Every so often I receive a request to post information on The Legal Watercooler about something that would help the person sell something that I wouldn’t even buy.

At other times, I have been asked by close personal friends and colleagues, including people I have only met through social networking tools, particularly Twitter, if I wouldn’t mind sharing X, Y or Z information with my readers or followers because they think it would be helpful … and they are usually right.

I pretty much ignore the folks who fall into group #1, and am more than happy to assist those in group #2. Why?? Because I KNOW the people in group #2. I LIKE the people in group #2. And I TRUST the people in group #2.

Social networking and social media are about getting to know, like and trust people before we ever have the opportunity to meet them face-to-face.

Thom Singer has a great video, Twitter Etiquette Rant, that sums it all up for me: Get to know me before you ask me for a favor!

How do you get to know me (or anyone on Twitter for that matter)?? Follow me @heathermilligan. Engage me in conversation by replying to my posts. Tweet out links to my blog posts that you like, including my @heathermilligan so I pick it up in my search column. Retweet something I post, and add your own comments. Send me direct messages and get on my radar so that I add you to my “My Peeps” column in Tweetdeck … that’s reserved for the people I closely follow. I have the room right now … I’m cleaning out my TD columns this week!