Step One: Admit You Have A Problem: I'm addicted to Business & Marketing posts and articles.

Step One: Admit you have a problem.
I admit it. I am addicted to reading and understanding Business, Marketing, Branding, Human Resources, Corporate Culture, Industrial Organization, and Social Media posts, articles, and documentaries. I read articles about image, and hiring, promotion, content, and costumer service. I watch TED talks about it, joined You Inc. subscribe to Smartbrief and CB Blog, and participate in all sorts of small business, entrepreneur, and relationship building twitter chats such as #RBChat and #MomBizMondays. as well as UPS, Dell, and Visa Small Business chats.
I know what you are thinking, what is so strange about that? I am just eager to further my career and "brand" myself. I would agree had I not been and continue to be a Stay At Home Mom for more than 18 years with no plans whatsoever of returning to the work force. I have not hired, trained myself or anyone else, served, promoted or marketed myself, a product or service in years.

All that being said I feel I can add some real value in these conversations, and have real insight. I listen, observe, question, research (via all those articles, posts, infographics), all sorts of people, brands, and PR reps about how they hire, market, and train. I plant ideas and prompts into conversations to see where they can lead. I listen to friends and family who are working, watch documentaries, the news, social media, and links shared on LinkedIn. I mull over this stuff for days, link and share that which should be linked or shared. I question that which should be questioned.

I am often a sounding board for ideas, and issues my working friends and family have. I give a different perspective. I am creative both in an artsy way, and the way in which I think. Sometimes I use this knowledge I have acquired to convince a school council if you cook and bake it they (aka parents) will come, and single handedly organized a pot luck for 400 people. I told you if there was food they would come. Oops, my bad it was 2 potlucks, 2 years in a row including giant media boards (10 of them) of school activities and areas of interest ( Just Saying....). Luckily for me in the second year Jazzy6178 aka Elaine was my partner in crime. This collaboration only heightened the flow of creative ideas, making Potluck Part 2 an even bigger success, and calling for a bigger venue. This included the addition of science fair projects, music by the members of the band and guitar club, and an information scavenger hunt (answers to be found on the media boards), for prizes donated by local businesses. 

More recently I started to share and interact on social media and this blog, which as you may have guessed, has done nothing but further my addiction. I am a sharer and linker in real life, I always have been. For this reason I have often played the role of the unofficial source of information; aka the knower of things. It is a recurring theme in all parts of my life both personal and professional. So many of the lessons learned in life apply perfectly to the business world, because in the end it all comes down to people.
Step One: Admit you have a problem.

Some interesting Links:
Smart Brief - SmartBlog on Social Media 
YouInc.com Blog
Jeff Bullas,com
Collective Bias CB Blog
Ted Talks 
If you have some great blogs, websites, or links to feed my addiction please share them with me in the comments section. Thanks for visiting! 

Yep, me Cathy thinking out loud about stuff.

I told two friends, and they told two friends, and so on.....

I know this is going to sounds silly, even before the words are typed, but I think about it so what better place to talk about it than here. The truth is we have insight into people through their actions, or lack of actions, including social media following, and interaction.

 I know it is not about the numbers, and who follows you or not. I know it should not matter if someone or a brand follows back, or interacts. I know that expecting a hello that is no way related to a promo, contest, or twitter party is probably unreasonable. Clearly brands have an agenda, as do the bloggers that generate income from blogging, and those tweeting hoping to win a prize. Common sense says when following so many people it is hard to connect with everyone regularly.

I know I know I know.....but you know what? It does matter to me.

I had a conversation with my husband a while back about interviewing potential employees. He had been told more than once he was excellent at interviewing. So I asked why do you think that is. His response was; when you genuinely take an interest in the person you are interviewing and you listen, you'll know the questions to ask, and they will share with you all you need to know. My response was "so you pretend to care", and he said "no, I actually care what they have to say". It seemed a bit forced to me, but after thinking about I realize it really is as simple as choosing to care. It is through taking a genuine interest that you listen and can then ask the questions that matter, then determining if this person will be a good fit. Clever man, I knew I married him for some reason. 

The point I am trying to make is by genuinely taking an interest in someone as a person not just as a means to an end, you get all the information you need, and generally a happy ending. I make it a point to try to share information, and to promote brands and bloggers I like. I really make an effort to read posts, and interact just to say hello, or "loved your post", not just enter the contests. I follow many not because I want to read tons of pitches and marketing blurbs all day long, I follow them despite that. I am sure that many follow me despite the volume of tweets (I tweet a lot, no question) and the multitude of subjects I tweet about. I appreciate when people, bloggers, and brands follow and interact with me on a personal level even if much of what I tweet does not fit their niche. It matters to me, and in turn I am very loyal to those who take the time. They are proof that it is possible for even very big and popular people, bloggers, and brands to follow and interact in a meaningful way. To those who do Thanks, and to those who don't you should.

I think we all want to be more than a number or sale or stat. I'm not a contester (but I do enter lots of contests) and participate and in twitter parties. I am not a brand ambassador but I do share and support brands. What I am is in a position to interact and promote the brands and bloggers that are genuine and I feel good about. If I reach out to someone to say hi, or answer a question asked I am in a position to maybe add value in some way. I am most definitely am in a position to make purchasing decisions about the majority of items bought for my family. 

OK so what? What does that mean and who cares? Well the thing is social media is a way to have two way interactions with brands, bloggers, and people in general. It is from these interactions that I form an impression. I make decisions about what I purchase based on these experiences and interactions. I decide who will get my valuable time from these impressions. Further more in my life outside of social media, I share the good and bad experiences and impressions with friends and family, and listen to the experiences they share. They too make decisions on the information shared. Then like Faberge Shampoo commercial from the 80's (dating myself here) "I told two friends ... and they told two friends, so on". So even just from a pure marketing and sales point it pays to take the time to say hello, and maybe get to know that person who tweets a lot about all sorts of things. 

I recently came across this post (Jan. 2014) I am adding this link because I think the principles speak to some of what I am trying to say. Four Dale Carnegie Principles Social Marketers Can Implement

Yep, just Cathy thinking out loud again.