Ariadne's Thread

You don't need to do everything!

2012-02-24T10:34:00.000Z

Here's an exclusive industry secret for you. (Tongue firmly in cheek) You don't have to be on every social media platform going to get great results for your business!

Can't stand Facebook? Try the more "grown up" LinkedIn.
LinkedIn too stuffy and formal? Try Twitter
Love visuals, hate writing? There's YouTube, Flickr and now Pinterest
Enjoy writing but don't have time to check what's going on? Blogging could be the answer.
Want to hang out with the cool kids? Have a go with Google+

You'll get far better results by doing one or two things really well, than having loads of platforms to update that you actively dislike. Your lack of enthusiasm for what you're doing will come through in your posts. Even worse, you may get fed up of the whole thing and stop doing any of it. Time is something we all need more of, so choose something that you want to do - or at least don't dislike!

Whatever platform you choose to engage on there are some "golden rules" to abide by:

Once you start, keep going!
Nothing looks worse on your social media footprint than an abandoned blog or an unresponsive Twitter feed. What impression does a static Facebook page give of your business?

Don't just sell
Remember to give back to the community you've joined. Be helpful, be pleasant, be informative and the rewards will start to flow for you.

Keeping it fresh
It takes time to create or source new content. Make sure you're willing to put the effort in before you get started. Recycled content gets very dull very quickly.

Remember you're a business
Social media is fun and more than a little addictive! You can get so caught up in the talk that you can easily forget that you're there to be a business, as well as an individual. Online behaviour is a very important part of your reputation. A momentary flash of irritation and a thoughtless comment can scupper all the good work you've put in.

Keep doing the other stuff too
Social media isn't a replacement for face to face conversation or traditional marketing. It works with, and enhances, your networking and promotional activities. You may even want to consider having a plan...

Self promotion or narcissism? Where's the line?

2012-01-30T10:50:00.000Z

Let's start with self evident statement:
However chatty and interactive your social media presence may be, you're still promoting yourself and your business.

If people are following you because they're interested in you and your business this shouldn't be a problem. Balance is essential in social media and a good mix of social interaction, interesting information and an occasional direct business post is sometimes tricky to achieve, but it's well worth the effort.

There is a model of self promotion on social media that I don't advocate. (Hence the title of this post) This is the overly insecure need to repost every mention - even auto generated mentions from sites such as YouTube, Klout or Paper.Li.

If someone has said something truly exceptional about you then by all means repost it. (I'd suggest this is done in moderation and coupled with a thank you for the testimonial.) If it's something as generic as an auto-generated follow Friday on Twitter, ask yourself what value retweeting that will have to your followers.

So, how do you make capital out of your mentions on social media? Here's an example

If you get 7 notifications that someone has liked your YouTube video how about saying "good to see our video getting some likes" and link to it again. You've accomplished the self promotion aspect and directed people to your information without clogging up their feeds with 7 anodyne reposts.

Take a look at your last 50 tweets. (Some people will be back as far as yesterday, other will be back 6 weeks or more!) What does the balance of your Twitter output look like? Is there a good mix of content? Too much coffee and cats? (Guilty as charged!) Too much retweeting? Or, are you not talking to people enough?

Now look at your LinkedIn and Facebook pages. Do your posts encourage interaction, or are they "for information".

If you have a social media stream full of reposts about you then you're tending towards narcissism and it's time to change. It's all about adding value to the people that interact with you on social media. Quality - not quantity - is the key.

A checklist for outsourcing social media

2011-12-30T13:24:00.000Z

There's been a lot written about the PR meltdown caused by Ocean Marketting (sic) Ocean Stratagy (also sic) and (currently) Ocean Deep Sea or Ocean Distribution. They treated their client's customers in the most appalling fashion. You can read the origins of the storm on Penny Arcade here and here.

Understandable the Client N-Control wanted to sort out the mess very quickly and have hired a new PR company that are doing a great job. (see the press release they issued)

There are a whole host of blogs doing the rounds about the fine detail of the events, but my attention was caught by this excerpt from the press release:

N-Control immediately proceeded to extricate Mr. Christoforo’s access to their email and social media accounts, a process that is still ongoing

(Their web site appears to have - currently - disappeared and they've also had to start a new twitter account)

In July last year I wrote a blog alerting folks to the need to ensure that if they're outsourcing their social media then they own their own feeds and content. You must have to have access to your own social media! Misuse by a third party is rare, but if the proverbial bus takes out your consultant then how do you get access to your stuff and talk to your customers?

Do you really want your company posting things like this? (from the former official feed of N-Control)

A checklist for you:

Do you have the log-in details for all your social media platforms?
Have you tried them recently? (They may have changed!)
Are the email addresses that the accounts run from accessible to you?
Have you actually read your own feed(s) lately?
Can you access all the correspondence being conducted on your behalf whenever you want to?
Do you own your domain name?
Can you prevent your outsourced partner from deleting your website?

If the answer to any of these questions is "no" then you may have a problem...

Let's stop "crying wolf"

2011-11-18T10:24:00.001Z

We've all seen the posts haven't we? Massed capital letters - usually copied and pasted complete with spelling mistakes. Something like this one:

ATTENTION!!!!! IF ANY OF YOU GET A PADLOCK ON TOP RIGHT HAND CORNER OF FB HOME PAGE SAYING YOUR SECURITY IS LOW.. IGNORE.. DO NOT, DO NOT, DO NOT ANSWER THE QUESTIONS.. IT IS SO HACKERS CAN ACCESS YOUR ACCOUNT COPY & PASTE PLEASE!

Or the ones that are appealing to your softer side:

BIKER DOWN!! MAY I ASK MY FACE BOOK FRIENDS, WHEREVER YOU MAY BE, TO KINDLY COPY, PASTE & SHARE THIS STATUS FOR 1 HOUR TO SUPPORT OUR FRIEND GEORGE WHO WAS IN A MOTORCYCLE ACCIDENT, LET HIM KNOW THAT PRAYERS ARE SENT HIS WAY. Do it for all of us, unfortunately no one is immune. I hope to see this on the wall of all my friends! JUST FOR MORAL SUPPORT!!! I KNOW SOME WILL...THANK YOU!!!

I'm making a plea for people to check out the validity of these "warnings" and " appeals" before they post them on their social media pages.

There are a number of excellent sites where you can find out if you're crying wolf if you post the information:

Hoaxslayer

Facecrooks

Snopes

Apart from reducing the sheer number of false alerts, it should reassure you that most are just idiots trying to see how far they can get their hoax to go.

93% of people won't bother to check before they post - will you be one of the ones that does?

Being human, not a bland brand

2011-10-28T14:21:00.001+01:00

It's said - frequently - that people buy from people. So, developing a personality for your business on social media makes good sense. Being human can make all the difference between having a social media presence and making social media work for your business.

You can always take the'safe' option and repeat your selected business messages across all platforms and only use the medium to broadcast, rather than interact. The problem with 'safe' is that it's not as successful on platforms like Twitter and Facebook as imbuing your brand with a personality. Using social media as a form of electronic leafleting misses the point of the social element entirely.

Making occasional comments about the weather, the traffic, local news and so forth may seem inane, but it helps people to build a picture of your everyday operation. It also gives people an opportunity to react and talk to you. (Not on LinkedIn though, that's a "business only" culture)

Bemoaning the cold cup of tea after getting stuck in to a project can elicit empathy (we've all done it!) It's not useless information, it's a snapshot of how you and your business actually work in day to day life. If you can become so involved with your work, you must care about what you do...

Not convinced? Try some of these "safer" gambits to begin your foray into interaction:

Invite opinions on the local LEP or other local business initiatives
Asking for supplier recommendations is a great way to start a conversation - and to get some good quality information.
Promote events for local charities
Answer other people's questions (whether related to your business or not)
Track down your hyperlocal enthusiasts and promote their work

One word of caution: unbridled, strongly opinionated posts are not always suitable for business. I advise clients to have a set of "no-go areas". As an example my personal ones are:

politics
religion
sport
swearing

I decided on these as they are areas where my personal opinions are not strong enough to risk alienating a potential client by expressing my views. Everyone will be different and have different boundaries. Just give them some thought...

Give some conscious consideration to the balance of your posts on social media. All work and no play makes Jack a dull boy - and a bland brand!

Twitter simple essentials

2011-10-10T13:49:00.001+01:00

If you want to be a success on Twitter then there a number of quick and easy things you can do to ease your way into the community. Here are a few essentials to get you started:

Don't be an egg!
Make time to upload a picture for your avatar. If you're shy about using a picture of yourself at first, then use a logo or a picture of your premises or a flower, a dolphin, a cat... you get the idea. I personally wouldn't use a picture of a child - ever - on Twitter, but that's your call. (Remember, I advised against it though!)

There is a perception, common to inveterate Tweeters, that 'eggs' are accounts that aren't to be taken seriously.

A coherent biography
If you're tongue is firmly in your cheek when calling yourself a ninja or a guru then you might get away with it. On the whole, an honest description of what you do will go down much better. Don't forget to add your web address too.

No Auto-DMs
I've blogged in more detail on this subject here. To save repetition, the summary is: Don't automatically send a direct message to everyone that follows you.

Talk to people as well as broadcasting
If your timeline is full of self-promotional tweets then people are less likely to interact with you. If they see you talk to other people, they're more likely to talk to you.

Check your feed
Not looking at your Twitter feed because, for example, it automatically echoes your Facebook feed is a waste of Twitter. You may well be spewing out content, but your engagement levels are non-existent. People that love Twitter communicate on Twitter as their first choice. They don't want to have to log-in to Facebook to talk to you about something they read on your Twitter feed.

