Co-opetition and de-nationalization from Global Futurist Douglas Castle

THE GLOBAL FUTURIST

Spotting trends, changes and emerging patterns in the domestic and international markets is crucial for business survival. You must constantly stay ahead of the curve in order to compete successfully. INFORMATION CONTAINED IN THIS PUBLICATION IS NOT, AND SHOULD NOT BE CONSTRUED AS FINANCIAL, INVESTMENT, HEALTH, LEGAL, REGULATORY OR OTHER PROFESSIONAL ADVICE.

Five to Ponder from Douglas Castle's blog

Dear Friends:

The post is titled "Five To Ponder". Admittedly, it sounds like the title of a cheap thriller --not unlike those books we see 'everyone else' reading on the train. The fact, which you may consider physical law, is that the future will indeed come...whether we fastidiously prepare for it, or proactively shape it, or become fossilized under its unstoppable, marching feet. These five items are worth thinking about. And, sooner or later, you will choose to act upon them, or they will act upon you, your business, and your life.

1. OUTSOURCING AND TELECOMMUTING

The G-8 nations in general, and, in particular, the United States, are outsourcing an increasing percentage of their operations to foreign countries, taking advantage of the favorable arbitrage in labor costs. While the nations receiving the bulk of this contracting largess will be changing as their labor pricing structures adjust to meet demand, the tendency to outsource will be here for a long time to come. Telecommuting through the limitless realm of cyberspace is making this prospect increasingly viable to the point of being irresistible. In five to ten years, what will the term "corporate headquarters" mean? In ten to fifteen years, what will the term "geography" mean? The current construct of "country of origin" is already a vestigial anachronism.

2. DE-NATIONALIZATION FROM THE G-8

The increasing regulatory complexity of conducting business in the G-8 nations, particularly the English-speaking ones, combined with the voracious propensity in these civilized lands to prosecute "corporate" criminals (where then pen is perceived as lethal a weapon as is the sword) for an ever-increasing compendium of nebulously-defined crimes will lead to a massive exodus of corporate charters and head offices to less-sophisticated (e.g., more "commerce-friendly"), hungrier jurisdictions. Just speculating...this could also fuel the increasingly evident flight of capital and employment opportunities from the venerable G-8. The notion of "Free Enterprise" is becoming increasingly hazy. In certain circles, the phrase is deemed politically incorrect.

3. CO-OPETITION NETWORKING

With the increasing prevalence, power and sophistication of the Internet, very little remains secret or inaccessible. Consumers are dictating to an increasing field of emerging vendors precisely what products and services they want, and just what they are willing to pay. The most successfully suppliers will be those who are able to refer customers and co-opt assignments. The best networkers will be the newest addition to the pantheon of the world's richest. Landowners, rights-holders, and traders of all stripes will have to make way for a new generation of shamelessly aggressive networkers. Leveraging of knowledge and contacts, and alliances of former adversaries will replace the hide-and-seek, divide-and-conquer ethic of traditional-style competition. Malcolm Gladwell, an inspired visionary, may have to provide additional place settings at the table for Adam Kovitz, Thomas Power, Jay Deragon and others. Depending upon the menu, Douglas Castle may even join them at the feast. As a businessperson, which end of the fork will you be on? Co-opetition.

4. DATA-DEPENDENCY DOMINATION PARANOIA

I am delighted to report that I have an incredible amount of data storage space in my gmail account. If I wanted to, I could store all of my documents, data, photographs, graphics and other information off-site (e.g., not on my hard drive) thanks to the lads at Google. That's precisely why I opened the account in the first place. And now, Yahoo! is offering me virtually unlimited storage capacity, too! All of this -- for free. Websites, blogs, calendars, financial records, personal information...we sure are trusting these colossal companies with quite a bit of valuable stuff. Hmmmm....

5. THE INWARD EXPLORATION

The human mind is an amazing thing. Its abilities, its capacities its processes are vastly unexplored terrain. Ironically, the increased development of information technologies and intelligence theories will lead us back to the ghost in the machine -- the Human Mind. How we learn, and increasing our ability to learn, and to think will become increasingly objects of exploration and fascination. The mind is an amazing playing field; more than in the physical realm, it is where we live. The study of learning and the study of thought will be tremendous areas of pioneering as a resurgence in curiousity about natural, or "organic" intelligence and the human potential movement seizes the imaginations of our species. Just take a look at the increasing proportion of bookstore and catalogue space being allocated to "self-improvement" and related subjects. After being out of our minds for so long, it raises a smile to think that we may be getting back into them. Intelligent people enjoy irony. Do you?

Faithfully,

Douglas Castle
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Co-opetition and de-nationalization from Global Futurist Douglas Castle

Ivan Misner's "Masters of Sales" hit 6 on The New York Times Book Review!

Dr. Ivan Misner, contributing writer for The National Networker makes The New York Times Bestsellers List with his Masters of Sales!

On Saturday, September 29th, Masters of Sales hit 6 on The New York Times Book Review!

