Letter from Jesus about Christmas

Got this email to me the other day and thought it was a terrific response to the keep Christ in Christmas protest I am seeing again this year.  I also saw another great post on this topic at: It’s Ohio, Wait Five Minutes

Dear Christ Follower,

It has come to my attention that many of you are upset that folks are taking My name out of the season. How I personally feel about this celebration can probably be most easily understood by those of you who have been blessed with children of your own. I don’t care what you call the day. If you want to celebrate My birth, just GET ALONG AND LOVE ONE ANOTHER. Now, having said that let Me go on.

If it bothers you that the town in which you live doesn’t allow a scene depicting My birth, then just get rid of a couple of Santas and snowmen and put in a small Nativity scene on your own front lawn If all My followers did that there wouldn’t be any need for such a scene on the town square because there would be many of them all around town.

Stop worrying about the fact that people are calling the tree a holiday tree, instead of a Christmas tree. It was I who made all trees. You can remember Me anytime you see any tree. Decorate a grape-vine if you wish: I actually spoke of that one in a teaching, explaining who I am in relation to you and what each of our tasks were. If you have forgotten that one, look up John 15: 1 – 8.

If you want to give Me a present in remembrance of My birth here is my wish list. Choose something from it:

1. Instead of writing protest letters objecting to the way My birthday is being celebrated, write letters of love and hope to soldiers away from home. They are terribly afraid and lonely this time of year. I know, they tell Me all the time.

2. Visit someone in a nursing home. You don’t have to know them personally. They just need to know that someone cares about them.

3. Instead of writing the President complaining about the wording on the cards his staff sent out this year, why don’t you write and tell him that you’ll be praying for him and his family this year. Then follow-up… It will be nice hearing from you again.

4. Instead of giving your children a lot of gifts you can’t afford and they don’t need, spend time with them. Tell them the story of My birth, and why I came to live with you down here. Hold them in your arms and remind them that I love them.

5 Pick someone who has hurt you in the past and forgive him or her.

6. Did you know that someone in your town will attempt to take their own life this season because they feel so alone and hopeless? Since you don’t know who that person is, try giving everyone you meet a warm smile; it could make the difference.

7. Instead of nit-picking about what the retailer in your town calls the holiday, be patient with the people who work there. Give them a warm smile and a kind word. Even if they aren’t allowed to wish you a “Merry Christmas” that doesn’t keep you from wishing them one. Then stop shopping there on Sunday. If the store didn’t make so much money on that day they’d close and let their employees spend the day at home with their families

8. If you really want to make a difference, support a missionary– especially one who takes My love and Good News to those who have never heard My name.

9. Here’s a good one. There are individuals and whole families in your town who not only will have no “Christmas” tree, but neither will they have any presents to give or receive. If you don’t know them, buy some food and a few gifts and give them to the Salvation Army or some other charity which believes in Me and they will make the delivery for you.

10. Finally, if you want to make a statement about your belief in and loyalty to Me, then behave like a Christian. Don’t do things in secret that you wouldn’t do in My presence. Let people know by your actions that you are one of mine.

Don’t forget; I am God and can take care of Myself. Just love Me and do what I have told you to do. I’ll take care of all the rest. Check out the list above and get to work; time is short. I’ll help you, but the ball is now in your court. And do have a most blessed Christmas with all those whom you love and remember :

I LOVE YOU,

JESUS

Smog Testing | Is Your Website Copy too Hard to Read?

I was recently reading through numerous white papers and a few ebooks about copy writing for the web and came across a few interesting thoughts about what we write and the need for SMOG testing (Simple Measure of Gobbledygook).  In my own experience as a web site builder, I get to read and learn about many businesses and industries.  Often times I am sent material from a client to post or use to construct a web page. 

Writing is certainly a gift and some people can do it and some cannot.  I don’t do a bad job of writing and have a few folks I rely on when I get stuck.  Beyond making thing readable, how about understandable?  When you are writing it is rather important to think about a few factors.

1. Who is your audience? 
2. Is your information filled with jargon and industry buzzwords? 
3. Is your copy written above what your intended audience can comprehend?
4. Have you written too much to get your visitor to take action or move beyond your home page?

If you are wanting to know the reading level and clarity to the copy you are writing I suggest you do some SMOG testing by visiting the following sites:

1.  WordsCount

2.  SMOG

I hope you get good results and your SMOG testing will help you “clear the air” and your content so it can be best understood and enjoyed by your target audience.

 

Michael Mock

I Have an Opinion About That

During an  update on Facebook I made a remark about not knowing what to do before I had Wifi in public while visiting the hospital during my wife’s recent surgery.  On of the posters said I should read one of last years magazines on the table in the waiting room.  More interestingly though was the thoughts of my favorite designer Alex who had this to say about magazines, “Did Dan say something about a magazine? What are those? Are they anything like a blog, because if I can’t tell the world what I think about what I’m reading, I”m just not interested.”

