We’re honored to welcome Greg Lehman, AKA @Spike_Mobile to SocialNorth. Greg is the marketing brains behind Spike|Mobile and one smart guy. Greg and I met at Canada’s first 140 Conference in Waterloo and his star has been rising ever since. This is his story…

SocialNorth welcome submissions from everyone. Whether you’re focused on content, SEO, social media strategy or traditional PR, we’d love to hear from you. Visit our Writer’s Guidelines and share your expertise with our community.

The salesman

Spike|Mobile began as an idea and I put my hand up for role of salesperson. I’m talkative, outgoing and I’m rarely shy to introduce myself to someone I haven’t met before. Besides I thought, I did “sales” at the bank – how hard could this be?

I picked up the phone and started dialing. “Hi how are you doing? We haven’t met before, it’s Greg from Spi..” Click. Hmm, that’s strange. Ah she’s probably having a bad day. Another number and click. Click. Click. Click. “Don’t ever call back here again!” Click. Jeez! This sales thing sucks.

I soon learned that someone walking into the bank to renew a mortgage or talk about investments was an entirely different ballgame from b2b sales for a brand new start-up.

So I started reading about cold calling and how to be a better salesperson. I read book after book on becoming ‘this’ and finding ‘that’ – each one promising secrets to unleash my inner champion. With new ammunition and another spark of confidence, I went back to the phone and started from the bottom of the list this time. “Hello, this is Greg Lehman calling from Spike|Mobile…” Click. Click. Click….. Click. What the?

Back to the books. I stumbled upon a book by Scott Straten. He talked about Twitter and although I was an avid Facebook user for personal reasons, I thought of Twitter as mostly useless. But fed up with cold calling, I decided to setup a Twitter account. I knew from reading UnMarketing that I had to build relationships so I talked to everyone.

At my peak, I was tweeting between 180-200 times per day and spending 12 – 14 hours a day on Twitter. Was it crazy? Definitely. But I was starting to witness something happen: a community was developing right before my eyes. Mentors, partners, competitors, new friends and the most wonderfully positive and inspiring people all become a regular part of my life.

I’m not sure many of my Twitter friends realize the deep impact they’ve had on my life. Witnessing so many different lives and hearing so many different stories challenged me to take a more thorough look at my own. Hiding inside of a closet is a lonely and dark place. It can be terrifying to come out of when you think you’re going to be all alone in a big unfamiliar world.

The most incredible gift Twitter has given me is the strength to look at myself through a new set of eyes. To believe in all of the great things that I have become and to vividly dream of the amazing chapters I still have yet to write.
When you share your true self, you attract the right kind of people into your world. Part of meeting new people on Twitter has meant that I’ve reinvented myself. I asked myself questions like “who am I when no one else I know can define me? Who do I want to be?”

Without a doubt these past couple of years have been the most challenging in my life thus far. I’ve been hit down hard more than a few times, but I’ve always had a crowd to cheer me on and throw me back in the ring, encouraging me to take another swing.

The opportunities I’ve had and relationships I’ve built have been more abundant and profound than I ever could have imagined. My entire life has changed somewhere within the last 32,000 tweets.

But wait, that’s not all…

Two years in a row I’ve had the honour of organizing the KW Polar Plunge for KidsAbility. It began on Twitter, but has had a real life impact. This past January, we raised more than $7,000 to support the thousands of children and youth who use the services of KidsAbility.

#LunchUpGuelph started off as a conversation between a few people and has turned into a monthly meeting with a steady and revolving group of about 35 attendees. In its own way, it symbolizes exactly what social media is all about: warm welcomes, hugs and a melange of people and personalities.

More recently, I’ve had the opportunity to contend for the role of Social Media Ambassador for Mercedes-Benz Canada. It’s been a hard fought battle, but by now I am a seasoned fighter. I took to the challenge trusting my online community would be in my corner and we brought on a barrage of energy that helped me to hold a position at the top of my category

My Twitter advice

• Be you. There’s only one of you and that’s who the world is dying to meet. Be authentic when you talk to people. They’ll feel the difference and so will you.

• Give before you get. The more you share and connect with other people, the more you’ll get back from it. Share your true stories and help others to learn from the journey you’ve been on. Rome wasn’t built in a day and it certainly wasn’t built by one person. Find out how you can help one another.

• Attend tweetups. Twitter is great but sometimes it’s just an introduction. Alternatively sometimes you’ll meet in person and then develop an even deeper relationship when you connect online. In either case, meeting people in real life (IRL as twitterfolk say) deepens relationships and strengthens bonds.

• Be open to new ideas and be positive. Keep it friendly. Be inspiring and you’ll find that’s what comes back to you. We all go through bad times and we all have strong opinions about certain topics. Don’t share what you wouldn’t want your kids to read.

• Just go for it! Life isn’t a straight road and it would be boring if it was. Keep going. You might feel alone at first but you’ll find your place if you look hard enough. I couldn’t picture my life now without the people that I’ve met on Twitter.

About Greg Lehman

Greg Lehman is one of the founding members of Spike|Mobile, a marketing company based out of Waterloo Region. When he’s not busy working or taking a Plunge into freezing cold water, you’ll find him lost in the forest with his dogs Dakota & Casey. He also enjoys cooking, travelling and writing about himself in third person. Connect with him here at about.me/GregLehman.

Got a social media story to share? Check out our blogger guidelines or catch up with me on Facebook, Twitter or LinkedIn.

