The USDA released the “Food Plate” (The Food Pyramid is Gone)

It seems that the USDA has revised the food pyramid and is now sharing with us the FOOD PLATE.

You can check out more information at the site www.choosemyplate.gov.

I think that the most interesting thing is that they are stressing fruits and vegetables. Is this really news?
Didn’t our parents stress this all our lives?

What I am most concerned with is that not that we don’t “know” what to eat, we are just bombarded with marketing and advertising on all the wrong foods for a healthy diet. I don’t ever remember watching a commercial on fruits and vegetables. I see lots of coupons, offers and deals for hamburgers, fries and coke, but not broccoli.

Given that we respond to stimuli and that marketers are in the business of providing that stimuli, what do you think would be the best way to actually change our eating habits as a country and a society.

What do you do to counter all of the marketing messages from the food manufacturers that are not on the government “plate” that is being promoted?

Hey, we all struggle with food at least once a day, right? (Maybe even more than that if you are plugged into media).

I personally have to take action each day to pay attention to what I am eating (and that starts with what I choose to buy when I’m on the road or in the grocery store).

I’ve recently started logging all of my food choices each day using my Android App SpringPad. I note the food and the estimated calories. Yes, summer is coming and I’m working off my “winter of bad decisions.”

Thanks for your feedback.

Dominic Carubba
“Committed to Excellence and your Health and Well Being”

Dominic Carubba

The Mobile Media Marketing Dilemma

In the world of internet marketing, the impact of mobile devices cannot be ignored. There are also more mobile devices than cell phones counted in the mobile media mix. So what’s the dilemma? Simple, usability.

In order to be effective in your marketing strategy on the internet it is important to take into account the format of your information so that more people can access the information more often and more easily. Mobile devies come in all shapes and sizes and capabilities. If you design and publish based on the lowest common denominator, you run the risk of under-whelming your higher tech audiences. Go too advanced and you eliminate the lower end users that may have an impact on your impact.

So, is there a solution? There may be before long. A company called www.Siteminis.com has a proprietary software that sits on the server of the content provider that does the hard work for you. It reads the device that’s reading your internet content and scales the content to fit the device, so you don’t have to. That eliminates the redundancy of creating apps for each platform (ie. Blackberry, iPhone, Android, Palm, etc.) and shortens development time and content updates.

Think of all the money your company has already spent to create content, security and eCommerce behind it’s well fortified firewall. Now think of the risk that you will incur when you open the door to the outside world to access your guarded information. The more doors there are to lock, the more likely it is to have a security breach. That’s just simple. Siteminis’ founder Marci Troutman has seemed to crack the code that will keep you most valuable asset safe and secure while increasing the functionality of your overall internet marketing strategy.

The dilemma is over, you just have to get the right solution.

RE:quest for your comments. How has Social Media helped you?

Now this is a question for the world, but especially for those that I have sent an email request to using my LinkedIN contact list as well as my Facebook Page.

I have been using social media since 2004 when I started my MySpace page in response to my growing fan base as a local Atlanta comedian (all 27 of my fans demanded my web presence). I soon got connected with LinkedIN and became a LION (not a cat, a Linked In Open Networker)… otherwise known as a request slut (not a whore, because no money exchanged hands).

Now, almost 6 years later, I have thousands of friends and connections and I haven’t found any profits in social media other than social exposure. I’m not saying it’s been less than profitable, but it hasn’t returned the “millions in cash” that others seem to hype us up about. I’ve reconnected with friends, spread the word about different events and shared lots of pictures and funny videos. I’ve gotten pretty good at some games and I’ve managed to build a pretty impressive empire in Mafia Wars, but not of that has made me any money. I did get great seats once at a concert in Piedmont Park because some MySpace friends held the spot for us.

Here’s my point (then my question). I think there is a lot of hype about the importance of social media that is unfairly burdening people with the desire to “learn how to capitalize” on social media. When did it become so important to have a social media presence in order to survive in today’s business climate (that’s not my question, only a rhetorical frame)?

Should we really be so focused on “capitalizing” on something that is supposed to be social?

Here’s the definition of Social: so·cial (sshl) adj.
1.
a. Living together in communities.
b. Of or relating to communal living.
c. Of or relating to human society and its modes of organization: social classes; social problems; a social issue.

