SOB Business Cafe 07-25-08

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 titles to enjoy each selection.

The Specials this Week are

Global Neighbourhoods is discussing how and why Twitter outstrips the rest as a search tool.
But I am coming to trust Twitter as my personal search tool more than any of these others, and here’s why: I can consider the recommender.

Twitter v Google, Wikipedia, Digg & Yelp

specially relevant is discussing perceptions and realtities.
The problem with friends, they have no shame in calling you out, but it made me think more abstractly about the fluff in general around social media. Social media is a little fluffy - everything is fluffy clouds, rainbows and unicorns - just a little right?

Less fluff, more value?

Cath Lawson is discussing the emotional ROI of blogging.
So just exactly what is a blog? Could it make you rich and famous? Would it propel your business to unimaginable heights? Or would putting a blog in your grubby little mitts be The Internet equivalent of tossing a firework into a liquor factory?

What Is A Blog And Will It Feed You Or Eat You?

WinExtra is discussing trouble around the campfire..
It is as if the moment you become involved that any hint of evil or people doing bad things has evaporated into the ever sunny sky while we all sing John Lennon and Paul McCartney songs.

OMG People Are Using Web 2.0 For Bad Things

View from the Isle is discussing the BS factor that’s not really new.
I’ve reached a point recently where I’ve been forced to reflect on just what it is I do. What is my value to society and the world? What is it about me that makes me a “contributing member of society”?

Treatise on social media and social networking: Why social media is BS, but will work anyway.

Ari Herzog is discussing our role as diplomats.
Despite several friends of mine who have not joined the cellular bandwagon, I’m willing to hazard a guess that if you have a cell phone it’s because you used to be accessible via a traditional “land line” phone but wanted to reach out and call someone when you were out of your house.

You’re an Ambassador of Social Networking. You Just Don’t Know It.

Related ala carte selections include

Traffick is discussing disagreements.
Read on. . . .

“Candy Ass Social Media Goody 2 Shoes”?

Thanks to everyone who’s bought and blogged about the eBook!

Buy the ebook and find out how . . .

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

–ME “Liz” Strauss

Share This

SOB Business Cafe 07-18-08

Filed Under Great Finds, Successful Blog | 2 Comments

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 titles to enjoy each selection.

The Specials this Week are

gregverdino shares a logical look at the importance of community.
You can understand a lot about the importance of social connections by looking at the punishments we bestow upon individuals who do wrong.

Twitter, shunning, siberia and solitary confinement

Copyblogger shares a technique that builds performance.
In fact, being a master at writing killer bullet points is one of the most important copywriting skills around, second only to headline-writing.

Five Ways That Strategic Bullet Points Make You a Stronger Blogger

chrisg shares advice on putting your blog to work for you.
Rob has done a good job of putting his photography front and center, and his photographic ability shines out of his work. That said, there are a number of ways he can make his site work harder for him.

Humbled Eyes Photography Blog Critique

chrisbrogan shares friends of his who are our friends too!
Using AllTop’s new Frienderati page might help you find Becky McCray, a small town business professional who focuses on how the web can help out small business owners, especially those in rural areas.

Alltop Launches Frienderati to Help You Find FriendFeed Friends

Social Media Explorer shares a view of social media marketing management.
Can social media as a toolset deliver sustainable ROI for a wide variety of goals? Abso-freaking-lutely. But on your first formal attempt to enter the space, if your ROI consists of “we learned an awful lot” then I say “Well done, Skippy.”

Diving (Safely!) into Social Media: Determining Success or Failure

A Deaf Mom Shares Her World shares wisdom on social skills that apply to everyone.
What she said next, blew me away. The mom revealed that it was the first time since they moved three years ago that her sons had friends over to their house.

Socialization for Deaf and Hard of Hearing Kids

Related ala carte selections include

Sillyness, werd. shares the fun of a well-timed surprise.

Darth is blue…

Thanks to everyone who’s bought and blogged about the eBook!

Buy the ebook and find out the secret.

