If you’re familiar with MBTI styles, I’m an ENFP. What that means for this post is that I typically read more than one book at a time, something that seems impossible and even ludicrous for someone who is a J, like my husband. That being said, here’s a list of what I’m currently reading:

• Courageous Church Leadership by John P. Chandler
• Setting the Table by Danny Meyer (thanks Celia at Meriwether Godsey)
• The Millennium Matrix by M. Rex Miller
• Optimizing the Power of Action Learning by Michael J. Marquardt (thanks Harry Kerr)
• Can’t quite get through Millionaire Mommy by Kim Lavine

What’s next on my list:

• Sweet Caroline by Rachel Hauck
• Strengths Finder 2.0 by Tom Rath (thanks Sara Schneider) (Loved Now Discover Your Strengths)
• Succeed on Your Own Terms by Greenberg and Sweeney (thanks Harry)
• How to Hire & Develop Your Next Top Performer by Greenberg, Weinstein and Sweeney (thanks Harry)
• Enemy Access Denied by John Bevere (Christmas gift from @peter_smitty)
• Your Money Counts by Howard Dayton (thanks Jonathan Whitt)

I keep coming back to read excerpts from:

• Vital Friends by Tom Rath
• The Unquenchable Worshipper by Matt Redman
• Life Wisdom from Billy Graham by Billy Graham (Hallmark gift book with no easily found link for purchasing)

I’ll be busy for the next few days, reading at the pool and while camping. Here’s my MBTI prayer, “Dear God, please help me keep my mind on one…Look a butterfly…thing at a time! Before I go, let me ask this:

What are you currently reading? What books do you keep coming back to and why? Which have been life changing for you? Leave your comments here.

Social networking is all about meeting new people and connecting with folks in a variety of platforms, right? So when is it OK to say no? When is it appropriate, or even prudent, to block a Twitter follower? As a reformed dysfunctional pleaser, I often worry about blocking someone or denying a friend request. Thankfully, those days are gone!

Guilt Free Twitter Blocking
Spammers. First email spam, now Twitter spam. These resourceful yet annoying people follow hundreds, thousands and even hundreds of thousands of people with the hopes of driving traffic to their websites. Think about it - if you’re checking out new followers, you typically click on their website links, right? Before automatically clicking on websites, read the bios and check out the tweets. If it looks like spam and smells like spam, it probably is. If any part of you thinks it’s spam, don’t even bother with the website. Block them. If you’re not sure, check it out and if you discover it’s spam, block them! Don’t retweet their @names nor pass along their URLs. The more times they’re blocked, the more likely their accounts will be closed…eventually.

Leisure Suit Larry. You know the guy. The first thing he does is come to your pool party and pee in your pool. He talks only about himself and never contributes anything of value to the conversation. He pushes only his stuff (blog posts, websites, product) and that’s that. Block away my friend. No remorse.

Party Babe. I’ve recently been intentional about blocking sex pistols and party girls. While those tweets may have entertainment value for some - not so much for me. I’m just sayin’. If the avatar looks like an audition headshot (or more) for Playboy, I’m pretty much going to block her. No worries.

The Perp. I was once followed by a guy whose entire following was made up of young, beautiful women/girls. Don’t get me wrong; I was flattered to be in the company of so many young beauties. Somehow, however, images of him reading my tweets in some dark room filled with cigarette smoke and the smell of days-old alcohol was enough for me to block him right away.

Sailor Mouth. My impressionable children sometimes watch me Twitter. I chose not to expose them to unnecessary profanity. Additionally, I do social networking presentations for groups (some of which are faith based) and don’t want to offend any of my own audience participants. I’m not so worried about an occasional word here or there. I’m talking consistent and crude. Reminds me of something I once heard, “people who curse do so because they have a limited vocabulary.”

Other Social Networking Invitations
I’m not sure my friending strategy is as well thought on LinkedIn, Plaxo, or Facebook. For the most part, those are more static platforms. The value they provide is different as is my level of engagement with each.

For another perspective, read Louis Gray’s recent post - As I Get Older, Some “Friending” Gets Creepier.

So now I’m curious.
Have you thought intentionally about who you allow to follow you on Twitter or friend you on other platforms? What’s your conclusion? Have you ever posted your policy? If so, share the link here. Keep the conversation going.

