If you haven’t added this as one of your FAVORITES on YouTube, I recommend you do so NOW. The information this company gathers and shares will enable you to MARKET in new ways, TARGET your advertising, and UNDERSTAND the power behind Social Media, Social Networking, Online Networking, whatever “buzz term” you prefer to use.

THIS IS REALITY, my friends…and the numbers will blow you away when you realize what YOU have available, at your fingertips.

The updated video was only published this week – GET IN THE KNOW (and stay there, okay)!

There are OVER 200,000 BLOGS and over 34% of bloggers post opinions on products and brands…and this is just ONE of them.

Watch the video and learn why YOU should be blogging, tweeting, facebooking, video marketing, posting to Wikipedia, and more…

CLICK HERE for Socialnomics Part 2 VIDEO

“Social Media is NOT a fad, it is a fundamental shift in the way we communicate….Listen FIRST and sell SECOND!”

It moved me and my family over 300 miles…so for me, I would have to say “HECK YEA IT DOES!” And there are many reasons as to why…

We realized we needed to move MONTHS ago, but at the time, we weren’t sure when or where. That was prior to August 2009, which is when the answers came flooding in. And with our network of friends, family, colleagues and contacts, we were able to make things happen EVEN FASTER than expected.

So, how exactly did our network MOVE us?

Part One: RENTERS

We needed to find a Rental Management Company to put our house on the market for a RENTER (we have been talking with a realtor about selling but because of all the foreclosures in our neighborhood our asking price would have to be WAY too low for our liking). After numerous referrals, we narrowed it down to TWO companies; one was a “real estate-based” company and the other was a franchise that ONLY dealt with rentals. The realty company was a referral from a realtor we know…the one we will use to sell our home, actually. The other was a referral from a friend of Tim’s and someone who uses them for his properties. Well, after reviewing the numbers, here’s the breakdown:
* Real Estate company ONLY uses MLS to promote their rentals, not the internet.
* Property Management company ONLY uses the internet and posts to multiple websites, not the MLS.
* Real Estate company had a turn around of 45-70 days.
* Property Management company averaged 30 days for renting houses.
* Real Estate company wanted to list our home at UNDER what we had hoped for.
* Property Management company was confident we could rent it ABOVE the price we desired.

So, based on these facts, who would you have selected?

BINGO!!! We chose RealPropertyDFW.com instead of the real estate company and in UNDER 30 days our house was rented, IN FACT, it was rented by the SECOND and FINAL people to view it…and our price never dropped from what we listed it as. WOO HOO!

That was our network working for us – part one.

Part Two: MOVERS
This one was a HUGE challenge! We asked EVERYONE for a referral of a moving company that would drive out of town…over 300 miles to be exact. Finding out of state movers is easier to find than IN-STATE (at least for Texas).

A friend IN one of my networking groups is a DFW Mover, but went out of business recently. He was the FIRST PERSON we had on our list to talk to about this. Since his phone was disconnected, we couldn’t ask for a referral either.

Sent a text after two phone calls to a CLIENT to ask about the company she used to work for…an actual moving company. She got back with me AFTER we moved! So, that didn’t help much.

Talked with THREE realtors I completely trust. SURPRISINGLY, none of them knew of moving companies besides some in town. None of them had been asked that before. I thought that was odd…considering they are helping people to “relocate” and sometimes it isn’t IN town but out of town. Needless to say, it got all 3 of them thinking.

GOOGLE TO THE RESCUE!!! We searched a few companies, made some calls…Tim entered his info into one of those “complete this form and we’ll send you quotes” sites and we got a few DOOZIES. . . and some good laughs from it, too. We narrowed it down to THREE companies again and here’s how they compared:
* Two companies charged by the weight of the truck.
* One company charged by the mile.
* All were bringing a minimum of one truck at 24 feet.
* One COULD do the weekend but the other two required weekday moves so they could get back for weekend appointments already on the books.
* One company would send THREE men to load and unload (no charge for the “extra manpower”)
* One quote was WAY HIGH – the guy came to our home with a “scanner” and inventoried EVERYTHING we owned.
* One quote was “okay,” but we questioned it since no one came to the house but went off of what we told them.
* The other quote was done with pictures we sent over because the guy said, “Look, I live in Allen and have been at this for 14 years. I have gone to many houses where they didn’t hire us and it’d be a waste of my time and yours to drive 120 miles out there. Here’s what I need to know and I’ll give you a quote.” And since Tim was thinking it would be a TIGHT FIT in the one truck, he asked if there was ANYWAY he could come out…or if pictures would work. So, thanks to modern technology, we snapped some photos and emailed them over.
* Fees for boxes were pretty consistent, but we went the “DIY” route (do-it-yourself) and bought boxes (HomeDepot has a pretty good deal if you can’t make it to Wal-Mart around 10:30 PM when they are stocking shelves….found this info out by asking our – you guessed it – NETWORK!).

