Echolalia

The Paradox of LinkedIn #30DBC

Are you on LinkedIn? If you are a professional, this tool is invaluable for keeping connected with others in your fields of interest.

I joined LI back in 2004. I remember being so excited to have a place to connect with others who I knew, and be able to maintain relationships (and correct contact information) no matter where my network would roam.  It did take me quite some time to convince others that this wasn't a scam to get your personal information for malfeasance -- but rather, an open network that was going to change the way we would be able to connect.

It's been more than 10 years and I've watched my peers and mentors grow into their current positions. I love the game of "we knew each other when" as those experiences -- as interns, entry-level associates, first time managers and then directors and CEOS allow us  to create bonds that can last a lifetime. LI lets me see their histories and share mine. It also lets me see how we are connected and if we have any connections in common.

As LinkedIn has grown to 200 million users -- it has changed the way we learn about the people we meet. As in real life, exaggerating your profile in LI is not the smartest thing to do. If you're connected to your former colleagues, your claims can easily be checked by anyone with an account.

Credit: istockphoto.com

In the early days, LinkedIn made it possible to connect with someone if you had his/her email address.  These days, if you choose to be a LION (a LinkedIn Open Networker) you can choose to connect with as many people as you'd like, provided that they accept your invitation. If you are in a group with someone who shares similar interests, you can connect with them easily -- even if you never had a word with them (via text or voice!)

Perhaps I'm old-school, but I believe in the strength of real relationships. This might sound funny coming from someone who has friends on every continent, many who she hasn't met! Truthfully, as an early adopter and technology lover, I have always participated in chats with people unknown to me in the traditional sense. But over the months and years of exchanging views in threads, boards, and through SKYPE and the telephone, I have come to know some of these friends much better than those people who I may have worked with 20 years ago.  These are "real" connections, and I've earned them by engaging in honest conversations.

 

I love to meet new people. I also love to offer my assistance to those who reach out. But one of my biggest pet peeves is with those who are "biz card collectors." These are people who click without care, connecting to anyone without thinking about why a connection should be accepted. It's quite odd and rude in my opinion.

Would you walk up to anyone at a conference and without introducing yourself, demand their business card? I sincerely doubt it. But on LinkedIn, people forget their manners. They do that every day by sending the generic request "I'd like to add you to my professional network" to people who they fancy.

Yes, I know these tools are created to form connections to people you don't know.  But just like an in person networking meeting, please don't forget your manners. Try to engage someone in a group conversation. "Like" and comment on his/her posts. Craft an invite that explains why you'd like to add them to your network.

"Hi Wendy. Saw your post in Group X and I think you're onto something. By the way, I'm also a marketer who loves social media. Perhaps we can connect and continue the chat?"  

^ That's the way to do it. 

How do you use LinkedIn? Are you an Open Networker or are you more selective? Do share your opinion, please! 

PS  - if you wish to connect with me, send me a note (!)

All of my social media links are in one place, XeeMe.  http://www.xeeme.com/wendycobrda

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Social Media, Imperfectly Perfect? #30DBC

Posting and blogging and tweeting and instagramming. What do these things all have in common? Instant gratification!

I believe the briliance of the social media is the ability to post spontaneously. And like so much in life these days, the old rules aren't necessarily helpful when you are just jumping in. It's not that grammar or structure are no longer important, but rather, the idea that you have to polish your text or photoshop your your blemishes on your photos before posting is very old school. 

Truth be told, social media is just life real life. Most people feel more comfortable with those who are willing to relax a bit and let their guard down when meeting others. I know this to be true -- my closest girlfriends are those whose homes aren't picked up each time I visit. (I can assure you, neither is mine!) And we all go out without makeup or our hair done -- and often meet for that first cup of coffee in our pjs.  The truth is, we're ourselves no matter what the situation is. And in our real lives, sometimes, hell, most of the time, things are definitely NOT perfect. Showing up with your guard down goes very far in having genuine relationships.

