Interview - Direct Sales expert Nancy Sutherland

20 Ways To Make $100 A Day Online


Interview with Nancy Sutherland Direct Sales Marketing Coach

Nancy is an Independent Sales Director with Mary Kay Cosmetics. She received top honors and prizes in her career. You can read about her interesting journey to the top on her blog. Nancy now also coaches direct sales people and gives them the benefit of her experience.

Nancy's blog: http://www.directsalesmarketingqueen.com/

Q: You started your career with Mary Kay in 1986. You earned your first Career Car in 1987 and your first Pink Car in 1988. That is very fast success. How did you make it happen?

A: I really started my career to enjoy some time with other women while spending time with my children at home. I immediately fell in love with the business and discovered what it had to offer me and my family. When my youngest son started school, I made a commitment to work towards a leadership position in the Company. By setting a goal that had a reason behind it followed by a plan of action, you can achieve success!

Q: Your personal story on your website certainly is inspiring. Do you think you would have been just as successful if you did not have your personal problems?

A: I believe that everyone has challenges in their life. It’s a choice that each and every one of us makes that is whether the drama is going to make us bitter or better. I have always made the choice to be a victor rather than a victim. By being transparent in sharing the difficulties in my life, I hope to inspire and encourage other women.

Q: I talked with another successful direct sales consultant recently. She told me that in her experience people going into a direct sales business must have a love of the product and the need to make money. Do you agree?

A: I agree that the love of the product is crucial. That part has always been easy for me. The need to make money is not always a motivator in a direct sales business. Some people can’t handle the financial pressure in the beginning if they don’t work another part time job until they get their business off the ground.

Q: We always hear about the people who make a lot of money in direct sales. We also know that most people do not earn anything close to six figures. What does it take for a person to make an honest living, say $40,000 per year, in direct sales?

A I will tell you that it is simple, but not always easy. It really takes consistent effort, each and every week. In my business, that would be just a commitment to hold two appointments a week because of the advantage of the great reorder business. In addition, it is necessary to stay in constant contact with your customers in whatever manner that they prefer, phone, email, work, etc.

Q: You started with Mary Kay in 1986 before the Internet began. How did you manage to become successful without the Internet?

A: The internet is a great tool, but what you are doing is building relationships, one at a time. Word of mouth is the easiest way to grow any business. I have found that it works online, but we have been doing the same thing before the Internet.

Q: Direct sales have a high dropout rate. Do you think it is too easy for people to start their own business since the advent of the Internet? In other words, are there too many people who probably should not be in their own business because entry fees are relatively low?

A: I have always felt that it is better to try and fail than to fail to try. You never know if it right for you unless you try. When a new consultant comes into my unit, I ask her to give it a year of honest effort before she decides if it is for her. Because of that commitment, I have women in my unit for over a decade, and a few since the very beginning of my business!

Q: in today's marketplace, what single marketing method is most important to promoting your direct sales business? Second place?

A: I believe that face-to-face marketing is the single biggest business builder followed by superior customer service. That creates loyal customers.

Q: Some people just want to sell products and not build a team. Do you think this is a good model for profits?

A: Many people want to just sell products. I would say about 80-90% of the women in my unit fall into that category. Having a strong leader to teach them the skills to grow their personal sales is crucial. That is what I have always strived to do.

Q: What is the biggest road bump for direct sales people?

A: The biggest obstacle for most women in any business, especially direct sales, is handling their emotions. The fear of rejection is probably the most common, but you can learn to overcome this with a great leader.

Q: You now focus on coaching people in direct sales. Do you think people in Internet Marketing or other areas can benefit from your coaching?

A: Yes, absolutely! I have teamed with Carrie Wilkerson, the Barefoot Executive and others to help get the word out. Carrie has put together a Barefoot Boot Camp that starts this week. I will be one of the teachers in this telesummit. (http://tinyurl.com/5fgghc)

Q: Are you still active in Mary Kay?

A: Yes, as a matter of fact, last year I coached one of my consultants to first runner up in the National Court of Personal Sales! I am in qualification now for my tenth career car and still have a very strong personal sales business. I will be in this business for life!

Q: Generally speaking, why should a direct sales person seek your coaching help?

A: I believe that there are many people who have the desire to make it in direct sales and not the resources to learn how to be successful. Having a good mentor who is active in the field TODAY makes all the difference in the world.

Q: What can a good coach do for a person who is lucky enough to have a helpful, experienced leadership in their direct sales company?

A: A good coach can provide more specific training on the skills necessary to build a solid business for life with practical, relevant applications.

Q: I am glad we met on Twitter. But social networking is still in its infancy. How important is social marketing on sites like Twitter, Facebook and others in your coaching business? How can direct sales people benefit from social networking as well? Is it worth the time and effort you need to put into it?

A: Social networking has been extremely helpful for me to build new relationships and very successful collaborations. There must be a balance in the time that you spend building your business online through social networking and out in public.

Q: Would you recommend blogging to direct sales people? Why?

A: Blogging is a very popular way to become transparent and share with others gaining visibility along the way. As always, people want to do business with those that they know, like and trust. If this is another way that you can do this, it will benefit your business. Not everyone likes to write, but it is fun for those of us who do!

Q: Most of us have heard about The Secret. Do you think "positive attitude" gets too much hype?

A: There is no real secret. The harder you work, the luckier you get! But having a negative attitude or allowing yourself to spend time with those who are negative will definitely hold you back..

Q: Please explain about "list building." Do you think a direct sales person would benefit from this activity?

A: List building is a way of being compliant with the CAN-SPAM regulations. It is a tool to allow your potential customers to get your up to date newsletters and sales offers. I don’t have much experience with this. My company provides the tool for my customers to opt-in to regular news.

Q: If you had not found Mary Kay and the coaching business that resulted, what do you think you would you be doing to make a living now.

A: I would probably still be teaching cosmetology students

Q: What are your plans and goals for the future?

A: My plans for the future are to continue to enrich women’s lives.. I plan to continue to do this through my direct sales business. I also plan on holding seminars, workshops, speaking engagements and conferences. My husband Alex and I would like to retire in Texas in 10-15 years.

Thank you, Nancy, for spending time with us. I am sure many will benefit from your experience.

Greg Cryns
http://www.wahmsearchengine.com
http://www.workathomeprofiles.com
How did Michael Phelps get his start?

Bank CEO salaries - OMG

20 Ways To Make $100 A Day Online

Maybe you are unaware of where YOUR hard earned tax dollars will go to bail out the banks.

Some of these slimebag CEOs could actually earn more after the bailout. It's time to tell our President and Congress that we've had it up to HERE with this nonsense.

