The digital age makes it easier than ever to get your message out immediately via myriad platforms. But you can’t lose sight of your goals and your message, which must be consistent and clear whether you’re breaking budget for a glossy spread or tweeting for free. – Faisal Hoque
A couple weeks ago, a Fast Company article, “5 Social-Media Commandments For Better Brand Tweeting” by Faisal Hoque caught my eye. Although this article was focused on Tweeting, in my opinion Faisal’s recommendations can apply to all social media tools. Regardless of your reason for engaging in social media, your message matters, just as it would in a conversation you might have with someone offline. I feel that the term social media comes with a lot of buzz, misconceptions and causes some to forget all common sense, as in Faisal’s example of the Red Cross employee who Tweeted from @RedCross about #gettingslizzerd (slang for getting drunk). Common sense people, please do not lose it because you are Tweeting, Facebook liking, blogging or writing an email for that matter. My single rule of thumb is if I don’t want the public to know it or would not say it out loud, I don’t Tweet it, blog it or Facebook it.
Ok, I’ll get off my soapbox now and get to the point. I think most of us have realized (or are starting to) that the Internet is a force to reckon with especially for professionals who are trying to build their business. Regardless of the tools you decide to use to build your Internet identity, it is important to first implement a strategy. What is your end game? Who is your target audience? How are you going to engage them? What is your message?
To be effective, you need to focus on the quality of your message and less on the volume. Tweeting all day long is ineffective if your message is not clear. Regardless of the tools you decide to use, I will leave you with some “basic rules for communicating to connect, shape, influence and lead”, via Faisal.
- Honesty Matters: When hasn’t this been true? This starts with being honest with yourself. If you are having trouble being honest with your message, think about stepping away from your keyboard, touch screen or whatever device you use.
- Be Direct to Connect: Talking in circles is not going to get you anywhere. Be direct with each message, the reverse could hurt you.
- Think Ahead: Try to anticipate how your audience will react to your message.
- Inspire and Influence: Directly from Faisal “Communication is key for inspiration. The right message can have a major impact, especially in a digital age where a viral tweet or YouTube video can add far more value than the priciest ad campaign. An inspirational message is far more influential than one that just makes a point.”
- Be Yourself: How else do you expect people to get to know you? Remember when I said, people connect over a shared interest that often times is not related to what you do professionally? It is okay to show personality, in fact its a good thing.
- Know When to Stop: This is perfect for the saying, in some cases “less is more.”
