By Suzi Dafnis

Amber Naslund is the coauthor of The NOW Revolution – 7 Shifts to Make Your Business Faster, Smarter and More Social. Amber gave a presentation at the Day Stage at South By South West in Austin.

This audio is that an excerpt of that session. Turn up the sound after my introduction for best listening.

In this audio she talks about the fact that there are many books about how to use social media, so what she and her coauthor Jay Baer wanted to create with The NOW Revolution was an operational manual for companies to figure out how to adapt the inside of their business to what social media is doing.

Amber and Jay are our guests on BOOKED for Lunch on 12 April. Learn more about this free webinar here. I hope you’ll join us.

Suzi

By Julie Wise, The SilverOwl

“What gets measured gets managed.”    Although this is embraced without question,  lots of business owners are slow to understand its criticality when it comes to effective and sustainable business.   There are many reasons why this is the case, but I suspect that several key reasons top the list.

First, many (most?) business owners left their jobs because of  paperwork / ‘red-tape’.  Second, SMEs histori­cally relied on the impression and feeling that their business was doing good more than they did on hard facts and lifeless statistics. Lastly, for a great many quantitative analysis is simply too hard and hence not a priority.

So let’s take a brief look at “5 Ms” of measures:-

1. Does measurement really matter?
2. What should you measure?
3. How should you monitor these measures?
4. How do you use measures to moti­vate?
5. What’s the message?

Does Measurement Really Matter?

In their book Bullseye! Hitting Your Strategic Targets Through High-Impact Measure­ment, William Schiemann and John Lingle document the differences measurement makes in organizations.

Not surprisingly,  businesses that measured scored 41% higher across the 4 parts of business than  businesses that did not measure.

More importantly,  71% of companies that measured achieved their business plans while only 8% of companies that did not measure achieved their business plans.  Which side of the ledger do you want to be on?   Lets agree that measurement really matters, so exactly what should a business measure?

Measuring the Critical Few

Every business has four parts: inputs, throughputs, outputs, and outcomes.

• Inputs are generally measures of resourc­es and efforts. That is, how much time, tal­ent, effort or budget went into a particular program, project, event or activity.
• Throughputs are often measures of effi­ciency that deal with things like cycle times. For example, How long does it take to issue a receipt once an invoice is paid?  Clearly, a payment/receipt time of 4 hours is much more attractive than a week.
• Outputs are measures of productivity.  For example, for a millinery company the num­ber of hats distributed to outlets  would be an output.
• Outcomes, on the other hand, would be the number of hats actually sold. Out­comes speak to the end results that your business is seeking. Likewise, a coach might conduct 24 coaching sessions (outputs), but how were skills of participants actually enhanced and what did the participants subsequently impact as a consequence (outcomes).

The simple rule of thumb on metrics is “80/20” – where 20% of your measures will yield 80% of the desired results, insight, or action needed.   To find your 20%,  first identify the Key Result Areas (KRAs) important to your business’ mission and vision.  Generally, there are four to seven areas (more than seven raises questions as to how key the areas really are or how clear your business mission statement is).   How do you know if your KRAs are really key?  They are truly key if:

1. Success in these areas and failure in others will probably not matter.
2. Fail in these areas and no amount of success in other areas will matter.

Once the KRAs are known, you need to identify the Key Per­formance Indicators (KPIs) within each of these KRAs.   For  example, most businesses would say that the area of e-marketing is a Key Result Area. Within this KRA, measures like new vs. old visitors, page visits, bounce rate, cancellation rate, number of orders and average value of order would likely be key perfor­mance indicators.

There are some things to be aware of :-

1. There are people,  due either to their aversion to accountability or simply naiveté, like to claim that what they do really can’t be measured. My response!  “If something exists, it exists in some amount,  and if it exists in some amount, it can be measured.”
2. The mere fact that it can be measured doesn’t mean it should be measured, that it’s important to measure it,  or  that it’s cost-effective to capture the data, etc
3. Strive to measure what you want (i.e., those measures that are really impor­tant), rather than resigning to what you can currently measure.
4. Heed Albert Einstein “Make things as simple as possible, but no simpler.” The fewer measures you have without leaving key measures out, the better off you’ll be. Your real goal is to achieve and sustain a strategic focus on what matters most, the more you clutter your dashboard the more this entire exercise becomes self-defeating.

Monitoring

Measurement is the first step that leads to control and eventually to improvement.

If you can’t measure something,  you can’t understand it.

