“Who are the people in your neighborhood?” Assuming you leave the house every so often, you’ve likely seen other human beings in public. Have you ever thought about collecting them in a non-creepy way? LEGO is giving you that chance with the LEGO Community Minifig set.

Construction worker? You can put him in your pocket or pretend to be pounding the pavement with your little LEGO jackhammer. Ambulance drivers? They’ll carry just about any injured brick for you on their stretcher. The consummate sportswoman? She’ll wow you with her gigantic trophy (which stands just about as tall as she does).

This is a little LEGO community that was created for the LEGO community (it’s very meta). To be specific, it was really produced for the educational market – in case your child wanted to play make believe without relying too heavily on his or her imagination. LEGO can help bridge that gap with this series of minifigs.

With this set, you’ll also get a mini LEGO fire brigade, grocery shopper, baker and his customer (with pizza and popsicle pieces), farmers, and a few others – including a self-employed businesswoman who has her own LEGO-branded laptop – which happens to be my favorite part of this collection.

Here’s a more complete tour:

Granted, you might find the bundle a bit on the expensive side for 256 pieces – but how much is an education worth? Would you rather have a young mind learn about careers in a book (?!) or have them develop their own mini-town with bricks? I’ve yet to hear of a LEGO-induced paper cut (and I’m not counting an instruction page mis-flip).

If I was disappointed, it was likely with the snowmen – which were given skeleton heads. It’s not like LEGO doesn’t have the ability to create a more snowman-like face… they just didn’t. If you like spooky snowmen, then I guess you’ll be happy with their decision.

If you have your own brick-related video, you can add it to our BrickTrix channel on YouTube. Let’s make our own (new) LEGO community?

LEGO Community Minifig Set: It Figures for Education

Yeah, I’m a self-proclaimed Empire Avenue addict. I can’t pretend to understand it half as much as other community members do, but I’ve certainly learned my way around the system. “EAv” has been an amazing community and conversation accelerator.

One thing Empire Avenue is NOT about? Buying and selling your friends.

As much as I love Empire Avenue, that has to be one of the worst positioning statements for it. I was able to look past it long enough to dig into the site’s value (and, believe me, I’ve already experienced an insane amount of value from the “game”). However, too many people have been turned off by the initial messaging. I’ve made sincere pleas to the team to remove any reference to this phrase. Not only is it offensive – it’s just NOT accurate.

I noted in my extensive list of Empire Avenue tips that it isn’t Facebook – which sounds like a rhetorical assertion, but not when you consider that some users unwittingly treat it as such. I also noted (as did EAv CEO, (e)DUPS, in a recent interview with (e)RLAVIGNE): your friends are most likely bad investments on EAv. ;)

There was a private Facebook thread from (e)MAYHEMSTUDIOS, wherein he uploaded a photo of a t-shirt given to him by Dups. The text reads: “Buy is the new Like.” Of course, this is a direct play on the action of investing in a stock on EAv. It’s pithy, but I’m not sure the implied diametric is accurate (yes, I realize ‘diametric’ is an adjective – but its usage here seems cromulent).

In EAv, Sell is absolutely NOT the new Unlike, Unfriend, or anything of the sort.

I’ve seen a few EAv users take offense when someone sells their shares. They’re certainly entitled to feel however they feel – but that’s NOT necessarily an unfriending action, nor is it necessarily an unliking action. The stock (itself, or its relative value) is NOT the person behind the stock. I’ve maintained and grown my connections with people I’ve met through EAv on Twitter, Facebook, YouTube, LinkedIn, etc. – even if I never invested in their stock, or even if I once invested in their stock and subsequently diminished that investment.

You may decide never to sell a stock you’ve purchased – that’s cool, too. But if selling wasn’t a part of EAv, they wouldn’t have included the feature. ;) For me, the gesture of selling is also a gesture of wanting to accelerate engagement.

