Don’t pick the G.I. Joe action figure

Image courtesy of Destro

We have a toy philosophy for our kids that basically states: go open ended.

But, back to the toys. If you give kids a G.I. Joe action figure, you’ve basically defined for them the who, what, how and why of the toy. I mean where do they really have to go with it?

Juxtapose that with a wooden block. A wooden block can be anything. A dog, a car, a mountain…could even be G.I. Joe.

A static, brochure website is the equivalent of the G.I. Joe toy. Basically, it is what it is. You can change up your content or your images (if you have an easy to navigate content management system (CMS))…but to really expand it any way, you’d have to pay big bucks to a designer or coder. Just like you’d have to buy G.I. Joe’s new uber-tank to expand his outfit and capabilities.

But, the blog is the wooden block. It’s designed to be anything you want, anything you can imagine - and it’s made to grow by:

• the blogger him/herself
• the theme
• the blogging software
• the blog posts
• the plug-ins
• the widgets
• the links
• the readers
• the subscribers
• the sponsors
• the writer’s growing expertise
• the industry’s transformation
• the traffic
• the comments
• the search engine ranking
• the inquiries
• the relationships
• the technological advances
• the infinite possibilities…

Which one do you want??? Just askin’…

What comes first? The social networking or the egg?

And by ‘egg,’ I mean ‘blog.’

Beth Harte and Geoff Livingston recently wrote a great article about weeding out the ‘carpetbagger’ social media experts. In their list of 25 things to watch out for, I agreed wholeheartedly with 22 of them - and feel quite strongly about the three I disagree with.

The first point: ‘First recommendation is to blog’ is tackled below - the other two (blog ghostwriting and personal branding) are coming soon.

I can see why it might not always be the right first step for every single person or company. But, I have a hard time swallowing the notion that blogging first might be a misstep for most people - or that its suggestion would make the suggester a ‘carpetbagger.’ I started with my blog and then walked onto the social media scene, and my chosen order was highly beneficial for me, both personally and professionally. Here’s why:

1. Slow, steady, safe pace. My blog gave me a quiet place to watch my ideas develop and be instantly published. At first, no one was even looking, then readers started to show up, then their comments arrived. I had time to find my voice and learn how to respond to people in this medium. If you haven’t noticed, social media happens fast - especially on Twitter - and jumping into the networking madness before I really knew myself online (or how ‘online’ worked) was not the best choice for me.

2. Reason to interact. When you first start reaching out on social networks, sharing your blog content is a great way to introduce yourself (and I don’t mean in a pushy, salesy way) - but it does give you something to say. Having written your posts, you’ve obviously formulated your own opinions on topics that you will now feel confident discussing. Also, as a blogger, you have a healthy dose of appreciation for the other bloggers out there and it’s something you have in common (writing, tech, design, functionality, etc.) to connect about.

3. Portfolio, calling card, resume. Your blog is all of these things - so when people check out your Twitter, LinkedIn, Facebook, (etc.) page or bio, they have a clickable link that immediately provides an in-depth look into who you are and what you do. When I go to someone’s Twitter bio, for example, and there is no site/blog listed, I have virtually nowhere to go - no way to connect, forge a relationship or network. In this scenario, there is only a small amount of information available that tells me what this person can do for me and what I can do for them. Personally, when I network, I want all of my talents and skills visible to maximize my connection possibilities.

4. Blogs, by definition, expand our ability to be found online. My blog is part of my social networking world. Before I even set foot onto a social networking site, I had built a community around my blog. Then, my blog and my social networking sites blended, merged and grew together - and they continue to do so. In fact, both my blog and my social networks feed each other via organic searches, as well as word of mouth. (people find my blog and then come to follow me on Twitter and vice versa).

A blog is a brilliant way to establish an online presence by letting the world know all about you and your thoughts on everything connected to your industry and area of expertise.

5. Blog as listening tool. I don’t care what your business is - you have to listen to clients, customers, colleagues, peers, the world to succeed. Otherwise you won’t know what they want, why they want it or how you can give it to them. Blogs are a great listening tool because you can ask questions, listen to comments and watch your stat diagnostics (what people are searching for and reading). Of course, social media is a great listening tool as well (would never suggest otherwise).

