Working in "Hollywood," we had celebrity clients who had millions of fans, some who had thousands, others who had hundreds, and a few who were relatively unknown. All had one thing in common - all created a "Circle of Influence." Every star had an audience who surrounded them, supported them, and were loyal to their celebrity's craft because in one way or another, that famous person touched each fan in a very personal way. What each personality had in common was an uncanny, in some cases trained ability, to believe in their character, their purpose. And, that is the cornerstone of building a "Circle of Influence" in social media.
I've heard social media experts talk about being "down to earth," "helpful to others (not just for their own commercial good)," and focused on "listening, not always talking" in conversation. Those are all tools, some inherent in who we are and other traits which we can learn. But, the act of being "nice" or "genuine" can not bare fruit unless one believes in themselves and what they have to offer.
It's that foundation, that passion, that drives visionaries to tirelessly focus on what they can do to reach their end goal. It's that studying, that dedication, which helps us connect with others, build community, and work hard together toward a common goal. That is the power of social media and how you can build a "Circle of Influence."
I'll even go as far to say that the size of your circle will vary depending upon what you believe. Some people believe in some things (and people) more than others. It's just natural. And, you don't need to have thousands, even millions of people in your circle, to be influential. I would, as a matter of fact, advise you to be careful not to attract too many people as you may then cause them by nature to believe that you have a social responsibility to be the pied piper within your circle of unconnected fans.
It's a rare superstar who can manage that level of influence because to be everything to everyone all of the time is to be no one at all, but to appeal to the masses at a great cost. The cost of not connecting with those who are actually connected with each other - and to you - through a common purpose, whether they know it or not.
It's also important to take calculated, strategic risks within your circle to challenge your followers, make them think, encourage them to participate, allow them to attract others, become part of the conversation, and grow with you.
We have great influence over our peers if we take responsibility for our actions and act morally within our cultures and societies, of which many are not even the same across the United States. We need to tap into what we really believe and stop thinking about how we can influence others because of how many people we can attract. We need to stand up for who we are even if it means letting some people down.
I'll say it again. We can not be afraid to take risks. We need to believe in who we are and what we do to create a "Circle of Influence." It's just not good enough to be a nice person. We have to have a great product too that many can believe in whether you're the product or it lives on the web.
Either way, it needs to live within you.
