Social CPR : Social media for the rest of us

Zemanta for the new blogger

2011-10-04T10:39:00.000-07:00

Image via CrunchBaseIf you use Blogger then you know or will soon now that they have rolled a new blog interface. It's kinda cool, but if you used Zemanta before, you will need to add it again. Not a big deal to do, you just have to know where to go. I use the chrome browser, so if you use it as well, go to the Chrome web store and download Zemanta for the new blogger interface. If you use Firefox, go to the addon's section and search for it there.

I don't know about Internet Explorer because it's been years since I've even touched it. You should be able to find the info you need if you do a search for zemanta for internet explorer. Happy Hunting!

Brodie

Shingled sky light

2011-09-27T13:57:00.001-07:00

I found this on a recent home inspection. I'm not sure what was being accomplished by putting shingles on a sky light, but I can guess that it's not good.

Google +1 Button - Chrome Web Store

2011-09-08T05:50:00.000-07:00

Google +1 Button - Chrome Web Store If you use Google Chrome browser this add on gives you an easy way to plus one things that you find online.

HootSuite Hootlet - Chrome Web Store

2011-08-31T13:36:00.000-07:00

HootSuite Hootlet - Chrome Web Store Once of my most favoritest social media tools. :)

Fill your sales pipeline with Social Media

2011-08-26T09:44:00.000-07:00

Image via Wikipedia

One of the things I notice quite often is the up and down trends of those who use social media just for business of sales connections. First, let me say that I don't think using Facebook for just business connections is a good way to do business, but that's for another post.
I'm a home inspector and so I'm connected to many people in the real estate industry. Real Estate agents, contractors, inspectors, appraisors, etc. etc. Many of them do a great job at mixing both there personal and business sides and keeping it light and interesting. There are a few however that see social media as just a place to sell stuff.
If you've ever been in a sales related job you have heard the term 'pipeline'. This term refers to having new leads or prospects in a pipeline. With a full pipeline, as you close one sale you then can turn to the next one in your pipeline and keep going. Without a working pipeline you start from scratch after every sale.
It's a very common sales manager frustration that their sales people don't work on their pipeline until everything else is gone. Then the sales person is left scrambling to find the next one, rather than having a working list of new directions.
Social media works the same way. Going to Facebook for example to blast your friends with business posts whenever you or need another sale is an inadequate strategy at best. At worst, it's annoying.
My strategy with my business and social media is to be consistent in my communication. I talk some about business and a lot about everything else. But the point is, I'm always talking. I'm always building my pipeline by virtue of just being who I am. This life and business strategy has worked for me for several years now, even prior to social media.
Believe me, waiting until your desperate never really works. It's only a reaction. Being proactive is much more productive and a ton less stressful.

Will Jesus ruin your online reputation?

2011-08-24T16:30:00.000-07:00

Image via Wikipedia

It is August 24th 2011 and at this point I don't know how many times I have mentioned God and/or Jesus on Facebook, Twitter, etc. It has been a lot. I have made a conscious effort to give him praise for the things he does and who he is. I've also lost count of the number of social media classes that I've taught, but it also has been a lot.
One thing still fascinates me, maybe a better description is that it makes me horribly sad. On countless occasions I have had people say that they will avoid talking about God or Jesus because it may hurt their business reputation. They are afraid that they may drive away a potential customer by talking about Jesus. Even as I write this I am deeply saddened and discouraged that anyone, let alone a Christian, would have this view.
Some of you reading this will immediately say, "who is Brodie to judge what people do?" You are correct. It is not me that judges, it is God. But I know that the one who suffered and died for us all deserves better than to be hidden for fear of shame or ridicule or whatever other fear may be lurking.
The bible is very clear on directing us not to deny Jesus. Social media is a superb platform for declaring your faith in Jesus and letting the world know what he has done in your life. Sure, you may post something that shows your faith and you have some acquaintances who will disconnect from you. That's ok. God is much bigger than one, a few or even your entire facebook friend list.
If you have been afraid to declare your faith in an open forum like Twitter or Facebook, then don't wait. Stop reading this blog post, go your Facebook or Twitter account, shout it out as loud as you can. " Jesus saved me and I will deny him no more." My relationship with Jesus is not something that I will compromise because of popular opinion or political correctness. I hope that you feel the same.

p.s. As I write this post, the Zemanta Assitant is giving me photos, links and related articles that I may want to add to my blog. As I look through some of the suggested links it is clear that there are more than enough people that are posting against Jesus without fear.

Clear language on social media is a must

2011-08-18T08:03:00.000-07:00

Image via Wikipedia

It is sometimes very difficult to convey proper meaning in a status update or comment. There is no voice inflection and no facial expression to clarify the meaning behind a statement. It's therefore very important to choose your words carefully and use emoticons if needed.

A simple statement that was meant to be funny can be taken out of context and completely misunderstood if the extra key strokes aren't taken to add some clarity. The same goes for comments. Something that you or I may have meant to be funny or add to the conversation can be misunderstood as angry or mean. This may lead to damaged relationships. If you or I make a comment and it's supposed to be mean spirited, then carry on. Otherwise, choose your words carefully and reread before hitting enter. That smiley face may save a lot of confusion in the long run.

Mobile Credit card readers

2011-08-02T06:17:00.000-07:00

There are a couple of mobile credit card readers available that I know of. There are probably more, I just haven't looked for them. This is one I just received from Intuit. I haven't used it yet to see how well it works. I have used the reader and app from Square. It works amazingly well. It's been a seemless process each time I've used it.

