There are three things I do everyday for my business, regardless of what else is happening. These things are in my control and completely up to me to do or not do. These three things help me create company culture, set priorities, guide strategy, and develop discipline. 

1. Grow/Create. It is a responsibility I take upon myself to create and grow daily so I can be more valuable to my clients, partners, and future customers.

2. Strengthen Relationships. There is no doubt that long-term success in business comes from good relationships.  The currency of relationships is trust. They are hard and require tons of effort. Everyday I work to make deposits.

3. Dream. This sounds a little foo-foo but it’s not. The dreaming I am speaking of is specific and purposeful. I hope you ask about your business everyday, “Wouldn’t it be cool if…”

What are the things, maybe there are three, that you do everyday?

photo credit: mrbill

Don’t do it! Everything will be ok. Please put down the shiny object. 

I’ve been working with a group that has shiny object syndrome. You’ve seen it before haven’t you? 

It occurs when normally smart and discerning people disconnect their brain and focus on any new or exciting technology, social media platform, or tool that gets picked up by Mashable or some other news source. A lot of people catch it from a well meaning friend.

Remember, there are a lot of good things out there to help you build a better business and be more valuable for your customers. However, not all of them are for you.

Before you dive into the pool, drink the kool-aid, kiss the frog, or put all your eggs in one basket – Think.

Ask yourself these questions:

1.  Does this apply to my business?

2. How can this help me accomplish ___?

3. Is now the right time?

4. Do my customers use it?

5. Why?

What else?

Oh, are we connected on Pinterest?

photo credit: hijukal

Each year I watch the Super Bowl’s advertisements and think about all the time and money invested into 30 seconds of grandeur and ask, is it worth it?

Brands use the commercials for the opportunity to reach tens of millions of people at one time in one place. The smart ones focus their effort to a particular segment of viewers (all be it the largest segment of the year) that will tune in to Super Bowl Sunday.

The majority of brands will take the path of least resistance and create a sensational advertisement for entertainment value, but with no economic or true brand value. (We took a deeper look at these observations in this week’s Whatupdate)

Think about your favorite ad from last year’s game. Do you remember what company it was promoting?

If you are creating ads or marketing campaigns for your brand, think about this:

• Sameness – dime a dozen

• Differentiation – better than

• Distinction – innovation and atmosphere

Great marketing (which advertising is a component) takes risks and challenges status quo.

Look at every strategy you create and tactic you execute and pursue distinction.

What are you chasing?

photo credit: Carl Van Rooy Photography

My marketing consultancy and digital agency both run Google Apps and Gmail. I love it’s flexibility and ease of use but I wanted more out of it and began looking for services and tools that helped me use Gmail for daily business use.

To be clear, I am not talking about email marketing to a list of subscribers. I am talking about managing the inbox in your business account.

Three tools that help me use Gmail for Business

1. Rapportive: Business intelligence is worth gold. Rapportive gives Gmail users the ability to gather the 411 on people in your inbox. By hovering the mouse over someone’s email address you can see their social networks and location. Don’t get all “big brother” on me. This software doesn’t pull any private information, only what is on the social graph.

I use it to help me learn more about my contacts. The more I know the better the chance I have to establish common ground. Rapportive even integrates with my crm, twitter, facebook, and Linkedin so I can add them to my list, follow, friend, or connect with one click.

2. Yesware: Here is a sweet tool that helps you create specific templates for each stage of the sales process so you don’t have to keep writing them from scratch. In addition, Yesware provides metrics for open rates and syncs with your crm too.

It is awesome to be able to test different emails in order to find the most effective type of messaging to send to prospects and customers. I also use Yesware to track if someone opens my email. Another great feature is you can share templates and tracking reports with your team if you have one set up.

3. Boomerang: This simple tool allows you to schedule emails to be sent later and set up reminders for follow ups. The “send later” button enables you to schedule emails for when you want them to be delivered. This way I can make sure my emails are delivered at the recipient’s local time.