Now, in addition to gaining status as a 1 bestseller on both the Amazon.com bestseller list and the Wall Street Journal's bestselling book list, and making it into the USA Today list of bestsellers, Masters of Sales has hit the big time as a New York Times bestseller!

Thank you to everyone who helped make this happen and congratulations to all of the contributing authors!

CLICK ON THE PDF BELOW TO SEE MASTERS OF SALES IN THE 6 BESTSELLING PAPERBACK SPOT ON THE NEW YORK TIMES BOOK REVIEW.
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Ivan Misner's "Masters of Sales" hit 6 on The New York Times Book Review!

Google Alerts and an Ever-evolving Website: Two Ships that Pass in the Night???

I've been following about a dozen items with Google Alerts over the past months, and I'm amazed at one thing...No matter how many times a month (at least 4, actually) The National Networker website is updated with original, first-run social networking articles from around the country, Canada and South East Asia Google seems to miss us. It's almost as though the hundreds and hundreds of content-rich business and social networking articles we've published have created an immunity with Google, while most articles in blogs are snared in the net.

It's a shame really. We've always tried to keep The National Networker website as THE publication and it's TNNW Blog as an way of informally corresponding with our readers, writers and those who would just like to be heard regarding their views on social networks.

So for those of you that say, "hey, I get the newsletter already and have seen those articles", Sorry. While the blog will still contain a slew of articles caught in the Google Alert net, please remember to visit the actual writers of those articles, you'll also be seeing a rehash of what's happening at the main website. It's not that we like to be redundant, anybody that know me well knows it's something for which I have little patience.

That said, web 2.0 means that good old-fashioned networking works best with a heavy smattering of technology, and vice-versa. As ever, TNNW welcomes your comments, questions and material that you would like to share in the areas of business networking, social networking, and relationship networking. That just about sums up all of existence, doesn't it?

Feel free to visit me at my MySpace blog.

Thank you for stopping by.

- Wendy Kovitz
Cyberian, muse
VP of Research & Development
The National Networker
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Google Alerts and an Ever-evolving Website: Two Ships that Pass in the Night???

Friendship: Virtually Speaking

There are many wonderful aspects of online social networking, my birthday post is (sort of) about one of them.

Before you get out the tissue box in preparation for a melodramatic, heart-warming story fit for Lifetime-- ain't happening. I'm 39 today (although the "Libra-dometer" went off in MySpace a couple of weeks ago) and quite happy about it. Life is good. I've learned to accept my strengths and work on my weaknesses.

I like MySpace. Where else is there the possibility or reaching out to roughly 200 million folkes TODAY. Sure there may be other more (or less) proper and professional places to meet people and network. I could ramble off a gazillion, but I'll spare you. Many people are writing about the "depths" of perceived friendships on social networking sites. And do they really mean anything. Some mention should go to the gal on MySpace with a million (maybe more) friends who got catapulted into celebrity status in the "mainstream" media. Someday, I hope to meet her, but for now she's more of a legend.

Many, many people spam me. That's the nature of the game. I'm here to network and meet people just like everyone else. When the glamour gals send me spam photos to push their product, service or whatever it is, I'm thinking about responding with a picture of my well-endowed wise ass, stretch marks and all instead of blacklisting them. What do you think?

This morning, My Birthday, I get a bulletin from a young man whom I know virtually nothing about that says "Read this, Bi&*ch!". Excuse me? My last act as his "friend" was respond to his bulletin that only people that KNOW me have EARNED the right to call me a Bi&*ch. Then deleted our short-lived friendship.

I don't mind when a spade is called a spade, but friendship is about learning the whole deck of cards.

I'm a collaborator. I enjoy connecting people and technology. That's what I do. That's what MySpace does. And that's my sand (soap) box.

-Wendy Kovitz

Cyberian, muse, Libra'

VP of Research and Development
The National Networker
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Friendship: Virtually Speaking

Diversity Network Audit

Power Thought of the Week

By Patricia Parham, Ph.D., Contributing Writer

We’re always looking for ways to expand our networks and one way to get a fresh start is by conducting a diversity audit of your existing network. We have a tendency to gravitate towards people whom we perceive as being most like us, increasing our comfort. What percentage of your network "looks like" you in terms of profession, gender, age, race, and nationality? What is your networking comfort zone?

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Diversity Network Audit

Shorten Learning Curves – Move Into Dream Fulfillment

"Beyond Networking"
Being with Ron Sukenick

TNNW Contributing Writer

Strategy Ten: Shorten Learning Curves – Move Into Dream Fulfillment

A glorious thing when one has not unlearned what it means to begin.
- Martin Buber

Common Ground Where the Project Arises

Finding common ground will help you jointly move toward dream fulfillment.

The project we are to do together is revealed when we find our overlapping purpose and intention. Common ground. Let’s talk about the word project. We are using it here in two different ways.

To pro-ject refers to a future state: looking ahead. We are pro-jecting into the future a potential outcome. When we see we have choices, we come up with projects to achieve this projection! The project is an undertaking, tangible plan or design that casts us forward. Pro-ject: forward looking. Pro-ject: forward doing.

