CRITICAL WORDPRESS UPDATE ANNOUNCED | DEC. 29, 2010

If you are a current AIM Custom Media client and your website is running or includes WordPress, the update has been processed for you (done). The update was required due to a critical vulnerability discovered in the WordPress core. It is a very important update to apply to your site(s) as soon as possible because it fixes a core security bug in the HTML sanitation library, called KSES.

We consider this WordPress release update as “critical.”

Please contact AIM Custom Media at 804-723-9160 if you any questions concerning your site(s).

The official release announcement is here: http://wp.me/pZhYe-qt

Greg Magnus
AIM Custom Media
Ph: 804-723-9160

What are the benefits of article marketing?

There are many benefits associated with content marketing on such sites. Here are a few listed by the publisher of EzineArticles:

• Boosts Your Personal and Business Credibility: Getting published in EzineArticles.com boosts your credibility and begins the trust cycle with your readership. For many authors, being listed with EzineArticles.com is an excellent way to get started, especially if you are a published author or hope to be published soon. There is a book inside each of us waiting to come out.
• Builds Brand Equity & The Brand Called You: Having your articles featured in EzineArticles.com builds brand equity for you, your business, and your expertise. It begins or reinforces in your customers’ and prospects’ minds what you can do for them.
• Surges in Traffic to Your Website Like No Other Site Can Deliver: This is caused by the ezine publishers who come to our site throughout the year to pick up quality articles for their email newsletter or website in addition to our end-user base of millions of people who are looking to immediately benefit from your expertise. When your articles get picked up for reprints, you will often get a surge of traffic as your articles are introduced to their email list members or audience.
• Massive Exposure To The Hundreds of Thousands of Unique Visitors That Come To EzineArticles.com Daily: Your articles may be viewed by the (MILLIONS of visitors) that use our site every month! We work very hard to deliver a positive, fast and end-user obsessed experience that keeps our fan base returning for more.
• Receive Quality and Relevant Leads to Your Website: People who read your articles and click on your link(s) found in your Resource Box at the end of each of your articles are highly-qualified prospects by the very nature of how they found your website.
• 7-10 Times More Effective Than Regular Advertising: You become known as the expert by your article and this endears potential customers to you before they even visit your website. There is no better way to “pre-sell” your prospects than article marketing.
• You’ve Got A Head-Start on The Reciprocation & Trust Cycle: Your prospects are pre-sold as you have already begun the reciprocation cycle by giving first, through your expertise in your articles. When they visit your site, your qualified prospects will already know something about you and feel endeared to reciprocate, or at least check out your products.

The following article on branding was published by Karen Dunlap. I enjoyed reading it and I hope you do as well.

Is There Passion Behind Your Brand?

By Karen Dunlap

Do you create from the inside out or the outside in? That question applies as much to designing a space as it does to creating your brand because the answer to both is the same. You should build from the inside out. But, like many of our clients who make the mistake of choosing the paint color before anything else, we make the mistake of designing our marketing materials and building our website before we even define the brand. And a brand that connects with people and draws them in starts from the inside, with you and your passion.

Your brand should communicate your passion. When people visit your website, pick up a marketing piece or listen to your greeting on your voicemail, they should sense that passion that is behind what you do. Passion by definition is energy and people are always attracted to that energy. They want to get a piece of it, experience it firsthand.

Think about your passion. What inspires you about design? What moves you and stirs your soul? Get crystal clear on this because once you make that connection and incorporate that into your brand, both clients and prospects take notice. They’ll sense there is something different about your business and they’ll be attracted to working with you.

Your passion is your calling. It’s a reflection of pure alignment between being and purpose. When you see someone living their passion, it is contagious. My son’s music teacher from many years back was a shining example of this. He taught music at the elementary school level which for many music teachers is just a job. But you could tell for him it was so much more. It was an opportunity to share his passion with the world around him. He gave these students so much more than just an appreciation of music because he was living his passion. The kids loved him and wanted to be around him. In sharing his passion with young and old alike, he draw us all in and left us feeling energized and inspired. You could tell what he did was with ease and pure joy. While he didn’t need a “brand” per se, he was a perfect example of how living your passion becomes your brand and draws people in. You said his name and people instantly smiled. That is what you want to create for your business through your brand.

Realize your passion is very much connected to your brand. A brand that stands out and resonates with your ideal client starts from the inside out. It starts with your passion!