If you can’t understand it,  you can’t control it.

If you can’t control it, you can’t improve it

MORE GREAT POSTS BY JULIE WISE

• Why your business needs a succession plan
• Grab a coffee, take time to pause and reflect on FY10 – 01 July 2010
• Unleash The Plan In Your Head

When you see the list of my top five books for 2009 you’re bound to notice a pattern. I’ve had a bit of a one-track-mind this year. Most of 2009 I studied online communities, technology and social media.

I don’t know exactly how many books I’ve read this year, but many of them have been on similar subjects. I immersed myself in podcasts (more on that in a few days), courses (both online and live) and especially books — as I endeavoured to learn and implement as much as possible about the changing online landscape. My goal: To master the ability to connect and work with my online community of business women – and to use what I learn as I implement the new information to pass on to the community skills and tools that they can use to run their businesses better.

Now… for the list.  If you’re working on building an online community, want to better communicate within your social networks, want practical ways to build your social capital, then I recommend these titles.

I’ve included Amazon links below so you can read up further on the books. Dear Australian Readers: Don’t write to tell me I should order from Aussie retailers – I’m yet to find Aussie bookstores that satisfy my book needs, who delivery quickly and inexpensively and who have the books that I need, when I need them.

The Whuffie Factor – Tara Hunt

After hearing Tara Hunt speak at the South by South West festival in Austin I ordered this book (which was released in July). It’s about how to build your social capital. The author offers a no-nonsense guild to how what grows and what diminishes your online reputation and how to educate and empower your connection. (Here’s a post I wrote about this book when it was first released.)

Trust Agents

Trust Agents – Using the Web to Build Influence, Improve Reputation and Earn Trust - Chris Brogan and Julien Smith

This one is terrific. The authors describe trust and the most important currency today. I’ve listed to the audio book (which is read by both authors) and am yet to devour the printed version. How to build trust, maintain a good reputation, build relationships online, what breaks trust and what empowers trust.

Free – the Future of a RadicalPrice - Chris Anderson

In the digital marketplace, the most effective price is no price at all, argues Anderson (The Long Tail). Great examples of companies using ‘free’ to build big businesses. The concept can be a hard one to accept and to see the application in you own business, even harder BUT get it and you can transform an industry and your business.

Crowdsourcing – Why the Power of the Crowd is Driving the Future of Business - Jeff Howe

How is collaboration (and the ease by which you can crowdsource using socialmedia) changing the face of business and product/business development? How to harness the power of the crowd. Great examples.

One of the many 'Dummies' book on my shelves

Facebook for Dummies - Leah Pearlman and Carolyn Abram

I love the “Dummies” books. I’ve purchased a number of the social media/tech titles (including ones on Facebook, Twitter, WordPress, SEO, You Tube, Blogging) because they are easy to follow and the authors walk you through many aspects of using social media tools or both business and personal outcomes. In this one you’ll learn how to optimise your profile, promote your business, create a business page – it touches the main aspects you need to master to get results with Facebook.

140 Characters: A style guide for the short form - Dom Sagolla

I haven’t yet finished this one but it’s definitely already worthy of being on this list. As relevant for status updates in Facebook and LinkedIn, the book covers basic grammar, creating your own style, writing for best effect using Twitter and other short-form vehicles.

If you have any book recommendations you’d like to share, I’d be happy to hear from you.

AUDIO VS PRINT BOOKS

I’ve been an audio book listener of a couple of years, but more so this year partly because I don’t want to wait (I can start the book now – I don’t need to wait to get the physical copy) and partly because of convenience (I can consume the material when I’m walking or driving).

These days I buy most books in both audio and printed version. The audio gets listened to pretty quickly. The printed version ends up more like a workbook with highlights, post-it notes stuck through it and as an easy to follow reference for implementation of the principles contained in the book.

To Kindle or Not to Kindle?

I haven’t bought a Kindle yet. I have the iphone app version of it and may get one (but I’m yet to be convinced of the extra benefits…. Right now I’m using my iphone to read/listen to the vook Crush It by Gary Vaynerchuk (get the vook in the Apple Apps store). The iphone is plenty big enough for me to read on. Also, with the Apple tablet (hopefully) not too far away, I’ll be interested to see if that creeps into the same territory as Kindle.

Best wishes,

Suzi

Additional Resources

Tara Hunt on Twitter

Chris Brogan on Twitter

Chris Anderson on Twitter

South by South West Festival (I’m going. Hope you’ll be there too.)

