chrisbrogan.com - Latest Comments in How TO Influence Me

Re: How TO Influence Me

olgs — Thu, 23 Jul 2009 10:59:41 -0000

having gone backpacking right after college and missed the coming of social media in my generation, I have only recently learned of you, mr. chris brogan. i decided to google you since i heard how wonderful you are. and the wonders are true. it takes so much courage to say how you like things for yourself in the offline world (hence, so many empowerment books) that to do so in the online world where you are much more transparent commands a great deal of respect. what a great lesson for me and my generation. its funny to me being my age and realizing that while the modes of communication have changed tremendously, the manner and genuineness of the communication is still necessitated. at the end of the day, we are just people trying to speak with other people. thank you for reminding us that!

Re: How TO Influence Me

Justin Germino — Fri, 17 Jul 2009 16:48:06 -0000

Excellent article and useful for advertisers.

Re: How TO Influence Me

Scott Gould — Thu, 16 Jul 2009 13:18:08 -0000

Chris you're fun - not many would post "a post for penance" :-)

Re: How TO Influence Me

Smugglers_Notch_Resort — Thu, 16 Jul 2009 06:58:10 -0000

Sounds great--hope it works out for another visit. Take care. --Karen

Re: How TO Influence Me

Chris Brogan — Thu, 16 Jul 2009 00:38:40 -0000

Hiya Karen--

Thanks for the feedback. You know, it *might* be that I'm heading up your way again in the fall. Was talking to Steve Wright over at Jay Peak about it.

It's an educational opportunity, and/or maybe we'll just get a chance to say howdy do.

Thanks for the update about Elmore. : )

--Chris...

Re: How TO Influence Me

Andy Storch — Wed, 15 Jul 2009 22:14:19 -0000

Thank you for this post Chris. My partners and I are getting ready to pitch our new website to some blogs we'd like to partner with and I think your advice will help us a lot. People love hearing their names and reading things that are relevant to them. Thanks for the important reminder.

-Andy

Re: How TO Influence Me

Jared O'Toole — Wed, 15 Jul 2009 16:32:27 -0000

Be brief! thats my favorite. I want to know the point of this right off the bat. Even if your cold selling me being brief I bet you will have my attention for a short period then I'm gone.

Re: How TO Influence Me

Smugglers_Notch_Resort — Wed, 15 Jul 2009 15:44:49 -0000

Hey Chris, Karen from Smugglers' Notch Resort PR here. Re Elmore, it's about 40-45 minutes east of here and home to Lake Elmore, a great little state park, and near Elmore Roots Nursery--awesome organic jam (you can't beat the Pear Raspberry or VT Blueberry). That's my little VT products plug for the day!

Appreciate your social media insights. It's a fun new world.

Re: How TO Influence Me

GentleEditing — Tue, 14 Jul 2009 13:42:04 -0000

I am also a human being, even though I have a double-name. Perhaps software like Blue Sky Factory permits double-names, but if my Inbox is any indicator, most canned-humanity programs do not. On behalf of all the Mary Ellens, Bobby Joes, Anne Maries, Jean Pauls, Michael Johns, Barbara Jeans, Mary Lous, Mary Janes, Jo Anns, and other folk with a space in the middle of their first name (that's right, one name, two words), let me suggest that you lobby your local software vendor and stop using auto-personalizing software. I for one am really, really tired of being addressed by half of my name. I for one am highly unlikely to do anything other than delete messages from folk who obviously don't have any relationship with me. Folk who know me use my name...not just half of it.

Re: How TO Influence Me

greg cryns — Tue, 14 Jul 2009 13:36:34 -0000

Something tells me I would not benefit by dropping names at you? :)

Unless I was already an exceptional person of influence, like, uh Oprah? or (gulp) Barack?

Loved this article, Chris.

Re: How TO Influence Me

deanholmes — Tue, 14 Jul 2009 12:21:58 -0000

Dr. Mani,

Great comment here. As a disciple of relationship marketing, having the know-how and ability to articulate the complex relationship to the simple conversion is key.

As I talk with CEO's, CMO's and many senior leadership teams on strategy, one thing is clearly missing in their thought process - relationship. Many have not figured out a way to tie sentiment, behavior and profiles to their current valuable customers and make that connection.

The sooner Marketers understand this concept (and many will painfully get it by doing nothing) the sooner we can all have a stronger user experience.

Re: How TO Influence Me

deanholmes — Tue, 14 Jul 2009 12:16:49 -0000

Chris, thanks for the reply. Always insightful and there's no wonder why we all stay tight to your posts and the comments you get are truly amazing, both in volume and in content quality.

Re: How TO Influence Me

Chris Brogan — Tue, 14 Jul 2009 11:58:13 -0000

We're like BFFs now that you sang Weezer and I ruined Eminem. I feel like we're chums. I'm glad we connected. I really like how you do what you do, mister sir. : )

Re: How TO Influence Me

Chris Brogan — Tue, 14 Jul 2009 11:56:27 -0000

Despite your passion for British accents, I have to say that's one of the things I like most about you, Erin. You were darned different than the typical junior person back then, and you continue that trend today. Keep being you. You're doing it right. : )

Re: How TO Influence Me

Chris Brogan — Tue, 14 Jul 2009 11:55:13 -0000

Thanks, Dean. I love the parenthetical walkthrough! Great implementation.

