Disqus - Latest Comments for Connie Bensen

Re: We’re all talking but is anybody listening?

Connie Bensen — Thu, 14 Aug 2008 17:02:33 -0000

Hi Lee,
I read that post of Shel's but I don't agree. I see forward movement. I'm choosing to be a part of it.

I'm not sure why you tagged me - maybe you just wanted me to come & talk with you?! :)

I haven't seen you on Twitter for ages. There's a lot of noise there. But I'm around!

chin up,
Connie

Re: ACDSee Pro2 photo editor

Connie Bensen — Wed, 20 Feb 2008 23:04:36 -0000

Thanks for exploring the creative aspects of Pro 2, Lee! Isn't the scattered tiles effect cool?!

And I think your interpretations are great. Do what makes you happy.

I look forward to seeing more of your work!
Connie

Re: Three pcs – and still I need more!

Connie Bensen — Wed, 20 Feb 2008 23:21:02 -0000

Hey Lee,
I have Snag-it too & it serves a different purpose for me.

I'm glad that ACDSee rescued a photo for you. It has some powerful editing tools. And you have a serious amount of hardware there too! (are we addicted?!)

Re: links for 2008-01-15

Connie Bensen — Tue, 15 Jan 2008 09:34:24 -0000

Isn't twitter amazing, Lee? It allows more connections in real time. That link is amazing. I hope that your readers enjoy!

Re: It’s flattering, but…

Connie Bensen — Tue, 01 Jan 2008 22:32:16 -0000

Hey Lee,
I'm glad that you let Mrs. C help keep things in perspective.

We have a thing here too called 'Minnesota nice'.

good post sir!

Re: Social Media training wiki

Connie Bensen — Fri, 28 Dec 2007 21:02:28 -0000

Thanks for the news of this Lee! I saw your tweet. This is going to be an awesome resource.

Re: ACDSee Pro 2: yes and no

Connie Bensen — Wed, 12 Dec 2007 21:39:56 -0000

Hi Lee,
Thanks for taking the time to review ACDSee Pro 2. If you'd like to turn off the pop up feature, that's possible.
More uploaders will be coming. We have a poll going that's gathering feedback. FTP is high on that list!

Pro 2 has a great feature of Advanced Shadows & Highlights.

In terms of being slow, have you defragged & done a pc cleanup recently? Optimizing the database helps too (if you do a lot of cataloging).

Let me know if you have questions. I rec'd questions back about your networking questions from your other post. We'll connect on those.
thanks again!

Re: In an emotionally draining week this helped

Connie Bensen — Fri, 02 Nov 2007 09:38:23 -0000

Hi Lee,
I hope that you can have some time off this weekend & rest up. You seem to be like the rest of us - on the go continually.

Take care & know that next week can only be better.
Connie

Re: Respecting media snackers

Connie Bensen — Sat, 27 Oct 2007 00:27:29 -0000

uff - I found your backlink in my spam tonite!

Thanks for joining the meme! Your insight is great. And it's nice to 'meet' one of Connie's friends. :)

Re: How’s Your URL Looking?

Connie Bensen — Sat, 09 Aug 2008 12:16:52 -0000

Hi Damien,
Thanks for linking to my post & I'm glad that you found a useful post. That's a great example for increasing SEO. There are so many simple things.

I think the title & first paragraph are really important to Google now. I've been able to get myself to the #1 entry for my search terms. But I should recheck my metatags too (added in the backside of WP). I was having problems getting traction for Connie Benson (the common misspelling of my name). Then when I realized I didn't have it in the metatags (& added it) - it immediately made a difference!

Keep the ideas coming -they're helpful!
Connie

Re: Mozilla is becoming disappointing

Connie Bensen — Sat, 17 Nov 2007 15:57:58 -0000

Have you tried Flock? It's Mozilla's newest...

I see that we're both speaking in Seattle at the Web Community Forum. I look forward to meeting you!

Re: Rapid Fire - Saturday, January 12

Connie Bensen — Sun, 13 Jan 2008 12:29:01 -0000

thanks for linking to my post, Jake!

How's your survey going? What are you up to? Sounds interesting...

Re: Social Media Challenge: Telling a life story

Connie Bensen — Tue, 26 Feb 2008 20:59:42 -0000

This is the specialty of our niche - memory keeping.
I have created two heritage books & both were huge projects. It's definitely worth it though!

There are a number of options ranging from print, video, etc to choose from. No matter what you decide make sure that the jounaling is committed so that the stories are retained for future generations!

Re: Rapid Fire - Thursday, October 16

Connie Bensen — Sat, 18 Oct 2008 22:51:22 -0000

Thanks for listing SM2 by Techrigy Jake. In addition to monitoring social media, it offers many powerful analysis options.

Re: Twitter takes a break, we're awake, and wondering... (Scripting News)

Connie Bensen — Sat, 15 Dec 2007 12:39:11 -0000

Hey Dave,
We're moving to Pownce again for the outage. (one of these days the move may be final & where will Twitter be?) If you need a pownce invite I'm at conniebensen@gmail.com
And connect with me/us at http://www.pownce.com/Connie_B/

Re: Twitter Poster

Connie Bensen — Tue, 06 Nov 2007 13:04:12 -0000

Thanks for pointing out that it's based on the # of followers one has. When I first look at it from someone's tweet I assumed it was by the posting frequency. There's quite a difference.

Re: Recruiting 2.0

Connie Bensen — Sun, 25 Nov 2007 17:36:05 -0000

Thanks Dean
This post made me remember that my employer 'found' me online & contacted me. Less than one year later they asked if I'd like to work full time for them.

Re: drew olanoff dot com.

Connie Bensen — Mon, 22 Sep 2008 23:48:47 -0000

Hi Drew,
We didn't cross paths at BWE. I left a comment over on Louis' post.

I love your attitude though! I'm working on it too...
Connie

Re: Wheels on the Bus Go ‘Round and ‘Round

Connie Bensen — Mon, 01 Sep 2008 20:54:32 -0000

Hey Micah,
I saw in Facebook that Tris had commented so I popped on over.
I have come to embrace this illness & appreciate the energy & creativity it gives me. That took me a long time though. I'll let you guess which side I tend towards.

When I see/hear people suffering I reach out to them. I agree that no one should think they're alone. Although I also believe that community managers from all over the world should connect too! I'm working on that also. :)

Feel free to connect on Twitter & Facebook if you'd like. I'm always around. cbensen on Twitter

Re: The Story behind the Social Media Breakfast Singapore | Sui Generis

Connie Bensen — Thu, 27 Mar 2008 08:24:06 -0000

Hi Derrick,
I hope that it's very successful!
My Singapore group of social media friends has grown - so I was glad to help spread the word!

Have a great breakfast! :)
Connie

Connie Bensen's last blog post..Finding & Utilizing User Generated Content

Re: Why I’ve Joined Facebook | Sui Generis

Connie Bensen — Fri, 27 Jun 2008 23:02:50 -0000

Hey Derrick,
I did notice that you had added me on Facebook. It is still an important place to connect with people that I didnt' know. Now Twitter is the place to get to know people.
I hope that you enjoy Facebook. It has it's good points!
Connie
(and I still need to write that for you ... will work on that!)

Re: Doing What You Love

Connie Bensen — Sun, 07 Dec 2008 14:01:29 -0000

Hi Derrick,
I'm glad that I could offer some questions. It was you who decided. I'm not sure how much advice I gave.

In looking at your recent visitors I see many friends - Dan Schawbel, Ryan Stephens, ... :)
We move in the same circle!

Re: Happiness LIX

Connie Bensen — Fri, 28 Sep 2007 09:03:26 -0000

Hey Rick,
My favorite saying is -
Worrying is like racing in a rocking chair - you get no where fast!
(I've tried to give up the worrying scene)

Re: Happiness LXII

Connie Bensen — Tue, 02 Oct 2007 10:41:29 -0000

Expend energy & make things happen.

Re: My Antisocial behavior

Connie Bensen — Wed, 10 Oct 2007 09:42:30 -0000

Hi Rick,
There's no reason to feel guilty for being busy! And life sometimes takes over. I've been incredibly busy over the past few weeks & totally lost my routine. Finding that balance again is important - but don't rush it. Life will work itself out.
And remember to enjoy the richness of life - time with your family, friends. We'll be here when you get back in the groove.

