5 Reasons To Have An Online Conversation

In my book about networking, The Pick Up Artist: Business edition, I mostly talk about physically being there. In person you can watch for body language and use the sense of touch to solidify a meeting. You can also run into problems with first impressions like your clothes, not remembering someone, and simply not knowing what to say. Another problem could be not finding the right people to meet. The solution is the Social Media. A good Pick Up Artist can get more contacts while looking more impressive by having an online conversation. Here are 5 reasons why:

1. Choice: In the physical world you are limited by where you live or can travel. I have gone to pretty much every networking event in Portland, ME. Problem is I am running out of people to meet. Second problem is have I met the right people. A friend of  mine had a hard time booking speaking engagements in Maine until he met someone online who physically live on the other side of the country. You really could have a conversation with anyone all over the world from anywhere.
2. Looking your best: A super Pick Up Artist knows first impressions are everything. In the online world you can spend more time prepping yourself. You can get a professional head shot or avatar, spend time getting your profile just right, get to know the person before you start an online conversation and take your time to form complete and knowledgeable response during the conversation.
3. 'Chance' meeting goes away: I've gone to some events hoping to meet someone and had it not happen. Sometimes it was my fault but many times the event just didn't have the right people. Online you can look for the person you want to meet. You can take the 'chance' out of 'chance' meeting by targeting the person you would like to meet and doing research. You can 'hang out' where they hang out and converse with mutual friends. By the time you actual are introduced online you could already have formed a bond.
4. Bigger Network: This goes without saying, there are simply more people you can meet online than in person. Let’s say you go to a conference with over 2000 attendees. You spent 2 days there but only meet 10 people in person. The Pick Up Artist would also participate in twitter with a hashtag to the event. The conversation may have 50-100 attendees participating. By building upon common interests you can become friends with these extra 50-100 and eventually hook up to their friends as well. Just keep the conversations going by asking about the conference. I often ask about classes I could not attend and give notes on the ones I did attend.
5. Its 24 hours a day: Sometimes I can’t sleep so I go on to twitter and ask, “Who’s up?” You’d be surprised at the answer. These late night conversations are golden. The people could be on the other side of the world, up with the baby or working late. This is a chance to be the advisor, linguist or set or ears. Many relationships of trust have started late at night or early morning. Being able to be a Pick Up Artist 24 hours a day also lets you pick up at you leisure, after you have done research and/or when you have the inspiration.

So has this been enough to convince you to be a social media Pick Up Artist? Start the conversation with me using twitter, Facebook or LinkedIn.

http://twitter/TMIFred

http://www.facebook.com/CostaVidaFred

http://www.linkedin.com/in/fabaroa

Fred Abaroa
The Marketing Imagineer
Fred [@] TMIFred.com
@TMIFred

5 Methods For Effective Note Taking

There are mainly two reasons you go to a presentation. It is either to learn or to network and many time both. It is obvious that effective note taking will help you learn, but did you know that sharing notes is a great way to establish relationships? With that in mind here are my 5 methods for effective note taking:

1. Make your notes brief! Never use a sentence where you can use a phrase. Never use a phrase when you can use a word. Use abbreviations and symbols but be consistent.
2. Put most notes in your own words. Some exceptions will be formulas, definitions and specific facts.
3. Use outline form and or numbering system. Indentation helps you distinguish major from minor points.
4. If you miss a statement, write key words, draw a line where the missing words will go and the details later. (I use this as a conversation starter, "That was a great presentation. Do you remember the part about... I need to fill in some blanks)
5. Don't try to use every space on the page. Leave room for note sharing with others. You may want to list key items in the margins

If you are an artist like Peter Durand you can take notes by drawing a picture. See his notes from PopTech at http:\\www.alphachimp.com. I actually use this are to help me review my notes. I also use Evernote to synchronize my notes on my iphone, ipad and pc. That way I can refer to my notes practically anywhere. I discovered SoundNote for the iPad. It records the audio while you take notes. Later you can touch your note to fast forward to that part in the audio. I have to warn you it could make you a lazy note taker.

These are just a few methods to make you a more effective note taker. Share some of you note taking tips, tricks and disaster stories in the comments section below.

Fred Abaroa
The Marketing Imagineer
Fred [@] TMIFred.com
@TMIFred

Is My Work Over? 5 Tips For Post Conference Power

Just got back from Pop!Tech, a conference for "world changing people, projects and ideas". (poptech.org) I've attended off and on since 1997. As usual I have a lot of notes not only on the content but the people I met as well. Can't wait till next year!C-Ya.

WAIT! Don't just close the books on the conference for another year! Do something about it! After all did you take notes just to look busy? What about those people you met? Here are 5 things every conference attendee should do immediately after returning (or on the return trip):

1. Add your contacts to LinkedIn
2. Re-Read your notes
3. Create an action plan
4. Upload photos to Facebook
5. Write a Blog about the event

Some of the things above are great on the plane ride home, other when you first get back to the office. And I mean First! I know, I know you are back from days away from you desk and work has piled up. BUT you need to ask yourself why you paid money to attend if you were not going to do something. The act of DOING seems to take a back seat to learning. Not anymore because you are going through the 5 steps above.

Add Your New Contacts To LinkedIn. Why LinkedIn you are asking? Well unless you have telenotes and can dictate your contacts via the phone, you have a lot of typing to do. I just search on the name and all the rest of the info is there. Plus in LinkedIn I can see who else works for the company and gather more intelligence about the new contact. Later I'll add them to facebook so I can wish my new contact a happy birthday.

Re-Read Your Notes. I don't know about you but sometimes I can't understand what I wrote. Especially months afterwards. I find if I re-read and make further notes back at the hotel that evening the talks and impressions are locked in.

Create An Action Plan. "be ye doers of the word, and not hearers only" James 1:22 This verse of scripture haunts me at times when I heard a great talk noting I should make a change. But never made it a plan. We hear great things but if we are not going to implement them why go?

Upload Photos to Facebook. This is part of my devious find their birthday plan. I take pictures of various things and people at these conferences. Mostly as part of my continuing study of networking events, but I discovered attendees love to see photos. This last year I took some pictures of an art sculpture where people had climbed in to pose. They told me post it on facebook. From there I had a few others friend me to see the photos. I just took the meeting people at a conference to a new level. The other plus as I mentioned before is birthday notices.

Write A Blog About The Event. What this does is two things. One it solidifies the most important take away from the event. After all in producing the blog you will probably only spout out what impressed you the most. Two it brands you as a person who wants to better themselves though continuing education. You show you clients and prospective clients you are open to new ideas and learning.

Fred Abaroa
The Marketing Imagineer
Fred [@] TMIFred.com
@TMIFred

Does Your Perfect Storm Sponsorship Include These 5 Criteria?

I was stuffing attendee bags for niche conference yesturday and noticed there wasn't as much swag as years gone by. Others noticed this as well and commented that companies just aren't sponsoring like they used to. My marketing brain went into "Are they crazy?" mode. This conference is perfect to promote new and innovative products. The people who come here are influencers and highly educated. Many are journalist looking to write about new things that will help our environment or third world countries. This audience writes books, they speak or perform in large audiences all over the world. This conference is the perfect storm to groom accidental salesmen for your product. I admit i do not know the circumstances behind the lack of swag and I don't know what the criteria is to sponsor a conference of this magnitude. I would hate to miss out on a chase like this do be a sponsor.

So here are five tips on how to make an intelligent decision on what conferences to sponsor and they all have to do with the audience:

1. Are they influencers?
2. Are many of the C level leaders in their companies?
3. Are they members of the press?
4. Did they pay a substantial sum to attend and are there less than one thousand attendees?
5. Is the purpose of the conference to spread ideas? 

Bonus criteria: Would your product wow the attendees, speakers and staff?

So do a little research and get big pay back for your sponsorship. Oh and if I make you a million with this little bit of advice, cut me in for a few bucks.

Fred Abaroa
The Marketing Imagineer
Fred [@] TMIFred.com
@TMIFred