We are a clear example of a small business that thrives on the interaction and support of an ever-expanding circle of associates, clients, customers, friends and experts. The combined skills and talents of other experts strengthen our brand and enable the business to grow. As a business owner who relishes the opportunity to put myself “out there”, I attend Flourish, a local group coaching session for women. We meet to share ideas and support each other. It’s a remarkably empowering experience, providing a regular boost to my focus and motivation.
I’m also a member of Busy Bees, a professional networking group which offers support, direction and opportunities to women running businesses around busy family lives. It’s a wonderful source of connections, encouragement, feedback and laughs. Bouncing off like-minded female entrepreneurs is, to me, priceless, and networking events like those organised by Sue France are a fun way to meet new people and make valuable contacts.
But it’s not just sharing-the-love face to face that builds stronger businesses, the same goes for your online presence. Social media is a wonderful place for reaching out, embracing, endorsing and promoting others…..so use it!
Instead of producing new content every time you post something across your social media platforms, think about sharing information from friends, associates, clients and industry experts. There are many benefits to sharing great content, including:
- Tapping into a wealth of free, interesting and entertaining content including stories, videos, links, images, quotes, retweets, questions or comments;
- Helps to position yourself as an expert;
- The Law of Reciprocity suggests that others are more likely to share and talk about your content if you do the same for them!
But before you jump into an excited frenzy of sharing, remember that great social media sharing is a skill which requires a little strategy, planning and a fair bit of practice. Ask yourself the following questions before posting:
- Is the content so useful that your audience would thank you for it?
- Is it so informative/entertaining that others will feel compelled to share it?
- Is it the right “fit” for the platform you are going to share it on?
And consider your timing, too: you can determine the patterns of your audience with a little research and experimentation.
And a final word of advice: give Credit where credit’s due!
Not only is giving credit the right thing to do, it’s also a small gesture that can help build relationships with the creators of the content you love.
So, in this cold, bleak month of February, we hope you’re feeling tingly with the possibility of warming up your social media by sharing the love and working with others.
After all, in the words of Helen Keller: “Alone we can do so little, together we can do so much”.
