How to Win Friends and Influence people with Social Media

Social media or Web 2.0 as is it is known in tech-speak, is changing the world, as we know it, at a rapid rate. Early adopters have defined its impact.

5 years after the launch of Youtube and a mere 3 years since the emergence of Facebook these originally quirky mediums have become ubiquitous. This poses a potential problem.
If so many people are communicating and sharing their content how can you stand out from the crowd and have your message embraced?

Clearly define your objective. Are you communicating largely irrelevant incidental occurrences in your life? If so there is probably a very small audience that will care to tune in.

Are you pitching your latest business venture to all and sundry and hoping the pure volume of your message will be heard? If so it is likely you will attract like-minded people who will send you an endless stream of solicitations.

Are you communicating to a specific niche target audience and interacting for mutual benefit?
Many people are embracing social medium forums in order to win friends and influence people to join their ‘tribe’. Invariably they go about this task in a counter productive manner.

Some suggestions that might help you achieve your goal.

Attract friends and followers, not for the purpose of building a large list, but rather for the purpose of creating meaningful dialogue. 

Your approach needs to be one of selectivity. There are a multitude of people with similar interests to yours. Frequent the same forums.

Comment on their blogs, and be genuine when you communicate with them. Mass automated responses are usually recognized for what they are. Many will consider them lacking authenticity. 

Ask for help. Most people are flattered when asked for advice and will willingly share.
Be consistent with your message.

If you have numerous Web Sites and Blogs and Social Media pages, avoid having them all linked.

Offer something as a valuable give away before you request a favor or solicit for business. This can be an e-book, or content rich download. You can guide them to your site for the download link, but let them choose to investigate your site rather than tricking them into a click.

Be different. The easiest way is to simply be yourself, natural, open and genuine. Let your own voice be heard.

As you build your connections you can ask that they recommend and share your links with their networks, and after the trust has been established, the true power of online networking will reveal itself.

It is highly unlikely that interactive networking is a fad, and the sooner you embrace it the more chance you will have to share your message.

Have You Joined The 'Whatever' Generation?

It doesn't seem that long ago that the one word, concluding punctuation mark, 'whatever' entered the common lexicon. What would once have seemed abrupt in the extreme became the deflection of choice for a generation. Any conversation that needed immediate termination could be executed with the briefest of eye brow raise and the barely audible 'whatever'.


Like a Seinfeld comedy sketch a whole generation embraced this 'in-joke'. What might once have appeared rude or condescending became a rallying call flavored in irony for the apathetic and ambivalent.


Catch phrases act to bond like minded people. A tipping point is reached with inter-generational and cross cultural participation. Suddenly everything is 'whatever'. Debate and rational analysis default to 'whatever'


The interesting thing to me is this: If that little voice in our head that guides our impulses starts to mutter the 'whatever' mantra, that's when the curse of ambivalence kicks in. Ambivalence is the 'devil may care' attitude that abdicates all responsibility for our actions and consequentally our results.


We all have a couple of throw away phrases that we catch ourselves repeating. We sometimes pick up on the repetitive aphorisms of others. 'I'm such an idiot'. 'Life's a bitch' 'S**t happens' (**LOL!) 'Whatever'


Listen to yourself and notice whether your language is tilted toward the enthusiastic or the ambivalent. Ultimately (side bar; my least favorite word) our self talk defines our attitude to life and it's worth the occasional pause to reflect on the phrases we use and how they impact on our lives.


What do you reckon? Let me guess. WHATEEEEEEVER!

Free Gift-#1 Read E-Book in History!

I'm a big fan of Seth Godin of Purple Cow fame. Most marketers ask you to opt in to their auto responder and in return they'll offer you something of value. I prefer the other approach: Offer something of value first and if you like it then opt in and build a meaningful connection. 


Click on this link and when the page opens hit 'Get it" at the top of the page. simple. Then perhaps you can opt in on the right and receive on going quality content as I find it.

CLICK HERE:  "IDEA VIRUS"

What's this Blog all about?

Thanks for dropping by. There's an accumulation of thoughts, some resources, and above all forum to connect with like minded people for joint Inspiration.


There will be some scribbling about Leisure, Travel, Health, Online Business, Motivation etc


Would love to hear your comments


Cheers Kiaran

Below is the original Blogpost for this site which is a more comprehensive outline of our objectives.

ORIGINAL POST

Did You Know?

Thought I'd share this video with you. It's had over 8 million views to-date. It got me thinking-If we're not embracing change we're in danger of becoming out of touch with the world we live in, quicker than you might imagine. There's no moral or anything to preach here, but I think you'll enjoy.


