Most job seekers know it's important to be active on LinkedIn. The networking site provides a wealth of information and opportunity (that is valuable all the time, but especially when you're in the market for a new job).
But, I think some people don't really know how to use it effectively.
Let me preface this, by saying - this doesn't apply to recruiters. Recruiters have a different purpose on LinkedIn, and they need to be able to see as many full profiles as they can. Because of LinkedIn's policies (that you can only see full profiles of your second degree connections), it's nearly imperative that recruiters make as many connections as they can; so they can better see full profiles of potential candidates.
Everyone else, though, I think is missing the boat.
Each week, when I send out resumes, I head to LinkedIn to check out which companies I may be connected to. I'm only looking at second-degree connections -- that indicates someone who shares a mutual connection with me. I'll then email my connection and ask them if they wouldn't mind recommending me to their connection.
A lot of times, I get back a response of, "Yeah, I don't really know that person."
And, this confuses me. Why would you be connected to someone that you don't really know? And, far more importantly, what's the purpose overall? You're certainly not getting anything out of that relationship.
Last week, I went through my LinkedIn connections. I have more than 500. Some I realized were recruiters -- those are necessary, even though I don't know them as well. I need to see when they're posting jobs. The remainder were people I knew well, and people I didn't know well. Rather than chalking up the people I didn't know well, I emailed them, one-by-one. I said, "We don't know each other very well; and that should change. We're connected on LinkedIn (I don't always remember who reached out to whom), but, in all honesty, if we don't form a relationship, the connection is useless. For me, right now, I'm looking for work. I don't expect you to have a position for me; but it's far more likely you'll know someone who might. And, I cannot expect you to recommend me, if you don't actually know me."
Some have responded already, and I've had a handful of sitdowns and phone conversations. To me, this is more valuable than "growing" my network; I'm fortifying it.
And, I think my connections recognize this value as well -- after all, what purpose do I have to them, if I don't know them really well? So, it's win/win.
I'm not someone who gets into having thousands and thousands of connections. I'd far rather have 500 really strong connections who have strong bonds with their connections. By extension, *I* have strong bonds (because, a connection who's willing to recommend you is someone that can be that vital liaison for you).
And that brings us to the referral.
My last post discussed the need for a networking wingman, and, in truth, a referral/recommendation is just an extension of that. Honestly, if you were looking to hire someone, which approach would impress you more?
1 - a candidate approaches you at a networking event (or online) and tells you he's awesome and you should really get to know him, because he'll help out your business, immensely.
2 - someone you trust approaches you at a networking event (or online) and tells you about an awesome individual you should get to know, because he'll help out your business, immensely.
If anyone DIDN'T say #2, I'd be amazed. We trust the people we trust, and we expect them to give us good advice (and we're more willing to take a chance on their advice). The same candidate (as above) is perceived differently, depending upon the way they're introduced.
So, when I ask people to make the referral for me, I'm basically asking them to do something I'd be happy to do for them.
"Hi Bob, so a friend of mine is really interested in working with your company. He's an award-winning communications executive, and he's got a great track record of helping companies reach goals -- both internally (he's increased employee engagement and morale and trust) and externally through press releases, getting his companies more well-known. He's bright, he immerses himself in the company (so he can be even more useful than just in communications functions -- he's worked in organization development and efficiencies) and he's been a valued and trusted confidant to the CEO of a company. Maybe even as importantly, he's friendly and really funny ... he's a great fit for your organization."
And, Bob, is almost certainly going to want to meet me, because *his* trusted friend/source/colleague has just done the most awesome networking wingman/referral one could hope for.
Think about your own contacts on LinkedIn, and then ask yourself -- which of your connections could you writing something like that about? And, which of your connections could you send that referral to? Because, if you can't write about a connection and you don't know a connection well enough to make the referral, why are they a connection? I don't care if you have 13,000 connections -- I'll always take the 500 quality connections.
And, if *I'M* connected to you, and you don't feel comfortable writing something like that about me; reach out to me. We clearly need to "fortify" our LinkedIn relationship.
Showing posts with label Social Media. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Social Media. Show all posts
Tuesday, June 18, 2013
Tuesday, March 19, 2013
Update on "The Grudge"
So, I posted earlier about an ex-supervisor who had been forced to lay me off from a job 16 years ago. I bumped into him at the Department of Labor, and he seemed to not know who I was.
I sent him a message on Facebook, and extended an olive branch. Told him there were no hard feelings, and I offered to even get him into the job-seeking class I was teaching. I offered to share contacts, etc. I was, absolutely, the bigger person (remember, I had done nothing wrong to 'offend' him; I was merely let go).
I then noticed that he'd checked out my LinkedIn page (which means, clearly, he remembered me). Today, I saw I was now "blocked" on Facebook.
My conscience, obviously, is clear. I not only forgave the indiscretion; I also went out of my way to try and assist someone else who was in need.
The response I got has helped convince me that, sadly, some people are beyond help. They simply deserve their outcomes. It's sad (because, as cynical as I am, I also have great compassion for those less fortunate than I). However, it's clear, in some cases, those less fortunate have willingly put themselves in that position. I guess the "everything happens for a reason" mantra really is true.
I sent him a message on Facebook, and extended an olive branch. Told him there were no hard feelings, and I offered to even get him into the job-seeking class I was teaching. I offered to share contacts, etc. I was, absolutely, the bigger person (remember, I had done nothing wrong to 'offend' him; I was merely let go).
I then noticed that he'd checked out my LinkedIn page (which means, clearly, he remembered me). Today, I saw I was now "blocked" on Facebook.
My conscience, obviously, is clear. I not only forgave the indiscretion; I also went out of my way to try and assist someone else who was in need.
The response I got has helped convince me that, sadly, some people are beyond help. They simply deserve their outcomes. It's sad (because, as cynical as I am, I also have great compassion for those less fortunate than I). However, it's clear, in some cases, those less fortunate have willingly put themselves in that position. I guess the "everything happens for a reason" mantra really is true.
Saturday, March 16, 2013
Double Shot: Customer Service Oops and Grudge, Much?
As many of you know, I had knee surgery last November. Minor stuff - meniscus; but still, it takes some rehab to get back to 100 percent.
So, my health insurance doles out a specific number of visits, and -- when those run out, the physical therapist has to petition for more.
The latest petition was denied (which is something I had expected). However, what makes it so amusing was the correspondence, I received back from them.
At the bottom of the letter, was an explanation for the decision.
Your request for additional visits has been denied, for the following reasons:
1. Your pain level is severe
2. You are experiencing improvement through continued physical therapy visits
3. You have reached the maximum amount of visits allowed through our plan.
These factors were considered in arriving at this decision.
Really?
So, the fact that I'm still in pain *and* I'm getting better, is the reason for the denial? Why even put those things in there? Just simply say, "If you continue to go to physical therapy, we will stop being profitable in your case; so we're going to just cut you off now."
There are few things more annoying than others having the expectation that you're stupid.
******************
Many years ago, I worked as an editor in the trade publishing field. In fact, at the time, I was the youngest editor ever named to the highest post of a magazine (although, I know at least one person beat my record).
