Musicians! Do Not Send DJ's Spotify, Youtube or Soundcloud Links!

Once again, I have received a message from an artist asking me to consider their music for radio airplay. Once again, they sent me a Soundcloud, Youtube or Spotify link and asked me to go to the links and listen to their music, write back to them and tell them what songs I want, and they will send them along.

I won't do that. I don't know any professional DJs or curators who will.

It is good that artists make this effort; well done. But, artists, do not just send DJs only Spotify, Youtube or Soundcloud links, please! Most DJs I know will not respond to you nor will they go to your link.

Why? There is no reason for us to go to the link. We can't play those links on air. So, if we can't play them on air, there's no point in even listening to them. 

If you want us to listen to your music, check out our playlist. If you think your song fits what we play, then put your best foot forward, and send us your fave MP3 or two (Don't send us full album downloads, either - if we want those, we can ask for that later.)

It is an extra process, or step, and a waste of time for DJ's to go to your Soundcloud, Youtube or Spotify link. We don't have time to write back to you or download the tunes using special software. Sorry, but you need to do homework and check our on-air playlist.

Yes, we DJs are lazy (and underpaid, incompetent and often just plain stupid). But remember, our listeners will not increase nor decrease whether we play your track or not. I already write to lots of artists and ask for tracks for things I found and like.

Send me those Spotify, Youtube or Soundcloud links, fine, but include a high -quality MP3 of your best track in the mail/message too.

If I listen to the MP3, and like it, I will immediately place it into the music list; I can't do that with a Soundcloud link. I don't have time to write back to you and wait for a response. I'll forget.

FYI: I know other DJs and curators who absolutely hate it when artists ask them to go to an online link and listen.  

Again, today, another artist has asked me to listen to their online music and pick what I like. They wrote: "Here's my Soundcloud or Spotify link. Please listen and then tell me what songs you like and I will send it to you." 

This frustrates me. 

The artist wants me to play their music on the radio in Japan? Great. But it is the artist's duty, not mine, to go to the radio show webpage, look at the playlist and then determine if their music is suitable (You'd be blown away at how many artists send me Heavy Metal or Death Metal - which I never play). 

I don't want to come off as a conceited jerk, but the artists have to make things easier for us. 

To the artist above I actually responded (most DJs won't). Here is what I wrote:

"Here is my radio show link. Please check out the link and the songs that I play. If you think your songs fit, please send me two of your best MP3s. I don't listen to Spotify or Soundcloud as it is a waste of time because I cannot play those on the radio. I know for a fact that most of my DJ friends, who do this job as an occupation, won't listen to Spotify or Soundcloud either. 

I'm not being a jerk. I want to, and always have, supported new artists. But I need for the artist to help me and save all of us time by sending the tunes that they think are the best fit (as MP3 attachments). 

Please understand. 

Here is my show: www.koradio.rocks

Mixcloud has the entire show: https://www.mixcloud.com/mikeintokyorogers/

You can find my playlist listed every week on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/MikeRogersShow/

Thx, Mike"

The Mike Rogers Show on in 15 countries! 28 Stations worldwide! 

マイクロジャースショーが15か国！世界中の28ステーションで開催されます！ 

#mrskor

London: www.koradio.rocks

UK: www.popradio.uk

South Africa: https://www.bigindiegiant.com/

Canada: http://bombshellradio.com/

Canada: http://www.woodyradio.com/

Hong Kong: http://radiolantau.com/
Los Angeles:  iROCK109.com

San Clemente: www.podunkradio.com
Baltimore: http://radiocrown.com/

Black Country, UK: rock-radio.co.uk

Bogota, Columbia: http://www.evolrock.com/

Voodoo Radio London: https://www.voodooradio.online
Germany: https://www.punkrockers-radio.de/
France: www.netradio.fr
Los Angeles: http://www.punkrockdemo.com/
Russia: https://polygon.fm/
UK: http://www.belter-radio.webeden.co.uk/
Germany: http://www.flatlinesradio.de/

