When I first started writing "The Some Assembly Required Blog" in 2005 blogging was fresh (not brand new, but new enough that it was interesting to others). I can recall being at industry conferences and "experts" would ask the crowd if they had even heard about blogging or were reading any blogs. Few hands were raised. Fewer hands went into the air when asked if the had a blog.
Many bloggers wrote about blogging. I did here and here. Blogging was an popular topic with bloggers in 2005. Their words were mainly read by other blog enthusiasts and the few rock-star bloggers had the masses at their feet waiting to hear what they would say.
Then came Twitter. We tweeted about tweeting (so much that it became a verb). It was common in the early days to talk about the tool to others who were exploring the new medium. Others did not know or care what was going on in 140 characters or less.
Now comes Google +. I have jumped in and am relishing the nostalgia of the newness. The only difference between the early days of blogging and Twitter and today's Google + is that Chris Brogan is the new Robert Scoble.
Will Google+ take a bite out of Facebook? I have no idea. It has some parts that are much more interesting (the ease of setting up circles based on interests is great). When FB opened up beyond the college crowd it murdered MySpace. People like something new and shiny.... and will go hang out where the cool kids call home.
Pop culture (TV, movies, etc....) work Facebook and Twitter into every script they can, so when you start seeing the characters on True Blood talking about setting up "Vampire Circles", "Fairy Circles" and "Shifter Circles" on Google+ you can kiss Facebook good-bye.
Have A Great Day.
thom singer
Showing posts with label Twitter. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Twitter. Show all posts
Wednesday, July 13, 2011
Monday, April 11, 2011
Lawyers and Law Firms (and others) Still Questioning The Value of LinkedIn and Other Social Media Tools?
A business development focused lawyer I met several years ago sends out a daily email to his friends and colleagues with ideas, questions, observations and other positive pontifications.
He queried recently about the usefulness of LinkedIn and it was forwarded to me by another attorney.
"I’ve received very little feedback about LinkedIn, and no glowing recommendations for how to use LinkedIn effectively. I am on LinkedIn and I have joined several groups. I get updates of posts from the groups to my email account here at Blanchard Walker, but only a weekly update of statuses. If I stay logged on to LinkedIn, the screen never changes - no instant updates or “wall” like Facebook.
"I, and from your feedback I discern many of you, joined LinkedIn thinking it might be a “professional” type of Facebook. So far, it is tedious and unproductive. I tend to log on infrequently, and the more I log on, the more I wonder why I bother."Any of you have success stories about LinkedIn?"
I promptly responded to with my two cents:
“I have some strong beliefs about the use of social media (not just for lawyers)..... and find it a powerful tool. The key thing to remember is that it is not a magic bullet. LinkedIn is different from Facebook and Twitter, but the three are lumped together in the press and by ‘gurus’ who are making a lot of money off the subject.
“LinkedIn is not so much about you getting inbound business as it is a way for you and others to discover basic professional information about each other. You should assume that EVERY client and prospect goes to your LinkedIn profile before calling you or meeting with you. It is an easy way to scan someone's resume / CV. You should be doing this too.
“A partner in a law firm that was considering hiring me to speak at their partner retreat scanned my profile and found I went to college at San Diego State. He had gone there for one year, too. It was not on his profile, so I could never have known this... but he opened our conversation with this similar point of interest. We talked for 15 minutes about San Diego and this helped us quickly find a common bond. Wammo... I got the gig.
“Make sure your profile looks like you know how to use LinkedIn. Imagine you were interviewing a potential vendor who told you ‘Oh, I don't use email or cell phones in business.... as I don't "get" it and they don't really matter to me!’ Would you hire them or think they are out of touch? Yet I talk to lawyers (especially those over 50 years old) all the time who pooh-pooh social media. But if these tools are important to your clients, they had better be important to YOU!
“My take is that these social media tools are here to stay, and are growing in use,.... thus lawyers must both understand them, and have an active presence on social media. Waiting to see if this is all just a fad is not a smart idea at this point.
“At the same time, they do not replace human to human connections. Law is a relationship business, and remembering that on the other side of a social media connection is a real person is paramount to success."
I consult with lawyers and other business professionals on the best way to maximize LinkedIn. I am often surprised at how many executives are still baffled by how to best use this as a legitimate tool.
Have A Great Day
thom singer
Thursday, December 30, 2010
Start 2011 by Winning A Bundle of All 8 of Thom Singer's Books via Twitter and Facebook
UPDATE: We have a winner! @melindajane won the books. Thank you to all who entered.
One lucky winner will get a bundle of all 8 of my books on New Year's Day.
If you are active on Facebook and Twitter, you can enter now....
thom singer
One lucky winner will get a bundle of all 8 of my books on New Year's Day.
If you are active on Facebook and Twitter, you can enter now....
1. Follow @thomsinger on Twitter
2. Post the following on Twitter: "I want to win the bundle of 8 books from @thomsinger - http://tinyurl.com/thomsbooks #thomsinger” (maximum 2 entries per day via tweets)
3. Like ‘Thom Singer – Professional Speaker and Author' on Facebook
4. In status updates mentioning this giveaway on Thom Singer – Professional Speaker and Author Facebook page, post a comment (be fun and creative about your interest in the books!)
- Valid entries require that you follow @thomsinger on Twitter and Like “Thom Singer – Professional Speaker and Author" on Facebook and that you make the applicable posts as directed.
- One random winner will be selected on January 1, 2011 from entries submitted on Twitter.
- The winner will need to provide their name, U.S. mailing address, email address in order to facilitate delivery of the book.
- The winner will also need to provide their Facebook name so that we can confirm that a Facebook comment was made in accordance with the rules.
- If the random winner cannot provide required information within five days, then they will be disqualified and a different winner will be selected.
- While we appreciate everyone who is interested in the book, this contest is only open to U.S. residents at this time.
thom singer
Thursday, March 18, 2010
Do I Have To Use Twitter?
While speaking at a luncheon, with an audience of small business owners, the discussion moved to the importance of social media. I was talking about having a strong internet presence and utilizing all the tools that are available to help promote their companies via the internet and mobile. It is important that everyone be aware how their clients, prospects, vendors and competitors are using the variety of tools available in cyberspace and beyond.
I had just spent five days at the South by Southwest (SXSW) Interactive Conference with 14,000 heavy social media users. While being emerged in the epicenter of social media, it seemed that the whole world lived in online and mobile social communities (Four Square and Gowalla were the darlings of SXSW --- Don't know what they are? Seems there are constantly new things we need to learn about).
But the truth is that many people are still on the sidelines when it comes to social media. Some think that it is a fad whose tentacles do not reach into their industry. Social media is NOT a fad!
Hands went up in the audience and there were abundant questions about LinkedIn, Facebook, Blogging, etc.... Then one professional raised his hand and said, with trepidation, "Do I have to use Twitter?"
No. You do not have to use Twitter. You do not have to use any tools (I would assume you don't HAVE to use a telephone if you don't want to), but some tools will make you more productive and help you expand your personal and professional brand. The realities are that for many, Twitter has no impact on their world. Their clients, prospects, employees, and others in their orbit are not on Twitter.
But that does not mean anyone should ignore Twitter, or anything else that becomes widely adopted. Several years ago I would have told you that LinkedIn was a useful tool, but not necessary. Today it is a widely accepted tool. Not being on LinkedIn could leave you looking out of touch if someone is seeking a fast way to learn more about you. In today's crazy / busy world we are looking for ways to connect with others. People want to do business with those they know, like and trust. We expect to be able to find information quickly so we can speed up the "getting to know you" part. Without "know", you cannot ever get to "like" and "trust".
If you have never looked at Twitter (or the other popular social media tools) you must become informed. Never dismiss anything as a waste of time because you do not understand it or "assume" it is not for you. Knowledge is key. If you find that nobody you work with is using a tool, then you can move on. But you never want to wake up and find that your competition has staked a claim to a community where your customers actively participate, as you may never catch up.
Twitter is useful for some, and a waste for others. The only way to know the answer is to do the research. The same thing is true for all the available tools and communities that are popping up online and via your smart phone. Being "too busy" is a lame excuse and just might lead you to being "less busy" in the future.
Have A Great Day.
thom
I had just spent five days at the South by Southwest (SXSW) Interactive Conference with 14,000 heavy social media users. While being emerged in the epicenter of social media, it seemed that the whole world lived in online and mobile social communities (Four Square and Gowalla were the darlings of SXSW --- Don't know what they are? Seems there are constantly new things we need to learn about).
