This site is a map of everything about me online. Look for links to my blogs, social networking sites and favorite Web sites. From news about my Trakehner horses to upcoming seminars - This is designed to be a single source for business associates, clients, family and friends to find it all. Enjoy and visit often! - Carol

Archive for Social Media

PWB FlyerThe North Carolina Professional Women in Building will be hosting a hospitality suite on Thursday, September 16 during the 21 Century Building Show and Expo. It is a great time to come out and find out more about PWB membership, and get some tasty snacks.

Additionally, PWB is presenting two seminars geared toward women during the show. Come join us, it should be a lot of fun.  First Mitch Levinson and I will present Social Media for Home Builders at 10 a.m., then Tammie Smoot and I will present Sell To Women Through the Social Media Grapevine at 2 p.m.

Let us know what you’d like to learn during Social Media for Home Builders! Mitch and I are happy to cater the class to your requests and suggestions!

Don’t forget to register for the show at www.21BuildingExpo.com.

PWB Webinar PollProfessional Women in Building held a NAHB webinar today on using social media to reach one of the hottest buying demographics in America – Women.

We did an online poll of the participants. The question posed was, “What types of social media are you using for your business?” The poll results are pictured, but I’ll post the results as well:

Blogs – 22%
LinkedIn – 51%
Facebook – 73%
Twitter – 19%
YouTube – 24%
Other – 14%

Ok, so in terms of what I do on a daily basis, this is HUGE!  With only 22% of the companies on the call using a corporate blog, that means that 78% need one! Having the blog work as the engine of your social media program integrates your program. It makes the program less work. Companies can reduce the amount of time needed in social media management by 50% while increasing their website traffic by 25 – 50%. Integrating this piece is key!

This seminar is part of a 5 part NAHB webinar series called Building Conversations, so make sure to check it out!

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May
05

10 Tips to Attain and Manage Power

Posted by: Carol | Comments (0)

women business ownersThis post is for all the business owners and entrepreneurs in my life. My friend Karla Sinclair, Publisher of Atlanta Daybook shared this information from the Possible Woman conference held recently in Atlanta. It is really great information and I hope it will provide you with additional motivation to continue to be the shining star that you are.

Political commentator Donna Brazile gave the keynote address which focused on women attaining and managing power.

Ten Tips from Donna Brazile:

  1. Know your power and believe in yourself.
  2. Be true to yourself and visualize.
  3. Identify role models and mentors.
  4. Nourish your ambition.
  5. Dare to dream and communicate clearly.
  6. Set a strategy for success and write it down.
  7. Remove stumbling blocks and remain steadfast despite the obstacles.
  8. If you get knocked down, get back up.
  9. Don’t be afraid of controversy.
  10. Stir the waters.  Sometimes making waves is the only way to move forward.
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Apr
24

Atlanta: A Social Media Meca

Posted by: Carol | Comments (0)

Top Twitter CitiesSocial Media Marketing for Business

Atlanta now tops the lists of places to be in social media marketing. Does your small business Tweet? Do you have a Facebook page? If the answer is no, maybe it is time to look into a social media program.  Just last week Atlanta was listed as one of the top Twitter cities of the world. Listed at #5, Atlanta is in good company coming in just behind London, Los Angeles, Chicago and New York.

During 2009, Atlanta was one of the fastest growing cities in terms of Facebook users with more than 142% growth during the first half of the year. In numbers of Facebook users Atlanta is second only to New York! With all of these potential consumers flocking to Facebook and Twitter, it is more important than even to make sure your small business has a presence on the sites.

facebook_demographics_statistics_2009To streamline your social media strategy, make sure to launch a blog as the heart of your program. A blog will help you develop your messages and save time spent on social media by reducing the number of places you need to update. While there aren’t Read More→

Categories : General, Social Media
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Apr
23

Purse Power

Posted by: Carol | Comments (0)

The Power of the PurseI don’t think anyone underestimates the buying power or influence of women.  In fact, I recently Retweeted sheconomy, “Men, The Female Consumer is in Control. Listen or Perish. http://ow.ly/1zjvB.” My friend Aaron Hoffman quipped back quickly, “I think we understand that given that there’s 20 women’s stores to every guy’s store in the mall.”

Women influence all the major consumer purchasing categories from home furnishings to vacations to new homes. Here are the percentages:

  • All consumer purchases: 85 percent
  • Home furnishings: 94 percent
  • Vacations: 92 percent
  • New homes: 91 percent
  • DIY (do-it-yourself projects): 80 percent
  • Consumer Electronics: 51 percent

So, what is the best way to reach out to this influential demographic? Well, the Internet of course.  Here of the statistics on where you can find us.

