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"Beware of geeks bearing formulas." 

- Warren Buffett -

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How to Find the Best Hashtags and Boost Your Social Media Engagement

Before we start talking about how to find the best hashtags, let’s do a little review of what exactly hashtags are — this is for those of you who aren’t exactly social media gurus; the rest of you can feel free to skip over.

A hashtag is just a way of labelling and finding social media updates. It could apply to something that’s trending, like #Movember, or it could be specific to a certain campaign, like #CureBreastCancer.

Hashtags started out on Twitter, but now they’re used across all social media. So, which ones are relevant to your niche, and which ones should you use? I’ve given advice on hashtag use and overuse elsewhere; today we’re mostly going to focus on the tags themselves.

There are a number of online tools that you can use to find the best hashtags.

Twitter is still one of the best resources for finding great hashtags, but don’t discount the usefulness of other tools. The following are three of the best — and they’re free!

WhatTheTrend

WhatTheTrend is a veritable wellspring of Twitter statistics and information. It’s owned by Hootsuite, which means that you can track hashtags as streams within Hootsuite. It lets you see trends globally, nationally, and even trends that are specific to your own city. You can track by the day, or by the month. The basic service is free, but if you want more options you can upgrade to paid service. 

Hashtags.org

This venerable service got its start in 2007 as a freebie, and the basic tracking functions are still free — you can see what’s been trending over the previous 24 hours. However, if you want to store hashtags and monitor them over longer periods of time, you will have to upgrade to the paid service.

Trendsmap

To be realistic, Trendsmap isn’t the most exciting tool visually when it comes to helping you find the best hashtags, but it does allow you to see hashtags by city, country or continent on a world map. If your main focus is local, this is a very useful, very practical tool.

Using hashtags effectively

It’s not enough to just know how to use hashtags. You need to make sure that your hashtags are relevant to your subject matter. It’s also a good idea to base your hashtags on popular keywords. Google Keyword Planner is a great resource you can use. You also want to be careful how you structure your hashtags.

After you create your hashtag, read it, read it again, and then say it out loud. Why? Because a bad hashtag can make you an object of embarrassment and ridicule…it’s happened to personalities as wonderful as singer Susan Boyle and companies as big as Research in Motion (RIM).

Measuring the competition

I often head over to Twazzup to see how people are using a certain hashtag at any time of the day. You sign in with Twitter and then enter a hashtag or keyword. You get all the latest results scrolling down your screen, as well as how influencers are using the hashtag.

This lets you see what kind of competition there will be to get eyeballs on your hastagged tweet. Twazzup will also tell you about how many times that hashtag is used in one hour. If you’re using a hashtag that is used 3,000 times per hour, you know two things:

• It’s a popular hashtag, and
• Your post will be pushed off the top of recently published posts very quickly.

Those two attributes play against one another. You want to use a hashtag that gets some use, but if it’s too popular, your tweet might get instantly buried.

To decide what to do in situations like these, you’ll have to do some testing. You can also develop long-tail hashtags and use them along with the more popular hashtags; for example #smallbusiness and #smallbusinessorlando.

Now for a final word: #goodluck!

    Source : http://bit.ly/1ZfVCZp

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The more you already know, the greater you know you don't know

The Three Traits of Great Social Entrepreneurs

There's a bad habit in the social entrepreneurship world where we put outstanding social entrepreneurs up on a pedestal -- these incredible demigods who have accomplished something us mere mortals can only dream of. We see it when leading fellowships and incubators raise up the selected few above the passionate -- but unpolished -- masses. And we, as a result, think that these accomplished social entrepreneurs have something inherent in them, some trait, some skill, some knowledge that separates them from everyone else.

And since their achievements often seems so out of reach, we hope that there is some trick or tool we could learn which would be the secret key to unlocking the treasure chest of social entrepreneurial greatness.

 Is it the business model canvas?

 An impact measurement framework? 

 A networking miracle?

I have some good news and some bad news.

