Technology, business and change
The Web business & blogging : listen and ask
The worse way to progress and learn new things is to work on your own. Everybody has something to share that can benefit you in one way or another even if you don’t think it can be profitable to you at first. This mean that just by simply listening to people, you will get new ideas and learn about new things that can definitely be profitable to your business. When listening is not enough, asking is extremely powerful. Most people are willing to help and will help you if you just mind asking for advices. Twitter is an extremely powerful platform for this because you can get in touch with so many interesting people and with just a simple DM you could end up with a skype or gtalk username.
Listening and being attentive
More than a year ago, I started having fun with a friend’s uncompleted Rubik’s Cube. I was frustrated by the fact I wasn’t able to solve it and I ended up buying a cube to play with it. After some time, I finally solved it, but it wasn’t enough, I tried to solve it faster and faster. That led me to create Rubik Time, one of the top two online Rubik’s Cube timer available. Because I thought it was the best available, I spent quite some time to rank it in the top results on Google. I then added some Google AdSense to monetize the website and it all started my passion for SEO & Internet Marketing and here I am today.
Shortly after that, I was at a family dinner and someone started talking about 2012 and the end of the world. I am the kind of people who does not believe in these kind of supernatural things so I started looking on the Web for some explanation and I got frustrated by all the disinformation and propaganda around it. I started 2012 explained, which explained with facts why all this 2012 stuff was a scam. Shortly after that, I started Daily Common Sense, a blog about science and scams. Daily Common Sense is driving over a thousand visitors everyday and it all started with a family dinner and my will to help people.
Listen and fulfill a need.
Ask
Asking is the most powerful way to learn and move forward. Sometimes a 15 minutes conversation with someone that know a little more than you on a subject can really step up your game. Sometimes, a 15 minutes conversation with someone that know less than you on a specific subject can just simply open your mind to new possibilities you never thought of.
Don’t fear of asking, most people are willing to help. Even people that you think are unreachable will happily give you their skype, MSN of gtalk username if you just mind asking. Then, what you do with this information and the relations you build are up to you, but asking is the first step.
I was afraid of asking when I first started because I didn’t want to look like I didn’t know my stuff. Now I don’t care, it’s impossible to know everything and most of the time both party learn. You might ask some twitter tips to someone and end up giving some SEO tips and tricks in return because that is what you’re good at.
Just ask.
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Froggy, can you send me $1,000 PayPal payment? Thank you!
Hahhaha, I had to ask. But you raise some very good points that you have to get outside of your comfort zone and seek the information you need. They A.S.K. means:
A – Always
S – Seeking
K – Knowledge
So don't be shy and not ask questions, understand that is the gateway to learning. Asking questions. Today, I had an issue, blasted out the question on Twitter, and got the reply in minutes. Taught me a real lesson, social networking is the real deal, and there are some good people in the world that are willing to help.
Now, I got to go and prepare for 2012!!!
Look at Freddie asking…
Absolutely man, asking questions is useful and twitter is the platform of choice for that.
Yeah man, prepare for 2012 because…Nothing will happen!
Listening is so underrated. My favorite quote from Dilbert comes from a strip where an entrepeneur creates ceramic dogs. They weren't selling as just ceramic dogs so he branded them as "nose puppies" – dogs small enough to fit up your nose. Why? "See a need and fill it."
HI Ben,
I just subscribe to your blog, Did you have already move your feed from Feedburner over Google´s?
I dont want to be lost in the oblivion, lol.
I guess I have to Ask my visitors to subscribe to my feed, it may work better than just showing the reader icon.
I never heard of 2012 been the end of the world. I thought it were on Dec 31st, 1999. Man I need to catch up with those mass destruction dates, lol. As long as internet still functioning, I dont care about anything else, lol.
BTW, Thanks for your comment in my site.
Truly Honored by it.
Luis
Oh sweet, thanks for subscribing! Yes I moved my feed from Feedburner to Google and let me tell you that you can expect a week of weird stats. It took me about a week to get all my subscribers back in the stats…But now it's all fine.
Yes, asking your readers to subscribe does help as it's a call to action. Some that didn't really bother might make the effort of subscribing.
lol, man you're right, I also thought the last end of the world end date was Dec. 31st 1999, but apparently it changed
Thanks for dorpping a comment!
Ben.
Haha I hope you are wrong about nothing happening in 2012 – I was banking on a few things happening or I wasted my money on a couple of domains!
hahaha, we'll see
Honestly, I always recommend RubikTime to my friends. I have just also created a new niche blog about Rubik's cube. Yeah, I have listened to my friend because he did ask me why not make a blog about rubik's cube
I used to ask my questions in twitter and it's great whenever at least one reply or DM me.
Awesome, I'm so glad you like it!
Good job on starting a Rubik's Cube niche blog, don't hesitate to DM me the URL, I'd like to have a look! (Won't steal the idea…hehe)
Yes, asking questions on twitter is great, it usually works well for me.
Very good post. As my mother said – a clever person learns whole life through
I agree that listening is underrated. Probably because taking action is overrated!
