Google Places - A FREE webpage for local business

Hi to all of our small local business owners/operators,

Did you know that Google is very interested in helping you connect your business with your customers and prospective customers.

Well they are and Google has created a space on the web just for you.

It is called Google Places. It allows you to provide information, pictures, video and directions to find you. Your space interacts with Google Search and Google maps to make it very easy for people to find you.

Google has produced a 40 minute video on just how your local business can get set up on "Google Places" and uploaded it to You Tube. You don't have to go watch it on You Tube as it is available right here. (click on the video below to watch or double click to watch it on the You Tube website)



If you are finding that there is just too much information in the video or that you are feeling confused with all the terminology terms that is being used, it's Okay!

Just hop over to our Facebook Fan Page (see the link in the sidebar to the Right) and click the "Like" button at the top of the page.

If you are not on Facebook, it's okay! You can call us or email us. (Our telephone number and email are in the header of this blog just at the top of this page)

We are always happy to talk to you about these FREE sites that will get your business found quickly on the Internet.

We will post again soon,

How Non Profits Can Prosper Using Social Media

Hi to all of our non profit org readers

Non profits are great but competition for support is getting fierce in todays marketplace. So, how do we ratchet it up a notch?

Like their for-profit brethren, many non-profits understand that using social media can help them reach and engage their audience, create momentum and build community.

Using social media tools can give today's non profit a leg up on others that are using the traditional ways to encourage support.

But how???

Click here to read the entire blog post on the "SocialMedia Examiners" blog that outlines 21 ways that non profits can prosper by using these powerful tools to reach and engage people in order to build a supportive community for your non profit.

We will post again soon,

Gary

How Do I Get Google To Love Me?

Hi to all of our business readers,

Are you Number One In Google for all of your Keywords?
Do you have Too Much Traffic Coming To Your Website?

Do you have Too Many Sales Of Your Product To Keep Up With?

No? Maybe, you need a way to get Google to love you. This boils down to a one word answer. It is "Links" or "Backlinks".

Now for the HOW!

Click here to get a FREE series of four videos about using the power of Links to grow your business and how to do it.

If you want the software that's your choice. We are not an affiliate and as such receive no compensation on the software sales.

Our blog post is simply get you to some very valuable FREE information on how to get Google to love you while building an ever expanding loyal customer base and sell a ton of your products online in the process.

We hope that you will use this information as it is a very, very powerful way to build your customer base and increase sales online.

If you need help after watching the videos then give us a call or leave a comment on this post.

We will post again soon,

Gary

Why Twitter Is For Small Businesses

Hi to all our small business readers

Are you having difficulty connecting with your customer base? Is it even more difficult to attract and connect with new customers? Do you find that the newspaper and radio adds are more costly and at the same time not nearly as effective as they used to be?

Do you see more and more people with cell phones but they are NOT talking on them. It's more like they are looking for something on them because they keep opening them and looking at them. You have also noticed more people typing on their phones as well. Doesn't anyone ever just talk on their phone like a normal person?

The simple answer to that question is NO!

The reason is that more and more people are using their phones to text rather than talk. Ask a teen how much they talk on their phone and you might get a funny look. Ask them how often they text or tweet and they will more likely say "all the time". The kids in turn, are teaching their parents to do the same in order to stay in touch with them.

Welcome to the era of SMS (short message service) and smart phones. (with Internet)

Click here to read a great article on "Why Twitter Is a Big Win For Small Business"

Reading this type of article is a great way to gain an understanding of marketing 2.0 or social marketing. Todays cell phone is actually a device. (not your fathers cell phone)

In order to do business in today's world even small businesses need to change the way they market to their customers and attract new customers as well.

So click here to check out the article and if you want to learn more just call us the old fashioned way (902) 940-0048.

We will post again soon so bookmark us OR follow us with Google Reader. We are also on Twitter so follow us there.

HARLCOM

Straight from the heart - Entertainment - Arts - The Guardian

Straight from the heart - Entertainment - Arts - The Guardian

2010 Global Education Conference - Press Release

2010 Global Education Conference Press Release

The call for presentations for the 2010 Global Education Conference is now open. Presentation proposals are now being accepted at http://www.globaleducationconference.com.
The 2010 Global Education Conference is a collaborative effort to significantly increase opportunities for globally-connecting education activities and initiatives. The conference will be held online November 15 - 19, 2010 in the Elluminate (now Blackboard Collaborate) platform. Sessions will be free, broadcast live in multiple time zones and multiple languages, and available in recorded formats afterwards. The dates of the conference coincide with International Education Week, a joint initiative of the U.S. Department of Education and the U.S. Department of State.
The conference has an International Educator Advisory Board of over 90 educators worldwide, chaired by Julie Lindsay of the Flat Classroom ProjectTM. Thirty leading global organizations serve as Conference Partners, including: the Asia Society, the Centre for Global Education, East Asia Regional Council of Overseas Schools (EARCOS), ePals, iEARN, and TakingITGlobal. Full lists of the advisory board and the partners can be found at the website, and interested individuals and organizations are encouraged to contact the conference chairs.

