So I really started getting into RSS, or Real Simple Syndication for everyone who cares. I am using Google Reader as my foundation with Reeder(in beta) on top of it, which BTW, has a great iPhone app that works like imap email.
Anyway, RSS is worse than email and more addicting than porn. I feel like Neo in the Matrix when he says, I know Kung Fu, after hours of being fed information. Just so you don’t fall into a RSS trap, here are three hints:
1) Subscribe to feeds often, but don’t be slow to unsubscribe. It’s not like email where they know you did, and there is a threshold where you can have TMI.
2) Throw in some fun or hobbies. You will get sick of reading only work related posts, trust me!
3) Know your “reboot” limit. When you are gone for a day, or two and come back to your feed, if it is over 300, just reboot and start over. Again, it’s not like email, you won’t lose anything valuable and I promise you more will come tomorrow.
If you are using RSS, let me know what works or doesn’t for you. If you are not using RSS feeds, ask yourself why, and remember, he who has the knowledge, has the power.
Mr. Romantic bought his wife a shower caddy for her birthday about 4 years ago. I thought this would be a great gift; it brought organization and conservation all into a nice plastic unit that attaches to your bathroom wall. I now know that women like jewelry, candy and flowers much better than shower caddies, so lesson learned.
All that to say this. When I take a shower we have our sponge thingy that you put soap on. Our soap comes from a pump in the shower caddy. I usually take nine or ten pumps, suds up the loofa and go at it. But I got to thinking last week, what if it takes only 9 pumps to do the same job….I feel a test coming on, here are the results:
March 15th – started with 10 pumps, lots of suds, good and clean.
March 16th – 9 pumps today, hmmm, still good and clean.
March 17th – 8 pumps and still the same clean.
March 18th – 7 pumps and suds galore, I could have washed twice!
March 19th – 6 pumps and I am getting nervous, will I smell today? I feel clean!
March 20th – 5 pumps and this is getting crazy, still perfectly clean.
March 21st – 4 pumps and if word of this testing leaks out, Dove stock will crash!
March 22nd – 3 pumps , ok, I notice less suds now but I am still 100% clean!
Wow, from 10 pumps to 3 pumps with the SAME RESULTS; 70% less product used to complete the task! I would I have never known this unless I tested it.
Now take this example and put it into your business, marketing, budgeting, human resources etc. Do you really know what is possible in all aspects of your business unless you test? I say you don’t, now go take a shower.
— I created this quote based on the my frustration with business owners inability to create, implement and measure a plan when it comes to social media and internet marketing.
About five months ago, I decided to take our office off of Bounty dependence and “go green”. To the Internet I went and one week later, I had two hand dryers delivered and then within another week, both where installed and we were in business.
I don’t know about the rest of you, but it was very hard at first to stop using Bounty. As we had a couple rolls left over, I quite often found myself reverting to the paper towels, even though these shiny new dryers were on the wall. So I thought…why? First off, paper towels have some very strong selling points.
1. They are quicker to use than hand dryers
2. You can use the paper towel to cover the door handle when you open it
3. You can use the paper towel to wipe down the sink when you are done
4. You can use the paper towel to blow your nose when you are done
Some people will laugh or think that my OCD has the best of me, but it really got me thinking about thought patterns, habits we form and how hard it is to implement change, even when the change is perceived to be better.
As time has passes, I still get the urge to sometimes break into the cabinet and pull out the quicker picker upper, but I usually don’t. I instead take that one minute rubbing my hands together to think about something; really focus in on a problem, situation or issue in my business. It’s within the confines of this blog that I will share with you those thoughts and how they impact my life and business.
So here is what happened. We, Fat Atom Internet Marketing (fatatom.com), did a Facebook fan page for one of our clients. The site took off like a rocket, hit almost 50,000 fans, and then we wake up one day to find Facebook had taken the page down. They sent no warning, had already validated our page, and offered no explanation later. We sent support requests to Facebook for almost 2 weeks, everyday, afterward, and they have yet to get back with us. Thousands of dollars were spent on this campaign, and now they are all gone.
We think it is very irresponsible of Facebook, who is still young in the professional world, to treat paying customers like this. Facebook is a great place to grow your business online, but behavior like this is downright terrifying. Business need to have confidence that they are safe investing money in Facebook.
We created this video to express our frustration and confusion.
This great tidbit says volumes to help those challenged with knowing the difference in their business activities.
