journik’s posterous - a grade A shouldery. (social media marketing wise) - This is where I get to tell everyone else what they SHOULD do. And you get to obey.
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Can Women In Business Kick Ass? What about Moms? @BlogBrevity Brings it... #PR #Inspiration #Promotion

Preface: I have no idea how @blogbrevity knows so much and does so much. As you'll see in the interview below... I've even asked her a few point blank questions she gracefully hovered over =p ...

She was among the first to know about Posterous.com... How do you fill a new business ... especially a night club... to the rafters??? Also, she was among the first to know about bit.ly's vanity url feature... She is at the cutting forefront of what's going to get big. How she does it... You'll personally have to hit her up again in the comments section below... all comments get emailed immediately (muu huu huu hwaa haaaa!)

I have learned to embrace change, not fight it. Once you do that, it is liberating

10:55 AM @journik OH!!!

  there you are!

  =)

 @blogbrevity Hello!!! Will round up some pics 4 u after :)))

10:56 AM @journik Cool!

  On the record....

  I've never met @Blogbrevity

  BUT

  I love her!!!

  (I hope she is a "she")

10:57 AM Maybe a cat??? o_O

10:58 AM @blogbrevity I am a "she" and the feeling is mutual, and I am honored as your latest post on SEO says you should interview "people of influence" Ahem, serious, now

10:59 AM @journik In your blog: http://blogbrevity.posterous.com you reveal insightful secrets from Social Media (YES! there still ARE SECRETS), DJ AM (WHAT?!?), and even mindfulness.

Who the heck ARE YOU???

11:02 AM @blogbrevity I am an idea entrepreneur, former DJ, lover of the arts and creative people (business innovators included) and love to inspire! I believe social media is "ideas in action." I love ideas and like to help others put them in motion. ~~>

 @journik hmm... where did you DJ??? (The important business)


I am the former owner of a club called "Aquilon" which was considered one of the top five clubs in the world by the New York press

11:06 AM @blogbrevity I am the former owner of a club called "Aquilon" which was considered one of the top five clubs in the world by the New York press and known for its DJs including Frankie Knuckles, Moby, Deelite, to name a few. This summer, I was a virtual DJ and host of #ffparty, a virtual art party and club on Twitter (http://bit.ly/ffparty2)

 @journik WOW!

  SCORE!!!!

  =p

11:07 AM So you've got a loyal following on twitter and even the blogbrevity blog... guessing http://bit.ly/blogbrevity ???

  How did you do it?

11:08 AM @blogbrevity I have varied interests and am interested in other people (more than myself) and their ideas. Then, I spread the good ones, like yours :)))

11:09 AM @journik What can you clone out of your marketing philosophy... and give us non scenesters (notice i didn't say "hipster") that we can apply to building a following or client base for our own passions...

  IE.. how'd you even get people to come to your club???

  there are millions in NYC.

11:10 AM There are even clubs within Jewish Delis and Falafeleries!!!

  (no joke.)


11:11 AM @blogbrevity Clarification - club got NYC press and lots of visitors from around the globe, but even more amazingly was located in Cleveland, Ohio.

social media allows for the same thing, for people with great ideas to get attention and be recognized for their ideas no matter if they are "the little guy."

11:12 AM I think social media allows for the same thing, for people with great ideas to get attention and be recognized for their ideas no matter if they are "the little guy."

11:14 AM My advice is to never be afraid to say "I don't know" as long as you are willing to do the work to find out. The digital world is so full of information for those who want it. You don't have to pretend to know something to be cool, you ask someone, especially on Twitter, and they will lead you to the information or people you seek.

 @journik PS... EXACTLY! NYC doesn't need another club! Cleveland HOWEVER... did the mayor give you a "key? and a hot dog?"

11:15 AM food reference is re baseball.

11:16 AM So how have you gone ahead and built your twitter following??? What do you recommend... HELL... how did you find POSTEROUS??? I think you found it before I did... and I'M a professional web business suit!

am also a proud mama (@journik: liked that @blogbrevity didn't say "mommy" (not that there's anything wrong with that))

 @blogbrevity Actually, I got a proclamation from the Ohio Senate. Baseball! One day my son will be in the World Series (am also a proud mama and not afraid to say so, lol.

11:17 AM @journik Senate?? huh? (eager look overcomes @journik)

 @blogbrevity I believe a lot of people have dreams, but lack that missing link to get them going.

  Oftentimes, it is a very small thing that results in a big change. The link I make for people is often very subtle. The results are often ginormous.

My Mantra: The only constant is change. ~ I have learned to embrace change, not fight it. Once you do that, it is very liberating. It helps you quiet “Fear.”

  http://bit.ly/onfear BTW, I really enjoyed your YouTube Video on Fear. People fear change. Your brilliant analysis of fear gets to the core of why people limit themselves. It is not what unfortunate thing may happen, but what will happen if you do fail. Who will you disappoint? The root of fear is protecting others from your possible failure. This video is a must view for everyone aspiring to be an entrepreneur.

and I truly believe anything is possible

11:18 AM @journik Hmm...

  those are some key "take-aways."

  "change"

  and

11:19 AM "fear"

 @blogbrevity My passion is to inspire, and I truly believe anything is possible.

11:20 AM Sometimes, it just takes someone else asking, “Why not?” Then, people feel their moxy and ask themselves, “Yes, why not?”

 @journik and it IS true that social media tips, secrets, SEO, business strategies, partners, rich sugar momma (in my case) ... NONE OF IT MATTERS...

  what matters is as you said... "and I truly believe anything is possible"

11:21 AM So dish out some of your gory entrepreneur stories willya???

  Other people's suffering is oddly inspirational to those who are afraid to go all the way...

11:22 AM or even take the first step toward living THEIR passion..!!!

  PS... re (Sugar Momma... OK, OK, sugar daddy at the right price! SHEEESH!)