Here's the bad news: there is no single tool to learn. No approach to master. No hidden treasure that all great social entrepreneurs have that would make you a star too, if you only had that key.

The good news? It's all about having the right mindset, which enables and empowers one to accomplish great things. And this mindset is accessible to anyone and everyone.

From my time coaching, advising and supporting social entrepreneurs around the world, I've come to believe that there are three things great social entrepreneurs have in common.

Rather than being specific skills to gain, these characteristics are the underlying values and approaches that enable one to learn all the myriad -- and unpredictable -- skills and knowledge one will need to acquire. These are the infrastructure that make everything else possible.

And unlike a tool or framework, these are attitudes that you, uniquely, can choose to adopt right now. There's nothing standing in the way of you beginning to demonstrate these approaches, besides your own desire to do so. So let's get into them!

1. A Learning Mindset

It's the startup version of Carol Dweck's 'growth mindset,' in which one "thrives on challenge and sees failure not as evidence of unintelligence but as a heartening springboard for growth and for stretching existing abilities."

If there's one thing that's for sure in running a social venture, it's that you will fail. Constantly. The best social entrepreneurs are those who view their failures as something to be embraced -- rather than feared -- and use their learnings to 'fail forward.'

I've written in the past about how crucial it is for social entrepreneurs to make time to reflect and to learn -- but these routines don't make much difference if the learning mindset is not there.

If we instead embrace Eric Ries' conception of a startup: learning as much as possible as quickly as possible, we see everything we do as an opportunity to learn. The stigma disappears from a mistake or an error (which are inevitable anyway), replaced by a continual desire to learn and improve each day.

2. Trust in Oneself

Let's begin with the synonyms for 'self trust', which this is not: cockiness, conceitedness, egoism or self-importance. Rather it's a quiet confidence in one's abilities to take on whatever may come.

When one starts a social venture, the only certainty is that it will not go exactly as planned. There will be hurdles to overcome, new challenges that pop-up and an incredible array of things you never realised you didn't know until it's too late. When I co-founded StartSomeGood I had no idea that just to get through the first month I would need to learn bookkeeping, how to form an LLC, how to overlay text over an image in photoshop and how to run a developer brainstorming session. Actually that may have just been the first week.

I struggled a lot in trying to learn all of those things -- all while feeling bad about myself that I, seemingly, wasn't learning it all as quickly as I thought I should. It was only after a couple of years that I realized that my team and I could solve nearly any problem that came our way -- but that it was impossible to do if we didn't have trust in ourselves that we actually could. This mindset made all the difference -- instead of fearing the unknown, we developed trust that we could handle whatever challenge might be next.

3. Humility

One of the most important characteristics I look for when considering investing in an entrepreneur at Reach for Change is their humility: being open to other opinions, admitting mistakes, self-reflection and recognising they cannot do everything themselves.

Humility is one of the key traits that Jim Collins argues in 'Good to Great' that the very best 'level 5' leaders have. It's the ability to accept blame (even when it isn't meant for you), and to share praise (even when it is meant for you).

On an individual level it means self-awareness and a desire to serve others -- two mutually-reinforcing traits of great social entrepreneurs.

On a team level it means empowering others. I used to think that the measure of my leadership was how many decisions I could be part of; now I measure myself on how many decisions my team can take without me. It means electing to trust others instead of micromanaging, and to trust that one can go further together than alone.

Why You Need All Three

It's not enough to only develop two out of the three. These approaches are not independent but rather interdependent: development in one spurs development in the others. Look at what happens if you focus on one or two at the expense of the others:

• A learning mindset without trust in oneself: you'll have a better idea of what to do, but no courage to actually do it.
• A learning mindset without humility: you'll only learn from successes, not from failure or disappointment.
• Trust in oneself without a learning mindset: you'll simply follow your own intuition, and when your gut instinct lets you down, you'll have nowhere to turn.
• Trust in oneself without humility: you'll overvalue your own thoughts, ideas and contributions and will try to do everything yourself.
• Humility without a learning mindset: you'll never step into your zone of impact.
• Humility without trusting oneself: you'll be subject to other's thoughts and opinions, always going wherever others take you.