But the truth is that many people are still on the sidelines when it comes to social media. Some think that it is a fad whose tentacles do not reach into their industry. Social media is NOT a fad!
Hands went up in the audience and there were abundant questions about LinkedIn, Facebook, Blogging, etc.... Then one professional raised his hand and said, with trepidation, "Do I have to use Twitter?"
No. You do not have to use Twitter. You do not have to use any tools (I would assume you don't HAVE to use a telephone if you don't want to), but some tools will make you more productive and help you expand your personal and professional brand. The realities are that for many, Twitter has no impact on their world. Their clients, prospects, employees, and others in their orbit are not on Twitter.
But that does not mean anyone should ignore Twitter, or anything else that becomes widely adopted. Several years ago I would have told you that LinkedIn was a useful tool, but not necessary. Today it is a widely accepted tool. Not being on LinkedIn could leave you looking out of touch if someone is seeking a fast way to learn more about you. In today's crazy / busy world we are looking for ways to connect with others. People want to do business with those they know, like and trust. We expect to be able to find information quickly so we can speed up the "getting to know you" part. Without "know", you cannot ever get to "like" and "trust".
If you have never looked at Twitter (or the other popular social media tools) you must become informed. Never dismiss anything as a waste of time because you do not understand it or "assume" it is not for you. Knowledge is key. If you find that nobody you work with is using a tool, then you can move on. But you never want to wake up and find that your competition has staked a claim to a community where your customers actively participate, as you may never catch up.
Twitter is useful for some, and a waste for others. The only way to know the answer is to do the research. The same thing is true for all the available tools and communities that are popping up online and via your smart phone. Being "too busy" is a lame excuse and just might lead you to being "less busy" in the future.
Have A Great Day.
thom
Monday, October 26, 2009
Twitter's Power is Local
There is a lot of buzz about Twitter, but many people still shy away from the popular social networking site, pretending like it is just a "fad" or something useless. Some people naturally avoid anything new or different.... and they might come along later and check out the micro-blogging platform. Most people I talk with who avoid Twitter are simply overwhelmed by the scope of the whole thing. They cannot understand how it relates to their career, especially if they focus their work on a geographic area.
The point that is missed by most people who talk / write about Twitter is that it is not some "global networking" thing... but instead Twitter is a local tool that can help you grow your personal and professional brand in your own backyard.
I have been on Twitter for two years and have found the real power that the service provides is the ability to help me make real connections with people who live in a twenty mile radius of my house. Sure, I follow people from all over the world, but I never will meet or bond with most of them. However, those Twitter users who live nearby cross my path on a daily basis.
In the past we might have never met, now we seek each other out at networking events, or can schedule coffee meetings at any time.
What? Twitter's real value is as a local tool?
The "Guru's" will tell you it is all about how many followers you have. I cry B.S. It makes no difference how many follow if nobody is listening. The pet shop owners in Topeka, Kansas who follow me are most likely wonderful people, but I have not seen anything that I have in common with them, and will not likely meet them anytime soon. No offense to these animal lovers in Dorothy's home state... but I don't care about the Saturday Sale they have on GloFish. I am not sure why they followed me in the first place, but I did not follow them back.
Yet I will return the follow to any grown up who lives in Central Texas. Why? Because the odds of us meeting in person and forging a real connection are high.
This does not mean that millions of people around the world have not found value in the global reach of Twitter. I too have found value and made contact with people elsewhere. I have gotten to understand and "know" many interesting people around the world, but it is harder to develop relationships with those you will never see in person.
But the local experience of Twitter has had a direct material impact on my career.
Austin is a town that has embraced Twitter and there are often "Tweet-ups" (happy hour get-togethers of Twitter users in a local venue) and other gatherings that are promoted on Twitter. I met one guy at a conference who came up and said "Hi, I follow you on Twitter". We are now friends, and working on several business projects together. I see him, and others who I met this way, as people... not just random "followers".
The world is a big place, and when we can make it smaller - we stop being overwhelmed.
There are people who have created "real" friendship with online contacts whom they have never met in person (I have done this, too), but there is something different about relationships that involve being able to meet for coffee, meals or beers.... and proximity of geography makes this much easier.
Embrace the local power of Twitter. Seek out people in your own area whom have similar interests and follow their Tweets. Engage them in conversation. Re-Tweet their profound statements. Support their causes. Focus local and you will find a whole new set of friends whom can help you discover the power of Twitter.
Have A Great Day.
thom
The point that is missed by most people who talk / write about Twitter is that it is not some "global networking" thing... but instead Twitter is a local tool that can help you grow your personal and professional brand in your own backyard.
I have been on Twitter for two years and have found the real power that the service provides is the ability to help me make real connections with people who live in a twenty mile radius of my house. Sure, I follow people from all over the world, but I never will meet or bond with most of them. However, those Twitter users who live nearby cross my path on a daily basis.
In the past we might have never met, now we seek each other out at networking events, or can schedule coffee meetings at any time.
What? Twitter's real value is as a local tool?
The "Guru's" will tell you it is all about how many followers you have. I cry B.S. It makes no difference how many follow if nobody is listening. The pet shop owners in Topeka, Kansas who follow me are most likely wonderful people, but I have not seen anything that I have in common with them, and will not likely meet them anytime soon. No offense to these animal lovers in Dorothy's home state... but I don't care about the Saturday Sale they have on GloFish. I am not sure why they followed me in the first place, but I did not follow them back.
Yet I will return the follow to any grown up who lives in Central Texas. Why? Because the odds of us meeting in person and forging a real connection are high.
This does not mean that millions of people around the world have not found value in the global reach of Twitter. I too have found value and made contact with people elsewhere. I have gotten to understand and "know" many interesting people around the world, but it is harder to develop relationships with those you will never see in person.
But the local experience of Twitter has had a direct material impact on my career.
Austin is a town that has embraced Twitter and there are often "Tweet-ups" (happy hour get-togethers of Twitter users in a local venue) and other gatherings that are promoted on Twitter. I met one guy at a conference who came up and said "Hi, I follow you on Twitter". We are now friends, and working on several business projects together. I see him, and others who I met this way, as people... not just random "followers".
The world is a big place, and when we can make it smaller - we stop being overwhelmed.
There are people who have created "real" friendship with online contacts whom they have never met in person (I have done this, too), but there is something different about relationships that involve being able to meet for coffee, meals or beers.... and proximity of geography makes this much easier.
Embrace the local power of Twitter. Seek out people in your own area whom have similar interests and follow their Tweets. Engage them in conversation. Re-Tweet their profound statements. Support their causes. Focus local and you will find a whole new set of friends whom can help you discover the power of Twitter.
Have A Great Day.
thom
Thursday, October 22, 2009
How To Cash In On Chris Brogan's Fame For Your Own Gain
Chris Brogan had a link on his Twitter stream to the blog of a guy named Adam Kmiec. I have never heard of Adam before, and the title of the blog post Chris was pointing to was titled "Why I Hate Chris Brogan", which struck me from the start as a gimmick for Mr. Kmiec to cash in on the fame of Mr. Brogan.
Adam clearly has a chip on his shoulder that Chris, and many others, have achieved the top of the food chain in the social media world (He called Chris the Barak Obama of the social media world.... to which I have to disagree. You see, Chris is a nice guy... but he has not ever been elected by to the highest office in the land).
I have met Chris twice, once at SXSW and once at a marketing conference. He is a cool. He is fun. He is genuine. He is working hard to help others. He is not fake. We went and had drinks (with a group of people) on both occasions. I have seen how he engages people and cares deeply about them. His position as an "expert" in the eyes of many has nothing to do with the "number of followers" or any hocus-pocus.... it is because he is real. He does not pepper people with questions about what makes them a success.... he lifts them up and encourages them to be all that they can be.
Adam is unhappy that there are several people who have achieved "fame" and "expert status", and has invited Chris to defend his elevated position in life on the stage at an industry conference in Las Vegas.
Chris has declined that invitation. By not accepting the battle royal or giving into meeting him for a beer, Adam is attacking the authenticity of Chris's status. I do not understand how someone as busy as Chris Brogan can be expected to answer every invitation for beers. The logic of the argument makes no sense to me. By refusing to talk to Adam, apparently you are phony. Adam keeps claiming his ability to ask questions as his key to his own authenticity... but it perplexes me who said he is the inquisition master of the social media world. I missed that memo. Of course I am just jealous because Adam is not questioning me about my existence.
