Talk Amongst Yourselves – or Not So Much?

I recently attended SlideRocket’s webinar where Cliff Atkinson presented “The Backchannel: A Presenter’s Nightmare or Dream Come True?“.  The session addressed:

1. Yes, this is happening: people are Tweeting at conferences
2. Specific examples of Twitter revolts during talks
3. The value of engaging the backchannel (i.e. Twitter conversations during a talk) and how to do so more.

I’ve given, and attended, a number of talks and I have conflicting sentiments about the Twitter stream during presentations.

As a speaker, I am excited by the immediate feedback. Seeing a number of comments about a talk right after giving it is a wild and, oddly, comforting feeling. (I did something today, I think, and this proves it!) It is interesting to see which points, topics or stories particularly resonated with the audience. On the flip-side, I sometimes feel a bit dismayed when seeing something I said out of context. The context is often necessary to comprehend that what I said was meant in jest, or in order to render the statement “sensical”.

As a participant, the desire to connect with others in the session, to share the information with those not there, or to simply covey, “I am here in this session, doing something today”. (If you’re getting the sense that I may need to really prove to myself and others that I am accomplishing something, you may be on the right track.) At times, the information being broadcast helps those paying attention on Twitter get a sense of the presentation and its overriding points and message. But the conversation also takes away from the content of the talk, and from actually listening.

Here are just some of the pros and cons as I see them.  Please feel free to contribute what you see as pluses or minuses.

Cons

Tremendous Oversimplification. 140 characters is not enough to tell a story, and sometimes not even enough to explain a point made.

Out of Context. As stated above, jokes or flip statement are the easiest for those not present to read and misinterpret. (“She thinks slaughterhouses are sexy?!”)

Missed information.  The focus can become not on learning – but on sharing what you just learnt.  And it’s easy to miss what the speaker is saying next while attempting to truncate their last statement.  And, as Chris Pirillo put it so well: “The problem with people using Twitter during a presentation is that they are paying more attention to the voice that is in their head than they are to the voice on the stage.”

Distraction.  An embarrassing story of my spaciness here (but we’re friends right?) :  While at TEDxVancouver I tried to tweet occasionally, to mention that I like a talk or to put out a quick point.  The conference had a few technical difficulties where some videos took a few moments to play etc.  And so, after coming back from one of the breaks, I got on the Twitter and tweeted happily away.  I heard some music play, and assumed they had switched it on while they got organized.  When, after a few moments, I heard clapping the realization dawned on me in a painful way. The music had been a performance. Live.  And I had missed it.

Noise/Randomness.  Ah, yes, noise.  The internet, and social media by extension, has that in fair supply.  While watching (or capturing) comments on a particular talk, you will see information and notes about the talk, but you might also see things like “Trying to get to #BobSmith’s session, but stuck in transit.  Wow, BCTransit bites!”.  While this message might be (arguably) relevant and (certainly) true, it contributes nothing to the discourse/feed.

Too Easy to Criticize. It’s been said that “Everyone’s a critic”.  And Twitter makes that all too easy.  It’s there, it’s a channel to the public, and some don’t censor themselves enough.  While these people are in the minority, the notion that everyone has a relevant opinion gives voice, quite literally to unnecessary and impulsive comments (“How could he be wearing that ‘Death Cab for Cutie’ shirt to a talk?!” or “I knew about the experiment he just referred to. Next.”)

Pros

Interactivity.  If properly integrated into the talk, as Cliff Atkinson was mentioning, the result can (in some capacity) be a more engaged talk, and hence a more engaging talk.  The questions, concerns and audience viewpoints taken into account might result in a stronger presentation – and one that really speaks to the people present.    At the very least, you, as a presenter, can be aware of the concerns of the audience (this might work especially well if the session is one that breaks off – i.e. perhaps has a workshop and you can see what the audience is needing, missing.)

Stimulation.  A good talk – like an insightful book – should occasionally take your brain on tangents. You should sometimes think about 1) is this true? I agree/disagree. 2) that reminds me of this experience I had/ heard about. There are times a speaker’s points will inspire trains of thought.  This means notes and sometimes dialogue (easily accessed through Twitter/Backchannel. (Now, this may well be selfish of me: Talking time away from speaker to extrapolate a blog post. But I take my moments of inspiration where I can get them).

