SOCIAL MEDIA KEEPS ATTENTION ON YOUR BUSINESS
When I moved to Palm Springs, to work a project my routines were quickly eliminated. Exercise routine changed, and finding things became an interesting detective pursuit. All the touchstones of my life had been changed.
The first thing to go was my connection through social media. Before I moved here each day, I had been spending at least some time on Twitter, LinkedIn, and Facebook. Now for some reason, I felt that was something that I could do later.
A check of my Google Analytics proved that visits to my website and blog had dropped. There was only one logical conclusion to come to---I wasn’t participating in the world of Cyberspace.
Lessons learned:
No matter what, figure out a way to go to sites and contribute. Note, I said contribute – Idle chatter about your day will not cause people to want to know more about you.
Keep your messages short and crisp. Recently articles are being posted that would require you go get a cup of coffee and settle in for the next 10 minutes to read them. People just don’t have time to read long articles on line.
Constantly keep your mind open to things that you can post of interest. When you are involved in social media, your whole environment is a resource of information that would be great to share.
BUSINESS COMMUNICATION TIP:
Recently learned about Pokens --- the new contact card (business card). I am thinking this is one of the great new innovations in transferring our contact information. http://www.doyoupoken.com/web/guest/home
Showing posts with label linkedIn. Show all posts
Showing posts with label linkedIn. Show all posts
Wednesday, November 11, 2009
Friday, August 07, 2009
WHERE DO I FIND BLOG IDEAS?
There is no place in the world that is not an “idea resource” for my blogs.
Recently, I made a decision to add articles to my blog twice a week. One of them will be personal stories, which lets people see how I live my life--experiences that often are the source of great renewal for me. The second one will be oriented toward my profession of writing, speaking, and training.
Today it is about my profession:
While reading through some of the questions on LinkedIn, http://www.linkedIn.com I learned a way to focus on ideas for our blogs. Ultimately, we want to drive traffic to our website. Personally, I have answered many questions on LinkedIn and I was reminded I can expand my answer for a blog.
Another way to share information on your blog is to break down your own subject expertise into 250-300 word blogs. When you are speaking and training, you have your presentation broken down into segments. Don’t hesitate to share an article about the segment.
Worried about sharing too much information? Think about it, do you really think a 250-word blog is equivalent to the segment you train for two hours? My belief is that you will get the reader interested in your work and he will want to learn more about you and then will go to your website.
BUSINESS COMMUNICATION TIP:
Carry a notepad with you so you can write down the email address and/or the phone number of a person you have connected with that did not have contact cards (business cards).
There is no place in the world that is not an “idea resource” for my blogs.
Recently, I made a decision to add articles to my blog twice a week. One of them will be personal stories, which lets people see how I live my life--experiences that often are the source of great renewal for me. The second one will be oriented toward my profession of writing, speaking, and training.
Today it is about my profession:
While reading through some of the questions on LinkedIn, http://www.linkedIn.com I learned a way to focus on ideas for our blogs. Ultimately, we want to drive traffic to our website. Personally, I have answered many questions on LinkedIn and I was reminded I can expand my answer for a blog.
Another way to share information on your blog is to break down your own subject expertise into 250-300 word blogs. When you are speaking and training, you have your presentation broken down into segments. Don’t hesitate to share an article about the segment.
Worried about sharing too much information? Think about it, do you really think a 250-word blog is equivalent to the segment you train for two hours? My belief is that you will get the reader interested in your work and he will want to learn more about you and then will go to your website.
BUSINESS COMMUNICATION TIP:
Carry a notepad with you so you can write down the email address and/or the phone number of a person you have connected with that did not have contact cards (business cards).
Friday, May 29, 2009
WORLD ALL TWITTER ABOUT TWITTER
It is virtually impossible to listen to a television program or read the paper without some reference being made about Twitter. http://www.twitter.com As a user of Twitter, I have gone through many stages with my reaction to this social media. Notice I said social media –no longer are we calling Twitter, Facebook http://www.facebook.com LinkedIn http://www.LinkedIn.com and various other forms of online communication social networking.
1. Stage One
• I had no idea how to jump in and say something. I watched people posting links on all kinds of subjects and couldn’t imagine where they got them.
• I worried that what I wasn’t “smart” enough to write something clever.
