(If you are uncertain about this yourself, you can check out this post for 50 good reasons to agree with me.)

I will be honest… It does have it’s disadvantages, though.

For example:

Rogers wireless, my Canadian cell phone provider, reminded me (with an $1100 bill) that calling the USA is an “international” call.

Ouch.

So, deciding to put my Mensa card to use (joking… ), I devised a workaround.

Here’s what you need to do:

1. SKYPE
   1. Register for an Unlimited US & Canada Skype subscription. Total cost = $2.95/month
   2. You will also need a Skype Online Number. This costs $30/year or $9 for 3 months. Make sure this is a USA number.
   3. Open your skype application and set your forwarding to your Canadian cell phone:
      1. Click on: Tools -> Options
      2. Click on: Calls and check “Forward calls when I’m not on Skype” and and your cell #
      3. Set it to: “Forward calls if I do not answer within [0] seconds”
2. Google Voice
   1. Create a Google Voice account.  You will need an invite from someone who has one if you don’t already have one. (I can sell you one for about $1100…j/k) You will also need to do this from a US-based IP address. If you aren’t in the US while doing this, it won’t work. Hire a Virtual Assistant in the USA to do it for you.
   2. Go to Settings -> Phones and add your Skype “online number.”  Set this as your default phone to call when you use Google Voice.
3. Your Canadian Cell Phone Carrier
   1. Having the Unlimited Incoming Call option on your cell phone plan is ideal if you are making a lot of calls.
   2. You’ll need web-access on your phone. Some carriers require a data plan, others will charge you per use.

Those are the tools and settings. Once that’s in place, it’s really easy.

Making Calls

When you’re ready to make calls to the USA, or anywhere in Canada, just:

1. Open up your browser on your phone and visit https://www.google.com/voice.
2. Click on contacts and then choose your desired contact.
3. Click call and wait… your phone will ring – answer it, It’s Google! Once you answer, Google Voice will start dialing your chosen contact.

Since the call begins with an incoming from Google Voice, you don’t have to worry about watching minutes if you have the unlimited incoming option.

Limitations

The only limitations to consider are this:

• Your skype subscription has to be active to forward
• The mobile version of Google Voice will only let you call contacts that are already existing in your contact list. You’ll have to add them from your regular browser before calling from your phone.

Other Awesomeness

Your American/US-based friends can also call/text your Google Voice number without having to pay the international fees that it would cost if they were to reach out to you via your Canadian number.

Does this help? If so, please digg it or pass it along to your Canadian friends!

Anyway, this is an exciting time for just about everyone… it’s the 2010 Winter Olympics!  It is an especially exciting time for Canadians for 2 obvious reasons:

1. This years Olympics are on Canadian soil: Vancouver, British Columbia (See the map if you are new to Canadian geography)
2. Canada is going to clean up in the medals

To help everyone stay in touch with up-to-the-minute information on what is happening on the Canadian Olympic circuit I have compiled a list of Canadian Olympic Athletes on Twitter. Check it out here: http://twitter.com/JosephRanseth/canadian-olympians

I love how willing each of these athletes are to share with the world what is happening in the Olympic games.. the inside view is something that we haven’t been able to see in previous games, and it gives a new perspective on what the Olympics are all about. Best of luck in the competition!

The power in any marketing campaign, social media or otherwise (or in any area of life for that matter) comes from consistency. To be most effective we must be doing small things on a regular basis, not trying to do large things intermittently. Remember the tortoise & the hare?

Daily Facebook Marketing Strategies

Here are a few simple but very powerful strategies to use on a weekly, or even daily basis, to maximize your presence on facebook.

