I have been looking closely at the circumstances
surrounding the recent  Social Traffic Launch and today
came to the conclusion that what is missing for most
people is an understanding that there is a big difference
between event based and process based marketing.

They are both intimately connected to each other but if
you focus on one you maybe miss the essence of the other.
Simon Ford seems to have an intimate grasp of both and if
you have taken the time to read his book you will
understand a lot of the processes that took place behind
the Social Traffic launch and will view it differently
from those who just  came to the party and left after the
buzz died down

Marketing is a set of processes that can be repeated. When
a group of people participate in a launch like the Social
Traffic Group on Facebook the majority are only aware of partial
processes. They view it as a singular event.

Part Of The Audience Or Participator?

They lack the longer term vision and understanding of the
sequences and motivations behind the surface appearance of
what is being presented. Its like being part of an excited
audience watching a skilled magician performing and while
being part of the whole experience you never know  the
secrets to how he manipulates the audiences attention so
that he can entertain and mystify them with his
presentation.

You might be able to describe in great detail the outer
form and  of  individual tricks and maybe even  remember
the sequence of the  whole show but if asked by a friend
to repeat any of it you would be hard pressed to come  up
with the goods.

A Talented Team

A good stage show needs more than just raw talent to
succeed. It needs a team of people who are behind the
scenes co-ordinating the infrastructure and organizing a
multitude of tasks so that the stars of the show can do
what they are best at.

Not everyone can be on stage at the same time. It would
get crowded and confusing you need a director to sequence
the show  and a technical and managerial team to ensure
that venues are booked, tickets sold, lighting and sound
are arranged, props and scenery are in the right place at
the right time and that the show proceeds smoothly and
effortlessly. Any problems are dealt with and the audience
only see what you choose to present. Script changes can be
made right up to the last minute to inject that sense of
spontaneity.

Weaving The Storyline

A good Showman will also get the audience to participate,
This adds an added sense of authenticity especially if its
your friend who is pulled on stage. You might never know
if this person is a co-conspirator  and in the end it
matters little because you came to get entertained.

When done correctly the whole audience will feel like they
have been an intrinsic part of the performance, they will
be woven into the story and they will own that experience.
They leave with a warm glow and will tell all their friends.

Alone We Can Do So Little; Together We Can Do So Much

Translating this to our own situation and the issues that
Simon Ford  addressed in his recent Facebook Note,  it
becomes clear that the boundaries between the audience,
the performers and the managerial and technical staff have
become blurred. The processes that go into creating a
singular event have become blurred with the event itself.

Building A Movement

Social Traffic has morphed out of Simon’s original vision
into a whole movement and shifting of consciousness in
relationship to social media and how we choose to do
business online. A divide is opening between those who are
authentically serving the  online community and those who
are bleeding it for their own personal gain and as
transparency increases  this will become more and more
apparent

An  Invitation

What Simon is proposing is an invitation for all those who
enjoyed the past performance to come behind the scenes and
take part in much more than just what you saw on stage the
last time. The ones who come will be those who are
motivated by curiosity and excitement rather than what’s
in it for them . They will have an inner  driving force
and will receive their remuneration in ways that are hard
to predict beforehand.

How much is that kind of experience and training worth?
Those who have no hesitation at this stage will find it
easy  to  put their heart fully into the process.
Surrendering without knowing the outcome is only possible
for those who are fueled by this type of  inner passion.

Ready To Jump In?

I am excited to see who else will jump in with both feet.
I also want to point out that if we really want to
radically shift our models we need to radically shift our
metaphors. I used a stage performance because it is
comfortable and easy. You can identify  your place,
recognize  your personal  position , and know where you
fit in, even if you can’t see the whole picture.

Entering The Unknown

Where we are going there are no comfortable models or
easy metaphors that you can use. We are entering into the
unknown where things will almost certainly get shaken up.
If we want to avoid the usual patterns that come with our
human conditioning we will need to push the boundaries
into some uncomfortable areas. Stretching our belief
systems of who we are and what’s possible.

Synergy Unlocks Our True Potentials

I know from reading the comments on Simon’s post that some
of you  have touched on a few of these places. Where the
boundaries between personal and collective  start to melt.
Where the power of synergy opens up potentials impossible
for any single individual.   It can be exciting but  also
scary at the same time. Do you have the courage that’s
needed and an intangible feeling of rightness  that keeps
drawing you forward?

We Have Experienced Guides

Any adventurer or pioneer feels the same way.  Each small
discovery is another part of the territory mapped out. Our
landscape in our social media world is moving so fast that
even the map makers are finding it hard to keep up. Its
becoming like shifting sandbanks that change with each
tide. We are lucky that our team already has many seasoned
guides who have that intuitive sense and  ability to lead
on solid ground and can spot the quicksand’s before the
rest  stumble into them.

Are You On The Bus?

I am excited at our collective potential,  I am also under
no illusion as to the level of commitment it will entail
and the transformation it will bring to all its
participants. As Ken Kesey once said with the Merry
Pranksters ” You are either On  The Bus or Off The Bus “.
Even if you are On The Bus you can still be Off The Bus
and if you are Off The Bus you can still be On The Bus.

What we are proposing is going to bring about a complete
paradigm shift,  I hope that you choose to come along for
the ride whether you are “On The Bus”  or watching us from
the roadside.

Raising The Bar

Spamming seems to becoming a hot topic again. Not the type
of Spam you get in your inbox asking you to buy Viagra or
letters from an African Lawyer who wants you to share the
inheritance of a milionare client. What I want to talk
about today concerns ordinary well meaning people who
though ignorance or lack of awareness end up becoming
perpetrators of this social menace and end up damaging
their reputation at the same time

I Don’t Like Spam

Most people don’t like to eat Spam all the time so make
sure this isn’t what you are serving to all your friends.

Do You Want To Make The Right Impression?

Part of this blog post was written in the summer but I
thought I would re-edit it and include some recent
conversations and share it with a whole new audience.

My latest book, The Facebook Strategies Guide addresses
these sames issues and from my own observation. 95% of the
people using Facebook for Business are needlessly making
themselves look like spammers.

Attention Grabbers

If a complete stranger came and knocked on your front door
and demanded that you go with them to look at their new
car or dragged you out of your house and forced you to go
inside their new shop, don’t you think you might get a bit
upset. Why is it then that so many people act that way on
Facebook

Why Should I Give You My Attention?

How many times have you had someone send you a friend
request on Facebook and then straight away before you’ve
had time to take a second breath they have asked you for
something, demanding your attention, whether its to check
out their group, look at their website, join their MLM
program or Get Rich Quick scheme.

What these people maybe fail to realize is their approach
is getting them entirely the opposite results than they
might expect. The reason being is they fail to see the
message they are sending from the other side or think a
little bit about who they are sending to. Without having
this view you assume that the whole world will naturally
be interested in everything you are doing and you demand
that they give you attention.

