Book Review: Mindsharing by Lior Zoref

ONE WORD BOOK REVIEW: NETWORKS

Title: Mindsharing: The Art of Crowdsourcing Everything

Author: Lior Zoref

Publisher: Penguin Random House LLC

Publication Date: April 28, 2015

Length: 272 Pages

About The Author
Lior Zoref is a crowd wisdom researcher, an international speaker, former Microsoft executive and private consultant for crowdsourcing and digital strategy. 

Are You Alone?
Decision-making can be very difficult. It is especially difficult when our health, finances, career or relationship is involved. In this book, Mr. Zoref explains how we can find advice and wisdom from our social networks. He believes "mindsharing" is a simple way to use the tools and technology already in place to access and share our greatest human resources....one another.

"We are stronger than me". This is the theme of "Mindsharing" and Mr. Zoref instructs the reader on the most effective ways and places to use social networks to educate, involve and enrich ourselves and our online contacts.

My Thoughts
When I first heard about this book, I thought it might be about the popular practice of "crowd sourcing" to finance creative projects. This book is SO MUCH MORE than getting financial contributions from your social networks.

Mr. Zoref goes into great detail in sharing how mindsharing has played a tremendous part in his life since he left Microsoft. Many of his life dreams have come true as a direct result of mindsharing. 

An amazing example of mindsharing in the author's life happened when he was suffering from a persistent cough. He went to five different doctors but could not get an accurate diagnosis or relief from the cough. He finally went to his "crowd" on Facebook and described his systems. After two hours, he had many different replies to his request for advice. He found it interesting that eleven of his Facebook friends suggested that it might be whooping cough. He went back to his doctor and insisted that they test him for whooping cough. The diagnosis was clear: whooping cough.

This book is an excellent educational tool to build or improve your social network. Highly Recommended!

My Rating - 5 STARS OUT OF 5

FYI ~ I received a print copy of this book from the author's publicist to read and review.

Please share your thought in the Comment Section below!

Book Review: The Social Executive by Dionne Kasian-Lew

The Social Executive: Winning In The Multi-Trillion Social Economy

Author: Dionne Kasian-Lew

Publisher: BookBaby

Date: February 1, 2013

Pages: 60



About The Author
A respected thought leader and international pioneer in social executive leadership, Dionne Kasian-Lew is the CEO of The Social Executive™.  Dionne is highly regarded as a speaker and has been active on the speaking circuit since 2009 including as a conference chair, panelist, keynote speaker and contributor to thought leadership roundtables.

A Call To Leaders
"Social" is a hybrid word that means connecting, online or offline.

Many executives know "social" will be meaningful, but they are not sure: when, what, how. Ms. Kasian-Lew believes executives need to be involved in the social mindset.

Social is not a fad.

Leaders set the vision and the strategy of the company.
Customers no longer trust companies to tell them about their products or services...they trust their peers.

Leaders are paid to make decisions. Social intelligence can provide rich data and strategic insights that inform that process.

This little gem is packed with research, resources and strategies. The book includes 12 case studies that illustrate how social media is used for business.

My Thoughts
This book explains exactly WHY your business needs social media. The time is NOW for leaders to start building their corporate and personal platforms. Executives need to learn how to engage on the basic platforms. Then they need to start raising digital and social expectations at the leadership level and across the business.

Ms. Kasian-Lew has done an excellent job presenting information that business executives need to know and understand. Change is not easy but an investment in social media will pay huge dividends in the future. This book gets right to the important points....there is no fluff here. Read the book and be prepared to step into the future.

My Rating: 5 Stars Out Of 5

FYI ~ I received a digital preview copy of this book from NetGalley.

Please share your thoughts in the Comments Section below.

Book Review: Renegades Write The Rules by Amy Jo Martin

Renegades Write the Rules: How the Digital Royalty Use Social Media to Innovate

Author: Amy Jo Martin

Publisher: Jossey-Bass

Date: October 2, 2012







About The Author
Amy Jo Martin founded Digital Royalty in 2009 to help companies, celebrities, professional sports leagues, teams and athletes build, measure and monetize their digital universe.

The Renegades
Mary Jo Martin is an expert on the power of social media, the latest social media trends, how to build a personal brand using social media and on personal and business innovation.

