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2014’s Most Popular Social Media ReInvention Blog Posts
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Your Turn
Please let me know if you agree or disagree with my thoughts in the comments. I would love to hear from you. I’m here to read, listen, and learn from YOUR PERSPECTIVE. Comments are open. So let’er rip!
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My apologies to subscribers who received this post before it was completed. I’m experimenting with an offline blog editor, and I accidently published my working draft. Thanks for your patience as I continue stumbling my way around a dark room before finding the light switch.
Here are your Sunday Brunch Reads. Enjoy your brunch!
Here’s a direct quote from the Forbes article (aka Secret #1):
The Theory: “My network/superconnect theory begins with the idea that all the tough problems are solved with networking—lack of key critical resources; money, connections, knowledge all are attached to people orbiting specific ecosystems.”
2.<re/Code>: A Doc in Your Pocket: Doctor on Demand Gets Smarter by Katherine (Katie) Boehert: This insightful article may be the future of primary care medicine, psychotherapy, and psychiatry. It takes telemedicine to a different level by providing the visual component via your desktop or tablet. It makes scheduling a video visit with a real, board-certified physician or PhD easy. Katie described her experience and conducted the appointment from the convenience of her office.
Think about this for a moment. The real estate, time, and physician office investment implications are disruptive:
No waiting rooms
No inconvenience of finding a place to park your car
No office space
No time implications in leaving work or your with driving to and from the doctor’s office
No physician office staff
Check out Katie’s video and article describing her experience with Doctor on Demand:
Covering: A term used to describe the ways in which outside groups – women, minorities – try to cover up, minimize or disguise their difference. For women, this may manifest in any number of ways: never talking about domestic life, feigning an insincere interest in golf or football, steering clear of discussions on diversity.
Calculating: Research shows that women are just as willing to compete in a game if – and it’s a big if – they believe they have a good chance of winning. In the Olympics, women entered confident that they competed on a level playing field – on which they could, and did, win. At work, women are very good at gauging their chances, eschewing contests in which they’re likely to fail.
So the challenge for women isn’t that they lack competitiveness or drive. It’s that they are shrewd estimators of risk and therefore spend too much energy trying to fit in, instead of standing out. And one way not to stand out is not to look ambitious or to ask for stretch assignments that we might not get.
That Highlighted Quote Concerns Me
I’m a Dad and Uncle of Two Remarkable Daughters and Four Incredible Nieces. My daughters are still young (10 and 3 years old). Two nieces are in university (the other two are pre-high school and kindergarten). Every time I see them it’s a gift. Time vanishes as I see their personalities, self-image, and self-confidence transform.
Please Don’t Jump to Conclusions by this Article’s Title. My mission as a parent (and uncle) isn’t to develop the next Most Powerful Women in a Fortune Magazine Most Admired Company. My goal as a parent and role model (I hope a good one on both counts) is to guide and encourage my female loved ones to:
Choose To Stand Out
Define What Standing Out Means For Them
Make Smart Choices Leading to Healthy, Productive, Fulfilling, and Independent Lives and Careers
I Value Relationships with Women Who Stand Out
I Gravitate to Proactive and Strategic Thinkers. I’m grateful some of these smart, generous women provide their friendship and advice. Others, I have yet to earn the privilege of meeting face-to-face. I’m lucky they’ve granted permission to directly communicate via emails, social media, blog commenting, etc.
Building and nurturing these relationships are important to:
Benefit Each Other. I hope I help them as much as they help me.
Learn and Understand The Female Perspective. I don’t know what I don’t know. I seek first-hand experience from women I know and trust. That’s the only way I’ll be able to help my loved ones face situations when I have no frame of reference (like what Heffernan describes in her Fortune article).
6 C-Suite Traits Emerge Among Female Business Executives Who Stand Out
Forgive Me for Focusing on Business World Examples. I’m aware of success patterns in other fields such as the arts, healthcare, entertainment, and education. I’m a marketing and corporate strategy geek. My stock and trade: identifying and uncovering trends/patterns from multiple industries.
