gdp's Comments

Catarina's World : Are we moving from mass consumption to the wants of individuals?

Mon, 23 Nov 2015 23:00:24 +0000

Hi Catarina, There definitely is a shift towards customization and individualization. While there will always be a market for mass produced items, the big money will be in coming up with creative products and services that people are willing to pay for. My recent post Case Study: Consolidating Multiple Websites Into One

Catarina's World : Rising inequality - the main risk facing the world

Tue, 24 Feb 2015 21:57:59 +0000

Catarina, I had not heard that the richest 1 percent in the world would soon own as much as the remaining 99%. It is painfully obvious that the gap between the haves and have-nots is increasing. I have no answers. The outlook is dismal to me. We can only hope that our upcoming election will change the landscape of politics here in the US but I don’t think anyone is optimistic about that. My recent post Does SEO (Search Engine Optimization) Confuse You? #FridayFinds

Catarina's World : Are entrepreneurs artists?

Thu, 18 Dec 2014 19:08:12 +0000

Catarina, I do agree with Steve Blank that there are deep rooted similarities between artists and entrepreneurs. Successful entrepreneurs do need to have passion. Saying you're an entrepreneur doesn't make you one and the odds are against being successful are stacked against us. My recent post Re-Thinking Your After Blogging To-Do List

Catarina's World : Covert branding works against you

Sun, 26 Oct 2014 17:09:50 +0000

This is such a common issue Catarina. I'm often bewildered when I talk to someone who refuses to disclose who they are online. It is such a lost opportunity to build both your brand and top-of-mind awareness. My cousin is an amazing foster mother who has a real story to tell. She's adopted many children and she and her husband have given them fresh starts in life. She authored a book and it's on Kindle. Now, people in her state know who she is. Photos have been published in newspapers. So, why (I asked her) did she choose to author her book under a pen name? Why doesn't she want us to hear her story? Not only is her identity hidden, she doesn't have the "time" to be active on social media. It's no wonder that she isn't achieving the success she had hoped with her book. Very few people know it's out there. (As you can guess, I gave her the advice she asked for but she didn't follow it.) Great post and (as always) you have the conversation going! My recent post Did You Know Google Panda 4.1 Rewards Quality Content? #FridayFinds

Catarina's World : What’s your online reputation worth?

Sun, 2 Mar 2014 19:10:25 +0000

Catarina, As you mentioned, it is critical to react swiftly online. Last year, we traveled to St. Martin and as part of my research, I came upon a message thread absolutely thrashing one of the major car rental companies. This thread had been going on for years. There were a few travelers who came to the company’s defense but there was absolutely no one representing either the local franchise or the company brand. It was absolutely amazing. What’s interesting to note is that although the discussion was on TripAdvisor.com, I had come upon the message thread because it was on the first page of results in Google. You would think that a major company would invest in the resources to monitor their reputation. As always, a great post that fosters discussion. My recent post Does Your Content Marketing Strategy Stand a Chance? – #FridayFinds

Catarina's World : Which were the best global brands last year?

Mon, 27 Jan 2014 15:18:03 +0000

The key take-away to me (from this video) is the importance of focusing on the customer/consumer. The idea of our customers owning our brands resonated with me. These professionals are focusing on the brand “experience” rather than the brand itself. There’s a lot to think about here. Thanks for sharing this with us. My recent post Did Matt Cutts say that Guest Blogging for Links is Dead?

InNetwork : 3 Muppet-tastic Public Speaking Lessons

Sat, 11 Jan 2014 01:13:31 +0000

Michelle, I thoroughly enjoyed this! I was curious at first when I read the title (which is great BTW). My first thought was Muppets? Who is this written for? :) Although I started my career in IT as a shy introverted woman who couldn't make eye contact, through trial and error I did develop public speaking skills. My strategy was to always scan the room to find a friendly face and then speak directly to them. Had I read this first, I would have embraced the idea of being a gracious host like Kermit!

Catarina's World : Can Mary Barra lead General Motors?

Sun, 5 Jan 2014 17:56:52 +0000

Catarina, I do believe that Mary Barra can lead General Motors. Even though the auto industry is still male dominated, I think we've finally reached the point where the majority of men can look past gender and recognize true leadership. My recent post Facebook Business Pages, WordPress Widgets #FridayFinds

Catarina's World : Crisis management - can you handle it?

Sun, 13 Oct 2013 16:07:46 +0000

Catarina, This article contains excellent advice. Businesses need to be proactive and have a crisis management plan in place prior to needing it. Being in a reactive mode can just worsen the problem. My recent post E-Book Promotion Strategies, Using Hashtags and Google Analytics #FridayFinds

Catarina's World : Do MBAs harm the economy?