6. Freedom and ownership. With so many rules and guidelines, blogs allow you to publish, to own, to think your thoughts and explore without being at the whim of a publisher. Your own real estate is always a great place to start…didn’t Madonna start off by singing and dancing around the house in her underwear? Certainly not on the world stage.

And, at the end of the day, I love blogs because they allow for so many different opinions - no one has to be right or wrong, but the arguments can and should be heard and discussed.

What did you do first? Blog or social networking?

Do you feel strongly that one or the other should happen first?

This blog is twitterfied

Really? You still aren’t convinced that Twitter is an incredible tool for business growth?

As of today, Twitter sends me 31% of my traffic. 31%. That’s darn near one third.

Yesterday, it was 28%…it’s a growing trend. And it’s in direct correlation to how I use it.

1. The writing. When I tell people about Twitter, I always bring up the movie A River Runs Through It. Do you remember how the narrator, Norman McLean, would bring his father a page of writing, only to have his dad send him back to make it shorter, to do it again? Eventually, he’d whittle that full page down to a scant paragraph: succinct, pure, direct, on message.

This is the opportunity that Twitter affords us. Take it. Have fun with it, use it to become a better writer.

And, proofread. Yes, you’ll be somewhat creative in your spellings and abbreviations - but make those purposeful and clean up any accidentals. Read your tweets out loud - make sure they make sense!

2. Connect, connect, connect. I DM (send a private Direct Message) every single person* that follows me. Yes, this is time consuming - but the purpose of Twitter is to connect. How can I not do that if I don’t look at this new person, find something about them that I can relate to (picture, bio, site, blog, recent tweet content). This first contact, for me, is where the relationship starts…and aren’t first impressions everything?

3. Listen. Stop in and just listen to what people are tweeting. What can you add? How can you help? What can you learn about the world in this moment?

4. Give. Be generous. What do you have to offer to your community? Retweet good tweets. Celebrate your followers’ accomplishments. There IS enough for us all.

5. Be Authenic. Who are you? Show people what makes you, you. And remember: you can please some of the people all of the time, and all of the people some of the time, but you can’t please all of the people, all of the time. So get over it and be you - attract those that will appreciate you (and even some that won’t!). But don’t change yourself for anyone…that will only bite you on the tush later (because it’s lying and that’s what lies do.)

6. Seize every opportunity. Seriously, grab it by the horns. There are opportunities popping up all over Twitter every second. What do you do with them? I explore them. I smell them. I squeeze them. And I pick them when they’re ripe.

*If the person that follows me is clearly a spammer (posting only links to themselves or promising money or sex), I block them which lets Twitter know that they are bad news!

Now, go! Tweet, connect and prosper!

Talking Roads

I am the little sister to two big brothers…who kind of tortured me (okay, in equal parts to how much I tortured them) while we were growing up. Teasing was their weapon of choice - and they preyed on my knack for verbalism, ie. talking a lot. Apparently, I was am loud, too. This was their favorite routine:

Jon: THIS IS JULIE YELLING!

Steve: THIS IS JULIE TALKING REALLY LOUD!

JON: THIS IS JULIE TALKING IN A NORMAL VOICE!

STEVE: This is Julie whispering!

jon: and this is julie not even talking at all!

Yes, sports fans, it’s a miracle that I grew up to be a communicator. But, I did. An educator and teacher, a writer and a public speaker, no less.

Ever the writer, in my past life, I was also a yoga teacher and workshop leader at Kripalu Center, the largest yoga retreat center in the world. I’ve presented independently to audiences as big as 2,000 at schools across the northeast. When I’m talking about my passions, I light up.

Those of you who know me do know that I’m not one to go heavy on the cheese, but when I speak to people about my passions, I tingle, I feel more alive than I knew I could feel. I am full to burst.

This is why I love to blog…it’s an extension of speaking for me. It virtually combines my devotion to writing and speaking.