It's great to have a clean house, and I love feeling polished -- but the point is that you don't have to be that way all the time and in fact, if you are, you can have the opposite effect on people than intended! Hard to believe, but its those flaws that make us who we are. 

As for getting online -- I think the trick to posting is to share what you know and be open to differing opinions. And if you are going to post something controversial (anything political, religious or sexual in nature) then you should expect to attract people who are going to see it another way. That doesn't mean that you have to avoid this issues, but think before you post something that is absolute. Keeping the door open to discussion allows real conversations, real learning.

I think the worst thing is to allow your sense of perfection to ruin your opportunity to start whatever it is you have an urge to do or say.  One of my favorite quotes ever? The one that I clipped out of a booklet when I was about 13 or 14 and have had with me (now tattered and torn) since then? 

“Whatever you can do or dream you can, begin it. Boldness has genius, power and magic in it!” 
― Johann Wolfgang von Goethe 

Read more in the post that got me thinking -- by Anna Rydne.

http://www.steamfeed.com/why-you-are-better-off-not-being-perfect-online/

 

Ten ways to be "authentic" while using Social Media #30DBC

I think that some folks seem to equate social media with advertising. Advertising is positioned to appeal to our aspirations. That's why people always look perfect in commercials, cars are always gleaming as they curve along sinewy roads and food looks better than in real life. We pay attention to commercials that show us who we could be if we had product X in our lives because many of us aspire to be more. This isn't exactly truth you're looking at. It's designed to appeal not repel!

On TV and other mass media -- people expect commercials in between quality programming. Most of us know that the providers need to pay the bills, so we accept them, albeit, begrudgingly. 

Social Media is another form of communication, but because it's a two-way street -- the rules are different. You can't just start posting links to your products and expect to be successful. In this world, people expect to get to know you -- to understand what you are all about -- and only then will they be able to trust you and what you are selling.

Here are 10 things that can help keep you honest and authentic with your postings.

1. Read, think, and post.  When you read something that you agree with, repost it and add your two cents. When you disagree, acknowledge the posters point of view and politely state your objections and ask for a response. This encourages a dialogue.

2. When someone asks your advice on something, use your answer as the seed for a new post. If you can give someone solid advice, you have the ability to acknowledge a problem and to think through solutions. That's the real you, use it!

3. Write for yourself, first. When you use your own language, your own tone, your own stories, you are consistent from post to post. You can't help yourself. 

4. When posting about a new product you have to offer, use your manners. You would never shake someone's hand in person and then hand him a flyer, that would be rude.  Introduce yourself. Share your expertise with your opinion. Then, and only then, let people know what you do and how you might solve problems for them.

5. Use your own name. Or consistently use a handle or pen name that represents the essence of you. (e.g., I'm TheDataDiva -- a name that reflects my knowledge and passion for gathering and analyzing data).

6. Use your own picture. A recent picture, please. Not fuzzy -- and without sunglasses!

7. Create a page in LinkedIn. One of the easiest ways to check if someone is who he says he is to review his profile.  Not only should someone have a complete profile, but he/she should be linked to other people who worked at similar places or are in associations or groups. I have discovered several fake profiles over the years by simply looking around at the companies people claim to have worked for and following their "connections." You would be surprised how many people fake a profile and how easy it is to tell if you use some elementary detective work.

8. Change it up -- as you do in your real life! Engaging people talk about lots of subjects.  They aren't always positive or always negative. They incorporate details that ring true to the tale they are telling. When you maintain the same fake photo, and post only links to other peoples posts or quotes you appear to be hiding. 

9. Link to other people who share similar opinions and also to those who have opinions contrary to yours. This helps you keep perspective -- don't just drink your own Kool-Aid! It also lets people know that you are serious about the topics you follow.

10. Answer comments on blog posts. Forward tweets and posts on LinkedIn. Don't just "like" something, add your two cents. The world is so boring without a difference in opinion.

Being authentic isn't some kind of technique or trick. It does require conscious effort to stop reworking your words into a pale, bland heap of nonsense. The more you practice sharing, the better you'll become at it.

