This morning I was talking to a good Twitter friend of mine ( we have not actually known one another for very long ) and I found myself defending a social media related company to her for the SECOND time. The first time it was Twylah.com and the second time it was global professional network Brandergy.com.

She basically said that Social Media networks ( particularly Facebook and Twitter ) were full of fakes, flakes, weirdo’s, liars and creeps and that there was no room in her life for any more social networks ………UNLESS there was a clear benefit. Now, this is a straight talking lady that talks a lot of sense. There was that chink of hope .. UNLESS there was a clear benefit !!

The only network that she thought was ( relatively ) safe AND produced business was Linkedin.

It is interesting that Facebook is suffering from many rumours about ” Fake accounts ” and it’s share price is plummeting  http://www.marketwatch.com/investing/stock/FB whilst Linkedin is seen as a much better bet http://www.marketwatch.com/investing/stock/LNKD . Twitter is still a private company but everyone knows that you can buy Twitter followers for a relatively low price. e.g. http://www.buy-followers.org/ .

I think there is a change coming . People want to network and they want to do business – they just don’t want the hassle that comes with social networking – particularly if it does not actually produce business.

Linkedin is pretty safe but I have noticed a number of connection requests from decidedly flakey looking accounts. So far I have connected to nearly all of them as I am an Open Networker and there is an unwritten agreement that Open Networkers connect to anybody.

Personally I don’t find Linkedin very intuitive, easy to communicate with others or productive from a business point of view. Twitter is my most productive business network and well ahead of both Facebook and Linkedin. I don’t think I have had a single business conversation on Google + despite having an extensive network there and being a Google + Beta user.

Twylah and Brandergy have at least one thing in common – they both have great ” Community Managers ” ( Kelly Kim in the case of Twylah and Vincent Wright in the case of Brandergy ). Community Management does not happen in e.g. Linkedin, Facebook or Twitter – unless you are talking about Group managers. Good ” Community Management ” is a new skill and a hard one to carry out effectively.

I dream of a global, positive, supportive network that actually achieves business for it’s members. I have ” sub networks ” on Twitter and Facebook ( Twitter particularly ) which comprise of ” Internet Influencers ” who are “engaged ” with me and supportive.

However, it is one thing to have a global, positive, influential, engaged and supportive network and entirely another to have that network produce results.

Producing results requires that you step from the virtual world into the real world of actual products and services, phone calls, meetings, presentations, proposals and orders. In other words that you monetise your network.

Where most social networks are focussed on increasing numbers what is required is a social network that has ” barriers to entry ” – a Quality over Quantity network.

I actually had a conversation this afternoon with someone who had joined Brandergy and they were ” worrying ” about who they should introduce into Brandergy themselves. They wanted to maintain the ” Quality ” of the network. This ” elitism ” is what is required to contrast with the ” fakes, flakes, weirdo’s,liars and creeps ” that are on other networks. You want the ” SAS ” or ” Seal Team ” of networkers.

You know pretty instantly when you meet them on other networks. ( I always think it is amazing that people’s character comes across in 140 characters ). They slot into the ” team ” instantly and become part of a well oiled machine.

If you are looking for looking for a New York Experienced Specialist Startup Recruiter who can operate  anywhere in the world but based from the East Coast of America near New York then a social media recruiting phenomenon, Vincent Wright, is looking for a selected number of partners to work with – but if you want Vincent to help you then you are going to have to move FAST !!

I have known Vincent for years – since my first days on my first social network – Ecademy. We have kept in touch over the years and I am amazed that he has found time to make this offer to work with people.

He is the founder and developer of so many social media initiatives like Brandergy.com, MyLinkedinPowerForum, and BrandingVentures.com. He has huge networks on Linkedin. He is also the most experienced New York based Specialist Startup Recruiter that I know.

I have copied Vincents messages to his community on this subject here:

Keep STRONG!!

If you are looking for looking for Sales, Marketing, Administrative, Recruitment or Technology support anywhere in the world but based from the East Coast of America near New York then a social media phenomenon, Vincent Wright, is looking for a selected number of partners to work with – but if you want Vincent to help you then you are going to have to move FAST !!

I have know Vincent for years – since my first days on my first social network – Ecademy. We have kept in touch over the years and I am amazed that he has found time to make this offer to work with people.

