We are continuing our coverage about the essential success recipes for all Internet entrepreneurs.  In a blog post written yesterday, we shared three videos from the Web 2.0 Expo NY.  In this article, I want to leave you with 10 questions to ponder.  But before you hear my questions, please go through the following list of the 10 greatest Internet entrepreneurs of all time and find out what they have in common:

• Jeff Bezos – Amazon.com

• Craig Newmark – Craigslist

• Kevin Rose – Digg

• Mark Zuckerberg – Facebook

• Michael Arrington – TechCrunch

• Evan Williams – Twitter

• Jimmy Wales- Wikipedia

• Jason Calacanis – Mahalo.com

• Sergey Brin & Larry Page – Google

Here are my 10 questions for you:

1. Do you have a good concept that you think 9 out of 10 people will like?

2. Do you feel the necessity of creating a community where everybody has a sense of belonging?

3. Are you willing to work your butt off for the first 1 – 3 years after your company’s launched?

4. Are you capable of offering good customer service and answering every email from your customers?

5. Does long term relationship matter more than short term profit for you?

6. Do you have the skills to innovate in your niche?

7. Are you consistent in doing what will grow your business in the long run?

8. Have you incorporated a mechanism in your business which produces user-generated content?

9. Do you have the marketing skills to create online materials that tend to go “viral”?

10. Are you willing to offer something free as “freemium” has been coined as 21st century online buzz word?

 
If you answer “YES” to all these 10 questions, I believe you should keep doing what you are passionate about to grow business.  I start each day by asking myself these same questions.  So far, they have provided me with the fuel that’s necessary to move my online businesses forward.  Just in case you wonder, blogging and building an online community are the two main things I am working on right now.  Please let us know your insights in the comment area below.

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“New York Isn’t Silicon Valley. That’s Why They Like It.” That is the headline of an article recently published in New York Times. According to the article, although New York still ranks third behind Silicon Valley and Boston in the number of deals and overall investment rates, the tech community in New York appears to be growing at a faster rate than any other areas in the United States.  New York City has nurtured great Internet entrepreneurs such as Jason Calacanis, Josh Harris, Gary Vaynerchuk, Nick Denton, etc.  Today, I happened to watch a few YouTube vids from 2008’s Web 2.0 Expo NY.  3 of them that really caught my attention feature NYC-based tech entrepreneurs – Gary Vaynerchuk, Clay Shirky, and Fred Wilson.  I thought it would be great to share them here.  Hope you will enjoy!

 

1.  Gary Vaynerchuk (Wine Library), Building Personal Brand Within the Social Media Landscape – Web 2.0 Expo NY

2. Clay Shirky (shirky.com) It’s Not Information Overload. It’s Filter Failure - Web 2.0 Expo NY

3. Fred Wilson (Union Square Ventures), New York’s Web Industry From 1995 to 2008: From Nascent to Ascendent - Web 2.0 Expo NY

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In the digital age, it is overwhelming considering the amount of stimuli we are exposed to each day. I’ve talked to many social media specialists about living in the digital age.  Some of them only sleep for 3-4 hours each day because of their crazy agenda.  At the SXSW festival,  Pete Cashmore, the Mashable founder, revealed that he was working 18-hour days after he initially launched Mashable.  The website is huge now.  But often times, they still publish 30+ daily blog posts to satisfy their readers’ appetite.  No single person can handle that amount of workload.  I can certainly relate to the information overload given my own ‘digital’ experience.  So what can we do to strike a balance in how we live in a digital age?  Here are my 5 habits.

1. Stay focused

I’ve found it’s quite distracting to multitask when you are working with your computer.  For example, I used to check emails while I was writing a blog post.  I would never finish that blog post, because my attention was constantly distracted by what was in my inbox. Right now, I tend to only focus on doing one thing.  After that’s done, I would move on to the next project.  For example, I would dedicate an entire hour to answer emails.  While I am writing an article, I will make an effort to finish it all at once. I can get many more projects done on a daily basis this way.

