Digital Daisy

Updated Shift Happens Video

2011-03-29T14:55:00.002-02:30

The original video went viral and has seen numerous updates - always giving the latest state of the digital universe. Here is the latest version of Shift Happens:

Eric Qualman's 2009 Social Media Revolution video also provides a good overview of the state of social media.

A Suitcase Entrepreneur

2011-02-10T22:51:00.002-03:30

I recently "met" a fellow digi-tizen on a mission to squeeze the last drop of profitability out of technology for businesses that have a passport to exist anywhere - from Starbucks to the airport to the beach... and never stops ticking over profits.

WomanzWorld is a site aimed at empowering entrepreneurs with Internet technology and in this information packed YouTube video founder Natalie Sisson gives some of the most valuable business advice in less than 2 minutes. Wow!

Exactly the tools I would have recommended, but in less than two minutes...? Watch this:

Let's recap:
Online Tools
Skype
Freshbooks
Gmail
Google Docs

Social Networks
Facebook
Twitter
Linkedin
WordPress
HootSuite

Outsourcing
ODesk

Tips for Getting Through Your Worst Days

2011-02-02T10:45:00.000-03:30

As entrepreneurs we all have them... days where we ask ourselves: "Why do I do it?" "It is so much easier to get a job." But fact is, if that were true for you, you would not have been in business for yourself. What we need, rather, is perspective to help us survive the tough times.

Here is a really neat blog post on Bnet.com - see the excerpt below - great inspiration for those bad days.

Written by Michael Hess, he asked 100 entrepreneurs how they get through their worst days and here are some of the responses he received. He classified the responses as "Inward-looking" and "Outward- looking":

"Outward-looking people tend to focus on the business itself and the big picture, in a fairly unemotional and matter-of-fact manner, and may also take advantage of outside resources and support:

“Compartmentalize… when budgets got real lean I compartmentalized the immediate pain of a tight budget and kept the long term goal in mind.” -Jeff Brodsly, Co-Owner, Elite Merchant Solutions

“Think around the problem… there is always another way to look at something, a way to tackle it that has not yet been tried.” — Pamela Barefoot, President, Blue Crab Bay

“My philosophy on managing my attitude when things are stressful focuses around four things: Mission, Vision, Values and a Realistic view of the financial situation.” — Doug Burgoyne, President, Frogbox

“I make 100 decisions a day, 99 of which I don’t want to think about. The little things cannot be ignored and take up a big portion of your time as a business owner, but keeping the big picture in focus is vital to survival” — Retha Sandler, President,Blamtastic

“Perspective allows me to know that just about any successful business does not follow the plan it starts out with… Groupon [for example] was originally a cause-based message board. Call it adjusting or pivoting, whatever. I call it ‘zagging.’” — Dave DuPont, CEO, Teamsnap

“Once a week, I review my business plan, review our top projects list, look through the marketing calendar and the financials. I believe you plan or get planned for” — Ellen Rohr, President, Bare Bones Biz

“I subscribe to the Vince Lombardi philosophy of winning in the workplace: when things are tough you must get better at what you do.” — Venanzio Ciampa, President, The Promotion Factory

“I stay in action. Action alleviates anxiety. I feel better when I am actively doing things to promote my business.” — BJ Gallagher, sociologist/author, Peacock Productions

Inward-looking people use different tools to keep themselves where they want and need to be. They may be philosophical, spiritual, physical, or psychological, but they tend to revolve around introspection, perspective, and mindfulness:

“You HAVE to know your purpose for running your company in the first place! Why does your business exist? Who do you serve? What do they need most from you, right now? 99% of business owners do not take the time for this introspection.” — Christian T Russell, Dangerous TACTICS

“I remind myself that nobody is making me do this. I chose to build a company… I can stop if I want. This always reminds me that I’d be miserable doing anything else.” — J.T. O’Donnell, President, Careerealism

“We mindfully approach unlikable or frustrating things with an attitude of kindness… most important, be kind to ourselves and our staff by remembering that the reason we are in business is to serve others.” — Mitch and Jen, The Paw House Inn

“To maintain a healthy perspective we take inventory of the great attributes of our company… Instead of cringing at challenges, we try to savor them… and reflect upon past triumphs.” — Adam Anthony, CEO, Creo Care

“Focus on what you have to work with, not what you don’t have. Positivity is everything. Meditating is also key. Anything you can do to keep your head in the game and keep your cool.” — David Collier, President, Ink Floyd Screen Printing

“Repeat to yourself that ‘worry’ is a waste of mental resources. I concentrate on what I can control.” — Kenneth Lebersfeld, CEO, Capitol Lighting

“I have a “mantra” of sorts, summed up in three words: “Okay; now what?” using [the challenging moment] as the starting point for planning what to do and how to forge ahead.” — Alan Simon, President, Thinking Helmet "

Credit: Bnet.com

Costco's Five Social Media Faux Pas

2011-01-07T16:11:00.000-03:30

Costco Connection, Costco's client magazine, often includes little business gems such as this article in their January edition about the pitfalls of social media. Here is a brief synopsis of the main 5 points...

Ignoring the Competition
Social media allows for easy tracking of your competition, so use it! Try TweetBeep or Google Alerts for an automated message each time your competitors are mentioned online.

Ignoring What Your Customers Say About You
Negative comments about your company may turn out to be the best free market research you can ever do to identify gaps in your capabilities. By responding publicly you demonstrate that you care enough to reach out and it positions your company in a positive light.

Arguing on Social Media Channels
Your business can be judged not by the fact that you responded to your customer but also by your tone and manner. Arguing in public is a losing battle. Remain professional and keep to the facts. If you are wrong, calmly admit and let your public know that you want to make it right.

Failing to Live Up to Promises
If you promise a customer on Twitter or a blog that you will take care of an issue, failing to do so will make it worse. There are an increasing number of places to monitor where customers may be discussing an issue related to your business but it is important to do so.

Wasting Time
Experiment with social media channels that your customers use. If you are not sure that a social media site is good for your business, sign up as a customer first and explore. If it is useful for your business then claim your business space on that tool. "Don't just Tweet for Twitter's sake. Focus your posts on items that matter to you and your business."

Location-Based Marketing

2011-01-06T17:41:00.000-03:30

New smart phones that allow wireless mobile connection to the Internet, while also broadcasting your GPS location (yes! the satellites always know where you are!) have made an entirely new range of services possible. Location-based marketing is an emerging form of marketing - sending you deals, offers and information that are relevant to you based on where you are (with your mobile phone in your bag of course!)

My friends at Sitepoint's Tribune Newsletter had this interesting article this week that I thought I'd share. I receive a lot of newsletters and this one is one of my favourites! (I actually learn valuable stuff):

Location-based services like Foursquare and Gowalla were all the rage last year, after starting out as a sort of game. It was only when businesses realized they could be used for marketing that the general public saw the potential. Since then, Facebook has released its own location-based service, Facebook Places.

If you (or your clients) have a physical presence (a retail establishment, restaurant, office, or other place of business where you see customers), you need to claim your listing on these services. Once you've claimed your listing, you can create promotions and incentives to bring customers back again and again. They offer a great way to build customer loyalty, and create a sense of excitement around your business.

Let's take a look at what's involved with each one:

Foursquare

Foursquare lets you create specials for free (for now), and there are several types, for:

the mayor
every X number of check-ins
when another specified condition is met

When a user checks in to your business, they can see available specials; once they've met the requirements, these will automatically unlock. Foursquare will even send you a window cling to help you promote your special.

Gowalla

Gowalla lets you purchase custom "stamps" that visitors can earn by checking in at your location. You can also create custom messages for patrons to see when they check in.

Facebook Places Deals

Facebook Places deals are still in beta, but are rolling out to more and more businesses every day. Claim your business and you'll see if you can post a promotion. If not, check back in a few weeks.

If you are one of those fortunate few, you can create several types of deals:

Individual deals—one-time deals, such as a coupon
Loyalty deals—require a number of check-ins before "unlocking"
Friend deals—unlocked when a certain number of your friends check in at the same time
Charity deals—donates a certain amount to charity with every check-in
The process for creating a deal is fairly straightforward, and I can see these really taking off once Facebook opens them up to all businesses. There are already hundreds of millions of Facebook users, so I expect this to give Foursquare a run for its money in 2011.

Promotions on All Location-based Services

Geotoko is a new web service that integrates the most popular location-based services mentioned above, letting you post your promotions once and distributing them to all three networks.

Geotoko will also help you customize your campaign with custom landing pages and Facebook tab integration. The service is still in beta (Facebook Deals isn't functional quite yet), but it looks very promising.

If you liked this content, check out Sitepoint and sign up for their Tribune newsletter too.

The Art of the Corporate Blog

2010-12-07T12:23:00.000-03:30

Corporate blogs take on many shapes and play many roles like the executive blog (to staff or public-facing); the "how to" blog; sharing news; offering promotions; building the brand or acting as the entire corporate website.

In essence a corporate blog is an opportunity to connect with a reader community or customers and strengthen their relationship with the brand - PR at the click of a mouse.

A recent article by Likeable Media called Corporate Blogs Done Right, highlights these elements as keys to blogging success:

Have multiple writers like Kodak to bring many different perspectives to your blog.
Be true to your brand through the blog design, language and style and by reaching out to readers with useful tips and information like Southwest Airlines.
Collate the helpful voices of a user community such as Wordpress does in its blog, thereby giving users a forum.
Create a community by sharing not only information about products but also about a company's values and those things it holds dear like Wholefoods.
Open the doors of your company to the world by showcasing your unique culture and employees at work like Zappos do in their "Family Blog".

Read the full article here.

When You Love Your Tims..

2010-11-24T20:24:00.001-03:30

...and your Tims loves you back!

This is the story of Tims, TA and Velma the Vanilla Dip.

When Everest climber and Tims fanatic TA Loeffler decided to take her ownership of the Tim Horton's brand to new heights, Tims was there to support. To TA a Vanilla Dip doughnut (eaten in moderation) is akin to a "religious experience". In fact, it came to her as no surprise when she noticed one day that budhist prayer flags such as the ones that provide protection to climbers on Mount Everest are indeed in the colours of the sprinkles that decorate her beloved Vanilla Dip.

Being so close to her Tims brand, made Tim Hortons an obvious choice when she was seeking sponsorship for her attempt on Everest. In her own words, the fund-raising effort for an expedition of this proportion, tops the challenge of the actual climb.

Tim Hortons, like all other big brands, is no doubt inundated with requests of this kind and their subsequent $10 gift certificate was probably quite generous, all considered.

It is not until TA's second attempt to summit Mount Everest two years later and another sponsorship request that the story started to unfold in the most interesting way.

It is important to mention that TA summited Mount Elbrus in Russia in the mean time and an important lesson was learnt here. The Vanilla Dip doughnut (Velma I) that went along as expedition mascot did not do too well at altitude and emerged a shadow of its former self.