Here’s What I Observe. These are the patterns and traits I am going to advise my daughters and nieces to practice so they stand out:
They Practice the 4 R’s: Risk, Relentlessness, Resilience, and Reinvention
They Write With Purpose
They Possess the Courage to Speak Up
They Connect Others
They Deliver Generosity (with a Stick of Butter and a Smile)
They Fake It, Till They Become It
1. They Practice the Four R’s: Risk, Resilience, Relentlessness and Reinvention
I Read Those Words and Think of Julie Roehm. Julie embodiessafe is risky (and risky is safe). I’ve tracked Julie's career moves since 2005. She was THE Marketing Strategy Purple Cow of the automotive industry. She could have stayed in Detroit, but she took a risk in accepting a new challenge in the retail industry with Walmart.
It didn’t work.
I respect her for leaving an industry she knew like Coach Pat Summitt knows championships. If she stayed in Detroit, Julie could have continued making a great salary and building her sizable expertise and reputation. She took on a high-profile risk to learn if she could adapt and excel in a different corporate culture and industry (direct quote from a Fast Company 2009 article):
"I wanted to be able to show that I can adapt anywhere, I can do anything. The thing I learned about myself is that I'm not a full-on chameleon, and there's nothing wrong with that."
Julie Roehm Learned and Recovered from a HUGE Career Setback. That type of public, high-flyer mishap would have crushed most people. Not Julie.
Julie was Relentless. She Showed Up Everyday. I’m glad she did. I’d miss her marketing talent, charisma, and chutzpah if she didn't. All successful women (insert your definition of success here) understand and practice the power of reinvention. Here’s great advice from my reinvention hero — the brilliant Dorie Clark:
I’ll Counsel My Daughters and Nieces to Seek Out and Welcome that "I’m Afraid Feeling.” If they have that feeling, they’re on track to doing or making something important. If it doesn’t work out, I want them to have the self-confidence and awareness they WILL recover. Because, they’ll be wiser and smarter for attempting "whatever it was."
“How Can I Write Like That?” I ask that question every time I read and study Ann’s work. I can’t (and I wouldn’t expect my daughters and nieces to either). There can be only one.
Here’s Ann purpose for Everybody Writes (direct quote from page eight):
What’s harder is to find a book that functions for marketers as part writing and story guide, part instructional manual on the ground rules of ethical publishing, and part straight talk on some muscle-building writing processes and habits.
What’s also hard to find is a book that distills some helpful ideas about the craft of content simply and (I hope) memorably, framed for the marketer and businessperson, as opposed to say, the novelist or essayist or journalist.
I wrote this book because I couldn’t find what I wanted—part writing guide, part handbook on the rules of good sportsmanship in content marketing, and all-around reliable desk companion for anyone creating or directing content on behalf of brands.
I drew on this advice when I was a new research analyst and published less-than-rosy recommendations, when most of Wall Street was bullish and left me feeling exposed. I drew on it when senior executives of a couple of the companies I covered tried to have my boss fire me because they didn’t like that research. I drew on it when I was named Director of Research and we decided to take ourselves out of the investment banking business because we believed the client conflicts were too meaningful. And I drew on it in the recent market downturn, when my then-company and I disagreed on how to treat individual investors who had suffered investment losses from our products.
Those were important. But its greatest impact may have been in less-public ways. Early on, this advice enabled me to “find my voice.” There is plenty of research that shows women are less likely than men to speak up in business meetings or state their opinions;many report that it is because their upbringing conditioned them to not stand out and to wait their turn. But sometimes the meeting is over before their turn comes. Having the confidence that standing out need not be a point of shame – but indeed can be a point of pride, particularly for the right reasons – can make the world of difference….perhaps especially for us southern females.
Speaking Up Means Sharing Your Experiences to Help Others. Sallie’s LinkedIn Influencer Articles are vital in career development. I love her articles not only because her insights benefit me but also because her experiences guide me as a parent. Here are some of my fave Krawcheck Classics:
Sprinkled among every walk of life, in other words, are a handful of people with a truly extraordinary knack of making friends and acquaintances. They are Connectors.
Connectors are important for more than simply the number of people they know. Their importance is also a function of the kinds of people they know.
They are people whom all of us can reach in only a few steps because, for one reason or another, they manage to occupy many different worlds and subcultures and niches.
The point about Connectors is that by having a foot in so many different worlds, they have the effect of bringing them all together.