He is the founder and developer of so many social media initiatives like Brandergy.com, MyLinkedinPowerForum, and BrandingVentures.com. He has huge networks on Linkedin.

I have copied Vincents messages to his community on this subject here:

Keep STRONG!!

Klout is a bit like Marmite – you either love it ( work with it ) or you hate it. My Klout was falling over the last few days despite my networks growing on Twitter, Facebook, Google + and Linkedin; despite masses of meaningful, productive engagement and despite my Kred and Peer Index scores INCREASING !!

I just checked my Klout score before writing this and suddenly it is going North ( up ) again which may ( at last ) be a reflection of what has been happening recently and a trend which Kred and Peer Index have more  accurately recorded.

While I was beginning to get annoyed with Klout’s failure to recognise what was actually happening in my networks I started seeing other people Tweeting that their Klout scores were falling ( inexplicably ) aswell.

Now, lots of people would say ” Why are you even bothered about what Klout says about you ? ” I happen to believe that some sort of
” Internet Influence ” score will be a factor going forward, especially for people who claim to be ” Social Media Experts “.  I really think that it is mainly here – in assessing the effectiveness of ” Social Media ” professionals – that Internet Influence scores matter – oh ! and also with brands effectiveness in promoting themselves via social media which is hopefully being done by social media professionals.

One of the dangers for Klout is that it is losing “Kredibility” amongst even it’s supporters. Another danger is that it is facing new competitors – for example Synthesio recently announced that it is ” Klout for Grownups ” – which is a clever pick-up on the fact that Klout is not ” professional ” enough for ” proper business “.

http://synthesio.com/corporate/2012/synthesio-news/synthesio-announces-klout-for-grownups/

The fact that Synthesio combines it’s ” Internet Influence ” measurement with ” Social listening ” is also an interesting aspect and a massive danger for Klout.

The view that Klout is ” amateur ” and ” Geeks messing about ” is widespread already.

HubSpot talks about assessing social media professionals on the basis of ” D.A.R.C. ness ” ( Do they have a Digital Network ? Can they Analyse the effectiveness of their social media campaigns? Do they have Internet ” Reach “? Do they have ” Chops “?  i.e. some nouse when it comes to social media promotion .   ). This is the basis of assessing ” Internet Influence “.

Klout has got to start taking things seriously. Stop messing with it’s algorithm. Communicate with it’s users and engage with them or it is going to have no Kred at all and be bottom of the Peer Index !!!!

Mary Case Honey

Tel. 01983 740223

Mary Case has over 80 hives dotted around West Wight – a spread that means each batch of her honey has its own unique flavour. All the honey and honeycomb is sold at Newport’s farmers’ market, alongside beeswax candles, furniture polish and soap.

Bee Keeper
Mary keeps her hives mainly in the West Wight. Producing honey from different locations gives each batch its own unique flavour. Mary has both set and clear honey for sale along with cut comb and beeswax.

Newport market only.

Mary keeps her hives mainly in the West Wight; producing honey from different locations

gives each batch its own unique flavour. Mary has set and clear honey for sale and cut

comb and beeswax – by-products of honey production, are made into candles and

furniture polish. During the autumn there are apples for sale from Limerstone Farm orchard

and customers are welcome to try the different varieties. A recent diversification is the

growing of Globe Artichokes, which come with instructions on preparation and serving

suggestions.

Contact Mary Case
Tel 01983 740223
Email gcase90337@aol.com

Limerstone Farm
Limerstone
Newport
Isle of Wight
PO30 4AB

01983 740223

See Mary on the Hungry Sailors

http://www.itv.com/food/programmes/hungry-sailors/yarmouth/

What Makes Royal Spa® Chamomile Shampoo Unique?

Enrich your hair with the botanical extracts of chamomile, aloe vera, cherry bark and more in this rich formula that gently cleanses away buildup. Unlike other shampoos, this formula is effective without stripping the hair of elements that help maintain moisture balance. The combination of ingredients in Royal Spa Chamomile Shampoo, which include extracts of aloe, chamomile, calendula, in addition to pro-vitamin B5 and wheat proteins, moisturizes and nourishes the hair. In addition, Royal Spa Chamomile Shampoo enhances the hair’s natural highlights, imparting an attractive sheen and enhancing the hair with flattering body.