I think Adam's whole issue is fake and designed to get eyeballs on his blog. It worked, as most of his posts have zero or one comment... but the "I Hate Chris Brogan" post has 39 comments so far (including Chris Brogan's and my own). He has proven that if you challenge a celebrity and get them to Twitter about you, then your own 15 minutes of fame will follow.
But it is not real. So what if he has 39 comments if everyone thinks he is a "tool" (which is what one comment says"). He thinks he has legitimacy... but it is the market place that determines legitimacy and authenticity. Currently the marketplace has named Chris Brogan the king.
I have no idea how someone achieves long lasting fame and expert status other than by being consistently true to yourself.... In my opinion Chris has it... Adam does not. Time will tell. Two years from now we could be lining up to listen to Adam at every conference on the planet.... today that is happening with Brogan.
I have a great idea. The new way to prove if a person is really authentic, legitimate and a true "thought leader" should be based on if Chris Brogan has ever invited you to join him at Happy Hour after a conference. If it has happened twice to the same person, they are clearly a rock star!!!
Have A Great Day.
thom
Adam clearly has a chip on his shoulder that Chris, and many others, have achieved the top of the food chain in the social media world (He called Chris the Barak Obama of the social media world.... to which I have to disagree. You see, Chris is a nice guy... but he has not ever been elected by to the highest office in the land).
I have met Chris twice, once at SXSW and once at a marketing conference. He is a cool. He is fun. He is genuine. He is working hard to help others. He is not fake. We went and had drinks (with a group of people) on both occasions. I have seen how he engages people and cares deeply about them. His position as an "expert" in the eyes of many has nothing to do with the "number of followers" or any hocus-pocus.... it is because he is real. He does not pepper people with questions about what makes them a success.... he lifts them up and encourages them to be all that they can be.
Adam is unhappy that there are several people who have achieved "fame" and "expert status", and has invited Chris to defend his elevated position in life on the stage at an industry conference in Las Vegas.
Chris has declined that invitation. By not accepting the battle royal or giving into meeting him for a beer, Adam is attacking the authenticity of Chris's status. I do not understand how someone as busy as Chris Brogan can be expected to answer every invitation for beers. The logic of the argument makes no sense to me. By refusing to talk to Adam, apparently you are phony. Adam keeps claiming his ability to ask questions as his key to his own authenticity... but it perplexes me who said he is the inquisition master of the social media world. I missed that memo. Of course I am just jealous because Adam is not questioning me about my existence.
I think Adam's whole issue is fake and designed to get eyeballs on his blog. It worked, as most of his posts have zero or one comment... but the "I Hate Chris Brogan" post has 39 comments so far (including Chris Brogan's and my own). He has proven that if you challenge a celebrity and get them to Twitter about you, then your own 15 minutes of fame will follow.
But it is not real. So what if he has 39 comments if everyone thinks he is a "tool" (which is what one comment says"). He thinks he has legitimacy... but it is the market place that determines legitimacy and authenticity. Currently the marketplace has named Chris Brogan the king.
I have no idea how someone achieves long lasting fame and expert status other than by being consistently true to yourself.... In my opinion Chris has it... Adam does not. Time will tell. Two years from now we could be lining up to listen to Adam at every conference on the planet.... today that is happening with Brogan.
I have a great idea. The new way to prove if a person is really authentic, legitimate and a true "thought leader" should be based on if Chris Brogan has ever invited you to join him at Happy Hour after a conference. If it has happened twice to the same person, they are clearly a rock star!!!
Have A Great Day.
thom
Monday, September 28, 2009
Twitter Etiquette Rant
I am constantly amazed that people I do not know will ask me to "Re-Tweet" their messages on Twitter...OR... they write me and ask me to blog about their products and services. If I do not know anything about these people, why would I endorse their causes?
You would not show up at my house, introduce yourself, and immediately hand me 1000 brochures about your business and ask me to hand them to my neighbors (would you?).
But in the "social media" world too many people have forgotten the "social" part. The rules of etiquette and creating real friendships still apply. Establish a relationships first. Take actions to help them in some way. Make it something BIG, not some trivial thing (so that you can guilt them into helping you). After you have created and cultivated a mutually beneficial connection you have the right to ask for favors.
And to the total stranger who both asked me to Re-Tweet and Blog about them today... YES, you did inspire this rant!!!
Have A Great Day.
thom
Friday, September 25, 2009
Relocating to a New City? - Twitter Can Pave The Way!
When Jenna Oltersdorf and her husband Eric made the decision to relocate from Chicago to Austin to be closer to family, they had no idea that Twitter would help propel them ahead in both their business and professional lives.
Jenna and Eric are the owners of SnackBox, a public relations and design firm, now headquartered in Austin, Texas. They founded and grew the company in Chicago, but the desire to be closer to family lead them to Austin, where Eric's sister and her husband are raising two young children. Jenna is an only child and Eric has the one sister, so being part of their family and seeing their nephew and niece grow up meant being in Austin.
Jenna originally joined Twitter in January 2009 with the thought that it would be a marketing and PR tool for their company. She soon realized that it was really more about communications and relationships, and instead of selling herself, she began to engage people in discussion. Her outgoing personality made her a natural for Twitter, and she soon was creating conversations and expanding her network.
She had grown up in the close knit culture of St. Louis. When you spend your whole life around the same people you establish a natural network. You don't have to think about it, as it just happens. But moves to both Charlotte, NC and Chicago taught her the importance of cultivating relationships and actively seeking to make real connections. People do business with those they know, like and trust... so a new move would mean starting over in building an inner-circle.
In the spring of 2009, when the decision to come to Austin became official, Jenna began searching out Twitter's most active Austin voices. She introduced herself, listened, watched, and instigated dialogues with Austinites. As the moving date arrived she began to reach out to her Austin Twitter friends in search of service providers that could help the couple successful execute the move. Most important was finding a lawyer who could help them incorporate the business in their new state. She queried Twitter and quickly found a great attorney.
(Side not to all those in the legal profession who are crying that Twitter is a waste of time. This is an example of how networking works. Her lawyer did not have to even be on Twitter to get this referral. Instead, he just had to know someone willing to take the time to answer Jenna's request for an introduction!!!)
She also started polling people on what business and networking organizations would make the most sense for her to affiliate with after they arrived. She has been in Austin less than a month and already is getting involved with Leadership Austin's Engage Program and serves on the board of a local non-profit.
Not only did they provide a long list of business services, her new Twitter friends also shared other interesting Austin factoids and recommended restaurants, best areas to shop, dentists, doctors, and real estate agents (The Oltersdorfs did not need a real estate agent, as Eric's brother-in-law is Clayton Bullock of Moreland Properties, one of Austin's top agents!).
Since she got to Austin Jenna's calendar has been full, as her local Twitter Friends are actively signing up to meet her face-to-face.
I spent an hour with her today at the Starbucks in Westlake and found her to be blessed with a double dose of entrepreneurial spirit. She is excited about growing her company in the city where she expects to live for the rest of her life. While she was not born in Austin, she has that "can - do" attitude that makes this community special.
Additionally she has that "givers gene" that leads to success and win/win for everyone. I have found many people talk about it, but few people (maybe 5%???) really go out of their way to take actions to help others as a natural part of how they do business. Jenna is one of those people! I predict we see big things from Snackbox over the next few years.
I would like to extend a TEXAS SIZED welcome our newest neighbors, friends, and Austinites!! Eric and Jenna Oltersdorf - I wish you much success in Austin!! (I have not yet met Eric, but look forward to meeting him). I got here 18 years ago and have never looked back. I hope that the city is as wonderful of a place for your family as it has been for mine.
You can follow Jenna on Twitter at @JennaSnacks
Have A Great Day.
thom
Jenna and Eric are the owners of SnackBox, a public relations and design firm, now headquartered in Austin, Texas. They founded and grew the company in Chicago, but the desire to be closer to family lead them to Austin, where Eric's sister and her husband are raising two young children. Jenna is an only child and Eric has the one sister, so being part of their family and seeing their nephew and niece grow up meant being in Austin.
