Jon Samsel

It’s that time of year again when we American’s reflect on our past and make optimistic (if not unrealistic)  goals for our future. 2009 was full of new-found interests, change, as well as ups and downs. The frequency of my Twitter posts surpassed my blog posts. I used LinkedIn in bold new ways to enhance my professional network–which led to many unexpected and engaging experiences such as speaking engagements, reconnecting with many old friends, interesting business propositions, a Twitterview with a European blogger, inquiries from executive recruiters, participation with charity organizations, and connecting like-minded people together.

In reviewing my year-end Google Analytics reports for JonSamsel.com, I was surprised to see which of my blog posts rose to the top of my ‘page view top 10 list.’ I share with you my top ten posts for 2009 in order of popularity.

1. 5 Ways to Take Advantage of a LinkedIn BETA Tool: Company Profiles - I had no idea when I published this post that it would be my most popular post (by far) for 2009. I think it was simply the right post at the right time, helping people figure out how to use LinkedIn in a new way. Nearly everyone I know uses LinkedIn and I love the service. So I guess when you write about a subject you are passionate about, it comes out in the final piece and people pick up on that vibe.
2. 7 Ways to Leverage LinkedIn to Expand Your Social Network -Similar in scope and tone as my number one post for 2009, this post zeroed in on the social networking capabilities of LinkedIn.
3. The Best Social Media Monitoring Tools Used by Today’s Top Creative Agencies & Brands - I had fun writing this post because it was my chance to share some of the tool I use on a daily basis with all of my readers. They responded by reading this post in droves. The other aspect about this post that I love is how it profiles several new start-up firms. It’s always nice to be able to talk about small companies before they hit it big.
4. The Twitter Effect: How 140 Character Micro-Blogging Can BeneTweet Your Company - I write this post just as I was getting up to speed on how companies could benefit from using Twitter. Obviously, many of my readers found value in the the article as well. Note to readers: I have seen the word ‘BeneTweet’ used several times since my original post, a combination of the words Benefit and Tweet. Nice to know it’s still possible to coin a term now and then. Note to self: Not 100% sure I was the first person to use the term BeneTweet, but at the time, I did think I was being somewhat unique.
5. 15 Ways to Promote Your Book -When I first started my blog back in Oct 2008, I focused more on writing and design topics than I do today, since so much of my early career was spent working as a writer and editor. I am always happy when I can assist other writers publish and promote their work. This article was my way of providing some helpful utility to scribes everywhere.
6. Retweet: Harnessing the Word of Mouth Marketing Power of Twitter - Another post about a Twitter topic, when I was fast discovering the in’s and out’s of the platform. So much has changed since then — it feels like this article is very dated even though it’s only 10 month’s old!
7. 10 Step Process for Designing a Landing Page that Delivers Results - This is another post I enjoyed sharing with my readers. Landing page optimization is such a special skill set that very few marketers have mastered, yet it’s a critical component for any online marketing campaign looking to achieve ROI success.
8. Hope Springs Eternal: An Interview with Amy Neumann - In 2009 I had the pleasure of interviewing Amy Neumann, a member of the Capital Campaign Committee for Hope Gardens, a charitable ministry of Union Rescue Mission. It was an uplifting piece, a bit out of the ordinary for my blog, but I was determined to help Union Rescue Mission in some way. I can recall telling Amy about the possible benefits of using Twitter — and recently I saw Amy had amassed a following of over 11,000! Go, Amy, go!
9. Social is the New Search - One of my favorite blog posts of 2009 made it into the illustrious top 10 list. I wrote the post after seeing first hand the impact that social media conversations were having on the SEO efforts of major brands. Unfortunately, most brands still don’t seem to have headed the message. But there is always 2010 for a time of awakening!
10. 30 Ad Agencies Ranked By Heardable Score - I really enjoyed creating this post as well. I had been turned on to a new start-up called Heardable a few weeks prior and I really wanted to put their brand scoring tool to the test. What amazed me was how poorly the top creative firms were doing in the area of online marketing. They were preaching to others but failed to practice what they advocated. The stats in the article were shocking — and I received several alarming emails from concerned agency staff who tried to refute the article. I stick by my every word.

Unless you’ve had your head buried in a hole for the past few months you have probably stumbled upon a blog post or two touting Google’s interest in purchasing Twitter as a way to leapfrog forward (and dominate) the real-time search market. Whether or not Google is actually interested in acquiring Twitter is not as important as what is says about the prospect of social search as the next big thing. Move over SEO, SEM and social media. Social search (as its own channel) has arrived!

Social search is an emerging new marketing channel. It’s not paid search, nor organic search, and it’s not social media either. It may be a close cousin to each but it’s a channel in its own right–and it is growing at a fantastic clip.

Trust is the Linchpin

As many of you have already heard in popular search marketing presentations, Google currently functions as every company’s home page. Seventy-two percent of all U.S. searches are done using Google, and people tend to type in branded URL’s even though they could just type it into the address bar to get to the site directly.

Most people trust Google but if you asked these same users if they trust Google’s results, you might elicit a difference response.  For many, trusting Google’s results depends on what they’re searching for compared to what’s presented on the results page.

A recent search for the branded term, Allstate Insurance, for example, yielded 3,210,00 results. Something tells me the majority of these results are bogus, spam, or at least, somewhat insignificant on the relevance scale. So does a Google user trust only the results that appear on page one or should all 3 million+ results be trusted as well?

Compare Google with your own person social network. Most people trust their social network. And this trust seems to be manifesting into actions.

