Socialnomics? Pfft! That's old news.

There is this thing called socialnomics going around. Heard of it? It's supposed to increase a company's sales percentage simply by using social networking sites. And the cost of using social netowrking? None. Zip. ZERO.

You'd think that would be great news, right? The company doesn't have to worry about investing in heavy marketing campaigns. Woopee!

Think again.

Although it's great that you can get your company's name out there remember that the competition is tough. If you're a marketer...I'm sorry buddy. Maybe you should try viral marketing?

Since advertising is getting to the point where it can cost nothing, maybe at some point the same thing will happen to some luxury products - like what's happening to music.

And about socialnomics...I just wanted to say that getting your company recognized by using social methods is really old stuff. Most latin countries rely mainly on society to increase a company's popularity (can't speak for all latin countries, just those I've lived in). Technology has simply enhanced the communication.

Earning an easy Buck or Two

While most of us are scrambling to get a job with big company names some individuals are hitting it big on their own - and earning big bucks from it.

How do they do it? The answer is easy. They're benefitting off social media.

For example, look at the stars on YouTube like Peter Chao. The video below explains how his videos helped him get into college and then earn him money after it.



I read this book some time ago by Yochai Benkler called the Wealth of Networks [free downloadable version please click here]. He mentions that thanks to the Internet and the availability of cheap technology we can create our own user generated content and earn a buck or two from it.

For example the cost of starting a business before was much more prohibitive than it is today with the Internet. Now the cost to be a media producer is cheap and easy.

Just look at Peter Chao.

How to get Popular and Monitore it.

We all like being popular, right? And if not, I'm sure positive attention is always well received.

Well, how about making your blog popular? Would that interest you? You're probably thinking, "Geez, what kind of advice can YOU give me??". True. My blog is not Paul Krugman's (he has a very good blog on economics which he writes for the NY Times). But if I wanted to I could make it just as good as Krugman's.

Here are the basic tools for popularity:

• Use Twitter to promote your blog
  
• Use Facebook to promote your blog
  
• Use every social media you can think of to promote your blog
  
• Leave your blog link everywhere you possibly can
  
• Comment on other blogs and tweets and leave a link back to your blog (the more you do this the better)

But now comes the tricky part. How do you know you are getting popular? Checck your Google Analytics, duh!

Marshall Kirkpatric wrote an article on the stats of how Monica Rankin achieved popularity. From what I understood from the article the best time to post a blog piece is 12pm and the worst is 4pm. Of course if you are already established as a hot blogger time doesn't matter.

So? Are you ready to get popular? Good luck!

Get a Job or Be Jobless

Now a days, one of our main concerns is to get or stay employed. How do we manage that?

I read an article by Henry Chalian who had gotten bumped off his manager job at J.P Morgan. Apparently LinkedIn helped him to some degree but he is still out of a job.

Jobless. That's a scary word for many of us.

Then an article on the NJ Business News suddenly provided enlightenment. Their advice was: “if they want to find a job they should get out from behind their computer [...] but use social networking skills to widen the number of people that you can connect with when you get out from behind your computer.”

Brilliant advice. They recommended you keep active on the Internet by tweeting, blogging, but not so much as to consume your life. You need real life contacts too.

Thanks for your Collaboration!

Did you know that at this moment you are collaborating with me? You didn't? Well now you do.

You are reading my blog, which I use to write an opinion on articles I read for my social media and business class. Your participation is included in my grade. Your comments (if constructive enough) help me further my knowledge. Thank you!

Nowadays, in business, online participation and collaboratation are a nesessary tools that keeps a company active 24/7. As long as the company has a collaborative corporate culture, as Will Kelly describes it, you will keep the communications and production flowing.

Many software companies have tapped into this new trend and are creating software to aid it (for more info on which companies click here). Have you heard of google aps? I'm sure most of us are familiar with it. Especially us, students. It's like an agenda that magically accompanies us everywhere (as long as we have an Internet connection and a laptop). Isn't it great?

