First, let me say that I am truly appreciative of everyone who took the time to enter my contest. When I began to brainstorm about what the title of my second poetry book should be, I quickly decided to turn to my readership in order to come up with the best title possible. And, when I engaged you, the reader, I was not disappointed at all. So many ideas poured in, and I was a bit overwhelmed by the added quality of so many; that made my job of picking just one so much more difficult. I was patient and diligent in coming to my decision, and I turned to some of those people within my inner circle that did not submit an entry into the fun title contest for some added input and opinion. To them, I am also extremely grateful!

So, after putting many hours into this decision, I am excited to announce that the winner of the “Title My Next Book” contest and hence recipient of a signed copy of the upcoming book upon its release is (drum roll… ) Andrew McLaren! Congratulations! I have selected “Guerrilla Wordfare” as the title of my next book. This title really speaks to the heart and soul of the content that will fill this book’s pages! Again, I am thankful for the great contest participation, and I look forward to providing book release details as they become available!

There are skeptics out there who are not willing to take a risk and engage in the world of social media. Some are afraid of change while others simply do not feel that they know enough about it. Then, there are some that know that their competition hasn’t engaged the customers through social media means. All of these are given as reasons for staying away. EXCUSES! But, what these individuals, businesses, brands, and organizations fail to realize is that social media and related Web 2.0 and beyond technologies are great opportunities that can aid their efforts in many different ways. What works for one company, brand, or organization won’t necessarily work for the rest – it is not a universal solution, for, instead, social media and related technologies and marketing efforts should be shaped and tailored to fit the needs and goals of company, brand, or organization. There is no copy and paste; alternatively, proper planning and preparation are needed to reach optimal success. Those rules (the need for planning and preparation) haven’t changed, for only the environment and landscape have changed. Just like football evolved from predominantly a running game to that of a passing game, marketing has evolved from television and newspapers to online media marketing. However, as in the past, the need to preplan and coordinate is just as great if not more so now than ever in the history of marketing. With new options and opportunities comes some added complexity in the marketing mix. But, determination, persistence, and planning will go a long way.

Here are a few things to keep in mind:

1. Who are your customers?
2. Where do your customers frequent online? (Facebook? Twitter? Blogs?)
3. What do you want to communicate to your customers?
4. Are you willing to listen to your customers?

For decades, more and more people have surrounded televisions around the nation and even the world to watch the Super Bowl. In its 44th annual installment on Sunday, more and more companies are looking at ways to do one of two things. One: those shelling out nearly three million dollars per 30-second advertising spot are wanting to maximize their visibility as best as they can. A great example of this is GoDaddy.com and its extended commercials (and conclusions) that are online following the airing of the Super Bowl ad. Two: some large companies are simply forgoing the costly route of producing and broadcasting their advertising messages within the normal Super Bowl channels. An example of this is Pepsi and their sudden departure from Super Bowl commercial placement. After 23 straight Super Bowl appearances, they are throwing all of their Super Bowl marketing budget behind social media! They are wanting to make a bigger difference and appeal in the world, and social media is allowing them greater success through their new Refresh Project.

While we do not know which team on the field is going to walk off with the Lombardi Trophy, one thing is for sure – the real winner will be social media. This illustrates how marketing is going through a paradigm shift of sorts. Mass media channels are simply not the only way to go if you seek national or global brand recognition. We have a new set of tools at our disposal, and some are tinkering with these new tools. Of course, there are a few companies and executives out there that are oblivious to this change that is rapidly fermenting; it is time to jump aboard the Social Media train.

Whether in the world of business or in the world of personal challenges, we cannot allow fear to own and control our every move. According to Sven Goran Eriksson, “the greatest barrier to success is the fear of failure.” To succeed, we must take risks, but we also cannot simply take risks so foolishly. Instead, we should plan and prepare accordingly, and then we can take those appropriate risks! As I mentioned in my last blog, I like to challenge myself and take a chance! I do not mind trying new things. In doing so, I am becoming a better person, discovering great new things along my journey. Also, we cannot simply give up. There are occasions where you may endure a setback or possibly fail, but you must not quite. Sometimes, we just have to get back up and try again. Other times, it might be best to reevaluate and just try another route.

In 2008, I was looking to try a new adventure, and, as a thrill seeker, I found skydiving to be my next challenge. Sure, jumping out of a perfectly good airplane at approximately 10,000 feet can be a bit scary, but I did not jump unprepared. Instead, I researched about the sport of skydiving, and then I acquainted myself with the equipment that was going to allow me to safely perform this thrill! In addition, I followed the safety guidelines of the USPA and absorbed the necessary knowledge from the skydiving instructors. In the summer of 2008, I completed my first jump in Saginaw, Michigan. I then went on to jump three more times that summer, each time learning from the previous experiences. Below is a video of my third jump. While I had jumped twice before this video, this was the first time jumping out of the Cessna 206. As you may be able to see, I tumbled a little bit while exiting the plane, a mistake that I corrected on my fourth jump. Also, I miscalculated my landing, slowing my parachute down a little early -- hence the harder than normal landing. Each time, I learned and then improved from mistakes’ lessons.

