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The Marvelous Networking Strategy Of Salesforce Chief Digital Evangelist Vala Afshar

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The Marvelous Networking Strategy Of Salesforce Chief Digital Evangelist Vala Afshar

As someone so active on social media, it may come as a surprise that Salesforce Chief Digital Evangelist, Vala Afshar, considers himself an introvert. While he doesn’t like to label people (“Labels are for jars, not people,” Vala jokes), he admits that at dinner parties, he’s usually the person in the corner observing folks, hoping someone will approach so they strike up a conversation first.

This is from a man with nearly one million Twitter followers and over 30,000 on LinkedIn. What has he learned over his 25+ year career about networking?

Shifting to Resource Flow

Vala was content to sit in his cubicle for many years, writing code. He didn’t appreciate the importance of connection. Vala describes his mindset as a silo mentality. “Silo, by definition,” he says, “captures resources, knowledge, headcount, budget, a fancy title, and salary. The silo mentality is about capturing resources and protecting those resources.”

It wasn’t until his 40s that Vala understood the importance of resource flow. Around the same time, he realized that networking is all about giving. That was when things changed for him. He got into the resource flow of networking.

“My first Tweet, I was 41 years old. My first blog, I was 42. My first book, I was 44 years old. All the patents and podcasts came in my 40s,” he rallied off.

Vala acknowledges that a part of him feels like he has much catching up to do compared to other leaders because he didn’t start showing up and networking until his 40s. However, his primary motivation is the same as other thought leaders; he wants to leave everything and everyone better than when he found them.

Staying Positive

In service of that, he tries his best to remain positive and avoid the negative. Quite wisely, he says, “In my experience, the future is created by the optimists.”

That means he avoids the intellectual tug of wars that can occasionally occur on social media. He admits that while he does sometimes find himself thinking how much of a “perfect slam dunk” he could deliver when people argue with him on his patents and other topics, after five seconds of reflection, he realizes there is no value in doing so.

“My advice to folks trying to build a trustworthy voice is to avoid dunking on people and just share what you believe to be true,” offered Vala. “Pretend your mom is standing next to you if you need to.”

The Art of Giving

His approach to social media and networking is all about giving. If he gets value from something, he will share it. Vala takes the same approach in real life, both at Salesforce and outside of it. He likes to say, “To win on social media, you have to win off social media.”

For Vala, that means achieving things that give him the privilege of sharing his thoughts. And that all starts with spending time learning. He often accomplishes this by learning from others. This can be as simple as watching a TEDx talk or listening to a podcast. Offline, Vala likes to surround himself with people who are also leaders off of social media, too.

“When you look for people who are constantly demonstrating that they’re winning, they’re active members of communities, they’re writing, mingling, podcasting – those are the folks that I like to invite to be part of my team,” he said.

Salesforce and Afshar

How did Vala wind up at Salesforce? It’s also an interesting story related to Vala’s networking prowess.

Seven and a half years ago, Salesforce created his current Chief Digital Evangelist role after discovering him on social media and the value he was adding to his network. In fact, Vala admits that most of the hiring process happened through Twitter direct messages. “I didn’t even have a CV,” he joked. “I was with my previous company for nineteen and a half years. I didn’t need one.”

When Vala is working with Salesforce clients on a digital transformation, he believes several critical predictors of success in that partnership exist. His five key ingredients include culture, people, strategy, process, and technology – specifically in that order. As a technologist, it may seem odd that he puts technology last, but he says that the first four pillars need to be strong for the technology to be effective.

Culture, People, and Silos

Vala suggests that a big part of preparing companies to undergo digital transformation is smashing silos. “Silos kill. They kill careers; they kill companies.”

Technology can help companies with silo-busting, but ultimately, it’s not a technology discussion; it’s a people and culture discussion. Vala believes there is no room for friction in business or managing individuals. Mentoring and sponsoring people within Salesforce is vital to him, but Vala says it’s amazing how often he’s the one taking notes in these relationships.

