Amazon Recommends Books on Open Source and Social Media to Me

Interesting! Please see.
I love both because they super duper empower us all. It's user-centric and user-friendly, baby!

.. other blogs from our Super Technologies' team at http://blogs.didx.net and http://blog.tmcnet.com/monetizing-ip-communications/, our online magazine at http://www.techistan.com, our iTunes channel, and DIDX podcasts. Find out how to bring new customers to your telephone company with local phone numbers from 70 countries. We are excited to be a part of helping 1000s around the world start a business, have success and connect with others via our Super Technologies' services such as DIDX, Techistan, Virtual Phoneline, CFMS or HVOIP white label business and more.

I'm not Talking About Sexuality

Inspired to talk facts! Two reasons, a Facebook update of a friend and the words in a sermon by the preacher (who says he is a conservative thinker) at East Hill church of Christ in Pensacola, FL. He said, "There is something in us that wants those who are not like us ... to fail, to die, to suffer."

The Facebook update Friday night: "What can we do to show the world that our country is not a people of violence, failure, and evil? The majority of us do not think like that, and we are not like that. We don't want a war on our soil or anywhere."

I went back today to see that wall update, and he deleted it. I wish he had not. It is an inspirational and haunting question that we can each ask about any country or homogeneous or hetergeneous group we are part of. I'm not talking about sexuality here. I'm talking about "Same" or "Mixed."

Don't give up being hopeful. Every action and word make a difference. Let me share a few observations, ideas and anecdotes.

1. My hair has been different shades of blond from day one in 1959. It has been curse at times. I am a woman. In fact, I was born a woman. I was born in the USA from parents who are/were Irish, German, Swedish, Italian and American Indian. You know the typical prejudicial comments ...

"I immediately dismiss anyone who is blonde. Heard of the dumb blonde who was locked inside her car? I can't take blondes seriously. Women drivers drive me insane. You need to not work so much. Stay home more and clean your house and cook. The only reason you have accomplished anything you have is that you are a blonde American woman. You're too skinny. You need to lose weight. Don't show people how smart you are. You cannot be smart."

I still laugh at jokes against blondes, women, etc. by Carlos Mencia.

2. Every day, people, who are local or abroad, click to add me on Facebook or Linkedin for different reasons. We are friends, in the same industry, fellow runners, in complimentary industries, customers, vendors, innovators, and/or family.

Every day, people, who are local or abroad, also do not add me on any social platform ...

or delete me from any particular network because they are afraid of my current network which is full of some "group" they fear, despise, and/or  wish to ignore or erase from Earth: Atheists, Christians, Muslims, Agnostics, Hindus, Humanists, Middle Easterners, Politicians, Teachers, Inventors, Marketeers, Teen-agers, Old People, Women, Homosexuals, Heterosexuals, Pakistanis, Germans, Africans, Americans ... the list goes on and on.

 (Don't worry. I was registered Republican from ages 18 - 48 because I always believed in independence, work ethic, and rights to take of yourself and your own as an individual but also ... others when you could ... who you believed really need it. I'm not a bleeding liberal. I did vote for Obama, and I'm still happy with my decision.)

Some who are in one of my networks, may never respond on my wall or other people's walls or tweet feeds because they fear contact with anyone different from them or anyone who the stereoptype is bad, dangerous, nasty, disgusting or to be avoided. Once, a person who I thought was my friend, introduced me to others as a "terrorist-enabler." He wasn't really joking. It is one of the times in my life that I have been the most hurt.

3. Many groups of people in emerging nations, developed countries, and every place in between, outside of or inside of any of them are still hopeful. You can see they value their action and word to make a good difference locally and globally, online and offline. Like ...

A. Have you heard of Cafe Headlion? It has a marketing library that is a compilation of books donated from people all over the world. Each donated set of books is dedicated to the donor, often with a letter from the donor/s. A guy in Northwest Florida is sending a new set with the titles: Sidney Poiter, Life Beyond Measure; The Perfect Salesforce; John Lennon, the Life; and Microtrends. Someone from Cafe Headlion is sending him some local music and traditional shalwar kameez for his students to enjoy and study.

Consider donating books to a library somewhere that you want to make a difference, local yes! But also abroad. It will come back to you, your country, the world that we share. What's it called? Pay it forward?