And, least I be misunderstood, I do love that there are people who tweet and, especially, take notes.  Their hard work allows me to really listen to the talk – and be assured that there will be a place to find the important points when I later (without fail) forget 90% of what was said.

Share your rants and raves below, if so inclined.

“Talk Amongst Yourselves – or Not So Much” by Monica Hamburg

Post url:  http://monicahamburg.wordpress.com/2010/01/28/talk-amongst-yourselves-or-not-so-much/

Experts Weigh-in with Social Media Lessons

At a recent meeting I attended, someone mentioned posting a video online and another person said: “And then we’ll just use social media to make it go viral”.

I’ve been reflecting lately about what I’ve learned about social media in the past few years.  One is: social media doesn’t quite work that way. You don’t post a video and everyone flocks to see it because it’s on the interweb.  Even significant promotion doesn’t mean it will take off like a rocket.

Your video/product has to be good. And, if that’s the case, then you have to have real connections, people you engage with, give to and who are receptive (to you or the product). And you have to have a promotion plan beyond just uploading/putting it out there.  (Certainly there are exceptions.)

I asked a few extraordinary people to impart their social media “lesson” (for instance, something they discovered through their experience or how they’ve learned to explain it to their clients).

Here’s what they said:

Darren Barefoot Capulet Communications Writer, marketer and technologist. Co-author of “Friends with Benefits: A Social Media Marketing Handbook“	The mistake that most organizations make is starting with the tools.  They say “the competition has a Twitter account, so we need one too!”  The tools should come last, not first.  They should think through where their audience is online, what their objectives are, what strategies they should apply and then, finally, which tools or platforms to use (or whether they should create new ones). . Also, when marketing on the web, there are no magic beans.
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Ari Herzog Ari Herzog & Associates Online media strategist and elected city councilor.	Social media is not new.  It was born long before Tim O’Reilly coined the Web 2.0 term and long before computers were born.  I frequently attribute Canadian marketer Kneale Mann who once wrote about prehistoric cave paintings as one of the earliest indicators of social media.  The hunter-gatherer tribes painted on the walls and orally told stories about the hunt, people asked questions, and conversations were sparked.  The wall paintings and the stories were media and the people asking questions were being social.  Has anything truly changed?  The lesson for organizations in 2010, thus, is to not view social media as a vanguard concept but as a tested, tried, and true means of sharing.  The key is in sharing.  If you’re not sharing, you’re not being social.
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Kate Trgovac LintBucket Media Social media and digital marketer	When I’m working with clients, I have to remind myself that while social media may be my business, it isn’t theirs. They aren’t going to engage in social media all day.  And they don’t need to know every last little detail about it.  They want tools that will help them build their business. And if they are going to invest time and money in social media, it darn well better have a business return.  And so every time I suggest a tactic, I’m keenly aware that they will be giving up time they spend on traditional marketing channels.  I make sure we talk through the potential risks and rewards of social media programs and set realistic expectations – and determine if social media is actually the most appropriate channel for accomplishing their marketing objectives.  Because believe it or not, sometimes social media marketing ISN’T the answer.
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Jordan Behan Director of Marketing at Strutta and Bootup Labs Videophile and technology advocate	You have to understand the value and purpose behind a social media marketing strategy before you start.  Too many times, people try to recreate the “magic” they’ve witnessed elsewhere, and completely miss the point.  There is no magic, no voodoo, no perfect formula.  “Social media” as the kids call it, is nothing more than an ever-changing set of software tools that help you have conversations with more people than you can in person.  The value is in the connections you make and the things you learn.
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Monique Trottier BoxCar Marketing Technologist, Online Marketer, Strategist.	Talking to clients about social media is always an exercise in metaphors for me: Social networking is a digital cocktail party.  LinkedIn is a business conference.  Twitter is your individual headline news ticker.  YouTube is your private tv station. In many ways the metaphors are silly and don’t fully explain the platform, but the point is that social media is nothing new.  Social media is simply a set of tools that let us do things that are harder to do in real life, such as keeping up to date on what all of our colleagues, friends and family members are doing, exchanging business contacts and making friend-of-a-friend introductions. . The skeptical comments I often hear from clients are, “why do people spend time on this?” and “how can I benefit?”  Any active social media user knows that these are the wrong questions.  The answer is that people spend time on this stuff because it improves their ability to network offline, to gather information quickly and to establish relationships and to stay in touch. . The basis of a good social strategy is answering the questions, “what are my clients doing online,” “what makes their chosen social networks attractive to them,” “what social failure or real life challenge does this network solve,” and “how can I participate here in a way that adds value, that establishes a closer relationship to my customers, that let’s me stay in touch with their needs, and that, ultimately, is a reciprocal relationship?”
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. Jacob Share Share Select Media Job Search Expert and Professional Blogging Consultant	One of my favorite lessons from using social media is that giving freely is a terrific way to meet someone, whether to just get their attention or even to become friends with them.  For example, I became friends with someone very cool because he dugg a JobMob article and I made the effort to thank him, which he didn’t expect but appreciated.
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Elena Yunusov Communicable Communications Specialist	This time around, HoHoTO was to me the manifestation of the good in people, the generosity and the potential of social media to break down barriers and let people be part of social change in such fun and joyfully informal way.  I can’t imagine 15 random near-strangers would ever come together offline (you know, in ‘real’ life) to organize an event like HoHoTO within days, if not for social media.  We hardly knew each other pre-HoHoTO! And even if we did, I doubt we could get the word out and hundreds of people on board – virtually with no cost other than our time – the way we did.  I was managing tens of volunteers for this HoHoTO, and we kept in touch and coordinated schedules via twitter, email and google docs.  When we met, I felt like we skipped a great many layers of ‘introduction’ and ‘getting to know each other’ – we were like old friends, on fire, and ready to rock it: for HoHoTO, for the Daily Bread.  For humanity.  Social media is a whole new way of connecting, and I love it.
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I’d love to hear what you’ve learned from your experience with social media.  Please comment below or feel free to drop me a line if you’d like to contribute your insightful tip to a future post on the topic.