Sun, 28 Apr 2013 19:53:55 +0000

Catarina, I don’t believe we can blame the financial crash on MBAs but on the other hand, I do feel the degree itself is overvalued. Too often, people are hired simply because they have that piece of paper. I believe both of us are in agreement that while management skills may be teachable, true leadership can’t be taught. This entire discussion reminds me of the situation that my husband is currently in. He’s a teamster truck driver who is “dispatched” by people who have degrees but have absolutely no experience in the trucking industry. It’s actually laughable to hear some of the scenarios that occur because the person(s) in charge of logistics doesn’t have a basic understanding of the task at hand. It costs the company a lot of money but management either is blind to the fact or are simply complying to rules that have been put in place. This goes on all of the time in all sorts of industries. My recent post Friday Finds for Weekend Reading – WP Security & Best Website Awards

Geek Girl USA : Touch Screen Phone For Visually Impaired

Sat, 27 Apr 2013 01:32:43 +0000

That is amazing technology and I believe there would be a market for it. Thanks for sharing this.

Catarina's World : Inventories can be managed - People should be led

Sun, 21 Apr 2013 21:06:29 +0000

Great post Catarina and I absolutely love the title. There is no substitution for a good leader. I tend to believe the assumption that true leaders are born not made. My recent post Friday Finds for Weekend Reading – Week 1

SEO Link Building Guide : Essential Blogging Tips to Increase Your Page views

Sun, 21 Apr 2013 01:36:17 +0000

You have some great tips here Joseph. My favorite is your suggestion to follow influential people. That works. When I first started blogging, I found influential people in my niche and I started following them. I commented on their blogs and faithfully shared their content on social networks. Sure enough, I eventually made it onto their "radar screens" and several of them started dropping by and commenting for me . . . and sharing my content. I have developed mutually beneficial relationships with many of those bloggers and some of them I've become close friends with. Great post! My recent post Do NOT Delete Your Google FeedBurner RSS Feed Migrate It

Catarina's World : Are you tweeting your investors?

Mon, 15 Apr 2013 01:09:39 +0000

Catarina, Thanks for sharing this video. Twitter is undeniably an effective (and inexpensive) tool for businesses to use to build awareness. It also can be used to help a business connect on a more personal level. My recent post Do NOT Delete Your Google FeedBurner RSS Feed Migrate It

Catarina's World : Cheap chic - a recession mega trend?

Sat, 6 Apr 2013 02:33:36 +0000

Personally, I'm turned off by celebrity endorsements but if they have to endorse something, I definitely prefer it to be clothing, makeup or some other tangible item. It's when they endorse political candidates that I want to jump out of my seat and shout "Who cares what you think!" at the TV set. My recent post How Do You Avoid Keyword Stuffing on Your Website Blog?

Geek Girl USA : iPhone 5 Cases From VALOR Communication

Mon, 25 Mar 2013 00:56:28 +0000

I like the idea of a case with a built-in stand. That would come in very handy.

Catarina's World : Could your visual presentations be better?

Mon, 18 Mar 2013 01:04:39 +0000

Nancy shared some great tips here. I especially liked when she talked about prioritizing how your audience will process information. I use presentations when I conduct workshops or I'm a speaker and I always use them as visual aids. If I'm printing handouts, I leave lots of white space and then I encourage the audience to take notes. I think of my PowerPoint presentation as a road map. They help to keep me on track and on time. Strangely enough, I'm fairly comfortable giving a presentation in front of a group. For me, the key is to connect with your audience. There is always going to be someone there who is rooting for you. I just look for the friendly faces and talk to them. My recent post How to Use Facebook Fan Gate to Get New Likes

Catarina's World : Are leaders told the whole truth?

Wed, 13 Mar 2013 02:45:38 +0000

I've always believed that good leaders can establish a 2-way communication where they can solicit feedback that is true. Having said that, I don't believe you find leaders in most businesses. Instead, there are managers. That is a huge difference. In that case, having a way to solicit anonymous feedback is vital. My recent post How to Use Facebook Fan Gate to Get New Likes

Catarina's World : Should women be as ambitious as men?

Thu, 31 Jan 2013 21:02:48 +0000

Catarina, Women have made great strides towards achieving equality in the workplace and the military but we still have a long way to go. Personally, I find the observation that "successful women are frequently disliked by both men and women" to be very true. (I've blogged about this before.) Many women are not supportive of other women and it's a shame. I've been following Tory Burch for a few years now. She's an amazing example of what an ambitious woman can achieve. I highly recommend following her and embracing her advice. As always, thanks for writing a thought provoking post that gets us talking Catarina. My recent post Tips for Bloggers | Before You Press that Publish Button

Catarina's World : Do you turn customers into promoters?

Sun, 20 Jan 2013 18:42:39 +0000

Catarina, I think the biggest proof that a client is happy is when they recommend me to someone. I have several clients who know each other and all of them started with a recommendation from one client. In a business where you work one-on-one, the key to keeping your clients happy is to first deliver the expected results and second to exceed their expectations. One thing that I've always done is to keep my clients in the back of my mind. When I come upon articles and resources that I feel that my client(s) would benefit from, I send them an email. This helps reinforce that connection while at the same time helps building that top-of-mind awareness that we all need. My recent post The New Wave – Learn the Latest Inbound Marketing Trends