Ms. Martin encourages her readers to get involved in social media by bucking previous assumptions and embracing their inner renegade.  She shows them how, step by step, with the eight essential Renegade Rules:

Rule 1: Be the Media Rule
Rule 2: Show Some Skin
Rule 3: Unmask Your Motives
Rule 4: Get Comfortable Being Uncomfortable
Rule 5: Ask Forgiveness Rather Than Permission
Rule 6: Consensus Is the True Authority
Rule 7: There's a New ROI in Town
Rule 8: The Act of Good Can Be Scaled

The author shares fascinating stories about how she went to work as the Director of Digital Media and Research for the NBA Phoenix Suns and helped Shaquille O'Neal develop a strategy for his Twitter presence. She has helped  many other sports celebrities build a strong fan base on Twitter and Facebook.

My Thoughts
This is an entertaining and informative book about developing social media influence. Sports fans will love the stories that she tells about working with some of the biggest names in professional sports.

Ms. Martin shares core values in this book that are essential in building trust via social media. She believes that both sides of the relationship must be equal with ongoing value exchange and reciprocation. She is a social rocket scientist because she believes magic happens when we combine numbers/statistics with an emotional connection. She advises us to strive to become expert listeners in both the physical and virtual worlds. Renegades have to earn trust and respect.

I believe this book offers a high degree of value and should be added to your reading list if you are a student of social media and branding strategies. This book offers practical insights and advice that can be used to build your presence on any social media platform. You don't have to be a celebrity or sports star to benefit from the information in this book.
Ms. Martin is launching an online Digital Royalty University that will instruct users on her methods of using social media. This is a great way to continue learning after you finish reading the book...the first lesson is free!

Three cheers for #TeamRenegade!

My Rating: 5 Stars Out Of 5

FYI ~ I received a complimentary digital copy of this book to read and review from the publisher.

I would love for you to FOLLOW this blog. You may use either the Google Friend Connect or the Networked Blog widget to show your support and encouragement. 

Please share your thoughts in the Comments Section below. 

Guest Blog Post: Christopher Smith on Social Media Marketing

I would like to welcome guest blogger Christopher Smith to JanetteFuller.Com. Mr. Smith is a Social Media Marketing Specialist. He is passionate about using Facebook, LinkedIn, Twitter and YouTube to help online entrepreneurs network and build a brand that will be rewarding and profitable.

Simply do a Google search on “Social Media” or “Social Websites” and your computer may blow up from all of the links that will show up. Depending upon which source you consider, there are around 100 global social media websites with a large number of unique visitors. These range from Facebook with approximately 908,000,000 registered global users to lesser known websites like Nexopia that caters to Canadians and has over 1,000,000 active users. I’ve had the blessing of being able to utilize Social Media to generate a substantial second income from home. Here are my thoughts on Facebook and LinkedIn.

Facebook

Facebook by far is the largest global social media website. Facebook is great for cultivating personal relationships. You can reconnect with friends from grade school. You are able to get in touch with family members that you see every few years. I’ve been able to re-connect with friends that I’ve lost touch with over 15 years ago. Most of my family is a 10 hour car ride away. It is great to see baby pictures of new additions to our clan before they turn three years old. Most people get a card or two on their birthday. When your birthday shows up, your Facebook profile will explode with birthday wishes. Facebook is great for building relationships and building your personal “brand” but not the best choice to market products or services. Share your vacation pictures but not your investment ideas on Facebook.

LinkedIn

LinkedIn is considered by many to be the best professional social media website. In my opinion, LinkedIn is a combination of an online head-hunter, a chatty friend and a potential boss. People literally make professional connections on LinkedIn that result in employment and / or contracted work. You are encouraged to network with your personal connections and even make introductions between your connections. LinkedIn makes it super easy to target a search to locate a professional.  Hypothetically speaking, you could find a basket weaver with a four year degree living in Mystery, Alaska. If he or she didn’t exist, LinkedIn would show you other basket weavers in this general area. LinkedIn is great for making professional connections, developing potential business relationships (partners, contacts, professional networks, etc.) and building your personal “brand.” You will not want to share your vacation pictures here but maybe offer to show others how you were able to go on vacation from your business venture.

About Christopher Smith

Christopher Smith is a Social Media Specialist and Online Auction Coach / Mentor. Between his Twitter accounts, eBay accounts, LinkedIn account,  professional / personal Facebook pages and Youtube Channel, he reaches thousands of people each day.

http://linkedin.com/in/chrissmithblog

http://facebook.com/chrissmithblog

http://twitter.com/chrissmithblog

http://www.youtube.com/chrissmithblog

Come Back Tomorrow For More With Chris Smith!

Please share your thoughts in the Comments Section below.

Book Review: The Funniest Facebook Updates of All Time #2

The Funniest Facebook Updates of All Time; Volume #2
By Steve Slater

Copyright 2012

 

Humor On Facebook

Facebook has neve been more popular than it is today. Millions of people post status updates each day. People use Facebook to stay in touch with their friends, family members and co-workers.