Take a look at these recent statistics that showcase social media’s impact on the retail purchase decision and consumption process:

“60% of consumers are actively involved in generating and sharing buzz.”
- Forrester Research

“80% of consumers say recommendations are the best sources of information.”
- Universal McCann

“Over 90% of consumers say WOM influenced their purchases”
- DoubleClick

Social Search Is Not Paid Search *

• Community is at the heart of the web experience, hence the rise of social media
• Hundreds of these communities are emerging
• And there are thousands of services that help connect these communities and share data amongst these communities
• Brands haven’t been invited into these communities, it’s about individuals
• Brands are trying to figure out how to become part of these communities because they know that effective listening is critical to business success
• Social media advertising is an oxymoron. You can’t buy your way into this club
• Social is not about advertising at all

Social Search Is Not Natural Search

• The big search engines are already playing a role in social search
• Most engines are morphing their algorithms and business models to account social content (Microsoft’s Bing comes to mind)
• Some social networks, like Twitter, have built in search (and user love it)
• New vertical search engines and social listening services are emerging to help people tap into this mountain of real-time, word-of-mouth content that can appear in many formats
• But is social search similar to natural search optimization?
• It’s not about tweaking a web site’s content & code
• It’s not about adding localized content pages to a website
• It’s not link building
• Social is not really about optimization at all

Social Search Is Not Social Media

• Social media is more about testing, influencing and monitoring
• It’s about user-centric conversations
• For companies, activities inlcude actively monitoring brand, reputation, and threats
• It’s also about tracking sentiment and buzz volume over time
• And its also about customer service outreach
• For some companies it’s about sales & promotions too
• But social media is not social search

The Social Web (of Opportunity) Is Huge

From a size & scope standpoint, the social web is already huge (and it’s growing!). It’s made up of content that lives as DATA, which does not necessarily reside on a single, traditional website. Consumers are publishing unprecedented quantities of data across all types of networks, sites, services, and feeds.

And the scary part is that the social web is already impacting opinions, brand perceptions, purchase decisions, along with the public psyche.

Social search can be thought of as the mechanisms used to tap into this emerging mass of trusted knowledge. These mechanisms are a combination of popular search technologies we already know and use today (Google, Bing, etc), new platforms (Hunch, Collecta, Cha Cha, etc.) and intra-search tools that help users navigate the popular social platforms (Twitter, LinkedIn, Flickr, etc).

New types of search engines are entering the fray, allowing users to:

• Conduct real-time searches
• Review conversations, reviews, comments, ratings & tags
• Helps find multimedia content, RSS feeds, blogs, and other web 2.0 content

The big takeaway around social search is the enormous opportunity–and challenge–it presents to companies around the globe. To be successful in social search, businesses must formulate a proactive strategy that directly influences and impacts who, what, where and why certain results are FOUND whenever, wherever, and however a social search is performed.

That’s no easy task. The good news is that nobody has mastered it yet and it will be years before the rules of engagement and optimization best practices are etched into stone.

* Several of the bullet points in the ‘Social Search Is Not Paid Search’ section of this post can be attributed to Rob Key, a panelist at SES NY, March 2008.

Recently I had the good fortune to meet and chat with Jess Roberts, president of iRecruitMedia, an interactive media recruiting firm who’s goal is to help leverage their industry knowledge and strong work ethic to bring the most talented professionals to the companies that need them. Jess says his team focuses on the interactive media arena—helping small-to-medium sized, high technology and fast-paced growth companies in the branding, gaming, convergence, mobile web, interactive and digital media space.

I assume a recruiter needs to stay well connected. Any networking insights or best practices you can share?

Roberts: Talk to everyone. I have a huge network of people that I stay connected to. I’m not just talking LinkedIn or other social sites. I’m talking real people, real networking. The best advice that I can give anyone is to not think that you’re above anyone else or that just because a person isn’t your “target” that the person isn’t valuable. Also, don’t make it all about you. If you’re only trying to expand your network to just benefit you, you’re not doing it the right way. Honestly be about helping other people.

What type of employment positions do you focus on—and why this niche?

Roberts: I’m focused on interactive media, mobile web/applications, and gaming. It’s an industry that not only do I love it, but I believe in it. I’m huge video game fan myself. I love to watch my kids light up when they’re online playing on NickJr. When I see my 4 year old working the keyboard and mouse like a pro, it makes me smile.

I work with my clients for whatever they need. It’s typically something in the sales or technology areas. I love being able to bring a person that has been over quota for the last few years but is looking for a company that values him as a person to a company that establishing a foot hold in the market place and is looking for the person that can help get them there.

What are some recent positions you have filled—title and pay ranges?

Roberts: Here are a few examples:

• Interactive Account Managers – Base $100K – OTE $250K
• Director of IT – Base $110K
• Systems Analyst – Base $79K
• Account Executives – Base $85,500k – OTE $175K
• HTML Markup Coder – Base $66K
• SEO Marketing Expert – Base $77K
• Interactive Creative Director – Base $73K

Do you have any recommendations for job candidates in your niche looking to increase their chances of getting hired?

Roberts: Don’t just randomly submit your resumes to companies. Work with a recruiter to put together a game plan. Hiring managers and HR are getting slammed with resumes everyday from tons of people that are not qualified for the positions that they are applying for. Find a recruiter that will spend the time to get to know you and what you are looking for and have a good enough relationship with their clients or can develop a relationship to get quick and pointed feedback.

Do you utilize any of the professional social networking platforms such as LinkedIn or Plaxo—and if so, how do they help you do your job?

Roberts: I utilize LinkedIn a good bit. It has helped me to keep a finger on the pulse of my industry. I also belong to a few industry specific networking sites and groups that allow me to keep my sights cleaned.

What sets me apart for other recruiters including internal ones is the fact that I’m pounding the pavement everyday and working with the latest skill sets all the time just in this industry. Staying in touch with other people in the industry helps keep me fresh. LinkedIn is a great tool for that.

In your opinion, how can job seekers benefit from social networking? In what way–how?

Roberts: I think that job seekers have to be careful in social networking. They would want to be sure that any profile they have on the web represents them in a positive fashion. Employers and recruiters are starting to check the Facebook and MySpace worlds in reference checking. If you’ve got pictures of you hanging upside down from the lights of your office, it may not be a good thing.

I think that social networking sites can help candidates to keep up with what companies are doing and make great research tools before an interview.

What would you like people to know about you that may not be apparent until someone gets to know you?

