Empires of the Future

2012-04-25T21:01:00.001-04:00

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Your Brand, Your Responsibility Part 3 of 3 - Leveraging Your Brand

2012-04-08T19:43:00.000-04:00

Your Brand, Your Responsibility Part 3 of 3 - Leveraging Your Brand

Important rule of leveraging your brand: When you give a date to post the last of your 3 part blog series stick to it.

I seemed to have failed at this simple rule. Those that have been following this blog post series will notice that this installment is two weeks late. I could just chalk this up to being clever. I could say I was merely demonstrating what not to do. That, however, would be a lie, and honestly is a big part of a trusted brand. Instead, I will just apologize, not give excuses, and promise to make sure this does not happen in the future. No matter how many commitments I have made.

Let's carry on.

Your brand is created and you are actively managing it on a daily basis, Right? Great! This is the moment the real fun starts and the profits of your efforts are rewarded. Trust me, this is going to be the part that captures you. The part that gives this whole virtual world meaning.

“One can survive everything nowadays, except death, and live down anything, except a good reputation.”

~ Oscar Wilde

IRL is the real key

Get out! You've spent so much time sitting in front of that computer screen, it's time to get out of the house. Try a little IRL or "In Real Life" time. What is the purpose of interacting online with all these new connections if you aren't going to actually do something with those relationships? Get out!

Before you start roaming aimlessly around the country roads starting one sided conversations with interesting bovine, let me be more clear.

Most of the "movers and shakers" of the social world are known for creating in person networking opportunities. Usually based around common interests these events offer you boundless chances to leverage your brand. You will normally be able to find events near you by searching sites like Meetup.com, Eventful.com, and Eventbrite.com. Of course, there may be other sites in your area as well.

I am lucky enough to live in a city full of these movers and shakers and never have a lack of events to attend. Through these events I've gained some great friends, learned enormous amounts of new knowledge, and acquired countless leads.

My favorite events in Charlotte are branches of:

These events are designed to educate and entertain. I love them so much that I even plan on pitching an idea for a speech at the next Ignite Charlotte. I'll update this blog if and when that happens. Maybe you can come and see if I can "enlighten" you.

Things to remember about leveraging your brand at IRL events; Look nice, Be respectful, Stay mostly sober. The people who attend IRL events are there to find resources, but they are also there to find outstanding friendships at the same time. There is nothing that will deflate all the work you have put in faster than a tattered looking soul who is rude and drunk. You need the world to look forward to being around you and anxious to do business with you. Other than that, all you need to do is show up and smile while being open and interesting.

You have something special to offer, get out and make it available and accessible.

Collaborate Freely

Collaboration will get you everywhere. We all have our strengths and we all have our weaknesses. By working together to create something special we can build on each other's strengths to create something remarkable together. You are out meeting the best around so partner with them and showcase your talents. There is nothing wrong with making each other look good.

A great example of collaboration comes from one of the founders of modern social media as we know it today, YouTube. Since it's birth in 2005, YouTubers have actively engaged in collaboration. More than a few garnished an impressive resume of accomplishments because of it as well. These pioneers used the same methods of brand creation and management to leverage their success.

Rummage through YouTube for Nerdfighters, Project for Awesome, DFTBA, Chameleon Circuit, Vidcon, Digitour, and so much more. These are all projects and movements started by YouTubers coming together to make a difference in the world and have their talents seen. Their success have been astounding and inspiring.

YouTubers have their own way of networking in real life. They call their events "Gatherings." It's an event designed to expose new members of the YouTube community to those that have paved the way before them. However, from these gathering have sprung the most amazing friendships and works of art. It's all a part of getting out and being active and social.

Make An Impact

Since I just mentioned Project for Awesome I will have to find another example for this point. That's not hard. I'll just look closer to home.

If you follow the business world then I am sure you heard about Chiquita's move of headquarters to Charlotte, NC. Charlotte can thank more than just smart business decisions for that decision. Charlotte can thank Brian D. Francis of CLTblog for his #Bananas4CLT campaign.