Jenna originally joined Twitter in January 2009 with the thought that it would be a marketing and PR tool for their company. She soon realized that it was really more about communications and relationships, and instead of selling herself, she began to engage people in discussion. Her outgoing personality made her a natural for Twitter, and she soon was creating conversations and expanding her network.
She had grown up in the close knit culture of St. Louis. When you spend your whole life around the same people you establish a natural network. You don't have to think about it, as it just happens. But moves to both Charlotte, NC and Chicago taught her the importance of cultivating relationships and actively seeking to make real connections. People do business with those they know, like and trust... so a new move would mean starting over in building an inner-circle.
In the spring of 2009, when the decision to come to Austin became official, Jenna began searching out Twitter's most active Austin voices. She introduced herself, listened, watched, and instigated dialogues with Austinites. As the moving date arrived she began to reach out to her Austin Twitter friends in search of service providers that could help the couple successful execute the move. Most important was finding a lawyer who could help them incorporate the business in their new state. She queried Twitter and quickly found a great attorney.
(Side not to all those in the legal profession who are crying that Twitter is a waste of time. This is an example of how networking works. Her lawyer did not have to even be on Twitter to get this referral. Instead, he just had to know someone willing to take the time to answer Jenna's request for an introduction!!!)
She also started polling people on what business and networking organizations would make the most sense for her to affiliate with after they arrived. She has been in Austin less than a month and already is getting involved with Leadership Austin's Engage Program and serves on the board of a local non-profit.
Not only did they provide a long list of business services, her new Twitter friends also shared other interesting Austin factoids and recommended restaurants, best areas to shop, dentists, doctors, and real estate agents (The Oltersdorfs did not need a real estate agent, as Eric's brother-in-law is Clayton Bullock of Moreland Properties, one of Austin's top agents!).
Since she got to Austin Jenna's calendar has been full, as her local Twitter Friends are actively signing up to meet her face-to-face.
I spent an hour with her today at the Starbucks in Westlake and found her to be blessed with a double dose of entrepreneurial spirit. She is excited about growing her company in the city where she expects to live for the rest of her life. While she was not born in Austin, she has that "can - do" attitude that makes this community special.
Additionally she has that "givers gene" that leads to success and win/win for everyone. I have found many people talk about it, but few people (maybe 5%???) really go out of their way to take actions to help others as a natural part of how they do business. Jenna is one of those people! I predict we see big things from Snackbox over the next few years.
I would like to extend a TEXAS SIZED welcome our newest neighbors, friends, and Austinites!! Eric and Jenna Oltersdorf - I wish you much success in Austin!! (I have not yet met Eric, but look forward to meeting him). I got here 18 years ago and have never looked back. I hope that the city is as wonderful of a place for your family as it has been for mine.
You can follow Jenna on Twitter at @JennaSnacks
Have A Great Day.
thom
Wednesday, March 11, 2009
PubCon South 2009: Chris Brogan and Guy Kawasaki Talk "Twitter"
I had the chance to attend part of Day One of PubCon South 2009. PubCon began in London in 2001 with a conference that was held in a pub (thus the name "PubCon"). Over the years it has grown to a series of conferences around the world which are the leading-edge event for sharing real-world information about search engine marketing and optimization.
The kick-off keynote presentation was a "fireside chat" between Chris Brogan and Guy Kawasaki, where social media maven Brogan interviewed Kawasaki about many things... but mainly the Garage.com founders passion for all things Twitter.
Admitting that he was late to blogging and Twitter, Kawasaki came around. He is now one of the most watched people on the web.
"I was born to Tweet" claimed Kawasaki. It took him about a month from joining the service until he was into if full steam ahead. He now averages over 50 tweets a day (which is why I do not follow him anymore).
For Kawasaki, Twitter is a "weapon to promote AllTop" (his online "aggregator" that covers any all the top sites on all the top subjects). He is not shy that he is mixing a variety of informative links, thoughts and ideas with blatant promotion of his business.
Many have asked him why he does not separate his personal "tweeting" from his business "tweeting" by having separate accounts. He gave the BEST answer I have heard on the subject (I only have one account on Twitter as well. I use it to tweet about my books, professional speaking, my job at vcfo, and any other pontifications I choose to toss out).
Kawasaki compared Twitter as the blending of PBS (high quality content) and QVC (commercial selling of product).
He made is clear that if PBS tried to only put the documentaries on one channel and the fund-raising, tote-bag pushing telethons on another station.... nobody would support PBS with donations and the channel would never bring in money (who would tune into see telethon fundraisers all the time?). By mixing the two, his followers (over 80,000 strong) will put up with his promoting his business if he gives them enough other interesting information.
Kawasaki recommended several tools that make Twitter not only more user friendly, but also make it possible to capitalize on the marketing power:
1. search.twitter.com. This site allows you to seek out what is being said about any person or topic on Twitter.
2. TweetDeck.com. Allows users to break down the vast amounts of information flowing across Twitter into manageable pieces. (Also said you could use Twirl.com for this).
3. TwitterHawk.com. Allows users to send automated replies to anyone on Twitter who is talking about a specific topic of keywords for a charge of five cents per message. (I am not a fan of automated tweets, as I think it harms authenticity of the medium, this application had some controls which made it seem interesting on some levels for marketing).
Addressing his critics who think he is a spammer on Twitter (and the purists who do not like to see Twitter used as a corporate tool), he joked "If I do it, it is good marketing, if someone does it to me, it is spam".
He was right in his statement that following someone is voluntary, and that if anyone does not like the way another person uses Twitter they can simply "Un-Follow". He regularly replies to those who harangue him with "UFM", which stands for "Un-Follow Me". To Kawasaki, tweets being spam is an oxymoron... as people signed up to listen to what he has to say, and thus they volunteered to get any message he chooses to send.
I found the conversation between Chris and Guy to be both fun and informative. My only complaint was that it did not last longer.
Have A Great Day.
thom
The kick-off keynote presentation was a "fireside chat" between Chris Brogan and Guy Kawasaki, where social media maven Brogan interviewed Kawasaki about many things... but mainly the Garage.com founders passion for all things Twitter.
Admitting that he was late to blogging and Twitter, Kawasaki came around. He is now one of the most watched people on the web.
"I was born to Tweet" claimed Kawasaki. It took him about a month from joining the service until he was into if full steam ahead. He now averages over 50 tweets a day (which is why I do not follow him anymore).
For Kawasaki, Twitter is a "weapon to promote AllTop" (his online "aggregator" that covers any all the top sites on all the top subjects). He is not shy that he is mixing a variety of informative links, thoughts and ideas with blatant promotion of his business.
Many have asked him why he does not separate his personal "tweeting" from his business "tweeting" by having separate accounts. He gave the BEST answer I have heard on the subject (I only have one account on Twitter as well. I use it to tweet about my books, professional speaking, my job at vcfo, and any other pontifications I choose to toss out).
Kawasaki compared Twitter as the blending of PBS (high quality content) and QVC (commercial selling of product).
He made is clear that if PBS tried to only put the documentaries on one channel and the fund-raising, tote-bag pushing telethons on another station.... nobody would support PBS with donations and the channel would never bring in money (who would tune into see telethon fundraisers all the time?). By mixing the two, his followers (over 80,000 strong) will put up with his promoting his business if he gives them enough other interesting information.
Kawasaki recommended several tools that make Twitter not only more user friendly, but also make it possible to capitalize on the marketing power:
1. search.twitter.com. This site allows you to seek out what is being said about any person or topic on Twitter.
2. TweetDeck.com. Allows users to break down the vast amounts of information flowing across Twitter into manageable pieces. (Also said you could use Twirl.com for this).
3. TwitterHawk.com. Allows users to send automated replies to anyone on Twitter who is talking about a specific topic of keywords for a charge of five cents per message. (I am not a fan of automated tweets, as I think it harms authenticity of the medium, this application had some controls which made it seem interesting on some levels for marketing).
Addressing his critics who think he is a spammer on Twitter (and the purists who do not like to see Twitter used as a corporate tool), he joked "If I do it, it is good marketing, if someone does it to me, it is spam".
He was right in his statement that following someone is voluntary, and that if anyone does not like the way another person uses Twitter they can simply "Un-Follow". He regularly replies to those who harangue him with "UFM", which stands for "Un-Follow Me". To Kawasaki, tweets being spam is an oxymoron... as people signed up to listen to what he has to say, and thus they volunteered to get any message he chooses to send.
I found the conversation between Chris and Guy to be both fun and informative. My only complaint was that it did not last longer.