Roberts: I like to have fun with this and everything else I do. I’m not the guy that’s going to call you and read off of some script. I’m real. I don’t try to do fancy sales talk or B.S. clients or candidates. I’m a bit on the goofy side and will probably have you cracking up before we hang up the phone. The reason why is that I want to be a breath of fresh air for everyone. Look, I’m the CEO of my business. I have employees and a business to run. I understand how busy you are during the day and that you get tired of hearing the same old story from the hundreds of recruiters that call.

My goal is to be the one recruiter out there that can make a difference to a company.

Contact:
Jess Roberts
President, iRecruitMedia
http://www.irecruitmedia.com
jroberts@irecruitmedia.com
Ph: 866-933-6019

I first met Joe Konz online via LinkedIn.com. We were both members of the discussion group, LinkEds & writers, and we started a conversation on the subject of copy editing, writing and the decline in print newspaper readership. You see, Joe is a career newspaperman – reporter, writer and editor – who currently is chief of the copy desk that produces 11 community newspapers published by The Indianapolis Star Media Group. I asked Joe if he wouldn’t mind sharing his thoughts about his job, the news industry, advice he might have for novice writers, as well as what makes him tick creatively.

What I learned from Joe is that he is a compositionist at heart, a framer of images and words, someone who utilizes language and compositional technique to elicit an emotional response, while trying to present the world as precisely as can be depicted. This is by no means an easy task. Read the interview, and enjoy!

How has the job of copy editing has changed through the years?

I’d probably single out the change in technology as one of the biggest factors. It’s transformed the way we operate, going from the glue, pencil and paper era to one of computers, electronic editing and design pagination systems and satellite transmissions of pages to remote printing sites. That, in turn, has affected the editing protocol – the way copy and content editors interact to effect improvements to copy and pictures before they are published. Content and copy editors formerly conferred exclusively either face to face or by telephone. There still is a some of that – maybe 50 percent – but we also interact a lot now by in-house email, and some editors even use instant messaging services.

Can you briefly summarize what you do on any given day?

I supervise a staff of nine people – including two designers – who produce the 11 community newspapers circulated to the suburban areas of Indianapolis. These sections strive to provide micro-local coverage of news, sports and events that the communities couldn’t (or wouldn’t) get in the main section of the metropolitan newspaper or from most other news/media sources. My staff designs and copy edits the sections.

In copy editing, we provide the final “read” of story text, make minor tweaks – such as correcting misspellings or grammatical errors, and consulting content editors and/or writers on any significant organizational problems, including substantial trims, that we feel are necessary to make a story clearer and/or more readable.

We also write the headlines on stories and the captions for photographs, and we proofread the pages before we release them to our typesetters.

What do you love most about your job?

Two things, primarily.

One is the satisfaction of being able to successfully coordinate all of the elements involved in the aforementioned copy editing process so that our operation can meet 11 production deadlines. That alone can be a daunting task, given the landmines of late or swapped out copy and pictures, stories falling apart at the last minute, photos not being assigned until the last minute, dealing with and adjusting page production to accommodate breaking news, etc., not to mention technical issues that could arise – especially computer and/or network crashes.

The other is the splendid way the staff I work with interacts. It’s a treasured camaraderie and respect; the grueling aspect of the job I described previously would not be nearly as bearable without this.

How do you feel about the future of printed newspapers?

There are still a lot of people who appreciate the ability to hold ink and paper in their hand to access the news. I’m one of those. And there are still advertisers who appreciate the advantage of having their product or services in a “hands-on” media, one in which a customer can clip and either set aside for future reference or bring with them to the store when they shop. But is the number of people who read or subscribe to newspapers dwindling? Certainly, which is why most publishing companies are striving to bolster their online product and presence, because they know that’s where a growing number of people are turning to find their news “now,” when they want it. The Internet presents a vast forum and opportunity for newsgathering organizations to provide anything and everything a reader could want or need, certainly much beyond what can be provided in the limited structure of a newspaper or other print product.

What advice would you give to someone right out of college thinking about a writing or editing career at a newspaper? What skills should they have? What’s the best way to land a job?

The basic journalism skills – a command of the language and compositional technique, accuracy, balance and fairness – will always be valid in the news gathering industry. But today, a “student” also must be well-versed in new media – making and editing audio and video clips and posting news online. A proficiency in operating video equipment and using video/audio editing software and learning and mastering basic HTML code are huge assets. I might even say “musts.”

The best way a student can situate himself or herself to land a job not only is to be able to present a “clips” record of published work to prospective employers, but also have CD or DVD copies of their new media work to share with prospective employers. Having internships with professional media while in college (with good references from those experiences) also is a huge plus.

To actually land a job might be tougher than usual for as long as the economic climate is so dour. Joining business networking organizations (the online networking sites LinkedIn and Plaxo are examples) is a good start. At those sites, you can build your “connections” network and join “like-interest” groups where you could come across employment opportunities you might not find elsewhere.

Tell me a little about your photography.

I describe myself as an avid hobbyist. It’s a fulfilling, creative outlet. I’ve had a couple dozen of my images published in the newspaper where I work, but I’ve received no extra compensation for it (as per company policy), so I don’t think I could be considered a pro. I’m working on some projects where I’m hoping to get more exposure of my work, but it’s not something I’ve necessarily set as a firm goal. They are ideas that motivate me, and as long as I feel motivated, I’ll chase after them.

What inspires you as an artist?

I am inspired by seeing inspired photography or other art, if you can understand what I’m getting at: something that reflects how a photographer – or any artist – gave considerable thought to compose and capture his or her work.

There have been quite a few masterpieces that evolved from “accidental” (or maybe “fortuitous” is a better word) photography. You know, a situation where dumb luck, or the mere act of being at the right place at the right time, resulted in a lasting image. War photographs are good examples. Two examples of non-war photographs that fall into this category:

1. A very young John Kennedy Jr. saluting from the side of the street as the casket of his father, assassinated President John F. Kennedy, processes in front of him at JFK’s state funeral in November 1963. The photographer, of course, could not have known that John was going to strike that pose, but he was there and positioned perfectly to capture it. Everyone who was alive at that time remembers that image vividly.
2. A less-known (except in the pricey industry of art collection) example is Frenchman Henri Cartier-Bresson’s “Behind the Gare Saint-Lazare” (1932), a street photography image featuring a male pedestrian, in almost silhouette form, trying to jump over a large puddle with his shadow in the water presenting a wonderful artistic, complementary element. Cartier-Bresson, in the right place at the right time, snapped the shutter on his 35mm Leica rangefinder the moment before the man’s foot would land in the water, sealing the photographer’s reputation as one specializing in capturing the “decisive moment.”

