Starting Again - Committed to Posting

My blog posting has been hit or miss over the years, but I'm finding more and more of my clients are asking for information in a timely manner. Using available tools I can now post on my blog and share it on my Web site and Facebook pages as the same time.

I'm hoping timely and typical posts will provide you with information you find helpful. I'd also like to foster some discussion, so I will be posting not only technical insights, but rants and raves about products and services I run across.

Please feel free to share your opinions. I will only moderate blatantly offensive posts or posts that are totally off topic. All I ask is that you try to keep,it civil and respectful of other's posts. Calling BS on poor service, stupid marketing or greedy corporations is encouraged.

Have fun!

I just read that Pinterest is now the third most popular Social Media site is the worls behind Facebook and Twitter. I've got a Pinterest account but have never used it. The top demographic is female hobbyists. I haven't caught any buzz about Pinterest being used for business. Are you a Pinterest user? If so, how do you use it? Just for fun, or for business, or both. Have you got any tips you'd like to share? Please post your thoughts.

Reaching Out To Clients

What's your favorite way to publicize your events and keep your clients informed?  I'm using Constant Contact, Facebook Events and Google Calendar on my Web site.  That's a lot to manage every time I create a new event.  Entering things two or three times can get old after a while.  I'd love to hear your suggestions.

Facebook Fan Page Changes

We're almost there!  Come Sunday morning we will all be using then new Facebook Fan page format.  Like it or not, there are some big changes.  Personally, I like the new Cover Photo concepts.  Instead of the little 2" X 6" sidebar image available in the original page format, we have a full 850 X 315 pixel canvas we can use to paint our billboard.  As always, Facebook has rules about how you should use this space.  But it seems these are more guidelines than hard and fast rules since many of the business covers I see have contact info included.  Still, you should be familiar with these guidelines and be prepared to modify your cover if required.

Aside from the Cover Photo, the tabs/links to your photos page and other Facebook content such as events and blog posts are no longer on the left side side of the page.  Now they are large (111 x 74 pixel) image buttons.  The images are, for the most part, customizable.

Another cool feature I like the admin panel.  This shows up at the top of your page when you visit (it doesn't appear to non-admin visitors).  You can check out you page's activity at a glance or hide it if you don't want to see it.

It's also easy to keep an important post at the top of your feed by "pinning" it.  To do this simply hover your mouse over your post and click the edit button that appears.

I think overall you'll like the change.  But, in typical Facebook fashion, no one asked us.  We'll just have to learn to love it.

Here's a short video overview.  Here's a longer one with a lot more detail.

Just wondering how many of you ran out and got the New iPad last week?  Lots of commotion about heat and crashes.  It was downplayed in the media, but I've got to wonder.  Is this hot new toy TOO hot?

Enough Already!

As a business owner I understand it's important to advertise, but those of us that need it can't afford it.  And those that can afford it go over the top.

I've all but given up on broadcast radio. Whenever I hear the phrase "more music..." I know we're in for a long set of uninterrupted commercials.  Most of which will insult my intelligence, grate on my nerves, or probably both,  Well, that's what my iPod is for.

Broadcast TV isn't much better.  Thirty percent (or more) or more of most shows is advertising.  Often for other shows.  And the ads are repeated until I'm ready to scream - sometimes multiple times in the same break.  Don't get me started on the "fine print" that's impossible to read even on my large HDTV screen.  Worse yet, I'm paying over $100 a month to watch them!  Thank God for my DVR.

Then there are naming rights.  Remember when college bowl games had names like the Gator Bowl and the Sugar Bowl?  Or when sports venues were named after people,places or (gasp!) the the teams that played in them?  And let's not forget the Visa halftime show, the Konica Minolta BizHub Swing Cam and the official this, that or the other of the league.

For those of us who don't have thousands of dollars to spend on marketing, we have to count on people like Elizabeth Case at Yellow Dog Consulting to help us find the best way to get the word out about our awesome products and services.

A Cautionary Tale

OK, I screwed up.  I signed a lease for a couple of credit card machines a few years ago.  Business was booming and i wanted to make it easier for my customers to pay me.  Now I've got two credit card terminals gathering dust - they haven't been used in two years.

I called the leasing company (Northern Leasing Systems) today to find out my options.  After at least a half-dozen menus asking me to enter this or that information and several minutes on hold, I'm connected to a very surly woman who tells me I've got 1 months left on my contract.  I can transfer my contract to another schmuck and pay Northern Leasing Systems $130, or I can buy out my contract for $780.  Or simply suck it up until March of 2013, where I'd better remember to send a letter of cancellation.  Otherwise I'm automatically renewed!

Save yourself some trouble.  Talk to Stefanie or any of the folks at Platinum Merchant Processing and save yourself a few hundred dollars!