What Makes Royal Spa® Ultra III Shampoo for Chemically Treated Hair Unique?

Renew your hair easily after the constant stress of chemical treatment and pollution with Royal Spa Ultra III Shampoo for Chemically Treated Hair. Cleanse, condition and detangle your color-treated hair in one easy step with this ultra-rich formula, which helps to counteract the breakage and stripping of moisture that often occurs with coloring your hair.  Royal Spa Ultra III Shampoo for Chemically Treated Hair contains a hand-picked combination of ingredients, including wheat amino acids, panthenol and hydrolyzed wheat protein that contribute to improve hair texture, and moisturization and conditioning of the hair cuticle.

Enriched with a blend of botanical extracts of evening primrose, heather, jasmine and orchid with vitamins A, D, E and panthenol (pro vitamin B5), Royal Spa Ultra III Shampoo for Chemically Treated Hair also quenches the scalp, encouraging healthy, manageable, glossy hair. Royal Spa Ultra III Shampoo for Chemically Treated Hair removes chemical processing odors, cigarette smoke and other unpleasant odors without compromising your hair color or relaxing your curl.

http://uk.shop.com/nbts/Market+United+Kingdom-v246232-c+.xhtml

If you are looking for an Internet Connection in Dorset then you may be surprised to know that Poundbury Systems has had it’s own National Internet and Telephone network since the early 2000′s. Prior to that Poundbury’s owners built National I.P. ( Internet Protocol ) networks for other people.

Poundbury has a number of locations in London ( for resilience ) where we connect to the Internet and Telephone networks of the world. We provide U.K. Hosting facilities ( mainly )  in the London and Poundbury areas ( which is very important for websites that want to rank well in U.K. searches ).

Our deep, long standing and extensive knowledge of Internet ( and Telecommunications ) connectivity ensures that you get a different perspective on your Internet Connection requirements to that which you find from the ” major players ” .

We can, of course, provide a like for like solution to that offered by other companies but given that we can provide almost any sort of Internet connection, anywhere we like to concentrate on what is best for you. That means understanding your business requirements and objectives before providing a solution to you.

In addition to ” Landline ” ( copper or optical fibre cable ) connectivity we can provide wireless connectivity. Where required we can mix and match.

Obviously in rural areas there may be some bandwidth ( size of your Internet pipe ) restrictions but if you need high bandwidth and quality service then we will do our best to provide this wherever you are. If you need resilience and fault tolerance ( no single point of failure ) then we can provide this aswell.

So, pretty well, you can think to yourself that whatever your Internet Connection requirement is, Poundbury Systems can provide it. The question is more what you want and need ??

We can provide copper and fibre broadband Internet Connections at up to 75 Mbps and a U.K. Ethernet network at speeds up to a Gigabit per second.

Whatever your requirement please give us a call on:

01305 259849

Leading European Freight Transporter Eurgent Ecspress (   http://eurgent.co.uk/ ) is always looking for new transporter contacts in Europe. If you are a van or truck owner living in a European country and you want to take advantage of Eurgent’s extensive customer base then give Eurgent a call and ask to register on their European database.

Express Services
Eurgent Ecspress have been supplying Europe’s leading forwarders and transporters with cost effective solutions for the movement of time-critical consignments since 1996 – over 95% of our clients are from within the freight industry – and our network of partners offer the assistance to make your consignment our top priority.
Our suppliers, who are constantly monitored to ensure they are meeting the agreed operational standards, have GPS and mobile telephonic equipment to enable us to provide accurate status reports on any consignment at any time – 24/7. Eurgent are also experienced in transporting a wide range of products requiring specialist attention, such as – Aeromotive Engines (Air-ride), Dangerous/ Explosive goods (ADR), Controlled Substances (Licensed Equipment) and temperature controlled consignments. Our extensive database of agents ensure that no enquiry is without a solution. Our comprehensive network allows us to consider all cross-european destinations. Eurgent can supply all modes of transport – whether it be a small van to an air-charter option – and every solution will be considered to meet the transit time required . Contact us details Eurgent Ecspress Unit 1b, Charnwood Park Bridgend, Mid Glamorgan South Wales, UK CF31 3PL +44 (0) 1656 656535 +44 (0) 1656 656534 enq@eurgent.co.uk

Leading European Freight Forwarder Eurgent Ecspress (   http://eurgent.co.uk/ ) is always looking for new contacts in Europe. If you are a van or truck owner living in a European country and you want to take advantage of Eurgent’s extensive customer base then give Eurgent a call and ask to register on their European database.

