It depends on a few things actually. First, what type of industry are you in? If its something like homemade furniture or other types of homemade crafts then once a week may be sufficient. If your blog though, is about sports, business, news, media or pop culture then you may want to think about typing away on a daily basis to keep your followers up to date (or even up to the minute at times) with emerging news.  A perfect example is many of the different Tech blogs out there that cover Apple’s big announcements.  Bloggers will literally sit at the conferences with laptops open keeping the followers informed with what the late Steve Jobs was talking about at that moment. Now is this necessary for your blog, well that’s up to you to think about.

Okay, so what if you aren’t a techie with a tens of thousands of followers? Our next criteria to look at would be how relevant is your information?  The best blogs keep their followers coming back because they offer useful, interesting, and often insightful information. Blogs usually do not have a text limit, so utilize that freedom to go a little more in depth on a topic that will give your readers something to think about.  This isn’t to say that you shouldn’t blog ever ten minutes about a basic opinion, (but be careful, that’s what Facebook and Twitter are for) nor should you feel the need to write a novel. The focus should be on producing good content. You’re blogs should have relative information as well as insightful thoughts. Therefore, long articles may bore your readers. If you have a lot to say then we recommend organizing your thoughts and breaking them up into multiple blogs. This way, you can leave your audience with a cliff hanger as well as offering multiple insightful blog entries.

Now for a concrete answer.  We at Red2Black say that blogging should be done at a minimum of once a week, but we recommend closer to 2-3 times per week. You may have a simple blog but if you cannot produce well thought out web content relative to your niche, then you may want to think about broadening the focus of your blog. An important thing to remember is that every time you blog, you are releasing web content which in essence is increasing your web presence.  The more you blog the more information you have out there for Google to find, but keep it interesting!

67% Of Tweets Aren't Being Seen

New Research says that only 1/3 of tweets are actually being read by your followers.  The study reported that people merely skim over 67% of the tweets that they see on a daily basis. The reasons? Subjects said that they either tweet and don’t read tweets, they don’t find the person who is tweeting interesting or that they simply don’t care what that person says. So how do you make sure your tweets make the cut? Follow these basic Do’s and Don’ts to entertain your followers:

DONT’s: Keep The Whining To A Minimum - venting is okay to get a conversation started, but don’t search for sympathy because people have their own problems to worry about. No Personal Details – for the most part, tweeting about what you had for breakfast isn’t worth someone’s time.  Check Your Ego – sharing positive information is always good but don’t go over board, no one likes constant bragging.  No Old News – by nature people enjoy drama and fresh stories but your tweets will get lost in the shuffle if you’re talking about yesterday’s headlines.

DO’s: What’s In It For Your Followers? - people are always looking for ways to benefit themselves, so give them something that makes their day. Tell the world about a huge sale or about your fool-proof gambling strategy, it’s a win-win for everyone.  Share Your Educated Opinion -do your research (so you don’t end up putting your foot in your mouth) and express your thoughts on touchy topics such as sports, politics, or pop culture..you’re bound to get a reply or a re-tweet. Share a Link - people go on Twitter for 2 reasons; they’re nosy or they’re bored.  So share a link that will pass someones time such as an article, video, picture or new game.  Ask Questions - People love to think that their opinion means something so give them the green-light to express it!  Again, whether its politics, sports, news or just needing a helping hand on which car to buy.  Be sure to give your followers an opportunity to throw in their two-cents, it’s another win-win for both parties. Finally, Change It Up – being predictable gets old after a while. Again, people scroll through tweets because they’re bored, so don’t make their electronic social life as repetitive as their daily grind.

Utilize all of the techniques on the DO list while staying away from the Don’ts will keep your followers refreshing the page for more!

This makes a lot of sense actually.  Think about it- how many Facebook pages do you “like”, or are a “fan” of,  but do not actively participate in? Our guess is that it is probably a lot! Sure, its cool to see your favorite brand of shoes, clothes or even alcohol and click that “like” button to let everyone know that you recognize and connect yourself with that brand but it doesn’t do a whole lot for the brand’s bottom line.  Don’t get us wrong, big brands must take advantage of the reach and exposure that Facebook can bring but they cannot rely on Facebook to necessarily bring customer activity.