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

–ME “Liz” Strauss

Share This

$10K Design Contest for Grownups and Art Projects for Kids

Filed Under Great Finds, Successful Blog | Leave a Comment

Win $10K in Tastemakers Design Chicago

Basil Hayden’s Kentucky Bourbon is partnering with OUt and Chicago Home & Garden magazines in a design contest. They’re looking for sleek design sketches inspired by Basil Hayden’s as expressed through

The contest runs July 3 to August 15. Nate Berkus, Chicago interior designer and TV personality, will choose three concepts to be funded for production. On October 16 one winner will walk away with $10K to pursue his or her passion!

Find out more at out.com/design chicago

And for the Budding Designer in the Family

Kathy Barbro has an entire blog dedicate to art project for kids. They’re categorized by grade level (grade + 5 = age) and also by artist. Kathy is a Visual Art Professional who wants that the teacher-tested projects she offers to available to any parent or educator who wants kids involved with art.

The projects are easy to do, well-written, and beautifully presented.

Click the logo to dive in!

–ME “Liz” Strauss
Work with Liz!!

Get your best voice in the conversation!

Share This

SOB Business Cafe 07-04-08

Filed Under Great Finds, Successful Blog | 2 Comments

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 titles to enjoy each selection.

The Specials this Week are

Pick the Brain is celebrating our ability to make our own success.
The brain has great difficulty in distinguishing between what’s true and what’s imagined.

How To Visualize Your Success

Just Creative Design is celebrating the wonders of paper.
Paper has a feel, a smell, a look and a vibe that cannot be reproduced, no matter how many pixels you cram into a display. It has attributes that cannot be bestowed upon any other medium. It is something that enriches our lives and minds in ways most of us don’t even realise or notice. Paper is beautiful.

A Passion For Paper

Debbie Millman is celebrating the joy of logos!
Click on the image, and then click on “all sizes” to see it in its full regalia.

How Much Fun Is This?

The Marketing Fresh Peel is celebrating simplicity.
SIMPLE IDEA.

Simple Idea: Formulas

Zoomstart is celebrating the differences of the sexes.
Most products and services have a very specific demographic that’s either male or female. And your marketing has to appeal to the gender you’re selling to.

Marketing: How Men Think Vs. How Women Think

chrisjdavis isn’t celebrating a reunion with Alf.
But wait, there is salvation on the internets I am told, some wonderful person with stylish hair and perfect teeth I am sure, has released a stand alone app that interfaces with Hulu. Its a new day, everyone lives and they get a pony in every pot and a chicken to ride all their very own!

Why can’t companies get this stuff right?

Conversation Agent is celebrating online as reputation managment experience.
Why online? Everyone is online. Online is easy to spot, track and measure. It boggles my mind why more companies are not listening and acting.

Improve your Company’s Reputation Online

Related ala carte selections include

Middle Zone Musings is lighting some fireworks of his own doings.
OK, folks; this may come as a shock to you (bolt of lightning, crash of thunder), but there have been some exciting recent developments I just had to share with ya…

Grassroots Campaign Launched!

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

–ME “Liz” Strauss

Like the blog? Buy the eBook!

Share This

SOB Business Cafe 06-27-08

Filed Under Great Finds, Successful Blog | 4 Comments

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 titles to enjoy each selection.

The Specials this Week are

The Art of Non-Conformity draws up plans for World Domination. Download it. Read the comments. They’ll tell you why.
Greetings from Seattle, Washington. I present to you your own copy of my promised manifesto, modestly entitled A Brief Guide to World Domination.

A Brief Guide to World Domination

Win Extra draws the line at pimping ads to your friends.
Not only are your friends now pimping products to you they can also gain points every time you click on an ad they have suggested through this FriendRank system.

When friendship, conversation and interaction become bullshit

Middle Zone Musings draws a picture of humility found in a handshake.
Have you ever experienced a shining moment of glory, only to find out it, er, wasn’t what you thought? Yep; thought so.

Reality Check

Jonathan Fields draws an analogy about being where we are.
When we tweet everything we are experiencing in a conversation, concert or gathering of like-minded people, does the very activity of tweeting somehow take away from our ability to enjoy the bigger activity?