Yes, but maybe you started off with social media the way I did; quietly listening while learning the ropes, lurking and not really being social at all!

In fact, my first tweet was on October, 26th 2007. Great, except- I sent 15 tweets in the first month and not one was an @ message! I wasn’t talking to anyone… I wasn’t there yet.

Today, I am somewhere between participation and relationship building with regards to social media. I’ve made the mind shift from 1-way to 2-way, although I sometimes find myself reverting back to my old 1-way ways.

This almost implies tuning out a little, doesn’t it?

In order to concentrate on providing value, I may need to block out some of the noise. Perhaps stepping out of the echo chamber will allow me to focus on the task at hand. A Tim Ferriss’esque idea -no doubt.

During my own adoption of social media, I focused heavily on reading and listening, so much so- that this has become a comfort zone for me to run back to. Recently, I have stopped reading my google reader everyday. Instead, I am going to do some thinking of my own and stop relying on old meme’s to create new content.

I hope that by eliminating distractions I will be able to provide quality information and value to my network.

Where are you on the social media curve?

-MikeToner

www.MikeToner.com

Mike Toner

Mike Toner is a freelance web designer from Arlington, Virginia. During the day he works as a Web Content Manager for CSC. By evening, he’s a husband, dog owner and runner. Toner writes about Social Media, SEO and overall online visibility as well as digital marketing trends.

    

As you may have noticed, I write with a rational, cause-and-effect tone. This is me, this is how I write, but often I get stuck in this cause and effect mindset.

It makes sense- we all find a way to do thing things we’re good at. We all like to practice the things we enjoy and we continually do the things which we know we can complete, right?

“Practice means to perform, over and over again in the face of all obstacles, some act of vision, of faith, of desire. Practice is a means of inviting the perfection desired.”- Martha Graham

So, I’m gonna step out of my comfort zone and start practicing the hard things.

Writing with emotion is hard for me.

Mike Toner

Mike Toner is a freelance web designer from Arlington, Virginia. During the day he works as a Web Content Manager for CSC. By evening, he’s a husband, dog owner and runner. Toner writes about Social Media, SEO and overall online visibility as well as digital marketing trends.

    

I believe that every conversation with a potential customer is a representation of the larger organization; you are now acting as the company. In the same way, every performance for a stage actor is a representation of the way the playwright intended the script to be performed, mostly a larger depiction of reality.

Now lets take customer service as a new character role:

Service Provider: Not always seen as a hero, SP is the complicated antagonist of the play. After generations of observing good service he or she uses their experience, along with the desire to help to increase the position as a service provider. He or she is often forced to depend on the kindness of their customers.

On the flip side, it’s often difficult to recognize good customer service and even harder to BE A good customer. Yes, that’s right, as the customer you must be willing to listen and be receptive to the service offered to you.

Customer: Often not ready for a new process or sequence and can be easily caught off guard. During his or her ‘demanding moments,’ customer is at their worst. In contrast, the quieter times seem good and this leading character will willingly engage in an interchange of questions and answers with SP.

As an audience member, there are certain rules or etiquettes that should be followed by all parties involved. As with theatre, there is an expectation that the show will be professional.

Do you recognize good customer service? Moreover, are you good at being a customer?

What characteristics does each portray?

Photo by: Tabbi Kat

Mike Toner

Mike Toner is a freelance web designer from Arlington, Virginia. During the day he works as a Web Content Manager for CSC. By evening, he’s a husband, dog owner and runner. Toner writes about Social Media, SEO and overall online visibility as well as digital marketing trends.

    

Good Morning, Good Afternoon & Good Evening friends,
I need your help. My roommate, Steven Knight and I have submitted an original song called Burnin’ to the Ground to the MyFoxDC Local Band Contest. The voting starts today and goes through May 11th. You have to register on their site, which isn’t hard, but does take a second. You can only vote once a day at http://media.myfoxdc.com/FoxRocks/voting.html

Vote Knight Train!

Here’s what’s at stake:
FOX 5, myfoxdc and Your local Ford Dealers are giving one local band the opportunity of a lifetime!
One night! One chance! One lucky band will headline a gig at Jammin Java and perform LIVE on Fox 5 Morning News!

AND WE’RE IN THE RUNNING!!!

Now it’s all about the vote. Please take the time to register at myfoxdc and vote for KNIGHT TRAIN – Burnin’ to the Ground

You can also follow the link from www.officialknighttrain.com

Your time and votes are greatly appreciated,

-Mike Toner
www.MikeToner.com

As we grow older, perhaps peaking in the teenage years, we each seek out our own identity, separate from those who have cared for us. We establish our independence and slowly break ties with those we orginally depended on. Teenagers are often unable to relate their feelings to their orginal caregivers.

The middle stage lasts the longest, but it is the transition from independence to interdependence where we each must look for help and support from those around us. It is not unusual to never reach true interdependency. The humility necessary to ask for help and the openness to share ones feelings with loved ones is difficult for some.

Move towards interdependency.

2) Think about your plan of action. Which blogs will you want to follow? How much of the conversation has already taken place? Will you and how will you engage? Listen and Plan.

3) Calmly engage in the conversation happening on the web. Do not react to negative comments by haphazardly responding with a defensive comment on someone’s blog. Calmly engage.

4) It’s important to spread a message that is true to your organization. On this plan, you will never need to remember what you say or write to anyone. If you tell the truth, the story stays the same. Transparency, honesty and authenticity work well with social media.

5) Social Media is a two-way conversation. Find and engage with the folks that already have a perception of your organization or brand. Be ready to react.

6) Use photos, videos and any kind of mixed media to enhance your message when possible. Hyperlink to additional information or suggested reading, this will help bring value to your message. Create valuable content.

7) If you want to be easily found on the web, you should be constantly engaging in the conversation happening on the web. While consistency lends itself to search engine visibility it is important to find a balance between quality content and consistency. Quality outweighs quantity.

Michael T. Toner
www.miketoner.com

Interpersonal communication is the process of sending and receiving information or more easily described as: communicating with another person. This communication can be verbal or nonverbal.

The idea is simple, but the implications are monstrous. It seems so easy to say, “I communicate well with others.” But how do you know? How do you measure your ability to communicate? Do you measure your communication success in your ability to get what you want out of an interaction?

Let me stick to the basic idea. When you have an interaction with someone you send them messages, both verbally and non verbally. It is scientifically known that non-verbal language accounts for 90% of the total interaction. Cues are given through eye contact, vocal inflection as well as haptic interactions or the act of touching i.e. a high five or hand shake.

Each of these cues offer nonverbal messages as to the person’s intentions or feelings. They also cause feelings in the receiver, whether positive or negative.

In the realm of leadership this idea of ‘sender/receiver’ messages comes into play when communicating with constituents.

I believe that actors make good leaders because of this ability to distinguish motivation within an interaction. Maybe this is the reason Hollywood is so wrapped up in politics? Actors are able to analyze a persons or group’s motivation by listening to the words and watching the non verbal cues as the messages are transmitted within an interaction. Actors are also good at reading personalities.

How much of what we reveal about ourselves in an interaction depends on how much another person is willing to reveal about themselves. When someone opens up to you with a personal secret, you are more likely to respond with something a little more in depth about yourself, right? This give and take principle is how we adjust how deep we are willing to dive into a certain topic within a conversation. Some people simply do not know how to open and close this window from conversation to conversation. These people treat every person they talk with as a best friend. It can get quiet burdensome to those involved in the conversation who often feel obligated to listen and possibly pressured to share personal information about themselves at a faster rate than they are comfortable with.

The lesson: Listen more and talk less