What makes a great Entrepreneur?

These days it seems that many chose the route of becoming an Entrepreneur. There are countless reasons for it, so many so that I could write another blog article on it. The spirit and character of an Entrepreneur seems to follow a connection with a certain personality type of individual. A drive to become something different, something more independent and a passion for life beyond the daily grind of going into an office on a daily basis and blankly staring at a computer screen for 8 hours. 

The desire to run your own business is a huge thing to possess when you want to become an Entrepreneur. Honestly, it is not for everyone and if you think it is easy, I can tell you from personal experience that it is not. The desire or want is the start of a foundation for your journey into the world of running your own business. Your personality is key as well. You have to look from within and decide if being your own boss is right for you. Do you work well independently? Can you motivate yourself to get out of bed in the morning day after day and focus on your goals? Being an Entrepreneur means you rely on yourself for everything in the business mix. There is no one there to help you (at least to start in most cases) so it is something you need to consider. 

 

What skills do you have and how can you put them to work in your business? Step back and look within. Give yourself a personal SWOT Analysis Strengths Weaknesses Opportunities and Threats. Put them in front of you and really truly consider yourself in the mix. Sometimes we can be our own worst enemies, and the start of something amazing begins with self awareness. As an example of myself, I know that I am not organized. It is a weakness and I know this so I try my best to work at being more organized. Having a cleaner working area was a good start for me. A strength I possess is my social abilities. I have a sales background so talking to others for me is no problem. The sales aspect of business is getting out there and selling, networking and meeting with people. Knowing yourself is part of being an Entrepreneur and you need to understand your limitations.

Put together a plan for your success. It doesn't have to be a 100 page corporate business plan, but it should have the basic criteria covered. Some things you need to plan are 1- what service/product you are going to be offering, 2- where you are going to be offering it, 3- what your costs will be for start-up, 4- Competition Landscape, 5- Marketing/Advertising/promotion of your business, 6- Where will your business operate (at home or an office), and 7- Price Structure.  These are just a few of the components to consider before starting up a new business. 

 

Having Goals is key. Do you have them? Why are you becoming an Entrepreneur and starting you own business? For Freedom, for better working hours, to spend time with you family? Statistics show that only 5% of the population has goals. Most drift around in a fog not really knowing the direction they are heading in, and letting others dictate their destiny. Write down your goals on paper and put them up on the wall somewhere. Look at them every day, 10 times a day,

whatever. They will keep you focused and remind  you of why you are doing this. The fog will be much less. Trust me!

 

Resources to succeed. We all need money to live and to do the things we want to do. For some, it is not an issue, for the masses it is a daily struggle to find enough of it. You need to look at your budgetary restrictions and see if being an entrepreneur is the right thing for you to do. It is about priorities and understanding that if you don't have the money for a start-up, you need to look at other options. A small business bank loan is a good place to start, but maybe you do not qualify for a loan? Family and friends is another good place to look for financing as they are your support network and they believe in you. The best piece of advise I can give you here is doing up a budget and seeing where you stand. I do a monthly running budget and it really helps. 

 

Communication with your family and friends. If your single and not in any committed relationship then hey, you don't need to talk to you significant other. Talking to your friends is always a good idea as they will certainly give you good advise. If you are married or in some committed relationship with someone, then its always a good idea to talk to them first about what your plans are for being an Entrepreneur and running a business. Your in it together, financially, emotionally, physically, so you need there buy in. I can tell you this without any shadow of a doubt that if there are problems on the home front your entrepreneurial journey will not be a smooth one. You're not alone. 

Not Giving Up! Things will be hard to start. It will seem like you are getting nowhere, but trust me the beginning is always the rockiest. Keep positive and focused on what you want to do. You've made the leap of faith to start your own business, and the benefits are many. It is a mindset, and attitude that you must maintain. We all have bad days, but there is no need to focus on them. Leave the past behind, move forward and do not give up!

Are you sure you want to do that? - Think twice about using Social Media!

We have all made the mistake of posting at one time or another when we should not have. After a night of drinking, after breaking up with someone, after having a bad day, whatever the negative means, the end shouldn't be a rant on Facebook or Twitter. The best time to use social media sites is when you are happy and at your best. After a nice dinner, a great day outing with friends and family, or during an amazing and positive experience. Not when you are at your worst or weakest. Here are some states of being that you should wait to pass before you post or tweet anything. 

Intoxication. Don't do it! Your ability to make decisions based on common sense and logic is seriously diminished when you are drunk. Posting that incriminating picture of a friend, or family member may seem funny at the time but you may think twice the next day as your head is throbbing away. Do yourself a big favour and forget about posting during periods of intoxicated debauchery. Remember, the headache is temporary, but postings have a tendency to becoming permanent. 

 

Anger. Similar to emails, you should never post/tweet anything when in a state of anger or towards someone or something. It clouds the mind and you make decisions based on your anger towards someone, not based on objectiveness. The best piece of advise I can give you here is to wait a few hours until you cool down before  posting anything. A good nights sleep or a shower will usually do the trick. Before you do anything, have it proof read before hitting the send button. If you think its too strong or inappropriate, then 9 times out of ten it usually is.

 

Fatigue. For some, working at night is no problem. For me, I perform better and more clearly in the morning. Studies show that your brain functions much more efficiently when you are full of energy and life. Pick the time that works best for you, whether it be the morning or night. If you are tired, best to relax, or even better get some sleep and go at it in the morning. 

 

Vengeance or Spitefulness. So here is the scenario. You just broke up with someone. Maybe you were not the one who initiated the break-up and you feel very hurt and upset by the entire ordeal. You have some pictures that are not so flattering and you want to post them to Instagram or Facebook and get revenge on them. Ask yourself this, what will this accomplish other then revenge? You are certainly not going to get them back by torturing them with this photo, so why do it? Move on, find someone else and forget about revenge. Its not a good state of mind to be in.