Well, there’s MORE to this one, but let me just say that the company with the mileage instead of the WEIGHT fee is the company we went with, A+B Moving from Allen, Texas. And here’s the scoop on them:
1) They were supposed to arrive between 4 & 6 per our contract…but got there at 7:30 PM
2) We had to move during the week so they could get to another contract by Friday…so Wednesday it was, but that changed to Tuesday night in case they couldn’t fill the truck and we needed another/a trailer.
3) Everything got here in one piece though we had a few scratches on some items (my grandmother’s piano, the buffet table we had redone last spring, our bedroom set, and a few other wooden items). Nothing broken was a blessing!!! (if you have ever moved a washer before, you probably know the rule about securing the drum…yeah, we learned that one AFTER we moved, but a praise to say it still works great)
4) THEY ARE SPEEDY!!! The truck was loaded TO THE RIM, though they finished loading around 11 PM.
5) They were organized – one guy loaded and unloaded the truck (it was like watching someone play Tetras – do you remember that game? Maybe I am dating myself…), the other two were wrapping stuff and moving out for the one guy to pack it in…and unpack when they arrived to our new home. Like I said, pretty ORGANIZED!
6) They were HONEST. We have heard a few horror stories about people being charged more than quoted, the driver saying it was going to be an extra $300 or something and REFUSING to unload until paid. I mean BAD STUFF!!! We didn’t experience that at all.
7) They were COURTEOUS and RESPECTFUL.

Yes, they were late and we had a few dings in furniture, but when you look at what we paid THEM verses what we could have paid someone else (THREE TIMES the rate, by the way), I would have to say we got a great deal and would recommend them to others! Thanks, Google!!!

Well, considering the length of this post, I’ll add the other “parts of the story” the rest of this week…stay tuned. There’s MORE!!! I’m telling you, we REALLY put our network to work in the past 30 days…you’ll see…

Yes, WAY!!!

PC World raged on the scene with interviews, the inside scoop, graphs, charts, and commentary on this whole “overtaking” earlier this week! If you are a subscriber to this BLOG, then you were the FIRST TO HEAR!!! Congratulations, my friends. It PAYS to be in the know.

Today, we see another TOP HITTER magazine covering the same thing, but this time with a different twist. Yet, the end result is the same. The popularity of FACEBOOK is passing that of GOOGLE! The company’s attempt to capitalize on the Social Media Circuit resulted in the launch of BUZZ (which, you know I am LOVING as the owner of Bee the Buzz Promotions – hey, it goes GREAT with my company name!). There are talks of additional tools, platforms, and websites that Google will soon launch to “reek havoc” across the internet by pulling committed users/subscribers from their bookmarked and frequently visited sites into the new realm of Google…will you be one to convert or resist. TIME WILL TELL!

As a small to medium-sized business owner, this should get you JAZZED UP!!! I mean, think about it! How many dollars have you spent on Pay-Per-Click ads (PPC), and wondered how long it will take until someone finally clicks on your ad? With over 400 million users on Facebook, it is obvious to see that you can expand your brand more easily using Facebook. Once you know who benefits most from your product or service, you can use tools like Google search engines and Facebook ads to promote your product, service or company.

Don’t make it any harder than it is! Online marketing and advertising can be free, as long as you know where to go, what to do, and the tools that are available to you. PS, you should still use Google ad words and keyword searches to determine what phrases, words, and word combinations are the most searched terms. If you’ve never done this before, when Google or being can help you locate keywords, phrases, and word combinations just test the capabilities of the search engine. If you don’t like what you get, then search again. Keyword research is powerful! If you don’t get anything else from this article, I hope you will take it upon yourself to begin to use this amazing tool that will help you grow your business, expand your brand, and increase your income all with the click of a few buttons. Yes! It is that easy.

