Why Do I Have to Eat My Vegetables?

photo by justinhenry

You remember being at the dinner table when you were a child and your parents always said the same thing...

Just try it.

Now that Gen-Y is starting to take a stance in the workplace, we are uttering those same words to our parents and their peers. Millennials have taken the lead in this whole Social Media world, and we get it. We use it. We build with it and think our futures will be bright will more online networking, lifecasting, photo sharing and online life experiences.

In a recent article by Bea Fields on the Millennial Leaders blog, she throws out an analogy that really hit home;

I had a conversation last week with a leader who asked me why he and his company should be on Facebook? I then said “Why do you go to conferences, board meetings and networking events?” His response: “Well, to build relationships!” Relationship building is HUGE, and Gen Y knows this. Networking on Facebook, blogging, podcasting or sending tweets is just a smart move. If you want to be a leader, you have to be willing to use the most current tools and know how to use them to your advantage.

Gen-Y is stepping up to the plate and trying to get the X'ers and the Boomers, who are up the corporate ladder and have the decision making power, to understand that Social Media is not an unnecessary evil, but in fact a tool that can yield results, turn over ROI and increase brand awareness, customer base and future income.

As kids, we didn't want to eat our vegetables because we had a perception that vegetable were supposed to taste bad. Boomers and Gen-X have a preconceived notion that the Internet is bad and everything that comes with it, the YouTubes, Myspaces, Facebooks, Twitters and all the rest of the Community building applications that are considered time wasters by their biased opinions.

Well, now it's my turn. "Just try it."

Those vegetables turned out to be okay after some time and, well, I bet they consume a good part of your diet now. They do in mine. I think they may even be good for your health.

Social Media is in the same boat. Are you ready to swim?

-Greg Rollett
Follow my ramblings on Twitter, sure they don't make sense, but once you join the conversation, it only makes you wiser.

10 Things To Do Before You Release Your CD

You have put in the work in the practice rooms, tried your songs in from of fans and peers at local venues and then put your entire life savings into recording your CD. This is typical of a local band cycle. The problem that most Orlando bands face after they record their CD is what to do with it when it comes.

Most bands that I talk to are amp’d about their new CD. “It’s the best thing since sliced bread.” “We’re going to get signed off this one.” And so the responses go.

Most bands go as far as having an impressive CD release party with a good number of fans who all buy the CD and take home the memory of a good show and a good time. Problem is, after those 200 or so people leave the band still has 800 or so CD’s in the backseat of the drummer’s car (see Discmaker’s and company traditionally hit you with the 1,000 CD minimum to see any bit of a pricebreak).

Then the band goes and takes a few weeks off, plays some more shows and before you know it 3-4 months have gone by and you still have 700 or so CD’s, little to no buzz and your parents want their money back.

So with all this said, I am going to share with you 10 tips to prepare before your CD release that will hopefully keep the stream of sales going and the publicity hot even after your big CD Release push. I am going to tailor this to the Orlando area but you can use this information anywhere just input your local spots in the place of the Orlando ones.

1. Create an ongoing mailing list and actually use it. This one is from Music Promotion 101 and it overlooked by most bands on a local level. Read: Myspace is not a mailing list! Put an online mailing list on your Myspace page, website, etc with a free widget from FanBridge. Take your laptop to your show and have people sign up there as well. The fans that sign-up for your mailing list want to hear from you, and they are more likely to follow what you are doing.

2. Promote the Album, not the Show. When making posters and placing them around town, promote your album. This will make the posters timeless and keep the buzz for your band longer than your show in a week.

3. Press Releases. Make and distribute. Send to every media outlet, print, tv, online, radio. You will be surprised by the amount of response you get from them, from incoming links to interviews to mentions in Orlando Weekly, the Sentinel and more. When sending online remember to submit to PRWeb and PRLeap.

4. Change your Myspace Layout and other Online Sites to reflect the theme of your album. Prepare your fans for the CD before it is released by shifting your Myspace image to that of the new album. With a new album comes a new image, embrace it and do not overlook the power of a redesign.

5. Pre-Orders. Start fundraising for the duplication of your album. Using PayPal is free and easy and allows you to create a database of the emails and addresses of fans who want your album before they have heard the songs.
6. Set a Tuesday release date and get into local stores. Setting your release date for a Tuesday will put you on the same schedule as all other music releases. When getting your CD in local stores like Park Ave CD’s and CD Warehouse, talk to the manager about getting your album put onto the New Release shelf at least for the initial day or week of the release. If you are lucky and make great music, they may even put you on the marquee of all releases coming out on that day.

