Happy Thanksgiving to ALL My Friends of The Future Forward

Another year has come and gone and The Future Forward would like to say THANKS to all of our friends, family and followers for the support over this year. We will each 50,000 viewers by the end of the year and we are very excited!!!



Nathan, Cornelius, Dwight and I have share something very special. I am honored to be working with them and cherish our creative efforts. We have been blessed to have both Zolra and Jeanine join us this year to add to the EXCITEMENT. So, we would say from our Future Forward Family to yours...

Thank you for being a friend
Traveled down the road and back again
Your heart is true, you’re a pal and a confidant.
And if you through a party
Invited everyone you ever knew
You would see the biggest gift would be from me
And the card attached would say thank you for being a friend.

NY AIDS Walk with Lil Mogul - Sunday, May 16, 2010

Hi Folks,

This year, I am a team leader for the 25th Annual NY AIDS Walk | FACES NY TEAM # 0638. I would like to personally invite you to join me on Sunday, May 16th at 8:45AM at the FACES Office 317 Lenox Avenue (125th x 126th Street).

My personal goal is to collect $25 from 250 people. Help me achieve my goal!!!

Please go to make your donation: http://aidswalknewyork2010.kintera.org/lilmogul

MEGA Management, GET DOWN, The Future has partnered with FACES NY, a New York-based non-profit (formerly the Minority Task Force on Aids) that is celebrating its 25^th year in the fight against HIV/AIDS and providing care to the community. "It has been an honor to work on the GET DOWN campaign with such a dedicated person as Kim Ford", says Violet Tabor, Executive Director of FACES NY. "FACES NY is committed to providing safer-sex education within a framework of addressing the health concerns that impact our urban youth of today." FACESNY will serve as the “clearing house” in the New York City area to refer and provide answers about testing and counseling from teens, young adult and families in need. Outside of New York City, there will be a list of testing and counseling centers and help lines by state listed on the project’s MySpace page and blog where visitors can type in their zip code and find out the closest help centers in their area.

To kick off the 25^th year partnership, a contingent from the GET DOWN project will walk with the FACESNY team in New York’s AIDS Walk on May 16, 2010. To find out more about how to support the FACESNY/GET DOWN team, check out GET DOWN blog, getdownpsa.blogspot.com, and Facebook page, facebook.com/getdownpsa.

We are team number - 0638

http://aidswalknewyork2010.kintera.org/lilmogul

The Recycle in the of GREEN -- Art of Negotiation

The MEGA World of Lil Mogul
by Lil Mogul


This month The Future focus is GREEN and recycle. Every Tuesday, I post the MEGA World of Lil Mogul and on Tuesday, August 1, 2009, I posted the Art of Negotiation. Like it or not, life is a giant negotiating trading room floor. As participants, we come into conflicts with others: family members, business partners, sales clerks, competitors, customers or “The MAN” daily. How we handle these encounters can determine not only whether we prosper but whether we can enjoy a full, pleasurable, satisfying life or find business success.

Let's Make A Deal. Negotiation is a field of knowledge and endeavors that focuses on gaining the favor of people from whom we want things. It’s as simple as that. We want all sorts of things: prestige, freedom, money, justice, love, security, recognition and/or power. In the past, rewards presumably go to those possessing the greatest talent, dedication and education. But life has disillusioned those who hold the virtue and hard work will triumph in the end. The winners seem to be people who not only are competent but also have the ability to negotiate their way to get what they want. -Photo: Lil Mogul at the NYSE with Ashanti & Nefertiti Strong

I remember watching a Barbara Walters Special and she interviewed Sally Jesse Raphael. Barbara asked Sally, “What is the difference between you and Oprah, “and Sally replied, “Nothing; however, Oprah had better attorneys when negotiating her TV show deal. They had a line that included she would own her show.” After hearing that, I started researching the Art of Negotiation. I discovered, when David Robinson was signed to the San Antonio Spurs, he negotiated in his NBA contract that he would ALWAYS be the 2nd highest paid basketball player in the league. The mid to late 90’s basketball players were setting historical salaries. Getting what you want and understanding how to get it.

