What do you want social media to say about you?

Does it matter what that picture says about me? Does it matter what my Facebook wall image suggests about me? Are you a business owner? Are you aware that people work with people they like? So back to those first two questions: yes. It matters in a direct and indirect way in how people form impressions about you. Those prospects who are researching and trying to figure out who they want to do business with are scrutinizing you. I've had several clients outwardly admit they watched me sometimes for over a year to see what I was about. This means I want to project positive messages (because I also want to attract positive people). When I post on Facebook, here are some things I gauge mentally against as I do it.

Is this going to help someone else with insight that might not otherwise have about business or life? One of my main purposes with education-based marketing (and that is how I market) is to reach out and help other people. If I attract business from it -- great! But helping people makes me feel good about myself and what I'm doing.

Is this image or picture going to say something about me in a personal way that is positive or shares some insight into my personality? Again, people work with who they like. When I post pictures I want those images to say something: fun, adventurous, interesting, intelligent, nice, likeable, easygoing. Even my wall image this week was designed to say something about me. It's a pathway toward water. I love water, but in metaphor water is emotion. It's a metaphor of a pathway to the emotional self. See! I think about it. To me it's art, and it says a lot about me.

Never go too far. It's okay to open the door about an inch into your life, but in my opinion, an inch is enough. Drawing personal lines in the sand is good. Letting people "in" just enough without delving into super personal areas works. Clients don't need to know my personal business. They only need to know just enough about me to think, "I like her." And that's what I'm seeking. Beyond that information, I will not go. And I don't advise others to go there either. You can also inadvertently leave the wrong impression, too. I know this woman who makes comments about things that you have to figure she only knows about ... because she KNOWS about them. Funny quips about booze, drugs and sex (unless you're in a rock band) are not good for your image and say things about you that will attract the wrong people.