It isn’t just the case that the closer someone is to a Connector, the more powerful or the wealthier or the more opportunities he or she gets. It’s also the case that the closer an idea or a product comes to a Connector, the more power and opportunity it has as well.
Barb and Kathy are Living Proof of Who You Know is What You Know. They’rewickedsmart, resourceful, successful, and well-connected. They can talk to anyone about anything because each “has a foot in so many different worlds.” They understand the value (and discovery) of diversity in thought. When I lived in Chicago (Barb) and St. Louis (Kathy), they introduced me to different people I’d never meet on my own (or would have access to).
I’ve Never Forgotten Their Kindness and Generosity. If you’re a current or aspiring Chicago-based or St. Louis-based female executive who's serious about your business career, invest in yourself and build a relationship with either Barb or Kathy. I’ll advise my daughters and nieces to seek out the Barbs and Kathys.
Buy them lunch / breakfast and get to know them. Just don’t talk smack about the Chicago White Sox (Barb) or St. Louis Cardinals (Kathy) when you meet them…
From Zena Weist of Kansas City, I learned about helping others, “A stick of butter and a smile, and no need to pay me back.”
I Learned That From Zena Too. These past six months, I benefited from her advice, knowledge, and connections so I could follow through on an important career change. I hope my daughters and nieces will practice how Z gives away abundance (without keeping score). There’s an important lesson (and movement) Jeremiah observes in Silicon Valley that’s relevant to delivering generosity (direct quote from his article):
The Midwestern value of helping others without expecting reciprocation is best summarized by the “stick of butter and a smile” axiom when a neighbor is in need. Silicon Valley’s traditional come-get-mine attitude rewards the disruptors and the fiercest competitors. While San Francisco boasts that nearly one of every eight residents are millionaires, a vast majority are not living at middle class standards and are struggling just to get by. The potential for a backlash is rapidly increasing.
Be Like Z. I hope the backlash Jeremiah writes about never comes to fruition. We can prevent it from happening one "stick of butter and a smile" at a time.
6. They Fake It Till They Become It
Susan Kare’s Advice For Young Designers Applies to Any Woman with an Opportunity for a Stretch Assignment. Kare has two (2) simple rules for designers: 1) Fake It Tlll You Make It and 2) Design Never Really Changes. When Susan Kare applied applied for Apple’s first-ever graphic designer position, she worked at a furniture store. She prepared for her interview by studying graphic design books from the Palo Alto library (direct article quotes):
Having designed many of the Mac's early system fonts such as Chicago, the (original) San Francisco, Geneva, and Monaco, Kare is one of the pioneers of early digital typography. But when she first applied to Apple, she was pulling her type design qualifications out of thin air.
"I was working at a furniture store at the time, and I didn't know the first thing about designing a typeface," she told me. "But I'd studied graphic design, so I said, 'How hard can it be?'" So Kare went to the Palo Alto Library and took out a number of books on typography. "I even brought them to my interview to prove I knew something about type, if anyone asked!" she laughs. "I went into it totally green."
Think About That. If Susan Kare listened to The Resistance, she wouldn’t have achieved designer history. So if my daughters or nieces ever experience self-doubt, I’m going to tell them to have the self-confidence and self-belief to "fake it till they make it." Or, as Dorie Clark of Reinventing YOU, teaches: “Fake It Till You Become It.”
Please let me know if you agree or disagree with my thoughts in the comments. If you disagree, I would love to hear from you. I’m also here to read, listen, and learn from YOUR PERSPECTIVE. Comments are open. So let’er rip!
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I hope everyone had a good week and is enjoying Christmas parties and celebrations with friends and co-workers. Here are your share-worthy links. Enjoy your brunch!
Seth’s Latest book is Remarkable. It’s beautifully illustrated in color and has the look and feel of a slick, high-gloss, soft-cover magazine from the high-end fashion world. Visually, this book is unlike anything published by Seth Godin:
Mitch asks if Seth believes it’s the most beautiful expression of Seth's emotional labor. Answer: Yep!
The Seth Godin says on the record it’s taken him “120+ essays, 5,700+ blog posts, and 18 books to realize this result.”
