Hey Friends, grab your coffee and lets dig in on this topic.
In our day and age of technology, there is a constant hammering of invites on all forms of social media. We are invited to like, subscribe, follow and to share. We are often asked to join a group, network or masterclass. They suggest that you will find connections, empower one another, learn something new, build or increase your business, ministry, spiritual gifts or hone your skills and more. There is wonderful value to all of that IF it’s the right place for you. And, if they are truly offering what they are advertising.
I enjoy and engage in the social media norms of today myself. Through my business, LisaShawCares.com (LLC), I also offer one on one, groups, virtual workshops, credentialed coaching, consulting, speaking, mentoring and so on. I do that with integrity so I am 100% for the use of technology in those ways and for good reasons–to benefit and to bless, to educate, equip, inspire and motivate others to live fully as God has intended for them.
With that said, I am careful with where I sign up my email address, who’s program or class I purchase, what groups I enter into and who’s posts I share. I want to be sure that the values that I have and the integrity and character in which I live (not perfection but with purpose), are represented in those areas before I engage them.
It matters to me who, what and where I connect my name (character), my business and ministry. It also matters where I give my time and resources. I’m sure that all matters to you too. Do your due diligence before you just sign up, like, subscribe, follow or share.
Here’s a few things to consider before connecting to who and what you see on social media sites:
1. Don’t just window shop their website. Go inside. Wherever possible view their website and really read the links especially their about or bio, endorsements or testimonials and especially what their core values and beliefs are to be sure it’s in line with whatever is important to you.
2. Do they know what they are talking about? If you are considering paying for their services (classes, courses, cohorts, etc.) then I recommend you check out their experience, credentials, and endorsements. I can write an E-book on why this is all important and what I have seen happen to people who connect with advice givers who say they are coaches which is NOT about giving advice, or with people who say they are counselors/therapists but are not qualified in those areas, or pay for services that are high priced and low value and so on.
3. Costs and Conditions: If you are considering paying for memberships being offered be sure to research if it’s contractual–for a specific time frame. Can you get out of it if it’s not beneficial to you? In other words, cancellations or refund policies and if so, what’s the time frame?
4. Is this really for me? If it’s a cohort, membership or group you’re being invited into, be sure to REALLY read the wording being marketed. If you are looking for a leadership cohort be sure to know what type of leadership cohort you are looking for. If you are considering a particular coaching group or masterclass be sure that what is marketed is really what you will receive. In the past I paid for a masterclass that didn’t meet my needs at the time although the marketing said otherwise.
5. Ask questions. Don’t be afraid to email, direct message or comment on the marketing post and ask questions for clarity. Clarity is powerful. It may save you money, time and needless frustration. If they don’t respond to you then you already have a red flag to consider.
6. Is it too good to be true? If something doesn’t seem or sound legitimate, follow your instinct. I pray about where I give my time, resources, energy, focus and services. I ask God for wisdom in my decision making as I do my due diligence and use my common sense in researching what I’m considering connecting to even if it’s sharing someone else’s post or liking a page on FB, or following someone on IG or subscribing to someone’s YouTube channel and so on.
7. Not everything HIGH PRICED is HIGH VALUE! I attended a workshop that cost $25. It was a powerful workshop. I left it with 6 pages of notes, made a friend with the leader of it who I still connect with today, enjoyed the people who attended her workshop and walked away with several tangible nuggets I could put to use in the transition I was doing at the time. She told us that everyone told her that she needed to price it at $150 or more for the workshop because she was under pricing herself and that people would think her services were of low value. Let me tell you that she ended up with 30 women at the workshop and all of us became her regular clients. Some of us promoted her workshop at the time for others to sign up and the next go round two months later she had 70 women for her 1 hour workshop. Conversely, I paid $80 for a 90 minute workshop that was higher priced but the value of the material was not. It was basic information for beginners but advertised for us who were advanced in what we were doing.
Always research to be sure. Don’t look away if it’s not high in price, but also don’t assume it’s great value because it’s high in price.
8. Are we on the same page in our thinking and beliefs? If you are going to take the time to follow or like someone, take the extra few minutes and walk through their photos, posts, shorts (videos), reels, story line, etc. and see if what’s important to you is important to them. We can certainly all learn from each other even with different thought processes, etc. but if your thoughts, values and beliefs are so far off from mine, I would have difficultly learning from you.
9. What do you do when your friends are asking you to join multiples of their sites on social media. There are people I know that have multiple IG accounts, and one profile on FB but multiple FB pages. They are also on YouTube, Pinterest, and or LinkedIn and so on. When a friend (someone I really know) asks me to follow multiple IG pages, I will ask them to select one that they really want me on and that’s what I will follow. I do the same with someone who has multiple FB pages. This way I am supporting them and also setting boundaries with how much I give of my time and energy to news feeds on social media and the ability to still serve God, my family, my own business and ministry and my relationships off-line. I’ll write another time about why I choose boundaries over balance.
Think of other ways to connect and to support. There’s a friend of mine that sells a product I don’t use. She asked me to follow her IG, twitter, FB page (I was already on her FB profile), and to join her online group. I was honest with her. Isn’t honesty still the best in any relationship? I don’t want my friends to do something for me that is not really of interest to them. They can support me in other ways. Anyway, I called her (sometimes phone or in person talks are far better than a text, DM or email when something sensitive or potentially sensitive is being addressed), and I explained to her that the product wasn’t for me. I agreed to follow her on IG, not twitter or her FB page. I also declined her online group of product sales.
Instead, I offered the following to her: I’ll pray for your business to thrive, I’ll email out your social media links to my distribution list with details to support your services if it’s something of interest to them, and I’ll include you on the email. I’ll also share your business on my IG story line. She appreciated my support and completely understood. I kept my word and did just that and I sowed $50 into her business products and told her to use it as give-a-ways when she’s inviting people into her business.
I supported her in the ways that I genuinely desired to do so and she was over joyed.
Friends, I hope this helps. We are inundated with invites to everything and there’s so much that’s good to connect with and engage in but you have to do your due diligence and you have to be aware of the time and energy it will take from you and your schedule. Know what you like and dislike, what you want to engage, don’t just do it because someone asks you to, look for ways to be a blessing without having to be directly on everything being offered all the time, and be sure that what’s being offered is REALLY what’s being offered especially before you pay for anything or subscribe, like, follow, and share.
Supporting you along your journey,
Lisa Shaw
Lisa Shaw
Web: LisaShawCares.com
Email: Lisa@LisaShawCares.com
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