Our May issue goes to press this week, and our cover story focuses on how contractors can use social media to grow their business. To give you an idea of why this important, consider the below infographic. Click here for a full-size version.

Your customers are using these platforms, and you should be, too. Watch for the May issue to find out the best ways to do it.

This post comes from L&L contributor Chris Heiler. His work will appear in our forthcoming special report on social media in our May issue. He recently sat down with contributing editor Kristen Hampshire for that piece, and their conversation led him to put together “The 5 Truths of Social Media.”

Here’s my favorite:

Truth #3: Humans like humans
We all have faults. Yup, even me. I swear too much, I don’t always think before I speak (or tweet), and plenty of others I won’t bother sharing.

I have a feeling you have plenty yourself.

Hmmmmmm, maybe it’s because…we’re all human!

So why don’t we act like it?

I can relate to other human beings. I don’t relate well to robots who lack a personality, have no faults, and hide behind a corporate curtain.

I want to do business with real people. So do your customers!

Put your real-self out there. Don’t be scared.

His point is well taken – your company is run and staffed by people, and they’re the main thing that sets you apart from your competition.

You can read Chris’ full list here. (I promise there aren’t too many swears.) Whether you’re just starting out with social media or you’re already operating at a high level, it’s definitely worth a read.

OK, you’re on Facebook. You’ve got a blog on your website. You may even be on Twitter.

That’s great.

But just being on these platforms isn’t going to get you very far. Listen to our latest podcast with Paul Slack, a principal at Splash Media and speaker at the upcoming M.I.S.T. conference, on how social media can best benefit local service-based companies.