For more tips, you might want to take a look at the 3 Case Studies on my presentation: “Facebook, YouTube, Twitter: Oh My!“  (See slides 58 to 83.)

And a final note: Reading Mark Dykeman’s post “How to start 2010 by doing better work” inspired me to put together this one.

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“Experts Weigh-in With Social Media Lessons” by Monica Hamburg

Post url:  http://monicahamburg.wordpress.com/2010/01/14/ experts-weigh-in-with-social-media-lessons

Jordan Behan, Director of Marketing at Strutta and Bootup Labs
Videophile and technology advocate.

You have to understand the value and purpose behind a social media marketing strategy before you start. Too many times, people try to recreate the “magic” they’ve witnessed elsewhere, and completely miss the point. There is no magic, no voodoo, no perfect formula. “Social media” as the kids call it, is nothing more than an ever-changing set of software tools that help you have conversations with more people than you can in person. The value is in the connections you make and the things you learn.

METRAC, a Trust-filled Third Tuesday and Requests for Speakers and on Speaking

METRAC Interview

I’m interviewed, along with Peter Deitz, in the fall 2009 METRAC Newsletter about how non-profits like METRAC can use social media to help leverage their cause.

The article is on their site and a PDF version can be found here.

Speaker Agency Recommendations?

I’m considering getting an agent for speaking gigs.

Do you have any suggestions/recommendations, or contacts? Feel free to comment below,  contact me privately through this site, or tweet me at @monicahamburg

Information about talks I’ve given and reference letters can be found here.

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Third Tuesday with Julien Smith

Once again, Joe Thornley has organized an exciting speaker/author to do a Cross Canada Third Tuesday Tour.

This time, it’s Julien Smith, co-author with Chris Brogan of Trust Agents, a New York Times best-seller, singled out on Amazon.com as one of the top 10 business and investing books of 2009.

RSVP for this Third Tuesday Vancouver, which takes place on Tuesday, January 19th, 2010 here.

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Suggestions for Future Third Tuesday Tour Speakers?

Who would you like to hear from at a Third Tuesday social media meetup? What topic would you like to hear discussed?  Is there someone you’re dying to see in person?  Someone you’ve already seen and were crazy impressed by?

Joe is looking for your suggestions, so please comment on his post or tweet @thornley.

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Lastly, if you haven’t already received 6 or 7 separate invites from each of the Meetup groups you belong to, then let me be the first to tell you about the Holiday Meetup of Meetups 2.0 on Tuesday, Dec 15th.  Third Tuesday Vancouver will be there as will many more groups.

It promises, as always, to be a jam-packed, fun, social event. RSVP and find out more here.

