The Low Expectations of Higher Education
I think I’ve discovered the reason behind a problem I’ve been having in recent years with hiring competent staff for my company and assisting clients with hiring as well. First, the problem: When on the hunt for a new staff member, I initially look for two qualities and two qualities only: 1) the ability to [...]
The Greatest Groundhog Story Ever Told
My dad had a Victory Garden. It took over the entire back yard and produced some of the most delicious vegetables I’ve ever eaten. In fact, I never knew that grocery store vegetables taste like shit until I was about seven and ate a salad at a friend’s house. (Not yet having the colorful vocabulary [...]
It’s Not You, It’s Me: Managing the Bad Boys of Business
Last week I had the chance to co-present with best-selling author, speaker and trainer Julie Gaver. In a nutshell, I have never, ever had more fun preparing for and giving a presentation in my life. And I mean ever. The presentation, for the Frederick Chamber of Commerce’s monthly Women’s Business Lunch, was entitled “It’s Not [...]
Facebook Posts I’d Like to See Less of in 2013
Annoying Facebook posts are like rude cell phone habits – everyone complains about them but nobody admits to doing them. And like rude cell phone habits, annoying Facebook posts seem to be growing in number.
Shopping Local Goes Both Ways
This Saturday, November 24th, is Small Business Saturday – a day founded by American Express in 2010 to encourage shoppers to shop in their own communities at independently-owned local businesses. I love the idea. I’ve been a ‘shop-local’ shopper long before Amex gave it a name though. I began investing my shopping dollars in the [...]
And Yet Another Opinion About Klout #Fail
When you make your social media presence and behavior all about you – it becomes very one-sided, static and predictable. In face, we marketers have a name for online presences that are one-sided, static and predictable, we call it “circa 1998 website”.
The High Cost of Free Trials
I love trying new products. Especially online tools designed to give me more information or save me some time. As a marketer, I can never get enough of either. In the last couple of years there has been more new product launches for social media monitoring and management tools, email marketing applications and premium versions [...]
Doing a Great Job (Even When No One is Watching)
I recently had a couple of bad experiences with service providers not performing as agreed and not fulfilling their contractual obligations – in other words, they ripped me off. The first was a a landscaper who’d been cutting my lawn for almost three years. I began to notice that his fees were going up at [...]
Beware of the Salesfriend
Throughout our lives we have best friends, work friends, gym friends, girlfriends, boyfriends and a whole slew of other other friends that come, go and often stay in our lives. These are good relationships. We love these people. And then there’s the salesfriend. The salesfriend is someone you think is a real friend but is [...]
Your Social Journey: Wall, Window or Doorway?
Just about everyone I know, both online and off, has a great story about how and why they began using social media. For most, it was all about business and sales – getting more of both. For others, the story is about friends and family and keeping in touch. For still others, it was a [...]