Mexico: https://artefaktorradio.com/

Australia: https://www.australianradio.audio/
USA Radio Mega Network: http://foureyedradio.com/

Spain: https://www.radio.es/s/luxradio

Italy: http://www.rcm-104.com/

London: www.madwaspradio.com

London: www.wayoutradio.co.uk
Japan: https://lovefm.co.jp/

Belgium:  www.radioaugusta.wix.com/augusta

Universal Vision Ltd: http://universal-vision.jp/

Get a Top-Quality Professional Logo for Yourself or Your Company for $200 (USD)

People who read this blog often (thank you) will know that I am a member of many online communities. I do that because it is a good place to see what people are writing about SNS, Social Media, and Social Media Marketing (SMM). It is also a good place to see what the old school people are doing to try to make themselves look as if they are up on the Internet and the new media.

Guess how much this logo cost? A total of $200 (USD) Incredible? Read on.

It is pretty easy to pick the people out who are still stuck in the old ways at these "Marketing Online Professionals" communities. They write things like,

For this reason , I am convinced that SM works ONLY when being integrated inside a marketing plan, together with media placement, PR, promo, direct marketing and CRM. 

It is painfully obvious that the guy who wrote this is an old-school advertising guy posing as an "Internet and Social Media" expert. He laments the fact that his Social Media Marketing (SMM) plans fail consistently. He is trying to convince us - but more likely he is trying to convince himself - that the old way is vital.

In some ways he's right. The old media is vital if my product is targeted to to the 45 ~ 70-year-old crowd or if my product or service is for everyone in the family from the smallest kids to grandpa and grandma (think Disneyland, etc.) But when your product /service is for the under 40 crowd, I think you'd have to consider long and hard about spending a cent on old media... In many cases you would not be doing your client any favors to recommend spending huge budgets on TV or radio. I wrote about that in detail here and here.

Earlier today, I went to a different online professionals community and was so surprised to find people saying things like "First things, first! You must hire a professional to do your company logo!"

Of course a good logo is a must... But coughing up a few thousand dollars to hire a professional? And this advice coming from a community that calls itself, "Online Professionals"? Hmmm... Why would the people who are supposedly sold on online business be pushing the old-school ways?

Perhaps hiring a big-bucks professional will be necessary down the line, but I think us Internet types should try to use our creativity and brains before we just throw money at the problem like people used to do....

As I suspected many times, these online communities are often places where old-school advertising agents try to gain credibility as "Internet" and "online experts"... But they actually don't really do either (always ask any self-proclaimed "Internet" and "Social Media Marketer" for a list of their blog URL's and Twitter, Facebook, YouTube, U-Stream, Mixi (in Japan), etc, accounts. That's an easy way to pick out the frauds).

Click here and read at bottom for tips on how to pick out the poseurs.

I know many a small to medium business owner who has hired a professional and spent a few thousand dollars only to wind up with a handful of designs and they didn't like any of them. Foolish especially considering the fact that new businesses must watch out for every single penny and paper clip!

Well, now my friends, there is a solution! It is a company called Logomyway.

Logomyway is a new service that started in April 2009. At Logomyway you make a logo design contest and get 1,000's of artists to compete for your business... You pay nothing excepting to the winning submission. The cost can be as low as $200 (USD). You decide the winner's prize fee.

My company, "Universal Vision" logo... $200! Excellent!

Hiring a professional designer right off the bat is old school. It is also the easy way to do things for salaried employees who have no problem spending the company money... They wouldn't recommend this is it were out of their pocket. The people people who were so quick to recommend throwing away $1,000 ~ $2,000 were from an online professionals group! I'm surprised that anyone would suggest the old way without investigating the new and exciting things going on online. Try Logomyway.

http://www.logomyway.com/

I have no investment nor business relationship with Logomyway whatsoever but have used it twice  and recommended to three other people who have used it. Everyone has been more than thrilled with the results... One friend was so happy because the professional that he had hired before - and paid well - gave him designs that weren't that good... He was worried that he was going to be out another $1,000 when I introduced him to Logomyway... The result? He spent $200 and got a killer logo.