Negotiation is the use of information and power to affect behavior within a “web of tension.” If you think about this broad definition, you’ll realize that you, in fact, negotiate all the time both on your job and in your personal life. As entrepreneurs, we have to negotiate for survival. I call Sprint every month to extend my pay period to be able to collect invoices from clients; with vendors to pay them for services on 30 or 60 day terms and with bank managers to clear holds on checks or reverse bank fees for overdrawing the account.

To get to the Promised Land you have to negotiate your way through the wilderness. Stay in the Game – Richard E. Pelzer Sr.

The MEGA World of Lil Mogul

Lil Mogul is under the weather this week.
So, I would like to leave you with these words on this special TUESDAY!

Don't try to become well known,
try to become worth knowing.

Playing The Bigger Game - PART 7 & Final Step

Step 7: Invest Even When It Seems Scary, (Especially When It Seems Scary)

I once worked at a place that was cutting back and micromanaging things, cutting the sales force and scouring phone logs to catch people making 50 cent long distance calls. One experienced worker shook her head and said “If the company’s having trouble, they should spend more on the sales force, not less. My last company did that, and it saved them.”
This company didn’t. 6 months later, *poof*, they were gone (I got out of there well before then, though).

The point is, it’s scary to invest time or money when you don’t have enough of either. But you have to if you want to play a bigger game. And no, I’m not trying to sell you something today. (Though I make no promises to what the future holds). Ask anyone who has made a major leap in their life or business and you’ll find that they either invested a sizable amount of time or money in growing.

Let’s talk about time first, because that’s essentially what I’m urging you to do right now so you can play a bigger game. I want you to start the PLAN and write it down.

You have tons and tons of time to invest in yourself, but you’re just not doing it. Seriously, I wasn’t kidding when I told you to put LOST on your TiVo instead of watching it live. You have pockets of time you’re not leveraging everywhere – TV, web surfing, lunch, 30 minutes before bed / before work … if you were committed, you’d make the time happen.

Time, when invested regularly, changes your game. If you’re harried and overworked, you’re harried and overworked. That’s how you see yourself. But if you spend 30 minutes every Tuesday at lunch improving your game, then you’re not harried anymore. You’re seeing yourself as a player who is going places – and perception becomes reality. One 30 minute appointment with yourself can transform your life. Don’t believe me? Ask the people one level above you and they’ll agree with me.

Time lets you leverage assets you already have. Yeah, you’ve got books / tapes / programs / whatever. But are you using them? No, because you’ve fooled yourself into the idea you don’t have time. You have it, you’re just not committed to using it. Make that sliver of time, keep that appointment with yourself and start using the resources you already have.

I’m not going to lie to you – I want you to make time for your Investment. Hey, I’m going to continue with my Investment, making sure I’m playing the biggest game I can. If you’re not going to invest in yourself, then you’ll never play a bigger game. Start by investing time so you’ll have a container to put new training in as you acquire it.

30 minutes at lunch, one day a week. If you won’t do that, what will you do? Remember, “Nothing works until you do.”

Now I get to the sticky part – the part where I talk about spending money (No, I’m not selling you something today. Easy, tiger). I’m going to be very specific about how you need to consider spending money when you’re moving to the next level.

Your money, like your time, is a resource. You must invest (not spend, invest) it incredibly wisely. Scared money, don't make money!!!

Here’s my advice to you.
Only invest when you can see a return that makes sense for your business. Just because some type of training or product exists does not mean it makes sense to buy. Whatever it promises may not apply to your business, even if it’s touted as having made other people money. Look at the thing you’re about to buy and say “Can I see myself making a solid return on this investment in 30 days or 3 months or 6 months or whatever?” If you can’t, then it’s likely not the thing you need to invest in.

Protect yourself by investing when there are guarantees. My first big-ticket purchase was a $1,000 training course with a 60 day guarantee. I bought it with the express intent that if I didn’t make my money back (and more) in 60 days, I’d return it. I made my money quickly, and kept the product. But if it hadn’t been able to deliver, I would have been safe knowing I could return it.

