Paul Chaney - Internet Marketing, Social Media Consulting

Developing a new publishing strategy

The hiatus is over. The Digital Handshake manuscript has been submitted to Wiley and has officially entered the production phase. 

However, I'm finding myself to be devoid of anything to say, which explains why this and other blogs have gone untended for some time now. It's as if everything I have to say is in the book. Plus, I'm tired. It's going to take a while to gear back up. 

This hiatus has given me time to reconsider the way I publish information. Historically, I've commited everything to my blogs. However, lately I've thought about revising that strategy to something on this order:

1. Once per month write a longer, better researched, more insightful article focused on a major theme. It will show up as a blog post, but will be syndicated across a number of properties, including Bizzuka, and be distributed via email as well. 

2. Once or twice per week write shorter, more practical blog posts on each of the blogs. You know, "Seven Ways...," "Three Keys...," that sort of thing. Still thoughtful and researched, but not as extensively. 

3. Tweet daily. Truth is, I don't have time to write extensive content on a regular basis and there is no "should" or "ought," that demands that I do. So, I'm going to give this a try and see how well it works. 

Love to know what you think. 

Blog on a bit of hiatus until The Digital Handshake manuscript is written

I apologize for my latency in posting. It is only because my full attention outside of my day job is devoted to completing the manuscript for The Digital Handshake. 

I should have recruited several to assist with guest posts, I know. Alas, it won't be much longer before the manuscript is done and you'll see regular posts here yet again. Bear with me. 

Paul

 

SXSW bound, excited and anxious at the same time

I have a confession to make. While I'm very excited about attending SXSW (The last one I attended was in 2006), I'm very nervous at the same time. 

Why? Because of all the parties, which I refer to as "non-structured social situations." (Not that I'll be invited to many, mind you, but I know of at least one I'll be attending.) 

Despite any indication to the otherwise, I am a complete and total introvert lacking even the most basic social skills. If I'm not on a platform speaking, or in a more structured environment, I'm a complete wallflower. Sucks to admit it, but true. 

Perhaps that's why the virtual world works so well for us introverts. There is safety there. Buffers are in place. No so in RL.

So, if you see a guy sitting by himself in a corner, saunter on over and make him feel welcome would you, because that will very likely be me. :-)

My four goal words for 2009

Chris Brogan has a practice he's used since 2006, that of distilling his goals for the new year into three or four words. Seems like a good one to follow, so I'm giving it a try this year. 

My four goal words for 2009 are: 

Degree

At 211 degress water is hot. And while it would burn you if you stepped in a shower, its uses are somewhat limited. But turn it up one more degree to 212 and you can change the world. At 212 degrees water is not just hot, but boiling, and boiling water can power a locomotive or generate electricity. 

That extra degree makes all the difference. Think about the difference between 1st and 2nd place in a 100 meter dash or a NASCAR race. Usually, it's less than a second. The little bit of extra effort can take you from good to great and be the key differentiator.

The extra degree requires determination, perseverance and focus, but the rewards can be well worth it, in business and in life. 

Distill 

This word naturally follows the first, because steam is vaporized water and that's the first step in the process of distillation which, in my use of the term, stands for purification, concentration, filter and focus. 

This year I want to focus on two key things in my business life:

1. Building the Social Media Handyman brand. (That includes the new book.)
2. Growing and strengthening Bizzuka's brand.

The two are not mutually exclusive, and not necessarily in that order. The first is more a personal brand, but my aim is for that to lend credence to the corporate brand. With the addition of social media marketing consulting responsibilities, my role at Bizzuka is changing anyway and it's my hope I can reciprocally leverage one to help the other. 

I toyed with the idea of using the word "discard" here instead, but that sounded too negative. Still, for these goals to be attained, anything that detracts will have to be discarded. Some triage will obviously be needed and I'm working on what that entails now.

Develop

This is a tripartate goal, to:

1. Help others grow in their use of the Internet, especially social media, as a marketing tool.
2. Build a network of professional colleagues with whom I can share ideas and experiences.
3. Continue my own professional growth. If I stop growing, no way can I help anyone else.

One thing I constantly struggle with is turning the focus away from "me" and concentrating it on "you." (Even this post has a "me" bent to it. Hopefully, it will be the first of comparatively few.) 

I do understand that you don't care that I know unless you know that I care. In 2009, I want to filter everything through a "how is this going to help the community" lens. 

To that end, the Social Media Handyman blog over at Active Rain and my posts at MarketingProfs Daily Fix blog will be focused more on how-to, while this one will continue a focus on opinion and op-ed. 

Do

Author Joe Queenan, in his sardonic book, Balsamic Dreams: A Short But Self-Important History of the Baby Boomer Generation, suggests that we boomers talk a lot about doing stuff, but never actually get around to it. I know that's true of me. If I had a nickel for every idea I intended to do something with but never did, while I wouldn't be rich, the pickle jar in the kitchen would certainly be full. 

In 2009, I don't want to look back over a slew of ideas that lay like discarded fast food bags along the roadside. It's time to either "fish or cut bait." Yet, I can't do everything and that's where the process of distillation comes in.

There you have it - Degree. Distill. Develop. Do. - my four goal words for 2009. Thanks, Chris, for the inspiration. 

Now, what about you? What words could you associate with your goals this year? 

Sometimes you just need to get away... to New York City!

I confess. I love (LOVE) New York City. I was 50 years old before I ever visited and never imagined that I'd fall in love with it like I have. Since then, I've had the opportunity to visit another half dozen times, though none quite so pleasant as the most recent, for it was with my wife, Amie, for some R&R last week.