Update regularly
If you don't say anything for weeks at a time, people will be used to you not answering and not joining in the conversation. Also, what does it say about your business? It implies that you can't be bothered to finish what you started. "Reserving your name" on Twitter if you have no intention of using it can impact negatively on your company image.

Enjoy yourself
Twitter can be interesting and fun. if your timeline doesn't interest you then it's time to unfollow a few people and find somebody else to talk to!

Ten blog post ideas to get you started

2011-08-22T10:04:00.008+01:00

Why do people think that their business isn't "interesting enough" to write articles about? If you have a business that people buy from, then they're interested in it!

Blogging is a great way of exploring your area of expertise, demonstrating your knowledge and sharing your broader outlook on business.

Setting up a free blog on Wordpress or Blogger takes about 5 minutes. Tatting around with it so it looks pretty may take some people longer than others!

So, what on earth do you write about? Here's 10 ideas to get you started:
(Insert your own business in place of widget maker - unless that's what you do!)

5 things to think about when selecting a widget maker
Widget makers and the law - what you need to know
What makes a good Widget?
What happens when good Widgets go bad?
Widgets and the new government legislation
Which Widget is best for you? Try our short quiz!
What do you want from your local Widget maker?
Widgets: A history
How to tell if your Widget is genuine?
How to make sure your Widget is safe?

Still not happy with the thought of writing? There are copywriters, virtual assistants, marketing companies and social media consultants all over the world that would love to help you with it!

Avoiding the DM spam

2011-07-15T14:08:00.008+01:00

With the current rash of compromised accounts it seems timely to remind people what sort of things to look for to avoid being phished. (not hacked - see previous post!)

Account harvesters rely on social engineering to get you to give them your ID and password. By making it seem that a contact is sending you the message it gives you a false sense of security. You're far more likely to sign in to a site your 'friend' has recommended.

When you get a random tweet in your public timeline with just a link on it, from someone you don't know, then it's easy to spot. When you receive a tweet or Direct message from someone you know it's less easy to spot. Here's a few things to think about:

Is it 'out of character'?
Would they normally use the public timeline and not Direct Message?
Is the spelling OK?
Have you seen any 'chatter' on Twitter about DM spam?

Sites such as Mashable often lead with stories of the latest phishing outbreaks (such as "is this you"). Take a look before you click.

If you've clicked on a link and are asked to 'sign in to twitter to see this page' (or similar) think carefully before you do. Check the web address: is it really an official twitter site? Chances are it's a disguised web address to try and fool you into parting with your log on details.

Sometimes, smartphones do take you to the twitter.com site rather than open the page in the app you're using - this is a rare occurrence and, in general, you're safer not logging in.

If you're in any doubt, tweet the person back and confirm whether or not it's really from them.

So, the worst happens and your account starts spewing spam, now what?

Change your password.

It's also a really good idea to go into the settings page on your Twitter account and revoke access as well.

Auto DMs, please don't

2011-05-30T10:51:00.006+01:00

One of the most sure fire ways to hack off the majority of the Twitter community that I know is to use the "Auto DM on follow" function.

When you find someone you're interested in talking to on Twitter there are a variety of ways people use to decide whether or not to follow them. A, strictly unscientific, straw poll of tweeps gives some insight into the process and the criteria people might use:

I know them in real life (can be negative or positive!)
I like the retweets I've seen of them in my timeline
They're following me and I like their bio
I loved the reply they sent to my friend (this assumes you copied in the other recipients)
They made a lovely comment on my blog
They're local
They share the same interests/causes as I do

Additional criteria for following businesses:

There aren't too many sales tweets in their timeline - they talk as well as sell
I took a look at their website and they seem interesting
I'm interested in buying from them, but I want to see what they're really like first.

Of course, not everyone will apply all these criteria - and I know there will be other factors that aren't included here. However, you can assume that a (real) new follower has taken an interest in you for a reason and has done some level of decision making and, therefore, research about you.

Now, having made a conscious decision to follow someone, you then receive the Auto DM in response.

Let's go through some typical contents of these DMs:

Thanks for following me - anodyne but not offensive
Hope you find us interesting - really? do you think we followed you because you're dull?
Find out more about us on our website - a link to which is already on your Bio?
Buy our stuff at really great rates - 'unfollow'

What gets missed by people that use the Auto DM function is the passionate dislike of the things that many of the Twitterati have. I recently asked the tweeps I interact with for their opinions on these 'welcome' DMs. Here's a selection of the more printable responses:

Instant unfollow, I hate auto DMs
Unfollow & block, these people really don't get Twitter
It's SO old fashioned, nobody uses them now, they're awful
Such a lazy thing to do, what's wrong with talking to people?
I loathe auto DMs, I have to pay for the texts to my phone and these things cost me money!
What's the point of them - its' all in their bio anyway

My personal take on Auto DMs and the awful 'thanks for following me @newfollower' tweets is - please don't.

Two years and still standing

2011-04-08T13:17:00.012+01:00

Ariadne's Thread is two years old! My "start-up" business is all grown up. I'm taking time to reflect on the journey I've taken and, on the whole, I wouldn't change it for the world.

People talk about the "roller coaster" of running your own business. I now fully understand the incredible highs when it's all going well - and the real challenge of pushing through the slow and difficult times.

The downside of being a business owner is undoubtedly the financial insecurity, especially in the early stages, and that's not a stress to be underplayed. However, I'd been planning my launch into the world of private business for a while and managed to mitigate the worst of the problem.

The first 6 months were full of nail biting financial anxiety. Holding my nerve and believing in myself and the business was what got me through this phase. Getting my first contract was a huge breakthrough. It's lovely that, 18 months later, I'm still doing work for them.

I'm now in the position of having both contract and one off work, which has eased the financial concerns considerably. I've even started up a parallel business under the Ariadne banner: Stafford Sekhem

I love the independence of running my own business and the freedom to set my own agenda. Being your own boss means that you work for the most demanding person on earth and that's where the fun starts.

So, what does this business owner want to pass on to people that might be starting up? I've picked five pieces of advice that I've found useful - or wish I'd taken....

Get as much advice as possible. You don't have to act on all of it!
Get to know as many other business owners as you can, both in person and online
Keep a very close eye on your cash flow
Keep your records up to date. An extended bout "at the spreadsheet" at the end of your financial year is not recommended.
Be flexible about your business offering and allow it to develop, but not become muddled.

Time to get back on the track and ride that business roller coaster!

Keeping retweets real

2011-03-07T10:20:00.006Z

Twitter retweets are something I covet. There I've said it...

They're a great way to get your information out to a whole new set of people that might be interested. There's also that rather contented feeling of having said something that people value enough to share with their followers!

Some of the most interesting feeds I follow consist almost entirely of retweets. Where there is an effort made to select relevant and good quality information, I'm happy to carry on following and letting someone else winnow through the mass of information on the internet to find me something interesting to read.

However, some folks are retweeting anything and everything in their feed. When someone repeatedly starts retweeting the autotweets from their feed (see my previous blog) then you know you're only seconds away from an unfollow - or at least I am.

Then there's that really annoying habit of retweeting any and all follow friday mentions.

Or the one where a person retweets the fact that someone retweeted them.

How about the people that just can't keep their mouse off the Twitter retweet button?

Sending out some good quality retweets is vital when using twitter for business. They help us show what we find interesting and important both as a business and as a person. Retweets demonstrate our values, our expertise, our humour and much more. Your reputation as a business on Twitter will be greatly enhanced if you actively consider the content of retweets as part of your overall strategy.

So, next time you're reading your feed - think about what you choose to retweet. Keep those retweets real!

TMI - too much information!

2011-02-01T19:36:00.008Z

Sometimes, when we're on a site we find something so interesting we share it using Twitter or Facebook or our other platform of choice. This is great and what social media thrives on. (As well as pictures of cats and discussions about coffee and wine!)

However, some folks are less selective. They have every application, website and forum option that can echo to Twitter switched on. Here are my top 3 pet peeves

YouTube
I uploaded/liked/subscribed/commented on... sometimes all four in quick succession. Not only that, if the person is on a browsing session, or updating session, this can be repeated endlessly over several hours. (I've unfollowed them by then!)

Don't get me wrong. I like YouTube. I can ~~waste~~ spend hours on it. If I like a specific video or channel I may well like/subscribe etc, but I only share the really good stuff with my followers and friends.

Spotify
Again, I enjoy using Spotify. If I'm looking for a specific song and someone sends me the link, that's brilliant. What I don't like is reams and reams of tweets every time someone hits the play button, often for hours on end.

Geolocation
Whether your poison is Gowalla or FourSquare, just be reasonable on the poor folks that have to read your stuff! If you're somewhere really cool, or there's an advantage to you broadcasting the information then please go for it. If you're in the local railway station every night and morning it can get very, very boring!

So, which ones do you love/hate? What have I missed out... Quora maybe?

The secret ingredient to social media success.

2010-12-13T10:36:00.006Z

Are you on Twitter because you feel you ought to be because you're in business?
Do you have a Facebook page for your business because "everyone else does"?

If you're a business, what do you 'do' social media for?

I expect you're thinking of things like:
Search engine optimisation
Generating leads
Greater visibility
Customer service
Customer retention
'Click funnel' to your website
Old fashioned not to do it
It's cheaper than other forms of marketing & PR

Do you endlessly chase metrics for success and attempt to nail down RoI? (Good for you if you do!)

Does all this hard nosed business stuff ensure that you'll succeed in your social media ventures? Well, actually - no!

So what's my secret ingredient for social media success? Enjoy it!

Social media is exactly that, social. Get out there and mingle. If you're enjoying talking to people and interacting with them the rest of the business stuff (which is still important) flows much more smoothly.

Too much of a good thing?

2010-10-15T10:03:00.004+01:00

Is there such a thing as too much social media?

