How to define Google Buzz?  Basically it’s a social networking tool which allows for the sharing of links, pictures, videos. Hey, doesn’t that sound like Facebook or Twitter? Right now, in all the reviews -that’s what everyone is trying to determine.

Sadly, I haven’t gotten a chance to check out Google Buzz. I’ll do a follow up post with my overall assessment – but here’s some interesting feedback on the scoop so far this week. Overall, it looks like Google’s doing a good job of turning people’s heads.

PC World asks some big questions:
http://www.pcworld.com/article/189005/google_buzz_ten_pressing_questions.html

Info World ponders how can Google compete?
http://www.infoworld.com/d/applications/google-buzz-brings-social-networking-and-sharing-gmail-743

Lifehacker sums up the features through slides and videos
http://lifehacker.com/5467841/google-buzz-explained

What do you think? Is Google trying to copy features of Twitter and Facebook? Is there room for another social networking tool?

Share

Related Posts:

• 5 Easy Ways a Small Business Can Use Social Media Sites to Sell Online

Bridget Benton is a super busy lady. She’s a mixed-media artist, art teacher/facilitator and creativity trainer – supporting people in the care and feeding of their own creative spark. If you need inspiration or instructions for numerous art projects, check out her website: Eyes Aflame. Bridget and I crossed paths when I attended a mentoring session offered by a local business education program. Thanks to Bridget’s mentorship and encouragement, I took charge of my passion for social communication for businesses and educated myself about social media by attending classes, etc.

What’s your business?

I’m an artist and an art teacher – I work in a wide range of media, so my
teaching isn’t very media-centric; it’s much more about process.  I really
believe that everyone is creative, and I love to help people find that spark
in themselves during my workshops.  I work with adults – there are a lot of
great folks out there working with kids.  I feel like my job is to help
those grown-ups who did have a bad art experience as kids rediscover their
joy in making stuff!

When do you start using social media and why?

I first joined Facebook with some reluctance because I had classmates in
grad school who were using it to stay in touch; and I signed up on Twitter
because a lot of the people whose blogs I followed where also tweeting, so
it seemed like a good way to stay in touch and find out what was going on!
What I discovered was that Facebook connected me to a lot of my friends and
family, and that Twitter kept me in touch with a lot of resources and events
in the arts, crafts, and creative community.

Has social media changed your business?

The way that I market my classes and my artwork is constantly shifting; I
used to rely a lot more on flyers and list serves. At the heart of it,
though, I believe that marketing is about building relationships.

Social media, especially Facebook and Twitter are a new way for me to build
relationships – and it makes keeping my friends and family up to date on the
classes I’m offering and the shows I’m in a lot easier.  My friends and
family are on my e-mail newsletter list, but a lot of them don’t really read
it.  This gives us an easy and low-key way to talk about our mutual creative
endeavors.

When I tweet and post on Facebook, I try to consider whether the information
I’m sharing has some interest or entertainment factor – I ask myself, “Will
this be of interest to or entertain my potential clients, my friends and
family?” My clients are like friends who are looking to get something very
specific out of our relationship – creative inspiration for their personal
and professional lives.  One of the things I discovered by engaging more
fully in social media is that my friends and family often look to me for the
same thing – they get curious about my new artwork, or the new classes I’m
offering. They’re just as interested in the resources I pass on about the
entrepreneurial climate or a great craft project I found on-line. Now I
don’t feel so embarrassed about “marketing” to my friends and family,
because it’s just one one more component of my life that I share, and it’s
one more component of our relationship.  And frankly, that makes it a lot
easier to “market” to my clients, too, when I consider that much of why
they’ll choose to take a class from me is because they feel comfortable with
me or identify with me in some way.

What are you looking forward to social media changing in the future?

I almost have to laugh at this one – I’m not much of an early adopter when
it comes to new technologies, and have no idea how things might shift in the
future.  I do know that blogging and engaging in social media is keeping me
in touch with people all over the country – so one of the big questions for
me now is how to offer courses, services, and creative inspiration to those
people outside of my immediate geographic area.  There are lots of ways to
do it – e-books, on-line classes, etc.  I just have to figure out the way to
do it that fits best with my personality, style, and mission.

Share

Related Posts:

• Social Media making the world a better place

Yelp has been a breakthrough in reviewing businesses online. Never before could you look up restaurants or dentists in your home town and see how others had experience with them.

There are some ups and downs that come with this responsibility of reviews, especially on the business owner’s end. Yelp is set up so that anyone can sign up for a yelp account and review different businesses. On the business end, a business can either create an account and encourage clients/customers to write reviews – or – a business can claim it’s account if Yelpers (yelp users) have already start reviewing on their own.

[caption id="attachment_323" align="alignright" width="213" caption="Pink Sherbet Photography"][/caption]

Here’s when things get tricky. Let’s say you own a restaurant and you have an account on Yelp and over the past few months, you’ve gotten some reviews. Most of them are 3 and 4 stars, but you also got some one or two 2 star reviews. At first, you might feel defensive and reactive about how the customer reviewed your establishment and want to react. I’ve read business owner’s reaction to low ratings and it can go either way.