7. Blog. Blog about your album. Blog about making the album. Blog about the album cover. Blog about how you and the bassist fought it out everyday for how a certain song sounds. This is not only good for search engines, but as a diary for you to remember the process.

8. Make a commercial and market it on YouTube, Myspace and Facebook. Why can’t you have the next Soulja Boy? Make a quirky video, make it funny, make it short and send it to everyone you know. If its good and catchy, look for the traffic to come and pre-order your CD.

9. Start streaming your music to create a buzz. Get your music on Last.FM, Pandora and others. These sites will not only increase your fanbase but also pay your royalties for streaming your music.

10. Online Distribution. Cool, you have a physical CD coming in a few days. Did you know iTunes, Amazon and others take weeks to import your music if you are an indie musician? Get them your music ASAP to have it ready for your release.

There are a million tricks to get your music ready and become buzz worthy. These are just 10 that can make an impact locally when you are trying to break your CD.

-Greg Rollett

Who We Are and What We Do

I have really been thinking about the separation of work, my start-up businesses, my music career and my personal life. There has been a great discussion started by Penelope Trunk over at Brazen Careerist about doing what you are and not what you love. Sam Davidson, of Cool People Care, took the discussion into the tune of entrepreneurs. Entrepreneurs have to do what we love, that’s why we started our start up in the first place. We felt so passionate about something that we stepped outside of corporate culture and made our own rules.

I would say that I do what I like, not what I love. I love making music and performing. Due to outside circumstances, that part of my life has been postponed. So what did I like about the music gig? The marketing part.

I became intrigued with social networking and meeting people in Virginia and NYC without ever stepping a foot in these cities. I was getting them excited about my music and getting them involved with the promotion of my products.

Now that I am working for a large corporation, I am becoming the face of our organization more and more everyday. My name is directly attached to social networks, blog posts, interviews and videos. I have no problem with this, or so I thought.

After my presentation on Tuesday, I was speaking with 2 of the directors over at the Tampa Bay Workforce Alliance Scholars. We got into a conversation about how to separate ourselves with their work persona and their personal persona. One of the girls, Rebeca, stated that she doesn’t ever use her real name or reveal any information about her personal life online. While I find this hard to believe with a Myspace and LinkedIn profile, posting nothing about yourself online is not an easy task to ask someone of the Millennial generation to do. We have profiles on Myspace, Facebook, Twitter, make videos in YouTube and email photos from camera phones to Flickr pages.

So what do I do? What do you do when you are in a similar situation? I know one of my counterparts who has the same problem as I do. We have to constantly maintain a professional online personally so our corporate careers do not suffer. We both also have outside businesses that we are continuing to grow and are trying hard to build and maintain credibility for.

These lines are crossed everyday. Should I use a persona other than my real name? I already think that I do. I use my music name or persona a lot online, G-Ro. And while it might sound silly to some, it is building a brand for myself and my company, while not compromising my given name.

I do what I like, and would love to do what I love. I must maintain credibility at all ends to continue to do the things I feel are important for myself and my family. I would love to hear form some people who have something to say on this subject and what they are doing in similar situations. I’m signing off to go and do what I love because I love it, not because I get paid for it.

Cool People Do Care – The Next Move

I have been doing a lot of work with not-for-profits in the last few months. Most noticeably with an Orlando start-up, Rock For Hunger. I started as a musician playing their shows over a year ago now and have shifted gears and become the head of their Marketing and Communications as well as the Employment and End Homeless Director.

Through working with Chris at Rock For Hunger, I have started to dream bigger than I ever thought I could. We are now embarking on a new journey; writing a book. We are collecting stories that will paint a picture of the poverty situation in this nation and how Generation-Y, aka the Millennials, can get involved. It gets better with a soundtrack I am producing that will highlight the chapters and bring life to the stories told. To top it off, we plan on taking the show on the road with a book and music tour next fall, going though the South and East coasts playing in coffee shops, book stores, universities, churches and street corners until the words of Rock For Hunger have been thoroughly spread. The goal date: August 2008.

I can’t personally say that I came up with this idea on my own though. The great vision of some stellar Gen-Yers have jumped through this hoop before. I have to take my hat off to the bands that come through Orlando, in their vans eating peanut butter and jelly sandwiches, which ironically enough was the first menu item on Rock For Hunger feedings. Last night saw the Crazy Anglos, an Atlanta based rap-rock band that takes a nomination for hardest working band in the underground. Almost 2 years ago they started hitting the road and have had little more than a week off since. I think that it is finally starting to pay off.

Next up is Drew Petrone. He has been busting his tail at a Sign-A-Rama Start-Up franchise, freelance designing (which needs to be a full time career of his), assisting and volunteering for Rock For Hunger and taking his band, Orlando based Union Made, to the top of the local funk-rock scene. He does all of this with total concern for his clients, colleagues, friends and band mates. Drew has never asked for anything in return.

