Susan Hurrell

As one of my many tasks at neovation is to co-teach online courses for the LERN organization in their UGotClass.com interface on e-marketing essentials.  In one of my virtual classrooms, I have just introduced the learners to the concept of the “Filter Bubble” as identified and described by Eli Pariser in his brilliant TED.com Talk.  As always, there are some strong opinions about why Google is “allowed” to customize our results” and that we, the consumers, should have say in the degree of personalization that we experience.

It reminds me of how so many people “get mad” at Facebook or Twitter or any other free platform service that they are using when the user interface gets changed, or the privacy settings get changed (but rarely when the actual terms of service get changed because only the geeks & nerds read “those”).

The online world is a wonderful place, and with the exception of paying for a computer and an internet connection – the web experience is largely a completely no cost adventure in digital exploration.  We have become dependent upon sites like Facebook to connect to family & friends, to Twitter to get news and informational updates, to LinkedIn to do our business networking & sales prospecting, and to the Almighty and Gracious Google to find what we are searching for (unless you choose BING).

All of these are companies that provide us with a free service, to deliver our eyeballs to their advertisers.  This is not a new concept.  Magazines, newspapers & other broadcast media have been doing this for years.  Content is based on the advertising that is sold.  In the case of print media – we even PAY for the illusion of buying news, when we are being sold an abundance of advertising.  Without advertising dollars, media channels cease to exist.  It has never been about the content – that is incidental to the story – we want to thing that this is a cultural medium, but it really all exists to deliver advertising messages to potential customers.

So Facebook can change its interface, and may occasionally bow to the outrage and re-tweak a decision -but for the most part, it does what it wants to and people keep signing up.  Google can re-slice the search pie into highly personalized slices that deliver precisely targeted slivers of information to its users, and we don’t get to ask for cherry instead of apple pie, if we have a history of looking at apples instead of cherries – Google already knows what we like best, and delivers that most relevant content to us.  We don’t even question it.  We just pick up our forks and ask for another slice.

Free(dom)’s just another word for nothing left to choose (not lose) when it comes to the digital content we digest so easily and accept without question.

It was my privilege to be asked to speak to the Marketing class at Red River College at the end of February – this course is part of the Creative Communications Program and is taught by Melodie Richard.  My post on the Modern Earth blog tells the story of my visit that afternoon.  It was fun. They were great.

I recently got a quick mention in the Winnipeg Free Press “INSIDERS” column, written by my dear friend Maureen Scurfield.  She noted my presence at the recent FLMC awards event as part of the Modern Earth Tweet Team – and called me a Hired Tweeter.  I’ve been called worse.

In the vast amount of time since my last post here, I’ve done a LOT of public speaking on social media.  From sessions at the Canada/Manitoba Small Business Centre (a fabulous resource) to various conferences and trade shows – from large rooms to very small groups – talking about almost anything that has to do with promoting your business online.  I even did a short series at the Buhler Centre at the U of Wpg called Digital Dim Sum.

My day job has changed.  Same office, different masthead. New old boss, whole new direction.  You can read about what I’m doing at a brand new company called Neovation - still working for Dan Belhassen.  My job is still “getting the word out”, and wearing a few more hats than that simple job description would imply.  That part will never change, and for now, I’m good with that.

But back to getting paid to talk about using social media in a professional capacity.  I’ve got a few more events on my calendar for the year, and would love to have more <hint>.  I have always enjoyed speaking to people, teaching classes on various topics and seeing the lightbulb of understanding form over people’s heads.

And success in one area of my life is being mirrored by the energy of renewal in another equally important area of my world – talking about spirituality – a subject near & dear to my body/mind/spirit.  I recently spoke to the Spiritual Care Provider Students at the Health Sciences Centre, and will be speaking at the Spirit Seekers Conference on the Power of Ritual (and reading tarot cards) on March 17/18.  I am planning to teach some tarot classes again, and some workshops for my little Marriage Commissioner practice, for brides and grooms to learn how to write their own vows without tears.

I really do understand the challenges that a small business person faces when it comes to implementing social media to promote their business.  It does take time.  It does take strategy.  And it is often the first thing that gets put to one side when another priority comes us – because we can always do it later – from home – from my phone – from anywhere.   Why is it so much easier to provide advice and consultative services to others (for free or for fee) and so much harder to “Do It For Yourself” to paraphrase an old pop song (you knew there would be a music reference in there somewhere).

So here’s the thing.  I’m going to try to do better.  In addition to Neovation, I am still doing the marketing for Modern Earth.  I also do the marketing for Largo Organics, my other little side business.  Then there is “Modern Susan” – speaker, coach, trainer.  Ceremonies With Spirit, and my whole emergent rebirth talking about the “other side” of my life as “CrankyCrone” (soon to be on Facebook as such).   I have no shortage of opinions on a wide variety of topics.  So why don’t I just write them down already?