Boomerang also has a feature which allows you to return a message to your inbox if someone hasn’t responded. This is especially helpful for creating a follow up reminder without crowding your inbox.

Your Turn

How do you use email for business? Have you found any tools or services that help you manage your inbox?

Long term success in any business endeavor, social media or otherwise, requires a good foundation.

Not only does 500 days of summer have a killer soundtrack, it also teaches us a pretty good lesson about the hidden opportunities in adversity.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Tk8EC9OeWzk

In today’s movie lesson we look at 500 Days of Summer. The story follows a boy who falls in love, has his heart broken, and overcomes.  The role of the boy, Tom, is expertly played by Joseph Gordon-Levitt, with an equally great performance by Zooey Deschanel.

The takeaway I want to highlight here is that there is always the seed of equal or greater benefit that comes from every adversity.

***Spoiler Alert***  You may want to watch the movie first if you haven’t seen it, then come back. We’ll wait. 

If Tom hadn’t gotten dumped, he probably wouldn’t have quit his safe job and taken the risk of pursuing his dream.

A lot of times we can’t see what good will come out of the desert or valley seasons of life. Sure it would be nice to know what the silver lining says on every dark cloud, but it doesn’t work that way.

The pain is often the thing that gets us moving, thinking differently, and taking risks.

Can you think of a time when what seemed to be the worst experience of your life was the catalyst for change that ultimately lead to success, happiness, love, or all three?

 Make this year count

There is a lot of talk this time of year about goals, resolutions, and change. Companies and individuals around the world have embarked on their new years journey to grow sales, lose weight, enhance customer experience, and improve relationships.

Personally, I am not a big fan of resolutions. They seem more like wishes to me. Wishes lack commitment and sense of urgency.

I also think rigid goal setting can get you in trouble. The circumstances in business and life change in real-time, and not giving yourself the flexibility to pivot can set yourself up for failure.

Here is what works for us.

Goals

For our family, and similarly my business parters, we start with writing down everything want to accomplish/do/change in the next year. I’ve learned to not think about what we didn’t do or revel too long in our press clippings either.

Reflection

One thing we do in reflection is take inventory of where we are so we know where we are starting. The other thing we do is audit our activities and processes. We want to make sure we are doing something because it is the best way not just because it is how we’ve always done it.

Validate

Then we make sure we have a “why” attached to each of those. This is our filter. We know if we have the “what” and “why”, we can figure out the “how”.

“Hows” are fluid and may get tweaked along the way, but they’re always doable when you have the “what” and why”.

Navigation

One popular exercise that has been going around for a few years is picking 3 words for the year. The words should be broader than goals or action words. They should serve as navigational stars that help you stay on the right path, and common threads which weave through your daily life.

Start

Then we are off to the races. At home we usually sit down on Sunday nights and create our plan for the week. It gives us an opportunity to re-prioritize if needed, share success stories and what we’ve learned, and get ready for the next 7 days.

Your turn

What are you doing this year to make it your best?

photo credit: designwallah

I appreciate all of you for stopping by each week or whenever to join me here. Here is my annual list of top fives (in no particular order).

And if you haven’t subscribed yet, click here to get new posts sent to your inbox. See you in 2012!

Top 5 davidhorne.me  posts of 2011:

1. Living Life On Purpose
2. How To Build A Mood Board In 5 Easy Steps
3. How To Create A Personal Brand Strategy With S.W.A.G. 
4. The 3 Cannot’s Of Successful Content Marketing
5. How I Use CRM

My top 5 Albums of 2011:

1. Eisley – The Valley
2. River James – River James E.P.
3. Rob Blackwell – Back To Innocent 
4. Noel Gallagher’s High Flying Birds – Noel Gallagher’s High Flying Birds
5. David Mead – Dudes

My top 5 new (or new to me) blogs of 2011:

1. theinspiration.com
2. the99percent.com
3. spinsucks.com
4. goinswriter.com
5. tentblogger.com

My top 5 books of 2011:

1. In The Plex
2. All of The Domino Project Books
3. The Lean Start Up
4. Steve Jobs
5. Today We Are Rich

Please feel free to add your lists in the comments.

photo credit: MaretH.