Some business owner choose to use this opportunity as a frustration outlet and lash out at the customer, blaming them and accusing them of behaving badly, ordering the wrong food, having too high of expectations and overall, being defensive. This defeats the whole point of a site like Yelp. On the flip side, I’ve seen some business owners react openly to negative reviews, responding to the customer and asking them to give them feedback to improve the experience. It simply could have been a bad day or night for the business or the staff and it came through to the customer. That happens, but I think it’s so important for the business owner to see how they can be a part of this communication process and turn the corner. Often times,  once the reviewer has communicated with the business owner, they will update their review.

The message is simply – don’t lose out on gaining a customer for life. Bad reviews happen but business owners have the power to turn them around. Your customers are huge part of the new wave of advertising, there’s nothing more powerful than hearing a recommendation from a friend to a friend. It’s magical and it can spread like wildfire.

Share

Related Posts:

• 5 Easy Ways a Small Business Can Use Social Media Sites to Sell Online

Some folks are really great at connecting with people. Shona Lepis from Eye Design Studio has figured it out. I got to know her through Twitter and have really enjoyed the links and projects she’s shared. How can you personally brand yourself through Twitter?

What’s your business?
I have a boutique design studio called Eye Design Studio. Eye Design Studio creates artisan handcrafted design for web and print. We work with lifestyle brands to build their business with creative design solutions. We work with a lot of small to medium sized business to help them build their brand.  Eye Design Studio focuses on Visual Identity suites (logo design, custom Web site design, branded social media, email templates, business cards, letterhead).

When did you start using social media and why?
I happen to be a bit of a technology geek and love to learn and try out new things. I was at first skeptical about how social media. I decided to keep current and relevant I really needed to just jump in and embrace social media. I have to say I love it and find that it has been an amazing resource. I love to share links and useful tools and resources I find.

Has social media changed your business?
Social media has allowed me to build my personal and business brand online. By frequently sharing tips, design projects I’m working on,etc. People get to know me a bit more personally so they know my design style. I’m a bit personal in what I share but believe if you are authentic people are interested and get to know me a little more so they can tell if my design style would be a good fit for them.

What are you looking forward to social media changing in the future?
I think social media will just become part of our social fabric and everyday life. I think as technology keeps moving it’s exciting to see how many new tools are there and that “there is an app for that”. I love how the tools keep us connected and like we are part of a community. I work with an international team of with colleges in Paris, France and Bali, Indonesia and the tools make it possible.

Have a social media story you’d like to share?
In fact I do have a funny antidote. I was recently at a Halloween party of a designer friend. The invite asked that we bring a dish to share. I had just gone to another holiday party with the food and of course tweeted about it. (Going to a pumpkin carving party w/ pumpkin cheesecake dip served in a carved pumpkin w/ ginger snaps. http://yfrog.com/iyv1lj) When I got to the party someone said hey “I think I follow you on twitter, I saw you post about the dip.”. It was a funny moment and a great example of how real life connections are made in person from sharing and building a community online.

Share

Related Posts:

• Chatting with one of the Wealthy Freelancers

I met Gary originally through Biznik.com and was happy to see his company on Twitter shortly after. In a world where everyone wants something customized, ImageWear Solutions provides a plethora of items, including many eco-friendly wares. Check out his site and read the interview below to learn how small businesses can build community through social media.

What’s your business and who are your clients?

ImageWear Solutions is an advertising specialty distributor, which supplies company uniforms and corporate apparel, as well as a wide range of promotional products. We also offer custom embroidery and screen-printing services.

When did you start using social media and why?

We just started getting involved with social media a few months ago, because we like the sense of community that it offers.  It’s a great, affordable way to not only showcase the products and services that you offer, but also to showcase the character of your company.  I started my own business to not only be independent and hopefully profitable, but also to be able to use our resources to help build a better community.   Social media gives us a great outlet to support non-profits, the arts, environmental issues, as well as other small businesses. For us, it’s all about helping each other grow and blossom, then give something back. We can all make this a better world in which to live.
Have you seen an increase of business?

We have seen a slight spike, but most of all, we’ve met some really great people and feel like we’re more in tune and involved in the community than before.

What are you looking forward to social media changing in the future?

I’m hoping that it will continue to evolve and maintain the community spirit in which it was intended and also clean up the business landscape.  If you are honest and sincere, as a business owner, the word is going to spread allowing you to grow and offer more back to the community in which you live.   And if you’re not, well people can spot a phony pretty easily and yes, the word will spread like wild fire. There will be an increase of “get rich” schemers, as well as so-called social media “experts” hoping to part you from your hard earned money. There are scam artists everywhere. As a community, we have a responsibility to protect each other from the predators.

Have a social media story you’d like to share (how you connected with someone or how someone helped you?)

As I said before, we’ve met some really great people, including you via social media. One story does come to mind though. I came to know Kimberly LeRiche, who owns and operates JK Virtual Office Resources and her husband Jeff, the owner of OTC Sports on Twitter.  She has helped us greatly with understanding how social media can benefit our company.  One day she had re-tweeted a message by the Portland Police Bureau Sunshine Division (http://www.sunshinedivision.org/), who collects donations of food and clothing and distributes them to families in need.   We had never even heard of them before.  Well, we accumulate a great deal of new clothing samples through our dealings with various vendors.  We had clothing stashed in various locations and not really doing anyone any good at all.  So, we gathered them all together and donated some really nice, new clothing to the Sunshine Division.   So, through social media, we have found a great place to donate clothing that will benefit those in need. It’s a win-win for everyone.

Share

Related Posts:

• Reaching out to small businesses -what’s the best way?