(With Independence Day just around the corner, it's only appropriate that this week’s blog have a patriotic flair.)

If you could have coffee with any American hero (dead or live), who would it be and why?

 John: Abraham Lincoln, for his ability to make difficult, unpopular decisions on so many different issues during his reign as President.

Bonny: I would have like to have coffee with Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Understanding his perspective regarding race would be amazing.  That being said, I would really be interested in knowing what he thinks about today's society (race related) and how it has evolved since he was assassinated.

Carmen: I’d have to say Ben Franklin.  That guy was smart!  He accomplished a lot in the realm of science and politics – without the use of modern technology.

Debbie: I would say Mother Teresa, even though she is not American.  She believed in her mission from God and always lived her life believing that her good would carry forward to all she touched.

Salli: No one who fits the traditional definition of "American Hero" jumps out in my mind...I do know I would like to talk with some of my grandparents and great-grandparents who have passed on, as they are heros to me.  Times were so much tougher back then and yet they accomplished so much!

Sandy: I think I’d pick Margaret Sanger, mostly because I’d want her to know what her persistence has accomplished, and to see what she thought of it.

Charlie: John Adams.  I think it would be extremely interesting to talk with him about everything he and the others went through to figure out how to create the structure of this country.

This is the first installment in our on-going series on Social Media for Manufacturing.  This is an extension of a recent seminar Web Marketing Manager Carmen Fontana gave on the topic for the Cleveland manufacturing association, WIRE-net. While geared towards industrial companies, many of the principles can be applied to businesses of all types.

What is Social Media?

The words “Social Media” are often intimidating to manufacturers. There are a lot of fancy (and sometimes conflicting) definitions out there.  So let’s strip away the marketing speak and see what the dictionary says:

“Forms of electronic communication (such as Web sites for social networking and microblogging) through which users create online communities to share information, ideas, personal messages, and other content (as videos)” - Meriam Webster

So simply speaking, Social Media is nothing more than communication that just happens to be on the web.  There’s nothing mystical about that!

Why Social Media?

• Communication: Social Media gives you a forum tolet your constituents know what you are doing and why.
• Brand Development: An extension of your tradional marketing, Social Mediais another medium to share your message about what your company stands for.
• Relationship Building: Manufacturers tend to be more national and international than other businesses.  Social Media allows you to connect to people around the globe you may not have an opportunity to otherwise.
• Thought Leadership:  Know one knows your product (or marketspace) better than you.  Leverage Social Media to share what you know.
• Knowledge Gathering: What’s happening in your industry?  What’s happening with your competitors?  What are people saying about your products?  Social Media allows you to listen in to these conversations.
• Search Engine Optimization: Social Media signals are now being used to influence traditional SEO.  Expect for Social Media’s influence on Google and Bing’s rankings to continue to grow.

Next installment: An overview of the most common Social Media platforms for manufacturers

In previous installments of this series, we talked about the differences between the pay-per-click advertising channels (Google, Bing, Facebook and LinkedIn) as well as how to determine which PPC is right for you.

Today, we get you started on optimizing your campaigns.

Read more...

I’m in the process of helping our company become a Google Apps for Business Reseller which means I have been spending a lot of time migrating clients to Google Apps from various other platforms. 

During this process it’s become more and more evident that Google Apps is the way to go for not only for Email, Calendar and Contacts but much, much more.

Here are five reasons why I would recommend switching to Google Apps for Business.

1. Convenience

Using Google Apps is convenient in many ways.

First of all you get a massive amount of storage for your mail (25 gigabytes) so that you don’t ever have to worry about running out of space or having to clean out your mailbox.  With this vast amount of storage comes the ability to archive and retain mail.   Many of the clients I have worked with were concerned about the fact that they were saving years of important client correspondence on the hard drive of their computer.  After getting setup with Google Apps it is very simple to upload all of your saved email so that you have a safe replicated version on Google’s network.  

Second it is very easy to use.  The Web Interface is very powerful and intuitive and has more features than I have ever seen in a web based system.   You literally can do everything you need to via a web browser. 

Outlook is no longer necessary unless of course you still want to use it.  If so, Google Apps syncs nicely with your Outlook and your smart phone.  So if you send a mail, add a contact or setup and appointment from your iPhone or Blackberry a copy of that sent mail, contact or calendar event will instantly show up in Google and in your Outlook.  Same goes for the reverse, etc.  Gone are the days of having to copy yourself on a message or sync your smart phone with your computer to update your contacts or calendar.

2. Reassurance

I’ve already mentioned the ability to upload everything you’ve been saving on your local computer to Google’s network.  In addition to all of the storage you’ll have the reassurance that your data is always being replicated and backed-up.  Your data is secure and will also always be available; they guarantee 99.9% up-time.  Google also provides 24/7 customer support via phone and email if you ever need help.

3. Productivity

In addition to the beauty of your mail, calendar and contacts syncing between your devices you have access to web-based office tools.  Google Apps essentially replicates Microsoft Office on-line.  This suite known as Google Docs comes with a word processor, spreadsheet, presentation software and several others.  The Google Docs suite is also setup for collaboration so that several people can work on documents together.  Google Docs gives you an additional Gigabyte of space for uploading any type of file you wish.  For example, you can save a backup of your Quick Books file or store any other type of file for access from any Internet connected computer.  Uploaded versions of other word processor documents or spreadsheets will automatically be converted to the Google Docs format.

4. Extras

In addition to everything I have mentioned Google provides a lot of exciting “extras” -  Voice, Video chat and IM to mention a few.  There’s also a powerful add-in for Google’s anti spam and virus engine, Postini. 

Google Video allows you to upload and share video and Google sites gives you the ability to create power web sites. 

Each Google apps account comes with an administrative function that will allow anyone in your organization to manage your entire domain (email@yourdomain.com).  Administrators can add and remove users, turn on and off functions and enable any of thousands of other add-on apps that are available within the Google Apps community.

5. Cost

Google Apps for Business is only $50/user/year.  This ends up being just over $4/month per user.  That’s a hard price to beat for all of these features. 

Comparatively I’ve seen Microsoft Exchange hosting (Outlook Mail, Calendar and Contacts) for closer to $120/user/year. 

Google is also offering your first month as a trial and will even remind you before your trial expires.  It’s very easy to back out but I don’t see why you would want to.

I think it’s pretty obvious why it makes sense to switch to Google Apps for Business but if you need to know more, there’s plenty to read on their website: http://www.google.com/apps/intl/en/business/index.html 

Even better, take a month and give it a test run. 

I’m interested to hear your feedback and questions about Google Apps.  Feel free to leave a comment or shoot me an email - charlie@wris.com