Out of the contact that takes place between you and the person you are meeting comes the project. Again, it may be a small project and the project is quickly concluded. Or it may be a large project involving many hours, months, or years and great rewards. Stating this again, the project emerges out of the relationship.

Building Context

What is context and how do we use it to project us forward? The power is in your ability to put into context the information you are constantly receiving in the meeting with another.

Context considers the environment, situation, relationship, and language that supports the connection we are trying to make. For example, when I teach a leadership course, I occasionally throw in words like concentric circles and quantum physics. If I don’t tie these words into the discussion, they appear totally out of context or out in left field, and I begin to lose people. People ask if they are in the wrong room. The language and the appropriateness of the conversation in a given setting helps us to set up and establish common context.

The environment also is an important consideration. Individuals have told me about going to lunch with a customer and being told that their customer-supplier relationship was ending due to poor performance or inadequate quality. The interruptions of the restaurant server, the laughter of other patrons, the clanking of dishes, and the brightness of the room contrasted to the information being conveyed. The restaurant environment didn’t fit the message.

Building context, then, is the art of paying attention to environment, the situation at hand, the language used, and weaving together information derived from communication, insight, observations, impressions, and intuition. This is the task of both individuals in the relationship as they strive to make a connection and shorten learning curves.

There are compelling reasons to build context into shortening learning curves.

Building context helps us use our time more efficiently and effectively. Time is a premium for most of us. A context orientation helps us direct our communication to what is most important and align our doing accordingly.

Consider the following thinking points as you jointly look at how your experiences and dreams are matching up as you attend to your joint project.

Thinking Points for Connecting Forward

• Operate out of choice, not out of habit, as you work with the unique individual you are currently partnering with.
• Continuously realign frequency and quality of interaction as you move toward your desired outcome.

Summary

This strategy encourages walking purposively in relationship with others and asking the question what are we to do together. While this question doesn’t need to be asked aloud, keeping the question at the forefront of each meeting helps you pay attention to what is possible between you and another. Shortening your learning curve as your project together emerges, and as you move toward project completion calls for attention to context—the environment, the situation at hand, the language used, information, and the decisions important to moving forward. Continuously asking “process questions” such as how are you are doing collaboratively, what needs to be done, how satisfied is your business partner, and how satisfied are you keeps you addressing process and project improvements along the way—shortening the learning curve as you go along.

Next month, we’re getting down to basics and introducing the strategy of bringing the ordinary to the extraordinary—giving muscle to the tried and true statement of far exceeding expectations.

---

Ron Sukenick is the Chief Relationship Officer and founder of the Relationship Strategies Institute, a training and Relationship development company that provides innovative, effective and relevant programs and systems for corporations, organizations, and associations. To learn more about the value of Relationship Development, visit his Web site at www.RelationshipStrategiesInstitute.com. You can reach Ron by phone at: 317-216-8210, or by email: rs@relationshipstrategiesinstitute.com

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Shorten Learning Curves – Move Into Dream Fulfillment

Marketing Services Isn’t About Pushing Products Off Shelves!

By Bill Doerr, TNNW Sales & Marketing Editor

Which of the following comments made by small business owners and professional service providers can you relate to:

"I don’t like marketing myself."

"I’m not good at marketing myself."

"I find going to networking events painful."

"I have letters after my name . . . I shouldn’t have to market my services."

Can you relate?

These sentiments are common. They’re understandable. But, they’re not acceptable! At least not if you intend to grow your reputation, revenues and business.

In today’s highly competitive, over-crowded world of services marketing, being ‘professional’ is a minimum expectation to get into and stay in business. Beyond that, you must also become known to and regarded by the kind of people who can best appreciate the beneficial difference you make in the life of a client.

That’s where marketing your services comes in. And, since you’re not pushing a product off of the shelves in a retail environment, your methodology must be aligned with this reality: your marketing reflects the quantity and the quality of the relationships you develop with people who can help you grow your business or professional practice. Like who? Well, certainly clients. Definitely your centers-of-influence. Probably most of your prospective clients, too.

OK, "How?"

Here’s a simple four (4) keys you can use to help you build share of mind and, as a result, share of market for yourself and your valuable, problem-solving services.

KEY 1: Seek Introductions . . . as well as referrals.

I work exclusively with professional service providers in accounting, financial services, business consulting, etc. and almost everyone in service fields like those finds it difficult to ask people – even their clients – for ‘a referral’.

Certainly, there’s the issue of being rejected or ‘turned down’. Some of us learned how good that felt at a school dance during our formative years! But, however it’s learned, you have to recognize it’s likely to modify your referral requesting behavior. And while not having enough business is motivating, you know that avoiding the ‘pain’ of being rejected . . . can be even more powerful than achieving a ‘gain’, too.

The solution? Seek an introduction. It’s easier to ask for one. And, easier to obtain, too!

Why? Two factors. 1) people aren’t psychic. 2) people don’t like to judge their friends.