If I can learn how a particularly inspiring work was accomplished, as I have with that particular photograph, I feel inspired to pursue and explore creative ways with my photography.

Joe’s Photo Galleries and Blog:
www.joekonz.fototime.com
http://photo.net/photos/joekonz
http://photopotpourri.blogspot.com

Terry Borst is a terrific writer of new media and motion picture screenplays. I met Terry in the mid-1990’s when I was working as a multimedia publisher. With a college major in English and an impressive resume of writing credits to his name, I thought it would be fun to touch base with Terry again after so many years to see what he’s been up to. If you’re a fan of interactive stories, Hollywood movies, or educational simulations, you’ll enjoy what Terry had to share. Read on!

Q: What types of writing projects are you working on these days?

A: Books!  I’m currently co-writing my second book for Focal Press, on the topic of serious game and simulation development and production (from an independent game/low budget perspective).  The book will probably be published in late 2009 or early 2010, and follows up on my earlier co-written book, Story and Simulations for Serious Games.  (See the Amazon listing, or go to my LinkedIn page or terryborst.com to find out more).

The 2 books derive from several of the projects I’ve worked on the last few years:  scripting videogame simulations for the military and first responders.  These are pretty exciting because, as a writer, you get to enter new worlds and then see if you can build a convincing enough replica for professionals to test out tactical and strategic decision-making.  You’re quite involved with the design of the experience from the ground up, which is very creatively satisfying.

Q: Tell us about some of your previous projects.

A: For 20+ years, I’ve worked as a professional screenwriter and scriptwriter.  I co-wrote a sequel to the feature film MIDNIGHT RUN, and for years wrote episodes of a BBC action-adventure series syndicated in dozens of countries (which I still receive royalties for).  I scripted other independent and TV films, and got paid to write a lot of feature screenplays and pilot scripts that didn’t get produced.  And more than a decade ago, I got hired to co-write scripts for one of the most popular videogames in the ’90s:  WING COMMANDER.  I’ve written scripts for other entertainment videogames since then, before the recent migration to the simulations mentioned previously.  (You can find out much more about these titles on my website).

Q: What inspires you as an artist?

A: I think it’s impossible to answer this without lapsing into gauzy sorts of cliches.  Life inspires me; great art inspires me; all those moments when “a terrible beauty is born” (to quote Yeats).

Q: What creative mediums do you prefer to work in–and why?

A: While I may aspire to art, I pride myself on being a professional writer – and so I prefer to work in creative mediums where I get paid!  That said, there’s nothing like executing a feature screenplay really well:  creating a great story arc within a contained world is an incredible challenge.  I believe in art that takes us on a journey and provides closure:  a great painting or sculpture or piece of music can do this, and a feature screenplay is a kind of sculpture through time and space.

Q: Briefly describe your creative process–how do you get your ideas…how to you develop that idea…what steps do you take to bring that idea to lifeﾅwhat tools do you use?

A: Ideas are everywhere:  the trick (for new, original work) is to find the ones you’re willing to obsess about.  If I’ve got an obsession, then I keep thinking about it, and start to think about the kind of journey that can be taken within this obsession.  If necessary, I’ll do research, and I’ll start writing down ideas about scenes, parts of scenes, and characters.  You build something like this over time, and eventually you try to find some dramatic structure for the story that’s been accreting.

I’ve been fortunate that most of the work I’ve been doing the last 15 years has been work for hire.  So the initial concept for the project might not start with me.  Still, I have to brainstorm how to get into and get out of a scene.  Or, I might know that I want a videogame player to undertake a new mission.  But what’s the setup for the mission?  And what obstacles will confront the player on the mission?  Ideas are then frequently found by 1) figuring out the obvious way to reach my goal in a scene or sequence, and 2) then throwing out the obvious way and looking for the surprising way to reach my goal.

As to tools: At a very early stage, I still use 3×5 index cards to capture story beats, scenes, moments, etc.  But I’ve also used StoryView to construct outlines, and I’ll use Word for other outlines.  Then it’s on to Final Draft or Movie Magic Screenwriter, or sometimes other tools for more interactive projects.  These days, you could use a tool like Google Notes and use your cellphone to outline acts or missions or scenes.

Q: Do stories really need to be told interactively? What’s the advantage of this medium?

A: Interactive storytelling offers us (as creators) a new way to engage the “receiver”.  We can create new kinds of immersive narratives, and entertain and teach in ways we never could before.  WORLD OF WARCRAFT, BIOSHOCK and GUITAR HERO all create unique and even profound experiences for players, just as The Canterbury Tales, Dream of the Red Chamber, Middlemarch, Waiting for Godot and 2001: A Space Odyssey created unforgettable experiences for earlier generations.

Q: Looking back on all that you have accomplished throughout your career, what are you most proud of working on? Would you do anything differently if you could? What was your greatest lesson learned?

A: Most proud of working on: 1) The WING COMMANDER series, because we really did break some new ground; 2) a screenplay for a historical novel called The War Train, which sadly went unproduced to a regime change at Paramount.

Would I do anything differently? Probably lots, but all of this is about career management decisions, and hindsight is always 20-20.

Greatest lesson(s) learned:  1) You can’t write too much.  2) Plan for a career:  always consider where you want to go, and what can get you there.  3) Be entrepreneurial.

Q: Any advice you’d like to provide to people hoping to find work as a digital storyteller?