We’re honored to welcome Sarah Robinson, AKA @SarahRobinson to SocialNorth. Sarah is an author, speaker and consultant. She wrote Fierce Loyalty: Unlocking the DNA of Wildly Successful Communities and is a Forbes & Dun & Bradstreet top entrepreneurship tweeter. This is her story…

SocialNorth welcome submissions from everyone. Whether you’re focused on content, SEO, social media strategy or traditional PR, we’d love to hear from you. Visit our Writer’s Guidelines and share your expertise with our community.

Fill ‘er up!

When Julia asked me to write a post about how I’ve developed such a powerful community, my immediate response to her was “It’s all about coffee!”

Anyone who follows me on Twitter knows that the majority of my conversations revolve around that critical beverage. How much or how little I have, how much or how little I need, whether I’ve run out, how I find my personality in the bottom of the third cup – these are all topics of discussion almost every day. Klout even rates me a top expert on the subject of coffee.

And while this may seem like a mindless topic, it’s exactly how I’ve built my twitter community. One member at a time.

When I working on my book, Fierce Loyalty, I got to dig into all of the happiness research that’s out there and I learned why talking about coffee or food or dogs or whatever, is such a powerful connector. We crave meaningful connection and engagement. In fact, having these things in our lives is THE determining factor in whether we feel happy. More than money. More than the pursuit of pleasure.

Don’t get me wrong, I talk business too

I share what I’ve written. I share what others have written. Part of my job is to serve as a filter for my community, serving up the best of the web in my area of expertise. Because I know them so well and they trust me, I’ve become a trusted resource. It’s a big responsibility and a necessary one if you want to lead a Fiercely Loyal tribe.

I also call people by name. I look at their profile and mention something from it if I can. Again, we crave meaningful connection and nothing is more meaningful than being acknowledged as an individual. In this impersonal, hundred-miles-an-hour world we live in, we relish someone who takes a minute to actually see who we are.

In the end, it’s all about being human

Revealing a bit of who we are, faults, coffee-addictions and all. I’m not suggesting over-exposing yourself. I recommend having some hard and fast boundaries around what you will and won’t discuss. For example, I never use my children’s names on social media. I talk about them all the time, just not by name.

If this kind of powerful connection and engagement appeals to you, here are five things you can start doing right now in your social media interactions:

• Open up a little. Let people see the real you.
• Participate in the conversations that are already happening.
• Share, Retweet, Like other people’s posts as a way of acknowledging them.
• Call people by name in your interactions with them.
• Talk about coffee or chocolate or tea or whatever your particular jones is.
• And if you have an extra cup of coffee, send it my way.

Do you have a social media story to share? We’d love to hear it – on our blog or on social media, of course. Follow us on Facebook, Twitter or LinkedIn and let’s continue the conversation.

About Sarah Robinson

Sarah is President and CEO of Sarah Robinson Co. She is a seasoned business coach, strategist, advisor and speaker who helps business owners set their companies apart from the pack. Based in Birmingham, Alabama, Sarah advises her international clients on how to build a thriving, successful community, how to increase social media effectiveness, and how to develop a remarkable online and offline business presence. Find out more about Sarah and her book, Fierce Loyalty: Unlocking the DNA of Wildly Successful Communities, here http://FierceLoyaltyBook.com.

We’re honored to welcome Robert Petril, 30 year furniture industry veteran to SocialNorth. He’s lived, worked and designed around the world – and continues to pursue his never ending quest for amazing inspirations.

SocialNorth welcome submissions from everyone. Visit our Writer’s Guidelines and share your expertise with our community.

Please welcome Robert, who never gives up on an idea

Dana Helms: Can you tell us about your ah-ah moment as a designer?

Robert Petril: For me, it was a commitment to completely change the way I looked at the world. Coming from a furniture family, my destiny was pre-determined in sales and management in the furniture industry. But I found my true path the day I was hired to launch Incanto Divani from Italy, onto the American Markets. The product designed for Europeans was amazing, but I immediately began dreaming about how to transform it for an American consumer. I managed to convince the owner to let me work with the graphic artist to visualize my ideas. Eventually those ideas turned into reality. Seeing my ideas on a real production line convinced me to follow my creative dreams – wherever they wanted to go.

DD: What do you love most about what you do?

RP: That day when I get to see a new design in the flesh, after a long and challenging journey, far from that moment in the shower when that vision popped into my brain.

DD: What’s the proudest moment of your career and is there a project that you think of as your absolute best?

RP: I believe the best is yet to come but the day we unveiled the first Simon Li Collection to the world was pretty amazing. I remember standing in front of 30 groupings that I had designed and followed through development, in the brand new showroom I had also designed around it. For me, it was the first time I truly felt like I could be called a designer.

DD: Who/What inspires you?

RP: There are quite a few greats that inspire me. Like, Marcel Wanders, Philippe Starck, and people like Bas M. from G Star Raw. What inspires me is simple – travel.

DD: Has social media changed how you do business? For the better or worse?

RP: Not only has it changed it, but it’s made it possible. Social Media is my primary method of growing my brand, giving me international exposure and education. I can’t imagine life without it.

DD: What advice do you have for others struggling with social media?

RP: Be patient and be authentic. Communicate, engage, learn and be positive. You don’t have to tell your life story, but you can give others the gift of who you are. People like to know the person behind it all.

DD: Can you tell us about what frustrates you about your career or the industry you’re in?

RP: The fact that other industries are kicking our ass! Because, innovation is not priority one and we’re forced to ride the dinosaurs to make a living.

