Are you using Social Media in your business? I’m not talking about just starting a Facebook account or a Twitter account, anyone can do that and I would not call that actively participating in Social Media. If you are not participating these days, your business could be left behind. Social Media is a cool way to communicate and in some cases it can increase the bottom line of your company.

What if you do not know anything about it and you need to start from scratch? Well, the first thing I would do is to evaluate if this new media could actually help your business. Do you run a retail business? Would you like to target specific customers? Would you like to offer coupons? Do you have a website? If you do not have a website, it’s a little more difficult but not impossible. Is your business attractive to a niche group of customers? If you have answered yes to most of these questions, you probably should consider stepping into the world of Social Media.

Let me give you an example on the opposite side of the spectrum also because I have heard of some businesses trying to do a little social media and I’ve only scratched my head and wondered why? Let’s say you own a septic tank company. For the life of me, I do not understand why this type of company would want a Facebook or Twitter account. Who wants to follow a septic tank company? I guess there are those that would but I would not want my face to be seen on Facebook following such a company. What would you post on Facebook? Pictures of your latest septic tank cleaning job? Please, give me a break.

Are you starting to understand exactly what I’m talking about? A company like that is destined for social media failure. A much better idea would be for that company to actually start a blog. Even if no one ever read it, you could optimize it for the keywords that people in your community would be using to find septic services. In a way, blogs are social media too, but I want Google to put me at the top of the search page when someone types in septic repair. That’s where you make your coin as a business owner…dominate thew search engines.

If you are a new business or an existing business, you might want to consider getting some help from Social Media Consultants. These companies can plan a marketing strategy with you and help you optimize your website. Social Media marketing can put your business in the local spotlight. A Social Media Consulting Company can help you determine if you should actively participate or lay low. Do you understand SEO, Search Engine Optimization? If not, allow professionals to come in and make recommendations.

What was NBC thinking?

WARNING!! You may need a barf bag. Proceed with caution.

Imagine this. You are a fly on the wall in the NBC programming boardroom. One executive has a genius moment and comes up with a remarkable idea… “Let’s start a variety show and try to bring an old, tired, TV format back into popularity”! Great idea says another executive, “But who will star in such a groundbreaking show”? Another executive says, “I know…Rosie O’Donell”. The entire boardroom applauds and agrees that the idea of a new variety show is on the cutting edge of entertainment. Another 90 year old executive removes the oxygen tube from her nose and asks “Who could we get to make guest appearances on Rosie’s show”? Suddenly, from the speaker phone sitting on the conference table, a feeble voice calls out from the nearby nursing home and says that Clay Aiken and Liza Minnelli would be fantastic guests to premier the shows debut”.

Here are two of the “A-list” guests that premiered Rosie Live

After watching the clip below, one has to wonder how such a show could fail? Clay Aiken prances on-stage wearing a prince outfit and they both remind all 177 people in America, Russia and Packfudgistan who happened to be watching the show about their gayness. Then he prances off stage as if he’s riding a broomstick horse. Once again I must ask, What was NBC thinking? What is going on at this network?

Try to watch this clip below of Rosie and Alec Baldwin without throwing up. It’s terrifying to say the least and this video clip should be looped on a TV inside O.J. Simpson’s jail cell. Only then would OJ regret that he murdered his wife and Ron Goldman. This loser, Alec Baldwin, takes a shot at Christians also for no apparent reason. It’s sad to see such a deterioration of a man who was once a fine actor. His Saturday Night Live appearances are some of the funniest of all times. Is it just me or is Conan O’Brian’s appearance in this clip, clearly a threat from the higher ups to appear so this show will have some form of Star Power? It’s obvious he didn’t want to be there and watch what these two idiots do to one of the only “Stars” that NBC has. Warning, it’s horrible and I apologize up-front for this video clip.

I can think of a more appropriate show for these two individuals to star in. I can’t help but think that if you want to be successful in marketing a product, take a lesson from NBC. Just do everything exactly the opposite as NBC did for this show and you should be a hit.

NBC Variety Show Sponsored by Nutrisystem

This should be the NBC’s next show.

Gov. Sarah Palin recently went to a turkey farm in Alaska for a Thanksgiving Day ritual of pardoning a turkey. Much in the same fashion as all of our Presidents do at Thanksgiving. Sure enough, she selected one turkey to receive the pardon.

One lucky turkey received the pardon.

The problem was that after her ceremony she stopped to do an interview. She stopped in the wrong place. Check out the video and what is happening right behind her. I was very surprised that one of her handlers did not stop the interview and set it up with a different camera angle. This is a good example of “bad video marketing”.