Woman 2.0 Gives A New Meaning to Girl Power
Posted on May 13, 2008
Filed Under JB, Web 2.0, Women 2.0 | Leave a Comment
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The second Woman 2.0 conference and business plan competition was held in Stanford California this past weekend. 125 women owned companies submited their bids to be in this competion but only 5 got the chance to pitch their companies’ idea to 9 judges. These five companies were competing for a chance to win 15,000 in business services and a chance to meet with angel investor Esther Dyson who has previously invested in companies like Flickr and del.icio.us who were then sold to Yahoo.
The five competing companies were as follows in order of their final standings.
1. Koollage
2. Gaiagy
3. Skillshop
4. Webvet
5. Passive Devices
Three of the favorites were Kollage, Gaiagy and Webvet.
Koollage was the big winner with its ability to bring iphone users and blogs together using widgets that mix different types of digital media such as video, images, and search results.
Gaiagy will give building owners (both individuals and businesses) personal recommendations for how they can most economically make their operations more “green”.
Webvet is a website that is looking to to help you and your veterinarian provide the best possible care for your pets.
If I had to choose a company that could really make it in the world we live in today, I would have to choose Gaiagy.com. The Green factor is IN right now and it is not going to do anything but get bigger. The sales of tankless water heaters and low flow toilets are going into overdrive. I for one just got a float ball replaced in my bathroom toilet that is currently saving me almost $100.00 a month on my water bill.
Gaiagy may not be the most high-tech of the five finalist but I sure hope it gets funding from someone. We need more Green products in our homes and buinesses. I also applaude the founders of Women 2.0 in recognizing that women can also produce ideas that can take shape and blossom into successful web 2.0 companies.
Stay tuned in to when the next Women 2.0 conference and business plan competition will take place.
Don’t let us Guys steal all the glory of the Web 2.0 age.
All the best
JB
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The Facebook Insider’s Guide to Viral Marketing is a Solopreneurs Dream Come True
Posted on May 2, 2008
Filed Under Facebook, Myspace, Social Marketing, Social Networking | Leave a Comment
I have been a member of Facebookfor alomst 3 months now and I am hooked. I have already amassed about 380 friends and countng at the time of this posting. I have all but abandoned the myspace.com page I once had and I suggest that all Solopreneurs and Small Business persons do the same.
My good friend Brent Leary a CRM Analyst turned me onto Facebook but I really never took it seriously until I saw how many professional people were on Facebook. I, like everyone esle on the planet thought myspace.com would be the answer to helping me promote my business online. All I got from myspace.com was a bunch of junk advertising and requests from internet porn spammers to be my friend.
Facebook has changed my way of thinking when it comes to online social networking. I have met some of the most positive and productive people on the planet within Facebook pages. My favorite Facebook application has got to be “Events” where you can post your upcoming event for thousands if not millions of fellow professionals and Solopreneurs to see. I have been invited to some of the best teleseminars, webnars and networking events through this Facebook application.
As quoted in the Facebook Pages The Insider’s Guide to Viral Marketing.
“Businesses now have the ability to expand their revenue base and acquire new customers through free Facebook Pages. Pages enable customers to interact, learn, purchase, and spread the word about your business to their friends”
“Every day, most of Facebook’s 70 million active users log on to Facebook to learn about their friends and share information about their interests and activities. This regular interaction gives businesses the opportunity to connect with existing and new customers as effectively as a face-to-face meeting”
Here are the four Keys to using Facebook
1) Make business personal.
2) Update your Facebook Page frequently.
3) Harness the power of News Feed.
4) Choose the applications that are best for your business.
I have also posted the complete guide below. My suggestion is that you quickly download it, Read it and then take action on all that is has to offer.
All The Best
JB
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What is The Web 2.0 Expo
Posted on April 27, 2008
Filed Under Web 2.0 Expo | Leave a Comment
This video was the intro to this years Web 2.0 Conference
Web 2.0 Expo is a global annual gathering of technical, design, marketing, and business professionals who are building the next generation web. Web 2.0 Expo features the most innovative and successful Internet industry figures and companies providing attendees with examples of business models, development paradigms, and design strategies to enable mainstream businesses and new arrivals to the Web 2.0 world to take advantage of this new generation of services and opportunities. Web 2.0 Expo is co-produced by TechWeb and O’Reilly Media.
The next Web 2.0 Expo will be held in New York City from September 16-19th at the Jacob Javits Center.
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Video Blogging and Comments Made Easy with Seesmic.com
Posted on April 24, 2008
Filed Under TechCrunch, Video Blogging, Wordpress Plugin | Leave a Comment
When I saw this story for the first time on my most favorite Technology Blog Techcrunch.com I almost fell out of my chair. You can now make video comments on your Wordpress Blog.
