Rural advantage 4: No need for GPS navigation

Another great rural advantage from Zane Safrit:

Rural and small town entrepreneurs don't need GPS navigation. Hey, if there is only one stoplight, how can you get lost? And besides, you can always get country directions like "it's 2 west and 1/4 south", or "turn north at the old barn with a new roof."

More reasons to love where you live:

Rural Advantage 1: No 'rush hour'; only 'rush moment'
Rural Advantage 2: Random encounters are good for business
Rural Advantage 3: People are helpful

Have your own idea of a rural advantage? Share!

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Trend: Local food, organic food

U-Pick
local food

Local food and organic food are two ways to make a more profitable small farm, restaurant, cafe, food market, or other food business.

Local food trend

Buying local food is a growing trend. It's better for the environment because of the lower transportation distances.

“Eating locally isn’t just a fad like the various diets advertised on late-night TV – it may be one of the most important ways we save ourselves and the planet.”
– Dr. David Suzuki, chair, The David Suzuki Foundation

21st Century Citizen calls it "a simple step you can take" and lists five resources to buy more local food.

Organic food trend

Our friend Jack Schultz recently profiled the organic trend in his Agurban email newsletter.

"The demand for organic food is outstripping the ability of farmers and ranchers to supply it. Yet U.S. farmers and ranchers have been slow to turn acreage over to organic production," an article in the Daily Yonder said.

"Just as mainstream consumers are growing hungry for untainted food that also nourishes their social conscience, it is getting harder and harder to find organic ingredients," a recent Business Week report stated.

Tips

Many small town food-related business can take advantage of these two trends to improve profitability.

Farms and livestock producers:

• Get certified as organic
• Dedicate more acres to organic items
• Focus on local markets, promoting your local advantage
• Develop direct market methods to go direct to consumers or consumer groups

Restaurants and cafes:

• Seek out local partners and organic sources
• Promote your local and organic items in all your marketing
  

[Thanks to Giovanni Gallucci for the photo of Lavender Ridge Farms, Gainsboro, Texas.]

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Business Development Grants

I found this site and information very interesting because we are always asked about grant money for small business startups and usually have to give disappointing responses. The National Association of Self-Employed (NASE) offers a limited grant program to their members.

Business Development Grants
Helping You Grow Your Business

Description
Do you want to grow your business, but need access to more capital? Are you having trouble securing a loan for your micro-business? If so, apply for one of the several grants the NASE will bestow in 2007. The NASE has designated up to $200,000 to be awarded as part of the 2007 Business Development Grant program. Individual grants will be made in amounts of up to $5,000 per applicant.

Applications for the 2007 NASE Business Development Grant program will be accepted from February 1, 2007, through November 30, 2007 and awarded on a rolling basis. Applicants will be notified upon receipt of all required documentation, and a determination will be made on the application within 30 days.

Criteria used in evaluating applications and awarding grants include:

• Review of identifiable business need
• Detailed use of the proceeds of the grant
• The potential of the grant to satisfy the identified business need
• The potential impact of the grant on overall business growth and success

The 2007 NASE Business Development Grant program will award grants at the sole discretion of the NASE. Get your application today!

This is a Benefit and is only accessible to NASE members. I checked their site and memberships start at $120 per year and there is a whole list of additional benefits for members. Check their web site today!

http://benefits.nase.org/show_benefit.asp?Benefit=MicroBizGrant
this link will take you directly to the information on the grant program.

Small Business Startup TV - Favorite online resources

Online and in-person resources for your small business.


Problem with the player? Watch it at Operator 11.

The big long list of links:

• OSBDC: Oklahoma Small Business Development Centers
  
• ASBDC: America's Small Business Development Center Network
  
• SBA: Small Business Administration
• Startup: Resources to get from Idea to In Business
• Will It Fly?
• Business Owner's Toolkit from CCH
• Inc.com
• Entrepreneur.com
  
• Wall Street Journal Small Business
• IRS: Internal Revenue Service Small Business
  
• Legal Zoom
• Biz Info Library
• Zip Skinny
  

Contributed from the chat room:

• Interactive Business Planner
• Bootstrap Network Blog
  

SeekTV joined us to profile his kids' TV show business, http://www.myavideditor.com

Want free confidential small business counseling before or after the show? Sign up with us at http://urltea.com/1god

This is the last episode in our miniseries, at least this time. Watch for us to be back after the first of the year!


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The Brag Basket has no deadline!