B. Have you heard of Linking Arms, Inc.; Big Brothers, Big Sisters; Kalinga Kusum Foundation; the Kids Kulture Center and other organizations like them around the world? They promote education, self-sufficiency, goal-setting, work ethic, teamwork, and friendship both locally and globally. These are in U.S.A., India, Russia, and your country, lurking behind the scenes somewhere. Search them out. Help when you can. Start your own.

C. Use social media to help heal rifts among physical, geographical, emotional, personal, social or other areas and groups. If you are Argentinian, showcase great Argentinian people, technologies, art, and inventions, but also those of Venezuela, Mexico, and Ecuador. If you are a U.S.A. citizen, share the beauty, freedoms, entrepreneurship, movies of the US but also of Iraq and Canada. If you are Irani, introduce us to your music, poetry, and food, but also that of Israel and New Zealand.

Do something surprising and cool and good like this Pakistani guy did who explained "how to use fring" which Israeli-based in the language of Urdu (Pakistani) ... Hindi (Indian).

Or like my loving husband who often sees running from the viewpoint of a beginner runner even though he is flat out fast for a near "five decade old" guy. ;-) He actually ran/walked the last Crescent Classic 10K in New Orleans with 12 minute per milers. That is tough for someone who used to be tagged "elitist-minded" in regards to running and training for races. Do something different, a little scary, a little not like you that will help the world beginning with your area and then expand outward as you can. It is one step at a time.

Search the web and find what inspires you and what you have in common with those you never thought such would be true. I've only mentioned a few specific areas as a start.

Regarding our religion, our actions, our country, our lifestyle, our work ... I think we need to tell the truth, face the facts, not pretend we are never guilty, reach out a hand, and encourage productivity, hope, integrity, and compassion among ourselves and others who we think are not like us.

There's a great Chinese proverb in English here: The best way to get rid of an enemy is to make him a friend."

No matter where we are in time and space, let's not waste a second or iota of either or both.

... browse some of our team's other blogs at http://blogs.didx.net/ and http://blog.tmcnet.com/monetizing-ip-communications/. Find out how to get your telephone company to offer phone numbers from around the world. You're welcome to comment, contribute, and collaborate any time.

Mzinga, Techistan and Rad-Info Share Social Media for Business Marketing

First, let me thank the guys from Inc.com who used my camera to film this. In fact, if anyone was at this panel discussion during ITEXPO East 2010 that Mzinga, Rad-Info and I were a part of and knows these guys, put them in touch with me. I want to thank them and love the commentary behind the camera. You must listen. If you can't see the video on this blog, go to Viddler. The video is 34 minutes long, too long to upload to Youtube. The original, much better quality version was almost 1 1/2 GB large, so I had to reduce the size and therefore the video quality, but the voice sounds pretty good.

Second, so sorry... me, the English teacher starting the presentation with a subject verb non-agreement. __________ and __________ is? Bad, bad. On the other hand listen to Isaac, Peter, some the audience and me as we share tips.

Mzinga's Isaac talks about who is the audience, solving your audience's needs, being a good observer, keeping in mind membership ROI (your networks)... It's a toolbox that enables conversations. Traditional marketing like mass emails compared to the new shows the greater efficiency of the new. He shares two case studies, the second one was their client AllState Insurance. The company looked to Mzinga to help them guildi a community on Allstate website for social networking. It would help their clients really interact with representatives about things like teenage car drivers, drinking and driving, seatbelts, senior citizen and estate planning, etc. Instead of keeping this in a walled garden, Mzinga helped Allstate use what is already available on the Internet in the form of social media.

I mention Linkedin recommendations and questions and answers; Facebook events, wall, pages and groups; Twitter's feed into Linkedin, mixing social media to help clients, vendors and industry partners get what THEY want. More on blogging and podcasting, digging to China,  and more. Isaac has a very professional social networking/media service at Mzinga that he discusses. I share one case study of the one year marketing campaign to help Kenyan Americans get Kenya DID on DIDx.

... browse some of our team's other blogs at http://blogs.didx.net and http://blog.tmcnet.com/monetizing-ip-communications/. Find out how to get your telephone company to offer phone numbers from around the world. You're welcome to comment, contribute, and collaborate any time.

