WOW! My jaw dropped when I saw this!!

We know that you love using Twitter, but how do you know that you are using it effectively?

Some Questions you may be asking yourself?

-          Ever wonder how you could start growing your twitter account based on followers who you can actually target?
-          How can you reach your followers effectively?
-          What tactics can you employ to reach out and get followers to pay attention?

Gain free access to Chalene Johnson’s 3 Twitter Secrets and see what answers she has to these questions and so much more!

http://www.1automationwiz.com/app/?Clk=4187806

I am teaming up with Chalene and her Social Media Success Kit by offering these secrets to you absolutely free, no strings attached! If you like what you hear, you’ll want to learn more about how you can be successful using social media.


http://www.1automationwiz.com/app/?Clk=4187806

You can start using these secrets today, so go check them out!

Google Search Becomes More Social, Integrates Flickr, Twitter & Quora

Google has launched major updates to Social Search, integrating information from Twitter, Flickr and Quora throughout its search engine.

The search giant launched Social Search in 2009; the feature integrates search results from your friends at the bottom of the search page. It utilizes social profiles connected to your Google Account to deliver items like photo or blog results that come from your friends.

Google’s now making some prominent changes to Google Social Search, and it is announcing three new websites that will appear prominently in social search results. We had a chance to speak with Mike Cassidy, product management director for search, about the changes.

The first major change is that Google Social Search results will no longer appear only at the bottom of the page, but will instead be “blended” throughout the page. This is done through an annotation system that lets you know when a friend has shared a specific link or search result. If your friend writes a blog about how to create honey, that result will have an annotation that your friend has “shared this,” either via Google or through one of Google’s three major social integrations.

That leads into the second update to social search: a vast increase in its appearance in search. Any content shared by your friends on Quora, Flickr and Twitter can appear as a social annotation in search results. If a friend has tweeted a link to a Mashable article and your Google account is connected to Twitter, you’re likely to see an annotation saying that your friend “shared this on Twitter.”

The final update focuses on increasing the control users have over what gets displayed in social search. Google has revamped its options page to give users the ability to both publicly and privately connect their social profiles to their Google accounts. It even suggests which social profiles are likely to be the ones you control by cross referencing your friends on Google’s network of sites (such as Google Talk or Google Buzz) and seeing if that list matches your friend list on Twitter, LinkedIn, etc.

One thing this update doesn’t include is Facebook “Like” data, a prominent feature of Microsoft Bing. Unlike Google, Bing has access to instant personalization and the user data behind Facebook’s walled garden. As one of Google’s archenemies, it’s unlikely the search giant gave much serious thought to deep Facebook integration, instead choosing Quora, Flickr and Twitter as its inaugural integrations.

Source: Ben Parr via Mashable

Let's connect on Facebook at www.facebook.com/jdorsettkoch

What Brands Can Learn From Taco Bell’s Social Media Lawsuit Defense

Patrick Kerley is the senior digital strategist at Levick Strategic Communications. He is also a contributing author toBulletproof Blog™ and can be found on Twitter @pjkerley.

When it comes to high profile lawsuits, it’s often been the plaintiff’s use of social media that makes headlines and wins those ever-important battles in the Court of Public Opinion. Blogs raise awareness of issues that could lead to lucrative litigation, and smart SEO and SEM campaigns can dominate the online conversation. Social media is used recruit potential class action clients. All the while, the target of the litigation — the defender — often stands mute, from a digital perspective. Commonly, the defender will cede control of the Internet’s messaging high ground to adversaries.

But the “no comment” strategy has increasingly been cast aside in an age when instant impressions can cause lasting reputation damage. More and more companies are realizing the benefits of mounting a digital defense when plaintiffs come knocking. As evidenced by the recent lawsuit against Taco Bell — alleging that its “seasoned beef” doesn’t meet USDA requirements for that label — defense messages are starting to compete for attention in the online space. Over the last several weeks, Taco Bell has written a template for digital litigation communications that — while certainly more aggressive than many lawsuits call for — has highlighted a number of best practices that every company playing social media defense should consider.