Frankly, I think these guys deserve jail time. Read the pages from the links.

Morgan Stanley John Mack, CEO of Morgan Stanley, $17 million

JP Morgan Chase James Dimon, CEO of JPMorgan Chase, $20 million

Bear StearnsJames Cayne, CEO of Bear Stearns, $28 million

Lehman Brothers Richard Fuld Jr., CEO of Lehman Bros Holdings, $71 million

Goldman Sachs Lloyd Blankfein, CEO of Goldman Sachs Group, $73 million

Merrill Lynch
John Thain – Ceo of Merrill Lynch, $81 millionHe is John McCain's top economic advisor.


Read the full report . There are comments that could make you want to throw up. http://www.broowaha.com/article.php?id=4110

More on bankers executive pay:
http://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2008/04/05/business


Greg Cryns

Top 10 Yellow Pages Searches

The Yellow Pages Association (YPA) says in 2007 there were 3.8 billion searches performed on various sites around the web for local businesses.

Here are the top 10 searches:

1. Restaurants
2. Physicians & Surgeons
3. Hotels
4. Auto Repairing & Service
5. Florists-Retail
6. Auto Dealers-New & Used
7. Dentists
8. Auto Parts & Supplies - New & Used
9. Beauty Salons (tie)
10. Hospitals (tie)

More info from the Yellow Pages Assn. http://www.ypassociation.org/ :

• Average # of monthly IYP searchers up 46 percent: 63.1 million IYP searchers per month in 2006, compared to 43.2 million IYP searchers per month in 2005.
• IYP represented 35 percent of total local commercial searches in 2006, up from 34 percent in 2005.
• 2007 IYP search queries up 14 percent: consumers conducted more than 1.85 billion IYP search queries in the first six months of 2007 compared to 1.62 billion in the first six months of 2006.

Greg Cryns
Michael Phelps: the beginning

Negative and Posititive Marketing Messages

Negative Versus Positive Marketing Messages: Which Works Best?


Nancy is a small business owner who helps nonprofit groups create
fund raising events that can double- even triple- their average
donation.

Until recently, Nancy has gotten her business primarily through
in-person meetings: attending networking events, taking people
out for coffee, and giving presentations.

In-person is great for getting local business but Nancy wants to
serve a national customer base. So she hired someone to design a
website and using emails and postcards to market her services.

She's been using emails and postcards for the last ten months
and the results have been dismal.

"I haven't gotten a single new client," she told me.

So I took a look at the emails she was sending out and I
immediately saw the problem.



>> Enthusiasm Can Turn People Off



Nancy loves her work and really wants her clients to succeed.
It's hard to spend time with her and not get excited about what
she's doing.

Her enthusiasm works to her advantage when she meets people in
person.

It seems logical then that enthusiasm would work in all her other
marketing. Wrong.



>> Establishing Trust is the First Step



There's a saying, "People want to know you care, before they
care about what you know."

As human beings, we have a natural desire to belong and feel
valued. It's the reason why people hate to be sold to...we
don't feel understood or valued for who we are.

When you meet someone in person, it's a lot easier to build
trust because you can communicate that you care in many ways: in
your tone of voice, in the way you look at others, in your
gestures.

For people like Nancy, building trust occurs almost immediately
during in person meetings because she communicates that she cares
both in what she says and what she doesn't say.

But when communicating in less personal ways—using email,
postcards, and other types of written media, you have only words
to work with.

Which means you must take an extra step and deliberately
demonstrate empathy before you enthusiastically share why your
products and services are so wonderful.



>> Establishing Trust Means Starting with the Negative



So how do you show you care when you use email, web pages, and
other mediums that limit your ability to express yourself?

You start with the problem or pain your customer is likely
experiencing.

When you do this you are saying, in effect to your audience:

"I understand you have this problem that you're struggling to
solve."

"I, too, have struggled with it"

"Through my experience, education, research, etc., I have came
up with a solution to solve the problem."

"My solution work for you too."

Once you say these things, you are free to bubble away about your
wonderful solution.



>> Example: Establishing Trust First



So let's go back to Nancy.

Instead of immediately starting her emails off with how she helps
her clients double their fund raising results she begins with
demonstrating empathy and understanding.

Before:

"Non-profits, let me show you how to double- , even triple your
donations."

After:

"Non-profits, are you struggling to compete for funding in
today's difficult economy?"

Can you feel the difference?

Nancy's email then went on to describe her own struggles with
fund raising and how she developed her solution.

When Nancy began using this approach, her prospect inquiries
immediately increased and she's now in the process of turning
some of the prospects into clients.

But she first needed to demonstrate she understood and cared
before they were willing to make the call.



>> Bottom Line



The less personal the communication, the more important it
becomes to first establish trust with your prospects.

For emails, blog posts, web pages, etc.:

1. Start with the Negative: demonstrate you understand their
problem and struggle to solve it.

2. End with the Positive: share why your solution is better and
will work.

---------------------------------------------------------------------
Judy Murdoch helps small business owners create low-cost,
effective marketing campaigns using word-of-mouth referrals,
guerrilla marketing activities, and selected strategic alliances.
To download a free copy of the workbook, "Where Does it Hurt?
Marketing Solutions to the problems that Drive Your Customers
Crazy!" go to http://www.judymurdoch.com/workbook.htm
You can contact Judy at 303-475-2015 or judy@...

Greg Cryns
How Michael Phelps got started

Think Like Dr Phil and Maximize Your Sales

Think Like Dr Phil and Maximize Your Sales


Find the Pain

Becoming a total solution provider means everybody has a role to
play in the process. It’s about finding the customer’s pain. What
are the real rules of engagement with the customer?

Make no mistake... The customer sets those rules and it’s really
not about what you are selling. It’s about what the customer is
buying. Let me put it in perspective using an analogy from Tom
Winninger - Americas Marketing Strategist.

Tom Says - “Think about BMW --- they don’t sell cars --- You buy
a driving experience.”

“Kodak doesn’t sell film ------ You buy magic moments -
memories.”

“Hertz doesn’t rent you cars - They get you out of the airport
faster.”

That’s their value proposition ---- what is yours? You have to
figure out what the customer is really buying. Understand the
following simple concept.

“Perceived value drives customer expectations”

“Performance value drives customer satisfaction”

The higher you raise the customer’s perceived value of you as a
company --- the closer you come to creating competitive
advantage.

Be careful - if you raise expectations too high and can’t perform
---- you can shoot yourself in the foot.