Re: How TO Influence Me

Chris Brogan — Tue, 14 Jul 2009 11:52:56 -0000

Kind words, Alexandra. Know what's funny? A recurring conversation I have with my business partner, @ssaber, goes like this: "Man, only assholes win. Doesn't that stink?" Him: "yep, but I've yet to see the exception to the rule, depending on what you consider a win." Me: ...

So yeah, I'll just be who I am and see if I can break the chain.

Re: How TO Influence Me

Chris Brogan — Tue, 14 Jul 2009 11:51:16 -0000

You're the MODEL for this, Dr. Mani. You know that the human touch is EVERYTHING on the web. Glad you weighed in, my friend.

Re: How TO Influence Me

Chris Brogan — Tue, 14 Jul 2009 11:50:35 -0000

Where's Elmore, VT compared to say, Smuggler's Notch? I was there 2 weeks ago.

Re: How TO Influence Me

Nate — Tue, 14 Jul 2009 10:57:12 -0000

These are all really good tips for influencing anyone. And if I ever need to influence YOU I will now know exactly what to do :-)

I agree with what you say about supposedly not having time to talk to people individually. That's a big load of crap. It is possible, and if anyone knows it's you. You do it every day. I do too, just on a much smaller scale.

Great post as usual.

Re: How TO Influence Me

Donagh Mc Sweeney — Tue, 14 Jul 2009 10:32:22 -0000

I would have to agree with steve.

Hope you don't mind a trackback.

Donagh McSweeney,
Loopthing

Re: How TO Influence Me

Daniel Sevitt — Tue, 14 Jul 2009 10:24:23 -0000

You brush over the scalability thing as if it's nothing. I'd love you to spend some more time discussing this issue in particular.

The number of people with whom you can have the type of relationship you are advocating is finite. Let's say it's a thousand people. Heck, let's say it's 10,000. If you sell to 20/40/60% of those people, what proportion of your annual target will you cover?

If it's enough to sustain your business, fantastic.

Now, what if it's not?

Don't misunderstand me, Chris. I'm not down on Trust and Relationships, I'm just trying to understand the math.

I hope I'm not coming across as a repetitive naysayer. I'm really enjoying the dialogue.

Cheers,

Daniel
@EyeView_Inc

Re: How TO Influence Me

Ohdoctah — Tue, 14 Jul 2009 10:13:49 -0000

I must say for the last year I have heard at least 10 of my friends say, "Do you follow Chris Brogan? or do you read his blog?" No was my answer. Often times it would come up because people would say you sound like Chris or I think Chris said something like that. So when I first heard that I thought ok don't read it one you can't learn anything you think a like. But mostly because I don't want to fall into the trap of speaking with someone else s voice.

So I stayed away until I saw you speak at the 140 conf. Then I saw you around busted your balls a lil bit about your hair cut...which is like mine! I never doubted you were a cool/nice guy enough of the people I trust said you were. A couple of short convos and you payin for the cab ride to GV's party and now I have to say I read and follow you. I do so with a lil shame lol I should have done so earlier and reached out to you.

I personally don't have time for BS and I try my hardest just say what I mean and mean what I say. Reading this I can see you do that. Very open very plain spoken. To sum up everything you said..Don't be a D*ck! Be respectful of others time.

Its the basics in life and it always amazes me how much people have to say it! Be nice don't be mean, share with others, care about the world you live in. Stuff we have heard since we were kids. I guess some people never learn, but at least you can say you made the effort. Nice Post!

Re: How TO Influence Me

Ben Waxman — Tue, 14 Jul 2009 10:00:36 -0000

This is nicely put Chris. It's all about the relationship. And that is best achieved using the right medium and the right level of personalization or personalized approach. Something else to consider: Ever get one of those donation request letters in the mail that runs 3 pages long with underlines and highlights all over it? For a huge # of people they go right in the trash. But those letters still go out. Who in their right mind would spend the $ to do that? The answer: It is the right medium for a specific audience and it works. Not for most of us, but enough of us. Carefully crafted spamming, impersonal cold calling and the like exisit because they have a positive return on investment. Online, there are opportunities for this to work as well. That I personally do not pursue these avenues is not the point. Simply that with the right list, minimal effort spamming ends up producing enough return to make it worthwhile. Unfortunate but there it is. - Ben

Re: How TO Influence Me

Erin Bury — Tue, 14 Jul 2009 09:23:33 -0000

I think you had a right to say something. As someone who was a junior person at a PR agency, I was responsible for sending out e-mail pitches for numerous campaigns - and before we discovered the joy of the mail merge, many of these were impersonal, and maybe not even targeted. I've decided to take a different approach going forward - treat each person as an individual with specific spheres of influence, and pitch them accordingly. And the number 1 rule? Always make it personal. I agree with you - it's easier if you have some sort of existing relationship. If not though, what's the harm in sending a quick message introducing yourself and your company, and asking if it would be okay to send product/company announcements along in the future? That way you know up front if your message will be received well. And I also agree that it shouldn't be a junior person's role to pitch influencers - they don't have the pre-existing relationships and are more likely to anger someone.

Re: How TO Influence Me

Stuart Foster — Tue, 14 Jul 2009 09:17:28 -0000

What if I just yell at you really loudly? Will that work?

I'm guessing yes...