Tuesday, October 31, 2006
Keyword selection: Choosing the right words
Selecting the right keywords can help give a website a huge boost in visitor traffic. Webmasters who choose the wrong keywords to target often end up with less than desired numbers of visitors. Lower visitor numbers will mean lower overall sales. Fewer total prospects means a lower level of potential customers for the products and services on offer at the site.
Spending some time, effort, and even a bit of money to find the right keywords, will pay off in the long run. Focussing on the best keywords for the site, and improving the site’s ranking in the search engines, will create much larger numbers of visitors. Website owners should always be aware of what searches are finding their web pages.
Employing several strategies in combination, will ensure that the correct keywords for the website, receive the most attention. There are several techniques to determine the most appropriate traffic building keywords for a site. Utilizing as many available keyword tools and methods as possible, will enhance the probability of focussing on the heaviest traffic builders. Instead of spending time on keywords that add few visitors, maximum effort can be put into the keywords that work.
Emphasising the right keywords for your website might be the most important factor in developing a strong traffic flow to your web pages. Gaining visitor traffic from the major search engines is entirely dependent upon your keyword selections. After all, that’s why people use search engines in the first place.
Search engine users are trying to locate sites that provide products or information on their chosen search terms. To get those internet searchers to find your site, you need to include keywords that are part of their searches.
A good place to begin a keyword selection program is by employing such keyword search tools as Wordtracker and Yahoo Overture. By establishing the most sought after keywords, a website owner can be certain that searches are actually conducted for those terms. Being ranked number one for a term that receives no search volume will definitely not translate into any visitor traffic.
After you have determined the major keyword phrases for your site as quantified by the major search tools, it's time for some low tech keyword phrase discovery. Start by writing down every keyword phrase that you think is related to your business and industry. Don't bother editing it as you write. There will be lots of time for shortening the list later.
The next step is to ask your staff, your clients, and even your family how they would find a business offering a product or service similar to that of your company. Add their phrases to your list as well. You might find some duplication. That's a good thing as it shows the importance of those search terms. Real world searchers often look for the unexpected too. Take those offbeat searches into consideration.
Now you are ready to write your onpage information copy, add your site title tags, and develop your site. You can start out your online business with the confidence that you are targeting the search terms that will provide several benefits. Your site will rank highly in the search engines for those terms. You will also rank well for terms you never dreamed of considering as a direct result of your keyword phrase discovery efforts.
The searchers finding your site through Google will represent real customers who are actively seeking your products and services. After all, a number one ranking has no value if it brings in no paying customers.
Selecting and emphasising the right keywords pays off in the end.
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Monday, October 30, 2006
Book marketing: Free book download offered
Book authors, whether fiction or non-fiction writers, are always seeking new and innovative techniques for marketing their last works. Romance novel writer Jill Terry (photo left) of Wordsmith Extraordinaire is certainly no exception. Seeking new marketing methods for her novels, Jill is offering her latest novel Exposed by free pdf download from the internet.
Jill Terry tells her reasons for the free book download this way:
I’m very excited to announce that my latest novel, Exposed, is now available for free download, to anyone who would like a copy. No catches or gimmicks, just click the link provided below then sit back and enjoy the ride! At 59,000 words, Exposed is a fast-paced, entertaining read that will tug at your heartstrings, while keeping you turning pages until you reach the end. And if I’ve done my job the way I intended, leave you wanting more!
About the novel Exposed, Jill offers this description:
A gripping tale of what happens, when two souls collide and their worlds explode… On occasion, if fate would have it, our paths cross with someone with whom we connect on a plane much higher than that of the average acquaintance. Something familiar and all-knowing sparks between the souls, as if reconnecting with the lost part of ourselves that completes us and makes us whole. The power of persuasion in conjunction with this force can be very provocative and somewhat destructive, as there is no rhyme or reason, only the truth of the feelings it provokes within us.
Novel blurb continued here...
Also available for free download are two more of Jill Terry's novels, as well as some of her short story fiction works.
Jill also welcomes your comments and book reviews.
Offering samples of writing for free is a powerful marketing tool for any writer. Jill Terry has embraced the principle of providing no charge reading access to her books, and the concept is paying off for her and her reading audience.
Giving something to get something is a time tested marketing technique that can be used for any product or service.
Offer free samples today; and give to get.
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Sunday, October 29, 2006
Entrepreneurship: Your future in your hands
Entrepreneurship has made a resurgence, in recent years, as a viable career option for many people. While starting, operating, and managing one's own business isn't for everyone, the pride of independent business ownership appeals to those individuals who want to be their own boss. Making one's own decisions about the current and future direction of a company, and one's own future, is both thrilling and satisfying.
For most of the Twentieth Century, the stress was placed on getting a good job that led to a lifetime career with a single company. Somewhere in the 1970s and 1980s, that idyllic concept flew right out of the window. By the end of the century, it was well established that everyone would have multiple careers with several widely differing employers. During that realization that careers in the traditional sense were fading into history, the older ideal of entrepreneurship made a triumphant return to glory.
Today, we see more and more independent businesses opening their doors, and their websites, to customers. Both men and women are bitten by the entrepreneurial bug. As women made gains in the employment field, vestiges of the old glass ceiling remained as barriers to advancement. As a result, women especially have embraced business ownership as a vehicle to a strong and independent economic future. Often combining homemaking with an online or service business, women are dispaying entrepreneurial skills previously thought to be an exclusively male domain.
Regardless of gender, the idea of owning one's own business is strong and growing ever stronger, with each passing day. Universities and community colleges offer courses in entrepreneurship as a matter of routine. Even two decades ago, post secondary education focussed on employment with large corporations. Today, small business is getting its turn in the spotlight. As the major economic engine, and largest employers, small independent business is the backbone of the economy.
Many large corporations have reduced their workforces in the more developed countries. Following the layoffs, those organizations then offshored many jobs to developing economies in India, China, and Latin America. For longer term employees, who suddenly find themselves displaced through offshoring, outsourcing, and insourcing, entrepreneurship might be the only available option.
Finding jobs later in one's life is never easy. It's even more of a struggle when your peers and their fresh faced children are also your competition. As a result, not everyone can find a career oriented position that challenges their abilities. Many job seekers become disillusioned and give up trying. Entrepreneurship offers a powerful alternative path to success for those who believe in their abilities and don't give up on their dreams and ideals.
Instead of fighting globalization and outsourcing, today's entrepreneurs are seizing the opportunities presented by these world wide forces. The internet has made the entire world a company's potential market. Instead of your niche being only a handful of local people, it's now the entire planet. That previously uneconomic niche market suddenly become a huge one overnight. The internet business format has only begun to scratch the surface. The potential is unlimited for entrepreneurial ventures developed via the microchip and web browser.
Outsourcing of services by major corporations opens up new business opportunities as well. While running a separate department for public relations, marketing, SEO, legal services, and office management might not make economic sense to a multi-billion dollar corporation, it's a powerful income producing enterprise for an independent company. The huge company might even contract your entrepreneurial venture to replace the outsourced department.
Look around for business opportunities every day. Talk to people. Find out their needs in their business and personal lives. Your new company can provide their requirements.
You don't have to have a great new innovative product or service. Instead, you just need one that makes you happy and gets you excited to get up every day. When you love what you are doing, it's no longer work.
Your independent business should be a profitable labour of love.
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Saturday, October 28, 2006
Blogging topics: What you don't post that counts
People often ask me what they should post about on their blogs. After all, one of the greatest challenges facing many bloggers is blog posting ideas. There is also the opposite side of the coin to examine. There are many concepts and topics that are not part of your blog at all; and neither should they be.
A blog should concentrate on a single overarching theme, but it can have several sub-topics. For example, a blog about business should talk about that subject, with additional posts on related areas. A business blogger can include postings on sales, marketing, finance, public relations, search engine optimization SEO, online and offline activities, networking, production, operations, and so on. The occasional post about pets, hobbies, and fun are also very good topics as well, in moderation.
The problem arises when a blog on one overall theme begins to take on the tone of another theme entirely. For example, a law blog that formerly discussed legal issues suddenly adds postings on fishing almost exclusively. Instead of a law blog, or "blawg", the writer now has a fishing and law blog. While some witty types might argue with tongue in cheek that all lawyers are fishing for something, the point still stands. A blog should remain on its theme for the vast majority of its posts.
If you want to write about another major theme, the best approach is to start a second blog on that subject. The power of the keywords won't be diluted in the search engines, and your readership will be less confused. Imagine visiting a craft blog only to discover the writer has switched gears entirely to political blogging. While posting about political issues might move a blog higher in the ephemeral A-List blogging group, it won't help the person's already established standing in the craft blog community.