2. Living together in organized groups or similar close aggregates: Ants are social insects.

3. Involving allies or members of a confederacy.

4. Of or relating to the upper classes.

5.
a. Inclined to seek out or enjoy the company of others; sociable.
b. Spent in or marked by friendly relations or companionship.
c. Intended for convivial activities.

In those definitions of social, only # 4 relates to wealth in any way. Maybe our focus on the benefit of social media should be “socialization” and not “capitalization.”

What are your thoughts?

Please leave your comments on how SOCIAL MEDIA has helped you?

(I’ll give my examples in the comments about the comments)

YouTube Video Promotion

Well, I posted Part one of the Webinar and discovered a lot about YouTube.com in the process.
They have an adwords type program where you can promote your video based on keyword searches.
I ponied up a whopping $1.00 per day to advertise the webinar (which I am not too pleased with the quality) and have had several clicks. With my whopping budget, I only get about 4 views a day, but I’m not here to get massive clicks, only to learn the mechanix of using the internet for marketing.

Also, I found www.WarriorForum.com today as well. There was a rant about an IM (Internet Marketing) program that I almost bought for $497 (AutomatedSalesFormula.com). Lots of talk about the program and the dude and his past history with customer service and disgruntled customers, blah blah blah. I didn’t buy any of his programs but was glad to find the www.WarriorForum.com.

Instead, I bought the new Google NEXUS Android phone. I get it tomorrow. I’m so excited. I can have all the coolness of an iPhone without AT&T. That means better customer service and 1/2 the price. Check out the phone at www.Google.com/Phone. I may have to blog about that separately.

Back to Internet Marketing Automation. Here’s the deal. I have to go and invite my past interested folks to view the webinar recording tomorrow. That means that that one outcome will require several more steps.
Step 1, Finish formatting and uploading the other three sections of the webinar.
Step 2, Put them in a linked fashion in YouTube.com (and learn how to do that).
Step 3, Capture the correct link and send out the invitation to the recording.
Step 4, Create another link that I can post on Facebook, Twitter, MySpace, etc etc etc.
Step 5, Work out
Oh Wait, that’s not a step, that’s just more on the schedule.

Ok, that’s it for now. I’ll let you know when the Nexus shows up.

Best Regards,
Dominic X Carubba, CPT
Director
Center for Performance Solutions
www.TheADDguy.com

It’s time to stop the insanity

I just got finished watching the “Amazing Sales Formula” and was almost ready to buy the program. Unfortunately, it seemed like so many other programs out there that I had to do some research.

Lesson 1: do your research. I know why there is always a 10 minute time limit to buy the current offer before it leaves forever… forever?

So, one guy posted an article from Kenny: http://www.goarticles.com/cgi-bin/showa.cgi?C=2438931. I read it and decided that there were more of us than just Kenny.
I actually clicked the embedded link and since the plural of his blog didn’t exist, I just figured I would capitalize on the name availability. Kenny, you could also use some abundance coaching… the reason people don’t sell cheap programs for $20 is because people that would only pay $20 for a cheap internet program won’t buy the program. If they do, they will work your ass to the bone to get more value, because they’re cheap. If a cheap program is $497… YOU make more money and they cause you less hassle. That’s why Tony Robbins will charge $197 for a one day seminar and charge you up to $25,000 for the Mac Daddy University. People that spend more money are more fun to play with.

Lesson 2: Do more research. I just found the WarriorForum.com. Turns out, lots of Internet Marketers hang out there and chat with each other. Since I’ve never been much of a chatter (on the computer, that is), I never looked at forums much… until today. I hope I don’t get banned for posting pissed off comments about internet marketing scams. Check out the thread on AutomatedSalesFormula.com at http://www.warriorforum.com/internet-marketing-product-reviews-ratings/161886-automated-sales-formula.html .

Ok, My ADHD is kicking in and I have to go to my Jiu-Jitsu class in 42 minutes.

One last thing about me. I have been a “Feet on the Street” Marketer for over 20 years. I am pretty technologically savvy and an overall clever guy. Made and lost a lot of money over the years and I’m better for it.

I’d like to get to know you and what you are interested in. Please make any comments or questions on this blog post and we’ll create a community of practice (a learning cauldron) right here on the web.

Oh, and if you’re just starting out hoping to create millions of dollars in passive revenue then let me leave you with one thought. This thought is based on the premise that what you focus your attention on will expand (it’s a universal law).