 

Jealousy and Envy. These emotions are useless in my opinion. On social media, they have absolutely no place whatsoever. They are based in negative thought and motivation and accomplish nothing but great regret and frustration. Like many of those self help guides and speakers that advise to move on, let the past go and think to the future - they are right. You are your own self, forget about being other people or having what they have.  

During theater or a movie. This one may seem comical, but I just read a story recently about Madonna being banned from a cinema company in Texas for texting during a movie. I can understand if its an emergency or something very pressing, but really do you need to be on Facebook updating your status or on Linkedin during a movie? It costs a considerable amount after concessions to go to a show. Most, if not all people do not appreciate it when you use your mobile devices while they are trying to watch a movie. Honestly, it is disrespectful of others and don't be surprised if you get scolded by another patron, or asked to leave by management.  

At the dinner table. We all like our electronics and being on them. Do we really need to be on Twitter during dinner? The answer is no. It is one of the few times during the day that you and your family have a chance to actually talk to each other and catch up on the day. It is a time to disconnect and to recover a personal connection with our family and friends. Put the devices down and enjoy each others company. The art of conversation is still very important.

 

Being social, upbeat and happy is what being on social media is all about. Check the baggage and the negativity at the door when you want to post something on Facebook and I promise you will feel better about yourself, and about everyone you interact with.

Key Ingrediants to Great Blog Content!

I have been blogging now for over a year, and I have found that you need certain things to have a successful blog. Content is King, that is for sure but what makes great content? What do you need to make your content relevant and engaging? Whether you just like writing and sharing wisdom or you want to drive traffic to your website, the goal is getting people to read your blog. Here are some "Key Ingredients" that you need to spice up your blog and create the interest you need.

Passion. This is number one. Without this, you will most certainly fail to capture the audience you are looking for. Socially speaking, what creates a buzz is passion, or a strong emotional connection to something. People crave that spark and they want to jump on the bandwagon. Be passionate about what you talking about and show some life. If you are just writing a blog for the sake of writing it, like some kind of blog robot, then you are destine to have very few read your posts.

Audience. Who are they? Do you know where your fans are? Do they use Facebook Twitter or LinkedIn? Are they in chat rooms, what sites do they visit, what interests them? You have to first consider where your audience exists. The other thing is what kind of information and content they want? If your knowledge base revolves around hockey, then finding your fans in a chat room that talks about baking cookies is likely not the write place to be. Find and engage your audience in the right places and this will certainly grab the attention you need.

Knowledge. Create what you know and can effectively articulate to your audience. If you are into basket weaving, then writing a blog on Lacrosse is probably going to be as stretch for you. Information and thought leadership is golden, and your audience wants it. There is a lot of BS on the internet, we all know this and the average person can sense it as well.

Originality. On Twitter I see the same thing over and over again spinning around and being ret-tweeted and shared. You need to keep your content new and refreshing. Rehashing the same thing will not get you the audience you need. Don't plagiarize or steal someone else's work. This shows your audience that you cannot come up with your own content. You will lose trust and your following will shrink very quickly to nothing or robots following you just looking for keywords. It is tempting to use someone else's work, this especially if you are experiencing "writers block." Don't do it. Some suggestions to get those creative juices to come out would be reading magazines, books, going for a walk, taking a shower, watching some TV, anything other then sitting blankly in front of your computer screen.


Promotion. Just creating content then leaving it alone to gather reads at least to start, is not going to work for you. You want to promote and entice people to read what you have to say. Unless you have a huge blog followership of thousands, you need to promote your new blog in other ways. Using Twitter and Facebook will help. Post on your FB page, and give it to your Twitter followers to spread the post. Using content sharing sites is definitely a way to get you blog cooking. Guest Blogging is ok, but unless you have a reputation and can easily find someone who will let you, to start promoting your blog off this way will not work. There are other sites that allow people to post their own content and make it a part of their mix. If your blog follows the above mix then it will surely get picked up and spread. Post your blog to your website as well.

Consistency. You need to blog in a consistent manner. Putting out content once every 3 months is not going to gather you a solid following. I have found that you need to blog at least once a week. Monday is the best time to publish your work giving everyone the chance to read and share it. Pick your time of day as well and stick with it. Mornings are good when everyone is commuting to work. Afternoons after lunch work well also. Whatever time you pick, stay with it because your followers will start looking for your work at certain times of day.

Longevity. Don't Give up! Keep blogging and using the above ingredients to do so. I can tell you one thing, it takes a lot of time and efforts to build a following and an audience. Like everything else in life its all about hard work, dedication and commitment to make your blog a success.

5 Reasons Why you should allow Employees to use Social Media at Work

Trends are changing, and it seems as though more and more companies are now allowing employees to utilize Social Media sites on company computers and servers. Banning sites such as Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, Pinterest, and Google+  have seen a reversal and now many are allowing their staff to access these sites. In the past two years alone, usage at the workplace has increased by 20%. More and more, employees are using social media sites as a release at work, much like having a coffee break and the effects are similar. Here are 5 reasons why you should allow your employees to use social media sites.

1- Improved efficiency and productivity. There is no way anyone can work a full 8 hour day straight. As much as companies would like to see their employees work like robots and be productive and happy throughout the day, it is just not realistic. Studies show that employees energy levels and stamina improve by as much as 25% after taking breaks throughout the day. We live in a digital world now whereby people socialize in different ways. Gone are the days where everyone congregated around the water cooler to discuss what happened on the weekend or the score of the football/hockey game. We go to Facebook or Twitter because that is where everyone is and where we can get instant news and information.