Conference presentations will be categorized in five tracks: Teacher, Student, Curricular, Policy and Leadership, and Global Issues. Particular emphasis will be given to global inclusion and practical teacher application, and the intention is that all serious proposals be given the opportunity to be presented. Keynote speakers will be announced in September and October.

The conference co-chairs are Lucy Gray and Steve Hargadon. Lucy Gray is an Apple Distinguished Educator and Google Certified Teacher, and founder of the Global Education Collaborative network (http://globaleducation.ning.com). Steve Hargadon is Elluminate's Social Learning Consultant, founder of the Classroom 2.0 social network (http://www.classroom20.com), and host of the Future of Education interview series (http://www.futureofeducation.com).

Additional Information:

· The Twitter/Social Media hashtag for the conference is "#GlobalEd10".

· More information about Elluminate is available at http://www.elluminate.com.

Contacts: · Steve Hargadon steve@hargadon.com

· Lucy Gray elemenous@gmail.com

PEI Tweetup

Hi to all P.E.I. Tweeter readers,

It's coming, and if you can, you should be there too. Meet the Tweeters @peitweetup.

This is all about getting together to meet face to face and do a little networking. It is the web 2.0 way to meet people and promote your business.

Get all the details here and sign up to be there.

The theme is "Connecting P.E.I.'s Twitter Community Face To Face"

Hope to see you there!

Small Business Marketing Weekly | Local Business Marketing Weekly

Small Business Marketing Weekly | Local Business Marketing Weekly

Hi to all of my local business operator and social media manager readers,

Harmony Lane Communications points you to a fresh report just released by Jim Edwards, a seasoned and respected marketer. Click the link above to get an early bird read of Jim's report. His report is titled "7 pillars of marketing a local business online".

Jim provides some great tips in this report. I personally am not a fan of Google's AdWords to drive traffic on the Internet but take a look and I'm sure that you will find something in Jim's report that will inspire you.

Please share your thoughts on what you did or didn't like in the report by leaving a comment on this post. Thanks!

Click here to read more Small Business marketing in today's world reports like this by Jim Edwards... Enjoy!

Will post again soon,

Gary

Socialnomics - The Book

A Special hi to all my business owner readers

So, you think that Social Media is just a fad. Well there is a book that you should read.

Socialnomics - The Book by Erik Qualman just may change your mind! In his book he uses real life examples like JetBlue and Coke to make his point.

Eric believes that social media is the biggest shift (life changer} since possibly the industrial revolution.



Click here to go to the "Socialnomics" - the book website.

This book WILL change the way you do business.

Gary

Kate Needs Your Vote

Hi to all my readers

Kate Buck Jr. is part of a new panel on outsourcing for social media management and she needs your vote.

Click the link below. Sign up, give a thumbs up vote and leave a comment if you like.

Click Here

Thanks and have a great day!!!

Smiles :o)

Gary

Closing out the browser TABS!

Closing out the browser TABS!

Do You Have Stage Presence?

Do You Have Stage Presence?

Does Your Website Reflect Your Brand?

Does Your Website Reflect Your Brand?

The Importance of Branding

The Importance of Branding

HARLCOM joined Facebook!

Hi, Welcome back

Wea are now on Facebook as HARLCOM. Please drop by and check us out. Social Media Marketing is what we are all about. Our goal is to help small business owners connect with customers and potential customers using the latest in technology.

We like the concept of keeping it simple. That is why we like using platforms that people are already using every day like Facebook. Feel free to just drop by to say HEY.

And by the way thanks for taking the time to read our blog...

Smiles :o)

Gary

How I Got To Page One On Google

Are you thinking, after reading a few of the posts on this blog?

"Wow!, I really need to connect with people who are buying the things that I sell"

Yep, you do! So...How? Well 85% of people that use the net, use Google. Believe it or not and that number is growing.

Question: How do I get to page one of Google?

Answer: To start, Click here to go over to my friend Kasey's page to watch her short video and get her report on how she did just that.

Have fun over on Kasey's page but don't forget. To learn more about how to connect your business with people using the web, sign up to be a follower of this blog before you go. Thanks!

Gary

Harmony Lane Communications
harmonylanecomm@gmail.com
http://www.twitter.com/harlcom
902 838-3261

Soial Media Explained

Videos that help us understand the value of Social Media

This video has been viewed over two million times on You Tube:



So why do we need to understand Social Media?