Brainstorming: The Prelude to a Great Idea

Usually in big businesses you will undergo the brainstorming process with a bunch of co-workers. It's a fun and dandy activity - you get to drink coffee, talk, get to know your team's train of thought and probably forge a better bond with one of your team mates. Nice.

Virtual teamwork ain't like that. We're talking business here. Our goal is to produce an idea that will increase profits and keep the money flowing into our bank accounts (the last is a pretty good incentive to think up some innovative thoughts).

I found it interesting that in Jessica Lipnack's blogpost "Brainstorming? Try doing it virtually", she mentioned that virtual brainstorming is more productive than in a "real" group. That's because you're alone, so you might feel less shy to express your ideas and you'll probably focus more on getting your work done than on your co-worker's Jimmy Choos.

Still there seems to be many people that are still uncomfortable with the virtual brainstorming thing. I mean, yes - you'll probably get more work done but maybe virtual brainstorming should be done at a preliminary level. You mustn't forget that there is also a bond that you should form with your team mates. Afterall teamwork is about helping one another out to reach a common objective.

Meet me in Cyberspace

Say you had a really bad day. You woke up late, a car splashed dirty water on you, you burnt your duck au orange and found out that your significant other was cheating on you with the CVS cashier. Don't you feel like escaping reality? Well, you can.

Meet Second Life, a virtual game that exists only on cyberspace. You interact with "real" people and you do all the things you'd do in the real world. And that includes business.

Second Life is like it's own cyber-country. It even has it's own currency (Linden dollars) which is bought with real money. According to Grace Patuwo's article Virtual World, real money on 'Second Life', transactions on Second Life totaled $567 million in U.S. dollars in 2009. Even YALE is getting onto the Second Life bandwagon and purchasing land. Maybe this cyberworld is the equivalent to what America was for Europe...? A free land of opportunities...?

Of course Second Life can't completely immerse you into virtual reality like you've seen in the Matrix, so it's not like you can really live there. Although...we might be able to experience something similar...

Augmented reality is a new fad that is taking place. Augmented reality lets you use real life elements and manipulate them digitally. Like the Matrix.

Have you seen the AR app Parrot? It's a flying (yes, FLYING) little machine that lets you have virtual battles with other friends. Just like you might see in Star Wars or something. Look at the video below:



Fascinating, isn't it? Maybe we should start implementing flying drones into stores as sales clerk assistants? So many business opportunities...

You Ain't Human - You're a Brand. Sell Yourself.

Ah, the power of commercialism... It's incredible how little by little adverts have come to dominate our purchasing choice. It's even come to the extent that now WE have become products ourselves. We market ourselves for everything nowadays. Jobs, love, friendship. What's next? Will we have to attach little tags specifying price and such?

Oh wait. We've already done that.

Even though marketing oneself through social media is wonderful and convenient I found Tom Peter's article The Brand Called You a bit insulting. Yes, I understand what he's saying and it makes complete sense considering this is the direction in which our society is heading towards...but...doesn't this sound a little too Brave New World-ish? Or maybe Wall-E is a better example. You know, that animated movie in which humans have become blobs of flesh who've completely surrendered themselves to commercial power?

Oh well. Never mind. Mr Peter probably had the best of intentions. I personally love all the advantages that social networking brings us. LinkedIn, Facebook, Smallworld...They're all awesome. I just don't like to be compared to an object.

But yeah...we can't ignore that Tom Peter has a point. We are products to be sold. Our skills should be listed on our self-created websites or blogs or twitter accounts like the tags on the back of your sweater indicating the percentage of wool and polyester used in its making.

If we aren't sweaters to be sold, then we are just wool on the back of a sheep. And you know what happens to sheep? They get eaten by wolves.

So I suggest you start looking at the 7 Secrets to Getting a Job Using Social Media.

You're a Brand. Sell yourself.

Flashmobs + Naked Men = ART

Did you know that flashmobs are an up and coming form of ART? Yeah, well, me neither.

