Social media, social networking, web 2.0 are probably terms you’ve heard of, but are they useful to you?

Facebook, LinkedIn, Twitter may be what you think of when you hear the buzzword “social media”. You may have decided to join the bandwagon and have a LinkedIn or Facebook profile. If you’re really hip (or you’re 17), you may even be tweeting throughout the day. But what really is social media? Why should I use it other than to do what everyone else is doing?

The answer to this will vary depending on who you ask. The academic crowd can give you a variety of information on network theories and how they apply to the newest internet technologies. I actually love the academia behind it, there is no doubt some powerful and more scientific concepts behind some of these new mediums A great introductory and fun read to this is

the bestseller Linked,check it out if you have time.

However, I am not writing this to talk about network theory academics, my purpose is to give you a better reason to dive into social media outside of sharing pictures on facebook, or reading meaningless posts and tweets from your circle of boring friends who feel compelled to broadcast “my weekend was too short”, “PHX>LAX”, or “taking the dog for a walk”.

Before we discuss the reason to use, let’s go back 50 years and take a look at how people got what they wanted without a post or tweet. If you were a business, it was easy, advertise. Send out print ads, get radio time, maybe even TV time if you were a big time business. This was a one way communication channel that told people about your product or service. If you got the message to enough people, you’d increase sales.

How about non-business related things you want? How about getting your kid into private school or starting an after work sports league? Well in both instances, you’d likely network with others to try to influence them to do what you wanted. For people in elite circles, doctors or lawyers, those who could afford a country club membership, etc they may leverage the “old boy’s network” to trade favors to accomplish something like getting their kid into an elite school. For simpler things such as organizing an event people would talk to what networks that where already established and a member of, many times a church related group.

These examples are similar in a few regards.

1) They required communication

2) They used an organized group of people

3) They leveraged some role or affiliation with a group (country club member, church, etc)

4) They had a goal in mind and accomplished it with above 3 things that would otherwise not have been possible by them individually

So my point is that social media today is the exact same as it was 50 years ago? NO!!! Although many today seem to view and use it as such. Social media today is very different in that networks and affiliation can be self-defined and interlinked.

What does this mean? Well it means I don’t need to be part of the local country club to promote my goals with the elite crowd, it means I can create my own country club. Not only that, I am not just creating a country club, I am creating a “node” of connections that allows me to use other peoples affiliations and networks indirectly. It also means my role can be self defined and not limit me in who I can access. 50 years ago, I may need to be part of the “Harvard Club” if I wanted to get an exclusive job offer. These “old school” networks still exists and are still powerful, however now I can create my own network identity and break into these groups!

I could write a whole book just on how networks operate, but others already have and surely have done much better than what I would. Rather than focus on how it works, I want to get you thinking how to make it work for you! Don’t just think of social media as some websites that allow you to see what your friends are up to. Think of them as a way to create two-way communication channels with any group in the world, even that country club group you may not be able to pay your way into. Think of them as a way to influence every person you need to in order to accomplish whatever goal you have. Think of them as a way to define your own position and access privileges without money or permission.

This is the power of social media and it starts with you learning the basics of self-promotion and social networking using LinkedIn. If you are ready to dive in and get the most out of these opportunities, try joining one of our live walkthrough webinars. Our country club is only $47 and we’ll give you your money back if you don’t accomplish your goals.

Dave Albertson

Business Growth Expert