Write a Blog! But at Least Spell-Check!

By Mike in Tokyo Rogers

I wonder if Barack Obama Twitters or, at least, does Pick, or any other Social Media? I guess he certainly must not blog himself. If he does, then, judging from his White House transcripts,  those must be nearly unreadable. And, if so, forget about his Facebook or Myspace... Those must be a total mess.

Marketing, blogging and doing Social Media is a must in this day and age.... Well, duh! You knew that already. You'd think that the president of the United States would know that too. You are about to be shocked by just how useless these people in government are!

But, I guess, Barack Obama is a moron, like his predecessor... Is Obama as dim as Bushy Boy? I think he is, but you be the judge.

Many people have asked me, "How do you blog so much?" Well, the secret, I think, is to - funnily enough - not to think too much. The secret to blogging often (3, 4, 5 times a week) is to write down what you want to say in your blog, Twitter, Pick, whatever  immediately on the fly - then spell check it - then upload as soon as possible.

You've got to strike while the iron is hot!

If you keep editing and re-editing your blog, it will kill the creative juices and slow down your productivity greatly.

So, when it comes to Social Media and Social Media Marketing, in Japan or your country, then the rules and hints to frequent blogging are to:

1) Write quickly while the ideas are fresh.
2) At least spell-check before uploading
3) Edit after uploading
4) Edit as much as you like using this method. Keep doing it until you get it right.

Simple enough.

Now, just for a laugh, I've got to show you the press release from the White House about president Barack Obama's latest comments. I know how hard it is to keep from making mistakes on a blog as I make them all the time, but you'd think the President of the United States could at least arrange to have work done better than a 4th grade level. Jeez, doesn't this guy have a proof-reader?

I'm not making this up. This is the White House press release. It is full of amateurish mistakes. I have highlighted the mistakes for you (if this is the level of work we get from the White House and Obama, then we are in serious trouble):

Obama: "We need to commit to fiscal adjustments that stabilize debt-to-GDP ratios at appropriate levels over the medium tenn. I am committed to the restoration of fiscal sustainability in the United States and believe that all G-20 countries should put in place credible and growthfriendly plans to restore sustainable public finances. But it is critical that the timing and pace of consolidation in each economy suit the needs of the global economy, the momentum of private sector demand, and national circumstances. We must be flexible in adjusting the pace of consolidation and learn from the consequential mistakes of the past when stimulus was too quickly withdrawn and resulted in renewed economic hardships and recession. For our part, we will pursue measures to SUppOit the recovery in private demand and return the unemployed to work. At the same time, we recognize the impoltance of setting a credible medium-term fiscal path: that is why my Administration will cut the budget deficit we inherited in halfby FY 2013 and work to reduce our fiscal deficit to 3 percent ofGDP by FY 2015, which will stabilize the debt-to-GDP ratio at an acceptable level in that year."

There are a bunch of other mistakes in this message, but I just copied and pasted one paragraph here for you. There are a bunch more at the original. Is this a joke, or what? I understand a simpleton like myself, making these sorts of spell-check errors, but the president of the United States of America? And in an official press release? Think about it folks, this guy is the leader of the western world!? Like I said, I'm not making this up... 

We're doomed. The insane have taken over the asylum.

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What Should I Do About My Floundering Business?

By Mike in Tokyo Rogers

"What should I do about my floundering career?" A good friend asked me the other day.

This guy, whom I have known for well over thirteen years, told me the other day that he was "lost" and didn't know what to do about his floundering career here in Japan.

This is from a guy who has one regular TV show and a nightly FM radio show. Most people, in show business, would love to change places with him. Having two regular shows is great.

But he is right. His career is floundering. In my opinion, it could come to a crashing end at any time. I'll bet there are a lot of other people, in different business fields, who can relate to this feeling of impending doom.

My friend asked what he should do to help his career opportunities. When he said that to me, I almost spilled my coffee.

I think this fundamental question; "what to do about my career?" And; "what to do about my business?" is essentially the same question. Of course, if you stop to think about it, I have to believe that you'd agree. After all, you are your business. If you do not make the effort to grow your business, to improve yourself and your life, then who will? As famous American Basketball coach Pat Riley once wrote,  "If you are not constantly getting better, you are getting worse."

In the new economy, you have to get better every day or you will not be able to compete with people who do. Trust that there are many young people out there, hungry for a job, who will work much harder than you will for less money. Increase your value by becoming more knowledgeable and more connected.

Isn't one's saleability the same as the saleability of a product or service? If there is a need for a product or service, then isn't creating the demand for that certain solution merely a problem of marketing and PR?

As far as my friend telling me that he is lost and doesn't know what to do, I have a hard time believing that. I had to ask him to open his eyes and get real. I said, "Jeez! It's 2010. Get into the 90's willya?"

Is there anyone who doesn't believe that the Internet is the future of media, marketing, advertising, and promotion? Is there anyone around you who hasn't heard of blogging, Twitter, Facebook, Mixi (in Japan) or Pick? Is there anyone who doesn't think that Social Media and the Internet are not buzzwords amongst sponsors and society-at-large?

One the other hand, is there anyone who doesn't understand the idea of "out of sight, out of mind"?

Whether you or I think the Internet is taking over or not is immaterial (I think it is undoubtedly). The point is that, for example in the case of my friend wanting to know why his phone doesn't ring from agents, or why he gets no offers for work, then I want to remind everyone of something all of our moms told us when we were kids, "To receive letters, you have to write letters."

