-
Gevril and Haurex Italia dinner during Baselworld in March 2011 with Larry Brauner standing in the background.
Baselworld 2012 is right around the corner!
Apr
13
Growing Our Social Media Group
Filed Under Announcements, Blogging, Career Choices, News, Public Relations, Web Marketing | 4 Comments
I work at a watch company for which social media and web marketing are key tools for accelerating its business expansion.As Social Media Director, I flew with our team to Basel, Switzerland in March to attend Baselworld, the grandest and most important watch and jewelry event of the year.
Social Media Help Wanted
I explained in My Social Media Mission Abroad that I was visiting at Baselworld 2011 with the dozens of watch brands we represent to discuss social media collaboration and ideas for future projects.I realized, of course, that I’d need substantial help to carry out the social media plans made in Basel.
Besides freelance writers who can appreciate and blog about luxury, fashion and watches, I’m also looking locally in the Greater New York area for an art director, PR expert and advertising specialist.
New Social Media Profit Centers
For decades, I’ve been intrapreneurial. Now, in addition to leveraging our Internet properties to promote our firm and its many watch brands, it’s my intention, as well, to turn these websites into profit centers and totally new income streams.
So far we have several work-at-home bloggers and a few candidates for the in-house positions. To recommend someone or apply yourself for any of these opportunities, check out my Connect page.
Social Media Watch
I’ll keep you informed about our social media moves and their effectiveness. Please subscribe and join me on Facebook — and don’t hesitate to leave me a comment.
Did you enjoy this article? Subscribe to my RSS feed or by e-mail. Visit my About, Services, Media Buzz and Connect pages to learn about Building Your Audience and Brand on the Web. See also my Disclosure Policy regarding affiliations and compensation. 
Sharing is Caring! Use the handy SHARE widget.
Tags: Blogging, careers, Social Media, social media marketing
Nov
5
10 Keys to Building a Social Media and Web Presence
Filed Under Announcements, Best Practices, Networking and Marketing Strategy, Outside the Box, Search and Social, Web Marketing | 10 Comments
Seven years ago in November 2003, I began my online networking exploration on Ryze, a new social web site which was, along with LinkedIn, one of the first social networking and business networking sites.It wasn’t until 2006, after I’d already joined a number of additional social networking websites, that I learned that these sites were the precursors of a much larger social media phenomenon. I also learned about the importance of blogs, explained by Darren Rouse in his video which I embedded in Not Ready for Social Media Marketing.
I launched this blog, Online Social Networking, in November 2007, and yes, I am celebrating my third blogiversary. 
In Social Media One Bite at a Time and 7 Tips for Winning the Social Media Marathon, I discuss the social media mindset and some of the social media strategies I’ve found very helpful.
Building My Social Media and Web Presence
Here is a list of my 10 top strategies for building my social media and web presence:
- Partnership - Building relationships though blogging, online social networking and social bookmarking sites.
- Content - Writing and publishing well thought-out and occasionally useful articles on my two blogs.
- Search Engine Optimization - Ongoing keyword research and SEO. 50% of all my web site traffic comes directly from search engines.
- Diversification - Creating a presence on diverse social media sites and cultivating diverse web site traffic sources.
- Innovation - Experimenting with many ideas, some work out and others flop, while resisting any urges to follow the crowd.
- Boldness - Haven’t been afraid to test the limits of social websites and social media strategies. Twitter removed @larrybrauner from their search results, Sphinn terminated my account, and Facebook sends me sweet little love messages when I become more ambitious than they like. All I can say is, “C’est la vie.” Meekness isn’t a good quality in a marketer.
- Planning - Always researching and frequently reevaluating and refining my web marketing and branding plan. Flexibility must accompany social media and web marketing planning.
- Attitude - Persevering, staying upbeat and focusing, even when I didn’t feel like it, such as when my Dad passed away last year, or when my search engine traffic dipped during this past summer.
- Tools - Taking advantage of a variety of social media, SEO and web analytics tools.
- Widgets - Integrating social media with my blogs through using website widgets.
Thank you for partnering with me and helping me all these years with my social media and web marketing efforts.
Share Your Social Media Strategies
What are your most successful strategies for building your social media and web presence?
Did you enjoy this article? Subscribe to my RSS feed or by e-mail. Visit my About, Services, Media Buzz and Connect pages to learn about Building Your Audience and Brand on the Web. See also my Disclosure Policy regarding affiliations and compensation. Sharing is Caring! Please use the SHARE widget.