An April 2009 Women and Social Media Study by BlogHer, iVillage and Compass Partners shows that women are twice as likely to use blogs over other social networking sites for trusted information. Here are the findings from the study:

  • 75% participate in social networks
  • 55% were active bloggers Read More→
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Apr
22

Chatty Cathie Replaced By Texting Tammy

Posted by: Carol | Comments (0)

Texting on the riseA recent study from Pew on texting reveals that teens preferred method of communicating is by text. The study shows that boys typically send and receive 30 texts a day, compared with girls’ 80 messages. The one exception is Girls 14-17 who typically send 100 or more messages a day!

Women have always been the more social or chatty of the two sexes, but it seems that Chatty Cathie is being replaced by Texting Tammy.

Overall, girls more fully embrace most aspects of cell-phone communications:

  • 86% of girls say they text message friends several times a day, compared with 64% of boys.
  • 59% of girls call friends on their cell phone every day, compared with 42% of boys.
  • 59% of girls send text messages several times a day to “just say hello and chat,” compared with 42% of boys. Read More→
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Apr
21

She Says: Sell Me But Do It My Way

Posted by: Carol | Comments (0)

Moms online buying powerDigital strategies provider Q Interactive enlisted its Women’s Channel, a pioneer in creating an online dialogue between leading brands and ideal women customers, to conduct a survey of more than 1,800 women — 82 percent of them mothers. The result may be as amazing as the women in your life! Women actually WANT ads to be directed and delivered to them to help them find the best deals. Women are busy and they want help finding the items they are looking for from the brands they trust.

Hghlights of the study include:

  • 88 percent of women polled said they wished that brands they trusted would send them more tailored offers.
  • More than 65 percent of the women first think, “Cool! How did they know I wanted this?” when receiving an online advertisement perfectly targeted to them.
  • 58 percent said brands need to “Give me something” in order to build an online relationship.
  • More than 53 percent believe they have relationships with sites and brands they often use online. Read More→
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Apr
18

RSS Doesn’t Mean Really Simple to Steal

Posted by: Carol | Comments (0)

RSS Really Simple to StealDo you create GREAT blog content? Do you find that others love it too? In fact they often love it enough to steal it and post it verbatim on their own blog or website! Well, you are not alone. After having numerous posts copied and pasted word for word from our beloved Atlanta Real Estate Forum to other sites, we decided to create these clever shirts (Well, we think they are clever anyway, Let us know if you like them too!).

The front says, “My blog posts are so good, they may contain content that you’ll want to Steal!”

RSS tshirt backThe back says, “RSS does not mean Really Simple to Steal.”

You can have one too for the low, low price of $20 (includes shipping).  Just visit mRELEVANCE to order one. Make sure to enter your complete address so we can mail it to you along with your preferred size M, L or XL.

Let the world know how proud you are of your blog content with a fun RSS tshirt from mRELEVANCE.

Categories : General, Social Media
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Apr
16

Have You Synchronized Your Social Media?

Posted by: Carol | Comments (0)

synchronize your social mediaSo you have a blog. . . now what? Now it is time to synchronize your social media and develop a more in-depth plan. Here are a few quick ways to evaluate your current program.

Does your blog have a plan to survive the next “dry” spell?

  • Blog is strategically focused on a topic or specialty
  • Team of writers in place and ready to blog
  • Editorial plan of 8 blog posts a month
  • Backup content is available for when something falls through
  • Posts contain a mixture of copy, photos, video and podcasts
  • Posts are easy to read about 300 words long and often contain bullets

Is your team “synchronized” in their approach?

  • Both marketing and sales people are engaged in content production
  • Blog leverages other social networks to maximize referral traffic Read More→
Categories : Social Media
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Apr
15

75% of Online Women Use Social Media

Posted by: Carol | Comments (2)

Savvy Woman on the WebShe Cooks. She Shops. She Works. She is Online and She influences about 90-percent of today’s consumer purchases. Best of all, She is willing to interact with your company online. She is using social media. . . . have you met her?

The BlogHer-iVillage 2010 Social Media Matters Study, co-sponsored by Ketchum and the Nielsen Company, indicates that 73% of online women are now active social media users, engaging weekly or more often with top social media platforms. Social media is playing an increasingly important role in the everyday lives of Americans, particularly when it comes to getting advice on consumer products, according to the new survey released today, with many consulting blogs or message boards before making purchases.

“The twenty million users who visit the BlogHer Network favor blogs over every other media source for reasons both personal and pragmatic”

Key findings from the study include:

  • Blogs are second only to Internet search as the preferred media source for product purchasing information for BlogHer Network users
  • Blogs dominate the attention of BlogHer Network users (96% read blogs weekly or more often)
  • BlogHer users are significantly more active with all three top social media platforms vs the average woman online (Blogs, Facebook, Twitter) Read More→
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