In any event, I ended up being let go from the company, for what was, quite honestly, an extremely capricious reason. I ended up taking on another start-up magazine, made it quite profitable; left for another magazine, and then found my way into corporate/internal communications, where I've actually won awards for my work.
So, effectively, being let go was a pretty good thing, in retrospect. I enjoyed the company; liked many of the people, so I definitely would not have been looking for other opportunities.
Fast forward to today, and many of the people I worked with, who never wandered away from the company, are out of work; their only marketable skills are from being a trade magazine editor and writer. So, again, in retrospect, I'm happy; even relieved; that I moved on.
On Thursday, I was at the Department of Labor, taking a class, and who should walk in but my former supervisor (who also had been a friend of mine at the time). We haven't spoken since that day, 16 years ago. I recognized him instantly. I cannot imagine he didn't recognize me.
The course ended, and he took off ... literally. The second the class was over he was the first one up and the first one out the door. I followed a few minutes later, and caught sight of him leaving the restroom and even a little later, after he'd meandered through the building a few minutes. I was curious if he'd approach me, but he seemed intent on avoiding me at all costs.
I ended up walking out behind him, and I felt like a hunter tracking a wounded deer; and I felt sorry for him (which is probably why I don't hunt). I easily could've called out, "Mark!" and forced the issue; but I elected to let him walk away.
I sent him a message here on Facebook afterwards, saying -- maybe he didn't recognize me; but, in my eyes, bygones were just that. If he wanted to exchange contacts, etc. - I was cool with that; and I invited him to my presentations next week on job seeking. No response.
And, then I thought to myself; how incredible sad is this. By all accounts, *I* was the one who was wronged. I was the one who was let go without cause. And yet, SIXTEEN YEARS later, he's still the one carrying a grudge? And, rather than being mad or angered, I found myself pitying him quite a bit.
If there's anyone out there with whom I haven't spoken for 16 years, due to a perceived slight; seriously, email me .... life is too short to hold a grudge that long (and, it's hard work, too).
On the other hand, if it's only been 15 years, don't bother me til next year.
So, my health insurance doles out a specific number of visits, and -- when those run out, the physical therapist has to petition for more.
The latest petition was denied (which is something I had expected). However, what makes it so amusing was the correspondence, I received back from them.
At the bottom of the letter, was an explanation for the decision.
Your request for additional visits has been denied, for the following reasons:
1. Your pain level is severe
2. You are experiencing improvement through continued physical therapy visits
3. You have reached the maximum amount of visits allowed through our plan.
These factors were considered in arriving at this decision.
Really?
So, the fact that I'm still in pain *and* I'm getting better, is the reason for the denial? Why even put those things in there? Just simply say, "If you continue to go to physical therapy, we will stop being profitable in your case; so we're going to just cut you off now."
There are few things more annoying than others having the expectation that you're stupid.
******************
Many years ago, I worked as an editor in the trade publishing field. In fact, at the time, I was the youngest editor ever named to the highest post of a magazine (although, I know at least one person beat my record).
In any event, I ended up being let go from the company, for what was, quite honestly, an extremely capricious reason. I ended up taking on another start-up magazine, made it quite profitable; left for another magazine, and then found my way into corporate/internal communications, where I've actually won awards for my work.
So, effectively, being let go was a pretty good thing, in retrospect. I enjoyed the company; liked many of the people, so I definitely would not have been looking for other opportunities.
Fast forward to today, and many of the people I worked with, who never wandered away from the company, are out of work; their only marketable skills are from being a trade magazine editor and writer. So, again, in retrospect, I'm happy; even relieved; that I moved on.
On Thursday, I was at the Department of Labor, taking a class, and who should walk in but my former supervisor (who also had been a friend of mine at the time). We haven't spoken since that day, 16 years ago. I recognized him instantly. I cannot imagine he didn't recognize me.
The course ended, and he took off ... literally. The second the class was over he was the first one up and the first one out the door. I followed a few minutes later, and caught sight of him leaving the restroom and even a little later, after he'd meandered through the building a few minutes. I was curious if he'd approach me, but he seemed intent on avoiding me at all costs.
I ended up walking out behind him, and I felt like a hunter tracking a wounded deer; and I felt sorry for him (which is probably why I don't hunt). I easily could've called out, "Mark!" and forced the issue; but I elected to let him walk away.
I sent him a message here on Facebook afterwards, saying -- maybe he didn't recognize me; but, in my eyes, bygones were just that. If he wanted to exchange contacts, etc. - I was cool with that; and I invited him to my presentations next week on job seeking. No response.
And, then I thought to myself; how incredible sad is this. By all accounts, *I* was the one who was wronged. I was the one who was let go without cause. And yet, SIXTEEN YEARS later, he's still the one carrying a grudge? And, rather than being mad or angered, I found myself pitying him quite a bit.
If there's anyone out there with whom I haven't spoken for 16 years, due to a perceived slight; seriously, email me .... life is too short to hold a grudge that long (and, it's hard work, too).
On the other hand, if it's only been 15 years, don't bother me til next year.
Sunday, June 19, 2011
Facebook Killed the Blog, Part II
So, I found myself wondering the other day about Facebook's impact on blogs, again.
When blogs first hit the scene, some 13-15 years ago, they were really, the only gig in town. If you wanted to interact socially, it was blogs or forums or nothing.
Now, of course, Facebook (and Twitter, to a far lesser degree) is the 800 pound gorilla in the room. Way too many people view Facebook and social media as completely synonymous (which, they're not).
So, here's an example.
My blog, obviously, is public-facing. Anyone can find it, read it, comment on it. I don't restrict the viewing of the blog to anyone.
But, when I promote the blog, I do it on Facebook, a lot of times. When my friends want to comment, they do that in response to my link post on Facebook; *NOT* on the blog. The net result is that 90 percent of the comments to my blog don't actually make it TO my blog; they're restricted to my circle of friends on Facebook. And, any other viewers might not see that a good deal of my posts actually generate a number of comments.
Now, ideally, blogs are meant to be viral -- viewers should read them, comment and share -- and by doing that, the readership grows. But, Facebook continues to make that less conducive. Now, in some cases, it's understandable that people don't want to post publicly (maybe they want to send something to me directly; and they don't want everyone to see what they've written). And, that's the bigger risk of social media -- the fact that the web makes things archivable and findable and permanent.
I thought about this a lot last year, while I was out of work -- ensuring that what I posted in various places made sense given the venue (in other words, public forums demanded one level of self-imposed privacy; Facebook demanded another; email conversations could be less concerning). I went back over my internet history and ensured that anything I had posted in a public setting was appropriate and suitable.
I basically subscribe to this version of internet privacy (something we all should follow), and I see the value in being more careful (even now that I'm no longer looking for a job). But, I think you need to know the setting you're in -- this doesn't mean you have to completely change your online personality, necessarily; it just means that, perhaps, that highly off-color joke is better served through email than on Facebook.
One of my favorite communications professionals, Shel Holtz, has a great saying -- "New media do not kill old media" -- and that's certainly true. All of these media work together -- email has a place; blogs have a place; and Facebook has a place. Unfortunately, I wonder if blogs have overstayed their welcome -- not really from a functional standpoint (I still think they're outstanding forms of communication); but from an audience perspective.
When blogs first hit the scene, some 13-15 years ago, they were really, the only gig in town. If you wanted to interact socially, it was blogs or forums or nothing.