“It’s beautiful when the journey starts with me trying to share my wisdom and knowledge, and I find myself now in a 50/50 situation.” Ultimately, because he is a giver, Vala winds up learning from those he mentors and gets to work with, be it within Salesforce or through the company’s clients.

Being Open

I learned from Vala that yesterday’s experts might not be tomorrow’s experts, so having open conversations, learning from others, and being active on social media can be critical tactics to stay ahead of change.

And this starts with four words that Vala recommends all leaders ask their team, as well as those you are privileged to have conversations with online and in real life: “What do you think?”

Watch the full interview with Vala Afshar and Dan Pontefract on the Leadership NOW program below, or listen to it on your favorite podcast.

_______

Pre-order my next book publishing in October, Work-Life Bloom: How to Nurture a Team That Flourishes, (You won’t want to miss digging in.)



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France has approved a law that targets influencers. What does it mean for social media stars?

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France has approved a law that targets influencers. What does it mean for social media stars?

The wording of the new law was approved by French lawmakers across the political spectrum and could mean jail time or stiff fines.

The French Parliament adopted a bipartisan bill on Thursday to regulate social media influencers’ activities in a bid to curb the promotion of dangerous products and trends.

After lawmakers in the National Assembly voted in favour of it on Wednesday, 342 senators from across the political spectrum voted to pass the bill introduced by socialist MP Arthur Delaporte and Stéphane Vojetta, an MP from President Emmanuel Macron’s Renaissance.

“We can be proud of this unprecedented agreement,” said rapporteur Amel Gacquerre, the senator tasked with presenting the bill in the upper chamber.

Speaking after the vote, Olivia Grégoire, Junior Minister for Commerce, hailed the “commitment of the parliamentarians” and “the quality of this work”.

There are an estimated 150,000 influencers in France, but the actions of some of them have put influencer marketing in line with increasing criticism.

‘Influvoleurs’

Plaintiffs have launched collective actions and a scathing report has been published by the French Fraud Prevention Directorate (DGCCRF).

More surprisingly, the French rapper Booba has been on a digital crusade against those whom he nicknamed “influ-thieves” – “influvoleurs” in French – amplifying the issue through his campaigning on social media.

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From the promotion of dangerous products to accusations of fraud, there have been growing calls for the market to be regulated.

Since Wednesday, influencers Illan Castronovo and Simon Castaldi have been ordered to display a message from the DGCCRF on social media warning against some of their content.

Many influencers have a modest audience, but some celebrities with millions of followers can influence consumption behaviors, especially among young people.

“Influencers will continue to operate. The ‘influ-thieves’ will always exist but will know that the law is there to punish them”, Delaporte said.

The text “will protect consumers, especially the younger ones,” added Vojetta.

What does the law change for influencers?

The text proposes to legally define influencers as “individuals or legal entities who, for a fee, mobilise their notoriety with their audience” to promote goods and services online.

It prohibits the promotion of certain practices – such as cosmetic surgery and therapeutic abstention – and prohibits or heavily regulates the promotion of several medical devices.

It also bans the promotion of products containing nicotine.

It tackles sports betting and gambling: influencers will no longer be able to promote subscriptions to sports forecasts, and the promotion of money games will be limited to platforms that technically restrict access to minors.

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The penalties for non-compliance can go up to two years in prison and a fine of €300,000.

The law also bans staged scenes with animals whose ownership is prohibited.

Promotional images – of cosmetics, for example – must disclose whether they have been retouched or use a filter making them more attractive.

Several senators have emphasised the need to strengthen the resources of regulatory authorities in the future, including those of the DGCCRF and the Financial Markets Authority.

“There are many sheriffs and they must have the means to work properly,” Gacquerre said. This comes after the economy minister, Bruno Le Maire, warned last month that the sector “could not be the Wild West”.

Who else does it affect?

Influencers’ agents will also be regulated. A written contract will be mandatory when the amounts involved exceed a certain threshold. The text also includes measures to hold platforms accountable.