A: I think you have to find your own work.  The tools are within everyone’s reach now.  You should know how to shoot video, edit media, and work in Flash.  If you’re a good enough creator, you can launch your own YouTube channel and wind up making money.  If you’re just starting out, you need to wear multiple hats to succeed.

Q: Do you know of any useful online resources for budding digital storytellers?

A: Interestingly, my wife (Carolyn Handler Miller) actually wrote the book (literally!) on digital storytelling, titling it Digital Storytelling.  You’ll find a lot of references to it online.  That might be a start.

Game Developer magazine has most of its content online; gamestudies.org gets into the more esoteric side of videogame theory.

Assuming we’re really talking about interactive storytelling, then the novice creator needs to immerse him- or herself in interactive experiences.  Play games, spend time in Second Life, study webisodics.  You should discover what’s unique about interactivity when married to narrative (whether structured or post-hoc).

As a college English major, I always knew that reading the Cliff’s Notes was no substitute for reading the book.  Get in the game! as the console advertisement used to go.

Links:
http://www.linkedin.com/in/tborst
http://www.terryborst.com

Recently, I had the pleasure of interviewing someone I have known for over 15 years– author and marketer, Joyce Schwarz. She shared some insights into the making of her latest book, The Vision Board: The Secret to an Extraordinary Life.

Q: How did you come up with the idea for a book about vision boards?

A: The Vision Board concept evolved from more than 50,000 hours of personal coaching I’ve done with more than 4000 people. It includes such exercises as creating your “Vision Statement” (chapter 2), Visioning –cross between brainstorming, meditation and improv (chapter 1) and the famous Pre-board experience to find out where you are NOW. Specifically though I was watching Oprah in February, 2007 (just a week after getting out of the hospital for a brief stay for a stress-related illness) and I realized I wanted to change my own life — too much pressure! And to go back to what I really love: speaking and writing. So when I saw the Law of Attraction show on Oprah –just days after watching THE SECRET for the first time I realized how complementary this was to my own system of GRABS (explained later) and my work in guiding people to live extraordinary lives.

Q: Explain to the uninitiated what a vision board is and what it consists of?

A: A vision board is a visual map of your life’s dreams. It is a collage that enables you to use defining images to depict what’s ahead for you. It’s a way of empowering people to make positive choices in their own lives/work/family.

Q: How long does it take to assemble a typical vision board? What are some common creative elements?

A: The common elements include: A) pictures/images, photos  along with B) power words such as FREEDOM, Abundance, Prosperity along with C) positive affirmations D) inspiring quotes and e) Momentos that represent 1) what your grateful for 2) what you release from the past 3) what you intend to receive 4) acknowledging who you are 5) asking for your best possible life (or something better that the universe intends for you and S= sharing — basically the GRABS formula which is a spin-off of the Law of Attraction that has been taught in the past as simply ask/believe/receive and does not focus on the areas I realize are crucial — gratitude, receiving, acknowledgment and inspired action.

Q: Why do you feel so many people feel compelled to create their own vision boards?

A: We live in the time of screenagers– those of us weaned on Sesame Street, raised on MTV and connected to some kind of screen a majority of our day (computer, laptop, TV, or mobile phone). We are leaving behind the left brain generation of analytical, methodical and looking at combining with the right brain options of inquisitive and innovative etc. So that the vision boards provides an option for using both sides of our brain to plan our lives/work/family. No long lists, no extensive time schedules. No spread sheets– but Visuals that are defining images for our path to our future.

Q: Explain how you sold your book concept to Collins Design, a division of Harper Collins Publishing

A: I got the idea for the book when I was just out of the hospital for a brief stay as I mentioned, I sent out two emails to another publisher and got an immediate invite to go visit them. While there being wined and dined — I realized I needed an agent to negotiate this BIG book. I was ‘too involved’. So I asked a pal of mine who is an author who her agent was/is. My previous agent is off on another part of his own life. And she referred me to my agent in NYC. I called her from the hotel I was at after a meeting with the other publisher and I HIRED HER on the spot long distance. She urged me on to prepare a more formal book proposal and several months later it sold to Collins Design which is the prestigious coffee table division of Harper Collins Publishing (the second largest publisher in the world) owned by News Corps.

Q: How did you get Bob Proctor and Jack Canfield involved with your book?

A: I had been following Bob Proctor and Jack Canfield for years. In fact I was one of the first meeting planners nationwide to book Jack to speak on CHICKEN SOUP FOR THE SOUL after it was published in 1993 at the FIRST LA COMPUTER/ONLINE Conference. So when it came time to include names for a foreword and afterword they were my first choice. I’m grateful for both of them for lending their names to the book and glad they are both so pleased with how awesome the book is. As you may know the book is now #1 Spiritual best-seller on Amazon.com in its category — only 10 days after publication on 10/28/08.

Q: How did you approach writing this book?

A: Originally I was supposed to have 9 months to write the book from time of the sale of the book in September. But as the world turns, I got my formal contract in December, my first check from the six figure deal in December (they divide it into several parts). And then an editor was not assigned until Feb 15. They massaged the book outline and made some recommendations and I redid that and then we were off to the races. They suddenly decided they wanted it by May –for early fall publication. BUT as it turned out we ended up finishing writing and design in early August and the publisher was thank heavens able to find a USA printer to make the deadline so it is PRINTED IN THE USA something I’m VERY proud of.

And what really makes it different I had more than 75 wisdom leaders contribute quotes and tips on the chapters via podcast or personal interviews. PLUS I also included vision boards, wisdom collages and defining images (all variations on the same theme from more than 100 artists from 38 cities and 9 countries. The challenge was getting that down from more than 600 who submitted artwork and getting the ‘coffeetable’ high resolution quality that Collins Design demanded!

So basically I used social networking and what’s called crowdsourcing–Flickr, facebook and at the end Twitter.com and, my own blog www.visionboard.info and even MEETUP.com where I organized a f2f group that met at Jerry’s Deli in Marina Del Rey to get input from real people from all backgrounds and lifestyles.

Q: Where did you write the majority of this book?