Take Me To Your Interviewer

Apparently, when I get interviewed, I look like I’m being hypnotized for cult activities.  Or perhaps it just seems that way from this freeze frame:

Update:  This interview is no longer up, as it will be rereleased in February (see comment below from Lisa).

Click above or here to see an interview I did in Toronto with Get Involved about Social Media and Social Change.

Reading, Topics and Shiny Stuff

I’ve been sucking at posting here lately – and so, instead of continuing to suck, I’ve decided to veer off my blog topic slightly. A while back, when checking out Alana Taylor’s (cutie of the Twitter song) blog, I saw her blog’s subtitle (“Tech – Entertainment – Life”) I thought… yeah, life, that would be good to post about.

So for now (until I get distracted by something really, really shiny) let’s assume this blog is subtitled “Social Media – and Life”. I figure that will keep me covered for all the general stuff. I promise, I’ll try to keep it interesting and not nauseatingly personal.

As I mentioned before, I’ve been working on my book, and have been reading a ton of memoirs (please feel free to recommend any funny ones I haven’t read in the comment section).  I had been reticent to read Sloane Crosley’s “I Was Told They’re Be Cake” because of some of the reviews on Amazon.com, several of which mentioned “Oh, great, another privileged gal talking about her life”.  (As I recall, the same criticisms were present in a few of the reviews for Sara Barron’s “People Are Unappealing (Even Me)“.)

This is an interesting prejudice and reminds me of something my mother said recently “I really like this woman. But I didn’t want to meet her for a long time because she was rich.” ‘Kay… This is one of the fascinating things that would seem horrid if said for the reverse (“Didn’t want to meet that dude, ’cause he’s poor – and you know, I didn’t know what we’d have in common”.)  Isn’t part of point of reading (or watching a film) about learning about another person’s experiences?…

Side rant: In a similar vein, it has always frustrated me that film with female lead(s) often get referred to as “chick films”  since most every film has male leads and they are rarely assumed to be solely for men. Sure, a romantic comedy (e.g. the abysmal 27 Dresses) can be considered “only for women”, because it’s fair enough to assume that the target is mostly women. (And the less I say about that genre, and its profoundly unrealistic scenarios/conundrums and forced-quirky characters, the better.) But a film like “Thelma and Louise” (or “Blue Steel” for that matter) is most certainly not a “chick flick”.

…Even if you feel they might have been “luckier” in certain aspects than you?  It surprised me that there were so many people who dismissed the book’s premise outright because the author’s life was OK. What are we looking for here? Is only someone with a severely dysfunctional childhood qualified to write their story? The truth is we are all kind of messed up in our own way – and I enjoy reading and watching another’s experiences – provided there’s a point.  In this case the book was interesting, well-written, not self-pitying and amusing.  All things I seek and am impressed by.

I liked Sara Barron’s book even more – and here I will contradict myself – because it was very relatable.  It touched on so many of my experiences dating, in acting class etc.  And the way she wrote was so hilarious, self-aware and self-effacing without going into self-hatred or being too cutesy.  In fact, I liked it so much, I even wrote her to tell her that.  Now, we Social Media-loving people always mention how important it is to connect with your customer – and for artists how essential it is to have contact with your audience.  I was impressed because Sara Barron wrote me back the next day, to thank me, with a very genuine email.  She also mentioned that she was writing her second book and that if I had the time, and wouldn’t mind writing a review on Amazon.com, that would be great because it’s one of the things that a publisher takes into account when considering a writer.  I did not know that.  I was (painfully) aware of how the reviews influenced me, but wasn’t aware that they played any significant role in publishing.   So, public service message: If you like an author, review them.  It helps. (Apparently so does tagging the books with keywords you feel appropriate, as I learned at BookCamp.)

For the sake of completeness, here are the books I’ve read lately.  I’ve given them grades (yes, that’s obnoxious of me) but a simple 1-5 or 1-10 rating doesn’t convey much.

“People Are Unappealing (Even Me)“  by Sara Barron: 98% (I just loved this one.  My Amazon review of it is here.)

“I Was Told They’re Be Cake” by Sloane Crosley: 94% (Honest, quirky, self-aware and charming. And quite funny.)

“Microthrills: True Stories from a Life of Small Highs” by Wendy Spero: 68% (Sweet, in it’s own way, but a little too cutesy for me.)