While it may have initially felt like bad news that there is no single skill to master or trick to learn to become a great social entrepreneur, it's actually a positive that these three traits are accessible to everyone. It means that the right mindset is within anyone's grasp. And through embracing these traits, you will accomplish amazing things.

Source : http://huff.to/21BvZGA

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10 Palpable Reasons Why People Become Entrepreneurs

Entrepreneurs are cut from a different cloth, unique in many ways. They come from different personality types, cultures, and genders.They are champions, full of determination, drive, and ambition. Entrepreneurs think outside of the box. Observing how things could be, instead of settling for how they are. They don’t need high levels of formal education to be effective and make an instant impact in any situation. Here are 10 palpable reasons why people become entrepreneurs:

1. They want to make a difference

Entrepreneurs have visions of pursuing their dreams, even if they are unconventional. Things that are not considered on the normal path of life, they may pursue.They get labeled as crazy, receive odd stares and judgment from the nonbelievers. Nevertheless, they push on to change the world one dream at a time.

2. They Embrace Having a Path of Their Own

Entrepreneurs are leaders, they embrace having a path of their own to fulfill their dreams. However, creating their own path is not always by choice. The lack of challenge and opportunity in the job market may push an entrepreneur to their pursuits. They create their own opportunity and use their skills that were neglected, by those they worked for and capitalize on them.

Robert Frosts poem “The Road Not Taken” explains this all too well. A business professor whose class I had taken shared a copy of this poem with me. I now share this poem with you, I hope it serves as a source ofinspiration.This poem is for those who believe there is an entrepreneur inside of them.

3. They Desire Challenges

Entrepreneurs desire challenges. They are problem solvers, innovators and game changers. Given the right opportunity they can turn around a project, company or anything, they put their mind to. They are hard working and dedicate the effort to making a great change in the tasks they pursue. They have the ability to see things that others do not. Unfortunately, many are overlooked and their suggestions are brushed off and dismissed when working for others. However, an entrepreneur being the smart person they are, they decide to turn it around and use it to their own advantage in a business of their own.

4. They Crave Flexibility

Entrepreneurs crave flexibility they don’t prefer your typical 8-5 work schedule. They may work more or longer hours when working for themselves, but the flexibility will make all the difference. They will appreciate having a schedule that they have a better control over.

5. They Want More Stability

Whether it’s for their family or themselves entrepreneurs like the idea of more stability. The facts are that you can work at a company today and be laid off tomorrow. Entrepreneurs like the idea of being the determiner of their outcomes and financial security. You can work hard at a company, increase your skills and still not get a promotion, bonus or other forms of advancement. Even if you do receive a bonus they may give you a few cents or so which doesn’t go very far for really high achievers. Entrepreneurs know that when putting in the time, effort and hard work for their own business, it will pay off better rewards.

6. They want to create jobs

A driving factor to some entrepreneurs is that their passion may be able to create jobs. The thought that if they make enough money, their family members won’t have to go looking for jobs when they are laid off. Their family can always have a job when times get tough. I understand some believe work and family don’t mix. However, they still appreciate the idea of being able to help out family when in a crunch. With the economy the way it is unstable at times they like the idea of being able to do their part in helping out increasing jobs.

7. They are underestimated and overlooked

A lot of companies don’t understand what kind of amazing possibilities this type of person can bring to their company. Managers often overlook and underestimate the potential of this employee but sometimes don’t know this person exists.

8. They are passionate about change

Entrepreneurs can be passionate people because they actually care. They can see the difference in their minds before it is actually implemented. They can also see the destruction that will occur if something is not done about the situation. They can get frustrated, but this does not make them less effective it makes them human. Although, passion doesn’t always exhibit itself in the form of frustration. Passion can also be displayed in hard work, being focused and determined.

