Working Through Social Media Discomfort

I approached my first online profile with trepidation, and it went downhill from there. I was afraid of giving up my privacy and embarrassed to put myself “out there” so boldly and for all to see. This wasn’t a resume hardly anyone would see, it was a broadcast document, and the process of creating it made me see myself in a whole new light.

 I want to be available to a wide network of potential clients and employers, so I elected to write a strictly professional LinkedIn profile that does not compromise my personal life. I put up work-related information, and I make it as available as possible. My privacy qualms evaporated. 

As I started writing, I got confronted with the big existential questions- who am I? What do I have to offer? What’s it all about, Alfie? The resume’s accumulation of life’s work didn’t work at all in this format. I saw that this format demands that I show who I really am and what I really have to offer. I’m not two-dimensional after all!

 Over the course of several revisions, I determined key words and taglines –  pithy descriptions of me. I then expanded, but in a succinct manner. As I developed my profile, I become a sleeker, more elegant creature.

 After overcoming the discomforts, I began to have some real fun. I got great feedback from several of the people to whom I linked. I reconnected with long lost work friends, including my first great boss. I got a coveted volunteer position when the recruiter read my LinkedIn profile.

 Online profiles are now an almost living, breathing part of me. They work better when I tend them a few times a week, as I do my garden and my health. They are another avenue of communication and connection with people who are important to me – those I know and those I will meet online.

– Megan A. Bourne

Image Credit: “An Uncomfortable Figure” by Daniel McKernan

Offering the free gift of Success

This morning I awoke to a very unusual thunderstorm taking place.  While certainly strange for San Francisco it oddly resonated with me as I began my weekend ritual of coffee and catching up on various reading materials. The spark, the motivation to shake things up and reflect on what events have lead me to current disposition.

It has been 18 months since Carlos and I decided to embark on a journey that has allowed us to meet some many creative people both in the social media realm and out.  The mission of IRM was very simple: Offering the Free Gift of Success.  Although, my past couple of months have been spent in the medical industry Carlos has been steadfast in helping people achieve their dream through the use of social media.  Through workshops and speaking engagments, Carlos has been able to display that all you need is an idea and vehicle to get you to success.  Although a simple concept often times it’s difficult to implement against the backdrop of outside demands on one’s time and energy.  But as I am reminded again of the displaced thunderstorm, stepping out of your comfort zone is the only way to truly begin your ascent to success.  Things may be bumpy, uncertain, and sometimes bleak, but your passion should continue to blaze a torch to something greater.

Staying Connected yet Enjoying Life

With Social Media comes the temptation of being constantly connected.  “Digging this,” “Tweeting that” or “Stumbling on something.”  Granted some people find their greatest reward in sharing information with other 24 hours, 7 days a week. But what about those who want a healthy balance?  Having a fulfilled lifestyle yet being on the pulse of related to Social Media and cutting edge technology.

Recently I came across FreePursuits.com.   It is a site dedicated to exploring the different ways that people use their creative prowess and new technology to excel in their professional life without compromising their personal life.

I found it absolutely interesting because in my opinion those who rely on social media professionally (and other high tech careers) often times feel the uneven balance between work life and personal life.  In your own Lifestyle Design how intertwined is your professional and personal life?

Baby Boomers Step into Social Media

Carlos Hernandez, @carloshernandez  along with Des Walsh, @deswalsh and Barbara Rozgony, @wiredprworks appeared with host Toby Bloomberg, @tobydiva on BlogTalkRadio (click for link to podcast) to discuss how baby boomers are stepping into Social Media.  As a Gen Y member this discussion was interesting to listen on because it highlighted some fundamental differences between on how social media is being harnessed by an older generation vs. 20-somethings.

Be sure to check it out!  http://tinyurl.com/cndsra

Sharing with your Clients: DPM for Social Media

Today, I was reading an iMedia Connection article entitled “ A Scalable Agency Solution for an Ailing Economy.”  In it David Shor was discussing that due to the plummeting nature of our economy many brands are outsourcing their sales initiatives to their marketing agencies.  In turn the marketing agencies share revenue that is generated for their client, which Shor calls DPM or Digital Performance Marketing arrangements.

While this type of partnership seems as a win-win some brands are hesitant to share with another party who’s primary objective is to further their own brand.  I pondered how this collaboration exists in the Social Media environment.  For example, iRM is an advocate for the small business entrepreneur.  Those who want to see their professional dreams expand, but may not have the resources to harnesses their potential.  We actively share our knowledge with those willing to engage which in turns allows iRM to thrive as we develop our own dreams.

Although there is little revenue involved I see this as a type of DPM partnership as it is knowledge about social media communities and experience that is being shared between two parties as a stepping stone to greater success.  Whether you have 1 client or 100, the question you must ask yourself at some point is “How much are you sharing with your clients, and whether or not both parties are benefiting from the partnership?”

The Status Update vs. The Tweet

Within the past week I have noticed a slight increase in the number of people who are following me on twitter.  While most are new social media gurus looking to connect and share ideas, others are recognizable old friends.  “How did they know I’m on Twitter,” was my first thought, but then I realized that I had a Twitter app located my Facebook profile.  Still these friends were die hard Facebookers, and in the past when we discussed Twitter their simple response was, “I don’t get Twitter.”  Given the new revelation I decided to hold an informal debate regarding the issue.  The consistent theme of this debate was the difference between static and dynamic conversation.

