Isn’t Social Media Just Shameless Self-Promotion – YES IT IS – That’s Why You Need to Be Using It to Shamelessly Self-Promote Your Business

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We live in a very anti-social, social media world.

No, that’s not a typo – social media is anything BUT social.

Think about it – how many “friends” do you have on Twitter that you actually know? And by know, I’m not talking about sharing tweets.

Let’s put it this way, how many “friends” do you have on Twitter that you’d invite into your home for dinner? Not a coffee shop, not some sleazy bar, or worse – street corner – your own private residence.

Asking myself that same question, I currently have 4,376 followers on Twitter. Of those amazingly awesome folks following me, I’d guess I probably really only know a couple hundred, when you consider friends, family and business associates.

Of those 200 people, I really only know about 50 that I know well enough to invite into my own, personal, private, living space.

So, out of over 4,000 “friends” on Twitter, I really know about 50 of them. Do the math – I only really know 1.25 percent of my Twitter followers.

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According to statistics, that’s about right. Studies show the average Twitter user only really knows between one to two percent of those who follow them.

One to two percent – that means, on average, 98 to 99 percent of those happy smiling faces that follow you on Twitter are complete strangers.

Doesn’t sound all that social at all.

Twitter is just like walking down a busy street, yelling: “look at me.”

BINGO!

Social media is just shameless self-promotion, that’s why you need to be using it to shamelessly self-promote your business.

If everyone is using Twitter, facebook, YouTube, Google Plus, Vimeo, Pinterest, Instagram, even Linkedin to shamelessly promote themselves – then you need to be doing that too.

I know – that’s not very social. Walking down a busy street, yelling: “look at me” is hardly the behavior that’ll win you long lasting friends you can count on when you really need them.

But that’s the new world order, thanks to smart phones, tablets, free WiFi, and coffee shops filled with people, none of whom talk to each other -- even at the same table!

Talking?

That’s old school.

Besides, no one cares about you.

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They are too busy taking selfies to show off their new hat, tweeting about what they had for lunch, or posting a really nasty review about the waiter that kept putting his finger in everything he brought to the table.

No one cares about you.

They are busy shamelessly self-promoting their own self interest.

However, the smart social media entrepreneur knows that social media isn’t about making friends, fans and followers.

No.

It’s about doing something that gets you noticed by the most self-absorbed generation since – well okay – there never has been another generation so interested in themselves, that they will walk into on-coming traffic, because they were eyes-down, self-absorbed into their mobile device.

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You have to use social media as a business person to get into the eyeballs of your customers, so in their own self-interest, they share your posts with their friends. And their friends share it with their friends, and so on, and . . .

That’s the real power of social media in business.

Despite it being wrongly named “social” – it really should be called “self interested media” or “anti social media” or anything but social.

Social media is just shameless self-promotion, but that’s why you need to be using it to shamelessly self-promote your business.

Has Linkedin Become Just Like Every Other Social Network?

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Social media is a great addiction of mine.

I enjoy checking out my Twitter, Facebook, Google Plus, Tumblr, Instagram . . . you see why it’s so addictive?

When each one of these first started, people actually posted quality, interesting things that might be useful.

Believe it or not, there was a time when there was more than celebrities getting themselves into hot water, useless quotes from long since dead famous people, pictures of gorgeous women in skimpy outfits, and cat photos dominating the social networks.

As each of the social networks matured, they unfortunately deteriorated into much of the above – don’t believe me?

Skim through the trending content on any given day, and you’ll see pretty much all the above mindless drivel.

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There still are some jewels in the rough on social media. Great infographics that turn complex processes into easy to follow steps. Sometimes even the latest news breaks first online, instead of CNN, BBC or CBC.

However, Linkedin – that’s always been the professional network, where people only post content relevant to their career or business, and use it to connect with those business people.

That may be changing, sadly.

Oh, I have yet to see the mindless crap that passes for content on the other social networks appear on Linkedin.

However, Linkedin is very different from just a handful of years ago.

When Linkedin began, it was a great place for professionals to network, to build connections, to reach out to one another for legitimate career or business opportunities.

I’d send out an Inmail, or email to one of my Linkedin contacts, and receive a response, which would lead to a discussion, and possibly an opportunity.

