Linkedin grows in importance.

Wasn't it just a few months ago that Linkedin was the social media system everyone swore you had to be on, but you weren't really sure why?  It's an online resume, right? I'd tell people it was the 2011 version of your "little black book", the kind we used to keep our best, most reliable contact information in. Linkedin is growing in popularity, now it's grown  considerably to be more than just that.

On May 19th, Linkedin went public.  They must've had some new ideas waiting all warm in the pot because since mid March they've added new features that are very useful.  These features make using Linkedin more compelling than it was when it served as just an online resume.  I've grown to like the Advanced Search and the Linkedin Today News feeds.  Advanced Search is now very robust.  You can search for people by Industry, Groups, Relationship, Language, Job Function, and Company Size.  You can really drill down to locate experts and potential employees with the People Search tool. For our franchisees, it's help at their fingertips. Without having a tremendous amount of "connections" (friends or followers in Linkedin-speak) you can still gleen fantastic information from others if you share similar groups with them.  Advanced Search lets you look not only for people, but for Updates, Jobs, Companies, Answers and Groups.  Look for keywords in the answers that others have contributed to the groups or communities they've joined.  It works very well.

The Linkedin Today News feeds are even better in my opinion! You now have a Linkedin Today bar at the top of your Home page.  It contains news and postings from industries and subject matter that you've subscribed or shown interest in.  You select which subjects or sources you'd like to receive information regarding and Linkedin delivers content as recommended by other users with similar interests.  Each user that recommends a link or article shows up in a counter in the lower left corner of each article.  If you read an article you like, you can reach out and "connect" with many of the folks that also thought enough to post this article. It's very effective, and for me it has spurred me to post things I think are of interest that I don't think others have seen yet. To the readers that share my interests, sources and groups, I come across as informed and knowledgeable on these subjects. This allows me to potentially "link" to others for answers and to have them reply to my questions.  Always professional in nature, it puts the power of the Linkedin community to work on my issues. That I like. I'm guessing we'll see more improvements to Linkedin before 2012.  They've added job change features and other hiring/HR tools...  pretty neat for a free system!

Mac OS X Lion

Here it comes... I'm loading the Mac Lion OS as soon as I get my newly repaired MacBook Air back to accepting a charge.  It was fixed for a broken hinge, but it hasn't accepted a charge since I got it back yesterday. (?)  The Lion OS is version 10.7, this will be the final OS X release before something new is introduced by Apple.

Features I'm looking forward to seeing and trying...

• AirDrop - allows for exchange of files from Lion to Lion OS without a wireless router - we have other Mac users here in the office, neat to try.
• Emoji - I use that on my iPhone, now on the MacBook, silly emoticon program.
• FaceTime - I still have an iPhone 3GS so no Facetime via phone for me. Until now!
• Autocorrect - I hope it works better than the iPhone.
• Mail - supposed to be better, I currently use Entourage, this new Mail supports Exchange 2010 which we have here at work.
• More gestures - I use the swipe touch pad well on the MacBook Air, now they've added new ones for me to play with.  Good!

So in a few days more on the Lion...

-dm

I want a refund!

Can I respectfully request getting all the time and energy back that I've wasted worrying about things?

I remember being told that the amount of issues you worry about that NEVER occur is at near 85%.  This means that more than eight of the ten things you overly concern yourself with won't materialize.  This 85% number is not even taking into account paranoid people (who worry more), these are regular folks, the kind I lump myself in with.  Too many "what-ifs" and unknowns allow our mind to wander where it doesn't belong. The reactions, responses, ramifications and repercussions all lined up and ready to go, for an event that doesn't happen.  Jeez, I may have a hefty reimbursement coming. If I could only get all of that brainpower and time back!

I see the "Carmageddon" of the 405 in LA never developed this past weekend, the workers finished early and all is at least back to the "warped normal" on the west coast's busy freeway system. Nor did the "end times" (predicted by religious radio station owners) bring an end to the world last May twenty first. I won't be getting a rebate on those events, thankfully I didn't buy-in and waste time thinking about them.  What about the wasted worries I have ownership of? "Mr. Masterson, your payment is due," the noise under the hood, the actions of those beyond my control.  Maybe I should question my worrisome investments before I make them. It seems a whole lot easier to hold onto my resources beforehand versus trying to get a refund after the fact.

Yelp works for us, too.

Yelp.com was originally just a restaurant review site. People could leave reviews of where they've eaten and others read the reviews and decide for themselves if they'd like that type of dining/eating experience.  As of late, Yelp is changing to become involved promoting all types of businesses, which bodes well for our franchisees. You can enter a business profile and "claim" your location similar to Google Places, Yahoo, Bing, etc.  It's easy to do and has shown to help your free SEO efforts once people visit the Yelp entry for your business and leave reviews. You can create a free Yelp Business Account which allows you to get your business listed on the Yelp site and gives you the opportunity down the road to advertise on Yelp if you choose.

Here's a link to a quick video about Yelp and the Business Accounts. 

Just a neat tip on a Friday!

-dm

28% = Landslide warning.

A company called the Pew Internet Project released a study earlier this week stating that 28% of American adults now use their smartphone as their primary conduit to the Internet.  This means that they spend more time and invoke more instances with the online world via a 4.5" x 2.5" phone screen vs. using a PC or a Mac. Huh?

Apple introduced a new method of updating the software on it's popular iPhone products, it involves updates that happen via the network, wirelessly into the device. That's how you'll receive the new iOS version 5 says Steve Jobs. No longer are you required to plug your phone into an iTunes equipped computer.  Reason? Many of the new users that have come on board with the two networks supporting iPhone (AT&T, Verizon) don't have a computer!  They are getting the phone to allow themselves to be online.

The seismic shift from computer to mobile device is flowing right by us.  I last blogged of the new reality whereby the customer steers more of the service attitude by having incredible review power - instantly. (See last post) With the growing popularity of QR codes and the free QR code reader apps for the Droid and iPhone, the consumer carries the web in their pocket. This can be your web they tote around if you're using QR codes to direct buyers to your products. As a result, our franchisees have begun putting QR codes on signs, windows, vehicles, shirts, mousepads, stress balls, all over!  A SIGNARAMA can do this for your advertising and graphics, an EmbroidMe can QR code your apparel and promotional products.  Have a look at the report, it's interesting!

Pew Internet Project report on mobile web users.

Then have a look at what some of our stores are doing QR code-wise.  You can find one near you...

EmbroidMe     SIGNARAMA