I had to smile to myself and I must explain that Alex is a twenty something who obviously loves social media.  Alex “gets” social media and uses it as a regular part of his daily life.  He and I often swap ideas about the latest app that comes along that helps up better manage all of out various feeds, lists, and on line persona.

I also had to be a bit sad, as there are a great number of folks who don’t get social media much.  I have a marketing group I am part of and one of our members believes that social media is another channel to broadcast his message, my mom finds social media a waste of time, and others liken it to an evil cult that has brainwashed us into drinking the kool-aid of the worldly masses.

I have really gotten involved pretty heavily and even created a bit of business teaching or as I put it evangelizing the benefits of social media.  I am working to educate people in the various ways social media can improve, influence, empower, and even liberate.  Social media isn’t some passing fad, it is a main stream part of life.  A recent article in the New York Times found a large majority of us are checking email, texting, or on line socially even before we eat or have coffee.  Social media is the best way for many of us to communicate to a broad spectrum of people in an efficient way that was never before possible.

I blog, tweet, post, and text large amounts of information daily and in the midst of all of that touch the lives of at least 500 people.  I have found tools that are easy and I enjoy using.  Think about that for a moment tools that are easy and fun!  I overheard a conversation this weekend from a group of soccer moms that sat behind me at a sporting event.  They were chirping away about their new Black Berries and Smart Phones.  The killer apps that kept them all connected and on track.  How much they loved texting and tweeting from their phones.

Facebook me!  Get with me on LinkedIn.  Give me your value added proposition in 140 characters or less.  This is all on a personal level, I now have the ability to befriend and become a fan of a myriad of businesses I spend money with, I can contact the developer of software I use  or author of the last book I read and tell them how much their work means to me …or not.  And believe me I have and I  must tell you that some of these on line contacts have become off line friendships that would have never happened in the past.  Professionally I have be able to be accessible to my clients in a way that could or would not have happened as little as three years ago.  I love talking to my fans and clients one on one.  My relationships are just as important on screen as they are face to face.

I have an opinion and so do you.  How many times have you said,” I’d love to call that 800 number or I am going to write the owner and tell them off.”  Social media has now placed a great number of companies brands, mine included, squarely in the hands of you the consumer.  And those of us wanting to survive and flourish in the digital age will need to continue to meet you where you are.

Looking forward to serving you tomorrow and every day!

Michael Mock

Improving Your On-Line Image

I have been involved with the 30 Day Challenge presented by Internet Marketing genius Ed Dale.  I am very intrigued by the countless numbers of people who join in every August to participate.  It is a demanding and thought provoking 30 days of information to help you make a single dollar on line.

Now I know some of you are thinking just a buck?  Is that all he is going to help you do is make one measly dollar?  You are going to give up 30 days to get a single George Washington?  That’s crazy talk!  Yeah, I know.  But think about this.  What is always the hardest part of anything?  Doing “it” (fill in the blank here) for the first time.  And after you do “it” (once again fill in the blank) the first time and succeed, you want to do “it” over and over.

That is not the real reason for my post though.  I have seen a large number of posts about pen names and blogs.  I write this blog and use my real name.  I registered for a domain name and had to use my real name.  Some people are very uncomfortable using their real names   because of a number of other people who prey upon other both on line and off.

I have clients that wants to be a voice and a face to other potential businesses and clients.  The problem they experience though is a way to be themselves without revealing their identity.  Let me see if I can clarify this a little better.  We work with a non-profit organization.  The person tasked with the  administration of the website also wants to start doing some social media, but doesn’t want to be “herself”  My co-owner (wife) made a fabulous observation and suggestion.  You don’t have to be, but you have to be.  Huh?  She went on to further explain.  Is there a King in every Burger King?  How about a Wendy in every Wendy’s?  I don’t think so.  But everyone knows the icons of the businesses and relate to these characters as the persona or image.

Our local bakery is a hipster named the Breadhead.  He has a real name, but very few people know it.  His on line persona is an icon of a baker with a paddle holding a round loaf of bread that resembles a peace sign.  You can follow him BTW on twitter @breadheadbakery.  But he is successfully building a brand around that image.  He interacts on Twitter and Facebook.  It also acts as his “gatekeeper”.  To get to him you’ve got to go through the Breadhead.

I recently taught a class on Facebook for Business and we discussed how YOU the consumer are now in charge of a great number of things that I call my business.  My brand is in your hands if I really want to be included as a product.  NASCAR learned this lesson and epitomizes it.  No one is more brand loyal than a NASCAR fan.  My brother in law will only drink Miller Lite because his driver is sponsored by them.  He only drives Chevys because his driver drives one.  It makes me laugh, but NASCAR fans have an image in their minds and support the labels that ride around on the oval.

So to make my brand your brand I have to do certain things.  I need to be transparent.  I need to offer value.  I need to be courteous, kind, funny sometimes, helpful, and honest.  I need to really listen when you talk.  I need to work at being your friend and partner.  Overall I can be an icon or a label, but it has to be one you can trust and embrace as your solution.  You can find a content managed web site builder or a social media instructor pretty easy these days.  I can’t find clients that easy.