Have A Great Day.
thom
Saturday, February 14, 2009
My Social Media Linking Policies
Do you have a policy for connecting online?
Do you accept every link request that is sent to you on LinkedIn and Facebook?
Do you follow back everyone who follows you on Twitter?
For as many people who have accounts on social media / online networking sites there are equally as many ways that people view how to get the best value out of these tools.
I find it interesting when people get mad that others do not "friend" them, or "follow" them. I think it is a personal choice on how you use these tools, and we should respect others personal space - just as we should in the face-to-face environments.
While I participate in other communities, LinkedIn, Facebook and Twitter are the main ones for me at this point in time.
My Social Media Policies:
LinkedIn and Facebook-
I see LinkedIn as the business / professional world, and Facebook as my personal / social world. However, in both cases I do not accept connections from people whom I have never met before.
I get a lot of requests from people who have read my books or have seen me give a speech. While I am honored that these folks want to get to know me and reach out via the online communities, I cannot accept links from anyone I do not know.
In my opinion having links to strangers dilutes the power of my network. I want everyone that I am connected to to be the type of contact who would take my telephone call should I ring them up.
Thus I have the "Beer, Coffee or Lunch Rule". I will not accept a connection request from anyone whom I have not sat down with face-to-face for an hour. After we spend an hour together I believe that we can both decide if there is a reason to build a friendship. It gives us a foundation.
Now, that is easy for people who live in my hometown of Austin, Texas. I realize that our world is not longer just centered on the local, and thus I have what I call "The Digital Equivilent". There comes a point when you get to know someone via email, blogging, Twitter, phone, etc... where you feel you know them as well as you might if you had breakfast together.
Old names from high school and college tend to pop up a lot on Facebook. I love reconnecting with those who were my friends, but my policy holds true. We had to really have spent time together way back when. If we did not really hang out or have classes together (or mutual close friends), then I will most likely not link to them now.
Former co-workers who show up on LinkedIn are subject to the same rule. Just having been employed by the same company does not make someone a contact. We had to have really worked together (would we know each one another if we saw each other in the airport? - would we care?)
Twitter-
Twitter is a different animal. People can follow each other on Twitter without mutual permission. But Twitter can also become unmanageable. While there are lots of Twitter Tools that can help you categorize and sort out the noise, I find it easier to simply only follow those whom I have a reason to follow.
This is controversial and some people get offended quickly if they follow you and you do not follow them. Umm, get over it. I only want followers who are interested in what I might have to say. If I am their "noise", for the love of God, I hope they un-follow me.
Twitter is not about the numbers. Many really worry if they do not have enough followers, but it is really about creating a community.
I follow back most everyone who lives in Austin, as the odds of meeting them around town (we do lots of Tweet Ups in Austin) are very high.
I also follow back business authors and professional speakers - or anyone whose description or website captivates me.
Those who regularly communicate with me directly via Twitter will most likely be added to my list too. And for sure those I meet in person at conferences, etc... I will follow back for sure.
***********
There are billions of people in the world and we are not capable of having connections to everyone. Creating too many online connections takes away from the power of the real relationships you have developed.
My advice to others is that you need to have your own policies (I wont judge you as "right" or "wrong" if you wont judge others!). Having such policies makes it easy for you to decide with whom to have connections and how to communicate with others. Sure, there are those with whom you will link that do not meet your criteria - but you want to anyway - that is okay, as it is your rule, you can bend it when you see fit!
Have A Great Day
thom
Do you accept every link request that is sent to you on LinkedIn and Facebook?
Do you follow back everyone who follows you on Twitter?
For as many people who have accounts on social media / online networking sites there are equally as many ways that people view how to get the best value out of these tools.
I find it interesting when people get mad that others do not "friend" them, or "follow" them. I think it is a personal choice on how you use these tools, and we should respect others personal space - just as we should in the face-to-face environments.
While I participate in other communities, LinkedIn, Facebook and Twitter are the main ones for me at this point in time.
My Social Media Policies:
LinkedIn and Facebook-
I see LinkedIn as the business / professional world, and Facebook as my personal / social world. However, in both cases I do not accept connections from people whom I have never met before.
I get a lot of requests from people who have read my books or have seen me give a speech. While I am honored that these folks want to get to know me and reach out via the online communities, I cannot accept links from anyone I do not know.
In my opinion having links to strangers dilutes the power of my network. I want everyone that I am connected to to be the type of contact who would take my telephone call should I ring them up.
Thus I have the "Beer, Coffee or Lunch Rule". I will not accept a connection request from anyone whom I have not sat down with face-to-face for an hour. After we spend an hour together I believe that we can both decide if there is a reason to build a friendship. It gives us a foundation.
Now, that is easy for people who live in my hometown of Austin, Texas. I realize that our world is not longer just centered on the local, and thus I have what I call "The Digital Equivilent". There comes a point when you get to know someone via email, blogging, Twitter, phone, etc... where you feel you know them as well as you might if you had breakfast together.
Old names from high school and college tend to pop up a lot on Facebook. I love reconnecting with those who were my friends, but my policy holds true. We had to really have spent time together way back when. If we did not really hang out or have classes together (or mutual close friends), then I will most likely not link to them now.
Former co-workers who show up on LinkedIn are subject to the same rule. Just having been employed by the same company does not make someone a contact. We had to have really worked together (would we know each one another if we saw each other in the airport? - would we care?)
Twitter-
Twitter is a different animal. People can follow each other on Twitter without mutual permission. But Twitter can also become unmanageable. While there are lots of Twitter Tools that can help you categorize and sort out the noise, I find it easier to simply only follow those whom I have a reason to follow.
This is controversial and some people get offended quickly if they follow you and you do not follow them. Umm, get over it. I only want followers who are interested in what I might have to say. If I am their "noise", for the love of God, I hope they un-follow me.
Twitter is not about the numbers. Many really worry if they do not have enough followers, but it is really about creating a community.
I follow back most everyone who lives in Austin, as the odds of meeting them around town (we do lots of Tweet Ups in Austin) are very high.
I also follow back business authors and professional speakers - or anyone whose description or website captivates me.
Those who regularly communicate with me directly via Twitter will most likely be added to my list too. And for sure those I meet in person at conferences, etc... I will follow back for sure.
***********
There are billions of people in the world and we are not capable of having connections to everyone. Creating too many online connections takes away from the power of the real relationships you have developed.
My advice to others is that you need to have your own policies (I wont judge you as "right" or "wrong" if you wont judge others!). Having such policies makes it easy for you to decide with whom to have connections and how to communicate with others. Sure, there are those with whom you will link that do not meet your criteria - but you want to anyway - that is okay, as it is your rule, you can bend it when you see fit!
Have A Great Day
thom
Friday, January 30, 2009
Local Mayor Candidates And Twitter. Does It Matter?
I would like to preface this post with the fact that I am biased in my view of the upcoming Austin Mayors Race. I support Mayor Pro Tem Brewster McCracken to be the future leader of our great city.
But I do find the below observation an interesting look at the workings of social media. At the end of the day, social media is social and it has to be authentic. If you try to manipulate social media or use it just for your own PR (without legitimately engaging others) then it is not real.
The social media world is not a fad, and Barak Obama has proven that politicians can and should live online. It is a wonderful two-way communication vehicle. Obama was not the first politician to appear in social online communities, but he certainly did it better than anyone else. He was engaging and engaged. The grassroots power of those who live, work, and play in the online world is here to stay.
Brewster McCracken has a presence on Twitter and other online mediums (Long term user of LinkedIn - over 200 contacts AND Facebook - over 800 contacts). He has not just looked at these tools as something new to use for the election.
He has always been a supporter of the local entrepreneurial tech community and he understands that Austin's future depends on the same innovation and vision that matter to growing businesses. Our city has never looked backwards or avoided the risks that come with growth.
Only one of Brewster's two opponents is on Twitter (interesting, however that many of the candidates for City Council are also "tweeting"). Lee Leffingwell is on Twitter as @TheLeeTeam, not as @LLeffingwell (which makes his involvement appear to be a campaign stunt). Brewster is there clearly as @BMcCracken. He is not using it as part of a campaign, he is there as a human being. A real person. He is communicating with people on Twitter. Sure, he is running for mayor, but as a person.... not a team of campaign people.
