Posts tagged as:

community

The Fastest Way to Shut Down Conversation on Your Blog

by Daria Steigman on January 24, 2012

blogging, moderated comments, community, social media, conversationWant to know the fastest way to shut down conversation on your blog?

Moderate comments.

(And if you’re going to hold comments, you should at minimum have a process for getting them approved quickly.)

Case in point: I followed a link to a terrific blog post the other day. Good information, well-written, and well presented. I left a comment, and then tweeted out the link to my community.

What happened next? Nothing.

“Nothing” is not a good response.

My comment never appeared. Nor did any other comments–which means either no one else tried to respond or their comments ended up in comment limbo as well. So what do you think the chances are that I become a regular reader? Put that business on my radar screen?

Silence isn’t always golden.

First contact can be the start of a beautiful friendship.  Don’t squander it by shutting down a conversation before it even begins.

Photo by Katie Tegtmeyer (Flickr).

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How 1BandID Founder is Using Social Media to Build Virtual Shelf Space

by Daria Steigman on December 19, 2011

1BandID is Branding, 1 Customer at a TimeWhat do you do when the big boys own all the shelf space?

One approach is to build a virtual shelf, one person at a time. That’s what Joe Vukson is doing.

I met Vukson via Twitter earlier this year after I saw a press release about a new runner ID product. I tweeted to a friend that I didn’t understand how the product was any different from what was already on the market. Vukson chimed in, asking me what I meant. So we started tweeting back and forth as I tried to explain that I didn’t see any competitive differentiation. (I was wrong, but more on that in a minute.)

It wasn’t until the conversation had run its course that I learned that 1BandID is his product.

The Virtual Shelf Works

1BandID has a competitive differentiator: Vukson himself. In addition to engaging with people one-on-one, the budding entrepreneur moderates an on-point bimonthly Twitter chat (#trichat) and manages an active Facebook page. And he’s a runner and triathlete, so he’s walking the walk as he builds his community.

The big boys may own the storefront space, but who would you rather buy from?  I’m sending people to 1BandID–because I know Joe.

Disclosure: Vukson sent me the red 1BandID pictured above. The best part: my running motto, “Forward Motion,” etched in there with all the contact info. But I hope you know that free swag does not influence what I choose to write.

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What’s Your Favorite Tweet Chat?

by Daria Steigman on April 19, 2011

Tweet Chat, Social Media, Independent Thinking, Steigman Communications llcTweet chats* can be a great way to connect with your online community, make serendipitous connections–and learn a lot too.

My favorite tweet chats:

  • Hashtag Social Media, which was started by my friend Marc Meyer. It’s all about social business (emphasis on business). And smart people sharing what they know and thinking through what comes next. (It runs on Tuesdays from 12 noon-1 p.m. EST.)
  • SoloPR, which  is built around a community of small business PR, marketing, and communications professionals on Twitter. It is sometimes about PR, sometimes about business basics. I don’t always find the topics relevant to me–but I love the comaraderie that host Kellye Crane has created. (It runs on Wednesdays from 1-2 p.m. EST.)

I’ve also been trying lately to make it onto Marketing Profs Profschat (Fridays from 12 noon-1 p.m. EST) when I can.

There are several other great tweet chats, including a couple that are scheduled after hours when I’m disengaged from the office. Though I’ve been known to lurk around blogchat (Sundays nights) on occasion.

What’s your favorite tweet chat?

*For the uninitiated, tweet chats are organized conversations, on Twitter, around a defined topic. Each one has a hashtag (# sign) to make it searchable as the hour ticks by. Just picture 100 or 1,000 people in a room all talking to a host and each other, spreading ideas and/or shouting out stuff they just heard that’s worth sharing with their wider audiences. Get the idea?

Photo by Shannon Kringen (Flickr).

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How Not to Be Dumb, Slow, and Expensive

by Daria Steigman on March 29, 2011

Business, Marketing, Social Media, Independent Thinking, Steigman CommunicationsWhen a colleague asked me whether I wanted to review David Siteman Garland‘s new book I did what every Web-savvy marketer would do: I went to Amazon to read the reviews. I got no further than the author’s own video introduction.

In other words, he found a smart, fast, and cheap way to hook me in.

Garland lays out the premise of Smarter, Faster, Cheaper on page 1:

When you break down all the fluff, there are two ways to promote and market your business: dumber, slower, and expensive–or smarter, faster, and cheaper.

The other point Garland makes is that savvy entrepreneurs and smart business owners can compete against big brands. (Sometimes we even have an edge.):

Lean companies are at a distinct advantage in the new world of business building, marketing, and promoting, because they aren’t required to ask a board of 739 people before posting something online… David has been given a slingshot and can outmaneuver Goliath.

Faster, Smarter, Cheaper is filled with marketing advice about being human, building trust, growing your community, and leveraging social platforms to expand your reach and demonstrate your uber-smarts. While the book seems aimed at newbies, there’s plenty of advice for seasoned business owners and marketers alike.

In fact, the book saved me big time the other day. I was reading Garland’s chapter on “Creating a Sharable and Spreadable Website” when I came across a bulleted list of things to consider in addition to content. One of the bullets: “Is it clear to users how they can contact me? Do I tell them what the best way to reach me is? E-mail? Phone?…”

I was so focused on making sure I was getting my shiny social media icons on my new Web site that I’d forgotten to include e-mail and telephone information front and center. Fortunately, the site wasn’t yet live.

There are lots of reasons we read business books. Some are for Big Ideas. Others for inspiration. Still others are designed to help us do what we do, but a little bit better. Smarter, Faster, Cheaper is great for this.

*Disclosure: I received a free copy of Smarter, Faster, Cheaper in exchange for agreeing to review it–but without any restrictions on what I might say.

Photo by puuikibeach (Flickr).

Have you signed up to receive the Independent Thinking newsletter? Now’s the time! Once a month I’ll send you exclusive, subscriber-only content highlighting interesting articles I’ve found, as well as tips on marketing, social media, and how to grow your business. Sign up today!

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Libya, Liquor, and Comment Luv

by Daria Steigman on March 8, 2011

Social Media, Independent Thinking, Steigman CommunicationsI had real-time conversations about Libya, liquor (and European trade shows), and CommentLuv the other day without leaving my desk or picking up a phone. Mickey Mouse and Gumby too.

Maybe it was the randomness of the topics. Or the serendipity of the connections. Or the fact that I can today talk so easily with people scattered from Tripoli to The Big Easy.

Heck, we all can.

Usually I take this immediacy for granted. But every now and then I have to catch my breath. It really is pretty remarkable how all of this is changing the way we can see, hear, touch, and understand our world.

Would you agree?

Photo by Tony Moyoy (Flickr).

Have you signed up to receive the Independent Thinking newsletter? Now’s the time! Once a month I’ll send you exclusive, subscriber-only content highlighting interesting articles I’ve found, as well as tips on marketing, social media, and how to grow your business. Sign up today!

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