• Join Groups – Each time you log in, do a search for some groups with your key words. (The words related to your product or service. ie: If you are an author, join groups about your book topic, etc) The more members in the group, the better!
• Introduce Yourself – After you join the group, introduce yourself by writing on the wall. You can tell a bit about yourself, offer some tips or insights, maybe even put a link to your site or twitter account. Let people know that they can be your friend if they have similar interests. You can also participate in the discussions that are happening within the group.
• Make Friends – See who else has introduced themselves on the wall, or who else is participating in discussions. When you ask to be their friend, include a personal note about where you saw them and why you’d like to connect. Also, be sure to make friends (and build relationships) with the admins of the groups.
• Create Your Own Group – You can start a group that allows you to share your unique thoughts & insights on your topic. You don’t have to do it alone, either. You can invite other people that you know & trust to be an admin for the group to help out.
• Make a Fan Page – If you have content that is valuable, and you are at least a quasi-expert, set up a fan page. This is very similar to your personal profile page, except their is no limit to how many fans you can have, and you don’t need to approve anyone before they can participate on your page.
  • For more info on how to create a fan page, check this tutorial by Socialbees.
  • Note: DO NOT make a fan page if you are a nobody and have no value to offer anyone. That is just tacky and will drive people further away from your goal of making friends who know, like & trust you.
• Invite Others to Join Your Group or Become a Fan – Each time you accept someone as a friend, or they approve your friend request, send them an invitation to join your group or become your fan.

Just make it a daily habit to spend 10-15 minutes making relationships on Facebook with these strategies.  Remember that the goal of all social media interactions are to create genuine relationships… so when you connect with someone that may be a good contact for you, move to offline (email, phone, in-person, etc) to create a deeper communication and stronger relationship.

Begin With The End In Mind

These tasks can seem mundane if you don’t have the vision of WHY you are doing it. ALWAYS, Always, always remember that the point of all social media is to build relationships. When you have a network of people that know, like & trust you, you can ask them to promote your products, you can do Joint-Ventures, webinars, teleseminars, etc. You can ask them for referrals and you can provide service back to them as well.

In Social Media Marketing, the adage is true, it’s not what you know, but who you know. Use these strategies with that vision in mind, cultivating deep, meaningful relationships and you WILL be successful.

Althought Facebook, Twitter & LinkedIn are all powerful components of your social media marketing campaign, they would be almost useless if it weren’t for a blog.  Yes, your blog is perhaps the most important part of your marketing efforts.. The reasons are plenty, but for now we will summarize by pointing out that it is the most powerful SEO (Search Engine Optimization) tool, as well as the hub of all your relationship/community building.

Here are the 5 techniques I have found to be most effective in your blogging strategies.

1. Use WordPress – WordPress is the best blog to use, for a number of reasons. Here are the main ones to consider when choosing WordPress as your blog of choice:
   • Plugins – these are little bits of software that can be added to your blog to improve the functionality of your site. Here is a short list of the ones I recommend and why:
     • Sexy bookmarks – This is a visually appealing way to allow visitors to share your message (blog post) through their favorite social media networks.
     • All-in-one SEO Pack – A must-have for any search engine optimization that you want to do on your blog.
     • Digg Digg – Integrates “Digg Button”, “TweetMeme”(twitter) and a few others, to allow users to share content right to their social network. (Similar function to sexy bookmarks, but different format)
   • Community – As an open-source software, WordPress is the most supported platform for blogging. That makes it the most powerful blogging software, the most prevalent, and the easiest to find people to help if you happen to require customization, need help with the above bookmarks, etc.
2. Educate – Your blog is not a place to sell your services. Your blog is a place to establish your credibility as an expert in your market. You do this by giving away free content, that provides a lot of value to your readers. People do business with those they know, like & trust… your blog, if used properly, will make this a no-brainer.
3. Be Consistent – This is important for 2 main reasons:
   1. SEO benefits – You need to update regularly for maximum exposure in the search engines. Every time you post, you are letting the search engines know that they should come back and visit your site.
   2. Personal Credibility – If you can maintain a blog on a regular basis, you are demonstrating to your prospects that you are credible by having enough information to share on a continuing basis and not just a flash-in-the-pan trying to get their money. You also demonstrate that you are dependable & consistent… this is a huge character trait that says a lot about your ability to deliver.
4. Encourage Interaction – If your blog is just a place for you to post static information, you are missing the power of web 2.0.  Your blog should allow for visitors to leave comments… and so should your writing style! Are you encouraging people to share their feedback? Ask questions? Leave links to their sites? All of these things will make your blog a place that people will feel welcome at, so they will come back for more.
   You also want to provide the ability for users to give you their contact information if they like your stuff. A wise blogger never sells directly on his or her sit, but they always give the user a chance to opt-in for some sort of report, download, newsletter, etc. (that’s where you do the marketing & selling… AFTER they tell you that they are interested in what you have to say and believe you have a certain level of credibility)
5. Syndicate – If you are writing good content, it belongs on as many places as possible.  You can automatically, or manually, re-publish your blog content on many different sites including RSS directories, Squidoo, Hubpages, Article directories, etc.  You can also import it directly into your Facebook feed, and other social networks.

