Help Everyone Around You – Kitchen Table Talks

Your piece prompted me to go an see what http://www.kybourbontrail.com/ looks like now, having toured the distilleries in three fantastic days in 2008. They've really done some great work integrating the social web, but I'd love to see YouTube added to their Twitter and Facebook presences on the home page. There's such rich visual source material to share around the US's finest (IMO, as a Brit :)) artisanal product: bourbon. It's a little too early for a snifter of Wild Turkey Rare Breed, but maybe later…

I agree with Sue_Ann on the concept of social media as a o competitive advantage. The lack of capacity entrepreneurs have to understand the advantage they can take from social media sites is the main reason why they cannot do proper business using them. It is important to build relationships with people within a business and also within a business area. And for that purpose, it is important to learn about the importance of social media and the best way to use it. When I started using social media for business purposes I was lost. Back then I found some great tips from other entrepreneurs at startups.com
The point is, you should ask online, offline, everywhere for tips to take full advantage of every single resource to do busines.
Cool video!

I had some thoughts along this lines in a post earlier this week I titled: The Power of Generosity http://www.ricardobueno.com/2010/04/28/the-powe…

(Note: I hope you don't mind me sharing the link).

The idea is simply that collective knowledge is better. And what you will realize is that when you help others, they naturally tend to help you in return (at least this has been my experience when it originates from a place of sincerity).

I challenged people to reach out to someone they knew (or have only just met), and lend a helping hand (whether it was words of encouragement or help on a project). I'm doing this now with a few of my colleagues. And although we have similar pursuits, it's nice to see each other putting our brains together to help one another make progress towards our goals.

It's a good feeling. And ultimately, I think it benefits everyone.

Chris, that is an excellent point. I am meeting with a bunch of young business people in my local area tomorrow night to network I will try and help whoever I can with their social media presence, especially the local businesses.

Yes! Love it! Contact local BIA's. Many hands make light work. Pick your cliche. Small businesses often don't have the cash or time to do the stuff they need to do on their own but someone had to build the first auto mall. Gotta make some calls.

Great post, Chris. Once we figure out that we will benefit from helping those around us, we will fly. I'm looking for ways to apply that in my own situation. Thanks again.

Tx, CB, as always very helpful, What you're talking about is creating critical mass so all the players(businesses) in a specific hood(area) benfit from the foot traffic.

Isn't that what shoppping centers have been doing for years, “anchor” their mall with one or two big box retailers that attract the traffic to the entire mall.

My question, where does the monetization take place. If I enlighten the gift shop or jewelry store about social media, should I expect to be monetized for my time and effort? Oh, and if so, HOW?

I'm sure you give aways lots of free advice but you also are compensated, deservedly so, for your advice as well.

Go Sox!

Chris- What a trip… I find myself reaching out to friends and people in the community to assist with utilizing social media to engage with the customers/family, etc.

Question: What is someone you know NEEDS social media but is not receptive to it?

They way I see this playing out is simple in the next 3-5 years..

Option A: Use Social Media
Option B: Out of Business

Best, Brian-

It's like the kids book fishy, where the little fish are trying to make it in spite of the big fish.They realize that if they all work together and in their case swim in formation they are bigger and more powerful. If we all work together we can accomplish so much more! Lots of goodness in this post, I love it! Thank you!

Great video. I am often struck by how small groups who band together can make something more event if some would see them as natural competitors. I think the thing to remember is that the world is HUGE and it is better to form a small team and compete globally then stand on your own.

The other thing to remember is once you have your small team, find other small teams to work with and create a big team!

Spot on video Chris.
A rising tide lifts all boats is so true. What we see still in St. Louis is a tendency for individuals(read people/companies) to work on lifting themselves, often in isolation.

Sadly they miss out on ways to benefit from their neighbors' experiences and knowledge. What's evolved in St. Louis is some local individuals outside of the business owners forming their own websites, blogs, and social media efforts.

Contributing to this is the rising number of social media 'experts' who are anxious to charge out for designing blogs, setting up Facebook pages, and convincing the bizs they need twitter training. Nothing wrong with offering those services, but the idea of offering some free training, ie wordcamp, and then upselling themselves later seems out of place.

Your model of share share share demonstrating your expertise and attitude seems to me it sells you better.

Anyway, this, along with other thoughts I've been having, is pushing me towards rolling my own brown bag and learn for getting on Twitter. I had success with one targeted at a realty firm's agents.

Cheers,
Todd

One of my heroes is W. Clemente Stone (a philosopher, a noble peace prize candidate, and a man who went from rags to riches in extraordinary ways). He said he believed in 'reverse paranoia' – he felt people were running around behind his back helping him out … he believed this becauseTHAT is precisley what he did. That's why his life was such a great tribute to the possibilities of humanity.