Take cues from those who are playing a bigger game. Those people you’re networking upwards with? Find out what they’re doing. Find out what they’re buying. Find out what they approve of. Don’t just take other people’s word for things – model the people who are getting the results you want to get. This gives you the highest chance of getting relevant training that will apply to your situation.

Don’t think about price – think about value. Would you trade a dime for a dollar? That’s a no brainer question. Would you trade $1,000 for $10,000? You think you would, but then you balk at training that costs that much. Don’t feel bad, we all do it and it takes time to get out of that mindset. But all that matters is return on investment. If you’re getting 5 times or 10 times what you invested back, what you paid for was free.

Value is the biggest take-away I want you to think about here. When you see these public relations agents charging $20,000 a year or these consultants charging $100,000 for working for a client, you bet your ass it’s because they’re helping the other person get 5 or 10 times that amount in return. They only buy when it’s going to end up free in the long run.

Warren Buffett said “Price is what you pay. Value is what you get.” Never forget that when you’re on your quest to play a bigger game.

Yeah, that’s a direct quote from the second richest person on this planet. I think he’s playing a pretty big game.

If you missed any of the steps, you can search on The Future. Please follow me on Twitter.com/LilMogul.

Thanks for your time. I hope you found it valuable.

Lil Mogul

Playing The Bigger Game - PART 6

Step 6: Surround Yourself with People Playing A Much Bigger Game.

Once you realize that intimidation is for suckers, it’s time to use that newfound knowledge to surround yourself with people who will force you to play a bigger game every single day.

If you’re not actively working to add more of these people to your social / professional circle, then you’re in trouble.

Here’s why:
As humans, we tend to live up to the expectations of our direct peer group. In fact, for the most part, it’s a limit – an average of maybe our five closest connections. Don’t believe me? Rich people hang out with rich people. Overweight people tend to have an overweight social circle. Health nuts chill with health nuts. We tend to hang around with people who reinforce our current set of behaviors, and we don’t deviate much.

Because of that, a small-game crowd can actively pull you down. Yeah, this is the sad part. Hanging with struggling business people? See what happens when you tell them you’re taking a daring risk. (”Are you crazy?”) Trying to lose weight? See how people react around you when you try to eat more sensibly. (”C’mon, live a little.”) If you decide to up your game, you’re rocking the boat for your own crowd, and they will – with the best of intentions – try and draw you back to “safety.”

It’s a tough world for those hanging with small-game crowds. But don’t get me wrong, I’m not advising you to ditch your friends and associates – far from it. Instead, you I’m saying that you need to be working on expanding your own circle to include more bigger-game people and be open to helping your current peers come along for the ride.

If your current peers aren’t willing to play a bigger game, be gracious and understanding. It’s not easy. You may even be squirming thinking about it. But nothing motivates like a good example, so focus on being one.

How do you find people who are playing a bigger game? It’s simple. Look for the people at the top of the food chain in your niche and consider their type of game. Does the thought inspire you or terrify you? If it’s the latter, there’s no shame in that. Maybe it makes no sense for a one-person operation to try and jump to the game of someone with a staff of hundreds.

So go one level down. Who’s one tier down from them? Can you play your game on their level? Inspired? Run with it. Terrified? Drop down another rung, and lather/rinse/repeat until you get to a point where that feeling of terror softens into the sense that “Oh crap, I might actually have a snowball’s chance of pulling this off.”

A snowball’s chance is good enough. It’s a start. Find people at that level and start networking your way onto their radar (more on that in upcoming Tuesday’s when I’ll give you notes on networking). Start stepping out and risking some public failures and they will do what they can to keep you from failing.

There’s nothing a successful person loves more than giving a boost to someone with chops, because they remember when someone a little higher up did the same thing for them. Leverage the hell out of that.

When you hang with people who play a bigger game, they actively pull you upwards. To continue hanging with them, you’ll feel a positive pressure to push yourself in all the right ways and to stop making excuses. They’re not going to accept your excuses and fears of failure. They’ll understand them, and they’ll empathize with them … they just won’t tolerate them.