2. Do a variety of things

Variety makes it fun. I used to work on the Internet straight for 8-10 hours.  Then I would get very tired. But now I literally turned my room into a personal gym.  I would turn the music (Pandora) on when I switch gears to do push-ups or work with my dumb bells in my room.  Oh, did I mention that I read books every morning too?

3. Turn the screen off

Sometimes, you just can’t handle it anymore. You have to battle the email monster and you’ve got different deadlines to catch too. What do you do?  Simply take a break.  Shut down your computer, and go out for a walk.  Yes, even one-hour sleep would help.  Trust me… you will be in a completely different emotional state when you return.  That will help you get more work done.

4. Work smart with scheduling tools

There were times I forgot about important appointments.  For example, one month ago, the Social Paradigm Radio Host, Dino White, invited me as the guest for a Feb. 11 show he was producing.  But I was so buried in my other projects that I forgot about it.  It is not only embarrassing, it is simply unprofessional when this kind of situation happens.  What did I do?  I apologized and now I am using the iCal scheduling tool on my Mac to remind me about certain tasks.  It works like a charm.  If you’re a Google fan, you should also try out Google Calendar.

5. Clean your room

This may seem like a simple task but you will be amazed how many people don’t do it well.  I didn’t realize I had organizing problems until I finished three blog posts in a row after the day I cleaned and reorganized my own room.  I know I am talking about the geeky environment that you could only see in computer nerd movies.  But this is real and it’s me.  I, at least, doubled my work efficiency by creating a cleaner and organized working environment.  Perhaps this is the drawback of having your own offices, which means you must do housecleaning regularly … LOL

All these are my personal opinions. Let us know what you think and how you design your digital lifestyle. Leave your comments below.

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I just had my birthday on March 13, which was last Saturday.  Being an Internet entrepreneur for well over a year, I’ve seen the potent power that Internet has compared to anything else on the planet.  As someone who is writing about social media everyday, I feel it’s encouraging to take a bet on what’s going to happen this year on the Web.  After all, I believe it’s worthwhile to look into the future.  Hey, believe it or not, these are the biggest Web trends you’ll hear from anyone else too.  Check them out!

 

1. Geolocation is going to be huge!

The SXSW conference in Austin, Texas has indicated this trend.  Geolocation is the future.  Two main players, Foursquare and Gowalla, are “in a dead heat in the location war.” Don’t believe me?  Read this TechCrunch article.

2. Everything will eventually go real time!

Sites like Friendfeed, Twitter, and Google have all gone real time in the past.  Bottom line is people like real time interactions.  Expect to see more sites implementing this strategy.

3. Google has more surprises for you!

Ever wondered how big Google will become, or what’s the next thing it will do.  I wrote an article in the past summarizing the remarkable things Google has done (review it).  Be prepared to see the next big thing Google may surprise you with.  Click here to view the current products in Google family.

4. Tech will be a hot global topic!

The USA is in the forefront of this entire tech trend as of now.  But there will be many other counties catching on.  For example, I’ve talked to powerful people in the tech industry who want to move the entire Twitter phenomenon to China.  It’s challenging given the government regulations there. But I also see it happening!  Let’s see how it plays out this year.

5. There will be more tech startups!

Seems like more people are experimenting new tech startups in hope of creating the second Facebook or Twitter.  Social media is the future.  If you could secure funding from VCs or angel investors, better to do it yourself than waiting for somebody else to steal your idea!

6. More Internet/tech entrepreneurs are arising!

21st century is an era where people worship freedom and adore creativity.  Most importantly, you can now start an Internet business at a minimal cost as long as you have a good idea and marketing plan.  In general, you will see more full time bloggers and podcasters rising on the horizon and being part of this movement!

7. New York is not quite Silicon Valley yet, but we definitely feel the vibe here!

Have you read the NY Times article 2 weeks ago talking about the NY Tech industry? Check it out if you missed it.  The latest massively successful tech startup in New York is this company called Foursquare.  I would predict tech to be a bigger component for everybody living in the city this year.  And we are here to make it happen!

 
You may have different opinions about my 7 predictions.  Make sure you leave your comments and let us know what you think!

