tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-27691216821846653392024-03-12T19:14:00.577-07:00Social Networking for Business GrowthSnakecharmed_girlhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09408545248770671663noreply@blogger.comBlogger69125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2769121682184665339.post-81357965327967075442019-08-21T11:44:00.000-07:002019-08-21T11:44:02.261-07:00This blog has moved to <a href="http://www.socialsquids.com/">www.socialsquids.com</a>.<br />
Please visit our site for the latest from your friends at Social Squids.Snakecharmed_girlhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09408545248770671663noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2769121682184665339.post-45526533932397167272015-08-27T05:38:00.001-07:002015-08-27T05:38:18.024-07:00Motivate yourself to stop procrastinating - Aim4OrderEven though your school days are behind you, do you procrastinate on work assignments or projects around the house? Here are some ways to motivate yourself to do better.<div>Check out this blog from our client, Aim 4 Order:<br /> <a href="http://aim4order.com/blog/motivate-yourself-to-stop-procrastinating/">Motivate yourself to stop procrastinating - Aim4Order</a></div>Snakecharmed_girlhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09408545248770671663noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2769121682184665339.post-10242429486197503292015-07-13T04:35:00.001-07:002015-07-25T11:02:28.615-07:00The SunWandCheck out <a href="http://thesunwand.com/">The SunWand</a>, it enables you to apply sunscreen, medication, lotion or anything else to your back without any help. Great idea!Snakecharmed_girlhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09408545248770671663noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2769121682184665339.post-55396505536418516612015-03-31T12:26:00.000-07:002015-03-31T12:26:11.503-07:00The Ink Slinger, a newsletter from Social Squids<table border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" id="templateContainer" style="width: 600px;"><tbody>
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Welcome to the new monthly newsletter, <em>The Ink Slinger</em> by Social Squids.
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<a href="http://us9.campaign-archive2.com/?u=801866cf3d898566d98507751&id=a68b6e5ea1&e=c8f98f8b93" style="-ms-text-size-adjust: 100%; -webkit-text-size-adjust: 100%; color: #606060; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: underline; word-wrap: break-word;" target="_blank">View this email in your browser</a>
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You are receiving this monthly newsletter
because of a relationship with Holli Friedland and/or Social Squids. I
hope you enjoy it and find some value in what you read here. Feel free
to pass <em>The Ink Slinger</em> along to anyone you think might enjoy it.<br />
–––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––<br />
<strong><img align="none" height="53" src="https://gallery.mailchimp.com/801866cf3d898566d98507751/images/3df8eb2b-208c-429d-ba3c-41a8da5a47fd.png" style="-ms-interpolation-mode: bicubic; border: 0; height: 53px; margin: 0px; outline: none; text-decoration: none; width: 199px;" width="199" /></strong><br />
To succeed with your social media accounts, be consistent and post often.<br />
–––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––<br />
<strong>Handy app of the month</strong><br />
<strong><img align="none" height="138" src="https://gallery.mailchimp.com/801866cf3d898566d98507751/images/50a9e40a-241c-4204-a288-8d22de27ba75.jpg" style="-ms-interpolation-mode: bicubic; border: 0; height: 138px; margin: 0px; outline: none; text-decoration: none; width: 250px;" width="250" /></strong><br />
<strong><em>PayPal Here</em></strong><br />
If you use PayPal, adding PayPal Here is a helpful addition. The regular
PayPal app only allows you to accept payments from people who have a
PayPal account. With PayPal Here, you can order a free card swiper that
allows you to accept payments on the spot from anyone with a credit or
debit card. There is no monthly charge, just PayPal’s normal fees for
accepting a payment.<br />
–––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––<br />
<strong>Why blog?</strong><br />
<br />
Blogging… do I have to? I hear this often from business owners.<br />
<br />
Blogging is a critical tool to market your business. One goal of every
business owner is to have a website ranked highly by Google and other
search engines. An inactive page, even if it is highly ranked today,
will fall if it is not updated regularly. By having a blog on your
website, you are adding content and making the search engines take
notice.<br />
<br />
Keyword saturation used to be the end all of SEO (search engine
optimization). It is a little less important to the ranking process now,
but using keywords or key phrases in your blog and web pages, will
certainly help your website gain popularity.<br />
<br />
In the beginning, pick topics that are easy for you. These topics are
critical to your business and you already know them inside and out,
making the writing easier. Here are some other blog ideas:
<ul>
<li style="-ms-text-size-adjust: 100%; -webkit-text-size-adjust: 100%;">Successes and how you achieved them</li>
<li style="-ms-text-size-adjust: 100%; -webkit-text-size-adjust: 100%;">Failures and how you dealt with them</li>
<li style="-ms-text-size-adjust: 100%; -webkit-text-size-adjust: 100%;">Common problems in your field and how you overcame them</li>
<li style="-ms-text-size-adjust: 100%; -webkit-text-size-adjust: 100%;">Tips, tricks and shortcuts (everyone loves these!)</li>
<li style="-ms-text-size-adjust: 100%; -webkit-text-size-adjust: 100%;">Find well-know people in your field for guest blogging</li>
<li style="-ms-text-size-adjust: 100%; -webkit-text-size-adjust: 100%;">Something fantastic you discovered and would like to share</li>
</ul>
Your blog can serve you in multiple ways. After a blog is written, the
major points can be used for social media posts. Larger chunks of blogs
can be used in newsletters. Some businesses will even take blogs or
newsletters and put them together for a book to give away or sell.<br />
–––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––<br />
<br />
<a href="http://file//localhost/Users/gailnewcomb/Library/Caches/TemporaryItems/msoclip1/01/clip_image004.jpg" style="-ms-text-size-adjust: 100%; -webkit-text-size-adjust: 100%; color: #6dc6dd; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: underline; word-wrap: break-word;" target="_blank"><img align="none" height="150" src="https://gallery.mailchimp.com/801866cf3d898566d98507751/images/68fb214a-6646-4d13-8c1f-925929387acd.jpg" style="-ms-interpolation-mode: bicubic; border: 0; height: 150px; margin: 0px; outline: none; text-decoration: none; width: 150px;" width="150" /></a><br />
Social Squids offers writing for newsletters, web content, blogs,
graphics for print or online, social media, website design and
updating.<br />
<strong><em>We have far-reaching tentacles!</em></strong><br />
<br />
Holli Friedland, Owner<br />
Social Squids<br />
<a href="mailto:socialsquids@comcast.net" style="-ms-text-size-adjust: 100%; -webkit-text-size-adjust: 100%; color: #6dc6dd; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: underline; word-wrap: break-word;">socialsquids@comcast.net</a><br />
410-580-0250<br />
www.socialsquids.com
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Snakecharmed_girlhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09408545248770671663noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2769121682184665339.post-3683178153949968272015-03-09T13:05:00.001-07:002015-03-09T13:19:28.231-07:00What would you do?Last week I found myself in an awkward situation. Maybe you have been there a time or two yourself. Here is my story...<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhe8FfxNcfy1j8TNFdeoS8YVBZZF3FzZ2DJon3cYdJfzamhIdHNoMSQ3u5rs3f6126mDJbyo0-D1dlBwLKqhLHucGGRU15cIVfqoiOq6dpxVq6wr5SAF3m5r7H302SuYpbw44oNyTsKfh1e/s1600/laptop1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhe8FfxNcfy1j8TNFdeoS8YVBZZF3FzZ2DJon3cYdJfzamhIdHNoMSQ3u5rs3f6126mDJbyo0-D1dlBwLKqhLHucGGRU15cIVfqoiOq6dpxVq6wr5SAF3m5r7H302SuYpbw44oNyTsKfh1e/s1600/laptop1.jpg" height="208" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
<br />
This morning I am sitting in Starbucks for the second time
waiting for someone who has not shown up. It is my second attempt on an
appointment with this person and getting together was his idea. He seemed rather
embarrassed when I talked to him after he missed the first appointment and here
I am again. I really thought he would show up this time.