Re: Personal Branding as a Lifestyle

Connie Bensen — Thu, 01 Nov 2007 09:38:58 -0000

Hi Rick,
Great thoughts. Personal branding is a way of thinking. It's definitely a way of living too both online & in real life!

Re: Contemplating the mobile worker

Connie Bensen — Wed, 26 Dec 2007 10:23:42 -0000

Rick,
I've never driven in the metro (ridden with people of course), but it's not the same. My previous 30 mile commute was on a 4 lane where I had the road to myself, but I still don't miss it.
I enjoy working from home. I get plenty done (in fact I had to cut back). And my work is respected (whether I do it at the offices or from home).
One thing that I don't care for are the conference calls. But it's necessary to connect. And when I travel to the home offices my routine is disrupted. (The travel takes 12 hrs because of my remote location - but that's life :) ).
It's a good life though! and a new way of working.

Re: Goodbye Facebook

Connie Bensen — Thu, 24 Jan 2008 09:55:42 -0000

hmm I wonder if it is a person's expectations? People connect with me in the following order:
1) Twitter
2) Facebook
3) sometimes LinkedIn
BUT, they contact me thru Facebook if the conversation shifts to more than just 'hello'.
I guess I like Facebook & am still a proponent. I went thru a period where my profile wouldn't load last fall. That seems to be resolved. I have 300 friends over there - and an inbox that needs cleaning out. Because I can't search - and delete that way - it's going to be time consuming. I need to leave some groups that spam too regularly.
But overall Facebook has been a good thing for me! I enjoy it.
That's not to say it's right for you though.

Re: Social Media Breakfast – Twin Cities 2

Connie Bensen — Tue, 01 Apr 2008 12:51:33 -0000

You rock for spearheading this Rick! I hope that people appreciate your efforts. I sure do.

Re: Hugh quits Twitter

Connie Bensen — Fri, 11 Apr 2008 20:59:08 -0000

I've reduced my usage of Twitter considerably. I use it kind of like my cell phone. I only turn it on at my convenience. I'm up to 600 followers and there's no way I can follow all the threads - so I just gab with those present at the moment. And turning it off is easy (it can be kind of a time sink).

Re: Guest Post at Fresh Focus

Connie Bensen — Thu, 21 Aug 2008 00:04:24 -0000

great post! I think it's partly an addiction. :)

Re: Social Media Breakfast – Holiday Edition 2008

Connie Bensen — Fri, 05 Dec 2008 23:12:33 -0000

I'll be there (thanks to Kevin Farner, who linked me! :) )
We're chatting & wondering how you're doing?

See you on the 19th! thanks for setting this up - looks like fun

<abbr>Connie Bensen´s last blog post..Community Strategy links</abbr>

Re: Laura tumbles on the interweb

Connie Bensen — Mon, 23 Jun 2008 21:22:03 -0000

Thanks for linking to my post Laura. I hope that people add their Twitter names & connect.
Connie

Re: synapsecollapse: Homepage of John T. Hoffoss - Why do I Twitter?

Connie Bensen — Mon, 14 Apr 2008 08:39:55 -0000

Hi John,
Thanks for adding me on Twitter.
I hope to attend the May Twin Cities Social Media event in person.

Look forward to getting to know you!

Re: louisgray.com: Strands Targets the Mainstream by Going One On One

Connie Bensen — Mon, 22 Sep 2008 23:46:07 -0000

That's really interesting! I love Drew's attitude.

A couple moved into the Alzheimer's unit at our local nursing home in rural northern Minnesota. The wife doesn't suffer from the condition but chose to be with her husband. BUT she wanted internet access. So they put in wireless for the whole nursing home. I should go interview them & see how it's going.

And yes, Virginia, there is a Santa Claus. I have connected with the President of the Small Biz dev't assoc in North Dakota & hope to do my first offline session on social networking. At Network Solutions we're also working to assist small businesses with getting online (especially in this economy).

Connie @ Network Solutions

Re: Once You Step Up, You Can Never Go Back

Connie Bensen — Tue, 06 Nov 2007 09:58:06 -0000

In 2007 I made a commitment to change careers & joining those in new media. People like @jowyang & @chrisbrogan have been so generous in their mentorship.
I've learned that:
- I thought I was satisfied with the status quo, but I've found I LOVE the learning curve enough to launch myself into a new career as a Comm Mgr

- my genuine interest in people allows me to provide similar mentorship to others & that's very gratifying to help others (whether it's my coworkers,customers or peers)

*it's all about learning & sharing

Re: Vision, strategy, and tactics

Connie Bensen — Tue, 16 Sep 2008 23:10:24 -0000

Hey Chris,
I really like the post too - hope you saw my humor on Twitter. (we can't load up the bus & drive it faster?! please!!)

I use the terms: vision, mission, strategy, objectives & goals. But your analogy is great!

Re: Google Buys Jaiku

Connie Bensen — Wed, 10 Oct 2007 21:14:21 -0000

I didn't know about Dodgeball...
I've had my blogs streaming into Jaiku for awhile, but haven't explored it yet.

Re: It’s All About the Media Snackers!

Connie Bensen — Thu, 01 Nov 2007 20:16:30 -0000

I tried Utterz tonite. It's fun! :)

Re: Christopher Penn on OpenSocial

Connie Bensen — Thu, 01 Nov 2007 20:16:45 -0000

Hi Jane,
I agree with you that there may be a transition. A friend commented tonite that Utterz is more fun than MashUps. I didn't spend much time there due to other obligations in life at that time.

As much as I love my networking at Facebook, it certainly isn't cooperating. My home page rarely loads completely & I can't write on people's walls as a result because their's won't load either. I hope that the infrastructure can handle the growth.

Re: Franke James on Twitter

Connie Bensen — Sun, 08 Jun 2008 09:08:52 -0000

Hi,
I have some articles on Twitter that you may find helpful
http://conniebensen.com/blog/category/social-ne...

It has many uses both business & personal.

Re: Social Media Measurement vs. Monitoring

Connie Bensen — Sun, 08 Jun 2008 09:14:05 -0000

Hi,
I came over from your guest post on Chris B's blog.

I agree that measurement indicates a timeline and monitoring is indicative of ongoing. And I think adding the next step of ongoing evaluation & recommendations is also important. (ie: what are you doing with the information?)

Re: Change is constant

Connie Bensen — Sat, 28 Jun 2008 19:26:18 -0000

A fun post, Martin :) In the old way you don't have the word 'meetings' but I think it's included in #2 'argue'.
The new way is awesome. Seeing the app from the customer's eyes is great. Listening to the customer is even better. Providing them with resources will be loved!
And yes, make sure no one steals your lunch.

Re: Ten Commitments All Social Media ‘Experts’ Must Provide Their Clients

Connie Bensen — Thu, 02 Oct 2008 19:07:51 -0000

Hey Phil,
I don't think it takes a genius to figure out social media. It's common sense & knowing how to use the tools. Ultimately it's about relationships & that's what's hard for companies to figure out. And the bigger the brand is, the harder is for them to ponder how or even why they should talk to their customers.

Ultimately the use of social media can start with word of mouth & build from there. Andy Sernovitz' book explains how simple it can be. But ultimately (and I don't think he says it) but you do - it has to come from passion & the heart.

Re: A New Day

Connie Bensen — Sun, 10 Aug 2008 18:10:32 -0000

Let me know if you need more in help in the next round. I love my Edge! It makes me smile every time I look at it. :) And the AWD is great here in MN
http://flickr.com/photos/14766753@N08/2590399197/

And our Explorer was the best vehicle we've ever had.
Connie

Re: Re-introducing Twitter

Connie Bensen — Thu, 23 Oct 2008 09:52:09 -0000

Thanks Warren for including my post. I've dragged many people into Twitter whether they liked it or not! :)

Have you met @jojeda? His book on Twitter is coming out soon. He's from Minnesota & let me read a portion of it. As a past librarian it was really exciting to write my first tweets for a flyleaf! :)

You may want to interview Julio & here's info on his book http://twitin.biz/

Re: Building Your Business Online Series Part 1 Choosing a Domain Name

Connie Bensen — Tue, 22 Jul 2008 19:48:23 -0000

Hi Jeff,
You have a great domain name that lends itself to many opportunities. My first thought would be to join an affiliate program & choose companies that offer free trials/samples. You could focus on a certain area of software, or build it out by topic area such as games, photography, etc. It all depends on how much time you'd like to invest.

It's something that could start small & you could add content as you have time. And when you add topic areas, you could also provide links to communities that focus on that topic. That way people would download the trial, then have somewhere to go share ideas with others.

Other readers may have ideas too,
Connie

Re: Be Wary of Domain Name Scams

Connie Bensen — Thu, 24 Jul 2008 15:36:03 -0000

Thanks Jason for the helpful links!
Connie

Re: InfoWorld Blog Post Got It Wrong

Connie Bensen — Mon, 28 Jul 2008 13:39:00 -0000

Sorry, Paul I guess every conversation does not necessarily end in agreement. But we do appreciate you pointing this out, and will continue reading your blog. Have a great day.

Re: Use Social Networking to Grow Your Small Business

Connie Bensen — Tue, 29 Jul 2008 14:19:40 -0000

Thanks Kara for your input. Dell has certainly been leading by example in this! I know many from Dell are on Twitter.

Konnects.com looks interesting. I was looking at it last night.

Eric, you are doing interesting things on Twitter too!

Re: InfoWorld Blog Post Got It Wrong

Connie Bensen — Fri, 01 Aug 2008 14:56:23 -0000

We have posted information on what the problem is. We hope to have it resolved soon. You can find more information here. http://solutionsarepower.com/2008/technical-cha...

Connie

Re: Your Patience is Appreciated

Connie Bensen — Sun, 10 Aug 2008 19:06:15 -0000

Hi David,
I'm sorry to hear that. Someone from tech support has emailed you. They'd be happy to call you to resolve the problem.

Connie

Re: Word of Mouth Marketing - a must read

Connie Bensen — Wed, 13 Aug 2008 20:47:59 -0000

Thanks, Jill!

WOM is so powerful but doesn't require a huge budget. I'm glad that you found the post helpful!

Connie

Re: Marketing 2.0 for Small Business

Connie Bensen — Fri, 15 Aug 2008 13:21:50 -0000

Hi Vid,
Thanks for the feedback. It's very helpful. And yes, I will be covering the areas in the outer circle.

Your point is very valid about community. There are 3 options for building community - offline, online but at other places on the web, and an online community that you provide. I totally agree with you that one should wait before building a community. There are some steps to do first: 1. establish your business online; 2. grow it & find where your customers are at (offline & online); 3. then consider how to engage

Re: Discussing Excellent Customer Service with Gerry Rosso of the Network Solutions Customer Center

Connie Bensen — Tue, 19 Aug 2008 22:04:39 -0000

Hey Gerry,
It's such a pleasure to work with someone who is so dedicated to providing top notch customer service!

It's been a joy getting to know you & working with you.
Connie

Re: Network Solutions wants to hear from you

Connie Bensen — Thu, 28 Aug 2008 14:26:04 -0000

I'm sincerely sorry to hear that you don't feel that you received help with your requests. I am having someone from Tech Support contact you to work out the situation.

Please let me know if this doesn't resolve your issues.
Connie

Re: How I became a Social Media Swami at Network Solutions.

Connie Bensen — Fri, 19 Sep 2008 09:47:16 -0000

Mary,
Shashi is quite the connector. He's definitely making things happen for Network Solutions!

I look forward to meeting him in person this weekend.

Connie

Re: Jeff Crites & Open Innovation

Connie Bensen — Fri, 19 Sep 2008 09:50:49 -0000

Raj - I'm glad that you were able to meet Jeff!

(I told Jeff to connect with the Network Solutions people at events out there.)

Thanks Jeff, it was truly my pleasure to talk with you & hear how passionate you are about open innovation. And yes we are like minded! that's how we connected in the first place :)

Re: Shifting your blog from a hobby to a business

Connie Bensen — Thu, 25 Sep 2008 18:16:38 -0000

That's a great point Ryan. It needs to be a topic that appeals to others (otherwise it's a diary).

The focus needs to be on an area that you're passionate about. Then the time will just happen & you'll be happy about investing the time.

Re: Dr. Satyam Priyadarshy to speak at Web 3.0 Conference

Connie Bensen — Fri, 03 Oct 2008 08:50:07 -0000

Bring back lots of information & interviews for the blog, Shashi. We look forward to it!

Re: Twitter: I Was Doing It Wrong

Connie Bensen — Fri, 28 Nov 2008 12:09:37 -0000

There is no wrong or right. Welcome to the NetSol blogging family, btw. I wrote some posts on using Twitter for business purposes here.

The web client does make it easier to use. The one thing is - is Twitter adding value to you? You shouldn't be spending time on a social network without a purpose. Well, you can if you have the free time & want to relax. But if you have a business case, then there needs to be defined outcomes.

Give it time, Twitter is an odd bird. Soon you'll be addicted! and ignore the Twitter stat's sites. It's what value YOU get out of it.

Re: Announcing the new Network Solutions podcast: Solutions Out Loud

Connie Bensen — Fri, 12 Dec 2008 10:59:44 -0000

This is such a great idea! I'm glad that you have talented people like Jill & Joe to help you Steve!!

And I love the title! Rock on guys!!

Re: Five Great Communities for Sharing Ideas on Collaboration in the Workplace

Connie Bensen — Wed, 13 Aug 2008 22:05:07 -0000

Thanks for the very kind words Dave! And Dan you're creating some great resources here.

Re: Great New Community Building Resource Launches This Week

Connie Bensen — Wed, 27 Aug 2008 20:33:09 -0000

Thanks for sharing it with your readers. And thanks for adding to it today!

Thanks for helping make it successful

Connie

Re: How You Can Promote Higher Standards for Online Community

Connie Bensen — Wed, 27 Aug 2008 20:37:04 -0000

This is a great post with many reminders that are important to building a personal brand. Be the person that you want to be perceived as.

Re: Another Great Time at SMB Memphis

Connie Bensen — Wed, 03 Sep 2008 15:48:08 -0000

(I'm beginning to wonder if I should be there?! :) )

Dave's a great guy so I'm sure all is well until I get down there in person.

Thanks for mentioning my work!
Connie

Re: The Social Media Vanguard

Connie Bensen — Thu, 02 Oct 2008 18:55:06 -0000

Thanks Daniel for including me in your list. Rohit Bhargava's book points out how important our back stories are for marketing & branding but it's so much more than that! It explains who we are & how we came to be.

My education is in teaching. Most recent brick & mortar experience was almost a decade of building community, marketing & PR in a public library system. I supervised 7 libraries ranging over an 80 mile area. Shifting to online work was a natural. I started as an evangelist for ACDSee & then they hired me full time. My sister & I created a community at www.digiscrapinfo.com providing resources & customer service. Moving forward I shifted to contracting & now provide services to Network Solutions, Awareness Networks & am teaching community manager classes. Thanks for starting this conversation!

Re: The ROI of Measuring Social Media ROI

Connie Bensen — Sun, 07 Dec 2008 11:43:10 -0000

twellow.com allows you to search bio's on Twitter. It's very helpful!

Re: Can Social Media Get Us to Watch TV Again?

Connie Bensen — Wed, 19 Dec 2007 09:27:50 -0000

Hey Jon Ray,
What do you think of the idea of people being able to watch tv or access their web browser via their tv really easily. Then would they watch online videos? and shorts? Would it replace what they were used to (and be less the commercials?).

Re: How I found out Chris Brogan was a cutie and boosted my blog traffic

Connie Bensen — Mon, 28 Jul 2008 12:43:50 -0000

Hey there,
Well Cha Cha definitely has their facts right - you are cute! and so is Chris Brogan. :) I may have to give them a call to see where I fit into the scheme of things!

Connie

Re: Twitter Fills a Communication Void

Connie Bensen — Sun, 30 Dec 2007 20:14:57 -0000

Hey Nick,
No you're not crazy. Or if you are, then there are many of us in the same boat with you! I met you at the Web Comm Forum & that event was fun to tweet from.