 

 

Is Social Media really just Bullshit? #30DBC

According to B.J. Mendelson  

“Marketing is fiction created by salesman to get companies to buy ideas they don’t need, to sell customers what they don’t want, to an end that only benefits their own.” 

Really, now, B.J.! You were a marketer (or so you claim) before you turned into a comedian. Now you are a writer who is using over a half-million twitter followers, videos on YouTube and more to promote your book.  You can't really believe that.  Or is this all one big joke to you?

It doesn't sound like a joke to me. Judge for yourself.  You can read a free chapter of his book here.

Marketing, like any other profession, has it's methods. They are all based on advances in communication tools. Most of us believe that our job, done correctly, is to

1. Identify what is unique, beneficial, and appealing about our offering.
2. Identify and locate  those who might best benefit from it's purchase.
3. Using words, sounds, pictures --  provide a means of turning interested, qualified prospects into customers. 

I truly believe that good marketers are often the smartest and most strategic people in the company and if their efforts are honest they provide a very valuable service to people. I must admit though, despite his obviously spiteful commentary about marketing and sales, he does have some very valid points.

One thing that really stood out was his declaration that more money is made by people coaching other people how to make money on the web than people actually making money on the web!

I keep company with many self-proclaimed social media experts. I think many of them genuinely have great ideas on 1. creating content that potential customers can use to make decisions and 2. making sure that content is seen. Of course, there are many, many, more people out there who make themselves seem much more successful than they are. They are very good at getting people to follow them but they really don't move as much product as they might suggest.  Like all those "get rich quick" gurus -- you wonder why any of them would be constantly hawking themselves if they made half as much as they claimed. I look at some of the things they spew and just want to scream out! 

"Social Media isn't about having a large number of followers. (You do know that you can buy thousands of twitter followers for practically nothing, really!)  Nor is it about broadcasting on your Facebook page. It's not a collection of white papers on your blog, either.  It isn't about lying, and it isn't about deceiving others."

I don't think it is "bullshit" to use his very SEO-friendly title!

Social Media done right is about having a dialog with your prospects and customers. It allows unprecidented access to people who could use what you are offering. Access meaning -- you can reach them and they can in turn, reach you. In fact, it doesn't have to be about selling anything. It could be as simple as finding people who have something in common and giving them a chance to talk about it together. 

Author Mendleson says that he's just looking out for the small business person. What is interesting to me is how Social Media can make the playing field a little more level for the small guy. It is true that if you have a large budget and dedicated staff members devoted to producing and distributing content you have a better chance of seeing a greater ROI. But even small businesses can use tools to get valuable feedback and to share information and offers even with a limited amount of time to devote to the process.

Funny thing. My girlfriend told me the other day that she just didn't get Twitter until Hurricane Sandy hit. By filtering the local posters she could see where she could go for supplies, such as gas. That was Social Media at its core: helping people connect with other people. Isn't that what most of broadcasting is about? Sharing news? Sharing stories? 

 

Do you Invest in Your Relationships? #30DBC

I just came upon this article while perusing a friends' Facebook.

What a great article and reminder what it means to be a true friend.

I have a ton of acquaintances -- but my true friends are people with whom time and space doesn't matter. There are a few who I talk to almost daily -- several others who make it a point to check in once or twice a week. And then those whose lives are so busy (as is mine) that weeks if not months can go by without a chirp.

What I think I love most about tweeting and email and blogging and Facebook  is that I can still keep up with those I care about, and they, me.

My cousins and sisters read practically everything I write. How do I know? Once every few weeks when we chat they ask me about everything. I am often a little in the dark as they don't choose to post as much as they like to LURK! But even so, with my trusty phone beside me, I can easily text message or post a quick note to anyone practically anytime. And there is nothing like a "hello, thinking of you" to make your day.

We invest in relationships that mean the most  to us. You can tell when you're no longer important when you completely drop off the radar. Don't make that fatal mistake and lose people you care about. 

Is Social Media the Field of Dreams? If you build it, will they come?

