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Does it Count if You Go Blog a Good Comment on Other People’s Blogs?

April 6, 2012 By

Personally I think it does. Last week I started a competitive deal with two friends living on separate continents. We wanted to encourage each other to get back to posting regularly. So I came back to blogging here, a practice I want to make a daily part of my life with lots of good web design and SEO resources. I challenged them to blog as well, in their own venues. it worked!

Both of these friends have actually posted blogs every day, both of them creating new word press blogs for the occasion. They are enjoying it I think, or so they say. My email messages to them, after each time I posted, were “Tag, you’re it!” It worked!

Seriously though, one waxed profound about her experience and shared with me for posting: “I found myself staring at a blank page full of preconceived notions of what a blog post should be. Ben Franklin, Hugh Laurie, and Oprah rolled into one amazing post – right? Yikes, talk about writer’s block! I decided my first effort would be like jumping into a cold lake. At first I would resist, but once in and splashing around, it could be lots of fun. And it was.”

The other shares: “don’t dither, just do it.” Can you hear a bit of an English accent there?

So, then, what do I do but fall victim to the same old same old – no time – and I had such a good headstart. The schedule got slamming overwhelming, and what is the first to go but the last thing to get started, despite my proclamations of intentions. Isn’t it always this way. Well, determined as I am, what I did instead of blogging here was to go on both of their websites and post good comments, like posts in themselves. So I counted those and I am only a day or two behind schedule.

I’d like to offer this journey to others as a live walk through starting a new habit. So many people are kind of afraid to post and blog here. With all the opportunities that Pat Howlett has made for those of us who blog on this site, it is simply absurd not to do so as part of marketing your business. Its hard to get going though. But if I can do it . . . you can do it. Just look at all the blog posts on the right there – in the column to the right on this page – scrolling by, one new post after another literally seconds apart. Phenomenal. Join in!

Pepper P Oldziey’s Posts – The 919 Business Network – Local Business Networking

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Have you got a list of all the things you want to do? things you just can’t get to yet?

March 30, 2012 By

Okay then, so now what do you do with it? That’s the real issue. Tonight I’m taking action on my list. Pick one. Do it.

Here’s an idea for you. Make a list of about 40 or 50 things that make you happy when you are down. Yes you can do that. Just start and they will roll off your tongue. Now if some of these things are work things, kinds of work you might love, writing, designing, coding websites, helping others, eating chocolate – oops that’s not work. The idea is you might find that there are work things you love and are dying to do that just bubble to the top and you need to put them on the list. An artist might have a nature walk or calm time in a zen garden so they can feel again, and create.

I had things like read the comics in the newspaper for ten minutes. The next step is to put times on them. Blog on your facebook page might take 15 minutes. A long walk in the park might take 2 hours. Go down the list and put the time it takes to do this next to each item.

Okay now, if you typed it then rearrange it by time. If you wrote them on stickie notes or cards, rearrange or group them by time, highlight them in colors. 15 minutes or less, 30 minutes or less, an hour or so, longer, like that.

Now what do you do? . . . well there are times we get down. Try this. See what time you have till your next obligation, then check your list, pick an item that fits in the time slot and just go do it. Focus on the fun. Focus on a thing you like to do, fun, work, creative, serving others, whatever it is. You get the satisfaction. You get something done. AND it might be something on your list list – not the list of things that make me happy, but the list of all the things you want to do.

Frankly, if making me and others happy kinds of things are not on the list of things you want to do then something’s missing here. Toss the rest of the list and replace it with the things you want to do that will give you a chance to be happy, feel satisfied, get space, breathe and generally do good for yourself and others. Then instead of sitting around thinking how you want to do this and someday you might, go to bed tonight thinking how cool it was that you had a few minutes and just went and did it.

Time for this “to do” item was 15 minutes. I made a plan with friends. Each of us promised the others we would blog each day for 30 days . . . to solidly get the habit going again. It is now the beginning of day two. All of us did our blog posts, even the perfectionist who did not make it perfect but said she would just say . . . more tomorrow and add dot dot dot.

Your turn! Go do something that will make you happy in fifiteen minutes or whatever you got.

I just did. :-)

Pepper P Oldziey’s Posts – The 919 Business Network – Local Business Networking

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Three friends walked into a bar . . . do you know the story? It’s not like “strangers on a train” . . .

March 29, 2012 By

Well actually it was the Cheesecake Factory. The three friends were all trying to begin a new action plan at blogging for their businesses. As each one was encouraging the other – you can do this – you write well – you would do so well having your own business – the conversation progressed to the point of a mutual challenge. Blog every day for thirty days. Can they do it? Can you?