Small companies on the other hand benefit more from a Facebook page.  Its free (or potentially very inexpensive if you decide to place Facebook ads) to regularly send your message to your fans. Also, chances are if you gained a Facebook fan, he or she “liked” you because of a positive experience with your product/service and actively made an effort to find you on Facebook and is more likely to purchase again.

3 "people" flying over Manhattan

Even 20th Century Fox relied on its simple creative skills to promote an up-coming movie, “Chronicle”.  The movie is about 3 kids who develop super powers and the stunt involved 3 remote controlled air crafts dragging kite-like material in the shapes of human bodies.  This is modern day proof that with a little creativity and ingenuity, national media coverage can be achieved without breaking the law or your budget.  We give a “thumbs up” to 20th Century Fox.

If you are anything like me, then you’ve longed for the day when your life could be summarized by this very wise saying, “Do what you love to do and you’ll never work another day in your life.”   Fulfilling a passion or a dream certainly requires effort and dedication, but if you’re career feels more like fun and less like work, then you are experiencing true freedom.

Before you quit your current 9 to 5, you need to identify your passion. Here are a few steps to help you along the way.

Interests vs. Passion. Make sure that you differentiate between a passion and a mere hobby. A passion is something that you can see yourself doing for the rest of your life. In most cases, it is an activity or skill that you naturally find yourself doing. It will energize you and take you a long time before you become burnt out by it. When you rest or take a break, you are usually excited by the thought of starting up again.

Daydreaming vs. Brainstorming. There’s nothing wrong with daydreaming. In fact, your daydreams usually hold the clues to finding your true passion. If you stop at daydreaming, your passion will remain just that- a daydream. Try to brainstorm. Write down ideas in which you can live out your passion in a way to bring about profit.

Pats on the Back vs. Genuine support- When you tell people about your passion there will be those who doubt that you can turn your passion into a thriving business. Ignore them. Seek out family and friends who will support you. That doesn’t necessarily mean they will agree with all your ideas, but they will be committed to doing what’s necessary to help you succeed. Don’t settle for just pats on the back or people who will tell you what you want to hear. Seek out genuine people who will give you constructive criticisms.

Hobby vs. Business. When you decide that you are going to turn your passion into a real business, treat it as such. If you wish to be successful, this will no longer be a hobby. Remain professional in everything you do pertaining to your new business. If you work from home, set up a dedicated workspace and dress as if you were going into work outside of the home. Stick to a consistent work schedule as best as you can. Set boundaries with family and friends during your work hours.

Obsession vs. Passion.  Since you will be putting a lot effort into this new business, it will be very easy to become obsessed. Be sure to take mini vacations and frequent breaks to refresh. If your family or friends consistently voice that you are ignoring them, chances are you are becoming obsessed. Be sure to monitor your health and stress levels. Remember, nothing is worth your health, family, and your quality of life.

Don’t Click E-Mail Links Promising Great Deals
During this time of the year many scams offer deals that seem too good
to be true. Only open e-mails from people you know and trust. Avoid
forwards at all cost.

Shop at Sites You Know and Trust
Well known sites that provide online purchasing options are your best
bet. Use these sites to find the best deals and rest assured that you
won’t be left high and dry on a bad deal!

Make Sure That Your Purchase is Secure
Check your web browser to ensure that the URL for the page begins with
“https://”. You will also notice a lock in the lower right corner of
the browser window.

Make sure that you have anti-virus and protection installed on your PC
to prevent malicious virus from affecting your system. Also, only use
a modern web browser such as the latest versions of Safari, Mozilla,
Google Chrome, or Internet Explorer.

Keep these important tips in mind when shopping through this holiday season and throughout the year. Happy shopping and happy holidays!

Everyone who works at Red2Black Marketing & PR has the opportunity, every day, to interact with people who have a deep passion for the business they own. This passion exists for many reasons, but the two most important reasons are a genuine love of what they are doing, and the desire to create wealth for them or their organizations goals. The wealth doesn’t necessarily mean the quest to be filthy rich, just so that the business owner can live the life they want to by achieving financial peace.

