Ribeezie: Social Media Business Strategy for Real Estate & Small Business

"If you're pumping out good shit, people will follow."

If you had a chance to listen to Gary Vaynerchuk speak at the 2008 Blogworld Expo., you're lucky. If you didn't, don't fret, you can watch his Web 2.0 keynote here (it's not Blogworld, but it's great); heck, it's awesome! Talk about getting a burst of motivation...

Gary says:

“If you’re pumping out good shit, people will follow.  But if you for a second – for a 1/2 second – don’t believe in what you are doing … you need to get out, now.” -- Gary Vaynerchuk

I met a lot of fellow bloggers and social media types at the 2008 Blogworld Expo. And when you're in a room with that many people, you really do notice differences in character/behavior; overall how they conduct themselves.

People with Passion on One Side:

Take Ellen Marden for example. She's the Sales Director at ZoomAlbum. When we spoke, we barely talked about her product. Instead, we talked about other things. But her passion and voice was radiating with such energy and it was so captivating that I couldn't help but stand there and want to get to know her more.

The Conference Schmoozer on the Other:

Then you had the other guy. The conference schmoozer who interrupted our conversation to pitch us his/her product and ran off to pitch the next guy/gal before even getting our name. I don't know this person or their business, but I can tell ya, I don't like it already!

You see, during the conference, Chris Brogan said: 

"Businesses are made up of people." 

And it's true! So completely, and utterly true! I'm going to want to do business with Ellen more so than the other guy because I got to meet the person behind ZoomAlbum (her passion was contagious and it got my attention before even talking about ZoomAlbum).

What's my point with all of this? Well it's that Gary Vaynerchuk is right! "If you're pumping out good sh*t, people will follow."   Why? How? Because passion truly is contagious. If you speak with passion, work with passion, do everything that you do with passion, it's going to show, it's going to radiate and it's going to capture some attention. If you're not passionate about what you do, you need to do something about it to change that behavior. It'll be good for your own self-confidence and good for your business too! (Your blog readers will notice a difference as well).

So...who are you? What do you do? Are you passionate about it? If not, what's stopping you?

All or Nothing!

Some of you might not like Donald Trump, and that's ok. This post isn't about that... It's about an important concept that should drive our every day actions...our commitments.

The following quote is an excerpt from Donald Trump's "The Way to the Top: the best business advice I ever received." (Yup, I read it. And yes, I liked it very much.)

"My mentor, Gunter Petz, once said: 'Half drunk is a waste of money.' If you're going to do something, do it right, with 100 percent commitment." -- Leon Dreimann; CEO of Salton, Inc.

Sure it sounds funny. But read it again because it's true! (The latter half anyway...)

Each of us will undoubtedly define success differently! That's ok. What's important is that you realize that the best way to achieve your goals (in business and in life) is to do the best that you can in what you are doing right now! Be present in the moment and give it your all because it's all or nothing!

And remember, don't ever let somebody tell you you can't do something...
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What are you going to do today to achieve the results that you want?

What's Stopping You?

What's keeping you from succeeding in life? Have you ever started a project and never completed it? (It's ok to admit that you have; I've been there before too).

"Ok Ricardo. I hear ya. So how do I start succeeding? What's the secret?"

There's no magic bullet. It's a process. And you start by identifying the conflicts that are keeping you from moving forward.

[This video by Tony Robbins is approximately 3.03 min long.]

The Power of Generosity

"Relationships are all there is. Everything in the universe only exists because it is in relationship to everything else. Nothing exists in isolation. We have to stop pretending we are individuals that can go it alone." -- Margaret Wheatley

When you were in school (or even now at work), did you ever work on a project all by yourself because you felt it was better that way? It's not necessarily that you had to, you were just portraying some good ol' fashioned John Wayne individualism and keeping to yourself.

I mean it's ok if you like to work that way. I like it too sometimes. But lately, I've come to find deeper meaning in Margaret's words. Why? Because collective knowledge is better! And what you will realize is that when you help others, they naturally tend to help you in return (isn't that great?). Such is the power of generosity! Relationships aren't nice to have just for the fun times. Relationships matter for the hard times as well.

So let's try something new this week. Let's reach out to someone we know or someone we've only just met... Let's offer our help; whether it's words of encouragement or a 'helping hand' on a project.

I don't know about you but I'm going to feel better knowing that I've helped someone if even just in a small way. Let me know how you do...

What Gets You Going...

...you know, what gets you motivated?

It could be anything. You don't necessarily have to make it to a Tony Robbins seminar just to get all hyped up. Do you?

C'mon, what happened to the simple pleasures? [Sara @ On Simplicity] The little things that get us going? It could be the site of your kid(s) sound asleep... The "thank you" you got from your boss to show appreciation for a job well done...