If you ask me for a ‘referral’ to ‘someone who needs your services’ I am forced to be psychic. How would I know if someone needs (or, cares about!) what you do?

For example, most people I know aren’t asking, "Gee Bill, do you know a good Chiropractor?" So if my Chiropractor asks me, "Bill, who do you know who might need to know a good chiropractor?" (which he is, by the way!), I might have that ‘deer in the headlights’ look and he might feel ‘rejected’ – which is a great way to de-motivate him from asking other people in the future. Nasty little cycle, isn’t it?

The problem with services marketing is that people who do need your problem-solving services aren’t wearing a ‘SEND HELP’ flag that the people who can best connect you with them are able to see.

Assume you’re financial planner. You ask me "Who do you know who could use my services?" Assume I also know, like and trust your professional abilities. So I ponder your question about who I know who needs a financial planner. One of my contacts is ‘Charlie’. Charlie’s possibly a candidate for you. His ‘other’ car is a Mercedes, right? But if anything, that makes me pass over Charlie as a possible ‘person who needs you’.

Yet, ironically, he may be the BEST contact I know who could (and, maybe should!) value the benefits of a good planner. But I wouldn’t think of telling you about Charlie because I’m making a judgment that he doesn’t appear to have a need to know about you. And guess what –– I could be completely wrong. But you’ll never know because you asked me for a ‘referral’ rather than an introduction to meet "someone I know whose ‘other car’ is a Mercedes"

Don’t make someone have to be a psychic or make a judgment about whether someone needs your services . . . to help you meet new client opportunities.

KEY 2: Recognize that someone isn’t likely to need you . . . when you first meet each other.

Most of the professional services providers I know seem to ignore a critical fact. That people who need their services – actually the benefits they provide – don’t develop a need for them all the time. So whenever you initially connect with someone, it’s a good idea to presume two things:

1. they probably don’t need your services . . . at that moment, and
2. given enough time they will . . . in the future. Probably repeatedly, too.

So it’s important that you take a strategic vs. a tactical approach and plan to ‘be there’ when they’re ready . . . and assume it’s not likely to be the same day you meet them.

Marketing is, by it’s nature, a strategic process. Selling is a tactical activity. Keep that in mind and you’ll develop the patience you need to grow your business or practice by design, not accident!

KEY 3: Have a plan in place to ‘keep-in-touch’ and ‘stay-in-mind’ . . . before you need it.

OK, you find yourself talking with someone who, if not ‘now’, will likely need what you do at some point in the future. If so, you need a way to keep-in-touch to stay-in-mind or that person’s future value may be lost to you and harvested by someone else.

At a minimum, a basic plan – a KITSIM (keep-in-touch-stay-in-mind) plan – should allow you to do the following:

• Immediately: send a personal note to acknowledge your connection
• Monthly: send some brief information about the receiver, not about you
• Quarterly: call the person to ‘touch base’ and ‘see what’s happening’

Get off to a ‘good start’ . . . keep-in-touch repeatedly, regularly, respectfully . . . and soon enough . . . you’ll be harvesting the seeds of opportunity you’ve been cultivating.

KEY 4: Delegate / Automate the process of keeping-in-touch . . . as much as possible.

As good as any plan is, it’s of no value unless / until it’s being used on your behalf.

Perhaps the most frequently cited challenge I hear from service providers is that, while they may feel they know what to do, when to do it, with whom, where and why . . . the HOW to do it is that elusive element that can prevent them from realizing their goals.

So, if you’re able to delegate the key actions of a KITSIM plan to an assistant, great.

If not, automate your KITSIM plan using some kind of software. More and more of this kind of software is being developed and, if you’re seeking some suggestions, I have a good buddy who’s pretty adept at putting plans into play using the latest software of the day. If you’d like to contact him, give me a call – 860-798-6964.

So there you go . . . marketing your services isn’t like pushing products . . . but it still requires a plan and your commitment to carry it out.

---

Bill Doerr, CCO of SellMore Marketing, LLC is the creator of The Preferral Prospecting System®,
The Expert Directory® and The Ultimate Client Development System™. Bill uses these programs to
help service providers build their business by leveraging relationships and generating more referrals.
You can reach Bill by phone at: 860-798-6964, online: www.sellmoremarketing.com or by
email: billd@thenationalnetworker.com or by the TNNW Blog: http://thenationalnetworker.blogspot.com

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Marketing Services Isn’t About Pushing Products Off Shelves!

His Move

By Scott R. Forcino P.C., Attorey at Law, TNNW Real Estate Editor

This month I had the good fortune to speak to Justin Smith of the Christian Real Estate Network based in Colorado. He is a part-time realtor coach and blogger.