Now, of course, Facebook (and Twitter, to a far lesser degree) is the 800 pound gorilla in the room. Way too many people view Facebook and social media as completely synonymous (which, they're not).
So, here's an example.
My blog, obviously, is public-facing. Anyone can find it, read it, comment on it. I don't restrict the viewing of the blog to anyone.
But, when I promote the blog, I do it on Facebook, a lot of times. When my friends want to comment, they do that in response to my link post on Facebook; *NOT* on the blog. The net result is that 90 percent of the comments to my blog don't actually make it TO my blog; they're restricted to my circle of friends on Facebook. And, any other viewers might not see that a good deal of my posts actually generate a number of comments.
Now, ideally, blogs are meant to be viral -- viewers should read them, comment and share -- and by doing that, the readership grows. But, Facebook continues to make that less conducive. Now, in some cases, it's understandable that people don't want to post publicly (maybe they want to send something to me directly; and they don't want everyone to see what they've written). And, that's the bigger risk of social media -- the fact that the web makes things archivable and findable and permanent.
I thought about this a lot last year, while I was out of work -- ensuring that what I posted in various places made sense given the venue (in other words, public forums demanded one level of self-imposed privacy; Facebook demanded another; email conversations could be less concerning). I went back over my internet history and ensured that anything I had posted in a public setting was appropriate and suitable.
I basically subscribe to this version of internet privacy (something we all should follow), and I see the value in being more careful (even now that I'm no longer looking for a job). But, I think you need to know the setting you're in -- this doesn't mean you have to completely change your online personality, necessarily; it just means that, perhaps, that highly off-color joke is better served through email than on Facebook.
One of my favorite communications professionals, Shel Holtz, has a great saying -- "New media do not kill old media" -- and that's certainly true. All of these media work together -- email has a place; blogs have a place; and Facebook has a place. Unfortunately, I wonder if blogs have overstayed their welcome -- not really from a functional standpoint (I still think they're outstanding forms of communication); but from an audience perspective.
Friday, May 20, 2011
How NOT to Use Facebook
Obviously, as someone who works in communications, I’m pay special attention to the way various companies communicate with their customers. And, as someone who saw the value of social media long before there were such vehicles as Facebook or Twitter, it’s always both entertaining and disappointing when someone really doesn’t get it.
Take, for example, the Long Island Wine and Food Festival.
For a small, regional event, there are nearly 1700 people who like/follow it online. That’s good.
Last year was the first time the event was held, over a weekend in June. Not sure how many people actually attended; but starting last September, they started priming the pump for this year’s event. It started by asking people to vote for them for “Best North Fork Event.” And, by November, they were requesting recommendations for the 2011 event.
From then on, about once a month (or more frequently), they would post something on Facebook about “Hope everyone is looking forward to the festival,” or “The 2011 Festival is right around the corner.” Each time, you had an opportunity to head to their website.
That’s it – you can send them an email; or submit your email to get on their mailing list. No information on last year’s festival; nothing. And, the page has been like this for months. Each month, another post would go up on Facebook, directing visitors to their website.
Starting in mid-May, things start to spiral downhill:
May 14 – “Looking for information about the festival” – and a link to the page.
You won’t actually find any information; but you can send us an email or join our email list (which, by the way, why can’t the information in the email list *be* the information sent out via Facebook? I digress).
May 15 – the same link posted.
May 19 – the same link posted.
May 19 – “We would like to let you all know that it is confirmed, the festival has been postponed for this year! Hopefully we will see you all next year! Enjoy the summer! There are tons of great wineries to visit and restaurants to enjoy! Check back often for updated information. Don't forget to join our email list!”
Wow – so in nearly no time, everything is off (but, you can still join the email list).
So, I did what any other engaged customer would do – I posted a comment; basically asking what happened and how surprising it was, after the marketing blitz, to see the event canceled.
My comment was deleted.
So, I posted again; asking “when was it postponed until?”
I received back a response, “indefinitely.”
I posted again, “why?” And, then another 5-6 people posted after me, asking much the same thing, and expressing their disappointment.
That was 17 hours ago; so far, no response.
On so many levels, this is a complete failure from a communications standpoint. If there was an issue with the festival that could be addressed; you have 1700 people who have already said, “I want to see this happen” – tap into that network. Secondly, why the lack of transparency? This isn’t a cure for cancer or equally valuable trade secret; you’re putting together a weekend for tourists. Be honest with your audience – what’s the reason for it not happening? Is it lack of interest; is it lack of volunteers? Of course, posting through social media to ask people to go to your website to sign up for an email newsletter than will be delivered to my email periodically is so incredibly behind the times – you have 1700 fans on your facebook page … communicate with them directly!
Friday, November 5, 2010
Is Facebook Killing the Blog?
While it's popular to think that Facebook started the whole "social media" movement, it's also incredibly untrue. In fact, it's far more likely that the blog was the first form of social media -- it signaled a change from static, one-way communication to a more fluid conversation that took place online.
However, with the rise in popularity of Facebook, are blogs now completely passe?
Like many, I use Facebook to broadcast details of my life -- including, obviously, when I make new posts here on my blog. Invariably, people choose to comment not here on the blog; but back on Facebook; even though they, clearly, have to visit the blog to view the post.
Why is that? Is it that the blog isn't nearly as graphically pleasing as Facebook (and thus, the thought of leaving a comment here is less satisfying that leaving one on Facebook)? Is it that the people don't think I'll see it here (I do, rest assured)? Is it a selfish thing -- I think it's significantly easier these days to start building up a Facebook network than it is to build a blog following -- perhaps those leaving comments want the maximum exposure to their contributions; and Facebook probably offers that.
Is this signaling the end of the blog? For a period of time, new blogs were being created at insane paces. Now, it's just as easy to write a Facebook "note" and share it with your network. And, if the content is good, perhaps that network shares the "note" with their networks, and you build up your following equally as fast. Are there really any drawbacks?
So, is Facebook killing the blog? And -- perhaps more importantly -- is it really a worthy successor?
However, with the rise in popularity of Facebook, are blogs now completely passe?
Like many, I use Facebook to broadcast details of my life -- including, obviously, when I make new posts here on my blog. Invariably, people choose to comment not here on the blog; but back on Facebook; even though they, clearly, have to visit the blog to view the post.
Why is that? Is it that the blog isn't nearly as graphically pleasing as Facebook (and thus, the thought of leaving a comment here is less satisfying that leaving one on Facebook)? Is it that the people don't think I'll see it here (I do, rest assured)? Is it a selfish thing -- I think it's significantly easier these days to start building up a Facebook network than it is to build a blog following -- perhaps those leaving comments want the maximum exposure to their contributions; and Facebook probably offers that.
Is this signaling the end of the blog? For a period of time, new blogs were being created at insane paces. Now, it's just as easy to write a Facebook "note" and share it with your network. And, if the content is good, perhaps that network shares the "note" with their networks, and you build up your following equally as fast. Are there really any drawbacks?
So, is Facebook killing the blog? And -- perhaps more importantly -- is it really a worthy successor?
