2011 CEO Summit Highlights from Conscious Capitalism on Vimeo.

What do you think? Do you practice conscious capitalism?

As we approach 2012 I’m excited to reminisce about challenges and goals from the past that have been accomplished, exceeded, or even abandoned.   It’s time to start clearing out the old and using what we’ve learned to forge ahead.

It’s time to reignite the fire of enthusiasm for our dreams and passions and it’s time to make some plans—whether they’re business plans, marketing plans, or vacation plans!

This is the perfect time of year to turn inward and look at where we’ve been and where we want to go. How can you make a difference? How can you do what you love and prosper while doing it? It’s time to start dreaming. Feel free to give me a call if you would like help brainstorming :)

Prosper in Peace,

Meg

Please feel free to use this site as a marketing resource and contact me with any questions.  I look forward to hearing from you!

Prosper in Peace,

Meg

Check them out below and tell me what you think! (It’s hard for me to not feel like singing “We are the World” when I look at this pic…)

• Go to something every day. This way you’ll be meeting new people every day and reconnecting with other contacts. When you do this, it’s easy to connect with new people and help others connect.
• EIC: Engage, Interact, Connect. Simple and to the point!
• Work LinkedIn the best you can.
• Show up. What’s the saying? “95% of success relies on just showing up.”
• Get to know someone. Really make connections. Become friends with people. Learn about them and find things in common.
• Birthdays: outlook. Well, enough said… Outlook alerts are gold! Everyone loves it when someone remembers their birthday! (Unless they’re my Grandma Nette, who lied about her age her whole life! She was born in 1929, but always said she was born in 1930 because she thought the 20s sounded too ancient!)
• Always send contacts something in the mail. The gentleman who offered this tip swears by it. He said people remember him. “I had a client say, ‘I started getting mail from you 30 years ago’ and not just marketing propaganda either.” I love it! I, too, love getting things in the mail! Especially if it’s creative and not always consumer-oriented, which leads me to the next tip:
• Provide value: don’t sell.
• Seek to help others. I really believe that in this spirit, others will seek to help you as well.
• Personal note. I am in agreement with the personal note thing… This is so important! You are not a number! I appreciate our business together and like being a part of creative, successful projects!
• Phone call. Yep. It’s that thing on your desk that you don’t use much… or it’s not on your desk, it’s in your pocket, but all you do is text on it. Pick it up and randomly speed dial one of your contacts today. I dare ya.
• Work your network and always be a connector—connecting other people. When you connect others to dream clients, they will connect you to more of them! This tip will truly make you popular…
• Action creates clarity: get to know people and get out of your comfort zone. To me getting out of my comfort zone would be public speaking. I tend to put on a great presentation, but it is definitely not my favorite thing to do. 1-10 people in a room is just fine, but I’m talking 30. I’m working up to this one! (And don’t tell me about Toast Masters! The idea of that makes me pass out!
• Connect with related fields. This is an excellent tip. Related fields are perfect for partnering up and cross marketing your brand!
• Personal connection and cultivate over time. This is tried and true. Straight up America.
• Get involved: associations—find others who like what you like. And this is the most fun. I often tell people that I’m pretty much of a geek. Geeking out with others who share my passion for search engine optimization is truly a gift!!! Find your people!
• Do more business in person. I’m all about social media, blogging, and LinkedIn networking, but meeting in-person is a deal maker.
• Be open and friendly, listen well. Of course, the more open you are, the better able you are to deliver exactly what your client wants.
• “I thought you might be interested in this:” send articles or tidbits to connections that would be interested. I like this one too. It shows that they’re on the top of your mind.
• Start a group: meetup/litterlink. This lady picks up litter with neighbors in designated areas and formed this group on meetup.com. She swears she gets deals made while cleaning up the city… Genius! Connecting with others who share the same passions.
• Use social media to listen, then connect in person, then on LinkedIn. Good strategy.
• Do favors for people.
• Start a conversation in person, continue on social media until your next meeting. This was a popular one, but worth repeating in this day…
• Phone call. Yep. A man of many words…
• Go to events that are full of potential clients. If you’re a doctor, go to a talk on how to avoid sports injuries… If you’re a Pet Sitter, go to a talk on How to help your puppy overcome separation anxiety…
• Call people you almost forgot you knew. Catch up! Rekindle, check in, create excitement for new projects!
• Use LinkedIn for your networking. A big duh these days.
• Seek out mentors. Always a great one.
• Mentor other people. And one day you’re ready to pass on the gold to others.
• Skype. Love Skype when I’m expecting it. As someone who works from home a lot, unless meeting out, I can tell you this is frightening. I had someone who wanted to Skype at 7:30 in the morning the other day, after we scheduled a phone meeting. Lets just say I’m glad I wear a wig. (I’m just kidding. I don’t wear a wig. But there was some serious 30-second primping going on so that I didn’t look like I just rolled out of bed!)
• Provoke emotion: emotional memories are the most memorable because of endorphins! This is easy when you have things in common and you’ve developed a relationship with someone. Also, if you’re excited about the project, the excitement breathes from you. I’m often laughed at by my clients who say, “I really never expected to be this inspired by keyword phrases. You make it fun!” Well, I don’t even try. I’m  just a big nerd who loves words and puzzles. I’ve said too much. :)

