Social Media
The Push & Pull of Social Media
Don’t you get frustrated by seeing or hearing about the same conversations over & over again on Social Media? What the so called Social Media Expert, the Social Media Guru, do we even know what those terms really mean? I’m sure the frustration is only with those who have been around a couple years already, those who have been watching this environment fragment, morph, change shape and even become mainstream.
I took part in Mack Collier’s #Blogchat tonite, what fun that was, if you haven’t taken part or even heard about it, you are missing something. Tonights topic was, How social media consultants should use SM themselves. It was a wild conversation with many people tonight, but thats what it’s all about, sharing and helping answer questions. The chat tonight got me to thinking, so here I am sharing my thoughts.
The fact we are still having the same conversations about Social Media means that a large part of those in the work force still don’t understand or know how it works. When we are still asking questions like, How do I get an SM job, and those asking that question barely know how to use the tools. They want to know because it sounds like a fun job! The truth is, it may be fun, but it’s much harder work than many believe.
Tomorrow’s Social Media Consultants or Advisors must have some experience, must be able to show that they have done what they are selling, teaching or preaching. Just knowing how to use the tools does not qualify them, at best it’s a hobby at that level. The most successful SM consultants have done something in the field of communication, have some marketing experience, understand business and how it truly works. The push & pull of Social Media isn’t going away anytime soon, at least not until we as a people understand it better.
On Tonights #Blogchat was about how Social Media Consultants should use Social Media themselves, that question alone raises the question, is Social Media understood?
Beth Harte made a profound statement tonight, “If you are a consultant that isn’t driving business using smart MKTG that includes SM, how can you do it for me?’ Mack Collier responded to Beth “I think it’s a balancing act, if a consultant has no SM footprint, how do they know what they are talking about?” Beth is on to something there with her question, but this is only one part of the problem, there is more to being a Social Media Consultant than just one expertise of having a footprint. Beth also shared the following, Social Media is more than just tools… Blogs are more than just blog posts/content. Sometimes we have to keep it simple for those asking the questions.
I threw out some bait in the chat and had some interesting exchanges, I said, The truely successful SM Consultants have one characteristic in common – Humility – they know who they are. While that may be true, Eric Urbane also made a great point by responding with, With due respect, this humility stuff has little to do with Results, What CEO hires someone because of humility?
Eric’s point is valid, my point was not about tactics and strategy but more about the person, the softside of the consultant. I said, If a SM Consultant has to look good, they don’t have humility, they have vanity. Humility is rare at the mass level. If SM Consultants know their stuff, there is a quiet calm, peace, and humility within… they will be well liked and hired far more often than not, looking good and being right is not important to them. Solving problems and helping people (clients) is.
The same holds true for SEO Experts, Shannon Evans shared, I also get frustrated by SEO ‘experts’ who don’t even have decent seo on own site! They gotta eat the dogfood too!
Social Media Consultants have to bring something to the table more than knowing how to use the tools. Danny Brown said, Ask for tangible results – any SM consultant worth their salt will have physical results to show you.
A true Social Media Consultant is a student of the works, finds and builds results to back them up, they know who to call and where to look so they can bring accurate sound data to share before promising anything. A good consultant rarely promises, he walks along side of the client and teaches them.
I’m being very general in this post and you need to know this could go much, much deeper, I would recommend contact Beth Harte & Mack Collier to get real insight into what was talked about tonight. They are smart, well grounded humble people that understand the seriousness of what Social Media Consultants should be. They might even be able to answer the question of the night, How social media consultants should use SM themselves. Oh, and they do understand the Push & Pull of Social Media.