And when that happens, you’ll push past your limiting beliefs and play that bigger game to the max so you can keep hanging with that group of real players. I’ll step you through how to start the ball rolling on. Game on.

Playing The Bigger Game - PART 5

Step 5: Decide That Intimidation Is For Suckers

You know those people who wish you could work with – or at least get to notice you – that scare the hell out of you because they’re out of your league? Well, guess what – they’re actually real, normal people. (Well, maybe ‘normal’ is an overstatement). Unless they’re truly one of the “diva” types, there are generally a lot of ways to approach them successfully.
Remember, people are people. There is no magical halo around the people farther up the food chain –they are all as screwed up as (we!) are. They freak out over the things just like you do, have the same fears and worries as you do – and in fact their stress levels are higher than yours because everything they do is scrutinized so much more.

(Left to Right: Martha Stewart, Sean "P. Diddy" Combs & Michael Eisner)

So why are you intimidated by them? Why are you afraid to approach them for joint ventures, or call them for interviews, or get some foot in the door that would bring you closer to them?

Two reasons:
If you want their approval, you’re afraid you’ll be rejected. And the world will end if that happens, right? Wrong. See the earlier step about failure. Yes, you will be rejected the first time. All that means is that you’ll need a better strategy (more on that later).

Or

If they’re your competition they are scary to you. Maybe the person / company you’re intimidated by is a direct competitor and you’re freaked out that you could never thrive in their shadow. News flash: There’s room for other people if you’re committed to being remarkable. Go buy Seth Godin’s Purple Cow or Tribes and realize the pie is big enough for everyone.

Bottom line is, you have to consciously decide that you’re not going to be intimidated by other people. Nobody is out of your league, and nobody is indestructible.

Think a “regular person” can’t connect with A-listers? Watch carefully, people do it all the time. Think a “regular business” can’t compete with your dominant competitor? IBM thought that, and Dell kicked it’s butt starting out in a dorm room. And tiny little FireFox tore Internet Explorer a new one. It happens all the time. And there’s no reason it can’t happen for you.

Here’s the thing: Intimidation is just the manifestation of insecurity. You’re afraid someone won’t think you’re worthy to talk to or you’re afraid someone’s so much better than you that the free market won’t give you a fighting chance.
Dra-ma.

Instead of letting that twinge of fear paralyze your brain into thinking “never gonna happen” you need to get to the root of that fear, find out what’s causing it, and defuse it with rational thinking. You know, things that maybe have to do with that whole “define your value to others” thing we talked about earlier?

Intimidation is a sucker’s game because it’s all about your brain tricking you into not thinking your way around your insecurity. It’s a defense mechanism designed to protect you because on some level you don’t feel ready.

Game on. SEE YOU ON OPRAH!!!

Playing The Bigger Game - PART 2

The MEGA World of Lil Mogul

by Lil Mogul

STEP 2: Get Honest with the Truth of Who You Are (And The Value That You Provide)
Maybe you’re not playing a bigger game because of fear about who you are – you’re stuck in the “I’m not good enough” or “People are going to think I’m a fraud.” Let me tell it to you straight:

Unless you are committed to being a quitter, “I’m not good enough” is BULL you’re hiding behind. First of all, you’re better than you give yourself credit for because I know you’re taking yourself for granted. Second, you can’t tell me you can’t get better. Maybe you’re not willing to, but that’s “won’t,” not “can’t.” Practice and training can make anyone with a pulse better.

Unless you actually trying to defraud people, you have no reason to see yourself a fraud. You have certain skills you can offer the world, and whether or not you don’t appreciate them, other people can. You may not see yourself as a 10 on the old sliding scale, maybe you’re a 5, but let me tell you this: To people who are a 0, 1 or 2, your 5 might as well be a 10. You have value they need.

So let’s talk about value: It all comes down to what you can do for other people, and it has absolutely nothing to do with all that emotional baggage and drama you’ve wrapped yourself in. I don’t care who is a better __X___ than you are. I don’t care if ___X____ has a bigger following than you, more credentials than you or whatever.

