The panel, Making Social Media Work for Your Business, was organized by the GWHCC to help small business owners and non-profits understand the value of social media, as well as how to utilize social media to reach more customers or spread the message of their organization.

Max spoke about three main social media sites that can be utilized for business and for non-profits: Twitter, Facebook and YouTube.   By setting up profiles and using these sites as part of your overall strategic communications plan, you can extend your brand online.

The true value of social media is reaching your customers in a forum where they are already active.  If someone is already checking their Facebook account daily, your messages can be right there in front of them with no direct cost aside from staff time.

Want to learn more about how to use social media for your business?  Drop me an email at rustytrump@360jmg.com!

Summer in DC means everyone is sporting flip-flops before and after work. While these shoes have been known the be treacherous on the metro and, according to a recent study, are not always the healthiest shoe option, green flip-flop lovers will be happy to know that there is a shoe just right for them.

Here, I discovered a brand of flip-flops called Obakashi. When I went to the Web site. I found out that these flip-flops are only about $15 a pair. They come with a two year guarantee. They can be machine washed (to get rid of all of the gross bacteria that piles up from walking around a city), and, better yet, they are anti-microbial and odor resistant. What could make these flip-flops better?

Not only are these flip-flops clean and stylish, but they are environmentally friendly. The flip-flops last for years, creating less waste than your typical flip-flops. The plants creating these flip-flops practice “clean” manufacturing, so there is no waste in their production process. Finally, these flip-flops are completely recyclable. These environmentally friendly, $15 flip-flops have been around for 25 years. It’s a shame they aren’t more popular. They’re perfect.

First of all, it’s not that attractive. This goes against better aesthetic and right along with the thought that green design is ugly design. That part is a shame. The name is also misleading - you would expect a phone that was made with refurbished pieces (which most would balk at), but that is not the case. This green plastic phone is made with bio-plastic (you know, those plastics that are supposed to dissolve in 30 days when placed in a landfill). I guess its obvious why they chose to make it green.. but come on!

While CNet rated it 3.5 stars (or very good) but says the 3G speeds were off, the camera takes blurry photos, and the interface is a little rudamentary. See it for yourself. Will YOU buy it?

Following the basic principle that light objects absorb less heat than darker ones, these cool roofs are helping a growing number of home and business owners reduce their air conditioning bills—and of course, fight climate change.  Specifically, studies show that these white roofs can reduce A/C costs by at least 20 percent in hot, sunny weather.  Leading researchers say that if 80 percent of commercial buildings across the nation installed cool roofs, our emissions would be reduced by 6.23 million metric tons annually.  To put that number in perspective, that would be the same as taking 1.2 million cars off the road!

Although cool roofs are most beneficial in places where it is warm year-round, scientists say that they are still well worth it in cities as far north as New York or Chicago.  And since roof makers suspected that homeowners might not be thrilled about having bright white roofs, many also offer colors that are more traditional, like cream or gray, but still “cool.”

A scientist at the Lawrence Berkeley Laboratory figured that if the 5 percent of roofs that Americans replace each year were replaced with cool roofs, the country would be totally converted in 20 years.  It may seem like a slow process but with global warming worsening at a scary pace, we have no time to waste.

A recent BusinessWeek article made some predictions about how Apple will change its lineup in the wake of the drop in sales.  Apple will:

 Get rid of the hard drive-based iPod classic

 Focus on high-capacity models that use flash memory (it’s cheaper and more efficient)

 Release a new iPod touch with more features, such as a microphone, a camera with video-capability, and a GPS system

Apple will most likely release a revised product line in September, as it has done in the past few years, and will probably include a new nano and touch.  But in the next few years, expect to see familiar models like the iPod classic and nano be discontinued and replaced by more advanced, iPhone-like styles.  Despite the great success of the older iPod models, the days of simple, single-function music players are winding down.  People want more versatile devices that allow them to do everything at once; luckily Apple has the tools to create this all-encompassing device.

A group of computer scientists is currently debating whether research should be controlled to avoid the fast-approaching possibility of robots becoming as intelligent as humans.  They are worried that further technological advances could destroy jobs, cause serious social disturbances, and even have dangerous consequences.  One of the researchers’ big concerns stems from the fact that robots that can kill autonomously either already exist or soon will.  If criminals get control over artificial intelligence systems, there is no way of knowing how far they’ll be able to go.

But the same research that has led to these potentially dangerous robots has also led to many positive developments, including significant progress in the medical field.  So what happens when restrictions on research prevent both the bad and the good results?

