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Aug 13 2014

What Are You Working On?

A dangerous question, right? Especially if you’re working “IN” your business, instead of “ON” it.

Greetings. Area 224 is back here in the blogosphere. So that answers the question, right? You ask us “What are you working on?” and we say “We’re working ON our blog.” If only it were that simple.

It’s not. In fact, I’d offer that most people who are working on a blog end up spending most of their time either (1) navel-gazing, (2) trying to link to popular friends or (3) offering advice that will fall upon deaf ears.

We have done all three. None of it works.

Well, it can sorta work – you can admire others in business and talk about what they’re doing right. You can link to those with high Google Page Rank on their blog – that can help you a little bit. And you can share advice – advice that will likely be ignored (even if everyone piles on and says how great it is).

Plumbers Have Clients
Photo by plumberluton, used with Creative Commons license

To Celebrate Our Return, Here’s What We’re Working On. Really.

Dave from Area 224 just finished an embedded contract role. (What does that mean? I was on the team at a Fortune 100 organization, helping them solve communications challenges, and adding value by actually rolling up my sleeves and doing stuff.)

I don’t mean to dis those of you who are actively blogging about what people should be doing online, but it was very refreshing to avoid advice from the blogosphere, talk to business leaders inside and outside of the organization, and tie their strategy to their objectives. Plus, I couldn’t really access Facebook during the day, so that was a major plus as well.

During this hiatus from the Awesomeness Generation and the Internet Cliques, I heard quite a few things that have impacted my world view. And given me a chance to answer the question…

What Are You Working On? Well, three areas, really, along with some links to show you where it’s all headed.

1. Category Disruption

I’ll tell you this much, folks: there’s room out here for everyone. Categories are being disrupted overnight – partly because there are so many inefficiencies.

Case in point: Health care. (Or: “Healthcare.” Depends on whether you follow the AP Stylebook or the Chicago Manual. Or neither.)

The Affordable Care Act – “Obamacare” – taught us a few things about disruption. Whether or not you agree with the law, you can say this much: the actual signing of the ACA was disruptive. And the follow-on hue and cry from everywhere is disruptive. And the tons of tools, sites, platforms, portals, apps and whatnots being built to help everyone and anyone figure out What The Heck Is Going On…That’s Disruption.

Heck, I should start a business just categorizing the business niches that need disruption, or are in the middle of being disrupted, or could use something disruptive to come along.

And how will Area 224 practice Category Disruption?

Thanks for asking. I’ll give you a hint: Metasip.

One Metasip LogoWe launched the site a year ago and worked on the background to review a bunch of alcohol. While it’s still in Beta, and we know there are other sites out there that are involved in the beverage marketing category, we think the twist we offer – “It’s like Yelp, but for Alcohol” – gives us a unique selling proposition. It doesn’t hurt that there’s no shortage of people who are willing to share their views on their favorite wine, beer, or spirit. And that there are brands large and small that need to get their stuff out in front of new markets.

[SHAMELESS PLUG #1: Go see us over on the site, spin through, even sign up for the emails. We think you’ll like it all.]

2. Content Monetization

If I hear “Content Marketing” one more time, I will scream. It’s the new “Thought Leadership,” and that was old ten years ago.

So Area 224’s approach is Content Marketing Monetization.

We’ve been there with “Content Marketing” – talk about things, get businesses to notice you, sell them your services. It’s a new wrapper on an old thing, and it’s one of those buzzwords you can say when you want to sound important in a meeting. Just don’t do it around me, because I’ll throw up on my shoes.

And how will Area 224 practice Content Monetization?

Thanks for asking. I’ll give you a hint: 10KaYear.

We told you here awhile back that we wrote a book. It’s still doing okay over on Amazon, but it got us thinking that there’s more to it than just writing a book. A content marketing plan has been replaced by a Content Monetization Plan. So yeah, we want you to visit the site as we try to make it a little Dave Ramsey, a little Suze Orman – and a lot REAL WORLD.

Don’t get me wrong – we’re fans of both of them and we find a lot of truth in what they talk about. But we’ve also witnessed many MANY more real-world examples of what is really going on.

