Saturday 8 December 2012

http://worldbeautifulentertainment.blogspot.com/2012/12/the-most-bizarre-and-dramatic-executive.html

Entrepreneur Daily Dose Blog

The Most Bizarre and Dramatic Executive Blog You Might Ever Read


The Most Bizarre and Dramatic Executive Blog You Might Ever Read
"I could go on, and will at later point, but I need to tell my story. I will have to tell it in short increments because I have limited and intermittent access to a computer and the Internet. I am on the run, remember. Consider this introduction the first chapter." 
This isn't an excerpt from a novel, but instead a paragraph from the blog of John McAfee, founder of McAfee Anti-Virus. In essence, it's an executive blog -- and unlike anything you've read (or ghost-written) for your boss.
McAfee, as you may have heard, is on the lam from authorities in Belize -- where the British-born American lives -- after the murder of the software entrepreneur's neighbor, American ex-patriot Gregory Viant Faull. No charges have been filed, but police want to speak with McAfee about the slaying.
McAfee thinks the Belize police want to kill him, according to a phone interview he gave to Wired magazine.
On Saturday, he launched the most bizarre and dramatic blog from a current or former executive that you'll probably ever read. It's "The Count of Monte Cristo" meets "The Diary of Samuel Papys" -- if Pepys was incredibly paranoid. The blog even bears a theatric, even ominous named,The Hinterland.
The first post takes aim at a Gizmodo contributor as well as Wired, over their coverage of him. In subsequent posts, McAfee explains the treatment he has received from Belize authorities and shares details of his life on the run with his 20-year-old Belize girlfriend, Samantha.
"For the past week, Sam has kept our clothes clean and has fed us and kept me distracted by telling stories of her life and humorous anecdotes about her family. She is a natural raconteur and mimic. She has also helped me evade detection by grabbing me and kissing me, in public, in a fashion that causes passerby's to feel embarrassment at the thought of staring and by creating emotional scenes that cause the curious to momentarily forget what they were looking for. She is acutely aware of her surroundings and is as street smart as a sober hobo. She does not drink or take drugs.

"Sam insists she will be with me to the end, whatever end that may be."
According to Reuters, McAfee, 67, has led a life in Belize marked by semi-seclusion, bodyguards, and the company of young women, and, in reports in other media, drugs and firearms.
McAfee, a former employee of NASA and Lockheed Martin, founded his namesake anti-virus software company in 1987. Seven years later, he sold his stake in the firm.
If the eccentric McAfee is caught, he claims the blog will continue for as long as a year, because he's written that many posts. His administrator, Chad, will continue posting the stories, according to McAfee.
Read more stories about: Public relations, Security, Blogging, John McAfee, Crime
This story originally appeared on PR DailyPR Daily

3 Free Tools for Creating Your Own Infographics

Entrepreneur Daily Dose Blog

3 Free Tools for Creating Your Own Infographics


3 Free Tools for Creating Your Own Infographics
One way to communicate a large sum of data and information is to create an infographic -- a visual representation of a group of data points. Because they're composed of images, you can see the information at a glance. In business, they're commonly used to share information collected in a survey but they have many other uses.
Business owners can use an infographic to compare products, map sales or simply entertain your customers. You can use them to show work-flow, financial data or explain employee bonuses -- it's limited only by your imagination.
But without serious graphic skills, isn't creating an infographic a lot of work? Or, wouldn't it cost a ton of money to have someone else make it for you? It doesn't have to. Here are three sites that can help even the most design-challenged person build an infographic, free of charge:

1. Infogr.am
This free tool has six layouts to help you get started. You can insert your data into each of Infogr.am's pre-set boxes, or you can delete or add boxes. Choose from more than a dozen graphic options, add text boxes, photos, maps or even video. Finished infographics can be instantly shared though social media or use the embed code to place it on your own website.
2. Piktochart
Piktochart starts with only three free themes but don't let that discourage you. Its customizable editor allows you to change color schemes, fonts, add basic shapes, pre-loaded graphics and your own, uploaded images. The template has grid lines to help you line items up evenly and resize images on the fly. For more customization options and 100 templates, you can upgrade to Piktochart Pro for $29 per month.
3. Easel.ly
With Easel.ly you start with one of a dozen free templates or begin with a blank canvas. You can remove any object on a template and replace it with modern graphics from 10 categories including people, transportation, animals and icons. There are also common shapes, connector lines and arrows.
Upload your own graphics, clone and position graphics with a single touch, use the grid for a perfect layout and change the color of any item on the page. Customize the text with a collection of fonts, text styles, sizes and colors. The finished infographic can be downloaded or shared with a link or embed code.