Step 1: Why Bother? Social Media Marketing, or “Inbound Marketing” has re-invented the way we promote and advertise our companies and products. Previously, says Rick Burnes of Hubspot, we were hit over the head with advertisements on television, radio, newspapers and magazines. Unlike this previous sledgehammer, modern marketing relies on drawing people in - like a magnet. Inbound Marketing concentrates on finding website visitors through Blogging, Social Media, SEO, et - and driving them to your website, eventually creating new customers. Inbound Marketing is not only cheaper than previous methods of advertising, but it also relies on intelligence and creating content that is helpful to targeted consumers.

Step 2: Jump in! In the “Old Days” of web marketing, people relied solely on search engines to find information. Now, Social Media Markets have claimed targeted advertising, and viral campaigns as great success stories. Unlike the older methods you really need to invest time not money. So if you haven’t started yet, start now! Jump in, register a Twitter profile and pull together a Facebook page. For more information on setting up Facebook Pages, click here.

Step 3: Listen, Listen More, Build Relationships, Share Content : Sounds easy? It is. But be patient. Don’t expect to start pitching your product on the first day. Burnes use a great metaphor by comparing Social Media sites to a cocktail party or business networking event. You don’t enter a room and launch into your elevator pitch. You need to get information and listen first, then look for your window to offer advice. The pitch comes later, after building trust. To listen, follow conversations on Twitter, Linked In, Yahoo Q&A and wait for the opportunity.

Step 4: No link = No Leads Always link and refer! When offering information, offer a link to a resource, preferably one on your site. Always remember to drive traffic back to your site - and remember to build content that is valuable to your audience and perspective clients. When you have flushed out your content, focus on distribution.

Step 5: Convert Website Visitors to Potential Leads Add calls to action in your content. Link to pages where you can capture user info on a form, and make sure you track this progress. Use the following Hubspot websites to grade your website, your facebook and your twitter accounts.

Check out the slides from the presentation here.

Not shown: These rad Hanger Chairs, by Philippe Malouin, that allow for easy storage and multiple use.

or the above “glow in the dark” blow-up furniture by Mario Bellini for Meritalia

1. Shenandoah Valley Zip Line Tour: THE most breathtaking area in the near vacinity is only about an hour drive. Shenandoah is also a great place to go tubing, antiquing, or just to get away. AND to add a bit of intrigue by taking the Amtrak - only a few bucks makes for a great way to travel!
2. Time Warp in Glen Echo: Want a totally different experience? Travel back in time when weekends were for dancing, and Glen Echo was an amusement park. This 100+ year old facility is property of the National Park Service, and offers tons of classes, activities and kitsch factor.
3. Screen on the Green: The status of Mondays are elevated with the return of this annual program on the National Mall. Not quite as long this year, SOG is offering four films, starting July 20th with Close Encounters of the Third Kind.
4. Legg Mason Tennis Classic: One of DC’s favorite sports venue, the Legg Mason Tennis Classic a week + of matches with pros, and ametuers alike. There are activities for the kids, charitable causes (such as benefits for local DC school tennis programs) and great food-on-a-stick. If you are resourceful, you probably know someone who has access to a suite, which puts you right out on court, with air conditioned refuge and tasty food and drink. Did I mention James Blake and Andy Roddick?
5. Trapeze School! Yeah, I said it! And I’ll say one more thing: Forget fear, worry about addiction.
6. Sit on a Stoop: Gather your peeps, a few cold drinks, and find a nice stoop. Enjoy the people watching, DC humidity and good times.
7. Restaurant Week: August is generally a ghost town come August. Several of the restaurants featured will extend another week, or even the entire month of August. Great deals on amazing restaurants - some better than others, so do your homework!
8. The Hirshhorn After Dark: One of the coolest events on the mall - and you definitely won’t find any tourists. Rub elbows with the DC hipster community and gain access to one of the best art museums in town after hours. July 24.
9. Find a Pool: Get a membership, mooch a friend’s pool, or break and enter. The amazing Washington Hilton is closed for repairs this year. But you can usually sneak into the nearby Hilton on Embassy Row. And for a nicer experience, check out the Omni Shoreham or the L’Enfant Plaza Hotel pools, both at a small price.
10. Get Fishy: Check out the Fisherman’s Wharf. Make sure you know what you’re looking for, or just go to pick up some fried oysters. This market is often overpriced, but its the experience (which almost is like visiting a third world country) that makes it worth it. It’s a Washingtonian’s rite of passage. Also close by and worth the trip: Cantina Marina. It’s like spring break every day! And if you want a little more action, check out the paddle boats in the tidal basin, just a short walk away.

    Happy Summer! Don’t waste a second of it!

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