Sales Follow Sharing

In 1936 Dale Carnegie wrote the book “How to Win Friends and Influence People," analyzing and giving advice about how to manage human communications in an effective, impactful way.  Many books and reports have been written since, and all reinforce that we love to connect, engage, belong to a community and follow what everybody else is doing.

It’s the basics of human psychology that we all want to be “liked."

The tools and techniques have changed, but the need to connect and create conversations and a sense of community was always there. In the past, we used to gather around local stores in our community (physical one, not virtual), and talk to our neighbors about our likes and preferences. Today it can be done online, in the digital space. If we could only travel back in time to those store front conversations, maybe our rules of engagement online would be more impactful, authentic and real? 

For now, we can go back to Dale’s book and apply some of his lessons to today’s social media landscape:


“When dealing with people, let us remember we are not dealing with creatures of logic. We are dealing with creatures of emotion…”


The only way I can get you to do anything is by giving you what you want. What do you want?


“The desire for a feeling of importance is one of the chief distinguishing differences between mankind and the animals. This desire makes you want to wear the latest styles, drive the latest cars, and talk about your brilliant children”.  


Lincoln once began a letter saying: "Everybody likes a compliment." William James said: "The deepest principle in human nature is the craving to be appreciated." He didn't speak, mind you, of the "wish" or the "desire" or the "longing" to be appreciated. He said the "craving" to be appreciated. 


“There is only one way under high heaven to get anybody to do anything…And that is by making the other person want to do it”. 


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    Human nature has not changed at all since Dale Carnegie wrote his self help and inspirational books back in the Thirties. People still are emotional beings that crave to be liked and feel important, two things we need to remember in social media marketing. Think more of what others want than what you want. Give "Likes" and follow others if you want to be "Liked" and followed. That's just the nature of the social media marketing beast. Sales always follow sharing.