Tags: blog, Blogging, online social networking, Social Media, social media strategy, social networking sites, Web Marketing
Oct
10
Networking Events on Facebook
Filed Under Announcements, Books, Facebook, Promoting Yourself | 4 Comments
The Website Promotion Event on my Facebook page celebrating my birthday back in January was a successful networking event that went viral and attracted hundreds. Many people made important new connections during the January networking event.What I’m Grateful For Networking Event
Consequently, I’m launching a series of themed networking events starting with What I’m Grateful For, this coming Wednesday the 13th on my Facebook page. Visit the event page to RSVP.Books I’m Reading Networking Event
Registration is also open for Books I’m Reading, the following Wednesday, October 20th on the new Purple Umpkin Facebook page.Future Networking Events
I’m planning additional networking events in this series, not only on my Facebook page and Purple Umpkin, but also on Business Structuring Diva, Proud Of My Mom, Real Estate Events and other Facebook pages.Future networking events will be listed on the News tab of my Facebook business page and elsewhere.
Feel free to make suggestions for networking events by commenting on this article.
Promoting the Networking Events
The easiest ways to spread the word about these networking events if you care to are:
- Invite guests directly from the networking event page along with a personal message of endorsement.
- Share the networking events on your Facebook fan page or profile along with an endorsement.
- Share the networking events on Twitter with #socialnetworking and #facebook hashtags.
- Link-to or share this article on social bookmarking sites and the other social and business sites where you usually share content.
Join us at upcoming networking events, and if you’re new to my blog, please subscribe.
Did you enjoy this article? Subscribe to my RSS feed or by e-mail. Visit my About, Services, Media Buzz and Connect pages to learn about Building Your Audience and Brand on the Web. See also my Disclosure Policy regarding affiliations and compensation. Sharing is Caring!
Tags: Facebook, networking events
Aug
23
Time to Upgrade Ning Networks Extended
Filed Under Announcements, News, Ning Sites, Social Media and Social Networking Sites | 6 Comments
This is a quick update on the Ning transition from free Ning networks to all paid networks. The deadline for upgrading free Ning networks had been set to August 20th, but Ning announced today that the deadline for choosing a price plan for your network is now extended until the 30th.
You might be able to use the additional time to devise a better Plan B. I plan to use the time to migrate more members from my old Ning networks to my new improved Ning network.This my new Ning network, and I invite you to connect and network with me there:
Small Business Networking (Ning network for entrepreneurs and small businesses wherever they might be. Sign up there for the free social media marketing training.)
You don’t need your own business to participate in my new Ning network.
Did you enjoy this article? Subscribe to my RSS feed or by e-mail. Visit my About, Services, Media Buzz and Connect pages to learn about Building Your Audience and Brand on the Web. See also my Disclosure Policy regarding affiliations and compensation. Sharing is Caring!
Tags: free social media marketing training, Ning, Ning social network, small business networking
Aug
20
Is Your Ning Network Closing?
Filed Under Announcements, News, Ning Sites, Social Media and Social Networking Sites | 5 Comments
August 20th is here, and all free Ning networks go dark at midnight. Do you have a Ning network that’s not upgraded or belong to one? Are your Ning networks closing tonight?Ning network creators can, depending on quantity, archive all or part of their content from within the moderator area.
I’m closing a bunch of Ning networks but have recently launched a new Ning network to replace them.My new Ning network, for which I have ambitious and exciting plans is Small Business Networking (a Ning network serving entrepreneurs and small businesses worldwide). Sign up for the free social media marketing training to be offered on-site.
You don’t need a business to participate in either network. You can gather business information, share ideas, search for a new job or do whatever else might make sense to you.
If your Ning network is closing, you’re looking for better ways to brand yourself, or you simply desire to develop new skills, come to Small Business Networking.
See you there.
Did you enjoy this article? Subscribe to my RSS feed or by e-mail. Visit my About, Services, Media Buzz and Connect pages to learn about Building Your Audience and Brand on the Web. See also my Disclosure Policy regarding affiliations and compensation. Sharing is Caring!
Tags: free social media marketing training, Ning, Ning social network, nyc business networking, small business networking
Aug
10
Business Networking Sites Develop Distinctive Identities
Filed Under Announcements, Social Media and Social Networking Sites | Leave a Comment
Members of my two new business networking sites have started to implement their personal business networking strategies on each site. As a member of both, it’s fascinating to watch each site begin to develop a distinctive identity.NY Business Networking is regional in scope and therefore conducive to promoting offline events and arranging face-to-face meetings in the NYC Tri-State Area.
