The Giant Squid Buddy-Up Project: August 2009

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Ranked #849 in Squidoo Tips, #157,723 overall

Find a friend, have some fun!

Buddies are great. They teach you things. They brainstorm new ideas with you. They encourage (guilt?) you into going to the gym. They understand when you need a break. They believe in you.

We think making lenses with friends is way more fun than making lenses alone. When your friends are here, you've got a built-in fanbase. A core group of people giving you feedback, cheering you on, rating your lenses, helping to spread the word.

So: Here's a fun new project for August 2009, just for Giant Squids...

The "Giant Squid Buddy-Up Project" is a month-long challenge and opportunity for the Giant Squids to teach, mentor and support a small team of people they think would make a fantastic lensmasters.

Read on for details!

Photo used under Creative Commons from Kreative Capture

Step 1: Find some buddies. (Hint: They're closer than you think) 

by August 1st, 2009

Here's how you can join the BuddyUp Challenge.

Between now and Aug. 1st, create a list of just 5 people. People in your life that YOU would love to see lenses from. Could be your mother, father, sibling, friend, co-worker, boss, neighbor, babysitter, daughter, 1st grade teacher, the barista at your local coffeeshop. Make a list of 5 people you'd like to work with and help make lenses and why. Here's a sample list:

1) My friend Rob - Because he's the best fly fisher I know. And I'd love to learn from him.
2) Aunt Shirley - Because she makes the best Pizzel Cookies I've every had. The world should know about them. Really.
3) Stacey - Because she can talk anyone into anything. And that's a skill worth turning into lenses!

To enter the BuddyUp Challenge, all you have to do is create a simple lens that lists all 5 people you are going to teach how to make lenses. Put their names on the lens and say something nice about why you chose them. Put a Link List Plexo on your lens for each person (so, 5 Plexos) so that they can add and show off the lenses they each make during the month of August.

Send your lens to bonnie@squidoo.com by August 1st 2009 to participate!

P.S. Of course, you can mentor your friends any day of the year, but this little program should provide some fun tips, structure, and a great way to beat the Summer doldrums together.

9 out of 10 experts agree

Squidoo is more fun with friends

Step 2: Work (play) with your buddies 

due date: August 31st, 2009

Make sure your buddies are on board! Once they've expressed interest in playing in this challenge with you, once you've added them to your BuddyUp lens, it's time to dig in and get started.

Take it nice and easy and teach them a little bit at a time.

Get them started with these 3 easy steps:

1. Invite them to create an account on Squidoo.

2. Send them your BuddyUp lens, and 3 reasons why YOU think they'd make a great lensmaster. Get them started by imagining the first lens they might build, based on what you know they're really passionate about, what they're interested in. You know your friends best. You know who is a great quilter, which one is a French chef, which one is an aspiring author. Imagine a few lenses each person might built, and get their engines running.

3. Let them know this is an easy easy easy challenge. All they have to do is create ONE lens, just one, by the end of August. And that you're on board with helping them succeed. (Of course, if they get addicted and want to do more, more power to you both!)

You'll have the entire month of August to get your list of 5 buddies to sign-up for Squidoo and make at least one lens!

That's it...no big pressure. No cost. No risk. No fear of failure. Just a lot of fun and learning together.

You might be surprised what new things YOU learn about Squidoo, through the worldview of your newbie friends!

You're the teacher, the leader, the inspiration

When was the last time one of your friends offered to spend time teaching you something new? Don't you wish they would? What if you started first?

Step 3: Reap the rewards! 

Give your buddy some PR and recognition. Never know what you'll get back.

Starting on Aug. 1st, I'll make a list of all the Giants who are participating in the program -- and their "buddies".

This lens (this one right here) will then serve as a leader board that will get updated constantly with fun stats like:

* Who recruited the most people. (5 is the minimum. Hey, if you have time to mentor 55 friends, we're all for it!)
* Which team creates the most new lenses together.
* Which team recruits "Awesome newbie of the week"

Shine the spotlight on your friends, and you never know what you'll get in return.

Can you imagine

How cool it would have been if someone had taught YOU Squidoo, and helped you launch your first lenses?

Support & Guidance 

Along the way you'll get plenty of help from the Giant Squid Organizers

1) Every Monday on the (secret) Giant Squid Tips blog we'll post a Lens challenge and some ideas for how you can help your buddies succeed. You can then share these ideas with your team if you like... just cut & paste our post into a group e-mail to your team...because...sshhhhh...the tips blog is a "secret" blog.

2) We'll also be writing posts about stand out lenses and awesome newbies along the way AND give you an opportunity to submit a story about your buddies and how well they are doing.

A few BuddyUp tips 

to give you a leg up

* Please don't pressure your buddies. If they're not able to make their 1 lens, no worry. Your friendship is more important. :)

* Yes, you can organize and teach your buddies however you want! Start your own blog just for your team. Run a weekly email update to your buddies. Chat with them on the phone. Set up a private Ning account just for your group. As their "Big Buddy" it's up to you to help them with their lenses, little by little. This could mean answering questions when they get stuck, checking in every week or so, sharing ideas and inspiration, or just standing by and cheering from the sidelines. Up to you.

* Yes, each buddy should set up their own accounts. We don't recommend sharing your account or login info with buddies. Just like toothbrushes, some things are better not shared!

* Sure, if you want to ask your buddies to set their lenses to support a particular charity, great. Up to you and to them.

* Yes, you should vouch for your buddies. Bring in people you enjoy, people you like, people you'd be delighted to have on Squidoo.

* Don't overwhelm your buddies. Remember, they're new to Squidoo! If you wear your buddy out and they come complaining to Squidoo HQ, something went wrong...

* Feel free to introduce your buddies on SquidU. Don't let them stand in the corner all alone at the party...

Post your questions about the "Giant Squid Buddy Program" here 

I'll answer them as quickly as I can!

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  • Reply
    tandemonimom tandemonimom Sep 5, 2009 @ 11:00 am
    Will there be future buddy-up projects like this one?
  • Reply
    boutiqueshops boutiqueshops Sep 2, 2009 @ 7:14 pm | in reply to APennyForLuck
    I love you Penny! Big hugs to you too! You know where you can find me when you're ready to pick it up again!
  • Reply
    APennyForLuck APennyForLuck Aug 31, 2009 @ 8:06 pm
    Well here it is August 31, 2009 and I need to give a great big hug and Thank You to Sylvia (boutiqueshops) for taking me under her wing and guiding me in joining squidoo. It has been an extremely busy month and time has been limited. I just wanted everyone to know that what our group has learned has been greatly appreciated and in the future when there is time to pursue this futher I plan to take advantage of everything that she taught us.

    Hugs to you boutiqueshops!
  • Reply
    BleuMoonsAttic BleuMoonsAttic Aug 24, 2009 @ 10:02 pm
    wow, what a great idea....wish I hadn't been so busy earlier in the month. I think I may have overlooked an email about this. Would have loved some mentoring to help nudge us towards giant squidom. Maybe next time....
  • Reply
    AdrienneJenkins AdrienneJenkins Aug 20, 2009 @ 5:39 pm
    Even though I only have 1 buddy on my team, he's gone ahead and built 6 lenses in the movie soundtrack niche. When you get a chance, please stop by and visit moviemartini and his lenses, give him tips and hints and plenty of encouragement. I'm so happy that one of his first lenses, The Proposal Soundtrack is almost in the top tier. Not bad for a first-time lensmaster!
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by bdkz

Bonnie is a Giant Squid Organizer and the RocketMoms Organizer here on Squidoo. Interested in being a Giant Squid? Click Here to find out how!

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