Twitter is a weird bird, but it grows on you as you use it & follow more people. Yesterday I asked which airport to use when I fly to Anaheim & rec'd 3 answers. My Twitter gang helped me fix the SEO problem on my blog & found a new problem. Both are fixed. One person even commented a month later that the problem was nicely fixed. :) And my sister's Wordpress business started as a result of Twitter & this past week I've sent 3 people her way. I sold the iPhone I won on Facebook on Twitter. That took an hour!

hmmm looks like I should write my own blog post. :) When my sister wants to know what I'm up to - she clicks on my twitter address & reads my posts. (She doesn't have a twitter account, but prefers to stalk me :) ). @jowyang sent about 20 new followers my way today, so I look forward to my new friends. :)
Crazy, uh huh, but definitely fun. I work from home, so Twitter is a great place to hang out.

Re: Twitter Fills a Communication Void

Connie Bensen — Sun, 30 Dec 2007 20:15:28 -0000

oh and @jowyang had pointed to this post on Twitter (that's how I got here)

Re: Can Twitter Survive Downtime?

Connie Bensen — Tue, 22 Apr 2008 09:11:10 -0000

Some good points, Nick! I've seen the comments about FriendFeed too, but Twitter definitely has it's appeal. I'm sure that scaling is a challenge for them.

I don't understand why they do their maintenance when they do?

Re: A ‘Love Bollywood’ Desi Social Ad in My Facebook News Feed!?!

Connie Bensen — Fri, 09 Nov 2007 21:13:06 -0000

Ok, Guarav! I added you on Facebook. :)
Couldn't resist a temptation like that!

Re: Google Reader Link-Love

Connie Bensen — Fri, 09 Nov 2007 21:15:28 -0000

In Facebook there's an app to put your shared feeds in your profile. Search for Google app I bet you'll find it. Or go look on my profile.

Re: The Great Chain of Being

Connie Bensen — Sat, 10 Nov 2007 09:47:50 -0000

Yes! you are brilliant! of course!! :) Love the self-confidence - it's great! I particularly like your about page - total brilliance

Re: Interview With Rohit Bhargava, Author of ‘Personality Not Included’

Connie Bensen — Wed, 02 Apr 2008 08:47:52 -0000

Great interview questions, Gaurav! It was interersting to note that I asked #4 too.

Re: So You Want To Be A Community Manager…

Connie Bensen — Sat, 22 Nov 2008 21:54:31 -0000

Hey Sukhjit,
What an awesome job you did of putting this together! (I'm sorry that I'm so late in commenting. :( )

It was totally awesome meeting you! Thomas has great friends. :)
I'm going to put up a really cute pic of you & Stuart. The Punjabi ride in your Mini Cooper was THE best!
We'll be back to San Fran next May for Community 2.0.

Thanks again for sharing your amazing talents! I'm totally impressed!!

Re: So You Want To Be A Community Manager…

Connie Bensen — Sat, 22 Nov 2008 22:01:57 -0000

ahh - the ability to comment on comments! Thanks for recommending my blog. I can't wait to hear about your projects for 2009! May life bring you joy, Sukhjit!

Re: So You Want To Be A Community Manager…

Connie Bensen — Sat, 22 Nov 2008 22:04:49 -0000

I smiled at your comment about the hug at the end. I learned long ago that there is more to life than a handshake. Bloggers & my online friends get hugs because there are so few times when our paths cross in person.

Re: 2008/09/04/cnn-twitter/

Connie Bensen — Fri, 05 Sep 2008 14:06:29 -0000

Blogging isn't mainstream yet. Do you think that Twitter will become mainstream more quickly?

Can Twitter scale to support the additional usage?
Will the new people be patient about the down time?

Those are questions that I ponder.
Connie
But it's great to see journalists using it!

Re: Status | Sore but Returning

Connie Bensen — Thu, 06 Sep 2007 07:49:03 -0000

Tinu, we love you! Keep your chin up girl.

Let me know when you need something, even if it's just a shoulder!

Re: Social Media Expedition

Connie Bensen — Sun, 11 Jan 2009 09:47:30 -0000

Hi Beth,
Dave is such a great resource. He's providing Memphis with awesome leadership!

It was a lot of fun 'visiting' your first event. I hope to get to Memphis in person soon!

Connie

Re: "To Blog or not to Blog" Part II

Connie Bensen — Sun, 29 Jul 2007 10:43:28 -0000

I agree with you Sean that the group blog concept has a lot of appeal. LinkedIn is doing a good job with theirs. But it is a slow process.
My vision was for one that has evangelists & key stakeholders (customers) guest blogging too. I saw that example on Xerox, they have a submission box where you can request to blog. We're not at that point yet.
To date, our blog is up at http://blog.acdsee.com/ and marketing, the tech writer & myself (comm. evangelist) have blogged. My challenge is to recruit more staff, get them comfortable (Live Writer is perfect for this! my instr's are written!) and get them blogging. I also have an evangelist writing a series. I've gotten agreement from product dev't & an exec, so I hope it can get provide a broad range.

The advantage that I see is that the blog has a greater chance towards viability with a number of people blogging (in add'n to being more interesting). I work remotely, so that is another challenge.

Re: Some word-of-mouth on "Word of Mouth Marketing"

Connie Bensen — Fri, 07 Sep 2007 23:27:56 -0000

I think that if I were to choose 2 books that are must reads, I would choose 'Word of Mouth Marketing' & 'Naked Conversations'.

I love how Andy uses 'stuff'' and 'things' to describe his concepts. He had many practical tips that are good common sense principles to follow like the 'tell a friend' idea.

Linking to your blog tonite in celebration of the new WLW beta! Tell Joe & his team - great job! Our community will love the updates! thanks! :)

Re: A Blog Policy does not a Blog Strategy make…

Connie Bensen — Wed, 19 Sep 2007 21:45:14 -0000

These are some great ideas! and will be very helpful to me as I recruit staff for blogging. And it will also help me with one of my first big projects. Thanks for the great ideas, Sean!

Re: 15 years is a milestone worth a quick blog post…

Connie Bensen — Fri, 12 Oct 2007 00:55:46 -0000

Hi Sean,
Stopped by your blog to grab a link to share & reference for a project I'm working on.

Congrats on your achievement! You're making a difference!
It makes me realize that I've left my role after 8 yrs, but it was time for new challenges. Looking forward to work with more great people like yourself!

Lead the way!

Re: A new look and feel for this blog…

Connie Bensen — Sun, 18 Nov 2007 16:33:01 -0000

Hi Sean,
Your new look is great! Isn't my sister talented?! She definitely knows what she's doing. I was glad to connect you.

Re: Podcast on Social Media, Communities and Influencers…

Connie Bensen — Mon, 17 Dec 2007 10:25:14 -0000

It was a great interview, Sean.

Your speaking abilities are incredible. And you have great ideas to share. I posted the link on my blog too (prefacing a number of podcasts).

Re: 15 years at Microsoft, coming to an end…mixed emotions

Connie Bensen — Thu, 20 Dec 2007 20:01:51 -0000

It's a big decision but one that I'm sure you've thought about for a long time. I left my position of 9 years to join the social media world too. It's good to have change.

You'll do well in your new venture! Enjoy the journey.

Re: User Generated Help and How-to Content Model

Connie Bensen — Fri, 28 Dec 2007 19:51:31 -0000

Hey Sean,
This is so right on the mark for our situation. We are in the process of considering options. Every day the forum moderators have a wealth of information that they share with the users in the product forums. And we also have the overly helpful users that know more about the products than ... So I agree, why not let them create resources.

My sister & I have already done this 'unofficially' on www.Digiscrapinfo.com where we have created FAQ's on topics that we were typing over & over. Those resources are frequently used & linked to from the 'official' product forum.

We've discussed it & the question is putting it into place. It's on my agenda. :) I'm glad to see that you'll be a good resource.

Re: Why I’m not a "Social Media Strategist"…

Connie Bensen — Fri, 04 Jul 2008 23:23:30 -0000

I'm preferring Community Building over Community Management. And I bought 'CommunityStrategist'. I view the social media tools as part of the means to the end - but people are still needed.

Re: A Facebook and Google Reader App for Bloggers

Connie Bensen — Sat, 28 Jul 2007 23:38:50 -0000

Last weekend I noticed that people were streaming their blogs into the 'Notes' part of Facebook. This updates all of their Friend's accounts every time they make a new blog post.