It's never a good idea to lose one audience for another in blogging. Readers expecting posts on their issues of choice expect postings on that subject. Failing to provide theme relevant posts is simply not listening to what your visitors want to read. A blog is a small business that must listen to the needs and requirements of its client readers. To not provide the desired post product is to lose those readers.
Along with the loss of your loyal fans, following the theme detour, you may also find your blog not ranking as well in the various search engines. One major SEO area of emphasis is on theme relevance. Your blog should include posts that are related to one another in some way. A series of very non-connected posts won't help your blog rise to the top in Google. The search engine giant won't know where to place your blog theme in its calculations. Like your readers, the search engines prefer consistency of theme relevant topics.
Stick to your blog themes, and your readership will stay with you.
Start a second (or even a third) blog if you want to write about two or more entirely unrelated subjects. The upside is you'll gain another loyal group of blog readers. There is definitely nothing wrong with that.
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Friday, October 27, 2006
Lifelong learning: After you think you know it all
Legendary Hall of Fame baseball manager Earl Weaver (photo left) once said, "It's what you learn after you know it all that counts." As the highly successful manager of the Baltimore Orioles, Weaver took many different types of teams to many American League Championships and to several World Series titles.
He led different teams, that at various times featured great Hall of Fame players like outfielder Frank Robinson, third baseman Brooks Robinson, first baseman Eddie Murray, shortstop Cal Ripken Jr, and pitcher Jim Palmer. He also managed many lesser players during his long career. In almost every case, and with almost any style of team, Earl was successful in getting the most out his rosters.
Earl Weaver never stopped learning new ideas or experimenting with new techniques. If anyone could be said to know all there was was to know about baseball, it would be Earl Weaver. His committment to excellence and to lifelong learning is a prime example of leadership in action. Most business owners, managers, and CEOs would do well to take some managerial batting practice under the tutoring of the master.
Earl Weaver (photo left)
In a recent Blog Business Success Radio interview that I conducted with author, management consultant, and baseball authority Jeff Angus of Management By Baseball, Jeff had some interesting thoughts on the fiery, scrappy, and constantly learning Earl Weaver. Jeff considered Weaver to be superior in managerial skills to virtually every Fortune 500 CEO. In fact, Jeff believed that the very best Fortune 500 CEOs would only be on an even par with Earl Weaver in ability, developing a successful process, and achieving unmatched results.
Okay, you say to yourself as you read the praise for a retired baseball manager of whom you may not even be familiar. You are probably thinking to yourself, it's either time to click to another blog, or read some baseball history. A third option would be to consider a lesson in lifelong learning courtesy of someone at the very pinnacle of his profession like Earl Weaver.
The first question to ask yourself, and one that requires an honest answer, is "Do you think you know everything about your business, career, or your family?" Very likely, the entirely true to yourself response is a resounding "No!". Once that point has been established, you are ready for more lifelong learning.
Many times during our business day, we believe mistakenly that we have all of the answers to our company's varied and wide ranging problems. Of course, that is not the case in the real world, but you might be surprised at the resistance you will encounter if you attempt to make changes to the status quo. Many people are happy with the way things are at the moment, even if the current state of affairs is a disaster that's only getting worse by the day. Some people are uncomfortable with change, and they are content to know what they know, and nothing more. For the benefit of your business or your career, let's hope that you are not one of those people.
To enhance lifelong learning within your business, the first place to start is examine how things are being done now. Take careful notes of all aspects of the business, or at the very least, those within your area of control. Take a page from Earl Weaver who kept a famous box of index cards that recorded as many possible events as could happen in a baseball game. Good records are a must as they provide a wealth of learning and teaching potential.
Try to picture the ideal situation for your business, and compare it to the present one. You will notice the difference immediately, and recognize that perhaps you might indeed not know it all just yet. Create as many possible solutions to the problem as you can think of at the moment and write them down. More ideas will occur to you as you write. We often think through our writing hands. Put the paper aside and sleep on it. Ideas will come to you when you aren't forcing them.
Read management books for new ways of conducting business. Along with those managerial tomes, mix in classic novels, famous poetry, and books on topics seemingly unrelated to your industry entirely. The application of concepts from other fields gives you a powerful jump on your competition who still think in terms of your industry only. Your lifelong learning approach places you several steps ahead of other business leaders in your industry.
Be sure to learn from Earl Weaver that there is no end to learning new ideas and putting fresh concepts in place. Developing a creative and an always curious frame of mind will enhance any business owner or manager's reputation and bottom line.
Lifelong learning is fun, helps people succeed in your organization, and is profitable.
Now that's a World Series of Business Champion for sure!
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Thursday, October 26, 2006
Carnival of the Vanities 214 at Silflay Hraka
The 214th edition of the longest running internet blog carnival, the well known Carnival of the Vanities continues at Kehaar's Silflay Hraka.
The carnival, and indeed the entire blog carnival idea, was born four years ago at Bigwig's Silflay Hraka blog. It is now back home to Silflay Hraka, as Bigwig's brother Kehaar has assumed the reins with great results.
Carnival of the Vanities is the original collection of blog postings, assembling some of the best and wide ranging bloggers on the internet.
This week's Carnival of the Vanities entries include politics, literature, science, humour, technology, and business.
I have an entry in this week's Carnival of the Vanities as well.
My post is titled "Staff problems: Ending employee disputes" where I discuss how problems between people happen everywhere in your life. Whether at the grocery checkout line, during public events, within families, or at your place of business. Defusing the issues before they morph into an explosive and destructive battle is essential. For business people, staff problems must be solved quickly and without hurting employee productivity and morale. No one said it would be easy.
A great participation option is to simply e-mail your entry to the new e-mail address:
kehaar at silflay hraka dot com
As I suggest elsewhere, hosting and contributing to the various internet blog carnivals is a great promotional idea for your blog.
When you send an entry to Carnival of the Vanities, or any of the many internet blog Carnivals, don't forget to link to the hosted edition. It's not only common courtesy, but helps to increase visitor traffic for all entrants. It also shows your appreciation of the hard work done by the host in preparing the post. Everyone shares in the benefits of the expanded Carnival readership.
Show the Carnival some linky love.
Next week's edition of Carnival of the Vanities appears once again at Kehaar's Silflay Hraka.
In the meantime, head on over to the Silflay Hraka hosting of Carnival of the Vanities and enjoy the posts on offer.
You will almost certainly be introduced to some great new and interesting blogs.
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Wednesday, October 25, 2006
Rosa Say: Managing With Aloha on Blog Business Success Radio
Managing with Aloha
Bringing Hawaii's Universal Values to the Art of Business
Author and leadership coach, and well known blogger Rosa Say discusses her ground breaking book Managing with Aloha and how the timeless wisdom of Hawaii can help your business and personal growth, as my internet radio show guest on Blog Business Success. The show airs live on Thursday, October 26, at 8:00 pm Eastern Time.
You will learn how the universal values of Aloha can help your business in the following ways:
* How timeless wisdom can be applied to business today with powerful results
* How to work more effectively with your staff, clients, and other people in your life
* How to replace management ideas with those of leadership
* How to take your business to the next level with practical techniques from Rosa Say's personal coaching manual
Rosa Say (photo left) was born and raised in Hawaii. She attended St. Anthony and Punahou schools, and she is a graduate of the School of Travel Industry Management at the University of Hawai‘i at Mānoa. She currently lives on the Big Island of Hawai‘i with her ‘Ohana (Family).
During her 24-year career in Hawaii’s hospitality industry, Rosa worked within the ranks of managers and leaders for Regent Hotels, Hyatt, Hilton, Sheraton, and The Ritz-Carlton Hotel Company. She has served as a manager and leader on the opening teams of eight different hotel resorts in the Hawaiian Islands.
When telling her story, Rosa explains that she chose the hotel business because of the wealth of different disciplines one can learn while working for just one employer: Resort operations can include hotel lodging and residential management, food and beverage, banquets and convention services, retail and commercial management, accounting and finance, landscape and golf course maintenance, conservation and natural resources, recreational sports and the spa industry. These name just a few of the learning opportunities Rosa pursued. The stories she tells of her experiences enliven and enrich her speaking presentations.
For her eighth and final resort opening, Rosa set her sights on learning more about land development in Hawaii, and she joined the operational team of the Hualalai Development Company in April of 1996. HDC is owner, developer, and operator of the Hualalai Resort at historic Ka‘ūpūlehu, a 540-unit residential resort community on the Big Island’s Kohala Coast which includes ownership of The Four Seasons Resort, Hualalai. When she left Hualalai in July of 2003 Rosa was serving as vice president of operations.
Today Rosa runs her own company, as founder and head coach of Say Leadership Coaching, a business dedicated to bringing nobility to the art of management and to mentoring the next generation of managers and leaders in Hawai‘i.