So there you have it. Networking Tips from experts! Overall: Consistent Communication—Keep in touch. What would make you feel special or connected? Make that a practice of yours.

What are your networking tips? or how do you feel about the ones that were listed?

Tips and Magic Tricks to build your business? Nope. Just Consistent and Compelling Social Media Content!

I love the examples that Mike Volpe of Hubspot.com gives when he talks about New Media Strategy… Slowly but surely your growth will decline if your main marketing strategy centers around print.

I prefer to shop in the store rather than online. I like to feel the fabric, slip the bag on my shoulder and see how it works with my frame, and try on those high heels before I buy.

In the same vein, I like business cards because I can take them, touch them, admire them—I like brochures and rack cards too. I’m amazed at the creativity that goes into them and I enjoy having them in front of me.

At the risk of sounding like the Midwestern girl that I am, they’re a polite thing to offer—a hospitable exchange, even if they end up in the recycle bin once the crucial info is transferred to your contact software of choice.

I like the action of someone handing me their card and me taking it. It’s an exchange that makes me feel connected.

However!

That’s not what’s going to build your business by itself. Printed Pieces Need an Online Entourage ★

It’s important to build your online presence via blogging, social networking, and social media technology. Just as Mike Volpe mentions, “It’s not like only one person in your company is in charge of the phone. Everyone has a phone on their desk.” Everyone has access to social media platforms, and they are nothing more than what the phone was 10 years ago.

Social Media Platforms, like twitter, facebook, and Skype, are non-negotiable technologies that are imperative for business marketing at this time in our marketing evolution. That’s it. If you’re not on twitter, it’s like you don’t have a phone. It’s one less way for your customers to reach you and one less thing that you aren’t utilizing that your competitor is…

Below is a great interview of Mike Volpe of Hubspot.com given by Lewis Howes. Enjoy! And if you’re wondering how to start your blog, how to incorporate SEO and optimized copy in your blogs and article marketing strategy, and what your next steps are for integrating your social media, please don’t hesitate—give me a call! 623. 229. 9505.

I’m here to help you create your most effective Multifarious Marketing Mix.

Meg O’Morrow

Aside from the hosts, the room was filled with people ready to better their businesses with and learn about social media strategy and time management— consultants and vendors were also present in the crowd answering questions and giving personal tips and guidelines.

This two-hour gathering was packed with great info and, though I had to make another appointment and couldn’t stay, it went over with most everyone content to sit in their seats and listen to every last word.

Beginning topics covered the back end of WordPress, autoresponders, newsletter platforms, and overall administrative tasks that take up valuable time and how to best manage them, just to name a few. Then we moved on to facebook, twiter, and LinkedIn.  I left this meeting feeling smarter….and geekier for sure.

@mentions and Golden Tidbits:

• Cascading backlinks are crucial to great SEO—so link it up!

• Email links create backlinks!—but woa there, buddy, if you have too many links in your email signature (more than 5), your email could be landing in your recipients’ spam mail as a result of their awesome firewall. (Try hubze.com or itsmyurls.com to alleviate all those links.)

• Lori explained an effective way to start creating a LinkedIn profile, “Build the house, then live in it a while, then maintain the house.” I thought that was a great analogy.

• Another audience-vendor tip was to have all of your social media set up on your smart phone. In the spirit of time management, you can decide whether or not to respond at a moment’s notice, instead of waiting until you’re sitting in front of your computer.

