Photocopiers are machines used to make copies of documents. Machines for use at home are designed for small-scale copying needs, while business ones are designed for large scale copying of documents.
Photocopiers are extremely useful machines which people regularly use in the course of their working lives. With technological advancement, these machines have evolved and can now perform a number of functions apart from simple copying documents. Colour photocopiers are very popular with businesses that regularly require coloured documents. Here are some of the important advantages that photocopiers offer to its users:
Convenience- A photocopier offers a fast and easy way of getting single or multiple copies of documents. It is very convenient to use and does not require any technical expertise. The operator of this machine just has to feed in the document, turn on the machine and push a button. The machine will automatically produce the specified number of copies. The user can also specify the size of the copy. You can copy documents bigger or smaller in size than the original document. Having this machine at home or office also offers you the convenience of copying the documents any time you want. If you are working late at night when no copy service shops will be opened, you will not have to wait till the next morning to get documents copied.
Cheap and Quick- The basic advantage of a photocopier is to make copies of documents quickly and cheaply. You can easily reproduce a document as many times as you wish.
Improves Functionality- These machines have increased the functionality of many businesses. They improve the functionality and efficiency of the employees. Investing in a multi function photocopier will make your office work smooth and avoid delays in handling office paperwork.
Both Side Printing- This machine can copy both sides of the document. The option to print a two-sided copy speed up the printing process. This also proves to be economical as it reduces the amount of paper needed per copy.
Digital Photocopiers- These combine a scanner and laser printer, improving the quality of the photocopied image. With these, you don't have to buy separate machines to perform different functions. This can also free up space in the workplace as you don't need a space to store multiple machines. Digital machines are your one stop shop for a number of business needs.
There are many companies that manufacture photocopiers. You should buy one manufactured by a reputed and trustworthy company. Check online reviews and ratings before buying.
Colour photocopiers Toronto produce high quality results. Visit our website for information on colour copiers Toronto.
Wednesday, February 22, 2017
Friday, February 17, 2017
Various Benefits Of An IT Certification
IT certifications can be of great help to both students and working professionals, looking for a better job or improving their work credentials. There are many IT exam certification training programs running online that can help you get a certification that best fits your educational and professional goals. You can get exam materials from top companies like, Microsoft, VMware, Cisco, Oracle and IBM to help you pass easily.
Getting a certification will show your dedication and comprehensive technical knowledge on a specific platform. This helps you in getting an edge over the other candidates. Here are some important benefits of an IT certification:
Helps in Getting Hired- Having a certification adds weight to your resume. As we have seen that there is always a tough competition for IT jobs, and having a certification can give you a significant edge over other candidates who do not have one. It can also be a qualifier for a position.
Helps in Getting Promotion- In the IT field, learning new technology or enhancing the existing skills is the key to move up the corporate ladder. You can easily get promotions or higher paying job in your company if you earn new certifications. These certifications can also help you in retaining your job when the company is looking for ways to cut costs.
Self-Study- To get certified, you don't have to go to a college or university for training. You can easily find various IT exam certification training programs online, that are cheaper and of a shorter duration. You can do self-study at your own convenience along with your job and easily clear exams.
Open to People of All Ages and Background- The IT exam certification training program industry is open to everyone. Whether you are looking to change the job or learn new skills and whether you are 20 years old or 80 years old, you can have a good career by getting certification through these programs.
Helps in Focusing on the Topic of Interest- These certifications are job and skill oriented. They allow an individual to focus only on the topic of interest and avoid non-essential courses.
Increases Professional Credibility- Earning a series of certification from a same company can give immediate professional credibility. It not only shows your dedication and motivation to your professional development, but can also aid in promotions and raises.
Taking up an IT exam certification training program can help you gain new knowledge quickly and easily. Select a program whose material has been reviewed by the industry experts.
You can easily find many free IT exam certification training programs online. For more information, visit exam labs.
Getting a certification will show your dedication and comprehensive technical knowledge on a specific platform. This helps you in getting an edge over the other candidates. Here are some important benefits of an IT certification:
Helps in Getting Hired- Having a certification adds weight to your resume. As we have seen that there is always a tough competition for IT jobs, and having a certification can give you a significant edge over other candidates who do not have one. It can also be a qualifier for a position.
Helps in Getting Promotion- In the IT field, learning new technology or enhancing the existing skills is the key to move up the corporate ladder. You can easily get promotions or higher paying job in your company if you earn new certifications. These certifications can also help you in retaining your job when the company is looking for ways to cut costs.
Self-Study- To get certified, you don't have to go to a college or university for training. You can easily find various IT exam certification training programs online, that are cheaper and of a shorter duration. You can do self-study at your own convenience along with your job and easily clear exams.
Open to People of All Ages and Background- The IT exam certification training program industry is open to everyone. Whether you are looking to change the job or learn new skills and whether you are 20 years old or 80 years old, you can have a good career by getting certification through these programs.
Helps in Focusing on the Topic of Interest- These certifications are job and skill oriented. They allow an individual to focus only on the topic of interest and avoid non-essential courses.
Increases Professional Credibility- Earning a series of certification from a same company can give immediate professional credibility. It not only shows your dedication and motivation to your professional development, but can also aid in promotions and raises.
Taking up an IT exam certification training program can help you gain new knowledge quickly and easily. Select a program whose material has been reviewed by the industry experts.
You can easily find many free IT exam certification training programs online. For more information, visit exam labs.
Thursday, February 09, 2017
Useful Tips For Buying A Copier
Every business establishment, whether big or small, needs a copier. Xerox introduced its first fully automated plain paper machine in 1959. Since then, copiers have seen a significant amount of technological development. Modern ones can combine copying, laser printing, scanning and faxing into one machine.
You can find digital and analog copiers in the market. Companies prefer digital ones as they produce less noise, have fewer mechanical problems and reproduce fine lines and photographs. Whether you are looking to buy a new copier for your home or office, here are a few tips to help you make the right choice:
Need- Every business has different printing needs. Get a relatively accurate idea of the number of pages the device will be required to copy in a month. If you require frequent color copies, go for a color copier that offers great options, low cost per click pricing, fast speed and superior image quality. Defining your needs well in advance will help you in making the right decision.
Features- Different copiers come with different features and functions. They also define the cost of the machine. You should consider additional features like, handling different paper sizes, wireless connectivity, security, energy efficiency, graphic capabilities and finishing capabilities.
Consider A Multi function Device- It is always better to buy a single business machine that can scan, fax and print documents rather than buying multiple ones. A single device is cheaper than separate business machines. You should weigh the pros and cons of a single multi function device over a simple copier and additional machines.
Speed- You should check the speed of printing before buying. Keep in mind that faster is not always the better.
Cost- Take into consideration the amount your business is currently spending on outsourcing the task. Buying a copier for your business helps you save both time and money. This will also make your office more productive and versatile. Your staff will be able to serve the business needs more efficiently. You should consider buying a high-performing machine considering it a good investment.
Support- Do proper research and buy a copier manufactured by a reputable company. You should buy from a company that you can not only trust, but also the one that can give you support and maintenance when you need it. This will help you in saving a lot of headaches down the road. The company should offer proper technical support, cleaning and repairs.
Taking time to do research before buying a copier will help you save money. You can also browse a range of copiers available online to get good deals.
A wide range of business machines Toronto can be found online. Visit our website for information on copiers Toronto.
You can find digital and analog copiers in the market. Companies prefer digital ones as they produce less noise, have fewer mechanical problems and reproduce fine lines and photographs. Whether you are looking to buy a new copier for your home or office, here are a few tips to help you make the right choice:
Need- Every business has different printing needs. Get a relatively accurate idea of the number of pages the device will be required to copy in a month. If you require frequent color copies, go for a color copier that offers great options, low cost per click pricing, fast speed and superior image quality. Defining your needs well in advance will help you in making the right decision.
Features- Different copiers come with different features and functions. They also define the cost of the machine. You should consider additional features like, handling different paper sizes, wireless connectivity, security, energy efficiency, graphic capabilities and finishing capabilities.
Consider A Multi function Device- It is always better to buy a single business machine that can scan, fax and print documents rather than buying multiple ones. A single device is cheaper than separate business machines. You should weigh the pros and cons of a single multi function device over a simple copier and additional machines.
Speed- You should check the speed of printing before buying. Keep in mind that faster is not always the better.
Cost- Take into consideration the amount your business is currently spending on outsourcing the task. Buying a copier for your business helps you save both time and money. This will also make your office more productive and versatile. Your staff will be able to serve the business needs more efficiently. You should consider buying a high-performing machine considering it a good investment.
Support- Do proper research and buy a copier manufactured by a reputable company. You should buy from a company that you can not only trust, but also the one that can give you support and maintenance when you need it. This will help you in saving a lot of headaches down the road. The company should offer proper technical support, cleaning and repairs.
Taking time to do research before buying a copier will help you save money. You can also browse a range of copiers available online to get good deals.
A wide range of business machines Toronto can be found online. Visit our website for information on copiers Toronto.
Thursday, February 02, 2017
Local Guides by Google - Win Free Google Drive Space
Google had always been innovative when it comes to public participation for the promotion and publicity of their services. This is possible with the freebies and added benefits that have been promised. So far it has been a huge success as more and more people are attracted to this idea. Also, this comes with the consequence of handing over of personal information to the tech-giant
If we can bypass this small glitch, Local Guides is a wonderful platform if you are fond of travelling and would like to check out the local places like eateries, tourist attractions etc. It works like Trip Advisor and other contemporaries and gives you an opportunity to rate their service and to leave the feedback.
