Twitter

Last week while at BlogHer, one of  the attendees asked my thoughts on growing an offline network. My niche is social media and it’s a given that just about everyone in this space is online. The attendee’s niche is smaller and more focused. Many of the people she needs to reach out to aren’t online or don’t want to spend a lot of time online. It’s another reminder that I take online community building for granted because there are plenty of people who don’t feel like hanging out on Facebook and Twitter and prefer to do their networking face to face.

It’s interesting that some folks in the newer generation aren’t sure how to build their brand or community offline. When I was starting out in business, the only places to have for networking were offline. It’s my preference, to be honest. I enjoy meeting people and talking with them. I like hearing their passion and see the sparkle in their eyes as they talk about what they love to do.

If you spend all your time building relationships online, consider some of these ways to take it to a whole new level. You may find it to be more beneficial – and that you’re spending less time online.

1. Join Local Networking Events

When I first move to the area where I live now, I joined a local newcomer’s professional organization. To be honest, our monthly meetings didn’t include much business. We drank wine and talked about our kids, school and local sports. However, those relationships mattered because eight years later some still call me to consult with me on writing or social media.

You’ll find a variety of social and professional networking groups and events in your area. Some feature regular meetings while others are one off affairs. Some require you to buy a ticket and others are free, sponsored by a local business. Usually they’re held at libraries, hotel conference areas and high schools or colleges. To find professional networking events, look in the “events” section of local newspapers and magazines and community bulletin board.  The Chamber of Commerce and business organizations also hold networking events. Check with their websites to see what is happening in your area. If there’s nothing happening around you, get together with some local business owners and start your own networking event. Maybe that will lead to a great, big, snowball reaction.

2. Meetups and Tweetups

Meetups and Tweetups are kind of different from professional networking events in that they’re not necessarily geared towards generating new business. However, they are a way to meet like-minded people and let them know more about you and what you do. These events are generally more casual than business events as well, but that’s not a bad thing. The purpose of meetups and tweetups is to meet the people who you know from Twitter, blogs and other online communities. Like professional networking events, the people who you meet offline may also follow you online as a result. If you belong to a particular community, there will be announcements for meetups, if not, start your own. Also, join local social networking organizations on Twitter and Facebook. If there are offline events, you’ll receive announcements. For example, I follow New Jersey Social Media on both Twitter and Facebook and if there are events in my area, I’ll receive an alert.

3. Teach a Class

My library offers free learning all the time. When I learned they would be offering classes teaching about the various social media tools for business and networking, I sent them a note asking if I could help. Students include representatives from local businesses who are considering making an investment in a social media campaign and people who just want to learn more about promoting their own stuff.

High schools and colleges also offer continuing education courses and seminars in the evenings. These courses are for people who want to gather more knowledge rather than matriculating students.

Teaching these classes is a good way to network with people who are interested in learning about your area of expertise. It will also establish you as a local authority, which can lead to more business for you. To inquire about classes and seminars, contact the places that hold these events to propose your idea.

4. Public Speaking

Speaking at conferences, business retreats, and other events is another terrific way to help establish authority and build a community both online and off. Start out small – speak at schools, businesses, and local business events. As you book more speaking engagements and gain confidence, you’ll land more prestigious contracts.

5. Attend Conferences

You don’t have to be a speaker to attend a conference. Rather, attend to learn and meet others. Conferences provide a bonanza of opportunities because everyone shares a common interest. The classes and sessions provide a place to learn about the topics that interest you the most, while the hallways and networking events enable you to talk in depth with interesting people. If the conference features a trade show floor, you’ll also learn about the products and services that will help to advance your career. If you attend a conference, you’ll likely come home with a stack of business cards, new Twitter follows and Facebook friends and even some new clients.

6. Write for Print Publications

As a freelance writer, I can tell you that it’s not easy to get published, especially in print. However, it’s easier to find your piece published in a small, local newspaper or county magazine than it is to land an assignment with The New York Times or Newsweek. Local publications are often interested in good content and by writing an informative article or Op-Ed piece, you’re helping them to achieve your goal, and getting your own name out there. If you provide a real educational experience, people will want to find you to learn more, so make sure your bio includes your web address, Twitter handle and other means to contact you.