You are your own sugar daddy, first realize that! First, accept you will fail

 

11:26 AM First, you are your "own sugar daddy," first realize that! Next, accept you will fail. Everyone fails. Like the old cliche "It is not how many times you fall, but how many times you get up!" The, you dust yourself off and realize, that wasn't that bad, I am going to give it another go.

 @journik In the words of Paris Hilton: "That's Hot!"

  You are your OWN sugardaddy!

11:27 AM @blogbrevity And, yes, Journik, you're HOT!

 @journik Awww...

  OH! RIGHT! you DID promise me pictures of @blogbrevity before the show!!! =P

11:28 AM So... in the words of @globalpatriot : "How can we help you?"

  You've given us a slice into your life and laid downs some ass kicking philosophy

11:29 AM What can @journik and the @journik readers do to grow this new ecosystem? Do you have a facebook you'd like us to join???

11:31 AM @blogbrevity Let people know if they want to discuss an idea or need some help with Twitter and blogging, contact me blogbrevity@gmail.com or on Twitter @blogbrevity. One more story: Although many places claim they want out-of-the-box thinkers, many are afraid of them or have HR people who guard their gate of conformity. There are not too many places that allow genius to dance. So, if you want to be at the party, start one. Be an entrepreneur. I am not a cube person, physically or mentally, and I need the freedom to be me!

11:34 AM P.S. When you are in NYC, I want you to meet my friend, George Wayne, who writes for Vanity Fair. You are a lot alike :)))

11:35 AM @journik Excellent... I assure you... only the smart CEO's realize that they NEED a Social Media Savvy "net native" to blog, write... and represent them to the public... after all... this is a new public... a public of popular opinion.. NOT the 1950's public of one way Orwellian corporate propoganda.

  Kinna like an international court room

11:36 AM You wouldn't represent yourself in court if you were a smart CEO would YOU???

11:37 AM Everybody... meet and talk with @blogbrevity about your mission, company, and new media marketing needs... @blogbrevity ... Thank you soooo much for joining us...

 @blogbrevity Thank you, kind sir, for the opportunity. May your days be filled with them :)))

11:38 AM @journik @journik points to band, stage left... they start playing Orwellian music. @blogbrevity walks off stage... with her cat >o_O<

  THATS a WRAP! always wanted to say THAT!

  will ya send me pics????

 @blogbrevity Yes ;)

11:40 AM BTW: I am developing a product for CEOs called Training Wheels in Social Media that features Twitter/Posterous/Analytics training to empower CEOS. The ones I have worked with, are addicted.

11:41 AM Have a loverly day~~~

 @journik Awesome... lemme know! We shall do another interview! =)

  c ya on twitter!

11:42 AM @blogbrevity This was sooo much fun, I don't think the weekend can top it! Thank you.

For specific questions about techniques and business strategies @blogbrevity has used to fill her business to the rafters... use the comment section below...

To meet another ass kicking entrepreneur who has the "fifth element:" see @missdestructo's Interview. Her marketing and business strategy is truly striking...

__________

About @journik: @Journik is Bob Wan-Qi Kim. He has been an internet entrepreneur since his first BBS on the "Information," "Super," "Highway." He founded http://journik.com -- a community like facebook but only for philosophers and their bull-shit.

His passion is exposing to the masses the power of Ancient Daoist (Origin of Acupuncture) Herbal Medicine when fused with Western Modern Genomic and Proteomic Sciences: His Client: http://jbni.us

See @journik's health blog: http://herbholist.posterous.com PS... Health Pros and Docs wanted for Herbholist Interviews!... @journik me! =)

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Filed under  //   blogbrevity   business   entrepreneurship   inspiration   marketing   pr   women  

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Why SEO is a S.C.A.M

SEO is a SCAM.

In Twitter, I see even experienced bloggers talking about SEO and SEM and SEX (X = random variable).

This to me, is pitiful.

You may still think SEO is crucial to your marketing efforts... But at the speed of information technology evolution, Your concept is neanderthal.

How SEO Started -- And WHY it's useless today:

Way back when Infoseek, Excite, Altavista, DogPile, and Inktomi for Yahoo was coming out, I was in Silicon Valley and San Francisco. I worked with many of the PhDs who built these Gen 1 Search Engines.

How they created their Search Engine ranking formula (called an algorithm) was forward engineering. How Google and Bing do it now is 100 percent the opposite. Google and Bing today, REVERSE Engineer.

Let me explain. Back when Mozilla HDP and Yahoo's Directory Project were launched, they were launched because all the algorithm based engines "sucked hairy balls" (Stanford PhD Technical Term -- You may have to use Wolfram Alpha to decode it). This is because:

1. Web Indexing Spiders Sucked.

2. Data Storage of Indexed Data was "Hella Expensive" (An MIT PhD Term. See above for explanation).

3. The entire internet was tiny. Even if you added up all the blogs -- both of 'em.

Since this was the case, it was impossible to get a comprehensive aka useful view of the internet. So, half of the PhD's in the "Valley" decided to just develop a human directory project (they Yang position In Daoism) and the other half of the Ying-Yang paradigm (this is the ONLY time ANYONE should use the word "paradigm") decided to just take a stab at best guessing an algorithm (the Yin position).

This is how Danny Sullivan's SearchEngineWatch.com came to be born. Danny collected marketing and ranking results from webmasters all over the world. He consulted to clients, reverse engineered every feeble algorithm, and now works from his pallacial OC oceanfront home. He earned it.

Back then, you COULD and SHOULD do SEO. All you had to do is make your site's keyword frequency and inbound links match Excite or Inktomi's (Yahoo's engine) expectations. Easy.

Now, Not So Mucho (just did an inspiring interview with IT Maven @jorgeavilam)!

They spider and measure your Gmail. They never delete a single email -- EVEN IF YOU DELETE AN EMAIL

Why SEO is BAD for Business

Now, Google has the entire frikkin internet graphed on one legal size page. They even have most every single business email conversation via Gmail. Yes. They spider and measure your Gmail. They never delete a single email -- EVEN IF YOU DELETE AN EMAIL (True Dat -- Cal Poly Phd speak).

Here's the big difference. Can I get a drum roll please?