Rosa has added the title of author to her credits, and her book was recently released in November, 2004. It is called Managing with Aloha: Bringing Hawaii's Universal Values to the Art of Business
Rosa currently devotes part of her writing efforts to publishing a monthly newsletter for business leaders called Ho‘ohana™, and she publishes Talking Story, a weblog that serves as the online discussion pages of Say Leadership Coaching, open to all who are students and practitioners of the Managing with Aloha business philosophy.
Rosa loves to speak to people who want to change the world of work as we know it, making work a more meaningful, rewarding, and fulfilling endeavor for us all.
My book review: Managing With Aloha by Rosa Say
If you miss this very informative show, it will be available for download as a podcast for iPod and MP3 players; or play it right on your computer. To download this, or any other of my guest interviews, go to the Blog Business Success host page and click on Archived Segments. Once there, click on the podcast icon at the end of the episode description, to download the show free of charge for your listening enjoyment.
Let's talk about putting the time tested values of Hawaii with Rosa Say to work for your business on Blog Business Success.
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Monday, October 23, 2006
Carnival of the Capitalists at Blawg Review
This week sees a legal approach to the travelling business show, recognized by one and all as Carnival of the Capitalists arrives at the law blawg, and home of the Blawg Review, known appropriately enough as Blawg Review.
This week's edition of Carnival of the Capitalists highlights some of the best bloggers writing on the internet today, as well as some of the best and most popular entries ever to the Carnival.
Blogging topics presented include entrepreneurship, management, market trading, internet commerce, marketing, the national and global economies.
As you would expect from Blawg Review, there are many discussions of economics, marketing, finance, investment, and law.
It's always great to read and discover the many high quality blogs out there in the blogosphere.
We don't always get to them all, and this edition of Carnival of the Capitalists has introduced many of us to some brand new ones; as well as some long time contributors.
I have an entry in this week's Carnival of the Capitalists as well.
It is titled "Problem customers: Fire them" where I discuss how problem customers and clients plague every business large and small. You know who they are after they show their true nature. Usually, however, that discovery of toxicity is made much too late. Fortunately, you do have a powerful option. You can fire those problem customers from your client list once and for all.
If you wish to submit an entry to next week's, or any Carnival of the Capitalists edition, e-mail your entries to the new address:
cotcmail -at- gmail -dot- com
You can always use the handy entry form at Gongol.com where all you have to do is fill in the blanks. Talk about making it easy to be included!
If you are searching for new and exciting ways to expand your blog's readership, you should seriously consider sending an entry to Carnival of the Capitalists.
Merely being included in the company, of the first rate regular Carnival of the Capitalists contributors, will enhance the reputation of your blog.
The extra visitors sent to your blog won't hurt either!
The growth and staying power, of Carnival of the Capitalists, is beginning to catch the attention of people outside the blogging community. Each hosting, brings a fresh assortment of new readers, to the various blogs involved.
The visitors aren't only bloggers anymore.
Readership is expanding to include the mainstream media, various government and private organizations, many businesses, and other interested people from beyond the blogging community.
Many people are introduced to some tremendous blogs that they might otherwise have missed.
Next week's Carnival of the Capitalists will be at the Minnesota and Wisconsin vacation property and real estate blog known as Pine Needle Lawn.
In the meantime, click your mouse over to the Blawg Review hosting of Carnival of the Capitalists.
If the great posted entries don't convince you to click, or the possibility of finding some brand new blogs to read doesn't do it, then visit Carnival of the Capitalists and that's the blawg law. (groan)
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Blogiversaries: Blog Business World turns three
My business blogging career here at Blog Business World is now three years old. Having started this blog in late 2003, blogging was at that time, a new innovation in business communication. To a large degree blogging is still not a mainstream business activity, but there are signs of change on the blogosphere horizon.
These three years of business blogging, and half of a year of roller derby blogging before that, have witnessed sea changes in attituded. In the world of blogging in general, and business blogs in particular, blogs have become an integral part of interpersonal internet based communication.
Gone are those early days when almost no one had heard of blogs of any sort. The very term "blog", conjured up visions of angst ridden teenagers, writing personal blogs as diaries for themselves and a close circle of friends. While many people still believe that the personal blog is all that exists, more and more internet users are embracing blogs for an infinite number of purposes.
When I started blogging, my goal was to provide information to others about marketing, public relations, search engine optimization SEO, and about blogging in general. Little did I suspect that I would be building relationships with people whom I would never have met in any other way. I have built wonderful friendships with business and non-business people all over the world. Literally. Most other bloggers have discovered the same wonderful result.
I look at it this way.
If I never found any business, made any money, or expanded into other ventures including Blog Business Success Radio, the friendships I have built made all of the posts worthwhile. I am now enjoying the pleasure of interviewing the very people I met through blogging via the medium of internet radio. In the end, helping people and sharing your life with others is what really matters. I hope I have succeeded.
Of course, blogging truly worked for my business.
Blogging for three years has improved my writing skills as well. My blog has also landed me more freelance writing jobs than I had contracted in the past. Those writing jobs, combined with the blog, have also enhanced my SEO business. In several cases, the link is direct and precise. The articles and blog were the cited reasons for contracting with me. Without a blog, that would not be possible.
Blogs work, and I can say that from personal experience. Don't take my word on it, though, or even my three years of blog posts. Talk to other bloggers, and they may have had even more dramatic results.
Blogging is all about starting a conversation with others.
Those conversations usually lead to other wonderful events in your life.
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Sunday, October 22, 2006
Blog post ideas: Telling a story
Blog topic ideas are often difficult to find, even for the most experienced and prolific bloggers. The careful blog owner always has a few post ideas and possible topics written down, or even stored on a set of index cards. Some bloggers may even have their ideas categorized in alphabetical order. Unfortunately, not all bloggers are that well organized.
When short of topics, one good old fashioned idea is to simply tell a story. Your readers will enjoy reading a good story that involves you or someone to whom they can relate. The tale may be one of business, but it could be a very personal one as well. One important thing to keep in mind is the story should be on a subject relevant to your blog and to your readership. At the same time, the narrative should be told from the heart.
A good short story format is also a powerful way to teach some lessons in business, or whatever is the major theme of your blog. For example, telling of a failed sales representative can underline a sales technique post. Without a doubt, adding real people into your posts will make them more interesting to read. The posts will also help you to connect more personally with your blog readership. After all, one of the purposes of a blog is relationship building, and good storytellers are of interest to almost everyone.
At the beginning of this post, I suggested the concept of storytelling as a posting idea when the well of inspiration runs dry. A gripping tale can also serve to provide an insight into your way of thinking and world view that a standard information post can't begin to achieve. A good story draws the reader into its narrative and its underlying message. After all, people have listened to stories for thousands of years.
The village storyteller passed along the history and great events of the community to a new generation. At the same time, those who knew the tales well never tired of their repetition. The events and characters struck a chord deep in the human heart that never was extinguished. Ever since the invention of the written word, people have been reading them over and over again as well. Stories are that powerful as a medium for sharing ideas and wisdom with others.
Add stories of yourself and other real life experiences into your blog postings.
Your readers will welcome that sharing of yourself.
Who knows, your exploits may one day be told and retold like the heroes and heroines of days gone by.
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Saturday, October 21, 2006
Blog Business Summit: Next week
The well known and very popular blog conference Blog Business Summit 2006 returns next week to Seattle, Washington on October 25 - 27. All of the events take place at the luxurious Bell Harbor Conference Center in Seattle.
As always, the conference features a top notch group of well known speakers and workshop leaders and workshops where current and future business bloggers can learn more about this powerful communications medium.
From the conference page:
Business Blogging gurus like Robert Scoble, Matt Mullenweg, Jason Calacanis, Mary Hodder, Buzz Bruggeman, Maryam Scoble, Janet Johnson, Steve Broback, John Furrier, and DL Byron have already said they’re available to take the podium during this year’s event, and many more experts will be joining us onstage during the three-day confab.
Conference schedule and pricing:
October 25: Full Day Pre-Conference Workshop
Essentials of Business Blogging, Podcasting and Videoblogging
$395.00
New to blogging or the podcasting phenomenon? Need to get up to speed quickly? This full day immersion will give you all the details you need to take full advantage of the conference (or to go back to the office knowing what moves to make in these critical arenas.)
October 26-27: Full Two-Day Conference
$695.00
Over a dozen sessions will cover the latest in:
Corporate Blogging Policy
Blogger Engagement: Getting Past “Pitching”
Blogosphere/Buzz Monitoring
Tools and Trends: What’s Next for Bloggers?
Generating Traffic and Links
Video Blogging
SEO Strategies for Bloggers
Audience Measurement: Quantifying and Qualifying
And more…
All Three Days (October 25-27): Workshop and Conference
$995.00
Don't miss out on Blog Business Summit 2006.
Register today and take advantage of an extra special discount.
As an event sponsor, I can offer you a special $100.00 discount.
