If you’ve been laid off and are looking for work then this is for you.

One of the advantages of living in a small state over a large is the sense of community. That’s not to say we all see eye to eye but I like to think we are more aware of what’s happening in our State. And an individual can actually make a difference here – especially when there’s a need and they put their mind to solving the need.

With the economy in shambles some of our neighbors are in a bit of a rough spot. Some of those laid off are having a tough time finding employment. This is where Joe Mescher and the Vermont Video Resume Project come in. Joe had the idea to create a website where people use Social Media Technology in their search for a new job. And it’s open to “every unemployed Vermonter.” The concept is simple enough – put together video resumes for unemployed Vermonters and post them where would-be employers can view them. read more…

Odell Brewing Co. of Fort Collins, Colorado had Twitterers help them design a new beer. Get the scoop here.

I think it’s a great idea to get fans involved. It could also become a great viral marketing product!

Tech Tuesday – April 28, 2009
5:30PM – 6:30PM
at The Black Door (3rd Floor), Montpelier

The last Tech Tuesday was an open conversation on the topic of social media (Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, etc), and a local networking opportunity. Our shared goal was to increase our social media literacy–how it works, strategies, successes and pitfalls. The event was well attended by area businesses and by local service providers.
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Over the past two weeks I gave two presentations as part of a 3 week workshop for UVM Extension and the Center for Rural Studies. The focus of the workshop was getting the most out of your website and the participants were all women with ag related businesses. The two presentations I gave were on 1) search engine optimization, keywords, and how to attract visitors; and 2) social media, community building and networking.

Both topics can be challenging to understand even for seasoned webmasters. These topics were so broad and there are so many details involved with subtle and complex relationships. So I punted. I opted to skim the surface and hit as many highlights as I could in the 1 hour I had for each topic. I crammed mid-level concepts, with a modest amount of explanation and few details, into a 50-55 minute box knowing there would be a LOT of questions! And happily, there were. I think the attendees got their money’s worth. read more…

How to Be Visible

In order for you to be successful online you need to be visible to your target audience. Whether you’re selling products and services or simply supplying information, your website is of little use if it isn’t seen by the people you intended to reach. There are many different ways to become visible. Some of these ideas are complex and you may need the help of professional service providers to accomplish them but others are well within the capabilities of most people. Here’s the short list:
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Ever since I gave the 7 Steps webinar at the Vermont Chamber of Commerce on this topic I’ve had several people thank me and ask for the blog post I promised. Quite frankly I’ve been struggling with how best to present the information. For example, there are tons of resources that could be used and I’ve been stymied with choosing the best ones to include. So rather than hold this up anymore I decided – with the help of Steve Ames – to break this up into bite size chunks. Over the next few weeks I’ll release the rest of the posts that go along with this series – chock full of great resources to help you learn how to increase your bottom line! read more…