Additionally, the Local Guides program offers free Google Drive storage and gives you insider access but with time. Also, it assures your presence in the social media network as your ratings and feedbacks would be present in Google Maps and give you an opportunity to make the Map more accurate and useful to people.
UPGRADATION:
There are five levels in the up gradation process and they assure quick boosts up the ladder. Every rank or level is ascended based on the ranking by earning points for your reviews, photos, adding or editing places and by answering questions that are asked. Until level three, everything is easy and at this level, you earn a little icon to your profile indicating that you are a bonafide Local Guide. It is quite something!
The first couple of levels doesn't offer much when it comes to benefits as they offer only a monthly newsletter and invites to an occasional Google Hangout. It is once in a blue moon kind of a thing. The full on benefits starts pouring in once you reach level four. Here you get a terabyte of Google Drive storage for two years and annual surprise thank-you gift. And with level five you get proprietary information about what's coming with Maps and possibly an invite to a Local Guides Summit.
HOW TO CLIMB UP THE LADDER?
The basic and general idea are very simple. Add more reviews, more photos, new locations in Google Maps. But keep in mind that all the reviews are honest and true to the core. Just to earn points one shouldn't be promoting a really bad place.
Another way to pace up the stride is to use few of Google's other services like Google Photos, Enable Location History in Maps. You will find your photos everywhere you've been with your phone after turning on these services. Also, photos will appear along places where Google think you've stopped by. Also, this will be auto saved by Google Photos.
To add images for reviews all you have to do is to tap on one of the locations you visited and then add your review along with the pictures. You get more points and rewards with both images and reviews together. Speak about added benefits!
Another way to climb up the ladder, add venues and locations into Google Maps. In other words, you are updating and validating Maps. Most often many nice joints wouldn't be listed on Maps or else it will be misplaced so on and so forth. If you successfully add up all the relevant information such as name, address, hours and other details about the place, are sure to get a nice points boost. Also, it is a two-way street. You help boost the business of someone. On the other hand, you actually bring to the limelight to fellow humans a nice place to pass by. It's kind of a win-win situation.
Yet again another way to earn points is by answering the simple questions that always seems to pop up. And trust me; these questions can sometimes go bizarre.
IS IT WORTH IT?
If you are ready to follow the strategy, you can be a master Local Guide within a short span of time. But the only drawback is you give away a lot of information, even personal to Google. Where ever you go, Google will tag along. If it's scary for you, you can delete your history whenever you want. The drawback to these is your past benefits too will be wiped out. On the whole, it is a beautiful experience and that it will help a lot of people and you too get benefited from Google. As I said, it is a win-win situation for all.
If we can bypass this small glitch, Local Guides is a wonderful platform if you are fond of travelling and would like to check out the local places like eateries, tourist attractions etc. It works like Trip Advisor and other contemporaries and gives you an opportunity to rate their service and to leave the feedback.
Additionally, the Local Guides program offers free Google Drive storage and gives you insider access but with time. Also, it assures your presence in the social media network as your ratings and feedbacks would be present in Google Maps and give you an opportunity to make the Map more accurate and useful to people.
UPGRADATION:
There are five levels in the up gradation process and they assure quick boosts up the ladder. Every rank or level is ascended based on the ranking by earning points for your reviews, photos, adding or editing places and by answering questions that are asked. Until level three, everything is easy and at this level, you earn a little icon to your profile indicating that you are a bonafide Local Guide. It is quite something!
The first couple of levels doesn't offer much when it comes to benefits as they offer only a monthly newsletter and invites to an occasional Google Hangout. It is once in a blue moon kind of a thing. The full on benefits starts pouring in once you reach level four. Here you get a terabyte of Google Drive storage for two years and annual surprise thank-you gift. And with level five you get proprietary information about what's coming with Maps and possibly an invite to a Local Guides Summit.
HOW TO CLIMB UP THE LADDER?
The basic and general idea are very simple. Add more reviews, more photos, new locations in Google Maps. But keep in mind that all the reviews are honest and true to the core. Just to earn points one shouldn't be promoting a really bad place.
Another way to pace up the stride is to use few of Google's other services like Google Photos, Enable Location History in Maps. You will find your photos everywhere you've been with your phone after turning on these services. Also, photos will appear along places where Google think you've stopped by. Also, this will be auto saved by Google Photos.
To add images for reviews all you have to do is to tap on one of the locations you visited and then add your review along with the pictures. You get more points and rewards with both images and reviews together. Speak about added benefits!
Another way to climb up the ladder, add venues and locations into Google Maps. In other words, you are updating and validating Maps. Most often many nice joints wouldn't be listed on Maps or else it will be misplaced so on and so forth. If you successfully add up all the relevant information such as name, address, hours and other details about the place, are sure to get a nice points boost. Also, it is a two-way street. You help boost the business of someone. On the other hand, you actually bring to the limelight to fellow humans a nice place to pass by. It's kind of a win-win situation.
Yet again another way to earn points is by answering the simple questions that always seems to pop up. And trust me; these questions can sometimes go bizarre.
IS IT WORTH IT?
If you are ready to follow the strategy, you can be a master Local Guide within a short span of time. But the only drawback is you give away a lot of information, even personal to Google. Where ever you go, Google will tag along. If it's scary for you, you can delete your history whenever you want. The drawback to these is your past benefits too will be wiped out. On the whole, it is a beautiful experience and that it will help a lot of people and you too get benefited from Google. As I said, it is a win-win situation for all.
Friday, January 27, 2017
E-Commerce Boom in India
India is a land of opportunities and this has been proven once again with the steadfast and quick success of the e-commerce sector here. Within a sports span of time, it has gained so much of popularity and it is one of the most common and popular sectors in India. It has changed the very face of commerce and economy.
India's tremendous potential for e-commerce was first noticed by eBay giant and it entered the Indian chapter in 2004. It was an instant success and changed the whole course of the business arena in this country. Three years before that Flipkart has entered the arena but it was confined as an online bookseller and hasn't ventured into the common marketplace on the World Wide Web. It took eBay to bring about a change to this and today there are a lot of companies with huge bank balances and net worth. Flipkart and Snapdeal.com are two of the most successful and household names on the business front as of now.
And all this was possible because of the internet accessibility in our country. As of now India has 94 million broadband users and an internet-connected population is as close to 300 million. And also the ease of shopping made e-commerce the most favorite way of shopping. Also the fact that India stands in the top five countries is a fact that can't be overlooked.
Another important aspect that cannot be overlooked is the short distance between buyers and sellers. Early days one had to go search for things and if lucky enough will find the good quality or desired ones. And today, everything is readily available at the tip of your fingers. This too has made e-commerce sector an instant success in a country like India where we are very keen on finding an easy way out.
One of the important attributes of online e-commerce platforms is that it gave an opportunity to local artisans and sellers to take up their products to national and even to international levels. They now find buyers in not only their local areas but also in other factions too. This certainly has helped them enormously in expanding their businesses and also in boosting the financial status. So in every aspect, e-commerce is a total win-win for both sellers and buyers. The sellers can sell their products to buyers from other areas and that the buyers get good quality products. In this case, both the parties are benefitted.
IT companies have a lot to benefit from this type of commerce enterprise. As everything is done through web and computers it is a known fact that IT field plays a tremendous role in the upbringing and maintenance of this sector. A lot of programming and availability in search engines and search engine optimizations etc are required. This all can be made possible only by the help of IT professionals and IT companies offering such a workforce. A huge amount of employment opportunities is also open in the IT sector from the time e-commerce was first established in India.
And also in the upcoming years, e-commerce sector is yet again is set to make tremendous changes as it has evolved so much through the years. With an ever increasing internet users and competitive market, it is bound to happen. Taking the history of e-commerce in India one can be sure it is here to make its stand for a very long time as it is easy, hassle free, durable and conventional.
An easy and downright way of improving the e-commerce sector more useful in Indian industry and retailers is to concentrate more on Indian products and Indian origin companies. It's a common knowledge that big giants like eBay and Alibaba has huge influence and stand in India's industry. If we can concentrate more on our factions like Flipkart, Myntra etc it will be more beneficial, as well as it, will boost to our country's growth and GDP.
On the other hand, one can dare say that the e-commerce sector has boosted the country's economy and gross domestic growth. It has changed the very rhetorical concept of business. It proved that sometimes it convenient and an absolute necessity to change from old-school to new-school even when it comes to the business sector. After all, change is something that is inevitable.
Redefine Webs also provides a necessary boost and has enough credentials in providing the next-generation online marketplace platform and has provided these services to various online sellers. We look forward to new customers so that we can offer such services for potential clients in the long run and can grow as the next big thing in the market.
India's tremendous potential for e-commerce was first noticed by eBay giant and it entered the Indian chapter in 2004. It was an instant success and changed the whole course of the business arena in this country. Three years before that Flipkart has entered the arena but it was confined as an online bookseller and hasn't ventured into the common marketplace on the World Wide Web. It took eBay to bring about a change to this and today there are a lot of companies with huge bank balances and net worth. Flipkart and Snapdeal.com are two of the most successful and household names on the business front as of now.
