Well, as we are nearing our date of June 13th, the Business Smart Tools Conference is ready to go.  The speakers are set, the exhibiting companies ready to go, the Marriott is organized and Creative Concepts is ready to hit the stage. 

This whole process has been amazing and exciting.  The speakers who said yes, see the site for details www.BusinessSmartTools.com, set the tone.  David Pogue, Mike Dunn, David Parmet, Matt Kaine, Ron Stevenson and Reena Jana are professional, smart, wise, and kind and are a draw for any community unto themselves.  The exhibiting companies are cool and innovative (Clearlight, Remembrix, TVEyes, Ingenio, Dial A Note, Multivu, ZoomInfo, Marketwire, Vivapop, Conversagent and Podisite) and jumped on board right away which set the second level of excitement! 

An undying level of gratitude goes out to my biggest sponsors Remembrix and Clearlight Pictures who created the website and will oversee the video podcast of this event among other contributions.  They have supported this effort every step of the way and I am very grateful.  We have the Stamford Marriott whose undying professionalism is very much appreciated.  We have multivu and marketwire who have also been very suportive of this conference.  Press releases hit the country and announced the BST conference in a variety of ways…thank you thank you.  We have David Parmet of Marketing Begins at Home who has not only taken care of the media expenses but has been a supportive cast member in this play called Business Smart Tools and finally a big thanks to Podsite and to Michael who took time out of his day, and at the last minute, to create the beautiful program.  Another undying gratitude thanks goes out to my gang at Creative Concepts, Michelle Walker and Sabine Kirstein for helping to make this conference and our business going forward a big success!  And finally a thank you to all of those people who have registered who are ready to learn how the social media can enhance their marketing ane internal communications efforts in any size business!

Wow, I think I just wrote my opening speech.  Thank you Thank you to all!

Hello all.  It has been awhile.  I have been working hard (day and night) on the Business Smart Tools Conference which takes place Tuesday, June 13, in Stamford from 1-6 (cocktail party included).  Go to www.BusinessSmartTools.com for more info.  Learn about the basics of blogging, podcasting, search engine marketing and more.  Network with the experts in these fields.  Check out the tech companies who are doing a demo of their products…very cool stuff.

Companies attending so far are GE, Hearst, BusinessWeek, 24/7Media, Digitas, McGraw Hill, Equity Office, Ryan Partnership, Pepperidge Farm, Bigelow Tea, Boots Retail USA, Pirro & Church and more!

So, had a great blog example yesterday that I am dying to share.  Had a vendor that I went to and asked for a proposal.  He said sure and I never heard from him.  I then wrote about him in my blog (I have another blog: www.EntertainingNews.blogspot.com) and talked about him specifically and how I couldn’t trust him because of not following through with a simple proposal. 

Now the purpose of this blog is to share the dos and donts of entertaining and of course to share my experiences so others can learn.  This guy got wind of my blog (probably through a google search) and called me.  He couldn’t believe that I had written about him.  This was his business he said.  He said he sent me the proposal (via email…first time it got bounced back..do you think this would be a call to follow up?).  He said I should not have mentioned him until I called him first (why so I could threaten him into action…I don’t think so even though I know people who have done such things with great success).

Wow, very interesting.  I said that I could write about him and that is what blogging is all about (you know…free speech and all).  I said that I simply shared my experience and the fact was he never followed up.  I said he was lucky to learn a lesson via a blog before his cash register is hit and he doesn’t know why.

The power of blogging is good for all business.  It is an immediate venting tool for the customer and it is a forum for companies to learn first hand what is on the mind of their clients. 

Tell me again why more companies aren’t invovled in the blogging world?  Oh yes, they haven’t come to the Business Smart Tools Conference yet.  Reserve your spot today, www.BusinessSmartTools.com

See you in Stamford!

Just read a blog entry from Eric Weaver of Brand Dialogue, www.branddialogue.com, and he talked about how annoyed he was that he missed many great conferences. Well me too…I agree. Check out his entry listing national and international conferences in the Marketing/Web 2.0 arena. It is very interesting plus it includes the Business Smart Tools Conference, www.BusinessSmartTools.com on June 13.

