Click here to sign up for future news and our E-Newsletter, RiverwoodWriter's Connection Toolbox
SOCIAL MEDIA BASICS:
Where to learn what it's all about
Don't let the hype get you feeling overwhelmed. In spite of the noise, there are still LOTS of businesses who have not embraced Social Media, and you need to understand it before you invest your time. These sources are especially good if you're just starting out:
The Dash weekly email newsletter: Click on the picture to sign up for this absolutely free and very informative (and short) email from Laura Roeder. It's the perfect place to start getting up to speed on how to use social media. While you're at it, go on and subscribe to Laura Roeder's blog HERE. It's free too!
The Social Media Selling System Webinar: a free webinar by Laura Roeder in which she covers exactly what you need to do to use social media to sell things...whether you have an online business or a bricks and mortar business. Don't miss this one.
"Social Media In Plain English"
- a three and a half minute video that does a great job of giving the "big picture"
The Social Media Examiner
- a free online newsletter (subtitled "Your Guide to the Social Media Jungle") aimed at small business and corporate use of Social Media. Articles vary in level (beginner to advanced), but content is solid and practical. Of special interest is the free download: "2010 Social Media Marketing Industry Report: How Marketers are Using Social Media to Grow Their Businesses."
"The Social Media Revolution"
- Powerful four and a half minute video with compelling statistics showing why we should pay attention to this.
TWITTER, WORDPRESS, SEO COURSES FROM LAURA ROEDER
Laura Roeder is an outstanding teacher for anyone trying to learn how to run an online business and increase their online visibility. Don't let her youthful appearance fool you! She's one sharp and savvy entrepreneur and truly a gifted teacher. I have taken most of her courses and have even hired her as a business mentor for my Heartspoken.com blog. She always offers great value and extremely practical and implementable information. All her courses are recorded so you can go back and listen to them over again, and she always provides a transcript. If you do nothing else, subscribe to her free weekly newsletter--The Dash-- and start learning! These courses vary in price and are instantly available after you purchase.What's this Twitter thing all about and why should you find out? Even though my son says I'm the only person he knows who's "doing Twitter," what he doesn't know is that it's a great business tool, not just a chat-with-friends thing. Whether you want to learn about Twitter or learn about optimizing your website, Laura's got great offerings. If you're ready to step up to the next level in your business, get your name on the list (no obligation) to find out about her Creating Fame program that's opening up in the falll of 2010.
Your Backstage Pass to Twitter: Even the sales page for this course will give you a snapshot about why Twitter is something to consider if you want to promote your business, product, book, website, or organization. 
Zero to Search Engine Optimization: Do you wonder what people are talking about when they go on and on about SEO and how important it is? Do you want to make your website more of a magnet for visitors? This course is for you.
Zero to WordPress Website: If you thought WordPress was just for blogs, think again. This course teaches you how to use the free WordPress platform to create a great site without additional software and with lots of theme options and SEO features already built in. If you're thinking your current site needs a major overhaul but you can't afford to hire a programmer to do it for you, this might be for you. 
Zero to WordPress Blogging: If you've ever thought you might like to add a blog to your website, this is the course to take. I took both this and the Zero to WordPress Website course before launching my Heartspoken.com site and blog, and I'm glad I did. Once you've got your WordPress blog up and running, you'll be ready for more advanced training with Zero to Awesome WordPress Advanced.What are YOUR favorite Social Media Resources? Let me know. And fill out the contact page to be notified about my upcoming newsletter: RiverwoodWriter's "Connection Toolbox" for Small Biz, Nonprofits, and Solopreneurs. Always remember that before you sell, you have to Connect.
RESOURCES FOR MY RESUME CUSTOMERS:
Free e-book "How to Use the Social Web to Find Work" by Chris Brogan
Chris Brogan is a highly respected and articulate blogger and writer. This link takes you to his blog entry and free downloadable pdf version of the e-book that is his contribution to the economic crisis. If you're looking for work and know your way around the Internet just a bit, this is worth reading.