Each Friday, I open the brag basket as a fun place to brag or promote yourself and your projects.

Last week, I bragged on Goldie Katsu, for bragging on me! Then Susan bragged on me, and then I included a terrific project overheard on Twitter. Chris Brogan and Beth Kanter helped to send a woman to college using Twitter and other online tools. Congrats to all of us!

What will you brag about this week? You can brag on your business, your community, or your self. You can even brag on other folks, if you want. It's fun, and you get a link back, not to mention applause from us.

You can leave a comment right now or dm me on Twitter.

The Brag Basket has no deadline, so don't wait. Brag now!

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Common Small Biz Mistakes - Missing the customers' perspective

Common mistakes can kill your small business, but most of them can be easily corrected or avoided.

Today's Bad Example: Missing your customers' perspective

This postcard mailed to my liquor store is a symptom of missing your customers' perspective. What if I was convinced to order the book? How do I do it? Look at the very bottom line of tiny print. That's the ordering info. It is, in fact, so bad, that at the last minute, they decided to add a stick-on label to the back with the phone number. Sad. Marketing materials, of all things, must incorporate the customers' needs.

Everyday, I'm sure you see other examples of business people failing to take their customers' view, making their own lives easier while they make the customers' lives harder.

The bigger the company, the more this becomes an epidemic, but smaller companies and solo entrepreneurs can be just as guilty.

Update: Zane Safrit explains why this happens in small companies.

"Wearing too many hats, the owners and members of a small company get blinded. All hat and no cowboy becomes All hats and no customer."

Solutions
Walk into your business with new eyes. Ask a friend or adviser to take a hard look from a customer's view point. Think about your customers. Obsess about providing what they need. Review every piece of printed materials while pretending you are a customer.

Or to put it like Zane did, "take off all your hats but that of customer-champion and see how that fits."

Your Assignment
Together, we are going to try to help each other out of these most common, deadly mistakes. You can use real world examples, real small businesses. Write it up, take a picture, or shoot a short video. Take care not to embarrass the offenders! Key point: include suggestions on how to do it right!

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Small Biz Startup TV Ep. 3 - Borrowing and Recordkeeping

Networking with many new media folks, I realized that lots of people are starting businesses. Since helping people start a business is the full time job of my co-author "OkieJ" Jeanne Cole, we decided to present a live internet TV miniseries on small business startup issues.


Problem with the player? Watch it at Operator 11.

Becky McCray and Jeanne Cole live from the Small Business Development Center in Alva, taking your small biz startup questions live in the chat room or by video. Today, Jeanne talks about how to get financing, and Becky discusses basic record keeping. We also talk about what a Small Business Development Center can do for you, and where to find one. Lots of great questions from the chat room, including business structures, pricing your services, and taxes on online businesses.

Want free confidential small business counseling before or after the show? Sign up with us at http://urltea.com/1god

One more episode to follow on Oct. 29.

Links:

Annual Credit Report
Improve your credit
Advice for the Startup Entrepreneur
SBA - Small Business Development Center locator
SBA - downloads on finance and recordkeeping



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Wireless printer review: Lexmark 1400

The Product: Lexmark 1400 series wireless printer

Short and Sweet Review: It works, without wires!

Who should use it: Small businesses with existing wireless networks.

Mike Phan with Rocket XL sent it to me for a review. I set it up in my home office, where I have a simple wireless network. Setup was as easy as any other recent printer I've purchased.

A few points caught my attention.

Single use ink cartridges
The ink cartridges are licensed for one use only. This is marked on the cartridge, as well as mentioned in the installation process. Good news: they include pre-paid return mailers.

Power cord
The power cord is a bit unusual. There is one cord from the wall to the little transformer box, then instead of another cord from there to the printer, the transformer plugs into the back of the printer.

Auto Alignment
I've had printers before that auto align, but my last several HP All-in-One's didn't. I forgot that I really like that!

Wireless is Nice
I did need to use a USB cable (included in the box!) to do the initial setup. After that, I unplugged the cable, and it works perfectly wireless-ly. I love printing from my laptop, from anywhere on the network, and now I'm contemplating where it makes the most sense to setup the printer. Anywhere there is power and it can get signal, it will work.

This printer would be a good fit for small or home businesses that have a wireless network. The flexibility of placing the printer anywhere is a valuable feature.

Photos from the installation are online at Flickr.

Lexmark has more information online at www.cutthecord.com. They also sponsor a blog at www.wifiguy.com.