Let us know what you think below
Cheers Kiaran

This is not a dating Blog! Laughing out loud (LOL)

Yes I know all you hip over 40s knew what LOL was-took me a while to figure it out I confess.


It's recently occurred to me that the number one search result for over 40s online is in the realm of dating agencies and such like. Don't get me wrong, I have nothing against the idea and if I was single perhaps I'd venture into that world, but I admit to being surprised at the prevalence of search results almost exclusively on this topic.


Surely there are other areas of interest for this demographic, which incidentally encompasses half the population.


this Blogsite is still finding its voice and I'd welcome any feedback regarding what you'd like to read about-if anything. I'll assume if you've landed on this site albeit momentarily there was something you were hoping to find.


So, before you mowsy off (spellcheck didn't like that word!), let us know what you'd like in the area of content for the over 40's. Obviously we can't be everything to everyone but as we build this little online community in the dark recesses of cyberspace, i'd like to increase the odds of you returning!


So let us know if laughter, music, celebrity gossip-urgggggh-I hope not, health, fitness, travel (my passion), inspiration or sport takes your fancy, or whatever you'd like to find at this Blog.



Finally I have a little tongue in cheek observation to make. Whilst Googling 'over 40's online' to see what comes up, I did indeed find that 9 out of 10 page one listings were for dating sites etc, yet this humble (or not so humble!) blurb did come in at #1! LOL......


PS: there's a brand new social media site similar to Twitter, but obviously fresher and so far less spammy that I'm checking out called 'youbuzz'. it's the brainchild of Aussie Darren Gaudry, well known in online circles.



If you'd like to pop over and check out you can click here. If you haven't embraced Twitter or Facebook etc but want to venture into this sphere I think you'll find it a less cluttered and pretty friendly forum. My link is www.youbuzz.com/mypaidvacations


Thanks for visiting and as always I'd welcome your comments-especially the positive ones!
Cheers Kiaran

New Year Resolutions!

Welcome to another decade (technically we've got another year to go before the new decade actually starts, but let's not quibble!) What's your intention for 2010?


That question didn't exactly roll off the tongue did it? We're most used to saying 'what's your goal?' but I think intention has a bit more substance to it. Some goals can be little more than a wish and a prayer. We set vague goals daily. Some get done, some don't. So what?


Tell your kids that you intend to get something sorted out right now, and you've got their attention!


Enough of the semantics. The most common resolutions that kick off in early January usually include losing weight and getting more exercise. Not incidentally the same thing. I wrote a Blog awhile back where I discussed the relative pointlessness of exercise in contributing to weight loss, certainly compared to diet.


By late January the gym Memberships have been purchased, the body somewhat detoxed, a couple of Kilos lost and a few aching joints to show for our endeavors and before you know it we've defaulted to our usual comfort zone, and on the cycle goes.


Is this your story or am I totally off base? It seems to make sense to start off the year or deade with fresh resolve, yet there is no particular reason to begin in January as opposed to March, yet who sets resolutions in March?


The bigger question is Why? Why should you bother? If it's out of some token sense of guilt that you feel a little out of kilter with your perception of societies' expectations, then it's unlikely you'll really give a damn after the initial adrenelin rush wears off.


If however you can find a really compelling answer to the 'Why' then the whole game changes. 

If for instance it occurs to you that continuing to smoke could significantly decrease your odds of seeing the Grand-kids grow up, then your Intention to give up the cigarettes may just be strong enough to make it happen.

If you're struggle with weight loss has been never ending then maybe a candid warts and all assesment by your physician may be the catalyst for change.


Perhaps you've wanted to go into business for yourself and drop kick the 9-5 into Timbuktu (or however you spell it) but you've dragged your feet, procrastinated, let doubts and fears pervade your dream and again defaulted to the comfort zone of sitcom TV instead of taking some meaningful first steps toward that dream. Then perhaps a different answer needs to be found.

If not now when? Are you prepared to cop another 10 or 20 years of office politics. Are you happy to meander towards a subsistence pension in 5 or 10 or 15 years? 

What scares you? What exhilarates you?  This is the key to your success or failure in accomplishing your New Year Resolutions. 

Find a big enough why and virtually anything can be accomplished, else ambivalence kicks in and you're destined to taxi down the run way of life indefinitely without ever reaching critical speed to take off. - Sorry for the metaphor-speak-but there's a hint of truth in there I reckon!


Best Wishes for 2010 and I hope your compelling Intentions happen for you.





Cheers Kiaran