Little Blog Dress

Fat Tuesday on Flagler Ave in New Smyrna

2012-01-31T16:57:00.002-05:00

I am excited to sponsor Fat Tuesday on Flagler Ave in New Smyrna! Here is the information, hope you can come!

Budweiser Clydesdales to lead Mardi Gras Parade atFat Tuesday on Flagler Festival – February 21 in New Smyrna Beach

New Smyrna Beach’s annual Fat Tuesday on Flagler Festival will include some specially trained “pooper scoopers” as the world-famous Budweiser Clydesdales will lead the Mardi Gras parade that steps off at 7pm on Flagler Avenue near the ocean and heads west to Pine Street.

In addition to the Clydesdales, over 55 units or marching groups, vehicles and floats will make up the parade. It is expected some 70,000 beads will be tossed during the parade that traditionally attracts some 20,000 people.

In addition to the parade, Flagler Avenue’s dozen night spots will all have Mardi Gras parties with live bands, hurricane drink specials, themed give-aways and cajun menu items. In total party goers will be able to enjoy boiled craw fish, seafood gumbo, red beans and rice, New Orleans shrimp and traditional king cakes.

Post-parade party locations include Atlantis Bistro, Breakers, Café Heavenly, Clancy’s Cantina, Flagler Tavern, Gnarly Surf Bar, Manzano’s Fine Foods, OM Bar and Chill Lounge, Peanut’s Sports Bar, That’s Amore, Tayton O’Brians, Toni and Joe’s Patio, Trader’s Sports Pub among others.

Fat Tuesday on Flagler is hosted by the Flagler Avenue Hospitality Group and the Flagler Merchants Association, and is sponsored by Little Blog Dress, Rue and Ziffra, and the Black Crow Event Group.

The festival is one of a series held each year on Flagler Avenue including St. Patrick's ShamRock N Roll, Cino de Mayo, and the Shrimp and Seafood Festival. Flagler Avenue is located beachside in New Smyrna Beach off the North Causeway Bridge. For event information and special Fat Tuesday on Flagler Festival accommodations, call 1-386-428-1600 or go to partyonflagler.com.

January Newsletter

2012-01-28T06:42:00.001-05:00

Our January newsletter is out with information on Google Plus and Facebook Mistakes Every Business Should Avoid. The company that does our newsletters-The Callan Group really raises the bar on this form of media and I highly suggest them. We have been fortunate that this is the first form of advertising that we have done for my business that has worked so successfully. Our beautiful newsletter can be read here...click below to receive the newsletter every month.

Little Blog Dress Sponsors Black Crow Events

2012-01-14T09:48:00.000-05:00

After working at Black Crow Media my entire adult life, it makes me smile that I can still contribute in such a big way managing their social media. They are great and I am happy to help!

Political Campaign Package

2011-12-14T07:27:00.004-05:00

After an exciting win with Fred Costello, I am excited to enter the political season again! Using social media and partnering up with the e-marketing company,The Callan Group- We are a full circle of electronic media for any business or political campaign.

Click to Enlarge

What's New/Who's New-Business

2011-11-27T18:55:00.000-05:00

Source

Little Blog Dress Media, a social media marketing company, has relocated to 159 W. Granada Blvd., Ormond Beach. Owner Darlynn Nangano offers management and maintenance of Facebook and Twitter accounts, blogs, online reviews and other forms of social media for businesses. She has more than 15 years of experience in sales and marketing. Hours: By appointment. Telephone: 386-385-4859. www.littleblogdress.com

Daytona Beach News Journal

2011-09-25T10:28:00.001-04:00

Local social media experts give high marks to 'new' Facebook

Facebook has rolled out a bunch of changes, to the horror of its users. Little Blog Dress was mentioned in an article by Daytona Beach News Journal regarding the locals reaction to the changes.

Volusia Flagler Business Report

2011-09-02T07:16:00.001-04:00

The Volusia/Flagler Business Report is the leading source of business news and useful information about companies in Volusia and Flagler counties and the issues affecting them. Published every other Friday, the Business Report is direct mailed to over 10,500 business owners, influential business leaders and senior executives in this fast-growing market.

The Business Report covers a wide range of topics including residential and commercial real estate, construction, manufacturing, banking and finance, economic development, tourism, professional services, health care, and manufacturing.

Little Blog Dress is mentioned on page 8.

Little Blog Dress Client's Are Reader's Choice Winners!

2011-08-14T00:43:00.003-04:00

Excited to announce the following LBD winner's for the Daytona Beach News Journal Reader's Choice Awards:

Best Karaoke

Best Insurance Agency

Best Thrift Shop (not a client, but so happy to be a part of this organization!)

ANDDDDDD

Best Social Media

Congrats!! Read full listing of awards here and here

Little Blog Dress On It's Your Biz Radio Show

2011-08-10T17:22:00.000-04:00

Darlynn Nangano from Little Blog Dress was interviewed by Susan Solovic for the Ladies Who Launch feature. I come in about 1:52.

Get A-Listed

2011-04-23T08:49:00.002-04:00

All your marketing efforts will be wasted if you aren't listed properly online. Little Blog Dress will set you up, monitor your progress and get you A-listed!

