Social Media Net-works in many ways

I'll be speaking tomorrow night about Social Media Networking for the Living Room Forum--a monthly special meeting for members and candidates of the Arizona chapter of the National Speakers Association. I'm honored that they asked me to do this. I've made a name for myself with the group as a leader of the topic. I'm one of the first to promote my blog with the group, to get on Twitter and LinkedIn, and I really got things started when I convinced more than a dozen of these speakers to join me in a Blogathon--twice.

We had great fun. And the members then started calling on me to answer questions about how to navigate the social media world. I helped some of them with Plug-ins, others with setting up blogrolls, and others just with encouragement. The blogathon got the ball rolling, and NSA-Arizona members started blogging on a regular basis. It was fun to watch.

Because of them, I have learned a lot as well. For business, social media is the way we all must move our marketing activities. It's cheap and relatively easy. So why not?

On the personal side, it's not a bad place to be, either. As many of you know, I've been dealing with several emotionally-trying issues of late. And where have I gone to find comfort? Aside from praying, I've reached out to the friends I've met on the Social Media Networks. Some I've known for years. But even for the ones I've known for just a short while, the relationships we've been building along the way have grown personal--and it felt natural to turn to many of you for comfort. Better still. I got it. I found exactly what I needed--a kind word, a virtual hug, a thought and a prayer. All of this helped pull me back up on my feet.

So I just wanted to report today that, because of you, I'm feeling much better about what lies ahead--a great example of how the mental BIKE works.

No one is immune to sadness or some kind of distress in life. What you don't want to be immune from, either, is the knowledge that you can move beyond it. For me, that's where my mental BIKE comes in. It reminds me of the resources available to do just that. Friends, either live or virtual, are a great resource to reach out to in times of trouble. And as one of my virtual friends told me over on Facebook, "...picturing you biking right through this, girlfriend." She's right. That's what I'm doing.

Will you be able to BIKE through your next challenge?

Embrace your supporters

In this social media world of ours, we have every opportunity imaginable to build a stronger network. Through blogging, Twitter, LinkedIn, Facebook, and other similar sites (including forums on industry sites, such as one I frequent), our connectibility outnumbers even the imagination.

But how do you make the most of it? How can you ensure that you are embracing your supporters, or the people who could be your supporters when you need the help?

Here's a quick to-do list:

PAY IT FORWARD
Do what Jen Singer did for me and a few other blogging friends today. She linked my blog to hers, with a very nice description I might add. So do the same. Add links whenever you can. Post them on your blogs, on your "tweets," on your Facebook page. Include them in your e-mails. Pass the word around about the people you meet in your online social network who are doing great things, inspiring others, or making people laugh. Spread the word. They'll spread it back. Your social media metwork should definitely be a Pay it Forward place to be. And you have a role in making it so.

JOIN THE DISCUSSION
Visit your friends' and colleagues' spaces online--and post comments. Engage in the dialogue, add to it, encourage others to comment after you.

ACT LIKE A LEMMING
Take part in Twitter's back and forth #followfriday exercise. Every Friday, if you're on Twitter, you have an opportunity to post the names/avatars of people you think make interesting "follows." These could be your friends, people who post funny thoughts, people who share inspiring messages, people who have interesting things to say. If they are worth it for you to follow them, then maybe others will think likewise. So share the names and help expand someone else's territory. And when someone recommends someone for you to follow, check 'em out. If they fit your interests, then follow them, too.

BE GRATEFUL
Offer a thank-you when someone does any of this for you. It's common courtesy. Besides, you don't want to take this stuff for granted. It takes a lot of time and effort to grow an online presence, let alone the network. So it behooves anyone involved to be thankful for the process.

If you have any suggestions to add, please post a comment. We can all learn from eachother.

100-day count down

The Blogathon is back. One of my fellow Blogathoners, Suzy Graven, a savvy woman herself, got the great idea to re-start our blogathon from July and go on through to the end of the year in what she's calling the 100-Day Countdown. That began a few days ago, and we're now on day 98...and counting.

If you're interested in following us around, I'll find out who all is participating and post links to their blogs as soon as I get all the details.

We'll still be posting daily, or as often as those who chose to participate can. I've also promised to help at least two NSA members get their blogs up and running. So expect to see a few new names.

I also want to note that I'll be speaking about starting a Blogathon, and the benefits thereof, to members of the Arizona Book Publishing Association this week. Gwen Henson, the executive director, invited me to participate after she heard so many good things about the July Blogathon I started with National Speaker Association-Arizona members and candidates. We had a blast kick-starting some of the members blogs and helping people get one started in the first place. We learned so much, though there's so much more to learn and discover.

It's a journey that is becoming more and more a part of mainstream culture. When you hear more and more stories about bloggers quitting their day jobs so they have time to post because their blogs are monetized and earning enough money to support the family, it's hard to ignore. The social media networking frenzy is today's reality. You really want to find a way to jump on board.

So it should be fun to watch the 100-day countdown and see how well we do. For anyone who resists posting daily, post as often as you can, one a week, even. Anything. There really are no strict rules. It's just about showing up and doing the best you can with a limited resource (time).

Please come back and learn more about it in the next few days.

Happy blogging!
Jackie