Relationships First - Deals Second

Trying to sell yourself or your products without first
taking the time to build some sort of relationship is not
going to be the most effective strategy in today’s web 2.0
world. In a world where word of mouth is the new marketing
force to reckon with. Adopting this aproach is effectively
shooting yourself in the foot.

Serve Others First And You Will Be Rewarded

When you friend someone don’t ask them for something
straight away, take the time to send a personal message
and ask what you can do to help them. If you want to get
your self really noticed then you are going to have to
learn to give before you receive.

This will instantly set you apart from everyone else and
will show that you are actually interested in them and not
just in serving yourself or your business. Serving others
is one of the highest virtues you can adopt and is one of
the quickest ways to have your own needs met as well.

People will always remember you in a positive light and
that is what can influence them to open your emails,
listen to your sales messages and buy your products or
services in the future. Attention is one of the most
valuable commodities that all businesses are competing for.

Don’t Be Too Aggressive

Once you have their attention and you have started a
conversation you can decide if you want to mention what It
is you are promoting. If you are too aggressive in your
marketing or sales approach you can turn people off very
quickly.

It’s easy to spot people who are not genuine so be very
careful here and make sure you do this in a skillful way,
a casual mention of what you have to offer can be much
more powerful than the direct approach.

People hate being sold to but they do like to buy. If you
position yourself in the right way, you can be the person
they choose to go to when they are ready.

Consider Starting Your Own Group

If you want to get a targeted group of people all in one
place then consider forming your own group, you can invite
all your friends and in this way, only the people who are
interested will be subjected to your marketing messages
and they have the option of leaving the group at any time.

Selling directly to new friends via their profile, instant
messenger or wall is one of the quickest ways to start
losing friends and as spam becomes more widespread more
people are becoming less tolerant of unsolicited messages
in their inbox.

I join a lot of groups to see what they have to offer, one
thing I have noticed is the difference between how some of
the group leaders treat their members.

The Trusted Friend

Some Facebook groups send me a continual stream of
messages promoting this product or that service, I have to
admit that I tend to ignore most of them, Its like I
almost don’t see or hear anything of what they are
communicating, I filter it out and it just goes in the
noise and distraction file.

There are however a few group leaders who have adopted a
different strategy, they keep sending me useful
information and good links to things I am interested in,
and they have a totally different way of communicating.

It’s not that they never try and sell me something its
just they do it in a different way so I don’t mind because
I have placed them in a different file,that of the trusted
friend.

If you are networking, planning on using Facebook to promote
your business or you would like to start your own Facebook
group in the future,I think there is an important lesson
to learn here. Becoming the trusted friend gives you great
power and influence. It is a position that is  earned
through service and through consistency and congruency in
your message.

A Real Life Example And Lesson

Tim Somers one of the members of our Social Traffic group
talks about his own experiences in his recent blog post

“I’ve been in the promotional product business for 19 yrs.
and networking has been one of the keys to the success
I’ve had. Being fairly new to the whole Social Networking
gig I had been crossing the spam line and did not realize
it at all.

Seems I was putting the “cart before the horse” if you
will, jamming me and what I do down the throats of
everyone and anyone I’d connected with online via
Facebook, LinkedIn as various other networks.

I guess I was really excited about all the people I’d been
connecting with and lost focus on all the successful
networking I’d accomplished over the years at local
chamber events, BNI meetings and such. Where I listened,
and didn’t really give to much information on me or my
company - and focused on building a relationship first and
letting the natural transition of getting business and
referrals grow an flourish with time.

I didn’t know I was borderline spamming online because
know one was honest with me, I kept doing it until someone
finally brought it to my attention…and I “got it”.

It was Simon Ford that put me on the straight and narrow.
His words of wisdom could have been taken the wrong way,
but the message he sent me was crystal clear and I took it
to heart and have and will be working on becoming a better
Social Networker for sure.”

Simon Ford’s Message To Tim

Tim,

Please take this message as feedback, not criticism…

There are over 500 million pages indexed in Google for the
word cards, each page means nothing to me. Why do you
think your pages are any different? Is it because we are
members of the same Facebook group?

When I need a solution for cards, I will turn to my
network of people that I like and trust to find it.

Likewise, I listen to people who I like and trust. Only
they could ever convince me I may need a {offenders key
word} solution, when I didn’t otherwise know it…I could
only ever consider doing business with someone I really
liked and trusted..

That said, if the desired outcome of you introducing
yourself to me was to have me buy from you, do business
with you, or in fact collaborate with you on any level,
from where I sit, as your target, your strategy is counter
productive.

I will never listen to anyone who tells me they are
interested in building a relationship with me followed by
shoving a self serving link in my face. The approach
instills distrust in fact, making it even harder for you
to become someone I like or trust beyond such an
introduction.

This is not social networking, It’s spamming Tim.

To think that the caliber of people who have all
congregated in our social traffic group see your approach
other way is miss-guided.

I have done you a favor and deleted your wall post off the
group wall and from my personal feed so not that many
people have seen them. This provides you another
opportunity to introduce yourself with a mind set of being
“Interested”, not “interesting”.

I am confident if you make the most of the opportunity you
will be enlightened by the results. I would love to hear
about your journey of discovery when you have arrived…

That’s when I can see us building a genuine relationship
that will deliver your desired outcome and a hell of a lot
more.

I look forward to that day.

With respect,
Simon Ford

Education Is The Only Viable Long Term Solution.

As an individual you have a responsibility to your wider
network to educate all its members. If you see  a person
doing something that is damaging their reputation take the
time to let them know.

Do it in a way that encourages them to change without
being too critical, give people the benefit of the doubt,
especially those who are new to Social Media and are only
just getting started, you can point them to relevant notes
and blog posts and show them by example how you would like
to be treated as a friend and business contact.

Be Respectful

It’s clear from most discussions that talk about Spam that
each person has their own personal definition. You might
be the type who gets outraged and angry when someone
abuses your trust.

Publicly humiliating someone who transgresses your social
code might feel good momentarily, but it’s not the best
long term solution. Instead of creating an enemy why not
do what Simon did an tell them how you feel.  Treat them
in a respectful way even if you feel like you are the one
who is the victim. This kind of pro-active approach will
win you loyal friends and the respect of all those who you
communicate with.

Want To Learn More

For those who would like to learn more about using
Facebook  in the right way you can check out  my new book
The Facebook Strategies Guide. It’s a valuable resource
packed full of information that will take your social
networking to a whole new level

http://www.thefacebookguide.com

I hope you have enjoyed this post, If it’s been of some
value to you please share it with your network, send it to
your Tweeps on Twitter or press the share button on
Facebook.

you can also follow me on Twitter

http://www.twitter.com/iandavidchapman

The Conversation Has Already Started

This article is my personal  review of Simon U Ford’s new book Social Traffic - Event Marketing In A New Media Scape which is  launched later this week.

I was one of the first people to get to read the whole book so I will attempt to be as honest as I can.  My opinions are somewhat biased since I freely admit I have been converted to a raving fan.