Set-Up includes:

Google Places and Yelp Setup ~Foursquare, Urban Spoon, etc (if applicable) Set Up

When you search online for your business, ideally you should have your own listing within Google. Little Blog Dress will set up this feature for you. Once this feature is in place and future customers Google “Your business category in Daytona Beach, FL” or “Name of your Business” your business will look professional and desirable. See example below.

There is more information that you can put on your Google Places page that can increase your search engine optimization. You also need to make sure that your business is “claimed”, updated and monitored on Facebook Places, Foursquare, Yelp, Urban Spoon etc etc. LBD will make sure your business can be searched and reviewed through these local business channels.

Facebook Set-Up

Initial Setup includes adding business information and pictures, adding “likes” from other businesses in the area that are applicable, a plug on Little Blog Dress’s Facebook Fan Page and one training session how to learn how to use Facebook properly.

Blog Set Up

A Blog’s first goal is to raise your brand awareness when someone Googles your business name or business category + area, i.e. automotive in Daytona. The blog becomes the centerpiece of all of your social media interactions. It is possible to participate in social media without using a blog, but the purpose is to create great content and then maximize its effectiveness. You control the format, look and feel, and context of the material. Using a blog with your platforms maximizes brand name awareness by keeping all of your social marketing consistent. This is one of the greatest Search Engine Optimization (SEO) successes. This is also a quick fix for a website, or an electronic medium that can be updates regularly.

Set-up includes complete Set Up for Blog to match website or existing website. LBD can also assist buying a domain and forwarding the blog. One training session how to blog, and assistance how to get your blog on your existing website.

Twitter Set Up

A Twitter account will be set up that will back up your Facebook efforts and will be used as a tool to listen and converse with your customers. Search Terms will be set up and any tweets mentioning your business or related terms will be engaged.

Set-up includes, initial setup completion of profile with picture and information, and adding local people to follow to Twitter profile. This set-up also includes a training session how to Tweet.

Contact me for Pricing

Little Blog Dress Has A New Facebook Page

2011-04-10T10:40:00.000-04:00

Please like and share!

Little Blog Dress writes for Skirt!

2011-02-06T08:06:00.005-05:00

I am proud to announce that I have been accepted as a SkirtSetter (a featured writer) for Skirt!, on their National platform. Skirt!® is a nationally and locally branded Web site, magazine and book publishing company. Currently, they touch 42 local markets both digitally and in print.

I join my friend Nada at BeautyMommy who has also been accepted, and is a WAY better writer than me!! What a honor!

Classic, Christian and Chanel

2011-01-24T09:08:00.001-05:00

Classic, Christian and Chanel by Darlynn Nangano featuring handcrafted rings

I just love this very classic look and who doesn't love Carla Bruni??

How to Leave Comments in Blogger

2011-01-21T13:42:00.003-05:00

My friend Nada of Beauty Mommy fame has been asked a couple of times the best way to leave a comment after blogs, Its really important for feedback purposes as we really want to know what you do or do not like!

If someone has comments enabled on his or her blog, then you can usually find a "comments" link at the end of each post, like this:

If you click this link, you will go to the comment posting page. (Note: in some templates, this link may take you to the post page first. From there you should be able to find the "Post a Comment" link which will take you here.) The comment posting page looks like this:

In the upper left corner, there is an option to show or hide the original blog post that the comments relate to. The rest of the left-hand column contains any comments that have already been made. The profile photos of the comment authors may also display, depending on the blog's settings.

On the right hand side of the page is the space for you to enter your comment. Beneath that are the identity options. (Some of these may not be available, depending on the blog's settings.)

The options are these:

Blogger username: Your display name will appear, along with a link to your profile and your photo (if you have one).
Other: You can enter your name and a link to your website, without having to have a Blogger account.
Anonymous: No identifying information is displayed. The comment is credited to "Anonymous" without a link.

The owner of a blog also has the option to have comments open in popup windows. In this case, all the primary features will still be present, just arranged a little differently:

More Wonderful New Additions at Little Blog Dress

2010-10-16T15:45:00.005-04:00

When it rains it pours and I mean this in the best way. I am so happy to have some new businesses who realize how important it is to market their brand online and I get to help them do it!

Please Welcome:

Metamorphosis- Stacy Wall has owned Metamorphosis for over nine years. Metamorphosis offers an in-depth analysis of each of their clients skin care needs and tailors a treatment specific for them. They also offer body treatments, massage therapy, and The Perfector, which is the latest technology in non surgical face lift and cell regeneration.

Blog -Website-Facebook- Yelp- Google

Bennett's Catering- I have known owner Tracy McCrae for more years that either of us probably wants to admit. I always tell this story that sets her a part than anyone in her field. Once at a 70's themed awards ceremony, Tracy spent weeks scouring yard sales for 70's themed props for her wonderful food. Talk about going the extra mile. Whether you are feeding four or a thousand, you will find that Tracy has a game plan for you that will work in any budget. She also specializes in aviation fare, doctor lunches and parties of any size.

Blog -Facebook- Yelp- Google

A Curbing Solution-Its time to make you the envy of your neighbors. A Curbing Solution offers affordable and attractive options for your landscaping, home or business.This is the Solution to your Landscaping Needs
Free Estimates! 386-290-5178

Blog -Facebook- Yelp- Google

A New U- Barbara Torres and I had a great talk about her mission statement for this new Wellness Center in Ormond Beach. The services they provide are affordable for me and you. There is no need to go to a fancy dancy medi-spa and pay out the nose for the same wonderful services you will receive at A New U. A New U Weight Management is a safe and effective medically supervised weight loss and wellness program directed by a Medical Professional on Staff. A New U is also has medical health professional on hand for vein treatments. A New U can give you back the beautiful legs you once had by using the latest techniques to combat unsightly veins.

