Rick Cooper, The PDA Pro

Google Acquires Feedburner

In another sign Google is taking over the world, they have acquired Feedburner. If you have a blog or a podcast, you should be using Feedburner to understand how many people are subscribing to your content. The fact that Google acquired them pretty much confirms the value they offer customers.

There will be More Opportunities
to Get Your Message Out There

It will be interesting to see how Google leverages the Feedburner platform. Needless to say, there will be more opportunities to get your message out there to a very targeted audience.

Amazon Launches a New Wireless Reading Device

Amazon has launched an intriguing new device called the Kindle. It's an ebook reader with wireless access. It not only allows you to read books though. You can also read newspapers and blogs. Given the huge trend toward going green, I think a device like this could catch on.

Free Wireless Access on a Mobile Device!

I'm curious to hear from anyone who has tried the device. What's amazing is that the wireless access seems to be free. They appear to be covering their costs through book sales. It will be interesting to see if this thing takes off. Could a device like this have the same kind of appeal as the iPod when it first came out? I suppose only time will tell!

The PDA Pro Blog Nears 3 Year Anniversary

It's hard to believe it's been almost three years since I started blogging and launched The PDA Pro Blog. Of course, that's about 50 in blog years. ;) Check out my first post on 10-27-04 which includes a quote from Seth Godin. There are so many bloggers these days and so many blogs are just an excuse to promote something.

I made a commitment then to provide useful information on my blog, and as much as possible. I have kept promotion to a minimum on my blog. As I visit other blogs today, so many that I see are a complete mess. They're hard to look at, they're covered with ads, music, and just about anything to say, "Hey, look at me!"

I've always been a big believer in "less is more". Steve Topper, one of my marketing mentors, told me that people are looking for simplicity. I think to share your message effectively, you need to be brief and impactful.

My message has changed over the years. My original intention was to write about PDAs and smartphones. I am passionate about technology and love to share my insights on how to work more productively. I gradually shifted my focus toward business and sales, but have kept on posting about technology. Now, my message has shifted again to focus on achieving results. In particular, I specialize in helping entrepreneurs achieve outstanding results. I love working with people who don't see limits for themselves and are on a mission of personal development. I enjoy helping entrepreneurs focus their efforts. It's far too easy to get distracted from your core mission. I will continue to address all of these topics going forward, although my message will be most relevant for entrepreneurs and sales professionals.

I will always write with an authentic voice because that reflects who I am. It's been a journey over the last three years, and even before that when I launched my company in May 2003. So, I'll be celebrating my fifth year in business in 2008. That is a significant milestone.

So, needless to say, I have much to celebrate and will plan some activities to herald those achievements I have so many people to thank for my success and I will take time on this blog to acknowledge them. Robert Kiyosaki said, "build your team" and I have done that. And without my team, I would not have made it this far. But, it's not mission accomplished yet. We have more work to do.

Thank you for being a loyal reader of The PDA Pro Blog. Please take a moment and post a comment, send me a message or give me a call.

Thank you!

Rick S. Cooper, MBA
Author, Speaker, Coach
The PDA Pro

Personal Development List

I have to give a big kudos to Life Coach Priscilla Palmer for starting her Personal Development List and a thanks for recognizing The PDA Pro Blog. I have decided to publish the list on my site as well for my readers to see and have added my own recommendations to the list (and will update this periodically). I think this a great example of organic social networking in the spirit of sharing resources.

Priscilla says that personal development is a large topic that includes but is not limited to (law of attraction, goals, time management, physical fitness, education, motivation, inspiration, and social skills). Some of my additions to the list feature technology bloggers who have a strong commitment toward personal development and cover at least one topic among the ones listed above.

If I have sent a trackback to your site, just know I'll be back to post a relevant comment at some point to add value to the discussions on your site. Feel free to do the same here. (Thank you.)