• Lori brought up something that I feel is really important whether you’re first starting your social media marketing plan, or whether you’re already knee deep: “The biggest pressure we have is the pressure we put on ourselves when it comes to time management. Separate and decide: this is my time—and this is the time I manage my social media.”

• Allotting specific blocks and keeping to a schedule for Facebook, twitter, blogging, and YouTubing mangement is worth it. You’ll stay consistent and cover all your bases without losing your whole day or your marbles.

• Writing scheduled blog posts is a biggie. If something comes up and you want to throw one in the mix, go for it, but having your regular scheduled blogging pre-created for future dates is a very effective timesaver.

• Queuing up tweets that go with those posts with autoresponders like socialoomph, hootsuite, and tweetspinner are great ways to integrate and keep your sanity.

• Multi-part blogs written as a series instead of “part I/part II” seemed to be the consensus and all agreed those types of posts are great for intralinking and an opportunity to use your keywords in the title.

• Keep your keyword list close and your keywords closer! Whenever writing an article or blog, check out that keyword list and make sure your phrases are represented in all of your work!

• Another time-management goody: I love WP because the SEO is automatic. Use what’s built in already for time management purposes.

• Use the related posts option in WordPress for backlinks.

• Mike brought up some great advice about hidden leads on LinkedIn: “One of the best ways to find leads in LinkedIn is to check out who’s been checking you out! Find out who’s been viewing your profile,  contact them and ask them how you can help.”

• Change your passwords at least every 6 months, and don’t use the same password across the board! Using a formula is a great way to remember your passwords, while keeping them different. (example: same base each time, first two letters of the website, 4 or 5 numbers.)

My favorite bit of advice from Lori: “Always login securely, and when at a Hackers’ convention, never log in at all.”

Happy Day for Social Media,

Meg O’Morrow

I’ve been with Verizon for the last four years and, needless to say, my phone was considered by most a dinosaur as I got the free phone that came with my sign up… (I’m not proud). Four years is a long time to not check your email and social media by phone…

During that time I heard a lot about the iPhone

Oh AT&T, you monopoly—should I switch? should I wait it out? Verizon did a really good job guerrilla rumoring (for years) that it was just around the corner. They would have the iPhone too, any day now. It was a tough run, but my indecision paid off! By the time I dropped my phone in the toilet, the iPhone was here!

Verizon even sent me my phone before they were available in stores because I was a treasured long-time customer :)

The day it arrived, I later figured out that I had been on/setting up/playing with my phone for a full 7 hours straight.

When I finally went to bed, I awoke at the ridiculous hour of 5:00am. My iPhone was pulling me from my slumber…”Meeegggggiiinnnn…. I’m looonnneellyyyy. Come play with me! Come see all the neat things I can do!”

How could I say no?

I transferred all my contacts with Verizon’s backup assistant. I added apps for movie listings, social media, photo tweaking, and Google (of course). I organized all of them in little folders! Then I reorganized them! I added custom ringtones and applied them to each of my friends. I now know what the temperature is outside each morning before I even get out of bed because I check the handy dandy weather app first thing. I made sure to sync my google calendar so my trusty iPhone alerts me to each appointment and event. And finally, I caved and became foursquare Mayor…of my house.

Will you marry me, iPhone? I promise, I will never drop you in the toilet.

Now that the dust has settled, how many times have you gotten to your online marketing plans since your New Year’s resolution to post more blogs, get your Facebook ad campaigns going, and get that eMarketing integration on? (That was your New Year’s resolution, right?)

Have Heart! Consistency (and compelling content!) is key, but when there’s a lull in your blogging stamina, just pick it right back up.

One of the best ways to do that is to write great posts and schedule them for future posting—instead of writing a post the day you want it to post. Writing your blog post the day you want it to post is great

1. if you have all the time in the world,
2. or if you’re talking about current news and pressing events.

Informational posts, though, can be scheduled, which helps both you with time management and reader loyalty—When you update regularly, readers trust and count on your updates.

The Daily Post at WordPress.com

Thank you WordPress! If you’re looking for inspiration or just a kick in the pants to get going with your blogging schedule, The Daily Post is just the blogging experiment for you. This experiment started January 1st, but you’re welcome to jump in any time. It’s a writing exercise-a-day to inspire your creative and prompt you to post. If writing every single day is not your bag, you can commit to once a week, or whatever your marketing plan calls for.

