I’m on the mainland visiting family and attending a few events over this week and next so it’s been tough (if not intentional) getting online. Just stopped in to check comments and stats while in NYC, so I figured I’d post a heads-up on a couple new cool research tools that I came across in development.

The first is Podscope.

If you’re quickly becoming a podcast junky like me (business or otherwise,) this new tool is going to get you excited. Podscope is a new web engine that allows you to keyword search each and every word spoken in a podcast is now live in beta mode. In about a dozen single-word searcgh tests I ran on the engine’s capabilites it was amazingly accurate. Complex searches are still quite a ways off it seems. But hey… even with single word searches — Podscope can prove to be a big timesaver in discovering new podcasts.

The second tool is FeedPlex

FeedPlex is a search engine exclusively for XML (RSS, RDF) content. It relaunched in beta a couple of months ago and seems to be getting more accurate with each passing week. The database is being revamped and expanded by Nathan Enns, the person who also runs FyberSearch. In our testing using proven keywords for our own blogs and a number of our strategic partners, the FeedPlex engine has also been steadily improving.

Well, that’s it for now. I’m off to breakfast with the fam now, and off to Detroit for our “Innovation Playshop” with Stephen Pierce.

Aloha from NYC!

JP

Have you ever wished you could quickly and painlessly transform all that great content on your business blog into a book? Think of the possibilities!

• A free book that you distribute to your current clients, customers, or prospects to boost your credibility and positioning as a respected authority.
• An orientation overview for new clients when they come on board.
• A book that you sell for general exposure, niche positioning, or for pure profit!

Well now there’s an elegant solution that will help you quickly meet these goals and more. It’s called Blogbinders And this could be the tool you’ve been looking for to transform your strategically structured and well crafted business blog to book and make it a major component of your marketing.

So how does Blogbinder work?

The folks over at Blogbinders have done a terrific job in creating an easy to use, intuitive interface for busy business owners running popular business blogs. In six simple steps you can (more…)

Two weeks ago I wrote a review of Rush Limbaugh’s new podcast service and highlighted how with one fell swoop several hundred thousand Rush 24/7 subscribers instantly became podcast subscribers. No matter what your political views — it’s a pretty powerful (and exciting) act when 22 million people get exposed to and educated about podcasting, especially when it happens in a highly sought after high-end demographic like Rush’s audience.

Well, as I was perusing some recent news over at wired.com, I came across some trends beginning to surface with traditional radio stations in relation to podcasting. For instance:

• San Diego station KFMB-FM/100.7 Jack — that’s the same format that derailed oldies stations in NYC and Chicago earlier this month — is charging $4.95 a month for podcasts of the morning show.
• KCRW-FM, an LA public radio station, has scored underwriting from local Lexus dealers for its 22 podcasts.
• Podcasts of WNYC’s “On The Media” are being downloaded 15,000 to 18,000 times a week. “We’ve already been migrating to a digital environment, so (the cost) is really negligible,” Phil Redo, VP-station operations and strategy, told Wired News.

You can read more on traditional radio entering the podcast arena over at wired.com.

I have to tell you that news like this is really exciting! It reinforces our coaching focus with clients over here at RPM Success Group inc. — and we’re really excited for small and mid-size business owners because of the power that lays in a carefully crafted synergy between business blogging, business podcasts, and v-blogging (video delivered via blog and pushed via RSS.)

The rate of growth for podcasting continues to outpace any other trend on the internet (including blogs) because of the inherent flexibility of content consumption. Finally there is freedom from the desktop, and a viable alternative to traditional and even XM radio(define)!

Stay tuned for more info, education, and coaching on these exciting channels so you can learn to boost your business growth with an intravenous feeding tube of multi-media steroids.
________________________

John-Paul Micek is a contributing partner in the only multi-media course that truly coaches business owners how to integrate business blogging for more traffic, more clients, and more profits — How to Master Business Blogging.

He’s a weekly columnist for the business section of the Honoulu Star Bulletin. He’s known as the “Click-and-Mortar Business Coach” by by business owners around the world thanks to members of the Business Owners Coaching Club.


The © Copyright to all audio, video, images, and text are held by RPM Success Group Inc. and licensed under a Creative Commons License.

Business blogging reaps a host of rewards for those business owners astute enough to reach out and master the new technology. Thanks to RSS — business blogging, business Podcasting, and v-blogging provide a unique multi-media channel to reach your target market. It’s an advantage that throughout the 20th Century was held only by the largest of corporations. But now it’s possible for savvy small business owners to wield similar power in their chosen niche.

Word of marketing, search engine optimization, and relationship-building — they’re all benefits that come with the right business blogging strategy. But what about practical applications of business blogs that step outside the confines of the conventional thinking so prevalent in the blogosphere? What about a clearer vision of what business blogs can be used for?

Business blogs are not magic wands

You can’t just create a blog, start posting content, and expect that you’ll start reaping rewards in a few weeks or months. Thousands of business bloggers have already learned that the hard way.

Successfully reaping the rewards that you can achieve with business blogs takes a carefully crafted business blogging strategy.

It takes the knowledge and application of proven blogging tactics.

And it takes the careful tracking of your results, questioning of your target market, and adaptation to what they really want.

And while all that is true — that can be a little overwhelming without having a clear picture of the true power and potential of business blogging. That’s why we’ve created this special 44-page eBook!

Announcing the Free eBook: 21 Ways to Boost Your Bottom Line Using Business Blogs

You can download your copy for free on the home page for www.AdvancedBusinessBlogging.com. You’ll see a little registration box at the top of the left navigation column. Just enter your first name and email and we’ll send you download instructions for this $47 eBook — for FREE!

