Web Line 16: How to Assemble an Online Army

Web Line 16: How to Assemble an Online Army

Derived From
Chris Brogan and Julien Smith, Trust Agents
Book Website
www.trustagent.com
Previously
Web Line 15: Online Etiquette Tips

RAP 7: Assemble An Army
PROFIT : Alone you can make so much difference. With the right army you can change the world.

Your New Look Army
The army we’re talking about may be diverse in it’s make-up...

• Mastermind Groups : Napoleon Hill suggested we align with like-minds 50 years ago. Form your face-to-face and/or online group today.
• Aggregators : Creating a way to collaborate is key. Google Docs, Google Wave, Wikis, Twitter... the tools are out there waiting for you.
• Automation : Your army can be software and machines to fill the gaps between the jobs humans do better.

Actions: Spread ‘EM
Here’s some tips for spreading your ideas further and faster:

1. Choose one thing to focus on.
2. Simplify the process for spreading the word. Make it dead easy.
3. Why bother? Create a powerful reason for others to take action.
4. Find people who are aligned to your cause.
5. Create an incentive or benefit for those who play with you.

Actions: Scaling Up
Here’s some tips for managing a large scale army:

• Simple gestures matter - it’s not how many words you write.
• Visit others and add a comment or two...
• Give something back to your community.
• Promote others - raising other worthy people will raise your stakes too!

Actions: A Leg Up
Here’s some tips for giving your ideas the legs they need to inspire others to grab them, use them and shout about them:

• Write blog posts that give others the tools and strategies they need to succeed.
• Sharely generously with social news and bookmarking sites like Delicious, Google Reader, etc.
• Contribute to Flickr and YouTube - great places to be reposted.
• Share your thoughts on platforms eg Twitter, Facebook
• Create and distribute free ebooks that enable others to use your ideas as their own.

Download the full Book Rapper issue: WebLine

Web Line 15: Online Etiquette Tips

Web Line 15: Online Etiquette Tips

Derived From
Chris Brogan and Julien Smith, Trust Agents
Book Website
www.trustagent.com
Previously
Web Line 14: How to Spot the Digital Natives

Online Etiquette
To make friends online and off there are some gentle rules to adhere to...

• Your friends are not prospects offline and neither should they be online.
• We all like to be listened to. Listen to your friends online too.
• If unsure, ask for etiquette advice when joining a new group.
• Contribute by commenting on blog posts, tweets and status updates.
• Look out for trolls. They’re nasty people who don’t follow the cultural rules.
• Also discern between a constant complainer and someone with a complaint.
• Marketing is likely to result in being ‘unfriended’.
• No one wants more email so rethink the way you keep in touch.

Are there any others you'd like to add?

Actions: Twittergy
Here’s some tips to strengthen your Twitter strategy...

• Get a @username that’s similar to your name.
• Add some content before expecting people to follow you.
• Having others following you is the social proof that will attract others.
• Have more followers than your followings.
• Interact, respond and @reply to other people and their tweets.
• When you follow others send them an @message.
• Read our Book Rapper issue: Twittergy

What works for you on Twitter? What doesn't?

Actions: Linking In
Here’s some tips for connecting on LinkedIn:

• Update your profile to reflect your current activities
• Add a honest photo, not an old one or a corporate headshot
• Find colleagues and connect
• Answer questions to display your expertise
• Crossover your invitations with Twitter, Facebook, etc.

What's your best tip for Linked In?

Download the full Book Rapper issue: WebLine

Web Line 14: How to Spot the Digital Natives

Web Line 14: How to Spot the Digital Natives

Derived From
Chris Brogan and Julien Smith, Trust Agents
Book Website
www.trustagent.com
Previously
Web Line 13: 6 Tools for Managing Your Reputation and Competitors

RAP 6: Be Helpful

PROFIT : You may know how to interact with people face-to-face. Online, the intent is the same : be helpful.

The Next Revolution
Companies were in charge from 1950 to 2005.
They not only controlled the major communications channels, they were the only ones that could afford to play their message on them.
Now, consumers are in charge of communication.
On the net you can’t buy mass impact - there’s simply too many channels.
With your channel you can have your say.
With fans and followers your voice can be amplified.

The web was built for decentralized communication.
Commerce was added later.
This is the golden rule for being online.

How to Spot the Digital Natives
Digital Natives know how to interact online.
It’s the rest of us that need to learn.
Here’s what they look like:

• They’re not stupid, they just have short attention spans.
• And, they’re probably multi-threading - doing several things at once.
• If you’re message is not engaging, they’re not interested.
• They won’t tolerate one-way monologues. They expect interaction.
• And, remember they’re people too!

PS: I'm clearly NOT a digital native. I bought a book, yes a BOOK, to help me learn how to use my iPhone! LOL!

The Lay of the Land
When joining a new group or platform, listen to reveal the culture of the place.
For example:

• LinkedIn : Reputation building for business people.
• Facebook : Easy connections for people, mostly personal.
• Twitter : SMS on steroids or like a huge conference call. Everyone gets a say!
• Blogs : This is your home base. Treat it like home and be a good visitor for others.