And, if you don't like any of the logos... You don't pay!

All hail the Internet!!!!

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Keywords:
Logo, Logomyway, SNS, Social Media, SMM, old media, Japan, Mixi, Internet, Facebook, Twitter, blog, online professionals, Marketing Online Professionals, YouTube, Online Marketing, Universal Vision, Mike Rogers, Marketing Japan, U-Stream, Mike in Tokyo Rogers, 

The Collapse of Old Media - the Rise of Wi-Fi Broadcasting!

It's a recurring theme in many of my blogs; the old order is quickly collapsing right in front of our faces; TV and radio are dying a slow death. Now here is an explanation how Wi-Fi could be the final nail in the coffin.

Viewership and listenership of TV and radio are sliding down a steep slope. Of course, as for TV, think about it; anyone who has the time, in this day and age, to sit for 3 or 4 (more?) hours a day, everyday, in front of the TV must either be;

a) Jobless
b) Poor
c) Inactive
d) Lazy

Hate to be so rough sounding but I can't think of any sponsors who want to advertise or market to people who are inactive, lazy or have no money... Unless, of course, the sponsors are fast food or ice cream and sweets...

Most TV & radio stations are both heading the way of the Short-Wave or Ham radios. The Internet is allowing for totally new ways for entertainment to be delivered to a targeted audience. Why would sponsors waste huge budgets on TV advertising that advertises to EVERYBODY when they can target their select group?

They won't. That's why old media is dying a slow death. Read more about that here and here in two articles I wrote about the Long Tail.

What a waste of a life. People who fear death, 

yet don't know what to do with themselves on a slow Sunday.

To prove that this collapse of the old order is not happening just in Japan, here's an article from the Washington Post that talks about TV getting the worst ratings in history:

NEW YORK (AP) — Americans avoided television in historic levels over the past week.

CBS, NBC, ABC and Fox together had the smallest number of prime-time viewers last week in two decades of record-keeping, the Nielsen Co. said. Given the dominance of the big broadcasters before then, you'd probably have to go back to the early days of television to find such a collective shrug.

The first week of July tends to be among the slowest weeks of the year in television, anyway, with families more engaged in barbecues and fireworks. The problem was magnified this year because July Fourthcame on Sunday, largely knocking out one of a typical week's biggest viewing nights.

Together, the four networks averaged 18.9 million viewers last week, Nielsen said. During the season, "American Idol" alone usually gets a bigger audience than that.

I'm sure that this sort of article will be coming out less and less in the near future. Why?

Because every week will be worse than the last one for TV, radio, magazines and old media. And this sort of story is becoming old hat really quickly.

The only place that will shine from here on out is the Internet. The revolution is being televised - not by what TV is showing, but by what they don't show.

Also, and this is not yet widely publicized but, data currently shows that 68.4% of all Japanese household now have Wi-Fi. It is estimated that by 2017, that number will be over 88%. Also consider the fact that many people now use "pocket" (portable) Wi-Fi in their cars and outside. Wi-Fi is, folks, a broadcast signal.

Wi-Fi can carry both television and radio and Internet broadcasts (of course)... Now, think about this, folks...

It is estimated that a near 100% penetration of all Japanese households will be achieved by 2023. If Wi-Fi is a broadcasting signal, which it is, then de-facto Wi-Fi can broadcast TV and radio, etc. then why does a manufacturer like, say, Panasonic, need a TV or radio station for?

They don't.

Think about it. A company like Panasonic wants to communicate directly with customers, but under the old order (Broadcasting laws), they can't. The middleman in all communications as of today are the mass media... But what happens to the mass media when companies like Panasonic, Sony, Toyota no longer need them and can communicate directly to potential customers via Wi-Fi? And, since Wi-Fi is an extremely short distance signal, Wi-Fi REQUIRES NO BROADCASTING LICENSE!