I'm not talking about the incessant spamming of some Twitter feeds nor the relentless updates from some people on LinkedIn. Nor am I talking about the automated updated variety where the same thing is splattered across hundreds of sites. I'm talking about how many types of social media people can use properly (in my opinion) at any one time.

If you're a techie/geeky/nerdy type like me, then juggling 6 or more points of presence online is relatively easy and fun.

However, many people are aware that their business needs social media but have been led to believe that they need to do everything - all at once - to "get RoI on their SEO". Excuse me while I go and hit my head on a brick wall for a while...

... that's better!

Social media is not solely about trying to trick Google into thinking that you're interesting!

Every person will have a skillset that can be best used in a specific area of social media. Chatty types will love Twitter and some people are natural bloggers, go with what you enjoy to get you started.

One thing, done well, will produce far better results than 6 things that are started and then abandoned. Dip your toe in the pool and then dive in - the water's lovely!

Is your business ready for Generation Y?

2010-09-12T18:45:00.007+01:00

There's some debate as to when "Generation Y" came into being. My personal preference is to cite the start of the 1990s. Whatever the academic niceties of the exact timing, the characteristics of this generation cannot be ignored by business.

Imagine a world where the Internet has always existed. Phones have always been mobile. CDs are cumbersome. You have always been able to shop online. Your first port of call for information is always a search engine, not a book. You don't buy a newspaper, you read your news online. If you don't like what's on TV, you find something you do want to watch on the Internet. If you want a takeaway, you order it online and someone delivers it to your door.

On demand, online, 24/7... Welcome the world of Generation Y.

These young people are now in the workplace and at University. They're an influential lot too. How many parents/grandparents have joined Facebook so they can keep in touch with Generation Y? How many employers are facing a rising pressure to accept social media to be as much a part of work life as the ubiquitous watercooler?

Now, consider your business from their viewpoint:

Can you be found - easily - online?
If the answer is "no" then Generation Y won't come looking for you. There will somebody else there to pick up the business.

Is your virtual presence polished?
Does your shop/website work flawlessly?
Do you make it easy for people to conduct business online with you?
Do you engage with your customers in several ways online?

"No" to any of these will mean that Generation Y will scroll passed you to someone that does business the way that they want. You'll also have to keep an eye out for the online fallout - Generation Y share their opinions freely!

A step change in consumer behaviour is a rare occurrence. Make sure you don't get left behind.

Manners matter

2010-08-26T12:40:00.005+01:00

I'm increasingly puzzled by the behaviour of some businesses that use social media. Why is it that when they enter the online world they leave their manners and customer care on the virtual doorstep?

To get the most out of any form of social media you need to interact. A string of announcements on a Twitter feed may tick a box that says "we do social media" but it's a missed opportunity of gigantic proportions.

I've had a number of businesses come to me lately because they want a Facebook page. When I start to ask questions about how often they want to update it, what their brand guidelines are, what level of access they want to give their "likers", and so on, they are horrified.

"We just want a Facebook page" they say "we don't want to have to do anything to it!"

That's like having a dedicated customer care telephone number and then not bothering to answer it. (Well, ok, some companies seem to do that too!)

Most businesses will plough resources into answering the telephone, emails, letters and web site requests. Why then are they so averse to talking to their customers using social media?

It's all fine and dandy to have customer care slogans slapped all over your marketing literature and on your website, but if you don't have the good manners to take that ethos seriously and carry it across into the virtual world then you'll lose customers.

The clue is in the title - Social Media

GIGO is back in town (not that it ever left)

2010-08-11T11:56:00.005+01:00

Garbage In, Garbage Out.

Did anyone else have that hammered into their heads while learning to program?

If you mess up what you put in to a system, it doesn't matter how good that system is, the output is simply not as good as it could be.

I've come to believe that social media works on a similar principle. The quality of the content that you become associated with reflects on you and, if you are a business, on your company too.

Plugging a generic business feed into your Twitter account and leaving it to autotweet gives an impression to others of how you interact and work as an individual - or as a company. If that's the impression you wish to give, then there isn't a problem. However, most businesses cite the desire for interactivity and feedback to raise brand awareness when talking about their social media strategy.

Are you just filling your social media presence with "stuff" for the sake of being able to say that your company is "on Twitter" or "using Facebook"? If so, then you're missing a huge business opportunity.

If you use automated feeds to fill up your social media presence, take a long hard look at the content. If you're unsure about it, then imagine it as a series of adverts or leaflets going out to customers. Do you really want this stuff representing you to your contacts and clients? If the answer is no, start being more selective in what you choose to use.

Good quality content for your social media presence is vital.

Does it take more time? Probably. Is it worth it? Definitely!

Perhaps it would be more accurate to say that social media works on GOGI: Garbage Out, Garbage In.

Who does your social media content belong to?

2010-07-27T13:38:00.005+01:00

A while ago I wrote a post about Fweeting. It generated a lot of interest and some constructive comments. As a social media consultant, part of my business is running the social media presence for companies that choose to outsource the function.

As always, different consultants have different ways of operating. Healthy competition is not a bad thing, in my opinion. It keeps us consultants on our toes and means that clients have a good range of people to select from when they're looking for a service provider.

Having said all that, I was actually quite shocked to find that some social media companies ask clients to pay a lump sum at the end of a contract to "buy out" their feeds (such as Twitter and Facebook). The alternatives to not buying out a feed is to renew the contract with the original social media company - or have it deleted. If I'm honest, it hadn't occured to me that the feeds could do anything else except belong to the client.

My business model is structured such that the social media feeds belong to the client and that I keep the content fresh, interesting and up to date. At the end of a contract, the client decides what happens to their social media presence. They are free to re-engage me, run it themselves, get someone else to run it or delete it if they so wish.

If you're looking to outsource your social media, I'd advise you to ask your consultant to clarify this issue for you.

You broke Google?

2010-06-28T14:00:00.003+01:00

I thoroughly enjoy taking people through one to one learning sessions on Social Media. Quite apart from the immense satisfaction and fun I get out of it, there is always the opportunity to learn something new myself. One some occasions, the fun takes over and both myself and my client get a really good laugh out of it.

Recently, I was helping one of my clients set up a new blog. Although IT literate, he was new to social media. Unlike many of us, content was not a problem. He has enough articles to publish several books (you heard it here first!) let alone to regularly fill a blog.

So, that's a straightforward scenario isn't it? Lots of content, IT literate client and a blog set up needed. Easy!

Yeah... right...

The Law of Murphy was about to come into play.

We were working our way through the Blogspot set up (yes Wordpress fans - I know - but there are very good reasons why Blogspot was more appropriate in this case!) Things were going swimmingly. Right up until the point that he hit the "enter" key to create his new blog.

He somehow created 2 blogs simultaneously. (Known glitch) Not only were there 2 blogs, but they were identical in every way. This included them labouring under the delusion they were both already being edited!

I looked at him over my glasses and told him he had "broken Google". This is now his social media claim to fame!

We then proceeded to delete the dual blogs and create a single (working!) blog instead.

So, if you want to read the blog of the man that broke Google, take a look at the IPD blog!

Restricted vocabulary

2010-05-24T21:07:00.001+01:00

There are certain words I try not to use on Twitter.

You might expect that this is down to a self imposed code of standards - like not swearing, or not discussing politics - but that's not the case.

I avoid certain words to save myself the time & effort of blocking the spam sales followers they attract.

Here's my top 5 to avoid:
Teeth
Golf
Wine
Gadget
Apple

I suppose a tweet like this:

"Gadget for apple wine at golf clubs improves SEO"

May become popular for follower collectors!

Which words do you avoid?

Twitter 101

2010-05-13T17:14:00.001+01:00

I make no apologies for this post.

Has it been said elsewhere, by other people? Frequently!

Are people that are new to Twitter the only ones that need to take notice? Sadly not!

5 golden rules to tweet by:

1. If you want to be retweeted verbatim, don't use up all 140 characters in your original tweet. Up to 100 is great, 120 is ok.

2. Shorten your web links using a reputable piece of software. Filling a tweet full of web address means you have less room to talk.

3. Asking for people to "DM me for details" limits who can respond to you to just the people you follow.

4. People really, really, really dislike automatically generated DMs appearing in their inbox when they follow you. Just because you "can" do it doesn't mean you "should" do it!

5. Interact, don't just broadcast. Social media is exactly what is says on the tin - social! Like any form of networking, you get more out of it the more you put in.

5 excuses not to use social media

2010-05-02T21:05:00.001+01:00

1. I don't have time.

Do you make time to go to network meetings? Or to design a leaflet? Then you can make time to "do" social media. Take a long thin slice through your week. Now you have time.

2. I don't know what to say.

Remember those network meetings & marketing leaflets you make time for? Use those as a basis for your initial few weeks. You know your business and the questions people want answers to. You have a lot to say. Your problem could, in fact, be selecting what to use!

3. My customers don't use Twitter/Facebook/LinkedIn etc

Perhaps it's true that your current customers don't use social media. How many more do use it? More to the point, how many people that can refer you to new customers use it? Do you know, or are you guessing? How many of your competitors are ahead of you?

4. It's too risky & uncontrolled

So is all networking, you're just used to the ways of managing the risk in the more traditional formats. Transfer what you already know into the new arena.

5. There's no evidence social media works

Yes - there is. Quite a lot of it in fact! There are whole blog sites literally groaning under the weight of evidence. Good places to start are sites like Unmarketing and Social Media Today.

Save the clicks!

2010-04-21T12:00:00.006+01:00

I used to advocate the "3 click rule"

Well, it's not really a "rule" - but it was the guidance that I used to give my Internet and HTML students back when I used to be a University Lecturer.

