Blog Consulting, LLC.

Spot GPS Messenger - A Study in Social Media Blog Marketing

Our family loves to hike!  When we moved to Arizona, we quickly learned that an incident, in the desert, can mean quick and sudden death!

Fortunately, a couple years ago,  Santa Claus brought me a SPOT GPS Messenger!

Today, in my e-mail in-box, I received an e-mail from the folks over at SPOT GPS Messenger.  I immediately noticed that they were inviting me to a different kind of relationship, than one built on them sending e-mail to me occasionally.

They built a page on facebook, opened a Twitter account, and even have a blog, with RSS Feeds, on their website.

Their blog seemed to get lost in all the busyness of their website, but nonetheless, look what just happened!  I went to their Facebook page, and left them a testimonial!

I hope you see the lesson, and the power in that! 

Plus, now get this, because I left this comment, others in my Facebook "friends" are going to be exposed to their site.

They just borrowed my credibility, and will likely get a client, or two out of the deal.

You need to run, not walk, to your computer, and let me teach YOU how to do the same thing!

E-Mail me here.

Building a Facebook Outpost for your Blog

One of the things that every business, organization, or professional blogger will want to do, is build an outpost on Facebook.

Facebook is easily one of the fastest growing social networks on the planet. 

Furthermore, Facebook has now provided "pages" for businesses, and organizations to have a place on their network.  It has proven to be wildly popular.

Look at these stats directly from Facebook: 

• More than 200 million active users
• More than 100 million users log on to Facebook at least once each day
• More than two-thirds of Facebook users are outside of college
• The fastest growing demographic is those 35 years old and older

• Average user has 120 friends on the site
• More than 3.5 billion minutes are spent on Facebook each day (worldwide)
• More than 20 million users update their statuses at least once each day
• More than 4 million users become fans of Pages each day

• More than 850 million photos uploaded to the site each month
• More than 8 million videos uploaded each month
• More than 1 billion pieces of content (web links, news stories, blog posts, notes, photos, etc.) shared each week
• More than 2.5 million events created each month
• More than 25 million active user groups exist on the site

We just built our initial Facebook page, and within on day, I was reconnected with a business acquaintance, across the country, who is a very likely candidate for our blog consulting services.

As a client of Blog Consulting, LLC we will make certain that you have a Facebook strategy in place. 

You simply cannot afford to  be absent from 200 million active users! 

Besides, it also great fun!

Blog Consulting, LLC's Resolutions

A compass is an indispensable tool for finding ones way.  Critically important, in the operation of a compass, and therefore finding your way, is true north. 

In a business, in my humble opinion, true north is defined by the company's resolutions.   Above all, what things are going to guide this company's actions.

I just completed our company's resolutions, and would like to share with you, those things which will drive our actions, thoughts, and hearts:

Resolved:  to model to my prospective clients, by my behavior in this blog, how they might capture the power of this medium, and the hearts of their patrons.

Resolved:  to not only bring this technology to my clients, but more importantly, consult with them for 12 months to assure that a reasonable system is put into place to assure consistent content, and thereby success.

Resolved:  to diligently focus on my clients needs, bring them consistent valuable information, and force upon myself the discipline to remain above the noise of the "get rich quick" multitudes in this arena.

Resolved:  to purposefully look inside each organization to find existing communications strategies that are outdated, ineffective, and most likely poor investments.

Resolved:  to help my clients find their "voice" as they learn to become better communicators.

Resolved:  to ferociously pursue the ideal that this new communication tool be an asset, and not an expense.  In other words, seek to bring a consistent, verifiable return on the investment.

Resolved:  to help my client focus on the needs of their clients, and not to be swayed by the vogue of this medium.  It's relationships, not page views!

Resolved:  to so focus my attentions, on my clients needs, that they wake up each morning wondering how they might refer me to their friends, and associates. 

Resolved:  to gain many new friends, from around the world, through this incredible technology.

Resolved:  to understand that this is merely a business, it possesses no ability to capture my self-worth, and that my real purpose is to serve my fellow man, and therefore, hopefully, bring joy to my Creator.

There are a great many people who would purpose to sell you a blog.  I hope you can see that our heart is to help you build meaningful, and valuable relationships with your patrons, through the exciting new technologies of blogging (new social media).

It's not the blog, it's the relationships!

