Tag Archives: On the Web

Social Media Victories: presentation by Patrick Schwerdtfeger for Bay Area Consultants — BACN

As a Bay Area Consultant myself, I was thrilled to attend my first BACN breakfast meeting and hear Patrick Schwerdtfeger tell 80 of us all about his “Social Media Victories.”

Patrick’s one-hour talk featured case studies where organizations leveraged Twitter, LinkedIn, Facebook and YouTube to increase revenue and brand awareness . . . but what most enlivened the audience were Patrick’s own experiences and lessons along Social Media Revolutionary Road.

Below are my videos from the morning as well as reactions from some of the attendees.

Video 1

Social Media Sites are Raging Rivers

  • People are on the “raging rivers” of the Web, and they are looking for things.
  • Are you putting things out there that they can find?
  • If you do it right, people in New Zealand will find you.
  • Demonstrate your expertise.

Video 2

Driving traffic to a website is expensive

  • Use a blog as a Hub and social media platforms as spokes.
  • Twitter studies show lots of “babble.”
  • It’s not difficult to stand out as a valuable resource.

Video 3

Twitter is about getting out the right TITLES

  • Twitter allows consumers to “sample” the goods
  • 4 reasons to tweet: Community; Business; Expertise; Life
  • Corporate success stories: Whole Foods, Dell, Jet Blue

Video 4

Get the most out of Twitter & LinkedIn

  • Twitter tools: Tweetlater, Twellow, Tweetdeck
  • Kogi BBQ story
  • LinkedIn: people are 7 times more likely to open a LinkedIn email than a regular email
  • Join LinkedIn Groups to be able to email members “without” being connected.

Video 5

LinkedIn & Facebook: overcoming hurdles

  • Write recommendations for LinkedIn connections and they may reciprocate
  • Learn from the best; use model Linked profiles to design your own profile
  • Use Advanced Search in LinkedIn to send business proposals
  • Learn the different opportunities offered by Facebook Profiles, Groups, and Fanpages

Video 6

Create a Facebook Fanpage

  • Post and promote cool events
  • Take photos and tag people
  • Video events and post them

Video 7

Facebook and YouTube

  • Facebook all about Engaging your community.
  • YouTube: authentic videos are the ones that get watched.
  • Case study about The Best Job in the World

Video 8

Don’t have time for social media? Integrate Everything

What did the attendees “take away”?

BACN founder Harry Chapman
BACN founder Harry Chapman

“The session on social networking prompted me to look more deeply into using iTunes as another vehicle for providing though leadership about my practice. I am seriously looking into this and planning to FINALLY actively use at least iTunes to get more visibility to the Bay Area Consulting Group LLC and our deep expertise in IT management.” — Harry Chapman,  BACN founder


Follow Kerry Rego @kregobiz on Twitter
Follow Kerry Rego @kregobiz on Twitter

“I learned that I had underestimated the power of YouTube and its rightful place at the Big Kids table of social media. It is in fact now part of the Big Four: Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn AND YouTube.” — Kerry Rego, Kerry Rego Consulting

Dr. Maynard Brusman, Consulting Psychologist
Dr. Maynard Brusman, Consulting Psychologist

“WOW! Patrick Schwerdtfeger presented a one-hour energy Social Media workshop packed with scores of tips and tricks to create social media success. He motivated me to take action and create Executive Coaching YouTube videos to attract more clients.” — Dr. Maynard Brusman

Sallie Goetsch - "If podcasting is driving you crazy, we can help."
Sallie Goetsch - "If podcasting is driving you crazy, we can help."

Patrick did a great job of presenting the core information about Twitter, LinkedIn, Facebook, and YouTube. The material was all familiar to me, but I appreciated his arrangement of these four social networks as spokes around the hub of your blog. What stuck with me most was the advantage of going where your prospects already are, rather than strugling to build up traffic on your own website.” — Sallie Goetsch, The Podcast Asylum

Susan Bercu, "Let's talk. I'm a good listerner."
Susan Bercu, "Let's talk. I'm a good listerner."

