This is a guest post by Mike Loomis. Mike helps people launch and grow their dream projects, books, and businesses. He’s a strategic partner to bestselling authors, global ministries, publishers, as well as startups, and aspiring messengers. Check his website out here and follow him on Twitter here.
Are you stressed about growing your platform? No, you’re obsessed. Right?
Photo credit: MikeBaird
Do you know the number of Twitter and Fan Page followers, accurate to within 3%? How many times per week do you check?
Michael Hyatt is awesome, and so is his book, Platform. Highly recommend it.
A friendly reminder
It doesn’t take 10,000 fans to be successful. And by “successful” I mean financially, as an author, artist, business owner – you name it!
If you’ve ever considered sending money to web sites promising “bombastic growth” or “Get a Gazillion Fans” I can relate. I’ve watched those free webinars and learned some valuable wisdom. But…
You can own a thriving online business and have nine Facebook Likes.
You can enjoy a stream of inquiries from your web site, and not remember your Twitter password.
It’s possible to get a two-book publishing contract, and not blog every week.
If you believe you need 10,000 fans before you (fill in the blank), maybe it’s simply procrastination.
If your business model requires three pre-scheduled Tweets per day – every day – then you might not have a real business.
I know people who are very successful, and have three clients. Do you have THREE people around you that you’ve helped, in ways that earned their respect – and their money?
How about twelve people? (You can accomplish lots of great stuff with a twelve person tribe)
Then why?
Then why try so hard to connect with 10,000 strangers? Prove yourself. Get great at what you do, and enjoy your work, with the people around you right now.
Pay attention to your connections. Just remember, social media is a great place to GIVE, but it’s a lousy (and frustrating) place to GET.
By the way, I’m writing this to myself. Agree? Disagree? Just don’t Unfollow me, OK?
Haha. Mike, this was a really encouraging “note” to receive in my in-box this morning! I struggle with keeping track of the numbers. I’ve definitely been guilty of being so focused on the numbers that I end up neglecting a few people who reach out to me. Blech. Thanks for this reminder of what the “tribe” is all about.
ps. I followed you this morning. 😉
YAY! I need to go check my Twitter account….
OK, I’m back. Thank you, Alana. The successes I note are all real-life, and within the last 6 months. Therapeutic for me to reflect on!
I loved it – and it makes great sense! I agree with Alana – very encouraging! I signed up and am following – Michael you always share the neatest resources!
Thanks, Ann! “Encouraging” is what I hoped this post would be! Many thanks to Michael and Claudia.
Great to have you Mike, thanks for the guest post!
Good post, Mike. Those numbers. You can go days without noticing them at all, and then all of a sudden they go down and you start looking for the leak, the reason, the way to stop the downward spiral. All of which causes you to get your focus on why you write. Because you feel called to write, because you have something to say, because writing is like breathing. Thanks, for the reminder. It’s not the numbers, it’s the people.
Yeah, Anne – What is it about those DROPS?! I agree with your point – It’s about people. Or one person, huh?
And when the final curtain falls, when all is said and done,
We’ll understand we’ve written for an audience of one. Anne Peterson
oooohhhh – nice, Anne!
Great point, Anne! It’s not about the numbers, but the people. It’s about providing real value to the people who are in your circle of influence, as small as it might be.
Great reminders, Michael and Mike!
Thanks, Rick! It’s so easy to get in the ditch on either side of this
Mike – looking forward to learning from you!
Thank you, Ann – From your web site, it looks like YOU have some helpful truths to share!
Thank you, Mike. I appreciate that.
Such a refreshing perspective! Love it.
Totally agree, Char! It’s easy to get caught up in busy work and forget about what is actually creating real value to people. Real value is what you get paid for.
Great post Mike. I can relate to you. Thanks for venting and being honest.
Thanks, Marilyn! Good to pause and reflect on what’s important…
I hate that you’re not here anymore! 🙁
Agree. Good advice Mike! But I still want to build a platform to reach the people who need what I can offer.
Absolutely, Rob – (…Me too!) –
Interesting perspective…thanks for sharing. Food for thought today
Christa,
I checked out your site, looks great! I love and relate to your desire to “live abundantly and on purpose!” How long have you been a blogger?
Thanks for this post! I can really relate. In fact I’ve actually decided to back off of building my platform on purpose this year. I have writing and family goals to work on. I can’t get caught up on the numbers or the rest of my life will suffer.
Thank you, Anastacia. I think we all can relate to the balance required – and focus on those around us!
Anastacia,
I love that you are pursuing being a writer along with being an obviously busy mother! 🙂 What time of day do you find best for writing?
I used to blog and write at night when everyone else had gone to bed. I wasn’t getting enough sleep though.
I’m now attempting to get up early to write. That isn’t necessarily working either but I’m trying.
Otherwise I find a few minutes here and there while feeding my baby.
Anastacia,
It’s cool that you are still pursuing something which makes your heart sing! All the best to you as you continue to pursue writing 🙂
I love the perspective as I try to grow my platform one reader at a time. I am focusing on delivering the best content I can and letting the traffic follow when and if it does. One thing I’ve learned in my brief blogging adventure is there are NO shortcuts!
Tom – Well said – NO shortcuts! (Love your catch phrase – “Do you look forward to Monday?”)
Great post Mike. Touching a single person with your work is more important than gaining followers on Twitter or Facebook, but it is so easy to lose site of that. Thank you for the reminder. So often we hear about the importance of growing a platform in size rather than depth for a few.
Thanks, JD! That’s exactly what I needed reminding of, too! Really helping one person today…
I have been working with social media (FB, Twitter, Goggle+, LinkedIn and the list goes on and on) for quite awhile. I am wondering about my time best spent, should it be social networking sites or to continue writing, speaking and developing my message. I am beginning to lean towards the latter, I like the thought of going deeper verses wider. Thanks Mike, good insights!
I’m wondering that, too! 😉
Maybe Michael and other commenters can weigh in!…
Hey Ken,
This is something I often think about too. I know when I was starting my music lesson business, initially I spent too much time on Facebook trying reach out and connect there. I learned it was better, i.e. I got more clients, when I reached out to people directly through email or a phone call.
I actually had a little system down where I’d email someone of influence who had an audience (because I did not) introducing myself and mention an idea I had about how I could help them. In that email I said I’d followup in a couple days with a phone call. In a few days I’d call and we’d talk in more detail.
I got far more clients by picking up the phone and calling than I ever did with social media. While social media is very powerful, if you don’t have much of an audience already, I see it as having more long term benefits than short.
Like Mike said, it’s a great place to give, not to get.
If you’re interested, I wrote a post going into more detail about how I “borrowed” an audience: http://wholeheartedhuman.com/how-to-get-customers-without-an-audience/
Great thoughts here. This is something many of us struggle with in the blogging community, and I appreciate the way you addressed this subject of platform building.
Thank you very much, John!