While I don’t participate in the practice of returning shares-for-shares, some people want that level of reciprocation. Imagine if you had to friend everybody who friended you on Facebook (I tried – it doesn’t work well), follow everybody who followed YOU on Twitter (I tried – it doesn’t work well). EAv is predicated on the model of using your eaves to invest in more stocks. The more eaves you make, the more stocks you can invest in – and I believe that if you aren’t careful about your investments, you may not be able to maximize the amount of stocks you can invest in. This may sound “heartless” to some, but it’s actually JUST the opposite – you SHOULD want to do better to get better to play better to be better.

Whatever your definition of “better” is.

Yes, if you’re someone who seeks investment parity and you’re not receiving it, you’ll likely encounter disappointment at every other turn. When someone drops your shares, it might sting a little – but, I tell ya, it’s fun to watch some people comment in threads about how they regretted that decision after your stock started to perform better. ;) Lord knows, I’ve made a few mistakes!

You can always return. You can always reinvest. Always!

There are countless ways to engage other EAv players – and other users will likely have different motivations than you. Success, much like “better,” remains relative. Some people want the most shareholders. Some people want the most eaves. Some people want the most achievements. Some people want the highest stock price. Some people want the CEO title. Some people want the most actions. Some people want to maximize business connections. Some people want to discover new content. Some people want to produce the most amount of dividends for their shareholders. Some people want the highest network score. Some people want… different returns on their time.

Nobody (absolutely NOBODY) is doing EAv “wrong” if they’re getting out of it what they want to get out of it.

This morning, I became the first EAv user to pass the 200 share-price mark – which, as (e)JKW just commented on my profile page, is amazing. I responded: “More amazing for you.” For you see, my friends, the true impetus of Empire Avenue (as I see it) is driving value for others, not for yourself. By becoming a top returning stock, I have helped others generate better cash flow which they have turned around and used to invest in other stocks – meeting other people in the process.

Trust me: I understand how community works.

And, while you may disagree, I also believe that the onus is on a user to be a good investment to help the investor do better – NOT THE OTHER WAY AROUND. For example, you could sink all of your eaves into a poor-performing stock and it still won’t perform as well as a good-performing stock. I’ve done my best to show people how to engage to drive up their dividends (which helps EVERYBODY), but blindly reciprocating an action doesn’t always yield true balance.

It’s not that I’m being a jerk about it – it’s just that there are only SO MANY EAVES in a day. ;) I can’t make ‘em appear out of thin air. Yet.

Please don’t ask me to buy you – ask me to help you. I will do my best!

I still comment and participate with people who invest in me – even if I don’t invest in them. They’ll frequently ask me questions, and I’ll openly offer assistance in return (for free, by the way). There are other groups who are just as willing to help you along – [X], #SocialEmpire, TeamZEN, et al. We don’t have to agree on everything to share a common goal: to make Empire Avenue awesome.

Next week, I’m flying across the country to have what will likely be the biggest business meeting of my entire life – and it’s all thanks to meeting someone on Empire Avenue. Still think it’s a waste of time? I don’t.

You Can’t Buy and Sell Your Friends

For many of you, the entire point of having an online presence is to be seen. Getting as much exposure as you can is the name of the game, but at what price? Too often, I see people focusing so much energy on their number of likes and followers that they seem to have forgotten why the heck they wanted or needed exposure to begin with.

Hat tip to Frills in the Hills for this amazing picture!

These days, you can practically buy followers. There are so many of you out there rabid about counting your community members and seeing how well the numbers tally up. The higher that bottom line is, the happier and more important you feel. When was the last time you stopped to actually interact in any meaningful way with that community, though? Talking with them involves far more than throwing links their way or saying thank you for the #FF or reTweets. Interaction and engagement levels count for much more than a bunch of stupid numbers.

Behind the person or company on the Twitter profile and Facebook page, there needs to be something worth getting involved with. You need to have a kickass product or service – period. Working your tail off to build some mythical “perfect” Facebook Page doesn’t mean squat if what your company stands for is crap. Your social profiles aren’t what make you great… YOU are. Why then does it matter how many people like or follow you?

People who truly enjoy who you are and what you do will follow you, yes. But I guarantee there are a LOT of people out there who simply follow anyone they feel is “important.” This pads the numbers you’re so proud of in a way. The bottom line isn’t a true account of people that care about what you’re doing and saying. I know that it’s impossible to weed through them and tell the difference. I wish I had an answer as to how to figure that part out.

