Erik Qualman's Blog, page 577

How to Market Your Conference or Party Using Social Media

Conferences, parties, exhibitions and other kinds of public events are an excellent way to give your business a jolt, get more people to find out about it, launch a new product.

A lot is said about how to organize and carry out an awesome event, how to choose a venue (click here to get excellent tips for this job), how to hire an engaging speaker, when and where it is better to do it.

But how to make sure that people find out about it?

The answer is simple: use social media. And here is how.

1.      Non-Generic Visual Countdown

We live in the epoch of informational overflow: there is too much information fighting for our attention for us to pay much of this attention to every particular bit of data. As a result we have a shortening attention span – “TL;DR” turned into a real Internet epidemic. People find it hard to concentrate on texts longer than a couple of sentences, and prefer graphic information to textual one. Studies show that photos get 53% more likes than average posts on Facebook – because people don’t have to strain their brains to understand them.

Thus, if you want to immediately arrest the attention of your visitors, create a custom countdown timer to your event and place it where everybody can see it.

2.      Your Own Hashtag

People seem to be creating hashtags for pretty much everything, so why not do the same? Think about original, catchy and preferably witty hashtag for your event and spread via all possible channels. Just remember to make it 8 characters or less, and do some research beforehand – you don’t want to find out at the last moment that your genius hashtag has already been used for something completely unrelated.

3.      Engage Potential Visitors

For your conference to become a truly buzz-worthy event, you have to start engaging people before it even starts and keep them on their toes for the entire period of preparation. Start a Twitter contest, either purely for entertainment reasons or offering freebies to the winners, for example, free conference registration for a limited amount of people who will answer the quiz correctly.

4.      Start Early

Social media marketing relies on word-of-mouth spread of information and, with very few exceptions, these strategies take time to kick in. Don’t hurry – at least a month should pass between you start selling tickets and the actual event – this will allow people to talk about it, spread the information and attract new visitors.

5.      Reach Out

Social media make this easier than ever before: you can strike up a conversation with anyone, anywhere, without even the necessity to be acquainted with them. Address potential attendees, people from thematic groups and so on. Check to see where you hashtag is used and talk to those who mention it to show that you care about every potential visitor.

6.      Encourage Your Speakers to Promote Your Event

Ask your speakers to record teaser videos, giving a hint of all the awesomeness they are going to impart to your visitors. Encourage them to spread information about their participation via their blogs or social media accounts. Create a separate website, Facebook account and a blog for your event where you will keep all these promotional materials, as well as interesting content giving the attendees a taste of what they are going to see.

All in all, the possibilities of social media in terms of marketing are almost unlimited – and no businessman can afford to ignore this tool now. Learn how to use it, and your next conference is sure to become a hit!

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How to Make an Awesome Photo Slideshow

Slideshows can hardly be called a novelty – they have been around, known under the same name, since early 1900s, and their predecessors go as far back as 1600s. And yet, despite all the incredible technological advances that we’ve made throughout this period of time, slideshows remain, in this or that form, a powerful instrument for those who know how to use it.

Here are a few tips on how to make your slideshow really engaging, interesting and effective.

1.     Keep It Short

It doesn’t matter for what occasion you are making your slideshow: birthday, wedding, funeral, anniversary, product marketing event, whatever – as there is one simple rule that should be applied to slideshows in all circumstances. They should be short, ideally about 4-5 minutes and certainly no longer than 10-15 minutes.

Why? The reason is simple – keep it even a little bit longer, and you will have your audience playing with their phones in no time. Do you want that? I thought so.

Of course, it means that you will have to make some pretty tough decisions as to which photos to use and which to omit – if you are the author of these photos, you will want to show them all. However, the fewer they are, the more attention will be paid to each one in particular.

2.     Keep It Simple

Beginners often get too fascinated and sidetracked by all the options and possibilities slideshow makers provide: all these effects, transitions and movement, if used in abundance, will confuse and annoy the viewers. The reverse is true as well – why bother with slideshow making software if you simply click through photos one by one anyway? Effects and transitions are the same as spices – both too much and too little are bad for taste.

3.     Use Proper Tools

If you are an expert photographer and use slideshows to showcase your work, you probably need professional software to do so; however, the majority of such applications are rife with unnecessary features introduced to justify their high cost. When all is said and done, a slideshow isn’t supposed to be too complex, so you probably don’t need the majority of these additional functions anyway. In 9 cases out of 10 a free slideshow making tool will be more than enough to cover all your bases.