I just sat in on the first Twebinar thanks to Chris Brogan, Marcel LeBrun and many others at Cross Tech Media and Radian 6. What a GREAT first-time experience combining a webinar with the power of twitter to broaden the conversation. In case you missed it, here’s a summary of what stood out most for me.

• People are using social networks to find pockets of opportunities.
• Social networks/social media are changing search engine results, often highlighting obscure or sometimes less than ideal information above the fold. Companies must pay attention.
• Customers are having the conversations online about your company, your product, your industry, etc.
• Mom bloggers have power and LOTS of influence on the buying decisions, not just for their households.
• Businesses are seeing negative comments go down because they are listening.
• Companies doing social media/social networks well are doing so because they aren’t taking themselves so seriously. Loosen up corporate America.
• Loosening up melts resistance.
• Associations (non-profits, chambers and ministries/churches) have great opportunities to build community via social networks.
• Every business/organization needs to reach out to younger generations to continue in the future. Social media/social networks provides that platform.
• Use social networks/community to let your customers help you build your next product/service. They’re already your fans.
• Use social media/social networks to give people what they need to tell your story!
• Companies/organizations interested in controlling the convesation are not well suited for social networks.
• Pushing your marketing message is not well suited for social networks. It is far better to enable conversations (and let others lead the conversation/tell your story).
• We now live in three worlds: the physical, digital and virtual. (I would add spiritual to the list, but that’s a whole other post.)
• People have three lives: professional, personal and private (the part not on social networks).

There was so much information. Now I must digest it all. It’ll be interesting how the conversations that began in today’s session will continue on Twitter in both formal and informal ways, as well as in other conversations about marketing, business and life.

I apologize for not including names/companies/links for speakers. The twebinar went so quickly, I only had time to take notes. See the sidebar of Twebinar page for more information about speakers. Can’t wait ’til the next one! Good job guys.

What about you? Were you one of the 500 to get in the first one? What was your takeaway? What am I missing from the list?

As noted in yesterday’s post, for the last few months I’ve been telling people about Twitter. This morning an idea for a post started brewing in my mind and now the pot is finally ready. Here is a short list of tweople I recommend anyone using Twitter should follow, and why. (This could be part 1 of several, but for now, let’s enjoy the first sip while the coffee’s still hot!)

These are all people who have consistently enriched my life by their tweets and/or their blog posts. For new Twitter users, login to Twitter, then click on the links below and click “follow” to begin receiving their updates.

In No Particular Order

• @ChrisBrogan I consider Chris to be the master of social networks. Or maybe he just gets people and that shows up in everything he writes (and believe me, he’s prolific).
• @zappos Tony is the CEO of zappos.com and a genuis at building culture, both internally and externally. He’s using Twitter expertly! Hey, you could also win stuff.
• @michaelhyatt President & CEO of Thomas Nelson uses Twitter for business, to be sure, but what I like best is how he tweets about real life. Mike is approachable and he loves his wife and family.
• @craignewmark Founder of Craigslist.org, Craig is king of brief. His blog posts reveal his passions and often include only photos.
• @jnswanson Jon journals thoughtfully, takes great photos and sometimes reveals both on his blog - Levite Chronicles. Jon loves God, family and coffee.
• @ev Evan is the Cofounder of Twitter. I like to keep up with people who are smart in ways I can’t even begin to understand.
• @biz The other Cofounder of Twitter. It’s so cool to see what people can think up and then put into action.
• @dacort Brilliant programmer, Internet security expert and fun person to follow. I like to pretend I can speak his IT/security language.
• @sacca - A tech investor and someone with a witty sense of humor.
• @danportnoy - Brilliant. Funny. Just maybe a beautiful mind. The person who got me into this whole blogging thing to begin with. Working with The Sold Project - you MUST check it out too.
• @ronedmondson - Straight up guy who loves God and has a heart for people. The real deal.
• @getitdoneguy - Man, Stever is one of the smartest people I’ve seen. You’ll be smarter just by following him and gleaning from his insights.
• @alanataylor - On the cutting edge of technology. Writes for Mashable. Truly a digital native and a nice person to boot.
• @garyvee - Wine guy, passion personified. Uses social media to build his brand and has an amazing following. Gary has insane energy.
• @newmediajim - A real life camera news guy. Now when you see the stories, you begin to think of the people who actually film/make the news happen.
• @starbucker Because everybody needs a little music trivia every now and then. With Terry, the glass is always half full.
• @chriscree Chris is a heck of a nice guy who embraces the fact that we live in a collaborative society. Talk to Chris and you feel like you’ve known him all your life.
• @arickmann Because he’s a smart alec and hey, sometimes you just need a laugh. He’s also one of those people who speaks a language other than my own (web design).
• @frankmartin Knows marketing research, he recommends great reads and he is passionate about social media/social networking.
• @richmillington Incredibly smart! Never read a single blog post of his that didn’t make me stop and think.
• @beckymccray Becky understands small business in rural America and she understands blogging and community. And besides, how often do you hear grown women talk about kegs?