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Use Your Peacetime Wisely

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Prior to the lawsuit, Taco Bell already maintained a Facebook Page with nearly 5.7 million fans, a Twitter profile with nearly 80,000 followers, and YouTube channel with videos that have been viewed nearly three million times. Not only did this help to amass an audience that would be receptive to its messages when they mattered most; it also ensured that — as of this morning — only one of the returns on the first page of resultsfor a “Taco Bell” Google search was related to the lawsuit. By building a base of brand advocates and “flooding the zone” with positive content before trouble arose, the company essentially made it more difficult for negative news to break through the clutter.

Establishing such a strong web presence after a lawsuit has come to a company’s attention simply isn’t possible. By using its peacetime wisely, Taco Bell ensured that it was prepared to defend any reputation assault in the venues that its consumers turn to most often for information.

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Dominate Search Engines

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Immediately after the lawsuit was announced, Taco Bell initiated an SEM campaign that brought web searchers to its side of the story first. These sponsored links have since been taken down as the controversy subsided — a move that limits the lawsuit’s notoriety and articulates the company’s sense that consumers are ready to move on. But among the top organic results for a “Taco Bell meat quality” search is still the “Food Facts” page on Taco Bell’s website, which outlines the company’s commitment to using only the highest quality ingredients and refutes the plaintiffs’ claims.

Clearly, Taco Bell appreciates the role of search engines as de facto gatekeepers of information. The company understood that the first story told is the story that is believed. As a result, the plaintiffs now have to swim against a rising tide of public opinion.

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Enlist Your Fans, Followers and Friends

Having already cultivated an army of brand ambassadors in the digital space, Taco Bell enlisted their assistance with an offer of a free taco as a means to test the meat quality themselves. The promotion was the centerpiece of the company’s litigation response on Facebook and Twitter, and further communicated confidence in the company’s position that its meat meets USDA standards. Furthermore — in a move that took a page from the Domino’s crisis playbook – Taco Bell President Greg Creed was featured in a YouTube video (above) entitled “Of Course we Use Real Beef” that has been viewed 170,000 times to date.

The unique and shareable format of the company’s messages made them easy for consumers and reporters to digest — pardon the pun.

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Tailoring the Taco Bell Template to Meet Your Needs

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Perhaps the most important lesson to arise from Taco Bell’s digital response is that every company’s situation is unique and each of the tactics cited above must be carefully considered and cleared with counsel before moving forward.

For smaller companies with more limited consumer appeal, or for those less confident in a courtroom victory, the goal might be to keep the lawsuit as quiet as possible, which would preclude the use of such aggressive tactics altogether. For a company in the professional services realm, platforms such as LinkedIn might be better suited to their needs than Facebook, Twitter, or YouTube. And for companies that can’t publicly articulate the details of a particular case, highlighting other positive aspects of their operations or enlisting third-party supporters would be preferable to Taco Bell’s more direct approach.

To avoid a misstep that could limit your campaign’s reach or even make a tough situation worse, have a clear picture of your brand’s positioning in the digital space and always keep the legal department or general counsel’s office in the loop. The key is striking a delicate balance that best ensures victory in both the courtroom and the Court of Public Opinion — because losses in either venue can be awfully hard to swallow.

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Feautures & Services for About.Me

New Features and Services released for About.Me

We know that about.me is the social network hub which allows you to create a personalized page with links to all your media sites and RSS feeds; pointing users to your content from around the web.  Now, as it gets ready to nab the Techcrunch Crunchie for best design; the site has become more pleasing to you the small business owner as you can utilize the new features and services to your advantage.

With new services such as formspring you are now able to open the world of communication wide open.  Formspring boasts over 12 million users and gives your new potential clients/customers the opportunity to ask you a direct question about something you have that they are interested in learning about. No longer is about.me one sided; you communicating your opinion or update; this gives you a new opportunity to connect with the users that have a valued interest in your business and products. Actively listening, engaging, and responding about what you have to offer!  You can find more information and sign up at www.formspring.me  

Renaming your links/RSS feeds is another new feature on about.me giving you creative control of the links title and changing things around on your profile page.  Having this control will allow you to play with marketing your RSS feeds and you will be able to see your direct results within your personal analytics dashboard gaining invaluable business knowledge to see where current and potential clients are connecting with you from. And if the new name on your RSS feed hasn't gained any interest, simply edit it with another imaginative cluster of words!! Social media can be like a game of baseball, some days you hit it out of the park and other days you keep it near the umpire behind you at home plate; having this option with your personal analytics and renaming links gets you closer to a Babe Ruth every day!