A: Well, I’m very grateful I have a lovely office in my condo–it looks out at the Marina with all the yachts in Marina Del Rey– it is gorgeous! I can send a pix if you want. My agent gave me lots of great input. I had several pals who read chapters and gave great input.

Q: How did you stay focused/motivated?

A: Well, I tried to find inspiration instead of motivation. Inspiration comes from the inside and is part of the visioning process. I did a group visioning to jumpstart the writing process - described in chapter 1 and that was invaluable. I read more than 50 inspirational books including current bestsellers. I blogged, which helped clarify my own vision. And I trudged up the mountain kick step, kick step — which is how a mountain climber does it. Making sure my footing was secure before taking the next step forward.

Q: Did you ever find yourself facing writer’s block – and if so, how did you overcome it?

A: One of the great things about my own GRABS formula is when the writing stopped or was paused for any reason ie requests for edits that I did not agree with, deadlines that were moved up by the publisher despite previous agreements and my own personal challenges (illness in the family, suicide attempt by an extended family member, cancer diagnosis for a daughter of my personal assistant) I turned to being grateful. And I don’t really get blocked, I might get mad or frustrated but then I turn to being grateful and get OPM — other people’s minds involved like the MEETUP group — that evolved from a long week of frustration when I thought the publisher was just NOT getting how much the economy was changing and that we needed to look at multiple income streams not just full time jobs for chapter 7…and the Meetup group with real people (15 showed up that Sunday night) gave me power to move forward with what I believed was authentic and literally made the block ahead dissolve!

Q: What role did you play in gather various media, such as sample vision boards, for the making of this book?

A: I did hire an artist so that we could create vision boards for those people who were not a) satisfied with their current vision boards and b) show some sample boards ie: birthday, graduation, next20 years and Annie Kaycora did a beautiful job of working with me to create templates to inspire people to create their own boards. We also worked with several of the VIP’s and celebrities to create their new boards to meet the deadline we were on.

Q: Do you personally believe in vision boards? How many different boards have you created for yourself? How do you know they help people fulfill their personal aspirations?

A: I do believe. I also believe in the concept of visioning your life/work/family/relationships so that you’re coming from the inside out/versus the outside in as visualization is. I believe that each of us knows our true direction for our lives we just have to tap into it and grab destiny by the hand and lead it forward with our own visions!

How do I know? Take a look at the more than 75 case histories in the book for families, relationships, prosperity, health, fitness etc– they’ll convince you — I don’t have to say anything else!

Q: I heard that gymnast, Nastia Liukin, recently attributed her gold medal success at the recent Olympic Games, in part, to a vision board she created for herself – can you comment on this?

A: RIGHT isn’t that fun? In fact The Chicago Tribune actually said that Nastia was inspired by seeing Joyce Schwarz on the Oprah Show — with her book THE VISION BOARD: The secret to an extraordinary life — can you believe it. Alas I have not been on OPRAH yet, the writer of that article must have found my book online and thought that was what Nastia was thinking about. But in turn his article inspired a full column on my book and me as the author on FOXBUSINESS NEWS.

In my book I have stories of Jim Carrey and his ‘defining image’, and Aras Baskaskas, $1 million winner of SURVIVOR EXILE ISLAND and NBC’s DEAL OR NO DEAL briefcase model #16 who use visioning and vision boards to reach their own success. PLUS MANY MORE as I say 75 wisdom leaders, VIP’s and corporate leaders and entrepreneurs including mommy bloggers and homeschooling parents who tell why the vision boards work for them!

Contact Information
Joyce Schwarz
14004 Palawan Way, Penthouse 6
Marina Del Rey, CA 90292,
310-822-3119 (office phone)
310-822-6139 (24/7 fax)
www.joycecom.com

Some people know Carl Bressler as the memorable character, Saul Berg from the feature film, The Usual Suspects (1995). Others will recognize Carl as one of the most prolific social networkers on LinkedIn, number 275 (most globally connected) out of 23 million + people on LinkedIn, as of September 1st, 2008.

I’ve known Carl for many years–back in the day when Carl was an actor, agent and producer and I was shifting careers from Hollywood Agent to Multimedia writer and business entrepreneur. I had the good fortune of catching up with Carl recently via email and I asked him a few questions about the power of social networking.

Q: How many LinkedIn connections do you have?

A: 6,613 and counting. I started migrating my contact database online back in March of 2004.

Q: Why the dedication to LinkedIn as opposed to Plaxo, Facebook or other social networking services?

A: Well, I have always been a power networking kind of guy. Plaxo couldn’t handle my 10,000+ contact list and Linkedin was the right solution when I started wanting someone other than me to keep track of my contacts. I am dedicated to FaceBook as well.

Q: Are there any benefits to being so well connected?

A: Interesting people ask to meet me. And I get to help people.

Q: What would you like people to know about you that may not be apprarent until someone gets to know you?

A: Always coming from mutuality.

Q: What’s your number one personal goal for the year?

A: A personal goal for 2009 is to get in better physical condition. Professional? Get in better financial position!

Q: In your opinion, can companies benefit from social networking?

A: Sure, all companies can benefit. From generating sales leads to conducting free market research to finding new sources of funding.

Recently, I had the good fortune of interviewing Chris Martin, managing director of the technology recruiting firm, BeAboveIt, LLC. He had some compelling insights and advice to share with prospective job candidates. Here is an excerpt from our conversation:

Q: How did you get started in recruiting and how long have you been doing this type of work?

A: I started in IT recruiting back in 2000, so this is my ninth year in the business.

Q: What type of work did you do before recruiting?

A: I played professional minor league baseball for 10 years with the Tampa Bay and Montreal Expos organizations. I played shortstop. The one thing I noticed as I transitioned from playing baseball to working in the ‘real world’ is how easy it was for me to handle the ups and downs of a normal work day. I remember noticing how upset people could get over the smallest things that happened to them on a daily basis. The one thing you have to do in professional sports is stay on an even keel; you can’t get too low and you can’t get too high.

Q: Can you describe what you do on a typical day?

A: Most of the day is on the phone, on the phone, on the phone! Calling clients (companies) and candidates and letting them know we are here to help them bridge the gap between the opportunities that are out there.