• I was mortified when I sent out a 140-stroke tweet (that is all the keystrokes you have available so you have to learn to remove the fluff) with a typo.
2. Stage Two
• I started going to the links that were in some of the tweets. Wow, interesting stuff.
• I was hooked on going to the links and found myself spending way too much time exploring the web. I ended up controlling my time by looking at in the morning while I have my morning coffee. Look again over the lunch hour and finally, in the evening right after dinner.
Word of caution here if you are in the West Coast. If you do not want to learn the outcome of a sports event, Dancing with the Stars, winner of Spelling Bee do not go on the in the evening. You’ll learn the winner from tweets you read.
3. Stage Three
• I realized that I had great links to share. I just started using the links from newsletters and blogs that I had been getting all along. I had signed up for the newsletter and blog updates because I had found them interesting.
• I realized that when I found a link that had been posted by someone it was great to RT (ReTweet – send it out again with the sender names attached)
4. Stage Four (Where I am now)
• Saw on the news that a reporter had gotten information on Portland, Oregon by asking on Twitter for favorite inexpensive restaurants in Portland before he came. He visited, used the Tweeps (word for people who use Twitter). A one-half page article ended up in the New York Times – “Frugal Portland”. Word is that those restaurants’ businesses are flourishing.
• I was heading to Long Beach, Washington. Mentioned it in a tweet and the next thing I know I am connecting with a woman there. While at the beach, we tweeted with each other and arranged to meet. A terrific conversation occurred and we are now in touch on a regular basis.
• Learned it “Doesn’t Hurt to Ask” ….Plan to use this approach when I visit new areas to find great places to eat or see…and, perhaps connect with a person.
I am long way from being in a position of being called an expert on social media, but in order to keep up with the world, it is necessary for me to understand these communication tools. I urge you to put your toe into the social media world…and just relax and see what you can learn.
BUSINESS COMMUNICATION TIP:
Check the activities in your suburban newspapers. Great networking events can be found there. Bet you will start understanding networking can be fun if you go to them. Take your contact cards (formerly called business cards) with you.
It is virtually impossible to listen to a television program or read the paper without some reference being made about Twitter. http://www.twitter.com As a user of Twitter, I have gone through many stages with my reaction to this social media. Notice I said social media –no longer are we calling Twitter, Facebook http://www.facebook.com LinkedIn http://www.LinkedIn.com and various other forms of online communication social networking.
1. Stage One
• I had no idea how to jump in and say something. I watched people posting links on all kinds of subjects and couldn’t imagine where they got them.
• I worried that what I wasn’t “smart” enough to write something clever.
• I was mortified when I sent out a 140-stroke tweet (that is all the keystrokes you have available so you have to learn to remove the fluff) with a typo.
2. Stage Two
• I started going to the links that were in some of the tweets. Wow, interesting stuff.
• I was hooked on going to the links and found myself spending way too much time exploring the web. I ended up controlling my time by looking at in the morning while I have my morning coffee. Look again over the lunch hour and finally, in the evening right after dinner.
Word of caution here if you are in the West Coast. If you do not want to learn the outcome of a sports event, Dancing with the Stars, winner of Spelling Bee do not go on the in the evening. You’ll learn the winner from tweets you read.
3. Stage Three
• I realized that I had great links to share. I just started using the links from newsletters and blogs that I had been getting all along. I had signed up for the newsletter and blog updates because I had found them interesting.
• I realized that when I found a link that had been posted by someone it was great to RT (ReTweet – send it out again with the sender names attached)
4. Stage Four (Where I am now)
• Saw on the news that a reporter had gotten information on Portland, Oregon by asking on Twitter for favorite inexpensive restaurants in Portland before he came. He visited, used the Tweeps (word for people who use Twitter). A one-half page article ended up in the New York Times – “Frugal Portland”. Word is that those restaurants’ businesses are flourishing.
• I was heading to Long Beach, Washington. Mentioned it in a tweet and the next thing I know I am connecting with a woman there. While at the beach, we tweeted with each other and arranged to meet. A terrific conversation occurred and we are now in touch on a regular basis.
• Learned it “Doesn’t Hurt to Ask” ….Plan to use this approach when I visit new areas to find great places to eat or see…and, perhaps connect with a person.
I am long way from being in a position of being called an expert on social media, but in order to keep up with the world, it is necessary for me to understand these communication tools. I urge you to put your toe into the social media world…and just relax and see what you can learn.