Blog -Website-Facebook- Yelp- Google

Welcome New Businesses!

2010-10-02T22:50:00.012-04:00

Just want to welcome some wonderful new peeps to Little Blog Dress. Please take the time to like them on Facebook and support their business, it would mean the most! Be patient with me, many are under construction-I am just so excited to share my news!

A1 Lawn Mower Center-This will be my most fun challenge to date. The folks at A1 pride themselves on service that goes beyond the box, literally. They will put together your equipment for your lawn or you lawn business together, gas you up, answer any questions and send you on your way.

Blog -Facebook- Yelp- Google

Urbane Chic-What woman doesn't love to shop and find a great selection of stylish clothing from size 2 to plus sizes at a fraction of the cost? Downtown Ormond Beach is home to a little boutique located at 218 E. Granada Blvd that specializes in consigned clothes and home décor.

Facebook -Yelp- Google

Beauty Mommy-My wonderful friend Nada has an amazing website that I am excited for the chance to promote. Nada has many gifts and she is putting them to great use. Nada is a great writer, a great mother and a great shopper. She is using these skills to bring us Beauty Mommy-a website that will review and offer advice for everything you need for your little loved ones. She is kicking off 91 days of Christmas with some wonderful advice to make the holiday season less stressful.

Website- Facebook- Twitter

O'Quinn Allstate Insurance-I have had the pleasure of working with the O'quinn's before, and I am excited to work with them again. The O'Quinn Insurance Agency has been a family run insurance and financial service company for more than 30 years and is very active in the community.

Facebook-Yelp

Barr and Associates Physical Therapy-October kicks off Physical Therapy Month! Barr and Associates are celebrating by expanding their location so they can better serve their patients. Any Physical Therapy or Rehab that you need, you have a choice of who will best serve your needs. You'll be amazed at what Barr & Associates Physical Therapy can do for you.

Facebook-Yelp-Google

Practicing What I Preach, LBD the Blog is Born

2010-09-26T21:30:00.004-04:00

The funny thing is, we started Little Blog Dress without the components of what we were marketing to our clients of how to brand your business using Social Media.

1. Facebook

2. Twitter

3. Blog

Facebook is now up and running to full capacity but in a manner of PURE self indulgence I decided that starting today this website would post updates on the business side of Little Blog Dress and I would create a new blog that would just touch on Social Media and its trends in the most elegant way I could muster.

May I present to you, LBD-the Blog. Think Mashable with a beautiful shade of red lipstick on her lips, Chanel sunglasses and the latest shape of OPI on her nails. It will be fun, it will be informative and it will be continuing Little Blog Dress's mission statement of helping your business look its very best.

And um, we will talk about Twitter another time.

Online Review Maintenance

2010-09-06T21:27:00.004-04:00

Do you pay attention to Online Reviews? Reward Customers for positive ones? Why not? Word of mouth, but online your future customers will base their decisions on what is said about your business using these non traditional outlets. Little Blog Dress specializes in online review maintenance! Its a tool you don't want to overlook. Contact LBD today and learn how to use these honest unbiased opinions of what people actually think about your business to your advantage!

Welcome Diamond Suzuki....a cut above the rest!

2010-08-23T17:19:00.002-04:00

Probably has nothing to do with the fact that I have bought 55 cars from him, (and never ever have had a problem, mind you...) but Little Blog Dress welcomes Diamond Suzuki to its ever growing list of businesses who want to improve their social image online. Will your business be next!?

Shameless Plug Sunday

2010-08-15T15:01:00.002-04:00

Little Blog Dress welcomes Park's Seafood as its newest client! Like most of our area's residents, I have fond memories of going to Park's since I was a little girl every Friday with my grandparents and special occasions at its original location at the base of the Seabreeze Bridge. Park's Seafood has a beautiful new location on LPGA and Beach Street. Park's Seafood Riverside is now on Facebook and on Twitter. Add them and come visit soon!

Google, I could kiss you!

2010-08-03T15:47:00.005-04:00

Yes, my life is this trite....my day just got made because Google enabled Multiple Account Sign In. Of course, the ever knowing Mashable gives us the details. How many Google accounts do you have for your clients? your businesses? I don't dare share my number but it is a lot!

You must find before you achieve!

2010-07-24T09:31:00.004-04:00

It happens to the best of us, you lose your way and a little focus on what is important, Today I wanted to share a nice article that talks about how to find your goals...its kind of important to know what your goals are before you go about your merry way to achieve them. Enjoy this article from The Change Blog and Happy Finding!

There’s a lot of information out there about how to achieve your goals. About how to stay motivated, how to focus on your dreams and not be distracted by failure and set backs. But that all assumes that you know what you want out of life, that you already have goals you’re eager to achieve. Recently, in response to a comment I made about pursuing one’s goals on The Change Blog, I got a poignant reply that asked "But what if you haven’t found anything worth doing, any goal worth pursuing?"

Great question – focus is wonderful, but if we aren’t looking at the right things how useful is it? Sure we can learn from failure, but what do we do with those lessons if we’re not really doing anything? How can we find out where we should be looking for our satisfaction in life?