Now I am in no way claiming that Chiquita's management based their decision solely on a bunch of tweets. No, I am positive there were many factors looked into and discussed in a Cincinnati boardroom. Yet, Chiquita's own social media savvy CEO Fernando Aguirre did mention how impressed he was with the campaign and the response from Charlotte. Now Brian D. Francis can claim at least some personal satisfaction for 400 jobs in our city.

Not bad

Never Get Comfortable

This isn't the end all be all by any means. Social Media is like an active volcano. It's surrounding landscape and level of activity is constantly changing. So there really is only one last thing that I can leave you with:

Keep buggering on, reinventing yourself, and never, EVER, get comfortable.

What would you like me to expand on from this series? Please send me your request at david@redbolling.com. Or send a message to any of my Social Media sites Facebook, Twitter, Google+ or My Website.

Your Brand, Your Responsibility Part 1 of 3 - Creating Your Brand
Your Brand, Your Responsibility Part 2 of 3 - Managing Your Brand

Your Brand, Your Responsibility Part 2 of 3 - Maintaining Your Brand

2012-03-18T18:48:00.002-04:00

Your Brand, Your Responsibility Part 2 of 3 - Maintaining Your Brand
Follow @dboling03 Follow @redbolling

Now that you have your brand created on all the various digital properties it's time to start maintaining. With a combination of profile consistency, strategic interactions, and useful resources you'll be on your way to being known as an expert in your field. Following these measures will ensure that your reputation continues to grow in a positive and entertaining manner.

“Reputation is an idle and most false imposition; oft got without merit, and lost without deserving.”

- William Shakespeare

Don't worry, the hard part is over. This is where the fun starts and new relationships begin to develop. Just remember, Social Media is about networking and making great impressions. Great impressions will open up a world of opportunities for you to take advantage of.

Profile Consistency and Understanding Their Purposes

Each social media site was created to meet a certain desire in our digital lives. Some are very narrow in purpose, while others seek to combine our desires. Using them correctly is essential to success. Would you walk into Macy's and expect to buy a rack of lamb?

Here is a simple list of the a few social sites and their uses (links will take you to my profiles where possible).

Facebook - Share everything in your life; Pictures, Status, Videos, Links and more
Twitter - 140 characters of "micro-blogging", Share your thoughts and links
YouTube - Share videos
Google+ - Share everything in your life; Pictures, Status, Videos, Links and more
Flickr - Share pictures
LinkedIn - Post your resume and share information on you and your field
Foursquare - Check into venues and share your recommendations
Pinterest - Pin media of your interests to your board categories.
Tumblr - Share your interests to a blog feed. Various media supported
Instagram - Mobile picture sharing and editing only.

As you can see there is some overlap. Remember that they are all businesses in themselves and they all want to compete as much as possible. Still, know their basic functions and use them for what they are.

As an added bonus you can connect your sites together. In other words, you can connect Twitter and Facebook so that when you post to one it will update the other. Just know that if you post heavily on Twitter that means you are posting heavily on Facebook. Personally, I have those two set up to only post together when I want them to do so. I use Twitter much more and save my Facebook for more link sharing than conversation.

Just check your settings on each site and see what your options are (they are always changing). Then evaluate how much you want to use each one and make the connections that are most appropriate for you. There are no right or wrong answers as long as you are responsible with your reputation.

How much should you post? Again, there are right or wrong answers. I suggest using each site everyday when you can. Multiple times a day. What matters is that your information is relevant, honest and informative to your intended audience. Take the opportunity to showcase your talents, skills, interests, passions and knowledge. That is what matters.

One last thing, keeping consistent with profile pictures (avatars) and bios would be prudent. You are creating a brand. A brand should be recognized from first glance. There will be some instances where you will have to alter a picture or wording, but that is fine as long as the same message and impression comes across.

Strategic Interactions and Relationship Building

Discovery makes the world an interesting place to be. I can give thanks to social media for three things; connecting me with great people from my past and new relationships locally and globally, discovering some of the the best talent and minds in the world, and exposing me to views and news that before I would never have been able to ponder.

Make information work for you. Read news from around the world, share it with your network, and create remarkable discussion. It's an opportunity to learn and grow! Don't miss out on it. Relationships grown from constructive debate is invaluable. Get informed on a subject and talk about it and watch as other's respect for you builds. Tip: You don't have to always be right. Just be open.