I set mine up & it's really slick!
Connie

Re: Real Live Human Social Networking

Connie Bensen — Wed, 29 Aug 2007 08:21:16 -0000

Great post filled with lots of excellent ideas. I will be referring back to this because public speaking to a group is very easy, but the mingling causes more of a challenge.
Thanks for the great tips!

Re: My Social Media Toolkit

Connie Bensen — Mon, 03 Sep 2007 14:44:10 -0000

I'm glad that you asked Chris!

Microsoft's Live Writer makes Wordpress better! I can compose offline, embed images with copy/paste, more text options, manage multiple blogs, automatically ftp's images & the list goes on. It opened up the world of blogging for me.

Evernote is also a MUST have. Those 2 are essential for me. Clicking & dragging in url's & images to create live links allow me to browse the net quickly & later organize my notes into a highly structured system. (I can find things quick!) http://digiscrapinfo.com/wordpress/2007/06/17/e...

I prefer the google alerts to rss because the rss misses so much.

Firefox is a must have too with tabbed browsing set up. http://digiscrapinfo.com/wordpress/2007/08/16/d...

Re: My Social Media Toolkit

Connie Bensen — Mon, 03 Sep 2007 15:09:31 -0000

I should add:
Feedburner, Google Analytics and the In-Series Wordpress plug-in!

Re: Personal Scalability

Connie Bensen — Wed, 05 Sep 2007 01:00:01 -0000

Are you saying less is more? Personally I'm cutting back from 2 jobs to one. Why did I have two? umm the 2nd found me. But I love it & and am giving up the first one of 8 yrs. Something has to give. And I'm going to cut back to working about 50 hrs a week instead of 70. (as I sit here at midnite typing...). I'm looking for that balance too. Keep the thoughts coming!

Re: The Foundations of Your Power

Connie Bensen — Mon, 10 Sep 2007 08:57:39 -0000

Thank you for some great insight (per usual!). I'm learning these things from watching how adept you are on Twitter. People helping people is an awesomely powerful thing.
I've found that in addition to knowing when to say no is important, knowing when to say 'how can I help you' is important too.

Keep it coming - it's all excellent!

Re: Fix Your Facebook Profile Now

Connie Bensen — Thu, 13 Sep 2007 09:00:40 -0000

Great points Chris! Thanks for pointing out that I should update my profile, now if I can get Facebook convinced to take my changes! grrr I tried to update last night & it wouldn't. Scoble pointed out that their interface isn't intuitive.

Here are some great tips that I plan to blog with screenshots on to do it for my readers at http://www.digiscrapinfo.com/wordpress/
Jason Preston started with his ideas & I added some specifics.
http://webcommunityforum.com/2007/09/collapsing...

Re: I am a Marketer

Connie Bensen — Fri, 14 Sep 2007 00:17:36 -0000

I agree with Eban.
We are marketing ourselves & transparency is key!

Re: Reminder- Rockstars Page

Connie Bensen — Sun, 16 Sep 2007 15:01:13 -0000

Well Mr. Chris,
I am at http://www.conniebensen.com/

And I'm not a rockstar, but I enjoy the conversation here & your style!
Connie

Re: The Myth of Evil Corporations in Social Media

Connie Bensen — Mon, 17 Sep 2007 10:01:10 -0000

About this - If we’re going to say that big companies don’t “get it,” shouldn’t we be helping them?

Yest. morning in Facebook I happened upon a group that totally irritated me because the person that started it, started a discussion thread with this question: Corporations are losing so much time to staff using FB, but how can their marketing dept leverage it?

Does this sit wrong with anyone else? So, yes, I agree that it's our job to help spread the word (& I maybe tweeted a call to action which resulted in 4 of us responding gently that FB is a productive tool).

Re: It Takes a Village

Connie Bensen — Sat, 22 Sep 2007 11:33:40 -0000

Morning Chris,
When I first met you, I had no idea that you had such a huge village behind you! Then as I started following you here & on Twitter your comm became apparent. Watching you direct it all is intriguing (and I erased 'manage' - because you skillfully don't).

And I give you all the credit in the world for personalizing your interactions - THAT is a gift that all of us need to take note of & emulate.

You inspired me to write this post last night & it goes hand in hand with my new role as a Community Manager & the responsibility that comes with that. You are truly an inspiration. And it looks like you're going to be at the Facebook conf in Dec? so I will get to meet you in person then! :)

http://conniebensen.com/blog/2007/09/22/women-u...

Re: Brand Stories

Connie Bensen — Mon, 24 Sep 2007 12:48:51 -0000

google search that hits our blog = acdsee Connie

another google search = Connie and Heidi

I am branded in two ways - w/ a corp. & w/ my sister

my wish? acdsee Connie, Friend, Mentor

Re: Brand Stories

Connie Bensen — Mon, 24 Sep 2007 15:40:38 -0000

Chris,
I hope that I'm allowed 2 comments? please?
I have another saying about myself:
"work tends to find me"

So I'm pleased to delegate it to others & get them engaged! It's like Chris' 'ideas with handles' idea. I tend to pass opportunities sent my way off to others. As a result my sister not only started a business but I have her blogging too! :)http://solutionsbyheidi.com/blog/

Re: Scoble Effect Better Than Digg

Connie Bensen — Wed, 26 Sep 2007 17:49:10 -0000

I saw your tweets in Facebook & that's why I started following you on Twitter. A couple of tweets showed a great sense of humor! and then I came to realize the depth of the questioning. Your tweets are invaluable.

Re: Take Responsibility and Fire THEY

Connie Bensen — Mon, 08 Oct 2007 09:52:46 -0000

Seth Godin's book, The Dip: A Little Book That Teaches You When to Quit (and When to Stick)has a good section on reinventing yourself.

And what you suggest Chris is totally possible. I believe that we choose our destiny. The momentum I've created is incredible & I have two jobs (one is an unpaid leave of absence...). I'm as busy as I can keep up to. My success is dependent on my effort. There's no time to consider not being successful- just too much to do!

I think the secret is to make a commitment to get started & then following thru.

Re: Whats Your Social Media Strategy

Connie Bensen — Fri, 12 Oct 2007 00:59:24 -0000

Great questions Chris!
I really liked Sean's post on considering a blog strategy vs a policy.
http://communitygrouptherapy.com/2007/09/16/a-b...

And a brand should be considered, developed & evolved. And please don't forget it's all about people (esp. if you're marketing!)

Re: Make a Project to Jumpstart Your Dreams

Connie Bensen — Sat, 13 Oct 2007 13:09:00 -0000

Hey Chris,
You made me realize that I need to start charting my future again.

You had tweeted a question about working from home - I'll be posting on my experiences with that after I get back from my week long trip to my home office in Victoria BC. I don't miss the commute, but that was great thinking & brainstorming time! definite pro's & con's though

And I had the word 'momentum' in my head all week & I see you used it here too. Good choice.
http://conniebensen.com/blog/2007/10/13/milesto...

Re: Speaking at BlogWorld Expo

Connie Bensen — Sat, 27 Oct 2007 09:32:41 -0000

Oh! I want to be there! My two most favorite rockstars in one place speaking together!

Re: Five Years From Now

Connie Bensen — Sun, 04 Nov 2007 10:45:48 -0000

Hi Chris,
So glad to find your writing again! I know you've been busy & Utterz has allowed you to keep blogging in a new way, but reading is comforting.

Considering that I've taken a job as Comm. Mgr that didn't exist 2 yrs ago is a bit frightening. So the position's future in five years is a big question. But it's also exciting to be a part of this trend & assisting customers in their groundswell. The evolution of this new form of marketing will be quite interesting.

I agree with many of your ideas on technology. It will continue to enmesh itself into our lives.

Re: Moving On

Connie Bensen — Mon, 12 Nov 2007 08:39:23 -0000

Hi Chris,
Best of wishes as you start a new adventure! You've been so very helpful. Now in true 'Chris Brogan style' if there's anything I can do for you, please let me know.
You're an inspiration & a great leader!

