This page is about how I use social media. Energy and time matter.
My current focus is to help companies translate business strategy into brand and communication action — going from “this is a great idea” to “how we get it done” — to create value for customers and the organization. I work at the intersection of strategy and culture.
I founded Conversation Agent LLC in 2015 to help brands grow in the digital age. The name comes from an observation – that online and in the real world, brand story, believability, and behavior are linked and in constant conversation with customer outcomes / experiences through “proof of work” feedback loops. Agent is “an active and efficient cause.” The intentional conversation of brand story, believability, and behavior is thus an agent of change in individuals, organizations, and the community.
After years of proactive participation in social media my approach is currently to limit time spent on any one channel. Instead, I engage in the act of content creation to spread ideas and talk about successful practices.
☛ Because my focus is brand and conversation work, I will only respond to those proposals that are a good match for my schedule and interests. Use this form to contact me.
☛ Use this form for paid speaking inquiries.
Conversation Agent
Here you will find a rich archive of 3,379 articles about strategy, culture, and mindset. Over the last 14+ years, I've also recommended books, engaged in conversations with practitioners, and created frameworks for marketing that makes business sense.
Hopefully, you'll find the information useful. Start exploring with best articles.
My work concentration is on the development and communication of value. I value results, key lessons, stories, interaction and community building.
What I write about:
- art and science of understanding ourselves and others
- learning from books
- strategy & execution
- creative use of questions
- impact of technology and culture on work
- events I speak at or organize
Relevance to this list may make for a good start in a potential conversation.
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Portfolio site
My Portfolio Site outlines what I do, key accomplishments, and speaking topics. If you wish to hire me for a speaking engagement, or to discuss your business needs, that is a good place to start.
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Twitter is where I am still the most active
@ConversationAge is my communication hub. I use Twitter for information discovery, news, useful content, and interested people. I still read all the @ reply and engage in conversations as appropriate.
Find several lists I created to filter topics in several categories. If I missed your event, or customer service account, research stream, etc. send me an @ message and I will add you to the corresponding list.
In the early days, I launched and hosted a Twitter chat called kaizenblog. At the time they were high level, strategic conversations to help participants discuss business strategy. On chat days my Twitter traffic spiked. I have since passed the baton of that chat.
My message volume per day varies.
There is no right or wrong way of doing this stuff. Just what works for you.
Since many do not use RSS or email, I set up a separate Twitter account @valeriamaltoni to stream my blog post automatically.
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LinkedIn is for business connections
I created my first social network and community at FastCompany.com. I was among the first 1 million people to sign up in 2003. Consider that LinkedIn has 645+ million users.
On LinkedIn, I do a ton of research here — background on companies, connections, and people. I also manage two pages. My focus on this network is business opportunities.
I accept invitations from people I met and had the opportunity to connect with in real life or face to face. Here are some ideas to write a good invitation to connect.
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Facebook business page
Conversation Agent page includes articles from this site, quotes, and other original content.
My Facebook Profile is dormant.
I do not friend people from a different time, people I never met, or purely on social grounds — the content I share and the conversations that ensue would have no relevance to those groups.
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A few thoughts on the next social network. There's a resurgence of communities with shared vision for lifestyle and aspirations. Is your brand ready?
Thank you for reading.