Here's my top (5) five list of things that get me going:

1. Music in the morning. Of course I have to wrestle with the snooze button first, but once I'm up, there's nothing like some good music to get me going. I'm thinking Santana, Jack Johnson, or Cirque du Soleil.
2. Good feedback. I think that most people dread checking their e-mails in the morning. Right? Well the first thing I check is my e-mail at Ribeezie and let me just say, there's nothing like some good feedback to get your day started. Thanks guys (and gals), you rock!
3. The daily dose. I'm referring to coffee of course! I worked at a Starbucks in '02-'03 wherein began my addiction to caffeine. Now, I just can't get enough.
4. The "have a good day" moment. You know, when you're kissing your wife & kids good-bye or something as you're leaving for work. I don't have a wife and kids. But I do wave my g/f off for the day. [Yes Urban Panther, we both call each other "babe"]
   
5. A sense of accomplishment. I've told you before haven't I? About my daily planner? The one that goes from 7:00am to 9:00pm? I write everything down in it. I check off the tasks I complete with a green pen and red 'X' the tasks I don't complete. Let's just say this week's nearing and end and I don't have one red 'X' on that sucker! I'm on a roll...I kick @$&! Hehe...

But seriously, when you break things down into simpler tasks, it's easier to feel a sense of accomplishment and there's nothing more motivating than that!

So c'mon, what gets you motivated? What gets you going through those llooonnnggg, eennndddlesss days?

[Flickr Photo by: Simon Clayson]

"The Sky's the Limit!"

Ever heard that saying before?

Sure you have! It's something our parents used to tell us to inspire us to be the best that we can be. It says, there are NO BOUNDS to what we can achieve; all you need is a little faith.

Leanne from Forever Change calls it "The Extraordinary Power of Belief."

DO YOU BELIEVE IN IT?

Me? I'm an optimist. You know, a "the glass is half-full" kinda guy. So yeah, I believe it.

Maybe it's because when I was little, my mother fought and over-came a battle with melanoma cancer. While she was fighting, not knowing what was going to happen next, she would always say to me:

"Mijo. En esta vida tu puedes hacer lo que quieras. Puedes cumplir lo que tu corazon decea."
[Translation:] Son. In this life you can do anything. You can accomplish whatever your heart desires.

Heck, she said it with such conviction I couldn't help but believe her! So when I wake up every morning, I have the conviction and motivation to take an extra step towards my goal(s). [At first it was attending UCLA. Now? Who knows. Law school perhaps?] 

Anyway, as I was reading along the blog-o-sphere yesterday I caught a different perspective. One that said:

"I believe that every individual can be what he or she wants to be, with one important caveat. They have to have the physical and to a lesser extent, the requisite mental capabilities." -- Tim Brownson; Author of The Discomfort Zone

On the one hand, with respect to the physical limits of the body, I guess I can accept the fact that some of us will never be world-renowned gymnasts. But then again, if our heart was really in it, wouldn't we have taken the time to condition our bodies from the very beginning? I can't help but think that these limitations are limitations manifested by us and our belief systems. In other words, if we believed that our goals were attainable from the beginning, we wouldn't have any preset limits on our body and mind [except with certain handicaps of course]. Why? Because we'd train ourselves to endure/cope with the challenges ahead in achieving our goals.

So I ask: which one are you? Do you subscribe to the "the glass is half-full" or "the glass is half-empty" way of thinking? Is anything in life truly attainable? Or are we restricted by some preset limits that the body and mind impose upon us? What do you think? Speak up...I want to know.

I know where Cath Lawson stands on this one; she's an optimist like me.

[Flickr Photo by: Light and Life ]

Quote of the Day: words that have "meaning"

It's easy to talk and say something; we blabber about incessantly all the time. But to speak and say something that holds any real meaning, well, that's a bit of a challenge.

Liz Strauss over at Successful Blog is hosting a 25 Words of Wisdom Project wherein you're supposed to write something inspiring in as little as 25 words (not more).

So far, she's inspired a lot of fellow bloggers across the blog-o-sphere to write pieces of their own and inspiring they are! Here's one by a fellow friend and blogger of mine Christine Taylor (also known as mousewords):

"It’s not enough to have, you also need to hold.
Whether love, talents, or possessions—
Love must be enjoyed,
Talents and possessions used.

Take action." -- Christine Taylor (a.k.a. mousewords)

[You can Subscribe to Mousewords by clicking here]

Thank you Christine. I can always count on you to write something inspiring/motivating for the rest of us!

[Flickr Photo by: canale666]

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Note: Every Sunday I will post an inspiring Quote of the Day.

"Feng Shui" What the heck is that?

I want you to meet a new friend of mine. Her name is Sara. She authors a blog called On Simplicity; it's pretty good. The "Siskel & Ebert's" of the blog-o-sphere would give it a raving two thumbs up!

Still with me so far?

Sara wrote a post the other day titled What Feng Shui Has to Say About Clutter wherein she defined the art and philosophy of feng shui and left us with some questions to ponder:

"does the feng shui definition of clutter resonate with you? Do the dangers of clutter seem realistic?" -- Sara at On Simplicity

See, if Sara had talked to me about feng shui 2 ~ 3 years ago, I would have given her a fake smile, a nod of the head and been on my merry way. Back then, the definition of feng shui didn't resonate with me and the dangers certainly didn't seem realistic.

But alas things have changed. Thing is, in my 2nd year of college I underwent a tough time. Life got hectic for me…things got tough… I was working full-time and going to school full-time (I know, I know, people do that all the time. But it was tough for “me”).