The bottom line is that you have to stop worrying so damn much about how many likes, follows and community members you have. Focus your attention on building a great product or service and THEN go out and engage those people you want to market to. Talk to them. Interact with them. Treat them like people – and not like numbers.

How Many Followers Do You Have?

I dare you to take five minutes and scan the headlines on Alltop’s Social page. You’re going to see a heck of a lot of articles with words in them that probably don’t make sense to you. Unless you’re in a league with the likes of a Scoble or an Arrington, do you really need to know what your ROI is? Does it matter if you haven’t collected a million followers yet? Who really cares if what you’re doing is “viral” or not? The fact of the matter is that only a small percentage of users need to care about these things. The rest of you out there use social media simply to be social.

Hat tip to C.O.O.K.S Social Media B2B RealTalk for this excellent picture!

Yes, it’s important for companies to have a social media presence. They need to understand the terms floating around and how those words might apply to them. Bloggers have to build communities on Facebook and Twitter in order to continue growing their presence. Even though there are millions of those types of people on social sites, they still account for a fairly small percentage of overall users.

So how does social apply to you? I pray you don’t simply Tweet about your dinner, your cat’s hairball or your ingrown toenail. Even if you happen to be some random individual, social networking sites can still be a substantial part of your life. There are so many ways you can be using these types of communication in order to make your day easier, keep in touch with your family and even to make new friends.

Facebook’s Events feature is a great tool. Use it to plan cookouts, birthday parties or graduation celebrations. You can keep track of the invites and RSVPs, details such as addresses and other important information and even figure out who should bring the potato salad. Events works well for small Tweetups, too, should you ever decide to reach out to those in your community you only know through Twitter.

Having a million ways to share photos online is a HUGE bonus of having a Facebook or Twitter profile. Let’s say you’re on vacation. It’s the kids’ first time meeting Mickey Mouse, but Grandma couldn’t be there. Grab a phone, snap a picture or twelve and immediately post it to your favorite image service. Granny and Aunt Linda and Uncle Harry and cousin Ron can all see what you’re up to instantly. There’s no more developing film and making copies of prints. Gone are the days of having to scan or email snapshots so that the family can share your life. It’s all done literally in real-time these days… thanks to social sites.

How many extended family members are you connected to on Facebook? Think a moment about how often you communicate with them on the site. I’m willing to bet it’s a lot more often than it used to be when you relied on snail mail, telephones or even email. We are actually talking to our family members far away on a much more regular basis due to the ease of connection on these wonderful social pages.

You can use Twitter or LinkedIn to find your dream job. Facebook can be leveraged to maximize the amount of time you spend talking to your friends and family when you’re busy as heck. Each of these types of sites can bring something very crucial to your life, my friends: communication and connections.

How Does Social Media Apply to You?

Someone asked me this earlier on Twitter. You would think it would be simple one to answer. After all, social networking is still in its infancy, right? Wrong! Social networks have been around since before the Internet was actually – well – the Internet. Stop thinking that these words only encompass sites such as Facebook and Twitter. Once you do, many of you will realize that you’ve likely never lived a moment of your life without some form of social networking.

As defined: “A social network is a social structure made up of individuals (or organizations) called “nodes”, which are tied (connected) by one or more specific types of interdependency, such as friendship, kinship, common interest, financial exchange, dislike, sexual relationships, or relationships of beliefs, knowledge or prestige.” Of course, these networks exist offline, as well. For the sake of this post, we’re going to pretend we are only referring to things found on the Web.

Back in the late 70s through the early 90s, you could connect with others online via a BBS. This is nearly FORTY years ago these things started becoming popular, y’all. The service was used to upload and download software or data, read news and bulletins and exchanging messages with other users. Oh, and there were also games to play against yourself and other members. Hm… this sounds an awful lot like an early version of nearly every social site out there today, doesn’t it?

Social networks are evolving, sure. Sites are coming up with new features and better ways to connect. That supposed innovation comes with a price, though… a huge lack of any form of privacy. We have evolved into a generation of people who claim to care about our privacy yet who continue to post nearly every aspect of our lives online for the world to peruse. We check in and tell others where we are every moment of the day. We send out statuses and messages telling them what we’re doing, who we’re talking to and where we may be headed next. We share nearly everything.