Yes and a resounding NO!

Social media isn't like the Field of Dreams. If you build it, they won't necessarily come!

Imagine using the various tools you have at your disposal as if you were building a garden. In addition to prepping the earth, you really have to pick the right seeds, have good weather, pull out the weeds, add fertilizer and pick your crop when it's grown for it to work for you.

The earth, the dirt -- is where seeds are nurtured so that they can develop into strong, mature, fruit-bearing plants. However, if the dirt isn't good (too rocky, not enough loam, too sandy,) no amount of seeds or rain will produce a consistent, quality crop.  This is your business. If you don't have a good model in place, good recommendations, correct pricing and offerings, no amount of blogging, tweeting and sharing of videos and photos can change that. In fact, it can make it worse!

The seeds you choose have to be appropriate for your region. No sense in trying to grow pineapples in Central Michigan! The same can apply to your nuggets of information that you wish to share with the world. If you are sharing recipes, that won't necessarily help your business unless you are selling something related to food preparation! Write about topics that are related to your expertise, and hone that expertise -- speak of successes and failures -- before you try your hand at another tangent.

The weather is important for all crops. This can be likened to putting content where it will thrive the most. If you are in a business where your concepts are difficult to explain -- do a video. But don't leave that video just on your blog. Videos belong in YouTube and they need to be cross-promoted with various other social media tools in order to reach your intended audience in a place where they may be looking for your service.

Weeding and fertilizing your crops can help take a so-so garden and make it suitable for feeding not only your family, but the neighbors. With a good social media strategy, you need to promote the more popular posts -- both your own content and others.

In fact, the more you work with others to spread content -- the more your content will rise to the top -- if it is quality. Any "weeds" (spammy commentary) need to get plucked (deleted) fairly regularly, or else your garden (blog, Facebook page) will become overrun with junk.

Finally, when you grow something, you need to pluck it at it's peak of perfection. If you harvest too soon, the produce is not mature enough to eat. If you wait too long, it falls off and rots. So too, are potential customers who are reading your information and learning from you. When they inquire about your services you need to be ready to harvest them at their peak. If you jump on someone who merely puts a comment on your blog -- you may turn him off. If someone asks for a call or a quote, and you wait too long, you may lose your opportunity with that prospect -- it will fall and rot on the ground. 

If you build it, and tend to it, not only will they come, but they can eat at your table. 

Tend your Social Media Garden!

 

If one is #good, then ten must be #great! #30DBC

We live in an age of excess. No debate there.

We all have seen the statistics about serving sizes being a major cause of obesity. Someone along the way decided that 8 ounces was just not large enough and before we knew it, 16oz became standard soft drink servings, then even 32oz just wasn't enough!

It's the same in the world of social media and in particular, hashtags. (#) 

Hashtags evolved as a means of helping people filter and contribute to conversations. Simple to create and use, they stormed the social media world, starting with Twitter as a way of organizing threads with common themes. All you had to do was use a tag, (#sm, #fb, #syracuse, #2012decision) and anyone interested in following or contributing to the flow could read and respond by applying a filter to his stream.

Unfortunately, the multiplication logic of our life of excess was quickly applied to all things social media. Instead of using just one or two tags, people started creating posts and filled most of their 140 characters with references to other subjects.  I personally hate this trend. I feel that it kills the usefulness of the tag. If something is about everything -- where is the actual thought within the post? Where is the true theme in the common thread?

I've seen this done on Instagram, too, with pictures. If a picture is worth a thousand words, why are you adding a thousand words to the picture?! The reason people do this is because the more we automate, the more we rely on algorithms to find patterns to sort through the firehose of items that rush past us. Without these bots acting as gateways and redirects -- we would miss many good posts. Additionally, if you're playing the social media game, many equate raw numbers of likes and follows (quantity) to the actual quality of the interaction. I don't think that could be further from the truth!

Unfortunately, I feel what we've done is create a bunch of machines following each other. The beauty of social media is the art of the conversation. Keep that in mind next time you're tempted to "optimize" your posts with many hashtags. 