And, it’s why I’ve taken this show on the road. I’m speaking (out-loud & off-blog) about writing, blogging and using social media to network and grow your business…authentically.

Why am I so passionate about writing, blogging and social media?

• Because learning these tools to grow my business has changed my life in ways that I never could have imagined. My mind, my skills, my personal and business connections, my aptitude for self-development & learning, my wallet, my quality of life, my happiness levels, my delight with life, my ability to be part of my family…they all grow every day as a result.
• Because to me, writing, blogging and social media breed, maximize and require authenticity. Without it, you will fail - social media is built that way. I help people find their authentic voice.

Why am I telling you this?

Because without sharing - the cycle, development, growth and joy deflate, stagnate, stop. By definition, this internet, and all it brings, thrives on the sharing of information.

How we can do it?

I am available to help, guide, inspire and catapult you through:

• Conferences
• Workshops
• Guest speaking
• Teleseminars
• Podcasts
• Blog/Article interviews
• Private consulting (individual, company, groups)

Let’s do it.

I look forward to hearing from you via email or 413.281.6013.

how to succeed in business…successfully (and like a real person)

Hi! My name is Al Aboutme from the Al Aboutme Print Shop! We print everything. Even holiday cards. Have any of those? ‘Cause I’ll print ‘em! What? You have cats? We print cat posters too! Come on down and visit us. Come to our website, www.printhereorelse.com. I need business and I want yours. What? You never print things? Sure you do, come on down, we’ll find something you can print…blah blah, blah blah, blah blah.

Gross. Don’t be like Al Aboutme.

To build your business, you have to network and you have to work with other people. You need to talk to them, collaborate, do business - but you don’t have to do it like Al, and you shouldn’t. Why? Because it isn’t comfortable for you or for the people around you…oh, and it doesn’t work.

Think about this: when a company comes at you via email, a social network, on the phone or by direct mail, you typically cringe at the sight or sound. You sense the ambush, you know they want something from you. But, when a person approaches you via email, a social network, on the phone or by direct mail, you wonder who they are, you look forward to making a connection, you engage in conversation.

Please be a person all the time:

• Listen to what people need.
• Listen more than you talk.
• Give more than you take.
• Be generous with your time & information.
• Be in places where your clients will be.
• Realize potential clients are everywhere.
• Be kind.
• Be your most authentic self.
• Stay true to your goals and mission.
• Check in with yourself & make sure your actions/words feel comfortable as they happen.
• Be honest about what you can and can not deliver.
• Have the resources to help your clients with the things you can’t supply.
• Grow with your industry & the world’s needs.

Who’s got your back?

I went to high school with one of my brothers, Steve, who is just two years older than me. Here’s a classic scenario from those good old days at Clayton High: I’m standing at my locker - talking, flirting, what have you with some boy that had trouble written all over his face (and body) - and from out of nowhere, Steve appears.

“What’s going on here?” He would bellow. “Are you okay? Is he bothering you?”

I’m not kidding.

He drove me crazy and the boys away. But as I’ve gotten older, I’ve realized this protection wasn’t actually a bad thing. I mean, what a concept? Someone watching out for you, able to swoop in just when you need them…hmmm, sounds oddly like a comic book I read somewhere…

How does it translate to being a freelance copywriter? Who’s got your back in the social media realm? The answer really speaks to the beauty of networking and being a genuine part of the conversation.

Because of social media, there are actual places you can go to be around people that understand your situation - like a local writer or tech listserve, a mom’s network such as Mom Bloggers Club or your own blog that builds community with conversation, comments and subscriptions/feeds. You can also cast your net somewhere like Twitter where word of mouth is fast and the conversation is faster. My experience with all of these examples is that most of the people using them are incredibly helpful, supportive and there to connect.

These people will help you navigate new proposals, pricing, finding the perfect word, tech breakdowns…and you’ll do the same for them.

When you participate in any networking group, online or off, you build relationships, and you make an impression. The quality of your relationships will span the range. There will be those you won’t get along with at all. Some people will actually become really good friends, trusted colleagues. And, you’ll find everything in between - acquaintances, fast & powerful encounters, steady contacts. As do most experiences, it’s got the makings of the classic bell curve.

