The Three A's of Awesome

According to, Neil Pasricha, the author of, “The Book of Awesome” and the winner of two Webby’s in 2009 for Best Blog:

50,000 blogs are started every day.

I had an agent tell me that if he started a blog, it would get lost in the world of the Internet, especially if everyone started one. He is right, but that is the nice thing about Social Media, you have contacts (I hope) and therefore a captive audience: your clients and your friends. They start the ball rolling, others see the ball rolling and jump on for the entertaining read.

Things to remember when diving into Social Media:

· It cost nothing. One more time, IT COST NOTHING! (I knew an agent who was spending five digits a month on yellow pages. Do you think he is still worried about his “Double Truck” ad, or more worried about how to do it for free and casting a larger net?)

· All links are equal. (My link is just as good as the Webby winner’s link, he just has a bigger, better ball rolling. However, he admits when he started, his mom was his only follower. My Mom follows my blog too. It’s not up her ally and she is always suggesting I change the content to include pictures of the grandkids. I’m not sure she understands this is written for the Insurance/ Sales professional.)

· It’s OK to lose a little control (remember Mr. Splashy Pants, link below).

Now, Neil’s Three A’s of Awesome With the Blog Spin:

1. Attitude - Are you growing or shrinking? Are you happy or sad about it? When was the last time you tried something new? It’s a big industry; is there more you can learn?

2. Awareness – Are you aware of what your audience wants to hear and what they need to hear?

a. They want to hear that you can save them money. They need to hear that you can adequately protect their assets using examples, and that you can explain coverages better than any other agent in town.

b. It is my hope you want to hear the results of the surveys, know what others are doing, know you are out-performing others, and be heard. I think you need to hear about, well, this exact topic. What do you want and need to hear about? And don’t ask for more pictures of my kids, like my Mom.

3. Authenticity- They need to hear it in your unique voice. When I started this weekly email I worried my bosses would read it, because it was a little too authentic. Turns out most of you, and they, like it. (Unless you are all lying to me. If so, keep lying.)

Neil's Three A's of Awesome With No Spin On It:

Attitude- Bad things happen. Grieve and move on. Victor Frankl, author of Man's Search for Meaning, wrote, "to live is to suffer, to survive is to find meaning in the suffering." Cry, learn, cry again, and then MOVE ON.

Awareness- Look at everything with appreciation. I lived in Mexico for two years. When I got back I slept on the floor for weeks because I had missed...carpet. Whenever I go to Colorado, I roll in the grass like a kid because I miss Colorado grass and hate Texas grass.

Authenticity- I like musicals. I always have and I always will. Rosie Grier was a 6'5", 300 pound linebacker in the NFL and off the field he loved to do needle point. After retiring from the NFL, he even wrote a book about it.

Reference material.
http://www.ted.com/talks/neil_pasricha_the_3_a_s_of_awesome.html
www.1000awesomethings.com
http://laughingsquid.com/alexis-ohanian-ted-talk-about-mr-splashy-pants/