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
How many appointments do you make with someone and how long
do you wait before you bail? This is someone I’ve known for over a year, but we will not be working together at this point. And, I feel like I can't refer people to someone who doesn't feel I am important enough to keep an appointment.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
To make matters worse, one guy is talking loudly on his cell
phone and a couple is having a conversation with someone on speaker phone. The loud guy is talking to his appointment who did not show up either. I clearly heard him say, "That's okay. Whenever you can get here is fine."</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
I
have resorted to my headphones, which I don’t like to do because I’m liable to
start singing without realizing it. That will not be good in any way.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
What is the protocol for being on time? </div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
In my opinion, you
should always be 5-10 minutes early. Then you are never late. I get into panic
attacks if I am stuck in traffic and I think I’m going to be late for anything,
even if it’s just dinner with good friends and there is no time constraint.
Maybe that’s just me.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
In the age of cell phones that have alerts to let you know
an appointment is coming up or reminders that can let you know you need to do
something, there is really no excuse. </div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
When I first contacted the guy after
missing the first appointment, he doubted me, checked his phone’s calendar and
admitted I was right. Ouch. Doubting me? That hurt right off the bat. I should
have just said forget it, but I was hoping that we could at least share referrals.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
If I’m going to be late, I text or call the person to let
them know. I had an appointment last week and the guy was 30 minutes late. He
messaged me three times letting me know there was an accident on the beltway
and that he was trying to get to the appointment. However, this time I have been disrespected – and for the second time.<br />
<br />
Last night I considered sending a reminder email, especially because he missed the first appointment, but I figured we're all adults here and should be able to keep an appointment. Seems like I got that wrong.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
I will admit, I missed a doctor’s appointment once. I spent the day with that nagging feeling that I was forgetting
something, but couldn’t remember what it was. Two hours after the appointment,
it hit me. I was embarrassed and felt terrible especially since I would
probably be charged for it. Granted, that was years before Siri was around to remind me. I made absolutely sure I did not miss the second appointment!</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Should I be insulted? I am. Should my feelings be hurt? They
are. Should I just chalk it up to experience and enjoy my Starbucks latte? I
should, but I can’t.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
OMG. The guy I’m supposed to be meeting just walked in the door and sat down with
someone else six feet away from me. Now I’m really mad and in a completely
awkward situation. I have no idea what to do. I feel like a complete idiot. I am embarrassed, although I should not be.
This is crazy. I should not have started writing this and instead left when I
had a chance for a clean break.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Life sure does throw me curve balls. Did he see me sitting
here with my headphones and typing away at my keyboard or was he focused on his
OTHER appointment with the loud guy I heard talking on the phone earlier.
Apparently, he forgot that appointment too. I am seething…<br />
<br />
This has become too
angry to be a blog. It has become a rant. </div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
The guy didn’t even go up and get coffee, offering me an
escape route. I am trapped like a wounded animal. Being generally
non-confrontational, I am at a loss. I just want to escape with what little
dignity I have. At least his back is to me as I contemplate my predicament.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
What would you do if you found yourself in this situation?</div>
Snakecharmed_girlhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09408545248770671663noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2769121682184665339.post-58021868982697835222015-01-13T09:28:00.000-08:002015-01-13T09:32:29.113-08:00Freedom of speech<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjXtGF0vqt8mpukf1_NC2OPGoj-CezabFhK7GTxIwSSYVJH1ynnZSXYAUQsH2xkgD0nMgsHV31kfziX2Q90l1b2s_Xh_tlxCSXpBRkGFguPgiamm_Abdwjq18gkc7gDT2SMLzaH96Zw0g7q/s1600/th.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjXtGF0vqt8mpukf1_NC2OPGoj-CezabFhK7GTxIwSSYVJH1ynnZSXYAUQsH2xkgD0nMgsHV31kfziX2Q90l1b2s_Xh_tlxCSXpBRkGFguPgiamm_Abdwjq18gkc7gDT2SMLzaH96Zw0g7q/s1600/th.jpg" /></a></div>
<br />
In the wake of the events of the past few weeks, many people
throughout the world are realizing just how precious the right to freedom of
speech is. As Americans, we sometimes take this right for granted. Between the
terror events in France and the Sony movie <i>The Interview</i><span style="font-style: normal;">, we are now seeing how some other people view our
freedom.</span>
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In my business, I have the opportunity to write about a wide
range of topics. The most controversial I have gotten in my work has been
organizing your clothes closet or picking a team that might win tomorrow’s game.
But I know I have the right to write about whatever topic I chose. This is not true for
some people. </div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
As a college intern, I worked
at a Baltimore television station during the <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Iran_hostage_crisis" target="_blank">American hostage crisis in 1979</a>
that took place in Iran. It was an exciting yet scary time to be in the news
business. The Associated Press and United Press International alarms were
ringing in what we called “the wire room” all evening, every evening with news
updates and bulletins. Every time the alarm went off, my heart jumped.</div>
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<br /></div>
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Back then, we didn’t have a 24-hour news cycle, social media
or cell phones. Okay, maybe there were cell phones, but they were about the size of a
shoe box and few people owned them. At the TV station where I worked, they
didn’t even have computers. We typed on typewriters with large keys so the
stories could be put directly into the teleprompter for the anchorman.</div>
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<br /></div>
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As a young adult, it was the first time I was exposed to terrorism. I also learned a lot about patriotism and freedom during my internship. It has been a long road from that job to creating <a href="http://www.socialsquids.com/" target="_blank">Social Squids</a>, but freedom of speech has been there all along.</div>
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<br /></div>
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With the technology of today, people use freedom of
speech and social media to instantly send images and words to the world. With
this freedom people have gotten themselves into all kinds of trouble from “sexting” to
sending out things by accident. Of course, many also use it for sending funny, informational, inspirational or newsworthy
messages.</div>
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<br /></div>
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As citizens of the world and especially as writers, we
should remember how precious this freedom is. Some people have paid the ultimate
price. We should take advantage of our freedom of speech and use it wisely.</div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<i>Je suis Charlie.</i></div>
Snakecharmed_girlhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09408545248770671663noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2769121682184665339.post-81306849252152588992014-12-24T13:00:00.001-08:002014-12-24T13:28:35.467-08:00How do you telecommute when the “tele” is not working? <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgH94RZ4S5aYSyTrRnsmOCcRe18_DJK-R2L0Y6D9gsbNH4L_aXQT6WrnHiMwbUFrFEz2xk7osl7rmhGx2ymTZN1SdMVU9vEbQobjLDBVo1jVE8oIdOGcvxbxrCe4gszSrFjS6CkyITXcn7b/s1600/Frustrated+Woman+computer.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgH94RZ4S5aYSyTrRnsmOCcRe18_DJK-R2L0Y6D9gsbNH4L_aXQT6WrnHiMwbUFrFEz2xk7osl7rmhGx2ymTZN1SdMVU9vEbQobjLDBVo1jVE8oIdOGcvxbxrCe4gszSrFjS6CkyITXcn7b/s1600/Frustrated+Woman+computer.jpg" height="268" width="320" /></a></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
I found myself in a bit of a dilemma yesterday when my
&#%$ cable/internet/phone went out right in the middle of a phone call with
a client. With a large deadline looming, I was in a panic. It seems that every
time I do have a problem with my internet, it happens during a big deadline.
</div>
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<br /></div>
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What to do…</div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
I refer to my neighborhood Starbucks my “branch office.” The
branch office comes in handy when doing writing or website jobs. Unfortunately,
for this job I need all of my old files in order to do the work. Starting with
old ads, changing expiration dates or making other alterations, is part of what
I do. In this case, I need to have all of my files handy.</div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
This is where the cloud comes in handy. Too bad I haven’t
quite made the commitment for a cloud company. I wrote some web content about
the various cloud companies and it did more to <i>cloud</i><span style="font-style: normal;"> the issue for me. Pricing, storage space and ease of
use are all considerations and I have not yet made a commitment. Lucky for me,
things have been so busy lately, there has not been a lot of time to think
about it. </span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
But, the time is now. Putting off the decision will result
in more stress. Who needs that? A decision will be made, and soon.</div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Like most graphic artists, I am not a fan of doing graphics
on a laptop. The screen on mine is so small that it becomes frustrating, even
if I connect a mouse to do some of the finer Photoshop movements. But when push
comes to shove, a laptop will have to do.</div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
My desktop computer is a Mac Mini. Those things are amazing.
