Social Media Is for Narcissists

A national study fresh out of SDSU is confirming that Generation Y really is Generation Me. The jaw-dropping conclusion? 57% of young people believe their generation uses social networking sites for self-promotion, narcissism and attention seeking.

Jean Twenge, an SDSU Psychology Professor and co-author of The Narcissism Epidemic: Living in the Age of Entitlement, collaborated on a national poll with Youth Pulse that surveyed 1,068 college students. Students were asked about their social media usage, generation attitudes, whether or not sites like Twitter and Facebook were used for self-promotion, and if social media attention-seeking is helpful for success.

While it’s no surprise that social media would cater to a more self-promotional audience, it’s certainly interesting to note that not only does Gen Y think of their social behaviors as narcissistic, but almost 40% (39.27%) agree that “being self-promoting, narcissistic, overconfident, and attention-seeking is helpful for succeeding in a competitive world.”

The study also found that 92% of polled students said they use MySpace or Facebook regularly, and 84% of respondents go online several times per day. Survey respondents were supplied by Youth Pulse, whose SurveyU panel consists of students who were recruited both online and off.

Twenge had this to say about the study results:

“College students have clearly noticed the more self-centered traits of their peers – it’s fascinating how honest they are about diagnosing their generation’s downsides … And students are right about the influence of social networking sites – research has shown that narcissistic people thrive on sites like Facebook, where self-centered people have more friends and post more attractive pictures of themselves.”

While we tend to take a more positive view of social media usage, and believe it to be great for personal and professional branding, as well as social good, it’s hard to not to have a strong reaction to the survey results and Twenge’s commentary.

Where do you weigh in? Social media: is it for those of who are narcissistic and attention-seeking, or is there something more going on?

6 must-follow steps to sell (in any economy)

The Six Steps
by Brandon Mendelson

1. Tell Us Who You Are. What do we know about you? When I Google you, what is the first result? Make sure you spell out, in multiple places, who you are, what you’re trying to sell, and how it will benefit your customers.

I recommend you to use Google Local Business, a little SEO on your website, Twitter and Blogs.

2. Network For Prospects. Evan White reflects on how they first got the word out about I Wear Your Shirt, “We tapped our friends, family, business friends, social media worlds, and just about everyone we could! If the idea is good, and people like it, you can literally tell everyone. And they’ll listen.” Lean on every resource you have to get the word out.

Facebook and twitter are great tools for networking.

3. Carefully Select Prospects. Make sure you follow Jason Sadler’s advice on cold calling/emailing companies: “Don’t mass email companies. Take the time to contact them individually, say something about their company or mention something you’ve seen them in. This has been the most successful way of ’sales-pitching’ people when I tried (which wasn’t much)”.


4. Be Brief. Like blog posts or any other online writing, the shorter your pitch, the better. Master the art of a brief email and make sure it includes, in bullets: Important facts, benefits, and costs for your proposed partnership or the product or service you’re selling. Use your website to fill in the details that didn’t fit in the email.


5. Master verbal jujitsu. Your potential customer is going to have many questions for you. Can you skillfully answer them? Dr. Marlene Caroselli, a business author and a keynote speaker, offers the best way to prepare: “Gain practice in developing the skill of responding quickly and easily to unexpected verbal thrusts that potential customers often send your way. Enlist the help of a friend. Once a week, have him toss out a far-out question. Without missing a beat, reply to it and — if you can — find a way to make a connection to the product or service you sell.”


6. Have no fear. QuotaCrush author Mark LoRa has sound advice for when it’s time to close the deal: “Embrace the word ‘NO.’ Don’t be afraid to ask for the deal. Typical new salespeople let deals fester because they are afraid of hearing the word no. I say, get to the no. Then you find out the real reason for the objection – and eventually turn it into a yes by negotiating.”

Home Made Salsa Brava

This salsa is ideal to make Patatas Bravas (Spanish Spicy Potatoes) or Pollo Bravo (Spanish style Spicy Chicken)