Archive for the ‘peers’ tag
The Stupid Things You Do in the Name of Productivity (and How to Fix Them) [Video]
With a limited supply of willpower, you can only accomplish so much in a day. If you’ve adopted a good productivity system but you’re still having trouble getting things done, it’s unlikely your system is the problem—but rather the belief that the perfect method of making lists will help you accomplish ten times the work of your peers. No productivity method is effective without a realistic perspective of what it can do for you. That’s what we’re going to discuss in this post. More »
Post Of The Month – July 2012 – The Winner
Another close run thing this month but delighted to say that the winner of this months vote is Dan Catt with his personal but powerful post on creativity and mild depression. Well done Dan, you get the props of your blogging peers and are entered into the Hall of Fame. Thanks everyone for taking part.
Blog Topics Rides Again
One of the most common searches that lands people on my site is “What should I blog about?” One day, while talking with Julien Smith, he said, “You should totally do something with that, like start a project or something.” This was, like most advice Julien gives, great advice, and I did. I ended up gathering hundreds of active weekly subscribers to a product that delivered 10 or more post topic ideas per week, plus more. And then I closed it for a little while, because I wasn’t sure what I wanted to do next.
Blog Topics for You
Here it is again: Blog Topics is back in a slightly different format. You’ll still receive weekly emails filled with topics and blogging ideas, plus solid writing advice, but instead of paying a monthly subscription, we’re doing it as one lump payment, and you’ll be sent 45 weeks worth of posts.
PLEASE NOTE: If you subscribed to Blog Topics in the past, this is the same product you received (somewhat refreshed), so it might not be a great idea for you to sign up for that again. However, I have something for you, too.
Introducing Blog Topics: Master Class
If you’re looking for a writing course to help with your blogging (and your other writing), something that’s full of meat, something with accountability, something with plenty of information for you to work with, I invite you to sign up to Blog Topics: Master Class.
BTMC (what we’re calling it for short) is my best effort at creating my best advice, writing exercises, interviews with experts, tutorials, resources, live interactions, a group of peers learning with you, homework (with consequences), and more. The course runs for 16 weeks (just about 4 months), with weekly information being sent to you to work on and act upon.
Want a tiny peek at some of the modules? This is my little note list of what goes in which order. There may be a few shifts around, but it has at least all of these modules in place.
BTMC00 – Welcome letter
BTMCB0 – Bonuses – and the Tech / Reading List
BTMC01 – Your Promise to Readers
BTMC02 – Building Strong Habits
BTMC03 – The Magazine Building Crash Course
BTMCB1 – Interview with XXXX (it’s a secret!)
BTMC04 – Procrastination and Discipline
BTMC05 – Breaking Down What Works
BTMC06 – Topic Hunting
BTMC07 – How to Conduct an Interview
BTMCB2 – Interview with XXXX (it’s a secret!)
BTMC08 – The Conversational Tone
BTMC09 – Make Your Own Editorial Calendar
BTMC10 – Sprinting, Marathons, and the Awkwards
BTMC11 – Video, Audio, Photos, and more
BTMC12 – Money and the Blog
BTMC13 – A Blogger’s Media Plan
BTMCB3 – Interview with XXXX (it’s a secret!)
BTMC14 – Fastblogging
BTMC15 – Secrets I Have Learned
BTMC16 – Blogging Versus Book Writing
BTMCB4 – XXXX (it’s a secret, but really really fun!)
The very first class starts now, so if you want to jump in, check out Blog Topics: Master Class. (It starts when you sign up, so you won’t miss anything if you didn’t get to this blog post for a day or two, but don’t delay.)
And If You Want to Sell This?
We’ve also opened up our HBW Affiliates program, which means you’re invited to sell the above courses to your community, if they appeal. We share 50% commission on both projects, so that can amount to some decent income, if you’ve got a community that can benefit from these courses.
If you’re not sure how to do affiliate selling, don’t worry. I just put together a welcome letter that hopefully gives you some of the basics, plus resources on how to learn more.
And if NONE of this is of interest to you, I’ll see you next post with information that I hope is useful to you.