A Good Introduction

I first heard about Social Traffic while  I was finishing my own book , The Facebook Strategies Guide, Simon sent me a personal invitation to join his new group in a way that made me take notice. I wrote about this in a previous blog post about how to stand out from the crowd.  We quickly became friends when we realized  that both of us  understood the essence of conversational marketing and wanted to share this with a much wider audience. Simon also had much bigger plans which soon became apparent as he revealed his visions for the future.

Well Written And Easy To Read

I want to begin this review by stating that his book is very well written,  any of you who have been exposed to his writing style will  know he is a master wordsmith. Its 139 pages long so you can read it all in an afternoon. If  you are anything like me you will be busy clicking all the links and discovering  a whole new arena of useful resources and possibilities.

Social Media Strategy

After Simon sets the stage with an overview of  the rapid changes in our media landscape and where he believes it  is heading, he introduces event marketing and places it in a modern online context.  He emphasizes the importance of  Facebook, Twitter and Online Video. and gives a thorough introduction to the basic elements of each platform and their respective potentials.   Simon’s book overlaps very nicely with my own book  the  Facebook Strategies Guide for space reasons he omited much of the practical strategies and technical details but still shows an expert  understanding of how these platforms need to be used in combination all linking into each other and creating an integrated syndicated network.

Article Marketing

Simon then shares his own article marketing techniques,  explaining the linking structures he uses to build his web presence to dominate a broad range of keywords that then circulate link juice and traffic to his blogs and website.

Email Marketing

For me the best part of the book is the way Simon focuses on the importance of building relationships with your customers. He explains in a simple and conscise way  how you can automate this process and segment your email lists and structure your marketing campaigns.  Simon is one of those people who loves to test and track so you can be guaranteed that his results are based on hard facts  not conjecture. He reveals his  expertise at email marketing and  managing multiple auto responder  lists and gives you models you can replicate. Holding the right conversation with the right people at the right time is the key to his success and the beauty of it all is once everything is set up  it can run on autopilot sending targeted people into yoru sales funnel.

Launching An Event

In the final part of he book examines the steps you need to take to launch an event, while Simon focuses on physical events like parties and social gatherings,  the same principles can be applied to launching any product or service. He explains how to get your customers to become the evangelist for your product so all the selling gets done by your fans and loyal supporters. He gives a step by step sequence that you can use to build revolving door marketing campaigns so you can maximise your returns.

Do You Get Value For Money?

Most marketing gurus who launch a low priced info product  or ebook only  give  incomplete and  partial information, their products are little more than  thinly disguised sales pitches for  a higher priced product.

A Generous Helping

This book is different, Simon shares all his resources and information  generously,   explaining  the services he uses to build and maintain his organization and how you can replicate the same systems in your own business. You will probably not get past the first 10 pages before you are off clicking the links and visiting some of these little know websites  he recommends.  Like 5 different types of mind mapping software you can get on the internet or the services you need to subscribe to enabling you to  link and syndicate all your social networking profiles together so with one email you can send information to a whole range of platforms. At $47 this book is a steal. I already know  Simon has deliberately undervalued it and will almost certainly be raising the price  in the future.

Gems and Golden Nuggets

The later sections are as packed with valuable gems and gold nuggets as the beginning.  Put aside several hours to do it full  justice, I guarantee it will be time well spent. Don’t make the mistake of getting it and then letting it gather dust on your hard disc

Community Benefits

What is also important is the community that is gathering around the Social Traffic group on Facebook .  Having all our members read the whole book allow us to take the conversation to the next level. It creates a solid foundation for us all to build on and ensures that everyone is working from the same common understanding.

Birth Of A New Revolution
When you are there at the start of a new revolution do you actually know it is taking place or is it only years later that you can look back and see that definite point in time where a cultural shift happened  and that you were an active participant in shaping history

A Global Party
I have a friend  who told me what it was like to be at  Woodstock. He was there back in 1969,  he knew all the organisers and  was an active part of the social movement that grew from that muddy field.   I always love to hear him  give his  first hand account  of what happened and the people involved, its the personal stories that are much more fascinating than all the media hype that has grown around this mythical event .   I feel like we are  being invited to another Woodstock but this time the party is Global and anyone who buys a ticket can attend.

To get your copy of the book go to

http://tinyurl.com/socialtrafficnow

Act Soon Or You Will Miss Out
The doors open at 8.00 am on Tuesday EST. The book has been limited to 1000 copies. This is  not to create a false sense of scarcity  but to allow a real community to grow around it. A larger number or readers would become unmanageable as  they would not be able to get the same support and personal participation that is being offered in  our  Social Traffic group.  Make sure you are on the train and not left behind at the station. I know there are some people who will ignore my advice and will end up missing out but then that’s part of life isn’t it, as the old saying goes, “The early bird catches the worm”

So here is the link again just so you don’t forget,

http://tinyurl.com/socialtrafficnow

If you have enjoyed this post you can  follow me on Twitter and get my latest updates.
http://www.twitter.com/iandavidchapman

http://www.iandavidchapman.com/

Clay Shirky - Here Comes Everybody

Group Network Theory

If you want to begin to understand the direction that the internet is moving and if you want to harness the power of groups in your own business then spending 42 minutes watching Clay Shirky is time well spent

Clay Shirky explains group network theory in a simple and easy to understand way  and I have begun applying his models to various situations and circumstances which I will explore in later blog posts. His basic premise is that groups go through 4 stages of development

1.  Sharing

2.  Conversation

3. Collaboration

4. Collective action

Tools To Change The World

Social Media has given us the tools to move rapidly through each of these stages and its now up to us as global internet citizens  to decide what type of future  we would like to create. The groups and networks you create today will be shaping the course of future history.  We have never had such an opportunity or such freedom for collective creative expression as we do today.

We Have A Dream

So I would like to invite you to share your own vision for our collective future. How would you like to  start this conversation , to be open to the possibility that no one person can dream it all on their own, that  it has to be a collaborative effort.  Can we look for ways to bring our collective force to bear fruit and manifest into this world, for each individual to be empowered to take actions that are coordinated towards our joint vision.

Out On The Edge

This is what I am passionate about and this is the main reason  why I got involved in Social Media in the first place. Its an exciting time to be alive to witness this moment in history and I feel we are much  further out on the edge than any of us really imagine. Those of you who I have spoken to personally will understand where I am coming from when I say this.

Circle Of Trust

Another friend Simon U Ford has been asking us to start recognizing the groups that we belong to and to begin to deepen those relationships. To think about building our circles of trust with those who we most resonate with.  Without the need for any rulebook,  allowing these natural structures to coalesce and begin forming on their own. Freely  giving our energy and attention to these people and these groups.

Sharing

Sharing with a friend is free.  Sharing with a friend adds value, Sharing with a friend shows that you care.

follow me on Twitter

http://www.twitter.com/iandavidchapman

Are You A Lion Or A Sheep?
A Facebook group needs strong leadership and clear direction if you want it to succeed. If you act like a sheep, the herd might follow you for a moment  and then lose interest or move in a different  direction.