Here's how it works: You plug the reader into your phone, open the app if it doesn't open automatically, type in a little info for the charge, swipe the card and your done. The money is then transferred into your checking account, minus a small fee for the credit card transaction. It also gives you the option of emailing a receipt from the app.

Is Google + loosing the edge already?

2011-07-28T12:06:00.000-07:00

Image via CrunchBase

Having spent a short time on Google + I can say that I love the concept. They have taken what appears to be the best parts of Facebook and Twitter and combined them into one. But they may be loosing the element of surprise by waiting too long to open it up.

I am not an expert in Google plus by any means, but I am seeing a trend. I'm already seeing rumblings of frustration because the network of people is too limited. I'm all for meeting new people but I don't want to abandon most of my other friends to do it. Without the ability to communicate with the network of people that I already have, then Google plus is just Myspace with a new name.

I hope that they open it up soon, because I really do like it. But I can't go play with a new toy all by myself just because it's a new toy. I need people. Maybe Google failed to take into the account the 'social' part of social media.

Social Media: not one size fits all

2011-07-22T09:58:00.000-07:00

With Google + coming quickly onto the vast landscape of social media sites, the job of those that teach it gets even trickier. One of the most difficult parts of teaching social media classes is getting students to understand that much of a person's success in the social media world depends on them, and not on the tools.
All of the socmed tools in the world do nothing unless an individual fits them into their life and way of operating. Now we have Google plus added to the mix and already I'm seeing "gurus" coming out of the woodwork. They promise to teach you everything you ever needed to know about the new site. Again, here's the problem, what works for me may not work for you.
I can teach a class the basics of most any social media site or tool. But I cannot dictate what will make an individual successful, at least not in a classroom environment. Each person is unique and therefore each person will have their own approach to communicating.
When and if you attend a class on social media, take notes, ask questions, and then go away from the class and build your own plan. Look at the available tools and approaches and see which fit your personality. You can't be me anymore than I can be you.

Do your own business cards

2011-07-15T13:00:00.000-07:00

Image via Wikipedia

It's been a few years since I ordered business cards from a printer. Long ago I started making my own cards. I use blank sheets of Avery brand cards, which have several different paper styles, and I use Avery Design Pro. This is a free program from Avery that you download and then use to design and print your own cards.

Business card stock has drastically improved since I first started. The clean edge and two sided printing cards don't look any different from most cards that I see. The only difference would be if you wanted a card with embossing. Can't do that with a standard printer. Printers for home/office have also improved dramatically. You'd be amazed at the quality if you haven't upgraded your printer for a while.

But if you are just looking for clean, full color cards with clean edges that you can print and change yourself, then give avery products a try. By the way, Avery Design Pro is the free software that they provide for designing and printing your cards. Enjoy!

Google + circles

2011-07-11T18:18:00.000-07:00

Image via CrunchBase

So I finally managed to get an invite to Google plus this weekend. Obviously I'm still learning like everyone else, but right off hand I found a tool in Google + that I like a lot.

The circles feature in Google plus allows you to add your connection to various 'circles'. Basically you can add people to certain circles so that you can narrow down to specific groups of people when you need to. Here's an example of how it may work for you.

Let's say you're in the house cleaning business and new home builders are important business referral source for you. As you connect to home builders in Google + you can add them to the home builders circle. Then when you need to, you can go directly to that group of people.

Again, I'm still learning like most others. This is just an initial observation.

Dropbox benefits

2011-06-14T10:32:00.000-07:00

Image by Funkbreaks via Flickr

I do a lot with social media, but my primary job is being a home inspector. Today I did my first inspection where dropbox was an integral part of the process. Up until now I carried my laptop with me to each inspection. I recorded notes and took photos as I went through the house and then would stop back at the laptop to update the report.
Today that changed. I put the report on my Droid tablet and on the laptop, both in the dropbox folder. I used the tablet as I went through the process. I filled out the report and took photos with the tablet. Once I saved the report on my tablet it automatically updated the same report on the laptop. At the end of the inspection I wrapped up the loose ends on the laptop and viola! The inspection report was complete with photos, ready to email.

Targeted Facebook Fanpage posts

2011-05-20T17:01:00.000-07:00

Image via CrunchBase

Did you know you can target your Facebook posts by location and language using your Page? Try it by clicking on the drop-down next to "share" and then customizing the target of the post. You can be as broad as a country and all languages or as targeted as specific language speakers in a city of your choice. Only those that meet the target will see it in their News Feed. Tell us how you use targeted posts in the comments.

Here's a link to the http://www.facebook.com/facebook?ref=ts&sk=wall

First post

2011-05-19T06:41:00.000-07:00

I have moved my Social CPR blog to here from Wordpress. The topic has not changed. I will cover all things technology and social media and a few things in between. I hope you enjoy.

Social CPR : Social media for the rest of us

Zemanta for the new blogger

Related articles

Shingled sky light

Google +1 Button - Chrome Web Store

HootSuite Hootlet - Chrome Web Store

Fill your sales pipeline with Social Media

Will Jesus ruin your online reputation?

Clear language on social media is a must

Mobile Credit card readers

Related articles

Is Google + loosing the edge already?

Related articles

Social Media: not one size fits all

Do your own business cards

Google + circles

Related articles

Dropbox benefits

Targeted Facebook Fanpage posts

Here's a link to the http://www.facebook.com/facebook?ref=ts&sk=wall

Related articles

First post