And all this was possible because of the internet accessibility in our country. As of now India has 94 million broadband users and an internet-connected population is as close to 300 million. And also the ease of shopping made e-commerce the most favorite way of shopping. Also the fact that India stands in the top five countries is a fact that can't be overlooked.
Another important aspect that cannot be overlooked is the short distance between buyers and sellers. Early days one had to go search for things and if lucky enough will find the good quality or desired ones. And today, everything is readily available at the tip of your fingers. This too has made e-commerce sector an instant success in a country like India where we are very keen on finding an easy way out.
One of the important attributes of online e-commerce platforms is that it gave an opportunity to local artisans and sellers to take up their products to national and even to international levels. They now find buyers in not only their local areas but also in other factions too. This certainly has helped them enormously in expanding their businesses and also in boosting the financial status. So in every aspect, e-commerce is a total win-win for both sellers and buyers. The sellers can sell their products to buyers from other areas and that the buyers get good quality products. In this case, both the parties are benefitted.
IT companies have a lot to benefit from this type of commerce enterprise. As everything is done through web and computers it is a known fact that IT field plays a tremendous role in the upbringing and maintenance of this sector. A lot of programming and availability in search engines and search engine optimizations etc are required. This all can be made possible only by the help of IT professionals and IT companies offering such a workforce. A huge amount of employment opportunities is also open in the IT sector from the time e-commerce was first established in India.
And also in the upcoming years, e-commerce sector is yet again is set to make tremendous changes as it has evolved so much through the years. With an ever increasing internet users and competitive market, it is bound to happen. Taking the history of e-commerce in India one can be sure it is here to make its stand for a very long time as it is easy, hassle free, durable and conventional.
An easy and downright way of improving the e-commerce sector more useful in Indian industry and retailers is to concentrate more on Indian products and Indian origin companies. It's a common knowledge that big giants like eBay and Alibaba has huge influence and stand in India's industry. If we can concentrate more on our factions like Flipkart, Myntra etc it will be more beneficial, as well as it, will boost to our country's growth and GDP.
On the other hand, one can dare say that the e-commerce sector has boosted the country's economy and gross domestic growth. It has changed the very rhetorical concept of business. It proved that sometimes it convenient and an absolute necessity to change from old-school to new-school even when it comes to the business sector. After all, change is something that is inevitable.
Redefine Webs also provides a necessary boost and has enough credentials in providing the next-generation online marketplace platform and has provided these services to various online sellers. We look forward to new customers so that we can offer such services for potential clients in the long run and can grow as the next big thing in the market.
Monday, January 23, 2017
The 2 Biggest Mistakes People Make On LinkedIn
Though social media isn't some shiny new marketing toy, lots of marketers get tripped up when using it. Sure, these folks know how to put together a tweet or publish a status update, but they get overwhelmed when they're trying to navigate the unwritten "rules" of these platforms to be successful. And when they get overwhelmed, they slip up - just like the rest of us when we're learning something new.
But with just a little know-how, these common slip-ups can be avoided, and then these marketers can be on their merry way to building relationships with their leads and customers on social media. In case you're one of these marketers or you just want a little refresher on what not to do on LinkedIn, keep on reading. We'll walk you through three of the most biggest mistakes people make on LinkedIn and give you tips for avoiding them.
Mistake #1: Blasting LinkedIn Groups With Irrelevant Content
I'm sure this has happened to you at a networking event. You're hanging out, having a great time and chatting with lots of people about interesting things. Suddenly, one guy keeps popping into your conversations to share random facts that may have something to do with the overall event but really not with the conversation you are having. You feel this person is a show-off and clearly not listening to a word you are saying - not the type you were hoping to meet at an event like this.
That's what happens often in LinkedIn Groups. They are discussion forums where like-minded people discuss common problems - and used properly, they offer a huge opportunity for marketers. Unfortunately, marketers will often flood groups with irrelevant and spammy information. Check out what to do instead below.
Instead, don't just start conversations and post links back to your site.
Join existing conversations - don't just start new ones. You want to add to the group rather than be the guy at the event showing off knowledge no one really wants to hear. Also, not every response you leave in a discussion has to be a link to your site.
Remember, if you come across too salesy, you are not adding to the conversation and will come across as spammy. You may even be thrown out of the group.
Mistake #2: Sending Generic LinkedIn Invites
In real life, you couldn't imagine someone just introducing themselves to you, then immediately falling silent. Usually, after you exchange names and pleasantries, you get to talking about why you're talking. Maybe the other person wants to chat business. Maybe they are bored on the other side of the room and you looked like you were having more fun. Regardless, you still have a moment in the conversation where you talk about the why.
So why do marketers often leave out the why when they're inviting others to connect on LinkedIn? I'm sure it's happened to you - the generic "I'd like to add you to my professional network" tells you nothing about who the person is and why they wanted to connect with you. Sending someone who doesn't know you the standard LinkedIn connection message is just as awkward as introducing yourself at a networking event and then not saying a word.
Instead, customise your messages to new contacts.
Let people know why you want to be connected with them. Are you looking for new talent to join your team? Do you want to explore possible co-marketing partnerships with them? Were you impressed by their latest blog post? Just tell them why you want to connect with them - they'll appreciate you being up-front about it.
See what I mean in this note I received following a request to connect:
It is clear that this person has seen my profile, read it, and now is engaging with me. Although the role is not for me, this is still a great example of good personalized and direct message on LinkedIn.
I hope this has been helpful. Daniel Smith.
But with just a little know-how, these common slip-ups can be avoided, and then these marketers can be on their merry way to building relationships with their leads and customers on social media. In case you're one of these marketers or you just want a little refresher on what not to do on LinkedIn, keep on reading. We'll walk you through three of the most biggest mistakes people make on LinkedIn and give you tips for avoiding them.
Mistake #1: Blasting LinkedIn Groups With Irrelevant Content
I'm sure this has happened to you at a networking event. You're hanging out, having a great time and chatting with lots of people about interesting things. Suddenly, one guy keeps popping into your conversations to share random facts that may have something to do with the overall event but really not with the conversation you are having. You feel this person is a show-off and clearly not listening to a word you are saying - not the type you were hoping to meet at an event like this.
That's what happens often in LinkedIn Groups. They are discussion forums where like-minded people discuss common problems - and used properly, they offer a huge opportunity for marketers. Unfortunately, marketers will often flood groups with irrelevant and spammy information. Check out what to do instead below.
Instead, don't just start conversations and post links back to your site.
Join existing conversations - don't just start new ones. You want to add to the group rather than be the guy at the event showing off knowledge no one really wants to hear. Also, not every response you leave in a discussion has to be a link to your site.
Remember, if you come across too salesy, you are not adding to the conversation and will come across as spammy. You may even be thrown out of the group.
Mistake #2: Sending Generic LinkedIn Invites
In real life, you couldn't imagine someone just introducing themselves to you, then immediately falling silent. Usually, after you exchange names and pleasantries, you get to talking about why you're talking. Maybe the other person wants to chat business. Maybe they are bored on the other side of the room and you looked like you were having more fun. Regardless, you still have a moment in the conversation where you talk about the why.
So why do marketers often leave out the why when they're inviting others to connect on LinkedIn? I'm sure it's happened to you - the generic "I'd like to add you to my professional network" tells you nothing about who the person is and why they wanted to connect with you. Sending someone who doesn't know you the standard LinkedIn connection message is just as awkward as introducing yourself at a networking event and then not saying a word.
Instead, customise your messages to new contacts.
Let people know why you want to be connected with them. Are you looking for new talent to join your team? Do you want to explore possible co-marketing partnerships with them? Were you impressed by their latest blog post? Just tell them why you want to connect with them - they'll appreciate you being up-front about it.
See what I mean in this note I received following a request to connect:
It is clear that this person has seen my profile, read it, and now is engaging with me. Although the role is not for me, this is still a great example of good personalized and direct message on LinkedIn.
I hope this has been helpful. Daniel Smith.
Tuesday, January 17, 2017
When The Greenback Falls
With the post election reality finally hitting home the beguiled public have started to realize what a charlatan Donald Trump really is. Aside from awakening to a new reality that seems like we just entered the Twilight Zone the simple fact is the United States is poised to enter the most sinister financial crisis we have ever faced. An economic catastrophe that is on a collision course aimed directly at these United States and Europe. A disaster of epic proportions signaling the swan song of the US dollar as the worlds first reserve currency.
Today, when you have had the main stream media continually focus all their attention on this years Presidential campaign fail to recognize the economic tremors half a world away signaling a financial earthquake is about to cause the most destructive financial crisis since the Great Depression just shows that the media is all about the money game that's played when Presidential politics are in play. Could it be that history is again about to repeat? With Trump set to assume the Presidency in January and Obama still at the helm the ship of state is in gale force winds of economic instability.
Now, while we have Trump fiddling his way around cabinet posts the United States is poised to be engulfed in ablaze of economic and financial calamity. A calamity that would wipe out practically everyone's financial security leaving this nation paralyzed. Think of the period of the 1930's, soup kitchens and the like. If a financial crisis even on the same level as the Great Depression hits and today it is already knocking on our front door mass hysteria would engulf this nation with monumental violence and horror. Back in the thirties the nation as a whole was much more civil with a basic core morality. Today, the United States has lost much of the civility that prevailed back then and we have seen a moral decay unprecedented in modern times. When this financial crisis hits and it most certainly will if measures are not immediately implemented our way of life would end.
