Jeff Korhan

Facebook Tips You Should Know

Here are a few Facebook tips we were talking about today that will make for some light reading on a this Friday afternoon.

Facebook Uses a BFF Meter

In a recent update, Facebook took the liberty of keeping the flow of your friends' news to a manageable level.  I'm not sure if its to keep your little brain from exploding or to help Facebook manage the traffic of now over 400 million users. 

Here's the fix: 

1. Click on the Home feed in the upper right hand corner of your screen. 
2. Then click on Most Recent just below that.
3. Then scroll all the way to the bottom and tap on Edit Options. 
4. Now you can change the 250 or whatever is in that Number of Friends box to the maximum of 5,000. 

You can also use those boxes to Show More or Hide certain friends.  That's one way.

The other more simple and less mechanical method of ensuring all of your friends show up in your stream is to engage with them!  Make a post on their wall.  Facebook uses that activity to rank your BFFs  (best friends forever) for priority.  

Facebook Has a Sense of Humor

Not long ago when the iPad frenzy was at its peak, I glanced upon the above Facebook ad.  Holy crap I thought, they are looking for a select group of people to try out the new iPad - 52 year-olds just just like me!  So, I clicked on the ad.

Then it hit me - and I felt like a complete idiot.  Just as Facebook runs metrics to determine which of your friends are your BFF's, they are using the same technology to sell to you.  Pretty smart, huh? 

Now consider what can happen when Facebook combines all of this information about what's in our profiles with our friend activity?  Think of the demographic picture they can create for targeting specific consumers?  Every word you use, every post you make (..sounds like Sting), they all accumulate to create a razor sharp profile of who you are.  It boggles the mind to think of where this can go.

Facebook Isn't Vegas - Links are Public

What happens on your Facebook wall indeed is like what happens in Vegas.  It stays among you and the friends you let into your circle.  However, that is not the case with links, which includes what happens on Notes pages, such as this example.

This information came to me today via Google Alerts,and it really gave me a laugh.  My son had made a post (more of a plea) on Facebook in an attempt to get a free pair of tickets to a Jay-Z concert.  Thankfully, he represented himself well, because Google has now indexed that information, which means its here to stay.

Hey, I'm sure my son still looks up to me.  It just appears that for the moment Jay-Z is the front runner in his world.  This much I know - he certainly has a career ahead of him in sales!

There are a lot of people that freak out about all of this.  They are obsessed with privacy settings.  You can't fight the fact that there are powerful forces (search engines) - who are working against your privacy efforts.  Here's a better approach.

Just be a good human being.

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12 iPhone Apps for Small Business Efficiency, Learning, and Sharing

These are my favorite iPhone apps that help me as a marketer, entrepreneur, and small business owner. 

I have organized them by category. I hope you find a few you can use.  Most of them are free.  Please leave a comment to share your favorites so we can learn from your personal experience. 

The name of each app will link to the website of the application.  No link means the website is not necessarily complementary, and you should just search from the iPhone app store. 

Other links will take you to previous posts where I have described in detail how the app has been successfully used by me or a colleague.

Efficiency

Evernote - This app is invaluable for capturing ideas on the fly, especially for taking action on ideas from the Web.

Batchbook - You can save a great deal of time by having your contacts readily available on the Web.  Batchbook is my choice.  It is especially geared for those of us who actively use social media.  I've commented numerous times on how I'm using Batcbook to simplify my social media work - most recently to insert a form in your blog.  Use the Google search box on this blog to search for others.

It's one thing to access contacts from the cloud.  It's another to have full access to deals in progress and notes from recent conference calls.

Dragon Dictation - This is an amazingly accurate app for capturing notes when paper and pen are not handy - think bedside and bathtub!  It will transcribe your words very accurately.  Then you just email them to yourself.

Tripit - If you travel much at all, you need Tripit.  Just forward all of those confirming emails for air, hotels, and travel to plans@tripit.com.  It consolidates them into an itinerary that you carry with you on your iPhone.  No more scraps of paper to lose.

You can share your Tripit schedule with colleagues who may wish to meet with you when you are in their area.  In this respect, it is a viable productivity app too.

Learning

Google - The Google app brings in much more than search.  This is where I read dozens of blogs by using the Google Reader.  You can also access your Google Docs, Calendar, and most of the other applications Google provides.

RedLaser - Have you ever been ready to make an impulse purchase and wondered if the price was fair?  No problem, Redlaser uses a barcode scan to give you off and online price comparisons.  It costs a few bucks, but is much more reliable than the free apps I have tried.

Siri - This new and free app uses the latest geolocation technology and more to serve as your virtual assistant.  You simply dictate what you need in common language and it serves up appropriate options.  We used it recently while on a family road trip.  It helped me find a Starbucks on one of the upcoming exits.  Nice!

This is the future of apps on this humanized web.  Think of Siri as Google search, Google Maps, UrbanSquare, and Dragon Dictation,  combined with others, and all rolled into one. 

Jeffkorhan -  Are you thinking of creating your own app?  It is easier than you may realize.  I previously described how I created an app for this blog, JeffKorhan.com, so that you can easily access the latest on social media marketing for your small business.

Sharing

Hootsuite - This is my current favorite for using Twitter from my iPhone.  It is especially helpful for accessing your Twitter lists and hashtags.

Documents To Go - I just learned of this powerful app today.  My college roommate is an executive with a Fortune 500 corporation and travels the world to audit financial systems for his company.  He uses this app to have full functionality for Excel spreadsheets and Word docs.

I plan to use this app to do the same with a current project.  I'm co-writing a book with a marketing colleague and we'll be collaborating through Google Docs to hit our 90 day timeline.  You'll need to pay $15 for the premium version, but it is worth the investment.

Facebook - The Facebook app allows you to do most everything you can from your laptop.  And it's free.  I only wish LinkedIn would follow suit and add the same capabilities to theirs.

Typepad - Frequently I notice a typo on this blog while reading a post in the smallest room in my house.  Think privacy and you'll know which room I'm talking about!  Using a few keystrokes and some scrolling I can fix the mistake.

These are my favorites.  How about you?  Leave a comment to share your favs.  And use the buttons below to share these with your networks.

Photo Credit: macmuc

Upgrading the Images on Your Blog

Where do you get those photos on your blog?

This is a question that I get asked frequently.  Some of them I go out and get and others I take myself and make better with a simple editing tool.  Here are some practices I use that are middle-of-the-road at best, as far as technology goes, yet they are fast, easy and effective solutions.

Picknik

Picnik is a photo enhancement and editing service that can take an average photo and make it look exceptional.  Best of all, no skills are required.  Just upload your photo and click on Auto-Fix and 85% of your work is done.  If you wish, you can experiment with other features like sharpness and exposure to get the image just the way you want it.

While Picnik is a free service, my recommendation is to pay the $24.95/year for the upgraded account.  This gives you full access to all of the features, and that speeds up your editing and enhancement work.  Picnik also integrates easily with Flickr.  However, Flickr is owned by Yahoo and today Google bought Picnik, so we are not sure what the future relationship will look like. 

Creative Commons

Creative Commons is a sharing license that allows you to use the quality images of others in return for giving them attribution.  This is what I have done on this post.  At the bottom of this page you will see the link back to the owner of the image used above.

Creative Commons can be found on Flickr by clicking on the Explore tab and then following the drop-down menu to the various Creative Commons licenses.  These different CC categories can be difficult to understand.  However, as long as you provide an attribution link and not use the images for commercial purposes, you should be fine. 

iStock Photo

iStock Photo is a source for professional quality images that you purchase and own.  I like to have a supply of quality images for my presentations on social media networking and marketing.  So, I'll pay the price and have the right to use that image as I wish as I wish, which includes this blog. 