Who enriches your life with their tweets or posts, and how so? Add their names in the comments section below so they can enrich the lives of others as well!

In recent months, I’ve talked with dozens of real-life friends and business acquaintances about Twitter: what it is, why and how I use it and why they should as well. Twitter updates can be found on my Facebook page, my Plaxo Pulsestream and on my blog. I’ve spoken about Twitter in presentations and conversations.

Here’s My Take
I’m not the expert. In fact, I’m still learning. And maybe that’s precisely the reason I felt compelled to write this post. I’m an average person seeking to understand this whole new twitterverse and what the implications are for my business, my family and friends, my community/country/world and my faith. So far, I’ve discovered at least six ways you can use Twitter today:

1. Level the Playing Field. You can use Twitter to follow decision makers of online shoe stores, major publishers, wine retailers, technology companies and business owners. You can follow famous authors/speakers, sales gurus, coaches, politicians, entertainers and some of the brightest marketing minds anywhere. No gatekeepers. No barriers.
2. Find New Ideas. Some of the smartest, most creative and innovative leaders in the world are on Twitter. You can ask questions and get a variety of responses from people based on their areas of interest/expertise. You also have access to thoughts and conversations that are different from your own or those of your peers/colleagues. You can even use Twitter for online brainstorming.
3. Catch Breaking News. By following @breakingnewson and @cnnbrk and others, you can learn about earthquakes across the country/world, tornadoes in your backyard, primaries and concessions (or not) and more. And you can get this news FAST - typically before it’s available through traditional media outlets.
4. Research and Identify Trends. When you read updates from more than a handful of people about a particular product or subject, you see emerging trends. You can also use Twitter to determine if trends are isolated to people within a certain geographic region, demographic, psychographic or market segment.
5. Generate Visibility. Use Twitter to gain additional visibility for your business (or personal brand) and generate traffic for your website. This has happened for me when “tweople” with small, moderate and large followings have tweeted about @CherylSmith999.
6. Enjoy the Water Cooler. While working from home has many great advantages, solopreneurs can sometimes feel isolated or disconnected. Twitter is like an online water cooler or break room, providing you with a venue for conversations about daily happenings.

What Others Are Saying
Social media expert Chris Brogan has written five posts specifically related to Twitter and dozens more that touch on the subject. Read Chris’ Newbies Guide to Twitter or How he uses Twitter. Check out Rafe Needleman’s comprehensive newbie’s guide to Twitter. From the C-Suite, Thomas Nelson’s President & CEO, Michael Hyatt, has a great 12 Reasons to Start Twittering post. People all across the blogosphere, the twitterverse and even main stream media are talking about Twitter. Just maybe Twitter is more than a novelty or geekfest.

Not yet using Twitter? Try it out. It will probably feel awkward at first but chances are, in no time, you’ll get the hang of it. Who knows, you may even come to rely on it.

Already a believer? How do you use Twitter? When people ask you for info about Twitter, where do you point them? Leave your comments here and broaden the conversation.

Photo credit: Leo Reynolds - Creative Commons: Attribution, Non-commercial, Share alike.

For the last few years, on the evening of the BB&T Virginia 10-Miler, Schmitty and I have attended a beer tasting party/cookout hosted by some friends of mine. The second year, Schmitty (an Introvert) asked me for some tips on how to start a conversation with someone he’s never met before. I encouraged him to have fun and then gave him some questions to ask, similar to the ones below. (I’m also including “10 Conversation Starters for Business Events” and “2 Questions to Avoid and Why.”)