We have to go back to 2008 when the United States was pushed to the brink of financial disaster brought on by the financial institutions themselves through blatant greed to realize it takes teamwork to solve the immediate crisis. The safeguards that were put in place then apparently now the financial world has found new ways to circumvent those same policies that were put in place to safeguard our financial markets. Today, with our national debt looming as another ticking bomb the financial world of the US is about to suffer a shock so horrific equivalent to a magnitude 12 or more earthquake and yet there is no mention of what really is apocalyptic scenario heading straight for us.
History is about to repeat as it so often does. The only difference is the names have changed but the similarities of the past are overwhelming coincidental not to realize that we as a society have failed to heed what history is supposed to teach us in the first place. The frightening fact is that today if the US dollar lost it's status as the world's reserve currency the economic and financial devastation resulting would be unparallel. Already Japan and China are discussing trading the yuan and the yen without using US dollars. Even now the International Monetary Fund has openly campaigned for the US dollar to be replaced by the SDR in the hope to boost Europe's troubled financial markets.
Another factor to consider is that the Chinese yuan has been gaining strength due in large part to the accumulation of gold that they have been diligently acquiring. The United States meanwhile all our currency is back up by nothing more than a good faith that we will pay our debts. In other words our whole financial reality is nothing more than a house of cards ready to fall down. Throw in the fact that Russia, Brazil, India, China, and South Africa are all in discussions about taking the US dollar out of circulation. All this and more has to be a real wake up call that decisive action must be taken to safeguard that the US dollar remains the worlds reserve currency before it really is too late.
We have to realize why this is happening. It should be readily apparent that for the past 25 years or more the foreign policy of the United States has been instrumental in destabilizing much of the world. When we continue to meddle in other nations' affairs for our own greedy purposes what recourse do these nations have but to retaliate in almost the same fashion that the US has imposed on them. Look what we have done in just the past 15 years. More importantly look to the sanctions we have imposed recently on Russia and Iran. What do you think that our sanctions are doing? There not helping the citizens of the United States and certainly not helping the citizens of those countries either. All we have done is antagonize the rest of the world for selfish gains. And, you can bet your bottom dollar it is all about oil and profits.
So what to do? With the United States budget deficit in excess of over $1 trillion a year the consequences of losing the dollars status as the world's reserve currency would be disastrous. The fall out would be that the Fed would not be able to print money to pay its debts. Think about all that Quantitative Easing that the Fed did in 2009. It was more like counter fitting. But, all that money that was supposed to spur small business growth just sat in the Banks vaults and as a result the Banks got bigger and the fat cats on Wall Street got even fatter. How will the US be able to pay it's debts without the ability to print their way out?
The reality of answering that question should send chills down through our society. If the government can't print their own money as we have in the past the US government will seize bank accounts, garnish 401 K's, other retirement accounts, Social Security payments would cease and other disastrous measures to horrific to contemplate would ensue. To safe guard our future and protect the US dollar from ceasing to be the worlds reserve currency it is imperative first the United States must ease the foreign sanctions we have imposed and take the necessary steps to secure our place as the top economic engine in the world. And, that starts with jobs, good paying jobs. We have to remember that ever since NAFTA was implemented back in 1994 the US has lost millions and millions of middle wage jobs. Sadly those jobs have yet to be returned. If the United States fails to recoup millions of middle wage jobs our future as the worlds top economic power will be lost and with it the dollar will surely be replaced as the worlds reserve currency. Our future lies with implementation of National Economic Reform's Ten Articles of Confederation. By Dr. Tim G Williams
Today, when you have had the main stream media continually focus all their attention on this years Presidential campaign fail to recognize the economic tremors half a world away signaling a financial earthquake is about to cause the most destructive financial crisis since the Great Depression just shows that the media is all about the money game that's played when Presidential politics are in play. Could it be that history is again about to repeat? With Trump set to assume the Presidency in January and Obama still at the helm the ship of state is in gale force winds of economic instability.
Now, while we have Trump fiddling his way around cabinet posts the United States is poised to be engulfed in ablaze of economic and financial calamity. A calamity that would wipe out practically everyone's financial security leaving this nation paralyzed. Think of the period of the 1930's, soup kitchens and the like. If a financial crisis even on the same level as the Great Depression hits and today it is already knocking on our front door mass hysteria would engulf this nation with monumental violence and horror. Back in the thirties the nation as a whole was much more civil with a basic core morality. Today, the United States has lost much of the civility that prevailed back then and we have seen a moral decay unprecedented in modern times. When this financial crisis hits and it most certainly will if measures are not immediately implemented our way of life would end.
We have to go back to 2008 when the United States was pushed to the brink of financial disaster brought on by the financial institutions themselves through blatant greed to realize it takes teamwork to solve the immediate crisis. The safeguards that were put in place then apparently now the financial world has found new ways to circumvent those same policies that were put in place to safeguard our financial markets. Today, with our national debt looming as another ticking bomb the financial world of the US is about to suffer a shock so horrific equivalent to a magnitude 12 or more earthquake and yet there is no mention of what really is apocalyptic scenario heading straight for us.
History is about to repeat as it so often does. The only difference is the names have changed but the similarities of the past are overwhelming coincidental not to realize that we as a society have failed to heed what history is supposed to teach us in the first place. The frightening fact is that today if the US dollar lost it's status as the world's reserve currency the economic and financial devastation resulting would be unparallel. Already Japan and China are discussing trading the yuan and the yen without using US dollars. Even now the International Monetary Fund has openly campaigned for the US dollar to be replaced by the SDR in the hope to boost Europe's troubled financial markets.
Another factor to consider is that the Chinese yuan has been gaining strength due in large part to the accumulation of gold that they have been diligently acquiring. The United States meanwhile all our currency is back up by nothing more than a good faith that we will pay our debts. In other words our whole financial reality is nothing more than a house of cards ready to fall down. Throw in the fact that Russia, Brazil, India, China, and South Africa are all in discussions about taking the US dollar out of circulation. All this and more has to be a real wake up call that decisive action must be taken to safeguard that the US dollar remains the worlds reserve currency before it really is too late.
We have to realize why this is happening. It should be readily apparent that for the past 25 years or more the foreign policy of the United States has been instrumental in destabilizing much of the world. When we continue to meddle in other nations' affairs for our own greedy purposes what recourse do these nations have but to retaliate in almost the same fashion that the US has imposed on them. Look what we have done in just the past 15 years. More importantly look to the sanctions we have imposed recently on Russia and Iran. What do you think that our sanctions are doing? There not helping the citizens of the United States and certainly not helping the citizens of those countries either. All we have done is antagonize the rest of the world for selfish gains. And, you can bet your bottom dollar it is all about oil and profits.
So what to do? With the United States budget deficit in excess of over $1 trillion a year the consequences of losing the dollars status as the world's reserve currency would be disastrous. The fall out would be that the Fed would not be able to print money to pay its debts. Think about all that Quantitative Easing that the Fed did in 2009. It was more like counter fitting. But, all that money that was supposed to spur small business growth just sat in the Banks vaults and as a result the Banks got bigger and the fat cats on Wall Street got even fatter. How will the US be able to pay it's debts without the ability to print their way out?
The reality of answering that question should send chills down through our society. If the government can't print their own money as we have in the past the US government will seize bank accounts, garnish 401 K's, other retirement accounts, Social Security payments would cease and other disastrous measures to horrific to contemplate would ensue. To safe guard our future and protect the US dollar from ceasing to be the worlds reserve currency it is imperative first the United States must ease the foreign sanctions we have imposed and take the necessary steps to secure our place as the top economic engine in the world. And, that starts with jobs, good paying jobs. We have to remember that ever since NAFTA was implemented back in 1994 the US has lost millions and millions of middle wage jobs. Sadly those jobs have yet to be returned. If the United States fails to recoup millions of middle wage jobs our future as the worlds top economic power will be lost and with it the dollar will surely be replaced as the worlds reserve currency. Our future lies with implementation of National Economic Reform's Ten Articles of Confederation. By Dr. Tim G Williams
Thursday, January 12, 2017
How Do I Become Successful on Twitter? Here's How
There are 284 million monthly active users on Twitter and chances are, you're one of them - we certainly are. Unfortunately, just because all of us are active on Twitter doesn't mean we're using it the right way.
And thanks to SocialBro, we have new data from over 200,000 corporate tweets to prove what works on Twitter... and what doesn't. While some of it confirmed what we suspected, we were also shocked by some of the results. Have a read below and let us know if any of these stats were surprising to you, too.
1) Tweets from businesses that contain images are 34% more likely to get retweeted than tweets from businesses with no image at all.
Are you using images on Twitter yet? If not, keep in mind that photo file sizes can be up to 5MB and animated GIFs can be up to 3MB. You can even tag other users in your photos - just like on Facebook!
2) Tweets from businesses with a URL placed in the middle of the tweet are 26% more likely to get retweeted than those with a URL placed at the beginning or end of the tweet.
I had no idea that this was the case and upon review, I was most often placing the URL at the end of the tweet - lesson learned!