Perceived value varies --- it can mean different things to
different customers. It depends on what that customer is really
buying. It relates to value added and what is in it for the
customer. Value added must become not only a common term but it
must become engrained in your sales culture. Every decision you
make should consider the question WIIFMC? (What’s In It for My
Customer?) This is the baseline for your value propositions. It’s
part of the psychology of selling. It’s part of acting like Dr.
Phil.

How Do You Sell Your Value Proposition?

The first step is to really understand and define your value
propositions. Remember, your company has value propositions, your
products have value propositions and you personally have value
propositions in your relationship with the customer. In defining
your value propositions you must maintain your customer at the
center of attention and define value in relationship to them.

Next, separate selling from problem solving. Take all of your
industry experience and knowledge to understand the customer’s
needs. Present alternative solutions.

Clarify your value propositions in terms of WIIFTC and let the
customer decide.

------------------------------------Think like Dr. Phil.--------------------------------------



Apply your knowledge and experience to the customer’s pain as if
it his/her company was your company. Ask yourself the following
questions to determine if you are ready for and committed to
success.

* Can you educate the difference between price and cost? What
makes the low price the high cost? * How committed are you to
your industry? * How well do you know your customers objectives *
How adept are you at identifying pain * Are you more concerned
with your employer’s success than their own? Your customer’s
success? * How well do you accept personal responsibility for
failures? * Do you know the five largest customers of your
customers five largest customers? * What are the 3 largest
sources of pain in your customer’s lives? * What are your
customers’ key profit and growth drivers? * What are you doing
with that knowledge? * How would the customer describe your
efforts to improve their business?

Focus Has Changed

Focus must now be on planning for the development of customers
and increased penetration of current high potential customers.
The main responsibility of the sales person is NOT TO INCREASE
SALES, but to systematically and consistently increase the number
of customers that call you Supplier of Choice (SOC). If you truly
practice becoming a total solution provider for your customers,
can validate and sell your value propositions, if you can find
their pain and make it go away, you will become their SOC. That
means you'll always get the first call and the last look. It
starts by acting like Dr. Phil and searching for their pain.

A" Player Results and Habits

Professional sales people are always striving for improvement.
They gain the majority of their targeted customers' business.
They increase market share. Transactions flow through a
well-managed relationship that they have established. Their time
is focused on growth rather than transactional service.

Professional sales people constantly seek to enhance their
selling skills and the knowledge base of the industry they serve.
They no longer focus only on product knowledge. They focus on
their customers' needs and industry knowledge. They have
fine-tuned the basic habits of success:

* The habit of prospecting within the account for growth
potential * The habit of planning * The habit of using a
professionally prepared sales presentation * The habit of
goal-setting * The habit of record-keeping * The habit of
efficient time control * The habit of self-development * The
habit of continuous development of their industry knowledge * The
habit of self discipline

Today, salespeople must be problem solvers able to generate
solutions for customers in their time of need. That’s what being
a professional is all about. Therefore, they must possess a great
deal of knowledge about their customers’ business. Often, they
must actually define what those needs are because the customer
may not know, nor take the time to explain. Customers want the
professional sales person to have the knowledge and intelligence
to comprehend and analyze their problems before showing up at the
door. Customers will listen and buy from the salesperson that
finds the “pain” and takes it away. They want solution providers,
not the “coolest technology” with three adjustable speeds.

Act like Dr. Phil and find the pain and make it go away, even if
it has nothing to do with your product. It’s about being a total
solution provider. Today’s formula works because it creates
competitive advantage. It is the secret to success for the “Sales
Force of the Future.”




---------------------------------------------------------------------
http://www.ceostrategist.com - Sign up to receive “The Howl” a free
monthly newsletter that addresses real world industry issues. -
Straight talk about today’s issues. Rick Johnson, expert speaker,
wholesale distribution’s “Leadership Strategist”, founder of CEO
Strategist, LLC a firm that helps clients create and maintain
competitive advantage. Need a speaker for your next event,
E-mail rick@.... Check out Rick’s new CD
series and workbook “Unlocking the Secrets to Amazing
Sales” @
http://www.ceostrategist.com/resources-store/unlocking-the-secrets-to-amazing-sa\
les-incredible-profits.html

Greg Cryns
The Beginning of Michael Phelps

Get traffic without paying money for it

Always remember that very little is really "free". To say you can get free advertising is ridiculous. What about the time it takes to make it happen? Is your time worth nothing?

Just because you have a website set up that doesn’t mean some form of magic is going to occur and zap traffic there without you doing a thing.

That would be nice, but it’s not reality, so start using some online marketing techniques to get them there.

Online advertising doesn’t have to be an expensive part of your business. Here are some ways to get traffic to your site that won’t cost you much in the end:

Blogging/ Blog Comments- You might consider setting up a blog to go along with your business. Search engines tend to like them and so do visitors. If you blog about topics that relate to your business site’s niche, people who are searching for that niche can stumble upon your blog. You can provide a link to your business site from your blog, so traffic can find their way to your reports easily.

Find other blogs that are about the same topic as your business site. Leave useful comments to some of the posts. Your user name will be attached to your business site’s link or maybe even to your blog’s link. Either way traffic can be routed to your PLR reports easier.

Article Marketing- This type of marketing can establish you as an expert in the field your business niche is in and gain some traffic to your site. This works by submitting an article that talks about the topic of your site’s niche. For example, if your niche is in the health industry, you could provide an article that talks about something in the health industry or it could also be about PLR reports.

Your article would be provided with a bio section. This section would include your name and business site’s link. Those who liked the article they find on one of these submission sites can click through to your site for more information.

Press Releases- A press release is a way to announce a company’s grand opening or special event that they’re launching. Businesses use it all the time to announce whatever they have going on, because it enables their sites to receive more exposure on the net.

Press releases are about news so that shouldn’t be a sales pitch for your products. They should only announce an event or special offer you’re planning. The point is to gain more traffic to your site so you can sell them on your products from there. Just concentrate on getting them there.

Social Networking/Message Board Communities- Join sites like these that relate to your business site’s niche. Communicating with like -minded people can gain you more traffic or some sales. Just don’t overwhelm the community right away with some sales pitch. Get to know your fellow “cyber friends” first and then ease into your letting your business be known.

Message board communities are great ways to connect to other people. You can offer advice and gain some credibility while posting on these boards. If the forum allows it, have your business site link in your signature, so those inquisitive people can quench their curiosities by clicking through to your site.

Greg Cryns
http://www.wahmsearchengine.com
http://www.workathomeprofiles.com
How did Michael Phelps get his start?