DD: Tell us about the private Robert – what do you love most about your home/life/family?

RP: I’m completely grateful each and every day for my family, and the health to continue to pursue my dreams.

DD: Tell us more about Robert and what’s on tap for you in 2013.

RP: So far, 2013 has been the most exciting year of my entire career. My collection is growing, and selling at over 30 retailers. I could not be more excited! In addition to product design, I’m getting more gigs in the entertainment industry. I’ve never had more fun working in my life.

DD: What’s the best advice you can give to someone following your career path?

RP: Don’t give up. Believe in your dreams and tap into to your passions. Even if you’re the only one.

Want to get to know Robert better? Catch up with him online:

Twitter

Facebook

RobertPetril.com

Read more profiles on SocialNorth:

• Lisa Kahn
• Craig Silva
• Deb Lowther
• Barbara Viteri
• Pam Ross
• Trey Whitehead

Do you have a social media story to share? We’d love to hear it – on our blog or on social media, of course. Follow us on Facebook  or Twitter and let’s continue the conversation.

About Dana Helms

When someone says social butterfly, they’re likely referring to Dana Helms. With her ability to wander through conversations online as if she’s hosting a cocktail party, Dana brings awareness and excitement to the social media party. Connect with her on Twitter, Facebook or LinkedIn.

Last week, I was honored to speak at the Furniture Today Annual Bedding Conference. One of the perks of speaking is hearing other experts share their wisdom with the world, such as Scott Bedbury. A keynote speaker important enough to have his own Wikipedia page impresses me but having the street cred to back up the accolades – that’s truly impressive.

If you’ve never heard of Scott before, here’s your 411. He was THE marketing executive behind Nike’s “Just Do It” campaign and is responsible for the rebranding of Starbucks. Currently he’s a member of the Board of Directors for Jones Soda and CEO of Brandstream, Inc and author of A Brand New World.

What the heck is a brand?

Scott opened his keynote with some marketing basics – the definition of a brand.

“A brand is defined by a set a values and promises made by a company. It’s not something you wear or use – it lives in the consumer’s head and heart. You don’t own it – your customer does.”

In the 80’s when Scott interviewed for his job at Nike, Phil Knight (founder of Nike) told him during the interview that marketing is something other companies do. “We don’t do that here.” The best marketers understand marketing is psychology – it’s about reading what people are feeling and wanting when they come in contact with the brand. They dig into the emotional connection. They discard the linear features/benefits and connect with the hearts of the people who buy the product or service.

At Starbucks, he worked with Howard Schultz who believed that he wasn’t in the coffee business selling to people. “We’re in the people business selling coffee.”

Scott talked a lot about branding but he also talked about building strong teams of people to carry the message forward – maybe even more important. He believes that employees are either assets or liabilities and set the guardrails of the brand. When a company’s in trouble, the best people often leave first – they tie their success and personal brand standards to the companies they work for.

Scott Bedbury’s 16 things

To wrap up his talk, Scott shared 16 lessons he’s learned working with companies like Starbucks and Nike. While his tips focus on marketing, they can also describe social media best practices – and life in general.

My favorite is number 13 – being flexible is paramount to success in life and business. I’d love to hear which ones resonate with you.

1. Consumers are really not that into you.
2. Make it your business to give your customers (and potential customers) a reason to connect.
3. Respect the consumer’s intelligence, their time and their experiences.
4. Respect what your customers feel in the moment you connect with them.
5. Respect the spandex rule – just because you can, doesn’t mean you should.
6. Avoid looking like Sybil. Schizophrenics might be entertaining but they’re hard to get to know – be consistent.
7. You get what you pay for. Always.
8. Respect and reward those who help you.
9. Remember that 5% of humanity is crazy and that another 5% will never be satisfied with what you do.
10. All brands need to be reinvented once in a while.
11. It’s not what you say but how you say it.
12. Find the art in everything you do.
13. Be willing to turn the ship around. Sometimes you need to change course and that’s okay.
14. Unleash the human potential of your organization.
15. Be fully present and make connections with your employees, customers, peers and the ones you love. In this digital age it has never been easier to make an emotional connection.
16. Have fun!

If you want to learn more about Scott Bedbury, click on over to Brandstream or Wikipedia…

I’m very grateful to Dave Perry from Furniture Today for the opportunity to be part of this year’s annual Bedding Conference.

Let’s continue the conversation on Twitter, Facebook or LinkedIn (whichever one works best for you) or leave a comment below.

Imagine being in a room with your best friends, your idols and all the time in the world to kibitz, share and ask questions. Welcome to social media cocktail hour – it starts when you login to your favorite hangout.  Anything goes here: I love you, I like you and I’m so done with you. Like bar stools and the holy trinity, all good (and not-so-good) things come in threes.

If you’re a brand at the cocktail party, welcome to your new religion. If you’re lucky (and smart enough) to grow a community, it can become your church, putting salvation within reach. Belly up to the altar and drink the wine of acceptance – because you’ve arrived.

But what happens when your sins catch up with you? What if you screw up? Do you have a social media crisis plan in place? Do you know where and how to repent for your sins and find salvation?

Social media sinners

I’ve worked for big and small companies and many share a trait that never ceases to amaze me – they don’t plan for a crisis in social media. I’ve seen astronomical investments for sensitivity training, CPR certification – even a chain of command in case of a bomb threat. All good things to prepare for but what if when something goes wrong in social media?

That would NEVER happen to us – we’re simply too awesome.

First lesson in the catechism: yes it can happen. You’re not as awesome as you think.