4.     Pick the Music Carefully

It won’t do simply taking any song you like and thoughtlessly attaching it to the slideshow. Make sure your music matches the general mood of images. Again, make sure it is simple and unobtrusive, that it won’t distract the viewers’ attention from the photos but on the contrary, make the impression they produce more complete. The rule of thumb is to avoid anything with words in it, a piece of classic instrumental music will do nicely almost anywhere.

5.     Remember Your Audience

Who are your audience? What do they like? What are their preferences? What do they expect? Answer these questions before you start compiling your slideshow. When you are done, try to imagine how your potential audience will react to it, try to isolate your own feelings and impressions – after all, you are not doing the slideshow for yourself. It is an important thing to do in all aspects of your work: what music to choose (you should know the preferences of your audience, what will be appropriate and what won’t), which photos to select and which to omit (perhaps some photos will annoy or embarrass somebody from the audience) and so on.

Slideshows may appear simple and unassuming – but now you know that there is more about them than meets the eye. Use these tips and your next effort will certainly become a hit!

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Retirement Planners Know How to Be Social

More and more soon-to-be retirees are joining social media sites and as a result, retirement planners are taking the social route when it comes to marketing.

Whether it’s keeping audiences informed or offering services, social media is the new retirement frontier.

Here are just a few ways retirement planners are using social media to successfully market their services:

Spreading the Word About Retirement Planning

Retirement planning isn’t always at the top of everyone’s list, especially for the 50 and older crowd who are still busy working. Financial planners are using social media to reach out to their potential customers in order to get them thinking about their plan for retirement.

According to U.S. News and World Reports, the number of baby boomers using social media has risen by 25% in the past 2 years.

With more and more 50+ users joining sites like Facebook and Twitter, social media is quickly becoming an effective tool for spreading the word about retirement options.

Putting the Facts Front and Center

Saving for retirement is an important financial step, but many Americans wait until the last minute to start getting their finances in order.

In order to get the 50+ crowd planning early, professional planners are posting retirement facts and figures on their social media accounts.

Whether it’s the overall cost of retirement or how much individuals need to save to make it through retirement comfortably, the facts help put things in perspective.

Along with offering their retirement planning services, many retirement professionals are keeping their social audiences informed with straightforward facts.

Planning Services

As the following article notes, starting from scratch with a retirement plan is difficult, especially when there is no framework to start with. Retirement planners are using social media to promote new planning software and tools that make preparing for retirement a breeze.

By promoting online retirement calculators that factor in everything from assets to healthcare costs, soon-to-be retirees are entering their later years with confidence.

Retirement planners are posting links to these free calculators on their social pages in hopes their audience will start planning ahead.

Social Q and A

With all of the information planners are posting about retirement, there are bound to be questions from social audiences.

Not only are retirement planners using social media to promote retirement planning, but also as an open forum where they can answer questions and concerns.

From comments on posts to private messages, the older social masses are reaching out to planners and planners are answering right back.

In other words, social media creates an opportunity for financial professionals and retirees to have an ongoing discussion about the retirement process.

Encouraging Communication

The bottom line is social media encourages communication, which is important for retirement planning.

When the 50-and-older crowd feels like they have a go-to resource for all of their retirement needs, it creates a better-informed audience. Social media fills the communication void between professional planners and baby boomers entering retirement.

When it comes to planning for retirement, it’s plain to see that financial planners are getting social with their marketing efforts.

Photo credit: Image courtesy of hin255 at FreeDigitalPhotos.net

About the Author: Adam Groff is a freelance writer and creator of content. He writes on a variety of topics including social media and the retirement process.

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The Important Role Of Social Influencers

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It’s pretty much common knowledge that we’re more likely to trust word-of-mouth than an advert on television. We’re more likely to trust the washing powder that Jane got 10-year-old Randall’s grass stains out of his trousers than an advert claiming it produces whiter results than an ordinary non-bio. The customer is the most powerful tool in marketing.

So it’s no surprise that the role of influencers in social media has never been more important. In fact some would say it’s changed the balance in the way brands actually market their product.

According to Nielsen 92% of consumers consider recommendations from friends and family over advertising, which has led to around 64% of brands now actually putting emphasis on word-of-mouth campaigns.