Not keen to repeat this mascot disaster, TA approached Tims again. If monetary sponsorship was not on the cards, what about a preserved version of Velma for the 2009 attempt on Everest? This is when Tim Hortons came to the table: with a specially preserved vanilla dip doughnut that was to be collected last minutes at a Tim Hortons coffee shop en route to Nepal.

Velma the Vanilla Dip II returned well traveled, very experienced and having reached amazing new heights.

The love between TA and Tims continues - wonderful photographs of Velma's adventures have been posted to the Tim Hortons Facebook Page. This page is seen as the most successful Facebook brand story in Canada with more than 1.2 million people liking it at the time of writing. It is stories such as this one; photos such as TAs and a technology that allow us to share, that build the essence of Canada's beloved brand. It is about more than coffee - and also about a "religious experience" to some.
Follow the story of Velma, Tim's vanilla dip doughnut, and her and TAs extreme adventures on Tim's Facebook album.

Mark the Spot: Location Based Marketing

2010-11-15T19:52:00.007-03:30

The Social Web and the Destination Web
Barely getting acquainted with Web 2.0 and what it means and now there is talk of the "Social Web" - as opposed to the "Destination Web" - phrases coined to distinguish brochure-style static websites from websites with interactive "social" characteristics such as feeds, posts, comments and ratings.

Location-based Marketing
And in comes location-based marketing.... The newest in the social media family, this technology aims to get to know as much about you as it can, then get your GPS location from your mobile phone with the aim to offer you a deal that is tailored to your needs.

A block away from the nearest Starbucks, your phone sends you a message that you can have a special discount on a tall skinny cafe latte - your favourite drink. (this is only an example). This is what location-based marketing aims to do. Location-based services are growing - there are FourSquare (that let's you become the mayor of your favourite spot), Facebook Places and Facebook Deals (watch video), and Gowalla to keep your eye on.

Location-based Contesting to Create Brand Awareness
Check our this fascinating video of a recent Mini Campaign in Stockholm that used GPS locator technology for this contest game. Participants aim to obtain a virtual Mini and keep it for a week to win a real Mini Countryman:

Location-based Marketing and Your Business
If you find this mind-blowing, come and join 99% of us. However, early adopters often reaps the awards - so think about how you can apply this to your business. Ideas are no doubt starting to flow. Here's a suggestion (it is new to me too, so I will be trying it along with you):

Claim your business on the map in Facebook Places, Google Places, FourSquare and any other similar space you can find.
Set up accounts where you don't have them and check out what is happening.
Watch for examples where others are successful.
And who knows... perhaps at that point you're ready to become more than a spectator.

Which Location-Based marketing site do you like best? Did you get any useful deals? Any interesting experiences? I know a downtown Toronto shoe store peeved my new friend Ryan - refused to give a refund that was due- he posted his dismay on FourSquare... and there it sits for the world to see. Don't buy there!

A Good Friday Chuckle

2010-11-12T14:38:00.000-03:30

Thanks to Zoho's Meera Supra for this "cloudy" perspective.

Business Tips from the Dragons' Den

2010-10-21T10:28:00.006-02:30

A privilege and honour to be nominated for the Mount Pearl Chamber of Commerce's annual Best in Business Innovation Award last night, it was an equal pleasure to listen to Dianne Buckner of Dragons' Den fame share her Top 10 Tips - those characteristics that successful entrepreneurs share - straight from the Den! I paraphrase as I summarise them here. The list should be read in reverse for order of priority.

Successful entrepreneurs know how to get to YES. They seek to understand where their "target" is coming from, what would be important to him/her and how to make a pitch that will get an ultimate yes.
When pitching a solution, successful entrepreneurs remain open and flexible. By being agreeable they negotiate until a deal emerges that is good for all the parties involved.
Tough times are not necessarily bad times. Most successful people have the ability to deal with circumstances that present themselves at the moment and many success stories such as Home Depot started in times of recession. Tough times can spur great creativity.
Successful people stay abreast of trends. In this age of fast paced innovation there is no shortage of new trends. While eco-friendly economics and social media are currently hot trends, Dianne also cited the example of a company who came up with temporary phone numbers - used like a disposable phone number that could be useful for online dating etc.)
Successful entrepreneurs are brief.
A comfort level with their own weaknesses - successful entrepreneurs understand that they cannot be great at everything and they have a plan for dealing with them. They understand that there is always something to compensate for.
Contrary to popular belief, successful people proceed with caution. They go out on a limb with caution.
Hard work. No surprise here and no way of avoiding it. Successful entrepreneurs work exceptionally hard.
Success also requires not to work too hard. Successful people define success by something broader than money. Working too hard always takes a toll - health and relationships being first in line.
Persistence. Successful entrepreneurs learn and get better continuously.

Which Side Are You On?

2010-10-12T12:53:00.001-02:30

I have been reading numerous books on Business and Internet Marketing lately, and frankly, it leaves me somewhat confused.

Let's start with "Profits Aren't Everything. They're the Only Thing."

Self-proclaimed contrarian small business guru George Cloutier says:

"You must micromanage and then micromanage some more. With a small business you have to know everything that is going on at all times."

"It's OK to be a control freak".

"Fire and hire faster. Don't tolerate mediocrity."

"I want my employees to do what I say, not what they think."

You are starting to get the picture, right?

On the other end of the scale Josh Bernoff's latest book "Empowered" says the opposite:

"Your company is not and cannot be nimble enough to serve them. With our established processes and departmental boundaries, you move too slowly."

"To succeed with empowered customers, you must empower your employees to solve customer problems."

The ideas don't come from management: management's new job is to support and empower employees."

Both books were published during the past year. How can both modern business books punt two opposing points of view and both be right?

On moral grounds the principles of empowering employees and unleashing collective creativity for the greater corporate good sound like a good idea.

From my small business experience I tend to understand the authoritarian stance. Even if there are cheques in the cheque book, you cannot write them if there is no money in the bank.

So, like so often the case, is the truth not somewhere in the middle? Experience has taught me:

Train and mentor employees to deliver great service, BUT stay close to your valued client. Staff come and go and as business owner, the client remains YOUR customer.
Empower, but do not abdicate. Once a clearly defined task has been delegated, check in to gauge progress. Follow up afterwards to measure success and to give feedback, thanks or rewards. My business associate Cathy is a proponent of checklists. I am a fan of our internal project management system. The secret lies in clear instructions.
A small business has less leeway than a larger organization. Each employee in a small business sits directly on the profit line and the business can ill afford the luxury of learning from mistakes. Social media and social networks expose our businesses daily, and everyone has a direct line to almost everyone except the most untouchable deity.

While this connected world offers vast business potential that HAS to be harnessed within a clear policy, agreed use and measurable outcomes, social media is an emerging technology that requires time to mature. A small business does not have the flexibility of allocating staff to research trial and error in a new media world. Hire an expert and pay for results.

Although I do not particularly subscribe to the authoritarian language in Cloutier's book, he is very clear in what he believes. Simply put, if we are not in business to generate profit, our energies are best utilized in a different environment than the world of hard commerce.

On the other hand, although I do not believe that Bernhoff's book was born from the school of hard business knocks, we have to acknowledge that this millennium is giving birth to a generation of Internet-connected employees and customers who are changing the world - one click at a time. Ignoring this emerging force is business suicide.

What do you think? Share your comments here and let's continue the discussion...

Why Are Loyal Customers Leaving?

2010-10-11T22:10:00.000-02:30

You hired the smartest people. You offer the best product. Your prices are competitive. Why are your customers leaving?

People Do Business With The Nice Guys
In "Fierce Leadership" author Susan Scott makes the point that when you land yourself in a competitive situation with all the above being true, customers choose the "nice guys". People want to do business with people that they have a connection with. People that they can talk to and people who listen. People who make them feel good about what they buy. And that is just too bad for the smart guys.

Experience Economy
Joseph Pine ("The Experience Economy") wrote that today's economy is an "experience economy", indicating that customers are seeking more than a good product or good service. Using the product or service has to be an enjoyable experience which begins with the very first encounter a customer has with your business.

Deepen the Experience with Web 2.0
In a global economy that first experience often starts on the Internet and relationships are deepened through the tools of web 2.0 - social networks, comments, reviews, ratings and sharing. The customer experience is created not only through your messages but also through what others say about you. The media relations and advertising departments no longer control your brand. Your customers and staff do and they are a part of your brand conversations.

Engagement - The Glue In Your Brand
In the latest of the well-known "Did You Know" videos (also known as Shift Happens) Eric Qualmann's version says: "What happens in Vegas, stays in... Facebook, Bebo, MySpace..." Keeping loyal customers will require rallying the troops - and those troops are staff and past clients. Engagement and meaningful deep conversation create loyalty which becomes the glue in your brand.

Employees who feel engaged and who are a part of meaningful conversation at work, become empowered brand ambassadors. Engaged employees contribute to the customer experience (some airlines get this right - see Southwest Airlines and WestJet or just think about the Fish vendors at Pike's market in Seattle).

Also rally current customers - they are guaranteed to talk about a great experience. Help them along by providing the forum on your website, your social network page, or your blog.

Where to Start?
It starts with buy-in at the top. As the leader of an organization the buck starts and stops with you - setting the example, creating the tone. Scott tells the story where a top notch consulting firm with the smartest employees and managers who are referred to as "partners" could not sew up a billion dollar contract - only to discover that the competition won the contract because they were the "nice guys".

If customers are walking away, competitors stealing your staff, or getting the job done is like pulling teeth - check the level of engagement with your staff and your customers.

Facebook Places

2010-09-10T16:07:00.002-02:30

Facebook is entering the world of location-based marketing, similar to Gowalla, FourSquare, and Yelp, with Facebook Places. Facebook Places was recently launched in the US and is being deployed world wide.

Location Based Marketing, including services such as Four Square and Facebook Places is a fairly new addition to the Internet Marketing toolkit and has enormous potential for businesses, in particular businesses such as restaurants, coffee shops, bars and other "social" businesses where the general public gather.

A service like FourSquare is a fun web and mobile application that allows registered users to connect with friends and update their location. Points are awarded for "checking in" at venues.

Facebook Places, similarly, will allow users to let others know where they are. This video that was published on the Social Media Examiner page explains what Facebook Places is all about.

Get Organized this Fall

2010-09-08T00:43:00.000-02:30

As we leave summer behind, we get into work and school mode with being organized on of the top items on the list. Here are a few tips to make it easier...

Get it out of your head and onto paper.
Many competing ideas in your head will drive you crazy. Paper is tangible, so get it out of your head and onto paper. From there you can underline, colour code, connect certain items, stick it on the wall or share.

Set up space in the clouds to store information.
Upload documents to space on the Internet where they are accessible and secure such as Microsoft's Skydrive, Apple’s Mobileme iDisk, Dropbox. Store your client contact information online in Google Contacts (need a Gmail account or in Apple's Mobileme.)

Flag your to-do items for follow up.
Often emails contain a reminder to do something or to follow up on something. In Microsoft Outlook, use the Flag feature to flag those emails for follow up or in Google Mail, use the Star feature.