If you can provide value (which you can), you need to get honest about that. Honest with yourself. Because that’s the only way you’re going to get other people to see it, and pay you for it. The MEGA Motto: People Believe What They See and Buy What They Believe!!! You may not be good enough for you (oh, the drama!), but if you’re good enough for them, freakin’ give yourself credit already.

Imagine: You know CPR well enough. Someone stops breathing, and what do you do? Do you start asking yourself if there are better CPR practitioners than you? Do you wonder if your certification came from a prestigious enough teacher? Or maybe you have no certification at all, someone just showed you how to do it (correctly)? Are you going to dredge up every loser feeling you’ve had about yourself and dwell on that while that person slips off into the great unknown?

No!!! You’re going to get on your knees, do that CPR thing, and save that person’s life. Without a second thought, because the situation calls for value, and you have value to offer. Even if other people are better at CPR than you are, you could possibly save a life TODAY. Now quit imagining, and get real. You can do things other people find valuable, but since they come naturally to you or you’re just used to having the skills and hanging around people with the same (or better?) skills than you have you’re feeling sorry for yourself. Dra-ma. PLAY A BIGGER GAME!!! It’s not about what everyone everybody else is doing, it’s about what you can do for people who need what you can do. Don’t make it more difficult than that.

You can build a six-figure business catering to people who need 5s. Why are you worrying about being a 10. It’s not worth it. Be the best 5 you can be, serve the people who need 5s, and if you want to go upwards, do what it takes to become a 6, 7, 8, and so on. But quit with the drama already. Your skills are not worthless and you can absolutely add value. When I started out as a model talent agent with my small entertainment management company, could I compete with Ford Models, William Morris or Bad Boy Productions? NOPE and sticking with that drama killed my bottom line for years. But once I realized “Hey!!! , I don’t have to compete with them. I still know how to scout, develop and manage talented people and get them to be more productive,” I was able to go out there and fill my talent roster (faster than I thought). Was it because I was a 10? Absolutely not. I was a 5, and believe me, the people who were 2s and 3s got a lot of value out of what I provided. Now they are 5s. Win.

Seriously, if you want to play a bigger game than get a bigger view of who you are and what you offer. Start defusing the lies you’ve been telling yourself about why you’re not good enough and everyone is better than you are. Draa-maa.

I’ll walk you through this process in so you can get into gear so you can appreciate what value you truly have to offer and ultimately get people to pay you what you’re worth. Game on.

Until Next Week… Have a most valuable week.

Lil Mogul

Remix TUESDAY with Mentor Lil Mogul 2009

The Sign of the Times, YOUTH & POWER
By Lil Mogul

This week's December remix Tuesday comes from Tuesday, October 6, 2009. I get a kick out of being Lil Mogul. I have become a mentor to so many people. My disciples, ok, ok, ok mini moguls, (is that better…) inspire me on so many levels. Teneille, Eric, Troy, all the D’s kidz… DeShawn, Dee Dee, Dexstar, Derron, Deulon and Dwight are young entrepreneurs with passion, energy and motivation. I encourage them to explore all possibilities and strive for the very best while challenging themselves to achieve their deepest dreams. No one said the road would be easy, so plan for the long journey, enjoy the ride and their goals will be within reach.

Every so often we meet someone or a group that empowers us. It becomes clear on why we do what we do. The passion, the drive and the feeling of wonderful bliss comes over us. I had the pleasure of experiencing these feelings when I met the Williams Sister this past June. Tiffanie (15), Twana (14) and Victoria (13) triple threats from Columbia, SC are a sibling group of dancers, models, actors and motivational speakers. However, what makes these young ladies different, they are entrepreneurs. They started a company called Drive Safe, committed to making our roads and highways safer for all motorists, especially young teenage drivers. The Sisters created www.DriveSafeSigns.com, Driver Safety Notification Signs which they hold US Patent # D501892.