A number of the new Twitter converts were recently unemployed and tapping every possible outlet for job leads.  With Twitter they felt that they had a better chance of stumbling upon someone who were currently in their desired industry, and hopefully by following their tweets could get the jump on possible job openings.  “Why not use Facebook for the same purpose,” I asked at the height of the debate.  Although the Facebook status update is similar to a tweet, they function somewhat differently in their perspective environments.  FB status updates are normally viewed as a user’s personal real-time diary; how they’re feeling, what they’re doing.  Where as a tweet, while used for the same purpose, by in a large contains a dynamic piece of information whether it be a question up for debate or a link to outside information.

The intersection for these two mediums of social media is of course the ability to import your tweets to your FB status updates.  While this tool is handy, I believe that sometimes the chaotic nature of the tweet is lost when translated over to Facebook.  It becomes lost in the jungle of photos, fan page updates, and friend profile changes that  have a tendency to clog the News Feed.  The debate ended with everyone exchanging their Twitter handles and a couple of “I’ll be sure to follow you!”  However, I was left with this question:

How is it that two seemingly similar social media tools function entirely different in the same environment?

New realities require new strategies

A new year.  New beginnings of sorts.  I got the inspiration (and title) for this post from Suze Orman’s new book “2009 Action Plan“, which she is offering for free until tomorrow through Oprah’s website.  No doubt about it, the past couple of months have been a terrifying time for many people.  iRM was affected by the economic downturn in that we needed to maintain financial stability which meant (for me) going back into the workforce fulltime.  I don’t regret my decision, as it is important to stay afloat during times of uncertainity, however, I needed to find a way to still dedicate time to iRM while stretching that 9-5.

Carlos has been working effortlessly, speaking to professionals about the importance of social media and how it will enhance their brands.  Month after month iRM speaking engagments have increased as Carlos has honed his craft for articulating how social media can revolutionize the way you think about your company, your goals, and even your life.  Be sure to check out our speaking engagements page as it is updated with events in the SF Bay area.

So the new reality is that the landscape has changed for social media in lieu of recent economic events.  What does this mean for iRM; well first a new strategy.  Aggressively getting our clients and followers information that will shape their professional environments even in a time of uncertainity.  What to expect:  the next couple of posts will focus on how/if Social Media will survive the rather bleak forecast set of our economy, and how to properly position your brand.

What are your new strategies for the upcoming year?

It isn’t about you

 

 

Taking a step back and looking at the whole picture has kept iRM occupied for the past couple of weeks.  What are we attempting to accomplish?  How do we want to help people? Why do we want help people?  These were just a few questions that we wrestled with week after week.  Over the weekend after consulting with colleagues it became clear:

 

It’s not about iRM.

 

Once we took the emphasis off of ourselves things began to make a little more sense.  I firmly believe this realization is highly important when starting a new company.  As much as you would like your company to be successful it is helpful to remember that at the core should be the desire to help others by providing relevant services.

The tricky concept with providing Social Media Consulting is that you are constantly engaging in communities where it is the user who is projecting how things are impacting them. So the from the user standpoint social media is very “me” oriented, but this cannot be the case for the consultant. 

Although there is no quick fix the past month has been a great learning experience for iRM, and we look forward to fully helping others achieve their dreams.

JetSetZero: Where Social Media meets Adventure

The Field Team of JS0

Since January of this year I have had the amazing opportunity to work with the Jet Set Zero (or JS0 as we call it) team in creating, brainstorming, and mapping out the innovative concept of using social media and HD footage to document traveling around the world as cost efficient as possible.  Departure time for the field team has finally arrived, and in less than 12 hours they will leave Seattle for Vietnam, their home for the next three months.  As they embark on the traveling aspect of the project the “Engagment Team” of which I am a part of plan to heavily promote the project using social media to get the word out that following Jet Set Zero is worthwhile.  Ever wanted to travel, but haven’t had the time or the means to do so? Follow JetSetZero to find out how they make the adventure happen.

JetSetZero: The Story

JetSetZero on Flickr

Social Media Overload: Muting the Conversation

It’s a typical Friday: long day at the office, ready for the clock to strike 5 or 6, and mentally planning your weekend.  In addition to your normal workload you have spent time updating your Facebook status, Twitter status, Loopt location, Flickr Stream, Livejournal, etc.  It has been a great week, but you wish to go offline for the weekend.  However, this nagging thought hits you, “What if I miss something cool or informative on my twitter feed or <insert your favorite social media community>?”  I find myself in this dilemma constantly.  With new social media communities launching literally every day how do you find the time to go offline?  Arguably, some people love being constantly connected;  their iPhones are always sounding an alert for an email, twitter update, etc.  While I respect those folks, there are some times that I simply need to mute the conversation.

I realized that if you’re not careful you will find yourself consumed by the almighty update or latest post.  It’s a hunger that seems to grow rapidly if not kept within boundries. That being said, it is important to engage in these various social media spaces fairly frequent, but at your own pace.  I get a rush from being a part of a thriving conversation; different ideas swirling around, and the amount of information flowing is amazing.  There are days when I’m knee deep in the Conversation Prism, while others I’m offline enjoying my other passions that don’t involve a keyboard. At the end of the day I think that in order to fully utilize the conversations that occur in social media communites you have to sometimes take a step back and let the conversation happen without you.