Want to Rule Social Media?

Then start by being human. And more to the point, learn to Jab before you throw a right hook. Confused? Don't worry. In his newest book, wine businessman, motivational speaker, investor, agency owner and all around hustler Gary Vaynerchuk talks about what you need to do in order to use Social Media to improve your business, whether that business be selling beverage widgets or selling book widgets.

Read Jab, Jab, Jab, Right Hook: How To Tell Your Story in a Noisy Social World and you will get a lot smarter. Use what you learn from JJJRH and you will get a ton more value from your author platform.

Gary's simple thesis is the following: in order to gain great value from Social Media (and he is very up front that he is using Social Media to get help his business) you have to be human. And what's more, you have to bring value to other people. You DO NOT bring value to other people by constantly telling them about your books. In Gary's parlance, asking people for a sale is a right hook. And in boxing, if all you ever did was throw right hooks for the knockout punch, then you'd be dead before you started. Instead, in boxing, you have to set people up for the right hook by throwing plenty of jabs first.

A Jab in Gary's lexicon is a way to be human that brings somebody value. And that, of course, is the tricky thing. The thing that each individual needs to figure out. How to really be human on, for instance, Twitter, in such a way that other people find useful.

Maybe you are this really funny person. Then be funny on twitter. Trust me, I find laughing incredibly useful. It makes me want to know more about you.

Or maybe you are really good at discovering information that can help people. As a writer, I am always a sucker for things that can help me improve my craft. Use Twitter to help me find those articles and links and people that will help me become a better writer.

Or maybe, you are just a really unique combination of quirks and interests and your total package, when you really put it on display, is just a really interesting person. Then be that.

Be interesting on social media and let people find out who you are. Then they will find their way to your website, learn more about you and the books you write and start investigating further.

There really is no good shortcut. There really isn't. There isn't a situation where spamming your Twitter followers day and night about your book is ever a good idea. It's not. It's inhuman. Instead, be interesting, be useful, be entertaining and every once is while, throw a right hook. Tell us about the book that is coming out. Tell us about the event you are going to.

If we like you enough, we will spread the word.

If you are new to social media or feel like you need a boost, go buy Gary's book right now. Or if you don't want to buy it, enter the give away because I have one copy of this awesome book that I'm giving to somebody now!

BOOK GIVEAWAY: No fancy rafflecopter today. In order to enter the giveaway for a copy of Jab, Jab, Jab, Right Hook by Gary Vaynerchuk, all you have to do is leave a comment below. Answer the question: who is one of your favorite people to follow on Twitter is...and why? I will let people enter until Monday at Noon Central and then at that time I will pick one of the commenters at random and then I will get your details from you so I can ship you your shiny new book. Go comment now!