Re: Elements of a Personal Brand

Connie Bensen — Thu, 15 Nov 2007 22:14:59 -0000

Chris - it's always good news when you tweet about a new blog post. So I came over & I was nodding my head about Jeremiah O. (you met him first in person - I get my chance in Dec!). But then I was so humbled to see my name called out. Thank you for making my day & sharing my blog with your community. Your friends are my friends. In true Chris Brogan style - let me know how I can help. :)

(and I regret missing PodCamp Boston this year - next year I'll be there!)

Re: The New Gig

Connie Bensen — Thu, 15 Nov 2007 22:25:48 -0000

Congratulations Chris! Over the past few weeks your tweets have given some hints... Working remotely is interesting, but not so bad to adjust to. ;) I hope your commute isn't too bad. Enjoy your new adventure! It sounds perfect for you!

Re: Use Social Sharing To Extend Your Message

Connie Bensen — Sat, 01 Dec 2007 11:28:18 -0000

Hi Chris,
I'm glad that you found my Blogging 101 post helpful.
In regard to networking I totally agree that there are so many ways to creatively connect. You've touched on many. I think that it's important to have a message worth passing on. I've cut back on the frequency of my blogging in order to have more quality.

Re: Human Information Nodes and Routing

Connie Bensen — Mon, 03 Dec 2007 00:44:40 -0000

Chris,
I've been thinking about this while doing other things tonight. I think that we do create these networks intuitively (and join them). Aren't they our social networks? I belong to 3 niches & I know where to go when I need assistance depending on if I have a question related to my work, my networking or my hobby. Or do you see this as something more specific?

Re: Twitter at Velocity

Connie Bensen — Wed, 26 Dec 2007 20:54:31 -0000

Can't wait to hear your insight tomorrow.

When I was at 150 I could pay attention to it all & page back. Now at 300 (a small % of yours) my methodology is different.
- I've been quieter
- I don't open it when I'm working
- if I want to see what a certain person has said all day - I click on their @name

Re: Promoting Your Media

Connie Bensen — Sat, 19 Jan 2008 18:21:52 -0000

I met you over at Facebook.. And I started following you on Twitter because of your tweets in Facebook.

Re: Social Media and Social Network Starting Points

Connie Bensen — Sat, 09 Feb 2008 19:12:42 -0000

Chris,
You did a great job of putting a lot of info out on the table.

I agree that the blogging policy is redundant if the company has a technology use policy. My suggestion is to put more time into a blogging strategy.

Building community is definitely about people. Companies can ask themselves how does their product/resources impact people's lifestyles? That's the place to start looking for the existing community. Once you identify that place(s), then find someone who can work externally & internally to connect that group with the company & vice versa. It's definitely a cause for a Community Manager position.

And how to start? I agree, just start experimenting and the engagement will grow with attention. People will definitely take notice & spread the word.

Re: Social Media- Talk is Cheap for Businesses

Connie Bensen — Fri, 21 Mar 2008 21:50:21 -0000

Great post Chris.
Community management is at times exhilarating & totally rewarding. And at other times frustrating. (maybe like parenting?).

I work hard to represent the customers internally as well as provide training. And I provide the connection to customers that need their issues escalated for whatever reason. I serve as a type of traffic director for information flowing in both directions (into & out of the co)

Brian Solis included my case study in his ebook - it outlines my efforts. And I totally agree - experiment & DO something, then build on the success!
http://www.briansolis.com/2008/03/new-ebook-cus...

Re: My Only April Fools Joke

Connie Bensen — Tue, 01 Apr 2008 11:15:28 -0000

Hey Chris,
Happy Birthday early! I tried to arrange a birthday celebration - but it seems the joke's on me. :)

Have a great one next week.
Connie

Re: My Only April Fools Joke

Connie Bensen — Tue, 01 Apr 2008 11:17:20 -0000

or in August...

Re: Customer Support on Twitter

Connie Bensen — Fri, 18 Apr 2008 06:22:54 -0000

Customers are definitely catching on. And the companies that are listening on Twitter (for Customer Service as well as in general) will definitely be appreciated by their customers (as well as gain an edge).

I recently wrote about this http://conniebensen.com/blog/2008/04/06/should-...
and there's a link to a post that's gathering the @Companies.

Re: What are Your Social Media Tasks

Connie Bensen — Fri, 18 Apr 2008 19:11:56 -0000

The guys from Radian6 are great. There product is a great solution for what I've been doing manually for a year & half.

First off for me is to check the google alerts that stream into my email (the rss isn't reliable).
I've found a new tool called Yahoo Pipes & have them in Netvibes. They're bringing in some diff searches than the other two. It was painless to set up.

One thing with those types is to remember that google doesn't search many forums that are behind passwords... so I use google & search by keyword & then go into the forums & search by brand.

We provide assistance (monitor) over 55. We use Trailfire to provide the weekly path.
Customer service is the priority & helping people in the extended community is the goal.

In regard to tasks - as Francine said on a previous post social media provides the tools. It's not the end all be all. I believe that you need a community manager or someone behind the listening to provide the engagement. That's the next step after identifying where the conversation took place.

I wish that I was going to NewComm. Sounds like a great time! Have fun!

Re: On Managing A Community

Connie Bensen — Wed, 30 Apr 2008 22:21:04 -0000

great post Chris - I agree with some of the others that it is more entry level

Duties -
Utilize the platforms listed, but explore emerging ones & evaluate how they can be utilized

Measurements -
(This was interesting but I'd hesitate to have someone tracking their engagement. I would find it tedious to keep track of all that.)

I think that this position requires a highly motivated person & those items would all be inherently accomplished. So listing them is good. My caution would be to make sure to encourage new options be explored all the time.

Success
I'm going to blog about this with a graphical representation, but here's my definition of success: the community manager will be facilitating conversations at the various levels:

Customer Engagement:
Gather feedback
Provide Resources
Customer Services
Marketing & PR support

Internal Engagement:
Quality Assurance
Development
Tech Support & Customer Support

I agree with the person that said that Comm Mgr role is going to become more important as companies realize it's value. And the position if done well will be challenged by customers & internally. Hiring this type of person may also be challenging, but there should be a telecommuting option. There are definite advantages to working remotely & I believe I get far more accomplished.

Re: Saying No

Connie Bensen — Wed, 07 May 2008 22:35:27 -0000

Hey Chris,
We all need to step back & assess where we've been, where we're at & where we're going.

If you ever want a guest post on community building let me know & I'd be glad to help! Even on a regular basis... if that would help you spend an extra hour or two with your family.

My daughter is in college & I now regret the priority I put on work when she was younger. But with an empty nest I now have time to help if you'd like?

Re: Making a Business From Social Media

Connie Bensen — Sun, 11 May 2008 08:41:27 -0000

What about as a Community Manager?

Re: Develop a Strong Personal Brand Online Part 1

Connie Bensen — Sun, 01 Jun 2008 10:05:05 -0000

Chris - I love the concepts of personal branding & how it factors into networking. Can I write that portion of this series? about being memorable & repetition. I view branding as a journey & have covered specific opportunities in many of my posts (Twitter, Facebook, blogging, forums, everywhere!)

http://conniebensen.com/blog/category/branding/

and for murfomurf - the goal isn't to become an expert,
it's to have a voice. And no one wants you to 'rave on about something'. As everyone is suggesting - just be yourself! Your presence of your personal brand will evolve.

Re: Bonus- Guest Post by Connie Bensen

Connie Bensen — Mon, 02 Jun 2008 23:42:45 -0000

Thanks Mykl - it's meant to be absorbed slowly. If you do all that in one day your brain will hurt!

And thanks Beth, I've learned so much from both yourself & the other Beth (@kanter)

Kevin - who doesn't know Chris? I mean really?! :) He befriended me at Facebook...and sets an amazing example for us.

Re: Bonus- Guest Post by Connie Bensen

Connie Bensen — Tue, 03 Jun 2008 09:04:00 -0000

John - There are people with amazing strong brands like Chris Brogan (rockstar; How can I help you?); Web Strategist Jeremiah Owyang; Problogger Darren Rowse, Dan Schawbel - Personal Branding Expert for Gen Y, etc. And I've enjoyed the challenge of unraveling 'how did they do that?' and applying it to my own brand. I've tried to help everyone do that. It's one thing to admire others brands, but take it a step further & build yours!