Collectively, they have won titles such as; Black Enterprise Magazine’s Teen Preneurs of the Year, Merrill Lynch Young Entrepreneur Award, and President’s Leadership Award from Columbia, SC NAACP Youth Council. They have been recognized by South Carolina’s Governor Mark Sanford, Senator Joel Lourie, Majority Whip Congressman James E. Clyburn and Associate Administrator for National Civil Rights, Fredrick D. Isler. They were accepted in the Darla Moore School of Business Technology and have caught the attention of cooperate companies like General Motors, McDonalds, Black Enterprise, Wal-Mart, State Farm to name a few. The Sisters hold a Small & Minority Business Certificate from The State of South Carolina. YES!!! I said a S&M Business Certificate...
After speaking with the Williams Sister, I have realized the mentor can easily become the mentee.

GO TEEN GIRL POWER!!!

Giving THANKS

The MEGA World of Lil Mogul

by Lil Mogul

It is that time of year again. The time to reflect and give thanks. First to the man above for all things are possible. 2009 was a hard year for everyone; however, WE MADE IT!!!

To all my newbiepreneurs give a MEGA thanks to your clients. Those whom are most loyal and supportive of you. This is a GREAT time to reach out to acknowledge customers whom you appreciate. If they are customers, WE LOVE THEM!!!

So, I would like to acknowledge YOU! I appreciate you reading The MEGA World of Lil Mogul and I hope you continue to support me and The Future in 2010.

Enjoy your holiday and the holiday weekend with family and friends.

Until Next TUESDAY...

I am sending you the Very Best of Wishes,

Lil Mogul

For The Love of Money

The MEGA World of Lil Mogul

Some people got to have it,
Some people really need it.

Listen to me y'all, do things, do things, do bad things with it.

You wanna do things, do things, do things, good things with it.

Talk about cash money, money, talk about cash money- dollar bills, yall

For the love of money, people will steal from their mother.

For the love of money, people will rob their own brother.

For the love of money, people can't even walk the street because they never know who in the world they're gonna beat. For that lean, mean, mean green.

Almighty dollar, money.

For the love of money, people will lie, Lord, they will cheat for the love of money.

People don't care who they hurt or beat for the love of money.

A woman will sell her precious body for a small piece of paper it carries a lot of weight.

Call it lean, mean, mean green. Almighty dollar I know money is the root of all evil. Do funny things to some people. Give me a nickel, brother can you spare a dime, money can drive some people out of their minds. Got to have it, I really need it. How many things have I heard you say? Some people really need it. How many things have I heard you say Got to have it? I really need it. How many things have I heard you say lay down, lay down, a woman will lay down? For the love of money. All for the love of money. Don't let, don't let, don't let money rule you. For the love of money. Money can change people sometimes. Don't let, don't let, don't let money fool you. Money can fool people sometimes People! Don't let money, don't let money change you, it will keep on changing, changing up your mind.

MEGA is 15 years old!!!

The MEGA World of Lil Mogul
by Lil Mogul
aka Richard E. Pelzer II

November 1994 to PRESENT

I am very proud to say MEGA Management Inc. celebrates 15 years in business this week. November 1, 1994, my first business partner Jason Campbell & I open for business. We had the dream to be major players in the fashion and entertainment industry. A lot of things have changed since that time; however, I still feel the same passion and desire to succeed as an entertainment business entrepreneur.

This past weekend, I watched Jay Z and Alicia Keys new video Empire State of Mind.

It is a REAL Anthem.
I encourage ALL my newbiepreneurs STAY IN THE GAME.
You have to be in it to win it.

"Come where Dreams are made TRUE!!! There is NOTHING you can’t do…!!! NEW YORK... These streets will make you feel brand new. The BIG Lights will inspire you!"


To all the Lil Mogul living in New York (George, Winsome, Charles, La, Eric, Dwight, Waddie, Nathan (All of them), Laurence, Cornelius, Brandalyn, Joy, Seven, Sam, Eduard, Derron, Dexstar, Tawana, Xavier, Nefertiti, Camille, Teneille, Patrice, Clarence, Chimene, Jewel, Nicole, Troy, Dee Dee, Marcia, Toyce, Derrick, DJ, Miguel, James, Tammy, Kenny, Jones, Devon, Ra-Fael, Jerome, Oscar, Sheila, Jason, Michael, Nando, Justin and the Big D) and everyone around the world, keep up a good fight for your dream.