Action Steps:

What is your passion? If you find yourself hesitation to answer this or unclear of your answer, take the time to discover what that is. So many times we get so caught up in the day to day that we lose sight of the passion that lies within us. It is still there and always will be; you just need to make the time to connect with it. Make time for the things in your day that allow you to slow down and nurture that passion. Once you have a clear understanding of what you’re passionate about, make sure your brand reflects that passion. As you look through your website and marketing pieces, do you feel connected to the words and pictures? If not, your passion is not coming through. Create a brand that speaks from your heart and is a reflection of your soul. You’ll connect with prospects and clients alike in a very powerful and lasting way.

Karen Dunlap is an interior designer, business owner and creator of the Design For Your Success NOW System™, a unique training and coaching program specifically created for design professionals. Using specific strategies and systems, Karen coaches design professionals on how to simplify their business, attract ideal clients and get back to their original passion, designing and decorating.

Karen Dunlap | Interior Designer, Student Member ASID, Trade Partner AIDP
____________________________
KMD Interiors, LLC
43283 Thaddeus Lane
Lansdowne, VA 20176
p. 571.218.6531
w. http://www.kmdinteriors.com

Article Source: EzineArticles.com – Expert Author Karen_Dunlap | Is-There-Passion-Behind-Your-Brand

Click here to view the embedded video.

Click here to view the embedded video.

Click here to view the embedded video.

VIDEO ON DEMAND BY AMAZON

AIMcustom.com/digitalAIM/ News – Source: Splashtop via Business Wire, SAN JOSE, Calif., Nov 30, 2010 – Splashtop Inc., the worldwide leader in instant-access computing, today announced the immediate availability of Splashtop(R) OS (beta), a lightweight, web-centric operating system optimized for notebooks and netbooks. Splashtop OS is a browser-based “companion OS” that can co-exist with the Windows operating system. The company also announced a new worldwide search distribution agreement with Microsoft Corp., through which Bing will become the default search engine across the Splashtop family of products. The new product, coupled with Bing technology, will make the promise of Instant Search available to millions of consumers worldwide.

Splashtop OS is designed for people who “live on the web” and need fast, reliable access to their favorite sites and web-based applications, as well as a traditional Windows-based desktop environment. In addition to prominently featuring Bing as the default web search provider, Splashtop OS delivers a simple yet familiar environment based on Chromium, the open source project behind the Google Chrome browser.

“We’re experts in getting you what you want — and fast!” said Mark Lee, CEO and co-founder of Splashtop Inc. “Through our OEM-branded instant-on products, we’ve already got millions of PC users hooked on Splashtop speed. With our downloadable product, we’re aiming to reach the rest of the population. And now, together with Microsoft, we’re going to put some zing into web search.”

Unlike previous Splashtop products that have been white labeled, pre-installed and distributed on tens of millions of PCs from major OEMs like Acer, ASUS, Dell, HP, Lenovo and LG, the new product will be Splashtop-branded and available directly to end users via download from the company’s web site. Splashtop OS is streamlined: it will include no native applications beyond the Chromium-based browser, and will boot directly to a Bing-powered search box in just seconds.

“We are excited to be working with Splashtop on giving our mutual customers easy access to Bing’s powerful tools that help customers make more informed decisions,” said Jon Tinter, General Manager at Bing. “Our two companies share a vision for instantly-available, search-centric computing experiences. We think Bing is a natural addition to the Splashtop OS providing the perfect way for users to more quickly find the information they need to complete complex tasks and make better decisions.”

An instant-on, browser-centric OS allows users to quickly get to the content that matters to them. Users can do a quick search, find an address, check email or update their status on Facebook or Twitter without having to boot into Windows and launch a web browser. In contrast to Google’s Chrome OS, expected to reach the market before the end of the year, Splashtop OS is intended to complement — not replace — Windows as the primary desktop operating system.

Key Benefits

Fast — less than 5 seconds to start Easy — Instant Search, a pre-browser Bing-powered search box for faster queries Safe — features a locked-down Linux core running a Chromium-based browser Convenient — includes all the core plug-ins, such as Adobe Flash, pre-installed so there is nothing more to configure Smart — automatically imports critical settings such as region, language, time/date, Wi-Fi networks and browser bookmarks from Windows for streamlined set-up.

Availability

Splashtop OS (beta) has been optimized to install and run on several popular platforms from HP, including Mini netbooks and Pavilion notebooks. Platforms from other PC makers that have bundled Splashtop will also be supported. Support for additional Splashtop-based platforms will be made available in the coming months.

