Tom Searcy, author, speaker and consultant, had a similar revelation with his 9 year-old daughter. After reading that most people only remember one thing that’s presented to them in a sales call, he realized the importance of answering questions clearly, as you would to a 9 year-old.

On the question: Daddy, What Do You Do?

Right answer: “I help companies to grow really fast by teaching them how to sell bigger companies much larger orders.”
Wrong answer: “Our company helps develop inside of our clients a replicable and scalable process for them to land large accounts.”

Q: Why Do People Decide to Hire You?

Right answer: “We have helped lots of companies do this before, so we are really good at it as long as they are the right type of companies.”
Wrong answer: “We have a proven process for implementation that allows organizations to tailor the model to their market, business offering and company’s growth goals.”

Q: Why Don’t They Do It Themselves?

Right answer: “Just like when you learned to play the piano: Mommy and I could teach a little, but we don’t know as much as your teacher, and teaching you ourselves would take a long time and be very frustrating. Daddy is a really good teacher of how to make bigger sales, and people want to learn how to do this as fast as they can.”
Wrong answer: “We are the foremost expert in this field with over $5 billion in business that our clients have closed using this system. Usually our clients have tried a number of things on their own before we work together and have wanted outside help to get better results.”

More decisions are made with less information and context so you need to give as clear and memorable an answer as possible.

Jennifer Fleming is Specialist Content Writer at Dinkum Interactive. With a background in journalism, Jennifer is a best-selling writer, writing coach and media strategist. You can reach her at jennifer@dinkuminteractive.com.

Here’s a run down of what to expect from Hangouts On Air (HOA):

• You don’t have to be a media celebrity to have fun with HOA. Just get out there and have fun.
• You can connect your YouTube channel to your Google+ account and your HOA will also go live on YouTube simultaneously.
• You should plan a course for the HOA. Is it just to chat? Is it a structured show? Either way have a game plan.
• Don’t be afraid to make mistakes. No one ever got good at something right away without making mistakes. Mistakes are part of the process.

There are many uses for HOA for business.

• Host a weekly podcast about your subject matter to become influential in your space.
• Interview thought leaders in your space.
• Do hands on demonstrations (build stuff on HOA).
• Sponsor other HOAs to get your name out there.

The uses for HOA are limitless. At Dinkum we constantly work with our clients to push the envelope online. HOA is one of those cogs that makes our jobs as Internet marketers so much fun.

As with anything, if you have questions or are having trouble figuring out HOA reach out to me on Google+. I’d love to hear your ideas and help you figure out the best way to make it work.

Now go get broadcasting!

Seth Goldstein is an Interactive Evangelist at Dinkum Interactive and has worked in the interactive and online space for more than six years. Contact him at seth@dinkuminteractive.com.

- We want you to be in or around the Philadelphia area. While we all work remotely, we do have meetings, get-togethers, conferences etc that you will be required to attend as well as the occassional client meeting. This one is not negotiable.

- We want you to have had experience in the Internet Marketing space for the past 5 years and preferably major SEO working knowledge, it’s a huge part of our Internet Marketing campaigns.

- We also prefer an unnatural obsession in this space. It’s what we would classify as a lifestyle position…working mostly remotely does allow for some flexibility. Anyway, on to the details….

Dinkum Interactive is looking for a smart, detail oriented person with 2+ years SEO experience with preferred 5+ years in Internet Marketing. Programming and web development knowledge/experience is a plus.

This is a challenging and exciting opportunity for a creative, analytical, and technically savvy individual who wants to be a part of a growing online marketing group based in Oreland, Pennsylvania

RESPONSIBILITIES:
− Optimization of multiple client websites, including optimizing existing websites and working with the development team — internal and external resources – on projects that are being developed or in the planning/design phase
− Working with internal and external editorial/copywriting teams on content development
− Keyword research & analysis
− Industry/competitor analysis
− Reporting & analytics — measuring clients Key Performance Indicators beyond the ranking
− Keeping up to date on the latest SEO trends and educating the internal Account Management team on the benefits of SEO
− Link Development — work within the team on strategy, research, & executing a successful link development plan