Here's the big difference. Can I get a drum roll please?

Now, instead of guessing at how the bloguhsphere would link through to a relevant web url, Google simply reverse engineers the natural HUMAN linking patterns into their algorithm.

In other words, you cannot possibly, especially with a team of "SEO Experts" or "Social Media Experts," mimic the inbound linking fractility of the random public. You've all seen a fractal. Try to express that fractal in a calculus equation. YOU CAN'T. Give up!

So what do I do?

Simple.

How to Get to Page One of Google and Bing Today.

1.Make valuable content. Especially lists that people WILL NATURALLY LINK TO... like this:

2. Make all my Google Page One Pages a Youtube.
Google owns Youtube. Youtube is projectile bleeding money. Possibly a quarter to a half a billion dollars this year. So Google shows huge favoritism toward Youtube results. I know. I used to get thousands of uniques from google every hour from being #1 under "wireless internet." Now see:
http://www.google.com/search?hl=en&source=hp&q=money+karma&aq=f&oq=&aqi=g-m1 AND http://www.google.com/search?hl=en&q=super+antioxidants&aq=f&oq=&aqi= AND http://www.google.com/search?hl=en&q=astaxanthin&aq=f&oq=&aqi=g10

Peoples: THIS is a "Take-Away! Google even ranked Blogspot blogs higher than Wordpress (they own Blogspot -- Not Wordpress. Now that WP has more Adwords (owned by Google) Ads, Not so much)"

3. Talk About Famous People. They will link their powerful (High Page Rank) blogs to yours.
This is a side benefit of Interviewing people of influence

Am I wrong? - @Journik

About @journik: @Journik is Bob Wan-Qi Kim. He has been an internet entrepreneur since his first BBS on the "Information," "Super," "Highway." He founded http://journik.com -- a community like facebook but only for philosophers and their bull-shit.

His passion is exposing to the masses the power of Ancient Daoist (Origin of Acupuncture) Herbal Medicine when fused with Western Modern Genomic and Proteomic Sciences: His Client: http://jbni.us

See @journik's health blog: http://herbholist.posterous.com

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Filed under  //   business   excite   google   inktomi   marketing   scam   sem   seo   yahoo  

Comments [1]

9 Powerful Reasons You, In the USA, SHOULD Follow Your Passion - by a Mexican National. #inspiration #entrepreneurship

1. I wouldn't say the majority of the people, but here it's common to work for your dreams, be your own boss.

me: Buenos Dias!!

2. after a night of heavy patron anejo drinking!

jorge.avila: Hola!, how are you?

me: I told a couple of model in the (my client) JBNI NYC Flat that I'd go to the gym to make my 6-pack glisten!! =P

jorge.avila: hehehe

me: I feel great... steam room after a night of heavy patron anejo drinking!

jorge.avila: hehehe, that's my night today...
I have a busy night ahead
  :P

me: AHA! remember... Hot Steam and Sea Salt to pull the toxins out!!! ...So, WELCOME .. Bienvenidos to the @journik Entrepreneurship SHOW!!!

jorge.avila: Thanks for the invite
I saw that you're doing a set of interviews

@journik:  So,
 
jorge.avila:
  sounds interesting
 
@journik:
  I really appreciated your guest blog post on Motivation http://journik.posterous.com/tag/jorgeavila
Are there many entrepreneurs in your immediate community?
Most people in America seem to have jobs and WANT to get out... but dont know how...
 Sent at 2:22 PM on Thursday

Most people in America seem to have jobs and WANT to get out... but dont know how

jorge.avila:  There are entrepreneurs in my community, yes. Specially since I live in Monterrey, a city well know by its entrepreneurs.
A lot of big companies from Mexico were created in Monterrey. I wouldn't say the majority of the people, but here it's common to work for your dreams, be your own boss.
We have to remember
that our economy doesn't offer the same life style that americans have, that's also a big something to consider.
For example,
A mid-class american lives much better than a mid-class mexican.
So people wanting "more" know that they have to create their own business, where they can do as much as they want.
 Sent at 2:25 PM on Thursday

3. A mid-class american lives much better than a mid-class mexican.

So people wanting "more" know that they have to create their own business, where they can do as much as they want.

jorge.avila:  Some people start working on their own to be able to survive, but they do it correctly, and people start demanding more and more their products and services, and in no time, they have a good-size business and their life is completely different.
I have a lot of customers, who never went to college, and still they are very successful.
It's not easy to do business in Mexico, since we're more a by-relations economy.

4. I have a lot of customers, who never went to college, and still they are very successful.

@journik:  Agreed... One of the wealthiest men I know owns a chain of about 100 clothing stores in Mexico City. What business did you start... and what do you mean by "by-relations"?
 
jorge.avila:
  You have to know the right people, that's something that I like from the US, when I first met my customers there, they didn't know me, but they took the decision by our offer, not by who we are.
I started a company that offers solutions based on Technology
we don't like to think about ourselves as IT people, we understand the need, and we create the right solution with out technical skills.
With by-relations I mean that here in Mexico is very common to only buy from friends,
that's why large hardware companies have much trouble
and that's the reason why a company like DELL had to reopen their Partners program...
 
@journik:
  WOW!

jorge.avila:  I'll give you an example

5. here in Mexico, is very common to only buy from friends

jorge.avila:  DELL is a great product, and a cheap one since it sells directly through their website (or phone), but if large companies are buying from "a friend" they will buy what the friend is selling, and it results that it's HP (since HP has a distributors channel)
So DELL was having problems to gain market, that's why they decided to create the partner program
so right now, you can have "a friend" who sells DELL
 
@journik:
  OH WOW!!! THATS even more tight than I Imagined!
 
jorge.avila:
  Yes, specially since the direct sales to home is not that strong in Mexico
(remember, people earns much less than in the US, and computers cost the same)
so, the large sales are being made in government, corporates, etc.
 
@journik:
  For me... Even if my own SISTER sells seashells, I'll buy seashells where it's more convenient!
 
jorge.avila:
  hehehe
yeah, that's the american way,
not the mexican ;)
 
@journik:
  HAH!