3) Tweets from businesses that include hashtags are 33% more likely to get retweeted than tweets without hashtags.
Be clever with your use of hashtags - keep them around 11 characters (more on that later) and even try to incorporate them into the actual copy of the tweet.
4) Tweets from businesses with one hashtag are 69% more likely to get retweets than those with two hashtags.
When it comes to hashtags, remember that more is less.
5) Hashtags with 11 or more characters get 117% more retweets than those within 6 and 10 characters.
That gives you just enough space to come up with something catchy and on-brand for your tweets.
6) Twitter direct message campaigns get on average a 300% higher click rate than one-off email campaigns.
SocialBro actually has a tool that allows you to create really targeted DM campaigns, keeping you from annoying or spamming your audience.
7) 90% of Twitter users who engage with Twitter-based marketing campaigns will not follow the company on Twitter after the campaign interaction.
90% is a massive number! Have you got a strategy in place to retain the reach from your Twitter marketing campaign after the campaign ends?
8) Businesses will on average lose 15% of new Twitter followers within three weeks unless they make an effort to engage early.
So if you do manage to convince the tweeps from your marketing campaign to follow you, the work doesn't stop there. You need to retain your followers by being engaged with your community. Speak to them on a one-to-one basis, ask them questions, post funny, honest, and human tweets, and above all, share awesome, valuable content that they will find super valuable.
9) Over half (57%) of businesses are spending at least 50% more on Twitter marketing compared with two years ago, with 15% of respondents stating that their spending has tripled.
If you're not experimenting with content amplification on Twitter yet, you're missing out on a very big opportunity.
I hope this has been helpful. Daniel Smith.
And thanks to SocialBro, we have new data from over 200,000 corporate tweets to prove what works on Twitter... and what doesn't. While some of it confirmed what we suspected, we were also shocked by some of the results. Have a read below and let us know if any of these stats were surprising to you, too.
1) Tweets from businesses that contain images are 34% more likely to get retweeted than tweets from businesses with no image at all.
Are you using images on Twitter yet? If not, keep in mind that photo file sizes can be up to 5MB and animated GIFs can be up to 3MB. You can even tag other users in your photos - just like on Facebook!
2) Tweets from businesses with a URL placed in the middle of the tweet are 26% more likely to get retweeted than those with a URL placed at the beginning or end of the tweet.
I had no idea that this was the case and upon review, I was most often placing the URL at the end of the tweet - lesson learned!
3) Tweets from businesses that include hashtags are 33% more likely to get retweeted than tweets without hashtags.
Be clever with your use of hashtags - keep them around 11 characters (more on that later) and even try to incorporate them into the actual copy of the tweet.
4) Tweets from businesses with one hashtag are 69% more likely to get retweets than those with two hashtags.
When it comes to hashtags, remember that more is less.
5) Hashtags with 11 or more characters get 117% more retweets than those within 6 and 10 characters.
That gives you just enough space to come up with something catchy and on-brand for your tweets.
6) Twitter direct message campaigns get on average a 300% higher click rate than one-off email campaigns.
SocialBro actually has a tool that allows you to create really targeted DM campaigns, keeping you from annoying or spamming your audience.
7) 90% of Twitter users who engage with Twitter-based marketing campaigns will not follow the company on Twitter after the campaign interaction.
90% is a massive number! Have you got a strategy in place to retain the reach from your Twitter marketing campaign after the campaign ends?
8) Businesses will on average lose 15% of new Twitter followers within three weeks unless they make an effort to engage early.
So if you do manage to convince the tweeps from your marketing campaign to follow you, the work doesn't stop there. You need to retain your followers by being engaged with your community. Speak to them on a one-to-one basis, ask them questions, post funny, honest, and human tweets, and above all, share awesome, valuable content that they will find super valuable.
9) Over half (57%) of businesses are spending at least 50% more on Twitter marketing compared with two years ago, with 15% of respondents stating that their spending has tripled.
If you're not experimenting with content amplification on Twitter yet, you're missing out on a very big opportunity.
I hope this has been helpful. Daniel Smith.
Saturday, January 07, 2017
How to Make A QR Codes In 4 Quick Steps
This post is to help marketers reach more audience using QR codes. Learn how to create your own, and how you can augment the chance of consumers scanning them. These are the 4 quick steps to creating your QR code and a start to reaching more audience
Step 1: Select a QR code generator
There are tons of generators out there, but a few of the popular ones are Kaywa, GOQR.me, Visualead, and QR Stuff. Things to search for when choosing a code generator are whether you can track and analyze performance, if it allows you to design a code that's unique to your brand, and if it is compatible with common QR code readers.
Step 2: Design and link it up
The mesmerizing part of creating QR is customizing the design of the code to your brand. Want your code to look like your logo? Go for it. Want it to reflect your website's design scheme? Choose it.
Let's take an example of a QR code generator and walk you through the steps to creating it. I will recommend GOQR.me. When you launch it, Do these:
1. Select what type of content you want your QR to send the consumer to - you can choose a URL.
2. Insert the content (Embed the URL)
3. Check out the preview, customize as desired, then download and/or embed where needed.
Step 3: Test the QR code
With all the euphoria in creating your first QR, don't forget to check that the code "reads" correctly, and be sure to try more than just one reader. A good place to start is the free tool Google Goggles, which takes a picture and then tells you what link or item it "reads to." Another free tool is QR Code Reader, which automatically takes you to whatever it "reads." Apple's Passbook also offers a built-in code reader on iOS 7, so you should test to make sure your code is readable there, as well.
Step 4: Track and analyze performance
As a marketing ordeal, you should follow up on any campaigns using QR to see whether they're actually working. How much traffic comes from each specific code? Are people scanning your code but not redeeming their offer once they get to the landing page? Or are they not even cajoled to scan your code? Comprehending this will hep troubleshoot and churn your poorly performing QR to viable ensembles. I recommend you include a UTM tracking code on your URL so you can better measure performance - this is particularly important if you are a marketer who needs more in-depth reporting on your campaigns.
QR Code Best Practices: Some Important Do's and Don'ts
Now that you know simple the creation is, let's talk about some best practices that will help increase the precipice of your users scanning it.
QR Code Do's
1. Put codes in places where scanning is easy, and there is enough for the consumer to actually scan the code. While you incessantly see QR codes on billboards and TV commercials, they're not exactly the most user-friendly locations. Think of places and mediums where consumers have the time to scan the code.
2. Is your website optimized for mobile? Consumers will be on their phone when scanning the QR code, so they should be brought to a page with a positive mobile experience.
3. Offer a call-to-action with the code - that is to say, tell people explicitly what they're supposed to do when they see the code, and what they'll receive if they do it.
QR Code Don'ts
1. Don't require a special QR scanner. Your Qr code should be app-agnostic so anyone can scan your code with any reader. Alleviating barrier to entry makes success more likely for you and the user.
2. Don't use a QR code just for the sake of using one. For instance, it's common for marketers to think, "How can I bridge the offline experience with the online experience? " That's not wrong... but it's not always right, either. If you have content that is valuable to a mobile user, then use the QR. It will not only spur new consumers but also create a colossal success for you because most people don't do it.
I hope this has been helpful. Daniel Smith.
Step 1: Select a QR code generator
There are tons of generators out there, but a few of the popular ones are Kaywa, GOQR.me, Visualead, and QR Stuff. Things to search for when choosing a code generator are whether you can track and analyze performance, if it allows you to design a code that's unique to your brand, and if it is compatible with common QR code readers.
Step 2: Design and link it up
The mesmerizing part of creating QR is customizing the design of the code to your brand. Want your code to look like your logo? Go for it. Want it to reflect your website's design scheme? Choose it.
Let's take an example of a QR code generator and walk you through the steps to creating it. I will recommend GOQR.me. When you launch it, Do these:
1. Select what type of content you want your QR to send the consumer to - you can choose a URL.
2. Insert the content (Embed the URL)
3. Check out the preview, customize as desired, then download and/or embed where needed.
Step 3: Test the QR code
With all the euphoria in creating your first QR, don't forget to check that the code "reads" correctly, and be sure to try more than just one reader. A good place to start is the free tool Google Goggles, which takes a picture and then tells you what link or item it "reads to." Another free tool is QR Code Reader, which automatically takes you to whatever it "reads." Apple's Passbook also offers a built-in code reader on iOS 7, so you should test to make sure your code is readable there, as well.
Step 4: Track and analyze performance
As a marketing ordeal, you should follow up on any campaigns using QR to see whether they're actually working. How much traffic comes from each specific code? Are people scanning your code but not redeeming their offer once they get to the landing page? Or are they not even cajoled to scan your code? Comprehending this will hep troubleshoot and churn your poorly performing QR to viable ensembles. I recommend you include a UTM tracking code on your URL so you can better measure performance - this is particularly important if you are a marketer who needs more in-depth reporting on your campaigns.
QR Code Best Practices: Some Important Do's and Don'ts
Now that you know simple the creation is, let's talk about some best practices that will help increase the precipice of your users scanning it.
QR Code Do's
1. Put codes in places where scanning is easy, and there is enough for the consumer to actually scan the code. While you incessantly see QR codes on billboards and TV commercials, they're not exactly the most user-friendly locations. Think of places and mediums where consumers have the time to scan the code.
2. Is your website optimized for mobile? Consumers will be on their phone when scanning the QR code, so they should be brought to a page with a positive mobile experience.