Answering that, my friends, will be the key that unlocks the door to glory and riches, as they said in the Knight’s Tale.  We’ll see how that works out.

Enjoy the day!

Hello, Sportsfans!

Ian Rountree and I have the deep privilege of having been asked to be the Tweet Team representing Modern Earth Web Design at the most amazing event – Tedx Manitoba.  We’ve got great seats in a booth at the back of the Park Theatre with our huge horkin laptops, a digital camera, and a great view of the room.

You can follow our tweets during the day at #tedxmb on Twitter – and watch the live stream video at www.tedxmanitoba.com

I’ll keep you updated periodically if I possibly can on the day as it unfolds – maybe a quick note at lunch and one towards the end of what promises to be a very long but very fulfilling and exciting day.

Today – I truly get to take my own advice – and …

Enjoy the day,

Susan

There is nothing so prickly as the righteous indignation of the armchair in-activist.  Those who philosophically hold the noble and high ideals for the Cause close to their heart, but who lack the drive or dedication or determination to actually get up and do something to benefit said philanthropic endeavor.  Those who take immediate offence should anyone besmirch the name of the Cause, and who waste no time or energy in using all the means at their disposal to broadcast their displeasure and lambaste the offending party with energy, verve, vigor and venom.

I’ve heard people rails against sweatshops, and how foreign manufacturers are taking local jobs, but they still shop at the Big Box Discount Store or the Brand Name Trendy Place that shows up on the Dirty Laundry hit list.  There are those of my acquaintance who complain about higher taxes to facilitate recycling in our community, but who eat at fast food restaurants off paper and plastic and have green bags full of Styrofoam take out containers on their curb each Tuesday.  I know some very intelligent people who are shocked and appalled by the number of teen prostitutes in the inner city, but who tune in to shows that show underage girls on the beauty pageant catwalk behaving completely inappropriately for their age.   We ALL do this in some way in our privileged developed world lifestyle.  Me too. Truth hurts.

This is why so many people found the Groupon ad offensive.  Because they show the average person the exact level of their involvement in some of the major charitable causes of our time – Whales, Tibet, Rainforests, Poverty.  We talk about it – passionately. We believe something needs to be done – absolutely.

But we would rather have cheap mass produced goods made in countries that have no labor laws to diminish profits regardless of the impact on the environment or the standard of living of their workers, than pay more for “Canadian made” or start a carpool to reduce emissions or go on a destination vacation, forgetting that the people living outside the guarded and gated walls of our resort area are living in dirt-scraping poverty.

We are all in some way living below our potential when it comes to doing the right thing.  It IS too hard – too challenging – too expensive – too time consuming – too much to be expected from good people who just want to live the life we’ve been promised in the culture we’ve created.  We all want a discount to the best things in life.  And just like there is no place called “away” – there is no such thing as a “free lunch”.

Groupon had the balls to show us our hypocrisy.  And then they had the good sense to give us the opportunity to do the right thing – from right where we are in front of our screens and they will match our donation.  They held up a mirror to our collective sense of self-indulgence and reminded us that there is always a cost behind every transaction.  The man serving you your food may be a political refugee.  The whales you watch from the deck of your ship may be the last of their kind.  The cosmetic product you use may be made from a non-renewable resource.

Groupon knows we’re not going to change. We’re going to consume our way into oblivion.  We will always want fries with that.  But at least they had the balls to present us with the option to do a little armchair activism while we get our 75% off coupon – we can click a link and donate some of the money we save to do some good in the world.  But of course, so many people are threatening to quit Groupon in protest of these ads that there may not be enough remaining faithful frugal souls to make a difference.

And Groupon might just get a few people angry or aware enough to get out of their armchairs and into their communities to do something more tangible – to contribute some sweat equity in their planet’s upkeep – to expand their consciousness to include the less fortunate as fellow citizens.  If that motivation occurs and creates change, even in a small group of people, the world will start to change.

Buyer beware indeed.  There is no discount on hypocrisy.

Let me share with you what I am learning:

A wise woman once told me – People don’t remember what you say as much as they remember how you made them feel.  The first step in making people feel good about their interaction with you takes place in the first part of every interaction they have with you.   While first impressions are “forever” you have opportunities to hit the reset button every time you interact with them.