“My Horizontal Life” by Chelsea Handler: 60% (This one rubbed me the wrong way. I thought the writer was way too in love with the negative aspects of her personality and thought she was just adorable.  I disagreed.  At the same time the writing was good, it was a decent airplane read, I wasn’t bored throughout.  I just felt kind of empty and dissatisfied after reading it.)

“Me Talk Pretty One Day” (99%) & “When You Are Engulfed in Flames” (96%) & “Naked” (92%) by David Sedaris (Can’t say enough good things about him.  Funny, touching, smart, brilliantly written.  He manages to convey difficult experiences without any self-pity and his writing is completely absorbing.  Note: I liked his other books too, but think these are virtually flawless.)

“Don’t Get Too Comfortable: The Indignities of Coach Class, The Torments of Low Thread Count, The Never- Ending Quest for Artisanal Olive Oil, and Other First World Problems” by David Rakoff: 83% (Great style, brilliant writing and bitingly funny. That said, the first essay (about immigrating to the US) was excellent, and there were a few other ones that were very good.  But I can’t say the book grabbed me in it’s entirety. But, yes, still, a good read, overall.)

“Why I’m Like This: True Stories” by Cynthia Kaplan: 81%  (Charming and well-written.  Also funny and touching.)

Happy Birthday or Whatever: Track Suits, Kim Chee, and Other Family Disasters by Annie Choi (Very well-written, honest and funny and sometimes painful  – especially her family encounters – both in the experience and how they continue to affect her.) 84%

“I Love Everybody (and Other Atrocious Lies): True Tales of a Loudmouth Girl ” by Laurie Notaro:  86% (Very funny.  Very enjoyable.  I like Notaro’s breezy writing style and some of her tales are hilarious.  I have read all of her non-fiction books too, and although there were other good tales in the others, I thought this one was pretty much funny all around.  Given that it’s her latest, I think that’s inspiring.)

“Consider the Lobster” by David Foster Wallace: 90% (Excellent.  Fascinating, educational and often funny.  The essay “Big Red Son” which centers around the AVN (porn) awards) was completely engrossing, enlightening, sometimes creepy, and very amusing.)

Reference Letters re: My Talks

I recently posted some reference letters for talks I’ve given in a slideshow on the “Speaking” page of this blog.

For reference, here is the slideshow compilation:

Adding Value on Twitter

I recently wrote the following piece for Marketline . (PDF of the article is here, btw. )

“Adding Value on Twitter“

Advice such as the frequent social media tip, “make sure to add value” often feels as daunting as “make a good impression” or, in my case, “don’t look so suspicious”.

Twitter is very much like street performing. You don’t have a captive audience, so you need to be as engaging as possible to get people to stop, watch the show and stick around.

Ask yourself, what can you offer that would be beneficial to others? If you make an effort to provide real content, you’ll give people more reason to pay attention – and see you as a person of “value”.

Consider:

• It’s not all about you. Understand that while you have an agenda for being on Twitter – no one else’s aim is to find you friends or send business your way. Don’t wax poetic about your life or to promote yourself ad nauseum.
• Examine your Bio/profile. Who you are is a big reason people follow you. Based on that, figure out what those people might want to learn or gain. And be sure to allow your personality to shine through. While what you say is important, how you say it is even more so.
• Share your experience. Understand that the social component is the beauty of this medium. It’s often about people helping people. Respond to questions when you can – even if they’re not specifically directed at you. If you’ve had an outstanding experience with a company or person – mention it. Did you recently go to an exceptional event or hear of a great cause? Allow others to benefit from what you’ve learned.
• Be clear. When you Retweet a message clarify why others should care. Begin your tweet with the explanation (“Insightful post!”, “I support this great cause” or “This article on marketing to chimps confounds me”).
• Don’t make it difficult. Consider the articles you read today that intrigued you or brilliant posts that you’ve bookmarked on Delicious.com sometime ago. Is there a blog you follow often because it is just that insightful – or even because it enrages you? Share your knowledge with the Twitosphere.

The online word is not so different than the offline one. You quickly tune out when someone is too self-aggrandizing or doesn’t say anything of interest to others. So, give others a reason to stay tuned in. And try not to look so suspicious.

Third Tuesday – This month with Shel Israel! (Sept 17)

Vancouver is a hub of social and techie events!

This month’s Third Tuesday is a really exciting one.  In fact, it’s so exciting, it’ll take place on a Thursday.  Yeah.