3. Offer a call-to-action with the code - that is to say, tell people explicitly what they're supposed to do when they see the code, and what they'll receive if they do it.
QR Code Don'ts
1. Don't require a special QR scanner. Your Qr code should be app-agnostic so anyone can scan your code with any reader. Alleviating barrier to entry makes success more likely for you and the user.
2. Don't use a QR code just for the sake of using one. For instance, it's common for marketers to think, "How can I bridge the offline experience with the online experience? " That's not wrong... but it's not always right, either. If you have content that is valuable to a mobile user, then use the QR. It will not only spur new consumers but also create a colossal success for you because most people don't do it.
I hope this has been helpful. Daniel Smith.
Tuesday, January 03, 2017
7 Hot Apps That Will Skyrocket Your Productivity At Work
You can't avoid new technology these days, especially from a marketing standpoint. While it can seem intimidating to stay on top of the times, it is emphatically laborious for any marketer to be on top of his game if he is not palpable to new trends.
Here are seven marketing apps that you'll want to get acquainted with sooner rather than later.
1. Jelly
Google does a pretty good job answering all of our questions from "Why is the sky blue?" to more advanced queries like "How can I prove the ROI of inbound marketing to my boss?"
However, sometimes we are troubled by questions that don't translate well into a traditional search engine field. Jelly app is the solution to this predicament.
I'm not talking about fruit preserves here, but rather an innovative social Q&A app derived from the creative mind of Twitter co-founder, Biz Stone.
The crowdsourcing style app allows you to query your social network contacts, and lend them a helping hand when they're in need of an answer. Jelly doesn't rely on just text-based questions, but it actually allows users to use pictures to probe their questions.
Let's say, for example, you see someone in a magazine sporting a jacket you really like. Simply take a picture of the jacket, and post it alongside a question like: "Does anyone know who makes this jacket, or where I can find one like it?"
While Jelly is a promising app, the potential for marketing incorporation appears to be enthralling. Customer service, product marketing, and crowdsourcing are a handful of ways many people are making use of the Jelly app from a business standpoint.
2. Pocket
You just stumbled upon an awesome article on how to increase your conversion rates, but your next meeting starts in 2 minutes. No worries, just put it in your pocket.
Formerly known as Read It Later, Pocket is a bookmarking app that makes it easy for users to store articles and videos to queue up at their convenience. The read-later experience doesn't rely on an internet connection, so you can revisit your findings pretty much anywhere. Sounds like a great way to increase your productivity on lengthy plane, train, or automobile rides, huh?
Best of all, Pocket will sync across all of your devices, providing users with a hassle-free way to resume reading on their preferred device.
3. Directr for Business
Taxi Driver, Goodfellas, Wolf of Wall Street, what do all of these box office hits have in common? Scorsese.
Behind every great video production is a talented director, and the Directr for Business app is aiming to be just that.
While 71% of consumers feel positively about brands that publish videos, 85% of consumers are more likely to buy after viewing product videos (Source: Inbound Marketing Agents). If bandwidth is holding your business back from producing quality video content, Directr for Business has an entire library of production templates to make it easy for just about anyone to make video content.
The templates are divided into categories that range anywhere from product announcement, to how-to tutorials, to company culture insight. Each template contains a storyboard style shot list that lays out how to approach each shot - for example the first shot in a "how-to" video prompts users to answer the question "who are you and what are you teaching?"
Aside from a prompt, each shot comes complete with directors notes, and visual suggestions that explain how to position the shot. They've pretty much covered it all, all that's left for you to do is look pretty and nail your dialogue.
4. Any.Do Moment / Cal
I don't like to think of Any.do as an app, but rather a morning ritual.
The first stop in any Monday morning grind should be this user-friendly planning tool. On paper, Any.do can best be referred to as a to do list application designed to help you plan out your busy day, but it's really more than that.
Any.do helps you manage your life, both professional and personal, by inputting tasks into it's sleek and simple interface. Users have the option to schedule tasks into 4 categories, (Today, Tomorrow, Upcoming, and Someday) making it fun to plan tomorrow's blog post and someday's vacation. Tasks can be sorted into different folders to optimize organization, and notes and contacts can be added for added clarification.
Additionally, Any.Do is highly integrated with the calendar application, Cal. So much so that one might say they're "going steady." You can even sign into Cal using your Any.Do account, and all of your tasks will carry over into its interactive internal calendar. Adding events to the calendar is simple, and it even gives you the option to enter a location name so that Cal can map out a route for you. Any.Do Moment and Cal provides busy marketers with a lens through which they can focus their tasks and interactions.
5. Asana
Asana is a task management tool that makes collaboration on team projects easier than ever.
Created by Facebook co-founder, Dustin Moskovitz, Asana is a free* application that provides real-time interaction through a user-friendly interface. Asana users can create tasks, assign them to team members, set due dates, add notes, attach files, create internal checklists, and communicate with others through comments. Once tasks are created, you can group them into projects, and invite team members so that they can brainstorm, assign subtasks, and work toward accomplishing their goals.
The thing that makes Asana the perfect tool for marketers is its ability to present conversations and projects side-by-side, eliminating the hassle of scattered emails and missed messages. No more digging through your inbox to find that file John sent you, and that set of images Bobby wrapped up last week. Asana keeps everything you need neatly in one place.
6. IFTTT
Pronounced like gift without the 'G', IFTTT is a innovative new app that stands for "if this than that."
IFTTT provides users with a tool to mix up custom "recipes" that trigger a particular action. Sound confusing? It's not.
The average IFTTT recipe contains the following elements:
Channels: Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, Evernote, iOS photos, Weather, Dropbox, Email, Feedly, iOS Reminders, LinkedIn and 70 more.
Triggers: "I upload a photo to Instagram", "I'm tagged in a photo on Facebook", "I set an iOS reminder"
Actions: "Send me a text message", "Add it to my Dropbox", "Post to Facebook"
Let's say you want to keep your branding consistent across the board, and you want your Twitter avatar to match your Facebook profile photo. Simply use this "recipe":
If my Facebook profile pictures changes, then update my Twitter profile picture.
A lot of the time when I am working on a "how-to" blog post I reference screenshots from my phone. Oh, you do too? Use this recipe:
If I take a screenshot on iOS, then save it to my Evernote notebook.
With seemingly endless combinations, IFTTT provides busy marketers with a way to automate simple tasks that save a lot of time.
7. LIfe Graphy
Life Graphy presents users with a totally unique approach to the average productivity app concept.
The colorful app breaks your tasks down into mini pie charts that can contain up to ten segments (1 segment per task). As you complete tasks, the individual sections within the chart begin to fill up. A completed circle is something to smile about.
Life Graphy offers users 3 views: Day, Month, and Year. By switching between the 3 views, you can get a good visual idea of how much you have accomplished.
While the functionality of the app is enough reason to try it out, it's the interface that really does it for me.
Committing to a task-based planning app is easier said than done, but Life Graphy makes you want to keep trucking along because its fun!
New technology isn't going to slow down anytime soon. As the pace for innovation quickens, we can expect that there will be a whole lot of new advances coming our way whether we think we're ready for them or not.
It isn't possible to know everything, but if you equip your team with the right tools, you'll notice how much easier it is for your business to remain relevant and increase productivity.
By Daniel Smith
Here are seven marketing apps that you'll want to get acquainted with sooner rather than later.
1. Jelly
Google does a pretty good job answering all of our questions from "Why is the sky blue?" to more advanced queries like "How can I prove the ROI of inbound marketing to my boss?"
However, sometimes we are troubled by questions that don't translate well into a traditional search engine field. Jelly app is the solution to this predicament.
I'm not talking about fruit preserves here, but rather an innovative social Q&A app derived from the creative mind of Twitter co-founder, Biz Stone.
The crowdsourcing style app allows you to query your social network contacts, and lend them a helping hand when they're in need of an answer. Jelly doesn't rely on just text-based questions, but it actually allows users to use pictures to probe their questions.
Let's say, for example, you see someone in a magazine sporting a jacket you really like. Simply take a picture of the jacket, and post it alongside a question like: "Does anyone know who makes this jacket, or where I can find one like it?"
While Jelly is a promising app, the potential for marketing incorporation appears to be enthralling. Customer service, product marketing, and crowdsourcing are a handful of ways many people are making use of the Jelly app from a business standpoint.
2. Pocket
You just stumbled upon an awesome article on how to increase your conversion rates, but your next meeting starts in 2 minutes. No worries, just put it in your pocket.
Formerly known as Read It Later, Pocket is a bookmarking app that makes it easy for users to store articles and videos to queue up at their convenience. The read-later experience doesn't rely on an internet connection, so you can revisit your findings pretty much anywhere. Sounds like a great way to increase your productivity on lengthy plane, train, or automobile rides, huh?
Best of all, Pocket will sync across all of your devices, providing users with a hassle-free way to resume reading on their preferred device.
3. Directr for Business
Taxi Driver, Goodfellas, Wolf of Wall Street, what do all of these box office hits have in common? Scorsese.
Behind every great video production is a talented director, and the Directr for Business app is aiming to be just that.
While 71% of consumers feel positively about brands that publish videos, 85% of consumers are more likely to buy after viewing product videos (Source: Inbound Marketing Agents). If bandwidth is holding your business back from producing quality video content, Directr for Business has an entire library of production templates to make it easy for just about anyone to make video content.