Truthfully I absolutely LOVE Flashmobs. Especially the dancing ones. In Romania three dancers organized a flashmob event to conmemorate Micheal Jackson and put up a practice video on YouTube so people could learn the routine. After the original one in Stockholm, I think Romania really did a good job of bringing people together. My absolute favorite is the Japanese "Madonna" flashmob organized by Takahiro Ueno, who is a God amongst dancers.

Although...the gorgeous half naked men that Flashmobed in Rome in front of my favorite cafe one hot summer day might be competing for that 'favorites' title.....maybe that's why they are being called "art" with hundreds of Davids and Adonises re-illustrated live and in the flesh.........

But for more info on Flashmobs as an art form check out the article The Mob Rules from TIME magazine.

On a final note...I bring you naked men - in swimwear but whatever.



And for those who don't want to see naked (ok. half naked) men check out some wicked dancing moves! It gives breakdancing a whole new meaning.

Give me Feedback!!

There are some things in life that are just bare necessities, and one of those things (for those who care about wrinkles) are beauty products.

Now. I was big fan of Sally Hansen but that product does not exist in Italy. So one day, when my stock ran out, I sent an e-mail requesting either a shipment or to suggest where I could buy Sally Hansen.

Well...they never wrote back. And now I'm a devote customer of Nivea who, unlike Sally Hansen, actually got back to me.

And that is how customer loyalty goes nowadays. Just like Vicky Tamaru says in "Why Conversational Marketing Requires Fundamental Business Change" there should be conversations with your customers that are on-going and two-way in order to keep your customers satified. I mean, what is marketing about after all? If I remember correctly my Marketing classes always stressed that we should attend to the customers NEEDS in order to SATISFY their WANTS. And I wanted Sally Hansen, wasn't satisfied, so I found an alternative.

And about alternatives...Randall Stross in his article, "How Many Reviwers should be in the Kitchen" talked about Yelp and customers reviewing their products. I think it's great! Customers should interact with other customers and with their product or serivice. It's just like Cibando in Italy. You get reviews, a menu list for the restaurants and even discounts!

So on that note, thank you Microsoft for telling me why my computer was mulfunctioning last year and that it was actually a bug. Thank you Nivea for telling me where to buy your daytime moisturizing lotion. Thank you, Cibando for being such a great food guru.

Are You Stupid?

What is stupidity?

Acording to the Merriam-Webster Dictionary the definition of stupid is "lacking in power to absorb ideas or impressions. Stupid implies a slow-witted or dazed state of mind that may be either congenital or temporary."

According to Andrew Keen and Doris Lessing the Internet is making us stupid. And it is...although not in a necessarily bad way.

Just like Nicholas Carr wrote in his infamous article "Is Google Making us Stupid?", the Internet is shaping our brain in how we digest information and knowledge. Before we would be able to read lengthy articles and thick books, understand what Nieztche had written after a few re-reads of his ideas and enjoy Lewis Carroll's "Alice's Adventures in Wonderland". Now a days we just skim over articles, pinpointing and retaining what we think is the most important part. We read simplified version's of Nieztche's ideas and think of Disney's "Alice in Wonderland" instead of Lewis Carroll's. Does that make us stupid? Not really, it just makes us dependent on a computer. If we need information we will Wikipedia it or Google it. We won't retain details, we retain the main concept.

The way we think is different. We won't be specialized in only one field of knowledge because thanks to the Internet we can be Jacks of all trades!

Actually, I think that now we know MORE than we used to. The only problem is that the way we communicate our knowledge is different. For people like Lessing and Keen, our language has deteriorated, so in the process of communication they might think we are stupid. But we aren't all Shakespears or Jane Austens, our language is more simplistic, but our ideas can be just as sharp.

The only thing I beg of you is please don't use Sparknotes to tell you what a piece of literature meant. Use your brain. Sparknotes is just one opinion and not necessarily the correct one.

