Jeff Seaver – Guest Expert – Social Media

My Mastermind Intensive, aka the Bolders, had the privilege of listening to Jeff Seaver of Seaver Interactive talk about what social media is and isn’t. He was our guest expert last Friday. We were riveted by his humor, his candor and the enormity of his knowledge on the subject.

His gorgeous handout included Seaver’s Two Rules of Social Media Marketing: AUTHENTICITY and SERVICE. He encouraged us to give it away, which is contradictory to the ‘monetize it’ voice that competes for our attention. Through illustration, he helped us to understand the benefits of this generosity using himself as an example and how his career has escalated through giving away his knowledge, and then being hired over and over again.

The main function of social media is to engage in conversation with your audience. Jeff made it seem so simple. At the core of it all is your brand. He gave our group a great suggestion. “The worst one to say what your brand is is YOU. Have others tell you what YOUR brand is.” We are too close to our products and services to really understand how the general public perceives us. Better to have customers and colleagues describe how they perceive your company.

He also drove home the importance of storytelling. After all, that’s how we learn and how we remember. Using social media to tell your story is an opportunity to engage your audience in ways that most others aren’t. Keep it personal. Be sure there’s conflict (who doesn’t experience that?) and redemption. Most important, Jeff added, “Only the heart touches the heart.” Get real, personal and be genuine. People remember.

The old adage holds here, even digitally. People want to do business with people they know and like. Using blogs, Facebook, Pinterest and Instagram are new means of creating those relationships. The cost and risk are low. To get the best results, give of yourself and your experience.