Identify yourself on the phone.  I HATE it when I have to guess who is phoning me.  Don’t rely on call display or auditory memory to announce who you are when I answer the phone.  Give me your last name, if we don’t speak often, and you may even have to add your company name if we haven’t done business for a while.  Don’t make me guess, or fumble my way through the first few seconds and feel like a fool.  (and when you leave a phone message – say your name and number at least twice – once at the beginning and again at the end, so I have time to write it down – don’t make me hate you for wasting my time by replaying your message and trying to figure out what the string of numbers you rush through translates to as a phone number with area code!).

Identify yourself in person.  If we don’t know each other well, don’t count on me or anyone else remembering you AND your full name AND the company you work for AND your position.  I’d love to introduce you to the other people I’m talking to when you join our little conversational circle at a networking event – but not if I have to riffle through the mental rolodex while holding up my end of the conversation.  Help me help you connect to more people.  It doesn’t have to be an elevator pitch.  Maybe it is because of my perapatetic childhood, but I never assume people remember me.  ”Hi – Susan from Modern Earth” give you the opportunity to be GRACIOUS and say “Of course I remember you” and then I feel special.  Some people remember faces, not names. Help them out.  That in turn helps you.

Do Your Homework Part One.  Before you go to a netoworking event, check the website to become familiar with the names, and maybe even the faces of some of the principal people involved in the event, or the people you want to connect to.  You may want to check the Twitter stream or LinkedIn profile of people that you would like to connect to – to give you some conversation fodder for the “what do I say after I introduce myself” problem.

Do Your Homework Part Two.  A couple quick stories to make a point on the impact of greeting in two extreme situations.

At one point in my life, I was heavily involved in both activism and fundraising for a major health issue/charity.  A leading composer was also active in this area of philanthropy.  He visited my city to conduct our local symphony orchestra in the performance of his signature piece of music, and I was privileged to be invited to the reception, and to have the opportunity to meet him.  I’d been in the industry long enough to know that these “meet & greets” are most often perfunctory handshakes that can mean a great deal to the fan, and almost nothing to the Artist/Musician.  I had no expectations of anything beyond that kind of moment.

When it was my turn to meet him, he held out his hand, and he said, “Susan, it is a pleasure to meet you. Thank you for all the work you have done for <insert shared philanthropic endeavor>.  Without people like you doing <insert very specific details of my involvement>, we wouldn’t have made the difference we have so far.”  and then we had a brief but intense conversation about what needed to happen next, he thanked me again, hugged me, signed my cd, and moved on to the next person.  He obviously has a great staff, who prepared him well to  know who was in the room, why they were in the room, and how he could inspire people to stay passionate about the cause we were collectively working for.

Similarly, I have had the opportunity to work at several events where President Bill Clinton was the keynote speaker.  At the first event, as I approached the front door of the venue several hours in advance of the doors opening, so I could help with set up, I noticed a man in a black suit standing in the vestibule on the other side of the glass doors.  As I approached, he opened the door for me, greeted me by name, told me what room I was to report to, and then spoke to his wristwatch as I passed him to let the other Secret Service people know I was in the building.  I felt secure, and very intimidated at the same time.

Knowing who people are in the room helps you make better, more effective greetings.  Making sure you make people comfortable and extending your personal information so they don’t have to wonder who you are, or why you are talking to them.  Respond graciously when someone you know slightly / peripherally introduces themselves to let them know you remember them.

Work on direct but not overbearing eye contact, attentive listening and a good firm handshake plus questions that are open ended and get people talking about themselves (it isn’t all about you).  Make people feel good about your interaction, and they will remember you for creating a positive bubble of experience.  People like to work with people who make them feel good.  Make people want to work with you by greeting them with sincerity – congeniality – and professionalism.  Every. Single. Time.  (and always say hello, and especially goodbye/thank you to the receptionist. always.)

Next up in the series – Sit On Your Stoop

Enjoy the day,
Susan

As I explored in my more personal life post last January, there are two parts to this – 1) Look Up and 2) When Walking.  Once we learn how to do it (very early in life) walking becomes an automatic action – we don’t put any thought at all into the left foot – right foot thing unless we are marching in parade formation.  That’s a professional skill (keeping in synch with your team) that we all can improve on.

Do you know where you are going to?  Are you on a path or wandering aimlessly? Are you looking at the ground beneath your feet, focusing only on the next step, the task at hand, the imminent geography?  Would you be able to tell if you had a semi-truck headed straight for you? Or notice if you missed a fork in the road, or have started to angle your career into the ditch?  The best way to course-correct is ongoing small adjustments, rather than having to jump back from the edge of the precipice because you didn’t notice you were so perilously close to the edge of someone’s tolerance for your “one step forward, two steps back, three steps off the career track” shuffle.

