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There’s a new kid on the block in the world of Social Networks, and if you use Gmail, he’s already living on your street! Google recently unveiled Google Buzz, a Social Network that’s built right into Gmail. If you have a Gmail account, you might have noticed a colorful balloon that showed up on the left-hand side of the page – that’s Buzz!

Google had some great ideas when they unveiled Buzz. Check out this YouTube video posted on the Official Google Blog to introduce Buzz:

Unfortunately, despite these good intentions, Buzz has caused some frustration among loyal Gmail users. For example, the blog post “Buzz off, Google: Social networks should always be opt-in, not opt-out” highlights the fact that all Gmail users were enrolled in Buzz without being asked first. Furthermore, Google automatically made a social graph of your most-emailed people and made sharing of that graph opt-out instead of opt-in. As this article explains, “it’s super easy to miss the check box, and the default should always be the safest choice.”

In Google’s defense, they listened to users’ feedback and have introduced some improvements. The Official Gmail Blog reports that the following changes have been made to Buzz:

1. There is a more visible option to not show followers/people you follow on your public profile.

2. You have the ability to block anyone who starts following you.

3. There is more clarity on which of your followers/people you follow can appear on your public profile.

Given Google’s popularity and history of creating quality products, there is definitely the possibility that Google Buzz could someday rival Facebook and Twitter.

What do you think? Are you ready to tell Google Buzz to buzz off, or do you think Google can rise to the challenge of making Buzz the best Social Network around?

Posted by Craig Canning, VA Classroom

If you were building your business in the offline world you would choose a physical storefront, such as a restaurant, boutique store, executive office, etc. to sell your products and services.  Businesses that are selling their products and services primarily offline still need to have an online presence and I will talk more later in a upcoming posts.

In the online world your storefront is your website.   This is the place where potential customer’s window shop to see what you are all about and have to offer them.  How does your product and services solve their problems?  The importance of having a website is extremely important if you are running an online business.  Better than a physical store front, an online store front (your website) is open 24/7, 365, and does not shut down for holidays.  Potential customers can visit your business anytime that is convenient for them.  Over the past couple of years I have heard it said many times that a website in today’s marketplace is the business owner’s business card.

What is your websites purpose?

What is the purpose of your website?  What do you want your potential customers to do when they visit your site? If you are an online business wanting to sell your products and services to your target market you will want build relationship with your target market.  You will want to offer them the ability to subscribe to your list to receive more information, you will want them to be able to contact you, you will want them to have the ability to make a referral, and most important you will want them to press the buy button.

What does your website look like?  Is it a marketing machine or just pretty?  Does it have a professional look that inspires trust in your audience? Can your audience tell immediately what it is that you are offering and how it can fix their problems? Is the next step, your call to action, immediately apparent? Just recently I heard that most internet surfers do not stay on a website more than 5 seconds.  How are you making the best of those 5 seconds?  The purpose of your website is to get business.

I am so pleased to be one the world’s first Certified Online Business Managers.  The training was conducted by Tina Forsyth and Andrea Lea who coined the term “Online Business Manager” (OBM).   I purchased Tina’s book, “Becoming an Online Business Manager” and knew instantly that I wanted to take the training, learn the skills that online businesses are looking for and become a certified business manager. Prior to starting my virtual assistant business, VBS Virtual Assist two years ago, I worked nearly 30 years in the offline traditional office space as a high level administrative professional.  I knew instantly as read through the pages of Tina’s book that in my heart, I was an online business manager.   I have always had a passion to help business owners grow their businesses using my administrative, organizational and management skills and have enjoyed a great and long professional administrative career.  Tina and Andrea are leading the way for aspiring OBM’s and the businesses that need them to enjoy bigger growth in their online multiple streams of income businesses.

I am thrilled to have experienced this tough, but phenomenal training and feel so prepared to help virtual business owners to grow their businesses to newer or more profitable levels.   The certification process has been  such a growth experience for me.   Click on the video below to quickly determine if you and your business are in need of an OBM.

View Video:

Brenda Violette, VBS Virtual Assist, LLC and Eric Lopkin, The Modern Observer, both from Middletown, are excited about starting this new networking group in Middletown, Connecticut to provide networking opportunities for Middlesex Businesses.

At the current time this group is an open networking group. Come, have a drink if you wish, and explore the opportunities of networking with other business owners in Middlesex County.

Meeting times will be Tuesdays, starting September 29th at 5:00 p.m. at the Forbidden City Restaurant, 335 Main Street, Middletown, CT 06457-4556.

Looking forward to seeing you there!

On the same front, today’s workers must be flexible, creative and dynamic in their workplace to keep up with the demands of the changing times. Yet, with the rise of gas prices and the shifting emphasis to achieving quality of life, you’ll find workers today are looking diligently for improved models of relationship with their employers. They want freedom and stability in one package.  Click here to read more  VIRTUAL OFFICE