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Trust Agent

In a digital age, the marketplace has become more niche oriented.  The threshold of entering a particular market as business owners has lowered dramatically.  As a result, the world has become even flatter but more competitive in the same time.  So what is your solution to propel your business to the next level?  What is the key to success?  Developing good relationships is certainly a must.  And trusts are needed for good relationships to take shape.  This article is not precisely about how to establish relationships.  Instead, it analyzes the most important element in the relationship building process: how to become a trust agent?  In order to examine this topic on a “micro” level, let’s take a look at the following 5 rules.

1. Transparency

Transparency builds trust at no cost.  Period.  What I mean by it is that we must share information for our target markets, from reviews to recommendations.  Think of Amazon for a second.  Do you trust Amazon?  Of course you do.  Why?  Because Amazon not only matches your chosen products with other items you may express interests in, but it also offers hundreds of thousands of reviews on its site that are geared to help you make a purchasing decision.  Does Amazon spend any money to hire additional employees to write those reviews?  No.  But it gains tremendous trust from you, doesn’t it?  On the same token, Netflix implements the same strategy, and so do countless other Web 2.0 companies.

2. Crowdsourcing

What is the definition of “Crowdsourcing“?  Simply put, it is about “trusting the wisdom of the crowd.”  You may be surprised by how this process reciprocates itself.  It is simply about developing a community where you let your users express their opinions and communicate openly with as less barriers as possible.  Crowdsourcing is used to leverage mass collaboration made even more possible by Web 2.0 technologies to achieve business goals.

This “peer-production” behavior could lead to more trusts within whatever community you are striving to form.  Even though you are an opinion leader, you still need testimonials from your community, right?  ”Peer-production” created these Web 2.0 giants such as eBay, Wikipedia, Facebook, and Craigslist.  It is continuously shaping an entrepreneur community that I am creating.  By looking at the testimonials and event reviews, you will realize why “crowdsourcing” is an indispensable tool for anybody to become a trust agent.

3. Abundant Mentality

In scarce markets, the pies are always zero-sum.  As a result, you must give your users an “either/or” answer every time you respond to their needs.  In abundant markets, which is what technology has brought us, business leaders offer “both/and” choice customized especially to solve their customers’ needs.  Even if you don’t have the infinite capacity to give it all, you should at least move toward the abundant mentality, not away from it.  Because as we all know, if your users/customers don’t get what they want from your community, they will soon leave you.

4. The Communication Rule

Without communications, trusts are hard to establish.  You wouldn’t trust the person who is selling watermelons on the street of China Town, would you?  Technology has enabled us to cleverly deliver our messages to the community members without interrupting what they do.  Not long ago, Facebook changed its “privacy setting” options for all its users.  Instead of sending a Direct Message to every user, Mark Zuckerberg simply put up a message on the top of the screen so people can see it when they log in their Facebook accounts.

In order to develop trust, changes and new rules must be communicated on a timely and clever manner.  Every time Twitter is down for maintenance, don’t they always put up a message in advance to inform its users?

5. The Power of Free

Freemium is one of the buzz words in 2009.  And it will continue to be a trendy topic in this new decade.  I figured out the power of free while organizing business events for a group located in NYC.  If you look at this group’s past events, you will discover that the majority of those events were free.  The reason is really twofold:

I. Encouraging potential users to try out our events who might otherwise have chosen not to participate;

II. Increasing the group popularity by promoting free events with valuable content.  After all, isn’t that what Google’s model is based on?

Most importantly, by encouraging others to try out our events, we are reinforcing the role we play as a trust agent.  Remember?  The more often you interact with your users, the higher the potential of building an insurmountable trusting relationship with them.

What techniques do you implement to develops trusts with your users/customers?  Let us know your comments below.