Simply enter the following code on your registration: WHAS06
You will automatically receive the special discount from your conference registration investment.
Don't put registration off another day.
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Friday, October 20, 2006
Spilled Milk Management Revisited
Spilled milk management is the mindset among many managers and business owners of failing to move beyond a business problem. Whether a minor setback, or a major company threatening disaster, the response remains the same. Instead of seeking solutions, the spilled milk mindset manager can only focus on what went wrong. As the old saying goes, "Don't cry over spilled milk".
Unfortunately, the logical step of solving the problem is all too often beyond the grasp of the manager who possesses the spilled milk focus. Obsessing over the problem and wishful thinking that it should never have happened is this manager's stock in trade. Missing from their worldview is the fact that disasters happen, and once they occur, the best course of action is to do something about remedying the situation. Instead, the narrowly focussed manager will spend his or her time hand wringing, and watching the milk create an even larger mess to clean up.
Rob May at Business Pundit presents a typical exchange between a spilled milk focussed manager and another employee who is attempting to find a solution.
Rob writes:
There are two ways to respond. The first is what many people do - cry over the spilled milk. The second, is to accept it and move on. Managers that embrace the first option don't deal well with employees that embrace the second. You end up with situations like this...
Manager: Well what do we do now?
Employee: We can do one of three things (explains all 3 options).
Manager: I just wished this hadn't happened.
Employee: Yes I understand, but that is irrelevant.
Manager: Yeah, I know... but I just... why did this happen?
Employee: I don't know. We didn't see it coming, but we have to react. We have to do something.
Manager: I'll have to think about it. I just can't believe this happened.
The whole time, the manager's mind is obsessing about the problem, and can't stop to focus on the solution. The manager becomes so aggravated that, as a result, the problem isn't solved in a timely fashion. Every discussion about the problem revolves around the manager explaining to people how she can't believe this actually happened.
Rob offers sound advice for employees of spilled milk managers:
If you work for a spilled milk manager, my suggestion is that you convince them to move on by pointing out that you can analyze the problem at a later date, devote more resources to it, and understand why it happened and how you missed it.
The manager who can't look past the issue is doing the organization a disservice. By failing to understand that what's done is done, and can't be changed by wishing it away, the manager is failing at the task of problem solving.
Rob suggests telling the manager that the problem can be analyzed at a future date. The danger of this approach is the manager will retreat even farther into the lament for unnattainable perfection. The net result for the organization could be operations brought to a complete standstill.
Spilled milk managers seek control, and are often micromanagers to the extreme. They are also seldom risk takers or innovators. To them, the concept of fresh ideas is an invitation to disaster. Creative thinkers are not held in high regard by this sort of management personality. Indeed, the imaginative employee will be urged to leave the organization entirely. Fear of loss can be a powerful disincentive to change, even though the business climate is in a constant state of flux.
The hand wringing manager is often paralyzed into complete inaction by a wrong turn in a carefully laid out plan. As a result, they are often unable to make decisions leading to potential profits as they are nagged by that fear of loss. All too often, that concern that all will be lost is a self fulfilling prophecy. The concern that an idea will fail will almost guarantee disaster. Resources given to the project will be insufficient in terms of money, time, and personnel. The starved program will then begin life with two strikes already against its success.
Many times the final approval will be given much too late to capitalize on any early entry advantage. At the same time, staff will not be given the opportunity to provide innovation or initiative. Instead, a keep your head down company culture will evolve. In such organizations, mistakes mean termination, so no one dares take responsibility for anything. When the milk inevitably is spilled over the floor, all that is left is the assignment of blame.
Don't let your organization become a spilled milk oriented management model of inaction.
Let innovation and creative problem solving be your company watchwords. That milk won't stay on the floor for long, if it ever arrives there at all.
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Wednesday, October 18, 2006
Carnival of the Vanities 213 at Silflay Hraka
The 213th edition of the longest running internet blog carnival, the well known Carnival of the Vanities appears at Kehaar's Silflay Hraka.
The carnival, and indeed the entire blog carnival idea, was born four years ago at Bigwig's Silflay Hraka blog. It is now back home to Silflay Hraka, as Bigwig's brother Kehaar has assumed the reins with great results.
Carnival of the Vanities is the original collection of blog postings, assembling some of the best and wide ranging bloggers on the internet.
This week's Carnival of the Vanities entries include politics, literature, science, humour, technology, and business.
I have an entry in this week's Carnival of the Vanities as well.
My post is titled "Creative problem solving: More than either/or" where I discuss how the insistence by many individuals, that there is a good and bad pairing for everything in life, is too narrow an approach. In most instances there are multiple choices, with many of those being some combination of the allegedly good and bad selections. Many people are taught to think in only two sides. Indeed, the media and the political arena are fraught with either/or positions. In business management, the best way to examine problems and solutions is examining every possible idea
Thanks to Kehaar for making this post a Runner Up in the Best Advice Category.
A great participation option is to simply e-mail your entry to the new e-mail address:
kehaar at silflay hraka dot com
As I suggest elsewhere, hosting and contributing to the various internet blog carnivals is a great promotional idea for your blog.
When you send an entry to Carnival of the Vanities, or any of the many internet blog Carnivals, don't forget to link to the hosted edition. It's not only common courtesy, but helps to increase visitor traffic for all entrants. It also shows your appreciation of the hard work done by the host in preparing the post. Everyone shares in the benefits of the expanded Carnival readership.
Show the Carnival some linky love.
Next week's edition of Carnival of the Vanities appears once again at Kehaar's Silflay Hraka.
In the meantime, head on over to the Silflay Hraka hosting of Carnival of the Vanities and enjoy the posts on offer.
Kehaar is seeking a host for the October 25 edition so here's your chance to host the show.
You will almost certainly be introduced to some great new and interesting blogs.
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Jeff Angus talks Management By Baseball: Blog Business Success Radio
Management By Baseball
The Official Rules for Winning Management in Any Field
Author and management consultant Jeff Angus discusses his best selling book Management By Baseball, and how baseball experience can help your business, as my internet radio show guest on Blog Business Success. The show airs live on Thursday, October 19, at 8:00 pm Eastern Time.
You will learn the following to hit home runs in your business:
* How to assemble your team cost effectively (like Billy Beane of the Oakland A's)
* How to best position them so they can succeed (like Joe Torre of the New York Yankees)
* How to use ideas from another industry in yours (like Branch Rickey with the old Brooklyn Dodgers)
* How to be the best you can be regardless of circumstances (like Ichiro Suzuki of the Seattle Mariners)
Jeff Angus (photo left) is an active management consultant specializing in work for entrepreneurial organizations. He's been an award-winning manager and director in large and mid-sized organizations.
He's currently a Contributing Editor at InfoWorld, a leading weekly publication that covers technical and business analysis of key solutions and technologies that benefit large organizations. He writes the management column for CIO Insight, and a weekly column on sabermetrics (scientific baseball statistics) for The Seattle Times.
His consulting focuses in three areas: coaching failing managers and departments, knowledge management and change management with clients in business, government, & non-profit sectors. While his work is concentrated in the entrepreneurial sector, he occasionally does "Red Adair" jobs for larger organizations that have failed completed or incomplete projects that were done by large global consulting companies.
He's currently promoting Management by Baseball: The Official Rules for Winning Management in Any Field (Harper Collins), and doing corporate presentations and event speaking on the MBB theme.
Jeff Angus Blog: Management By Baseball
Jeff Angus Website: ManagementByBaseball.com
My book review: Management By Baseball by Jeff Angus.
If you miss this very informative show, it will be available for download as a podcast for iPod and MP3 players; or play it right on your computer. To download this, or any other of my guest interviews, go to the Blog Business Success host page and click on Archived Segments. Once there, click on the podcast icon at the end of the episode description, to download the show free of charge for your listening enjoyment.
Let's talk about putting the proven management techniques of baseball with Jeff Angus on Blog Business Success.
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Tuesday, October 17, 2006
Carnival of the Capitalists at Dispatches From Blogblivion
This week sees another anniversary approach to the travelling business show, recognized by one and all as Carnival of the Capitalists Third Anniversary Edition Part 2 arrives at CotC co-founder Jay Solo's's new eclectic blog known as Dispatches From Blogblivion.
This week's edition of Carnival of the Capitalists highlights some of the best bloggers writing on the internet today, as well as some of the best and most popular entries ever to the Carnival.
Blogging topics presented include entrepreneurship, management, market trading, internet commerce, marketing, the national and global economies.
As you would expect from Carnival of the Capitalists, there are many discussions of economics, marketing, finance, investment, and business.
It's always great to read and discover the many high quality blogs out there in the blogosphere.
We don't always get to them all, and this edition of Carnival of the Capitalists has introduced many of us to some brand new ones; as well as some long time contributors.
I have an entry in this week's Carnival of the Capitalists as well.
