How To Apply The Laws Of Likability To Increase Your Social Currency
In an era that reveres networking,
when Facebook, LinkedIn and Twitter are the new town squares
and the number of your online friends and followers is your social currency,
few issues are more vital than likability!
(how’s that for a movie trailer? 
)
I never cared about online likability until I was told by a fellow blogger that I can’t join his tribe (triberr), until I had 500 twitter followers!
I was like, “Who says no to Shamelle!”. (a lot of people, actually !). I swallowed a few blurry words which I’d have to type here in stars! Suddenly, the social numbers seem to matter. I felt as if I was left out because I didn’t have enough social currency to pay with!
I should have picked up several books about all these social media platforms and tried to see how fast I can increase those numbers. Or perhaps, I shouldn’t be bothered at all with the numbers.
Online networking shouldn’t be a strategic, artificial, mechanistic, goal-oriented exercise you dread or that deadens your soul (at least that’s my 2 cents). Is it possible to increase your social currency by just being you?
Over the week-end I ended up with a copy of The 11 Laws of Likability, while going through it I realized that some of the so called laws of likability can be applied to increase our online social net worth too.
The Law of Authenticity
Whether online or not people do not like phonies. If you present yourself artificially, people will see through you. They will not like you, and you won’t be comfortable with yourself.
To be likable, plainly exhibit your true self. You have to be e true to who you are, even in social media presence.
“When we come from an authentic, genuine place in ourselves, our efforts to connect with people work to their fullest.”
The Law of Familiarity
If people know about you, and what they know is positive, you are on the right track to likability.
Who are you? What’s your story? Are you like me? Tell people your story, so they can know a bit about you. Having a little more than a dummy egg head in your social profiles, is a sure start!
Who knew my smile would bring in new readers Thanks Harry, you made my day!
The beauty of social media is that you can stay in close touch with old friends, make new friends and build positive familiarity with them all.
The Law of Giving
A terrific way to increase your likability is to give people something of value. This doesn’t necessarily mean a physical or monetary gift.
For example, send a lead to a fellow blogger, or refer him or her to someone who wants to buy a product or service similar to what he or she sells. Just by passing along articles about subjects of interest to them, offering helpful advice or helping someone with a technical issue they have etc you can be useful.
If you look at forums or even twitter etc, there are total strangers helping out other total strangers!
When you give to others, you will receive. That’s the traditional quid pro quo. But likability champions don’t focus on what they might get when they give to others. Instead, they simply give with joy.
Likability Is Not Complicated
Likability is not a pose. It is not an attitude. It is not guile or artfulness. It certainly is not
just a tally of how many people like you or how many people you like. Instead, likability
is a bedrock life approach and philosophy.
It is the authentic, sincere way you connect with your fellow human beings. Likability enables these connections.
What say you? Let me know.
My favorite part of this whole post is, “likeability is not complicated.” Simple. True. Nice!
Rachel Z Cornell recently posted..How to Make Procrastination A Thing of the Past
Sometimes though, we need to put in a conscious effort to make ourselves more likable to others.
I agree, Shamelle. Sometimes tho, it starts to read like it’s a calculated effort. Then it starts to get strange for me. How do you reconcile that? Shouldn’t I just be nice and generous because that’s how I am and not as a methodology for becoming more popular and “liked?”
…And I am doing many of the suggestions in this post and I DO want more exposure but I wrestle with the popularity thing. Any thoughts?
Rachel Z Cornell recently posted..How to Make Procrastination A Thing of the Past
I couldn’t have said this better myself Shamelle.
You are right, my report came along at just the right time. I know that you’ll find some very helpful advice there as well but what I do say is just be you. People can spot a phony a mile away and that’s not the kind of person you want to be known as.
Social proof is important today because there are so many people out there trying to make their way. You have to be able to be heard above all the rest. Being a likable person will definitely get you there faster.
Thanks for sharing this Shamelle and I can’t wait to see you explode girl. It’s only a matter of time.
~Adrienne
Adrienne recently posted..How To Build Successful And Profitable Relationships
Being liked by others is really a difficlut task. Extra effort has to be done to be a likable.
Pulkit recently posted..Grade 10 – Science and Math Combo
Nice post Shamelle,
for increasing the social currency we must apply the laws of likability.
Thanks for sharing it.
Prakash recently posted..The Google Earth App for Android Updated with 3D View
I agree likeability is an asset. I am friendly, polite and pleasant normally, But at 60, I can also be a cantankerous old fart. To balance the two is difficult. If I am to be likeable shouldn’t I be accepted for the whole package?
Hi Shamelle,
As more and more people set up shop(blogs), people grow attached to places that feel like home. So if you can be yourself then likeability will be boosted as more people hear about you. As you say its just a natural thing we can earn as we do what we do.
Simmeon recently posted..Which Is Better Guest Blogging or Blog Commenting?
Love the law of giving.
I see this at meetups all the time. The best way to “get” something from a meetup group (eg. leads, help, etc.) is to go when you don’t need it. And help those who are in need. What goes around, comes around.
Go, comment, present, share..and don’t try to promote your business. Go to be you. You will be surprised at how much support you receive a year down the line.
The bad way? Come flying into the meeting waving jobs / cash / fake equity around looking for a few technical people to build your site. Pretty much ensures the good talent will walk the other way and leave you with some overpriced dregs…
John recently posted..Expansion Plans, New Solvers, Changes To the Home Page