It used to be $1.00 for the smallest size, which is fine for use on your blog or Powerpoint presentation.  However, recently I'm seeing more images at $2.00, so shop around on their site for one that fits your budget.  Here's an example of one that I recently purchased for my post on 21 Reasons to Blog

Another service my friend Dr Bill Dean likes to use on his blog is Big Stock Photo. If you buy a lot of images, theirs are marketed as 10% less expensive.

Why Images

In my opinion, a blog post isn't complete without an image or video.  So, get in the habit of taking a few  extra minutes to enhance the experience for your readers.

Another reason is for search engine optimization - SEO.  If you haven't noticed, Google is indexing your images and videos along with your written content.  Be sure to tag them well and you have now helped your future customers find you on the Web!

These are just a few of the many resources available to the PhotoShop challenged.  That's where I'm at now, but in a few weeks I'll be joining the cool kids when I upgrade to a Mac.

Until then, to quote the musician Prince, "Take a picture sweetie, I ain't got time 2 wait!"

Photo Credit:  Arty Smokes

My 27 Favorite Blogging Tips

Ideas, Organization, and Writing (1-13)

Links and Tags (14-19)

Comments and Community (20-27)

1. Don't force an idea.  If it's not happening, that idea is not ready.  Move on to another.
2. Trust yourself and the idea will come.
3. Shorter is always better.  This means titles, sentences, paragraphs, and the entire post.  The more you work at it, the easier it gets.  This gives us a speedier read - pure content!
4. Everyone loves lists.  Just don't fall into the "list-mania" trap. Use it sparingly.
5. Complete the loop.  I like to have my final thought tie in with the initial one.  It feels complete to me, as opposed to being a fragment of a conversation.
6. Start in the middle.  We don't need a long-winded lead in.  Cut out anything that doesn't add to your story.
7. Write with a purpose. My formula is to tell a story that has a learning purpose. 
8. Break your posts into short and easy to read paragraphs.  A fast read is better than none.
9. Keep a log of ideas that you occasionally glance at.  As you know, sometimes you get your best ideas in the shower!  If you have already written the core idea down, your mind will fill in the details over time.  
10. Do it again!  Good ideas never go out of style.  If you can clarify with new information, you are serving your audience, especially the new readers. We all need a reminder once in a while to take action.
11. Change up your how you present your ideas.  Use images, videos, audio, and screenshots.  Try lists, a series, interviews and commentaries.
12. Get emotional.  It humanizes your content.  Just try not to rant, unless that is your thing.
13. Organize your posts into sections or categories to make them more digestible.
14. Ping.fm will post to multiple sites with just one click.  And now that Seesmic purchased Ping, it is sure to become even more functional.
15. Tbuzz creates a shortened bit.ly link with one push from the bookmarklet in your Firefox browser. Or you can use bit.ly to benefit from the analytics.
16. Linking to your previous blog posts encourages more click-throughs.  Set-up a Google search for your site to quickly find the links through keywords.
17. When your create links, be mindful of SEO (Search Engine Optimization).  Never create a link that says: Click here.  Use your keywords for the link.
18. Don't use a shortened url for a link when that link is invisible.  My reason for this is you never know if a link a shortened link will work in a few years if the company goes out of business.  Shortened links are for the social media sites. 
19. Tag your posts for your audience and yourself.  It makes finding a post much easier with that Google search.
20. Encourage comments.  Recently Chris Brogan asked everyone who had never commented to do so.  He encouraged nearly 1000 comments, which even for him is easily 10 times the usual!  This has to be some kind of record.  A very cool idea.
21. Read the blogs of people that comment.  It builds community and a greater depth of understanding.
22. Set up an account with Disqus.  This ensures your image and blog or website links are automatically included with you comment on other blogs.
23. When you get an insightful comment, write the next post from that idea.  More community building!
24. Build expectations.  When I started blogging in 2006, I blogged every Friday and included video. Now I blog daily.  However you do it, we just need an idea of when to tune-in to your channel.
25. Subscribe to blogs you enjoy with Google Reader.  Then embed that into iGoogle for a quick - at-a-glance view of what's happening with other blogs in your community.
26. Keep the faith. Google is always reading your blog, which means others will get the same opportunity when they happen upon that link.
27. Blog for your audience.  Show them you understand them, that you care about them, and that your blog is not about you - rather its by you for them.

  Now its your turn to share your your favorites with a comment.

The Only Writing and Speaking Tip You Need

Trust yourself and the right words will come.

We are Different, and the Same

Today I had a conversation with a green industry peer about how to speed up the process of writing a good quality blog post.

I had a similar conversation with my son Zak about giving his next presentation in his high school speech class without notes.

And to be honest, even though I speak professionally, I have to remind myself of this in preparation for my speech to tree care professionals tomorrow.  Yep, I get anxious before a big talk - and sometimes even a small writing project.

Learn, then Forget

Here is a post I wrote on speed blogging.  There are links in there to several other sources.  This will help you to build your skills.  But that isn't what I'm talking about here.  You can have all the skills in the world and still struggle.  You actually have to learn to go beyond those skills.  You have to trust.

If you sweat the details, seek perfection, and do all of the things you and I were trained to do through our formal education, then you still may fall short of your capabilities.  I'm suggesting you may want to learn to forget - not what you know, but how you apply what you know.

Here is a personal example that may help you.

Get in the Groove

I have some time this evening to practice more for my presentation tomorrow - and I will.  However, I am confident I know the material.  I just need to get off to a good start and I will be fine.  More practice is just going to wind me up and increase the anxiety.  So what is my secret? I'm doing it now.  Blogging!

I discovered by accident that writing settles me down before a presentation.  What works for you?  What will help you hammer out your blog posts in record time. It may be as simple as the right piece of inspirational music that gets you jazzed. 

Give it a try.

But more importantly, learn to trust yourself. 

My friend shared this quote from Mark Twain that is insightful and humorous - and true.

" I know my worrying pays off and helps fix things because any problem I worry about never comes about!"

Photo Credit:  WallyG

Back-Up Your Blog

Or risk losing thousands of hours of inspiration, perspiration, and motivation.

Today I deleted two blogs.  It was tough to do this because these blogs were my foray into the world of blogging.  However, both were specific to my landscape business, which I sold two years ago next week.  And while I extensively speak and consult to the green industry, from a subject matter standpoint, this blog is where my focus is.

Deleting those blogs was just as easy as deleting a document.  One push to get to the "Are you sure?" level, and then one more to get rid of them forever.  I did the same with the RSS feeds at Feedburner, which was equally scary.  Why? 

I just wanted to be absolutely certain that this blog - jeffkorhan.com, is here for as long as I'm on this planet, and maybe longer.  So, that got me thinking about safeguarding my inspiration and hard work.  After all, this blog is my legacy of hard work.

Back It Up

Do yourself a favor - back up your blog.  And then back that back-up to the cloud.  I personally find Jungledisk to be a joy to use.  Unlike other Web based back-up services such as Mozy, Jungledisk is a virtual hard-drive.  This means you get your data back within minutes.  With Mozy and others like it, plan on approximately 4 hours or more.  That just isn't acceptable if I have a crisis just before a presentation.

