I believe that there is ripe opportunity for you to go and grow your own chance. Let’s say you want to become a chef. You want to have your own show on Food Network. Where do you start? Well, thanks to all these new avenues you create a blog listing all your personal recipes, recommendations, and memories of what inspired you to want to be a culinary wonder. That blog can be your hub for content, taking those previous recipes and recording them so that people (and restaurateurs) can see your step by step approach to a classic or an original dish.

Maybe cooking isn’t your thing, (onions make me cry too). You want to be the next syndicated radio talk-show host and have a national following. How would you begin to build this kind of audience? Use twitter search to find leads on stories you’d like to cover- many young reporters are doing the same thing since twitter is so close to the pulse of the people. Once you begin collecting stories and editorials, ask businesses or professionals if they’d be willing to discuss a specific topic in an interview or profile. Create your own radio show on blogtalkradio so that you can begin to see what works and what you need to improve on. Having the actual radio show will allow you to then create a facebook fanpage where you can interact with listeners and guests. A facebook page would also give you a chance to promote your upcoming shows, topics, and specials in a neat package already geared for social sharing.

How would I take my own advice? Well I’d start with YouTube or Vimeo. Comedy is wonderful when you can see and hear it together. The anticipation of a good time is what keeps you coming back for more laughs. You want to see the performer make a fool of himself, falling over the table. You want to hear the funny voice she has chosen for the particular character she’s playing. Video is what I need to start producing if I ever want to get my chance at being a regular on Saturday Night Live. Creating a campaign that involves video, social media platforms, and regular content creation become building blocks to success. You don’t need a great marketing budget to produce awesome content; if you’re passionate about your craft you’re already able produce quality content.

This summer a few of my friends and I went about the task of writing sketches for a potential comedy troupe we’d talked about for years. We haven’t shot anything yet but even the idea of it makes me giddy. I have a lot of ideas and talent within my soul and social media is the perfect way of delivering those gifts. I owe it to myself to slide the nerves aside and embrace the challenge of failing on camera…even I it’s just a webcam. If it’s what I truly love then that’s worth the risk, right?

What are your dreams? Are you living them day to day already? Do you think that social media could help unlock doors you once thought were bolted shut? I’d love to hear your reactions and responses. Feel free to talk with me @jwsteiert.

Every Christmas Eve my family travels the 4 miles to my Mom-Mom’s for Christmas dinner. It’s probably my favorite part of the holidays. What I really think sets the Christmas Eve tradition over the top is the anticipation: the moment when you’ll discover what’s inside those boxes with your name. Now that I’m a bit older the role is reversed a bit, giving gifts to my younger cousins and goddaughter, with me anxiously waiting to see if your gift selections will bring joy.

After my goddaughter opened up her gift, my Aunt gave me the gift that was ‘from’ my goddaughter. I was thrilled to find the Complete 2nd & 3^rd Seasons of Saturday Night Live. Boy, that 2 ½ year old knows my tastes very well. I had already gotten the 1^st Season of SNL a few Christmases ago and loved every minute of those DVDs. The Not Ready for Primetime Players were bold pioneers that joined Lorne Michaels on the strange journey through late-night TV in 1975. They were passionate about their craft and wanted to share with a larger audience- an audience NBC wasn’t completely sold on. 31 years later, SNL is an American staple, launching the careers of entertainers, writers, and producers. It’s something every comedian wants to aspire to, a goal many have and a fate few achieve. I am one of the many who yearn to get to SNL one day.

I was 13 when I first started performing Improvisational Comedy. Since then I’ve grown fond of voice imitations, physical impressions, character development, subtle, awkward humor, and just general performance. Laughter, when gained from a live audience, is like a legal drug that will keep you coming back for more. Stage performance is the ability to to bare your soul on your own terms, while hoping your audience will accept your presentations.

To walk out onto the stage of Studio 8H in Rockefeller Center and exclaim, yes indeed we are, ‘Live, from New York, it’s Saturday Night!’; this I would love to come to fruition. There is no guarantee of such a dream being fleshed out, of course. The only way to get there is through hard work, trail, and error. It may seem like such a longshot, especially for someone who hasn’t really done any stage performing for 6 years, but stranger things have happened.

Dreams are what keep us going. When we feel bogged down by the tedious works and chores, we need someplace to feel comfortable, even if only in our minds. Dreams are things that will continue to inspire even after the odds point against your favor. These are all things we’ve heard before, I know because I’ve heard the clichés countless times. But dreams are the motivation behind so much of what we do, and if we don’t have them, we have nothing to work towards. Our full potential lies within us- and yes we’ll need help to achieve- but those in the position to provide support look for heart and hustle.  We should dream, and we should dream big.  With the advent of modern technology, we have the whole world in front of us, in our pockets, and at our fingertips. Never have we had a better chance at making our dreams a reality.

The 13 year old in me is very grateful for this new and accessible world. I’m going to need that leverage to impress Lorne Michaels.

My next post will feature a few great ways on how to use social media to make dreams happen. What are your dreams?  How are you going about accomplishing them this new year? I’d love to hear your reactions and responses. Feel free to talk with me @jwsteiert.

Facebook is known for the lack of privacy and selling personal information. Here’s a solid plan on how to be informed about who is using your information and where. Did you know that even when you purposely do not publish your real name or phone number, Facebook has found a way around that issue to still give out your data. Want to see?

According to this recent article posted on Law.com,

The FTC alleged that Facebook violated the FTC Act, which bars unfair and deceptive conduct, by falsely promising consumers that their information would be kept private. “On numerous occasions, Facebook violated its privacy commitments to hundreds of millions of users,” said FTC chairman Jon Leibowitz in a conference call with reporters.  

For example, the FTC alleged that Facebook changed its Web site in December 2009 so that previously private information, such as friend lists, were made public without warning users in advance or seeking their approval. Facebook also failed to reveal that third-party apps could access nearly all of users’ personal data. Facebook also promised users that it would not share their personal information with advertisers, but did so nonetheless. The company also claimed that when users deactivated or deleted their accounts, their photos and videos would be inaccessible. But Facebook allowed access to the content, even after users had quit.

The settlement bars Facebook from making any further deceptive privacy claims, requires that the company get consumers’ approval before it changes the way it shares their data, and requires that it obtain periodic assessments of its privacy practices by independent, third-party auditors for the next 20 years.

Facebook learned its lesson, right? Special Monitoring by no other than our government, (eek,) a slap on the hand… they hung their heads in shame? Not so much.  According to CBSNews.com, another privacy leak has been found. Just one week after the settlement was announced users found that their private photos were on display:

A member the bodybuilding.com forum discovered a security flaw in Facebook that would allow anyone to access a user’s private photos. That discussion thread has since been deleted.  The method was a roundabout way that would only come in handy if you wanted to block a user or report obscene photos.  Once a person is reported, an option popped up to help Facebook filter out the obscene content. If you checked off the “inappropriate profile photos” option, another box would give the option to report “nudity or pornography.” If this option was selected, Facebook displayed all of the user’s private photos.

How does Facebook get away with it all? The answer is very, very, simple: We are really, really ignorant. We are too trusting and far too kind when it comes to giving away our personal data.  I started cracking down over a year ago on who had my information and who I allowed to use it willingly. The first steps I took, was to truly lock down my Facebook profile. This meant, I controlled what people could see, how much they saw and whether or not my information was used in their advertisements.  I routinely check my Facebook monthly to make sure that my settings stay the same way I left them, (Facebook has been known to change user settings randomly and blame ‘glitches.’)

Protect yourself in 3, easy steps:

1.) Settings

One important setting that you need to be aware of is Facebook Ads. To find your advertising settings, go to: Account Settings —> Facebook Ads and read all the text. There are hidden check boxes after links. (Notice how it’s not straight-forward?) You need to look all over your profile settings for how Facebook has hidden it’s deceptive practices.

Ads shown by third parties

To find out about instant personalization, go to: Privacy Settings —>Apps, Games and Websites —> Instant Personalization —> Edit Settings. A video will come up telling you to be excited about selling your information for free. (Yes, I’m serious.) After you are done watching the video, you have to press CLOSE. Then you’re given access to your own settings.  What does it say?

Instant Personalization

We’ve partnered with a few websites to provide you with great, personalized experiences the moment you arrive, such as immediately playing the music you like or displaying friends’ reviews. To tailor your experience, these partners only access public information (like your name and profile picture) and other information you’ve made public. When you first arrive at the following sites, you’ll see a notification message and an option to turn off the personalized experience: Bing – Social Search Pandora – Personalized Music TripAdvisor – Social Travel Yelp – Friends’ Local Reviews Rotten Tomatoes – Friends’ Movie Reviews Clicker – Personalized TV Recommendations Scribd – Social Reading Docs – Document Collaboration To turn off instant personalization on all partner sites, uncheck the box below.   Enable instant personalization on partner websites.

Know all those annoying articles that come up in your timeline about what atrocious news stories your friends are reading? You can unclick that box and your information will not be shared with your friends.

2.) Photos

In October, I signed in to Facebook to see a photo of my friend Mandy getting a procedure done to her face. Knowing she was gorgeous, but way too busy to model, I decided to give her a call. “Mandy, you’re getting hair removal on the right hand side of my Facebook.”  She died laughing, (that was, until I emailed her the photo.) She recognized her own face instantly. Her children also pointed to the photo and said, “Mommy!” Mandy was very uncomfortable. The worst part? It was for a new hair-removal company in Minneapolis. Her photo had been stolen and photoshopped. It certainly grabbed my attention. When I asked Mandy if she locked down her photos she said, “No, because the kids are cute and I want family to be able to see.” It was then that Mandy got a very rude awakening. Anyone can right-click on a photo on facebook and save it.

Rule #1: Always, always lock down your facebook photos, especially  if you have children.

In early November, my profile photo was stolen and used for another person’s profile. How did I know? Facebook recognized the face with their recognition software and suggested that I friend myself. Many people reported the photo and the fake profile was taken down as a TOS violation.

Rule #2: Always watermark your photos. This is something I’m going to start doing, TONIGHT. I’ll use easy watermarking software and make sure all my photos are never used for advertising purposes. Will it deter someone 100%? No. Will it make it harder for them to use the photo? Yes. The only 100% deterrent, is to not use Facebook.

Did you know that simply uploading sharp and clear images anywhere, you make yourself the target of stolen identity or photos?

Rule #3: Never, ever upload ‘high-res’ images on  your facebook. If you need to keep client’s photos, or brand photos, consider using Flickr, a great alternative to Facebook photos with way, more privacy.