Steve Slater has gone through thousands of status updates and compiled 319 of the funniest statements in "The Funniest Facebook Updates of All Time; Volume 2". There is a collection of 14 jokes about Facebook at the end of the book.

Here are a few examples of the status updates in this book;

I have a date tonight...with my bed. And we are totally going to sleep together.

When things get me down, I take a deep breath and go to my happy place...the fridge.

Hope nobody has a video of me trying to get the fourth corner of a fitted sheet over the mattress.

I was born naked, wet and hungry. Then things got worse.

(Joke About Facebook)

A man dies and is standing before the pearly gates of Heaven. St. Peter asks the man what he did during his life. "Didn't you read my Facebook Updates?" asks the man?

My Thoughts

It has been a long time since I have read a joke book. This is a fast read and I can promise that it will put a smile on your face...perhaps you will even be laughing out loud. LOL

I could not resist downloading this ebook today when I learned that it was being offered FREE on Amazon. Each person has their own personal taste when it comes to humor, but I think there is probably something for everyone in this collection. You might even decide to share some of these updates with your own Facebook friends.

Facebook fans should grab this ebook while it is FREE.

Please share your thoughts in the Comments Section below.

Book Review: You'll Never Guess Who's Dying From Cancer

You'll Never Guess Who's Dying From Cancer

By Michael Antcliffe

CreateSpace, 2012

Michael Antcliffe was diagnosed with malignant melanoma in 2008. Upon hearing that his cancer had returned and that death was the inevitable outcome, Michael Antcliffe, on the verge of his 36th birthday, decided that he wanted to make a difference in the lives of those who found themselves in a similar position. Thus began a movement that started with a handful of people on Michael’s Facebook friends list and grew to number in the thousands.

Living and Dying With Cancer

This book is a collection of poignant journal posts that Michael Antcliffe has shared with his Facebook friends over the past year. Michael is fighting for his life and wants to make each moment count. He is on a mission to collect one million dollars to provide care and comfort for other people who have cancer.

Michael posted the following message on Facebook on April 21, 2011;

"You'll never guess who's dying from cancer. Gather around children, take a knee, and let me tell you a story. I am in the 12th round of a fight that began three years ago. My opponent has quite an impressive record. The truth, which I now find myself at peace with, is that I'm going to lose.

I need your help to make something happen here. I need each of you to owe me 10 bucks after I die, and I need you to ask all of your Facebook friends to do the same. I wanna raise a million dollars to provide care and comfort for people in my position."



Michael Antcliffe has been posting regular updates on Facebook about his life with cancer. He is very honest about the struggles and problems that he has been forced to deal with. He describes his treatments and the medication that he takes. He describes the doctors and nurses that have worked with him over the past months. He expresses his appreciation to his family and friends for standing with him and supporting him.

My Thoughts

The author expresses determination, persistence and hope in this book. I found the book very inspiring and uplifting. Michael does not dwell on his terminal disease, but he is always striving to make the most of the time that he has left.

I think this book is a wonderful gift to the thousands of Facebook friends that have come to treasure each and every post that Michael has shared. This book was written from the heart and will leave a lasting mark on the reader's heart and soul.

Michael is actively recruiting Facebook friends and will gladly accept friend requests from people who would like to share his journey. His mission is not to bring attention to himself but to help others. This mission has given Michael the strength to continue the fight against this staunch enemy. I recommend this book to all who are looking for an example of true courage.

My Rating: 5 Stars Out Of 5

A Personal Note

I received the request to read and review this book soon after I learned that a very close family member has been diagnosed with malignant melanoma. My son-in-law will be going to M.D. Anderson hospital tomorrow to see a cancer specialist. I am requesting your fervent prayers.

FYI ~ I received a digital copy of this book to read and review from Stacey Voss. Thank you!

Please share your thoughts in the Comments Section below.

Share Memories With Animoto

Would you like to create a professional quality video slideshow to share with your friends and family?
Animoto lets you organize your photos, add some video clips and top it off with your favorite music. It is very easy to do and you will love the results.
I recently attended my daughter's baby shower and created a slideshow with the photos and video that we took on this special day. I used a brand new Animoto template named "Through the Blossoms" to design the slideshow. I explain exactly how I made the video in the steps below.