One time the power went out during a bad storm and I just unplugged my computer
and power cord, and took them to someone’s house. By simply unplugging their
computer, I attached my Mac Mini to their monitor, keyboard and mouse. Then I
was good to go. My old files were on CDs in a binder that was easy enough to
carry along. Using other person’s wifi allowed me to finish my job without
moving any heavy equipment. It was relatively stress free.</div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
A digital fax service, in my opinion, is much more useful
than an actual machine when switching from laptop to computer to another
location, etc. Many times I avoid printing anything (saving toner/ink and
paper) by just looking at the fax on my screen.</div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Lucky for me, the internet was fixed back before I even
figured out what to do. </div>
Snakecharmed_girlhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09408545248770671663noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2769121682184665339.post-50570961712934223972014-10-02T12:47:00.000-07:002014-10-02T12:57:09.383-07:00Dealing with the computer illiterate <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjFyIn752pvavVB5oM0l3trFlvNpOokdelxTKuCXpnPQPkNptHV4dx2G7s8LIFiPUGYwdwX1CsFmVN6QcJKTSfYCXiD-m7gqr4pi_dxSbq7R8YCg0y0WSowUX1X9zrzvda0lioBwdJYU5M5/s1600/digital-city-1282551-m.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjFyIn752pvavVB5oM0l3trFlvNpOokdelxTKuCXpnPQPkNptHV4dx2G7s8LIFiPUGYwdwX1CsFmVN6QcJKTSfYCXiD-m7gqr4pi_dxSbq7R8YCg0y0WSowUX1X9zrzvda0lioBwdJYU5M5/s1600/digital-city-1282551-m.jpg" /></a></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="tab-stops: 9.0pt;">
Yesterday I had a meeting with a
prospective client about setting up a website. He is a very nice man, but
really had no idea what a website does or why he should have one. He never
thought about it before because he doesn’t really use a computer.
</div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="tab-stops: 9.0pt;">
I see less and less of this type of
person. Most people, even many of my relatives over the age of 80, at least use
email and Facebook. Not this guy.</div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="tab-stops: 9.0pt;">
It was difficult explaining things
to this man because I had to define the terms I was using as I went along. That
often got me sidetracked. The man wants to sell something on his website that
he makes by hand. He said he’d rather be working with his hands than using a
computer. Obviously.</div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="tab-stops: 9.0pt;">
My explanations included how a
search engine works and what it does, what Etsy.com is, Facebook, web hosting, domain name, etc. The poor
man’s eyes glazed over when I talked about setting up a PayPal account so he
can sell his products online. Of course, I had to explain what PayPal is and
how it works. “How would I get the money?” he asked <i>after</i><span style="font-style: normal;"> a 10 minute explanation. I had to start from the
beginning again.</span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="tab-stops: 9.0pt;">
Luckily, I am very patient. Years
ago, I taught word processing in adult education. It was the same situation.
The idea of switching from typing on paper to on the computer screen is
confusing at first. I explained everything to this man as thoroughly as I
could. I’m sure everything I said to him was a confused jumble in his mind when
he left. </div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="tab-stops: 9.0pt;">
As a result of the conversation with
this man, I have decided to write out some definitions/explanations to hand to
people when I get together with them. It is my responsibility to explain what I
do and all of the terms involved to a prospective client. I can either email
(if they have email) or hand a prospective client the paper so when they go
home and discuss it with people, they will have a better idea of what I do.</div>
Snakecharmed_girlhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09408545248770671663noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2769121682184665339.post-83077613895370599832014-09-30T19:19:00.000-07:002014-09-30T19:19:09.982-07:00Perspectives<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgH_RPIjDs6FvbZJ1yA4Zho5SbbbwWNeq6ytFkCPX-CI6C4uyKrG8FdtjJcLWpSPaXnkC7Bq2hFvfK2___W7hEpXy3cSmG0cNtP6fxoQLLYSRZiyWfQFDbqv2srWfwCOEkdECBy4tGi88PB/s1600/IMG_126811111111.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgH_RPIjDs6FvbZJ1yA4Zho5SbbbwWNeq6ytFkCPX-CI6C4uyKrG8FdtjJcLWpSPaXnkC7Bq2hFvfK2___W7hEpXy3cSmG0cNtP6fxoQLLYSRZiyWfQFDbqv2srWfwCOEkdECBy4tGi88PB/s1600/IMG_126811111111.JPG" height="320" width="240" /></a></div>
This is way off topic, but I want to share...
<br />
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Today I visited a Baltimore City civil trial involving
someone suing a bar after a family member was beaten to death back in 2010. I
have nothing to do with the case except knowing an attorney who is involved,
but since I love reading crime novels and watching cop shows I thought it might
be interesting.</div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
The man responsible for the beating death is already in
prison, but shuffled into the courtroom donning a Department of
Corrections jumpsuit, leg irons and elaborate handcuffs. It was quite a show
taking all of the shackles off the prisoner during his courtroom appearance. </div>
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<br /></div>
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I
avoided eye contact. However, considering there were only a handful of people
in the gallery and I was only one of two people who were not witnesses, it was
difficult not to lock eyes with him every now and then. Thankfully, he was not
facing me during the session.</div>
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<br /></div>
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He had an opportunity, representing himself, to ask
questions of any of the witnesses because he is also a part of the lawsuit. He
only asked a question of one witness, the bartender, but I’ll get to her in a
minute.</div>
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<br /></div>
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The testimony was so dry at times that all six jurors and
two alternates were having trouble keeping their eyes open. One alternate was
obviously nodding off through most of the testimony. I hope they don’t end up
needing him. One juror seemed very interested in every word, but even he was
having trouble staying awake.</div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
It was not until the bartender, who didn’t call 911 when the
fight broke out, gave her rather bland answers that people started to perk up.
It was her outfit rather than her testimony that woke up the group. She
appeared in court dressed more for clubbing than testifying. Her skin tight
leggings left little to the imagination. Her constant hair flipping and
fidgeting were also a distraction from her words.</div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Is there really a price for your pain and suffering? The
family of the victim was offered a pretty large amount of cash, but turned it
down hoping for a bigger payday by going to court. It seems to me that the
lawyers make out better than the victims in lawsuits.</div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
As we left the building when court was adjourned for the
day, we were stopped in the hallway for our own safety as prisoners were being
loaded into or out of a couple vans. Once again I avoided eye contact. I have
no idea why. They were shackled and there appeared to be at least one guard per
prisoner. But it was still a creepy experience.</div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
There were two times in my life I came close to testifying
in animal related court cases. Once I was an expert witness in a case about a
house full of reptiles that exploded. I was hired to talk about the values of
the animals involved. The case was dismissed and that was the end of it. Lucky
me, I was paid handsomely for the few hours of work I did.</div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Another time when I was running an animal rescue, I took in
a bunch of animals confiscated in a cruelty case. Again, I never made it to the
witness stand. I’m glad about that because I was a nervous wreck just thinking
about it.</div>
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<br /></div>
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Today as I left the courthouse, I felt an overwhelming sense
of relief even though I was not involved in the case. I think it was
instinctual. The bumper to bumper ride up the JFX was as welcome as the fresh
air of freedom.</div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
If you are ever considering committing a crime, I recommend
visiting a courthouse, even if it is a civil case. That will definitely get you
on the road to being a good citizen.