This network for real estate professionals across the nation, www.hismove.com, is a member-based organization and has over 1400 members in all 50 states, of which 900 are realtors. Founded in 2002 by Bart Smith, broker/owner of a Remax franchise for twenty years, for the purpose of connecting home buyers/sellers with Christian real estate professionals, although any and all races and creeds and colors are eligible for membership.There is also the opportunity for real estate professionals to refer clients to each other across the nation. Included are attorneys and mortgage reps and home inspectors and insurance agents. Each member must pass a screening process for admission. Some of the requirements for membership are: experience and licensure for at least three years, at least two references, three million dollars in closed business, a promise to check email/voicemail daily, to contact the referral client immediately and to provide CREN with "updates" on referrals and pay the referral fee imposed as a term for accepting the referral.

There is no charge for buyers/sellers to use the site. These buyers/sellers state that they seek the referral of a Christian real estate professional because they were looking for someone they could trust with a transaction of this magnitude.

All members get a blog and a private web-site to view potential referrals and a discussion forum, news info and a q & a forum for the public to inquire and learn from CREN members and of course, contact information of all members. These realtor members receive referrals from CREN from those inquiries made by buyers/sellers looking for Christian realtors. A referral fee is required in order to maintain the network and its functions. There are radio ads to increase awareness of CREN and its objectives. There is a CREN "Hall of Fame" for members that stand out from other members in customer service, follow up and closed referrals. They are then given lifetime, free membership and are recognized on the web-site.

Since 2002, thousands of families have utilized this free service and have connected with Christian agents and have bought/sold homes. Justin states that the members of CREN make it a success. Many of the members are top-producing real estate agents across the nation. Justin regards it as a blessing to hear back from a customer that they are overjoyed with the service they received from a CREN members.

If anyone has a question or needs the services of a CREN member please contact Justin Smith at 303.663.7583 or check out his blog at www.hismove.com/blog.

Scott R. Forcino P.C.
Attorney at Law
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His Move

Lessons Learned in Political Networking

By Matthew Best, TNNW Political Editor

It’s been said that Thomas Edison conducted 10,000 experiments before he got the light bulb right. When asked if he ever felt like giving up during all those failed experiments, he answered that he didn’t fail 10,000 times at all – he merely found 10,000 ways not to do it.

And so it is with networking. Since networking is a jungle, there are at least 10,000 ways in which people are "failing" each and every day. Some times the best way to learn how to do something a better way is to learn how not to do it.

A great example of this was a recent e-mail I received about one of the numerous presidential debates that have been going on for several months now. This debate was sponsored by a large on-line news site that targeted their audience to a specific group of voters. I receive a ton of e-mail each day announcing debates, candidate positions, events, etc. What made me read the entire e-mail can best be explained as a great example of how not to get candidates to a debate. The sponsor of the debate announced the debate, but then proceeded to complain that the top-tier candidates were going to be no-shows.

Which leads to a nice concise set of lessons I’ll share with you about how to get candidates to ignore you. The same lessons apply to networking as well.

Lesson 1

Criticize the top-tier candidates. That’s right, that’s the easiest way for candidates to ignore you in the future. Why would anyone in their right mind decide to show up at the last minute after you just called them a "gutless wonder?" That’s not an exaggeration either, the moderator did just that.

In networking, how effective are you when you criticize someone else? How likely are they to connect with you? The simple answer is that they aren’t going to. In fact, they will do all they can to cut ties with you. Do you like to associate with people who judge you or what you do in a critical fashion right off the bat?

Lesson 2

Make your debate announcement more about the moderator than the candidates and debate. I’m not stretching it here, but at least one-third of the debate announcement was about the moderator - his background, a sales pitch for his latest book, etc. When you include quotes by the moderator in the e-mail, at least half of the announcement is about the moderator and not about the candidates or the debate.

The networking lesson here is simple – Remember - it’s not about you. If it is all about you, people can see through that. If you approach networking with a genuine interest in the other person, they will see that as well.

Lesson 3

Inadvertently downplay the candidates who decide to participate. The announcement identifies the top-tier candidates, which means the other candidates are what - second-tier at best, or not to be taken seriously at worst. Why not thank the candidates who are deciding to participate and raise them up. I don’t know, maybe something to the effect that "this debate will give the candidates who participate a platform and an opportunity to set themselves apart from the crowd."

Again, it’s all about the other person when it comes to networking. So maybe you aren’t connected to hundreds of people, or to someone you deem to be "really important." So what! Who are you connected to? Why not show your appreciation to those people who thought it important enough to connect with you. Reach out to them every now and then and show your appreciation to them.

Lesson 4

Make the debate as long as possible. The debate was set to run for three hours according to the announcement. You saw that correctly, three hours. I pity the candidates who are participating. Debates aren’t supposed be as long as some faster runners take to finish a marathon.

It’s one thing to invest time into your relationships – especially in this day and age of the thirty-second sound bite, drive thru lunches, instant communications, etc. It’s quite another to waste people’s valuable time. Time is one of our most valuable resources. When you respect other people’s time, they appreciate it and will generally give you a little more time.

Given these lessons, I’m not surprised that the top-tier candidates decided to skip this debate. Would you skip out on a connection given the same circumstances? Some of the best lessons out there are the mistakes that other people make. Hopefully the mistakes I’ve presented here will help you become a better networker.