WordPress Back-Up

Sometime soon I am going to write a post that will give an objective side-by-side comparison of the blogging platform I use and recommend, which is TypePad, and the other one with legions of fans - WordPress.  I use both now, as I'm a guest blogger on several WordPress platforms.  I will write that post after I build a WordPress blog next week, which will allow me to objectively compare with the dozens of TypePad blogs I've built.

Let's first look at the method for backing up a WordPress blog.  (Click on both images to enlarge.)

This is step one of approximately ten necessary steps.  While it is laid out very clearly, you can see from the sidebar that you will still have to answer questions related to SQL, plug-ins, and things like that.  If you don't know what those are, then you get my point.   

Most important is what is written at the top of this screenshot.  "It is strongly recommended you back-up your blog at regular intervals and before an upgrade."  As you can imagine, you can actually lose all of your data when making an upgrade to your Wordpress blog, which is something you have to do to stay ahead of viruses and the like.

I covered this in detail after Mashable broke a trending story on a WordPress virus last year.  Here's my post recommending Wordpress users take action.

TypePad Back-Up

As you may have surmised, I prefer TypePad.  I don't have to worry about upgrades or viruses.  TypePad takes care of that.  Better yet, the procedure for backing up your TypePad blog is extremely simple. 

You push one button and that's it!  You are presented with a .txt file that you then save to your hard drive.  As long as you do that every now and then, Jungledisk automatically takes care of the rest. 

 
Furthermore, you can see it is also a simple matter to import your blog to TypePad.  If you decide to do so, please click on the banner on the bottom of the center blue column of this blog to get a free 14 day Typepad trial.  Yes, I get a commission if you sign up.

I suppose that is my reward for recommending a blog platform that will make your blogging life a little easier --

And safer.

What Social Media can Learn from Television

Television and social media are two mediums that share some remarkable similarities, and at least one major difference.  Looking back at the evolution of the television networks may give you some insights into where the social media networks are going, and how you can plan now for the inevitable.

Free Never Lasts

In the '50's and '60's, the early days of television, everything was free.   Advertisers paid for the programming that you received for free.  Then, in the '70's, cable television gained greater acceptance.  There was no advertising, but you had to pay for the programming.  And we all gladly paid for it because it was a dream to be able to watch commercial-free programming. 

We are still in the stage of free programming with the social media networks. However, there is a shift in the social media winds that tells me we cannot expect this party to last forever.  We are already seeing Rupert Murdoch pushing back on free access to The Wall Street Journal and the New York Times.   These are the pure news sites. But don't be surprised if some entertainment sites such as ESPN.com follow suit.

What about the social sites that provide you with news, entertainment, and education.  These include monsters like Facebook, YouTube, and even Twitter.  Do you think they are going to be free forever?  I don't.  The better they get, the more likely there will be a charge to use their service. 

Facebook now has 400 million users.  Let's say they start charging $1/month - and in the process lose 50% of their user base - which is unlikely.  They just picked up $200,000,000/month, or 2.4 BILLION dollars a year.  You have to see that coming, don't you think?

The People Difference

Social media is quickly becoming the medium of choice for many of us.  The news is better, the entertainment is better, and the flexibility is better.  Television is very inflexible.  It's one feed that you cannot adjust.  You can only turn it off or on, like an RSS feed.  And depending upon how deep your pockets are, you have only so many channels you can switch to.

Human beings love interaction, connectivity, and engagement.  For this reason, I believe some of the social media networks will be able to pull off much more than the television networks were able to. Nevertheless, it is a slippery slope to start charging for what has "traditionally" been free. 

I keep coming back to the human connection that social media gives us.  That's powerful, and I believe will be the critical factor in how the social media networks charge for their services.  You should consider the same.  You should think about what you plan to give away and what you should (or can) charge for.  Even if you never charge, this is a good exercise to get a better handle on your true value.

I guarantee you that the investors in the social networks are searching for lessons from television.  Look at your own behavior.  When the programming on TV sucks, don't you jump on Facebook or Twitter?  Social media is a powerful medium.  It gives us choices we didn't have before, and that raises its value. 

And You

Will you start charging for readership of your blog?  Let me rephrase that.  Would you like to get paid for the wisdom and hard work that goes into building a blog that delivers value to your readers?  Or is it better to repurpose that information into other formats that you can profit from?

I subscribe to about 20 blogs that I receive a great deal of value - and enjoyment from.  The more traditional looking they become, and the larger that subscriber base gets, the more I suspect they will start mining that subscriber base.  And those massive numbers are what will make this possible, because that will allow them to charge a reasonable rate that will still generate some serious income.

As for the rest of us, we'll have to continue making our income elsewhere. 

For me, my work as a professional speaker is my paid-for-programming.  And just like the better social networks, my speaking is part news, part entertainment, and part education, which is one reason I get paid for it.  Another reason is it is extremely targeted for a specific audience.

Nevertheless, be advised that the major players in the social networks are sending signals that they will soon be getting serious about monetizing. 

Just in case, maybe you should consider how you can do the same.

If you have enjoyed this post, consider pushing it to your networks, subscribing to the feed, or leaving an interesting comment.

Photo Credit:  Luke Redmond

Getting Your Blog Read: 5 Tips from 150 Posts - A Series

Build each post for rapid consumption by developing a fast-food mindset. 

Content is not king.  Speed is.  Readers want to know at a glance that they can quickly consume your message.  That makes the first visual impression critical.  Most readers expect to read a blog post within a minute, with 90 seconds being the maximum.  

1.  Short Paragraphs - My rule is paragraphs should be no more than three sentences.  If I get up to five, I find I can usually break that paragraph into two, or cut one sentence out and cheat a little to make it four.  My preference is always to break - even if one paragraph is only one sentence.  That one sentence paragraph is now a point of emphasis.  Here's an example: Haiti Reminds Us.

2.  Sub-Headings - Sub-headings help to give the reader a quick overview.  They show at-a-glance that you have taken the time to organize your material.  Often when I am writing and have that dreaded thought:  "Where is this going?" - I simply need to set up headings of 2, 3, or 5, and occasionally 4.  This forces me give the post the structure it needs to get it going places.  Here's an example: A Social Media Shift is Happening. 

3.  Links to Previous Posts - This actually slows down the reading process when those links are clicked on.  However, those bold links often serve as a form of sub-headings that provide additional emphasis.  Here's an example:  Writing My First Book:  A Fortnight of Lessons.

4.  Less Than 450 Words - If you are going to be a writer, you have to start counting words.  This is part of the language.  Writers don't talk about short or long, they quantify in words.  You can read 300 words in less than a minute.  Here's an example that is 350 words:  Can You Handle The Truth?

5.  Write Well - The most frequent, favorable comment I get is that my posts have a depth to them that resonates with the reader.  This suggests they are written well, and that takes time.  However, if you enjoy writing, you will take the time.   And if you take the time to write well, it saves your reader time because it will then read well, too.   Here's an example with a comment of that sort:  How To Be Where People Are Looking

I suppose the paradox with blogs is that they can be quickly consumed like fast food, while also being nutritious, meaning educational, too. 

I'll wrap up this series tomorrow with How To Use Variety for Engagement.  

If you have enjoyed this post, please leave a comment to let me know why.  And feel free to use the ShareThis link below to share it with your community.

Photo Credit:  Quinn.Anya

A Social Media Shift is Happening

It looks like we are seeing more leadership for paid content on the social Web.

Some of the Players

The Wall Street Journal set the the bar when they elected to charge readers for a complete read of some of their articles.  And I'll admit that after having to go to the library to get the full copy of one article on social media, I decided to suck it up and pay the freight.