Last in my list today is the cool kids from the Cool People Care crew. I have been following Sam and Stephen since Sam posted an interview on Rebecca’s Modite blog a few months back. Since then, we have made contact and even featured them as a partner for the Rock For Hunger Festival this past November. These Cool People that care have been passing along a message, that Gen-Y, the entitlement Generation, is ready to help where help is needed. Their mission is simple enough, CoolPeopleCare exists to show you how to change the world in whatever time you have. One minute? Five minutes? An entire day? Whatever you have, we'll help you spend it wisely. Sam and Stephen have come together to write the ever impressive, New Day Revolution, a guide to saving the world in 24 hours. They have taken their passion for the better of the world and made a full time business out of it.

It is the drive of Gen-Yers like this that I come to work everyday inspired. It is why I work the 9-5 hard to get noticed, then go home and put on more hats than the Village People. It is why I have dreams, and why our generation has the hope to do bigger things than any other generation before us. The communication gap is non-existent; you can get in touch with anyone in our generation faster than ever before and more efficiently. Bands can have fans before a record deal and before their busted van stops in front of a whole in the wall bar. And companies can be made with friends who have a passion to make a change in the world. Amen.

25 Indie Music Resources

Mashable kicks ass. Like serious ass. I used to keep them a secret. I though if no one knew about Mashable, then maybe I would be the coolest kid at camp. Now I can't fight it, they are everywhere. And they still have the best news that is updated more than a bad storm in Florida.

One of the best things Mashable does is the ToolBox. This lists the best of a certain topic pertaining to any number of topics. Today they dished out the top 25 Tools for the Independent Musician. This list includes many things that I use as well as services that I have plugged and would endorse in the future. Check out the article and keep kicking ass Mashable.

-G-Ro

Myspace joins Google’s OpenSocial. So what?

It has been driving me crazy with the amount of words being poured into this Myspace vs. Facebook, Microsoft vs. Google and whatever other rivalries you want to throw out there. All that matters at the end of the day is the users and their experience on the site.

With Google’s new evil empire that includes Myspace, LinkedIn, Six Apart, Orkut, Salesforce, Ning, Hi5, Plaxo, Friendster, Viadeo and Oracle, all these networks are going to have the same Apps made by the same developers that are competing for the same poor kids who could care less. Where is the user uniqueness? Facebook almost has it, Myspace should have had it but would rather be a Video network than a social network. Myspace's improvements have been lame and still don’t address the major problems like bad servers, SPAM, and realistic advertising that doesn’t involve….shoot Paris Hilton in the face and win a prize.

Facebook has received all the press in the last few months and received a hefty sum based on a bogus $150 billion evaluation. Google on the other hand has had their stock hit $700 a pop and bought every social site they can get their hands on. Their announcement of the OpenSocial platform comes on the heels of a losing battle to get a stake in Facebook.

This is bringing the tech media to hype up a Don King style “Only in the Internet” match up between Facebook (the 0-8 Dolphins) and Google (Tom Brady leading the Patriots). Only problem is, no matter what season it is and the records of the teams, its going to be a battle and both teams will live to play another day.

Remember, this is only the beginning, but the user needs to be Google’s major focus or they will lose. Myspace still has the numbers and is making changes, albeit a little late. I think that they remain relevant in the entertainment market until Facebook jumps on the band bandwagon. Google is going to do what Google does and unfortunately everyone will follow. Why do we have to play be their rules? Who gives a rat’s ass about page rank?

I know I’ve made the switch like many others to GoodSearch and while the results aren’t always quite as good as Google, at least I’m playing by my own rules. (If you don’t have a charity in mind, how about Rock For Hunger?)

So go ahead app builders, make you app on 100 different platforms, I would. Get that advertising and VC money while they continue to throw it at ya like rats after a hat trick. And Social Networks go ahead and clone each other and still do numbers like fans at a Florida Marlins game. Just remember the major players and why they are the major players; community and communication. Myspace, Facebook, YouTube, Flickr, Twitter, etc are running things because of the community and the people that interact within the community. The best network platform in the world doesn’t do anyone any good if there are only 100 people in the social graph.

And Facebook, give Scoble some more friend requests. That way he can stop ranting about it every other post. (I’ll still keep up on Scoble even with his ranting, I get his Tweets every 20 minutes.)

That’s all for today. Maybe I’ll start writing some real posts again soon, but right now I’m going to get ready for Gym Class Heroes in Orlando, FL at UCF tonight. BTW, they are doing an amazing marketing campaign with Verizon Wireless and are hosting an in store at the Waterford Lakes location as we speak. Pretty smart marketing there! Somebody get that up on Flickr or Twitter for me.