The only thing the major manufacturers and sponsors need is content. They DO NOT need TV and radio stations for content. In fact, most TV and many radio stations (especially in Japan) do not create content: outside production companies do. In many cases, especially in Japan, broadcast stations are merely a platform.

This means that companies like Panasonic (or your favorite company's name  here) no longer needs to pay the middleman broadcasting companies anymore. They can use their own broadcasting set-ups going into the homes through Wi-Fi... Wi-Fi has an unlimited number of channels too!

And, then, think about this, if the advertisers and sponsors can create their own content and go directly to the audience, then why wouldn't they? And when that happens, who will the TV stations and major mass media get to buy their broadcasts?

No one, I reckon.

Content will always be king, but broadcasting platforms, like TV, radio, cable and satellite TV channels are in trouble. By the way, most of the upper executives at broadcasting stations already know about this (at least the smart ones do) so what I am telling you isn't a shock to them...

Like I said, TV and radio are dying a slow death. This news isn't a revelation; it's a death sentence.

I Knew PSY Before He Was Famous!

I'm proud to be a Lew Rockwell (LRC) contributor. I've been doing it now for nearly ten years.

I remember when I first started, I was so proud to have my articles published (I was rejected by other sites dozens of times!)

LRC taught me about politics and the economy. It was so great to meet and read like minded people. They have all taught me a lot.

For that, I thank them all.

I also remember, back in the days when small government and Libertarianism (anti-government, anti-war, pro-free market) was considered a freakish notion by Joe Blow Average. When I told people that I wrote for LRC, if they had heard of it, they'd roll their eyes or say something along the lines of, "Oh? That explains why you are the lunatic fringe".. But after these last ten years of war and bailing out big banks, as well as a crashing and destruction of the Middle Class, people no longer think that way...

If being against foreign wars, bombing and killing innocent children; against bailing out Wall Street and Big banks, against high taxation and intentional destruction of our currency and being for freedom and the rights of man is the lunatic fringe, then I am it.

And damned proud of it!

Writing for LRC allows me to reach millions of people that I could never reach with my blog...

What's the reason for this particular blog post? Well, I wrote an interesting story that mentions Korean Rapper PSY on LRC on Oct 2, 2012 called, "Why Korea Beats Japan" - long before he was even heard of by the western press or the average person... At that time, his video had 90,000,000 views. That is three times the population of South Korea. Now, he nears 1 billion views on Youtube...

That's the most views in Youtube history...

The interesting part is Youtube is an also-ran in Japan, Korea and China.

Oh, the wonderful things you can learn from blogging and LRC.

(Oh and that title; "I Knew PSY Before He Was Famous!"is kind of true. My company did an event that he appeared at in Japan in January of this year (2012).... Like and idiot, I didn't go (lazy!) I didn't meet him but the most famous "talent" at our company, George Williams did. Said PSY was a nice guy too! (I knew I should have gone to that show!!!!!)

More Videos on Brawls at American Restaurants and Special Occasions - A Society in Collapse

The other day I posted videos of Americans fighting at McDonald's when they looked for a job. I consider this just one more symptom of a society in total and utter collapse.  Now, here's a video and story that focuses on fights that have been occurring with extreme regularity at a family chain restaurant known as Chuck E. Cheese.

You might find this story of interest too... It talks about American fathers with prison and criminal records "bonding" with their children at Chuck E. Cheese's. Bonding at a pizza place? What's that all about? 

America and western society are in collapse.

In the video it mentions that Chuck E. Cheese has spent millions of dollars trying to stop these things from happening but to no avail. The incidences of these fights are going up.

Even though the report talks about fights and chaos amongst adults at restaurants, there's also mention of fights at weddings, parties and other events along with information on where to see those on Youtube. There's a ton of videos of fights at Chuck E. Cheese here.

I searched for "wedding fight" in Japanese (結婚式喧嘩) but could only find one video of two little boys playing and having a sword fight.

Looking at these tons of videos of fighting amongst American adults at public places and comparing that with Japan, what conclusion can we draw?

