"Google it" and "Facebook me" have become so ingrained in our daily conversations that we just take the expressions for granted.  The difference comes down to "me" versus "it".

When it comes to "me" I find utility in sharing experiences with friends. However, when I am interested in "it" I will go and search out an answer. 

In the "me" world I talk about events, entertainment and maybe an exceptional experience. If you want my attention, an ad in the sidebar won't get me.  I PVR all my television shows to avoid ads so what makes you think I will click on your ad? You are trying to bring "it" into the "me" world. In the "me" world its all about ME.  In the "me" world there is only on way to get my attention. Provide an experience that is so good that my friends want to talk about it. 

So what happens when I am looking for "it"? Simple, I "Google it." The big question is will I discover you? Will I find that you have a reputation and can provide me with "it"? 

[The following post is a response to the question on the value of social media in B2B sales development from the Brother Canada Partner Network on LinkedIn] 

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[This post is in response to the question "I've been hearing a lot of feedback that Twitter seems to be going the way of MySpace - mainly for entertainment purposes, but limited in any real business sense." posted in the Brother Canada Partner Network group on Linked-In]

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This video was created for a keynote address at a series of IT Channel Events, by John Robertson Director of Sales (Brother Canada).  The purpose of the video is to explain the importance of social media in sales and business development today.  Your online reputation is becoming a critical factor in sales success and you need to familiarize yourself with social media tools, strategies, and tactics.  If you are a reseller or distributor in the Canadian IT Channel you may engage with the Brother Canada Partner Network on LinkedIn.  If you are not a reseller or distributor in the Canadian IT Channel then please feel free to leave your comments below or engage with John on Twitter.  If you would like to learn more about Brother International (Canada) Ltd. please visit brother.ca.

Brother and its logo are registered trademarks of Brother Industries Ltd (Japan).  All other logos referenced herein are the registered trademarks of their respective companies.  The ideas and comments referenced herein are for informational purposes only.

[this post is a letter to @zen_habits about his upcoming work Focus)

Leo,

Many managers work in corporate cultures that don't celebrate focus or flexibility.  It's about fire fighting and responding to the crisis of the moment. These managers could pack their bags and pursue a career in a more fulfilling company or business. However, they will be replaced with more managers that experience the same issues.

Instead of adopting the corporate culture we need more managers who subtly create a new culture of focus that results in truly important work getting done.  I have witnessed many managers adopt the management practices of their bosses. It's like the child who grows up to parent in the same style as their parents.  If their boss is a control freak and wants to be cc'd on everything then the manager asks their people to cc them on everything.  The result is too much information to process and a team that feels their boss doesn't trust them.  

We can't afford to have young new managers getting burned out from the poor management practices of their bosses.  Please consider addressing how a manager can go beyond changing themselves to influence the corporate culture. How can a manager build a team that becomes the "talk" of the enterprise?

Cheers @inspiredEggs

[This post is a response to the question above posted in the Trusted Business Advisor (VAR) group on Linked-In]

I'm a fan of social media. The mistake most Trusted Business Advisors (TBAs) make with social media is they don't learn to use the tools or set clear objectives for the time they spend on social media.  I have countless examples of TBAs in other industries who use social media to navigate multi-million dollar prospects to closed sales.  For example, I met a sales person recently; let’s call him JM, who sells million dollar machine tools.  He explained to me how he uses Linked-In to connect with influencers and key contacts in his field.  He only spends 30 minutes a day managing his online reputation and has clear objectives for what he wants to achieve during that time.

If a TBA is going to use social media she also needs to invest the time to learn the medium.  In the same fashion you develop your consultative selling or networking skills you need to learn how to social network. If you don’t understand the etiquette, it can damage your reputation.

The one thing I can promise all TBAs is that some of your competitors are learning to use social media to develop business.  You must choose if you are going to let them have that advantage to themselves.

Think for a moment about the genesis of a failure. Usually we fail because we are moving into uncharted territory and taking a risk. How do you ever expect to grow if you don't step outside the norm?

Risk taking comes in all kinds of sizes... changing jobs, getting married, having children, or conquering a personal fear. We choose to take a risk because we know there is a reward on the other end. However, the real reward is what we learn while pursuing something new. Sometimes the choices we make during the pursuit are wrong, but we learn and that is a reward in itself.

If I hadn't failed would I recognize success? Maybe, but success without failure is luck. If your last failure is way behind you in the distance then are you still taking risks? Are you still pushing the edge of personal growth? If you are pursuing personal growth then hopefully your last failure is right over your shoulder.