On Thursday, September 17th, Shel Israel will be in Vancouver, as part of the Canadian launch of his new book Twitterville.

“Three years ago, Shel co-authored Naked Conversations with Robert Scoble. Naked Conversations was a must-read book in 2006. It captured the zeitgeist of the blogosphere.

Now Shel Israel is back with Twitterville, his look at Twitter and how it is being used by people and organizations to connect, play, share, create community, organize… You name it and we’re finding a way to do it on Twitter. // This event shouldn’t be missed! Shel will spark your imagination, and give you ideas about how you can use Twitter and other social media in your business and life.”

For more information (including how to get his book for only $10) and to purchase tickets click here.

& Thank you to our sponsors CNW Group,Fairmont Hotels and Resorts, Molson Canada,Rogers Communications and Radian6.

Of course, ours is just one of several great events taking place here in September and October.  There’s also:

Twestival (Vancouver)
Saturday, Sept 12

“Twestival is an international movement where people meet offline for one night, have fun and do some good for an important cause in the process. Twestival Local gives cities an opportunity to select a local cause to support.

Launch Party (LPV8)
Wednesday, Sept 16

“Launch Party Vancouver is a lively mixer for the city’s brightest entrepreneurs, tech junkies, and bloggers, who are doing it, have done it or want to make their ideas happen here. The goal of the event is to connect BC’s growing community of Internet and new media leaders with investors and other trailblazers across Canada and abroad.”

New Forms Festival (The convergence of media art, electronic music and digital culture)
Friday, Sept 18 – Saturday, Sept 19

“New Forms Media Society is a non-profit society and media arts organization founded in 2000 that nurtures and connects local and international arts, science and grassroots communities through the annual New Forms Festival. // The NFF is part of a larger, international, multi-media festival movement, which explores the ever changing and evolving world of art and creates a platform for artistic growth. The society wishes to make new media art, music, film, technology base-based installation and performance accessible to a wider audience.”

TrendCity
Wednesday, Sept 23

“Join the League of KickAss Business People for Trend City Vancouver: An Exchange of Ideas and What’s Next, a stylish, thought-provoking evening with Vancouver’s leading business trendspotters, tastemakers and opinion leaders. //We’ll ignite conversation and networking with a panel discussion on what’s hot and what’s next in design, branding, style and media. Plus, we’ll supply appetizers and beverages. “

Bongo: CD Release PARTY and Open Mic Battle
Thursday, Sept 24th

“In the fall of 2008, we [Urban Project/Giant Ant Media] traveled to Dar es Salaam to help a group of street youth record a hip hop album with the help of Urban Project, a grassroots charity that support youth lead art projects in urban centers, and the GENEROUS CONTRIBUTIONS OF OUR DONORS (you!), these guys were able to record a six track album that they called Maisha Magumu (Hard Life). // This event is to celebrate their music and talent and to THANK YOU for donating to this project.”

National Digital Media Day
Friday, Sept 25th

So far, Appy Hour is planned:

“Appy Hour is a brand new event series that combines mobile applications and a whole lotta networking. Join us on National Digital Media Day for presentations by innovative application developers alongside noshing and mingling at one of Vancouver’s newest lounges.”

BarCamp Vancouver 2009
Saturday, Oct 3 (Kick-off party on Friday)

“BarCamp is an ad-hoc un-conference born from the desire for people to share and learn in an open environment. It is an intense event with discussions, demos and interaction from attendees.  // All attendees are encouraged to give a demo, a session, a presentation, or help with one. All attendees are expected to be participants. All presentations are scheduled the day they happen. Prepare in advance, but come early to get a slot on the wall.”

Vancouver Innovation Camp
Thursday, Oct 13

“Why are ideas like measles, waffles and mirrors? Why do successful people generally fail more often than less successful ones? // At Vancouver Innovation Camp, you’ll learn the answers to these questions and more importantly, how they are related to entrepreneurship and innovation.” [Thanks for the tip below, McElroy Flavelle]

[Updated Sept 4 re: few more events]

What have I missed? Let me know in the comments, please.

