Socialnomics » Digital Leadership

Online Community Building- An Interview With Dr. Kareem

Ryan Bethea — Mon, 09 Apr 2012 15:05:20 +0000

Today at Socialnomics, I am pleased to share some incredible wisdom from a friend and true “Digital Leader”, Dr. Kareem Samhouri. Dr. Kareem is one of the nation’s premier fitness and nutrition experts, and has built a phenomenally successful internet community around his vision. Whether you want to lose stubborn fat, or build a dynamic online community, Dr. Kareem’s words are applicable for us all.

1. Looking back, what thing do you think has led to your success more than anything else?Perseverance, professionalism, and personality. Establishing yourself as someone who is both:

a) Permanent in your industry
b) Unique in someone’s mind

Now, think hard about what you want to represent before you jump into a decision for either “a” or “b”.

Here’s what I decided for each:

Permanency in my industry: I showed up to all industry events possible for 18 months straight. This makes me the “common denominator” in people’s minds. Low and behold, other successful entrepreneurs were doing the same thing. As it turns out, this means you get to have a lot of fun meeting great people, learn amazing things, and remain cutting-edge in your industry. It’s a win.

Also noteworthy, my education proves that I’m permanent. By studying to be a licensed professional, I’ve shown that I’m committed to this field, as a career. There are other ways, but this is my way.

Uniqueness: In my case, I decided that I would be the “highest credentialed” fitness expert online. By combining doctoral-level knowledge in Physical Therapy with all of my education and training in Kinesiology, I was able to represent something ‘new’ for our field. By taking an interest in what I had to say, you were opening your mind to a new possibility in health.

Alone, this can’t be enough, which is why it’s all about face-time and personality, as well. By strategically developing a key network, and then furthering that by filtering out people you don’t get along with, you’re establishing friendships in a place that’s simultaneously beneficial to your career. As things evolve, it’s natural to form really strong friendships with the “right” people, so long as you’re only ever looking for a friend in your industry. This is not about using people – it’s about making friends and helping others.

2. What advice do you have for Socialnomics’ Readers on how to build an effective online business?Take the highest moral ground, in all scenarios. The internet is the Wild Wild West, in that it’s still being pioneered and expanded upon in so many ways. Dot.com to web 2.0 to today’s model are radically different. Things change all the time, and the world is starting to find both the most and least legitimate businesses online. People feel they can hide behind a computer and cheat/deceive, and this creates a bad name for everyone online. People feel jaded, and they are scared to buy online.Stand up against this. Hold your ground.Do things that help people, and use the internet as a tool for your business to grow and expand with less overhead and lower costs to your end-users. Instead of changing your message or the kindness you’d show with personal contact, enhance this and make it even more prominent. Just imagine your reach – what will you do with your voice?People spread what they like to hear – be genuine, and be the moral authority for your industry.

3. Any mistakes you made early on? What should our biggest take away be from your experience?

Find purpose and then find a distribution mechanism.I made the mistake early on in my career of creating tons of fitness information products without first establishing my distribution mechanism. Everyone advised me to “know your market” before you create your first product. So, I did my research, and I found out that baby boomers with joint pain (who were actually motivated to lose weight, not get rid of pain) were my market. So I created about 15 programs for this audience and no one showed up to my websites.Traffic + Conversions = Digital LeaderKnowing your market will help with conversions, but it won’t help at all with traffic.Strongly consider this: How will you get people to your site? How will they hear of your idea?Lock down your distribution mechanism, and then create a business.

As for purpose, that’s the viral component to anything. People live vicariously through your vision, so it’s a really good deal; you get to do something amazing, and people will naturally flock to you and follow.

The higher, but still reachable, your goal, the more people will buy into you and your concepts. The idea is to do something that is bothlucrative and fulfilling. One without the other will never work long-term, at least if you consider happiness to be your number #1 motivator.

For more information on Dr. Kareem’s programs, please visit http://drkareem.com/

Helpful Tools to track your Digital Footprints & Shadows

Erik Qualman — Mon, 12 Mar 2012 21:25:44 +0000

I’m speaking at SXSW today about Digital Footprints & Digital Shadows. Whether you are an individual, small business, corporation or non-profit, the below are helpful tools to ensure your best life, leadership and ultimate digital legacy.

Believe in Tim Tebow. Follow Tim Tebow.

Erik Qualman — Sat, 14 Jan 2012 03:16:10 +0000

The greatest gift in life is to give of oneself. This is a mantra in my newest book Digital Leader. But what is a Digital Leader? The title is somewhat confusing as the book is not about being a technical whiz kid, but rather it’s about how to be a leader in this digitally crazed decade. So, where exactly does Tim Tebow fit in?