How to Mine Google's Gold Mine for Local Businesses

How to Mine Google's Gold Mine for Local Businesses


How to Mine Googles Gold Mine for Local Businesses
In their book, The Ultimate Guide to Google AdWords, 3rd Edition, authors Perry Marshall and Bryan Todd lay out the fundamentals of Google's pay-per-click advertising system and detail how businesses can build campaigns to increase search engine visibility, capture clicks and increase sales. In this edited excerpt, Marshall and Todd discuss how Google AdWords and Place Pages can be a gold mine for local businesses.

Related

  • Forget the Phone Book. How to Generate Leads for Local Businesses
Ultimate Guide to Google AdWords, 3rd Edition Ultimate Guide to Google AdWords, 3rd Editio
Ninety-seven percent of consumers use the Internet to research local products and services. Most brick-and-mortar businesses don't realize the opportunity available to them for free by combining the power of local search marketing and online reviews.
Google has processed so many searches that it has an excellent idea of how people make buying decisions and where an individual searcher is in the buying process. It can figure out whether a searcher is likely looking for information or to buy something locally.
With just a few pieces of information and a little bit of work, your local business can compete with the large corporations for targeted customers. You can also dominate your in-town competition and gather the lion's share of local customers.
A few years ago, Google started dedicating a portion of search results to local businesses, and people have using Google like a phone book. In 2011, approximately 25 percent of all searches on Google had local intent, and that number is growing dramatically as more people buy smartphones with Internet access.
Based on a searcher's IP address, Google knows your geographic location, so it can easily provide local solutions to your query. Looking for a Chinese restaurant, mountain bike or a plumber? Your first page results will show you the businesses nearest you that may have what you're searching for.
This is great news because now your local business is only competing against immediate local competitors for these searches. When the search is clearly of local intent, you no longer have to worry about national companies hogging the first page of the search results. All you have to do is know how to get on the first page.
Google's response to all of the searches with local intent was to create what's called a "Place Page." Chances are Google has already given you one. You just have to optimize it to turn it into a Google goldmine.
Most Place Pages are automatically generated based on information Google finds from multiple sources across the Internet. Every local business needs to find and claim its Google Place Page and make sure all the information is correct and up-to-date.
If you are unable to find your Google Place Page, you can create one if your local business meets Google's guidelines for local search. Then you need to integrate your Place Page with your website and optimize it to rank highly for local search.

Your Place Page contains all sorts of information designed to help the searcher choose you over other businesses. You can list details like hours, directions, payment accepted, etc., and add photos, videos and coupons.
A steady stream of customer reviews is crucial to optimizing your Place Page to appear on page one. People make choices based on the recommendations of others; studies show that as many as 70 percent of us will trust what a perfect stranger says about a company.
Marketing experts cite the importance of word-of-mouth marketing and referrals, and a review is permanent word-of-mouth. A review on Google has maximum value because it's available to searchers when they're closest to the end of the purchasing decision. They are using it to affirm their decision.
Once you start getting reviews on your Google Place Page, you will start earning star ratings. Ideally, you want a five-star rating with consistent fresh reviews. Five stars are natural click-magnets, and Google now shows your five-star rating within your AdWords listing.
Having the five-star rating as part of your AdWords campaign can increase your click-through rate substantially, give your marketing campaign greater impact and reduce your cost-per-click.
Star ratings can fluctuate depending on how many reviews you have, how fresh they are, how positive they are and how well your competitors are keeping up with you.
Just because you have five stars now doesn't mean you'll keep them forever. So you need to integrate some sort of system into your daily operations that will generate consistent reviews from your customers.
It also means you should monitor the reviews on your Place Pages on a weekly basis. Just one negative review can mean an 80 percent drop in new business you might otherwise receive from local search. Anyone can say anything about your business on the Internet and get away with it, so customer service and conflict resolution are more important than ever.
If you receive a negative review online, it's almost impossible to get it removed. The best thing you can do to minimize its effects is to have a constant flow of fresh good reviews. For most businesses, this means that the most recent review should never be more than seven days old.
If you're using Google AdWords, a properly optimized Google Place Page and a process for collecting ongoing fresh five-star reviews, you will have created an online marketing weapon -- an effective way to boost your business with Google local search.
Related: Building a Successful Google Campaign from Scratch
The Ultimate Guide to Google AdWords, 3rd Edition 
This article is an excerpt from The Ultimate Guide to Google AdWords, 3rd Edition available from Entrepreneur Press.