Before there was Social Media,  I was a Networking Expert, a Marketing Expert and a Subject Matter Expert in Streaming Media.  My successes in life comes from a simple principle: “I efficiently and passionately use my NETWORK to increase my NETWORTH.” Success is not about the tools you use to connect with people, it’s a bout your character, your inspirations and your gift(s)  in life.  I don’t abuse my network by always asking for and never giving anything back. I continually share information, knowledge and leads with my network and my network has done the same for me.  My basic belief of helping others get what they want out of life has provided me a fulfilled life of amazing opportunities and income.

If you want to be successful in Social Media ten purchase one simple book. “How to Win Friends and Influence People” by Dale Carnegie.  I read this book twice when I was 17 years old and it has shaped my successes regardless of the technology tools I used.  I am always successful because I value the good in people and desire to see people live their dreams.

You can attend every seminar, workshop and  purchase every book on Social Media secrets but if you are not a successfully network in person than you will experience the same fate on Social Media platforms.

Social Media is not a new experience.  Social Media has been around as long as the 1st web browser.  Early online companies Aol, Compuserve and Prodigy had Social Media components in their services that allowed groups of people with similar interests to chat online from anywhere there was Internet access. Business owners discovered they could reach their market online and join chatrooms where their target markets met.

If you were selling a line of dog clothing you would join online groups that chatted about their dogs. You would observe the conversation of the group and read their Frequently Asked Questions (F.A.Q.)s to see what the rules were before you began posting and chatting with the group. You would post helpful information to the dog owners being careful not to spam the group. Your email sig file would contain your company name, tag line and contact information. Eventually group members would begin asking about your line of clothes you begin to engage them in offline conversations and make sales.

In 1996 I was teaching companies how to successfully market on the Internet using principles that are now coined Social Media. I showed companies how to use signature files in their emails, display their URL on all of their marketing material, and how to use chat rooms to find and qualify prospects and make sales. I was profiled in Black Enterprise magazine 1st Technology Issue in 1996 and in Earl Graves the publisher of Black Enterprise 1st book “How to Be Successful in America Without Being White” because I was using Internet tools to build a $4 million dollar business.

My employees were some of the 1st telecommuters as they all had computers and Internet access and accessed information online. I saved my clients money in phone, faxing, mailing costs and time by placing valuable employee forms online that was downloaded to their computers filled out and emailed to us.

NYC Channel 5 the McCreary Report television news program interviewed my family because we understood the power a computer and Internet access could bring to a family.  I built website for African American business like Sylvia’s Restaurant and the Network Journal which was the 2nd African American publication to have a website behind the Baltimore Afro-American.  I wrote an Internet marketing column for the Network Journal and highlighted successful African Americans that was using these new technology tools.

Fast forward to today.  The tools have changed but the basic principles and etiquette of Social Media have not.

“You can close more business in two months by becoming interested in other people than you can in two years by trying to get people interested in you.” Dale Carnegie.  If you don’t believe that statement is true then you will find no success in Social Media.

Success in Social Media requires that you have the character to openly engage in assisting other people get what they want.  Success requires that you focus on your customers and prospects by providing real solutions to their problems and concerns while sharing the true benefits of your products/services in a non obtrusive manner.

Success in Social Media is not a get rich quick scheme. Getting thousands of people to follow you on Twitter will not lead to sales if you have nothing to offer but vague marketing messages that look like they run on auto pilot.  Creating a slick Facebook fan page will not improve your bottom line if you are not willing to engage your friends and fans in honest conversations about your products/services.

If you are looking to be successful in Social Media or brand yourself as a Social Media expert don’t spend your money on workshop and how to secrets, learn how to effectively interact with people, learn how to be unselfish and learn how to perform random acts of kindness.  These are the characteristics that will provide you with Social Media success regardless of the technology tools.