Category Archives: King of Social Media

Twitter Triumphs

I post something of marketing value on Twitter every morning. Yesterday, I received this:

Alan,

Yesterday, you posted this on Twitter, http://twitter.com/BentleyGTCSpeed/status/15856333967:
“Would you spend this? No! Would you invest this for X return? Yes! Watch your language.”

I used it immediately…

“Would you spend $120,000 ($20,000 per month over six months) to receive $800,000 worth of advertising/publicity for your product? And If we don’t hit that number, month seven is on the house!”

…and it worked immediately. I’m now meeting with the CEO next week. Great tip!

Thank you for sharing.

Jason Mudd, APR

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The Value in Live Tweeting A Keynote Address of Alan Weiss

A fascinating woman approached me in Vancouver prior to my keynote to ask if she could micro-blog. I said “Of course,” as if I knew what the heck she was talking about. I asked her to write a guest column about what she was doing and why. In my role as King of Social Media, I’m happy to present it here, and I thank Terry for writing it.

The Value in Live Tweeting A Keynote Address of Alan Weiss
By Terry Rachwalski, World of Consulting

For me, micro-blogging is just another communication medium. The difference is that unlike an article, blog or book, it forces the communicator to be concise—140 characters to send a thought demands a paucity of in-depth analysis. Micro-blog posts are more like a stream of consciousness, unfiltered and without the careful wariness of re-writes and editing. The communication is “in the moment.”

Is micro-blogging for everything we need or want to say? No. Some concepts need more substance for thorough communication, but micro-blogging has its place in the spectrum of options available to us.

When I started my micro-blogging account, I asked myself what I wanted to communicate. The form and structure of my consulting assignments are not based on the cult of “me.” The brand is not me personally, yet every assignment I have had came from a word-of-mouth referral. So what could I add to conversation and still be authentically who I am: kind of serious, kind of quirky, but definite about courses of action?

I decided to add value. I decided I didn’t want to spam with a link in every communication I send and I didn’t want to natter on about what a cute dog I have (though that is undoubtedly, true).

To add value, I decided to give snippets of information on consulting, the consulting life and how to consult, with the occasion personal, consumer rant built in—because that’s me.

The theme of Consulting Conference 2010 in Vancouver, BC was about charting a course to value. So I decided that what better value could I offer my followers than to tweet during the keynote speech by Alan Weiss? I asked Alan for permission which he graciously gave, informed my followers, and started tweeting.

Are the tweets anything special? Well, it depends on your point of view. but there are some nuggets of wisdom that are exactly what micro-blogging is all about—concise and pointed statements. The trending favourite was:

“Stop being a jellyfish who floats with the tide, be a shark + control your own destiny #cconf #yvr”

with the follow up pos:

“OK, Alan says be a tuna if you don’t want to be a shark #consultant. You get the picture #cconf #yvr”
Apparently, my followers agreed that there was value there. I added about 100 followers over the course of the conference and keep building my posse of consultants.

You can find the live micro-blog on Alan Weiss’s speech by searching the hashmarks #cconf #yvr #CeMC on twitter under my account @consultingmania

© Terry Rachwalski 2010. All rights reserved.

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Call Those Names!

I delivered the keynote at IMC’s Confab yesterday, to a wonderful audience, and we all had a lot of fun. I talked about the very positive future of consulting and the need to “be in the moment” with clients and prospects, as well as the role of developing communities.

During an extensive Q&A period, I noted that social media platforms were good examples of communities that were largely personal and avocational, but were not the major marketing routes for consultants selling to large corporate clients. It was a good discussion.

Of course, immediately someone is Twittering that I’m a Luddite (you’ll note that they came to hear me, not him) and I’m assuming that he had help spelling “Luddite.” Apparently, he wasn’t even in the audience, but had heard some snippets on Twitter.

Have you noticed that you can argue with clients, prospects, colleagues, and others about business on a factual, mutually-respectful basis? But once you take on the social media fanatics, name-calling and mudslinging is unleashed. This is the trait of cult-like thinking. You’re with us or against us, and we’re not about to listen to opposing argument.

There are millions of intelligent, reasonable people using social platforms for personal and professional reasons. It’s too bad the zealots hang around like plaque on teeth. They need to be scraped off.