There are plenty of benefits to building an offline network. Though they’re not online as much as your offline network, these are people who will buy your books, read your articles, and contact you for your consulting services. Just because someone doesn’t spend a lot of time online, doesn’t mean they don’t matter.

How do you build your offline network?

Related Posts:

• Does Social Media Matter to Civilians?
• Shaming Unfollowers: Should We Really Take it So Personally?
• 5 Reasons Why Foursquare Isn’t Dumb
• Re-Visiting Kommein
• Community Management is More than Just Twitter

Tagged as: Community, Community Management, facebook, network, networking, offline network, online community, Twitter

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Last night I went out for drinks with the girls. My friends work in a variety of careers, none having anything to do with social media. I often wonder if when I talk about my blogs or Twitter they think I’m some sort of loonie, or even if they really care. During our conversation last night I learned:

• One of my friends didn’t know blogs can be bought and sold.
• Many of my friends have no idea what to do with Facebook or Twitter.
• Many of my friends are afraid to use Facebook and Twitter as they’d rather not risk their privacy.
• They’re totally not feeling the whole Foursquare thing.

Does social media matter to the people who aren’t into social media?

Sometimes I read posts on the popular social media blogs and wonder if the bloggers are speaking to the converted. Certainly no one needs to tell me the top ten reasons to start a Facebook page or discuss how Twitter can help to build a brand. Are we really reaching the people who have no clue how to use this stuff or are we preaching to the choir?

I understand that there are businesses doing research on the web in regard to social media and why it’s needed for business. However, I don’t know if the average person is especially interested in seeking out this type of information.

Why social media should matter to everyone

After I returned home from last night’s debauchery, I thought long and hard about my friends. Does social media matter to them? None of them have any reason to use social media for their professions…or do they?

I thought it would be interesting to explore the ways civilians could use social media for business…and pleasure.

Look for work

Social media offers the ability to look for work beyond the usual job boards. Blogs and websites pull together comprehensive lists of available jobs, recruiters and hiring agents hang out on Twitter, and bloggers discuss tips for landing a cushy gig. Social media also offers a way to research businesses to learn more about them, which can help to land a job.

Participate in discussions

Even if you’re not looking to use social media for business, there are still ways to use it to enjoy your favorite topics. For example, use Twitter and Facebook to discuss a favorite books and movies or debate the issues in an online town hall. Talk about your kids, or your pets. I can guarantee, every channel boasts people who are into the same thing you are.

Meet people who are going through the same thing

There are social networks for people who are battling illness, and the folks who are caring for people who re battling illness. There are groups and networks for almost every problem and every milestone. Whether you’re in human resources or a soccer mom, there is a place in the space to commiserate.

Lodge a complaint

Having issues get through to a brand’s call center? Spotty cable connection? Looking to get in touch with a politician? Many of the major brands have social media professionals on staff to monitor what is being said about them on the difference networks.  Though they would rather their dirty laundry isn’t aired in public, many do reach out to those who are complaining about them to see how they can make things better.

Learn about local businesses

Foursquare, Gowalla, Twitter, Facebook and other networks can help you learn about your locality. Read restaurant reviews, learn where to get your shoes mended or find out where to locate free WiFi. There’s no need to dig through an unwieldy phone directory anymore, not when everything you need is easily searched online.

Receive updates

Keep current with topics that interest you via RSS feeds, Facebook fan pages, Twitter accounts and newsletters. Read ebooks and magazines on your smartphone or ebook reading device, receive the latest headlines on your Facebook status, and keep in touch with the people you love.

What do YOU think?

I could probably toss out 100 or more uses for social media and the reasons those who aren’t managing a brand or who don’t have something to promote would want to use it. The truth is, it’s different for different people.

I sometimes feel like I have too different lives. My blogging, conference attending, hanging out on Twitter life, and my real life, non social media world. They’re vastly different, but more a like than we realize.

How would you describe the benefits of social media to a “civilian”?

