A friend and mentor Al Ritter, wrote a great little book called “The 100/0 Principle – The Secret of Great Relationships” The underlying principle is if you give 100% of the time and expect nothing in return, you will always be successful, never disappointed, and often pleasantly surprised!
It has 4 steps… and I quote from the book:
Step 1 – Determine what you can do to make the relationship work… then do it. Demonstrate respect and kindness to the other person, whether or not he/she deserves it or not.
Step 2 – Do not expect anything in return. Zero, zip, nada.
Step 3 – Do not allow anything the other person says or does (no matter how annoying!) to affect you. In other words, don't take the bait.
Step 4 – Be persistent with your graciousness and kindness. Often we give up too soon, especially when others don't respond in kind. Remember expect nothing in return.
Now I know a few of you are cringing right now, but Al is a smart, experienced and personable man! It's not about rolling over and playing dead or being a door mat… It's about embracing a relationship in a way that the other person does not expect. Often what happens is people are disarmed, curious, engaged, and ultimately start to replicate in ways that they may not have normally done.
Who Do You Love?
I saw an article that said that if you hire a Social Media person OVER 25, you are in trouble. And I Quote…
[box]”You might argue that everyone, regardless of age, was along for the ride, or at least everyone under the age of 30. I’m not saying they weren’t, but we spent our adolescence growing up with social media. We were around long enough to see how life worked without it but had it thrown upon us at an age where the ways to make the best/correct use of it came most naturally to us. No one else will ever be able to have as clear an understanding of these services, no matter how much they may think they do.”[/box]
She has a point… if you want to talk to a 25 year old, who better to do it than a 25 year old. But “Um Like Ya Know” if you want to “Uh Like” communicate to a 40 or 50 or 60 year old… maybe not so much! They may get communications and social media for their own generation, but maybe not to a someone with a different set of goals, ideals and values.
There is a social media joke that goes “Kids are leaving Facebook in droves, because their Moms are signing on!”, and they are right! I hate to burst their bubble (20 somethings), but they are not there to check on you, as much as they are connecting with past friends and relatives! IF you want to talk to moms & dads, homeowners, customers… you have to communicate to them in the way “THEY WANT TO BE COMMUNICATED TO!”.
So How Do I Live the 100/0 Principle in Social Media?
The underlying concept here is that if you want social media to work you cannot talk about what you had for lunch, or what special sale you are having, or how your opinion is better than all of the other opinions ever conceived since the beginning of time! You can occasionally talk about your business as long as it pertains to what your audience “WANT'S TO HEAR!”. Here are 3 tips to help you create conversations and give more than you take!
1) STOP TALKING ABOUT YOURSELF… Nothing kills the 100/0 Principle like talking about yourself all the time. People are on social media, to learn and engage… Not to be sold. IF you are constantly selling your business, you are just a bad commercial that will be skipped like a Social Media DVR!
2) KNOW WHO YOU ARE TALKING TO… If you want to alienate your audience talk about politics and religion… You will immediately loose 50% of your audience. You may be trying to show them the correct path to “Total Consciousness”, but ultimately they will think that you are telling them that they are wrong!
3) GIVE AND EXPECT NOTHING IN RETURN... People want to be entertained, informed and educated. If you make an effort to share your knowledge, timely information, and an occasional funny picture or story, people will remember you more than if you are constantly barraging them with your opinions or ads!
Make an effort to learn what your audience wants, communicate with them the way they want to be communicated to, and ultimately expect nothing in return… and you will never be disappointed.
Did this attain 100/0? I would love your comments and feedback!
Brian–Many thanks for including my book “The 100/0 Principle” on your website and blog. Thanks to people like you who appreciate the value of relationships, the book has sold 55,000 copies in two years.
Al Ritter