So how do you compete?

What can give you that edge?

After two decades in publishing and helping others publish books, it still comes back to a book. To make it easier to get on the  Fast Track following are ten reasons to publish today:

1. Publishing provides a much more comprehensive platform for your ideas. Like most thought leaders today, I am sure your ideas have only grown more in complexity. Whereas your powerpoint slides convey a good amount of your thought leadership as does your blog or your answers on LinkedIn, there is nothing like a book to lay out your ideas in a much more developed manner, and, if you write well (or hire a good developmental edit/ghostwriter) your book will provide you with the powerful runway to engage your reader-prospects to the point that they see you as the person they want to turn to for answers to their ongoing problems.
2. Publishing today costs less than traditional marketing initiatives. Take time to add up the cost of advertising, marketing and sales campaigns for at least two years. Why? Because the shelf life of your book beats out the shelf life of any other campaign you might implement.
3. You can publish a book in months. There are so many sites out there that provide all the tools to publish a book and  sell it on Amazon within months. The trick, of course, is writing a book that will sell and then knowing how to marketing it effectively.
4. You will be sought out as a thought leader. When you write a book you put yourself  into the category of a thought leader. Now you can lead your market and get your ideas heard  above the crowd.
5. Your speaking engagements will increase. I started keynote speaking over fifteen years ago. At that time one of the top speakers at National Speakers Association (NSA) shared a statistic that there are over one millions talks given  somewhere in the world, daily. As an author you go to the top of the list for these opportunities.
6. You can use your book to turn your marketing cost center into a profit center. Many authors we work with are looking at the book as a tool to acquire new clients or customers. It is also a tool to help you defray your marketing costs. One of our authors, a C-Level executive, ended up closing an additional $1 million account as a result of his book. I  have had the same opportunities for my own books. Also, speakers who have books can count on doubling their speaker fees.
7. There are riches in the niches of publishing, A couple of years ago at the book sellers conference I remember walking up to  the Wiley publishing booth as they are the parent company of my publisher, Jossey Bass and  also the publisher of The Dummies Series. I spoke with them for some time and found out that they saw their line extensions in publishing as  pretty much, never ending. They were right. If you look at the series today it is going stronger than ever down niches that are continually being created like a recent book a colleague of mine wrote, Twitter Marketing for Dummies (which, by the way, is excellent).
8. You can create a series of books. That’s what I see as one of the biggest opportunities today to grow your brand.  For example, we are coming out with a series called 50 Ways to Better Social Media that will start with a general book but then extend to a whole like of books like 50 Ways to Better Social Media for CEO’s and 50 Ways  to Better Social Media for Lawyers. Now we partner with other thought leaders, helping them grow their business and, at the same time, provide benefit to those who want more targeted thought leadership. We now have law firms, consulting firms and I just met two manufacturing CEO’s who are eager to get their thought leadership out to help others.
9. It’s fun. Really. At least that’s what we find working with our authors. We talk with them every week to get their thoughts out quickly and effectively written to leverage new business opportunities for years. As their books come to life and they find themselves at  book signings, written up in publications and on blogs, interviewed on radio shows and growing their client/customer base.
   
   
10. Bonus. There is no end to monetizing a book. From an e-book, to a book, to a series, to a workbook, to licensing your program from your book, books offer more productising opportunities than you can imagine. After all, this is the Information Age!

For me, helping thought leaders become published authors is a passion. I love to collaborate and move their ideas out to the world where they can  make a difference. So who are some our most recent authors? Check them out: 1) Andres Tapia, The Inclusion Paradox, 2) Michael Rosenbaum, Your Name Here Guide to Life and 3) Dr. George Watts, Becoming Your Own Business Coach.

If you are ready to write your book, please check out our upcoming author workshop. What other reasons do you think make this a good time to write? What kind of book are you interested in writing? What is stopping you?

Demographics

You want to make sure that the people you’re meeting in this network are actually going to be interested in what you’re selling.   No matter how highly a site is ranked, if it is inhabited entirely of kids from 14-18 and you’re selling life insurance; you are not going to get a good response.  Determining who uses the site, and what percentage of the users fall within your target demographic is a great way to isolate the best sites for you to spend time on.