3.) Ditch the unsecure password

On every website you visit and subsequently give your personal information too, if you don’t protect that information with a hearty password, you might as well hand over the keys to your bank account or identity. Passwords are being hacked more and more often. To protect yourself, make sure your password has at least  variables. What are variables?

1.) Uppercase letter

2.) Lowercase letter

3.) Number

4.) Punctuation

5.) Symbol

Here’s an example of a poor password that looks good: 121399jfg  It looks solid, right? If that’s one of your children’s  birthdays or perhaps your anniversary, STOP IT! It’s easy to hack, especially if your information is everywhere. Consider a password like this: G1raff3!23  It’s easier to remember then you think. Keep your passwords on a secure file, (flashdrive that is with you not with the computer,) or a piece of paper in a locked cabinet. Think I’m over-reacting? Here is a great article from over 4 years ago. Remember, technology has changed A LOT in the last few years. If a layman or woman can do it, any machine can.

You can stay safe by educating yourself about the risks and knowing how certain websites are using your private data.

“This child is a part of the generation that will someday rule the world. Physical magazines and newspapers will seem like sad, silly things to her. Only of use to doddering fools who remember a simpler time.” – Lance Ulanoff

Some of you may have read Mashable’s newest article about how old and tangible media, (books, newspapers, magazines,) are considered ‘broken‘ or vastly out of date to a new generation. Some of you may have even noticed that AT&T sponsored the post and that it was in fact a large, content-driven advertisement for its annual Mashable’s conference, with tickets in the $600 range. Lance reminises about the events that have lead up to this revolution, I reminisced about transparency. Could I actually have believed this was a solid case for new media instead of a very complex advertisement?

I was enticed to read the article from a tweet. The article was well-written and gave an account by decade of all the information leading up to the assumption that paper and ink, by their very nature were obsolete. It went on to state that this ‘revolution,’ (though it’s certainly happening,) has changed the landscape of media, forever. Lance showcased the greed behind magazines and advertising rates, citing that over 60% of the magazine itself, was advertisements and less than 40% was content. The author had me until he started using words like, “massacre,” and later, blaming bloggers and the evolution of real-time-media.

“Simultaneously, countless bloggers were setting up what might be called daily or hourly online newspapers where they opined on their topic of choice. These destinations probably hurt niche publications most. Those small, vertical magazines (think Cat Fancy) thrived on serving a target audience, but only once or twice a month. Blogs hit the topic hourly.” – Lance Ulanoff

Never once did I see actual criticism for the writing, and the poor content that has plagued newspapers and magazine over the past decade. If the quality remained in newspapers and print media, there would be fewer reasons to find information elsewhere.  Have we really become this lazy as a society that we no longer care where we get our news, as long as we get it first? When everyone has an opinion, it opens our minds. When everyone is convinced their writing and opinions are correct, it closes conversations. Additionally, when Mashable takes a stab at the industry of tangible media and claims it all might disappear, the self-serving aspect  of the article speaks loudest. One header actually read, “All Your Media Are Belong To Us.” We get it, Mashable.

Well-written, tangible media should always have a place in our society. There is something to be said of the accomplishment of turning a single page for me, or the feeling of not wanting to put a book down after being finished. The more we label print media as, “old,” the more we restrict the promise and importance of printed mediums for future generations. For Mashable to claim one is, “not needed,” or “extinct,” is the moment we discredit a still, very-viable method of receiving information. The solution is dramatically simple: Provide better content, in all mediums. Create advocates behind your words, photos, video because it is GOOD, not because it is new and fresh.

Printed pages from the internet don’t offer my office walls the same look as ripped pages from a magazine. To even start the article with the shocking video of a toddler unable to understand a book speaks more to the child’s parents than to our society as a whole. One recent statistic speaks volumes:

“Children are more likely to own a phone than a book.”  - DailyBuzzBlog

Kristina Bjoran commented on the misleading opening of the toddler and the article by stating this:

“What that video shows is a tiny person doing what she would do whether or not she’s seen an iPad before or not–developing her motor skills and the way she interfaces with the world. People are projecting intention into this little girl, and the video’s editing is very intentional.”

While I can’t argue at statistics and the way the world is moving, I can point out that this debate has happened in countless summits, board rooms and conferences over the past few years.  If we are intentionally raising a generation of children not aware that books exist, we are dooming ourselves into stupidity. Online media is ONE, singular tool that is available. The moment it becomes the only tool, is the moment we need to step back and wonder why we placed so much worth on the new and different and so little on what has brought us to this point. I read Wired magazine, (in print form,) along with my CES Quarterly. Why? Quality will always win. I’ll bet my keyboard on it.

girlmeetsgeek (c)

The pictures I love most, often focus the eye on a single element while the rest is quietly muted in the background. They speak to me in a way nothing else does. But blur online, can be a very different thing; damaging your brand what  you’ve worked so hard to create…

I ‘ve always been a staunch defender of the truth. Perhaps that’s why I’ve always veered on the side of too many footenotes, and too much linking to other sources. There are two things I want to be known for: Being a courageous leader and being a credible source. The rest, is cake.

I learned of  the most valuable secrets of life a few years back. I am not great on my own and therefore my business, or anyway I portray myself is not a one-woman machine. I am surmised of those who have inspired and influenced me. I speak openly of my love for my mentors and those I appreciate. I learned that simply bringing my whole self to the pot-luck of online, (my signature dish,) that I was 100% more credible, trustworthy and REAL. It’s why so often when I see the muddy waters of other’s choices online where I wonder why they haven’t discovered that their power isn’t in taking over someone else, but rather bringing that person with them. One of my greatest weaknesses is the almost-literal tattoo of my heart outside my body. I mean what I say and I say what I mean. This is why I am so passionate about doing RIGHT and CREDIBLE, online.

Why is it that as a writing community, some are so afraid to cite where they found a photo or inspiration? Look at August’s example of one of the largest plagiarizing fails I’ve ever seen.

The past few years, the writing community, (not only blogging, but all articles,) has seen a prolific rise in content-stealing. A quick google search brings up thousands of first-hand accounts and articles on people’s experiences. As a print journalist and a blogger, I was raised and schooled with the MLA/AP-Stylebook. We cite our sources, we cite them often and we back up our stories with legitimate information. Sadly, many bloggers do not view themselves as journalists and don’t adhere to rules of citing other’s work. For the past few months @MikeEllsworth, @RobertHeadley, @TheRedheadSaid and a few others have been engaging in the discussion, “Where does the citation buck stop when it comes to, ‘inspiration?” Social Media Chats were hosted by #SMManners which has continuously discussed the same issue. It’s not only happening by robotic scrapers of sites, but by those we know and to those we respect.

Lisa Hendrickson from @CallThatGirl recently posed the following question: “What do you all think of this? When someone copies your work, ideas and other other stuff, do you think it’s a compliment or a jerk thing to do? They say it should be taken as a compliment. I think it’s lazy and shows lack of creativity.”  Brittney Wilson from @TheNerdyNurse recently noticed someone made a similar name and blog, (close enough to her own for her to question what the motives might be.) Brittney has a killer brain and complete optimism, (two traits I adore about her.) Her response was simple, “Maybe I inspired them.”

I’m the type of person that if I notice a similarity, I ask around, gather opinions and then weigh the entire situation. I love a debate and I love being informed. When I noticed another well-known blogger had deceptively-similar posts to mine, (right down to keywords, phrases, touch points and sentence structure,) I spent a over month analyzing, collecting information and since I had already emailed the other site without response, I knew I had some difficult choices to make. Because it wasn’t a one time, or even two-time occurrence, I realized something deeper was going on. A month and a half ago, I received two emails and a DM asking if I had noticed what was going on. Some I responded to, other’s I played ‘dumb.’ When others started noticing, I knew it was time to really think about my brand and the damage that might be caused if I let it fester. Plus, although I didn’t have a relationship to the other blogger, we work closely in the same space. I had already emailed the same blogger months back without a response regarding what I noticed. I tried to be delicate but firm. Then when I noticed another striking similarity, I decided to comment on their blog, cite my blog and be as professional and kind as possible. I learned a valuable lesson: I needed to protect my content, even if it was a coincidence, I would be doing my brand a disservice to stay uninformed or without action.

The quote that stayed with  me most from the entire experience was, “You’re both moms! You’re bound to write some of the same stuff.”  If that logic is true, how do newspapers, magazines and other collateral function for the same population of readers?  Can you imagine using that logic elsewhere, like on print materials? And how on earth could this same blogger write the about the exact same life experiences, quotes, keywords and content only a month after mine? We are human and the more we have in common, the more our voices can sound similar, I knew I had to acknowledge that important point. What I noticed however, is that the blog moved from updates about children to blatant life experiences and quotes that mirrored mine. When one blogger notices or chooses to ignore another writer’s content and it’s similarities, it’s easy to feel disrespected or slighted. My journalism teacher once spoke, “A true writer credits. A shoddy and lazy writer steals.” That quote has remained with me to this day.

Since I am a technology writer,  I know first-hand the extreme levels online and offline media will go, making sure their content is original and reliable. When everyone is writing about a launch or product, similarities are bound to occur. Last year at CES2011, I saw in the press room with hundreds of people that all abide by the same code: Get the scoop, make it credible and publish it first. It’s our mantra. To succeed, the only thing missing is our original voice. That is the secret sauce to good media.

Luckily, @MikeEllsworth has a penchant for sourcing  and our favorite buzz word, “credibility,” as much as I do and we began another dialog. He’s a great sounding-board and intelligent-thinker. I even leaned on the #SMManners crew for their advice a few twitter chats ago. We were concerned at the amount of plagiarism that seemed to run amok in our community. Not only that, we noticed that ideas were not protected like quotations. For credibility’s sake, we looked into whether they should be. The ultimate question becomes, “Do we actually need to credit inspirational sources?” My answer is a resounding, YES.

Inspirational sources are those you’ve seen, or heard from that had a lasting impact. You may be inspired by a song, a phrase, another writer or other media entirely. Citing that source for your blog not only helps with keywords, but it allows you to continue to be genuine and heartfelt in your words. I speak nationally about remaining credible online and offline. In my presentations, I often tell my audience exactly how to get in touch with those that have inspired me; I am proud our relationship and the fact I can share their wisdom. Crediting another source, (even after publishing,) creates strong bonds with your writing network and shows credibility, grace and professionalism. It also proves you are a true writer first and your ego is second. Have you ever been in a room with someone who continuously chimes into every conversation or has a personal story for each thing you are saying? The ‘know it all,’ is often immediately internally ignored because their ego is clearly larger than their heart. We are always learning and growing, to try to prove ourselves otherwise is detrimental to ourselves and our readers.