I immediately downloaded and installed the plugin to my blog and will use it for the first time in this posting. Please take a look at the demo video below and then make some video comments. Seesmic.com has just taken Blogs and Blog commenting 2 The NEXT LEVEL!
All The Best
JB
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Top 10 Web 2.0 Sites for Solopreneurs
Posted on April 22, 2008
Filed Under Facebook, Google Apps, Logmein.com, Microsoft Office Live Small Business, PayPal, Picnik.com, Skype, Wordpress, Zoho, iContact | 3 Comments
Since I use most of these sites to help me run my business I wanted to list them so that you can make mention of some of the Web 2.0 sites that help you run your business. I have given a brief description on how I use each of these sites.
Please post comments on your top 10 Web 2.0 sites.
1. Zoho.com
2. PayPal.com
3. Wordpress.com
4. Google Apps
5. Facebook.com
6. iContact.com
7. Logmein.com
8. Microsoft Live Small Business
9. Skype.com
10. Picnik.com
These 10 Web 2.0 website are actually in order of importance to my business. Your top 10 may look totally different and also might not be in the same order as mine. The top 5 are website I use daily. I do have many others that I use as well but these 10 are the ones I cannot do without.
1. Zoho.com (CRM, Spreadsheet, Word Processor, Presentations, Database, Project Management, Organizer, Web Conferencing and many more)
Even though Zoho.com has not been around to long I still see it as my number one because of the way it helps me run my business. I mainly use it for the awesome and yes Free CRM but its all in one running a business capabilities are literately outstanding.
2. PayPal.com (Online Credit Card Payment System)
I have used PayPal.com the longest, going on 8 years now. I will talk more about PayPal.com in coming blog entries but for now I will only say it is a must have for any Solopreneurs business person that wants to get paid for their service or product via credit card today.
3. Wordpress.com (Blogging)
This blog is using the Wordpress.com technology. If you are just starting out in the blog world I suggest you start with Google’s Blogger.com but for a more professional and state of the art look and feel I would recommend Wordpress.com.
4. Google Apps (Gmail, Google Doc + Spreadsheet, Google Calendar, Google Notebook, Google Adsense, Google Adwords, Google Anylitics, , , and many more)
Google Apps is a combination of Applications and Tools that can have a very big impact on your business. Gogge Apps could be considered a number one for most Solopreneurs and should be in most cases. It may move them up on my list in the coming months. In the mean time I will keep them here because my top 4 have just a little more influence on how my business runs everyday.
5. Facebook.com (Social Networking)
Facebook has taken everyone buy storm. If you don’t have a Facebook profile page get one today. Social networking is the future of business marketplace for Solopreneurs and business owners alike. Myspace is for the kids, dating and entertainment. Facebook is for those of us who want to market and promote our business to millions of like minded people.
6. iContact.com (Email Marketing)
Email marketing at its best. All the features your business needs to send out professional email campaigns. Remember email is still the most inexpensive and fastest way you can market your business to your targeted prospect and customer.
7. Logmein.com (Remote Support and Training)
I use this service both as a way to remotely log into my home computers when I am on the road or at a client site. I also use it to remotely train my clients without leaving the comforts of my home office. All you need is a quickly installed plugin and a Fast Access connection to the Internet on both ends.
8. Microsoft Live Small Business (Websites, Email, Online Advertising, CRM, Chat)
I can’t say enough about Microsoft Live Small Business because I regard it as the Best way a Soloprenuer can start out on the web. Where else can you get a starter website with domain name and branded email all for Free. Please see my previous blog post “Don’t Already Have a Website For Your Business? With Microsoft You Have No More ” for more information.
9. Skype.com (Long Distance and International Phone Calls, Chat, Video Conferencing)
Skype is the future of Internet Communication as far as I am concerned. I use it for making calls all over the united states and the world. Skype to Skype call are always free and Skype to land lines are really inexpensive. It is also a great video conferencing tool that will work with most of your existing web cam software.
10. Picnik.com (Graphics Editor, Photo Editing and Alteration)
Here is a great site for those of you who don’t want to pay an outrageous price for some of these photo and graphic editing software. Think of it as “Web 2.0 PhotoShop” without the cost and installation.
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Zoho.com Gives Solopreneurs a Suite of Successful Business Tools
Posted on April 18, 2008
Filed Under Free Web 2.0, Microsoft, Microsoft Office, Work Online, Zoho | 1 Comment
If you are a small business and you are thinking of purchasing software to run your business like the most well known business suite of software made by Microsoft Office, then you may want to read on and take a better look at what is out there.
