Are you ready to put social media to work and successfully integrate it into your organization? Join over 900 forward-thinking professionals and business owners who are rolling up their sleeves to get social media working for them. Over 34 hands-on, in-depth workshops will be taught by Top National Social Media Experts like Brian Solis, Mack Collier, Jason Falls, Joy Kennelly, and many more. Walk away with all the critical, new Internet marketing and communication skills and strategies necessary to apply the power of social media to your business immediately!

Bring your laptop to each session and experience hands-on demonstrations and interaction with all our instructors as they share step-by-step exercises and real-world case studies. You will learn key concepts on integrating social media, online public relations, website design and function, search engine optimization, email, mobile and video marketing, and more. Everything you need to know to survive and thrive in today’s business environment!

Social Media Optimization Summits registration fee is only $400 per person because you are a VIP of Joy A. Kennelly!

Visit www.OptimizationSummits.com to find out more about the event. (Scroll down.)

Sign up via Joy’s VIP Registration Page to receive your discount!

Beyond Facebook, Twitter and LinkedIn: Introducing, Combining, and Leveraging New Opportunities to Boost Your Brand: Presented by Joy A. Kennelly

You’re aware of (and probably use) many of the new media opportunities out there to promote your message and brand; but did you know that there are literally hundreds more platforms out there that could be highly effective for your particular business and promotional efforts?  Imagine how much more effective your marketing could be just by using a few more of the opportunities out there; then envision the entirely new dimensions of success you could achieve by leveraging them together toward an exponentially supercharged result!  Attend this session and dramatically expand your awareness and knowledge of the online promotional opportunities available today and what they can do for you!

You’ll learn: how to search engine optimize your press releases to make them appear higher in Google rankings; how to promote your efforts using over 100 online calendars and other great online marketing channels; how to coordinate and leverage your efforts across multiple platforms (including LinkedIn, Twitter, Facebook, Meetup, etc.) and gain the biggest possible promotional push and more!

Who Attends · Communications Professionals · Advertising Professionals · Marketing Professionals · Public Relations Professionals · Employee Communication Directors · Human Resource Professionals · Community Managers · Knowledge Managers · Customer Service & CRM Professionals · Business Managers

See you in Dallas! We can be reached by calling 727-784-9469 or by sending an email to info@optimizationsummits.com Help us provide you with pre-event information: Please be certain to use the business address where you receive mail. Please be certain to use the business telephone number where you can receive calls. Most if not all of our correspondence prior to the event will be done via email. This includes your confirmation, receipt, changes and updates for the Optimization Summits and tips that help you get the most out of the Summit. If you are completing this form for someone else please make certain you provide us with the email address of the person who will be attending so that they receive our communications. We respect your privacy and will not rent or sell your email address.

Optimization Summits With Joy Kennelly Thursday, September 16, 2010 8:00 AM - Friday, September 17, 2010 6:15 PM (Central Time) Sheraton (214) 922-8000 400 North Olive Street Dallas, Texas 75201 United States Map and Directions FOR MORE INFORMATION PLEASE CALL OR EMAIL: Phone: 727 784 9469, Email: info@optimizationsummits.com, THE OFFICIAL WEBSITE WITH A COMPLETE LIST OF WORKSHOPS: Optimization Summits PAYMENT INSTRUCTIONS: Note: To pay by credit card please register online, select the “Will Call With Payment Information” option and either call or fax your credit card information to: Telephone: 727.784.9469 • Fax: 727.784.7978 -or- Make your check payable and remit to: Multifamilypro 3013 Regal Oaks Blvd. Palm Harbor, FL 34684

To me,  it seems reasonable to believe that business/corporate blogging is something that may, to some degree, enable high-performance  and satisfaction at work (perhaps at school and at home also).     In my experience,  it would appear to enable many business people to do the following at least to some extent:

• self-direct how they markets their business activities.
• learn, create  and do better by themselves.
• do better by the world (after all, business blogs are typically hosted on the web, literally  for the world to see;  beneficial writing in a business blog has the potential to benefit a world of readers).