Step 1 – Make a list of what’s important to you.

Do it quickly and without censoring – it’s ok if your list includes your cat or your new shoes. Your choices reflect a snapshot of your life right now and don’t need to be lofty or impressive. Here’s my quick list (in no particular order): my daughter, my friends, writing, coaching, my house, my central heating, my cat, my favorite TV shows (blush), learning, my blog.

Step 2 – Ask "Why is this important?" for each item on your list.

Here are my answers:

· My daughter because she is my contribution to the world at the most basic level and because she’s fun, loving and makes me happy.

· My friends because they support me, teach me, and make me laugh.

· Writing and my blog because they ignite my passion and I feel like I’m able to help people with them. And they’re fun!

· Coaching because I’m helping my clients live better and clearer lives.

· My house because it provides me with a beautiful and safe place to be.

· My central heating because it keeps me warm and comfortable.

· My favorite TV shows because they take me to places where life is silly and adventurous and because they often provide me with a fascinating glimpse into human nature.

· Learning because it makes me a better person and helps me grow.

Step 3 – Use your answers to identify your values.

Look for themes in your answers. When you read over your list, what pops out at you? What shows up more than once? Are there items that have something in common? I see the following themes in my list: contribution, fun & laughter, learning, helping people, comfort.

The themes we identify reflect our values and what’s most important to us in our lives. And this is where goal setting should begin.

Step 4 – Use your values to set your goals.

The goals that inspire you most will be based on your values, on what’s really important to you. You might already be working on some of them – I’ve set clear goals around my writing and am beginning to revamp my coaching practice. But when I look at my list I realize that I’m not putting much effort to making sure that I have enough fun and laughter in my life right now, so I might want to set a goal to find more ways to play.

When you set your goals:

Make your goals bite-sized – A goal of "Learn the skills I need for my next promotion" sounds achievable, while a goal of "Become CEO by the time I’m 30" is probably going to set you up for failure.
Make your goals positive – You should work toward what you want, not away from what you don’t want. "I want to find a loving partner" inspires while "I don’t want to be lonely anymore" already feels defeated.
Realize that as you work toward your goals they’ll probably change – As we learn and grow from the work we do to move toward our goals we often connect with new, more resonant goals. After I set up my coaching practice I started writing newsletters to attract more clients. But I found that I loved writing as much as I loved coaching, and my goal shifted from attracting clients to creating a blog.

The bottom line is that when our goals tap into the beauty and energy of our values they make our hearts sing. They feed our hungers, we can’t wait to get started working on them. So my answer to the reader who asked about finding a goal worth pursuing is that the answer is in your heart, it’s in your longings, it’s in the things you want more of.

You owe it to yourself to be Ridiculously Extraordinary

2010-06-09T07:04:00.003-04:00

I believe in signs, in fact I am a big fan. Everyone comes to crossroads, little ones like what to have for lunch and more inspirational ones like What the hell am I gonna do with my life?? 21 reasons you should quit your day job...maybe nothing you will take to heart personally-but a nice message for hump day none the less. From Ridiculously Extraordinary.com:

“Perhaps travel cannot prevent bigotry, but by demonstrating that all peoples cry, laugh, eat, worry, and die, it can introduce the idea that if we try and understand each other, we may even become friends.” – Maya Angelou

I discovered Maya Angelou when I was 15 because one of my favorite artists, Fiona Apple, loved her. Thanks Fiona and thanks Maya for providing such a powerful quote.

Most people are born with an interest in travel that never subsides. The fact that blogs likeChris Guillebeau’s, Gary Arndt’s, or this one (on a much much smaller scale) are as popular as they are is proof of this fact.

The problem is that most of us, and I fell into this trap too, put it off. Either for 1-2 weeks at a time on a yearly vacation or “until some day when X happens.” Whatever eXcuse (get it?) you have for continuing on living a life you’re not thrilled with, it’s unfounded. There isalways a way. (I just set myself up for a slew of “but, but, but my situation is different” comments/e-mails.)

As you already know from Lesson #13, you’re not as different as you think. Whatever situation you’re in, someone has already been there and still made things happen.

In another post I will present to you the “how.” Here now, I present to you the “why”: 21 reasons you should quit your day job and travel the world …

