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Thanks to Week 178 SOBs

March 21, 2009 by Liz

Successful and Outstanding Bloggers

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

and the right to call themselves
Successful Blog SOBs.

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

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 SOB button’s validity, send him or her to me. Thie award carries a “Liz said so” guarantee, is endorsed by Kings of the Hemispheres, Martin and Michael, and is backed by my brothers, Angelo and Pasquale.

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– A-Z Directory . Click the link or visit the What IS an SOB?! page in the sidebar.

–ME “Liz” Strauss

SOB Business Cafe 03-20-09

March 20, 2009 by Liz

Welcome to the SOB Cafe

We offer the best in thinking — articles, books, podcasts, and videos about business online written by the Successful and Outstanding Bloggers of Successful Blog. Click on the titles to enjoy each selection.

The Special this Week Is Imported

TAX GIRL answers.
Normally, we impound the vehicles until payment is made. However, this time, the vehicle was running OK, and the driver of the recovered vehicle wanted to drive away. He gave us a PO from his established company. We trusted the large company.

Then, they refused to pay us the $300 for tow services unless we filled outa W-9.

Ask the taxgirl: Can I refuse to complete a form W-9?

Unconventional Thinking provokes
Early in our lives, we are all handed a book titled “This is the way things are done.”

The dutiful read it and follow it to a T. The wise, the innovators, the change makers read it and then rewrite it with their own version of The Rules.

The Accidental Business And The Random Millionaire

mariareyesmcdavis warns.
If you’ve followed this blog for any amount of time, you know I’m a big fan of scalable automation in social media, that doesn’t comprise the relationship you’re forming with someone. One such case includes auto-following and auto-unfollowing all those who do the same. Some things you just can’t keep up with and it doesn’t pay not to automate them.

I’m official changing that stance due to some recent changes on Twitter’s part …

Rant: I’m Turning Off My Twitter Automation

Pluperfecter shares.
@BeckyMcCray, who is a long-time friend and colleague via Twitter, asked her Twitter stream if anyone had any how-to advice for beginning vloggers. If you’re new to video blogging, presenting information, personality, or entertainment via video, you’ll find great ideas here.

professional tips for new video bloggers

Simplenomics applies.
I’m amazed every, single time I hear Miranda Lambert sing a song that’s new to me.

For some strange reason, I hear a sales and marketing related phrase in her work, yet I’m quite sure she didn’t do it on purpose.

Quite, Dang. Sure.

Hammers Love Nails

Related ala carte selections include

Web Urbanist delights.
Suitcases have grown in size, style and security as trains, boats and plains made the world a smaller place. From buckskin packs to steamer trunks to carbon fiber carry-ons, the story of the suitcase parallels the explosion of travel and tourism.

Traveling in Time: The Evolution of the Suitcase

Oh and..
Invest in your future. Spend a weekend with a social media dream team.

Register for SOBCon09!

Sit back. Enjoy your read. Nachos and drinks will be right over. Stay as long as you like. No tips required. Comments appreciated.

–ME “Liz” Strauss

Buy the Insider’s Guide to Online Conversation.

50 Blue Feather Tweeters: Talking about People Who Talk With You

March 20, 2009 by Liz

A new guy at the local pub asked me, “What is Twitter?” He said he couldn’t make sense of it, but he supposed his niece could. She has a blog.

I finished what I was tweeting and walked over to show him. I held out the public timeline on my iPhone and began talking about what folks were talking about. As we looked down the stream, I “introduced” him to people in the avatars. We talked about what each tweet showed about the ways people use Twitter.

I pointed out the huge audience of lurkers and listeners and told the man in the pub that I preferred the folks who talk. The folks who talk make the tool a mutual resource. People who talk share information, ideas, and insights. From them I learn, I laugh, and I connect to new people and new ideas. Questions get asked answered by the folks who talk. It’s like networking offline with the speed and reach of the Internet.

The man in the pub was shocked and awed …

The man in the pub came to mind yesterday when I read Lonnie Hodge’s Blue Feather Tweeters.

So, I thought “How about a list of the top 20-30 nicest people to meet and tweet on Twitter?” Here are my first picks for Blue Feather Friends–who actually talk to you….

Lonnie’s post and his idea to celebrate friends who actually talk to you … so inspired me. I want to offer you some of my favorite tweeters too — the folks who help me learn. Certainly these aren’t nearly all of you, but these ones I think wouldn’t mind a a new person starting a conversation.

