2008 Top Three

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It’s almost the end of 2008. Many interesting things happened in our lives over the last 12 months. Good and bad, pleasant and sad. But…

Which Were TOP THREE In Your Online Life?

I’ll share mine first – and then, you go. Ok?

#1 – TRIIIBES.com

Best-selling author Seth Godin released what critics are calling his best work ever – a book called TRIBES.

To complement it and as a lab to test out experiments based on his teaching in the book, Seth created a social network on the Ning.com platform – and called it TRIIIBES (because Tribes.com was not available!)

Almost overnight, 3,000 eager fans joined – and the doors were closed. Permanently. Then, the magic happened.

Networks quickly formed and coalesced into teams. Leaders emerged and shone. Ideas flew fast and furious, some condensed into actual businesses and projects.

Best of all, members learned about the dynamics of tribes – by actually observing how tribes behaved “inside the cocoon”.

By far the best learning experience I’ve had this year was inside Triiibes.com – and while I wish you and everyone else could benefit from it too, the network is closed to new applications.

However, there are others places that offer a rich learning experience, like…

#2 – TIMIC

TIMIC is the brainchild of my friend, mentor and inspiration, Willie Crawford. It’s short for The Internet Marketing Inner Circle – and is a place where some incisive minds gather to brainstorm, support, collaborate and share.

Many of them are super-successful business owners. All of them are eager to grow. Best of all, they are passionate, helpful and generous people.

Got a tricky problem needing a solution? Ask, and you’ll get suggestions.

Stuck and needing a helping hand? Post, and you’ll have volunteers.

Have an idea for a big project? Invite, and a team will form almost instantly.

A refreshing change from the bickering, cynicism and arguing that’s an integral feature of almost every other discussion forum online, TIMIC has a signal to noise ratio that’s sky-high.

You don’t waste time or mental/emotional energy – instead, you get a re-charge. Every time. That’s why TIMIC ranks way up on the list of “Good Things That Happened To Me In 2008″.

#3 – TWITTER

It’s one of the fastest growing online social networks – but when I first dabbled in it, not many knew about Twitter… and those who did thought it silly.

Through Twitter, I have met new friends, found new partners in my work with CHD awareness, raised money to sponsor 4 heart operations for children, learned a ton of new things – and even made money selling things!

The challenge of speaking my mind in 140 characters or less quickly gave way to the thrill of ‘tweeting’ and getting instant response – visits to a website, answers to a question, suggestions, opinions or critiques.

For those still struggling to tame the beast, here’s a quick insight into how to get it working…

First, find ONE person who’ll follow you because of the value you give. Make sure you keep delivering value to that person. Soon, that person will tell another, and your following will grow.

And it will keep growing, for as long as you continue to stay valuable – to THEM!

I should know something about that. In February, I had fewer than 300 followers on Twitter. Today, that figure is at 2,100. Nothing else I did in 2008 has grown 700%

Those are my TOP THREE FOR 2008.

Now it’s your turn. Go. Leave a comment, or blog about it, or build a lens on Squidoo, or tweet it up on Twitter – and then let me know!