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Social Pro Files: An interview with Scott Brick

We recently had the opportunity to interview actor-narrator Scott Brick, whose recorded more than 400 audio books. Scott is a Social Pro, so we wanted to share this entire interview with everyone. Enjoy!

TELL ME HOW YOU USE BOOKS, EBOOKS AND AUDIO BOOKS; BECAUSE THAT’S THE TOPIC WE’RE TALKING ABOUT TODAY.

I’m very slowly moving into the eBook world. However I use books and audio books.  I use them primarily to make a living [chuckle].

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Does listening to an audio book count as “reading”? Sometimes.

When people learn that I spend 15-20 hours each week reading books, they tell me “That’s unbelievable.” When I tell them that more than half of the time is spent listening to audiobooks, they tell me “That’s not reading.”

According to the Audio Publishers’Association, audiobook customers are frequent book readers who leverage audiobooks to “read” while pursuing other lifestyle activities. They are well educated tend to be older (30+) and are attuned to book trends through reviews and bestseller lists.Children’s audiobooks are also a formidable part of the market, as many families choose them for in-car entertainment or an at-home hobby, as well as many teachers and schools using them for educational tools.

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How to become an industry expert by USING social media

It’s not enough to declare your expertise on social networks — you need to demonstrate it, regardless of the industry you work in.

Working in marketing over the past decade – I’ve seen a lot of companies try to position themselves as an ‘Approachable expert’ (show of hands). It sounds great, but too often it turns into ‘know it all’ because brands have to say everything themselves, or ‘expert of the obvious’ because brands hedge themselves by only talking about things at the very highest level.

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Stop SELLING with social media: Simplify the BUYING process

There’s a divide among people who think businesses belong in social media or not. Some of it comes from the consumer side. (Brands don’t belong. Social networks are a private haven for individuals.) Some of this comes from the business side of the equation. (Why bother? Why take it seriously?)

Businesses can and should be active on social networks because they are the places where customers and prospects gather – and spend a crapload of time: more time than any other online pursuit; more time than watching TV.

Social media channels are marketplaces. However, they’re not the marketplaces that we’ve grown up with. They may be closer to the market places of yesteryear.. before mass media.. when most transactions were paired with personal relationships. Social media makes personal relationships scalable again.

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Infiniti JX Preview: A crossover into luxury

What do you get when you cross a road trip fanboy with a stretch of Carolina roadway and the 2013 Infiniti JX? A new respect for Infiniti’s newest comfortable, cargo-friendly crossover vehicle.

I’m all about road tripping. So, when Infiniti offered to preview the 2013 Infiniti JX on a road trip thru Charleston-area lowcountry, I grabbed some Southern snacks (Bacon & Cheddar Seasoned Peanuts), loaded some Southern tracks (Carolina Beach Music via Pandora) and hit the the road with my friend Chris Parr in Infiniti’s newest luxury crossover vehicle.

One of the reason I’ve been such a Fanboy for the Ford Flex is that it provides the best combination of utility, economy and comfort needed for a 20-hour+ land voyage with the family — or, four ‘larger-than-average’ guys on a three-day weekend land voyage.   However, I’ve also been keeping my eye on some of the upscale crossover vehicles with three rows of seating from Acura, Audi and (now) Infiniti.

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