REQUIREMENTS
− A minimum of 2 years of full time SEO experience
− A documented, proven track record for driving traffic and conversions
− Knowledge of SEO methods and best practices
− Knowledge and understanding of current search engine algorithms
− Strong Experience with analytics — primarily Google Analytics but also Omniture and Webtrends
− experience with social media activities including planning and implementation
− Ability to multi-task and manage time effectively; excellent planning and organizational skills
− Excellent collaborative skills — we’re looking for a team player
− Excellent communication skills to both technical and non-technical clients — this is a client facing position

ADDITIONAL SKILLS THAT WOULD BE A PLUS:
− Programming experience
− Experience with Google AdWords, Microsoft AdCenter and Yahoo Sponsored Search
− Working knowledge of best practices in e-commerce, website usability, CRO and site architecture

− Applicants need to be based around the Philadelphia area and comfortable working remotely. Please send resumes, portfolios, links, social profiles…whatever you feel will help.

Send details to jobs @ dinkuminteractive.com

Paul Fleming is co-founder and VP of Interactive Services for Dinkum Interactive. A trained teacher, Paul has worked in a variety of forms of Internet Marketing but with a focus on SEO. Originally from Australia, he now resides in Philadelphia with his wife and 2 ankle-biters.

I’ve seen how multi-tasking affects your performance. When I lived in New York City, you could always tell when someone walking along the sidewalk decided to check their phone because all of a sudden, things would slow down. I thought they should designate a phone lane, like a slow lane on the roads. To me, it was a clear example of how multi-tasking didn’t make you more efficient, but less efficient.

So, even knowing what I know about the inefficiencies of multi-tasking, why do I still do it?

Fortunately, some new research has the answer. It gives an emotional boost.

Professor Zheng Joyce Wang from Ohio State University looked at the behaviors of 32 multi-tasking students and asked them to record their media and non-media activities three times a day for 28 days. The study found that multi-taskers felt more entertained or even relaxed from multi-tasking despite the fact that their cognitive needs weren’t met. Wang said some students who studied while watching TV said “they felt satisfied not because they were effective at studying, but because the addition of TV made the studying entertaining. The combination of the activities accounts for the good feelings obtained.”

Of course, it depends what task you’re doing. It’s easy to cook dinner and talk on the phone, but harder to write a blog while watching TV. But it might make you feel better about it.

Photo Credit: http://www.sxc.hu/photo/1265083

Jennifer Fleming is Specialist Content Writer at Dinkum Interactive. With a background in journalism, Jennifer is a best-selling writer, writing coach and media strategist. You can reach her at jennifer@dinkuminteractive.com.

It took some figuring out, but I did manage to download it to my phone. Then I was able to view their weekly circular, pick out items I’d like to purchase, and create a shopping list, complete with pictures and prices, and sorted by department. In addition, I can add items that are not in the circular, and choose the department to add them to, so that they are sorted along with everything else.

While I shop, I can check items off the list, and they go to a holding list where I can review what I have checked off if I need to. Once my shopping trip is done, I can delete the entire list, or just the items that I checked off, thus saving the things I didn’t purchase for the next trip.

In addition, there is a coupon function that adds certain coupons on my store card, so if I purchase the item, the coupon is deducted even though I don’t have a paper copy. Way cool for those of us who clip coupons then forget to bring them to the store. You can also email the list to someone else to do the shopping, although the app doesn’t guarantee that they will follow through.

All of this is pretty cool, but the best part for the store is that it helps develop store loyalty. They provided an app that links to their circular, organizes the list based on their store layouts, and provides coupons to use at their store. I would shop there anyway, but for those techies who might have been on the fence, this could help them decide to drive to ShopRite instead of a competitor. After all, the list is done and there are coupons. Great use of on-line technology to market a bricks and mortar store.

Regina Sillitti is Project Coordinator for Dinkum Interactive. She has worked in programming, design, business analysis and quality assurance. Her background in design and data processing give her a unique perspective on client - tech translation. You can reach her at regina@dinkuminteractive.com, or find her on Twitter, @ReginaSillitti.

