Tag Archives | networking

Early to rise makes you technically wise

By on April 27, 2012 in Web/Tech
7:30 am, Wednesday April 25. You were probably still in your PJs enjoying your morning coffee while 30 MDI business owners were filling their bellies with eggs and their heads with knowledge at the mini-tech boot camp sponsored by the Bar Harbor Chamber of Commerce. David Charron of Comp-u-sult and Nicole Ouellette of Breaking Even Communications were on hand to give a lively and informative discussion on what you need to know to keep your business current with computer applications and online marketing presence.
David started with key points on how to manage your data and your computer. Wondering what the Cloud is? David explained that the Cloud is just the internet – and it is actually safer and more economical to have your data backed up online with a third party company such as Mozy or Carbonite. The sites are encrypted for protection, and your data is safely stored offsite.

Also discussed was the importance of strong passwords. “Everyone knows about using 3s instead of Es, you need to be more stealthy now.” David recommend using pneumonic that only you will know. “my dog barnaby jones like ice cream cones”  would translate to MDBJLICC.

David talked briefly about how all those pesky software update reminders you get, are actually software companies trying to protect you from malware. Software manufacturers and hackers are constantly leap frogging each other with updates, and if you have the latest software, you computer is the most secure. As well as updating your software, David talked about the importance of maintaining a clean computer – defragging, emptying the garbage, and scanning for viruses will make your computer happier and faster.

Both Nicole and David then discussed ways to manage your files and information in a way that you and your co-workers have easy access to information. Google Apps is an easy, free, software bundle – available on any web browser, that you can share and co-author documents, spreadsheets, calendars, and more. Google Drive is now combining the features of Google Apps and File Share servers like dropbox: for more details, this is an excellent article: http://www.mercurynews.com/larry-magid/ci_20488331/magid-taking-google-drive-spin

After this discussion of computer and data sources, Nicole stepped up to talk about how to reach customers who are savvy to the internet, and interest them in your business. Traditionally business spend big dollars advertising on television and print media, but with the internet you can reach more of your target audience, and for less money.

Nicole talked about the importance of having a mobile section of your website. People over 50 are the highest growing market for smartphones, and 50% of American adults have already have one. In an area like Mount Desert Island – which largely depends on tourist dollars – making your website accessible to potential customers who are traveling and depending on their smartphones, is certainly going to help your business.

Facebook as a marketing tool was discussed at length. As Nicole pointed out – your website is a static location that depends on people taking the initiative to visit it. A Facebook page allows your business to interact with people on a daily or weekly basis, depending on how often you post updates. Nicole recommends no more than 3 posts a week for business since more information could overwhelm fans.

She also explained the difference between a personal Facebook profile and a business page. Facebook business pages offer a great opportunity for you to access data about your customers  such as age, location, and common interests. A Facebook page also offers your business another opportunity to show up in a google search. Win win win.

Nicole then talked about the new Facebook Timeline, and gave a quick tour of what it has to offer including designing the cover image (the large scale photo on the top); customizing the display of applications installed on the Facebook page; creating milestones that illustrate the history of your company, and being able to ‘pin’ important news to the top of your page and have it remain for up to a week.

She then spoke about some new social media kids on the block, Fiverr, Pinterest, Kickstarter, and Google+. She pointed out that right now Google and Facebook are the A game, but things change very quickly and it’s important to keep up with the ever-changing world of online networking.

To close the meeting, a brand new Kindle Fire was raffled off, and awarded to Sheila Ward from the Inn at Bay Ledge.

By 9 am everyone was happily sipping coffee and congratulating themselves on how smart they were for learning how to use technology more effectively in their business and personal lives.

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Seven Reasons You Should Work For Me

By on September 5, 2011 in Current Affairs

I’m taking the hiring of my first full time employee very seriously. As my friend Ogy put it, this is an important decision because I am essentially doubling my company. I can’t help but think more about this on Labor Day.

Jennifer Hooper has done some fine work here at Breaking Even Communications but she is off to get her masters degree so it’s time to find a replacement, quite a task really since Jennifer is so awesome.

Over the last month, as I emailed colleagues and friends about leads, they have asked me, “Nicole, what are you really looking for?”

Above all, I am looking for a good person: hardworking, smart, friendly, interested, and honest. Anyone who fits that description I can train on the technical aspects of the job. (And I am pretty patient too since I remember what it is like to learn this stuff!)

And I have decided whether it takes me a month, two months, or six months to get the right person here at the second desk here, I’m going to do it.

If you are thinking about applying to work at this company (and meet the basic requirements as stated here), here are a few reasons I think you’d like to work here at Breaking Even Communications:

1. Rewarding work.
Helping small business owners and non-profit boards is pretty rewarding. People contact Breaking Even Communications because they want to learn about the internet, and watching the light bulb moments people have is pretty fantastic. If you want a job where you are making a difference and solving problems, this is a job where you’d get to do that.

2. Different every day.
Whether it’s a bed and breakfast learning about Twitter, a retailer optimizing their Youtube channel, or a non-profit needing some blog direction, you get to learn a bit about the goals, and challenges of a variety of clients. Breaking Even Communications has between forty and sixty clients at a given moment meaning there is never a dull moment!