More recently, the New York Times has announced that they will adopt a different, yet similar approach.

The most surprising one to me is Mashable's decision to charge $.99/month for the Kindle Edition of their blog.  This one is especially interesting.  Those of us in who are active in the social media space consider Mashable to be one of us - the free spirits who advocate, well, free content.  I suspect they are quietly testing the waters.  This makes me wonder if Techcrunch will follow.

What Others are Doing

Of course, the vast majority of bloggers like me are continuing to share our best insights for free.  Our challenge is to have a business model that supports this tactic,and there are a great number of methods for accomplishing this.

Concurrent with all of this  is the trend for industry associations to become content aggregators.  Industry associations are seeking content from people like me.  Once again, our decision with regards to participation has to consider how we will benefit from this sharing of our original content.  The nice thing is copyright laws are on the side of the content originators.

eBooks and Cable Television

The inevitable success of the eBook has turned the publishing industry upside down.  How they restructure their model to remain profitable is still in doubt  At the very least, it appears that most major publishers are learning that they have to get comfortable with a faster paced publishing market that puts more control in the hands of the content creators.

All of this gets me thinking about the early days of television - when we just had three channels to watch.  Imagine that? Then cable TV came along and charged for more.  However, in these days of media overload, I'm not so sure more is a viable approach.

Relevant News in Real Time

I initially planned to title this post: Is the Party Over?  You see, we have all been conditioned to expect our content, our news, in real time.  And we have for the most part found ways to get exactly what we want for free.

My Solution

Be aware of this change in the winds of social media.  Leave yourself a back-door to change gears.  In other words, consider how you can catalog and preserve the knowledge and wisdom that you have accumulated from your hard work and years of experience.

The best way I know to do this, while still continuing to build your visibility, reputation, and referrals through social media marketing, is to maintain a blog through a URL that you own - and one that has an identity that is clearly identifiable with you and your business.

This means you need to have a blog that is mapped to a unique domain that you plan to own for life.  You can do that right here on Typepad.  Wordpress is another option. Both platforms have their advantages.  Though, I've placed my stake in the ground here. 

And I feel comfortable that the likes of Seth Godin, Guy Kawasaki, and Malcom Gladwell are on the Typepad team.  I may not be the smartest guy around, so I'm trusting in their wisdom. If you need validation that is a bit edgier, add Paris Hilton to that list.

Photo Credit:  RalphBijker

Here's What You Should Blog About

What should I blog about?

This is the most frequent inquiry I get from clients.  Do you know why this is such an interesting question?  Because you can blog about anything you please, notwithstanding a few guidelines that were recently laid down by the FTC.  New bloggers are like kids in the candy store with too much cash in their pockets.  They have no restraints, and this presents more choices than most of us are prepared to deal with in short order.

When I was in middle school in the early '70's, what we called "junior high school" back then, there was a curious thing called an underground newspaper.  This was a self-published document of potentially radical thoughts or opinions, created by the students, that was naturally in direct contrast to the establishment - the doctrine of the school system.  Eventually a teacher would get her hands on a copy and then the excitement was over.  But for a brief period, the students all felt like they had a voice. And that was exhilarating.

There was a great deal of work involved in preparing an underground newspaper because we didn't have copy machines, or any other means of easily producing them.  These documents were typed on a traditional typewriter with layers of carbon paper to create multiple copies - with multiple meaning about 2 or 3.  Of course, if one was brave enough to sneak into the office and use the mimeograph, more copies could be generated, which naturally resulted in trouble for everyone until the culprit was discovered!  But that too just added to the excitement.

When you have to fight a little to have a voice, you cherish the opportunity and take full advantage of it.  What if you didn't have this voice that blogging gives you? What then would you be dying to share with your community of friends or customers?  What is your most precious and valuable message?  That's what you should be blogging about.

These days we have easy access to a storehouse of literary works that includes time honored quotes, borrowed stories, and a great deal of history.  But these aren't yours.  Is this what you would share if you had just a few opportunities, or would you hunker down and write something that really matters - to you and your audience.  That's what you should blog about.

Everyone wants to have a voice,and this desire only increases as one acquires more experience and wisdom.  When you get to this stage in your life and career, you only need to borrow from your own personal storehouse of information.  This is the kind of wisdom that can really make a difference in the lives of those who haven't yet crossed as many fields or stepped into as many rivers and oceans.  This is good stuff that needs to be shared.  It is your garden. You only need to nurture it until it is ready for consumption. 

And if you do this well, it will be devoured.

That is what you should blog about.

Photo Credit: Douglemoin

Writing My First Book: A Fortnight of Lessons

On this day I had promised all of you that I would have the first draft of my book completed, all 60,000 words.  While I have only 30,000 to my credit, I didn't actually get started writing until after the first week.  This became the most important lesson of this little endeavor.  It isn't that tough to write 5,000 words in a day if you know the topic well, which I do --- and you are very clear about the how the book will be organized and what points you will cover, which I didn't.

Nevertheless, I'm calling this project a success.  The first reason is I maintained my promise to blog about my progress daily, which generated some supportive and beneficial feedback from readers like you.  The second is I now not only have the shape of the book, but with more than half of it completed, I feel like someone who has completed an equal portion of an agonizingly large and intricate crossword puzzle.  Once you have the finish line in your sights, it is a simple matter of methodically chipping away to make more progress, which may occur in big or little chunks.  However it occurs, you get more excited about reaching the destination, and that becomes increasingly motivating. Incidentally, I don't do crossword puzzles, but that seemed like a decent metaphor - so I'm using it!

To bring this phase of my book writing project to a close, here are the lesson I learned, either on my own or from friends who were happy to share from their experiences.  I've included the tips, lessons, and suggestions that helped me the most, along with an occasional translation, as well as links to the respective posts, mine or theirs, where you can read more in the context of the complete story.  And finally, I have given attribution to the respective contributors for their insights and inspiration.  Thank you to all!

Don't Boil the Ocean  -  better to cover just a few key points well - Judd Hoekstra (via Ken Blanchard)

Tap into the Power of Visualization - Gilda Bonnano.

Get the Shape of the Book as Quickly as Possible - do your research, organize your points, and see it coming alive, all the way down to the font that looks right to you - Jeff Korhan

If you have to do a great deal of research before you start writing, then you may be writing about the wrong topic - unknown blogger.

Write with the Door Closed, Edit with the Door Open - Stephen King

The Trend is Your Friend - Despite setbacks, stay the course with what you know and you will arrive at your destination - James Dines

Write about your industry and you will find the big news of the future today - Frank Schulte-Ladbeck 

The Power of Intention is Healthier (and therefore more effective) than the power of a goal - Dr. Bill Dean

You Need to Keep a Balance - my wife Leslie

Everyone has a Book Inside of Them - Dan Poynter

If your book is going to be different, it has to be the one YOU want to write! - Jeff Korhan

This ought to be enough for now.  In a few weeks, when I'm back from my business and holiday travels, I will share news about the next leg of the journey - editing.  I'm sure it will be another collaborative effort. Until then, keep writing.  I know I will.

Yes, I would love to read your comments and will be sure to respond in kind.  While you are at it, feel free to click on the green ShareThis button below to share with your friends.

Photo Credit:  Hddod

Every Great Performance Starts Back Stage

Entrepreneurs and small business owners understand that the product, the performance, the end-game - whatever you wish to call it, requires a well planned back-stage effort. 