Online collaboration saves time.
Use Google Docs to take minutes in meetings. Save, format and share with others. It saves paper and time. Zoho is a service that rivals what Google has to offer and Zoho Docs is worth looking into.

Search, not File.
As a time saver, use a mail program that lets you search for information in stead of organizing information into folders. Google Apps is a must for your small to medium sized business.

Keep track with an online calendar.
Google Calendar lets you store multiple calendars in one, it syncs with other calendars (Microsoft Outlook, iCal, iPhone) and it can send you a reminder by SMS or email. Your Google Calendar can also easily be shared with others. And above all, you can access it from wherever you are.

Get an iReader.
Carry multiple books with you, save paper, add notes and bookmarks electronically and see what other readers highlighted in a book. My favourite is the Kindle app on my iPad. iBooks on the iPad is equally as nice. The Kindle app will also let you read books on your PC or Mac.

So you have any time saving organizing tips to share? Let us know.

13 Things to Do at the End of the Tourism Season

2010-09-07T21:36:00.001-02:30

For Tourism Operators:

Labour Day Weekend in North America signals the end of summer for many and with it, the end of family vacations, visits and travel. June, July and August is peak tourism season in the northern hemisphere and tourism operators work like bees to create a good time, comfort, memories and great experiences.

With the end of this busy season in sight, the list of work continues as things are getting wrapped up. Here are a few marketing ideas to consider:

Manage Contact Information

Organize your list of names and addresses of guests and customers that you collected during this past season.

Segment your contact lists (couples, families, boomers... whatever is suitable for your business).

Capture the contact information in a contact management system (Google Contacts, Batchbook, Zoho CRM, Microsoft Outlook Address Book or an Excel Spreadsheet) or in an email program (Constant Contact, MailChimp or StreamSend)

Follow Up

Send a follow-up e-newsletter with photos from the summer and a bit of news to encourage happy memories to linger a bit longer. If it makes sense in your business, create different version of your e-newsletter for different segments of your list, i.e. outdoor enthusiasts; theatre-lovers; families, honeymooners etc.

Send a sincere thank-you note or card - make sure your business gets a fond spot in the email box, on the fridge, album or notice board.

Continue the Relationship on Social Media

Invite guests to become a part of your social community on Facebook, Twitter, Flickr or YouTube. Continue conversations with your guests on these social channels.

Search for photos, tweets, blogs or videos that were posted by guests or visitors to your region, establishment or town and comment, link, "friend" or "like" the content.

Add a Facebook "like" button to your website as well as social media buttons to your social channels.

Freshen up your Website

Update your website with photographs and images for the new season to encourage a few more weeks of travel during the shoulder season.

Post photos to your website and invite your guests to provide their favourite pictures for your site.

Create Packages

Plan travel packages with other tourism operators in your area or a location along the route for the new season.

Testimonials

Update testimonials on your site and invite your list to submit testimonials to sites like Canada Select and Tripadvisor.

Learn and Network

Plan for your own professional development and register to attend one of our workshops! You may learn a few new things but also network with like-minded people.

Where do I start with my website?

2010-05-18T23:05:00.009-02:30

"Where to start planning a new website?" is a question I am asked quite often. This is a broad question and many resources already exist that help getting to the right answers.

Here is a link to a comprehensive blog post on the topic "Preparing to work with a designer: What to bring to the plate when you are planning your website?" It is well worth the read.

Or perhaps you prefer to get advice from a Rapper - see this SEO Rapper tell the story of web development.

Digital Daisy's blog also has a few articles that answers this same question:

Planning

Like all planned journeys, the web development process starts with a destination in mind. There are two questions that are important before embarking on the web development journey:

1. Why the heck am I doing this?

2. What do I want from my site?

Elements

A website has 4 basic elements that require planning:

Design
Content
Navigation and
Functionality

Developing content will most likely be your responsibility and the earlier in the process you get this done, the easier it will be on the rest of the process. A small business owner knows best who he/she is talking to, and what to say.

Navigation

Planning a site's navigation is like planning a journey with its main route, detours and excursions. Think of how content in the site has to connect to each other. Two sites I like for planning, are GoMockingbird (great for mocking up a page that shows where all the elements of the page should be) and Slickplan (for creating flow charts). Microsoft Excel is useful for this as well.

Functionality

The functionality you'd like your site to have depends on the site's purpose and could be an events calendar, a form, a photo gallery, social media widgets, a shopping cart or more. One piece of functionality that is almost a given nowadays is having a content management system (CMS) for your site. This allows you as the owner to add, delete and edit pages on your site in a user-friendly way.

Popular CMS's are Django, Drupal, Joomla and WordPress. Even Blogger which was originally a blogging site, now allows for easy addition of pages to the blog page. In the list of questions to ask a Web Developer - ask to have a CMS and ask to see an example of how it works.

Other benefits of a CMS: CMS's like the above are used by many developers across the globe who collaborate to write functionality for sites (also called plug-ins). These are often available for download by other developers (free). This means that you are able to "plug in" new functionality into your site as you need it at low or now cost very quickly, like a registration form or a calendar.

Content

The most important point about content is that is should be written for the user and from the user's perspective. What is your reader looking for?

Other web writing tips are on this blog post 11 Tips for Techknowledgeable Writing.

The Hidden Bits

Ensure that you get the domain name of your choice, that it is registered in the name of your company, using an email address/es that will always reach you.
Make note of your registrar, its web address and passwords to your domain registration account.
Make sure upfront that the web host you select can host the files your developer will create.
Make a note of your web host's web url and password to your account.
Meta content (page titles, tags, key words, alt-tags) are not always visible on first glance at the site. Make sure that they are there, that they are unique for each page and that they are search engine optimized.
Plan for links: Link the content of your pages together. Hyperlinks is another form of site navigation and search engines like it. Also plan for other sites you want to link to or want to request a link from - good for users, good for search engines!
Add analytics to your site - Google Analytics is a popular choice and ask your web developer to set it up on your site and to show you how to use it.
Plan for Social Media - which of your social media would you like to integrate on your site and where? Widgets are available from most social media sites (Linkedin, Facebook, Flickr, Twitter and more). This can help to keep your site fresh and interesting. Also plan for sharing options to add to the page such as RSS feeds, Email This, Tweet This, Like, comments and ratings options. One quick way to add this is by adding something like AddThis.

What are Canadians Doing Online?

2010-05-12T23:57:00.006-02:30

Stats Canada published the following information on May 10 2010 with regard to how Canadians use the Internet at home.

Interesting that a popular use, Travel Planning, remained at the same level as two years prior, while the use for health & medical research; watching TV & Video online increased significantly as did contributing to social media activities (blogs etc.). Internet telephony increased - a trend worth watching.

The largest relative increase (2007 - 2009) in Internet usage was in Newfoundland and Labrador and New Brunswick respectively (both up by 15%).

**Online activities of home Internet users**
	2007	2009
	%
E-mail	92	93
General browsing for fun or leisure	76	78
Obtain weather or road conditions	70	75
Research other matters (family history, parenting)	70	73
Search for medical or health related information	59	70
View news or sports	64	68
Electronic banking or bill payment	63	67
Travel information or making travel arrangements	66	66
Window shopping	60	65
Search for information about governments	51	57
Education, training or school work	50	50
Research community events	44	50
Order personal goods or services	45	50
Obtain or save music (free or paid downloads)	45	47
Use an instant messenger	50	45
Play games	39	42
Obtain or save software (free or paid downloads)	33	35
Job search	32	35
Listen to the radio over the Internet	28	32
Download or watch TV or a movie over the Internet	20	31
Research investments	25	27
Communicate with governments	26	27
Contribute content (blogs, photos, discussion groups)	20	27
Make telephone calls	9	14
Sell goods or services (auction sites)	9	13

Haul Videos more Powerful than Like buttons?

2010-05-08T13:06:00.010-02:30

ABC News recently reported on a new trend on YouTube called Haul Videos. Teenage girls, predominantly, use one of their favourite things, their web cam, to video blog (vlog) about one of their other favourite things: shopping.

Girls show off their purchases online, become YouTube stars and even attract sponsorship. The power of these "consumer reviews" by a group with tremendous retail purchasing power and influence is undeniable.

ABC News reported there to be about 110,000 haul videos currently on YouTube. Originally displaying predominantly cosmetic purchases, this has expanded to include anything from bags to shoes to clothing for their favourite pet - commenting on the quality or the purchase as they vlog along.

Even more powerful than peer reviews and like buttons, it is anticipated that marketers will be hot on the trail of this technique, canvassing user-promoters that are happy to promote their products - a second-cousin technique to mystery shopping.

8 Tips: Listening as a Marketing Strategy

2010-05-05T11:18:00.000-02:30

What a scramble to get on the social media bus - we tweet, update statuses, blog, comment and create. However, it is generally accepted that listening is the most effective social media marketing strategy. Here are some ideas for keeping your ear to the ground...

1. Eavesdropping on Twitter - Twitter Search

Twitter Search is ideal for finding out what is being said. No Twitter account is needed - just enter the search term in the search window on twitter.com to find out what others are saying about your topic.

2. Follow #Hash Tags & Monitor Search Terms

The so-called “hash-tag” that prefaces certain terms clusters conversations that include this tag on Twitter as belonging together. At conferences hash-tagged phrases often spring up spontaneously (such as #TedX) to cluster anything being said about this event.

A recent fun example was #doyletweets and #doylequotes, used to tweet about the Republic of Doyle. Doyle fans would tweet comments out about the episode while watching - a search of #doyletweets lets you in on the conversation.

Find a community that talks about topics you are interested in. Twitter Search will point you in the right direction. If you use a tool such as TweetDeck, set up columns for your favourite search terms or hash tags. One of mine is the town of Twillingate - every time there is a Tweet about "Twillingate", it is picked up in my "Search: Twillingate" column. This morning I was saved a speeding fine by a kind tweeter alerting me to a speed trap along the way #Twillingate. Catch negative comments about your business quickly and respond, or pick up on a business opportunity and follow the lead.

3. Follow Industry Leaders

Another technique for listening in on my favourite topics, is to search for authors of my favourite business books on Twitter. A few of my favourite Tweeps are authors @shelisrael (Twitterville), @tompeters (Thriving on Chaos), @anthonyrobbins (Unlimited Power) and @charleneli (Groundswell). Add a comment to share yours...

4. Plug into the Local Community

In our local tourism industry you may want to eavesdrop on what @nltweets (Dpt. of Tourism), @centralNL (Central Destination Marketing Organization) or @DestinationSJ (Destination St. John’s) are saying. Visit their pages (twitter.com/nltweets etc.) if you do not have a Twitter account, or follow them once you are logged in.

Follow @ryansnoddon to get the local weather report even before the weather office does! Each community has its tweet elite.

5. Follow the buzz on Facebook, YouTube or Linkedin

You have a Facebook page for your business? Great! So, what is more important… what you are saying or what “they” are posting? Comments and contributions from others become gold in your research. Why spend millions on research if you could merely eavesdrop on the conversation in your community. Here are some ways to engage your audience...

Have you ever searched for topics of interest on Facebook or Linkedin? Pages and groups reveal much through the conversation that is happening. Outsider comments on your own blog posts or photos are equally useful. While creating content is a good start, engagement and conversation are invaluable. It takes good fuel to start a fire - ask open-ended questions or throw out a provocative statement.

6. Get Google Alerts

Heard of Google Alerts? Let Google do the listening for you... Google Alerts are email updates of the latest relevant Google results (web, news, etc.) based on your choice of query or topic. It is as simple as going to Google Alerts once you have logged into your Gmail account and entering the words or phrases you wish to monitor. A regular report will be delivered into your email account. Want to be alerted when something is said about your business or product? Set up an alert - Google sends be a daily email about where the phrase Digital Daisy is used on the Internet.

7. Keep Your Eye on Your Web Stats

A place with much hidden treasure is often overlooked. If a web site has stats such as Google Analytics, you can most likely see from those stats, which words were typed into search engines to bring them to your site. This provides an indication of what potential customers are looking for.

8. Listening to the gurus

Even though I facilitate online marketing workshops and develop strategies for clients, I never fail to learn something new when attending someone else’s workshops. Listening to others in your field of business – a workshop, a conference, a mastermind group or simply a phone call can provide great market research. "Two ears, one yapper" someone recently tweeted... for good reason.

7 Essential Social Media Instincts for Small Businesses

2010-05-05T10:24:00.011-02:30

Small business owners see both the opportunity in social media and at the same time grapple with a successful strategy for using it. I found this useful article by Rohit Bhargava that captures solutions well.

Rohit says "being good with social media has very little to do with your technical ability." (big relief eh!) Essentially he makes these points - please read his full post for the entire picture...

Be conversational
Listen and respond
Proactively comment and share
Use questions in stead of statements
Find groups and participate with those who share your passion
Complement social media by meeting people - there is no substitute for knowing people in person
Invoke good karma by genuinely helping, supporting and sharing with others

To this I would add: Find your topic and style and stick to it. This is a way to create followers that are loyal because they know what to expect from you - just like a good friend would.

I recommend Rohit's Influential Marketing blog for information about online marketing that is actually useful to business owners.

Bookmark this: Social Media Workshop June 1

2010-05-03T01:41:00.008-02:30

It is exciting to announce our first mini conference on Social Media. Sarah Stoodley agreed to do a presentation on Twitter - sharing strategies learned as the official Tweeter for Memorial University (@memorialu).
Sarah is such a vivacious presenter and has a host of real life examples that she draws from.

John Feltham will present a few of the exciting case studies that he has worked on. John played a significant role in creating an initial Social Media plan for Newfoundland and Labrador Tourism, did it again last year for Targa Newfoundland and more recently for Ruckus on the Edge - the week long music fest that accompanied the 2010 Juno Awards.

I am pleased to be co-presenting with these two leading edge social media marketers and will draw on my experience in business to make sure the content is focused on entrepreneurs who want to grow their businesses.

Check out more information about the One-day Social Media Intensive and register online to ensure you get your seat. We are keeping the groups small so that there are lots of opportunities to share information.

And I'll be amiss not to mention the lovely venue - Myx Meeting Centre - and chef Denise's amazing cooking! (Yes, breakfast, lunch and refreshments!)

Juno Awards' Melanie Berry's Top 10 for 2010

2010-04-01T22:31:00.005-02:30

In a recent presentation to the members of NLOWE at a breakfast session, CARAS CEO Melanie Berry shared her top ten entrepreneurial priorities for 2010 while in St. John's for final arrangements for the 2010 Juno Music Awards.

Expressing the value of mentorship in her career, Ms. Berry cited these as her important entrepreneurship and life lessons:

Always treat others as you would like to be treated.
Do what is RIGHT, not what is EASIEST.
Pick your battles - don't waste time with unimportant issues
Think about the big picture and do not be distracted by the little issues
Value your friends
It is what it is - realize what you can change and what you cannot
Take time to learn from your mistakes
Celebrate successes
Always admit when you're wrong
Love what you do - you have to love your job.

Melanie also emphasized the importance of having a strong support system you can rely on - and cited her parents as playing this important role in her success. This video that was taken at the event, lets you share in her positivity and enthusiasm for what she does.

11 Hot Tips for Techknowledgeable Writing

2010-03-24T18:18:00.006-02:30

Well... they were hot when I wrote them originally 4 years ago. But I think it is still valid for creators of website content - layout and presentation can make or break the deal...

1. Put yourself in the reader's position
What is the most important thing on your website or in our email, newsletter or blog for users? (Use your web statistics to form and opinion on this.) In each and every article, try to pinpoint what users will find to be most interesting or useful, and focus on this.

2. Use the right trigger words (key word)
When users come to your website, they have a mental picture of what they seek, often a so-called "trigger word". If they come from a search engine, is is the word that they used in their search query.

If a user is searching for "glasses" , he (read "she" if you prefer) will not automatically click on the word "visual aids". It is for this reason that it is counter-productive to use the jargon in articles or navigation bars.

Jargon fails because the user is looking for his trigger word, and does not find it. Therefore; fine out which words your users like to use and to describe their search. Use these words and not your own internal jargon!

3. Write meaningful headlines
In order for a reader to get interested in an article, web page, long email, blog or newsletter, he has to know what the article or page is about. After that, the reader will determine whether it is relevant and interesting and whether it answers his current question.

Therefore: A good headline uses relevant trigger words (see above) and is descriptive - telling what the article is about. If you have a web page about offshore oil exploration off the coast of Newfoundland, "Newfoundland offshore oil exploration" would be a good title, and "Newfoundland economy" would not.

Remember that headlines can end up being the entire story (when the article is placed lower on the screen, or when another site quotes your content). Then the headline will have to stand alone - with neither picture or sub-header to support it - and still be able to convey the news.

4. Write the article as a teaser
A "teaser" consisting of a headline, sub-headline and picture, should be able to inform the user of an event to such a degree that a user that is in a hurry (or who is only reading superficially) does not need to read the whole story. Those who are interested in reading more about the topic can click in on the entire story, while those who aren't, will still get the basic information.

5. Use the most appropriate presentation method
Information can be presented in many different ways. By analyzing and organizing your content you will be in a good position to select the best presentation method. Choose from:

bullet and numbered lists,
tables,
graphs,
flowcharts and
diagrams.

6. Help readers down the page
Let the reader get a quick grasp of the article by simply glancing at the page. Techniques to help readers down the page, are:

SUB-HEADERS
Bullet Points
Hyperlinks
Bold words (preferably trigger words)

Remember that these elements must give a complete description of the article when the reader simply looks down the page (seeing only the headlines, links, points and bold or underlined words). Pay attention to the fact that you can spin or twist a whole article by choosing to make one word bold, so be careful.

7. Create space on the screen
Few things kill a reader's desire to read, like a massive and visually impenetrable block of letters. Only the most motivated readers will dare to read such an article (basically fewer than 5 per cent - check your website statistics if you do not believe me!

Therefore: Create space! Break text up into paragraphs, sub-titles, pictures, lists and bold words so that the page doesn't appear like a fortress.

8. A picture is worth more than a 1000 words...
Text is not the best medium to convey all types of information. So, consider whether your information can be conveyed better via pictures, numbers, models, diagrams etc.

9. Say it as simply as possible
Write simply and directly. To achieve this, think "How would I explain this to a grade 4 student?" or "What would I have said if this were a classified advertisement?"

The intention is not to underestimate the reader, but to write in an inclusive way. If you need to write an extensive and complex article (a research report, a medical analysis etc.) consider breaking it into smaller parts (see Tip 7).

10. Layer it
If you must convey a demanding text, consider doing it over two different pages: Make one simple article, which explains where the content can be obtained, or which presents the main points of the larger article.

Set up a link to the entire report/text/evaluation for those who are particularly interested in it, from where it can also be printed.

11. Watch out for typing errors!
It is hard to catch your own mistakes, so set up routines whereby a colleague double-checks your work, if possible. Spell-check your own work. Remember that a misspelled word not only looks unprofessional, but can also confuse a search engine. A user looking for "Canada" on your web site will not get a hit for an article that mentions "Caanada".

What Twitter Can Do For You

2010-03-10T10:25:00.006-03:30

There is often Much A-twitter About Nothing, as Shakespeare no doubt would have said today. But hard to dispute is that Twitter is being used to deliver results, and here are some suggestions how...

A business acquaintance of mine manages a hotel in a scenic travel destination that is somewhat off the beaten track. Every morning he searches Twitter, using a few key words that include the name of his region, his town, the nearest airport and ferry terminal. By responding to the tweets of travelers looking for travel information ("Heading to Gros Morne - any travel tips?") or a place to stay he builds goodwill, is a great tourism ambassador for his region and attracts business. How long does it take? Not more than an hour every morning during his peak tourism season, he says.

This blog post on Dosh Dosh has another 17 ways to use Twitter:

1. Personal Branding

2. Getting Feedback

3. Hire People

4. Direct Traffic to Websites

5. Read News

6. Make New Friends

7. Network for Benefits

8. Use it as a To Do List

9. Business Management

10. Notify Your Customers

11. Take Notes

12. Event Updates

13. Find Prospects

14. Provide Live Coverage

15. Time Management and Analysis

16. Set Up Meetings

17. Acquire Votes

18. This one is not included on their list but works for me:)! Shorten the time in the doctor's waiting room

For more information and ideas, head over the the Dosh Dosh blog. Would love to hear if you have any other ideas.

Managing the Conversation in Social Media

2010-03-09T10:59:00.005-03:30

Here is an interesting high level discussion about the conversation in social media - how businesses can use them, what can be gleaned from being a part of the conversation and how social media conversation is becoming the way consumers are expected to be treated. Marketers have always dreamed of engagement with their brand and suddenly social media has dropped the opportunity in our laps. The challenge is to use it effectively. Check Ralph Wilson's video out:

More Tehnology Perspectives

2010-02-21T11:11:00.006-03:30

I read Rohit Bhargava's blog post this week with his perspective on the iPad - I thought he captured the main points quite well. Interested in internet marketing perspectives, leading edge thought and such... check out Rohit's Influential Marketing Blog.

Earlier the week I attended the local release of Deloitte's TMT (Technology, Media $ Telecommunications) 2010 Predictions - see the full document on their website - and while it confirmed a few trends it also shed light on a few others. (Important to note that Deloitte also admits to have slightly missed the mark in previous years!). So following from the Ipad posts - Deloitte predicts that eReaders like the Kindle and the iPad will claim its niche and revolutionize publication, adapting its distribution channels to micropayments like the 99c songs on iTunes.

Confirmed:

Advertising continues to social and mobile at the cost of traditional channels.

"Online only makes up about 10% of global ad sales at $80 billion. That said, online sales will continue to steal share from traditional media in 2010 and disrupt the ad market, causing prices to fall. Although this shift will likely impact traditional media across the country, the good news is that it will become less expensive for Canadian companies to place ads in both traditional and online media."