Recently I noticed, my Inmails and emails to my contacts were being ignored.

Now, that doesn’t seem to professional to me.

At the very least, a professional would send a polite response back saying “not interested.”

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To be clear, I wasn’t selling anything. I’m an entrepreneur, and as I build a business, I often explore Linkedin, and reach out to people whose profiles may be a good fit with the business I’m building. I may be looking for business partners, employees, or even someone that might be interested in working for us on a contractual basis.

I’m not recruiting others for some borderline legal Multi Level Marketing (MLM) scam, nor am I asking for any investment.

I’m just reaching out to people whose profiles match with what I’m doing, to have a professional chat and see if there is a good fit.

That’s all.

And I thought I was expressing that in my communications.

But still, out of a handful of Inmails and emails sent, only a couple generated any response.

So, I began asking people why they don’t respond to messages on Linkedin.

I asked people who responded to my messages. And I asked people that I actually know over the phone, if they too ignore messages from others on Linkedin.

The results of my informal survey were sadly stunning – there is so much SPAM, scam and other junk communications coming across Linkedin, that most people treat it just like any other social network.

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They post stuff, hoping it gets lots of traction, but ignore anything directed at them from anyone they don’t actually know.

That's beyond tragic.

Because, if everyone is being bombarded with so much crap, they ignore everything from anyone they don’t really know, then the one good thing about Linkedin is gone forever – the ability to really connect with others professionally.

Linkedin has become nothing more than another Facebook. They might as well add the option to poke people on it, because it’s so dominated by SPAM, what’s another annoyance?

Perhaps this great social media experiment we’ve all been participants in has taught us one lesson. If you want to really get to know someone, pick up the phone, and call them.

Struggling to Find Work? Don’t Flip-Flop Hop-Skip and Jump Your Title

I attend many social and business networking functions, and I’m always amazed and saddened by the number of people at these events out of work and looking for their next job.

A handful of years ago, I’d guess fewer than 10% of the attendees were unemployed. Now, it’s more like 80% are either unemployed, or severely underemployed.

What shocks and horrifies me more is the reason why so many people are struggling to find work.

As I go through the LinkedIn profiles and resumes sent to me, I see many have flip-flop hop-skipped and jumped from job to job, to job.

I’ve seen several LinkedIn profiles where each person has worked for no more than four months at any one employer.

Traditionally, a work history with such brief stints at any one company would be a big red flag. A warning beacon about a person unable to hold down a steady job.

Today, it is a sad sign of the new economy, as companies of all sizes hire on short-term project-based contracts, instead of thinking of the bigger long-term picture.

Want a career, with benefits, a decent salary, and job security? Don’t come to North America – we don’t have that here.

Gone are the days when companies of all sizes – of any size really – hire qualified people on staff.

Gone are the days when companies hire people period. Most companies these days don’t hire anyone, instead they just contract out their work to temporary staff

Temporary staff – AKA you -- are only paid for the hours you work, so any statutory holidays you must take (because the office is closed) or you voluntarily take (so you don’t burn out) are unpaid.

The temporary employment agency that recruited you tells you, there is occasional overtime. However, your “employer” (the agency’s client”) tells you that they don’t pay overtime, yet they expect you to put in those volunteer hours on your own dime.

There is no job security. Your contract can be terminated without any notice, rhyme or reason.

And you are constantly lead to the promised land, as both your temporary agency and their client tell you they love your work, and are considering hiring you on staff, with benefits.

That’ll never happen. They tell that to everyone. It keeps you motivated, and makes them appear to care about your well-being, which they don’t.

They didn’t put you on a temporary contract to try before they buy. Nope.

They put you and most of the other unfortunate hard working folks around you on temporary contracts, so that they can get rid of you.

And they will get rid of you.

You’ve probably already gone through this routine, which is why your resume flip-flops and hop-skip and jumps around so much.

Despite my own understanding of this new world of work, I’m still hesitant to hire someone that hasn’t held a job longer than a couple of years.

Perhaps I’m old fashioned in my aging years. However, a piece of me also knows that many of those titles are manufactured just because.

I know people who have created their own one-person consulting businesses. They tell me they are proud entrepreneurs. They’ll never work for anyone else, ever again.

Yet these very same people change their title on LinkedIn and probably on their resume, every time they land a new contract.