Face the Book in Business

The MEGA World of Lil Mogul

by Lil Mogul & Jaime Tedford

We humans, it turns out, are social. Whether in the real world or on the interwebs, we like to connect, share and express ourselves. Detractors of the social networking phenomenon diminish it to a telescope and microphone for creeping, stalking, and peeping.

In my experience, it's just the opposite. It's a magnifying glass and megaphone putting me out there for discovery and exploration. Our profiles are a window into our lives, or at least a carefully crafted version of our lives. We have reversed the peepholes on our apartment doors, office windows and invited the world to see us in our natural habitat.

It's an idea one of my associates labeled "reverse voyeurism" and betting on it is the closest thing to a guarantee of social media success that I know. Here's a pass at trying to translate this observation into some actionable social media opportunities.

Facebook starts with a face
Reverse voyeurism is a sister of vanity and a cousin of exhibitionism. The very idea of a "face book" starts with a photo, matching just another face in the crowd with a real identity. If social networking were only about vanity and exhibitionism, then this match would be the end of the story.

Real, honest-to-goodness social networking at its core is about the subtle invitation for my friends to get to know me better. Like a well-poured drink, it's also a powerful social lubricant. Would I ever have been so presumptive as to place 40th birthday photos in an envelope to send to 200 of my closest friends? Not likely. Yet with click of a few buttons on my new HTC Sprint phone (I still do not know how to use it fully) and the through the magic that is my news feed, it's almost like you were invited to my birthday bash (no need to send a gift, I understand).

Yup, something deep in my DNA wants all my friends and family, extended or close, to know I turned 40, had great weekend, partied and don't look a day over 29. Facebook is the number one photo site in the world not because it's a better photo utility than companies dedicated to that pursuit, but because it makes it more OK to share photos. The context is casual. "Hey everyone, check these out ... or not, whatever."

Obvious marketing observation: Incorporate photos into your social media strategy. Nothing captures and extends the lifespan of a moment in time like a simple digital image. Be the company that extends live experiences with your brand to the social web.

Enough about me, what do you think of me? Speaking of sharing little gems about me, the results of the last few Quizzes I've taken reveal I am; a "Audi" (What car-type ARE you?), a fashionista undercover (How fashion forward ARE you?) and Tennis (Golf or Tennis? The Game of choice). Honestly, it has baffled me for a long time why my friends, sophisticated and educated people, kept taking these personality quizzes.

It wasn't until I started considering the effects of reverse voyeurism that the answer came to me. We don't do it to learn more about ourselves; I already know I am a undercover fashionista that LOVES The Williams Sisters. We do it to provide one more puzzle piece to our friends. Hoping they continue to be interested in piecing together the 1,000-piece jigsaw that is me.

Oversimplified social strategy: Be the brand that asks me about me, but not so you can sell me more stuff. Do it so I can help my friends know me better. You'll get to know me better in the process, and eventually will sell me more stuff, I promise.

Duhh, Social Media Observation: I am what I'm a fan of. Give me a reason to add your brand to the mosaic that is me. Respect and recognize my permission to market to and through me. And how about a little something, you know, for the effort?

Ready, set, reverse your voyeursim
So is your brand ready to practice reverse voyeurism? As tentative as we all were putting our personal lives in that window, it's understandable the hesitation of many brands. Remember however that full transparency is a myth in person as it is in business. We still curate, put our best features forward, select the tidbits that we broadcast about ourselves.

Don't get all hung up on your own brand's transparency; you're not that interesting. Instead, keep asking how you're helping real humans be more transparent to other real humans who are their friends. When you turn the peephole around, I think you'll feel much less creepy, more like an invited guest and maybe even a friend.

Facebook.com - Rick Pelzer