-G-Ro

Optimizing my Social Network Participation

I was an addict. Morning, lunch, night and every 15 minutes throughout the day I was checking Myspace. Getting updates, reading bulletins, friend requesting anyone that looked cool or might like my music was my daily regimen. I loved it. I still even have a soft spot for it. But what happened?

SPAM.

I was part of the problem. At the peak of my band’s popularity on Myspace, we were using FriendAdded religiously. We had a schedule. I had Tuesdays and Fridays and was responsible for friending 500 people, with a tag along 500 emails with a bland introduction of our band that I’m sure no one read. It also contained a link to buy our CD (which people did actually buy!).

The band broke up. That Myspace page is useless. All the hard work is gone. I still have my personal page though and most of my better connections are there. The problem with that page? SPAM! No bragging rights here but 3,000 friends on a personal page is absurd. All the bulletins are promoting products or are some form of a survey that no one really cares about.

So I moved on. Still conduct my business on Myspace. My calendar, contacts, venues, studios, marketing companies, radio personalities, bands, and some close friends hang out there relatively often. I book clients through that page still. I sell my beats and studio time through Myspace. So, no, it is not a complete waste. It is just not helping me network any further. I a no longer building relationships, personal relationships, through Myspace any longer.

Enter Facebook. I never believed the hype. I still do not see the $15 billion dollars being put to amazing use but it does things better and more efficiently than Myspace or any other social network that is currently at market.

First thing is that I can actually find my friends, colleagues, and people that I want to network with. I type in their name. Wow, revolutionary. Second, is the news feeds. I no longer need to visit every person’s slow loading page to see what they are up to. I have it all on my home page. Wow, revolutionary.

I can go on and on, but you have Facebook so you know its boring features. Next is Twitter. You ca read all my thoughts on it at my Twitter love tale. For this I will say that as soon as my peeps jump on the Twitter trail the world will be a better place. Pick and choose who you want to follow (stalk) and get their info, instantly. Better yet, a business can send me updates before the paper comes out or the emails get read. A conference can send tweets on room changes, panel speakers, and parking arrangements as they happen. Restaurants can throw out their daily specials. Job boards can post their new positions before they go live on their site. Shipping companies can notify of your package information. News is breaking on Twitter before RSS feeds.

This now brings me to Flock. Read about it on Mashable last week. Now it’s on. A little bar that runs on the sidebar that updates my Twitter feeds, Facebook, YouTube and Flickr. Wow, revolutionary. Move over Firefox. Has a built in RSS Reader. Siyanara Google. A media bar to see any of my pics and insert them into my blog postings in less time than it takes to Tivo the new iTouch commercial.

What this means is less time for wasting around the social network sphere and more time working, getting the information you need right now, before it breaks and faster than you could at any point in human history(or maybe actually and physically networking and building with the people you have stalked during your social networking).

Who cares about Google? Who cares about Viacom and Newscorp? I can receive any information that I want, on my own time from the people that I want to hear it from. And in turn, I can tell the world what I know, how I feel about it and join the conversation about it online on my own time.

But what do I know. I’m just a punk musician that stumbled into this world and ran with it. Oh and be sure to add me as a friend on Myspace (http://www.myspace.com/grobreakn). I will appreciate the company and will gladly ignore all of your survey bulletins and vote for me crap.

-G-Ro

G-Ro Talks With PropertyQube-Real Estate Comeback 101

So I've been sitting on this interview for a minute. Dave Bethany, co-founder of PropertyQube was kind enough to answer some questions for me about their great new real estate' social media site. PropertyQube is a social community that enhances your PropertyLife relationships and experiences. On the site you can share your PropertyLife Stories - show off your Home Improvement Projects - Connect with and recommend your property professional - Ask your property questions and get answers from local professionals.

Since the interview they have gained a great number of new members and made some improvements to the site. I do recommend PropertyQube to anyone looking to join the conversation within the real estate community and your local real estate world. So I'll cut the crap and let Dave tell the story.
Greg: Please give us your best elevator pitch.

Dave: Propertyqube is a social community that enhances the relationships and experiences in people’s PropertyLife. Consumers can share their PropertyLife stories, show off home improvement projects, connect with and recommend Property Professionals in their trust network, and get answers to questions through one of four Conversations Boards. Over time, as people go to make property decisions they’ll find that all the knowledge, advice, and people they need are right at their fingertips - in their Propertyqube trust networks!

Greg: What demographic are you trying to reach and how do you aim to reach it?

Dave: Our target audience is anyone from in their mid-twenties to late middle-age, who is tech savvy, independent, and property obsessed!