* * * * * * * *
The author of What
Color is My Parachute, Richard Bolles, urges job hunters to go
beyond the web. Read this article, "Author
Urges Job Seekers to Go Beyond Web," and then read an excerpt called "The
5 Best Ways to Hunt for a Job" from his new book The
Job-Hunter's Survival Guide.
* * * * * * * *
RESUME1. Be prepared to have at least three References ready to give a prospective employer if they are requested. It's good to line these up ahead of time and have not only their permission to use their name, but also their complete (and preferred) contact information, including email if they have it.
2. Be prepared to explain any gaps there might be in the chronology of your work experience -- perhaps you were raising children or just doing other things, but it's good to expect questions about this in an interview -- also expect questions about why you left various employments.
3. In general, it's a good idea to include a cover letter when you submit a resume unless you're hand delivering it. Even then, you should have SOMETHING to go with it in case you are unable to see the person who actually will review it. If you need help with this, let me know. You should always try to be as specific as possible when you write. If you can find out the name of the Human Resources person, for instance, it's better to address it directly to them rather than to just put Dear Sir or Madam. It shows that you went the extra mile.
4. Before you go for an interview, do as much digging as you can about the company--what they do, what their mission is, what their main products or services are, etc., even who their key officers are. If at all possible, try to formulate some specific way that you feel you can make a contribution based on what you have learned about the company. That way they will know you have gone to the trouble to look them up and find out about them and that you have given some thought to how you can complement their team.
5. If you know the name of the person with whom you have an interview, look them up on LinkedIn.com or otherwise try to find out what you can about their own background. You’ll want to strike a balance between being nosy and being interested, but some knowledge may afford you the opportunity to find someone or some interest you have in common.
SMALL BUSINESS OWNERS:
Blogging and Online Marketing Training from Denise Wakeman
Denise is another important resource if you want to learn how to navigate the waters of online business and marketing. Not only have I taken several training courses from Denise, but I've met her in person at a sminar that we were both attending, and she's just as warm and helpful in person as she is in her videos.
Get the Best Out of Your Blog: Check out this free series of five videos to make sure your blog is working hard for you.
Online Video Made Easy: A popular course Denise did with Lou Borton, "The Online Video Guy," designed for newbies who want to learn how to use simple video on their website or social media sites.
From Platform to Profit: This is a more advanced course for those who are already active in social media but want to know how to employ content syndication for maximum leverage of their time producing social media content (blog posts, videos, articles, etc.)
Many of our clients and
friends, whether they are freelancers, small business owners, or
nonprofits, have products, services, and messages that they struggle to
convey or get in front of their potential audience. This book was so
chock full of valuable and useful information that I wrote a review and
made it easy for you to order a copy today.
Elizabeth
BE THE MEDIA: How to Create and Accelerate Your Message…Your Way
Compiled by David Mathison
Price $34.95 only available from publisher and affiliates
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Reviewed by Elizabeth H. Cottrell
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
We’ve been hearing for the
last two or
three years that the social media revolution was upon us and that Web
2.0 was
creating a paradigm shift in the way we can do business. I knew
intellectually
this was true, but until I read this book, I didn’t understand the
enormity and
power of this shift or exactly HOW it was happening. This book describes
a true
revolution—one in which the former small fry of various industries are
shown
how they can wrest control of their preferred media platform. No longer
do
authors have to wait until they are accepted by a publisher. Musicians
no
longer have to depend on a record label or prominent radio station disc
jockeys
to be heard. Filmmakers can produce their own work. Nonprofits can
reduce their
TV and newspaper advertising budgets, because there are other ways to
spread
the word about their mission. There are nuggets of gold here for
journalists,
publishers, activists, broadcasters, marketers, publicists, licensors,
and
anyone who has something to promote, whether it’s a product, a service,
or a
message. The information in this book empowers you and me to take
control and
get a wider audience than was ever possible even as little as five years
ago.
In fact David Mathison, the compiler of these articles written by a wide
range
of experts, chose self-publishing himself for this book instead of
sharing the
profit with a publisher. Instead, he is sharing the profits with anyone
who
wants to become an affiliate and help him sell the book.