</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
Snakecharmed_girlhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09408545248770671663noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2769121682184665339.post-88571296033717893052014-07-25T13:33:00.001-07:002014-07-25T13:38:55.852-07:00We need more brains! <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiU4ms2HoG-aCZzydR-URXFSFxi7UvNZjZil7UTr7IJoqabm91YUr0kmTRpYZkYkpwgy2F7Hp7SVQOtmm6qUZZZ93Szx3gg89iNoAsppW39GWiNQOloS4wktIDUn4oVPTVMlGU1SiTNLhc7/s1600/shiny-brain-1254880-m.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiU4ms2HoG-aCZzydR-URXFSFxi7UvNZjZil7UTr7IJoqabm91YUr0kmTRpYZkYkpwgy2F7Hp7SVQOtmm6qUZZZ93Szx3gg89iNoAsppW39GWiNQOloS4wktIDUn4oVPTVMlGU1SiTNLhc7/s1600/shiny-brain-1254880-m.jpg" /></a></div>
No, this is not a post about zombies. Sorry if you thought
that!<br />
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
Have you ever had a great idea, but after pondering it for a
little while, you are not quite sure if it will fly or not? It happens to me
all of the time. I get all excited about some business or plan and then once I
think about it for a day or two, I lose my momentum. Instead of letting great
ideas fall by the wayside, why not bounce ideas off of another person and see
what they think about it?</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Brainstorming sessions are valuable in business. If you have
someone you can trust with your secret business ideas, ask to have lunch,
dinner or even coffee with them. Let them hear your idea and come up with ways
it might work, or reasons why it won’t. Either way, you should take advantage
of this significant resource.</div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
The name <a href="http://www.socialsquids.com/" target="_blank">Social Squids</a>, came from such a meeting. My friend
and I got together for coffee and I told her that I needed to come up with a
name. She’s an illustrator, very talented and creative in her own right. </div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
The starting point was the fact that I like animals, so we
decided the name would have something animal-related in it. We brainstormed
great name ideas, terrible ones, silly ones and eventually one of us – I’m not
even sure which one of us it was – came up with Social Squids.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
I kept doing this thing with my hands, wiggling my fingers
and moving my arms outward. I was thinking about how social media reaches out
into cyberspace. Not only did we come up with the name, we came up with the tag
line too – <i>We have far-reaching tentacles.</i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Paying someone for their opinion has its value, but
brainstorming with one, two or a small group of people, will help you find
problems, solutions, more in-depth ideas or sometimes cheer you on for your amazing
business proposition.</div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
So, find more brains. Bounce ideas off of your friends in
the business community. Sometimes these ideas might seem impossible, but give
it a try anyway. It can be an incredibly valuable tool for your business. Just
be careful you share your ideas with people you trust and who are not going to
take your idea and use it for their own.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
Snakecharmed_girlhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09408545248770671663noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2769121682184665339.post-4215049109457440932014-04-10T08:08:00.000-07:002014-04-10T08:08:43.134-07:00Is your web contest too complicated?<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjbizMGwNCcHOnf_ZwGH9BJY4_hjRrSUtXzMTTd9F5C_QzVa3H3igR-wn51CmDnRuJfnStpb1lUDgDR9gts7UCswD_SvUZYCAMfNsHaUXNepmjEo__GC3txCBXH5vOMaKLwAWVAZ6MQ3-a3/s1600/frustrated-443789-m.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjbizMGwNCcHOnf_ZwGH9BJY4_hjRrSUtXzMTTd9F5C_QzVa3H3igR-wn51CmDnRuJfnStpb1lUDgDR9gts7UCswD_SvUZYCAMfNsHaUXNepmjEo__GC3txCBXH5vOMaKLwAWVAZ6MQ3-a3/s1600/frustrated-443789-m.jpg" /></a></div>
<br />
I received an email from a company the other day about their
upcoming contest. I’m going to show the actual steps you need to take to enter
the contest, but also change any identifying information.
<br />
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
1. From DATES OF CONTEST visit our COMPANY Facebook, Twitter
or Instagram accounts to gather a daily clue</div>
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2. Use your clue to find the hidden ITEM on our website</div>
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3. Click the ITEM to receive the secret words</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
4. Collect the words of the day for all 5 days to create the
winning phrase</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
5. Enter your submission on our website between DATES OF
CONTEST for your chance to win 1 of 10 prizes!</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
I don’t know about you, but by the time I got to step three,
my eyes glazed over and that was the end. I understand that this contest was
developed to get people to engage in the company’s website and social media
sites, however, most people are not going to spend that much time trying to win
something. Maybe if the prize was a couple million bucks, people might do it.
But this was for a basket of products that are worth a few hundred dollars at
best.</div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Many companies use the “find the hidden item” idea on their
website in order to get people to look at the entire site. That’s a great idea
in itself, but adding all of the other rules of this particular contest makes
it a little too complex for the average person. You would have to be totally
devoted to the product in order to do this. And those people are already
customers!</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
People may click on the first link and then lose interest.
Once you complete all of the steps, you still only have a small chance of
winning. Website visitors might find this scavenger hunt frustrating. That is
not an emotion you want prospective customers to feel.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Sure – have a contest! That is a fantastic way to get people
fascinated with your site and products. Intriguing people is the name of the
game for online sales. But, when designing the contest, try to engage without
annoying your page viewers.</div>
Snakecharmed_girlhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09408545248770671663noreply@blogger.com0Baltimore, MD, USA39.2903848 -76.61218930000001139.0937408 -76.9349128 39.4870288 -76.289465800000016tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2769121682184665339.post-11434859144591320282014-04-06T06:52:00.002-07:002014-04-06T07:17:22.334-07:00Why my dog is named George Karl <br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhGnV6Iup-YorZq625DhlZXJp5XXvxaoqt8F1cUsKq-G-2fU3inVao0qcNDP36gvdUM2Ctk-E_bt76nvkjBlCeNTi5FWSBeVy3YcVqe7G_oHi_kVQEguHQ_m6gD9MjrDSJi6VsTZdPQCpRA/s1600/photo-64.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhGnV6Iup-YorZq625DhlZXJp5XXvxaoqt8F1cUsKq-G-2fU3inVao0qcNDP36gvdUM2Ctk-E_bt76nvkjBlCeNTi5FWSBeVy3YcVqe7G_oHi_kVQEguHQ_m6gD9MjrDSJi6VsTZdPQCpRA/s1600/photo-64.JPG" height="320" width="239" /></a></div>
Going way off topic for this blog, but since it has been on my
mind I decided to share.<br />
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I lost my retired racing greyhound, Andy Warhol, to cancer
in early February. It was sudden and shocking, and I'm still trying to get over
it. </div>
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I started to foster a new dog and my life got turned on its
ear. He is mischievous, curious and wants to lift his leg all over the place.
To add to the confusion, the poor animal has been walking around with no name
for over a month now. He will respond to Dog or Doggie, because he's been called that for so long. He came with the name Coji Love. I have had four other
greyhounds and I do not like to keep their racing names. It seems like he has a
new life, he should have a new name. Finally inspiration intervened.</div>
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For the past month every time people visited my house,
they came up with 10-20 different name ideas. I even tried an online survey
where over 60 people voted and still was not satisfied. Most of the name
suggestions were pretty good, but I couldn't find the one that sold me. </div>
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While watching the Washington Wizards game on TV the other
night, a name popped into my head. And that name was George Karl.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi5jxHukntCE3ZsNo_t2Yv6rz_EH1tYYV11_lxbBRVoIUNnGgs0RN0WT9QuouUO4Zj-7A5xDFqlKK9PQbvuPlpFvENtQxKHqp733kuLKozavFytGba62cxwbStoNKGVtLt0Yj8yqbNqyisB/s1600/human+george+karl.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi5jxHukntCE3ZsNo_t2Yv6rz_EH1tYYV11_lxbBRVoIUNnGgs0RN0WT9QuouUO4Zj-7A5xDFqlKK9PQbvuPlpFvENtQxKHqp733kuLKozavFytGba62cxwbStoNKGVtLt0Yj8yqbNqyisB/s1600/human+george+karl.jpg" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhivBSgkSXCTUJQuAmRZf-l2krsmsXDPjrLWHsgRMphVyDD2FxxI1-mfiNQwfN7Arcs1joT0G7FdDZW9B-msP-ZEA6Hrf92wcgVsueSbMsgurP07YYSj5RDBEmn3IeyrKRw1V3H2LAME0-y/s1600/mountain+dog.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"></a> </div>
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George Karl is an inspiration to everyone he knows and
millions he does not know. He battled cancer twice and won. He is a former NBA
player and coached five NBA teams in his career. Years ago, he coached Sean
Kemp when he was with the Seattle Supersonics leading them to the NBA finals. More
recently he led the Denver Nuggets and Carmelo Anthony. Last year, George Karl
won Coach of the Year with Denver, and yet they did not renew his contract. He
now works doing commentary on ESPN. It would be great to see him coaching again
some day.</div>
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While undergoing cancer treatment a few years ago, his girlfriend Carol, kept a
blog, that I read faithfully to follow his progress. <a href="https://www.mylifeline.org/georgekarl" target="_blank">The blog is still there to inspire others.</a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhivBSgkSXCTUJQuAmRZf-l2krsmsXDPjrLWHsgRMphVyDD2FxxI1-mfiNQwfN7Arcs1joT0G7FdDZW9B-msP-ZEA6Hrf92wcgVsueSbMsgurP07YYSj5RDBEmn3IeyrKRw1V3H2LAME0-y/s1600/mountain+dog.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhivBSgkSXCTUJQuAmRZf-l2krsmsXDPjrLWHsgRMphVyDD2FxxI1-mfiNQwfN7Arcs1joT0G7FdDZW9B-msP-ZEA6Hrf92wcgVsueSbMsgurP07YYSj5RDBEmn3IeyrKRw1V3H2LAME0-y/s1600/mountain+dog.JPG" height="320" width="240" /></a></div>
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Out of the four greyhounds I have owned, three have died of
cancer. My hope is that with a name like George Karl, cancer will be frightened
away from this guy.</div>
Snakecharmed_girlhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09408545248770671663noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2769121682184665339.post-89626021452699361542014-02-10T09:55:00.000-08:002014-02-10T09:55:01.370-08:00Common bonds and business growth<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-KY6eTwhRagbx2YZ9iGx3nF2F_qLpy278ECLYmqjBT5_ST7g60UPwfBAcUNI0Zsi_5BEUeJPyvpszFWeBlCPsAO1G_v4xa9CfwvuqJeEztFjuugDa8jeFGaiv03S0_YEv_nusrwyEWrmo/s1600/business-growth-1-1426746-m.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-KY6eTwhRagbx2YZ9iGx3nF2F_qLpy278ECLYmqjBT5_ST7g60UPwfBAcUNI0Zsi_5BEUeJPyvpszFWeBlCPsAO1G_v4xa9CfwvuqJeEztFjuugDa8jeFGaiv03S0_YEv_nusrwyEWrmo/s1600/business-growth-1-1426746-m.jpg" /></a></div>
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I met a prospective new client last week and we found out we
had a lot in common in our personal lives. That can make a deeper connection
with a client, better than simply making a sales pitch. And, she hired me on
the spot. That does not always happen.