Review of The New E-Book “Beyond Blogging”
I rarely ever review Books and or eBooks, in fact, this is probably 1st one I have ever taken the time to write about that I can remember. At my age I wouldn’t be surprised if I reviewed a book a week ago. <grin> Now, I’m not saying books or ebooks are good, bad or otherwise, but lets face it, books are not what they used to be due to the Internet and the digital movement. I do like to having something in my hands I can use a highlighter on, so many times I’ll print the ebook off just to put chicken scratches all over it, but not usually. Enough about my stuff, let’s talk about this new ebook by Nathan Hangen & Mike Cliffe Jones called, Beyond Blogging – The Secrets to Blogging Success! (Affiliate Link)
I have to admit I was hesitant to spend $47 bones on this digital effort, but sometimes your gut talks to you and you just have to invest in your future based on that alone. I bought the ebook, afterall I have some serious goals set for 2010 so invest I did. I started going through it and for some reason I felt kinda weird and deja vu-ish. Maybe it’s because I have been following those interviewed in this ebook and knew alot of their content based on videos, interviews and reading their Blogs. I’ll even admit I didn’t know some of these successful bloggers even existed.
You’ve probably heard already that this ebook is not a step-by-step how to ebook on Blogging. Its actually written more like Think and Grow Rich, you have to actually dig in and figure out what your passion is and what track you should be on. Oh, these guys even include a worksheet to help you work through the exercise. The layout & presentation of this ebook is actually pleasing and easy to read, color choices are pretty good too. After reading through the table of contents I felt like this ebook was more about name dropping and leveraging relationships. But I moved on and to my surprise I found myself enjoying the stories and struggles behind some of these successful bloggers.
There is actually some solid content and advice given throughout the ebook, some smart interesting ways to monetize a blog or website. You will read much of what you may have already learned in Social Media circles. One thing you will get from this ebook, blogging is hard work and requires patience. Blogging is not for everyone, much like driving a forklift, you have to have a passion for what you do.
I recommend you use the shopping cart method when it comes to reading this ebook, some things you buy into and some things you won’t. The things you don’t buy into, just leave them on the shelf and keep the things you do agree with in your cart.
Like Norman Vincent Peale’s Think & Grow Rich, you have to study the book and read between the lines alot to figure out why your stomach has a nervous feeling. That feeling is the not knowing whats coming, it’s ambiguity, it’s knowing there’s something there but you just can’t put your finger on it. You will feel something similar when you read Beyond Blogging, I think there is value in this ebook and what it’s trying to show, tell and lead you through. You will also see a common denominator throughout this ebook, there is a system, a plan needs to be developed, a road map if you will, you need to know what the end will look like to make the principles in this ebook work for you. Keep the end in mind.
You will invest in something, it should be you, it should be books or ebooks, systems,and strategies that provide knowledge you don’t have already. Don’t get stuck on price, approach your journey with a positive attitude and humility, you will go much further than a bad attitude will ever take you.
So, I recommend this ebook as I do Chris Brogan’s Trust Agents and Gary Vaynerchuk’s CRUSH IT! (both affiliate links) I even make them all available for you here on my Blog. Enjoy Beyond Blogging – The Secrets To Blogging Success, I’m certain you will earn, learn and make more than the amount you pay for this 202 paged ebook.
I hope you like the ebook, I would like to hear what you think of the ebook as well.
Happy Learning and Happy Blogging.
Twitter Tweeples in My Community
It’s that time of year where I want to give credit to those who are due, if you haven’t looked at the Top 5 to watch in 2010, take look and be sure to keep an eye on them. In this list I want to recognize some people that are right here in my community, they are special people and are a complete joy to be with. You would be blessed by them should you decide to follow them, please take the time to get to know them.
I have had the privledge of meeting these fine folks at TweetUp’s or private meetings held over 2009, so here we go:
1.) @rickrake
2.) @kathleenrake
3.) @chrispenner
4.) @curtismchale
5.) @rondapayne
6.) @arnoneumann
7.) @keldiejamieson
8.) @rickshatto
9.) @tim_steeves
10.) @andrewkamphuis
11.) @drdavecurrie
12.) @ajdjservices
13.) @concept9
14.) @donners5
15.) @hshomestaging
16.) @flash
17.) @licesquad
18.) @kaerusgrp
19.) @BMGAuto
People in my area that I haven’t met, but would love too!
1.) @typefaster
2.) @frsrvalleypulse
3.) @miss604
4.) @artsyshell
5.) @compasscoaching
6.) @seanfunk
7.) @adrianeden
8.) @rossfbrown
9.) @bobsongs
10.) @fraservalleyEMN
11.) @GalaxyBowlAbb
12.) @kyegrace
There are more, Twitter and well, Social Media is not as popular up here in my Community but I’m working on that everyday. The most popular or most recognized person in Social Media circles in Vancouver is Rebecca Bollwitt (miss604), she is #4 on my Top 5 to watch in 2010.