Strong connections will be made with the most unlikely characters because the usual filters (class, clothes, environment, location, culture, etc.) aren’t present. No one is to be discounted (unless they behave badly) because you can’t predict where the jewels will be found.

Pay attention to the people that become the really good friends, the trusted colleagues, because they’re the ones that have your back. They’ll notice a typo in your last post, they’ll tell you what ‘LMAO’ means, they’ll be there if you need to share really bad news or really good news, they’re supportive - they’re real because you’ve been real with them. And, it’s likely, if required, they’ll show up at your locker and by your side.

Why you can’t quantify the ROI of Social Media & Blogging

When I’m working with a client to start a blog and/or use social media to grow their business, I’m always asked for the ROI (return on investment) because most people love the security of ‘if you give the Starbuck’s guy $5.00, he’ll give you a small coffee.’

But, using social media & blogging to grow your business doesn’t have a predictable ROI, or at least not one as quantifiable as the coffee example.

Here are some things that are guaranteed through the use of blogging & social media:

• Increased traffic to your website
• Increased rank
• Increased searchability

But guess what? These guarantees come with huge IF’s attached.

You’ll only get increased traffic, rank and searchability on your blog if you:

• Write on a regular basis
• Provide quality content and valuable information
• Link out
• Listen to what your readers or potential readers are looking for
• Read and comment meaningfully on other blogs

You’ll only get increased traffic, rank and searchability to your site with social media if you:

• Participate consistently
• Listen
• Give more than you take
• Are authentic
• Provide quality content and valuable information
• Join in for the conversation and to learn - not just for the sale

But, there’s another huge reason why the ROI is a big IF. You may not know this, but I’m a yoga teacher with over 500 hours in training - I used to teach guest yoga and workshops at Kripalu Center - and it was one of the creative and giving highlights of my life. And, one of the many lessons I learned through my own practice and from my teachers was that no two people will ever experience or do a yoga posture in the same way. In fact, you, yourself, will not do a yoga posture the same way twice - because we are all unique, moment to moment.

Think about that. I’m older hour by hour, I’ve learned new information, I’m tired, I’m excited about something - but I’m never the same, so I can’t experience or do anything in the same way. This applies to blogging & social media and the unquantifiable-ness of ROI because no one will behave the same way from day to day or network to network. The pose, if you will, consistently changes…and so do the results.

So, your performance on your blog and on your social networks depends on you:

• Are your eyes open to networking?
• Do you take opportunities?
• Are you creative when you network?
• Do you experiment? See what works, try new things, recalibrate, re-try?

And, finally, I (literally just) had this question answered by Chris Brogan (social media expert and fantastic blogger) on a livestream podcast. He said there is no ROI for blogging & social media. They are tools, part of a communications and marketing strategy. Your sales closing process determines your ROI.

Very good point. Blogging & Social Media make connections, they get you to the people - you have to close the deal. Though, how you behave in those places directly impacts who you attract and your reputation while setting the foundation for said deal closings.

Like another successful tool, blogging & social media work if you work ‘em. It’s all up to you - and I have all the confidence in the world that you can make it happen.

Check the tag - you’re it.

Last week, I got tagged. One of the coolest chics around, Jennifer Smith, who runs Eco-Office Gals, a virtual assistant company with a solidly green touch, tagged me - which means that she called me out! Basically, I have to tell you several things about myself that you couldn’t possibly know and then I’ll tag some of my favorite bloggers.

And, as much as I admire, enjoy and respect Jennifer, I couldn’t help but think that this sounded an awful lot like a chain letter. But there is something about blogs (good, real ones) that trumps the chain letter. And then, I saw this incredible post by another favorite of mine, Ann Handley where she was wildly creative and literary about her tag assignment, and it sealed the deal. Besides that? It’s Friday…so what the heck.

