On the world wide web there are a number of free tools, applications and media, for want of a better word lets just call it all "free stuff". Free stuff that helps you run and promote your own business or table tennis tournament. If a table tennis tournament isn't your thing the you can stick to doing business just as easily. Below are 3 tools I have found more then useful and a short brief on a few that have helped me look cool in front of the boss/clients.
MAIL CHIMP
Ooohh how I love you. This little Monkey will provide you with all your email marketing needs and then some. It's pretty much free unless you do more email campaigns then a Viagra company. It allows you to design your own campaign, see who opened what and manage your database.
TWITTER
Basically I just stalk people that are smarter then me and wait for then to drop a magic nut of knowledge. Which I then eat. It is a great way to learn full stop. Following the right people will provide you with industry knowledge, exceptionally handy blogs, pics of their dinner, news stories, tips, useful software and so on and so on. Below is a list of a few twitters that have been pretty handy:
@clarelancaster - Also has a great newsletter that wraps up the week in social media
@Armano
@servantofchaos - Provides a good weekly wrap of the best blogs
@jeffbullas
@samanthabell1
GIST
Again with the stalking. Is a great web based quasi CRM. It essentially takes your contacts from outlook/email provider and then provides you with information from the web on that person. From pics to news stories to blogs. Gist will also help manage the relationship advising when you were last in contact and ranking contacts in importance. Only downside for an Aussie is that a lot of the articles/news can be for people from the US of A.
There are millions more and then some. Like all the google offerings, apps to improve Twitter like Hootsuite and preso offerings like Prezi that can all help you with your marketing efforts.
If you guys and gals out there know of any other super "tools" then please comment and advise.
Thursday, November 26, 2009
Wednesday, November 4, 2009
Tools for Pitching to the CEO.
Ok, I hate giving boring presentations and writing large strategy documents. If you do you are a better person then me and have no need to read on.
Why?
a. Well I find boring presentations boring
b. I'm not a huge fan of writing large strategy documents
c. I have found using the below tool highly effective.
d. I like pictures and links
Mind42.com is a great tool to map out what you are going to do for a client and helps the client visualise what you will actually be doing for them.
Mind42 works sort of like a family tree or a basic brainstorm that you would complete in a strategy meeting. This time the storm is in electronic format with links and pictures and what not.
Where you would normally draw a cloud you can link to the website, blog or Twitter. Another feature I enjoyed is that you can download pics straight from the web to transform your text into picture. These and many other features will help you create an interactive presentation.
The Mind Map allows you to walk the CEO through the process and can simplify pages of strategy into 1 slide.
I found this tool in a cool article at Mashable, there are also a number of other tools that you can use for little or no cost. (If you are charged excessively I will not be helped responsible. Blame your nearest tennis coach)
Below is a pdf of the first Mind Map I produced for drycleaning@work. It is a bit basic but you get the idea. Tell me what you think?
Dry Cleaning Work
Why?
a. Well I find boring presentations boring
b. I'm not a huge fan of writing large strategy documents
c. I have found using the below tool highly effective.
d. I like pictures and links
Mind42.com is a great tool to map out what you are going to do for a client and helps the client visualise what you will actually be doing for them.
Mind42 works sort of like a family tree or a basic brainstorm that you would complete in a strategy meeting. This time the storm is in electronic format with links and pictures and what not.
Where you would normally draw a cloud you can link to the website, blog or Twitter. Another feature I enjoyed is that you can download pics straight from the web to transform your text into picture. These and many other features will help you create an interactive presentation.
The Mind Map allows you to walk the CEO through the process and can simplify pages of strategy into 1 slide.
I found this tool in a cool article at Mashable, there are also a number of other tools that you can use for little or no cost. (If you are charged excessively I will not be helped responsible. Blame your nearest tennis coach)
Below is a pdf of the first Mind Map I produced for drycleaning@work. It is a bit basic but you get the idea. Tell me what you think?
Dry Cleaning Work
The Beginning: Starting a Marketing Company from Scratch
The Intro: Ok so here it goes. As you maybe able to tell from my lame first sentence this is my first blog entry. (I have gone with the sub heading format after some help from problogger)
Name: Leigh Barnes
Age: 27
Location: Fitzroy
The Personal Life: Lover of Archie the wonder pup, sport (I am a very average amateur footballer and cricketer) and stuff that happens online. I have an unhealthy love of Solo and sambos.
The Deal: I am just starting my own business helping SME to market or larger organisations that can’t afford a full time marketing related type person. This Blog will document my rise and rise to mediocrity and then hopefully beyond said mediocrity.
The Day Job: Business Development and Online Marketing for a Call Centre and Sales Software in Melbourne.
The Blog: I will be posting the majority of work I complete here from strategy to video to pictures of me. If you think something I have done is good bad or otherwise. (like if it is better then sex) Please tell me or spread the word.
The Early Adaptors: drycleaning@work and Quirky Bubba are my first client's and in many ways my guinea pig. As the name suggests they offer dry-cleaning at work in the Melbourne CBD, picking it up from your place of employment and then dropping it right back. Quirky Bubba is a online Baby goods site launching shortly.
The Idea: Is that I essentially I want you guys to come on a journey with me and see if I can make it and join in the fun. If you find this sort of thing fun, that is.
The Future: Follow drycleaning@work on Twitter for details on our launch.
Name: Leigh Barnes
Age: 27
Location: Fitzroy
The Personal Life: Lover of Archie the wonder pup, sport (I am a very average amateur footballer and cricketer) and stuff that happens online. I have an unhealthy love of Solo and sambos.
The Deal: I am just starting my own business helping SME to market or larger organisations that can’t afford a full time marketing related type person. This Blog will document my rise and rise to mediocrity and then hopefully beyond said mediocrity.
The Day Job: Business Development and Online Marketing for a Call Centre and Sales Software in Melbourne.
The Blog: I will be posting the majority of work I complete here from strategy to video to pictures of me. If you think something I have done is good bad or otherwise. (like if it is better then sex) Please tell me or spread the word.
The Early Adaptors: drycleaning@work and Quirky Bubba are my first client's and in many ways my guinea pig. As the name suggests they offer dry-cleaning at work in the Melbourne CBD, picking it up from your place of employment and then dropping it right back. Quirky Bubba is a online Baby goods site launching shortly.
The Idea: Is that I essentially I want you guys to come on a journey with me and see if I can make it and join in the fun. If you find this sort of thing fun, that is.
The Future: Follow drycleaning@work on Twitter for details on our launch.
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