6. We have lost projects here in Mexico, because after all the sales process somebody said "I have a friend who can do that"

jorge.avila:  I have always said that it's easier to do business there, since it's just matter of being good on what you do. We have lost projects here in Mexico, because after all the sales process
somebody said "I have a friend who can do that"...
and that's it.
So, after a while you start creating your relations
and doing good :)
 
@journik:
  AHA!! Friends B-E-F-O-R-E you need them!!!

WAIT... so how did you start getting clients in USA? No matter HOW good you are... you have to get KNOWN!
 
jorge.avila:
  Yes, you're right about it. It all started because I have a brother (one year older) that is a US Citizen
he was born in California while my father was doing his master at Stanford
and he's an architect
professional life as an architect is very tough in Mexico, 

@journik:  Ahhhh... he SHOULD HAVE gone into computer sci!!! he'd be a founder of Google, and TWITTER!@!!!!!@*&@*(&#@

I have always preferred to put my marketing money in "free projects" that really get us new customers

by referral

jorge.avila:  very bad paid, so after he got out of college
 
@journik:
  re stanford!
 
jorge.avila:
  (my father is the one who studied at Stanford, he did a Master in Computer Science)
but that's another story :P.
So, my brother moved to Texas long time ago
 
@journik:
  OH! =O
 
jorge.avila:
  and we created a website for him
www.miguel-avila.com <- you'll like it
and people started asking who did the website/app
so he was referring us customers
 
@journik:
  AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH
!
 
jorge.avila:
  that's how we started the doing business there
we have customers in several cities of texas,
chicago, and palmetto (FL)

@journik:
  WOW!
Well.... Now... You'll have customers in NYC, LA and Seattle... The places I WORK!
 
jorge.avila:
  Thanks, I was at LA few weeks ago
 
@journik:
  To me... It's amazing how few people realize that doing a simple favor like building a website for an influential person will pay you back 100000%!
 
jorge.avila:
  yes
you're right about it
To be honest,
I have always preferred to put my marketing money in "free projects" that really get us new customers
by referral
 

@journik:  Ahhhh.... When people want to do a few hours of work and collect a few pennies immediately... i think... "Sad... they don't want to invest in themselves!"

"Do you know how do you sell?"

jorge.avila:  You're that's so true
A customer once ask me
"Do you know how do you sell?"
At first, I didn't know what he was talking about,
 Sent at 2:44 PM on Thursday

7. You have to do what you love.

 jorge.avila:  and then he told me "You sell by advising, you explain and show how the solution will work so clearly that all you have to do is to put it on paper with the price to get the project"
Let's say that there are two things that I really like to do, and for my luck, that's what I sell.
I like to help, and technology, it's like people say
You have to do what you love.
That has helped me a lot.
Also,
 
@journik:
  I had a Law School student... who worked for me for a few weeks... for pennies... I told him that if you help me get to double my sales... meaning work more, better, smarter... I'll be ABLE to give you an executive position...

Now, I am almost at double sales and because he left just 2 weeks ago... I have to go looking for a new person who did NOT invest their time in MAKING THEIR OWN FUTURE...

8. most people thinks in short term

to be a business man, you really need to see the big picture, and that means thinking in mid and long term

jorge.avila:  That's a common scenario, most people
thinks in short term
to be a business man, you really need to see the big picture, and that means thinking in mid and long term.
We all have a specific time to work our... best ;), and really get things going, and that's just after college
that's when somebody needs to speed up
those are the years where you really have plenty of energy
and most probably time (since most people is single and without kids)
But I was telling...
Since I was a kid, I learned that there is only one thing left when you die
that's your name.
 
@journik:
  ahhh... yes..
 
jorge.avila:
  So I'm very careful when it comes to promise something to a customer, it doesn't matter what it is.
You have to deliver. There is no option.
 
@journik:
  no excuses
 
jorge.avila:
  That's not a common way of thinking in Mexico,
that's something that I have exploited greatly
 
@journik:
  Hell, mierda... i think thats common on EARTH!!!
=)

9. You have to deliver. There is no option.

jorge.avila:  Thanks to others people bad service, I always find open doors.
 
@journik:
  Aha! Interesting... BE THANKFUL for idiots!
 
jorge.avila:
  Yeah, that's like the basics of business, actually it applies to everything.
Yes
 
@journik:
  Without idiots... how would people know I was smart?!?!?!?!?! =P
 
jorge.avila:
  hehehe
The thing is,
that if you "work smart, then hard" (we use that as our motto)
 
@journik:
  I LOVE IT!!!!

So do you specialize in any IT issues specifically? infrastructure? Database? Security??? And how do people reach you if they need your help... even for little things...???
 
jorge.avila:
  you will grow.
I try to maintain an open door policy with customers and prospects... <- what's that?
well
I like to chat/talk/meet
with people
talk about what they're doing
give them tips, options
experience that we might have...
and then...
they ask "Would you help me?"
 
@journik:  You E A R N their trust FIRST
you dont ask for it...
!

jorge.avila:  exactly
so
(and to be honest)
we really don't sell,
they buy from us
of course we follow a sales cycle
but in reality they already want the service
 
@journik:
  HAHAAAA!!! Well... I'm sure many CTOs and business owners will read this ... who would be a good client for you?
 
jorge.avila:
  We have customers in lots of industries, we mainly help in automating/optimizing processes
it doesn't matter if you do services or products, technology can be applied in any place
While talking to prospects, we also find out if in reality they need tech, we have found that in many cases there are "human" factors involved in the situation
so we mention that kind of things,
I'll give you an example
We have had customers who complain that  their current ERP doesn't work, and they would like us to create one for them.
So we start asking the employees simple questions, like, did you had training?
 
@journik:  Yeah... Humans suck!