Babysitting notes from the mom

We are babysitting our 2 year old, hyperactive grandson in LA, CA. (note: pills will be fed to him in grade school over our dead bodies)

Here is a note from Noah's mom (Schmo is little Noah's nickname):

Dangers for Schmo

1. Keep bathroom doors shut & bedroom

2. Keep Schmo’s window closed

3. Keep back gate closed in yard

4. Keep font wooden door closed and locked (he can unlock screen door)

5. Keep all sharp knives on top of fridge (he will get them out of the sink and dishwasher)

6. Make sure dishwasher is on “OFF” when done (not drying or warming) coil ges very hot and I got burned

7. Last night Schmo was banging kitchen window with object almost breaking glass. If he disappears over there that’s probably what he’s doing.

8. Keep laundry room shut and latched.

9. Keep all glass behind locked cabinets

10. Keep refrig locked (watch for chairs being pulled ss kitchen probably getting into freezer)


Enough said!

Greg Cryns
http://www.workathomeprofiles.com
Twitter: /calgreg

Blogging - interview with Toby Cryns

Toby Cryns is an avid blogger. I have known him for, well, since the day he first saw the light of day. Toby is my son after all. He was born at home. That was not an accident. We planned a home birth.

Toby has strong musical talent. He recently finished a three week west coast tour on his own appearing in clubs from San Diego to San Francisco. He is the only one of our seven children who did not migrate to California. Toby lives in Minneapolis.

We are pretty much in sync about website issues especially on useability. Like me, Toby loves the Internet. We saw it for the first time one night when we signed up for Hotmail in 1998. We had an awful connection by phone modem back then (as did everyone else) and I remember watching a single graphic load on the screen. It took at least 15 seconds for that one graphic. But we were amazed by what we were seeing on the old monitor. Toby started putting together websites on Geocities (one of the first free places to make websites) and I followed suit soon after.

Toby now earns a good living building and maintaining websites. He is an expert in both Flash and WordPress.


INTERVIEW WITH TOBY CRYNS, BLOGGER, WEBMASTER, MUSICIAN


Q: How long have you been blogging?

A: I started my first blog back in 2000. There was no blogging software, so I had to create or edit html pages each time I posted. Here is an example of one of my first blogs: http://www.geocities.com/t_cryns/spank/news.html


Q: Tell us about your blogs

A: Lunch of Champions (www.lunchofchampions.com), Confessions of a Former Political Junkie (blog.cryns.com), What it's like to be Cryns #3 (www.cryns.com" target="_blank"), The Mighty Mo! (www.themightymo.com/updates).


Q: Which blog do you enjoy posting on the most? Why?

A: My personal blog, Confessions of a Former Political Junkie, is the most fun, and I post 2-5 times daily. It is where I go to let my political opinions run wild, share funny email forwards, and post links to interviews I do. ;)


Q: Why do you blog?

A: Blogging is a creative outlet for me. It combines my love of writing, politics, and the internet all in one creative place. I hold onto this dream that one day people will be influenced by the writings on my blog.

Q: Does blogging come easy to you?

A: Sometimes. I have about 30 half-written posts in my "Drafts" folder right now. Sometimes I will start an article and get bored writing it half-way through. I see that as a sign that I should move on to another topic. Most of my blog posts are some form of political commentary of which I am well-versed and passionate about.





Q: Do you want to make money on your blogs?

A: I would LOVE to make a living by blogging. Right now I make a modest living building websites. Blogging is strictly a passion at this time in my life. But I would love to get to a point where I could supplement or supplant my website-building income with a blogging income. I love writing.


Q: You prefer WordPress fan?

A: I have installed and tried to use Joomla, Drupal, and Wordpress. Wordpress was, by far, the easiest of those three to get up and blogging. With Wordpress, it is much easier to create and manage pages and blog posts. You can also more easily control how the urls of your posts are displayed. Finally, editing your themes in Wordpress is a breeze. As far as usability, it is right up there with Blogger (and better than Moveable Type), but with the range of features and hacks that you can utilize with the open-source Wordpress code, there is absolutely no reason that I see to use any of the proprietary options (Blogger, Moveable Type, etc.).


Q: What do you like best about WordPress?

A: I have a ball editing and creating new themes and functionality for my blog. Wordpress plugin developers have a culture of openness, and mostly give away all the cool stuff for free. So, you can integrate Flash slideshows, video skins, rotating banners, Google Adsense, SEO Optimization, Flickr feeds, Twitter, and pretty much anything else all for $0.

Q: Who are some of your favorite bloggers?

A: With a few notable exceptions, I don't regularly follow blogs. The ones that I do follow are Green Threat (http://greenthreat.blogspot.com/), Adastra Per Aspera (http://greff.wordpress.com/), Found Magazine (http://www.foundmagazine.com/), and Strobist (http://www.strobist.blogspot.com/).


Q: Your view on the future of blogging?

A: I think about this a lot, and it's really a big question mark right now. I worry that the old model of copyright infringement enforcement might cause people to shy away from the medium. It will be really interesting to see how the old corporate guard deals with all these young bloggers. For example, will my rants today disqualify me from a job later? I worry about that. People should be allowed to opine in public without fear of retribution by our corporate masters.


Q: How have blogs impacted the real world?

A: Blogs have allowed people to express themselves in new ways - this is always a good thing. You have the high school social outcast who finds an audience for his crazy thoughts online, which allows him to grow and form a more complete understanding of the world than was previously possible. On the political front, it seems that bloggers have exerted some degree of influence. It seems that the extreme and ridiculous positions are tolerated less on internet bulletin boards than they are on cable and network news shows. When I am online, I can just sift through and ignore the personal attacks and ridiculous assertions that drive daily news coverage in print and broadcast media.


Q: How have you used online social networking?

A: Twitter, blog, Flickr, Facebook, mySpace, and participate in MeetUp and other online user groups. Facebook, in particular has helped me to strengthen many of my personal relationships with friends locally and out-of-state through Facebook-grounded games such as Scrabble and Chess. I'm not sure that Web 2.0 technologies offer the world in terms of bottom lines for most companies, however, they certainly are fun!


Thank you, Toby Cryns, for your time putting together this interview with me.

Greg Cryns
http://www.workathomeprofiles.com
Twitter: http://www.twitter.com/calgreg

Networking: where do I go wrong?

Is social networking all it's hyped up to be?

I love networking. I've done well with offline networking but online networking has me hoodwinked.

It's not that I don't try. To be sure, I do a lot of email and network messaging. I just can't seem to make anything really click, stick, work well.

Maybe I am expecting too much? However, I see a lot of people hyping the benefits of social networking. Are they fibbing? Are they inexperienced? Are they just trying to sell their products? Remember, I am referring just to social networking here, not blogging.