Therefore, here I am. And here are seven things that you can’t tell by looking:

1. I was a cheerleader in high school for about 5 minutes.
2. I got kicked off the squad for getting into a fist fight with one of my close girlfriends (over a boy).
3. I ended up on the field hockey team where I belonged. (#13)
4. I went to an girls summer camp in northern Minnesota for 9 years. Spent 2 months of my summer with my best friends in the entire world - absolute best time of my life. My nickname was (and still is to my camp friends) Fish.
5. I broke my arm 4 times before my 12th birthday (each arm twice). The last time was at 11pm during a slumber party, and, my mom (who is a very dear and sweet person) set me up in bed with some tylenol and ice and told me I could wait until morning to go to the doctor. And, I’ve never let her live that one down!
6. I’m allergic to Chicago. Seriously. After getting the stomach flu consistently every time I went there for several years as a child, I stopped going. Which is why BlogHer having its second conference in 3 years there is really causing me some trouble.
7. I know this is on my About page, but I love butter. It’s my favorite food. I put it on everything. But, I mean really put it on everything. Peanut butter or cream cheese to some people’s bread is what my butter is to my bread - thick. People think I’ve got cheese squares, but no - it’s hunks of butter. I even eat hunks of butter with my steak. Surprisingly, I’m not overweight - my insides are too greased up to hold onto any excess, I suppose.

Now, I’ll be passing this along to some blogging comrades who will also have to play this little game or else their pinky toenail will fall off…just kidding!

Here are some favs:

Gwen Bell (there simply aren’t words to describe)

Lisa Poisso (because this blog is incredible and so full of GREAT information)

Genia Stevens (because she is so badass)

Trees Instead (because I want them to have a blog and I’d be happy to write it for them)

Genuine (because men blog too)

how does social media work?

I gave a workshop this weekend on blogging and social media, and this inevitable question was asked: ‘how does social media work?’ It’s a great question. I only wish it had been asked today instead because while I had several, perfectly good examples/answers at the ready, this weekend offered up the ultimate case study.

At some point on Saturday, a woman saw an add for Motrin. And it pissed her off. You can watch it below - but the gist is that they mock babywearing as a passing fad that ’supposedly’ helps you bond with your baby and they belittle the mom experience.

In fact, babywearing is an age-old practice that:

• promotes the baby’s health and well-being,
• (and the mother’s because she can have a life and move while still maintaining contact with her child),
• supports and energizes all life systems (neurological, respiratory, digestive, etc.),
• helps develop strong trunk and leg muscles (babyworn babies stand and walk earlier),
• stimulates the brain with real life learning as the view and activities change consistently as opposed to staring at the mobile attached to a car seat or playset,
• encourages independence by establishing a sense of trust and safety (being close to mom) during the totally dependent months

…I could go on for days, but this isn’t my point. And yes, I wore both of my babies. Here’s the ad:

And, here’s how social media worked - in both big and small ways:

1. Word spread like wild fire through Twitter, a group was organized with the hashtag ‘#motrinmoms’ (On Twitter, hashtags are identifying tags making tweets searchable and findable).
2. An onslaught of complaints hit the Motrin site.
3. Many blog posts were written across the blogosphere (like this one) bringing attention to what was done wrong (and sometimes going against the women upset with Motrin because everyone gets a voice).
4. Because of the discussions, a countless number of new connections were made - people found new contacts on Twitter, readers found new favorite blogs and these sparks will undoubtedly roll into hookups on other social networks.
5. The case against Motrin took to social bookmarking sites like Digg, Delicious and Stumble - spreading the word even further.
6. The case against Motrin took to the social media sites when the ad appeared on YouTube and blogs.
7. Motrin took the ad down within 6 hours. (Now it only lives on YouTube and blogs).
8. Motrin took it’s entire website offline (as of Sunday night, still down at the time this went to ‘press’).
9. Moms who complained to Motrin directly received emails from the marketing company in charge of this campaign with an ‘we meant no harm’ apology.
10. A Motrin boycott was launched.
11. PR professionals, such as Sarah Evans and Peter Shankman are rolling out smart plans for Motrin to come out of this alive - other companies would be smart to take note of these plans and USE them to avoid the same fiasco. The fallout for people like Sarah Evans and Peter Shankman to get work from their insights are high.
12. Personally, my conversations and tweets about the #motrinmoms with people on Twitter have led me to multiple exciting contacts (including one with a magazine I’ve always wanted to write for), interactions that will benefit some of my clients and some follows from some folks on Twitter that I deeply admire.
13. What happened is, I’m sure, being replicated over and over and over.
14. As this story gets picked up, I can only imagine that it will bring a broader understanding and acknowledgment of social media and it’s potential to bring change, or at least shake things up.
15. Increased awareness of babywearing and why proper fit and position is critical to avoiding motrin and mom tears.
16. Backlash…just wait…especially when women speaking out are involved, it always rears its ugly head.