To me, this is the main difference between networks of today and the ones from 30+ years ago. It’s not about the difference in platforms. WE have changed. Yup – Facebook looks slick as hell compared to an old BBS. Twitter is faster and simpler to use. But at the very core of each type of service – where are the true differences – the real innovations?

You should stop asking yourselves what life would be like without social networks. They’ve been around for many more years than you thought, and they aren’t going anywhere. What you should ask yourself, instead, is “How am I going to change the way I use these services throughout my life?”

What Would Life be Like Without Social Networking?

Only two hours into the day on the East coast, the #FF Tweets are already flowing through my stream. I tend to not pay much attention to these, as they seem to be the same every single week. It’s not that I don’t want to find new people to talk to – I do! But you’re doing it all wrong, guys. Those boring demands could end up making me unfollow you, instead.

Fun fact! Follow Friday was originally started by Gnomedex speaker Micah Baldwin.

Don’t send out a message telling me to #FF as many names as you can fit within the 140 character constraint. When you do this, you aren’t adding a single bit of value. Why should I follow Kimmie or Ron or Mary or Blake? What is it about these people that make them so spectacular? Choose instead only one person to promote. Give me their name, and explain to me why I absolutely need to pay attention to what they are saying.

Asking people to send out a #FF with your name attached is even more wrong than spamming me is. Hello? Have you ever paid attention to a single thing any social media expert has ever said? Being this self-serving is going to cause your numbers to drop faster than almost anything else I can think of. The Internet is not all about you, no matter how good or deserving you think you are. If someone out there feels that you have something to say that others need to hear, they will automatically tell their followers – without you begging them to do so.

Along those same lines, what’s up with RT’ing every #FF post which has your name in it? The people who will see this are already following you. They don’t need to be told to do so again. I had hoped the purpose of this was to get your followers to also follow the others mentioned in the same Tweet. Sadly, I asked a bunch of users for clarification. Each and EVERY one of them said they did it to show that someone felt they were worthy of following. In other words, they were showing off. *facepalm*

Lastly and most importantly, remember something my Community Manager Kat once said: “Community isn’t about connecting people to you… it’s about connecting them to each other.” THAT is the sole purpose of Follow Friday: connecting people to each other. This, in turn, creates more conversation in your own neck of the woods. Use your powers to connect users to each other instead of trying to gain more followers for yourself. You’ll be amazed at the results.

I promise.

Stop Doing Follow Friday Wrong

If you were to take time completely away from the Internet, would you really miss out on anything? The mere thought of not keeping a constant eye on your Twitter stream or Facebook wall may give you the shakes, but what exactly is it that might go unnoticed? The world isn’t going to end if you aren’t checking in every moment of the day, my friends. You may even be shocked to know that you’re not going to miss a damn thing, because nothing ever really changes.

Author and speaker CC Chapman recently had some emergency surgery. Upon his return home, he noted that he didn’t really miss much of anything during the week he had been offline. I read the Tweet right after it was sent out, and it’s been in the back of mind since then. His words kept poking at me, gnawing at some part of my brain with the simple honesty behind them.

The people you are following today will still be there a week from now – even if you happen to be offline. Sure, they may say something profound or inspiring. Someone will release a book while another person is hired for a great position at a hot new startup. You’ll find out that a small group is putting together a fundraiser and that a bunch of your friends ate something at some point every day. Are these the things you’re terrified not to read the moment they happen?

Step back and think about what’s truly essential for you to know at the end of the day. The things said within your social communities have some level of importance, yes. The people you are connecting with are definitely worthy of your attention. But if you are building your life or – even worse – your business around what is being said and done on Twitter and Facebook then something needs to change.

While these platforms can be crucial to your brand, they aren’t the be-all and end-all of success. With so many “experts” and “gurus” out there telling you that you have to carry a presence on these sites, it can end up being confusing. Yes, you need to be there. No, your business will not go bankrupt if you are not there every moment of your day. You need to find a balance and remember that you aren’t going to be left in the dust if you happen to take a day – or a week – off.