My "best of" theme post is my most visted from Carnival of the Capitalists 2006 and one of my most popular posts ever.
It is titled "Title tags: SEO by any other name" where I discuss how one of the fastest and often forgotten techniques, to move a blog or web page higher in the search rankings, is to change the page’s title tags. Title tags are the words that appear at the very top of your web browser, and they tell the search engine what the page is all about.
If you wish to submit an entry to next week's, or any Carnival of the Capitalists edition, e-mail your entries to the new address:
cotcmail -at- gmail -dot- com
You can always use the handy entry form at Gongol.com where all you have to do is fill in the blanks. Talk about making it easy to be included!
If you are searching for new and exciting ways to expand your blog's readership, you should seriously consider sending an entry to Carnival of the Capitalists.
Merely being included in the company, of the first rate regular Carnival of the Capitalists contributors, will enhance the reputation of your blog.
The extra visitors sent to your blog won't hurt either!
The growth and staying power, of Carnival of the Capitalists, is beginning to catch the attention of people outside the blogging community. Each hosting, brings a fresh assortment of new readers, to the various blogs involved.
The visitors aren't only bloggers anymore.
Readership is expanding to include the mainstream media, various government and private organizations, many businesses, and other interested people from beyond the blogging community.
Many people are introduced to some tremendous blogs that they might otherwise have missed.
Next week's Carnival of the Capitalists will be at the law blawg, and home of the Blawg Review, known appropriately enough as Blawg Review.
In the meantime, click your mouse over to the Dispatches From Blogblivion hosting of Carnival of the Capitalists.
If the great posted entries don't convince you to click, or the possibility of finding some brand new blogs to read doesn't do it, then visit Carnival of the Capitalists and join the anniversary celebrations.
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Monday, October 16, 2006
Conversations with experts: Ted Demopoulos - Free teleseminar
Conversations with Experts: How to Build Your Business On andOff-line
Conversations with Experts: What No One Ever Tells You About Blogging and Podcasting
How to profit whether or not you blog or podcast
Wednesday, October 18, 2006, 8:30 p.m. ET (no charge, registration required)
Guest Expert: Ted Demopoulos, Demopoulos Associates
Blogs and podcasts can help almost any business, even businesses that aren't online! There are plenty of ways to benefit, both somewhat traditional and very innovative, as Ted Demopoulos found while interviewing hundreds of people who successfully use blogs and podcasts for his latest book. Conversely, some people put a lot of effort into blogging with little success.
Ted Demopoulos, author of What No One Ever Tells You About Blogging and Podcasting and co-author of Blogging for Business, will give you practical advice on how to harness the power of blogs and podcasts for your business pursuits.
Ted Demopoulos' (photo left) professional background includes over 25 years of experience in Information Technology and Business, including 15 years as an independent consultant. Each year he helps organizations make informed decisions through his seminars, keynotes, and consulting services. His clients have included Cisco, Hewlett Packard,
IBM, The Royal Hong Kong Jockey Club, Motorola, The Singapore Ministry of Education, The UK Post Office, T Rowe Price, TRW, and The Hong Kong Post. Ted blogs at The Ted Wrap.
Register now for this conversation with Ted Demopoulos:
http://www.ConversationsWithExperts.com
If you missed any Conversations With Experts, you can become a monthly member of a private blog. As a member, you gain access to the entire Conversation With Experts audio series of guest experts, past and present. You can also pre-register to purchase a copy of the show, should you be unable to attend.
Conversations with Experts is sponsored by Build a Better Blog System and by the All In One Ezine Publishing System from The Blog Squad.
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Sunday, October 15, 2006
Staff problems: Ending employee disputes
Problems between people happen everywhere in your life. Whether at the grocery checkout line, during public events, within families, or at your place of business. Defusing the issues before they morph into an explosive and destructive battle is essential. For business people, staff problems must be solved quickly and without hurting employee productivity and morale. No one said it would be easy.
The first step to solving interpersonal staff issues is to identify that they exist within your organization. Many business owners and managers are oblivious to staff disputes entirely. Often, if the issues are recognized, the management response is to ignore them, and hope that the problems resolve themselves. Unfortunately, this is rarely the case. Much more likely is an escalation of hostilities, bringing other people into the battle on various sides. The ostrich head in the sand approach is almost always doomed to failure.
A good starting point for dispute settlement is to call the quarreling parties into your office. Ask them to talk out their concerns one at a time, without interruption from the other person. Take notes of what each person says is the main issue. Very often, common ground can be discovered and the issue settled very quickly. Usually, the problems began in simple misunderstandings, or from a lack of knowledge of the other employee's role and job responsibilities. Nipping the argument in the bud can settle many employee problems quickly and painlessly.
Unfortunately, some employee battles are more complex, and have deeper and longer running issues. Left to fester, the wounds can result in almost open warfare in the business. Employee morale and productivity can decline dramatically. Even more serious undermining or outright sabotage can result. The bottom line can suffer huge losses from unchecked interpersonal strife. More indepth work is required to get to a peaceful settlement.
As always, the divided parties must be called into the office and the issues discussed. In long running battles, this first step may only get to an uneasy, and probably short lived truce. The talking out of the issues at hand are helpful for management as the facts of the matter become known. Many times, management oversights created the environment for the problems in the first place. Removing these impediments to employee cooperation can go far toward restoring harmony in the workplace. Of course, changes to the operation take time and the personal disputes must still be stopped.
Drastic measures may become necessary for deep seated problems. They may include hiring a mediator, employee disciplinary action, transfers of personnel to other departments, reassignments of job responsibilities, or even employee dismissal. Each case is different and these are choices only for when talking and mediation break down. The key is to stop minor issues from growing into your own Hatfield and McCoy feuds.
Talk to your employees, and understand their concerns. Companies that have weak internal communications often have the most employee issues. Instead of understanding and open discussion, rumour and innuendo rule those workplaces. Open channels of two way conversation can prevent many staff issues from every developing in the first place. Secrecy is the enemy of good employee relations.
Keep those lines of communication open and fewer employee problems will ever occur.
Should interpersonal friction happen despite your best efforts at prevention, address the problems immediately. Prompt action can prevent all out staff feuds from taking over your place of business.
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Saturday, October 14, 2006
Problem customers: Fire them
Problem customers and clients plague every business large and small. You know who they are after they show their true nature. Usually, however, that discovery of toxicity is made much too late. Fortunately, you do have a powerful option. You can fire those problem customers from your client list once and for all.
The toxic client often enters the company's client portfolio during slow times or busy times. When cash flow is tight, all customers look good. The money short business person will often look past the often very obvious problems that the customer brings to the table. The busy business person doesn't always have time to screen every customer and the toxic ones slip through the net. In both cases, the problem client is more trouble than profit.
A problem client will always be demanding, both in terms of time and concessions. The most common first taste of poison is the chiselling of the price or fee schedule. While some negotiation is often necessary to land a customer, the difficult client will demand a price reduction so low as to preclude profitability. Beware of any prospect that demands pricing below even the standard profit level. The huge upfront discount required is often the first step to even further price reduction demands.
Another toxic client trait is the cosntant demand for your time above and beyond the standard amount, or even the maximum time allotted in the contract. Constant phone calls, e-mails, and in person visits are their stock in trade. Rarely is the visit to pay a compliment or a bill. The purpose of the visit or call is usually to extract more free work; or even deeper fee and price cuts. Free work is their goal, and they very often receive it, just to get them to leave the busy business person alone.
Failure to pay even the deeply discounted bill is another common practice among the problem crowd. While they are always willing to phone you, and even be irritated if you are not available, the opposite is true for their bill paying time. They are simply unavailable at any time. After completion of their contracted work, headaches and all, they are slow to pay the invoice. Many times, they refuse to pay at all. They will cite shortcomings in the work as the reason, and attempt to receive even more free work. They might not pay even then.
Become happy in your business again.
If you have a toxic client, it's necessary to fire them. Don't keep them around to drain cash, work, and energy from you and your business. If you have already completed work for them, try to collect on it. If they are never going to pay before the Sun goes nova, then the best solution might be to consider them a sunk cost and eat the loss. While that sounds harsh, the alternative is to have them become even more expensive in terms of time, cash flow, and your personal sanity.
Beware of the toxic client and stay away from them. They are never worth the trouble. If you have any on your customer list, encourage them in no uncertain terms to take their valuable business to a competitor.
Life is too short to suffer the pain of a problem customer.
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Friday, October 13, 2006
Creative problem solving: More than either/or
Have you ever noticed how some business people only offer two alternatives to any situation? This dilemma arises very often in business. The scene is usually Option A and Option B presented as the only possible solutions to a problem. The first choice is displayed as good, and the second is usually portrayed as so disastrous, that it's almost evil incarnate.
What about other choices for your business problems?