We cannot allow fear to get in the way. With proper training, guidance, and knowledge, anything is possible, and we must always remember that! Set S.M.A.R.T. goals! Make them specific, measurable, attainable, relevant, and time-bound. Do not be afraid to fail; instead, we must maintain motivation, continuously learn on the fly and as the environment changes, and enjoy the journey!

Like the Old Proverb says… Where there’s a will, there’s a way! So, maintain your will, find a way, and do not be afraid to fail!

Too often, we are content with what we currently have, and we tend not to welcome change. This occurs both within our personal lives and certainly within the business world. Too often, we are left behind when we do not look to new adventures and social trends. Of course, there are numerous examples of this within our very lives. Personally, I have never tried tofu. As a proud meat and potatoes kind of guy, I have never taken the liberty of ordering some, but that all changed last evening. I tried blackened and barbequed tofu with rice; even though I favored the barbeque-seasoned tofu, I liked both! Was it a risk? Sure! But, it is a good risk, and I am willing to try almost anything new for the sake of knowing what I truly enjoy and refining who I am as a person! As a result of me embracing this opportunity, I have gained a taste for a new food, something that I know for future reference (one more great option to pick from)! Take another example like social media! It has helped us connect in ways that many of us have never imagined. For some, it helped reconnect with lost friends. For others, it helped reach a new niche market and gain increased revenues and new loyal customers. Many people have shied away from this newer technology and social phenomenon. For those who decided to embrace it, great things have occurred. Certainly, it is not the universal answer, but it opens up great and new doors – new opportunities!

No matter what part of life you focus on, there are changes just waiting to be made. These are not just the ridiculous or irrational changes, for there are numerous others as well. Do you need to take every turn in the roadway? No, but we also should not be unwilling to make promising changes in any part of our lives! Letting such opportunities, both business and personal, pass us by simply pushes us further away from achieving our optimal greatness! While some changes may be mistakes, avoiding all types of change (and hence opportunity) would unfortunately be the greatest mistake. Hence, we should embrace change and get a head start on our competition. Make the best of life and write your own future instead of simply following someone else’s plan.

As a superuser on the newly-popular location-focused social media Foursquare, I am finding myself running into new questions of protocol. Here are three that I find myself struggling with the most thus far:

• What do you do when you go to several businesses located at the same address? I find myself curious how to check-in when I pump gas at a local Shell gas station and then pick up some food for the family at the McDonalds inside. To me, they are two different businesses; I mean – they both have unique phone numbers. As such, I should check-in to both individually, right? What about if you are walking inside the mall on a Sunday and go store to store?

• When should I check-in? For the purpose of mere convenience and professionalize, I tend to check-in from my vehicle upon arrival and before entering the location. So, there are times when I arrived at the business too early, thinking that they were opened (only to find out after checking in that the business doesn’t open for another hour or two). I know this might not seem like a big deal, but I certainly do not want others to view me as a Foursquare spammer of sorts, looking simply to increase my check-in count, etc.

• Twitter Profiles? Do they want them or not? Foursquare allows you to enter them on the regular website, but they do not allow you to add the venue’s Twitter account using the mobile site. Of course, most people just want to hurry and add the missing venue and get going on their journey, but why not offer it as an option like they do on the regular site?

So, I am confident that 2010 will big year for Foursquare! Hence, I am sure that these questions will probably answer themselves soon, but I am hoping to find resolution to these fun-spirited Foursquare cultural curiosities.

Thanks again for swinging back by. Many of you have requested the link to the chapter preview of my next poetry book, and I appreciated all of the feedback and your time to check out the progress of my new book. In an effort to fill the current and future requests for this preview, I am including the link here! The preview is a PDF, and it is password protected, a decision made because of spam bots, etc. Therefore, once you open or save this PDF, the password is simply 61110! If you have any questions or issues, please do not hesitate to comment below. Also, I would enjoy hearing your feedback and insight as you get time! Have a great day!

Currently, I am wrapping up my second poetry book. I anticipate that this book will be published and available to the public sometime in the late spring of this year. My first book, Reflections on Life’s Roller Coaster Rides, contained 100 poems and coming up with the title was pretty easy as the book described how life has its ups and downs, just like a great and terrifying roller coaster. However, my follow-up book of poetry will be a bit longer (currently enlisting 260 of my most recent poems over a vast array of life changing topics). The overall theme of the book is that of famous battles within our lives, and I could envision my cover, which has yet to be drawn, as a battlefield of some sort, but that is by no means set in stone. This is where you, the avid reader, come in. I would like to engage you, my creative and intelligent reader, to come up with what the title of this book should be. I set out to write this book with the goal of enabling each reader to make it his or her own, a book that he or she could relate to in some way, shape, or form.

Here are some of the book particulars that might help you visualize and conceptualize my next book’s title. The book has three main sections and a total of 13 themed chapters. Below, I have listed the current outline of my book (example: theme – current chapter title).

