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Aaron Strout

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Influence, Networking and Building Equity

July 7, 2010 By Aaron Strout 10 Comments

There’s been a post stewing about in my head for the last several days. It’s about the importance of keeping your virtual “bank” full when it comes to networking and influence. As someone that has been focused on networking well before the idea of social networks came into vogue, I can tell you that this is easier said than done, mainly because it requires a lot of work and the frequent subjugation of one’s ego.

The impetus for this post came while I was out for a walk last week. This is usually my quiet time where I can catch up on tweets, e-mails etc. away from the office, my wonderful wife and three beautiful children. During my walk, I listen to music, take in some fresh air and get a little exercise. On this particular day as I was going through my friends tweets and realized that there was a certain influential friend of mine (let’s call him Jim Jones) who I hadn’t spoken to in a while. I didn’t need anything from him but wanted to just say “hi” since it had been a few months since we last connected.

As one that dislikes using the phone whenever possible, sometimes there is no substitute for it, especially when you haven’t connected with someone in a while. To that end, I thought the best way to connect with “Jim” was via a phone call. Unfortunately, with Jim’s popularity has come stalking and bothering so Jim had to change his number. After realizing that I would not be speaking with Jim via the phone that very pleasant morning, I had the following exchange with Jim via direct message on Twitter:

AaronStrout
bruthah! Was out for a walk this AM and thought I’d call just to say “hi.” realized the # I have has been disconnected ;(


JimJones
444-444-1234. Sorry to miss you. I’m in the LA this week, so won’t answer just yet. : )


AaronStrout
oh, no worries. like i said, i just saw you tweeting and thought, “I haven’t talked to Jim in a while.” Hope you’re well. 😉


JimJones
I haven’t talked to you in too long. You’re lovely. : )


AaronStrout
same back atcha sunshine! 😉

The purpose of showing you this exchange is not to make you throw up in your mouth but to demonstrate the importance of my approach. I wanted Jim to know that this was strictly a friendly call and that I wasn’t asking for anything. While “Jim” is a household name in the world of marketing and social media, I take this same approach with my entire network. In fact, I love nothing better than to randomly pull out a tweet or blogpost from someone in my network and re-tweet (repost on Twitter) or comment on their work. I say this not to come off as an egotistical prick but to demonstrate the fact that people with big or small networks appreciate this unconditional “love.”

Building on this topic, a recent post by the lovely and eloquent, Amber Naslund, got me thinking more about the real definition of “influence”which is often one of the outcomes that people seek via the process of networking. In her post, Amber states…

To me, influence isn’t about popularity. Or even reach. It’s about the trust, authority, and presence to drive relevant actions within your community that create something of substance. That last bit is key.

Yup. Couldn’t have said it better myself. It’s about “trust, authority and presence” which to me reinforces why so many many companies have a hard time with social media. They don’t want to take the time to build trust or presence even though they might already have some authority in their particular area of expertise. Like an awkward teenage boy on his first date, the company forgets that relationship building doesn’t happen in one evening and that the physical (read: good) part comes only when “trust and authority” have been established. Unfortunately, too many of these encounters end with a “slap in the face” rather than a “goodnight kiss.”

For those of you who are new to the world of social, this may sound disheartening. But you have to start somewhere. And as a great example of that, I’ll point out my friend, Kelly Stonebock, who knew that she should be blogging but had until recently put it off up. While she’s only got four posts under her belt… she now has FOUR posts under her belt and is on her way to establishing credibility as a serious blogger/writer.

So, what are you waiting for? Get out there and start networking. And while you’re at it, don’t forget the “trust, authority and presence” piece. Don’t worry, it’s never too late to get started.

Thoughts on Pursuing a Career in Social Media

December 5, 2008 By Aaron Strout 10 Comments

http://www.utterli.com/fp/slimline.swf?1228230653
I’ve had a few people ask me recently how to get started in social media. Most recently, @busynessstudent tweeted me and specifically asked about how he might get a job at my company, Powered. Since 140 characters was a little limiting, I thought an Utter-cast might be a more appropriate way to share my thoughts.
Now that I’m back at my desk (and not just typing in a couple of brief sentences on my iPhone), I’d like to expound on this idea a little bit. For those chosing not to listen to my utter-cast, here are the three recommendations I made for those looking:
  • Make sure you are blogging, Twittering, podcasting and being active on the other main social networks like LinkedIn, Facebook and MySpace.
  • Consider doing a video of yourself and clearly articulate what type of job you are lookin for. Also talk about why you would be a good fit at a particular company (and don’t just say “because I know how to blog”). Remember to tie your skills into what a business’ goals might be like:
    – product development
    – lead generation
    – awareness
    – thought leadership
    – customer support
    – engagement marketing
  • Network with EVERYONE you know. However, here’s the key. Make sure you package yourself up in a way that makes it easy for others to pass you long. For instance:
    – make sure your LinkedIn profile is up to date or create an online resume
    – create a bulleted e-mail that spells out your 5-7 strongest traits and sums you up
    – tell people you’ve asked to help you EXACTLY which companies you’d like to work for and what you’d like to do – making them guess creates room for complacency on their end
In addition to those three idea, Kipp Bodnar suggests that you should also be commenting on the blogs of the people or companies you would like to work for. This is not only an excellent idea, I’ve heard of people actually getting hired this way. Another opportunity is to participate regularly in that companies discussion forums (nothing says “I’m useful and know your company” like a little free customer support). Be careful not to be overly critical but also make sure you’re not too complementary either ’cause nobody likes a kiss ass.
Doug Haslam recommends that you shouldn’t be waiting until you need a job to start networking. I couldn’t agree more and in fact, that has been the reason I’ve always moved seemlessly from job to job in the past. Obviously this doesn’t help those of you out there who are already looking but for those that aren’t looking, at least not yet, start networking TODAY. For those that are looking, once you land a job make sure you don’t forget to keep up those networking activities after you land on your feet.
Anybody else want to chime in? If so, please leave your recommendations in the comments below (or feel free to reply with an utter of your own).
First, thanks to Kipp and Doug for adding some excellent points 

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