It is really, really him talking with his followers on Twitter. I know, because I have talked to him about it. It is not some random campaign staffers filling up Twitterville with more noise by chatting away in 140 characters or less. Brewster is interested in using Twitter, learning about Twitter (and all things that are impacting our society), and connecting with constituents. He knows that real people participate in social media communities, and thus he sees the value in being an active participant in social media himself.
Twitter is not for everyone, and many who read this blog might say "Twitter - waste of time - who cares if a mayor candidate is on Twitter". But this goes deeper than than the debate of the value of Twitter, or any other social media platform. It is about authenticity.
Everyone believes President Obama was personally involved with his campaign social media strategy... NOBODY thinks McCain was involved with his (yes, McCain had a social media strategy, too... just not executed very well - and all run by staffers).
I could be wrong about Mr. Leffingwell. Maybe he does all his own "tweeting". But in my opinion he is only on Twitter for the election, telling his 83 Twitter friends (84, I now follow him, too) about his latest fundraiser or other activities. From looking at it, there is a lot of talking "at" people in his Twitter strategy. I question why Leffingwell's Team is even there at this point (maybe because Brewster is there? Ouch, not the right reason to join a social media community! His page appeared three days after McCracken joined Twitter).
Why does this matter to regular people and businesses? (AKA, those of us NOT running for mayor). It matters because the social media train is leaving the station, and we can choose how we want to ride... or if we are going to let it pass us by. This does not mean everyone has to jump on the train RIGHT NOW (you have to want to be there).... And fortunately there will be other stops along the way, and you will be welcome when the time is right!! Twitter is not so much the social media "answer" (I still question it in some ways) as it is a high profile case study of how to authentically engage with others via an internet community.
If you treat social media as you do traditional advertising / marketing (one way communication), you are old school and everyone will know it. Twitter is not about a team of people trying to market a candidate. It is about real people (not hired staff) who are actively sharing with other human beings.
On a funny side note, @TheLeeTeam deleted or "blocked" the people involved with the McCracken Campaign from following them on Twitter. Their "tweets" are not private (you can see them at www.twitter.com/theleeteam even if you are not an anointed and approved follower), so blocking them was only an "anti-social-social-media-maneuver". In social media, being anti-social can be a bad bad thing.
I don't think that Brewster will block any of the citizens of Austin from his Twitter stream...even if they support his opponents. I would be offended if someone who wanted to be mayor blocked me on Twitter because I supported the other guy. I thought in today's era of "change" we were supposed to be beyond such things.
Have A Great Day.
thom
But I do find the below observation an interesting look at the workings of social media. At the end of the day, social media is social and it has to be authentic. If you try to manipulate social media or use it just for your own PR (without legitimately engaging others) then it is not real.
The social media world is not a fad, and Barak Obama has proven that politicians can and should live online. It is a wonderful two-way communication vehicle. Obama was not the first politician to appear in social online communities, but he certainly did it better than anyone else. He was engaging and engaged. The grassroots power of those who live, work, and play in the online world is here to stay.
Brewster McCracken has a presence on Twitter and other online mediums (Long term user of LinkedIn - over 200 contacts AND Facebook - over 800 contacts). He has not just looked at these tools as something new to use for the election.
He has always been a supporter of the local entrepreneurial tech community and he understands that Austin's future depends on the same innovation and vision that matter to growing businesses. Our city has never looked backwards or avoided the risks that come with growth.
Only one of Brewster's two opponents is on Twitter (interesting, however that many of the candidates for City Council are also "tweeting"). Lee Leffingwell is on Twitter as @TheLeeTeam, not as @LLeffingwell (which makes his involvement appear to be a campaign stunt). Brewster is there clearly as @BMcCracken. He is not using it as part of a campaign, he is there as a human being. A real person. He is communicating with people on Twitter. Sure, he is running for mayor, but as a person.... not a team of campaign people.
It is really, really him talking with his followers on Twitter. I know, because I have talked to him about it. It is not some random campaign staffers filling up Twitterville with more noise by chatting away in 140 characters or less. Brewster is interested in using Twitter, learning about Twitter (and all things that are impacting our society), and connecting with constituents. He knows that real people participate in social media communities, and thus he sees the value in being an active participant in social media himself.
Twitter is not for everyone, and many who read this blog might say "Twitter - waste of time - who cares if a mayor candidate is on Twitter". But this goes deeper than than the debate of the value of Twitter, or any other social media platform. It is about authenticity.
Everyone believes President Obama was personally involved with his campaign social media strategy... NOBODY thinks McCain was involved with his (yes, McCain had a social media strategy, too... just not executed very well - and all run by staffers).
I could be wrong about Mr. Leffingwell. Maybe he does all his own "tweeting". But in my opinion he is only on Twitter for the election, telling his 83 Twitter friends (84, I now follow him, too) about his latest fundraiser or other activities. From looking at it, there is a lot of talking "at" people in his Twitter strategy. I question why Leffingwell's Team is even there at this point (maybe because Brewster is there? Ouch, not the right reason to join a social media community! His page appeared three days after McCracken joined Twitter).
Why does this matter to regular people and businesses? (AKA, those of us NOT running for mayor). It matters because the social media train is leaving the station, and we can choose how we want to ride... or if we are going to let it pass us by. This does not mean everyone has to jump on the train RIGHT NOW (you have to want to be there).... And fortunately there will be other stops along the way, and you will be welcome when the time is right!! Twitter is not so much the social media "answer" (I still question it in some ways) as it is a high profile case study of how to authentically engage with others via an internet community.
If you treat social media as you do traditional advertising / marketing (one way communication), you are old school and everyone will know it. Twitter is not about a team of people trying to market a candidate. It is about real people (not hired staff) who are actively sharing with other human beings.
On a funny side note, @TheLeeTeam deleted or "blocked" the people involved with the McCracken Campaign from following them on Twitter. Their "tweets" are not private (you can see them at www.twitter.com/theleeteam even if you are not an anointed and approved follower), so blocking them was only an "anti-social-social-media-maneuver". In social media, being anti-social can be a bad bad thing.
I don't think that Brewster will block any of the citizens of Austin from his Twitter stream...even if they support his opponents. I would be offended if someone who wanted to be mayor blocked me on Twitter because I supported the other guy. I thought in today's era of "change" we were supposed to be beyond such things.
Have A Great Day.
thom
Tuesday, January 27, 2009
Tag, You're It
We move fast in online social media communities.
Those you meet at a networking event send you a LinkedIn request within hours of meeting. Silly how some think an exchange of a business card means a permanent connection. Having a LinkedIn connection means nothing if you do not really know the person.
People from high school pop up in your life in Facebook for the first time in decades. Some of them who want to be "friends" were never your friends in high school.
Celebrities get 10,000 followers in Twitter overnight, while personally only following 13 people (most of them are not actually Tweeting, their PR firms is doing it!).
Photos of you from the college fraternity / sorority parties appear in others online-albums and you are "tagged" - letting the world glimpse into your less than brilliant wanton youth (like the photo of when you passed out drunk and your friends drew on your face with a marker). People do not think through what they are doing and have no consideration for whom else might now have access to what they say about your online.
Connect, connect, connect. Link, link, link. Share, share, share.
It all moves fast in the social media online world.
Well, slow down. For social media to have power there must be meaning. Too many think it is a game, and that cheapens the value.
You do not have to connect with or follow everyone. You are not obligated to read everyone's comments, blog posts, or other pontification. Many view the internet as a giant time suck, and it can be if you are not careful. There is a lot of noise on line.
It is okay to take your social networking activities at your own pace.
*************
On a side note, I had a funny experience last night while not really watching what I was doing on Facebook.
I was reconnected with one of my pledge brothers, John Gilham, from my college fraternity. He was a nice guy, but nobody knew what happened to him after college. Yes in the days before cell phones and the internet it was not uncommon to lose touch! Hard for some to remember, but these things were not common ten year ago.
He had just joined Facebook, and I jumped in and "tagged" him in photos from college in another friend's photo album. But my fingers were moving fast and I tagged John Gilham as Jonathan Gilliam. Gilliam is a friend here in Austin, Texas who is a local business professional and sales consultant.
Ooops.
Fortunately there we no embarrassing pictures (I would not tag someone in a photo that is not flattering, as that is not the right thing to do - on so many levels)... but all of Johnathan's friends would have be alerted that he was tagged in three photos.... three photos from 20 years ago of some other guy.
This is a reminder to pay attention and slow down.
