Seven years ago today the first tweet appeared on a then private social networking website. “Just setting up my twttr,” Jack Dorsey, the co-founder of Twitter, tweeted on March 21, 2006. Since that day, or really since Twitter’s official public launch on July 15, Twitter has exploded, changing the way we interact with people on the Internet and get short bursts of information.
FCC to Roll Out Text-to-911 Service in 2013
The nation’s four largest carriers have okayed the plan to allow users to text 911
by Yannique Benitez Posted: December 7, 2012
On the heels of text messaging’s 20th birthday, the FCC has announced its plan to allow users on the country’s four largest mobile carriers to text 911. AT&T, Verizon, Sprint and T-Mobile have signed on to the “text-to-911″ plan, which will begin in 2013 and be fully operational nationwide by May 15, 2014.
The “Next Generation 9-1-1” program aims to provide people with additional ways to contact emergency officials. The program will prove to be advantageous for those who have hearing or speech disabilities, as well as individuals who find themselves in situations where they are unable to vocalize the need for help.
The FCC has been working on the project for the last two years and believes it will align with the changing technology. In a press release, FCC Chairman Julius Genachowski said “access to 911 must catch up with how consumers communicate in the 21st century – and today, we are one step closer towards that vital goal.”
There will also be a “bounce back” feature that will send a text message to notify smartphone users to call 911 if their attempt to reach the emergency line via text message was unsuccessful due to unavailability in their area.
If the new system is not abused, it will help those in need receive speedy and efficient relief. The FCC seems to be moving in the right direction and, as Genochowski assures the nation, is moving with the times.
Source: http://www.blackenterprise.com/technology/fcc-to-roll-out-text-to-911-service/
By Michael Gladkoff | Posted: August 31, 2012 – Ragan.com
People tell us they don’t know how to begin or what to include when they need to write a speech. There isn’t one formula that will fit every speechwriting project, but the following tips will give you ideas on what to do the next time you have to write a speech.
1. Create a clear and simple message.
Before you begin, define your message and stick to it. Don’t try to make too many points. Attempting to cover too much ground in a short time will confuse your audience. If you are speaking for 10 minutes, for example, you will have enough time to convey one message. Summarize this message in one sentence, and keep it in front of you while writing your speech.
2. Know your audience, and write for them.
The type of audience you’re addressing will determine what you say and how you say it. For example, in handling a technical subject you must define your terms and explain more if the audience members are not experts. If they know the subject, you can explain less.
If you have both groups in the audience, you might say something like, “For those of you who don’t know…” and then explain it to them. Sometimes you won’t know your listeners’ level of understanding, so you will need to ask questions and adjust your speech accordingly.
3. Write the way you usually speak.
A speech should not be written like an article, essay, or report. For example, most people use contractions (I’ll, we’ll, can’t, he’s, we’re, it’s) when they speak—so write your speech that way. This also applies to the types of terms you use. Instead of however, write but. In place of therefore, write so. Copywriters call this conversational tone, and it’s important to maintain this tone in your speechwriting.
4. Create a connection with your audience.
If you’re speaking to an unfamiliar group, develop ways to connect with them. If you were speaking to a community group, for example, you would want to find out who they are, what they do, and what they believe. Then use this knowledge to create a connection between you and your audience.
For example, you could compare the group’s values to those of your organization. It will help if the group you are addressing has a website or other background information.
Once when we were writing a speech for a business that was sponsoring an arts organization, we were finding it challenging to connect to the two organizations. After doing some research, we found that both organizations had been established in the same year. This commonality helped to connect the speaker to the audience at the beginning of the speech.
5. Use stories to make your point.
From early childhood we develop an appreciation for stories and the ideas they communicate. When you use stories in your speech writing, you are conveying your message in an entertaining and memorable way.
For example, a CEO speaking about the need for change at his organization can tell a story about a company that couldn’t change and, as a result, failed. On the positive side, the business leader could tell a story about a business that succeeded because it did change.
Plenty of resource material is available if you are willing to spend some time researching. Personal stories are often the best if they are relevant to what you are speaking about, so it’s a good idea to write down interesting stories you hear or experience. For more information on using stories in your speechwriting, go to Speech Writing: How to Create Impact With Stories.
6. Use quotations to support your ideas.
Including a few quotations from authorities and experts gives support to your message. By adding quotations you show that other people agree with your idea. For more information on using quotations in your speechwriting, go to Speech Writing: How to Use Quotations in Speeches and Presentations.
7. Use facts, figures, and statistics when appropriate.
A well-written speech will balance emotion and logic. Using facts, figures, and statistics from reputable sources will support your message with a logical foundation.
Be careful not to overload your presentation with too much information in a short time. Doing so will overwhelm the audience and lessen its effectiveness.
8. Use humor to help your audience relax and enjoy your speech.
Humor does not necessarily mean telling jokes. If you are not the type of person who enjoys telling jokes to your family and friends, don’t try telling jokes in your speeches. It’s best to use relevant humorous stories that you have experienced or heard. If you can’t think of any of these, use a humorous quote on the subject.
