Milwaukee Social Internet Consultant | Social Media Marketing - Taylor Marek

How To Get Quality Fans Automatically

taylor@taylormarek.com (Taylor Marek) — Wed, 02 May 2012 14:00:40 +0000

Developed over 6 years, the "CAPE Technique" can give you quality fans virtually automatically. This article explains it for you.

How Do You Approach Social Media?

taylor@taylormarek.com (Taylor Marek) — Tue, 24 Apr 2012 23:42:26 +0000

Every company using social media falls into one of these three categories. 80% of people fall in one category, 10% in another, 10% in the remaining category. So what are those categories?

The Psychology of Social Engagement

taylor@taylormarek.com (Taylor Marek) — Mon, 16 Apr 2012 20:47:50 +0000

It's the buzzword of the week- “engagement”. In regards to the world of social media, engagement refers to how people interact with one another, specifically with your business. Gone are the days of holding your consumers at arms length making way for new advertising campaigns aimed at bringing businesses into an era of developing branded company-wide personalities that can be related to on a much more intimate level that ever before.

Humanizing The Social Media Industry

taylor@taylormarek.com (Taylor Marek) — Mon, 09 Apr 2012 21:05:49 +0000

It's no secret that social media has created an entirely new marketing category within businesses. Social media has the ability to permeate into every avenue of a consumer's life providing companies with an abundance of opportunities for brand advertising. The rules, however, are far different than the traditional advertising campaigns of yesteryear.

What’s The Deal With Facebook Timeline?

taylor@taylormarek.com (Taylor Marek) — Mon, 02 Apr 2012 21:00:32 +0000

I'm sure you've noticed the big change over the weekend. As of March 30, Facebook has ported all of it's pages into the new Timeline design, including business pages. While there are plenty of people who aren't happy about the change, those who are business minded know how to accept, and most importantly, adapt to change. Properly used, Timeline has been shown to increase engagement by...

Most Underused Buzzwords on LinkedIn Profiles

taylor@taylormarek.com (Taylor Marek) — Wed, 14 Dec 2011 17:43:08 +0000

If the Top 10 buzzwords are used to the point of making the HR recruiters' eyeballs bleed, and LinkedIn has finally published their thoughts on it, is this something we should seriously look at on our profiles? I think so...

Host of the Social Media Roundup Podcast!

taylor@taylormarek.com (Taylor Marek) — Fri, 02 Dec 2011 23:08:57 +0000

Some exciting news regarding a new podcast and Posse Social Media!

Social Content Optimisation (SCO): Real or Just Another Acronym?

taylor@taylormarek.com (Taylor Marek) — Mon, 28 Nov 2011 15:00:19 +0000

This new 3 letter Acronym SCO, seems to be getting rewrites more than expected online from bloggers here and there. I wonder how many of them have years of experience in agencies and digital media. From someone who has been involved in media agencies, digital media and a whole range of advertising projects right through to social media marketing and SEO as they grew out of the ground, here is a perspective worth looking at.

How To Create A Google+ Page

taylor@taylormarek.com (Taylor Marek) — Wed, 09 Nov 2011 00:09:45 +0000

This video will show you how to create a Google+ page for your business.

Facebook: Advanced Technology or Old Fashioned Marketing?

taylor@taylormarek.com (Taylor Marek) — Mon, 31 Oct 2011 14:01:40 +0000

Is Facebook old fashioned or advanced technology? Watch this video to find out.

The REAL UNTAPPED Secret to ClickBank

taylor@taylormarek.com (Taylor Marek) — Wed, 19 Oct 2011 02:04:26 +0000

What’s the real untapped secret to ClickBank? CARING.

Am I not right? Your thoughts?

How To Get Customers From Google, Facebook, and YouTube In 2 Steps

taylor@taylormarek.com (Taylor Marek) — Wed, 20 Apr 2011 16:15:41 +0000

Here is how you get customers from Google, Facebook, and YouTube in 2 steps. This video will show you how.

Which Social Media Tool Is The Most Effective? [VIDEO]

taylor@taylormarek.com (Taylor Marek) — Tue, 19 Apr 2011 14:25:31 +0000

Watch the video to learn which social media tool is the most effective, then leave a comment with yours!

How I Made $480.16 From A $5 Product [VIDEO]

taylor@taylormarek.com (Taylor Marek) — Tue, 19 Apr 2011 00:23:39 +0000

This video will show you exactly how I did it. Screenshots and links below:

LINKS:

http://ctaplugin.com

http://warriorforum.com/

Why Video?

taylor@taylormarek.com (Taylor Marek) — Sun, 17 Apr 2011 18:00:57 +0000

Wow! This video is a blast from the past, but sums up everything I wanted to say perfectly. This is why my focus is now on video.

My Twitter Strategy [VIDEO]

taylor@taylormarek.com (Taylor Marek) — Sun, 17 Apr 2011 03:45:03 +0000

A little background of how I used Twitter in the past, and how I’m using it now.

I CHALLENGE @REALASKANINJA TO A STARE! (3.2.11 – YTO Day 61)

taylor@taylormarek.com (Taylor Marek) — Wed, 02 Mar 2011 20:51:54 +0000

I decided to challenge ‘AskANinja’ to a stare. -YouTube Orbit Day 61

EXCLUSIVE FAN PAGE VIDEOS (3.1.11 – YTO Day 60)

taylor@taylormarek.com (Taylor Marek) — Tue, 01 Mar 2011 21:02:01 +0000

Do I look like Mr. Bean? Do Facebook fans get to see redone movie trailers a week early? Is this my 60th vlog? All these questions and more answered in todays vlog. -YouTube Orbit Day 60- —————————————————————— LINKS Fans (Exclusive Videos) on.fb.me Main Channel youtube.com Games youtube.com

STARING PEOPLE! (2.28.11 – YTO Day 59)

taylor@taylormarek.com (Taylor Marek) — Mon, 28 Feb 2011 20:42:20 +0000

Another vlog of randomness and people staring at me awkwardly. [Podcast] Unions Suck bluerize.com -YouTube Orbit Day 59- —————————————————————— LINKS Facebook on.fb.me Main Channel youtube.com Games youtube.com

DITCH JUMPING + A FAIL! (2.27.11 – YTO Day 58)

taylor@taylormarek.com (Taylor Marek) — Mon, 28 Feb 2011 01:01:36 +0000

Today I was jumping ditches on a dare and because I was looking for some money. -YouTube Orbit Day 58- —————————————————————— LINKS Facebook on.fb.me Main Channel youtube.com Games youtube.com

WI CAPITOL PROTESTERS GO HOME(2.26.11 – YTO Day 57)

taylor@taylormarek.com (Taylor Marek) — Sat, 26 Feb 2011 19:58:55 +0000

The world is ending! The house passed the budget bill and now the protesters have to go home! Actually, life will go on. It’s not as bad as walking around outside Taiwan making videos and looking like a “Stupid American”. Budget-repair bill approved in early-morning vote www.jsonline.com Wisconsin Capitol protesters have to leave Sunday www.jsonline.com -YouTube Orbit Day 57- —————————————————————— LINKS Main Channel youtube.com Games youtube.com

STUCK AT SCHOOL?? (2.25.11 – YTO Day 56)

taylor@taylormarek.com (Taylor Marek) — Fri, 25 Feb 2011 19:56:21 +0000

Stuck at school and decided to make a vlog. Apologies about the wind, it didn’t want to cooperate today. -YouTube Orbit Day 56- —————————————————————— LINKS Main Channel youtube.com Games youtube.com

COMMENTARY OR REDO? (2.23.11 – YTO Day 55)

taylor@taylormarek.com (Taylor Marek) — Thu, 24 Feb 2011 21:52:48 +0000

Walking around outside again and talk about everything and nothing at the same exact time. I also talk about the possibility of either commentating or redoing movie/game trailers for you guys to watch. Lemme know. -YouTube Orbit Day 55- —————————————————————— LINKS Main Channel youtube.com Games youtube.com

