Talking Twitter with Sarah Robinson

We’re honored to welcome Sarah Robinson, AKA @SarahRobinson to SocialNorth. Sarah is an author, speaker and consultant. She wrote Fierce Loyalty: Unlocking the DNA of Wildly Successful Communities and is a Forbes & Dun & Bradstreet top entrepreneurship tweeter. This is her story…

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Fill ‘er up!

When Julia asked me to write a post about how I’ve developed such a powerful community, my immediate response to her was “It’s all about coffee!”

Anyone who follows me on Twitter knows that the majority of my conversations revolve around that critical beverage. How much or how little I have, how much or how little I need, whether I’ve run out, how I find my personality in the bottom of the third cup – these are all topics of discussion almost every day. Klout even rates me a top expert on the subject of coffee.

And while this may seem like a mindless topic, it’s exactly how I’ve built my twitter community. One member at a time.

When I working on my book, Fierce Loyalty, I got to dig into all of the happiness research that’s out there and I learned why talking about coffee or food or dogs or whatever, is such a powerful connector. We crave meaningful connection and engagement. In fact, having these things in our lives is THE determining factor in whether we feel happy. More than money. More than the pursuit of pleasure.

Don’t get me wrong, I talk business too

I share what I’ve written. I share what others have written. Part of my job is to serve as a filter for my community, serving up the best of the web in my area of expertise. Because I know them so well and they trust me, I’ve become a trusted resource. It’s a big responsibility and a necessary one if you want to lead a Fiercely Loyal tribe.

I also call people by name. I look at their profile and mention something from it if I can. Again, we crave meaningful connection and nothing is more meaningful than being acknowledged as an individual. In this impersonal, hundred-miles-an-hour world we live in, we relish someone who takes a minute to actually see who we are.

In the end, it’s all about being human

Revealing a bit of who we are, faults, coffee-addictions and all. I’m not suggesting over-exposing yourself. I recommend having some hard and fast boundaries around what you will and won’t discuss. For example, I never use my children’s names on social media. I talk about them all the time, just not by name.

If this kind of powerful connection and engagement appeals to you, here are five things you can start doing right now in your social media interactions:

• Open up a little. Let people see the real you.
• Participate in the conversations that are already happening.
• Share, Retweet, Like other people’s posts as a way of acknowledging them.
• Call people by name in your interactions with them.
• Talk about coffee or chocolate or tea or whatever your particular jones is.
• And if you have an extra cup of coffee, send it my way.

Do you have a social media story to share? We’d love to hear it – on our blog or on social media, of course. Follow us on Facebook, Twitter or LinkedIn and let’s continue the conversation.

About Sarah Robinson

Sarah is President and CEO of Sarah Robinson Co. She is a seasoned business coach, strategist, advisor and speaker who helps business owners set their companies apart from the pack. Based in Birmingham, Alabama, Sarah advises her international clients on how to build a thriving, successful community, how to increase social media effectiveness, and how to develop a remarkable online and offline business presence. Find out more about Sarah and her book, Fierce Loyalty: Unlocking the DNA of Wildly Successful Communities, here http://FierceLoyaltyBook.com.