My friend Anastasia Ashman and I have been asked to speak on a panel addressing a group of expat women in Istanbul. The subject of the panel is using social media to develop your professional potential, so I’ve been thinking more critically about how I do that.
For reference, I have started three online businesses focused mainly on handmade products and creative entrepreneurship. I rely heavily on social networking to promote these businesses and build communities around them. Here’s a summary of each one:
Citara’s is an online bazaar selling and promoting handmade Turkish products and showcasing their designers.
Behind the Bazaar is a service that introduces people to independent artists and designers of Istanbul.
Intarsia Concept is a site that shares resources, ideas, opportunities and skills people can use to build their creative businesses.
In preparation for the panel, I decided to list some of my personal tenets on the subject of using social media professionally, below are ten of them:
1. Do things that make lives better.
2. Work in the realm of what you’re passionate about.
3. Comment on the accomplishments of others – praise them for good work.
4. Find ways to connect others when you see common areas of interest.
5. Share personal stories but not private information.
6. Create something of value rather than just chatter or noise.
7. Contribute less often but devote yourself to higher quality content (quality over quantity).
8. Be a resource and people will come to value your expertise.
9. Think BIG and figure out how to use the technology to scale ideas up.
10. Enjoy the process of watching yourself grow and develop and getting to know yourself better.
Do you have any to add?