How Important is Social Networking?

There are about ten million blog posts that discuss how you are supposed to “do” social media. You’ll find perhaps two million people who label themselves as experts, gurus, and rock stars. These individuals will tell you the right way to use Twitter or Facebook. They’ll help you learn the ropes in order to grow your business. Everything you read is about what you can do for social media. Have you ever wondered, though, what social media is doing for you?

You know that tapping into the power of a social network can help you reach a larger number of people. You’ve realized that your business simply cannot survive without being seen on the various platforms and services. Heck, you even understand that you will eventually gain a lot of “clout” simply by being a good little social media student. Is that seriously all that’s in it for you?

Embracing social networks can help you grow as a person. Meeting people from all over the world will expand your mind. You’ll be able to make connections that you otherwise never would have, which can help you to become a better you. If you aren’t using your Twitter stream and Facebook Wall to learn from others, you are missing out on a fantastic opportunity, my friends.

I’m not going to bother trying to list the things you can gain through these channels. The possibilities are endless, to be honest. I’m not talking about trying to figure out how to speak Chinese through a few tweets. I’m telling you that you can literally change your life by opening yourself up and allowing the world into your mind.

I’ve read tales of people who have had their confidence boosted after becoming active within social networks. We’ve all heard stories of those who were inspired in some way and went out to do amazing things. Every day there are new tidbits floating around the Web that talk about all of you out there who are changing the world. We can each leave our mark for future generations to look back upon. Why can’t we get a jump start through the various social channels that we have available?

Reach out to people who you feel are the movers and shakers in whatever avenue you wish to pursue. Listen more than you talk. Take action when it is necessary, and tell others about it. Participate in conversations. Learn how to be smarter, stronger, and more well-rounded. Let your community help you to become a better you.

What Are You Getting out of Social Media?

Companies everywhere are finally realizing that they need to be social to survive in today’s marketplace. They are scrambling to figure out how to use Twitter and Facebook in order to be where their customers are. Some of them are grasping the advantages of Foursquare. The problem is that many of these brands aren’t doing social the right way. Yes my friends – there is a right – and wrong – way to “do” social media. Big corporations hiring a person or outside company to talk AT consumers are doing it absolutely wrong. Those establishments who talk WITH their community are the ones who are owning the social space.

There are businesses all over my Twitter stream who just can’t seem to figure out the difference between talking at someone and talking with them. Sending out messages about your latest “deal” or sale isn’t enough. Shooting a link or two their way with the hope they will click and buy doesn’t cut it. I don’t care how good your product or service is these days. If you aren’t opening a real dialogue with your patrons, you’re missing the entire point.

It’s great to see corporations such as Comcast and TechSmith really connecting with people. They don’t take the conversation out of the public eye just to shut someone up… they honestly do it to HELP people. However, I feel there is still so much more they could be doing. Creating actual back-and-forth conversations – even on Twitter – is something that each and every one of you needs to be doing.

Ask questions. When you receive answers, don’t just ignore them and congratulate yourself for getting a reply. TALK WITH THEM. Don’t tell people what you’re going to give them or do for them – ask them what they want. Find out how you can make your service better. Discover what the consumers think would make your product stand out from the competitors. Figure out your customer’s lives… what will make things easier for them? What is it you can do to help make their day better? All of this can be done right on social networks, y’all.

Stop counting your numbers and measuring your damn metrics. Quit worrying about that stuff, because it honestly doesn’t matter nearly as much as you think it does. What matters is those people sitting behind their screen attempting to connect with you. Once you’ve established that, the metrics will fall into place all on their own.

How to Help Your Company be Social

Normally, using someone isn’t a very nice thing to do. The negative connotations surrounding that word tend to make us shy away from allowing ourselves to remember that it can be a positive thing, as well. Yes, you need to give more than you take and the social space is no exception to the rule. However, there’s nothing wrong with using your network when you need to.

Are you thinking of buying a new product? Use your network! Throw out a quick message on both sites and ask for opinions. The people in your community who have used or owned that item will be quick to tell you the pros – and cons. You’ll get real feedback in real time. What better way could there be to help make a buying decision?