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Lessons Learned in Political Networking

Social Networks are Launching Everywhere and for Everything Imaginable

Strategy: What Say You?

By Jay Deragon, TNNW Contributing Writer

The proliferation of new sites confuses the marketplace of users. Your Space is getting duplicative, aggravating, crowded and a time drain on your productivity. The craze by operators is aimed at generating traffic which in turn creates increased advertising revenue.

Advertising grab is the major motivating factor in the social networking space today. Just consider the recent developments:

MySpace recently announced full integration into the mobile market regardless of handset or carrier. The mobile market already has an abundance of social networking applications launching on numerous networks but few, if any, enable complete connectivity to any network thus again forcing users to jump from one application to another. The driving factor for these launches is grabbing ad space thus revenue.

A recently released U.S. mobile advertising forecast by The Kelsey Group indicates that the U.S. mobile ad market will grow from US$33.2 million to US$1.4 billion in 2012, a CAGR of 112 percent. The Kelsey summary concludes that the potential of mobile advertising is about change, though for years forecasters and pundits have touted the potential but U.S. market has failed to materialize.

The forecast breaks mobile into three distinct ad segments: ad-sponsored directory assistance, mobile Internet (search, browse, etc.) and multi-modal applications. The two largest contributors of revenues, says the report, will see a substantial increase in usage: For more information on the KelseyGroup, please visit this link.

Chasing Video Advertising opportunities

eMarketer CEO Geoff Ramsey. Next year, digital ad spending will increase 32%–amounting to nearly $28.8 billion, Ramsey said in his opening remarks at OMMA New York on Monday morning. The future? Branded and video advertising, said Ramsey, assuring that branding dollars are fast on their way to matching the budgets spent on search. "With video, you can do a heck of a lot better job of storytelling," he said.

OnLine Media writer Gavin O’Malley states "Now big business, Web videos are watched by 72% of Web users–or 135 million people–every month. Ad spending around them is set to hit $775 million this year, and $1.3 billion by next year. With YouTube in tow, Google is poised to lead the burgeoning video market, and grab the bulk of ad dollars flowing into the medium, according to Ramsey. "

What are the greatest challenges facing online marketers today? Audience fragmentation; ad clutter; consumers’ eroding trust in marketers; and something Ramsey likes to call "trend-itis"–or the propensity for marketers to blindly follow trends without implementing proper checks and balances.

As things stand, 76% of marketers say ad agencies don’t provide them with sufficient data on ROI. Most marketers, said Ramsey, express a "vague undercurrent of discontent with their agencies."

A Simple Solution

The end users of social networks, whether online or mobile, are the factors that drive traffic. The current market of social networks is stealing time from users, individuals and corporations alike. To create more traffic and user creativity it would seem that the shortest distance between two points, advertisers and their markets, is a straight line.

If we the users were given the opportunity to earn an income for our time, talent and contributions to social networks then we the users would become the focal point of market expansion. Corporation, individuals, groups etc. would then be able to justify their time, talent and contributions to social networks.

Instead of creating yet another social network the market would be smart to simply tap into the network as it is, the users.

What Say You?

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Social Networks are Launching Everywhere and for Everything Imaginable

Is Anyone Else Getting Social-Networked Out?

By Jason Alba, TNNW Career Transition Editor

I’m the first to admit, I’m social-networked-out. It happened sometime last year when I got an invitation to a different network each week. Now I get about three invitations a week, and I haven’t changed my mind about joining them.

I have a MySpace page, which I created just to see what it was all about and haven’t logged in for at least a year.

I have a Facebook account, and I do appreciate some of the features there (I love the birthday notifications – I have found out about my friends’ birthdays that I would have never known about. But, choosing applications to add to my account is a little confusing. Some are a waste of time, very few are valuable to me, and I have a small concern about what access I’m giving to others if I load an application.

I have a LinkedIn account, of course (I better, I just wrote a book titled "I’m on LinkedIn – Now What???"). I’m most comfortable in this space since I’ve spent the most time there. I’ve heard others say that LinkedIn is too old, obsolete, and left in the dust by newer networks (like Facebook), but the truth is, it still "does the job," and it does it well.

Aside from that, I really don’t accept invitations for other networks. The funny thing is, one of the hottest internet companies around allows YOU to create your own social network in about two minutes, for free! Just go to Ning.com and you can have a social network based around your family, business, industry, city or whatever else you can think of!

But don’t invite me to your social network, because I’ve already got my hands full. Nonetheless, I’d like to share 7 things to help you get the most out of whatever social networking you choose to do:

Have a purpose: Why are you on the social network? Is it to expand your network, keep track of their changes, or remind yourself to nurture the relationship? Some networks are going to be better than others for each of these purposes – but one of the keys is that other people join and connect with you.

Keep the proper perspective: these websites are just tools. They aren’t your networking silver bullet, and they won’t make all your wildest dreams come true. They are just tools… if nothing else, remember to go offline and network in person!

