I can’t believe it is taken so long to include Ann Handley in the 7 Habits Series! When Ann’s not speaking at national events or hosting one of her own, she keeps her reader’s hanging on her every word over at annhandley.com.
Aspiring bloggers or writers, PLEASE read just one of her blog posts-I’ll think you’ll be hooked. Conventional wisdom says you should keep your content somewhat focused, but she writes about everything, and does it really well. When you’ve come back from reading one of her posts, read below….
About Ann
Lead typist in the steno pool. Also, Chief Content Officer at MarketingProfs. Meaning, I like words and what they can do, when combined with intention.
1. What one trait or habit got you to where you are today?
Willingness to work hard. (There are no shortcuts.)
2. Your work day just started, what’s the FIRST thing you do?
Mainline caffeine, open email. (Pretty much in one fluid motion.)
3. What makes you efficient with your day?
Getting enough sleep. I am useless without 7 hours, at least, and better with 8. Downside: I’m the first to leave a party.
4. Your Favorite Business book of all time?
“The Elements of Style” by EB White. Not a business book, per se, but there’s no better text for understanding the value of clear communication/writing and honing your skills, which directly relates both to your career and to business generally. Plus, it’s a small, thin volume (so it’s easy to digest) and surprisingly funny. I’ve noticed that if you write well, others will forgive many perceived shortcomings and mistakes.
5. 3 things on your desk right now
My iPhone, Twitter, MacBook Pro. Also, a photograph of my kids. Which reminds me not to take the iPhone, Twitter, MacBook Pro quite so seriously.
6. Habit you want to kick in 2010
My tendency to not walk away. A little breathing room adds a lot of necessary perspective, in any situation.
7. Habit you’d like to form for 2010
Greater focus on What Matters. For me personally, as well as the company.
Bill and I finally met face to face at this year’s SXSW AllHat Party (thanks to Armano and the good people at Dell). Bill is one of those lucky social media/community evangelists that get to call Sonoma, California home. Imagine that. While he’s not managing communities, building social media strategies for clients, and running great conferences, he’s basking in wine country.
So, on to interview #28 in the 7 Habits of Highly Effective Social Marketers Series.
About Bill
He’s JUST about to join the Dell Social Media/Community team down in Austin, TX. (I’ll let him fill you in with more details)
7. Habit you want to form for 2010
Becoming a better (and smarter) information consumer, curator and producer. Specifically, this means being more discerning about the content streams I pay attention to, being more systematic about how I save and share “the good stuff” and become more disciplined about producing content (specifically: blogging).
As we all take our collective breaths from an eventful SXSW, let’s get back into the “ 7 Habits of Highly Effective Social Marketers” Series.
Next up is CC Chapman.
I honestly can’t think of a friendlier, more approachable guy in the business of social media. When he’s not creating terrific content online, he’s probably snapping a photo of you and popping it up on Flickr…. (NOTE- a few of my favorite collections are here and here)
About CC
C.C. Chapman is a Boston based family first entrepreneur, freelance photographer and digital storyteller. He is a Creative Director at Campfire and the Founder of Digital Dads.
1. What one trait or habit got you to where you are today?
I was raised with a strong work ethic and while it frustrated me more then once growing up, I’m very thankful that my parents instilled it in me. Growing up in a blue collar family I think grounded me in the reality of the world and constantly pushes me to do the work rather then just talking about it.
2. Your work day just started, what’s the FIRST thing you do and why?
Pour a cup of coffee and sit down on the couch with the laptop. It is the first thing I do every morning before the kids go to school to do my morning surf of Twitter, E-mail and Google Wave.
3. What makes you efficient with your day?
I’ve never found a single productivity methodology that worked for me. What I know I couldn’t live without and keeps me on task is Spaces on the Mac. It allows me to have multiple desktops with different programs opened in each. I recently moved from 9 to 12 and it has made all the difference. I don’t know how I got so much done before this.
4. Your Favorite Business book of all time?
Just one? Wow, that is a tough one. There are three that have made huge impacts on my career directly and those would be:
First, Break All the Rules
Made to Stick
The Dip
Each of them has caused a seismic shift in the way I thought and approached business.
5. 3 things on your desk right now/3 things you can’t live without
Those are two VERY different questions, so I’ll answer both.
On my desk:
My Canon S90 camera
A signed copy of Freedom by Daniel Suarez
Navy blue Nalgene water bottle (that I should refill)
Can’t live without:
Notebooks to jot down ideas (I go back and forth between Field Notes & Moleskines)
a camera (can be any of the many I own)
a device to connect to the internet.
6. Habit you want to kick in 2010
Being highly distractible. With so much going on it is very easy for me to jump from one screen to the next and suddenly find myself deep in a rabbit hole and not being productive. I hate this, so I deemed 2010 the year of FOCUS for me and so far it is working pretty good but it is a constant struggle. Sometimes I feel like Doug the Dog in the movie Up! Squirrel!
7. Habit you want to form for 2010
Becoming a disciplined writer. I’ve got a goal to write at least a real book proposal, if not the full book this year and in order to do that I’ve got to learn to set aside time and make it a priority.
BONUS: Picture of CC’s Office!