Q: I assume a recruiter needs to stay well connected. Any networking insights or best practices you can share that might help business professionals looking to improve in this area?

A: Recruiting is a relationship based business. Especially in tough times like today, it’s important to stay connected with people and let them know what you’re doing and how you can help. As a recruiter/staffing specialist, we can be the eyes and ears of the job market for you.

Job seekers can benefit from online social networking. I sometimes use LinkedIn.com to find candidates because I feel LinkedIn has a more professional approach than other social networking sites. There are a couple others out there though, such as Jigsaw, Plaxo, etc. Online social networking is important because it helps keep your contacts fresh and you tend to stay in touch with what’s really going on in the market.

Q: What are three traits that a successful recruiting company must have?

A: First thing that comes to mind when I hear that question is integrity. No matter how successful you become as an agency, you can’t let the dollar come before doing business the right way; which is a big reason why I started BeAboveIt Services.

Secondly, an agency needs to have experienced recruiters and account managers that have a good understanding of their client’s business units. I see and hear a lot of companies getting slammed with resumes from agencies and the candidate’s background & skills aren’t even close to what the company needs. As an agency, you really need to take the time to make sure the candidates can do the job AND do the job the way the company wants it done.

This leads to the third trait a recruiting firm must establish and that’s TRUST! If you do your job the right way, there’s nothing better than getting a call from hiring managers who have specific needs and they know you are going to find them the resources they need. Their job and reputation are on the line when they call you, thus delivering solid candidates is a must!

Q: What type of employment positions do you focus on—and why this niche?

A: BeAboveIt Services focuses on the IT industry (information technology) specifically. We handle positions from Helpdesk up to CTO level. Since the ‘dotcom’ era back in 2000, we have learned how to implement and use technology in better ways; technology will always be apart of successful business.

Q: What are some recent positions you have filled?

A: We find solutions for Fortune 1000 companies here in Southern California . We can handle contact/consulting positions, contract-to-hire, and direct hire placements. We recently placed a Systems Administrator (SharePoint Consultant) with a major international law firm; a Project Manager in a major entertainment studio, and QA/Business Analyst with a smaller media firm.

Q: How do recruiters make money?

A: This process varies from agency to agency. Some firms pay their recruiters a small salary with a commission structure. Some firms pay their recruiters on a draw vs. commission structure. More specifically, when direct hire placements (I use direct hire instead of permanent; no job is permanent, right?) are made, recruiters usually get a percentage of the fee paid to the agency. Likewise for consulting/contracting positions, recruiters get a set percentage of the gross margin made per hour.

Q: Can you give me an example of a job candidate you landing a job for that was especially meaningful to you?

A: I have been in this business for almost 10 years, that’s a lot of placements. But there was a recent placement that happened that was rewarding. The candidate interviewed with a company and the company really liked him and they wanted to move forward. The candidate was a Canadian citizen and was on a TN Visa. Just as they were finalizing the deal, the company put this position on hold as they were an international company and opening some offices in the Middle East. 5 months went by! The candidate would check in from time to time to see if there was any movement, the company wanted to still move forward but their hands were tied. The candidate called me and said if nothing happens in the next 4 to 6 weeks, I’m going to have to move back to Canada. I was really discouraged because I knew he really wanted to work there and the company did too. Finally, in the last hour, I got a call from the client asking if the candidate was still interested and available. Obviously he was and he started there 3 weeks ago and loves it! When things happen like that, it makes this job worth every penny.

Q: Do you have any recommendations for information technology job candidates looking to increase their chances of getting hired?

A: There are number of factors to increase your chances of employment. Composing a good resume, knowing what to say in an interview, etc. We help all our candidates throughout this process.

Contact Information

Chris Martin
Managing Director
BeAboveIt LLC
phone: 310-779-1417
fax: 310-284-8371
email: chris@beaboveit.com

I had the pleasure of interviewing Amy Neumann, a member of the Capital Campaign Committee for Hope Gardens, a charitable ministry of Union Rescue Mission. Amy is also a National Account Executive at Yahoo!

Q: Tell me about the original vision and values of Union Rescue Mission’s founder Lyman Stewart.

A: Lyman Stewart was the original founder of Union Rescue Mission, located in Los Angeles’ Skid Row.  He also started Union Oil and Biola University.  He was an oil wildcatter, and a committed Christian. In 1891, Lyman wanted to rescue people who were at a crossroads in life, spiritually, and help direct them to a new life. Union Rescue Mission has become one of this country’s most recognized and successful charities.

Q: And what is Hope Gardens Family Center?

A: Union Rescue Mission launched Hope Gardens Family Center in 2007 on over 70-acres of land in Sylmar, California. Hope Gardens is a transitional living facility designed for approximately 170 women and children to get away from the perils of Skid Row. Through a comprehensive program, women and families can progress from homelessness toward independent living in 12-36 months. At the end of the program, the goal is for heads of families to have a stable income and be moved into a home of their own, where they will have the opportunity to successfully manage a household.

Q: What community needs are you trying to fulfill?

A: Union Rescue Mission’s goal is to embrace the urban poor with compassion.  We are committed to rescuing people from having to live and fend for themselves on the city streets.  Hope Gardens Family Center was specifically designed to help women and children. Our overall dream is to play a part as a provider and collaborator to make sure that no human beings are left living on the streets.

Q: What challenges do you face today?

A: With the financial market shake-up, the high price of gasoline, food costs rising—all pose unique fundraising challenges. Union Rescue Mission is trying to grow its operations by 30% in order to meet the high costs of operating everything we oversee—so it’s a struggle.

Our resources are limited, but the need for our services is growing day by day. Sadly, the fastest-growing segment of homelessness in the country is women, children and families.

Many people don’t know the scope and gravity of homelessness in Los Angeles. Various census reports and organizations quote the overall number of homeless people, including women, children, and families, at between 80,000 to 90,000—by far the largest number in the United States. Having moved to Los Angeles from a small city in Ohio with a population of only 28,000 people, I found that it staggering and incomprehensible that their were so many displaced people living in the city of angels. And unfortunately, the current economy is probably going to push these numbers higher.