The waters are grey and muddy in online media. We routinely see people’s RT’s posted without their name. Often, the original source might have been forgotten all-together. We are humans and it happens. If we err on the side of caution, thanking someone for the inspiration or acknowledging the similarity, (instead of making up an ill-conceived excuse,) it’s viewed better and the respect stays intact.

In his infinite wisdom, @MikeEllsworth shared with me his favorite way to protect his brand online. He stated his top 3 tips to protect your brand, online:

1.) Post your attribution policy right on your site, and right in the description of the free material. Include the request that those who use your work link back to your site.

2.) Make the download a PDF that does not allow cutting and pasting or printing. That will slow up the less-capable.

3.) Do a routine Google search of sites periodically to find your material and ask the site owners to link to you. That will increase your Page Rank, and make you more money. Turn that annoyance into an advantage.

Additionally, don’t forget about the benefits of CopyScape, a website dedicated to alerting you or helping you search to find YOUR content in other’s websites and Google Alerts, a service that notifys you of certain phrases or words that hit the web. By using free tools you can protect spam bots and other unethical entities from taking what is rightfully yours. Unfortunately, some copyright issues can occur closer to home. In 2008, I reached out to another blogger to let her know I was concerned about the way my words weren’t being attributed on their blog. I received an immediate apology and was credited, even complimented. It was an amazing experience. Sadly, a few months ago, I received no reply to what I had been noticing.

You’ll notice in my posts, the ‘blue‘ words are clickable, I’m a passionate linker.  In the world of blogging, it’s much less complicated to cite sources, inspiration or give credit to additional parties. Since I believe that by simply taking people with me and acknowledging their presence in my brand, business and writing I’ve become a better writer, a more successful business entity and ultimately more trustworthy in my public’s eye. The truth is: We don’t have to know the answer to everything, because that is what our community is for.

Bottom Line: Check Your Privacy Settings In The Upcoming Days…

Confused about the newest FB Updates?

Facebook has finally caught onto #hashtags and the power of keyword searching. They are connecting the world and caching our information in everything we do, including building a timeline from our join date on facebook until now, (segregated in photos/status updates, relationships.) All information will be accessible, but can be made private through NEW and DIFFERENT settings. If privacy was a concern before, it’s going to be a HUGE concern now. Understand what these changes do to your profile, don’t turn a blind eye.  Remember, they are a free platform, we do not pay to use their service therefore we are at their mercy. Although many of the changes are aesthetically-appealing and aren’t a shock to those following Facebook’s changes, the bottom line is: Be informed.  Know about the changes to protect your privacy online. It’s that simple.

“Brand loyalty is not about winning. It is about giving consumers the opportunity to feel open and converse with you about any issue.”

Remember a year ago when we discussed Energizer’s giveaway fail? Seems like more and more, companies are handing over important information to the public without realizing it. Retail giant, Gymboree sent out an email this evening that looked a little like this:

It looked fishy from the start. Someone said it looked like they were testing a new order system. In either case watch what happens when we scroll down to the bottom of the email….

A link appears at the very bottom. It's clickable. When it comes up personal information and an order is displayed. What we don't know is if there really is an Anne Berger who ordered these items or if it is a test. A Pipl.com and Google.com search shows 2 Anne Bergers in the area. The plot thickens…

I saved the link, but in case Anne was real, I didn’t want her exact order, address, gift recipient and CREDIT CARD information displayed on my website. If Anne isn’t real, this isn’t quite as serious. As the situation has blown up over the past 2 hours, one thing is clear: Gymboree has a lot of angry customers.

“The truth of social media is: If you sell to those using social media, the moment a sale or relationship goes south they have an opportunity to broadcast and tarnish your relationship online. It’s their right. What any company can do, is be proactive and transparent online. By proving you are willing apologize openly, the moment something occurs and having a plan in place to assist with angry commenters? You’ll have a way to successfully navigate a very difficult situation. Gymboree, did none of that until poked and prodded by angry customers.”

Was this situation handled well?  After an hour, nothing had been posted on any social platform. People were left to think that Anne’s information was just given away. What’s worse is that Gymboree hasn’t even responded to comments. In fact? When asked politely why an email came to my inbox, my comment was deleted from Gymboree’s Facebook page. The number one rule is: NEVER DELETE, ALWAYS APOLOGIZE. Since they are not allowing anyone to post about the incident on their wall, posters just started posting under other posts. I counted over 15 negative posts before the incident had even occurred criticizing Gymboree’s clothing quality, pricing and more. It should be stated my daughter’s wardrobe consists of Gymboree. I’m a fan when I can grab it on sale.

At just after 9pm, 249 comments were posted under Gymboree’s message just minutes earlier about the ‘snafu.’ They accepted responsibility, apologized and tried to contain the situation. Unfortunately. many posts spilled out just like this one:

Sadly, about 10% of the commenters resorted to asking for freebies. That in itself, is tragic.  This is my plea to companies: Always, Always have a plan in place to protect your brand.

Can this be saved? Absolutely. What needs to happen can be fixed in 3, easy, lessons.

• Always Protect and Serve. Customer information is priceless. It should be protected behind a diamond-encrusted titanium wall. Don’t abuse the trust of your consumers. Always have a plan in place if information is compromised or an error occurs. Stick to the plan and never compromise.

• Quick fixes are never easy. Focus on responding individually as much as you can. Customers don’t like being thrown in small spaces to talk to other angry customers. That will only escalate the situation and create other complaints. Facebook and Twitter pages are a breeding ground for the dissatisfied. If you want your customers to spend their dollars with you and treat you better than the competition, treat your customers as individuals. After trust is truly broken, it’s difficult to repair. Offer a well-written apology, followed up with a personal statement from leadership and a phone number or email you can interact with them on. Reaching out personally will create better dialog and a future advocate for your company. Never, ever, ignore the issue or simply post something on facebook and leave it.

• Bad press can keep going, (and going, and going.) People are STILL talking about the Energizer giveaway. Brands depend on loyalty. When a customer feels deceived they will internalize the broken relationship, often vocalize about their dissatisfaction and spend their dollars with the competition. True authenticity online and the willingness to be humble will retain customers and save your brand. I have a saying, “Brand loyalty is not about winning. It is about giving consumers the opportunity to feel open and converse with you about any issue.” If you have that, you have a brand that people will trust and engage with. It’s simple and true. Don’t focus on ‘winning’ their trust back, focus on LISTENING to their issues and crafting a thoughtful and humble response.

BranchOut

BranchOut boasts hidden job opportunities with top companies and over 20 million connections…

First and foremost, BranchOut has some powerful statements about their application and they want you to know their roots, backing and intention.  On their About Page they boast, “BranchOut was founded in July 2010 by CEO Rick Marini and a team with deep experience in social media, online recruiting, and Facebook applications. BranchOut is backed by some of the best investors and advisors in the world.”  ReadWriteWeb cited BranchOut as a break-out hit. Branch out certainly has the backing, but does their application incorporate 3 standards in development?

• Ease of Use: Even social media enthusiasts are now lazy. We want our programs to connect automatically via algorithm and we want it to import our information. What good is a program that has us retype our resume when LinkedIn holds our information? BranchOut understands the Ease Of Use mentality to a ‘T.’ I can either import my profile via LinkedIn or Monster.com and it uploads my already inputted information from the job descriptions and titles I have on my Facebook profile. What troubles me about 3rd party applications is that I have to disable my ‘https‘ connection.  With Facebook, the option to browse and use an ‘https‘ connection is a major factor for me. To utilize BranchOut, I have to disable my security. It’s understandable, as the application is a messenger for back and forth information, however: My security trumps what I need from Facebook. My rule is: If it needs to be unsecure, it is also unsecure and I really evaluate my decision to utilize the platform. In addition, it’s time for Facebook to re-think their ads to the right of everything. Not only are the ads distracting, they offer no real value to me as I scroll. (As a rule, I never click on a facebook ad. If I find something I like? I’ll go and type their information in Google. It saves the cost of a click!) One great thing BranchOut has going for it: Applying is a single click. I applied to a ‘Front End Development’ position at a Minneapolis company. I only had to click once for the recruiter or job poster to know I was interested in the position.  The best part? I could get an introduction, (for FREE,) and find someone in my network that would alert the poster I was interested in another single, click.  A large downside I see is that Google isn’t pulling results for people using BranchOut. I can’t type in someone’s name and instantaneously know if they are using the application. It seems too personal and one-dimensional to attract the job seekers it intends to. If BranchOut wants to be more successful, it should see about offering a tab on someone’s public profile so a recruiter could automatically click and see that the user is utilizing the tool.

This is a screenshot of my main page. Just like LinkedIn, it offers endorsements, community status updates and jobs. It's a dashboard, much alike to LinkedIn. With the way it's laid out, (complete with ads to the right side,) it would be hard to follow once a user received a large feed.

• Value: Value isn’t tangible.  What I may undervalue someone else may not be able to live without.  For me, I have a solid Facebook profile and I utilize the space given to speak professionally about my business, past opportunities and who I am as a professional.  BranchOut enables me to get ‘endorsements,’ just like LinkedIn offers recommendations.  The endorsements I’ve seen on BranchOut tend to be a less professional calibur than LinkedIn, shorter and to the point.  Will it offer value if a company ONLY posts on BranchOut for it’s job? Sure. However, I can’t imagine most companies would ONLY use BranchOut to post their available opportunities. Just like social media itself, I think BranchOut offers a new alternative to LinkedIn, but it seems very one-sided.  I’m a little cynical: If Facebook is offering a new application where you can post your company’s open positions or look for jobs, they HAVE to be making money off it, (rightfully so.)  There are two ways to look at VALUE on BranchOut.  One is from a networking perspective and one is from a business perspective.  As a networker, it’s a free tool that basically allows you to place your LinkedIn profile on your Facebook. However, it’s not easy to find. BranchOut doesn’t have it’s own tab, nor can I pull up JUST my BranchOut from my own profile. I have to utilize it as an application.  If a hiring manager wants to find me on BranchOut, they might be unsuccessful. BranchOut has this to say about people searching for your profile: From a business perspective: The job postings feature seems silly.  They will offer me a job posting for free but it will just be visually-available to those in my network.  If I wanted to post a job, I’d have to decide to pay per job, ($49) or post ONLY to my network for free. The free option is great for small to mid-size businesses with a very low budget for talent acquisition, and the paid feature is low enough that it wouldn’t stir the pot. But how many people are truly using Facebook for their job search?

“While unlocking the power of your network, BranchOut creates a safe environment to utilize your network by only showing your name, profile picture, work history, and education. By only using this information, BranchOut eliminates the possibility of employers or recruiters seeing private pictures, posts or other information, thus keeping your private life on Facebook and your professional profile on BranchOut.” In short: Recruiters and hiring managers need to know your name to find you.