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• Shaming Unfollowers: Should We Really Take it So Personally?
• 5 Reasons Why Foursquare Isn’t Dumb
• 6 Tips for Building an Offline Network
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• Why Social Media Noise is Good

Tagged as: blogging, blogs, facebook, foursquare, gowalla, networking, networks, social media, Social Networks, Twitter

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A couple of years ago, a woman who was part of a community I managed took it to heart every time someone stopped following her on Twitter. She monitored her account very closely and each morning ceremoniously announced with a “Buh Bye!” all the people who unfriended her the day before.  Though I would probably be hurt if a close friend or someone I built a relationship with over the past year dropped me from a friends list, I also understand why people who don’t really know me decide not to follow me.  It could be because we don’t agree in many areas or that I Tweet too much. I know that it’s not personal and I don’t take it that way. That’s why I don’t understand the practice of publicly shaming unfollowers.

Mass Unfollow

A few months ago I was going through my Facebook friends and realized I didn’t know half the people who I allowed to view my profile. Unlike Twitter, the people who have access to my status on Facebook have access to much of my personal life including pictures of my family, local events, and conversations with intimate friends, family and neighbors. I decided it was time to rethink my Facebook strategy and  edited the list to only include family, friends and a few social media people who I enjoy. I created pages for my former freelance writing blog and Kommein so that those wishing to receive updates or keep track from a business standpoint could do so while allowing me to have a private life.

I also did a mass unfollow on Twitter over the weekend. Again it was nothing personal. Many of the people I unfollowed didn’t even follow me in return, but it wasn’t even about reciprocity. Some people hadn’t updated in over a year, some people are too negative, some just want drama and controversy, and some people I just don’t know or agree with. I followed plenty of people on the recommendation of others, or automatically because they followed me first and we just didn’t jibe. It’s not a personal thing at all. People move on. I’m not into cliques and exclusive clubs but neither do I believe we have to be friend’s with people we don’t necessarily get along with.

Oh For Goodness Sakes…

So I was kind of surprised when I saw this Tweet this morning:

I recently lost a follower, and thanks to http://who.unfollowed.me I know it was @debng #whounfollowedme

This is one of the more polite Twitter unfollow messages I’ve come across. Some are rude and I’ve even seen fights break out. I’m not sure I see the logic in shaming the people who don’t follow us. People drift apart. Relationships don’t always last. I get it if it’s someone we care about, and in that case I might contact the other party to see if I can repair the relationship. But a total stranger? What’s up with that?

Darn It, It’s Nothing Personal

Now, I understand being curious about people who unfollow, but I don’t understand why the public shame announcement? I liken it to a party. When we’re at a party we talk to different people. Some people we get along with very well and others…not so much. We may take phone numbers and email addresses for the people who shared common interests and goals, but the people who we don’t quite see eye to eye, we mostly likely won’t pursue a relationship.

If you’re going to be active with lots of friends and followers, you’ll have to consider that people will unfollow you on a daily basis. Most of the time it’s because they realize they have nothing in common or that you don’t share the same philosophy. If you wouldn’t yell at a co-worker or acquaintance from a street corner because she’s not your BFF, why would you do it on Twitter?

Am I off base? Would love to get your thoughts on this one.

Related Posts:

• Does Social Media Matter to Civilians?
• 5 Reasons Why Foursquare Isn’t Dumb
• Why Social Media Noise is Good
• 6 Tips for Building an Offline Network
• You Are What You Tweet

Tagged as: facebook, follow, followers, social media, Social Networks, Twitter, unfollow, unfollowers, who unfollowed me

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I admit it. I use Foursquare. I don’t post my locations to Twitter or Facebook,  or offer mundane updates on every step I take throughout the day, but I do use Foursquare and I don’t think it’s as silly as some naysayers would have you believe. However, apps and tools are always in the eye of the beholder and I realize what works for me, doesn’t necessarily work for someone else.

Foursquare Critics

The criticisms of Foursquare are valid. Many Facebook and Twitter users don’t want to see other people’s Foursquare updates in their statuses.  In this case, they’ll have to decide whether or not to follow the offending parties. Also, folks who frequently update the world with their locations will have to consider the TMI factor and that many people don’t care that they’re dropping the kids off at KinderCare.