Personal Development List:

Aaron Potts at Today is That Day

Adam Kayce at Monk at Work

Alan Torres at Made to Be Great

Albert Foong at urbanmonk.net

Andrea J Lee at Money, Meaning and Beyond (Added by Rick Cooper)

Andy Wibbels at AndyWibbels.com (Added by Rick Cooper)

Ask Lucid at Ask Lucid Spiritual Development

Anita Pathik at Law at Power of four Way

Belle Wong at Abundance Journal

Brian Clark at Copyblogger

Brian Kim at briankim.net

Bob at everyeveryminute

Christine Kane at ChristineKane.com

Craig Harper at Motivational Speaker

Curt Rosengren at Occupational Adventure

Dave Schoof at Engaging the Disquiet

David Rogers at How to Have Great Self Confidence

Dawud Miracle at dmiracle.com

Dean Lacono at Law of Attraction for Beginners

Debbie Call at Spirit In Gear

Des Walsh at Thinking Home Business (Added by Rick Cooper)

Dick Richards at Come Gather Round

Donald Latumahina at Life Optimizer

Donna Karlin at Perspectives (Added by Rick Cooper)

Dr. Hal at Northstar Mental fitness blog

Edward Mills at Evolving Times

Frank Kanu at Frank Uncovers Excellence in Leadership (Added by Rick Cooper)

Guy Kawasaki at How to Change the World

Gleb Reys at Personal Development Ideas

Gretchen Rubin at Happiness Project

Gustav at Success-is-in-you.com

Henrik Edberg at The Positivity Blog

Itzy Sabo at Email Overloaded (Added by Rick Cooper)

Jacklyn Ker at Inspiring and Empowing Lives

Jason Ivers at A Miracle a Day

Jay White at dumb little man tips for life

Jean Browman at Transforming Stress Into Power and Cheerful Monk

Jeffrey Phillips at Think Faster

Jennifer at Goodness Graciousness

Jeremiah Owyang at Web Strategy by Jeremiah (Added by Rick Cooper)

Jerry Hart at Blueprint to eMarketing  (Added by Rick Cooper)

Jerry Lopper at Personal Growth

Joanna Young at Coaching Wizardry

John Place at John Place Online

John Wesley at Pick The Brain

Josh Bickford at Reach For Magnificence and Reach for Magnificence

Julia Rogers Hamrick at Julia’s Blog: Journal of the Journey Home to Eden

Kammie Kobyleski at Passion Meets Purpose

Karen at Journey with Water Learner

Karen Lynch at Live The Power

Kim George at Doing What You Can Do

Kirsten Harrell at Ipopin

K.L. Masina at Be Conscious Now

Leah Maclean at Working Solo (Added by Rick Cooper)

Lee Nutter at bmindful

Leo Baruta at Zen Habits

Life Reflection at Universe in a Single Atom

Lisa Gates at Design Your Writing Life

Liz Strauss at Successful Blog

Lola Fayemi at Real World Spiritual and Personal Development

Lorraine Cohen at Powerfull Living

Lyman Reed at Creating a Better Life

Maria Palma at The Good Life

Mark at The Naked Soul

Mark Forster at Get Everything Done

Mark McManus at Build Your Life To Order

Mark W. Shead at Productivity 501 (Added by Rick Cooper)

Martin Avis at Kickstart Daily

Matthew Cornell at Matt’s Idea Blog

Merlin Mann at 43 Folders

Michelle Moore at Happiness Blog

Michael Port at The Think Big Revolution (Added by Rick Cooper)

My Everyday Planner at My Everyday Planner

Nancy Tierney at Unconditional Confidence

Neil Patel at Quick Sprout

Nneka at Balanced Life Center

Organize-It at Organize-It

Pamm Larry at My Spiritual Dance

Patricia Singleton at Spiritual Journey of a Lightworker

Paul at Paul’s Tips

Peter at I Will Change Your Life

Peter Aldin at Great Circle

Phil Gerbyshak at Make It Great

Priscilla Palmer at Personal Development Demands Success

Raymond Salas at Zenchill Powertools

Reg Adkins at ElementalTruths

Rick Cockrum at Shards of Consciousness

Rick Cooper at The PDA Pro

Robert at Compassionate Council

S.J. Yee at Personal Development for the Book Smart

Sam at Aquire Wisdom and Live with Passion

Scott Adams at The Dilbert Blog

Scott Bernadot at Keeping The Secret

Scott Ginsberg at Hello, My Name is Blog (Added by Rick Cooper)