You have two choices when posting a job: You can post to BranchOut for free, (while only in your own network,) or pay $49 to advertise to all of Facebook. This feature might be great for hard to source positions.

• It Has To Be Pretty: The truth of any site/application or software is that if it isn’t visually appealing, even good programming may alienate consumers from using the product.  Is BranchOut appealing? Absolutely. Because of the functionality within Facebook, it achieves the goal of acting like a website within a website. In fact, it’s self-sufficient and even has it’s own privacy settings. The downside I see is that it’s housed ONLY in LinkedIn.  I did The jobs that came up when I did a search were minimal, but it was apparent recruiters were already on top of the technology.

I did a quick search with the Minneapolis zipcode, "55403." This is what it returned.

Conclusion and Caution: For those looking to utilize Facebook as a platform to find jobs, it might be a good tool to become acclimated with while still utilizing other platforms. Since profile and photo are available, (by default to everyone,) when you give the application permission; it’s important to remember to be professional online. The world is changing and Facebook is no longer the bar it once was. By having a solid and professional presence on all networking sites you can expect greater success. For recruiters and hiring managers, BranchOut offers a less-expensive option than other leading Facebook job posting applications.  I see BranchOut being another Application Tracking System that someone needs to monitor, but a faster process to apply for open positions.  Many years ago, we had different search engines for different jobs.  I see a flow backwards to creating industry-specific ways for job seekers to apply and creating more work for both posters and job seekers, themselves.

Overall Grade: B-

I’m a big believer that if we bring WHO we are to the table, we are more genuine, brilliant and human than hiding any of our weaknesses or strengths.  The chat continued and all of a sudden I looked to the person next to me and said, “Oh no… my quote… has be re-attributed.”  Neil Gaiman is a word-genuis,  so until I saw columns and columns of the quote being tweeted, (not retweeted,)  I didn’t worry.  Then, I scrolled down. Over 200+ tweets. As an author, my words are like my children. I know Neil would understand. So I sent out a brief message.

Oh Noes….

Someone caught that I originally had said the quote.  She was familiar and when I opened her profile on Twitter I gasped.  Hayley Williams: Superstar Extraordinaire.  had apologized for attributing the original quote. Seriously.  And then she told me she was going to dinner.  I invited her to Minneapolis, (because we rock.) And then? I started talking about the NY Marriage debate.

Oh My God….

And it was a moment, like running into your ex-boyfriend while wearing sweatpants and smeared mascara; I didn’t know what to say.  Not wanting to make a big deal about it,  I thought about not saying anything at all, but I did.  So that’s the time one of my favorite rockstars tweeted me and when I was floored by Neil Gaiman’s brilliance on Twitter.

Update: I am proud to say that today, my website was a #NeilWebFail and I’m utterly honored.  Two fantastic and brilliant people chatted with me in one week. I’m going to be on a high for years!

“Social media isn’t the end-all-be-all, but it offers marketers unparalleled opportunity to participate in relevant ways. It also provides a launchpad for other marketing tactics. Social media is not an island. It’s a high-power engine on the larger marketing ship.” – Matt Dickman

How do you quantify what Online Media to use where? LinkedIn is a handshake, Twitter is a hug and Facebook is a kiss. Want to know why? Read on for more…

As I teach Social Media more and more for B2B, I’ve noticed a growing trend of trying to define exactly what each platform is.  In 2009, I came up with the analogy, “LinkedIn is the Office, Twitter is the Watercooler and Facebook is the Bar.“ When defining what to use where, this saying helped my audience understand the difference of each and how to best leverage the connections.  However, there is one truth: What you bring to the table, determines your success.

In the last two years, the differences have become less and less now that professionalism has adapted to Facebook and LinkedIn has become more conversational.  The worlds are colliding at an alarming rate, and my old analogy-though once it was true, seems to be old thinking. Cultures are shifting, where we used to be entirely professional, people now take off their ties or suit coats. Where we used to be personal, I’ve seen an influx of professional.  In little amounts, we are all becoming more well-rounded and less scared of online platforms.

Which platform for which?  A great tip for knowing how to adapt to your audience is to look at how your audience is actually using the platform in which you are engaging their voice.  If you’re in B2B sales, you might favor LinkedIn over Facebook.  If you’re a small business owner that offers tangible items- cash and carry, you’ll recognize the benefits of building advocates on Facebook.  Knowing your marketing medium is JUST as important as knowing how to broadcast your message in the most effective way.

• LinkedIn is a handshake. It’s no longer being treated as a one-way conversation.  More individuals have recognized the benefits of answering questions and engaging others in their professional beliefs. Where a profile was only left up to be found, now the true value has been fully recognized. I now think of LinkedIn as business casual, professional in nature, but down-to-earth in speech. The handshake is reaching out and asking for you to know me and my business value better.  I consider LinkedIn to be a business lunch, my professionalism is at it’s best, but I’m not afraid to crack a joke or to order a sundae.

• Twitter is a hug. I listen to those I believe in, or that I want to gain knowledge from. Twitter has become less obligatory in merely following and more about taking those I enjoy following to coffee, or actually picking up the phone.  It’s not quite a handshake because it’s often more intimate.  Inspiration and wisdom are my top takeaways daily and I know that to be viewed as authentic, I have to bring my entire self- quirks and all.

• Facebook is a kiss on the cheek. I’m the person who tells my friends and family that I love them, often.  Facebook is my way to communicate my beliefs, love and desire to stay connected. I try and keep it as intimate as I can and I’ve taken out anyone that I wouldn’t fully endorse in person or in writing. When I surround myself with positive people, I find I’m more positive. Facebook offers me comfort from a hard day, or photos of my nieces. It’s almost like a home cooked meal.

I often trade, Social Media, for Online Media, now.  We all understand that it’s social and also, that it’s evolving. The main three platforms: Facebook, LinkedIn and Twitter are sedimentary. I’ve often been asked, “Do you think a competitor will come out and actually thrive in the market?” I always answer, “Absolutely, I hope so.” Without competition, we don’t evolve.  Twitter, Facebook and LinkedIn have always been online- they just looked a little different.  Once they were an AOL chat room or a forum. In fact, we’ve seen glimpses of all three since the dawn of time. I tend to think of today’s online media as staples. We’ll always converse online, but how we get there is what is evolving most.

Everything is now integrating where traditionally there was competition, vehicles to the main three are now a PART of the main three. Since Twitter has bought Tweetdeck, we’ll see even more vehicles to the platform are now being integrated WITH the platform.  In truth: LinkedIn, Twitter and Facebook are realizing their worth is not just in their site, they need to find the best DRIVERS to get the audience talking. Our social footprints will last longer than we realize and what we have forgotten is we truly are able to choose where we step. The online media doesn’t own us, we own our online media.

We now even have metrics that validate our online existence with Empire Avenue, Klout (and many more.) I believe my online relationships are merely another vehicle to meet those I value in person. For success we need a healthy combination of each platform.  The biggest success factor to any medium is simple: Be Yourself. Being authentic isn’t a buzzword, it’s now almost mandatory to having people advocate with you for what you believe. I’m online to help change the world, and I try to make my reason transparent.

It’s also important to note: That we are all individuals and although this is how I treat my online presence, it may not work for you. I think the importance lies in each of us bringing our signature DISH to the table and allowing others to taste who we are in the evolution of online media.  Find your recipe to success with a few tips in my article, “Humanize Your Voice Online.”

Free Download Click Here: {Humanize Your Voice Online: The Recipe of WHO You Are Is What Matters Most.}

“A great brand taps into emotions. Emotions drive most, if not all, of our decisions. A brand reaches out with a powerful connecting experience. It’s an emotional connecting point that transcends the product.”
-  Scott Bedbury/Nike, Starbucks

Introduction

“Personal branding is the process whereby people and their careers are marked as brands.^[1] It has been noted that while previous self-help management techniques were about self-improvement, the personal branding concept suggests instead that success comes from self-packaging.^[1] Further defined as the creation of an asset that pertains to a particular person or individual; this includes but is not limited to the body, clothing, appearance and knowledge contained within, leading to an indelible impression that is uniquely distinguishable.^[2] The term is thought to have been first used and discussed in a 1997 article by Tom Peters.^{[3]“  (Source)}

What exactly is, “personal branding?”  Anyone online has seen the term mentioned numerous times, with each time it’s true meaning becoming more and more diluted.  Wikipedia has it clearly defined, leaving no room for speculation.  For a while now, I’ve had a sneaking suspicion there was more than meets the eye.  Recently a conversation caught my attention on Twitter.

“Branding adds spirit and a soul to what would otherwise be a robotic, automated, generic price-value proposition.  If branding is ultimately about the creation of human meaning, it follows logically that it is the humans who must ultimately provide it.”
-  David Aaker

http://opportunitiesproject.com/news-and-events/promotions/scholarship

So set up your Twitter account today and join one to two chats next week. Complete your LinkedIn profile and contribute to a discussion. The benefits may not come right away, but if you stick with it, you’ll feel like the confident and empowered professional you truly are in no time.

Tracy Brisson is the founder and CEO of The Opportunities Project, an organization that helps young professionals meet their career goals quickly and confidently.

Tracy Brisson
Founder and CEO, The Opportunities Project
Career Coaching and Recruitment Consulting for a New Generation
tracy@oppsproject.com | (347) 987-1490
http://opportunitiesproject.com | http://tracybrisson.com

Empowerment through Social Media

Last year, I opened my career coaching business, The Opportunities Project, to help young

professionals meet their career goals quickly and confidently. After almost ten years of

recruiting recent college graduates, and 13 years in education, I was becoming discouraged

with how higher education was preparing their students for success, working life, and

adulthood in the post-recession economy. I felt I could do something about it so I took the

leap, received my coach certification and opened up shop!

Based on everything I was reading about Generation Y, and a few candidates I encountered

as a recruiter, I believed that I’d be coaching my clients on how to “clean up” their social

media presence. After six months of coaching, I’ve found the opposite to be true- I often

have to bribe people, especially women, to be active on social media. Some have pre-

conceived notions about what it’s all about, that Twitter is nothing more than one million

people talking about Justin Bieber. But I’ve found that most avoid social media because

they feel that they don’t really have much to say and that’s where they need coaching.

I insist that my clients get active on LinkedIn and Twitter not only because of the

networking opportunities, but also because of its power to build confidence and greater

self-worth. Here are three things that you will learn on social media that I promise will be

empowering for you.

1. You will meet really smart and inspiring people, just like you. As a new

business owner, I spend a lot of time doing in-person networking. I’ve met some

great people at in-person events, but nothing compares to the people I’ve met online

and how engaging they are. I’ve found that people who use social media to learn

and build relationships are accomplished, intellectually curious and generous. My

clients who let their fears go and jump into the online conversation quickly see

these characteristics in themselves and are then ready for the great opportunities

that come to them.