Liz - that is an excellent question. Blogging should be fun. Be you - write about what you want to (it's your platform). For me blogging is based on intrinsic motivation - how can I share my knowledge with others. My suggestion would be to choose a category & start writing posts on that topic. If you like that, then try another. Take it in little steps. Soon you'll find that you'll be thinking about new posts & topics. (It's a bit addictive once you get on a roll)
Maybe Chris will address the topic & I bet he has some great ideas. And other readers - what do you think?

Re: Bonus- Guest Post by Connie Bensen

Connie Bensen — Tue, 03 Jun 2008 18:41:03 -0000

Hi Matt,
There is a very strong Library 2.0 force.
Library 2.0 ning http://library20.ning.com/

I have a post with links to Michael Stephens & Stephen Abrams - they are the leaders & their materials & presentations are inspiring (I heard both in person & am here now). There's also a link there for librarians to learn about web 2.0 concepts.
http://conniebensen.com/blog/2007/09/15/learn-a...

@kanter Beth Kanter does great things with non-profit tech
Beth Dunn also is with non-profits

The Beth's echo my recommendation to experiment & try new things to stay relevant. I found programming & providing a community meeting space is also what the public wants. Shift from the quiet library to a vibrant cornerstone of the community. Provide for all age groups - millenials expectations are quite different. Dance, Dance Revolution is just as much part of the library as the books are now.
Feel free to connect with me if you want more information.

and thanks everyone for your kind words!

Re: Will Companies Value Your Personal Network

Connie Bensen — Thu, 05 Jun 2008 20:35:48 -0000

More awesome ideas Chris!

I'm of the same mind as Gavin Heaton except with a bit more of a twist. I'm using my About page of my blog as my portfolio (I like the clickable links that LinkedIn doesn't offer). And the items of my portfolio live out on the web in my network as case studies, etc. Makes for an easy browse. And yes - I think that employers should consider the networks that a person has. It makes them who they are & shows their depth (not just for closing deals but as resources).

Re: Happy Birthday Violette

Connie Bensen — Sun, 08 Jun 2008 08:58:41 -0000

Happy Birthday Violette! Six is an awesome age.

Re: Five Tools I Use for Listening

Connie Bensen — Sun, 15 Jun 2008 16:19:04 -0000

I'm not sure if you consider paying attention to what people are searching for & what's hitting your blog as 'listening', but I lump them in because it's a part of the big picture.

For those I would add Feedburner & Google Analytics to your list.

And one that definitely fits on your list is Joseph Kingsley's Social Media Firehose (using Yahoo pipes). It brings in different results than gAlerts & delivery is in rss, email, netvibes or whatever your pleasure is.

Re: Social Media Strategy - Aligning Goals and Measurements

Connie Bensen — Fri, 20 Jun 2008 20:12:48 -0000

david lee king -
do you have any homepages in your county that offer internet access? Like coffee shops, McDonald's, city networks, etc - ask them if you can put a link to your library site on the log-in page.

Also, ask yourself what will motivate people to go to your site? Children's pages? Book reviews? what is there that's unique?

Re: Where I Learn Even More

Connie Bensen — Fri, 27 Jun 2008 23:15:28 -0000

I'm going to play devil's advocate a bit & say that relaxing on twitter or playing in Plurk are healthy.
Many of us are intense & over achievers. Slowing down once in awhile isn't all bad. I love when Skype comes up with 'take a deep breath'. I think we all need that once in awhile.

I'm all for learning, but I have to remember to relax.

Re: On My Summer Bookshelf So Far

Connie Bensen — Fri, 04 Jul 2008 14:43:58 -0000

Great choices Chris. I'll add many of those to my list. Of them I've read Groundswell (which the advertising made it sound unappealing to me - but I was pleasantly surprised at how practical & applicable it was. A Definite must read!). And Word of Mouth Marketing is a MUST read. I LOVE how Andy uses the terms stuff & things. That's how I describe things until I learn the proper terms. It's a great read for those of us that are 'accidental' marketers.

Re: Threading Some Trends Together

Connie Bensen — Fri, 04 Jul 2008 15:15:56 -0000

aha! so Charlene's leaving Forrester struck a chord in you too Chris? You have a # of things that resonate with me so I'll reply on my blog. I have another quote from Seth to add to this conversation.

Re: Essential Skills of a Community Manager

Connie Bensen — Thu, 24 Jul 2008 08:38:28 -0000

I agree that communication & listening are key to the role. I recently put up a list of Responsibilities & Goals that your readers may be interested in
http://conniebensen.com/blog/2008/07/17/communi...

Re: How to Create Business From a Blog

Connie Bensen — Thu, 31 Jul 2008 00:10:21 -0000

I can speak for the affiliate aspect. My sister & I created a website which was $100 investment for the year + time. Using the affiliate program we sold $15,000 worth of product which translated into 15% of total. Our focus was providing customer service & resources first. People in are niche were asking 'how can we make sure you get a commission'. So I think that if you're helping people, providing a product they need & truly care - the affiliate model is a great thing!

Re: Personal Brilliance and Me

Connie Bensen — Sat, 02 Aug 2008 23:29:54 -0000

You do exude personal brilliance. (I can say it)
Congrats on having the month dedicated to you!

Re: Gnomedex 2008 Overdelivered

Connie Bensen — Sun, 24 Aug 2008 12:24:28 -0000

Thanks Chris for the overview! Shashi was there soaking it up.

I'm excited about the opportunity to attend BlogWorld next month & finally meet everyone. Your conference suggestions here are invaluable.

Thanks for keeping us up to date!
Connie

Re: Video- From Cowpaths to Mastadons

Connie Bensen — Sat, 06 Sep 2008 18:42:35 -0000

Hi Chris,
The cowpath analogy is interesting. Let's add to it the fact that when the cows took their stalls they knew where each one belonged. I grew up on a dairy farm & some of the older cows HAD to have their stall. The younger cows were much more flexible & really didn't care (and probably enjoyed stealing the other cow's feed when they were in the wrong stall for a bit). Anyway Scott has a good point that cows are creatures of habit.

Re: 50 Ways to Take Your Blog to the Next Level

Connie Bensen — Sun, 14 Sep 2008 10:35:01 -0000

Ryan, I wrote a post yest. that can help get one out of the echo chamber (it took 3 hrs).
http://conniebensen.com/blog/2008/09/13/extendi...

Chris - sometime I'd like to hear how long it takes for you to write our posts? Awesome post here :)

Re: Selling Blog Content the Clean Way

Connie Bensen — Wed, 17 Sep 2008 22:56:47 -0000

Trust is an incredible thing.

Re: Two Important Speaking Tips

Connie Bensen — Mon, 22 Sep 2008 22:40:11 -0000

Hey Chris,
It was totally fabulous meeting you at BWE!

In addition to takeaways, I suggest that the speaker motivate the audience & challenge them to implement them. Then encourage the audience to provide follow up later in regard to how it went & their suggestions.

A good community bldg tip, eh? It extends the conversation beyond the presentation.

Re: The Big Risk for Corporate Trust Agents

Connie Bensen — Sat, 04 Oct 2008 00:11:42 -0000

Chris you do make me blush...
For your readers benefit: My blog is separate & has been. I learned that the hard way when I was given a serious lesson about Intellectual Property in regard to tutorials. All of my contracts now specifically state who owns what IP & and that my blog is distinctly separate from my work.

And since coming online I've learned a new term called 'talent management'. I really like the concept. My interpretation is that HR and management need to recognize who they value & then make efforts to ensure that they are providing that employee with prof dev't & fulfilling more than just providing them with an income. The people that you listed above (including myself) are working because we love to. Deloitte has a great study that lists the additional items that we require/crave.

Communication & relationships are going to be even more important than ever for exactly the reasons you state. My prediction is that the Gen Y'ers are also going to hold job satisfaction high on their list. So this will put the pressure on employers to provide a workplace that's stimulating including internal social networks, flat rather than siloed, transparency, & customer-centric. So I think that a lot of the responsibility falls on the organization because it is a choice. If their employees are happy they won't get whisked away, right?

I also totally agree with you on uplifting potential talent. You've set such a great example for that. As people attain a proficiency in their niche they need to reach down & help the next upcoming set. (I guess I should've written a blog post, huh?)

