Make It Happen
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Access Assumptions

by Randall on January 17, 2012

Filed in: Blog, Global Business, Make It Happen Tipsheet, Networking

Tagged as: , ,

One Billion.  You may think I’m referring to the number of Facebook and LinkedIn users, but I’m not.  I’m referring to the approximate population of India.

India retailer - no web site

Note the wide variety of merchandise: from cigarettes to life insurance

While on a trip there, I decided to take pictures of local businesses, then compare the “real” with their Social Media presence.  Sadly, I was unable to find more than a handful on the web, let alone on the Social web; the notable exception being a few of the global brands.

Instead, I found a thriving entrepreneurial culture, where everyone – from the richest to the (almost) poorest – is connected in two ways: by cellphone, and in the real world.  The majority of the billion (95% to be exact) are busy living, rather than voyeuristically watching others live via Facebook – they don’t even have internet access.

The 5% have their favorite Social Networks, including Facebook, LinkedIn, Ibibo and Bharatstudent.  But for those of us who spend significant time with our own Social Media favorites, 95% is an important reminder:  most of the world is connected with real world relationships – not virtual ones.

This week’s action plan:  Is it possible that you have been neglecting the part of your network that isn’t regularly online?  Or isn’t online in your chosen social network?  This week, look through your electronic black book for those who are missing, and reach out to them in a way that is comfortable for them.

Lea Brovedani and Randall Craig in Mumbai, IndiaPS:  This is another example of how sprinkling more Social Media “juice” over an opportunity will not magically create more opportunity.  Organizations need to crack the relationship nut, and Social Media is but one vector that can help.

PPS:  While in Mumbai, I recently spent some time with fellow professional speaker Lea Brovedani for dinner.  While we did coordinate our plans using LinkedIn, we actually met in person at the restaurant.  Real-world networking in action!

Innovation and the Facebook Generation

by RandallCraig on June 14, 2011

Filed in: Blog, Make It Happen Tipsheet, Management, Social Media, Strategy

Tagged as: , , ,

There is nothing as humorous – or sad – as outdated laws. Every jurisdiction has them:

  • No cow or sheep grazing in public gardens
  • All businesses must provide rails to tie up horses
  • No walking backward while eating chestnuts

Unfortunately, many organizations face a similar problem: rules and regulations that have far outlived their useful lives. Innovation requires flexibility – yet rules and regulations breed inflexibility.

Inflexibility causes a permanent competitive disadvantage, as other more agile organizations jump into the fray, “disrupting” the market with their new thinking. Of course, they aren’t disrupting the market – they are disrupting their competitors, using the tools of innovation to connect more directly to their stakeholders.

In fact, under cover of terms like security, privacy, technology architecture, and “policy”, many organizations are stifling not just innovation, but also customer service, employee motivation, and ultimately profitability.

These rules and regulations are felt no more keenly than in the areas of social media, marketing, and technology. While the preventers of innovation are doing their jobs, the smart and the quick organizations are reaping the benefits of social CRM, cloud computing/Software as a Service, community building, and collaboration. They are embracing the Facebook Generation, and the Facebook generation is embracing them.

This week’s action plan: Is the inertia of the past stifling innovation in your organization? Look carefully, and identify the rules and regulations that directly impact your goals – and then advocate for openness, innovation, and connection.

Security Addendum: We aren’t advocating a disregard for security, privacy, and similar policies, but rather a recognition that in most organizations these concerns should be addressed in a way that encourages – not prevents – innovation.

Note: The Make It Happen Tipsheet is also available by email. Go to www.RandallCraig.com to register.

Randall Craig
www.RandallCraig.com
www.ptadvisors.com

 

 

 

Viewpoint: Will Facebook Take Over the World?

by RandallCraig March 16, 2011

You may not know it, but the game playing, ad-serving, stalker-friendly site called Facebook is poised to bust out of it’s walled garden and move into the “real world” in a very big way. And when it does, it will have profound implications for government, other businesses, and each of us as individuals. Unless you [...]

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Gutless and Spineless…

by Randall March 2, 2011

…and afraid of the marketplace of ideas.  These are not exactly the attributes that most organizations (or people) aspire to. Yet most have a Social Media strategy that conveys precisely that.  Here’s the case: Many organizations now have Facebook “Fan” pages.  Some of them have invested significantly in nifty functionality that runs contests, quizzes, and [...]

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Location or Credibility?

by RandallCraig December 28, 2010

With so many Social Media sites out there, where should you spend your time? In the “olden days” of just a few short years ago, it was fairly simple: For business, spend time on LinkedIn. For personal, use Facebook (or in the “real” olden days, use MySpace). If you have videos, then go to YouTube. [...]

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Personal Blog Branding

by RandallCraig October 6, 2010

“You only have one chance to make a good first impression.” This is the siren song of personal branding, and is what causes millions of people to think carefully about what they wear each day. Too bad though, that in today’s too-fast social media world, the first impression does not come from your clothing, but [...]

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Conversation Starters

by RandallCraig April 21, 2010

The internet is called many things: the web, the ‘net, and even “internet explorer”. Others refer to it as the greatest reference book… or the greatest waste of time. But given the popularity of Social Media, it is also the world’s greatest conversation. You can listen in, ask a question, or answer someone else’s. For [...]

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Too Many Friends?

by RandallCraig October 28, 2009

Can you ever have too many friends? In real life, the answer is no, but when we’re talking about social media, the answer is definitively yes. If you have been collecting so-called friends, contacts, connections, and followers online, then you probably notice that some are more valuable than others. Others have very little value at [...]

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Social Media Sinkholes

by RandallCraig October 13, 2009

There are over 300 web sites that have a Social Media angle to them. Facebook, LinkedIn, YouTube, Twitter might be the most familiar, but you may also spend time on FlickR, eBay, Plaxo, Orkut, and others. In fact, you may be spending so much time on these “Networks”, that you have little time for anything [...]

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September Social Media Tune-up

by RandallCraig August 25, 2009

Your car needs a tune-up every once in a while. As individuals, we go to the doctor or dentist on a regular schedule. But how often do we do a social media tune-up? Rarely if ever. We sign up to a number of sites (LinkedIn, Facebook, YouTube, Plaxo, and maybe others), use them freely, and [...]

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