Many people who are so-called Social Media Professionals – those employed by companies, agencies or offering a service to their clients are simply doing what they do for the money, and are not doing it for the benefit of the client.

Of course this statement is a gross generalisation and it is intended to be just that. However I would like you to think for just a moment and ask yourself the following question: Am I setting a good example of what should be done? Perhaps your client has a limited budget or your manager at your employer has an antiquated idea of what and how much should be posted. Those are issues you have no control over, but that is not the question you need to be asking yourself … The question is ‘Am I setting a good example of what should be done?’

Why I have written this article and why I ask these questions is because I am actually concerned about you and your future. Incidentally Social media is often seen as just another medium, when in fact you should see it as just the game of life playing out in front of you. You could be reading this article from a leadership, relationship or life point of view and the content would be just as relevant and in some cases the question more relevant.

What is the example you  and I should be setting?

If we intend to be effective in our communication, we need to post more often than not. I met a group of social media managers today, most of whom came from companies whose policy it was to do one Tweet a day. If that is good enough for the company, is that good enough for you? I don’t believe it would be.

My advice is don’t delay in setting the example, perhaps you are over skilled and a better communicator than your so-called manager who is considering how little work they can get done for the fat salary they earn and don’t want you to show them up as being useless. Unfortunately that is what needs to be done and you need to do it, not just for the company that pays you, but mainly because you understand that it will take a little more than one tweet a day to build a relationship with your followers.

No one will thank you for being lazy and following the poor example of your manager, the policy may be just that but you are still an individual and you still have your own personal account to set the example with. Don’t wait, start working and setting the example you know you should set, someone will notice and offer you something better – it is only action that get the results to get you noticed.

It’s Your Brand at Your Pace – Don’t let them dictate to You – be the unique individual you are destined to be.

Photo credit: Jelly Dude / Foter / CC BY