Blue Helm

A few weeks ago I wrote about four useful ways to use social media over Thanksgiving. In the spirit of consistency I decided to write a similar post about Christmas.

This post is more for personal rather than for business use. You can modify most of the ideas to apply to a business if you want. You can also modify most of the ideas in this post to apply to other religious beliefs or nonreligious holiday practices.

Christmas has always been a wonderful time for me. I love family, the traditions, the music, the movies, the decorations, the spirit of giving and love, and all the other elements associated with the Christmas season.

So how should you be using social media this Christmas? Here a few suggestions:

1. Share some of your favorite traditions with your Facebook friends or Twitter readers. As you hear of great traditions, make a list and post it on your blog or as a note on your Facebook profile.
2. I used this idea for Thanksgiving, but it fits well for Christmas too: Share your favorite recipes! We all love the delicious foods that accompany Christmas. Stop hoarding your favorite dish and share it with the world! (My favorite Christmas treat is my mother’s delicious cinnamon rolls.) After you’ve posted your recipe, ask for other people’s favorite recipes and try one of them this year.
3. Make and share a list of your top ten favorite Christmas movies, songs or T.V. specials. Here’s a link from one of my favorite holiday T.V. specials…I still can’t believe that ever aired.
4. Ask people to post pictures of their decorations on your Facebook wall. You could even get people to post pictures of the craziest decorations they’ve seen this year.
5. Share heartwarming Christmas stories you’ve heard. Here’s a link to a story I like.
6. If you have the courage, in this ever-politically correct world, share your gratitude for the birth of Jesus Christ. After all, that’s what Christmas is all about. Linus explains it well.

These are just a few of my ideas. What are some ways you’re using social media this Christmas season?

The economy is down. Jobless rates are still climbing. New college graduates are struggling to find work. Times are tough, but tough times provide opportunities for innovators, entrepreneurs and hard workers to thrive.

Today I want to write to those of you who are struggling to find a job. Maybe you’ve just graduated, maybe you’ve just been laid off or maybe you need to go back to work to pay the ever-rising bills. Regardless of why you’re looking for a job, the fact remains that there are a lot of people who are vying for the jobs you want.

So what do you do to separate yourself from the competition? What do you do to get the job you want? The answer: social networking.

Social networking is an extremely powerful tool and I’ll list a few suggestions that will get you well on your way to the job of your choosing, but you must understand that it will take time and effort.

Businesses spend a lot of time and money developing and improving their brand. You are no different than a business. You are responsible for your personal brand. What do people think of when they see your name? What do they think of you when you walk into the room?

Here are a few tips you can use that will help you develop your personal brand. I’ve linked to multiple articles written by Dan Shawbel, an expert in developing an online personal brand. So be sure to read Dan’s posts too; they provide additional in-depth, how-to instruction.

Get online

The first step to building your personal brand is to pick the most appropriate networks to join. The biggest social networking tools to consider are Twitter, LinkedIn, Facebook and blogging.

Twitter – You’ve probably heard a lot about Twitter, but you still aren’t clear on what it is or how to use it. Stop being confused and get started! Twitter is more than just a place to tell people what you’re doing. It’s a place to share links to relevant news, blogs and stories. Twitter is a great place to connect with important people in your industry and to become one of those important people as you further develop your personal brand.

LinkedIn – LinkedIn is the social network for professionals. Many people think LinkedIn is just an online resume, but there is much more to it. You can drastically improve your personal brand as you join and participate in groups, as you utilize the Q&A tool and as you build a larger and more interactive network.

Facebook – Facebook is more personal that Twitter or LinkedIn. LinkedIn is like taking people to your office and Twitter is like going to a networking lunch or talking at the water cooler. Facebook is like bringing people to your home. As you connect with people on Facebook, they will begin to see more of who you are as an individual. The more they like you, the more they’ll be willing to work with you.

Blogging – Building a blog is a great way to show off to potential employers. I would recommend starting a professional blog as opposed to a personal blog. Your professional blog should talk only about things in your industry. You should absolutely inject your personality into the blog, but have the focus of the blog be in your field of choice.

Become an expert

What are you interested in? What did you go to school for? What job do you want? Answer these questions and become an expert in your field of interest. Find the most popular blogs in your industry and start reading them regularly. Study books and other resources that will help increase your knowledge. Follow industry leaders on Twitter and read the updates and links they’ve posted. You can find a wealth of information online, just be careful that you don’t overload.

