People are always asking me about ways to market their business on a shoestring budget. Blogging is the best way to accomplish just that. And, guess what? It is free. Remember the days of googling the name of the guy (or gal) who  gave you his phone number at the bar and getting all the low-down scoop on him? Well, those days are almost gone. Unless, of course, he is doing some social networking. There is so much content available on the Internet, it is getting more and more difficult to get noticed than ever before.

Wikipedia defines Social Networking as a social structure made of nodes (which are generally individuals or organizations) that are tied by one or more specific types of interdependency, such as values, visions, idea, financial exchange, friends, kinship, dislike, conflict, trade, web links, etc. HUH? Simply put, social networking is setting up profiles on various sites such as Facebook, MySpace, Moli, LinkIn, Gaia Community; the list goes on and on. 

Social networks are comprised of nodes and ties. Nodes are the individual actors (you) within the networks, and ties are the relationships between the actors (who you know and who knows you and who knows who you know).

Social networking gets really cool when you add in the component of blogging. Blogs are a collaborative space. A political soapbox. A breaking-news outlet. A collection of links. Your own private thoughts. Memos to the world. Your blog is whatever you want it to be. There are millions of them, in all shapes and sizes, and there are no real rules. In simple terms, a blog is a Web site where you write stuff on an on-going basis. New stuff shows up at the top, so your visitors can read what's new. Then they comment on it or link to it or email you. Or not. Recipes For A Good Life is an example of one of my blog postings.

There are about as many blog programs as there are social networking sites. Take your pick ... Wordpress, Blogger, Moveable Type, Livejournal, Battle Blog, Blog.com, Blogabond, Blogging Systems, Blogonize, Blue Kaffee, DeadJournal, GreatestJournal, LiveJournal, MySpace, NooBlog, Open Diary, Square Space, TypePad. Typo, Windows Live Spaces, Wordpress.com, Xanga, Vox.

If you are offically totally overwhelmed, no worries. goodmedia is happy to set your blog up for you. Heck, we will even write it for you if you want.

Once you get your blog up and running, start telling the world what you think. Toot your horn about your business, but most important teach the public something. Content is Queen. We all want to learn something. When people ask the google gods questions, they want answers. The more you blog, and the more places you post your blog, the more likely the google gods are to point the seeker in your direction.

You can access public blogs, as well as your own. What is your platform? Oprah.com, Ivillage.com, Thatsfit.com, GreenDaily.com, cnn.com. Again, there is no limit to the number of place you comment. I will admit that I have become quite the addict on CNN. I just can't help myself!

Check out the Web sites to your favorite magazines, professional associations, local news, favorite products.

You have to provide the content, google will do the rest. Don't believeme? Just google goodmedia communications. We are totally in with the google gods!

Part of creating a peaceful planet is good stewardship of our planet. The follow tips are easy things we can all do to assist in creating a more peace-filled planet.

8 Easy Eco-Living Tips

* Join an online group that has a green purpose. For those of us with limited time, you can even join an online group or support an important eco-cause financially. Checkout Green Peace, one of the nations oldest and most respected eco-conscious organization.
* Stay educated on important issues facing our planet. GreenDaily is a great place to get up-to-date info on products, trends and politics impacting our planet.
* Eco-commuting is all about fitness for both you and the planet. Trade your conventional vehicle in for a hybrid. With gas prices at an all-time high, this is smart thing to do for both your budget and the planet. You might also want to consider walking or biking when commuting locally. Check out Electra bikes … these babies are so cute you will look for any excuse to cycle rather than drive.
* If you are secretly in the closet as a non-recycler, it is time to join the green crowd. People have all sorts of excuses for not recycling, one being they simply do not know what their community provides in terms of services. Earth 911 makes it easy to learn what your city has to offer. Just go to the Web site and type in your zip code and Voila … all the info you need to know. No more excuses.

* Be a scuppy. The scuppies of today are the yuppies of yesteryear: socially conscious upwardly mobile people who walk their talk. If you see trash on the sidewalk, by all means … bend over and pick it up! Scuppies look after the planet the way they look after their own backyard. Let's face it, everywhere is someone's backyard. Lead by example.

* Be a conscious consumer. There is no more power than the power of the almighty dollar. Put your buck to work supporting companies who are making a difference. Buy local whenever possible. Buy organic whenever possible. Educate yourself about the companies in which you choose to do business. If they are not good stewards, you are not a good steward for supporting them.

* Go for the paper and the paperless. Still getting your bills snail mail? Just about every company offers online billing. Switchover to paperless invoicing. Opt for paper bags at the grocery store or bring your own reusable bags. When you are purchasing just one or two items, don't use a bag at all!

* Shut off the water. When brushing your teeth or washing dishes, don't let the water run and run. Turn it off when you are not immediately using it and only turn it on for rinsing.

Going green is not hard to do. If we all take baby steps, together we will be making leaps and bounds toward a better planet for ourselves and for future generations.

What do Nike, McDonalds, Exxon and Google all have in common? A brand so strong we can all close our eyes and see it as though it were right in front of us. Now, close your eyes and think about your own business. What do you see? If the answer is a black void of nothingness, then you can be sure that is what your clients see as well.

