Five Reasons Why You Should Blog

Thousands of geniuses live and die undiscovered – either by themselves or by others.

~ Mark Twain

I am passionate about social media.  That’s my one and only disclaimer.  If, during conversation, I sense an opening, a teachable moment if you will, then I will attempt to convince you to set up a Twitter account.  Depending on your business, I may steer you in the direction of a Facebook Page.  So, yes, I have been known to get on my soap box.

Not often, however, do I try to make blogging converts.  Why?  It does take quite a bit more energy and dedication to blog that to converse in 140 characters or upload a cute photo for a caption contest.

But do I believe in blogging any less?  No.  Blogging is a very important to your business toolbelt.  In all likelihood, you should be doing it.

Why?  Here are five reasons right off the top of my head.

1.  Blogging Gives You Street Cred as an Expert

Blogging allows you to position yourself as an expert.  People tend to trust written information just because it is printed/published.  Don’t believe me?   Think of all the emails that people forward to you that should have been checked at snopes.com first.

My caveat with regard to being an “expert” is that you can become a trusted advisor “among your circle of influence.”  Everyone has one.  Humans are social; we belong in groups.  There are varying degrees of influence, of course.  Do people in your social group look to you for advice on parenting, which movie to see next week, or how to fix their leaky faucet?

You may never reach the heights of popularity of Zig Ziglar or Guy Kawasaki, but you do have influence.  Find out what it is and start building up your street cred.

Featured Tweeter @GinnyPowell

Everyone starts somewhere in Social Media.  Tips and tricks we’ve all learned along the way can be especially helpful to those still navigating uncharted waters.

This interview series features twitter accounts in and around the construction industry, a growing population within the Twittersphere.  My only disclaimer is that I do not always agree with the advice.

Stats:

Twitter Name: @GinnyPowell

Twitter Bio: It isn’t just 140 characters. It is the first 140 characters of a conversation.

Company Name: a-fabco, inc.

City/State: Gibsonton, FL

Main Website: www.afabxray.com

Blog:  acrackeddoor.blogspot.com

Company LinkedIN Page:  linkedin.com/company/a-fabco-inc

Admin Name:  Ginny Powell

LinkedIN Profile:  linkedin.com/in/ginnypowell

Klout Score: 47

Followers: 1,684

Following:Follower Ratio: 1.17

Questions:

1. When did you start your twitter account?

I started tweeting September 2, 2008.

2. What was your biggest obstacle in twitter?

In the beginning, the challenge was just trying to figure it out.  Now, it’s making sure I take the time to engage.

3. How often do you tweet? Do you have a schedule?

I try to make sure I am on first thing in the morning to say “Good Morning” and then throughout the day, as time allows.

Featured Tweeter @TomVTW

Everyone starts somewhere in Social Media.  Tips and tricks we’ve all learned along the way can be especially helpful to those still navigating uncharted waters.

This interview series features twitter accounts in and around the construction industry, a growing population within the Twittersphere.  My only disclaimer is that I do not always agree with the advice.

Stats:

Twitter Name: @TomVTW

Twitter Bio: We are a 23 year old Heavy Timber Frame Company specializing in Commercial Timber Frames or anything out of the ordinary.

Company Name:  Vermont Timber Works

City/State: Springfield, VT

Main Website: vermonttimberworks.com 

Facebook Page: facebook.com/vermonttimberworks

Admin Name:  Tom Cutler

Followers: 1,203

Following:Follower Ratio: 1.06

Questions:

1. When did you start your twitter account?

I started my account in June of 2010.

2. What was your biggest obstacle in twitter?

I was a little intimidated; I wasn’t really sure what to do. I had been working in the production side of the business for the previous 11 years.

3. How often do you tweet? Do you have a schedule?

I try to tweet every day. I do not have a schedule.

Organized for the Holidays – North Pole Style: An Office Manager Tip

Santa. That guy has got to be the most overworked myth in history.  I don’t even think the Tooth Fairy works as hard as he does. After all, at some point in our lives, we stop loosing teeth. Of course, he does have one advantage over her and us:  elves.

We also do not have a factory in the North Pole that works year-round, Reindeer that can deliver billions of packages faster than you can say “FedEx,” or an endless supply of Hot Cocoa.

