The Public Speakers Guide to an Effective Holliday Toast

Do you know how to give a Christmas or holiday party toast?

Like many people you will be spending time with friends, family, and co workers for the holiday season. Over the years I have witnessed terrible attempts at offering a toast. A toast is meant to motivate and inspire the guests. There are different approaches to offering an effective holiday toast. You can go the funny route or decide to deliver a heartfelt toast. It is totally up to you, the circumstances and your audience.

In this post I will reveal 5 things to do when giving a holiday toast:

K.I.S.S.

Keep it simple silly! You may enjoy the spotlight or you maybe super nervous either way that can be a cue to ramble. You want to avoid giving a 15 minute toast people are at the holiday party to socialize, eat, and drink and believe me you don’t want to be the person preventing that. An effective toast should be no longer than 5 minutes and even that is pushing it. 

Be Sincere 

You were selected to give the toast for a reason so you should explain early in your toast why. Explain your relationship to the person and the reason why they deserve a toast. Also keep in mind that it is not about you. 

Tell a Story

People need to be entertained. Did you know our attention spans are shorter than a goldfish? According to Statistic Brain a humans attention span in 2012 is 8 seconds and a goldfish is 9 seconds. You feel honored to give a toast and you should know enough about that person to formulate a theme and a quick story. Share whatever will tie into your toast and make the listers listen, follow and understand the reason for the toast.

No Inside Jokes

You probably know the person being toasted very well but, you should avoid referencing any inside jokes as part of your toast. You do not want to alienate the other guests because they won’t know what you are talking about. 

Have Fun

Don’t stress too much it is only 3 - 5 minutes. If you mess up really bad remember after a few “special holiday eggnogs” it will be a thought in the wind. This time of year is about spending it with people that you love and creating memories. 

Have you thought prepping for your holiday toast?

Facebook Changes Again

Change.. everybody loves change right?

A few weeks ago Facebook changed their News Feed algorithm. The algorithm determines what content you see in your News Feed. Before content from the friends and business pages that you previously Liked or frequently interact with were more likely to show up in your News Feed. 

With the most recent change Facebook is still placing an emphasis on producing and sharing quality content. When Facebook changed the algorithm they stated that, “high quality articles” will be given priority and the, “latest meme” craze will be given lower priority.

If you have a business page on Facebook this change has probably affected your analytics. Many brand pages experienced a huge decline in organic reach and organic reach percentage since the first week of December. I don't think you should be super worried because you should be focused on forming relationships with your community and not just the numbers. 

Action Steps to Deal with the Change

Like I have always preached my whole career take your consumer off social media bring them into your sales funnel via email lists.

Focus on producing great content that your target audience can benefit from. I think it is great that links to relevant articles or blog posts will receive higher rank in the News Feed. 

Make an interest list of all your friends and followers that frequently engage with your Page so you can send post directly to them.

What do you think of the most recent Facebook changes? 

Amazing Content Marketing Tips for Public Speakers

There has been a shift in the way consumers purchase products and interact with brands or businesses. The popularity of social networking took the marketing world by storm. Social networking is the reason why the marketing industry has changed.

If you are a public speaker believe it or not, that is a form of content marketing. Speaking is a type of content marketing that removes the middle man. The focus of content marketing is having the ability to communicate with your target audience and what better way than public speaking? With a live crowd you definitely have to be engaging, compelling, interesting, and offer some great value. Be your best voice for your business and get out there and start telling people what problems you solve.

Content Marketing is huge because:

- Consumers can see reviews, complaints, and suggestions all with a simple search or glance online

- Consumers do not hesitate to tell friends and family about good or bad service. Word of mouth advertisement has always been huge but with social networking, telling your immediate friends and family has turned into telling the world.

-There are also many other businesses that target the same audience as you. You just need to stand out, by showcasing your personality and what makes you and your business unique. You want people to like and trust you. If 3 people are selling the exact same chocolate bars, you have to figure out what different approach you bring to the table to win the consumers business.

You Can Repurpose your Public Speech

Speech to Graphics If you used a slide show during the original presentation you can turn that content into a PDF training or e-Book. You will have to edit it so that it can stand alone as a product without your speech backing it up. This can be a great opt - in giveaway. Check out Slideshare.net

Speech to Video I recommend video taping your entire presentation. That will be a way for you to critique your speech and develop a plan of things you can work on. You can also use the footage to make a highlight reel or you can break the presentation down into smaller pieces. 