Darnell's Credit Score
Someone shared their credit score with us.

Yes, we’re talking warts and all – living paycheck to paycheck, avoiding bankruptcy, scrimping, saving, looking for side gigs to make ends meet. Dave and Suze are both smart – but how realistic are they? That’s what we plan on talking about on the site – and the Content Monetization Plan involves more ebooks, toolkits, workbooks, and links to trusted partners that can provide affordable solutions to pesky financial challenges.

[SHAMELESS PLUG #2: Visit 10KaYear.com and look at what’s there. And sign up for the emails so you can see what’s coming next.]

3. Quality and Transparency

Here’s what bothers us about the modern marketing world: there’s too much content, a lot of it is crap, and there’s very little transparency.

Some of this is unavoidable; everyone has an unlimited supply of virtual ink, content can be whipped up for pennies offshore, and native advertising and content marketing have both blurred the lines between journalism and blather.

Plus, blather sells.

So we’re not going to do a shameless plug here, instead, a promise:

We’re only going to share quality stuff here on Area 224, on Metasip, and on 10KaYear. And we’re going to be as transparent as we possibly can.

The quality thing? We haven’t blogged here since last September, partly because we didn’t have anything that we thought was worth saying.

Transparency: well, we’ve been really up front on this post as to what we’re doing. On the front of the site, you can sign up to get a sneak peek of one of our upcoming books. We’re NOT planning on running affiliate links on the front of Area 224 right now. BUT WE ARE planning on borrowing from the playbook of the Smart Passive Income guy. Here’s what we mean.

Follow our process on 10KaYear.com. While we may not share all of the revenue nuts and bolts, we do plan on showing you as much of the behind-the-curtains stuff as we can.

Hey, thanks for listening. We know it’s a longer post than what we’re used to sharing. And we know your time is valuable.

And, in the comments, feel free to answer the question…

What Are You Working On?

Written by Dave · Categorized: Consultancy, Content Monetization, Transparency · Tagged: content monetization, working on

Sep 19 2013

Tired of Giving? Give More!

I read a book that changed my outlook on life. And on business.

First Church Tittle Chapel
Photo of First Church, Evanston, IL Tittle Chapel. Feel free to use it; CC License to share freely.

On a recent trip to the Library, I picked up a book that quickly took over my weekend.

First, a little about me, so you can put this all into perspective. I’ve been described as an “interesting” reader. I’m not sure if that’s a compliment, actually…In all seriousness, I move back and forth from topic to topic, and I have been known to devour magazines. (Time Magazine arrives weekly, but it doesn’t speak to me like the Economist or New Yorker used to when I was in my 20s, or like Bloomberg Businessweek did in my “late 30s,” which have seemed to continue for a few years.)

I rarely read fiction. Rarely. So if you’ve sent me your fiction download, apologies for not getting to it yet.

My book reading habits are much different – I try to be a polymath, so who knows what I’ll find interesting at the library.

[NOTE: I am on still on a break from traditional marketing and social media books.]

What’s funny is that I had only casually heard of the book that changed my outlook: “The Go-Giver.” No one had personally recommended it to me, and I had yet to actually meet someone who said “this book will change your life.” But it will…if you let it.

Mumbo Jumbo. The Secret. Yada Yada.

Don’t worry, I’m not here to sell you something. I’m not here to tell you about the trick to making a fortune, and I’m not here to ask you to listen to a webinar so I can get you to buy a $97 program that will help you maximize your social media marketing.

In fact, I haven’t read “The Secret” and I don’t plan on reading “The Secret” and I don’t buy in to that self-help mumbo jumbo.

I run a business. I can’t waste time chasing my tail, and I don’t “get it” when someone says there’s a system, a key to success, a magic formula. Because there isn’t, and the work is hard, and just around the corner is the discovery that could change your fortune, your path, your journey…

Wait…What the heck am I talking about?

Tired of Giving? Give More!

I used to keep score. And that’s probably the biggest takeaway from this book – “Go-Givers Don’t Keep Score.”