There are also people who are worried about privacy issues. I think Foursquare is pretty good with the controls. We only allow approved friends access and we don’t have to update anywhere but on Foursquare if we don’t want to. Most users are responsible with their information and don’t use school names, homes, or any other details that will give away the exact location.

Just like any other app, if used responsibly it should be fine.

Here are my reasons why Foursquare doesn’t suck.

1. Foursquare Highlights Local Businesses

I appreciate an app that helps local businesses gain new business.  Foursquare allows users to see the types of businesses in their area and it’s all mapped out in case directions are needed. If lots of Foursquarers check in to a particular establishment and have good tips and recommendations, I’ll know this is a place to consider visiting.

2. You Never Know Who You’ll Bump Into

Recently I was in New York City for the day and saw on Fourquare that someone from a job I held over ten years ago was at the same event. We said hello and caught up a bit. I ran into a social media buddy at the local department store once, and didn’t even know this person lived sort of close by. If I didn’t see these names on my Foursquare as being in my same location, I wouldn’t have looked for them.

3. See What’s in the Area at a Glance

If you’re a stranger in a strange land you don’t have to eat strange food. Use your Foursquare to see what restaurants are in the area. I know someone who uses it while camping and vacationing to see where to find the laundrymats, supermarkets, parks and chidlren’s attractions. Not everywhere in the area will be listed, but the most popular places are likely on the grid. It can save a lot of web searching from the slow library computers or asking for directions.

4. It’s Kickass for Conferences

My favorite use for Foursquare is for conferences. I use it to learn who is sitting in on what session, where my friends are eating, and which parties to attend – or avoid. In fact, I get the most Foursquare use from conferences as it’s a good way to keep an eye out for the folks I’m looking to meet or catch up with.

5. Who Wouldn’t Want to Be the Mayor of ShopRite?

I mean, really, is that a perk or what? And I didn’t even run for office.

Related Posts:

• Does Social Media Matter to Civilians?
• Shaming Unfollowers: Should We Really Take it So Personally?
• 6 Tips for Building an Offline Network
• Why Social Media Noise is Good
• You Are What You Tweet

Tagged as: apps, facebook, foursquare, hyper local, hyper local apps, local apps, social media, Twitter

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At first glance the whole Follow Friday thing on Twitter seemed like an interesting idea. I’m always on the hunt for interesting people to talk to, so why not receive recommendations from others? Every week I joined in with my #FF’s and @’s. Until one day someone said to me, “Deb, why do you recommend these people. Is it because they’re your friends, or that they’re writers, or bloggers? Give us a reason.”After that I editorialized: “Follow these terrific writers,” I’d post, using the remaining characters to squeeze in a few recommendations. But I wasn’t feeling it. As I found myself with fewer characters to work with, I worried that I was excluding people. Follow Friday was a popularity club and I’m not into cliques.

I began watching other people’s Follow Friday recommendations and sure enough they were pitching the same recommendations to the same followers each week. No one was adding anything new. Plus, I wasn’t really following any of the Follow Friday recommendations and after a couple of informal Twitter polls I learned that no one else was either. Every time I asked if anyone followed any of their Twitter friends’ Follow Friday recommendations, most admitted that they rarely do.

I like the idea of Follow Friday but I think it turned into something different than intended. I find my Twitter name listed among several other @’s and I don’t know why. Do these people like something I wrote? Do they read my blogs? Do they want me to get them in as a speaker for BlogWorld? I don’t know and frankly I’m at the point where I don’t even pay attention to the Follow Friday recommendations.

So I’m wondering if I’m the only one who isn’t really into recommending folks for the sake of recommending them.

Do you Follow Friday? Do you follow the people who are recommended? Tell us why…

Related Posts:

• 10 Tips for Using Twitter to Find Social Media Jobs
• 6 Tips for Building an Offline Network
• Does Social Media Matter to Civilians?
• Shaming Unfollowers: Should We Really Take it So Personally?
• 5 Reasons Why Foursquare Isn’t Dumb

Tagged as: follow friday, Twitter

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A few years ago when I was Community Manager for a popular online community, the owner and I disagreed regarding the value of Twitter. He wrote it off as a bunch of noise. In fact he wrote off most of social media as a bunch of noise. I soon learned though, that it wasn’t that there was a lot of noise but, rather, he didn’t know what to do with it. The more he embraced social media, the less noisy it seemed. Thus, I’d like to submit that folks who complain about social media noise perhaps aren’t using it to their full potential.