Tim Tebow with an invited special guest (Source: Tim Tebow Foundation)

With everyone trying to amass a bazillion followers on Twitter or have you like them on Facebook how does a real leader emerge this digital decade? They emerge by doing what Tim Tebow does; realizing that the greatest gift in life is to give of oneself rather than talk about oneself.

That once we figure out we can’t get everything done, we can focus on the items that we need to get done. Items that make a difference. Items that center on Life, Leadership and Legacy. That doing social good is the best kind of social media around.

Tim Tebow is such a leader. Not for what he does on the field, but for what he does off it. After reading the below article from ESPN’s Rick Reilly, you will realize that whether Tebow wins the Super Bowl or not, he is already a winner. He is a Leader we all should aspire to be, now, and in the digital decades ahead. I believe in Tim Tebow as does Rick Reilly (below) and my guess is you will too.

Via @ReillyRick Sports Illustrated: I’ve come to believe in Tim Tebow, but not for what he does on a football field, which is still three parts Dr. Jekyll and two parts Mr. Hyde.

No, I’ve come to believe in Tim Tebow for what he does off a football field, which is represent the best parts of us, the parts I want to be and so rarely am.

Who among us is this selfless?

Every week, Tebow picks out someone who is suffering, or who is dying, or who is injured. He flies these people and their families to the Broncos game, rents them a car, puts them up in a nice hotel, buys them dinner (usually at a Dave & Buster’s), gets them and their families pregame passes, visits with them just before kickoff (!), gets them 30-yard-line tickets down low, visits with them after the game (sometimes for an hour), has them walk him to his car, and sends them off with a basket of gifts.

Home or road, win or lose, hero or goat.

Remember last week, when the world was pulling its hair out in the hour after Tebow had stunned the Pittsburgh Steelers with an 80-yard OT touchdown pass to Demaryius Thomas in the playoffs? And Twitter was exploding with 9,420 tweets about Tebow per second? When an ESPN poll was naming him the most popular athlete in America?

Tebow was spending that hour talking to 16-year-old Bailey Knaub about her 73 surgeries so far and what TV shows she likes.

MORE FROM TIM TEBOW

“Here he’d just played the game of his life,” recalls Bailey’s mother, Kathy, of Loveland, Colo., “and the first thing he does after his press conference is come find Bailey and ask, ‘Did you get anything to eat?’ He acted like what he’d just done wasn’t anything, like it was all about Bailey.”

More than that, Tebow kept corralling people into the room for Bailey to meet. Hey, Demaryius, come in here a minute. Hey, Mr. Elway. Hey, Coach Fox.

Zac Taylor is one that had his spirits lifted by Tebow (Source: Stephanie Taylor)

Even though sometimes-fatal Wegener’s granulomatosis has left Bailey with only one lung, the attention took her breath away.

“It was the best day of my life,” she emailed. “It was a bright star among very gloomy and difficult days. Tim Tebow gave me the greatest gift I could ever imagine. He gave me the strength for the future. I know now that I can face any obstacle placed in front of me. Tim taught me to never give up because at the end of the day, today might seem bleak but it can’t rain forever and tomorrow is a new day, with new promises.”

I read that email to Tebow, and he was honestly floored.

“Why me? Why should I inspire her?” he said. “I just don’t feel, I don’t know, adequate. Really, hearing her story inspires me.”

It’s not just NFL defenses that get Tebowed. It’s high school girls who don’t know whether they’ll ever go to a prom. It’s adults who can hardly stand. It’s kids who will die soon.

For the game at Buffalo, it was Charlottesville, Va., blue-chip high school QB Jacob Rainey, who lost his leg after a freak tackle in a scrimmage. Tebow threw three interceptions in that Buffalo game and the Broncos were crushed 40-14.

“He walked in and took a big sigh and said, ‘Well, that didn’t go as planned,’” Rainey remembers. “Where I’m from, people wonder how sincere and genuine he is. But I think he’s the most genuine person I’ve ever met.”

There’s not an ounce of artifice or phoniness or Hollywood in this kid Tebow, and I’ve looked everywhere for it.

Take 9-year-old Zac Taylor, a child who lives in constant pain. Immediately after Tebow shocked the Chicago Bears with a 13-10 comeback win, Tebow spent an hour with Zac and his family. At one point, Zac, who has 10 doctors, asked Tebow whether he has a secret prayer for hospital visits. Tebow whispered it in his ear. And because Tebow still needed to be checked out by the Broncos’ team doctor, he took Zac in with him, but only after they had whispered it together.