Launching a successful Facebook group is a definite art. If you are thinking of starting a new group or already have an existing group, here are a few essential pointers to get you going viral and  effortlessly  attract new members.

1) Choose a Killer Title For Your Group Name
Without a memorable name that is both colorful and sticky your group will fail right from the beginning. It has to be compelling and dynamic and press peoples emotional hot buttons. For Ideas look at the groups that have grown to over 1000 members and compare the names  to those that that are still stuck  at around 150 members.  If your name is boring  most people automatically assume your group will be too.

2) Pick  A Graphic That Captures The Essence Of  Your Group
A picture speaks a thousand words, does the image you choose convey the essence of your group. Get a striking image and then use photo shop to add some text on top of the picture. Make sure it can still be read when it is reduced in size. Many groups make their Logo much  longer than its wide it then becomes a full banner advertisement and   takes up more space when its listed on the group page giving it more prominence.

3) Leverage Your Friends
You can’t grow a group huge without the help of other people. Groups go viral because people invite their friends to join. If your initial network hasn’t reach 500 people you will have a hard time getting enough momentum for your group to take off. In that case find another friend and launch together. Make them a group admin too. Its much more fun launching a group with several people than having to do all the work on your own.

4) Target Your Initial Members
Having  powerful  and influential friends as core members of the group is vital. Hand select the people who you want to be there and send them personal invitations. Make them feel special.  You need to choose people who are dynamic on Facebook or Twitter, people who are famous, people who have huge followings,  people who have large networks and people who are already experts and leaders  within your niche.  Having these people as initial members instantly gives your group credibility.   Honor those who first join by making them officers and ask  them what  title they would like under their name.

5) Create A Whisper Campaign
Tell your friends about the group in an indirect way long before you are going to launch, hint about it in blog posts, in teleseminars and in  wall posts and in all your communications with your potential core members. Get them excited and they will start to talk about your new group even before you open the doors. Get your favorite bloggers to write an article about your group. Start a discussion using Facebook Notes  and make your group the logical solution to a problem that people might face. Create  the content for your group before you launch and tell people what you are doing.

6) Turn Your Group Launch Into An Event
By  turning your group launch into an event you automatically stand out and get noticed. Plan it the same way you would a big party,  You want all your guests to arrive at the same time so that the dance floor is packed. People won’t join if they turn up to your group page and find a cold empty room with no music and no  refreshments.

Use Facebook Events and hold a teleseminar to publicize it and/or write  Facebook notes and tag all your initial members, get them interacting with each other and keep sending them back to the group page to post on the wall and participate  in the discussions.

Groups are not just confined to  a single location, they spill out all over the place. Like a crowded house party that ends up  with  lots of people milling about on the front lawn. Anyone who drives down the street will always know which house to go to.

7) Include An Irresistible Offer
Offer an incentive for people to join,  give away a free ebook, mp3 recording or video straight away.

Promise to supply more exclusive content in the future for those who join the group early and become active participants. Identify those special  members by signing them  up to your optin list or joining your Fan page.

Focus on adding value and encourage your group members to share their own talents.   Your group will become  a valuable resource instead of  a derelict notice board for spammers

8)Aim For Viral Visibility
The more activity you generate the bigger your viral foot print will be in Facebook’s newsfeed.

You want to get your group to 500 members as quickly as possible so that it maintains its growth  velocity.  After this point it will hit critical mass and continue to grow on its own.

Stimulate activity on the group wall and discussion board, ask questions and continue to  supply fresh content on a regular basis. You want you members to keep returning and posting within the group.

9)Advertise Your Group
 If you are holding a party you need to put up some posters and give out flyers. Use your status updates wisely; be creative, use humor,  and learn about  link baiting.   Attract members  from a whole range of social media  platforms, like Twitter, YouTube, Ustream, Friend Feed, Ning. Advertise in other similar groups and online forums. Get your group members to help you and  reward those who put in the most effort by helping them to promote themselves using your group as a platform. Self promotion before contributing value should be discouraged. 

10) Launch Strategically  And In Several Stages
Have a clearly defined and mapped out strategy.  Create a revolving door  Pre launch, launch, post launch,  relaunch. Sequence.  After initial  activity your group may need restimulating. By holding regular events you keep your group in the public eye and your members will continue to feel connected. Get your active members to participate in your relaunch process, and make it  a win win situation for all involved

Do You Want To Learn More?

I have provided  step by step Instructions in my new  Facebook Strategies Guide that  explains precisely how you can grow your group with minimum effort and maximum leverage. Ways you can build relationships with your group members and tips on how to  start monetizing your efforts. Most importantly I show you the common mistakes that most people make that act like lead weights and prevent  their groups from really taking off.

The Facebook Groups section is  already finished , its 85 pages long. I am still in the final editing stages of other sections  and hope to have the whole package released in early November. 
 

Whats holding your group back? - Enter my competition and win a free copy of my book

I will be giving away a free copy of my Book to the person who can describe  what their biggest problem  or concern  is  about starting or growing a  Facebook group.

To enter  just send me a  message on Facebook and describe your situation  in 200 words or less.

As an added bonus for the lucky winner  I will personally come and take a look at your group page and  show you exactly what  you need to do to launch it, improve it and get  it growing virally

I will be announcing the winner in  a future blog post.
 

Acknowledgements

I would also like to give a special mention to  Simon U Ford who has burst onto the Facebook scene in the past few weeks. He is an expert at launching  events and creating buzz and excitement. He also  provides  clear, insightful  and cutting edge social media comentary and likes to get people talking to each other

If you observe closely you will see that  Simon is applying most of  these strategies to attract high quality members to his group as a lead up  to his  book launch. I am enjoying the conversations and the new friends I have met. Its not only about joining a group its about forming real relationships with all the other members.

Social traffic – are you getting any lately?  Is definitely  a Facebook  Group to watch out for. Be sure to  join now and get yourself a good ringside seat.  You can participate  in our growth and  master  the art of conversational marketing at the same time.

If you have enjoyed this post, you might want to consider subscribing to my full RSS feed

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In my previous post I explored why many
of the top Internet Marketing Gurus
craft their emails in a certain style

Skinny People Make More Money Online, Fat People  Get Ignored !!

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Following on from that I wrote a quick 7 point list
showing the reasons why writing narrow email messages
will increase you response rate and make your communication
more effective

1)  Narrow Messages Are Easier To Read

A narrow  message  allows you to scan through it  quickly.  Your message can be absorbed in a single glance. The foveal vision in our eyes can only see detail in a small  area of the screen; Everything on the periphery is ignored. Peripheral vision is designed to detect movement.  Always be  respectful of human physiology.