Forever is composed of nows. #30DBC

"Forever is composed of nows." Emily Dickenson

There's nothing like a life-changing health scare to make you stop and think. Your "woulda-coulda-shouldas" are your regrets -- and the things you have accomplished --  are those memories you savor. When you are alone with your thoughts do you want to be marinating in your excuses or celebrating your braveness?

Not everyone just leaps in to new adventures with both feet forward -- for various reasons. Sometimes people have a real fear of failure. Others are living behind a curtain of lies, a web of deceit that even they aren't fully cognizant of, and don't want to be discovered for who they really are. Still others are paralyzed by the very thought of imperfection. Whatever your reason -- it's not enough to pull yourself out of the game. Only you are capable of benching yourself. Is that how you want to remember your life? As the "he had such potential" guy?

Life is too precious and too short to constantly put off to tomorrow what you could do today. Especially the simple things.

Consider this when you are thinking about trying something new. What's the worst thing that could happen? The absolute worst? Unless death, dismemberment or incarceration is at the end of your thought train -- NOTHING should stop you from trying something new. 

Fortunately, I learned this lesson early on. Whether it was food or a career choice, a part in a play or a sport -- I've always been encouraged to just try. I have come to believe that the biggest part of living a good life is just showing up and being present.

I remember being just out of school and I wanting desparately to buy a used car. I was barely covering my rent and I was nervous that I wouldn't be able to afford the payments and insurance. My boss at the time, Ann, helped me think through the worst of the worst scenarios. We agreed that if I was in a pickle I might be able to borrow a payment from my dad. If that wasn't an option I could get a third job. And then we finally concluded --  I could always sell the car if I really couldn't find a way to make the payment. ($179/month!!!)  I went from agonizing over my decision to enjoying my new found freedom with my purchase. And having the car put me in a position to take a new part time job that paid more per hour than my 9-5! Things all worked out.

Just a few days ago, I thought -- I'm not really a blogger. I truly enjoy writing, but what could I possibly come up with that would be worth reading for 30 consecutive days? I'm busy! I'm not working on anything interesting to share... And then I stepped back and looked deeply in the mirror and thought, "Well, why the heck not?" The worst that could happen is that I'd stop writing and withdraw from the group of colleagues who are also participating in Oscar Gonzalez's 30 Day Blogging Challenge. If that was the worst, then the best was yet to come.

If you're sitting on the fence, wondering if you should do something -- take my Worst Case Scenario test. Then "carpe diem," "just do it," -- NOW!

Not exactly cool, but definitely not dead.

 

http://www.kbkcommunications.com/is-social-media-dead/

It's a funny thing. 

As soon as something becomes adopted by the masses and actually starts working as predicted, the bleeding edge folks declare it dead and move on to discover the next best thing.

Isn't that the way it is with everything? When things get popular, they are less expensive to make and distribute and so they take less effort to find and acquire. Remember when CROCS were just the ugliest plastic shoes you've ever seen? Who would wear them much less pay hard earned cash for them? I don't recall the year they became the "it" thing in footwear, but when you can find knockoffs in every shade and color, you know it's no longer trendy and just part of our accepted culture.

The same thing can be said about social media.  

It used to be that only the cool kids were using Twitter. People who didn't understand the brilliance of short text messages loved to disparage the tool. Same thing with Facebook and LinkedIn.  ("I'm just really too busy to get online, I don't know how you have the time to do it."people would chide.) However, once these tools became adopted by more people, those on the edge were already on to the latest and greatest.

Just because it's mainstream doesn't mean it's lame.  Just because your mother -- even your grandmother is on Facebook doesn't mean you can't use it anymore.

It just means that the way we share information is moving into another, more mature stage. Is the phone dead? The television? The radio?  I don't think social media can be declared dead because it is ubiquitous. I think it is a distinct form of communication that will continue to be integrated into all other forms of media.