And it’s not always kids. Tom Driscoll, a 55-year-old who is dying of brain cancer at a hospice in Denver, was Tebow’s guest for the Cincinnati game. “The doctors took some of my brain,” Driscoll says, “so my short-term memory is kind of shot. But that day I’ll never forget. Tim is such a good man.”

This whole thing makes no football sense, of course. Most NFL players hardly talk to teammates before a game, much less visit with the sick and dying.

Isn’t that a huge distraction?

“Just the opposite,” Tebow says. “It’s by far the best thing I do to get myself ready. Here you are, about to play a game that the world says is the most important thing in the world. Win and they praise you. Lose and they crush you. And here I have a chance to talk to the coolest, most courageous people. It puts it all into perspective. The game doesn’t really matter. I mean, I’ll give 100 percent of my heart to win it, but in the end, the thing I most want to do is not win championships or make a lot of money, it’s to invest in people’s lives, to make a difference.”

So that’s it. I’ve given up giving up on him. I’m a 100 percent believer. Not in his arm. Not in his skills. I believe in his heart, his there-will-definitely-be-a-pony-under-the-tree optimism, the way his love pours into people, right up to their eyeballs, until they believe they can master the hopeless comeback, too.

Remember the QB who lost his leg, Jacob Rainey? He got his prosthetic leg a few weeks ago, and he wants to play high school football next season. Yes, tackle football. He’d be the first to do that on an above-the-knee amputation.

Hmmm. Wonder where he got that crazy idea?

“Tim told me to keep fighting, no matter what,” Rainey says. “I am.”

Social Good: Visit the Tim Tebow foundation here.

Digital Integrity vs. Digital Reputation

Erik Qualman — Tue, 10 Jan 2012 12:09:58 +0000

“When I do good, I feel good. When I do bad, I feel bad. That’s my religion.” — Abraham Lincoln

Lincoln’s words are appropriate this time of year when we try to reset our lives and formulate New Year Resolutions. Some are surface level resolutions like cutting back on soda or exercising more. Others are deeper in terms of donating more time to charitable work or spending more time with family. Whether our resolutions are major or minor our digital world will influence our success or failure.

Digital Leader book signing at the sold-out Chicago House of Blues. The theme of keynote was what STAMP are you going to leave on this world? What will be your reputation?

Let’s focus our attention on the deeper level changes, those to our reputation or integrity. Super Bowl winning coach Tony Dungy does a great job of describing the difference between integrity and reputation in his book Uncommon:

Integrity is what you do when no one is watching; it’s doing the right thing all the time, even when it may work to your disadvantage. Integrity is keeping your word. Integrity is that internal compass and rudder that directs you to where you know you should go when everything around you is pulling you in a different direction. Some people think reputation is the same thing as integrity, but they are different. Your reputation is the public perception of your integrity. Because it’s other people’s opinions of you, it may or may not be accurate. Others determine your reputation, but only you determine your integrity.

With our hyper-connected world the amount of difference between your integrity and reputation becomes smaller and smaller. In the digital decades ahead, your integrity and reputation will be one and the same. Why is this the case? Let’s take a quick look at Dungy’s words “Integrity is what you do when no one is watching.” A key premise of my new book Digital Leader is that someone is in fact watching you all the time. These are the realities of our fully transparent world. People start to think twice about committing adultery when they see the ramifications with public figures like Bill Clinton, Tiger Woods, Andrew Weiner, or Eliot Spitzer. Phones with high definition video cameras that port to social media sites instantly are becoming more prevalent, not less.

As the lines between integrity and reputation blur this is a great thing for the world, meaning that your reputation becomes more accurate. Think of reputation as your digital shadows (what others are saying and posting about you). The best way to influence these shadows is through your integrity, which is reflected in your digital footprint. The more you can simplify what you stand for in life, the easier it is not only on you, but on others that are contributing to your online reputation by developing your digital shadow. For example someone posting photos of their kids at the Church bake sale that later accidentally checked in via a geo-location tool during a KKK rally is sending mixed signals that will be discovered and revealed.

The easiest way to avoid digital blunders is to believe in your mission in life and stand by that mission. This concept of integrity and reputation isn’t new; it’s just even more important today as a result of more information being publicly posted. Most people’s and companies’ reputations will be more accurate than in any time in history. Being fully transparent and having integrity is the starting point to managing your online reputation, digital legacy, and leadership role.

“Integrity does not come in degrees—low, medium, or high. You either have integrity or you do not.” — Tony Dungy

You can learn more about this and other factors that contribute to success and influence in Qualman’s latest book Digital Leader.

Chicago Book Launch Party 1/5 for Digital Leader

Erik Qualman — Thu, 05 Jan 2012 02:28:44 +0000

I will be signing copies of my new book Digital Leader at the House of Blues in Chicago on January 5th from 5-7 pm. Thanks to sponsor Brickfish for making this possible. Capacity is limited and we already have 275 confirmed. If you’d like to attend you need to register by clicking here. See everyone in Chicago (bring your scarf!) and thanks for the support of the new book!

Tebow Fans Slam HBO & Mayer over Idiotic Tweet

Erik Qualman — Wed, 28 Dec 2011 02:09:54 +0000

Tim Tebow Tebowing

Tim Tebow’s fans jumped to his defense following Bill Maher’s scathing tweet of Tebow’s subpar performance over the Christmas weekend . Tebow threw four interceptions in the Broncos’ defeat to the Bills. Bill Maher tweeted this about the religious NFL quarterback.

“Wow, Jesus just [screwed] #TimTebow bad! And on Xmas Eve! Somewhere … Satan is tebowing, saying to Hitler “Hey, Buffalo’s killing them.” Bill Maher Tweet.

HBO’s Maher is a proud atheist. Eric Bolling of Fox News called Maher “disgusting vile trash,” among other things.

Tebow didn’t bother responding to Maher, but plenty of his fans did. Some called for a mass cancellation of HBO subscriptions over the offensive tweet. HBO hosts “Real Time with Bill Maher.”

Tebow is so popular that “Tebowing” has become a popular recreation. Similar to “planking” individuals have their pictures taken in unusal locations while kneeling in a Tebow-esque position (see below).

My newest book - Digital Leader - released this week discusses how to be a positive force of good . It behooves you and society to be more of a leader like Tim Tebow and less like Bill Mayer.

Tebowing: An individual "Tebowing" on a busy street

FedEx Driver Throwing Flat Screen Caught on Video

Erik Qualman — Wed, 21 Dec 2011 14:23:00 +0000

As discussed and researched in my new book Digital Leader, everything we say and do is being recorded. Such was the case for this unfortunate FedEx delivery driver who didn’t appear to have the holiday spirit when he threw this flat screen TV, giving new meaning to the term “Special Delivery.”

40 Things Killed by Tech [Video]

Erik Qualman — Mon, 12 Dec 2011 12:10:23 +0000

During research for my new book Digital Leader: 5 Simple Keys to Influence & Success (which launches today btw) I thought it would be fun to put together a video of 40 Things Tech has Killed. View above and enjoy! Full list is below:

Tech killed the…

1. Busy Signal
2. Encyclopedia
3. Overhead Projector
4. Blind Date
5. Carbon Paper
6. Map
7. Cursive
8. Pager
9. Attention Spans
10. Travel Agent
11. Pen Pals
12. Answering Machine
13. Stock Broker
14. Polaroid
15. Phone Book
16. Music Album
17. Walkman
18. Film
19. Physical Paycheck
20. TV Guide
21. Day Planner
22. Pay Phone
23. Rabbit Ears
24. Floppy Disk
25. Tape-Delayed Olympics
26. Card Catalogue
27. Face-to-Face Conversation
28. Video Stores
29. Dictaphone
30. Slides
31. Channel Surfing
32. Indoor Smoking
33. Spelling Skills
34. Calling Cards
35. Microfiche
36. Paper Boy
37. Outdoor Thermometer
38. Dictionary
39. Privacy
40. Leaders?

Any you disagree with? Any we missed?

42 tips/advice from a 90-year-old

Erik Qualman — Wed, 07 Dec 2011 04:17:50 +0000

As I was finishing my new book Digital Leader I came across this post which I think is applicable for all of us as we attempt to achieve success both offline and online.

Written By Regina Brett, 90 years old, of The Plain Dealer, Cleveland , Ohio
“To celebrate growing older, I once wrote the 45 lessons life taught me.
It is the most-requested column I’ve ever written”
My odometer rolled over to 90 in August, so here is the column once more:

1. Life isn’t fair, but it’s still good.

2. When in doubt, just take the next small step.

3. Life is too short to waste time hating anyone.

4. Your job won’t take care of you when you are sick. Your friends and parents will. Stay in touch.

5. Pay off your credit cards every month.

6. You don’t have to win every argument. Agree to disagree.

7. Cry with someone. It’s more healing than crying alone.

8. It’s OK to get angry.

9. Save for retirement starting with your first paycheck.

10. When it comes to chocolate, resistance is futile.

11. Make peace with your past so it won’t screw up the present.

12. It’s OK to let your children see you cry.

13. Don’t compare your life to others.
You have no idea what their journey is all about.

14. If a relationship has to be a secret, you shouldn’t be in it.

15. Everything can change in the blink of an eye.
But don’t worry; God never blinks.

16. Take a deep breath. It calms the mind.

17. Get rid of anything that isn’t useful, beautiful or joyful.

18. Whatever doesn’t kill you really does make you stronger.

19. It’s never too late to have a happy childhood.
But the second one is up to you and no one else.

20. When it comes to going after what you love in life, don’t take no for an answer.

21. Burn the candles, use the nice sheets, wear the fancy lingerie. Don’t save it for a special occasion. Today is special.