They really complicate things! Especially if they are gorgeous in a cocktail dress and like top shelf Patron Margaritas!

jorge.avila:  the owner says: Yes, everybody got trained.
the employee says: There was people trained, but they left; none of the current employees is trained
 
@journik:
  oh no!!!
 
jorge.avila:
  So you have a simple miscommunication problem,
very easy to be solved,
without incurring in new expenses
 
@journik:
  Interesting!
 
jorge.avila:
  honesty help us to build trust
you would be very amazed of the impact that it has on the final customer
since you didn't charge anything they actually try to find something to do business with you
it makes you feel pretty good.
We see all customers as a long term relation,
so we're not in a hurry to get money from them
also, having a customer who really trust you helps in a lot of ways
for example, it makes collecting much simple :)
 
@journik:
  TRUE!
VERDAD!
=)
 
jorge.avila:
  One rule I set since the first days of the business
is to get rid of bad customers,
we're here to give a service, we're not a collecting company, and we refuse to waster our time in that.
 
@journik:
  Aha. ...

Jorge!!!... I really want to go further into your business philosophy and how you use twitter internationally... and how you do marketing... can we do another interview next week???
 
jorge.avila:
  sure thing,
 
@journik:
  Excellent!
 
jorge.avila:
  tuesdays and thursdays are the best days for me
 
@journik:
  Perfect... what's your website??? To make it convenient for the people who need you...?
 
jorge.avila:
  sure, we're actually changing it, so I'll give you two URL's
www.avilaintegradores.com (Spanish)
www.avilaintegradores.com/2009 (the new version which is in english)
 
@journik:
  excellent... OK! Thank You for your time!!! Next interview... Jorge Avila's Marketing Strategy... and Twitter... and More on business inspiration!
Can you send me a few pictures???
I'll post in a few hours...
 Sent at 3:09 PM on Thursday
 
jorge.avila:
  sure, I'll send you some photos so you can choose from.
 
@journik:
  perfect... I'll put up the interview at http://journik.posterous.com as soon as I get the pictures!!! =) Gracias!
 
jorge.avila:
  thanks!...
talk to you later, it was nice chatting...
 
@journik:
  likewise!!! bye!

ABOUT @journik: He is Bob Wan-Qi Kim. He has been a web entrepreneur since before it was called the web. Hi passion is approaching health and healing from both an Eastern holistic perspective and a Western high tech genomics perspective. His main project in the health care arena is spreading the word about the effectiveness of 100% natural, all-herbal, zero side-effect medicine. See his client: http://JBNI.us

Also see @journik's Holistic Health Care Blog: Health Myths You Still Believe!

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Filed under  //   alist   business   entrepreneurship   inspiration   interview   interviews   jorgeavila   jorgeavilam   marketing   pr   strategy   twitter  

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How to Marry a Super-Hero with Boobs. (Brand Building, Tweetups, Unemployment (like greed) Is Good, and Hot Feet)

Oh Bob, I have a confession. I love nerds (ed: whoa o_O) - @missdestructo

I had the honor of gmail chat meeting with @missdestructo O... better known as @missdestructo. She is unforgettable for an entire litany of reasons. I had to have her on my chat show: @Journik to mine the depth of her marketing, pr, dating, fetish, and lycra-spandex wisdom...

Enjoy the show:

__________

Hello! :)
 Sent at 9:27 AM on Tuesday

 @journik:  oh...!
hi!
tellya what... lemme brush my teeth with my new baking soda toothpaste first! brb!
=)

 @missdestructo:  No problem! It's not like I can smell ya from over here. :P
 Sent at 9:30 AM on Tuesday

it's not so much the lack of a job but the gaining of trying to figure out my path in life

 @journik:  hah!
back!

 @missdestructo:  It just got much more minty fresh in here.

 @journik:  HAH!!! OK... so ... hello there!... (over band music to stage left)
(big hug ensues)
So welcome to Journik!...
I hear that youre a writer who's F-unemployed???
 Sent at 9:35 AM on Tuesday

It allows me to focus more on creating myself "miss destructo" as a brand and persuing my own dreams.

 @missdestructo:  Hi there Bob! Yes, i've been funemployed, self employed, and employed by my two stinky dogs the last few months. Whatever you want to call it, it's not so much the lack of a job but the gaining of trying to figure out my path in life

 @missdestructo:  It allows me to focus more on creating myself "miss destructo" as a brand and persuing my own dreams.

@journik:  AHA!

Sent at 9:37 AM on Tuesday 

@journik:  yes... i was wondering that... in this economy... we may not have the luxury of dining at Chez Quelque Or Other every night... but like @garyvee says, we DO have the priceless luxury of seeing what our true core "calling" may be!!

 @missdestructo:  Well, after finishing up my bachelors degree in Communications. I moved for seven months to Greenville, South Carolina where I found interest in the local Social media Club and Twitter. I started blogging about my experiences and I found a real knack with connecting with people on twitter.
 Sent at 9:39 AM on Tuesday

@missdestructo:  Yes! I adore the writings of Gary Vee and other folks like Chris Brogan. I can relate to anyone who hasn't been handed a silver spoon, fought through financial difficulties and those barriers while

@missdestructo:  Yes! I adore the writings of Gary Vee and other folks like Chris Brogan. I can relate to anyone who hasn't been handed a silver spoon, fought through financial difficulties and those barriers while staying true to themselves and helping others conquer those same difficulties.
(Edit: @garyvee)
 Sent at 9:42 AM on Tuesday


@journik:  HAH! So then... tell us about your MISSDESTRUCTO Brand! And What strategies you bring to building your brand from your florescent light days???
I know many are considering your entrepreneurial path
(shouldn't we have an American word for THAT?!?! - I mean, @loic is the ONLY French Entrepreneur I KNOW!!!)

 @journik:  OH... BUT... about @garyvee (I think he WAS handed a silver-spoon! (yeah-yeah, I know... he still works harder than most anyone I know... And instead of paying some fancy PR Machine, spearheads his own pr... gumshoe style -- one hand shake at a time!))