Social Networks, Offline or Online, United We Stand, Divided We Fall

Networks get things done. United we stand. Divided we fall, right? In fact, when I was asked at the ITEXPO "Using Social Media for a Successful Business Campaign" panel why our company chose to use social media in meeting our company goals... I replied, "We wanted to collaborate and get more done, faster, for our clients, vendors and partners, and with a more global reach and group of participants since DIDX is composed of service providers, carriers and operators in 170 nations."
I remember in 2005 when Kelly, my sister-in-law first told me about Facebook, I thought, what a waste of time, I don't want to play games, and maybe later. So, I'm using a few social media sites regularly without wasting time, I don't play games ;-), and getting a lot more done with quality.

You wouldn't believe, people of all walks of life anywhere just about in the world are using social media and social networks to accomplish important things:
1. Find jobs.

2. Make new friends.

3. Finding partners.

4. Getting help on any kind of project.

5. Taking a creative break. (This is one of my favorite.)**

6. Find answers.

7. Ask questions.

8. Plan, promote and execute events.

9. Connect back with old friends, business people and classmates.

10. Introduce people who can really help each other.

11. Showcase whoever you admire and are inspired by and how and why. (This is one of my favorite.)**

12. Find out what your customers need and figuring out with them how to make it happen. **
In this Social Networking in Plain English video in English, French, Portuguese, Spanish or German that Graham Francis of TheSIPSchool.com shared with me, the speaker mentions the fact that a network is only as valuable as people can see. That is something to think about. So, it's like Jimmy Buffet said about Margaritaville. It is wherever you want it to be.
 
... browse some of our team's other blogs at http://blogs.didx.net/ and http://blog.tmcnet.com/monetizing-ip-communications/. Find out how to get your telephone company to offer phone numbers from around the world. You're welcome to comment, contribute, and collaborate any time. I am on Twitter, Facebook, and Linkedin.

Victor and I show the power of Linkedin Recommendations

January 20, 2010, at 2 PM, I join Rob Adler of Vantage Communications, Isaac Hazard of Mzima, and Peter Radizeski of Rad-Info, Inc. to discuss and interact with you the audience at ITEXPO East the topic of "How to Leverage Social Media for a Successful Marketing Campaign."

My take will be that *"leveraging social media for a successful marketing campaign" is not about analysing reams of data, being on every social networking site 24/7, having the most followers or friends, bombarding your audience with commercials or regurgitated news, or cutting your competitor. The key to success online is almost the same as the key to success offline. It's just with online, you have more power.

Adam Nash, blogger and a vice president at Linkedin says, "Fortunately, in the 21st century, with the birth of the social web, we have tools at our disposal that are orders of magnitude more powerful than we have ever had as individuals or as a society."

An example of successful marketing using social media is the Linkedin Recommendations feature. Sincerely and truthfully recommend at least one person in your Linkedin network each week.

One of Pensacola, Florida's most popular Microsoft consultants and open source enthusiasts Victor Rojas and I did exactly that. The positive results of our exchange has been, is and will be exponential. In the last 24 hours since Victor's comments, I've already recieved inquiries to advertise in our Techistan and some looking for Virtul Phone Numbers from our DIDX buyer members. It started with a few sincere words of praise about someone else. Recommend someone on your Linkedin Network this week! Victor and I would like to get to know you and see where we can help each other in business at Linkedin and other social media sites.

*Aw! "Leverage" is really a noun and hasn't quite made it into accepted standard Engish as a verb, but, oh well.

... browse our team's online magazine Techistan (also hard copy first issue soon) and other blogs at http://blogs.didx.net/ and http://blog.tmcnet.com/monetizing-ip-communications/. Find out how to get your telephone company to offer phone numbers from around the world. You're welcome to comment, contribute, and collaborate any time.

Linkedin Poll on SMBs Perception of Largest Expenses

Check out the results from this poll of several where there are already 71 comments as of Sept. 17, 2009. Add your own. Be a part of the conversation.

... browse some of our team's other blogs at http://blogs.didx.net and http://blog.tmcnet.com/monetizing-ip-communications/. You're welcome to comment, contribute, and collaborate any time.

Your Mindset Determines Social Media Use or Not

Your answers to the following questions determine what is the best way for you to use social media that you feel comfortable with, whether you are a software developer, drama queen, social butterfly, creative geek, business consultant, entrepreneur (serial or not)... Do you think people are basically good? Evil?

