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Member Profile
Shara Karasic, Work.com Community Manager
Community Manager, Work.com
Santa Monica, CA, USA
Visit Work.com Community Blog (feed)
Welcome to Work.com! As the Work.com community manager, I am constantly delighted by the amazing guides and comments we're getting from the community on all kinds of business topics, from doing business in China to starting a pool hall.
I have led online communities for a range of constituencies since 1995 including businesspeople & entrepreneurs, kids, and K-12 educators. Communities I've been involved in include CyberTeens, Classroom Connect, the Quest online expeditions, the Schwab Foundation, and now Work.com, and I'm always fascinated by the strong bonds and collective wisdom that develop through online interactions. My small business and entrepreneurial experience has been varied -- everything from dethorning roses at a flower shop to slinging corned beef at a deli to managing the office (er, garage) of a small educational software company to perusing IRS code at a tax law firm to importing batik from Bali. In 2001, I did web development training for technology businesses in Ghana as a Geekcorps volunteer, as well as consulted with human rights organizations through USAID's EDDI project.
I always love to hear any feedback you have to make Work.com even better, so either contact me directly through my profile, send an email to feedback@work.com, or best of all post your comments and suggestions to the Work.com Community Blog.
sharakarasic.com - my list of online community resources
Industry:
Arts & Entertainment
Size of Business:
51 - 100 employees
Years in Business:
11-25 years
Affiliations:
No End web developer list
Business Interests:
online community, social networking, social entrepreneurs, green business, small business blogging, ICT4D
Total Guide Views
9
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5
Member Since: 09/15/2006
Status: 
 Guides Written by Shara Karasic, Work.com Community Manager
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Discover trends, get advice and find out what other businesses are doing
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Prosper from international trade while avoiding the pitfalls
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Keep in touch with your worldwide network for cheap
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What is Web 2.0 and why does it matter for your business?
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An inside look at how and why people connect virtually
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Easily keep up with syndicated feeds in your area of business interest
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How to become known as an expert among the business community
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Save big bucks on your startup or ecommerce web site by DIY with free tools
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Get insider updates from today's movers & shakers, & tell them what you're doing
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Enhance your social media presence via Facebook's social graph
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This is a really interesting and emerging business topic - I'd love to see this guide more fleshed out.
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Thanks Kimberly - you give a lot of good ideas on how to increase traffic to a Squidoo lens. What is the main advice you would give to someone who has written a lens but so far hasn't gotten much traffic?
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If you have a Facebook fan page, let us know about it - we'd love to check it out.
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Interesting guide, Gordon. How does Alipay work? Also, is it true that Chinese ecommerce buyers need more personal contact with the seller in the form of chat, etc. then Westerners?
Which sites do you consider the "eBay" of China?
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Just read an interesting article on Search Engine Journal about how to set up a Twitterfeed (thanks for mentioning that Deborah), which allows you to take any rss feed and output it to Twitter.
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Thanks, Todd, very interesting. Why do some SEO's not think social bookmarking is effective?
By the way, here are some additional social bookmarking tips - if you create a really useful page on topic A, and people start to bookmark it to say, del.icio.us, help spur bookmarking by adding a del.icio.us badge to the page ( example), and add bookmarkers as friends on del.icio.us so you are connected to people with an interest in your topic, thus ensuring interested people can easily find your bookmarks in the future.
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I live in LA and recently took a video editing class at Santa Monica Community College. It was a wonderful experience. We shot and edited our own video. We did a parody of the TV show 24, and this being LA, a cameraman from 24 was actually attending the class. It was great to get the big picture of shooting the video as part of the editing process, and I learned so much from watching people with real industry experience. I have realized when learning editing, networking is key, as I found out about so many tips, tricks, resources, plugins, etc. from the teacher and my fellow students. The class is over now, but I am planning on attending a local Final Cut Pro user group to continue to learn editing within a community.
Thanks for an inside view on becoming a film editor, Laurie. The only thing I would add is that in my recent class we used After Effects for motion graphics and Photoshop for still graphics, in addition to Final Cut Pro. It seems important for a skilled editor to know those three applications at minimum.
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Thanks for letting us know about www.seodigger.com. I just used it for one of my websites and the results were quite interesting!