If you’re interested, check out:
Post Of The Month – June 2012 – The Winner
Something of a run away winner in this month’s vote. So happy to announce that the winner of Post Of The Month for June 2012 is Erik Proulx with his powerful Father’s day post. Well done Erik – you get the props of your blogging peers and are entered into the Hall Of Fame. As always thanks to everyone who took part. Nominations for next month’s vote will open in early August (possibly slightly later than usual due to holiday).
Post Of The Month – May 2012 – The Winner
It was run close by John Willshire’s excellent post but in the end, the winner of Post Of The Month for May 2012 was Heidi Hackemer’s deck for the Swedish APG on Planning, Creativity & Planning For Creative Campaigns. So well done Heidi. You get the props of your blogging peers and are entered into the Hall Of Fame. Thanks everyone for your nominations and votes this month, and don’t forget to bookmark your good reads for nominating next month.
Compared to magical
The easiest way to sell yourself short is to compare your work to the competition. To say that you are 5% cheaper or have one or two features that stand out–this is a formula for slightly better mediocrity.
The goal ought to be to compare yourself not to the best your peers or the competition has managed to get through a committee or down on paper, but to an unattainable, magical unicorn.
Compared to that, how are you doing?
Post Of The Month – April 2012 – The Winner
Well, it was run close by Patricia McDonald’s strong post on the interest graph and social commerce but in the end, the winner of Post Of The Month was Dan Hon’s personal and powerful post: Myself, Quantified. So well done Dan. You get the props of your blogging peers and are entered into the Hall Of Fame. Thanks everyone for your nominations and votes – don’t forget to bookmark your good reads for nominating next month.
Big Data Management: Forensics – SMN webcast next Wednesday, May 2
Search Marketing Now will host a webcast next Wednesday, May 2 at 1 PM EDT. “Big Data Management – Forensics” will feature Brad Geddes, founder of Certified Knowledge.org — and also recently crowned the most influential SEM by his peers — and Matt Van Wagner, President…
Please visit Search Engine Land for the full article.
Paul Greenberg on Social Customers
Who are social customers? According to Paul Greenberg, they:
Are savvy using social channels- Trust differently than they used to
- Communicate with peers
- Communicate with companies
- Get what they want
- Are social, mobile, local
- Expect immediate response or nearly immediate response
- Expect information available nearly instantly when searching
- Increase velocity of consumerization of work
- Actively participate in effecting change by using social networks.
Also according to Greenberg, companies that trust their customers:
- Listen to customer needs and feedback
- Deliver high-quality goods and services
- Treat employees well
- Place customers ahead of products
Makes sense, doesn’t it?
The Value of Not Being Average
Every so often I come across an interview where the subject is someone very likeable.
In the case of Danny DeVito, someone who also works incredibly hard while remaining good humored.
“The way I see it, what you’ve got to do is think of now, this moment. If you’re analysing the past, or anticipating too far into the future, you don’t really concentrate on what you’re doing in this moment, and that’s the most important thing. Right now!” [Danny DeVito, The Observer]
I like the part where he says he likes to connect with people, talk to everyone.
That’s very Italian, at least it’s something I understand well (DeVito is Italo-American) and appreciate about my roots.
You could always meet someone interesting on a train, waiting for the bus to go to school (no special school buses, and we walked to the stop, rain or shine), or walking and biking around town. I remember especially standing in line at the bank or the post office.
The Made in Italy thing is my not being average to DeVito’s height. Instead of looking at the way I see things differently as a disadvantage, I highlight it as an advantage. So I won’t get the college jokes made with those growing up in the U.S., and occasionally I still mispronounce words.
It’s good to hear a successful person say he focuses on the opportunity right in front of him. It does work out in the end. You just need to keep at it, especially at being you, and believe it will work out. DeVito is very Zen about it.
The value of not being average is also surrounding yourself with smart people to help carry the ball forward — mentors, teachers, friends, and peers.
Collaboration with a diverse team is the most exciting part of work, because you get to be yourself and complement other people who are also being themselves and using who they are. Delivering on your promises starts by working to and with the strengths of the people around you.
When you work in B2B corporations or as a consultant to complex industries, you get the best gift you could possibly receive: that of becoming a supporting element of why things work. It’s like doing the parts that keep the scene working for all the others in it.
I choose to work with great people to design and execute digital brands in highly competitive industries, wherever they are.
[image from The Lorax premiere]
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