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Finding a niche market might for your business could
incorporate discovering new business associates with common interests. As an entrepreneur, you
should always think about any social occasion as a networking occasion. Without
being “salesy” or pushy about it, you can talk about what your business does
with people anywhere at any time. You might find new avenues to marketing your
business.</div>
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Certainly, there are times when you walk in the door,
present your information and the client will either hire you or not. But when
making a deeper connection with the person, you feel more like friends and less
like business associates.</div>
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According to some business coaches, you need to make the
prospective client know and like you before they will hire you or buy your
products. Finding common ground is a great way to persuade them that you are
worth hiring.</div>
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Personally, I prefer to work with clients whom I like as
people. It is only natural to feel that way. I’m an animal lover, other animal
lovers make good clients for me because there is an understanding that goes
beneath the surface of the business relationship. </div>
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Does that mean you should never work with individuals or
companies that share nothing with you? Of course not, common ground just makes
the relationship easier. </div>
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I have many clients whom I have never met. We communicate
solely through email and I know nothing about their personal lives. I get along
with them just fine, however we do not share a deep connection. If they found a
better deal, they would probably drop me in a heartbeat. Not so for people with
whom I have a more personal connection.</div>
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Get to know a little bit more about your prospective clients
and you just might end up with more business. </div>
Snakecharmed_girlhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09408545248770671663noreply@blogger.com0Baltimore, MD, USA39.2903848 -76.61218930000001139.0937408 -76.9349128 39.4870288 -76.289465800000016tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2769121682184665339.post-25637431771342577112014-01-27T06:07:00.000-08:002014-01-27T06:07:46.491-08:00To trade or not to trade...<div class="MsoNormal">
I am currently trading services with a client and
considering doing it with another. Over the 26+ years of being in business, I
have had the opportunity to trade with a lot of people. It does not always work
out to be an even trade, and it doesn’t always end well.
</div>
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So, trade or no trade? </div>
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Personally, there have been things that I could not afford
that I really wanted. Every now and then, I found a situation where I could do
work in exchange for whatever it was. Sometimes my clients had the same issue.
They needed someone to write a newsletter or create a logo or for their
company, but didn’t have the money to pay for the service. Usually, these were
fledgling companies, like my own at the time.</div>
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Back when I first started my freelance business, I could
almost always work a trade to my advantage. I traded for veterinary services,
pet supplies, baseball tickets and plumbing work. Once I traded for maid
services for about a year. That was beautiful, except the woman was always
complaining that my house was dirty. Really? Isn’t that why you need a maid? I
admit, I definitely got the better end of that deal!</div>
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Once I traded typesetting work for restaurant gift
certificates. I used one gift certificate to take out a friend for her
birthday. I used another to take another friend out to dinner. In exchange, she
gave me a tv, a garden hose caddy and a tetanus! Yes, she was fully qualified
to administer a shot (I had no insurance at the time). Things were a lot
simpler back then. Ah, those were the days…</div>
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Not sure if trading organizations still exist, but I was a
member of a one in the early ‘90s. The problem was, the monthly fees were due
in cash and there was a cash charge for each transaction. I never did very well
within that organization. I had hoped to trade for a chain link fence, but that
didn’t work out for me. Direct trades worked better for me. The IRS says you
have to pay taxes on any income, including trades. You are supposed to declare
the value of the traded item.</div>
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Trading is a little different for me now. I rarely do it and
only do it when I really want or need something. You might considering trading
for your business, it can be a way to buy something when there is no cash
handy.</div>
Snakecharmed_girlhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09408545248770671663noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2769121682184665339.post-63035142358103935382013-12-17T13:44:00.000-08:002013-12-17T13:44:35.980-08:00Social media for business in 2014<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEizXfZRODy0TWYM5dFiEyuYgxMXghSeF2AdG9Eu2d-GU9geZoWW_7-OwvAsqJt6wDlPy8GB_Kwbj54QzT0F_uQAjFDrpmcWMBDNbTdhbp8x4FWODV7kOuzZ1bmjVtJ3FMR443bB9Wo-3t4O/s1600/jpg_double-cell-data-transfer-from-the-cloud-sunny.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEizXfZRODy0TWYM5dFiEyuYgxMXghSeF2AdG9Eu2d-GU9geZoWW_7-OwvAsqJt6wDlPy8GB_Kwbj54QzT0F_uQAjFDrpmcWMBDNbTdhbp8x4FWODV7kOuzZ1bmjVtJ3FMR443bB9Wo-3t4O/s320/jpg_double-cell-data-transfer-from-the-cloud-sunny.jpg" width="220" /></a></div>
One of the biggest changes in the past year in social media
has been advertising. Now there will be video ads on Facebook, ads and
sponsored tweets on Twitter and sponsored posts on Instagram. Many apps, like
ESPN, have added small banner ads across their pages.
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People, especially the 18-35 demographic, are using their
cell phones more and computers less. Ads are showing up everywhere in the
mobile realm.</div>
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Twitter, Facebook, LinkedIn, Pinterest and Instagram are
leading the pack for social media right now. Of course, that can change almost
overnight with social media. Because of the nature of the beast, things happen
in an instant.</div>
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To keep your business on the cutting edge of the social
media revolution, you need to be active. Whether or not you advertise on social
media sites is up to you, but you should get involved in some way if you are
going to keep up with your competitors.</div>
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What will happen in the coming months? No one really knows.