Anyway, I visited my mother back home one day. Just before I had left for college, she bought me a graduation present and, well, a congratulatory present for getting into UCLA; she bought me spankin' brand new car. When I came home she saw that the car was a mess. I mean I loved my car, but it was a mess. Here’s where I had my “aha” moment… She said to me,

“you know sweety, how you keep your car is a reflection of how organized your life is.”

At first I didn’t give it much thought; we were going to dinner and were having a good time. But when I got home, the comment stuck in my head and, well, it resonated with me! How I keep my car and my home, is a reflection of how organized my life is. The more I think about the goals I have in life, the more I want an organized life (I need an organized life), a life full of positive energy and so I endeavor to create as much simplicity in my life as possible by keeping things clean and organized (I’m far from perfect and sometimes things aren’t so organized but I’m conscious of the fact that they should be and so I put in the effort).

So Sara, I submit to you...do I believe in feng shui? You bet your butt I do.

I mean I'm no Master in the art of feng shui. No. Far from it. But I agree with the underlying principles. In fact, even Sara admits that she's no practitioner of the art; she merely "enjoys it's perspective." I think we could all work on enjoying and applying it's perspective so that we can live a better, organized life.

[Flickr Photo by: Daz Smith]

"We All Make Our Own Sandwiches"

I've been reading a lot lately; it's a dear hobby of mine. As a child in elementary school, I used to love and anticipate our class field trips to the library. When we'd get there, I would check out as many books as I was allowed per the permissible limit on my account. To this day, reading brings peace and tranquility during those "life is crazy" moments. And with life having the knack to shake you up when you least expect it, well, let's just say it's nice to have a hobby that you can turn to for shelter.

I've been reading a book by author Dan Millman over the last couple of days. I have to say it's full of life lessons some of us never come to learn soon enough. Here's an excerpt from his book Way of the Peaceful Warrior:

  "I once knew a guy like you:

    "I met him on a construction site in the Midwest. When the lunch whistle blew, all the workers would sit down together to eat. And every day, Sam would open his lunch pail and start to complain.

    "'Son of a gun!'" he'd cry, 'not peanut butter and jelly sandwiches again. I hate peanut butter and jelly!'

    "He whined about his peanut butter and jelly sandwiches day after day after day until one of the guys on the work crew finally said, 'Fer crissakes, Sam, if you hate peanut butter and jelly so much, why don't you just tell yer ol' lady to make you something different?'

    "'What do you mean, my ol' lady?' Sam replied. 'I'm not married. I make my own sandwiches.'" -- [Quote Source: Millman, Dan. Way of the Peaceful Warrior; 20th Anniversary Edition. P. 28]

My initial response towards Sam was "oh my gosh, are you kidding me?!?!"

Right?

But look past the humor in the situation. Don't just nod your head in disbelief at Sam and move on. What's the point this whole situation is trying to convey? It's the fact that "we all make our own sandwiches." [Quoting: Dan Millman]

In philosophical thought, it's the concept of "free will." The notion that we all get to choose between all the decisions we have to make in our lives. When we come to terms with the fact that we all have freedom of choice in our lives, we begin to take responsibility. Only then do we start to live the way we're meant to. Only then do we release the flood of limitless potential.

If someone told you that you have a choice:

1. Allow other people's perception of you manifest itself into reality, or
2. Decide for yourself what your future will be,

Which do you choose? After all, you can keep making that damn peanut butter and jelly sandwich for yourself, or you can prep yourself something different. It's your choice.

Be Consistently Interesting

Let's face it. The blog-o-sphere is a very crowded space. Which leaves us with the challenge of getting attention and keeping it once you have it. Well, how do we do that?

We have to, Be Consistently Interesting.

Let's talk about that for a second.

Just Be Yourself:

Isn't "consistently interesting" best achieved when you focus on nothing more than just being who you really are? You know, being "you!" It's too difficult trying to be something you're not. We've all been there at some point or other and you have to admit, it's hard work indeed.

Urban Monk talks about "The Power of Being Yourself." The fact that each and every one of us is unique in our own light. When we speak from a place of sincerity, we let that unique light shine through. In blogging it's called passion in writing. It's so much easier to write and connect with people when it comes from a place of sincerity; an end only accompllshed through the power of being yourself.

Share Your Passion:

The best presentations (and blogs are most certainly that, presentations of ourselves and the messages we wish to convey)... The ones that truly captivate us and leave us wanting for more...are the one's that Valeria Maltoni says contain "the secret sauce."

"the one ingredient that will make your presentation spark is the joy you put into it." -- Valeria Maltoni, Conversation Agent

That joy stems from passion. And passion my dear friends is something you can never really fake. 

Once you do get someone's attention and a two-way dialogue ensues, the only thing left to do is to continue to be consistently interesting by doing as Florence Scovel Shinn says:

"Be interested, and others will find you interesting."

[Thank you Mousewords for the quote.]

For more on that, read Dale Carnegie's "How To Win Friends and Influence People."

[Photo by: Geoff Penn]