Clever Thinking

Okay, I know. I’m supposed to have started a blog and kept writing faithfully every day, or at least once a week…but always on a regular schedule. I get that. What I’m also getting though is that many people with many good things to say are terrified about starting to blog because they know that messing up is a very public act.

I say, damn the torpedoes, full speed ahead. If you don’t experiment, you don’t learn…or at least I don’t.

Perhaps I should be more worried about my image. After all, it’s been a couple of years since I last posted to this blog, and that does look pretty lame. Of course, I could say I meant to do that and to stay tuned for my next biannual creation…but that would be untrue. In fact, I’ve been busy.

Yeah, aren’t we all.

Well, yes, we are and that is not excuse. But I haven’t been falling down on the job either because what I’ve been busy doing is purusing the web, reading blogs, commenting a lot, deciding who to follow, watching how people I like following hold my attention, and then figuring out where everything fits into my business plan. I’ve read some books, taken some classes, talked with lots of people and just generally tested the waters. I also started a second blog, bedfordtowntaxi.com, which was more of a news site…an experiment in grass roots, hyperlocal journalism, and I wrote for an actual tree-killer local newspaper, managed a couple of websites for a big university career office…plus did lots of other things I won’t get into here. 

What I didn’t do, was lose sight of my goal: to be part of the conversation that goes on everyday on the web…and more and more, I am part of that conversation. 

And now, I’m also back here at my blog as I intended to be all along…only now, a little smarter, a lot more confident, and hopefully worthwhile enough in people’s minds that they will come take a second look, or a first look maybe…but will actually read the stuff I write and maybe even comment and share my stuff. 

What I’d really like people to follow though is my example. The web is an enormous churning beast, filled with all kinds of people. Some make a great impression, but if you watch them closely, reveal themselves as less worthy of your time. Others are consistently great and worth keeping on the top of your list. Still others struggle to stay in, or just appear and then disapper like spring snow.  The only way to see where you might fall in the fix is to take your chances. If you want to up the odds that you will be successful, it is just like anything else: you must continue to learn and grow, and also recognize that you are another imperfect being tapping those keys and trying to make your mark on this big messy networked information phenomenon.

I saw this video again this morning.  Brilliantly done, it captures the power of social media and to me, puts to bed all of the notions that social media will not last.  It does seem to promote another myth however…that social networking is a young people thing.  I disagree.

It is true that I meet lots of Baby Boomers who see no relevance to Facebook in business…or think it is just a fad that will cool in time, but that statistic about 100 million users added in less than 9 months is not hard to see in action…especially among Boomers and people even older.  In fact, many of the same people who don’t believe social networking is not a business tool, are using it to stay in touch–without ever getting the connection.

It’s what the video says.  Success isn’t about advertising anymore, it’s about being part of the conversation…a vital member of the community.  If, as a business or even just a business person, you have value, then people will see that, not just in what you advertise, but in dealing with you on lots of different levels, and personal conversations are…or at least can be…part of what makes you valuable as a business person.

Social networking allows you to be involved in lots of different ways, and to reach large numbers of people all at once, upping the chances that you’ll be seen and recognized as someone with value.

I think the secret of success with social networking isn’t about age or technical savvy so much as it is about just being interested and involved…like so much of life.  A big part of success is just showing up and social networking…and Facebook specifically…are all about that.

What makes that hard to see and accept is that it isn’t cause and effect like advertising.  You don’t show up on Facebook or even LinkedIn and then get a call a week later with that big job offer or some lucrative contract.  Rather, it’s like being a starlet at the soda shop.  You show up…you’re part of the fabric of the place…and eventually you may be in the right place at the right time.  Beyond that though, for every starlet who is discovered, there are lots of people who develop lucrative careers because being there put them in touch with the shop owner who took them under their wing and convinced them to become a pharmacist, or even a soda jerk who wanted to start a food stylist business and needed a partner and knew you had skills that might complement hers.

Things happen all the time.  Being there makes it so much more likely that you’ll be a part of it that why wouldn’t you show up?