This is the one of the greatest challenges with social media marketing.  Before the audience or customer can enjoy the performance, which is the delivery of your product or service, a lot of diverse skills must be organized and properly orchestrated.  This is work, and it is the rare individual who can provide the necessary creative ideas, the technical skills, and a sustained effort to bring everything to its desired completion.  I know I am trying, but I am certainly getting a lot of help from my friends. 

Social media networking and marketing teaches us to build relationships.  It encourages us to make friends.  And the best friends are the ones who can not only help us, but that we can help in return.  That is my simple formula for a great relationship - in life and business.

Today I was not able to apply my creative skills to writing my book because I was busy working on the back-stage publishing details. I started the day as I usually do, getting the shape of my ideas together through my process of thinking, writing, and visualizing, and then meditating on all of that before I get to work.  This consumes the better part of an hour or more of my day, however, it helps me get to plan and shape the day for a great performance. 

As you know, it is tough to get your creative work done if you have a lot of little things to take care of, so that's where I focused my efforts on this eleventh day of my book writing project.  Think about it, how can you go on stage to perform if someone hasn't done a sound check?  You have to sweat the details if you expect to deliver the goods.  This is usually best accomplished as a team, and that is my recommendation.  I'm still building my team, which is 100% outsourced, so I did a lot of that back-stage work today to make tomorrow more productive.

Now, here's the thing - it is possible to take this too far.  As legendary sales trainer and speaker Zig Ziglar has said, "If you wait until all of the lights are green before you head to town, you'll probably never get out of the driveway."  So, clean up the messes that need your attention and get on with it.  Today this involved a conversation with my publisher, which is Booksurge, and another conversation with my friend Chris Heiler, who is also within a whisper of publishing his first book. Chris is approaching his book much differently than I am, yet the sharing of ideas with a trusted friend is indeed a valuable exercise.

The work of developing and sustaining friendships is an investment that takes time.  It is a necessary investment.  If you plan to develop a social media presence that will build and grow your business into a sustainable enterprise, you should give it its due. While I am tempted to look at today as a wasted effort because I only manged to write 500 words, I am now ready for a great performance tomorrow.

Take some time today to be thankful for those friends that help to make your performance great.  This is your back-stage crew.  You can get by with a little help from your friends, but you can accomplish great things if you give them support too.  By my count I had help today from eleven friends.  When I lay it out like that,  I realize today was one hell of a productive day! 

Photo Credit:  Ben Sutherland

Ten - A Big Day for Writing and Marketing

Over the last several months I have been coaching my son for his college entrance exams, packing up the "family truckster" to visit colleges, and generally learning a lot about the top business schools across the United States.

If you have been through this process you can relate to my enthusiasm.  Like so many other things in our society, the college experience has changed dramatically during the last thirty years.  This experience is more than a four-year rite of passage.  The process starts up to two years ahead of that, and I wouldn't be surprised if there is a tail that extends beyond the normal four-year education process.

In many ways, determining where you wish to study, what you plan to study, and where you hope to do that is much like writing a book.  There are many important decisions to be made, preparation is extremely helpful, and the work is never done until you have the prize firmly in your grasp. My son Zak and I are both in the same place with our respective objectives.

Today I wrote about 4,000 words for my book, while also helping Zak move his college acceptance process forward.  After a year visiting many schools in California, and still considering the University of Texas, the quality schools in the Big Ten are well represented on Zak's prioritized list.  I find it interesting that Ohio State and Texas, two of his top choices, are schools with powerhouse football teams.  Being a college football fan, this is totally alright by me!

Since this is Day Ten of my book writing project, I thought I would share something that we have been hearing from these typically big - Big Ten schools - that relates to marketing, and especially social media marketing.  "We are a big university that feels small."  What they mean is there are specialized programs that give students the best of both worlds - the advantages of being both big and small.  Everyone knows they are big schools, but what if you are looking for a smaller school experience?

My observation is they are delivering on this promise.  If you cannot find the major field of study you are looking for at Ohio State, the largest university in the United States, then it probably doesn't exist.  Even then, they will help you create a major just for you.  If you are interested in honors programs or international study, a narrower and more defined experience, no problem.  That is part of the curriculum too.

The marketing lesson here is to acknowledge the obvious characteristics of your brand and capitalize on them, while also addressing the perceived disadvantages.  Perception is a tough thing to change, but the power of social media allows all of us to do that in a short period of time.  You can not only use social media to this effect, but you can take your traditional marketing methods and adapt them to be more personal, and more human, which are characteristics of the evolving and increasingly humanized Web.

My favorite example of this, and one that I have included in my book, is this personalized postcard that my daughter Ali received while she was engaged in this process a couple of years ago. (Note the license plate - click on it to enlarge it.)   She is presently attending Indiana University and having a wonderful experience.  It is indeed a big school, but she has integrated well with her community at the Kelley Business School where she has made many friends, and that gives her that small school feeling.

As an entrepreneur who works primarily with entrepreneurs, I believe this creates one heck of an opportunity for all of us.  You can adapt to market influences, and you can quickly and effectively get your message out to that market.  You just need to think big, or small, creative or practical, green, or however you need to think to capture everything your company has to offer that is not necessarily obvious, yet vitally important to your customers. In most cases, this means taking a very human look at your brand.

Take five - no take 10. New media marketing is on your side.

Yes, I would love to read your comments and will be sure to respond in kind.  While you are at it, feel free to click on the green ShareThis button below to share with your friends.

Get the Shape - Book Project Day 9

Good research makes for a good book. 

We all ought to know that, because good research gives you a foundation to build on.  Research should never stop, because the more you write, the more you will remember or discover ideas that you wish to incorporate into your finished product.  This is something to be careful with because you don't want to mess with that foundation.  None of that research is of any value if you don't have a foundation to place it on.

Whether I'm blogging, writing an article, or working on my book, I believe it is essential to get the shape as quickly as possible.  This simple approach makes your book an original, and that's what every reader is looking for.  That foundation is everything.

If you have been reading this blog regularly, you know that I am trying to write the first draft of my book before November 17th.  I started this process 9 days ago.  My average day of productivity seems to bounce between near zero and 5,000 words.  To put this into perspective, there are approximately 65,000 words in a typical non-fiction book.

Today I had the opportunity to have lunch with a friend who also happens to be a leader in my target market - entrepreneurs and small businesses.  Scott heard me speak recently and had some excellent insights about my presentation, which of course are relevant to this book. My temptation is to alter my scope and direction, and I have to guard against that.

Who is the ideal reader you are writing for?   If you don't have a clear answer for this, then you may have to stop and give it a great deal of consideration.  Scott is indeed an ideal reader, but he also happens to know a great deal about social media, which is uncommon in my market.  I will seriously consider and probably incorporate many of his ideas, but I have to be careful to stay committed to the shape I have envisioned.  I will give them their due during the editing and review process.

Every day is different and you can get to a point where you doubt yourself.  Don't do it!  You know more than you realize you know.  This goes back to my comments from yesterday.  Keep in mind that any kind of research amounts to opening the door, and that can be a dangerous thing.  Remember what Stephen King said,  write with the door closed, and edit with the door open.  He wouldn't even listen to his wife, who is also an accomplished author whose opinions he greatly valued.

There is plenty of time to polish, color, and dress up that shape after you get it.  Check my earlier post on how to do this with your blogging.  Keep thinking - "done is better than perfect."  Put 110% of your energy into that. Know that it is not going to be perfect.  Just push all of your energies into that shape, and I am sure you will see the value on the other side.