Small Business Networking doesn’t have a geographical orientation and consequently seems better suited to blogging, on-site special interest groups and web-based instruction. I’m offering a free step-by-step social media training on this site, and you are welcome to enroll.
Come sign up for either or both of my new business networking sites and join me at the grand opening party.
Did you enjoy this article? Subscribe to my RSS feed or by e-mail. Visit my About, Services, Media Buzz and Connect pages to learn about Building Your Audience and Brand on the Web. See also my Disclosure Policy regarding affiliations and compensation. Sharing is Caring!
Tags: Business Networking, business networking sites, free social media marketing training, free social media training, nyc business networking, small business networking, social media marketing training
Aug
8
My New Business Networking Sites Grand Opening Party Online Aug 9-12
Filed Under Announcements, Facebook, Promoting Yourself, Social Media and Social Networking Sites | 3 Comments
This is my final online event of the summer. I’m kicking my new business networking site with some fresh ideas, and you’re invited to the party.While I encourage you to join one my new site, you’ll also have to be a member of Facebook to participate in all the festivities.
Here are six steps to follow (please read carefully):
- Start by joining Small Business Networking. If you can’t sign up, have a look at Ning Sign-Up Glitch Frustrates Users.
- Fill in your profile completely, including My Current Networking Objectives, which you’ll use when you introduce yourself at the event. Add a profile picture, avatar or logo. Picture are best, since people like to network with real people with real faces.
- Go to my Facebook business page — not my profile page.
- Share the link to your new business profile. (If you join both sites, share one link one day and the other another day.) Include your current networking objectives in the comment area by pasting that information from your new business profile. (Enclose it in quotes if you like.) Press the share button, and your update will appear on my page.
- Now share that with your Facebook friends. Click on the share link, and write in the comment area why you joined a new site and ask your friends to connect with you there.
- Go back to my Facebook business page and visit with the other people who’ve posted there. You may want to add some of them as Facebook friends and friends on the new business site.
Watch for an announcement on Thursday about the party’s grand finale.If any of my instructions don’t make complete sense, I accept full responsibility. Sometimes (often?) I’m a bit too complicated.
We can resolve any questions in the comment area of this blog post. See you at the party. Be there or be…
Did you enjoy this article? Subscribe to my RSS feed or by e-mail. Visit my About, Services, Media Buzz and Connect pages to learn about Building Your Audience and Brand on the Web. See also my Disclosure Policy regarding affiliations and compensation. Sharing is Caring!
Tags: Business Networking, business networking sites
Aug
6
Ning Sign-Up Glitch Work Around
Filed Under Alerts, Announcements, Ning Sites, Social Media and Social Networking Sites | 19 Comments
The beta test of my new Ning business networking site has uncovered a troublesome glitch in the Ning sign- up system that makes it more difficult for new members to join.A new member trying to sign up gets a Ning error message rejecting the inputted password, even though the person has never even registered for the new site!
What’s happening is that Ning recognizes the user’s email from when that person joined another Ning site at a time in the past, and now Ning expects the same password previously associated with that email.
When new members can’t remember their old passwords, trouble begins, because every attempt to reset it will be unsuccessful. Registration hasn’t been completed, therefore the new site will be unable to reset the password. Catch-22!
How to Deal with the Ning Problem
Here are four ways to deal with the Ning glitch:
- Try very hard to remember or figure out your old password. You’ll be able to change it later.
- Try to register with an email address you’ve never ever used before on Ning.
- Reset your password at the Ning site. After resetting your password, ignore Ning’s invitation to set up a new site, and go directly to register for the site where you encountered the problem. Reset Your Ning Password ACCEPTED SOLUTION
- Wait who knows how long for Ning to fix the problem.
My new business networking site is Small Business Networking, serving entrepreneurs and small businesses worldwide. You don’t need to have a business to join. You can join for getting business ideas, searching for a new job or whatever else might make sense.
See you there, Ning permitting.
Did you enjoy this article? Subscribe to my RSS feed or by e-mail. Visit my About, Services, Media Buzz and Connect pages to learn about Building Your Audience and Brand on the Web. See also my Disclosure Policy regarding affiliations and compensation. Sharing is Caring!