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10 Things to Remember in The Social Web

This decade is gone.  But for the social web, there are many things to remember.  I wanted to do a brief summary of the 10 most impactful things that have influenced me deeply during the past ten years.  Here they are:

• Goolge
• Facebook
• Twitter
• Apple
• Microsoft
• YouTube
• Amazon
• Blogging
• The Long Tail
• Freemium

1. Google

“What Would Google Do?” seems to become a popular question asked by small, medium, and large companies alike in America today.  In the past 10 years, Google strived to create brilliancy and innovation in multiple possible areas that we couldn’t imagine.  Here is a quick recap of Google’s milestone events in 2009.  Overall, Google has succeeded big time.  Most importantly, it created a habit for the majority of Internet surfers, which is to “search when in doubt.”

2. Facebook

Facebook is getting huge these days.  The company grows exponentially in countries especially outside of the US.  In a recent Mashable report, Facebook was compared with Myspace.  The following graph was the result of the comparison.  TechCrunch recently published an article which claims that Facebook is likely to go public in 2010.

Facebook VS Myspace

3. Twitter

How can we write a blog post like this without including Twitter?  The microblogging platform made great inroads into our daily life in 2009.  To read our Twitter coverage, click here.  Watch Even Williams‘ talk in this Ted video on how Twitter has evolved in the past.  Then try to imagine what’s going to happen with it for the next ten years.

4. Apple

There is no question in what directions Steve Jobs is taking Apple with all the new features and products the company is rolling out.  Apple’s stock price keeps going up.  Most importantly, Apple continues to innovate in every area possible.  I couldn’t wait to see the new Apple tablet that the company is likely to announce in January of 2010.

5. Microsoft

Well, Miscrosoft is not the biggest winner for this decade.  But the company sure has tried its best to catch up with its competitions.  The new Bing search engine has ‘not gained tremendously large search market share yet.  But the game should be interesting to watch for the years to come.

6. YouTube

Nowadays, everyone can be the director of their own movies.  Since 2005, YouTube has been democratizing the video distribution system and cutting down the layers.  What is resulted is a free marketplace where brilliant movie clips are produced every single minute by ordinary people like you and me.  That’s right.  As long as you have good content, anyone can become a shining star.  This trend is likely to continue for the next decade.  Click here to watch our YouTube coverage.

7. Amazon

Amazon is probably one of the most successful Web 2.0 companies ever.  This online retailing behemoth now has nearly three times the Internet sales revenue of the runner up, Staples, Inc.  In some ways, it’s Amazon that invented things such as the electronic reader (Kindle),the free two-day shipping program (Amazon Prime), etc.  Its customers are loving it!  Moreover, Amazon is one of the pioneers for adopting the online review system, meaning product users can rate and review all the products sold on Amazon.

8. Blogging

The printing media is dying in comparison to the rising of new publishing tools such as blogs.  Nowadays, who is going to buy a newspaper just to find tech news when they can get it free in the earliest time possible from blogs such as TechCrunch or Mashable?  Blogs are here to stay.  You will see even more people embracing different blogging platforms in the next decade.

9. The Long Tail

The “Long Tail” concept was originally introduced by Chris Anderson in his book with the same title.  If you haven’t read the book, read the following description from Chris Anderson (Graph included):

“The theory of the Long Tail is that our culture and economy is increasingly shifting away from a focus on a relatively small number of “hits” (mainstream products and markets) at the head of the demand curve and toward a huge number of niches in the tail. As the costs of production and distribution fall, especially online, there is now less need to lump products and consumers into one-size-fits-all containers. In an era without the constraints of physical shelf space and other bottlenecks of distribution, narrowly-targeted goods and services can be as economically attractive as mainstream fare.”

In my opinion, the tail is only going to grow longer as time goes.  The benefits coming with this is our ability to pursue our own interests in different niches (tails).

10. Freemium

Free is good. If we browse through the 9 items listed above, most companies, such as Facebook, Twitter, & Google, offer free services or content.  In fact, the entire business model for these companies is built on freemium.  If you are writing a blog, you are offering your content for free.  As a result, you earn your readers’ trust and establish relationships with them, which subsequently lends you the right to sell product/service to them.

Now, we are near an end to this incredible decade.  What are the most cherishable things for you as far as social web is concerned?  Let us know.