We are really trying to appeal to consumers, whether they’re in a transaction or not. The value of being a member of Propertyqube is being able to plan and share – this is a place where people can come to enjoy their property, not just sell or buy it. But of course, when a member does think about purchasing a home, they have all of the necessary resources available to them on Propertyqube...ideally, in their own network.
Greg: What can a real estate agent get out of the site?

Dave: Propertyqube is a consumer focused site and because of this, it’s a GREAT platform for agents and any property related professional to market their services and thus generate new leads. But better than that, it’ll be a great place to nurture relationships with past clients. Agents who believe in building loyalty and growing referrals will get great value from our network. While past clients enjoy their homes, an agent can for the first time take part in that experience and stay active in their clients lives. Propertyqube is the ultimate agent referral site because it’s built on the principle of a TRUST network. If you’re past clients trust you and your work, then you have a great chance of landing a referral to a friend or a recommendation within the Propertyqube network.

The best part is that this indirect, unobtrusive marketing on Propertyqube is free! Professionals have role-based profiles (so an agents profile looks different from a contractors profile), meant to bring out and highlight the right information for each type of service. An agent profile includes links to a business website and blog, contact information, expertise, a featured listing…and much more in the near future. As engagement grows, consumers can browse agent responses to consumer questions, recommendations from other members and other data to get a good understanding of an agent’s qualifications and reputation.

Greg: What are the benefits of joining your community for a property owner/investor?

Dave: Individual owners and renters benefit by having the ability to tie their entire property lifecycle together on one platform and stay connected with their real estate professionals. They are able to interact with family and friends in a very personal way by showing off their home improvement projects, seeking advice on a design idea, asking questions related to real estate…and this is only the beginning. We just launched and we have a lot more we are unwrapping in the next few months.

Greg: How do you see the site developing and expanding in the next 6 months, 1 year, 5 years?

Dave: Well right now, we are conducting several pilot programs, one in the professional community with agents we have partnered with and one with a consumer community here in NYC. I would love to go into more detail but I’ll err on the side of conservatism and keep you in suspense! If these pilot programs work, we will be releasing these new features in the next month or so. We also take the approach of quick iteration based on feedback and we’ve already been doing this in our first week since launch. You can expect a lot more of this in the next six months.

Long-term (1 – 5 years), we have some pretty big ideas. The Conversations Board which you will see when visiting Propertyqube, is only one offering we have built on top of our platform. There will be several more to come.

Greg: Why would an investor, buyer seller choose Propertyqube over another Real Estate Network?

Dave: Consumers have the ability to interact with their family and friends in a very personal and private way. Our homes are such an important part of our lives and a favorite conversation topic! We give people an avenue to share their homes with unlimited picture upload. We also make it convenient and efficient for consumers to recommend professionals to their trust networks which is great for a professional because a referral is the biggest compliment they can get! Real Estate is a word-of-mouth business. When someone needs to get into a transaction, they ask a family member or a friend if they know a good agent. We take that off-line word-of-mouth mechanics and bring it online to make it more efficient and convenient for consumers. Once we get more professionals on board, Propertyqube will also be a great site to find the right professional because consumers will have a complete view of all the professional has to offer.

Greg: How does the social graph apply to Propertyqube? How does one obtain new members in their Trust Network?

Dave: We don’t expect a lot of connections until a little further down the road – not until we build out the functionality we are working on right now. The value isn’t where we want it to be just yet. As time goes by, we see professionals inviting past clients, consumers inviting professionals to recommend them to their network, and consumers inviting friends/family to interact with them in this context, and so on.

There are two mechanisms to enable this: one is to search the site for individuals. The other is to invite them to join through email. We are currently working on a method that would move invitations in a different direction (yes, another pilot).
Greg: Your site is very much based on conversation and the giving of information based on question asking, how are you going to keep that content fresh?

Dave: As I said above, the Conversations Board is by no means the primary purpose of the site. We view having a Conversations Board as being a great standard feature rather than a differentiator. This is only one feature on our platform. Engagement throughout the site is extremely important and over the next few months, we will be releasing new functionality to increase engagement as well as incorporating new information into professional profiles to make them even more valuable to consumers.

Greg: Overall, how do you see social networking influencing how real estate is marketed, bought and sold?
Dave: The most important aspect or change is how professionals interact with consumers. It is no longer about making that “Hard Sell” to the consumer. It is much more about making sure you stand out from the crowd by establishing your local knowledge, giving superb customer service, managing your clients on one single platform so relationship-building is a continuous process rather than a one-time transaction-focused experience. Real Estate is a perfect place for social networking in the adult community to begin and we want to be on the front lines of providing a great product that is constantly evolving and providing value.