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Brag Basket - Worth the wait!

Each Friday, I open the brag basket as a fun place to brag or promote yourself and your projects.

Last week, Dayngr bragged on her terrific project for the troops, and BarbaraKB bragged on creating a blog for her vice-mayor. Two great projects! Congrats, Barbara and Dayngr!

What will you brag about this week? You can brag on your business, your community, or your self. You can even brag on other folks, if you want. It's fun, and you get a link back, not to mention applause from us.

You can leave a comment right now, or Twitter me.

The Brag Basket has no deadline, so don't wait. Brag now!

New here? Take the Guided Tour. Like what you see? Subscribe. Want more stories? Read our shared stories from all over.

Small Biz Startup TV: Getting started and business structures

Networking with many new media folks, I realized that lots of people are starting businesses. Since helping people start a business is the full time job of my co-author "OkieJ" Jeanne Cole, we decided to present a live internet TV miniseries on small business startup issues.


Problem with the player? Watch it at Operator 11.

Becky McCray and Jeanne Cole live from the Small Business Development Center in Alva, taking your small biz startup questions live in the chat room or by video. Guests include small biz experts and real-world entrepreneurs. Today, Tatsuya Nakagawa tells how to start your business before you quit your job, and Bill Gregory talks about business structures. Adam Jochum asks about what to watch out for when buying a building.

Want free confidential small business counseling before or after the show? Sign up with us at http://urltea.com/1god

More episodes to follow on Oct. 22 and 29.

Links:

Tatsuya Nakagawa's article, How to build your business before quitting your day job
Adam Jochum: www.crowrivercoffee.com, www.cafn8ed.com

Our SBDC downloads
More downloads from Oklahoma Small Business Development Centers

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POV: Triporia

Guest Post
by Steve Schaffer
Co-Founder and Marketing Manager
Triporia.com

Triporia.com is a video sharing website that connects travelers, through video, to all travel related businesses. The site was started with the spirit that small businesses are some of the best places to eat, sleep and visit. It's hard to find a place you hear through word of mouth and Triporia.com was designed to accommodate this. Small business owners now have the ability to compete for the traveler's dollar on the same level as these larger organizations.

Triporia.com allows a business to upload a video of their establishment at no cost. Prospective travelers to their city can view these videos to research restaurants, hotels, bed and breakfasts, resorts, golf courses and other attractions that they would like to visit during their stay.

The company was started by myself, Steve Schaffer, my Brother in Law, Cameron Brown, and my stepson Chris Scott. It was an idea that came to me on a trip to Grand Forks North Dakota which is a 2 1/2 hour drive from where I live in Winnipeg. My wife and I travel a lot. Whether we go just a hundred miles to all the way across the continent, we just love to travel. When we travel, we like to research destinations before we go to try and sort out what we think we would enjoy doing or where we would like to stay and what does not look attractive to us. We found that there was no one website that could help us with this task. We were constantly going from one website to another, and then still most of the sites did not give you a very accurate idea of what the place was really about. My stepson and I decided to try and put a site together that would help people research these destinations on one website. My brother in law came in, as he is a part time web programmer, and his job was to put our idea on line.

We also found that the more interesting places to eat, stay and attend were the businesses that had a local flavor to them. They were the family run restaurants, bed and breakfasts, attractions that unless you heard about them by word of mouth you would have no other way of finding them. Our thought was that Triporia would be a free site so that these businesses would have the opportunity to promote themselves to potential travelers to their destination as would large corporations that have mega budgets. I have e-mailed and corresponded with a lot of these small business owners, and I have been encouraging them to make their videos and promote themselves. We have received excellent feedback and we are sure to see more of these type of videos soon.

Below are three ways this site helps small business:

1. The site is free to anyone who wants to upload their video and promote their website as long as it has some relevance to tourism. Because there is no cost for advertising, this makes it easy for even a small businesses' advertising budget.

   
   

2. The videos are not segregated based on who has the best video or the most advertising dollars. Everyone is on an even playing field. If you type in “restaurants in Akron Ohio”, all videos of restaurants in Akron will be shown. The little family Italian restaurant home video will be just as easily accessed as the big multi-chain restaurant. Triporia levels the playing field for all businesses.

3. The videos to the site can be professionally made or they can be made on a home video camera. Home made videos are an inexpensive way to promote your business. You can show people how your business looks and what to expect when they arrive. This will also show other people enjoying your business, amenities and the things that make your business special. Since you are the director, you can be creative and show your business off to the world.

