Friday Favourites!

Friday Favourites!  So many HOAs, so little time. Mick Sharpe writes a fun roundup to keep you busy through the weekend.
Honoured for the Midweek Zap to be mentioned in this all-star list.

Originally shared by Mick Sharpe

Double, double

A little bit of a breather after last week’s blistering activity but still some really special content. There was a hint of something brewing in the HOA arena with many events experiencing difficulties (a sign of an update rolling out perhaps?). Hopefully the events listed will still be accessible for you.

I really enjoyed this lost episode of the Jess + Scott + You Show: SEO: Poh-tay-toh, Pah-Tah-Doh and EssEeeeOhhhh! (http://goo.gl/TiZgRy). This is a rebroadcast of one of the pilot episodes of the show from Jessica Dewell and Scott Scowcroft including segments featuring Ronnie Bincer and David Amerland. Fascinating to see how this show started. More lost episodes are promised - I’m looking forward to them.

Ryan Hanley’s Content Warfare TV is always a high priority for me. Ryan has a knack for bringing in knowledgeable guests, directing the flow with aplomb and adding his own, well thought out, insights. Why Content Marketing Works Every Time (http://goo.gl/MGzVF8) has Marcus Sheridan sharing some great advice about the power of listening to your customer and answering their questions no matter how trivial they seem. This makes eminent sense but surprising how many times it is either glossed over or the bias is on firmly on the business rather than the customer. It was great to hear Marcus mention a Learning Centre approach to your website catering for the differing learning styles of your audience. Also a very interesting section on comments in the latter part of the show #BreakingTaboos . Great stuff.

What’s with Wednesday?

Forget about #HumpDay this Wednesday was #ContentClashDay . No less than four great HOAs airing at exactly the same time. Any London Bus Controller would have been proud! Fear not for those you missed for the power of replay is a marvellous thing.

I’ll start with How to Google your Business from The Great British Hangout (http://goo.gl/5BZInT). Kath Dawson and Peter Lunn doing a marvellous job of making Donna Beckett and Nick Rink comfortable on their very first public HOA - you would never have guessed it from their confident delivery. The guys are on a mission to encourage more UK people and businesses to get started with Google+ and this show looks at the different options for business pages. Go #BritPack

The Food & Booze Show - Craft Beer Special (http://goo.gl/F5gCWw) saw Mia Voss and Chef Dennis Littley joined by James Dearsley drinking some real ale in his local pub and Craig Fifield accompanied by some of his favourite craft beers. I wish I had a warm beer to hand while watching this. Always an enjoyable half hour, and particularly so when Craig gives some How a man… advice.

The power of storytelling in marketing is addressed in part three of There's Gold in Your Personal Story (http://goo.gl/F7ntl6). Kellan Fluckiger goes over the fundamentals of storytelling and taking your marketing efforts to another level. There are some good common sense tips here and Kellan is obviously well experienced in the field. Well worth the 30 minutes or so.

The final show in this four-way clash was the Midweek Zap - What's Your Worth? (http://goo.gl/2QYNCW) with Zara Altair talking about finance with Stephanie Sims. Stephanie has a knack for making finance easily digestible and I know the topic strikes fear into many small business owners. So get over the trepidation, listen to Stephanie and get connecting. If you’re short on time Grizwald Grim has been extremely generous and created another of his timesaving #timestamp posts of the show (http://goo.gl/2OeOdo)

Twice as manly...

We were treated to a double helping of creative brain for hire Jeff Sieh this week. First off on Social Media Hangout #17: The Even Manlier Show: A Conversation with Jeff Sieh (http://goo.gl/wkXeXJ). Jeff joined Andrij Harasewych, Ben Fisher and, briefly, Eric Enge discussing HOA gremlins (yes there were a few in this show), Pinterest, the realness of Hangouts and investing in yourself. I’ve likened this show to an afternoon with your mates in the pub, always enjoyable and you come away with a smile.

Next up in The Manly Show - Standout With Stout (http://goo.gl/CEXGk6) Jeff is joined by Wade Harman, Mike Allton and, as the title alludes, Dustin W. Stout taking a deep look at branding. There’s no doubting that Dustin has some solid expertise in the field and it’s always worth paying attention when he shares that expertise. Get to grips with getting your business message out consistently. Combine this with the HOA below and you’ll have an excellent grounding in branding your business.

...and a double Stout

Dustin found himself in the Google+ Business Spotlight (http://goo.gl/HU1F62) with Stephan Hovnanian and Ben Fisher talking graphics and some core principles that all businesses should bear in mind when looking at visuals for their own content. I wholeheartedly support the use no more than two fonts advice. The only time I use a second font is in a block quote on a web page or in a document. Another tip that I will start using is to keep to a fifteen minute time limit to source an image for your posts. Great stuff.

Thinkers corner

John Moore gets us thinking about our strategies for achieving our goals, business or otherwise, in How Mr Kit Taught Me About the Benefit of Changing Strategies (http://goo.gl/1if3DC). While I would never suggest that trickery is the best way to get where you want to be I’m sure we could all benefit from an evaluation of how we are doing currently and switching gear where necessary.

Colin Walker has been quietly beavering away with his #project365 postings. Yesterday he came up with a cracker Revolution (http://goo.gl/U7d3lK) that I took as a challenge, and a reminder, to question everything, evaluate all the data being thrown your way and step out from the shadows of others. What do you think?

And finally…

For me Google+ is about more than marketing or geeky guides, it’s also about fun. This show G+ Hollywood Circles Hangout (http://goo.gl/DpGRCn) from Michael Daniels (the game show king!) is a great example of what can be achieved. Terry Leigh Britton, Susan Finch, Scott Scowcroft, Ronnie Bincer, Larry Fournillier, Heather Kraafter, Christine DeGraff and Chef Dennis Littley answering the questions and having a lot of fun to boot. You’ll never look at toothpaste in the same way again!


Have a great weekend wherever you are

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Created by Mick Sharpe of Bitingedge