A theme of last weekend’s National Speakers Association convention in San Francisco was the emergence of Social Media as a tool for entrepreneurs and freelance professionals.

I ran out of time at the event to meet with two NSA members who taught a well-attended workshop on Hidden Gems of the Internet. As I mentioned in my last podcast, these two Social Media Teachers shared a ton of useful information about the many tools available to build an independent business online.

I caught up with Michael and Sheryl on the phone and asked them to give their reading of the acceptance of these tools, what the opportunity is, and what obstacles there are to wider acceptance of Social Media.

In our conversation they reference a number of resources:

• Zoominfo.com a business information search engine
• Google Alerts – for email updates of the latest search results
• Pewinternet.org reports on the impact of the internet
• Poynter.org for up-to-date online ideas
• Goldencompass.com Michael & Sheryl’s home page
• HiddenBusinessTreasures.com their blog about using the Internet to grow your business
• HiddenSpeakerTreasures.com Internet search tips for speakers.

To hear their insights on Social Media and much more, click on the podcast icon below.

Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 11:36 — 2.7MB)

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One of the most popular break-out sessions at this weekend’s National Speakers Association Conference was a three-hour session presented by Michael Benidt and Sheryl Kay on social media and the “Hidden Treasures the Internet”. A standing room only crowd was treated to a fire-hose of information on everything from advanced Google search tips to ensuring the audience can see the relevant information on a slide by using SnagIt. Not to mention advanced tips on blogging and podcasting, how to use Creative Commons to grow your business and much more.

It was apparent from the questions the audience asked that many NSA’ers are social media novices.

So rather than stick around to ask Michael and Sheryl comment on their class, I caught up with some of the audience and asked what were some of the opportunities and challenges presented by this plethora of social media tools, and what practical steps they planned to take to incorporate them in their existing businesses.

The most successful NSA members have the designation of Certified Speaking Processional (CSP) and CPAE (Speaker Hall of Fame). So I was thrilled when, despite a voice which was not in top form (an occupational hazard for NSA members!) Marjorie Brody, CSP, CPAE, agreed to give me her take on how she plans to incorporate these tools into her very successful speaking business.

To hear what an admitted “social media novice” has to say, click on the podcast icon below.

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You never know who you’ll meet at a National Speakers Association conference. I was lucky to run into an amazing entrepreneur, blogger, podcaster and social media superstar: Jeanette Fisher, the social media queen.

Jeanette has a multitude of websites – over 100 in all. These, plus her active participation in social networks such as Twitter and Facebook have raised her visibility such that she is the number one listing when you simply search ‘Jeanette’ on MSN.

She has multiple areas of expertize, including that of being the foremost authority on Interior Design Psychology & Home Staging as America’s “Dream Home” Maker. She’s the author of 21 books.

I took the opportunity to ask Jeanette how she started in the area of social media and what advice she would have for someone who wants to take the first steps.

To hear what she shared with me, click on the podcast icon below.

Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 3:24 — 795.5KB)

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Shel Holtz is a social media guru – a recognized authority on how people can thrive in the midst of the current information explosion by using a dynamic ‘cloud’ of services to promote themselves and built a reputation online.

He’s the author of How to Do Everything with Podcasting, Blogging for Business, Corporate Conversations and many other books. He gave a workshop on the opening day of the National Speakers Association Winter Workshop in San Francisco today.

Shel’s blog is a model of Web 2.0 convergence in a world of seamless mobility where vehicles for communicating to a social network are converging rapidly. He cross-references his blog postings to Flickr, Digg, Twitter, de.licio.us, LinkedIn, YouTube, Facebook, Skype, Technorati and Utterz. OK? Got that? Well, if you aren’t familiar with all these vehicles take a look at the bottom of the left column on his blog where you’ll see them in a ‘widget’ window – meaning if you like what you see you can even host all of Shel’s feeds on your own blog or web page. The one social media tool I had never heard of before is Utterz. Shel likes it’s flexibility. It allows posts from your mobile phone or online in voice, video, pictures and text, to your blog page.

I took the opportunity to indulge in the recursive thrill of doing a podcast interview with a leading podcaster about podcasting. To hear what Shel has to say, click on the icon below.

Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 3:24 — 795.5KB)

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I spent the day at a Forrester Analyst workshop on Web 2.0 Fundamentals for the B2B Marketer. The workshop covered a wide range of topics: Online Video, Podcasting, Blogging, Wikis, RSS and Social Networks.

It was apparent that the Fortune 500 companies who Forrester surveys have their own unique set of problems when it comes to fully embracing these new marketing tools. Something about teaching the elephant to dance comes to mind.

After the day was over I asked Forrester’s Brian Haven to comment on the contrast between the way solo entrepreneurs are using blogging and podcasts and how the large corporations are implementing solutions. I asked him if there were opportunities for independent consultants to help larger corporations learn the best uses for the Web 2.0 tools which are available for minimal cost.

To hear a top analyst’s opinion of the Web 2.0 phenomena, click on the podcast icon below.

Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 4:47 — 1.1MB)

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My third and final interview at the ANZAtechnet Conference was with Raphe Patmore of Perth-based Buzka.

His product blew me away!

If you are a subject matter expert, information marketeer, frustrated blogger looking for a quick way to snarf content or otherwise interested in building a vibrant online community of clients by offering structured access to information, then you really must check out Buzka.

But wait! There’s more! As well as being a handy-dandy way of collating content from the far reaches of the internet the Buzka “Spot” you create (for free!) will drive your Google rankings sky-high. Check it out. Search on ‘Chinese Stuff’ and in the top 10 listings you’ll see Wei’s Chinese Stuff Spot – a Buzka site.

Other examples of Buzka sites can be found by using the ‘Search’ button or browsing this listing of Interests. A couple I liked were this Guide to London and this guide to Learning French.

Don’t make the mistake of dismissing Buzka as a simple ‘bookmark publishing’ app or another Digg.

I was recently impressed by the flexible social networking aspects of Ning – which allow information brokers to build a client base. But it seems small scale and somewhat walled off. Not so Buzka.

The true power of the product (listen up, NSA members) is by investing a couple of grand for a private label version, like this very cool surfing site. Nice, huh? Look at all the user generated content on ‘Your stories’, and the extensive catalogs on ‘Clothing and Accessories’. I can imagine many niche markets responding well to filtered, organized information on a Buzka Spot – who knows, they might well value the expertize of the person delivering this information enough to stick around and see what else you have to offer.

Enough of my rambling. To hear Raphe discuss his product, well, you know what to do…

Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 3:25 — 799.3KB)

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