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OK, so Sean’s Classic Western Theme is awesome. I figured I’d better stay in-line with it and talk about some of the tools the Gold Miner would want to have on hand to maximize their opportunities. Not only do we need the right tools, we need to know how to properly use them. Let’s get started.

Communication

If our Western is playing out in the cloud, then we need a toolbox that will give us the upper hand as we ride into the sunset.  Since this IS the Information Age, it only makes sense that communication tools are the most important in the box.

So you walk into the Town Store to find out what’s available.  OK, let’s see…

• Twitter
• Facebook
• IM software like Gchat
• Email
• Video conference software like iChat, Gchat and even ooVoo
• You see a telephone, but it’s over in the corner collecting dust.  You wonder if there’s a reason for this?

You point past the counter. ”Which tool should I choose?” you ask Mr. Walton, the store owner.

He strokes his beard, scrunches his nose, and looks thoughtful for a spell. “Well,” he says. “I find a combination works best, but it all depends on your audience.  If you’re trying to reach a large group with the greatest potential for a viral response, Twitter is the way to go.  Once you connect with other miners and start working in the same shaft, you’ll find that IM and email are about as important as your pick axe.”

You nod. Finally, you open your satchel. “I’ll take one of each,” you say.

As bloggers, it is absolutely that we not only KNOW about these tools, it is important for us to use them.  I first signed up for Twitter about 6 months ago, but never really used it until recently.  The more I use it, the more I understand not only HOW to use it, but WHY so many bloggers do.  I realize now how effective it can be, but how ineffective it is if not properly understood and then used on a regular basis.

After making a few initial connections, we sometimes find ourselves hungry to take our tweets to the next level.

Collaboration

When collaborating with other bloggers we use many of the same tools as before, some more than others.  A combination of IMing, email and audio/video chat is a great Swiss Army knife that cuts to the quick of communication.  Whether you need to shoot the other blogger a quick sentence through chat, layout an entire page of notes for reference via email or just spend some time physically hashing things out – these tools get the job done.  Having an app like Gmail to do everything well and all in one place, even better.

Know your tools as an extension of yourself

When you speak to someone in your own language you’re thinking only of what you want to say.  Try to say the same thing in a different language and most of your focus is consumed by the act rather than the idea behind it.  The more our online communication becomes a natural extension of ourselves, the more effectively our ideas will flow through the digital airways.

Eric

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Exploring Online Friendships

The Internet experience without personal connection is like going to a party, standing in the corner and just watching while everybody else is having a good time.  There might be a few interesting moments, but you’d be missing the point of the party.  Enter online friendships.

I started blogging for many reasons, but have come to cherish online friendships the most.  Whether for collaborative purposes or just to have a fellow blogger share a common interest, it is human connection that renders blogging into such a rich experience.  In this post I will discuss the different aspects of various online relationships while defining their purpose and potential.

From shallow to deep…

8: The Comment Conversation. This is one of the ‘lightest’ connections, but also one of the best when beginning.  A simple @SoAndSo with a few thoughts to fallow and you’re one step closer to a fellow citizen of the sphere.  Many of these will never move past the first reply and might even go without one, but this should not discourage your attempts to connect in an effective yet subtle way.

7: A social media ‘nudge’. Whether it be a tap on the back in Twitter or a post on another bloggers Facebook wall, attempting to connect through social media is a great way to dig a little deeper.  Subtle, but also more direct than engagement through comments, this scenario is often a great way to plant a seed of relational recognition.

6: Direct email. If the first two mentions are like sharing a few words while passing at a party, then sending an email would be the Blogopolis equivalent to sending someone a text message.  There’s certainly a lot more potential for rejection, and you are asking a bit more from the person on the other end, but if you are successful with this sort of connection, your options for future relations increase exponentially.

5: Instant Messaging. If email is like a text message, than IM’ing is a phone call.  The stakes go WAY UP, but so do the possibilities.  Just like a phone call, the person may answer, but may also quickly retreat from the conversation.  You might get a “hello,” quickly followed by a “it was nice talking to you” two sentences later.  This method of outreach should be approached with extra caution.  If the other party is not interested in the exchange, they must feel comfortable backing out.  If a connection IS made, you will be just a few steps away from a new addition to your online friendships.

4: Audio chat. Similar to a phone call, this option breaks the ’sound barrier’ when it comes to connection.

3: Video Chat. This is the Blogoplis equivalent to asking someone out for a cup of coffee.  You are face to face and voice to voice.  Many bloggers are private and this is sometimes asking too much.  Working up slowly to this is almost always the way to go.  Jump right in with, “You want to video chat?” and you might just scare off the very blogger you’re trying to connect with.