It is possible to be far too focused on the “next moment” and lose sight of the near and distant future.  In that direction lies the box canyon – and not enough supplies to get back to the rest of the wagon train – and where the only way out is via dynamite (and that might not work out so well.)  We’ve all knows someone (or been the occasional someone) who paints themselves into a corner and can’t multi-task or overtime their way out of over-promising and under-delivering.  Similarly, not seeing what’s right in front of you can lead to stepping into the freshly laid cowpile of a situation that would have been so easily avoided if you’d just used your good old fashioned common sense(s). There will always be pooh on the path – and sometimes you can smell it before you see it or step in it.  Heads UP!

You can miss the signs – you can miss the opportunity to share the journey with others, you can lose sight of the forest for the trees, and the terrain for the potholes.  There’s no guarantee that the career path will be smooth,  but that’s no reason to turn back, or stop walking.  There is something to be said for “go with the flow, cause the flow knows where it is going” – see the dangers up ahead, and proactively plan to go around / over  / through them, rather than letting them sneak up on you and trip you up due to lack of vision about the bigger picture.

It’s all about balance – keeping an eye on the horizon, scanning the ditches for the sudden appearance of wildlife, seeing the signs, and judging the conditions of the cause-way.  Especially important to see and plan for detours early.  Watching out for the “other guy” on the road (both in a be careful and be helpful way).   Don’t assume there’s a disaster around the corner, but be prepared to pick up the pace or slow it down as needed.

Above all – looking up means being open to inspiration – to mentoring – to optimism – to see the vista ahead of you and learn from those who have gone before on this path.  Seek mentorship – and take it to heart – mentors who offer only encouragement and not chastisement are not worth their pay grade.  See the potential AND be aware of the limitations of those around you – you didn’t run a marathon the first day you learned to walk, and neither will they.  Lend a hand, tie a shoelace, try not to step on other people’s toes, and challenge someone to a quick sprint to see what you both are made of.  Our careers are a shared journey – with coworkers, customers, suppliers – so walk tall – walk proud – walk wisely and well.  Just walk forward, and if you stumble, just get up, look up and keep walking.

Got any good tales to tell about the professional walk you are on? Share them in the comments.

Next Up – Greet People (cause manners matter).

Enjoy the day!

I know, it’s been a long stressful day, the phones have been ringing, email pouring in, and you’re tired – hungry – and just want to get home, get into something more comfortable than the dress-for-success wear you’ve been sweating in all day.  Feet up, beverage in hand, dinner in the oven, family and feline/canine companions nearby for conversation and cuddling – with some good music, a good book, a shiny magazine, or some television to make everything come back into balance.

What do you mean there’s a After Business Mixer at the Art Gallery?  A TweetyMeet at the local pub?  An awards banquet for a local philanthropic organization that you do volunteer work for?  There’s always something.  Something more to make demands on your time.  Sometimes it’s even a networking lunch “in the middle of my work day” – who wants to go to that?

You do.

Trust me.  While we may isolate our selves in the Cold Call Cubicle Empire, or the solitude of a home office (Starbucks),  we may need to get out more.  We need to get out in front of new people more.  We need to remember that building a professional community doesn’t mean limiting our circle of connections to those we already know, and it doesn’t mean only connecting to people through the magic of the Internet.

It means face time.  It means awkward social moments.  It means introducing yourself and starting conversations.  It means managing the balances in your life to include some “getting out there” time – at social, semi-social, or purely professionally focused events.  It means putting yourself forward in the physical realm as a real person who can demonstrate that you are as brilliant, knowledgeable, witty, insightful, and inspiring as your online profile might suggest.   People still want to connect to real people (like them!) to build their hopes and dreams, find partners to achieve their goals, create circles of trust, and ultimately, to help them understand themselves and where they fit within that larger circle of community.

Yes – I know.  You are shy.  I’m shy too.  Unless I’m running an event, I’m very uncomfortable in a crowd of people I don’t know.  So let’s find each other at the next “networking event” and be shy together.  Yes – I know – days are long, work is hard, and you’re tired.  Me too – but a couple hours a month to Link Up in person here there and at various other professionally toned events is what all the profile pic avatars and LinkedIn connections and Tweets are all about, isn’t it?

Don’t know where to go? Check out your local Chamber of Commerce, or join one of many Associations of Like-Minded Professionals (there are more organizations, Horatio, then you could have ever dreamed of).  Find a Hobby group.  Just get out there!  Put on your name tag – smile – extend a hand – make a connection.  In real time and space.  You never know when you will be the perfect answer to someone’s professional challenge du jour - or who might just buy you a drink and tell you a fascinating story and become a lifelong friend.

See you there.  Say hi.  I’m the shy one in the corner, but you’ll recognize me from my avatar.

Next up – Know Your Neighbors.  Tell me about the great networking groups or opportunities exist where you are – maybe you can help someone else out there connect!