To be sure, I see the benefit of social networking at Twitter if you already are a guru. What I see the gurus doing on Twitter is mainly setting up their next product launches.

My case: I have a Ryze network I started a few years ago. I am proud to say it now has over 4,500 members.
http://promoteit-network.ryze.com/

Ryze has been good to me and in a sense I have put myself out there by posting often and joining other Ryze networks. And I do make money by constantly posting offers. However, I don't feel I've connected with very many people to the point that they are friends and that are people I would turn to in a jam.

Whenever someone signs up to my network I go to their Ryze page to welcome them. Below is the message I send and a short conversation I had with a nice lady who is a fitness coach. You will see, I made an attempt to network with her but I was repeatedly pushed away. Although this type of response is not usual (in fact most do not respond at all) it does reflect what people are thinking.

I would appreciate any advice on how to improve my networking efforts. Please place your comments to this post. Please tell us how your networking efforts have paid off.


Here is the Ryze exchange (name withheld)
greg cryns writes:

Welcome to Promote It!

I've been marketing on the Internet since 1998. Glad to say I've learned quite a bit but I am still learning every day.

Please check out Send Out Cards. Here you can use their database to send out large numbers of real greeting cards and/or postcards at the push of a button. It is a wonderful way to be in front of your prospect when he or she is ready to buy. That is essential to success. Write me for details after you check out the SOC site.

Send Out Cards - http://www.sendoutcards.com/24782

Please join my newsletter. I keep the content relevant and I don't spam with silly offers. When something really good comes along I will tell you about it. To join the newsletter go to: http://www.wahmsearchengine.com/newsletter.shtml

I invite you to post every day on Promote It! I wish you great success in your business and your internet adventures.

Sincerely,

Greg Cryns

My Twitter: http://www.twitter.com/calgreg
Wahm Search Engine - http://www.wahmsearchengine.com
Work At Home Profiles - http://www.workathomeprofiles.com

(name) writes:
I have checked out Send Out Cards before and I am not interested. Thanks =)



greg cryns writes:
Hi (name),

No problem. At least you communicated. Most do not. :)

I do understand a lot about getting traffic to websites so if you have any specific questions about that don't hesitate to ask. I see you are a coach. Do you have a blog? If you do, I am interested in interviewing your on my blog. I want people to learn how to make blogs work for them.

My blog: http://gregcryns.blogspot.com

best,

greg

(name) writes:

Yes, I am a __________ fitness coach and love it since I am passionate about helping people be fit and healthy.

Blogs don't really work for me... I do blog sometimes on my healthsite, but not much..... It is at
http://herwebsite.com

Enjoy your evening.
(name)




greg cryns writes:
Ok. Have a great weekend. I wish you more success in the future.

best,

greg

______________


Where did I go wrong in this message exchange?

Greg Cryns

Money is better than what is coming in 2nd

Would you rather be rich?

Here is a little pop quiz for you. In 1923, who was:

1. President of the largest steel company?
2. President of the largest gas company?
3. President of the New York Stock Exchange?
4. The greatest wheat speculator?
5. President of the Bank of International Settlement?
6. The Great Bear of Wall Street?

These men were considered some of the world’s most successful in their day.

Now, 85 years later, the history book asks us if we know what ultimately became of them.

The answers:

1. The president of the largest steel company, Charles Schwab, died a pauper.
2. The president of the largest gas company, Edward Hopson, went insane.
3. The president of the NYSE, Richard Whitney, was released from prison to die at home.
4. The greatest wheat speculator, Arthur Cooger, died abroad, penniless.
5. The president of the Bank of International Settlement, shot himself.
6. The Great Bear of Wall Street, Cosabee Livermore, also committed suicide.

However, that same year in 1923, the PGA Champion and the winner of the most important golf tournament, the US Open, was Gene Sarazen.

What became of him?

He was healthy and played golf until he was 92, died in 1999 at the age of 95 and… he was financially secure at the time of his death.

What is the moral of this little post?

Comment your answer!

Greg Cryns

http://www.workathomeprofiles.com

Michael Phelps - the beginning

Blogging: when is the right time to start?

DO IT NOW!

One of the most glaring problems I see in people who are just starting out is that they are afraid to take that first step. Some think whatever you do must be absolutely perfect before you show it to the public.

Don't do that. You may wind up sitting on the fence forever.

You'll find many reasons to start your own blog, but it is always important to make sure your blog is your business tool, not a site for letting off steam about personal issues—there are already excellent sites for consumer complaints! The goal of your site should be to create a strong link between your company and your customers.

1. Offer reviews of the products or services you offer: Regardless of your business, if you sell a product or service it is critical to have quality reviews posted for all to see. A review from a current or former customer will go a long way to selling the product for others. People know that businesses make promises in order to sell their product; it's their job. An unbiased customer has no ties to the business and needn't mislead the public with a rave review; consumers know that user reviews are going to be honest! Try to incorporate as many honest reviews as possible. You don’t have to write a completely positive review, in fact, a review that points out any negative aspects of a product or service along with the positive will show your readers that the review is real.

2. Promote sales: The best way to promote sales is by linking clients directly to your product. Put in a direct link to the page where they can buy your product. If you’re are an affiliate for another company, like Amazon Associates, you can use their "Build Links" function to create colorful, graphic images of any item they carry. The format is simple. You simply copy their HTML code and paste it into your blog entry. The blog program knows how to read the code and does the rest for you. On your website, you end up with an attractive ad that links directly to their website where you get credit for the sale. Many online retailers use affiliate programs to draw business. You can also become an affiliate for Walmart. Like Amazon, the commission is low, but you have plenty of products to offer.

You can also visit other blogs within your niche and comment on their posts using your website link. Not only is this advertising method free, but it helps draw in traffic through reciprocal links.

3. Use your blog as a business related newsletter: With your online business, you need to reach customers. The best way to do this is by keeping them informed of new products, exciting news, recall notices and other important tidbits that relate to their needs. It is important to remember that you are there for them. If you fail to reach or satisfy a customer, it could lead to a decline in business. For this reason, you must clearly think over all of your posts. Will your post matter to them, or are you heading off on a tangent that will drive them away? Make sure it fits!

You must add new posts, at least 2-3 times a week, to your blog. Failing to keep information fresh will drive readers away. When creating your posts, remember that visitors want to read your information quickly. If you create a blog post that is the size of a small novel, you have guaranteed that readers will give up and move on. Blog posts should be short and sweet, generally 300 words or less works best. People are incredibly busy and must have time to quickly read an article. Short and sweet must always be your motto when posting.

