“57 percent of consumers think that less than half of brands create content that resonates as authentic.”
Just from the first few pages of John DiJulius’ latest book The Relationship Economy, I am reminded of the importance of building rapport. My career has been predicated on my ability to immediately connect, build, and maintain relations with other business leaders. Social media, specifically Facebook, has been the one instrument I use daily to show my authentic self to my friends and followers. In this article I share how to be authentic on social media.
In a prior article I wrote about John Legere, CEO of T-Mobile. How authentic he behaves on social media is a lesson we all can learn from. He wears magenta every day of the week and is unafraid to say what he really thinks about his rivals. If the CEO of a 40 BIL company can find time to be authentic on social media: why can’t I?
“I have chosen to have this life that no one wants a part of,” Legere said. “But if you’re going to do it’s gotta be real. If you’re not, people vote you off the island. If they think someone’s posting for you, they’re not interested.”
Legere is only the second person to be given a dedicated emoji by Twitter. The first was Pope Francis.
The millennial generation is particularly interested in hearing from both brands and CEOs about their values on social media. CEO transparency impacts both their choice of brand and employment opportunities. 1 in 5 say transparency encourages them to consider a career with that employer in the future.
How can you become more authentic on social media?
Adopt the rule of 4. Here’s a quick formula I use to be more authentic across your social media networks you can implement today:
- Make 25% of your posts Funny
- Make 25% of your posts about your Family
- Make 25% of your posts about Facts or inspirational quotes
- Make 25% of your posts about your Full-time, your grind, your work, your pitch
And remember not to take yourself too seriously.
About the Author
Daveeed Wagner is the Lead Consultant at 1marketingidea, a marketing agency that leverages the social media experience to transform personal brands who struggle at connecting and engaging with their networks, resulting in deeper and stronger relationships, repeat business, referrals, and higher profits.