When the recession hit in 2009, I was serving as communication director for a manufacturer that had been in business more than 15 years and was considered an industry leader. But the path to the pearly gates is paved with good intentions – and unpaid bills. Suppliers panicked. When phone calls didn’t generate action, some of them miraculously discovered social media. It was a mass epiphany from people who’d ignored that medium previously.

As the company spokesperson and community manager, I became the target. Trouble is, social media was so new and we hadn’t anticipated being crucified by a group of people who didn’t know a Facebook update from a tweet. And we hadn’t anticipated they’d reach past the company profile and target employee’s personal accounts. Couple poor planning with a tanking economy and our happy, healthy community lynched us and then abandoned us in our moment of need.

If you’re a community manager or CEO, map your crisis path out before your begin your social media journey. Now. Before something happens. Remember, not every crisis is truly a crisis. Most of the time, there are a million opportunities to fix the problem before it hits the airwaves.

Lessons learned

Someone needs to actively listen to the community – not just monitor it

• Most customer service issues begin with simple questions
• Take questions off-line with phone calls
• Put your customer’s needs first – always

 A canned apology isn’t good enough

• Social media is just a tool and communication during a crisis needs to be personal
• Social media is not a press release – it must be real and honest to be effective
• Every person who posts on the wall (positive or negative) deserves a response

 Timing is of the essence

• Even in 2009, a weekend was too long for the company to wait to respond
• All hands are on deck during a crisis – no exceptions

Social media saints

Companies and organizations that plan for crisis find salvation in the very people who have the power to kick them out of the church. Their congregation becomes a devoted choir ready to once again sing their praises.

After all, who doesn’t love a story about redemption? A saint with a past as a sinner – now that’s beautiful.

In 2012, I was part of a team that cancelled a highly anticipated community event. We had less than 2 days to map out our announcement plan, which included reaching out to sponsors, speakers, ticket holders and the community at large. The strategy was simple to define (thanks to my hell-on-wheels previous experience).

Instead of controlling the message, we invited conversation. We announced our news – both person to person and publicly across social media airwaves – and then just talked with people. And you know what? We found out a whole lot more people wanted to help us than hurt us. It was humbling to watch.

And yes, it became my personal epiphany.

If you’re on social media as a brand, the tips below will help you create a crisis plan. Take my advice: do it now before you need it. As awesome as we are, we all need to plan for when we’re not so awesome.

Social media crisis plan

• Create a decision flowchart
  • Use simple instructions for those involved. If this happens, that follows and this person is contacted, etc.
  • Attach accountability and responsibility to each action so everyone understands their roles
  • Align it with your traditional communication plan

• Assign a spokesperson
  • One voice carries one message – amplified by others if needed
  • Monitor from the director level but execute by multiple managers who collaborate and agree on the message

• Do fire drills
  • Practice so employees can see how tactical responses align with your over-arching business goals
  • The more comfortable staff are in *what if* situations, the more comfortable they’ll be massaging the message in a real disaster

• Respect the clock
  • Time is of the essence in social media – 24 hours is too long
  • All hands are on deck, checking in with gatekeepers

I’d love to hear your thoughts on creating a crisis plan. If you’ve done one, if you need to do one and even if you think they’re silly. You can find me on Twitter, friend me on Facebook or connect with me on LinkedIn – I’m always on.

Networking and skill-building are my most essential tasks – every single day – because in my industry, stagnating is moving backward.  While I meet a lot of people online and harvest skills from webinars and podcasts, face to face can be my oxygen mask my digital life needs reviving. Enter the almighty conference, still one of my favorite ways to learn, grow and meet other entrepreneurs.

Attending conferences can be costly in a multitude of ways though, and it’s tricky to balance the gains versus the expense. Ever try to measure the ROI of a conference? If it’s a valuable conference, the swag is the least of my gains. If it’s not so great, the swag might be the only thing of value I bring home – which is a crime, if you ask me.

I’ve been offered a ticket to attend the Art of Marketing Conference in June and I’m more than a little excited. I’ve never attended one of these conferences before, but I can already see the value – a whole lot of value actually.
.

7 reasons I’m looking forward to The Art of Marketing, Toronto

Reason # 1 – Quality of presenters. Biz Stone, co-founder of Twitter and Seth Godin (my not-so-secret marketing idol) are just two of the speakers on the agenda. Seriously.

Reason # 2 – Pre-conference sharing. Between Twitter, Facebook and LinkedIn, I’m loving the information-rich content being shared by their team. If this is a foreshadowing of the actual event…

Reason # 3 – Learning opportunities. I always learn something from other attendees, whether it’s watching how they network or picking their brains for solutions to challenges. Hello networking breaks.

Reason # 4 – Practical skill development. I’m a storyteller but I’ll admit data can outpace words when it comes to understanding the back-story or your online community. Charles Duhigg, author of the Power of Habit, understands that and will be sharing some of his secrets. Please don’t tweet me during his presentation.

Reason # 5 – Harnessing innovation. David Usher, Juno award winning musician and creativity guru will be sharing how to harness innovation. Considering his achievements, I’m hoping for a goldmine of do-the-next-day ideas.

Reason # 6 – Return on interaction. Word on the street is that attendees are type-A marketers who thrive on connecting and sharing. My people.

Reason # 7 Connection. Because I spend a lot of time at my computer, I crave face-to-face connection – in much the same way I crave oxygen. Putting on my own oxygen mask before I attend to the person beside me…

Want to join me at the Art of Marketing Conference in Toronto? The organizers are offering a special promo code to my readers. Click on over to Art of Marketing and check it out.