Little apps or sites that no one uses now, might just be the biggest thing
since Facebook. Social media users are fickle. </div>
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Check your Klout.com score. See how you stack up against
your competition. Get analytics for your website and see if your clients are
coming from social media sites and whether they are using computers or phones
to reach you. Look at your website on a mobile phone and see if it looks the
same as on your computer.</div>
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Let’s say goodbye to 2013 and welcome faster, more sleek
apps, social media and mobile sites in the coming year.</div>
Snakecharmed_girlhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09408545248770671663noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2769121682184665339.post-73420563022830132902013-09-23T09:03:00.000-07:002013-09-23T09:03:27.350-07:00Use images to your advantage <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhSEKoUQimLfBFcYQaMP7HuUDOrDO6fAKJQdzfj1jFedKoN-PM3Xj9r9nMZsAAuY_29r8unIJ6jNah-vCckHTpJoPVa59UwiUF9lYUWMMwURI9aiUUDlTqfJDD2noyLz6swdEB6Mr0AKbnM/s1600/social-media-news.gif" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhSEKoUQimLfBFcYQaMP7HuUDOrDO6fAKJQdzfj1jFedKoN-PM3Xj9r9nMZsAAuY_29r8unIJ6jNah-vCckHTpJoPVa59UwiUF9lYUWMMwURI9aiUUDlTqfJDD2noyLz6swdEB6Mr0AKbnM/s320/social-media-news.gif" width="320" /></a></div>
<span id="goog_1427366229"></span><span id="goog_1427366230"></span>In cyberspace, much like real life, image is everything. Do
you have your logo or a photo on all of your social media pages? The black
silhouette on LinkedIn or Facebook and the empty egg on Twitter give people the
impression that you are either new to the site or inactive.<br />
A professional studio photo is best, but really just having
some kind of image is better than nothing. Put your business logo if you do not
want to show your face. If you do not have a logo, use a <a href="http://networkingforgrowth.blogspot.com/2012/10/photo-sharing-fun.html#.UkBlDbyE6FE" target="_blank">photo</a>, illustration or
icon of something that relates to your business.<br />
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If you repair cars, you could have a photo of a car. A
chiropractor could show an image of a spine. Computer programmers can have an
image of a computer. You get the idea.</div>
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Let your clients and prospective clients see that you are an
active business and post on your page often. People love photos, videos and
infographics. Instead of posting a statement, add an image to pique the
interest of your audience. These images help to shape your brand. This is not
just for your Facebook page, your website should have images as well. </div>
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You have only a few seconds to get the attention of your
prospective client. Photos work really well to help grab people and keep them
on your page.</div>
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Do you have Google Analytics? <a href="http://networkingforgrowth.blogspot.com/2012/09/analyze-who-views-your-page.html#.UkBlTbyE6FE" target="_blank">I’ve talked about this before.</a>
If you do, check out your website’s bounce rate. That is when a person only
looks at your main page and “bounces” rather than looking at other pages on
your site. In print media, this is the equivalent of someone reading a front
page news story and then going to the page where it is continued. If they
“bounced,” they would only read what is on the front page.</div>
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Are you grabbing people’s attention? If you are, you will
have a low bounce rate. If not, you need to figure out what your prospective
clients want to see and give it to them. Add images that relate and add them
often to get the best response to your website, social media pages and blog.</div>
Snakecharmed_girlhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09408545248770671663noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2769121682184665339.post-56346997694867536132013-09-09T09:52:00.001-07:002013-09-09T09:52:47.158-07:00Making the most of trending topics<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhu_C5G-dRVcK62vz8tfZ4LxgCXPrCmzyhnlLE9Fw5UxbDz7mu8HhC3RX2C2EFGPn7W2Fk_83SRp3ZGh5SYQRzNObLS_J4RCjm5NlRHcWwJ4qbp7rzuzmVe_aLLJOL4qIhI2sLprvELdXMS/s1600/trending-topics.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="220" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhu_C5G-dRVcK62vz8tfZ4LxgCXPrCmzyhnlLE9Fw5UxbDz7mu8HhC3RX2C2EFGPn7W2Fk_83SRp3ZGh5SYQRzNObLS_J4RCjm5NlRHcWwJ4qbp7rzuzmVe_aLLJOL4qIhI2sLprvELdXMS/s320/trending-topics.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
If you have a Twitter, <a href="https://www.facebook.com/socialsquids" target="_blank">Facebook</a>, Instagram, Google+, Vine or other
social media page to help grow your business, you should take note of what is
trending. Try to connect something from the topics to your business. Many times
social media is trending. Everyone who has a social media account can relate to
that.<br />
<br />
Other times there are sports figures, politicians,
criminals, natural disasters or other current events trending. Anniversaries of
big news stories often make the list. <br />
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What are trending topics? These are the most popular topics
on social media right now. They change, usually many times per day. But the big
stories always are on the list. Search engines also list trending topics so you
can find them on <a href="http://www.bing.com/" target="_blank">Bing</a> or Google.</div>
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By using the hashtag (#) and a trending topic on <a href="http://www.twitter.com/snakecharmed" target="_blank">Twitter</a>,
your term becomes searchable. So, if wild fires are trending and you put
#wildfires in your post, people who search for that hashtag will find your
information. You need to stick to the topic for this to be effective. You can
send good wishes to people who are in danger of losing their homes from the
wildfires. If you have a product, say smoke detectors, that have a natural
connection with the trending topic it works best. You can use that to your
advantage and help funnel traffic to your social media pages and your website.</div>
<br />
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Make sure it is a natural fit. If you check trending topics
every day, you will find something every now and then that works with your
business. You cannot force the issue. It can backfire and result in people
making negative comments.</div>
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Keep posting on your social media pages. Make it a daily
habit. You will find that you gain new followers, likes and connections. </div>
Snakecharmed_girlhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09408545248770671663noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2769121682184665339.post-80341496256532182772013-08-12T08:44:00.001-07:002013-08-12T08:44:47.284-07:00Create content that gets attention <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiV7SPX2OT08mfo0xQnUK49qFeYFNfjOqAePDbbp9gwD3Nlwhk0YSrFexQtDvxPSG_zGhvAXAiNszdKhCYwq8jLMSHSevVQ8capBj0AQgwufRVWN_j-CFJFTJiHnqzcSpOW6z0NqVvHpxTJ/s1600/post+often+on+social+media.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="198" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiV7SPX2OT08mfo0xQnUK49qFeYFNfjOqAePDbbp9gwD3Nlwhk0YSrFexQtDvxPSG_zGhvAXAiNszdKhCYwq8jLMSHSevVQ8capBj0AQgwufRVWN_j-CFJFTJiHnqzcSpOW6z0NqVvHpxTJ/s320/post+often+on+social+media.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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One way to attract people to your business is to create
great content on your social media sites. Whether it is a silly meme or a
serious article, you need to do things that bring awareness to your brand. The
difficulty lies in making statements that get you noticed by your target
audience.
</div>
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Is it funny? People love looking at funny pictures and
anecdotes. There is plenty of funny material out there, just make sure that you
use something that is not copyright protected. There is nothing funny about
taking someone else’s work and using it as your own. Silly situations that are
highly unlikely or even impossible, make the viewer smile, which helps them to
like you. </div>
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Inspire your target market. Sometimes the post can be a
statement or blog that gives your audience something to ponder. Inspirational
quotes are popular ways to get attention. Maybe the quote hits home with someone
you know and want as a client.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Does your status update have the wow factor? If you post
information that some people find unbelievable, but yet is true, you can attract
a lot of attention. People, some of whom are potential clients, like to make comments
on and forward posts that contain impressive information.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Other posts pull at your heartstrings. Sad puppies than need
homes, veterans who are out of work or homeless people are issues that bring up
emotions in most people. Those deep feelings bring attention to your post.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
If your comments are not politically correct, you may end up
with the wrong kind of attention. You want to make people smile or think, not
incite a riot. Stay away from religion, politics and current events that are
highly polarized. You can certainly post that information on your personal
pages, but you do not want to alienate any group on your business pages.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
All in all, people respond to content that pertains to them.
If it is interesting, funny or emotional to your friends, connections,
followers or people who like you, the relationship is there. Try to correspond
with your audience as often as possible, daily if you can manage it.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
Snakecharmed_girlhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09408545248770671663noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2769121682184665339.post-89042421304229894402013-07-03T10:28:00.000-07:002013-07-03T10:40:21.463-07:00How do you know what social media is right for your business? <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhdbBXAXvc0CTn0zjYiBaKS_39RaYzOH2eQ5dWOiRYuK3t2WQHeGCC_8DVzGVISjfbtgIZs4Wg-uOpaQ7YYhE70EwY25fSGwbKx5raJCDwNUhx5WFJvuiJoyeyKHgeoQxgg0IRiNoeETm5e/s432/what-social-media-platform-should-I-use.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="160" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhdbBXAXvc0CTn0zjYiBaKS_39RaYzOH2eQ5dWOiRYuK3t2WQHeGCC_8DVzGVISjfbtgIZs4Wg-uOpaQ7YYhE70EwY25fSGwbKx5raJCDwNUhx5WFJvuiJoyeyKHgeoQxgg0IRiNoeETm5e/s320/what-social-media-platform-should-I-use.jpg" width="320" /></a></span></div>
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">It seems that every day a new social media platform arrives
on the scene. Trying to figure out which ones work best for your business can
be confusing. It does not matter whether your business is business-to-business
or business-to-consumer. Here are some clues to help with the decisions.