Why outsource when you can do it yourself?

All the tools are there for you to do your own marketing, for example.  Social networking, analytics, word processing, web design packages.  There are even logo generators that let you buy a logo for cheap, cheap, cheap.  With all that computer intelligence, who needs to pay?  And yet, just last month, I heard a woman talk about growing her own marketing firm from a one-person operation, to a fully formed company that was ultimately acquired by another, larger company.  Her secret?  She said she got serious, first by getting out of her basement and renting office space, and second by hiring a marketing firm to do her PR and communications for her.  I asked how she could justify that since that was her business.  She said her business was building her business first, and that bringing in another firm to do her PR especially was important to helping her identify her real strengths and promote those.

 So is knowing how enough of a reason to stop you from hiring someone to do your marketing and communications for you?

Pros:

It’s cheap

It’s easy…or so you might think

You know your business best

It’s a great diversion from your regular work

Cons

It’s not free (your time is money)

It’s not efficient

It’s not as effective as having a pro do it

You may never get it done because it is for “fun”

You may never get your real work done because you’re messing around with stuff that is not your work

 So, what do you think?  When do you bring in an expert for marketing or anything else?  And when do you do it yourself?

Jenny Spadafora is a cool human being.  She takes pictures, writes, thinks a whole bunch…I mean even her job is cool…her title is Web Evangelist at Intuit Software.  I met Jenny a couple of months ago at a networking meeting…(where else?!)  Being a web evangelist, she is all about networking…especially online networking through all those social media sites.

Jenny wrote a slide presentation called, “Should I be on Facebook?”  There’s a link to it here…   http://tinyurl.com/ygz5ton .  It’s worth watching because it is so so simple and so personal and it really gives you a sense of why you probably do want to consider Facebook, or if not Facebook, then one of the many other social networking sites out there.  Lots of people feel that Facebook in particular is not a place where they want to be.  They feel it is risky, will give people too much access to their personal stuff, and might work against them in business.  Like Jenny, I feel Facebook, and all other social networking tools, are really what you make of them.  She talks about a continuum that involves the private, personal, work and public realms.  If you think about your presence in these ways, Jenny says you can choose how, whether, and where you see certain social networking tools fitting in your life.

So, why would you want to fit it in?  Well, Jenny points out that social networking online is actually good for introverts.  It can put you on a level playing field with others in your office, too, even if you work in a remote location.  I would go a bit further.  I think Facebook and all social networking is important, because in a way, it helps you compress time.  Consider all you have to do in a day.  It is really hard to keep up.  That bit Jenny says about helping to put you on a level playing field with others even if you don’t show up in the office…that works in lots of different ways.  Suppose for example you don’t have an office you go to, but are a freelance writer like me, or a consultant or contract worker.  Part of my job is really letting people know I exist, working to keep them aware of me, but also the things I do.  I suppose that’s always helpful whether you are inside a company or out.  You want people…busy people…to know you exist, that you are interested in what goes on, and that you are part of the conversation.  Social networking sites help keep your face in front of people, even if you never set foot in their physical space.

What conversation you ask?  Well, it doesn’t matter.  That’s where your private, personal, work, and public realms come into play.  If your interest is photography (like Jenny), then you get involved in websites and blogs that talk photography…you read, you learn, and you comment as you are comfortable.  If you don’t have time to devote to doing that, then maybe being part of that conversation is not something you really care about.  Maybe what matters to you is smart growth, or town politics, or schooling your children.  Whatever it is, there are social networking sites and groups and connections that will put you in touch with people who have similar interests but maybe very different thoughts.  Sharing thoughts is what it is all about.  Even if you don’t feel comfortable adding your ideas to the mix, you can learn a lot.  Still, getting involved is best because it does help you form connections and have a presence that matters…that shows you matter.