So, if you’re a business person, do consider business/corporate blogging in light of Mac’s review of  Drive: The Surprising Truth… )

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Daniel Pink’s new book, Drive: The Surprising Truth About What Motivates Us, suggests that most private and public organizations haven’t figured out what really motivates us. Mr. Pink says, “Most of us believe that the best way to motivate ourselves and others is with external rewards like money – the carrot-and-stick approach.” He says that this strategy is no longer relevant in today’s business environment.

Mr. Pink clearly states that while the carrot-and-stick approach worked in the twentieth century, today this approach is no longer valid. “Too many organizations – not just companies, but governments and non-profits as well – still operate from assumptions about human potential and individual performance that are outdated, unexamined and rooted more in folklore than in science” according to the author.  

The author goes on to say, “The secret to high performance and satisfaction-at work, at school, and at home – is the deeply human need to direct our own lives, to learn and create new things, and to do better by ourselves and our world.”

Quoting from the author’s own website: “In Drive, he examines the three elements of true motivation-autonomy, mastery, and purpose – and offers smart and surprising techniques for putting these into action. Along the way, he takes us to companies that are enlisting new approaches to motivation and introduces us to the scientists and entrepreneurs who are pointing a bold way forward.”

Back during the earliest stages of human development, motivation was all about survival. Mr. Pink refers to this as Motivation 1.0. It was hunting, gathering and survival at the most basic level. Motivation 2.0 was developed during the industrial revolution. It was rules based and depended on the fulfillment of routine tasks culminating in a final finished good or product. Get the job done and get a paycheck.

According to Mr. Pink, Motivation 3.0 is about autonomy and self direction. Workers need autonomy over what they do (the task). Most people would prefer to determine how they accomplish their tasks (the technique). And the majority of people would prefer to manage their own time while they are at work (when they do it). Therefore, management of these employees should be less about overseeing their work and more about creating the proper environment for the workers to get the job done the best way they see fit.

The author believes that there are three essential elements to Motivation 3.0: Autonomy, Mastery and Purpose. Most people would like to be able to direct their efforts the best way they see fit. That means they desire autonomy. Most people feel the need to expand their professional knowledge and improve their skills; hence the need for mastery. And people want and need to know that what they do contributes to something larger…the big picture. That is our purpose.

Several months ago, I wrote a blog about happiness in the workplace and how research studies have proven time and again that happy workers were much more productive. I pointed out that happiness in the workplace had a lot to do with autonomy. Being able to control your time was an important factor to job satisfaction and happiness. Having control of how you did you job directly related to happiness in the workplace. Recognition for one’s contribution to the success of their organization contributed to making you a happier employee. Social interaction was another factor that contributed to employee happiness.

I have always thought the best approach to managing people was to give them goals and guidelines and let them determine the best way to get the job done. Micro-managing your staff will have a negative effect on the output from your team. Fear and intimidation won’t motivate your employees. Autonomy breeds creativity and frees employees to focus on the best and most expedient ways to do achieve their objectives.

Bottom line:  if you would like to become a 21^st century manager, then you had better see to it that your employees have the autonomy they desire and the tools they need to perform at their highest level.  Daniel Pink believes that profit maximization without purpose maximization won’t get it done. If you want to take your organization to the next level, you had better have both. And if more American businesses embrace this philosophy, then we might just get America back on track and gain back our position as a global economic power.

My website, www.boomeropinion.com is all about voicing your thoughts and opinions on the critical issues facing America. We are looking for any and all solutions and ideas on the best ways to address these issues. Feel free to chime in. You can follow me on Twitter at http://twitter.com@boomeropinion.

LinkedIn offers account holders, those holding free accounts and those with a  Premium account, the ability to automatically show Twitter messages in their status updates. And, if you use WordPress or TypePad you can have each new post show on your LinkedIn home page.

A Facebook Fan page can be customized and one of those customized tabs can be an RSS Feed of your blog. Also, an application called Networked Blogs can be added to the Fan page to add your blog feed directly into the Fan page NewsFeed. The same application can be added to your personal profile page as well.

As of April 21, 2010 Facebook brings in your personal profile to other social platforms and gives you an opportunity to ‘Like’ that page or website, which posts to your personal profile NewsFeed.

Your blogging platform, free or otherwise, offers you the ability to announce your new blog post to all of your social media accounts.

