Audrina Shares Some DWTS Words Of Wisdom With Kristin Cavallari!

Smart move! She wants to get as much insider info as possible!

Kristin Cavallari has just signed up for the upcoming season of Dancing With The Stars, and decided the best way to prepare for the intense, physically demanding reality competition was to ask her former co-star on The Hills and former contestant Audrina Patridge for some advice!

Audrina reveals:

"I lived in ballroom dancing for three and a half months. I didn't do anything else. I actually talked to [Kristin] last week. She texted me, and she was like, 'Hey, I was just thinking of you, and I wanted to tell you I'm doing Dancing with the Stars. It's going to be fun, right?' And I was like, 'Yeah, you're going to have an amazing time! You'll be in the best shape of your life.' I told her it's going to get hard, but just have fun with it. … I had a blast. Ballroom dancing, it's totally different than just going to a club and dancing, so it takes a lot of commitment and dedication. You really have to live in the dancers' world. I think she’ll do well, though."

Pretty solid words of wisdom, we'd say, gurl!

We think so long as she approaches it with that kind of positive attitude, and realizes that this isn't going to be a walk in the park, then she'll be fine!

At least we hope so! LOLz!

Best of luck, gurl!

[Image via WENN.]

Tags: audrina patridge, co-star, contestant, dancing with the stars, former, kristin cavallari, reality competition, the hills, training

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Social Media Marketing - 11 of the Most Critical Words to Use in Social Media in 2009

Conversation.

Yep- that is what the core focus is in Social Media.

Ok- let's get REAL. If Social Media marketing is about conversation, then should there not be words that fit in to what the culture of social media is all about? Should not you paint a picture with your words? Should your words not elicit feelings and emotions?

Of course they should.

Words are a marketer's tool box. Here are 11 you need

1) "YOU."

There is nothing more powerful to a person reading a message or conversation that has the word YOU in it, over and over. Many people have an "I" mentality, and in social media, you are not the deal. The other person or side of the conversation is.

There are 2 forms of conversation in social media::

a) "Contribution" and b) "Distribution."

" Contribution conversations" contribute to the whole, and add Value to the conversation. "Distribution conversation" distributes the message/agenda you want- and has little inclusion of someone else. Contribution words use YOU many times. Distribution words use "I" or 'Me" many times. Use the word YOU and become a Contribution Agent in social media, not a distribution rookie.

2) "A Person's Name."

Duh. There is nothing more beautiful to a person than their name. This is a given. I am surprised how many tweets, notes, and messages i get and also read that do not say the person's name. Use their name at least once in every communication and message as it adds to the conversation.

And also, a person will retain almost 70% more of what a message says, if their name is within the first 3 words. Chris Brogan is a master at this. I have seen and studied him, and every time he tweets or sends a message- usually the name is the first word.

Smart. VERY smart. we all should follow that lead.

3) "Connection."

This word is an indication that you want to connect and start a relationship of some kind and create an ongoing conversation. Many folks use the phrase "get together" or "meet up" or "network." These words are good- but CONNECT has a power within the word.

Electricity us usable when you connect to it. Same thing as a battery in a car which powers the car. And idea is only powerful when you CONNECT to it. The Power is in the Connection-when 2 things come together. It is the same in new relationships- it is all about CONNECTION.

4) "Tribes.'

This is an interesting word. Seth Godin has a cool book called "Tribes." I suggest that you read it. But as far as a word for the social media arena, it is a word that helps define that you are within the culture and understand the community aspects of what social media is about.

In tribes around the world, it is all about community and belonging to that community. It is the same in social media. Recently I described the community we are building within a project as an "empowered tribe" and some people got it- and well, others did not.

Make sure if they do not understand the concept of tribes, then you explain it.

5) "Transparent."

In social media, being REAL is critical. And part of being REAL is being open and transparent. I love it when I read statements like "full disclosure" and people are disclosing that they have an interest or are on some board of a company they are talking about. THAT is so rocking hot. It shows that they are being transparent and nothing to hide and telling the truth.

And that is what social media is about in many respects- TRUTH about you- and what you are and do. THAT is transparency. Use that word when talking about the truth. Just being "transparent" - that says a lot in one word about you.

6) "Strategy."

Social media without a strategy for it, is like building a house without a blueprint. You need to develop, plan, start, and execute a strategy for your social media success. We call it a "Social Media Path." What PATH do you plan on developing for your business, and how will that fit into your current model of business? What will be your Primary social media Platform, and what will be your secondary platforms?

