Effective Social Media Strategy: Sharing Worthwhile Information
In the spirit of the season I’d like to talk about sharing the bounty of others with your fans, friends, followers, and connections on social media. 
Most of us are three-dimensional people. What I mean is that, even if we are on social media to promote our brand, book or business, we also have other interests. For example, even if you own a local plumbing business, you probably have other areas of interest about which you can update your various social media accounts.
And this strategy of sharing information about our other interests – often information credited to other people’s blog posts and articles – is an excellent way to create relationships on social networking sites.
For example, you may be a virtual assistant who often tweets about supporting our troops, and this may be a shared thread that connects you with someone else on Twitter. And then months from now, when that person needs a virtual assistant, you may come to mind because you are both a virtual assistant and you support our troops.
The beauty of the Internet is that people who previously would have considered themselves competitors now often see themselves as colleagues and/or collaborators. Thus you may do online book marketing and still share a link to someone else’s book marketing blog post because it is a good post. Yes, you also blog about book marketing, yet you wanted to share this particular post with your fans, friends, followers and connections.
You see, sharing the bounty of others does not reduce your positioning. Rather, this sincere sharing increases your positioning. You are confident enough in your own brand that you can share worthwhile information from others.
The subject of this blog post hits home for me because I have several interests besides that of my Internet marketing company www.MillerMosaicPowerMarketing.com. For example, I often share information about our troops because of my project www.FilmsThatSupportOurTroops.com.
And this week I am very involved in promoting the new group writing Twitter project sponsored by @OneTweetFiction in which a story is being written one tweet at a time to help stop slavery in South Africa ahead of the World Cup there in June. You can read about this Twitter writing project at www.StopSlaveryWorldwide.com/story and I hope you’ll join in.
© 2009 Miller Mosaic, LLC
Phyllis Zimbler Miller (@ZimblerMiller on Twitter) has an M.B.A. from The Wharton School and is an Internet business consultant. If you liked this article, you’ll love her free report on “How to Become a Twitter Marketing Expert” – claim your report now from www.millermosaicllc.com/free-twitter-report
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Phyllis,
Your post reminds me of a similar notion about how it is better to have more than one store in the same area selling the same typed of goods. For example, two bookstores within a block of one another, or the general concept of a shopping mall. In both situations the proximity of competitors can boost business for all, because the consumer now has more choices. Everybody wins. There are of course exceptions — like big box stores knocking out mom & pops — but the idea is the needs of the consumer play a role in how real competition is defined. So yes, sharing information about your “competitors” on social networks can be a winning strategy. It’s a form of good customer service. And not only does it convey confidence in your brand, your competitors may well return the favor.
Deni –
Thank you for this very informative comment. I do remember the first time I learned how two big bookstores could actually work together. Years ago in Chicago when I saw two big bookstores built on opposing corners of a large suburban intersection I was surprised. Then, upon reflection, this makes sense because it creates a shopping destination rather than just a single standalone store.
Phyllis
Phyllis
Very true. One thing i have realised about Social media is that it is meant to be “social”. Yes, there is competition involved but imagine a world where competitors work with competitors… That is the power of social media.
Great article and awaiting to read more.
Nathan
Nathan –
Thanks for leaving such a nice comment. I really like your expression “imagine a world where competitors work with competitors.” Yes, that is exactly the kind of world that social media can bring about.
Phyllis
Hi Phyllis,
I really enjoyed reading this post, it has nothing to do with what I’ve read up until now about social media, I can appreciate the beauty of Social media thanks to you.
Thank you for sharing.
Best regards,
Israel G
Israel –
Thanks for this comment. I’m glad that this article has helped you appreciate social media. I write on this topic often at http://www.TwitterAndYourWebsite.com and http://www.InternetBizBlogger.com plus there are articles of mine on my company website at http://www.MillerMosaicPowerMarketing.com
Regards,
Phyllis