Justin G. Roy

When I started charging people for my time, I found a much better level of conversation and connection – and referrals went through the roof. Why? The person writing the check VALUED MY EXPERTISE, paid attention, took notes, implemented the strategy we outlined and saw results (read: real ROI).

A recent (well, a few weeks ago) post by Chris Brogan was sent to me by my good friend, Barbara Talisman and we had a nice email exchange about the post and the topics covered. Brogan discusses strategies for asking for the sale and being a salesman (not the pushy and old-fashioned or the always-be-closing mentality) over giving everything away for free.

The article took me for a few reads to fully understand not only the message but how the message relates to myself. One paragraph in particular hit a cord (or whatever you want to say):

A few years ago, I was getting taken out to a lot of “free lunches” so that others could “pick my brain.” One day, it dawned on me: this lunch isn’t free. It’s costing me time. My information isn’t free. It’s taken me years to get it, and the people using this information are making material gain from the advice I give.

Those of you who know me, know my almost inability to say no. Trust me, it’s not as good of a quality as you might think.

Now I do think there is a huge difference between having lunch to connect or network versus a lunch where somebody meets to ask how they can use social media to brand their service or product. In fact, I do love both instances but did tend to feel used after a pick-your-brain lunch (funny how those people turn up later using your strategies but never give you credit). Ok, that parenthesis sounded bitter – sorry!

So here I sit. One part of me says to share the knowledge and information and heck, it will educate more of the world on the proper way (yes, I do think there are too many “consultants” doing it incorrectly) to use the internet to market, engage with their customers, and brand themselves (not just build followers on Facebook). The other part that just paid a lawyer for advice says heck no.

I know quite a few people who constantly operate at the first mentioned, thinking the more information they give away the more power and success they will obtain. However, I also hear on the side from the grapevine that those same people are not respected from either side of the table.

I am not claiming Holy Mary here; I used to be a free consultant years ago. I admit it.

So what’s the difference here, you ask. Not sure but would you take advice on a financial strategy from a free consultant over one who charges what they are worth (because they have proved they are worth money)?

Thoughts?

Could I be any more behind? Sorry!

So back in March the Worcester Business Journal published a very nice article highlighting yours truly on my position with Nichols College as their Director of Social Media.

Social what?

Trust me, it’s more than being on Facebook all day. It’s online branding, online marketing, digital communications, digital applications, and social networking. I am responsible for making sure the college is found online and dominates the competition. Though I am aware my outlook and strategy here is more inline with the corporate world I truly belive higher education needs to think of themselves more as a brand.

How do we brand ourselves? Who is our competition?

Well, I will say this – the concentration is filling the first three pages of search engines with at least 18 keywords and key phrases in 18 months. (I think my favorite numbers are 3 and 18)

How will I do this? Oh, a number of ways. Subscribe to this blog (look to the right on the sidebar – or scroll up and look to the right) by email or simply use the RSS feed to find out.

What? Give away my secrets?

If you just thought that (or said it out loud) prepare to rethink 2010. It’s not the internet age anymore, it’s the age of open source, open communication, and sharing. I’ll let you know what I am doing, where I am positing and going. Mimic it if you want. Contact me with any questions (hint – click contact tab)

Oh, wait, I veered way off subject here. So here is the link to the Worcester Business Journal (WBJ) article.

Click here to read the article.

As I sit here at Coley’s house (one of my best friends) in Worcester, MA, I realize I only have 16 hours left until I arrive on campus and begin the next step in my career. academia.

The web, or where I have worked the past 14 years:

• Food Service
• Retail
• Fortune 100
• Start Up & Entrepreneur
• and now academia

All I am missing is Nonprofit, however as you all know, I have been extremely active in volunteering, matching volunteers to opportunities, and getting free training and consulting for nonprofits.

So I suppose it’s natural for me to be a bit nervous going into a new industry, though the position is similar to everything I have been doing: Marketing. Funny thing is, I did not set out in College to go the marketing route and here I find myself semi-obsessed with the service.

However, I do pride myself on bring a mix of traditional and new. Huh?

Well, traditional media and marketing will never disappear. I know this is different from what most might think or assume I might say.

Social Media is simply another way, avenue, and strategy to market your brand to your consumers. Rather than billboards and articles, we have forums and blogs. Rather than focus groups and test markets, we have social networks and engagement trials. When you work with the traditional marketing strategy the energies and collaborations are endless and challenge another to raise the bar.

That’s what I like to do. Strategize on both, raise the bar, and emerge out of the shadows.