We all have brands we know and love. We have brands that we are loyal to simply because of the emotional connection we have as consumers with the brand. Think about Apple. There is an entire cult-like following with the Apple brand. I know because I am one of them. Apple has done an extraordinary job at cultivating the market and making it cool to be a part of the Apple way of life. McDonald's is another example. I am pretty sure we never ate at McDonald's when I was a child. But I know for a fact, I begged my parents to stop and eat there just about every time I saw those glorious arches.

Developing a strong brand that your clients can connect with is the most important aspect of marketing and growing your business. Read on to learn more about how you create a strong brand for your business.

The American Marketing Association (AMA) defines a brand as a "name, term, sign, symbol or design, or a combination of them intended to identify the goods and services of one seller or group of sellers and to differentiate them from those sellers. Branding is about setting yourself apart from the competition and creating a connection with your target market so that they see you as the only solution to their problem. Starbucks is a great example. Starbucks has done such a tremendous job of branding their product that many people will only drink Starbucks coffee. As a matter of fact, you often hear people say, "Want to go get a Starbucks?" The Starbucks brand has almost become synonymous with the word coffee. To successfully brand yourself, your product or your service, you must understand the needs and wants of your client. Branding is about how your potential client perceives and connects with you, your services or your product.

Brand Objectives
1. Deliver a clear message.
2. Establish credibility.
3. Make an emotional connection.
4. Motivate the prospect to become a buyer.
5. Establish user loyalty.

So, you may be wondering ... how do I accomplish these objectives. You first have to define your brand. Spend some time with the following questions. Be honest with yourself in the answers. You may want to brainstorm with your colleagues or partner.

Defining Your Brand
1. Define the qualities of the products and services that your company offers.
2. What solution does your product or service provide?
3. What are the core values of your products, services and company?
4. What is your company's mission statement and is it in line with your core values?
5. What sets you apart from the competition? What do you offer that is different from the competition?
6. Who is your target market? Who do your products and services attract? Are the answers to these two questions congruent with one another?
7. Does your company have a tagline? How effective is it in communicating your company's mission statement?
8. Create a personality, character or symbol for your company that represents your products or services. What is the character like? What qualities stand out? Is the personality of your company innovative, creative, energectic, or sophisticated? Is this personality something that will resonate with your clients?
9. Use the personality you created to build a relationship with your target market. How does that personality react to your target audience? Which characteristics and qualities get the attention of your prospects?
10.Using your answers to the above questions create a profile for your company. Describe the personality or character you created with words just as if you were writing a biography. Be creative and very descriptive.

Once you have a solid concept of your brand and feel certain it accomplishes your brand objectives, you must evaluate how effectively your current corporate identity is communicating your brand. Do your clients "get" what your company is all about? What is the emotion your clients experience when connecting with your company? Your company's brand is the very foundation of your business. Your brand is the absolute center of all your marketing initiatives and is not an area that should be overlooked. Consistency in your marketing collateral and overall corporate culture is vital to the growth of your business.

Once you have discovered your Golden Arches you must implement your branding strategies at every single point of public contact. When you close your eyes and see your brand, you need to feel confident you see exactly what your clients see.

    Happy people are both physically and mentally healthier than sad people. Happiness actually leads to lower levels of a potentially dangerous stress chemical in our bodies. In a study involving 116 men and 100 women all ages 35-55, researchers evaluated participants in three different settings:

1. At work
2. In the laboratory
3. And, during leisure periods

    Their finding are not surprising: Participants who reported more happy moments throughout the day also had 32 percent lower levels of the stress hormone cortisol, which is linked to heart disease, type 2 diabetes, high blood pressure and autoimmune diseases to name a few.

    You may know people who just seem innately happy, and it is true, happiness is hardwired. So, if you are not hardwired for happiness, does that mean you have to live a life of doom and gloom? Absolutely not. Without disregarding the effectiveness and medical necessity of anti-depressants, there are some simple things you can do each day to begin to change your brain's hardwiring and experience more joy and happiness in your life and in your heart.

1. Have an Attitude of Gratitude: Create a gratitude journal and list everything you are grateful for in your journal. Each morning before you rise and each evening before you go to bed, read through your journal, add to it and meditate on the many blessings in your life.

2. Play the Pollyanna Game: Remember Pollyanna? She made a game of finding something to be glad about in every not-so-happy circumstance. So, you got passed over for a promotion at work? Be glad for the many opportunities for personal and professional growth within your current position.

3. Laugh Loud & Laugh Often: Laugh when you feel like laughing, and laugh when you feel like crying. The endorphins released in your brain during a good laugh is truly the best catalyst for a change in attitude or perspective. Laugh from your heart and release the tension you have stored inside.

4. Spend Time with Your Pet: Our pets and their undying devotion is so healthful for the heart. The emotional connection we have with our animals and the joy they experience by merely seeing us walk through the door is the best happy potion!

5. Go Outside: Consciously connect with nature. When you are out walking look for the Divine in all the details of nature. Sit outside for your morning coffee and listen to the birds. Walk barefoot to fetch the paper, and feel the dew on your toes. Connect with the Earth and explore the simple joy of it.

    No matter how stressful, do not settle until you have experienced at least one moment of deliberate, pure joy!

be good,

Robyn Short

    After years and years of highly unscientific research, I have determined there are three ingredients in the recipe for a goodlife … live, love, laugh. Together these three ingredients are all that is necessary to experience the flavor, texture, consistency and color of a goodlife.