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Kay, congratulations, this guide has been listed as a tax resource for freelancers at the Bootstrapper blog.
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Hi Justin, very useful guide and thanks for the blog post about Work.com. I'm glad you're getting decent traffic from Work.com! By the way, I just Twittered this guide (I'm SharaKarasic at Twitter!)
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Laurie and Scott, very interesting insider advice that some of us can use as a gentle nudge to write... ;-)
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Laurie, my friend was at a Kinko's in Santa Monica and a talent scout invited her 4-year-old son to come to a screen test for Disney Channel. How to know if such an invitation is reputable or not? What's the best way to check the reputation of an agency?
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Terima kasih banyak untuk ini, Popiah!
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Justin - I like your tip about adding value. I think it's not just about what you contribute to the community, it's about creating real relationships there. I would consider stepping back from thinking too much about tactics, and create value and relationships, and see what that brings. Algorithms change, but social capital reaps long-term benefits.
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Great guide. I would like to hear more about Georgia and Verdana. Also, I recommend the book Stop Stealing Sheep, which covers how typography can enhance the legibility, meaning, and aesthetics of your work. I never looked at fonts the same after reading that.
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Good advice, thank you!
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Another cool way to hook up with people in different ciities and tell others where in the world you'll be is dopplr.
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Interesting way to use Linked In - LinkedIn could also facilitate meeting new people in your industry if you move to a different area - I'm going to do a search for LA online community professionals right now!
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Scott - very well put. I am going to link to this guide from this week's Work.com member email in the Online Visibility Tips section.
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Nice info, but maybe it belongs on Babble.com, not Work.com??
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lockman, we'd love to hear your advice on this topic, either in a comment here or in your own guide.
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Paul, how would you improve the Work.com homepage? ;-)
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Hi Brenda, I lived in Taiwan for a year, and find this a very fascinating topic. Do you have cross-cultural tips for other countries as well? I could imagine a whole series of guides...
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I just bought a 23" Apple Cinema HD monitor to attach to my MacBook Pro laptop, and boy am I happy! I have heard arguments pro and con for getting the Apple one - mostly the con is the price, but I had both an educational discount and a generous birthday gift card, so I decided to splurge. I needed a monitor that would be great for image and video editing. It works great and looks gorgeous.
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Hey Byon, congratulations, did you know that your guide is posted about on the OpenSourceCMS.com site? Great exposure!
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Todd - this is a very helpful guide for companies getting started with social media optimization. I think Facebook has a lot of traction now, so would recommend people check out what it offers for businesses.
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Thanks Byon, for such a useful guide to using Joomla.
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A few comments - this is a very, very basic guide, but from a professional standpoint on multimedia authoring software - the lines between Director and Flash have blurred, with people in many cases choosing to use Flash to author online games, etc. There is concern about the future of Director, though that's addressed here by its product manager. Here's a discussion of Director vs. Flash.
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You are all welcome to join my Facebook group, How Businesses Can Increase Online Visibility, where we share ideas on promoting our businesses online.
Also, please note that now Facebook has Social Ads, Beacon, Pages, Insights, and more for businesses.
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Thanks, Eric!
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Thank you, glad this list is useful - if you have other useful web development links please add them!
Cheers,
Shara
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Hmm...interesting guide, though I thought it would be about something else!
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I'd love to hear from consultants who have written successful (and unsuccessful) proposals. What has worked for you?
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Byon - I would like to try out drupal for my website and it's being hosted by a commercial hosting service. Assuming they support drupal, what are the steps I need to take to get it running on their server?
Thank you!
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What woud you recommend to include in your kit if you're travelling to an area that has a lot of malaria?
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Another important networking tool are actual geek networking events and conferences: Geek Dinner in LA, Lunch 2.0, BarCamp, etc. etc. In this industry, who you know leads to your next gig/job.
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I just had the pleasure of selecting a visually appealing card of my choice from a new acquaintance., who fanned out a variety of business cards he created at Moo.com, and printed with his flickr photographs. The fact that I had to choose which card most appealed to me visually created a memorable moment that really will help that person to remain in my memory.
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I would like to hear more about using chat for live events and moderation. Also, be careful about what your purpose is for using a chat and if there is a genuine user purpose for the chat. You don't want to throw up a chat application and have no structure around it or no visitors.