Classics from The Beach Boys, The Beatles, Bing and David, Elvis, The Ramones, and even Run DMC have been played out.  If you are looking for some variety in your holiday music, here are a few songs you may enjoy.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=N9ZMU7Ka7_I

If you can’t see the video, click here.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=J4raabf7zVo

If you can’t see the video, click here.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OegXmMdaWWA

If you can’t see the video, click here.

Please leave your favorites in the comments.

Success is a planned event.

Recently, I ventured over to Raleigh to learn from a few of NC’s successful bootstrapper entrepreneurs. The event was part of a series of breakfast panels hosted by Southern Cap Ventures to help educate potential startups on matters like fundraising, operations, marketing, and networking.

The panel consisted of  Joe Colopy from Bronto Sofware,  Kent Hudson from SchoolDude, Jesse Lipson from ShareFile (acquired recently by Citrix), and Troy McConnell from Clever On Demand. These four entrepreneurs founded and built companies without funding from VC or Angel investments. MC-ing the shindig was business reporter, David Ranii. He wrote a great article not too long ago about successful software startups in the Triangle. You can check it out, here.

Business wisdom

Each entrepreneur built their business differently. There wasn’t just a single path to success. However, I did notice two common threads between all of them.

1. All the bootstrappers focused on creating a company culture filled with collective responsibility and growth. None of them hired contractors for anything essential to the business.  Instead, they focused on hiring people as excited about the venture as they were. This way, they could create a team atmosphere and keep the creative energy in-house.

2. They possessed business owner mentality and were extremely organized. It wasn’t luck or by accident that they succeeded. They knew what they were trying to accomplish and executed a preconceived plan while keeping a pulse on product development, cash flow, operations, and customer satisfaction.

I am sure their are more things they had in common. Passion, grit, and hard work was surely evident in their stories. But these were the two that stood out.

If you are searching for more, here is a great website dedicated to sharing entrepreneurial wisdom.

It’s your turn

What have you learned from successful boostrappers?

photo credit: atomicShed

Social Media doesn’t cause problems or make something great. It simple magnifies what is already there.

Sometimes I still run into marketing or brand managers that believe social media causes all sorts of problems. It causes customer service problems. It causes branding problems because you lose control of the message. It does…it does… it does…

The fact is that social media does what other communication channels do. It reveals the good and the bad that is already present in your organization or product.

Why this is good news.

Magnifying helps us learn. When something is enlarged you can see all of the details. This grants you an incredible opportunity to get better at the areas you are weak and highlight the areas your strong. You can then do more of things you do right and improve the others.

Welcome the magnifying glass. What have you learned recently?

photo credit: jakebouma

If you’re stuck in a rut, give yourself a 30 day challenge.

Sometimes we get stuck. This happens in business and life. But don’t fret. It is easy to get unstuck. It only takes doing something  new, or not doing something, for 30 days. Try it.

You don’t have to start big. You can do something little.

If your business hasn’t entered the world of social media. It’s ok. You don’t have to have a grand plan. Just start connecting and communicating with folks by setting up a Facebook Fan Page. If you are real ambitious, give Twitter or Google + a shot. Focus on creating, sharing, and responding once a day for 30 days. You’ll get the hang of it.

Maybe you haven’t done a great job at keeping up with customers. Start with a spreadsheet or simple CRM and add customers to it everyday for 30 days.

You will get unstuck

For years you have wanted to get back in shape. Take the next 30 days and do some physical activity everyday.  Take the stairs instead of the elevator up to your office or go for a walk on your lunch.

Remember the books you bought and stuck on the shelf? Try reading fifteen minutes a day for the next 30 days and begin to renew your mind.

You will get unstuck

Finally, you don’t have to do everything for the next 30 days. Pick one thing to do or not do. Next month, pick something else. Check out this talk from Matt Cutts on the power of doing something for 30 days.

