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Reading the Social BOOM for our first Professional Development Book Club meeting was a great pick by @PolarBearPete. The things we learned will be put into action as part of our discussion today, which is pretty cool. I've already started doing some of the things Jeffrey Gitomer suggested personally, as well as for my job so I'm looking forward to hearing what everyone else got out of the book. Click here to add your Twitter handle and/or grap the handles of other group members so you can create a PDBookClub Twitter list.

We will kick off the discussion today at 11 am Eastern with a question inspired by the book. So Q1: To guide today's discussion, what was the best tip you took away for your personal brand and for your job? Pete and I will post a new question at the top of every hour with the last question at 4 pm Eastern. We hope you can pop in to share your insight into the book at some point today so use #PDBookClub to join in.  We decided to hold the conversation during the day to remind us that we need to make time for professional development so we'll see how it goes! Note: Just because we've moved on to a new question doesn't mean you can't answer the previous questions.  Just be sure to use "Q1", "Q2", etc. to start your tweet and be sure to end it with #PDBookClub so we can all hear what you have to say.

I will be updating this blog throughout the day and we will have the transcripts at the end of the day so everyone can go back anytime to see the discussion. Let's Bring the BOOM!

BOOK CLUB UPDATES (3 pm Eastern time)

We are off to a great start with the disucssion.  It sounds like a lot of people found value in the informaiton regarding LinkedIn. That's definitely where I needed the most guidance even though I felt like my profile was pretty solid before I read the book. But now I'm thinking about getting more involved in "Groups" and "Answers".  It's also interesting trying to read the book and think about it from a personal side, as well as what value can I take away to help Old Hat build its brand?

That is what led to Question 3 where I asked if people have trouble separating their personal tweets from their professional.  Most people use their Twitter for professional reasons so not too much conflict there.  I was thinking that some people have their schools' fans following them, so they might not be interested in tweets that don't pertain to their teams. Personally, I'm writing a book so I will be sharing some of those experiences and building that part of my "brand", but not sure the sports professionals who follow me will care about that info. I equate it to how schools have different Twitter accountes for each sport because they know basketball fans don't want to hear about fencing.

Question #5 topic just went up, so join in to answer "What did you think about the info on blogs? Are your schools blogging? Are you personally blogging? Do youplan to blog?

Don't forget, you can go back and answer these questions any time so don't feel like you have missed your chance to share with everyone!

BOOK CLUB UPDATES (5 pm Eastern time)

The official meeting is winding down, but we want to encourage people to keep talking about this book and others any time via Twitter and/or our LinkedIn Group. Right now we are taking suggestions for the next book.  So far people have suggested "Marketing Outrageously", "Brand Relevance: Making Competitors Irrelevant", "21 Irrefutable Laws of Leadership", "The Tao of Twitter, "The Purple Cow" and"All Marketers are Liars".

Until then, check out some of the comments people made about blogging personally and professionally. It sounds like some schools have blogs as part of their atheltic sites, but that the blogs us marketers are doing are for outside interests, like family stuff or causes we support. My first blogging experience was for Old Hat, but I'm thinking about starting my own blog in conjunction with the book I'm writing. Thanks to the book club suggestions, I think I might do that via Tumblr because it sounds fairly easy to get that going.

One example that was mentioned as an example of a marketing department blogging to provide up-to-date information about promotions, ways to get free stuff and special events around the area is Meaghan Brooks' blog via Oklahoma's Basketball Sales site. In one of her blogs, she even hid a secret phrase so anyone who read the blog and then said that secret phrase at the game would get OU prizes. That's a great way to keep people reading!

It all comes back to reading. Thanks to everyone who participated.  We will announce the next book choice on February 1st so keep sending on your suggestions!