Let’s continue the conversation on Twitter, Facebook or LinkedIn (whichever one works best for you) or leave a comment below.

We’re honored to welcome Trey Whitehead, publisher of Home Furnishings Business Magazine to SocialNorth. HFB publishes content relevant to home retail professionals.

SocialNorth welcome submissions from everyone. Whether you’re focused on content, SEO, social media strategy or traditional PR, we’d love to hear from you. Visit our Writer’s Guidelines and share your expertise with our community.

Please welcome Trey, who doesn’t rest on his laurels…

Dana Helms: Can you tell us about how you got started doing what you’re doing now? Was there an ah-ha moment that defined your path?

Trey Whitehead: I was in a completely different industry when my friend of 25 years, Amy Kyle, asked me to come to work for her and the Home Furnishings Business team. Her timing was perfect; I was ready for a new challenge. I took the plunge and never turned back.

DD: What do you love most about what you do?

TW: I love working with so many different clients. Although each is in the same industry, they all have different approaches and thoughts about doing business – and they’ve all taught me something. I deal with everyone from retail owners who wear multiple hats, to CEOs of large furniture manufacturers.

DD: What’s the proudest moment of your career? Is there a project that you think of as your absolute best?

TW: My proudest moment would have to be the day I was named publisher of HFB. At the time, I’d only been in the industry four years and was hesitant, to say the least. But with the experience of our team, I’ve grown into the position. The word “team” gets tossed around a lot, but it rings true in our case – I’m very lucky to work with this group of people.

I can’t single out one project that I feel is the absolute best. But every month we put an issue together, always striving to provide our audience the best business strategy magazine in the industry. I’m not sure I will ever call any issue our absolute best but we’re proud of our work.

DD: Who/What inspires you?

TW: My dad is my biggest inspiration. He’s always honest and fair when dealing with anyone in life or business. If I carry away only a small portion of what I’ve seen from him in my lifetime, I’d be very happy with that outcome.

DD: Has social media changed how you do business? For the better or worse?

TW: its change me, definitely for the better. Social media provides me immediate contact with my  audience, giving me a chance to touch them without having ever met them.

DD: What advice do you have for others struggling with social media?

TW: It’s simple, just do it! You need to have a presence in some form. The world is heading in this direction and if you start now you’re only “fashionably late” to the part

DD: Can you tell us about what frustrates you about your career or the industry you’re in?

TW: That would have to be the people that are happy with the status quo, those who continue to do business like they always have. “If it worked for my dad and grandfather, it’s good enough for me.” Trying something different is a must. People need to open their minds on new ways and avenues to reach the correct audience.

DD: Tell us about the private you?

TW: I’d have to say that life has dealt me a pretty fair hand. I’m lucky to be married to my best friend Angie. We have a very spoiled cat named Lenny and we live in God’s country, the heart of the Blue Ridge Mountains in Virginia. Our home sits on a mountain with very limited contact of the outside world. On about any given day our property is visited by deer, turkeys and even a bear once in a while. I like the slow pace because it gives me time to turn the volume down after so many markets and industry conferences.

DD: What’s on tap for you in 2013.

TW: This year HFB magazine is working to become more than a print magazine. We’ve launched our new Designer Weekly newsletter, we’ve rolled out our video production capabilities and we have a couple of other items in our pipeline. We understand that retailers are gathering information from many different resources and our goal is to provide that content while always looking forward at any new platforms.

DD: What’s the best advice you can give to someone following your career path?

TW: Not sure this really pertains to my career path, but I feel it’s pretty good advice for life in general. Surround yourself with good people and through hard work, opportunities and success will follow.

DD: If YOU had one super power what would it be?

TW: If I had one super power it would have to be the ability to read a person’s mind. It would be nice to know exactly what a person is thinking instead of having to read between the lines as I sometimes have to do. Things would be so much easier if people were direct in the responses they give.

Want to get to know Trey and HFB better? Catch up with them online:

• HFBusiness.com
• HFB on Facebook
• HFB on Twitter

Read more profiles on SocialNorth:

• Lisa Kahn
• Craig Silva
• Deb Lowther
• Barbara Viteri
• Pam Ross
• Robert Petril

Do you have a social media story to share? We’d love to hear it – on our blog or on social media, of course. Follow us on Facebook, Twitter or LinkedIn and let’s continue the conversation.

About Dana Helms

When someone says social butterfly, they’re likely referring to Dana Helms. With her ability to wander through conversations online as if she’s hosting a cocktail party, Dana brings awareness and excitement to the social media party. Connect with her on Twitter, Facebook or LinkedIn.

We’re honored to welcome Pam Ross, AKA @PamelamaeRoss to SocialNorth. Pam is the co-founder of Impact99, now in its third year. I met Pam online and a bunch of social media conferences and, needless to say, she made an impact on me. This is her story…

SocialNorth welcome submissions from everyone. Whether you’re focused on content, SEO, social media strategy or traditional PR, we’d love to hear from you. Visit our Writer’s Guidelines and share your expertise with our community.

How Twitter helped me quit my job and change my life

When you’re working for the wrong company or doing the wrong job for you, you start to question your own competence. You start to wonder if your best career years are behind you and if it is all downhill from here. You think that the whole business world is like this and you just don’t fit.

That’s how I felt a couple of years ago.