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Here's a list of free web development tools. Before hiring a web developer or creating a site yourself, I would recommend creating a content inventory (what you're putting on the site) and a site map (how you will organize your site). Figure out the main goals of your site. Also, do some research: creating an online store requires different building blocks than building an online community does. And don't forget to build SEO into the site's structure and content. Good luck!
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I have heard that it's important to have your address listed on your business site so Google can index you for searches in that area.
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Hi Betty. Actually, later this month I have a 5-hour stopover at SFO - not enough time to leave the airport, but enough time to want to find a comfortable and quiet place to hang out and see friends from the area. I am hoping to find a good place at SFO that I can hang out with visiting friends for a couple of hours. Anyone have recommendations for the best club or other place to do this at SFO (San Francisco Airport)?
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Garrett - I was just sitting in a meeting this morning with my laptop, discussing of all things email newsletter goals, and happened to notice that your guide had just been published. I ended up emailing this guide to everyone at the meeting! How very useful. Glad I found your blog linked from your profile, Conversations Monetized, too. I've subscribed to its feed and look forward to hearing more from you.
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Thanks Zachary! Looks like you have an interesting blog for those interested in Boulder real estate.
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Brian, thanks for such a useful guide. I may be a Facebook addict, but I find Facebook invaluable for keeping up with what's happening in online community, Internet marketing, and the latest business trends.
See you on Facebook - I'm going to add you as a friend!
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Hi Ned, I'm in the market for a new car and I've had a few friends who have gotten fantastic deals at auto auctions. I was just thinking I should check out a car auction, just to see what it's like. Your guide is full of clear, helpful information to get started! Thank you.
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By the way, you can also do some good by lending for no interest on Kiva.org. Help entrepreneurs in developing countries be successful with microloans!
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Thanks for your insights, Jennifer!
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Carol - please email me directly at skarasic<at>work.com with your feedback on what we can do to improve the guide input process.
Thanks,
Shara Karasic
Community Manager
Work.com
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I do remember that at one of my former dot-com companies in the Bay Area, there was a request at one point to not wear half-shirts that showed bellybutton rings. Other than that, people pretty much wore what was comfortable...
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I would love to hear your thoughts about the pros and cons of writing articles on Work.com in terms of finding new customers or enhancing reputation and visibility. What would you like to see enhanced to make Work.com a more valuable place to write articles for a business audience?
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Curious, has anyone had success as a lender or borrower on Prosper.com?
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Thank you Anita!
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Hi Jeff - thanks for a great guide. I just blogged about your guide on the Work.com blog, where I also list a great flickr group for mannequin photos.
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Nice Ghana photo! I wish more people would add photos to their guides...here's another Ghana photo below I took in Accra in 2001.
Ghana photo
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Jon, nice to meet you at SES San Jose! Has writing your guide helped with your social media optimization strategy?
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Hi Samuel,
I would like to talk to Work.com guide authors about their experience writing and publishing a guide at Work.com with the goal of enhancing the guide writing process as well as learning more about the response authors are getting from their guides.
If you are interested, please email me a phone number I can reach you at, as well as some good times to reach you.
Cheers,
Shara Karasic
Community Manager
Work.com
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Very wise advice not to pack too much into a first version of a product - and to let your market help you evolve features.
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We had a "biggest loser" competition at work and it was a very effective weight-loss method for many! Getting weighed in by our HR person was surprisingly motivating...
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Andrew, curious, what is L'Oreal's byline?
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William - I like how you blend success and community values. I always look forward to reading your guides.
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Thanks for your response, Jeff.
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Thanks, Jeff. I am really excited to learn more about open innovation. Can you let us know great products created through open innovation? By the way, speaking of suggestion boxes, feel free to leave suggestions about improving Work.com here or on the Work.com blog ;-).
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Hi Lindsey, thanks for such a useful guide. I bet a lot of people have never even thought about using negative keywords, but after reading your guide, I see the importance of using them!
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Thanks for the guide. I like how you inject a sense of realism into the home-based business dream.
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You are very welcome, Anita!
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Dawn, agree that this a great guide. What do you think about the "GTD" philosophy?
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Hi Andrew, thanks for this guide. I'd love to hear from people who've bought a website and made it into a successful business.