Speech to Text You can also transcribe your speech. You will not be able to use it word for word but it will be a great start to a blog post. You can also break your speech down into a series of blog updates with proper planning.

I personally think many successful businesses have been using the content marketing approach for many years before it actually became the “thing to do.” It is all about forming valuable relationships with the consumer. If you are trying to grow your business content marketing will help you get there.

Social Media for Authors

As a business owner and entrepreneur you may have noticed that there are many social media platforms out there and you may feel overwhelmed.

In this blog post I will cover the 5 Social Media sites that are best fitted for authors. Social media marketing is effective because that is where the consumers are. You do not have to be everywhere but I want you to pick a social network that you want to master then move on from there. Below are the top social media sites and what they offer. You must enter any social media site with a goal of self promoting to get your book in as many hands as possible. 

1. Facebook – Nearly everyone is already on this website, and that includes companies and other entities more concerned with business than “pure” personal socialization. Authors can get a lot out of Facebook since it allows for a variety of media on its pages. Facebook have very powerful targeting capabilities too. Once you narrow down on your target market and what they like you can directly target these people with Facebook ads and status boost options.

Facebook is great for visual updates on your book, for instance: photos of key events, characters, locations in your book can help your readers get a full understanding of your book and behind the scenes.

2. LinkedIn – This is a great resource for those with books that deal specifically with something of interest to the business world. LinkedIn’s demographic has a higher average household income per user than most other sites—Facebook and Twitter included—and most people logging into it do so for rather more serious business than your average social networking site. LinkedIn is considered the 'serious' site there is no direct sales here. LinkedIn is used to target any businesses or organizations that would be interested in your book.

To get the most out of LinkedIn, follow these quick tips:

Quick Tips for LinedIn
1. Optimize and complete your profile for your industry. Make sure you are using keywords that will help your ideal customer find you.

2. Join groups and be social! LinkedIn allows you to join up to 50 groups. You want to join groups that your target market would frequent. Think outside the box here you will be surprise in the many different ways you can connect with consumers.

3. Make sure you have a great profile picture. A professional headshot with you smiling and showing your pearly whites is perfect. No videos with friends, family, or pets. Stay Professional.

3. YouTube – This is one of the best social media marketing resources online: Youtube. People love quick videos. Videos also help your audience connect with you and the human behind the brand.  If you know people who review or talk about stuff related to your topic or book on their channels, you can simply send them a message and invite them to talk about your book in exchange for something like a free copy. This way, you get videos talking about you out to your target audience.

4. Twitter – Twitter is  full of live conversation from people all around the world. Twitter moves fast it allows you to update short tweets throughout the day. Be sure to tease the reader into wanting more info so they will buy your book. When you use Twitter to market your book, steer clear of direct sales pitches (or, at least, of using them alone). You should try to intrigue people before even directing them to a sales page, and the best way to do that is to tweet information or useful ideas from the book—as opposed to ones that are simply about it.

5. Google+ - Google+ can function much like Facebook— with even wider integration in your other web activities—and you can promote your books with it by joining relevant communities and circles as well as participating in events that may be popular with your target market. 

 Remember to focus on sharing great content then find away to work your sales into your activity. 

Why Your Website Needs Video

My VIP Video Days are rapidly approaching. The next one is Friday, November 8, 2013. We have 2 entreprnuers coming in town to learn effective video techniques. Everything I teach is effective and something an entrepreneur on a shoestring budget can accomplish.

If you want to learn:

• How to make a $50,000.00 production about you and your company for only pennies on the dollar....a video like this will help you SMASH your competitors.
• All about video equipment like tripods, lights, microphones, ear prompters, clamps, diffusion, gels, etc.. . . what you need and what you don't need and how to buy it cheapl

 Come visit me at The Retreat Center in Virginia Beach, VA we have the following date available:

Friday, November 22, 2013 1 Slot

Follow this link if you want to learn more VIP Video Day

I also found this great info graphic on Visual.ly the shows why having great video is important to your web presence.

Explore more infographics like this one on the web's largest information design community - Visually.

3 Quick Tips for Self Publishing Authors

Many authors are choosing the option to self publish their book on the kindle platform. Social media should become a priority when you are trying to create a buzz for your book. You should have a strategic approach because if done correctly social media can help you market your book effectively. If you feel totally confused and not sure where to start this blog post is for you. I am going to cover 3 mistakes that authors make everyday and how to fix them quickly.