In those days of antiquity (about 13 years ago!) there was this emerging beast of opportunity called "The Internet". I used to teach the technical aspects of incorporating sound and video into this stunning new pool of information. In order to do that I had to touch on web site design. I'm not a graphic designer. I can't draw and my colour co-ordination is dreadful! By "design" I mean navigation etiquette and functionality.

Before the advent of reliable drop down menus and style sheets, we relied on frames (shudder) and other such delights. Everything was designed with dial-up access in mind. Streaming was still in it's infancy. Getting your customer from your front page to the place they needed to be required intense research and more knowledge of how people think and interact than perhaps some designers were used to.

In order to focus the minds of my students on this aspect I introduced the concept of "3 clicks to anywhere". So - how is this relevant in today's highly functional and automated information "cloud"?

Let's take Twitter as an example.

I love seeing what people are linking to and reading the fascinating information that is all around us. That's what makes Twitter great. The interaction of people and the sharing of knowledge, information and opinions. However, like a lot of internet users I'm a little impatient and want this treasure trove to be easily accessible.

Consider this chain of "clicks" that was required to get to a destination full of lovely information:
Original tweet > Twitlonger > Facebook > Facebook "warning page" > Information (5 clicks)

This is particularly frustrating on a mobile phone as the response time can be a lot slower on GPRS if no WiFi is available. My "3 click rule" is 2 clicks too long nowadays!

Let's start thinking about our readers again. Make life interesting and easy for them and they'll keep coming back. You've gone to all the time and effort of gathering your "twibe" around you. now it's time to look after them properly!

Is it wrong to Fweet?

2010-04-12T09:19:00.003+01:00

Fweet being the new mashup for Fake Tweet apparently.

There has been a spirited debate in my Twitter stream lately about whether it is "ethical" to have someone tweet for you rather than run your own feed. Some people are vehemently against it, likening it to have someone else attend a network meeting in your stead. Others are more relaxed. It's certainly made me think about it.

I run Twitter feeds for clients. The look, tone and content is guided by the client, but I have leeway to build relationships with other companies within the feed. I won't offer opinions on behalf of the company unless I have checked with the client first. I don't feel that this specific sort of feed is ethically wrong. Many companies are represented by an employee rather than "the boss" on Twitter and I'm just outsourcing that service.

Then there is the other side of the issue. Tweeting for another individual.

Is it "OK" for a Celebrity or a Captain of Industry to hire someone to pretend to their fans to be them? I don't think it is. That's misrepresentation isn't it? Also against the T&C of Twitter?

I've concluded that if you outsource your tweets as a company that's OK. Anyone within that company could potentially be the nominated tweeter and the feed is not purporting to authored by an individual.

Pretending to be a Celeb... Not my scene!

Hyper marketing

2010-03-24T16:35:00.001Z

One of the reasons I wanted to start my own business was so I could steer by my own moral compass.

I believe in offering what's required to a customer in preference to selling them a service they don't need, but would make me more money. Lately my belief in that position has been sorely tested.

I've seen companies charging huge fees for hours and hours of training on sites such as Twitter. It seems popular, assuming that the courses are full and run every time they are advertised to do so!

Having spent many years in education, I know that the end benefits for the customers are less than if they had attended a series of shorter, less expensive 1-2-1 tutorials.

Don't get me wrong. Many group training sessions are very well run and provide an excellent introduction to Social Media. It's the ones that test the boundaries of credibility as well as the customers' finances that I'm talking about here. (think 4 figure fees!)

So - why are the overly expensive, extremely extended, group training courses preferable to a lot of customers over bespoke 1-2-1 sessions? Here lies my dilemma. I perceive the difference to be hyped up marketing.

Is this something I really want to try?

I'd love more business so let's see what it might sound like:
"Maximise your client engagement using Ariadne's proven 6 steps to credible interaction and improved product uptake. The three days that will change how you do business forever! Now only £1500!"

Would you buy that? Because I'm not at all sure that I want to sell it!

Hacked and Phished are different!

2010-03-16T07:56:00.002Z

Short post about a pet peeve of mine.

Many folks on Twitter have recently posted "Sorry - was hacked - all ok now" or similar.

Truth is this - they were NOT hacked.

They gave their details away, voluntarily, to a phishing scam. This is quite different to having someone hack your ID and password unaided - or indeed deliberately breach the security of the hosting service.

When you give your details away, however inadvertantly, you have been phished.

If you click on a link within Twitter that then requires your ID and password to "log in" again the chances are high that it's a dodgy link. Think before you type.

Spontaneous reputation combustion

2010-03-09T17:59:00.003Z

It's been said in many Social Media blogs - including this one - that even the most solidly built and carefully crafted virtual presence can be demolished by an ill advised blog or tweet.

I witnessed one such spontaneous combustion a few days ago. One of my followers (don't bother looking they're not there now!) uses Twitter, predominantly, for social interaction. Like a lot of people they have links to their business on their profile and mention it occasionally in their feed.

On the day in question this person engaged in a rather contentious, but short, exchange with another Twitter user. This is not, in itself, likely to cause mass umbrage. Twitter is a great place to engage in constructive debate - if you remember two things:

1. Your tweets are not exclusive to the person you are in debate with (unless you use the Direct Message function)

2. Other people can - and will - join in

By the time the individual had been retweeted, and had topical hashtags added to their comments, they were in way over their heads. They had been caught up in a Twitter tidal wave.

Their followers started to drop away. People they had been talking to for months blocked them. There was talk of not using their business as a supplier from local tweeps. Days later, they are still getting tweets from disgruntled people.

So, how many tweets does it take to damage your business? In this case 6.

Be careful out there...

Ezinegate

2010-02-26T13:24:00.003Z

Occasionally things happen when you're running your own business that, initially, can be upsetting. They can even progress to being vexing, but eventually mellow to a humorous anecdote with a side order of food for thought.

Ezinegate started when someone that I've worked with sent around their monthly E-Newsletter. (No names, no pack drill!) They made some comments about a number of businesses - other than their own - which were less than flattering.

My company specialises in Social Media. This was one area that was targeted thus:
"Then we have the social Media experts who are usually broke, but have thousands of friends on Facebook of followers on Twitter. They are all about building relationships, but struggle to offer something and ask for the sale."

At first - I'll be honest - I couldn't help but take the comments personally. I soon got over that as I know that this person is not daft enough to make a personal attack on anybody! Whatever I may now think of them, they run their business effectively.

Then I was vexed at what the networks we had in common would think. Now, it's become a something to laugh at and the negative emotion is long since spent.

It has, however, made me think about how Social Media is perceived by businesses that have yet to take the plunge. It has also made me think of what assumptions are made about companies and people that offer Social Media services.

People who meet me (yes, I do go out of the house!) are quickly disabused of the code bashing hermit stereotype. I'm not a pale, ghostly figure chained to a keyboard - social media is as much about people as any other sort of networking. The fact that it uses technology as a way of facilitating interaction can be misconstrued.

So - what did I learn from Ezinegate?

I think that there is a need to actively challenge the negative assumptions made about social media and the people that use it. It's a mainstream business tool, not a minority curiosity. We're clawing our way out of a recession and every inch of advantage needs to be fought for and held on to. If I need to change the view of business one person at a time I'll do it!

Will you join me...?

Back to reality

2010-02-15T15:10:00.001Z

I've been swamped with jargon this last week. What's worse is it's someone else's idea of snappy terminology and not a natural area for me to dabble in.

In order to get as much information as possible for myself and for my clients, I entered the twilight zone of the "deal closers".

This has nothing to do with re-imagined vampires that sparkle in the sunlight! It has even less to do with normal human interaction from what I can ascertain.

Apparently, I need to "master the art of the soft close".

Up until a few days ago my knowledge of "soft closing" was limited to kitchen drawers. I think I would have been more comfortable had things remained that way!

If - as I am led to believe - the era of the hard sell is over, why do we have people dressing it up as new wave "customer needs gratification"?

I've looked at the path that leads to masses of timed tweets, auto DMs and pseudo relationships. I turned around and resolutely walked away. I'm back on my own path.

Against the anodyne

2010-02-08T18:20:00.003Z

I've been doing a lot of research this week to ensure that my new client's Twitter feed gets real results.

I did some market segmentation based on the results of this research and it has proved to be really effective in targeting tweets. Based on the initial click through data, I've also optimised the time the tweets occur to hit the correct timezones. I'll keep monitoring and adapting this Already I'm in contact with some great people and I'm engaging them in conversation.

Hang on a minute. Why am I bothering?

I could just set up a load of timed clone tweets, press "go" and collect the client's money couldn't I? That seems, to me, to be what some social media "specialists" do for their customers.

Apart from the fact my "moral compass" doesn't point that way, all it would serve to do is convince my client that social media doesn't work. They wouldn't recommend it - or me - to anyone else. It would be a one off contract with no hope of renewal. Even worse, there would be another social media sceptic in the world!

Social media gets its name for a reason. It's about interaction, people and engagement by them and with them.

Anodyne feeds don't fulfil people's needs. They don't work. Please don't use them!

Follow - Unfollow - Follow - Block!

2010-02-04T12:47:00.005Z

There's a technique on Twitter that is used by the aggressive "buy my stuff" idiots that is getting right up my left nostril! It goes like this:

@scammerspammerbiz follows a tweep
Tweep "follows back"because they think it's good Twitter etiquette
Tweep gets an automated Direct Message plugging stuff they have no interest in buying
@scammerspammerbiz then automatically unfollows the tweep
Tweep unfollows @scammerspammerbiz

This is aggravating enough all by itself.

The really annoying bit is that as soon as you unfollow @scammerspammerbiz the whole cycle starts again.

Thank goodness for the "block" button!

What does your email address say about you?

2010-01-25T19:40:00.004Z

Quite a lot apparently!