I’m a book lover. I consume books (many at the same time) both in print and audio books. My bedside table and bookshelves are full of yet-to-be-read books. It’s my little fetish and I don’t mind telling you. If Amazon had frequent-flyer points I’d be a Platinum member!

What may be surprising to you is that books have been a source of networking opportunities for me. I’ve connected with people (online and offline) through books, the reading of them and also by commenting about them openly.

When I was living in the US, friends and I would get together in person a couple of times a year and study a business book together. The core group would bring along others that we thought may be interested.  We’d read, debrief, share our points of view but mainly discuss the author’s point of view. I made good new friends and contacts this way.

A few yeas ago, the Australian Businesswomen’s Network held evening book studies for is members on Michael Gerber’s The E Myth and Jim Collins’ Good to Great.  While valuable these events were only available to those who could make it along on the night of the event. With the advent of social media and social networking (and because my ‘tribe’ is spread across the country), I have decided to host online book discussions on books that I think my clients (women in business) will enjoy. They start soon – and I’ll Tweet you when we launch.

Now… books and your network.

Education has been a connector for me and I find that I’m drawn to connect with others who share an interest in the same subjects. That’s in part what keeps me attending seminars and trainings all over the world. (Of course these events also provide face-to-face networking opportunities.)

Could you do the same with your clients? Could you instigate discussion about a book that is in line with your message or your business?

My tweet while reading 4 Hour Work Week was Retweeted by @Andrea_Moore

MY VERSION OF SPEED ‘READING’

Right now I’m re-listening to and re-reading Tim Ferris’s 4 Hour Work Week. Don’t think me a psycho but my weekend consisted of:

• Read a couple of chapters
• Jump in car to run errands and listen to a few chapters on iphone
• Back home and lunch in the sun while reading more chapters
• Walk the dog and listen to a few more more chapters

It sure helped me get through the book quickly – and, since I was rereading it, what I found was that I was hearing/reading things that I’d totally missed first time around. And, as you can see above, one of my tweets about the book was Retweeted. Andrea retweeting spread my message to her network.

TODAY’S TASK

Recommend a book to your followers/friends/contacts. Tweet the details of a book you’re reading that those that follow you may find of interest. Start a discussion. Remember to use #30DNet in your tweet.

Recession Proof Your Life is a new book by Lynelle Johnson. I was invited to (and accepted the invitation to) contribute to the chapter called “Preparing Your Business for Tough Times” in which I recount the experience of doing business in the USA  during the weeks following the tragedy of 911. Doing business was not a priority (not when thousands had lost their lives) but it was a necessity for my business and many other small businesses.

Recession-Proof Your Life helps you plan for those inevitable downturns, and give you the knowledge that you need to get through them. Packed with tips and real-life examples, this comprehensive ‘how-to’ guide offers practical measures you can take to prepare your career, finances, investments, relationships and business for a recession —  and to capitalise on the recovery.

Recession Proof Your Life | Lynelle Johnson

The book covers:

• bulletproof your job
• manage your career
• deal with stress at work and in your relationships
• prosper financially
• keep your business afloat.

It’s available in good bookstores around Australia.

One of my favourite presentations at South by South West was called Making Whuffie – Raising Social Capital in Online Communities, presented by Tara Hunt.

According to Tara whuffie is social capital, connections (both strong and weak) and influence, amongst other things. (Ok, that’s the super short version… and probably doesn’t do her topic justice.)

Whuffie is your reputation. It’s a score (that can go up and down) on your relationships and is the new order of connecting with your community.

Her new book (The Whuffie Factor) is out on 21 April. I’ve preordered mine… and am chomping to get my hands on it and share it with my own community.

A couple of question that Tara posed:

1. Are your connections to your community strong or weak?
2. Regardless how many friends you have on Facebook or Twitter… how connected are you to those people?
3. If your whuffie score is high the recommendations you make will be seen as credible. How high is your whuffie score?

Some tips for making whuffie:

•    Creating whuffie takes time and building trust.
•    It involves listening (rather than broadcasting)
•    It includes taking feedback on board
•    Become a part of the community you serve (not as a voyeur, not to sell anyone anything and give them a reason to give a damn
•    Create amazing customer experiences
•    Embrace the chaos (SD: I love this one cause it challenges my need for order!!!) In the book she gives you great ways to embrace the chaos including this one… “Stop moving and look around you until you see everything clearly.” (this to me means Be Present!)
•    Find your higher purpose

Being whuffie-rich makes sense. Everyone wins.