A nod goes out to MarketWire who sent out a press release on the Business Smart Tools Conference. They made sure that it had their version of SEO (search engine optimization). I have to say that I am very impressed with the pick up based on my past experiences with other wire services. I have this feeling that they are always figuring out ways to enhance their service which is why they are ahead of the game vs. other wire services who are playing catch up…just an observation.

What is the Business Smart Tools Conference?  It is a forum available where any business person can learn about this internet “stuff” quickly and easily knowing that what you hear and what you see and what you experience is the now and the future, it is the way to make doing business easier.

The speakers have a world of experience and can educate easily about blogging, podcasting, video online, search marketing and more.  The live demonstrations will include search engines, scheduling resources, online advertising and production resources.

Have you heard of these names?

David Pogue, Mike Dunn, David Parmet, Greg Verdino, Matt Kain, Ron Stevenson, and Reena Jana?

Have you heard of these companies?

Remembrix, Clearlight Pictures, ROO, Ingenio, CiviCom, TVEyes, MultiVu, ZoomInfo, VivaPop, MarketWire and Conversagent?

If not then come to the Business Smart Tools Conference to see the latest for business, www.BusinessSmartTools.com

Well, a smart tool for business is an item or process that can help a company acheive their goals which can be anything from getting new clients, communicating with employees more effectively, creating new products or improving existing services.

We are incredibly lucky in this day and age to have a whole new set of tools that can help us…tools that can relay our messaging, tools that can help us communicate, tools that can help us listen to our customers and speak with vendors…tools that can open doors that may have been closed in the past.

What are these tools?  They come in the form of blogging, podcasts, video on the web, search engine optimization for websites and more!  David Pogue-NY Times, Mike Dunn-Hearst Interactive, David Parmet-Marketing Begins At Home, John Piccone-24/7 Real Media, Greg Verdino-ROO, Ron Stevenson-GE, Reena Jana-BusinessWeek are all experts in their fields and can teach us the ins and outs of utilizing the internet/social media to achieve business goals in a timely and budget sensitive manner!

That is not all!  There are new tech products and services that business’ could use but may not know about.  How can you learn about them…how can you understand them?  The answer:  by experiencing them first hand.  Check this out:  TVEyes (TV, Video and Podcasting search engines), ROO (video and TV on the web), Ingenio (call per click advertising on the web), Dial-A-Note powered by CiviCom (helps you dicate into your phone and then sends you the written version via email the next day), Clearlight Pictures (interactive websites and guided messages), Remembrix (knowledge capturing tool), MultiVu (taking a press release and making it live via podcasts and video), ZoomInfo (a search engine that gives you info on people you could never find on google and yahoo), MarketWire (taking a press release, embedding codes so that the release leads viewers right back to your website)…and more.

Can it get any better than this?  Are you missing out on something spectacular?  Not if you sign up for the Business Smart Tools Conference on June 13th in Stamford.  Go to www.BusinessSmartTools.com for more information and to register.

Have you asked yourself any of these questions?

Who wants to learn about social media?

who wants to hear from fellow bloggers?

who wants to learn about podcasting?

what the heck is TV on the internet?

what do i do for better search engine visibility”?

how is journalism changing because of these new media tools?

what are the big companies doing and what direction are they turning?

what should I do with these tools if I am a pr or marketing person?

can I use these tools for better communication within my company?

are there some products or services out there that can make my business life easier?

If you have asked yourself any of these questions, then you belong at the Business Smart Tools Conference, June 13th 2-6, Stamford Marriott.

Go to www.BusinessSmartTools.com for more information and to register!

Well, it seems like I talk all day long about the new media, and I am not complaining…had a great time at the Greenwich, CT Chamber where I spoke for quite some time on social media (the general topic at hand was “communication”). 

I was one of three speakers.  One gentleman complained about email and the general lack of attention to detail like spelling, and the other speaker spoke on how to get noticed by your clients via email/voicmail.  They came to the conclusion that everyone/clients want to connect with someone vs. a cold hard computer screen.  I backed them up and was very happy to say that while technology today seems cold, daunting and a pain, when understood and used correctly, it can bring back that warm and fuzzy feeling back…a sense of connection that we haven’t had in a long time.  One attendee talked about how his family is spread out from the US to abroad.  A grandmother died and they were able to connect via blogs and email and they conversed in this way for 9 months.  It made them all feel warm and cozy.