I was in a job I didn’t love, working for a company whose values (not the ones posted on the wall but the ones the leaders lived) I didn’t believe in. I was questioning Human Resources as a profession, feeling like HR was all about bureaucracy, policy and roadblocks. My version of HR was about culture, open communication, collaboration with other departments, connecting the lines between business strategy, marketing and operations to unleash talent to provide awesome customer experience.

The HR people I knew just didn’t get where I was coming from.

Along came social media…

I started to explore the world outside work, blogging as a creative outlet and using Twitter to learn and to network. When people started reading my blog, commenting and sharing it with others, I started to regain my confidence. When I participated in Twitter chats where hundreds of other people were sharing thoughts and ideas, I realized there was a whole world of innovation happening in business, leaders who had shaken things up, organizations that were doing things differently. I realized I was not alone.

Twitter renewed my entrepreneurial spirit

Through Twitter, I developed a new network of courageous, risk-taking, supportive business owners who openly shared their stories online. Many of them were people just like me, who had felt the same way I did, and had found a new “lease on life” by starting their own business. I started to reach out to a few of them through Twitter, and they listened to my story, recognized my past achievements, and encouraged me to take the plunge and strike out on my own.

In September of 2011, I did just that, starting Pam Ross Consulting, where I could be creative, use the skills I had gained over the past 15 years, and help progressive organizations develop leaders and culture in innovative ways.

Twitter introduced me to business opportunities

I love meeting new people, and I use Twitter to do that. I have literally met hundreds of people through Twitter, including SocialNorth’s Julia Rosien. Through Twitter I met Alyssa Burkus, who is a collaborator and partner on various projects. Through Twitter I met Darlene Huff, who introduced me to Chris Taylor and Actionable Books, which is now a part of my business. It was also through Twitter that I met Christine McLeod, who is the co-founder of Impact99, and now my business partner in that event.

Little did I know that my Twitter introduction to Christine would become the most massive catalyst in my business yet.

Impact99 – Where the cool HR people hang out

I found out that there are actually a lot of cool HR people out there. They tweet and attend events like HREvolution and Impact99. The ideas of social enterprise and workplace reinvention that are the foundation of our Impact99 events have changed my business focus. Since joining the Impact99 tribe, I’ve been able to inspire HR leaders, to connect them with actionable, innovative ideas and to create a community that inspires me in so many ways.

My conversations with Impact99 attendees and speakers has given me renewed motivation and deeper knowledge about the possibilities that exist to change how we manage work. Even though we only host our conference once a year, social media connects us year-round and the community has become one where you can ask, share, get answers and collaborate to be more successful. It’s quite simply awesome.

As I look at where I am now, more than 18 months into my business, I am amazed. I have awesome clients, I just experienced my busiest month yet in April 2013, I have had the opportunity to inspire thousands of people through speaking engagements, including the 140 Conference in Montreal, which was another opportunity that arose through Twitter. I am producing our third Toronto Impact99 HR Summit, bringing 99 more business leaders together to ignite change in the workplace.

I know I couldn’t have done any of it without social media. I also know I’m not alone. I believe that if organizations don’t find ways to engage their talent more successfully, offering purpose, autonomy and impact, they will lose top talent to entrepreneurialism. Twitter is only 140 characters away and there are stories like mine everywhere.

Pam’s Twitter tips

• Use hashtags and try a Twitter chat! There are chats happening every hour on Twitter. They are a great way to meet people with a purpose. Some of my favourites are #TChat, #BizForum, #BizBkChat and #SWChat

• Be yourself on Twitter. Don’t be surprised if you see a few “Woot woot!” cheers in my stream, smiley faces and conversation sprinkled in with the articles and business blog posts I share. I am the same way online as I am offline – an extrovert who is professional but fun.

• Converse with people. Twitter is SOCIAL media – it’s about discussion and real people sharing their thoughts and opinions. If you want to get the most out of it, don’t just tweet promotional posts or articles, reply to people and converse with them.

• Get to know your local Tweeters. Once you’ve had a few Twitter discussions with people you think are interesting, ask them to meet for a coffee. You’ll be surprised how open many people are to taking the online discussion into an offline one.

• Turn it off now and then. When I first started on Twitter, I was always on it. It was difficult for me to ignore a tweet for a couple of hours while I was with friends or family. Now, I’m able to turn it off without that terrible “FOMO” (Fear Of Missing Out). My followers are still there, my Twitter friends remember me, and my “real life” friends know how important they are.

Do you have a social media story to share? We’d love to hear it – on our blog or on social media, of course. Follow us on Facebook, Twitter or LinkedIn and let’s continue the conversation.

Read more profiles on SocialNorth:

• Lisa Kahn
• Craig Silva
• Deb Lowther
• Barbara Viteri
• Trey Whitehead
• Robert Petril

About Pam Ross

Pam Ross is a trainer, speaker and culture consultant with a business mission to ignite awesome customer experience from the inside out. She spent more than 15 years leading people and programs in customer focused businesses, and now works with her clients to develop engaged leaders and innovative culture. She has a natural ability to connect strategy to people development in new and different ways. Pam is a sought after speaker about social media and the workplace and is the Producer of the Impact99 HR Summit, in its third year. She also volunteers on the Board of her HRPA Chapter in Halton, Ontario. Catch up with Pam on Twitter, LinkedIn or Facebook for Impact99.

Don’t let anyone fool you. Putting a business on social media is serious business. It costs money to train staff, allocate time to do it and measure what you’re doing. Just like buying a TV or radio ad, if you’re going to invest that much energy into it, you need it to work.