Friday, July 9, 2010
My new writing position (not really) and social media wishlist
So, I started actually writing for "pay" -- if you can call it that. I signed up on examiner.com as a local "board game" examiner, which pays the princely sum of $1 per article (plus additional monies, as determined by traffic).
Unlike this blog, which has really evolved (or devolved, depending on your interests!) into more of a professional thinkbank for me, the examiner piece allows me to write about a hobby of mine, and keeps my skills up. Plus, it's fun being an ambassador for - what I consider to be - a great pastime. Unlike some of the boardgaming-focused sites, which are really geared towards the experienced player, this column will attempt to bring these games to the public's awareness.
You can access (and subscribe to) my column here. Right now, there's only one story up, but I'll try and get 2-3 up each week (more often than not, it'll be '2'). But, almost all of them will be shorter than what I typically write here!
The other thing I've been working on is figuring out the best way to secure emails in an RSS feed. For those who've been reading this column, you know that I'm a huge fan of the use of RSS feeds. I find email to be cumbersome and inefficient. Nevertheless, there are still some sites that *insist* on using email to communicate -- most notably, YahooGroups (understandable, as Yahoo, in general, is years behind the rest of the world) and - shockingly - Linked In.
I've gone through so many attempts to figure out ways to do it -- using blogger.com, using xfruits.com -- my latest attempt used posterous.com, but even that has fallen short (although, there's still a possibility of that working -- next week will tell).
So, here's my WISHLIST of social media/technology tools, that would make my life significantly easier:
Unlike this blog, which has really evolved (or devolved, depending on your interests!) into more of a professional thinkbank for me, the examiner piece allows me to write about a hobby of mine, and keeps my skills up. Plus, it's fun being an ambassador for - what I consider to be - a great pastime. Unlike some of the boardgaming-focused sites, which are really geared towards the experienced player, this column will attempt to bring these games to the public's awareness.
You can access (and subscribe to) my column here. Right now, there's only one story up, but I'll try and get 2-3 up each week (more often than not, it'll be '2'). But, almost all of them will be shorter than what I typically write here!
The other thing I've been working on is figuring out the best way to secure emails in an RSS feed. For those who've been reading this column, you know that I'm a huge fan of the use of RSS feeds. I find email to be cumbersome and inefficient. Nevertheless, there are still some sites that *insist* on using email to communicate -- most notably, YahooGroups (understandable, as Yahoo, in general, is years behind the rest of the world) and - shockingly - Linked In.
I've gone through so many attempts to figure out ways to do it -- using blogger.com, using xfruits.com -- my latest attempt used posterous.com, but even that has fallen short (although, there's still a possibility of that working -- next week will tell).
So, here's my WISHLIST of social media/technology tools, that would make my life significantly easier:
- An easy way to convert email to RSS feeds that stays private. I want to be able to get the full text of the message in the RSS reader. Basically - a dream would be to combine posterous.com -- which allows you to subscribe to a private RSS feed, with blogger.com or wordpress.com -- which allows ANY email address to post to the blog (whereas, posterous only allows approved/confirmed email addresses to post).
This makes for a circuitous snafu. I receive emails at gmail.com, and auto-forward to the blog; but since I'm unable to confirm email addresses from yahoogroups or linkedin, and the auto-forward *retains* the original sending email address, the posts never arrive at posterous.
Admittedly, this is probably over the head of most people; but if it's not - there will be MUCH gratitude for assistance in fixing this issue. - Nested folders in google reader -- isn't it about time, already?
Wednesday, May 26, 2010
Social Media - You're Doing It Wrong
With each new technological introduction, comes new ways for the public to find ways to make it more efficient. Sometimes, that's a good thing; other times, not so much.
Social media, which traces origins back to the late 1990s (see my previous blog post on this), was perceived by companies as an alternative to traditional marketing -- it was far less expensive; but required an investment of time that traditional advertising didn't demand. However, the impact had far more potential.
Enter Facebook - probably the most famous social media application today. There are, as many of you know, two different types of Facebook 'users' -- individuals (like you and me), and companies (which users like us can "like" and subscribe to their updates).
What I've noticed though, more recently, from both users and entities, is far less of the "social" aspect of social media. Way too many users will post something - maybe something funny - and then, never revisit the original post. This is removing the social from social media.
Why is this? Apart from the usual apathy (which always exists, of course), is the rise in "efficiencies." Accessing Facebook via a mobile device typically doesn't allow the user to view comments made to his/her status. Using applications like Tweetdeck or Hootsuite enable users to make one post from a remote application that posts to all social networks simultaneously. Even more insidious now - there are applications that allow a user to pick (or randomly have chosen) a semi-comical status update that isn't even the user's own words.
I'm not necessarily complaining about the steady stream of applications. Facebook, thankfully, allows you to hide those updates (so I don't need to read about the 55 friends that are using Farmville); but I'm grateful that I see them at least once, as it provides more insight to my friends' interests, and - occasionally - introduces me to something I like (see my recent love affair with Warstorm). I'm referring entirely to the conversations that *should* be prevalent on the site.
All of this threatens the foundation of social media. When you take the social out; when users sign on to be greeted by a steady stream of one-way communication directed *AT* them, and their attempts to engage in conversation are ignored ... well, we're almost right back where we started, aren't we?
It's imperative - as a user - that you not only participate in the conversation by posting new, interesting threads; but that you participate by engaging other users in their conversations, and that you respond to and engage those users who participate in your conversations.
Social media, which traces origins back to the late 1990s (see my previous blog post on this), was perceived by companies as an alternative to traditional marketing -- it was far less expensive; but required an investment of time that traditional advertising didn't demand. However, the impact had far more potential.
Enter Facebook - probably the most famous social media application today. There are, as many of you know, two different types of Facebook 'users' -- individuals (like you and me), and companies (which users like us can "like" and subscribe to their updates).
What I've noticed though, more recently, from both users and entities, is far less of the "social" aspect of social media. Way too many users will post something - maybe something funny - and then, never revisit the original post. This is removing the social from social media.
Why is this? Apart from the usual apathy (which always exists, of course), is the rise in "efficiencies." Accessing Facebook via a mobile device typically doesn't allow the user to view comments made to his/her status. Using applications like Tweetdeck or Hootsuite enable users to make one post from a remote application that posts to all social networks simultaneously. Even more insidious now - there are applications that allow a user to pick (or randomly have chosen) a semi-comical status update that isn't even the user's own words.
I'm not necessarily complaining about the steady stream of applications. Facebook, thankfully, allows you to hide those updates (so I don't need to read about the 55 friends that are using Farmville); but I'm grateful that I see them at least once, as it provides more insight to my friends' interests, and - occasionally - introduces me to something I like (see my recent love affair with Warstorm). I'm referring entirely to the conversations that *should* be prevalent on the site.
All of this threatens the foundation of social media. When you take the social out; when users sign on to be greeted by a steady stream of one-way communication directed *AT* them, and their attempts to engage in conversation are ignored ... well, we're almost right back where we started, aren't we?
It's imperative - as a user - that you not only participate in the conversation by posting new, interesting threads; but that you participate by engaging other users in their conversations, and that you respond to and engage those users who participate in your conversations.
Wednesday, May 19, 2010
Top 5 Books for Communicators (and Business People) - #1
And so, we've reached the end of our countdown. This is the top book on my list of books all communicators (and business people) should read.
