Blog - Page 33 of 59 - Bob Cargill

22Mar 2012 by Bob Cargill

Confessions of an Aspiring Social Media Superhero, Part Two

Blogging, Business, Facebook, LinkedIn, Marketing, Social Media, Twitter

This is second and final installment of "Confessions of an Aspiring Social Media Superhero." Part One of my Q & A with Joe Kyle was published on this blog yesterday... [caption id="attachment_2218" align="alignright" width="300" caption="Joe Kyle, Aspiring Social Media Superstar"][/caption] I met Joe Kyle for the first time in September of last year. After talking about social media over lunch, we agreed to stay in touch and provide assistance to one another when the opportunity arose. I asked Joe a few questions recently about social media, marketing and his ambitions at this juncture in his career. Here's the second part of our Q & A... Bob: What do you think are some of the biggest benefits of using social media? Joe: Well, it’s the fastest form of media we have.…

21Mar 2012 by Bob Cargill

Confessions of an Aspiring Social Media Superhero, Part One

Blogging, Business, Facebook, LinkedIn, Marketing, Social Media, Twitter

Rare is the day that I'm not approached by friends, colleagues or even complete strangers with questions about social media. Joe Kyle was the latter. Introduced to me last September by a mutual friend, Joe was between jobs and determined to learn everything he could about Twitter, Facebook, blogs and the like. I was more than happy to oblige his request to pick my brain. I enjoy meeting new people and being asked to provide assistance. I'm always glad to help. Over lunch at Panera Bread in Waltham, MA, Joe and I hit it off from the get-go, going on and on about his career goals, the business world and our shared passion for the latest online communications and marketing tools, technologies and tactics. Among other things, what impressed me…

21Feb 2012 by Bob Cargill

The Power of Social Media

Blogging, Facebook, LinkedIn, Social Media, Twitter, YouTube

Anyone who knows me knows how much I believe in the power of social media. Ever since I started blogging in 2004, I've been hooked on the public, open-ended dialogue that takes place online among those who can appreciate the benefits of sharing what they know and how they feel with not only their closest friends and allies, but often with complete strangers as well. It's the idea of building communities that I like so much, the notion of broadening one's horizons to the point where you're establishing new, mutually-beneficial connections with like-minded people and learning exponentially more about the world at large. But it's also how terrific Facebook, Twitter, YouTube and other social media networks – such as the phenomenally popular Pinterest – are for simply maintaining relationships with friends,…

29Jan 2012 by Bob Cargill

Twitter for Business in Five Easy Steps

Business, Direct Marketing, Marketing, Social Media, Twitter

When Phil Hollows and I met for the first time over a cup of coffee in June of last year, little did we know that it would be just one of many conversations about social media that we'd be having on a regular basis. The difference between that initial meeting between us and every other since is that many others who share an interest in Twitter, Facebook, LinkedIn, YouTube, blogs and the like have joined us for what we call the Sudbury Social Tweetup. At our most recent Tweetup last Thursday night at Bistro 20 in Sudbury, I had the opportunity to speak to the group about "Twitter for Business in Five Easy Steps," including... 1. Find and Be Found 2. Use a Good Dashboard like TweetDeck 3. Engage Your…

15Jan 2012 by Bob Cargill

A Few Words with Vistaprint’s Jeff Esposito (@jeffespo)

Blogging, Business, Direct Marketing, Facebook, Marketing, Public Relations, Social Media, Twitter

When I was asked to host a Tweetup at the New England Direct Marketing Association’s annual holiday party last month at Tavern in the Square in Porter Square (Cambridge, MA), I knew right away who I wanted to have on the program. [caption id="attachment_2152" align="alignright" width="150" caption="Victoria Smith"][/caption] For entertainment, I turned to Victoria Smith, a very talented singer and songwriter, who put on a fabulous show for us. As for the educational piece, I asked my friend and former colleague, Jeff Esposito, to permit me to interview him about his experience with social media as a public relations manager at Vistaprint. Jeff is one the most prolific people I know in social media, having tweeted over 48,500 times to date, not to mention all the blog posts he writes and videos he records.…

20Dec 2011 by Bob Cargill

Memories of Our Good Dog

Miscellaneous

I’ll never forget the day you fell asleep for the last time, surrounded by the four people you had lived with for almost eight years and who had loved you like there was no tomorrow. Saying goodbye to you like that was the last thing our family wanted for you, but it was the right thing under the circumstances, the only way to ensure that you wouldn’t suffer unnecessarily. You came into our lives a small, innocent puppy full of unconditional affection for your proud, new owners. We couldn’t have been happier to welcome you into our world. From the beginning to the end, you were our good dog and loyal partner, our little mutt and faithful mate. You were everything we could ask for in a canine companion. You…

27Nov 2011 by Bob Cargill

How I Use Twitter to Follow Boston-Area News

Boston, Media, Social Media, Twitter

I'm a news junkie. I admit it. I can't go much more than a few hours without a fix of the latest headlines. The weather forecast is important to me. If there’s been a crime committed, a notable death, an accident, a fire or any tragedy or disaster whatsoever, I like to know about it. I’m a huge sports fan. Celebrity gossip amuses me. Significant milestones and achievements impress me. I’m entertained by pop culture and fascinated by anything to do with business or politics. And if any of this news is local, I find it even more interesting. That’s why I spend so much time listening to the radio, watching TV and reading articles on such online properties as Boston.com, BostonHerald.com, Sudbury Patch and Wicked Local Sudbury. And that’s one…

02Nov 2011 by Bob Cargill

50 Reasons Why People Use Social Media

Blogging, Facebook, LinkedIn, Social Media, Twitter, YouTube

Since I included a list of 50 reasons why people don’t use social media in my most recent post, I thought it only made sense to follow up with a similar list, only this time focusing on the opposing point of view, the reasons why people do use social media. Sure, as I wrote in that last post about those who are reluctant to jump on the social media bandwagon, “there are still plenty of skeptics, detractors and naysayers among us, especially in the corporate world, where cautiousness and conservatism abound.” But as I also pointed out, there are more than 800 million users of Facebook, over 120 people on LinkedIn and more than 200 million accounts on Twitter. There's certainly a critical mass of people using social media today,…

10Oct 2011 by Bob Cargill

50 Reasons Why People Don’t Use Social Media

Blogging, Facebook, LinkedIn, Social Media, Twitter, YouTube

With more than 800 million users of Facebook, over 120 million people on LinkedIn and more than 200 million accounts on Twitter, you might say the tipping point’s been reached as far as social media usage goes. Yet despite such a large critical mass using these social media properties, there are still plenty of skeptics, detractors and naysayers among us, especially in the corporate world, where cautiousness and conservatism abound. As someone who’s been talking to anyone and everyone within earshot about the benefits of using social media since I launched my own blog in 2004, I know this for a fact: Unless you’re preaching to the choir, the life of a social media practitioner and proponent is often a lonely, uphill battle. At this stage of the game, those of us with significant…