© Alan Weiss 2009. All rights reserved.

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Alan’s First Social Media Client!!

Having been King of Social Media for four or five months now, and with 6 million connections on linkedin, 300 friends on Facebook, and 1100 followers on Twitter, my very first client from those sources came on board this morning!!

Chris Patterson runs Interchanges.com in Jacksonville, Florida. Although he knew of me for several years, his interest was piqued when I showed up on Facebook. He entered my Mentor Program this morning (and actually qualifies for the Million Dollar Club), and he’s just a great guy. His company is global, deals with Fortune 100 organizations, and I just know it’s going to be a great relationship.

Obviously, this will be my final blog entry as I’m dropping all other marketing activity to focus solely on Facebook! (Not.)

Welcome, Chris, and let’s get all those folks on linkedin to send in 50 cents each!!

© Alan Weiss 2009. All rights reserved.

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Morning Thoughts

Some things percolating early today:

• Twitter folks are frequently “retweeting” my stuff, calling me “one of the top business experts in the country.” That can’t hurt, and it’s fun trying to condense some wisdom into about 80 characters twice a day or more. Those who get all bent out of shape because I don’t follow anyone are also usually nasty (I’ve thrown a couple off this blog) which is what happens when people become obsessed that only they know the rules. Lighten up.

• I sent out over 10,000 Monday Morning Memos and received 37 unsubscribes, far better than expected!

• I’m watching President Obama, whom I respect, and realize that over-communicating is as bad as under-communicating.

• You can get into serious discussions on Facebook, but there are a lot of people who tell you they can read your mind, or tea leaves, or intuit the sky, or believe the government is trying to erase our minds with flu vaccinations. It’s the kind of party where, no matter how many free drinks are served, you begin to wonder who left the door open.

• The 45-minute Process Visual segment at the recent Million Dollar Consulting® College was so powerful that I’m going to run a full-day workshop on the subject early next year.

• Miami lost to the Colts last night because the Miami coach was afraid, having his team run instead of pass with three minutes left in Colts’ territory, missing an opportunity to try for a touchdown, and settling for a field goal and a 3-point lead. Peyton Manning took the field and drove the Colts the length of it in the last minute to score a touchdown and win. Everyone in the stadium knows he does that regularly, and did it to Miami earlier in the evening. It’s a GAME. If you’re afraid to try to win, to go for the big score, you cheat your players, your fans, and yourself. It wasn’t the talent that lost, it was the management. Sound familiar?

• Have you been following my postings here, “Don’t Look Now,” about the recession ending? Well, guess what?

© Alan Weiss 2009. All rights reserved.

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Posted in King of Social Media, The Best of Life | 3 Comments

Rock Star of Consulting Surpasses 1,000 on Twitter

I now have about 1,040 people tracking me on Twitter after just a few months. This is the most fun of all the social platforms for me, and I spend a whopping ten minutes a day posting on it (I follow no one). It beats Facebook, and its great “tests,” such as, “How well do you know your own rear end?” No, I’m not exaggerating (by much)!

If you haven’t yet, join my twice daily contributions of pragmatic value: @BentleyGTCSpeed on Twitter.

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Newport Report II

We’re beginning the final full day of the Million Dollar Consulting® College. This morning, I received the second registration (from Australia) for the March College, so it looks like we’ll be back here again in six months—i’ve just signed the new contract. Tonight is the class dinner at the White Horse Tavern, the oldest continuing operating restaurant in the country.

Last night Chad and I dined at The Spiced Pear, where we had a relatively rare and wonderful 2001 Margaux Margaux.

The weather is holding up nicely, and another cruise ship sailed stately by as I’m writing this.

I’m reviewing the galleys for Thrive! and we’ve chosen the cover photo and art. We’re hoping to release the book before the end of the year.

As the King of Social Media, I went over the 1,000 follower mark on Twitter yesterday. You can join the club: @BentleyGTCSpeed.

© Alan Weiss 2009. All rights reserved.

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Social Medea

That’s not a misprint in the title. Medea was best known as an enchantress.