LITTLE GIRL TELLS IT LIKE IT IS (2.24.11 – YTO Day 54)

taylor@taylormarek.com (Taylor Marek) — Thu, 24 Feb 2011 00:50:40 +0000

Decided to walk around outside today and didn’t quite notice how dark it got… Video Here: www.youtube.com -YouTube Orbit Day 54- —————————————————————— LINKS Main Channel youtube.com Games youtube.com

RUSH HOUR TRAFFIC! (2.22.11 – YTO Day 53)

taylor@taylormarek.com (Taylor Marek) — Tue, 22 Feb 2011 20:31:54 +0000

I’m on my bike again during rush hour traffic. Lets see if I survive the mess of cars and dogs on my way home… -YouTube Orbit Day 53- —————————————————————— LINKS Main Channel youtube.com Games youtube.com

JUSTIN BIEBER SHOT AND KILLED?? (2.21.11 – YTO Day 52)

taylor@taylormarek.com (Taylor Marek) — Mon, 21 Feb 2011 20:14:20 +0000

Was Justin Bieber shot and killed? Did I almost get hit by a car? Am I riding a bike at night again? Get these questions and more answered on this video! Raw Footage: www.youtube.com -YouTube Orbit Day 52- —————————————————————— LINKS Main Channel youtube.com Games youtube.com

COLLAB VIDEO ANYONE?? (2.20.11 – YTO Day 51)

taylor@taylormarek.com (Taylor Marek) — Sun, 20 Feb 2011 20:04:57 +0000

I talk about collab videos and who should be next for my staring contest. I also talk about the democrats and the budget in Wisconsin again. For some reason when I try to make videos shorter, they get longer… -YouTube Orbit Day 51- —————————————————————— LINKS Main Channel youtube.com Games youtube.com

COLLAB VIDEO ANYONE??

taylor@taylormarek.com (Taylor Marek) — Sun, 20 Feb 2011 20:04:57 +0000

MURPHY’S LAW! (2.19.11 – YTO Day 50)

taylor@taylormarek.com (Taylor Marek) — Sat, 19 Feb 2011 20:09:10 +0000

It turns out I talked alot about Murphy’s law today, not to mention I also had to work on a Saturday… -YouTube Orbit Day 50- —————————————————————— LINKS Main Channel youtube.com Games youtube.com

WISCONSIN DEMOCRATS ARE BABIES! (2.18.11 – YTO Day 49)

taylor@taylormarek.com (Taylor Marek) — Fri, 18 Feb 2011 20:28:43 +0000

I’m riding a bike at night and vlogging at the same time! Who knew? I decided to rant about the democrat babies who ran away from a vote on the Walker budget reform bill today. That’s how democracy works right? Run away if you don’t get your way? -YouTube Orbit Day 49- —————————————————————— LINKS Main Channel youtube.com Games youtube.com

LANTERN FESTIVAL! (2.17.11 – YTO Day 48)

taylor@taylormarek.com (Taylor Marek) — Thu, 17 Feb 2011 20:18:06 +0000

Every 15 days after Chinese New Years is the Lantern Festival. It’s pretty awesome, though I need to remember to carry my camera on me more often… -YouTube Orbit Day 48- —————————————————————— LINKS Main Channel youtube.com Games youtube.com

I LUVS HALF DAYS! (2.16.11 – YTO Day 47)

taylor@taylormarek.com (Taylor Marek) — Wed, 16 Feb 2011 19:57:39 +0000

I love half days of work. I also love fan made intros and outros. I even love game commentary. -YouTube Orbit Day 47-

ARAB LADY HIT BY A CAR! (Fail Scale #1)

taylor@taylormarek.com (Taylor Marek) — Wed, 12 Jan 2011 15:00:43 +0000

What Happened?

taylor@taylormarek.com (Taylor Marek) — Tue, 11 Jan 2011 13:12:36 +0000

Hello Everyone,

No, I didn’t die. No, I didn’t fall off the edge of the planet. No, I didn’t get bored of this online stuff and go “offline”.

A New Year brings new changes to life and this year I decided to switch it all up. I challenged myself to make a YouTube video every day for the next year. This year I plan on focusing the mass majority of my energy on YouTube. I probably won’t be making blog posts or podcasts as much this year, but I can guarantee you will be able to see a video instead (which is much cooler)!

Don’t worry, I’m still here. I may just be slow at times in responding to you. I assure you though that I read everything you send me and will respond to it.

Watch my Daily Vlog HERE.
Main Channel (where most of my sketches, shorts, and shows are).

To Your ULTIMATE SUCCESS,
Taylor Marek

Targeting A Portfolio For Freelance Designers And Content Writers

taylor@taylormarek.com (Taylor Marek) — Tue, 30 Nov 2010 15:00:51 +0000

If you’re a freelancer, you have to pay your dues and work your way up the ladder. The problem is that a lot of people are sitting on portfolio material which can make getting the better jobs a lot easier. Many freelancers do work like book printing jobs and don’t seem to realize how valuable this work actually is.

The fact is that some of the most basic work forms the basis of all jobs. Good work in these fields is a lot more useful than people think it is. If you’ve done work as a ghost writer, cover designer, or formatting work for a book print, you’ve also done the fundamental work required for some much higher paying jobs.

Targeting a portfolio

Contracts and employers are looking for skills. The better your skills, and the more value you can bring to a job or a contract, the more likely you are to get that job. You’ll also more than likely get more work and above all add to your portfolio some of this very valuable higher rate material.

The classic mistake when going for jobs is to be a bit too literal minded in interpreting what the job wants. It’s advisable to do your homework on any job which attracts your interest.

Start with the basics:

Check out the products, content and design issues: This is like a map of the realities of the job. It’s valuable information, and it can also show you how to approach getting the job.

What does the job really need? This is critical approach. Look for the strengths and weaknesses in the work. If the job lacks something you can do, you’ve got material to work with.

What additional values can you bring to the job? What would you say you can do that they’re not doing? Don’t get too modest about this issue, because your skills may be exactly what this job needs.

What materials can you use to give a really good presentation? What do you have in your portfolio that’s better than their existing work? Remember that you’re the expert in this case, and your skills need to prove that you know what you’re doing. If the contract sees good value, you’ve got the job.

What can you create to show the contract or the employer? This is a slightly sneakier approach, but it’s effective. Can you do something in their type of business as a mockup, which will act as a portfolio presentation, even if you don’t have direct experience? If so, you’ll at least get their interest, and quite possibly any extra outsourcing work they’ve got, as well.

The idea is to make yourself very clear:

Yes, you can do everything the job requires, and more
Yes, you can prove your skills
Yes, you can do brochure printing, greeting card content, flyer printing, whatever they need done.

A successful presentation has nothing to do with luck. It’s content that counts in getting the jobs as much as your designs and your content work. Keep that in mind, look for opportunities, and you’ll do very well.

What do you think?

The True Scope of New Media

taylor@taylormarek.com (Taylor Marek) — Wed, 10 Nov 2010 15:00:40 +0000

Have you ever thought about it? How deep have you looked into this question? What did you find?

I’ve thought about this for quite a while. This is actually one of the reasons I first started blogging and podcasting 4+ years ago. I looked into it and I saw the uncharted territory, the vast size, and was instantly pulled in. I’m an explorer by nature, curious as all get out, and always manage to find a new angle to look at something. Just ask the disassembled electronics scattered around my room when I was 10. That was fun.

New Media offers something that nothing else does. A chance to be yourself and get noticed, no more hoops to jump through. The opportunity to explore your passion to your hearts content and get lost if you want to. And the chance to truly make a living, and then some, off of doing what you love.