2: Phone call. Not necessarily more personal than an audio and/or video chat, but there’s definitely something different about speaking with a blogger on the phone.  It’s as if you’ve removed your blogging hats for the moment.  Maybe it’s because you use that same connection to talk to your spouse or local friends.  The phone is almost a half a step outside of Blogopolis, making it a singular experience.  I know when Sean and I first spoke on the phone we shared an odd feeling between us as the almost surreal world of the blogosphere grew tangible for the first time.

1: Meeting in person. Nothing compares to a handshake or a hug.  No amount of technology can replicate the power of human touch and the experience of sharing the same oxygen.  I’ve yet to meet a resident of Blogoplis in person, but I know this will soon change.  This is not necessity for strong blogging relationships to blossom, but certainly a worthwhile progression for your most cherished online friendships.

Get your feet wet first.

Each blogging connection will be different and none follow a single set of rules, but there ARE some common progressions worth pointing out.

Sometimes you may just fall into a conversation or find yourself on the other end of a great email from your future blogging buddy, but for the rest of the time it is best to start small.  I listed the different connection types in a progressive format for the benefit of this part of the post.  Starting with an @ kind of ‘hello’ is often times the best way to get your face in front of another blogger you may want to befriend.  After a few positive replies, moving to that next step of direct connection will help progress the possibilities.

Once you feel like the two of you are comfortable connecting through email, it might be time to share a chat.  Always be sure to keep the conversation about the other blogger, or at least when the ball is in your court.  As in any real life relationship, no one likes an attention hog.  Finally, if you find your connection is more than that of the occasional, “How ‘ya doing?”  you may decide that regular face to face (most likely of the video kind) is where you’ll end up.  By this point you are certainly sharing a two sided online friendship, and have successfully tapped into the best Blogopolis has to offer.

Eric

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Twitter is a critical component to many successful online strategies.  More than that, Twitter is the perfect playground to start tweaking your online voice.

These ten Twitter tips can help you find your voice:

Persevere: Twitter is a bit like many things, while managing to also be entirely unique.  In the beginning, it’s easy to feel overwhelmed and perhaps confused.  Stick with it and don’t give up, even when it feels like you should.  You may not get it in the beginning, but you will soon enough.  Spend some time as a spectator by following your favorites.  Once you see a rhythm you can follow, jump in and start skipping rope.

Be Yourself: Don’t worry about how many followers you will or won’t get.  Just stay true to yourself, no matter what.  If you think something’s funny, spread it around, but don’t try to impress.  Use a picture of yourself if you aren’t too shy.  People generally prefer to see who they are speaking with.

Share: It’s easier to make friends when sharing.  No need to be shy.  Twitter has high speed traffic for information of all sorts.  If you stumble upon something others might find useful, share it.  Your interests part of your online fingerprint.  Allow others to share those interests and they may come to rely on your judgement.

Listen: As in life, we sometimes learn more by listening than speaking.  Using Twitter doesn’t mean tweeting every twenty seconds.  Sometimes it’s okay to listen to discourse while mining useful information.  Speaking only when you have something useful to say will help you further refine your best voice.

Be Mindful: The delete button doesn’t work online.  The internet is public.  Be aware of what you are saying and why you are saying it.  Manners are as important on Twitter as they are in our comments or on the doorsteps of our homes.

Be sincere: Just because someone is an “A-list” blogger doesn’t mean they aren’t approachable.  If their information is valuable to you, it will likely have value to others.  Re-tweet it as you would re-tweet information from your friends.  In other words, tweet because of the value of the information, not because of the eyes that might be on it.

Confidence: Twitter is a great equalizer.  Your resume means little while tweeting.  Whatever you say, say it well.  The more articulate you are, the more followers will flock.  The more followers you have, the more your confidence will swell.

Learn: 140 characters.  That’s all.  Use limitations to enhance ability.  It takes skill to pack valuable information with precision. Twitter is excellent practice.  Master tweeters = better bloggers.

Invite: Twitter is a grand courtyard for making contact and spreading thought.  Don’t be afraid to add to conversations or invite fellow bloggers back to your home blog to continue discourse.

Start: There is no time like the present.  Give Twitter a few days and you will quickly see what an invaluable tool it can be.

Jump in, get going, and grow.  Using Twitter effectively is a wonderful way to sharpen your voice.

The BB Team

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Though lightning fast, the black and white of boring text can be an impediment to effective online communication, at least when compared to the visual seasoning found in a wayward gesture, roll of the eyes, or sheepish grin. However, clear articulation is a must if our road to success will wind through the weaving roads of the internet. 