Have A Great Day.
thom
Those you meet at a networking event send you a LinkedIn request within hours of meeting. Silly how some think an exchange of a business card means a permanent connection. Having a LinkedIn connection means nothing if you do not really know the person.
People from high school pop up in your life in Facebook for the first time in decades. Some of them who want to be "friends" were never your friends in high school.
Celebrities get 10,000 followers in Twitter overnight, while personally only following 13 people (most of them are not actually Tweeting, their PR firms is doing it!).
Photos of you from the college fraternity / sorority parties appear in others online-albums and you are "tagged" - letting the world glimpse into your less than brilliant wanton youth (like the photo of when you passed out drunk and your friends drew on your face with a marker). People do not think through what they are doing and have no consideration for whom else might now have access to what they say about your online.
Connect, connect, connect. Link, link, link. Share, share, share.
It all moves fast in the social media online world.
Well, slow down. For social media to have power there must be meaning. Too many think it is a game, and that cheapens the value.
You do not have to connect with or follow everyone. You are not obligated to read everyone's comments, blog posts, or other pontification. Many view the internet as a giant time suck, and it can be if you are not careful. There is a lot of noise on line.
It is okay to take your social networking activities at your own pace.
*************
On a side note, I had a funny experience last night while not really watching what I was doing on Facebook.
I was reconnected with one of my pledge brothers, John Gilham, from my college fraternity. He was a nice guy, but nobody knew what happened to him after college. Yes in the days before cell phones and the internet it was not uncommon to lose touch! Hard for some to remember, but these things were not common ten year ago.
He had just joined Facebook, and I jumped in and "tagged" him in photos from college in another friend's photo album. But my fingers were moving fast and I tagged John Gilham as Jonathan Gilliam. Gilliam is a friend here in Austin, Texas who is a local business professional and sales consultant.
Ooops.
Fortunately there we no embarrassing pictures (I would not tag someone in a photo that is not flattering, as that is not the right thing to do - on so many levels)... but all of Johnathan's friends would have be alerted that he was tagged in three photos.... three photos from 20 years ago of some other guy.
This is a reminder to pay attention and slow down.
Have A Great Day.
thom
Friday, January 23, 2009
Social Media and the Land of Misfit Toys
No matter how much things change, some things remain the same.
Take high school. Most people, no matter where they grew up, had similar experiences when it came to how social cliques took shape. This is the reason the movie The Breakfast Club is such a timeless classic - We all had popular kids, brainiacs, freaks, jocks, thugs, etc.... in our graduating classes. Everyone saw the experience from their own vantage point.
The majority of "too cool for school" people toned down their personal levels of self love and inflated egos after moving onto the real world. Observing people attending a 20 year reunion, there seems to be a great equalizer that takes over. Maybe this happens because they get older and fatter (and thus realize they are just human), or are so too tired to care about being the coolest kid on the block from five years of fighting aging - hello Botox!).
No matter what the reason, the older people get, the less seemed to care about cliques.
Until now. Welcome to the world of social media. Some of the "popular kids" in this new medium have begun to believe their own press. The levels of "full of self" and "full of shit" are reaching epic proportions.
I enjoy the interactions on Twitter, Blogging, Facebook, etc...., but there are some who have proclaimed themselves as the royal court and they look down their noses at those who are not part of the "Twitterati" (etc...). These self proclaimed "social media stars" are as phony as any pimply faced, Clearsil-covered teenager I have ever seen. Oh please.
I stopped following one guy because he is nasty. Sure 6,500 other fawn all over him, but the times I have seen him interact with others online there is a since of arrogance that I have not seen since sitting next to the homecoming queen in math class.
But to "unfollow" jerks comes easily in a social media world. You could not do that in high school. Wow, this is refreshing.
I also unfollowed anyone on Twitter who said mean spirited things during the United States Presidential Campaign. Sure, people can have differing opinions about political issues, but if they crossed the line and said mean and hateful personal stuff about Barak Obama, John McCain, Hillary Clinton or Sarah Palin...I just stopped following them. There is no time and no room in my social media world anybody who is dark in their soul.
I stopped reading the blogs of two popular bloggers that are seen as "all that and a bag of chips" in the blogosphere. They had clearly begun to believe that they were enlightened beyond the masses. Think Marie Antoinette. I don't want cake. At first I was curious what sparky outlandish things they might be saying, but within a week I no longer cared. I am not trendy-cool enough to be caught up in their wave anyway.
Today I read a tweet that said "I've noticed most guys who love talking about tech, Twitter, etc. actually have nothing to say. All megaphone and no message". I don't want to call the person who said it out by name, as that would be rude. His statement made me ponder about his message for a long time. Who is he judge the next guy's value? When was he appointed king of the internet? I must have been sick that day.
I am convinced that much of Twitter is just "noise", anyway, but so what. Sprinkled between the 140 characters of noise are powerful pieces of profound pontification. If you don't think someone adds to the stimulation of your brain, simply delete them from your Twitter Stream or stop reading their blog. Poof, they are gone from view, and their empty megaphone is no longer your problem. Why spend the time complaining about them, unless it is the superior feeling of the incessant whiner that you desire!
I tell my followers on Twitter that if I am just noise, they are free to unfollow me - no hard feelings. When I make such terse tweets I do see my numbers decline. But that is cool, because I only want to be connected with those whom there is a mutually mastered motif that magnifies the momentum of each other's mastery. If we cannot have a conversation, then we have nothing anyway.
We should all enjoy the ride that is the social media super highway. Moving fast and changing lanes is the name of the game. There are a lot of fun things to see along the way. But it is open to all, and we must not be overly judgemental of the others who have now come to play.
No matter how cool we think we are, we are all really living in the Land of Misfit Toys. And proud of it.
Have A Great Day.
thom
Take high school. Most people, no matter where they grew up, had similar experiences when it came to how social cliques took shape. This is the reason the movie The Breakfast Club is such a timeless classic - We all had popular kids, brainiacs, freaks, jocks, thugs, etc.... in our graduating classes. Everyone saw the experience from their own vantage point.
The majority of "too cool for school" people toned down their personal levels of self love and inflated egos after moving onto the real world. Observing people attending a 20 year reunion, there seems to be a great equalizer that takes over. Maybe this happens because they get older and fatter (and thus realize they are just human), or are so too tired to care about being the coolest kid on the block from five years of fighting aging - hello Botox!).
No matter what the reason, the older people get, the less seemed to care about cliques.
Until now. Welcome to the world of social media. Some of the "popular kids" in this new medium have begun to believe their own press. The levels of "full of self" and "full of shit" are reaching epic proportions.
I enjoy the interactions on Twitter, Blogging, Facebook, etc...., but there are some who have proclaimed themselves as the royal court and they look down their noses at those who are not part of the "Twitterati" (etc...). These self proclaimed "social media stars" are as phony as any pimply faced, Clearsil-covered teenager I have ever seen. Oh please.
I stopped following one guy because he is nasty. Sure 6,500 other fawn all over him, but the times I have seen him interact with others online there is a since of arrogance that I have not seen since sitting next to the homecoming queen in math class.
But to "unfollow" jerks comes easily in a social media world. You could not do that in high school. Wow, this is refreshing.
I also unfollowed anyone on Twitter who said mean spirited things during the United States Presidential Campaign. Sure, people can have differing opinions about political issues, but if they crossed the line and said mean and hateful personal stuff about Barak Obama, John McCain, Hillary Clinton or Sarah Palin...I just stopped following them. There is no time and no room in my social media world anybody who is dark in their soul.
I stopped reading the blogs of two popular bloggers that are seen as "all that and a bag of chips" in the blogosphere. They had clearly begun to believe that they were enlightened beyond the masses. Think Marie Antoinette. I don't want cake. At first I was curious what sparky outlandish things they might be saying, but within a week I no longer cared. I am not trendy-cool enough to be caught up in their wave anyway.
Today I read a tweet that said "I've noticed most guys who love talking about tech, Twitter, etc. actually have nothing to say. All megaphone and no message". I don't want to call the person who said it out by name, as that would be rude. His statement made me ponder about his message for a long time. Who is he judge the next guy's value? When was he appointed king of the internet? I must have been sick that day.
I am convinced that much of Twitter is just "noise", anyway, but so what. Sprinkled between the 140 characters of noise are powerful pieces of profound pontification. If you don't think someone adds to the stimulation of your brain, simply delete them from your Twitter Stream or stop reading their blog. Poof, they are gone from view, and their empty megaphone is no longer your problem. Why spend the time complaining about them, unless it is the superior feeling of the incessant whiner that you desire!