Just a Few of My Blue Feather Tweeters

@lonniehodge He started the idea of blue feather tweeters and I’ve been reading his blog for almost 4 years.
@amyderby Listen in at night when she and I are designing t-shirts.
@rickmahn Ask him what LoL really stands for.
@zenaweist About as wise as they come and even more fun than that.
@jimpeake His conversation can be about anything. You’ll never be bored.
@DivinePurposeMV Listen to what she says, it’s always uplifting.
@AaronStrout A truly decent human being who knows business and tweets with professional generosity.
@BeckyMcCray Wit, style and everything about small town small business. Ask her about rush moment.
@JimStorer Lovely, kind, intelligent with a wicked mischief in his smile.
@JennFowler Fabulous sense of humor and fabulous hair.
@roberthruzek The original cowboy hat wearing gentleman of Twitter.
@carole_hicks Energy, enthusiasm, and so much honesty. Ask her about socks and social media.
@ahoffmann50 Always checking in to see how things are — if your life is a rollercoaster he knows all about them.
@eeUS Every morning she greets Twitterville with a smile.
@rainesmaker He speaks in brilliant sentences and often they’re hilarious.
@DebNg Soft words and a sly clever way of saying them. She’s a natural community manager.
@gassho He knows that reflection and silence matter. His words show it.
@joanna young The smile in her latest avatar says it all.
@CCSeed Intelligent, soft-spoken, and often profoundly insightful in 140 characters
@amypalko She’s extraordinary. Ask her about soaring.
@davepeck This is a guy worth meeting! Just say, “OMG it’s Dave Peck!” to him.
@heatherrast Every morning she greets Twitterville with a smile.
@markdavidson Twitter maven who’ll answer your questions and make you laugh while he does.
@_Deb She’s picturing us with tha camera. Tell her it’s time to sort her sweater collection.
@toddsmithphoto Always look when he points you to his latest gallery.
@northernchick Gentle and funny … and oh so smart.
@starbucker Positive in his world view. You will be too, especially if you sing along.
@rosasay Every bit of Rosa is leadership with aloha. You hear smile when she talks.
@shashib Truly a connector who wants to help and share what he knows.
@lorelleonwp She’ll talk anything “W” — WordPress, Woopra, what she’s wearing.
@BrentLeary He can talk about almost anything — maybe it’s his skill at interviewing.
@YaelBeeri She gives good tweet.
@remarkablogger Works hard, plays hard. Tweet like a pro.
@AlliWorthington Charming, funny, and graciously good humored.
@tojosan He’s relational. No doubt about it.
@websuccessdiva She’s genuine, generous, smart, and engaging.
@colderice His energy is beyond inspiring … It’s contagious!
@christammiller A whining new start worth every word that she tweets.
@VincentWright Chief Enthusiasm Officer and the nicest, wisest power connector.
@hartsook Awesome, smart, and thinks big thoughts. Inspiring.
@JasonFalls If he says it’s so, believe it.
@debworks Likes to talk with smart people about smart ideas because she has so many of her own.
@CCSeed Intelligent, soft-spoken, and often profoundly insightful in 140 characters
@heatherjstrout It’s so easy to talk to Heather and so fun. Don’t let that fool you. She’s sharp!
@barrymoltz Barry cares about folks succeeding. Asking him how to bounce.
@retheauditors A brilliant, straight shooting, sharp-witted Chicagoan.
@paisano He thinks therefore he’s fun to tweet with.
@momofteenstwit2 Everything she does is filled with generous energy. Get to know this one.
@Ron_Hudson Loves social media, making things happen, and people.
@neenz An alltop favorite of the Internet. Make sure you tell her I need some stickers.

Of course before we talk, it’s always a good idea to listen first. Then do tell them I said, “hi.”

What Blue Feather Tweeters do you know?

–ME “Liz” Strauss
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The Value of A Comment

March 19, 2009 by Guest Author

Leaving a comment on a blog is an excellent way to say what you think about the content of the blog you have chosen to read. Commenting is becoming part of the conversation. People comment, or write a blog post about the topic themselves, because something they read interested, motivated, angered, intrigued or just plain made them happy. So why does there seem to be fewer and fewer comments on blogs these days?

Blogs with huge readerships, the “A-Listers “ have no problem getting comments. People comment there to be seen engaging in the conversation, challenging the ideas contained in the post and promoting their own sites. We don’t question that A- List bloggers input great value and knowledge into the blogosphere. I’ve gone to many other blogs that also provide great information and insight but have small readerships and very few comments. I wonder why?

There’s been some conversation lately around the issue of the value of comments. There seems to be a trend towards less commenting and more posting of links, for example, on Twitter. This isn’t new. I’ve seen the topic come and go. I keep wondering about this the longer I blog and the more I read.

I read a lot of blogs and comment on few. I’ve been thinking about that lately. At times I believe I don’t have anything of value to add to the conversation or I’m intimated by the other comments. Sometimes I have too many to read and not enough time so I just tweet the link. I know that when I receive comments on a post I wrote I feel like they add value and I truly appreciate hearing what others have to say. I enjoy and learn from the conversation.

What is the value of a comment to you?

from Kathryn Jennex @northernchick

photo credit: Linda Cronin

What Is a Social Community?

March 18, 2009 by Liz

(Updated in 2020)

The LANGUAGE of SOCIAL MEDIA

Words have a deep effect on how we interpret and interact with the world. The words we use and how we define them reveal our interests, concerns, and values. This series explores the words of social media.

Social Community

From families to friendships, we share experiences and interactions with groups. Our attachments to those groups strong or weak weave the fabric of association and community. A community is a social structure that shares personal values, cultural values, business goals, attitudes, or a world view. What binds it is a community culture of social rules and group dynamics that identify members.

An online community isn’t built or befriended, it’s connected by offering and accepting. Community is affinity, identity, and kinship that make room for ideas, thoughts, and solutions. Wherever a community gathers, we aspire and inspire each other intentionally . . . And our words shine with authenticity. Many social networking sites also offer platforms for discussion of topics that a community or network finds mutually interesting or beneficial.

In the most concise terms, an online social community is a group of like-minded individuals connected by interactions.

@smallaxe: “Community is the family you get to choose”
@KohliConsulting: “We are community.”
@sherrymain “This* is. We are. The ability to ask “what is community” and get a response from a stranger quickly!”
@ettarose “community is the force of people sharing, good or bad”
@peace_: “Community is anywhere where a group of people learn from, interact & care for each other”
@elenakostovska “respect and belonging”

For more information see:
Princeton WorNet
Wiktionary
Community
Etymology and definition of the term “community

Got more to add? C’mon let’s talk.

Be irresistible.
–ME “Liz” Strauss