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Thanks for adding the verification info, Bill.
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Can you please let us know your affiliation to your company, and also it would be interesting to get more background about Buddha and the making of Buddha statues. Thank you very much!
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Is there a way to have products tested by a third party for Proposition 65 compliance?
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Akwasi, interesting points you bring up. I would always be careful about releasing any personal info on the web, whether on a social media site or anywhere else. As for security holes some sharing sites could create, do you think IT departments are generally aware of those or not?
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Thanks, Todd!
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Todd, what do you think about getting PR through social media sites?
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Hi Anita,
Thanks for a very useful guide! You just inspired me to create a new account (Shara K) to help answer business-related questions. I'll report back about my experience here and at the Work.com blog.
One thing that people should know before proceeding at Yahoo Answers: after a question has been answered, you cannot delete the question. So if you are experimenting and are using an account that is linked to your main Yahoo account, be careful about which questions you ask - for example, if you ask a silly test question, it will remain on your profile forever, and may not present the image you want.
If you do join and you're a Work.com member, I'd love to be part of your network!
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You've done a good job at telling me the "why's" of protective coatings. Do you have any case studies about how companies benefited through using protective coatings? That would be interesting.
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Pete, is your business auto wraps? Do you mind telling me more about auto wraps - what are they for, which kinds there are, etc. Is it a good business to sell auto wraps? Thank you!
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Hi Sara,
Thanks for a useful and detailed guide to Zillow. Do you mind noting your relationship with Zillow? Our policy is that guide authors disclose if they have a relationship to a company they are writing about.
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Hi Frank, thanks for your insider tips on hiring in China. How long have you been in China and what do you do there? Good point about being careful about a parallel organizational structure. I would think the same caution would be advisable in other countries with strong traditional kin/tribe/village structures.
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Tim - good point not to just jump at the cheapest price, but make sure you're dealing with a professional company before placing an order. Thanks for this guide - it's useful. Do you ever recommend just cutting out the middleman and say, flying to Taipei to find a company that will produce promotional products?
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Thanks Rich!
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Hi Rich, what other business social networking sites would you recommend, and how does Fast Pitch compare to them?
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Also, do make sure you include your business address on your website - this will be indexed by Google and show up in local searches.
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Hi Marc,
Thanks for your useful tips - another site I'd add would be Yelp.com, a local reviews site. Get your satisfied customers to write you a review on Yelp! There are other sites too where you can promote yourself locally, such as Judy's Book ("coupons, sales and deals in your neighborhood") or Chowhound if you're a restaurant or specialty market.
Also see Greg Brown's guide to online maps for small businesses.
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Hi Rachel,
Thanks for your guide...any particular tips for event planners who would like to plan clients' weddings in New Orleans?
Shara
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Hi Navin, looks like you've added a lot of great resources to your guide - thanks for all your efforts!
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Ilene, what a thorough, useful guide. You really help walk us through how IT services specifically for small business add value. I hope you are sending your guide to bloggers and linking to it in many places so more small business people can learn IT best practices!
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I would put a Flickr badge on here to show examples of what some of the signs look like, but the character count of the badge is more than 1500 characters, so I am unable to.
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Melissa, I think it would be an immensely valuable addition to this guide if you could link to photos of your gardening business' completed gardens - even before and after photos. Maybe you could throw up some photos on flickr and we could link to them in these comments - or even create a flickr badge...just an idea...
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Several more important web roles: front-end coder (HTML/CSS/Javascript talent with a good eye for design), production artist (crank out many graphics and help the designer), creative director (in charge of all creative), information architect (creates the basic structure/taxonomy of the site), illustrator (there's a point where clip art just sucks), instructional designer (specific design for elearning) , interaction designer (focus on design of the interactive elements of a site), user experience designer/UI expert (pays attention to the overall user experience/usability), QA engineer (don't forget testing, testing testing!), usability tester (more testing, testing, testing based around user tasks), and product marketing manager (marketing person in charge of marketing for a specific web product).
Sometimes the same person can take on multiple web roles, though as organizations grow, usually roles become more specific.
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Since teams building websites will have to live and breathe and collaborate creatively together just as a movie production crew does, keep in mind that an important factor in hiring is to hire compatible or complementary personalities, and make sure people can bond together well as a team, be responsible, and have fun together. Each person has crucial knowledge and skills that added to others creates the finished product.
