Einstein Knows Added Value

"Only a life lived for others is worth living." - Einstein

When I think "added value" I immediately think business, ROI, $ - but what about added value in your life? "Dumb Little Man" has done it again with some great thoughts on how and why to add value to your life.  If your life was like your business would it be successful, would you invest in it?

A few favorite snippets below....

Why is added value, valuable?

"When you add value, the whole that you produce is greater than the sum of the parts which produced it ... the adding-value paradigm insists that when you enrich the life of someone else, the pie gets bigger and there is more for us all."

"...there are two kinds of person, my friend (can you guess the movie?), problem people and solution people. Which are you seen as? You future success could depend on being in the right category."

How do we add value?

"Do what you love. When you do the things you love, adding value comes naturally. Look at Bill Gates, Steve Jobs, Madonna, or any number of rich and successful people: what do they have in common? They do what they love! And they are successful because they add value naturally."

"Don’t be scared to fail." 

"Encourage other people. Try to get the best out of people – encourage them to be the best they can be. This will inspire them to take their own risks and add their own value to the world."

Read the full article and list of tips here.

Happy Friday (and start of a LONG weekend day!)
--
Sarah Findle
http://www.twitter.com/sfindle

"Be the change you wish to see in the world" - Gandhi

Checking in with O2 Fitness | Fried Logic - HMP

Checking in with O2 Fitness

May26 2010
Sarah Findle

o2fit

O2 Fitness is one of our clients here in the PR department at HM&P and we have had a lot of fun helping them spread the word about their seven (and growing!) locations around the Triangle.

O2 Fitness already runs their own Twitter account, Facebook fan page and blog. A new avenue of social media marketing we have explored with them are location-based applications.   One of the new growing trends in social media – location-based applications – allow you to share your location with others by ‘checking in’. 

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Some of the most popular applications including FourSquare, Gowalla, BrightKite and Whrrl have provided incentives for people to use the applications by making it more of game where you can earn badges, become the mayor or keyholder of a location, and gain street-cred (or in this case, app-cred) based on the frequency of your check-ins.

From a marketing standpoint, location-based apps provide a new, more targeted way for businesses to reach and reward their customers.  I like the analogy that it is like a public customer loyalty program.  Locations can offer specials for first time visitors (Welcome to ABCD, enjoy a free appetizer!), frequent visitors (On your 10th check-in get a free Smith’s t-shirt!), or the mayor, or most frequent visitor to a location (Are you the mayor? Enjoy a free drink each time you visit!).

While customers benefit from checking in, businesses also profit, not from free food or prizes, but from data and information collected from check-ins.  They can learn more about their customer base and their habits and needs and in-turn provide an overall better customer experience.

Here in the Triangle we are lucky enough to have our own local location-based application, TriOut.  Similar to the larger FourSquare application, TriOut focuses on local businesses and locations.  We have enjoyed working in conjunction with O2 Fitness and the TriOut developers to help them improve the application, test out specials and provide feedback from a local business perspective.

Find your favorite O2 location on both TriOut and FourSquare and check-in when you hit the gym!

via merrellgroup.com

 

Raleigh Rocks, Again

Quality of life? Raleigh ranks No. 1 among large U.S. metros
via Triangle Business Journal

A few reasons why....

• It’s growing at a rapid pace. No major market is expanding as rapidly as Raleigh, whose metropolitan population has increased by 37 percent since 2000.

• It has a vast inventory of new homes. More than half of all houses in the Raleigh area have been built since 1990. Las Vegas is the only other market above 50 percent.

• It has an impressive supply of high-level jobs. Forty-four percent of Raleigh’s workers hold management or professional positions, surpassing all but three markets.

• It has a well-educated work force. Raleigh, at 41 percent, ranks sixth in the share of adults holding bachelor’s degrees.


B2B Blogging Tips Fit for the Queen (City) | Fried Logic - HMP

B2B Blogging Tips Fit for the Queen (City): Jeff Cohen presents at Charlotte’s Business Marketing Association

May21 2010
Sarah Findle

This past Wednesday, our own Social Media Marketing Manager Jeff Cohen presented “16 Best Practices of B2B Corporate Blogging” to the Business Marketing Association Carolinas Chapter.  I was lucky enough to attend the lunch in downtown Charlotte, N.C. with a diverse audience of large and small business owners, agency execs, HR reps and freelancers, among others.

With varying levels of social media experience and perspectives, the audience did not hesitate to ask questions and the presentation evolved into a lively two-way conversation – not too far off from the same type of communication social media encourages.  What once began as a list of 13 best blogging practices quickly grew to 16 just within the hour-long presentation.

You can find the complete list of best practices and the full presentation in Jeff’s post at Social Media B2B. Jeff will also be sharing the presentation at this weekend’s Word Camp Raleigh.

Cambiando Vidas

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In June I am traveling to the Dominican Republic to volunteer with Cambiando Vidas (Changing Lives), a U.S. based non-profit organization, “dedicated to the idea that every person should have access to the basics of life – food, clothing, shelter, education, and the chance to exercise his or her skills and ambitions”. The organization focuses on building houses, educating youth, and encouraging sustainable economic development in rural towns throughout the region.    

 For a week I will be working with a team of volunteers, (including my dad, sister, and good friend from college) as well as members of the local community to build a new house for a deserving family.

As many of you know, I spent January 2009 volunteering with Cambiando Vidas as an intern, and have vowed to maintain a relationship with the organization.  From the U.S., I have been able to start a blog and help revamp the website, but my dream is to return for another house build.

I am excited to have the chance to take time to give back.  Everyone should have a passion that extends beyond their daily 9-5 work schedule encouraging them to improve both themselves and the world. Working with Cambiando Vidas has become that passion for me.  I am excited to once again step out of my comfort zone and experience a physically challenging, yet emotionally and spiritually rewarding adventure.

A new favorite quote of mine:

"We make a living by what we get, we make a life by what we give." - Winston Churchill

Want to help?
If you would like to make a tax-deductable donation, please click here (please include my name, "Sarah Findle" in "billing address line 2"). If you would prefer to donate by mail please send a check payable to Cambiando Vidas (please include my name in the memo), to P.O. Box 5015, Brookfield, CT 06804.

I truly appreciate your consideration in helping me make a lasting impact in the Dominican Republic.