Flexible Search

If you’re working on a popular social network, you may have millions of potential contacts.  It would be pointless to try to include them all as your contacts.  You want to be able to locate people within a certain age group, in a specific location, or with special interests that pertain to your company.  The better the search function, the better you’ll be able to use the network.  You need to be able to do advanced searches using multiple criteria to really zero in on your ideal contacts before you spend any time adding them to your profile.

Video Capability

The single most important development in Web 2.0 in the last year is the use of video.  This doesn’t require sophisticated production or high end equipment.  In fact, the amateur quality of these videos seems to add to their appeal.  Regardless, you need to be able to utilize this important marketing tool on any site you choose for your networking.

Mobile Capability

Another important development is the use of mobile or handheld devices for web use.  More and more people are surfing the web from their Blackberry, iPhone, or cell.  However, not all websites are set up to be accessible by these mobile devices.  You must be sure that any site you’re using translates to this important platform.

Bulletins

While I am opposed to using Bulletins for the bulk of your networking, there are times when you need to get some information out to everyone you know…fast!  Bulletins will allow you to send a single message to everyone in your personal contacts, which means you can be the first to break industry news and share other important information quickly and efficiently.

Customizable

It’s true that a lot of people go way overboard with these customizable templates.  Some sites are full of all kinds of crazy graphics which make them look more like the inside of a junior high school locker than an adult social network.  Nevertheless, you do want to make sure your profile is sufficiently customizable because you need to be able to stand out in the crowd.  Some sites will even let you use your company logo and other easily identifiable graphics.  Several of the sites allow you to name your own URL which you can use in conjunction with your regular company website.

These are very basic requirements, and many sites fulfill most, if not all of them.  So in the end, it really boils down to user preference. What do you think? What are some of your criteria?

So what did he do to create trust so  quickly. Here is an overview of his philosophy:

1. Talk more about “who” you are and “what” you stand for rather than “what you do” Christian began by very quickly telling me what matters most to him–his children, helping kids who are disadvantaged getting books and learning to read, getting healthy (he wants to keep to his established exercise schedule and forming an alliance network of people who have similar and complementary values and skills
2. Asked what mattered most to me. In Networlding we call it “The Exchange.” It’s not about just giving. Givers end up actually with less than they intended usually. It’s also certainly not just about taking. Takers end up with lots of connections but poor or mediocre opportunities on an ongoing basis. Exchangers get the most out of their work by spending time exploring “mutually beneficial” opportunities. It’s not an easy thing to do but the results are so much more effective. So when Christian asked me what my five top goals are this year, we were then able to talk about our mutual synergies–where we could work together and where we might refer or introduce one another.
3. Deliver a “WOW” offer. I will never forget our first meeting as Christian’s “WOW” offer was to give back what he calls his 10X. Take a look at his social networking article on this offer that he has now turned into a signature offer of his that differentiates him greatly from thousands of others I have met.

What signature offer have you created to differentiate yourself from others? How can you both make a living AND make a difference? Who do you know who has made a WOW gift to you like Christian did?

The questions below are examples of those you can use to start engaging conversations. Your goal in meeting others is to help them feel at ease and at the same time, generate some conversation that will serve as a springboard for future conversations. You are searching for what we call in Networlding, “Points of Commonality” (things you share in common) and “Points of Credibility” (things that make this person unique and valuable to your network. Take a look at the following questions and think how you could use these questions to start your own engaging conversations. With each question, I add suggestions as to how you can use it to open up further exchange.

So what would be a good first question when you are out social networking. Try asking something like, “What was it that interested you in attending this evening (today, etc.)?

This question is particularly relevant to get someone to talk about something positive. For example, say your connection says, “I came here to see how I could expand my technology company. I specialize in helping other businesses integrate their IT initiatives together so departments are more in alignment with one another.” Now let’s say that you do business with the types of companies this person would like to connect with; now you offer, “I would enjoy meeting with you outside this event to see how we can support one another in meeting companies that could use your skills.

A second great question is, “Who is the best networker in this organization? Hopefully, that person will be at this event and you will be able to get an introduction to him or her. You also want to ask why they chose this person. You will usually find that most people have met great networkers—people who have networks that reach wide and deep and who, in general, enjoy meeting new people and networking with them. Interestingly, though, you will also find that often great networkers don’t’ know or connect with other great networkers. This is one of the best questions as you can be the “connector” to bring these people together, and, in doing so, become part of their networks and a great networker yourself.

