“It’s a wild, unwieldy, imperfect, and hopefully fun way to take a look at the wild, unwieldy, imperfect and certainly fun world of social media.” Mark Borden of Fast Company writes in his post today called Popularity, Ego and Influence – What is the Influence Project?

When Fast Company sent me an email invitation to join in, I must admit I jumped right on board, wrote this and thought maybe there ...]]> How do you feel about Fast Company’s The Influence Project?

“It’s a wild, unwieldy, imperfect, and hopefully fun way to take a look at the wild, unwieldy, imperfect and certainly fun world of social media.” Mark Borden of Fast Company writes in his post today called Popularity, Ego and Influence – What is the Influence Project?

When Fast Company sent me an email invitation to join in, I must admit I jumped right on board, wrote this and thought maybe there was something that was valuable somewhere, And, yes, I was curious about how far and fast influence could spread.

Just into a day or two into this campaign and the reviews are mixed. Take this one about how the Fast Company Influence Project turns off online influencers.

Right now, the value lies in a lesson for the “how not to” case study section. And, as it turns out that, according to this project, I am not very influential at all – at least in terms of getting people to click on a link about the influence project.

If this is all there is – a call to get others to click on and visit a URL – then there really isn’t that much worth reporting. After all, anyone can track URL shortener stats, retweets and likes or comments every day. Collectively, there may be some project stats that we can all use – or not.

When I first found out about this project, I thought there must be some kind of tracking code or program to follow a select group to see how what they shared what was important. Kind of like following seeds in the wind, seeing where they settle and watching how they bloomed and reseeded. Where does information go? Does it matter who sends it out? Is there a way to map influence for global good?

But, that’s not the case – yet. From what I can see, it is what it is: a click-through counter that measures out results as icons in motion with images of a person’s influencers stacked in revolving tiers.

Even with all of the negative initial reactions, I have to thank Fast Company for bringing the subject of influence front and center. And, I’ll follow the accompanying blog that covers influencers and their stories as part of a Fast Company feature story for the November 2010 issue.

How do you think The Influence Project will affect your relationship with Fast Company?

Image credit disclosure: thanks to Shutterstock for providing images.

The Influence Project, by Fast Company, is a campaign within a campaign. Fast Company’s 2010’s Most Influential Person Online-‘s tagline is you are more influential than you ...]]>
This will be one for the best-of case studies book. And, for me, it’s already fascinating to see how bloggers, social media thought leaders and internet marketers are spreading the word – in their own way – to their networks: email, blog posts, twitter updates and Facebook links have all found their way online.

The Influence Project, by Fast Company, is a campaign within a campaign. Fast Company’s 2010’s Most Influential Person Online-‘s tagline is you are more influential than you think. The link in this paragraph goes to my site, Barbara Rozgonyi on Fast Company’s 2010 Most Influential Person Online site as does this one. What happens when you click on a link from someone? You’ll be added to their sphere of influence and invited to start your own site.

Although the site is only a few hours old, you can quickly see the influence building for people who have major networks. All in the name of measuring influence – and getting your picture in the November 2010 issue of Fast Company.

Fast Company first contacted me about this project via a direct message on twitter on June 23.

The project?
A visual experiment called The Influence Project that will purely track how influence spreads via digital word-of-mouth.

You are one of the first people in the mix. As you know, influence is more than popularity, it’s affecting people. You embrace your community and you’ve created a loyal group of people that love to hear what you have to say and that you enjoy engaging with as well. You are in an influencer and we want you to be part of this.

From today’s email . . .

Check out the quick tutorial in the ABOUT THE PROJECT section and learn more about the guidelines, how we are measuring, FAQs and more. You can also follow Mark Borden’s blog about the project – http://www.fastcompany.com/1666288/welcome-to-the-influence-project An important note – upload a great photo and 140 character bio line for yourself since this is the only opportunity you’ll get to create this GET STARTED section. And, as I mentioned in my email last week, your photo will appear in the November 2010 issue of Fast Company mag along with possible coverage both online and in print.

Get started and become one of Fast Company’s most influential persons online.

YOUR TURN

Who’s who on your personal list of most influential people – on or offline?

Thanks to my friend and seminar marketing pro, Jenny Hamby, I can now say, “I co-authored a book with social media superstars.” Today’s post features an excerpt from my chapter. I’m the book’s LinkedIn expert.

Jenny’s the one who suggested I talk with Mitch Meyerson about contributing to his book, Success Secrets of the Social Media Superstars. Published by Entrepreneur Press, the book includes about 20 social media authors and will be in bookstores this summer.