</span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">Everyone can benefit from the mass appeal of Facebook and
Twitter. There are so many people on these sites that you can use the shotgun
approach to finding business. That is when you send you message to so many
people, a percentage of them <i>must</i><span style="font-style: normal;"> be
interested. You Tube also has a wide appeal, but you have to have to create
interesting videos that people want to see.</span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">If your business can show before and after” photos like
home improvements, makeovers, dog grooming, etc., the more visually oriented
platforms will work great. Pinterest, Instagram, YouTube and Vine are excellent
ways to let the visuals do the talking. For businesses that are creative, like
illustrators, photographers and web designers, the visually oriented apps are
your best bet. Show off your work!</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">An accountant, lawyer or medical practice can benefit from
using blogs. A blog can be more targeted, especially if you use appropriate
bookmarking sites to spread the word. Blogs can have a mass appeal as well,
especially if you have a topic that is appropriate for a wide audience. By
offering tips, you let readers know you are an expert in your field. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">All social media helps you get your business name in front
of an audience every time you post. Conversely, if you only post occasionally,
you are losing that audience. By using the right social media platforms, you
will become a household name. Once that happens, people will begin to think of
your business when they need to hire someone in your field or make a purchase.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
Snakecharmed_girlhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09408545248770671663noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2769121682184665339.post-73799663591945835292013-06-11T05:47:00.000-07:002013-06-11T05:47:52.621-07:0011 ways to make the most of QR codes<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZiZ4IZz64VUmSUv0G08sasZaQz-PhmrrxHh3RcnqCW_8cJZEN5sv2sKGyR5DUJPgs2iiJt-2HMnvaLP-BIMR8HsGiVjc-TLpLqtNIu4pmogeMqiiLaRyW1KsRLv7UQpsYrPu1p1G4o6JC/s1600/QR+code+business+facebook+pageso.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZiZ4IZz64VUmSUv0G08sasZaQz-PhmrrxHh3RcnqCW_8cJZEN5sv2sKGyR5DUJPgs2iiJt-2HMnvaLP-BIMR8HsGiVjc-TLpLqtNIu4pmogeMqiiLaRyW1KsRLv7UQpsYrPu1p1G4o6JC/s200/QR+code+business+facebook+pageso.png" width="200" /></a></div>
<br />
QR codes are popping up in all sorts of places. These weird,
little, square symbols are the new way to take smart phone users to any web
page. How can you use QR codes to help with marketing your business? Here is a
list of ways you can make these scannable codes work for you.
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Signage: There is only so much space on a sign. QR codes are
found on large posters or signs in bus shelters, in bathroom stalls, on public
transportation, schools, sporting events or other places where people walk
past. Get more traffic by adding a QR code to your sign.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Advertising: Magazine and newspaper ads are using QR codes
more and more to encourage people to go to the website of the business to get
special offers and company information.<br style="mso-special-character: line-break;" />
<br style="mso-special-character: line-break;" />
</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Borchures and flyers: Brochures and flyers can be found on
retail counters, left under windshields, in doctor’s offices or handed to
people. A QR code can give much more information or take potential clients to a
video or slide show.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="tab-stops: 98.0pt;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="tab-stops: 98.0pt;">
Packaging: This is a great way to
go from someone purchasing your product to someone learning more about the
business that produces the product. Get people to go from purchaser to devoted
fan.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="tab-stops: 98.0pt;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="tab-stops: 98.0pt;">
Name tags at events: Scan in
business information about a person on the spot.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Business cards: There is barely any room to write much of a
message on a business card. A QR code will let people read the whole company
mission.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Real estate for sale signs: As potential buyers see a house
for sale, they can stop and scan your QR code, which can take them to a virtual
tour or lots of pictures of the interior before they decide to call the agent
about the house.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Subscription links: If you have a brochure, sign or flyer
and want people to sign up to be on your mailing list. A QR code will quickly
get them to the right page.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
On an interactive map: A map of an area can add QR codes for
readers to get details about interesting landmarks.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
On giveaway marketing materials: Key chains, refrigerator
magnets, nail files and even pens have little space for more than a logo.
Adding a QR code will take them to your site to see details about your
business.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
RSVP on invitations: Make it easier for people to let you
know whether or not they will attend your event with a QR code for yes and
another for no.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<a href="mailto:socialsquids@comcast.net" target="_blank">I need a QR code for my business</a> if you need a QR code for your business. </div>
Snakecharmed_girlhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09408545248770671663noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2769121682184665339.post-34906582447021933412013-05-28T12:14:00.001-07:002013-05-28T12:14:30.476-07:00Find your way with Waze<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiuaImWBnvvL7SAfPyRNkuHjUXRsGbBhcVUT1Mn9TgLp5GHar1zvEn6fORrVQe2XiFzBGGrlePs9Ab9xcLTizb6hBX6Sz77ulN_2_QLZrEbVw4YXwrtFsYFWkYlz54NhnPSpkalru9STEVW/s1600/new-traffic-and-gps-app.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiuaImWBnvvL7SAfPyRNkuHjUXRsGbBhcVUT1Mn9TgLp5GHar1zvEn6fORrVQe2XiFzBGGrlePs9Ab9xcLTizb6hBX6Sz77ulN_2_QLZrEbVw4YXwrtFsYFWkYlz54NhnPSpkalru9STEVW/s320/new-traffic-and-gps-app.jpg" width="269" /></a></div>
<br />
You could use a GPS to find your way, but one of the hottest
cell phone apps is using the latest technology to combine a GPS and social
media. <a href="http://www.waze.com/" target="_blank">Waze</a> is one of the hottest apps on the social media scene today. One
small aspect of Waze is a GPS, but it has much more to offer its users. And Waze is free.<br />
<br />
No one wants to encourage people to text or enter
information into their phone while driving. That being said, there are many
ways to get great travel information from this app while on the road.
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
After logging into the app, which tracks your journey, you
can find gas stations, parking lots, ATMs, convenience stores, coffee, food,
pharmacies, attractions, hotels and even hospitals and police stations.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Once you have logged into the app, you can not only find
things, but enter them as well. Let people know the current price of the gas at
any station you visit. Tell others about accidents, road closures, heavy
traffic or dead animals on the road. If someone you know needs a ride, they can
enter their location in their phone and you can map a route to pick go get
them.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
The more you use the app, the more points you accumulate. However,
points seem to be meaningless for any practical purpose. Once you get to 100
points, you can tell others what mood you are feeling. Similar bonuses are
available as you gather more points. You can see who has the most points among
your friends.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Other Waze users are visible on the map as you drive. The
only drawback to this program is for people with limited data plans for their cell
phones. You will be using your data time as you use the app. If you avoid being
charged with data time when you are not traveling, you can simply switch it
off. Turn it on when you need it and always remember to turn it off when you
are finished.</div>
Snakecharmed_girlhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09408545248770671663noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2769121682184665339.post-54383665618340940382013-03-28T12:17:00.000-07:002013-03-28T12:17:11.553-07:00The new look of Pinterest <div class="MsoNormal">
If you are unfamiliar with Pinterest, this is a social media
platform for photos. Imagine a room full of bulletin boards. You see a photo
that you find interesting and you pin it to one of the boards. That is the focus
of Pinterest.
