I’m writing this as I travel home from three profoundly inspiring three days at the Social Media Summit in Dublin, and I’m still buzzing! I was so excited and honoured to be invited to speak at this event founded by the wonderful Samantha Kelly (Tweeting Goddess), and I knew it was going to be a great opportunity to connect with others and absorb heaps of advice and tips on how to enhance my customers’ experience. What I didn’t really expect, however, was to be completely blown away by the energy, passion and inspiration that permeated the entire event and created a huge buzz both online and offline.

I’ve taken so much away from my time at the summit, but if one thing stands out for me as I reflect, 10,000 feet above the Irish Sea, on my experiences, it’s the power of social media to cross oceans, time zones, industries and disciplines to open up opportunities, cultivate understanding and develop relationships which, in turn, enable businesses to flourish and people to grow.

Of course social media isn’t without its perils, and keeping our young and vulnerable people safe online is a matter very close to my heart. But if ever there was a perfect example of how social media can be used to help others, make connections, nurture relationships, and, well….be NICE…then the summit was surely it!

Take the example of my own path to the event: little did I know that, in doing my thing, reaching out and connecting with others online, offering help, support and generally trying to be useful (and nice), I would make a connection with Samantha (on blab) who, when she decided to co-create the summit, would not only invite me to attend the event but also to present a workshop and take a place on a panel of experts.

You see, the wonderful truth about social media is that, whilst it’s fundamentally an online creature, it spreads out shoots offline too. With a bit of attention and nurturing, these shoots will establish roots and ultimately you’ll see them blossom into healthy, positive and flourishing relationships.

If you engage authentically, as yourself, and proceed with a genuine desire to be kind, open and helpful, you will make connections that translate beautifully into real-time, real-people relationships which will enhance not only your business but your personal experiences, confidence and offerings too.  

Succeeding online isn’t about shouting the loudest, or running as fast as you can in an attempt to overtake the competition; on the contrary, it’s about standing confidently in your own brilliant uniqueness and really listening to others. Dig deep, find out what your potential customers and community really want and give it to them: respect them, value them and show them that they matter: this in turn builds trust, loyalty and enduring relationships.

The long and the short of it is that if you really want to branch out and stand out online, then your focus should be on building communities, developing bonds and collaborating with others.

I have many memories to treasure from my time in Dublin, and they’re all filled with the passion and energy, the kindness, the encouragement and the shared inspirational vision of so many great people at a truly great event.

Social media IS bringing us together, it’s opening doors and empowering us to succeed in business and as individuals. Being a part of the Social Media Summit was a glorious reminder of that for me; it’s made me reflect on how far I’ve come and how thrilled I am have the opportunity to meet such amazing people And, as I fasten my seatbelt for landing, there’s one thing I can say for sure: I certainly wouldn’t want to have been on this journey alone!