The templates are divided into categories that range anywhere from product announcement, to how-to tutorials, to company culture insight. Each template contains a storyboard style shot list that lays out how to approach each shot - for example the first shot in a "how-to" video prompts users to answer the question "who are you and what are you teaching?"
Aside from a prompt, each shot comes complete with directors notes, and visual suggestions that explain how to position the shot. They've pretty much covered it all, all that's left for you to do is look pretty and nail your dialogue.
4. Any.Do Moment / Cal
I don't like to think of Any.do as an app, but rather a morning ritual.
The first stop in any Monday morning grind should be this user-friendly planning tool. On paper, Any.do can best be referred to as a to do list application designed to help you plan out your busy day, but it's really more than that.
Any.do helps you manage your life, both professional and personal, by inputting tasks into it's sleek and simple interface. Users have the option to schedule tasks into 4 categories, (Today, Tomorrow, Upcoming, and Someday) making it fun to plan tomorrow's blog post and someday's vacation. Tasks can be sorted into different folders to optimize organization, and notes and contacts can be added for added clarification.
Additionally, Any.Do is highly integrated with the calendar application, Cal. So much so that one might say they're "going steady." You can even sign into Cal using your Any.Do account, and all of your tasks will carry over into its interactive internal calendar. Adding events to the calendar is simple, and it even gives you the option to enter a location name so that Cal can map out a route for you. Any.Do Moment and Cal provides busy marketers with a lens through which they can focus their tasks and interactions.
5. Asana
Asana is a task management tool that makes collaboration on team projects easier than ever.
Created by Facebook co-founder, Dustin Moskovitz, Asana is a free* application that provides real-time interaction through a user-friendly interface. Asana users can create tasks, assign them to team members, set due dates, add notes, attach files, create internal checklists, and communicate with others through comments. Once tasks are created, you can group them into projects, and invite team members so that they can brainstorm, assign subtasks, and work toward accomplishing their goals.
The thing that makes Asana the perfect tool for marketers is its ability to present conversations and projects side-by-side, eliminating the hassle of scattered emails and missed messages. No more digging through your inbox to find that file John sent you, and that set of images Bobby wrapped up last week. Asana keeps everything you need neatly in one place.
6. IFTTT
Pronounced like gift without the 'G', IFTTT is a innovative new app that stands for "if this than that."
IFTTT provides users with a tool to mix up custom "recipes" that trigger a particular action. Sound confusing? It's not.
The average IFTTT recipe contains the following elements:
Channels: Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, Evernote, iOS photos, Weather, Dropbox, Email, Feedly, iOS Reminders, LinkedIn and 70 more.
Triggers: "I upload a photo to Instagram", "I'm tagged in a photo on Facebook", "I set an iOS reminder"
Actions: "Send me a text message", "Add it to my Dropbox", "Post to Facebook"
Let's say you want to keep your branding consistent across the board, and you want your Twitter avatar to match your Facebook profile photo. Simply use this "recipe":
If my Facebook profile pictures changes, then update my Twitter profile picture.
A lot of the time when I am working on a "how-to" blog post I reference screenshots from my phone. Oh, you do too? Use this recipe:
If I take a screenshot on iOS, then save it to my Evernote notebook.
With seemingly endless combinations, IFTTT provides busy marketers with a way to automate simple tasks that save a lot of time.
7. LIfe Graphy
Life Graphy presents users with a totally unique approach to the average productivity app concept.
The colorful app breaks your tasks down into mini pie charts that can contain up to ten segments (1 segment per task). As you complete tasks, the individual sections within the chart begin to fill up. A completed circle is something to smile about.
Life Graphy offers users 3 views: Day, Month, and Year. By switching between the 3 views, you can get a good visual idea of how much you have accomplished.
While the functionality of the app is enough reason to try it out, it's the interface that really does it for me.
Committing to a task-based planning app is easier said than done, but Life Graphy makes you want to keep trucking along because its fun!
New technology isn't going to slow down anytime soon. As the pace for innovation quickens, we can expect that there will be a whole lot of new advances coming our way whether we think we're ready for them or not.
It isn't possible to know everything, but if you equip your team with the right tools, you'll notice how much easier it is for your business to remain relevant and increase productivity.
By Daniel Smith
Sunday, January 01, 2017
How Did the Devil Get My Cell Phone Number?
I am not one easily rattled. When I am rattled, look out for anything can happen.
For the most part, I try to stay calm, cool and collected. Then there are times when I have had enough and I am not going to take it anymore.
When I am rattled about something, it is not small or insignificant. I can swat pesky little bugs all of my life and never get rattled by a bug.
Lately, some things have been developing "in my world," that has me more than a little concern. In fact, it is bordering on the territory of being rattled. Something needs to be done because if I am rattled in this area, look out!
I am not sure, if I am just now noticing it or if it has been here for a while. When I got my cell phone, I was under the impression the only people who would have my cell phone number would be those I gave it to. I am not one to give out my cell phone number to just anybody. If you have my cell phone number, you are in a high-level category of BFFs.
I believe sincerely that the devil has hacked into my cell phone, collected my cell phone number and is selling my number to the most despicable people he owns.
Lately, I have been getting political calls. People trying to interview me concerning the up coming election. They want me to contribute to political polls being evaluated. They want my opinion and they have a whole slew of questions they are going to be asking me.
I know they do not want my opinion because all of these calls are what is called Robo calls. In other words, is not an actual person asking these questions, but rather a machine. If you think for one moment that I am going to carry on a conversation with some machine, you do not have all your wires connected.
How they get my cell phone number, is beyond me. It probably is their close connection with the devil himself.
I have also been getting calls from some company that feels I am in some sort of pain. They call and say I requested on their website this pain solution. Now, what they want to know is it my back pain, or elbow pain, or a knee pain?
I have been so fed up with these calls that I finally said, "I do have a pain in the neck." To which, I got an excited reply as to how they could help my pain in the neck.
You know what's coming. I told them that the pain in my neck was them calling me and if they want to help this pain in the neck go away to stop calling me, for Pete's sake.
I just about had it with this. The question I wrestle with is, should I lie to these people calling me?
For instance. Somebody called me last week telling me they noticed a certain virus on my computer and if I would allow them access to my computer they could fix my computer. Talk about a pain in the neck!
This was about the 15th time this company called me offering to fix my computer. So, I thought if they are going to waste my time by calling me, maybe I should waste their time by trying to get them to fix my computer.
"Oh yes," I said as excited as I could sound, "please fix my computer for me."
Now they wanted me to turn my computer on and so forth and so on. I must confess that at the time I wasn't your my computer I was on my cell phone.
They gave me instructions and I obeyed them, or at least I told him I was obeying him.
"All right," I said, "My computer is on what I do next?" I will confess to you if you promise not to tell anybody, but I did not have my computer on.
Then they gave me instructions that I was to go to a certain website.
"Okay," I said, "I'm there, what do I do now?"
They gave me a password I was supposed to use to get access to them so they could get access to my computer.
"Have you done it yet?"
"Yes, I punched it in and what I do next?"
"Something's wrong," the person at the other end of the phone said. "You must not have put in the right password. Let me give it to you again."
He gave it to me again, which in turn I gave it back to him, again.
This went on for about 20 minutes and the person on the other end of my cell phone was getting very frustrated and borderline anger. I, on the other end of the cell phone, could hardly control my laughter.
By the time he hung up, he was very frustrated and could not understand why it was not working.
After this person hung up on me and I quit laughing, I thought of what David said. "Give them according to their deeds, and according to the wickedness of their endeavours: give them after the work of their hands; render to them their desert" (Psalms 28:4).
Sometimes giving back what you get can bring you to a certain level of joy you did not have before.
Dr. James L. Snyder is pastor of the Family of God Fellowship, Ocala, FL 34483, where he lives with the Gracious Mistress of the Parsonage. Telephone 1-866-552-2543, e-mail jamessnyder2@att.net. Website is http://www.jamessnyderministries.com.
For the most part, I try to stay calm, cool and collected. Then there are times when I have had enough and I am not going to take it anymore.
When I am rattled about something, it is not small or insignificant. I can swat pesky little bugs all of my life and never get rattled by a bug.
Lately, some things have been developing "in my world," that has me more than a little concern. In fact, it is bordering on the territory of being rattled. Something needs to be done because if I am rattled in this area, look out!
I am not sure, if I am just now noticing it or if it has been here for a while. When I got my cell phone, I was under the impression the only people who would have my cell phone number would be those I gave it to. I am not one to give out my cell phone number to just anybody. If you have my cell phone number, you are in a high-level category of BFFs.
I believe sincerely that the devil has hacked into my cell phone, collected my cell phone number and is selling my number to the most despicable people he owns.
Lately, I have been getting political calls. People trying to interview me concerning the up coming election. They want me to contribute to political polls being evaluated. They want my opinion and they have a whole slew of questions they are going to be asking me.
I know they do not want my opinion because all of these calls are what is called Robo calls. In other words, is not an actual person asking these questions, but rather a machine. If you think for one moment that I am going to carry on a conversation with some machine, you do not have all your wires connected.
How they get my cell phone number, is beyond me. It probably is their close connection with the devil himself.