So I guess in short, if you want to be the voice of your business as an icon, a picture of a stuffed animal, or an animated movie clip that is fine.  but play by the rules of being a good friend.

• Be helpful
• Be nice
• Be honest
• Be cooperative
• Be constructive

People forget my name pretty quick, but my company name stays stuck in peoples heads. That has something to do with the fact I have made it a priority to be a friend long before I do business.  Sure easier to take help from a friend than someone you just found in the search engines.

Michael Mock

Do You Have an Audience?

I am a big fan of movies and I even like the old medieval black and whites where the knight or knave requests an audience with the king.  I always found that line so funny, “I would like an audience with the king.”  I guess I just slip into Monty Python mode and start thinking of the Knights that say nee!”

Anyway, the place I am going is I have been blogging, tweeting, and posting for some time now.  I just watched Perry Belchers’  video on YouTube and he made a couple of statements that really hit me.  First if you are getting into social media marketing today for the first time you are screwed.  Secondly Oprah can sell Frito’s and Fords, not a problem.  Do you know why?  She has an audience.  Millions of viewers who just hang on her every word and recommendation.  Used to be Carson, now the endorsement lies with Oprah.

So that being said, I know I have an audience because the analytics tell me so, but I have many clients that want to sink all of their money in a website and then just wait for the leads to come rolling in.  Marketing on the Internet is not a set it and forget it kind of thing.  More than 75% of your efforts are outside of your site.

Working for a point of purchase display manufacturer I know we can make the the coolest display but if the end users doesn’t unpack them, set them up, place product on them and open the doors to the store what good is marketing at retail?  Imagine your web page as a product display and the store is the size of freaking Russia!  Good luck getting noticed pal.  Every firm we make displays for is just a small part of the “total package”.  It take print, radio, television, product placement in the store, and word of mouth.  We have the audience and get the clients product noticed.

All of that being said, think of it as this; Twitter is a news flash, Facebook is your scrapbook (thanks to Perry for the analogy), your blog and web site are the heart and soul of your business.  Kind of like meeting a pretty girl, it starts with a little conversation, a little hand holding, a little flirting, long walks and more conversation and then you move on to bigger and better things like serious life long relations.  But if you are not willing to engage in the conversation then you are standing at the dance along the wall watching all the pretty girls dance with other guys.

If you are little shy, even hesitant about the whole idea of social media, then really look at getting some guidance in getting started.  Drop by my website, sign up for our mailing list and I will send you some free ebooks to get you started!

www.technologyworkgroup.com

-Michael

4 Ways to Boost Business With a Blog

These thoughts provided by Jason R. Rich and I liked them well enough to pass them on.

Share information, interact with customers and boost your brand–blogs are the perfect way to keep you on top of your industry.

If done correctly, a blog can attract a dedicated audience to build upon and share expertise, information, ideas and content, while boosting awareness of your company and brand. If done incorrectly, however, you can leave customers feeling dissatisfied and ready to turn to your competitor. Here are four ways you can leverage a blog:

1. Create friend-sumers.
Promote a company, product or service by creating a blog that features how-to advice, news and other information of interest to customers. Through the blog, visitors can post testimonials, feedback, questions and comments, plus participate in surveys. By taking an informal, non-sales approach, a company can interact with customers, gain useful feedback and build an online audience that can ultimately be directed to the company’s main website or retail store.

2. Provide exceptional customer support.
Supplement a company’s existing technical support and customer service with an online forum for customers to openly post questions. While employees can update and maintain this type of blog, users feed it with comments and also tap the knowledge of other users by reading past questions and interacting on the forum. If done correctly, this type of blogging can dramatically cut the cost of personalized technical support and customer service. Check the comments section for frequent users who can be recruited as bloggers to further increase your blog’s content. They can also be asked to “host” certain threads or wikis to encourage dialogue on topics that need a little TLC.

3. Increase your credibility.
A blog is an ideal tool to position yourself as an expert in your field by sharing your thoughts, knowledge, experience and insight. Obtaining expert status can increase your earning potential, make it easier to land a new job or promotion, and help attract new customers.

4. Gain more exposure.
Ask independent bloggers to write reviews and articles about your company. Having your information published on different blogs builds your legitimacy and exposure. Also, it’s often faster and easier for a business to get blog content (as opposed to traditional website content) listed with the major internet search engines.

Two More Keys to Blogging Success
Before investing the time and money, clearly define your potential blog’s goals and objectives, and then determine your exact target audience. Figure out what you’ll offer that’s unique or that will set your blog apart, and make sure you have enough potential content to keep your blog continuously updated and fresh.

Next, figure out how you’ll drive a steady flow of traffic to your blog and build its audience. Properly and creatively promoting a blog on an ongoing basis is essential for building an audience. For many bloggers, this often proves to be their biggest challenge. Having unrealistic expectations about how quickly and easily you’ll be able to drive traffic to a new blog is one of the biggest reasons why bloggers fail.

Michael