2) We Are  Conditioned  To  Read Newspaper Columns And Magazine Print

Our  brains are already trained to read things in this format so make your messages feel  familiar, Observe the style of your favourite print newspaper or magazine and replicate it in your messages

3) People Have A Limited amount Of Time And  Attention

By making your message brief and to the point you are respecting peoples time. If you don’t grab peoples attention in the first 3 seconds you will lose them so summarize your whole email in the first sentence so busy people can decide if they want to read further

4) Mobile Devices Will Be The New Way People Consume Information On The Internet

Ipod,  Iphone, Nokia N95,  Amazon Kindle;  A whole new generation of technology is awaiting  adoption by the mainstream, look ahead and make sure you can communicate across the platforms of choice

5) As People Get  Older Their Eyesight Can Degenerate

The number of older people using the internet is increasing.  Don’t alienate a huge potential audience. Use large sans serif fonts  and  choose 14 or 16 point text. For someone with poor eyesight a well formatted email made up of short sentences is much easier to read than a huge block of text

6) You Can Take Total Control Of Your Formatting.

Using hard carriage returns ensures your message will be read exactly  as you intended it to be on any browser and in any device.  If you are using embedded hypnotic commands and emotional triggers this can be crucial to their effect and overall impact

7) You Want People To Take Action

You want people to read your  message  and know  what you want them to do next. Top marketers usually  convey the essence of their entire message in the opening sentence followed by an immediate call to action. they include several links at different places and  they use services like tinyurl.com to make their links shorter and more attractive.

Share With Your Friends
If you enjoyed this post please share it with your friends, you might also consider subscribing to my full RSS feed so you never miss a future post

Follow Me
Be sure to check out the rest of my blog
http://www.iandavidchapman.com
And follow me on Twitter
http://www.twitter.com/iandavidchapman

This post was inspired by a Marketing Online Live Podcast  from Paul Colligan and Alex Mandossian. I Love Ed Dale in case you were wondering and hope he has a good sense of humour

This article explores why
The width of  your
Email messages is so important
And will explain why
Changes in technology are
Forcing marketers to  change
The way they communicate,

The Gurus Style
Have you ever noticed that the
Top  Internet Marketing
Gurus  format their emails
In a  similar way?

Do you understand
Their  Reasons for  doing this
Or do you just think they
Like writing in short sentences?

Have you ever wondered?

Why they are making their messages
Briefer and more direct?

Why Skinny is Better Than Wide?

As you start to  change
the way you communicate
your  messages will

Have More IMPACT,
Get opened more often
And your readers will listen
To what you have to say

Some experts like Alex Mandosian
Claim that 25-40 characters is the ideal
Width and that you need to end each
Line with a hard carriage return. If
Someone sends him a message that isn’t
Formatted in the style that he expects
It just goes straight in the trash

Others like Ed Dale don’t bother so much and  go for up to 70 Characters. Anyone who has ever watched any of Ed’s videos will know that he likes to ramble on a bit, So I guess the people who follow him have got used to his style of presentation and enjoy his  emails.

Just How wide is 25 Characters?

Wwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwww
Iiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiii
Aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa
Ttttttttttttttttttttttttt
Bbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbb

And How Wide is 40 Characters?

Wwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwww
Iiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiii
Aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa
Tttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttt
Bbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbb

As you can see it varies so choose
A width that is equivalent to
25-40 repetitions of the letter “a”

What Happens If  You Are Too Wide?
If you choose to write long sentences with really  wide paragraphs and not include any formatting  and just continue  without any regard for the fact that people will find it more difficult to read what you’ve written and if you are one of the few people who actually read a paragraph that is so long and doesn’t even pause for any breath  by the time you get to end you have forgotten what the author was talking about because you are concentrating so hard to read all the words that they’ve written that you can’t actually understand anything and by the time you get to this far  in the paragraph you are already so bored because the author hasn’t been able to get to the point and express what they meant to say  and ended up  repeating themselves . If they don’t  get to the point and express what they meant to say  and end up  repeating themselves you might even decide to press the back button on your browser and go and give your attention to something that is a little easier and doesn’t make you work so hard and if you have managed to stay this long then you must either be a die hard fan or just one of those people who doesn’t like to miss any details,  I would guess that maybe only 20% of my readers  actually made it this far down the paragraph and the rest skipped to the next bit

Did You Skip That Last Paragraph?
If you did then you are like most normal people,
When you see a big mass of text you tend to ignore it
And skip on to the next bit, you probably read the
first two sentences and maybe the last

Write In A Way That Is Easy To Digest
Its easy to lose interest  and
decide that its time to leave
If you want to engage people you have to
Write in away that makes it easy  to digest
Write in  small chunks and
Make sure  that it’s well formatted
and includes bolded subheadings

Change Your Habits Now
Where will the Internet be in 5 years time?
Things are changing so rapidly that you
Need to start adopting the right habits
Now and not sometime in the future

Technology Is Leading The Way

There is a whole new generation who will consume
The internet via  handheld devices like the iphone,
Ipod, nokia N95, Amazon Kindle etc.

You only have to notice the increased use
Of micro blogging platforms and video sites
to understand the way thing are moving

Will  your message and content translate to this
New medium or will you just become part of
The background noise?

Size Limitations
These devices tend to have small, narrow screens
so you don’t want to force people to scroll
across to be able to read your message.

The Essence Of Your Message
If you have a call to action and include a link,
place it where it can be easily seen  straight after
The opening sentences. You can grab more
people this way. Those who want to read more
can scroll down.  Those who don’t can still get the
Essence of your message in a quick glance.

My next blog post in this series will be released very soon

Are You Overweight?  -  7 Reasons Why You Need To Put Your Email Messages On A Slimming Diet

Share With Your Friends
If you enjoyed this post please share it with your friends, you might also consider subscribing to my full RSS feed so you never miss a future post

Follow Me
Be sure to check out the rest of my blog
http://www.iandavidchapman.com
And follow me on Twitter
http://www.twitter.com/iandavidchapman

This post was inspired by a Marketing Online Live Podcast  from Paul Colligan and Alex Mandossian

]]> http://www.iandavidchapman.com/skinny-people-make-more-money-online-fat-people-get-ignored/feed/ http://www.iandavidchapman.com/conversational-marketing-how-to-stand-out-from-the-crowd/ http://www.iandavidchapman.com/conversational-marketing-how-to-stand-out-from-the-crowd/#comments Sun, 12 Oct 2008 01:55:48 +0000 admin http://www.iandavidchapman.com/?p=225

Stand Out From The Crowd

Every now and the I meet someone who really stands out from the crowd, someone who is thinking outside of the box and is interested in pushing the boundaries of what is possible.

I get really creative when I meet people like this, their enthusiasm is infectious and makes me realise what potentials I am capable of achieving.

Understanding Facebook Strategy

While I was completing the Facebook Groups section of my Facebook Strategies Guide I got a message from a new friend asking me to join his group. I get these kind of messages every day and usually I just ignore them. The reason I paid attention to this person was because he had adopted the exact strategy I had just been writing about and had followed it to the letter.

