You’re likely to have heard of the well known business expression, “Work on your business, not in it”.  This great term originated from Michael Gerber, famed for authoring one of the world’s bestselling books, ‘The e-Myth.’

Gerber shares that there are one of three main roles people adopt when running their own business: The ‘entrepreneur’, the ‘manager’ or the ‘technician.’

He believes that most people who start their own business strive to be entrepreneurs however are in fact really ‘technicians’, meaning they’re actually working in their business rather than on it, spending long hours doing too much whilst trying to earn a living.

Most business owners I speak with relate to this. The temptation to do and run everything is huge, especially in the present economic climate. More than not, I feel many are trying to do a lot of the everyday tasks themselves to try to save costs. However at what expense?

When Gerber wrote his book, social media marketing didn’t exist.

Yet, even then, he could relate to the seemingly never ending work that business owners face, eating up their precious time and, thus, making it immensely challenging for business owners to make strategic decisions to enable them to develop and grow their business whilst juggling everything else in our busy lives.

Now we have social media – I’m not afraid to share that social media can potentially one of the most disruptive marketing and communication channels around. After all, I consider myself to be a business owner first, social media professional second. As a business owner I totally empathise with the overwhelm many are already faced with.

Sure, phone calls can disrupt; however conversations tend to be a lot more focused and acute. Yes, social media can be fun and even addictive, however, I’m writing in a business context here, so having an efficient, results-driven, marketing strategy and applying it is all important.

Have you, say, planned half an hour to engage on social media and an hour and a half later you find you’re still on it? How many times has this happened? Adds up doesn’t it?

A recent survey, carried out by a marketing company, Vertical Response, found that nearly half (43%) of small businesses are spending at least 6 working hours a week on social media. That’s around a sixth of an average working week, (or even a fifth, depending on the number of total working hours allocated)…and at what cost?

Having helped many businesses with their social media strategy, (here’s an example),  I feel the 43% statistic is actually conservative. When I first engage with my customers, many business owners privately share with me that they in fact spend a lot more time on social media marketing. Additionally, when I speak at events and raise the usually ‘unspoken’ issue that social media can be immensely time consuming, usually the majority in the audience agree and relate to this. Some are quite frankly frustrated that many in my own profession appear to be oblivious to this by simply encouraging them to do this and that on social media without considering the potential impact on time.

So one of the first things we focus on, as part of helping them develop a strategic plan, is to unravel the supposedly ‘on’ social media bit by assessing what they are really ‘doing’ with their social media and how we can help them really work on it, rather than actually in it.

Time is the biggest enemy of social media. Time also happens to be most business owners’ enemy anyway.  What’s more, social media is ever changing. However, like it or not, one thing sure doesn’t change: There’s still 24 hours in every day.

If you have ever attended social media training, workshops, or even webinars, did the presenter(s) ever cover – or even consider – the time element with you? If they did, great. That’s a rarity. If they didn’t cover this important factor, then how will you ensure that social media isn’t going to stop you extracting yourself from being stuck as a ‘technician’, or even steering clear from becoming one if you genuinely think that you’re already a ‘manager’ or ‘entrepreneur’ already? 

You see, in my view, it’s all very well for the trainer: They work in the social media industry. It’s their business. So unless you’re in, or choose to be in, the social media profession, avoid making it your business too - you’ve already got a business to run! The key is to use social media to support your other marketing activities and in-line with your business plan. (You do have a business plan, right?)

Here’s a great time management technique to help you.

So going back to my two earlier questions: ‘Have you, say, allocated half an hour to engage on social media and an hour and a half later you find you’re still on it? How many times has this happened?’

Will you at least take the first step in trying to estimate, (and even admit to yourself!), just how many hours you’re spending on social media in an average week?  (Include the weekends, if relevant).

If so, write down your answer.  Calculate how many days that’s equivalent to in a month.  Write that answer down too.

Now ask yourself these two further questions, particularly if you’re not currently happy with the return on investment you’re generating from your social media marketing:

Are you truly comfortable with your written answers? What else can you be doing to develop and grow your business?  

More customer facing time perhaps? After all, in my view, nothing can beat face-to-face engagement. The key is how you then use social media to support the off-line, not the other way around, especially if you’re in a profession that entails, (or should include), engaging with people regularly.