2- Increased Loyalty. Banning social media usage at work sends a message to employees that you don't trust them. If they feel you don't trust them, then they certainly will not trust you as a company. Loyalty today is a word I do not hear often, yet retention is an important thing to a business. To recruit, hire, orient, and train a new employee can cost a company upwards of as much as $3500- this for an entry level position. So with that in mind it is should be in the best interest of your HR department to retain and keep your employees happy and loyal.

3- Improved Employee Satisfaction. Your best fans are your employees. This reason is hard to grasp, but if your employees are happy, efficient, and loyal to your company, then it shows when they talk to your prospects and clients. Your employees are on the front lines, and if they seem disgruntled because you don't trust them enough to allow them the freedom of choice when it comes to their break time, it will come across to your clients. A satisfied employee is worth its weight in gold, embrace it and you will reap the awards ten fold.


4- Attracting the right kind of talent. Generation X and Y individuals are very tech savvy. They have handheld devices, tablets, etc. They use their devices to socialize, to communicate, and to find things. These individuals want to work for a company who is modern, upbeat, and one that accepts the digital and technological world that we now live in. If you want to attract the right type of employee to your company, you have to be willing to allow employees to use social media sites at work. If not, then you risk missing out on recruiting talent.

5- Workplace Harmony. I can usually sense what kind of culture exists at a company within about 30 seconds of being at reception. Peace and balance within a company is crucial. Running a company with an iron fist like the Gestapo and threatening punishment to an employee for using Facebook will not create a harmonious workplace. Where does it end? If you ban social media, do you ban fraternizing at work? No talking, no eye contact, no nothing? The average employee is not going to spend all day on Facebook or Twitter. Studies show that at most, people spend maybe 15-20 minutes a day liking, sharing and commenting on social media. That is equivalent to one break.

If a workplace has a pleasant environment built on mutual trust, understanding, and fairness, you will have a happier and more productive workforce. If you do not have a social media policy in place for employees, then it is time for you to seriously consider having one that encompasses allowing your employees to use social media at work.

13 Things you should never Say or Do to your Employees!

I just read an article about the things you should never say to your employer. It got me to thinking that the pendulum swings both ways and that there are certainly things that you should never say to your employees. Given that corporations want to attract talent and retain these individuals for a long period of time, here are some things that managers should avoid saying to their employees:
 
1- "You should be thankful to have a job"

Believe it or not, I had a manager say this to me thinking that it would motivate me to perform. It had exactly the opposite effect on me giving me the feeling of disenchantment and de-motivation to work for this company. The next day I sent out resumes and contacted recruiters. Sorry, but it is not the 50's any longer, and the mentality of using this type of statement to motivate your employees will not work. In fact, if you want your employees to leave, I would suggest using this phrase.
 
 2- Saying "You are incompetent or stupid"
This statement is very derogatory and any company worth their salt would have a harassment and abuse policy in place that would certainly discourage this kind of statement. If you question someone's character in this manner, you better be prepared for a reprimand or even termination.

3- Using profane language

It really has no place at work. If you swear at your employees, they will not only not respect you, but also they will completely fear coming to talk to you about anything thus making you an island unto yourself.

4- Being physically aggressive

Other then a handshake or pat on the back. their should be no physical contact with your employees. If there is, again you run the risk of a reprimand or termination.

5- Betting employees against each other

Being in sales, I can tell you that a corporation cares only about numbers. It is sad, but true unfortunately. One of the worst things you can do is tell an employee that they need to work it out with the employee you are having difficulties with and that it has nothing do to with you or you do not have time to deal with it. This shows a real lack of empathy and understanding on your part towards the problem. In my case, it was a disagreement of sharing commission with another salesperson. I would not have come to them in the first place if we were able to come to some kind of agreement so why pass it off?

6- Slamming Doors

I worked at a Toy company once where a manager did this. He would constantly slam doors when he was upset. It was horrible, no one wanted to go near him for fear of what he would do or how he would react. So unprofessional and violent. No one should ever have to work in an environment like that. Oh, and he used to make people cry too.

7- Lying to your employees

Honesty and ethics are key components of building trust and loyalty with your employees. Someone who trusts you will show the utmost loyalty and respect towards you and your management capabilities. If they find that you lie to them, or leave them hanging any chance of loyalty you may have had will be gone. Always tell the truth to your employees and never lie!

8- "I haven't got time to deal with your issues right now"

We all get busy and deadlines are important. So is addressing issues and employee concerns before they fester. This statement sends a message that you do not value your employees. For any future problems that may occur, I can guarantee that your subordinates will never come to you again.

9- Making promises that you cannot keep

This also falls into the trust category. Constantly making statements or promises that never come to fruition will cause you to lose all trust and loyalty of your employees. They will never believe anything that comes out of your mouth.

10- Throwing a temper tantrum or getting very upset

If you are doing this on a regular basis, you need to seek psychiatric care. I used to work for a woman (her father owned the business) that used to do this regularly. She would completely come apart and either throw a fit or she would start to cry at her desk. It was unbelievable. I lasted 5 years working for her amazingly enough. The attrition rate at this company was about 50%. It was insane. I saw some that lasted for a day, others that lasted for hours then walked out. There was one incident whereby a new hire said I am going to the washroom, then they never came back.

11- "You better start looking for another place of employment"

I had a friend who's employer said this to them. Similar to the above statement, but times about 10 when it comes to motivation and loyalty. Why would you want to even continue working for an employer like this. It sends a message that you are going to fire them anyway, so he gave up and started looking for another place to work. The thought here is that if they quit, you don't need to pay them severen's pay. That is fine, but know this, by making this statement you lose their loyalty, devotion and motivation to work for your company on the spot. You can expect little to no efficiency from them until they do leave.