If you can’t see the video, click here.

What are going to do to get unstuck?

photo credit: MJIphotos

If you can’t see the video, click here.

Before a brand can become incredible, it forst must be credible. Then a brand can become incredible by instilling confidence, being competent, and staying consistent.

Please check out the article when you get a chance and let me know what you think. You can get to from here:

How To Build An Incredible Brand 

We keep moving forward, opening new doors, and doing new things, because we’re curious and curiosity keeps leading us down new paths – Walt Disney

I was having lunch with my friend Elliot Strunk the other day. He is the ringleader of Fifth Letter in Winston Salem and he posed a great question to find out if someone has mailed it in or not. Elliot asked “Are they curious? “ 

What a great question. In fact, I have thought about it ever since. I think curiosity is one of the little mindsets that leads to longevity in a profession and quality of life. Where would we be without it? How many things would have never been discovered without curiosity?

Whatever areas you are curious about you will continue to learn and grow. You will find new solutions to problems. You will have better relationships. You will disrupt the status quo. The world needs us to be curious.

The moment we stop is the moment we become stale and out dated. The day I stop being interested and eager  about business and marketing is the day I stop being valuable to my clients and partners. The day I stop being intrigued and inquisitive about my wife and family is the day I stop growing in my relationship with them.

We owe it to our co-workers, friends, communities, and customers to be curious about how to help them.

Are you still curious?

photo credit: glsims99

Networking is all about who you know these days. The strength of your business is in direct proportion to the strength of your network. Because of social media, networking is no longer primarily geographical. We have the ability to meet people anywhere in the world.

Tools like Facebook, Linkedin, Twitter, and other platforms have made the world smaller. Today, I am going to share with you seven secrets to great networking online and off.

I know visions of that “guy” or “girl”from the local chamber group pops in your head. You know, the shameless self-promoting and TMI (too much information) type. We are going to look at networking from a different angle. Let’s throw away the traditional definition of networking and redefine it by using these seven secrets.

 #1. It is Not About You

A lot of the stigma around networking comes from a belief that meeting people is about “me.” We have all been in that uncomfortable situation where we’ve met someone that talks about themselves the entire time. Whether online or offline, this person sees networking as an opportunity to ask “What is in it for me?” Great networkers ask “How can I help the people I meet?” This is a 180 degree shift in mindset. It is a “giving” mentality instead of a “taking” mentality.

Try this: Each time you meet someone in a Linkedin Group, on Twitter, or at a local function, ask yourself “How can I help___?

#2. Listen

People can tell if you are listening or just waiting to talk. Listen to what they have to say. Ask questions. Develop a genuine interest in the other people you meet. People who are best at building relationships are the best listeners.

Let the person know you are listening by waiting for them to finish speaking, responding appropriately, and minimizing distractions. Theseare all indicators that you are engaged in what the other person is saying.

Try this: Stop multi-tasking when listening. Close other browser windows when online or put your phone away if it is face to face.

#3. The Power of a Name

“If you want to win friends, make it a point to remember them. If you remember my name, you pay me a subtle compliment; you indicate that I have made an impression on you. Remember my name and you add to my feeling of importance.” ~ Dale Carnegie

Your name is one of the most important things you own. When you try out a new pen, my guess is, the first thing you do is write your name. If you are putting the focus on the other person and listening, then remembering a person’s name will be easier. Get good at using a person’s name in responses, replies, and face to face conversations. It will go a long way towards winning people.

Try this: Repeat the persons name several times after being introduced (yes, onilne too!). Nice to meet you ___.  What do you do for fun ___?

#4. Be Yourself

You are free to be yourself. In fact, being real is a characteristic of great networking. Don’t worry about trying to be something you are not. You don’t have to kiss babies and shake hands with everyone like a guy running for mayor. You are free to not accept friend requests or follow people back. When you act naturally, you are more approachable and it is easier to make conversation. This applies online as well. Find groups and conversations where you can be yourself. 

