Many of you know that I spent a few days in bed during the early part of this week with what was either flu, or the cold from hell. Yes, I did a little blog reading and emailing, but by and large I didn’t work and was away from social media. In fact, I set aside my normal blogging goals for the week, figuring my first priority was simply to get well.
One of the surprising takeaways from this experience is the insight I’ve had into the nature of the relationships I’m building online. I was blown away by the good wishes I received both on Twitter and by email when I tweeted that I was going to be out of action. And then, when I started back yesterday, the welcome was incredible. It really was like walking into an office of people I love working with; people who are not just my colleagues, but are good friends too. I don’t know if you’ve ever known anything like this in a real office? I certainly hadn’t done so in years, and to have co-created it online is simply amazing.
This in turn caused me to reflect further on a conversation I’d had with Julie Walraven a couple of weeks ago about Twitter. Accepted social media wisdom for small businesses is that you strive to build massive networks in order to leverage their viral power. But being ill made me realise that there are individuals in my network whose unique lights shine out for me more greatly than others: whose blogs I particularly enjoy reading and contributing to; whose tweets I especially look out for because they’re normally interesting or engaging; whose comments I love reading here. It was these people I both heard from when I was ill and/or missed because I wasn’t around to see them. Big numbers are important for many, but relationships, I’m realising, are important for me. How you turn that into profitable online business, I haven’t yet cracked, and if anyone has any golden nuggets on this, I’d love to hear them.
Meantime, during one of my more active hours this week, I installed the commentluv plug-in. I’d decided that, even though my site is currently being redesigned, I wanted to add it now. Enabling all of you who hang out here to promote your own excellent content is the tiniest thing I can do to show you how much I value my connection with you. Use and enjoy!
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Hi Christine!
Great to have you back with us and I love this term: “The virtual office of self-selected colleagues” .. it would be a great title for a book!
I love the ever growing community we are part of, and the more I blog, the more I feel that social media is so important on so many levels. I love that my business is being built with people I love being around and that inspire me and also on a personal level that I can come to my online friends when I am feeling down or to share a great achievement and vice versa.
My feelings on creating a profitable on line business (not having done it yet myself) is that persistence and consistency in creating great value (as you are doing) will go a long way. It may take time, but apparently most successful online businesses take at least a year to take off. Taking feedback and changing and learning as we go, will stand us in good stead I think.
Jen´s last blog ..The Wisdom of Gandhi
Thanks, Jen
Well, I hope you don’t mind me sharing that it was in conversation with you that the title of the post emerged…? And that’s another aspect of what happens, at least for me, when I engage with you and the other people in this community – I find my creativity increase and that I say things that I’d not thought of before, or at least not in exactly that way!
I think persistence and consistency is key, Jen, along with, as you say, taking feedback and tweaking things as we go. I’m also realising as I’m reading the comments and tweets I’ve had about this post already that patience is also important along with trusting the process.
Hi Christine-
It is a funny thing when you realize how much of an impact people can have on your way of seeing things, and even on your sense of whether you are making a difference, when you don’t even actually “know” these people. Except that we *do* “know” each other — there is some unique part of us that squeaks out or that we put out as we blog, tweet, etc. that’s a very condensed or maybe pure bit of out identities. We may not realize that we are doing it ourselves, but we sure do recognize it when we see this realness (dare I say, authenticity) coming through when others share online.
I have a white board that hangs right behind my computer monitor, where I’ve written the names of many of the folks who comment on my blogs or tweet with me. I call these my ‘psychic colleagues’ — they are all of you who are helping to change the world of work. I was just thinking that I need to get a bigger white board b/c I have kindof run out of room! (cue diabolical laughter)
cv´s last blog ..What Keeps Women From Moving Up the Ladder? Not “experience”, but corporate laziness
CV!! Your psychic ears were just deafened by my roaring at that last bit!! I could just imagine the scene: “So many great colleagues, so little white board space. Hmmm…”
Seriously, I think you are spot on about us *knowing* one another. The thing I find amazing about all of this social media stuff (well, another thing I find amazing about all of this social media stuff) is that we can pick it up without being physically present with one another. Isn’t that just awesome! And that, through our interconnections, we can serve some meaningful purpose to the world….. Well….
I don’t have a white board with names, but your comment makes me think it may be time to find my equivalent.
Twitter: JulieWalraven
Good Morning, Christine! Popped over to check my blog stats and saw the comment button lit up… and it was a trackback from you! I knew you took the topic seriously when we talked but it was still nice to see that you still remembered!
Community has been important to me since forever and I found that social media just expanded my desire to connect because I met even more wonderful people in the world. Yet, there was a point where the conversation wasn’t happening in the way it did and so changing my Twitter strategy made a huge impact.
Now I can hear again, the babble has ceased and I find that I get that caring feeling again.