Are you with me? What are your thoughts?

How To Get More YouTube Views

taylor@taylormarek.com (Taylor Marek) — Mon, 18 Oct 2010 14:00:44 +0000

If you’ve been wondering about my podcast, I’ve put it on hold. I haven’t had alot of time to focus on that as I am teaching English to about 600 kids a week here in Taiwan, but I have started posting regularly on my YouTube Channel . I’m having alot of fun with that. Not because of the views, but because I like sharing with people and watching or hearing them laugh.

If you’re wondering how to get more views on YouTube, watch these two videos. They are made by two very good friends of mine who have been on YouTube for a long time. Enjoy.

How to Get Views on YouTube – Kevin “Nalts” Nalty

How to get MORE VIEWS on YouTube videos.. REALLY! – Cory “Mr. Safety” Williams

Did these videos help you?

5 WordPress Plugins I Could Not Live Without

taylor@taylormarek.com (Taylor Marek) — Wed, 13 Oct 2010 14:00:36 +0000

After having this blog for 4+ years now, I’ve gone through over 150 different plugins searching for just the right ones. Here are 5 I could not live without (my commentary in italics)…

1. Blubrry PowerPress Podcasting plugin

Blubrry PowerPress brings the essential features for podcasting to WordPress including full iTunes support, web audio/video media players and more. I’ve been with Blubrry for years, and they do quality work. If you are a podcaster, you had better have this plugin.

http://wordpress.org/extend/plugins/powerpress/

2. Akismet

Akismet checks your comments against the Akismet web service to see if they look like spam or not. So far, Akismet is responsible for catching 12k spam comments on my blog.

http://wordpress.org/extend/plugins/akismet/

3. IntenseDebate Comments

IntenseDebate comments enhance and encourage conversation on your blog. Build your reader community, increase your comments, & boost pageviews. I run many WP websites and run both ID and Disqus on certain installs. ID so far has been responsible for all the cool stuff comment-wise you see on my blog. The cool thing is they also backup your comments, so you will never lose them!

http://wordpress.org/extend/plugins/intensedebate/

4. Top 10

Track daily and total visits on your blog posts and display the count as well as popular posts. This one little plugin helped me keep track of what the 10 most popular posts on my site were. I would’ve never known “How To Write A Check” was #1 without it.

http://wordpress.org/extend/plugins/top-10/

5. All in One SEO Pack

Automatically optimizes your WordPress blog for Search Engines (Search Engine Optimization). Little did I know my blog would rank better automatically for this. I was able to find I rank pretty high up in Google for “America’s Got Talent Tips” (Search Results).

http://wordpress.org/extend/plugins/all-in-one-seo-pack/

Those are my 5 plugins I couldn’t live without. What are yours?

I Need Your Comments – Blog Redesign?

taylor@taylormarek.com (Taylor Marek) — Tue, 12 Oct 2010 14:00:03 +0000

I’ve been tinkering with the idea of changing my blog design once again. Typically it comes to me every year around this time and I start to play around with different website designs.

This time, I want your feedback though. What would you like to see? What do you want my site to have that would make it easier/better for you?

Joe Boyle of Website Begin brought this idea to me and will be working with me on the redesign, so I’m pretty pumped to see what he (and you) will come up with.

If you want me to go ahead with this redesign, simply leave a comment saying, “Yes!” and a feature you would like to see on my new design. If you don’t want me to redesign my website and want it to be left alone, leave a comment saying, “No” and a reason why (optional).

-Taylor Marek

Are You In?

taylor@taylormarek.com (Taylor Marek) — Mon, 11 Oct 2010 14:00:33 +0000

Wondering why I’ve been silent the past couple days? I’ll tell you why.

I’ve been working like mad on a product of mine and spending time offline to savor the quietness. Though a Taiwanese wedding is ANYTHING BUT QUIET!

Anyways, that’s just one of the many perks I get living here in Taiwan. It’s definitely fun and I wouldn’t trade anything for the time spent here.

So? What have I been working on? Well, it is top secret and I can’t divulge much here. All I can say is that the plugin I’m working on makes my first version of the Call To Action Plugin look like a baby! This plugin absolutely blows it out of the water.

I am going to be releasing it soon, but here’s the catch. You need to be on my list.

You have two options.

Join My Tribe OR
Join the Advanced Notification List below

If you’re already part of my Tribe, you’ll be getting an e-mail.

The One Word Secret To Blogging Success

taylor@taylormarek.com (Taylor Marek) — Tue, 05 Oct 2010 14:21:14 +0000

Hundreds of videos have been made, hours of audio have been recorded, and millions of words have been written on how to become successful at blogging. When it really comes down to the point, it really boils down to one word.

Determination

I’m not going to sugar-coat it for you. I’m not going to hide it behind my e-mail list, nor mystify it to be uncovered in a product. I’m putting the word out there for everyone to see. Ruminate on this word.

It takes a alot of determination to set out on this path, and even more so after. I’ll dare say most of you won’t make it down this path, you will falter and fall. But those who push on, those who do not falter, those who show an unimaginable amount of determination will push all the way to the end, wherever it may be.

Determination. Do you have it?

Ready, Aim, Wait

taylor@taylormarek.com (Taylor Marek) — Mon, 04 Oct 2010 14:00:17 +0000

How many times have you done this? How many times have you done this unconsciously and not even realized it? Did you know you may be programmed to do this?

It could be a good thing at times, and it could be a bad thing at times. It all depends. What I will say though is that the mental trigger never goes off and we miss the opportunity that we should not have.

After putting this much energy into this project, making sure everything is ready, and then waiting, you’ve just killed the moment. You need to train yourself to recognize the opportunity and instantly pull the trigger. It could very well be the difference between life and death.

How do you train yourself to recognize opportunity? Leave a comment with your thoughts.

I’m Not Doing This For You

taylor@taylormarek.com (Taylor Marek) — Fri, 01 Oct 2010 14:00:29 +0000

Why am I doing all this? Why do I have this blog, this website, this company? Well, let me just tell you straight out…

I’m Not Doing This For You.

I don’t take freeloaders. I don’t take passive people who sit on the sidelines. Quite honestly, I’m not doing this for your benefit at all.

Everything you see here is not because of me. It is not because of you. It is because of my Lord and King.

He has given me these talents to use while on earth. He wants me to live life to the greatest potential and do everything I can to please Him.

Now that’s not to say you’re not part of the equation at all, because if you were to believe that, you just missed my point completely. I am also here to help you.

I want you to become an active part in living life. I want you to consume and meditate on the truths woven into what I write, what I say, and what I create. I want to pull you out of the darkness and into the light, but I do not want your praise.

The ONLY praise I want to hear is that of the Creator of the Universe. I want to see His smile.

Have I explained myself clearly or not? If not, please leave a comment and I will be happy to explain further.

Daily Vs. Weekly Blog Posts: A 30 Day Test

taylor@taylormarek.com (Taylor Marek) — Thu, 30 Sep 2010 17:00:11 +0000

After one month of collecting data and testing a couple options, I’ve come to several conclusions. Before I tell you, let me show you a couple pictures…

Conclusions

This just doesn’t make any sense… #GoFigure ;P
I personally seem to feel better getting thoughts posted on a daily basis opposed to a weekly 600+ word cram article.
It seems more people visit when I post daily as opposed to weekly.

Ah well, that’s just me. Now you know what I’ve been up to the past month. I’ve set new goals for this month and will be tracking and posting the results at the end of next month. Stay tuned.

Website Tip: Own Your Own Domain

taylor@taylormarek.com (Taylor Marek) — Wed, 29 Sep 2010 14:00:08 +0000

Don’t let the website design companies fool you, because they can hold your domain hostage from you. Your domain should be owned by you and nobody else.