Looking busy in front of a screen for the sake of looking busy is surely for ‘technicians’, not ‘managers’ - and certainly not ‘entrepreneurs.’ Regardless, is it productive?

So are you on it or actually in it?

Time for change? 

Time to look to the future by improving the performance of your business? What about making a positive difference to your work life balance by freeing up the time you’re currently spending in front of a screen, whether in the office or on-the-go?

“Change is the law of life. And those who only look to the past or present are certain to miss the future.” John F. Kennedy

Will you embrace change today?

@networkerplus Social Media

John Coupland is the author of  ACCELerate™ Your Social Media. He writes regularly for business magazines and industry-led blogs, including appearing on podcasts both within the UK and abroad. Some of the articles may be found here, which includes a wealth of strategic advice for businesses owners to achieve return on investment, in a structured and time efficient manner, through his proven ACCELerate™ methodology.

We provide social media training however, if you feel you’re finding social media marketing overwhelming and require help, be assured that it can be outsourced. It frees up your time, helping ensure you’re potentialising customer facing time and focusing on other activities.

►►► Here’s how ◄◄◄

There continues to be many discussions, both on-line and off-line, about networking.

If you hear discussions or read many blogs and articles, they mainly cover the immediate, more functional, actions one should take to make networking effective. That’s fine of course as it’s important to strategise, network well, follow up, etc.

What about the actions of others?

By this I don’t just mean behaviour, i.e. not butting into conversations, shoving cards in people’s faces, etc. It’s also of course important we don’t behave in such ways. What I actually mean here is how are you are going to influence others to get referred?

So here are just some, hopefully, thought provoking questions which I feel apply to networkers in the context of generating referrals:

• What impression are you giving when you network?

• What are you known for?

• What reputation do you have?

• Why should anyone refer you?

• How are you going to combat the ‘out of sight, out of mind’ when everyone disperses after a meeting and get sucked into their busy schedules?

• What are people saying about you when you leave the room or perhaps even when you’re away from a meeting you normally attend? Do they in fact even have you in mind?

I feel that, if a networker addresses these questions properly, by influencing – even inspiring – others, that has surely got to be more than half the battle in achieving results.

So, in my view, it’s down to each and every one of us to be accountable for not only our own actions, but actually – to a degree – the actions of others in this context. Not everyone is going to refer you, however it’s surely about motivating the right ones to do so through your own actions. It’s all about accountability and, for some of those who aren’t getting the results they hoped for, not finding excuses by blaming everyone or everything but themselves.

John Coupland is the author of  ACCELerate™ Your Social Media.

@networkerplus Social Media

www.SocialMediaWorkshopLondon.com 

Social media is prolific today. Nearly everywhere you go, someone’s talking about it. Business people are frequently invited to events, meetings and exhibitions either directly related to social media marketing or which have at least some relevance to it. It’s likely these gatherings have been driven by at least some kind of social networking activity too.

Go on Twitter and, depending on how many people you may be following, where do you start? It certainly can be a noisy place, however so can the off-line world. Traffic, parking, or cutting through the crowds on public transport to get to your destination – and what about using your laptop, smartphone or tablet en-route? Pretty incessant, isn’t it?

I’m a business owner too. Just because my chosen business is social media marketing, it doesn’t mean that I’m exempt from the challenges you face. I totally relate to how the busy entrepreneur feels about being ‘pulled from pillar to post’.

Social media, despite its potential benefits, can be incredibly disruptive. I feel many – even in my own industry – overlook this and simply tell you that it’s a must-have. A recent survey, carried out by a marketing company, Vertical Response, found that nearly half (43%) of small businesses are spending at least 6 hours a week on social media. That’s almost a fifth of an average working week and at what cost? What about the impact on all the other channels to market? It cannot surely be just about social media?

How about that all important face-to-face communication? Where does that fit in to your marketing plans and how are you using social media to support it?

There are no end of blogs and articles from all corners informing us all about the importance of social media marketing today. ‘Do this, do that. Don’t do that, do this!’, etc.  Noise, more noise and even more noise? If you think it’s loud already, think again. This is only the start.

So how does one cut through all this incessant noise?

Whether or not you’re a novice to social media, this applies to all of us. No one escapes, unless you give up on it completely. I hope not.  (The giving up thing is no joke. If you haven’t yet noticed the numbers of dead twitter accounts, company pages on LinkedIn, or similar, you will. Do you think those who started there have given up? How does that look to you from a PR perspective? No-one’s in anymore?)