You asked: How you turn that into profitable online business, I haven’t yet cracked, and if anyone has any golden nuggets on this, I’d love to hear them. — when we build relationships, people care about us and they wish us well and then when they see a need for our services, they say “Hey, my friend, Christine, can help you with that…”
Julie, thanks for this and for the conversation we had on line some weeks ago. Your article about Twitter was so counter-intuitive to all the stuff that I’d been reading from the “pile them high” community, that it really caused me to think… as you can see!! I enjoy connecting with people who are themselves and not echoes of others, and you were that for me in that article.
I’m fascinated that adopting a different Twitter strategy has had a big impact for you and I look forward to learning more from you about how all of it develops
Twitter: IAC_Heather
Glad to hear that you are feeling better. I have found that it’s difficult to just stop and take time off – even to get well. You did the best thing and are back.
I’m fairly new to your blog, but have enjoyed getting to know you through your writing.
Like you, it always amazes me how many people I have met and come to know – to really connect with – through social media.
Heather Villa´s last blog ..I’ve Joined a Cult!
Thanks, Heather. I have to admit that it was quite tough in particular to turn off Twitter and allow myself time away from it. But one of my top values is health, so that was what I ended up focusing on.
It has been good to have you here recently, and indeed for us to have spoken via Twitter. I really like your weekend posts and, assuming you’re writing one, must drop by tomorrow to check this week’s out.
Take care for now!
Hello,
The title could not have been better for my mood this afternoon, as I was reading I thought I might like to de-select some of my current colleagues and self select some new ones !!!!
As for the golden nuggets, I’m not entirely sure but I know that online can be all a bit different from the common maxim of reaching the masses.
In the gaming sector for instance it is and it isn’t about having millions of customers. I know that only a handful create 95% of the profit, which turns the masses idea on it’s head. OK I’m now thinking as I write this it is a completely different thing to blogs etc. Still I can’t help but feel that there is something in this, it goes to show that it can be all about the quality and interest of the relationship that you create that keeps a customer satisfied.
Have a great weekend.
LOL!!
Sorry to hear that you’d like to offload some of your current colleagues, Tim, and happy to know you’ve headed here for a bit of relief. TGIF, eh?!
I don’t know exactly how the gaming business model works, but what you’re saying is intruiging. Maybe you can tell me more at another point? I think that the small handful principle is the same…
Hope you have a good weekend too, Tim.
Hi Christine,
It is good to see another well written and thoughtful blog. The point you make is one many staff probably do each year via feedback sessions and questionnaires to their corporate and government employers, namley, that “we are not just a number” but “individuals in need of recognition.” It is good to be wanted, needed and recognised. Keep up the great work.
Hey, Bob, thanks for the compliment.
I hadn’t seen that what I was expressing here was the opposite of what so many people in organisations experience, but of course you’re right! It’s so enlivening to have created for myself the experience of not being just another employee…!
Take care
Twitter: diary4life
Christine,
I’m fairly new to following your blog, however it’s good to see you back. I hope your illness wasn’t as bad as ‘man flu’; that’s the one where we can only just manage to sit in the chair in front of the TV and struggle to control the remote.
Joking apart it pleasing to get back and reconnect with your network of friends and virtual office colleagues; it’s also helpful to your recovery.
Regards
Paul
Paul´s last blog ..Forgiveness
Hi Paul!
No it wasn’t man flu. LOL!! Although my other half now has that…!!
It hadn’t struck me that reconnecting with people was an aspect of recovering, but your reflection is spot on. It was such an uplifting experience that I’m sure it not only helped chase away any residual cobwebs of illness, but marked a transition back to wellness. Hmmm. Thank you Paul, that’s very meaningful.
Have a good weekend.
hi christine,
how are you today?
i just wanted to say thank you for taking time out during your rest period to respond to my requests.
I really really appreciate it.
It’s great to have you back in full swing.
Enjoy the rest of the weekend.
ayo´s last blog ..I Failed Again
Hi Ayo! I’m well today, thank you. How about you?
Thank you for saying what you have here. It was my pleasure to be in touch with you when I was resting!
Have a good Sunday.
Twitter: bobbessette
Christine,
I am sorry. I had no idea that you were sick. I cannot use Twitter at work so I don’t tweet much nor do I see them a lot. I hope you are doing well. I am with you on CommentLuv. Being able to see someone’s last post is great and I think it invites people to leave comments. I can’t help you much in being profitable because I basically have no ads or income from my blog yet. I am thinking that all in good time.
Best,
Bob
Bob Bessette´s last blog ..Review of Daniel Scocco’s eBook, Make Money Blogging.
Thanks, Bob
Now that I’ve put CommentLuv on I can’t really understand why I waited… Never mind, though. Done it now and that’s the main thing!
Take care.