This book is somewhat of an anomaly: It's a book about social media, written well before any true social media channels even existed. It's a book that *every* book about social media written since then, pays tribute to (in fact, if there's a book about social media that you find that *doesn't* mention this book, just put the other book down - it will be useless to you).
It's a book that every CEO and marketing director should have read; but most likely, most didn't (and, they've probably suffered for it, on some level).
To those who know me, the book will come as no surprise -- I've championed the book for years now. The Cluetrain Manifesto is 10 years old this year, and yet, nearly every word resonates as strongly as it did when it was first released. Written by four authors (Rick Levine, Christopher Locke, Doc Searsls, David Weinberger), the book foreshadowed the coming of what we term 'social media.'
I think it's important to identify social media -- too many people (including interviewers) ask, "do you know social media? Do you use Facebook and Twitter?" Facebook and Twitter are, in fact, quite useful channels for social media (just like blogs), but they are not all-encompassing of social media. Social media is more of a comprehensive movement -- one that embraces clear, conversational two-way communication over the previous standard jargon-filled, pompous writing of corporate America.
Facebook and Twitter were born out of the need for channels that would enable that type of communication; but it's infinitely more important to understand the concept (and the benefits) social media presents.
The book's name dervies from a quote from a veteran of a firm that free-fell out of the Fortune 500 -- "The clue train stopped there four times a day for ten years and they never took delivery."
Admittedly, the book is not easy to read. In fact, in the foreward, the guest author says, "...this is no feel-good book. Though the broad theme is overwhelmingly optimistic, the details will make you squirm. This is an obituary for business-as-usual. It reveals how the Internet has made your entry-level employees as powerful as your senior vice-president of marketing."
I've said many times the book is hard to get through. It's one of the most audacious, pretentious and condescending books I've ever read. The entire book, I felt annoyed with the authors - almost a feeling of "...who do these guys think they are?" And then, at the end of the book, you realize they really were the smartest guys in the room. It's certainly not a pleasant feeling; but it's one everyone owes to themselves to feel.
And, although you can buy it from Amazon, you can also read the entire book for free online. That's how important the book is, and how strongly the authors believe in what they wrote -- you can access the entire book (in PDF, ASCII or html format) on its website: www.cluetrain.com.
The book opens up with powerful content: "Corporate firewalls have kept smart employees in and smart markets out. It's going to cause real pain to tear those walls down..."
The book then launches into its 95 Theses (I warned you it was arrogant). Here's a sampling of some of the powerful ideas discussed there:
1. Markets are conversations.
2. Markets consist of human beings, not demographic sectors.
16. Companies that speak in the language of the pitch are no longer speaking to anyone.
17. Companies that assume online markets are the same markets that used to watch their ads on television are kidding themselves.
40. Companies that do not belong to a community of discourse will die.
45. Intranets naturally tend to route around boredom.
52. Paranoia kills conversation. But lack of open conversation kills companies.
74. We are immune to advertising. Just forget it.
94. To traditional corporations, networked conversations may appear confused, may sound confusing. But, we are organizing faster than they are. We have better tools, more new ideas, no rules to slow us down.
95. We are waking up and linking to each other. We are watching. But we are not waiting.
The book is about 180 pages long, and each page, basically, begs companies (and marketing professionals) to change the way they communicate -- with their customers and with their colleagues. There are seven LONG chapters that - as stated above - are fairly difficult to get through; but the end result is worth it.
To put the book's impact into perspective, here's a brief list of the services launched AFTER Cluetrain:
Smart companies have already adopted what the authors recommended; for some companies, there may still be time to salvage their operations; for others, it's already too late (something the recent recession probably accelerated).
This book is somewhat of an anomaly: It's a book about social media, written well before any true social media channels even existed. It's a book that *every* book about social media written since then, pays tribute to (in fact, if there's a book about social media that you find that *doesn't* mention this book, just put the other book down - it will be useless to you).
It's a book that every CEO and marketing director should have read; but most likely, most didn't (and, they've probably suffered for it, on some level).
To those who know me, the book will come as no surprise -- I've championed the book for years now. The Cluetrain Manifesto is 10 years old this year, and yet, nearly every word resonates as strongly as it did when it was first released. Written by four authors (Rick Levine, Christopher Locke, Doc Searsls, David Weinberger), the book foreshadowed the coming of what we term 'social media.'
I think it's important to identify social media -- too many people (including interviewers) ask, "do you know social media? Do you use Facebook and Twitter?" Facebook and Twitter are, in fact, quite useful channels for social media (just like blogs), but they are not all-encompassing of social media. Social media is more of a comprehensive movement -- one that embraces clear, conversational two-way communication over the previous standard jargon-filled, pompous writing of corporate America.
Facebook and Twitter were born out of the need for channels that would enable that type of communication; but it's infinitely more important to understand the concept (and the benefits) social media presents.
The book's name dervies from a quote from a veteran of a firm that free-fell out of the Fortune 500 -- "The clue train stopped there four times a day for ten years and they never took delivery."
Admittedly, the book is not easy to read. In fact, in the foreward, the guest author says, "...this is no feel-good book. Though the broad theme is overwhelmingly optimistic, the details will make you squirm. This is an obituary for business-as-usual. It reveals how the Internet has made your entry-level employees as powerful as your senior vice-president of marketing."
I've said many times the book is hard to get through. It's one of the most audacious, pretentious and condescending books I've ever read. The entire book, I felt annoyed with the authors - almost a feeling of "...who do these guys think they are?" And then, at the end of the book, you realize they really were the smartest guys in the room. It's certainly not a pleasant feeling; but it's one everyone owes to themselves to feel.
And, although you can buy it from Amazon, you can also read the entire book for free online. That's how important the book is, and how strongly the authors believe in what they wrote -- you can access the entire book (in PDF, ASCII or html format) on its website: www.cluetrain.com.
The book opens up with powerful content: "Corporate firewalls have kept smart employees in and smart markets out. It's going to cause real pain to tear those walls down..."
The book then launches into its 95 Theses (I warned you it was arrogant). Here's a sampling of some of the powerful ideas discussed there:
1. Markets are conversations.
2. Markets consist of human beings, not demographic sectors.
16. Companies that speak in the language of the pitch are no longer speaking to anyone.
17. Companies that assume online markets are the same markets that used to watch their ads on television are kidding themselves.
40. Companies that do not belong to a community of discourse will die.
45. Intranets naturally tend to route around boredom.
52. Paranoia kills conversation. But lack of open conversation kills companies.
74. We are immune to advertising. Just forget it.
94. To traditional corporations, networked conversations may appear confused, may sound confusing. But, we are organizing faster than they are. We have better tools, more new ideas, no rules to slow us down.
95. We are waking up and linking to each other. We are watching. But we are not waiting.
The book is about 180 pages long, and each page, basically, begs companies (and marketing professionals) to change the way they communicate -- with their customers and with their colleagues. There are seven LONG chapters that - as stated above - are fairly difficult to get through; but the end result is worth it.
To put the book's impact into perspective, here's a brief list of the services launched AFTER Cluetrain:
- Wikipedia
- Second Life
- MySpace
- iTunes
- Flickr
- World of Warcraft
- YouTube
- Podcasts
Smart companies have already adopted what the authors recommended; for some companies, there may still be time to salvage their operations; for others, it's already too late (something the recent recession probably accelerated).
