If you've been a reader here for any length of time, you know I utilize the Thesis Theme to power this site as well as several others. Because seldomly read documentation, I "discover" Thesis features almost daily. For example, I add an image to almost every post on this blog. For a few months, I … [Read more...]
Archives for April 2011
How QR Codes can drive eyeballs to your website
It's time we have a discussion about QR Codes. Like many in the printing and graphic arts industry, I've been keeping a close eye on these little gems. I'm starting to see QR Codes everywhere; even in my sleep sometimes. I know it's a problem. I even have one that's uniquely Jim Raffel. You'll find … [Read more...]
How setting the agenda is the path to success
Ask yourself this: Are you waiting for instructions or figuring out what needs doing? If you are waiting for others to tell you what you need to be doing, you are not setting the agenda. I'm sure it's possible to be a business owner and wait around for work; but in the long run, doesn't that make … [Read more...]
Why you want to help start something
When Joe Sorge started Kitchen Table Companies (affiliate link) with Chris Brogan, he asked for my help filling the forums with useful and interesting content. I said yes because Joe is a friend; but that's not what this post is about. Instead, I learned the value of being a first mover in a … [Read more...]
Opportunity lies in the mistakes you make
The mistakes you make present opportunities. Next time you make a mistake, instead of panicking and getting mad at yourself, try this: Ask yourself how you can turn the mistake into a positive. Trust me, you normally can. First, if there is anyone to apologize to, do it immediately and show your … [Read more...]
When constraints and the critical path collide
Twice in the last two days, I have been the constraint on the critical path to a project's success. On the surface, that makes me sound all sexy and important. The reality is that I lost the freedom to manage my time. The double-headed monster of procrastination and setting priorities is the root … [Read more...]
My Why
"Do you love your job? Why?" That's what my friend Jill Felska threw out there as a Facebook status the other day. I didn't even have to think about my answer it was almost as if my fingers typed "Because it's not a job, it's my life" out of reflex. This caused Jill to ask me a few followup … [Read more...]
Stop giving content away for free
There are a whole lot of people writing for free these days. My question is why? Why would you give away your time? Yes, I believe there are plenty of situations that warrant donating your time to a cause. Open source software projects like WordPress are just one such example. Even contributing blog … [Read more...]
Business grown with content marketing
Have you ever wondered why there has been an explosion in the number of blogs over the last five or six years? Content marketing, that's why. Blogging, whether by intention or accident, is a powerful form of content marketing. Here's what content marketing looks like to me: Share your intellectual … [Read more...]
Where do blog ideas come from?
I'm frequently asked where all the ideas come from to write five days a week. What follows is a sampling of where the inspiration and ideas come from. Be controversial; preferably not with every post but sometimes. I wrote "Social Media Favors Chicks Over Dicks" for a couple of reasons. First, I … [Read more...]