The insistence by many individuals, that there is a good and bad pairing for everything in life, is too narrow an approach. In most instances there are multiple choices, with many of those being some combination of the allegedly good and bad selections. Many people are taught to think in only two sides. Indeed, the media and the political arena are fraught with either/or positions. In business management, the best way to examine problems and solutions is examining every possible idea.
Paring down the options to only two possible answers is not only short sighted, but potentially disastrous to your business. The supposedly good and right answer might not be so perfect with deeper analysis. The thought to be terrible and wrong answer might contain elements of real value. Perhaps a third, fourth, or even the tenth choice might yield a better solution. Creative thinking and brainstorming will result in far better answers than the obvious surface solutions.
In your company, it's essential that you don't limit your options. Just because the company President or CEO championed a specific course of action doesn't mean it was the best one. A strong business is built with letting the employees find the best solutions. A creative thinking and brainstorming session should be a major component of every company's problems solving strategy. In that group, and in its variations over time and different issues, people from many different departments should be brought together.
Throw away the job titles for these ongoing creative thinking events, and talk and brainstorm as equals. The best ideas may arise from the least likely sources. Ideas can be added to one another, or bits and pieces of several seemingly off the wall theories can be united into a powerful course of action. It's important to keep all ideas in play, and not judge anything until later in the process. Let your inner child run free. Lock your internal judge in a closet for the duration.
A smart and progressive company will forget the either/or false dichotomy and look to creative thinking instead. As multiple ideas and possibilities bubble to the surface, there may be solutions arise that solve other company problems as well. That is the power of creative business thinking.
Stop thinking in terms of either/or; and make seeking more creative solutions your passion.
Your business future depends on it.
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Wednesday, October 11, 2006
Carnival of the Vanities 212 at Silflay Hraka
The 212th edition of the longest running internet blog carnival, the well known Carnival of the Vanities appears at Kehaar's Silflay Hraka.
The carnival, and indeed the entire blog carnival idea, was born four years ago at Bigwig's Silflay Hraka blog. It is now back home to Silflay Hraka, as Bigwig's brother Kehaar has assumed the reins with great results.
Carnival of the Vanities is the original collection of blog postings, assembling some of the best and wide ranging bloggers on the internet.
This week's Carnival of the Vanities entries include politics, literature, science, humour, technology, and business.
I have an entry in this week's Carnival of the Vanities as well.
My post is titled "Blogging gifts: Links to bloggers" where I discuss how blog links are important SEO search engine optimization ranking boosters that bloggers provide freely to others. When a blogger sees a post that is interesting and informative, faster than you can say to link it, the coding is already in place. While blog links help in the search engines and provide additional visitor traffic, they are gifts in their own right.
Thanks to Kehaar for making this post a Runner Up in the Best Advice Category.
A great participation option is to simply e-mail your entry to the new e-mail address:
kehaar at silflay hraka dot com
As I suggest elsewhere, hosting and contributing to the various internet blog carnivals is a great promotional idea for your blog.
When you send an entry to Carnival of the Vanities, or any of the many internet blog Carnivals, don't forget to link to the hosted edition. It's not only common courtesy, but helps to increase visitor traffic for all entrants. It also shows your appreciation of the hard work done by the host in preparing the post. Everyone shares in the benefits of the expanded Carnival readership.
Show the Carnival some linky love.
Next week's edition of Carnival of the Vanities appears once again at Kehaar's Silflay Hraka.
In the meantime, head on over to the Silflay Hraka hosting of Carnival of the Vanities and enjoy the posts on offer.
Kehaar is seeking a host for the October 25 edition so here's your chance to host the show.
You will almost certainly be introduced to some great new and interesting blogs.
Social bookmark this
Tuesday, October 10, 2006
Mary Hunt: Blog Business Success Radio's upcoming guest
Author and women's marketing expert Mary Clare Hunt (photo left) will discuss marketing to women is the next guest on on my internet radio show Blog Business Success on Thursday, October 12 at 8:00 pm Eastern time.
Learn how how the cultural shift toward women as business owners and consumer product decision makers affects your business. Mary Clare Hunt, author of her new book on the rapidly growing women's market titled In Women We Trust: A cultural shift to the softer side of business, trust and relationship building with current and future customers, are far more important than price or even the product quality itself.
Mary will discuss these important concepts and much more in the area of female marketing and women's buying power. For a sneak peak at May Hunt's ideas and insights into marketing to women check out my review of her book In Women We Trust: A cultural shift to the softer side of business.
In Women We Trust
Mary Hunt is an author and advocate for both sides of the buyer/seller equation. In her former ad agency and business marketing roles she has worked with retail, service and industrial companies. At the same time she purchased 10 cars, furnished 7 homes, selected groceries for 24,000 meals and compared notes with hundreds of other women. Making her, like most women, a consumer product specialist.
Mary’s business focuses on Social Search media – the websites that provide reviews of products and services by real customers. She works to help companies “search proof” themselves and become a reviewer’s best friend.
In her new book, In Women We Trust, Mary she addresses the cultural shift towards women helping women and what business can learn from this dynamic as it's applied to social search.
She hopes to close the gap between buyers and sellers and put a little more trust back into the conversation.
Mary lives in Orange County, California, and on her blog www.InWomenWeTrust.com.
If you miss this very informative show, it will be available for download as a podcast for iPod and MP3 players; or play it right on your computer. To download this, or any other of my guest interviews, go to the Blog Business Success host page and click on Archived Segments. Once there, click on the podcast icon at the end of the episode description, to download the show for your listening enjoyment.
Let's talk about marketing to women with Mary Hunt on Blog Business Success.
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Carnival of the Capitalists at Business Pundit
This week sees an anniversary approach to the travelling business show, recognized by one and all as Carnival of the Capitalists Third Anniversary Edition Part 1 is at CotC co-founder Rob May's business blog known as Business Pundit.
This week's edition of Carnival of the Capitalists highlights some of the best bloggers writing on the internet today.
Blogging topics presented include entrepreneurship, management, market trading, internet commerce, marketing, the national and global economies.
As you would expect from Carnival of the Capitalists, there are many discussions of economics, marketing, finance, investment, and business.
It's always great to read and discover the many high quality blogs out there in the blogosphere.
We don't always get to them all, and this edition of Carnival of the Capitalists has introduced many of us to some brand new ones.
I have an entry in this week's Carnival of the Capitalists as well.
My post is titled "Blog reviews: Sharing other blogs" where I discuss how blog reviews have enormous potential as blog posting ideas. Book reviews are already a popular topic for bloggers. Reading and writing about books and authors is a mainstream, and widely accepted blog posting idea. The same review approach can also be applied to discussing other blogs. It's time to consider writing a blog review.
If you wish to submit an entry to next week's, or any Carnival of the Capitalists edition, e-mail your entries to the new address:
cotcmail -at- gmail -dot- com
You can always use the handy entry form at Gongol.com where all you have to do is fill in the blanks. Talk about making it easy to be included!
If you are searching for new and exciting ways to expand your blog's readership, you should seriously consider sending an entry to Carnival of the Capitalists.
Merely being included in the company, of the first rate regular Carnival of the Capitalists contributors, will enhance the reputation of your blog.
The extra visitors sent to your blog won't hurt either!
The growth and staying power, of Carnival of the Capitalists, is beginning to catch the attention of people outside the blogging community. Each hosting, brings a fresh assortment of new readers, to the various blogs involved.
The visitors aren't only bloggers anymore.
Readership is expanding to include the mainstream media, various government and private organizations, many businesses, and other interested people from beyond the blogging community.
Many people are introduced to some tremendous blogs that they might otherwise have missed.
Next week's Carnival of the Capitalists Third Anniversary Edition Part 2 will be at CotC co-founder Jay Solo's's new eclectic blog known as Dispatches From Blogblivion.
To mark this special occasion, Jay Solo is requesting that you send your best ever entry to Carnival of the Capitalists, so be sure to dig around in your blog archives for the best your finest entry ever.
In the meantime, click your mouse over to the Business Pundit hosting of Carnival of the Capitalists.
If the great posted entries don't convince you to click, or the possibility of finding some brand new blogs to read doesn't do it, then visit Carnival of the Capitalists and join the anniversay celebrations.
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Monday, October 09, 2006
Serendipity: Happy accidents
Most people have heard of the concept of serendipity. Many people use the word in their everyday conversations. A surprisingly large number of people have experienced serendipity in their daily lives. Serendipity is a happy accident that brightens your day, and even your entire life. My good friend Phil Whitley had just such an experience.
While we always hear the advice that one should always plan their lives, occasionally the unplanned events are the most successful. Indeed, they are often the most rewarding because of their spontaneous and unplanned nature. While we should always plan for success as much as possible, we should always be alert to the unexpected opportunities that come our way. Every once in awhile, the unexpected becomes reality.