Twitter: leesshizzle
Hi Christine,
Seen you in the forum so I wanted to pay a visit. Of course I’ll be back often.
I am understanding you clearly about the office, social media bit. Thanks for sharing your experience. Glad your feeling better.
I can’t tell you how to make big numbers, but I can say you have to get cracking as you put it.
Have a nice day.
Lees Shizzle´s last blog ..If You Want This Pony You Have to Walk it Home…and we did!
Thanks, Lee.
Good to meet you and happy you get the office social media thing. It’s pretty amazing, isn’t it?
Looking forward to connecting with you more and hope you have a great week.
Was so pleased to see you were online and feeling better during the latter part of next week Christine.
For ages I tried to create loads of followers on Twitter and Facebook. For a long time it was numbers game for me. But the after starting my site at the end of last year I started to pick up key followers and friends who I actually interacted with on a regular basis and who I could share ideas with.
Now its all about quality over quantity.
Thanks, Ben, that’s kind
I think your final words there nail it: quality over quantity. Makes for such a different experience.
Take care for now.
Christine
Sorry, but I missed the bus….again! Just found out you were sick.
Today, I am going to pray especially and only for you, so there.
I will meditate on your having a really strong immune system, so that you don’t even catch the common cold–and flu, begone, you trouble-maker, never visit Chrissy again…or else. We do care!
Oh, and if prayer and meditation doesn’t work, there is always the option of the M-plant.
Lighting one of those babies up and you forget about your troubles.
And you won’t even remember your sick, the M-plant will take you so far away from reality. And your husband’s eccentricities too.
Since I can’t smoke the peace pipe with my mother-in-law (bee-ach!), I do the next best thing: reach out for my crack pipe.
Don’t laugh so hard at my troubles, Chrissy, I recommend it.
I am gonna write to 10′ Downing Street now to make the M-Plant legal in Britain.
(Does Margaret Thatcher still live there? I never did catch her husband’s name–he needs to come out of the closet.)
If not, at least for god’s sake, ban Shepherd’s pie (ghastly!),
the English weather, English teeth, and the wanton images of Prince Charles sporting a mini-skirt and playing polo. Cheers!
You’re outrageous, Archan!!
Sadly, I don’t think they’ll ever legalise the M-plant here. Never mind Mrs Thatcher (she’s still here, but Dennis died some years back, without ever having left the closet), have you seen the people that have succeeded her? I can’t imagine Gordon Brown smoking a joint, although David Cameron….?
Feeling better already for all your meditations, not to mention the effect of your wicked sense of humour.
Look after yourself!
Hi Christine,
I found you through Julie, who I found through Barbara. It is true how the social media helps build relationships! I’ve made many great relationships through social medias. Lately I haven’t had a lot of time to pursue those relationships and many blogs I used to follow have fallen to the wayside. I’m trying to find my way back slowly and try to build some new relationships.
I hope you’re feeling better and look forward to getting to know you better.
Debbie Yost´s last blog ..Forgiveness
Hi Debbie
Good to meet you! Your story of how you found your way here does indeed show the power of social media. Sorry to hear you haven’t had time to pursue some of your old relationships – it can be difficult to juggle social media and life sometimes I find!
You’re welcome here whenever you fancy hanging out. Looking forward to getting to know you better too!
Twitter: RyanHanzel
Christine,
Hey I am fairly new around your blog but so far I have really enjoyed your material! I hope you feel better if not already and I can relate to what you are talking about even though it is on a smaller scale for me.
I recently have been working much more than usual and found myself in a place where I was having trouble figuring out what I wanted to post next. The community I am proudly part of has been very supportive and patient.
Ryan hanzel´s last blog ..Why?
Hey, Ryan, that’s a great story about your community being supportive and patient, waiting for it to be clear for you what to post next. I’m very impressed! I think there’s often a generosity of spirit with online communities that is often lacking in other circles. Your experience seems to confirm this.
Thank you for sharing that!
Hey Christine,
First of all, this is the very first article that m reading at your blog & IMPRESSIVE! Good to hear that you’re feeling better now.
Talking about the article, I agree that social networks help very much to connect with your friends when you do not have time, but at the same time, I feel that meeting personally is totally different experience.
Have seen many people talking on facebook even if they’re sitting just next block, so that is not something where I want to reach at!
Nishant Says´s last blog ..Top 5 things which irritate your users the most!
Hi Nishant,
Thanks for dropping by and leaving the comment. I appreciate the nice feedback
I respect what you’re saying about social media not being the same as meeting people in person. All I can tell you is that I’ve met lots of people through blogging, Twitter and Facebook that I never would have met in real life and I feel immensely grateful for having the connections with them that I do. I think that whilst, at one stage I used the internet to connect with existing friends, the internet is now allowing me to make friends with completely new people, some of whom I will undoubtedly meet up with at some stage!
Look after yourself and thanks again.