“My take-away from Patrick’s lively, easy-to-follow presentation was his emphasis on the integration of social with your marketing strategy. I especially liked the tips on using YouTube. Very smart.” — Susan Bercu, graphic design and illustration

David Weissman, Bay Area Paralegal Services
David Weissman, Bay Area Paralegal Services

“The content of the presentation was thought-provoking and useful. The speaker was very knowledgeable, and I definitely intend to use the information to positon and promote my business services in a more effective manner.” — David Weissman, Bay Area Paralegal Services

Alice Cochran, Fast Forward Facilitation
Alice Cochran, Fast Forward Facilitation

“Everything in the presentation seemed so practical that I wanted to learn it in a step-by-step process, so I bought Patrick’s book Webify your Business. I particularly liked his approach which came from being self-taught — and convinced me that I could learn from him.” — Alice Cochran, author of Roberta’s Rules

Neil Schaffer, Windmill Networking
Neil Schaffer, Windmill Networking

“The one take-away I had was the “raging water” symbolism. It really does give justice to how viral and quick the pace of things in social media — and how you  need to throw yourself into the water and go with the flow. I also liked his case studies, which really drove home his points.” — Neil Schaeffer, Windmill Networking

“Patrick’s enthusiasm and passion for social media tools are infectious. Many thanks to BACN for a wonderful presentation which has inspired me to ACT.” — Yael Schy,  Dramatic Strides Consulting

Marla Rosner @ManagementMavin on Twitter
Marla Rosner @ManagementMavin on Twitter

“I loved listening to Patrick. He’s a font of wisdom about social networking. I’m close to posting my first YouTube video and I got some great ideas about tagging.” — Marla Rosner, Helping teams listen, learn, and lead.

Steven Tulsky, Financial Experts for Nonprofit Sector
Steven Tulsky, Financial Experts for Nonprofit Sector

“What I liked about Patrick was that he comes to this stuff with the same scepticism as I do. He doesn’t preach, but rather shares his amazement that using Web 2.0 can actually be very helpful in establishing one’s personal visibility and respectability, and therefore ultimately one’s business. The credibility of his low-key, easy-going style made me want to look further into what he was telling us about–and buy his book!” — Steven Tulsky, The Benemetrics Consulting Group

BACN Mission: To improve business and professional development success through networking and programs for consultants.

Members of BACN are independent consultants who are interested in expanding their professional practices through effective networking and professional development programs sponsored by BACN. Attend a BACN meeting to become a member.

How to get started . . . using social media for growing your business

“Overview of Social Media/Internet Marketing”

“Twitterville”

Groundswell

“Beyond the Hype”

Tyler in playpen 1“OK, already, I’m convinced.

Now what do I pick up first?”

So you finally “get it”:

You can’t Get It without an Online Presence.

But getting started is a lot like being a toddler put into a playpen with a bunch of new toys:

What to pick up and play with first?

Q: I’ve got a small business, and I want to begin using social media, so where do I start?

A: No doubt, there are as many answers as there are “experts” to advise you. However, what everyone agrees is that you just need to get going and DO IT!

MARKETING 101

1. What you SHOULD do is spend some time deciding What you want to accomplish with social media strategies:

Do you want to . . .

  • Drive more traffic to your website?
  • Build a closer community feeling with your customers?
  • Establish or change your organization’s reputation?
  • Find out what your competitors are up to?
  • Know how to find and hire the best employees?
  • Discover trends as they are happening?
  • Share your knowledge and expertise?
  • Monitor the marketplace to see what people are saying about you, your products, and/or your industry?
  • Learn how to be a better, more efficient, effective business person?

Or . . . do you just want to dive in to see what Social Media is all about?

2. Once you have chosen a goal — or goals — from the list above, then you may want to describe what achieving that goal looks like, e.g.,

a) Bring 40 new customers to your website

b) Engage 20 clients in a forum conversation

c) Find three skilled and motivated interns

3. This “description” can be your formal objective, for which you should set a time frame  — and then you can measure your results and evaluate your program.