Another way to use your network is to reach out and ask for recommendations the next time you plan pretty much anything. Your contacts will jump at the chance to tell you where the hottest clubs and hotels are, which airlines cost the least to fly on and where you should be eating or shopping. You can get quick advice about anything and everything – including which Elvis impersonator is the best.

Thousands of people are out of work and having difficulties finding a new position. Use those networks, people! Let others know you are on the hunt and ask if they know of openings in your field. Make sure you’ve signed up on LinkedIn and fully filled in your your profile. Give that link out any time you hear of a promising lead or whenever you inquire about an opening someone may know of.

Your network can be used for education research and finding out the latest information about breaking news stories. I suppose these examples wouldn’t be classified as using the people in your community as much as it would be expanding your mind thanks to them. Are you stumped on a homework question? Ask your friends for help. If you have Google’d your fingers to the bone and still cannot find answers you need for a project at work, the people you surround yourself with online may have a clue. When you hear sirens coming from every direction in your neighborhood, a quick hashtag Twitter search will likely yield the fastest results. Quite often, you can find out what’s what on your social network ten times faster than you would via your local news station.

The ways in which you can use your social network are virtually endless. Keep in mind what I said in the beginning: give more than you take. The next time someone asks for help you can offer, don’t ignore it because you are too busy. Take the time to help someone and you’ll be repaid tenfold.

What others ways do you use your social network?

How to Use Your Social Network

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Sprechen Sie Geek? I’m brushing up on the handful of German words I already know because I’m headed there this week to speak at ceBIT. If you’ve never heard of this conference, then you certainly need to have your geek card taken away. ceBIT is billed as “the digital industry’s biggest, most international event. Thanks to its unique combination of exhibition, conferences, keynotes, corporate events and lounges, CeBIT represents an unrivaled tool for doing business and sealing deals.”

Thousands of attendees are expected to grace the conference and exhibit halls with their presence throughout this week. I will be but one lone man navigating my way through the maze of gadgets, gizmos and Germans! If you’re going to be there, be sure to look me up and say hello.

The only device I’m really planning to take with me is my iPhone 4. I’m paying the extra twenty-five bucks in order to use up to 20MB of data while I’m in International territory. However, I plan to connect to the ‘net via WiFi as much as possible. My phone takes fantastic videos and photos, so there’s really no need to pack a lot of extraneous gadgets.

If I see anything interesting – or meet really cool people – I plan to take several videos to share with all of you. So if you know of a particular vendor that you feel would make for an interesting video, then let me know!

The subject of my keynote deals with connecting communities using various technologies available to us. As much as I find the commentary on YouTube difficult to swallow at times, it IS a large part of the communication that goes on within our little corner of the Internet. Yes, I get agitated at times. But hey – I’m human, just like you. Many of us have different facets to our lives. In my mind, that’s what makes a community grow and evolve.

My keynote will be live-streamed. Keep an eye on my Facebook page and my Twitter stream this week. I’ll let you know when the live stream is going and whenever (and wherever!) my keynote may appear.

Vorsicht!

Will You be at ceBIT This Week?

Jason Schippers was a young man who may have not been famous by any stretch of the imagination, but he had a thriving community all of his own. Originally from Des Moines, Iowa, Jason became ill a few months ago while living in Colorado. Doctors were stumped. They knew he didn’t have cancer. He wasn’t a smoker. But his lung was failing. Approximately a week ago, they did an exploratory surgery to try and find the cause of the problems. They ended up removing more than half of his lung right then and there. Even that wasn’t enough to save this amazing person. He was taken from this life on Sunday morning.

My brother Adam is one of the friends devastated by this loss. Adam and Jason met via Twitter, and Adam helped him get his job in Colorado through Twitter. Even after making the move west, Jason remained an active participant in the Des Moines Twitter universe. By all accounts, Schippers was one of those people whom everyone liked – and whose loss will never fully heal.

