Archive for the 'Internet' Category
October 16th, 2009, 6:00 am by Jan Norman, small-business columnist
Orange County small-business owners who want to use social media for business purposes can get a free “social media  makeover” from Maples Communications, Inc., a Mission Viejo public relations firm.
The makeover centers on best practices for building audience and engaging with customers online to meet business goals, says President Bob Maples.
Maples Communications has provided social media outreach programs to a Fortune 100 technology company, a large restaurant chain, greentech companies and others.
The offer is good through the end of the year. To schedule a makeover, contact Bob Maples at 949-855-3555 or bmaples@maples.com.
“With the country now beginning to look ahead to recovery from the economic downturn, companies are looking for ways to effectively and efficiently connect with their customers, build brand awareness, manage company reputation and, most importantly, generate sales and revenue,” Maples said. “As a result, many companies are beginning to embrace social media as a way to reach stakeholders, create a dialogue, and demonstrate that they understand the needs and concerns of their audiences.”
Other business stories….
Posted in: Local companies • Social networking • Top posts • maples communications • social media makeove | 5 Comments »
October 12th, 2009, 6:00 am by Jan Norman, small-business columnist
A majority of U.S. companies frown on employee use of Twitter, Facebook and other social networking sites while on the job. according to a survey of 1,400 companies by Robert Half Technology.
Tell us about your company and then read what others said:
Does your company allow employees to visit social networking sites at work?
Chief information officers were asked “Which of the following most closely describes your company’s policy on visiting social networking sites such as Facebook, MySpace and Twitter, while at work?”
- 54% prohibited completely
- 19% permitted for business purposes only
- 16% permitted for limited personal use
- 10% permitted for any type of personal use
- 1% don’t know/no answer
The reason so many companies dislike social networking on the job may lie in a separate survey by information technology reseach firm Nucleus Research. It found that companies that allow full access to Facebook on the job had a 1.5% drop in productivity.
That survey also found that “some employees” used social networking sites as much as two hours a day.”
Another reason may be seen in yet another survey of small businesses for Citibank Small Business. It found that 74% of small businesses have not found Facebook, Twitter and LinkedIn to be helpful for generating business leads or expanding business in the past year. Not only that, 86% said they don’t use such sites for information or business advice.
Keep in mind that more than 90% of businesses in Orange County and nationwide have fewer than 100 employees. Obviously, their attitudes toward social networking will impact the Robert Half survey.
Dave Wilmer, executive director at Robert Half Technology, said, “Using social networking sites may divert employees’ attention away from more pressing priorities, so it’s understandable that some companies limit access. For some professions, however, these sites can be leveraged as effective business tools, which may be why about one in five companies allows their use for work-related purposes.”
Other business stories….
Posted in: Economy • Poll • Social networking • Top posts • Workplace • Citibank • Nucleus Research • Robert Half Technology | 9 Comments »
September 21st, 2009, 12:00 pm by Jan Norman, small-business columnist
An e-mail marketing campaign has more than tripled attendance at business workshops offered by the Santa Ana chapter of SCORE, a nationwide group of volunteer counselors.
 The group has almost doubled the number of workshops it offers in a year to 200, up from 102 in 2004. Topics range from starting a business to Internet marketing. So attendance should increase, right? Still a 336% jump to 8,500 attendees is impressive.
A more meaningful measure is the 126% jump in average attendance per workshop to 43 people. That’s enough growth to interest such biggies as American Express, Sam’s Club and IKEA, all of whom are now co-sponsoring some local SCORE events.
That’s exposure and information most small-business owners across the nation can’t get, but then the local SCORE is the largest chapter in the nation with about 100 members and one of the best, having won chapter of the year once and runner up four times in the past decade.
Member Bill Morland recently explains the local chapter’s process for achieving such impressive growth that SCORE had him speak about it at the recent national conference. Now SCORE counselors are using their experience to help small businesses
Here’s the basic approach SCORE used:
- Target the market more precisely
- Form alliances to get the word out and share the costs
- Build an e-mail marketing campaign
- Track the results
SCORE’s best “customers” aren’t just people looking for free information, Morland explains, but small-business owners and those preparing to start who are seeking information.