SOCIAL MEDIA 101

Note: Of course the exact route you take can vary —  depending on your objective.

But here is a 4-step plan to develop a strategy and answer the question: What should we do first? second? third? fourth?

STEP ONE: Twitter

STEP TWO: Facebook

STEP THREE: LinkedIn

STEP FOUR: Blogging

Today’s Post will help you become a TWEETER

Twitter certainly is one of today’s most popular social media buzzwords, and a platform where businesses are finding real, measureable ways to listen to and engage with customers.

PLUS signing on to Twitter is the easiest social media effort you can make: To take this step, try to allow yourself at least an hour to (a) sign up on Twitter.com; (b) read some how-to information [the four Twitter 101 lessons listed below]; (c) and play — with FOLLOWING people, READING their tweets, and WRITING some tweets of your own.

Click for TWITTER HOMEWORK

NEWBIES: If you have any questions — or cool Twitter experiences — please share them in the comments section below. LOTS OF LUCK!


Yes, Shari, Micromedia can support and inspire great conversation

See how things intersect & support
See how things intersect & support

When I first read chapter 13 in Putting the Public Back into PR, I had my doubts as to whether Twitter was really the place for great convo — i.e. conversation.

But two recent experiences convinced me that rapid-fire, off-the-cuff, succinct wordings could in fact power “engaging” and “enlightening” experiences — not to mention the opportunity for community-building.

Last night I moderated the #smbookclub discussion for Part 3 of Brian Solis and Deirdre Breakenridge’s Putting the Public Back in PR. This morning I participated in their discussion at #PRStudChat. Both complete discussions are archived and be followed simply by searching the hastags.

Content/conclusions from the book discussion:

“Relax and let chaos reveal its relevance to you.” Susanna Stinnet

  • The conversations [“convos”] are happening. If you are part of them, you can affect change and make a difference.
  • Companies that use today’s tools will be ahead of the game, even if those particular tools change or lose their vitality.
  • Social media will continue to evolve; it will not go away.
  • Social media platforms are great ways to meet people.
  • Before engaging anyone, first observe and understand the cultures and behaviors necessary to participate in these communities.
  • Marketing jobs have moved from monologues to dialogue.
  • Avoid the clutter and build relationships.
  • Build meaningful relationships that will contribute to company’s brand equity, resources, and overall bottom line.

“Twitter and Facebook are really good for listening and developing relationships — and then driving to where you can talk in more depth either via email or phone.” Paul Salinger

“Social media is forcing changes that should have happened a long time ago in everything related to business.” Cherisse Rivera


Notes for further “conversation/content”:

1) Check out #PRStudChat for hour dialogue between Brian, Dierdre, PR students and pros.

2) Read my reviews of Putting the Public Back in PR:

3) Join the chat next Tuesday on Tweetchat.com #smbookclub 8 pm EDT/5 pm PDT

For those of you who do check out #PRStudChat OR if you attended, please comment with your favorite quotes from that conversation.

Managing MY Online Presence: A Road Map

If you don't know where you are going, any road will take you there
If you don

Where do I WANT to go?

NOT

Where am I going?

I’m remembering the quote I often tell students: “If you don’t know where you are going, any road will take you there.”

Back on July 1, I started to think about “managing” my online presence, i.e., putting some routine in place primarily to help me select where I wanted to make my Web contributions. So I wrote “How do you manage your Online Social Media presence?

In essence, I was thinking aloud. What I accomplished — and, unfortunately, all I accomplished with that post — was to ask myself to set aside time in the morning to Go Online.

But I didn’t give myself a road map. Hence, “If you don’t know where you are going, any road will take you there.”

Road Map — by the numbers.

