5 Golden Rules for Sharing on Social Media

What do you suppose the golden rule is?

If practiced would it change your life? Career? Business?

But why? What is the real reason for this kindly consideration of others?

We’ve entered a new era here and around the world that seems to be going in the opposite direction.

The reason actually is very simple: “Whatever a man soweth that shall he also reap.”

The Golden Rule means, substantially, to do unto others as you would wish them to do unto you if your positions were reversed.

It is your privilege to deal unjustly with others, BUT, if you understand the law upon which the GOLDEN RULE is based, you must know that your unjust dealing will “COME HOME TO ROOST.”

Like a doctor with a scalpel, it can be used for GOOD or EVIL.

You are the maker of your own destiny; and that your thoughts and actions are the tools with which you make your reality.

Every man takes care that his neighbors and customers do not cheat him or her. But a day comes when he or she begins to care that he does not cheat his customers or his neighbor. Then all goes well. He has changed.

What do we know about People?

• we depend on mental models

• we want to be in control

• we don’t like change

• we’re not great at remembering

• we love a good story

• we are highly visual by nature

• we do have some limitations

• we are social creatures

• we’re curious

• we don’t want to put in a lot of effort

• we love patterns

• we make mistakes

1.  GIVE

Although it seems counterintuitive in an age of protection. Give away your best information, with no expectation of anything in return. And when you think you can’t give any more….GIVE SOME MORE!

It is not enough merely to believe in this philosophy, while, at the same time failing to apply it in your business and relationships with others. If you want results you must take an active attitude toward this Golden Rule.

A trifling kindness here and here,

Is but a simple, small affair:

Yet if your life has sown this free,

Wide shall your happy harvest be.

Image Happify

Many of us believe that if we spend money our ourselves that will give us more happiness. Yet the opposite is true. According to a recent study people were asked to spend $5 on themselves and then spend $5 on someone else. Which group had the most satisfaction?

When you give to someone else, there is a physiological response. Your brains’ response center lights up as if you were the recipient of the good deed – not the giver.

You get a boost of feel good endorphins – the same ones associated with a runners high.

Oxytocin a hormone is released flooding your body, lowering your stress and making you feel more connected to others.

A dose of oxytocin will cause people to give more generously and to feel more empathy towards others – and those symptoms can last up to 2 hours.

That is why recipients of of kindness generally want to keep paying it forward.

5 Most Giving States

2. WHY SHARE

Share your information, be willing to share others information.

There is a human psychology behind sharing.

Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs

A large part of what compels people to share can be brought back to Maslow’s hierarchy of needs. If our most basic of needs are satisfied we will start to satisfy the higher levels within the hierarchy, and it is no surprise that our desire to share information with others comes from the top 2 tiers.

Image – Wikipedia

The NY Times study split the motivations down into 5 main categories

1. To bring valuable and entertaining content to one another. A significant 94% of respondents carefully consider how the information they share will be of use to other people
2. To define themselves to others.  68% of respondents said they share to give others a better sense of who they are and what they care about.
3. To grow and nourish our relationships. 78% of respondents said they share information online because it enables them to stay connected to people they may not otherwise stay in touch with
4. For self-fulfillment. 69% said they share information because it allows them to feel more involved in the world.
5. To get the word out about causes they care about.  84% of respondents share because it is a good way to support causes or issues they care about.

73% say they process information more deeply, thoroughly and thoughtfully when they share it.

85%say reading other people’s responses helps them understand and process information and events.

3. 6 PERSONAS OF SHARERS

Image NY Times

We all too often forget, we are sharing to people, not sharing for the sake of sharing. So learning about the seven personas and why they share is part of managing your social media strategy.

Altruists

• Helpful
• Reliable
• Connected
• Thoughtful

Careerists

• LinkedIn
• Network
• Valuable
• Intelligent

Hipsters

• Popular
• Young
• Identity
• Cutting Edge
• Creative
• Less Likely to e-mail

Boomerangs

• Facebook
• Reaction
• Validation
• Twitter
• Empowered

Connectors

• Creative
• Thoughtful
• Relaxed
• E-Mail
• Making Plans
• Facebook

Selectives

• Careful
• Informative
• Resourceful
• Thoughtful
• E-Mail

Lurkers

• No sharing here.
• Just remember a ton of folks that are important to you are seeing this and not sharing, so don’t let the sharers drive all your social brand decisions.

Which one are you?

4. WHAT PEOPLE LIKE TO SHARE

Key factors to keep in mind when sharing.

1. Appeal to consumers’ motivation to connect with each other —not just with your brand.
2. Keep it simple…
3. Trust is the cost of entry.
4. Embrace a sense of urgency.
5. Appeal to their sense of humor.

TOP 11

Tagged as: Blair Ball, Blair Evan Ball, Giving, Prepare1, Sharing, Social Media, Social Media Coach, Social Media Sharing