Chris Brogan shares his CRAP at Disney

Chris Brogan shares his CRAP at Disney

Chris Brogan has always been one of my favorite Social Media experts. In a world where just about everyone has attached the title to themselves, most provide very little everyday, common sense advice, that when applied can really make a difference.  But for the second year in a row, I’ve come away with some actionable items that will grow my blog.

Chris is the President of Human Business Works, a company providing business systems for small business, and he wrote the New York Times Best Selling book Trust Agents: Using the Web to Build Influence, Improve Reputation, and Earn Trust and Social Media 101: Tactics and Tips to Develop Your Business Online. You can find Chris online at ChrisBrogan.com and on Twitter at https://mobile.twitter.com/chrisbrogan.

Chris’ approach to blogging is easy, just remember it’s CRAP:

C Connect.  Connect with your audience; always be connecting – reach out in person and electronically.

R Referrals. Bloggers rely on word-of-mouth.  Be sure the story being told about you is a positive one.   Raise up fellow bloggers and avoid the crab-pot mentality of pulling back down anyone who’s making a break.  No company wants to work with a blogger who tears down others.

A Attention/Awareness.  Turn your audience into a community.

P Presence– be online; have current content.  How often should you blog?  Depends on how much attention you want.  Blog twice a day and you’ll get twice the attention.

 

Cover via Amazon

Random blogging hints and tips.

  • Install wptouch. “WPtouch automatically transforms your WordPress blog into an iPhone application-style theme, complete with ajax loading articles and effects, when viewed from iPhone, iPod touch, Android, Palm Pre, Samsung touch and BlackBerry Storm/Torch mobile devices.”
  • Use your camera to take photos – photos of random objects or events make for great and easy blog posts and are a way to interact with your readers.
  • Do less.  Concentrate on the task at hand and stop trying to do everything and be everything at all times.  Close those multiple tabs and ignore Facebook  while you work.
  • Time management: look for pockets of time. Carry your quick to do list with you
  • Don’t publish your RSS blog feed to your twitter feed – give your readers more than just a title and don’t inundate them with the same information on Twitter and Facebook.
  • Don’t count your comments as currency – get out there and give more than you get.
  • Don’t overwhelm your readers with ways to share your content – 2 sharing buttons are plenty.
“Walmart and the mafia have distribution down. Figure out your distribution for social media.” – Chris Brogan

I also heard Chris speak at the 2010 Disney Social Media Mom’s Celebration but I failed to share it here. Last years’ message is still relevant today.  Bloggers need to establish a relationship with a company BEFORE holding out their hand.  Build your reputation and show the company what you can do for them.  Become a Trust Agent.  I’ve taken this advice to heart and used it several times over the last year.  I love Chris’ human touch to Social Media – it’s a refreshing change from other so-called Social Media “experts” whose advice it to beat down doors with your hand out.  That’s just not my style.

Disclosure: I’m attending the Disney Social Media event at WDW – I was not compensated for my time and I paid for my own travel and conference, but the conference is at a reduced rate.