Death by Facebook...and Other ways to commit social suicide

“If you can keep your head when all about you
Are losing theirs and blaming it on you,
If you can trust yourself when all men doubt you,
But make allowance for their doubting too;
If you can wait and not be tired by waiting,
Or being lied about, don’t deal in lies,
Or being hated, don’t give way to hating,
And yet don’t look too good, nor talk too wise”

“If” Rudyard Kipling, 1914

Rudyard Kipling got it spot on, even in 1914 the rules of professional and social conduct were exactly the same as they are now. Those that keep their heads will always see success.

This last month I have been swept up in the trauma of moving house. With the event being so sudden I have barely had time to blink, let alone check my Facebook. This last 2 weeks we haven’t even had internet access. Even with the incredible stress of the house move, this last two weeks of disconnect have been utterly joyful.

It is only upon my return to Facebook that I realise how much I detest being online and how stressful it is reading about other people’s problems all day. 

Seeing the social network with fresh eyes, the pure narcissism hit me like a freight train, (yes I realise you are “PMSL/ROFL/LOLLING” all over the place as you read that last sentence, I do realise the irony of that statement).

Think about it though, where else would you butt into other people’s conversations, start arguments just for the hell of it and base your worth on the number of people that like your comments? I mean other than Parliament...

For creatives though, the social network explosion has catapulted our industry into the stratosphere. It has completely revolutionised modeling and you are no longer tied to the agency structure to make a successful career these days. Social media will get you far more exposure than any agency alone if used correctly, but models beware, because the very things that make your success so tangible also leave you seconds away from social suicide.

I have been in the fitness industry for 10 years now. I suppose like any industry it seems a very small place to be when you’ve been working with these people for so long. Everybody knows each other and it doesn’t pay to fall out with people professionally. Careers are built on reputation, the same as any business.

Why is it then, that this very obvious principle does not seem to carry over to the amateur modelling and photography industry? Every day on Facebook I see slanging matches between models, photographers and personal insults being casually doled out in professional forums. Have I missed something here? Is there some unwritten caveat that makes it copacetic to be as provocative as you please, providing you have the protection of a screen and keyboard?

Maybe it is because these people do not see their social media activity as an extension of their portfolio? Let me ask you this...would you let an agency or a client read your Facebook page?

Rules for Social Success

1)  Set up a fan page as a public figure. Use this page as a professional forum to engage with your fans and the public. This also means you don’t have to constantly post your images all over your personal page, so you stand less chance of alienating your “normal” friends. Trust me, no matter how close you are, they will get sick of it.

2)  Set up a profile that you use to engage with industry contacts. This is where you can have conversations and “network” professionally. Do not let these people access your personal profile. Keep a strict line between business and pleasure.

3)  Most importantly, have a private profile that you use for family and friends. Do not give these people access to your professional profile. It is not just what you post that builds your reputation, it is also the interaction from your friends. If you need to rant, curse or raise hell, this is where you do it. NOT on your professional wall.

4) Have a social identity. I don’t mean you have to create an alter ego, (although that probably is best), but you do need to create a voice. This gives you the ability to build a brand based on core values and principles. It takes away ambiguity and allows you to target a specific audience.

5)  Be consistent. Use the same profile image and message across your social media profile. Engage with your fans across different platforms but give them a consistent experience wherever they find you.

Professional conduct is the foundation of any successful business. Don’t throw yourself to the suicide abyss before you’ve even begun.

Phoenix Rain is a leading female fitness coach, writer, part-time model and full-time supermum.

For more articles, videos and tips on model fitness and help with disordered eating visit her at www.phoenixrainfitnesstraining.com