Voice your opinion

After you’ve studied and feel like you can carry on a relevant conversation in your field, start voicing your opinion.  Re-tweet posts that are interesting to you. Comment and have conversations on great blog posts. Answer questions in the Q&A section of LinkedIn or start discussions in the groups you’re a part of. Share relevant links on Facebook, Twitter and LinkedIn. Write blog posts that others will value. The more you study and share with others, the more you will be perceived as an expert.

Connect with the right people

The business world runs on connections. The more people you’re connected to, the more powerful you become. If you go into a job interview already knowing someone of influence in the company, your chances of landing the job are much better than someone who doesn’t have a connection. Connect with people at companies you would like to work for. Choose a few companies and look up people in the departments you would like to work in. See if they’re on Twitter, LinkedIn or if they have a blog. Connect and interact with them. Once you’ve developed a relationship with them, you can approach them about employment.

Don’t stop

If you don’t get results right away, don’t give up! And once you’ve gotten the job, keep networking on your own time. Effective social networking takes a while to develop. But the ball is now rolling, and it’s much easier to keep it going than having to start over again later when you may need social networking again. So never stop.

Here are a few of my favorite social media blogs and why:

ProBlogger and Copyblogger – These two blogs are probably my favorite. They are both chalk full of useful information. They don’t focus so much on the latest news as much as they do on general principle that will last for a very long time. If you want to get a solid understanding of social media and the principles that will fuel your business to success, then you need to read these blogs.

Mashable – If you want up-to-date info on what’s happening in the social media world, this is the blog for you. They cover everything from Facebook and Twitter news to the latest iPhone apps and social networks. In addition to news, they also produce some very helpful how-to posts. Be careful though: if you subscribe to their general RSS feed, your reader will explode daily with new posts. Mashable has a bunch of authors that post often. If you don’t like your reader to feel cluttered then find the authors you like and follow them on Twitter.

Chris Brogan – Every industry has a handful of celebrity-type super stars. You know, those people who speak at every big industry event and who everyone clamors to connect with. In the social media world, Chris Brogan is definitely a celebrity. When I first started following Chris he actually kind of annoyed me. I thought he was a self-promoter and was disingenuous. I was wrong. The more I read his stuff, the more I realize how much he cares and how smart he is. His blog is a great resource for general information on how to become a more powerful user of social media.

The Brand Builder – I really like this blog. Olivier is a strait talker who doesn’t beat around the bush. He will call you out if you’re wrong, but he’ll build you up if you’re right. He brings a great business perspective to social media. He spends a lot of time writing about ROI and measurement.

Inside Facebook – I like reading Inside Facebook because it’s the fastest source for news on Facebook. Facebook is the biggest social network out there and I like to stay up-to-date on what’s happening. I’ll usually just scan through their most recent posts for juicy info.

What are your favorite social media blogs?

Don't let The Rage Monsters get you!

Another blogger has offended you. You’re mad at yourself for doing something dumb. Anything anyone does infuriates you. Your mind is clouded and you can’t think straight. You’re frustrated that your PR plan isn’t working. You’re thinking of doing something rash and it’s very possible you just might snap. These disheartening symptoms are indicative of only one thing. Whether you like it or not, you are a victim of The Rage.

What do you do when you get The Rage?

1. Recognize The Rage has you – When The Rage has taken over, the most crucial step to defeating it is to realize you have it. Once you recognize that you aren’t thinking straight, you can make the appropriate adjustments to countering potentially embarrassing and harmful actions.

2. Think before you leap – Take a moment to stop and think before you do anything. Ask yourself a few questions: Who is your angry blog post going to effect? Will it hurt your business? Will your mom read this? What good is your reaction really going to do? Is the fleeting euphoria of reacting really worth the consequences? Posting a rant is only okay if you’re in control of your emotions and have calmly thought through what you’re about to post. Remember, there is a difference between acting and reacting. The key to avoiding negative consequences online is to avoid reacting, especially when The Rage has you. You don’t want to end up getting fired, losing a client or offending a loved one because you reacted in haste.

3. Take a break – Sometimes you’ve just hit the wall. Maybe you have a case of writer’s block. Take a walk, a nap, eat lunch or work out. Often a change of scenery will help you clear your mind and chase out The Rage.

4. Meditate – Meditation is powerful. Take time to simply sit and think with no distractions. Find a quite place, turn off your phone, computer, MP3 player or anything else electronic and just think.

The Rage is unavoidable, but you can control it. What do you do to beat The Rage?

Mr. T is hilarious, and so is his Snickers ad campaign from last year. If you missed it then you’re in luck! We’re not being paid to show these clips and are not endorsing Snickers in any way other than giving props for making an awesome ad campaign. Enjoy the clips and have a great weekend!

Here’s a little bonus Mr. T for those who just can’t get enough: