The death of blogs?

by Jack Burke

This New York Times article suggests that blogs—once seen as an essential part of any Social Media program—are on the decline. Seems that many people see a bigger response from posting their thoughts and such on Facebook and Twitter.

Money quote from the article: No longer did Internet users need a blog to connect with the world. They could instead post quick updates to complain about the weather, link to articles that infuriated them, comment on news events, share photos or promote some cause—all the things a blog was intended to do.

What do you think? Are blogs on the way out? 

Tougher economy knocks health concerns off workers' radar

by Jack Burke

A new study from consulting firm Towers Watson finds that workers’ worries about their jobs has meant less concern about their health. According to a New York Times story, the study found that only 59 percent of 3,000 respondents said managing their health was a top priority, compared with 69 percent in 2008. 

Is SEO a thing of the past?

by Jack Burke
The New York Times has a good article about how important social media is in gaining website traffic. Some Web publishers say that these days, the most effective way to build that following is to find readers on social networking sites like Facebook and Twitter, an approach known as social media optimization. That could improve the quality of articles, they say, because the best way to get links on Twitter is to write a story people want to share with friends.

Getting the buzz going about your business

by Jason France

Any marketing is good marketing. Celebrities are some of the best marketers in the business. A red carpet event, an ad campaign, a movie role, a charity sponsorship or a talk show appearance all market that celebrity.

You could learn from this. Get the marketplace buzzing about your new capabilities, a newly completed project or a sales promotion you are offering. When it comes to finding out about your company, make sure your website is current and easy to navigate. Create awareness of your company by driving people to your website anyway you can—through direct mail, Facebook, email marketing, large decals on your company vehicles or on invoices or other documents. People go to the web, primarily, to research a company prior to that first contact. So make sure your phone number is clearly displayed as well as your current offers.

Participating in community events is another great technique for marketing your business. Your community probably has a number of programs that could use the support of a local business. Contact your local city hall or parks commission to find out. Offer to help plant new trees, donate to restore the old post office or even contribute to a local charity.

Lastly, word-of-mouth marketing is still a huge way to gain new business. Completing a project under budget, suggesting a cost-saving idea or just doing a great job can all be great ways to earn plus business for you. Make sure you leave your customers with a couple business cards so they have a way to recommend you to other friends and family members needing your services.

Five B2B Trends in Content, Social Media in 2011

by Jack Burke

I found this article on the importance of the right kind of content for social media to be very informative. Strategy - Five B2B Trends in Content, Social Media in 2011 : MarketingProfs Article

Improve your photography by emulating others

by Jason France

One of the best ways to become a better photographer is by seeing what other photographers are doing. Read magazines, follow photography websites, or tag along with other shooters to learn new techniques. There is a ton of photo eye candy on the web if you just want to look at great photos. At your local bookstore, you will find hundreds of publications featuring new products, award-winning photos and general inspiration. 

Most experienced shooters are more than willing to help a newbie or even give pointers on how to shoot that speed boat in the busy marina. This is a great way to learn and also to meet fellow shooters that could be of help on future shoots.

When it comes to locations, I have found that the best are ones that I was willing to explore or scout in advance. The location for a shoot is probably one of the most important elements to the shoot itself. The colors, textures, space, materials and the positioning of the light in relation to the angle you are shooting all play an important role in that great location. A location isn’t going to work out for you if you aren’t sure what angle to shoot from or where to place your subject in relation to the surroundings.

 
Now that you have mastered basic techniques and have earned your black belt in photographic Jiu Jitsu, you are ready to show off your work. I suggest using an online photo forum to post some of your best images and welcome critiques. This will help you learn what others see when viewing your work and providing their comments. I have found that having your work critiqued by your peers will hone your skills and creativity even further. If you ask an online forum for their opinion, you will get it. But be specific.

Ask if you captured the image in the best way to achieve visual impact. Was the way the image was shot of the crying baby most effective? Could the lighting have been better? What about the cropping or composition?  Did your photo execute the shot you had in your head…your style?

Proceed with your photography with an open mind. Not every photograph will be a killer shot. But you do want to strive for fewer and fewer “throw away” images.  If you follow some of the basic tips outlined here, you too can shoot great photographs. And you don’t need that mega-pricey camera to do it. A killer photo is more about vision, thought and passion than the techo-gizmos. A dusty camera is a useless camera. Get out and shoot captivating creative photos.

QR codes and custom pubs: The time has come?

by Jack Burke

QR (quick response) codes are paper-based hyperlinks that consumers can access by taking photos of the codes with smart phones. They're popular in Asia and Europe and are now starting to catch on in the U.S. I've been reading up on the topic and found this blog post very informative.

Lighting, focus keys to better photography

by Jason France

To become a better photographer, you need to learn how to use lighting, both indoors and outside. You may have been taught to shoot a photo with the light at your back but what happens if it’s behind the subject instead of you? This might create interesting shadows or flares from the sun entering the lens. All cool effects that might make for that killer shot. Another good thing to consider is the time of day. Early morning and late afternoon will provide warmer lighting. Mid-day will be more harsh and cooler light.