With nearly two decades of multi award winning e-business experience – and having survived the dotcom boom and bust last century, I’ve seen all this excitement before. (Some would even call it hype – depending which way one looks at it, they could well be right). However, social media is here to stay and only those who treat social media marketing, by merging the off-line with the on-line effectively are going to reap the benefits and realise a continuous return on investment.

My view is many – however not all – businesses who are active on social media are treating this great communication and marketing medium as if was transaction driven internet marketing. 

What’s the difference and what do I mean?

Briefly, transaction driven internet marketing is more akin to achieving the objective of making a sale on-line. It’s most appropriate to commodity-based items such as CDs and books amongst many other products, for example, where price is a key driver for the purchaser to make the transaction.

On the other hand, social media is more about business relationship building. Basically, off-line networking, on-line. For service-led businesses in particular, it’s not about commodity, it’s about people. You’re more than likely to have heard the well known expression: ‘People buy people’.

Whilst all the noise continues, the other crucial element to all of this is to have a methodology which is clear, time efficient, and may easily apply to all the main social networks you decide to use for your business. (Don’t forget time is the biggest enemy of busy business owners and entrepreneurs. It happens to be social media’s biggest enemy too, so I encourage you to apply a ‘Less is more’ approach.)

Sitting behind a screen and looking busy is not going to cut it.

I have coached and trained many on effective social media marketing and can tell you that most were usually simply being passive beforehand, hoping that somehow it’ll all click. Well maybe, but when – and ever considered that the social media savvy Y-Generation, (those who were born during the age of the internet), are now entering your market? I can assure you that they’re hungry to grab a nice ‘slice of the pie.’ Are you going to wait and see what happens? Now’s the time to outsmart them and many others by truly putting people first, whilst applying your extensive business experience which the Y-Gens still lack.

At this time of year, chances are – in between relaxing with your loved ones – you’re probably thinking about your plans for your business next year. Maybe you’re drawing up a fresh business plan, or even revisiting it? How is social media, with face-to-face marketing, going to fit in your plans and, more importantly, how will you cut through the incessant hype and noise to achieve return on investment? How will you measure your activities to decide what works for your business and replicate it in other areas?

So, with social media marketing – ‘face it‘; work smart and, whatever you decide to do, here’s wishing you every success for 2013 and beyond.

John Coupland is the author of  ACCELerate™ Your Social Media.

@networkerplus Social Media

www.SocialMediaWorkshopLondon.com 

What a year it’s been and one I shall never forget.

When I drew up my business plan for 2012, I called it ‘Quantum Leap’ and shared my thoughts with those only where it came up in conversation. Here’s the thing, it wasn’t about the actual leaping, it was about quantum – being able to ensure my business retains strong momentum, whilst being accountable and to quantify my actions.

So what did I do about putting my business plan into action?

I invested and participated in 4 course programmes including, for good measure, writing a book – that this was the year I wanted to become an author. A tall order indeed.

Why am I sharing this?

What I’ve learned in my 28 years in business so far is this: When the economic chips are down, invest and act. Re-strategising isn’t enough. Action makes the plan complete.

So affirmative action it was to be.

I don’t think I’ve ever worked so hard in business in my entire life during the past 6 months in particular. This doesn’t mean counting the hours. What’s rewarding is taking stock in what I’ve produced and how others have supported me in helping me achieve what I set out to do this year: My family and those in my network.

I have seen others thrive through sheer determination in our challenging economy – To me, simply inspirational.

I have also seen and spoken to others in economic despair – To me, very humbling.

No matter how busy and what we wish to focus on, supporting and helping others has to surely work with action. In fact, it should be in every great business plan too. It’s just as rewarding.

When I found that one of the only ways to become an author this year was to prise myself away from the daily buzz of activities, amazing things started to happen: My business started to grow faster. Although not by chance, (I had a list of prospects that I had nurtured before writing my book), one thing struck me: I was trying a little too hard. I discovered that letting go, truly empowering my team and allowing things take their course can lead to amazing surprises.

During the summer months of writing, with the internet and phones off,  something else – and just as extraordinary – happened: I managed to think properly.