2. You will build meaningful relationships despite your location. You’d be

surprised how quickly you’ll bond with people over 140 characters or looking at

their LinkedIn profile to find things in common. In the last six months, I’ve met

mentors, like-minded business partners, and friends. I’ve even hired a virtual

marketing consultant. You’ll be surprised how quickly you’ll get to know each

other and move the relationship to the phone or Skype. Even if it doesn’t result in a

career-changing move, you can’t underestimate the power of knowing more people

who mutually understand and appreciate each other, wherever they may be.

3. You realize that there is a big, wide world of opportunity out there. When

we’ve worked in a place for a long time, or hung out with the same people for years,

we get a biased perspective on “jobs” and what’s available to us. Once you join

Twitter and LinkedIn, you’ll see that people just as great as you are doing amazing

things which will give you new ideas for your career that you never though were

possible. Many of them will be open to tell you how they got where they are and give

you advice, too, which is a bonus!

So set up your Twitter account today and join one to two chats next week. Complete your

LinkedIn profile and contribute to a discussion. The benefits may not come right away, but

if you stick with it, you’ll feel like the confident and empowered professional you truly are

in no time.

Bio:

Tracy Brisson is the founder and CEO of The Opportunities Project, an organization that

helps young professionals meet their career goals quickly and confidently. One of Tracy’s

specialties is helping jobseekers use social media to build their credibility, expand their

communities and find opportunities. Before launching her own company, Tracy worked in

recruitment for more than a decade and her career advice has appeared in the New York

Post, The Star Ledger, and on Monster+HotJobs, and The Ladders. Tracy has a BA from

Syracuse University, an MPA from New York University and is finishing her doctorate in

Educational Leadership, also at New York University. She is also a Certified Professional

Coach and a graduate of the Kauffman Fast Trac NewVenture Program for early stage

entrepreneurs.

To celebrate the six-month anniversary of her company, Tracy is giving away three career

coaching scholarships. If you are a college student, recent grad or female veteran, apply

before the deadline on April 8th (http://opportunitiesproject.com/news-and-events/

promotions/scholarship/).Empowerment through Social Media

Last year, I opened my career coaching business, The Opportunities Project, to help young

professionals meet their career goals quickly and confidently. After almost ten years of

recruiting recent college graduates, and 13 years in education, I was becoming discouraged

with how higher education was preparing their students for success, working life, and

adulthood in the post-recession economy. I felt I could do something about it so I took the

leap, received my coach certification and opened up shop!

Based on everything I was reading about Generation Y, and a few candidates I encountered

as a recruiter, I believed that I’d be coaching my clients on how to “clean up” their social

media presence. After six months of coaching, I’ve found the opposite to be true- I often

have to bribe people, especially women, to be active on social media. Some have pre-

conceived notions about what it’s all about, that Twitter is nothing more than one million

people talking about Justin Bieber. But I’ve found that most avoid social media because

they feel that they don’t really have much to say and that’s where they need coaching.

I insist that my clients get active on LinkedIn and Twitter not only because of the

networking opportunities, but also because of its power to build confidence and greater

self-worth. Here are three things that you will learn on social media that I promise will be

empowering for you.

1. You will meet really smart and inspiring people, just like you. As a new

business owner, I spend a lot of time doing in-person networking. I’ve met some

great people at in-person events, but nothing compares to the people I’ve met online

and how engaging they are. I’ve found that people who use social media to learn

and build relationships are accomplished, intellectually curious and generous. My

clients who let their fears go and jump into the online conversation quickly see

these characteristics in themselves and are then ready for the great opportunities

that come to them.

2. You will build meaningful relationships despite your location. You’d be

surprised how quickly you’ll bond with people over 140 characters or looking at

their LinkedIn profile to find things in common. In the last six months, I’ve met

mentors, like-minded business partners, and friends. I’ve even hired a virtual

marketing consultant. You’ll be surprised how quickly you’ll get to know each

other and move the relationship to the phone or Skype. Even if it doesn’t result in a

career-changing move, you can’t underestimate the power of knowing more people

who mutually understand and appreciate each other, wherever they may be.

3. You realize that there is a big, wide world of opportunity out there. When

we’ve worked in a place for a long time, or hung out with the same people for years,

we get a biased perspective on “jobs” and what’s available to us. Once you join

Twitter and LinkedIn, you’ll see that people just as great as you are doing amazing

things which will give you new ideas for your career that you never though were

possible. Many of them will be open to tell you how they got where they are and give

you advice, too, which is a bonus!

So set up your Twitter account today and join one to two chats next week. Complete your

LinkedIn profile and contribute to a discussion. The benefits may not come right away, but

if you stick with it, you’ll feel like the confident and empowered professional you truly are

in no time.

Bio:

Tracy Brisson is the founder and CEO of The Opportunities Project, an organization that

helps young professionals meet their career goals quickly and confidently. One of Tracy’s

specialties is helping jobseekers use social media to build their credibility, expand their

communities and find opportunities. Before launching her own company, Tracy worked in

recruitment for more than a decade and her career advice has appeared in the New York

Post, The Star Ledger, and on Monster+HotJobs, and The Ladders. Tracy has a BA from

Syracuse University, an MPA from New York University and is finishing her doctorate in

Educational Leadership, also at New York University. She is also a Certified Professional

Coach and a graduate of the Kauffman Fast Trac NewVenture Program for early stage

entrepreneurs.

To celebrate the six-month anniversary of her company, Tracy is giving away three career

coaching scholarships. If you are a college student, recent grad or female veteran, apply

before the deadline on April 8th (http://opportunitiesproject.com/news-and-events/

promotions/scholarship/).Empowerment through Social Media

Last year, I opened my career coaching business, The Opportunities Project, to help young

professionals meet their career goals quickly and confidently. After almost ten years of

recruiting recent college graduates, and 13 years in education, I was becoming discouraged

with how higher education was preparing their students for success, working life, and

adulthood in the post-recession economy. I felt I could do something about it so I took the

leap, received my coach certification and opened up shop!

Based on everything I was reading about Generation Y, and a few candidates I encountered

as a recruiter, I believed that I’d be coaching my clients on how to “clean up” their social

media presence. After six months of coaching, I’ve found the opposite to be true- I often

have to bribe people, especially women, to be active on social media. Some have pre-

conceived notions about what it’s all about, that Twitter is nothing more than one million

people talking about Justin Bieber. But I’ve found that most avoid social media because

they feel that they don’t really have much to say and that’s where they need coaching.

I insist that my clients get active on LinkedIn and Twitter not only because of the

networking opportunities, but also because of its power to build confidence and greater

self-worth. Here are three things that you will learn on social media that I promise will be

empowering for you.

1. You will meet really smart and inspiring people, just like you. As a new

business owner, I spend a lot of time doing in-person networking. I’ve met some

great people at in-person events, but nothing compares to the people I’ve met online

and how engaging they are. I’ve found that people who use social media to learn

and build relationships are accomplished, intellectually curious and generous. My

clients who let their fears go and jump into the online conversation quickly see

these characteristics in themselves and are then ready for the great opportunities

that come to them.

2. You will build meaningful relationships despite your location. You’d be

surprised how quickly you’ll bond with people over 140 characters or looking at

their LinkedIn profile to find things in common. In the last six months, I’ve met

mentors, like-minded business partners, and friends. I’ve even hired a virtual

marketing consultant. You’ll be surprised how quickly you’ll get to know each

other and move the relationship to the phone or Skype. Even if it doesn’t result in a

career-changing move, you can’t underestimate the power of knowing more people

who mutually understand and appreciate each other, wherever they may be.

3. You realize that there is a big, wide world of opportunity out there. When

we’ve worked in a place for a long time, or hung out with the same people for years,

we get a biased perspective on “jobs” and what’s available to us. Once you join

Twitter and LinkedIn, you’ll see that people just as great as you are doing amazing

things which will give you new ideas for your career that you never though were

possible. Many of them will be open to tell you how they got where they are and give

you advice, too, which is a bonus!

So set up your Twitter account today and join one to two chats next week. Complete your

LinkedIn profile and contribute to a discussion. The benefits may not come right away, but

if you stick with it, you’ll feel like the confident and empowered professional you truly are

in no time.

Bio:

Tracy Brisson is the founder and CEO of The Opportunities Project, an organization that

helps young professionals meet their career goals quickly and confidently. One of Tracy’s

specialties is helping jobseekers use social media to build their credibility, expand their

communities and find opportunities. Before launching her own company, Tracy worked in

recruitment for more than a decade and her career advice has appeared in the New York

Post, The Star Ledger, and on Monster+HotJobs, and The Ladders. Tracy has a BA from

Syracuse University, an MPA from New York University and is finishing her doctorate in

Educational Leadership, also at New York University. She is also a Certified Professional

Coach and a graduate of the Kauffman Fast Trac NewVenture Program for early stage

entrepreneurs.

To celebrate the six-month anniversary of her company, Tracy is giving away three career

coaching scholarships. If you are a college student, recent grad or female veteran, apply

before the deadline on April 8th (http://opportunitiesproject.com/news-and-events/

promotions/scholarship/).

This one, is truly: FOR YOU, (click there!) I’m humbled, thankful and so truly, astonished.  (There’s also a little somethin’ somethin’ for you at the bottom.)

.     .     .     .     .     .

GirlTalk Radio with Marlo:  http://girltalkwithmarlo.com/cervical-cancer-battles-sea-of-pink

Greg Glatz’s CJOB Show: All our podcasts are available on Itunes for free.  Here’s the most recent: http://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/greg-glatz-show/id413242861

Women In Business Radio Show:  http://womeninbusinessradio.com/your-authentic-voice-katemadonna-hindes-women-in-business-in-radio/

I also took on a column with my friends over at JobHuntChat: http://www.jobhuntchat.com/2011/03/bringing-you-to-the-table-how-the-simple-act-of-being-yourself-can-win-you-the-job/

.     .     .     .     .     .

(Pioneer Press Article: http://www.twincities.com/alllistings/ci_17638466?source=rss)

(SPARK website: http://www.twincitiesspark.com/2011/03/girlmeetsgeek/)

Your blog has been around for about three years. How has it evolved since you first started blogging?

I’ve actually been blogging close to 15 years. My first years, was through a platform at AOL. Then it moved over to LiveJournal and I had a following with a few other friends. Livejournal gave me the ability to really explore writing the personal and internal emotions that helped me to transform to who I am today. After deliberation, about 3 and a half years ago, I decided to move parts of the journal over, and startwww.girlmeetsgeek.com. It started out as a journal to why I wasn’t married and ended as an internal look into myself, business and passion. I think GirlmeetsGeek is the culmination of who I was, what I was passionate about and how I was living it out loud.