With that in mind, I went to share with you a link to the article from and both magazines sold you can read up on how Facebook’s numbers are flying and Google fans are falling…

Read INC Magazines article here!

Read PCWorld’s BREAKING ONTO THE SCENE article here!

Before you dive right in with your ads on Facebook, you might consider some of the information shared in this article as well. Looks like Facebook is cracking down! And if you ask me, it’s about time. I’ve seen lots of ads, lots of repetition, and lots of irrelevant information that I wasn’t sure how it ended up as an ad, or why. Looks to be the end of that for now…

That ad is not actually targeted…

So, based on what you read, what did you learn and how are you going to implement these new ideas into your business? That is really what it’s all about. Finding new ways to network, implementing ideas that enable you to get where you want to go, to achieve what you desire, and to exceed the goals you’ve set for yourself not just this quarter but this month!

Who do you know do need to be aware of these staggering statistics? What clients are you going to share these numbers with? How will you use your new-found knowledge to make a difference in someone else’s business that day?

Knowledge is power, but as they say, wisdom comes from sharing…

And here’s bad news for Google again, as they stop censoring Internet Searches Results in China.

P.S. On a lighter note, here’s one way to NOT use Facebook! I hope all reading this realize what a NO NO this is! Granted, it will probably make Jay Leno, George Lopez, or some other talk show in America soon enough . . .

Teenager Fired from Cafe’ Job via a Facebook Message

I can see it now…the poor girl will have more job offers, will be asked for interviews by TV and radio shows and her mum won’t know what to do. Oh, and add to that, the HUGE GROWTH of her profile page on Facebook that she’ll need to start a FanPage as well. Laughing as I type these hypothetical scenarios, but really, it could happen.

Just remember, you heard it FIRST from “The Networking Queen.”

I am one of those “80s kids” like many who are reading this, I’m sure. I grew up with “The Corey’s” plastered in my locker and on my bedroom wall. When Corey Feldman and Corey Haim broke onto the scene with “The Lost Boys” I was HOOKED! Remembering my “teenie bopper” days isn’t the same without these two…and now, they are both departed.

Being a STAR and in the limelight isn’t all one would think it is cracked up to be. The pressure. Paparazzi who doesn’t HAVE an appointment yet always photographing you, following you, and hunting you down. The stress. Public appearances and events no matter how bad you feel. The drama. Trashy magazines claiming this that and the other which may or may not be true. The A list. The D list. The VIP list…and it goes on and on.

Celebrities “fall into” a network they have never experienced before with followers, fans, and dare I say it, freaks. Sadly, some let the fame go to their head, others let it take over their lives, some lose their fortunes to their egos and look back at all the STUFF they have acquired…but at what cost?

Here are links to a few stories online regarding the death of Corey Haim. See what TRUTHS you gleam from this and what LIES reside…:
OMG! from Yahoo
UsMagazine has MULTIPLE articles:
Corey Haim’s Sad Lifelong Struggle to Stay Sober
Corner Confirms: Four Prescription Bottles Found Corey Haim’s Home
Check out Rolling Stone HERE
Google it, there’s more…

Is FAME & FORTUNE all it is cracked up to be? Well, that depends on who you ask. Ponder this point, because one day, just like “The Coreys,” it will be asked of you: “What have you done with the gifts I gave you?”

Corey Haim was a talented actor. He had a loyal following. He made a name for himself yet, as a teen, I am sure he never envisioned his future to include all of the rumors, lies, and stories that are circulating the internet in his death. To be outlived by his mother is a very heart-wrenching situation to read about. And to think that, statistically and medically, the prediction is that this generation, those in their 30s and 40s, will outlive their children. Well, in this case, it is true of a woman who is over 50 yet lost her 38 year old son.

I wonder what Kirk Cameron (starred in the recent movie, “Fireproof”) would have to say? He is of the same era and hit the scene at the same time Corey Haim and Corey Feldman did…yet look at his life today.