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And this means finding the right influencers. For many of the big brands this can involve celebrity. After all, we’re more likely to trust Wayne Rooney’s recommendation of a soccer boot than an advert with a snake on the side of a London bus.

New boots for Sunday’s game from @nikeuk #hypervenom pic.twitter.com/UYvXkRIB8q

— Wayne Rooney (@WayneRooney) September 19, 2014

 

 

After all Wayne Rooney is England and Manchester United’s star player, he knows a thing or two about scoring goals and he’s worn enough boots to know a good pair.

It’s a clever tool by Nike, and is of course in no way exclusive to the swoosh brand. It happens across all industries from fashion, to washing detergents, to even poker.

Choosing the right influencer however, is perhaps the hardest part of all. For the likes of Nike and Adidas who have a huge stake in the soccer industry, using the likes of Wayne Rooney and Mesut Ozil is ideal as they have a huge reach going into the millions, whilst in poker it’s a similar story.

Take PokerStars for example. They are one of the biggest brands in the world, hosting events in the most prestigious casinos, but spend a lot of time working with the likes of Daniel Negreanu and Liv Boeree who are not only experts of the game, but very engaging with their social media following.

According to the PokerStars Social Power Table the pair have almost 400,000 Twitter followers between them, both with a social authority over 65 meaning they have highly engaging accounts. And the brand are making the most of it with Negreanu and Boeree regularly mentioning them and engaging with their official feed almost creating a community – a community fans wish to be a part of.

It’s the same in the fashion industry, although the use of bloggers is also much more prominent. According to a report by Technorati 31% of consumers are influenced by something that has been read in a blog, with a blogger’s passion, knowledge, and enthusiasm being integral to that.

In fact, such is the fashion blogs power that bloggers can be making up to a million dollars just for promoting a brand in their work. Such is the value of their influence; the likes of Rachel Parcell from the Pink Peonies blog can make almost a seven figure sum from promoting products. And with over 53,000 likes on Facebook to boot, her power can reach a vast number of people.

For as long as social media is big – and let’s face it, it doesn’t look like slowing down anytime soon – the importance of social influencers is going to be forever important. It’s that speeding up of word-of-mouth, Jane could have thousands of followers on Twitter, who are more likely to trust her opinion of washing up liquid than Ariel USA’s opinion for example. That’s potentially over a thousand people influenced instantly. And marketers aren’t going to be giving that up easily are they?

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Tricks to Get the Right Twitter Handle

In a world stuffed full of social media, Twitter is still in lane of its own. It limits users to 140 character updates, mentions, and retweets. This gives the platform a fast paced feel that other platforms like Facebook and Google+ can’t really emulate. It feels younger and fresher effortlessly.

Twitter handles are also limited. You only have 20 characters to tell the Twitterverse who you are. Choosing the right handle can expand your social media footprint. Choosing the wrong one can have you tweeting to yourself in the corner. Avoid the latter with these Twitter handle tips.

Answer the Most Asked Questions

Twitter is all about meeting new people and interacting with them. And the first things you usually get out of the way with a new person are who you are and what you do. Since Twitter moves as the speed of 140 characters, it’s smart to get that part out of the way right up front.

Let’s say you run an ecommerce website that sells promotional products, like GoPromotional. You’re active in the industry and you like to tweet about it. Oh and your name is Pete. Well, PromoPete is a perfect Twitter name for you. PetePromo could also work. Other options might be a shortening of your business’ name, your full name, or a combo of the two.

Less is More

Twitter idolizes the short, the brief, and the pithy. It’s serious about that 140 word character limit. So the longer your handle is, the more space it takes up in the tweet. So try not to make long Twitter handles. If you can find one that fits in 10 characters, there’s no need to use the whole 20 characters allotted to you.

Don’t Look Like a Spammer

Twitter spam is rampant. Spambots will spam you with links based on your hashtags or keywords in your tweets. They will also follow you and unfollow you over and over again, in hopes you will follow them back. In short, real Twitter users hate Twitter spammers. And if your handle makes you seem like one, they won’t want to interact with you. So avoid handles that have a bunch of random numbers in them. Avoid spammy names like FreeIPhones or WinTVNow.

Don’t Give Up

So what if you come up with the perfect Twitter handle, put into the username field, and Twitter tells you it’s taken? Well that’s a bummer. But there are ways around it. Consider adding “the,” “just,” or “thereal” in front of it. Perhaps you can add a qualifier after it. Such as “app” or “writer.” Look into underscores, hyphens, or numbers as letters. Be creative. There are often ways to say the same thing with just a few substitutions.

Remember You Can Change It

Don’t forget that if all else fails, Twitter handles aren’t set in stone. All you have to do to change your handle is head over to settings and put a new handle in the username field. None of your followers, profile, or settings will change at all. And you do that for as many times as it takes to get the right one .

 

 

 

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How the Joint Efforts of Customer Service and Social Media Bring About Success

Marketers know that learning to work with other departments has always been a challenge. In the past, the marketing department has always had difficulty with communicating and working together with the IT department. Now, the marketing team, and especially the social media department have a new challenge, and that is working with the customer service department to ensure that an excellent customer experience is delivered to each customer. This article will explain the benefits of the customer service and social media departments working together and we will list tips on how this synergy can lead to success.

If the proper level of customer service is not delivered, then chances are the social media team is going to hear about it. Consumers know that they can leverage social media and complain in this public and social platform, they can quickly get the attention and often resolve a problem that could have been avoided had customer service been properly executed in the first place. Take Comcast Cable’s Xfinity brand, for example. They have such a bad reputation with customer service, and it seems as though customers cannot even get through on their phone lines, so this is what their Xfinity Facebook page looks like:

They post about football, and customers comment complaining about their customer service:

They post about Thanksgiving and customers seem to have a bad taste in their mouth filled with dissatisfaction:

They post about the weather and The Weather Channel, and the only forecast is negativity from customers:

Of course, this is an extreme example. Your company probably (and hopefully) does not have this type of negative reputations and this large of a problem. Your company also probably does not have a monopoly on the market for cable where the choices are slim and customer service problems run rampant throughout the industry. There are two solutions to this problem: (1) all departments should be trained in customer service and (2) the social media team and customer service team must work together to respond to and resolve problems and complaints posted by customers.

Customer Service Training in All Departments

Many companies make the mistake of only putting their “customer service department” employees through customer service training. In reality, every employee from the owners and top management down to the janitorial staff should be trained in customer service. Further, each employee should understand that delivering an excellent customer experience is their #1 goal. If sales, bill collecting, or anything else is a priority for an employee, then they are not properly motivated to execute the proper amount of customer service. Management should not only train, but also empower all employees to resolve problems for customers. This is because customers’ level of satisfaction decreases when it takes more than one employee to resolve a situation.

Responding to Complaints and Comments on Social Media

Even companies with the highest level of customer service can’t please all the people all the time, so the key is to be prepared and know how to respond to negative comments or complaints on social media sites. Here are some of the best practices for addressing and resolving customer complaints on social media channels:

Respond as fast as possible. You should have alerts set up through social channels, tools, or programs that are available to alert you immediately when someone posts on your social channels or mentions you on social media. Many consumers expect an answer or response the same day, even if it is after regular business hours.
When you respond, be sure to let the customer know that you want to resolve the problem to their satisfaction.
Apologize for the problem. This can be done without admitting any wrongdoing. In many cases good customer service comes through showing empathy.  These first 3 steps can greatly reduce a customer’s anger and anxiety and help you to resolve the problem more easily.
Always stay professional and do not respond at a time when you feel angry or offended by the complaint. Take the emotion out of your response and ask a co-worker or a supervisor to assist you in crafting an email in a complete and efficient manner.
Respond once and then take the conversation offline. Ask them to message you their contact information so that you can look at their account information to look into it. Once you speak to them or email them offline, then return to the post and comment thanking them for bringing it to your attention and express content that you were able to resolve the situation.

Remember that much of what happens in social media and with consumer complaints is how other potential consumers perceive your handling of the situation. Many customers just want to know that the company is there and is willing to answer and attempt to resolve problems. Much of the specifics or details are unimportant to other customers. Of course, resolving the problem expertly, efficiently, and quickly is of the utmost importance with the one customer who is having the problem.

 

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A Perspective on Bitcoin and Other Online Virtual Currencies

Bitcoin, the most famous digital currency, is in the limelight in the last few years. It is a properly-designed cryptocurrency with the aim to be used as an alternative currency in buying goods and services online. Although Bitcoin and other alternative digital currencies such as Litecoin and Darkcoin are highly volatile in nature, an increasing number of people are still mining and advocating its use as a fast way to effective economics.

 

There have been numerous digital currencies developed since Bitcoin was first introduced to the public. Despite this, none of them seems to have piqued the interest of consumers as they are not as user-friendly as Bitcoin and other alternative cryptocurrencies.

 

Yet another advantage of Bitcoin and successors are encrypted currencies which are mainly traded via public key encryption. This means that its value or worth will never be controlled by the government or a centralized banking system.

 

Bitcoin, Litecoin, Acoin, and Peercoin among others help in enhancing online commerce. This is monumental in that it makes the buying and selling of goods faster, simpler, and altogether, a more pleasant experience for both consumers and entrepreneurs. Bitcoin and other alternative digital currencies may be decentralized, but they simply enhance the online economy by offering people the chance to pay for products and services while bypassing the major role of banks as intermediary.

 

This means that Bitcoin and other cryptocurrencies help people avoid expensive processing costs and the utilization of credit cards altogether. Online digital currencies promise a more flexible, smoother, and cheaper way to facilitate transactions online.

 

The New Era of Commerce

 

Bitcoin and other alternative encrypted currencies is not the end of the paper money ear, but the beginning of a currency that will undeniably change eCommerce. The continuous rise of Bitcoins tells us a story of our present and future global economy. As more people are looking into mining and working hard to receive more bitcoins, governments and even financial institutions are getting more anxious that a digital currency with such humble beginnings can dominate over strong and solid currencies such as the US dollar and Euros.

 

Although Bitcoin and other cryptocurrencies are highly volatile, there is a viable market for them. As more people have established trust and confidence in online merchants, majority are now leaning on its utility as an important currency which enable them to buy anything and everything without having to spend real savings and money altogether.

 

The new money innovation that comes in the form of Bitcoin also facilitates smoother transactions when funding or financing online businesses or even actual business projects. Companies can further improve their financial portfolio as Bitcoin and other alternative currencies are now considered to be crucial assets when building businesses with majority of its dealings online.

 

Top 3 Digital Currencies

 

         •        Bitcoin

There are approximately $21,000,000 worth of Bitcoin as of writing. Its open source and limited nature makes it a very valuable cryptocurrency among those who are seriously considering on building their online currency portfolio.  Among all digital currencies, Bitcoin is known to be the most sustainable alternative to real currencies.

         •        Namecoin

is not your average digital currency. Aside from being a decentralized open source cryptocurrency, it also aims to protect the rights and voice of consumers online. It supports Wiki, and helps online visitors access free and valuable information, most especially in the field of editing, marketing, and coding of Wiki online files.

         •        Darkcoin

Darkcoin is known as the dark horse in the digital currency field. This is due to the fact that its investors can use Darkcoin in the acquisition of anything and everything, including black market items. During its first month of release, the value of Darkcoin jumped from its starting 75c to a whopping $7 per 1 Darkcoin.

 

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7 Financial Services Startups You Should Know About

Hundreds of startups appear every year in all spheres of business, but only a handful of them are worth a second glance. However, an unusually high number of promising financial services have sprung up over the past few years. According to the finance blogs, the reason is pretty simple – advance in information technologies, such as cloud services, has provided this line of business with previously unheard-of opportunities. This short list describes which of these services deserve special attention.

1.     Z-CRD

Singapore

What it is – a possible successor of credit card system.

Why it’s special – Z-CRD provides an entirely new international payment transaction system that, in perspective, may compete with such behemoths as MasterCard, Visa and American Express. Claiming traditional credit cards to be as outdated as fax machines, Z-CRD eliminates the middleman and allows people to pay directly to each other by means of a simple downloadable plug-in compatible with most point-of-sales systems.

2.     The Currency Cloud

London, UK

What it is – a service aimed at simplifying international payments.

Why it’s special – this service provides an easy way to automate, track and make international cross-currency payments, making the entire process more transparent and controllable.

3.     Dwolla

Des Moines, Iowa, U.S.

What it is – an online payment system.

Why it’s special – unlike the majority of its competitors, Dwolla м. All transfers under $10 are free, and all transfers over $10 cost $0.25 irrespectively of the sum. Company states that its goal is to create an easy, safe and cheap way of transferring money available to everyone.

4.     Gold Dealer Reviews company

What it is – individual retirement plans based on precious metals.

Why it’s special – current precarious economic situation calls for more stable and dependable ways of providing for one’s retirement. And precious metals once again turn out to be the best choice for those who value their financial safety.

5.     V-Key

What it is – mobile app security solutions.

Why it’s special – as mobile devices more and more resemble miniature computers they become more and more susceptible to cyber-attacks, which requires a whole new set of information security solutions. V-Key provides such solutions, focusing on the idea that it is not the device itself that should be secured, but the apps it uses. Currently V-Key is mostly prominent in Asia, but they are eager to spread their influence in other regions.

6.     Signifyd

What it is – a fraud prevention company for e-merchants.

Why it’s special – founded by a team hailing from PayPal, Fedex, Fraud Sciences and FP Morgan Chase, Signifyd provides online businesses with solutions for fraud control and prevention. The latest studies show that in some cases they can cut the time spent on manual transaction reviewing by astonishing 60% and improve fraud detection by more than 20%.

7.     Stripe

What it is – a developer-aimed online payment system.

Why it’s special – Stripe provides an easy way for a website to accept and process payments via its API. Although initially it was aimed at smaller sites and startups, now it is being used by companies of all sizes, including such giants as Boxee and Foursquare. By now it works in the USA, the UK, Canada, Australia and several European countries, with new regions coming online every year.

Life in the 21st century is both fascinating and hectic, and even more so for an e-merchant. New financial services and systems appear every month. In order to stay on top you have to keep a close eye both on the newcomers and the old players. We hope that this selection of financial startups has given you some insight into which new services you can use to your advantage.

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6 Must-Read Books For Young Startupers

In today’s competitive business world, there is now a growing population of younger generation who invest on entrepreneurship. Starting and growing a business into something that is profitable and sustainable is not easy. For some, it may seem overwhelming and a very risky investment but for those ambitious youngsters, it’s never too early to chase their dreams of becoming a business owner.

If you plan to establish and launch a business at a very young age, there are thousands of books available that offer management, leadership and start-up advice. Moreover, there’s no shortage of useful tips out there that will help you in making strong business decisions. As you invest your time, money and effort in your start-up, here’s a collection of quality and interesting books that can help you gain vital wisdom and inspiration before taking the plunge.

1. The Fire Starter Sessions by Danielle LaPorte

Danielle LaPorte’s book is perfect for creative entrepreneurs. The fire starter sessions will take you to a deeper level of LaPorte’s brand of business wisdom. This book is comprehensive, wide-ranging, and packed with valuable lessons that you will need for your start-up. The book will surely make you fired up for the entrepreneurial journey. It contains great quotes, appealing writing and penetrating insights inspired by wins and losses in business, money making and partnerships.

2. The Startup of You by Reid Hoffman, Ben Casnocha

LinkedIn co-founder Reid Hoffman and Silicon Valley entrepreneur Ben Casnocha released a book that is well worth reading. The Start-Up of You holds lessons for success. It is a practical book that offers favorable advice to young hopefuls on how to take control and build a career that will enable them to have a real impact. It doesn’t only give insights on how to advance your career in any industry you want to venture in but it also teaches you how to have an entrepreneurial mindset. It aims to empower its readers to become the boss of their career and take control of their future.

3. The Lean Startup by Eric Ries

If you are an entrepreneur, interested to become one or merely curious about putting up a business, this is a must read book. The author loaded the book with engaging stories and countless practical principles that will change the readers’ view about entrepreneurship. The Lean Startup is inspired by lessons from lean manufacturing which based on “validated learning,” and rapid scientific experimentation, including a number of counter-intuitive practices.

4. Startup from the Ground Up by Cynthia Kocialski

Startup from the Ground Up is a useful guide that could transform ideas of every wanna-be entrepreneur into a new business. The book covers a complete overview of the entire start-upprocess, including the important steps necessary to get a business up and running. Kocialski made a special emphasis on creating a successful strategy to boost the chances of success in the market. The author also gave useful information, real-world tips and detailed instructions which can be used to any businesses.

5. Thinking, Fast and Slow by Daniel Kahneman

Kahneman’s book reveals the extraordinary capabilities of fast thinking and uncovers the common influence of perceptive impressions on human’s thoughts and behavior. This is not a traditional business material but you’ll surely gain intelligent learning about the study of the mind and on how to make wise decisions on your start-up.

6. Socialnomics: How Social Media Transforms the Way We Live and Do Business by Erik Qualman

Social media has changed the nature of influence and it became an effective marketing tool to any businesses. The power of technology made a great impact not only to the daily lives of ordinary people but even to those in the business world. Socialnomics is a useful reference for social marketing. It provides a thorough overview of the ways how social media is changing the marketing field. The author did a good job in presenting high level analysis and practical impact of social media to companies that every marketer can appreciate.

Indeed, learning everything about setting up a business is critical. All of the books mentioned provide essential and great resources for young entrepreneurs who want to make it successful in the market place. Aside from reading business books, doing research, and asking advice from battle-tested business veterans, you can also get some help from these following websites that can take your business to the next level.

Sba.gov - this site has been imparting free advice and services for many years. If you need assistance from business plan, drafting to figuring out tax write-offs,  you can count on them.
Business.com -You can find all sorts of advice for marketing, human resources, office management and other useful information about startups in this resource.
Rushessay.com- In every small business, content is very important. Since digital marketing is in-demand in the marketplace these days asking professional help from qualified content writers and editors will give you an edge to attract online customers. And Rushessay is the perfect site for it.
Entrepreneur.com - Entrepreneur is an online magazine that targets a smaller niche and it is designed for startupers and entrepreneurs. This site shares news stories about entrepreneurship, business management and opportunities. It has an app which you can easily access anytime and anywhere. 

What other resources you can share for young startupers? Share them in the comment below!

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How Instagram Took Over Thailand

When you travel in Thailand, it’s important to understand the role social media plays in the country. While this may come as a surprise to many readers, Thailand has a huge number of social media users, so you can use it effectively to help you throughout your trip.

Take a look at the numbers and statistics and what they mean for the future of Thailand, as well as your travel plans.

The popularity of social media

While social media sites such as Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest, and Instagram are popular all over the world, Thailand has become a hotbed for them. As of last count, the country has roughly 24 million Facebook users, 1.73 million Twitter accounts, and 1.7 million Instagrammers.

Even more impressive than the number of accounts has been the year-over-year growth rate. Twitter saw growth of approximately 350 percent, Facebook jumped 53 percent, and Instagram is up 13 percent. For a country with an Internet penetration rate of only 26 percent, these numbers are staggering and impressive.

This lack of Internet access, however, is balanced by an incredible 125 percent mobile penetration rate. On top of that, more than half of all mobile users use their devices to gain access to social media apps.

And though Facebook still leads the way, Instagram’s recent growth is indicative of a larger trend. The Thai enjoy location-based services, and Instagram has proved to be a great tool for finding businesses with ease. Many experts suggest the amount of Instagram users will surpass Facebook users in a matter of years.

Most Instagrammed

Proof of Thailand’s love for Instagram can be found by looking at the list of the world’s most photographed places. In 2013, the Siam Paragon shopping mall in Bangkok was the most Instagrammed location in the world.

On top of that, Bangkok trailed only New York City on the list of the most Instagrammed cities. In 2012, Bangkok’s Suvarnabhumi Airport was first on the list, with the Siam Paragon shopping mall coming in second.

Both of them beat locations such as Disneyland, Times Square, the Eiffel Tower, and Santa Monica Pier in Los Angeles.

What you need to know

If you’re traveling to Thailand in the future, it’s important to understand how social media relates to the culture. Instagram’s success is about more than the application itself.

It essentially comes down to the Thai people’s love of taking pictures and documenting their lives, as well as the marvelous selection of beautiful architecture and iconic locations. So get your phone ready, find your favorite filter, and start snapping pictures of the following places.

Bangkok. As the heart of Thailand, Bangkok will have you taking pictures of everything. From the time you step off the airplane, you’ll have plenty to do. There are temples, palaces, markets, and a vivid nightlife scene.


Khao Sok National Park. When you want to escape from the city crowds, retreat to the Khao Sok National Park. Here you’ll find jungles, rivers, caves, lakes, and an array of wildlife. If a picture is worth a thousand words, a photograph with the tall limestone krysts may be worth a thousand Instagram likes.


Chiang Mai. This old city is a popular tourist destination and offers a wonderful opportunity to explore the surrounding jungle, shop in the Chiang Mai night market, and visit the many temples.


Tropical islands. If you’re looking for some relaxation, make an effort to get out to one of the tropical islands, such as Ko Samet, Ko Lanta, or the Similan Islands. You may even be able to rent a beachside bungalow.

Wherever you decide to go, you’ll find yourself immersed in grand beauty and unique culture. Just watch out; you may find yourself in the background of someone else’s Instagram post!

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