I’ve seen it happen in the past. I’ve seen it happen to me. I’ve seen it happen to friends. That’s enough headache on my end to warrant that you had better take this seriously.

When you have a website design/development/hosting company/agency/corporation design and manage your website, you had better be sure you ask them about how they will go about purchasing your domain name. If they say,

“Oh, we will take care of that. You don’t need to worry.”

Red flags had better be going up. At this point you should ask questions to clarify exactly what they will do or look for a different company. Why? Because they can take your domain name hostage for any reason and at any time.

Handling your domain name really isn’t as big as the website design companies make it out to be. The hardest thing they can do is offer you a link so you can purchase the domain name from a website hosting company, let you pay with your own credit card, and enter any important identifying information so the world knows that this is your domain name.

That’s really about it. Now that you know, don’t let this mistake happen to you and your friends in the future ok?

Guest Post Tuesday!

taylor@taylormarek.com (Taylor Marek) — Tue, 28 Sep 2010 14:00:22 +0000

If you’ve ever wondered if I allow guest posting, the answer is yes! Even though this is “TaylorMarek.com” and is mainly comprised of my thoughts, I absolutely LOVE to listen and read from somebody else, and I’m sure you do to.

That is why I am opening up every Tuesday on my blog for a guest post! If you’ve been wanting to write something, now is the perfect time.

What You Need To Do

A. Select A Topic

Personal Finances
Small Business
Technology/Tech News/Reviews
Social Media (Twitter, Facebook, LinkedIn, etc.)
New Media (Blogging, Podcasting, Online Video, YouTube, etc.)

B. Write Your Guest Post (300-500 words, you can include links)

C. Write A Short Bio (e.g., Taylor is a New Media Visionary on a journey to change the world.)

D. Contact Me and paste your guest post in the message box.

That’s It! I will reply to let you know when you can expect your post to be published on my blog and will even give you a link to it!

Any questions? Let me know. Otherwise, have fun guest posting!

Featured On The Social Media Informer

taylor@taylormarek.com (Taylor Marek) — Mon, 27 Sep 2010 14:00:40 +0000

I have some awesome news for everyone.

The reason I’ve been quiet over the past couple days, other than taking a break to be offline with friends and family, was because I was in communication with the Social Media Informer.

The Social Media Informer aggregates the latest Social Media news from across a myriad of blogs, mine included! It is similar to Mashable, yet much better. Why? Because it integrates the best social media news from other blogs!

As opposed to sitting on a website and reading article after article, you actually get to visit someone else and read the article on THEIR website. I have found this extremely valuable as I like to find new friends and stay updated on the articles they have written. Some of the best nuggets I’ve found have been from the tiny blogs that sit in the background. It kinda makes me wonder why they aren’t famous like ProBlogger…

I like love(!) hearing about news from another perspective. The guys who created this are pure geniuses.

What are you waiting for? Visit the Social Media Informer for the latest social media news! Tell them I sent you!

What Is Your Social Media Question?

taylor@taylormarek.com (Taylor Marek) — Thu, 23 Sep 2010 14:00:57 +0000

Ok, I am about to embark on my first ever pillar article series. I’m super excited to be doing this and super excited to be helping you guys!

What I Need From You

I need your questions! I’ve you’ve been holding back, now is the time to ask questions. If you’ve been scouring the web for an answer, simply ask it here and I will answer it for you!

Leave a comment with your question and I will take a snapshot of the comment and answer it in a future blog post! When the post is live, I will send you an email with a link to it. You will also get full link credit for your question so be sure to link to your website and twitter username.

So? What are you waiting for? Ask away!

Re: Since When Are Blogs Not Social Media?

taylor@taylormarek.com (Taylor Marek) — Mon, 20 Sep 2010 14:00:03 +0000

About a year back Copyblogger wrote a post on Since When Are Blogs Not Social Media?

Here is my response to that post. I figured this idea needed to be refreshed because I think people are forgetting something about social media and blogging. They are NOT separate entities. If anything, blogs are used to push out the “new media content” to the masses to spread virally via “social media”!

You may be surprised to know this, but blogging has been around for quite some time. This isn’t something “new”. It is simply an easier way to communicate with a worldwide audience and share your thoughts. In the age of castles, knights, and “damsels in distress” the only way a story could travel was via a “storyteller” who would travel to each town and tell his/a story for the umpteenth time. Talk about being winded! The internet makes it so much easier now…

Blogs? Co-equal with Social Media and dare I say where “Social Media” got its body! Can’t have legs running everywhere without a body right? ;P

My Points?

Social Media is simply the next step. It is an evolution of the old method made much easier by technology.
Yeah, I think you should quit worrying about it Brian. We get it.
Tofu? What kind do you mean? The regular kind or the stinky kind? We have both in Taiwan, which is where I am currently. The regular kind tastes good to me.

Your Points? Comment below!

Friday Picks Of The Week

taylor@taylormarek.com (Taylor Marek) — Fri, 17 Sep 2010 17:00:59 +0000

Here are some articles I read during the week that I think you will enjoy as well:

Seth Godin: This is broken | Video on TED.com

Stradivarius, whose work is good

How night owls are cleverer and richer than people who rise early

Seths Blog: Responsibility and authority

Video: Stop Sign Designed by Committee : UsedWigs

Reinvent The Wheel or Copy It?

taylor@taylormarek.com (Taylor Marek) — Thu, 16 Sep 2010 14:00:01 +0000

Think about it this way. What was the most game-changing thing ever made, other than the internet? The wheel right? All part of the leverage thing right? Correct. What was before the wheel? No idea, but it probably required lots of pushing and manual labor.

All it took was one person looking at this problem from another angle and coming up with the solution that changed everything. Whoever invented the wheel is a complete genius, not because of what they did but because of their creativity in solving the problem. By thinking outside the box. By not going with the flow.

But now times have changed. Or have they? I’m pretty sure when “the wheel” came out, everyone laughed and commented on how stupid it was until the “first follower” took the risk and tried it for himself. It turned into a literal avalanche and the rest is history.

Are you blazing a new trail? Are you providing the solution to the problem at hand? You could be reinventing the wheel and not even know it. You could be copying the wheel and not even know it.

I can guarantee reinventing the wheel is harder than it looks. It sometimes takes a lifetime of sweat, blood, and tears to see anything of considerable merit. Copying the wheel is easy, however, but nobody ever tries it because they want to “blaze a “new” trail”.

Now listen closely, there are times you need to reinvent the wheel and there are other times you simply need to copy it. Sometimes you don’t need to blaze a new trail, you simply need to follow somebody down it. So where are you at right now?

Do You Really Know Your Destiny?

taylor@taylormarek.com (Taylor Marek) — Wed, 15 Sep 2010 14:00:29 +0000

This thought just hit me out of the clear blue sky. Actually, it was in the middle of the night so the sky is dark, but before we diverge down another rabbit trail…

Do you really, truly know your destiny? I mean, do you actually know it or are you just guessing at it? Do you think you will be the next rockstar? Do you know that for sure or are you basing it on what people think or say about you?

A good book once told me:

There is something you need to understand. [Insert Subject] is an endless frontier. It is a frontier that no one has reached the end of or fully explored. You have taken one step into this endless frontier, and you are asking me how far you have gone?? Well, you’ve only taken one measly step!

I want you to realize something, you have taken one step into this endless frontier. And you are now one step further into this frontier than 99.9% of the human race. But don’t be satisfied with just one step. Don’t settle for just being above average. Never pitch your tent. Until you have explored the outer reaches of this endless frontier, never stop your pursuit of excellence!

-When God Writes Your Life Story by Eric & Leslie Ludy

Think about it. Many great people in this world did not know their true destiny until the end. Most of the time it was their little secret, kept hidden from the rest of the world.

So now I pose the question to you again, do you really know your TRUE destiny?