Thinking outside the daily buzz – even if just a couple of hours each time.

Thinking led to creativity.

More thinking, led to more creativity.

Deep thinking helped me not only write a book, it lead me to venture into a space I seldom visit, where I felt I was able to go deep and into the heart of what I do in business.

Thinking enabled me to produce a methodology which I felt would work well with the many tactics I had already developed, (what I term as tactical engagement strategies). Not only could I share this with my readers, I felt I could also apply it throughout every proposition we have as a business as a whole: The ACCELerate™ methodology for business owners to realise return on investment in their social media marketing.

It also enabled me to be unique in an immensely competitive environment.                           

Think. Plan. Action.

When I shared my methodology with my book coach & publisher, Mindy Gibbins-Klein, Ecademy Press, she said: “Ah, ‘bookplus!’”  I responded by saying “@networkerplus, loves ‘bookplus!’”

A few weeks later, the ‘set to live’ phase came.

Was what I had devised good enough? It made sense to me. It also made sense to my four book reviewers who played an instrumental role in providing feedback before I sent my final manuscript to my publisher.

By the time I was presenting again for Social Media Week® London, during September 2012, my methodology was set. My final manuscript was already with Mindy and her team. There were to be no changes.

So, if I had got it wrong – or even missed something within it – and got to know it through feedback during my live Social Media Week® presentations, (where my audience comprised of both my network and competitors), it would be too late.

Time waits for no-one. Not for you. Not for me.

The quantum aspect of my business plan was to be put to a live environment: My ACCELerate™ methodology was to go public, even before the publication of my book. 

There was no going back. I felt there was no way I was going to deliver another set of seminars – after months of being away from presenting due to writing – without sharing it.

I felt that a proven methodology was usually missing in the countless social media presentations out there, including my prior ones, and I was determined to share mine.

So I recommend that whatever you’re planning in for 2013, think ‘quantum’.  

What risks are you going to take?

How will you measure your achievements?

Will you simply have another business plan that doesn’t truly take you out of your comfort zone?  It’s not about whether you have a methodology or not. It’s about stretch. Stretching yourself through thinking time, strategising and putting what you create into action.

The choice, of course, is yours.

….and the reaction from my ACCELerate™ Your Social Media seminars?

Simply rewarding.

John Coupland is the author of  ACCELerate™ Your Social Media.

@networkerplus Social Media

www.SocialMediaWorkshopLondon.com 

Our first endowment policy

A confirmation, (by way of an endowment statement from Standard Life), was received by post this morning. It relates to one of the biggest financial scandals in the UK.

25 years ago, my wife Angeline and I bought our first house. We were sold our first endowment policy, with promises that it would not only pay off our mortgage, but we would also receive bonuses “that would easily buy you a car or even a holiday!”

As youngsters, (22 and 21 years old at the time), trying to make an honest living and simply wishing to buy our first ever home together, we decided to listen to that ‘professional’ advice and started an endowment policy.

For the last 25 years, we never missed one payment. We worked hard, particularly during our fledgling careers at the time, (leaving our house and 6.30am and returning at least 12 hours later to commute to work from our humble first house in Kent); whilst saving what we could to secure a comfortable future.

Yes, we also travelled the world a lot and enjoyed our years. However, we always first ensured we could afford to pay all our bills first before embarking on any luxuries. This approach continued when we started our family around 7 years into this first endowment policy and beyond.

Really?!

The news of one of the most shameful financial mis-selling scandals in the UK broke out around that time too.  Although, (after many challenges with Standard Life and the Halifax Building Society), we received some compensation for the second endowment policy, (which we took out when we moved to our second home in 1993), we couldn’t do anything about this one, our first endowment policy, because we started it just before regulation was introduced. The estate agent that sold it to us wasn’t anywhere to be found too.

So, in 2004, realising there was a potential ‘financial time bomb’ on our hands, (especially relating to our first endowment policy), I remember vividly saying to my wife Angeline that we had to do something about it there and then. Amongst other ‘tactical sacrifices’, I ensured I continued to opt-out of my employers’ company car schemes and opted to take a tax efficient lump sum each month instead, allocating these and other bonuses / perks earned, to help negate the potential shortfall I had anticipated. (This, whilst many of my colleagues would joke and frequently ask why I wouldn’t opt for a flashy BMW, or similar, to drive in. I stuck with my second hand VW Sharan, or similar. You can imagine the conversations at various customer car parks from the very team members I used to lead!) 