4. Gain customer feedback: Blogs make it incredibly easy for others to leave comments. You may need to sift through Spam from time to time, but overall, a blog is a fantastic arena for debate, questions or even suggestions. By keeping a blog, you are giving your clients and potential clients a forum to ask questions, seek advice, offer comments on your product or service's quality and simply form a close, personal relationship.

One of the best examples of a successful business-related blog falls with The Consumerist (www.consumerist.com). This Web site is pro-consumer and allows readers to send in praise or complaints they have with businesses throughout the United States. Readers are allowed to comment on items they've read or share similar experiences. In the case of a negative dealing, other readers can offer suggestions on getting out of a transaction. The Consumerist also lists incredible sales for a number of companies from time to time allowing readers to tap into bargains they may have missed otherwise. With readers from all over the world, The Consumerist is a great blog to browse to see what consumers are looking for or dislike!

5. Run periodic contests: People love freebies! Free items always attract a huge crowd. Offering a free sample or prize to a limited number of entrants is one way to quickly boost your blog traffic and draw attention to your online business. You can use your blog to run contests. Make the rules clear from the beginning and use a ploy such as only those who post responses to blog entries will be entered. You can even ask entrants to leave a comment on your blog, and then have them mention the contest on their own blogs in order to be eligible. Contents will help you gain traffic, develop new relationships and give away a product that your readers will enjoy.

The prize should draw attention, but it doesn't need to be incredibly expensive. Items that seem to do well include MP3 players, new televisions, free music CDs, t-shirts and more. In fact, if you give away t-shirts, you gain additional promotion because people will be wearing that t-shirt in public. As t-shirts are not as expensive, you will have more prizes to give out. Winners are going to return to your blog time and again because of their positive experience.

Greg Cryns
http://www.workathomeprofiles.com
http://www.wahmsearchengine.com
http://www.allaboutpasorobles.com

Inside blogging with AV Flox

20 Ways To Make $100 A Day Online

AV Flox is successful writer/blogger. Her blog can be seen at omgomgomfg.com. AV is on the staff at Black HeartMagazine. In addition she is a columnist at UK-based GloomCupboard and contributor for LA Snark

AV described her life description in a nutshell: "I was born in Peru, grew up in the Northern Mariana Islands, studied in Hawaii, bummed around between Europe, Oceania and South America for a few years before finally settling in Southern California, where I live now, with my husband. And my shoes."

In a recent blog entry AV said, "I hate it when I'm talking to one of my non-webbie friends about someone and they ask, with condescension, "wait, is that one of your little friends online?" Like I'm six and talking about an imaginary friend."

Make no mistake. AV talks to you not at you. To me this is an essential ingredient of great blogging. You either command attention with your writing or you do not. You can't fake it.

Many of us who are into blogging have a spouse or SO who makes comments like "Blogging is pointless." Maybe for some. But for others it sings "Gotta be there."

Read AV Flox and it is quickly obvious that she needs to be there.



INTERVIEW WITH AV FLOX

Q: Tell us a bit about your blogging history.

AV: I started writing online when I was 13, over ten years ago. I had my own web page in 1998, but I didn't start blogging in the way we know it now until 2001. I have been blogging since.

Here is an excerpt from an old blog about my blogging history:

I've come a long way since I started sharing my life on the web. I've developed a style of story-telling that actually gives readers something back. It wasn't always like this.

I'm an introvert. If I don't appear shy, it's that I do everything in my power to play the opposite, a neat trick I taught myself in elementary and refined until I was at the top of the game in junior high. Put simply: shy girls just don't have as much fun, not even a fourth as much fun. And I was going to have fun, damn it!

If any of my friends have ever wondered why I'm out non-stop for weeks then cloistered and totally cut off for a few more weeks, now you know: it's a taxing thing to do what doesn't come naturally!

So the Internet.- I was 13 or so. What a perfect place for the socially impaired. No one could judge me for any factor other than the factors I chose to share. No one knew I was a kid. No one even knew I was a girl!

I could be judged solely on how interesting I was, how much I could bring to the table. Could I keep up a conversation in a chat room? Could I write a cool story? Could I give good feedback?

I stuck to bulletin boards mostly. I had a web page at some point, but not much in the way of traffic. I'm not really sure what I had on there. I can't even remember the name of it.

Then I got a blog on Diaryland. Back then they were online diaries. The blog's name was Erato, like the muse of erotic poetry. It's still there, but only for sentimental reasons. The bulk of it is gone now, relocated to some dusty archive.

Why keep it? I taught myself HTML there! I had no idea what I was doing. I just looked at how other sites did it and tried it myself, tried it for hours, sometimes for days, until it was what I wanted. I worked in Notepad because I didn't know anything about programs.

Sometimes in the middle of the night, I'd wake up, shoot upright and reach for
the notebook by my bed to write out the code I thought would work for
something I needed. I dreamed in HTML, I was possessed.

It was totally amateur, a wonderful journey of creation that was mine all
mine.

Q: How did you feel when you started to attract more readers?

AV: It was a trip when people started reading. It was flattering. It was invasive.

But I was hooked on the thrill of exhibitionism. I couldn't pull away.

Defensive, I became cryptic. I started omitting the vital, emotional details of life. I put people at arm's length online as I did in life by portraying myself as a ravenous, capricious man-eater, crudely chronicling my savage conquests. Approach the wild beast at your own risk.

People didn't go away. In fact, more tuned in. I wonder now, what was it? Was
my diary a small time equivalent of a David Lynch film, dark and weird and
emotionally and psychologically abusive?

Q: Then what happened?

AV: I got to LiveJournal in 2004 and launched my self-hosted blog this year. The rate of transference from one platform to another is low, so it always amazes me when I get a comment on my new blog or an e-mail or a Facebook or MySpace message or a DM on Twitter saying, "I used to read you back in Diaryland..." These people saw me through high school and college! It's crazy!

I didn't want to be famous.

My journal was off the public listings and search engines. Whenever I think about growing my audience now, I think about these first years a lot and what they taught me about organic marketing. More than, "look at my blog! Look at my blog! Link bait! Link bait!"

I worked on building relationships with people, commenting on their lives and
responding to their take on my life, negative and positive.

I think this is why so many people continue to follow my antics even though
I've flown their preferred platforms: we have a connection that's more than
blogger-reader.

Q: In your blog you mentioned a drinking problem…..

AV: On January 26, 2006. I decided to write about my decision to stop
drinking. I let myself not just be human and ugly, but sorry, scared and weak.

I was only one month, one week and one day sober. There are few people weaker
in this world than one who has just confessed a complete lack of self-control
in the face of a substance that most people can enjoy in their daily lives
without so much as a second thought.

People reacted violently to that entry.