BUSINESS COMMUNICATION TIP:
Check the activities in your suburban newspapers. Great networking events can be found there. Bet you will start understanding networking can be fun if you go to them. Take your contact cards (formerly called business cards) with you.
Friday, January 30, 2009
IMPORTANCE OF A DAY OFF
After spending three weeks in Europe over the holidays, I came home and started pouring it on for my career. Since I enjoy it so much, I worked every day of the week, including Saturday and Sunday. My mind was clear and there seems to be so many ideas that needed to be implemented now.
The ideas flowed faster than I could put them into place. My bulletin board started to become covered with sticky notes with ideas. While out and about, my little notebook was the recipient of still more ideas.
Since Twitter was now part of my regular routine, that needed attention. Oh yes, then there was Facebook and LinkedIn. It is amazing what you learn when you click on the links people are providing, particularly on Twitter. With LinkedIn I keep up with my professional colleagues with whom I have something in common and Facebook, while much more casual, one still learns a great deal what is happening in our world.
By the end of the day, I had little energy and I was exercising. Clearly I was burning myself out and it was time for a break. Time to take day off without phones and emails.
Yesterday, I lounged in bed until I was ready to get up. Looked out and it was very foggy. Longing to see sun, I trusted that the weatherman was right and it would burn off. Picked up the house, got myself dressed in slacks and sweater I enjoyed and went out to the car. There was no plan.
While crossing the Columbia River the fog grew thicker. Finally decided to turn west and took “the road less traveled”. As the elevation increased, the fog lessened and there was sun. I drove around stopping and sometimes window-shopping wherever I wanted. There were no real great new discoveries during the course of the day. Roamed through a Powell’s Bookstore that I had not seen in Beaverton area.
Drove back into Vancouver, Washington and the fog was still thick – apparently, the sun never surfaced during the day. Came home and put in a pizza in the oven, sat back and watched a good movie. Went to bed early.
This morning the world looks so much brighter (even though we still have fog). Ideas are flowing again – yet, this time I have more energy to implement them.
BUSINESS COMMUNICATION TIP:
Do you have white boards that are stained in your office?
Turns out plain old rubbing alcohol will clean them up quickly.
Don’t forget to sign up for my “Weekly Wisdom” on my website. http://www.kathycondon.info
After spending three weeks in Europe over the holidays, I came home and started pouring it on for my career. Since I enjoy it so much, I worked every day of the week, including Saturday and Sunday. My mind was clear and there seems to be so many ideas that needed to be implemented now.
The ideas flowed faster than I could put them into place. My bulletin board started to become covered with sticky notes with ideas. While out and about, my little notebook was the recipient of still more ideas.
Since Twitter was now part of my regular routine, that needed attention. Oh yes, then there was Facebook and LinkedIn. It is amazing what you learn when you click on the links people are providing, particularly on Twitter. With LinkedIn I keep up with my professional colleagues with whom I have something in common and Facebook, while much more casual, one still learns a great deal what is happening in our world.
By the end of the day, I had little energy and I was exercising. Clearly I was burning myself out and it was time for a break. Time to take day off without phones and emails.
Yesterday, I lounged in bed until I was ready to get up. Looked out and it was very foggy. Longing to see sun, I trusted that the weatherman was right and it would burn off. Picked up the house, got myself dressed in slacks and sweater I enjoyed and went out to the car. There was no plan.
While crossing the Columbia River the fog grew thicker. Finally decided to turn west and took “the road less traveled”. As the elevation increased, the fog lessened and there was sun. I drove around stopping and sometimes window-shopping wherever I wanted. There were no real great new discoveries during the course of the day. Roamed through a Powell’s Bookstore that I had not seen in Beaverton area.
Drove back into Vancouver, Washington and the fog was still thick – apparently, the sun never surfaced during the day. Came home and put in a pizza in the oven, sat back and watched a good movie. Went to bed early.
This morning the world looks so much brighter (even though we still have fog). Ideas are flowing again – yet, this time I have more energy to implement them.
BUSINESS COMMUNICATION TIP:
Do you have white boards that are stained in your office?
Turns out plain old rubbing alcohol will clean them up quickly.
Don’t forget to sign up for my “Weekly Wisdom” on my website. http://www.kathycondon.info
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