It’s no secret that I’m all thumbs when it comes to social media. I re-post my blog posts and articles each day and… that’s about it for me. I guess I’m just not social.
I didn’t start out that way. At first, I thought social media was a great way to find some people to “engage” with, and make some new friends and business contacts, and I wanted to do that. But I didn’t know what to do.
Sure, I could respond to what others posted, and I did, but it felt forced and awkward. Like I was in eighth grade again, forcing myself to ask girls to dance.
Maybe I need to find something of my own to post, I thought. All I could think of was to post a daily quote I liked and hope some others liked it, too. And that’s what I did.
Sometimes, pithy quotes, sometimes, funny.
I got “likes,” people who told me they were “stealing” my post, or asking for permission to share (?) and suggestions about other quotes I might like. I said thank you or gave them a smiley face.
Look ma, I’m engaging.
Eventually, I ventured out of my cave and had some decent conversations with folks, supervised a few arguments when some of my followers talked about politics with other followers, and did other things social people do.
And my list grew.
I thought about those days when I heard a story about the owner of a deli who did something similar. Every day, he posted a “word-of-the-day” on the menu board next to his “special-of-the-day”. Customers commented about it and took photos of it and shared them with friends (along with the name of the deli) on their social media.
His customers loved it, especially when the words were particularly obscure or humorous, and came back more frequently to see the new word and chat about it. New customers visited because they heard about his word-of-the-day and wanted to check it out.
All he did was post a new word each day and his business grew.
If you don’t do a lot (or anything) with social media, but want to start, could you post a word-of-the day or quote-of-the day in your newsletter, on social, in your waiting room or elsewhere your clients and connections might see it?
It’s an easy way to start.
You might find you’re good at it and like it. And it might lead to something for you.
Me? Maybe I’ll try it again someday and maybe I’ll like it. Right now, I’m going to have some lunch and think about one of my favorite quotes: “When I get a little money, I buy books; if any is left, I buy food and clothes.” — Desiderius Erasmus