Realize you don’t need to be an early adopter: If you want to be an early adopter you’ll spend a lot of time setting up profiles on new networks, poking around, figuring out value… are you a software evaluator, or are you using these tools or a reason??

Don’t get sucked into the noise and hype: It’s easy to add new widgets, and poke around different features, and spend way too much time in your social network without really networking. Again, another time waster, in my opinion.

Fix your preferences: Do you want to log into the social network every day? Me neither. Check out the preferences to see if you can set up e-mail notifications for certain things. For example, in LinkedIn, you can set your account to send an e-mail to you when someone asks a question in Answers, but not send an e-mail when someone updates their profile.

Quit and decline: It’s okay if you stop using a social network, or if you delete your account and move on. And it’s okay if you ignore invitation requests, or don’t load the coolest new application. If your social network accounts become mental clutter, it’s probably best to just move on and network in a different manner. I give you permission.

Be in the right place, at the right time: You really need to have some kind of online presence. If you are in transition, or moving in that direction, you should have a complete account on LinkedIn (it’s free!), and an account on Facebook. Just by accepting connections you increase your visibility, and the chance that a recruiter or hiring manager will find you.

Are you social-networked-out? More importantly, what networks are you on, and where do you find real value? Shoot me and e-mail (don’t twitter me, don’t leave me a message on my wall, … I live out of my e-mail, not my social network).

Jason Alba is the job seeker's advocate (and aren't we all job seekers?). He got laid off in January 2006, just a few weeks after Christmas. Even though he had great credentials and it was a job-seeker’s market, Jason could hardly get a job interview. Finally he decided to step back and figure out the job search process, including trying to understand all of the available resources. Within a few months he had designed a personal job search tool, JibberJobber.com, which helps professionals manage career and job search activities the same way a salesman manages prospects and customer data. Get a free account at www.JibberJobber.com and begin managing your career right now. Jason blogs at www.JibberJobber.com/blog, recently celebrated his first blog birthday and a book called "I'm on LinkedIn -- Now What??" You can learn more about his book by clicking here.

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Is Anyone Else Getting Social-Networked Out?

Empowering Entrepreneurs

Kathy and Louis Emond, TNNW New England Bureau Chiefs

October's article...

This month we thought we’d share a networking experience that we have; actually, that we have created: The Empowering Entrepreneurs Speakers Series.

In May 2006, at a networking event, we heard from a colleague that he had joined with others in his local Texas network to present monthly business speakers. He and the others would have the opportunity to meet with prospects, and this would lead to new clients. Sounded like a good idea to us.

So we called several of our colleagues: a client who owns a WSI franchise, a CPA we met through BNI, and banker we met through the Nashua Chamber. Adding our expertise as Executive Coaches, we thought we had a good foundation to make useful presentations. We decided to hold these free events on the 2nd Thursday of every month, serve lunch, and provide networking time before and after the talks.

We would offer sponsorships to vendors who would provide discounts or freebies. We agreed to use local vendors as much as possible. We also agreed to allow non-sponsors to present speeches as long as: 1. they educated, but did not sell, and 2. they paid cost of the expenses of the session.

We shared the costs, created a website (www.nhbizspeakers.com'), approached Southern New Hampshire University to rent a room, developed a calendar of events, created a newsletter, and sent notices to our respective networks, and took advantage of the Chamber’s weekly newsletter to include the series once a month under the "Member Mentions." We have also sent notices to the local newspapers; however, we have not seen anyone come because of those announcements. We immediately had about 2000 names in our databases.

The Empowering Entrepreneurs Speakers Series was born. Our Mission is to educate, empower, and promote new and growing businesses in New Hampshire.

One of the more difficult things to judge is how many people would be interested, and this was no different. At our first session, we had 15 people, 3 more than we had predicted. We now attract at least 20, our maximum number was 50. We have new people at every session, who have spread the word to their networks. We now reach out to an estimated 3000 people every month.
The topics?

As for topics, we have covered: Marketing on the Internet, Cash Flow Management, Small Business Loans, Building Customer Loyalty, Improve Your Sales, and Strategic Planning. In the future, we will present Web 2.0, 'Nuts and Bolts' of Brand, and Office 2007...So Why All the Hype?

The results?

We know that attendees have enjoyed the networking; we sponsors, of course, have expanded our own networks; we have helped local vendors demonstrate their products and services to the business community. We consider the program a success. If you are nearby, join us!

The future?
We are planning an expansion of the Empowering Entrepreneurs Speakers Series to include evening sessions that will provide topics of interest to leaders in larger businesses.

