Are You Sharing Or Showing Off?

{Caution, this blog is a Friday morning rant but it’s intended to be a teaching moment, enjoy!}

Sharing is crucial to the overall success of the event.

When you comes to sharing on social media, I have  noticed a pattern!  There seems to be a pattern where people ONLY SHARE with their network, when it’s their “time to shine”!

I’m a huge sharer!  I love Periscope and would love to record something daily, but my time doesn’t always allow (Just this week, my Facebook accounts were as approved to do LIVE broadcast so I’m looking forward to that) but that’s not really what I’m talking about.

For me sharing is just part of my platform, I share thoughts on current events, I share events that I will take part in, and I share when others in my network have something going on, I share meme’s and at times, I share just for a giggle.  But in this blog, I’m specially speaking about people who ONLY SHARE on THE DAY OF AN EVENT that they are a part of.

There’s always an exception, but I’m talking about a pattern….
There are times when you only have a day or so notice to be a part of something and there are exceptions…. (Steve Harvey’s team called me on Wednesday and I had an airline ticket on Friday, to be Chicago by Monday).  There is a radio show that I call into in the St. Louis area where many times, I wake up to an inbox, “can you please call in today and provide some career tips because our guest cancelled?”  I don’t mind being their go-to resident expert, it speaks of their confidence in my to deliver at a moments notice.   But I’m not speaking about unplanned events either (smile).

Many times, I see flyers floating on social media.  Some catch my eye and I travel over to the website for more info.  Then it becomes painfully clear that while there are 10 smiling faces on the flyer, only the event organizer sharing it….UNTIL THE DAY OF THE EVENT!  It becomes painfully clear that those who are a part of the event are not vested in the event (or so it appears).  It becomes painfully clear that the success of the event could have been greater…..if only the speakers had helped with the event marketing!

Now….don’t get me wrong…..it doesn’t need to be a full blown out marketing campaign on behalf of the speakers/panel…but a weekly share leading up to the event, would greatly help the event organizer.

Sharing has huge potential for those on the roster, some include:
1.  CREDIBILITY – being a speaker helps to increase your professional platform
2.  EXPOSURE-   of other speakers/panelist  to networks outside of  own.
3. BRAND AWARENESS  – especially when you’re serving as part of a high profile platform.
4. START A DISCUSSION – some events create a discussion that needs to happen far beyond the event.
5.  COLLABORATION – team work, always makes the dream work!  DREAM BIG!

I’m trying to understand this behavior….
Typically when someone creates an event, a website page around the event, a flyer and gathers a team, this takes on a life of itself…..trust me….I’m knee deep in this process with Quintessential Queens 2016.  But it would seem to me that when people commit to be a part of an event, they would treat the event “as their own” and share with their network.   I see some really awesome events that I would have loved to find out and possibly take part in (especially virtual events) but finding out about them the day of often creates a scheduling conflict.

So here’s my question? 
Do people wait to post all over social media THE DAY OF….just so people can gas them up with “congrats” and “Oh you are doing it big”…..because I just don’t see that practice as “genuine support”.  I could be wrong, but it would seem to me that if you have a following and you take part in an event, it would be beneficial for your “tribe” to show up in support of you.  It would seem that if you are taking your time to prepare to be a part of an event, surely it will be beneficial to others.  If that is the case…..why are you holding out on sharing the goods…?

Don’t misunderstand me….
This is not an open call to flood the timelines of  your network by advertising every event you agree to be a part of..but at least share the event from your own social media account.  Give people an opportunity to join in your success.  Give people an opportunity to support what you are doing.  Give others the opportunity to take part in an opportunity that may be beneficial to them (even if you’re NOT a part of it). <——– oh that’s huge!  Yes…there is also this mindset of, “I can’t make it..so I’m not going to tell others about it”…but that’s another blog.

It would be wonderful to see all the speakers on the flyer constantly sharing to increase the success of the event. I’m the first to tell you….it’s not about the numbers….(quality over quantity)…but this pattern of “What’s In It For Me?” is not sexy!  We’ve all heard the expression “Sharing is Caring”!  Come on, share what you’re doing so that it’s beneficial to others.  Let’s end the cycle of “only sharing to show off”.  Yes, we are proud of you….yes, you are doing it big, yes…that is is a huge accomplishment.  And many would love to share in your success, but finding out the morning of…well…..that just sucks!

There are some of us who GENUINELY want to support you….it would be awesome if you would make it easier to do so by giving us some advance notice!

Join me at Quintessential Queens 2016 in Napa, CA!  You’re worth it…