7 Easy to Ask Questions for Social Events

1. How do you like the band/beer/play (fill in the blank) so far?
2. How do you know the hosts? (This tells me about connections and helps me find possible similarities.)
3. What do you do when you’re not at cookouts? (work/family/hobbies)
4. What do you do for a living? or Do you work outside the home?
5. What do you do for fun?
6. How did you end up in Lynchburg?
7. How did you two meet (if you’re talking to a couple)?

10 Conversation Starters for Business Events

1. What does your company do?
2. What’s the best part of working there?
3. What’s the biggest challenge your industry is facing right now? Or What is the most difficult aspect of your job? (I’m uncovering how I can help or whether or not I know someone who can.)
4. What do you do for your company? (What is this person’s area of expertise? If I know others with the same job experience, I may be able to connect them. Or - this person does what Jamal does. Now I get it. Or, Lester’s looking to hire someone with this experience. Might she be interested in making a change?)
5. What do you love about your job? (This could uncover personal motivation and possibly, company culture.)
6. What’s been the best thing that’s happened at work in the last year? (Again, personal motivation among other things)
7. What does it take for someone to be successful at what you do?
8. What tools do you need/use to do your job? (Is there a way I can learn from their efficiencies or point to a better solution? Who do I know that can offer those products/services to this person?)
9. What does your ideal client/customer look like? (Do I know someone or several someones this person just described? Can I help facilitate a connection?)
10. Who do you need to meet/what do you need to help you take your business to the next level?

2 Questions to Avoid and Why

1. Do you have any children? (if Kai is struggling with infertility or has recently lost a child, this is a very difficult question for her. Most parents naturally divulge the children information at some point in a conversation.)
2. Are you married? Unless you want to ask this person out, steer clear of this one. If Bence is going through a divorce, he may not be ready to go into an explanation. You may not be ready to get an ear full.

Here’s the Thing

Schmitty didn’t meet every person at the cookout. That’s not his style and he’s comfortable with that. He did, however, make the effort to meet a few new people, while still maintaining some quiet space of his own at times, sitting in his camp chair or playing with the kids, or people watching. At the end of the night, Schmitty said he really had a good time. You can too!

What questions do you use when meeting new people?
What questions do you avoid and why?
How has your business benefitted from your use of good questions and what were/are they?

Note: This post is the second of a two parts on “Networking (in person) for Introverts.” To read the first part, click here.

Whoever coined the phrase “one size fits all” was a marketing genius. He or she was inaccurate, but since when does marketing have to be accurate?

God simply did not create us all the same. Yet for some reason, we still try to be like everyone else. This point was brought home to me recently while I was attending a ladies retreat.

During a particularly intense time of prayer on Friday evening, Joy Greene, the speaker, said she could just see Jesus as the King of Kings, sitting on the throne. She encouraged us to focus on that aspect of God. I was in the moment, praying, but all I could see were the shadows you see when you close your eyes tightly. No matter how hard I tried, I saw nothing.

The next morning during the praise and worship time, capably led by Treva Tankard and Tara Garrett, a picture popped into my mind from out of nowhere. It had nothing to do with the music or what anyone was saying, or so I thought. I saw the Pillsbury Doughboy and even heard his famous laugh. The picture was so vivid that I wrote it down in my journal, mostly so I could stop being distracted and focus on the rest of the day.

At one point during the afternoon session, Joy said, “We must have fresh bread.” She challenged us, saying God is taking us away from the manna and into the Promised Land. And then it hit me. Jesus said in John 6:48, “I am the bread of life.”

I was blown away. Here I was, all disappointed because I didn’t see Jesus as the King of Kings. Then I’m a weirdo because I see the Pillsbury Doughboy. The truth is, God revealed Himself to me in a way that was unique to me, to this part of my journey and based on the words I need to hear.

As I look at marketing my business, speaking and writing, I don’t fit neatly into anyone else’s mold. If I try to be like someone else, I’ll be frustrated and unsuccessful. I’m not a social media expert like Chris Brogan. I’m not a minister like Jon Swanson. I’m simply a Christian, following a call to use the gifts and talents God has given me to make a difference in the lives of others.

When have you tried to be like others and failed? What are your gifts? How are you using those gifts to make a difference in the lives of others?

I used to know a poem by Ann Kiemel, “Uniqueness.” Only the beginning and ending are still in my memory. “God wishes for you adventure in your uniqueness…never losing sight of the fun of you or who He created you to be.” May it be so for all of us.