The Difference Between Rockstars And Masters

taylor@taylormarek.com (Taylor Marek) — Tue, 14 Sep 2010 14:00:50 +0000

Do you truly know the difference between a rockstar and a master? What are you shooting for? What are you aspiring to become? Do you want to become a legend for future generation or a “flash in the pan” for this generation? Do you know how to get there?

Justin Bieber may be a rockstar for this generation, but Beethoven is master for all time. Fred may be the biggest rockstar ever to crash through the rankings on Youtube and become an overnight sensation, but the Three Stooges have him beat in the long run. It isn’t about being popular. It isn’t about showing off to the world. To truly become a master you must sacrifice your life to the calling. You must give something so spectacularly amazing to the world that shines bright enough to become your legacy.

Why Big Businesses SUCK

taylor@taylormarek.com (Taylor Marek) — Mon, 13 Sep 2010 14:00:53 +0000

I am truly starting to get annoyed with the marketing, advertising, and management of big companies. Simply put, when a business gets too big for its own good, that is when it begins to lose its touch. Soon it is not about the customer or pushing into new ground but sitting in the status quo and making the execs/board/stockholders fat and happy.

I can tell when a fake is a fake, when someone is trying to push something they obviously are not. Quit the ‘feel good’ statements or the ‘destiny to change the world’, it’s not going to happen in the status quo. The status quo remains how it is regardless of how much you play around in it. It is when the limits are pushed, when the boundaries are exceeded does something extraordinary happen.

Why Ebay And Paypal Should Be Avoided AT ALL COSTS!

taylor@taylormarek.com (Taylor Marek) — Fri, 10 Sep 2010 14:00:09 +0000

What I am about to tell you is a true story. All the information has been documented on my end and is verifiable with my lawyer.

How it all started

It was a typical day in the office. I was digging through my usual clutter of information when a dropshipping website fell into my lap. Being an entrepreneur, I looked into it. I had tested the idea out before, but it didn’t pan out (some Nigerian scammer tried to buy it and pay nothing). I thought I could try it out again and see what became of it, perhaps the whole Nigerian scammer picture was out of the issue now that Ebay had “toughened” security.

I signed up, found a product to list on Ebay and put up the auction. Everything went on as normal.

Things are looking up

People started visiting the auction I had listed, and began bidding. The price started rising and I felt confident that it would go well. That’s when I should’ve cut off the auction. I didn’t listen to my gut.

The price eventually landed to within $50 of the retail price of the product I was selling, then the auction ended. The auction sold and soon after I noticed the payment in my paypal account. At this point, I was running around with joy because nothing was going wrong! It was a good day in my book, little did I know of the doom hanging on the horizon.

After The Sale

The payment was pending in my account until Paypal had notification of my shipping number. Ok, no problem I thought. I went through the checkout process with the dropshipping company and eagerly awaited the shipping number they would send me. The auction sold on a Friday, so I expected at least a couple days until they could supply me with the number. I contacted the buyer so that they were aware of this as well.

Paypal Saves The Day

Sunday. Two days after the auction. Doom struck, but not from who you may expect. I was going about my usual day when I noticed an email from Paypal. The email said,

A review of recent transactions indicates that you might have received a
payment that the PayPal account holder did not authorize.

We recommend that you not ship the item until our investigation is
complete. If you’ve already shipped the item, please log in and let us know
where you shipped it.

We have placed a temporary hold on the funds until we complete our
investigation.

I contacted Paypal regarding this, but they gave me the run around. Within a day my account was closed via an “executive decision” by Paypal because I was too much of a “risk” for them. Too much of a risk?!?! HEY PAYPAL, I’VE BEEN A LOYAL CUSTOMER SINCE YOU FIRST CAME OUT!!! You wanna talk about betrayal, this was it. Great job Paypal, save me from absolutely nothing.

Oh, here’s the kicker, the dropshipping order was mixed in with my Paypal account too, so I was out of MY OWN MONEY, they were holding that money as well. I was able to refund the buyer of the item and notify them that I wasn’t able to send them the item as Paypal had closed my account for no reason. The buyer understood and agreed with me, so we were fine on that end. Paypal on the other end? Things were just about to get a whole lot hotter.

The Bubble Pops

Ok, so Paypal saw something they didn’t like, fine by me. Closing my account and refunding the buyer? I guess it was ok. Not being able to use Paypal ever again for any of my payments? That hurt. Not being able to run my online business and get money for work I’ve done? That burned. Almost literally. Paypal holding onto MY MONEY for no reason whatsoever??! That was the kicker that did them in.

I snapped. At that time, I was in Oklahoma City for some TESOL training for a trip I would be taking to Taiwan within the month. My life virtually came to a halt and this problem needed to be fixed immediately.

I called Paypal up and tried to fix it on my own. Paypal’s response to my plea? “You’re too much of a risk.” “We don’t know what is going on” (when I verbaitum explained my side of the story). “That money in your account is not your money, we have to hold on to it in case there are “any refunds” (whatever the heck that means).” “We can’t change anything, that’s our policy.”

Then I brought in the big guns. I brought my parents into this and we spent the next hour on the phone with a “manager” of Paypal customer service. It got heated pretty fast. Paypal did the classic balking maneuver and hid behind their “policies etched into marble”. This was gross what Paypal was doing to an honest person with an honest problem and we would not stand for it. The call ended as follows,

Us: This is the last straw, I have done nothing wrong. Since you seem to be incapable of anything remotely close to customer service and there is no one we can talk to directly to solve this problem, we are going to take legal action. I am going to call my lawyer as soon as this call ends. See you in court.

Them: …[click]…

Us: [Hung up and dialed the lawyer]

I also brought my bank into this whole problem and reported the charge on my account as fraud. My bank went to work immediately. From talking to the bank, we heard of some other horror stories like ours with Paypal as well.

The Aftermath

We searched online for some answers while awaiting a response from our lawyer, who was going to look into some cases for us, and found some websites (About Paypal). The stories we read made us realize we weren’t alone, Paypal had screwed thousands of normal, honest, hard-working people as well. This wasn’t the first time and most definitely wouldn’t be the last of Paypal’s stunts. Read some here. Here are some more stories.

Luckily our bank pulled through on us and we got the money back into our account within the week. How did Paypal respond to a big bank sitting on them? Here’s their email response:

You recently attempted to transfer funds from your bank account to your PayPal account.

Your bank declined the funds transfer on Jul. 23, 2010.

While this transaction had already been identified as unauthorized, the payment process was already underway and could not be stopped. If you have any questions about why this transfer was declined, please contact your bank.

Classic. Turn tail and run away like the wimps you are. Pretend there is nothing wrong and that the “bank” was the problem. Also notice how the “payment was underway and could not be stopped” when I had repeatedly hammered them about returning MY MONEY back to me until I pulled my bank into this situation.

What I’ve Learned

Don’t ever, EVER trust Paypal (or eBay for that matter). Everything that I had linked in my Paypal account has been deleted. They will never have access to any of my financial information or accounts. They have betrayed my trust for the last time. I am done with Paypal forever. If they want to see me ever again, it will be in the courtroom in front of a judge. Paypal has a stinking dung heap worth of sins to atone for, I’m just one of their many horror stories. I may just be the spear that pricks the armor and unleashes the flood, but so be it. Paypal needs to be held responsible for this until they have atoned for what they have done. Get this, according to Paypal policies,

We can close your account at any time and for any reason whatsoever.

Whatever money you have in your account when we close it is ours.

We can hold that money for up to six months and there is nothing you can do about it.

Any access to your financial accounts is permanent, and we can charge it at anytime.

Think I’m lying? Go check the policies for yourself. Wanna get scared out of your freaking mind about how much power they wield over you? Go ahead and read the policies and listen to the stories. After you return to your body, I can guarantee you will disconnect everything from Paypal and run to the hills. That is my hope after telling you my tale.