 @missdestructo:  Im a small town gal with a big city dreams, I haven't had too much guidance or help with the blogging adventure. so I look for inspiration in other female bloggers such as Gala Darling. People who have created themselves as a brand, those people with out of this world character and enterpenurial savvy. Richard Branson is a huge influence for sticking to my guns and not giving up.
 Sent at 9:48 AM on Tuesday

@missdestructo:  Im a small town gal with a big city dreams, I haven't had too much guidance or help with the blogging adventure. so I look for inspiration in other female bloggers such as Gala Darling.

 @journik:  Why did you join the S Carolina Twitter group?? most people are scared of meeting GEEKY twitter people - like meeee ... did you ever meet @closetofstyle (#winner in her beauty and style niche)

 @missdestructo:  Even beyond financial support, it's what he's did with it... it's very hard to be your own successful PR person. There's many time i've wished I had a whole team of people, but I think the only one to represent me right now is myself. I would rather meet people myself and have that personal connection with people. That's what is above all most important to me, especially in social media is to gain honest, personal connections with people.

 @journik:  AND AND AND AND AND  What would you tell people who want to promote their own line, brand, service, site... about going out and shaking hands???
 Sent at 9:56 AM on Tuesday

Plug: If you want a social media savvy writer who rescues CEOs from marketing sand-traps during the day... contact http://missdestructo.com

 @missdestructo:  Oh Bob, I have a confession. I love nerds. Myself, I am huge nerd, I used to collect Magic. The Gathering cards watch Mystery Science Theater 3000 and i've attended Dragoncon. Attending a SMC meeting opened my eyes that there are other people out there just like me trying to figure out the new world of social media. Plus it was a great way to network with local business and tech leaders. Great for those who are unemployed.

 @jouinik:  ASIDE: ((though bubble... while @garyvee may have been born with a silver spoon, there are five possible silver spoons you can be born with... the obvious is money... but PASSION, AMBITION, IQ, and boobs - we all know which one or two others have -- that Gary is missing!))

 @missdestructo:  Ha ha ha... Passion, Ambition, IQ and Boobs. ha ha
 Sent at 10:00 AM on Tuesday

Myself, I am huge nerd, I used to collect Magic.

 @missdestructo:  Oh I will HAVE to meet @closetofstyle!

 @journik:  So if you love nerds... shouldnt you be shy???
meeting random "interwebs aka informationsuperhighway people" is creepy no?

 @missdestructo:  Actually, that's how I met my fiancee. Via the interwebs, and I think our "I want to believe" poster verifies our geekiness. You just have to be careful, i've had a few people show up to tweetups just to met "Miss Destructo" a.k.a. their desktop wallpaper.
 Sent at 10:02 AM on Tuesday

hmm... you're not married. hmmm... SO YOURE SAYIN THERES A CHANCE!"

@journik:  HAHAAA! So??? (for all the nerds out there) "Fiance... hmm... you're not married. hmmm... SO YOURE SAYIN THERES A CHANCE!"
 Sent at 10:03 AM on Tuesday

 @missdestructo:  I am still shy, but that doesn't hinder me from being outgoing. I just like to observe and then connect. I think growing up with a limited number of friends as I moved out of from a small religous private schoo that I went to for 12 years to a public school, really made @journik an outcast. I believe all of that made me want to be more than just the popular kid, it made me want to be successful in my own skin.
He has an eyepatch, there is a reason for this. ha ha

 @journik:  Whoa... o_O ///

So you have a wallpaper... shirts??? ... i saw your website... are you marketing products as well? and What's the MISSDESTRUCTO Brand About?? who's it going to taste like sweet honey to?

The Miss Destructo brand is about, being your own superhero. My motto is "Nothing Is Impossible"

 @missdestructo:  Oh no, it was a self made very creepy wallpaper. I do have to admit he did a great photoshop job, I look awesome pasted on Megan Foxe
just kidding
The Miss Destructo brand is about, being your own superhero. My motto is "Nothing Is Impossible"
 Sent at 10:08 AM on Tuesday

 @journik:  LOLOL!!! i did notice from your site that your appearance is striking... and so is your hair! and THAT is an inspiring message! BE YOUR OWN SUPERHERO! ...

 @missdestructo:  Growing up without a mother was tough, I want to be able to be an inspiration that in spite of "hard time" you can save yourself and others.
 Sent at 10:10 AM on Tuesday

 @journik:  Hmmm... what town did you grow up??? and As a SuperHero... any word of advice for lonely single dateless nerds who have a dreammmm?
(ehem)
(wrings fingers in eager anticipation)
 Sent at 10:12 AM on Tuesday

Honestly, some of the best men i've met were former nerds.

 @journik:  OH! and I saw a picture on your site... (see http://twitter.com/missdestructo ) of you with the Premier or the Prime Minister of Florida??? How'd you score that?!?!
 Sent at 10:14 AM on Tuesday

 @missdestructo:  Honestly, some of the best men i've met were former nerds. My advice to lonely, single nerds.... Take care of yourself and others. Also Star Wars Technical Manuals aren't real, if they had that technology we'd have light sabers. Head on over to the Relationship section instead, trust me because some of us women are much more detailed than the death star.
 Sent at 10:16 AM on Tuesday

 @journik:  HAHAHAAAAA!!! WOW!... I think we just hit GOLD!!!
Can we do another interview in a few days in search of Platinum????
 Sent at 10:18 AM on Tuesday

 @missdestructo:  Ah yes, the mayor of Tampa. She is such a funny, sharp witted woman! Proud to have her as mayor. I ended up meeting her through my invitation to comedian Mark Malkoff who is collecting city keys for his latest stunt, previously he spent 30 days on an airplane and a week in IKEA.

how to hook up with a hot chick (professionally, of course): we just made a connection through our senses of humor and kept in touch

 @missdestructo:  I just started tweeting to Mark while he was sitting in the Airtran plane, we just made a connection through our senses of humor and kept in touch. He said he was looking for mayors, so I told him to give Tampa a shot.