For example, if you are speaking about computers and want to add humor, you can Google “humorous computer quotes” and find many sites with funny quotes about computers that you can use when writing your speech. Avoid humor that might be offensive. As an accomplished motivational speaker once said, “If in doubt, leave it out.”
9. End with a strong conclusion that reinforces your message.
Your speech conclusion is a crucial time when you can make a lasting impact on your audience. When writing your conclusion, ask yourself, “What do I want my listeners to take away or do as a result of my speech?” Some speechwriters even suggest writing the conclusion first, because it sums up the message you want to deliver and will help you focus on the key message when writing the opening and body of the speech. For ideas on writing a speech conclusion, go to Speech Writing: Seven Ways to Conclude a Speech for Maximum Impact.
10. Edit your speech to make it clearer and more concise.
You will have to go through several drafts to improve your speech. If you have a limited time to speak, you will want to limit your speech to between 100 and 150 words per minute (depending on how quickly you speak). Cut out anything that doesn’t support your message. Read your speech aloud, and rewrite sentences that might be ambiguous, too complex, or difficult to articulate. Readability scales, such as Flesch-Reading Ease, can be a useful tool to simplify your speechwriting.
Michael Gladkoff is the principal speechwriter at Word Nerds Writing and Editing, where a version of this article originally appeared. He also writes about copywriting, business writing, and editing at the Word Nerds blog.
Aug 22, 2012 By Charlotte Evans, Black Doctor.Org Staff Writer
The key to successful relationships? Communication, communication, communication.
1. Passive Communication
The passive communicator has difficulty expressing their thoughts and feelings. They tend to hold concerns in and hope things will get better.
2. Aggressive Communication
The aggressive communicator is able to express their thoughts and feelings; however they do so by offending people and not being respectful of others’ rights.
Under30CEO | August 9, 2012 | Guest Post: Sookie Shuen
- Complete your personal profile
- Promote your LinkedIn profile
- Grow and monitor your network
- Engage with your connections through LinkedIn Groups
- Get recommendations
- Integrate your blog feeds into LinkedIn
- Ask questions. This is one of the easiest ways of engaging with people.
- Interact and engage. Contribute to the discussion.
- Incorporate wall sapplets – This could include polls or coupons.
- Incorporate relevant photos – they will keep you in people’s news feeds.
- Relate to current events. Post questions or your stance on pertinent issues.
- Incorporate videos. Everyone loves interactive content.
- Include links within posts.
- Be explicit in your posts. Explain exactly what action you want them to take.
- Hashtags (i.e., #) – Anyone searching for something can find all tweets containing your hashtagged word in a single location, thus making it easier for them to find your tweets even if they’re not one of your followers.
- Engage with your followers – interact with your followers, make sure it’s a personalized message.
- Combine your platforms – Use applications like Twitterfeed.com or Hootsuite to syndicate your blog with your Twitter account. This then helps you save time rather than having to tweet something about your new blog post.
- Update your profile.
- The power of a list – Try creating a list comprised of all your valued customers and reward those on the list.
- Keep track – identify whose really paying attention to your tweets by tracking retweets, clicks, messages and hashtag mentions.
- Ask questions.
- Tweet about others.
- Customer Service – Create an account in which users can tweet questions about products or services to you directly.
Read entire article here: http://under30ceo.com/top-tips-using-linkedin-facebook-twitter-business/
By Guest | July 24, 2012 | Micro Business Tips, Small Business Tips, Tips
This post is written by Cristina Sousa, a content specialist on Vistaprint’s Social Media team.
When it comes to blogging, it can be difficult to get started…and to keep writing. Here are six quick tips that we like to keep in mind when we’re blogging.
1. Links: A simple way to make your blog more informative is to link out to the places, people, things, etc. that you mention. It provides readers with an at-their-fingertips resource, even if your blog post is short. You can also include links at the end of the blog, if there are additional sources you failed to mention within the piece, but that you think are important for context.
2. Titles: Blog titles are important for things like Search Engine Optimization (SEO), as well as getting a reader to click on your blog when there are a lot of other blog posts floating around the Internet. Use key phrases or words, and try to include anything else you think will grab someone’s attention — questions, numbers, best-of and how-to posts, are just a few ways to spice up your title.
3. Examples: Use examples when you write about something, if applicable. Instead of just defining something, including a real-world experience always makes writing more informative.
4. Set-up: One thing to keep in mind about writing for the Internet is that most readers have super-short attention spans. If you get someone to click on your blog to read it, the last thing they want to see is a ton of words. Think about how the blog is set up, and how you can make the content more digestible. For instance, a quick fix is to include easy-to-read, bold headings that set up paragraphs. Another way is to set the blog up as a list, or a series of bullet-points. You can even break-out tips, and italicize those key hints for readers.