Q: How is your organization utilizing the Internet to assist your charity?

A: The Internet holds a lot of promise in creating more awareness and generating more donations. It’s the sheer power of numbers– even $1 donated per person adds up quickly and with such a vast reach as the internet has—many charities are seeing effective gains in their fundraising by utilizing the Internet.

We have a solid website that focuses on telling our story, raising funds, and informing the public of our cause. Our 2008 goal for URM.org is to raise $1 million. We have produced a few emotional videos and are using them to tell our story on YouTube, Vimeo, Facebook, and Myspace, among other places. We are working on a new book and a documentary on the launch of Hope Gardens Family Center.

One of the best ways to help raise awareness is to stay in the news by taking on bold new initiatives, which Andy Bales, CEO of Union Rescue Mission, is wonderful at doing. And anytime writers, marketing professionals or public relations professionals can add a story to their site, blog, newsletter, or email distribution list, it helps. And we love short films posted on YouTube…the more the better!

As a simple thing anyone can do for free to help their favorite charity is to add a signature line at the bottom of their personal email. Something like, Find out how you can help homeless women and kids change their lives! Go to: www.hopegardens.org.

Q: Tell me about your volunteers.

A: Union Rescue Mission and Hope Gardens have about 18,000 volunteers who put in about 45,000 hours per year, or about 3 hours a visit. I recently spoke to Union Rescue Mission’s Andy Bales, and he suggested some simple ways to help:

“Volunteers can help with special events, tutor in our learning centers, mentor individuals and families, provide special activities to our guests, assist with our Boy Scout and Girl Scout Troops, help in our kitchen and serve food to our guests, deliver cold water on the streets during extremely hot days, put together special events in their homes to raise needed resources, and use their talents to help the Mission in a variety of ways.”

Q: What does volunteering mean to you?

A: When I moved here almost 12 years ago, I could not believe how many homeless people there were. Skid Row was like nothing I had ever experienced. It was hard to fathom how there could be so many people in such dire situations, especially since Los Angeles is bless with so many wealthy businesspeople and celebrities. Only in LA will you see a homeless man on the corner and a Ferrari at the stoplight. How tragic.

Then I became involved with Union Rescue Mission—and some of the things I’ve had the honor to be part of have been life-changing. Working with Hope Gardens and getting to know the mothers enrolled in the program gave charity involvement a human face. Most mothers feared for their children. Many were or had been employed with two or more jobs already, when one “final straw” financial burden came up—such as their rent increasing by $100. A large number of these women were victims of domestic violence.  They were so happy and excited when we helped them land a new job that paid them enough to make ends meet. Knowing we actually change people’s lives brings tears to my eyes.

Now, when I go up to Hope Gardens, which is located on a large, wooded campus well away from Skid Row, it makes me smile to see how happy and peaceful the kids are, and how relieved their mothers seem to be.  Many families have already graduated from the transitional programs and are again living autonomously.

Q: Does Andy Bales have any personal stories of hope he’d like to share?

A: He does!  I posed the question to Andy and his response is below:

“We met Irvin on the street during a recent water walk. We handed him a cold bottle of water. He had been on the streets, using crack cocaine for seven years. Irvin was one of those poor souls who had given up on life. He could not even stand up on his own two feet. We called for emergency help for Irvin, as we thought he might be close to dying.

A couple of days later Irvin came into our guest services unit, received help, and made a decision to join our intensive training program for a year. Today Irvin is strong, sober, and has completed our training program. He’s now fully employed as our electrician. He believes like we do, that as long as someone is breathing, there is hope.”

Q: Any parting thoughts?

A: In the past year or so I’ve focused more on working with individuals and companies on ways to help them get more involved with Hope Gardens and Union Rescue Mission.  There’s an amazing amount of interest in helping, which is fantastic.  And there are so many opportunities to help, from sponsorships, volunteering time, donating goods, teaching classes, and even planning or attending holiday events and playing with the kids.

One of the easiest things anyone can do, though, is just smile and say “Have a good day” next time you see a homeless person. One of the things I’ve heard a lot over the years is that the worst part of being on the street is people ignoring you– acting like you’re not even there. Many people have said a smile was worth more than giving them a handful of change because it makes them feel human again. And everyone can afford to give that.

If you are open to making a tax deductible donation, we’d welcome your kindness. Click on the DONATE NOW button below to get started. Thank you!

I asked author James Halperin for his thoughts about reader comments like those found on Amazon.com for his best-selling novel, The Truth Machine. How does he deal with feedback? How does it impact him as a novelist?

Reader comments on Amazon range from deep praise to extreme distaste. Halperin says:

“In retrospect, through the sieve of time, I have come to the conclusion that they are both right. A lot of it has to do whether readers like the central idea or hate it. The political and scientific ideas I explore in this book will cause a reaction–one way or another, which I think is a plus for the book. Even if you hate my ideas, at least the book made you think.

The truth is, my opinions–especially political opinions–are constantly evolving.

Some things I wrote about in The Truth Machine have been misinterpreted. For example, people think that I’m pro Swift and Sure death penalty. Give me a break! Swift and Sure is a pragmatic solution to a problem (in our society) that defies pragmatic solutions. The concept was presented as a choice among evils.

As far as the writing style, the dialogue is quite wooden because, frankly, I didn’t know how to write back then! It was my first work of fiction and the characters were somewhat one-dimensional. However, I note with some pride that in spite of this, I somehow managed to create a simple, compelling story that strikes a chord with a lot of people. A very cinematic story.

So far, I’ve read every piece of email that has ever been sent to me and responded to every person who has read one of my books. I get e-mail from people who have read The Truth Machine 30 times. I get e-mail from parents who tell me that their kids were slackers who weren’t interested in anything–until they read The Truth Machine and started studying because they wanted to be like Pete Armstrong (the book’s lead character) and change the world. I’m still shocked to get feedback like that, and it makes me feel great.”