SOCIAL BOOM TWITTER TRANSCRIPT

@TracieHitz

Bring the BOOM! Q1: To start the discussion, what was the best tip you took away for your personal brand and one for your job? #PDBookClub

@PolarBearPete

A1. The best tip for me by @Gitomer was to produce quality tweets & ways to improve your LinkedIN page. LinkedIN is powerful #PDBookClub

@derickstoulil

A1: Need to do a better job with LinkedIn personally and need to develop a better plan integrating platforms professionally #PDBookClub

@DMayeaux18

A1. Agreed w/@PolarBearPete Improving #LinkedIN page (keyword-rich focus). Making a reason for ppl to want to connect! #PDBookClub

@ekraebber

A1: same for me @derickstoulil I updated my linked in after that chapter. I set up but never use. #PDBookClub

@DMayeaux18

A1: There is also the constant reminder that there are many ways to connect with others and a "skill" in doing so! #PDBookClub

@ChrisKosmala

A1: @DMayeaux18 & @derickstoulil Agree on both. Realized I need to do a much better job w/ LI and all it's tools available #PDBookClub

@PolarBearPete

great stuff to Q1, Now on to Q2: What did you find you were already doing on Facebook that was suggested in the book? #PDBookClub

@MJFarrell

A2: #PDBookClub liked the idea of being more involved with discussions on #LinkedIn helps network & engage

@PolarBearPete

A2. I have been posting more stuff on the @MaravichManiacs page to let fans know what is going on with the student section #PDBookClub

@PolarBearPete

A2. @gitomer says the more posts, the more access it has on other people's newsfeed's = bigger reach #PDBookClub

@DMayeaux18

A2: The more attractive a page is the more connections will be made! Relative content is imperative to engagement! #PDBookClub

@ekraebber

A2. Validated points that I make to coaches about doing pages for them. Do ur own and be relevant bc only u know what u do. #PDBookClub

@MJFarrell

A2: #PDBookClub meaning your posts' content not just number needs to be engaging

@DMayeaux18

A2: @PolarBearPete It is crazy how powerful newsfeeds can be! MORE POST with valuable info! #PDBookClub

@TracieHitz

A2: Showing photos or videos on Facebook get more comments and feedback. Also, saying something that they won't find anywhere. #PDBookClub

@PolarBearPete

A2: The biggest message from @Gitomer is to make sure each one of your post whether its twitter,facebook, or whatever (cont) #PDBookClub

@PolarBearPete

A2: (cont) is to have the post have lots of value. Value & rich as we have talked about. #PDBookClub

@TracieHitz

Q3: How are you separating your personal use of twitter from your professional? Or are you? #PDBookClub

@rpr3

A3: I tried to separate mine for a while, but it ended up just being a stream of consciousness, industry related and not #PDBookClub”

@PolarBearPete

A3: I try do mine for industry related with sprinkling of some friend chats here and there. Using more of the DM tool #PDBookClub

@ChrisKosmala

A3 I tweet more for industry-related content, not much personal. But I also try to have a personality, be interesting & relevant #PDBookClub

@MJFarrell

A3: #PDBookClub A3 I don't separate. Can help show who you are & what you're interested in outside work

@OldHatJess

A3: I mostly focus on my professional interests and insights on twitter with an occasional personal tweet here and there. #PDBookClub

@derickstoulil

A3: Don't seperate...use it for both. Need to do a better job of RT others #PDBookClub

@JakeSchwartz1

A3: This has been a challenge for me, since my twitter feeds to LinkedIn. I try to do 80/20 split of business/personal #PDBookClub

@PolarBearPete

A3: Accessing the sports twitter chats are key for me. Engaging in #Sbchat & others help get my personal brand out #PDBookClub

@ScottJurgens

A3: A little bit of everything, where I work now, industry stuff, where I use to work, my teams and my alma mater and tidbits #PDBookClub”

@erinkraebber

A3: Use twitter for business and industry info/trends as most friends only use fb. 90/10 work/play for tw and 10/90 for fb #PDBookClub

@DMayeaux18

A3: A mixture of work info & updates, #sportbiz articles & mentions, and a few personal posts. #PDBookClub

@MJFarrell

A3: RT @jakeschwartz1 A3: This has been a challenge for me, since my twitter feeds to LinkedIn. #PDBookClub -> have you had any grumblings?

@JakeSchwartz1

A3: @MJFarrell Not yet, no. I'm justifying it because 80% of my posts are sports business related #PDBookClub

@PolarBearPete

Q4: Of all the social media platforms what do you think is the most valuable for your profession? #PDBookClub

@TracieHitz

A4: Twitter has been the most valuable to me lately, but starting to rethink LinkedIn and how I can use that more. #PDBookClub

@TracieHitz

A4: YouTube is the second-largest search engine behind Google, so Old Hat could do some more things to add to our channel. #PDBookClub.

