The great thing about Chris is that he asks questions.  He is one of the leaders, exploring his way across the universe of the interweb, and finding ways to make the web work.  He listens to his community, and finds ways to put their ideas into action.  He is a playful spirit, always looking for the bright side, and bringing out the best in everyone around him.  He writes in an informal first person style, and is very consistent.  If you are not reading Chris Brogans blog, Miss Apps suggests you might find a friend or two over there, especially if you are a student of New Media and social Networking.

Kelley Bell and Lewis Howes at the OGS tweet-up

Kelley Bell, Chris Brogan and Cara Keithley

Tonight Miss Apps had the pleasure of zooming beyond the walls of the digital world to actually meet some cyber-friends in real life. We gathered at the Ohio Growth Summit in Columbus, for a Tweet-Up reception.

Those in attendance included the nets very own favorite son; Mr. Chris Brogan, the charming Linked-In guru Lewis Howes, our speaker for the evening Mike Figliuolo of Thought Leaders LLC, and our event facilitator; SBA regional director Michael Bowers.

Miss Apps must also mention the company of the charming @merrycricket (a Columbus Podcamp enthusiast), and one of her favorite Facebook friends Cara Keithley.

The internet is a wonderful thing, but in the end, it’s really just a tool to bring people together, and thats whats its all about, don’t you think?

Some folks will just go after readers willy nilly, trying to attract anyone who will post a comment.  This is not good either.  You may get a reader to stop by and read a post or two, but if your content does not include a subject the reader is passionate about, there is not point working hard to attract their attention.

Another mistake bloggers make when trying to attract readers is that they engage in flaming to attract attention.  This is bad.  It attracts the wrong kind of attention and ruins your reputation.  (that’s right, I said YOUR reputation, not just your blogs.)  remember: the Internet is forever.  What you write will follow you the rest of your life.  So be careful, and put some thought into your posts.

The best way to find readers and build community is to know your niche, then find other blogs and forums in similar or related niches.  If your blog is about knitting, look for knitters and sewers, and wool makers, and fabric dyers, and crafters, and simple living sites.  Make a list of every possible related topic.  Google those key words.  Find the leading blogs on those subjects with the largest community of commenter’s, and get involved.  Leave regular comments on those sites.  Not bland spammy comments, but comments with ideas relevant to what is being discussed.  Bring something worthwhile to the conversation.  Let people get to know you.  Be helpful.  Be concise.  Be humorous.  and always be kind.

Find forums and user groups in your niche.  Repeat the advice above.

And the final most important rule to all the above:  Make sure every time you post, every time you make a comment, and every time you write an article for an outside forum or blog you INCLUDE YOUR NAME AND A HOT LINK TO YOUR SITE IN YOUR SIGNATURE.  (And don’t write in all caps.  It looks like you are screaming, which is RUDE.)

The bloggers out there who find you, the ones you build a relationship with, they are the ones you want to e-mail on the side.  Ask if they would like to guest post on your blog.  Offer to guest post in return.  Share links with each other.  You link to their site and they link to yours.  Bloggers with good etiquette will do this automattically, but some don’t think to do this because they don’t know they should.  But they most definitely should.

Linked In is a popular and growing on line business networking tool.  Some people call it “your on-line resume” but it is much more than that.

Linked In allows registered users to build a list of contacts they know and trust.  Users can invite anyone to “connect” with them on Linked In.

Connections are used for business networking in a variety of ways:

• Direct contacts allow a user to find second and third degree connections and expand their network through introductions.
• Linked In users often use their networks to find jobs and business opportunities.
• Employers list jobs and search for potential candidates on Linked In.
• Job seekers can review the profile of hiring managers and discover which of their existing contacts can introduce them.

Guy Kawasaki’s blog  How To Change the World has an article that states “People with more than twenty connections are thirty-four times more likely to be approached with a job opportunity than people with less than five, [and] that all 500 of the Fortune 500 are represented in LinkedIn.”

Linked In uses a “gated-access approach”.  Connections are only allowed through preexisting relationships, or through introductions from a connection.