No time you say?  Well, Jenny addresses that, too.  She has a routine she follows everyday that takes her to each of the sites where she participates.  In her case, social networking is a specialty and so something she has to do as part of her job. She budgets time for visiting her sites and does it first thing every morning. But even if you’re not Jenny and consider social networking a luxury or leisure-time activity, think again.  A social networking habit of even 15 minutes a day can allow you to go to a site or two, scan updates and inputs, and make your presence known somehow.  This is where I think Facebook is great because even clicking a “like” icon shows you’re noticing what goes on…you are there and like so much of life, it is showing up that matters most.  Depending on the site you choose and how you set things up, you can have access to industry experts, thoughtleaders, customers, and constituents.  And what’s amazing about it, is that they can see you there, too, showing interest and eventually getting in on the conversation in ways that make sense for you.

Impossible you say?  No doubt.

I’m asked constantly these days how often I go to Facebook and what I do when I get there. If you’ve read my other posts about setting goals and keeping lists, you’ll know that I consider Facebook and social networking sites as tools that you use to help you meet preset goals.  If you’ve considered your goals and put them in writing, then it shouldn’t be hard to made social networking a part of your life.

That doesn’t mean you’ll suddenly find pockets of time to hang out and play Scrabble or that farm game everyone seems to be doing.  There’s nothing wrong with playing, of course, or spending time pouring over photo albums of your friends’ family gatherings, exotic vacation, or vintage family portraits.  It just takes time, and as you do with money, you need to budget that time, or you’ll suddenly wake one day and find yourself so far behind you may never dig out.

So, the question becomes not how much time do you need to use Facebook, but how much time you want to devote to Facebook each day….that’s right, each day.

Think about it.  Facebook (or whatever social networking tool you like) is only useful if you use it.  It’s about networking…that is, being out in a public place where you can meet and interact with people.  If you’re not there you’re not networking.

And don’t think that networking on Facebook matters less to your business than networking at sites that are considered “for business”…places like LinkedIn.  Friends and casual acquaintances can be your best supporters and sources for business…if you give it your time. Being there.  Letting people know who you are and what you do.  Staying because you are part of the fabric of the place rather than someone who drops in just to sell your wares…that all matters when you are using Facebook.

In her book, Thriving In 24/7: Six Strategies for Taming the New World of Work, Sally Helgesen talks about weaving a strong web of inclusion. This means moving throughout the various circles where you have connections, reaching out to people, and overall just staying involved.  Facebook is an exceptionally good tool for helping you do this…especially because your time is limited.  Think about it…on Facebook you get lots of exposure with no drive time.  And it’s as easy to communicate with friends in Europe and Asia as it is those who live right down the street.  This matters, not just for sales and other opportunities, but it helps make you better through an exchange of ideas.  Especially when you work for yourself or in a small group, Facebook can be a means of keeping yourself fresh and aware of what’s happening in the world away from the places you see every day.

Helgesen says, “change is constant,” and she’s right.  It is the one thing we can count on.  There is no way to keep up with every change and every resulting opportunity, but upping the chances of seeing opportunities as they arise through change is largely a matter of being out there, talking with people, and noticing what goes on.  If you miss something, no problem.  You will.  You can’t do everything.  You can’t even read every post.  But if you allow yourself a set amount of time each day, or better yet, several times a day to visit Facebook and scan the updates, you will be much more likely to notice things that relate to you and your work than you would be otherwise.

Several times a day! you gasp.  Yes several, because it is easier to keep to your time limits if you visit often, scan the most recent posts, and then move on to your next task. Allow a little time to make comments as you see fit.  Even clicking those little “like” icons now and then helps make your friends aware that you are there…that you are paying attention. If something comes up that looks interesting and needs follow up, schedule it in.  Make a note on your calendar, and allot time to check out interesting items.  You may also just allow enough time each morning to not only scan Facebook but to spend a half hour or so following up anything interesting.  Nothing interesting happen one day??? (unlikely, but possible), then don’t worry.  Consider it found time…and maybe play that cute farm game or something.  But beware.  Just as Facebook has increased exposure to more ways to increase our personal and business connections, it as also increased opportunities to procrastinate.