NOTE: Invariably, some American will miss the point and think this is completely an indictment of American people. But the point is not exactly that. This situation, as far as the USA is concerned, has come about because of the collapse of society and the economy. The collapse of both have come about because of a confused belief in American exceptionalism, poor education, a larger and larger growing government interference in their lives and foreign wars draining the coiffures and money of society. The blame can be placed at the feet of the government, true... But, who has allowed this government to become and stay in power?


American people have. The same situation can be said about the Europeans? I don't think so. The Europeans, or the Japanese fight with their governments, the Americans fight with each other. THAT's the huge difference.

Marketing Japan: Japan Sunday Bizarreness! Darth Vader & Giant Squid on Train!

By Mike in Tokyo Rogers!

Great ideas come from getting out of the rut and going out and seeing and doing things that widen your horizons. That's why, today, I'm starting a new Sunday series called, "Japan Sunday Bizarreness!" It's just going to be short tidbits of weird stuff I've found in Japan that I hope you get a kick out of. Hopefully, they can help you to think of good ways to promote or market your product or service.

Two guys were riding a train and they were going to work to do some sort of promotion. Who knows what? But they decided to have some fun and one guy crouched behind the giant squid while the other took his photo. Maybe a possible good idea for a promotion? Hmmm? 

This was a while back, but I just found it. They had a kids night at baseball to get youngsters more interested in the sport. I hear that young kids no longer are interested in Star Wars (tell that to my 6-year-old!) and are into Poke-Mon, but this is an interesting idea too...

Okay, while we're at it... for all you Star Wars fans... This one about Darth Vader in Japan is pretty funny.

This next photo is at a McDonald's in Japan. It looks like these kids are between, or before, a performance for school or something. Interesting...

It's definitely fall or winter... You could never wear that mask during summer in Japan! Too hot!

Finally! I found a great place to study Japanese for free and it's on Youtube of all places! Youtube has an entire section of old Japanese fairy tales that you can watch. Studying animations on TV was how I learned to speak Japanese. I think it is a great way.  Here's how:

1) Watch the videos over and over.

2) Record the sound to your MP3 player or cassette. Listen repeatedly.

3) Write down the entire text in a notebook.

4) Get a Japanese speaker to help you learn the text by heart.

The Youtube site is called  まんが日本昔ばなし (Manga, Japan's Ancient Stories). The Youtube site is here. The level is easy so it's a great place to start. I've embedded one here for your enjoyment.

This great site was introduced to me by my good friend Leon Tsunehiro Yu-Tsu Tai. Thanks Leon!

Have a great weekend! Comment or write to me sometime!

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Keywords, Star Wars, Darth Vader, Mike Rogers, Squid, McDonald's, Marketing, Marketing Japan, Manga, Youtube, photos, Manga, Mike in Tokyo Rogers, Manga, Japan's Ancient Stories, Ancient stories

Marketing Japan: Like Japanese Rock? Music Japan Plus!

By Mike in Tokyo Rogers


In France, Japan, and all things Japanese are hugely popular and growing in popularity daily! I will get to that in a minute! Read on! 

People who knows me well or read this blog often will know that I am a devout advocate of specialization. It doesn't matter what you do, I believe that you must specialize or die.

The examples of this abound all around us.

Vamps are a new Japanese visual kei unit that is staple on Music Japan Plus

Take my oft sited example of family restaurants; sure Denny's has everything, but nothing is especially delicious. If, in your town, there was a Denny's (and four or five others like Denny's around it) but there was also a delicious sushi shop, Chinese restaurant, French, Italian, great Steak-house, Starbucks, Mexican, etc., etc., would you go to the Denny's?

I don't think most people would.

That's why our economy and the world are changing so very radically today; the Long Tail has been born (all hail the Internet) and specialization is quickly becoming the king!

Japan Expo in Paris Pop from 2009

Now, I'd like to introduce a site to you that is operating in Japan that is definitely niche marketing (but, in my opinion, will have to become more and more focused as time goes on!) I want to do this today because, from my radar, because of things like Hatsune Miku (the singing android) and other hard-to-pinpoint-factors, it seems that Japanese pop music is getting hugely popular in, get this, France!