Don't forget to the post jobs on craigslist also, and I've found that the best Internet jobs these days, besides those you find out about privately, are being posted on LinkedIn networks.
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Note: project manager/producer may be the same role.
This guide doesn't mention the role of product manager. The product manager is usually responsible for all aspects of the product's management, lifecycle, and roadmap, and may or may not have project manager duties - often there is a separate project manager/producer who handles more of the scheduling and day-to-day tasks. The product manager creates product requirement documents and usually has a hand in the product marketing as well.
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Navin - great guide. Thanks for helping us learn how to start doing business in India.
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Michael, thanks for an interesting guide. I continue to be fascinated by the topic of internationalization and localization of new media. I am an American who worked in Ghana in 2001 developing websites as a Geekcorps volunteer, and I can definitely say localizing a website is more than just a language issue. Often different cultures have not only different terminology, even when using the same language, but different classification systems and different expectations of information architecture and user interaction, and sometimes a different aesthetic which is considered professional.
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Greg - thanks for another useful guide. I haven't really thought much about refrigerated trucks, but they really are important to making our modern societies work, and are so crucial to many businesses.
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Thanks Alan - do you have any examples of sites successfully making money from the affiliate model?
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Interesting guide - thanks Gary! How much can someone expect to save if they buy a pre-foreclosure or foreclosure home?
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Hi Navin, thanks for your guide. I want to know more! What do you see as opportunities for American and other foreign companies with regards to the new Indian middle class? What do I need to consider before expanding my business into India?
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Wipe food shields often - probably good advice! Jeff, thanks for a clear, concise guide about sneeze guards - I've filled the hole in my knowledge bank!
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I once met an avatar in Second Life who invited me onto her speedboat, which she could board right from her home, which happened to be on a waterway. It was great to speed past on the boat and see all her neighbors' homes. I also have a friend who has a house right on the beach, and she can sit and watch the waves, and throw beach parties. If you want to make money selling land in Second Life, consider buying land near the water!
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Anyone planning a web site content today has to at least consider users contributing their own content. If your users will contribute, what will motivate them? How are their submissions structured?
Also, in my experience I have found that great content management systems (the forms/tools to input content) can play a very strong role in robust, frequently updated content. Ideally, writers should be able to stage content, save content as draft, preview content, retrieve content from a certain date in the past, even control how content wraps around images and how images are located within the content. Other important things to consider: access control regarding who can publish final versions of content, and ability to update content from anywhere.
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Ariel, thanks for this very useful guide. Optimization is very important; and also important is user experience. It's an art to balance the two!
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Eve, great guide! Thanks for your insider tips on writing the best ppc ads.
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From someone named Joe who wrote into feedback@work.com: "Salesforce.com is expensive and sucks. Take a look at www.sugarcrm.com. It's an open source CRM that is available as a hosted solution or you can download the code for free and set it up yourself on your own servers."
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Jennifer, do you have any case studies of companies with great supply chain management?
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Deborah, I hear a rumor that you've got a new guide in the works about how companies can market themselves in Second Life...can't wait to read that one!
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Judy - thanks for this guide. I want to get a wireless keyboard for my desktop so I can sit in my Corbusier cowhide lounge chair while I work...
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Interesting that you say an amateur packing job looks bad to consumers. I thought I was the only one who noticed good packing jobs when opening a package!
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Sheila - this guide will be very useful for those getting started in the restaurant or floral business - in fact, I'm forwarding it to a friend who is starting a floral business right now!
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I get a new tote bag at every conference I attend...
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The pallet rack identification guide is very interesting, thank you!
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Thanks Christopher, this is a very useful guide for those involved in online advertising!
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Anuja - perhaps you could improve your rating by offering some of your content tips directly in this guide!
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P.S. I've already added this guide to digg and del.icio.us for starters!
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Thanks, Melissa. I just wanna spread the gospel. I swear great things have been happening since I wrote 7 Work.com guides...
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I found Digital Photography Review useful when I was looking for a digital SLR. Or try the Best Digital Cameras swicki search. Also reviews on c|net and nytimes.com. I ended up getting the Nikon D50, which I absolutely love. I bought it from B & H Photo in New York. Just knowing I can choose to use my old Nikkor 105 portrait lens from my Nikon FM2 makes me feel wonderful.
When I was looking for a digital SLR a while ago, I was considering Nikon and Canon models as well as Lumix. Keep in mind that lens quality is a hugely important factor. Also being able to use your own flash which is further away from the camera than flashes attached to a camera improves lighting quality immensely.
Here are some photos of Asbury Park, New Jersey taken with my Nikon D50.
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I LOVE the idea of the Text Expander. What a great shortcut! I am off to get it!
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Matt - your tips & tactics are great insider advice. Thank you for this guide!
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Frances - I see this guide is now #1 most popular on the Work.com site - congratulations!
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I'd love to see a greater variety of useful linkbuilding resources!
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Dennis, your guide gives a good overview of how to prepare payroll. Thanks for sharing your expertise with the Work.com community!
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Mike, this is one of the most enjoyable AND useful guides I've read. I like how you use example, description and humor to make your points about what really matters in web design. You hit on some key points that will help the business owner figure out how to have a decent website. Thanks for sharing your expertise with the Work.com community.
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Hi Lisa - this is a very useful guide, thank you. Do you have recommendations for how to evolve information architecture of a site as the site usage evolves, and also how (or whether) to integrate "folksonomy" (user-based categorization) into an interface? What are some of your favorite examples of sites that do a good (or bad) job at this?
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Hi Aaron, great guide. I'd love to hear some examples of various restaurants' designs and how they correspond to the type of food served. I remember eating in a Russian restaurant in NYC and the waiters were dressed like Cossacks...
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If your cover letter is sent via email, I recommend you pay attention to the subject line, do a test to make sure the formatting is okay on several different email clients but especially Outlook, use any links to previous work strategically, and craft a signature that sells you.
Also, when writing a cover letter, different companies may require a different tone. For example, if you are applying for a web job for a site that is flip, irreverent, and fun, I wouldn't write a very dry, somber email. Though trying to be too clever could backfire too. Definitely have several people read your cover letter before you send it. And - good luck!
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Thanks!
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I took an SBA import/export seminar, and found out that a lot of people export from the U.S. by buying at warehouse stores like Costco. In fact, Costco even has their own export division. Here is the contact info from the Costco website:
"Wholesale customers interested in purchasing large quantities (container loads) of merchandise for export outside the U.S., or to where Costco does not have a physical location, should contact the export sales division: exports@costco.com
Costco Export Sales
999 Lake Drive
Issaquah, WA 98027"
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Yes, Mary, what advice would you have for someone who wants to sell tea kettles or tea?
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Thanks, Eric. Wonder what will happen to Microsoft after this. Have you tried any of these apps yet, and if so, what do you think of them? How do they compare to Microsoft products? By the way, there's no link to the Google App videos.
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Matt, your point about getting involved genuinely in the Craigslist community is a good one. And remember that Craigslist, with its unique community culture, does not like spammers, and doesn't want to be ruined by spammers. So make sure Craigslist is really the place for your ad, and like Matt says, pay attention to the community guidelines.
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Deborah, I'm thinking of getting a new Mac laptop, but I've heard that there are Mac issues with running Second Life - is this true? If there are issues, are they being addressed by Linden Labs? P.S. Have you heard that CBS bought Electric Sheep, a virtual world development company? Seems like they're betting that virtual worlds will play a strong part in the future of the Internet.
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My pleasure, Vishenda!
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Thanks, Phil for all your tips. I just checked out www.ilovecrabs.com... one other naming tip from my friend is to visit sites like Urban Dictionary to get ideas for new uses of words.
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Phillip, fantastic advice for naming. I just emailed your guide to my friend who is starting a new web business.
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One of the best things I did in terms of raising my FICO score is that I joined My Fico and started tracking changes to my score. That really showed me the impact of using my credit cards (and paying back the balance on them). You can even get FICO score alerts to your mobile phone!
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Hi Rob,
I've found the cost of domestic freelance engineers, at least in the Bay Area where I used to work, to be more like $75-150 whether they wrote a book or not.
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I'm 39 and I NEVER use a phone book anymore!
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Greg - this is a fantastic guide, thank you.
