LinkedIn

Following Up on LinkedIn

June 10, 2011 By Bob Woods Leave a Comment

LinkedIn Networking Strategy Tips …

LinkedIn is one of the most valuable tools out there for business networking. Its one of those tools that has a lot going on with it. Because the site isn’t exactly intuitive and designed well, though, its members and users don’t really know all of the ways in which it can be utilized.

I could write an entire book on the site (a lot of people already have), but we’re only concerned about using it for business networking. It’s easier than you think, too. One of our tips, though, will require you to outlay a bit of cash each month to it. They can use it too; after all, they recently debuted on Wall Street.

You can read the rest of Following Up on LinkedIn at our Hand to Mouse Networking site.

My Site Looks Great, but Doesn’t Work!

June 9, 2011 By Bob Woods Leave a Comment

Website Relaunches, Design and Content …

When I’m out and about doing business networking, I’ve heard all kinds of variations on the following complaint:

My Website doesn’t work, and I don’t know why! I’ve invested all kinds of money in it, but something’s still wrong with it.

At that point, the person in question will go on to tell me that the site has been redesigned a dozen times in the past couple of years by great designers … but nothing happens. The business owner or marketing manager with whom I’m speaking is seeing zero return-on-investment (ROI) from the site, and they’re frustrated.

The problem behind a Website not “working” generally doesn’t have much to do with the design or with the actual operation of the site. A site is generally viewed as being “broken” because of one of three items, or a combination of them … which you’ll discover immediately after the jump.

Hand to Mouse Networking Launches in Beta

May 9, 2011 By webmaster Leave a Comment

Hand to Mouse Networking, a new Website dedicated to helping those who are involved with business networking—online and offline—has launched in a beta version.

The concept was created by Bob Woods, chief executive officer of CruxBridge Media, after years of experience using business networking to meet fellow business professionals and work toward mutually beneficial relationships.

“When you’re at a business function or online on a networking site, it’s very easy to forget that you’re there for a purpose: to meet like-minded businesspeople who can help you, while you assist them,” Woods said. “Both the Hand to Mouse Networking concept and its associated Website puts a real strategy to your networking, as well as gives you tips on both online and offline networking, and especially how to connect the two.”

The Website’s introductory message spells out both Woods’ overall concept, and the largest goals of the site:

The State of Inbound Marketing

May 3, 2011 By Bob Woods Leave a Comment

The concept behind inbound marketing isn’t really new. Most businesses and organizations want to get the most out of their Websites and other Internet-related marketing efforts, to generate qualified leads. What inbound marketing does is put a name and philosophy to the disparate processes and methods used to acquire these leads.

A recent report from the company that provides us (and our clients) with a centralized inbound-marketing platform contains a lot of great information on how this method is not only working, but how it kicks the pants off of traditional “outbound marketing” (advertising, direct mail, cold calling, etc.).

In fact, inbound marketing is quite “presidential” … here’s why.

Social Media and Being a DJ

April 11, 2011 By Bob Woods Leave a Comment

I used to deejay in college, mainly for the campus radio stations. Believe me when I say that deejaying is about much, much more than just slapping a record on the turntable and playing it.

You had to plan out sets, especially if you had themes going (slow, hard-rock, etc.); make the transitions between songs sound good and make sense; ensure that commercials would play when they were supposed to; and play the jingle that announced your station’s call letters and city of license at the top of the hour.

You also had to make sure that “Stairway to Heaven” was lying around somewhere, in case you needed to use the facilities … but that’s another story.

Most important, though: You had to play what your audience wanted to hear. The Eagles notwithstanding, you can’t play a country tune on a rock station. Listeners would flee your smooth jazz station if you played gangsta rap. And so on …

Whenever I’m using one of the many tools I have to “program” the social media channels for which I am responsible, I’m reminded of my old college DJ days, because the two duties aren’t all that different. Here’s how my experiences at being a deejay can help you with your social-media strategy and content.