Five basic principles for effective online communication.

1)  Get it Write!

When communicating online, take advantage of the strength of the written word while trying to avoid its flaws.  Treat online writing as if you were passing a hand written note on decorative paper, rather than a careless email peppered with abbreviations and unfinished thought.  Whether writing a post or drafting an email, take the time to orchestrate your thoughts and ensure your words gleam with the precision of your intent.

2)  Know Your Point

Effective online communication means being clear with your message and getting there swiftly.   Keep your ideas organized and concise.   Take the time needed to look over your work and avoid unorganized or confusing thoughts.  Clarity, grammar and spelling all matter.  As in all writing, it is sometimes difficult to discern the intent of another. Write for an audience and never assume they know the nuances of your mind.

3)  Follow Basic Netiquette

Though siblings, on and offline writing are not twins. There are new rules for this new medium, with brand new lexicon to match. Despite their many differences, there are tried and true do’s and don’ts that will give clarity to your thought and help you achieve effective online communication.

• Always treat others with respect. Don’t say anything online you wouldn’t be comfortable saying directly to someone’s face. Don’t allow the distance of the keyboard to dictate your bravado.

• Give others the benefit of the doubt. You would want the same. If you’re uncertain of  tone, assume the best unless you have a definite reason to believe otherwise.

• State your perspective with confidence, not arrogance. No one likes a know-it-all.  You can be confident in your voice while allowing plenty of room for the outlook of others.

• Don’t tear down others to elevate yourself. Good manners can’t be bought.  Treating others with the courtesy you would wish to receive is an essential ingredient of effective online communication.

4)  Be Genuine

Every minute online, is another sixty seconds that can be spent to strengthen your online fingerprint.  Every line you write casts a brighter light on what makes you an individual.  Each answered email, tweet, or post is another opportunity to show the online community precisely who you are.  Use your most authentic voice, it’s the one your community most wants to hear.

5)  Be Humble

Be willing to admit mistakes.  We all are constant learners.  Don’t be afraid to admit those things you do not know.  You might be surprised how many people are willing to reach out and offer their hand.

Written communication has its limitations; the lack of body language and intonation can make us uncertain of an author’s intent. However, there are advantages to the written word that verbal communication cannot match. We create our identity from the words we write. It is up to us to crystallize our thought and bring order to our message.

Building a robust online community is like building a door to greater possibility.  Effective online communication is the key to unlock it.

Sean

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Many people cherish vintage cinema as though it was a postcard sent from their favorite yesterday. Classic communities filled with memorable faces; a small town square centered in the light flurry of a few scattered streets.  Last names are a luxury; if a nickname’s not used, a first name will do.  Each and every citizen in these cinema cities seems to have a key role in the happenings of the burg.

Over the years, we have collectively witnessed a steady transformation from this quaint concept of community to a broader, less personal breed of city dwellers. Gone is much of the character, chiseled away by the faceless replication of a million McDonalds and Walmarts.  Today we stare between the eyes of a far more drastic change.

Enter Digital Communities.

As the Internet continues to evolve, evermore accessible and increasingly useful, so does our population spend more time hovering across a virtual landscape than engaged in the sensory world of touch, taste, and smell.  Our Walmart experience is gradually shifting from a stroll down the aisle to a few keyboard taps chased by the cursory click of our mouse.

The last couple of years have ushered sweeping innovation and an increased acceptance about the nature of tomorrow’s community.  Web 2.0 is moving from buzz word to way of life for an ever increasing number of the population, with no generation excluded.  The notion of a tweet as a method of interaction amongst friends would have led only to confusion not too long ago.  Today, for many a blogger, the word may as well be a synonym for community.  Intertwined and interactive, the number of ways to inter-connect is ever increasing.

We are no longer restrained by the traditional boundaries of the past; we have no high walls to keep us down or out.  Common interests and content of character draw us together while instant communication keeps us connected.

Soaring online success requires a formidable fingerprint.  Building a robust digital community offers a shortcut.

Just a century and a half back, all information was still traveling along at the clumsy speed of mammal.  Now it is only slightly slower than thought.  The most successful artists, leaders, and entrepreneurs of our next looming decade will be those with the ability to use the immediate access to harness a digital community around themselves.

There have never been finer tools to gather voices together.

This week, we’ll explore some of the methods of building community in early 09.  Tomorrow, Sean will discuss some basic skills for effective online communication.  On Wednesday we will talk about finding your voice on Twitter.  Thursday, Eric will talk about the numerous layers of online relationships within a digital community.

Until tomorrow,

The BB Team

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