Seek out others with similar interests. Learn from their posts and don't be afraid to modify your stance on a topic with new information. Grow with it. Growth is essential to our eternal development. Most sites will give you suggestions of others that you may want to connect with. Normally the suggestions are based with consideration to your current connections and interests. It really is rather easy. Just don't expect to have 1000's of followers and friends over night. It's a process that takes time. Worry about quality, not quantity.

Two tips:

When giving a review don't be abusive, be constructive. Paint yourself in a good light.
Give Credit where credit is due. That's just respectful. Also, in many instances it's the law.
Create your own content as well. As often as possible post your own videos, write your own blogs, and use your own pictures. It keeps it customized to you and gives your audience something fresh to absorb.

Here's a video I made

Useful Resources (and Fun too)

There are sites popping up everywhere to help you determine your effectiveness. They can give you insight and guidance as well as be profitable and entertaining. I would suggest these:

Klout - This site will rank you from 1 to 100 on your impact and influence. Currently, I am at a 52 Klout and it says I am a "Specialist".
Reppler - This site will keep you aware of any concerns with your posts like profanity. It will also give you some fun statistics on overlap of your connections from site to site.
SocialMention - This site will give you percentages of your influence, positivity and more. You can also search for other people and brands and see how they are doing.

Do not think that these sites are the last word on influence and reputation. They are limited to algorithms that are not human. Check them out but take the information for what it is.

Keep track of what others are finding interesting out of your posts. Here are two sites I would suggest:

Bit.ly - Use their link shortener for what you share. When someone uses that shortened link to visit the content you shared the site will track the clicks.
Hootsuite - Also a link shortener that works the same way. However, Hootsuite also gives you the ability to manage multiple social sites at once.

Manage your online reputation like you would manage your bank account. Keep an eye on it, make frequent deposits, and withdraw what you can. However, don't forget to budget and invest well.

What would you like me to expand on from this series? Please send me your request at david@redbolling.com. Or send a message to any of my Social Media sites Facebook, Twitter, Google+ or My Website.

Your Brand, Your Responsibility Part 1 of 3 - Creating Your Brand

Your Brand, Your Responsibility Part 3 of 3 - Leveraging Your Brand

Your Brand, Your Responsibility Part 1 of 3 - Creating Your Brand

2012-03-11T21:28:00.001-04:00

Your Brand, Your Responsibility Part 1 of 3 - Creating Your Brand

Follow @dboling03 Follow @redbolling

For the past few months I have had the unexpected pleasure of speaking to our clients about brands and responsibility. Not only is it a pleasure, but a passion and a privilege. So today I decided I should share my presentation with the rest of the world. Shortened for your sanity of course.

What is a digital brand?

Simply put, your digital brand is the reputation that can be derived from the internet. Face it, even if you do not use the internet the chances that your face and name can be found online are pretty high. My best guess is that it's around 99.9% (not meant to be a factual statement).

Go ahead and, as we say, "Google" yourself. I'll wait. Don't forget to use variations of your name; current and former alias, maiden names, etc. Also, plug in locations where you have lived and companies you have worked for. Schools are a great detail to add to the searches as well.

This is me waiting.

Finished? I would put money down on the fact that you found at least two things:

You found information about yourself that others have posted and you had no idea about.
You found other people, complete strangers, with your name and all kinds of unsettling information about them.

Regretting wearing that speedo out to the club now, aren't you? I would too. Surprised that someone else's arrest details and mugshot came up so high in the results? I thought so.

At this point, supposing you have nothing to do with the internet and online communities, you are at the mercy of public information, ticked off servers, and thoughtless acquaintances.
Your face and your name have been tainted for the whole world to see.

Don't waist time being angry. Angry isn't going to help and you need to take action. What's the rush? Every day thousands, if not tens of thousands, if not more, are learning to use the internet. Church deacons, CEO's, the neighbor's 3 year old, and your very own granny. No time to pout because others have framed your digital reputation, your brand, for you. Now it's time to be proactive and take action before the whole community is at your door with pitch forks and torches.