Anyway, to give you an idea of what Standard Life’s news is to us, (in the statement we received today) is: The shortfall is around 40%, (yes: 40%!), of the original mortgage sum. This, of course, does not take into account the promises of the ‘extras’; you know… “that would easily buy you a car or even a holiday!” I’m merely calculating it against the amount of the original mortgage itself.

Despite this, enclosed with the statement is a leaflet from Standard Life, entitled: ‘A tax-efficient way to re-invest your maturing plan’. (What, we’re to even consider re-investing with an institution which failed us so badly?) Cheeky? Some would perhaps call this arrogant.

What happened to our investments with them during the ‘boom’ years – which account for most of the last 25 years?

..and just what caused this and many other financial failures out there?

Greed.  

Y-Gens: Beware of the financial institutions!

P.S. I dedicate this post to my late Grandmother, Lucy Victoria Coupland (née Hyde), 1900 – 2000. When I was a boy, she used to tell me about the Great Depression; the stories of financial hardship experienced by many at the time, mainly as a result of the ‘run on the banks.’  

Thank God and you for your insightful advice Grandma, without which I would most probably have not invoked any plan of action in 2004 to overcome the shortfall by the banks.

For more information about Britain’s interest-only mortgage time-bomb, click here.

Sure we have a website that’s optimised for mobiles!  Why wouldn’t we?…

Mobile marketing is a real growth area and there is enormous potential to embrace it. Web-enabled smartphones now make up 20% of the 3 billion devices worldwide, with market share heading towards 50% over the next 3 – 5 years. (Source: Comscore) 

In the US, over 50% of interactions on social networks are via mobile devices.

@networkerplus Social Media were one of the first social media businesses in the UK to share the benefits of using QR Codes for the integration of on-line and off-line marketing.

(See: www.QRazy.co.uk)

We’re able to keep ahead due to our direct worldwide contacts in places such as California, Singapore, Japan and Australia. Innovations like these are a key value-adds we are able to share with our customers. Innovation is in John’s ‘soul’ anyway. Here’s some of his social proof. 

Scan the QR Code to access our mobile optimised website or go to: www.networkerplus.net using your smartphone

John covers the benefits of mobile marketing in his forthcoming book. Be one of the first to receive updates of it’s publication this autumn.

ACCELerate™ Your Social Media

Social Media can be one of the most disruptive forms of marketing for busy SMEs and entrepreneurs. 

Have you ever allocated, say, half-an-hour on social media only to find that, one-and-a-half hours later, you or your staff are still on it? How many times has this happened? Multiply these occurrences and dare calculate the cost, particularly if you’re not getting the results of your efforts!

One of the most popular services @networkerplus Social Media offers is Social Media Management. (Outsourcing).

As we always discuss strategy with our customers, we can share the top reasons why they decide to do this and why they choose us.

3 key reasons for outsourcing social media

Time – They have come to the realisation that, to get real and measurable results, time is one of the biggest enemies when it comes to social media. They know they need to do it effectively and want a trusted partner to execute effective social networking.

Focus – They want to focus on what they do best and outsource the marketing activities they know true specialists can carry out more effectively than they can through strategising. (Remember the saying “on” rather than “in” your business?)

Results – They have tried social media with no or little success, however, they appreciate others have the experience, achievements and the right mindset to achieve what they require on their behalf.

Why businesses outsource to @networkerplus Social Media

Having asked our customers, here are just five key reasons –

Reputation – They either know us already or have heard we deliver and practice what we preach.

Transparency – Social Media is transparent and we love that! They have checked us out and like what we do for our business on social networking sites like LinkedIn, Facebook, Twitter, Google Plus, YouTube, our blogs, etc. They’re assured we have the experience and proof that we can build targeted networks and engage. So many self-declared ‘experts’ out there talk but don’t walk social media, let alone strategically. (For example, how many Web Designers say they ‘do’ social media however, when you check their LinkedIn, and Twitter activity, you find another story!…and what about blogging and engaging? – Active or passive?! What are they saying across the various social networks?

Value Add – They also like that that we do what we do best – social media and only social media. We don’t bolt on social media to our core services. Social media is our core business. Additionally, with over 28 years commercial & award-winning experience, (18 years in e-business), they know they are getting real expertise when it comes to planning and strategising with us.

