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Social Media Marketing Tips - Relationships

Building Relationships (Day 1 / Part 3)

I actually have a lot more to say about relationship-building than the 'lil bit of 2:12 I gave it in this social media marketing video.  Feel free to join me and friends on Jara University to discuss it more.  But, clearly relationships are the crux of social media activities -- whether those activities be related to business development or not.

"It's not so much WHAT you give..."??

One thing you'll hear me say in the video is something along the lines of "...it's not so much what you give, it's the thought behind it."  (Really? I said that? It's at about time code 1:20.)  

Well, I'd be curious to know what you think about that statement?  

For my part, I actually wish I could re-record that segment.  I mean, yeah, I meant it.  But, the context didn't quite convey the intent of my meaning.  The fact is, despite my having said it, what content you share with those in your community does also make a difference.  (If there's any doubt about that in your mind, try sharing one of those cheesy viagra emails or some other similar spammy tweet with me and see how quickly our relationship-building comes to an end.)  ;)  

At the time of the video recording, I was still really focused on the whole "giving" theme. (Remember, this section was shot in the same set as the previous two vids on New Media Philosophy and Content Philosophy.)  The thing is, my intent is really to say that you want to put some deliberate thought behind the act of sharing with those in your community.  That's how you gain relationship capital in the economics of the social web.  

But, like it is in the capital markets, the value of the financial instruments you keep in your portfolio is in part due to the type of instrument you hold.  Some are worthless and convey little or no value.  

In the same manner, I think part of the deliberate thinking that goes behind sharing content with others should also be a consideration about the "what" aspect of the thing you're intending to share.  That, after all, will have an effect on the way you are perceived by others in your community.  

What do you think?

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This video is one of the dozens of free social media marketing video training and "how to" modules on Jara University.  It's packed with hours of free social media marketing training for business.  It includes social media marketing tips for: LinkedIn, Facebook, YouTube, Blogging, Content / eMail Marketing, professional/expert seminars, a whole videoBook, eBooks and much more.  You can register now for free by downloading the (also free) Social Media Marketing Essentials Mini Course and newsletter.      

Get it now... here.  

[Video transcript available.  Click "Continue..." below.]

Social Media Marketing Tips - Content Philosophy.

Heads-up:  At about the 1:42 point in the timecode for the social media marketing video above, I mention a few folks whom I recommend you follow. These folks are great sources of content and knowledge sources.  It's obviously not an exhaustive list. Here are a few more folks to follow from my Jara University Mentor's Twitter list:  http://twitter.com/melaclaro/jarauniversity-mentors.

Original Content Creation vs. Content Redistribution

"Content is king," as they say.  But just as kings come in different sizes and quality, so does content tend to differ from one type to the next.  

I'll have more to say about the added value of being an original creator of what I call Consultative-type Content in a later video.  But, for now, suffice to say that Consultative-type content creation is the kind that seeks to give guidance from your own business expertise--and which you create from scratch.  It's a key component of any serious list-building/marketing strategy.  But, when you're first starting off, it's also the type of content that can be most intimidating to create.  That's why in this video, as we're just starting off, I like to make a distinction that you don't have to focus on being an original creator of "full-length" consultative content for now. Rather, you can be just as relevant and helpful to those in your community by becoming a distributor of content.

Being a distributor of content is important because, just like the capital markets, it aids in liquidity.  Only in this case, it's informational liquidity that we're talking about.  For the most part, online content creators want their creations to be re-distributed.  And, provided you give proper attribution to its source (and barring specific copyright restrictions against redistribution), you're actually encouraged to spread the wealth so it gets in the hands of many people. 

And, even though you may not be the originator of that content, your online reputation can still benefit by virtue of the type of content you choose to share.  

So, before retweeting a post on Twitter or sharing a link on Facebook, make sure to vet the piece of information first.  Take a look at it and make sure it fits with the type of information your community network will appreciate.  

Your turn

In addition to the social media marketing tips I give in the video above, what other search tools or social networks do you use for finding good, relevant content to share with your communities?  Scroll to the bottom past the Transcript section and leave a comment.

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This video is one of the dozens of free social media marketing video training modules I created for Jara University.  Packed with hours of free social media marketing training for business.  Includes social media marketing tips for: LinkedIn, Facebook, YouTube, Blogging, Content / eMail Marketing, professional/expert seminars, a whole videoBook, eBooks and much more.  You can register now for free by downloading the --also free-- Social Media Marketing Essentials Mini Course and newsletter.      

Get it now... here.  

[Video transcript available.  Click "Continue..." below.]

Social Media Marketing Tips - New Media Philosophy.