A further explanation of Web 2.0 and how computing is changing the way we communicate.



Thank you for taking the time to view these videos.

As a small reward, here is a 42 page PDF report titled "Let's Talk Social Media For Small Business"

To learn more please become a follower of this blog.

Gary
Harmony Lane Communications
harmonylanecomm@gmail.com
1 902 838-3261

Socializing the Storefront, Part 2: Navigating the Scene

Socializing the Storefront, Part 2:

Navigating the Scene

The key to finding the proper social marketing strategy is to talk with your customers -- in real life -- to get a feel for how they use social media,

To read more click the link above.

Smiles :o)

Gary

Why Social Media For My Business

This is Important information for today's small business owner

Being social is not only popular with internet users at the moment but it is an awesome way for your business to connect with customers. Because the Web 2.0 (social media) has come of age and almost all of your customers are using it. You are most likely using it too. You now have this new tool to communicate with customers directly.

As a business owner it is no longer necessary to wait until your customer comes to your store to ask the question, "How may I help you?". Today's consumers are information seekers. They want to know more about products than ever before. They want to know what product will solve whatever problem they may have at the moment. They want to know where to get the best quality and price and they want to know the most efficient method to obtain the product they need. They are very rapidly learning how to use the internet (web 2.0 tools) to obtain the information they need.

If your business is savvy enough to understand this need. Then, THIS is where the opportunity exists to help your customer. If you do not understand this need and do not provide these tools to help your customer online, someone else will. The end result will be, your customer will search for help on the net. Someone else will provide the help and that someone else will make a sale. One less customer that will come to your store. As this scenario plays out over and over the number of your costumers continues to drop, leaving a serious negative effect on your ability to maintain your business.

The way people are managing their lives has changed and is continuing to change. Just think about yourself and how you would go about solving a problem in your life these days. Say, you need to have your carpets cleaned. Would you look in the yellow pages to find a cleaner in your area? OR, would you go online to Google "carpet cleaning" and see what information is available on the subject, BEFORE you choose a cleaning service. If there was a service that appeared on the first page of the Google search results, and provided useful information about carpet cleaning. Was available to answer any questions that you might have and could provide the cleaning service to you for a reasonable price. How likely would you leave the internet and go back to searching the phone book yellow pages for a local carpet cleaner. NOT LIKELY!


The way people are doing business has changed. As a business owner you need to change too. Web 2.0 (social media tools) is now the way people want to find information and connect with businesses every day in their lives.

To keep up with how people are using the internet to find information and solve consumer problems today stay informed. Learn more by becoming a regular follower of this blog.

Gary

Harmony Lane Communications
harmonylanecomm@gmail.com
1 902 838-3261

What Is Social Media Management?

What Is Social Media Management?

When you have a business, selling specific products at every step you will want to know the consumers feedback on your product. Wanting to know everyone's opinion on your product is very natural. This awareness has even more increased in the recent times due to the internet and social networking gaining prominence. Sellers at every step are getting keen for social media reputation management. Hiring people to regulate one's media presence and thereby improving their chance of gaining prominence is fast becoming common among sellers. Trying to get the spotlight one can never ignore this platform.

Read more: Click the link above.

Smiles :o)

Gary

Socializing the Storefront, Part 1: Give Them Something to Talk About

Socializing the Storefront, Part 1: Give Them Something to Talk About

Social marketing strategies and the mix of platforms will vary depending on the business you're in. For example, Kogi BBQ, which operates a fleet of Korean-fusion taco trucks in the Los Angeles area, made its bones announcing on Twitter to savvy late-night customers where its trucks would be. The company, which started with one truck, has grown to four and has a stationary location now as well. It may be chiefly to blame for the recent rise in food-truck culture, and it certainly is responsible for short-rib-and-kimchi tacos we're told are quite tasty.

To read more click the link above.

Smiles :o)

Gary

Welcome to Harmony Lane Communications

Welcome to Harmony Lane Communications

Thank you for coming over to our blog. We have just created it as a piece of our new Web presence.

Over the coming days we will be adding additional pieces as our new venture unfolds.

Our goal is to assist businesses to develop and maintain a Web presence that will be both informative and interactive with the customers whom they serve. At the same time we will strive to develop web pages that rank high on search engines while being easy to navigate and are pleasing to the visitors eye.

We plan to provide products and services that will assist and educate the small business owner in Web page creation, Search Engine Optimization and customer interaction using the tools of Social Network Management and List Building.

Our overall Goal is to have business clients that make effective use of evolving Web based technologies to give real time support to their customers.

This post will continue to evolve as we further develop our business model.

Stay tuned!