1) Step one on the road must be taking time to clarify Objectives. So I thought I’d imagine the possibilities:

a) Casual: Whenever . . . of course that’s not me. It’s really OK if that label describes you, someone who spends as little or as much time as happens to be there: checking out your Facebook page, email, Twitter account, etc. I.E., WHENEVER . . . [been there, done that]

b) Experimenter: We’re ALL experimenting here, and that is a good thing. But there’s a danger — lost opportunity and value when you never really “move off the dime.” Get out there and BUILD, don’t just keep trying new things. [been there, done that]

c) Reader: One of the greatest benefits of Twitter for me personally are all of the website references with Great Stuff. I could read and read and read. How many of us bookmark and bookmark and bookmark . . . and don’t even get to read? [been there, done that]

d) Novice Participant: Read some blogs that strike a chord and add your voice once or twice a week. Join some groups and occasionally check to see what group members are asking and answering. [been there, done that]

e) Active Contributor & Engager: This is who I WANT to be. And we all know that Today is the First Day of the Rest of Our Lives.

So what does an ACE [Active Contributor & Engager] do?

Here’s my new plan . . . and a new Number One since the Objective has been taken care of:

1) Make a list of WEEKLY goals {I believe I can hold to that) and check off my accomplishments EVERY Sunday night.

2) Prioritize those goals to make certain that the ones on the top of the list are done for sure.

3) Because my original intention, way back when I first posted on April 23, was To Become an A-List Blogger — and that continues to be my Long Term Goal — Blogging will be my top priority. One of my students got around to reading my blog last week — and liked it. He asked how often I write. My immediate answer to myself was NOT ENOUGH. So Priority Number One for me is to make certain FROM NOW ON to have 3-4 posts (or more) Every Week!

4) Next, because I really believe that Twitter will become all that its creators are envisioning, my goal will be 3-5 Tweets Every Single Day! I will continue to follow my own advice on What to Tweet.

5) Facebook is a HUGE priority, especially since my partner Les Ross and I are building our Social Media/Internet Marketing consulting business Performance Social Media, which recently set up a Fan Page. We’ll be including the opportunity for small and large companies to find social media interns through us, so I’ll be monitoring and updating both my Facebook Profile and my Facebook Page EVERY Day. That means NEW content on the Facebook page at least four days a week.

6) I may be running out of time for Daily Tasks, but I thinking checking in and updating LinkedIn is essential. So besides that commitment, I plan to contribute to at least two LinkedIn Group Discussions every week.

7) Finally, my new Road Map will highly suggest that I check out at least one New social media tool, strategy or app every week; by checking out, I do mean more than reading about it.

Good luck . . . to me . . . and everyone else out there who may want to follow my Road Map.

Let me know what you think?

Do these suggestions help you?

Do you have any others to suggest?

In the meantime, I’ll see you all “Out There.”

And, Jay [my student who asked about my blog], how’s this for a new post?

Next post: What I read Saturday instead of watching cartoons

How do YOU manage your Online/Social Media presence?

I read the above question as the title for a Forum topic, and I got excited

boxconstructionwithdog

I’d expected some great answers to this challenge . . . but it turned out to be merely the question.

🙁

So I reasoned that I ought to spend a minute or two developing a workable strategy.

Read on for the “magical” answer.

But, first, how do YOU manage your Online/Social Media presence?

Pick one or two responses if they apply:

A. “I don’t.”

B. “Hey, that’s why I linked to this post.”

C. “I stay up late at night to go through the day’s email, RSS feeds, network friend requests, etc. etc. etc.”

D. “I go to sleep early so I can get up at 5 a.m. (or thereabouts) to do what Responder C [above] does.”

E. “I just DO IT!”

F.  “I have a regular To Do List that I follow regularly.”

Basically, all of those responses could apply to me, but the last one — Response F — is the one that I suspect would work the best.

So I’m going to imagine an ideal Social Media Regimen:

1. Devote ONE HOUR in the morning. If that means going to sleep earlier, so be it.

2. Check email for action-required messages, i.e., work-related or family requests.

3. Keep jokes and noncritical email for some other time.

4. Select one or two blog posts [either because the title is intriguing or the poster him/herself typically has insightful things to say]: then READ and COMMENT.

