This is something that I haven’t been very good at lately. I’ll read a lot of posts, and many times tweet them and save them to my Delicious page, but then fail to comment on them. You may think that if I do all that then what does it matter if I comment on them or not?

Well it’s important because social media is a tool that allows and encourages engagement. Sharing a post on my Delicious page isn’t engaging. Tweeting it is somewhat engaging because I’m sending it to people who may send it to others or reply to me. I could even get a response from the author thanking me for a retweet. But I, myself, am not engaging with the author.

It’s important for me to let the author know personally that I find their post valuable. It’s also important for me to join the conversation and add something useful. This is part of the building trust and relationships. It’s part of being present. It’s the new order (or rather a return to the old order) of business.

It’s “being there before the sale,” which is a motto of Blue Sky Factory’s Greg Cangialosi, and a concept mentioned more than once in Chris Brogan and Julien Smith’s Trust Agents. If thought leaders like these think it’s important, we should at least try it out. Note: The product of the sale could be you.

So I have a challenge. Both for myself and for you. As you’re reading posts today, try to comment on at least three. This one could be one of them.

Photo by miss miah