Microsoft Office for Windows which consist of a suite of software programs that include Microsoft Word, Excel, Outlook, Publisher and Power Point. These programs are the core of software used by many small to large businesses. The most well know of the suite and most widely used is Microsoft Word which is a word processing program.
Zoho.com is a web based service that offers their own suite of programs for businesses. The one great thing about these online programs is that most of them are absolutely FREE. I am currently using 5 of the 12 main programs Zoho Writer (Word Processor), Zoho Sheet (Spreadsheet Program) Zoho Planner (Online Organizer) Zoho Project (Project Manager) and last but not least Zoho CRM (Customer Relationship Manager) .
My favorite program right now is Zoho Planner. Zoho Planner is a way for me to keep track of my business ideas and personal goals with an automated to do list. It also lets me stay organized by storing my documents and images while also sending me email reminders on what I need to get done for the day. The one thing that sets these online programs apart from their off line competition is the ability to share and collaborate with others in your business.
At a press of a button I am sharing my to do list with my wife, my spreadsheet with my coworker and my latest invoice with my accountant. All one needs is an email address to be put on a list for sharing secure access to any of my Zoho suite of programs.
The only draw back to this great way of sharing thoughts, ideas and documents is the fact that you have to be on the Internet to use the programs. If for some reason you don’t have a continuous connection to the Internet you can’t do business. Here is where the off line Microsoft products have their advantage.
So as a business owner I would need to way the circumstances and needs of my business. If being able to access your work off line is important to you, and you want to sacrifice speed, mobility and collaboration, then the more traditional Microsoft products may be your way to go.
Zoho.com has me hooked on business in real time. I totally enjoy being online almost all the time and reaping the benefits updated information that I can get right now. I also enjoy not having to be tied to a desk to do my most important work. I can do my work whenever and where ever I please in the world that has an Internet connection.
Zoho.com suite of online programs will give your business an affordable, fast and mobile way to conduct its operations.
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Don’t Already Have a Website For Your Business? With Microsoft You Have No More Excuses
Posted on April 16, 2008
Filed Under Microsoft, Microsoft Office Live Small Business, Websites | Leave a Comment
For all of you who have been singing the same “I don’t have a website because” song for years I give you your final answer. Microsoft Office Live Small Business. If you are just starting out in your business or you have been in business for some time but still had that song in your head here is your chance to take singing lessons from Microsoft.
Microsoft Office Live Small Business will give you a do it yourself starter website, complete with domain name and professionally branded email all for FREE. Yes, I said for FREE. All you have to do is go to http://www.officelive.com/ and fill out a short form first creating a Windows Live ID using your current email address. You would then follow the step-by-step wizard that will help you in creating your Office Live Account.
If you want to see the steps involved before your try them yourself I suggest you go to www.freemswebsite.com a website I created using Office Live Small business. This site has a Step-by-Step video on how to create a Microsoft Live Small Business account. Freemswebsite.com it also has testimonials from many different business owners who used Microsoft Live Small Business to create their own websites.
The great thing about building a website with Microsoft Office Live is that it is so easy. You don’t have to know HTML and you don’t have to download any software to create the website. Once your website is complete you can then create professional email addresses for you and your business. Check out my blog post “How Many Email Addresses Should I have? to see how many emails you should have for your business starting out.
Last but not least you also would get to use some of the many tools needed to help promote your website. Microsoft’s own Ad Manager is included and will give you a $50.00 head start on your first search engine marketing campaign.
OK up to now you have heard me rave about this great way to get your business up and running on the Internet with a FREE website. Now here are some of the not so great things. First you do have to give them your credit or debit card number. This is only used for identity verification and will not be charged any kind of start up fee like most companies that give away free items. Once your account is created and you log into your control panel you will see some advertisements. These advertisements are sometimes annoying but are necessary to keep this service FREE.
Remember this is your starter website and due to the fact that you get it for Free you don’t have a lot of flexibility or creativity in your choice of designing the website. Microsoft gives you a choice of website templates and color schemes that can truly make an impression on your audience but won’t win you any awards when it comes to look and feel.
One feature that I did not like at all was how they first handled the email addresses for the website. You were not allowed to download the email to a pop3 email client like Microsoft Outlook. You had to log into your account and get your mail via the web every time. The pop3 email download was only allowed if you upgraded your account to a non Free account.
Microsoft was smart to rectify this issue and give those who have Free Microsoft Office Live Small Business accounts the ability to download their email to an email client using a downloaded software plug-in called Outlook Connector. I will address the way Outlook Connector works in a future blog entry.
So my friends if you are still singing that same old song “I don’t have a website because I am not a programmer” or that other one ” I can’t afford a website” or maybe even “I don’t have a website because I don’t have the time” Please stop with the excuses and let Microsoft help get you into action with an almost perfect solution.
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