As a small business or “solopreneur”, it’s hard not to be dazzled by the array of “free” tools available at your digital fingertips. But “free” has a hidden price and sometimes it takes thousands of hours or a large chunk of revenue to figure things out. Many of us learned these lessons the hard way…
Category Archives: Communication
Keeping up with the endless fire hose of data – how do you remain current and relevant online?
As today’s business students prepare for their future careers, new professions are opening up in social media even in the most mainstream businesses. Companies, eager to create an “online brand presence”, clearly understand the need for educated resources who are comfortable online whether its developing and/or managing social media sites, online communities, blogs, podcasts, video…
Building a professional network that works for you
Networking is a necessary part of a professional career today. The data tells us that the majority of people searching for new jobs find the best positions through their network connections. It’s also how we learn about new opportunities, expand our world view, and see new possibilities. Networking is also the best way to get…
Social networking, data privacy and learning to live with risk
I read a disturbing article in the New York Times this weekend regarding the use of social networking to exact justice (or revenge?) on individuals. NPR’s On The Media also picked up the story. Dubbed “human-flesh search engines” or “renrou sousuo yinqing”, these tools of vigilante justice are tacitly overlooked, perhaps even encouraged, by the Chinese…
The age we live in: ignoring customers has a business cost that’s getting bigger by the minute
I listen to NPR all the time and one of my favorite shows is Marketplace Money . These folks are smart, savvy and easy to understand – it’s a great place to catch up on my financial news and hear what’s up in the consumer market. This weekend, they ran their normal “Getting Personal” segment…
Listen Up – Change is a Smart Business Strategy
I spend a lot of time speaking with business folks about change. Not surprising really given it’s my business and the general state of the world today is forcing everyone to contend with it. But under any circumstances, whether we like to acknowledge it or not, change is a constant. Convincing people to change (and…
Confessions of a certain age: fascination and fear of social networking
Alright, I’ll admit it, I was never a gamer. I was too busy sailing or running or cooking or biking or doing most anything physical (I have a hard time sitting still). As I got a bit (dare I say it?) older, I was very busy with my job. I was so busy doing things…
A reminder of the power of the personal endorsement
I attended a fascinating event in Foxboro, MA last week called the Inbound Marketing Summit. Hosted by a company called New Marketing Labs (http://newmarketinglabs.com/), a self-professed team of new media “evangelists” who are nimble, proficient users, this group hosts events around the country to educate business people on effective ways to use social media for…
Totally plugged in
Maintaining a social media presence or collaborating online takes a lot of work. It is also very seductive. If you hate being alone, this is the place for you – with a global user base of millions you are sure to find someone to talk to (or listen to) at any moment in time so…
Maintaining momentum during tough times
It’s really hard to listen to the news these days and maintain an optimistic outlook. Times are really tough. Fear is so de-motivating. It sucks up your positive energy and can leave you feeling so helpless. But I sustain myself by understanding that life’s trials can lead to triumphs. If I maintain a view that…