And in all seriousness, social media has to be fun for it to be effective. Your community manager has to be creative, a great communicator and understand the business side of the venture as well. A unique DNA for sure.

Community manager, know thyself

If you’re the front person on social media, your goal is to get the hearts and minds of your consumer and share their world – while doing business. Your social media conversations are the top line – this is where the world sees your best stuff. Underneath that top line is the bottom line – and that line keeps your ensures everyone has a paycheck at the end of the week. It’s not an easy balance and there are a lot of examples of brands doing it poorly on social media.

Ready to be awesome on social AND ensure you’re doing what needs to be done to make it effective? Try out my 10 ways to be awesome on social media.

1. Wear your happy face

Just like the pimply-faced kid serving burgers at your favorite fast food joint or the bank manager signing your loan, you’re the go-to guy for all that’s right (and wrong) with the company. Your interaction with people on social media can mean the difference between sales and no sales, paycheck and no paycheck. Smile and be nice.

2. Lighten up

A mattress sales guy I once worked with asked me what I thought of a newly released mattress. I sat down on it and tried to think of something smart to say but he turned to me and said, “Julia, it’s $#%^ mattress – does it feel good or not?” This was our top-earning, smartest sales rep and in one sentence, he leveled the playing feeling between us. Sometimes just being real is all you need to make a connection.

3. Dress up

Remember you’re here to entice potential customers to talk to you, visit your website and maybe buy something from your company. Put something pretty on and by that I mean, check your spelling and put some thought into your updates. And unless you’re Erika Napoletano, keep your language clean. If you are Erika, have at it.

4. Chat

Social media isn’t about the hard sell but then again, most selling isn’t. I worked my way through university at a high end shoe store and most weeks was the top selling sales person. I made friends (and sales) by chatting about the weather, complimenting fashion choices of my potential customers and just being myself. I never, never, never asked them if I could help them. I already knew I could help them – it was my job to figure out how by what they looked at or picked up. Social media’s no different – a simple chat can begin a beautiful relationship.

5. Be nice to underdogs

When I worked in the prison, I learned how much strength comes from acknowledging weakness. The strongest women were also the kindest and were valiant guardians of those who needed elevating. So what if your competition stalks your Facebook page and comments on your tweets. Invite them in to see how awesome you are. After all, it’s not their fault they’re not as awesome as you.

6. Be creative

Another prison lesson. I was never privy to the recipe but I do know you can make alcohol with bread and ketchup in a plastic bag hung down a heating vent. Pretty creative, right? Many of your challenges on social media are new and you’re operating without a roadmap. Learn how to get inside a problem and explore different ways around it. If you try the ketchup and bread thing, keep the results to yourself though…

7. Don’t play dirty

Trash talking your competitors gets you nowhere. If you want to win, practice your craft. Be the best you can possibly be. Stay forward facing and focused. Yes, it’s that simple.

8. Offer solutions

Complaints are normal. It’s impossible to please every single customer who comes through your door. What sets you apart though is how you handle those complaints. Follow my holy trinity of social media complaints and you’ll win every time – guaranteed.

• Apologize – Acknowledging someone’s frustration is the first step to narrowing the communication gap.
• Say thank you – You’ve just been given the opportunity to save a relationship. Be gracious about that gift.
• Take it off line – Arrange to call the customer and have a heart to heart. Listen, apologize and say thank you and then work together to find a solution.

9. Take it off line

Social media isn’t sustainable if that’s all you do as a company. Like Deb Lowther says, take it offline, get out there in the world and actually meet people. Attend events or create your own and start meeting your community face to face. And while you’re at it, invite other staff members to join you – even your CEO. You’ll be amazed how much further your social media goes when people get to see the real you.

10. Just do it!

This is the simplest advice but it can be the hardest – especially if you’re nervous. The only way you’re going to get good at this is by doing it. You’ll make mistakes and they’ll be painful but as long as you learn from them and constantly hone your skills, you’ll be awesome. How can I be so sure? I’ve worked in a prison, taught at a college, been an editor of a national magazine and am a mother to 4 kids – my training for all of those jobs has been the same as my training for social media. I survived and so will you. Promise.

Are you a veteran or newbie on social media? What tips can you offer others? Follow me on Facebook, Twitter or LinkedIn and let’s continue the conversation.

SocialNorth welcome submissions from everyone. Whether you’re focused on content, SEO, social media strategy or traditional PR, we’d love to hear from you. Visit our Writer’s Guidelines and share your expertise with our community.

Learning the business of design with Barbara

Dana Helms: Can you tell us about how you got started doing what you’re doing now? Was there an ha-ha moment that defined your path?

Barbara Viteri: There was never a pivotal moment when I thought to start Viteri Style Management, LLC. I worked for an interior designer in NY to put her company on the map. And I started to get noticed by other designers who sought me out.

One day a local interior designer paid a visit to the office. She wanted to congratulate my boss on making the cover of a magazine. It was just me in the office that day, (believe in luck folks, it exists) so to my surprise, she knew I got her on that cover. She knew more about me and my talents than the designer I worked for. She told me if I ever decided to start my own business and share my unique skills with other interior designers, she’d be my first client.

Viteri Style Management was born from one major push from a believer. She is still one of many fabulous clients amongst a roster of celebrity interior designers I have the privilege to work with.

DD: What do you love most about what you do?

BV: My thinking cap is very similar to the clients I work with. I help interior designers redesign the way they do business, just like they redesign the way people live. I get a thrill from designing practical solutions to make their businesses more efficient and effective. There’s no greater validation then having a client surprise you with a testimonial and yell at you for not asking for one!

