Buying in bulk.  Discounts.  Loads of trusted vendors.  These are a few reasons people shop at Walmart.  People like the safety of having someone do the hard work for them.  The searching for low prices, quality products, and the latest trends.  You walk in, take a look at the shelf that has already been carefully researched and stocked, and you purchase the item.  You’re in and out and on your way in no time.
How the Charts Are Like Walmart
The charts are similar to the Walmarts of the world; they curate a list …

We’ve been using Facebook and Twitter now for awhile.  Some prefer one over the other.  Some only use one tool.  Others are addicted to both. (Then there’s MySpace.  Remember that?  Facebook needs to take a hint.  But that’s another post…)
Twitter and Facebook.  They’re two completely different platforms.
Like oil and water, they both have their place.  We use both.  Yet they don’t always mix.  Likewise, Twitter and Facebook are two very different mediums with two very different niches.
Facebook.
When Mark Zuckerberg was at Harvard, he had an idea.
He and three classmates got …

I’ve introduced you all to a number of different people and local businesses in this networking series.  For instance, I’ve written about a local legal blog, an FHA mortgage broker, an insurance quote blog, and a social media coach.  This week I’m writing about an inbound marketing expert.  And this guy really knows what’s going on regarding social media of Indiana.
If you’re online and have any sort of web prescence, you need to understand the importance of search engine optimization, or as it’s also known, SEO.  You don’t necessarily need …

As some of you may have heard, I am in the process of opening a new recording studio in Northern Indiana.  I’ve been able to network and connect with multiple studios in Chicago, northwest Indiana, Indianapolis, and southwest Michigan, but I still needed a space that I could use for my projects in the area with local artists and groups that can’t make the drive to Chicago or Michigan.  There are plenty of studios within 100 miles, but with rates and quality varying, it’s always nice to have options in …

One of the reasons I’m continuing to introduce you to new people and businesses in the area is to expose you all to social media. This weeks Networking post will be on a person that is doing great things in the social media field. Enter Kathy Sipple, social media consulting specialist.
When it comes to the internet, social media is absolutely the direction we’re all headed.  If you are a business, an individual, a band, or a presidential candidate, you can and should be utilizing the whole social media …