 

5 Reasons Google News prognosticates your Web, Blog, and New Social Media Strategy

One of the primary missions of this blog will be to continually challenge your thinking, as it pertains to building strong relationships with your business's, or organization's patrons (community).

The first thing that you simply must understand is that there is a massive paradigm shift happening in the way information is delivered.

If you ignore this monumental change, your business, or organization will be left behind, and frankly, you will miss an incredibly opportunity to significantly deepen the relationship with your patrons.

Here are 5 things that we all must learn from Google News as we consider our Web, Blog, or New Social Media Strategies:

1. Information Delivery is massively shifting to the Internet - newspapers, and magazines, all over the planet are hemorrhaging red ink.  We are currently witnessing unprecedented closures of centuries old newspaper dynasties.  Why?  Sites like Google News.  It is very expensive to deliver the news in print.  Google News has completely eliminated that expense.  Furthermore, you get no ink on your fingers, you get the news when you want it, it is continually updated throughout the day, and if you like, you can subscribe, and have only those sections you want, delivered right to your e-mail, or RSS Feed Reader.  Print news media simply can not compete.  It remains to be seen what happens to printed books, and very expensive television broadcasters.  Trust me, they are also feeling the sharp pinch of momentum.
2. Search and browse 25,000 news sources updated continually - ruminate on that for a minute.  Swirl it around in your mouth.  Did you get that?  25,000 news sources, updated continually.  Again, the newspaper simply cannot compete with this.  If news happens, anywhere in the world, Google News will have it updated on their site, and will likely be able to take you there, immediately with video, audio, and certainly with text.  The world is completely covered with cell phone cameras/video recorders.  The systems exist to get the video, from the 16 year old's cell phone, right to Google News, and to you!  Millions, and millions of free reporters, all over the world.  Newspapers can not compete!
3. Video, Audio, Visual, and Textual delivery - if a building blows up, God forbid, Google will have it.  If we discovered a recording of Pavarotti's last song, Google News will allow you to download it to your iPod, if a stolen Rembrandt was suddenly recovered, you will see it on your computer screen.  Google News is essentially a television station, a newspaper, a magazine, a website, and most importantly, a community of readers. 
4. Search - this is a biggie!  When you are done reading the newspaper, what generally happens to it.  Under the dog's excrement!  Right?  Not so with Google News.  It is here forever.  If you desire, a year from now, to come back and research a particular topic.  It will be there waiting for you, and perhaps even someday give you a cup of coffee while you read! 
5. Subscription - oh no!  The death nail!  Google News is available for subscription, just like the newspaper.  But, this is an incredibly but, it....is....free!  Do you hear the bagpipes playing?  This is unstoppable.

So what does this have to do with your business, or organization?  I am so glad you asked?

With a blog, you have all of these tools, rediculously inexpensive, available to you! 

You must, I repeat, you must begin to move your website from a glorified business card, to a media rich, hub of information, that your clients would love to subscribe to. 

You have a story to tell, and there is no better tool, under the sun, rather than in person, than a blog/new media site.

My Shameless Commercial Plug

We exist to help business, organizations, and individuals build their online blogs/new media sites.  We desire to teach you how to have your own little Google News channel.  We desire to show you how you can build deeper, richer relationships with your clients. 

The best part is, we don't just give you the golf club, we consult with you, for a year, teaching you to become a masterful swinger of your club!

E-Mail me today, and let's set up a free, no obligation phone consultation.

America's Newest Profession: Bloggers for Hire

This just in,  from the Wall Street Journal:  America's Newest Profession:  Bloggers for Hire.

Hey!  That's me!

Check out our services page, to see if we can help your company, or organization, with our blog consulting, and/or social media management services.

10 Reasons Smart Real Estate Agents and Realtors® will build their own Blogs and/or Social Media Sites

The world is quickly changing, and the way in which today's Real Estate Agents, and Realtors® do business must change as well.

It wasn't long ago when a Realtor® would rely primarily upon yard signs, newspaper advertising, the Multiple Listing Service (MLS), and mailings to drive the bulk of their business.

There is a mighty blowing wind starting to stir, and the Realtor® who doesn't have their sails in the right direction, will likely find themselves out to sea, with no wind at all.

The once mighty Sunday real estate section has become a thing of the past.  It was ridiculously expensive to buy advertising, and newspapers themselves, all over the country, are becoming extinct!