Wednesday, May 5, 2010
Top 5 Books for Communicators (and Business People) - #3
So, for the #3 book, we're going to go *way* back to 2006 (seemingly an eternity ago for communications theory). While this isn't the oldest book on the list (we'll actually get to that one when we hit the #1 book next week), the #3 book -- Naked Conversations -- is still a landmark book in the field of social media.
Authored by Robert Scoble (one of the early adopters of social media, and still a frequent blogger at scobleizer.com) and Shel Israel (who penned the #5 book on this list), Naked Conversations is one of the first books to analyze the impact blogging can have on a business.
Two quick asides: First, as you look at Robert Scoble's blog, you're struck by how ... stark ... it is. There's no flash, no intricate designs. It's done (I think) on Wordpress, and it's a great reminder that even today, content is kind. When Scoble posts, people read (most bloggers would kill to get 1/10th his traffic). In the end, it doesn't matter what cool things you have on your website; people are drawn to killer content.
Second, I think an awful lot of people throw the term "social media" around, expecting that it just refers to the channels (Facebook, blogs, etc.). While those channels are certainly included, I think a hallmark of social media is also the transformation from more formal communication to more conversational - and, blogs do that really well. Still, social media includes more than just Facebook, Twitter and blogging. The key word there is "social."
On to Naked Conversations. One of the key messages of the book is that people don't trust big companies. The first company cited is Microsoft, which - for many years - was termed "the Evil Empire." In more recent years, the fervor around that nickname has died down considerably; program manager Joshua Allen, Microsoft's first blogger, attributes blogging as having had the most impact on that shift in perception.
Once Allen began blogging, his boss received an internal email demanding he be fired. This request would continue. All were ignored. When the number of bloggers reached 15, Legal started worrying. By March 2005, there were 1500 active bloggers at Microsoft. "Legal is still worrying," Allen says., "but we haven't had anyone do something so incredibly stupid that it required a blogging policy and none has ever been issued."
This all goes back to primary tenet of blogging -- people will not do stupid things just because they have new tools. Throughout history, new tools have been routinely introduced; smart people don't suddenly do dumb things because of that.
In the book, a total of six characteristics are identified, and referred to as the "Six Pillars of Blogging." Although some communication channels exist that have some of these; none have all, besides blogging (and, probably, micro-blogging, as well):
Like most of the books on my list, this book is chock full of great, real-life examples. You can read about large businesses, small businesses and how they blog and the impact those blogs have had on their success. You get to read about companies that don't do it correctly (and how the impact *that* has). There are no rules to blogging (as of yet), but there are certainly accepted best practices -- and you get to see many of them through this book.
Naked Conversations wasn't groundbreaking - the authors admit as much in the Introduction to the book. They readily admit that, quite a few years earlier, another book had laid much of the groundwork towards this transformation (and that book is still coming on the countdown ...), but this was one of the first books to be written during the rise in popularity of the blog; and when a number of companies were in the process of starting to include blogs in their corporate strategies (for external audiences; even now, many companies don't see the value of blogging internally, regrettably).
For example, here are three images (from 2006, 2007, 2008) that show the rise in popularity of blogs. You can see, clearly, from 2004-2006, there was a marked increase in the number of blogs created daily and the cumulative number of blogs. While there are still a great number being created each day, the rampant increase has slowed slightly.
It's no surprise this book was written when it was - companies were searching for a knowledgeable voice to lead them, and they found it. What's great is that the guidelines and examples presented in this book are still applicable today. There's a reason this is #3 on the list, and it's a must-have for any communicator.
Authored by Robert Scoble (one of the early adopters of social media, and still a frequent blogger at scobleizer.com) and Shel Israel (who penned the #5 book on this list), Naked Conversations is one of the first books to analyze the impact blogging can have on a business.
Two quick asides: First, as you look at Robert Scoble's blog, you're struck by how ... stark ... it is. There's no flash, no intricate designs. It's done (I think) on Wordpress, and it's a great reminder that even today, content is kind. When Scoble posts, people read (most bloggers would kill to get 1/10th his traffic). In the end, it doesn't matter what cool things you have on your website; people are drawn to killer content.
Second, I think an awful lot of people throw the term "social media" around, expecting that it just refers to the channels (Facebook, blogs, etc.). While those channels are certainly included, I think a hallmark of social media is also the transformation from more formal communication to more conversational - and, blogs do that really well. Still, social media includes more than just Facebook, Twitter and blogging. The key word there is "social."
On to Naked Conversations. One of the key messages of the book is that people don't trust big companies. The first company cited is Microsoft, which - for many years - was termed "the Evil Empire." In more recent years, the fervor around that nickname has died down considerably; program manager Joshua Allen, Microsoft's first blogger, attributes blogging as having had the most impact on that shift in perception.
Once Allen began blogging, his boss received an internal email demanding he be fired. This request would continue. All were ignored. When the number of bloggers reached 15, Legal started worrying. By March 2005, there were 1500 active bloggers at Microsoft. "Legal is still worrying," Allen says., "but we haven't had anyone do something so incredibly stupid that it required a blogging policy and none has ever been issued."
This all goes back to primary tenet of blogging -- people will not do stupid things just because they have new tools. Throughout history, new tools have been routinely introduced; smart people don't suddenly do dumb things because of that.
In the book, a total of six characteristics are identified, and referred to as the "Six Pillars of Blogging." Although some communication channels exist that have some of these; none have all, besides blogging (and, probably, micro-blogging, as well):
- Publishable (anyone can publish a blog; for free, even).
- Findable (through search engines, technorati, you can find blogs by subject, author or both).
- Social (as mentioned before - the opportunity to comment and have one-to-one or one-to-many conversations simultaneously).
- Viral (information spreads faster through blogs than through other channels).
- Syndicatable (most/all (?) blogs have RSS enabled, which makes it infinitely easier to stay up to speed on what you're reading (shameless pitch - read my post on RSS)).
- Linkable (most blogs will constantly link to other blogs/sites to keep the information chain going; it's safe to say linking is one of the most important things blogs can do (and that helps with the viral spreading of information)).
Like most of the books on my list, this book is chock full of great, real-life examples. You can read about large businesses, small businesses and how they blog and the impact those blogs have had on their success. You get to read about companies that don't do it correctly (and how the impact *that* has). There are no rules to blogging (as of yet), but there are certainly accepted best practices -- and you get to see many of them through this book.
Naked Conversations wasn't groundbreaking - the authors admit as much in the Introduction to the book. They readily admit that, quite a few years earlier, another book had laid much of the groundwork towards this transformation (and that book is still coming on the countdown ...), but this was one of the first books to be written during the rise in popularity of the blog; and when a number of companies were in the process of starting to include blogs in their corporate strategies (for external audiences; even now, many companies don't see the value of blogging internally, regrettably).
For example, here are three images (from 2006, 2007, 2008) that show the rise in popularity of blogs. You can see, clearly, from 2004-2006, there was a marked increase in the number of blogs created daily and the cumulative number of blogs. While there are still a great number being created each day, the rampant increase has slowed slightly.
