I had a great time participating in this Social Media Panel in February with my friends Eric Stegemann, Loren Nason and Jacob Swodeck (moderator). (With all the activity around launching MindBridj and JaraUniversity, it was only recently that I was able to start cutting all the tapes from that well-attended day-long symposium on topics ranging from real estate short sales, regulations, trends and, of course, social media.)
The entire panel discussion from which this video was pulled, was a 30-minute give-and-take on a wide range of social media topics including:
- cultural awareness
- brand building
- high-value activities professionals should be doing in social media
- search engine optimization
- building your "hubs and spokes" strategy
- practical examples of business professionals using social media successfully to engage customers
In the excerpt above Eric Stegemann, Loren Nason and I focus on answering questions mainly related to cultural awareness and brand building. Three highlights from the discussion to keep in mind, especially if you're new to social networks and new media, are:
1. Look before you leap.
This is especially important if you're new to a social network. Take time to observe the dialog in the network, lurk, get a lay of the land and a feel for the "group norms" and member behaviors. The idea is to become aware of the group culture in the network before jumping in with both feet.
2. Don't be "that guy".
My reference in the video to "that guy" is a nod to an article I first came across on Shannon Paul's blog about the metaphorically hapless noobie who runs around shouting their message about things they'd like to sell rather than actually listening to those in the networks they participate in. In a nut..don't be "that guy."
3. Build your brand as the trusted advisor.
Even if you decide to fast-forward past my monologue, I'd recommend stopping to take a listen to Eric's take about not falling into the trap of believing social media to be synonymous with lead generation... it's about brand building. That is, focus on activities that helps to build your brand as a trusted advisor. Be the person that people remember as someone who offers really great, useful/helpful information.
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