Slow Down and Think Before Connecting

Now that you know this, please don’t go changing each of your accounts to reflect the status updates of the others just yet.

First you must consider the reason you have each account. Here are some basic reasons most of us have these accounts:

• LinkedIn – for professional use. To connect with professionals in your industry, learn and participate in groups related to your industry, and meet local connections.
• Facebook Fan Page – for business use. To connect with your customers and potential customers, separate yourself from your competition and create a space for people interested in your service or product to talk to you and to others.
• Facebook Personal Profile – for personal use. To connect with family and friends, share personal stories about interesting events in our lives, post photos of our kids and pets.
• Blog – for business use. To tell visitors interesting things about parts of your business, service or personnel  that they otherwise wouldn’t know.

If you are using all of these for one use, business or personal, then linking them together makes sense. But think about this; If your Twitter account is connected to your LinkedIn account, then the next time you tweet a message it will show up on your LinkedIn status – is this what you want your professional connections to see? Really? What if your last Tweet was about:

• Your reaction to a lousy movie?
• Your spouse’s broken finger episode?
• Your dog’s reaction to eating brussel sprouts?
• Your reaction to your dog’s reaction?

Seriously. Please consider the consequences of your social media sharing and make sure you understand what each platform is being used for – by other people. If you don’t, you will lose business opportunities and personal connections. There are many people on Facebook right now cleaning up their Friends list because their NewsFeeds are filled with product or business ‘advertising’. There are many people on LinkedIn removing contacts because the status updates are ridiculous or offensive (imagine reading a status update from a business contact that includes the F*** bomb).

Sometimes people get the misconception that social media is all about them. Well, it’s not. Social media is all about the other people reading and chatting with you. If you keep that in mind and apply common sense, basic etiquette (business and personal) you will find yourself connected to fascinating people interested in helping you succeed in your business and in your personal life.

Why are you blogging for your business?

Many small business owners think they will start a blog because they’ve heard it will help them get better search engine placement. Or they’ve heard blogs are free and you can start a blog instead of paying a web designer to build your business a website. Or someone they trust has told them, “You gotta start a blog.” This might be why you look closely at blogging, but it isn’t the real reason why business people should blog.

The real reason a business owner should publish a blog is –

You want to become known as an authority in your niche, or in your field. You want to become known as “the expert for [fill in the blank].” If you are the expert in your field or niche, clients will seek you out. Clients will find you and hire you because you’re the one everyone recommends. Everything else is a side benefit. Which leads us to the next point.

What do you blog about?

Before you post anything on your blog, answer these two questions:

• What can I write about or post that really helps potential clients?
• Will this post help establish me as an expert?

If you were only going to get one thing from this blog article, this is the most important thing you need to remember. Stay focused.  And answer the two questions above.

Ideas for Blog Topics

Below you’ll find several ideas for writing quality blog posts your readers will love.

Here are the ideas:

1 – Make a list of the common questions people have about your area of expertise. Then write about it.

2 – Did a client come to you with a problem recently? Can you turn their problem into a story about how the problem was solved?

3 – How did you become an expert? What’s the story behind starting your business?

4 – What recent news affects your industry? What is your opinion on how this news changes things or what should potential clients pay attention to?

5 – Create a checklist for what potential clients should know before hiring someone in your field

6 – Create a list of common mistakes people make when hiring a professional like you. Or create a common list of mistakes people make when trying to tackle the problem your business solves.

7 – Write about a common practice in your industry that you believe is wrong. Tell people why you think it’s wrong and what you believe is the correct practice.

COMMENT: Don’t name names or finger point. Just highlight the practice you disagree with and tell people why you disagree with the practice

8 – Write case studies about your current clients

9 – Write about the pros and cons of not using a professional or an expert to solve their problem

10 – Write a story about someone who ignored or procrastinated about using a service like yours and what happened to them.

This isn’t a comprehensive list of blogging ideas, but it’s a great start.

Now that you have a list of blogging ideas, what’s next?

First, print this page. Or copy and paste it into Word. Then start working your list. You’ll have a great start on being the online expert in your field.

If you’re reading this and have another idea for creating great blog topics, leave a reply below. We want to hear from you.