Thanks for the chat Dave and I hope that all of my real estate and property savvy readers head over your way and join the conversation with some great real estate enthusiasts!

-Greg Rollett

Buy Rock For Hunger II tickets at Dukat King!
Support Orlando's best cause and help stop the global cycle of poverty: Rock For Hunger

Do Social Networks and Web 2.0 Make People Buy?

comScore sure thinks so. Their findings imply that Web 2.0 users spend more of their dollar bills online than the average Internet user. In their latest report (Web 2.0 in Retail Today) of second quarter findings, surfers who visited “Web 2.0” sites spend around $27 billion in the US alone.

With holiday season right around the corner, what are you doing to increase the traffic?

An un-official checklist should look something like this:

• Myspace page with embedded shopping carts
• Company or personal blog with product views, reviews, services, and other goodies
• Optimization of all pages to get ready for what consumers are going to be looking for
• In budget PPC campaigns on Google, Yahoo, Ask, and MSN
• Text message sign-ups to receive the latest coupons, specials and up to the minute details
• Twitter all of the last statement’s objectives
• EBay (still super powerful)
• E-mail campaigns (start your lists now-well like 6 months ago-to have a huge impact later)

We can add and add to this list. For now focus on the heavyweights. Creating your brand online is the first step to creating new and unique visitors. Everything comes back to great content leading to great products, no matter what site it is.

Web 2.0 is making it easier for consumers to find and buy, but are they buying form you. I’m sure as hell making it to where they are buying from me!!

-G-Ro

G-Ro has a Talk With Endavo Media

I first got introduced to Endavo Media when Peter shot me an email offering their services as a compliment to my clients online video needs. We started to chat and things got interesting being that their company is based out of Orlando and Atlanta (we're in Orlando) and at the time I was heavily focused on band consulting and online promotion, something they were very aware and active of.

I thought the best way to get into their heads and see where they were coming from was to do a little old Q and A session. After a little lacking form my end (can't lie, right?) the interview is done and I must say that I got some much better than average response. Peter had the sense to take this session and run with it fro both himself and Endavo Media. I will say that I will be utilizing his services whenever possible and I encourage for you to drop them a line to see how they can help your video enhancement needs.

In the session we got into topics that range from how their company reigns supreme and separates itself from the YouTube’s and MyspaceTV’s of the world as well as the state of social media, mobile advertising and video and a forecast and possible ultimate demise of Myspace!

So check it out folks and be sure to visit Endavo for all of your social video needs.

G-Ro: Give me your best elevator pitch.

Peter: Well before the elevator door even closes, I’d tell a music artist:
If you have video content and an audience, we can give you everything you need to connect to them directly so you can make more money.

Hopefully, that should grab their attention so if the ride takes us a few floors, I’d hit them with:

Endavo Media allows music artists (and anybody who has content), the freedom to connect with their audience to grow their brand and generate revenue through our online video management, delivery and marketing system.

Of course, if it’s a longer ride to the top floor…

Endavo Media is rapidly establishing itself as a leader in the convergence revolution of digital communication and media technologies. We see ourselves as a provider of “freedom” to the entertainment & new media industry – “freedom to build and connect with your own audiences and communities and deliver your entertainment or information directly to your audiences anywhere, any way, anytime, and on your own terms”. We are a digital broadcast network and services company with a clear mission of providing comprehensive turnkey solutions for distributing digital entertainment & media directly to multiple consumer markets over the Internet and syndicated distribution channels, such as IPTV, Broadband TV and portable media. Our comprehensive solution delivers superior “managed” distribution power, for anything from home-grown video to commercial-grade TV channels, and everything else that’s needed to directly connect with audiences, manage assets and programming, and monetize those assets, without incurring the formerly typical costs of commercial network and systems operations.


G-Ro: At Rollett Marketing, we deal with local and indie bands and artists, as well as mom and pop operations and small businesses that are trying to get their ideas out through social media and networks. How can Endavo make its mark on this demographic?

Peter: The content owners you describe are in the sweet spot of our business of delivering entertainment through the new media and social networks over many different consumer devices. We not only work with established music artists like Lil Jon, but have a growing number of independent musicians and emerging bands that are using our video delivery solutions to build audiences and create hits. With us, it’s easy. You choose how best to reach your target audience and we’ll help you distribute your videos efficiently, provide a superior fan experience, and show you how to make money doing it.

G-Ro: Getting right into the meat, why would I choose you over say a free service like YouTube or Myspace TV?