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10 Ways to Find Local Business Events

If you have a small business, you’ve probably realized the importance of networking with other business owners.  Networking is the key to success.  I think attending quality networking events on a weekly basis can benefit business owners in the following areas:

• Build up their business contacts
• Share and receive ideas to improve their business strategy
• Practice their business pitches
• Stay in the loop of what’s happening in the local business community
• Learn marketing & sales techniques at local seminars or workshops

Due to these reasons, I founded a local business networking group called NY Entrepreneurs Business Network in May, 2009.  Having organized nearly 30 events, now we are marching towards 3,000 members mark.  My advice for business owners is to find quality business events and network at least once a week.  There are 10 wonderful event-finding resources I would like to share so you are equipped with the right tools.

1. Meetup

Meetup is the world’s largest network of local networking groups.  The idea is to use the internet to organize local community groups with local offline meetings.  Tim O’Reilly, in a Forbes.com post, points to Meetups when he’s citing examples of ways people are using “creativity and collaboration to address challenges facing our country and the world”  Here is a list of the best Meetup groups that I’ve discovered.

2. LinkedIn

There are no other sites that can draw a parallel with LinkedIn when it comes to building professional networks.  LinkedIn is very business oriented. There are a handful of articles on my blog that have already covered handy tips on using LinkedIn. There are two ways you can get updates on LinkedIn events:

• I. Join a LinkedIn business group (local) and opt in its mailing list.  This way, you will receive event notifications every time a member posts a new local event within your group. Here is a good list of LinkedIn groups for business people.
• II. Search for events directly via the Event page on LinkedIn. LinkedIn site allows you to define your search terms by yourself, such as search by topics, locations, etc.

3. Facebook

Facebook is still the king among all social networking sites worldwide.  Chances are good you have been invited many times to different types of events by your Facebook friends.  On Facebook, you can find what events your friends are up to, search for events according to your needs, or create your own events.  Some people also use Facebook ads to promote their own events or networking groups.

4. Chamber of Commerce

Your local Chamber of Commerce should be one of the major resources for finding local business events.  The events posted on the commerce site are generally good in terms of quality.  Choose the events at your discretion.  To take a look at the events listed on the Manhattan Chamber of Commerce, click here.

5. Craigslist

Craigslist has become a common marketplace for people who want to exchange information freely.  It’s the #1 classified website worldwide.  You are bound to find a variety of events if you check out local events classified section.  The only drawback with Craigslist is its overwhelming number of events.  Remember, anyone can post events on Craigslist.  It’s up to you to choose the events in the high quality bracket.

6. Twitter

If you are familiar with Twitter, you probably already know what I am going to cover here. Using Twitter search is a great way to help you find local business events.  For example, for a New Yorker, he/she can define the search criteria in the following ways

• “NYC Networking”
• “NYC Events”
• “Business Events + NYC”
• “Events + New York”

Of course, there are other combinations you can choose to define your search.  Since Twitter search is real time, you are guaranteed to get the most up-to-date event notifications in your local area.

7. BNI

The mission of BNI is to help members increase their business through a structured, positive, and professional “word-of-mouth” program that enables them to develop long-term, meaningful relationships with quality business professionals.  You can find a BNI chapter in your local area and start attending their events.

8. Yelp

Yelp is a popular Web 2.0 site where people can rate and write reviews for different venues in their own city.  The Yelp site is also designed to connect business people with great local events.  Just go to the site and click on the “Event” tab, and you are there!

9. Eventful

Eventful is the leading events website which enables its community of users to discover, promote, share and create events. Eventful’s community of users select from nearly 4 million events taking place in local markets throughout the world.  Eventful is another great site to find quality business events.

10. Local Business News Sites

A simple Google search can reveal a variety of local business news sites.  Most of these sites have complete local event listings.  One good example is “Crain’s New York Business.”  Not only does it bring you the continuous coverage of local business news in New York, it’s also a great resource for local events on key areas such as financial services, health care, real estate, small business and many more. Check out the event listings on Crain’s New York Business

.