Office Manager Tip: Santa has elves; you do not. Plan ahead to make the most of your time during "the Season."—
Riggins Construction (@RigginsConst) December 20, 2011

Some offices hire extra people, seasonally, to help get things done; many of us, however, do not have that luxury.

Featured Tweeter @neslusa

Everyone starts somewhere in Social Media.  Tips and tricks we’ve all learned along the way can be especially helpful to those still navigating uncharted waters.

This interview series features twitter accounts in and around the construction industry, a growing population within the Twittersphere.  My only disclaimer is that I do not always agree with the advice.

Stats:

Twitter Name: @neslusa

Twitter Bio: We are a solar panel manufacturer that makes SolarSimplified by selling great products directly and being people you want to work with! Tweets by Kendra

Company Name: NESL USA (Nexus Energy Solutions)

City/State: Tualatin, Oregon

Main Website: neslusa.com

Facebook Page: facebook.com/neslusa

Admin Name:  Kendra Hubbard (November 2010 – December 2011)

LinkedIN Profile:  linkedin.com/in/kendrahubbard

LinkedIN Company Page:  linkedin.com/company/nesl-usa

Klout Score: 52

Followers: 2,395

Following:Follower Ratio: 1.02

Questions:

1. When did you start your twitter account?

The company opened the account in July of 2010, but it wasn’t utilized until November of 2010, when I started with the company. Since then, we have over 6,500 tweets!

2. What was your biggest obstacle in twitter?

The biggest obstacle I face using Twitter is time management. I think it’s important to be in front of your connections when they are online, if possible. It creates more meaningful connections, enhances brand image, and builds reputation.

With this being said, I often find I am behind for our East Coast tweeps, so it has been an opportunity for me to figure out ways to be online during busier times. I spend a portion of my morning reading and researching the solar industry, then share this info on our Twitter feed (and Facebook) in the afternoons.

Since I know we aren’t always in front of people’s timelines, I often retweet important information a few times during the week.

3. How often do you tweet? Do you have a schedule?

Well, I tweet pretty much throughout the entire day. I don’t schedule tweets and don’t plan to. I know it works for a lot of people but I like the social interaction and challenge. I use TweetDeck and have it open most of the day. I am also responsible for my company’s other marketing activities and I find that the information I am exposed to on Twitter keeps me informed and on-top of what’s happening in the solar industry and beyond.

Birdbath

When your contractor mentions that your parking lot or roof has birdbaths, they do not refer to concrete statues that look like water features.

Like alligatoring, this is another colloquialism that is named after an animal reference.  It is, by the way, synonymous with ponding.

According to the Construction Dictionary, 9th Edition © 2001 published by the Greater Phoenix, Arizona Chapter #98 of the National Association of Women in Construction wainscot is defined as follows:

a concavity in a pavement surface which holds water after a shower or rain.

Want to Know More?

• Of course, there is a Wikipedia entry.
• Rose Paving Blog | Awesomely Bad Pavement
• Buy the Construction Dictionary.
• More of our vocabulary posts.

A Second Look | A #LetsBlogOff Post

I’ve been trying to figure out how to write on the week’s topic and bring it back around to construction, which has been most of the reason for my absence from this writing exercise.  This week’s topic, however, is too good to pass up.

The blogging challenge this week was to talk about something that has become everyday or commonplace.  Almost all of the technology that surrounds us these days at our workplaces has become just that.

We drive to work in the rain, using intermittent wipers without even one thought about the inventor.  We navigate on roads that were planned by engineers and built by people we’ve never met or consider.

We arrive at our offices, turn off alarm systems, turn on air conditioning on a digital keypad, and flip on the lights.  I, for one, don’t stop to consider how the electricitiy is being generated or pause in a moment of silence, lamenting Edison’s (first commercially practical) incandescent bulb or praising the fluorescent.

I no longer marvel at the speed and agility of our latest computer or its operating system; rather, I become upset when it becomes sluggish, costing us seconds of time.

Where Morse Code used to dominate the telegraph industry we text with our phones, person to person using QWERTY keyboards or artificial intelligence.  It’s not cool anymore; it’s expected, normal, and not worth discussing at the dinner table.

Featured Tweeter @Taryn44

Everyone starts somewhere in Social Media.  Tips and tricks we’ve all learned along the way can be especially helpful to those still navigating uncharted waters.

