Are you a Go-Giver? So many of us, especially in the business world, have been rewarded for being go-getters, yet, the truly generous people, the Go-Givers, are often the most successful.

Many 3D words on a white background with a big word Give in red letters surrounded by related terms such as donation, benevolence, offer, share, generosity, con

This point is driven home very eloquently and practically in the classic book The Go-Giver: A Little Story about a Powerful Business Idea, by Bob Burg and John D. Mann and first published in 2007.

What makes this book so appealing is its simplicity. Written in the format of a fable, with tales of business people illuminating each of the five main principles or “laws”:

  • The law of value
  • The law of compensation
  • The law of influence
  • The law of authenticity
  • The law of receptivity

The messages in this little book resonate with me deeply.

For a nice summary of the book go to: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Go-Giver

One of the blessings of reading this book is that I find myself both being more generous and being more open to the generosity of others both online and in the physical world. It’s astonishing how many ways one can be a Go-Giver through the medium of social media.

Ways You Can Be Generous on Social Media

  1. Write recommendations on LinkedIn without being asked. Have you ever opened up your LinkedIn inbox to find an unexpected recommendation? Doesn’t that simply make your day? It does for me. At least once a month, more often if you can, write a heartfelt recommendation for a LinkedIn colleague.
  2. Give a positive rating to a business or entity on its Facebook business page. Did you get especially good customer service? Did a company graciously resolve an issue? Write about it on their Facebook business page – and be sure to include the name of the person (or people) who did the great stuff. Not only will you make their day, but their bosses are likely to find out about your experience too. If the page is set up for a local business or place, you can even write a short review. And don’t forget to write a Google review for them too.
  3. Promote the services and events of “sister” companies. Have your Facebook business page like the business pages of companies that refer business to you and vice versa. Make them one of the three “featured likes” that appear on your business page. Periodically share posts from their business pages to yours.
  4. Retweet tweets on Twitter. When you retweet (or share) a tweet, your followers receive it and benefit from whatever this helpful, inspiring, and/or thought-provoking information you passed on. Plus the person or entity who posted that tweet will appreciate you spreading the word.
  5. In the Projects section of LinkedIn, include LinkedIn connections who collaborated with you on a project. By doing this, you make the project and your collaboration appear in the Projects section of their profile too. This act of recognition enhances their reputation and shows that they are team players.

 

How About You?

In what ways have you used the tools of social media to be generous? How have others been generous to you? How did that make you feel?

 

About Joyce

Joyce Feustel, Founder of Boomers' Social Media Tutor

Joyce Feustel helps people, especially those age 50 and up, to become more comfortable using social media, especially Facebook, LinkedIn, Pinterest, and Twitter.

She works with business owners, business development professionals, leaders of nonprofit organizations, job seekers, retired people, consultants, and many others. Find her at www.boomerssocialmediatutor.com.