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Seriously: Why NOT to Be a Thought Leader

November 1, 2007 by Liz

Before You Begin, Know This

relationships button

Three thoughts collided in my head this morning. The first was the start of my third year on this blog. The second was that the Google algorithm change returned this blog to where it was ranked when I started two years ago. The third thought was a statement by a woman I’ve been friends with for almost a decade. . . . She started blogging about a month ago. This week she said,

I had no idea what you’ve accomplished. You’re considered a thought leader by so many.

I can’t see what she sees. I can’t be where I am and be where she is too. I sit at my keyboard, looking back at all of the words — typed and spoken — between then and now. I think about all of the people I’ve talked to . . . in the comment box, on the telephone, at conferences and meetups, in coffee shops.

I think of their lives, their time, my life, my time, and I realize that content has been important, no question, but it hasn’t been king. Conversation with real people always will be.

Now this morning, I realize . . .

Real conversation uncovering new thoughts isn’t about keywords or searchable content. How could it be? . . . folks can’t search for truly new ideas.

Seems a good reason NOT to be a thought leader . . . new thoughts aren’t searchable.

If search is what you value . . . like I said, it’s about the conversation to me.

–ME “Liz” Strauss
Work with Liz!!

Filed Under: Motivation, Successful Blog Tagged With: bc, conversation, relationships, thought-leadership

The 4 Keys to Reader Comments and Conversation

June 27, 2007 by Liz

The People Connection

relationships button

The living web is built on relationships that grow through conversation. A certain magic happens when blog comments turn into conversation. When a blogging conversation happens, ideas, thoughts, and information gets passed from person to person. In the process, we find a human connection.

The Four Keys to Reader Comments and Conversation

These won’t surprise or stun you. You already know them. They’re what we all do when we talk to any person we value.

  1. Come down from the podium. Talk to me like a person who can listen. Let me be as smart as you are, even when I don’t know what you do.
  2. Leave what you say a little unfinished. Then I can add a word in. When a talking person fills in every idea and detail before anyone else talks, that’s called a speech. The response becomes applause or that awful noise.
  3. Blog your experience. I’ll respond to what you tell me. I don’t have to agree with you for what you say to resonate.
  4. Hold up your end of the bargain. Respond to my comments as you would my conversation. It’s only polite.

They say “no blog is an island.” But a blog can be one, and blogging is not the same in isolation. The ideas, thoughts, and information that we share in blogging conversation make us stronger and expand us, as people, not just as bloggers.

Therein lies the magic — we meet and make each other better.

–ME “Liz” Strauss
If you’d like Liz to help you make a plan to meet your goals, click on the Work with Liz!! page in the sidebar.

Related
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7 Great Ways to Connect with Other Bloggers While You’re Out Reading Blogs

Filed Under: Blog Basics, Community, Successful Blog Tagged With: basics, bc, blog comments, blogging, conversation, relationships

Thanks to Week 21 SOBs

March 18, 2006 by Liz

muddy teal strip A

Successful and Outstanding Bloggers

Let me introduce the bloggers
who have earned this official badge of achievement,

Purple SOB Button Original SOB Button Red SOB Button Purple and Blue SOB Button
and the right to call themselves
Successful Blog SOBs.

I invite them to take a badge home to display on their blogs.

muddy teal strip A

Blood and Treasure logo

The Business of America Is Business by David Starling

I Succeed by Helping You Succeed

John TP logo

LIEWCF logo

Squibble logo

STATS logo

Symplebyte logo

They take the conversation to their readers,
contribute great ideas, challenge us, make us better, and make our businesses stronger.

I thank all of our SOBs for thinking what we say is worth passing on.
Good conversation shared can only improve the blogging community.

Should anyone question this badge’s validity, send him or her directly to me. This award comes with a full “Liz said so” guarantee. It is endorsed by Kings of the Hemispheres, Martin and Michael, and backed by my brothers, Angelo and Pasquale.

deep purple strip

Want to become an SOB?

If you’re an SO-Wanna-B, you can see the whole list of SOBs and learn how to be one by visiting the SOB Hall of Fame. Click the link or visit the What IS an SOB?! page in the sidebar.

–ME “Liz” Strauss

Filed Under: SOB Business, Successful Blog Tagged With: bc, blog_promotion, Community, conversation, relationships, SOB, SOB_Directory, Successful_and_Outstanding_Bloggers

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