 @journik:  Networking via a comedian. BRILLIANT!
 Sent at 10:20 AM on Tuesday

 @journik:  I still wanna know how you got yourself into that Press Opp... and IF YOU SELL ANYTHING.. AND how you network - tips ... how you zoom in on people who are potentially kindred??? Nightmares of self promotion... your experiences... AND so many more questions!!!
 Sent at 10:22 AM on Tuesday

 @missdestructo:  I don't sell anything yet, however there is a plan for a future Deviant club through my blog. Where for a donation (to help fund @journik to go to conferences) you'll get a shirt and a handwritten note from me.
 Sent at 10:23 AM on Tuesday

 @journik:  Will the donors get their @name on YOUR shirt??? o_O (like that Godaddy Girl???) OK... so... how's about this as a title: "How to Marry a SuperHero (With or without boobs), and the Death Star"

Miss Destructo T-Shirts. They may be yam scented. ;-P

Oh, there will be something special planned for Miss Destructo T-Shirts. They may be yam scented. ;-P

 @journik:  Yam ??/ YUMMMM!!!
ok...
i think that's a wrap!
Thank you soooo much for sharing your blue hair time with @Journik will you send me some pics of your socks, desk... etc...???

 @missdestructo:  Bob, I want to thank you greatly for this opportunity! I'll be glad to send you some pics of the inner working of Destructo HQ. No sock pics however, I don't want the foot fetish people emailing me again.

 @journik:  HAHA!!! ahhhh!!!... R-i-g-h-t!!!
hahaaa!!!
ugh! DAMN YOU FOOT FETISHISTS!!!

 @missdestructo:  This really has been fun!

 @journik:  Likewise! I'm blogging and linking to the posterous now... pics asap is appreciated!

 @missdestructo:  Awesome, let me know when it's up. Lemme send you some pics first. :) 

@journik:  Course! talk after Halloween!!!... wanna focus on some of your business strategy and networking tactics!
bye!!!

wanna focus on some of your business strategy and networking tactics!

 @missdestructo:  Sure, i'd love to... just wanted to introduce myself first! :)

 @journik:  oh... sure... go for it..
i'll transpose spaces

 @missdestructo is typing…
@missdestructo is offline and can't receive messages right now.


--

About @Journik: @Journik is Bob Wan-Qi Kim. He has lots of friends he can connect you with. Real friends. His current passion is availing the world to a brand new way of health care: "naturaceuticals" AND supporting any company or cause who's mission is in line with his own desire to live long and prosper.

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Filed under  //   bloggers   marketing   missdestructo   pr   social media   tweetups   twitter   women   writer   writers  

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'Bloggers, Magazine Writers, Editors, Lend my your bodies!"

I'm giving out free schizzle from JBNI.

My client, JBNI, has the most eclectic background I can imagine. In fact, if I didn't know their background, I'd likely be unable to imagine it. JBNI has a genomics wing. JBNI has a proteomics wing. JBNI has a team of scientists who are insiders as far as Harvard. BUT the part that really confused the heck out of me is that they produce a line of highest tech formulas for health issues using exclusively all natural 100% herbal ingredients.

Yeah, I know. Herbs don't work. Double blind tests have proven the likes of St. John's wart, St. John's blister, and Eckarttolleinasia to be no more effective than a placebo in many cases.

So I had to try their formulas for myself. The guys over at Interview Magazine did too: http://bit.ly/interviewJBNI ... Now, I want you to try my client's formulas and tell me about YOUR experience. This is what I am having made and sent out to you writers, bloggers, editors, and countrymen:

If you want in, just @journik me the name of your blog or publication and I'll shoot you our a press kit you can actually put in your face.

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Filed under  //   bloggers   marketing   pr   press kits   samples  

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How to be a Bigshot Blogger in 3 posts

Let's face it. Let's be honest here. Let's ________ (insert whatever coloquial expression used to express surrender). Getting a commercial sponsorship to blog is not easy.

Most of us started a blog a while back when we heard that some people actually work from home and make money by selling square inches. "WOW, that's the ticket!" We exclaimed when exclaiming such was still considered hip and fitting to the parlance of our time.

So we went about sweatty palmsing through our first Google Adsense application. Then we spent the next few days on pins and needles excitedly awaiting a response as if to a pregnancy test. (in my case, please replace the former word, "excitedly" with petrifi-ed-ly)

People are like basketballs. You gotta keep on kicking-em till they get in the hole damm-met!

JES! You scream (if you are that one Cuban blogger who accidentally got approved) jumping up and down on your $25 office depot chair at the sight of your Adsense Approval Email and Code.

The following months are not so interesting. You earned twenty-five cents. This, for a click that you made (we will just extend you the courtesy of the word, 'accidentally') accidentally. Three years later, you get your first Google check for $100.25.

What went oh so wrong? Why don't I have the Proctor and Gamble 5 year advertising contract like @Dooce? Or the @apple contract like @ryanblock?

Simple.

You weren't positioned properly. PR companies charge bundles to create positing for their companies. Companies pay these bundles (Wow, for some reason, I just wanna bite that word, "bundle." In anycase...). THIS is how you position yourself.

TOP 5 KEYS TO BLOGGING RICHOCITY

1. Pick a narrow topic you're passionate about.
Make sure you are passionate enough to write DAILY
Make sure you are passionate enough to earn your own haters (they are great for comment content and google visibility.)

2. Target a manufacturer who would LOVE to be POSITIONED in the middle of this topical post.
#1 starts at your core. #2 starts with the end in mind.

3. Search Twitter using my app http://untweeps.com for people tweeting the same topics and complimentary topics
Follow them all. They will each get an email saying YOU followed them. If you're bio is dolled up enough, they will follow you back. The buddy making is all up to you now.

4. Seal content partnerships with these guys from #3. Build alliances.
If you, Sally, jog with a baby stroller daily, find a mommy blogger, Molly, who takes her kids to school daily. Your reader base will be the same but your commerical sponsors will be non conflicting. One gets a stroller sponsorship and the other gets a Ford Fiesta sponsorship.