This social media marketing video is part 1 of Day 1 in a 7-day series I did for Jara University.  The main points in this social media marketing tip Day 1 video series is to set the stage for beginners that, it's okay to think about doing business online.  There's more acceptance these days of marketing and business / lead-generation through social media marketing than there used to be.   But, that's not to say that we can all now do a "free for all" and start hocking our inventory online for a few bucks.  There's still an underlying philosophy that you have to bear in mind.  That philosophy is still based on principles of trust.   (Not a bad way of conducting business, if you ask me.)

In this social media marketing video, I hit on the points under New Media Philosophy.  In follow-on vids, I'll hit on Content, Relationship building, and Brand Building.

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This video is one of the dozens of free training vids I've created for Jara University.  The whole site is jammed-packed with hours of free training content, including:  LinkedIn, Facebook, YouTube, Blogging, Content / eMail Marketing, professional/expert seminars, the whole videoBook and much more.  You can register now for free by signing up for my free newsletter:  Social Media Marketing Tips. AND, when you do, you can also get the 133 page / 20-video mini-course on Social Media Marketing Essentials For Small Businesses.  (Um, also free.)    

Get it now... here.  

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[Transcript of the video is available below.]

"Stop Saying Paradigm Shift"

Yesterday I posted a snippet about the case Jacob Swodeck made to an audience of real estate professionals for developing underlying strong professional and business skills.  In that post, I alluded to an "anti-paradigm-shift soap box" I was on just prior to handing the presentation mouse (webinar, y'know) to him.  

Above is a short vid from that little soap box.  I also went into a little more detail about my thoughts on that piece of the presentation over at the JaraUniversity website.

Your thoughts?  What do you think?  Are we still shifting?  Or are we now in a new status quo? 

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If you're new here and you liked this, or any of the articles on this site -- subscribe!
 If your organization needs help leveraging social media for skills improvement or transforming classroom-based training for the web -- contact me. 
 (Social media? Camtasia? Articulate? Captivate? Final Cut? Yeah, I do that.)

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Great reminder: Social media not a panacea for poor business skills

The snippet above comes from a webinar Jacob Swodeck and I hosted for JaraUniversity a couple of weeks ago about Attracting Sellers and Buyers Through Social Media.  Jacob's point came on the heels of an "anti-paradigm-shift soap box" I just stepped down from; I was on it during the slide just prior to the point Jacob was making above.  It dove-tailed nicely.

Key point:  While social media is "the great connector," it doesn't matter a lick if we don't have a solid underlying set of skills and knowledge from which to draw when we engage and create content.  

In fact, in another presentation I give about "JaraUniversity's Plan-Build-Sell(tm)" model, I make a point about the need to go further than the "circular flow" of social media by also tapping the "linear flow" of list-building and the creation of "consultative content" for distribution.  It's tough to create that kind of content without first being a great professional underneath with a healthy pool of knowledge to draw from.

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If you're new here and you liked this, or any of the articles on this site -- subscribe!
 If your organization needs help leveraging social media for skills improvement or transforming classroom-based training for the web -- contact me. 
 (Social media? Camtasia? Articulate? Captivate? Final Cut? Yeah, I do that.)

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Social Media Cultural Awareness: 3 tips to keep you out of trouble every time

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.

Bonus For My BusinessCasualBlog (BcB) Readers
(Expires May 9, 2010)

[Update:  May 10, 2010:  Offer expired.]

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If you liked this, or any of the articles on this site, please subscribe!
 If your organization can use help transforming live training for the web, 
 learn more about what I do at MindBridj.

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Section 1.3 - From Social Networks to Social Media.

This is the third in the series from my videoBook on JaraUniversity's website.  The videoBook is based on the Social Media Field Guide For Real Estate Professionals, which I wrote last year.  The whole videoBook series is available immediately with a free registration on JaraUniversity.    

In this video, I present the section from our book that walks you through the transition from "social networks" to "social media".  In the second half, I talk a bit about the social web's culture of trust, openness and transparency, as well as the importance of working within that culture in order to effectively engage customers via social networks.

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 If your organization can use help transforming live training for the web, 
 learn more about what I do at MindBridj.

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Section 1.2 - The Evolution of Early Social Networks

This is an excerpt from Section 1.2 of the videoBook I published for JaraUniversity.  It's based on the Social Media Field Guide For Real Estate Professionals, which I co-wrote last year.  

Courtesy: JaraUniversity.com and MindBridj.com

The video above actually follows on the heels of Section 1.1 - Social Web's Connectivity Revolution, which I posted back in November.  In Section 1.2 above I pick up where I left off and continue with a whirlwind of some of the major players in "Web 2.0" (and how's that different from "Web 1.0," anyway?) as the transition in the social web was switching from broadcast type media to social media.

