I was watching Joyce Meyers this morning on television. (I watch her because she is funny and motivational, not for the religious aspect.) we need to seed, allow for time and then harvest.

This got me thinking of something an older and wiser friend told me the other day at lunch. He said a dip in the economy is a fantastic time to start a business because you have time to make all these new connections. Then when (not if, as some may fear) the prosperity starts to flow again, all these people know who you are.

Although I doubt the writers of the Bible, where Ms. Meyers got this axiom from, were thinking about social media, it is a fantastic way to sew those seeds. As in this article today from Media Post, it’s also a great way to build trust.

Oh yeah, one other thing Joyce said: “Don’t just give to get.” Sure many people’s primary motive for getting onto social media is to gain new customers or to retain the ones they have. But I’ve learned over the years, you don’t always get where you give. So if you focus on enriching people’s lives with the information you share, you never know where your good will come from. But with time, if you have the right motive, it’s likely you will harvest your reward.