How To Made A Video Slideshow With Animoto
(1.) I transferred the pictures that I took at the shower from my digital camera to my computer. I also selected pictures that my daughter took with her camera and copied them from her album on Facebook.
(2.) I saved some of the favorite video clips that I took at the shower with my Flip Mino camera on my computer.
(3.) I went to Animoto and logged into my account. I clicked on the "Create Video" tab.
(4.) I was able to view all the video styles that are available on the site. I chose "Through The Blossoms" for this video.
(5.) I was taken to the screen where I would design the video. I clicked on the "Add Pics and Vids" tab. I uploaded all the photos that I had saved on my computer from my digital camera and the Facebook album. I then uploaded the video clips that I saved on my computer from my Flip Mino video camera. Animoto allows you to use 10-second video clips in your slideshows. You have the option of turning the audio off or leaving it on. I decided to turn the audio off on the video clips.
(6.) Animoto offers a collection of stock photos and video that you can add to your slideshows. I chose several baby photos from their collection to add to my slideshow.
(7.) I clicked on the "Add Text" tab and created several short written messages that I wanted to include in the video. You can drag and drop the text screens to the location you want them in the slideshow.
(8.) I clicked on the "Change Music" tab to select the music that I wanted to complement my photos. This is always the hardest part for me because there are so many selections in the music library. I chose a song named "Golden Days" for this slideshow.
(9.) I clicked the "Advanced Settings" tab to give the slideshow a name and description. There are other options you can use to customize the video to fit your needs.
(10.) I saved my work and then clicked the "Produce Video" tab. I waited a few minutes and it was a done deal. I previewed the video and then upgraded the resolution to 720 HD.
(11.) I exported the video to YouTube and shared it with my friends.

Animoto allows you to open an account and create a 30 second video FREE. Try it today.

Please share your thoughts in the Comments Section below.

Book Review: Facebook Ate My Life, And Other Poems

Is Facebook eating your life? Are you networked out?

John McDonnell offers a humorous look at the social networking craze in "Facebook Ate My Life, And Other Poems".  This 4-page ebook contains four original poems that reflect the author's outlook on life.


About the Author
John McDonnell has eight books on the Amazon Kindle. He has five collections of horror short stories, one collection of humorous stories about a space alien named Larry, a book of poetry, and a holiday book called "The Christmas Gift". He lives outside of Philadelphia, PA, with his wife and four children.

Four Poems
Mr. McDonnell has written four thought-provoking and entertaining poems for this ebook. The following poems are included in this collection;

• Facebook Ate My Life. The author expresses his reluctance to "connect" with some of the unpleasant people from his past.
• No Points For Neatness. Mr. McDonnell realizes that neatness is second to love when you have a houseful of children.
• Birthday Boy. The author decides to celebrate his life on the anniversary of his birth.
• The Phillies Have Won. Mr. McDonnell expresses joy after a long-awaited victory for his favorite baseball team.

Take Time For Poetry
Poetry like this is fun and entertaining. I don't claim to be an expert on poetry, but I enjoyed this ebook and it definitely brought a smile to my face. The author/poet has a talent for taking ordinary circumstances and expressing them in a poetic manner.

My only complaint is that the book ended too soon...I would like to read more. These four poems will wet your appetite and have you hoping that the author will soon publish more.

My Rating:  4 Stars out of 5

FYI ~ I ordered this ebook from Amazon.Com when it was offered as a free digital download. Please check the price before ordering.

Please share your thoughts in the Comments Section below.

Book Review: Read Their Mind

Are you a mind reader?

Are you able to determine what the marketplace wants and needs?

Are you listening to people and helping them find answers and solutions?


"Read Their Mind; How To Hear What the Marketplace Wants and Build a Huge Business", by Sandi Krakowski, will show you how to follow your passion and build a strong, stable online business.

About The Author
Sandi Krakowski is a Serial Entrepreneur with 11 successful companies under her belt and a "Back To Basics Step By Step Business" expert who currently serves more than 170,000 clients in over 136 countries.

CopyWriter With Pink Hair
Sandi Krakowski began her Internet marketing career as a copywriter. She is known for the bright pink streak she wears in her hair.

Her marketing/consulting/coaching business has grown from her success in multiple Internet businesses. Ms. Krakowski shares many of the business principles and practices that she uses in this book.

Here are some of her key points;

• Determine your WHY. The author explains your WHY in the following way..."Whenever IT happens, IT pisses you off." You will work to find other people who have the same frustrations that you have and work with them to find a solution.
• Listen, Ask, Listen. Ms. Krakowski suggests that you do "listening research" to determine what the marketplace wants and needs. You must be sincerely interested in helping people and being the change. The author offers helpful advice in asking questions and using surveys to test your market. You will know what people want because they will tell you.
• It's Not About You. Your goal should not be to write copy that converts. You goal should be to find out what people are struggling with and figure out how you can help. The author believes it is important to speak and write at a level that people will easily accept. She uses the Flesch-Kincaid Formula to determine the reading grade level of her text. She has found that copy with a reading level of 7th grade or lower will convert more readers. Speaking to people where they're at is huge.