Summary

This has been our complete event-finding guide for business savvy people. Is your favorite on our list?  Feel free to share with us what you’ve got.  Meanwhile, you can get our free membership at NY Entrepreneurs Business Network if you are interested in attending business networking events in NY Metro area.  Click here to read what our members say about this group.

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Earlier this summer, the Onion News Network had this news about the NYU dorm fire.  To examine the cause of the dorm fire, the NYPD went through 43,000 pictures taken about the party.  According to the NYPD detective Ben Stadler, “after examining the evidence from 25 iPhones, 15 Blackberries, 10 video cameras, and 40 digital cameras obtained from the students who attended the party, we were able to reconstruct every segment of the event…..”  Eventually, the NYPD found that the culprit of the fire is a 22 year old NYU student who dropped the lit cigarette onto the carpet as you may see from the following video.

While most people will find it interesting about the way the police resolved the mystery of this case, we couldn’t help but ask one question: Does privacy still exist in the digital age? Yes, tools such as iPhone, Blackberry, and digital cameras are nice, but would you be willing to upload your party scenes onto your Facebook or Flickr photo album?  Is it possible that your current or potential employer discover anything from your social profile that you don’t want them to see?  Here, we want to use the NYU dorm fire case as a featured example and ask this open question.  Feel free to share your answer.

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Social Media has become somewhat of a buzzword these days.  Besides of  staying connected with friends, I also like to use social networking sites for self-empowerment purposes.  Doing this has drastically boosted my energy and confidence to do the things that would, otherwise, be considered impossible.  In my opinion, motivation is the fuel on the furnace if you want to succeed. Therefore, the usage of social media as a “Daily Dose of Motivation” tool should become more widespread.  In this post, I will share 10 tips on how to motivate yourself with different types of Web 2.0 tools.

1. Twitter #Hashtags

Being a huge fan of Twitter, I have discovered so many creative ways to put this microblogging tool into good use.  For example, the hashtag (#) feature on Twitter can let you find tweets fast based on your criteria.  To empower yourself each day, try Twitter search for either #quote or #inspiration, and you will get an influx of really inspiring goodies.

2. Google Reader

Do you have a list of decent personal development blogs?  If not, check out this list from PluginID (best personal development blogs).  Then go grab Google Reader (My favorite RSS reader) and subscribe to your favorite inspiration blogs.  By doing so, you have chosen to be notified each time a new post is published on any of your subscribed blogs.

3. YouTube Videos

Several weeks ago, I compiled a list of the most inspiring YouTube videos of all-time. If it has come to your realization that motivation doesn’t last, you should resort to watch inspirational YouTube videos each day.  My list is a good starting point.  If you want more, search for motivational video clips on YouTube or any other video sharing sites.

4. iTune Podcast

If you like Youtube videos, chances are good that some podcasts can work out for you too. It is convenient to load them to your iPhone or iPod and listen to them while driving or on subway.  Here are several self-empowerment podcasts that I recommend:

• Personal Growth Podcast
• My thought Coach
• The Daily Boost | The Positive Boost You Need Everyday
• MorningCoach.com
• Law of Attraction Tips
• Meditation Station

Type in the title of the podcast on your iTune and you can download them for free.

5. Amazon Books

Amazon Kindle

Amazon is the new hotspot in the Web 2.0 age when it comes to buying books and CDs online.  Amazon.com has always been the “go-to” place for me as an important personal development source.  Even better, its interactive user review feature is the cornerstone of Web 2.0 technology. I have compile a “What-to-buy” list previously which illustrates what books are worth considering on Amazon.  If you like their books, I would encourage you to give a try to Amazon’s Kindle: The Wireless Reading Device.

6. Audible Audio Books

Think of an audio version that goes along with your newly purchased Amazon books?  Go for Audible.com.  Even better, you can get discounts off their product if you sign up as a member.   I have downloaded seminars from speakers such as Zig Ziglar, Brian Tracy, and Jim Rohn. It’s priceless considering the substantial value you get with those audio materials.

