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#Digiblogchat August 23, 2022 Coaching and Mentoring

August 19, 2022 By Leave a Comment

 

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#Digiblogchat August 23, 2022 Coaching and Mentoring | Image by Pexels from Pixabay

The topic for Tuesday, August 23, 2022 is Coaching and Mentoring! Join us on Twitter each Tuesday at 1:00 p.m. PDT for #DigiBlogChat. My partner for these chats is @LazBlazter. If you need to know how to participate, click here: How to Join #DigiBlogChat. P.S. Don’t forget to add the #digiblogchat hashtag!

Questions:

Q1. Why is it important to have a coach or mentor for your business? 

Q2. Would you need a separate coach or mentor for your personal life? 

Q3. What’s the difference between coaching and mentoring? 

Q4. Could you get the guidance you need from books or videos? Why or why not? 

Q5. What are some benefits you might get from coaching? 

Q6. Could a coach help you develop better soft skills or are those impossible to improve? 

Q7. How has having a coach helped with your self-confidence? 

Q8. Have you ever considered becoming a coach or mentor yourself? Why? 

Q9. What are the downsides of coaching or mentoring in the workplace, if any? 

Q10. How would you go about finding a coach with a good fit for you? 

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A Discussion on Seniors and Their Use of Technology

August 18, 2022 By Leave a Comment

Recently while researching the topic of seniors and the use of technology for #digiblogchat, a chat that @LazBlazter and I host on Twitter, a number of interesting topics came up. Here are some of the spinoffs from that chat.

Featured Guest Warren Naida

The questions for our recent #digiblogchat are already published, by the way. Our featured guest for the chat was @WarrenLNaida. Since the chat ended, Warren has also published a blog post, which you can find here: We Need to Have a Different Conversation about Seniors and Technology. Warren:”Who is a “senior” and who is not? Our access to technology is dependent on other demographics than age. Usually it’s about money and education. The country and city in which we live. Our schools. Our jobs. Access to the internet.” And if you don’t already know Warren Naida, then you should know that he’s already a successful author, teacher, and SEO expert. By his own admission, he’s not yet eligible for senior discounts in his home country, Germany. But his kid would say he’s ancient!

Jim Katzaman’s Take on the Chat

We are all interested in hearing who gets what from our chats. @JimKatzaman outlined several items, each of which could be a chat all by itself. Jim’s article is here: Seniors Find Tech More to Their Liking in Today’s World. For instance, we talked about cybersecurity, which is an issue for people of all ages, not just seniors (whatever that word means any more). And during the pandemic many people experienced loneliness and isolation. So turning to the use of technology was and still is a great way to meet like-minded people. Virtual Meetups (through Zooms or Facetimes) are just one way people can connect with others, but this requires some ease with technology. During the beginning of the pandemic, we all saw people struggle with new technology on zooms.

Exploring and doing the research for the chat

Before most #digiblogchat chats, I do some research, and this was no exception. A number of people weighed in, as usual (you can see more specific ideas from Jim’s or Warren’s links, above). What I found most interesting was getting to know more about Ashton Applewhite. Applewhite has written a manifesto on ageism called This Chair Rocks. She’s also been been featured on TED Talks. Applewhite makes a number of statements on her website which might surprise you. For instance “People are happiest at the beginnings and the ends of their lives.” And “Only 2.5% of Americans over 65 live in nursing homes.” And while reading about Applewhite, I found an entire mountain of information about aging, such as the website Old School, and their section of Books and Blogs.

Ageism works both ways

Although we might think of ageism as something that only affects older folks, younger people suffer from discrimination, too. Think back to a time when someone told you you were too young for an activity. That might’ve been simply going to an amusement park, but it could also apply to driving a car or operating machinery.

 

Filed Under: Blog

#Digiblogchat August 16, 2022 Essential Insurance for Small Businesses with @ColfaxInsurance

August 12, 2022 By Leave a Comment
Image by <a href="https://pixabay.com/users/sarahrichterart-1546275/?utm_source=link-attribution&utm_medium=referral&utm_campaign=image&utm_content=2871773">Sarah Richter</a> from <a href="https://pixabay.com//?utm_source=link-attribution&utm_medium=referral&utm_campaign=image&utm_content=2871773">Pixabay</a>

The topic for Tuesday, August 16, 2022 is Essential Insurance for Small Businesses with Alyx of @ColfaxInsurance | Image by Sarah Richter from Pixabay

The topic for Tuesday, August 16, 2022 is Essential Insurance for Small Businesses with Alyx of @ColfaxInsurance! Join us on Twitter each Tuesday at 1:00 p.m. PDT for #DigiBlogChat. My partner for these chats is @LazBlazter. If you need to know how to participate, click here: How to Join #DigiBlogChat. P.S. Don’t forget to add the #digiblogchat hashtag!