“Where do people seek information? Libraries, universities, chambers of commerce and city halls,” Morland explains. “So we formed alliances with these groups to develop more locations for our workshops, Yorba Linda was first, then Fullerton, then the county library system. These groups help get the word out and give us space for the workshops.”
In 2007, SCORE started sending out e-mails about upcoming workshops. “At first we just sent one e-mail every two weeks with a laundry list of workshops,” Morland says. “Attendance was up 23% that year.”
In 2008, SCORE started sending out two e-mails for each workshop, making sure that the topic, time, date and place at the top.
“Instantly workshop attendance jumped 30-40%,” he says.
The e-mail, using Constant Contact, always allows recipients to remove themselves from future mailings, but less than 1-10th of 1% do that, Morland says. “I always ask at workshops how many attendees received an e-mail and almost everyone raises his hand. And not once has someone said you’re sending too many e-mails.”
Such a vigorous campaign requires SCORE members to be diligent about asking for e-mails from people who call the office, come in for counseling or visit a SCORE booth at business events. The group’s list has 14,000 addresses now.
“Don’t go out and buy an e-mail mailing list,” Morland advises. “It could get you kicked off systems for spamming.”
The group carefully tracks the results, with Constant Contact’s help. For example, 11% of e-mails sent are opened and 3% click through to register.
“Make it one step. Let them click once to register. Don’t ask them to call; that loses 80% right away,” Morland says.
And less than one e-mail per workshop gets a spam report.
The strategy not only increases workshop attendance. About 25% of workshop attendees sign up for one-on-one counseling with SCORE counselors.
Other business stories…
Posted in: How to • Internet • Local companies • Marketing • Top posts • e-mail marketing • SCORE | 2 Comments »
September 18th, 2009, 8:25 am by Jan Norman, small-business columnist
If companies don’t manage employee use of social media such as Twitter and Facebook, they risk long-term damage to
 Tamara Devitt their finances and reputation, says Tamar Devitt, a partner in the Irvine office of employment law firm Fisher & Phillips LLP.
A growing number of businesses use social networks to boost their brand awareness; engage customers, suppliers and strategic partners; and streamline operations. They even encourage — maybe even require — employees to participate in social media.
Watch out. Social media use without rules can cause legal and financial problems, Devitt says. Some of the potential risks:
- Lawsuits over failure to hire if company uses social media for background checks
- Harassment claims for inappropriate communication between employees
- Wrongful termination charges
- Employee disclosure of company trade secrets and other confidential information on social networking sites
- Invasion of privacy lawsuits
Devitt suggests establishing a social networking policy to prevent lawsuits, employer defamation and other negative  consequences. At the least, such policies should make clear that the company has a right to monitor employees’ online behavior and it has the right to protect its image and confidential information.
“One thing employers are struggling with is how to fit such a policy with corporate culture,” she says. “It’s a mine field without a lot of (case law) guidance yet.”
For example, an unsuccessful job applicant might sue a company, claiming he wasn’t hired because of some personal information posted on his Facebook page, Devitt says.
“Facebook and MySpace profiles can indicate race, religion, disability, secual orientation or other protected categories of an applicant,” she says. “It’s harder for an employer to say it didn’t know about such information even if it didn’t come up in interviews.”
To mitigate the risk, employers should:
- avoid “fake” friend requests to gain access to applicants’ social networking pages
- be consistent; check all applicants or none
- consider obtaining consent before searching
- give an applicant a chance to respond if an online search turns up information that influences the hiring decision.
Online banter among employees can cross the line into language some might find offensive or inappropriate. “We recommend that managers don’t be Facebook friends with subordinates,” Devitt says.
(In a blog poll here, a third of voters said they’d never be Facebook friends with co-workers.)
In addition, companies should have a policy for prior approval of any online recommendations a manager writes on employees’ LinkedIn or Facebook pages.
“If an employer writes on LinkedIn, ‘This person is a great salesman’ and then the employee is fired, that person might  sue for wrongful termination,” Devitt says.