A Select Group Of People

I was interested because I pay attention to synchronicity like this, and when I checked out his group I could see he had done his preparations very well. There were only a few members but already it had a lot of good content and some interesting discussions. He wasn’t just inviting anyone he was inviting a select group of people who would appreciate what he was trying to teach

Promoting An Event Launch

His group was set up to promote his new book that teaches event launch strategies, I clicked through to his website and that was where I got the biggest shock. It was right on the cutting edge with a very  informative  video,  stunning flash graphics and  a cool contact/follow  widget. I  decided I had to find out a bit more about who was behind  all this so I opted in to his list and then sent him a few personal message and we started  building a relationship

Pay Close Attention

I would advise all of my friends to pay attention to what this guy is going to do in the next month. He’s already started to make some waves and get himself noticed with some great Facebook Notes on a wide range of topics.  I am now one of the privileged few who gets to see this launch from the inside and I will be paying very close attention and assessing the results. I could probably  write  3 killer blog posts just from the half hour conversation I had with him on Skype yesterday.

Invitation Only

If you want to find out more and get an invitation to the group please message me on Facebook and I’ll send you a link. Or you can go to my profile and you’ll probably find it hidden on my wall somewhere.

This group is really only for those who are serious about learning how to use Social Media to build viral synergistic networks. Synergistic networks are built from personal connections and solid relationships.

Unwritten Rules

This type of network responds when you ask it to do something and its one of the most valuable assets you can ever become a part of. Its not something you can ever own. If you abuse it’s power and break any of the  unwritten rules  you will find yourself excluded and left out in the cold. On the periphery and away from the place where the main action is taking place.

Laser Targeted

This isn’t going to be a typical launch where you send out generalised impersonal messages and spam all your contacts  using a shotgun splatter approach. That sort of thing can be left to the lazy affiliate marketers and amateur MLM newbies. Being laser targeted and selective means that you expend less energy and get much better results.

Come Along For The Ride

Regardless of your particular niche there is definitely going to be  something that you can learn.You can watch from the sidelines or you can join the party, it’s your choice

Understanding  the principles and adopting a strategic approach is whats  most important in any launch, as well as learning the right ways to engage people in conversations.

Follow Me

If you want to know what I am up to and ensure you get to observe things as they happen be sure to follow me on Twitter if you haven’t done  so  already

http://www.twitter.com/iandavidchapman

Follow me and I’ll follow you.

]]> http://www.iandavidchapman.com/conversational-marketing-how-to-stand-out-from-the-crowd/feed/ http://www.iandavidchapman.com/membership-websites-10-questions-you-should-ask-before-you-join/ http://www.iandavidchapman.com/membership-websites-10-questions-you-should-ask-before-you-join/#comments Fri, 10 Oct 2008 22:24:10 +0000 admin http://www.iandavidchapman.com/?p=217 This is the second article in my series about membership websites, to view the first article click here

Membership Websites - Who Do You Spend Your Time With?

Which  Membership Site Is Right For You?

Determining which membership site to join can be a difficult decision. There are so many to choose from and there is no point in joining so many that you never have time to digest the content, interact with other members and  gain any real benefits  from  the community. This blog post will explore the 10 questions you need to ask before you join a membership website or group coaching program to help you make a more informed choice.

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1) What Will You Get In Return For Your Investment?

When you look at the price you need to calculate just what you are going to get in return. If your membership site has a high initial cost and a recurring monthly fee  calculate how much it will cost you in total over the following year and assess whether you are going to see a return on your investment. You need to assess the quality and quantity of content on your membership site and the tools and resources that are available to members. Can you get the same thing elsewhere and what are other similar sites offering and what subscription fees are they charging.

Those that charge an exorbitant initial  entry fee might be the type that will close down in six months and not be looking for the long term customers on a continuity payment scheme.

If its new, look at the people behind it. Do they have a track record you can trust. Spend time looking at their websites and  doing some research before you part with your money.

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2) What Are The Other Members Like And Will You Fit In?

Look at who else is a member and talk to them about their experiences. Ask yourself   what types of people you want to associate with and how much is it worth to you and your business to rub shoulders and interact closely with these people

Will  you feel comfortable in this membership site or are you going to have to pretend to be something that you are not. You need to choose a membership site that allows you to be  yourself and not feel like you are constantly putting on an act. The memebrship cultures differs greatly from site to site. This is why having a free trial period is so important. Any site that doesn’t include  some type of risk reversal  should be avoided or questioned further.

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3) Is The Membership Site Aimed At Short Term Profits Or Long Term Growth?

Is your membership site aimed at making the site owners  the maximum amount of money upfront with a high non returnable joining fee or do they have a long term continuity program where you pay in monthly instalments.  You may well find that they have both. A high joining fee acts as an entry barrier and a low or non existent joining fee can make it a no-brainer, especially for the first month. It totally depends on if the site wants to attract quality or quantity and at what stage they are in their own internal growth cycle.

With so many fly by night membership sites and the relative ease of setting them  up using automated software scripts,  many  site owners primary  concern is to get as much money from their customers up front while their product or service is hot and has a high perceived value.

Respectable sites  quite rightly charge a high initial fee because of  the energy they expended creating the content and  getting  the members to join.  They know that many  people will quit after a couple of months and the prospect of a long term recurring commission will be lost.   Their content is also at risk from plagiarism as there is nothing to stop any existing members stealing their content and selling it somewhere else.

Some sites often have a limited number of places available and then close their doors. There are  several reasons for this. From a marketing perspective it engineers scarcity and a higher price can be justified and on the practical level  there is an optimum size for any community and too many members makes itimpersonal.

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4) Is The content On The Membership Site Time Sensitive And Is It Updated Regularly?

One of the reasons to join membership sites is to have access to cutting edge information and resources. The problem with this especially in a social media environment is that things go out of date very quickly. If you are paying to have access to home study materials make sure you know that the content is still relevant and regularly updated.  Some membership sites offer free access to outdated content as a way to attract more customers. If the quality is good you will want to have access to the latest more up to date  material and be willing to pay for it.

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5) Does This Site Have An Existing Track Record And Can You Trust Who Is Running This Site To Fulfil Their Promises

A membership site that has been running for over a year can probably be expected to continue to run for another year as they now have a solid track record and a core of committed members.

Joining a new membership site with no track record is risky, especially if they are asking for a high up front fee. Proper research into the backgrounds of the site owners should be done.  You are investing  your hard earned money into something that should bring you a significant return on your  investment.

Do your research carefully, Google the names of the owners of the site along with words like “Scam”  and talk to some of the existing members about their experiences.  It is your own personal responsibility to make these checks. Treat the membership site the same way you would a potential employee, or person renting your house, you are entering into a long term relationship,  its not a one night stand.

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6) Can You Contact The Site Owners On The Telephone

Site owners who are not approachable or difficult to contact should be treated with  suspicion.   If you can’t ring their office and speak with a real person how do you think you are going to get a refund should you decide to change your mind at a later date.