It's no surprise this book was written when it was - companies were searching for a knowledgeable voice to lead them, and they found it. What's great is that the guidelines and examples presented in this book are still applicable today. There's a reason this is #3 on the list, and it's a must-have for any communicator.
Wednesday, April 21, 2010
Top 5 Books for Communicators (and Business People) - #5
The #5 book on my list of Top 5 Books for Communicators (and Business People) is also the newest one on the list:
Twitterville, by Shel Israel
Before reading this book, I was quite undecided on the purpose/use of Twitter as a business tool. I certainly saw the use as a general information tool (and, I'll admit I've used it to 'follow' celebrities, all of whom have mobile devices and use the tool as a way to stay "in touch" with fans).
But, I didn't think there was much hope for the tool in the business world. It smacked of 'fad', and - maybe more terrifyingly - a continued devolving of the written word (something that has already suffered greatly).
Unlike Twitter Power, which I reviewed last week, in the Honorable Mentions post on this topic, Twitterville doesn't provide a step-by-step process for setting up an account and using Twitter. It assumes you already have an account, and it shows you how other companies have used the tool to their advantage (and, in some cases, how using it might have helped other companies).
The book starts by outlining how Twitter began; from the original company (Odeo) to the new initiative. It discusses Twitter's "coming-out" party at Austin's popular South by Southwest festival (SXSW), where it gained rapid acceptance, as attendees used the tool to find each other and to share recommendations of which day and night events to attend.
I won't recap the entire book -- safe to say, there are ample demonstrations of companies using Twitter in a business capacity -- Dell, Comcast (which has truly embraced Twitter as a tool -- now boasting a 10-person Twitter Team for customer service), Southwest Airlines, Pepsi, Zappos (obviously) and even H&R Block. And, as I mentioned earlier, a nearly equal number of companies that haven't taken to the tool (or any real tool for that matter) with details of the damage caused by their ignorance towards social media.
There are discussions on using Twitter in b2b settings; for recruiting; and for branding; as well as an abundance of examples on the uses in customer service.
At this point, there should be no doubt that social media is here to stay -- as I mentioned in the first post in this series, three of the books deal with social media, specifically. The fact that newer, faster (and more comprehensive) tools are being introduced proves that companies may finally be "getting it." Unfortunately, the fact that this rise in awareness coincides with the worst economic recession has done little to make people believers (I can hear the nay-sayers now, asking, "well, if social media is so great, why aren't we recovering faster?") Sigh.
I heartily recommend this work - it's a truly comprehensive book on the influence of Twitter, and - while every tip/anecdote in the book won't be a great fit for every company, even a small nugget is worth the $16 this book will set you back.
Twitterville, by Shel Israel
Before reading this book, I was quite undecided on the purpose/use of Twitter as a business tool. I certainly saw the use as a general information tool (and, I'll admit I've used it to 'follow' celebrities, all of whom have mobile devices and use the tool as a way to stay "in touch" with fans).
But, I didn't think there was much hope for the tool in the business world. It smacked of 'fad', and - maybe more terrifyingly - a continued devolving of the written word (something that has already suffered greatly).
Unlike Twitter Power, which I reviewed last week, in the Honorable Mentions post on this topic, Twitterville doesn't provide a step-by-step process for setting up an account and using Twitter. It assumes you already have an account, and it shows you how other companies have used the tool to their advantage (and, in some cases, how using it might have helped other companies).
The book starts by outlining how Twitter began; from the original company (Odeo) to the new initiative. It discusses Twitter's "coming-out" party at Austin's popular South by Southwest festival (SXSW), where it gained rapid acceptance, as attendees used the tool to find each other and to share recommendations of which day and night events to attend.
I won't recap the entire book -- safe to say, there are ample demonstrations of companies using Twitter in a business capacity -- Dell, Comcast (which has truly embraced Twitter as a tool -- now boasting a 10-person Twitter Team for customer service), Southwest Airlines, Pepsi, Zappos (obviously) and even H&R Block. And, as I mentioned earlier, a nearly equal number of companies that haven't taken to the tool (or any real tool for that matter) with details of the damage caused by their ignorance towards social media.
There are discussions on using Twitter in b2b settings; for recruiting; and for branding; as well as an abundance of examples on the uses in customer service.
At this point, there should be no doubt that social media is here to stay -- as I mentioned in the first post in this series, three of the books deal with social media, specifically. The fact that newer, faster (and more comprehensive) tools are being introduced proves that companies may finally be "getting it." Unfortunately, the fact that this rise in awareness coincides with the worst economic recession has done little to make people believers (I can hear the nay-sayers now, asking, "well, if social media is so great, why aren't we recovering faster?") Sigh.
I heartily recommend this work - it's a truly comprehensive book on the influence of Twitter, and - while every tip/anecdote in the book won't be a great fit for every company, even a small nugget is worth the $16 this book will set you back.
Thursday, April 15, 2010
Top 5 Books for Communicators (and Business People) - The Honorable Mentions
This is the beginning of a series I've been planning for a while, on the Top 5 Books for Communicators (and business people in general). While they're definitively communication-related, any business person who doesn't think communication is an integral part of doing business - especially today - is missing the boat.
Accordingly, at least two of the top 5 are devoted to social media; while one is almost certainly the forefather of the movement. At least 4 of the books I'll be covering were instrumental in the crafting of my communications model (for which I received the Achievement in Communications Award in 2008 from the International Association of Business Communicators).
I chose to deal more with philosophical works as compared to tactical books; but, there are some outstanding tactical books available. Since I've relied upon many of those to hone my skills, I thought it would be appropriate to pay some homage to the best tactical books. Consider these my "Honorable Mentions."
Beyond Spin, by Markos Kounalakis, Drew Banks, Kim Daus.
This one may be more philosophical than tactical, but only slightly. It attempts to explain how corporate journalism (or business communications) differs from public relations. In business journalism, it's imperative that the information/conversation be open and transparent; not pumped up to sound like propaganda. Since, especially with regards to internal communications, the audience is the workplace, it's very important they not view the communication as being less-than-honest. Any gains made from the fabricated information is easily trashed by the incremental lack of trust that will build up in the organization.
There's a lot of high-brow information here, and the sentiment is valuable; but I think other books make the point a little more easily.
Twitter Power, by Joel Comm
Admittedly, I've read the first version of this book (and, to show the growth of Twitter, there's already a second version - the first version came out in 2009!)
We're going to cover Twitter more in depth in a later installment, but, this book does a great job of getting someone up-and-running with a Twitter account. It begins by discussing social media in general and then, identifies how Twitter fits into that landscape. Details on signing up, posting and designing a profile follow.
And, then, it launches into how to build a following and how to use Twitter for business and team communication. It's easily one of the best primers I've read on going from zero to 60 in the Twitter world. What it lacks (which is why it's an honorable mention) are case studies; real-world examples of how these tactics have worked. Even still, this is a definite read for anyone looking to learn more about Twitter.
The Truth About the New Rules of Business Writing, by Natalie Canavor, Claire Meirowitz
Admittedly, I'm slightly biased, as I know both Natalie and Claire - and, Natalie was one of the judges on the panel when I won my award (and Claire was the president of the organization at the time).