My Thoughts
Sandi Krakowski has built her business around the power of words. The words that are heard are just as important as the words that are spoken. This book provides practical tips and advice that you can use to improve your Internet business. The author writes a weekly newsletter and has thousands of subscribers. This book will give you a fresh outlook on how you communicate with people on your lists (email, Facebook, Twitter, etc.)

If you are not able to purchase the book at this time, I highly recommend the author's newsletter and Facebook page.

A Woman of Faith
Sandi Krakowski is not "religious" but she has a close personal relationship with Jesus Christ. She writes about her faith frequently in this book and gives God all the glory for her success.  I like the way the author was able to blend her personal beliefs and convictions with her business. She believes that she is fulfilling her God-given purpose by helping others.

FYI ~ I received a complimentary digital copy of this book during a pre-launch promotion on Facebook.

Do you conduct "listening research"? Please share your thoughts in the Comments Section below.

Book Review: Storytelling About Your Brand

We all have stories to tell. Storytelling makes your personal brand come alive by allowing you to express your key attributes, values, passions and accomplishments in a relevant and compelling way.

Storytelling About Your Brand Online and Offline by Bernadette Martin provides tips, tools, resources and examples that will help you decide what you want to say and how you can deliver it through the power of storytelling.


About The Author
Bernadette Martin is Founder of Visibility Branding, LLC and is a Career Transition Brand Strategist where she offers career development services for individuals (professionals, entrepreneurs, MBA and Executive MBA graduates) and organizations (universities, associations and corporations).

The Power of Storytelling
The author begins this book by sharing the "D-words" that are used in the Reach personal branding process. You will DISCOVER and DEVELOP your stories, DISTILL the ones that resonate with your target, DIGITIZE and then DISCLOSE and DISSEMINATE online and offline. Finally, you will DOCUMENT and DESIGN with your unique visual branding.

The author provides several examples of product brand storytelling. Brand stories are designed to create emotions like desire, craving and trust to win the hearts and minds of customers. The Walt Disney Company has used storytelling to market it's brand for many years.

This book features interviews with Susan Guarneri ("Career Assessment Goddess"), Rebecca Castleton (Certified Myers-Briggs Type Indicator practitioner), Julie Vetter ("Google Goddess"), Lou Bortone (Founder of Online Video Branding, LLC) and several others. These experts offer a wealth of information about developing your personal story and telling your story.

Ms. Martin offers detailed information on developing online portfolios, summaries and bios. She gives guidelines for creating an "elevator pitch" that can be used online or offline. The book provides some very helpful tips for using storytelling during the job interview process.

How Can I Use The Information In This Book?
This book is a fairly short read but it is packed full of useful information. I worked as an elementary school librarian for many years so I was attracted to the word "storytelling" in the title of this book.

I am often hesitant to share personal details about my life. The author explains that these stories make you unique and marketable. People will forget your statistics but will remember your stories. I was inspired to write the blog post, My Little Girl Joined the Navy, after reading this book.

This book provides some excellent information on developing online portfolios, summaries and bios. I learned that I really need to work on my "Summary" on LinkedIn. I also need to work on the "Bio" on my blog and on Facebook. This book provides tips that will help you develop the "brand that is you".  I recommend this book for anyone who wants to take their personal brand to the next level.

FYI ~ This is the first Kindle book that I checked out from my public library. I am so excited about having this resource available. I am very impressed with the selection of quality books that are available. Woot!!!

Please share your thoughts in the Comments Section below.

Book Review: The New Relationship Marketing

Today is the launch of "The New Relationship Marketing; How to Build a Large, Loyal Profitable Network Using the Social Web" by Mari Smith.

Relationships are the "new currency." Mari Smith explains that business professionals can become masters at relationship marketing in two primary areas: (1) the technical skill needed to utilize the vast array of social tools and (2) the soft skills needed to effectively build solid relationships through these social tools.

"The new relationship marketing means genuinely caring about all other human beings on the planet and building solid, win-win relationships." (Mari Smith)

About The Author
Mari Smith has a strong ten-year background in the world of relationships and Internet technology, making social media her ideal arena. Through her consulting and training business, Mari helps independent professionals, entrepreneurs and business owners to accelerate their business profits using an integrated social marketing strategy, with particular focus on Facebook and Twitter.

Relationships First, Business Second
Mari Smith has been called the "Pied Piper of the Internet World." She calls herself a "Relationship Marketing Specialist." Ms. Smith understands the changes that social media has created in the marketing world. She is an excellent teacher and is committed to sharing the information that she has learned during her successful relationship marketing career.

