Be a Social Media Olympian

BE A SOCIAL MEDIA OLYMPIAN

The 2012 London Olympics may be over but this glorious sporting event has left us with some fabulous memories (not to mention 104 medals, 46 of them gold – go Team USA!).

We can learn a lot about social media from the Olympics as they share many similarities: both bring a diverse group of people together, both need its participants to be active, and used in the right way, social media can be trained like our muscles to deliver strong results.

Actively participate. Social media is the Olympics of global communications. It\’s the place where people come together as as giant community to participate and engage. And that\’s key – like the Olympics, social media requires active participation. You won\’t win gold without dedication, consistency and commitment, and the same can be said for social media. You won\’t win followers or create a community, or successfully promote your business, without being active, creative or consistent.

Be there for others. Being an Olympic champion offers many challenges, as does being a small business owner. Thankfully, like the Olympic community, social media offers us the chance to reach out to our peers when we need support, and also offer help when it\’s needed.

Genuinely represent who you are. The most dedicated athletes follow their instincts. They are guided by who they are at their core, and the same goes for social media; you must be true to yourself. The biggest mistake you can make is by representing yourself as something you are not. It\’s bad for business. Be honest, open and transparent and your business will soon win gold.

And if that\’s not enough to motivate you, watch my kid hurdle a couch and flip (inspired, of course, by hours cheering our Olympians while on vacation in Yosemite)!