So, you have to ask, am I the master of my time or is Facebook?  If it’s you, then take the initiative.  Budget your time and make it work however you see fit.  Visit Facebook several times a day, but keep it to no more than a ten minute session each time.  Scan the updates, follow up if you schedule time for that, or write follow ups into your task list as action items and assign specific windows of time for addressing them.  It’s that simple.

Not convinced?  That’s okay.  I believe Facebook like so much of what is on the Internet these days has an emotional component as well as a practical component.  In a coming post, I’ll be interviewing a psychologist and talking more about Facebook, social networking, and how to make it all work for you without driving yourself crazy.

Lately I’ve been mired in the technical aspects of what a blog should do and how to balance the mix of media available.  There is so much out there right now and so many ways to spend your time that my focus has come increasingly to the problem of time management.  How do you juggle all of the competing demands and opportunities that exist with more coming into view everyday?  It’s too easy to get sucked from one thing into another and not really get anything done.

The first step is the same as with any good time management scheme:  consider your goals.  Be specific.  What do you care about and what do you want to do?

For example, if you are a small business and your goal is to bring in 5-10 new clients over the following four quarters, write that down.  Set strategy to get there, for example, improve your online presence and network more effectively.  Your goals will come from there, i.e. improve your website, start a blog, join an industry group, etc.

Give weight to your goals.  If you work 40 hours a week, what percent of your time should you devote to each goal, and in what order.  It’s just like budgeting–it’s easy to overspend time, especially with so many goodies enticing you.  Putting everything in writing helps remind you of what time you have available, and keep track of where it’s going.

After that, it’s a question of discipline–sticking to the budget so to speak.

If this sounds simplistic, well it is…I could write a book about it…and maybe I will.  For now, stay tuned.  I’ve been spending lots of time finding out about time management solutions for people who want to use social sites but feel there is no way to fit it into their busy lives.  I’ll be sharing what I learn and putting together lists of tips and techniques that will help you make the most of the tools at your disposal.

I hear people wondering aloud all the time whether Facebook is truly a business tool.  Sure it’s great for keeping track of nieces and nephews and long-lost buddies from Europe, but who wants clients and co-workers digging into their personal life …or even worse potential clients and co-workers.

To me, it’s a no brainer.  The idea is to be out there on the Web in as many capacities as you can.  FB is an important piece of that.

To me, it’s kind of like living in a small town.  Sure, FB allows people to see things you might not want to advertise to your business associates for one reason or another.  Like all social networking though, it’s a question of management.  You move to the small town that is Web 2.0; you set up shop, i.e. your website.  You put together a business image for yourself and you gain exposure by networking…so instead of joining the Elks and going to church on Sunday, you get on LinkedIn and Twitter say…and maybe you start a blog and read and comment on others.  Then there’s the personal stuff.  Remember, it’s a small…or a small world as the case may be.  If you hide everything but the business front, what do people about you?  How do differentiate from the hundreds or even thousands of other small businesses or people who are in larger businesses.  I think you let people get to know you.

Once again though, you manage your personal business in a way that limits exposure.  Customers like knowing a little bit about you as a person.  They respect your privacy perhaps, or find that most of your FB life is not particularly interesting to them and that what is interesting is probably something they have in common.  Occassionally you find a competitor or nosy neighbor who wants to dig a little too much into who you are and what you do and that can be a little disconcerting.  Still, you never publish things that would cast a bad light, and if people take things the wrong way, well that’s their perception and it’s important to manage perceptions.

I believe FB is a good piece of a solid inbound marketing strategy…a way of giving yourself dimension, letting people know what you like and why they might like you.  After all, salespeople have to sell themselves first.  So now, with social networking and inbound marketing, you’re sending out the sales force every time a customer finds you on the Web.  Wouldn’t that mean you’d want to give them things to like about you?  A glimpse behind the kimono so to speak?  I don’t think it could hurt.  In fact, I find FB helpful and I believe it will become more helpful as time goes on and we all learn more about when and whether and how to invite people in as friends.