Try this: Cast off what you think a “professional” would act like or say and don’t worry about impressing others. Be polite and focus on what makes you a good human being. 

#5. Connect

One goal of every communication is to connect. Find the common ground that you share with others. It is easy today to find people that share common interests. Online, you can use Twitter Search, Linkedin Groups, or find Facebook fan pages of brands you like to discover others who share some of your interests. Offline, there are community groups, conferences, and professional organizations to participate in. Then join the conversation.

Try this: When you meet someone, instead of asking them what they do, ask them questions that will more likely open doors to connect. Are you local or did you move here? What do you do for fun? These are much better connection questions. You will be amazed at how small the world is and how many people you connect with. 

#6. Long Term Thinking

One of the biggest shifts in mindset needs to be long-term thinking. I’ve found the self-promoters and pushy networking types try to run-on about their widget and life story. They often over-share because they think they have to convert a contact right then.

The long-term thinking mindset looks to have a good conversation that establishes rapport. This gives you something to build on. Contacts should appreciate over time. You never know how valuable people can be down the road to your cause.

Try this: Don’t view networking as an event or task. Make it a part of your daily life. 

#7. Have Fun

 Don’t take this thing to seriously. Have fun meeting new friends. It is ok to talk about things other than business. I even recommend it. Spend most of your time on everything but, and you will have more fun and it will be more productive.

Try this: Smile when you meet people. Smile when you write emails, posts, and updates. You will be surprised how it affects the tone of your conversation.

Above all, effective networking is a process. Practice these seven secrets and you will get more enjoyment and benefit from meeting and interacting with new people. And remember, by helping other people get what they want, you will get what you want.

This is just the foundation

What are other networking secrets? What has worked for you?

photo credit: Biker Jun (backlogged, falling behind even more)

There are a million different ways to do anything. This goes for marketing, leadership, social media, parenting, managing, etc. 

Too often, we (and I am guiltier than most) believe the way we succeeded at something is the only way one can. This is dangerous. Beware if you get to a point when this is the case. Companies fail when their leaders think this way. My dad once told me there may be one answer to a problem but there are probably a million different paths to get there. These words are as true today as ever.

I am a marketer by trade. Most of my job is helping brands find the best routes to accomplish there goals. How bad would it be if we thought that because we helped XYZ company succeed with solution “A”, then every other company’s only chance of success was to do solution “A”? You need to build processes and systems that are solid enough to help you reach the goal most efficiently, but don’t make them so rigid that there is no creativity.

I am very cautious when I hear speakers, coachers, thought leaders or authors talk about the only way to get to where they are is the way they did it. There is easily 1,000,000 different ways to succeed in anything.

Figure out your way. Knowing there are so many ways to get there could hold you back if you are afraid to fail. Instead, choose to let the knowledge empower you to think creatively.  Spend 15 minutes a day answering your own questions. Don’t just latch on to what the newest book has to say about success. It is only one person’s account of how they got there. It might make you feel uncomfortable to quiet the noise and think. But it will be worth it.

What are some ways you have discovered to succeed?

photo credit: Justin Ornellas

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=–APdD6vejI

If you can’t see the video, click here.

It is interesting that Mark doesn’t have a grand vision to take over the world or create his own internet at the time. He was simply focused intensely on making the best college conversation starter.

I think we can easily get sidetracked thinking too much about steps down the road instead of focusing on what we are going to accomplish today. This goes for marketing strategies, business models, or any relationships. What good is a 2 year plan if you don’t make it to the end of the month?

I’m not saying you shouldn’t have dreams or goals of what your enterprise can become. Just don’t forget to execute the “now”.

I hope you enjoy this and leave your thoughts about the video in the comments below.

The world doesn’t need more dreamers. It needs more people willing to make their dreams come true.

Last weekend I attended TedxCharlotte. The theme was “Dream Makers and Risk Takers.” The collection of speakers all had one thing in common.