"No!" They said in comments, in e-mails, in IMs.

"You're our beautiful disaster!"

"You're our wild nymphomaniac starlet!"

I can't blame them. We all love a train wreck. But I had resolved I wouldn't be it.

The decision to put my resolve out into the world changed my life forever and in a way, it finally brought the myth down. There's more learing to do, perhaps some excavating—but isn't there always? We are a work in progress.

The more of myself I let through, the more I understand and the more I grow. Analyzing life events in order to write them coherently has helped me understand much about my life and about myself, but the real growth is not so much in the writing as it is the process of writing itself: the coming out from the shadows, the myth-debunking, the dismantling of the creature, the search to know myself and to show myself.

Q: You are active on the social networks like Twitter. Why?

AV: I don't have children, but a lot of my blog deals with being married and

what it means, especially when one of you spends a dramatic amount of time
online and the other doesn't. I use social networking to connect with people
in the industries I enjoy like web 2.0 and social media marketing.

Because my blog deals a lot more with personal items than industry issues, I
have an easier time following discussions and connecting via social networks
than I would simply on my blog.

That's the magic of social networking sites. They aid you in transcending your
target demographic and in so doing, bring a lot more in terms of ideas and
self-development to the table.

Q: Do men read your blog too?

AV: You wouldn't think so, but the men do read my blog. I value their input
especially on topics dealing with my more personal issues. I'm not joking when
I say blogging has saved me thousands of dollars worth of therapy--it has! And
it's mostly because of guys pointing out thing my estrogen driven brain is
missing.

There is no real way of determining how many men are reading you. I do have
fun looking over what people searched for to find me. Someone on Twitter just
confessed they found my stream looking up "anal" on Twitter search.
Ha!

I have a confession to make. In 2005, I almost stopped blogging. I told everyone
it was because I was working and I couldn't stand going home after a day at work and sitting down at the computer again, but that was a lie. It wasn't that I didn't know where I was going with the blog, either.

The truth is, I didn't know where I was going. And I didn't want to continue watching myself wandering around, lost, verbose and insufferably bored.

As a result, I have a Word doc that's 204 pages long. Even when I wasn't blogging, I was trying to blog: in Word, on loose papers, on receipts, on napkins, in random notebooks, on the title and back pages of books.

It isn't the same. A lot of non-bloggers would nod and think they understood it. Blogging needs an audience because blogging is exhibitionist.

But it's more than exhibitionism. Blogging is a creative outlet, a process of analysis, a return to the tradition of story telling, a return to community.

An entry in a paper journal is me thinking.

A column in a newspaper is me monologuing.

A blog post is me starting a conversation with hundreds of people all around the world.

Q: Blogging is very mysterious to many business folks. What would you suggest for the work at home mom (WAHM), for example?

AV: Niche blogs are easier to market and maintain than personal blogs.

What that means is that a blog with a single topic is much easier for readers to connect with than one about your life and all the interests therein.

Niche blogs help readers build loyalty, they build your credibility as a trusted source in whatever is your chosen topic. They help sales--if you are marketing a product.

It makes sense that you would want an audience with interests that align with
yours.

That doesn't mean that if you sell handmade soap you can't talk about your life, though. Some of the best blogs combine the blogger's personal life with the products they're selling.

I think if you are considering blogging, before you even get that free hosted blog, you should get Darren Rowse's book Problogger: Secrets For Blogging Your Way To A Six-Figure Income. His website, with additional information for professional bloggers, is at problogger.net , but you should really start with the book because it lays it all out for you: what you need to know, what you need to consider, and what you should expect.

My blog is more personal than niche, but I still find Darren's information
vital to my blog's development.

Q: Advice for new bloggers?

AV: Something I've learned about blogging is that it's all about community. Get to know fellow bloggers--link them and they'll link back.

Have someone you love guest blog or interview them and their audience will come and check you out. A lot of visitors won't stick, but some will. It's like taking pictures, for every 80, you'll have one perfect shot.

All you can do is put your best out there and do it regularly. And remember, the more interactive you are, the more chance you have of really reaching the kind of people who want to be reading you.

You can be as creative as you like in how you engage your audience.

For example, I was recently part of a hot blogger calendar contest dreamed up by Jane Porricelli of MomGenerations.com, who'd been inspired by Playboy's Hot Blogger Awards and wanted to reach out to a wider selection of bloggers.

It started as a small idea but she got a mention in Gawker and MediaBistro.
Next thing she knew she'd gone from having a core group of readers to being in
the spotlight! The hot blogger contest ended up getting over 800 nominations.
It was incredible.

_______________________________________

Thank you, AV Flox for telling us
about your personal blogging journey.

Greg Cryns

http://www.workathomeprofiles.com

http://www.wahmsearchengine.com

jury duty report

Here is my story about my jury duty.

I was summoned in the mail to appear for jury duty September 3rd. It tells me to call the night before or look it up on the website to see whether or not I need to actually go to the courthouse.

The night before, the message is: check-in again tomorrow at 11:30 am.

When I called at 11:30, I learned that I must be at the jury room of the San Luis Obispo courthouse by 1 pm.

It was a cast of thousands there in the jury room. Apparently the judge feared too many from the county would be informed about the criminal case because of news reports, but that turned out to be unimportant because of the way things were handled. We checked in, and sat or stood and waited for directions. Then got some information and waited some more. Finally, we were led to a courtroom where the good judge gave us some information and began a very preliminary questioning of people who had "excuses" why they shouldn't be considered for jury duty.

Most of the excuses were "I bought plane tickets for a vacation and can't refund them." Lots of people go on vacations next week, I learned. Next, there were the mothers/fathers of children who must get them to and from school and don't have another soul who could take over this duty. There were a few students who support themselves working 2 part-time jobs without pay for jury duty and they got off as did the full-time self-employed workers who also don't get paid if they don't work. Jury Duty pays next to nothing.

The next round was to eliminate people with knowledge of the crime who might be influenced by what they heard or read or saw. At about 3 pm, the judge decided to take a break and told us to meet back in the jury room at 4:30.

About 10 minutes later, the judge called us all back to the courtroom. A bunch of folks took the judge at his word and went shopping or ? and were no where to be seen in the courthouse. So, he sent us out of the courtroom and told us to come back at 4:30 when the "shoppers" would return.

At 4:30 we dutifully marched into the courtroom and learned that we could go home for the day because he was done, but we'd need to be back at 10:30 on Thursday.

The next day.