"Regard your good name as the richest jewel you can possibly be possessed of - for credit is like fire; when once you have kindled it you may easily preserve it, but if you once extinguish it, you will find it an arduous task to rekindle it again. The way to gain a good reputation is to endeavor to be what you desire to appear."

~ Socrates

How can you create a reputable brand?

Regardless of whether you found negative information during your search or no information at all, now is the time to take up arms. What are your weapon's of choice in this battle?

There are those, including many of my coworkers, that would say if you don't use Facebook or Twitter just keep it that way. I am not one of those people. By no means am I suggesting you have to use them, just if you want to then do it right. Make it a positive impression instead of a careless and costly one. Social sites can be powerful weapons. Weapons I would advise to use.

First, make sure your email address isn't HotSexySpeedo1963@yomammamail.com. That's going to come back to sting you soon. A professional email address with just your name is what you want. Use the day and month of your birth if you need to. You're going to need this email address to register all your accounts with and others will be able to use it to find you. So let them find you in a less suggestive way.

Second, create your profiles on all the major social networking sites. This includes LinkedIn, Facebook, Twitter, Google+, YouTube, etc. Make sure to fill everything out completely! Incomplete profiles are seen as just plain lazy or suspicious. Other sites, value adding sites, I would suggest are Flickr, Tumblr, Pinterest and Foursquare. Also, start a blog and create a website that identifies you. If you are lucky you will be able to purchase your name as a website domain. These digital properties are going to enhance your reach and provide extra results for search engines to find.

Third, Try to get any negative content taken down. Figure out who the person was that posted the picture of you in a speedo. Hopefully, it is a close friend that just wasn't thinking, but probably not. Contact them and explain that you want them to remove this picture. You are trying to build a great reputation and this just isn't going to help. Once they have refused to, and since there is nothing you can do about public information on that other person with your name, then it's time to get to work.

Fourth, link, connect, friend, and/or like everyone you know well. This includes anyone that would give you a great recommendation; family, friends, clergy, neighbors, businesses, etc. Stay away from that guy who posted the picture and any drug dealers you may know.

Fifth, post relevant material daily and interact with others. Here's a simple guide:

Don't post:

Derogatory comments. We all have names and stereotypes that hurt our feelings. Why would you want to publicly hurt someone else. Ask Mel Gibson how that went for him.
Pornography or illegal activity. Others will associate you with the content you share. Think of how you view Charlie Sheen. How is his personal brand?
Private or confidential information about any person or employer. If you ever want anyone to trust you again keep it to yourself!
Pictures or video that would put you or someone else in a bad light. Like that speedo picture. Even if you decide to delete it there is still a chance it can be found in a search.

Do post:

Information that makes you an expert. Best way to convince someone you are the right person to listen to is to know what you're talk about.
Truth. Post the truth. Lies are too hard to keep up with and too easy to be found out.
Content that is shows you to be a well rounded person. If you love basketball, talk about it, but don't limit yourself to it.
Awards and accolades that you receive. A little self promotion never hurts and your friends and colleagues want to share in that joy with you.

Complete profiles and regular posts to your digital properties are going push all that negative and inaccurate content down in the search results. Soon that speedo will be long forgotten, replaced with much more relevant content that reflects the real you. That is, if you are responsible with your content.

It's your thoughts and actions that will define you. That's your character and you want your reputation to emulate that character. So use the internet to your advantage and create a great reputation for yourself. It will take you a long way in the world.

What would you like me to expand on from this series? Please send me your request at david@redbolling.com. Or send a message to any of my Social Media sites Facebook, Twitter, Google+ or My Website.

Your Brand, Your Responsibility Part 2 of 3 - Maintaining Your Brand

Your Brand, Your Responsibility Part 3 of 3 - Leveraging Your Brand

Decent Into Technology

2012-03-04T22:53:00.000-05:00

My father was always the techie of the house when my brother and I were kids. I think he was the original geek. But what do i know of the dark ages

It seemed as though that trait was going to die out of our family with him. Thankfully, some genes just lie dormant for a while. Now I proudly call myself geek (and nerd, but that's another story). Don too, but he isn't writing this so therefore irrelevant.

