Marketing /Sales / Social Media Archives - Page 158 of 174

Cow- . . . Er . . . Blogtipping

April 26, 2006 by Liz

I Know Cowtipping

Where I grew up, some kids would go out cowtipping in the summer. They would drive out to 1-Mile Road or 2-Mile Road to find a farm where cows were sleeping, sneak up on a cow, and push it over. Then they’d run back to their cars laughing.

I didn’t do it. I’d like to say that was because I am a humane soul. I am a humane soul. That’s true, but that’s not the reason I didn’t do it. I didn’t do it, because I make a habit of not disturbing sleeping beings, especially those that are larger than I am. The risk is more than I care to take on.

But Blogtipping?

This morning when I went to check my links at Technorati, I saw one from Easton Ellsworth at KnowMoreMedia called It’s A Great Day For Blogtipping. Needless to say I was a bit concerned.

I stood up to look at my computer to make certain it was upright. Then I viewed my homepage to be sure that it wasn’t sideways. Whew! What a relief to see it looked fine. Those two things out of the way, I could then click the link without fear to find out what Easton had in store for me.

Blogtipping Easton Ellsworth Style is a great example of showing readers that you value them.

He’s right. It is a great for blogtipping. Will you tip a blog today?

–ME Strauss

Better Than Hi! How Are Ya?

April 24, 2006 by Liz

Conversation Starter

The first step in getting to know anyone is conversation. Sometimes though, conversation doesn’t come so naturally. It’s no fun to find yourself in a situation with nothing to say for whatever reason. I keep myself armed with a question or two that I can pull out on those occasions.

A great “getting-to-know-someone” question has three critical traits.

It’s open-ended to get the other person talking.
The responder can choose what to reveal.
No implied judgment or right answer is hidden within it.

The question I use most often when I want to spark conversation is this one.

So, what do you do when you’re not doing this?

I’ve had fabulous conversations with CEOs, cab drivers, hair dressers, and once with another person stuck in a elevator. I’ve always parted those conversations feeling like I’ve made a friend.

Got any conversation starters that you use?

–ME “Liz” Strauss

Job [and Client] Hunting ala Liz

April 23, 2006 by Liz

Gosh You Look Great

You have your act totally together. You know how to answer every question. You can explain how to capitalize on your strengths and how you make your weaknesses irrelevant. You can explain your biggest challenge and how you handled it with finesse and outstanding interpersonal skills. Your resume is a personal branding brochure and an inviting picture of who you are. You can see yourself as a leader and explain what your best traits are in simple, clear sound bytes. Your personal branding BIG IDEA shines through your eyes, your words, and everything you do. You are cool.

That doesn’t change the fact that job [and client] hunting is stressful. Even if you didn’t put your pants on backwards. [Read more…]

Great Find: Adding Show-Hide and Categories

April 23, 2006 by Liz

Improbulus Offers Us 2 in 1

There’s a reason I wrote poetry to Improbulus the blogger at A Consuming Experience. She is one great researcher, analyst, problem solver, who does everyone a service in every post she writes. Her analysis and deep research are featured in Technorati’s family of support pages.

This post is a two-in-one special for you. What I give you today is WAY COOL.

Great Find: How to include categories for your blog (manual, expand-collapse) by Improbulus
Type of Article: How-to article on adding show/hide feature and categories to blogging platforms that don’t offer those features.
Permalink: http://consumingexperience.blogspot.com/2006/01/how-to-include-categories-for-
Target Audience: Anyone who needs to add a way to do categories or show/hide features to their blog platform

Content: If there’s an interesting problem to be figured out, Improbulus has been on it and found a way to deal with–if not, she’s found out who’s already done that. This particular entry in her archives demonstrates how to break a post and continue it on the next page in the lower function blog platforms. It also shows how to manually add posts to categories in a platform, such as Blogger–the platform that Improbulus uses. The great news is she offers the exact code and how to use it. Click the Consuming Experience to access the article.

Adding categories is great promotion for page views. It pulls readers deeper into your blog. I’m going to have to write her another poem, but first I need to add categories to my blogspot blog.

If you use this post, how about leaving Improbulus a comment or better yet, linking to it. It’s always a great idea to support folks who do us these kinds of big favors.

Brand you and me. Improbulus understands that BIG TIME.

–Me “Liz” Strauss

A Timely Reminder

April 22, 2006 by Liz

When was the last time that you . . .

found a new blog in your niche to read? New blogs offer new communities of readers with fresh ideas and new points of view. Join their discussion by leaving meaningful comments and trackbacks. New friends there might read your comments and want to find out what you’re writing.
tweaked your blog description and checked your directory listings? Blogging is flexible and adaptive. How much has your blog changed since you last read your blog description? Have you visited the directories that you listed your blog in? Listings have a way of disappearing over time. Even when they don’t, they might need revising.
organized your archives as your readers would want them? Great archives are super blog promotion. For more on how to think like your readers see Watch What You’re Doing.

What other reminders might we need now that spring is here?

–ME “Liz” Strauss

Spring Cleaning Your Blog

April 20, 2006 by Liz

Spring Comes Twice a Year

I highlighted this post last October, when it was spring in Australia. Still, I think the information is worth bringing forward now that it’s spring in North America. It’s an article by Duncan Riley from the Blog Herald called, Quick spring cleaning tips for your blog. Here’s what I take from Duncan’s article and pass on to you.

2. New header–If you haven’t noticed, new headers are sprouting like spring flowers.

3. Clean up your links–Sad to say some of those folks on your blogroll may no longer be blogging.

4. Edit old posts–Update old posts and add references so folks will go read them.

5. Take a walk around the blogs. Spring walks are always invigorating and inspiring.

Duncan also suggests signing up for an affliliate program. I don’t see any reason not to . . . It just didn’t feel very springy to me. 🙂

Got any to add to my list, since I already have the mop and bucket out?

–ME “Liz” Strauss

Blog Review Checklist
Blog Archive Promotion To Do List
GAWKER Design: Curb Appeal as Customer-Centered Promotion
Blog Promotion: Checking Out Curb Appeal