The moral of the story? Educating, empowering, and promoting others’ businesses leads to educating, empowering, and promoting your own business.
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Empowering Entrepreneurs

The Laws of Relationship Capital, Part I: The First Law

By Adam J. Kovitz, CEO, Editor-in-Chief

Many of our readers may be wondering why this article is not entitled "Navigating on the Relationship Economy Sea, Part 2", considering last month’s article was Navigating on the Relationship Economy Sea, Part 1. I have made the executive decision to postpone this worthwhile discussion for a later issue as I have received much positive feedback (and questions) about my previous article Can Relationship Capital Solve the World’s Problems? I have to admit that the topic of Relationship Capital is one on which I spend much of my research and introspective time these days, especially based upon my work with RNIA. Therefore, I have decided to introduce the Laws of Relationship Capital - there are currently ten in all and I plan to discuss a different one each month. It is my hope through this series of articles to encourage discussion and debate amongst business leaders, academia, thought leaders and the socially and environmentally conscious who wish to benefit from networking. It is also my intention to discuss this at the "flying at 80,000 feet" as there is much more to each law than presented here.



Why Relationship Capital?

The reason more profits are all too often made at the expense of nature and humankind is the same reason dogs lick their privates…because they can! Relationship Capital (or Social Capital, as it is sometimes referred) has been getting more buzz as it addresses the need to link a profit-based system to personal accountability and integrity as well as corporate responsibility. Proponents of Relationship Capital feel that the current economic system cannot continue to be maintained and must therefore be constrained by mutually agreeable standards as well as personal and cultural value systems. In a truly-networked world, Relationship Capital provides the foundation of a healthy Relationship Economy.



The Good News

If the idea of Relationship Capital sounds a bit subversive, anti-establishment or even a bit too utopian you’re probably under the impression that an alternate economic system like Relationship Capital doesn’t already exist. The truth is that early forms of Relationship Capital are already here and under your very nose. Consider the frequent flyer mileage programs of every major airline as well as credit card rewards programs. Points = Products and Services = Relationship Capital; they can be exchanged. Still not convinced? Take a look at online social network Second Life, a virtual world where its citizens can earn "Linden Dollars" to buy property, start a virtual business, etc.



The First Law of Relationship Capital

Despite the fact that these alternative economic systems exist and serve as early models, the switch to Relationship Capital, if not done correctly, can be highly disruptive. This switch also requires an understanding of the Laws of Relationship Capital. We will cover the First Law this month:

All entities that are alive (or have ever lived) possess Relationship Capital.

Some Definitions

RNIA has defined Relationship Capital as "A measurement index based on RNIA[‘s Common Body of Knowledge (CBOK)] used to value an individual’s or an organization’s networking effectiveness." I define it more as a measurement of capacity, defining the ability to establish a relationship with others. I look at RNIA’s definition as more of the definition of Relationship Capital Value (RCV) in which, like with dollars, can be positive or negative.



The Implications

The First Law of Relationship Capital starts with biology. In biological taxonomy, the highest grouping of organisms is called a "kingdom". According to the First Law, no matter what kingdom you’re from (if you’re reading this, I hope you’re from the animal kingdom), you possess Relationship Capital: animal, plant, fungus, bacteria, etc.



For example, I recently shared the First Law with my wife, Wendy, and she asked, "Does that mean I have a relationship with my salad?" I answered her with an emphatic "yes" in that we develop relationships with all combinations of living organisms and each one brings value to us through Relationship Capital (in this case, food brings us sustenance, and therefore has value). Another example might include bacteria establishing a relationship with us, either positively as the cultures in yogurt are good for digestion or negatively as certain strains will make us sick.



What’s more is that entities can possess Relationship Capital even long after they’ve left this Earth. We’re not just talking the "I see dead people", esoteric kind of stuff, because it tends to be experiential and there is very little scientific proof of such things, although I suppose it is valid in certain circles. I am referring to the knowledge one can receive from reading up on the history of a particular individual’s mark on society, such as with Benjamin Franklin. Without ever having to know him, his works, deeds and actions bring a form of Relationship Capital in that we have gained insight and knowledge. Another example is the value we receive from burning fossil fuels which are the remains of plants and animals long gone so we can have power. If something possesses Relationship Capital, it can be valued.



When we look at the countless examples and permutations of human to human, human to animal, plant to animal, bacterial to fungal, etc., we can see many of our current sciences studying these relationship pairs, by setting up an Entity Relationship Matrix. It’s fascinating to me when I see that it’s no wonder we have sciences like sociology, psychology, paleontology, biology, archeology, anthropology, ecology and botany; they help explain our relationships between us and various organisms! Why? Because each brings value to us through the relationships we have with them. So the next time you sit down to lunch with a business colleague, you are not just networking with them, you’re networking with the fruits, vegetables and fungus that made up your salad, the animal(s), vegetables and various grains that make up your sandwich and a hopefully a minimal amount of bacteria (just to add color).



Summary

To reiterate, the purpose of this article is to give readers a top-level view of The First Law of Relationship Capital. There is, of course much more to this, including potential new research (or at least continuations of old research with a new perspective), new books, countless articles and perhaps a new academic field of study. The First Law of Relationship Capital suggests a world that is currently quite different from ours – one where fools and their money aren’t mutually exclusive and do not have to part, but where having money is about being human. Next month, we will take a look at the Second Law of Relationship Capital and its impact on a Relationship Economy. Stay tuned!

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The Laws of Relationship Capital, Part I: The First Law