Scott H Young at Scott H Young

Self Pursuit at Self Pursuit

Shauna Arthurs at Breathing Prosperity and Follow Your Path

Sleeping Dude at How to Wake Up Early

Steve Olson at Steve-Olson.com

Steve Pavlina at stevepavlina.com

Susan Sabo at Productivity Cafe

Ted Demopoulos at Blogging For Business

Thom Quinn at Qlog

Tim Ferris at 4-Hour Workweek and Lifestyle Design Blog

Tony D Clark at Success From The Nest

Torlink at You Create Reality

Trevor Gay at Simplicity is the Key

Troy Worman at Orbit Now!

Vickie at Contemplate This

WildBill at PassionateBlogger

and these collaborated sites:

Life Coaches Blog Strategies for a Greater Life

Last Updated by Rick Cooper, The PDA Pro on: 8-24-07

Entrepreneurs Capitalize on the Mobile Marketplace

Have you noticed that just about everyone these days is walking around with their face planted in a mobile device? This is especially true for younger generations. From wireless PDAs to smartphones, from turbo-charged cell phones to mini-tablets, people are addicted to their mobile devices. What does this mean for marketers? It means profits!

Entrepreneurs across the nation are beginning to ask themselves how they can capitalize on the growing trend toward mobility. And one expert has emerged to guide the way.

According to Mobile Marketing Guru, Kim Dushinski, from MobileMarketingProfits.com:

"The reality is that the rest of the world has been ahead of the U.S. in almost all aspects of cell phone use. Odd, isn’t it? We’re so used to being in front of the new trends. This time we’re not. But that is about to change."

Are you an entrepreneur who's interested in capitalizing on the mobile marketing trend? Then, take Kim's Mobile Ready Assessment.

The big companies have figured out a way to reach their target market through devices. Why not small businesses? The future is bright. You can't even imagine what's coming down the line. Imagine the day when you can walk into a retail store and instantly be notified of sales on products you want, based on your past buying patterns. Talk about big brother. Well, it's going to make your life more simple. And we could all use a little more simplicity. Why not make some money as well?

Artists Are Marketers Too

In the Bloglight: The Artsy Asylum

Artists are creative people, but did you also know they are clever marketing and sales professionals too? Susan Reynolds, artist and blogger, says in her bio, "After work with various media outlets and directing art for a manufacturer, Susan shifted her focus to painting and independent projects while raising a family." In her projects, she often looks for coffee stirrers, bottle caps, yarn and just about anything that might make interesting impressions on paper.

She offers resources to artists for getting known. She also shares her strategies for gaining viewers for your artwork, gaining readers for your ezines or newsletters, or gaining any kind of attention for what you do. In her article Get Seen, Get Known, Get Buyers, she asks,

So how do we get our names and our work seen?

One word: Communication

• We can network
• We can blog
• We can send out newsletters and ezines

She goes on to explain how to build a list and offers a definition for viral marketing. I think we can learn best practices from looking at people in other industries. And, artists are certainly unique in their own way. So, check out The Artsy Asylum and let a little art into your life.

Susan Reynolds is a member of the LinkedIn Bloggers.

Rick Cooper The PDA Pro Ranks #1 in Google!

I entered my name, "Rick Cooper," in Google today and for the first time ever my blog appeared as the number choice. The PDA Pro blog has been at #3 for months. And, I was happy with that. But, being number one is outstanding.

