Zig Ziglar quote rings truer than ever

During an early morning  meeting last Friday with Knowtorious Deals founder Sandro Ore, we were preparing ideas for a podcast series we’ve been planning for several weeks. Near the end of the meeting, we decided to tape a trial segment, in order to get an idea how it might look.

We had no script, but Sandro had compiled an informal list of ideas, so we used that to keep us on track. At one point, Sandro unexpectedly announced that we were each going to select a favorite Twitter or Facebook update we’d seen someone post on-line and explain what we liked about the post.

For a quick moment, I didn’t think I’d be able to select one post from the thousands I’ve seen, but suddenly one of the first Tweets I ever read popped into my mind. It was from the Twitter feed of Tom Ziglar, the son of the legendary salesman and public speaker Zig Ziglar. The quote was one of the best ever uttered by the elder Ziglar, and went like this:  “You can have everything in life you want if you will just help enough other people get what they want. ”

For me, that is a powerful thought. It’s the entire foundation of what works in social media. Those who provide value to others are rewarded. The rewards come in the form of “Likes” and “Retweets”, larger numbers of followers and more engagement. Coupled with an intelligent marketing plan,  that should translate to more and better business.

Don’t get me wrong. I’m not saying the only reason for helping others is to get something from them. There are many reasons why we should help others, including those who may never even be in a position to repay the favor.  Decent people have always looked for ways to help others, and that’s the way it should be.  I’m simply pointing out the fact that in social media, there is a built-in reward for those who can find ways to provide value for others.

Provide information that helps people solve a business problem. Teach men how to be better dads.  Provide reviews that allow diners to find a better place to eat. Offer the best internet search results. Build the best social network in the history of man.

There are countless ways to provide value to others through social media. Those who do it best will find doing so a very rewarding experience.