Photo Credit:  DanielaNob

Day 7 of Jeff's Book Project - On Writing

When a golfer scores a birdie, it's a celebration, regardless of their level of skill.  If you are a golfer, you know that getting a birdie can really get you pumped up and lead to greater things on the remaining holes.  It can also lead to a loss of focus, and a horrible shot that is the antithesis of what you just accomplished.  There is an expression for this: No birdie ever goes unpunished!

While this may sound like negative thinking, the truth of the matter is excellent performance at the game of golf is difficult to sustain, unless of course you are a professional golfer. Most of us aren't.  Yesterday I scored a birdie with my writing project.  I had purpose, clarity of thought, and as a result, I accomplished my goals with very little effort.  It was a great day.

Today was the punishment of that birdie.  Was I foolish to believe that I could just write with abandon like Stephen King?  All I know is I'm committed to this project, and I will persevere, despite the fact that everything I wrote today took 2 - 3 times as long, and the quality is suspect.  I guess that is where editing comes in. You don't get a chance to repeat a bad hole in a round of golf; you have to let it go.  What's nice about writing a book is you have the opportunity to circle back and clean things up.

Thus far I have completed my introduction, chapter summaries, and the first chapter.  Tomorrow is another day.  Unlike Mick Jagger and the Stones, time is not on my side.  If I continue at my expected pace, I believe I can finish the first draft within 10 - 22 days.  My goal was to accomplish this within two weeks, but I blew through the first week playing around with the organization.  Now I have ten days to go until I have to be out of town.  Lets hope for a few birdies.

It is very common to score well in a round of golf despite not playing your best.  What do you do, you take that gift and run with it?  This feat is usually accomplished by gutting it out despite the obstacles. I can do that. Is it possible for me to write two chapters in a day?  Absolutely!  I can do that too. I could have written three chapters yesterday if I did not have other responsibilities. 

So, in the quest for whatever lies ahead, I'm committing myself to making this happen.  See my earlier post on intention.  My theory is the process should get easier. Hey, it seems to be working for Stephen King.  His soon to be released novel, Under the Dome, is 1088 pages. The shipping weight alone is 3.7 pounds.  That's not a book, that's FIVE books!  

If you are interested in how Mr. King pulls this off, check out his memoir On Writing.  This is a true account of how Stephen King's career as a mega-author developed, and full of his unusual wit. I first read this book on a flight to India in 2000.  I finished the entire book on that flight,with tears of laughter rolling down my face. BTW, he changed the cover from the original edition,which I prefer and is pictured here.

I'm not much of a reader of novels, but I have developed great respect for how this novelist tackles his craft.  He shares great pearls of wisdom in his memoir that are guiding me through this process, namely:  "Write with the door closed.  And edit with the door open." 

When you write with the door closed you are more likely to snag a few birdies, because you can get and stay in the zone without any conflicting input.  When that door is open, you will realize you are not as good as you thought you were, despite those birdies.  You are human, and that is exactly why you will learn what is necessary to make your work better for your readers when you eventually open that door.

Yes, I would love to read your comments and will be sure to respond in kind.  While you are at it, feel free to click on the green ShareThis button below to share with your friends.

Book Project Day 6 - Go With What You Know

This has been an amazing day for me and my first book writing project.  For over two years I have been blogging.  It started with posts that were nothing more than words that were laid down and most likely never read by anyone other than me.  Over time, those posts became more targeted and meaningful, not just to me, but to my audience - entrepreneurs and small business owners.  This learning experience took more than weeks or months, it spanned at least a year.

When you write on a consistent basis you begin to build the communication and presentation skills that work for you.  In a few words, you get better at connecting with your audience.  I began to develop my skills by by finding what my friend John Reddish refers to as your groove.  He made the comment on one of my previous posts that there is a huge difference between a rut and a groove.  Well said John!

Just because blogging has become easy for me doesn't mean that I can easily write a book, or does it?  This is something that has been puzzling me the last few days.  So, today, I said to myself:  "Look Jeff, if it looks like a blog, and feels like a blog, then it must be a blog; so make it a blog."  So that's what I did.  I restructured my approach to be more blog-like, and viola - breakthrough!

Here is what I did.  When I am blogging within the Typepad platform that I have become intimate with, there are a number of things that give me the right feeling.  I usually choose a meaningful title up front and write from that.  And I also have an idea of the image that I will search for, usually using Flickr's Creative Commons.  This is an awesome resource for high quality images that you can use by simply providing attribution to the creator of that image.

You may now be getting a visual of how I create my jumping off point.  When I get these two things set, I'm usually off to the races.  Then I just start writing and everything evolves from there. I attempted to put this into practice today but something was missing.  Hmm...?  As I sat in front of my computer screen, staring at some of the words I had written, I realized something just wasn't right. 

Here is the aha moment that created my breakthrough.  It's so simple, yet in some way, profound too.  Ready?  I wasn't quite into the groove.  Why?  Well, the font that Microsoft Word sets you up with is typically an 11 or 12 point font.  When I see that font, my eyes just glaze over because it feels like work.  This is the visual of reports, articles with deadlines, and so many other things that I am doing because I have to.  For me, this is the font of responsibility, not creativity.

All I had to do was adjust that font down to 9 points and, voila again, everything suddenly looked like a blog post to me.  That's all I needed to get into the groove.  Amazing.

How can something so simple be so significant?  My honest answer is I have no idea.  I'm just glad I discovered it.  Today I wrote 5,000 words like it was nothing.  I accomplished that in less than 3 hours.  Now that's groovy baby!

After years of teaching meditation, a practice that is predicated on developing new patterns of conditioning that lead to productive results, I should have realized that there is also a reason to follow and reinforce those patterns that take you to those places where you want to go.  I'm not sure if this insight makes sense to help you, but I hope it does. 

Human beings are an interesting species.  We are all the same and different at the same time, like individual waves in the same ocean.  If we are writers, we want to write well, just as every wave seeks to eventually roll onto the beach in its own unique way. The trick is evidently understanding how to be part of something that is common, call that an ocean of humanity, while also expressing yourself in a way you know will work for you.

Go with what you know.

Yes, I would love to read your comments and will be sure to respond in kind.  While you are at it, feel free to click on the green ShareThis button below to share with your friends.

Photo Credit:  Felix63

Finding the Next Middle - Day 5 of My Book Project

When you are writing a book, one of your greatest challenges is not just writing something that is relevant now, but writing for a period of time in the future.  The tricky part is you don't necessarily want to create the future, you just want to be ready for it when it arrives.  A publisher would put it this way: "We don't publish books for markets that don't exist."

What does this mean to you and me?  Believe it or not, if your book is to be successful, you need competition.  Competition creates awareness.  You don't want to have to create the market for your book.  You want to show up at that marketplace with something that is newer, better, and different from the books that people are already considering.  You just need the right product that is available at the right time.

Finding The Next Middle

The next middle is the pond you are dropping your bait into - your book.  It is where your market will be fishing 3, 6, or even 12 months into the future, depending upon whether you will be self-publishing or using a traditional publisher.  The traditional publishers know that finding the next middle is exceedingly difficult, especially when your book is on a topic that is rapidly evolving, such as social media marketing, which of course is the topic of my book.

BookSurge and CreateSpace are two entities that have recently merged, and will soon operate exclusively under the CreateSpace name.  In all likelihood, this is how I will be publishing my book, because it is a means of getting to that middle before it vanishes.  Another key benefit of working with CreateSpace is it is owned by Amazon.  Selling through Amazon is not necessarily a picnic because they take a big piece of the action.  However, it is still financially more lucrative than going the traditional publishing route where you may completely miss the market.