Cloud computing continues to grow with computers getting "thinner" and the grunt work and storage happening on the Internet.
Growth in mobile and Internet use continues to challenge the ability to move the growing volume of data, creating opportunities for solution providers that can help to decongest mobile networks.

What I found interesting:

Users will start to determine which technologies make them most productive, providing headaches to procurement and support departments - however, this inevitable trend will not be stalled.

For other trends like Clean Technology, decreasing mobile costs with lower reliability and more, check out the pdf.

I took another look at my own list of tech predictions for 2010 and ... sigh... there is a lot we agree on.

iPad - Creating Space on My Bookshelf

2010-01-28T10:11:00.006-03:30

Steve Jobs unveiled the next Apple super child yesterday and questions that prevail range from "is this an oversized iPhone?" or "is it the next-bigger-thing?"

Now that we have become used to the iPhone wunderkind, the iPad does not wow to the same extent. However, like the iPod took over the music market, the iPad is certainly the key that unlocks the reign in the world of publishing. String in a visit to the iTunes store, the Apple App store and the iBook store and what more do you need for your week at the cottage? Books, music and games all in a neat lightweight device in the handbag or satchel. Of course, for family entertainment it quickly turns into a movie screen. This Apple sounds like a pretty green thing to me.

The call for App developers for the iPad is out - and we all know the device is only as good as the things we can do with it. So the gold rush is on once again for app supremacy.

If I were spending an hour on the train and bus to work every morning and night this is certainly a way site better than elbowing your neighbour with the daily paper and getting black fingerprints over everything. I like it and I like the price point but for now, my iPhone is still keeping me fascinated.

2009 in Social Media In Cartoons

2010-01-03T12:41:00.006-03:30

Rob Cottingham's very funny take on what happened in the world of Social Media in 2009:

The clock is ticking on goal-setting for 2010

2009-12-31T10:08:00.007-03:30

There are many reasons why setting goals this time of year is a good idea. Frankly, I cannot think of any that makes it a bad idea - so what the heck! Time to get going before the clock strikes 12... I found this blog post, How to Get Everything You Promised Done that is full of good ideas for doing exactly this so there is no reason for reinventing the mouse. It talks about kick starting your Internet Marketing for 2010 by:

Conquering the Initial Fear
Creating Bite-Sized Projects
Creating Milestones with Dates
Telling People Your Plans
Cultivating the Habit
Starting Today

Day Zero is an online project that encourages setting a list of 101 goals to be achieved in 1001 days and once set and published, steps 1 - 4 above are already done. All that is left, is to get working on those goals. Since making my list this week, I can proudly mark off two goals already because they were truly bite-sized goals. Digital Daisy signs out of 2009 with a final wish to its readers for a goal-driven, focused 2010 filled with success as you defined it.

Thanks TA for lending me your photograph from Mount Elbrus.

7 Digital Trends for 2010

2009-12-21T08:56:00.007-03:30

Web based change has accelerated its impact on business as this decade draws to a close and we can expect to see an even bigger impact on the web as a productivity tool in the 2010.

1. Cloud computing will continue to grow. For a long time organizations have been locked into expensive operations software and costly updates. More and more companies are abandoning this in favour of tools like Google Apps to take care of email, file storage and document processing (replacing much of Microsoft Office's market share). Smaller entrepreneurial companies accomplish as much and more through these web-based applications and storage as larger organizations who are using expensive servers, load software on each work station and depend on network support. These practices are fast becoming antiquated and cumbersome and we can expect to see more cloud-based services such as Google Apps.

2. Managing social media overload. Social media has been widely adopted as a low-cost business communications and relationship-building tool. The pace at which new services become available is becoming challenging - keeping up with content generation as well as finding good sources of information. Just keeping up with Facebook, Twitter and Linkedin has become challenging. While businesses are scrambling to figure this out, users are drawn to the best, most reliable sources - especially those that can be filtered fast and effectively.

3. Web development on the fly. During this past decade we have seen a move away from hard coded websites that were under control of web masters and programmers, to sites with content management systems. Blog services such as Wordpress are blurring the lines between websites and blogs, allowing businesses to develop a custom design, hosted site at the push of a few buttons. Wildapricot.com is only one example of a low cost solution for developing a robust website for member-based organizations - at the push of a few buttons and a low monthly fee an organization will be communicating, doing event registration and have members blog on forums.

4. App marketing. Most proactive businesses have already grabbed the opportunity to develop an app for mobile phones to hook customers into its business through use of a mobile phone. Amazon.com has its app for Amazon Kindle, for example. Download the app to an iPhone for free and purchase and download a book from Amazon's store onto the iPhone all in a matter of seconds. And reading a book on an iPhone screen is not all that hard to do! This is only one example - the world opens up when you browse the Blackberry and Apple iPhone App Stores. Users will continue to use these mobile apps to increase productivity and marketers will use this for product distribution.

5. Green momentum. Environmental consciousness is gaining global momentum and legislation will undoubtedly require smaller carbon footprints - working remotely to cut down on travel, communicating digitally to save in paper and inks, distributing electronically to minimize transport and using alternative sources of electricity - perhaps solar panels on every electronic device and increased use of wireless electricity?

6. Crowdsourcing. An aging population, a new generation that works remotely and the changing work places all lead to a very different way of sourcing talent and labour. Crowdsourcing sites such as elance.com and crowdspring.com have become market places for finding low cost suppliers for knowledge-based work - writing, design, programming. This trend will continue to grow.

7. Project management as opposed to People management. With the decentralization of the workplace and supply chains, effective project management will be key to getting things done on time, within budget and according to specification. Project managers will have to be more resourceful in contracting the best solutions and project management skills will be in increasing demand.

I have no crystal ball and this is subjective trend spotting. History has shown us though, that the 2001 burst of the dot-com bubble delivered unsurpassed innovation this past decade with Web 2.0 and social media. It takes no crystal ball to predict that the current economic recession will be fertile ground for another round of profound innovation.

Digital Decade in a Nutshell

2009-12-10T20:45:00.034-03:30

This year, 2009 and an entire digital decade is drawing to a close. It has been ten years of accelerated digital evolution - let's look back:

2000

The millennium turned with the tremours of the dot-com bubble and a search engine called Google emerging.

Soon thereafter Napster rocked the world with its music sharing and, while it got rapped over the knuckles and shut down, it paved the way for Internet technology that turned the music industry on its head. Enter left stage: iTunes.

E-commercialization

The commercialization of the web continued during this decade - who remembers that the culture of the web in the 90s was still collaborative and largely non-commercial? This past decade buying and spending online have made us fearless with booking our travel on the web. Boarding passes are now emailed to smart phones - no more paper.

Wireless Devices

Speaking of which - 2001 introduced the Blackberry, the first really small handheld device that received email. Adding wireless modems to most computing devices meant that desktop computers and laptops largely gave way to netbooks in Starbucks or anywhere a signal can be accessed. Today, the receiving device can be anything from an iPod, a smart phone, a TV game console or an ultra light notebook. I thought I was really futuristic when I predicted that any device that can have a screen, such as a fridge, will ultimately access the Internet - only to be told it already existed.

Apple iPod

Today, with the iPhone an almost indispensable item, it is hard to imagine that the device that would revolutionize our digital consumption, the iPod digital music player, entered our worlds only in 2001. The introduction of multi-touch screen browsing perfected the experience to the all encompassing digital partner that the iPhone would become.

Netbooks and Cloud Computing

2005 started a new mission: One Child One Laptop. This initiative launched research into affordable technologies that in 2008 manifested it in smaller and smaller portable computers - netbooks. Of course offering less storage space, these netbooks encourage an increased movement to storing information "in the clouds" - a term used for remote storage of files that is who-knows-or-cares-where. What to do with my floppy disks and zip disks, when I can no longer find a disk drive to access them?

Search and Wikis

Search Engine algorithms changed the consumption of information - writing became all about keywords and phrases. The vast impact of search on our society is a topic for a blog post all on its own but let's suffice to say it introduced a whole new economic model - freeconomy. Online services became free to the consumer because search engine advertisers picked up the tab.

Microsoft recently announced the termination of its encyclopedia software, Encarta. This is just one more sign of change - wikis and search engines provide the information we look for, resulting in the death of the encyclopedia.

In 2007 Google officially took over from Microsoft as the world's most powerful brand. It continues its quest to deliver amazing tools online for free in exchange for advertiser dollars. Google's Adsense led the way with paid online search advertising, followed by competitors Yahoo and Microsoft's Bing.

Voice over the Internet - VOIP

VOIP or Voice-Over-IP was made available to the masses with the launch of Skype in 2003, changing how we use the telephone. People now had access to a free way of making online phone calls - via the Internet.

Social Media and Web 2.0: From Consumer to Co-Creator

When the decade reached its halfway mark, things started speeding up with a wave of innovation, broadly referred to as web 2.0.

The latter part of the 2000s accelerated a movement of sharing and exposing our lives online. Facebook and MySpace became the poster kids for social media and networking online. 2006 brought another milestone with the launch of YouTube, making online video accessible to the masses.

In 2000 web content was at the mercy of the webmaster. From 2007 onwards the user-experience increasingly became an experience of co-creating rather than merely consuming - starting with blogs, online photo albums, interactive maps, content management systems and social network sites. The new abbreviation was UGC - user-generated content.

The News

This decade in review would not be complete without a look at how the delivery of news has been impacted. The unexpected unsuccessful 2001 marriage of AOL and Time Warner hinted at what was to come... Radio and TV moving online and traditional news producers such as BBC and CNN integrating the web in their news delivery. The jury is still out on how to make this pay. The demise of the printed news made space for media rich interactive online conversation.

2009

The first generation born with a computer in their homes, starts entering the work force. Social media has become a lifestyle: creating content, sharing and creating mashups from content published by others and having online conversations.

Our vocabulary has been enriched with verbs such as googling, friending, tagging, trending, tweeting, flirtexting and facebooking.

Mobile marketing is becoming main stream through the use of "apps" - little miniature programs loaded onto smart phones that can do stuff for us - from recommending wine with our meal to playing games on our phones to shopping online.

This is the tip of the 2000 - 2009 digital iceberg - there is so much more. "What is coming for the next decade?" you may ask. Any answer would merely be a guess but, judging by trends these past years, the Internet would likely continue to become more accessible, smaller, faster, more innovative and participative.

So before we hit 1 January 2010 I am off to plan my digital party - hitting the surf on Google Wave and breaking new ground. That is just after posting this blog, checking my web stats, doing my daily tweet, checking for innovative new talks on ted.com and seeing who is on Facebook this morning. What a decade!

5 Things to Know About Social Media

2009-12-05T23:49:00.004-03:30

The November edition of Profit Magazine has a wealth of tips and information for the small business owner. One article in particular, fits right within Digital Daisy's domain: 5 things to know about social media. Here is an extract from the article that contains perspectives from Jess Sloss, a Vancouver social media strategist:

1. You're probably doing it already - off line

The small businesses that really get social media are the ones who are already doing it (off line). These are the people who are already active in their communities and active in their networking efforts - it's just an online extension of this, and another way of connecting to people.

