social connectors

I think a set of transparency guidelines (like a code of practice) would be good. If companies what to contract with one of the associates it gives them a basis for what to expect. - WoH: Professor MOTHRA

I like this idea. - Eric - seven eleven

As to what these guidelines should be I'm not sure but I would like it to be clear to all parties. So methods of communication, what is and isn't acceptable (on both sides) - WoH: Professor MOTHRA

Excellent, Jorge - WoH: Professor MOTHRA

For people IN the Association We help Associates be awesome at Consulting in Social Media by providing resources, community and skills (NOTE: this is a DRAFT - please jump in with your ideas!) - WoH: Professor MOTHRA

Ooooh, Vegas conventions are always nice! Good deals on flights and hotels, plus it'd be a business expense =D - FFing Enigma

Vegas - there are flights from my local airport now so that sounds great! - WoH: Professor MOTHRA

I suppose it comes back to trust and experience. Anyone can say they are a Social Media Expert after a day on Twitter - but helping business (or even an individual) to use Social Media effectively is a whole other thing. - WoH: Professor MOTHRA

Jorge made a valid point in an earlier conversation, though: pointing out that each of us brings *more* than SM to the table. We've all got different strong suites (be it programming, design, copy writing, marketing strategy, etc etc etc) and having a network with *all* those resources available on top of SM is valuable. Both to us (when we need someone with a skill set we don't have) and to clients. - FFing Enigma

True, Tina - having access to all the skills in the network would be a huge advantage. SM is a very broad umbrella anyway - if we could even define what we mean by that it would be something. - WoH: Professor MOTHRA

As an association we can also (perhaps primarily?) generate revenue - at significantly higher price points and with a variety of subscription levels - teaching other marketing pros to service the broader market according to our models, ethics and best practices. Also, good for those folks who'd rather write and develop stuff every month and have less face-to-face client interaction.... more... - Mary B: #TeamMonique

Mary - all the best with your decisions, that must be a huge burden. We will be discussing everything openly here for now and if it needs to go more private we will invite you and you can join in when you can. - WoH: Professor MOTHRA

I'm going to put the cart before the horse for a moment here: one thing we'll have to keep in mind is that price points are definitely going to vary based on the market a member is in. I'm in SC and could never charge the rates that Jorge will in NYC. - FFing Enigma

I think that we'll each have to decide on price points. In fact, payment is a big issue. Do we pay to be in the association, does it get a cut of business, is it just a referrals base, or....something else? - WoH: Professor MOTHRA

We might want to have pricing guidelines that associates can use to help determine contract levels? Would we publicise them? - WoH: Professor MOTHRA

That's my feeling, too Jorge, but running it will incur some costs - not least admin time. - WoH: Professor MOTHRA

Jorge, I think who we'd compete with probably depends on the clients we go after. Large corporate accounts are probably more likely to look to overseas for support/contractors, but small to medium sized business I think are more likely to look stateside (specifically local). - FFing Enigma

That sounds workable - WoH: Professor MOTHRA

As for pricing, what I would recommend is we each determine our own rate based on the COL in our area and we keep that data somewhere available for all association members to see so that if we pass a contract on to a member we know what rate to quote the client. Personally, my main goal is to be competitive for my general region, most clients I would work with wouldn't know how to begin with hiring overseas help. - FFing Enigma

To the earlier question about what we offer clients: a local connection with a national (multi-national!) association of talent. Everyone wants a face they can meet with and a hand they can shake, but that face and that hand doesn't always have the exact skills that are needed. We can provide both =D - FFing Enigma

Ooh - good, Tina :) - WoH: Professor MOTHRA

Another spin - 'Global talent, Local resources' - A global venture, providing companies local resources, to take on the world. - Bette Cooper

First outward-facing revenue stream for paying association members (not the founders): certification. I started that comment half as a joke, but I've actually spent some time in the training and development world - and have friends who have put together benchmarking and certification programs that mean something - and training to get folks certified. - Mary B: #TeamMonique

That leads to this thought: do we want to develop some product line/interest areas/working groups? We could all contribute to whatever projects come up wherever as time/interest/opportunity allow (please pardon my typing - I'm in vinyl gloves in a hospital room) but I find I'm going a mile a minute in this association marketing direction at the moment, and some folks are hotter on... more... - Mary B: #TeamMonique

Is the goal to be the Genius Bar of SocMed or something else? - Micah

Not sure yet, Micah. The idea started in a conversation about 'social media experts', but I don't know if we what to stick to a niche or diversify (since we've all got skills above and beyond SM that could be useful). - FFing Enigma

I know, I'm stoking the brainstorm fires :D - Micah

To add to that: what you bring doesn't have to necessarily be a client marketable skill. Some of us have difficulty prospecting clients, or coming up with verbiage, or whatever: The bits about running a business that wind up taking more time than we'd always like. Ideally we'll have a big enough skill set in here that we can turn to each other for help. - FFing Enigma

Catchy name idea: "Here's Why:" - Micah

Combine that with Alex's suggestion to use Robert's photo for the group icon and we're suddenly an R. Scoble fanclub! - FFing Enigma

Alright, it appears no one else wants to go first here... I'm bad at verbalizing my own skills so sorry in advance! What I Offer - Big picture thinking and the ability to take an outside point of view to solve problems, Public speaking and training. What I'd Like To Get - if I go out as a consultant I'll want people to bounce ideas around with me and possibly to take on portions of work... more... - FFing Enigma

Sorry for the late response. I am over at my parent's for a spell. I am a hard charging, team player, who is not afraid to float his own ideas and is fully competent in social media and online interactions with a broad background from investment banking, hotel accounting, live audio production, photography, education, database maintenance, and live event productions. I have chosen the... more... - Mathew A. Koeneker

I know how to argue until I'm blue in the face. I'm passionate about home theater and video games...and I know something about Windows systems administration and networking (the computer kind)...Oh and I love cats - Scoble, Alex Scoble

I like animals and kayaking as well. - Mathew A. Koeneker

Back in the game for a bit, thanks to hospital wifi working and the fact we're in a wiating mode until my husband and son goe to the airport to pick up my daughter. Tina, I know what i'd market your skillset as, based on a couple thoughts we've had over the last day or so. - Mary B: #TeamMonique

While I think the literal marketing of the association as a Scoble fan club is a bit over the top, I actually do think a lot of the ideas behind Building 43 might be germane. Along with the integration of social media with good, old-fashioned direct marketing . . . which might be basically the same thing, with different packaging. - Mary B: #TeamMonique