3. Get paid to learn.
Want to learn more about internet and business, both from online resources and directly from colleagues in the internet marketing industry? At Breaking Even Inc., we build in time for professional development so we can stay on top of it all. So if you like to learn about web development, this is a good way to do it.

4. Flexible schedule.
Honestly, sometimes you need to be in the office or helping at an event like a workshop. But a lot of the time, you can work from home, your favorite coffee shop, wherever! One perk we can offer you is the ability to work with your schedule. Yes, very aware that there are other things to life besides work!

5. Live in Downeast Maine.
The saying is you can’t be a real Mainer until you’ve spent a winter, so this job can totally help you meet this unofficial requirement. Plus, it really is very fun to be in such a beautiful place with nice people year round. And when summer 2012 rolls around, you already have a job in Bar Harbor.

6. Your boss is pretty cool.
I (Nicole Ouellette) am a pretty nice person, and I think I’m a pretty good boss. More importantly, I am always trying to get better. Here are some recommendations here: http://www.linkedin.com/in/nicoleouellette Even better, ask around about me!

7. Get in on a growing company.
If you are the kind of person who wants to make a lasting contribution to a company, Breaking Even Communications has been growing steadily (and at times exponentially) and is going into its fourth year (!) of operation. Your ideas will be heard and as the company grows, you could play an increasingly important role (and help shape it within the company). That’s pretty exciting!

So Happy Labor Day to you and if you know someone who’d be a good fit for this company, please pass this post along. (It’s my 800th blog post, can you believe it!? Time flies when you’re having fun!)

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Marketing Monday: Making Friends In A New Place

By on March 30, 2010 in Current Affairs

Every Monday, I look at a person or company doing something cool online. Got an idea? Let me know about it!

A couple months ago, I noticed Larry Literal on Twitter. He had recently moved here and I saw he started following a bunch of us Twitter users in the Bar Harbor area. I sent in a few questions to see how social media was helping him settle into a new area. Here’s what he had to say:

“I moved to Bar Harbor slowly, starting in September of last year. My godson visits quite regularly and always spoke of the area fondly. I’d visited in the past but not very recently. My brother-in-law owned a vacation house in the area and I decided to go along with my godson when he invited me last summer. I had recently retired and had a lot of time on my hands. Shortly after my visit, my brother-in-law was offered early retirement. This meant he would have to sell the vacation home. I decided instead to take over the payments, he’d already paid off half of the house, I’d make the rest of the payments and we would share it. Upon another visit in September I decided to make it my permanent home. I spent the next few months living part time in Maine and New York and I only finally moved all my stuff up here a few weeks ago. My beloved wife had loved the area in her youth. I wanted to retrace her steps and live for myself the memories she had shared with me from her childhood.

Before I moved I used Facebook a bit. I tend to keep to myself and my godson set me up with a Facebook account and then my Twitter account to make sure I would keep in touch with everyone. Bar Harbor is very quiet in the winter and I love that about the area.

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This Week In Business: One Person Edition

By on February 24, 2010 in This Week In Business

Sometimes, all it takes is one person to make a difference. This week, I salute that one person, and the many forms they came in:

My friend Matt and I had one person sign up for our workshop…and hopefully more to come.
We took the plunge and Matt and I went forward with our presentation idea. We reserved the room. We advertised the presentation to our networks. We bought the projector and screen (nothing like the thrill and terror of spending $850 in 5 minutes). I began to panic this week when no one was signing up. Did we charge too much? Was it too early to hope for more enthusiasm? Did we schedule this workshop the wrong time of year?

And just when I was second guessing the whole thing, someone signed up. And paid. Insert sigh of relief here.

Here’s hoping for a few more participants. For more information or to sign up yourself, click here.

I’ll be presenting to the Deer Isle-Stonington Chamber of Commerce, and as part of the Schoodic Arts Festival this summer.
Based on my Ellsworth Chamber presentation, I booked two more speaking gigs for the coming months.

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Marketing Monday: The Juice 2.0 Conference

By on November 16, 2009 in Current Affairs

If you want to organize a good conference, take a lead from the Juice 2.0 folks! Meanwhile, if you think your business should be profiled as part of Marketing Monday, do contact me.

What I Learned Losing The Juice 2.0 Conference Pitch Contest

In my world, no news is bad news. If I have something good to say, I’ll change my status update of Facebook, tweet, write a blog, or call my mother (or all four).

It is no coincidence that I was pretty quiet online Friday and Saturday, in part because I didn’t even make round one of the pitch session. (And in part because there was no working internet connection at this conference!).

I will say that the conference was a worthwhile one to attend and that I will go back when they have the follow-up version two years from now. Here are some general observations from my two days at Juice 2.0 Conference:

 

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This Week(s) In Business: Tweetup Edition

By on November 5, 2009 in This Week In Business
I usually publish ‘This Week In Business’ on the blog Wednesday or Thursday of each week. I realized Sunday I didn’t do it last week. D’oh!
I have been quite scatterbrained these last two weeks (you can see further examples of my recent flakiness on Facebook). I am going to attribute it to the move and being busy and just try to get back on schedule this week.
Despite what some people believe, I actually maintain a separate personal and internet life, with Facebook being the point of intersection, so it’s always interesting when I meet people from my internet life in person. And it was a week of meet and greet at Breaking Even Communications.

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