That’s not very entrepreneurial – in fact it reads just like everyone else looking for work, as they flip-flop hop skip and jump their titles.

What’s worse, is it shows how confused and desperate many have become. So much so, that they confuse creating their own job, with being hired on a temporary contract.

So long as you are on any form of employment contract with anyone, you are not an employee, nor are you an entrepreneur working for yourself.

Instead, you are a piece of paper, being filed, stamped, and stomped all over.

So long as you are on any temporary employment contract with anyone, you are no different than a stapler, or any other office resource.

And that’s the real problem with our new economy of temporary contracted out people. Because when you’re nothing more than a stapler, and another stapler comes along, willing to work for less than you, you’re suddenly out of work.

Yet you’ve shown your commitment and dedication by updating your social media profiles, your LinkedIn, your resume, maybe even your business cards.

Don’t Flip-Flop Hop-Skip and Jump Your Title unless you really are an entrepreneur and there isn’t anyone that can fire you but you.

Having a work history that changes every few months isn’t very professional, shows a lack of judgement on your part, and could end up costing you your dream job.

And this is coming from someone that understands the new world of temporary work, and goes through a lot of resumes and LinkedIn profiles as I build my business ventures.

SEX -- Now That I Have Your Attention -- Personal Branding is All About Sex Appeal

Once the domain of corporations and their slick marketing campaigns, branding is no longer limited to just that -- but encompasses you too.

You are a brand -- and if you aren't -- you better create your own personal brand because everything depends on that personal brand.

Perception, whether true or implied, is how we accept the world.

So how you present yourself, even when you aren't there to do so in person, is how others see you.

Think about anyone you know, and you'll develop a mental picture of that person. That's their personal brand -- or rather -- that's the personal brand they are representing to the world.

It wasn't always like this, we used to accept people on their face value and a handshake.

But since the explosion of the social media universe, when our images, our thoughts, even our voice can speak when we aren't there, now we base our decisions about liking, unliking, or despising someone completely on the way they appear to us, even before meeting them.

Human Resources professionals have been doing this for years. Statistics show that over 80% of those responsible for hiring people, Google job applicants BEFORE calling them for a phone screen interview.

So those pictures of you drunk dancing on top of the bar at your friend's party might actually prevent you from getting your next job. Unless drunk table dancer is the job you want.

Is this fair?

Hell no!  We all make mistakes. Just so long as we learn from those mistakes and move on, instead of hitting our heads against the same brick walls every time.

However, creating and managing your personal brand -- the way the world sees you when you aren't around -- isn't hard. You just have to always be aware of how you present yourself to the world, and you have to have sex appeal.

No, I don't mean taking it all off and flashing the cameras.

PUT YOUR CLOTHES BACK ON!!!

The first step to creating a personal brand, is making you appealing to others, usually by wrapping a catchy descriptive slogan around who you are, what you stand for, and why anyone should pay you any attention.

Coke is it, and Timex takes a lickin' but keeps on ticking, and you -- well -- you . . .

PSST. . . this is where you insert your catch phrase that tells us in as few words as possible who you are.

Personal branding is all about asking yourself questions, to dive deep into who you are, and creating the message that you want to convey to the world when they hear your name.

Some key questions to ask yourself to help you build your personal brand:

• How do I make people feel?
• How do others benefit by having me around?
• What words do others use to describe me to their friends? 
• What industry am I in?
• What's my job or ideal job?
• Who are the people you want to respect your personal brand the most?
• What can you do best for those who you want to respect you?
• Why me, instead of everyone else? What makes me special/different?

Ask yourself these questions, and create a short catch-phrase which sums up your answers. That's your personal brand. Or at least, the start of a great one.

Passion Needs a Hungry Audience

The other day, someone asked me: "So Jordan, how do you turn your passions into profits?"

They were referring to one of my self-branding taglines used in social media, which says that I turn my passions into profits, and then asks what's your passion?

Then I heard someone describe just that, on one of the many podcasts I listen to -- passion needs a hungry audience.

People are passionate about coffee.

We're often told to follow our passions, and the rest will come.

That is true, so long there is a need for that passion, and a history of people paying for the fulfillment of that need.

Some people are passionate about coffee, so much so they call themselves coffee connoisseurs. And it doesn't hurt that the active ingredient in coffee -- caffeine -- is highly addictive too.