Guest blog for each other. Guest tweet each other. AND co-link to each other!: For example, Molly would link to Sally's blog under the link term, "light-weight strollers for twins." Sally would link to Molly's blog under term: "fuel efficient cars for single mothers." Guaranteed you'll be on Google's page one for these searches. Next step is to simply use less words to increase target-find likelihood. Eventually, You'll be on page one of Google under "strollers" and "fuel efficient cars." BUT the key here is collaboration.

5. ReTweet Each Other!
Do you realize that it takes NINE to TWENTY tweet or ad impressions before someone clicks!?!?!?!? When I blog and tweet it out, I generally get 80 clicks av. So, I use twaiter.com to schedule that same tweet for 12 days in a row. You do the math, 80x12 should be 960 clicks. BUT NO! After 12 days, I always get about 3,000 clicks. True story. People are like basketballs. You gotta keep on kicking-em till they get in the hole damm-met!

And lemme know about #4. I'll explain if you have questions. @journik me

#6 BONUS: "Francois (an effeminate man born Frank, in Sandusky, OH), come quick, look: Sally's blog is already perfectly color calibrated to our own brand and color identity."

Make sure your blog design is perfectly compatible with your target-sponsor's graphic visual identity. Middle managers in marketing departments of major household brands actually spend their whole day by the water cooler making advertising choices based on these trivial merit factors!

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Filed under  //   alliances   bloggers   blogging   marketing   mommy   mommy-bloggers   positioning  

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Is Paypal Making You Bleed Sales and New Customer Conversion?

I track everything. I track every single tweet, Google click through, blog view, blog click through, hour of day, everything.

Trouble is, you can't track what's NOT happening. You can only track what IS happening. So, I asked myself, what's invisible? What's NOT happening?

Sure enough, a friend of mine called me and said, "Does your client, JBNI (maker of 100% Natural Herbal Naturaceuticals) only accept Paypal?"

I was shocked.

I was shocked partially because the ramifications were huge. JBNI markets internationally to countries in Europe, South America, and Asia. If an American who spends all day on a computer couldn't figure out how to pay with a credit card, I wondered how many people in Portugal had the same problem. And I was partially shocked because I'd heard this same complaint before but never thought to measure the loss impact until now.

So I did some heuristics research. First step in this process was to look up the definition of "heuristics." (ok. all kidding aside)

Here's what I found.

A. People don't buy if they have to register and trust Paypal with their financial and personal information.

B. People don't buy if they can't use their favorite credit card, possibly with airline miles.

C. People don't buy if they feel like they are walking down a gang plank. (No seller contact info. Only the cash register faces them)

D. People don't buy if they don't know when to expect delivery.

E. People don't buy if they have ANY QUESTIONS AT ALL.

E. People don't buy if they have ANY QUESTIONS AT ALL.

Sure, the http://jbni.us website clearly states shipping policy and refund policy and contact numbers and even offers 24/7 live meebo chat BUT let's be honest here, by the time a NEW, FIRST TIME visitor walks down to the end of the golden brick road, there's a ton of trepidation about taking that last step, down the rabbit hole (I tried to weave in an Oompah Lumpah metaphore but it's way too early in the morning).

So, THIS is what was done to correct A-E. I recommend you do the same. I'll give you a status update on sales in a following blog post. If you want to follow my "Health Myths You Still Believe" tweets... you're welcome to http://twitter.com/herbholist

JBNI can be reached at http://jbni.us

1. Clear shipping expectations REiterated

2. Customer feels like JBNI is right there with them during first purchase experience

3. Blurred graphic clearly explains how to pay with credit card because...

4. ... Paypal's "continue" link looks like a dull legal "Terms and Conditions" link! And...

5. ... it looks like you MUST have a paypal account to order. And...

6. ... the "Why Use Paypal" starts off as a paypal solicitation. Nobody will read this!

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Filed under  //   conversion   ctr   ecommerce   heuristics   marketing   measurement   paypal   social media marketing  

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Medical, Beauty, Fitness Bloggers, Let's Trade Ads!

 

Yep, I'm not kidding... We just launched http://herbholist.com and we get about 400 uniques and 1200 total page views daily. You could benefit.  Bigtime. Free. I. Should. Just. Do. One. Word. Sentences. 

Anyhoo, if you have similar traffic to your site, lets trade pixel for pixel. If you have less, we will still give you free ad space if you just commit to submitting 1 post a day. Ironically, they can be YOUR POSTS! =) 

So you win double-mente. You in? Tweet me: @herbholist

WordPress:http://herbholist.wordpress.com
Tumblr:
http://herbholist.tumblr.com
Posterous:
http://herbholist.posterous.com
Youtube:
http://youtube.com/biodrux
Twitter:
http://twitter.com/herbholist

“Holistic Health Myths You Still Believe or Don’t but Still Do:”http://herbholist.com Submit Your Site and Meet Partners. Team Up! http://jbni.us

FCC DISCLOSURE: JBNI is the producer of the content on this website and is the producer of 100% Natural, All-Herbal Formulas for Humanity’s Rapidly Evolving Needs

 

 

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Filed under  //   advertising   beauty   blogging   fitness   health   marketing   medicine  

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Explaining Social Media, Twitter, and News to Your Boss. The Social Media Flow Chart

PDF available on request. http://twitter.com/journik

PS. no offense intended to facebook users. What I was referring to were the 3 facebook users who are clueless. o_O

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Filed under  //   datavisualization   flowchart   marketing   newsmedia   newspapers   nytimes   print   social media   socialmediadangersandopportunities   socialmediamarketing   twitter  

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How to get 2 million eyeballs (dotcom term) aka 1 million impressions (web 2.0 term)

http://twitter.com/BJMendelson/statuses/3149494781

All I did was post a useful comment where the other bigshots were sure to see it http://www.careerrenegade.com/why-small-is-the-new-big-in-social-media-marketing/

If you've never heard of BJ, he has 1 million followers because of his feel good cause and because he is on the Twitter recommended tweeple list.

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Filed under  //   alist   bj   marketing   pr   social media   socialmediadangersandopportunities   socialmediamarketing   twitter  

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