Tags: business networking sites, Ning, Ning social network
Aug
1
New Ning Offline-Online Business Network
Filed Under Announcements, Ning Sites, Offline Online Integration, Promoting Yourself, Social Media and Social Networking Sites | 14 Comments
My new free open business networking site, containing both offline-online and educational components, has opened using the Ning social and business networking platform. This networking site serves entrepreneurs and small businesses worldwide.
A unique aspect of this business site is that they’ll help connect offline networking groups, facilitating communication among group members and attracting new group members online.You do not need a business to join.
Business Networking Site
This is the new business networking site with its .Co domain name. Click on the links to join:
Small Business Networking - http://www.SmallBusinessNetwork.Co
Group owners will be site ambassadors and promote their groups and hopefully conduct business with complete transparency and integrity.
You too can help spread the word about these new business networking sites, if you like.
Most Popular Social and Business Networking Sites
Also, I’m now frequently updating my blog post on the Most Popular Social and Business Networking Sites that has already been accessed more than 8,000 times since July 2009. If you have any suggestions for that article, please comment there.
If you own a social or business networking site and would like to sponsor that blog post, you can contact me directly.
I recommend that you subscribe to Online Social Networking and “Like” me on Facebook, so that we can stay connected. Comments are welcome, as well.
Did you enjoy this article? Subscribe to my RSS feed or by e-mail. Visit my About, Services, Media Buzz and Connect pages to learn about Building Your Audience and Brand on the Web. See also my Disclosure Policy regarding affiliations and compensation. Sharing is Caring!
Tags: Business Networking, Ning, Ning social network, small business networking
Jul
25
Social and Business Networking Event Until August 2 on My Facebook Page
Filed Under Announcements, Facebook, Networking and Marketing Strategy, Promoting Yourself, Social Media and Social Networking Sites | 11 Comments
I just launched my second promote your self/cause social and business networking event on Facebook which will run until Monday, August 2. My January Facebook fan page event went viral and drew hundreds of participants. Many of them made valuable new connections.How the Event Works
This social and business networking Facebook event is fairly simple. Here’s how I envision the event working:- Registration - You go to the Facebook event page where you RSVP that you’re attending.
- Go to the Event - Then you go to my Facebook business page where the event is taking place. Note that the event is not taking place on the event page wall.
- Join My Facebook Business Page - If you’re already a member of my Facebook page, fine. If not, click “Like” to join.
- Post on My Facebook Business Page Wall - Write something informative about yourself, and if you like, attach a relevant link. You may post one time every day, but try not to write the same thing each day that you post. Don’t post religious, adult or highly controversial content.
- Check Out the Posts of Others - Find posts that resonate with you. Make sure you scroll down and click on “older posts” to view any posts that have rolled off the page.
- Leave a Good Comment - Usually, sharing a positive opinion and asking a question help to get a conversation going. If a conversation is already in progress, you can join that conversation. Always be kind and courteous, even when you disagree.
- Follow Up - When you receive a comment, always reply or follow up in some other way like sending a private message, requesting to be friends or doing something you said you’d do. Effective follow-up is an essential part of both social and business networking, online or offline, and it’s where most wanna-be networking mavens fall short.
- Promote the Event - Your help promoting our event will help make it more successful. The best ways to promote it are: sharing this blog post wherever you can and using the “+ Select Friends Button” on the event page to invite your Facebook friends. On Twitter, please use hashtag #11dayparty or click here for a pre-formatted tweet.
- Concerns or Complaints - Contact me privately with any concerns or complaints using one of the methods in my connect page.
- Stay Connected - If you aren’t subscribed to this blog, you can subscribe by email or via RSS feed.
Promote Yourself Here in a Comment
You may also promote your self/cause in a comment on this article and get a good dofollow link back to your website or blog site. However, I do have a few guidelines for you to follow:
- Rules #4 and #6 from the list above apply here, as well.
- Use your real name in the name box.
- Place your link in the link box, not in the body of your comment.
- Use at least one of the following words in your comment: business, networking, Facebook, event and page. It will help with SEO. Try to be natural and not force it.
- I reserve the right to edit or remove any comments, as always.
Now that all the formalities are out of the way, it’s time for the social and business networking on Facebook to begin. Let’s have fun and get to know each other.
Did you enjoy this article? Subscribe to my RSS feed or by e-mail. Visit my About, Services, Media Buzz and Connect pages to learn about Building Your Audience and Brand on the Web. See also my Disclosure Policy regarding affiliations and compensation. Sharing is Caring!
Tags: Business Networking, Facebook, social networking