Keeping The Game Real

There is a downside to getting into bed with Amazon. If you really believe you can be a New York Times bestseller, than you need distribution through Barnes and Noble, which isn't going to happen with this arrangement because the two are rivals. This is a big gamble for nothing more than bragging rights.  Unless you are a celebrity, you are most likely better off to forgo this dream and just put the extra profits into your pocket - and books into the hands of your market - your customers.  

Yes, it really is a game. Who is my market?  How many are they?  Will they be interested in my book as much now as they will a year from now?  My bet is on the short term.  This economy demands solutions now.  If you have a good one, you need to seize the day. If you are an entrepreneur you understand this.  My market is entrepreneurs and small business owners, so my decision is uncomplicated.

The End Around

Entrepreneurs are dreamers, and yes, some of us wonder if we can become the big fish - the solution that everyone is searching for.  No problem, you can always sell out to the major publishers.  Everybody likes a sure thing.  It has happened many times.  The One Minute Manager, The Celestine Prophecy, and  The Fred Factor, which was published by my friend Mark Sanborn, are just a few examples of successful books that were initially self-published.  They were successful enough to attract the attention of traditional publishers who were more than willing to help carry the load. 

When the lifting get too heavy, let someone else lend a hand.  Move on to the next book.  You are an entrepreneur first, and an author second.  Your work is complete.  Now you can just enjoy the ride and get started finding the next middle. It's down that road that is right ahead of you.

Photo Credit:  Aikiway

Book Project Day 4 - Find That Voice

Cheryl Crow wrote that Every Day is a Winding Road.  And that is how my book writing project went today; just as I was getting started I made a U-turn. Something was bothering me about the road I was on.  Either that or maybe I had to see it in a new way.  So, I rewrote my chapter summaries in a new voice, with a little help from a 'new voice.'

The voice I imagined was this.  "Look Jeff, just cut through the noise and show me how to use this social media stuff. No B.S.  Lay it out for me.  I'm a successful businessperson.  I've been around.  I'm street-smart.  I don't need the 'dummies' version.  So, don't talk over me just because I don't understand this technology.  Talk to me."

That's the voice I had in my mind, with a picture to go with it, thanks to an excellent comment on yesterday's post from fellow speaker Gilda Bonnano to use the power of visualization.  What Gilda may not have known is I'm a huge believer in visualization, having suggested it at the close of a recent post on getting the most out of conferences and trade shows.  Nevertheless, we all need a gentle reminder once in a while, and this one was both appreciated, and exactly what was needed.  That voice helped me find the right voice for my writing.

Suddenly, I was in that special place where time stops because you are so jazzed with what you are doing that you are not even aware of it.  I was writing and reorganizing when I excitedly realized, "now I've got this baby in my sights!"  It is still out there, but it's not nearly as distant as it was yesterday.  This can only happen by getting into the hunt, getting into the race, getting into the game.  Whatever metaphor works for you, use it! 

Every day is a winding road, and it leads somewhere, but you aren't going to know where that is if you don't take a good hard look ahead.  This certainly works for writing a book, and it's sound advice for getting traction with your social media efforts too.  Will you be ready when that big whale of a fish jumps out of the social media waters?  (Yes, ha ha, I know a whale is not technically a fish. I'm nutting this out for clarity because a whale looks like a fish!)

Do you have your business in order to handle the work you are trying to get?  What happens if you get that dream inquiry and you are unprepared to respond quickly and professionally?  Then all of this work has just been play time.

Experience matters.  If you don't have enough of it, you still have to at least be ready when it comes your way.  I've said before that social media is a dangerous place to 'fake it till you make it.'  There are a lot of people out there with a lot  of experience that want to know how you can help them.  And they can spot a fake a mile away.  So just do your best, but know that social media a tool like any other that requires learned skills and consistent effort if you plan to get results with it.   

Now go fishing.

Yes, I would love to read your comments and will be sure to respond in kind.  While you are at it, feel free to click on the green ShareThis button below to share with your friends.

Book Project Day 3 - Goals and Intentions

Since social media is about authenticity, I have to come clean.  I've thus far only written the introduction for my book, yet my chapter outline and key points are coming together nicely.  The truth is I had a speaking engagement today and the audience (customers) always come first.  It was a small gathering of like-minded professionals with the Illinois Chapter of the National Speakers Association.  The subject was social media marketing, and the collaborative discussion we had stoked the coals of my mind. 

By my calculation, I'm about 7,000 words behind schedule.  Add another 4,000 words to that for what I had already planned for tomorrow, and I can see I've got my work cut out for me.  For some reason I'm not stressed out because the script for how this film will play out is getting tighter and more clear. In fact, a conversation I had today with my friend and client Dr. Bill Dean has been especially helpful with that. 

While I have been helping Bill to ramp up his social media presence, he is helping me in kind with creative insights from entirely new angles.  That is what I love about social media.  It reflects how things work in this social world we call life.  I suppose before social media we didn't really consider how much we learn from those who are part of our team. 

Bill recently made a post about The Energy Technology of Intention.  He has some fascinating insights about how you can not only improve your health by understanding how the energy of the human species works, but you can also use this knowledge to achieve more in your work.  Great, now we are speaking my language.  It seems it is important to know where I am going with this project, yet also equally important to let go of exactly how I will achieve that goal.  In other words - Chill Jeff! 

So, I will keep an iron hand on the tiller and stay the course with confidence that I can achieve my intended goal,  because now I have science behind me.  That is comforting.  I've always believed that success is a by-product of confidently working your craft.

Tomorrow is a clean slate with no distractions.  At least none that I know of at this time.

I'm predicting big things tomorrow.  And I need sleep.  So, I'm going to turn the page on this day and take my intention to that social network where just about anything is possible.  And when I wake up, I'll type it up.  Yes, I guess intentions do manifest themselves into goals.  I can see it well, and the next steps are right in front of me.

Photo Credit:  Eric Brian Ouano

Book Writing Project Day 2 - How to Be Different

Research is not a part of the writing process that I particularly enjoy, but it is absolutely necessary.  You have to do it, do it well, and do most of it before you get started.  I'm realizing I may only have done an average effort with it, and as a result, I have lost a day of writing.

I'm not too worried about this because I know it is better to start well and build momentum, rather than muddling through a faulty premise.   To put it bluntly, you need a razor sharp statement about why your book is different.  Your audience has to know without hesitation that your book is the answer to a problem they have that is worth solving.  That is, of course, if your book is targeted to a business audience.

One purpose of my book is to cut through all of the B.S. of social media.  Sometimes I wonder if God didn't invent social media to see how we would use it, you know, as a test.  There is a lot of power there and using that power well is a huge responsibility.  Some people are not trying to abuse that power, they are just clueless about how to manage it.  In some ways, this is a lot like the process of writing a book, isn't it? 

Today as I organized my chapters and major points, I realized I have several social media books in me - using social media to grow a small business, building sustainable relationships, enhancing customer service, increasing referrals, .... and much, much more.  I am so glad my friend Judd Hoekstra made a comment on yesterday's post that cautioned me to focus on a few key points, rather than trying to  "boil the ocean."  I really like that, because that's exactly what I was preparing to do.  Judd knows what he is talking about as he has co-authored several books with legendary business author Ken Blanchard.

Would you like to hear my great aha for the day?  For months I have submitted proposals to traditional publishers.  To their credit, they were much more approachable than I had expected, especially considering I wasn't using an agent.  My challenge was to sell them on my book idea, why it was different than anything else on the market, and why that market would line up to buy it.  I did an equitable job at this, as one of them gave me a verbal yes. 

