I’ve done every low-carb, P90X, PowerKick, Dexatrim diet you can imagine. They all work great. Unfortunately, I don’t have time or energy to do any of them consistently enough to make a lasting difference.

Sure… if I’m getting ready for Mexico I’ll do something like that for a few months and [POOF!] I’m in shape for the beach. But as a lifestyle… nope.

Now before I share my experience with you let me say outright, I’m not a healthy person. I’m a social smoker (lie), I drink alcohol weekly, sometimes daily, sometimes too much, I don’t count calories, I snack on Oreos and Twizzlers. Well, you get the point.

Recently I’ve been working like crazy. Day and night; sometimes I feel like it’s the only thing I do. In fact, if this article seem ill-conceived and shoddily put together; it’s because I DON’T HAVE TIME. I have a home business that I’m trying to move to a building on Main Street, I’m writing a Social Media book, I have 2 side projects (TomTheKong.com, C-Loo.com) and I’m the Auction Chairman for the Shriners. I estimate I’m working 90 hours per week at least.

So as you can see, I don’t have time to think about what I eat or exercise. But something strange has happened. I’ve stopped gaining weight. Same caloric intake (or worse), worse protein to carb ratio, and between lunch/dinner meetings and working all-nighters, I’ve definitely been drinking more than usual (60 calories in every shot of alcohol).

What has changed? Cleansing. This might be the unhealthiest way anyone has kept their weight down but I’m going to unabashedly share it with you. I’m warning you it’s disgusting, embarrassing and would make your doctor’s and personal trainer’s collective heads explode.

My Secret…

A few times a week I’ll eat a massive salad for breakfast, some fruit for lunch and snack on some watermelon (so something similar). For dinner, no starch, cheese or red meat. The morning after each one of these ridiculous episodes I’ll make a pot of coffee, drink it, and smoke one cigarette and “Boom goes the dynamite!” FLUSSSSHHHHH…..

The fiber (read: roughage) of the previous days diet mixed with the agitation of nicotine and caffeine clean my system out. Now I have a great bowel. I go at least once a day; but this is something completely different. (I warned it would be disgusting.) I wake up and my 34s are tight – cleanse my system and my 33s are loose.

I haven’t researched any of this and I know you all aren’t drinkers and smokers but if there is something to be learned from this, other than I’m a total pig that will probably die by 50, is that a few days of fresh fruit and veggies, given time to digest, mixed with some form of agitation (fiber pills, Red Bull, caffeine pills, 5-Hour Energy, Hershey’s Dark Chocolate Bar) is a great way to rid yourself of all the stubborn stuff in your system. And for some reason it’s keeping me from gaining weight.

PS: If you’re going to attempt this:

1. I AM NOT LIABLE
2. Do it before you shower.
3. Take plenty of magazines.
4. Stock up on baby wipes (you’re welcome for that one).
5. Do your significant other a favor and double check the bowl when you’re done.

                          

What is social media?

Social media, what is it? I can tell you what it is for many of the users of “Social Media”; but I can’t tell you what it is to the analysts and experts. Personally, I don’t think the experts are important. “Why?” you ask… because social media hasn’t been around long enough to have experts.

An expert pianist practices their craft approximately 20 – 40 hours per week. Within 5 to 7 years, with any luck, and a lot of skill, they may become an expert in their chosen field. Since Facebook was founded (read: launched) in 2004 and didn’t become “socially” popular until say 2007; I’d say that anyone who was there in the beginning and practiced for 20 – 40 hours a week since its inception, may become an expert sometime around October 2012.

Now, since social media is a “user-controlled” amoeba that changes with every meme*, action or reaction of its users; it’s incomparable to the piano (which hasn’t changed since 1655 AD). Given the change rate of a piano vs. social media; it would take at least 452 years to become a true expert in social media. So don’t feel out of touch if you just don’t get it. It’s natural to revert to those high school feelings of inadequacy when everyone else is participating in something you just don’t “get”.

“Getting it” doesn’t happen by reading books; it happens by doing “it”. So this would be a short book if my advice was “Just Do It”™. Fortunately for my publisher it’s not a short book. First you must understand why you “do it”. Then you must comprehend what “doing it” does for your business.

So what is Social Media? Simply put, social media is any avenue of communication that allows users to share their experiences. In this case social media could be a newspaper editorial; if the editorials were posted immediately without governance by the publisher. For our purposes social media is an immediate, ungoverned, response environment where thoughts, feelings and experiences are shared. Furthermore, social media (for purposes of Chapter 1 – 7) are Internet-based sites where these interactions happen.

                          

You must be different to stand out. In order to give your business a unique personality, you must first create a vision of what you feel would be the perfect environment for you to do business in as a customer.

QUESTION: What if what I want is not what Customer “X” wants?

ANSWER: Make the environment truly your own and you’ll attract like-minded customers.

When you attract customers that don’t think the same way you do, you are attracting distractions. Remember… you can’t be everything to everyone. When you try to please everyone, more often than not, you’ll impress no one.

                          

If you want REAL quality craftsmanship; look no further than Dugan’s Woodworking.

