Do You Have a Sense of Social Media Pride?

When you start your business, you start with a sense of pride.

You know what you are capable of - and you have ideas about where you want to do. You may even have some plans for growth.

Maybe somewhere along the line, you find yourself chasing the bottom line. You take less time with customers, spend more time on cash-flow than on quality.

And when you look at Social Media, maybe you see a means to an end or, worse, just another process to be integrated into your day.

Social Media is the perfect place to regain that sense of pride you had when you started.

Forget "Social Media the instant scratch-off card of the business lottery" and meet, "Social Media, your way to love your business again."

Right now, write down three things you love about your business. For example - here's what I love about writing this blog:

1) I have a unique perspective of Social Media that comes from being in the trenches for longer than "Social Media" has had a name.

2) I talk about Social Media without delusion, without "get rich quick" or marcomm -speak

3) I provide jargon-free, down-to-earth advice that a small- or medium-sized business owner can use...instantly.

Now take a look at your Social Media profiles - do they reflect these three qualities?

Let's look at this blog. There's me on the right hand corner, smiling at you. Hopefully that gives you a sense that when I write SocialOptimized, I'm having some fun. And the only thing I'm selling here is a quirky t-shirt that I designed - and indubitably "unique perspective" on Social Media.

I don't claim to be an expert or guru or coach or master. I'm just offering my thoughts on optimizing your use of Social Media. And, true to my third bullet point, I talk in normal everyday English and avoid jargon, argot, lingo and marcomm-ese.

I have pride in my use of Social Media. My profile matches the message I want you to take away from this blog.

Now, look at your own profiles on Facebook, Foursquare, MySpace, wherever. Does that presence *match* your message? Is it full of applications and graphics that clutter up the most important thing about you and your business? Or does your Social Media curb appeal match what's inside the house?

A you proud of your Social Media?

Take a look a the image you project, the message you want to communicate - then get out there and project and communicate it. Communicate the pride your feel about your business and your customers will feel it. Then it's a easy step to getting them to communicate it for you.