He remarks: I can’t believe I waited this long to publish in color
The podcast turns instructive between Mentor (Seth Godin) and Student (Mtich Joel) midway through their conversation. It’s a personal moment between two people sharing a mutually genuine respect and friendship. Hint: Even people like Mitch Joel feel the powerful self-doubt The Resistance imposes. How Seth Godin counsels and reassures Mitch Joel during this segment says it all about Seth’s character and class.
But then I remind myself of one thing: With the 6 Plus—or, for that matter, a Samsung Galaxy Note 4 or Nexus 6—I don’t need a tablet anymore. If the 6 Plus can save a bit of money, why not dedicate a fraction of those savings to accessories?
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Hi Social Media ReInvention Community Members! Apologies for not consistently posting our Sunday Brunch Edition. External circumstances prevented me from keeping up. I promise to do better job. I hope you celebrated blessed and happy Thanksgiving Holidays with loved ones and friends.
Here are your share-worthy links. Enjoy your Sunday Brunch!
1) CNET: How-To Video: Upgrade Your RAM on Your MacBook Pro. I upgraded the RAM on my MacBook Pro 15 this week. I suck as a do-it-yourselfer (DIY). I researched required steps and tools to lessen my anxiety and increase my confidence. The Result: I successfully upgraded my MacBook Pro 15 (late 2011) from 4MB to 8 MB of RAM (and she performs like a champ)!
As I type, I’m running seven (7) applications: iTunes, Google Chrome (with 12 tabs open), Apple Preview, MarsEdit, Finder, Evernote, and Dashlane. Here’s the content I found most helpful:
You’ll need a Phillips 00 screwdriver to unscrew the bottom panel. I paid a premium price for the iFixit 54 Bit Driver Kit because the magnetized screwdriver bits are HUGE in removing and reinserting the six (6) tiny screws on the back panel. There’s a reason I went to business school instead of medical school (HINT: I lack a surgeon's dexterity).
2) Fast Company: What Every Young Designer Should Know, From Legendary Apple Designer Susan Kare. Kare has two (2) simple rules for designers: 1) Fake It Tlll You Make It and 2) Design Never Really Changes. I personally relate to Rule #1. When she applied applied for Apple’s graphic designer position, she worked at a furniture store. She prepared for her interview by studying graphic design books from the Palo Alto library (direct article quotes):
Having designed many of the Mac's early system fonts such as Chicago, the (original) San Francisco, Geneva, and Monaco, Kare is one of the pioneers of early digital typography. But when she first applied to Apple, she was pulling her type design qualifications out of thin air. "I was working at a furniture store at the time, and I didn't know the first thing about designing a typeface," she told me. "But I'd studied graphic design, so I said, 'How hard can it be?'" So Kare went to the Palo Alto Library and took out a number of books on typography. "I even brought them to my interview to prove I knew something about type, if anyone asked!" she laughs. "I went into it totally green."
The 52-year-old often describes her job as "connecting the dots"–between GE's seven segments (Power & Water, Oil & Gas, Energy Management, Aviation, Transportation, Healthcare, Home & Business Solutions), its many markets, and between the company and the outside world. It's something Comstock regularly does as head of GE's sales, marketing, and communications, and in her management of the company's multi-billion-dollar Ecomagination and Healthymagination initiatives, dedicated to environmental and health care innovation respectively. In her travels and conversations with customers, she constantly scans for patterns. "When you're in this business, you see a lot of things," Comstock notes. "Marketers are in a great position to notice if something's happening in an industry like energy or healthcare."
Think About that Quote for a Moment. Beth Comstock explained how a great marketer’s expertise is a game changing asset in understanding and exploiting opportunity. Digital and social media marketing continues accepting the rap, “we can’t measure return on investment (ROI)!” Follow her advice and make the case of how not only your digital marketing efforts identify relevant opportunities but also how your expertise uniquely enables you (personally) to identify new business opportunities.
Please let me know if you agree or disagree with my thoughts in the comments. I would love to hear from you. I’m here to read, listen, and learn from YOUR PERSPECTIVE. Comments are open. So let’er rip!
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This stat caught me by surprise (maybe it shouldn't). The number one ranked "second screen" competing for our time and attention isn't Facebook, Twitter, another social network, etc.