I have also been getting calls from some company that feels I am in some sort of pain. They call and say I requested on their website this pain solution. Now, what they want to know is it my back pain, or elbow pain, or a knee pain?
I have been so fed up with these calls that I finally said, "I do have a pain in the neck." To which, I got an excited reply as to how they could help my pain in the neck.
You know what's coming. I told them that the pain in my neck was them calling me and if they want to help this pain in the neck go away to stop calling me, for Pete's sake.
I just about had it with this. The question I wrestle with is, should I lie to these people calling me?
For instance. Somebody called me last week telling me they noticed a certain virus on my computer and if I would allow them access to my computer they could fix my computer. Talk about a pain in the neck!
This was about the 15th time this company called me offering to fix my computer. So, I thought if they are going to waste my time by calling me, maybe I should waste their time by trying to get them to fix my computer.
"Oh yes," I said as excited as I could sound, "please fix my computer for me."
Now they wanted me to turn my computer on and so forth and so on. I must confess that at the time I wasn't your my computer I was on my cell phone.
They gave me instructions and I obeyed them, or at least I told him I was obeying him.
"All right," I said, "My computer is on what I do next?" I will confess to you if you promise not to tell anybody, but I did not have my computer on.
Then they gave me instructions that I was to go to a certain website.
"Okay," I said, "I'm there, what do I do now?"
They gave me a password I was supposed to use to get access to them so they could get access to my computer.
"Have you done it yet?"
"Yes, I punched it in and what I do next?"
"Something's wrong," the person at the other end of the phone said. "You must not have put in the right password. Let me give it to you again."
He gave it to me again, which in turn I gave it back to him, again.
This went on for about 20 minutes and the person on the other end of my cell phone was getting very frustrated and borderline anger. I, on the other end of the cell phone, could hardly control my laughter.
By the time he hung up, he was very frustrated and could not understand why it was not working.
After this person hung up on me and I quit laughing, I thought of what David said. "Give them according to their deeds, and according to the wickedness of their endeavours: give them after the work of their hands; render to them their desert" (Psalms 28:4).
Sometimes giving back what you get can bring you to a certain level of joy you did not have before.
Dr. James L. Snyder is pastor of the Family of God Fellowship, Ocala, FL 34483, where he lives with the Gracious Mistress of the Parsonage. Telephone 1-866-552-2543, e-mail jamessnyder2@att.net. Website is http://www.jamessnyderministries.com.
Tuesday, November 29, 2016
The Laundromat
Doing laundry is probably the most mundane chore that man is regulated to by their wives. Every week it is my dutiful obligation to keep the sanctity of marriage that I obediently comply in venturing off to the laundromat. In keeping with those never ending honey do lists there is no respite from "when you finish could you do this." I am constantly being at the beckon call. Never before in my wildest imagination would I have ever thought of being coerced into what many a man would deem as women's work. But, here I am every week at the laundromat.
I wile away the hours until the last sheet is dry. I really don't mind gazing our the floor to ceiling glass windows watching all the cars go by. Today though practically every car looks the same as any other car. It's not like it was when I was growing up. In those days you could actually tell a Chevy from a Jaguar, a Ford from a Cadillac. But, now the days of individualism much like our society has morphed together where the individualistic traits that set the Automobile industry apart, a rugged individualism that symbolized what America use to be is no longer apparent today.
As I turn away from the window the hypnotic tumbling of the dryer grabs my attention. If it wasn't so busy in here one could fall asleep being mesmerized by the dryers constant spinning. I have met many an acquaintance in my weekly trek to this laundromat. Held many an interesting conversation with the people I meet. We often talk about not only local affairs like the constant increases one sees in either their water or electric bill but what this years race for the White House means for our nation. The people I talk too all concluded that the world is filled with so many unfulfilled dreams. We have also realized the chaotic existence of today much of what is actually happening is being distorted by every major news outlet there is. That brings a very serious question do we really know the actual facts or circumstances surrounding many of the news items we hear on TV or read in the newspapers?
As our conversations dwell on the future we focus on this years Presidential election. On one hand we have a candidate who is viewed as despicable and the other deplorable it makes us wonder what kind of future will tomorrow bring. It is as though this whole election cycle is nothing more than a low level soap opera playing out the fraud, corruption, lies and deceit that is all to commonplace in politics and in our governmental officials today. It really is a very sad commentary for our society to have to endure two of the most incorrigible public figures seeking the highest office in America.
I often talk about how my parents were able of survive the Great Depression, managed to live "well" into their 90's and do so with very little financial or health difficulties. When we look around today the actual life expectancy for so many impoverished is not as long as it was just 30 years ago. The processed and GMO food sources has unleashed a treasure trove of health related diseases that were minimized back when I was young. Compound this is the fact that millions of Americans are living from a miserably small paycheck to paycheck and thousands more with no paycheck at all. And, when you throw in the fact that many retirees are subsiding only on their Social Security which has yet to keep pace with the ever rising cost of living makes for a very depressing situation for the majority of Americans. But, all we hear or read is how great everything is.
While our clothes continue spinning in the dryers the TV comes on and reports that news coming out of Russia a strong supporter of the Russian President is threatening the American Voter to vote for one main candidate or face the prospect of a Nuclear War. As we stand stunned at this new revelation coming from Russia commandeering our democratic process we begin to further our discussion on what is actually happening to the United States today. When we read of WikiLeaks, those infamous e-mails that substantiate Clinton's distain for the common good all the while the newspapers and the candidates themselves continue to send this election down into the gutter just makes us wonder even more about how our future will play out.
We keep asking where is the decency, the decorum that prevailed in years past? But, all we hear today are accusations of various improprieties that have no bearing on the welfare of us here in this laundromat. We came to the conclusion that every candidate should come to any laundromat and actually listen to the issues that are important to the patrons of the laundromats. Maybe if they would actually sit down and listen to the concerns of people like Tom, Rebecca or my self and actually commit to implement solutions to the everyday problems we all face like lowering our water or electric bills maybe this country could get it's act together. But, until then we here in the laundromat like the spinning of those dryers view the political season today as actually spinning out of control.
By Dr. Tim G Williams
I wile away the hours until the last sheet is dry. I really don't mind gazing our the floor to ceiling glass windows watching all the cars go by. Today though practically every car looks the same as any other car. It's not like it was when I was growing up. In those days you could actually tell a Chevy from a Jaguar, a Ford from a Cadillac. But, now the days of individualism much like our society has morphed together where the individualistic traits that set the Automobile industry apart, a rugged individualism that symbolized what America use to be is no longer apparent today.
As I turn away from the window the hypnotic tumbling of the dryer grabs my attention. If it wasn't so busy in here one could fall asleep being mesmerized by the dryers constant spinning. I have met many an acquaintance in my weekly trek to this laundromat. Held many an interesting conversation with the people I meet. We often talk about not only local affairs like the constant increases one sees in either their water or electric bill but what this years race for the White House means for our nation. The people I talk too all concluded that the world is filled with so many unfulfilled dreams. We have also realized the chaotic existence of today much of what is actually happening is being distorted by every major news outlet there is. That brings a very serious question do we really know the actual facts or circumstances surrounding many of the news items we hear on TV or read in the newspapers?
As our conversations dwell on the future we focus on this years Presidential election. On one hand we have a candidate who is viewed as despicable and the other deplorable it makes us wonder what kind of future will tomorrow bring. It is as though this whole election cycle is nothing more than a low level soap opera playing out the fraud, corruption, lies and deceit that is all to commonplace in politics and in our governmental officials today. It really is a very sad commentary for our society to have to endure two of the most incorrigible public figures seeking the highest office in America.
I often talk about how my parents were able of survive the Great Depression, managed to live "well" into their 90's and do so with very little financial or health difficulties. When we look around today the actual life expectancy for so many impoverished is not as long as it was just 30 years ago. The processed and GMO food sources has unleashed a treasure trove of health related diseases that were minimized back when I was young. Compound this is the fact that millions of Americans are living from a miserably small paycheck to paycheck and thousands more with no paycheck at all. And, when you throw in the fact that many retirees are subsiding only on their Social Security which has yet to keep pace with the ever rising cost of living makes for a very depressing situation for the majority of Americans. But, all we hear or read is how great everything is.
While our clothes continue spinning in the dryers the TV comes on and reports that news coming out of Russia a strong supporter of the Russian President is threatening the American Voter to vote for one main candidate or face the prospect of a Nuclear War. As we stand stunned at this new revelation coming from Russia commandeering our democratic process we begin to further our discussion on what is actually happening to the United States today. When we read of WikiLeaks, those infamous e-mails that substantiate Clinton's distain for the common good all the while the newspapers and the candidates themselves continue to send this election down into the gutter just makes us wonder even more about how our future will play out.
We keep asking where is the decency, the decorum that prevailed in years past? But, all we hear today are accusations of various improprieties that have no bearing on the welfare of us here in this laundromat. We came to the conclusion that every candidate should come to any laundromat and actually listen to the issues that are important to the patrons of the laundromats. Maybe if they would actually sit down and listen to the concerns of people like Tom, Rebecca or my self and actually commit to implement solutions to the everyday problems we all face like lowering our water or electric bills maybe this country could get it's act together. But, until then we here in the laundromat like the spinning of those dryers view the political season today as actually spinning out of control.
By Dr. Tim G Williams
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