However, now that I am writing solely for my audience, having elected to self-publish, I am experiencing a freedom of expression that would have been stifled by thoughts of ...."I hope my publisher agrees with this."  I know my customers, and I'm sure you know yours.  There is an understanding with them that you have that is beyond words.  When you know, you know; and whenever you have to check that against a distant third party, a portion of your message is lost forever -  maybe the most important part.

This may be my first lap around the track of book publishing, but I now sure of one thing:  If your book is going to  be different, it has to be the one you want to write.

Photo Credit:  PaperbackWriter

My Book Writing Project Launch - Know Your Audience and Yourself

How This All Started

My friend and the recognized self-publishing expert Dan Poynter, better known as The Book Guy, is known for saying everyone has a book inside of them.  I know I do, and I'm going to prove it over the next couple of weeks. That's right, weeks.

While I have yet to put pen to paper, in many ways this book has been percolating in my brain for the better part of a year.  If you are a regular reader of this blog,  you know I have been examining perspectives on social media marketing from as many angles as an entrepreneur can have - and there are many, many more to examine, given the millions of entrepreneurs and business owners out there.  I like that! 

Why are We Here?

So, it is that path that I plan to explore.  After speaking to thousands of entrepreneurs from numerous industries over the last couple of years on this topic, I believe I have a good idea what is needed for small business owners like you and me to take full advantage of this revolutionary marketing platform.   Naturally, having been an entrepreneur myself for over the last 20 years, I intend for this book to especially help you get business traction with social media in the simplest way possible.

The true purpose of this series of posts is not to just take you through the process of writing a book, getting it published, and marketing it, but to show you how bringing your audience into your personal world is a humanizing and effective use of social media.  Here's the thing:  since I'm not a social media guru, rather a business owner like you who happens to have a solid understanding of this platform, just following along is a likely way for you to learn from the perspective of another entrepreneur - me. 

I'm a regular guy who is writing for regular guys (and ladies) like you.   Suspend your disbelief and lets take a trip together.  What can you expect to learn:  how to use the power of intention for accomplishing a major milestone,  how to orchestrate a successful marketing campaign using social media, and possibly how traditional marketing methods need to be ruthlessly reexamined if you plan to excel in the new economy?   

Why This Will Work

The first step when undertaking a project like this is to clearly understand who you are so that you can build a system that works for you.  Putting that another way, how do you get your best results?  This is a vital consideration, and exactly why I am taking this particular approach.   

Here's what I know:  I work best under the pressure of peer accountability and short-term deadlines.  How do I know this?  From experience mostly, but there is also another way to gain some insights into your preferred way of getting results.   Take the Kolbe A Profile.  If you need help getting started or interpreting the results, my friend Jason Cupp is a Certified Kolbe Consultant who will gladly help you out. 

Back to the plan.  I will write this book, somewhere around 200 pages, plus or minus, within the next 15 days.  That will be the first draft.  I will share my progress, the thrill of victory, and the lessons learned from the occasional mistakes.  Whatever happens, I can assure you that it will be real.

For clarity, I have not yet written a single word.  I have a title that I am very excited about, especially since I have also managed to secure the matching URL's, but for now I will be keeping it to myself.  The process begins right after I hit the "publish" button on this post. I will write an average of 4,000 - 5,000 words per day to get the first draft done.  Then I have some business responsibilities and holiday travels planned.  After the Thanksgiving holiday I will be on a tear to get this book published in time to offer it up to audiences that I am already scheduled to speak to this winter.  What's possible?  Join me and we'll both find out.

How You Can Work With Me

What interests you about this endeavor?  Let me know by leaving a comment. If you can get involved with me, I have a feeling you'll learn a few things too.  Do you have resources or ideas that have worked for you?  Would you like to write a book some day?  Have you tried and failed.  Have publishers rejected you too?  Let's share everything we've got to help as many as we can.  Tomorrow I'll share some thoughts about publishers and self-publishing. 

Anything else?  Uh, yeah...wish me luck!

Photo Credit:  Libraryman

Speed Blogging - How to Write in Layers

If you are looking for a way to speed up the creation of quality blog posts, consider writing in layers.  The idea is to first get the framework of your post together.  Then you write it, shape it, color it, polish it, and finally dress it up for the audience you are targeting. 

I was first introduced to the concept of writing in layers by Dianna Booher when I attended her presentation at the 2008 Fall Conference of the National Speakers Association.   Her methods are geared for writing books, and she has written many.  So, if that is one of your aspirations, you can click on her name to learn more.

Here is the method I have developed that allows me to lay down a nice blog post in less than 10 minutes, and to refine it in less than 35.

1.  Lay Out the Framework - Your Idea Points 

Be clear about the purpose of your post.  Know where you are taking the reader.  This is usually 3 - 5 points, with three being the number that is easily digestible by most readers.  I'm a visual person, so I'll often graphically represent this on paper by three rectangles with my three points written within them.  Maybe the post will be three paragraphs, but I won't know that until I start writing.  But seeing the shape of the post helps me a great deal.

When you have this set, write out a Title that captures this in as few words as possible.  I find a title with a subtitle often works best for me.  Also, if you can use tangible, benefit oriented, action words, that is better yet.  Important:  Use common language if you want these keywords to be findable in a Google search.

2. Write It

It is well known that the best way to get better at writing is to write.  Whether you think of this as stream of consciousness writing or not, the approach is to start at the beginning and go where it takes you.  Your framework is those idea points;  but don't let that stop you from developing better ideas as you move along.  Write more than you think you will need, as you can edit the fluff out later.

3.  Shape It - Edit for Content

Here we go!  I often find that the good stuff comes to mind after I get into the flow of writing.  For this reason, do not be afraid to take paragraph 2 or 3 or 4 and move it up to the beginning.  After you do that, you will likely find some of the other paragraphs were unnecessary. Ruthlessly cut them out!  In my previous post, I talked about speakers "starting in the middle."  That same concept applies here. 

4.   Color It - Edit for Speed 

I believe the style for blog posts should be SPEED!  This means taking your paragraphs and breaking them up into no more than a few sentences.  Big fat paragraphs are not appealing to the eye, regardless of how well they are written.  There is even a name for this: AP Style.  Most news outlets and PR firms know to write for a fast read.  And guess what, the faster your content is read the more easily it is consumed by the reader. They will love you for it. 

5.  Polish It - Edit for Grammar and Punctuation

This is the aspect of writing that discourages most of us; but you still have to do it if your content is to be well received.  The method I use is to have a scratch pad handy and just write a few words and maybe a paragraph number to locate the errors so I can go back and do all of the editing at once.  As you edit, cross the notes off of your scratch pad.  You'll feel great about your progress.  This approach is especially helpful when you are working online.

6. Dress It Up - Insert Images, Video, and Links

Your choice of images, links, and multi-media content will depend upon your message and your audience.  I'm a big proponent of video because it enhances the message, and video gives you an additional presence on other sites, such as YouTube.  Of course, this also helps your SEO.  However, only do this when you have a solid, contextual message.  Don't do a video just to read us your top ten list.

That's it.  As I said, the more you write, the better you get at it. I wrote a post on How to Write for Blogs and Social Media last year that was very well received.  That information is still valid, however, I've learned a few things since then and this post is a result of that learning.  The final word is to make sure you are still comfortable with your title.  You will usually want to make it better, and then light up your post to the Web and move on to the next one!

What are your favorite tips for sharing your message with your community? 

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Photo Credit:  Bekah Stargazing