Since his death, the outpouring of support online has astounded Jason’s family. Within moments of his death, hundreds of people began blogging, tweeting and posting words of support and love on Facebook. Three full days later, the words have not slowed down… they have grown in number as more people learn of the story and lend their comfort to the cause. His family is overwhelmed and comforted by the love people are showing them… most of whom never met Jason in person.

Dallas Moore was a long-time friend and business associate of Jason’s. “People are becoming the authors of their own lives,” says Moore, who owns Social Republick, a creative marketing and new media business. “Thanks to smart phones and iPads and Wi-Fi notebooks, we’re constantly connected no matter where we are. It’s possible to build and maintain multiple relationships simultaneously around the world. No geographical constraints. Jason met many of these people in real life.”

A Twitter memorial Twibbon has been created to honor this young man and the awesome life that he led. Even though you may not have known Jason Schippers, please consider showing your support for those he left behind in this world. It only takes a moment to add the simple ribbon to your current Twitter avatar.

For any of you who still don’t quite get social communities and what they really mean, you have only to read Jason’s story. The astonishing response to Jason’s death will open your eyes to the strong – and very REAL – connections that are made online every second of every day.

Schippers Twitter Twibbon Shows Support in Wake of Man’s Death

I don’t want to keep sitting on this idea, and I’m looking for others to help make it happen – skilled others, mind you. Like, people who can develop Facebook apps and design ‘em well enough so as not to require the user to read an instruction manual.

I’m sure that by posting this idea, someone might come along and take it without involving me or giving credit for the inspiration point. That’s the risk I’m taking. If I can find a project lead and development wonks, I say we divvy profits evenly.

So, why not hire some random person or group to do this outright, instead? Because I’m looking to try something different, and I know that when everybody’s skin is in the game, the idea has a greater chance of succeeding initially and on an ongoing basis. That, and it’s far easier to bootstrap with qualified individuals than it is to personally bankroll a project in the hands of people who don’t care whether or not a product works.

The idea is rather long overdue, in my estimation – and I need it for my own Facebook Community Page.

Mission:

• To introduce game mechanics to Facebook Community / Fan / Public Figure pages
• To better gauge and engage a community’s most active supporters
• To offer app to all active Facebook communities

Layout:

• Two Column Structure
• Topmost Left Block: Big Fat Like Button, Introduction, Donation
• Topmost Right Block: for Sponsor or Promotion

Data Blocks:

• Latest Wall Posts [with Like, Permalink]
• Latest Comments [with Like, Permalink]
• Top n Commenters Today, This Week, This Month, This Year [with Counts]
• Top n Commented Wall Posts Today, This Week, This Month [with Counts]
• Top n Liked Wall Posts Today, This Week, This Month [with Counts]
• Top n Donators Today, This Week, This Month, This Year
• Latest Page, Community Videos
• Latest Page, Community Photos
• Most Active Friends Who Like This Page
• n Embeddable Media (like for YouTube, Twitter, etc.)
• n RSS Feed Blocks
• Other surfaced statistics?

Admin:

• Drag & Drop Modular Blocks
• Statistics Tracking
• Visibility Toggle
• Frontend and/or backend?

Sponsor Block:

• Headline, Field for Graphic, Field for URL
• Like Sponsor Button
• Facilitate calendar purchasing [via PayPal]
• Admin sets price, duration
• Purchaser gets emailed daily stats of impressions, upsell to renew
• Randomized Backfill

Footer Block:

• “Want Your Own Community Zeitgeist? Get it here!”
• Made by “Us” [Like & Link to Respective Pages]
• Donations Appreciated [Sliding Scale?]
• Recent App Donations of $100+ rotate through all app deployments

Administrivia:

• Users get notified for Achievement(s), prompted to Brag about Achievement
• Where is the app hosted?
• Is there a way to best measure acceleration in engagement before and after app’s deployment?

I’d start with basic functionality over a weekend’s time, and then take it from there? “But so-and-so is already doing something like this!” If they are, they suck – or I’d be using it already. ;)

Okay, so if you’re at all interested (and serious) in helping develop this sucker, you have to let me know sooner rather than later. I’m actively seeking a partner. Just email chris@pirillo.com with your position and/or proposal on the proposed app and business structure.

First come, first serve.