About Splashtop

Splashtop Inc. (formerly known as DeviceVM, Inc.) was founded in 2006 with the goal of optimizing the computing experience so that people everywhere can quickly get to what matters to them. The flagship Splashtop OS product, first introduced in 2007, is an award-winning instant-on platform that allows users to get online, access e-mail, and chat with friends seconds after turning on their PCs. The expanded family of products includes Splashtop Remote, which allows users to enjoy the full Windows experience from their iPad or other mobile device, while away from their Windows PC.

Today, Splashtop-based products are available on more than 40 million PCs from leading manufacturers including Acer, ASUS, Dell, HP, Lenovo, LG and Sony. Splashtop has received numerous awards, including the prestigious “Most Innovative Product” award from PC World, the “Best of What’s New” award from Popular Science, and “Best of 2010 CES” award from Laptop Magazine. Splashtop Inc. is headquartered in San Jose with offices in Beijing, Hangzhou, Shanghai, and Taipei. For more information, visit the links below.

More Info:

Click here to view the embedded video.

Splashtop Website: www.Splashtop.com

Splashtop OS download: www.Splashtop.com/os

SOURCE: Splashtop Inc. via Business Wire

For those interested, Google is hosting two AdWords seminars in Washington D.C., Dec. 6-7, 2010.

Where?
Hilton Garden Inn Fairfax
3950 Fair Ridge Drive, Fairfax, VA 22033
(I attended a seminar at this hotel a few years back; nice hotel for a seminar, easy to find and plenty of parking).

The following is from the PR email sent to me:

AdWords professionals are coming to Washington D.C. from Dec 6-7 and there are still a couple of spots available to join us for our seminars. This is a great chance to sit down with an AdWords expert, who’ll show you how to find more customers online.

Our independent search-marketing professional will deliver in-person, hands-on training on the following:

• AdWords 101 on Dec 6: Discover how to organize your AdWords campaigns, and craft keywords and ads that give you the biggest bang for your buck.
• AdWords 201 on Dec 7: Take your account to the next level. Learn how to turn clicks into customers by identifying keywords that really work, and improving those that could perform better.
• More info visit: Seminars for Success here. To register, visit the Event Site here.

Here’s more detail from the event registration site (see Event Site link above):

What Are AdWords™ Seminars?

Led by leading search engine advertising professionals, these full-day, in-person seminars will help you learn how to make the most of the time and money you invest in Google AdWords. Whether you’re a new advertiser interested in learning more about AdWords or a seasoned veteran ready to take your account to the next level, AdWords Seminars can help you meet your goals and make the most out of the time and money you invest.

AdWords 101 provides a foundation for understanding your AdWords campaigns and beginning the optimization process. This is a great class for new advertisers or intermediate advertisers looking for a refresher. This class examines the new AdWords user interface in detail, and shows how to manage campaigns more efficiently. Please see the curriculum breakout below for more information.

AdWords 201 covers intermediate topics critical for optimization. We introduce you to the latest tools and cutting edge technologies and provide expert tips and tricks for truly maximizing your ROI. Please see the curriculum breakout below for more information.

Sign Up And Receive These Bonuses:

• Up to $100 AdWords advertising credit
• USB thumb drive with seminar materials
• Continental breakfast and lunch included
• Other Google™ goodies

Growing small business owners rarely have the staff in-house do it all, all of the time. One way to set the odds in your favor is to use similar marketing tactics that the high-paid marketing pros use. When you pick up a cork-screw you don’t first ask how many bottles it opened – you know it works. Many marketing tactics in today’s high-tech world are similar.

I read a lot of email newsletters focused on website marketing. Although many are not necessarily geared toward small business, the tactics used can often be scaled and implemented within the limits of a small business budget. Here are a few interesting links and marketing articles for your perusal. They just might spur a few ideas that you can use within the limits of your small business marketing budget:

Ad AgeDIGITAL – NEW YORK (AdAge.com) — The 186 responses that Old Spice pitchman Isaiah Mustafa recorded for fans of his beauty, intelligence and outstanding physique took just a week to eclipse the original TV ads themselves in total views, according to new numbers from Visible Measures (full article here at AdAge.com).

Youth, Business, and Podcasting – SitePoint talks with a couple of veteran podcasters about the medium and have an interesting discussion about youth and entrepreneurship. This is the SitePoint Podcast #70: Youth, Business, and Podcasting with Dave Moyer and Jeff Chandler. (SitePoint Podcast here).