Here is the deal. One is a writer with an existing blog she has not visited in a while. Recently ending a job, the idea that she could regain her excitement with blogging daily on this actually quite successful website is now planted firmly in her consciousness. “I can do this she announced!” The second is also between jobs and is a marketing professional. Learning to blog is part of the experiential training that will help her be more successful in guiding others. “Help me start a blog tomorrow she asked.” The third is a search engine professional and knows only too well how vital some good blog posting can be. She has been bogged down with family needs for several months and is trying to get back in the blogging habit, saying each day she will start tomorrow.

We know that support can come from our joint partner support groups, our Junto groups, our referral marketing partners. So here is a test. Each day I will log the progress and also the inspiring resources each finds to spur on her action to achieve her goal. Tonight they challenged each other – daily blogs. Can they do it? Will their mutual support be enough encouragement?

How about you – want to try with us? Share your intention here then take action – now – today – and blog too each day.

I’m reading a great book right now “REWORK” by the folks at 37Signals. The advice here is to just get started, do good work, and get going. This is a really cool book, completely non-traditional business advice, costs only about $ 12 online, $ 6 or so for the ebook. And amazing advice on being a self-starter! “Don’t let yourself get off the hook with excuses. It’s entirely your responsibility to make your dreams come true. Besides the perfect time never arrives . . . if you constantly fret about timing things perfectly, they’ll never happen.”

And they quote this “Staney Kubrick gave this advice to aspiring filmmakers: “Get ahold of a camera and some film and make a movie of any kind at all.” (from his biography) . . . the most important thing is to begin.”

BEGIN!!

Pepper P Oldziey’s Posts – The 919 Business Network – Local Business Networking

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Are You Afraid to be on Camera? Try out Bev Mahone’s new Lunch and Learn series

January 26, 2012 By

Just attended this new workshop series Bev Mahone, BAMedia, is giving. Terrified of course, we each took our turns in front of the video camera. You know it wasn’t that hard. Bev has such a warm tone and friendly style. She used each person’s short experience to provide simple tips that guide you to know what to do with the TV or Radio news professional.

Be the Professional Expert that you Are – Online or on camera

I learned that you are more newsworthy if you can offer an expert bit of knowledge on a newsworthy topic. It isn’t about selling your business as much as using your professional knowledge and experience to offer help, useful advice, information for the public at a time they are concerned about some breaking news or hot topic. This is very similar to the position you might want to take when writing online articles or on your own website.

You have knowledge as an expert on your topic. If your posts or articles share your knowledge, they say more about you than a sales pitch. Build up your web content based on providing useful information. Post articles here on Inside919 with useful information. When people know you to be an expert, they will come back when they need that expertise, and they may share you wish others for that reason as well.

Go Bev! Nice Series, Check it out!

Pepper P Oldziey’s Posts – The 919 Business Network – Local Business Networking

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Day 22 — Inside 919 Adventure — Its Junto Time!

February 26, 2010 By

I just noticed today that the announcement for the first meeting was posted now. I really enjoyed Pat’s description of these groups from the Final Friday luncheon. They seem more like a meeting of the minds than a BNI kind of session. More a place to discover together, and think together than just market your wares. I like the coming together of people to get to know each other. I am happy to refer people to other folks I know and trust. A group like this goes beyond your natural circle of friends to stretch your mind a bit and open you to new people. I like this idea a lot and look forward to it very much.
Pepper P Oldziey’s Posts – 919 Business Networking – Local Business Owners & Professionals

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Is Your Website more like a Favorite Book or a Favorite Pet?

February 24, 2010 By

Have you noticed that people often refer to their websites by saying, “Yes I put up a website a few years ago, and sometime i need to update it.” What my ears hear here is similar to a comment one might make about a favorite book. Yes, I love that book and have it on my coffee table. Every once in a while I pick it up and reread a favorite passage. A book is static, done, produced, complete and bound – not to be changed until you make or buy a new book. Indeed that is the way we have, in the past, thought about websites – a static marketing tool. And often those who built them for us set it up so only they could update them, for pay. It’s a different world and every website now can and should be easily updatable at will by its owner. Not just blogs, every site.

Now, in contrast to that, think about your favorite pet, perhaps your dog. Every day you get up early and feed him, walk him. Then when you return from work you go play catch or take a run with her and feed her and give her water and lots of loving. She or he is devoted to you and sits lovingly by your side always waiting for a golden glance of favor from you. This to me is more like an interaction with a website should be (or at least with Inside919).

