Blackenterprise.com - Barack Obama’s Lesson in Social Media

blackenterprise.com - Barack Obama’s Lesson in Social Media: "June 18, 2008 -- With Sen. Barack Obama being recognized as the presumptive presidential nominee of the Democratic Party, he can make history if he becomes our next president. Not only by being the nation’s first African American president, but he is also being referred to as potentially the first customer relationship management (CRM) president. You also may even consider him to be the first social media president based on his campaign’s savvy use of the Web.

Helge: The first CRM president...Hmm.

Those who view him in this light suggest that Obama’s approach to the use of social tools such as Twitter (www.twitter.com) was an important factor in his victory over Sen. Hillary Clinton. Twitter is a micro-blogging tool that allows you to send out short messages using up to 140 characters. People can follow your messages, or tweets, and you can follow theirs. Users can receive your tweets via text message at Twitter.com, or even from within Microsoft Outlook by using a free service such as OutTwit (www.techhit.com/OutTwit).

Helge: I understand the value of social tools such as Twitter.

The Obama campaign’s use of Twitter serves as a good lesson for those trying to understand the importance of social media in business. While it is not nearly as popular as e-mail, instant messaging, and other important business tools, its influence is growing rapidly. As of March 2008, there were more than 1 million users on Twitter, with 200,000 active weekly users, according to popular industry site TechCrunch (www.techcrunch.com). Tweets from Twitter can drive significant Web traffic. Twitter power user Jason Calacanis, CEO of the human-powered search site Mahalo.com (www.mahalo.com), recently noted that Twitter is sending more than 20,000 people per month to the site."

Helge: I need to do some more tweeting myself.

Working with new things: social capital

The most common excuse I hear about business blogging is that entrepreneurs and CEO's don't have the time to do it.

The second most common is that they don't like to write.

How about you? Have you established a regular blogging routine? If not, what are your excuses? Are they valid?

The relationship of business communication to financial success is strong.

Many may find financial success without social media or blogging but things will change in the future.

What does Ivan Misner write about social capital?

Most entrepreneurs know the meaning of financial capital, but many may not have a clear idea of social capital.

Social capital is accumulated by an individual or a business and is used, or is available for use, in the production of wealth.

Social capital is about the accumulation of resources developed through personal and professional networks. We accumulate social capital through networking.

These resources include:

1. ideas,
   
2. knowledge,
   
3. information,
   
4. opportunities,
   
5. contacts and,
   
6. of course, referrals.
   

Just what do we need to keep in mind when thinking about building our social capital? We learn by talking and interacting with people.

According to Wayne Baker, “Success is social; all the ingredients of success that we customarily think of as individual-talent, intelligence, education, effort and luck-are intertwined with networks.”

High-Speed Business Management

The marketplace keeps speeding up. The pace of business appears to be accelerating at every turn, from the pressures of quarterly financial reporting to the onslaught of constant product innovation.

No matter the topic, the flow of available information has turned into a torrent. No sooner have you gotten up to speed on the latest developments, something new appears. In today’s marketplace, the only constant is change.

We need to make smarter, faster use of information that is already available. Several factors contribute to the rapid pace of today’s marketplace; when these factors combine, the potential for cost disruption is enormous.

These factors include the following:

• The Internet. The Internet has changed the rules of the game. New and faster competitors have learned to use this new type of information handling and processing to increase their internal and external velocity. The old ways just aren’t good enough or fast enough anymore.
  
  
• Mobility. Businesspeople need to be equally productive from any location—on the road, from home, in transit, in a foreign country, or at a customer site.
  
  
• Globalization. The elimination of trade barriers has led to new competitive market entrants. There has also been an unleashing of entrepreneurial cultures in the emerging marketplaces, creating a vast array of new competitors that are using technology to eliminate the traditional constraints of physical markets to reach customers globally.
  
  
• Financial reaction to opportunity. Global investment has grown enormously. The opportunities for growth under stable governments have replaced older measurements of capital investment and risk assessment.