It’s packed with innovative ideas and case study examples that will give you a taste of what’s possible once you’ve mastered the ins and outs of business blogging. This is not an eBook that blathers on and on about business bloggers who blog about blogs. (There are enough of those out there in on the web. :))

This eBook gives you a true view of real-world business applications. It’s meant for business owners who are serious about leveraging the full potential of business blogs and RSS.

When you’re done reading this special eBook,

• You’ll have a clear vision of what you can do with business blogs
• You’ll have practical examples of what’s possible for online and off-line businesses alike
• And you’ll discover how to take your business blogging to the next level

Enjoy — and be sure to let us know what you think with a comment after downloading and reviewing the eBook. We’d love your input and feedback.

Mahalo (that means “thank you” in Hawaiian) and make it an awesome day!

John-Paul Micek is a contributing partner in the only multi-media course that truly coaches business owners how to integrate business blogging for more traffic, more clients, and more profits — How to Master Business Blogging.

He’s a weekly columnist for the business section of the Honoulu Star Bulletin. He’s known as the “Click-and-Mortar Business Coach” by by business owners around the world thanks to members of the Business Owners Coaching Club.


The © Copyright to all audio, video, images, and text are held by RPM Success Group Inc. and licensed under a Creative Commons License.

Yes, I finally got around to upgrading the Advanced Business Blogging site to WordPress v1.5.2 and it’s incredible. Security, Spam protection, and presentation control is unbelievably simple!

Now I’m not a programmer, and I just know enough coding to get myself in trouble — but working with this latest version of WordPress definitely reminds me of why we think it’s hands-down the best blogging software for serious business bloggers.

• Ease of install/upgrading. Upgrading from version 1.2 took me 10-minutes, including the backup of My SQL databases.
• Total control of appearance and layout. I was able to create this site layout (working off of the “Rin” base template by Khaled Abou Alfa and Joshua) in under three hours, including the image research for the header design, and the graphic design of the header itself.
• Complete control in customizing navigation. WordPress v1.5.2 even allows you to very simply create custom static pages outside your regular posts. A great addition for business owners who’d like to educate readers more about themselves or their products/services without having to leave the blog.

If you’re a business owner who’s looking to integrate business blogging into your long-term marketing and communication strategy — WordPress should be at the top of your list!

Enjoy!

John-Paul Micek is a contributing partner in the only multi-media course that truly coaches business owners how to integrate business blogging for more traffic, more clients, and more profits — How to Master Business Blogging.

He’s a weekly columnist for the business section of the Honoulu Star Bulletin. He’s known as the “Click-and-Mortar Business Coach” by by business owners around the world thanks to members of the Business Owners Coaching Club.


The © Copyright to all audio, video, images, and text are held by RPM Success Group Inc. and licensed under a Creative Commons License.

Here’s another reason you’ll want to add to the list of why insightful business owners should learn advanced business blogging strategies — mainstream press coverage.

After barely completing the “Marketing With Business Blogs” multi-media coaching course, and within just three weeks of completing two new blogs, one of our clients was profiled in Hawaii’s #1 weekly business publication Pacific Business News (and we got interviewed as well. :))

The business without blogging

Vanessa Beaton has a thriving retail store in downtown Honolulu, but she’s always had a challenge with the staggered work schedules of the “Off The Mat” team. Because of the mix of full-timers and part-timers it’s been difficult for her to consistently communicate with her team so everyone is on the same page.

When the staff of the Off The Mat yoga store needed to communicate with each other in the past, they often would use a simple tool: Post-it notes stuck to the computer terminal near the cash register.

Now they use something decidedly cooler, and infinitely more effective: (more…)

Well, today was the day a lot of people have been waiting for. Rush Limbaugh has taken Podcasting for profit mainstream. If you’re looking to succeed in business in the 21st Century marketplace, it doesn’t matter what your politics are. This is an exciting advancement because it’s an effort that’s getting functional Podcasting out to an educated, high-income demographic — and it’s being done for profit!

In one fell swoop 22 million listeners were exposed to a detailed explanation of Podcasting, and roughly half a million paid subscribers got to download the inaugural Podcast of the daily Rush Limbaugh show to their chosen MP3 player. I happen to be one of those subscribers, so in the always present spirit of my business coaching thought process — here’s what you can learn from this mega-size Podcasting for profit effort.

What YOU can learn from a REAL Podcasting for profit model

I’m going to give you a quick overview of how Rush’s Podcast system currently works, along with some business coaching insight as to what you should model in any similar Podcast effort (or any paid content delivery via RSS for that matter.)

The first step is to download a desktop management program which ensures only paid subscribers can access the RSS feed.

Downloading, installing, and configuring the super compact desktop program is a breeze. I had it done in 60-seconds. So even though it’s a separate program, it’s very consumer friendly. That’s an important attribute that some other “for fee” RSS programs out there are still lacking, and one important attribute you need to make sure is part of any Podcasting for profit effort you undertake for your business. (more…)

In a recent article “What RSS Research Can Teach You About Successful Business Blogging” Satish asked two really good questions. Questions that once properly answered will go a long way to determining your level of business blogging success. The way you can answer these questions for yourself is so powerful I was actually tempted to create a new post with my humble answers to Satish’s questions — but instead decided to just call you attention to them.

If you’d like to know how you can become a “top business blogger” — read the answers here.

John-Paul Micek is a contributing partner in the only multi-media course that truly coaches business owners how to integrate business blogging for more traffic, more clients, and more profits — How to Master Business Blogging.

He’s know as the “Click-and-Mortar Business Coach” by by business owners around the world thanks to members of the Business Owners Coaching Club.


The © Copyright to all audio, video, images, and text are held by RPM Success Group Inc. and licensed under a Creative Commons License.