They made their dreams come true.

One thing is certain about the process of realizing your dreams. It will change you. You will not be the same person as you were before you started. The barriers in your mind will be pushed back, allowing for a bigger dream to fill the space.

People like Tim Berners-Lee dreamed and changed our lives. So did Child and Beachey. I’m sure they made hundreds of small dreams come true before wrestling the courge to go all in on the big ones. Start making your dreams come true today. You can start small. But start.

What dreams are you making? What risks are you taking to realize your dreams?

If you can’t see the video, click [here].

everything has changed.

Today’s movie lesson comes to you from Pause Press Play. The new documentary talks about the collision of art, digital, and technology. There are some interesting segments about how the digital age has revolutionized, and in many cases, democratized film, design, music, advertising, business, and  art.

People like Moby, Seth Godin, Sean Parker, and Scott Belsky (to name a few) share their perspective on what is happening in the creative world and how they see its impact on how we live and work.

We are breathing at a most unique time in history. It has never been easier to create. It has also never been easier to get lost in the passing parade of humanity.

There is a lot of uncertainty out there. You can choose to see opportunity or calamity. Think about what it is you are going to create and what impact you are going to make. You are building your legacy now.

Know that now is your time. Now, is when you make your move.

What are you going to do with the time you have?

Positioning is more important than ever!

There is no denying the fact that mass marketing is less effective for 99.5% of businesses out there. What are you doing to stand out from the crowd? How are you finding, attracting, and building relationships with your tribe?

The answer is being weird. 

Look internally at your brand, business, and culture. What is it about you that is a little different than others in your space? What is a little off? Weird?

This concept isn’t new. Read Jack Trout and Al Reis’s book “Positioning: The Battle For Your Mind” and Godin’s best selling Purple Cow for a little history. What is new though, is the power of the web and social media to connect your weird with other people like you.

Near my home town they hold an annual Core Sound Decoy Festival. Thousands come in from all over the country to share a love for duck decoys.  This may seem weird, but it isn’t to the brands that supply the carving wood or paint. It is perfect for the person who has perfected their craft in making great decoys.

You are closer than you think. Stop trying to reach everyone and reach the right ones.

So, what is yours?

photo credit: Glover Art

One of these three types of relationships produces long-term quality work that is mutually beneficial to both companies involved. The other two types lead to turnover, distrust, and ego jousting.

How you approach the relationships with the vendors that help you will ultimately serve as an elevator or an anchor for organization.

Peasant

Do you see the companies that support your business as a lowly vendor? A cheap widget that can be interchanged at will, while you are always on the lookout for a cheaper version. This is usually the result of insecurity and fear. Caution. You are paying for their expertise. Denying them the space to help you reach your organization’s potential is self defeating.

Prima Donna

We’ve all seen them. They are too cool for school  and a carry a sense of superiority. They wear their awards on their sleeves and beat their clients into submission with Addys and Golden Pencils. These folks may not do what is in your brand’s best interest long term because they are focused on making themselves look good. Yes the do good work but be careful.

Partner

This is the ideal relationship. It is long-term and cultivated through servitude. Partnerships grow both companies. There is a sense of equality and shared responsibility between partnerships. You watch each other’s backs and progress to the accomplishment of a shared goal. When you trust and mutually respect each other, the work and results come easy.

I see these relationships similarly to the caddie-golfer dynamic. Some of you know I played professional golf for a while and I used to see these three scenarios play out all the time. In reality the golfer is the boss, just like the brand is to the vendor. However, your best golfers always had caddies that were partners. This meant they had the authority to speak up or challenge the golfer if he/she was about to make an error or  the caddie had a better play.

Caddies that are treated as peasants never feel empowered to be an asset to the golfer.  They are used for little more than a breathing pull cart. On the other end, caddies that are prima donnas lose an understanding of their role, and to their demise, bite the hands that feed them.

You see, there is only one relationship dynamic that is a win-win.

How do you view your vendors? How will you approach choosing the best fit to build your brand?