I do think that some users have "jumped the shark."  They've taken tools that were meant for sharing and have turned them into pure advertising stream. What used to be joyous about Twitter for example, was discovering gems of thought and being able to connect with anyone just by showing up and reading. Sadly, some people automate their content so much that the instant conversation, the discussion of ideas, is all but gone. 

Smart marketers will remember that thoughtful, original content or commentary is the only way to stay relevant.  

[Video] Why You DO Need Google+

Thanks, Tina Cook, for sharing this excellent video.

I joined Google+ but because the bulk of my frends, colleagues, and contacts are on FB or LI, I have yet to post anything of any significance on G+.

I tend to be an early adopter, but for some reason, I am dragging my feet. Could it be that after all these years I've finally come to realize that change for most people, is difficult? Especially when it comes to something that is secondary in their lives. "If it ain't broke don't fix it" is a common attitude when it comes to the masses...especially so many of the other women in my age and lifestage circle.  I like new things, I'm challenged by them, but when it comes to social media, who wants to sit in a circle by yourself? 

I will migrate slowly and bring others with me, but I think Google is a little late to the game. What do you think?

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HomeSocial MediaGoogle+Latest NewsMastermindMeet TinaContact TinaTestimonialsTimeOutToolboxTop Online ToolsAudioBrilliant BooksWordPress ThemesMeasureMusic 2 work 2SEOSocial Media DataSocial Media VideosJul26[Video] Why You DO Need Google+ By Tina Cook · Comments (3)Are you wondering if you need to join another social network?Have you been hearing good things about Google+ Circles? Epipheo of Epipheo Studios  had the same thoughts and masterfully created this stunning video. Love the part when he decides it’s all too much and goes outside (do you relate) … aaah but then he meets the … not going to spoil it for you. Enjoy the video. Thanks to Fluffy Links for the great find. How you can get an invite to Google+1. Sign up for your Gmail account, if you don’t have one yet.2. Ask your friend on Google+ to send you an invite.3. Or ask me by sending your Gmail address to me here.4. Or go to Google+ directly, if they will let you (still officially in Field Trial): http://plus.google.com/The best tips about Google+ are being shared there daily. So jump aboard early as will be easier to build your connections if you are part of this new platform as it expands. It’s exciting to be there at the beginning. And we are. So look forward to adding you to my Google+ circle http://gplus.to/tinacook i1 Vote© 2011, Tina Cook. All rights reserved. 141414141414141414828282828282828282  shareshare Categories : Google+Comments (3)Leave a ReplyYou can add a link to follow you on twitter if you put your username in this box.Only needs to be added once (unless you change your username). No http or @ Twitter

via www.tinacook.tv

A new challenging game called Empire Avenue

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The past four days I've been focused on learning a new game which gives you an incentive to keep blogging, posting, and sharing. It's called Empire Avenue (EA) and it's really turning into an obsession.

It starts out simply enough -- you log in and set up an account. Each feed you register  -- Facebook, Twitter, Flickr, LinkedIn, and FourSquare relays your activity back to EA. A sophisticated algorithm assigns value to all of your activities and these scores contribute to your share price. The fun begins when you use the money in your bank account to buy shares in other gamers.  EA is a social stock market and your job is to figure out when to buy and when to sell in order to maintain a portfolio that generates Eaves (fake money that is used to buy more stock and luxury items.)

I've hooked up my Twitter and Facebook accounts and have encouraged people on LinkedIn to join me. Unlike KLOUT which is an influence score -- this is a game that trains you to be more social. The more you do *right* the higher your value. And of course, it's not all about you. Being social means that you are a good neighbor, so recommending others, acknowledging others posts, endorsing blogs -- all of these things increase your value.

I'm barely a week into it, but I'm hooked!  I'm trading around 47 eaves a share. I'll share my adventures as I play.

THEDATADIVA

 

Facebook Group FAQs for a happier online existence

All the social media sites have different options that you can use or set to make your experience less inundating.  One of the features in Facebook is the ability to join groups of other people who share similar interests.

