John Driscoll

Facebook Takes Over Saturday Night Live

A MUST SEE Monologue from Betty White.  Facebook users voted her as the next host and caused the best ratings in years.

Free Facebook Event - Don't Miss It!

It's no secret that Facebook is an amazing marketing tool.  However there are still many of you that haven't begun to utilize it to for building business.  

Maybe you are just not sure where to start.  In this latest webinar I will give you the 3 Keys to Facebook Marketing.  I will outline a plan for building business and taking advantage of the fastest growing marketing tool in history.

Hear "Real Life Case Studies" where I have helped others to build powerful social business models.

You'll walk away with:

* Examples of other successful Facebook models
* Tools that are needed to start
* Information about Facebook's new "Like" button
* Demonstration of Facebook PayPerClick
* Knowledge of what is working now!

And more!

Click To Find Out More!

iPad Madness!

So what are you going to do with yours?  Sure maybe you won't buy an iPad.  However after one week with the device I am convinced that you will have something like it.  Just think if 15 years ago you knew that everyone would be buying travel services online?  Remember those people who used to call themselves travel agents?  Or what if I had told you that everyone would get all their answers from something called Google?  Maybe it would be called "Lougle" or what ever your name is.  My point is.  What if I knew the future and told you what it was going to be?  You would do something about it, wouldn't you?  Well I am telling you now.  The iPad, HP Slate, XTablet or the Google Clipboard is going to be apart of your future life!  Count on it.  If you don't believe me, you probably haven't touched one. 

So why am I so convinced?  Glad you asked.  Here are my 5 reasons why I am so sure.  (5 because I hear you will read this if I offer 5)

1.  Books have to change sometime - I know you purists are going to want to kill me.   Don't worry my wife will do it once I release this picture.  Books have to change because everyone wants to save the trees.  I don't care if your conservative or liberal, pretty much everyone thinks trees are good.  As far as I know there isn't a social group hell bent on "destroying" trees.  So we all agree on this one, and that is pretty rare.  With the iPad we will save a lot of trees and a lot of trash for that matter.  I mean I really hate throwing out magazines.  And books just take up a bunch of space.  It would make moving cheaper.  Less boxes, less clutter, less cost.  Pretty hard to argue with that.  Don't worry, I know you still will.

2.  We are all pretty lazy - If there is any easier way, we Americans will take it.  The fact is the iPad is kind of a non-nerdy computer.  In other words, you really don't even need to know how to work a computer.  It's that easy.  I often see my friends buying really expensive laptops just so they can use the internet and email.  This is why people were convinced that netbooks would be huge.  They were cheaper, easier to use, and much more suited to your average user.  Problem was they aren't different enough.  They still looked and worked like a computer.  The iPad however is completely different.  That brings me to my next reason.

3.  Digital Intimacy - Now I sound as I crazy as I look above.  Digital intimacy sounds like something out of the mouth of Jobs himself.  All I can say is to use an iPad is to understand what I mean.  It hit me 48 hours after I bought it.  I was sitting in the dark reading on the couch like I would a book.  This wasn't me with a laptop burning my legs in work mode.  This was casual.  This was intimate.  This was different.  Sorry that's my story and I am sitting on it:)  I think the experience will cause people to choose it over a laptop.

4.  We already love Apps - Steve Jobs is just ridiculous!  He invented iTunes, because without it the iPod wouldn't have taken off.  He invented the iPod, without it the iPhone wouldn't have worked.  Then he invented apps, without it the iPad would be well...  A netbook.  Apps allow us to interact with the companies and services we love.  Not to mention games.  Apps are one of the best examples of community.  Allowing multiple contributors makes the device strong and one that is really for everyone.  Like social media, apps are by and for the people.  That is when technology is at it's best.  It's ironic that Apple figured this out after being a victim of it. 

