In case you missed them, here are my top ten posts for January 2012, along with my top ten commenters. I am sending each of the top commenters a free copy of the New York Times bestseller, How Do You Kill 11 Million People?: Why the Truth Matters More Than You Think by Andy Andrews.

Here are my top ten posts:

Today I was talking with a New York Times bestselling author. He was explaining to me how he had used video to drive his most recent book onto the best sellers list. “Nothing sells like video,” he explained.

Many authors have done this in the past few years, including Brendon Burchard, Gary Vaynerchuck and Chris Brogan.

Whenever I speak on the topic of platform-building, someone always asks, “How can I generate more traffic for my blog?” Most are hoping I have a silver bullet, something that will instantly get them the recognition they deserve.

The bad news is that it’s not quite that simple. Rome wasn’t built in a day and neither is a platform. It takes doing several things right—and doing them over a long period of time.

I rarely meet a Twitter user who doesn’t want more followers. A few argue that the numbers aren’t important. They are only concerned with “quality followers.” I’m not sure it is either/or, but I notice that most of the people making this argument have very few followers.

Why would you want more followers? Three reasons:

1. More followers provide social authority. Like any other ranking system, the higher your follower count, the more people assume you are an expert—or at least someone interesting. It may not be valid, but it’s the way it works in a world where there is a ranked list for everything.

In case you missed them, here are my top ten posts for December 2011, along with my top ten commenters. I am sending each of the top commenters a free copy of Nearing Home: Life, Faith, and Finishing Well by Billy Graham. It is currently on the New York Times Best Sellers list.

Here are my top ten posts:

The volume of my blog comments has increased dramatically in the past year. I am so grateful for the robust community that has developed here. People often tell me that they find the comments as helpful as the posts. I agree.

As a result, I read every comment and respond to as many as I can. However, this is currently taking me about ten hours a week.

If you are serious about building a platform, you must be actively engaged in social media. Whether it is Twitter, Facebook, LinkedIn, Google+—or all four—you need to develop a tribe of loyal followers and super fans who want to hear what you have to say.

But who has the time? Social media can become a full-time job if you are not careful! And this leaves little time for doing your real job, whether it is writing, composing, programming, or doing something else.

The goal of marketing is to attract more customers. Businesses make an enormous investment to get people in the doors the first time. But what happens after that?

If the customer walks out the door, never to return, the investment is wasted. “Blood on the ground,” as they say. Instead, marketers want the customer to come back—and, hopefully, bring a few friends.

In case you missed them, here are my top ten posts for November 2011, along with my top ten commenters. I am sending each of the top commenters a free copy of The Book of Man by William J. Bennett.

Here are my top ten posts:

This post is a 20-minute guide to Twitter for non-techies. If you don’t know what Twitter is, start with my first post on the topic, Twitter-dee, Twitter-dum. If you still aren’t convinced it’s worth your time, then read my 12 Reasons to Start Twittering.

Over the last few years, I have helped several friends and a few family members get setup on Twitter. I found myself explaining the basics over and over again, so I decided to write a simple, step-by-step guide.

In case you are new here, I am a big advocate of blogging. I don’t know of a better way to build a platform than starting with a blog as your “homebase” and building from there. This is especially true for authors.

Occasionally, when I speak on the topic of social media, I get push-back from novelists. “Yes, a blog maybe great for non-fiction authors, but what about novelists? What can we write about?”

I didn’t start blogging to make money from it. The thought never occurred to me. When someone suggested I start accepting advertising, I resisted. I thought some how it would compromise my integrity.

Then I realized that all professional creatives charge for their work. In fact, this is what separates the professionals from the amateurs. For example:

In case you missed them, here are my top ten posts for October 2011, along with my top ten commenters. I am sending each of the top commenters a free copy of Close Enough to Hear God Breathe by Greg Paul.

Here are my top ten posts:

Early in my career, everyone else seemed to be control. I interviewed for a job, then waited for the hiring manager to offer me the position. I worked hard, then waited for my boss to give me a raise. I achieved bottom-line results, then waited for the vice president to approve my promotion.

When I started writing, it also seemed like everyone else was in control. I prepared a book proposal, then waited for a publisher to offer me a contract. I wrote the manuscript, then waited for booksellers to order the book. I published the book, the waited for the media to book me.

“If a tree falls in a forest and no one is around to hear it, does it make a sound?” This philosophical question doesn’t seem to have an answer. I mean, there is only a sound if someone is there to perceive the sound waves, right?

Your message, your story, your speech, and your book are much the same way. The sound they make is—dare I say it—irrelevant, if there is no one there to watch you, hear you, or read you.

If you are trying to establish a personal brand or build your own platform, you may be overlooking some of the simple tools at your disposal. Literally, every point-of-contact is an opportunity to create a positive brand impression—if you are intentional.

Here are five basic personal branding tools you should take advantage of before you move on to more complex ones.

In case you missed them, here are my top ten posts for September 2011, along with my top ten commenters. I am sending each of the top commenters a free copy of StandOut: Find Your Edge. Win at Work by Marcus Buckingham.

Here are my top ten posts:

If you are attempting to build your own platform, you need photos—of yourself. Why? Because people want to connect with people not merely brands, products, or causes.

The right photo can help establish credibility, build trust, and promote engagement. These are at the heart of connecting in the world of social media and essential if you ever hope to sell someone on what you have to offer.

A “landing page” is a page on your website that highlights one specific product offering. It is called a landing page, because it is the page you want people to land on when you direct them to it from email newsletters, social media, affiliate links, etc.

The goal of the landing page is to convert interest into leads or–better yet–sales. In a sense, it is a salesperson who works for you non-stop, 24 hours a day, seven days a week.

Once you have completed your work on a new product—whether it is a book, a record, a new CD series, or even a blog—you will probably have some time before it is available to the market. This is the perfect opportunity to get your ducks in a row and prepare for the launch.

One of the first things you need to create is a great online media kit. This is a page on your website or blog where you will want to send: