The Impact of Social Media

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Posted on 10th September 2010 by Todd in Video Friday

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My friend Rodney Parks introduced me to a video on social media, and as someone who prides myself on keeping up with the industry, I am sad to say that I had not seen it.  Erik Qualman writes and maintains a blog called Socialnomics and has a book by the same name.  In this video, he delivers mind-blowing statistics, a year old mind you, that shows the impact and the speed at which social media has changed our culture.

One of the most poignant thoughts in the video referred to ROI (Return on Investment) which so many businesses are interested in when it comes to social media.  The video says, “The ROI of social media is your business will still exist in 5 years.”

The video is called Social Media Revolution 2.

Enjoy the video.

Win a Free Book

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Posted on 9th September 2010 by Todd in Contest

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The Champion by Agin and Ballard

Win a copy of this book!

Fran Agin has sent me three copies of his book, The Champion, to give away!  So, here we go.

You have to do four things to register for a chance to win a copy of the book.

  1. First, read  the book review for the book.  It’s really easy to find as it is the article just before this one, so it will above this article.  However, if that doesn’t work, here is the link.
  2. Second, sign up for my email newsletter.  Pretty simple right?  You will find the sign up form on the right sidebar.
  3. Third, in the comments below, tell us/me about a “champion” in your life who helps you in networking, business, etc.  Be sure to include links to their website.  Also, make sure you tell us who you are and a link to your website too.  It might be something like:

    4. Hey, my name is Todd (www.toddejones.net).  My champion is Cotton Rohrschieb who has been a tremendous help to me in getting started here in Conway.  His website is . . . . . .

  4. Finally, email me and let me know that you have done everything.  Make sure you include how I can contact you (ie. email address).  You can email me at todd{at}toddejones.net.

That’s all you have to do.

I am going to begin a segment this month called “Champions.”  I am going to tell about a person whom I see as a champion and how they utilize their online presence.

I will announce the winners on September 24, 2010.  Good luck!

Book Review: The Champion

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Posted on 8th September 2010 by Todd in Book Reviews

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The Champion: Finding the Most Valuable Person in Your Network
Frank Agin & Jim Ballard

The Champion by Agin and BallardHave you ever looked for that book that can be a “game changer” for your business and networking? Well, this book is that book. If you are struggling with your attempts at networking, Frank Agin and Jim Ballard’s little book will give you insights through the parable they tell to improve your networking skills.

In the story, our protagonist, Jerry, looks for a “champion” networker. Jerry looks for that one person who has the contacts and the ability to take his business to the next level. Jerry gets a good idea of what his “champion” looks like after visiting with his new friend Walter.

Following a networking conference in which Jerry gets a handful of cards, his vehicle breaks down, he gets drenched in the rain helping Walter clean up his new restaurant, and a storm knocks the power thwarting the ability to email follow up notes. The next morning, Jerry comes down with a horrible cold. Suddenly, Jerry’s attempt at finding a “champion” is in jeopardy.

How can Jerry find his “champion” when he has so many obstacles? Does he find his “champion?” Well, you have to read the story to find out, but it is not very long. One can read the book in one sitting, however, the message is powerful.

We all are looking for someone like the “champion” that Jerry was looking for. We understand that making the right connection with the right person can take our businesses to another level, giving us the freedom and financial security that comes with a high performing company. The lessons Jerry learns are lessons we can apply to our lives as well.

Learn more about:

Frank Agin

www.FrankAgin.com

The Huddle

AmSpirt

Jim Ballard

LifeCrafters

Books

Five things I learned while climbing Pinnacle Mountain

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Posted on 30th August 2010 by Todd in About Me |Lessons

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Lake Maumelle at sunset, from Pinnacle Mountain

Last Thursday (August 26, 2010), I did something I would not have believed I could do just six months ago. My high school friend Marvin invited me to go “hike” up Pinnacle Mountain in West Little Rock (AR).

Hike is a relative term.

It was more like “climb.” Sure, we took a trail, but at a certain point, it was all rock and the trail became a yellow line painted on the rocks to help guide the weary hiker to the top of the mountain.

Pinnacle Mountain is a part of the Ouachita Mountains, just south of the Arkansas River. It is not very high, but it provides a great exercise experience.

This experience was hard, and I learned a few lessons along the way.

1. “One foot in front of another”

My friend Marvin kept saying that phrase. I stopped a lot. A lot! But, I kept going. Marvin kept telling me, “just put one foot in front of another.” My pace was slow, but it kept moving. Sometimes, when the obstacle seems too much, we have to “put one foot in front of another.”

2. We all need someone to challenge, or stretch us

This is true in life, in exercise or in business. It is even true in our spiritual life. Marvin stretched me that day. He kept pulling me, kept encouraging me. He was so motivational to me that I asked him if had ever thought about being a personal trainer!

3. Success breeds confidence

Sometimes we have to have some success. The harder the obstacle, the greater the success! When we find that we can accomplish something we did not think possible, it gives us confidence. At least it did me! Does success give you confidence?

4. Faster is not always better

In the city, we sometimes think that things are much better when they are moving at break-neck speed. When we get into nature, we find things slow down. Taking a hike, going fishing, making a trip to the deer stand, and other types of activities that get us away from the “hustle and bustle of life” (I know it’s cliche) and in a natural setting will help us forget about certain stressors and give us a chance to just relax and enjoy God’s beauty.

5. Mind over body

Sometimes, we need for our minds to overcome our bodies. That is one of the greatest lessons of the ultimate exercise test. I was weary. I was tired. I was exhausted! My body said to stop. My body said to go back. Through the help of my friend Marvin, my mind began to say “keep going!”

Marathon runners, tri-athletes and other extreme endurance sports understand and know this.
Now, some of these lessons I already knew, in my mind. However, I learned them anew in a different way. This was a good kind of experience for me, and I am glad I completed the task!

Find a mountain to climb, and learn something new!

top of pinnacle mtn

Proof I made it to the top!

Photo Credit: photogg19

BarCamp Conway

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Posted on 21st August 2010 by Todd in Social Media |Uncategorized |websites

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BarCamp Conway Poster

The Poster for BarCamp Conway

Friday (August 20, 2010) I attended BarCamp Conway (Conway, AR) which was hosted by the guys from Conway Cowork.  Wow was it awesome!  I got hang out with a bunch of tech lovers for five hours.  What could be better?

The barcamp idea is known as an unconference.  This means that the participants are the presenters, and they are voted on by their peers, other participants, to deliver a presentation.  Sample topics included business startup, geosocial networking (gowalla, foursquare), drupal (web content solution), passion via Crushit, project management and more technical and website development topics.

I have to say that the topics I sat in on was awesome.  I listened to Zack Hill of Flex360 Website Design in Little Rock, Kristian Anderson from KA+A and Pathagility (Conway, AR), Cotton Rohrschieb from Pleth, LLC (Batesville/Conway, AR) and Luke Irvin from Clarovista (Conway, AR).  Each presentation was awesome!

I encourage you to visit a BarCamp near you if you have the chance.  You can learn a lot about technology and web development and meet great folks to network with.  You might even find your next website developer.  And, not everyone at our event were IT and website guys/gals.  We had folks from other sectors of the business world.

You can learn more about BarCamps here:

Wikipedia
BarCamp

Future BarCamps are Here:

USA
BarCamp Dallas
BarCamp Jonesboro (AR)

BarCamp Conway on Twitter

#barcampconway

Painting a Message

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Posted on 15th August 2010 by Todd in Marketing |Videos

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The Pilot - Shiftwork 2010

Sometimes, a story has to be painted.  Often, a message has to be told in another way.  I love words, and I write, but sometimes, words are not enough to convey the message in the best way.  That is why we have art.  There are those that paint, draw, sculpt, write and play music and more.  We, as a society, are blessed for it.

As a business owner, there may be times when we need a little more than a tagline to get our message across.  We come up with elevator pitches to help, and we might turn to someone like Samantha Hartley to come up with an audio logo.  These are alternative ways to convey our message, and they are well worth looking in to.

Another way to paint a message is through videos.  Studies have shown that people are more “hooked” by watching videos on websites.  Videos are powerful tools, and you don’t have to limit yourself to making a video to put on T.V.  Videos can be used online at your website, on Youtube, and Facebook.  In fact, Old Spice did a video/social media campaign earlier this summer that was very successful.

Now, take a truly inspiring story, and make a video about it, and you have a very powerful message.  In the 1992 Summer Olympics, Derek Redmond was running in a 400 meter semifinals heat, and he was the favorite to win the race and race for the gold.  However, something happened.  Redmond tore a hamstring muscle and collapsed to the track half way through the race.

What happened next startled and inspired the rest of the world that day in Barcelona, Spain.  Redmond got to his feet, and he continued the race hobbling around on one leg.  With a little over 100 meters left, his father joined him and helped him finish, way behind the others, the heat race.

The story has been told, but the video below tells the story and in a more profound way while reminding us of a message we all need to hear.

The next time you think about your marketing message, and how you are going to communicate the message, think about the use of videos. You don’t have to purchase expensive commercial time on T.V., you can upload it online and share it with as many people as possible.

If you need some help getting a video for your company, feel free to contact us.

Photo Credit:  303db

Thumbtack business directory

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Posted on 4th August 2010 by Todd in websites

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Business directories can be very important tools for helping your website receive more exposure.  I have found thumbtack.com and it seems to be a good business directory, especially for small businesses in the local market.  I encourage you to check it out and consider adding a listing.  The website is very interactive and fairly easy to use.

By the way, check out my Freelance Website Design service at Thumbtack!

Three Ways to Use Videos on Your Website

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Posted on 25th July 2010 by Todd in Videos

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The ability to embed videos into your website has created a totally different dynamic. Websites can become much more entertaining and hold the attention of readers longer than with articles. Youtube, the video sharing website, changed everything. All a user has to do is upload their video, and they can instantly share the video on their website, Facebook, Myspace or any other social networking website.

Small businesses can take advantage of videos. As a result, as a business owner, you can produce a video which can get the kind of viewership that rivals what you would get by putting a commercial on TV at a fraction of the cost.

The following is three ways that a small business owner can use videos on their website and more.

Promotion

Have you ever gone to a website that had a video telling more about their product? This is an example of putting a promo video on your website. Unfortunately, those websites could do so much more! I am always at a loss for why a company who has a well done video on their website would not upload the video to sharing websites such as Youtube.

Do you have a commercial? With the power of the web, you can upload your video to Youtube and instantaneously share the video in as a commercial. Google has a platform through their advertising program or you can contact an individual website you would like to advertise on and offer to pay for space.

Training

Web based training is become very popular among publishers. How to videos can be very beneficial, and anytime you put the videos on Youtube you can get more traffic as people decide to check out your website for more information. If you are a chiropractor, you can produce a video on stretching and upload it to Youtube and your website. Tell you audience to go to your website for more information and clearly put your website address.

Other people have started video podcasts. Shama Kabani has a video podcast where she offers tips to her audience in a short two minute or less clip. The videos are entertaining complete with a cute tune and animation. Others, such as Kathleen Sullivan, offers video tutorials for her clients on how to use the tools she empowers them with.

Virtual Tours

Are you a real estate agent of do you need to show your facilities. This can be accomplished fairly easy also. Take a video and upload the video as a virtual tour. It is the best way to show around a facility to your potential customers. Customers can get an up-close view of the facility before they ever show up.

Other businesses can do a sample demonstration of select products. Imagine you are trying to increase sales of a menu item at your restaurant. Customers can’t smell your item, but they can see and imagine tasting the item! Make a video demonstrating the product, post it on your website, and share, share, share!

Videos are a great way to continue to market your product online. I am amazed how many people don’t think about videos.

Best–It is absolutely best to hire somebody to do your professional videos. A video is so much better when it is shot professionally. If you need somebody to shoot videos for your website, etc., give us a call. We have added video production to our line of products and services.

Good–For the quicker, more candid shot videos, buy a flip camera from a major retailer. You still may need video editing software, but go ahead and get videos made! If you need someone to edit the videos, let us know as we can take care of that too. Some animation or graphics may be exactly what a video needs to look a hundred times better.

Admit it, you watch both videos didn’t you?

We offer video production for the web.  Give us a call so we can produce a professional quality video for your company today!

Let the power of videos transform your online marketing today!

Three Things I Learned About Marketing from Kickball

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Posted on 24th July 2010 by Todd in Marketing

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My church has participated in the Conway (AR) city-wide kickball league this summer. I have enjoyed watching my church play and cheering them on, and we have had a lot of fun and fellowship at the games. I have been to several of the games, and just for fun, I thought I would relate some of my observations to kickball.

If you aren’t familiar with kickball, it is played just like baseball only with a big rubber ball which the batter kicks. The league is co-ed meaning each team must have an equal number of ladies playing. The batting lineup has to rotate guy, gal, etc. You can have back-to-back ladies in the order, but not back-to-back guys.

The following are observations I made about kickball that relate to the world of marketing.

1. You have to do more than look good.

One of our fans mentioned, jokingly (I think), that the only thing matters is that you “look good going on the field and coming off the field.” In marketing, and business, looking good is not enough. All the snazzy designs and graphics and other means of “looking good” are pointless if you are marketing to the wrong niche. The key is to find the right message that matches your niche and then create the right, and great, look or logo, etc.

2. Everyone plays with the same ball

One night, the kickball was very warped! (O.K., more than once, but I digress) One of our fans lightheartedly complained about the ball being warped and the umpire wisely told him that “the ball is warped for both teams.” Right now, the economy is bad. The economy is bad for everybody. Now it’s more crucial than ever to have the right marketing message for you organization.

3. The goals are the same

The goal in kickball is to get the batter all the way around to home plate and score a run. The other team tries to get him or her out. It’s simple, and the goal is the same for everybody on the field. The same is true in business and with marketing. As a business, it is your goal to sell your product or your service, and marketing serves as a catalyst to get people in your store, etc. The goal for the customer is the same; to have a problem solved. You can be likeable, you can have the lowest prices, etc., but the question is are finding a way to solve a problem for your customer?

What is SEO and why is it important?

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Posted on 18th July 2010 by Todd in Uncategorized |websites

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If you have a business and/or a website, at some point you will be solicited via email or phone by a company doing SEO.  I have received emails and so has one of my clients looking to help us rank better in the search engines.

Black Magic SEO, SEO Comic

http://www.flickr.com/photos/byronshell/

So, what is SEO?  SEO stands for “search engine optimization.”  Search engine, of course, refers to search engines such as Google, Yahoo and Bing.  Optimization, is the act of optimizing or “to make as effective as possible” the object which needs the optimizing.  In this case, SEO is the act of optimizing your website to rank as high as possible in the websites.

Over the years SEO has changed.  SEO has evolved along with website design over the years, and now there are a number of ways to do SEO effectively.  Hiring a good consulting firm to manage your SEO can be very expensive.  These folks are really good at what they do and the businesses they help usually have huge benefits from their work.

So, what is a small business like your to do?  After all, you don’t really have the budget to hire a full time consulting firm to begin to handle your SEO.  There are a few options.

Learn more about SEO

As any consumer of a product, you really should learn more about SEO yourself.  That might start with a book which can sometimes go over our head or some other kind of resource.  I would start with Google’s own article on SEO and then move to something a little more specific such as SEOBook.com.   A good book to get would be Search Engine Optimization for Dummies

Talk to your Website Designer

Some of the best SEO folks are actually website designers.  If they aren’t sure how to at least navigate SEO for the purpose of building your website, then you might need a new designer.  They should have set the ground work for a well optimized website, and many offer additional SEO services for a fee.

They will be able to walk you through the process of choosing keywords and inserting them in to the appropriate areas of your website.  Further, if they haven’t already, they should be able to get your website indexed in the “big three” search engines; Google, Yahoo and Bing.

Social Media Saturation

One of the best things you can do is join the social media channels.  Social media sites are some of the best places to get additional “fuel” for your search engine rankings.  A friend of mine refers to this as “social media saturation.”  Make sure the URL to your site is linked to your Facebook, your twitter, your Linkedin and your Youtube accounts or whatever else you use for social media.

Blogging

Blogging is technically part of social media saturation, but it can also be an example for having an active website.  Blogs show activity at your website, making it dynamic, not static.  The search engines are attracted to activity.  When you blog, you create a regular update to your website that is noticed by search engines.

When you blog, you should create good content, and by that I mean content that is in line with the purpose and keywords of your website.  For example, if you have a website for your pet sitting business, then you would blog about pet sitting tips for pet owners.  Create a reservoir of good content that will be searched for and found by a frustrated owner looking for help.

One more thing, I highly recommend getting either your blog or your entire website built on WordPress.  WordPress is built to be SEO friendly out of the box.  Many of the things I mentioned are a lot easier with WordPress.

There is much more to SEO than this such as Pay Per Click and online advertising.  Further, there is also “black hat” and “white hat” methods.  There is also link building which can take time and there is being included in directories.  Nevertheless, you can learn enough to know how to approach SEO with your website.

I am only trying to get you thinking about the subject.  Don’t react impulsively to an unsolicited email or phone call from someone offering to put you on the front page of Google.  Often they aren’t better than the one who designed your website.

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