Another risk is an employee disclosing private company information online. Devitt cites a Minnesota case in which an employee of a medical clinic found out that a patient had a sexually transmitted disease and posted the information on MySpace. The patient sued the clinic for violating federal health privacy laws.
Companies may also face invasion of privacy claims from employees, Devitt says.
“Research shows 53% of employees think the content of Facebook is not a boss’ concern. Howe ver 60% of employers believe they have a right to know how employees protray themselves online,” she says.
(In a blog poll here, 48% of voters said employees’ social networking is none of the boss’ business.)
In another case, employees of a restaurant chain set up a password-restricted web site to complain about the company. A manager got the password from an employee, found damaging content and fired the employees who set up the site. The employer lost the case, Devitt says.
Other business stories…
Posted in: Legal • Social networking • Top posts • Fisher & Phillips LLP • legal issues | 3 Comments »
September 16th, 2009, 6:00 am by Jan Norman, small-business columnist
Bill Crane, the vice president of engineering at LinkedIn, says local members of the social networking site may have Orange County as a geographic designation for members’ profiles within two weeks.
Here is what Crane told Sven Johnston, who has spearheaded the campaign to get the O.C. recognition separate from “greater Los Angles,” on LinkedIn:
Hi Sven,
Thanks for your message. Regions vary by size and as membership grows we need to consider dividing them to more accurately reflect location. I’m looking into adding Orange County in the next two weeks. Once your region as been updated in production I’ll let you know.
Please let me know if you have further questions.
Regards,
Bill Crane
VP of Engineering
Johnston, who lives in Laguna Niguel and works at Escoe Bliss Professional Resources in Irvine, started pushing in May for Orange County recognition and formed a LinkedIn group called We Are Orange County that quickly grew to more than 3,000 members.
Click here to read my original May post about the quest. And click here to read my It’s Your Business column about it.
Johnston wrote several times to the entire LinkedIn executive team. Here’s an exerpt:
Here are some facts to show you why Orange County, CA deserves its own location code on Linkedin.
- Orange County is the 32 biggest economy in world bigger than Singapore, Portugal and Israel.
- Orange County has a population of over 3 million people
- Orange County has its own identity in business, in networking and every other aspect of life.
People look at the Linkedin company pages of Ingram Micro, First American, Western Digital, Pacific Life, Allergan , Quicksilver, (and the list continues….) and they think all these companies are located in Los Angeles, but they are all headquartered in Orange County.
Members received job offers just to find out that their commute would be over 3 hours, because the recruiter thought they lived in Los Angeles. Linkedin is about connecting online, but it is also heavily used for people to connect offline. There is a considerable difference if one has to drive 10 or 100 miles to meet someone for coffee.
As WROC member Neal Schaffer noted, Bakersfield, population 315,000, has its own LinkedIn designation but Orange County, with 3 million people, doesn’t.
Other business stories…
Posted in: Local companies • Social networking • Top posts • Updates • Linkedin | 6 Comments »
September 3rd, 2009, 1:00 am by Jan Norman, small-business columnist
Mike Brown, president of ModBargains.com in Brea, is using social media to help raise funds for Southern California firefighters, who are working, sweating and endangering themselves to protect lives and property.
 Southern California's brush fires ModBargains.com sells BMW parts and accessories worldwide. Here’s the pitch he made in the company’s newsletter; to 500,000 visitors to BMW message boards that ModBargains sponsors, on ModBargain’s Facebook page and blog; and now to you:
During this time of the year, our weather here in Southern California is HOT! Along with the 100+ degree days, we also run into an issue with large brush fires. As I write this, there are several fires in the area, some burning as much as 120,000+ acres and already a few firefighters have regrettably passed away trying to defend our local homes.
To support a local radio station, 104.3 My FM’s effort in fire fighter support, we ask that you support the dedication that fire fighters provide by driving with your headlights on all day on Friday.
To further the support, for every purchase over $50 until Sept. 8, we will donate $5 to Fire Family Foundation, which is a charity that supports the families of fallen fire fighters.