Contacts & Intellectual Property – We have trusted contacts overseas, (California, Singapore, Japan and Australia), who we communicate with regularly to keep ahead on what’s going on strategically in this fast paced industry. We have also invested in the business and are able to demonstrate how and what when they plan with us. When they hear what we can do for them, they realise it’s time to invest and stop continuing to spend copious amounts on time and money on expensive (or even cheap!) training sessions and simply dabbling.

Guarantees – @networkerplus Social Media, we guarantee everything we do. Yes, that’s correct – everything! We know there’s a lot of hype and many who have jumped on the social media bandwagon. When businesses outsource through us, and in the very unlikely event that we don’t achieve what we agreed to do, they get their money back. No claims received to-date! (Terms apply. Details available during the enquiry stage). That’s how committed and passionate we are about their business. They simply love the assurance that we’re not only a trusted partner, we also have a proven and award winning mindset. Nothing is outsourced abroad.

For more information about us, have a browse on our website, however, more importantly, see our activity across the main social networks. We know it speaks for itself because that’s what our customers and our network tell us.

Feel free to contact us for a free 30 minute, no obligation telephone consultation, to hear how we can help you gain more time, more focus and more results!  

 John Coupland is the author of  ACCELerate™ Your Social Media.

P.S. If twitter’s right for you and your businesses, find out how we are able to guarantee our outsource customers retweets – Incredibly powerful and another key reason why our customers choose us! 

Testimonials

© @networkerplus Social Media

Check out this article by Ingenious Britain: ‘Is social media a platform for you? Outsource it.’

Although I have written for them – see: ‘Business first, social media second’ - The article about outsourcing social media on the Ingenious Britain site is not written by me and, furthermore, I am by no means claiming that they endorse our services. However, I am simply sharing this article by a third party about social media management and outsourcing.

As an active networker, I’m often asked to represent groups that are run and operated by someone else. “It’ll raise your profile!” is the usual reason given.  Although that’s not in question, have you ever wondered what it’ll be like to lead your own?

Operating ‘third party’ groups is great and I would recommend it.  I’ve done so myself and what I learned in a short space of time has been invaluable. Running your own is an entirely different ball game! There’s no big ‘system’ to lean on and the ultimate responsibility is on you.

With a solid networking grounding, here’s a question:  Why not climb up and reach the top your own mountain?

My late father, a distinguished army officer in WW2, who fought alongside Lord Mountbatten and his troops to help liberate Malaya, (now Malaysia and Singapore), mentored me to lead. Until I started my own business, I hadn’t really considered that I was in fact more active than most in various leadership roles from a young boy, throughout my adolescence, (more in my LinkedIn profile), and into the business world. I’ll never forget his pride when I became Head Boy of a UK boarding school, despite my not being considered a top academic.  Heck, when I arrived at the school at nine years of age, I was the boy who had the “funny accent”, (the Couplands and extended family were – and our family ‘hub’ still is – based in Singapore).

The bar is constantly being raised. Expectations are higher. Effective leadership can be a great solution.

I have come to the realisation that, in order to make a real difference, great leadership has to be at the heart of almost everything one does in the world of business. I have shared with those I coach in marketing that the bar was and is still being raised. People’s expectations in what a business person has to offer are higher than ever. Why?  Well, there are several reasons. The main ones are lack of time; ever increasing competition and what I often term as ‘noise’.

So what do I mean by noise?

The fact that we live in a busier, more crowded world is a given, so that’s not what I’m covering here. What I mean is I often hear fellow networkers claim that they’ll start something for themselves, however don’t really deliver – assuming they started in the first place!  Ideas are the easy part. Most can come up with great ideas so, to me, there’s nothing in the slightest bit exclusive about that.  Action and action with great results is an entirely different matter! Sure, there are and will be plenty of mistakes, disappointments and regrets along the way. Isn’t life about that anyway?

Being a leader should no longer be regarded as something one can aspire to be. In my view, it has never been so vital in the business world.

Ever presented in front of audiences that consist of your customers, your network and your competitors? I can tell you, it’s no mean feat, however seldom have I found such a rewarding experience. In fact, taking on the mantle such as this has so far been one of the best things we have done so far since I started my business. Great relationships and business that resulted exceeded our own expectations.