Rick Cooper is a fairly common name, so it wasn't easy to break into the top ten. There is a very distinguished doctor who shares the same name, as well as a musician. Amazingly, I'm followed in Google directly by a pest control business whose owner goes by Richard. So, I feel honored to take the top spot in my 15 minutes of fame. I will do my best, knowing there are many other outstanding Rick Coopers out there.

I credit my success on Google to being an avid blogger, contributing to The PDA Pro blog now since October 2004. I blog because I love to write. I'm creating a resource of information about PDAs for my audience of sales professionals. I believe in adding value to people's lives and a blog is a great way to do that. You can find my blog at http://rickcooper.typepad.com/thepdapro/.

Are Bloggers Reporters?

Joe Gandelman from The Moderate Voice states in his post Where The Blogosphere Has Succeeded And Failed,

"Today, there are still some blogs out there going out and doing reporting, or drawing on well-grounded experience in non-journalism fields or providing insightful analysis. But many, many more blogs are forsaking fact-gathering for the venting of straight-up, raw anger."

Only a portion of bloggers emulate reporters. Joe is on the right track in assuming the many blogs state personal opinions. And, there's nothing wrong with that as long as the audience understands that.

Helio is your "Portable MySpace"

CNET News.com has several videos from  CTIA 2006 in Las Vegas. It includes a video from Helio CEO Sky Dayton.

Wired's article Sky Dayton Gets Mobile offers additional insights into this entrepreneur and the direction of mobile technologies. Comparing American consumers to their South Korean counterparts, he says, "There's this massive group of young, tech-savvy consumers, and they're just living in the Dark Ages." The article continues,

"In addition to the handsets themselves, Helio will provide customized services. Thanks to an exclusive deal with MySpace, customers will be able to post photos and blog entries to the site directly from their handsets. Helio's music service will offer streaming as well as downloads and easy syncing with your PC. Eventually it will let you rate artists and songs so you hear what you like and not what you don't, and it will enable you to share music with friends who use Helio. Dynamic wallpaper will let you pick your interests - music, fashion, sports, financial news - and direct the handset to update itself hourly with new info. One click will take you to the Web for the full story."

It will be interesting to see how the corporate world reacts to this MySpace generation. Be forewarned.

Andy Wibbels Releases BlogWild

My good friend and blog mentor, Andy Wibbels, the original Blogging Evangelist, released BlogWild in print. This guide for small business blogging is the #1 business blogging book. Tris Hussey offers more information about the book's release. Way to go Andy! Great job!

Waltzing through the Blog Graveyard

In my continuing analysis of online pollution, I'd like to add a few words on dead blogs. Those would be the ones you visit where the last post was from 2003 or 2004. Why are they still out there? Okay, maybe there are nuggets of information that should be saved for the ages. I'll buy that. But, some have become infested with comment or trackback spam to the point that they're offensive to read.

I can certainly understand why this happens with personal online journals, but it certainly shouldn't happen with a business blog. Mike Sansone, in his blog Converstations, states,

The worst thing you can do is to start a blog, post twice, and let it die (ghost town blog?). It's a clear message that:

1. You don't have time to talk with prospects/customers.
2. You don't pay attention to detail.
3. You don't want to do the work (After all, American Idol is on two nights a week).
4. You get to prove yourself right - blogs don't work in your line of business.

My point exactly Mike. This not only becomes a detriment to one's business, but it simply contributes to the growing online pollution. Be sure to read Mike's suggestions on how business bloggers can overcome this challenge.

Should Google Exclude Blogs from Searches?

It's interesting that Google added a Blogsearch, and yet does not allow an option to exclude blogs from an advanced Google Search. I hope it's not because they now own Blogger. Hmm.  It would certainly be nice to exclude blogs, especially when searching Google from a PDA browser. That would muffle some of the online pollution we currently encounter when searching the Internet.

Don't get me wrong, Google is my favorite search engine. Several years ago I used Yahoo exclusively, but now I prefer Google's clean interface. But, I've been less satisfied with search results since the volume of blogs exploded.