You’ll become more open minded and learn to treat people with more respect. No ifs, ands, or buts about it. Unless, maybe, you stay in sanitized resorts. But since not many people can afford to stay in sanitized resorts long term, this isn’t even an issue.
Your job is dragging you down. (In very rare cases it’s not, and that rules.)
You’re unhappy.
Slaving away is getting in the way of your dreams.
Traveling long term is cheaper than living wherever you’re living.
It will stretch you to do things you didn’t think you could do.
You might not have any big “revelations” or “aha moments” but you’ll have a blast anyway.
If you have kids it will set them up for a life of independence instead of setting them up to be cogs in a machine. We need more children who are exposed to how most other people live instead of sanitized first world society. I met a British family, 5 kids aged 6-16 and their Parents, on the train up to Chiang Mai. The kids were having a ball experiencing all these new things and I could already pick out leadership qualities among each of them. In addition, they were incredibly respectful, which I’m finding less and less among children.
You can eat your favorite foods in the countries where they originated.
You’ll experience new foods that will quickly become your new favorites.
The best fruit in the world, Jakfruit, is plentiful and cheap in Thailand. (OK, so that was a specific case for why you should travel to Thailand as opposed to anywhere. Whatever, Jakfruit is the best fruit in the world. I discovered it while in the Daintree Rainforest in Northern Queensland, Australia.)
Even when it’s dangerous, it’s not as dangerous as some people would have you believe. I’ve felt more fear walking the streets of Detroit (<– must watch short video) with $10 in my pocket than walking around Mumbai or Bangkok at night with thousands of dollars in gear and cash on my person.
You will stumble onto awesome events like Holi and Songkran. Who doesn’t love a week-long water fight? :)
This site makes a lot of good cases for saving your tax dollars by living elsewhere.
You will meet, and make friends with, people who you would never have met staying where you are. Most of us only associate with people in our immediate geographical areas. I call it Friendship By Geography, and it’s incredibly sad.
Facing your fears is good for you. And you will face all of them, sometimes in a single day, when traveling. How many fears do you face on a daily basis at your day job? How much do you grow as a person at your day job?
You will no longer have to participate in office politics or water cooler gossip. If that’s the kind of thing you enjoy then why are you reading this site in the first place? :)
You will have more time for your family, friends, and maybe more importantly, for yourself.
You will become a master of fake sign language. Also known as Traveler’s Sign Language. It’s frustrating for a spell, but when your communication is finally understood it’s an awesome feeling.
Even if you never become fluent, learning and using a few words in new languages is fun. My favorite thing in the world is now the Thai bow/greeting. I know the way I say it is probably horrible, but the old lady who runs the best veg restaurant in Chiang Mai (Save Thunya on Nantaram Rd just outside Chiang Mai Gate) always treats me like a king when I come in. I know she appreciates my limited Thai because she speaks approximately 3 words of English so we’re in the same boat. I wonder if I can use the Thai greeting everywhere I go? :) If you think it’s difficult learning new languages, Benny at FluentIn3Months.com has an awesome blog devoted to the art of learning languages. (He’s releasing a Language Hacking Guide in a month or two that I can’t wait to buy.)
You owe it to yourself to be Ridiculously Extraordinary. Most day jobs would not be categorized as such.

I am not completely against day jobs. As some of you know, there is currently one person I would work for. I would drop everything and be his janitor for the opportunity to learn from him. To figure out who that is, you have to snoop just a bit on my Twitter account. (BTW, my 7 day no twitter/facebook trial is going well!)

What have I missed? I know there are many more good reasons to quit your day job and travel the world so leave them in the comments below …

THIS is how you do business.

2010-05-14T16:19:00.005-04:00

When I have five seconds to myself, I will write about how I booked, planned and lived my trip to Washington DC using social media. But this instance deserves its own post.

We stayed at the St. Gregory Hotel. Apparently, during the week is more expensive to stay in DC due to obvious business done there. I mean triple, quadruple than on the weekend. Further, I couldnt find a 3-4 star hotel for under $300 a night and you know I know how to look. After my TENTH day staring at Kayak making all kinds of crazy maneuvers this hotel appeared out of nowhere. They have so many options for Hotel Deals, it took me a while to figure out which awesome deal to take. Long Story longer, $168 average a night 4 stars, SOLD.

We get there about 8pm, exhausted, flight weary and tired and I told the lady who checked us in just that. She then said well how about I upgrade you? Room was great, service was great, beautiful...bar was fun. PERFECT LOCATION in Georgetown. We decided to eat on Saturday night, the service was great-food not so much.

When I cam home, I received an email from the Hotel asking about stay via an online survey. I said everything was great and when it got to the food, I was honest, wasnt mean just said the food wasn't great. Today CHECK this out! I received an email from the president of the Hotel.

Please accept my sincere apologies for the poor experience at our MStreet Bar and Grill. Rest assured that I have spoken to the Chef and our Food and Beverage director about your comments and feel confident that this does not repeat itself.

Should your travels bring you back to the Nation’s Capital feel free to contact us and we certainly will make this up to you.

Respectfully,

Jay Haddock

This is how you do business and I will recommend this hotel to EVERYONE I know. It was too good not to share!
The St. Gregory Hotel is located at 2033 M Street, NW Washington, DC 20036 (202) 530-3600 phone

Why Should Traditional Businesses Care about Social Media

2010-04-25T07:15:00.004-04:00

For web-based companies, social media has already become an essential part of marketing, promotion, outreach, and overall strategy. Viral videos can bring hundreds of thousands of visitors to a company’s website. eCommerce websites have already embraced using Twitter as a way to do customer service and interact with consumers.

But what if web traffic is not a major business driver? What if your business is a local business and doesn’t need or want people in Sweden posting about it on their Facebook pages? How does Google Reader or LinkedIn help a brick-and-mortar store sell out its inventory or acquire new customers?

In other words, why should traditional companies that don’t rely heavily on the web care about social media? You and your business have a limited amount of time and money. Is social media the most effective way of using that time? The answer can be found in the need for traditional businesses to connect and understand their customers, as well as real-world examples.

Social Media is About Connections and Information

The first thing to remember is that social media is far more than just Twitter and Facebook – it is a subset of web, mobile, and electronic tools that help people share and discuss information, as well as connect with others. Facebook falls under social media because it helps people stay connected by exchanging pictures, status updates, and hobbies.