This is a solid book on writing, broken into a great format. It's a VERY broadly focused book -- with 52 "truths" (or tips) for writers. These truths are separated into different sections - self-editing, letters, new media, websites, etc. These truths include gems on "forget outlines - organize your thinking," "less can be a whole lot more"and "know your email dos and don'ts."
It avoids being preachy (no small feat!) and sprinkles in enough examples of how to perform the tips. Most of the tips are discussed in fewer than three pages, which makes the book easy to digest and understand.
Although there are no case studies, there are a number of instances of when it makes sense to employ these tasks (for example, the lead in to the tip on "Effective Messages Lead with Strength" is "Did you freeze whenever your high school or college teachers told you to develop a "strong thesis statement" for your "essays"?). This is authentic - something everyone can identify with - and certainly better than any metaphor. The entire book follows this same format.
Corporate Conversations, by Shel Holtz
I've had the pleasure of meeting Shel Holtz several times at various conventions. He's on my short list of people I "pay attention to." His book - Corporate Conversations - was one of the first I read when I was named to my position as corporate communications manager.
It was incredibly difficult to not include this in the top 5 - but, I think most of the top 5 books are more focused (which, almost became a barometer, I guess).
This book is completely dedicated to internal communications (although, many of the tactics are not all that dissimilar to the practice of external communications). He breaks things down into planning, tools, online tools, communicating bad news and communicating change. He preserves the identity of the companies he's worked with (and for) by attributing the "bad" communication practices to Amalgamated Pulp & Paper (a clueless company) and the "good" practices to Allied Gate & Fence, a company taking advantage of the fruits of effective internal communication.
Shel is a great author - he gets right into the information, without spending a lot of time trying to sell you on why internal communications is important, preferring, instead, to show through the plentiful examples.
When my last company needed to communicate bad news, I followed his guidelines -- tell employees first, deal with rumors, be candid and comprehensive, focus on the future and be visible.
Everything in this book is practical, hard-hitting and incredibly useful. It's a must-have for anyone in the communications world (and, almost certainly for any business person -- as Shel says, 'if communications is not a company's main priority, all its other priorities are at risk.') And, more than ever, today, internal/employee communications are even more important than when Shel wrote this book, back in 2004. The recession and subsequent reduction of benefits and increase in productivity have led to record-lows in employee engagement. One of the key components to improving employee engagement is communications.
For a tactical book, this is my #1 choice, bar none. And, although it's set up for internal audiences, I'd suggest all the information in the book is appropriate for external audiences, as well.
Next week, I'll tackle the #5 and #4 books on my list. Any guesses as to what will be in the top 5? Any books you think *should* be in there?
Accordingly, at least two of the top 5 are devoted to social media; while one is almost certainly the forefather of the movement. At least 4 of the books I'll be covering were instrumental in the crafting of my communications model (for which I received the Achievement in Communications Award in 2008 from the International Association of Business Communicators).
I chose to deal more with philosophical works as compared to tactical books; but, there are some outstanding tactical books available. Since I've relied upon many of those to hone my skills, I thought it would be appropriate to pay some homage to the best tactical books. Consider these my "Honorable Mentions."
Beyond Spin, by Markos Kounalakis, Drew Banks, Kim Daus.
This one may be more philosophical than tactical, but only slightly. It attempts to explain how corporate journalism (or business communications) differs from public relations. In business journalism, it's imperative that the information/conversation be open and transparent; not pumped up to sound like propaganda. Since, especially with regards to internal communications, the audience is the workplace, it's very important they not view the communication as being less-than-honest. Any gains made from the fabricated information is easily trashed by the incremental lack of trust that will build up in the organization.
There's a lot of high-brow information here, and the sentiment is valuable; but I think other books make the point a little more easily.
Twitter Power, by Joel Comm
Admittedly, I've read the first version of this book (and, to show the growth of Twitter, there's already a second version - the first version came out in 2009!)
We're going to cover Twitter more in depth in a later installment, but, this book does a great job of getting someone up-and-running with a Twitter account. It begins by discussing social media in general and then, identifies how Twitter fits into that landscape. Details on signing up, posting and designing a profile follow.
And, then, it launches into how to build a following and how to use Twitter for business and team communication. It's easily one of the best primers I've read on going from zero to 60 in the Twitter world. What it lacks (which is why it's an honorable mention) are case studies; real-world examples of how these tactics have worked. Even still, this is a definite read for anyone looking to learn more about Twitter.
The Truth About the New Rules of Business Writing, by Natalie Canavor, Claire Meirowitz
Admittedly, I'm slightly biased, as I know both Natalie and Claire - and, Natalie was one of the judges on the panel when I won my award (and Claire was the president of the organization at the time).
This is a solid book on writing, broken into a great format. It's a VERY broadly focused book -- with 52 "truths" (or tips) for writers. These truths are separated into different sections - self-editing, letters, new media, websites, etc. These truths include gems on "forget outlines - organize your thinking," "less can be a whole lot more"and "know your email dos and don'ts."
It avoids being preachy (no small feat!) and sprinkles in enough examples of how to perform the tips. Most of the tips are discussed in fewer than three pages, which makes the book easy to digest and understand.
Although there are no case studies, there are a number of instances of when it makes sense to employ these tasks (for example, the lead in to the tip on "Effective Messages Lead with Strength" is "Did you freeze whenever your high school or college teachers told you to develop a "strong thesis statement" for your "essays"?). This is authentic - something everyone can identify with - and certainly better than any metaphor. The entire book follows this same format.
Corporate Conversations, by Shel Holtz
I've had the pleasure of meeting Shel Holtz several times at various conventions. He's on my short list of people I "pay attention to." His book - Corporate Conversations - was one of the first I read when I was named to my position as corporate communications manager.
It was incredibly difficult to not include this in the top 5 - but, I think most of the top 5 books are more focused (which, almost became a barometer, I guess).
This book is completely dedicated to internal communications (although, many of the tactics are not all that dissimilar to the practice of external communications). He breaks things down into planning, tools, online tools, communicating bad news and communicating change. He preserves the identity of the companies he's worked with (and for) by attributing the "bad" communication practices to Amalgamated Pulp & Paper (a clueless company) and the "good" practices to Allied Gate & Fence, a company taking advantage of the fruits of effective internal communication.
Shel is a great author - he gets right into the information, without spending a lot of time trying to sell you on why internal communications is important, preferring, instead, to show through the plentiful examples.
When my last company needed to communicate bad news, I followed his guidelines -- tell employees first, deal with rumors, be candid and comprehensive, focus on the future and be visible.
Everything in this book is practical, hard-hitting and incredibly useful. It's a must-have for anyone in the communications world (and, almost certainly for any business person -- as Shel says, 'if communications is not a company's main priority, all its other priorities are at risk.') And, more than ever, today, internal/employee communications are even more important than when Shel wrote this book, back in 2004. The recession and subsequent reduction of benefits and increase in productivity have led to record-lows in employee engagement. One of the key components to improving employee engagement is communications.
For a tactical book, this is my #1 choice, bar none. And, although it's set up for internal audiences, I'd suggest all the information in the book is appropriate for external audiences, as well.
Next week, I'll tackle the #5 and #4 books on my list. Any guesses as to what will be in the top 5? Any books you think *should* be in there?
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