by Robin Eads

Created on: August 21, 2009

With so many ways to communicate, network and receive information these days it's easy to forget how to interact with people one on one. In fact, it seems too many people on Twitter have forgotten the purpose. Facebook, too.

I have a limited amount of time for my social media outlets these days; far less probably, because I've become detached and disinterested. I'm tired of being bombarded by sales pitches, useless information and Farmtown and Mafia Wars. Don't you have an XBOX or a Wii for games? As for sales and marketing - devise a plan first! Know your audience and proper timing; don't just spam your info out on Twitter or Facebook incessantly. It's really annoying and probably is going to turn more people away than it's going to lure in.

My first rule about using ANY form of online social networking (including your BLOGS, people!) is to remain genuine! I cannot stress this enough. Stop trying to be someone you aren't. People will eventually figure it out; and if you're lying about who you are, you'll become untrustworthy. Your online reputation is very important and if you play your cards right it will ultimately lead you to your purpose path and target audience. So take your time and quit trying to rush things. There isn't a magic wand to lose weight and there's no magic wand for building your network either. It takes TIME, PATIENCE and COMMON SENSE. Got that?

So before I go off on a tangent about all the things that annoy me about social media these days, I'm going to give you a list of ways to really use social media for the right purpose and tips to remain genuine:

1. There are lots of people out there that promise to help you "get more followers, fast!". There isn't any way to do this without looking like a spammer or a bot. People want to follow people, not bots.

2. Connect with others that have similar interests; people that tweet/post about things that are important and helpful, etc. People that also talk about themselves from time to time.

3. Be a PERSON, not a bot. Tweet/post about things. Don't just tweet/post links. While some of those are helpful and should be part of your tweet/post stream, they shouldn't be the only thing we see from you. Why should I care about what you have to say if I don't know anything about you?

4. Whether it's Twitter, Facebook, LinkedIn or any other social media site, use your head! Think before you tweet! Don't tweet about how much "ABC Company/Product" sucks if you're trying to get a job at the corporate

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