I may have to start using some of the tools Web Strategist Jeremiah Owyang recommends such as Digg, Delicious and Memetrackers. I'm currently trying out Google Reader as an alternative to Bloglines.

Five Simple Strategies to Muffle Online Pollution

As the debate over free speech and global conversations rages on, I'd like to share several suggestions to help people reduce online pollution in their lives and improve their Internet experience. Imagine entering a room full of radios, each playing a different station. One might be playing Christian music, another country and others rap or rock . While the sound of one radio might be pleasant and even melodic, the sound of a dozen radios would be a cacophony. The din of noise pollution would fill the room.

A trip to the Internet these days offers much the same experience. The explosion of online content from websites, blogs and other online resources is making it more challenging to find what you're looking for. A car reduces air pollution by using a muffler. In much the same way, you can muffle online pollution and improve your online experience.

So, here are five simple strategies to muffle online pollution:

1. Bookmark your favorite sites
2. Filter your online searches
3. Use online tools to guide you to quality content
4. Use email rules to manage discussion lists
5. Create a blog to serve as a personal launching pad

Online pollution isn't necessarily a bad thing. It just means there is more content on the web than ever before. You can be proactive in improving your own online experience. I'll be exploring this topic further in the coming weeks and providing more information about these strategies.

Global Conversations Cloud Creative Content

Jeremiah Owyang posts on the topic of Global Conversations in his blog Web Strategy by Jeremiah. It continues our discussion on free speech and the technology that will enable greater communication worldwide.

Jeremiah makes some good points. He says,

"I’ve been fascinated with the concept of mass empowerment for the global conversation. A few days ago, I discussed the anticipation of the 50 dollar laptop, and how it can benefit humanity. Where everyone has the opportunity to be online, communicate, grow and learn --That’s what healthy web geeks should think about."

I would agree that everyone has the right and should have the opportunity to be online, communicate, grow and learn. Technology may ultimately be an equalizer in reducing the racial divide by creating opportunities in poverty-stricken communities by giving hope, knowledge and access to resources. This is all good.

My concern is more-so that the proliferation of websites, blogs, and other online tools will increase the number of web pages to a point that it will be difficult to cut through the morass of chitchat, gossip and rumor-mongering. The quality of content is likely to plunge dramatically even as the enlightened online thoughts of intelligent thinkers emerge.

Don't get me wrong, the march of technology will continue. This is as inevitable as snow in winter. In referencing Seth Godin on Small is the New Big, Jeremiah ensures us that,

"Even with increased content, we’re not in the state of Information Overload, we’re approaching the era of Information Control. "

I honestly hope so,  but my personal experience has been that it is getting more difficult to find quality information, especially when using search engines like Google. There are tools like Squidoo that intend to offer avenues to locate quality content. And, of course, bloggers have become online guides purporting to hold your hand in exploring the online world. Even technology expert Dave Taylor grumbles about his dissatisfaction with RSS Readers.

I have no concerns for the tech-savvy as they have a greater knowledge of online tools and resources. My concern is for the untold millions that are trying to grasp the infinite possibilities available on the Internet and are often overwhelmed by the seemingly endless content. As an expert on PDAs and mobile technology, I know all too well how frustrating it can be to search for online information in a mobile browser. This will improve as high speed connections become more available for mobile users and people begin opting for tablet and mini-tablet PCs (such as Origami) which will offer a more satisfying online experience.

Younger generations are now born with the tools of technology placed in their hands. The tech-savvy will inherit the earth. However, the silent majority still struggle and will be left further behind as online content spirals out of control. Free speech is overrated, although it is our inherent right. Global conversatons will lift spirits and improve life, while at the same time fueling hatred and encouraging strife. This is the nature of things. Let us exercise responsibility and practice patience as we encounter people from other cultures. Let us appreciate the diversity that is mankind. And, let us pray that things will improve and let's make it happen!