The feedback from the people I do business with, contacts on Twitter and from my friends was surprisingly consistent.

A "freebie" address such as Hotmail, GMail or Yahoo is considered ok for start ups and sole traders - but only as a means of contact. People are generally very reluctant to part with cash if no other dialogue occurs. Not to mention that most online payment services won't accept subscriptions from a "floating" account. The reaction is somewhat ameliorated if they know the person, but there is still the perception that they need to get a "proper" email address.

Almost equal wariness was accorded to businesses only using their ISP providers email. Again the understanding was there that this was ok within strictly defined limits. However, people were more inclined to "trust" these addresses more than the floaters.

Another consistent reaction was mild annoyance when companies have a website, but use a different domain name for their email addresses. The most common response I received when I asked for a reason was that it was "lazy".

However, the strongest negative reaction I got, across the board, was not to what appears on the right hand side of the address - it was the "name" that could really rile people!

Top 5 most despised:
Info
Mail
Enquiries
Sales
Post

You have been warned...

Tarnishing the Twitter glitter

2010-01-19T11:17:00.005Z

One of the main strengths of Twitter is the access you have to so many people.

However, the obvious counterpoint to that is that they also have access to you! (Unless you protect your tweets.) I use Twitter in a business/social hybrid model, so I prefer to have an open feed.

Good quality retweets are the gold dust that makes Twitter glitter.

I've found you need to be selective in what you retweet, but also be fair and return the retweet favour where possible. Receiving genuinely interesting information from your followers is part of the pleasure of Twitter, as is sharing your information with them.

However there is a dark and unpleasant entity lurking in the shadows - the auto retweet bots. These beasts hide in the "cloud" and pounce upon unsuspecting tweets and take them over for their own ends.

Some retweet bots are relatively harmless, like the "knitting" or "pagan" ones. (Don't ask!)

The ones I really have a problem with are those that add their own link to your original tweet and make it look like you endorse them. How many people would bother to check the original content? For example: One of my tweets was hijacked to direct people to a video of someone performing a very bad cover of a rock classic.

I particularly dislike it when bots pick up on my fibromyalgia and then purport to offer a "cure". Peddling nonsense has always been an internet speciality and Twitter is an ideal platform to promulgate the genre!

I know that by choosing to engage on Twitter that I take have to take the rough with the smooth. However, that doesn't stop the intense irritation nor the righteous indignation flaring up on occasions.

All I can do is hit the block button and hope my Twitter glitter isn't too tarnished.

Extra extra - read all about it!

2010-01-15T09:35:00.002Z

Latest news in (as promised in my blog of the 4th January)

Kids Need to Read have confirmed that $500 of books will be donated to Girls Inc Omaha.

Just to recap, @kidsneedtoread are giving the books on behalf of @hardlyaverage thanks to her winning a Global Draw run by Can't Stop the Serenity (@csts)

Girls Inc will be receiving 92 new books for their girls. Brilliant!

The obligatory "new year" post

2010-01-10T17:54:00.002Z

It seems to be the fashion to delineate your aspirations for the coming year in posts such as this one. I've never been a great one for fashion and so I'm not going to start now!

Instead I thought I'd answer a question I get asked - a lot.

Who do you recommend I follow on Twitter so I get some idea of what to do?

Three people:

1. To see how to interact effectively with thousands and thousands of people then look at @Zazzle. It's efficient, useful and quirky enough to be fun without getting in the way of the customer service.

2. Want to know how to interface broadcasting with Twitter? Then @jiminthemorning is the chap for you. Really useful to watch his feed while listening to his programme to have the complete learning experience. (Radio Shropshire, weekdays 9am-12pm - available on iPlayer)

3. How to miss a great opportunity? @robbiewilliams

The key point to remember is that fellow tweeters judge you by who you follow. Choose your Twibe (I really hate that term and wish it hadn't taken off) with care!

Connectivity cubed!

2010-01-04T11:10:00.002Z

What an interesting few weeks. I've seen loads of examples of how amazingly connected social networking makes people!

A good example comes from my daughter who had an unexpected Christmas present. She won a prize in the global draw for the "Can't Stop the Serenity"charity event. She gets to donate $5oo worth of books to a school/college/library in the US via "Kids Need To Read". She was - and still is - thrilled!

So, how does this happy event relate to social networking? It went something like this:

@hardlyaverage (my daughter by name and by nature!) tweets her news to a local radio presenter (@jiminthemorning) who was covering some seasonal stories that he calls "Hats off to Humanity" (or #hoth on Twitter).

@jiminthemorning reads it out on @RadioShropshire.

@hardlyaverage tweets Can't Stop the Serenity (@CSTS) and Kids Need to Read (@kidsneedtoread) to let them know they've been mentioned

Both organisations then tweet a link to the podcast of Jim's programme and Radio Shropshire goes global!

Once @KidsNeedtoRead and @hardlyaverage confirm where the money will be donated to then we'll let you know! Looking forward to that nearly as much as my daughter...

It's such a positive cycle of reinforcement and it was a pleasure to watch it unfold.

Downtime?

2009-12-15T11:19:00.002Z

Having attended a few face to face network meetings recently - all with a seasonal theme - I started to wonder if there is a "holiday break" in the virtual world of social media.

An unscientific straw poll seems to indicate that the personal interaction will continue, but that people will "lay off" the business content. This then gives me another point to ponder: where does "personal" stop and "business" start on a platform such as Twitter?

The old adage "people buy from people" is particularly appropriate here. Can you just stop all your interaction and maintain the momentum you've built up because you see Twitter and your blog as work and not truly "social"?

How much damage - if any - will a week or so of virtual silence cause? Do people in your "Twibe" understand and are planning to do the same?

I'll take a watching brief and adapt as it's my first Tweetmas!

Seasons Greetings (whatever season you celebrate) Here's my offering, The Twelve Days of Tweetmas: http://bit.ly/51kDea

Snake Oil sales?

2009-12-08T11:28:00.002Z

I was wondering how much credence people give to books that promise to teach you how to make a million in 5 minutes using the Internet? Or how about the ones that say that by changing the way you think in three simple stages you can attain everything you've ever wanted?

Personally, I've always steered clear of them. My "con detector" goes off when I see anything like this. What I find worrying is that some of the smartest people I know pay fortunes for cleverly wrapped up version of this stuff hoping it will show them "the way" to succeed in business and in life.

There is also the social media "delight" of the folks on Twitter that spew out homilies every 10 minutes that are not so much sweet as saccharine. The number of people that retweet this twaddle is alarming to me.

I put my hand up to sometimes being of a more cynical persuasion, if this kind of thing helps you I really shouldn't judge. At least the tweets are free. The literature and courses they try and interest you in, however, cost a LOT of money.

My version of these wonderful tomes?

Be yourself
Be adaptable
Keep learning
Do as much for others as you do for yourself if not more

Well, there's another million I won't make!

Plan B

2009-12-02T11:13:00.003Z

Bleh! Just struggling back to normal from a nasty virus. (not the computer kind either!)

It's certainly made me think about my finances and cash flow. While you're laid up you can't actively go out and find customers. You have to rely on your previous face to face networking and online presence to carry you through. It's also very difficult to maintain your agreed service levels when the lurgy strikes.

It's also made me realise the value of my Zazzle and Lulu stores as they're still ticking over and bringing in some revenue - even when I'm out of commission.

I can't be the only sole trader trying to focus on my iPhone and netbook whilst running a temperature that makes you see faces coming out of the wall? I was sensible enough not to answer anything important (I hope!) whilst in the worst grips of it.

Time for a more robust plan B I think!

Going on tour!

2009-11-23T10:06:00.004Z

I'm working on setting up a series of workshops and master classes around the West Midlands. I'm working with Christine from Working Partners GB. It's nice to have someone to bounce ideas off. I like working for myself, but working with the right people is great too.

Our idea is to give some taster sessions at a very reasonable rate to raise our profiles in the area. I'll be covering the benefits of actively using social media to promote your business. Christine will be giving personnel and HR workshops. We may add some Health and Safety sessions with Tori from Saracen Solutions as well. http://bit.ly/4i2vvl

I've got a finance model sorted out and am researching venues. Difficult to get a reasonably priced, disabled accessible room in some places! It's a shame that "access" is only thought of in terms of getting a wheelchair into the place. The fact that you have to push or walk much farther than is good for you does not seem to impinge on the minds of architects! Also, what's the point of having a "side door" for disabled access if it's locked and you can't get up the steps to reception? (Rant over!)

Will be a busy few weeks, but will be really worthwhile.

Razzle Zazzle them

2009-11-17T11:04:00.005Z

Having had a week or so concentrating on the coaching and education strands of the business it's time to check out the traffic generation work I did on the online strands.

Based on my (unscientific) findings here are my top ten tips:

1. Twitter generates more clicks than any of the other networking sites I am registered with.
2. Regular updating content of items such as Squidoo Lenses is critical.
3. If you stop pushing too early the traffic dies off.
4. If you keep pushing when the traffic is established people stop visiting.
5. Registering links with search engines such as Google does generate traffic if you get your description and key words working together.
6. Meta tags are back in fashion
7. A badly written blog posting or an ill advised tweet can be a serious set back.
8. Niches are key
9. Look after your Twitter "tribe"
10. Put some personality into it - a continuous stream of "buy this item from me" puts people off.

But, does it work - does it sell stuff?

In a nutshell: Yes, with persistence and no spam.

I was confident that the model I use would work, it's good to have the proof to pass on to clients.

So, go buy my stuff on Zazzle! http://bit.ly/19yi1I

Tweet thoughts

2009-11-12T11:54:00.000Z

Had an interesting experience today. I've been following a local radio DJ on Twitter (@jiminthemorning) and have been really interested at the way in which the programme - and Jim personally - uses Twitter to add another dimension to listener interactivity.