It's email.
eMarketer is publishing a detailed report on our television and social media viewing habits called, “Simultaneous Media Use: Screen Fragmentation Complements Traditional Channels.” Here's a direct quote from the eMarketer article:
The takeaway is that a major portion of digital activity during TV shows has nothing to do with the show or the commercials. People simply drift away from the program and do other activities on their devices. This represents a transformation in the role of television from being a focal point to being just one of many screens competing forattention.
We're an iTV and Roku family (dumped cable months ago). Maybe, that's why I don't tweet, like, or post while watching tv. I'm focusing on the show (a rare treat).
That's how change takes place in The Fortune 500. Change takes place by influencing and developing political allies (one person at a time).
Here are direct quotes from the article:
Change is about recruiting allies and working each other up to have the nerve to try the next experiment. You find allies. You encircle the buggers.
You don’t bring about change in real big meetings or virtual meetings. You bring it about one person at a time, face to face—when we discover we have some common interests and we’re both pissed off, say, at too many CEOs who talk about charts and boxes. And so we create a conspiracy.
Her creativity to create and initiate #thelinkedinchallenge is genius. It's a clever take on the #ALSChallenge. The purpose: connect and introduce two (2) Linked connections who can benefit from each other.
I participated right off the bat. Here's my Twitter conversation with Brynne:
I first discovered the initial discussion thread in this LinkedIn Group: Mobile Health Global. The topic centered on this question: "What stands in the way of pharma developing high quality mobile health apps?" This is the headline of our first debate.Participate in it here since the 25th of September. John Mack will moderate it!
I love discovering LinkedIn Discussion Groups like this one! I virtually met and conversed with smart, passionate, and thought-provoking people in the LinkedIn Group and the #mHealthPharma Tweetchat.
Paraphrasing another media influencer, Ryan Holmes is kind of a big deal.
All of Us Can Create Remarkable LinkedIn Posts (Even If We’re Not a Big Deal)
I’m not a big deal. I suspect most self-publishers in LinkedIn’s 313 million membership base aren’t either. But, LinkedIn inFluencers aren’t the only members with valuable writing, thoughts, and experiences to contribute to the LinkedIn Community.
Through disciplined practice and study, we can learn how to create great content (just like inFluencers like Ryan Holmes). Let’s examine Ryan’s post for clues on what to “steal.” In the words of Pablo Picasso …
1. Write a Crisp, Eye-Catching, Headline
Easier said then done. I changed my headline 20+ times. It’s an iterative process. Here are the headlines Ryan published for the Hootsuite blog and LinkedIn:
Notice the tight precision of both headlines. In Ryan’s LinkedIn post, “(Really)” caught my attention and caused me to click on his post. The Hootsuite blog example poses a question. If we want to learn Ryan’s conclusions, I have to read the post. Great link bait.
Check out the efficient number of characters (with spaces):
Hootsuite Blog Post: 68 characters
LinkedIn Post: 55 characters
See how both headlines are Twitter-optimitized. Each leaves lots of room for retweets (RTs) and additional comments for Ryan’s ~52,000 followers.
2. Support Your Argument with a Picture Painting the Story
The picture Ryan selected and credited cuts straight to his argument. It’s ironic, humorous, and to-the-point. An unforgettable lead-in to initiate an important discussion.
Bonus:flickr’s Creative Commons Photo Galleries. Talented, generous photographers share their art in return for proper attribution. When using their photos, do the right thing and link back to their flickr gallery.
3. Newsjack Breaking News to Your Competitive Advantage
4. Acknowledge the Situation and Propose Measurable Solutions
Ryan distinguishes his communication by writing a first-hand account acknowledging gender imbalance in both Hootsuite and the technology industry. His Hoosuite Blog and LinkedIn Publishing Platform posts cite his company’s diversity numbers among 600 employees:
40 percent are women
23 percent work in tech roles
38 percent hold leadership positions
In his words:
“This comes out a bit better—but certainly not much—than at the other companies**. What exactly are we doing differently and, more importantly, what we can we do better?”
**Note: “other companies” refers to Google, Facebook, Yahoo, Intel, and Twitter (mentioned in Ryan’s previous paragraph).
He follows his acknowledgement by proposing solutions at both industry and company levels:
More importantly, publishing his LinkedIn post and stating his call-to-action on the Hootsuite Blog may positively impact ONE woman’s professional career prospects (maybe her entire life).
