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Karen Putz on the Chicago Moms Blog Donors Choose Challenge!

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Call to Action

Our friend, Karen Putz, is changing the world again. As part of the Chicago Moms blog, she wrote to let me know about the Donors Choose Challenge. I asked if she’d let me interview her about it. She agreed.

Listen in. It’s very cool!

Hi Karen! I hear you’re up to something special. Can you tell me In five sentences, what’s this spectacular challenge I’ve been hearing about?

The Chicago Moms Blog is joining with our sister sites in promoting the Bloggers Challenge for the month of October. We are raising money for schools through DonorsChoose.org, an organization that has been featured on Oprah and Fortune magazine: It Takes a Blogosphere. Last year, the Challenge made Internet history and raised $420,000 in one month. With the collective efforts of bloggers all over, it’s possible to break that record this year and raise even more money for school projects all over the world. This project has a special place in my heart because there are projects aimed at deaf and hard of hearing children.

Oprah and Fortune! How cool is that?!! When does it start? How long does it last?

The DonorsChoose Bloggers Challenge is for the entire month of October. Throughout the month of October, Chicago Moms Blogs and our sister sites will be featuring different projects and highlighting this important fundraiser. We know that teachers often dip into their own pockets to support classroom activities or that students go without basic supplies–this is our annual chance to make a difference in the lives of students all over.

How does it work?

Each time you visit the Chicago Moms Blog or our sister sites, you’ll find a donation button in the top left corner. Clicking on the button will take you to a list of projects that are set up by teachers all over the world. Each of our sites is highlighting different projects which cover different schools. For example, on the Chicago Moms Blog, we’re highlighting projects such as the Writer’s Workshop for Students with Diverse Needs and Bugs, Crystals and More for Deaf Scientists. You can donate to any of these projects by clicking on the DonorsChoose button and donating any amount, from a dollar to a few million.

Is it only in Chicago?

The Bloggers Challenge is taking place all over the web and covers projects that are worldwide.

Are there hands-on ways we can participate?

You can set up your own Bloggers Challenge, pick a few projects and promote this fundraiser on your blog or website. Check out the DonorsChoose.org blog for instructions on how to participate. Of course, the easiest hands on way to participate is to make a donation through the Chicago Moms Blog and help the Mom Bloggers kick some butt!

Are there ways we can spread the word?

Help spread the word by blogging about this event, setting up your own fundraising challenge or posting the links to current blogging challenges via social media sites. You can also encourage teachers to go to DonorsChoose.org and post a project that they would like to see funded. Thousands of dollars have been raised in the first two days– I can’t wait to see how much more we can raise in the upcoming days. Come and be a part of making a change for education. Together, we can impact the lives of children all over.

One last question . . .

How do we support our favorite Mom Blogger (you) the most?
Oh that’s easy, give me some link love! Help me spread the word about this fundraiser. And of course, one of the best ways to show support is to make a donation using this link and help Chicago Moms Blog rocket to the top of the Mom Bloggers list!

Last year during the 2007 Blogger Challenge, they made Internet history. More than 100 bloggers raised $420,000 for school projects on DonorsChoose.org. This year, they’re aiming to do Internet history again.

Bet we could make that goal happen . . . just like that.

C’mon let’s change the world!

–ME “Liz” Strauss
Work with Liz!!

All Voices and Being Seen and Heard in the Noise

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A Few Words from Blog World Expo

relationships button

On Saturday morning, I had the humbling experience of an interview with Kathy Jacobs, Community Guru of All Voice and a Microsoft MVP, known on Twitter as @CallKathy. We took a few minutes to talk about whatever we wanted.

The primary topic was citizen journalism, but she also challenged me to do some on the spot thinking. hmmm. If you’ve not yet discovered allvoices.com, co stop to see what we’re talking about. It’s a chance to raise your voice above the noise.

As social media connects us online in offline situations, video is becoming a way we get to know each other. Often we first say more into the camera than we have said to each other face to face.

Among all of us, online and off, cameras are no longer reserved for special events. They capture our faces in elevators and on security monitors. We change our routes on sidewalks to avoid cameras pointed where we might walk. We’re using them to mark moments and memories that once might have been fleeting or lost in the passing of time.

Cameras are in backdrop and the foreground. They’re changing the way that we record our lives.

How have cameras changing how you’re being seen and heard in the noise?

–ME “Liz” Strauss
Work with Liz!!