I am really looking forward to the book.

Tara Hunt | Suzi Dafnis

Are you trying to improve on something, to make it just that little bit better, or a lot better?

Are you trying to be a better marketer, write a better brochure, improve on a system, or do something better than your competition?

For some reason, quotes by the scientist/futurist R. Buckminster Fuller have popped up in my reality a few times lately.  Most recently, 2 days ago, he was quoted in an article I was reading.  Today, while listening to the audio book version of Crowd Sourcing I heard this quote of his:

“You never change things by fighting the existing reality. To change something, build a new model that makes the existing model obsolete.”
R. Buckminster Fuller

So, I’m following my gut (though I’m not exactly sure what my gut is saying). I’m stopping to explore what he’s saying.

Many of us (me included) mostly create our future from trying to improve on what is there.

What if instead what we created was something so radical that it made the existing model obsolete?

R. Buckminster fuller's best-known design | The Geodesic Dome

The other night Jay Leno ended his interview with Barack Obama by saying:

“This has been one of the best nights of my life.”

No doubt, being the first host to have a sitting president on your show was a career highlight for Jay Leno.

Barrack Obama on The Tonight Show with Jay Leno

And understandably so. It was a solid interview where both men ‘held their own’, had friendly conversation and engaged the viewers.

Jay Leno has hosted The Tonight Show since 1992.  And, while I’m sure he’s had many career highlights – I was really happy for him to have had this highlight – especially as he moves towards the end of this gig as Today Show host.

A couple of things came into focus for me watching this show:

PRACTISING YOUR CRAFT
Jay Leno has ‘practised’ on many guests before this interview. He’s been honing his skills for thousands of hours. He’s interviewed the biggest names, he’s a masterful interviewer and he was as ready as anyone could be to host this interview.

Assuming we still have many thousands of hours left on the planet… what skills/vision for our lives do we want to spend time mastering?

CAREER HIGHLIGHTS

In his newest book, Outliers, Malcolm Gladwell explains that studies have also shown that excellence at a complex task requires a minimum level of practice, and experts have settled on 10,000 hours as the magic number for true expertise.

Outliers: The Story of Success


I started to think about my career highlights – and while I’m sure the best is yet to come for me – there are a number that stand out for me already. (Will save those for another post!).

My notes to self:

• What am I practising?
• What have I put thousands of hours into becoming a master at?
• What am I (or do I want to) put time and energy into today that will influence my future career and life highlights?

My main social networking activity happens on Facebook and Twitter right now.

So, I thought I’d share here my favourite books on these subjects.

All these titles are available from Amazon and if you choose the slowest/cheapest delivery I tend to find that they over delivery – and that it doesn’t take as long as they tell you it will. Unfortunately probably only one or two will be available at local Australian bookstores, so amazon is still my main source.

Twitter Power

Facebook For Dummies (For Dummies (Computer/Tech))

Twitter Revolution: How Social Media and Mobile Marketing is Changing the Way We Do Business & Market Online

twitter means business: how microblogging can help or hurt your company

Facebook Marketing: Leverage Social Media to Grow Your Business

You may also be able to get some of these as audiobooks from iTunes or audible.com

Enjoy! Suzi

I am a reader. I have never got just one book ‘on the go’ and (sometimes to my detriment) I tend to start and stop, sometimes picking up books weeks and months after I started them. And many times, not finishing them.

I’m not beating-up on myself though. I take what I can from what I read and try and implement it as I go.

And, anyway, who said that books need to be finished? Sometimes the happy ending is in the 2nd chapter… so there is no need to read further.

(Oh, did I mention I hardly ever read fiction? It’s all self-help and business/marketing books with a most recent influx of books on social media and social networking).

Seriously, books have been a major part of my education (though funnily enough not while at school) and in a recent past life my partner and I were the publishers and distributors in Australia and NZ of the Rich Dad series of books by Robert Kiyosaki.

Thought I’d share just a tiny sample of my faves! Now.. this is just a small sampling (I think at last count I had over 1000 books – I kid you not) and I’ll add more to this site as I read them and feel they are worth recommending.

You’ll see that a number of Rich Dad books featured… Though I’m on longer involved in promoting the brand, the books made a big difference to my financial and business education and I highly recommend them.

Have you read any on my list? Let me know if you liked them too?