Also, if you would like to make a larger donation, please add the amount directly into the “customer comments” section of your order.
What do you think of Brown’s idea?
Other business stories….
Posted in: Local companies • Social networking • Top posts • firefighters • ModBargains.com | Post a Comment »
August 29th, 2009, 6:00 am by Jan Norman, small-business columnist
Orange County residents Travis Winn and Josh Robbins wanted their company, Calle in San Clemente, to be more  than a line of hip urban clothing and accessories for soccer players.
They are building a community for street soccer players (Calle is Spanish for street) of all ages, and hey if you want to sport a Calle T-shirt or shorts, all the better.
They got the idea while playing soccer in Brazil and Spain. Get local high school players to improve their skills in pick-up games and street tournaments. It opens up the game to kids who can’t afford the several thousand dollars in fees for soccer clubs.
“The best players in the world grew up playing soccer on the streets,” Robbins says. “That is where they developed their skill and creativity.”
Calle started as a business plan in 2007 that won the $52,500 first-place prize in Brigham Young University’s Marriott School Business Competition. That same year, Calle received honorable mention in Fortune Small Business” student business startup competition.
Calle the company has a line of men’s and women’s shirts, shorts, shoes, headgear and backpack ranging in price from $22 to 55. The blue Calle signature soccer ball costs $40. Its products are sold at 107 stores nationwide in addition to the web site.
Calle’s first initial product was a ball invented and patented to withstand the rigors of hard  surfaces such as concrete or pavement yet still maintain the feel of a regular ball, Robbins says.
Winn adds, “I saw kids with a passion to play soccer not be able to play because their ball would wear out. They didn’t have the resources to buy a new one, and I thought that this wasn’t right. Calle is working to give our durable soccer balls to kids throughout the world so they can play soccer longer and harder.”
The product line has expanded to equipment and apparel that enable an individual to play soccer in almost any location and still look stylish.
The success of the product line is tied to building the popularity of street soccer, which Robbins says is really played in parking lots or other asphalt surfaces, not in heavy traffic. That’s why the company web site has the Calle Underground where street soccer players can find teams and games, share soccer moves and other information.
Calle has started partnering with sports agents to develop a model allowing college and professional scouts access to locate and evaluate street players who can’t afford to play in large, organized clubs, Robbins says.
Other entrepreneur stories…
Posted in: Local companies • Social networking • Top posts • Calle • street soccer | Post a Comment »
August 24th, 2009, 12:00 pm by Jan Norman, small-business columnist
Almost half of business executives are uncomfortable being Facebook friends with their employees and bosses, according to a new survey by OfficeTeam, a temporary staffing agency with an office in Orange.
Tell us what you think then find out more:
Do you want co-workers as Facebook friends?
Facebook has more than 30 million active users who average 120 friends each. Some companies, like mine, encourage employees to become active on Facebook. But apparently many bosses are uneasy with colleagues friending them.
In a random survey, executives who were uncomfortable receiving Facebook friend requests from different categories:
- Their boss: 47%
- Co-workers: 41%
- Employees they manage: 48%
- Clients: 51%
- Vendors: 62%
Note that executives are even less comfortable being Facebook friends with clients and vendors, which seems to indicate they don’t like using this social networking tool for business.
“The line between personal and professional has grown increasingly blurred as more people use social networking websites for business purposes,” says OfficeTeam Executive Director Robert Hosking. “Although not everyone is comfortable using sites like Facebook to connect with professional contacts, it’s wise to be prepared for these types of requests.”
Hosking advises employees on Facebook to be sure they are in compliance with their employer’s social networking policy. Learn how to use Facebook privacy settings and create different friend lists to control how — and with whom — information is shared.
“Individuals should classify their professional contacts into a ‘work’ list and limit what personal details this group can view,” he says.
If you receive a friend request from someone you don’t want to connect with, Hosking suggests it might be best to accept such requests from colleagues to avoid offending them but add them to a work list only and adjust privacy settings to separate your job from your personal life.
What do you think about that strategy?