As a marketing and public relations company, our job is to help the local business owner achieve the second goal mentioned. They have taken an interest, talent, and or hobby, started a business, and want it to grow. Red 2 Black truly is blessed to help all of our clients work towards growing their business. We get to share in the passion of the business owner. We are able to interact with their customers online and in person at events, and reflect the same passion that our clients display every single day.

To all of our clients past and present, thank you for letting us share in the passion and joy that you have for your businesses.

Some adults might say, “foursquare is only for the kids.” Don’t be so sure, and don’t forget that’s what people said about Facebook. Now you can’t get the parents and grand-parents off of it if you tried! Sure it’s easy to see why young people would enjoy something like foursquare. Almost every kid has a smart phone, and they love their newly found “freedom” as well as being able to tell all of their friends where they are. They also like the concept of earning the various “badges” and bragging about their “Mayor” title. However, the average consumer probably doesn’t see how this would benefit them.

I was told a few years ago that every consumer listens to the same radio station. WII-FM, or “what’s in it for me.” Did you know that some businesses have foursquare-only specials. Many are large chains set at a corporate level. I will now do an experiment by looking at my foursquare ‘nearby specials’ on the foursquare app on my phone.

Arbys: Check-in at Arby’s for the 1st time & get $2.00 off any Market Fresh Sandwich.

Zales Outlet: Check-in and unlock $50. off your $300. purchase (followed by code.)

Radioshack: Check-in at Radioshack for 10% off your purchase, 20% if it’s your first time.

Sketchers: Become Mayor of your local Sketchers and get 15% off your purchases.

Buffalo Wild Wings: Buy six wings and get six FREE every time you check-in on foursquare! Just show your server your  phone and we’ll take care of the rest!

These were just a few of the many specials I saw, all within my current radius of where I am typing this blog post. This is what will help foursquare to last and stay relevant as it grows to newer demographics. If you have a smart phone, try foursquare out if you haven’t already, and see the specials by you. If you are a business owner, it is time to verify  your location and start running specials. If you verify by mail, they will send you a window cling that lets people know to check-in. Foursquare is already the next big thing in social media, and will only grow larger. So don’t be surprised when your grandma tells you she’s the “Mayor.”

One thing that we, the board members, did not take into consideration is the lack of people that the nonprofit had to execute our plans. The nonprofits that I volunteered for either had several full-time employees, and many times only had one full-time director relying heavily on volunteers or helpers who were ordered to volunteer by the courts.
When I heard about Red2Black I was really excited about their passion for nonprofit organizations, religious organizations, and local businesses because those were the people I was trying to help. When I was speaking with the owner, Sharon Evans, about the previous problems that I had encountered working with nonprofits she explained the “Need to do vs. Nice to do” lists.

When Red2Black works with nonprofits they sit down with the director and discuss what their needs are and then figure out what needs to be done immediately, and what can be done a little further down the road. Also when Red2Black is working with a nonprofit we know that you may not have people to do the grunt work so we do that as well. Whether it be hanging up fliers, going door-to-door, or anything else. So instead of relying on your volunteers for everything you have a team of professionals, available 24/7 helping you achieve your goals.

We at Red2Black really do understand the needs of nonprofits, and would love to talk with you about how we can help your organization. Whether you need help grant writing, developing a marketing kit, improving your brand image, or increasing brand awareness, we are here for you! So don’t wait any longer, call us at (330) 425-0210 or leave us a message on our website through our “contact” page. We look forward to speaking with you.

This is the first of many blogs from us at Red2Black Marketing & PR. R2B focuses on helping local businesses, nonprofits, and religious organizations. This truly is our passion, and that is why we strive to work at our full potential every day. We know that we are not working with Fortune 500 companies that have 3.5 million dollars to spend on a 30 second Super Bowl ad, so we use the money that you do have, and stretch that as far as possible to achieve your maximum potential.

We want our blog to give you a better insight of what we do, as well as some tips and tricks that you can use to improve your business. We are always open to feedback and requests, so please do not hesitate to contact us directly or respond to our blogs. Also, if there are questions that you want us to answer in a blog do not be shy! We look forward to hearing from you, and stay tuned to our blog to stay connected.