What is your biggest challenge when it comes to creating new content? How do you overcome it?

I don’t write, unless I feel something in my fingertips telling me to. I find, that when I let my passion take control, my writing is far better than if I allow myself to blankly type words. I never blog about my daily life, only about moments that matter most. I don’t want to ‘water down’ my writing with mediocrity and I’m too busy to worry about blogging daily. I have other posts I can pull from if my focus is on business, or I have too many deadlines that week. What keeps my writing, ‘fresh’ and ‘unique,’ is the emotion behind it. I always taken on submissions, (I believe GirlmeetsGeek should be a place of words, not just MY words,) so other writers are always welcome. I have always found that good writers are open to the influences around them. I’m a news junkie and I write a lot of my pieces on Social Justice and giving voice to the oppressed. GirlmeetsGeek has become an emotional platform for the forgotten, the passionate and the unvocalized.

People blog for different reasons. What is the most rewarding aspect of maintaining the Girl Meets Geek blog?

I write, because it’s in my blood. I don’t believe in the word, “Blog.” I’m a writer. I’m not a ‘blogger.” I think by using the terms, ‘blog,’ or ‘blogger,’ we limit ourselves. I’m convinced if you cut me open, letters and punctuation would flow from my veins. You could say I blog, because I feel best when my thoughts form into words, hit my keyboard screen and I can read them back and think, “YES.” GirlmeetsGeek is for me, only- it always has been. You’ll notice, there’s no ads on my site and I’m not involved in any communities. I wanted to establish something different for GirlmeetsGeek. I wanted the words, the emotion and the quality to speak for itself, but only because I wanted to put authentic words out there. At the end of the day, the site is for my daughter and I. I want her to see a woman who overcame tremendous odds to grow as a human being and create the world she wanted.

What is one thing you hope your readers learn/understand from reading it?

I hope whomever visits, realizes that we all have greatness in them. I started writing stories when I was in the First Grade. I knew from a young age, that words were my currency to the world. We all have gifts, and they only resonate with others if we put passion and purpose behind those gifts. David Brauer from MinnPost once told me, “Dream Responsibly.” I’ve taken that to heart. GirlmeetsGeek is my Responsible Dream. Our lives are only measured by what we DO with them, not what we WANT out of them. I hope GirlmeetsGeek inspires others to take action and create the future they want.

Every word is so heartfully meant.  Natalie Merchant sang it best….

I am a friend hoarder, and I’m sorry.  It hit me this evening as someone I knew in High School remarked, “I don’t know why there’s so many mean people in the world,” and the posts after recommended she pat herself on the back she was so kind, that I took a breath, stepped away from the computer and decided: Enough. Is. Enough. This particular woman, was one I had trouble friending to begin with.  She was cruel in high school and often mocked other girls.  I remember some of the things she said to someone I knew that caused constant doubt and sadness I remember it, because that girl… well, she was me.  And I, was constantly reminded of how much she hadn’t changed.

I don’t know how this facebook friending addiction happened.  I often spoke that networking only mattered if you utilized your network, authentically and sought to add value.  I saw my numbers rise and I felt better, more powerful.  I knew that with every ‘friend’ my reach was expanded.  And then, I wanted to become smaller again and share the intimate details like I used to, without worrying I was posting too much, or to the wrong crowd… or even care if I was being muted, unfriended, or unfollowed.  Sometimes, I wondered if I lost my authenticity because I wanted to adapt my material for all.  Mostly, I wondered if I lost MYSELF.

I can see a difference in myself over the years.  When I was young, I often wondered who would be at my funeral.  I wanted a room full of people to prove I had reached out to others and made a difference.  Now, I just want my family and friends to know how much I love them and care.  I always taught that, “LinkedIn was the Office, Twitter was the Watercooler and Facebook was the Bar.”  I didn’t know how to say no to a friend request, so instead I just accepted… and accepted and so on.  Soon, I went through my feed and realized: I wish I knew more about some people, and less about others.  I wondered what kind of person that made me, and then I realized: It made me human.

Know what we all need in our life?  Less.  Less drama, less complication and less worry that we’re doing the wrong thing when it feels so, so, right.  I’m not one to make rash decisions, but today, I unfriended HER.  And tomorrow, I may unfriend others.

There are no experts in Networking or Social Media, because we all have so much to LEARN.  What I need in my life: Isn’t numbers, it’s value.   I would rather have 10 people that knew me inside and out and could speak to my passions and goals than 1,000 people who merely knew what I did for work.  In a world of teaching networking, that might get me blacklisted.

They say the first step to fixing your problem is to acknowledge that you are an addict.  So, I am an addict.  I’ve become a Social Media People Pleaser and I need to start not adapting my content, but myself to realize the words I spoke on radio yesterday, “I Am Enough.”

Love,

An Old Facebook Hoarder

We spent a few moments paused in the middle of the Holiday excitement downtown when my daughter looked up and asked if I had a penny for the fountain.  Not the type of person to be superstitious, but also not the type to dash my daughter’s hope that a penny could grant what she wanted, I willingly complied.

My little girl closes her eyes when she wishes.  It’s a silent prayer that you can see from the furrows in her forehead and tightly clenched fists that she is taking wishing, incredibly seriously.  The prayer ends not with an, “amen,” but with a very hard blow from two, rosebud, lips.  Mental wishes are always dandelions to her and as she blew at the end, it signified that the mental seeds would carry her desire far away to be fulfilled.

I watched her blow as her face lit up suddenly.  I asked her what I always asked her, “What did you wish for?”  She replied like she always replied, “I can’t tell you or it won’t come true.”  I usually shrugged off her response, but this time I saw the longing in her eyes.  I asked her again,  but she only stomped her foot and pouted.  How could I make this wish come true without knowing exactly what it was?

We had done it all wrong.  All of us.  All the storybooks and the fables.  All the passed down anecdotes and lessons.  A wish isn’t meant to be kept to yourself.  Magic doesn’t exist in the traditional sense of the word.  Wishes are meant to be shared, acknowledged and worked towards.  I explained to Ava softly, “Please tell me, so I can help you make it come true.”  And I will, when I can fix this horribly, annoying, habit of being allergic to what she wished for: a baby bunny.

If you have a wish, you should share it.  You should proclaim it as yours and not hide behind magic or superstition to make it happen.  Social Media gives you a platform to speak on your wishes and help determine the fate of others’ wishes.  If we were doing all this correctly, imagine how many less pennies would be in fountains and how much more could be given towards those that truly need it.

We don’t throw pennies in fountains anymore, but we now share our wishes openly.  My daughter still had that sparkle in her eye becuase she knows, if it’s in my power, I’ll make it come true, or teach her to create her own magic.

We are all the guardians of each other’s wishes.  When oh when, will re realize that it’s not our secrets that make us powerful, but our community and connections?

Meet The New Twitter.

You will now find @mentions, retweets, searches, and lists just above your timeline – creating a single, streamlined view on the left of the screen. On the right, you can see the features you’re familiar with, including whom you recently followed and who recently followed you, favorites, and Trending Topics. (Twitter.com)

After you’re done dancing a jig to the music, take a gander at what it all really means…

In layman’s terms?

Apple’s done it again.  The new integration of technology in Twitter functions the same as Twitter For IPad.  (Except it’s on steroids…and Hootesuite has been doing it for over a year.)  Everyone is chasing after fruit. So, in all reality Twitter is finally catching up to it’s clients.  Evan Williams stated when asked if the IPad application had any bearing on the main twitter application, “They were in parallel development, but this was started first. The reason they’re similar looking is because it’s basically the same idea. It’s about the same idea of consumption. There is shared thinking there.”

What does that mean, exactly? Changes Include:

Twitter has partnered with over 16 service providers, (“YouTube, Vimeo, UStream, TwitPic, Flickr, other assorted partners.  We have an agreement to display their content on our site.  It’s still hosted with them,” claims the TechCrunch Article.

Your profile page will now truly be about your identity. Bigger profile picture and more space to speak to who you really are.

This is about getting MORE out of the twitter.com client in LESS time.  Twitter’s main focus is accessibility and ease-of-use for it’s clients.  The hope is that by simplifying Twitter search and allowing profiles to be more pronounced that it will encourage others to join and broadcast their message.  Twitter will be acting like filing folders, when clicked: A profile will ‘pop’ to the right and offer key statistics about the user.

Twitter’s 2010 Takeaways, (courtesy of @TechCrunch.)

16% of new users are starting on mobile. There are on average 370,000 new sign ups a day overall.

Since the beginning of the year Twitter users on mobile are up 250%. Mobile is critical for the future.

More people log on to Twitter.com on a monthly basis than almost all the other Twitter clients combined.

Twitter is seeing 90 million tweets daily, of which 25% contain links.

So?

Twitter is rolling out the changes to all accounts as we speak.  @Ev and @Biz claimed all changes would happen within a couple-week’s time frame.  Some users are able to see the profile changes immediately, others will have to wait their turn.  New users might cringe at the expansion, but seasoned users of Twitter clients might be drawn back to the name infrastructure.  Only time will tell.

Now… if only they could make the #FailWhale less… #Fail.

Bad press keeps going… and going… and going….

I’m the woman who will stand in line 10 minutes for a free sample.  Once, I waited outside in the freezing cold Minnesota Winter, (for four hours no less,) to get my hands on the latest Santa Bear to finish my mother’s collection.  I don’t mind waiting and if the waiting is filled with great conversation in the line, I’m downright happy.   Social Media, brings out something different in me.

Perhaps it’s that I’m conditioned to believe that this magic box in which I type on, is here only to benefit exactly what I want, when I want it.  If a page loads extra slow, I catch myself rolling my eyes.  If something crashes, an occasional computer put-down will be uttered from my lips.  In fact, I no longer wait in line, come to think of it.  Early Christmas shopping?  Who has time for lines, the past 2 years, I’ve just ordered everything… online.  I’ve become a beast for the quick, easy and fruitful.

Perhaps this is why when Energizer did a recent promotion on their facebook page I jumped at the chance of free batteries: http://www.facebook.com/Energizer?ref=ts

If you click on their facebook wall, you’ll see the backlash of what should have been a very, very successful giveaway.  It all all the elements:  Free,  Fans,  The Like Button and a huge flood of WOM Marketing.  Let’s break down exactly what went wrong, and how Energizer might be able to save this one.