Yes, yes... I didn't believe it at first, either... But some friends just came back from France and confirmed this for me: In France, Japan and everything Japanese is exploding in popularity! They even have a Japan Expo in Paris every year!

That site is called Music Japan Plus and gets my highest rating for a site totally dedicated to Japanese music. The site is also in Japanese and English and several other languages.

Music Japan Plus has information mostly focused on J-Pop, J-Rock and "visual-kei" artists. It also has an online shopping E-commerce component, articles, and artist database, forums and prizes! They also have their own Youtube, Myspace and Facebook.

So, if you're really into niche music and Japanese Rock (or the Plastic Trees) is your thing, then you need to check out Music Japan Plus. Click here to go directly to Music Japan Plus (English site).

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Keywords:
Music Japan Plus, Mike Rogers, Marketing Japan, Vamps, Plastic Trees, J-Pop, Mike in Tokyo Rogers, J-Rock, Visual-kei, Youtube, Myspace, Facebook

Does Social Media Need Old Media to be Effective? No! Here's Proof!....

By Mike in Tokyo Rogers

There sure is a lot of boring stuff on Social Media these days. I was just checking out Linkedin where they had a topic of "What are for you the most common mistakes in social media marketing approach?" (sic)

It said:

What are for you most the common mistakes in social media marketing approach?

Either from client's side or agencies' side, what are the obvious reason why social media strategies you have seen were not working?

For me , some are:
- lack of time investment,
- Boring / irrelevant content,
- lack of clear objectives,
- Being inactive,
- Do not react when sollicitate
- ...
What are yours?

(sic)

I didn't correct his post. That's how poorly it was written. I'm assuming that he's missing one of the reasons that his SMM is doing poorly is because his spelling, diction and grammar are wretched... 

Besides that, these good people are mainly talking about pick, Twitter and Facebook (Mixi is only in Japan). Some of the good folks actually did write intelligent comments and I usually don't write comments on these things, but this time I made an exception. I responded:

 I think everyone is missing two huge points that I see all the time and that I do believe will be, say, Twitter's undoing within 3 years (besides 60% of all Twitter users dropping off within the first 30 days).

1) Boring writers make boring content. Get motivated, creative and funny or interesting writers. Quit forcing office clerks to do SMM (I see that all the time). If the writer is not motivated what makes anyone think the readers will enjoy the writing?

2) Quit sending out motivational and sales stuff all the time... I'd say that at least 1/2 of the junk I get on Twitter is the same as Direct Mail. Who needs it?


Another guy (obviously an old hand at advertising and marketing) wrote:


I see the market and clients every day, and the thing I can tell you is that a B to C company investing all its marketing budget and ressources in social media has 99% chances failing. (sic)


This might be true, but rather than trying to convince you or me, I gather he is trying to convince himself... This would also explain why his Social Media Marketing efforts fail. He doesn't "get it." 


He goes on to write:


This for one simple reason, their are rules and processes in marketing and nobody will want to connect and engage with a brand you don't know.
For this reason , I am convinced that SM works ONLY when being integrated inside a marketing plan, together with media placement, PR, promo, direct marketing and CRM. (sic)


Notice that there is not single fact or piece of evidence that he inserts into his claims. What a load of nonsense. What "rules"? What "processes"? 


(I can imagine that his retort to my skepticism would be "Because I know. I've been in this business a long time!" Just as the captain of the Titanic, Edward Smith, was a thirty-two year veteran when they hit that ice-berg!)


I bet this is the kind of crap he tells his clients. What's he doing on a Linkedin Social Media site besides posing as a SMM expert I don't know. Besides that, like I said, I hope this guy doesn't write copy. It's terrible. 


Besides his being wrong and just throwing out opinions. He obviously doesn't know or comprehend how to use Social Media well... I suspect that, from being in a dusty old advertising company desk for so long, that he's so used to taking client money and going out to "do" lunch while on the client's dollar that he thinks he can do things the old way; think for a while (or tell someone else to do the thinking) and order someone else to do the Social Media part (I explained above why that's a bad idea) and sit around like always.