12- Rolling your eyes or laughing at an employee

Sarcasm and condescension are the only two attributes you are contributing here. Both of which will get you nowhere. Very unprofessional behaviour.

13- Not responding to emails or voice mails

Being in the digital age of communication, I find that it has become very easy to ignore and skirt responding to someone who sends you an email of concern. For me, it tells me you either do not want to address the issue or that you do not know how to address the issue. Either way, it is not a good thing. No response is not a response.

If you have a boss that has said or done any of the above things to you, then it is time to start looking for another place of employment. Dust off the resume and start contacting recruiters.

The Power of Goal Setting

Goals are very important in life. Having them gives us a clear picture of what we want to achieve in our lifetime. Everyone is very different, with different likes, dislikes, tastes, etc. One thing that we all have in common is that we should set clear goals/objectives for ourselves with a framework of how we will achieve them.

Only 5% of people set goals for themselves. The majority go day to day lost in a fog of doing what they have to do to survive, or what they are expected to do by their family, friends and colleagues. I know that as a young man I was determined to take on the world filled with idealistic dreams of getting into International Business and seeing the world. I felt that I could make a difference and change the world into a better place for all. I was wrong, and my career was caught in a fog of disillusionment. I did not really set any goals for myself, other then I wanted to see the world and change things. No framework, no plan, nothing. I was destined to fail.

Only in the past 6 months have I come to realize that I needed to make some serious changes to the direction my life was going. I needed a plan to get out of the rut that I was in. Working day after day without clarity as to how I was going to achieve my career objectives wasn't working. I am currently employed as a salesperson in the customs and logistics industry in Toronto. Competition is fierce, and our services are very much the same across the board. Companies in my industry have little patience when it comes to salespeople. They hire on the premise of sink or swim. Using terms like self-starter, independent, hunter, energetic, intelligent, experienced, the list goes on and on. They churn through individuals like a meat-grinder. In 15 years of being in sales I have yet to work for a company that truly supports my goals and objectives. It is all about the corporation and numbers. No framework as to how to get there, no support, no help, nothing, just a toss into the deep end with the hope you can swim and fend for yourself in a pool filled with sharks. Its a tough environment, and while I understand sales is all about numbers, there has to be a backbone there to help salespeople not just survive, but to succeed and flourish.

In sales you have a target or a goal. In my case it is 250k net profit a year. That is my sales goal. How do I get there though? I want to make my target, get commission, and at the end of the day, keep my job. Without some kind of road map or a plan it is like an elusive carrot. As of recently, I have set goals and a framework for myself. The thing is, they do not align with the corporations goals, thus I have found it extremely hard to survive and be happy in what I am doing. I suspect many are in this same position.

As an Entrepreneur, I have found that setting goals for myself personally, and aligning them with my career goals have been one of the most rewarding and fulfilling experiences for me. It has truly helped me to not only become more focused, but it has given me a positive enlightenment in my life.

Here are some suggestions I would like to pass on to you regarding the power of goal setting:

Let the past go.  Out of all the things that we do in our life, this is one of the most important suggestions I can give you. We all have regrets from our past, things we did that we are not proud of. The thing is, they make up who we are. You learn from your past experiences, what worked and what didn't. Take that knowledge and move on. Living in the past with regrets, feeling sorry for yourself and blaming others for the path you have chosen is not going to help you. Emotionally and spiritually you need to move on, look to the future, and let the past go. You will be better for it.

Stay Positive. This is key. Studies show that positive people are not only more successful in life, but healthier as well. It is a mindset and being optimistic about what you want to achieve is very powerful. If you are a half empty kind of person who always views things through a pessimistic eye, then you need to seriously consider changing that outlook.

Be Honest and Ethical. While we all want to achieve our goals, the journey we chose to get there should be the right one. Being genuine and truthful with yourself and with others shines through. Your clients can really see when you are being honest, and they do appreciate it. While you may be tempted to take short-cuts and the easy way to success, you really need to consider how that will make you feel afterwards. Lying, cheating, and/or casting ethics aside to get that goal is not something that will fulfil your spirit in the long run. My advise to you is to be honest with yourself and to consider the effect on others with the decisions you make.

Confidence in yourself. This is a another element that is often overlooked. I know for me, it is something that I sometimes struggle with. It starts at home when you are a child. Your parents give you positive (hopefully they do) reinforcement and encouragement. Then as you progress through your life, teachers, coaches, Scout leaders, friends, family, and colleagues all either build that confidence up, or they chip away at it. Like a rock that is cracked you stand as an adult in mid life wondering what happened. For me, it was two things that really caused the cracks. One was a guidance councillor in high school. I can remember being in his office and the things he said. A few months before I was ready to graduate and go off to college or university he told me he didn't think I was cut out for it and that I should consider a "Joe" job, something menial and unfulfilling. What right did he have taking my hopes and dreams away? The second time was a sales manager who took away my confidence, and who also jaded me into an individual forever paranoid when a manager tells me we need to talk. I know we have all had these occurrences in some shape or form. You need to forget about them and move on. It is only one person's opinion of you. No one has the right to take your confidence away, never forget that!

Avoid Negative People.  They are out there, and the old saying that "misery loves company" is very true. These people are the ones who are always negative and miserable. Cast into the pit of cynicism and doubt, there is little hope for them. Like a black hole sucking everything into it, steer clear of it. Best advise here is to avoid these people, or at the very least minimise your contact with them. While we do love our family, they can sometimes be our biggest threat. Sorry to say, but if your parents or family do not support you and what your goals are, then what needs to happen is a conversation with them asking them to understand what you are trying to do. If your friends are always negative with you, then maybe it is high time for some new friends?

