Virtual Zen

Great Video Explains Google Ad Word Auctions

This video was posted on Twitter today (thanks @smbusinesscoach) and I thought it was really useful. It's a simple-to-understand, explanation of how the Google ad word auctions work. Enjoy!

If You Are Calm, She Will Be Calm

Last night we had a thunder storm. My German Shepherd was hanging out on the bed with my daughter and me, panting so furiously it felt as if there were other people on the bed with us doing things that shouldn't be witnessed by an almost eight year old. The whole bed was shaking from the repercussions from Sahsa panting. She was very anxious about the storm.Though not quite as anxious as my eight-year-old Doberman who had curled himself up into a ball so tight he more resembled a chihuahua than a ninety pound dobie!

Typically Sasha barks at thunder, demanding it to stop. Rocko, the Doberman, hides (usually under my desk). Two very different personalities; one confrontational, one not. Both scared.

I told my daughter to be calm, relax herself, and Sasha would start to relax as well. Dogs pick up on human emotions and tend to reflect what you are feeling - both good and bad. We calmed down and so did the Shepherd; her panting slowed and she was able to relax.

For some reason, while this was happening, I starting to think about the relationship between this scenario and working with clients and customers (I know, my mind works in strange ways, but it's not as big a leap as you might think). In stressful times, when a client becomes anxious or upset, remaining calm is the best way to keep him or her calm too. If you also get upset, the emotions will only escalate and your client will not feel reassured.

Relax, breath, support each other. With the calm comes solutions!

What is the value of social networking for Businesses?

I met with a friend yesterday who asked me to work on a project with her to help one of her clients develop a social networking program. Sounds like fun - I'm in! I told her that one thing we would have to stress to the client is that in order for social networking to be of any benefit to the company, it would have to meaningful and provide worthwhile information to the end-user. It's not about selling -- it's about forming relationships with the customers and being viewed as a valuable resource to them. More about branding than products. That's the goal.

I came across a YouTube video today featuring Seth Godin talking about the value of social networking for businesses and thought I'd share. Enjoy!

Four Months Without a Blog Post? What Happened?

For some reason my blog seemed to stop at the beginning of April. I really don't know where the last four months went! I know a lot has happened (I added a jewelry business to my mix of home-based businesses, adopted a behaviorally-challenged dog, agreed to teach a teleseminar and now need to create it, started working with an awesome new author client, etc), but I think the real reason is that my social networking outlets have been suffering an identity crisis. I'm just too fragmented in my businesses lately and I think that has come through in my inability to write about them. The same thing happened to FaceBook - it started out for business, but I added so many friends from my childhood along with various family members, that I just don't know what to post about anymore. I love being in contact with everyone - I just don't know how to be without boring most of them.

Maybe I should allow myself the freedom to just write about whatever comes to mind or what interests me regardless of whether it can be related directly to my current mix of businesses (which in of itself is very fragmented and unrleated). I'll have to give this some thought and decide the fate of my little blog. Anyway, for those few of you who have followed my blog, I didn't fall off the planet and I haven't abandoned Virtual Zen. I'm just not sure where to focus right now - this is my dilemma.