As I’m wading through the mostly inane ramblings on Facebook (“I’m hiking,” “Tried a new cat food” (personally?), quotes from John Adams or Henry Winkler, or Soupy Sales, “Tommy scored 90% in ‘How Well Do You Know Your Own Rear End?’”), I am having these thoughts:

1. If you did not view or post on Facebook for, oh, one week, to what degree would your life be poorer? What would you have missed, and to what extent would you be less of a person, a professional, an object of interest? It it weren’t there, would it make a difference, or is it just occupying time, like a game show rerun?

2. If you were off Facebook for that week, and assuming you didn’t use the time to become a potted plant, what would you do with it to enrich your life? Would you interact more in person, or read another book, or learn a new skill, or pursue a hobby, or just think about your relationships and future, or play with the dog more? How much would that benefit you?

3. The people most vociferous about social media are clearly those who stand to gain by it, giving seminars, providing coaching, and somehow making money by encouraging use. It’s almost like a huge Ponzi scheme in some respects. I’m reminded of Y2K, or the guy with the pinky ring and Cadillac who rents the hotel room for a presentation to get you to buy soap suds and “recruit new members.”

4. People actually talk about “monetizing” presence on social platforms. See point #3. Even the people who OWN Twitter, for example, aren’t making money from it! If someone can find a way to get me 50 cents from each of the 4 million people connected to me on linkedin, I’ll split it with you!

5. There are examples of just abominable taste, not merely because some oafs feel free to use obscenity or scatological references (for some reason, more women than men), but because they are oblivious to the fact that they are at a virtual public gathering and they think there’s nothing wrong with it. These must be the same people who curse out loud on airplanes and spit on sidewalks and talk back to movie screens.

6. You can start some serious conversations on Facebook and elsewhere, but they peter out. Moreover, the amount of postings that have NO responses, NO commentaries, is huge, meaning that, well, perhaps no one among your “friends” cares! It’s all about personal “air time” and being heard and seen without having to be interesting, be helpful, or have ideas.

7. When you challenge any aspect of the social platforms or act in a non-conformist way (e.g., I don’t “follow” anyone on Twitter, though I have 700 followers) you get angry ripostes from the self-appointed owners of the secret decoder rings. They want to give you etiquette lessons. How can there be etiquette standards in what is, for all intents and purposes, a social free-for-all where most people don’t care how they use the cutlery?!

I’m yanking chains here to have some fun (I don’t believe you can easily debunk something you’re not part of), but there is a fundamental truth that people will have to come to grips with. These sites are huge time dumps IF you allow them to be. They don’t “amplify” anyone’s message because they “amplify” ALL messages, meaning the cacophony is so intense that nothing stands out. The exceptions claiming business gains—I’m talking making money, not making “contacts”—are rare and, frankly, I don’t believe most of them.

But the key question, outside of spending a few minutes a day on this stuff is: Am I better off, is my life enriched by the hours I spend on virtual social platforms each week, or is there something I’m not getting to, something I’m avoiding, something detracting from my growth?

The articles are starting to appear debunking the entire scene, which is a predictable cycle. There are claims that Twitter has only a 40% retention rate, for instance (Nielsen Online). I think in a year we’ll see some kind of vast combination and amalgamation which might just make all this more practical and fulfilling. But with rare exception, right now, it’s like chewing air.

Beware the siren call.

© Alan Weiss 2009. All rights reserved.

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Some Further Enlightenment

The following from Rob Eagar and his blog at Wildfire Marketing: http://wildfiremarketing.blogspot.com/2009/06/social-networking-unlocking-behavioral.html

Social media is getting all of the hype these days. Yet, it’s struggling as a medium to actually create significant books sales. For example, at BEA 2009 last month, John Sargent, the CEO of Macmillan Publishing stated, “Viral marketing doesn’t sell a ton of books.” He said a video based on a Macmillan book spent time in the number-one spot on YouTube in the U.K.—and wound up selling a whopping 200 extra copies. So what works? Most CEOs agreed front-of-store displays can boost sales.

Now, I’m not knocking social networking…just don’t forget about the tried-and-true methods for authors to spread a message, such as public speaking, newsletters, personal networking, alliances, etc.

As for the behavioral disorders that social networking can cause authors, check out this insightful article, Why I Kissed FaceBook Goodbye, from Anne Jackson, author of Mad Church Disease.

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Photo of the Day


(Click to enlarge)

Submitted by John Felkin

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Posted in King of Social Media | 11 Comments