Put your goals on paper. This is the most important piece of advise. Visualising your goals is extremely powerful I have found. You can do this several ways, but works best for me is putting them up where I can see them. I use an eraser board and I have them sitting beside my desk keeping me focused and on track. Any time I feel a lack of energy, or if I am having a bad day I look at them, I read them and I refocus and recharge myself. You need to put pen to paper in this instance. It is one thing to have them in your mind, but an entirely different thing to always having your goals laid out in front of you. Trust me, it works!

Ask yourself this, are you happy with what you have achieved in life? Do you still have a list of things that you would like to see happen? Is the fog getting too much for you to bare? Setting goals for what you want to achieve is part of the recipe for a good and fulfilling life. I think it is time you started setting those goals and using the advise I have given above. Good luck!

Digital Youth

We have all heard this line "Kids spend too much time playing video games or being on-line." Now, more than ever with mobile devices, youth can be connected 24/7/365. 70% of all teenage youth have mobile devices today so it is certainly a part of the youth culture now. Just the other day I was trying to speak to a 14 year old. As I was speaking to him, he was looking at his IPhone and half listening to a song while having a conversation with me. What amazed me most is that he was able to multi-task and do all three things at once. Socially, is this acceptable? I was not overly happy to only have 1/3 of his attention span.

Our electronics are now an integral part of our life. Like it or not, it is the culture now. Most if not all teenage youth carry digital mobile devices because they want quick access to everything - communication, entertainment, and knowledge. I remember when I was a kid, communication was a payphone and 3 or 4 of us standing around it calling people. Entertainment was playing sports outside, and to some extent playing video games on a game system inside. Knowledge was a bit tougher. It consisted of asking our parents or relatives questions, reading books/magazines or comics, and what we learned in school. Nowadays, it is easy to communicate with each other. You have lots of options, you can text, email, call, Twitter, Facebook, Skype, chat, the list goes on and on.  Entertainment is at your fingertips on our digital devices. Games, stories, Apps, all right there. Knowledge too. The biggest knowledge base that ever existed is the internet. If you want to find out something you just Google it. We do not need to think and use our brains any longer,  we can just check for something on the internet and there it is.

The question we should be asking is do youth really need to have mobile devices? I look back at my childhood and I turned our pretty good (or so I think). I could have had more opportunities available to me had I had a mobile internet device I suppose. At 14, the Internet was not in existence yet for mainstream use, it was more of a government experiment. The number one reason I hear from most parents why they give their children a mobile digital device is to be able to communicate with them and for safety reasons. I can understand the safety concern, and that is a good reason, but do you need to text and email them every 5 minutes to see if they are ok? "Hey mom, I am going to the mall, I will be back in 2 hours." Is that not enough? Today, maybe it isn't. I wonder if we are not the worry generation, the ones who smother our kids to the point where they can't even breathe or think for themselves. Don't eat peanut butter, kids are allergic to it, don't get dirty, don't touch anything, don't drink from the garden hose, don't, don't, don't. How do they learn and grow if they are not allowed to do anything?

Having digital devices at school has been mostly frowned upon in the past, although times are now changing. Even in organizations such as Scouting and youth clubs the mentality was the same. No electronics please for these reasons. 1- You need to be paying attention to what is going on and what you are doing. 2- They can get damaged, 3- they can get lost.  Ok, well if they lose them or get damaged you can be sure it won't happen again and it will be a learning experience if nothing else. I agree fully with paying attention to what is being taught, distraction is not a good situation. Schools are now starting to look at using mobile devices as a tool and incorporating them into their curriculum and allowing youth to use them in a controlled environment during school hours. My son's school now has "Bring your device to school day." They can bring their device to school, and during the day they teach the youth when it is appropriate to bring out their device. Things like looking on-line for directions, looking for a hospital or police station, using the calculator or using an application in a constructive manner are some examples of the new digital teachings. I believe history is still taught the same way from textbooks; I do not believe Wikipedia is considered a reliable source just yet.

Youth also utilize their electronics to connect to each other via social media. Using Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, or whatever platform is very popular now. Looking for or meeting new friends and acceptance/belonging are huge forces of attraction. Social platforms allow that, and with mobile usage on the rise, this will only continue to increase. When do you say enough is enough though? Mobile internet usage tends to cost more than home internet usage. If your child is on your cell plan, limiting how much time they can spend on the internet may be the key. Certainly during school its use needs to be controlled and harnessed. Etiquette needs to be reinforced. When is it appropriate to use a handheld? When you are speaking with someone? No. While in class and it is not device day? No. When you are on lunch? Yes. When it’s an emergency? Yes. When you need to check for something that is important? Yes. It starts with parents teaching their children when it is appropriate and for how long to use their digital devices.  Now that schools are on board, the teaching will continue there as well.

Avoid these on-line "Get Rich" schemes. If it is too good to be true, then it usually is.

Every day a sucker is born. This is very true, and unfortunately every minute of every day someone is taken advantage of on-line. With dreams of owning a business, having freedom to work from home, and getting rich, the lure of on-line business is very tempting. Below are some tips and advice so that you can avoid being scammed on-line and to utilize your time more efficiently.

If it sounds too good to be true, then 9 times out of 10 it is. I see so many advertisements that hook people in guaranteeing riches and freedom if they were to just buy their book, or sign up to their site. Sorry, but there is no easy fix or formula for making money on-line. It takes hard work, consistency, dedication, and a commitment much like running your own business. Nothing is easy, especially being an entrepreneur. Anyone who says otherwise does not have your best interests in mind. Stay away from the easy to get rich ads and promises.

