For you short attention span readers, here are the “7 Ways” for your review. Comment away if you (dis)agree.

1. Reputation Management

Key point: People are talking about you online, whether you choose to listen or not.

2. Customer Service

Key point: Social media customer service is the new (800) number.

3. Public Relations

Key point: Social media enables you to take your message to customers directly.

4. Customer Acquisition

Key point: Market sideways. Features and benefits are too boring to work in social media.

5. Create Brand Communities

Key point: Activate your fans and give them something to do. Don’t just collect them like baseball cards.

6. Thought Leadership

Key point: Everyone in the world has expertise. What’s yours, and how to you distribute it?

7. Networking

Key point: Social capital belongs to individuals, and is loaned to brands. You can use social networking to develop relationships online that you’d be unlikely to have otherwise.

http://skitguys.com/skitguys/podcast.php

Thanks Tommy for the love.

Jim

The greatest of all Christmas movies. Buy it now.

1. Set a budget. This is difficult at first — you don’t know how much things cost. But eventually you’ll be able to tell yourself, “I’m going spend $20 today”. It becomes a game to see how much you can buy for $20.
2. Discard your prejudices. Some people consider thrift stores and used clothing shops nasty dirty places. Some are. Most aren’t. Explore your neighborhood. Find a shop or two that you like, and you’ll be hooked.
3. Go with a friend. It’s good to have a second opinion. Your friend may have an eye for what looks good on you — and vice versa.
4. Try things on. Sizes vary widely between manufacturers and even by eras. (Today’s clothes have looser fits.) But go in knowing your general size and measurements. Note that some places don’t have dressing rooms, so it’s smart to wear a modest thin layer in case you need to strip down in the aisle.
5. Examine each item thoroughly. It sucks to get home to find your new shirt has a hole in the pocket. Or that the slacks you thought were a steal actually have a broken zipper.
6. Check washing instructions. You don’t want to pay $3 for a silk blouse if you’ll never dry-clean it.
7. Use the tags as a guide to find quality brands you like, but don’t limit yourself. Sometimes a brand you’ve never heard of can yield a favorite piece of clothing.
8. Think layers. Maybe that shirt with a stain on the sleeve has a great collar for wearing under a sweater. For $3, you can afford to buy a single-purpose shirt.
9. Use thrift stores as a way to diversify your wardrobe. Buy colors and styles on which you normally wouldn’t spend much. Wear the new clothes a few times to see how you like them, and to gauge the reaction of others.
10. Used clothing stores are great for certain accessories. Why pay $30 for a new belt in a department store when you can get a better belt in your size for just $2? I like to shop at second-hand stores for hats. (Nice hats.)
11. Look for clothes new with tags. Sometimes unsold department store inventory finds its way to used clothing stores and thrift shops. You’ll generally pay more for these items, but not much.
12. If you won’t wear it, don’t buy it. You don’t save money buying a $3 shirt if it just sits in your closet for two years.
13. Wash clothes when you get them home.
14. Watch for sales. Used clothing stores (and thrift stores) run periodic specials. Our favorite local store just ran a half-off sale. The local thrift stores often have specials on certain items.
15. If you go to the same store often, ask when they rotate stock. Stores get new shipments regularly. Most also have extra stock in storage. If you become familiar with the owners, you might even ask them to keep an eye out for particular items.
16. Take your time. At normal clothing shops, everything is neatly organized. Not so at most thrift stores. When thrifting, it’s more important to be patient, to browse the racks methodically.
17. If buying used clothes becomes a habit, institute a “one in-one out policy”. Every time you bring home something new, get rid of something old. (Give it away, take it to a thrift store, or save it for a garage sale.)
18. Have fun! Buying used clothing can save you money. It’s also a fun way to kill a Saturday afternoon. At $3 an item, you can afford to be adventurous sometimes.

All You Need to Know About Internet Ministry Marketing in 72 Questions

Here is the outline from my first session at the Internet Ministry Conference. Stay tuned for the sequel to this session – “Tailored Internet Ministry.”

If you want to have great Internet marketing, ask yourself the following questions.

#1 :: How can I have great Internet marketing?

FUNDAMENTALS / BRANDING

#2 :: What is my brand?
#3 :: What is my ministry’s mission?

read the full article here

+ This horse is clearly having a bad day.

+ Great! First we showed a father losing his bid for father of the year, now a mother takes the plunge!

+ This ref can’t let go.

+ Seattle has had some bad luck this year in sports, but this guy’s luck is way worse.

+ Prescription drugs are now more accessible to teens than beer.

+ Stuff Christians Like gives us a hilarious church logo guide.

+ Don join the bowling league if your game is like this