The Most Wonderful Day of Spring!

Hey there, Parker here. It's the wonderful day that occurs each spring - a happy birthday! Shoes, Cupcakes and well, you know the drill.

I'm learning life isn't linear, its one great experience. I live in the happiness of family, the sadness of loss, the joy of dancing and the comfort of spiritual growth.

Today, I accept my right to be happy with myself, just as I am.

Best, 
Parker

Happy Birthday Parker!

Hey there. Parker here. Wishing lots of happiness and birthday cheer to me and all born on this special day. 

Three wishes just for me...

Best, Parker.

Becoming a Friendlier Person Works in Business Too

Hey there, Parker here.  I've been incorporating Dale Carnegie's Golden Book into my life and I found that each one of his principals apply to both my personal and professional life.  I decided to become a friendlier person and started with a smile.

I smiled and nodded my head to complete strangers and to my surprise, most of them smiled back.  That small act made me feel terrific.  So I gave it a try while meeting members of my new team, they must have already read his book because not only did they smile back, but they were genuinely interested in my skills, experience and background.

Even better, my new team embraced #6 on Carnegie's list for Becoming a Friendlier Person: A person's name is to that person the sweetest and most important sound in any language.  "Parker" is certainly that to me.

So becoming a friendlier person has not only allowed me to engage and interact with some great people in my community (shout outs to Debbie at the grocery store), but has made my transition into a new opportunity all the better.

Best,
Parker

It's On My To-Do List

Hey there, Parker here.  I should follow in Oprah's steps and start a book club.  But instead of books, I'll simply recommend interesting and valuable online articles and blogs.

Mine being one of the more interesting ones :-D

I'm kidding. But seriously, I adore what I read today because it pinpoints specific examples of good social media tactics.  Amy Porterfield wrote an excellent piece titled "9 Companies Doing Social Media Right and Why".  Folks, this a terrific read.

I will incorporate most, if not all, of the social media tactics outlined in my day-to-day web strategy and planning.  I especially see the long-term benefits of employing share buttons for my company's insights & news sections.

So hop on over to Social Media Examiner and read the article.

Best,
Parker

Shoes, Cupcakes and Birthday Cheer!

Hey there, Parker here.  Happy birthday and well wishes to everyone born on this day :-)

Shoes, cupcakes, merriment and cheer - yep, that's how I celebrate a birthday.

Best,
Parker

Make or Break Your Career with Social Media

all is fair in love and social media domination

Hey there, Parker here.  Sharing my thoughts on current events, marketing and social media.  Also, my DVR didn't record yesterday's daytime Law & Order episodes so I have an idle hour or two.

Anyway, the most popular and respected search engine company just upped their game and are playing for keeps.  Google easily chopped Alta Vista in half, turned dogpile into a dog pile, and had Ask Jeeve's asking "what happened?".  They KO'd their opponents but they've tipped their hand with this latest development - all Google employees are tied to the success of social media.  Wow.  They sound worried.

bing. meet. facebook

Now that Bing and Facebook are best buddies, I guess social media is the most logical step in securing global online domination.  Google is asking employees to enlist the help of family and friends to push social product releases.  If they aren't soliciting feedback I would frown upon the practice of manipulating or skewing data by asking friends and family to vote favorably just for voting's sake.  But knowing Google as well as I do (see my previous love for Google post), I'm sure they are truly testing products for a better user experience, and not just popularity.

Face it folks, we all know building a following using social media takes time and consumer trust and I'm a blatant fan of all things Google. However, my personal experiences with their social media channels have been hit or miss.  For instance;

this is a real thing

I tried Orkut because it was a default add-on while creating my Google Identity.  No one in my social circle was on it (or even heard of it) so that was the last time I bothered to log-in.

Picasa was cool when signed up and I still like it.  Sometimes I want to share photos independent of Facebook and Picasa serves my efforts well.

Wave was all mystery and I was green-eyed that I never got the invite while EVERYONE ELSE I KNEW was asked to test it.  Then I found out what it was and sort of wished I'd stayed in the dark.

i use it

Gmail chat is awesome!  I love the ease of using chat right within my Gmail screen.  And the video chat was as simple to use as a click of a button.  Literally.

Blogger - um, duh! You're reading my blog now.

YouTube's embed feature was my first experience with embedding video or any widget on a web page and loved the simplicity of it.

+1 brings out my inner paranoid conspiracy theorist.  Sometimes I don't want to know what my 'friends' have read nor do I want them to know what I've read. If I post online, it's fair game, but if I'm browsing the web, much like a library, I have an expectation of privacy.

i see google making more money

Buzz made me mad.  Unlike Facebook, I couldn't hide much of my information from search engines (or anyone).  So I worry about buzzing on non-web or professional matters.

No one asked for my two-cents but that has never stopped me from spreading the wealth.  I'm all for their decision.  Top down and bottom up - all administrative, professional and middle management employees have been drafted and will be held responsible for Google's social media efforts.

I can dig it.  I'm watching them closely and I'm taking notes.

I won't be surprised if in 2-3 years we find ourselves ranking Orkut (or whatever new platform they develop or buy) as our preferred vehicle of online conversation and community.

Best,
Parker

Thank You Open Source and Freeware

Hi all, Parker here.  I’m taking this moment to say thank you to all open source software developers and the global communities that support them. Big shout-outs to a few of the content management systems I’ve used – TYPO3 and Drupal – that have taught me the importance of separating content from design. Flexibility and scalability are essential keys of managing corporate websites and the sharp minds that troll the forums answering my every question deserve this moment of praise.  I'm talking you UltimateTech_GuruLord1408!