PTC (Paid to Click) is one of the biggest schemes going. I mean really, you are paid anywhere from 1/10th of a cent to 1 cent to click and then stay on the search engine or site for 30 seconds to a minute. I thought I would get rich doing this until I realized it was taking me an hour to make $1.00 or less, thus enlightenment and a realization that I was being taken advantage of set in. Getting paid was the other thing. These PTC sites all say that "you will get paid in 30 days." I waited patiently with great anticipation for the payment that never came. Now some of these sites were ok (or claimed to be) but even working with them was a struggle. The webmasters watched everything you did, how long you stayed on the sites, if you clicked or searched. It was an uphill battle and no way to make a living. Try it if you do not believe me, you will make little or no money doing it and waste a huge amount of your time. Don't believe the PayPal statements proving payment either, this is another tactic they use to hook you in. Anything can be doctored to look real.

Paid traffic, Likes, & Followers. This is not a good way to build a following or fan base. Anything that is paid for will not engage with your brand. It will be hollow and faceless. The best way to generate traffic to your pages and sites is to do it organically offering engaging and original content. I see that there are many websites that offer 60,000 visitors to your site for $29.95 a month. Does this not sound to good to be true? It is tempting to try it once to see if it works, but I can guarantee you that you will not get an ROI on it. Stick with building your fan base the natural way and you will be better in the long run for it.

Motivational Speakers. I have been to several of these seminars and I can honestly tell you once the tingling feeling leaves you about 5 minutes after leaving, that will be the extent of what you get out of it. Much like ridding a rollercoaster ride, it is fun and exhilarating for about 20 seconds. I once went to a Zig Ziglar seminar that was highly advertised and touted as an amazing and engaging business discussion. What a waste of time that was. It was all about him and his buddies trying to sell their books and CD's. Now Zig has some good quotes, but I received nothing tangible out of the seminar at all. It was all scripted rubbish. The only person that can motivate you, is you. Paying someone $100 to listen to how they did it, and to buy their books and CDs is no way to motivate you. Focus on your goals, aspirations, dreams, and what you want to achieve and I can guarantee this will go farther for you.

Paid to share Videos. This is a newer scheme as YouTube and the various video sharing platforms have gotten more popular. I came across of few of these sites and I decided to try them. A sucker was "re-born." $0.10-$0.20 was paid for just sharing a video via your Facebook or Twitter pages. I thought that sounds easy enough. I watched the videos, then I posted with comments. I did my job and thought I will be reimbursed for it. Wrong. The site was fully monetized and to upgrade to get
paid at higher levels you had to pay them first. What a scheme it was. So you paid $5.00 to get paid $10.00 and $10 to get paid $20. And it was all about paying to get to higher levels of payout. My videos were shared and I saw that they were being clicked many times. My account didn't change at all after sharing videos, this despite the site claiming great riches once the videos are shared multiple times. I went to an online discussion forum that discusses which PTC and PTS sites are honest and valid. I found that this particular site was a total scam. There was the usual one person on their who claimed that it was an amazing site that paid well and was not a scam. I asked them for proof of payment then never heard from them again. Stay away from these sites!

You can run an on-line business, but its not easy. Sorry but that is the truth. You will not get rich quickly either. For 10 years I have been looking for ways to run a successful business via the internet. What I have found is that you need to be honest, original, real, engaged, and consistent. Much like in your F2F life, your digital on-line persona needs to exert positive character traits. You can do it, but it will take time and great efforts. Avoid the get rich quick schemes and sites and focus on building your personal and business brand the natural and holistic way.

Taboos you should avoid while using Social Media

You have your brand. Personal or Business. You are trying to create a name for yourself and you want to put your best foot forward. Whether convincing someone to hire you, or selling your products or services, your brand image defines you. To do this, you need to be careful and be aware that there are certain taboos associated with having a presence on social media. Below I have outlined these for your review, and I hope that you will take them to heart. No one wants a social media blow-up on the hands, and avoiding certain actions will help your brand to succeed, and keep you followers engaged and loyal.

Negativity. The dictionary definition of Negative is the expression of gloominess and pessimism. Just the definition alone is enough to turn you away. As human beings, we have an innate ability to be negative. A lifetime of built up preconceptions of the world, formed and moulded by our parents, friends and everyone we come into contact with. Generally, people want to be happy. They strive and crave that positive and happy emotion. Social Media is the outlet where many now go for happiness. Whether it is jokes, pictures, videos, funny statements, information, or staying connected with family and friends, Social Media is a place to get away and to eke out a small if not fleeting piece of joy. Stay upbeat and positive, otherwise you will drive your followers away. Nothing makes you want to click that "unfriend" or "un-follow" button more than constantly having to read and see negative comments.

Profane Language. I see it quite a bit and to be honest, it is a sure-fire way to kill any chance you have of promoting your brand in a productive way. You come across as being uneducated and incapable of compassion and empathy. The internet can be a permanent place and people are watching. Many employers now watch the social media sites and they gauge whether or not you will make a good candidate. Profanity has no place in the home (in front of your mother), at work, or at school so why swear on-line?  Keep the language pure and nice and avoid the foul statements.

Pictures/Videos of you with alcoholic beverages in your hand. We all have these friends. My cousin's Facebook page always had pictures of her drinking. Now that she has two kids, no more drinking pictures but lots of baby pictures. The funny thing is that I still perceive her as that girl who was always out partying and drinking.  Perception is everything and you need to cultivate that into something that does not give the impression that you live in a frat house. When you are in your twenties, you tend to go out a lot to drink, thus you are happy and that is when you take pictures. Think again. Would you hire someone who appears to only be drinking?

Pictures/Videos of you that are not so nice. I had a picture of me during my Bachelor Party show up on Facebook. Obviously, you cannot control everything that everyone posts (you can control your settings to make sure you approve of it first.) This picture came in before I had set my settings to being able to review all wall posts. It was me in bed passed out sucking on my thumb. The person who posted it thought it was hilarious. I did not. My advice here is to make sure you control what others are posting about you. Again, do you want a future employer or client seeing you in a drunken fetal state after a night out on the town? Likely not.