Want to know the even scarier part? Paypal is responsible for 70% if not 80% of all sales on the internet.

For Paypal

Paypal, if you are even listening and if you even CARE, know this. You have betrayed my trust and thousands of others as well. Your efforts to quell the “Nigerian scammers” isn’t working. It is hitting loyal customers and evangelists who have had accounts with you for years.

Because of that, I will NEVER. EVER. EVER. use, recommend, or listen to anything you have to say for the rest of your miserable existence as a company.

Your customer service is the worst I’ve ever had.

Communication between departments is a failure.

Hiding behind your “policies” is a failed excuse at showing that you care. Your policies are only for the good of your employees and board of directors, ensuring that you get “your” money.

If you truly CARED about your customers, you would move heaven and earth to make sure they have what they need and do everything in your power to rectify their problem, even if that means going outside of your bounds *ahem* policies *ahem*.

But because of that, I will not be satisfied until every single brick of your pathetic excuse of a company is torn down, examined, and BURNED.

I will see you in court.

What About You?

How should you respond to this relentless hammering of a company?

If I were you, and had half a brain to take action, I would close my account with Paypal immediately and look for someone else to use.

I’d also leave a comment thanking the author who wrote this article for enduring hellfire for no reason and for telling his story for the world to hear.

Finally, I’d share this article with my friends and encourage them to do the same.

Break Your Comfort Zone

taylor@taylormarek.com (Taylor Marek) — Mon, 06 Sep 2010 16:00:27 +0000

One thing I’ve realized by being here in Taiwan is I am completely out of my comfort zone. By at least 7300 miles!

If you don’t already know, I am going to be in Taiwan for the next 11 months. I am there in association with the Taiwan government, HTC, and IBLP teaching English in the public schools. It’s a life-changing event, and I’m excited to be teaching and interacting with elementary schoolkids for a year and viewing life in a completely different country and through the lens of another culture.

I’ve finally come to this realization in my life. I notice that when I am “at home” I fall into my safe zone. Nothing spectacular happens in that zone. Its just safe, there is no element of risk. Nothing to achieve and strive for. When you are at home, you become lazy and lethargic.

Being in Taiwan, it has broken my comfort zone completely. Not to mention you are in a culture in which you don’t understand the language, so you are always on your toes and changing things. However, it has finally given me a chance to develop some good habits and I don’t want to break them when I go back home.

How about you? Are you breaking your comfort “home safe” zone or just sitting around?

You Don’t Care

taylor@taylormarek.com (Taylor Marek) — Fri, 20 Aug 2010 15:00:33 +0000

I think I finally figured out what’s been nagging me for these past couple years. Trust me, the truth hurts but it needs to be said.

“You Don’t Care.”

There, I said it. Now for the evidence:

Fact 1: You Don’t Take Action

Fact 2: You Want Everything for Free

Fact 3: You “Pirate” Your Own Copy

Fact 4: You Don’t Leave Comments

Fact 5: You Don’t Share

Fact 6: You Hoard Mountains of Junk

Fact 7: You’re Not Thankful

Fact 8: You Don’t Support Your Artist/Rockstar/Guru

That is alot of evidence stacked against you, what’s your response?

I can explain to you why there are “starving artists”, why many bands break up from lack of funds, and why the individual is kicked to the curb. You are selfish. You just want the information without even a nod of thanks to the people who spent years of their own blood, sweat, and tears to provide this information to you. A simple “thank you” would suffice, but you don’t even have the guts to say it. If something is good and you like it, SUPPORT THE ARTIST! Buy the music album! Buy that painting! Tell the content creator “Thank You” by sending them some money! Lip service only goes so far, actions speak louder than words (1 John 3:18).

Why in the world do you think the internet marketers of today tease you with some “free information”, then want you to buy the rest of it? Because they know deep down that you will not do anything with the information. Because they know that you want everything for free. Because they know that you don’t care. Not only the internet marketers, but just about every other business. They give you free stuff in the hopes you actually buy something, but the actual conversion ratio is pretty sad. For once, I’d like to see a company actually charge for the information that would normally be given away for free and see what happens.

The only real reason why we dance around and look like complete idiots sometimes is because we want you to notice us. We want you to care. We want you to like us. We want you to support us.

Now, before you get your pants in a bunch and start yelling at me, let me just mention a couple things. I follow what I preach. I buy music from artists I like. I buy books from authors I love. I support those who create stuff I like as a “Thank You” gesture and encouragement to keep up their work. If you want to dig through my 13k+ tweets worth of information I’ve shared, go right ahead. If anything, I may be giving away the HOUSE with the amount of information I’ve shared with friends and family.

I’ve always maintained the thought that if something is of high value, of a good price, and the artist put alot into their creation, I will happily support them in whatever way I can. If that means monetary support, I am happy to give it. I make sure of it.

I don’t know much about you, the reader, but your actions speak louder than your words. What are you going to do about it? Are you just going to read this post and then walk away or will you actually take some time out and remember to “support” your artist? I’m not saying this just for my benefit, but also for the benefit of artists and content creators across the world.

I quite frankly don’t care what you do, JUST DO SOMETHING!

Leave a comment at the very least (I can guarantee 6 out of every 10 readers to this post will just blow it off though, which proves they’re not listening to anything I just wrote), but STOP taking a passive stance. Make a vow to yourself to be proactive and support your artist, whatever it takes.

My Mom always says, “It seems like I’m talking to a brick wall at times.” Are you a brick wall reading this or a human being?

-Taylor Marek
Your ever faithful New Media Visionary

Is The Thank You Economy A Myth? A Letter to @garyvee

taylor@taylormarek.com (Taylor Marek) — Thu, 19 Aug 2010 14:00:29 +0000

I’ve been mulling over this question for a while in my head. It all started when I sent Gary Vaynerchuk this tweet:

It prompted this response from him later in the day:

This is the reply I sent back to him and am awaiting a response:

I am genuinely interested in getting to the bottom of this question. Is the Thank You Economy broke? Is it a myth? Gary, if you are reading this I would love for you to leave a comment so that we can start a discussion or creating a video with your answer that I can link to.

The reason I am asking this question is because I’ve been running my online empire for over four years now, but all I’ve had along the way is small breaks. Sure I’m making new friends and connecting with some pretty awesome people, but if I am trying to turn this into a profitable online company, it is making me squat. I need something more concrete, something more than just sharing *more* content from even more sources and making friends. Don’t get me wrong, I love all the connections I’m making online (I’d be completely alone without them), but even they are starting to question the long time benefits and profitability of my journey.

Will this venture actually be able to go full circle and start moving the arrow or just spin my wheels and not move at all? I can wait a lifetime to start reaping the rest of the benefits, but by then I may have moved on to something else. Gamblers know when a game goes south and call it quits, which is basically the same for an entrepreneur. The same idea applies here, but I may be the crazy captain who goes down with the ship.

I’d love to get a discussion going on this, so leave a comment below with your opinion. Is the Thank You Economy a myth?

Taking A Page Out Of Life’s Book

taylor@taylormarek.com (Taylor Marek) — Fri, 13 Aug 2010 20:15:50 +0000

After taking a brief hiatus from my blog, podcast, twitter, facebook, and everything else online, I’ve come to several conclusions.

First one is I need to schedule and take a break more often from my online world. At least a week or two each year so that I can refocus everything and solidify my thoughts. It truly helps to take a break sometimes. Humans aren’t machines, as much as we’d like to think that. We created machines to do the work for us, so let them do the work right?