Finally a third great question is, “What is one thing you are really looking forward to accomplishing in your business (or career) this year?” The reason this question works so well is two-fold. First, it is positive and directs your conversation to a subject that should add some great energy to the conversation. Second, it should yield one of the best replies you could receive from a question. An example of this question occurred during a networking event we did for a large bank recently. We facilitated a networking event with business owners of companies between $5-$50 million in sales. The result? The bank yielded about twenty business owners who replied that they either were planning to expand their business or that they were planning on purchasing some large piece of equipment. Now, there were business owners that would probably go back to their existing banks for loans for these purchases but we prepped the bank ahead of time to offer themselves as the backup bank. The results were great. The targeted question allowed them to offer support more specifically and effectively.

Who is one person you admire most in your industry? This is a particularly good question to find other top influencers and, hopefully, great networkers you would like to meet. You are looking for those influencers who are “ready, willing and able” to network with you. By asking this question you Great networking starts with great questions, so the next time you go to a networking event or you just want to brush up on your networking skills, try asking one of these great questions and see what happens. How do you open up relationships when you are social networking? Do you think social networking in person is still more effective than online?

I have been debating for many moons on the topic of outsourcing your use of social media. I will be completely honest with you… I have not come to a conclusion. We have been through the process of completing projects for clients where we supported all the content creation and “fed” all of the social networks. The goal was to create a mass interest in a specific topic. There were some that worked but the majority of them failed. It was hard to look at a failing project that used the tools I loved so much.kylelacy.com, Kyle Lacy, Social Media – Indianapolis, Jul 2009

You should read the whole article.

A colleague just sent me a promotional piece for yet another social media expert. I took the time to look at his promo and I was impressed . . . until I went over to look at his following on Twitter and, even more specifically, his grade on http://grader.com/ which is a product that HubSpot created.  The score for his site was a 16 out of 100. HubSpot offers a variety of graders, and, not that I am bragging, but this will give you an idea of how it works:

• Networlding Website – (HubSpot Grader Page) – Grade: 95.5 out of 100

  The website www.networlding.com ranks 85,748 of the 1,916,503 websites that have been ranked so far.

  A website grade of 95.5/100 for www.networlding.com means that means that of the millions of websites that have previously been evaluated, our algorithm has calculated that this site scores higher than 95.5% of them in terms of its marketing effectiveness. The algorithm uses a proprietary blend of over 50 different variables, including search engine data , website structure, approximate traffic, site performance, and others.

• Networlding Blog – Grade: 94 out of 100
• Networlding on Twitter – (HubSpot Twitter Grader Page) – Grade: 98.5 out of 100

  I am close to the top where Chris Brogan and Guy

For those wondering. Here are the Algorithm Factors:

The Grade Calculation: So, those are the factors that go into the calculation of a score.  This score is then used to compare a user against all other users that also have a score.  The grade is calculated as the approximate percentage of other users that have an equal or lower score.  So, a Twitter Grade of 80 means that about 80% of the other users got a lower score.  At the time this article is being written, over 2.1 million users have been graded. To get the whole scoop (which you should), go to this great Twitter article.

A recent article in the Kellogg alumni magazine showcased a number of professors who shared insights on blogs like the following from David Dronove , a Kellogg professor, ‘At the end of the day, our research doesn’t really matter if it doesn’t change the way the world works. We can have influence by influencing other researchers, but that cycle has to end with something being translated into practice.’

What’s great about what Dranove and other Kellogg professors are sharing is that the boundaries around the wisdom shared at Kellogg is now able to be picked up and implemented by anyone. I keep hammering away to those I speak to and consult with that “this IS The Information Age” but perhaps even more so “The Age of Wisdom.”  As such we have an unprecedented opportunity to take, implement and leverage the 20% that can yield an 80% return.