"We're being called to higher standards of authenticity, integrity, and transparency, and we are compelled to truly care about the world and all the people in it. The power has shifted from corporations to consumers, from dictators to citizens." (Mari Smith)

Mari Smith shares her own story in this book. She tells how she was a painfully shy child who hated to read aloud in front of the class. She tells how she began to gain confidence when she became active in a local Toastmasters Club. She has been fascinated with computers and technology since she was a teenager. With the right education and experience, she has conquered her shyness and has developed a real love for speaking and communicating with people.

Mari Smith shares "eight rules for effective electronic communication." She quotes the following line from the movie "The Social Network", "The Internet is not in pencil; it's in ink." She advises readers to avoid talking too much about yourself and your products without first adding value. She warns readers to "never respond to anything when you're emotional" and "never fight fire with fire on the web."

Ms. Smith shares some helpful points for developing a daily routine for time management. We all know that time seems to fly by when we are reading and posting on Facebook, Twitter and other social media sites. She recommends a scheduling program and several social media management tools to manage your time on social media sites.

Ms. Smith has a fascinating section is this book on deciding who the 16 to 25 high-level leaders and influentials are who you would most like to meet on a personal and professional basis. She has created a "Hollywood Squares" exercise where you can list these people and then create a plan of action to connect with them.

The New Relationship Marketing provides solid advice on how to turn fans, friends and followers into paying customers. The author shares an acronym that she lives by: ABM, or always be marketing. People decide whether or not to do business with you depending on your words and actions.

My Thoughts
This is a progressive, informative and enlightening book. It should be read and studied very carefully. The author has provided a free page of resources from this book on her web site. The resources include books, web sites, blogs, events, applications and articles that she discusses in the book.
The more I read this book, the more I realized that I need to make some changes in the way I interact with people on social media sites. This is a book that should be at the top of your "Must Read" list. Highly recommended to anyone who is ready to embrace change and climb to new levels of success.

If you would like to learn more about this book, please watch "The New Relationship Marketing Official Book Trailer" on YouTube.

Please share your thoughts in the Comments Section below.

Book Review: Zarrella's Hierarchy Of Contagiousness

Want to learn how to maximize social media? Are you a snake-oil salesman or are you a scientist? 
"Zarrella's Hierarchy of Contagiousness: The Science, Design, and Engineering of Contagious Ideas", by Dan Zarrella, reveals the results of data and experimentation in the world of social media marketing.
This book was published by Seth Godin's The Domino Project and is being offered as a FREE Kindle book this week (offer ends August 27th).


About The Author
Dan Zarrella is an award-winning social media scientist at HubSpot. He has a background in web development and combines his programming capabilities with a passion for social marketing to study social media behavior from a data-backed position and teach marketers scientifically grounded best practices.

What Makes An Idea Contagious?
Dan Zarella is a social media scientist. He has spent many years collecting real data from a variety of social media platforms. Mr. Zarella dispels many myths about the proper ways to use social media marketing to grow your business. He describes three criteria that must be met before someone will spread an idea in any format;

• The person must be exposed to your content. This means that numbers count when it comes to followers on Twitter, fans on Facebook and subscribers to your email list.
• The person must become aware of your specific piece of content (the idea you want to spread). This means that the person must read your tweet, update or email message. The author shares his findings about the best times to post your ideas and the best/worst words to use.
• The person must be motivated by something in order to want to share the idea with his contacts. Mr. Zarella states that "rare information is power" and you must give your reader a reason to pass along your idea to his friends. The author presents his investigations into what motivates people to spread ideas.

My Thoughts
This book will encourage you to take a new look at the way you are using social media platforms to market your business. Mr. Zarrella believes it is time to take social media marketing to the next level and discover what is really working.

Most people will be able to read this book in about an hour. I suggest that you read it all the way through, and then go back and slowly read, highlight and take notes on the the key passages in this book. There is a wealth of information presented here.

I suggest that you grab Zarrella's Hierarchy of Contagiousness: The Science, Design, and Engineering of Contagious Ideas this week while it is being offered as a FREE digital download. This book is a real gem and the price is right!

Please share your thoughts in the Comments Section below.

Encourage Your Friends

I have been thinking about all the ways that my friends have used Facebook to encourage me. "Encourage" is defined in the Webster's Dictionary is this way; "to give courage or hope to; make feel more confident. To give help to; aid; promote."

How Important Is Encouragement?