The discussion you make EVERY DAY impact your life in a way you may not realize…until years down the road. The relationships you choose to and not to pursue. The friendships you continue or end. The neighborhood you select and the home you purchase. The car you choose to drive. The watch or shoes you wear…none of it goes with you when you die. Yet, everyday, there are not just STARS or CELEBRITIES who are feeling pressured to upgrade, but also everyday people like you and me. It isn’t just those “IN THE LIMELIGHT” who are tempted by drugs and alcohol and illegal activities. You have people in your network who are challenged by the same things. . .maybe even you, or someone in your family.

You have the choice, every day, to GIVE and LIVE, or to GIVE UP and DIE. It may be the death of a dream, the death of an addiction. But when you allow those things to die, you are making room for NEW DREAMS and a NEW REALITY. When you ADMIT and CONFESS something needs to change and SPEAK what it is that is holding you back or detoured you from what you know to be true, you can seek forgiveness (and the first step is to forgive yourself) and you can experience CHANGE.

So, with the loss of another “Lost Boy” I encourage you, today, to reach out to your network. There is someone you know who needs an encouraging word from you…or from anyone. They need to share with someone what is on their heart and it may be YOU who is called to be that person for them today. It might be about a business decision, something in their marriage, or finances…but if you never offer to listen how will they ever know they have you to confide in? Maybe it is YOU who needs to seek someone out within your network. If there is a name that comes to mind as you read this, DON’T HESITATE. CALL THEM!

I hope this blogpost has encouraged you to make a difference in someone’s life TODAY…because we are not promised tomorrow. The PRESENT is a gift…go enjoy every minute of it!!!

BELIEVING IN YOU AND ALL YOU WERE PUT ON THIS EARTH BY GOD TO DO!!!

With this commandment, I hope you will take me up on the offer to COMMENT AWAY. This might help you to realize the added value of sharing your knowledge and expertise, and to post on a site that allows you to share your links.

Don’t need your “sales pitch,” remember. This is a site focused on connect, relate and refer…so if you want REFERRALS then you need to RELATE to others. So, read on, and then C.O.M.M.E.N.T. below –

The Sixth Commandment – Thou Shalt Post Comments on Blogs with Do-Follow

Do-Follow simply means that a link on a page is valued by the Google gods. Be sure to post a good comment and use the keyword string that you are focusing on as your name. (see previous Commandments below for more info on this)

Here is a list of Do-Follow Blogs:

http://brownsista.com 6
http://foolswisdom.com 6
http://www.billhartzer.com 5
http://howtosplitanatom.com 5
http://andybeard.eu 5
http://engineering.curiouscatblog.net 5
http://www.davidairey.com 5
http://www.fastlanetransport.ca/blog 5
http://lifelearningtoday.com 5
http://www.pixelheadonline.com/blog 4
http://www.logon.ie 4
http://www.howtowakeupearly.com 4
http://www.joebartender.com 4
http://jakeldaily.com 4
http://tallfreak.com 4
http://blog.achille.name 4

For the complete list of Do-Follow Blogs go here.

MY TAKE ON THIS: HALF-TRUTH!!!

Why “half”? Because in reviewing the list of blogs, I’m just not too sure about a few of them. I think searching for blogs that are relevant to your industry/niche is a pretty smart “first approach” and then hit the BIG TWELVE (or ten or whatever) once you have mastered the art of commenting.

Is there such a thing as “an art to commenting”? YES!!! Some of these Ten Commandments are most effective when you have built up your content and provide QUALITY work, not quantity, as we discussed previously.

Posting comments ANYWHERE is going to help your site to grow, your distribution list to flourish, and your sales to expand! You are getting your name and your brand out there. It is like having a prospect become your client and not sending a Thank You card – many people DO NOT do this and their sales would increase if they DID!!!

I started using SendOutCards to help me with Follow-up, and when I use it, it works! When I don’t, well…it’s never too late to send a card of any sorts – Christmas, Customer Appreciation, Thanks for the Referral, Nice to Meet you…you name it. Come up with any random reason (or a legit one) and just send it! See how your business is impacted!

The same is true with comments. It is a way to say Thank you, nice to meet you, Merry Christmas, I appreciate you, etc. This is true with Facebook, LinkedIn (though here it is more advantageous to write a recommendation), YouTube, Twitter (with a retweet, Follow Friday post, or direct message), as well as WordPress/Blogger/Blogspot, etc.  the key is…

YOU HAVE TO POST SOMETHING TO GET NOTICED.

Are you excited to see what Commandment Number Seven will be?  Stay tuned…