Won’t You Be My Neighbor?

Three blog posts showed up in my Google Reader over the past several days that really struck a chord with me. They all cut to the core of what I believe Social Media is all about, and how I try to conduct business, both for myself and for my clients.

The first post was from Drew McLellan and was titled, Social Media Fans and Followers are Like New Neighbors. McLellan makes some great points about how many conduct their Social Media business in the wrong way, when instead they should “give without expecting something in return.”

The second post was a very short but to the point post from Becky McCray called Shop Local Idea for Small Business. I found this particular post because it was shared by Chris Brogan, whom I follow on Google Reader. The idea was for local businesses to actually promote their competitors for the sake of promoting local shopping. Kind of like the idea I wrote about in Miracle on Social Media Street.

And the third post was from Mack Collier, one of the top Social Media marketers out there. In the post, A Big Secret To Social Media Success That Most Companies Miss, Collier states that much of how we SHOULD be using Social Media is counterintuitive to how we are used to conducting business. He discusses the importance of “sharing” via Social Media, including sharing links that promote our competitors.

This is what Others First is all about. Social Media, if used properly, forces us to put others first. And if we do this out of pure motives, we will reap the benefits.

A good neighbor, or citizen, is one who puts the good of others and the community ahead of their own interests. If you’re in business solely for the purpose of padding your own wallet, you may succeed…but at what cost?

Are you a good neighbor? Are you promoting others and sharing good content from others?

Tagged as: Marketing, Social Media