I like to stick to personal contacts, and even then not any person I've ever worked with. I accept as a contact only people I would recommend.
Also, there's a LinkedIn widget that you can add to your blog - if you use Typepad it's easy to add, not sure about other blog providers.
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Hi Matt,
Your tip about being aware of differences within the African-American market is an important one. Just as not all white consumers behave alike, different African-American groups such as West African, East African, South African and Caribbean African-Americans may have different needs, desires, and cultures. You could say the same about Ghanaian-Americans vs. Nigerian-Americans, etc. etc. Not only that, but African-Americans, like Italian-Americans or Chinese-Americans, represent all levels of society.
Something to think about when considering whether the African-American market is monolithic - would an equivalent guide be written about Marketing to Caucasian-American Consumers?
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Do you have examples of successful small claims cases filed against NYC?
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I find that at many creative businesses, trusting employees is the best policy. Quickly checking a bank balance online or responding to a personal email or two in the course of a 9 or 10-hour day may keep today's multitasking and fast-moving employee willing to work that much better and harder, knowing that they have taken care of their personal issues. One of my best former bosses was always showing us a funny new Flash game she'd found...even a forwarded YouTube video or two once in awhile can help group cohesion and maintain a sense of play. It's all a balance...
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Lewis - tell us more - do you have a link to your CafePress store?
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Etsy.com is a marketplace for handmade items...
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Hi Eric,
I see, hear, and feel your point, and it's a very important one. At the heart of any thriving community, online, offline, or both, is the building of relationships between people. The technology and interface should merely seamlessly facilitate those relationships. If you just throw up some forums thinking that makes a thriving online community, that doesn't work. Community requires a great deal of care and nurturing. I talk a lot about "purpose" and what I mean is that there has to be real reasons and need for people to interact or you could spend $50 million dollars and have no community. Or you can send out an email list for very little or no cost and that can be a thriving, useful, and connected place. Community needs to emerge from the people using it.
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Thanks Ned!
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Pamela Slim, who writes the blog Escape from Cubicle Nation, gives a great example of how online business networking can work (after clicking the link, scroll down to the bottom of the post to read the online networking part):
"...you can grow your business and establish wonderful business partnerships through the medium of web, blog-based and virtual business."
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Ned, what do you think of Apple's new iPhone?
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Here are some exciting online community conferences that are coming up. On Feb. 9 & 10, 2007, there's Community Next at Stanford. On March 12-14, 2007, there's the Community 2.0 conference, which will specifically address among its topics how businesses can harness online community. (You can hear Craig speak there!)
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Greg - some hosted community providers to look into are Akiva (including the open source WebBoard messageboard and ChatSpace chat), Prospero (an integrated solution including social networking, user profiles and ratings & reviews), Jive Software, Lithium Technologies, and Web Crossing.
If you are thinking of a hosted solution, I would focus in on the main community applications that you need (i.e. forum, chat, etc.) and then find the company with the best hosted version of that application, great customer support, easy integration, authentication, and customization.
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Thanks Darwin! This is a great intro to pay-per-click strategy. I'm going to save your guide to my favorites.
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Thanks Alvin - this is a very useful guide. You make a complex process easy to understand.
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Judy, this is a really useful guide. I know people who make a good living washing windows for businesses. I'd love if people with experience with specific service businesses, such as window washing, cleaning, hair braiding, etc. etc. wrote guides on those topics.
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Check out MyBlogLog.com, which allows you to join blogger communities, and it also allows your photo to be displayed when you read a blog that's part of MyBlogLog. Your photo links to your profile and your blog, thus driving readership to your blog through your visits to other blogs - a great traffic increaser. TechCrunch, Lifehacker, Small Biz Trends, and the Work.com Community Blog are just some of the blogs that have joined.
P.S. Thanks Anita for letting me know about MyBlogLog!
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My pleasure, Anita. One of the main points I like people to keep in mind when they're considering blogging for their business is that the point is not to spew marketing gobbledygook or get short-term SEO gains, the point is to develop an interactive, long-term relationship with customers.
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William, you are quite the guide-writing machine! Thanks for this guide - I am saving it as a great open source resource. Can't wait to see what is coming next...
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Great guide, Scott! I like your su | |
Comments Posted by Shara Karasic, Work.com Community Manager