The truth is that everything that can be accomplished by showing a person when he's wrong, ten times as much can be accomplished by showing him where he is right. The reason we don't do it so often is that it's more fun to throw a rock through a window than to put in a pane of glass. ~ Robert T. Allen

Our workaday lives are filled with opportunities to bless others. The power of a single glance or an encouraging smile must never be underestimated. ~ G. Richard Rieger

Here are some of my favorite ways to bless others on Facebook;

1. Always remember birthdays. I love the way Facebook helps me remember my friend's birthdays. It just takes a few seconds to post a birthday greeting on a Facebook page. Little things like this really mean a lot.
2. Respond to prayer requests. If a friend asks for prayers, I try to respond to the request. I then take time immediately to pray for the request. Prayer changes things.
3. Comment on pictures and videos. People love to share their experiences with pictures. I really enjoy keeping up with my far-away friends by viewing picutres. If I don't write a comment, I leave a "Like" on the photos so my friend knows that I viewed them.
4. Answer questions. When a friend asks a question, I try to leave an answer. Facebook now allows people to post Polls to quiz their friends on different subjects. I think this is a fun way for people to express their opinions and preferences.
5. Express sympathy. I found the expressions of sympathy that I received when my dad died very comforting. It means so much just to offer a few simple words of condolence.
6. Celebrate. It is so nice to celebrate births, graduations, new jobs and other happy occasions with friends on Facebook. A happy occasion is multiplied when shared with friends.
7. Having a bad day. When my friends are having a bad day, it is a perfect opportunity to post an encouraging comment.  "Hang in there" or "Things will get better" ~ Positive comments can make things better.
8. Personal messages. I no longer try to keep track of email addresses. It is so easy to send personal messages through Facebook. I have used this feature to send messages to people who are not my Facebook friends as well as friends.

I am sure there are many other ways to encourage friends on Facebook. I am reminded of the following children's verse;

Make new friends,

But keep the old.

One is silver

And the other gold.

How do you use Facebook and other social media sites to encourage your friends? Please post your thoughts in the comments section below.

The Death Of Osama Bin Laden

Last night, President Barack Obama announced that Osama Bin Laden had been killed by Navy Seals in Pakistan. Many of my friends have posted comments about this unexpected event on Facebook today. These comments are heartfelt and touching. I have chosen some of these comments to share with you. I will not use the names of the people who posted these comments to protect their privacy.

There are evil people in the world who need the death penalty, but I am not joyful nor celebratory over anyone's death, especially one headed straight into hell.

Now I lay me down to sleep...one less terrorist this world does keep...with all my heart I give my thanks...to those in uniform regardless of rank...you serve our country and serve it well...with humble hearts your stories tell...so as I rest my weary eyes...while freedom rings our flag still flies...you give your all, do what you must...with God we live and in God we trust...Amen.

Brought to you courtesy of the RED, WHITE and BLUE! I don't care what anyone says, I'm proud to be an AMERICAN tonight.

Osama is no more.

Thank you to our CIA and brave Navy Seals: "This nation will remain the land of the free only so long as it is the home of the brave." ~Elmer Davis

Amazing amount of sheer blood lust on FB today. :(

Could it be a ploy for reelection? I need proof!!!

Please, if you don't live in the South with constant reminders of the devastation all around you, don't let the news of Bin Laden's death cause you to forget those affected by the tonado outbreak! We still need your help and prayers.

Congratulations America! We did it.

Does this mean the end of something bad or the beginning of something worse?

Please post your thoughts in the Comments section below.

Book Review: Social Media For The CEO

I recently read Social Media for the CEO: The Why and ROI of Social Media for the CEO of Today and Tomorrow by Eve Mayer Orsburn.  I read this book in digital format on my Kindle.  I borrowed the book from a fellow member of the Kindle Lending Club. 
Ms. Orsburn is the founder and CEO of Social Media Delivered in Dallas, Texas.  This book provides an abundance of information for the CEO who is interested in promoting his/her business.  You are not a CEO?  The good news is that this book will benefit anyone who wants to learn more about social media marketing. 
Ms. Orsburn emphasizes that social media is about communication and building relationships.  Social media delivers (1) customer service, (2) marketing and (3) communication.  It is as simple as that. 
The author provides 14 case studies of companies that use social media to build their client base and grow their businesses.  Some of these companies are the Mayo Clinic, Anheuser-Busch, Texas State Optical and General Motors.  Ms. Orsburn explains how she built her reputation as a social media consultant on Linked-In. 
I found the author's "Social Media Equation" the highlight of this book.  She breaks down the amount of time that you should spend in providing information, entertaining and interacting with people that you connect with on social media sites.  If you follow this formula, you will reap the rewards of new friendships, professional contacts and clients.  I am going to write this formula on a piece of paper and tape it to my desk. 
This book is a quick read and is very easy to understand.  The concepts that are presented in this book are very doable.  I have read quite a few books on this subject and I honestly believe that I learned more practical information from this book than from any other. 
PS: The last pages of this book lists hundreds (thousands?) of Twitter names that the author follows.  I found this list fascinating and I am using it to find many new people to follow.

