Posted on February 10, 2007 by Brett

This is a question that has recently been coming up in forums and around the internet a lot.  We all know that social networks are here to stay and if you are not apart of this growing market then you are going to miss out on some important possibilites for marketing.  But the important thing to remember is how you are going to market.

Just think of your offline world.  Have you ever been at a party and there seems to be a guy walking around a party just promoting the crap out of some MLM or trying to get you to buy Life Insurance?  Most people will try to avoid this guy like the plague.  Nobody likes to be sold to, and a lot of people don’t like to tell people no.  The same rules apply online.  If you are in a social network for no other reason then to promote yourself you will be noticed and people will not want to talk to you.  It is so much easier online though.  All someone has to do is unfollow you or take you off as a friend.

Happens to me all the time of facebook.  These people get no love.  As soon as I get 3 emails in a row from the same guy and none of it has value except to promote his agenda, they are gone.  You will need to remember this when you in the social networks if you really want to build relationships with people.

If all else fails follow the John Reese approach.  Give value, value and some more value.  Then when you do have something you want to promote people will feel almost obligated at least to take a look.