Secondly, the cost to deliver information by mail is slow, and a large burden to your bottom line.

So, where is this all headed?

The answer is simple, but will require a measure of paradigm shifting:  the smart Realtor® will build their own online social media site/blog, and begin to control their own message delivery system with a significant savings to the bottom line of their profit/loss statements.

The early adapters will command a huge advantage! 

Please read on...

Our Services - Blog Consulting, LLC

Today, I built our "Our Service" tab.  See it just above?

Here is what it says:

Blog (New Media) Consulting

This will be our flagship service.  Here we will provide the actual building of an online blogging presence for businesses, organizations, or certain individuals.  This will include, but is not limited to:

• the actual building your new blog
• connecting your new blog to all appropriate social networks, such as facebook, Twitter, and LinkedIn.
• plugging in appropriate widgets, gizmos, and doodads to make your subscribers experience pleasant, and very Web 2.0.
• designing, with your direction, a custom banner for your new site.
• sitting you in the seat of your new blog, and teaching you how to work all the knobs, buttons, and dials.
• working with you to subscribe your clients/patrons/members, etc to your new enterprise.
• working with you to create a vision, mission, and  purpose into your new media site.
• teaching you how to create video posts, audio post, upload media to iTunes, as well as instruction in textual composition with rich photography to create extra pizazz in your posts.
• most important of all, I repeat, most important of all, I will consult, and work with you over a 12 month period to assure the success of your new enterprise.  Here lies the biggest roadblock to most blogs:  they start with will all the good intentions in the world, but three months later, it is barren waste land.

I have 20 years of business networking, and community building experience.  I have started from scratch, and sold a very successful business.  That, together with my love of technology provides me with the tools to help you succeed. 

Please drop me an e-mail to set up a free, no obligation conversation about your new site.

Social Media Management

This is where a company, organization, or individual would hire me (Blog Consulting, LLC) to actually manage the day to day operations of your online blog (new media). 

This would involve a contracted amount of dedicated time each week, where I would actually sit in the drivers seat of your online media division.   This might include such things as:

• writing a determined number of blog posts each week.
• managing your social media sites, such as facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, etc.
• conducting video interviews, for your site, and uploading them to iTunes.
• conducting audio interviews, for your site, and uploading them to iTunes.
• creating subscription, marketing, and/or fund raising campaigns.
• working in tandem with you to create, maintain, and give vision to your new media enterprise.

I could only do this for a very limited number of organizations, and it would need to be in an area where I have great passion, and expertise.  Remember, a successful new media site is built with passion!

Areas that I could entertain for this type of venture might be:

• the mortgage industry
• business consulting/management
• blogs revolving around the Christian faith
• Church and/or seminary blogs
• author blogs in business and/or faith issues
• travel blogs
• hiking blogs
• Arizona, Phoenix, and/or Scottsdale blogs
• personal finance blogs
• photography
• visual arts such as museums, galleries, and or individual visual artists

There may be others, but you get the point.  This particular service would need to be a passion of mine, in order for it to be effective.  I would be highly ineffective blogging about football, for example.

Please drop me an e-mail to set up a free, no obligation conversation about Blog Consulting, LLC managing your blog/media site.

The Top 5 Reasons Your Organization Must Embrace Blogs (New Media)

President Barack Obama - Our Nation's Most Influential Blogger

Note:  this exercise requires that you put all politics aside for three minutes!

I put this photograph here to drive home a point.  When you look at this photograph, what emotions are going through your mind.  Remember, no politics allowed in this exercise.

Here is what is going through my mind:

• There's my President and his family
• There is their new dog, Bo.
• There they are playing in the White House lawn.
• Hey...this looks like any family in America.
• This photograph makes them more real, more touchable, more human to me.

Bingo!  Get it?  Behold the power of the blog.  The President gets it, shouldn't you?

A blog will allow you to pull back the curtain of your organization, and let people see the real you.  People like doing business with people they like!  A blog will make you more likable.

E-mail me to talk about a blog (new media) site for your company, or organization.

Who is Blog Consulting, LLC?

Who is Blog Consulting, LLC? 

Well, I am glad you asked! 

I just finished my "about" page, and at the end of my little story, I have provided you with my "elevator pitch".

Please give it a read, and see if Blog Consulting, LLC. should help your business, organization, or individual enterprise built your online, "new media" site.