Mitch is the author of ...]]>

Thanks to my friend and seminar marketing pro, Jenny Hamby, I can now say, “I co-authored a book with social media superstars.” Today’s post features an excerpt from my chapter. I’m the book’s LinkedIn expert.

Jenny’s the one who suggested I talk with Mitch Meyerson about contributing to his book, Success Secrets of the Social Media Superstars. Published by Entrepreneur Press, the book includes about 20 social media authors and will be in bookstores this summer.

Mitch is the author of eight books, including Mastering Online Marketing and Guerrilla Marketing On The Internet. Featured as an expert on The Oprah Winfrey Show, Mitch has trained and certified over 350 coaches in his acclaimed Guerrilla Marketing Coach Certification Program.

Mitch and I met up in Chicago where he presented a program on how to boost your sales with online marketing, sponsored by Entrepreneur Magazine.

Read more about Mitch Meyerson on Amazon. A talented author, coach and musician, Mitch also publishes the blog,Mastering Online Marketing.

12 Steps to Transform a LinkedIn Profile Into an Always-on Networking Hub by Barbara Rozgonyi cross-posted from Mastering Online Marketing

1. Use Keywords to Help People Find You.
Keywords are the search terms people use to find information online. The keywords people use to find you and your business might point to your profession, service, location, area of expertise or even the problems you solve. Optimize your LinkedIn profile with keywords in your headline, summary, expertise and your job title and descriptions.

2. Upload a Flattering Profile Photo that Matches Your Image
Worth at least 1,000 (maybe 100,000) words), a LinkedIn profile picture conveys your business image to the world. Are you casual, relaxed, authoritative, intellectual?

3. Write a Catchy Headline that Grabs Attention
Your headline describes who you are and what you do. This isn’t necessarily the title on your business card. Sort of a personal tagline, your headline stands out when people see your profile.

4. Summarize Your Talents into Sound Bites
The summary section is the place to make your personal brand statement. Given that attention is shrinking down into text-message and tweet-size sound bites, it’s important to be concise, informative and engaging. Use bullets to make your main points.

5. Cover Every Position for Maximum Exposure
Expand your connection potential by listing all relevant former companies and positions. Break up your current experience into categories like speaker, consultant and author to broaden your skill set. Then, people can recommend you for each individual position.

6. Route Traffic to Three Destinations
In addition to a place for your twitter ID, LinkedIn lets you list three websites. Consider including your company website, a link to your Facebook page and another to a landing page that collects database information. Use the URL or, better yet, a phrase that describes the site.

Check out six additional LinkedIn profile networking tips over at Mitch’s blog.
Find Mitch Meyerson on LinkedIn.

Preview Barbara Rozgonyi’s LinkedIn profile.

Add Your Voice to the Conversation

How do you use LinkedIn?

What’s your biggest question about how to use LinkedIn?

Learn how to leverage your LinkedIn profile into a powerfull business and social network.

Small Business Marketing Budget as a Percentage of Gross Revenue

According to Marketing Sherpa, Small organizations, small business, spend 11% of gross revenue on marketing. I said: 5-10%.

Medium organizations of 100-1000 employees spend 9% and larger organizations spend 6%.

From the report. . .

This chart reflects the economies of scale more so than it does aggressive marketing spending ...]]> I’ve been looking for this number for years. So, I had to make it up. It turns out my number was low.

Small Business Marketing Budget as a Percentage of Gross Revenue

According to Marketing Sherpa, Small organizations, small business, spend 11% of gross revenue on marketing. I said: 5-10%.

Medium organizations of 100-1000 employees spend 9% and larger organizations spend 6%.

From the report. . .

This chart reflects the economies of scale more so than it does aggressive marketing spending by smaller organizations compared with larger counterparts.
For companies of all sizes, a decline in revenue has resulted in marketing budget reductions and a shift to more cost-efficient digital tactics, such as email, search and social media. Organizations that have been required to stretch every dollar during this recessionary period are getting more mileage from these new media tactics. It is somewhat surprising that the capital intensive industrial/manufacturing sector is budgeting nearly the same share of revenue on marketing as the higher-margin and typically more marketing-aggressive business technology sector. For additional research data and insights about B2B marketing, download and read the free Executive Summary from MarketingSherpa’s 2009-2010 B2B Marketing Benchmark Report.

QUALIFIER . . .
For those of you [like me] who want to know who answered this question: 2631 marketing professionals

Because we work with companies who want to optimize their marketing spending, I’m wondering what’s in the 11% that small business organizations spend on marketing. When you add up your marketing budget do you include salaries, promotions, design, content development, advertising, training?