7. Meetup Groups

It is important to surround yourself with positive people.  I have discovered a wonderful Web 2.0 site that uses the internet to organize local community groups with local offline meetings.  You probably have heard of the site Meetup.com.  Because I realized the importance of gathering like-minded and positive individuals, I have created the NYC Personal Development Mastermind Group (Top 20 Meetup groups).  If you like, try to search for a similar Meetup group near you. Even better, you can start a group and organize one yourself.

8. Online Communities

There have been amazing online communities forming each day where like-minded people share ideas to keep each other motivated. The #1 site that I recommend here is David Riklan’s SelfGrowth.com, which claims to be the #1 Self Improvement Site on the Internet.  Personally, I don’t think that’s an overstatement given the enormous following on the Internet the site has attracted over the last 10 years.  Watch the following video from the founder, David Riklan.

Of course, there are other online communities such as Facebook or LinkedIn groups (Top 30 LinkedIn Groups).   Do a search on each of those sites.  and you will discover some great groups!

9. Connect with Me

To find out the value I add to my community, you are welcome to check me out on Twitter, Facebook and, of course, read more on this blog. Don’t hesitate to connect with me or subscribe to my blog feeds. After all, what’s better than having a live Twitter buddy who is doing his best to help you keep moving forward each day?

10. Keep Dreaming

In order to achieve, you must keep dreaming, because you can’t fly any higher than your imagination.  Here is what I suggest you do. Spend a tiny fraction of your time each day Goolge-imaging your dream houses, your fantasy vacation resorts, your A-list cars, the boys and girls that you are dying to be with….  As Albert Einstein puts it, “Your imagination is your preview to life’s coming attractions.“  Use high-tech tools to help you dream.  Why? Because when you have a big enough “Why,” the “How” will reveal itself.

That’s it for this time.  Any suggestions and comments?  How do you keep yourself motivated?  Let us know if you have anything to add to this list.

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A major reason why I like social media is the learning process that comes with it.  Besides Googling for information online, another great resource for me to get information has always been Amazon.  Amazon’s got some great books on Web 2.0 and Social Media topics.  To be honest, I have benefited greatly from reading them in the past. In this post, I would like to sort through the readings I’ve done and make my top 10 picks for your reference.

Feel Clueless about Social Media? These 4 Books Can Help You Make the Transition!

1. The 4-Hour Workweek: Escape 9-5, Live Anywhere, and Join the New Rich – Tim Ferriss

Back when I worked in Corporate America, reading this book has absolutely inspired me and broadened my horizon to see what’s possible out there and what I am truly capable of.  Tim Ferriss, the author, introduces the concept of “New Rich” in his book.  Tim runs a multinational firm from wireless locations worldwide. He particularly speaks of the critical role that the Internet plays in order to design a desirable lifestyle.  I will do a review on The 4-Hour Workweek book tomorrow (Review the post).  So subscribe to our RSS feed so you won’t miss it after I publish it.

2. The New Rules of Marketing and PR: How to Use News Releases, Blogs, Podcasting, Viral Marketing and Online Media to Reach Buyers Directly – David Meerman Scott

This book is my favorite Web 2.0 guide that actually helped me tremendously in terms of adapting to all kinds of new media tools.  What I like about it is the fact that David Meerman Scott has covered, one by one, the most important Web 2.0 tools in this book, including Blogs (Chapter 4), News Releases (Chapter 5), Podcasting (Chapter 6), Forums/Wikis (Chapter 7), Social Media (Chapter 19), Search Engine Marketing (Chapter 20), etc.  If you are new to Web 2.0 and not used to this entire paradigm shift, this book can get you introduced to all these new concepts.

3. Tribes: We Need You to Lead Us – Seth Godin

Seth Godin is probably one of the most popular Web 2.0 gurus.  Having founded Squidoo, he authored several influential books, including Purple Cow, The Dip, Permission Marketing, Small Is the New Big, etc (All Recommended).  The book ‘Tribes‘ says change is good.  Seth argues that lasting and substantive change can be best effected by a tribe: a group of people connected to each other, to a leader and to an idea, and the best tool to accomplish this is the Internet (Twitter and Facebook in particular).  This is another mind-blowing book that is guaranteed to help you see the world in a new light.