Making a difference in one person’s professional life doesn’t require 33,000+ views. It takes ONE VIEW of ONE POST.
That post could be yours …
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A second straight quarter of increased user growth: 16 million new users
Revenue doubled to $312 million (driven by mobile use and mobile ad consumption)
Mobile advertising accounts for 81% of total ad revenues
The stock price spiked 29% in after hours trading
271 million monthly active users
How Twitter’s Investor Relations Team (@TwitterIR) framed these positive results is worth studying. Their critical and judgmental audience includes (but is not limited to):
Wall Street Analysts
Technology Journalists / Bloggers
Mutual Funds Managers
Silicon Valley Competitors
Individual Investors
Writing and storytelling skills are important in the financial and investment community. Investor Relations Teams are tasked with building credibility, trust, and transparency. The ability to convey confidence with a compelling and memorable story (particularly when financial performance suffers) makes or breaks organizations.
Real-time, Internet speed and scope, play a crucial role in addressing public scrutiny. Here are three (3) writing and storytelling tips I learned from the Twitter Investor Relations Team.
And, it maximized this competitive advantage during the July 29th earnings call. Topsy analysis shows @TwitterIR‘s (Twitter’s Investor Relations Team) published 23 real-time tweets supporting the earnings presentation.
Topsy Query for @TwitterIR July 29 Tweets
Tip 2. Be Simple and Concise
Communicating financial analyses (or other complex information) into simple, bite-size messages isn’t easy. Twitter’s Investor Relations Team addresses this challenge head-on knowing they have to frame a memorable, compelling story in “pulses” of 140 characters or less. I’m sure their rehearsals resulted in multiple iterations of tweets to constantly refine and simplify the gameday message.
According to Topsy, here’s the top tweet during the July 29th call …
Topsy Twitter IR Top Tweet
Topsy Top Twitter IR Tweet
… and it clocks in at 136 characters (with spaces).
Tip 3. Draw Pictures for Key Messages
Twitter’s Steady, Consistent Positive Revenue Growth. Note: I drew the red arrow.
As an individual Twitter investor, I appreciate and respect the Investor Relations Team sharing key metrics like quarterly revenue, EBITDA, and net income. But, the tweet has too much math for my simple brain.
The hyperlink and chart are vital. They impart two (2) positive impressions:
“We know you want more details. Here’s where you can find/analyze the details.”
Praise Others so They Know They're Good at What They Do.LinkedIn Recommendations help your colleagues and friends promote their personal brands. They're also an important gesture to support people who may have lost their jobs due to company reorganizations.
You can vouch for another person's expertise and skills (similar to a LinkedIn Endorsement)
Your friend / colleague may feel awkward requesting a recommendation
Your recommendation can enhance another person's LinkedIn Profile
Who Can You Support with a LinkedIn Recommendation? Show you're not "just looking out for number 1." It's a great way to thank and acknowledge others who've been integral to your individual success.
Recommendations You Give Show Up on Your LinkedIn Profile
Demonstrate your expertise in a specific field or industry
Develop credibility and a thought leader reputation
Learn from and make new connections with like-minded people
Show Your Acknowledgement and Appreciation. When you initiate discussion topics, it's great when other members submit comments and opinions. Thank them with an encouraging tone for "putting themselves out there." Acknowledge them and express your appreciation for their input (especially if their thoughts counter yours).
Submitting Comments and Participating in Discussion Forums Requires Personal Risk. That's why people may hesitate submitting a comment for fear of criticism from either you or other members. If you're the discussion moderator, establish a positive tone. Provide encouragement early and consistently.
Encouraging and validating others in your LinkedIn Discussion shows respect, flexibility, and openness:
Encouragement Fosters LinkedIn Group Participation
Please let me know if you agree or disagree with my thoughts in the comments. I would love to hear from you. I’m here to read, listen, and learn from YOUR PERSPECTIVE. Comments are open. So let’er rip!
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I'm Over Age 50 and I'm Trying to Reinvent Myself. What the Hell Do I Do Now?
You're Not Alone in Feeling That Way. A lot of people ask themselves that question. I'm a few years shy of THE BIG 5-0. And, I've been asking myself that question since 2009.
