All this week, I am going to be offering you samples from my up-coming, soon-to-be-launched, e-book: Guide to Getting Started in Social Media for Artists and Arts Organizations.

This is to give you a sense of what the book is all about, and how it might be helpful to you. Today, we start at the beginning: with the basic principles of social networking.

Basic Principles:

Social Networking is NOT direct selling. In fact, if you start direct selling, you will be shunned (or branded a Troll. Trust me, it’s bad). Social networking helps to increase your brand, connect one-on-one with your audience, create conversations, and educate. It will affect your bottom line, but exactly how may be difficult to track.

Social Networking takes time to get going. You need to build up an audience, create a network. If you are planning on using Facebook, Twitter or writing a blog, then get them started 3-6 months in advance of your art event or launch. That way, you will already have a system in place when crunch time comes.

The basic underlying philosophy of social networking is collaboration and cooperation. What that means is, in order to be accepted in the community, you need to offer information up. It can’t be all about you all the time (although sometimes is okay). You need to participate and interact.

Social Networking has leveled the corporate playing field. Huge corporations like Starbucks have blogs and Twitter accounts, and need to manage them exactly the same way you do. Having millions of dollars in their advertising budget is not necessarily an asset with social networking.

You need a plan. I think you will waste a lot of time on social networking if you do not have a clearly mapped out plan for how you are going to conquer it. (Which, of course, is what this guide is all about!)

Be your authentic self. People are going to buy into your business because they are buying into you, your story, your passion. You need to create a balance between your personal, “real” self, and your business persona.

All social networking platforms work on the same basic principles: 1. sign up and establish your username and password. 2. create a profile that can include your name, a short bio, interests and activities, photos, etc. and 3. start to connect with others.

Think of it as an investment of time, not money: Social networking is, essentially, free, but your investment is in time. You will get a return on that investment–I guarantee it.

Click to buy my e-book: Getting Started with Social Networking for Artists and Arts Organizations.