Virtual convention

Last week I attended a three-day self-publishing convention – and I never left home. While I have attended many webinars and teleconferences, and even a video conference or two, these have all been small and highly focused events lasting no more than an hour or two. But what I attended was a full-fledged convention with multiple workshops and even an exhibit hall. What was lacking was the ability to network and interact with other attendees.

Most of the workshops were panel discussions with leaders calling in from all over the country. Each workshop allowed those of us who participated to text comments or questions to the leaders. The workshops were handled as teleconferences – not webinars. While at least one presenter had a power point presentation we could download, the conference lacked any visual elements.

I can well imagine that virtual conventions will increase in popularity, particularly as they become more interactive and multi-media. This particular conference is one that I would not have attended had I needed to be away from the office for three or four days, and yet I did get value from some of the workshops to which I dialed in. Much of the value of any  convention, however, stems from the relationships established, the networking, and overall comaderie. So, just as printed books will never be totally replaced by electronic versions, so live conventions will not be totally replaced by those conducted over the Internet.

Will Limkemann
www.siqualtd.com

Internet marketing

During the past month I have devoted most of my waking hours to finding ways of promoting, selling, and distributing my new book, The Successful Home Business Guide. I must say it has been an educational experience.

What I have learned is that, using the Internet, there is an unlimited supply of resources (and time drains). In addition to networking sites, there are sites for posting and distributing news releases (some free, some at a significant cost), there are too many sites to count with free and dubious advice, there are sites filled with valuable resource material, there are on-line and brick-and-mortar bookstore sites, and sites all too willing to participate in selling my product (or at least participate in extracting money from my checkbook).

A little over two weeks ago I created my Twitter account and to date have sent out 46 updates. Through a trusted friend’s site I yesterday discovered a site called www.twello.com, which is a complementary site to Twitter and other social networking sites. Twello allows you to set up an account linked to your Twitter account and create Twittering categories. Now I really don’t have a clue as to the relationship between Twello and Twitter. What I do know is that as of yesterday morning I had amassed 79 followers. I created a Twello account yesterday and today I have 140 followers.

Will twittering and having people follow me result in book sales or consulting service? I don’t have a clue, but twittering is but one of many on-line marketing techniques I’m trying out. I’ll let you know what works.

By the way, you probably won’t be hearing from me next week as I have been called up for jury duty.

Will Limkemann
www.doublewarepub.com

Public relations

Some time ago I attended a luncheon seminar sponsored by the Beachwood Chamber of Commerce on the world wide web marketing. The breadth of the topic precluded anything but a general overview in the al0tted 45 minutes. None-the-less, there were plenty of take-aways from the talk. I never cease to be awed by the power of the Internet in reaching out to the public – no matter who your public is, and I’m always learning of new techniques for effective use of the Internet.

One of the take-aways from this meeting was an understanding that there are public relations sites hungry for free posting of press releases. A site specifically mentioned is www.prweb.com.

My company, Wolcraft, has just recently introduced a line of LED-based lamps. So, upon returning from the seminar I wrote up a press release and posted it to www.prweb.com. Incredibly, within three weeks I had received two orders that I could directly trace back to that press release. Needless to say, I will be further exploring this and other sites as I develop future marketing strategies.

From my own experience and experiences of many other business owners I know, I’m convinced that collectively we have just begun to understand and use the power of the Internet in effectively reaching our public. Perhaps we all need to take a page from Barack Obama’s presidential campaign in which he so very effectively used the Internet.

Will Limkemann