Your Idea is Now Everyone Else's Idea

Crowdsourcing. When you read this word what do you think? Jeff Howe thinks that crowdsourcing is the new way of making business. And it is, in a way...
[Check out his YouTube video on Crowdsourcing]

With the Internet and all it has to offer, especially in terms of ideas and creative content, people might be less compelled to buy tangible objects, for example newspapers. Now, how many of you still buy newspapers? If you do you are part of extinct race. Most of the younger generations and some of the older ones are just checking for their news updates online. Why buy newspaper when we can do something ecological and money-saving by accessing a whole database of information online that is constantly being updated everyday? And it's totally free too! A newspaper journalist might have something to say to that, though. You see, internet to a person who creates things, like an article, is both good and bad.

If I wrote this article in Wikipedia (and it actually stayed there instead of being ripped off by some unidentified Wiki person), later on someone might come and modify it and that would mean that my idea is no longer mine but also someone else's. As Dan Woods said in his article The Myth of Crowdsourcing, the "crowd" is the one that now getting the praise for the work of the individual. In other words my idea is now everyone else's.

And just to leave you thinking, do you know how this affects business? Well, as John Perry Barlow said in his article Selling Wine without Bottles: The Economy of Mind on the Global Net, what brought in the money was the tangible object, in other words you pay for the newspaper not the article within. Now with open source networks there is no newspaper - only articles and ideas.

Business based on materialism is now ceasing to be. So how are we going to make money now?

What is Social Networking?

Have you ever asked yourself what's a Social Network? You probably have a vague idea of what it might be. If you've come across Hegel, Nietzche, Smith, Marx or Kaufmann you'd probably have a notion of how social herarchies work. But what about the social structure? What role do you play in your network of friends, in your workplace or in your family? Have you taken into consideration how communications are transmitted between the members of your social network?

Alexandra Marin and Barry Wellman's Social Network Analysis: An Introduction presents social networks as "a set of nodes (or network members) that are tied by one or more types of relations" [to see the article click here]. For example, the first relationship you'd have within an organization would probably be with the unknown person you're interchanging e-mails with from the human resources department. Then you'd meet the person, who'd introduce you to the rest of the company and then you'd become "X-person: the intern" whose role is to make photocopies and serve coffee to your cubicled collegues. But is that all there is to it? Is that your only role in the business?

As I have found out, the answer is a big chubby NO. Human relationships and social networking is much more complex than that. First of all there's the way we communicate with the other members of our networks, our relationship with them, the value we give to each individual and the informal roles we take on within a network. That means that even though we may be officially "X-person: the intern" within an organization, to Jerry we might be "X-person: the one who I can depend on to do all the fetch-and-carry work" and to Jane we might be "X-person: the main source of the office gossip".

In Rob Cross and Laurence Prusak's "The People Who Make Organizations Go - or Stop" the informal roles within a company are sketched out and analysed [check out the article here]. If you come to understand the inner threads of your network then communication and tasks would run more efficiently. Actually this knowledge is rather powerful and if you wield it correctly you might find yourself climbing to the higher echelons of your network. In this case you would be able to apply the saying, "It's not a matter of what you know but of who you know." In a way it's sad, but at times this statement rings true. Why do you think there are lobbyists? What do you think politics is? Why did do you think the girl in the miniskirt got into the club first when you've been waiting in line longer than her? Connections, people, connections.

You can compare this example to other contexts, like within your family or your circle of friends. I find it amazing that there is such a thing as an analysis of our functions within society. It's like I know I breath because I need air to live but now I know that the O2 I inhale into my lungs is interchanged by my capilaries for CO2 and used to make my cells function correctly so that my body may keep on moving and thinking efficiently.

Hm. Seems like I retained something out of my biology lesson. Cool.

All this said I guess that means that social capital is just as important as monitary capital within the business world, huh? Maybe that means that my time spent on Facebook is actually productive and will bring me a job in the future...???

Ciao!

Ciao everyone!

Welcome to my blog. My name is Alexandra and I'm a student from Italy using this blog for my Social Networking and Business class.

I won't say anything intelligent or ground breaking in this first post (and maybe in none of my other posts...:P) but I hope you find something of interest in my writtings that you can relate to the subject.

Oh! And my blog title means SPEAK TO ME in Italian. *hint hint* By the way, anything on this blog was created by me, written by me and whatever by me.

Cheers!

-Alexandra