Kindle Lending Club

I worked as a school librarian for 30 years so book borrowing and lending just comes natural to me.  I recently received a Kindle 3G Wireless Reading Device as a gift and I am totally hooked.  I am slowly selling and giving away my print books and plan to go 100% digital in the future.  I truly believe that ebook readers are here to stay.

In December, Amazon announced their new ebook lending program.  This allows Kindle users to lend their ebooks one time with a two week time limit.  This is a wonderful feature that allows book borrowing and lending.

Catherine MacDonald, a 40-year-old mother of three, had the idea for the Kindle Lending Club after hearing about the Kindle’s new lending feature, and quickly started a Facebook page to facilitate the lending and borrowing process. In doing that, she has created something akin to a modern-day electronic library service.
On Sunday, January 16th, a beta Kindle Lending Library site went live on the web.  I jumped right in and listed about 20 Kindle books that I was willing to lend.  Almost immediately, I was notified that there were requests for 11 of these books.  I copied the email address of the person making the request and then filled out the "Loan" form on Amazon.com. This morning I received my first book request from a member of the Kindle Lending Library.  This is a book that I really wanted and would have probably purchased if I had not borrowed it.  I have two weeks to read the book before it is automatically returned to the owner.  I can then purchase the book if I decide I want to add it to my permanent ebook library.
This is a fantastic FREE service and I look forward to to lending and borrowing ebooks in the future.  This kind of service just might be the library of the future.  I love it!

Movie Review: The Social Network

Yesterday I went to the movie theatre to see The Social Network. This movie was based on the true story behind the origins of Facebook, the largest social network in the world.
The main character in this movie is Mark Zuckerberg, a co-founder of Facebook. Mark is a very talented computer programer and a student at Harvard University. The movie begins with Zuckerberg sitting in a pub with his girlfriend. She is trying to carry on a conversation with him, but he is totally into himself and is being rude and obnoxious. She decides that she has had enough and breaks up with him.
Zuckerberg goes back to his dorm room and decides to get revenge on his girfriend by setting up a web site where pictures of female Harvard students are compared and rated by male students. He hacks into the university computer system and downloads the pictures of all the female students. He calls the site Face Mash. This site is so popular that it crashes the Harvard servers and Zuckerberg is caught and disciplined by the school officials.
This is not the end of Mark's hacking and code writing endeavors. He has a few lucky breaks, connects with the right people and puts in some long hours of work. The movie plays up the "bad boys" angle and makes it seem like Zuckerberg and his colleagues are in party mode 24/7. Somehow I really doubt that.
I found this movie both fascinating and entertaining. If you are a Facebook fan, then I think you will really like this movie. Yes, sometimes bad boys come out on top. Mark Zuckerberg is now the world's youngest billionaire.

Book Review: 33 Million People In The Room

I read the Kindle version of 33 Million People in the Room: How to Create, Influence, and Run a Successful Business with Social Networking by Juliette Powell.  I am an avid Twitter and Facebook user, so I am always looking for books that will increase my skill and knowledge in social media marketing and promotion.
This is a slender book that can be read in a couple of hours, but it is packed full of useful information that will teach you how to use social media to make your business grow and thrive. 
Ms. Powell highlights the importance of social networking.  A social network is a Web platform where people can connect with one another.  It is the online counterpart of the rolodex and card catalog wrapped into one, and it's becoming just as widely used.  Social media offers new and exciting ways to communicate.  Social networks aren't just about catching up, they are about staying in touch.
The author uses "Reed's Law" to illustrate the effectiveness of large social networks. Reed's Law suggests that every new person on a network doubles it's value. If you have a network of 25 business contacts, the amount of possible connections and subgroups within your group is an amazing 33 million.
The author provides numourous examples of how entrepreneurs have used social media platforms to build and grow their buisiness empires.  There is plenty of practical information in this book to educate a  newbie and enough details to sharpen the skills of a social media guru.
I really enjoyed the inspiration that this book presents by providing true stories of people who have worked hard and used social media networks to achieve success that truly blows my mind.  I read this book and then I made a list of things that I want to implement to expand my social media networking efforts. 
I recommend that you read this book and then use it as a reference tool in the future.