famous book that goes, “Ask and it shall be given unto you.” This is the positive version of the old sales adage. When you meet people in person or on LinkedIn, Facebook, Twitter, or wherever, ask them how you may help them in some way. And if you’re in a position to help them, do it. What goes around comes around. But don’t offer to help people so that they’ll owe you. Do it because it’s a reflection of your giving nature and pay-it-forward attitude. Timid salespeople have skinny kids. This isn’t necessarily about sales, but really about human relations. Not offering to help people doesn’t serve anyone. Not the withholder nor the withholdee. Your success may be …
Don’t Be A Drive-By Social Media Connector
It’s nice to have a lot of Friends on Facebook, Connections on LinkedIn and Followers on Twitter, but don’t let the numbers fool you. Every connection regardless of the Social Media platform is an opportunity to add value to someone and to create a mutually beneficial, win-win relationship. Many people are “drive-by connecting” with people. They’re just trying to increase their numbers in an egotistical manner. This isn’t everyone by any means, but it’s certainly a lot of people. Just look at the evidence. A drive-by connection is someone who “friends, connects, or follows” and they’re then off to the Social Media Witness Relocation Program. You never hear from them again. Nothing, nada, bupkiss, goose egg. When connecting with someone, send them a personal message acknowledging them and asking if you may help them in some way. You may be surprised at some of the wonderful replies you get. Most people …
It’s Never Been Easier To Get Better At Whatever You Want
There’s never been an easier time than now for you to get better at whatever you want to get better at. And nothing has really changed over the centuries in terms of figuring out how to get better. Determine what you want to excel at and find the resources that will teach you how to get better. In the old days, you’d go to the library or subscribe to some pricey journal on your field of interest. Now, with the internet, Social Media, blogs, etc. you have an almost unlimited number of resources available to you. I suggest that you find people who are really good at what you want to get better at. Friend them and/or like their Fan Page on Facebook, invite them to connect with you on LinkedIn, and follow them on Twitter. You’re not stalking, you’re learning by observing. Watch what they post. Study their content. They’re …
Who Did You Touch This Week?
While success is composed of a number of things, it’s pretty much agreed upon that our long-term success will be dependent on our ability to build and maintain relationships. The best kind of relationships are mutually beneficial, win-win relationships. Friday is a good time to look back over your week and see who you’ve interacted with and whether you’ve added value to everyone who has crossed your path. Take a few minutes and look back over your calendar for the week. See who you communicated with whether in person, by email, or perhaps on Social Media sites like LinkedIn, Facebook, and Twitter. Was your interaction positive? Did it add value to the other person? Did it lead to a stronger bond? Did you offer help in some way and pay it forward? If not, pick up the phone or drop an email to the person and let them know that …