Times really have changed since those old days of the original internet. Google changed its algorithms, and now posts tweets live. Posts from this website are up on search engines within 15 minutes says Pat. If you want the search engine spiders to come back and list the content on your site you need to be updating your content constantly. Many people do so by having a blog. There are many other ways to frequently and easily update your website though. You can build em to post on yourself as easily and frequently as you do here. You can build em for your clients to post on as well.

No matter what you do with your own brand of updating and commenting, I think we need a mindset change. Just as we love our pets every day, we could be loving on our main marketing tools, our tools for personal connection with our world. For many of us it replaces the brick and mortar store or office we used to walk into daily before we carried our offices in our pockets on a device.

Far from dreading this tool, if we place this interaction in a different role in our hearts, then it will come naturally. But there needs to be a mindset shift, without fear or dread. Perhaps you might think of giving your website a pet name and begin a new relationship with it. It could be more easily done than you think.

If you agree with me, leave a comment and share your new name for your website with the world. To say it is to do it – makes it more real.

I think I will name mine . . . Dorothy . . . she clicks her heels three times and travels where she dreams in an instant. Think this is silly? think about it. Times are a changing. We need to reboot.
Pepper P Oldziey’s Posts – 919 Business Networking – Local Business Owners & Professionals

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Day 23 — Inside 919 Adventure — Meet Here Meet There

February 22, 2010 By

Inside turns Outside — simple principal. Here is how it works:

1. So the other day I noticed a blog that I really agreed with, and made a brief comment for it’s author.

2. The person returned the complement with a comment on my page.

3. Yesterday I was at the Women’s Power Networking Executive Roundtable and saw her nametag and said hi!

4. She remembered me.

5. After the formal session we sat together outside at our outside table social time.

6. During the conversation we figured out how we might refer customers to each other.

This was simple, easy, pleasant, a no-brainer . . . and we both have a new referral partner.

This is how it is supposed to work. Pat designed this network this way. Isn’t it brilliant?

Go try it – What to do: comment on someone’s blog, then go to the next event.

You never know who knows your next client.
Pepper P Oldziey’s Posts – 919 Business Networking – Local Business Owners & Professionals

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Day 25 — Inside 919 Adventure — Finding Referral Partners

February 18, 2010 By

Today I tested the technique shared in the 919 training class using the search function to find people who listed your profession as a referral partner. Here is what I did:

1. Search – for anyone listing “web designer” as an ideal referral partner. You can search specifically by entry of this type in the Advanced Search.

2. This brought up two pages of entries, so next I checked them out one by one by going to their pages. It didn’t take long.

3. What to check out? – see what they do and why a web designer would be a match for referrals. Also check to see how recent their activity has been. This was advice from Pat Howlett himself, as I think the goal here is to connect with others who are being active and support the activity.

That’s what I did. It wasn’t difficult. It didn’t take much time. Anyone could do this.

4. What I found: Almost every person on the list was a web designer, though some were filmmakers and some IT people or SEO professionals. I wondered why a web designer like myself would want another web designer as a referral partner. This confuses me. I could see why an SEO professional might want a web designer as a referral partner, because many web designers are not trained in SEO themselves. But I am, so this didn’t really fit me well. This left me wondering if I misunderstood the instruction about referral partners.

Question: I thought when typing in a referral partner profession, one would type a different profession that also serves the same audience, a professional with whom you could partner to give each other referrals. Am I incorrect?

5. Then, for each person with whom I might begin a conversation, I looked to see recent activity. I literally did not see anyone who had recent activity during 2011. Many were last visiting in early 2010. This was a bit disappointing. I’d like to connect with people currently active here.

6. Back to square one. This did not yield referral partners for me. Maybe I can bring up the question at the two events this week and see if others had better luck. Perhaps the idea of a referral partner should be explored further. Maybe people are confused by this. Maybe I am confused.

Next Plan: well this doesn’t end here of course. I’ve thought a lot about referral partners and came up with two professions that serve the same audience I do and might need my services.

A. Business or career coaches.
B. Virtual Assistants.

Why? Well a business or career coach may be working with someone to change or improve or clarify their career and after that they would need to update their website or web presence to reflect their new direction. That’s almost a direct request for a web designer. The other person who would know how badly a business person needs a new web design is a VA who is the person who has to update that old difficult website every day. The VA might share the needs with their client and then connecting with me to solve the problems would be natural.

I know there are many other referral partners for me, but these two are so obvious that I am going to search for all the professionals in these two groups and do the same as I did tonight, look for recent activity, and then suggest I talk with them, meet them in person.