Re: The Big Risk for Corporate Trust Agents

Connie Bensen — Sat, 04 Oct 2008 10:08:52 -0000

I did something new, I clicked the box to receive comments by email. I am liking having the conversation delivered to my inbox! I definitely recommend it! Great community buiding tool, Chris.

Juan, it's quite easy to create your own. In fact you'll find that the freedom on your own is liberating. You can write about whatever you like. You can focus as narrowly or broadly on your topic. And as someone pointed out, you can establish yourself as specialist/influencer on the topic. The nice thing is that if you change employment your archives are yours.

How to keep them separate? On your personal one put a disclaimer. And take examples for your industry & generalize them. That was a hard bridge for me to cross, but probably the most valuable. How well you can do that is what allows your readers to apply it to their own situations. Chris is a master of it. But in the process it removes the company's brand. If that doesn't make sense, let me know & I'll clarify.

Finally, in having your own blog you are investing in the company of you. You are paying yourself forward. Invest in yourself.

Re: Social Media Today- Stop By

Connie Bensen — Thu, 09 Oct 2008 21:15:49 -0000

I love Social Media Today & the sister site myventurepad.com (for small biz).

I syndicate my blog into both & when the editor deems my post worthy, it gets put in with the mix. The best thing is that it gets in front of a lot of new eyes. I end up with at least a couple of hundred views per post there alone.

And as you said, it's a great way to stay up to date on the best reading as well as meet new authors.

Re: The Matter of Scale

Connie Bensen — Tue, 21 Oct 2008 09:55:58 -0000

Social media does scale. Chris, I've watched you grow your network so successfully. I've been transitioning to the new levels & learning to deal with it.

But your question is in terms of the enterprise. This is a question that I've been exploring with Dell & Techsmith. How to scale community management? Lucretia & others have the answer, you just grow the team. A strong leader is important along with communication & organization. As the number of advocates grows I think it's important to scale wisely to ensure their needs are met (not referring to financial either as these are mostly unpaid). Even at the small company of ACD I had built to having 26 under me. Sean McDonald of Dell has an interesting perspective that the future is that the culture should shift so that all employees are spokespersons (comm mgrs). This is a great idea but it can't happen until the company can trust everyone with their brand (Some depts hold that pretty tightly). It also requires transparency.

Next week I will have the opportunity to meet people from Intel, Yahoo & companies that have multiple comm mgrs so I look forward to continuing the discussion.

Re: The Matter of Scale

Connie Bensen — Tue, 21 Oct 2008 17:56:09 -0000

You asked: "Is it less “genuine” to have a team behind your brand? I don’t think so, but am curious to know what you think. Do you divulge it, or do you keep it quiet?"

It isn't less genuine at all - they are called evangelists, advocates, etc. You have us - your readership is your team. And if they're paid like your intern, then staff. If your intern is promoting the 'Chris Brogan' brand then why not make it public? You are a company of one that is growing :) (otherwise your intern will confuse people if it's a secret). And if the intern is for Crosstech = then that's easier.

Re: How Corporates Should View Comment Policies

Connie Bensen — Mon, 27 Oct 2008 20:40:42 -0000

I'm going to play devil's advocate here. (thanks Chris for the call out!)

I don't moderate comments on my blog. And my opinion is that if you have a corporate brand with a solid brand & a strong community manager then the comments shouldn't need to be moderated. If the community manager receives the comments in their email, then they should be able to respond quickly.

When I took over the ACDSee blog I turned the comment moderation off. (no one noticed) And it was a good thing. These are my reasons:
1. When we leave a comment we like immediate gratification

2. I don't like leaving a comment, see that it's being moderated & then come back later & see 5 others ahead of me (if you do moderate - then I totally agree with Chris - keep up to it!!)

So if have a community manager that's on the ball I think it's cool to not moderate. What do you think of that?

Re: Vision Creation and Execution

Connie Bensen — Sun, 28 Dec 2008 00:26:54 -0000

This is a great piece on leadership. Amber has many good ideas. I just wrote a post tonite underlining that trust & respect are needed.

Working with an organization that doesn't have a vision is extremely frustrating. I think that it needs to be a concerted effort. Yes, someone is ultimately responsible, but I think it's their responsibility to encourage everyone to share their ideas for the common good of the organization. The company that I'm presently with has a leader that does the executing, but also provides the vision. The amazing thing is that he's created a transparent organization & encourages everyone to contribute to the vision. And I'm allowed to be creative in executing my work.

So it can be a mix. I don't think that they're all distinctly separate. I enjoy participating in all 3 aspects.

Re: Audience or Community

Connie Bensen — Thu, 04 Jun 2009 11:50:58 -0000

Hi Paul,
Are you writing in general terms or about specifics? Sometimes that affects how people feel about responding. Another thought is to have them share their idea in a general sense as a guest post. Others would see that you're openly encouraging interaction.

Re: Why I’d love to go to Blog World Expo 2008

Connie Bensen — Tue, 16 Sep 2008 17:03:20 -0000

Wow! way to go!! you won a pass to BlogWorld - congrats, girl!

Love your blog & admire the changes your making in your life. I think we met on Chris Brogan's blog? (why I try to keep track of where I meet people is beyond me :) )

But I definitely look forward to our paths crossing in Vegas!
Thanks for reading my blog.
Connie

Re: Danah is confused by Facebook’s fans

Connie Bensen — Thu, 06 Sep 2007 19:34:28 -0000

Hey Robert,
I've seen your angst about the Facebook friends limit. What if while you're waiting.. you created another (because there can be multiple of the same name) & then once they take that limit off, you could merge them? Just a suggestion - I realize it's not ideal.

Re: links for 2008-05-11

Connie Bensen — Sun, 11 May 2008 09:04:06 -0000

Thanks for linking to my post. I hope that your readers find it helpful.

Re: Five New Twitter Tools You Should Know

Connie Bensen — Mon, 05 May 2008 23:24:38 -0000

Thanks for these. I agree that quotably.com is worthwhile. I used it when Twitter was not working the other night (to post from).

Re: Still Trying to Figure Out a Blog for Your Business? Blog World Expo

Connie Bensen — Tue, 16 Sep 2008 10:28:51 -0000

We've met, but look forward to seeing you there!
I think I have to go to Vegas to meet @perfectporridge though.

Connie

Re: 6 Social Search Engines to Start 2009

Connie Bensen — Sun, 04 Jan 2009 13:46:32 -0000

Don't forget the Freemium version of Techrigy SM2. It offers the full range of analytics that the Pro version offers.
http://sm2.techrigy.com

WebSuccessDiva.com says, "there is an ample free account that will help you in your social media observations. My team has been using SM2 since it

Re: Sad Lesson of the Day

Connie Bensen — Fri, 05 Oct 2007 00:31:48 -0000

I think that it's in response to some negativity that he rec'd & responded very professional to. Chris is very generous with his time & I don't think anyone has the right to belittle those efforts.

Re: Sad Lesson of the Day

Connie Bensen — Fri, 05 Oct 2007 01:59:35 -0000

I didn't write enough words. I wasn't implying that you were belittling him. I meant that the other person who had commented (in a not too positive manner) about his euphemisms was belittling him. I just had a problem with that guy's whole blog post & the tone.

Chris may be blogging in regard to that or maybe not? who's to know? I do think thought that even superstars need upliftinging! And of course who wouldn't be happy if they recd' record # of comments in a half hour. That's a fabulous response (especially if he's making a statement).

And you're welcome to your opinions too. :) It's all in perception. I think Chris is just thinking again & coming from a sarcastic point of view. I just got my job due to my online presence too - and so I'm totally in agreement with that post - and yes there are critics - but Chris is bigger than they are & always will be.

Re: Sad Lesson of the Day

Connie Bensen — Fri, 05 Oct 2007 09:51:57 -0000

I had to pop in this morning. First I checked Chris' post. Go check out that person's comment on Chris' post... so I think I'm on track with my analysis.

Being an optimist is easy for me (& it's infective). The world is a good place we just have some people who like to be negative. The rest of us need to just stand up & smile. :) They will get the idea... in time.

Re: Customer Service and Community Support for Seesmic

Connie Bensen — Fri, 11 Apr 2008 20:33:54 -0000

Congratulations to my Twitter friend! That is totally awesome! It was great to see you at the SM breakfast this morning (I was on the back channel, but hope to attend in May!).