1. No plan for Social Media 

 You log in to your social media accounts, like a few posts, update a link then log out. Deep down you know that you should use your time better but just don’t know what to do to stay focused on your goals.

Recommendation: Schedule your time and start thinking of yourself as an business. To be effective on social media you need:

1. To create and publish your own content

2. Get ideas from other people in your industry to stay current

3. Read articles and blog posts so that you can share your thoughts about what you read with your community.

4. ENGAGE you have to get out there and talk to people in your industry.

2. Develop a relationship with reviewers 

Just like you, reviewers are busy. If you think that requesting reviews by emailing  or messaging different book bloggers will get you reviews, think again!

Recommendation: Establish a relationship with different book bloggers. You can start out by leaving comments on their blog, re-tweeting their posts, or asking for advice. This is a much more friendly and strategic approach so when you are ready to ask for a review you will not be a complete stranger.

3. Don’t automate everything 

Yes scheduled tweets and updates help save a lot of time but it is counter productive if you don’t back them up by actually engaging with your community.

Recommendation: Join the conversation! Being social will help people learn who the human is behind the book. Your target audience wants to know you! Reach out and talk to people. Post 80 percent content 20 percent marketing.

These are 3 really quick tips that any author can implement into their current social media strategy to market their book.

I also wanted to let you know if you are seriously considering the self publishing option I recommend you invest in one of the best and most updated Amazon Kindle courses out. It is by far the best I have seen. The course titled Kindling covers making money with fiction and non fiction books. 
So follow this link  http://jvz8.com/c/41743/3813 so you can get started publishing correctly on Kindle today!

Great Book Marketing Strategies for Authors

I am currently in Las Vegas, NV for Author 101 this weekend. The event goes until Sunday October 27, 2013, so far I have had a great time speaking and connecting with other authors, publishers, and entrepreneurs. 

It is a known fact that many people want to write a book but few get past writing the first chapter. There are common struggles associated with authors that took the leap and have a book out. A common obstacle many authors face is how to market their book. Finding a way to share your unique words with the world does not have to be a mystery. There are many techniques that many top selling authors follow and I found this cool infograpic that covers common strategies authors use the market their book. Check it out below! 

 

Explore more infographics like this one on the web's largest information design community - Visually.

Hashtags, They are Your Friend

Hashtags are everywhere! Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest, Tumblr, Instagram, and Google+ all use hashtags. Do you completely understand how they can help your business? 

Hashtags help Internet marketers communicate online. It is very important you know how to implement hashtags into your social media marketing strategy. Hashtags allow you to join conversations about anything that is relevant to your industry with real time public conversations being displayed. Think of keywords, use targeted keywords to get the best results. You should use this feature to engage with consumers and stay current with the news in your industry. A marketer can also add hashtags in an advertising campaigns to amplify your reach over multiple social networks. 

Hashtags are a great way to organize content and be active on the current trends. I have seen some hashtag abuse so I am offering a few suggestions to make sure you are getting the most bang for your efforts. 

Hashtag Etiquette 


1. Make sure your hashtag relates to your message. Do not add hashtags to a message if it has nothing to do with the message, that is considered hashtag spamming. It will also make you look like you don't know what you are doing. Consumers don't want to search #Dogs and end up seeing a picture of a bird in the results. 

2. Keep your hashtags short and to the point. Three words should be the maximum for a single hashtag. Anything longer becomes really hard to read and your message may be lost in translation. For example; #HashtagsThatTurnIntoSentencesAndGoesOnForALongTimeAreAnnoying. 

3. Use hashtags to help build brand awareness. By creating a unique hashtag for your business you are starting a new real-time feed with that particular hashtag. So when a consumer clicks on your unique hashtag they will pull up your businesses messages, pictures, or links. An unique hashtag will also help you get noticed and bring attention back to your business. 

4. Do not hashtag every word in your message. A message with a lot of hashtags is hard for the consumer to read, so focus on the subject of your message and add your hashtags at the end. 

5. No spaces between words. If you want to make your hashtag easier to read use capital letters #SocialMediaMarketing will pull up the same results as #socialmediamarketing 

6. Punctuation marks and special characters are not supported. 

7. Search using hashtags you will be amazed to find out all the valuable info that is hiding behind some of the most used hashtag in social media. 

Hashtags are great tool for marketers and now that all the major social networks are supporting clickable hashtags this will be very helpful when trying to engage with the consumer. 