Ask any self-proclaimed coffee connoisseur, and they will boast how they aren't addicted to the brown brew, they love the various tastes and smells -- or pardon me -- I mean aromas -- as they like to say.

Regardless of whether these coffee connoisseurs are addicted or not, they are so passionate about coffee, they are willing to pay for it -- big time. 

Coffee beans are grown in over 70 countries, and it is one of the most traded agricultural commodities in the world. Over $4 USD billion was spent last year importing coffee into the United States, to serve the 100 million daily coffee drinkers of that country. It's estimated that over $18 USD billion was spent by Americans alone, just on speciality coffees -- lattes, cappuccinos and mochas.

Clearly, coffee connoisseurs are passionate, hungry and willing to pay to feed that passionate hunger.

Coffee art -- don't know if it makes it taste better
but it sure is pretty.

Coffee shops are turning passions into profits -- and one would hope that those who own those shops are just as passionate about their products as their customers.

Because that's part of the equation too. If you aren't passionate about whatever it is you are peddling to the world, those who are will quickly catch on, and you'll lose customers.

Pretty faces must
be passionate about
what they sell,
or they'll cost
you money.

When I was at the Business Franchise and Investment Expo a few weeks ago, I talked to many people trying to sell me on becoming one of their franchisees. A well known fast food restaurant chain had these gorgeous women, handing out brochures to lure in potential franchisees. Whenever someone stops me with paper, I always ask questions -- I'm just weird that way I suppose.

The young lady simply flung her long hair back and said: "I dunno, ask him," as she pointed to her "pimp," -- the company had hired a bunch of models which weren't passionate about the product, the company or anything else other than getting paid, from what I could tell.

I politely thanked the young lady, and kept walking. 

And it wasn't because fast food isn't nearly as addictive as coffee. You don't have to have an addictive product to guarantee profits.

People are passionate about their pets. There are almost 75 million dog owners -- and 88 million cat owners -- in the United States. These pet owners on average spend between $150 to $250 USD annually on vet bills. Last year, American's spent over $53 billion on their pets -- healthcare, food, and yes, even pet clothing and accessories.

People passionate about pets are a hungry audience, and have a history of spending to feed that hunger.

Cute puppies decked out for a stroll.

Just that model wasn't passionate about what she was representing.

Passion needs a hungry audience -- and those feeding that passion must have it too. Passion is just as contagious as a lack of passion is.

And if you are passionate about something which people are willing to pay for to feed their own passions, that's how you turn passions into profits.

So, what are you passionate about?

Crowdfunding is Great at Marketing, But Sucks at Raising Real Cash

According to a Canadian news outlet, more Canucks are raising funds using social media's crowdfunding to start their businesses.

Even your best friend will think twice about
funding your project if it doesn't look successful.

That may be true, but real money comes from actually selling a needed product or service to those that want it, not giving away swag online to convince people they need your product or service.

Most crowdfunding projects succeed based on the "gifts" you provide in exchange for people -- called "funders" -- donating to your project.

It's a loss leader from a marketing point of view, because you have to give away something to get something in return.

Loss leaders don't raise capital -- that's why it's called a "loss" in the first place.

And you have to often spend your own money to get others to fund your project. Most crowdfunding websites recommend having launch parties, or creating media stunts, or other costly events to get your friends funding right away.

After testing out crowdfunding, I learned to raise any money this way, you first had to spend a great deal of your own money, and it forces you to rely far too heavily on your friends and family to spend their money.

It's all part of "greenbar syndrome."

All crowdfunding websites have a progress bar, telling potential funders how much of your crowdfunding goal you have reached, and how long you have to keep trying.

No one wants to fund something that doesn't look like it will be successful. So if your progress bar indicates you are very far from reaching your goal, few will click the button to donate to your cause.

The Kickstarter Greenbar will make or break any project.

Failure to get that progress bar to move in a positive way is called "greenbar syndrome" -- as most of them are green, and it's a very common problem -- if not the MOST common one -- which kills over 60 percent of crowdfunding campaigns.

Yep, on average, only 40% of the people that try to raise funds through crowdfunding are actually successful.

That's not bad, because raising any money for anything is a challenge -- money doesn't grow on trees.