Second thought. I need to be more willing to let a vision die. This year has been the craziest year yet. The beginning of the year was bumpy, but this past month is where everything I did online came to a head. I had to take a hard look at the things I did online and be willing to let it all go. It was hard, but I am more pliable now if my online world needs to be killed. The only thing that would hurt me the most would be not talking with everyone I connected with online and losing my outlet to push valuable information to you guys. It wouldn’t kill me, but I would be severely crushed. God helped open my eyes to this reality and that I need to be able to let everything I do online die if He wants it to. He has my best interests at heart, so I don’t need to worry much about it. Comforted by that fact, I reaffirmed that He owns everything I have and do and that I’m just the steward managing His household or a shepherd watching over His sheep.

The third and final thought I have actually comes from Seth Godin’s Blog. I should really try to shoot for a daily blog post and leave it at a couple paragraphs. Seth is a genius in how he does this and I need to look into what he does further. Many of his books are compilations and thoughts generated from his blog posts and those that link to him. If an idea is viable, it should be able to be conveyed in a couple short paragraphs. If it is profitable, others with latch onto the idea you presented and start interacting. If it isn’t, you’ll know soon enough.

That being said, now you know what I’ll be doing in the following months with this blog, podcast, and the rest of my internet properties. This is me, about as raw and real as you can get.

How about you? What pages have you taken out of life’s book when the hard times came?

The Call To Action/Author Bio WordPress Plugin For Pro Bloggers

taylor@taylormarek.com (Taylor Marek) — Thu, 12 Aug 2010 05:45:28 +0000

I have some awesome news for you guys. I’ve been working on this plugin for a while, and just now am able to finally announce the release of my first plugin!

I’ve looked across websites and tested out various WordPress plugins in the WordPress Plugin Directory, but was never able to find one that actually did what I wanted it to. So I decided to get to work on one myself.

My plugin sports several customizable features that I know you will love. I took in a massive amount of research and user feedback to make sure this plugin does what it needs to do.

Get it Here: Call To Action WordPress Plugin

With this plugin you can add a “call to action box” to the footer of your blog posts. It is designed to flow with the content of your blog and give readers a specific action to do after they have finished reading your post.

Update (10-4-10): Version 1.0.2 of this plugin can now be found in the WordPress Plugin Directory!

Update (11-16-10): Version 2.0 has been released. Get it here: http://wordpress.org/extend/plugins/call-to-action-plugin/

Screenshots

Any questions? Will you be using this plugin or let the professional bloggers have all the fun?

Important Announcement

taylor@taylormarek.com (Taylor Marek) — Mon, 19 Jul 2010 05:12:02 +0000

There have been some massive changes in my life to warrant a complete change of how I do things online.

I am currently in TESOL training in Oklahoma City because I will be leaving in about a month. I will be moving to Taiwan for a year with my sister to teach English in the schools. This is the best opportunity God has shown us yet, and from what we can see, this will open so many doors and new opportunities. Some of the information is quite amazing, and we are excited to be on this path.

The other reason is because Paypal/Ebay shutdown my account and screwed me over for alot of money. In a nutshell, do not do anything on either of their websites, because you could very well wind up in the same situation I am now working through. That situation is not pretty and is serious enough to warrant legal action against Paypal. I even have my bank backing me up in this matter, so all of the guns are coming out. I will have a separate blog post on this soon so that you have the full story.

In the meantime, this is what you can expect to see change on my website. Virtually 95% of my information will be put behind closed doors. The only way you will have access is if you pay a small membership fee. I think I may have learned my lesson about giving away too much for free, because free doesn’t pay the bills. Memberships do. I will still have the most popular posts and the most recent podcast episode available for free. The rest will be put into a premium option, and you will have to pay to access it.

You won’t see the changes take place immediately, but within a months time it will be complete. I’d suggest catching up on any information you missed and subscribing to my membership program so that I can continue to provide you with high quality content. I just can’t afford to give things away for free anymore, however, if the membership provides a small stream of revenue, I may consider opening up some free options once again.

Now you know what’s happening in my life. I’d love to answer any questions you may have. I’ll always be around if you need to contact me.

Social Media Cheat Sheet

taylor@taylormarek.com (Taylor Marek) — Tue, 29 Jun 2010 04:57:16 +0000

Have you ever wanted a cheat sheet when it comes to utilizing Social Media for your business? Just a simple, step-by-step action plan on exactly what you need to do? You can get it for a limited time only when you join my Social Media Inner Circle. I will lay it all out for you and exactly what you need to do.

#108: Its all about Mindset, Stop wasting Marketing dollars, and Geekbrief.tv’s Last Show

taylor@taylormarek.com (Taylor Marek) — Sat, 26 Jun 2010 04:55:40 +0000

Podcast Episode #108: Mindset, Wasting Marketing Dollars, and GeekBrief.tv's Last Episode. Take a listen!

Do You Have A Spirit Of Excellence?

taylor@taylormarek.com (Taylor Marek) — Mon, 21 Jun 2010 19:56:47 +0000

Just wanted to share a couple quick thoughts for this Monday. Do you have a spirit of excellence in everything you do? Something to think about...

Are You A MacHead? The Story Of The Apple Fanboy

taylor@taylormarek.com (Taylor Marek) — Mon, 14 Jun 2010 14:45:02 +0000

I want you guys to watch this movie. It is simply amazing. If you have ever wondered how to create a cult, keep them buzzing, and always overdeliver...

#107 Stop Spending Money, Promotion Techniques from the 2010 FIFA World Cup, and The IPad

taylor@taylormarek.com (Taylor Marek) — Sat, 12 Jun 2010 04:55:01 +0000

In the Basement Edition! No more dorm rooms for me, I'm heading to Taiwan in August! Stop Spending Money, Promote the FIFA World Cup, and learn about the IPad! Listen NOW!

Employee or Entrepreneur?

taylor@taylormarek.com (Taylor Marek) — Mon, 07 Jun 2010 18:59:22 +0000

Understand this. You are NOT destined to be both. You will either be an employee or an entrepreneur for the rest of your life. You cannot live in both worlds...

Are You Climbing the Employee Ladder or the Entrepreneur Ladder?

taylor@taylormarek.com (Taylor Marek) — Fri, 04 Jun 2010 16:26:05 +0000

This has been on my mind for a while now. Part of the reason I dislike America's school system right now is because they just teach you to be an employee, not..

What Is Your Glitch?

taylor@taylormarek.com (Taylor Marek) — Wed, 02 Jun 2010 04:05:58 +0000

Everyone has one. It is what defines us from each other. Some call it gifts, some call it talents, others call it passion, but I call it a glitch. Why a glitch?

How Do YOU Define A Successful Social Media Campaign?

taylor@taylormarek.com (Taylor Marek) — Fri, 28 May 2010 15:04:23 +0000

This is the first time I’m taking an official poll on this site because I want to hear your input. After you provide your input, I’ll give you my side of it.

Think of it as an Oreo. Your opinion is half of the Oreo, mine is the other half. Together there is a cohesive whole and everyone benefits.

So, How do you define a successful Social Media campaign?

Define a successful social media marketing campaignonline surveys

How I Learned Everything I Needed To Know About Sales From A Vending Machine

taylor@taylormarek.com (Taylor Marek) — Sun, 23 May 2010 06:35:14 +0000

A boy, not much older than 14 was walking down the street one afternoon. School was over, and his mind was formulating ideas on how to make money for his next big goal; his very own Nintendo Wii. He decided to sell lemonade that day, so on his way home he stopped by a grocery store and picked up some supplies. On his way out, however, he stopped in front of a couple vending machine, dug a few coins out of his pocket, and grabbed a soda and a gumball. He popped the gumball in his mouth and continued on home. Just before he walked in the front door, an idea hit him. It was so mind-blowing he almost swallowed his gum!