The score is from 0-100 – the higher your score, the more influential you are in their calculation. The average score is 20 (not 50) and ranked by Twitter retweets, Facebook Likes, LinkedIn comments, Google+ comments, and Foursquare tips. I just downloaded Klout for Twitter which shows someone’s Klout score on Twitter next to their photo. My Klout score isn’t great, but I’m not surprised because I’m not active.

According to a feature in Wired magazine, “At the Palms Casino Resort in Las Vegas last summer, clerks surreptitiously looked up guests’ Klout scores as they checked in. Some high scorers received instant room upgrades, sometimes without even being told why. According to Greg Cannon, the Palms’ former director of ecommerce, the initiative stirred up tremendous online buzz. He says that before its Klout experiment, the Palms had only the 17th-largest social-networking following among Las Vegas-based hotel-casinos. Afterward, it jumped up to third on Facebook and has one of the highest Klout scores among its peers.” A company called Wahooly gives people with Klout scores equity positions in startups in return for attention. Some people are using Klout scores in job applications.

Klout presents an interesting issue. We want to know who influencers are in our circle, and to measure our online efforts, but in ranking people, are we actually discovering who is most active, rather than who’s making the most helpful contribution? As Wired noted, those with good scores tend to echo each other, whereas those with lower scores have unique and obscure posts.

It’s too early to tell if your Klout score is a deal maker or breaker. Will keep you posted.

Jennifer Fleming is Specialist Content Writer at Dinkum Interactive. With a background in journalism, Jennifer is a best-selling writer, writing coach and media strategist. You can reach her at jennifer@dinkuminteractive.com.

The post talks about what’s missing from current sales and marketing initiatives – creativity.

I remember when personal computers were introduced into offices and something called software allowed you design and print your very own brochures. WOW. What most folks found out, however, is that just because you can doesn’t mean you should. It makes a difference what the call to action is, what typeface is used and who the target audience happens to be.

While this blog talks about the “side door”, it alludes to the fact that social media and online marketing require the same creativity. You still need folks to get through the maze of finding you and beating out the competition. A prospect needs to consider you a potential partner and someone who can help solve their problems. In other words – they want someone with the creativity to do things a bit differently. But hasn’t that always been the case?

Don’t get me wrong. There have been big changes in the buying process. But when buyers take the initiative, you still need to do your part by making the trip worthwhile for your prospects. If you don’t have the creativity in-house (most do not), go rent it.

What have you done creatively to help drive prospects to a buying decision for your company?

Photo Credit: http://www.sxc.hu/photo/449639

Rick Simmons is a principal at Dinkum Interactive, a firm specializing in online marketing solutions for small and medium sized businesses around the globe. With more than 25 years of experience in advertising and marketing, Simmons has spent the last four years focused on search engine optimization, and other Internet marketing strategies. Reach him at 267-626-9094 or rick@dinkuminteractive.com.

Once we accept this, how do we make it happen?

Adam Ferrier is a consumer psychologist who runs a very successful advertising agency in Australia called Naked Communications. In a recent blog, Adam talked about how brands can be more effective in connecting with clients – by speaking about the film, Groundhog Day, starring Bill Murray, and the book Existential Psychotherapy, which motivated him to change him name to Max.

Adam/Max says Existential Psychotherapy outlines four major conflicts we must resolve in order to come to terms with our existence and live a fulfilled life.

Adam/Max argues that brands need to help people reconcile life’s big questions in small ways. Brands with too much focus on values and personality are doughnut brands – they look sweet and desirable but there is a hole in the center. There is no reason for being. The more difficult part of marketing is to be clear about the purpose of your brand and how it helps people in both practical and meaningful ways.

In terms of Groundhog Day, we see Bill come to grips with each of these existential issues as one day is repeated over and over from the start. Bill can’t accept this predicament and goes through many stages of conflict: nihilism, disbelief, shock and social detachment. He becomes hedonistic and cruel, then depressed and suicidal until he eventually accepts his situation and starts to act constructively. This acceptance frees him from the repetitive turmoil.

Take home: establish where your brand fits in the purpose of life.