Stretching dollars is important for any business. Although integrating social media may appear to be cost-efficient in terms of time and investment, it’s only effective when the strategy matches the business objectives. Three times in the past week people commented [complimented!?!] me on my strategic social media approach. What makes the way we work with clients so different? The way we work is more about communications and relationships. Social media? That’s only a small piece of design. Small, but huge, when designed correctly.

What do you think? How much does your company spend on marketing? How does social media fit into your business objectives? Thanks for sharing your thoughts!

In plumbing the depths of my experiences archive, I remembered this presentation I created four years ago. Dual cast to a live audience in the room and over the Internet, the presentation covered the five keys to creating your customer community. First posted in 2008, here’s the outline with ...]]> Creating community: one of the biggest missing pieces in the marketing and PR puzzle. Whenever we present our accelerated marketing plans, we always talk about creating, building and nurturing a community.

In plumbing the depths of my experiences archive, I remembered this presentation I created four years ago. Dual cast to a live audience in the room and over the Internet, the presentation covered the five keys to creating your customer community. First posted in 2008, here’s the outline with 2010 updates. .

1. Discover who you are and how you relate to your community
Values + Communities = Core Business Values
values: how to determine your core values
communities: internal, external, vendors
business values
What types of communities do you belong to or resonate with – personally and professionally? Online and offline?

For me, my online connections become real life relationships that get nurtured and cared for at events like Social Media Club Chicago. When you see people frequently, you get to know them. Common sense – yes? What’s really intriguing for me is the ability to carry on simultaneous conversations face to face and screen to screen. What intrigues you?

2. Reveal how your community relates to you
Target x Questions = Answers + an active customer advisory board
current target market
interview questions
evaluating answers
Choose your top ten customers and interview them to find out how your business fits into their lives.

You [and your company] are who you hang with. So, choose your social media and IRL [in real life] friends and business associates carefully. Target your interactions to connect with people that bring you alive and make your more successful. Marathon runners train with marathon runners. Who’s running as fast as you? Who has a common course or finish line?

3. Listen to your customers tell your story
common vocabulary
case studies = successes
open lines of communication
Can you tell your story in your customer’s voice?

One client asked us to interview 43 people – that’s how many folks he thought he needed to hear from to be able to tell his company’s story. In the course of the interviews, a vocabulary developed, an approach took shape and a success theme got scripted. How do people talk about you and what you do? Last night someone told me I had the reputation of being very friendly and approachable – I treat everyone the same. While it felt good to hear that, it was also a call to action to keep being who I am. What’s your reputation?

4. Connect your inner circle of communities
who: customers, partners, vendors, personal
what: you do for them
what: they do for you
How do you fit together?

Some people never, ever, ever mix business with anything other than business. In their personal community, they’re more known for social, athletic, family or local leadership accomplishments than they are for professional pursuits. Social networking allows you to blur the borders and present a multi-dimension presence. How do your communities represent you? How do you represent your communities? How does your business get social?

5. Cascade communications in tiers
internal: inside
external: outside
online: on screens
offline: direct
in person: face to face
The most effective communication plan delivers consistent messaging to every audience via sequencing to maintain a visible presence in each community.
How do you draw your circles?

Image credit: Phoebe Svoboda for www.thesociallens.com
Contact Barbara about making this presentation to your organization or community at 630.207.7530.

Thursday, May 6th, 2010 — You may be proud of your social networking skills, yet you still might feel like an outsider today. You want to be accepted by others, yet you choose to do things that demonstrate your independence rather than thinking with a group mentality. Don’t be afraid to dance to the beat of your own drum. However, consider the consequences of your non-conformist activities before you undermine ...]]> What happens when social networking skills meet up with horoscopes?

Thursday, May 6th, 2010 — You may be proud of your social networking skills, yet you still might feel like an outsider today. You want to be accepted by others, yet you choose to do things that demonstrate your independence rather than thinking with a group mentality. Don’t be afraid to dance to the beat of your own drum. However, consider the consequences of your non-conformist activities before you undermine the progress you have already made. Source tarot.com

What would your horoscope say about your social networking skills?

Photo credit: Shutterstock.com
Disclosure: image provided in exchange for credit, which we are happy to give.

Today is LinkedIn’s seventh anniversary!

When did you sign up for LinkedIn? I joined LinkedIn on May 23, 2005.

Your LinkedIn profile gives you automatic access to the world’s largest professional online network.