Immediately after arriving in the courtroom, 18 people were picked to be voir dired. The initial questioning was very general and done by the judge. We had received a survey that asked a bunch of questions and each person was asked to give their name, town they lived in, who lived with them, # of kids, occupations of all who lived in their home, whether they had been a juror before. The next part asked whether they could follow the law in coming to a decision. The third part, asked a bunch of personal questions looking for particular bias: have you or a close relative been arrested? convicted of a crime? Are you or someone close to you involved in the legal field? police officer? District Attorney? Public Defender? etc. Also asked about any relationships with witnesses, etc.

They got through a few, then called lunch from noon till 1:30.

At the resumption of the questioning, they got through them all, eliminated a few for cause and a few for preference. Each side, we were told, could eliminate 10 potential jurors for any reason. I think total only 4-5 were actually tossed out.

I found the lawyers' questioning to be pathetic. There were people interviewed who expressed particular bias (a police officer, a couple of women who seemed to have a bias against alcoholics - the defendant is an alcoholic--long-time friendship with a witness), yet the attorneys, both the DA and the Defense, did not pursue any questions to expose that bias. They each simply asked the person if they could "put aside any biases you might have to come to a decision." And accepted their "yes" as adequate.

Overall, it was an interesting experience, but not very satisfying. At least half the jurors expressed a bias toward the prosecution, yet were not challenged, and so are sitting in judgment. No wonder there are so many wrongfully convicted.

Greg Cryns
http://www.workathomeprofiles.com

Interview with The Bloggess

20 Ways To Make $100 A Day Online


The Bloggess Blog (Jenny)
~Like Mother Teresa only better
http://thebloggess.com/

Jenny also writes for Good Mom/Bad Mom
http://blogs.chron.com/goodmombadmom/

Part of my work is to view blogs. It's fun and rewarding. When I found this blog I knew immediately that I wanted to interview its owner after I saw this description in Jenny's own words:

About Jenny: Jenny has a three-year-old named Hailey and a husband named Victor. She's weird and snarky...

Weird and snarky? I can relate to that. My wife and kids agree. Jenny agreed to be
email-interviewed so I sent some offbeat questions, not necessarily snarky. Here
is the interview:

Q: Why "The Bloggess"? What does it mean?

A: I just thought it made sense. Actor, actress. Mister, mistress.
Blogger, Bloggess. Frogger...Froggess? Wait, is there a "Froggess"?
Because there totally should be.


Q: Do you always wear your hair in curlers?

A: I took that picture because I was looking at myself in the mirror and
thinking how fucking depressing it was how much time I spend drying my hair
and I basically get NOTHING out of it so I thought "I should take a
picture to commemorate this hopelessness" and then I thought I'd use it
as my icon so all those years of blow-drying wouldn't be in vain. It
sounds stupid when I say it out loud but in my mind it makes total sense.


Q: You said, " I'm not afraid to embrace my phobias." Tell
us more!

A: Someone once said that there is nothing to fear but fear itself. I
think it was Carrot Top. I think Carrot Top has never seen a giant
squid.


Q: "I have a genius for choosing friends." (wrote Jenny on her
blog) We want to know more!

A: I'm this dorky girl who works on spreadsheets all day, yet I'm always
surrounded by amazing writers, actors, musicians. It shocks me sometimes
that this is my life. Basically if I meet someone I like I tell them
they can never not be my friend. Then I drug them and take incriminating
pictures of them and threaten to send them to the press if they leave.
This is how you make friends.


Q: "I'm not afraid to admit that I'm afraid of giant squid." (wrote
Jenny on her blog)

Is Captain Nemo a relative of yours?

A: I don't know who Captain Nemo is but if he was afraid of squid he's alright
in my book.


Q: Did you like the big recent "Titanic" movie? Did you cry?

A: I, um...wow. I think you need newer questions. But actually I'm
terrified of the water and I totally had a panic attack in the movie and went
out in the car and cried that scary cry when you start hyperventilating.
My husband was freaked the fuck out.


Q: On your blog, do you swear for effect?

A: What the fuck does that mean? Actually, I swear for the same reason that
people use exclamation points.

You don't *have* to use them but if they help to drive home a point I think
you totally should.


Q: Do you want to be big time famous? Is that why you blog?

A: I started blogging for two reasons....the first was to find a community of
people like me because I felt alone in my weirdness and the second was to get
better at writing. I've been working on a book for years and I thought
it would help me to find my voice and figure out what sort of writing appealed
to people. Of course, now I'm too busy blogging to write my book.
Such is life.


Q: Fave music?

A: Ella Fitzgerald, Duffy, Regina Spektor, Cake


Q: You really do know who Guy Kawasaki is, right? How do you know Guy?

(note: Guy Kawasaki is an amazing marketing dude who turned down an offer to
be the CEO of Yahoo.com when it was in early development. Of course, Guy did
not know how big Yahoo would get. You can see a video of Guy here): http://www.youtube.com/watch? v=tIFDsfhuPqU

A: I really do know Guy Kawasaki and he's awesome. I sent him a terribly
offensive letter asking if he was the guy who invented the motorcycle and
lucky for me, he has a fabulous sense of humor and we hit it off immediately.
I've met him a few times and he is always a total sweetheart. He is the
perfect example of "It's nice to be important but it's important to be nice".


Q: Isn't Houston just too damn hot? (Jenny lives in Houston)

A: It's not the heat. It's the humidity. It's like an entire pool just
boiled over and you're walking around in the pool steam. I heard it
keeps you from getting wrinkles though. I keep telling myself that and
ignoring all the people in Houston with wrinkles.


Q: What do you want to be doing in 5 years.

A: I have no damn idea. How sad.

Is Web 2.0 worth the effort?

A friend sent me an email yesterday. He is a professional photographer who has managed to establish a decent web presence through both SEO and social networking.

He knows the value of MerchantCircle.com and Yelp.com. He posts at Twitter and Facebook regularly. He's pointed out a few more places to me that I'd never heard of before.

However, he does not like social networking because "I am just not that social!" he says.

Is social networking more hype than actuality? For all the time you spend Twittering, Facebooking and MySpacing, is it really worth the effort?

Or are the few who are making headway and money and fame using Web 2.0 tactics, are they just exceptions to the rule? There are always exceptions.

I have my doubts. It's not that I don't like shooting off links to places that are interesting and fun. I do. Give me a good Top 10 list about blogging or SEO or viral marketing and I'm with ya all the way. I'll pass it along to my friends, at least the ones who are still listening to me after sending so much stuff through email and Twitter.

Obviously I have not had immense success being social either.

I did advise my friend to try Google Adwords. At least he doesn't have to socialize that way.

And maybe Adwords is more profitable when you add the time-spent factor.

I can't wait for Web 4.0. That will certainly provide Nirvana for me. ;)

Opinions?