But, If I Can Develop Influential and Powerful Validators, YOU CAN TOO
This post describes examples from my ongoing social media reinvention journey. Since 2009, I've learned a couple things from blogging, connecting with like-minded people, and distributing content in different social media channels.
4 Gifts to Give Others to Power Your After Age 50 Reinvention
Gift #1. Write Public Fan Letters
Read Steal Like an Artist by Austin Kleon. Pages 108 to 109, "Write Fan Letters," and Chapter 2: "Don't Wait Until You Know Who You Are To Get Started" from Austin's book are amazing. From page 109 of Steal Like an Artist:
"Maybe your hero will see your work, maybe he or she won't. Maybe they'll respond to you, maybe not. The important thing is that you show your appreciation without expecting anything in return."
Expect Nothing in Return. That's why public fan letters are the ultimate gift. If you genuinely care for someone and want sincerely express your appreciation and respect for her art / work, that's all that matters.
Writing Public Fan Letters is the Most Rewarding Experience. Just writing them feels good. I know from personal experience. That's why it's my favorite way to say "thank you."
Bonus: Your Heroes Might Write Back. Publicly. Remember, this is a gift with no expectation of reciprocation. But, it's still pretty cool when your heroes reply back.
Ann Handley Blog Comment on Her Public Fan Letter
Ann Handley Twitter Conversation on Her Public Fan Letter
Gift #2. Comment on Thought Leader Blogs
Blogging Isn't Dead. But Everybody Likes to Say It Is. That's why blog commenting re-emerges as a new opportunity. Most prefer the "snack size" comment of a tweet or Facebook update. But, let's be honest. It's hard to find relevant insights in 140 characters or less.
Dare to Be Different. Commenting on thought leaders' blog posts in your industry or (the industry you're targeting for a career change) gives you an opportunity to:
Thoughtfully support or disagree with an influencer's line of thinking
Add to the conversation by sharing your perspective
Build the reputation of not only the blog author but also your reputation too (because Google remembers the blog post and your comments forever)
Long Term Consistency is the Key. I've participated in blog commenting with my favorite marketing strategy thought leaders' blogs since 2009. I've regularly and consistently shown up by participating in the discourse on their home turf. That consistency builds long term reputation, credibility, and relationships.
Connect Your Comment to an Online Profile. Always provide the web address for your personal blog, Google+ profile, or some other online profile so the author or other commenters can learn more about you. If you're consistent and leave thoughtful comments, the author and her respective readers will look you up.
Tony Faustino Comment on Ann Handley Blog Post
Gift #3. Promote Others Work on Twitter – The @ Mention
Twitter: Use the "@" Mention to Your Advantage. Social sharing buttons are now commonplace on the online sites for publishers like The Wall Street Journal, Fast Company, LinkedIn, or Bloomberg BusinesssWeek. Take advantage of these tools to share and promote the work of influential authors, journalists, and media pundits.
Let Them Know You Read and Appreciate Their Work. When you promote someone's work, include her Twitter handle in the tweet. This way, the author sees it in the "mentions" of her Twitter feed. This will increase the likelihood of a earning a public response (which validates your reputation and credibility with the rest of the Twitterverse).
She might even follow you back …
Twitter Conversation with Fast Company's Lydia Dishman
Gift #4. Promote Others Skills with LinkedIn Endorsements
Endorse and Validate Others by Talking Up Their Skills. LinkedIn's Skills & Endorsements feature can help you build and promote the personal brand of any of your 1st degree connections. Go to the Skills & Endorsements of that person's LinkedIn profile and click on the skills you'd like to endorse on her behalf:
LinkedIn Endorsement Example: Select a "+" Sign
The Best Part of this Gift: Receiving the LinkedIn Notification. Your connections will learn of your endorsement. LinkedIn provides the notification whenever you log-in to the site or the email address linked to the LinkedIn account.
Surprise Someone. Receiving a LinkedIn Endorsement from someone you respect and trust is a great feeling. Make someone feel good. Endorse her on LinkedIn. You'll make her day.
The next post in this series on reinventing yourself after age 50 is scheduled fora February 9, 2014 publication. I'll describe four (4) more gifts you can give others to continue powering your reinvention.
If you enjoyed this post, here are links to other posts in the series: