What's your Internet legacy?

Have you noticed that sometimes the conversation on the social web feel less than calm - in fact it can be very stormy?

I often wonder what makes some people want to 'lash' out online? Yet when they meet you in person or by phone they can be very pleasant.

Some may say 'toughen up'. But many people I meet are concerned about being more visibile online not only for reasons of privacy but also what people might 'say about them' once they become more visible.

Through one of my networks online I became aware of a little 'dust up' between two well known people on the Internet - I am not going to link to them or reference their names as their personal story isn't the point of this post. Unfortunately though it's not unusual. But a response by Geoff Livingston to the case in point did encourage me to write this post.

What do you do if someone 'challenges'  your position or point of view online? Do you respond openly on the web, send an email knowing it could get published online, pick up the phone and talk to the person, send a private message on Twitter or just ignore it?

I am not suggesting there is one answer to cover all eventualities. Each case needs to be considered. What I do know is that it does help to have friends to talk the situation through with - to talk you through your feelings of being annoyed, upset, humiliated - what ever it may be. Thank you to those of you who have been a sounding board for me over the years.

Here is what Geoff wrote that I think would be a great screen saver:

In all activities online, I find it useful to ask myself is this about me, or about being of service to the larger community? ....our tongues can be powerful weapons… or forces for good. It’s a choice.

The only change I would make to his comment is that I would change the word 'tongues' to 'words'. It doesn't matter if the words are spoken, written or typed and distributed to cyberspace - Geoff's comments are a great reminder that we can build positive relations or destroy them with our words and actions.

Thank you Geoff for the reminder - and the courage you gave me to write this post.

My Mum always used to say 'never go to sleep on an argument'. I am sure she was influenced to say that as it was literally in the middle of the night that my Dad passed away when I was little - I am not suggesting she they had an argument the previous evening - but I am sure she did not expect to be left widowed with two children to raise in her thirties when she went to sleep that evening.

I'm left thinking what legacy do I want to leave behind and how does the Internet help me do that? And what role model am I being for those I am priviledged to mentor in business or nurture in my family?

What about you?

 

 

 

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Five ideas to write more powerful speeches

There is a great article in Forbes about storytelling through your speaking and covers five ideas for the content of your stories:

  1. The quest
  2. The stranger in a strange land
  3. Rags to riches
  4. The love story
  5. The tale of revenge.

What type of stories do you use in your speeches?

 

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New Media For Seasoned Professionals, Dublin, 28 January 2010

Friend and collegue Neville Hobson will be in Dublin next week to facilitate a workshop for the PRII especially aimed at experienced PR practitioners and will explore how new media can be incorporated into PR campaigns.

This is a full day workshop.

The course curriculum includes:

    * Where social media fits into the business world
    * Social media platforms that can be adopted to complement and enhance your organisational objectives
    * Guidance on best practice use of these technologies.

Neville is an accredited communications practitioner with over 25 years' experience in public and media relations, marketing, employee, compensation and benefits communications, as well as investor and financial relations communications.

He is a friend, someone I collabirate with on projects and a guide to me especially in all things technical and I can guarantee he'll bring a lot of value to this workshop.

How much does it cost? For PRII members €385 and for non-members €520.

Book your place HERE. I understand there only a few places left.

I'll be there attending the afternoon session - so say hi if you are there.

And see what other programmes and events I am attending over at my Plancast page. And for events I am hosting check out my events page on Biz Growth News.

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iPhone Skype app review: connecting 5 people across two countries and avoiding hotel phone costs

Listen!

Today I was hosting a meeting and unfortunately duue to the weather one of the attendees could not join us as their flight was cancelled from the UK.

So we decided at the last minute to connect through a conference call. We were in a hotel and the call was going to be for over 2 hours - so what other options did I have for making the call?

- I have a low cost calling card

- I have Skype on my laptop

- but what I opted for was Skype on the iPhone.

We had four people in one conference room with my iPhone and placed the phone in the middle of the meeting table. And with the speaker phone on we were able to speak to our colleague on their office landline. I have a monthly account for worldwide Skype calls of just €8.95 plus vat per month for unlimited number of calls to landline. How is that for keeping your communication costs down?

I use Skype all the time in the office - now with this app I just might use them for conference calls on the run.

What's your favourite example of using Skype to connect to colleagues, customers, familyy and friends?

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ThanksTo - an online platform saying Thank You

Thank you - two little words that go a long way in building relationships and show you appreciate others.

Here is a site that encourages you to say thank you to others you have worked with.

For example if you are a charity you could use it to recognise the people who have raised money for your cause. They even enable you to set fundraising targets and talk about the work you do as a result of everyone's generosity and hard work.

Alternatively someone can make a comment about how your charity has helped them.

Whether you use this site or comment on your own site or through Twitter or your Facebook page I think it's the sentiment and act of saying Thank You that matters.

You can find them on Twitter @ThanksTo.

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Odosketch - a great online sketching tool

Looking for a great online sketching tool? I've noticed on some websites they are encouraging user generated content allowing visitors to sketch or write a message using a sketch tool.

I came across this website which I think is one of the best sites I have seen. I couldn't find an API so that you could use the platform on your own site, but perhaps that will be available in time.

What online tools and platforms have you integrated into your website to allow people to create content? What platforms have you integrated into your website?

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Consumer generated content: Posterous makes it easy to source the wisdom of the crowd

I was reading a Tweet from Steve Rubel which directed me to an example of a newspaper in the US using Posterous the free blogging platform (that I am posting to here) where you can post using email.

The Austin American Statesman 'Weather Watch' page says:

This has been a summer we won’t likely forget — thanks to the record-setting heat. Today, we get something of a break and, for the third consecutive day, should stay under 100 degrees. We’re expecting folks to get out and take advantage of the relative cool.

Help us document a “day in the sun” by snapping a photo today and emailing it to post@austinheat.posterous.com.

The subject line of your email becomes the headline on your photo. Include some description in the email text, if you like. To have your photo considered for print publication, be sure to credit the photographer.

View your photo (once it’s approved) and the photos of others at austinheat.posterous.com, a blog that we’ve set up just for this heat project.

You can find the Austin Heat Posterous blog HERE.

You can also follow the Austin Heat photo blog via Twitter.

On the Posterous blog for Austin Heat it says:

We're zeroing in on the all-time Austin record for 100+ degree days. The record, which has stood since 1925, is 70 days. The Statesman has set up this blog to give you a chance to record what you did during Austin's blazing hot summer.

Just e-mail a picture of what you are doing today in the heat and a short description to post@austinheat.posterous.com. (If you want your picture to be considered for print publication in the Statesman, you must include the name of the person who took the photo.)

This is a terrific example of making it easy to enable content to be sourced from your community with them simply having to send an email. And with the cross posting ability, you could also share the photo's into your Facebook page or Flickr - just be sure that you make it clear with your contributors what your plans are for using their content.

Can you think of ways you could use Posterous to crowd source ideas and information?

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Irish Employers are preparing for Swine Flu Pandemic

Co. Dublin, Ireland — 20 Aug. 2009 — A recent workplace survey of both employers and employees carried out by RecruitIreland.com indicates that the majority of Irish employers are prepared for a worsening of the Swine Flu Pandemic.

The key findings of the survey are as follows;

• Over 67% of Irish employers have implemented or are in the process of implementing work measures to deal with the pandemic

• Employees, however, are not aware of the measures that their employers are taking with just 39% of respondents indicating that their employers have taken any steps at all.

• 50% of employers expect to see an increase in sickness absence while 45% are unsure what to expect

• Overall, employees themselves are not worried about the impact of swine flu with over 70% indicating that although they are aware that they may catch the virus they are not overly concerne.

RecruitIreland.com undertook an online survey by 388 employers during week commencing 3rd August 2009 and at the same time 431 employees completed a similar survey.

Recruit Ireland reports that the actions being taken by companies include cross-training to cover the work of possible absentees through to the introduction of hand washing and hygiene facilities.They also report that sickness policies have been reviewed and in some cases business travel and face to face meetings are being discouraged.

What clearly isn't in place however is a communication plan with the reporting that only 39% of employees being aware that their company is taking acion.

What actions are you taking to prepare for an increase in Swine Flu this autumn?

 

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Facebook Pages Tip - Sending Updates To Your Fans

If you are the administrator for your Facebook page for your company or not for profit you can send a message/update to your fans.

I do recommend that you target your communication - you can send a message to all fans or can segment by location, gender and age.

And of you prefer you could record a video message, post a photo or share a link.

How To Create Your Update

1. Look underneath the image on the top left of your page where your logo/photo is

2. Click on 'More'

3. Select 'Send an Update to Fans'

Do make sure that your updates are relevant and that you don;t send them too frequently as this can do the oposite of what your goal is - it may disengage your community.

When looking at your overall marketing and communications plan, take the time to integrate how you will use Facebook Page updates to your fans to encourage engagement and the building and engagement of your community on Facebook.

What examples have you seen of companies, brands and not for profits using Facebook updates?

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