Questions:

Q1. How do I know whether I need business insurance? Where do I start?

Q3. What are the most common business insurance claims?

Q4. How do I know I have the right coverage for my needs?

Q5. What are the risks that my policy would protect my business from?

Q6. Would my regular auto insurance cover any coverage I need for commercial auto?

Q7. What types of businesses can be covered by a business policy?

Q8. What if I have a more specialized or obscure business type? Can I still get covered?

Q9. Why do you think business insurance is important?

Q10. What types of insurance should a small business consider (versus a large business)?

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#Digiblogchat August 9, 2022 Senior Use of Technology with @WarrenLNaida

August 8, 2022 By Leave a Comment
Image by <a href="https://pixabay.com/users/meridy-569209/?utm_source=link-attribution&utm_medium=referral&utm_campaign=image&utm_content=523086">Meridy Scott</a> from <a href="https://pixabay.com//?utm_source=link-attribution&utm_medium=referral&utm_campaign=image&utm_content=523086">Pixabay</a>

#Digiblogchat August 9, 2022 Senior Use of Technology with @WarrenLNaida | Image by Meridy Scott from Pixabay

The topic for Tuesday, August 9, 2022 is The Senior Use of Technology with @WarrenLNaida! Join us on Twitter each Tuesday at 1:00 p.m. PDT for #DigiBlogChat. My partner for these chats is @LazBlazter. If you need to know how to participate, click here: How to Join #DigiBlogChat. P.S. Don’t forget to add the #digiblogchat hashtag!

By the way, Jim Katzaman wrote an excellent recap of our chat. Find it at Seniors Find Tech More to Their Liking in Today’s World.

The questions:

Q1. How old is a senior? What does “senior” mean to you?  

Q2. What kinds of issues do seniors have with technology?

Q3. What could and do seniors use the internet for?

Q4. How does ageism manifest itself in your experience?

Q5. How do seniors use technology in their work lives?

Q6. Name one struggle seniors might have with tech?

Q7. What are some benefits seniors could gain from using technology?

Q8. Could technology help seniors gain more freedom? How?

Q9. What are some ways seniors could have more social interactions using technology?

Q10. Would seniors be more safe and secure if they used technology more? How?

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Just a Few Words about the Absolutely Dreaded Imposter Syndrome

August 4, 2022 By Leave a Comment

Imposter syndrome is loosely defined as doubting your abilities and feeling like a fraud. If you’ve ever felt like a fraud before, you’re certainly not alone. Many of us feel like fraudsters, despite multiple degrees, years of job experience, and badges saying we’re number one! Not literally, but you get my drift. If this is you, you might like this post. By the way, we talked about Imposter Syndrome this week on #Digiblogchat–a collaborative chat on Twitter. We talked with Teodora Pirciu, and you can find her on Medium. Wikipedia has a few more words to say about this syndrome.

Just a Few Words about the Absolutely Dreaded Imposter Syndrome| Image by Sumanley xulx from Pixabay

What measures can correct it?

Reassurances from friends, coworkers, and peers can help. Meeting with others who also suffer from it can help, according to Wikipedia. Group therapy is another way to manage the syndrome. And for some homework where one is asked to reframe negative thoughts in a positive light. Have you ever experienced imposter syndrome? How did you manage it (if you did)? Let me know–I’d love to hear your thoughts!
Filed Under: Blog

#Digiblogchat August 2, 2022 Imposter Syndrome with @EmaPirciu

July 29, 2022 By Leave a Comment
Image by <a href="https://pixabay.com/users/sasint-3639875/?utm_source=link-attribution&utm_medium=referral&utm_campaign=image&utm_content=1807557">Sasin Tipchai</a> from <a href="https://pixabay.com//?utm_source=link-attribution&utm_medium=referral&utm_campaign=image&utm_content=1807557">Pixabay</a>

#Digiblogchat August 2, 2022 Imposter Syndrome with @EmaPirciu | Image by Sasin Tipchai from Pixabay

The topic for Tuesday, August 2, 2022 is Imposter Syndrome with @EmaPirciu! Join us on Twitter each Tuesday at 1:00 p.m. PDT for #DigiBlogChat. My partner for these chats is @LazBlazter. If you need to know how to participate, click here: How to Join #DigiBlogChat. P.S. Don’t forget to add the #digiblogchat hashtag!

The questions:

  1. Show us a GIF that expresses your feelings when Imposter Syndrome hits 
  2. Is Imposter Syndrome even real? 
  3. What does Imposter Syndrome feel like? 
  4. When does Imposter Syndrome happen?
  5. How does Imposter Syndrome impact your work? 
  6. Can Imposter Syndrome influence your personal relationships? 
  7. When is Imposter Syndrome a good thing?
  8. What’s the difference between Imposter Syndrome and perfectionism?
  9. Do you know any exercises that help counter Imposter Syndrome? 
  10.  Do leaders experience Imposter Syndrome? 
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How Has Social Listening Changed over Time?