2. You don't personally have to be "on" 24/7

If you can't maintain your social networking messages on a daily basis, use the tools available that let you be more effective, such as batch processing, which allows you to schedule events ahead of time.

3. It's just another element of marketing

You still need all the basic tenets of marketing: knowing who your potential customers are, the position you have in the market - nothing changes. This can help focus your efforts on the networks your customers are most likely to be on, whether that's Facebook, Twitter or popular youth sites like myYearbook.

4. Don't blow your budget

You can get into social media marketing on a shoestring - most of the tools and sites are free, which is a boon for micro-businesses and sole-proprietors. The trade-off of course, is your time. For companies that can't dedicate marketing staff to manage blog messages or reply to social media site feedback, take a lesson from busy celebrities and outsource or assemble a social networking team. Many of those high-profile tweets and blogs - fro Britney to Obama - are written by trusted staff.

5. It works if you can be yourself

The two things that can make you fail are fear and not being yourself.

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Fewer than 3 in 10 small businesses (28%) are using social networking to promote their business, according to a 2009 Harris/Decima survey for BMO. Only 18% use these sites to sell their products, and 14% are using them to test new ideas.

NY Times Tells us Why Facebook for Promoting Business

2009-11-19T08:39:00.006-03:30

New York Times today makes a compelling case for using Facebook for business. As many already know, this social network offers an increasing array of tools for creating a Facebook Page that can easily replace a website in the cash-strapped early days of a small business.

Consider this example: "For Mr. Nelson, this is serious business. He and his wife, Candace, own Sprinkles, a cupcake bakery that relies on social media in lieu of traditional advertising. Mr. Nelson considers Facebook marketing essential. “People are out there talking about your business everyday, whether you’re looking or not,” he said. “This gives people a place to come and speak directly to us.”

Sprinkles uses Facebook to give customers a whiff of what’s cooking. Every day it posts a password on Facebook that can be redeemed for a free cupcake. Since April, its fan base has risen tenfold to 70,000."

Applying innovative thinking to Facebook could bring you face-to-face with a vast number of eyeballs who are ready to buy too.

Why Companies Need Websites

2009-11-10T10:18:00.007-03:30

Many Crawford of Roaring Women interviewed Deborah Bourden, founding partner of Applecore Interactive about the changing role of websites in the SME marketing mix. Deborah talks about how websites are changing and how to strategically incorporate web 2.0 into your web marketing. The interview is filled with practical advice and real-life experience - ideal for the small to medium business that wants to turn its web marketing into results.

Small Businesses Spend Online

2009-10-21T15:52:00.006-02:30

A recent City Bank/GfK Roper survey indicates that small-business (76%) owners are still not finding their feet and their dollars on social networking sites. An even larger % (86%) have not used social networking sites to get advice, business or information.

The survey indicates that small-business owners (61%) depend on search engine marketing to deliver the best value. 57% of small-business owners indicate that they have made greater use of their company’s website to generate business leads and sales during the past year.

Survey respondents are also using email marketing (28%) and online advertising (25%) to generate business leads and sales.

Video: How Twitter Can Help Achieve Business Objectives

2009-10-06T16:20:00.007-02:30

Twitter must currently be the most confusing social tool with ordinary mortals trying to understand how to use Twitter as a business tool. One of my favourite tweets comes from @nltweets with daily tweet-releases of travel ideas and deals in Newfoundland and Labrador.

Dr. Ralph Wilson's Web Marketing Today had this video post with ideas for using Twitter for customer service, selling and fund raising.

Ways to Manage Your Online Reputation

2009-10-05T23:13:00.004-02:30

The increase of user-generated content, comments and reviews on the Internet leaves your business vulnerable to unsolicited comments. All you need is to Google, Yahoo or Bing your business name to find what is being written about you - and not always BY you.

In this article, "Three Best Ways to Improve Your Online Reputation" the Wall Street Journal Online provides this advice:

1. Reach out immediately to dissatisfied reviewers.

2. Flood search engines with content you can control.

3. Appeal to bloggers to review your company or your product.

>>Read the full article...

Internet Marketing takes Team Work

2009-09-27T20:03:00.004-02:30

If you're a business owner or manager that believes someone else can create your company web site or Internet marketing campaign without your direct involvement, read on...

A successful web project - whether it involves your web site or an Internet marketing campaign, requires your involvement as small business owner on some level. Discuss this up front before signing a contract. Typically this would include:

setting the objectives for the project,
providing the text in draft format, and
approving the structure, design and the final project before launching it.

The stronger and better the team work between you and your supplier, the more effective the end results will be.

Progress Meetings
When working with a web development or Internet marketing company on an ongoing basis (such as for ongoing search engine marketing or social marketing), schedule regular meetings to discuss progress and results. Whether you delegate responsibility for your Internet marketing to someone in your business or handle it yourself, as business owner the buck stops with you.

Password Control
Another important role business owners / managers play, is to ensure that you control all passwords that relate to your Internet marketing. Ensure that you have a copy of every username and password - from domain registration to hosting to statistics to social networking sites (such as Facebook) to electronic newsletter services. Control its secure storage and who has access to it. Do not open your business to risk by leaving password control uncontrolled.

Measurement, Analytics and Setting Objectives
The last responsibility is the responsibility for measurement. When starting a web marketing process, you have certain clear objectives in mind. Ensure that they are met by measuring.

Ask your web programmer to integrate Google Analytics (free) into every page of your site and review these statistics regularly.

Almost every online initiative has some form of statistical measurement built in - online advertising, e-news communication, web statistics to name a few. Developing and managing a measurement strategy will help you stay on top of your results.

Finding the Right Web Contractor

2009-09-27T18:25:00.009-02:30

Negotiate Upfront
When you build or extend your house, you're highly aware of the importance of finding the right contractor, negotiating the price to include all known costs upfront and getting a time line nailed down.

Ask for Referrals and Check References
A successful web project requires the same. Find a web developer by asking your colleagues and associates who they worked with and whether they'll refer their web development company or look for sites you like and ask the owners who developed their site and whether it was a good experience.

Know clearly what you want to achieve before you start the process.
Check client references upfront.
Get competitor quotes if you have never worked with this contractor before and getting as much as detail into your quote to make you feel comfortable that you know what is included and excluded.
Negotiate a written contract that includes who will work on your project, costs, a time line, what your and the supplier's responsibilities will be and what the payment schedule will be.
Do not pay in full until the work is completed as per contract.
However, be fair and if you change the scope of the project, be prepared to cover the cost implications.

Here is a suggested list of questions to ask a web developer before deciding to allocate the project.

A Case for a full-service Internet Marketing Company
An important point to remember is that a web designer and a web programmer or developer are separate roles requiring different skills - just like a builder and an architect. In most cases freelancers specialize in one or the other, but rarely equally in both.

If you would like to discuss an online strategy, you'll again need a different skill set and may be best served talking to a full service interactive marketing agency.

Where would we be if we could not laugh!

2009-09-17T16:33:00.006-02:30

Further to last week's blog post about the pigeon that outpaced Telkom's broadband connection, this recent cartoon that appeared in the South African press:

Linked Data and Digital Daisy

2009-09-17T09:53:00.008-02:30

I was watching Sir Tim Berners-Lee's TED talk on Linked Data and yes, I was excited about the ground-breaking concept the father of the World Wide Web is now working on, but just exciting were two of the slides he used:

What a fabulous way to illustrate what Digital Daisy Inc.'s mission is: Taking data, systems, technology, information relationships and creating a flower garden of fabulous user experiences - helping businesses and organizations harness the square stuff ("digital") to create the sweet fragranced growing and inspiring client experiences ("daisy"). I could not do illustrate it any simpler!

Watch Sir Tim speak - it is an enlightening glimpse into where information is going to be.

(Thanks John for alerting me to it!)

So what is your definition for Web 3.0?

2009-09-12T21:09:00.017-02:30

A journalist asked me this in an interview this week. My answer was that I do not believe that there necessarily will be a web 3.0. There was not a web 1.0, was there?

Beyond the Information Age

What then is the next big thing? It is the evolution of the wonderful things the Information Age has brought us and it has landed us "wham bam" in the middle of the Innovation Age. We now have the tools to create and share (photos, videos, stories, podcasts and more). Moreover, we are having FUN again... mashing up web content from everywhere for our own creative end result.

Take this blog as an example. I don't have copyright to most of the images I post here (oops) but I use the wonderful creativity of others, blend it with my own, to serve up something entirely new. It is no longer about simply sharing information. It is about innovation - telling a story in a whole new way by using puzzle pieces from all over the web. We have come to expect the unexpected.

Making Money with Social Media

The second question that had me pondering: "How is anyone making money through social media?" Well, we know the Google model of building traffic through tons of free stuff and then letting advertisers cough up for targeting groups of eyeballs.

We're moving from business-to-business (B2B) and business-to-consumer (B2C) distribution to consumer-to-consumer selling. Hence the phenomenal growth of online classified

sites like Kijiji. But more so, selling that bypasses commerce sites altogether.

Recently a friend updated her status on Facebook: "I cannot believe I am selling my very first vehicle." Response: "Why r u selling?" Second comment: "What year and model?" And so the conversation continued with comments from friends. A few days later my friend's status read: "It was hard to see her go." A much softer sell than we are used to for secondhand vehicles but the largest part of this deal was done in a social network.

So what about 3.0?

So, back to my definition of web 3.0... Firstly, I am not sure I like the phrase because simply, it lacks creativity. Secondly, I am witnessing an evolution from the Information Age to the Innovation Age. Thirdly, commercial models are changing and social networks are allowing us to cut out the middle man.

And lastly, I believe the user-experience will dominate. Away with visible browsers and connections to the Internet. All that will matter is that we have a great seamless digital experience, not caring about where the files are, how it downloads, where results are stored, what device we experience it on, or how it is processed.

South African Pigeon faster than ADSL

2009-09-10T16:23:00.008-02:30

A news story on BBC today reports on the slow data transfer speeds a South African company experienced through its Telkom broadband Internet. Frustration led to an experiment where a 4 GB USB stick was attached to the leg of a homing pigeon set free to carry the data 60 miles between the company's two offices. Obviously this would not be a news story if the pigeon did not win, delivering the data in the same time it took the high-speed connection to transfer only 4% of the same data. Read both the story and see the video on the BBC site.

My visit to Cape Town, South Africa earlier this year gave me a taste of tech reality when my favourite practice of watching YouTube videos dwindled to the occasional luxury or watching the video download rather than watch the content. There is no blame placed on a continent or country that deals with the reality of providing basic services compared to a privileged world of technology where we sometimes forget to talk to each other. And make no mistake, at times the "high-speed" actually picked up quite a bit of speed!

It caused me to reflect on the potential of Internet connectivity in developing countries where education and the reality of rural areas separated by great distances are daily issues. What if? What if broadband Internet were available to all children who do not have access to teaching resources? What if it contributed to health care, to peaceful dialogue, to global collaboration, to economic development? What if providing broadband Internet to every citizen were as important as providing schooling, hospitals and roads?

