Rules of Engagement

” THE TWO WORDS,”INFORMATION ” AND “COMMUNICATION” ARE OFTEN USED INTERCHANGEABLY,BUT THEY SIGNIFY QUITE DIFFERENT THINGS. INFORMATION IS GIVING OUT. COMMUNICATION IS GETTING THROUGH.”  Sydney J. Harris

In order to be successful in any business venture, there are standards of care and rules to follow. Industry standards dictate that communicating with the potential customer is a priority, whether your business is entertainment, health care, sales, education or publication. There are the Rules of Engagement.

Social media has changed the way we communicate with one another. We now have instant access in real-time to any one on the planet. Even the celebrities have fan pages on Facebook that they rely on to communicate with their audiences. For example, it was reported in this post that Lady Gag and Britney Spears post personal messages on their Facebook fan pages before their albums are released. As a result, the record-high hits they received will translate into people who will buy their albums. The key component in their success appears to be that personal connections were made. The lesson here: “If you are silent leading up to your album release,no one will be listening.”

The same applies to writers who wish to publish their books. Writing the book is just one part of a writer’s task. Building an audience of followers/readers who align with a writer’s message is now a key responsibility for anyone who wants to publish. And just like with Lady Gaga and Britney Spears, the writer has to reach out and find prospective readers.

The main way we need to reach out is through the content we share. Brent Csutoros talks about content marketing  in this post, reinforcing that “content is king” when it comes to capturing an audience. “Get people involved by inviting them to comment.”

     Bryan and Jeffery Eisenberg & Associates discuss the value of content marketing in this post, noting “ultimately content marketing is about optimizing dialogue between a company and its customers.”

It seems to boil down to all the different ways you can have conversations on the internet through Twitter, Facebook, blogs, newsletters, forums, article writing to name a few.

     DailyTipsPr.com posted this great article on using article writing to capture your audience on the internet, stating that it is” the single most effective method to market your brand.”

It seems to me the key to success , no matter what the business, depends on the personal connections that are made with the potential customer.

Before I can do this, I have to clarify what my message is and get through to others who appear to align with my message.   That is precisely why I joined Dan Blank’s Build Your Author Platform Course where we are learning how to use all forms of social media in a strategic manner to market our author brand online.

And I am learning about these eight Rules of Engagement as listed in this article by Laraine Antrim, co-founder of Core Ideas Communication, a PR and marketing communications firm on the DailyTipsPro.com website:

”  1.   Think Eternity~ anything sent out into cyber space is permanent.

     2.  Think like Arethra Franklin~ offer R-E-S-P-E-C-T when commenting

     3.   Think like Twitter~ be concise

     4.   Think like the Audience~ know your followers wants and needs

     5.    Think Story~ real-life stories and people interest people.

      6.   Think with Your Ears~ listen to what others are saying

      7.   Think of the Venue~survey the lay of the land before you comment. Each site has its own way of doing things.

      8.   Think Twice Before You Tweet~keep comments relevant to your audience. ”

All I ever really wanted to do was to write, but it appears that following these Rules of Engagement  are necessary.  I am trusting that they will help make the overall experience a better one for myself and my readers. As steep as the learning curve has been for me, I must admit, I do see the benefits in making these connections. Fitting it all into the course of daily life is another post for another time. In the meantime, I’d love to hear how you are doing:

How is your conversation going?  Are you engaging with your followers? Are you getting through?