Latest LinkedIn Facts LinkedIn has over 65 million members in over 200 countries. A new member joins LinkedIn approximately every second Half of LinkedIn’s members are outside the U.S.

Seven LinkedIn PR Resources for You

1. LinkedIn ...]]>

Today is LinkedIn’s seventh anniversary!

When did you sign up for LinkedIn? I joined LinkedIn on May 23, 2005.

Your LinkedIn profile gives you automatic access to the world’s largest professional online network.

Latest LinkedIn Facts
LinkedIn has over 65 million members in over 200 countries.
A new member joins LinkedIn approximately every second
Half of LinkedIn’s members are outside the U.S.

Seven LinkedIn PR Resources for You

1. LinkedIn PR Top 10 Ways to Become a Subject Matter Expert

2. LinkedIn Webinar for Office Depot’s Web Cafe

3. How to Answer LinkedIn Questions

4. LinkedIn 101 – How to Create Business for Your Business Presentation

5. Social Media Workshop for Entrepreneurs with a Guide to LinkedIn

6. Social Media Club Chicago on LinkedIn

7. LinkedIn PR Ecourse: Leveraging your Profile into a Powerful Network

LinkedIn PR 7 Day Ecourse

Name:

Email:

We respect your email privacy

 

Image Credit: 3D illustration depicting the Arabic numerals, which grew green grass from Shutterstock.com
Disclosure: Shutterstock provides Wired PR Works with complimentary image downloads to share with our readers in exchange for credit.

How has LinkedIn helped you grow your business?

The Silicon Valley Moms Group is criss-crossing the nation, partnering with fantastic sponsors to host events during which our writers and sponsors can ...]]> On April 11, I attended my first Chicago Moms Blog live event. Produced by Silicon Valley Moms and sponsored by Chevy, contributors to Chicago Moms Blog convened to discuss brands and blogs. Held at Hard Rock Hotel, a brands meet blogs reception followed the almost two hour discussion. Thanks to MJ Tam for organizing a spectacular event.

The Silicon Valley Moms Group is criss-crossing the nation, partnering with fantastic sponsors to host events during which our writers and sponsors can network. In conjunction with these gatherings, we host Twitter parties for our readers with special giveaways. As well, we are always adding to our 2010 Sponsor Guide; keep checking it for new coupon codes and offers from the companies that help to bring you the SV Moms Group of blogs! from SV Moms Chevy Sponsor Guide

As a mom, Chicago Moms Blog writer, branding consultant, PR blogger, professional writer, author, speaker and founder of Social Media Club Chicago, I found the conversation fascinating.

What I confirmed: it’s about valuing the relationships.

Both sides want to the relationship to last for more than a two paragraph review. But, you have to find the right match. And, each side has to get the right balance of value, attention and reward. For example, brands might offer bloggers a link from their site, behind the scenes tours, exclusive information or coverage on their site – in addition to compensation for posts and promotions throughout the blogger’s social network.

[Yes - I am open to being a brand-sponsored blogger/consultant.]

This is a conversation I look forward to continuing with my newfound Chicago Moms Blog connections – and my consulting clients. For more in-depth coverage, check out Chicago Moms Blog Brand Blogger Meetup Recap.

Could moms who blog be the new major media? What do you think?

With my Chicago Moms Blogs buddies: Beth Rosen, Duong Sheahan, Nancy Loo, MJ Tam,Connie Burke-Chevy, me and Jill Ascher, Silicon Valley Moms Blog founder. View more images on the svmomschevy Chicago Event thesociallens.com flickr set.

About the stuff. . .

I came home with so much stuff I needed a valet. A friend suggested I do a video blog, and that is a good idea, but my 15 year old unpacked too fast. Here’s a quick overview of a few of the 16 or brands represented. If your brand is missing, feel free to add a comment about how the event worked for you. Interviewing each brand about how they interact with bloggers is a possible future post series.

Garretts Popcorn
Small sample bags, which get consumed in, literally, seconds by my high school sons. Garrett ships, which makes a great business gift. I love cheese/carmel mix.

Chevy
Thanks to Chevy for being the major sponsor and for the plantable tree with seeds. Chevy is a familiar brand at BlogHer events and it’s good to see them keeping a high profile here in Chicago. Chevy Missions, a newer initiative, helps non-profit organizations.

iGo Charge Anywhere
Did you know that vampire power sucks? Vampire power is what you pay for when your electronic devices are plugged in, but not turned on. iGo has a wall tower for that. The iGo Charge Anywhere is a portal device with interchangeable tips to power up all of your devices with one unit. If you’re like me, you have chargers coming out of drawers, walls and backpacks. Here’s a way to clean the cords and consolidate charging.

ebay classifieds
You don’t have to set up auctions on ebay to sell things. You can run free classified ads. Local businesses can use them to advertise services or job openings.

