In business (and life) we have to fight. Fight for our clients. Fight for our beliefs. Fight for our ideas to be heard and understood why we’re presenting them. Fight for our value and worth. Choosing when to fight, though, isn’t easy. Even though there are times when we know we are so right, no matter what we say it’s going to be viewed as wrong. It takes a lot to walk away at times like these. You put in…

So today saw the launch of the Bonsai Interactive website, something that had become a labour of love over the last week or so. Bonsai Interactive itself launched back in June, though it was more a soft launch with our social profiles. The website would have launched sooner, but we had some server hiccups so we transferred over to BlogOnCloud9, who also power this blog and who I have nothing but good words for. So, Bonsai Interactive. What is it,…

Marketers are savvy. Marketers make you want what you don’t need. Marketers embed a desire whether you’re hot to trot or not. Marketers are the Ambassadors of Quan for sales targets and brand focus. Or are they? Does your decision rest on your head or your heart? Is there an emotional reason for buying something or a logical one? Does it matter? As long as you buy, the marketer’s job is done, right? Maybe, maybe not. Take a look at some…

People talk about influence – what it is, how to get it, how influence is guided by numbers and how to attract the attention of influencers for promotional needs. Folks like my good friend Sue put influence into perspective, while smart folks like Valeria also question how influence is measured. There’s no doubt that influence is a constant hot potato. But sometimes, influence comes from the strangest of places. Sometimes influence comes from folks we might never look twice at. Sometimes influence…

For any blogger (especially if you’re using your blog for your business), Arkayne is a pretty solid platform that you might want to check out. I’ve been using Arkayne on my blog for the last month or so, and I gotta say, I’m enjoying the experience so far. I’ve not used all the features to their full advantage yet, but that’s more to do with me than the tool itself. So what is Arkayne and why should you be bothered?…

Apple’s come in for a lot of stick over their new iPhone 4. From reception issues when held a certain way to discoloured screens and other problems, there’s no doubt Apple’s new baby isn’t all it’s cracked up to be. And yet… With one single advert, my view of iPhone 4 (as a consumer) is immediately positive again. Yes, I know it has issues. I know Steve Jobs doesn’t really seem to care about us, as product users and advocates….

A virus is something that comes along, knocks you for six for a while, then usually leaves your system once your immune system kicks in. A fungus, on the other hand, usually gets its teeth into you then never lets go. It’s there in the background, and just when you think you’ve seen the last of it, there it is again. Ever-present, ever-ready to keep its grip on you. So many businesses try to go viral with their promotions. Great….

We’re told by those that know that we should be in social media. Not just in it, though, but participating. Jumping in; joining conversations; leading the way; growing our audiences while talking with them at the same time. And of course, in an ideal world, we should and would follow the above and more. Problem is, we don’t live in an ideal world. Time or budget restrictions. Fear of the big scary world that is social media. Lack of buy-in…

Look in the mirror. What reflection do you see? What’s the answer that you get when you ask, “Who am I?”. It doesn’t matter if it’s a personal mirror or one with a business face – they’re one and the same at the end of the day. How you view yourself has a lot to do with how you’re viewed by others. Do you see yourself as the no-nonsense type that doesn’t stand for any bull? Or the caring type…

First, I just want to say none of the BlogOnCloud9 links in this post are affiliate, in case you thought this was just a blatant sales pitch… About a couple of months ago, I noticed that my site was having loading issues. I ran it through a load time analyzer and was shocked at how long it could take to load. Especially with it being reported that Google would look less favourably on slow-loading sites. My host at the time…