Nice quote from Dilbert , I'm not too much of a fan but nice one!
Absolutely, you're mother is right…Well mothers' are always right…!
I based my blog in "How To Build A Niche Blog" video of Garry Conn.
… as teachers always says.. there's nothing wrong in asking.. so ask as soon as possible
Common sense it's the least common of all the senses – that's what my father used to say, and i agree. Asking might be the single most underrated thing in the world! Still some people (read: men) have a really big problem with asking. Don't believe me ? Just tell your man to ask for directions in a new place … mine goes red and grabs the map from the glove compartment and tries finding out by himself . And he usually manages to find what he needs. Thing is, it takes him 3 times as long
There are no dumb questions, only dumb answers!
Your comment made me laugh because I would do the exact same thing: grab the map!
You are right, you can improve your productivity a lot just by asking simple questions.
Agree with the focus on listening. If you are attentive then you'll learn a lot about the expectations and wants of people in your personal life or on your blog (comment section). If there is a consistent theme in their feedback, address it.
Exactly, too many people don't put a lot of importance on listening while it is one of the best strategy to grow your blog, website & business.
Thank you for the info. i’m looking forward to the additional valuable information here. thank you
No problems, thanks for dropping a comment and I hope to see you around again!
People are great sources of information. However, you can never be certain who's reliable and who's not. However, if you know the person well, then probably the knowledge imparted to you can be reliable in a certain way. And I guess the year 2012 is said to be the end of the year because of the Mayan Calendar ends at this year.
True enough that we cannot know everything. It is well supported in the context of the philosophy that only even a wiseman never stops seeking for knowledge
You can't know who's reliable, but most of the time it's easy to tell between a reliable and not reliable person.
Listening skills are in short supply in the me-first society. There are plenty of people with plenty to say who are not so hot at listening to others. You make some good points particularly regarding not being afraid to ask questions.
Absolutely and I agree with your comment on the "me-first society". At least when people are not so hot at listening but have a lot to share, listen and learn from them!
Hey Ben ~ Great post! I agree we all have a lot to learn from each other … I have no problem looking like a total n00b! I too agree that getting a great answer to a question on Twitter is awesome! I just love it … good to see you. *huGs* Suzanne
Hi Suzanne, it's good to have you on the blog! I used to fear to like to look like a "n00b" as you say, now I don't care too much, I just ask!
Great post I do believe that Asking is the most powerful way to learn and move forward.
Thanks for your comment buddy!
ive never been that good at listing but i do always ask because if u dont then you wont find out or ever get to
Hmm, yeah asking is a big thing its a medium for learning. Form of knowledge transfer. Just ask and you would know experiences and wisdom.
Now I would ask you? Can you include my blog to your blog roll?
Just let me if you can, that's why I'm asking.
Nice try
The best way to learning is for me learning by my own faults, when i made once a fault i never make the fault again.
Yes, it's how we learn most of the time
Yes. By asking, people will be able to address to your needs and able to refresh what they have learnt .In this manner, both parties will benefit from the conversation.Without asking, no conversation strikes, nothing is gained at both ends.
Too many people are bad not to listen so of course they do not get what they are being told. As a kid growing up I was good to listen but I was afraid to speak up and ask questions. This held me back just as badly.
Absolutely, asking questions is terribly hard. Still, it's one of the best, if not the best, way to learn.
U can learn in so many different ways , whats the best way for ur own u must find out , for everybody is another way the best to learn something.
Working on your own has its perks – You may screw up, but you'll definitely get it right the second time. On the other hand, having someone to ask questions of is extremely valuable. People love to help. It sounds counterintuitive but it's true.
I agree with the opinion that there exists many ways to learn,they are quite different and everyone has its choice and choose not only the way but also the subject and the teacher who comes when the apprentice is ready as thr wise say.
Thats very true. Working in groups might be better than working on our own at time. We are able to generate more ideas and alternatives. We are also exposed to different views in groups. However, there is definitely flip side too. For example, social loafing and groupthink. Thanks for sharing!
Working groups – I second that, brainstorming and generating ideas in group is good way to move forward faster.
watching and listening is the best way to learn and if u dunno something u should ask
Yeah people are often so self-absorbed that they don't realise that there's no way they're the first ones to go through something. There's surely more people who experienced exactly the same thing and might be willing to share it with you and warn you of possible pitfalls.
When we are carefully listen and gives our views on the particular topic..its better forever and our too
it's a typical american system…phychology..learn it more
Listening and asking always make changes in your life. If you asked more then the chances get high that you learn more. learning and asking are on going process.
You have a great sense of things from what i read in your article here. I think the main reason people don't ask any question from other people is because some people can't take negative feedback. I think we have to grow from out of this eventually though, especially in today's world.
If you think about it that's really true. Without asking questions the internet wouldn't be where it is today so us as people should always be open to ideas and what should be asked if can be explained or sometimes curious to know.
Thanks for the information. Asking and Listening are not only applicable on web business it is much appropriate even on offline business.
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