Babies The Movie
Premiering on Mother’s Day, this movie tells the story of four babies. The first time I saw the trailer in the movies around the holidays, I loved the concept: track the development of infants in four diverse cultures and locations. Each blogger got a DVD press kit and information about the film, simplifying the review process and adding details. I like this approach.

1-800-BASKETS.COM
Wow! This company arranges some gorgeous gifts. Each blogger got to choose one to take home – I went with the chocolate.

Energizer® Recharge Smart™ Charger
Who doesn’t need more rechargeable batteries? The Energizer® Recharge Smart™ Charger features a slow charge rate, which extends the number of life cycles, charges 2 or 4 AA or AAA NiMH rechargeable batteries, and is ENERGY STAR®-certified. My kids liked the countdown clock that displays how much charging time remains.

litl
What a cool home computer! Here’s a clip from a recent review.

The first thing you notice is the hardware. It’s distinctly unlike any laptop you’ve seen. While Apple, Microsoft, HP and HTC’s industrial designs are abundant with sharp corners and monochrome color pallettes to evoke a futuristic feel, litl attempts to create a different impression—that of an analog appliance. And I mean that in the best way possible, from its smooth curves and pastel colors to the asymmetry of its two halves and the materials used, the litl’s physical form is both unique and wholly memorable. Source: Applematters.com

Want one? Take $100 off at litl.com/momdeal

Transportation

Thanks – so much! – to my friends Dawn Burtuca and Tina Bishop for letting me and my goodies ride home with them.

SV Moms Chevy Brand and Bloggers Meet Up Chicago Images
Silicon Valley Moms Blog Chicago Event Gallery on Lahleyoo by Eulalio Fabie de Silva
SV Moms Chevy Chicago via http://thesociallens.com

Full Disclosure

This post is an event recap and an introduction to products I think Wired PR Works readers would like to know more about. This is not a product review or an endorsement post. All companies mentioned sponsored or exhibited at the event. All products were given to me with no expectations or review requirements. Food and drinks, as well as free parking and coat check, were provided.

Tell us about your take on bloggers and brands . . .

Before you say “Wait – don’t tell me,” check out the UnGeeked Elite Video Channel at the bottom of this post. Thirteen people talk about what UnGeeked means to them. We got sort of a prelude in Chicago at “Using Social Media to Align the Personal and the Corporate Brand” conference in March in Chicago. That’s me with Olivier Blanchard.

Thanks to Cd Vann, the conference organizer and founder of SohoBizTube ...]]> UnGeeked – what is it and who is it?

Before you say “Wait – don’t tell me,” check out the UnGeeked Elite Video Channel at the bottom of this post. Thirteen people talk about what UnGeeked means to them. We got sort of a prelude in Chicago at “Using Social Media to Align the Personal and the Corporate Brand” conference in March in Chicago. That’s me with Olivier Blanchard.

Thanks to Cd Vann, the conference organizer and founder of SohoBizTube and both events, I’m a social media content marketing speaker at UnGeeked Elite on May 14 at 2:00 p.m.

From the press release . . . Soho Biztube Announces ‘UnGeeked Elite: A Social Media & Marketing Forum’ May 13-15 in Milwaukee

SohoBiztube.com is proud to present UnGeeked Elite: A Social Media & Marketing Forum, a three-day national professional event that will bring together entrepreneurs, enthusiasts, marketers, and social media practitioners from a broad spectrum of industries. This series of interactive forums will be held May 13-15, 2010 at the University Club in downtown Milwaukee. Throughout the three-day event, participants will learn about positioning your internal and external brand; managing inbound and outbound marketing efforts; facilitating online customer relationships; building strategic public relations campaigns; and monitoring social trends among clients and customers. The loose format will be “Take the Mic,” in which attendees are encouraged to ask questions and openly engage in dialogue with expert presenters. UnGeeked Elite keynote speakers are nationally and internationally known social media, communications and marketing authors, product developers and content management practitioners and experts.

UnGeeked Elite Speakers include Olivier Blanchard, Jason Falls, Dan Schawbel, Sally Hogshead, Chris Brogan, Hubspot and Scott Stratten.

I’m looking forward to reconnecting with Olivier, Jason, Dan and Chris and meeting other social media enthusiasts in Milwaukee. This is a new conference and will be one to watch. Will you be there?