Section 1

1. Beauty – Battle of Beauty Bay
2. Hope/Future – Humbled at Hope Harbor
3. Inspiration – Invasion on Inspiration Island
4. Love – Attack on Lover’s Lake

Section 2

1. Challenges – Covert Ops on The Challenge Chamber
2. Disappointment – Destroying Disappointment Dungeon
3. Frustrations/Stress – Assault on Fort Frustration
4. Loneliness – The Landing at Lonely Lodge
5. Reality – Raid on Reality Ridge

Section 3

1. Honor/Integrity/Trust – Intrusion on Trusting Times
2. Promises and Commitments – The Climb to Promise Peak
3. Courage – Infiltrating Courage Cove
4. Wisdom – Sneak Attack on Wisdom Warship

I ask that you comment to this blog below with your recommended book title (a subtitle is optional) so everyone else can see. Just to clarify, this is a free-spirited contest. This contest will remain open until the end of January. On February 1, 2010, I will take only those recommended titles that are submitted via this blog’s comments and declare a winner. I will post the name of the contest winner as a new blog post and via Facebook, Twitter, and on MCH Publications’s website! By entering a name in the contest and being chosen, you are giving the name and all rights to it to me and my publisher. In exchange for the winning title, I will acknowledge the winner in the book, and I will send (within North America) a free, signed copy of the book to the winner upon the book’s release.

Many companies within the world of technology find difficulty remaining current and relevant as the natural industry changes take place. Within the Internet industry specifically, there has been a transformation from the beginning of the infant and simple World Wide Web (Web 1.0) to the mature Web 2.0 and beyond of today. Actually, we are beginning to push into what many consider the third phase of the web (Web 3.0).

As a result of the progress, more and more companies are joining the battle to gain market share and a competitive edge over other peers within the industry. Hence, some are left behind and are deemed unimportant and others completely forgotten. Some companies are in the right places at the right times, and others try to buy their way in. In what appears to be an act of desperation, it appears that AOL is attempting to purchase Mashable, a popular and leading technology blog site, an effort that some are viewing as a last ditch effort to remain in the conversation – to remain relevant in the ever-changing world of technology – and to sit at the table!

Like many things, however, money alone will not suffice. Instead, the culture within the organization needs to grow with the changes of the times and advancing technologies. I am concerned that the AOL deal, if the rumor is true, would cause a problem of great proportions. AOL and Time Warner just separated back into the companies similar to what that they were prior to their famed and unsuccessful merger, so who is to say that AOL is ready to start adding outfits this early in the game, even if it is a relatively small outfit (by their standards) like Mashable. To me, this shows their desperation more than ever.

I have heard (from a few places) conversations that people won’t even date someone who has an AOL email address, further illustrating AOL’s insignificance in today’s ever-evolving technology industry. AOL is not considered current or cool. Many might therefore conceive that AOL’s dull image will rub off on Mashable. Only time will be the true test! Since brand image is critical externally and corporate culture critical internally, I fear that such a deal would reduce readership and then minimize Mashable’s voice in the medium-to-long term. However, those at Mashable are sitting on a golden egg, and this might just be their only and best chance to hatch it before it spoils.

It is December 3, 2009, and I am checking to see if my blog claim on Technorati has been reviewed and approved. I go online and noticed that indeed it appears that the company is simply running a little behind. So, I patiently wait. I figured that it would take another day or two to get everything sorted out, but anything is possible. Days pass, so I seek out a little customer service. When clicking on their support page, it recommends that I go over to their GetSatisfaction.com Community Forum where a Technorati employee (TechnoEric) started the conversation thread entitled, “Blog claiming is taking FOREVER!”

My Technorati Blog Claim Review Status: 01/05/2010

Unfortunately, it appears that this case of blog claiming delay is much more – indeed a lack of recent engagement from Technorati. As of this original posting, there are 57 people participating and inquiring about this topic on GetSatisfaction.com Technorati forum and supposedly 2 employees (that appear currently inactive in this brewing conversation – a result of no feedback from these two for over 24 days and counting). Furthermore, others continue to endure the same problem. One example out of the many would be that of Mike Daicoff. He has been waiting since late November of 2009 to get the claim reviewed, a week or more before I put in my claim. He took action by venting through his blog, Standing Stones, just yesterday via a blog post entitled, “Technorati’s Invisible Claim Review!”

Mike starts by remarking:

“This is an open letter to the people at Technorati, the (once) popular blog search and ranking engine.  I invite any and all who read this post to feel free to leave a comment if your experience is anything like mine.  That is to say, absolutely horrible.”

Personally, I have sent out numerous tweets about this topic, most directly linking and mentioning @Technorati, but no feedback has been given. I have not received any acknowledgement from the industry leader in blog searching! Lastly, I started a new hashtag #claimreview to track this conversation even further. Most might not be as persistent as I am, but I just wanted to get answers. Is this going to take 3 more months or 3 more hours? If Technorati does not know these answers, they should still respond and build the communication channels. Essentially, this appears to be a failure to engage with the site users. What a mistake – what a shame!