However, if you rely on crowdfunding to actually raise money, you'll either fail or lose more than you were hoping to raise in most cases, all because of greenbar syndrome.

To get that green progress bar up to a level where strangers will feel comfortable donating, you have to spend much of your own money.

It's like going to a bank, asking for a loan, and being told you have to put up 40-60% of the initial funds yourself -- those are the typical numbers the major crowdfunding websites recommend you get your progress bar up to, if you want to avoid greenbar syndrome.

Crowdfunding isn't great for raising funds, but works
to grow a loyal and dedicated following to your brand.

In the real world of business, if you were to put up that much of your own personal cash to start your business, you'd be broke before you even began.

Crowdfunding sucks at raising capital.

But it's awesome at growing friends, fans and followers to your company, it's brand, and and it's channels.

If you see crowdfunding for what it really is -- a marketing tool -- then you can create a budget for how much you are willing to spend on it, and the remaining funders that follow, will become loyal fans of your brand.

Then follow-up with those new fans, as they are key prospects to target, because they've proven they love your brand, so they'll be easily converted into paying customers.

But don't try to raise serious coin using crowdfunding.

It just isn't practical.

Despite Our iSociety, If You Want to Grow Professionally, You've Got to Do It Face-to-Face

I use the Azumio Heart Rate Monitor
iPhone App to measure my heart rate.

I love my iPhone.

I really do, it is my life. 

I wake up to my own custom alarms, check my heart rate when I wake, when I work, and before I go to sleep. It even reminds me to drink enough water throughout the day, tells me where and when I'm supposed to be, keeps me from getting lost, and warns me when the skies are about to open up so I know to take cover from an approaching storm.

Apple's iPhone was the spring that bounced in a whole new world -- one so dependent on personal mobile tech, we sometimes -- correction -- we OFTEN -- forget there are others in our world.

And that's really tragic, because rarely do we as individuals excel. Although everyone remembers Steve Jobs, none of your Apple devices were created single-handedly by him. Even Mark Zuckerberg's concepts didn't solely create the Facebook timeline we so love to hate today. And do you really think Sir Richard Branson could have created a record store, an airline, a telecommunications company and now a spaceship all by himself?

We live in an iSociety dominated world.

If you want to grow your brand, your business, or even just yourself, you've got to get out there and mix and mingle in the real world, with real people.

I'm not talking about cheating using instant messaging services like Skype, and don't even get me started on the dangers of limiting yourself to 140 characters in a tweet, or some poorly shot 'selfie' on Instagram.

Don't be afraid to spill some coffee, and get some sticky sugary crumbs all over that mobile device, because the only way to be anything in this world, is to step outside our self-created iSociety to live, work and play with real people.

I'm doing this now, as I do what many do when they start-up a new company, I'm linking in with people in the real world that I think may be the right people to grow that business. I'm reaching out to people that catch my eye, and making the owners of numerous coffee shops orgasmic with delight as I take the time to meet with as many people as I can, to chat in a relaxed unhurried cafe, to learn about someone that has what I need, and see if I can help them with their needs.

And that's really what business is all about -- helping each other.

Even Skype and other forms of video calls don't solve
the problems created by our mobile world.

Be it joining forces to create the next big thing, mentoring each other, or even just referring someone to another person, there really is truth to the saying: 

It's not what you know, but who.

Which is where our iSociety fails -- how well can you really ever know anyone just from the online world?

Emoticons are cute, but don't convey the whole gamut of facial expressions, which can vary from culture to culture.

Spill coffee together to really get to
know someone, to grow your business
and you.

Video conferencing solves that problem, but not very well, because body language is just that -- body language, encompassing the whole body. So someone's face may say "tell me more" but it's out of context without the rest of the body, which may actually be saying just the opposite.

And regardless of how advanced our tech becomes at bringing us closer together, there's something to be said for the shared experiences of being in the moment with someone.

I can share with you the experience of being on a rollercoaster, using my iPhone's camera and mic, and a WiFi signal. But unless you are ON that same rollercoaster, you won't experience it the same as I do, with all the bumps, and jolts, and LOOK OUT FOR THAT . . . 

Grow yourself today, right now. Invite someone you've only ever had virtual online connections with to join you over a coffee.

You'll be glad you did.