I am really enjoying this search. I also hope this simple description is useful to others who wish to do the same thing.
Pepper P Oldziey’s Posts – 919 Business Networking – Local Business Owners & Professionals

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Day 26 — Inside 919 Adventure — Junto or BNI or both?

February 16, 2010 By

The other evening Pat Howlett and Martin Brossman put on an introduction to the JUNTO groups about to be formed. I noticed with delight that Steve Hand was present. One of the more delightful and good spirited ways to do business was demonstrated so subtly for us you could almost miss it. The idea is that collaboration can come in many ways and it always trumps competition.

These Junto groups could perhaps be thought of as a marketing small BNI group, if you didn’t understand the difference, and thus appear to be in competition with BNI and the work Steve Hand is doing. The opposite is true of course and both Pat and Steve made the good will between their projects quite clear to us all.

That said, let us look at the Junto idea and see how differrent it is from the BNI style of marketing tip and referral group. Can you be in both at the same time – of course.

Here is what I see about the Junto groups that is so impressive: Sincerity, Indusury, Frugality, Resolution, Order, Silence, Temperance, Justice, Moderation, Cleanliness, Chastity, Tranquility, Humility. How frequently do you hear a list of virtues like this recited??

Ben Franklin built the group on virtues. Along with the virtues listed above, from Ben, the Boy Scout and Girl Scout oaths are Pat’s version of the promise of good will and good business values each person makes. Put simply, good character is good business. If you know a person can be trusted, will not lie or cheat you, wouldn’t you rather take advice from someone like that? In our world of today, to stand up and start anything based on good character is so gutsy. Hooray Pat! I’m in!

Now what do we do besides be nice to each other? We will meet four times a month, the first week is a checkin and networking session. We practiced that one, went around the room and shared our new activity problem or question or need and the group offered ideas and answers. You can see the usefulness of group wisdom like this immediately.

The second week of the month is the Big lunch, or perhaps taking one of the many training sessions that will be offered. The third week is another group session on the theme of marketing strategies. This is like a peer advisory meeting. The Fourth week is the Final Friday lunch. You see this is much more than a leads and referral meeting. This is about growing you as much as it is about growing your business. As you grow your business can grow.

Part of this growing is a long list of the training skills that will be available: online training, in class training, social media training, internet marketing training, search engine marketing training, video marketing, article content marketing, website marketing, referral marketing, one page business plans, one page marketing plans, one page social media plans, press release writing training . . . the list is impressive and the educational offerings are part of the plan. The group meets, talks, helps each other aand learns together. Can you imagine how a tightly knit group like this can be a support to your business development as well as aall the aspects of marketing your business?

At the end of this session, the group listed all the things that were impressive outcomes of a Junto. After an evening like that I’d have to be almost mindless not to join the first Junto I could get in to.

I’m sure my memory isn’t complete here and Martin and Pat will explain so much more as they introduce these so take advantage of one of the introductions. Join a Juntto.

Pat made one spcial comment that really struck me – back in Colorado in his town they knew that if they could get people purchasing from local vendors they would all benefit. Pat says $ 1 goes around six more times. Each dollar in to a group gets passed around as those in the group do business also with each other and so one dollar makes seven. That’s a math mystery and a simply multiplying idea! See you in a Junto!
Pepper P Oldziey’s Posts – 919 Business Networking – Local Business Owners & Professionals

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Day 27 — Inside 919 Adventure — A few good men . . .

February 14, 2010 By

Final Friday was again wonderful! I attribute that to the good will of the group but mostly the work of “a few good men”. Pat, Martin, and Bill — all capable leaders of thought, bringing us a wonderful experience. Again the thing I find so special is the good will of these men to work together on the same team.

Imagine 65 people in the room and complete silence. Men and women all focused on the support of one of their peers devising creative solutions for their business dilemma. One after another’s need was handled with the same sort of courtesy, unity, and creativity. Where do you see this? No one was getting a referral here – that wasn’t the agenda. It was just unified helping. Brilliant.

I don’t know how many people were helped. It was a wonderful exercise and all have given credit to its author. Bill uses this a lot in his Rainmaker groups and you experience it in his 100 Days seminar too. The collaboration of it, the patience of sitting in silence as you hear answers you can give yourself, but it is more fun to hear the group think coming from every direction in the room. I just rarely see a group of people so focused on just the needs of others, and learning together.

We have plenty of good women too, but this day was remarkable due to the brilliance and genuine hearts of a few good men.

I like spirit of what I am experiencing here inside 919.
Pepper P Oldziey’s Posts – 919 Business Networking – Local Business Owners & Professionals

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