Episode 31: Friday Five With Erin Gargan

"Your Online Profile Is Now Your First Impression" Erin Gargan Are you serving your online community? Erin discusses the importance of,"Serving not Selling" and whatever your reason for being on social media it is always important to think about how you are coming across on the digital airways. Whether or not you think your online presence is important to your current job situation, it is a well-known fact that employers are now taking people's social media profiles into account, during the hiring process. So take a few moments to glance over your favorite social media app and look at it from a visitor's perspective. Would you want to know you? Is Your Content Shareable? Erin talked about shareability of content and this was a big ah-ha moment for me. If you are using social media to strengthen your brand, notice how many shares your posts are getting versus how many likes. This is a great indicator of how much your content is resonating with your friends, audience and customer base. How Is Your Heart Connection With Social Media? Erin spoke about the shadow side of social media and I am a big believer of checking in to see how your heart feels when you are online and looking at everyone else's posts. More importantly, notice if you are managing technology or it is managing you. First thing in the morning are you able to spend time with your family before spending time on Facebook. Last thing at night are you watching everyone else's life scroll by on your screen or are you actively involved in your own life and creating meaningful moments with your family and loved ones? Set the intention to not be online for the first 30 minutes in the morning and the last 30 minutes at night. It sounds simple but you may be surprised as to how challenging this could be. How strong are your online relationships? Erin talks about the importance of creating a true connection online before pitching or selling to the person on the other end of your communication. Is there someone you would like to get to know better? Perhaps, someone you would like to have as a mentor, or someone that you admire and respect in your industry? Write down 3 ways that you could help this person and make their day-to-day life a little easier. Learn what they are working on and what their likes are outside of their business world. A little research and a small offer to help and give, instead of an ask and take will go a long way to getting someone's attention and cultivating new and meaningful relationships. Are you putting your best foot forward online? Erin talked about the importance of being your best self online. She talked about the importance of a good picture – simple yet so many of us do not have a profile picture that represents the best version of ourselves. Pop back online, look at your current profile picture and make sure that how you are showing up online is a great representation of the best version of the offline you.