5. If time, go to (a) Twitter/FriendFeed, followed by (b) Facebook, followed by (c) LinkedIn and WRITE AN UPDATE.

6. Finally, read through Tweets and other platform updates and COMMENT and send DMs.

Oh, only if the World were So Perfect!

Does a “plan” like what I’ve suggested work for any of you?

Do you have a different one?

What ONE TIP would you offer me and others about making the most of your Online/Social Media presence?

Next post: Guest Article from student-mom Shijia Yu, who discusses Twitter for Business

What to TWEET about — Part Two

Best Practices for Using Twitter

Something to Think About
Something to Think About

Since Twitter will be changing all our lives, according to Time magazine’s recent cover story, I was thinking about how my use of Twitter differs from other Tweeple — and whether anyone could really publish a Best Practices for Using Twitter.

Don’t most of us think we are right most of the time?

If I, personally, was “right” on Saturday, May 23, when I posted my first tips on What to Tweet About — a blog entry that has so far been my most popular [732 views to date] — then I’d like to re-visit one of my Tweeting suggestions, i.e. “Share an insight that you’ve gotten all on your own and are dying to share.”

Today’s post will feature a dozen of the personal ideas I tweeted since joining Twitter this past March. My hope is that readers will find at least one of these thoughts that resonates with them in a way that invites validation through a personal story.

So tell me if any of the following ring true for you:

About Business in particular:

1 – People are NOT numbers. When businesses fully understand this, their strategies and tools will adjust.

2 – Participation is today’s Marketing & tomorrow’s Loyal Customer Base

3 – To be an effective manager: Realize that you are smarter OR wiser OR more knowledgeable than your staff . . . and coach accordingly.

About Blogging in particular

4 – Quality of content wins over fitting into someone else’s box.

5 – Content-rich means both “key words” and total substance.

About Life in general:

6 – Multi-tasking is vastly over-rated.

7 – Motivation often comes after the Hard Work is done

8 – A Work in Progress: doesn’t that describe Everything?

9 – One cannot give from a depleted state

10 – We are what we think about

11 – We like doing what we do well: when we focus our efforts on our strengths, we build our reputation and loyal followers.

12 – The more I learn, the more I want to know.

Got an experience to share? Or an insight to add?

And Follow Me on Twitter @sharisax

Next post: Marketing success will depend on tapping into Today’s New Resources

Twitter for Business: Beyond Twitter 101

Today’s Twitter Lesson: How Microblogging Builds Community

It's about People

Social Media is all about People: Connecting, Engaging, Listening and Helping One Another. Twitter technology can do all that!

ONE: 32 million Twitter users according to WSJ article Ten Ways Twitter will Permanently Change Business. [As of Dec 2009 68 million Tweeters]

TWO: Twitter creator Jack Dorsey has told us Twitter WILL one day [probably sooner rather than later] be as ubiquitous as email.

THREE: The only question, then, is HOW to use this amazing and “simple” technology to ReShape and ReVive Business in America [and all over the Globe]?

The BEST ANSWER is by Reading, Listening, Talking, Thinking, and DOING!

(A) Try search.twitter.com — put in “twitter for business” and VOILA! real-time URL’s to check out

(B) Study the Tweet Streams of progressive companies like @wholefoods, @jetblue, @homedepot, @SouthwestAir and “team” members at places like Dell, e.g. @ChrisBatDell

(C) For more company Tweeple, use Twibs or one of the other listings in Lee Odden’s  12 Directories

Twitter will help marketers get measureable results

Because Twitter updates in real time, you can reach an audience on the spot. It’s a great platform for asking for assistance, getting opinions, and answering questions. Much less expensive than a focus group — and so much more personal.

Twitter builds communities, and this will be especially fruitful for retailers — both local and global — as companies have the opportunity to tell customers about attractive sales and new products.

Use Twitter to engage with customers and create advocates. It really is all about People Helping People.

What should U TWEET: Twitter 101 Lesson 4

Yosemite May 2008 mirror lake 4

What’s so cool about Twitter is that there are NO rules: it’s like the “Wild West” where anything goes — as long as you use 140 characters or less.