While many successful influencers operate from abroad, such as in Dubai, the text aims to require those operating from outside the European Union, Switzerland, or the European Economic Area to take out civil liability insurance within the EU.

The stated goal is to create a fund to compensate potential victims. They will also have to designate a legal representative in the EU.

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In late March, the Union of Influence Professions and Content Creators (Umicc), which recently began representing agencies in the sector, praised “commendable and essential proposals”.

However, they warned lawmakers about the risk of “discriminating or over-regulating” certain actors.

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TikTok Outlines Programming for Indigenous History Month

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TikTok Outlines Programming for Indigenous History Month

TikTok has announced a new slate of programming for National Indigenous History Month, which will see the platform highlight a range of Indigenous creators and businesses through various surfaces in the app.

First off, TikTok’s launching its first-ever Indigenous TikTok ‘Visionary Voices’ List, featuring a range of creators and businesses that are making a positive impact, both on and off TikTok.

TikTok will showcase the chosen creators in a dedicated #IndigenousTikTok content hub, which will include various elements throughout the month.

As per TikTok:

“From performers, powwow dancers and artists to makers, style icons, oral storytellers and writers, the Indigenous community on TikTok share their rich culture and traditions across our global platform – and we are committed to amplifying their contributions. Throughout June, our #IndigenousTikTok in-app programming hub will spotlight creators and organizations that demonstrate the rich cultural heritage, creativity, impact and ongoing activism of the community.”

TikTok has become an important cultural hub, helping to spark new trends and movements, which is why it’s important for the app to focus on specific communities, and help showcase their culture, as a means to broaden understanding and learning.

The more that we understand about the origins and history of each element, the better we can all engage in such events, and it’s good to see TikTok continuing to find ways to highlight such in the app.

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You can learn more about TikTok’s Indigenous History Month programming here.

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Take Your Social Media Earning Potential Sky-High With This $79.97 Quadcopter

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Take Your Social Media Earning Potential Sky-High With This $79.97 Quadcopter

Disclosure: Our goal is to feature products and services that we think you’ll find interesting and useful. If you purchase them, Entrepreneur may get a small share of the revenue from the sale from our commerce partners.

By recent projections outlined by Oberlo, the social media commerce market is expected to reach $2.9 trillion by 2026. If you want to grow your e-commerce business using social media, it may be important to show off your products from new angles and advertise the positive work culture with fun team get-togethers that capture the spirit of the Father’s Day season. It could even make a great gift for Dad if he’s into taking great photos or flying a remote-controlled gadget.

A beginner-friendly drone that may be a wise investment at this stage is the Global Drone 4K Platinum Version for $79.97 (reg. $119) until June 11.

Grow your social media business with the help of a drone.

Whether you want a new angle on one of your products or an action shot of a job well done, this drone could be the way you do it. The Global Drone comes with a 4K HD Camera you can use to get a live view from above streamed directly to your phone. Snap photos or record videos as you zip, flip, and roll through the air.

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If your business is running a company event outside, make sure to snap a few sky-high photos for your social media. You could even fly your drone from the comfort of a shady tent during a Father’s Day picnic. Activate altitude hold mode if you want a steady shot from above.

The Global Drone is beginner-friendly and has simple controls, so you (nor your dad) don’t need to be an expert to use it. Just charge the 1,800mAh battery and hit the button for one-key take off. Once you’re airborne, you can use the controller or your phone to direct your flight. If you want to increase your speed, just switch to a quicker flight mode. Once it’s time to land, hit the one-key landing button and fold your drone for storage.

Invest in a drone for your business or gift one to Dad.

Whether you want to increase your potential posts on social media or give your dad a great new hobby, then the sky’s the limit when you have a quadcopter.

During the Father’s Day sale until June 11 at 11:59 p.m. Pacific, get the Global Drone 4K Platinum Version on sale for $79.97 (reg. $119). No coupon code required.

Prices subject to change.

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