Is Social Media Flawed Or Useful?

I’m reflecting after an October 12 conversation with my business coach and friend Chris Barrow.

We talked about strategies to stay as productive as possible on my upcoming financial advisor speaking two week road trip, that the client does the work in respect to sending the coaching the follow up minutes to the coaching meeting and not the other way round ( I suppose this is what I am doing now by writing this blog ), support team fees, hiring a social media manager and we ended with; Is Social Media Flawed Or Useful?

There are now four significant social media applications that include; FaceBook, Four Square, LinkedIn and Twitter.

Chris has hired a social media manager and has developed a strong Dental Business following on FaceBook.

The compliance department jury in my financial and investment advisor coaching world are still out.

Financial advisors and investment advisors may not be flocking to FaceBook because of the compliance issue and some companies are blocking FaceBook access on their computers so the social networking choice for financial advisors and investment advisors is LinkedIn.

So Chris is making history on FaceBook and I’ll dive deeper into LinkedIn with a social media manager in the near future.

When it came to our discussion about Four Square and Twitter, we both agreed that we were not 100% on these two.

While we both link our blogs to ; FaceBook, LinkedIn and Twitter, neither of us are really Twittering all that much and not using its potential.

When it comes to Four Square, I joked that I am Mayor or Rathtrevor Park in Parksville and I should be able to get my “Far Away” and “Jet Setter” badges from the two week road trip.

What are the real benefits of social media; Is Social Media Flawed Or Useful?

Here are Chris’ thoughts;

Social media is a stream of consciousness and 80% might be flawed and 20% is leading edge and useful and through this one can develop a reputation as a thought leader – thinking out loud.

Most people don’t think out loud at all and people are either in one of these three groups;

1. They don’t think
2. They think to themselves
3. They think out loud and become thought leaders

Those that think out loud become thought leaders because it is the only thinking that is available.

Thought leaders benefit the herd because it makes them stop and think.

Chris and I wrapped up our call talking about our favourite show Mad Men and the brilliant thinking of Don Draper played by Jon Hamm.

Chris said; “Don Draper is flawed … Flawed enough to be useful as he has been challenged his whole life and that has caused him to think outside the box, see things differently, think out loud, put his ideas on paper and make a significant difference bringing his creative ideas to light.”

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Dear All,

I’ve been shortlisted for Advisor.ca’s ‘Name That Visionary Contest’: Who are the Top 10 leaders in the industry today?

Round One is over and the candidates have been narrowed down to 20 entries.

The next step is to vote for the top ten entries and you can do this by clicking here; 

http://www.advisor.ca/partnersuccesscenter/aca10/bioform.html

There are two ways I could have played this:

1. Pretending to be a shy and demure Canadian, because that is what Canadians do, in the hope that people will vote anyway – “I don’t take part in these celebrity competitions because it’s beneath me”
2. Bold, outrageous and provocative – “asking for the business” – vote for me because I love the exposure!

Another reason that I am doing this is to demonstrate the power of E-Nurture Marketing as you are a reader of my E-Newsletter and we were initially introduced through speaking or via the internet.

Honestly, it would cost tens of thousands to receive the exposure that this contest can create.

So I’m asking for your help.

The next step is to vote for the top ten entries and you can do this by clicking here and PLEASE VOTE FOR ME;

http://www.advisor.ca/partnersuccesscenter/aca10/bioform.html

 Again, why am I asking?

• The exposure is absolutely great for my professional career development
• The publicity is a vindication for all the hard work done with clients and the philosophy and ideas that we share in these and other pages
• The encouragement to me to keep fighting the fight for quality career and independent financial advisors
• My coaches and mentors all get to take a break as my unmet need of recognition is satisfied
• You will have to spend a few minutes thinking about your personal Top 10 leaders in the industry today 

To vote CLICK HERE; 

http://www.advisor.ca/partnersuccesscenter/aca10/bioform.html