Is it just me, or does it look like social media and social networking are going to be the big buzzwords of 2010? Every day I am bombarded with invitations to come hear the latest expert talk about how you, too, can become the next expert. There are many tricks and maybe some tips discussed on how we should all get online and embrace the new tools for networking, marketing and public relations.
I agree!
I gave a talk two weeks ago (yes, I’m one of those “next experts”) to the Mid-South Real Estate Investors Association in Memphis about the need to secure and take control of your online presence. Regardless of your line of business or situation in life, we all need a web presence simply for the ability to control our image and the story others hear about us.
My talk focused on connecting and getting involved to promote your brand, your image and stimulate the activity of your company. Many in attendance were Memphis-area real estate investors who didn’t have a particular company to promote or promote, but by the end of the night they understood the need to get online. Protecting your image, your name and even your day-to-day story is more important than ever.
When the talk turned to real estate investors, I tried to impress on the group the importance of not only telling their story on their terms, but also being aware of the stories their actions tell. There are real estate investors in Memphis who constantly talk about their competition and not always in glowing terms. Talking about your competition in a negative way not only makes you look bad in the eyes of those who might want to do business with you in the future, it also distracts from the positive message about yourself. At the same time, if your Facebook page shows that you have a thriving little green patch and you excel in Mafia Wars, how long can someone guess who is playing online and how long is he working?
It is becoming more and more common for banks, lenders, insurance companies, recruitment companies, universities, etc., etc. to run the names of those who wish to do business with them on various social sites and through an online name search, just to see what comes up. If you are not in control of your image and your message, then there is no telling what will emerge. Whether it’s having a presence on a simple media tool like YouTube or Facebook, or being elaborate with hosting your own blog; controlling the message about you personally or about your company will be vital for 2010 and beyond.
In part two, I’ll list what I consider to be the 5 worst things you can do on social media, and 5 ways you can remedy those mistakes.