So my point?  It is the connection that makes people want to buy…it is the connection that makes people return calls and emails…connect through blogging, podcasting, through embedded videos on your website, connect online (and off) and the world is your oyster!

Couldn’t bring myself to type this morning cause I sent out about a million emails announcing the Business Smart Tools conference on Social Media, www.BusinessSmartTools.com, check it out and look at those speakers!!

Anyway, I am finding a moment and some finger power to type on and so I am calling out to all of those Greenwich Chamber members or non members in Greenwich and in neighboring towns and asking them to come by Redman Hall, 17 East Elm street Greenwich on Thusday 4/27 at 11:45 to hear me and two others (David Schlakman, ARC and Lisa Diggins, Greenwich Magazine) speak on communication.  My particular subject is “communicating then and now.”  I have done some research and found out that the era of electronic communication began in 1862 with the beginnings of TV.  Radio soon followed in 1899.  The beginnings of the internet started in 1956 with hypertext coming in 1965 and then with email starting in the early 1970s.

I say in my speech that we have basically come full circle since the early 1800’s.  Our source of information began in the local salloon or knitting circle and we learned things from other people.  As TV and Radio took over, the ad giants shaped our thoughts, values and buying patterns and we became passive consumers.  As blogging, podcasting and other social media tools are taking off, we have returned to the barstool by having live conversations with other people.  While we are no longer sitting in the local saloon (OK, sometimes we are), we are communicating live again with our global community.  No more passive behavior for us.  Talking and listening has never been this exciting!!

Well hello.  I am back after an eventful trip to Boston and I am back with an official announcement:  The Business Smart Tools Conference is going full blast and we are now accepting reservations.  For more information go to the website: www.BusinessSmartTools.com

Now to give you a sneak peak, we have some amazing speakers who will not only talk about the basics of the new social media (blogging, podcasting……) but will give a birds eye view of what the future holds for the emerging technology.

David Pogue, NY Times tech writer and CBS news correspondent

Mike Dunn, VP Hearst Interactive, Hearst publications

David Parmet, Marketing Begins at Home

John Piccone, VP 24/7 media

Greg Verdino, SVP ROO

Ron Stevenson, VP Strategic Marketing, Global Media & Communications, GE

Reena Jana, Journalist BusinessWeek

How about that for a line up.  I will go into more detail in future entries but this should be enough to wet your appetite.

And don’t forget about the live demonstrations going on.  We have TVEyes, Ingenio, Remembrix, Clearlight Pictures, Dial-A-Note powered by CiviCom, ROO and more to come.

You can’t miss this…it is going to be great…Oh, and don’t forget about the networking…there will be a cocktail party to follow!!

www.BusinessSmartTools.com

 

Today I had the opportunity to make a choice.  Because of a sequence of events, I had the opportunity to step back, look at the people involved, take note of their choices, and then make my choice to step away.  I stepped away to not only make way for the new opportunitites coming my way but I also stepped away in order to keep my highest priorities in place.

This conference that Creative Concepts is presenting in June featuring the new social media and marketing tools: blogging, podcasting, internet advertising and more will give the attendees the same opportunities as I have just encountered in my life.  We in business must always sift through our choices of what is and what has been.  We must continue to press forward by not only adding on but by taking away.  We must make way for the new opportunities while solidly maintaining our highest priorities. 

Blogging is a great example of this concept.  Blogging is a relatively new communication tool that will allow us to reach out to our customers, our investors, and our employees.  It is a tool we should make way for. 

Blogging also creates a forum that allows any business to maintain their priorities: efficient and effective customer service, solid communication with customers, investors and/or employees, marketing at its best, a test group available at all hours (bloggers love to be the testers of new products and services and not enough companies at this time ask for their help!).

Podcasting falls into the same categories as blogging in that a business should make way for this new technology which can only support the priorities of any successful business.

The Business Smart Tools Conference on June 13th will expand on these topics so that the attendee will have a good overview of what is going on with the new social media/internet marketing tools so that making way for something new only supports the strong mission and direction of any successful company.

Stay tuned for more information through the website and more blogs.  Tickets can be purchased starting next week.