Have you ever fallen into a Facebook stupor? You know, you lose track of time clicking and commenting then suddenly realize 3 hours have gone by.
You feel a tinge of guilt… maybe an upwelling of justification as you struggle to figure out if you just wasted your time or were diligently schmoozing your network.
Everyone wants to know what constitutes time well spent and time wasted on Facebook, Twitter, etc. So how do you know the difference?
Let’s play here for a moment. Look over the following list and think to yourself which ones seem like complete and total time wasters and which seem like they’d point to profits.
- Tweeting about food and drink.
- Tweeting about kids, pets, vacations, hobbies
- Scanning the Facebook feed and commenting on photos, videos, etc.
- Adding Facebook applications.
- Tweeting about what you’re working on
- Contributing to group discussions (via hashtags, tweetchats, Facebook groups, Linked In groups, etc)
- Tweeting your blog posts
- Retweeting information you find useful
The answer?
Time wasters: All of them.
Wise use of time: All of them.
Dang, I tricked you!
Well, not really. What I want to point out is that it’s not the individual ACTIONS you take, it’s how and why they fit into your overall STRATEGY.
Some people Tweet about food and it’s completely pointless. And then someone (OK, I confess, I’m the “someone”) will Tweet about the crispy roasted kale I just pulled from the oven and guess what? I start getting direct messages from people and next thing you know I’ve got a new client or a speaking gig that brings in thousands of dollars.
What’s the difference?
Your overall strategy can’t rely only on metrics, such as how many Tweets will result in a sale, or how many followers do I need to make $100,000.
A huge part of NOT wasting time is to know the value of engagement and how your conversations will lead to clients. Taking the time to understand who is in your network, what connects you, how to pique their interest, and how to build a community of followers and fans will save you hours and hours of time.
When you approach your social networking with a strong sense of purpose, when you know exactly what you want to get out of it and how you’ll leverage your relationships, then every moment spent will be intentional and focused.
It’s the lack of focus that wastes time… not the Tweeting about food, kids, pets, and everyday events.
TAKE ACTION:
Beginning August 26, I’ll be co-hosting a groundbreaking new teleseminar Soft Selling with Social Media. Over the course of this program, we’ll give you a step by step plan to attract, engage, convert, and retain high paying opportunities using social media. Space is limited and early birds get lots of bonuses such as a VIP invitation-only call and easy pay options.
Learn more and grab your spot by clicking HERE
About Nancy Marmolejo