Facebook Community Zeitgeist App

I wear many hats along my chosen career path: writer, live streamer, speaker and mentor. The best part of what I do, though, is to help build our community. Make no mistake, it is our community, not mine. I simply provide the various tools to bring all of you together.

Tonight, I was reminded why it is that I do this. Kat pointed out that it is now (today, October 1st) one year since we lost long-time community member Cory (Gimpi) Carrier. I have already seen many of you commenting in various places about Cory, how much you miss and love him. He was a driving force behind what we did back in the beginning… providing comic relief, different perspectives and fresh ideas. He left a large mark in our hearts and lives.

Kat and Cory were very close friends, and I know how much her heart is breaking again today. As she and I were talking earlier, she explained what he meant to her:

He was such a vibrant and important part of our community – and of my life. He taught me things about the way the world looks at others. He opened my eyes to new ways of thinking about things. He showed me what type of person I only wish I could be on the inside. And most of all… he became MY hero.

THIS is why I do what I do. Connecting people together to create change, connections and lasting friendships is what it’s all about. The bonds that can be made when people join together due to a common thread are amazing to watch as they grow and strengthen. I am humbled to be a part of it. Thank you – all of you – for being a part of our community.

• Google is proposing a new image format.
• What game did you play the most often when growing up?
• Do you use a tool to sync your bookmarks?
• Playing video games prepares your brain for bigger tasks in life.
• Do you know how to spot wire transfer fraud schemes?
• Teenage suicide is preventable.
• How would you decorate a new office space?
• How can heating our homes help to reduce climate changes?
• Why are so many Yahoo! staff members jumping ship?
• Customize your Finder sidebar.
• Does GIMP even begin to compare to Photoshop?
• How energy-efficient is your computer?
• Some Android apps are sending covert GPS data.
• Can the Xmarks service be saved?
• Have you ever given or received love letters or mixed cassette tapes?
• Why won’t my custom Favicon show up?!
• Have you taken a look at the Google Phone Gallery?
• Put GIMPbox back in the oven.
• Are all computer speakers made the same?
• Do you own a solar backpack?
• Windows Live Essentials is finally out of beta!
• Make yourself some ice cream in the blender!
• Which classic movies have you never bothered to watch?
• Do guys (especially geeky ones) even care about fashion?
• Is it 30M or 300K, Microsoft? Who is counting the Live Spaces?
• Use your smartphone to accept credit cards.
• What tabs are open on your screen right now?
• Do you recommend computer fans that glow?
• Although Steve Jobs said that Internet tethering wouldn’t be coming to the iPad, the beta 2 of iOS 4.2 for iPad shows us differently.

Please take the time to visit our software center today.

Why Do We Build Community?

When Loic Le Meur asked me last year to come to Paris and speak at his LeWeb Conference, I admit to being honored beyond belief. LeWeb is one of the premiere conferences anywhere in the world, and it’s held in beautiful Paris. When I found out that Queen Rania Al Abdullah was also speaking, I broke out into a cold sweat. This was serious business, folks. The people who attend this event are hard-core. They are THE movers and shakers in our world. They are smart – passionate – dedicated. Loic is their leader, and I hoped only to make an impact on the crowd in some small way.

Loic asked me to speak about building communities, something which I have been doing online since 1992. This is where my passion lies. This is what I am dedicated to. I walked onto the stage with the hope that the things I have learned along the way would help someone in their journey. I became so filled with the enthusiasm around me that I walked off that stage with my head held high. I feel as though I gave one of the best presentations of my life… not because someone told me so, but because I know that I believed in everything I said.

When you are going to speak to an audience – no matter how large or small – don’t talk at them. Talk WITH them. Yes, you need to tell them whatever it is you know. Of course you’re going to try to win them over to your side. But you still have to actually have a conversation with them… much as you do when you are trying to build a community.

Community comes from inside of you. The tools and platforms available are simply that: tools and platforms. They are not the community. Bring people together and give them the tools to connect to each other and then watch as leaders emerge from within. Talk to them. Work with them. Learn about them and grow with them.

Remember that building a community is not about connecting people to you. It’s about connecting them to each other.

LeWeb 2009: Building Communities