Peter: Ah, we get that one all the time. The question is not whether the service is free or fee. The real question is “what is the best way for a music artist to connect with their audience?” We like YouTube and MySpace, but just posting a video on those sites doesn’t actually mean anybody is ever going to see it and certainly doesn’t mean you’ll make any money with it. That’s where we’re different. Sure, we can help artists connect to those networks and many others, but more importantly, we can drive fans back to the artist’s own website with innovative viral marketing tools. It’s all about broadening reach out there, but staying connected and in control of the music and the brand. Hey, for just $99 an artist or band can do all this with a custom branded MySpace video player that allows complete control of their media, links fans back to their website, and let’s them virally share the player for free on their own and their fans’ MySpace sites. All they do is easily publish their video files to our platform and our Media Management System will automatically convert the files into Flash format and deliver to as many MySpace players as they can get out there. Now, an artist can actually make money by promoting their events, sponsors, products using video or banner ads, even on MySpace. Check it out at www.GetMyOwnPlayer.com

G-Ro: Video is without a doubt the next level of internet advertising, how is Endavo preparing for this shift in advertising budgets moving from print and television to online and online video?

Peter: Our solutions leverage this shift to the benefit of our customers and the advertisers greatly. From the very beginning, we have built our entire platform around the idea that video and online advertising will be a key success factor for us and our customers. Advertisers and content owners are able to match up within our back-end system to target a very specific audience or to broadcast to the masses. Content owners can search and associate a specific advertisement in inventory to a specific video being programmed for distribution, then distribute to a target audience. Moreover, the content owner can track views and report back to an advertiser exactly how many times an ad was viewed. The beauty of working with us is that music artists can share in this new advertising revenue by placing their own video ads and banners on any of the media players that we offer. Best of all, the artist can control if, when and where the ads actually appear, which is unlike the way it works on the “free” social video networks.

G-Ro: Where do you see Endavo in 5 years/10 years?

Peter: Within the next 5 years (sooner actually) we would like to be seen as one of the “go-to” companies for delivering the next-generation of Internet TV, IPTV and Mobile TV and Social Media services and content management and logistics services, all rolled up in a comprehensive solution supporting anyone from an individual artist to a major studio.

Five and ten year forecasts for a business can be a bit out there. As for me in ten years, I plan to be sitting on a rock somewhere thinking about my next career move. Who knows, maybe I’ll have experienced enough stuff from this whole Web 2.0 thing to write a good book by then.

G-Ro: Do you see the shift into mobile devices as something that Endavo will focus on in the future?

Peter: Absolutely… our customers are recognizing that increasingly consumers are accessing their personal entertainment over mobile devices and cell phones. Actually, right now you can watch our customers’ videos on the Creative ZEN portable media devices and we’re talking to several companies about mobile phone opportunities. Accessing and bundling content, GOOD content, on devices is a fast moving trend. Our goal is be “device-neutral” where we just route the media to wherever our customers want it to be displayed. To us, that’s a real competitive advantage. What music artist has time to deal with figuring out the different formats required for all the devices that are out there? That’s where we come in. We handle all the transcoding and routing for our customer so they can focus on their core business. And speaking of devices, Endavo Media offers an IPTV set-top-box solution to content producers, television channel owners and programmers seeking alternative television channel distribution.

G-Ro: We have been talking about your Myspace player being a big push for your company. Do you still see Myspace being relevant in the next 3-5 years?

Peter: Whether it’s MySpace, Facebook, or the next big social networking site is really not that important to us. What we all know is that these social network sites have forever changed the way music artists are marketed and music is distributed and marketed. What’s important to Endavo Media is that wherever our customer wants to be, that’s where we’ll be.

Once again we’d like to thank Peter for taking time out from his busy schedule to give us some insight into Endavo and his views on the state of the social media scene. To get started with Endavo Media today, please visit their website or shoot me an email to get your brand recognized by the online community with a Brand Recognition or Social Media Package. Have a good one folks!!

-g-Ro E-MaIL mE

Online, Offline and Social Networking Rules!

I found some networking rules today from the career and recruiting blog The CareerXroads Annex. You can view them via that link. I am going to roll with Gerry Crispin’s advice but add a few of my own. So here goes some networking (mostly social networking) rules and guidelines to abide by when trying to make those connections to better your business.