I was downright mad at the karma bank. It seemed like I was sharing my knowledge over way too many meetings, pitching my business to way too many companies that couldn’t afford to work with me, putting out blog posts almost religiously over a two-year period…only to find my business bank account sorely lacking in funds.

“The Karma Bank Owes Me!”

I used to say that all the time. But I don’t say it anymore. Because it doesn’t.

Please Read the Book!

Part of the joy in the book is that it’s told as a fable. But it’s a relatable one – you can actually feel what “Joe” is going through, you can sense his desperation at the beginning, and feel his grasp of the concepts at the end.

No spoilers here – you have to read this to fully grasp it, but the general concept I’m focusing on is the art of giving.

It doesn’t mean that rolling down your window and handing a five to the homeless guy will automagically give you a bag of money. It doesn’t mean that you should then go buy a lottery ticket because your luck will turn around eventually.

But my takeaway was this: I have not given enough.

Time. Talents. Energy. Knowledge. Skills. Creativity. I’ve got these things…YOU HAVE THESE THINGS.

Share them with the world.

Tired of Giving? Give More!

 

Written by Dave · Categorized: blogging · Tagged: go-giver, the go-giver

Aug 01 2013

How to Find an Extra $10,000

So we wrote another book!

How to Find an Extra 10000First, a little background for y’all. Earlier this year, we whipped up a site called “10KaYear,” with the goal of sharing money-saving and money-earning tips, big and small, that can help put an extra $10,000 in your pockets each year.

Well, thanks to gremlins, hackers, and whatnot, the site disappeared. But the content didn’t. So we decided to “bookify” it. (That’s a word.)

How to Find an Extra $10,000: A Stealth Guide to More Money, Better Health, and Living the Lifestyle You’ve Imagined

Okay, the title is a mouthful – but that’s what happens in this Google, Amazon, Keyword-friendly world we live in. And yes, we did just link to the book on Amazon.

We took our posts from10KaYear, refreshed some of the content, and broke it down into four categories:

  • Basics
  • Personal Finance
  • Saving & Investing
  • Unconventional Methods

It’s written in the snappy style you’ve come to expect from these “pages” on the Area 224 site, and it’s not just a little old e-book whipped up overnight – word count is in the five figures! Your investment is $7.00 (different price in places like the UK, Germany, and Brazil). I think it’s actually less in Canada.

We think you’ll enjoy it – and, if you’re an Amazon Prime member, you can borrow the book for free. Cool, eh?

Written by Dave · Categorized: Books · Tagged: $10, 000, 10KaYear, ten grand

Jun 30 2013

Social Media Institute Names Top 25 Most Powerful Marketers

Another list? Yes: this list of the Top 25 Most Powerful Marketers is hot off the presses.

This is an experiment. We’re coming up with an entirely subjective list, and we’re doing so just for the linkbait. Let’s see if anyone takes this seriously.

We’re midway through 2013, and it’s time to see who are the most powerful marketers, according to the Social Media Institute*.

This list was created using a proprietary formula, taking into account Twitter and Facebook presence, as well as a “Concentric Circle Measurement” that factors in things like positivity and reach.

Here’s the July 1 ranking, created by the Social Media Institute.

Top 25 Social Media Marketers.

25. Jason Falls

Jason Falls is currently the VP of Digital Strategy at CafePress, and he blogs at Social Media Explorer.

24. Michael Stelzner

Michael is the guy behind Social Media Examiner.

23. Scott Stratten

Have you heard UnMarketing speak? Read his books? Certainly you’ve seen him on Twitter!

22. Shelly Kramer

Shelly runs a shop called V3 in Kansas City.

21. Sam Fiorella

He has a book called Influence Marketing, with the guy listed below…

20. Danny Brown

Danny is part of ArCompany, and blogs at Danny Brown.

19. Olivier Blanchard

Olivier is considered one of the sharpest marketers out there, and his site is called The Brand Builder.

18. David Armano

Works at Edelman as EVP of Digital.