I tell my followers on Twitter that if I am just noise, they are free to unfollow me - no hard feelings. When I make such terse tweets I do see my numbers decline. But that is cool, because I only want to be connected with those whom there is a mutually mastered motif that magnifies the momentum of each other's mastery. If we cannot have a conversation, then we have nothing anyway.
We should all enjoy the ride that is the social media super highway. Moving fast and changing lanes is the name of the game. There are a lot of fun things to see along the way. But it is open to all, and we must not be overly judgemental of the others who have now come to play.
No matter how cool we think we are, we are all really living in the Land of Misfit Toys. And proud of it.
Have A Great Day.
thom
Thursday, January 15, 2009
Fame Comes Fast to Janis Krums - But Then What?
Janis Krums (aka @jkrums on Twitter) is a young guy. Entrepreneur. Former Athlete. Student of life. He is searching for the Next Big Thing in his life.
But one can never predict when or where that big thing will appear. As I said in a post the other day - you cannot force viral! Viral just happens.
On January 10th Janis wrote five goals for the year on his blog. Number five was "to have over 1000 followers on Twitter". The purpose of this goal was unclear, just something he wanted to help him market his personal brand as he grows his career. It followed the other goals for 2009 which included learning to sail, hitting his sales goals (not sure what he does), losing 15-20 pounds, and writing 100 blog posts (to improve his writing skills).
On January 15th he was in New York City aboard a ferry boat when a US Airways plane
crashed into the Hudson River. The ferry went to the scene to rescue the passengers. Janis took a photo with his iPhone and uploaded it to the internet and linked the picture to Twitter.
WAMMO. The picture was quickly seen round the world as it was "re-Tweeted" by people on Twitter and was then picked up by traditional news sights, bloggers, etc.....
Janis instantly was someone people knew about and were looking to learn more. Within a few hours he had gone from a couple of hundred followers on Twitter to well over 2000 and growing. Local and national TV news stations were calling his iPhone and sending him Twitter and email messages hoping to interview him.
He was instantly part of the Twitterati - the whose who of those who tweet. But had said nothing new on Twitter in hours. The audience came and Janis was quiet. Hmmmmm.
Now, all this took place just a few hours ago. What happens to Janis next? He still needs to take up sailing, write 97 more blogs (although he certainly has some stuff to write about after his busy day today!), sell some product, and lose 20 pounds to meet his goals for the year.
Will his 15 minutes of fame help him in any way with his entrepreneurial endeavors? Hard to tell.
Have A Great Day.
thom
PS- He seems like a cool kid. The kinda guy you might want to have a beer with at a tech conference. This is part of my criteria for following folks on Twitter (but not my criteria for how I vote for politicians!!!). I now follow him and will be interested to see if he has anything interesting to say after today.
UPDATE 1/16/09 - 6 AM- I see from his two Twitter comments since the photo that he has been on MSNBC and Good Morning America, and more.
When you google his name you get 1500 pages, most of which are related to his TwitPic photo.
But one can never predict when or where that big thing will appear. As I said in a post the other day - you cannot force viral! Viral just happens.
On January 10th Janis wrote five goals for the year on his blog. Number five was "to have over 1000 followers on Twitter". The purpose of this goal was unclear, just something he wanted to help him market his personal brand as he grows his career. It followed the other goals for 2009 which included learning to sail, hitting his sales goals (not sure what he does), losing 15-20 pounds, and writing 100 blog posts (to improve his writing skills).
On January 15th he was in New York City aboard a ferry boat when a US Airways plane
crashed into the Hudson River. The ferry went to the scene to rescue the passengers. Janis took a photo with his iPhone and uploaded it to the internet and linked the picture to Twitter.WAMMO. The picture was quickly seen round the world as it was "re-Tweeted" by people on Twitter and was then picked up by traditional news sights, bloggers, etc.....
Janis instantly was someone people knew about and were looking to learn more. Within a few hours he had gone from a couple of hundred followers on Twitter to well over 2000 and growing. Local and national TV news stations were calling his iPhone and sending him Twitter and email messages hoping to interview him.
He was instantly part of the Twitterati - the whose who of those who tweet. But had said nothing new on Twitter in hours. The audience came and Janis was quiet. Hmmmmm.
Now, all this took place just a few hours ago. What happens to Janis next? He still needs to take up sailing, write 97 more blogs (although he certainly has some stuff to write about after his busy day today!), sell some product, and lose 20 pounds to meet his goals for the year.
Will his 15 minutes of fame help him in any way with his entrepreneurial endeavors? Hard to tell.
Have A Great Day.
thom
PS- He seems like a cool kid. The kinda guy you might want to have a beer with at a tech conference. This is part of my criteria for following folks on Twitter (but not my criteria for how I vote for politicians!!!). I now follow him and will be interested to see if he has anything interesting to say after today.
UPDATE 1/16/09 - 6 AM- I see from his two Twitter comments since the photo that he has been on MSNBC and Good Morning America, and more.
When you google his name you get 1500 pages, most of which are related to his TwitPic photo.
Saturday, February 23, 2008
Metting On-line Friends
Networking in on-line communities continues to interest and amaze me. The camaraderie that can be built by reading someone's blog, following them on twitter, and watching them via a variety of other social networking and media tools can make you feel you know people whom you have never personally met.
Tonight I was invited to an Austin Twitter Meet Up organized because internet maven Susan Reynolds was visiting Austin. I could not attend due to other commitments, but wanted to drop in for for five minutes to meet Susan in person.
Susan is currently in a battle with breast cancer, and has taken on the courageous effort of sharing her journey with the world on her blog, Boobs on Ice. Her open messages of her struggles with cancer and chemotherapy has launched the internet based charitable efforts know known as The Frozen Pea Fund. In just nine weeks they have raised over $8000 for cancer research and started the paper work to form a permanent 501(c)3 non-profit corporation. Donations have come from those on-line friends and strangers, each giving small amounts.
I believe The Frozen Pea Fund is on its ways to much bigger numbers than $8000. I suspect that this organization, which was born out of Twitter, will take off and become a major force for good. I know this from spending just a few minutes with Susan, as she too is a force for good! I have been reading about Susan and the frozen peas since the fall, and I blogged about the fund raising efforts in December. I am glad I got the chance to meet her in person as she is a true inspiration.
My five minutes turned into twenty, as I delighted in having the chance to meet Susan and others whom I have only known via their digital persona's. These meetings of people who know each other via tools like Twitter happen all the time, and it gives one a chance to make real face-to-face connections. Look for ways to meet up with those you know on-line, you will be amazed at the cool-ness factor.
I wish I could have been there for the whole evening, as they all were having a great time! But I also know there WILL be a next time.
Have A Great Day.
thom
http://www.thomsinger.com/
Tonight I was invited to an Austin Twitter Meet Up organized because internet maven Susan Reynolds was visiting Austin. I could not attend due to other commitments, but wanted to drop in for for five minutes to meet Susan in person.
Susan is currently in a battle with breast cancer, and has taken on the courageous effort of sharing her journey with the world on her blog, Boobs on Ice. Her open messages of her struggles with cancer and chemotherapy has launched the internet based charitable efforts know known as The Frozen Pea Fund. In just nine weeks they have raised over $8000 for cancer research and started the paper work to form a permanent 501(c)3 non-profit corporation. Donations have come from those on-line friends and strangers, each giving small amounts.
I believe The Frozen Pea Fund is on its ways to much bigger numbers than $8000. I suspect that this organization, which was born out of Twitter, will take off and become a major force for good. I know this from spending just a few minutes with Susan, as she too is a force for good! I have been reading about Susan and the frozen peas since the fall, and I blogged about the fund raising efforts in December. I am glad I got the chance to meet her in person as she is a true inspiration.
My five minutes turned into twenty, as I delighted in having the chance to meet Susan and others whom I have only known via their digital persona's. These meetings of people who know each other via tools like Twitter happen all the time, and it gives one a chance to make real face-to-face connections. Look for ways to meet up with those you know on-line, you will be amazed at the cool-ness factor.
I wish I could have been there for the whole evening, as they all were having a great time! But I also know there WILL be a next time.
Have A Great Day.
thom
http://www.thomsinger.com/
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