9. They are limited in the job market

Entrepreneurs at some point have felt stuck while working for others. With little room to advance, concerns not being heard or addressed, feeling undervalued and unappreciated by the management of companies they have worked for, they are likely to be tempted to start their own business. Many entrepreneurs leave their employment to fulfill their own destiny and succeed.

10. They know they can make a difference
Entrepreneurs know the power they possess to make a difference. They have high confidence in their abilities. Although, others sometimes can’t see the power in their abilities. Entrepreneurs can see their vision so vividly as if it was right in front of them. This is sometimes the motivation that keeps them determined, they can see the end result as if it already were in existence.

Being an entrepreneur is about a mindset, it is engraved in a certain individual. Whether or not they possess all the traits at the current time, at some point in their life it will develop inside of them. Like a flower destined to bloom or an eagle destined to soar it is their destiny to thrive. It doesn’t take formal education completion for these individuals to thrive or to be successful, it’s only a matter of time. Mark Zuckerberg (founder of facebook) and Blake Mycoskie (Creator of Tom’s) are just two examples of two successful entrepreneurs who did not complete their higher education but still achieved greater levels of success.

Source : http://bit.ly/1MMElRP

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5 priorities for every first-year leader

When you join an established company as CEO, you face an opportunity to not only architect the organization's next phase, but also to shape the next chapter of your life. A new CEO's first year is a crucial transition period — it's a time to listen, learn, build relationships and seek counsel.

Last year, the first thing I did after joining a 10-year-old company as CEO was to hold one-on-one meetings with every employee. I listened, learned and built relationships. Armed with a wealth of understanding from the more than 100 conversations, I then sought advice from my most trusted advisors.

1. Get to know the people who run the business

As a new CEO, you inherit a team that you didn't have a hand in shaping, but you'll nevertheless work closely with. It's crucial that you spend time prioritizing people. Start by understanding those closest to the business.

Speak with founders, investors, board members and of course, the current leadership. Investigate how they work, what matters to them and to their employees and how they describe their vision. Ask about what they think they can improve and how you can best contribute. Share your own background — including what drives you personally and professionally — to build a foundation of trust.

2. Understand the business itself

After you meet with leadership and understand the company structure, prioritize understanding the business. Learn the ins and outs of the market opportunity, your customer base and the planned for the next 18 months and why they've made those planned for the next 18 months and why they've made those plans.

3. Respect the company's history

As you make changes to the business, be thoughtful about communicating change within the company's existing context. Understand the heritage, culture and foundation, so you can better articulate how proposed changes will complement the company's future.

Once you're aligned at a high level — with the founders, board and leadership team — educate everyone across the company about why you're making changes, how they fit into the company's DNA and how they'll lead to future success.

4. Make yourself available

Don't just say you have an open door policy; live it.Prioritize spending a lot of time with employees in person, no matter where they're located. While this can be a significant operational challenge, there's no substitute for face-time.

Visit different offices — even if they're halfway around the world — and meet with employees. Open up your calendar and find opportunities to get to know people outside the office. Don't just explain what you're doing; ask for different viewpoints and ask how you can help make their jobs easier and more fulfilling.

5. Remember: It's impossible to over-communicate

Relentless, ongoing conversation is incredibly important for sustaining relationships, building trust and maintaining alignment. Just when you think you've communicated enough, there's always a benefit in communicating more.

In addition to sharing regular updates (through all-hands meetings, email newsletters and so on), you should encourage everyone to ask questions when they come up. Consider using a framework to help everyone understand the company's priorities and objectives, and reinforce why your decisions align with the overall vision and values.

Your first year as CEO is a time of transition for you and for the company. Prioritize educating yourself, building relationships and communicating change as openly and empathetically as possible. If you spend your first 12 months investing in this foundation, you'll position the company for better alignment in the future. That will help everyone across the company write its next chapter together.

Source : http://on.mash.to/1VqQ5me