I know first hand social media can be a valuable, income generating tool.
My social media efforts have landed me business (a million dollar contract in 2008), sold books and products, aided my international media presence and hooked me to important resources and new friends.

Social media can provide a garden of goods that are aligned to your goals, or it can make you feel like your endless efforts produce no more than a crop of crappy connections that suck time and don’t produce a worthy return on your investment.

Follow these tips and your odds of success will increase.

1.) Tend your efforts based on a plan with goals, strategies and tactics. I write 80% of my content in one scoop at the beginning of the month. I also update a content bank in Excel to store future ideas.

2.) Automate as much as you can. I use Hootsuite to manage scheduling and tracking.

3.) Carefully mix personal with professional content along with your strengths and your vulnerabilities. This strategy will keep you interesting and human.

4.) Promote others. It’s the best fertilizer around.

5.) Provoke. Progress doesn’t happen when everyone agrees with what you think.

6.) Have the big guns ready behind the seductive links, lines and comments. A click through means nothing without the real value you provide. Your website, blog, products and services must walk the social talk.

7.) Master the craft of being a concise, punchy, smart and entertaining word smith or hire someone who is.

Need more help? Check out the social media Ta-Do list.
Also, learn more by connecting with me on Twitter, Facebook and LinkedIn.