When one of the show discussions touched a personal nerve (homophobia) I didn't stop to think and dived straight in. Perhaps I should have been the sensible business person and thought a little about what I was saying, but some things come straight from the heart and are better for it.

The immediacy of Twitter and the ability to see the responses from other people (which email and text lack) is heady stuff. The next thing I know, I'm live on the programme discussing my private life - and my daughter's - in a very public media.

Do I regret it - no. (Particularly after my daughter gave me her retrospective blessing)

Do I now appreciate how Stephen Fry got into a bit of a Twitter pickle the other week - certainly! The medium is so instant and so responsive that it sweeps you along, which is it's strength and also it's danger.

With slightly calmer hindsight I think did something good today. I'll have to be careful that my natural tendency to jump in with both feet doesn't combine with Twitter to result in something I'm not proud of in the future though!

Eventing again

2009-11-10T13:50:00.001Z

I'm sitting in the ICT Conference having talked to so many people that my voice is failing me. As I am a naturally chatty person that really takes some doing!

The lunch break is in full swing and I'm happy to say people are taking the time to come up and talk to me. I'm having to sit on a hastily snaffled chair as the Fibromyalgia is protesting at all the standing I've been doing. It's nice that people recognise that I can't do the circulation waltz!

There is such a wide range of people here, I hope I can come here again.

Another great part of today is catching up with former colleagues. Always nice to catch up on the gossip as well as being the business woman!

My goodness I'll sleep well tonight!

The Marmite effect.

2009-11-02T11:43:00.001Z

I'm taking some time to concentrate on my coaching and social networking strands this week. Not only will it allow the SEO work I've been doing to take effect, it'll be a welcome chance to get back out amongst my local business community.

It's been fascinating talking to people about their perceptions of things like Twitter and blogging. To pinch the Marmite strapline, they either love it or hate it!

I think the most interesting part for me was the fact that people can deride Twitter and pour scorn upon it without ever having logged in to it, let alone learned how to use it effectively. They were particularly incensed that recent Tweetstorms like the one around Jan Moir and Stephen Fry made the "real" news.

Of course, the people that "love it" need little technical instruction and I can concentrate on true networking aspects of the phenomenon.

The people that "hate it" need a tour of the business benefits and also a gentle introduction to Tweeting and Blogging. I'm finding that several smaller sessions are far more effective than one longer "boot camp".

This duality makes it tricky running group sessions. I'm moving towards a proposal that offers 1:2:1 development and follow up support - including Tweet critiques. Persuading the refuseniks will be an interesting challenge, but I'm looking forward to it.

Sqidwhat?

2009-10-28T13:48:00.001Z

The self-selling gremlin is still bothering me. I need the business to start generating some real cash!

I am trying to drive traffic towards my Zazzle site to encourage sales. I hate it when other people spam their sites on Twitter so I keep that to a minimum lest I drive away the followers that I have worked so hard to get!

I asked for help on the Zazzle forums and found them to be both friendly and informative - which is not always the case on a forum where you are, in effect, competitors. As a result I now have three Squidoo Lenses.

I had heard of Squidoo but hadn't tried it. It's worth creating a lens just to study the technology! The API work is very well done. It pulls in selective information from Zazzle, Wikipedia, Ebay, Amazon and so on.

Here are my first attempts:
http://www.squidoo.com/fibrogear
http://www.squidoo.com/thegreenman
http://www.squidoo.com/mix

I'll do some SEO work and see if it results in any new sales. Watch this space!

Advocacy or business?

2009-10-25T09:10:00.000Z

I had one of "those" ideas at about 4am this morning.

One of the reasons I started my own company is so that I can work around the problems that my Fibromyalgia causes me. I would love to have the time (or earn the money to release my time!) to get more involved with advocacy for sufferers. The early morning "light bulb" moment was that I could create some items on my Zazzle site with key messages on them. Consequently, I was hunched over my keyboard at just after 4am and creating the first batch of stuff!

You can see the finished items here: http://bit.ly/19yi1I

It struck me that the words were more important than the image. Usually, I spend a lot of time on Zazzle faffing around with digitised paintings and photos. This time I was thinking far, far more about what I wanted to say and how to say it. I think I have struck the balance between informing and entertaining about right. Time will tell.

Let's hope it's a small step towards my combining work with advocacy.

Back to my roots...

2009-10-22T12:52:00.000+01:00

I get to do something that I love doing tomorrow! I'll not get paid for it, but it's why I originally set up in business and so it'll be a treat anyway.

I'm meeting with a young person to help them plan what to do next with their life. More education? A job? A bit of both? Self employment?

People rarely want to be instructed on how to run their lives, or their job, but they are much more comfortable with an open discussion that allows them to come to an informed decision that is personal and appropriate to them.

My core belief is to offer alternatives and not give directions. Hence my company strap line: Unique Solutions for Unique People. I get a bit hoity toity when folks tell me I should "always recommend" their pet solution or that I should "follow the received advice". I bear all the information in mind and bring it into play if it's appropriate.

I try and avoid offering "the obvious"advice. If "the obvious" worked then I'd be eating less, exercising more and wearing a size 12 frock! It also insults the intelligence of the person you're trying to help. There are far more subtle ways to discern whether or not they know the base information needed for the conversation.

People aren't a commodity to be "channelled" into a particular stream of education - or employment. A good consultation can help change some one's life and really make a positive difference. It's a privilege to be a part of the process.

Mass mail shot or not?

2009-10-19T13:18:00.000+01:00

I've hit the "sell yourself" trap.

I hate being the target of direct marketing. The unwanted phone calls and picture filled emails that I get when I forget to check/uncheck the appropriate tick box drive me mad. I seem to spend a lot of time unsubscribing to things I don't remember signing up to! Yet, here I am considering a direct marketing campaign to get business for myself.

I'm pricing up email shots, postal shots and leaflet shots. After which I'm tempted to try some vodka shots! The statistics roll past me. "Spend this much and get so many thousand emails with a response rate of this really tiny percentage". All I can think about is how many of these thousands of recipients will resent the heck out of receiving it in the first place!

I know I need to raise my profile - but somehow this just feels like the wrong thing to do.

So, how do I get my name and service known without alienating a whole host of potential customers by invading their inbox/letterbox? Do I take the slower, but less irritating, route of business networking groups and personal recommendations?

Selling myself (if you'll excuse the phrase) is proving to be more of a moral dilemma than I had expected!

Thinking academically...

2009-10-14T11:39:00.000+01:00

I'm exploring the possibility of a collaboration with some very bright chaps at Staffordshire University. Having had a year out of academia, I find I have to consciously switch mindset when thinking about this project. It's not a bad thing, but it has shown me that my perceptions have altered tremendously.

As a small business, I can spot a niche in the market and jump straight in and offer a product for people - sometimes on the same day. Things in academia take longer and are more considered. Evidence has to be collected, collated and evaluated. Having said that, the ensuing products will then have a provenance that is second to none and so can, perhaps, be seen to be a premium brand?

The potential benefit for small businesses when they work with Higher Education institutions is immense. We just need the politicians and funding agencies to make it easier to do!

I'll be assisting on the stand at the ICT conference in Birmingham in November http://bit.ly/911ie It promises to be an interesting day.

Revamping my Lulu storefront

2009-10-12T08:51:00.000+01:00

I've had my planning day with Carl. Then I had the requisite day of rest that I needed to recover from it! (see my previous post - the energetic muse)

We've made some decisions.

I'm taking down most of my current Lulu content and will be concentrating on the MP3 visualisations that Carl will be recording over the next week or so. We need the proof of concept for another project and this seems ideal material to test it out with, However, it means that if you've been putting off buying the 1 act plays then now would be a good time to download them - I'll be removing them on the 1st November. http://bit.ly/12ZC3Y

The fibromyalgia essay will stay up and available as it's free and still seems to be popular.

I'll also be concentrating on the "social networking for refuseniks" as well as my book. I've got an outline for a trilogy and the first book is coming along nicely. Writing the thing is easy enough - getting an agent is the part I'm dreading!

Taking my own medicine.

2009-10-08T19:40:00.000+01:00

I spend quite a lot of time encouraging people to build in effective evaluation into their processes. I then spend a larger amount of time persuading them to act upon their findings! You'd think that I'd automatically do the same for my own company would you not?

Today I took some time out to do my 6 month evaluation. Like so many people before me, it told me that what I had thought was going to happen and what had actually happened are two very different things! Even though the evidence was staring me in the face, I didn't want to move away from the areas that aren't performing because I have invested so much of my previous life in them.

After a cup of coffee and a self administered pep talk (my neighbours must worry about me!) I tried to look at the facts as if I were my own client.

I expected to be visiting schools and colleges giving advice to young people on selecting a University, or a different path that will get them to where they want to be. Although the interest is there, the cash to pay for the service is not.

What I'm actually doing is helping people set up their own social networking models, coaching people and acting as an agent for other consultants. I've also developed an e-publishing and e-merchandising strand.

My advice to a client would be, concentrate on what is working and join the voluntary advisers for the education side of things once you're finances are stable.

Looks like I'm revising my business plan then...

Networking working...

2009-10-06T13:37:00.000+01:00

It's nice to know that sometimes this networking lark really pays off. Especially when you meet someone that's willing to talk sense. (Or who agrees with you, if you prefer that definition!)

I just got some really good quality Jpegs from Rawman Photography. http://bit.ly/mk9Vx Very nice shots. I have an avatar I can use now - and some publicity images too.

As I write, I can see a link developing between what they do and what I do on Zazzle. Oh, they'd be good for the Lulu covers as well. I'll need some images for the coaching paradigm too (once I get it down on paper!)

