How to Win Followers and Influence Social Media

If that headline seems vaguely familiar, you’re right. It was Dale Carnegie who wrote “How to Win Friends and Influence People “.

Here are eight tips from his famous book. I personally think they’re a pretty good guide if you want to influence social media users, personally or for business.

1. Don’t criticise, condemn or complain
2. Give honest sincere appreciation
3. Arouse in the other person an eager want
4. Become genuinely interested in other people
5. Smile
6. Remember that a person’s name is to that person the sweetest and most important sound in any language
7. Be a good listener, encourage others to talk about themselves
8. Talk in terms of the other person’s interests
9. Make the other person feel important, and do it sincerely.

I’m going to look at some of these in future blogs, the first is perhaps the most tricky?

Dale had a very good point; people don’t want to be friends with someone who’s always criticising them, or moaning all the time.

So should we moan on social media? I think the answer comes in two parts:

• Don’t moan about the person you want to befriend!
• Does criticism fit with the kind of person you want to be on social media?

For example, relentless criticism wouldn’t fit with Benjamin Franklin’s view of the person he wanted to be:

Speak ill of no man, but speak all the good you know of everybody

One key rule for any blogger must surely be “have an opinion”. Companies and brands wanting to influence social media followers would do well to bear this in mind along with Dale’s first point.

Have an opinion without criticising, condemning or complaining

What do you think, you miserable idiot?

Aimiable Consulting is a Solihull social media marketing and SEO company