What say you?

photo credit: gomattolson

Lauren Polinsky is not only an online and mobile marketing pro, with almost a decade of experience, she has garnered quite a reputation as a craft beer aficionado . Lauren’s worked with several organizations in developing social media marketing efforts and ongoing SEO. Her recent work has been integrating social and mobile technologies for business. We caught up with Lauren in between rounds to answer five questions home brew style.

Five Questions with Lauren Polinsky:

Q1: What are you you speaking about at ConvergeSouth and what can people expect to get out of attending your session?

I’m speaking about mobile websites and the building blocks that are necessary to build an effective mobile-optimized site. It’s going to cover everything from URL structure to shopping cart issues to what and why you should include social media tools to the site. The smartphone is much more personal and valuable to a person than their desktop computer and their browsing habits reflect that difference. Hopefully people will be able to identify the different habits of mobile users vs the traditional desktop users. Now that the users are on the go, websites need to be too.

Q2 : What is the the next big opportunity for businesses on the web?

It would be a toss up between Facebook Ads and mobile optimization – whether that be an app or website. Both of these are big buzz areas that are getting a lot of backing from users. With over 800 billion minutes a month spent on Facebook and about 35% of all cell phone owners having a smart phone, people are spending more time and money on both devices. In the end, I’m gonna put my money on mobile, since the technology is only getting better and more advanced. Who knows where Facebook will be in a few years?

Q3: If you could have any super power what would it be and why?

I want the power of teleportation. I mean, aren’t we all tired of getting groped by the TSA?

Q4: If you could have dinner with two people from history, who would they be and why?

I was just thinking about this the other day…I would love to have dinner with Marilyn Monroe and I wanted to say someone important and interesting, but I think I have to go with Bradley Cooper – purely for eye candy. It sounds like an interesting dinner party, doesn’t it?

Q5: Higher Klout Score: Terrapin Pale Ale, Fade to Black, or Pliny the Elder?

Oh, wow. That’s tough. Pliny the Elder is widely known for being a fantastic, hoppy beer. You can’t put that glass on the table without being able to smell the hops. And well, Fade to Black is exactly great in exactly the opposite way. It’s dark, smooth, and delicious, but nowhere near as well known. And of course there’s Terrapin’s Pale Ale which is widely available but definitely doesn’t have the following that Pliny has (no matter how much I talk about it wherever I go!). So I’m going to have to say Pliny the Elder…it’s definitely the most influential and farthest reaching.

We talk a lot about the keys, pillars, principles, secrets, and lessons of successful content marketing. But rarely do we discuss the “cannots” of success.

Until today.

Sometimes success is knowing what not to do.

There are many paths one can take to the top of a mountain but only a few pitfalls that have to be avoided. This also holds true for business, leadership, life, and content marketing.

Content creation comes in many forms. You can record audio for a podcast, shoot video, or write long or short-form content like blog posts or white papers. There are numerous media channel strategies to get your message spread to the right audience.

There are also things you absolutely cannot do if you want to be successful. Here are three:

1. You Cannot be Lame

There has never been a successful content marketer that published weak or crappy stuff. This holds especially true as more and more people publish blogs, articles, and other offline and online content. Make sure you make great stuff that stands out from the crowd. David Ogilvy said  “What really decides consumers to buy or not to buy is the content of your advertising, not its form.”

2. You Cannot be Fake 

Charlatans, Decoys, and Counterfeits do not succeed in the content game. Sooner or later the truth comes out. Commit to the long term and produce content that is honest. There is no need to pull the wool over your audience’s eyes. Win them over by being real. Trust is more important than ever to being successful in today’s marketplace.

3. You Cannot be Lazy

Successful content marketing takes work. It requires consistent and persistent effort. Lazy marketers end up doing #1 and #2 (see above), and try and shortcut the process. Launching content that hits the mark is tough. The more you launch the better you get. Discipline is the price laziness will not pay. Therefore you cannot be lazy and successful. Don’t believe me? Ask Brian.