Meet the new boss, same as the old boss. 


I didn't blast the guy (like he deserved), but added this as my last word:


One more thing that I think is missing - and I don't agree that a big bucks mass media plan is necessary - I've done it without one.

Notes: We increased airline passengers to and from Japan for a Chinese airlines by over 270% between October 2009 and April 2010. We also increased tourism to Croatia by 300% in three years (don't forget this was during a seriously down market - airlines lost billions in 2009) all by the internet only - with minimal mass media support (we certainly did not spend one cent on mass media!).

It seems that too many good folks are trying to do the SMM the lazy way... You do SMM to keep costs down, but SMM is, perhaps not labor intensive, but it is certainly effort intensive.

Besides SMM you need to do a Word-press blog for the client that includes SNS (Use Ruby on Rails to build - dirt cheap) and gives away killer content, has contests and prizes, and motivates people to return everyday!

Being lazy and throwing money away at the old media then doing a few Twitters doesn't cut it anymore. (which is actually why I say Twitter is in serious trouble!)

Make a killer blog for the client (perhaps using a persona like Helga of Volkswagen - Look her up on Google). The blogs needs video (suggest U-Stream recorded to YouTube), SNS, chat, free information, excellent and compelling writing, and free giveaways all the time.

That motivates people!

Then your SMM directs people to the blog, not to some boring corporate site that is nothing more than an online company brochure (that is structured like web 1.0) .

This is effective. This s the new way. It is not easy and lazy people who think that throwing money or half-butt efforts at it need not apply.


Like I've said many times before, it seems that a lot of these people who claim to be experts at Social Media actually do not "do" Social Media. If you ever get anyone who claims to be an expert, first off ask for their URL's


Hint: If they do not blog - and do not actively blog at least three times a week - I'd say it's a 99% chance that they are blowing smoke in your face. Don't fall for it. 


Smart Social media marketers will have a rundown of what they do (excepting for invitation members only sites) as the signature of their e-mails. Here's mine:


Mike in Tokyo Rogers
e-mail: mike.rogers@universal-vision.jp 
Blog: http://modernmarketingjapan.blogspot.com/

Lew Rockwell: http://www.lewrockwell.com/rogers/rogers-arch.html
Twitter: http://twitter.com/mikeintokyo2004
Pick: http://naver.jp/mikeintokyorogers
Youtube: http://www.youtube.com/user/mikeintokyo2004

Facebook: www.facebook.com/MikeinTokyoRogers
Linkedin: http://jp.linkedin.com/in/mikeintokyorogers

Look for these kinds of things when investigating a potential company to help you with marketing. Be leery of companies, big or small, who claim to be experts at Social Media. The proof, as they say, is in the pudding.


Some of my readers know I will be on vacation from tomorrow, but nevertheless the BLOG calls! Tomorrow, I will place diagrams and information tomorrow morning for all of you who have mailed about bit differentiations between Japanese Katakana and Japanese Kanji versus English pertaining to my recent blog.


But, just for a teaser. Consider:


Word (translation).......................................Bit count


イギリス (England)...................................8 bits
England.......................................................7 bits
旅行 (Travel)...............................................4 bits
Travel...........................................................6 bits


Data on the Internet consist of bits. It is the way data is stored. This is important to know if you want to run a successful business in Japan.


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Keywords:
blog, Social Media, Mixi, Google, Helga, SMM, Mike Rogers, Social Media Services, China, Croatia, England, Travel, bit, bit count, Japan,  Japanese Kanji, Modern Marketing Japan, social media marketing, promo, Japanese Katakana, PR, Twitter, marketing plan, Facebook, Linkedin, airlines, YouTube, U-Stream, e-mail, Lew Rockwell, Mike in Tokyo Rogers, chat, Marketing Japan, web, web 1.0, Volkswagen, Ruby on Rails, Placement, Word Press, mass media, free information, direct marketing,