Monthly Archives: March 2010

“Free” Help

Posted on by

Nicole Jordan wrote a blog post on her site called “No You Can’t Pick My Brain” earlier this month. This has been stuck in my head since she wrote it and then some.

Excerpt:

Strategic and creative counsel is one of the most under-monetized aspects of being in the communications and marketing business. Would you ask a lawyer to coffee to “pick his brain?”

I, too, get these types of people asking for advice or help. They are my friends, colleagues, coworkers, acquaintances, family. I started to wonder if this was a woman thing. My semi-educated guess/basis: women are naturally inclined to create community, help, take the brunt of the work, and my favorite*- be underpaid.

I found Jordan’s post to be reassuring that I’m not the only person who feels this way. I also found her post to be good reminder for all of us to protect ourselves professionally. Yes, you can give out that advice, but be aware of and acknowledge the value you are also doling out for that cup of coffee.

* If you don’t know me by now… I’m totally being sarcastic.

Social Media Experts as Ninjas?

Posted on by

As a social media marketing maven/freak myself*, I run into lots of ‘experts’ and mavens on social media platforms. I follow them on Twitter, I try to go to networking events, etc. I want to learn from these people. In the end, I want to be disseminate info that I think is important to my own followers, friends.

As you may know, I do my best thinking in the shower. JPH says it’s another version of meditation. Sweet. I’m a meditating machine! (… in the shower)

Here’s my question to you, dear friends and lurkers. If Joe called himself a social media consultant AND was consulting for a business on social media, wouldn’t it be natural to assume that Joe himself had an active Twitter/social media presence? -> Is it necessary for you, as a social media consultant/manager/director/expert, to have your own (active) presence in the social media sphere?

I would say yes. I think, at the very least, you should have a presence in the space in which you claim to be a consultant in. Even if it’s only to help push out your client’s social media space. Ie. Retweeting, reposting links, et al.

But is there an alternative view to this? Could you be a social media expert/what-have-you and be STEALTH!? Could you, in fact, be a social media ninja?? Does this social media ninja exist?

What say you?

source: http://kippygo.blogspot.com/2006/01/httpshop.html

* Note: I don’t claim to be an expert, just a maven. Read Gladwell’s The Tipping Point. Shoot, if I was an expert, I’d have a FT permanent position in a company as a social media marketer, natch. So… if you have any leads…I’d be most appreciative!

Intro to Social Media preso – March 2009

Posted on by

This morning’s workshop went well. It was a smaller classroom, which fostered more dialogue regarding privacy and how-to’s. Thanks, attendees, for making this fun! I hope you learned a lot and can take the info back to your contacts.

I’ve posted my deck and handout on Slideshare.net. (www.slideshare.net/chrisylam) And here is the deck as an embed.

Please credit where credit is due. It’s all under a Creative Commons Attribution License. Plus it’s just plain good manners.

Intro to Social Media for WAW Pasadena March2010

This Sat’s Workshop (Social Media 101)

Posted on by

Hey there! I’m back from Canada and back at work. The funeral was fine. My cousins and extended family were very nice in hosting us and accommodating us.

This week I’m catching up and finishing up my “new” deck for Saturday’s workshop. That’s right, I’ll be teaching my “Intro to Social Media” workshop at Women at Work in Pasadena this Saturday at 10:30am. I think we’re full. This time, we’ll be in the computer lab and it’s a smaller room.

It’s amazing how things have changed in one year in social media.

  • Foursquare vs. GoWalla vs. Yelp – Brightkite kind of died
  • Twitter vs. Plurk vs. Pownce – Twitter has pretty much killed both, IMO
  • Friendfeed – I dunno – but looks like Buzz might have a hold (I still don’t like FF)
  • Facebook vs. MySpace
  • Tumblr vs. Posterous

I’m interested to see where the pieces fall in 12 months. You?