The exception to this rule is if you have true application value to add. What that value is? I don’t know, but it better not be plain old walls, discussions, groups, etc when those same features exist else where,and are already familiar to users. If you create your post-conference debrief group on Linked In, your attendees will see your discussion when they log on to do other things That means they have to make no extra effort to go to your follow up discussions and will be more likely to participate. It is a pain to create a new account, log on regularly to participate only to find an uninhabited social network.

Internal social networks are another story. Corporations are now just starting to embrace social media for the inside. SharePoint and Alfresco, as well as others have great social media features. When employees stop using them as glorified share drives and stop using word documents for entirely incorrect purposes, corporate communication will get so much better because of these social functions. Until the culture change happens, though, no matter how many features you cram into your intranet, it still isn’t Web 2.0

You’re not Apple and you don’t have the cult following, so the next best thing you can do is try to create your own space to market to people. Droid has almost over 100,000 that are fans of, or following Droid on one platform or another. Thats great, take advantage of all those people giving permission to be marketed too but don’t settle with the numbers, because really it is just advertising.

5 or 6 months ago, I began getting a different feeling from the clients I work with. Rather than being scared they are making plans. Companies are working to embrace social media. They are doing it in two ways.

First, companies are creating their own social networks. These networks are for both employees and customers. They connect customers and create excitement about a conference or a product, These types of networks feel forced, are often monitored and not authentic. If a company really wants to be authentic embrace your group in LinkedIn.

Second, companies are creating Twitter accounts and Facebook pages to promote their services and products. In a sense they are trying to be cool and reach the “digital generation.” Again, this isn’t authentic and is really just marketing.

I had a project for one of my MBA classes where we conducted a digital brand assessment of Droid. There is one major difference between Droid and Apple. Droid’s Facebook and twitter presence are corporate sponsored. Apple has no corporate social media presence. Apple relies entirely on its fan base to promote its products, watch rumors fly and drive hype for product releases. (Okay the Steve Job’s keynote helps too, but you get my point).

When a corporation is promoting too heavily social media, there is a sense of propaganda and while you may get a lot of followers, it isn’t the true loyalty that can happen if a social presence is created by fans. In a sad way I feel like social media is now a commodity and I am looking forward to the next wave of technology.

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Luke posing for a before shot with me

Lauryn, Dea and Becca about to start the shaving

I’m Bald, Totally Baldacious that is.   On Saturday TNT people and some friends attended the silent auction and kick of the “Keep Andy Baldacious” challenge.  The silent auction raised almost $700 and I am still waiting to hear the final number for how much BW3’s is going to be able to donate.  All in all, it was a very successful event!

Honored Hero’s Luke and Lauryn were there to celebrate.  Unfortunately, Luke wasn’t feeling so great from his treatment and had to go home early, and I know we all hope he is feeling better now.  Lauryn was feeling great and chipper and kicked off the shaving of my head with a great big swipe down the middle, she would come back for another few later!

Lauryn taking the clippers right down the middle!

The damage is done, no turning back now. Look how proud of herself Lauryn is.

After Lauryn, a lot of people paid $5 to take a swipe at my head.

Before you knew it all that was left was a “patch work” haircut.

Prepare to see this look on the Paris and New York fashion runways any time

Many thanks to Becca for taking pitty on me and buzzing the rest off.

In addition to many thanks for everyone who came and bid on auction items, Becca, Mallory, her sister, and Erin who showed up early and helped me setup get an even bigger “Thank you so much.”  I had fun and I hope everyone else did too, plus we raised a good chunk of change for LLS.

Tom (Lauryn's Grandfather) & I

After hanging out a while longer and going over to one of the TNTers house for board games, fun and food, Becca took a razor to my scalp and shaved my head the rest of the way to make me Totally Baldacious.

My head shaved smooth!

The new “look” is taking a while to get used too.  My head is ghostly white and do a double take when I see my reflection, but being bald also is much cooler and everyone tells me I have a good shaped head.

With the donations I have received so far, and true to my word, I have sponsorships to keep me shaved through August 14.  Its just a small price to pay to help raise awareness for the LLS’ cause and show support to those who loose their hair from battling cancer.

Quick Link: Facebook Event Page

Schedule of Events

Castleton Buffalo Wild Wings

Auction Opens 3:00

Shaving: 4:00

Auction Ends: 4:30

Its to be 70 and Sunny and we’ll be outside on the BW3′s patio.  The auction Items are set, The clippers are ready and by 5:00 tomorrow I will be completely bald.    Want to help do the damage?  We’ll be selling clippers swipes for $5!

The Shaving Tools

By my current calculations, I am committed to keeping my head shaved for 119 days, or until Friday, August 6.  not including donations I will be taking in tomorrow or future donations.  That is a long time and as my co-worker, Ed, is quick to remind me “You know, at your age, it might not come back.”  But I am actually excited about it because it will hopefully allow for a segue to talk about why my head is bald and tell people about my experience with Team In Training and how my shaved head is small nod of support for the cancer patients who loose their hair and have it grow back, only to loose it again during another round of chemo, year after year.

On a lighter note, tomorrow is going to be a lot of fun.  If you come you can laugh, bid, hang out with some great people from the Team, the honored heros, my friends from Millersville Masonic Lodge, Ambassador Solutions and who knows who else will show up!

The Silent Auction has items to support my fundraising efforts as well as fellow Team Mates: Rebecca Scheer, Mallory Underwood and Sara Blunck.

Up for auction are: Tri Gear, Fitness Concepts Massage & Classes, Lunch Gift Certificates, local art and more.

The Auction Goods

Don’t forget 10% of food sales goes to LLS!

Oh, and once all the fun is done at BW3’s and everyone has gone their own way, I’ll be taking a razor to my scalp to finish up and become TOTALLY BALDACIOUS.