About Eurgent Ecspress:

EUROPE’S NUMBER ONE FOR TRANSPORTERS AND EXPRESS FREIGHT FORWARDERS

Established in 1996, Eurgent Ecspress have a proven track record for performance and reliability as express freight forwarders within the time critical logistics environment. As a small independent we feel that our operation can give a more personalised response at all levels. Staff are available at any stage, day or night, during the transit of any consignment.

NEED TO SEND EXPRESS FREIGHT TO EUROPE

Our operational team have over ninety years experience in all aspects as express freight forwarders for transport throughout the UK and Europe. This, we feel, gives us a distinct advantage in solving the many problems that can arise in today’s turbulent logistical market

Eurgent Ecspress freight forwarders are the preferred suppliers to many multinational companies in the UK and European community, where we have built an excellent reputation for client confidentiality.

Supplier Re-load:

We are constantly sourcing vehicles that are returning to their country of origin. If you are looking to reload your vehicles please fax or e-mail your availability stating the locations and vehicle capacity and we will advertise it on our web-site, hopefully we will secure a profitable re-load for your vehicle.

N.B.  We are also able to offer support in the case of breakdown or delay

Part Load / Groupage:

The majority of the consignments that Eurgent carry are time sensitive, but should you have some flexibility in your transit time then we may well be able to source a cost-effective part-load solution or indeed find a conventional transport rate through our extensive list of groupage operators.

Contact details:
Eurgent Ecspress Unit 1b, Charnwood Park Bridgend, Mid Glamorgan South Wales, UK CF31 3PL
	+44 (0) 1656 656535
	+44 (0) 1656 656534
	enq@eurgent.co.uk

A year or two ago I started using HubSpot’s Website Grader to evaluate the performance of client’s and suppliers ( potential and actual ) websites. HubSpot’s Website Grader has since evolved into Marketing Grader which looks at the wider picture of a companies Internet Marketing efforts including it’s website, blogsite and social networks, automation software, analytics and internet influence ( Klout ).

Having put quite a few websites and internet marketing efforts through the HubSpot Grader I now know that there are a lot of companies in the 30/40 out of a 100 range, quite a few in the 50/60 range and only a few in the 70/80 range.

Nikki Pilkington ( who designed this blogsite ) has a grade of 85/100. see  http://www.nikkipilkington.com/ and http://marketing.grader.com/site/www.nikkipilkington.com. This is a very rare score. Nikki’s website is based on WordPress and she has large networks on e.g. Facebook, Linkedin, Twitter, Google + and Pinterest. She blog’s regularly.

Nikki’s Marketing efforts are a great implementation of what I call an “Internet Marketing Ecosystem “.

One of the companies that has most impressed me is Staffordshire IT.  http://www.staffordshireit.co.uk/ . The reason that I am impressed is because often, when I show people the HubSpot Marketing Grade, they go into denial. Many of them have not heard of HubSpot ( which I am not totally surprised at but you would think that Internet Marketing professionals would be aware of a company that has created a whole new way of looking at Internet Marketing – known as Inbound Marketing ) and whether they have or have not they often have a ” who are they to grade my internet marketing efforts ” ? sort of attitude. John Bryan, M.D. of Staffordshire I.T. was not like that – he took the report in his stride and actually grasped the points that were highlighted in the report and worked on them. http://marketing.grader.com/site/www.staffordshireit.co.uk .

When I first met John his score was around 75/100, Since he has worked on it he has reached 84/100 and has a stated ambition of reaching 90/100 which would be an amazing achievement.

Staffordshire I.T.’s website is also based on WordPress and they have a blog, Twitter and Facebook accounts and use Google Analytics.

Some sceptics say that the only way that you can get a high score with HubSpot’s grader is when you use HubSpot software for your website. This is clearly not the case as we have two website’s in this example that are WordPress based and which have high scores.