For those of you who want to dive deeper into the blogs that have been created by the esteemed professors of Northwestern’s Kellogg School of Management, click away:

• Building Strong Brands: Created by clinical professor of marketing, this blog complements his strategic marketing strategy course. The blog evaluates branding initiatives.
• Cheap Talk. Associate Professor Sandeep Bliga and Economics Professor Ely provide discussions on economics and politics.
• Code Red, David Dranove and William White of Cornell examine the ailing U.S. healthcare system.
• Expertly Wrapped. Tim DeChant, a Kellogg Insight editor and Patricia Dedesma, assistant dean and director of the school’s Office of Research, share faculty perspectives on current events.
• The Leisure of the Theory Class. Rakesh Vohra, the J.L. and Helen Kellogg Professor of Managerial Economics & Decision Sciences, and Assistant Professor Eran Shmaya share ’speculation and ruminations on all aspects of economic game theory.’
• Orgtheory.net. Assistant Professor Brayden King and others share their thoughts on topics in organizational theory.
• Super Bowl Advertising Review Blog. A seasonal December through February) blog by Calkins and Derek Rucker, the Richard M. Clewett Research Professor, reflecting on Super Bowl advertising.

The article by Amy Trang, Amy Trang, Publications Writer,  shares that to visit any of these blog, go to kellogg.northwestern.edu/Faculty/Blogroll.

STEP NUMBER 1:

Create Your Values Foundation.

We all have values, but what are your top four and, if you can, what are they in level of priority?

Carol had been what we call in Networlding “baseline networking” for years. She was at the top of her game working as Director of HR for a large organization. However, the long hours and an intense travel schedule left Carol feeling that her personal life lacked balance. From layoffs and career changes to being sought out for competitive executive positions, Carol had been through all of the ups and downs of corporate life.

As she began thinking about what she wanted her future to look like she thought more about her childhood dream of being a physiologist. Carol appreciated valued-based business and aspired to start an individual psychology practice of her own.

With these goals in mind Carol took the first step in Networlding and identified her top four values:

• Spirituality
• Connection
• Making a difference
• Achievement

With these values in mind, Carol decided to leave her six-figure salary and return to graduate school. By understanding her values Carol will not lose sight of them through her process. With her values in mind she is more apt to meet others with similar values and build a network of people around her that will help maintain these values. She will also vocalize her values more often and make requests to be introduced to people who hold similar and complimentary values.

Following is an overview of these tools:

Website Grader – Useful tool for measuring the marketing effectiveness of your
website, get a free custom report in seconds with advice for your website

MarketingProfs – A great resource for case studies, insights, and best practices from
peers and experts in marketing

HubSpot Internet Marketing Blog – Articles about business strategy and inbound Internet
marketing

Web ink now – Online thought leadership and viral marketing strategies from award-
winning author David Meerman Scott

HubSpot – Internet marketing software that helps you get found by more prospects and
generate more qualified leads and sales

CrowdSpring – A site offering custom designs that you choose from actual custom designs, not bids. The average project gets
a whopping 80 entries. They have a money back guarantee
25 entries or a full refund, including the small fee for the services. The site boast over 46,000 creatives.

Zmags – The next generation in online publishing. The site is great. Take a look at my ZMag! For more information, view the zmags blog.

What do you think? What are your top ten or fewer favorites of the year?

I was having a great conversation with a long-time colleague and friend, Stephen Meade last evening that lead to a discussion around what creates great social networking. Stephen offered the following insights:

People love recognition, referrals, and revenue. To that end, I love making introductions.
However, keep in mind the 3 C’s when you do so.

Make a referral, but hope you get back:

1. Credit (for the referral, especially when other people use your contact for their benefit, they should give you public credit for the introduction)
2. Contacts (that can help you and your business)
3. Compensation (If and when appropriate, compensation)

I was pleased to see such a simple overview of what often goes unsaid in a networking exchange. So, I ask you, how many times have you connected with someone who reached out to you where you ended up offering support in the form of ideas or leads or even referrals where you got back absolutely nothing?

If you wonder what you can do to avoid these experiences I recommend that you create upfront contracts with your networking partners. Share with them what your expectations are and ask them what their expectations are emphasizing that the more clearly you share intentions the better the outcomes for you and your networking colleagues.

What do you think? Are there other ways you have seen work well to better ensure successful outcomes for your networking? Please comment below and share this with your colleagues to get their input.