But LinkedIn, the business social network, is also social media, and has been a tool of choice for millions of businesses and professionals when they want to stay in touch with a business contact, meet someone outside of their network, or research potential hires. Plaxo helps share business contact information digitally. Dropbox helps businesses share and back-up files with absolute ease.

All of these tools help share information and connect people, and both are essential to business. What business succeeds without knowing its customers? What company prospers without in-depth research? Social media is helpful in all of these regards.

Social Media in Action

Alright, so social media has some business applications – are there any real-world examples of success? The answer is yes: hundreds, from job-seekers finding jobs via Twitter to a blog post sparking exponential growth. But if you are not convinced, take a look at one unique case,CoffeeGroundz (Twitter: @coffeegroundz).

J.R. Cohen, Operations Manager for CoffeeGroundz, a local coffee shop in Houston, was able to foster huge growth for the business via Twitter. How? First, he signed CoffeeGroundz up for Twitter and chatted with local Houstoners. Soon he reached 1,000+ followers, most of them local.

One day, one of his followers unexpectedly tweeted an order, and he fulfilled it. That little exchange blew up into a story all across Twitter. This resulted in press coverage and new customers from Twitter. Today, tweetups, real-world gatherings of Twitter users, occur at the coffee house and customers can tweet their orders. Cohen and CoffeeGroundz’s openness to Twitter resulted in increased business.

This is only one unique and creative example of social media in action. It shows how stories can spread, how it can connect people, and how business can be conducted through it.

Why Traditional Businesses Should Care

Business may be about finances and the bottom line, but really, it’s about customers. It’s about pleasing customers, acquiring new ones, and connecting with them. For brick-and-mortar businesses or companies that focus on production, social media is an excellent way to connect with customers and businesses.

It’s easy to find new customers in your area if you’re a regional company – friend people on Facebook or Twitter. It’s also easy to find information and feedback via social media. Want to know about coffee trends? Do a twitter search for coffee and see what people are talking about. Want to find out about a new employee? Find his LinkedIn and Facebook accounts.

Social media has become a powerful connecting force for not only people, but for businesses. There are great synergies between social media, which connects people, and traditional businesses, which depend on their connections with customers.

Boohoo to you Uncle Sam-I'm getting Free Starbucks Coffee today!

2010-04-15T04:47:00.014-04:00

I am one of those strange people that do their taxes the minute I get my W2's. This year, however, I got busy and lazy and finally had a tiny inkling of the stress that can be associated with making the date as I scurried Tuesday night to finish and submit via Turbo Tax.

Wish I could pinpoint the first business who was brilliant enough to reward the American people on April 15th with some free goodies. Everyone likes a break and today seems like a good day to be granted one. If you have a business, you already have the news and the papers and all other forms of marketing helping you promote today. To be rewarded or to be relieved of stress on April 15th needs little explanation . Although my newest obsession Foursquare is holding its namesake promotion tomorrow, how do you explain this concept to so many people who aren't obsessed with the newest and greatest things online and socially like I am?? I think we are a little ways away for the general public to respond to that as successfully as they will to the warm and fuzzy Tax Day Promotions that resonates with the young and the old.

Below are some specials that you can take advantage of today on Tax Day. Americans, congratulations-we made it through another year, what are you gonna spend your refund on??

Starbucks is giving away fresh brewed coffee to anyone who comes in on April 15, 2010 with a re-usable travel mug. Their website does not say that it has to be a Starbucks mug, so grab whatever one you have and stop over on Tax Day!

Some other great tax day freebies are:

McDonalds is giving away various items like McCafes, Big Macs and Egg McMuffins based on where each store is located. Head to your local McDonalds for a great tax day freebie!

Dunkin’ Donuts will be giving away a free donut with each purchase of a coffee, and Cinnabon will give away 2 free cupcake bites to each customer.

Click here for some more Tax Day Specials!

Ashton look out! Best Buy has something to sell you via Twitter.

2010-04-13T06:49:00.005-04:00

Well, we knew it had to come to an end, but hopefully we wont feel the "in your face" marketing too bad. Fast Company.com reports this morning that Twitter will soon ad sponsored tweets to your daily feed. Like Dan Nosowitz from Fast Company says, Ads are no fun for users, of course. It'll be slightly annoying to see sponsored Tweets in with the updates you actually want to read. But if Twitter does this carefully, and it sounds like they are, these Promoted Tweets might actually be good for advertisers and only marginally annoying for users.

Will this change the way you use Twitter? Do you think Twitter could come up with a better way to monetize its site? Are you just happy that Twitter remains free and will deal with the ads...hoping they remain discreet?

Review: My love affair with my new Ipad

2010-04-10T19:42:00.007-04:00

If you didn't know- Megan and I are computer nerds disguised as fashionistas. Its almost embarrassing how completely geeked out we get when we figure out how to do something new, or easier etc with any computer or graphics program. We are addicted to our iPhones and the technology that comes with it. When the Ipad fever hit, we looked at it lightly...aside from our iPhone we are PC girls at heart. I eventually decided with a shrug...looks cool but maybe I should get a net book instead so I don't have to lug around my computer during meetings with our clients. Then reading more and more fabulous reviews, I thought maybe just maybe that I would go to Best Buy and make a decision.