Using someone else’s handheld/computer to post something on their Facebook page or Twitter feed. This is just common sense, or so you would think. Using someone’s device is an invasion of privacy. It is like going through someone's purse or wallet. You just don't do it. Using someone’s device and logging into their Facebook page to put something they think is funny on their wall or feed is not only an invasion but it is defamation of someone’s character. I had a friend that used to leave his IPhone unattended. Well he posted (or so I thought he did) “I have decided that I am coming out of the closet.” Well the amount of responses he got was unbelievable. I sent him a message saying, is this a joke? He came back with “of course it is.” Really, are you sure everyone else knows that. I found out later that one of his so called friends posted this when he had left his IPhone on a table to go to the bathroom. His mother saw the post and had actually went to him concerned about it. It caused major problems for him with his family, friends, and co-workers. The best piece of advice I can give here is to password protect your device. This will eliminate the problem all together. Whatever you do, do not tell people what the password is!

Making extremely political or radical statements. Like elbows, everyone has an opinion. Many of us live in countries whereby we have the full freedom of expression and speech. This is a good thing. But let’s face it, strong opinions tend to repress the desire to participate and engage. I know when I am looking at my morning feeds, sometimes I see things on there that I would like to comment on. I read them, then I think of the backlash and negative comments it would generate towards me. Again, you do not want your brand associated with strong and radical views. It will keep your potential followers at bay and unwilling to engage.

The image we portray is the basis for our brand’s success or failure. Whether it’s personal or business related, we want our followers and fans to be happy and content with knowing they backed the right brand. A dynamic, positive, constructive, and forward thinking image is your best option to optimize your brand power. Perception is everything today, especially on social media sites, so please avoid the above taboos!

 

 

 

5 Awesome Social Media Techniques for your Business – Keep it Personal and Consistent!

More and more businesses are starting to realize the importance and power of Social Media. SMO – Social Media Optimization and SMM – Social Media Marketing are ever increasingly becoming a part of the business plan. There are over 1.2 Billion Social Media users daily across the globe. It is a big sea of potential and the returns can be great. It is, however, a challenge to say the least to tap into the benefits of what Social Media has to offer. Being personal and consistent can help!

Here are 5 awesome techniques you can use to harness the power of Social Media and utilize the various platforms to drive users to your site and grow your business.

1-    Be Social, be yourself. I have witnessed numerous times how people fail to be a real person. They are some faceless admin person whose job is to only acknowledge and respond to concerns. Now with automated response technology to save time, the personal touch has been lost. The key word about Social Media is the social part. You have to have a presence that is personable, available and visible. Much like voicemail or automated receptionists, while it is a way to save time and money for business, it is also something that makes them become less human. Most people do not like automated systems, and would rather engage with a live person. Keep it real, keep it social and personal! 

2-    Engagement. This follows nicely after #1. Automated systems do not engage. They only acknowledge. If you want to truly gain a strong following to your brand and business, you need to be involved in the conversations and posts. Simply having an automated response to your customers concerns and comments will not do. I know for me when I see automated responses I cringe and think, ok is my response actually going to be seen by a real person? Sometimes I do not get a response at all which begs the question if automation really works. What if that person is on vacation?  

3-    Be Positive. If you think having a rant on Facebook or Twitter is the best way to engage your followers, think again. Studies show that no one enjoys negative comments. Regardless of the day you are having, no matter how frustrated you are, stay cool, stay calm, and keep it informative and positive. Never ever blog or post when you are upset. Much like writing emails, don’t do it when you are emotional. If you do, I would certainly have someone proof read them before you post.  

4-    Your Content. This is what you know, and what you want to share with the internet world. Content needs to be informative or entertaining. One of the two. It also needs to be original and creative. Don’t try and write a novel, make it concise and to the point. Nowadays, no one has time to read a 3 page blog. Quick and Quality information is key!  

5-    Consistency. This is a commonly overlooked technique. If you tweet or post less than once a week, I promise you that you will not gain followers. People want to see you on a regular basis, because hey you are awesome and have lots of great things to share! Just having Facebook or Twitter accounts is not enough. You need to be visible and active on the platforms regularly. Another thing is that you need to post or tweet consistently. If you are all over the map, like sometimes at midnight, maybe a few at 8am, then again at 9 pm, your followers will never know when you are posting/tweeting. Pick a time during the day that works for you and consistently stick with it.  

The above techniques work and will help you and your business. Keep with the personal and social strategy in your SMO plan and you will see the results.

SMS911's Wordle

When out and about, where does your handheld go?

People have different strategies when it comes to storing their handhelds when they are on the go. Do you keep yours clipped to your belt or do you have it in your pocket?  Let us look at the pros and cons of each method.

Clip. Great way to keep your handheld at the ready. Not so good when you are driving, and they tend to pop off you belt very easily. Blackberry’s were notorious for flying off your belt like they were shot out of a cannon - when you got out of your car, a shift of your jacket, you name it. I have yet to see someone clip an IPhone, although I see in the stores they do exist.

Cover or skin. They do protect the phone, but they also inhibit the natural use of the phone There are millions of designs and covers you can choose from.

Pocket. Easy, and keeps your handheld dry and secure. Downside is pocket dialing – the thrashing sound and you can actually hear the person moving, people talking. “Hey I am in your pocket, answer me!” Have you ever dialed 911? Almost 50% of all emergency calls are accidental.