If you are focused on making money, you will fail. Instead focus on creating value and that will lead to wealth (which is greater than money).

The first part of the Webinar

Wow.  On the first day (workday) of the New Year I finally uploaded my video to YouTube.  I’ll include the link below so that you can watch it yourself.  Then I’ll upload the other three parts of the video… yes, there are 4 parts.  Ideally, I would have had only three parts to the video, but it didn’t work out that way with the editing.

Lesson 1: YouTube.com uploads: time limits.  That’s right.  Did you know that YouTube.com limits videos to 10 minutes.  That’s why the first post of the entire 23 minutes did not get shown.

Lesson 2: Video editing in really good software takes a while to learn.  I purchased Sony’s Vegas Movie Studio V9.0 a while ago and have not mastered it yet.  I would have used Windows Movie Maker but it’s different with Windows 7 (easier my butt)…. most stuff is awesome with Windows 7, but if I’m going to learn new software (and MS changed moviemaker), then I’m going to learn something more powerful.

Lesson 3: I’ve been busy during the holidays.  Busier than I thought I would be.  I’ve been remiss in updating my posts and even firing up my laptop.

Lesson 4: I’m grateful that I am learning in my knowledge a little bit each day.  I just started taking Brazillian Jui-Jitsu here in Atlanta at the Alliance Jui-Jitsu Stuio.  The teacher is fantastic… and he always says “Little by Little” you will learn.  Just keep working out every day that you can.  The fundamentals to learning something new haven’t changed.

I’m going to post more tomorrow after I run my life errands and of course work out tomorrow morning at Alliancebjj.com.

Just practicing putting links into my posts, just in case they turn into affiliate links and buy stuff and I get paid (that’s the next lesson for me to learn and share with you).

Best wishes and a happy New Year to you!

Dominic X Carubba
The ADD Guy

PS – Lesson 5: Ask your readers to post comments on my post.  That’s you! Would you be so kind to post a comment?

PPS – Lesson 6: Post the link you promised (this is an update).

The Webinar is Now Downloadable: 3 Wayst to Get MORE!

Well I completed my first webinar this week and finally got the recording ready to view.  I am a little challenged by WordPress.  I’m forced to upgrade if I want to load the video media to the blog.  I can’t do that today, but I will soon do that for sure.  There’s just too much to do on the last day of the year.

Since the middle of the second sentence, above, until now, I just spent 15 minutes getting my blog verified.  What’s that?  I don’t really know just yet, but I am “meta tag verified” like a big dog.  On Google, Yahoo and Bing.  I think it has something to do with the fact that I am the rightful owner of the website.  What a distraction. Remember the good ole days of marketing, when you had to print flyers at Kinko’s and pass them door to door to make any money.  At least the internet is easier to use… LOL.

Ok, I recorded my webinar using GoToWebinar’s recording service and I selected the option to have them convert the recording to a Windows Media Player compatible format (*.wmv).   I chose that so that the content would be accessible to people that registered but did not attend.  It only took a few minutes after the webinar to convert the file.

Then I rant it through my Studio Vegas 9 software to chop out the early stuff and end mess.  Just to make it cleaner.  If you have Windows Movie Maker or iMovie, it’s the same easy process.  So, I’ve got 23min and 31sec of an online presentation on how to get more.  Now WordPress wants more money for me to upload it on my blog.  They didn’t even register for the webinar and already they want more.

So, here’s what I’m doing.  I purchased AVS Video Converter 6 and converted it to a flash file.  That should be friendlier for all parties concerned, but I have to figure out if I’m going to host it here or not.  Yet another discovery journey.  Here’s where I hesitate.  If you’re like me (even just a little), then you know that there’s a solid solution out there for how to do all of this.  My friend Clarke at www.GreasedSkid.com said Flash would work well with WordPress, but I don’t just want to spend $60 to find out there’s a better or even free option.  You could go broke with all the immediate solutions out there that are offered on the first investigation.

OK, that’s it for now.  I’ll track post the link to the recording of the webinar as soon as I figure out the next step’s proper execution.

Best of luck on your learning journey of internet marketing.

Dominic Carubba
www.TheADDguy.com
Facebook.com/dominic.carubba
LinkedIN.com/in/dominicx
twitter.com/dominicx

PS- I want to read your comments.  Please provide any and all feedback.