Flipboard for iPad – Designed from the ground up for iPad, Flipboard creates a magazine out of a user’s social content. Launch Flipboard and “flip” open the cover – readers can view their sections and personalize the magazine. (Flipboard Press Release here).

“With over 1 billion messages posted every day, social networks are quickly becoming the primary way people discover and share content on the Web. The result is a huge influx of incoming messages and links people must sort through across multiple web sites just to stay up to date,” said Mike McCue, Flipboard?s CEO. “We believe the timeless principles of print can make social media less noisy, more visually compelling and ultimately more mainstream.”

Let us know what works for you – drop us a comment below. Thanks.

- Greg Magnus

The seminar features many big name inspirational speakers like Rudy Giuliani, Colin Powell, Zig Ziglar, Terry Bradshaw, Sarah Palin and many others.

Time: 8:00AM to 4:30PM
Date: May 19
Where: Richmond Coliseum

Visit the seminar website Get Motivated here for additional details. Also, visit the Richmond SCORE Chapter website here for counseling details or to join us as a volunteer!

Washington, D.C., April 7, 2010 /PRNewswire/ — SCORE “Counselors to America’s Small Business” is pleased to announce the formation of a public/private partnership to accelerate small business growth through access to broadband. SCORE, Fortune 500 Companies and leading technology firms launched a national initiative to accelerate broadband adoption. Learn more at www.score.org/broadband.html.

The consortium will help increase small business growth through the use of broadband technologies, as SCORE seeks to grow 1 million small businesses. SCORE, in consultation with the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) and U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA), will work to encourage small business success through the use of technology.

Leading technology firms in the United States and SCORE’s extensive network of 12,400 business mentors across the country are partnering to help level the playing field for small business through broadband access. SCORE supports the FCC’s Broadband Plan. The founding consortium partners are: AT&T, Best Buy, Cisco, Constant Contact, Google, HP, Intuit, Microsoft, Skype and Time Warner Cable Business Class. Supporters include DRT Strategies and Engage.

SCORE CEO Ken Yancey says, “Broadband connectivity is critical for business success in today’s marketplace. We want to make it easier for small businesses to access this technology to create efficiencies, leverage e-commerce, expand marketing, and increase social networking online.” Yancey adds, “This consortium will make it easier than ever for small businesses to learn about using technology to grow their businesses, using broadband to enable e-commerce and leveraging technology to meet the demands of today’s consumers.”

The new initiative will focus on increasing digital literacy, web skills, e-commerce capabilities and online communications tools usage for small businesses. Consortium founders are donating $1.125 million to The SCORE Foundation to support the SCORE Association’s local small business training, online training and resources to help small businesses adopt broadband technologies. SCORE will expand small business outreach by making new local workshops and online training and tools available through its 364 chapter offices and via www.score.org. These tools will help small businesses leverage technology and boost their productivity and growth.

Learn more at www.score.org/broadband.html.

The growth rates in mobile computing are compelling and the answer is definitely yes according to industry experts.

AT&T Mobility president and CEO Ralph de la Vega, says 95% of iPhone owners regularly surf the web; 30% didn’t do so on a mobile device prior to his or her iPhone ownership.

A recent Tech Crunch article covers some of the trends for those interested (excerpt and link below):

As smartphones like the iPhone and Android take over the mobile Web, the amount of data traffic going over cellular networks is expected to grow 40-fold over the next five years. UK firm Coda Research Consultancy forecasts that in the U.S. alone mobile handset data traffic will grow from 8 petabytes/month this year to 327 petabytes/month in 2015. That amounts to a 117 percent compound annual growth rate. (See Tech Crunch for full story here)

Are you capturing new business using mobile marketing tactics? People are connecting everywhere now, not just when they are sitting behind their desks. In restaurants, elevators, hotel lobbies, trains, planes and automobiles.

Going Mobile
I’m going home and when I wanna go home
I’m goin’ mobile
Well, I’m gonna find a home
And we’ll see how it feels
Goin’ mobile, keep me movin’
(Pete Townshend, Lyrics by Who; The Who At Kilburn: 1977 Blu-ray)

Is mobile marketing a compelling strategy for your business? Is your site optimized for mobile viewing? Now is a good time to test so you can determine if your online content is optimized for usability, design and content distribution. Contact AIM Custom Media if you need assistance.