Some ideas for making your own promotional video include:

1. Take a video of your establishment, how it looks, your amenities offered, video of signature dish, special hotel rooms and other featured attractions.

2. Include video of people enjoying themselves at your establishment.

3. Try to capture the ambiance of your establishment.

4. Include a view of the inside as well as the outside and video the friendly staff, and Management.

5. Obtain testimonials from satisfied customers.

6. Remember to show your address and contract numbers.

Have fun with video and show the world why they should visit your business.

To view a couple of sample homemade promotional videos posted on our site click on the following links:

Rongo's Backpackers and Gallery

Castle Durocher in Montreal

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Common small business mistakes - expecting a new business to support you

Waiting for customers.

Common mistakes can kill your small business, but most of them can be easily corrected or avoided.

Today's bad example: Expecting a new business to support you
I read the interview with a new business owner in my town. When asked why she started the business, she said she lost her job, so she started the business to pay her bills. I cringed, just reading it. Her business was starting with a big disadvantage. It closed in just a few months.

A new business will have to attract and retain enough paying customers to cover its own startup costs, pay the overhead, replenish inventory or raw materials if it's a product-based business, and probably also make a loan payment. Don't saddle it with paying your living expenses at first, too. Your best bet is to give a new business at least a year, and possibly two, before you draw a salary out.

Some new businesses are exceptions, generating profits right from the first. Others draw a big enough loan or financing to pay the founders. Most businesses can't stretch revenue that far, especially new businesses and especially rural businesses.

Solutions
If you want to maximize the chances of success, either have enough money saved to live on for at least a year, or start and build your business while you are still drawing a paycheck.

Our Friend Tatsuya Nakagawa wrote a great article on How to build your business before quitting your day job at Life Hack.

Your Assignment
Together, we are going to try to help each other out of these most common, deadly mistakes. You can use real world examples, real small businesses. Write it up, take a picture, or shoot a short video. Take care not to embarrass the offenders! Key point: include suggestions on how to do it right!

New here? Take the Guided Tour. Like what you see? Subscribe. Want more stories? Read our shared stories from all over.

Brag Basket is open!

Each Friday, I open the brag basket as a fun place to brag or promote yourself and your projects.

Last week, Sandra bragged on speaking at her first seminar, I bragged on Kevin's new business announcement and on Liz picking one of my posts. Teli bragged on her outstanding client work. Congrats, Sandra, Kevin and Teli, and thanks, Liz!

What will you brag about this week? You can brag on your business, your community, or your self. You can even brag on other folks, if you want. It's fun, and you get a link back, not to mention applause from us.

You can leave a comment right now, or Twitter me.

The Brag Basket has no deadline, so don't wait. Brag now!

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Starting a business is like throwing a party

It's like you want to throw a big costume party.

You call a few friends, "hey, I'm going to throw a costume party." "Great idea!"
We make supportive noises, offer a few ideas, and say we'll be glad to help. Because we are, we will be, glad to help.

Then you work out a bit more on your own, and you send out the invitations, and you prepare like mad.

And you wait. Nervously. For guests you *hope* will arrive. "What if no one comes to my party?"

We all get that feeling. "What if they don't drink on Halloween this year?" "What if no one turns up for the services?" "What if PodCamp is a big flop?" You know, it is absolutely universal.

The waiting is the killer.

But when you actually get started, a few friends turn up early, and you get busy with them, and then suddenly, there is a party happening.

You have a network. You've positioned yourself and done all that self-selling already.
You are like a well known hostess. (you're giggling now, aren't you?)
If you announce your party, people will show up. Really.

The waiting is much worse than the reality.

"But imagine throwing a party and then charging at the door. FREE is easy. Getting people to pay is ridiculous. Isn't it?"

What on earth makes you think that it is that much harder to get people to pay?? It's not!

It's just a business. Really, just like any business on the face of the earth. If it's valuable to you, you'll pay for it.

If you put on the invitation that there's a cover charge, people will get it. They only get upset when you SURPRISE them by charging at the door.

[Thanks to Jon Swanson for encouraging me to post this.]

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Small Biz Startup TV: hiring, business plans

Networking with many new media folks, I realized that lots of people are starting businesses. Since helping people start a business is the full time job of my co-author "OkieJ" Jeanne Cole, we decided to present a live internet TV miniseries on small business startup issues.

Problem with the player? Try playing it at Operator11.