July 28, 2022 By Leave a Comment

Perhaps you’ve heard the phrase social listening and wondered what it meant. Or you’ve already been listening and want to know what has changed lately. Either way, stay tuned as I discuss this topic.

First of all, what is social listening?

Sprout Social has a terrific article not only defining social listening, but listing tools and telling why social listening is important and why you should pay attention to your audience online (before speaking). So here’s their quote “Social listening refers to analyzing the conversations and trends happening not just around your brand, but around your industry as a whole, and using those insights to make better marketing decisions.” Like your parents said, listen before you speak. This helps you understand the context of any conversations happening online. Monitoring conversations and sentiment can help you decide what strategy your brand should take.

Examples of social listening

Social listening means tracking your brand or topic on social media and then making adjustments or changes in direction based on what you hear. So for instance, you might have a Google alert for your business name. You might see or hear someone say something negative about your business and then you can change course to correct that negative comment. Or you could address the person making a negative comment directly, as some businesses do on Google or Yelp reviews. You might like Hubspot’s article on social listening: What is Social Listening and Why is it Important? For one thing, as explained in Hubspot’s article “customers like it when brands respond.” Recently, when I gave a negative review to a restaurant, the restaurant manager invited me back to see whether they could change my mind. Would I be more apt to return to a restaurant that responded to a review? You betcha!

Tools for social listening

Of course Google, Yelp, and all sorts of social media platforms would be good tools for social listening. Having a Google alert for your business, including misspellings of your name, would also help. You could make yourself a reminder to check for negative or positive reviews. One good trick is to set up a column in your social media monitoring tool for mentions of your name. People don’t always complain directly to your business. So checking into NextDoor or local pages on Facebook can be good monitoring tools, too. If you have a brick-and-mortar business, be sure to claim your Google and Yelp accounts so you can respond. Here’s an article that could help: Five Quick Ways to Boost Your Social Media Listening.

Image by <a href="https://pixabay.com/users/kaboompics-1013994/?utm_source=link-attribution&utm_medium=referral&utm_campaign=image&utm_content=791686">Karolina Grabowska</a> from <a href="https://pixabay.com//?utm_source=link-attribution&utm_medium=referral&utm_campaign=image&utm_content=791686">Pixabay</a>

How Has Social Listening Changed over Time? | Image by Karolina Grabowska from Pixabay

What’s changed?

In the before time, people might have talked to each other more directly. But with more social media channels, people can write, text, send videos, tweet, and post about your business. So you need to be even more vigilant about checking. Asking friends and neighbors about where people are talking could be a good strategy. Being able to respond is important. By social listening, you will be more able to identify your customer’s pain points. And if you want to learn more about pain points, you might like How to Find Your Audience’s Pain Points and Why You’d Want to.

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#Digiblogchat July 26, 2022 Data Vizualization and Storytelling with @LazBlazter

July 21, 2022 By Leave a Comment
Image by <a href="https://pixabay.com/users/tumisu-148124/?utm_source=link-attribution&utm_medium=referral&utm_campaign=image&utm_content=4203628">Tumisu, please consider ☕ Thank you! 🤗</a> from <a href="https://pixabay.com/?utm_source=link-attribution&utm_medium=referral&utm_campaign=image&utm_content=4203628">Pixabay</a>

#Digiblogchat July 26, 2022 Data Vizualization and Storytelling with @LazBlazter| Image by Tumisu, please consider ☕ Thank you! 🤗 from Pixabay

The topic for Tuesday, July 26, 2022 is Data Vizualization and Storytelling with @LazBlazter! Join us on Twitter each Tuesday at 1:00 p.m. PDT for #DigiBlogChat. My partner for these chats is @LazBlazter. If you need to know how to participate, click here: How to Join #DigiBlogChat. P.S. Don’t forget to add the #digiblogchat hashtag!

Q1. What does data vizualization mean for you and the stakeholders to your organization? 

Q2: What types of data are you processing and why does vizualization matter? 

Q3: How do you go about relating what your data sets mean to stakeholders? 

Q4: When is the best time to send / publish vizualization data and does it need a word based story to give it context? 

Q5: From a stakeholder perspective, on a scale of 1-10, how much can you trust the data integrity of a vizualization without accompanying storytelling? 

Q6: Can you share any insights to good experiences where data is used to relate a story? 

Q7: Cite your best tips in providing that “WOW” experience to your customers. 

Q8: What applications can you recommend in support of creating quality vizualizations and then adding a storyboard to assure context is clear? 

Q9. Can you relate any instances of data vizualization being used to change the story in an activity or established process?  

Q10. Challenge time: Can you share a data vizualization of your own in respect of today’s chat or undertake to be a future guest host? 