A Conversation about Life in Perpetual Beta

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Thank You, Melissa

I met Melissa Pierce at SOBcon. She’s an attractive and focused woman with a wonderful project called “Life in Perpetual Beta.” It’s going to be an interactive movie made from, around, and through interviews with people who live their lives by embracing positive change.

This conversation with Melissa was filmed out by Belmont Harbor in Chicago. We talked about life online, leadership, and how things come together.

I’m thrilled to be a part of this project. I’m also honored by what she wrote about the video on her blog.

Paradox Found – Liz Strauss Bridges the Gap



Paradox Found – Liz Strauss Bridges the Gap.

Head over to read the blog about it. Then watch a few more interviews. You’ll be glad you did. Daniel Pink, author of “A Whole New Mind” is supposed to go up today. I can’t wait for that one.

Thanks, Melissa! It’s going to be some movie, when to put all of this together!

No doubt.

–ME “Liz” Strauss
Work with Liz!!

Liz Live on the Aaron Brazell Show Tonight!

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Dial In or Text In to Be Part of the Conversation!

Aaron Brazell -Technosailor

Aaron Brazell — technosailor — has invited me to be his guest on his TalkShoe talkshoe tonight.

Here’s some Twitter conversation we just had . . .
technosailor What do you want me to ask Liz Strauss (@lizstrauss) tonight on the show?

ME What questions do you want me to ask @technosailor when I hijack his talk shoe at talkshoe tonight?

AmberCadabra @lizstrauss In 140 characters? are you crazy? LOL

technosailor @lizstrauss is this a hostile takeover of the Aaron Brazell Show by you? Geez… I guess I had it coming 😉

ME @technosailorYou never know what will happen when you and I are together. That’s part of why people always show up.

technosailor @lizstrauss we’re not going to talk about Vegas casino stories in the wee hours of the morning are we? :-p

ME @technosailor What happens in Vegas . . . hmmmm . . . I’m bring my brothers Angelo and Pasquale. http://is.gd/RYT

Be There!!

9 EST / 8 CHICAGO TIME

Check the clock in the sidebar for Chicago time.

Category: Technology
Description: n/aDescription: lessHosted by: technosailor
Phone Number: (724) 444-7444
Call ID: 22406

Download or listen to the show later.

–ME “Liz” Strauss
Work with Liz!!

Connecting with Customers: The Mack Collier Second Encore

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A SERIES in the quest to know more about the offline world

Part 4 in (what is now) a 4-Part Interview with Mack Collier

Monday, Mack Collier was back by popular demand to continued the our conversation with about connecting with new customers. This is the second part of that encore.

What’s in the beginner’s tool kit?

In line with the above, I think companies need to start with basic search tools, Google Blog Search, Technorati, Twitter Search. Add in a feed reader like Bloglines so they can subscribe to what we call the ‘vanity searches’. Then they can also monitor what’s happening in their industry, and what their competitors are up to as far as using social media.

What’s a realistic timeline for a client to expect results that they can feel good about?

I tell clients that if they start blogging, that they need to approach it as having no expiration date. Meaning that once you start, you do it from now on. But for most businesses that start blogging, it will be several months before they can see solid results that they can be excited about. Readership will slowly grow, and there’s a lot of time that needs to be spent interacting with current and potential customers on other sites. At first, it may seem like ‘ok is all this leading anywhere?’, but as interactions and communication with customers increases, companies can usually begin to realize that there’s ‘something’ here.


What form would those results take?

I think when companies start to see people being more active on their blog, starting to leave comments, email them. When they see that more communication is taking place, then the value starts to become apparent. When they see that other bloggers are linking to their blog, or when they see bloggers starting to post about them on their blog.

When traditional marketing has been so focused on a polished message presented systematically in a controlled campaign, how can communicators start to talk naturally but still present a clear message?

See I don’t think it’s about presenting a ‘clear’ message as much as it is a ‘human’ one. And don’t think of it as ‘presenting a message’, that sounds like broadcasting. Think of how you can participate in existing conversations around your business, and help shape future ones. A ‘polished message’ comes across to most of us as ‘advertising’, and we tend to tune that out. A ‘human’ message spoken in a voice like our own, is what resonates.

Wow, Mack! Thanks for doing double duty. You’ve moved the quest of connecting with offline customers forward. AND it’s been a pleasure having you around!

–ME “Liz” Strauss
Work with Liz!!