1. Have goals and let them be known. If you need help, talk about it, post about it. No one can help you if you don’t share your vision.
2. Prioritize those goals. Go after what’s important. Don’t forget about the back burner, just focus on what’s for dinner tonight!
3. Networking isn’t short term, it is a process, and processes are not overnight. Online networking doesn’t happen by auto-bots or friend trains. It takes patience and the vision to see what’s going to happen tomorrow. Life is all about networking and you never stop meeting friends, colleagues, business partners, etc. Same thing goes for online networking. Barry Bonds didn’t hit those 755 in a season and Tiger still hits the driving range.
4. Don’t limit yourself to online networking. While I do 80% of my promotions online, the other 20% from word-of-mouth, dropping off cards, flyers, etc has proven to be just as successful. Don’t get caught up on your iBook. I know that I do from time to time, but the world is bigger than that screen in front of your face!
5. Remain positive. Even when times are bad, things are slow, etc there is always that one email, call, conversation that can spark a revival.
6. Practice doesn’t always make perfect, but it helps. Try and try again. I don’t know how many sites I have profiles for. Some are great; some are terrible and have been a waste of time. Even Myspace is constantly changing. The moral here is that if you do not attempt greatness, you can’t find it. And even if you hit those jumpers, you’re going to miss sooner or later. Be ready to bounce back, meet some new acquaintances and then do it all again.
7. Don’t invite everyone into your network. If they serve you no purpose than being another “friend” online, you don’t need them. I’m guilty of this, but sometimes I just “hope” that they will like my music or need my services. What usually happens is they crowd up my page so I have a hard time reconnecting with the people that do like my music or need my services.
8. Have fun. Making connections with people is fun and exciting. You never know who you are going to find out there. It could be the next brains to the biggest project yet, or it could just be a kid who wants to talk shop. Either way, it should be an enjoyable experience.

Hope these tips help. Feel free to add anything that you want to complete this list. By no means is it complete and official, just some things that I think will benefit you when you feel overwhelmed in networking online. Now with that being said, take these tools and apply them to your Myspace, Facebook, YouTube, Bebo, LinkedIn and other pages and meet that next partner, investor or client. I know I will!!

-G-Ro

grollett@tmail.com

It Just Doesn’t Stop: Social Networks Are Everywhere and Growing

It’s like that old commercial for a kid’s product I believe that said “10 million strong, and growing.” Only this time it’s '100 million strong and growing'! With Social Network sites taking top rank in Newsweek last week (Facebook and Mark Zuckerberg on the cover) to Myspace’s ever growing numbers to more sites with crazy names that are popping up everyday (just look at how many blog entries Mashable.com makes in a single day), the general public is finally realizing that these sites are not just for kids.

It’s not that I like to rehash these points everyday in this blog, but in the early stages of Rollett Marketing, I have had a hard time explaining social networking sites to a generation that didn’t even have the internet in their youth.

Us Millennials are spoiled! Just look at my survival pack for a meet and greet with a recent client:
-Sidekick with accompanying Bluetooth
-iBook
-iPod
-Oh, and some papers in a binder in case someone actually wants to see that!
-I'm just missing my iPhone (which won't happen until Apple gets out of its AT&T contact

What most people beyond their college years are starting to understand is that major players like Google, Yahoo, MTV, Viacom (parent company of MTV), Microsoft, Apple and more are starting to back these sites (and these sites aren’t cheap either!).

What is starting to happen is the capitalization and monetization for small businesses and large corporations on sites like Myspace, YouTube and Facebook. The great thing about these sites is their price to get in the game. Nothing! Yea that’s right, these sites are free to use. No more monthly hosting fees, no need for expensive merchant accounts, no flash design!

From a recent Fortune online article:

“The reason social networking matters is simple: people do things together, and this new software promises us the means to engage the social aspect of our lives in everything we do online. Among other things, shopping, consuming media, researching, planning our time, and of course communicating can all be done more efficiently if we have manageable information about what our friends are doing. It goes way beyond high school and college kids sharing photos and exchanging gossip.”

As you look to get your marketing plan going this fall, don’t overlook the social networks and their potential. A great feature to their pricing is that you can experiment with more than one site to see which fits your business model best. Bands are just now embarking onto Facebook and utilizing the new open platform applications to sell their tracks virtually royalty free to anyone but PayPal. Real Estate offices are opening their doors to the prospect of 100 million 17-24 year-olds who need a place to live when mommy and daddy throw them out on their own (and they get that ‘real job’ making Facebook applications!). Restaurants are sending out daily specials through Twitter and posting videos of what’s happening at their establishment. The possibilities are endless and it starts with your imagination.

Social networks are here to stay folks. The Millennial Generation is growing up fast and you might have to adjust. I write a great blog over at www.orlandojobspot.blogspot.com where I touch on the growing trends that social networks are having on hiring, training and development. Employee Evolution is a voice to that very group as well.

Explore your social graph. Explore some creativity in your marketing. There are 1 million bands that sound like you and have a Myspace page. There are millions of people making t-shirts. There are more houses for sale than being sold. Make a move, be bold and be a part of the next great movement in Marketing! Yea I think I like my job!

-Greg “G-Ro” Rollett