“How do I get people to follow me on social media?”

That’s usually the first question I get when someone finds out what I do.  While it is a fair question, it’s not the one I normally start with.  The truth is that social networks were designed to help people connect in a way that they weren’t able to in the past.  So when you are considering diving into the world of social networks for professional or business reasons,  you can’t approach it with any of the previous models of marketing.  It’s more than just having a website, one or two social media accounts, a great logo, an awesome slogan or even a great product or service.  It’s about connecting with people so that they are in a better place after they engage with our product or service.   We must go higher, and that is exactly what having a digital platform gives us the opportunity to do.

Elevate Your Perspective.

Stepping up onto a platform gives a musician, speaker or artist the chance to be seen and heard by the audience (large or small) in attendance for an event.  It allows the person(s) on the platform to see everything as well, especially the people who are in front of them.  Social Media is no different, but it’s from a digital perspective. It takes the communication to a new level. Even though the people (or followers) are not standing right in front of you, they are still reading, watching and listening to what is being said.  Just like being on an actual stage, anything posted is not just a conversation between you and a friend; it has the ability to influence the entirety of your audience. The smallest of statements gets amplified, especially when you are utilizing more than one social network.

Amplify Your Influence.

Going from being a part of the audience to being the one the audience is listening to can be an intimidating idea.  Everyone is looking at you…waiting on what you will say or sing or do.  The idea is the same for digital platforms. Once you step in front of your audience, even if it is on a laptop or mobile phone, they are watching. You can amplify what you are saying, just like turning on a mic with a PA system, by increasing the number of social media networks you are using.  With the ease of creating a platform these days, it’s the equivalent of being at a music festival with 1,000,000,000,000,000,000 stages. While many of these stages are just blankly sharing information, the ones that keep followers are the ones who interact with their audience.

Impact Your Following.

Communicating to someone, even from a platform, means nothing if our audience doesn’t connect in some way with what we are expressing. Whether it’s a message, a song or an act, what gets shared after we hit the “Post” or “Submit” button is going to impact those who see or hear it. Just like being on an actual platform, it’s those who do more than just give out information that get the audience’s full attention. The big question I usually ask a client is, “Are people better, worse or unchanged after an encounter or meeting with you?”  This is the thought process that gets lost in the shuffle of followers, likes and hashtags.  Regardless of whether you are selling toilet paper or sharing encouragement to those dealing with chemical addiction, when we build a platform, the ultimate result is the impact we have on those who are watching. Are you communicating your message to your audience, or merely sharing information that can be gained from anyone?

The opportunity to be heard in today’s world is without hesitation the greatest we have ever seen. Let us not forget that with such great opportunity comes  the responsibility to affect those who listen.

So, where do you stand?