When people are first added to groups, they suddenly start receiving messages from all the posters to that group's page. This can be overwhelming to digest and downright annoying. 

If you'd like to manage your experience so that you can participate in a more comfortable way, review these simple FAQs. That way, you won't be the annoying person posting about being removed from the list!

Want to leave the group?

On the right hand side, under the pictures of all the Members you will see an icon of a door. It says "LEAVE GROUP". Simply click on it and you will no longer be a part of this group. 

Want to STOP receiving individual messages from the group?

1.  Go to Edit Settings (Top right)
2.  Edit your notification settings
3.  Scroll to Groups
4.  Change email settings for individual groups

(if you uncheck a group name, you won't get individual emails.)

Want to share the joy -- add a friend?

On the right hand side, under the pictures of members, there is a little icon that shows a list and a plus sign on it. It says "Add Friends to Group." 

Want to let your friends know about a group you are following without adding them?

- Scroll to the bottom of the page and look for the link to SHARE. Click on it, and it will be posted to your page.

Want to let everyone in the group know about your event?

Create an event (on the right side.)  Don't post it in the group stream. It can unintentially junk up the conversational flow.

Tired of being invited to events that are a (million) miles away? Just Block the event invite. 

Once you block event invites from someone, you'll automatically ignore future event requests from that friend. Directions:  First, friend the offender. (How funny is that?) Then go to Account, Privacy Settings, Block Lists, Block Event Invites. Type in the names of the people that are sending you "spam." You can still be friends -- but you won't get invited to their events. 

Ever post something and wish to remove it?  

We've all posted something that we may not wish to have on the site for all eternity. (Like unintentionally stupid typos.) Simply highlight your own post and on the upper right corner if you hover, you'll see an X which gives you the option to delete your own post. 

Want to post something longer than a "post?"

You have 420 characters to post in Facebook -- and if that isn't enough, the simplest option is to create a DOC. No, it's not fancy, but it can be used creatively to keep information together for the group as a whole. In groups that I'm involved in, we create group docs in which all members are free to list their names and web/blog sites so that others can find them easily. We also use it to list the group's authors and other instances where a quasi-database would be most effective.  It would be great for Facebook to add an application in groups which would allow members to add themselves by geographics -- or simple database options so that group lists could be formed. But until then, you work with what you've got.

FINALLY -- AS A GENERAL RULE DO NOT POST IN ALL CAPS (Netiquette dictates that all caps is the equivalent of shouting. It's rude, even if that isn't your intention.) Of course, a few words in caps allows for emphasis.  Also using an asterisk (*) as in   *don't*   sets off words when you can't bold or italicize for emphasis. 

When it doubt, just search HELP.  While these tools are designed to be user friendly, solutions are not always obvious.  Believe me when I say you'll get a lot more sympathy from your fellow users if you just take a few minutes to search around for your own answer before rudely ranting. 

Bet you didn't know you could do this on LinkedIn!

I recently joined a group on LinkedIn which is geared towards local conversation about our region. One of my morning musings led to many nodding heads and a desire for all of us to meet in real life.

I set up an Event in LinkedIn, but many people reported that they couldn't RSVP, many others didn't see the Event listings.

The aha! moment came this morning when I looked deeper at the issue. "Events" are only shown if you add them as an application. Ooops! I'm an early adopter -- I tend to poke and prod every new toy until I figure it out. And so I must have added this a long time ago, because I forgot that you have to proactively add this application (and others) in order to get the most out of this site. 

So, in that spirit, here's how you do it:

Scroll over to the "More" tab and choose "Get More Applications"

Once you install the Events app you can use it to search for events, post an event and even see which events your colleagues are attending.

Other applications that you might find useful include: 

Polls  -  answer existing one question queries or post one of your own -- the best part is that you are able to "slice & dice" by rudimentary, yet insightful demographic characteristics.

Bloglink  or WordPress = links you and yours to colleagues' blogs

Tweets - Tweet in place 

Reading List (Amazon) - Books being read/recommended by your peers

Company Buzz - great to keep up on news from companies you're interested in

Slideshare - a place to post a presentation 

There are also collaborative tools for groups working together. I haven't tried them out yet, please share your comments if you have an opinion!

