Social Media Insecurity?

Whether it's Facebook, Plaxo, Twitter, etc., do we really need to know your exact home address and home phone number? Think about it, especially if you live in a house. 

Houses, first floor condo/co-ops and hotel rooms are extremely easy to break into. I share this from personal experience which began at age 10 when I came home from school to an empty house. The sticking point was that my key was inside.

Being a very resourceful child, I rolled a huge rock under my parent's bedroom window. Up I went, fiddled with the window, and in under 10 minutes I was inside. I enjoyed the peace and quiet of an empty house and I was so proud of myself.

Things are more open now, but why help it along? In many cases, advertising works, so the next time you're taking a fantastic cruise with the whole family...tell us about it after the fact. 

I've noticed that even on Linkedin, people will post personal flight info and dates. Studies has shown that burglars use social media to find this type of info. Suggesting that you don't help them.

In case you missed the first posts, here's a recap:

Many small companies make major mistakes with social media. To cite just one example with Twitter...you open an account and send info on your products and/or services. This is a positive step, but frequently the negative aspect comes into play when consumers ask questions and there's no response, or the response is not timely.

Let's jump over to Facebook. You post something and people Like It and sometimes, they make a comment. The polite and smart thing to do is thank them and make a comment in return. It can be something as simple as, "You've mentioned some interesting points James."

This is how you engage your audience...not by ignoring them. People want to be recognized.

Stay tuned.

Networking Tips

Invite colleagues, friends, business contacts, suppliers, and relatives to join your social networking groups. If you serve on any boards, community associations, or if you're involved with religious groups, or networking groups, reach out to key people.

Update your status frequently with information about current projects, company news, helpful tips, etc.

Connect your Linkedin and Twitter accounts.

Answer and post questions on Linkedin to build your image and attract new contacts. As I've said before...be prepared for the fact that this takes time and effort.

No Social Media Fairy Dust

It never ceases to amaze me when friends, friends of friends and relatives ask for help with Facebook, Twitter, and Linkedin social media, among others, and then react with amazement when they find out the details. When I spell out the specifics, they are shocked at the regular level of commitment that's needed on their part to make it happen. The typical comment is, "That's a lot of work. Where will I find the time?"

Because I'm a nice "guy" what I don't say is, perhaps you could watch one less TV program. Thus far, I've given these 30 to 45 minutes consultations at no charge in an attempt to help. I won't tell you what my hourly rate is, but it's far from inexpensive.

I could be spending this time on my own corporate social media programs. By the way, none of these people are any further along with social media because they won't make the commitment. And, I'm doing this because?