PATH stands for "Purpose- Actions-Tracking-How." what is your PURPOSE for integrating social media into your business? Marketing? Prospecting? Client communication? Customer service? What ACTIONS will it take? Videos? Blogs? Podcasts? Social Networking? What TRACKING system will you use to keep the platforms at maximum pace? And HOW are you going to Execute the Actions? Through employees? Through outsourcing? Through a combination?

Strategy is a word that you just talk about. You need one. And so do others that you know as well.

7) "Branding."

This word has been around for a while. But you still need it in your focus and communication. Branding is a word that you need to utilize not only in your messages, but your focus as well.

YOU are the Brand is a popular way to discuss social media marketplace image making. But that is not totally true. The PERCEPTION of you is the brand you are building- good or not so good. So make sure that if you use this word in social media this year, you realize that PERCEPTION Rules in Branding.

Brand yourself in the marketplace. But make sure that you focus on the VIEW and FEELINGS people have of you and experience when they think of you and what you do- and not just some catchy slogan or icon.

8 "Trust."

You need to be an Agent of Trust. Chris Brogan has a book coming out called "Trust Agents." Should be a rocking hot book. What about you? Are you an Agent of Trust? Just like a Real Estate Agent markets real estate, you market Trust in all you do. That is the real estate of the heart.

I like to get that word out there quickly-as i believe that people i do not know, that is on their mind. "Can I trust this guy?" And I usually message something like, "Our company helps build leaders and businesses through concepts and ideas that people can trust and feel good about."

THAT is using the word Trust- to build trust.

9) "Family."

Some people use "network." Some use "team." Some use the word "community." Some use the word "friends." I like the word "Family." it is personal, powerful, and paints a picture of what social media really is building- a family that can help, be there for each other, educate, equip, and empower for greater good.

One thing that I do- and again- just an idea, I welcome everyone on Facebook or twitter or YouTube or any other social connection with "Welcome to the family!" This says so much more than "thanks for following me" or "appreciate the connection." We ARE family- and I hope and pray it stays that way.

10) "Value."

It is ALL about Value. It is all about the VALUE that YOU bring to the table. It is all about the VALUE of your conversations and contributions.

And it is ALL about the VALUE that you help others see within themselves. Edify. Encourage. Empower. And become a "Carrier of Value" to everyone you meet in social media and GIVE some Value to them.

11) "GIVE."

This is the MOST important word. GIVE. Why? In social media, it is not the same ol business methodology. It is Biblical- if you will. "Give first- and what you give- you reap." Giving is the culture of social Media. Why do you think that people give so much rocking hot info on their blogs?

Giving is a Power. It is something that not only is part of the evolving culture of social media, but also the CATALYST of much of what social media has already become. if you are a marketer, New Marketing can be almost threatening to you as it flies in the face of traditional marketing- or does it?

No- not really. It is simply marketing that puts PEOPLE FIRST- not profits. It put RELATIONSHIPS FIRST- not results. And it puts GIVING FIRST- not grabbing for their checkbook.

These are the 11 Critical words that I believe should be included in 2009 in your:

1) Social Media Philosophy.

2) Social Media Conversations.

3) Social Media Marketing Actions.

4) Social Media Core.

If you do, your Success should be rapid in social media marketing.

blessings... Doug Firebaugh

Doug Firebaugh is one of the Top Social Media strategists, MLM, Network Marketing Home Business Trainers, Speakers and Authors in the world. Over a Million people a month read his training letter. He has helped over 10,000 people worldwide earn in excess of 50,000 a year. He wants to help you do the same. You can subscribe to his Free training letter -which includes 3 Free gifts just for subscribing at http://www.passionfire.com

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Are the Words "Social Media" Missing From Your Business Vocabulary?

This question has been nagging at me these past few weeks like I was being pecked to death by a chicken, could it be that these words are not computing with local business owners? It's like your smallest child learning how to read an can't pronounce a word, they end up creating a new word because they can't say what they are reading. No it's not a learning disability, it's an understanding of what those words actually mean and how to use it in this new age and environment of marketing. It's changed, or has it? Anytime you have the word " Social " attached to a phrase or sentence, people think less formal, beach party, BBQ or relaxing on the deck with friends. Yes, that is a form of being social and it is somewhat related to the term in business circles as well. The problem isn't the word, it's the thinking that is attached to the words, and small business owners can't seem to break how they feel or think about the word. It's not that they can't, they just don't know how and it's embarrassing enough that they won't ask for help on the topic for fear of looking stupid. I mean come on, it's the words " Social Media " how could I not know what that means! So rather than find out, they think, let's not go there and or I'll avoid the conversation all together. Worse yet, I'll ask my kids. Small to medium business, all business for that matter needs to educate themselves on the tidal wave before them and how to ride that wave without being wiped out.