Access to information on the Internet is an equalizer in a world that is far from equal and an 11-month old pigeon may have given us an exaggerated and humorous glimpse of it. A pigeon is carrying its message (ironically this time through a BBC website) that its time to get off our high-tech horses and put our money where our mouse is.

The Psychology of Facebook Members and Fans

2009-09-08T21:31:00.008-02:30

A recent experiment in user psychology in Facebook Groups highlighted some unexpected findings. Add your comment below - we would love to hear how you feel about the issue.

Popularity of Facebook Groups and Pages for businesses, causes and celebrities is growing at warp-speed. If open to the general public, anyone can join such a group or page.

Facebook Pages differ from Facebook Groups in as far as being an independent "mini interactive website" whereas the Group more resembles a personal profile dedicated to a specific topic. Common to both is its subscriber base: Groups have members joining and Pages have fans.

Social networks like Facebook grow based on group movements. Charlene Li and Josh Bernoff refer to this movement as a "groundswell" in their book with the same title. Social groups will not be dictated to or pressurized. Trends grow out of mass opinion and preference.

Recently I experimented by sending an email out to all 86 members of a Facebook Group I administer, called Growing Your Business Online to encourage greater participation in group comments. Guess what happened? The next day the group members declined to 84!

This raised the question: Do group members object to being subjected to unsolicited mail? Membership is voluntary and passive and as soon as there is any direct targeting, is it a breach of what they initially signed up for: passive participation?

What is your experience? How do you feel when a Facebook Group emails you directly? Is it OK or not OK?

Benefits of Blogging

2009-08-31T00:59:00.010-02:30

The visual and functional difference between a blog and a web site is becoming less and less noticeable and even when it is apparent, the reader does not seem to care all that much.

A blog offers many benefits over and above using it as an opportunity to expand your digital footprint. Having a web site and a blog is like having two tickets for the lottery draw - a bigger chance of winning the jackpot.

Create your own voice online
Your blog is your place where you can express yourself or your brand online in your own words. It may also be the place where the media checks in to read what the latest developments in your business may be. When fighting bad publicity, your blog becomes the place to set the record straight or to provide the latest news. Post photographs, videos or downloadable files to add interest to your blog.

Influence what is being said
The job of a press release can now largely achieved through your blog. You have control over the messages, information and timing of your blog posts. Use these to shape the information that is out there about your brand.

Establish yourself as an expert
By selecting a niche topic to blog about, you have the opportunity to establish yourself as an expert. The same can be achieved by commenting on blog posts of other bloggers on your niche topic (e.g. Dining in St. John's). You never know when you'll be called upon for your services once you become known.

Publish without delay
Blogging sites such as Blogger, Workpress and Typepad offer free blogs that is intuitive and easy to use. Your blog post is live on the web as soon as you press "Publish Post". When your message is time sensitive, your blog will be available immediately.

Faster search engine results
Blog content changes more regularly than web site content and recognizing this, search engines have altered their algorithms to give preference to blog content in some cases. By blogging on a topic you may harness the power of Google to get results even before changes to your web site can be made.

Obtain feedback
Your blog can be a powerful tool for doing market research. Blog posts allow for comments and these comments can be an indicator of what your consumer public is thinking about your brand.

Start a conversation
Blog writing is generally more casual than web site content. By writing in such a way that the reader feels compelled to comment, you can start a conversation (comment to their comment) that can be the beginning of an online business relationship.

Build your brand
All the above activities contribute to building your brand. This is the opportunity to establish your brand identity unfiltered by media or advertising but by communicating directly with your consumer. In stead of one way communication like in advertising, your blog has potential for a lively brand conversation.

Fight fires
Things go wrong. Customers get unhappy. When this is expressed online it can be bad for business. When you become aware of any bad publicity, your blog can help to set the record straight.

Create followers
Your blog fans can now sign up to follow your blog, By encouraging your customers to sign up to become followers of your blog, you create a direct communication line between you and your customer and you can now tailor your blog content to your followers.

Integrate across social media
The current wave of social media is all about integrating between platforms. As you can see with Digital Daisy's blog, there is an app that allows integration of my Facebook Page with this blog, a Linkedin poll and more. In the same way I am able to share the link to this blog in my online profile on various sites. My blog posts can feed directly to my Facebook page or Plaxo profile etc. Such integration vastly increases the exposure and impact of your blog.

This list is by no means definitive. Please add your own benefits or examples in the comments box.

Improve Sales: Free E-book

2009-08-07T11:53:00.006-02:30

This is a free e-book that I downloaded from Infusionsoft.ca. The author provides nine building blocks to double your sales. If you choose to download the book, please pay the author, Clate Mask, the courtesy of visiting his website.

"How To" Content Popular

2009-08-03T10:26:00.004-02:30

A quick view at my blog stats confirms that "How To" content is some of the most popular web content that is being searched.

After many months of blogging How to set up a Picasa Web Album and How to Create a Facebook Page for your Business rank top of the Digital Daisy blog.

Watch out for more "How To" content...

How to Create a Facebook Page for Your Business

2009-07-29T23:04:00.018-02:30

The business application of Facebook is growing fast and it has become an inevitable part of an online footprint for your business. Called Facebook Pages, this application has made it possible to develop a collection of online pages similar to a web site using the free tools provided by Facebook. At heart it remains a social marketing application like your personal Facebook profile, but it allows for many useful business applications.

You can:

Create a page that will be found independently by search engines (as if it were a business web site)
Add additional tabs or pages to your Facebook Page (Notes, Events, Reviews, Videos and more)
Determine which page will open first. The Wall is by default the home page.
Use your Wall page as a place to generate discussions, do market research and showcase news feeds through status updates.
Obtain a vanity URL for your business as soon as you have more than 100 fans (such as http://www.facebook/etsy for the online craft e-commerce site etsy.com).
Market your unique Facebook URL on promotional material and business cards.
Appoint one or more administrator(s) to update the content of your Page
Add photos, videos and information on a regular basis.
Send an email to all fans at once (but use this feature with discretion).
Have your Page go viral. Your Page updates will show in the news feeds of your fans’ profiles where their friends could in turn see it and choose to join or comment – and so the circle widens.

How to Create Your Page
Facebook currently offers three main categories in which to create a presence online: Personal Profiles, Facebook Groups and Facebook Pages. It is this last category we are exploring here.

Personal Profile
To start creating a Facebook Page for your business and have all its options available to you, you need a personal user profile. Do not be concerned: fans of your Page will not have access to your personal information. You can create your Page first and then link it to your existing personal profile or create a new one if needed. It is possible to create a Business account only but certain limitations will apply.

Signing Up At the bottom of the Facebook Home page is the option to Create a Page for a celebrity, band or business. Select the Create a Page link and follow the steps from there. The options for Pages are "Local", "Band, Product or Organization" or "Artist, Band or Public Figure" Each main category offers a drop-down list in its sub-categories. The option that gets chosen here will determine which fields are available in the Page template that you create, so consider this choice carefully.

Facebook Pages come pre-installed with custom functionality for each Page category. These are the applications and information fields Facebook believes will be most relevant to the category you have selected when creating your Page. For instance, a music Page comes pre-installed with a music player, video player, discography, reviews, tour dates, and a discussion board. The information fields that are available for you to write in are determined by the Page category that you selected when you first set up the Page. You aren't able to change the category of your Page after you've created it, so if you would like different fields, you'll need to delete your Page and create a new one.

Fill Your Page with Interesting Items

Before adding content to your Facebook Page, decide what your main objective with the Page is, who your main audience is and what key messages you would like to convey.

Photo Albums - Select the Photos tab to create photo albums and post and share photos. These can be product photos, images of your facilities, your team or business activities. A picture is worth a thousand words.

Notes - Think of Facebook Notes as a blog feature on Facebook: you can share your life,
activities, thoughts and more with people on Facebook through written entries. They can
comment on your Notes and you can even import your existing blog from an external site.

Discussion Boards - Discussion Boards can be used by you to spark a conversation among
people you are connected to and get feedback on a particular topic or for users to start
discussions on their own.

Events - Set up an event and invite fans and friends. An open house, a sale, a launch event or a celebration, fundraiser or client appreciation event - these are a few examples. Add photos, videos and relevant information. Post links and start and generate comments.

Additional Tabs - Add additional tabs as needed to your Page. Move and drag them around into a different order. In your settings, choose which tab you'd like as your home page. Search and add applications with additional tabs as appropriate.

Marketing Your Page
Once your site is complete and published, it is time to promote it and invite friends to become fans. Once you hit the 100-fan mark you are eligible for a vanity URL such as facebook.com/etsy.

There are numerous ways to promote a Facebook Page, which will be a topic for next time. Don't be afraid to try and experiment.

Other Resources
Guide to Facebook for Business

Yah-Bing grabs 30% of Online Ad Market

2009-07-29T10:50:00.004-02:30

Microsoft and Yahoo announced a deal today that combined will give them a larger, more credible share of the online advertising market - leaving 65% to Google. In this consolidation the online advertising market is now controlled by two rival companies. Combined with the impact Bing has had on the Search market since its recent launch, the online search and advertising markets has seen a significant shift in power this year. Here is more on the Microsoft/Yahoo merger...

Honestly! What's With Sponsored Ads?

2009-07-22T22:44:00.006-02:30

Doing a quick search to find out what search engines are saying about me, brought me to this: the ultimate sponsored advertising insult! Digital slave trading? Well, I thought I'll quickly set the record straight: I am not on the market. And smarter.com does not seem to be quite that smart either.

Blueberry Recipes and E-mail marketing

2009-07-20T00:33:00.006-02:30

Yes, if you clicked through from the Digital Daisy e-newsletter you were right of course. This post is about recipes as well as testing the click-through rate on the recipe link. You landed in the right spot.

Tineke's Blueberry and Lemon Pastries

This amazing recipe is a staple at Tineke Gow’s Campbell House and the Artisan Inn in Trinity, Newfoundland. It has topped off many an amazing meal in the Twine Loft.

Crust:
1/2 cup flour
1/4 cup yellow corn meal
6 tbsp. icing sugar
1/2 tsp. salt
1/2 cup cold unsalted butter, cut into pieces

Filling:
3 large eggs
1/2 cup of sugar
1 1/2 tbsp. flour
1 tsp. lemon zest
2 tbsp. lemon juice
2 tbsp. milk (Tineke recommends whole milk)

2 cups of wild blueberries (10 oz)
3 tbsp. apricot jam, heatd and strained

To make crust:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
Line a buttered 8 inch square glass baking dish with 2 sheets of foil, overlapping them in opposite directions so there is overhang on all four sides.
Pulse together flour, cornmeal, salt, icing sugar and butter until mixture resembles course meal.
Press into bottom of baking dish and 1 inch up the sides. Bake in the middle of the oven until golden brown, about 20 min.