Multiple Choice, Updates & Resources

This blog has been suffering neglect because (choose one):

a) I have been focusing on some work projects, my other blog, a book I’m writing and on speaking

b) I think the less I post here, the more mysterious I’ll be

c) It’s summer and I fear the heat my computer generates might contribute to global warming and possibly cause my apartment to implode.

d) I suck

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An update on me

• I recently did a presentation at the Vancouver Financial Services Marketing Meetup.  My notes are below, and a video from that talk – as well a few talks I gave at “My Charity Connects” are on the Video page.

• I am currently compiling items for a media kit to better position myself as a speaker.  If you’re looking for presenters, feel free to drop me a note.
• I have an Acting page up here as well – if that’s news to you, please feel free to take a look.
• I forgot to mention a  “Week in Review” I did for One Degree
• And yes, I am working on a book (I am so unique!).  It’ll likely be an e-book similar to my YourDoseofLunacy blog, but more focused on my experiences.

Good Reading Re: internet/film

• The NFB’s “7 Blogging Tips for Filmmakers“
• The last Filmmaker Magazine was chock full of great articles.  Namely:
  • An interview from “Fans, Friends and Followers” (article not available online, but book is) which lead me to this great resource from his site.(Note: If you’re Canadian, you might sadly wish to forgo CreateSpace purchasing for the following reason:

  
  I tried to find out why the shipping fee of a small paperback from the US to Canada cost the same as that of a small anvil, but Customer Service at CreateSpace is not too helpful).

  • Jon Reiss looks at DIY Web marketing.
  • Lance Weiler explains why filmmakers are turning to torrent sites to build a community.

Some Social Media Tips

I’ll be presenting at the Vancouver Financial Services Marketing Meetup next week – and I figure I’d address some “best practices” in my talk.   Here are a few (note: I wrote this originally for an online interview).

Tips

1) Communicate with people, don’t just use the sites as a 1-way bullhorn.

2) Be honest – if you’re affiliated with a product/company don’t pretend your endorsement comes out of the blue

3) Check out what people are saying about you and your company using Google Alerts and other tools

4) If you’re on Twitter, take the time to get to know people, to help and communicate.  Self-promotion should be only a very small part of what you put out there.

5) Make social media a part of your life rather than trying to fit it in (e.g. make twittering and posting a natural extension of how you communicate)

How has Social Media helped me?

I have been asked to speak at conferences because people have come across my blogs. I’m excited when they’ve read my blogs beforehand because gives them an insight into who I am. Oddly enough, I’ve had a few people say they were booking me just as much for the fact that I’m funny as for my knowledge -  they wanted someone who could brings humor to the presentation.

Biggest Mistakes

1)  Ignoring it altogether – hoping it’s a fad

2) Seeing it as advertising rather than communication

3) Revealing too much – or two little (it’s beneficial to give people an idea of the person behind the business)

Best Networkers

They allow themselves to be 3-dimensional.  They reveal some aspects of their personality and admit their mistakes.  They naturally like people and genuinely want to have discourses and meet others.  They give and add value to the community.  I think a sense of fun and playfulness also helpful in the space.

Tips for success

1) Structure: You have to commit to whatever site or site(s) you’re networking on, commit to going there, to posting, and to communicating on a regular schedule.  If you disappear for a long time people will figure you’ve left.

2) It takes time.  You won’t suddenly get people throwing money at you.  But if you invest your time you will eventually see the results of your efforts.

3) Think of it as networking at an event or party.  You let your hair down a bit, and meet people and chat.  Using the same example, parties don’t always lead to a business deal that evening, but nurturing the connections might eventually bear fruit.

4) Try to have fun with it – even though it is, in a sense, marketing.  If you enjoy the communication, it will be less of a labor and more easy to incorporate into your life.

If I had to pick only 1 social network

Twitter.  It’s faster and easier to communicate and generally more people see the message.  Also you can incorporate other elements (link to pictures, blog posts etc.)  I think you still need a blog, but you can communicate every day on Twitter, whereas you may not have the time or energy to write daily in-depth posts on your blog.

How to use

Use YouTube to showcase yourself briefly and to give others a chance to see “real life” you.  Use Facebook as a general communication tool – it allows you to update your status, post videos, talk to people, organize events etc.  Plus, most people are on it.  Use Twitter to communicate a few times a day.  Your blog is great for ideas, thoughts about your business/industry, to allow clients to keep up with you and your work and activities and for general longer-form communication than microblogs (e.g. Twitter).

What tips do you have re: best practices, that you think I should share?

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P.S. I recently did an interview with the Casual Encounters blog (primarily about my other blog)