Networking does have it's downside (I'll just sit here and wait for the bolt of lightening to hit me!) It can be time consuming and have few beneficial outcomes. Sometimes, it pays off. When it does, it makes up for all the frustration and effort.

I'll go forth and network with some renewed enthusiasm!

Keeping it going...

2009-10-05T11:26:00.000+01:00

When do you stop being a "start up" business?

It's a strange feeling, but once I put my advert on Facebook I felt as if my business had taken a leap forward. Somehow, it's a "proper" business now. (Not that it was ever "improper" in any sense of the word!)

I've been pushing my personal rock up this hill for a few months now. Loads of interest, lots of supportive comments and so many leads and contacts to follow up. I'm at that stage where I need the nice words to turn into hard cash!

I still need all the drive and enthusiasm required at start up, but I'm now drawing on all my tenacity as well. This IS going to work! Longevity will be born from staying power and I need to keep the same levels of energy focussed on this transition just as much as I did when I first started trading.

I'm using Relaxagise to give me a boost and keep me going. 15 minutes well spent each day. It's really great to be selling something and be able to vouch for it personally! Not a hard sell, just a statement of fact. http://bit.ly/2LpJ6g (Just don't try it if you want to go to sleep afterwards!)

People need to realise that running your own business is a lot of work and effort - and the boss needs to stay focussed! Now, what was I doing...

So, what is it you do?

2009-10-02T09:39:00.000+01:00

You've all been there. You're in yet another networking event, or conference, or exhibition and someone is making polite small talk with you. As you're all there for work reasons the natural and expected question is: "What do you do"?

Now I'm normally a literate and, on occasions, even erudite person. I love words and can always get them to express what I need them to. Why is it then, that I can't find a concise and informative answer to this question?

There are some answers to avoid. For example, if I make the mistake of mentioning I'm a consultant, then I see their eyes glaze over and know that nothing I say will be absorbed by them for the rest of the event!

I try and tailor my response to the interests of the enquirer. A coaching specialist is, usually, unlikely to be blown away by my work on Zazzle and Lulu. If I'm talking to a writer then perhaps engineering is not always the thing to mention?

The problem with this approach is that I forget who knows what about me! I meet SO many people and can't remember which bits I've told them.

Another issue with giving people information about all your business strands is that they assume that you're a Jack of all trades and master of none. I've never understood that myself, but it is a prevalent attitude.

I think my predicament is best summed up by the person that I was talking to at the conference on Tuesday: " Oh yes, you're the lady that does everything". Perhaps I've found the answer to the question after all!

RTFM time

2009-09-30T18:44:00.000+01:00

As an engineer I often succumb to the "how hard can it be" attitude and eschew reading the instructions that come with things like flatpack furniture, software and web sites. You would think I had learned my lesson by now!

I spent a lot of today painting a rainbow - yes, really - do keep up! Once I had designed a motif that I liked, I spent a lot of time transferring it to some merchandise on Zazzle. I've been using the site a lot recently and have even managed (with the help of my daughter) to create shoes alongside badges, mugs and Tee shirts.

I'll have to admit that I was struggling to convert Dollars into Pounds in an attempt to calculate what royalty percentage I should ask for. I became aware that my daughter was looking at me with that incredulous, and slightly pitying, look that young people bestow on the older generation. She then demonstrated that I could log into the UK site, access my stock and work in Pounds (which I'm more used to). It's made my life much easier and removed the only niggle I had with Zazzle.

I really do need to learn that sometimes reading the instructions can actually be quite useful!

And RTFM? Read The Flippin' Manual! (or words to that effect)

Complementary Therapies in Mental Health Conference

2009-09-29T10:21:00.000+01:00

What a brilliant event it's been already! http://bit.ly/CD8XE Very well organised and lovely people.

The "Relaxergise" CDs arrived and are generating a huge amount of interest. The unique character of the visualisation is attractive and is not overtly full of NLP. The clincher seems to be the audio technology that maximises the message and so the whole thing only takes about 10 minutes. It's the equivalent of an audio cup of coffee! I'll put the MP3 up for download on Lulu later.

The string quartet are just packing up. They were excellent. Everything from Bach to Simon and Garfunkel. Very civilised.

Just listening to the opening speakers. My goodness there are some very clever and knowledgeable folks here! Can't wait to see what the rest of the day will bring.

Pitching up and pitching in

2009-09-28T18:03:00.000+01:00

I spent this afternoon setting up my stand at the Complementary Therapies in Mental Health Conference. http://bit.ly/CD8XE. It's shaping up to be a really interesting programme by the looks of it. This is how the stand looked as of 4pm this afternoon. http://yfrog.com/0n148rrj

The venue is bijou and pleasant but - sadly - not wireless networked. However, a long ethernet cable and some duck tape will do the trick!

There are a lot of interesting and influential people attending - Prof. Ruth Chambers is a good example. Can't wait to meet her again! I'll also have Carl Barton's "Relax and Refresh" CDs for sale.

I'm now sitting here trying to marshal my thoughts about how to best use social networking to support these good folks - The possibilities are tremendous, for patients - sorry, "service users" - as well as medical professionals. All I need now is to get someone to listen - I think I'll be cornering certain people tomorrow. Don't tell them though!

Not what it said on the tin?

2009-09-25T19:50:00.001+01:00

I spent all my time today at a business start up exhibition. If talking to people was to become a competitive sport then I'd be a world champion!

Having had a few hours at home to reflect on the day and the people I met I've concluded that the organiser needed to give more thought to their target audience. The majority of the stall holders were relatively new small businesses, but then so were all the visitors.

Should the event be repeated I'd want to see it either, specifically showcasing new businesses OR, making sure that all potential stall holders are aware that the event is aimed at helping the visitors start their own business.

The fact that the event was held in three separate buildings did not aid the flow of visitors around the stalls.

I'm not an events management expert, but when advertised seminars are cancelled at the last minute, or run an hour late, then something is amiss.

I enjoyed talking to the people that did visit and I hope that I helped a few of them. However, I think I'll be a little bit wary of this type of event in the future.

I'd like to thank my publisher, my Mom and next door's cat...

2009-09-24T19:05:00.000+01:00

Well, I feel like I've won an award anyway!

Lulu just put up my essay on Fibromyalgia as their "featured content"! http://bit.ly/mvER6.

Strange how something that was, initially, so tangential to my business has taken on a life all of its own. Not that you'll catch me complaining! It would be great if people reading the essay get a better understanding of FM. Or, maybe, comfort from the fact that they are alone in feeling this way.

Like most people, I have an awful lot of things I'm supposed to be doing at the moment. But a previously unsuspected narcissistic side of me has emerged. I keep flipping the windows on my desktop to take another look at the Tweet!

I think I have time to look at that Tweet just on more time - or two - before I get ready for the conference tomorrow...

A cathartic indulgence

2009-09-23T17:41:00.001+01:00

It's been a long time since I wrote anything for pleasure, rather than for work or for study.

The mood came upon me. I sat hunched over my netbook and the words came like a stream of consciousness. It was as if they had a life of their own and appeared on the screen of their own accord. I haven't experienced that for a very long time now.

I wrote about how Fibromyalgia really feels to me. It's only a short piece, but it felt so good to get it out of my head and into words. I've made it available as a free download on Lulu: http://bit.ly/12ZC3Y

My hope is that people will read it and then pass it on. Raising awareness of FM is a passion of mine so feel free to help me realise that particular goal!

Well, back to the grindstone - I have a coaching paradigm to finish!

Energetic muse or energy vampire?

2009-09-19T15:42:00.000+01:00

I'm developing a new creativity workshop with my colleague Carl Barton. It's shaping up really well, and I know we're on to a winner. Working with him is rewarding, challenging and - if you will excuse the vernacular - absolutely knackering!

In Belbin's world Carl is a "plant". I can't write fast enough to keep up with the flow of ideas he comes up with. My notebook is full of my scribbles and his drawings. Unlike a lot of "plants" Carl's ideas not only have wings, but they fly and do aerobatics too!

As someone who has a condition that inclines them towards fatigue (Fibromyalgia) I have to remember to call a halt to the development process after a couple of hours when I'm working with Carl. This enables me to recuperate before wading through all the notes I've made.

On one hand, I come out of our sessions full of new directions and fired up with enthusiasm to get started on the projects created by this energetic muse. On the other hand, I am convinced he is an energy vampire! I'm sure he gradually absorbs all my energy so I'm left drained by the end of our meetings.

I'm going to lie down in a darkened room for a bit! (I'll take my notebook with me!)

Eventing - not the equine kind!

2009-09-18T12:02:00.001+01:00

I'm getting more and more invitations to attend conferences and exhibitions. I love being on a stand at these type of events. I get to spend the whole day - or several days - talking to people about the stuff I am really interested in. There's usually free coffee too! What could be better?

I have only one gripe about eventing. I wish that some organisers (not the ones I talk about below) would get their act together and make a decision on some little tiny details like: When the event will take place, where it will be held, who will be speaking... small stuff! Needless to say, there are some events management companies that find my diary is unusually full to them!

I have two events to attend this month and I'm really looking forward to them.

Ariadne will be at the Complementary Therapies and Mental Health Conference in Stafford on the 29th: http://bit.ly/CD8XE I'm hoping to have some great new MP3 visualisations for sale that have been developed by a very intelligent and energetic young man called Carl Barton. For this conference I'll be concentrating on my coaching paradigm - see previous post - and also confidence and presentation skills. (Yes, confidence IS a skill you can learn!)

Also, I'm at the Business Start Up Show in Cannock on the 25th: http://bit.ly/3c8y7H I'll be looking after the Business over Breakfast stand as well as promoting my own business. I plan to run some sessions for newcomers to social networking for business as well.