Make filling while crust bakes:

Whisk together eggs, sugar, flour and zest.
Whisk in the juices, mlk and a pinch of salt.
Toss blueberries with jam into another bowl.
Whisk egg mixture and immediately pour into crust.
Bake until set, about 17 minutes.
Gently spoon berries evenly over top and bake 2 minutes more.
Transfer baking dish to a rack and cool.
Drizzle with a little Grand Marnier. (Or Vanderhum)
Chill overnight. Use foil to lift out of dish and cut into squares.

Tineke’s team services it on a beautiful glass plate, with a bit of sifted powder sugar and a few miniature pansy flowers from her garden as garnish.

Audrey’s Blueberry Muffins

2 c flour
2/3 c sugar
2/3 c milk
1 c berries
1 t vanila
2 t baking powder
2/3 c margarine or butter
2 eggs

Mix sugar and margarine. Add eggs. Add vanilla. Add flour and milk. Add berries last, stirring gently so that berries remain in tact.

Bake 15 minutes at 400 degrees F.

Social Time Trap

2009-07-03T11:30:00.003-02:30

"This is probably just me, but Linkedin reminds me of a garage sale, Facebook of a cocktail party, and Twitter of a flea market. Keep a log of how much time you spend on social platforms. Then ask yourself if you could probably learn to play the oboe in half as much time." - Alan Weiss, Consultant and Author

I think Alan prefers spending time sending e-newsletters. And he has a point.

Human 2.0

2009-06-23T16:58:00.017-02:30

Almost 22 years of my career have been spent doing some form of digital communications with a large portion of it involving the Internet. To say it is a big part of my life is an understatement.

However, events of the past six months have me contemplating the role of this digital world in our lives. Personally, it has been a time of loss and learning - in March my mom passed away in South Africa and with it, my last biological connection to the generation before me. Recently my daughter graduated and moved to the west coast of the continent - about as far as possible from home while still staying within Canada.

Like any proud parent I recently posted her graduation pictures online with my sister's immediate response: "Mom would so have loved to see these. She always studied them so intently whenever you emailed pictures."

The loss of a human connection suddenly hit me - the digital connection that spanned a 11,000 km continental divide reached its limit. No wireless signal or fiber optic cable could bring back the comfort of someone who always silently cheered me on. Neither can Skype or a text message produce a good night hug from my daughter at the end of a day.

This past Christmas I spent recuperating after my first experience of fairly serious illness. For the first time, three of our four children spent Christmas away from home and many of our closest friends celebrated with family in far away places.

In hospital, a Blackberry was my connection with the outside world at a time when everyone frantically decorated homes, bought and wrapped gifts, and filled the kitchen with the smells of Christmas. I managed one-handed status updates and brief emails but when I finally recovered at home, experienced one of the most disconnected times of my life.

"So, what then is the point of this sentimental blog?" you may ask.

It is about a realization that web 2.0 and its much praised social networking is not all that social after all. Despite all that I created through my digital connections, it is a miserable replacement for Human 2.0 - a touch, a smile, a warm heart and a sincere "You Go Girl!"

Getting the Price Right: Effective Estimating

2009-06-15T07:46:00.004-02:30

This is an excellent article that analyzes what it takes to estimate a web or design project accurately, what the secret and hidden pitfalls are and how to avoid them.

If, as a client, you wonder why the price is not right, then take a read. If, as a developer, you are frustrated by losing your bids or under-estimating, this is also for you:

It is possible to drastically increase the accuracy of your web project estimates by:

Identifying the reasons why underestimating is so common
Understanding why it is so important
Resisting the temptation to get granular
Creating a consistent, methodical and re-usable estimating process
Analysing the estimated versus actual data from multiple projects to identify trends

Read the complete Smashing Magazine article for discussion on each step.

Electronic Protection Act to Protect Canadians

2009-06-04T07:00:00.000-02:30

Canadian legislation to keep Canadians safe from online scams has just passed a second reading in the House of Commons.

The proposed Electronic Commerce Protection Act (ECPA) will deter the most dangerous forms of spam, such as identity theft, phishing and spyware, from occurring in Canada and will help drive spammers out of Canada.

Branding and Brand Building

2009-06-03T16:40:00.005-02:30

A friend asked me this week where to start with building a brand for a new business he is starting. I thought it opportune to write a note and send him the link in case the same information is helpful to someone else or someone else has an interesting comment to add.

BRAND AND LOGO

What is referred to as a "brand" is often used as synonymous to a logo. Yes, this is partially true. A logo often becomes the symbol that represents everything a company or organization stands for. But like a typical iceberg, this is only the tip that is visible.

WHAT IS A BRAND?

Regardless of many textbook explanations for a brand, it actually is simple. It is the image the public and consumers are left with after encountering anything related to your business. When we were little, our mother dressed us in our Sunday best for going out or going to church. We had to do her and the family proud because that was the image people had (in her mind) of who were were.

Of course, school was no different. We wore school uniforms and the school badge on our blazer was a symbol that was proudly upheld. Any public mischief would bring shame to the name of the school.

A brand is kind of the same - like the school badge, or like dressing according to the expectations that are out there of us. It is how the business looks, what it does, and the expectations and perceptions the consumer-public has of it.

It is often said that a brand is a promise from the business to the consumer. Think of brands: Mercedes, Nike, Ernst and Young, General Electric. You know them, they evoke images and feelings within you and when you have money in your pocket, you may even respond tot it. The brand you build for your business, is not different.

A brand includes:

Image and Messages

Product Quality

Service Qualtity

WHERE DO I START?

Contrary to common belief, it does not start with a graphic designer or advertising firm. It starts with you, the creator of your product or service. Decide (if you are the entrepreneur/business owner) or work with your relevant teams to decide what image to convey. Serious and conservatice, perhaps, if you are a bank or broker. Fun and playful if you are a band. The personality of a brand is like the personality of a person and often in small businesses, the brand is strongly influenced by the person at the top.

IN PRACTICAL TERMS

Once the thinking is done, it is time to enlist the creatives. This will vary a lot based on budget size. In its most simple form, find a graphic designer that will be able to create on paper a design that matches what you have in your head. Describe your brand personality in your creative brief to the designer and ask for design options.

CAN I DO IT MYSELF?

If your business is tight, you may ask yourself this. Richard Branson gave birth to the Virgin brand by scribbling the word "Virgin" on a napkin - I was told, because he was a business virgin. And so the mighty brand was born. So, it has been done before.

However, from experience, I suggest that graphic design should be left to a professional designer to ensure you look as good on a faxed sheet as you look on a Jumbo Jet or a golf shirt. A logo is one element, but you also need a design style that will match your brand identity (colours, texture, etc.)

WHAT DO I NEED?

I think my friend that asked, has a small consulting-style business in mind, so I am tayloring this to what Leon may need.The first rule of branding is CONSISTENCY (of image, product quality and service).

Logo
A startup will need a logo designed in colour and monotone (usually black). Ask your designer to create a few options to select from and ask for copies of the final choice to be given to you in vector format. This will ensure you always have control of your identity when the designer leaves town. A vector format graphic can be scaled to different sizes without losing image quality.

When using your logo, use it consistently. Don't adjust the colours or perspective.

Stationery
For Leon's small business, he may also need the following stationery:
Letterhead (and perhaps a second sheet if he created many multiple-page documents)
Envelope
Business card
Fax sheet
A report cover (for proposals etc) or press kit folder
Slide templates (PowerPoint etc.)
Signage - you may or may not need signs designed
Ask your designer to create electronic templates you can use in your word processor (Word etc.) when you want to create electronic documents (in pdf format).

In the final production of your materials, work with your designer to select paper stock, quality and also the kinds of varnishes that will be added to colour printing. Ask for examples if you are not sure.

Promotion and Advertising
Depending on the kind of marketing that will be done, the following items can also be useful:

Brochure or catalogue
One-sheet (that can be used to add marketing information)
Advertising templates in a few popular sizes for your kind of business. Have them created in colour and black and white.
Tradeshow booth panels. If your marketing will include trade shows, have a banner or multi-banner booth created.
The big guns will of course involve advertising agencies to create advertising campaigns. What I recommend here is for the small business owner during start-up.

For the Online World
A web site commonly becomes a key piece in branding because this is the way you will show up when the public comes to look for you online. However a search engine tells a bigger truth, so branding consistently in things like blogs, social network pages, online video and online images require great care.

Back to your designer: Decide on the structure of the web site you want to create and then work with your designer to create template designs for it. Again, design has to be consistent with the brand image.

To create a totally professional online image, the same designer can create the following useful items:
A background image for your Twitter account (make your contact information a part of the background image)

A template design for your blog

A design for your electronic newsletter. If you are going to use a service such as constantcontact.com, ask if the template can be build for you in constantcontact.com.

A thumbnail image to be used for your various social marketing accounts - can be a version of your logo or a nicely photo-shopped and rejuvenated image of yourself.

TIGHT BUDGET?

Some startups work on a tight budget. Here are a few items of advice to consider:

Start by using stationery templates (well-designed) that you can print as you need it from your own computer. If you have a colour printer at your disposal, you can even pre-print small quantities of letterhead, envelopes or fax sheets.

In stead of a web site, start with a blog. Get professional advice and help on the design of it but you'll be able to keep the content up to date yourself at almost no cost.

In stead of a catalogue, post your high quality photos to a Flickr account with carefully written captions.

In stead of a brochure, design (professionally if possible) an electronic newsletter in a service such as constantcontact.com or a Facebook Business Page and distribute or provide the link.

These online marketing tools are mostly free. However, spend the money on creating, managing and guarding your brand. Perception becomes reality!

EXAMPLE

Applecore Interactive is an interactive agency that does both traditional branding and design as well as digital branding and design. Their portfolio has lovely stationery design samples and their own online materials are also well branded. See their web site, blog, Twitter account, Facebook page and YouTube channel.

Written for my friend Leon and other professionals starting their businesses. If this is useful, please leave a comment or reach me through our web site.

Digital Daisy Inc.'s logo that shows our company's focus on technology (digital) and growth (daisy) or making technology ("Digital") a beautiful experience ("Daisy")!

Social Killed the Video Star?

2009-05-31T21:04:00.013-02:30

Susan Boyle ... She certainly put Britain's Got Talent on world the map. This unknown, unassuming Scottish spinster with her golden voice made history.

The YouTube video of her unexpected incredible rendition of "I have a Dream" became an overnight You Tube hit with the highest number of views in YouTube history. Hundred million in seven weeks and still climbing. It did not end there.

Search term "Susan Boyle" remained in the top 10 Twitter list during this time. Web pages, Facebook pages: A search for Susan Boyle on Google delivered 17.6 million results today.

Seven weeks ago few people had heard of her. This Saturday she took the second position in the Britain's Got Talent contest after being punted as hot favourite to win. No doubt, the incredible pressure got to her. Wouldn't it get you too?

Public frenzy to create online content resulted in over exposure that left a tiny little sour taste with the British viewer - just enough to tip the scale and leave her in the second position. It all started with a YouTube video.

But perhaps it did not kill it for Susan altogether. Every click still brings her incredible voice alive. Despite a second position, Susan Boyle's dream will live on. Thanks to YouTube, I am a fan.