5.  Apple - People always wonder why Apple often succeeds where others have failed.  I don't know why this is such a mystery.  People often say because they are such good advertisers.  Really?  You think people are still buying iPhones because of their TV ads?  You think it might be ah well maybe...  The product?  They just care more about the product than making money.  By the way that's a great strategy to make a lot of money.  I think Steve decided to make the iPad because deep down, he wanted one.  Did you know that Apple doesn't even use focus groups.  Why would they?  THEY are the focus group!

So why did I waste my time this week talking about the iPad?  Well, I had to justify getting one.  "Honey, it's a work thing".  Well and it was a lot of fun!  And isn't that what it's all about? 

 

 

   

         

Are Apps Changing Everything? Again.

Lately I have been talking a lot about how "apps" (short for phone applications) are a great way to market yourself.  Whether you are making your own app with AppMakr.  Or utilizing an existing app like Yelp or Yowza.  Apps seem to be here to stay.  Just look at the recent release from Zillow for the iPad.  Apps are now starting to take over more than just our phones.  With Apple expecting to sell 1 million plus iPads this month and the HP Slate coming soon, it seems we need to jump on the app bandwagon.  So don't wait until everyone has already done it.  Start thinking about how you can utilize this as a strategy for your business.  Then you can say, "yeah, I have an app for that".

  

Nerdy Pays The Bills

When people find out what I do for a living, they often follow with varying degrees of comments.  Sometimes they think that I play on Facebook all day, or I just build websites.  My favorite is one that my wife always addresses for me.  "So your kind of a nerd".  For many years my wife has had the best response to this.  "Nerdy Pays The Bills".  I like it, because she says it like she is proud of me. 

Lately, I have really started to own it.  Probably because nerdy really does pay the bills.  What I mean is, knowing and understanding technology and the media it produces, has an amazing effect on your business.  I have noticed a trend of people embracing and educating themselves with social media and their businesses thriving as a result.  Then there are those that are doing it half-heartedly.  They got involved for the money or because they care about their business.  That sounds good.  But it's not the same thing as caring about "social media".  Or caring about people so much that you will jump on anything that helps you to reach out to them.  This kind of soul will breathe life into your business.  Cause others to be drawn to your energy.  Real social media is empowering and puts you on a level playing field with wealthier competition.  Truth is, social media is not a quick fix.  This fact weeds out the unbelievers and those that are just in it for "results".  You may call it nerdy, I call it art.        

Making Old Spice Cool & Hilarious

I am sure many of you have seen this.  Thought it was worth posting anyway. 

"Look at you man, sadly he isn't me"  Too funny.

Facebook, More Than A Web Page

I have been marketing web pages for a long time now.  Haven't counted how many I have built, maybe too many :)  Once you are done building a web page, it is often frustratingly difficult to try and get people to come say hi.  Even with perfect optimization and search marketing included, you have to keep reminding fans to come back.  In the past this included a healthy email marketing campaign to remind people what was "new" and why they need to take another look. 

Just think about it unless it is your favorite page on the internet, you don't really think about it.  That is why I am such a of fan of Facebook Pages.  Due to the form and function of Facebook, people are reminded to take a look every time you post something new.  Take a look at some of these numbers from Kristy Owen.  The author of 365 Things To Do In Austin Texas.  (Thanks Kristy for letting me show these)

If you notice Kristy has an unbelievable amount of fan traffic.  13,427 visits per week.  19% of her total fan base.  Sound high?  It's actually lower by percentage than what I normally see.  Expected for someone with such a high number of fans.  Where Kristy really gets her mileage is the amount of people posting to her wall.  She has over 2000 wall posts per week.  WOW!!  That is an active fan base.

So why am I breaking this down for you?  Well, because you would never get this kind of activity on the average web page.  In fact on most Facebook Pages with 500 or less fans, I see almost a 1 to 1 ratio of fans to weekly traffic.  That means on average "every fan" comes to your Page every week!!!  I can promise you, you can't say that about your web page. 

Don't get me wrong.  I love web pages, integrated blogs, and marketing plans that include them.  It's just for the average person that isn't marketing their page, they are a waste of time.  Yeah, you heard me.  Throw away your website if you aren't going to work it!   However you might be perfect for a Fan Page.