I first learned about Be
The Media from listening to a free
teleseminar in which David Mathison partnered with an Internet marketing
guru
named Joan Stewart (a.k.a. The Publicity Hound http://www.publicityhound.com)
. I was on Joan’s free ezine list, and because it’s always so chock full
of
valuable information, when she offered a free teleseminar, I knew it
would be
good, even though I’d never heard of David Mathison (not to be confused
with
Dave Matthews, the musician). Do you see what’s going on here? These
folks are
grasping the NEW WORLD OF BEING THEIR OWN MEDIA and teaming up to build
their
own platform by creating solid reputations through genuine relationships
with
other professionals, with their customers, and potential customers.
This book can be dipped into
as a
resource book by looking at the table of contents or index and finding
what
seems to be the most applicable to your situation, but I STRONGLY urge
you to
at least skim all of it. I found, for instance, that even though I am
not a
musician, the sections that were primarily targeted for helping
musicians learn
how to promote their work still had ideas that could be used or adapted
for
authors, speakers, or someone selling an infoproduct. The other reason
for
reading it all is that you’re bound to have friends who can use some of
the
information in those other chapters, and you’ll get points for telling
them
about it. There is a rich tapestry of relevant and valuable information
here,
and you don’t want to miss any of it.
Part One: “The Personal Media Renaissance” is a nuts-and-bolts “how-to” on a wide range of topics about reaching your fans without the traditional print publishers, movie studios, music companies, or other corporate giants. The titles will give you a sense of how powerful this is:
- Blogs: How to Create and Promote Your Blog
- Books: How to Self-Publish Your Book (and Promote the Hell out of It)
- Making Music: How to Make Music With Just Three Chords and the Truth
- The Music Business: The New Way to Promote and Sell Your Music
- Podcasting: How to Create and Promote Your Podcast
- Radio: How to Create and Self-Syndicate Your Radio Show
- Video: The Video Revolution
- Film: How to Produce and Distribute Your Ultra-Low Budget Digital Film
- Internet: How to Optimize Your Internet Presence for E-Commerce
- Syndication: All About Syndication
- Licensing: How to License Your Ideas without Selling Your Soul
- Zines: Be a zinester: How and Why to Publish Your Own Periodical
I was especially interested to
see some
good information about retaining your rights and how to partner with
others to
leverage your exposure. The advice is liberally laced with suggestions
on how
to balance practicality and ethics.
Part Two: “The Community Media
Renaissance” is a broad and wide-ranging discussion about how
communities all
over the world are “taking back their airwaves and information
rights-of-way.”
These chapters are written by the people who are at the forefront of
these
movements to make the media more participatory and to allow more public
access.
This section includes a chapter on Social Networks and how to use them
to stay
in touch with your fans. There are dialogues about intellectual property
rights
and how illusive that really is. Other topics include community radio,
public
access, DIY Wireless, and open publishing.
The contributors to Be The
Media represent a fascinating collection of experts,
educators and advocates in media-related fields. Reading their
biographical
sketches was most impressive, and their own expertise was supported by
generous
details, resources and suggestions.
One of the most fascinating
take-aways
from this book was the concept of “1,000 True Fans” presented by Wired
Editor-at-Large Kevin Kelly in the
Foreword. He defines a True Fan as someone who will purchase anything
and
everything you produce. “They will drive two hundred miles to see you
sing.
They will buy the super-deluxe reissued hi-res box set of your stuff
even
though they have the low-res versions. They have a Google Alert set for
your
name. They bookmark the eBay page where your out-of-print editions show
up.
They come to your opening. They have you sign their copies. They buy the
T-shirt, the mug, and the hat. They can’t wait till you issue your next
work.”
And he suggests that whatever your industry, to make a living, you only
need to
acquire 1,000 True Fans. Now that is not a small number, but it IS an
attainable number, and I found that exciting.
You’ll find this book exciting
too,
because it will give you ideas as well as instructions, and that is a
great
combination.
or
paste http://www.1shoppingcart.com/app/?af=994219
into your browser window.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
© 2009 Elizabeth H. Cottrell. All rights reserved worldwide.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
