Some people still tell me, “I’ll get connected to everyone and their brother on Social Media sites and the clouds will part and the money will fall out of heaven.” They don’t say it in those exact words, but their intentions are clear. They think that the number of connections, friends and followers they have is an indication of their future income.
Actually, it’s only a representation of the possibility of their future income. And if I may be so bold, let’s take the income equation off the table. Because if you add enough value to your connections, friends and followers then and only then will you be in a position to derive a steady income as a result of effective networking. If connecting to a ton of people guarantees riches, shouldn’t everyone with a phone book be a millionaire? Exactly.
Study people skills. Break out your “How to Win Friends and Influence People” and become a black belt in relationships. This is the irony of Social Networking. No matter how many people you connect with, you can’t outrun your character. People crave authenticity. People are tired of the sales pitches. I know that I am.
When the Social Media new car smell wears off…and it will wear off…the sharper folks will have figured out that everything’s changed and nothing’s changed. Yes, we now have the ability to connect with far more people than ever before and in a more laser-like fashion, but at the end of the day nothing’s changed.
Because regardless of how sophisticated technology gets, people are people. And all things being equal, people do business with and refer business to people they know, like and trust. Only every time.
Yes, learn the bells and whistles of the Social Networking sites. But double down on people skills. Do this and you will never worry about your next job, where to find clients and how to add value to every relationship you have. And that is a fun and profitable way to live.