This is just the start. What are your cannots?

photo credit: quinn.anya

Kristen Daukas heads up the social media and marketing company Twin City SAM.  They focus on providing big marketing to small to mid sized businesses. In addition, she is very active in the Triad’s business community, volunteers for several non-profits, and co-founded Linking Winston and SMC Piedmont. After all of this, she chauffeurs mothers three daughters and spared a few minutes to answer 5 questions.

Five Questions with Kristen Daukus:

Q1: What are you you speaking about at ConvergeSouth and what can people expect to get out of attending your session?

I’m presenting 2 sessions. FB101.5 for Businesses .. They Like You, Now What?  Attendees can learn easy things to (hopefully!) get their audience engaging on their page, ideas to make it easier to to promote their business and facebook page. What posts work better than others and what a good page looks like.  The next session is a 201 track which is “Checking Out Checking In” which is dedicated to location based marketing tools such as FourSquare, Gowalla, Yelp, etc. These services have not done a great job at explaining to businesses why they should use their sites and I will go over ideas to make it worth both the businesses AND the consumers time and get their customers to check in!

Q2 : What is the the next big opportunity for businesses on the web?

If they’re paying attention, it could and should be Google+. While we’re not sure what the magical business page is going to look like, I”m laying odds down that Google will *not let this be another Buzz or Wave.  3 letters… SEO

Q3: If you could have any super power what would it be and why?

Just one? Is this not like a genie bottle that I can ask for 3 more wishes? If I had to choose one, I think it would be teleporting. With 3 kids and my own business, I really need to be everywhere instantaniously. Cloning would be nice and I can say that because it’s not a super power

Q4: If you could have dinner with two people from history, who would they be and why?

Lucille Ball is my #1 choice.. she was a genius not just in her comic ability but she was a shrewd business woman. She not only made it BIG in the male dominated world of comedy and Hollywood but changed how women were seen in that business. #2 would be Princess Diana. I am a child of the 80′s so of course she was “my” princess but more than that, she set a stuffy, aristocratic world on it’s ear when she decided to do things her way. She was a class act all the way and truly believed in the charities she supported.

Q5: Higher Klout Score: Greensboro, Winston-Salem, or High Point?

This hurts being a Winston-Salem girl, but I have to give it to Greensboro. Those that get it in Winston, GET IT but the numbers are definitely stronger in Greensboro.

Since this is the case, wouldn’t you want to know how to make anyone like you?

Sure, you can’t make someone do anything and you probably don’t want everyone to like you in the first place. But you can do a few things that will help you win “likes” in real life.

1. Smile

People like to be happy. Smiling makes people happy. When you talk to others make sure you smile.  This is even a good practice when you are talking on the phone, typing an email, or posting a comment.

You will be surprised how it affects what you say and how people respond.

2. Be interested in others

Folks care about their lives, their interests, and their world. They don’t care about you or me.

Meet individuals with enthusiasm and friendliness. Discuss things that interest them and ask questions. If possible, do a little research on topics or activities they like before you meet with them.

When you show an interest in others it is natural for them to reciprocate an interest in you.

3. Remember their name

You automatically score major points when  you can remember someone’s name. It is the sweetest sound to their ears.

People love their own name. Think about how often you write your name when testing out a pen. My son loves to say his name and he is only 17 months old. I am sure it is the most heard word for an individual.

4. Listen

In a world where everyone is looking for attention, listening goes a long way. People love to spend time with someone that is willing to give them an ear.

Good listeners are the best conversationalists. And who doesn’t like a great chat over a cup of (insert favorite drink here)?

5. Make them feel important

Our final point to wrap this in a bow is making people feel important. Make a strong effort to recognize everyone’s talents and contributions.

Always ask yourself what you can do to show people how valuable they are?

People want to belong to something bigger than themselves and know they matter.

There you go. These five things will get you more “likes” in real life.

What other ways do you win with people?

photo credit: owenwbrown