I admit it. My filter is broken. Sometimes I… well… I overshare.

Lucky for me, the business of social media is literally built on the concept of sharing. But this doesn’t mean that everyone wants to hear everything that you have to say.

On a personal level, I know that I’ve seen some people (Fine… I won’t mention specific friends’ names here) share things that make even their closest friend shudder for a second.

So it’s no surprise that many of my business clients struggle with the questions “What do I have to say?” and “Why would anyone care?”

In a world where people share photos of their meals (WHY?) and vague passive-aggressive updates (Seriously… WHY?), it can be hard to find the balance and still share your voice.

For those who primarily use social media personally, what sharing trends do you wish would just go away?

For those who primarily use social media for business purposes, what obstacles related to sharing sometimes keep you from posting consistent updates?

SOUND OFF IN THE COMMENTS BELOW and YOUR feedback just might be the focus for next week’s blog!

WHAT AFRICA TAUGHT ME ABOUT SOCIAL MEDIA: PART 3

Today’s Lesson: Change Your Perspective!

I have a fear of “panoramic heights”. There. I’ve said it.

I’m fine in an airplane, and I can usually handle myself in tall buildings. But give me floor-to-ceiling windows or one of those revolving restaurants atop a tower, and my heart will pound like it is ready to jump out of my chest! So imagine my fear when we were getting in a hot air balloon at 6AM to fly over the Maasai Mara plains in Kenya!

I would have been completely content to stay on the ground and experience those views, but our itinerary that morning called for a new experience. As we lay on our backs in the basket waiting for takeoff, I became very nervous and quickly jumped out, afraid that I couldn’t go through with this. But… after some deep breaths and encouraging words from the pilot, I got back in, ready to take on the adventure.

And WOW! Facing this fear was definitely worth it!

As the sun rose over the plains, we serenely drifted over the great herds. Everything took on a brand new perspective with intense and bold dimensions, and my fear was instantly gone.  After adjusting to this new way of seeing things, I began to snap tons of pictures and capture as much video as I could. I also seem to recall saying “I cannot wait to Tweet this! Is there WiFi up here?” which seemed to make the pilot’s day.

It’s so easy in social media (and in our lives for that matter) to get stuck in a rut and look at things in the same way. But we need to step out of our comfort zones and look at things from a new perspective. If we don’t, we may miss out on seeing something really amazing!

After this experience, I know I’ll always look for new perspectives!

So what kind of person are you on Facebook, Twitter, etc.? Are you a creature of habit who sticks with their daily posting/reading routine? Or do you like to shake things up a bit and try to see something new?

Let me know in the comments…

WHAT AFRICA TAUGHT ME ABOUT SOCIAL MEDIA: PART 2

Today’s Lesson: Pride Is Everything!

Did you know that lions are the only cat species that form social groups? It’s true.playtors.com In fact, I guess you could say that PRIDES would be the social network for lions, with each pride typically including approximately five females, two males, and their young. They play together, hunt together… everything. It’s clear that this community, this family is important.

What about your family? Whether you have a traditional family of blood-relatives, a Bohemian family of choice, or anything in between, remember to take time out to appreciate and spend time with them, too. It’s easy to get sucked into the “virtual world” of status updates, tweets, and texting, and there’s nothing wrong with that. But remember that it’s always healthy (and recommended) to unplug for a little while and regroup with those who are important in your life!

Now let’s get personal.

Are you proud of what you do and who you are? You should be!

Hold your head high and carry yourself with confidence! Your social media presence, like any area of your life, should be something that you have thought about, worked hard on, and put out for others to see and enjoy.

It’s not enough just to “phone it in” with a few scattered posts. You should think about what you want to share, and then do this with passion!

When you take the time to really give something that is meaningful and important to you, you will see better results.

So today (and every day!)… be like these lions, and BE PROUD!

JAMBO! (That’s “Hello” in Swahili.)

I recently returned from an amazing African safari booked through the stellar Micato Safaris, and WOW! There were so many intense and surreal experiences that I could probably write a book. But for now, how about a blog?

My friend Gay Gasser from Mirth in a Box (coolest gift boxes ever!) suggested that I share some of our photos with you in my new blog series –

WHAT AFRICA TAUGHT ME ABOUT SOCIAL MEDIA

No. Seriously… there are lessons everywhere if you just look.

Today’s Lesson: Don’t Be A Leopard!

Leopards are notoriously secretive and elusive, and will disappear in seconds after they are spotted. (Wait… aren’t they always spotted?) We were fortunate that the camera was on and up when we came across this one, as moments later it was gone.

So what does this have to do with social media? Everything!

If you want your business to be seen, then you must take every opportunity to get out there and be spotted. Don’t run and hide from new possibilities. In fact, you should throw yourself into them and become the social being that will help your business thrive!

So be honest… are you a leopard when it comes to seeing new things? Do you shy away online, or do you get out there and connect with others?

Dearly beloved, we gather here to say our goodbyes…to the Flip Cam.

NOOOO! SAY IT”S NOT SO!

Sadly, it’s true. Today Cisco announced that they will close down its Flip business as part of a company restructure.

This isn’t necessarily a surprising decision considering the alternatives. Many smartphones can record video and instantly upload to YouTube, etc., which is definitely a time-saver compared to the Flip.

So what does this mean for Flip-junkies everywhere (myself included)? Cisco claims they will offer Flip customers with a transition plan. There are no details yet to indicate what this plan may be, but my plan is to keep searching for the next best thing!

My question to all of those mourning the death of the Flip:

How will you record and post your videos once the Flip is no longer with us? Smartphone? Tablet? Other device?

Please share your memories of the Flip in the comments below and let me know what device will replace it for you.

I’ve asked this several times before, and I’ll ask it again –

Does anyone seriously still use the Yellow Pages to advertise their business today?

Sure, it may have been the place to advertise for many of us when we were growing up, but times have changed and the glory days of this bulky yellow book are definitely in the past.  Today it’s much more common to find the Yellow Pages lying in untouched stacks in apartment building lobbies, or abandoned on the ground next to residential mailboxes, waiting for the trash collection service to pick them up. The few that actually make it inside the house are less likely to be found near the phone, and more likely to be used as makeshift doorstops or booster seats for a child.

Don’t you wish you could just tell them to stop wasting the paper to send you this book you never use? Well, now you can do just that!

A new site has been launched at www.yellowpagesoptout.com to allow you to manage which directories (if any) you would like to receive. The process takes a few minutes, but it’s well worth it. So take a few minutes today and OPT OUT!

And of course, if you’d like some ideas on how you can more effectively use social media to promote your business online (you know…where your customers are right now…), CONTACT ME!