So, the debate rages on. What do you think? Are we on the path to information overload or information control? Will the global conversation become a shouting match? Chime in and stay tuned!

More on PDA Enabled Sites

David Kopel shares a few details on PDA enabled blogs and websites. These are still few and far between. I'm not quite there myself either. It's on a long list of to do's (on my PDA of course.)

LifeHacker Points Out a GTD Whitepaper

The folks at Lifehacker have pointed out a whitepaper on Getting Things Done (GTD) created by Technologist R. Emory Williamson-Lundberg. While not for everyone, you might get some intersting insights. I have to warn you that some of the text truncates on the left.

Emory has an interesting take on productivity and says,

"Since the discovery and adherence to a trusted system and getting as close to “mind-like-water” as I can at this present time, it is sometimes clear to me that some people don’t think I have enough to do. I think this is in no small part to me generally being happy, excited, and eager to lend a hand. I call this the Productivity Paradox."

Well said. I feel like that all the time. Emory also uses a Hipster PDA, which amounts to a deck of index cards.

Lifehacker offers personal productivity strategies. I've added the site to my list of Resources on The PDA Pro blog.

Free Speech is Overrated

Free speech is truly overrated. Just because people have the right to speak and share ideas doesn't necessarily mean that people will say anything meaningful. In fact, as more people have the capability to share their ideas globally, it will pollute the collective consciousness of society.

In his blog, Web Strategy by Jeremiah, Jeremiah Owyang says,

"Enablement software is for the global community, and can empower individuals to enter the global conversation at no cost –just add internet. "

It reminds me of my favorite quote from Jurassic Park, from Dr. Ian Malcom played by Jeff Goldblum,

"I'll tell you the problem with the scientific power that you're using here: it didn't require any discipline to attain it. You read what others had done and you took the next step. You didn't earn the knowledge for yourselves, so you don't take any responsibility for it. You stood on the shoulders of geniuses to accomplish something as fast as you could and before you even knew what you had you patented it and packaged it and slapped it on a plastic lunchbox, and now you're selling it, you want to sell it! "

Now granted Jeremiah is advocating free tools to extend this global conversation, but nothing is truly free. Someone's making a buck somewhere along the way.

You might be asking yourself what this has to do with PDAs. In fact, it has a lot to do with PDAs, because mobility will create more opportunities to broadcast, share and report on life as it happens. It's already happening. And, that will have some drastic consequences. We've already seen the Iranian government harrassing bloggers in that country. My fear is that ever increasing free speech will ultimately result in governments curtailing our rights. Even Singapore has indicated it's going to ban podcasts during the next election.

I guess I'm arguing for measured growth so we can avoid total anarchy. Learn more about Smart Mobs to see how anarchist groups are utilizing technology to swarm public places. Mobile technologies are expected to be used increasingly in upcoming elections. Do you think this behavior might be disruptive? I think so. This trend will only continue. And, what are we to do when terrorists begin using these tools?

Think about it.  Take responsibility for the technology you create and exercise caution. If that doesn't concern you, consider how long it will be before artificial intelligence truly emerges and machines really begin thinking for themselves. But that's a topic for another day.

Bottom line, I'm playing devil's advocate to a certain extent. I don't want to dishonor the U.S. troops who have died in defense of our civil liberties and freedoms. I believe in free speech but we have to exercise caution or else we stand to lose those rights. But, I do think technology advances faster than societies change. See my recent post about the kosher phone for an example of society rejecting technology, or at least constraining the freedoms it offers.

So, be careful of what you create. Let's remember the parable of Frankenstein. Just because you have the technology to create something doesn't necessarily mean it's a good thing! Thank you for your indulgence.

[Member, LinkedIn Bloggers]

Updates:

4-08-06 Jeremiah Owyang posts Global Conversations are Polluting the Collective Consciousness? I Disagree.