My friend, incredibly, has two great platforms for promoting his brand. He has the radio and TV, yet he fails to capitalize on this by using one of the most effective means at his disposal; the Internet.

My friend does not blog, he does not Twitter, he does not Pick, he does not U-Stream. He doesn't do any of those things! Now, when you see this written down in black & white, it must astound you all. It does me. How Google would have loved to have had a TV station or radio station at the start to help promote their brand.

My friend has that, yet he chooses not to use it.

Here is a guy who has, easily, over one-hundred thousand listeners to his nightly radio show, yet he fails to capitalize on that by not blogging, Twittering, or what-have-you. Is that just plain lazy? Or is that just plain crazy?

It's a bit of both.

The obvious solution to creating a buzz about his business and his branding is to get off his butt and start doing some effective Internet Marketing starting now!

Take your pick, blog, vlog, Pick, Twitter, Mixi, whatever. It's all there for the taking and it's all free.

So what is stopping my friend, what is stopping you, from using this free media to promote yourself and your product / service? That's intelligent marketing.

What are you waiting for?

Sitting around waiting is not a good business plan. Hoping for the best is an even worse business plan. In the new market, you will have to create opportunities for yourself. Begin to do something, blogging, vlogging, Social Media, whatever. Create a good, useful image for yourself with some focused message.

Once you get off your butt and make the effort and walk down that corridor of opportunity, then doors will become visible... But no one will make that walk down that hallway of opportunity if you don't.

Remember, if you want to receive letters, you have to write letters. If you want people to talk about you and to create a buzz, then get to where the buzz is; Internet and blogs, and vlogs. That's not just great advice, that's smart marketing. Get started now.

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Three Years on a Japanese Internet Rock

Many bloggers (or U-Streamers, or fans of Twitter, or Pick) sometimes get disappointed because after they upload their first 3 or 4 blogs, for business or pleasure, they see that they have few regular followers, or even worse, few visitors. It can be quite discouraging. So they then quit.

That's the worst thing they could do.

If you are going to create a blog or a U-Stream or do any sort of Social Media, then, before you start, make sure that you have made your mind up to dedicate at least 3 updates a week for a minimum period of three years.

Three years may seem like a very long time, but, in Japan, we have an old saying that goes, "石の上に三年" and translates to: "Three years on top of a rock." (Yes, I know that this is a saying that seems to mean nothing, but remember that the Japanese are very minimalist). The legend behind this proverb is that if you sit upon a large rock for at least three years, it will finally become warm.

OK, let me translate for you; what this saying really means is that if you keep trying, you will succeed.

If you follow the tips of having a focused message in your blog, vlog or other online activities, including Social Networking, then those people interested in your message will find you; and that's just smart marketing... It just takes time.

The other part, besides dedicating to doing your blogging, or whatever for at least three years, is that you must also make the herculean effort to blog at least three times a week. This is critically important if you want to get more attention and higher rankings on a Google search.

If you do this then you will get results. I guarantee it.

One of Japan's top pop star's Koji Kurumatani (left) and George Williams

I gave this exact same advice to George Williams in December of 2009. George was worried - like everyone else - on how he could stay on top of the game and give himself a needed advantage over the competition. I recommended that George start Twitter everyday and also to make his own U-Stream channel. (He did those and he now also does Pick. We are setting up his very own multi-media Internet channel this month. Stay tuned!)

I also made sure that George understood that there was a catch to doing U-Stream and Social Networking; it had to be done with regular consistency. George has taken this advice to heart and his U-Stream channel has taken off. The channel is called GeorgeTV and it is one of the, if not the, most popular U-Stream channels in all of Japan.

Some might say that they need a catchy idea before they can blog, or video blog (vlog), or U-Stream... A catchy idea is great... And some people will not write or vlog until they come up with a catchy idea. This is a mistake. I would suggest that forcing yourself to be consistent will help you to come up catchy ideas. If you use your brain consistently, you will come up with the ideas. More importantly than catchy ideas are persistence.

From doing the U-Streaming consistently, George was able to promote himself and, quite quickly as a matter of fact, build a buzz for himself and the show. So much so that now George regularly has famous Japanese stars wanting to be on his U-Stream show.

Is that cool or what?

A few days ago, George had Koji Kurumatani on as a guest and those programs consistently garnered more than a 1,500 viewers each time.

Not only have the rewards been tangible on the Internet, but it has paid off quite handsomely on antique media as George has gotten many job offers and even a 6-hour television special on Fuji TV! How did he get the Fuji TV show; a show on the most prestigious TV network in all of Japan? Because the station wanted to do a show about music that featured a guy who was a leading expert on the Internet and U-Stream and there was George!

He also appeared on the most popular women's TV show in all of Japan, Ladies 4, and was offered a morning time slot on the oldest and most famous FM radio network in all of Japan; Tokyo FM.

What actually makes me chuckle about all this sort of thing is that I have given the same advice to others that I gave to George. But they just don't do anything. George takes action. That's why George is getting job offers left and right...

George "gets it." He is consistently out in front of the competition and driving ahead with new ideas... So, he gets the nod.

If you want to get ahead of the competition, remember, not only do you need to know about new ideas and technology. You need to use them and do them consistently.

If you don't, then you can be sure your rivals or competition will.

It's not rocket science, it's smart promotion and intelligent advertising and marketing.
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