“Why do I always have to sit out on a busy street corner for several hours trying to sell lemonade and get sunburned in the process? I love running businesses, but sometimes a kid wants to play with his friends and not work all the time.” He thought to himself. “I don’t want to do this for the rest of my life, there has to be an easier process. Hey, what about hiring somebody to do it for me? Nah, I don’t think they would appreciate that, especially if it was one of my friends… I got it! What if there was a machine that did it for me? Kind of like a vending machine of sorts? I THINK I FOUND THE ANSWER!!”

He spent the next 27 minutes drawing up an idea for a lemonade vending machine. Basically, he would make the lemonade and put it into containers that the vending machine could hold. He would then setup the vending machine at a busy street corner and let it do the work from there. It would work just like a normal vending machine: deposit money and get the lemonade. But he needed money and a vehicle to transport the machine. He went to ask his mother about it.

“Mom, I am going to make a lemonade vending machine but I need money and a vehicle to transport the machine to and from street corners. Can you help me out with this?” He asked. “Sure can.” replied Mom. “But I think I know of something even better to help you out with this.”

She went on to explain that while the lemonade vending machine idea was a good one, there was somebody else who already went through all the hassles and had done all the work. She also mentioned something about it being illegal to setup vending machines on street corners. She directed him to a couple websites where he found information on how to setup his own vending machine business. There were articles on how and where to buy vending machines, where to find suppliers and how to approach them, and how to choose the most profitable locations to setup the vending machine. Everything he needed was right in front of him, he just needed to read up on it and take action.

30 days later he had read all the information he needed to start up his vending machine business. He was able to track down some candy vending machines, a supplier, and a desirable location inside a small grocery store nearby. He had purchased the vending machines and supplies with the money he had in his savings account, and had signed a contract with the store allowing him to place the vending machines at the entrances. The day had come for him to place the vending machines inside the store, and boy was he excited! He enthusiastically setup the vending machine in its spot, filled it with some of his supplies, and talked to the owner of the store to finalize a couple minor details. Not long after, the money started to pour in. Not much at first, but it soon started to catch on and more money started to pour in. All he had to do was set it up once, and it would run by itself for the rest of its life. He now had time to play with friends and not worry about making money because the machine made the money for him!

What 4 Lessons can we take away from this?

1. Create the product once and let it sell itself

There is nothing worse than having a product but having to spend hours promoting it to make a sale. With everything you have setup and created, the product should be able to sell itself right?

2. Put your product where the people who need it can find it

Don’t stuff it away in the back closet. Don’t try and sell it to the people who don’t need it. You’ve done your research. You know who needs it and where they go to find it. Put it right in front of them.

3. Be as transparent in your sales as possible

In the example of the vending machine, you don’t have the product hidden behind a tinted window. You have it in a clear glass container where they can see it and visualize consuming it. If you have people commenting on how clear the “glass” is, you are focusing a bit too much on the sales.

4. Make sure the product is fresh

No one likes eating “old candy”, drinking “stale soda”, or looking at gunk on the vending machine. Make sure the product is fresh and the “vending machine” is always clean.

Am I missing anything you’d like to contribute? Comments are open. Add yours.

(PS: I know the picture used is a girl and the story is about a boy. Click on the picture though and read the little story on the caption and I think you’ll start to see it matches quite well. Pretty impressive eh?)

How TV Shows can make it big Online

taylor@taylormarek.com (Taylor Marek) — Wed, 07 Apr 2010 04:14:54 +0000

Just thought I would send out a quick post as I had this on my mind.

I was driving in my car running some errands when a radio ad came on. It was talking about Netflix and how they now offer the option to not only watch your favorite movies online or via mail, but that you can now watch your favorite tv shows as well. This set my mind to thinking. How can tv shows make money in the online world, the ‘new media’ realm where you control what you want to watch, where you want to watch it, when you want to watch it, and how? From many of my excursions into the television industry, I know that most of the money tv shows earn come from the ads that play during each episode. There is also the option to “place products” into the episode slyly enough for you to not notice the subliminal ad. This strategy works well in movies also.

Anyways, the thought occurred to me that the easiest way tv shows can make a living online is to partner up with companies such as Netflix and Blockbuster to syndicate episodes where the public wants them. There is also throwing it up on iTunes, Hulu, and Zune Marketplace that can bring in some easy revenue. Problem solved, cue the applause and cheers from an audience that has been waiting for this moment.

If you are a tv show producer or are thinking of becoming one, factor this into your equation. The tips pay out better here, trust me.

I was bought by Mashable!

taylor@taylormarek.com (Taylor Marek) — Thu, 01 Apr 2010 20:41:44 +0000

Hey guys!

I have some awesome news today! I am now able to announce that Mashable.com has bought my site!

What does this mean?

Well, according to an email Mashable sent me,

“You get to run your website/blog/podcast like normal, we’re not fooling with that brand stuff. We need a face for social media and decided you are the best one to represent us.”

So I am very excited, as you can see. The email also goes on to explain that the ads on my site will be switching to those currently on Mashable (I get paid off of those), that I get to write articles for them once a month, and I get to fly around to events to speak about social media and represent Mashable. Did I mention they are going to pay all the expenses? I would be a fool to not take them up on the offer.

They are also bouncing around the idea of putting my face on the official Mashable logo and incorporating me into somewhat of a “social media celebrity”. Their “social media celebrity” mind you. The email gives out other private information, but that’s all I can give out at this point.

What do you think? Pretty epic eh?

#AprilFools

How to get “Custom Customers”

taylor@taylormarek.com (Taylor Marek) — Tue, 30 Mar 2010 17:09:25 +0000

As I am writing this, I am currently home from college on spring break. As my college blocks every video site except Facebook videos, I had to catch up on the videos I missed while I was away for three months. I only have a select few tv shows I like to watch, and ALL of them I watch online. I was in the middle of watching an episode of Chuck when a chunk of dialogue caught my entrepreneurial ear. I don’t remember the exact conversation, but it sparked this idea.

How do you get customers?

Well, to put it bluntly, you MARKET to them. No, we don’t advertise to them, read that article I linked up first then continue reading here.

It takes a creative mind to pull customers in. Something that will reach out to them, and show them the solution to their urgent need.

How do you capture the entire market’s attention?

You can do something stupid and completely blow up your reputation, causing ripples in the market. Or you can do something no one has thought about to capture them, but understand this. You cannot serve everyone. Remember the old saying, “If You Try To Be Everything To Everyone, You’ll Be Nothing To No One”?

Take that idea in perspective. Look at the bigger picture. Why do you market to certain segments of people? Why are all these marketing surveys, segments, action plans, and spread the message being conducted by companies big and small?

Because you want to capture your custom customer.

What’s the inside scoop?

Customer comes from the word ‘custom’ which comes from a latin word meaning ‘habit or usage’. It is quite fascinating if you think about it. A person, custom made, just for your business is waiting out there for you to capture them. You have no idea who it is, so you send a message to your market, hoping that they are in the mix. They hear about you and BAM!, deal closed.

Forget about advertising to everybody, that is dead. Besides, we know that reverse psychology works pretty well in this area. Market only to that select group, and sooner or later everyone and their cat will hear about you. There is enough of the market for every business to have their share, you just need to find yours. That is why you have marketing campaigns. That is why you guard the customers you do have with an iron fist (at least I hope you do). That is why you are in business.

There are customers custom-made just for your business. What are you doing to make them notice you?

Today’s Test Post

taylor@taylormarek.com (Taylor Marek) — Mon, 22 Mar 2010 22:12:48 +0000

Hey guys,

This is a test post to see if twitterfeed will actually update my facebook fan page or not. If this works, it will cut down on the amount of work I need to do and automate another task.

I am also thinking of doing a Heads-Up-Monday post for future articles. It would include a couple links to some interesting tech/social media/new media posts, videos, and/or audio. I would post it every monday for you to check out and read for educational purposes, because we all know I like to teach.

Let me know in the comments below!