Short Term Giveaway

Because the items were free, the giveaway started at 8am, East Coast time, (6am central,) and by the time it reached 8am on the West Coast, the batteries were all gone.  In less than a four-hour span, a plethora of angry comments were posted in discussions and on the wall.  One read:  ”Way to have a contest that’s only good for people on the east coast – here in OR it’s 8am and it’s over??!!!“

To properly allow WOM marketing to take it’s full effect, Energizer might have offered an entirely different giveaway to begin with.  Most didn’t follow contest rules and actually ‘Like’ the giveaway as another wall poster mused, “Said 30,000 free coupons available and had to hit LIKE, so how could they be gone, you only have 261 likes on the coupons link.”  This is a recipe for disaster, isn’t it?  Next time, Energizer may think about having a lottery, or creating a discussion around the free product to giveaway.  If they lead with positive comments, the entire tone will be different.

Long Wait Times

A few people commented that they waited over 30-40 minutes and had to keep refreshing the button to receive their coupon.  Most were waiting and didn’t receive anything.  One poster remarked, “When thousands of people are submitting the same form on the same site, some are going to freeze. There will be other freebies. I try to be thankful for those I get and happy for those who get ones I don’t. ”  Unfortunately, most people on facebook were not so level-headed.  A few more commentors were not so kind in their remarks, “mine was validating for over 30 minutes.. its a damn scam,” read one near the top.

Sometimes, the system can’t handle all the requests, as we’ve seen with the recent debacle of Twitter crashes.  To alleviate a potentially tragic hardware or software snafu, I’ve always wondered why more companies don’t spread out the contest via different social networking platforms.  It not only spreads out comments and reaches more people, but the company isn’t relying solely on one platform to house all the inquiries.

Bait and Switch?

Probably the largest reason for the backlash was the energizer did not keep up with the demands of it’s public.  After they knew the coupon was sold out, they still willingly advertised that the promotion was happening, collected sensitive personal information and gave a $1.00 off coupon, instead.  This is where most of the angry posts came from, including a post of mine that read, “If the giveaway has ended, you should have stated that BEFORE you took our personal information.”  Energizer actually replied to me, saying, “Hi Kate, if we received your information, then you will receive the coupon for the free batteries. If you didn’t make it in time, then you should have received a coupon for $1 off.”  I was one of the lucky few who was responded to.  And one of the unlucky few who sold her personal information for a one, dollar.

This is mainly a lesson to me.  How much is my personal information worth.  Is it really worth, a free battery pack?  I know it’s worth more than a dollar, though lists normally buy emails, names and addresses for pennies.  In all reality, I sold myself out.  Perhaps one commenter said it best, “For a free battery pack i would decide to give you my personal information. For a $1 off coupon I would pass. Please give others the option first and please delete my information that you excracted dishonestly from me. many thanks“

Mistakes Happen.  How do we fix it?

In most respects, Energizer is responding to comments, is actively involved in engaging consumers and as a company, offered another coupon since the main promotion sold out so quickly.  An immediate open letter to fans might be warrantied, apologizing for the short window, Facebook software failures and ultimately a public that conceives that this was no more than a ‘Bait and Switch,” promotion.  The moment that phrase is uttered, I’d have PR ready to go with open communication.  Facebook might also want to think about opening up a forum under discussions on how to make it BETTER for next time.  Let the fans pick the promotion and OWN what happens next.  It’s truly a win/win from an engagement standpoint, and when the public feels part of the solution instead of a victim of the problem, great things happen.

Brands depend on consumer loyalty.  When a customer feels deceived, their view of the brand may be forever tarnished.  I have a saying, “It’s not about winning anyone back, it’s about allowing them to feel open enough to CONVERSE with you about the issue.”  We feel better after we complain.  Why is that? In a recent post, the author of, “The Language of Emotions,” speaks about Conscious Complaining and how letting out our negative energy can actually HELP us.  In all reality, should we be so worked up about a Facebook promotion?  Probably not. I, however, am a firm believer in really looking deep into why we react, and how.  Read more about The Language of Emotions, here.

The main job of PR, and Social Media engagement is to LISTEN. Sounds like Energizer is getting a tough lesson in how much the public demands and how to craft a giveaway differently for future success.  For me?  I’ve learned the benefit of one-dollar.  It’s certainly not worth my personal information and it’s not worth much emotion.  It is however, one, gloriously-cheap business lesson to share, showcase and remind companies of.

Chris and Mary Lower weighed in from Sterling Cross Communications .   Follow them online at @SterlingCrossPR

“This is a traditional campaign utilizing web tools and would have even crashed a website.  Facebook has policies against these promotions because of platform crashes and it cannot handle the infrastructure.  Their wall is open to comments, which are not just from themselves.  They are instantly opening a headache with online reputation issues.  Energizer should have set this up to a micro-site and should have been ready for the bandwidth of potential hits and attempt to honor rain checks or other offers.  Store managers will go the extra distance and extend it, this is standard operating procedure.  There’s a huge difference between listening to the consumers and actually DOING something about what they are saying.  Are we actively taking steps to perform GOOD customer service?  Listening does no good if companies are not acting upon what they’ve learned.  If a community is unhappy, the mindset needs to be changed.”

Every time I turn around, another list is out documenting a set of, “Minnesota’s Social Media Innovators/Leaders/Those That Have Moved The Needle.”

In all truth, the fact that Social Media has come so far that we are cognizant enough to celebrate each other is an achievement in itself.  How many years did we spend trying to get some sort of recognition and attendance at the first events?  We however do need to question one thing:   Has the focus moved to popularity versus helping the entire community thrive?  When did it get so….. competitive?

Perhaps it’s the title or the one-label-fits-all, mentality which has me shaking my head.  Some of the people on these lists are more than just innovators or needle movers, they started the trend here in the Twin Cities and I have them to thank.  Other people, UTILIZE social media well for their business.  And Meghan Wilker and Nancy Lyons? They just knock my stilettos off with whatever they do.  I call them just plain, awesome.  Erica Mayer keeps me smiling with her fantastic attitude and gorgeous photos.  See? Maybe, that’s it. Passionate users of Social Media have paved the way for everyone to follow and in truth, we are eternally grateful. But they aren’t just innovators.  By throwing the title of ‘Innovators’ only to those 11? We leave out other fantastic people and send the wrong message.

It’s turning into a popularity contest even though we don’t mean for it to be so. We are less focused on remaining a tight-knit community with each list that comes out.  I’ve heard ripples and divides between those who made a list and those who did not.  Last year the list was a nighmare and people were hurt/angry/divided.  I remember asking someone, “It’s just a list, right?” We need to stop putting our leaders on a pedestal to emulate when what makes Social Media divine in the first place is the power of individuality and personal branding on all content platforms.  Although, I’ll take Meghan Wilker’s wardrobe any day. (Please?)

We put our friends on our ‘Best of Lists,’ and then they put us on theirs and SEO is happy because our name comes up with a gold star.  This is high school.  This is sad. For us to be the best community we need to be?  We need to celebrate others, too and stop the labels.  The sad thing is, the most recent list by @ArikHanson, only features 11.  It’s becoming a little exclusive and silly.  Some of the same people were on the list, others weren’t and there is a severe lack of change.

Recognition is a powerful tool that’s not only needed to learn best practices, but can prove to be fatal to our community if overdone.  The last thing I want to see is a, “Good ‘Ole Boys Club,” here in the Twin Cities Social Media scene.  Reading through the comments under the article reaffirmed my belief that the pretentiousness of back-slapping thanks and personal shared victory has come to a head.

We all need to get over ourselves a bit, and celebrate people for what they have done, not grouping them under ‘innovators’ and leaving good people out.  We’re hurting ourselves by labels when these community leaders are so much more and others, haven’t received credit they deserve, (@JoelECarlson,  @MNHeadhunter, @FooteNotes, @StevenLadin, @LuLuGrimm, merely to name a few.)

Weigh in, tell me what YOU think.

There’s something about walking into a room full of people that know you, that makes the Twin Cities Social Media Scene feel like, home.

My first, “Social Media Breakfast,” was an experience like no other.  Connections were established that grew my business and aspirations, people were hugged and knowledge was gained.  More importantly? I learned that I wasn’t an outcast, or misfit because people, just like me, were using Twitter, LinkedIn and Facebook, while enjoying it.  As I grew professionally, speaking nationally and passionately about Social Media, I knew that those breakfasts and events had a dramatic impact on who I was becoming.  I was an online misfit: someone who wanted to change the world with connection and showing job seekers and companies the value of one, single, status update.  And no more, was I alone.  I learned about the #SMBMSP new pay model from MNHeadhunter and truly agreed with the decision.

I’m pro-$10. I think a hug from @MNHeadhunter is worth more, and when you add in one of @KayLoire’s incredible smiles- it all becomes priceless.  Tell me that a monthly check-in isn’t worth $10?

I’ll go to SMBMSP even though I know I’ll run into the ex and I’ll have to pull an awkward hello out of my pocket.  I’ll go even if I have to get up at 5am. (Did I just say, 5am?) Yup.  Single Parentdom and living in the far SW Metro mean dropping the poor kiddo off at 6am to get on the road in time enough to grab the last piece of bacon. I’ll go, because you all supported me and I am incredibly proud to know you.

@MyklRoventine and @RickMahn have worked ridiculously hard to build our community.   Instead of demanding everything for free and becoming, “social media elitists,” we need to remember all the people who sacrificed, planned and brought us together as a community.   I have no doubt that in the upcoming months, new and “FREE!” events will pop up.  To grow as a community, we need change.  However, if we cut ourselves off from where we gathered and met simply for $10, that’s a testament to how ‘cheap‘ we really are.   Cheap things break, and often when we buy a less-expensive version of something that has been working well to begin with, we are soon disappointed.  I’m all for healthy competition and growth, but I’m not for elitism.  Yes, communication was lacking about the change.  Yes, the State Fair is not the optimal environment to charge, but we couldn’t have expected free content forever.  We’re not all really that selfish, are we?

Will the $10 change mean that sometimes, I won’t be able to make it to Social Media Breakfast?  Maybe.   Budgeting means making difficult choices.  Will it mean that I don’t support an organization and group of people who truly deserve it? No way. It means I’ll make better choices, and look forward to seeing everyone that much more.   Seriously, guys.  Let’s cut the crap and support the people that built the Twin Cities Social Media Scene to what it is.  Purely, awesome.