In my corner of the world here in Western Canada, a very small group of people participate in the formal sense of the words social media. This group is comprised of mostly people from chat rooms or FaceBook and the like, not a many are business owners trying to add this environment into their marketing mix or even their support systems. I say this because I've been coming up against this lack of understanding everyday and this uncomfortable feeling when you try to share with them, to help them understand what it is or could be for their business. It's like the words Social Media aren't even in their vocabulary or business language, it's completely missing, and if it is there, it's a picture of people standing around a water cooler. So in light of that, I am posting the Wiki definition of Social Media here for all the world to see.

SM Definition

Social media is online content created by people using highly accessible and scalable publishing technologies. At its most basic sense, social media is a shift in how people discover, read and share news, information and content. It's a fusion of sociology and technology, transforming monologues (one to many) into dialogues (many to many) and is the democratization of information, transforming people from content readers into publishers. Social media has become extremely popular because it allows people to connect in the online world to form relationships for personal, political and business use.

Distinction from Industrial Media

SM are distinct from industrial media, such as newspapers, television, and film. While social media are relatively inexpensive and accessible tools that enable anyone (even private individuals) to publish or access information, industrial media generally require significant resources to publish information. Examples of industrial media issues include a printing press or a government-granted spectrum license.

"Industrial media" are commonly referred to as "traditional", "broadcast" or "mass" media.

One characteristic shared by both social media and industrial media is the capability to reach small or large audiences; for example, either a blog post or a television show may reach zero people or millions of people. The properties that help describe the differences between social media and industrial media depend on the study. Some of these properties are:

1. Reach - both industrial and SM technologies provide scale and enable anyone to reach a global audience.

2. Accessibility - the means of production for industrial media are typically owned privately or by government; social media tools are generally available to anyone at little or no cost.

3. Usability - industrial media production typically requires specialized skills and training. Most social media do not, or in some cases reinvent skills, so anyone can operate the means of production.

4. Recency - the time lag between communications produced by industrial media can be long (days, weeks, or even months) compared to social media (which can be capable of virtually instantaneous responses; only the participants determine any delay in response). As industrial media are currently adopting social media tools, this feature may well not be distinctive anymore in some time.

5. Permanence - industrial media, once created, cannot be altered (once a magazine article is printed and distributed changes cannot be made to that same article) whereas social media can be altered almost instantaneously by comments or editing.

Community media constitute an interesting hybrid of industrial and social media. Though community-owned, some community radios, TV and newspapers are run by professionals and some by amateurs. They use both social and industrial media frameworks.

Here is the link from the above: Social Media Definition

The real issue isn't what the words mean, it's how a consultant or media firm explains them, provides a case study that reflects that a business can derive an ROI from Social Media. Thus, giving the term value and a new way of marketing and communicating with their customers, by building a deeper, richer relationship that builds a new kind of loyalty. More importantly it provides a forum where you the business owners actually cares about what your clientele think about your products and services. A place where you can give them and even better experience of dealing with you.

Another challenge for these words and business owner's; there are people out there claiming to be knowledgeable and understand social media that just plain don't. These individuals land high positions in large organizations, they get the position and then scramble around to figure out how to do the job when they have no business being there in the first place. A great rant on this topic is from my friend Olivier Blanchard of The Brand Builder, his video entitled, "Is your Social Media Director qualified?", it articulates far better than I Olivier's frustration and concern with these individuals in one short video. Take the time to view it.

As you can tell there is a lot of work to be done, an educational track that needs to be articulated in a way that business owners can connect the dots, connect the words to a real opportunity and value they have not considered before. Each business owner needs to bone up and learn that the term Social Media is a new marketing environment but also a relationship they have avoided in the past. You can no longer avoid it because it is the new word of mouth, it can be your best friend or your worst enemy. You have to decide which it will be.

Owen Greaves
Author of The New Technology - The End of Mankind?
http://blog.owengreaves.com

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