   

 

Marketing Events Just Got Easier

I have been waiting to chat about this one for a while.  I just wanted to make sure it lived up to the hype.  I have been marketing events for many many years.  From church events to more workshops than I can count.  Marketing workshops can be difficult, costly, and very very time consuming. 

Eventbrite.  The latest in online software, seems to have changed all that.  They have managed to make marketing an event easy, stylish, and incredibly efficient.  All that and it will integrate into your present website.  Here are some key features:

1.  Pay to Play - I think one of the best ways to market a seminar/workshop is to "charge" for it.  Free workshops are often viewed by would be attenders as sales events or just not valuable enough to waist their time.  I am amazed at how people are having luck by charging a reasonable amount for a  "high value" event.  If you are looking to charge, you can integrate payment right inside Eventbrite.  Just enter your PayPal info and you are producing a high priced ticket.  Try raising the stakes at your next event by making it a premium workshop with serious value.

2.  Widgets R Us - Website are increasingly being filled with widgets from other social media and/or other productive software.  The idea is to manage the item on one website while feeding in the data into yours.  This allows you to add an RSVP button, how many tickets are available, or just create a more stylish page without being a web designer.  Eventbrite has a very easy to use method of dropping these right into your website.  Just cut and paste the embeded code and you are taking orders.

3.  Free - Eventbrite offers a free service and allows you to upgrade based on functionality.  This is so important to allow you to get used to the software and build events.  Without a big subscription price.

4.  Email - One of the most difficult tasks in holding an event is the ability to promote it though email.  Creating an effective HTML email can be costly or very time consuming.  Eventbrite is way ahead of you on this.  You can drop your list into the system and promote away.  Where was this 5 years ago?

5.  Social Media - Eventbrite could have stopped there and would still be the best thing in the event world.  Thank God they didn't.  They have also managed to integrate with Facebook events to help you promote the event through your Fan Page or even your Facebook profile.  This can really help you get people to the event.

Well If you are in the market to market an event.  Look no further than Eventbrite .  Can you say "no more spreadsheets"?  

Is Stik.com Changing the Way People Buy Mortgages?

"Stik to Who You Know".  That is the motto of the founders of Stik.com.  Another sign of a new trend I like to call "Social Search".  You see Stik.com allows consumers to search for a mortgage, insurance agent, financial planner, and more from their Facebook friends.  This is especially powerful when you consider the numbers.  With just one degree of separation. (friends of your friends) There is on average of 1,300 mortgages transacted each year.  That means mortgage people would never have too go far beyond their immediate influence to find all the business they will ever need.  These numbers going even deeper if you have more than the average of 200 Facebook friends. 

You would think that would be enough to make you sign up for FREE.  However Premium Stik gives them the permission to run adds on the sellers behalf.  With a very tastefully method of marketing Stik.com will provide the seller phone calls and connections from real interested buyers.  In my conversation with Jay Gierak and Nathan Labenz we talked about the many possibilities that this technology opens up for sales people everywhere.  I have a feeling this thing is just getting started. 

Jay and Nathan did give me an offer that you can get only HERE.  Mention my name when you sign up and Stik.com will give you a FREE 60 Day trial of Premium Stik.  That is FREE LEADAS folks.  What are you waiting for.  Go Stik to who you know.

This Video is Probably Too Edgy for You!

Make way for the "New Dork".  This video may be too edgy for most of my clients.  Conservative people that are still trying to figure out what social media "is".  Just a minute ago, I had a client say that he thought Facebook was for "silly girls who want to keep in touch."  I answered quickly "it is, and so so much more".  So you see why I am skeptical to post a video like this.  Showing not the entrepreneur of the future, but of the present.  You see things aren't "changing".  They have completely "changed" right in front of you.  Jump on and become apart of the new way of selling, sharing, and making a living.  It's fun, it exciting, it's going to happen whether you want it to or not.  Make way for the "New Dork".