This is what youth athletics should be all about! Sportsmanship, character development, a time for learning the fundamentals of the game, having fun with teammates, and getting together with other families to cheer on the team.

Unfortunately, more often than not, it is competitive and ruthless.  I am not talking about the young athletes; I’m talking about the parents!  This past week it became evident to me that the parents are more concerned about winning than the athletes.  To illustrate, our softball team has 26 girls which is too many for one team.  We divided the girls up into two teams.  This works out great, except when we have to play against each other.  You should have heard the bickering amongst the parents.

If you know me, I am super competitive.  I love to play games and I love to win.  However, as I get older I really am realizing that playing a game is about giving a 100% effort, having fun, and the camaraderie of being part of a team!  It’s not about winning, or losing.  It’s about the relationships that are deepened on and off the field!

This relates to social media in the sense that many small businesses are constantly “pitching” their products and services.  They still think it is about them…trying to win!  It is not about what they want, but what their clients and customers want.  Social networking is about connecting, developing relationships, and helping others out.  Similar to the way a team should work together.

When you want to promote your business for the fifth time in a week trying to sell on Facebook; remember, it is not about the “win” or “making the sale”; it’s about providing value.  If you provide value and develop trust, the sale will come!

If you are wondering how to connect with your clients and customers, you may want to consider using the services of a social media consultant such as myself. If you mention this blog post, I will provide a free social media evaluation for you.  Contact me, I would love to help!