I belong to an online community called #UsGuys. Just seven months young, it has already become a shining example of how people can get to know each other online, nurture these relationships, and then push them offline as well. 

Many of us are astounded by how well we already seem to know each other upon meeting “in real life” (hugs are commonplace). This has powerful business implications because, in essence, it is networking on steroids with global amplification. Before actually meeting, we have already shared business information, stories, photographs, and even personal crises in our lives. We have celebrated holidays and special occasions; we have laughed and perhaps even cried.

Begun as a Twitter tribe focused on business issues around marketing, branding and social media, #UsGuys quickly went beyond the platform’s 140 characters. Starting with Facebook and LinkedIn groups, there is also an #UsGuys website, lots of blogging, emails, Skype calls and weekly live video chats. There have been many meetups in cities around the U.S., Canada and the UK.

One of the great things about #UsGuys, besides the 24-7, global engagement, is how a special group of smart, respectful people with similar but diverse interests all found each other at this moment in time — just as social media is taking off. We are helping push the medium forward and having fun in the process.

Yet, having grown exponentially in just a few months, the inevitable has happened and #UsGuys is at a crossroads. Many of us are not surprised by this, but now the question is: what keeps #UsGuys from becoming just like any other Twitter stream? Sure, there have been peaks and valleys — but for awhile it has seemed to be missing a certain “je ne sais quoi”. While plenty of people still enter the stream, many have left too. 

Navigating the current

Maybe it can never again be what it was when it was smaller, but lately I am sensing some new energy again. At times it is still as active and vibrant as it has ever been, but those times are fewer.

Although the stream might be different now, maybe that’s OK. Ever-evolving, #UsGuys lives, breathes and behaves like the mix of people in the stream at any certain time. But while it may be changing, I think there is a way to maintain some of the qualities that have made #UsGuys special for me and so many others: the constant energy, excitement, fun, innovation, ideas and yes… friendship.

Although #UsGuys already has an established tradition of weekly Twitter chats (#UsGuysChat) and group blog-offs (#UsBlogs) around selected topics, and has even run a successful three-day virtual conference (#usXsw), many people want more. There has been serious discussion about running conferences, getting involved in charitable causes, and perhaps even developing those business ideas that are hatched in the stream so often into viable #UsGuys products and ventures. 

The thing is, these kinds of efforts take more structure than a Twitter stream allows and this has been the sticking point that has impeded progress on these fronts. People get uncomfortable whenever “structure” is mentioned in a Twitter stream. And following closely behind “structure” comes that other dirty word, “leadership”. But if people want to do more, one can’t just think of #UsGuys as a Twitter stream. Simply stated, some structure is required to capture this waterfall and bottle it. As things move along, someone has to call the shots or else nothing gets done, because people either wait for someone to take charge or wheels keep spinning as the conflicting opinions of so many are sorted through. But continuing along as we have, I fear the community will lose whatever made it special in the first place — and the longer we wait, the more diluted the stream becomes.

Ripples along the way

Sometimes the stream looks just like another social club, leading to criticism that #UsGuys is nothing more than a clique for people who like to chat. Well, I’m not sure about you, but I don’t like being classified that way, nor am I interested in reliving my high school and college years through #UsGuys. Been there, done that. I am in #UsGuys because of the talented people who are as serious about their careers as I am. And I know that when great minds meet, great things can happen. Don’t get me wrong, I like to have as much fun as the next guy and some very witty people give me daily laughs in the stream. But it must be more than that. 

I know that trying to do more with something that’s essence is an open stream poses challenges. But there are a couple of things the members of #UsGuys can do. Besides establishing a strong visual identity which, among other things, will anchor our appearances at events and give us something to rally behind, there is also need for a more robust and professionally designed website. This has been discussed before but never really got off the ground. It would be the place where all the various #UsGuys content comes together. Basic information about the group and a code of conduct should be posted there as well. It could also contain scheduling tools, making events easier to organize. Not an easy task, I know, but this alone would help crystallize what #UsGuys is and serve as a necessary foundation from which to launch other things.

Dive in!

So, I believe it is up to each of us in #UsGuys to make it whole again. When things seem a little slow or frivolous, start a conversation that gets the sparks flying. Ask a question, state an opinion, post an insight — be the catalyst that starts the good, honest debate that has been an #UsGuys hallmark. If someone says something that triggers an idea, jump on it! Engage that person and encourage others to jump in too. That’s the spirit of #UsGuys, and is what makes it different from other streams.  

When new folks enter the stream and show sincere interest in staying around, welcome them enthusiastically! Point them to some of the great posts written by #UsGuys members about the group and what has made it special to them. 

And, of course, don’t forget to ring the tribal bell! Don’t be shy, anyone can do it! It’s proved itself to be a fantastic way to engage newcomers and have some good laughs in the process. Bring your own creativity to the ritual — the more variations the better. Don’t forget to attach a few @ names too. Others who join in can replace them with their own @ names to spread the introductions around. Those who aren’t in the stream at the time will respond when they can, and the bells will start ringing all over again! 

>> Please share your thoughts about what #UsGuys has meant to you in the comments below and any suggestions you might have. And if you are not in #UsGuys, check it out and see if it’s a place for you.

Some friends of mine from the Twitter tribe, #UsGuys, had the novel idea to stage a three-day virtual conference named usXsw for those people not able to attend this year’s SXSW extravaganza in Austin, TX. Rather than sit home and pout, they know it’s always better to get in gear and turn a negative into a win. With more than 250 participants and over 4000 tweets, the event was a resounding success. 