Of course, in some of the downstream videos (coming later?), I drill down closer to some of the tools, platforms and efficiency behaviors that have emerged as "best practices" (which seems to be a continuously moving target, huh?) that we and others in this space have found to be really helpful.

If you don't want to wait for the slow unveil, by the way, then it'll help you to know that I'm making the entire videoBook series available for free on our new new-media training and support site at JaraUniversity.com.  Click here.  Register for free.  And let me know your thoughts about additional topics you'd like to see on the site.

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If you liked this, or any of the articles on this site, please subscribe!
 If your organization can use help transforming live training for the web, 
 learn more about what I do at MindBridj.

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A new partnership in social media training for real estate professionals

If you've been following this blog for at least a couple of months, then you're already aware of my having launched MindBridj.com early last month. The idea I had for MindBridj was to set it up as an online video-based training site to augment the information in a book I co-wrote last year about social media for those who are relatively new to it. (The book, itself, was written for real estate professionals, but it could just as well apply to professionals in other industries.)

No sooner did I roll out with MindBridj.com than did other interesting opportunities begin lining up. (Life is a little funny that way.)

Well, since the MindBridj launch, I'm pleased to announce having since expanded, yet again, the people I can potentially reach with the information I developed for MindBridj. Early this month, I began laying the foundation for a partnership with a leading real estate trainer in Orange County Southern California. (Update: Changed to SoCal b/c I was just reminded that he does a lot of seminars in the Inland Empire, as well). My good friend, Jacob Swodeck, also a pretty well-followed real estate trainer and Short Sale expert in Orange County SoCal, wanted to expand his own services to help student/customers from his live workshops (also in the real estate space) leverage social media for their respective businesses. It seemed a natural fit.

So, for the past 4 to 6 weeks, I've been somewhat sequestered while we worked out details of building out a new site that merged elements of MindBridj with another venture Jacob founded early this year, formerly called LetsJara. The result is JaraUniversity.com. 

Jara-U is still in its early launch stage but we've already begun taking both free registrations and paid subscriptions. You can get an overview in the short video above (also on the JaraUniversity.com home page), but the gist of Jara-U's offerings will initially include:

• Full access to all chapters of the videoBook version (i.e., "vBook Online") of my book
• Full access to a perpetually growing online library of social media skills training videos (i.e., "Success Library")
• Full access to online coaching discussion forums
• Audio seminars with business professionals who are making successful use of social media in their businesses today
• Downloadable video files of all Success Library modules (MP4 format; playable on PCs, Macs, iPhone/iPods)
• Downloadable audio files of all audio seminars (playable on MP3 players, iPhones, iPods)
• Full text transcripts for all seminars
• "Action steps" following each seminar to guide members on next steps to follow for implementing the tips discussed in the audio seminars

What Does This Mean For My Existing Subscribers on MindBridj.com??

It means that you are likely (again) getting a free upgrade to an online campus with even more features than what I currently have on MindBridj. (I'll lay out details in an email I'll be sending later today to all existing MindBridj.com members.)

A Shameless Request

But, if you're not currently a member, I'd appreciate you taking a looksee and consider registering under the FREE plan. THEN--and only if you see value in it for some of your friends--I'd love it if you saw fit to let your friends know via your own social and live networks.  But, if you do pass it along, let me know.  I think I can talk the bosses into a discount.  ;)  It's okay, I know people.

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If you liked this, or any of the articles on this site, please subscribe!
 If your organization can use help transforming live training for the web, 
 learn more about what I do at MindBridj.

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Keynoting Hub-and-Spokes at a Workshop This Wednesday

I'm really looking forward to a keynote I'll be presenting this Wednesday to a really great group of real estate professionals in the north Orange County (California) area.  I was asked to come and help kick off FirstTeam Real Estate's (Anaheim Hills office) workshop with a discussion from key segments of our book.  I've chosen "Hub and Spokes," from Chapter 3.  

In the last several weeks I've had the pleasure of participating in various meetups and discussions on the topic of social media and have found the "Hub and Spokes" discussion to be a great launching point for subsequently drilling-down into many other facets of online discussions, online marketing, social network protocol and group culture.  

Below is the overview to Hub and Spokes from our book's vBook version on MindBridj.com.  Tomorrow, I'll post a follow up video that dedicates a section to the concept of "The Hub."

If you're reading this AND are attending FirstTeam Real Estate's (Anaheim Hills) workshop on Wednesday, stay tuned.  At the workshop, I'll be offering all attendees a bonus that'll get you access to the vBook and accompanying Success Modules on MindBridj.  

Also, if you're an attendee, please say hi and introduce yourself.  I really look forward to meeting you.