Chris Brogan, Social Media’s Real Deal

Chris Brogan, (Reader-Proclaimed) King of Social Media

Chris Brogan is a ten year veteran of using social media and both web and mobile technologies to build digital relationships for businesses, organizations, and individuals. Chris speaks, blogs, writes articles, and makes media of all kinds at chrisbrogan.com, a blog in the top 10 of the Advertising Age Power150, and in the top 100 on Technorati. He is co-author of the recently published, New York Times best-selling book Trust Agents .

Chris is the President of New Marketing Labs, a new media marketing agency, and home of the Inbound Marketing Summit conferences and Inbound Marketing Bootcamp educational events. He works with large and mid-sized companies to improve online business communications like marketing and PR through the use of social software, community platforms, and other emerging web and mobile technologies.

He is also one of the nicest, most generous and approachable guys around.

The Interview

The Daily Norm: My readers and I would like to make sure you are, in fact, human – it levels the ‘normalcy’ playing field. So do you eat, go to the bathroom, bleed and cry? We’re happy to hear some proof if you want to supply it.

Chris Brogan: I’ve passed the Turing test (see also: BladeRunner), and I tend to pee more often than most people (not sure if I have Diabetes, but hey). I bled most recently when I tripped over a black end table in a dark hotel bedroom in Atlanta. I have what looks like soccer warfare scars on my shins from that baby. The last time I cried is harder. Do you mean “cry at commercials” cry or do you mean “oh, crud, I’m feeling overwhelmed” cry? Weeks or so on B. Every day on A.

TDN: What’s your daily schedule on a normal day?

CB: Normal is so very distant to me. I’m writing this on a plane. I’ve been on planes more than on the ground lately, so normal involves the opportunity to get some email done when I’m flying (because they sure pile up otherwise). I’m flying around to talk about my book (Trust Agents) and to speak professionally, and to meet with clients. It’s unnatural to be flying so much, and I aim to change this by 2011 (yes, I’m trying hard to plan as far as 2 years out these days). My schedule is something like this: wake up early (6 or so AM), do as much web stuff as I can (email, twitter, blogging, writing), and then meet lots of humans to talk about the things I’m passionate about and that might empower their business.

TDN: Name one thing that you have to do on a regular basis that you despise. What lengths would you actually go to, in order to delete it from your schedule?

CB: Phone. I despise talking with people on the phone. I just don’t have the time. I can answer your emails on a plane, but the “must be there at the exact same time” requirement of phone calls is rarely easy for me any longer. I guess, given all the other things I do one-on-one, maybe people can forgive me?

TDN: What would you change about your work, industry, profession or self if you could change anything?

CB: I work on changing things all the time. Right now, I’m trying to learn how to singletask instead of multitask. I’m re-reading Leo Babauta’s The Power of Less. I’m also thinking of ways that I can package up what I’m sharing so that others can run with it.

TDN: Is there any life stage or event you would have skipped (like geometry) on the way to where you are now? Would it have been missed?

CB: I don’t think so. I think all of my life was an education. What could I possibly change? It’s a patchwork that brings forward my next big thought, and my next body of work. I love everything about my life experiences.

TDN: What was your main stepping stone to getting to where you are today? (Person, place, thing, luck, pluck, virtue?)

CB: Being helpful. All that I’ve always done has revolved around learning something, sharing it, and showing others how it might prove helpful.

TDN: What word or phrase do you say most often?

CB: “I’m here to help.” I say it sometimes to be funny, like when a joke bombs, or I say it when someone thanks me for what I’ve done.

TDN: What is your single biggest accomplishment?

CB: Co-founding PodCamp, an event that’s been run over 95 times all over the world, with 10,000 participants, is based on the idea that information works better when it’s shared in a peer environment, and where everyone is very much in control of the experience. Sharing that DNA of disruption is what matters to me, and I’m grateful that PodCamp proved that I could launch something enduring.

TDN: Is there anything that you can’t live without? (besides food, water and oxygen)

CB: I can’t live without feedback and two-way interactions. I’m writing this on an airplane, and watching The Colbert Report. I love his humor, but I love two-way conversations. I’ve never taken the stage where I don’t break the fourth wall and talk with you directly. It’s how we wrote Trust Agents. Sharing that two way experience says, I hope, “I see you” to the people I share time with. I can’t live without that interaction.

TDN: What’s the best part of your life?

CB: I love my family. My wife is supportive and funny and brilliant. My daughter is an artist and reader and quite clever. She’s her own thinker. My little boy is an energetic, thoughtful, and curious kid. I just spent a few days with them in Disneyland and it was fun seeing how each of the experienced the park. (Secret: my wife was *almost* more excited meeting the characters than my daughter. My son? Could’ve cared less. He wanted some Legos and to watch Playhouse Disney back in the hotel room.)

TDN: And have you figured out how to get more of it?

CB: I’m working really hard for the next few years with the goal that I will be able to find more time with my family in the next months.

TDN: What is your ultimate motivation tool? (We won’t hold it against you if it’s Eye of the Tiger)

CB: Gosh, this is a tricky one. I motivate myself from within. Failure motivates me. Fear of not squeezing enough out of my life motivates me. My big need is to move minds, and so I motivate myself by learning what motivates others.

TDN: If someone wanted to be you or do what you do, what would you say to them?

CB: Don’t be me. I’m just giving you ingredients and small recipes for you to riff on. You can make SO much more of your own ideas than you can with my starter moves.

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