The added improvements to the directory and people search services have made connecting with potential customers/clients comfortably easy. With sites and search engines sometimes filling your days, having to know where the dot goes or the tach between first and last names, the search engine here now allows you to put in both first/last names or either one. No shorthand is necessary.  Even paging through the directory has a stylistic and user friendly feel to it with the new browse profiles button on your profile page in the upper left corner; simply click it and start paging through profiles allowing you to connect to people which you feel will benefit from knowing you and your business.

Also adding to the home run about.me is about to hit is the share button in the upper left corner of your profile page; located directly next to “browse profiles”.  Allowing people to share your profile on twitter or facebook within 2-3 clicks.  Your information and landing url are already filled into the box(es) that pop open truly making the experience of the user simple and comfortable.  The user-friendly feel keeps moving along with this top rated social network hub and personal analytics dashboard;  that is giving you gains in exposure to all of your landing url’s (business and social media) that you have connected there.  

Enjoy the new features and services that are offered at this site, that is continually improving and making it available for you the small business owner to have a greater market to network with and a custom profile to be seen through your social media world domination.

Are you on about.me? Leave your url in the comment section; I'd love to check it out! www.about.me/jdorsettkoch  

As always leave any comments you may have and let's connect at www.facebook.com/jdorsettkoch

I Can Do All Things.. even 'put together' a computer!

Sometimes things in life which are seemingly normal for everyone else can be extraordinary for others.  Case in point. Today I am setting up a Dell desktop computer all by myself.  I have no software engineering degree although it would be terribly handy.  I even have no idea which plug goes where without following the arrow filled diagram or letting my 11 year old do it for me.  He did just that yesterday evening and he was brilliant!
Now why is this important for me to blog about..
Well, in every year of my adult life I have never purchased a desktop computer.... all ...  by .....  myself.  This is an event that has made me smile.  I gathered the research and always leaned towards a Dell as a friend of mine told me Dell desktops is the way to go.  This is my second computer purchase in a month; the first being a macbook pro; where I signed up for grand gestures of backwords pc world and have yet to get to the Apple store for my class.  But I did find an Apple expert whom I have latched onto. (Saved for another blog)

So as I download drivers, activate Microsoft Office, security stuff,  and stand back every now and then just to see the Dell; I am pleased with my ability.  That ability is being mastered and it is turning into a skill that will never leave me. But before you stop the presses to send me all kinds of questions on what to purchase know that google is an amazing resource for all things computer, Best Buy is great to.

I don't often want to do everything by myself.  I would really like someone here with me to serve more as a sounding board at this point then the pure companionship. Talking to one's self can get undeniably old.  And this Military wife has that down pat, the talking to oneself.. not the old part.

For now, today is my day of desktop glory!!
Pictures to follow, of course, at www.facebook.com/jdorsettkoch

The Dell Desktop I purchased from Best Buy thus far is perfect.  It's for my kiddos, their homework, their social aspects of life, their games, and of course their research (the apples don't fall far from the tree)!  Just click on the title.. and you'll see what I chose!  Side-note:  I received a 23" monitor with mine due to a misprint on an in store ad.  Best Buy has since taken the ad down.

And as always leave your comments and let's connect on The Facebook!  

Converting Visitors into Customers

Converting visitors into customers isn’t as difficult as some people make it out to be. Whether you’re selling an eBook for $7 or a computer for $1,000 the same methods and tactics are used to make visitors purchase what you’re offering, so how do you go about it properly?

Converting visitors into customers can be done pretty easily when you implement some sneaky and highly useful tactics. Here are some of the best ways to get conversions.

Tip #1.) Get targeted traffic.

The more targeted and “primed” the visitors coming to your page are the better they will convert—plain and simple. If you’re sending untargeted traffic to your page that is promoting a dog training or weight loss offer and they came from a golfing video on YouTube, you’ll have very little chance of converting these people into sales. Get laser targeted traffic and constantly work on refining your sources of traffic for the best results.

Tip #2.) Make an offer that’s impossible to refuse.