This was a first time visit for Amie and I must say she embraced it as much as I. Everything from dinner at Pietrasanta to honey vodka at Firebird, from an afternoon walk in Central Park to a dusk ride on the Staten Island Ferry, from surreal vistas high atop the Empire State to front row seats at Phantom of the Opera (on Amie's birthday no less)... we breathed deeply each and every experience.

There is really nothing like taking a few days away to reinvigorate mind, body and spirit, especially when it includes a trip to the Big Apple. Amie and I would move there in a minute.

Let me invite to share it with us. Here are a bunch of photos (133) and videos (53) from the trip.

Ode to a new friend and mentor Terri Murphy

I was recently introduced by my good friend Richard Nacht to real estate and business coach, author and speaker Terri Murphy. This lady has literally taken me under her wing and I could not be more grateful or appreciative.

To cite a brief litany of her generosity, Terri has introduced me to a number of influential people, included me (via video) on a panel she moderated at the National Association of Realtors convention, featured me as a guest in her weekly radio show, made me a member of the Advisory Board at Women's Wisdom Network, introduced me to an editor at AMACOM and is helping me get into coaching. On top of that, she has asked for little, if anything, in return! 

Honestly, I don't know what to make of it except that God (yes, I believe in God) puts people in your life at the right time and at the right place when you least expect it, don't deserve it, and have not a clue as to why. But, I'm a believer in providence, so I know there is a reason and sooner or later I'll learn what it is. In the meantime, I learning to say "thank you" an awful lot.

Not that Terri is getting off that easily mind you. I'm helping her get acclimated to social media, going to help develop a strategy to drive membership to the Women's Wisdom Network, and serve as a social media resource as needed. (One of the things I'm helping her with is gaining an understanding of what Twitter is all about. If you don't mind, I'd greatly appreciate you following Terri there.)

Whatever resources or assistance I might provide pale in comparison to what she has already done for me. The only way I know how to thank her appropriately is by doing so here on my blog.  So, let me introduce you to a truly generous person, Terri Murphy. May you be half as fortunate as I to find such a friend and mentor as she.
 

Womens Wisdom Network Board of Advisors

I'd like to announce that I've been invited to become a member of the advisory board of the Womens Wisdom Network, an organization started by real estate consultant and coach, Terri Murphy.

The Womens Wisdom Network is an "online learning and resource network offering information, mentorship, guidance, and entrepreneurial expertise to women in business." It's designed to help women "find, develop, reignite, and refocus their power to achieve personal and professional growth."

I'm happy to do my part to help women in business achieve their goals and would like to encourage any businesswoman to become part of the organization.

A list of things to do before I die

Actually, that title is a little melodramatic. While there are a number of things I'd like to do before my time is up, most of which have nothing to do with work or business, here's a short list of things that are:

Write another book, or two, or three - I'm working on a proposal right now in fact.

Find ways to monetize around the book - Seminars, speaking engagements, teleclasses, online courses; I want to take a lesson from people like Denise Wakeman and Patsi Krakoff who understand how to do this and do it well.

Provide marketing services to the home stagers - This is an burgeoning cottage industry that is underserved so far as marketing services are concerned. I think in the next three to five years we'll see an outbreak of growth. It doesn't hurt that my wife is a home stager.

Start a online marketing agency which emphasizes social media - I keep pitching my CEO at Bizzuka that we should branch out and start a new division to provide such services. Like the constant drip of Chinese water torture, I'm determined to wear him down.

Bring my company Bizzuka to a place of national prominence and use social media marketing to do it - Right now, we're a small, regionally-focused business, but one with a large vision. That is to become an industry-recognized Web content management provider used by small business and creative professionals alike. If I can use social media as the catalyst, that's all the better.

Become known as the "social media handyman" - I let that domain get bought out from under me, but think it's still a useful moniker and fits well with my tactical approach to social media marketing. The high-level strategy stuff I can leave to others. I'll teach you how to do it and help you along the way.

Lay a strong foundation for IBNMA and see it reach maturity - I'm deeply committed to seeing IBNMA reach its potential and unwilling to entertain any thoughts or notions to the contrary.

That's it. At least that's all I'm willing to commit to for the moment. It's enough to fill most every waking hour for the next few years, don't you think?

Seventh Anniversary of 9/11...Lest we forget

I don’t need to remind you what today is. Remembering that day brought John Donne’s poem to mind.

No man is an island,
Entire of itself.
Each is a piece of the continent,
A part of the main.

If a clod be washed away by the sea,
Europe is the less.
As well as if a promontory were.
As well as if a manner of thine own
Or of thine friend's were.

Each man's death diminishes me,
For I am involved in mankind.
Therefore, send not to know
For whom the bell tolls,
It tolls for thee.

It brought something else to mind, just how grateful I am to call you friends.

Paul

Where were you? http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fvj6zdWLUuk

CNN chronology of the attack: http://archives.cnn.com/2001/US/09/11/chronology.attack/index.html

A life lesson relearned

They say you can't teach an old dog new tricks, but you can reteach them lessons they've already learned. I'm relearning a life lesson and it's this...

You can waste your life lamenting missed opportunities, or you can look to the future and seize opportunities that present themselves and even make opportunities for things about which you have great passion and desire.

Like most anyone who has taken up more than a few years of space on the planet, I've let opportunities slip through my fingers. Lately, I've allowed myself the misery of looking back on those with regret. But not today!