Many unscrupulous site owners even advise their telephone support staff to ignore refund  requests as Sylvie Fortin revealed in her Internet marketing sins letter. This is common practice even amongst many of the top Gurus so always check your credit card details to make sure your billing is correct even after you think you have cancelled.

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7)  Can You  Believe The Testimonials From  Existing Members?

Why is it when there are a  multitude of places  to eat there will always be one or two restaurants that are packed and all the rest are relatively empty.  Word of mouth is one of the best forms of advertising.  Make sure your restaurant isn’t full of dummies to make it appear to be busy.

When I visit  India each year I have a simple way to choose where I am going to eat. I find a restaurant that has a healthy mix of Indian locals and seasoned western travellers.  Social proof shows me exactly where I can find quality food and get the best value for my money.

A well marketed site will use the testimonials of its  existing members in order to  get people to join. Success stories are compelling to listen to but are they all actually  believable.

There are three questions you need to ask yourself when listening to these testimonials.

a) Has the person been bribed in some way to make this statement.  Many site owners will offer freebies or upgrades in exchange for testimonials . If the person who makes the testimonial is not in your circle of acquaintances and you can’t ask them personally  you can only rely on intuition to protect you.  What they say and the way they say it is vitally important. If your hear the warning bells and have any reservations keep your credit card firmly in your wallet or purse, No matter how attractive it may seem on the surface

b) Are they affiliates and  are  they going to benefit in some way if you join. Testimonials from  affiliates always need to be taken with a pinch of salt. They want to recruit you because they want to get a portion of the recurring commissions themselves. Sites that are transparent and clearly explain their affiliate program can be trusted more than those who keep it secret.  For pyramid and MLM type schemes this is the basic business model with several tiers of affiliates  all  chasing to get members underneath them. These types of schemes tend to focus on the money you can earn rather than the benefits and training you will receive by joining  the site and play on peoples greed to hook them in.

A good membership site will sell itself  by word of mouth,  If you are going to join  sign up under the existing member  who you would most  like to benefit from your  commissions. Top Affiliates will often be the most active members of any membership website because they have the most to gain from its continued success.

c) Does this person have a track record for honesty and  for promoting quality products and services.  Some  people will promote products or services, claiming they have used them just because they want  the commissions.  Others are more ethical and will only recommend a product or service to their network  if they have personally used and tested it themselves. This is where knowing who to follow is important.  As an existing  member promoting  your own membership site  you are putting your reputation on the line,  so make sure whatever  you stand behind can deliver the goods.

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8)  Will I Be Constantly Pressured To Upgrade To  The Premium  Membership Levels

Many  paid membership sites have tiered  levels of involvement, they have an entry level membership which is either free or  under $50 per month  which gives you access to most of the sites resources and then there are higher level memberships that will offer more interaction such as group coaching  or one on one mentorship  programmes.  Read the small print carefully,  you might only be receiving full access for the first month and then have to upgrade to continue to benefit. Many sites give you a free 30 day trial this can be a good way to see if you are actually getting value for money.

The Real Money Is On The Backend

Most membership programmes make their real money on the backend.   A membership site that costs $40 per month  to join will cost you $480 per year. If their top Membership  level  costs  $800 per month that is  going to cost you  $9600 per year

So for the site owners  there is a huge incentive to get you to upgrade because they stand to make 20 times what they will earn from your regular membership.  So in any tiered system expect some form of promotion and leveraged sales process

Take Away Tactics

They will always frame it in ways that will make it enticing by creating hypothetical situations showing what you might earn as a member which would easily cover your membership fees and then apply a take away  i.e.  Showing  what you will lose by not joining, the potential profits that  you won’t make. Don’t be swayed by these type of tactics. And don’t ever lose sight of where you are actually at in your business.

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9)  What Is The Real Cost To My Business

Always remember that in most  businesses your gross  profit margin is between 10%-%20  (It  may be higher if you are in the information product business as you have less overhead expenses)  This means that if you spend $100 you need to create between $500 and $1000 of sales to replace that capital in your business. Add that up over the coming y ear and calculate  if  you expect to see that kind of return on your investment.  For an $800 coaching programme at a %20 profit margin the real cost to your business is   $48,000 in sales

What Stage Is Your Business At And Are You Actually Ready To Expand?

I am not knocking any of the high end membership sites, I am sure they provide great value to their customers and have the success stories to prove it I just want people to be more aware of the real costs and be sure their business is at the right stage to reap the benefits that are promised.  I believe the high drop out rate of many of the membership sites is that people want to run before they can even walk. They get seduced by the flashy videos and mesmerising sales copy and think that by joining, their business is suddenly going to explode with little or no work on their part. What they usually  find is that they are either overloaded with information and don’t have enough time to integrate it or they commit one of the cardinal  sins and that is trying to serve two or three masters at the same time, joining several membership sites and  never really committing to any of them.

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10)  Are The Other Members Facing The Same Type Of Challenges  That You Are?

Sometimes joining a membership site is exactly what you need because you don’t have the contacts, knowledge or resources to take your business to the next level. This is where a good membership site is so powerful because you will be mixing with people who have gone though the exact same problems that you are facing and can share their experience. You can also meet people who have the talents and resources that you need in order to grow. I have heard from many of the top business experts that most entrepreneurs find this stage the most challenging because they are forced to let go of total  control of every aspect of  their business and start hiring,  delegating and outsourcing.

Are You  Paddling In Shallow Water Or Are You Swimming Out Of Your Depth?

If you are already experienced in Business you wouldn’t necessarily want to join a  membership site that is full of excited enthusiastic newbies.  As Bill Bartman said in The Opus Movie,

if I go into a group of 5 people I want to be the dumbest one there so there is  something I can learn from everyone

Coming from the worlds 25th richest man these are real words of wisdom.  It pays to be a little out of your depth and mixing with people who know more than you.  It’s important to find the right balance. This is where tiered memberships are very useful. People who make a similar level of financial commitment are usually at similar stages in their business development.

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Are You Still Interested?

If you have made it all the way to the end of this article  then you might want to check out a site I reccomend, it’s called the Master Business Builders Club . Please be aware that  this it is my affiliate link so I stand to benefit should you decide to Join.

Are There Any Other  Questions?

I hope you enjoyed this post and received  some benefit from my observations, please feel free to add your comments and include  any important questions that you think I might have missed.

If you haven’t done so already be sure to  follow me on Twitter  to get all my latest updates

http://www.twitter.com/iandavidchapman

If you follow me  I’ll follow you

The World Is Going To End?

When you are bombarded with information scaring you into believing the world is going to end, are you going to accept it blindly?, do you ever question It’s source ?, can you assess the fact from the fiction? In who’s hands is the real power to change the world? Can we as global citizens bear any responsibility or are we just innocent pawns to be sacrificed in a much bigger game?