</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
That is all well and good, but you probably want to know how
can it help you grow your business. If you embed your web address in the photo
using photo editing software, such as Photoshop or Picasa, your website will be
on that photo forever. If people repin your photo, or post it to their own
Pinterest page, your message will go along with the photo. You can also simply
type a message with your web address in the comment section that goes under the
photo. If someone repins the photo, they have the option of typing their own
comment and your comment will be gone.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
You can show what your business does and then pin that photo
to your board. If the comment has a call to action, a person may be prompted to
email or call your business. Of course, some businesses lend themselves to this
visual medium. Others do not. People in the fashion industry, a retail
business, real estate agent, etc. would do well with a Pinterest page for their
business. Other businesses may not benefit as much from an account. If you can
show before and after pictures of a service you provide, Pinterest would work
well.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Most people use Pinterest for fun and not for business
reasons, which is why getting your brand and message across is a bonus. If you
can post non-blurry photos that are clever, funny, awe inspiring or amazing,
you can attract people to your boards. Not all of your boards have to be
business related.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
When I was little and my brother and I would fight, he would
often slap me up high and punch me in the stomach and say, “While you are
looking up here (slap!), I’ll get you down here (punch!). He is five years
younger, so I guess it was acceptable back then! My point is that while you
have people looking at your pretty photos, you can sneak the punch in with your
brand and message.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
The new look of Pinterest was made to be more user-friendly.
It was purposely made to look much different than Facebook, according to CEO
Ben Silbermann.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Cover photos are now larger to help get your statement
across. When you view the boards, you see the cover photo and four smaller
photos of pictures within that board. The profile information is now across the
top of the page instead of along the side. The profile photo itself is much
larger. On the right side, you can see the latest people to repin any of your
pins.</div>
Snakecharmed_girlhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09408545248770671663noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2769121682184665339.post-12181035218680494332013-02-20T13:48:00.001-08:002013-02-20T13:48:34.860-08:00Where will social media show up next?Today I attended a funeral and was told that I could have
stayed at home and watched live streaming video instead. I turned around and
looked. Sure enough, mounted up high on the back wall was a video camera. There
really is no privacy any more. You can now attend some funerals from home or
anywhere you can grab some wifi.
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
I am not sure if I am comfortable with that or not, but it
does really show that all sorts of businesses are on the “live streaming video”
bandwagon. Maybe caskets will someday be covered with advertising like race
cars so people viewing will see their logos. How far will it go? No one knows
for sure.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Some religious services are also streamed live. Not feeling
well? No worries. You can attend services via the internet while sitting at
home in your jammies.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
If you can stream an event, people will watch, if you get
the word out. You can stream events through several sites including You Tube,
Livestream and Ustream. Google+ has hangouts, where multiple people can chat
live via webcam and millions more can watch. Using this technology can, not
only help grow your business, but actually change the way we all do business.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
I can remember way, way back when I was in college. A
professor told my class about how we would one day have a card, similar to a
credit card, that would allow people to travel with no cash. Money would come
right out of a person’s checking account. Every business would accept them. Of
course, we know that debit cards exist now. But back in the day, that sounded
crazy.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Online coupons that are scanned from cell phones at the cash
register are already available. PayPal and credit card companies offer gadgets
that connect to a cell phone. The business owner can simply swipe a credit card
through the gadget. The client signs the phone with their finger to make a
charge or payment. Can you imagine what might come next? </div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
I talked to a friend the other day about business cards. He
predicts there will be a business card where the image changes and maybe even
has video. How far are we from that? There are already animated picture frames,
why <i>not</i><span style="font-style: normal;"> a business card?</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Even though social media is my business, I am hearing about
new apps and sites every day. Some are great, some not so much. But the technology
is changing daily. To stay on top of things with your business, you need to
change with the technology and not fight against it.</div>
Snakecharmed_girlhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09408545248770671663noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2769121682184665339.post-38740317666408274182013-02-13T09:31:00.001-08:002013-02-13T09:31:56.464-08:00Swinging out on Vine<style> </style><br />
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<br />
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">
</span></span><div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">At first I was apprehensive. Isn’t that the way with every
new social media? I want to try it, but it’s different. Along with most people,
I am not so good with change. And social media is constantly changing!
</span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">So, what is Vine, anyway? Think of Instagram with a 6-second
video. In fact that’s what Twitter is calling it and they are the company who
released it. It’s a video sharing app, but here’s the fun part… the videos are
only a few seconds long and they are a continuous loop. </span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><a href="http://vine.co/v/bve0ePgeiOL" target="_blank">Here's a link to a Vine video.</a> </span></span></div>
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">
</span></span><div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">All you have to do to take the video is hold your finger
down. Let go, reposition things, hold your finger again. You can take a
continuous video, or start and stop several times. It is user-friendly, which
makes it more fun and bound to be a huge hit.</span></span></div>
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">
</span></span><div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">How can you grow your business with Vine? I don’t mean to
put down consumers, especially since we are all consumers, but the majority of people
have the attention span of a gnat these days. A 6-second video is just what is
needed to get a quick point across to the consumer. </span></span></div>
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">
</span></span><div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">Do you have an amazing product? Show it! Take one second
from far away, get a little closer for a second or two, keep moving forward and
adding to the video until you are close to the product. There’s your video. </span></span></div>
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">
</span></span><div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">Do you clean houses? Show a messy room for a second, a
person dusting for a second, vacuuming for a second, etc. In the end, you show
the clean room.</span></span></div>
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">
</span></span><div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">Have a clothing store? Show someone trying on clothes. Make
it like a time lapse series. A person wearing one outfit, then another and
another. There is your video.</span></span></div>
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">
</span></span><div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">Teaching your dog to sit? Same thing. Show it!</span></span></div>
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">
</span></span><div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">Once you create your video, you can share it on Vine,
Twitter and/or Facebook. You can “like” and make comments on other people’s
videos as well. </span></span></div>
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">
</span></span><div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">They are organized by hashtag (#), which categorizes the
videos. Be sure to add a description and hashtag when posting your videos.</span></span></div>
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">
</span></span><div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">There is a bit of bad news for anyone without an iphone or
ipod touch. It is not available for other formats just yet.</span></span></div>
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">
</span></span>Snakecharmed_girlhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09408545248770671663noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2769121682184665339.post-56602201791652347042013-01-21T13:08:00.001-08:002013-01-21T13:09:28.836-08:00Instagram, the inauguration and growing your business <br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhESAMOyZQRIurjfzMlDXSgJwftS_dFibl595S19xpJSFTV-5j101IVqD3tAjaLmuKiccCFfjKGYz-7XaJx_QEESOhrpPKm2yjxtzRvJ-LHvB95rjci8AxmqhKIcezAzCHUCaEXM05ElXWf/s1600/make+the+most+of+instagram.gif" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhESAMOyZQRIurjfzMlDXSgJwftS_dFibl595S19xpJSFTV-5j101IVqD3tAjaLmuKiccCFfjKGYz-7XaJx_QEESOhrpPKm2yjxtzRvJ-LHvB95rjci8AxmqhKIcezAzCHUCaEXM05ElXWf/s1600/make+the+most+of+instagram.gif" /></a></div>
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While those of us in Baltimore are still celebrating last
night’s <a href="http://www.baltimoreravens.com/index.html" target="_blank">Ravens</a> win, the rest of the country is getting watching the
inauguration and enjoying MLK Day. According to CNN, this will be the biggest
event in the history of Instagram. Never before have so many people been able
to use their cell phones to send messages out to the while world.
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As photo sharing programs grow in popularity, you too can
take advantage of this media to share photos of your business. Millions of
people are out there waiting to see your images. Make them interesting and
engaging and you will surely succeed.</div>
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How do you accomplish that? One way is to add a comment that
is a call to action. Pose a question that you hope will elicit responses. Put a
photo of a product you sell and ask people about it. Try to make your photos
interesting and not just a picture of an item with a plain background. Have
someone hold it, shoot it from a bit of an angle, do something to make the
photo come to life. </div>
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Blurry photos are never good. No matter what filters you add
or what program you use, it will still be blurry. Take a little time to get it
right.</div>
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A funny or amusing photo will often get people to comment or
share the picture. Adorable animal photos are extremely popular as are funny
baby pictures. Photo bombing pictures, where a person or animal seems to have
popped up out of nowhere taking over the photo, are always a favorite. <br />
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If you are well-versed in Photoshop, it can make all the difference in the
world. Using filters, special effects and cropping will enhance the picture. Effective
use of Photoshop to add a humorous element to the photo will add a little magic
to your image.</div>
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So on this inauguration day, think about ways you can engage
and entertain your own audience with the passion that this day holds for
Americans.</div>
Snakecharmed_girlhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09408545248770671663noreply@blogger.com0