I’m raising my glass to interactive digital media software like Issuu and SlideShare because they have made my websites dynamic and my documents easy to share. Who knew folks would miss the old-fashion way of turning a page by hand so much that they would seek out the interactive flip version of a PDF over a regular PDF? Bravo, team. Bravo.

Let’s all give a round of applause to my favorite photo and video sharing applications Flickr, Picasa and YouTube. Actually, your universal name recognition speaks for itself. I’ll just stand up and slow clap until everyone else in the room joins me. Clap…. clap…. clap….clap…

Finally, to my first free web service Hotmail – email accessed from any computer, anywhere in the world (with an internet connection). We have a long history, me and Hotmail. My account dates back to the mid-90s:  pre-marriage, pre-kids, pre-talithaparker.com. Who knew we would stay together so long? I’ve grown up. Hotmail’s transformed. Yet we're more connected than ever because of the iPhone.  Here’s to you Hotmail!


Best,
Parker

Be Your Own PR Firm

You're in the business baby!  You're building assets and managing liabilities.  You're marketing your business and developing a strategy that will allow you to
 - get in the door
 - make the pitch
 - close the deal


If you successfully handle your cash flow and steadily increase your ROI, you can retire comfortably and be happy knowing you've had a productive, profitable and satisfying career.


You're in the business of YOU!  That's right, folks.  You, Inc.  The You Co.  You LLC.  And when it comes to the promotion of your business, you should be your own PR firm.

Global Fair Trade Shopping Website

Years ago, my good friend and marketing colleague in Columbus, OH offered this advice: be in the business of "ME" and create a brand.  Today, Mark Cardwell is the founder and owner of Global Fair Trade Shopping LLC.  Using his advice, I reviewed my resume and applied it as the basis of my business plan.  I listed a summary of myself, my abilities and services, what distinguished me from other web professionals, how I planned to achieve my short and long-term career goals, my risks (weaknesses and short-comings) and my salary details (current, industry & desired).

My business plan defined me, my potential and my goals.  But it was my marketing and PR plan that pulled it all together and provided the direction to reach those goals. The result: I’m successful; I love my career and I’m profitable.

Your marketing plan should include a PR strategy that makes you look good and handles the negative or pitfalls that occur.  Here are a few marketing and PR tips I’ve learned while in the business of ME.

Focus on Results
Your time is valuable so stay focused on results whether they are tangible - higher ranking in search engines, increased site traffic, job offers, ad revenues, etc.  Or intangible - regarded as a thought leader in your field, providing valuable content for repeat visitors, higher self-esteem giving you the confidence needed to take that next big leap! 

Build Awareness
Your network is an important asset.  Groom it, grow it and use it wisely.  Leverage social media to build awareness of your services (talent, knowledge, experience and skills).  Professional associations, industry events, newsletters and informal meetings are opportunities to attract new customers (contacts).  Online or in-person, be in the business of YOU - be authentic, be consistent, be engaging and entertaining.

Manage Risks
If you read my previous column about Parker's Thoughts: Social Media and Your Personal Brand Risks, you should have already put into practice a zero tolerance policy.  Don't tweet it if you can't stand behind it.  Don't post it if you don't want others to know it.  And don't say it if you can't replay it in front of your boss (or mom).

Know Your Business
Bottom line: A business stays in business to make money.  YOU are a business and if you have a strong brand with a solid history, other businesses will want to partner with you by offer of employment.  That is called your career.  The quality of your career affects your cash flow and your business partners are looking for a return on their investment.  Know your strengths and weaknesses then be ready to make improvements.  Remember, luck is what happens when preparation meets opportunity.

You’re in the business baby!  You’re a captain of industry, the belle of the ball and the CEO of You, Inc.  Be your own PR firm and you’ll be profitable, happy and successful in your career.

Best, 
Parker

Parker's Thoughts: Social Media and Your Personal Brand Risks

Hi there, it's Parker here.  This has been on my mind lately so I have to say something.  Often you hear stories of a person who accidentally leaves the speaker phone unmuted and speaks his true feelings about the boss aloud for the entire group to hear.  Or someone who gossips about another in the restroom, not knowing said person is in the next stall.  Embarrassing right?  Well people, that's called risk.


You open your mouth, you take a risk that your words will come back to haunt you.


Does that mean you should stop talking, sew your mouth shut or rip out a vocal cord?  Well, maybe (don't get offensive, some of you should consider those options).  But why do that when your instant message, tweet, facebook status update or 4-square check-in could be just as incriminating?


Social media allows you to broadcast your every thought, your every whim, to a world-wide audience in real-time.  Your forum comments and blog posts get collected in search engines and displayed in search results.  If you're a celebrity, your tweets are often screen-captured and that image is saved for later reference.  Take it from me, 7 years later and my rant about Beyonce still comes up!


Just like you can't unspeak those disparaging remarks about your boss, you can't always un-tweet the 140 character text about your night filled with binge-drinking and debauchery that lead to you calling your boss requesting time off to care for your ailing family-member (the hangover).  Either way, your boss finds out the truth.


If your personal marketing strategy involves a venture into online social media, understand that every keystroke and finger tap is contributing to your personal brand.  For better or for worse.  


Here are some options:

• Lose the brand equity you've spent years cultivating and start all over with a new online identity. (no!)
  
• Split your energy in half, worrisomely manage two completely separate personal and professional online identities, and never the twain shall meet. (pffft!)
  
• Treat risk management and social media as a high priority and develop a zero tolerance policy. (yes!)

The choice is simple.


Best, 
Parker