The Social Media 'Do Me' Dance

How will the value of LinkedIn’s recent endorsements play out, and will they be more meaningful then the LinkedIn recommendations we’ve craved?

I have a joke nickname for my Standard Poodle. I refer to Pilot affectionately as Mr. Do Me. He is quite clever about sensing those he can engage in petting him and has several clever maneuvers to get what he wants.

Rarely does anyone deny him his request. Does Pilot know that he lowers their blood pressure, or makes them just ‘feel’ good—calm and grounded? Pilot does his ‘do me’ dance and people respond because it makes them feel good, not because Pilot asked them to pet him.

For years now with social media we’ve been sending many ‘do me’ requests. Follow me, like me, subscribe to me, recommend me, connect with me, me me me me.

©iStockphoto.com/Erikona

While we all know why you want these things—it is a rare company that can express it in a way that will make the person asked feel good. Follow me and I will reduce your blood pressure? Connect with me and I will make you feel grounded? Pilot has some clear advantages, since his is an animal’s request that appeals to some basic animal instincts of our own. But how about a business? What can you do to solicit the ‘do me’ and communicate the ‘feel good’ factor, or more importantly answer the unspoken question: “What’s in it for me?”

Will you be sharing something special? Will you be hosting a community of people like me that I will want to get to know? Will you be giving out rewards or in some other way treating us special? Will you have information that I will find valuable and useful? Are you one of the cool kids that I want to be seen talking to? Will you acknowledge my existence and make me feel listened to? Really, what’s in it for me and can I trust you? Are you going to spam me? Are you going to do something evil and sneaky with my information?

The takeaway: convey trust and communicate and demonstrate value, then maybe they will do you too.