***When Being A Narcissist Is A Good Thing

When my daughter was little, she used to yell, “look at me, look at me” for practically everything she did. Standing on one foot, jumping in the pool, she wanted me to look every few seconds and take note of her amazing accomplishments. I was reminded of that human trait when I read an article during a flight to Dublin. It said that people who do well in social media are, for the most part, narcissists.

All of a sudden, everything connected for me. This was an idea that helped me teach my coaching clients how to use and look at all this new media. To them and to you, I suggest reconnecting with your inner “look at me” child and become, as it were, a show off—a narcissist. Americans, more than Europeans, love to strut their accomplishments and we do it convincingly—much of the time. I’m from Germany, so I know that Europeans tend not to brag and prefer to let the facts speaks for themselves.

But that attitude doesn’t work when you need to get noticed. Social media only works when you get someone to notice you in a good way. To get new clients and followers, the most important rule is: you have to engage them in conversations that will interest them, and not your peers necessarily. Unless you engage potential customers, they can’t get to know you which means they won’t want to hire you. Friends are great, but unless there’s an income earner for you, best to save your time and efforts and focus on existing and potential clients. Here’s an interesting article: What’s your media strategy? http://goo.gl/80NTm

Tips For Getting Noticed

When I go somewhere interesting I always dress up. You have to look presentable at all times. I make sure to bring my camera, video camera, or smart phone. I take a couple of photos or even a video and post them on Facebook and other social media outlets. That’s how I add a personal touch, so my followers can get to know me. In one of my recent newsletters to my clients, they saw me hiking on a trail in Las Vegas. That’s a safe subject that many people can relate to. Outdoorsy, healthy, active = good public image!

Finding a good topic is essential. Negativity and gossip are big turn-offs, but a controversial topic can get you HUGE traffic and response. Don’t be afraid to be opinionated about things that matter to you.

Repeat a particularly clever or meaningful quote by some reputable figure and then add your own short notation. Safe bets to re-quote content are Huffington Post, Mashable, and Wired Magazine. If you follow Twitter, you’ll be astonished at how many articles get retweeted. You can also post something mysterious that alludes to you doing something amazing, such as: On my way to an incredible location to work with high-end client. That can mean almost anything and it gets peoples’ attention. Details aren’t always necessary.

It takes a little practice to learn what you can say and how to say it. Think first about how best to get your followers’ attention and try to make this schedule a habit: Two to three blog posts a week, a daily tweet, and frequent Facebook updates can get you far if you befriend the right people—your clients.