Be the Hub what Feeds the Spokes
Mitch Joel (Mitch Joel) of Twist Image wrote in Six Pixels of Separation that Your Personal Brand is NOT Scalable. Most people are going to find that to be very true; however, there is an obvious solution.
Just as some focus on blogging while most focus on performing specific services, some of us who choose to be power Social Media users must serve as connecting hubs for those who choose to focus on what they do – whether that is providing goods or services.
This is the same issue, multiplied, that freelancers have always had that causes gaps in their incomes: not marketing while they’re performing and not performing while they’re marketing. Instead of juggling those two obvious necessities the solution is to collaborate with others who are in the best position to recommend your services.
Those who do not have the time to live and breathe Social Media can establish relationships with those who do. The trick will be how those who are Social Networking activists will support themselves. Perhaps those they recommend will support their efforts directly or those they benefit by providing answers and recommendations will be willing to support them.
What ideas do you have on the best ways to become the Social Networking Hub that feeds the spokes of business?
Not surprisingly, Affiliate Marketing expert Murray Newlands (Twitter) had some great ideas on this subject and on collaborating. Find out more:
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Twitter: @murraynewlands
Gail I love your blog
You are right building long term partnerships and sales channels is the only way to go.
Murray Newlands´s last blog ..Twitter Contest
Twitter: @GrowMap
I am honored to have you take the time to comment here. You know I read your blog and share your posts regularly. Your posting frequency is amazing! I know you are one of the few who understand that collaboration, long term partnerships, and consistency are critical to success.
Internet Strategist @GrowMap´s last blog ..Adsmarket Fast Lane Publisher Competition
Yes, long term relationships are the way to go, but they are VERY time consuming. So you really have to weigh the benefits of time spent versus the overall benefit from relationship building.
Twitter: @GrowMap
Welcome Frankle,
Yes, the time issue is what Mitch Joel was talking about and why we must learn to collaborate. There is not enough time for every blogger to be a power user. I will explain more when I answer Dennis’ comment below.
Internet Strategist @GrowMap´s last blog ..Texas Mexican Restaurants Using Geo-Marketing
I’d love to be able to pay someone something to be my socialite.
Dennis Edell´s last blog ..I Want You To Review Me. Part 1
Twitter: @GrowMap
Hi Dennis,
While hiring someone is one way to do it there are others. Anyone with a blog can use free tools like BackLinkWatch to find out who link to them and return the favor with links and comments.
They can use free tools like Back Link Reporter to keep track of where you comment so you can be consistent in visiting, leaving comments and then sharing those posts as I explained in the post Commenting Strategy Increased Our Traffic 54.87%. It actually increased traffic more than that.
To expand on that concept, we can learn to write a review at StumbleUpon in a way that makes it an effective Tweet and then feed that review using to Twitter and Facebook using TwitterFeed and the format http://rss.stumbleupon.com/user/growmap/reviews (replace growmap with your StumbleUpon account).
Pull the reviews into FriendFeed by adding that RSS there too. Use Tweecious to send it to Delicious. Now you have covered StumbleUpon (the best source or traffic and the best for residual traffic) plus Twitter, FriendFeed, Facebook and Delicious all from one review.
Now if only TwitterFeed would support su.pr OR the StumbleUpon share function gets improved you’ll really have reach. I’ve been meaning to write this all up in a blog post and still need to do that.
Remember that the most valuable currency is writing about other bloggers. Those links are weighted more heavily and one commentator tells us that the FIRST link is probably now considered most important by Google. We all need to start writing about our collaborators regularly – including me.
Internet Strategist @GrowMap´s last blog ..Best of GrowMap: Our Pillar Foundation Content
All good stuff, and exactly what I would hire someone for, lol.
Commenting back and forth and the occasional contextual link is awesome, but as you are ponting out, there can be a lot more done.
With the exception of receiving some email reports, that all takes time. I have some thoughts in mind for cash alternatives.
In fact, I have a project in mind that may take care of this for any blogger willing to join.
Thanks btw for BackLinkWatch and Back Link Reporter – I didn’t know of these.
Dennis Edell´s last blog ..I Want You To Review Me. Part 1
Twitter: @ChugginMcCoffee
It does make sense to establish a social media relationship if you are a freelancer, which I am. Like you said, there is an ebb and flow to freelance work, which means that if you’re constantly promoting yourself, then you can’t work, and vice versa.
Twitter: @GrowMap
There is another huge advantage to collaborating with others and that is knowledgeable, sincere third party recommendations are far more compelling than tooting your own horn.
Mark, I would love to know more about your freelance work and what you offer.
Internet Strategist @GrowMap´s last blog ..Best of GrowMap: Our Pillar Foundation Content
Thanks for sharing this great article. I like your idea of establishing relationships with social marketers if you are not able to. This will help you stay up to date on the subject at least.