Out In The Desert

I would like to tell you a story about a time I was caught in a flash flood and witnessed a disaster turn into something beautiful

Years ago when I was on my world travels  l  attended a festival  in the Negev desert, about 100km south of the Dead sea in Israel

Deep Division And Conflict

There were maybe 1500 people there, all camping out and living in a temporary community in  an inhospitable environment. All our water came in by tanker and we all had to get used to a very different way of life. It was a spiritually oriented festival and there were people there  from all backgrounds and religions. The camp had a lot of organisational problems and there was constant  arguing and negativity and the deep divisions between the different groups of people were brought to the surface. Some of the orthodox Jews took offence when more liberal minded  people wanted to wander around naked. You can  probably  imagine the conflicts in the kitchen with everyone’s particular food issues coming out.  What was supposed to be an experiment in tolerance and religious openness turned into different groups wanting to impose their belief systems on each other.

The camp was set in the desert and the only flat land suitable to camp on was in the valley of a dry river valley. Desert Waddi’s  are notorious for violent flash floods and we were in constant communication with the National Park Rangers who were keeping us informed about potential dangers.

A Warning

A week into the camp we received a warning that it had been raining in the mountains 50 km away and that we were in potential  jeopardy. The camp organisers went around telling everyone but as it was a beautiful sunny  day no one paid any attention. Most of the people came from the city and were not aware of the risk  or thought it was just another false alarm.

Not A Cloud In Sight?

I had a prophetic  dream the night before showing me the coming  flood.   I heeded the warning and  decided to move my tent.  My nearest neighbour was laughing at me saying  that there was no chance it was going to rain, the sky was a clear blue and there was not a cloud in sight, I moved my tent anyway despite her derision.

A Raging Torrent

Half an hour later  the first  trickle of water arrived in the camp. Those who knew what was coming quickly rushed to the car park and moved their vehicles. The majority just ignored the water and carried on with their normal activities.  Another 10 minutes passed and the trickle  turned into a small stream which rapidly grew into a  raging torrent 40 metres wide ripping  through the centre of the camp sweeping  away personal belongings,   tents, sleeping bags and air mattress.

Assessing The Damage

It was a miracle that no one was killed and an hour later after the flood was  over   we began to assess the damage. This apparent disaster brought the community together. Half the kitchen was swept away and  many people had lost everything but the spirits were  high, there was a joy and lightness that spread through  the camp there was no more arguing or religious debates and everyone pulled together to clean up the mess and rebuild the camps  infrastructure.

Being  in the Holy  Land that had seen so much conflict and bloodshed and in  the very place where prophets had gone to seek their enlightenment my heart was touched by the changes that occurred.  People putting aside their beliefs and differences  to solve a collective problem.

It’s A Wonderful Life

The Current world  financial situation has some interesting  parallels,  it’s not like there haven’t been enough warnings. Anyone who has tracked the price of gold for the past year will know that the people who understand the problems have little faith in  the value of paper money.

Those who moved their vehicles out of the way or re-pitched their tents on higher ground will come out relatively unscathed but will still have to live in the same communities with those who might lose everything. If you have ever seen the film “It’s a Wonderful Life” you will remember how unstable things can be when people lose confidence in their banks and how unscrupulous people take advantage and even engineer such situations in order to profit. The moral of this story was the same, when the hero was faced with apparent disaster  the community came together to help.

Timing And Terminology

I don’t buy into the fear mongering  and panic  that is currently being propagated by the worlds media. I do  believe we are in the midst of  a massive flood but  we have a choice how we handle apparent disasters such as this.  I only have to look at the timing in regards to the American Presidential Election and the  terminology they are using to recognise there is some serious negative branding and manipulation taking place.

Market Confidence

The world’s financial system is run on market  confidence, The money we spend is not real it is just a printed promise that there is gold in the bank to back up our pieces of paper. Governments and banks  can’t keep printing more money or lending money they don’t have. The buck has to stop somewhere and  when a crisis like this is reached a rebalancing has to take place.

What Do You Focus Your Attention On

When Rome was in flames I wonder if the citizens were thinking about their once great empire or were more concerned about getting out of the current situation alive, and protecting their community and loved ones.  Did they have any  leaders they could trust and rely on or were they merely pawns in a much larger game? Are we seeing the first flames that will engulf a global economic empire that might then plunge us back into a dark age or is it a localised fluctuation,  a shift in regional balances of power?

An Environmental Perspective

Reality can sometimes be hard to face and from an environmental perspective  any country that consumes most of the world resources and blatantly  pollutes the atmosphere in order to maintain  a high standard of living for its privileged citizens is  going to face some  kind of checking mechanism at some point.

The Media Shapes Our Beliefs And Attitudes

In our modern world this  next episode  will be documented and live for all to watch on their TV and computer screens . How many people actually realise that a lot of the problems stem for mass media shaping our belief systems  and lifestyles in the first place, It’s the hedonistic  consume now pay later lifestyle that has been fuelling  much of our modern economy.  Its not a sustainable  model and the sooner people wake up to this fact the better.

Faith In Our Leaders?

I have little faith in our global leaders to handle these problems, they are like bickering children who never listen to each other  and  organised like  street gangs that defend their own neighbourhoods using fear and violence. Killing each other to have control of the black liquid  drug that keeps them from going cold turkey.

Reframe A Crisis Into An Opportunity

I think the solutions will  be found in the global communities that are now  emerging,  visionary thinkers and enlightened leaders are needed who can see beyond the immediate problems and reframe a crisis into an opportunity.

Our Survival As A Species

We have a chance to do things in the right way. One that respects the interconnectedness of our  global system on all levels and places  our   survival as a species in a more realistic framework and timescale. If we are forced to live out the Malthusian model then war and famine will be resulting checking mechanisms.

An Economic War Fought On  A Global Spreadsheet

An Economic war can be just a painful and devastating  as one fought with guns and bombs. Few places in the world won’t be touched by the resulting shock waves.  These shockwaves will  be caused by a few blips on a computer screen as the Politicians and economists  adjust the numbers on a  global economic spreadsheet so their figures match up.  When you  cook  the books eventually the  auditors will come knocking and demand you pay your taxes.

Don’t Buy Into The Panic

We don’t need to buy into the panic and amplify it any more than is necessary. The real problems are  rooted  in our minds and this is where we each have a personal responsibility to end the conflict. A world controlled and ruled by religious fanatics of whatever denomination is always going to be a poisoned world.  Some worship  money while others worship the distorted words of middle eastern prophets but all seem to want to impose their beliefs on each other  and are convinced of their own righteousness.

You Have  A Choice

I know deep  in my heart that each of us has a choice what type of world we will live in . We are all connected,  our ancestors  come from the same mother,   we all breath the same atmosphere,  we all  drink the same water , we all walk on the same earth that gets its life and energy from the same sun that shines

Please Comment

I welcome your  comments and ideas on this topic  and any visionary insights  you can offer. The reason I ask you to comment is just to acknowledge that you have read my words.  A blank and empty space is as much  appreciated  as a long reply. I hope that in this apparent disaster I have done my bit to bring the community together.

For those who would like to read some of touching comments my friends have written on Facebook you can follow this link - Click here to read the comments on my Facebook Notes

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