Popular Hashtags for Professional Speakers 

#Speakers 
#Coaches 
#Consultants 
#Authors 
#entrepreneurs 
#innovation 
#business 
#Keynote

Effective Linking Strategies for 2014

Are you trying to get high rankings in Google without getting in trouble?

Backlinking is critical to search engine positioning. Many strategies that worked in the past are not effective anymore. I put on an educational webinar that covers the best link building techniques to get your site ranking better in Google.

“Linking Strategies 2014: How to Get High Rankings in Google without Getting in Trouble”

This powerful webinar replay is available for download now.

You will learn:

=> The major change announcements by Google that could hurt your site  terribly if you continue to use old link building techniques.

=> “Link Schemes” . . . do one of these and you may get a manual review by Google…And believe me you don’t want that.

=> Why link building by itself isn’t the holy grail of high Google rankings . . . you must add one specific thing to your site or Google doesn’t trust you.

=> How even if you do things perfectly, one simple, yet little known new technique could sink your site.

=> 3 Things I used to teach that used to be good, but will now kill your chances of success . . . sorry about that, but if there’s one  thing for sure about the net…it’s going to change and you must
change with it.

=> The most current ways to get “natural” links that will never get you in trouble with Google . . .Even though they’re current, I’ve been doing them for years.

=> What you can continue doing safely in your link building efforts.

=> How to keep Google from thinking that your site is part of a ”Bad Neighborhood” of sites.
And like all my teleclasses, you’ll get much, much more.

 Download the Linking Strategy  webinar here!

Digital Media: Knock, Knock Newspapers Are You There?

Digital media is changing everything about traditional advertising. All business owners should have a social media strategy, so that they can capitalize on this fast changing medium. Make sure you know where to put your advertising dollars so you can reach your target market. The numbers below may surprise you.

Facebook Hashtags

Facebook is finally on board and they have added support for the #hashtag. Users will be able to search and click on hashtags to see other status updates, pictures, and links that are using the same hashtag. Hashtags are basically the subject of the messages, and it makes it easier for users to find content on Facebook. Hastags are also now live on the iOS native app. Facebook users can engage with hashtags the way they do on their desktop via the iOS mobile app.

Twitter, Flickr, Tumblr, Google+, Pinterest, and Instagram have already been using the hashtag to organize content. When you click on a hashtag in Facebook you will see a feed of what other people and business pages are saying about that particular event or topic. Hashtags do not override the current Facebook privacy settings, you can only search public posts and content posted by your friends.

This is great news for Internet marketers because you will be able to join conversations about anything that is relevant to your industry with real time public conversations being displayed. Think of keywords, targeted keywords are great to use for a hashtag search. You should use this feature to engage with consumers and stay current with the news in your industry. A marketer can also add hashtags in an advertising campaigns to amplify your reach over multiple social networks.

Hashtags are a great way to organize content but there are a few suggestions that an Internet marketer should know to make sure you are getting the most bang for your efforts.

Hashtag Etiquette 

1. Make sure your hashtag relates to your message. Do not add hashtags to a message if it has nothing to do with the message, that is considered hashtag spamming. It will also make you look like you don't know what you are doing. Consumers don't want to search #Dogs and end up seeing a picture of a bird in the results. 

2. Keep your hashtags short and to the point. Three words should be the maximum for a single hashtag. Anything longer becomes really hard to read and your message may be lost in translation. For example; #HashtagsThatTurnIntoSentencesAndGoesOnForALongTimeAreAnnoying.

3. Use hashtags to help build brand awareness. By creating a unique hashtag for your business you are starting a new real-time feed with that particular hashtag. So when a consumer clicks on your unique hashtag they will pull up your businesses messages, pictures, or links. An unique hashtag will also help you get noticed and bring attention back to your business.

4. Do not hashtag every word in your message. A message with a lot of hashtags is hard for the consumer to read, so focus on the subject of your message and add your hashtags at the end.

Hashtags are great tool for marketers and now that all the major social networks are supporting clickable hashtags this will be very helpful when trying to engage with the consumer. 

How Authors use Publicity to Make Massive Book Sales

I have a complementary teleclass tonight with Rick Frishman Thursday, August 8th, 2013  9:00 PM Eastern Time that authors, speakers, entrepreneurs, and consultants can benefit from if you are serious about taking your business to the next level. 