]]> http://www.girlmeetsgeek.com/2010/08/16/the-land-of-the-misfit-social-media-enthusiasts/feed/ 2 http://www.girlmeetsgeek.com/2010/04/02/top-tweets-other-twitter-wastes-of-time/ http://www.girlmeetsgeek.com/2010/04/02/top-tweets-other-twitter-wastes-of-time/#comments Fri, 02 Apr 2010 16:16:26 +0000 thegirl http://www.girlmeetsgeek.com/?p=806 Twitter is going to form into a microcosm of High School.  With the new popular tweets function: or “Retweets,” is just another way for Twitter Leader-bees to pave their way to the front page.  Imagine it: A spectacle of those who care about nothing more than popularity on Twitter- claiming their front page status and wearing their Top Tweet badge like an honor.  True leaders on Social Media use the platform as an accessibility point to something else: Human Interaction and Connection.  In High School, those who are most popular are often feared.  The popularity war is nonsense in fast-paced world of Social Media.

Remember when people thought Twitter was all about followers?  Like a cold-calling campaign in where 1 of 100 calls might result in a sale, people thought with clever campaigns to gain followers, they could increase, or boost their profile on Twitter.  Remember the backlash?  For months, we were plagued with, “Gain more than 10k followers daily, I’ll show you how!”  For those not accustomed to human interaction and true marketing, they thought the power was in the followers, and boy- were they wrong.

The power of Twitter, is in your voice; the human thoughts that blurt themselves out from your fingertips before you have time to rethink if you want everyone to know that your preschooler just climbed to the top of the dresser and sang a song from Annie at the top of her lungs.  (I gave her a cookie, it was majestic.)  For the love of Social Media: If Twitter isn’t about the followers, it’s certainly not about “Top Tweets,” either.  I already am seeing articles about how to get your tweet on the front page.  In all reality: Who spends time on the FRONT PAGE of Twitter before they login?  I log in to communicate immediately with the people I care about- not people who are unattached and hanging at the front gate. 

Want to succeed in Social Media?  Remember your human element: the voice beneath your fingertips that tells the world WHO you are, not what you’re selling.  Witty comments can land you a few followers, but why not take those followers and develop true relationships.  Tweetups, charity events and simply asking for coffee is a great way to bring a follower to the next level.  It’s time to recognize that Social Media isn’t a popularity contest, it’s a RELATIONSHIP-BUILDER capable of giving you incredible people to call at 10pm or 8am and relationships that extend far greater than a computer screen.

Brian Ward lost his job on a Friday afternoon. Eleven days later he had a new one. With nearly 1 in 10 people out of work and the typical job search lasting 12 weeks, how did the Cleveland-based software architect pull it off? In a phrase: online social networking….    -Time Magazine
 
I recently led a class and facilitated about job-search-strategies for the chronically and long-term unemployed. The room was bursting with discussion, passion and a vibrant energy. That is, until people started noticing that LinkedIn and Twitter were the next screen shots. It was almost as though I committed a violent online act.
 
There the logos were, and about 70% of my (40+ aged,) job seekers slumped with their heads down and completely closed themselves off. I tried to explain it like the following.
 
We are all in a huge, swimming pool. Most job seekers are getting to the point where they are sick of being wet, sick of floating and their arms are aching from treading water. A couple people have given up and are floating in the deep end- tummies down and absolutely exhausted from the mental and physical stress of the hunt. The first thing I want you to do? Is put your feet down. It’s not as deep as you think. When your feet touch the bottom, there’s no need to overuse muscles from paddling or trying to stay afloat. Asses the water. Social Media: Is a way to put your foot down, or mark your job search. Job seekers are still struggling, but they now have way to showcase their key accomplishments online- in a not-so-routine way. With your feet firmly planted at the bottom of the pool, you’re able to walk in small steps, making more progress than those who are just merely floating and waiting for someone to pull them out.
 
Social Media: Is not a lifesaver and it’s certainly not the ‘be all and end all’ of the career search spectrum, but it is- a way for you to stand strongly on your own and commend attention.
 
Honest to God: A job seeker in a recent class mentioned that Twitter and LinkedIn were just another violation of her privacy and that it would take a miracle to get her online and viewable in these interfaces. She had  been unemployed, (and still very bitter,) for quite a while. I didn’t know whether to just hug her and listen, (we all have our fears and pain that we carry,) or tell her: You’re better than this. Don’t hide behind your fear and miss a fantastic opportunity. I showed her the importance of showcasing her value in a way that was fresh and different. She only came around when I showed her specific examples, and asked her, “It’s easier floating isn’t it? You don’t know if the bottom is even there until you try, right?” She’s attending a special Social Media class next week. I’m sure she’ll be the one asking all the questions that I’m happy to answer.
 
Who really ‘get’s Twitter, anyway? You have the ‘social media guru’s’ who claim that twitter is the mostincrediblethingever that has ever hit the interwebs. You have the middle aged women who don’t want to understand and just shift uncomfortably in their seats over the thought of ‘tweeting’ anything about their life. And lastly: You have the job counselors who are calling it a waste of time. It’s the latter that makes me the angriest. I did the stupid thing: I started spouting numbers like it was no one’s business, (like a salesgirl on acid.) That didn’t work- so I spoke passionately about the value of everything at the job seeker’s fingertips, (to which my counterpart snorted.)
 
“I wouldn’t be anywhere in the whole mobile community if I wasn’t using Twitter. I received my opportunity because my future employer saw I was ‘tweeting’ about Android.” -Breon Nagy
 
The number one thing I hear about Twitter is: Who the hell cares what I ate for breakfast? And in all honesty: I care. Not because I have far too much time on my hands, or because I’m secretly a loser- it’s because if you are tweeting the value in something: I might want to know. (That’s how news started: This is oral history in our fingertips.) If you are a job seeker and you tweet: “Find me a job.” I won’t bite. There’s no value statement there- no reason for me to be connected to you besides answering your self-serving question. However, if you tweet, “Local Architect looking-  10+years experience. Check out my Linked In Here, or DM.” I might, check out your linked in. Because… you gave me a reason to.
 
Can you really ‘sell’ yourself in 140 characters or less? (If you can, please email me so that we can take over the world and help HR people conduct strategies to save time and money worldwide.) There’s no formula on how to get a job in 140 characters or less- but there is a formula to help you gain exposure within your community and that will lead to a job- simply by doing the following: Using Twitter and tweeting regularly about news in your field, expertise or job isms to help you build your network and NETWORTH.
 
Twitter is a pointer: It’s not the destination, but rather a way to get there.
 
We are only as valuable as we believe ourselves to be. Time to put those feet down and walk to your destination.
 

We didn’t know then to the extent that this form of electronic media and interaction would have in our lives. In gaining one thing, do we lose something else?  To gain web interaction, a lot of the older generation feels that it’s coming at a larger price: Human, face-to-face interaction. However, new reports suggest that adults have already embraced technology.

Social networking is not the be all and end all in marketing or consumer-to-company interaction. Most of us have figured out that the more we can facilitate brand recognition and reach out to our client base, the better chance we have at retaining the consumers that are spending the money, looking to us to provide the products and communicating their desires and dislikes. Without the ability to foster relationships with consumers, companies are isolating themselves from sales leads with social media. 

 Social Media + Companies= Win

If companies continue to internally and externally treat the social media class as a ‘phenomenon’ instead of a serious tool to engage with their audience, they’ll be left behind in the reject bin of the modern day consumer. No one wants to be left in the bargain bin while the rest of the companies hang tagged and ready to sell on shelves- correctly branded and at ‘attention.’

The correct marketing draws clients in and the right customer service keeps them as life-long purchasers, but how do we influence other entities involved in technology and networking?

I attended the Social Media Breakfast this morning.

• Online Presence Here: http://smbmsp.org
• Twitter Them Here: http://twitter.com/smbmsp

Among the wonderful demo that was, (MixMobi,)a well-timed application that allows mobile users to receive updates or coupons via mobile phone.  

I also had the privilege of witnessing an absolutely needed discussion and debate on Social Media: Behind the Firewall. We discussed both security concerns over internal documentation in external collaboration sites, but also, finding the methods of getting employers to ‘buy-in’ to the entire idea of social media: not a fad, but rather to engage with clients creating and entirely different way of viewing business with consumers. (Hand-in-hand, vs: top down, methodology.) The main ideas focused on value vs. fear and how to ‘let go’ of the constraints on the average worker and empower them to be company representatives online- unafraid to speak or collaborate. (Still the point remains: How do we empower our employees with the RIGHT information in which to speak of.) …and are we giving away our voice, as company representatives because the words that we speak must be positive? I think that’s the next step in review.

To engage further, I spoke with Derek Schwartz, who works at JDL Technologies in Eden Prairie, Minnesota. He following is to his credit as he described to me what he’s witnessed while watching the trends in technology as a business manager:

“The irony is that we, as parents, society, employers, and a country, expect schools to deliver a relevant, 21^st century education to our public school students, yet most teaching methodology is stuck in the Agrarian age.  Case in point, a MN school district recently started a project where kids who passed a certain test LAST YEAR were given a laptop to support academic achievement THIS year.  During the first two weeks of the project, the kids weren’t even allowed to turn the machines on during class periods, and there is no advertised technology integration occurring in the classrooms in the long term. Now – multiple issues here:”

1.       By excluding some kids from the technology project, you instantly create a discrimination suit potential at the worst, and reduce your credibility in the eyes of the community parents in the best case.

2.       Excluding some kids also hinders technology integration in the classroom, since any teacher really doing their job well can’t build terrific materials depending on technology since not all the kids will have access in the classroom.  I find this very frustrating.

3.       To my knowledge, there was no Professional Development done with the affected teachers to support a paradigm shift.  The old problem again: throwing hardware at a complex, systemic problem hoping that “this” will fix it.

 In a large Florida school district, JDL is piloting two different models of virtualized desktop computing:

1. Leveraging new technology, up to 80% of the existing student computers can be eliminated while still serving the same number of kids simultaneously.  This allows massive savings on electricity, management of the physical machines and licensing, and building HVAC costs while also providing for quieter labs (supporting student achievement) and increasing the number of computers available for kids, but at a much lower cost than buying a bunch of new machines.   This model saves the district up to 40% of their current annual spend for student machines.
2. Developing a web-based conduit for students to access all district curriculum and applications, the other solution can leverage any low cost computing solution (even iPhones!) to deliver content anywhere, anytime. This solution is platform-agnostic, needing only an OS ,web browser, and a network connection (including 3G/4G technology) to operate.  This solution enables the district to rollout low-cost machines to students that can operate continuously for the whole school day and provide access to all the educational content the district pays for and develops in-house.  24/7 access supports student achievement and is a paradigm shift for the way schools can operate – being no longer confined to bricks and mortar.   The real beauty here is that initial estimates suggest a district wouldn’t have to spend any additional cash per year than they do now to begin implementing this on a wide scale.

 Special thanks to all the attendees at today’s SMBMSP and Derek Schwartz for the fantastic information about schools embracing technology and the conflicts that come along with it all. Excellent information!