Becky McCray and Jeanne Cole live from the Small Business Development Center in Alva, taking your small biz startup questions live in the chat room or by video. Guests include small biz experts and real-world entrepreneurs. Appearing on camera were Jim Long, Adam Jochum and Cammon Randle.

Want free confidential small business counseling before or after the show? Sign up with us at http://urltea.com/1god

More episodes to follow on Oct. 15, 22, and 29.

Links:

Jim Long: www.vergenewmedia.com, www.craftynation.com
Adam Jochum: www.crowrivercoffee.com, www.cafn8ed.com
Cammon Randle: www.copperrain.com
Vaspers: www.vaspersthegrate.blogspot.com
Becky McCray: twitter.com/beckymccray
Jeanne Cole: twitter.com/okiej

Hiring Resources

www.elance.com
www.guru.com
Delegate Without Hiring

Downloads:

Business Plan Guide
More downloads from Oklahoma Small Business Development Centers
My Simplified Business Plans



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Beware e-mails from IRS offering you a refund

They are fakes. This latest cyber scam involves e-mails that appear to be from IRS announcing a refund and asking for the recipient's Social Security number and credit card data to get the money.

But the IRS never e-mails filers about refunds. If you receive one of these phony notices, don't bite. Forward it to phishing@irs.gov and then delete the message.

Today is Brag Basket day

Each Friday, I open the brag basket as a fun place to brag or promote yourself and your projects.

Last week, I bragged about getting some bloggy attention, and Phil bragged on his customer service webinar and the promo video. Congrats, Phil!

What will you brag about this week? You can brag on your business, your community, or your self. You can even brag on other folks, if you want. It's fun, and you get a link back, not to mention applause from us.

You can leave a comment right now, or Twitter me.

The Brag Basket has no deadline, so don't wait. Brag now!

New here? Take the Guided Tour. Like what you see? Subscribe. Want more stories? Read our shared stories from all over.

Common small business mistakes - bad signs

Common mistakes can kill your small business, but most of them can be easily corrected or avoided.

Today's bad example: Bad signs
Way too many businesses have poorly designed or unnoticeable signs. People form their impression of you from your signs.

New customers need to see your location sign to find you. Your remote signs and billboards represent your business to everyone who drives by.

Here's an example. Which independent florist makes a better impression?
Susie:

or Dorothy:
To make it even worse, these signs are right next to each other! Yikes! Do NOT make this mistake in your business!

I will admit that I am guilty on this one, with an old outdated business sign from back in the day when the State of Oklahoma mandated tiny, ugly signs for liquor stores. Customers mention that they had trouble finding us. That is a dead giveaway that the sign is inadequate! I will get a new sign ordered this month, and I will update this post with my new sign.

Solutions
How do you correct the mistake of bad signs? First, make a strong brand, then make sure your signs fit in and further your brand. Use that brand to help a graphic designer develop the right signs for you. Set aside money every week from your business to pay for it.

Your Assignment
Together, we are going to try to help each other out of these most common, deadly mistakes. You can use real world examples, real small businesses. Write it up, take a picture, or shoot a short video. Take care not to embarrass the offenders! Key point: include suggestions on how to do it right!

New here? Take the Guided Tour. Like what you see? Subscribe. Want more stories? Read our shared stories from all over.

Need demographic information?

Here's a nifty site. It will reveal all kinds of great, useful demographic information with only the input of a 5 digit zip code.

Want to know how many folks have a high school diploma? How about the rate of unemployment? Here it is. Whatever has been reported for a zip code seems to be here.

There is more information than I knew what to do with.

Social Media for Small Business

What is social media, and why does any small business person care? Social media is a way to connect with other people. Fight small town isolation! Connect to the wider world.

• Connect with others in your industry for insight, networking and support.
• Connect with potential customers or suppliers for new business opportunities.
• Connect with inspirational and creative people for a boost, ideas and challenging questions.
  

The tools are blogs, Twitter, Facebook, and many more. (Want a bit more explanation? Try Simplified Online Marketing, about the types of online presence.)

Jon Swanson explains more about the power of connecting with people through social media in a comment on Susan Reynolds' blog.

"I think it's the immediacy and the individuals - which is what makes working in a great office or with a great team so compelling. To be able to show up at work (or whatever the relationship focal point) and chat and go back to the task at hand and to ask someone about the task and to tune out and to come back in...

"I've worked in places with that give and take...and it feels like this. But this goes wherever you go, and you get to pick who you are chatting with, and a lot of the people are very very bright and very very creative and very very caring."