Other business stories…
Posted in: Employees • Poll • Social networking • Top posts • Facebook • OfficeTeam • Orange | 26 Comments »
August 23rd, 2009, 6:00 am by Jan Norman, small-business columnist
Michael Nermon, founder of Ergo Customized Comfort store in Irvine has been in the bedding business for more than a quarter century and most of his customers aren’t exactly the futon and sleeping bag crowd.
But he’s got a bed that’s ideal for the cramped-for-space college crowd and this is back-to-school month, so he’s
 Mattress in a Duffle on wheels using social networking to market the product.
It’s Mattress in a Duffle — a real mattress, not an inflatable, that is compressed to a size that easily fits through a dorm door — and the coupon for 10% off the $439 delivery included price is on Facebook.
To get the discount, you must sign up as an Ergo fan, says Nermon whose Ergo store has been open since 2001.
 Ergo mattress at normal size Many students — or maybe it’s their parents — don’t like dorm room mattresses so the Mattress in a Duffle is a real mattress alternative in places where standard-size mattresses can’t be maneuvered up the stairs or through the door, he says.
“My daughter went to UC Berkeley and it wasn’t that easy to get a mattress delivered and into the bedroom,” Nermon said, “but with this packaging technology we can deliver to a dorm a king-size mattress by UPS as easily as a twin.”
After the foam mattress is made, it is compressed using vacuum technology so that UPS can deliver it anywhere in the United States and Canada. After it is put in placed and unpacked, it gradually returns to its full size.
How big is it? “larger than the overhead compartment on a plane, but the carton has wheels and a handle,” Nermon says. Just remember, it still weighs the same as a full mattress.
Here’s what the Facebook coupon looks like. Click on it to go to Ergo’s Facebook page.
Ergo uses two manufacturers for the Mattress in a Duffle. Anatomic Global Inc. in Corona makes the ErgoBed, and Keetsa in the Bay Area, sells its bed under the Keetsa brand. Both are environmentally friendly companies and one reason for their technology to compress mattresses is to reduce the fuel used to deliver them, Nermon said.
Other business stories…
Posted in: Local companies • Marketing • Social networking • Top posts • Anatomic Global Inc. • back to school • Ergo customized Comfort • Keetsa • Mattress in a Duffle | 4 Comments »
August 18th, 2009, 6:00 am by Jan Norman, small-business columnist
 Even people who know nothing about computers can build an iPhone application, says Magaly Chocano, whose company, Sweb Apps, today launched a do-it-yourself app creator.
The most likely users will be small businesses, nonprofits and schools, says Chocano, who started Sweb (short for social web) Apps about a year ago.
“You don’t have to know how to develop anything … and create your own app in 5 minutes,” she says. “I think it’s going to be used by freelancers and small businesses because there are lots of ways you can market yourself with these things. But it’s so new I don’t know what to expect.”
For example, a restaurant can build an app to take reservations, promote the daily special and post the menu. In addition to the tools to build the app, Sweb App will host it and put it on iTunes where customers can download it.
Apple, maker of the iPhone, says more than 65,000 apps have already been created and downloaded a billion times. Imagine the number if even non-tekkies can build them.
Chocano initially intended her business to do web site development but became so intrigued with iPhone applications that she changed directions.
“IPhone apps are so popular among my small clients, how can it not be popular with any small business that doesn’t  have a lot of marketing dollars?” she reasons.
While a Sweb Apps user can make an application in 5 minutes, it may take the company 72 hours to upload it to Apple apps and then take Apple two to three weeks to put it on iTunes, Chocano says.
A Sweb Apps application can have up to 8 function buttons for a one-time set-up fee of $50 per button. For example, a boutique might have buttons for its catalog, product photos, events, for the latest sale, company news and more. They can be updated instantly.
Hosting costs $25 a month and a traffic tracking tool costs $10 a month.
If the iPhone app builder is popular, the company will create tools to build apps Blackberry, Palm Pre and Android, possibly by the first quarter of 2010, Chocano says.
What app would you build for your iPhone?
Other entrepreneurial stories…
Posted in: Internet • Marketing • Technology • Top posts • iPhone • Sweb Apps | Post a Comment »
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