 

 

Keeping it Real Social in Social Media

First of all, I'm no self-proclaimed social media expert. 

I just happen to feel the seretonin surge when I make connections using technology. It's like there is a little person inside of my brain trying to slap me five when I am in a conversation with people I don't know well on the web. ("You go girl!" the little guy says, smiling. "A new friend!")

This is not creepy for me.

It may be for you.

But then again, if it is creepy for you, you are likely not reading this posting. 

I think that we are so lucky to be alive in an age where we can reach out across the world and meet someone else who is in the mood for conversation. While I really love hosting real life gatherings, there is something very cool about cyberspace exchanges that is so fundamentally different from RL gatherings -- it is this ability to go beyond your 4 walls to places that don't even exist on your radar screen.

I know, people can pretend in here...you can say or do anything you want and whose to know better? I suppose there are many people who get a thrill out of fooling other people, but for me, the thrill comes from just being me.  While I've been on LinkedIn for years now, Facebook and Twitter are still relatively new to me. 

I have found that I use each of those three tools in completely different ways.

LinkedIn is primarily for business connections and discussions. I occasionally link my tweets because there are some things that are really appropriate for both venues but most of the time, they remain separate. LinkedIn groups are where some serious discussions go down -- and it is a place to see who is all about promotion and who actually has an open mind and wants to discuss options. I am always wary of people who have nothing but links to their business blogs or specials.  Those who share of themselves (their real life stories, their theories, their opportunities)  are the ones that get my loyalty whether I agree with them or not. I like that they put themselves out there.

Twitter -- for me -- is like being in a cocktail party in Grand Central Station. You grab your drink and flit around eavesdropping and commenting here and there. Occasionally, you get lucky and something catches your ear. You can instantly comment and drive a deeper discussion that lasts more than a few tweets.  Twitter is a place where the playing field is level. Oh, yes, there are those celebs (or those who think they are celebs) who don't mingle with the commoners, but for the most part, you find people very open and willing to converse if you bring something new, honest and witty to the table.  

Now there are lots of people who have Twitter accounts and don't participate in the action. They just like to follow along. I have no problem with that. You are free to use these tools as you wish -- the rules are fuzzy at best and are usually guided by common sense. I do wonder though --  if these well-read lurkers could change history by sharing their opinions. The only way we grow is when are willing to be vulnerable by sharing our thoughts. I have learned so much -- especially from engaging people who have opposing views. The point of Social Media for me? To connect with each other -- respectfully. Just keep in mind that Twitter is searchable by anyone at anytime. It is a public forum. Sometimes you'll be hailed as a genius, other times you'll be pelted for expressing your opinion. You need to deal with the good & the bad of the medium.

Facebook? What a constantly evolving site FB is. Honestly, I avoided it until a few years ago. For someone who is a relatively early adopter, I was not comfortable with MySpace and Facebook seemed to have the same college frat party atmosphere that I was so far past. It just didn't appeal to me.

I joined (to the surprise of many friends) during a time when I was home sick -- and got hooked on (I'm embarassed to admit it) Farmville! Over time, I came to appreciate the game not for the number of golden chickens I was amassing, but rather for the frequent conversations I was having with my fellow neighbors. We helped each other and yapped about life in between our harvests. Farmville was just another way to connect us -- it was a common cause -- silly as it might have been looking back.

Now, I can't imagine going more than a day or two without checking in with my friends. I've gotten to *know* people through their comments, pictures of their families, activities and soul searching questions. I've also been incredibly fortunate to meet for coffee or dinner in RL to great delight. The medium was the channel that brought me together with people whom I never would have met otherwise. 

With FB, I'm more particular about connections... I don't friend everyone who asks. I regularly go through and remove people who aren't really friends -- in real or surreal life.  I value contributions.

These are just my thoughts of course, now published for all to see and comment on. Let the tomatos fly!