AnnOhio has a Twitter PSA for Newbies

twitter is about the people... add a few more people.. interact.. connect... engage... be part of the community--laugh!

I put it this way on Michael Valiant's site:

It’s all about the people. This is true of many meaningful pursuits.

When I worked for the local newspaper, the best part was making connections with people. I’ve heard many others say on leaving a job that they won’t miss the work, but will miss the people they connected with.

When I joined a professional group, other members told me the best part was the people I would meet and become friends with. They were right.

When I ran for elected office, the best part was the wonderful people I met. I’ve heard many, many politicians say the same at the end of their own campaigns.

How has social media changed my life? It’s all about the people I have met and connected with.

Chris Brogan has written a Newbies' Guide to Twitter. It helps make sense of how Twitter and other social media instant conversations can be used.

Examples of Small Biz Twitter Uses

Mike Sansone has an example for group project management via Twitter.

"One way companies can use Twitter, especially virtual companies, is to create a page or panel with each of their team's Twitter plug-ins."

Rex Hammock used Twitter to maintain contact with his website readers.

"I've set up an "away" message on my blog that displays tweets - http://tinyurl.com/2vljch"

Susan Reynolds is getting all kinds of advice from trusted sources, her Twitter friends.

"Presto. Instant networking. Like Google but with personal insights."

Naresh found a way to support customers with Twitter.

"I used twitter with my support ticket system. Make it private, add your personal account, and get IM messages via instant messenger. Works like a charm"

He also used Twitter as a notepad.

"link for self http://tinyurl.com/3ywyer"

randelaw used Twitter to announce his commitment. Publicly stating your commitment can help make it feel real to you.

"Be it resolved: On or before 1/1 there will be a redesigned company web site up that reflects what we recommend to our clients"

Twitter is...

newmediajim telling this producer that Twitter is sort of like if LinkedIn were having a cocktail party.

vaspers Twitter feedback is immediate, public, & unpredictable (e.g. skeptical, harsh). Twitter is rushing river of brevities.

mikesansone Twitter is an RSS feed for our brain. I subscribe to smart ones

vaspers Twitter is so trivial. After spending time on more serious sites and pursuits, to come here is like going to an insane asylum.

Quotes about Social Media from Small Biz People

digitalvillages I've been social computing on several levels today. There isn't one model for Social Media. There are multiple levels and a different tools

vaspers You are a Media Venue. http://tinyurl.com/2gxg9b

digitalvillages What is the value of social interaction for the individual? Why do singers write songs? Some nobody listens. The same with Social Media.
Why do birds sing? They don't have a business plan and no plans to meet a venture capitalist. They don't even have powerpoints.

digitalvillages Social Media is all about people bringing their ideas & thoughts to a common platform.Content sounds like cement. Ideas are building bricks!

badbanana To me, socnets break down the country club doors. I don't need to kiss the rings of rich old white guys for favors. Status is destroyed.
The new marketplace of ideas is wide open to anyone with a computer and the curiosity to sign up for a free online service.
Here, we're not judged by our clothes. Our lack of monogrammed shirts. It's our humanity and our ideas and our talents that matter.

vaspers Writers club member: "Blogs are garbage." Vaspers: "90% of talking is garbage. Are you going to stop talking? How's about radio, TV, phone?"

vaspers Publisher likes my blog so much, wants me to write monthly column on computer & web topics. http://www.peoriamagazines.com/ibi/2007/aug
Thus, a blog is a powerful tool for gaining clients, customers, writing opportunities, publicity, etc. Use blog to educate, give free info.

vaspers Remember, the Web Revolution is about Transparency and User Empowerment, Consumer Info, Peer Recommendation. Base web strategy on these.
People are expecting video virtual tours at web sites. Web 2.0 is more interactive, participatory, multi-media, and co-creative with users.

misc i reflexively reach for my "subscribe" bookmarklet when i mean to hit my "add to del.icio.us." feeds are the new bookmarks. coz i said so.

goldiekatsu I find it interesting how people believe technology will change social structures when it is the people who must make the change.

vaspers Wise woman said "if people stare at you, put on a show."

erincarter the social web is starting to feel like the apartment you live in during college. always partying, always meeting new people just next door.

Overload?

And just in case you are feeling a bit overwhelmed by all of this, join MMcAllen.

mmcallen I have become antisocial media. I will be over here in the corner.

By the way, MMcAllen only took a short break. He came back for the people.

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