If you believe in what your message is, and are honestly providing value to others, then you need to maximize the effectiveness of your blog to make sure your content is getting in front of as many people as possible.  Your blog should be looked at, and treated, as the central hub of all of your social media marketing strategies.

This is one of the most passionate keynotes ever… he talks about the power of being passionate in pursuing your desires. Don’t waste a minute doing something you don’t love, and recognize that Social Media has the power to help you communicate your passion to others.

What are you passionate about? Are you living your life to the fullest or are you wasting time doing something you don’t love?

Let me know what your thoughts are on this video… I know it sure inspired me to take action!

Before I just lay down the law and explain the rules, though, I think it’s only fair that we give everyone a chance to see exactly why this is just common sense.

There Is A Law…

An apple falls from a tree because of the Law of Gravity… there are also laws that govern social media. It’s a simple matter of cause & effect: for every action, there is an equal and opposite reaction. “Follow Friday” is an instance where can see Law #7 in action: People just want to be loved.

The Right Way…

Follow Friday is an opportunity to share with our friends the people that we value. We are saying “this is someone that I get value from, and I want you to enjoy what they have to offer as well”. It’s about sharing, giving and providing value to others.

…and the Wrong Way

Follow Friday is NOT about getting more followers. Some people (either ignorant of the law, or possessing a lack mentality) will recommend as many people as they can for #followfriday in hopes that some of them will feel obligated to reciprocate that gesture. By accomplishing this, they hope that they will attract new followers. Sadly, they just don’t get it…

It’s about relationships, NOT numbers

100 followers who love & respect you are far more valuable than 10,000 who are not emotionally engaged. Think about it… we all see billboards and magazine ads every day without taking much note, but when a friend recommends a new restaurant or movie, we stop and listen.

This isn’t just some hippie-make-love-not-profits idea we’re talking about, it’s also solid marketing. Every marketer dreams of having their campaign go viral. When people are genuinely interested it automatically grows, even without your help.

Case in point – Did you know that Susan Boyle, of Britain’s Got Talent, almost instantly became one of the most popular videos on www.youtube.com… And she had never even heard of youtube!  She wasn’t trying to get a lot of views, she was just doing what she was passionate about. If you do the same, you’ll see similar results… maybe not 1 million followers, but you’ll get the ones that see value in what you offer.

Showing Love To Others

Okay, so now that we understand that it’s about what we give instead than what we get, let’s do it with an A+ effort. What would make you feel more loved:

• #ff @yourname @stranger1 @stranger2 @stranger3 @stranger3 @stranger4 @stranger5 @stranger6
• Friends, check out @yourname an amazing friend of mine who’s tweets make me smile every day. #followfriday

Yeah, pretty obvious, huh? Of course you would prefer the 2nd one better. (If not, i’ve got an #blockparty you can join)

But how do I fit all my friends in?

You don’t. That’s the point… People feel special when you give them recognition. Nobody wants to be a statistic, they want to be recognized as a valuable individual.

Lumping my name in with 100 people with no explanation of why you recommend me doesn’t make me feel special. In fact, it just pisses me off. Can you imagine @sharonhayes‘ inbox? If all of her 30k+ followers did the #ff spam method, she wouldn’t get anything done.

Besides, even if your bulk recommendations are genuine, most people on twitter can’t follow that many new tweeps in a day anyway.

Some EXCELLENT examples

These are actual examples that are dead-on the money:

• TomBeasley #followfriday @AndyGoulding. He is a local radio DJ with a witty sense of humour and an intriguing take on everyday life.