Let’s explore this “noise” thing. I’m sure that when using the term “noise” to describe social media, many are referring to annoying noises such as jackhammers and weed wackers.  Though for argument’s sake, I’ll also say that annoying is in the ear of the beholder and there are even those who enjoy hearing a weed wacker on a Saturday morning. (For the record, I’m not one of them.) But this is a post about why noise is good, and we’ll leave the weed wacker in the shed for today.

Let’s consider some of these noises:

• Birds
• Music
• Children
• Murmuring’s of a loved one
• A cat purring
• Reading aloud
• Waves upon a shore
• Thunderstorms
• Rain
• Fireworks

Noise doesn’t have to have a negative connotation. While we all have our moments where we want quiet, I think many of us embrace noise. Think about it: Favorite songs trigger memories and voices or laughter make us smile.  Despite moments of being frazzled or needing quiet for rest, we like noise. That’s why I’m suprised when folks read or hear about something being “noise” and write it off as a negative thing.

What does this all mean?

Obviously I’m writing a reactionary post based on other discussions referring to social media as “noise.” I think we all tend to read something like that and readily accept noise as a bad thing. The next time someone  dismisses Twitter or Foursquare as a bunch of useless noise, suggesting you don’t get so social and instead get all exclusionary and cliquey, consider what the word “noise” means to you. One person may have a low tolerance for noise, but this doesn’t mean everyone does.

We make our own noise. It’s the reason why some parents can put up with a child’s wailing on a drumset from the basement, when others won’t let a set of drums into the house. It’s why some us enjoy loud rock and roll and others go easy listening. Noise is only a bad thing if you allow it to have that connotation.

If you embrace the noises in your life, you might find that many of them aren’t so unpleasant. For example. that bird outside your window might not be exactly what you want to hear at 5:30 a.m. while you’re trying to sleep. However, three hours later, it’s just the ticket when you’re enjoying that first cup of coffee from the solitude of your back deck.

Embrace Noise

Noise can work for you, even social media noise. Instead of looking around Twitter and thinking there are too many people, look at it as a party where you will meet people as time progresses. Some of those people will become acquaintances, some good friends, and some you may do business with.  If you sat in the corner writing them all off as noise, you probably wouldn’t have made so many important connections.

The next time someone writes off social media as noise, consider your favorite noises and what they mean to you.  Maybe there’s something to it after all?

Related Posts:

• Does Social Media Matter to Civilians?
• Shaming Unfollowers: Should We Really Take it So Personally?
• 5 Reasons Why Foursquare Isn’t Dumb
• You Are What You Tweet
• 10 Tips for Using Twitter to Find Social Media Jobs

Tagged as: social media, social media noise, Social Networks, Twitter

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I’ve been a part of this social media thing for several years now. I’ve been blogging and working online for about a decade. I’ve been building up online communities in some form or another for at least ten years. While I won’t claim to be an expert, I think it’s safe to say I know a little of what I’m talking about.  I’ve come to two conclusions about community management. The first is that everyone has a different idea about what a community manager’s job entails. The second is that most people think a community manager is nothing more than a glorified forum moderator who only needs to worry about the social networks.

That’s not it at all.

Community management  is more than just Twitter. It’s more than FaceBook or Ning or MySpace. I’m even going to go as far as to say it doesn’t have much to do with those things at all, and anyone who thinks it’s about how many friends you have on Facebook or followers on Twitter, is clearly missing the mark. Community management is about creating a positive user experience. Yes, that does mean one should monitor the social networks to see what one’s community is saying about them, but that’s not what it’s about at all.

What I like to do is pretend there’s no Twitter or Facebook. How would I reach out to my community then? How can I find out what they think of our service? When I think about it, why would I want to create separate “groups” on the different social networks when the ultimate goal is to get them to socialize at their community’s home base. That just makes cliques, not communities.