22. Over prepare, then go with the flow.

23. Be eccentric now. Don’t wait for old age to wear purple.

24. The most important sex organ is the brain.

25. No one is in charge of your happiness but you.

26. Frame every so-called disaster with these words ‘In five years, will this matter?’

27. Always choose life.

28. Forgive everyone everything.

29. What other people think of you is none of your business.

30. Time heals almost everything. Give time some time.

31. However good or bad a situation is, it will change.

32. Don’t take yourself so seriously. No one else does.

33. Believe in miracles.

34. God loves you because of who God is, not because of anything you did or didn’t do.

35. Don’t audit life. Show up and make the most of it now.

36. Growing old beats the alternative — dying young.

37. Your children get only one childhood.

38. All that truly matters in the end is that you loved.

39. Get outside every day. Miracles are waiting everywhere.

40. If we all threw our problems in a pile and saw everyone else’s, we’d grab ours back.

41. Envy is a waste of time. You already have all you need.

42. The best is yet to come.

43. No matter how you feel, get up, dress up and show up.

44. Yield.

45. Life isn’t tied with a bow, but it’s still a gift.”

Its estimated 93% won’t forward, share or tweet this. If you are one of the 7% who will, forward this with the title ’7%’.

I’m in the 7%.

How Far Would You Go?

Kathy Garfield — Wed, 26 Oct 2011 19:34:30 +0000

With brands trying to make meaningful connections with consumers online, most take their efforts to Facebook Twitter, while others go a bit further. These brands are not only thinking of creative and unexpected approaches to connect online, but are taking their efforts offline.

The first example that comes to mind is Morton’s Steakhouse surprising Peter Shankman with a free steak dinner upon his flight’s arrival. Peter jokingly tweeted @mortons that he would love them to meet him at Newark Airport with a porterhouse steak. The Morton’s team spotted this in time and acted quickly, sending one of their employees off to meet him at the airport with a steak dinner to go. Sure enough, Peter spotted the waiter dressed in a suit toting the Morton’s bag, and the surprise went off without a hitch. He was completely shocked, overjoyed and documented the entire event on Twitter and his blog.

A stunned, Peter Shankman with his Morton's steak dinner

With many factors that could have gone awry, it was a big risk for Morton’s, but one that paid off with Peter sharing the story of Morton’s efforts on his popular blog and to his 112k+ twitter followers. This act was timely, well-executed and created a lot of positive conversation about Morton’s that week. That extra effort not only earned them Peter’s loyalty, but generated new interest in the restaurant as a caring, generous company.

That makes for one loyal customer!

Another example of unexpected surprises online and off comes from Nokia. As the global sponsor of Social Media Week this past September, they wanted to connect people online and in person to brighten people’s days. Through some clever use of Twitter, they tracked conversations of those using the local social media week hashtag to give away free Nokia phones, organize tweet-ups, and perform random acts of kindness. These ranged from sending someone a get well soon kit who tweeted about their tooth infection, to sending a personalized pizza with a handwritten note to one of their tweet-up attendees.

A surprise pizza sent to someone from their Tweet-up

That level of attention to detail and personalization is scarce today and makes a big impact on each person. Nokia also performs random acts of kindness throughout the year, even handing out umbrellas to New Yorkers on a rainy day. By engaging with people online, then reaching them offline with personalized surprises, it strengthens that connection towards the brand and helps create positive word of mouth for Nokia.

Nokia giving away free umbrellas to New Yorkers caught in the rain

Finally, Klout has taken its service offline by offering Klout Perks- surprise gifts sent to users who sign up for a Klout profile. While some are still online offers, most are physical packages sent in the mail. As someone who doesn’t receive that much mail, I find it very exciting to get a surprise package- instantly tweeting it and share the news on my blog, which is exactly what the sponsor of the gift intends. The thing that works about Klout Perks, is the gift is something relevant to your interests, since they’re based on the area you demonstrate a specialization through your Klout profile.

My first Klout perk: A zip-up hoodie from FOX

What examples have you seen of brands going above and beyond in the online and offline space?