Q: Why devote an entire post to this subject?

A: The 19th century poet and philosopher Ralph Waldo Emerson said that “We are always looking for someone to tell us what to do” . . . and many typical Twitter users [see previous post] “forget” to Tweet.

So here are my thoughts:

1 – Jack Dorsey, Twitter creator, told my class that his mom likes to hear his day-to-day activities whether he’s meeting friends at a restaurant or getting off a plane in Iraq.
2 – Remember there are NO rules.

3 – That being said, you might want to consider WHY you are on Twitter: Do you really want the “world” to know you had a pizza for lunch? [Actually, I’m in NYC right now and called one of my brothers, whom I hadn’t told about my trip. He knew I was in New York because I’d put the word out on Twitter.]

4 – Personally, as someone who teaches public relations — and, thus, reputation management — I like to think about what my “Profile,” i.e. my Twitter Stream, looks like to someone who is deciding whether to follow me or NOT

5 – Therefore, in most cases I  write personal comments using the DM [Direct Message] function — or simply send an email — so that my Tweets are more “thoughtfully” targeted to all my followers.

What makes a Tweet more respectful of your followers? Here are some of my suggestions:

(A) Passing along a cool blog entry or website I’ve come across, e.g., Adam Singer’s “What if?
(B) Retweeting [RT] an informative link that I’ve read from someone I follow on Twitter — see the previous post to find out about Tweetdeck which makes Retweeting so easy.

(C) Answering someone’s question, e.g.,

Quipsandtips asked: I’m in a lull, waiting for mag assignments & book contracts. How do you know when it’s time to revamp goals or change action plan?

I answered: @quipsandtips how do you know when it’s time to make new plans? When you ask that question 🙂

(D) “Reading” a book and sharing a short insight from it, e.g.,

Reading Putting Public Back in PR by Brian Solis & Deidre Breakenridge #PPBinPR : PR 2.0 creating new toolkit 2 reinvent market conversation

(E) Sharing an insight that you got “all on your own” and were dying to tell someone, e.g.,

People are NOT numbers. When businesses fully understand this, their strategies and tools will adjust.

Just remember, there aren’t any rules Unless You Make Your Own, so TWEEPLE – please tell us your rules and share your favorite Tweets. The conversation is what Social Media is all about.

What to Tweet About – Part TWO

Blogging is New World Pathway

“Write your own blog post everyday, but spend twice as much time reading other people’s blogs and comment”

We're Listening

We had Sleepy Blogger, aka Robyn Tippins, come to PR class at San Francisco State, Tuesday, May 12, on the second last day of our exciting adventure into the World of All Things Social Media.

In addition to being a very popular and influential blogger and mother of four children, Robyn is Community Manager for Yahoo Developer Network. I read about her in a chapter of What No One Ever Tells You About Blogging by Ted Demopoulos.

Since she lives in the Bay Area AND a student group planned to tell the class about blogging, Sara Peterson (student in the group) and I Tweeted and Emailed. It worked for Jack Dorsey — and it worked for Robyn Tippins.

WOW, did it work!

The students loved her “down home” story — at 21, Robyn started a cloth diaper business from her home in Georgia, and the rest is history for another post. But what impressed Sara and so many of the students is how Robyn decided to make things happen, and she made them happen!

Here are some of the comments students wrote after her presentation:

“It was cool to learn how Robyn created a business on the Internet at such a young age, and now she works for Yahoo.” — Stephanie Mereau

*         *

“Once you get out there, people start to refer to you and this is how you become influential.” — Mita Mahida

*         *

“No job is Too Small!” — Alice Ng

*          *

“It’s important for your blog to create a niche so that the right people can read the right blogs and leave the right comments for the benefit of the overall conversation.” — Stephen Giusti

*          *

“Word of mouth has a lot to do with success in the blogging world as it is for business in general.” — Rafael Silla

*          *

“Paid advertising on your blog can hurt you rather than help you because of all the clutter and distraction.” — Ann Marie Pawlicki

*           *

“Research is essential — it makes you credible and relevant.” — Marie Belhomme

*           *

“Key words and meta tags make it easier to find your blog.” — Gabriela Acevedo

*           *

“Spend more time visiting other blog than writing your own.” — Theresa Rix

*           *

“Moderate comments: know what your strategy will be.” — Brian McGuinn

*           *

“Get your ideas out there and personalize some of your posts to keep yourself real.” — Orly Macabi

*           *

“All in all: One of those classes that makes it all worthwhile.” — Shari Weiss

What works for your blog?