Some users claim Linked In does not work, but there is much evidence to the contrary.  The key it seems, lies in the understanding that Linked In is a tool for networking, but does not replace networking.  People who use linked In as a way to build real world relationships find the site incredibly helpful.  Those who simply slap up their resume and expect the world to come knocking are sorely disappointed with their results.

For some real world stories on Linked In Success, read the book LinkedWorking by Frank Agin and Lewis Howes, with a forward by Chris Brogan.  At last nights event this little self published book was flying off the shelves.  Over 400 people attended the mixer and Miss Apps watchful eyes noticed an impressive number of them leaving with their own autographed copies.  The book profiles ten success stories of people who used Linked In.  Each one of these tales shows us that the Linked In users were also out there pressing the flesh in the real world, but also using Linked In as a way to network smarter and more effectively.

Linked In does work, if you are willing to work Linked In.

That is the key to the art of writing: EDIT, EDIT, EDIT.

One of my favorite scenes from the Robert Redford film A River Runs Through It starring Craig Sheffer, Brad Pitt, and Tom Skerritt, involves the boy learning the art of writing from his father.  The child comes into his fathers office with his essay, standing at attention while his dad attacks the paper with bold strokes of his red pen.

“Again, and half as long.” The commanding Minister says as he hands the mangled mess back to the boy.  This process repeats several times throughout the day, while the child pines for freedom, sunshine and fishing.

Eventually, with barely enough daylight to spare, his father is pleased, and the boy bounces out of the house with pole and pale in hand, free at last to roam the banks of the river he loves.

EDIT, EDIT, EDIT, then reap the wondrous rewards.

For a good read, check out A River Runs Through It by Norman Maclean

Make Money On-Line

If you are looking for ways to make money these days, your best bet might be to set up a little website and sell products on-line.  According to the latest article on All Things Digital, e-commerce “could emerge as a winner” in this period of economic recession:

A new report by Forrester Research (FORR), e-commerce sales (beyond travel) are likely to grow 11 percent to $156 billion in 2009. That marks a slowdown from 13 percent growth last year and 18 percent in 2007. The major factor contributing to the pace shift is, of course, declining consumer confidence.

But e-commerce’s slowed pace is still far better than the National Retail Federation’s forecast .5 percent drop in overall retail sales this year.

That means e-commerce is stealing market share from traditional retail–and fast. By Forrester’s estimates, in 2008 e-commerce accounted for five percent of all retail sales (excluding cars, travel and prescription drugs). In 2012, Forrester thinks e-commerce could have an eight percent share.

He has built an entire web business around the concept.  He developed a business marketing plan using Twitter as a tool to communicate with customers, built a monetized website for the niche, and contracts his services as a consultant to help businesses implement this hot technology trend effectively.

If you still don’t have a grip on the Twitter phenomenon,there is a very long and detailed business analysis of Twitter and Facebook on the PBS website Mediashift, which basically confirms how hot both of these platforms are, while also cautioning that their reign at the top of the social media heap will be fleeting, as people tend to herd from one platform to another as the next big thing appears.

But for now, Rodney Rumford is riding high on this hog by embracing it’s use, and sharing his knowlege with others.  On his site he lists 17 reasons your business should be on Twitter:

In today’s world… “Conversation is the new currency that fosters business & relationships. Twitter is the Stock Exchange of conversations where interactions get traded.”

17 Reasons Your Business Should Be on Twitter:

People are talking about your product, brand, company or service (you better be listening)

Lack of participation by your business could have negative consequences (ask Exxon or Motrin)

People want to interact with your business (seize this opportunity and the positive options that surround it)

Twitter drives website traffic & awareness

Twitter has the ability to allow your content to spread virally

You can make new connections

Twitter can be used as a channel to access people you that you might not otherwise have access to (networking)

Twitter allows for product feedback

Twitter allows you to touch and interact with customers in a personal way that they value

Brand evangelists on Twitter can be rewarded and encouraged in a variety of ways

Twitter allows you to gather insights and news from the people you follow

You can extend your brand in a new and meaningful way

Your competitors are already there (or will be soon)

You can create a network of influence to help your business in a variety of ways (sales, marketing, support, marcom)

Search Engine Visibility

Twitter allows you to have 1 to 1 conversations in a public way that can extend the reach of your business

Twitter allows you to turn brand detractors into evangelists