Do you want to change the world? Do you want to take over the world? Or you like it the way it is? Or do you think it is past hope? Or you don't care, you're just in it for whatever money you can make out of it?

Do you like to be the center of attention and your interaction tends to be one-sided... you talking and them listening? Do you tend to feel vain or modest? Do you notice more what other people are doing as opposed to what you are doing? Do you just want to observe and study? Do you like to take risks, love challenges?

Or do you prefer everything being as predictable as possible? Does eclecticism inspire you or do you want to only associate with sameness always? Cookbook approach or hodge podge or carefully constructed but constantly changing based on ongoing research? Answers to these questions, truthful answers will enlighten you.

Can you name popular social and/or business networkers and accurately state how they use and why they use social media the way they do? I'm sure you can. Check out these in different industries who use social media and are quite popular with certain groups of people: Geoff Livingston, Mari Smith, Jeff Pulver, Guy Kawasaki, Rich Tehrani, Tinu Abayomi-Paul, Om Malik, Jehan Ara, Nakagawa Shouko, Afrigator, Tariq Mustafa, Lance Armstrong, Jean Wyclef, and so on.

I'm looking forward to some discussions and debates here, on Facebook, Twitter, for podcasts and also in person at 4G World, CTIA Wireless and Entertainment, IIT's VoIP Conference, ITU Telecom World, and SUPERCOMM on many social networking, technical and business development mix of topics.

... browse some of our team's other blogs at http://blogs.didx.net and http://blog.tmcnet.com/monetizing-ip-communications/. You're welcome to comment, contribute, and collaborate any time.

Encourage Others to Do Unto You

Have you ever heard people answer you with the excuse, "Look you wimp, this is just business"? They are right. There are many ways of doing business, but two main ones. You and I choose to do unto others before they do unto us or do unto others as we'd have them do unto us. As sappy as it sounds, I prefer and usually do the second no matter how cut-throat the other person is. In fact, this is one of the points I emphasized in my "Global Collaboration with Social Media for Business" presentation at ITEXPO West last week.

In fact if you do enough unto others as you would have them do unto you, eventually they will do unto you what they would have you do unto them. I've been experimenting with this concept all my life since my atheist turned Christian minister Dad instilled it into me.

We are in the IP communications industry that is in the mix of the rest of the world, right? We do benefit if we do not give up on encouraging others to do unto us as they would have us do unto them. There are some great tools that let you do that: face to face, yes... but also Facebook wall and friend suggestion, Linkedin answers and recommendations, TelecomYou's newness, your blog, Twitter RT, #, and @ and... Ask Diana at IPiFony. She agrees with me.

You can watch most of my presentation on Viddler.com under the ID suzannebowen. May the force be with you, but do something nice today like collaborate with your competitor?


... browse some of our team's other blogs at http://blogs.didx.net and http://blog.tmcnet.com/monetizing-ip-communications/. You're welcome to comment, contribute, and collaborate any time.

Part 1 and 2 Global Collab with Social Media for Business by Suzanne

Wow, I could critique this heavily with my past Toastmaster Club member colleagues, but instead, let's glean what we can from some good ideas I have for global collaboration with social media for business.

Part 1 at ITEXPO West 2009 by me Suzanne Bowen


Part 2 at ITEXPO West 2009 by me Suzanne Bowen


There's also a part 3, coming soon! Follow us on Twitter at suzannebowen and didx.

... browse some of our team's other blogs at http://blogs.didx.net and http://blog.tmcnet.com/monetizing-ip-communications/. You're welcome to comment, contribute, and collaborate any time.

Treat Yourself to Paul Dunay and Bonaventure Brewing Co.

Monday, August 31:
7:00 pm - 9:30 pm, Paul Dunay talks about social media and the social future, sponsored by Avaya, at Westin Bonaventure, 404 W. Figueroa, must register at this link to get in: http://www.tmcnet.com/voip/conference/west-2009/attendees/w09-avaya-workshop.htm. You also need to be an http://www.itexpo.com attendee. Get a free signed copy of Facebook Marketing for Dummies and after the presentation, enjoy handcrafted on the rooftop patio of the Bonaventure Brewing Company.

Thursday, September 3:
2:00 pm - 2:45 pm, Suzanne Bowen interacts with the audience on Global Collaboration via Social Media and Marketing for Business.

