The following is a guest post I wrote for Oneforty.com that was originally published here and subsequently picked up by Ragan‘s PR Daily as well. Oneforty has since been acquired by HubSpot and their site will soon be redirecting to HubSpot.com. I therefore decided to publish the post here on my blog. So, without further ado… 6 Social […]
Confidence
I was reading my friend Lindsay Bell‘s post, “Social Media Self Confidence,” the other day and it got me thinking. Confidence is a tricky thing. A shortage of confidence can be detrimental and limiting, but an excess of it is dangerous as well. Confidence can be fleeting. Even the most self-assured among us go through periods […]
Riding The (Social Media) Wave
I often hear small business owners skeptical of using social media asking for concrete examples of how the medium can benefit their bottom line. I had an experience recently that clearly demonstrates how the effective use of social media can drive incremental business and increase revenues. Like a lot of folks in New England, water […]
For What It’s Worth (FWIW)
I’m an ardent proponent of being genuine and authentic and, along with many others, consider it to be one of the key ingredients to social media success for both individuals and brands. That being said, there are legitimate reasons why people aren’t always completely forthcoming in their online interactions. For example, being on the job […]
@RedSox Social Media Focus Group
Last week I participated in a Twitter focus group held by the Red Sox. Two fellow participants, Jeff Esposito and Stephanie Silverstein, recently posted recaps on their blogs (Jeff’s, Stephanie’s). I thought I’d share some of my thoughts about the experience as well. Here goes… The phrase “Necessity is the mother of all invention” quickly […]
Tales From The Job Hunt
As you may already know, I am currently unemployed after having been laid off. Perhaps you’ve seen some of my creative efforts to market myself or read about my current role as a professional networker. Anyone who has been unemployed and on the job hunt can attest to the fact that it can be a difficult and […]
My column on social media in the Waltham News Tribune
***I recently began writing a column entitled “Business Watch” in the Waltham News Tribune. The first column was published in last Friday’s paper and can be read online here. The following is the text of this week’s column on small business and social media, which can be found online here.*** For many small businesses, the […]
Confessions of a Professional Networker
I’ll start off by quickly dispensing with the bad news: I am not currently gainfully employed (as covered in a prior post). This period of unemployment, albeit economically difficult, has been surprisingly educational, informative, interesting and enlightening. You’re probably shaking your head and wondering why I would say that, apart from the obvious freedom of […]
United Breaks Guitars…Chrysler Dealer Breaks My Spirit
Like most people, I loathe the car-buying experience. I have purchased a handful of automobiles in my life and while I’ve never enjoyed the process, the frustration my wife and I endured buying our first “family car” (a minivan) in 2008 took things to a whole other level. Unfortunately, our interactions with the dealership have […]
Thank You #BlogChat!
I am constantly astounded by the willingness of people I encounter via social media to help a complete stranger without the expectation of personal gain or even asking for reciprocity. Tom Martin, who was both generous with his time and forthcoming with his advice for me, said in a recent blog post that “Giving is the […]