I have changed hosting provider and am making some small changes to the account.  I still have some things to move over so you may some some missing images during the process.

Thanks

Frank

Lifecasting from frank gorton on Vimeo.

Over the last couple of weeks I have been falling into a rut.  It is something that I cannot seem to explain, and not sure what the heck is going on.  I have been a bit more tired then normal and just have no desire to take all of the various projects that I am working on and move them forward.  If you had a chance to know the real me you would learn that this is enough to drive me insane.

So I amn watching a show on tv tonight where Micheal J. Fox is interviewing optimistic people from all over the world, and I am ready to drink the koolaid.  I have always tried to stay on the positive side of things where posible, but I think it is time that I stepped things up a bit.  Sometimes at my day job I get a bit carried away when people start to complain about work.  Well I think I am going to try and change all of that.

WHY?  Well I am just tried of this rut, and think this is just one of many things I need to help get me moving again.  I need to feel like I used to, and staying happy is contagious.  So what do you do to stay positive?

Be Well
Frank

In media today companies cannot ignore Social Media.  Statistics now show that more people are using social media then are currently using email.  That figure alone is staggering!  Social media has changed the way we look at things and how we communicate with one another.  Thin about it, how often have you send a video that you thought was funny to a friend, or they have sent one over to you.  We all heard about the Domino’s video and how viral it went.  I heard about it on Twitter before I ever saw it broad casted on the news or the Today show.  Like it or not Social media is here to stay.

So what do companies due about?  There are a number of simple tips to help get them started:

1. Decide to fully invest in a Social Media awareness and presence.  There is no half way here folks commit and go all in on this one.
2. Begin to listen to the general Internet community and see where you target audience is talking.  I cannot stress this enough, you MUST listen before you get started.
3. Begin to start a presence on all of the major sites.  When you start a presence you should at this stage just establish an account and then sit back and watch those around you with that service.
4. Places you need to have a presence on:
   1. Twitter
   2. Facebook
   3. Linked In
   4. YouTube
   5. Google Profile
5. The sites listed above are just the start, there are many mainstream sites that are being used in Social Media these days and you will have to determine which ones you will need to have a presence on based on where your target audience is socializing.
6. Start to slowly engage with your audience on all of these sites.  Create a Facebook fan page, start reaching out to people on Twitter…etc.
7. Monitor your company on these sites EVERYDAY!  This is crucial and is a must.  Since you are now connected you need to see what others are saying about you, and watch it often.
8. When you see negatives turn them into positives.  If people are stalking bad about your service or product, reach out to them and try and find out what they dislike.  Offer them a free trial, or correct and fix the issue if possible.
9. When a crisis occur react swift and honest with your customers, it is the only way.
10. Be personal it is the actual communication that counts, after all this is SOCIAL media right.

So now it is not a matter of if you will embrace Social Media, it is more like when will you embrace Social Media, so come on in the water is great.

Be Well

Frank

Photo Credit

With all of the things going on around us today with the economy and other recessionary times it is time for each of us to regroup and focus.  I think it is time for everyone to sit back and look around them and realize what is important to them.  Each of us have different things that we cherish.  I like to have images around me that help to bring a calm state to all of the stress.  The image of Buddha for some reason has always made me feel centered and relaxed.  I took a class in college that talked about Buddhism, and it was one of the best classes I ever took.  I have never been a person that has a strong religious background, but find a great deal of comfort with the idea if Buddhism.  I like the idea of focusing more on one’s own journey to enlightenment.  I think we each hold out own destiny in our own hands.

So what makes you feel comfortable?  Is it an image?  Is it a song?

Be Well
Frank

Photo Credit

If you have not yet had the chance to look at Pandora (http://www.pandora.com) I would highly recommend you go over and take a look at the site.  It is a free Internet radio station that will allow you to select your favorite artists and then it will review their database and find similar artists based on the genre.

Now they have taken it a step further and how have created an application that will allow you to have all of this on your Blackberry.  They had previously released Windows Media version but this is not available for Blackberry users.  I know of users that have installed this on their phones and have said goodbye to satellite radio, and are now addicted to this service.

So, are we moving in a direction where all of our entertainment needs will all be included in our mobile devices.  People are increasinly able to access more on their mobile phone, making them almost like mobile communication/workstations.

Download the Application Here – http://www.pandora.com/blackberry

Image Credit

• Happy Thursday Peoples…..who is working on something great today? #
• ahh twitter where have you been all day….to busy at work to spend time on twitter today…hope you all are well. #

Happy Friday here is a little update on what I am doing for the Social Media 4 Me project.

Video Blog Feb 26th from frank gorton on Vimeo.

I wanted to post a quick message about a new Project that I am working on.  I am creating a Social Media project where I share my tips and tricks about how to use Social Media and take advantage of all it has to offer.

SocialMedia4Me from frank gorton on Vimeo.

If you have not heard of Zappos yet you have not been online a lot these days.  Zappos is all around us, and has been used in several case studies as well as TV news reports.  They are an early adopter of Twitter, and they have created a company culture that is set to give Google a run for their money.

Zappos – They are doing things right! from frank gorton on Vimeo.

I think it is time for companies to start taking a better look at employees.    In life people want to work for people that are similar to them.  You want to work with people that have a genuine interest in you and your career development.  So look at this video and think of how you can make things better for your employees today, or if you are an employee, what ideas can you bring to your boss today.