Using Social Media Doesn’t Have to Hurt

If you’re like a lot of people, you probably don’t enjoy sharing on social media, even if the sharing is related to your profession or business. It’s not necessarily that you’re afraid of attention or that you lack confidence. It’s likely just that it feels unnatural to share your activities every few days with friends, acquaintances, and potential clients.

You may find it helpful to think of social media as the modern equivalent of the shingle. In the old days, if you ran a business, it was, of course, brick and mortar, and you had to hang out a shingle with your name on it or no one would ever know that your business existed.

The problem with the social media shingle is that once you hang it it doesn’t stay put on the side of the building that people pass by every day. It continues to exist, but it gets harder and harder to find. Because of the changing nature of the Internet, you have to rehang it every few days.

But no one wants to see the same exact shingle being rehung again and again. So that means you have to post something new once a week or even more frequently to remind people of your existence.

The need for frequent and novel postings is what makes the task feel so bizarre. But the job doesn’t have to hurt. Instead, approach the regular shingle hanging with the zeal of the expert who likes to help people in whatever way your business dictates.

If you’re an undertaker, teach people about how a good funeral is healing. If you’re a writer, share your love of books. If you run a house cleaning service, explore the mental benefits of living in a clean and tidy space.

Whatever your passion is, focus on that instead of just your name or product or service. Your passion will make people see and remember your shingle.

Need more help? Reach out to Inkshed Inc. today to get more insight into how to manage your social media reluctance.

Featured image, “from television/radio parts to cement,” by happy via is licensed under CC BY-NC-ND 2.0 

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