Fill Your Tool Belt

Just because you can buy a tool belt and strap it around your waist, doesn't make you a carpenter. Same can be said of the tools we utilize in the Social Online Space (which will be referred to as SOS from now on). You can't just create an account and say you're keeping up with the Jones'. A screwdriver has a particular use, as does a hammer. You can't screw in a screw with a hacksaw and you can't cut a piece of wood with a screwdriver - you could, it would just look something awful and waste a whole lotta of time. The SOS has similar tools, we call them Twitter, Facebook, LinkedIn et al. Each one satisfies a particular role in building your house.

So what are the stages to building a solid house?

1. Foundation

2. Framing

3. Exterior

4. Interior

Of course there a many sub-levels to each of these four steps, we won't go into those now. So let's take a look at the foundation, what tool would be best to pour the foundation? A blog. It's written in stone and gives the support that is needed to build in the SOS. Now comes the framing part. I'd consider this to be your social platform of your choice between the Twitter and the Facebook. It's the one thing that guides and supports the rest of the place. The exterior is that which you present to the world, so depending on which platform you chose for the framing part, then it would be the other. And now comes the interior. This would be in my opinion a profile on LinkedIn. If you have these four things in place, you have a well balanced SOS or home that you've built.

You can't overuse one tool, they all have to be used together. That's why you have a tool belt so you can fit all your tools in the belt so you can build whatever it is you want to build. You could replace any of the examples used above for a YouTube or Flickr, whatever it is that you do that is displayed and showcased with the proper tool.

And remember, just because you have a tool belt on, doesn't mean you can just start building. Take it from me, using a hammer all the time doesn't get anything done properly and is not an effective use of your time unless all you want to do is hammer nails into wood. Get some practice with various tools, do it over and over again. There is no experience better than experience itself.

Image stolen from here