• TamaraSchillingI Recommend that you #FollowFriday @MoneyClarity … this man is always upbeat, positive & willing to help you connect & grow! #professional
  
• JosephRansethFor the most beautiful girl in the world, #FollowFriday @TamaraSchilling & check out her blog: http://budurl.com/twitterlovestory (ps. i love you)

Go Forth & Multiply (but do it responsibly)

That’s it… go for it, show love and help make twitter a better place.

If you have a great #followfriday you want to share, feel free to reply to me and I’d love to pass it along!

TOO MANY Friends?

“Do you really know ALL of your facebook friends? There’s NO WAY you have actually met all of those people!”

These are statements I hear often, and it’s understandable considering the fact that I have thousands of facebook & twitter connections. The comments come in many variations, but they are all implying the same thing… those thousands of friends? They aren’t REAL friends….

Rob Harter, co-pilot extraordinnaire

At first I felt guilty for having so many friends, and would have a hard time answering that question. But then, the revelation came. After being asked that question while on a recent road trip, my friend (and co-pilot) Rob Harter reminded me to look at the glass as ‘half full’. My response then became clear: “No, I haven’t met all of them personally… but imagine what a party it would be if I did!” Can you imagine what it would be like to have that many genuine friends? Or better yet, to have them all in the same place at the same time, celebrating our friendship?

And so began the experiment…

I decided to interact with my online friends in a way that I hadn’t attempted before. I sent an update to facebook & twitter accounts via text message, encouraging everyone to communicate with me while I travelled on the road trip. There was a problem though, I wasn’t online while I was driving across the country…

You Gave Out Your Cell Phone On Twitter???

Yes, I started posting my cell phone to facebook and twitter, encouraging people to get in touch with me. Honestly, it didn’t even cross my mind that it wasn’t ‘safe’…after all, these were my friends! And then, something happened, the responses came – FROM ALL OVER THE WORLD! (Canada, USA, Mexico, UK, Indonesia, etc) From people sharing directions when we were lost, to people sending funny jokes or words of encouragement while I was drowsy behind the wheel, there was a community effort and an outpouring of love like I hadn’t felt before.

But The Real Power Was Still To Come!

What I love about Social Media is that it is a steady evolution toward real relationships. Many have argued that technology distances us, but I am optimistic and extremely confident that the evolution of “Web 2.0” is leading us toward creating genuine, authentic and in-person relationships. In fact, I know it…it’s what I experienced.

In a short trip to Toronto, I made more genuine friends than I could have ever imagined. A few highlights include:

'random' friend finds in Starbucks

• Melissa, the ‘random’ friend that showed up at a London, Ontario Starbucks while I was checking my email… (Thanks for the tip!)
• Super Spiritual Girl, a twitter hero of mine! (Follow her for amazing insights and an exciting upcoming announcement)
• Veronica, the angel of a woman who created the video that I have watched near-daily for over a year. (Watch it on my blog if you haven’t already!)
• Cheri Najor, one of the most powerful professional speakers that I have ever witnessed in human form. In a simple bagel store, I was moved emotionally listening to her absolute passion for life and immense love for her son. (see www.kreativnrg.com)
• Many, many, more…  (Sorry I didn’t mention you all, You’ll be in future posts!)

The interesting thing about all of these people, though, is that we had connected online – through social media – and had never met in person. In fact, when we first made the online connection, I doubt that any of us imagined that we would ever meet, or even become great friends!

Now, I have a whole new perspective on life because of my new friends. They have all taught me something that I will carry with me forever.

I also have a new perspective on the internet, social media, and ‘web 2.0’. It isn’t just a fancy way to waste time or a powerful way to make money…it’s a way to promote peace, love and happiness.

What Now?

I am finishing up a book on the power of Social Media, and will use this road trip as a case study. I will include dozens of stories that I couldn’t include here. I will share more on the principles embodied in the social media revolution that will transform the way that businesses operate, and more importantly how we interact with each other as human beings.

I welcome all of your insights, messages, questions and feedback… I will keep you posted on the details and look forward to sharing it with you all, and the world!

UPDATE

The response has been SO POWERFUL from this trip, that I am excited to announce the Social Media Adventure a cross-continent summer trip to demonstrate the power that Social Media has to create genuine & profitable relationships!

Check it out at: www.SocialMediaAdventure.com