How to Create Your Blog Marketing Schedule

1. If you’re not posting every day, figure out which days you’d like to post. Monday, Wednesday, Friday? Tuesday, Thursday?
2. Print out a calendar just for your blog schedule. Mark the days for posts.
3. Brainstorm about your topics. What’s going on with your company this week, this month, and next month? What information do your readers, clients, and customers need to know to move forward with your events and promotions?
4. Log on your marketing calendar the post names for the most effective dates to get your information across.
5. Now it’s time to set aside blocks for writing. Whether you’re posting for the day or writing up a storm for future scheduled posting, write it on your calendar.

This may seem like a simple plan, and it is. But in the spirit of time management, this is a Dinner Date saver! A shoe shopping expedition supporter! Don’t worry about canceling plans at the last minute because you have to post! Now you’ve got it all under control. The flow of social media integration is a beautiful thing.

Happy Posting, and Luck in Your Prose!

Meggin O’Morrow

Klose Lymphedema Care Hosts Annual Lymphedema Awareness Day Honoring Breast Cancer Survivors and Patients with Lymphedema

LAFAYETTE, Colo. (March 5, 2011) – Klose Lymphedema Care will host the third annual Lymphedema Awareness Day event on March 5, 2011 between 10:30 a.m. and 4:00 p.m. at the Lafayette Public Library in Lafayette, Colo. honoring breast cancer survivors and those who suffer with the chronic disease of lymphedema. National Lymphedema Network Executive Director Saskia Thiadens will be the Keynote Speaker addressing patients, caregivers and lymphedema therapists. Industry venders will also be attending and available for compression product demonstrations.

“Our main objective in sponsoring this event is to bring awareness to the community about lymphedema, its risks and effective treatments,” said Founder of Klose Training & Consulting, LLC and Klose Lymphedema Care Guenter Klose. Klose states that Lymphedema is often misdiagnosed and misunderstood in the medical community, and regrettably the condition is often untreated. “Breast cancer patients who have undergone surgery and radiation can experience compromised lymphatic function due to their cancer treatment. When untreated, lymphedema can lead to functional difficulties or the development of a serious and painful infection called cellulitis.”

Lymphedema is swelling that occurs in the extremities caused by a compromised lymphatic system. This can occur at birth (Primary Lymphedema) or, more commonly, after surgery and/or treatment for breast, prostate, gynecological cancers or melanoma (Secondary Lymphedema).

“Fortunately for patients affected with lymphedema, the swelling is treatable through a combination of Manual Lymph Drainage (MLD) and compression bandaging,” said Klose who is an MLD/CDT Certified Instructor who teaches this treatment for lymphedema. “MLD is a specialized manual massage treatment that stimulates the lymphatic system improving lymphatic transport and function and is able to reduce lymphedema. The treatment of MLD is followed by compression therapy with the use of specialized bandaging and compression garments. This therapy is called Complete Decongestive Therapy (CDT).”

Therapist for Klose Lymphedema Care Petra Schalk, OTR/L, CLT, LAc, expresses the importance for patients to seek therapy as soon as possible, “Don’t wait to get treatment. Lymphedema is a chronic condition that will not go away on its own.”

National efforts are being made to bring awareness to the public about lymphedema. HR 4662, the Lymphedema Diagnosis and Treatment Cost Saving Act of 2010, was introduced February 23^rd by Congressman Larry Kissell of North Carolina with the intention to create wide-spread understanding about this condition and implement changes in healthcare costs that make caring for chronic lymphedema easier for those who suffer with the disease.

Declared by the state of Colorado in 2001, March 6^th is officially Lymphedema D-Day. Patients and their families are invited to participate in this year’s annual Lymphedema Awareness Day March 5^th. For more information, to RSVP or for directions visit http://www.klosetraining.com/News.asp#calendar or call Sheila Tallmon at Klose Training and Lymphedema Care at 303-245-0333.

Treatment of lymphedema is offered by specially trained and certified Physical, Occupational or Massage Therapists. For more information about Lymphedema and its treatment visit the National Lymphedema Network (NLN) website at www.lymphnet.org.

Contact:

Sheila Tallmon

sheila@klosetraining.com

303-245-0333

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