My 7 Social Media Resolutions

photo by dvidshub

I usually don’t engage in the whole self-delusional New Year’s resolutions routine that we’re encouraged to torment ourselves with each year. If I see one more article on how I should lose weight/get in shape/find my dream date/dig out of debt/fix my finances/fix my relationships/get the job I’ve always dreamed of/score that promotion/start my own business/become the perfect person just dying to emerge from my current imperfect cocoon, all tied to the turning over of another year, I may just have to give up all forms of media, social and otherwise.

On the other hand …

This blog reaches its first anniversary in another month or two (I should probably figure that out), and I am reflecting on how to be a better person from a social media perspective.

Contrary to what you may have heard elsewhere, using social media to achieve your marketing or communication objectives is hard work. It may be relatively inexpensive, but it doesn’t come cheap. I’ve devoted much time and energy to this blog and Twitter in particular, less so to some of the other tools I use. I’ve received amazing encouragement and support from others whose own social media efforts continually astonish me. I’ve learned more about my craft and profession in the past year than at any other time I can remember. And I’m constantly reminded of all the things I don’t know. It’s exciting, intimidating and humbling, frequently at the same time. In case you haven’t figured it out, this is a friggin’ amazing time to be a marketing or communications professional.

If true expertise requires 10 years experience or 10,000 hours deliberate practice, then we all have a ways to go in our mastery of social media. Given the fluidity and moving-target nature of it, I suspect they may have to come up with a new measure for capturing true social media expertise, all the SM gurus, masters and other self-proclaimed prophets notwithstanding.

With all that said, here are my social media resolutions. I hope they spur some soul-searching in others who share my belief that self-improvement is good for the soul. Regardless, feel free to hold me to them.

1. Be more effective in my mission. Poke the Beehive’s stated mission is to provide effective writing and communication strategies for the communication-challenged. Looking back at a year’s worth of work, I think I’ve been uneven at best in achieving it. I need to either do a better job or rethink my mission. (Again, feel free to share your own thoughts on where you think I might take PtB.)
2. Be more conversational. I tend to focus on serving as a guide to what I consider to be great marketing and communications content out there, especially in my use of Twitter. But that can lead to a broadcasting model I have no wish to emulate. I’ve been extremely fortunate in connecting through this blog, Twitter, LinkedIn and Facebook in particular to an amazingly rich community of fellow marketing and nonprofit professionals. I need to take greater advantage of being part of that community and engage in more conversation.
3. Be more generous. The flip side of taking advantage is being more generous, of course. My social media generosity tends to be reactive. I need to actively seek out opportunities where I can share my expertise and knowledge with others without waiting for them to ask for it.
   
4. Be more original in what I share. Oooh, tough one. Let’s face it, there’s very little originality to be found out there. Much of the sage advice and brilliant insights you find through social media are nothing more than a rehash of something someone else said earlier (and better). Personally, I cringe at much of the writing advice I see being offered as fresh and new. There really isn’t anything out there that wasn’t said long ago by Strunk & White, Zinsser, Bly and a whole host of others.
5. Comment more elsewhere. Being conversational and a more active part of the community means offering feedback to others. I’ve been pretty inconsistent on this front, and need to comment more on the blogs and other websites I find so incredibly informative and useful.
6. Practice what I preach (and share). I actually do read pretty much everything I link to and share via Twitter. But I find myself falling into the same excuses we all have for not putting into practice what I learn and believe to be true: It’s hard, there are too many obstacles, too much resistance, I don’t have time right now, blah blah blah. We all need to have the courage of our convictions and practice what we preach. Anything less is a betrayal of our organizations, our clients and ourselves.
7. Don’t let up. If you’ve ever felt the urge to chuck this whole social media thing because it’s like being caught on a treadmill with no end in sight, you’re not alone. Why do you think there are so many lifeless husks of websites orbiting out there? Or dead Twitter handles? Or LinkedIn profiles with three connections? Don’t give up. The rewards are worth the effort.

Not to belabor the whole resolutions thing, but using social media feels to me like eating right, staying fit, meeting financial goals and all the other stuff that makes you a better you (whatever the hell that might mean). It’s a lifetime commitment that can enrich your life. As corny and preachy as it sounds, I do believe it. And that’s why I stick with it.

Now if I could just get a handle on the whole eating right/staying fit thing …

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