As an add-on, a few of us orchestrated a live video chat and billed it as the usXsw After Party. Jeff Namnum of Socialisle, @SocialSchoolLI and a recent member of #UsGuys, suggested the idea and hosted the event. Of course, meeting by live video provides several possibilities for engagement. We tossed around the idea of focusing the chat around selected topics, similar to what was being done in the Twitter conference, but quickly abandoned that after a test drive proved it was fun simply spending time together in our virtual party hall. We decided real value could be derived just from giving people the opportunity to finally see each other and talk together after weeks of tweeting, strengthening the relationships of those we’ve met online. It was a blast! And if you don’t believe me, then you weren’t there for our virtual fist bump!

Exploring new ways to share and develop real, meaningful communities online, requires venturing beyond Twitter’s 140 and Facebook “Likes”. Oddly enough, pushing these online relationships deeper increasingly means driving these relationships further offline. This is how many of us are propelling our newly assembled, globally-amplified networks to bigger things and richer experiences. Beginning with short tweets and comments, posting photos and then moving onto email, video and finally to real life meetups — this seems to be the natural progression of meeting strangers online and converting them into truly meaningful friendships and business relationships in real life. The world is indeed getting smaller.

Lights, cameras, action

As #UsGuys continues to expand and grow globally, perhaps even venturing into other endeavors, video is the right thing at the right time to push our relationships to the next level. It’s also a great tool for facilitating virtual work meetings and planning discussions since geographical realities make meeting in person impractical. 

Many of us have Skyped together, but video conferencing is offered as a premium service requiring member fees so it’s not practical for larger groups that desire the flexibility to video chat at any time. Other services are available, however, that allow people to join in chat conferences at any time for no cost. A service called Tinychat allows up to 12 people on camera simultaneously and up to 400 others joining in through live texting (and tweeting out these same messages if they choose). People can also join by sound only without activating the camera, but it uses up one of the 12 assigned video slots (replaced by a black box).

The texting function is good too and adds a whole other dimension to the communication. It gets really fun when additional commentary flies under the radar, and sometimes at the expense of those speaking on camera (kind of like talking behind someone’s back except this is right under their noses). Being able to tweet out any of these comments at any time is an additional bonus.

Early adopters

Our forays into video have already offered value, even though the technology has been glitchy at times, usually because of either broken video or sound dropping out. Sometimes poor connections are at fault; sometimes it’s because people have difficulty finding the correct setup that works best; and sometimes it’s because people haven’t switched off other applications using a camera or microphone, causing interference. And yes, sometimes people just don’t notice their microphone is muted. I’m guilty of that one (for some reason, Tinychat defaults to a muted microphone — I assume to protect the user from inadvertently broadcasting a private conversation).

#UsGuys Afterhours Party

As we continue to familiarize ourselves with the technology and how best to utilize it, I like keeping it simple for now. I thought it would be a good idea to hold a regularly scheduled #UsGuys Afterhours Party every Thursday at 10:00 PM EST (hosted on this website). Pure fun may seem trivial to some, but just as other people prefer to “fill the world with silly love songs”, anything that helps strengthen bonds and deepen relationships is a pretty strong benefit in itself. What’s wrong with that?

Striving for success. A worthy mission. But isn’t this just a nice spin on what we’re really trying to do — not achieving failure? Or at least avoiding mediocrity? Be honest — we’d simply rather talk about kicking ass than not having our ass kicked. It shows better form. Charlie Sheen says it’s about “winning” but I’ll bet his true ambition is far more modest: not self-destructing.

If we’re honest with ourselves, I think the true motivation for many of us is not falling short. It’s the reason most of us get out of bed in the morning. Sure, we say we’re ready to “face the day”, but isn’t it more about what we’ll face if we don’t? C’mon, be honest! Our need to “be positive” is so ingrained that it’s uncomfortable to consider that it could be anything else. It’s scary to think that fear of failure could be the true driving force.

We all know that our time here is limited, but we also know that having a deadline is a great motivator! We go to school, study, learn and work hard in our careers to make the most of the time we are given. When I stop to think about it, it’s why I try to make every design better than the last and why I played so hard during my tennis match this morning. It’s why I’m not just dashing off this post, but rewriting it several times to tighten it up and make sure it says what I want. I don’t want to suck! And I don’t want others to think I suck! That’s really what it’s about — I’m driven to do what it takes to ensure the opposite result of failure. Or just mediocrity, for that matter.

Aside from the things that are simply out of our control, we are the masters of our own destinies. Life is what you make of it. In life, in work, in business, this blog — you’re only as good as what you’ve done last.

In fact, I’m so afraid of sucking that I don’t suck. Or do I have this all ass-backwards?

Only after building your network can you use the podium to its fullest potential. When it comes to getting your message out, there’s no sense shouting from the rooftops if no one is listening.

This is what social media can do and is where its power lies. It is where new relationships begin and existing ones are strengthened, creating a receptive audience that listens. And it doesn’t stop there because engaged audiences generously rebroadcast these same messages throughout other networks, amplifying them and expanding their reach even further!

My business, strategic design/branding/advertising/communications, has traditionally been mostly about making the podium higher and louder. It is about making messages that are informative, compelling, on target and that stand out from the crowd. Now, with social media, it’s still about this and more. An exciting new addition has been added, but it still takes well-executed branding to blaze a path and make sure you are both seen and heard.

Surround your audience and connect the brand

Social media is a powerful tactic that does a lot of upfront legwork, smoothing the foundation for businesses and brands as they engage, build networks and create buzz. But the key to remember is integration. This goes beyond just social media because a smart strategy will surround your audience, utilizing all the various tactics in all the various media. Good branding and a cohesive design strategy will connect the brand as you connect your network. It ensures that your brand will speak with one voice through all the media touch points: social, web, video, print, experiential, etc. 

When it comes to making sure your message is noticed, no tactic should be left unturned. Go ahead — build your network and speak from the podium. But don’t leave the branding strategy at the door.