Technorati Has a Birthday and We Get the Present!

Filed Under Business Life, Customer Think, Successful Blog, Tech/Stats, Technorati | 14 Comments

Customer-Centered Technorati!

In honor of their third anniversary as a company, Technorati has rolled out a major upgrade. The billboard that Technorati has changed their view to customer-centered is that when you sign in, you’ll find the home page is about you, your blogs, and what you might find interesting — not about Technorati.

I’m already liking these changes.

  • The Home Page brings what I need together. Everything I use daily is there. I love that the ping is right on top. I can click directly to my indexed posts.
  • The link counts are a lot more accurate. Thank you.
  • Favorites makes sense and is easier. I’m MUCH more likely to use Favorites Now.
  • Technorati Browser Buttons are one reason I’m more likely to use Favorites now.
  • The Search function is faster and has more filters. I very much like that I can filter by language.
  • The Search results have extended excerpts. (Show details.) I can take a closer look without having to click through.
  • The support text is written clearly. That’s a BIG deal to me. Thanks Technorati for getting a great writer to write these bits and pieces. No confusion or ambiguity whatsoever in anything I’ve read so far.
  • I also love the quieter new layout.

Check out this tool for business blogging, blog promotion, and branding. You can read about it and see a video of the features at Sifry’s Alerts by clicking on this title.

Technorati turns 3

Happy Birthday, Technorati! Thank you, David and Technorati, for the present!

–ME “Liz” Strauss

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Technorati — Hollywood and International
A Tale, Sister Marlene, Stephen Covey, Mike Sigers, & Power Linking

SOB Business Cafe 7-21-2006

Filed Under Branding, Business Life, Great Finds, SOB Business, Successful Blog | 4 Comments

SB Cafe

Welcome to the SOB Cafe

We offer the best in thinking–articles on the business of blogging written by the Successful and Outstanding Bloggers of Successful Blog. Click on the title shots to enjoy each selection.

The Specials this Week are

Creating Passionate Users makes the point that if you’re not having fun, you’re just not doing it right somehow.

Usability through Fun

Solo Marketing offers some advice on how to deal with spousal distractions. These aren’t just tips for holidays.

How to Avoid Spousal Distractions

Symplebyte shows us how to make smaller PowerPoint files in five easy steps. Maybe then we can actually send them to clients via email.

5 steps to Smaller PowerPoint Files

Service Unlimited has some customer service tips for freelancers. They really apply to any business that has clients.

Customer Service Tips for Freelancers

Related ala carte selections include

Scrappy Marketing Solutions reminds of the qualities that make an effective business blog.

What Makes an Effective Small Business Blog

Sit back. Enjoy your read. Nachos and drinks will be right over. Stay as long as you like.
No tips required. Comments appreciated.

Have a great weekend!

–ME “Liz” Strauss

Airplanes, Airports, and Ideas

Filed Under Business Life, Customer Think, Successful Blog | Leave a Comment

Field Trip

Customer Think Logo

I’m on an airplane to meet with a project partner for the next few days. What a great opportunity to be a customer. I’ll be capturing moments and ideas for posts to come. Can’t let those real events go unrecorded. Observing is what writers do. I figure I’ll collect a week’s worth of ideas in the next hour or two.

I love flying, but the airport I’m flying into always has a delay. . . . More after I’ve landed.

–ME “Liz” Strauss

Related articles
See the Customer Think series on the SUCCESSFUL SERIES PAGE.

What to Do Before They Ask What Do You Do?

Filed Under Branding, Customer Think, Marketing, Successful Blog | 19 Comments

What’s Your Name

Personal Branding logo

When is a rose not a rose? When it is Compassion. When a car not a car? When its a Model J DUESENBERG. Why did I quit teaching? Because I couldn’t find another word.

It’s true that’s the reason.

I left college being called a master teacher, with student teachers following me into the classroom. It had something to do with my philosophy that if I couldn’t sit in a desk all day, I’d be damned if I would ask a 6-year-old to try to do so. I loved the kids and the teaching, but when new friends asked What do you do? I heard myself saying, I’m a teacher, but not like any you ever knew. That wasn’t good. That’s when I realized that I needed a new word or I wouldn’t be teaching.

You’ve probably not left a career over a word, and probably suspect there was more to it. There was, and there wasn’t. The way folks viewed me was the problem. I wasn’t what they imagined. I didn’t like being put in their box.

But we rely on words figure out our world view.

There is no getting away from that.The next best thing is picking our words.

What Are You? a Blogger? a Writer? a Publisher? a Sales Rep? a Marketer? a Citizen Journalist? a Critic? a Martyr?

What do you do? they say. What do I answer? Read more

Kala, a Reader, from Sprint/Nextel Cares

Filed Under Branding, Customer Think, Successful Blog | 5 Comments

Thank you, Kala

Customer Think Logo

This morning, Kala left a comment to the post I wrote July 11 about Sprint/Nextel.

Hello. I read your blog and am very eager to assist you. I work for Sprint Nextel and would love the opportunity to resolve this matter for you. Please e-mail me with your contact information.

I sent her the emails I had received since I’d made that post public, and within minutes I had a phone call from her.

What a charming lady! She’s not only charming, she’s also in a position to change things. Kala fixed my problem in a few seconds and acknowledged that the system was broken.

How refreshing! I’ve met a telco representative who listens and she makes good things happen for customers. Her name is Kala.

Sprint/Nextel has no idea of her value to their brand.

Thank you, Kala, for your help. Thank you, too, for being a reader.

Smiles,
Liz

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