Old vs New Media
This is a great 40 minute video from Leo Laporte. He muses on years in broadcast cable TV and what I perceive the lack of forward thinking that many have in TV, radio and newspaper. He refers to tech, but I think that this can be translated into many other niches like Real Estate, Financing or whatever. I know a person that is having great success with gardening. Pay special attention what he says about “Brand” and television. It will really open your eyes.
So, lets narrowcast…go to where the people are looking for you. Google and Facebook, not tv or newspaper.
It is getting cheaper all the time to start a blog, podcasting (that Leo says is dead or dying it needs to be made simpler), you can start your own show with little or no upfront costs by streaming live.
Being live and interactive is a key, you must be an active participant to get what you want.
Dave
special thanks to @umgoblue for bringing this video to my attention.
How and Why are you using Social Media
I came across this video the other day and I thought I would share it.
It shows what is happening in advertising on radio, TV and newspaper. I have long been teaching that using these methods are both a time and money waster. We need to be looking at what is coming soon. Where is Social Media taking us? Where are you willing to go for it?
I use a Blackberry and I know some use an iPhone, and there are new phones coming out all the time. Netbooks are the new rage, but for how long?
Look at the amount of information that is available to us today compared to when our parents were kids and go back to the “little house on the prairie”
Any questions
Dave
Social Media – not just for kids
Every day, I am asked about Social Media. My presence while still small is growing. I am not where I want to be in terms of my SM presence, but it is growing everyday. I am learning everyday. This video is a great representation of what is going on in Social Media and the tools you can be using to grow your business.
If you have any questions just give me a call. Really, please, what ever happens in Vegas…lets keep in Vegas.
Twitter in Person, TweetUP, the Northwest Indiana Way
TweetUp! The NWI TweetUp
As Social Media grows it also grows around Northwest Indiana and the the need to be…Well, social grows as well!
It is not merely enough to just sit in your office, your home or the bunker and expect business and new friends to just roll in. There are so many opportunities out there for networking with local chambers, BNI, other lead groups across Northwest Indiana, but the one that I am really enjoying that meets on a monthly basis is the local TweetUp. You can do a search for it #nwitweetup on Twitter. We meet the 4th Thursday of every month. And, they are popping up around the world with ones being held in Chicago, LA and even just 20 minutes down the road.
This month however, I decided to bring my camera and let everyone that wanted and make the ones that did not want to introduce themselves. I think next month, I will narrow it down and try another angle. Here are some of Northwest Indiana’s local Tweets.
#nwitweetup from Dave Woodson on Vimeo.
NWITweetup – Where the social part is for the Social Web
For more information on our local TweetUp just follow me on Twitter and I will make sure you that you all the information that you need. If you are a local business that would like to host a NWITweetUp, just let me know and we can help you set it up.
Dave Woodson
1 Up
1 Up
If you are sitting in a bar with a couple of buddies telling old college or “war” stories and each one keeps getting wilder and harrier than the next one then you are “1 upping” each other. Perhaps, that is the one place that is allowed and even forgivable.
Not sitting in a networking meeting such as a BNI or a Chamber event. I have noticed more over in those events that are open to those that open to more than one person in a profession. I tend to prefer those “open” networking groups as opposed to the closed of BNI. I like having a choice of who to use and I am so confident in my abilities that once you use me you will keep using me.
Well, I made a quick video to show you what I am talking about.
1 Up from Dave Woodson on Vimeo.
1 UP – Professionalism in Networking
Remember with Social Media and Web 2.0 you need to be social and you need to get out of the Bunker.
Dave Woodson
The Indiana FHA Expert
A book by its cover
I know we all have done it. I have done and the times that I have not done it have worked out great for me. When I first got out of collge (go boilers). I went to work for a 55 and over retirement community in Grayslake, IL. called Saddlebrook Farms. I loved it there and learned a lot of good and bad habits there. I remember the first day I was there. I had never met the owner. I was being interviewed by the president of the company and this homely looking gentlemen walked in and started talking to me while the president was taking a phone call. I thought he was yard mower. He had grass stained shoes on, a tear in hes jeans and a sweater shirt that looked like it was from the 70’s. He was the owner. But, you know what I treated him like he was. Not judging the book by the cover worked that day.
A week or so ago, as I was preparing to go for my morning walk/bike ride. I was tooling around the yard a little. I hate doing yard work. Well. I did a quick video for it.
My yard has never looked better and all I have to do is water it and mow it, and lately God has been watering for me
Dave
Customer Service
I really had a hard time writing this one. I think I did the vcast no less than 10 times. I finally got to the point that I just did one and put it on here.
Jewel Express in Michigan City – you guys are awesome and thanks. I love eating seeds especially David “reduced sodium” Sunflower seeds.
Customer Service from Dave Woodson on Vimeo.
I think that was pretty well self-explanatory. Make sure you are going above and beyond what your customer and clients expect of you and then surprise them a little more.
Dave
Play to Win
I really debated wheather or not to post this video. I think a lot of people do not place enough emphasis on winning or losing. I think we are doing our kids a huge disservice by not letting them play to win or even lose. We think it is damaging to their self-esteem if we let them lose. I think it is more damaging to let them play and then no one wins.
Here little Johnny go out and bust your little ass kicking the soccer ball, tossing up 3’s, but at the end of the game no one wins or loses. I’d be like screw this. Oh, just cause I am sure you want to know. I am a sore loser. I am sure you are not surprised.
I think we have lost site of being a kid. We have let these moms and dads who do not know how to be a mom and a dad tell us that it is not good for a kid to lose. And, now we are telling them it is not OK to win or even play to win. People are coming out of the wood work for this losing team to give them prizes and tickets to pro basketball games. Well, I attached a video. Enjoy!
Play to Win from Dave Woodson on Vimeo.
The Power of Twitter
I am a squeaky wheel, and you know what happens to the squeaky wheel.
Well, it is either oiled or taken off the wagon. Well, I like to get oiled, and I have been having an issue with Best Buy. Good company, but they have their issues and I think we all do as we grow, get complacent or hire high school kids. Hey, nothing against high school kids, but we all know what we were like at that age.
The Power of Twitter from Dave Woodson on Vimeo.
But, I went on Twitter and you can follow me @ www.twitter.com/davewoodson, I am opinionated and I think you like what I have to say enough to come here to read my ramblings.
Well, I tweeted about the dis-service that I was getting at Best Buy. I was nice about it, but still a little forward. 
But, as I tend to do from time to time. I got a little angry and let them have a small ear full.
You can see where this could easily esculate, if I did not keep my wits about me.
But, Best Buy was listening and they took notice and the came ouf the wood work to help me. The problem has been solved and I am patiently waiting for my ne iPod to arrive today via Big Brown.
I have done this several times with Comcast and Direct TV as well as a few others, whenever I feel a little unloved. It would be interesting to know what people are saying about you or your state or your company just go to the bottom of Twitter and do a search. You may be surprised.
For more informaion on Me or my services please let me know.
An American Business Owner
My diet consisted of Ramen Pride (They were only 11 cents when I bought them) noodles because every dollar I spent went back into this company. I drove a rusty Toyota Corolla with a defective transmission. I didn’t have time to date. Often times, I stayed home on weekends, while my friends went out drinking and partying. In fact, I was married to my business — hard work, discipline, and sacrifice.
Meanwhile, my friends got jobs. They worked 40 hours a week and made a modest $50K a year and spent every dime they earned. They drove flashy cars and lived in expensive
homes and wore fancy designer clothes. Instead of hitting the Nordstrom’s for the latest hot fashion item, I was trolling through the discount store extracting any clothing item that didn’t look like it was birthed in the 70’s. My friends refinanced their mortgages and lived a life of luxury. I, however, did not. I put my time, my money, and my life into a business with a vision that eventually, some day, I too, will be able to afford these luxuries
my friends supposedly had.
So, while you physically arrive at the office at 9am, mentally check in at about noon, and then leave at 5pm, I don’t. There is no “off” button for me. When you leave the office, you are done and you have a weekend all to yourself. I unfortunately do not have the freedom. I eat, and breathe this company every minute of the day. There is no rest. There is no weekend. There is no happy hour.
Every day this business is attached to my hip like a one-year old special-needs child. You, of course, only see the fruits of that garden — the nice house, the Mercedes, the vacations… you never realize the back story and the
sacrifices I’ve made.
Now, the economy is falling apart and I, the guy that made all the right decisions and saved his money, have to bail-out all the people who didn’t. The people that overspent their paychecks suddenly feel entitled to the same luxuries that I earned and sacrificed a decade of my life for.
Yes, business ownership has is benefits, but the price I’ve paid is steep and not without wounds. Unfortunately, the cost of running this business, and employing you, is starting to eclipse the threshold of marginal benefit and let me tell you why:
I am being taxed to death and the government thinks I don’t pay enough. I have state taxes. Federal taxes. Property taxes. Sales and use taxes. Payroll taxes. Workers compensation taxes. Unemployment taxes. Taxes on taxes. I have to hire a tax man to manage all these taxes and then guess what? I have to pay taxes for employing him. Government mandates and regulations and all the accounting that goes with it, now occupy most of my time. On Oct 15th, I wrote a check to the US Treasury for $288,000 for quarterly taxes.
You know what my “stimulus” check was? Zero. Nothing!
The question I have is this: Who is stimulating the economy? Me, the guy who has provided 14 people good paying jobs and serves over 2,200,000 people per year with a flourishing business? Or, the single mother sitting at home pregnant with her fourth child waiting for her next welfare check? Obviously, government feels the latter is the economic stimulus of this country.
The fact is, if I deducted (or stole) 50% of your paycheck you would quit and you would not work here. I mean, why should you? That’s nuts. Who wants to get rewarded only
50% of their hard work? Well, I agree which is why your job is in jeopardy. Here is what many of you don’t understand … to stimulate the economy you need to stim-
ulate what runs the economy. Had suddenly government mandated to me that I didn’t need to pay taxes, guess what? Instead of depositing that $288,000 into the Washington blackhole, I would have spent it, hired more employees, and generated substantial economic growth. My employees would have enjoyed the wealth of that tax cut in the form of promotions and better salaries.
When you have a comatose man on the verge of death, you don’t defibrillate and shock his thumb thinking that will bring him back to life, do you? Or, do you defibrillate his heart?
Business is at the heart of America and always has been. To restart it, you must stimulate it, not kill it. Suddenly, the power brokers in Washington believe the poor of America are the essential drivers of the American economic engine. Nothing could be further from the truth
and this is the type of change you can keep.
So where am I going with all this? It’s quite simple. If any new taxes are levied on me, or my company, my reaction will be swift and simple. I fire you. I fire your Co-workers. You can then plead with the government to pay for your mortgage, your SUV, and your child’s future.
Frankly, it isn’t my problem any more. Then, I will close this company down, move to another country, and retire. You see, I’m done. I’m done with a country that penalizes the productive and gives to the unproductive. My motivation to work and to provide jobs will be destroyed,
and with it, will be my citizenship.
So, if you lose your job, it won’t be at the hands of the economy; it will be at the hands of a political hurricane that swept through this country, steamrolled the constitution, and will have changed its landscape forever.
If that happens, you can find me sitting on a beach, retired, and with no employees to worry about.
Signed,
Your Boss
Thanks for finding me from Dave Woodson on Vimeo.
It is no accident that you are here
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