Macarena Blogging about MLM

Handling the stress of online MLM business

Are you looking online for a possible MLM business avenue of creating income and relieving you of your present burdens?

Helge: I'm analyzing the blog. It's a good looking blog. I'd like to know more about the team working with the blog and how you ended up with this design.

You are not alone. Many individuals see the potential for building their own business from wherever they are on this globe by means of the Internet. The online MLM business provides a level playing field and appeals to men and women of all ages as a prospective means of conducting business from the comfort of home.

Helge: Business from the comfort of the HOME. Is that very common in your country? What kind of products are sold?

However, despite the fact that running a business through the Internet can often be less expensive than a traditional business and allows you access to a worldwide market at any time of the day, the truth behind starting an MLM business online is that it can be as stressful as any other business. How can you prepare yourself for this obstacle? Always wear your ‘game face’.

Helge: Hard work, focused action, risk management, etc. are important.

It is a tough game to start an online MLM business. You are guaranteed to experience times when your self-confidence is shaken, you feel the task is beyond your abilities and you beat yourself up for making mistakes.

Helge: On-line business also means building lasting customer relations. The first challenge is to bee seen, to get an audience.

Move on. It is part of creating business and you will have to face these issues whether it is your first attempt or even if you have been in the MLM business online for years. Changes happen fast on the Internet and that includes changes to businesses. One day you will be amazing yourself and the next day you will think you’ve been beat.

Helge: What're the tools you're recommending? How about using Social Media to build customer relationships? Twitter, Jaiku, Facebook, SecondLife, Ning, Wikipedia and blogs for providing more information and to get in touch with partners, clients and to handle FAQ's with users of your product and service?

The best solution to this is to expect it and plan to move on despite those feelings. Forget the hype. Nearly every business can benefit from online MLM business exposure.

Helge: Explain, how?

Are you inspired by the many programs that claim “instant wealth - easy to learn!”? Do not believe it. Regardless of if you have been in business for a long time or this is your first attempt, online MLM business done through the Internet has it’s own methods and you better be ready to learn them if you want to make money.

Helge: Some people have concerns about MLM. There are both good, bad and ugly MLM services on a global scale.

The learning curve can be steep and some individuals find it daunting. The good thing to remember is that it is possible for nearly anyone to operate an MLM business online no matter what their previous experience. Just be prepared to learn and have patience with your attempts.
Do not use all your money.

Helge: That's a good advice.

It is easy to forget the need for a budget when you can spend money so easily online. Do not buy into every MLM business opportunity online or training program. Visit online forums to acquire a feel for the best systems available. Make friends on these forums that will support you when you are overwhelmed or needing advice.

Helge: Start with a market research. Ask friends, read blogs, make your homework. Calculate what your earnings can be, etc. It's always difficult "to make the first million" but spending big junks of money comes easy in any kind of business.

The only thing worse than finding out you made a mistake is finding out that it cost you money. Remember that every experience is a learning experience. Try to stick to a budget but do not permit yourself to dwell on mistakes when they happen. Learn and move on.

Helge: Good advice!

Taking the necessary steps to prepare you for the stress and rejection that all new MLM business owners’ online face will enable you to build on that knowledge and create a successful business.

Helge: I read this blog as an example of your blogging activities.

Fortunately, there are many who do not make it that far in the online MLM business. So that leaves the wide open for you. Tags: handling stress, MLM business, Online Business

Helge: I'd like to send your blog as a reference or case study to potential clients in Finland. Comment about the languages you could be blogging in? English, Spanish, French...? Are you familiar with Wiki? using Facebook? Ning? Jaiku? Twitter?

Pulp, paper and board does still have some importance

The pulp, paper and board industry does still have a big importance in Finnish economics.

Decades ago the Green Gold was the road to prosperity for Finland.

We still have a strong forestry cluster, but also have big problems in how to shape and construct the future of pulp, paper and board.

The biggest forestry companies are expanding their operations abroad.

This industry has become global. The big issue is however, what should we do in Finland? How can we participate in the shaping of the future strategies of pulp, paper, board, packaging and the use of wood based materials in construction and interior design?