5. Trust Your Instincts: If you feel as though the blog is feeling a little long, that’s probably because it is a little long. Similarly, if you start writing, and feel as though the topic is great, but there really isn’t a good story to report on, maybe there isn’t! Stop, and rethink the piece. Ask yourself questions like, “Should this be more than one blog? Is there a better topic I can cover? Is there a part of this topic that makes more sense than the whole? How can I make this more interesting to readers?”
6. Creative Writing: Use this as an opportunity to think outside the box a bit when it comes to writing. Part of the reason creating content is interesting? If you do a good job, it consistently fosters creative thinking, new ideas and interesting stories, that will act as resources for your readers.
Source: http://microbusiness.vistaprint.com/2012/07/24/blog-better-six-quick-tips/
- By RACHEL EMMA SILVERMAN – Wall Street Journal Careers
Union Square Ventures recently posted an opening for an investment analyst.
Instead of asking for résumés, the New York venture-capital firm—which has invested in Twitter, Foursquare, Zynga and other technology companies—asked applicants to send links representing their “Web presence,” such as a Twitter account or Tumblr blog. Applicants also had to submit short videos demonstrating their interest in the position.
Union Square says its process nets better-quality candidates —especially for a venture-capital operation that invests heavily in the Internet and social-media—and the firm plans to use it going forward to fill analyst positions and other jobs. Companies are increasingly relying on social networks such as LinkedIn, video profiles and online quizzes to gauge candidates’ suitability for a job. While most still request a résumé as part of the application package, some are bypassing the staid requirement altogether.A résumé doesn’t provide much depth about a candidate, says Christina Cacioppo, an associate at Union Square Ventures who blogs about the hiring process on the company’s website and was herself hired after she compiled a profile comprising her personal blog, Twitter feed, LinkedIn profile, and links to social-media sites Delicious and Dopplr, which showed places where she had traveled. “We are most interested in what people are like, what they are like to work with, how they think,” she says.
Read entire article here: http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052970203750404577173031991814896.html
17 Unspoken Rules of LinkedIn Etiquette Online Colleges.net – July 22, 2012 – This entry was posted in Career Resources, Features, News by Staff Writers.
On most social media networks, it seems like anything goes. Things are a little more loose on Facebook and Twitter, but LinkedIn is strictly professional, giving it a different kind of status when it comes to etiquette. You have to be careful about what you put out there, how you make your requests, and remember to be polite. Are you stepping on toes without realizing your mistakes? Read on to learn about 17 unspoken rules of LinkedIn etiquette.
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Only do what you’d be comfortable doing in person:
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Be personal:
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Mind your Ps and Qs:
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Don’t cause a traffic jam:
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Give recommendations:
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Ask for recommendations strategically:
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Keep it professional:
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Avoid making it all about you:
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Don’t add connections willy-nilly:
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Make it easy for people to remember you:
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Take a real photo:
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Don’t be spammy:
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Avoid getting into fights:
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Keep Twitter on Twitter:
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Be patient with the new guy:
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Know and follow group rules:
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Write back, no matter what:
Read full article here : http://www.onlinecolleges.net/2012/07/22/17-unspoken-rules-of-linkedin-etiquette/
By Justin Wise – Published September 15, 2011 – Social Media Examiner
To help you out, I’ve put together a list of 20 different ways to promote your Facebook page. Even if you only put a few of these ideas into action, you’ll start seeing growth and increased conversation on your fan page.
#1: Put your fan page URL in your email signature
#2: Write a blog post about your new fan page
#3: Tag other, well-trafficked fan pages in your updates
#4: Ask your Twitter followers to join your fan page
#5: Invest in Facebook ads
#6: Put a fan page widget on your blog or website
#7: Customize your fan page URL
#8: Put your fan page URL on your business cards
#9: Put a link on your personal Facebook profile
#10: Harness the power of your team
#11: Ask fans to post a link – Ask your current fans to post a link to your fan page on their personal profile.
#12: Put a tag in your YouTube videos
#13: Put your fan page URL on your Twitter profile background
#14: QR codes for your page
#15: Use your fan page – Use the “Tell Your Fans” feature. Import your contacts from Hotmail, Yahoo, etc.
#16: Add a Like box – Place this in your blog/website sidebar.
#17: Use targeted keywords in a Google AdWords
#18: Redirect your webinar guests to your fan page
#19: Put your fan page URL in your Keynote/PowerPoint slides
#20: Last, and certainly least, invite all of your friends (if you must)
Read entire article here: http://www.socialmediaexaminer.com/20-ways-to-promote-your-facebook-fan-page/
Communication Blog 
3. Passive-Aggressive Communication
Most people tend to be passive-aggressive. They have difficulty expressing their thoughts and feelings clearly. They get their point across through sarcasm or through behavior, rather than speaking directly about their concerns and needs.
Assertive Communication = The Ideal Way To Communicate
The assertive communicator is able to express thoughts and feelings clearly and directly, yet they are mindful of not being disrespectful.
The keys to using assertive communication include:
It’s also important to stay away from absolute words and statements that tend to create defensiveness in others. These include: always, never, everyone, no one, I told you so, you should have, could have, would have, etc. Also refrain from giving advice and starting a sentence with “You.”