first impressions . are everything

How many of us have heard: “You never get a second chance to make a first impression.”? The way we dress, how we hold ourselves, whether we smile, if we have a big piece of spinach in our teeth…all of these factors (and many others) influence what people think of us. And people decide, very quickly, whether they like us or not, if they can trust us, and most importantly, if they want to talk to us again.

Now apply this thinking to first impressions in Social Media. In a few very short seconds people will determine whether or not to follow you. It’s your job to tell them why it’s worth their time. To demonstrate this, I’ve used Twitter as an example…

A picture is worth a thousand words
This has never been more true that in Twitterland. The picture you choose to attach to your profile pops up EVERY SINGLE TIME you post a tweet. You have many different options when picking a profile picture. You can choose a logo or an icon…

…generally speaking, I’m not a fan of this strategy (although there are some exceptions). The beauty of social media is that it puts a human face and a voice to a corporation. And let’s face it, social media is about creating connections and communicating with one another. Who wants to communicate with a logo. In effect, all you’re doing is constantly reminding people that they’re talking to a company, not reinforcing that they’re talking to a person.
In my opinion, this is a much better strategy…

Liese Gardner has one of my favorite twitter profile pictures. Every time I see it, I feel like putting my feet up, grabbing a coffee and chatting with a respected friend. Her photo exudes friendliness, approachability and professionalism. Even if you don’t have the budget to get a professional photograph, try to pick an image that…
captures your style

is inviting (i.e. smile)

stands out

Also remember that your picture can help sell you and your company. For example, if you’re a branding firm, and don’t invest in building your own Twitter brand, why would I want to follow you?

Tip: Think about your brand essence. What defines you? Are you elegant and refined? Are you fun and quirky? Try to capture this in your picture.

Create a great elevator pitch
Virtually every sales book published in the late 80’s and beyond referenced the ‘elevator pitch’. The concept behind an elevator pitch is to concisely summarize a product, service or project in the time it takes to travel from one floor to the other on an elevator (i.e. 30 seconds or 100-150 words).

In a world defined in 140 characters or less, it’s equally important to develop a good Twitter pitch. Tell people about yourself. Be funny, be authetic, be professional, be unique. Remember that when you follow someone, you appear in their ‘followers’ list. I have over 1,300 followers…which means I don’t have time to look up each an every person. So instead, I scroll my cursor over their name and their bio pops up. If their bio doesn’t connect with me, I won’t follow them back.

To demonstrate a good bio, I’m going to use Liese as an example again…

In a few short words, Liese told me why I should follow her…and I did.

Tip: Figure out who your target followers are and ensure you create a bio that is not only relevant to your brand, but connects with your target. And don’t forget to include a website in your profile.

Think about what you say before you say it


One of the most important things to do before you embark on your social media trip is to develop a sound strategy. One of the key elements of the strategy (beyond what your objectives are) should be your communication plan. What are you going to say to add value to your target followers? What is your communication style? How often are you going to communicate? It can be easy to wander off track and share information that doesn’t fit with your objectives. Just remember that when people are looking you up to determine if they want to follow you, you’re only as good as your last post. So, make it count.

Some good examples of what not to do…

Say nothing

Blatantly sell

Repeat yourself…over and over and over and over…

Tip: Tape your objectives to your computer so you constantly remind yourself to never fall off course.

At the end of the day, to make a first impression you have to sell yourself. Demonstrate that you’re likeable and engaging and that you can add value…and watch your list of followers flourish.

Lara McCulloch-Carter
Author of the Special Event blog ready2spark
Director of Marketing – Regal Tent Productions
President – ISES Toronto
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