I'd always encourage established companies to visit start up events. There are some excellent people and services available at a much more competitive price than you might be used to!

Never too old to learn a lesson...

2009-09-16T14:41:00.000+01:00

When I started reading around some stuff that has recently become more relevant in my own life, I realised how poorly informed I was on whole range of issues. I suppose I could offer the defence that nobody can know everything, but that feels like an evasion.

I suppose a more accurate interpretation is that I didn't realise just how much I didn't know. (I've just had a Rumsfeldian moment about "known unknowns"!)

In itself, that realisation isn't blogworthy. However, I'm now exceedingly grumpy with the so called "serious" media for being so willing to pander to the lines of debate suggested to them by the politicians - rather than doing they're own homework. The apparent "in depth analysis" we are presented with is nothing more than a rehash of the latest press release from the politicians who are already directly involved. Like all other celebrities, our MPs just want their name in the paper and their face on TV. The issues are secondary to their own personal success and popularity.

One positive to come out of all of this is that I have a whole new raft of research sites to use and a much, much better Diversity Training Course to offer!

Distinctive = different = too much risk?

2009-09-12T13:51:00.000+01:00

What makes you choose a consultant?

When I set up my business a few months ago I wanted to be different to the consultants I used to have to work with. I didn't, and still don't, want to spout the same old adages about communication, perceptions and the benefits of planning and evaluation. However, that seems to be what people expect and when you offer something different, they worry.

It seems that the person employing the consultant usually expects that consultant to "prove them right" in the face of opposition from within the company. I'm uncomfortable with this and won't be swayed in my findings by the argument " I'm paying you so you have to conclude what I want you to conclude"! (I may have paraphrased slightly)

However, genuine findings based on fact and observation with concrete actions do not appear to be popular with companies, particularly large organisations. So, do I sell out and do what is expected and earn a living - or do I stick to my guns, trust my instinct and hope my client base builds into a set of people I want to work with?

Answers on a postcard please...

Performance piece published

2009-09-09T11:33:00.001+01:00

Why didn't someone tell me Lulu is addictive?

I've just put up another download:
http://www.lulu.com/content/e-book/a-mummers-play/7639437

This time it's a short piece for 5 people based around the tradition of Mumming.

I'm hoping schools will pick up on it so there is a vestige of traditional arts for all students to have a go at.

Social whatworking?

2009-09-08T11:41:00.000+01:00

I'm fascinated at the large numbers of people that seem to be phobic about entering the blogosphere, or even Twitter. I'm not talking about the internet avoiders here, but about people that recognise the worth of technology and the opportunities it provides, but are terrified of "joining in".

I find I am giving more and more of my time over to introducing people to blogging, Twitter and even Facebook. Whilst I don't class myself as an IT expert, I can use the appropriate software and demystify the process. In my last session, I spent a lot of time explaining what a URL was and why they sometimes need shortening for Twitter.

My conclusion is that there is a swathe of interested and capable people that are intimidated by jargon and have the preconception that this is a closed club for technology junkies. I'm doing my best to debunk that notion.

Give the newbies a break and help them out a little with some jargon free advice!

Published at last!

2009-09-05T10:15:00.000+01:00

I have, finally, got around to publishing my Scheduled Thinking Time Workshop. It always generates a lot of positive feedback and interest when I run it, and so I thought it was time to bring it to a wider audience.

It wasn't as smooth a process as I had hoped. The problems. however, turned out to be on my PC and not with Lulu (the publishing site). Special mention to Carol Housel from Lulu at this point. She was a star and sorted me out via email She also has a sense of humour which makes life more pleasant when trying to resolve things.

You can take a look at the finished article here:
http://www.lulu.com/content/e-book/scheduled-thinking-time/7622693

Now I know how easy it is I'll be transferring more of my ideas into E-Books.

For free or not for free?

2009-09-04T16:25:00.001+01:00

When you're starting a business you do the rounds of the network meetings and dutifully swap business cards with anyone that comes within a 100 yards of you. Then people start with the offers to "promote yourself" and "make useful contacts" that actually involve you doing an awful lot of work to their benefit for no payment.

Where do you draw the line? At what point do you say "no" to giving your time away for free? Each situation is different - I appreciate that. However, there is the very real risk of being known as the "person that will do anything for nothing". There seems to be a tipping point at which you need to start asking for money before you set foot out of the house.

I don't want to seem mercenary, but I do need to make a living!

New academic year

2009-09-02T19:50:00.000+01:00

Back on your heads - term starts next week!

Are you rested, refreshed and raring to go? I doubt many people are, that awful post holiday dip puts us all at a disadvantage. I've found that the annual return to learning is not welcomed by teachers, lecturers or students.

It's a shame really. Learning is, apparently, supposed to be as enjoyable as teaching is said to be rewarding. So why do we dread going back to it? Is it just the post holiday blues, or is it something deeper?

PowerPoint is innocent!

2009-08-24T10:22:00.000+01:00

Apparently PowerPoint is responsible for making corporate presentations dull and really boring. I beg to differ. Corporate presentations were dull and really boring long before PowerPoint saw the light of day and were far, far worse for the excessive use of flipcharts!

PowerPoint in itself is neutral, the way we use it is what generates enthusiasm - or boredom.

Having said that, I once gave a presentation at a meeting of senior managers. It was well received and I had gone to a lot of effort to ensure that the slides were illustrative rather than electronic cue cards for me. In one way the presentation was a success in that the meeting decided to adopt the approach I had recommended. However, I was taken to one side after the meeting and asked by the meeting's chair to redraft my slides such that they more accurately reflected what I had said so that no "overly extensive" minutes were needed. I was admonished that all presentations needed to be bullet points only to enable non attendees to read them and get the gist of what was said. Needless to say I had to join the "bullet point brigade" thereafter. Well, mostly!

Although I resented the intervention at the time, he did have a point. We had moved on from using PowerPoint as simply a visual aid. The slide print outs became a hard copy record of the minutes that could be audited. It was the way the organisation worked and we can hardly blame PowerPoint for our internal processes.

Another frustration of mine is that the same argument for wordy slides is used when PowerPoint presentations are to be put online. It may take a while, but I'm hopeful that we'll move to podcasts of the original presentation, complete with audio.

As someone who lectured in a University for nearly 10 years I'd defend PowerPoint against all comers. If a presentation is boring and uninformative, it's not the fault of a computer programme. When used in combination with good teaching techniques and a range of other presentation skills PowerPoint is a powerful and engaging medium.

If people fall asleep during your presentation, it's not the slides that are boring them!

It's that time of year again...

2009-08-23T12:00:00.000+01:00

You can almost feel the relief of the various media and news outlets as GCSE and A Level results time draws closer. It's a "slow news" time of year and so an opportunity to take aim at an easy target is a temptation that none of them try and resist. We're treated to the usual howls of derision as the results are made public.

Having been Head of Department at one the UK's leading Examination Boards I would say that the criticism levelled at the current crop of qualifications flies wide of the mark. Are the qualifications different to 20 or 30 years ago - certainly! Easier, no.

The policy makers set the curriculum and not the Examinations Boards. The decision to include sociological and environmental components in all subjects means that other things have to be removed. Do I always agree with what is removed - no, of course not, but then I'm an Engineer at heart and not a politician!

So, why are more and more young people doing so very well in their examinations. (Apart from putting in the hard work that is) When I look back at my education the only sources of information I had were the subject teacher and the library. If you didn't like your teacher you were less likely to do well in their subject area. In more modern times there are study guides, online revision sites, podcasts and so on. There are more alternative sources of good quality information available to the diligent student than ever before. Teachers are a very important part of the learning process, but they are no longer the only part and perhaps that needs to be recognised.

The media are creatures of habit and I doubt that one blogpost will change their habit of sniping at the results each year. I do hope that the rest of us, however, will respect the time and effort that our young people put into getting themselves qualified and celebrate their success with them.

Coaching - friend or foe

2009-08-22T12:06:00.000+01:00

It's time to take a look at coaching from a different angle.

Some people like having a coach, they get a lot out of it and it adds considerably to their professional development. The majority have it imposed on them and take a dim view of the benefits.

When CPD/coaching is rolled out there is a tendency to spam people with "cultural change" and "improving communications" workshops. There is nothing wrong with the content of the workshops, but the recipients are coming in to them with a disctinctly negative frame of mind.

Consider the view from the point of an experienced, long serving senior manager. You've been working for the company for years, your appraisals are fine and you've progressed well. Suddenly you're told that you need to change your culture and communicate better. The instinctive reaction, no matter how softly and gently it is put to you, is that your skills are lacking and that you've been doing it wrong all these years!

I call this the "perceived deficit model". No matter how sensitively and positively the subject of having a coach is broached, people will feel that they have somehow fallen short of what is expected from them to "need" coaching.

Ariadne's Thread uses the "accumulative model". This is where the sessions concentrate on problem solving. By working on real and urgent projects with people it is then easy to add the benefits of coaching to issues that are relevant and important to them. I act as a "sounding board" for ideas and offer an external and neutral perspective.

So, how do you feel about coaching in business? Is it a good thing, a waste of money, or a way to tick the CPD box?

Entering the blogosphere

2009-08-22T11:59:00.000+01:00

Been a while since I "blogged"!

About me:
I'm a consultant based in the West Midlands in the UK. I've been an Associate Dean, a Training Manager, a Telephone Engineer, a Head of Department at an Examinations Board, a warehouse clerk, a job centre administrator and a University Lecturer (not in chronological order!)

I want to start sharing my perspective on CPD, Education, Coaching and so forth. I have a different way of looking at things and that's what my company is all about.

Ariadne's Thread is about finding unique solutions for unique people. One size does not fit all!