One situations, huge results and effects -that’s how social media works.

I’m positive there were more results than I could possibly know…feel free to use your imagination and add your thoughts in the comments below (and play nice, of course).

Update: Motrin’s mis-step makes a perfect reminder: * It’s still International Babywearing Week (Nov. 12-18). * There are still needy mamas out there who don’t have slings to help them hold their babies close. If you felt Motrin’s misdirected ad was worthy taking the time to complain about, don’t forget to take a positive step, as well: donate a sling to a needy family.

digg it: the niched edition

As far as social bookmarking tools go, Digg is up there. It’s huge, and so is its playing field. The point of Digg is to allow anyone to post and share any good web content they find - whether it’s from a mega-site or a small blog - about any topic and from any perspective. They claim to be leveling the field by giving anyone a chance to be seen in this central place. And, this does happen. In the end, though, it’s all about the best content making it to the top….sort of. Right now, on the front page of Digg, there’s an article titled, “The 6 Biggest A**holes in the Animal Kingdom” - to be honest, I didn’t read it, maybe it’s a fantastic read.

Lauren Weitzman decided that the Digg pool was just too big. She’s right, you know. Why should people looking for political news wade through sports content? Why should gamers wade through celebrity fashions? And, why should moms wade through everything that is un-mommish?

Lauren’s (that’s @mommybar to all of you Twitterheads) solution was to develop MommyRanks. A site that allows Moms to post content about every subject you can imagine and then vote, or rank, the content. Just like Digg, the cream rises to the top. Yet, the field has narrowed because the common denominator is now Mom, whereas on Digg, it’s ‘everything Web’.

I asked Lauren what gave her the kick in the pants to create MommyRanks.

“I wanted to create a new type of site.” She said, “Most social networks are all looking the same lately, so I didn’t want to create another one of those. The social bookmarking and voting sites are a new breed and I enjoy participating in them, and I thought there was a great opportunity for the mom niche in this arena.”

And, why do Moms need their own social bookmarking site?

“Most of the big social bookmarking sites are great, but they are very broad. I thought that I could fill a need for mom bloggers. Also, mom bloggers love to promote themselves and their posts, and MommyRanks caters to this. Finally, with the new dsesign of MommyRanks, not only can moms promote their own site, but a screenshot of their webpage is embedded into MommyRanks for all to see. The slogan for mommyRanks is ‘Submit*Vote*Comment*Discover’, and I think that the site allows mom bloggers to do all four of these very easily.”

I think so too…and there’s a little more elbow room, more space (because it’s smaller) to let yourself step up and be heard. I would never suggest that a mom blogger somehow can’t play in the Digg sandbox (sorry, couldn’t help that), you know I think mom bloggers are uber-powerful…but for those of you just starting out, isn’t it nice to know that you can start here? Lauren will even help you if you need it…just ask.

Addition: If you read the comments below, you’ll see that Sandra, who is a fantastic mommy blogger, isn’t totally wowed by MommyRanks - and I think this opinion is totally valid and deserves some explanation on my part up here. MommyRanks is not Digg…yet. It’s still young, so neither its validity nor its impact has been proven. But I think there’s hope. And one of the best ways to grow it as a powerful site is to spread the word and encourage people to visit it and use it…so here I am, talking to you.