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What Does a Community Manager Do?

July 21, 2022 By Leave a Comment

A community manager needs to wear a few different hats. Some of these hats include writing posts, creating headlines, and being engaged with a community. There are some other traits that a good community manager might have as well, such as being super-duper friendly (depending on the brand, of course), and creating video or graphics.

Is a community manager a good job?

It depends. At least half of what makes it a good job is who you work for. The other half is the audience. Are the brand’s followers engaged and happy? Or are they mostly online to complain? If you’re mostly answering complaints, that’s a bit different, and not nearly as fun as being a brand ambassador. By the way, you might like this post: Made up Holidays Social Media Managers Will Absolutely Love.

What are the qualification of a community manager?

Although there are degrees in social media management and community management, to me the best thing is on-the-job-training. If you’re able to work either for yourself or as a volunteer or intern, then you can pick up a lot of ideas from others. I think a good idea is to get a little real-world experience first and pick up training along the way. That could be formal training, but not always. I’ve always preferred to get training in person, but that’s not always possible, especially in the age of Covid. Corinne McGill says in this Hubspot article Community Managers What They Do and How to Be a Great One writes “Beyond a working understanding of the business, managers need to build productive, professional relationships both internally and externally in order to be a more authentic and reliable brand ambassador.”

Image by <a href="https://pixabay.com/users/stocksnap-894430/?utm_source=link-attribution&utm_medium=referral&utm_campaign=image&utm_content=2557396">StockSnap</a> from <a href="https://pixabay.com/?utm_source=link-attribution&utm_medium=referral&utm_campaign=image&utm_content=2557396">Pixabay</a>

What Does a Community Manager Do?| Image by StockSnap from Pixabay

Why do you need a community manager?

You need someone to spread the word and help your business to get found online. Maybe you’re too busy with the day-to-day running of your business. Maybe you don’t want to learn another aspect of marketing. Or maybe marketing isn’t something that interests you. In that case, you could definitely use a little help. Even us social media types need help sometimes! And at those times, I call on friends with the same or similar skills to fill in. After all, we all need a little vacation from time to time. Also, if you’re working on your business, sometimes you can become too focused on the day to day issues and the little things.

What are some community management skills?

Reading, writing, and research are some great skills to have. You might not notice all the research happening behind the scenes, but that takes up a great deal of our time. You can’t just post something without at least scanning it. Also, of course, reaching out to followers and to other brands as well. Sometimes other accounts won’t engage with you, but it’s still a good idea to try. After awhile, you’ll see who is willing to engage and who isn’t. Some of the bigger accounts engage all the time, and people love it! For instance, Wendy’s is a great account to follow on Twitter. So fun! If you’re interesting in being more engaged online, you might like: You Don’t Need Fairy Dust to Improve Your Social Media Engagement.

Did I forget something?

What’s your impression of community managers? Let me know your thoughts!

 

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#Digiblogchat July 19, 2022 Providing Wow Experience to Your Customers with @VirtuDeskCom

July 14, 2022 By Leave a Comment
Image by <a href="https://pixabay.com/users/ktphotography-5847971/?utm_source=link-attribution&utm_medium=referral&utm_campaign=image&utm_content=2527495">ktphotography</a> from <a href="https://pixabay.com/?utm_source=link-attribution&utm_medium=referral&utm_campaign=image&utm_content=2527495">Pixabay</a>

#Digiblogchat July 19, 2022 Providing Wow Experience to Your Customers with @VirtuDeskCom | Image by ktphotography from Pixabay

The topic for Tuesday, July 19, 2022 is Providing Wow Experience to Your Customers with special guest @virtudeskcom! Join us on Twitter each Tuesday at 1:00 p.m. PDT for #DigiBlogChat. My partner for these chats is @LazBlazter. If you need to know how to participate, click here: How to Join #DigiBlogChat. P.S. Don’t forget to add the #digiblogchat hashtag!

Here are the questions:

Q1: What is customer experience?

Q2: What are the elements of a great customer experience?

Q3: What’s the difference between customer experience and customer service?

Q4: Why is it important to ask your customers for feedback?

Net Promoter Score (NPS) measures the overall customer experience of your brand. Customer Satisfaction (CSAT) measures the short-term happiness from your customer’s recent interaction with your brand.

Q5: Which is better for measuring your customers’ happiness, NPS or CSAT? If you are using a different metric, please share them below.

Q6: From a customer’s perspective, on a scale of 1-10, how would you rate your overall experience with your brand? Would you recommend your brand to your friends, family, and other people?

Q7: How can you improve your NPS or CSAT rate?

Q8: Cite your best tips in providing that “WOW” experience to your customers.

Q9: What are your thoughts on this quote by Eric Ries? “Success is not delivering a feature, it is learning how to solve the customer’s problem.”

Q10: What did you learn today that you are planning to apply to your business?

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