I wish I had set a timer from the time I picked up the Ipad to the time I got that feeling...that heart pounding in your throat I have to have it right now or I will die feeling. So, I consulted the other half of my brain (Megan). Now, she has not touched this thing yet, and I am quoting her so I can go SEE WHAT YOU WROTE, when she becomes an addict like me!

"Don't"

"Its a waste of money upfront. Wait a few months to get rid of the kinks"

"Impulsive"

"You have a kindle"

"And a brand new computer"

"$500 is a lot to spend right now"

If this gives you any indication on how cool this thing is, I shut my phone off and told the sales guy GO GET ME ONE!

Now, for some quick thoughts, I went ahead and got the WiFi because I figured well, I have 3G on my iphone and a computer so I dont really need it (see....being savvy!). I also bought the least amount of gigs because I mean how much am I gonna put on here??

The screen brilliance is just that-brilliant, its gorgeous. The neat thing is I was able to use my Itunes to put applications on my Ipad that I have on my Iphone. The battery life is amazing! Why didnt they do this with the Iphone, I have been playing with it for 10 hours and I am only at 75%.

A neat thing about the Ipad is that when you are on your cell you get accustomed to just dealing with the mobile version or application of whatever scaled down version of the full fledged website. The internet access on the Ipad is full fledged and Lightening McQueen fast! Its unbelievable how quickly these pages load.

The calendar is AWESOME. I wish they would somehow have this format for the Iphone. Major props to ABC for providing a FREE app that looks exactly like their website and plays ALL their shows. Ditto to Netflix, I was watching The Proposal 90 seconds after I logged in to my account. I am still investigating how Word and PDFs will best be received on here. There are a lot more hours that will spent figuring all that out, but right now I highly suggest you run not walk and pick this up for your next toy. It will make many careers easier: Sales, Real Estate, and Lawyers to name a few.

So I am impressed, if there was anything that I could wish for is that Microsoft comes to the plate soon. I don't have time to learn another word processing system. Flash would be ideal...and I am sure the kinks will be worked out, which by the way dear Bestie Megan...its 2010, they will just send me an update or a patch if something goes whacky! Its not the lightest thing on the planet, based on its size. I was a little surprised at that. The apps that are specially made for the Ipad are a little pricey but I anticipate that to come down after the dust settles.

To Tweet or not to Tweet...says Shakespeare

2010-04-10T19:21:00.002-04:00

from Brandflakes for Breakfast

if shakespeare were alive today, he'd be tweeting

Mudlark and The Royal Shakespeare Company have combined forces on a new production called Such Tweet Sorrow. This production incorporates the audience (and people in the twittersphere) into the production. You tweet, and you'll have an impact on the performance.

Exact production details will be released next week, but in the meantime, they're spreading the word on the streets of London with a tweeting balcony on Carnaby Street. Yep - a balcony. That tweets.

They've also created a site that tracks all of the "I love you" tweets happening all around the world. It's an index of tweet love. Ahhhhh.

To tweet, or not to tweet...love this.

If kindergarten were like social media marketing

2010-04-08T07:32:00.004-04:00

by Jason Cohen

What if we ran kindergarten classes with the same rules as social media marketing?

Children are encouraged to make at least one drawing or painting every day. Refrigerator art goes stale quickly and you want to stay top-of-mind with your parents.
Rachel Davis, the most popular girl in class, writes an eBook explaining how other kids can get popular too. It’s well received from pre-K through third grade, but although it contains clear examples and actionable advice, somehow the unpopular kids still never get invited to the cool kids’ slumber parties.
Little enterprising Genevieve Morrow puts Google ads on her fingerpaintings, but they don’t generate enough cash even to cover her candy necklace habit. She finally starts making real money when she converts her afternoon lemonade stand to resell Thesis WordPress themesto second graders looking to enhance their personal brand.
Children are admonished that having a lot of friends is not as important as having a few genuine friends who will play with you even after you throw up all over the good blocks in front of the whole entire class. The children agree in principle but little Patrick still cries when he gets only three stickers in his Valentine’s Day booklet.
Learning that making nice comments about people helps forge relationships, little Bobby Gray compliments every male member of the good kickball team. He is denied the coveted spot and earns the nickname “Bobby Bootlicker.”
Teachers explain that “What I did on summer vacation” doesn’t grab attention. Better is something actionable (“Five ways to have fun on summer vacation”) or provocative (“Why waterparks are more dangerous than you think”) or something personally relatable (“What Dora the Explora won’t tell you about summer vacation”).
After a stern lecture on the value of being honest and real, little Bobby Neuman courageously admits that during recess he pooed his pants and buried the evidence in the gravel under the blue slide. His bravery is not met with the loving acceptance the teacher had promised.

11 Things Bette Davis had to say about Social Media, kind of...

2010-04-08T07:29:00.002-04:00

by Olivier Blanchard

I kind of dig Bette Davis. When you look at her body of work, you notice that she rarely took the safe roles. Her performances were more nuanced than other actresses or her time. Grittier. She went out on a limb every time she stepped in front of the camera, and I dig that about her. But what I dig most about her is that she knew enough about the reality of the world she lived in to do away with the usual sugar-coating many of us sometimes feel pressured to use as a courtesy filter. Like it or not, there’s something refreshing about being around someone who has the huevos to tell it to you like it is, and not feel that they have apologize for… basically just being honest with you.

And though yeah, it would have been a lot more glamorous to be seen having drinks with Lana Turner or Rita Hayworth, an evening of drinking martinis with Bette would have probably been a lot more fun.