DD: What’s the proudest moment of your career? Is there a project that you think of as your absolute best?

BV: VSM started in March of 2012. Within six months into my business I lent my support to VSM’s supporting charity, My Stuff Bags Foundation. From there we were able to spread our efforts in donations, funding and time to many other design charities like, Holiday House, Bailey House and DIFFA. Every moment working with these charities became my proudest moments.

 DD: Who/What inspires you?

BV: My mind works a little differently when it comes to being inspired. I go through these odd moments I call, “Pick your Pro.” When I start to hit the wall, I have a habit of knowing a Pro I must seek to get inspired. The best way to explain it is when I feel I‘m about to fail at something, I go to Barbara Cocoran’s You Tube videos, for example, as she preaches about being successful at failing.

I may get unmotivated to attend an event and remember a story from Bethenny Frankle on how she got her big break just by being at the right place at the right time.

I even search for inspiration from my own clients. I remember listening to a client vent about making the hard decision to breakup with a partner even if it meant burning a bridge. It inspired me to make a HUGE change within my own company that burnt a bridge as well. It was the best inspiration and decision I ever made for my business.

DD: Has social media changed how you do business? For the better or worse?

BV: I’ve never paid for advertising. When you start a business, every cent needs to prove its ROI. I embraced social media as a platform to connect with my “Pros” for inspiration. People I’ve admired and wanted to get to know for years, valuable resources to build a stronger network and, of course, friends to have for a lifetime. I make the effort to personally thank every ‘like’ and ‘follow’ when I can. I treat social media like banquet tables, there is a place setting for everyone.

DD: What advice do you have for others struggling with social media?

BV: From a business perspective, recognize what you’re using social media for. Are you using it to promote/sell your services or products? Maybe you want to connect with clients or potential clients? If so, you need to block time to connect.

I run my calendar like a military operation. People spend money for my time, so I have to be mindful about the amount of time I devote to social media. To do this, I make it accessible from all my mobile devices and since I’m in business, I make sure I learn how each media station works.

DD: Can you tell us about what frustrates you about your career or the industry you’re in?

BV: I am thrilled to do what I do and get paid for it. My frustrations are when you love what you do so much you forget you’re in business. I was very lucky to meet with Donald Trump and chat with him for a split second. He told me, “When you get successful, they’re after you. People will want to tear you apart, just for sport. They want your career, your house, your car, your dog, even your lover and these are your friends!” It’s true and frustrating and yes you better prepare for it.

“You prepare for the worst and don’t hope for the best, just dress fabulously for it” ~Barbara Viteri

DD: Tell us about the private Barbara – what do you love most about your home/life/family?

BV: I had a childhood that would shock people to believe I was able to go in the direction I did. I’ll leave that for the book I plan to write one day-maybe) I always wanted a home of my own. I’m sure by now you can tell my love for interior designers and pure love interior design.

I saw the movie, Father of the Bride. (The one Steve Martin was in, but loved the one with Liz Taylor too.) He lived in a stunning center hall colonial with his beautiful wife, played by Diane Keaton and two children. His eldest daughter gets married in the home, but the journey to get to the wedding is hilarious. I wanted my life to emulate that. I’m so lucky to be married to my Steve Martin. I have a beautiful daughter who is now 7 and plays bride in our house all the time. I also have a sarcastic (I have no idea where he gets it) 4 year old son that’s the apple of my eye. My home life is so similar to the movie now that it would be creepy if I told you my husband manufactures sneakers like Steve did in the movie, but he doesn’t. He’s a hair stylist.

DD: Tell us more about Barbara and what’s on tap for you in 2013.

BV: Not a clue. From potential business partnerships, speaking engagements, (which I still turn down every time because of my debilitating stage fright) guest blog posting, to my most recent blogtalkradio show called Live with Viteri Style. I like to commit to things I can give 100% so I’m thankful and grateful to have choices. Who knows what’s next, but that’s the beauty of this business.

DD: What’s the best advice you can give to someone following your career path?

BV: Never assume someone is smarter than you. I’ve met and worked with people I thought I’d learn so much from. What a fly in your soup to find out they won’t leave you alone as they want to learn from you.

DD: Bonus question: If YOU could have one super power what would it be? Catch is you could only use it once a month!

BV: Love this question! I’d want the power of mindreading. Since I attend many design events, I’d book that powerful skill for the fiercest party of the month.. Can you imagine if I could read their minds and tell you who they would love to hand slap at those same events? What about how they really feel about their peers, clients, even me! Yup, mindreading for sure.

Thank you, Barbara, for taking the time out of your busy schedule of being a mom, helping designers and your incredible journey building VSM. Meeting you on social media with Facebook and your quest to join WithIt, I value the friendship and mentorship we’ve developed – and I’m looking forward to much more.

Read more profiles on SocialNorth:

• Lisa Kahn
• Craig Silva
• Deb Lowther
• Pam Ross
• Trey Whitehead
• Robert Petril

Connect with Barbara online:

Viteri Style Management

Twitter

Facebook

LinkedIn

About Dana Helms

When someone says social butterfly, they’re likely referring to Dana Helms. With her ability to wander through conversations online as if she’s hosting a cocktail party, Dana brings awareness and excitement to the social media party. Connect with her on Twitter, Facebook or LinkedIn.

Feel free to leave a comment below or shout out to us on Facebook or Twitter – We’re always on!