This interview series features twitter accounts in and around the construction industry, a growing population within the Twittersphere.  My only disclaimer is that I do not always agree with the advice.

Stats:

Twitter Name: @Taryn44

Twitter Bio: SocialMedia Consulting @SoMeffect. AEC Marketing @Trindera. Board @MASpokane. Leader of @SMCSpokane and @AEC_SM. Proud Christian & Coug.

Company Name:  Trindera Engineering (@Trindera)

City/State: Spokane, WA / Coeur d’Alene, ID

Main Website: trindera.com 

Blog:   someffect.wordpress.com

Facebook Page: facebook.com/trindera

Admin Name:  Taryn Erickson

LinkedIN Profile: linkedin.com/in/Taryn44

Klout Score: 56

Followers: 1,410

Following:Follower Ratio: 1.42

Questions:

1. When did you start your twitter account?

My first account I set up was @Taryn44 in January 2009. Then, @Trindera in February 2010, @SoMeffect in July 2011, and @AEC_SM in August 2011.

2. What was your biggest obstacle in twitter?

Finding an independent “voice” for each of these twitter handles – differentiating content between many twitter identities.

3. How often do you tweet? Do you have a schedule?

I tweet daily, hourly. No set schedule; but the most frequency in peak tweeting times (beginning of day, lunch time, end of day). I pay careful attention to time zone differences and try to rotate the content of my messages to keep things interesting.

Multi-Tasking or Multi-Time Wasting? An Office Manager Tip

How many applications are open on your desk?  No cheating –  don’t close any.

I have ten open right now.  Why?  It seems like we feel the overwhelming need to be able to effortlessly switch tasks among applications or we’re not efficient. Admittedly, it does take some time to open a program, but why don’t we close them?

The truth is that we, as office managers, know that at any moment, while answering the phone and simultaneously entering payables, someone might walk in  our office wanting a map, and we’ll need that browser ready for action.

Office Manager Tip: Multi-tasking is a necessity but the efficiency of it is an urban legend.—
Riggins Construction (@RigginsConst) June 15, 2011

And the truth is, that most of the people we support are also multi-tasking; this is especially true in construction where the project manager may be estimating three jobs while managing two ongoing projects.

Featured Tweeter @HamtilConst

Everyone starts somewhere in Social Media.  Tips and tricks we’ve all learned along the way can be especially helpful to those still navigating uncharted waters.

This interview series features twitter accounts in and around the construction industry, a growing population within the Twittersphere.  My only disclaimer is that I do not always agree with the advice.

Stats:

Twitter Name: @HamtilConst

Twitter Bio: Hamtil Construction is proud to be building a tradition of quality construction and remodeling St. Louis, MO.

Company Name:  Hamtil Construction LLC

City/State: St. Louis, MO

Main Website: hamtilconstruction.com

Facebook Page: facebook.com/hamtilconstruction

Admin Name:  Paul Hamtil

LinkedIN Profile:  linkedin.com/in/paulhamtil

LinkedIN Company Page:  linkedin.com/company/hamtil-construction-llc

Klout Score: 43

Followers: 815

Following:Follower Ratio: 0.79

Questions:

1. When did you start your twitter account?

I started the account in December of 2010, but didn’t actually tweet for several weeks. I wanted to sit back and observe what in the world was happing on twitter and how other people were using it. It took some time to figure out who to follow and what I was going to be tweeting. If I remember correctly, my first tweet was “Happy New Year!” in 2011.

2. What was your biggest obstacle in twitter?

My first obstacle was buying into the fact that Twitter, among other social media, was going to be beneficial for me and my business. After deciding to finally take the plunge, the next obstacle was to crack the Twitter code.

I remember thinking,

What’s up with all the pound sign word things?

As well as,

am I going to get a virus if I click on this weird looking short link?

Alas, no virus has been had yet, and now I understand what hashtags are and how to decipher them. The only other issue I had was with the background design I have. It seemed to take a long time to work it out.

3. How often do you tweet? Do you have a schedule?

No schedule; I just try to tweet every day. Having a consistent presence is important to me. I might tweet two times or ten times a day, depending on how busy I am. I do use scheduling frequently to set up posts for the next day, and then I monitor replies and such via my phone through the day.