If you’re offering something valuable and worthwhile to your customers that can actually help them—make it clear. Don’t be bogus or hype up your offer with unrealistic claims or fake proof, be honest and be clear about the actual value you’re going to offer them if they make a purchase. What do they get out of it? How are you going to make their life easier or more enjoyable? Highlight these points in your website’s sales copy.

Tip #3.) Split test everything.

If you’ve got a standard internet marketer’s sales page with long sales copy and images and the whole “shebang” you should be split testing different sales copy, different headers, different images and even different “Buy Now” buttons. This goes for virtually any site as well, regardless of what you’re selling. Large sites like Amazon.com split test everything possible and it’s easy to see why: one little change can make a huge difference in converting visitors into customers.

Tip #4.) Get feedback from your visitors.

If you’ve got a larger website or one with multiple pages, getting feedback from your visitors could be crucial. Knowing if your visitors have trouble visiting pages, getting images or forms to load or any other problems are important to know about and the average visitor isn’t going to take the time to email you. Make it easy for your visitors to contact you or even set up a survey form on your site. If people have trouble with navigating your site fix it right away. If people give you feedback about format or spelling errors fix them right away.

Converting visitors into customers is a lot like a recipe for a cake. You need all the components and ingredients working together to get the end result (a sale!)

Once you’ve mastered this and have found a system and solution that works to convert traffic you can usually replicate it across all of your sites for similar conversions. Of course always take external factors into consideration like different audiences and sources of traffic.

So, what do you think? Do you have other tips that will help people convert? If so, share them here!

Core Exercises: 7 reasons to strengthen your core muscles.

You know core exercises are good for you — but do you include core exercises in your fitness routine? Here are seven reasons why you should.

Core exercises are an important part of a well-rounded fitness program. Aside from occasional sit-ups and push-ups, however, core exercises are often neglected. Still, it pays to get your core muscles — the muscles around your trunk and pelvis — in better shape. Check out seven specific reasons to include core exercises in your fitness routine.

1. Core exercises improve your balance and stability

Core exercises train the muscles in your pelvis, lower back, hips and abdomen to work in harmony. This leads to better balance and stability, whether on the playing field or in daily activities. In fact, most sports and other physical activities depend on stable core muscles.

2. Core exercises don't require specialized equipment or a gym membership

Any exercise that uses the trunk of your body without support counts as a core exercise. Abdominal crunches are a classic core exercise. Try lying on your back and placing your feet on a wall so that your knees and hips are bent at 90-degree angles. Tighten your abdominal muscles, then raise your head and shoulders off the floor. Classic push-ups count, too. You can also do push-ups on your knees or standing up against a wall.

3. Core exercises can help tone your abs

Want more defined abdominal muscles? Core exercises are important. Although it takes aerobic activity to burn abdominal fat, core exercises can strengthen and tone the underlying muscles.

4. Strong core muscles make it easier to do most physical activities

Strong core muscles make it easier to do everything from swinging a golf club to getting a glass from the top shelf or bending down to tie your shoes. Weak core muscles leave you susceptible to poor posture, lower back pain and muscle injuries.

5. You can take it slow

You don't have to dedicate hours a day to core exercises. Instead, concentrate on doing each exercise with correct technique and proper form. Gradually build up to 10 to 15 repetitions of each exercise. Also remember to take a break when you need one. If you work your core muscles to fatigue during an exercise session, wait at least a day between workouts to give your muscles time to recover.

6. You can do core exercises at home

Remember, you don't have to trek to the gym to do core exercises. Try them on the floor at home while you're watching your favorite shows. You can even do core exercises with a fitness ball. To do abdominal crunches with a fitness ball, for example, sit on the ball with your feet resting on the floor, about hip-width apart. Cross your arms on your chest, tighten your abdominal muscles and lean back until your abdominal muscles kick in. Hold for three deep breaths, then return to the starting position and repeat.

7. Core exercises can help you reach your fitness goals

Aerobic exercise and muscular fitness are the primary elements of most fitness programs — and stretching counts, too. But to have a truly well-rounded fitness program, you should include core exercises in the mix as well. Whether you're a novice taking the first steps toward fitness or a committed fitness fanatic hoping to optimize your results, a well-rounded fitness program is the best way to reach your fitness goals.