Download the full Book Rapper issue: WebLine

Web Line 13: 6 Tools for Managing Your Reputation and Competitors

Web Line 13: 6 Tools for Managing Your Reputation and Competitors

Derived From
Chris Brogan and Julien Smith, Trust Agents
Book Website
www.trustagent.com
Previously
Web Line 12: Five Keys to Maintaining Your Network

Actions: Managing Your Reputation/Competitors
Part of leveraging your time and effort is to use the web tools that are now available.
Here’s some for keeping an ear tuned for what people are saying about you online...

1. Google Alerts : Each time a keyword is searched or mentioned, you get mail.
2. Rank Checker - Firefox Plugin : Checks your Google ranking.
   
3. Technorati Blog Links : Check the number of links your blog is getting. Alternatively use Google Blog Search.
   
4. Compete.com : Compare your web traffic to others in your field.
5. Twitter Grader : Who are the twitterati in your industry/area? How do you compare?
6. Search.Twitter.com : What’s being said online on any topic right now?

Download the full Book Rapper issue: WebLine

Web Line 12: 5 Keys to Maintaining Your Network

Web Line 12: 5 Keys to Maintaining Your Network

Derived From
Chris Brogan and Julien Smith, Trust Agents
Book Website
www.trustagent.com
Previously
Web Line 11: Five Steps to Building Your Network

Actions: Maintaining Your Network

1. Touch Regularly : Simple personal messages count.
2. Calendar Reminders : Use technology to alert you to birthdays and other special events.
3. Service Levels : Know the limit of what you can provide. Don’t over promise or build false expectations.
4. Sort Your Network : Some people are simply more important to you than others. Identify your friends and keep in touch with them as your priority.
5. Build Armies : When you build trust you build a platform to make requests. An army can help you get things done.

Actions: What do I put on my Business Cards?
Yes, you still need them!
As a minimum you want your name, mobile, email + blog URL.
Plus add any other ways you want to be contacted.
For instance, Facebook, Twitter, Skype, LinkedIn.
You choose which ones are most important to you.

Download the full Book Rapper issue: WebLine http://www.bookrapper.com/

Web Line 11: Five Steps to Building Your Network

Web Line 11: Five Steps to Building Your Network

Derived From
Chris Brogan and Julien Smith, Trust Agents
Book Website
www.trustagent.com
Previously
Web Line 10: The Almost Obvious Secret to Web Success

RAP5: Build Relationships
PROFIT : The key to building powerful networks is to build relationships through being helpful. And, the wider your net the greater your opportunities.

Building Networks
Building powerful networks follows five steps that involve both online and offline efforts.

1. Awareness : Increase your network strength and reach by leaving a trail of web evidence - comments, connections, blog posts, status messages...
2. Attention : Attention is a scarce resource. Start with the online channels that appeal eg blog or tweet. And remember face-to-face meetups.
3. Influence : Attract evangelists not customers. Build the relationship and the sale will occur soon enough. Links are 21st Century name-dropping.
4. Reputation : Be aware of what people say when you’re gone. Your web debris is part of your reputation. There are no blind dates anymore.
5. Authority : Become the one people think of when your category gets mentioned. When you offer opinions rather than facts the level of trust you engender is crucial to your authority. Build social proof through recommendations, testimonials, friends, links...

The New Rule

The old game was ruled by quid pro quo. I’ll give you something as long as I get something in return.

In the digital world, once a product is created, the cost of production and distribution is essentially zero via the web. This sets up new ways to work. In particular, share your best work freely and don’t ask for anything in return. In other words, if you can help enough people get what they want, they’ll think of you when opportunities arise.

Actions: Three Keys to Connecting
The key to building awareness and visibility is to connect with other people.
Here’s how:

1. Touch Lightly : Make a comment, respond to a tweet and spread their word.
2. Meet Them : Ideally meet them face-to-face.
3. Keep in Touch : Sustain and enhance the relationship by keeping the conversation flowing.

Web Line 10: The Almost Obvious Secret to Web Success

Web Line 10: The Almost Obvious Secret to Web Success

Derived From
Chris Brogan and Julien Smith, Trust Agents
Book Website
www.trustagent.com
Previously
Web Line 9: 6 Ways to Use Leverage to Multiply Your Results

RAP4: Use Leverage, continued

Community Protection
No, we’re not suggesting you create your own mafia.
This unusual form of leverage is contrary to traditional business.

Don’t sell to your community.

Be their gatekeeper instead.
Protect them.
And, let the good stuff pass through.
And, they’ll love you even more.
Ultimately, they’ll look after you with indirect sales.

The Almost Obvious Secret to Web Success

Stop telling people!
Stop trying to get people to read your blog!
Stop chasing people!
Web success is an attraction process.
It’s all in the design of your message.
Create sticky content that gets people talking.

Leveraging Social Media
The web makes it easy to make direct relationships.
Use this to your advantage.
Complement one-to-one customer service like call centres with one-to-many social media.
A question answered online can satisfy many people.
Build a wiki, tweetstream or Facebook page to answer your customers questions.

Leverage Your Time
The single biggest way to leverage your time is to delegate your workload.
Get clear about what must be done and do what you do best.
Outsource or delegate everything else.
Crowdsourcing is delegation on steroids.
Once you attract your community, think about how you collaborate to build things together.
Remember, Wikipedia was created by a team of online volunteers.

• Some Crowdsourcing Sources
• Some Collaboration Tools

Actions: Think
Plan your Leverage.
Strategic thinking is the leverage of the mind.
Create a plan to make the most of your opportunities.