New online media and marketing tools have made showcasing your innovative IP communications technologies and services a breeze. Or have they? It moves some out of the comfort zone and others in. Resources like Blogger, Facebook, Linkedin, Podcast, TelecomYou, TMCnet, Twitter, Ping.fm, Youtube, QIK, Viddler, Ning, Orkut, Myspace, and others. What ... Read Morethey have in common is they offer a way to market products and services in much more interactive and customers-centric ways than ever before. Some espouse cookbook methods; others whatever is most natural or most in vogue at the moment. So, do you mix them up or stay true to a few?

This session will not be a lecture but instead an interactive session. It will leave participants – whether geeks, marketeers, intellectuals, developers, CXOs, early adopters, or other interested parties – confident to set their own goals and start acting on making global business collaborations via social media and marketing.

Sign up to attend at http://www.itexpo.com.



... browse some of our team's other blogs at http://blogs.didx.net and http://blog.tmcnet.com/monetizing-ip-communications/. You're welcome to comment, contribute, and collaborate any time.

Free Webinar on Hosted SEO with Rich Tehrani

Free Webinar, register now!
Hosted SEO: The Winning Formula
Are you getting the high organic results you want on major search engines?

Wednesday August 19, 2009, 2:00 pm EDT / 11:00pm PDT

Do your keyword terms come out on top of search engine results pages? Hosted SEO (Search Engine Optimization) can drive your company’s keyword terms up in results pages, even garnering the top spot. In the long run, Hosted SEO can deliver more cost-effective results than paid keyword ads or internal efforts.

Join TMCnet on August 19 to learn how Hosted SEO: The Winning Formula works. Discover the benefits hosted SEO delivers, such as achieving high organic results for your keyword terms, outsourcing your SEO initiatives, and leveraging the expertise of a leading media partner. SEO as a service can make your marketing efforts flourish. It offers a more powerful and flexible content management system than what you may currently be using.

They’ll discuss how using news is a successful driver for SEO. Relevant, frequently updated news allows you to benefit from enhanced credibility and increased brand recognition in your market. If you have questions about offering news, the ROI of hosted SEO, how to get started, etc., this Webinar is the ideal forum to get these and more answers.

What You’ll Learn:
Why use Hosted SEO
How your keywords can quickly achieve high
rankings in SERPs
The benefits of cross-linking
Why news draws traffic to your Web site
The flexibility and power of an outside content
management system
What a 3rd media party can offer

Who Should Attend:
CMOs, VPs, Directors and Managers of Marketing
SEO & SEM strategists
Public Relations, Corporate Communications executives
Brand Managers

... browse some of our team's other blogs at http://blogs.didx.net and http://blog.tmcnet.com/monetizing-ip-communications/. You're welcome to comment, contribute, and collaborate any time.

My Boss is Me and I'm Not Slowing Down for Her

Age. What images are created in your mind when you hear that word? I recently heard someone say they were worried about what their boss was going to do as they age and slow down.

Age and slow down? Is there such a thing? I can't speak for others, but I can speak myself and my husband will vouch for me. I used to work Monday - Friday about 6 AM - 6 PM and then start back about 8 PM - 10 PM and I would work another 16 hours or so over the weekend, averaging 80 hours a week. I very rarely complained, and when I did, it only irritated others. But ah! yes! Muaah!

We finally hired more qualified personnel, and I was able to relieve myself of tasks that do not come natural to me and pass to those whom they do. More than ever, I am enjoying our work at Super Technologies, Inc. because I have more time for my family and friends. In addition, the work I do now is what I am good at doing: publicity, marketing, writing, speaking, developing business.

I am definitely not slowing down. The time I used to spend poring over financial records and trying to solve technical problems I didn't understand, I am now reading more, taking my time to *research before writing. I am getting to know the fantastic and inspiring entrepreneurs and businesses all over the world via podcasts, video interviews and face to face at conferences and as a result, delivering content people are actually interesting in!

I finally have the chance to do the things that I always thought are important in business: showcasing the utter veracity, innovation and intelligence among men and women who are our clients, suppliers and vertical or horizontal "partners" in our IP communications social media "industry." I couldn't be happier in profession and career.