4.  Long Tail: Why the Future of Business is Selling Less of More – Chris Anderson

Chris Anderson, the editor of chief for Wired magazine, wrote this great book about Internet marketing.  It’s an important guide book for anyone who wants to understand internet commerce or innovation in services.  In his book, Chris examines the new economics that comes with the Internet age.  He proves his points through illustrative examples and persuasive language.  It’s an excellent read.

6 Books about Blogging, Search Engine Marketing, Google, and Twitter

5. Naked Conversations: How Blogs are Changing the Way Businesses Talk with Customers – Robert Scoble and Shel Israel

Amazon Has Some Kick-Ass Books!

For small business and companies that have already embraced blogging, this book is an essential guide to best practice.  Robert Scoble has probably maintained one of the most popular blogs on the Internet.  According to the book, there are six pillars that set blogs apart from all other communications channel – Publishable, Findable, Social, Viral, Syndicatable, and Linkable.  On the contrary, if your business is not blogging, use this book as a discussion starter for deciding whether blogging is right for your company.  All things considered, Naked Conversation is a very helpful guide book.

6. ProBlogger: Secrets for Blogging Your Way to a Six-Figure Income – Darren Rowse and Chris Garrett

For anyone who wants to build an online business or blog for income, this book is a must-read.  Darren Rowse is the owner of Problogger.net , a website where bloggers worldwide go for advice and information on enhancing their blog’s presence.  In a nutshell, here are the monetization methods elaborated in this book:

Direct Monetization:

• Advertising
• Sponsorships
• Affiliate commissions
• Paid reviews

Indirect Monetization:

• Freelance writing contracts
• Book deals
• Speaking engagements
• Consulting opportunities
• Service contracts
• Sell your own products

7.  Twitter Power: How to Dominate Your Market One Tweet at a Time – Joel Comm

A great book to read if you want to understand how Twitter works.  When I first started out with Twitter, this book has been an indispensable resource for me.  The insightful information it presents will certainly set you apart from other Twitter starters who haven’t read the book, helping you conduct highly effective social media marketing campaigns.

8. What Would Google Do? – Jeff Jarvis

I have just finished this book recently. It’s a bold and vital book that asks and answers the most urgent question of today: What Would Google Do? Internet expert Jeff Jarvis, in his book, illustrates the new worldview of the Internet generation: how it challenges and destroys, but also opens up vast new opportunities. His findings are counterintuitive, practical, and thought-provoking, giving readers a glimpse of how everyone and everything – from corporations to governments, nations to individuals – must evolve in the Google era.

9. Ultimate Guide to Google AdWords: How to Access 100 Million People in 10 Minutes – Perry Marshall and  Bryan Todd

The title of the book is pretty enticing and self-explanatory.  Initially, I bought the book because of the stunning reviews I see on Amazon. It’s hard to resist.  Having finished the book, I have to admit that the information presented is indeed very useful. I would encourage all Internet marketers/business owners get their hands on this book as soon as possible, because if you don’t, your competitors will.  Here are some key points in this book:

• Build an AdWords campaign from scratch
• Identify keywords that entice people to click on your ads
• Get the lowest bid prices on your keywords
• Defeat click fraud and other scams
• Use search engine optimization techniques
• Turn clicks into customers

10. Search Engine Optimization For Dummies – Peter Kent

If you are new to SEO (Search Engine Optimization), I highly recommend this book. This handy guide shows you how to get more visitors by getting more visibility for your blog or Web site. A couple key concepts covered in this guide include:

• Plan a search engine strategy
• Build pages that offer visibility
• Make your site rank high with the most important search engines
• Avoid things that search engines don’t like (and tricks that might actually get your site penalized)
• Use Google universal search, image search optimization, XML sitemaps, and more
• Choose the right keywords
• Track and measure your results
• Increase your exposure with shopping directories and retailers
• Boost your position with popular links and social networking sites
• Use pay-per-click in ways that get the most bang for your advertising buck

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