4-08-06 Rick Cooper posts Global Conversations Cloud Creative Content

4-08-06 Rick Cooper posts Five Simple Strategies to Muffle Online Pollution

4-08-06 Mike Sansone posts Whistle Stops - 04/08/06

4-09-06 Mike Sansone posts Have Your Say - It's Important to Somebody

4-09-06 Jeremiah Owyang posts Mike the conductor whistles in

The PDA Pro blog Attacked with Comment Spam

Well, I knew it would happen sooner or later. The PDA Pro blog was hit by comment spam. It was only two comments, but that's enough for me. I have now restricted comments by requiring approval before they are posted. It's too bad a few bad apples have to ruin it for everyone, but this reality.

I knew this was a problem because the comments include a fake google url. A quick Google search of the url used took me to a discussion forum which explained the problem.  One person in the forum complained in their post they had woken up to 600 fake comments on their blog. So, that's enough for me.

So, when you post a comment to my blog, I will review it and approve it before it appears. I do encourage comments because I appreciate feedback and suggestions. But, now I will have to weed out the spam. Thanks for understanding.

Duffy Moon is a Popular Topic

Interestingly, much of the traffic on my blog is referred by Google from people searching on "Duffy Moon" or "You Can Do It Duffy Moon!"  due to a blog post in January 2005. That's frankly pretty amazing to me. I wonder why so many people are searching for Duffy Moon. Maybe people are remembering elements from their childhood and using Google's power to retrieve that information.

To me, Duffy Moon represents our childhood fears and how we can overcome them. People remember the phrase as an empowering statement. And, they want to reconnect to that thought and mental image.

Of course, blogs create this unique opportunity to write on various topics and so people find you without looking for you.

Again, I would suggest making a list of empowering statements to store in your PDA. You can put them in a memo, note or Word document. Then, refer to them when you're feeling down.

You can do it Duffy Moon!

Update 1-30-07:

If you're looking for information regarding the Venture Brothers episode where Hank mutters "You can do it, Duffy Moon" as he prepares to throw a football at The Monarch's henchmen, be sure to get your copy of the You Can Do It Insider's Guide.

You Can Do It Insider's Guide

Does the phrase "You can do it, Duffy Moon" pop into your head unexplainably? Do you use the phrase when you're trying to pump yourself up to take on a challenge? Would you like to know how to use this to your advantage? If so, then get your copy of the You Can Do It Insider's Guide. In this short report, I explain why this phrase keeps popping in your head and how it can be a powerful tool for your self-confidence and results.

Blog Boost: CoachEzines

As a member of the LinkedIn Bloggers, I'll be helping to support other bloggers periodically by writing about their blogs. This blog boost is intended to build a stronger blog community of peers.

This week, we are boosting CoachEzines. I know Patsi Krakoff from attending one of her Conversations with Experts conference calls. She and Denise Wakeman provide advice on how to blog better.

On March 29th, she mentions an upcoming class called Growing Your Business with Google! It's amazing how complex this whole business of website, blogs and internet strategies is today. It's nice to know there are experts out who can help guide you through using the technology. Kind of like having someone teach you how to use your PDA more effectively, huh?. That's the ticket!

God, Coming to a PDA Near You

Have you had a conversation with God lately? If not, why not benefit from prayers now available on podcast. Philippe Borremans, in his Conversations Blog, notes that Jesuit priests are now "Godcasting", offering daily prayers and reading the gospel and making it available on podcast. So, download a podcast to your PDA and connect with God!

Observations on Innovation

Guy Kawasaki writes about the art of innovation. He says,

"Don't be afraid to polarize people. Most companies want to create the holy grail of products that appeals to every demographic, social-economic background, and geographic location. To attempt to do so guarantees mediocrity. Instead, create great DICEE products that make segments of people very happy. And fear not if these products make other segments unhappy. The worst case is to incite no passionate reactions at all, and that happens when companies try to make everyone happy. "

This is true of marketing and sales as well. Too often we try to appeal to everyone and in the process appeal to no one. To be successful, this requires knowing your target market intimately. Find out where they hide and join them. Learn more about your target market and their habits. Understand their behavior and you'll learn how to market to them more effectively.