@ChrisKosmala

A4: @TracieHitz Agreed re LI and how I could use it better. @KTsportsmarket does sales training w/ it. He may have some good tricks #PDBookClub

@DMayeaux18

A4:Right now=#Twitter has been most valuable but like @TracieHitz I believe more effort focused on #LI could be beneficial! #PDBookClub

@MarkeishaDenise

A4: When I think of my professional growth to this point I would have to say LinkedIn but Twitter is coming in a close second. #pdbookclub

@PolarBearPete

A4: Right now I am still trying to form a plan to use youtube &blogs to increase my brand. #PDBookClub

@derickstoulil

A4: Twitter by far. Love seeing what others do at their respective schools. Great way to interact with people #PDBookClub

@TracieHitz

Q5: What did you think about the info on blogs? Are your schools blogging? Are you personally blogging? Do you plan to blog? #PDBookClub

@PolarBearPete

A5: I think blogs can be very helpful. There are just so many blogs that the author has to be credible to what they are saying. #PDBookClub

@MarkeishaDenise

A5: Blogs get tricky. So many people claim to be credible that sometimes its hard to distinguish between who is and who isnt. #pdbookclub

@MarkeishaDenise

A5: However, I have found some blogs to be very educational. #pdbookclub

@MarkeishaDenise

A5: I dont blog & my school blogs for FB but thats about it. I think OU has done a great job with the #soonerhoopscrazy blog #pdbookclub

@MarkeishaDenise

A5: @TracieHitz Can tumbler be considered as a form of blogging? #pdbookclub

@TracieHitz

A5 @MarkeishaDenise good call on OU. @mixmastermegs put in promo info to increase traffic online & at games http://t.co/YvH7hhMz #PDBookClub

@TracieHitz

A5: @MarkeishaDenise Tumblr is a form of blogging. They position themselves as a simple, but capable way to blog. Anyone use it? #PDBookClub

@MJFarrell

A5: I'm up on Tumblr for myself & @diabeteshappens. Great for visuals (photos & gifs) that make a statement. #PDBookClub

@ekraebber

A5. I use blogspot for family stuff. love doing it but cant imagine it for any other purpose. therapeutic yes, professional no #PDbookclub

@PolarBearPete

Last Question of the day & thank to those that have contributed. Q6: What book do you want to read next? #PDBookClub

@PolarBearPete

A6: My pick is "Brand Relevance: Making Competitors Irrelevant" by David A. Aaker b/c I want to get more into Brand related stuff #PDBookClub

@DMayeaux18

Q6: "Enchantment..."!!! @PolarBearPete Where is "The Tao of Twitter" @markwschaefer? Thanks for the chat today! #PDBookClub

@MJFarrell

A6: @markeishadenise Marketing Outregeously is great - give it to all my interns. Interesting reads: Idea Writers, Houdini Solution #PDBookClub

@TracieHitz

A6: @ericnichols @XUmktgguy and @knowledgeatd each told me at different times that the "21 Irrefutable Laws of Leadership" is great #PDBookClub

@erinkraebber

A6: @PolarBearPete All Marketers are Liars or Purple Cow by @sethgodin #PDbookclub

@ChrisKosmala

A6: @ekraebber I heard Purple Cow is good as well #PDBookClub

@MarkeishaDenise

A6: @TracieHitz @ericnichols @xumktgguy @knowledgeatd I agree with them. I read it back in the summer. #PDBookClub

@TracieHitz

A6: I live by the Purple Cow. @sethgodin is my hero! RT @ChrisKosmala: @ekraebber I heard Purple Cow is good as well #PDBookClub

@arowdon

A6: But have you tried a Meatball Sundae? RT @TracieHitz: I live by the Purple Cow. @sethgodin is my hero! @ChrisKosmala @ekraebber #PDBookClub

@TracieHitz

A6: I have read every Godin book. That one is solid too! RT @arowdon: But have you tried a Meatball Sundae? @ChrisKosmala @ekraebber #PDBookClub

@MatthewBeckman

"Dare to Prepare"-Great book...or audiobook if you like 2 listen on your drive in to work - @TracieHitz #PDBookClub

Our inspiration for the Book Club was from this AdAge article about 10 Marketing Books You Should Read, but we are up for reading anything and everything regarding professional development!