Originally, I was going to quote Bette Davis in regards to something she said about choosing your enemies wisely and their importance to your career (something we don’t talk about enough in these so-called “transparent” conversations, we’re having) but in looking at the rest of the brilliant stuff she was quoted saying, I couldn’t resist taking this post in a completely different direction. So without further ado, here are 11 things Bette Davis had to say about the Social Media world, way back in the day… kinduv:

1. “Today everyone is a star. In my day, we earned that recognition.”

2. “In this business, until you’re known as a monster you’re not a star.”

3. “The weak are the most treacherous of us all. They come to the strong and drain them. They are bottomless. They are insatiable. They are always parched and always bitter. They are everyone’s concern and like vampires they suck our life’s blood.”

4. “Psychoanalysis. Almost went three times – almost. Then I decided what was peculiar about me was probably what made me successful.”

5. “There are new words now that excuse everybody. Give me the good old days of heroes and villains, the people you can bravo or hiss. There was a truth to them that all the slick credulity of today cannot touch.”

6. “To fulfill a dream, to be allowed to sweat over lonely labor, to be given a chance to create, is the meat and potatoes of life. The money is the gravy.”

7. “I am doomed to an eternity of compulsive work. No set goal achieved satisfies. Success only breeds a new goal. The golden apple devoured has seeds. It is endless.”

8. “I survived because I was tougher than anybody else.”

9. “The key to life is accepting challenges. Once someone stops doing this, he’s dead.”

10. “My passions were all gathered together like fingers that made a fist. Drive is considered aggression today; I knew it then as purpose.”

11. “In this rat-race everybody’s guilty till proved innocent!”

Let those sink in a bit. That whole enemy thing, we’ll get to it some other time.

5 Things Depeche Mode Can Teach You About Effective Online Marketing

2010-04-08T07:19:00.004-04:00

from Jason Clark-Copyblogger.com

I was walking the streets of downtown Austin between SXSW parties last month and someone asked me when I was going to do another pop-music-analogy post on Copyblogger.

“What do you want to see?” I asked.

“I bet you can’t do one using Depeche Mode songs, “ he challenged.

“I bet I can,” I countered.

“Look at that guy in a dress playing the oboe!” he replied.

Rather than share more of the superb street scenery of Austin, Texas, here’s what Depeche Mode, the most popular electronic band the world has ever known, can teach you about effective online marketing.

People are People

People are people
So why should it be
You and I should get
Along so awfully

Want to market successfully online, but don’t want to deal with all that human psychology stuff? Sorry, but that’s basically all there is to it. Understanding what makes people tick and proceeding accordingly is what works. For bonus points, study social psychology and all this social media stuff starts to make more sense, even when it doesn’t.

Never Let Me Down Again

I’m taking a ride with my best friend
I hope he never let’s me down again
He promises me I’m as safe as houses
As long as I remember who’s wearing the trousers

What can a song about drug addiction and who’s really in control of that relationship teach you about marketing? That it’s the customer who wears the pants in your business. Get cocky when things are going well and forget that, and you’re in for a nasty hangover.

Strangelove

I’m always willing to learn
When you’ve got something to teach
And I’ll make it all worthwhile
I’ll make your heart smile

It’s the most counterintuitive aspect of effective online marketing. You’ve got to stop pitching and start teaching. There’s nothing more effective than content marketing that attracts qualified prospects while building your authority. And when it comes time to sell, you’ll find most of your work is already done.

Personal Jesus

Someone to hear your prayers
Someone who cares
Someone who’s there

Depeche Mode songwriter Martin Gore wrote Personal Jesus after reading Elvis and Me by Priscilla Presley. Gore said “It’s a song about being a Jesus for somebody else, someone to give you hope and care.” In a hyper-niched, tribalized world, people are looking for leaders, not marketers. Who do you care about, and how can you help them?

Everything Counts

The grabbing hands
Grab all they can
All for themselves, after all
It’s a competitive world
Everything counts in large amounts

It’s not all sunshine and flowers. Haters will try to build a name for themselves by tearing you down. Partners and friends will let the money go to their heads. Colleagues will remix and reverse-engineer your products. Whatever, it comes with the territory.

Yes, the lyrics of Everything Counts are a bit cynical. But the live version of the song at The Rose Bowl in California is one of the most joyous demonstrations of fan interaction ever recorded.

Let’s watch the video, remember that what people really want is an authentic experience, and end on a high note. Pay particular attention starting at 4:10, and notice how Dave Gahan ignores the praise of the crowd and encourages them to be the star — now that’s effective marketing.

So much better than Your Logo Here

2010-04-08T06:47:00.003-04:00

Picture and pieces of article from Brandflakes for Breakfast

Isn't it annoying to drive past an old outdated billboard? One that is half on, peeling, talks about an event from last month? Just like an old billboard, Conan O'Brien has lost his home and his rightful place on millions of screens across the nation. His audience is also lost. Some are picking up the pieces of their lives, but many can’t. Some are too young to know this isn’t their fault: that they’ve done nothing wrong. So, until this talented, brilliant, voluptuously coiffed man has his show back, the outdoor company Lamar shall offer him their screens.

His tweets will be displayed 22 feet wide on thousands of digital displays across this great land in the noble hope of putting a little Conan back in all of our lives. Lamar is with Coco.