Sales Process Diva Offers Sales Inspiration

Lori Richardson, the Sales Process Diva, has launched a series of Weekly Sales Inspiration tele-calls. Lori says,

"Professional sellers and business owners who wear the sales hat nearly always want to increase revenues and learn from past mistakes. Each week, we will talk about the inspiration, attitude, and mindset required to succeed in a big way in sales. If you are successful, then join us to share tips."

Sounds like a great idea. The weekly calls run through March 2006. Click here for more details.

Blogging Headaches

This blog is created and hosted through a service called TypePad. It's one of the best and also most popular services available for blogs. Compare it with Blogger, offered by Google. Unfortunately, it's popularity has caused tremendous growth leading to a few headaches. They have experienced downtime over the last few weeks. As a result, you may not have been able to access this blog or others hosted by TypePad for brief periods of time. I apologize for that. I find it annoying as well; however, I plan to stay with TypePad because they offer a good service for a reasonable price.

Mena, from Six Apart which owns TypePad had this to say:

"Over the next week you should see significant improvement in performance as we get extra equipment on line and finish moving data off of heavily loaded servers. By the end of the move we will have five times the bandwidth we had before, as well as hundreds of thousands of dollars of new equipment, and room and power to add more equipment as needed."

So, hopefully, things will improve quickly. If you experience any slowdowns, please try again later. Thanks.

Tom Peter's Blog Turns One Year Old

Tom Peter's blog turned one year old on July 27, 2005. His blog post offers some insights into the personal impact his blog has had.

I look at Tom's blog as an example of how a successful consultant and guru can share his insights and create a dialog with a community of interested persons. I think his website/blog pushes the limits of the technology and creates an interesting and informative experience.

I hope to see Tom launch a podcast and later a videocast to offer further value.

It's interesting to see the amazing collection of information and resources being created and posted that are free to use. What a rennaissance we are in right now.

Blog on!

the::unwired is now wireless

Congratulations to Arne Hess of the::unwired for developing a mobile/wireless version of their website. This site provides news on Pocket PCs and other Windows Mobile devices. Too few websites are optimized for mobile devices. Hopefully, more sites will follow this trend. Web surfing is still a pian in most cases. You have to be very selective about what sites to access.

Blogs Are a Powerful Business Tool

Blogs had a tremendous impact in 2004 and will have an even greater effect in 2005. Andy Wibbels from Easy Bake Weblogs posts about the Time magazine article 10 Things We Learned About Blogs. What's missing from the list, in my opinion, is that blogs are a powerful business tool.

In 2005, I believe more businesses will launch a blog to communicate more effectively with their customers and to enhance public relations. Blogs will not become a necessity for businesses in the same way websites now are. However, they will become an effective marketing channel and a platform to communicate urgent company news. Also, websites and blogs will begin to converge, blurring the differences between them.

Personal blogs will also continue to grow, enabled by PDAs and Smartphones allowing Moblogging or Mobile Blogging. All in all, 2005 will be a banner year for the enhancement of communication.

Small Business Blogging

There has been a lot of attention lately about business blogging and especially blogs from CEOs. For instance, John Cass will moderate a panel discussion held by the Boston AMA to discuss the topic.

I'm more concerned about the opportunity for small businesses to employ this strategy. The CEO of a major corporation can easily have someone advise him or her about web strategy, but what about the owner of a small business. Certainly more challenging than a personal blog, a business blog requires identfying your target market, providing content to keep them coming back, and at the same time, minimizing the promotional aspect of the blog.

Here's an interesting question, can a sales manager or sales representative create a blog to offer information and solutions? I can't say that I've seen that yet, except where the primary sales rep also happens to be the owner of the company. What about the medium size company with a sales team of ten representatives? Is it appropriate, viable or even recommended for the sales manager or one of their employees to create a blog? Please share your comments.