Don’t be afraid to use a flash to highlight your subject too. Be careful, though, because the on-camera flash has a tendency to look “punchy”—meaning it beams a spotlight directly at your image to create an unflattering look. But some fill flash might still be better than “raccoon eyes” because your subject is standing in a shadow. External flashes can also be used on digital SLR cameras and work great for bouncing light off a ceiling or wall.

Another key: Shoot sharp! A sharp photo has punch. Soft focus images tend to look weak and uninteresting. Make sure you have the focus set to your subject. So many times, I have seen a potentially great photo ruined by not having the subject in focus. Anytime you can shoot with a tripod, do. I like to not only use the tripod but also the timer on the camera to avoid camera shake. This is especially important later in the day as the sun starts to dip behind the trees or the horizon or early in the morning. Don’t be afraid to play around with where your subject is in the frame. You can then isolate your sharp portion of the photo from the background or some other busy element to create that visual impact again.

Another tip worth mentioning is find an interesting portion of your subject matter and photograph that instead of the big picture. An interesting emblem on a fender, a neat old window on a farmhouse or just a single flower in a garden make for interesting photographs. Sometimes it takes shooting the same element several times to get just the right look you are after. If you look on Flickr or any other photography website, you will find lots of professionals shooting like this. The key here is find the most interesting portion of your subject and fire off a few shutter clicks. You just might get a one-in-a-million shot.

Tips for the next snow-magedon

by Jason France

A good portion of the county was pummeled yesterday with heavy snowfall. If we had a plan, then things might go a bit more smoothly. Here are few helpful tips to help you all better prepare for that next blizzard:

Do watch the snowfall. It’s quite pretty.

Don’t get too attached to the prettiness. Mother nature will work you to the bone cleaning up all that snow. Refrain from using profanity if possible. Profanity doesn’t clean up snow.

Do plan to spend your entire day outdoors. A proper hat, gloves, boots, jacket, snow pants are requirements.

Don’t worry about how you look. Nobody cares if your North Face jacket matches your $20 Target snow pants. Sweatpants, Zubaz pants, ugly hats are all acceptable.

Do have food in your house PRIOR to the snowstorm. Venturing out in a blizzard is just dumb, plain and simple.

Don’t plan to drive through 3 feet of snow. This goes for everyone. You aren’t going to make it through that drift, Mr. Volkswagen Jetta or Dodge Caliber.

Do plan to un-bury your car if you park on the street during a snowstorm.

Don’t make plow-drivers mad in your neighborhood. Smile and waive as they drive by. A baked good or a cappuccino makes a good peace offering.

Do have your snowblower, shovels and gas cans ready PRIOR to the snowstorm.

Don’t disassemble your broken snowblower in the snow. You WILL lose the bolts. Ask me how I know.

Do help your neighbors get cleaned up too. It’s the nice thing to do. They may not return the favor but you made the first move.

Don’t blow your snow onto their roof, garage, car or driveway. That’s not nice even though it might be fun.

Do enjoy cold alcoholic refreshments after completion of your hard work.

Don’t run out of alcoholic refreshments. Profanity doesn’t produce more cold beer.

Better photography starts with experimentation

by Jason France

If you want to shoot better photos, the first thing you need to do is experiment. Try lying on the ground to shoot instead of standing. That will give you a view unlike what you might normally see. This will create impact and present the subject at a more interesting angle. Try incorporating a slight tilt to the camera. This can create more interest in your photo. Don’t overdue it, though. Less is more here but go ahead and experiment. If you have an interchangeable lens camera (SLR), try shooting the same subject at different distances. You might find an image looks better if shot with a wide-angle lens, for instance.

The world’s best photographers are risk takers. They climb a tree to achieve a higher vantage point, they stand closer to the coping to get that aerial skateboard trick and they wade out into the water to capture that surfer catching the big wave. You aren’t going to have much visual impact from the back of the crowd or the beach, unless you have a mega-expensive telephoto lens, but lets pretend you don’t.

Shoot with style. Try to visualize the best composition before you click the shutter button. Does the image you captured look the way it did in your head? If not, try it again. In time, you will start to see your style forming by doing this pre-shot routine. Style is important as a shooter. It identifies you as a photographer and will hopefully be your signature that others will start to recognize. The best shooters develop a style, even if they don’t know it.

What do your customers need?

by Kris Matz

Most businesses define themselves by the product or service that they provide; an inward-focused perspective.  Frequently this viewpoint limits us and leads to lack of vision and inflexibility in meeting the needs of the client. In today’s business environment, a paradigm shift is needed to remain competitive. We should look at things from a totally different perspective.  Instead of focusing on what we do best, we should ask our customers what they need most; an outward-focused viewpoint. Then adjust – keep your customers – and gain some new ones.