I want to share these cool, no…great people with you, I hope you get to know them and maybe even meet them one day.
Merry Christmas & Happy New Year
Top 5 People To Watch for in 2010
I recently took a small poll on Twitter and asked who you thought were THE people to keep eye on in 2010. People that are bubbling under and don’t have status or a high profile just yet in Social Media. Who do you keep going back to for information and help, they aren’t as popular as Gary Vaynerchuk, Chris Brogan and the Jeff Pulver’s of the Internet.
So for fun, I have listed for you 5 people I keep a close eye on and I think they are going to make the jump from bubbling under to making a huge contrinbution to how we use, measure and interact in Social Media Networks. These people are not only smart but a lot of fun to chat with, hang with and I suspect do business with, I’ll let you be the judge of that though.
My Top 5 for 2010
1.) Olivier Blanchard – @thebrandbuilder – his website is packed with how to’s on figuring out Social Media ROI.
2.) Trey Pennington – @treypennington – He is making an impact through his work and his podcasts keep me coming back.
3.) Scott Gould – @scottgould – he is one of many responsible for the Likeminds conference in the UK, doing awesome work.
4.) Rebecca Bollwitt – @miss604 – A Canadian gal out of Vancouver, she is everywhere and shares a ton of great info.
5.) David Spinks – @davidspinks – Another sharp young man making inroads here online with a fresh look into Social Media.
If you have a Top 5 please leave a comment and tell us who you think we should watch in 2010!
What's Your Plan For 2010?
You notice I didn’t ask you what your New Years Resolution(s) was or going to be? I don’t believe in or like New Years Resolutions because they set you up to fail. I won’t go in to why but I think you already know. We take more time to plan our vacations than we do our careers and or business goals for the next 1,2,3…5 years.
If you are a business owner you know that everything is in the plan, without it you don’t have a target, objectives and a road map to where you want to be in the next year, or the next 5. There are plans and then there wish lists, plans have long & short term goals. Wish lists don’t, they are nice to have’s or something you would like to have happen as a bonus to your plan.
Many of you are wondering what 2010 will bring, is business going to improve, will you find more work and so on. I don’t have a crystal ball, if I did I would know what’s going to happen to me let alone the sate of the Global market. I know this, we spend far too much time worrying, chasing and forgetting what’s truely important in our day-to-day lives.
Youv’e heard it said before, no one ever says on their death bed that they wished they worked more hours and had a bigger house or more money. They always say, I wish I had of spent more time with my kids, wife and taken more time for myself. You should know that I survived a heart attack in 2001, I can tell you first hand I never once thought about my job, my car, my house or any posession. I can tell you that I thought about my Lisa, my two boys Tyler & Brandon, my goals since then, to be and do more with them more often. I have and I continue to make sure my family gets the best of me.
We all have plans for different parts of our lives but mostly about our work and things we want from a material point of view. Business plans are abundent this time of year as new goals are put forward, hoping business will be better the next year than the last. That’s OK, you should set those objectives, it’s good business to do so.
In 2010 much is going to change, but what? How will it impact your business and could you survive those changes you don’t see coming. The level of risk when planning to upgrade full ERP systems, Payroll Software or an Office Suite may be low, but what happens when your business doesn’t reach sales objectives? How do you respond, what should you do? If you have a plan, you’ll know exactly what to do and even see clearly what steps to take to turn things around.
There a many, many templates and websites that can help you if you don’t have a plan, the business plan, the I.T. Strategic Plan and so on. I review many business plans and even more I.T. Strategic Plans and I can tell you almost immediately which ones are going to help when a crisis arrives. Everything is in the Plan.
What’s Your Plan For 2010?
Mine? Go over my plan and make adjustments as needed long term. I’m currently working on my short term plan, for the coming year called 2010. I’ll share some of my plans in my next Blog post.
You? Do you have one you can work from to ensure the next year has a road map?