Phil Whitley, (photo left) author of Keechie
Phil Whitley, writer of the Native American novel Keechie (shown top left), enjoyed some delightfully unplanned serendipity in the form of an unexpected book signing. Fortunately for for Phil, he had enough books on hand to accomodate everyone at the impromptu event.
Phil Whitley posts about the thrill on his Writing Keechie blog:
I just got home from a reunion of the "Valley Kids" who all lived in Pine Mountain Valley, Ga. community where I grew up. It is also the setting for Keechie. Luckily, I just 'happened' to have a box of books with me - LOL. I was asked to speak for a few minutes about my book and what caused me to write it.
Then they lined up and bought every book I had with me! 20 in all, and there was no one left out. Everyone who wanted one, got one.This was the best booksigning I have had yet, and it was totally unplanned. I am still in a state of shock, but I can deal with it!
While Phil was lucky enough to have just the right number of books on hand, it's even more intriguing that the total signings and book requests were identical. Perhaps there was a touch of synchronicity at work in the world where events converge in some unknown way. On the other hand, Phil could simply have had a buildup of unsold copies of Keechie in his car trunk. In any case, the entirely unplanned book signing in his home town was a huge success.
For author Phil Whitley, serendipity does indeed brighten one's day.
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Sunday, October 08, 2006
Customer service: Company culture change
Customer service is an important aspect of any business. Without customers to purchase the business's products and services, the company cash flow dries up faster than a rain shower in the Sahara. While most business people instinctively understand the importance of customer service, they all too often forget that customer service is part of every employee's job.
Customer service a concept that should be undertaken by everyone within the organization. Many business people neglect the less obvious aspects of customer relations, and focus only on the front line personnel. In the retail industry, the importance of customer service is well known. The sales staff are trained in helping meet the customer's needs, and a customer service desk is placed in many stores. Most organizations rarely think beyond that basic contact level.
The direct customer contact people are only part of the customer service aspect of a business however. When people buy your products and services, they are purchasing more than is shown on the cash register tape. A bad experience with a billing notice or a delivery truck driver very often creates a dissatisfied customer. These unknown problems cause many a buyer to vote with her feet right across the street to your competitor. Customer service extends far beyond the store walls.
Management has a responsibility to instil good customer relationships throughout the entire company culture. Everyone from the President and CEO to the maintenance staff are part of the customer relationship team. Everything your business does, or doesn't do in any transaction, is considered by the general public in assessing your organization and its brands. A shoddy product production line, an unclean place of business, or a terrible accounts receivable technique can destroy the trust given to your company brand. Think in terms of quality and excellence in everything that the company does when discussing customer service with your staff.
If your business is not acting in the interests of good customer service, you won't have customers for long. Let the customers lodge complaints about your products and services. A business blog is a great way to facilitate this interaction between the business and the target market. A business blog develops a conversation between reader and blogger, who is now a real person and not some faceless corporation, that nurtures a trust based relationship.
Completely open and transparent two way conversation has many powerful benefits. One that is obvious is the company listens to its customers, whether the news is good or bad. A benefit that might not be so obvious at first glance is the building of trust that the company and its brands are seen as doing business the right way. Openess builds trust, and people buy from those whom they trust to deliver on their brand promises.
Make customer service a way of life for your business.
Your bottom line will look much brighter as a result.
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Saturday, October 07, 2006
Blogging gifts: Links to bloggers
Blog links are important SEO search engine optimization ranking boosters that bloggers provide freely to others. When a blogger sees a post that is interesting and informative, faster than you can say to link it, the coding is already in place. While blog links help in the search engines and provide additional visitor traffic, they are gifts in their own right.
When a blogger links to what someone else has written, it's an endorsement of the other person's writing, thoughts, and ideas. The link is a gift for informing, entertaining, and grabbing the attention of the linking blogger. We all like to give and receive gifts, so some blog linky love is greatly appreciated. It lets the blogger know their writings are read and enjoyed by others.
While many bloggers are excited and almost speechless to find a post linked by some big name blogger, some of the most welcomed links are from your blogging peers. Your blogging friends read your posts on almost a daily basis and know your writing and subject matter very well. It's sometimes easy to forget that they are some of your most appreciative readers are your blogging peers and friends.
A very special treat for every blogger is to discover another blogger has linked to one of your posts. The shoutout might not be to what you consider your most important posting, but it's often to some writing that touched the reader in a very important way. The topic might be personal or professional; a helpful tip or some very timely information. In any case, a reader who you know well took the time to post about your thoughts and provide a link to share the post with others. That is a true gift from the heart.
Blogging is in many ways about sharing and helping others. When we bloggers talk about business blogs, we often emphasise the benefits to the blog owner. After all, we are trying to convince a business person to add a blog component to their website and business. Naturally, the focus will be on the benefits to that person's business. Often lost in the shuffle, are the benefits to the blog readers. A good business blogger shares personality and ideas with the visitors. Those concepts might inspire the reader, and even help to change their life to some degree. Blogs are indeed a two way street.
When browsing through your blog selections, be sure to share some link love with bloggers whose work you know and enjoy. They will appreciate the link. You can be certain as well that they will return the favour many times over.
Linking out is good karma.
Link to your blogging friends today.
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Friday, October 06, 2006
Bloggers as speakers: Talking business
Bloggers should add speaking engagements to their already growing repetoire of skills. There is no better way to develop a national and international reputation as an expert than sharing your knowledge through the various print and broadcast media.
The obvious first step is for bloggers to add voiced audio posts to their blogs. Podcasting provides an important second step for bloggers' voices to be heard around the world. Once the podcast is created, it can be downloaded by listeners for later enjoyment. A major aspect of modern technology is time shifting of events to times more convenient for the audience. Tivo has forever changed the way the public views television, and podcasting can change the time frame of blog reading as well.
Podcasting is only one example of talking your way to business success. Once the voice medium has been established, interviews on radio, television, and other blogging media will follow. It's becoming almost difficult for a blogger to actually remain silent! Just ask Tris Hussey of Blog Business Summit. He is proof that bloggers are in demand as interview experts on radio, television, and in the print media.
Speakers are always in demand for many local and national media events. Bloggers are natural choices to give live presentations on their topics of expertise. Who better to talk about your specialty than you, the blogger. After all, you write about all aspects of your subject matter on an almost daily basis. You know your topics as well as anyone.
As for speaking to business and non-profit organizations about blogging, you are already among the few real authorities in your own community. Think about it. In your own metropolitan area, you are likely one of only a literal handful of full time practicing bloggers. Who better to speak on the subject than you?
As a speaker, you will enhance your professional and business reputation in the community. You will interact with new and interesting people, who you otherwise would not be able to meet. The blogging, or any other topic you choose, would be your ticket into the door.
Contact local business and non-profit groups in your own community. You might become a noted speaker in your area of expertise. Offer to give a free presentation to the membership on your blogging topic; or even on blogging itself. Whatever you do, don't use the platform to give a blatant sales presentation. Provide information freely and generously to everyone in attendance.
This is no place for hucksterism, if you want to develop a solid reputation as a knowledgeable professional. A blatant sales pitch will only hurt your reputation as a guest expert. Providing lively and interesting discussions about your area of interest will enhance your image as a professional speaker.
Let the business arrive later, as a result of your newfound reputation, as an expert in your field and industry. Clients will arrive too. You can be certain of that happening as result of your interviews.
I am always available to speak to groups on various business and blogging topics. At the same time, I also interview business people, including some very knowledgeable and generous bloggers on Blog Business Success Radio. Many other noted bloggers are always available as speakers and interviewees. In fact, bloggers are a group of experts who can always be counted upon to provide informative interviews. You should be available to speak on your favourite subjects as well.
Make yourself available as a speaker.
Start talking success today.
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Wednesday, October 04, 2006
Carnival of the Vanities 211 at Silflay Hraka
The 211th edition of the longest running internet blog carnival, the well known Carnival of the Vanities appears at Kehaar's Silflay Hraka.
The carnival, and indeed the entire blog carnival idea, was born four years ago at Bigwig's Silflay Hraka blog. It is now back home to Silflay Hraka, as Bigwig's brother Kehaar assumes the reins.
Carnival of the Vanities is the original collection of blog postings, assembling some of the best and wide ranging bloggers on the internet.
This week's Carnival of the Vanities entries include politics, literature, science, humour, technology, and business.
I have an entry in this week's Carnival of the Vanities as well.
My post is titled "New challenges: Widening your horizons" where I discuss how many people feel that they might be stuck in the same old rut. Changes to their lives are few and far between. Life activities fall into a set pattern; and very often that pattern is non-productive, and is very often self-destructive. Those same people often dream of making changes to their lives. Rather than risk the unknown, however, they continue with the safe but dead end existence, to which they have become accustomed.