Next post: Personal Branding using Social Media

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Wise up on social media: recommended reading

To Be or Not to Be . . . ahead of the social media curve

Getting from HERE to THERE

Sharing is the Name of the Game

. . .  that’s a Big Reason why “we” blog AND why books get written and read.

Several people recently have asked What I’m reading, and I have to smile . . . laugh, in fact.

The answer is EVERYTHING! Everything I can find to help me “catch up.”

Sometimes it is hard to realize that MOST OF THE WORLD is still in the dark about the power and value of Social Media – especially when I see online, in traditional media, and from the speakers we’ve brought to class that there are so many Experts out there.

Answers:

#1: I check Twitter for blog and article suggestions, and I read them and copy for future reference. In fact, I plan to review some of the best ones for future posts.

#2: Every day my email box is filled with articles from the blogs I’ve subscribed to — as well as group discussions — and I read as many of them as I can.

#3: I go to my local library and look at all the books cataloged 006.7. To name a few of the memorable ones I’ve read: The Huffington Post Complete Guide to Blogging, Blogging for Dummies, Corporate Blogging by John Cass, and What No One Ever Tells you about Blogging and Podcasting edited by Ted Demopoulos.

#4: Open books around me now that I’m taking turns with: (a) Putting the Public Back in Public Relations by Brian Solis, (b) Naked Conversations by Robert Scoble and Shel Israel, (c) The Google Story by David Vise, (d) WordPress for Dummies by Lisa Sabin-Wilson, and (e) Groundswell by Charlene Li and Josh Bernoff.

All of that is why I’ve been getting up at 5 a.m. and some of my SM friends/colleagues are getting up even earlier.

NOTE TO STUDENTS: We’re not even being tested on this . . . or are we?

[Update from Sept: I’ve finished Brian’s book PPBPR and have reviewed it in this blog AND on a Squidoo lens.

Read about Making News in the Digital Era and Twitterville.]

Next post: Blogging as a New World Path

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Social Media Strategies Work in Everyday Life, too

Writer’s Block?  Rather, so many things to say —

How do you pick one post for the day?

It's all about Being Out There
It's all about Being Out There

This reminds me of one of the greatest pieces of advice I have ever received . . . decades ago, and I am still often sharing it with stressed-out students and friends:

Whenever Life bombards you with more challenges than a human being should have to handle, you pick ONE to focus on, and all the rest will magically and mysteriously fall into place.

Eeeeny meeny miny mo. I picked this topic:

Do’s and Don’ts I learned through my social media “research” this week:

DO’S

1. LISTEN very, very, very carefully. You never will learn if you don’t. And you will learn so much more than you ever thought if you do.

2. ENGAGE with an open mind. If you are going “out there” — whether on the Web, in the classroom, at a meeting, or in a gym — expect to give and take, which means you may actually change your mind about something.

3. THINK things through. Knee Jerk reactions are for “jerks” — be deliberate and responsible and know that if someone is really listening to you, he or she will appreciate words that are carefully considered.

4. SINCERITY can never be overrated. Genuine passion wins friends and influences all sorts of people.

5. LOVE what you do and do what you love, and as my mom always said: “The money will come” =D

DON’TS

1. This one is easier than I thought it would be: Do NOT do unto others as you would not have them do unto you.

PS Now I’m thinking of dozens and dozens more DO’s [and maybe a few DON’TS] but I’d rather share the stage:  What social media strategies work in your day-to-day lives?

Next post: Social Media Reading List

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