Bra. Ok, I see many women with their handhelds in their bra. I have heard that it is there for easy access plus if it vibrates being up against your skin, it is easier to feel. When women go to the bar and do not have pockets, again the easiest place to keep the phone is in the bra. Ok, I get it functional. For men though, this is not an option.

Hand. I see people walking with their cell phones. What happens if you trip and fall? I guess the benefit is having it always at the ready.

Backpack or purse. Secure from weather and loss. You don’t hear or feel it go off so there are missed calls.

Attached to your headgear. I have seen women wearing head garments with an IPhone pressed against their head. The pro here is automatic access. The con is that it can easily be dropped with a quick turn of the head.

Driving. Where do you put your cell in the car? Do you attach it to a clip, in a cup holder, on the seat? The window clip works well. Only thing is it doesn’t work that well when you need to text or email. But, I guess that shouldn’t matter because it is illegal. In a holder is good. If you put it on the seat, every time you stop hard or make a sharp turn it goes flying and you have to either wait until you stop to retrieve it, or somehow do it while you are driving. I like to keep mine on my lap. Same problem, it slips off. I’ve had it go under my seat a few times. It is impossible to retrieve unless you are stopped.

Until our devices are somehow surgically implanted into our bodies, there will be a need for storing them when we are on the go. It creates a market of clips, covers, and skins, which are sold every day at malls and flea markets. One thing is for sure, handheld devices can cost upwards of $500 so the need to keep them safe is great. Unless you have an insurance plan, it can cost you a large penalty for lost, damaged or stolen devices.

Do you have any ideas for storing yours when you are mobile? Please feel free to share!

 

 

 

 

The Technology Overlap Generation

I know its a cliché but when I was a kid, technology was very different then it is today. Born in the 70's I'm a Generation "Xer" who was a youth of the 80s and 90s. It is unbelievable the changes to things such as phones, computers (we didn't have a computer until I was 15), calculators, cameras, TV's, even microwaves. The only thing that has not changed all the much is the dishwasher. Really, other then some aesthetic differences in buttons I do not believe the technology has evolved all the much.

For our telephone, it was a rotary when I was in the 1-5 year range. It was a tedious thing to use, and if you didn't get the tone just right, you ended up with a wrong number. It was a pulse style phone and it took about 30 seconds for the call to go through. I can remember waiting and waiting for the thing to work. Then we got our first touch tone. Whoa, what a difference it was to use this device. All you had to do was touch the numbers you wanted. More efficient and quicker. This phone we had until I left the house at 19. Touch tone phones are still very widely used, so I was part of bridging the gap from rotary to touch. The big thing now is wireless phones in your house. That occurred about 15 years ago. The cost for a 4-5 phone wireless househould system is in the area of $50-100.

The first household computer we had was a Commodore. Of course it was, everyone had them in the 80s and 90s. Compared to what we have today, it was a boat anchor. Very limited to what it could do, and unless you typed in a page of code, it did very little. The second, and what I like to call the real computer used Windows, and that was in 1994. My sister purchased it for school. It had word processing software, and it was able to do more then the Commodore. I remember playing my first computer based game on it. Wolfenstein 3D. Fun game, still even today its an enjoyable game. Over the years I've had 3 computers. One desktop, and two laptops. Plus multiple work laptops because I am in sales. The desktop cost me $2k. It had 16mb of RAM and could access the internet via an eithernet cord as there was no "Wifi" then. Compared to what I have now, it was archaic. I recently purchased an Acer laptop. It has everything on it, storage, DVD CD writer, it is fast, has a big bright screen, and the cost was $400? Cheaper, better, and about 100 times faster.

In 1999 I bought my first cellular phone. It was the Clearnet Brick phone. I thought it was amazing. You could talk anywhere with it, in your car (this was before Bluetooth) at your buddies house, anywhere. Well almost anywhere, there had to be a tower close by. Since then, I've had several cell phones. Each one better then the next. Then in 2005 I got a Blackberry (AKA Crackberry.) Now, this was revolutionary. You could check you emails on your phone. Pretty amazing, and it worked well. I still have a Blackberry 8 years later. I also have a Samsung S3. Its pretty cool too for apps and internet. Still, the Blackberry keyboard rocks.

The touch revolution started about 2007 for us. My wife received an Itouch and from there it started. Since then, we have 3 tablets, 2 old Iphones, 1 new Iphone, 1 Android,  and the Itouch. That makes 7 touch devices. My son was able to use these devices before he could even read, such easy technology to use. I recall watching Star Trek in the 90's, Jean-Luc Picard and the boys and girls using these fancy pad things for reading, for work, for everything. I never thought that it would happen so soon. All within about a 10 year period. Even my GPS in my car is touch. Nothing runs on keyboards any more other then computers. I remember taking typing in grade 9, it has come in handy over the years, but will the next generation use or even need it? Maybe they will teach kids the "hunt and peck" method on their handhelds?

Televisions have come along way from those old Zennith floor models. Everything is now flat screen and can be hung on your wall. The picture clarity is very good now, a far cry from the time when I watched GI Joe and Ghostbuster's cartoons in the basement of my parents home.

With the amazing handheld devices we have, things like calculators and cameras are a thing of the past. They are standard tools on every device. I haven't used a camera (other then the one on my phone) in years. Same with the calculator. Why would you? It used to be that the picture quality was 1 megapixel on a phone. It was horrible, you were better off drawing a picture. Now, most phones have a quality of nothing less then 10 megapixels. Its funny, because when I was in college, the newspaper at the school bragged about buying a digital camera for the deal price of $4000. It was 3 megapixels. Hmm, I'm thinking that was not such a good buy.

The overlap of technology I have seen has been remarkable. I think back and wonder how on earth did I ever live without a computer or my Samsung? Funny though, I don't remember wanting to be able to call someone in my car when I was 16?