17. DJ Waldow

Wrote a book with Jason Falls (#25, above) AND runs a firm called Waldow Social.

16. Amber Naslund

Amber is part of the team behind Sidera Works.

15. Christopher Penn

Christopher works at Shift, a PR firm. Don’t confuse them with the Shift platform.

14. Chris Brogan

Chris just appears to be everywhere. President of Human Business Works.

13. Gary Vaynerchuk

First he created Wine Library TV, then he launched a multimedia empire.

12. Sean McGinnis

Before starting at Sears, Sean was in charge of 312 Digital. They have a really powerful post on Link Building.

11. Marjorie Clayman

Marjorie works for the family business – Clayman Marketing Communications.

10. Jason Konopinski

Jason has a great blog and podcast.

9. Ken Mueller

Ken is part of the team at Inkling Media.

8. Mitch Joel

One of the most influential authorities on blog marketing, Mitch also has a new book out.

7. Seth Godin

Can’t say enough about Seth Godin.

6. Jay Thompson

Jay works at Zillow, and was formerly the Phoenix Real Estate Guy.

5. Dave Van de Walle

Dave Van de Walle
Dave Van de Walle, Marketing Coach

Dave is the author of a book on real estate social media, and is Managing Principal of Area 224.

4. Pete Cashmore

Created Mashable.

3. Ev Williams

Created Twitter.

2. Mark Zuckerberg

Created Facebook.

1. Jack Jones, America’s Social Media Consultant

A legend in his own mind.

So, what do you think…should you take lists like this seriously? Do you know they’re entirely written for linkbait? Are you in on the joke?

This is a subjective list – even though the list avoided first-person pronouns, it’s still one guy’s opinion. Clever, no?

By the way…

Dave from Area 224 is working on another launch – Metasip. Real wine, beer, and spirits reviews by real people.

*- Last we checked, there is no Social Media Institute.

Written by Dave · Categorized: smm, Social Media, Uncategorized · Tagged: Social Media, top 25 marketers

Mar 05 2013

Best Exit Ever?

Memo from Dave: If you’re focusing on the Groupon CEO’s exit letter, you’re missing the point.

It’s been shared so many times that we’re not going to do it here.

Chuck D
Public Enemy Frontman Chuck D

Andrew Mason was fired from his post as CEO at Groupon, and the Internet was soon ablaze with commentary about how Mason’s parting shot was the “best exit letter ever.” (Chicago Tribune, Phil Rosenthal, Sunday, March 3. Article still behind a paywall, so here’s a link to the front of the site.)

He admitted that he was fired.

He used the word “Love.”

He was forthright and not bitter.

You’re missing the point. And, to explain the photo of Chuck D, “don’t believe the hype.”

Allow me to pick on Tribune’s Rosenthal, since his paean to Mason was entitled “This is the way to exit the stage right.” Rosenthal interviews Chicago workforce staple John Challenger – he is the only workplace expert interviewed – and proceeds to say that Mason “nailed the landing.”

I’m left with the impression that this was a combination of Johnny Carson’s farewell show with Bette Midler, combined with Ronald Reagan’s last address to America, with a dash of one of those full-page ads that retiring sports figures take out in newspapers to thank all their fans.

Let’s talk about leadership

The “best exit ever” is not about knowing how to say you were fired – the best exit ever is knowing when to (borrowing from Mason’s letter, which, I guess, will be made into a Broadway Show) “get out of the way.”

We’ve been critical on these pages of Groupon – and, dare we say we told you so…check out this article.

A true leader – which, for all of Mason’s successes as a business builder, I’ll go out on a limb and say watching  your company IPO and then have 75% of its shareholder value disintegrate does not a leader make – doesn’t worry about how graceful his or her exit looks.

A true leader gets the right people in place and gets the heck out of the way.

“Nailed the landing.” And missed everything else.

The peanut gallery should focus not on what was said and when it was said – it should focus on the rest of the business, and fixing the business model. Or, we too, should get out of the way.

 

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Written by Dave · Categorized: CEOs · Tagged: best exit ever, Groupon, mason

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