A great participation option is to simply e-mail your entry to the new e-mail address:
kehaar at silflay hraka dot com
As I suggest elsewhere, hosting and contributing to the various internet blog carnivals is a great promotional idea for your blog.
When you send an entry to Carnival of the Vanities, or any of the many internet blog Carnivals, don't forget to link to the hosted edition. It's not only common courtesy, but helps to increase visitor traffic for all entrants. It also shows your appreciation of the hard work done by the host in preparing the post. Everyone shares in the benefits of the expanded Carnival readership.
Show the Carnival some linky love.
Next week's edition of Carnival of the Vanities appears once again at Kehaar's Silflay Hraka.
In the meantime, head on over to the Silflay Hraka hosting of Carnival of the Vanities and enjoy the posts on offer.
You will almost certainly be introduced to some great new and interesting blogs.
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Tuesday, October 03, 2006
Tinu Abayomi-Paul: Blog Business Success Radio's next guest
Website traffic generation expert Tinu Abayomi-Paul (photo below left) of Free Traffic Tips is the next guest on my Blog Business Success internet radio program. Tinu will discuss ideas and techniques for building more visitor traffic to your website or blog on Thursday, October 5 at 8:00 pm Eastern time.
You will learn:
* How to increase your website traffic with easily applied techniques
* How RSS feeds and podcasts can multiply your visitor numbers
* How search engine optimization SEO will add more visitor traffic
* How to maximize your keyword search power and more
Along with Tinu's expert commentary, we will be taking your calls with your questions.
Tinu Abayomi-Paul (pictured left) describes herself and her experience:
Well, you already know my name is Tinu. I’m different because I started out totally broke, built myself a viable business in 31 days, based on the traffic information I give you here for free, then built myself a full time business based on measurable traffic results within 6 months.
I test things out on myself, then tell you what works and how to do it. You can look at the grid to understand why I talk about blogging and search engines so much.
If you want to hear what other people think of me and my methods, your best bet until my testimonials page is up is to Google me. You’ll find there that I periodically write for About.com, Search Engine Guide, Lockergnome, Web Pro News, Site Pro News and a few hundred other online publications about getting better traffic to a website.
If you miss this very informative show, it will be available for download as a podcast for iPod and MP3 players. To download this, or any other of my guest interviews, go to the Blog Business Success host page and click on Archived Segments. Once there, click on the podcast icon at the end of the episode description.
Let's talk about increasing your website traffic with Tinu Abayomi-Paul on Blog Business Success.
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Monday, October 02, 2006
Carnival of the Capitalists at My 1st Million At 33
This week sees a frugal investing approach to the travelling business show, recognized by one and all as Carnival of the Capitalists makes a visit to Frugal's finance and investment blog known as My 1st Million At 33.
This week's edition of Carnival of the Capitalists highlights some of the best bloggers writing on the internet today.
Blogging topics presented include entrepreneurship, management, market trading, internet commerce, marketing, the national and global economies.
As you would expect from My 1st Million At 33, there are many discussions of economics, marketing, finance, investment, and business.
It's always great to read and discover the many high quality blogs out there in the blogosphere.
We don't always get to them all, and this edition of Carnival of the Capitalists has introduced many of us to some brand new ones.
I have an entry in this week's Carnival of the Capitalists as well.
My post is titled "What Sticks by Rex Briggs and Greg Stuart - Book review" where I discuss a book describing how most advertising and marketing dollars are wasted write Rex Briggs and Greg Stuart, authors of the ground breaking book What Sticks: Why Most Advertising Fails And How to Guarantee Yours Succeeds. The good part is the book offers a guarantee that your advertising and marketing programs can and will become more profitable. To make it happen, the authors provide a plan to multiply any size company's advertising and marketing return on investment.
If you wish to submit an entry to next week's, or any Carnival of the Capitalists edition, e-mail your entries to the new address:
cotcmail -at- gmail -dot- com
You can always use the handy entry form at Gongol.com where all you have to do is fill in the blanks. Talk about making it easy to be included!
If you are searching for new and exciting ways to expand your blog's readership, you should seriously consider sending an entry to Carnival of the Capitalists.
Merely being included in the company, of the first rate regular Carnival of the Capitalists contributors, will enhance the reputation of your blog.
The extra visitors sent to your blog won't hurt either!
The growth and staying power, of Carnival of the Capitalists, is beginning to catch the attention of people outside the blogging community. Each hosting, brings a fresh assortment of new readers, to the various blogs involved.
The visitors aren't only bloggers anymore.
Readership is expanding to include the mainstream media, various government and private organizations, many businesses, and other interested people from beyond the blogging community.
Many people are introduced to some tremendous blogs that they might otherwise have missed.
Next week's Carnival of the Capitalists Anniversary Edition Part 1 will be at CotC co-founder Rob May's business blog known as Business Pundit.
In the meantime, click your mouse over to the My 1st Million At 33 hosting of Carnival of the Capitalists.
If the great posted entries don't convince you to click, or the possibility of finding some brand new blogs to read doesn't do it, then visit Carnival of the Capitalists and make a great investment. (groan)
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Conversations with experts: Mike Levin - Free teleseminar
Conversations with Experts: How to Build Your Business On and Off-line
HitTail: How to Leverage The Long Tail
Wednesday, October 4, 2006, 8:30 p.m. ET (no charge, registration required)
Guest Expert: Mike Levin, HitTail.com
What's The Long Tail? Coined by Chris Anderson, Editor of Wired magazine, The Long Tail describes the millions of niche opportunities beyond the mainstream blockbuster products and services. Aggregated, The Long Tail is often more lucrative than the blockbusters. It's often described as "selling less of more."
Along with being the leader of Connors Communications' in-house SEO team, Mike Levin (photo left) is the founder of HitTail.com, a free tool for taking the overwhelming The Long Tail data generated by web searches and turning it to manageable information in the form of writing suggestions. Recently, Mike spoke at MediaPost's Search Insider Summit in Colorado on the topic. Previous to joining Connors he worked with Prophet 21, now Activant, and Scala Multimedia.
Register now for this conversation with Mike Levin:
http://www.ConversationsWithExperts.com
If you missed any Conversations With Experts, you can become a monthly member of a private blog. As a member, you gain access to the entire Conversation With Experts audio series of guest experts, past and present. You can also pre-register to purchase a copy of the show, should you be unable to attend.
Conversations with Experts is sponsored by Build a Better Blog System and by the All In One Ezine Publishing System from The Blog Squad.
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Sunday, October 01, 2006
Blog reviews: Sharing other blogs
Blog reviews have enormous potential as blog posting ideas. Book reviews are already a popular topic for bloggers. Reading and writing about books and authors is a mainstream, and widely accepted blog posting idea. The same review approach can also be applied to discussing other blogs. It's time to consider writing a blog review.
The entire concept of reviewing and discussing other blogs takes some thought on your part. You should be familiar with the blog, preferably as a regular reader. By knowing the blogger and the regular posting topics, a better impression of the blog writer can be presented. As with any subject, the more you study it, the more familiar you become with the material. In the case of a blog, greater understanding of the blogger, both personally and professionally, helps the blog reviewer write a better discussion of the blog's overall merits.
When selecting a blog for review, choose a blog that you know well. It's also a good idea to write about a blogger who you know and whose work you appreciate. I prefer to write positive reviews about the blogs I read and recommend on a regular basis. There are so many great blogs from which to choose, that writing a good review should be a fairly easy task. Of course, the hard part is settling on just one preferred blog for that first blog report.
After you have made your final selection, read over the blog, including the archived posts. You are now ready to start writing your post. Examine the overall appearance and layout of the blog, searching for those features that appeal most to you. The areas of the blog that made the greatest impact on you, will probably be the most powerful aspects of the blog for other readers as well. Be certain to emphasise those blog strengths in your review, along with the overall emotional impact that the blog created for you.
Be sure to include a photo of the blogger if one is available. The picture of the blogger enhances the overall impression of the blog writer and of the blog itself. Blogs are about building relationships based on friendship and trust. A photograph goes a long way toward establishing that rapport with the readership. Another useful graphic item to include in the blog review is a screenshot of the blog itself, but that is simply an option. It's not a requirement.
Write about the good things the blog says to the reader. Discuss in a positive manner the overall themes of the blog, and how the writer conveys those concepts to the blog visitors. If a topic is of special interest to you, be certain to point it out in the review. Those ideas are very important to many other people as well. It's a great idea to discuss those blog themes, and how well the blogger presents them as posting topics.
As a blog topic, the blog review has many positive benefits. A positive review will be appreciated by the reviewed blogger. The pleasant surprise will probably make their day a more pleasant one. For your readers, you have provided a service by recommending a great new blog to them.
The blog review is a win-win idea for everyone involved.
Review a blog today. It's not only informative; it's fun as well.
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