My influence can beat up your influence.
Back from SoSlam, a copy of Return on Influence sits on my desk, just waiting to be read.
Influence.
WTH does a Klout score mean anyway? According to reports, Klout and PeerIndex really measure something else. My default position: it doesn’t measure influence so much as it counts online activity.
See also, Ken Mueller – measuring influence is an ongoing process, not one and done. Howie Goldfarb – find people talking about Audis not just on the Internets – since most of our communication is in fact offline – but getting to actually walk in a showroom and buy an Audi, that is real world influence.
And I can’t decide if these are signs of the apocalypse or a return to reason, alas talking about measuring so-called ‘influence’ ain’t going anywhere.
Who cares?
I was bemused by this post on important wine bloggers, as the comments played out ye olde influence debate:
-”Who are those people?! No one outside the industry knows them. Hell no one outside the wine blogging industry knows them.”
-”Who cares if Joe Consumer knows, he’s too busy buying Two Buck Chuck to be influenced by wine press. These are making themselves known, lots of counting and metics and eyeballs and ads.”
-”They’re just talking to each other.”
-”Well, they get published in mainstream media.”
-”Chicken, ‘Hi, Egg.’”
Who cares about your score? Who cares about your ‘news’ release? Who cares if you know something about Disney World or CRM software? No really, that’s what it boils down to: exactly who cares. Is it someone who is ever going to buy or recommend your company or not? And will whoever is listening care?!
Sucking up FTW
Apparently there are at least 14 ways to build strategic relationships with the ‘who’s who’ of social media. Part of me gets it, but as I discussed with Kaarina Dillabough, mostly I’m insulted.
According to that post, I’ve done everything right but since can’t ‘move the needle’ on my own I need:
“a little help from the influencers (and their massive audiences) you can move from obscurity to a firm place on the map. Without their help, your future’s unclear.”
Really? I’ve not brown nosed with the jet set huh? I don’t have popularity in certain circles? That is why I’m not pushing ahead?! I call bullshit.
I’d deal with being a so-so blogger or not being very business minded or just plain dumb. I genuinely value my connections, but networking with the “who’s who” to trade on their influence – spare me.
I meet with small business owners all the time. There’s no talk of influence, they’ve barely heard of the scoring systems, and — other than people trying to sell them automated ‘online presence’ — little discussion of social media. Deer, meet headlights if you start name-dropping the ‘internet famous.’ Tell them something that can help their businesses, then they pay attention. Because that’s all they care about.
I’m damn smart. I bring good, actionable ideas to my blog. I have an eye for details, vision for branding and a way with words; I can tell a good story. The people I care to influence – the ones hiring me, signing my contract.
I don’t care if your scores are higher than mine. Who influences me absolutely matters; for my business, it’s whomever I influence that matters more. You?
New Old Friends and Missed Connections: SoSlam 2012
Tom Webster learned about dealing with presentation failure. Rosemary O’Neill found several pearls of wisdom, and Jenn found many to be ‘profit agnositic.’ Kristen Daukus was impressed by the ladies at SoSlam – because they rocked.
Social Slam 2012
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Beware the hype
First of all, watch you don’t step in the b.s.
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Rules of Commenting, Part II, Subsection B, Paragraph 12.3, itty bitty fine print
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Very Models of Bad Business Behavior
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Trickle down leadership.
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