I remember being a preteen and teen and Dad talking to me about computers and gadgets. I couldn't be bothered at the time. However, I do remember the lights. Loved all the lights. Shinny!

I just wanted to play with all the bells and whistles and lights. I didn't care how it worked or why it worked. That's what excited Dad. There was nothing for me in a computer back in the 80's and most of the 90's. It was just a cold plastic box that just... well... computes. BORING!

Then something special happened. AOL. Ha! That sounds funny today. Considering AOL is basically the equivalent of the washing board today. But none the less that was the start of my love affair for technology. That's when I was introduced to Instant Messaging.

Yes, AOL's Instant Messenger, AIM (does anyone still use this?), would be the seed from which my love would grow. From there MySpace (will it make a comeback?) would come along and open more doors. Then Facebook and Twitter and Tumblr and Pinterest and Google + and LinkedIn and and and.... YouTube! OH MY GOD, YOUTUBE!

Then there were the gadgets and gizmos to implement these wonderful new outlets. I discovered the euphoria of Apple products when I got my first MacBook Pro. The iPhone and Apple TV just sealed my love for that company. All I am waiting on is the iPad to complete the set.

Oh my what a beautiful place to be for me! You see with the introduction of all these platforms and "toys" I have overcome something from my childhood. I've overcome (mostly) from the horrible social awkwardness and ineptitude that plagued me.

I found it hard to make friends and understand people throughout my teens and into my twenties. Forming meaningful relationships that I could sustain and not sabotage was painfully difficult. Damn near impossible. However, over the past ten years I've developed those skills. I've practiced and learned from trial and error. If it were not for all of these wonderful things I would not be the person I am today.

Now I am proud of who I am. I go into the world confident. I apply what I know to my life and I am damn good at building relationships. No, I am not ashamed of saying that. Why should I be?

I may not have been the productive nerd I should have been in my youth, but today I hold my nerdiness in great value. I still have no desire to understand the inner workings of computers and the internet. I'll gladly leave that to my father (and now my brother). I just care about the people it puts me in contact with. All it took for me to embrace technology was to make it less cold and more human.

I love my life.

- David

Take Off Your Blinders

2012-02-28T20:00:00.000-05:00

I have spent 38 years doing the "searching for myself" thing and I do not see that process ending anytime before I die.

In fact, we cheat ourselves if we ever get to the point of "I am complete."

Our constant search for self and worldly discovery is essential to personal growth and peace. That's why it astonishes me that so many of us go through our lives with blinders on.

Now, I'm no expert on horses or horseback riding, but I am familiar with blinders. Blinders are commonly used to prevent horses from seeing to the rear and sides. It's a safe and efficient way to keep the animal on track. Keeps them focused on the task at hand and hinders the animal from being spooked.

It's just human nature. We all have our blinders. They protect us from pieces of the world that we do not wish to see. Blinders to political, social and reality based views that do not correspond to our own.

However, we are not horses and we NEED to be spooked on a daily basis. If we aren't frightened by the world around us how will we ever change it? How can we ever hope to change ourselves?

The trick is to make sure we have completely studied our views to intelligently organise them. We must keep informed.

I challenge you as I challenge myself. Seek out the unpleasant, the infuriating, and the horrific. Not only in the world around us, but also in the flawed being within us.

Then fight.

Fight harder than you've done in the past to make the world a better place. Fight like today is your last chance to make yourself a better person.

Because it very well may be.

iSad: R.I.P. Steve Jobs

2011-10-05T23:19:00.002-04:00

This isn't how I wanted to start off this blog. However, it is. Steve, you were a hero, mentor, idol, icon, and so much more to me. Your legacy will be hard to match for anyone in this world. The world needed you and you rose to the challenge. Thank you for all that you were. For all that you have inspired in everyone.

You're greatest strength was observing the world around you and acting on what you saw. It is my greatest wish to learn to do this if only half as well as you did.

If I ever doubt myself or my work I will always refer back to this speech you gave at Stanford in 2005.

posted by StanfordUniversity

Steve Jobs' 2005 Stanford Commencement Address

“One can survive everything nowadays, except death, and live down anything, except a good reputation.”