When I'm not working, I'm running, biking, doing yoga, playing with grandchildren, discussing books with daughter-in-law, herbal gardening, experimenting with eBay, working on a couple books that I may never finish, checking on all my adopted sons and daughters who work with me.

*Regarding research before writing... people think that writing is not work. If you love it, it doesn't feel like working, but it takes work to produce a piece worth reading, content worth passing on. Which reminds me, I have two very important pieces of writing that are taking much research and thought so that I wish I could work with no interruption for at least 3 days in a row to get them done:

1. The white paper/case study on Fax over IP DID and the demonstrations of this at the ITEXPO West Sept 1-3, 2009 conference, specifically at the DIDXchange booth 125

2. The speech or presentation I'll give at ITEXPO West 2009 in Los Angeles where we are a media partner and exhibitor, basically about "The Natural Fit of Social Media and Business" or something like that

My boss is me, and I'm not slowing down for her. ;-D Next race goal is the Mardi Gras Rock 'n' Roll 1/2 Marathon in New Orleans on Feb. 28, 2010.

... browse some of our team's other blogs at http://blogs.didx.net and http://blog.tmcnet.com/monetizing-ip-communications/. You're welcome to comment, contribute, and collaborate any time.

Open Silicon Valley June 13th

Man and woman are social beings. Some just have an innate talent with social media tools over the Internet. Others feel inept, apathetic, or overwhelmed with them. Meet with those who want to share with you a natural fit for success with social media at the Open Forum 2009 Summit June 13th in Mountain View, California at the Computer History Museum, 1401 N. Shoreline Blvd.

Join the networking areas on Facebook and Linkedin. Use the registration link to sign up now. Follow on Twitter at http://twitter.com/opensv.

Conference registration right now well worth $55 includes:

* Access to Keynotes

* Access to world-class professional development workshops & panels, covered in three parallel tracks

* Access to networking sessions with global business leaders

* A three-course, delectable lunch buffet

Check out the full agenda.

Social media causes every entity to cross lines we think we cannot cross. It breaks down categorization of companies, people, and ideas. It opens new worlds of possibilities. You're a natural. See you at Open Forum 2009 Summit June 13th.

... browse some of our team's other blogs at http://blogs.didx.net and http://blog.tmcnet.com/monetizing-ip-communications/. You're welcome to comment, contribute, and collaborate any time.

ThinkMobile, Isn't Everyone?

Looks good... check it out!

ThinkMobile: Mobile Content & Marketing Strategies
March 18-29, 2009, New York City
Produced by Mediabistro

ThinkMobile will unite content business opportunities with successful marketing strategies surrounding the ultimate cross-media vehicle: the mobile device. This event will engage attendees with best-in-class monetization models and case studies. Leading analysts, keynotes and speakers will converge here, sharing strategies and tips on what's next in mobile and how you should spend your money – and how much. Keynotes include Nancy Hill, President/CEO of the 4 A's, Ralph Simon, Founder, MEF Americas, and Marko Ahtisaari, CEO & Co-founder, Dopplr. Other speakers represent Nokia, Microsoft, Opera, Associated Press, Yahoo!, Nielsen, and more.

Add yourself to the event area on Linkedin and Facebook.

For details and to register, please visit: http://www.thinkmobile.com/?utm_source=DIDX&utm_medium=mediachannel&utm_campaign=thinkmobile

Women in voIP Panel

Several men and a few women I met at Astricon suggested there be a Women in voIP panel discussion at a few conferences. How can you help with this idea? Let's start by gathering answers to these questions.

1. What topics should be discussed on a women in voIP panel discussion? One person suggested a 3-5 min. description of how each of the panelists got involved in voIP and telecommunications. Another was shared best practices in networking and marketing as well as technical know-how and experience.

2. Who should be on the panel? What company do they work with, position in company, URL, their experience and services they provide?

3. How to get more females in the IP communications, voIP, and telecommunications industry to participate in conferences in not only group roles but also leadership roles? They can be in business, working on a degree in these areas or considering them, all ages.

4. Do you have a blog? Will you blog about this also?

This is not proposed because these women are women, but because we're missing out on accomplishments, ideas, collaborations, and experience of these women. I hope to get some serious discussion on this blog post at this blog, myvoIP by Association blog and on my Facebook network in the notes section. John Cirner was the first to propose the idea to me at Astricon... thanks, John!