So whether it’s networking, a committee or your business, why not climb and be at the top of your own mountain? I’m not saying I’m there yet however, for me, one or two mountains aren’t enough, I’m climbing more and, although my legs can sometimes hurt like mad, there’s no way I’m turning back!

There are no “you have to’s!” here, I‘m deliberately being thought-provoking.

…and what about representing someone else? (I’m not referring to advocating here, which is of course a great thing to do). If you represent someone else, ever considered removing the billboard of him / her / their logo at events and representing yourself?  It could well be time to move on and, usually, the best time is when you feel you’re at your (or their?!) peak. Don’t just imagine being at the top of your own mountain, why not do something about it?  It’s called change and a change that should have an even better view!

Reach the top of your own mountain! It doesn't have to be the tallest

What I seldom see are people truly aspiring, taking focussed action at coming out of their comfort zone and at least trying to lead and carve their own way, representing themselves and leading – no matter how large or small the initiative. Those that do get more respect through what they have achieved anyway and, even if they end up doing something else later, it’s most certainly not failure as they’ve climbed their own mountain, took a deep breath of satisfaction and took in the view.  

Now how exclusive is that?!

John Coupland is the author of  ACCELerate™ Your Social Media.

@networkerplus Social Media

www.SocialMediaWorkshopLondon.com

I was recently interviewed by George Montgomery, ‘Your London Business’. (Now the UK Entrepreneur Network).

Here’s the brief podcast - It includes two strategic tips which, if implemented, will add value to you and your business.

Wow, things are hotting-up all right.

We run a few groups voluntarily over the main social networks and, as a result, feel that we can gauge what’s going on effectively and therefore share the latest strategies, (i.e. what works and what doesn’t), with our customers.  (Don’t even start us with the amount of spamming we now have to deflect to keep those groups engaging!)

Amongst many other questions relating to realising social media ROI, we’re often asked, “What’s the code?!” (or similar).

So here’s the answer: It doesn’t exist!

You really don’t have to go far to see amazing claims from self-professed social media ‘experts’ these days. It seems every other tweet is from someone who thinks they know better than you. Perhaps they have that magic (non-existent!) code?!  If they do, why don’t they share it and why are most of their LinkedIn profiles in such a sorry state, for example?! Oh yes, see what they were up to before ‘social media’ came into existence. All quite revealing…or in some cases…blank!

Also, we can’t help but wonder that, if they’re so darn good at what they do, how come they do other stuff as their main-stay? NLP, Business Improvement, Web Design….the list goes on! Are they struggling with that too? Small wonder that we very rarely see them engage. They must be too busy for us all I guess!

So, here’s some food for thought…

C racking any supposed ‘code’ is a waste of time. The only real “cracking” to be done is getting to know your core network.

H ere’s the positive news: You can crack and cut through the noise and the ridiculous claims.

O h, if your followings on twitter aren’t adding value, “simples!” Unfollow them. (Includes us – Your decision).

C are and share. Always and for evermore! This includes doing your best to thank for new connections and retweets. (For example: Do you think requesting a connection on LinkedIn, using their standard text is a clever way of reaching out? Conversely, is simply hitting the ‘Accept’ button a warm handshake? Of course not.  So make an effort and be one of the very few that do! Be patient and you’ll stand out in a positive light).

O verwhelmed?  Then re-strategise. If it’s not working, only you can take action. There are countless ways to do so.

L ess is More!  It always will be. Get targeted.

A lways check for social proof, (readily available  and verified third party testimonials),when enlisting help – for any service. No social proof = Run!  In this day and age you should never have to find yourself asking for social proof from those you’re considering doing business with, whether directly or through partnerships. (Nor expect others to ask you!) The bar was raised on this a long while back.

T ime is the biggest enemy of social networking. How are you managing it and what do you have to show for it? Only you know the true answer.

E ngage, engage, engage!  (This does not include simply posting your services, events, etc!) Engagement is two-way and interesting. If you’re not engaging, you are wasting your time. Any gain is likely to be short-term otherwise.

Happy Easter and enjoy the C-H-O-C-O-L-A-T-E  :)

John Coupland is the author of  ACCELerate™ Your Social Media.

@networkerplus Social Media

www.SocialMediaWorkshopLondon.com