There was just one problem… people were having to look and look and look. Dugan’s website was not being crawled by the search engines.

We designed a new logo; they feel a much stronger connection to the new brand. We redesigned the site to not only match the brand; but we used greyscale colors, forfeiting the spotlight to the woodwork itself.

Visit: www.duganswoodworking.com

                          

Satisfied customers are a revolt waiting to happen. They are waiting for something faster, cheaper or newer to come along, when it does; they’ll leave you as fast as they came.

Raving fans give you 2, 3, 4 chances to make up for problems that arise. In order to have raving fans you must be different, go the extra mile, and make it a joy to do business with you. How do we make it a joy?

• Greetings – Greet customers with enthusiasm and sincerity.
• Appearance – Keep a clean environment with zero clutter.
• Free Extras – Make sure you are giving more than expected.
• Never Say “No”.

BOTTOM LINE: Look after customer’s needs first.

                          

In the last few years, social networking has been the catalyst for real-life networking. Whether it’s REBUS, St. Louis Meet Up, or other local clubs; we all have been to these events in one form or another. If we’ve learned one thing about ourselves from going to these events, it’s whether or not we are good networkers.

Also, just because you’re having fun at a Meet Up, doesn’t mean you’re networking appropriately. The common definition of good networking is: Though relationship building, we become walking, talking advertisements for one another.

Here are some tips to help you along the way:

1.) Overdress

When attending a networking function try to dress on notch above what you think everyone else will be wearing. Many times when there are negotiations taking place, the best dressed person has a subliminal advantage. It’s always better to show up over dressed than under dressed.

2.) Make Goals

How many times do you see people wondering around aimlessly at a networking event? Are they just there to pass the time? It seems so many of us are just trying to “survive” it.

Ask yourself what your goals are in participating in networking meetings so that you will pick groups that will help you get what you are looking for. Some meetings are based more on learning, making contacts, and/or volunteering rather than on strictly making business connections.

3.) Make the Rounds

Have you ever joined a club only to find out later that your goals are not the same? What happens more often than not is we simply stop attending.

Visit as many groups as possible that spark your interest. Notice the tone and attitude of the group. Do the people sound supportive of one another? Does the leadership appear competent? Many groups will allow you to visit two or more times before joining.

4.) Get Involved

Hold volunteer positions in organizations. This is a great way to stay visible and give back to groups that have helped you.

Please note that if you don’t have time in your schedule to do some extra things for your group, you may want to consider not getting involved at all. There is only one thing worse than not joining a group – and that’s being a member that never raises their hand when volunteers are asked for. What message do you think that sends the other members of the group?

5.) Ask Real Questions

Ask open-ended questions in networking conversations. This means questions that ask who, what, where, when, and how as opposed to those that can be answered with a simple yes or no. This form of questioning opens up the discussion and shows listeners that you are interested in them.

Part of being an effective communicator is being a good interviewer. Watch any late night talk show and you soon see that the interviewer almost never asks a question that can simply be answered with a “yes” or a “no”.

6.) Position Yourself

Become known as a powerful resource for others. When you are known as a strong resource, people remember to turn to you for suggestions, ideas, names of other people, etc. This keeps you visible to them.

This is the most important tip to becoming a great networker but it’s also the hardest to explain. You either know how to do it or you don’t. But here are some tips:

1. Learn some tricks for remembering names. Remembering names is crucial.
2. Offer your expertise or the services of your company when the group needs it. Offer it for free when you can.
3. Get to know what everyone in the group does. Get to know all of them individually and who they work for. That way you can recommend them when someone is in need.
4. Don’t ever recommend someone you know does not do good work.

7.) Ask for Help

Be able to articulate what you are looking for and how others may help you. Too often people in conversations ask, “How may I help you?” and no immediate answer comes to mind.

Follow through quickly and efficiently on referrals you are given. When people give you referrals, your actions are a reflection on them. Respect and honor that and your referrals will grow.

8.) Follow up

Call those you meet who may benefit from what you do and vice versa. Express that you enjoyed meeting them, and ask if you could get together and share ideas.

9.) Be Genuine

Too many times we are compelled to make a great first impression so we put on a show and act like we’re someone we are not. Or… We huddle together with our friend(s) by the buffet and speak to no one.

Keep in mind that networking is about being authentic, building trust and relationships, and seeing how you can help others.

10.) It’s About You, Not Your Company

When someone asks you questions at a networking event, the answers usually sound like an advertisement for the company you work for. What the company does, where they are located, who they serve, what they charge, etc.

Working for a good company is one thing, but it’s more important to have a clear understanding of what you do, for whom, and what makes you different from others doing the same thing.  Hopefully your company sent you to a networking event because they thought you’d make a good ambassador for the company, not a walking billboard. In order to get referrals, you must first have a clear understanding of what you do that you can easily articulate to others.

Summary:

Well I hope this helps; if not, at least you gave it your best shot.

                          

RESULTS: The site was planned to be up for about the first 3-6 months of the new product launch. That was 3 years ago and Fujifilm still uses the site today. This piece won a Davey Award.

Visit: facedetection.fujifilmusa.com