Rick Frishman is the founder of Planned Television Arts, and has been one of the leading book publicists in America for over 30 years. He's worked with many of the top book editors, literary agents and publishers in America, including Simon and Schuster, Random House, Wiley, Harper Collins, Pocket Books, Penguin Putnam, and Hyperion Books. Join us tonight for: 

"How Authors use Publicity to Make Massive Book Sales"

You will discover:

• How to become an author in 5 easy steps and in less than 90 days.
• Real life stories about the "legends" in the business and what you can learn from them.
• Understanding the differences between retainers and "pay for placement" PR and why it's important to you.
• What does a publicity department do for you at a publishing firm and what that means for you. Designing a press release that will generate results and get the media to pick up the phone and call you. How to get published in the traditional manner and not get taken advantage of.
• Tips and techniques to generating "back of the room sales" to maximize your revenue at speaking engagements.

YOU MUST BE PRESENT TO WIN ONE OF 16 FREE TICKETS TO AUTHOR 101 UNIVERSITY

Register and view the details HERE! 

One Stop Shop with the New Facebook for Business Hub

Facebook has launched a brand new Facebook for Business hub, which will grow into their one stop shop for all of the different marketing and advertising resources available on the platform. Facebook wants to make it easier for businesses to advertise and market themselves so they are offering helpful tips, techniques, case studies, and video that any online marketer can use to grow their business all in one spot.

Facebook for Business offers the Facebook Basics section which is a beginners guide for setting up a business page. Any business looking to set up a page, find their target market, and advertise on the platform will find this section helpful. The tips and techniques on the site break down how online marketers can monetize their network by building brand awareness and launching a new product.

Facebook offers business owners different marketing approaches based on their predetermined goals. The options include drive in store sales, increase online sales, launch a new product, build awareness, and promote your app.

If you already know the basics for managing your Facebook page, the new site offers a great list of case studies that you can filter through   and use for inspiration. If you are new to the social platform the new Facebook for Business page can definitely streamline the process for you.Take some time out of your day and check out the Facebook for Business page, you may learn something new.

What is The Drive By Virus?

In the anti-scam work I do for my @ScamBrigade Twitter Account I discovered an extremely scary virus that locks your computer, takes a picture of you on a webcam and puts the picture on a

child pornography warning. The bad guys / girls then threaten to distribute it if you don't send them money.

Hope this keeps you safe:

Tom Antion

Master Making Video and YouTube in One Course

I have been having so much fun making videos lately. If you have an iPad or iPhone you can create beautiful videos for your business also with a couple of proven techniques and tips. Once you begin to create professional looking videos in half  the time and without having expensive equipment you will take your business to the next level. It is so easy to make video for YouTube, after you finish the course you will be mad you haven't taken advantage of video marketing sooner.

Producing a professional looking video to drive traffic to your website will help take your business to the next level. The consumer wants to see you, they want to put a face with your brand and services. Give the people what they want, by setting up a YouTube channel to share your knowledge and content. I want to show you how to get more views and drive people to your website with video marketing. Check out my 'YouTube Market Mastery' course to start making professional looking videos without having a full crew. 

Whats your Content Marketing Strategy?

There has been a shift in the way consumers purchase products and interact with brands or businesses. The popularity of social networking took the marketing world by storm. Social networking is the reason why the marketing industry has changed.

- Consumers can see reviews, complaints, and suggestions all with a simple search or glance at their timeline.

- Consumers do not hesitate to tell friends and family about good or bad service. Word of mouth advertisement has always been huge but with social networking, telling your immediate friends and family has turned into telling your whole network.

-There are also many other businesses that target the same audience as you. You just need to stand out, by showcasing your personality and what makes you and your business unique. You want people to like and trust you. If 3 people are selling the exact same chocolate bars, you have to figure out what different approach will win the consumers business.

Content marketing has become a popular marketing technique because there is a lot of competition and the consumer has the ability to easily access data that can quickly influence their buying decision. As a business owner you have to set yourself apart from the crowd. Content marketing shows the consumer that you are in business to help them, you understand their needs and wants, you value any time they spend with your products or services, and you appreciate their loyalty to your brand. You are in the process of forming true relationships and not just trying to get a sale so, naturally you should say,“Thank you!” Show the consumer you appreciate them, even if they haven’t bought anything yet, they will soon.

I personally think many successful businesses have been using the content marketing approach many years before it actually became the thing “thing to do.” It is all about forming valuable relationships with the consumer.

Don’t get discouraged if you don’t completely understand how content marketing can help your business. Once you establish specific goals it will become easier to understand. Content marketing is not a new Internet trend; this is something you should get a full understanding of if you plan to be successful online. Content Marketing is a streamlined approach to a few different techniques that have been around for years.

1. Pick a niche market.

2. Make specific goals  and define what you want to achieve. Instead of saying you want more sales you should narrow it down. Setting specific goals like, I want to start creating more tutorials or I want to include more videos for readers are greet goals.

3. Define your target audience. Knowing the demographics of your ideal audience will help you streamline your content because you will know exactly who you are trying to reach with your content.

4. Start thinking like the consumer that is in the market for your products or services so you can offer solutions to their problems. Listen actively so you can relate to the consumer.

5. Find key people in your niche constantly and learn from them.

6. Offer free content to your target audience through the platform that agrees most with your product or services. Social networking, e-Books, webinars, blogs, articles, video, slideshows, audio files, white papers, and newsletters are all platforms that you can use to reach out to your consumer. Having diversity in the content you share will allow you to reach the most people possible in your target audience.

7. Make sure all your content is conversational, engaging, and timely. Free is good but don’t just throw something together because it is free. It has to be something of value. The consumer will see right through any halfhearted attempts to offer free content that is junk or old material.

What are some of your Content marketing approaches for your online business?

Self Publish on Kindle

Forrester research revealed that 25 million people in the U.S. own an e-reader and 54 million have a tablet. Those numbers are predicted to grow in the future. Amazon Kindle eBooks represents one of the best and low risk opportunities that business owners can use to change their financial fortunes forever.

By self publishing on Kindle you can:

- Create useful content that you can turn into a larger eBook, into content rich articles, or blog posts to keep your audience updated on current trends.

- Establish trust and creditability with your target audience. Having a well put together eBook will help with establishing you as an expert in your field.

- Save a lot of money vs. the traditional publishing method.

- Add clickable links back to your website to drive traffic.

- Place yourself in a position to get more leads and sales.

 As an internet marketer you should cater to the different lifestyles and learning styles of your target audience and by having your book on Kindle you will be able to reach more people that need your services, or products.

Finally Facebook Supports #Hashtags

Facebook is finally on board and they have added support for the #hashtag. Users will be able to search and click on hashtags to see other status updates, pictures, and links that are using the same hashtag. Hashtags are basically the subject of the messages, and it makes it easier for users to find content on Facebook.

Twitter, Flickr, Tumblr, Google+, Pinterest, and Instagram have already been using the hashtag to organize content. When you click on a hashtag in Facebook you will see a feed of what other people and business pages are saying about that particular event or topic. Hashtags do not override the current Facebook privacy settings, you can only search public posts and content posted by your friends.

This is great news for Internet marketers because you will be able to join conversations about anything that is relevant to your industry with real time public conversations being displayed. Think of keywords, targeted keywords are great to use for a hashtag search. You should use this feature to engage with consumers and stay current with the news in your industry. A marketer can also add hashtags in an advertising campaigns to amplify your reach over multiple social networks.

Hashtags are a great way to organize content but there are a few suggestions that an Internet marketer should know to make sure you are getting the most bang for your efforts.

Hashtag Etiquette 

1. Make sure your hashtag relates to your message. Do not add hashtags to a message if it has nothing to do with the message, that is considered hashtag spamming. It will also make you look like you don't know what you are doing. Consumers don't want to search #Dogs and end up seeing a picture of a bird in the results. 

2. Keep your hashtags short and to the point. Three words should be the maximum for a single hashtag. Anything longer becomes really hard to read and your message may be lost in translation. For example; #HashtagsThatTurnIntoSentencesAndGoesOnForALongTimeAreAnnoying  

3. Use hashtags to help build brand awareness. By creating a unique hashtag for your business you are starting a new real-time feed with that particular hashtag. So when a consumer clicks on your unique hashtag they will pull up your businesses messages, pictures, or links. An unique hashtag will also help you get noticed and bring attention back to your business.

4. Do not hashtag every word in your message. A message with a lot of hashtags is hard for the consumer to read, so focus on the subject of your message and add your hashtags at the end.

Hashtags are great tool for marketers and now that all the major social networks are supporting clickable hashtags this will be very helpful when trying to engage with the consumer. 

What is a Klout Score?

If you are using social media to market your professional speaking services or products keep reading to reveal how it can help improve your social media marketing. 

What is a Klout Score? 

Your Klout Score represents your social media influence with a number between 1 and 100, 100 being the best. Your Klout score gives you a way to grade yourself on social media. As a business owner you should try to at least keep your Klout Score over 50 in order to be considered an expert in your business niche. 

I always stress the importance of writing creative, engaging posts to create brand awareness. As a business owner you should understand what the score means, what it doesn't mean, and how to improve your score. A professional speaker should use social media to interact with consumers to create a buzz surrounding your services or products. 

Klout.com says that it "examines more than 400 variables on multiple social networks beyond your number of followers and friends" in order to assign a score. I believe to get the full benefits of using Klout you should take your actual Klout score with a grain of salt. Instead take full advantage of the other features that are available once you sign up and link your social media accounts. 

The additional features that Klout offers: 

- The ability to see top influencers in your industry. 

- Klout Perks which are exclusive offers that you can earn based off your influence, topics, and location. 

- Topics that are frequent in your industry. 

Klout gives business owners a blueprint so that they can better take advantage of social media to grow a business. 

3 Ways Google Trends Can Benefit your Small Business

Are you a business owner and ever want to know...
The popular search terms in your industry?
Current trends?
What your customers are talking about?
How your competition is doing?

Well, with Google Trends you can answer all of those questions plus more. Google Trends is a free tool that displays search query information, it analyzes Google web searches for a selected term. Instead of showing the number of people that have searched for a particular term, Google Trends will display a graph that shows how popular a search term has been over a time period.
Google has the largest catalog of keywords so using this tool for a small business is important and can be very useful.

Here are 3 ways that business owners can use Google Trends:

1. Effective keyword research, Google Trends allows you to see the most popular keywords and it also makes suggestions for related keywords. This information can be used to create SEO friendly content for your business.

2. Get inspiration for new content ideas for blogs, articles, or social media networks. You can search current terms and see what people are talking about in relation to your business and industry. You can also spot trends and see the locations in the world with the most interest. You can attract more traffic to your business website by staying up to date with any changes in your industry.

3. Spy on your competition by analyzing what keywords and terms they use that has been successful or ones that you should stay away from. As a business owner Google Trends should be used to support your marketing campaigns. Google Trends can help you reveal great options when trying to create unique and up to date content for your business.

Distance Education Night Classes

Having a daytime job should not stop you from furthering your career. At the Internet Marketing Training Center of Virginia, you can get a certificate in as little as six months and jump start your dreams.
Having the option to take classes online and at your own schedule is one of the perks that make IMTC a great choice for continuing your education in Internet Marketing. Visit the site to download your free career guide. Certified to operate by the State Council of Higher Education for Virginia.

Winning The Game of Money

I am so excited that my complimentary telesummit had a great turn out. If you were listening live, I would like to personally say, Thank you for your support! If you missed it don't worry we will be sending out a link to the recordings very soon. We had 3 nights of fantastic speakers and presentations, the attendees were impressed by all the knowledge they learned in order to grow their businesses.

Last night the special guest speaker was John Assaref he is a successful entrepreneur, researcher, and brain expert. John shared his valuable knowledge covering the latest in brain research and how understanding it can take you to levels of success you never believed you could achieve. He wants you to overcome any mental obstacles that hold you back from achieving your life's purpose and goals.

John focuses on retraining your brain to overcome your fears, grow your business, and to stop the cycle of procrastinating so you can be successful. Last night many of the attendees that were listening live took advantage of John's "Winning the Game of Money: Complete Brain Retraining System" because they are ready to change their mindset and achieve their own life goals. He is offering a great deal on his proven system, you will learn how to master your mindset and stop the self doubt so that you can reach the lifestyle you always dreamed of.

Get John Assaraf's Complete Brain Retraining System here.

Search Engine Optimization and SEO

http://www.greatinternetmarketingtraining.com

Tom discusses 13 critical points where SEO can help a website.

Complimentary Telesummit Perfect for Public Speakers

I'm putting on a spectacular complimentary telesummit April 16-18,2013

Can't make it? Register anyway and get the recording.



I have 7 spectacular presenters lined up for the event that you can listen to in the comfort of your own home or office. If you know me, I don't mess around and I won't deal with anyone who isn't world class so you can be sure his lineup of speakers will rock your world.

Each day I'll start a 7:00 PM Eastern time:

Tuesday April 16th 7:00 PM - 9:30 PM

Wednesday April 17th 7:00 PM - 10:30 PM

Thursday April 18th 7:00 PM - 10:00 PM



Here are the presenters:



=> Rick Frishman, Celebrity publicist and promoter of Author 101 seminars.

=> My first geek, Ilya Pozin (who is now a millionaire)

=> David Riklan from the famous megasite SelfGrowth.com

=> Rick Barnes a highly accomplished and sought-after educational speaker

=> The "Internet Audio and Video Guy" Mike Stewart.

=> Superstar Entrepreneur, Researcher, & Brain Expert John Assaraf

=> Jeff Herring, the "King of Content Creation"

Register here and you will be signed up for all three dates:

https://www3.gotomeeting.com/register/698474294

You're going to learn a ton at this telesummit.

I'll see you there.

Tom Antion

https://www3.gotomeeting.com/register/698474294

Professional Speaking Career

++-http://www.AmazingPublicSpeaking.com

Getting paid to speak can be very lucrative in more ways than one. Over 450 public and professional speaking videos

Tom Antion's "Top 20 Seminar Scams to Avoid" + An Update

I highly suggest you print this document out and take it with you to any seminar you attend and pass it on to anyone you know who attends seminars.

http://www.Antion.com/top20seminarscams.htm

Some of the biggest names you know are totally involved in robbing you. When you read the article pay special attention to the use of "Dumbass Celebrity" endorsements and how they are used to screw you over.

Also, don't forget to watch my "Top 20" webinar at http://www.TomAntionWebinars.com about the sociopathic minds in the seminar industry."

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Quote by famous scammer: "If you think you can't be scammed, I want to meet you."

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Update on my anti-scam work:

=> Two shows being shopped in Hollywood http://www.SeminarScammers.com
http://www.ScamBrigade.com (you can volunteer here for Antion's Army)

=> One documentary in development

=> I'm doing lots of consumer advocate TV segments http://www.ScamBrigade.com/press-room

=> Have a former White House staffer teaching me the ropes of how to get the government and FTC involved and introducing me to congressional leaders. (I'm always happy for introductions to any anti-scam people you know who would like to hear about my work.)

=> I was contacted by the producer of a major network investigative show (he talked to me for almost an hour about the "Top 20 Article above") I also pointed him directly to my main target list of scammers.

=> I'm making my main targets household names at every white collar crime organization.

=> I've got eyes and ears on the bad guy's and girl's seminars. I love getting texts from audience members when the seminar leader starts to pull one of the scams.

=> I know I'm making headway because I've caused the generation of refunds - even though the scammers force people to sign a gag order to get their refund the people getting the refunds run to me to tell me about it anyway.

Also, some of the dipshits are putting high security on their seminars and almost frisking you at the door. Anyway, please volunteer for Antion's Army at http://www.ScamBrigade.com. At the site there is a listing of all the types of people we need from researchers, to security people to undercover investigators.

Be careful and guard your wallet. These professional level sociopaths will say anything, do anything and act anyway necessary to rob you.

Tom Antion

Consumer Advocate

Jeff Herring Testimonial For Tom Antion's Training

Jeff is the number one man in the world teaching article marketing. Check out http://www.InstantArticleTemplates.com and Tom's mentor program http://www.GreatInternetMarketingTraining.com

Tom Antion Internet Marketing Home Based Business

Great Internet Marketing See Tom Antion discuss Internet marketing on the national talk show Leading Experts. Tom tells host Jeff Hockings about the many easy to implement revenue streams you can have because of low cost Internet tools and cheap websites.

Elaine Wright Testimonial for the Great Internet Marketing Retreat Center

Elaine Giftos Wright explains how her visit to Tom Antion's Great Internet Marketing Retreat Center helped her business. Learn how you can take part in this unique experience:

Tom Antion's Retreat Center

Tom Has A Sale Every Monday!

Have you heard about Tom Antion's Mobile Monday Discount Club yet? Tom, The King of Ka-Ching has a collection of informational audio seminars that he wants to share with you at deep discounts. The Mobile Monday Discount Club is free to join and every Monday Tom discounts one of his best selling products and sends a text message out to all his subscribers so they can download the audio directly to their smartphone or on your personal computer. Tom will include great tips, tricks, and advice from his grab bag of goodies so you can start making more money from your business online.

Tom has been a consistent and influential force in Internet Marketing for more than 18 years and the professional speaking arena for 23 years and he is not done yet. He wants to share his knowledge so that you too can become successful on the Internet. Take your business to the next level at a fraction of the cost by joining The Mobile Monday Discount Club.

TO JOIN The Mobile Monday Discount Club today Text "ANTION" TO 69302 to receive special offers delivered directly to your mobile device. (Please do not include quotations)

Need help texting? Click Here for step-by-step instructions so you wont miss any of Tom's awesome offers.