Community management isn’t just Twitter. It’s being a voice for the people. It’s being a hands on customer service person. It’s finding out  what the people in your community are talking about and taking that information and putting it to good use. Community management is about creating a positive user experience. It’s about building up relationships with people and gaining their trust. When you think about it, that has nothing to do with Twitter at all.

Related Posts:

• 6 Tips for Building an Offline Network
• Should Businesses Monitor the Social Networks?
• 10 Tips for Using Twitter to Find Social Media Jobs
• Does Social Media Matter to Civilians?
• Shaming Unfollowers: Should We Really Take it So Personally?

Tagged as: Community Management, social networking, Twitter

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I recently unfollowed a couple of people from Twitter. The first I unfollowed because of spam. I stopped following the second person because most of her posts are laden with profanity and followed up with “Don’t like swearing? Too bad. Don’t follow me then.” Well ok. I don’t follow people for the sake of haiving a large pool of followers, anyway.

I’m not a prude.  Though cursing doesn’t hold the same pleasure for as it did during my teens, I’ve been know to throw out a bad word now and then, particularly if pain is involved. However, I’m of the belief that creative people can get their points across without resorting to profanity or vulgarity.

You are what you Tweet. Whether you use Twitter for business or pleasure, folks have to think about what they put out there. Employers are cruising Google and the social networks to see what employees and potential employees are up to. Maybe some people don’t think about this stuff – or even care. I do. I care how my community sees me and the example I put forth.

The folks I meet on Twitter are friends, colleagues and even perhaps important business contacts. Why turn them off? I’m not saying not to be you, but it’s always a good idea to take some time out and think about what we’re tossing out there.

When you use Twitter, does it matter to you what your followers think?

Related Posts:

• 6 Tips for Building an Offline Network
• Does Social Media Matter to Civilians?
• Shaming Unfollowers: Should We Really Take it So Personally?
• 5 Reasons Why Foursquare Isn’t Dumb
• Why Social Media Noise is Good

Tagged as: Community, social media, social netwowrking, Twitter

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I have a friend who’s a big muckety muck at a major phone/Internet provider. I haven’t seen him in a few months, but I keep remembering a conversation we had over the summer. I won’t bore you with all the minor details, but the bottom line is he (and many of his counterparts) don’t care for bloggers or social networking outlets because it’s harder for complaints to be swept under the rug  or handled quietly. They’d rather not have their flaws made public. I get it. Who wants that kind of negativity? I don’t agree though.  I feel having an online presence is good for business instead of the other way around.

Our conversation began when I mentioned how another blogger complained on her blog about a defective product and poor customer service. The day she posted, a representative from that same company commented saying he would take care of her problem, and he did – immediately.

Soon after that I learned my cable company was being switched to a well-known brand. I asked on Twitter of others’ experiences with this company and lo and behold….a representative of that company reached out to answer my questions. I dug the vibe.

So my friend, the big muckety muck at the phone network ,hates the idea of bloggers talking about their services or folks complaining to The Consumerist or other blogs. Again, I get it. Who wants to look bad?

But…

Consumers are frustrated by a lack of customer service, what other choice to they have?  What happens when you navigate a phone menu to nowhere, or get put through to fake supervisors who don’t help at all? Shouldn’t the folks paying for a service get the best service possible? That’s why I have more confidence in a company with a heavy online presence than with one that chooses to sweep all the bad stuff under the rug.

Should businesses monitor social networks?

Absolutely! It’s important to not only understand what folks are saying and why, but to reach out and offer assurance. In fact, I’d much rather pay extra for a company that rocked the customer care than support anyone who doesn’t put their clientele first and foremost at the top of the priority list. Moreover, if I see someone else having issues with a certain company and see said company reaching out to make amends, it will give me more confidence and maybe even encourage me to do business with them.

Just because a business doesn’t have an online presence doesn’t mean folks aren’t going to talk. Isn’t it better to monitor what they’re saying and reach out to fix the issue than to pretend it doesn’t exist?

Related Posts:

• Community Management is More than Just Twitter
• 10 Tips for Using Twitter to Find Social Media Jobs
• 6 Tips for Building an Offline Network
• Does Social Media Matter to Civilians?
• Shaming Unfollowers: Should We Really Take it So Personally?

Tagged as: Customer Service, social networking, Twitter

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