TechSmith’s Jing for Making Screen Capture Super Easy
September 22, 2010
Okay this is a very cool application that is very useful for realtors. It’s called “Jing” and it’s offered by TechSmith. This product is really quick and easy once you download it. The idea behind screen capture has been around a long time, however, with this product your good to go in seconds with options that make this very useful in business, particularly for real estate agents.
Jing has the ability to capture both simple screen imges as well as video files. In addition it also allows you to edit these files quickly and easily with text boxes giving added value to your end customer:
Once downloaded you’ll see a bright yellow image of a sun in the upper right hand corner of your screen. By simply clicking on this you’ll be able to go through the process of capturing the screen image, add text boxes, utilize arrow images and turn basic images into lead generating files within your blog or emails, etc.
In this first example you can see I captured an image from Google Earth. The yellow pushpin indicates the location of the Boston office of William Raveis Real Estate located in the Back Bay neighborhood. Great, however this next image is even nicer (with JING).
Pretty cool little application that lets you add text boxes, and arrows. It then allows you multiple sharing options.
I can be reached at www.charlieabrahams.com with any additional questions or if you would like to view any Boston real estate.
Please let me know your thoughts in the comments section below.
LINK Boston Conversation Series
September 22, 2010
On September 30, 2010, LINK Boston otherwise known as the Listing Information Network for Boston Real Estate will be holding the next LINK Conversation Series that will feature Vivien Li, the Executive Director of The Boston Harbor Association who will discuss the latest status on the Boston Waterfront.
Will this ever happen? 20 city blocks, 22 buildings, 23 acres? The BRA just recently voted in favor of the Seaport Square project which is slated to break ground in the spring of 2011.
The last Conversation Series in June featured Mayor Menino along with Dr. Carol Johnson, the Superintendent of Boston’s Public Schools. That event discussed the latest status of Boston’s public school systems along with the latest initiatives. If this next gathering will be like the last it should be quite informative.
The event is to take place on September 30th from 3:00-5:00 pm at The Algonquin Club in Boston’s Back Bay neighborhood.
I can be reached at www.charlieabrahams.com with any additional questions or if you would like to view any Boston real estate.
Please let me know your thoughts in the comments section below.
Social Media 101: A Required Course
September 22, 2010
Social Media 101: A Required Course
Whether you like it or not, social media has become a part of our daily lives. Twitter, Facebook, LinkedIn, YouTube, Yelp these social media platforms have changed the way we think, the way we communicate and interact, the way we build relationships, the way we make decisions, and the way we shop. Why then are so many businesses so reluctant to use social media?
The biggest barrier to entry into the social media world is education. Its difficult to teach an old dog new tricks especially when social media and the internet in general, are always changing. Theres so much to learn and understand What is it? Why do I need it? How do I get started? Who has time for this? How do I prioritize? How does this benefit my business?
My advice is to just try it – start small, make mistakes and learn from them. Heres a great article that details Simple Ways B2B Companies Can Be More Social and another on Common B2B Social Media Marketing Mistakes to get you started. We even created a comprehensive collection of Social Media Marketing Resources to help you accelerate through and overcome the social media learning curve.
So, while the old dogs are learning, taking it slow and giving it a chance, how can we help the new dogs or the next generation of entrepreneurs and business owners get onboard with social media? We need to give them a leg up and better prepare and educate them through courses and curriculums designed around social media.
Melissa Cohen, PR Manager at Metis Communications, recently wrote an article called The Spirit of the Real-Time Web in which she reflects on a panel discussion from the 140 Characters Conference among two principals and a high school science teacher who all expressed the need to educate school districts everyone from teachers, parents, students and the board about the importance of social media for education.
Teachers are very much like many business owners in that they continue to rely on traditional methods and technologies to reach their target audience of students or parents or customers. They arent thinking about the way their audience gets information today through Facebook, YouTube, Twitter, etc. They arent thinking about new ways to interact and engage through the internet. The world is shifting from being static and tangible to being instantaneous and changeable. We need to adapt on all levels if we want to create successful students, future business owners and businesses.
As Cohen says, We welcome and challenge school districts and every entrepreneur out there to commit to social media. You might actually learn somethingorincrease your customer base, raise awareness of your brand, recommend brands to others and obtain market feedback.
That doesnt sound so bad, does it?
Free Inbound Marketing University Online Training Program
Posted by Kipp Bodnar on Wed, Sep 22, 2010 @ 10:20 AM
Article source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/HubSpot/~3/fBgPmmQlpOA/Social-Media-101-A-Required-Course.aspx
Boston University gets approval for $50M, six-story student center for BU
September 22, 2010
Well, Boston University’s real estate development team is at it again. Their next project just approved by the Boston Redevelopment Authority plans for a $50 million, 99,600 square foot East Campus Student Service Center to be built near the Allston-Fenway/Kenmore neighborhood line at 100-108 Bay State Road near the Deerfield Street interesection.
Construction on the new building is slated to begin in the second quarter of 2011 and will create 150 new construction jobs.
The building will have six stories and include a state-of-the-art, 900-seat dining facility in the basement as well as on the fist and second floors. Floors three through six will house an undergraduate academic and career advising center.
In addition, the lower level is scheduled to get a 25-seat coffee shop and a 150-seat multi-purpose room.
The approval of this project means one less parking lot in the city (not necessarily a bad thing), as well as a small two-story building according to the plans
The project, which received the nod from the BRA Tuesday night, will replace an existing parking lot and a small two-story building at 108 Bay State Road, according to the plans published on the Redevelopment Authority’s website.
I can be reached at www.charlieabrahams.com with any additional questions or if you would like to view any Boston real estate.
Please let me know your thoughts in the comments section below.
5 Easy Ways to Support a Cause Through Your Social Network
September 22, 2010
Collecting money for posting advertisements on your Twitter feed, Facebook wall, and other social media profiles might not be the best way to win friends (or followers) and influence people.
But your network is likely to be more forgiving, and even encouraging, if you are promoting a good cause.
The following five websites can help you collaborate with brands to support your favorite charities by endorsing their products on your social network.
1. Endorse for a Cause
This website can turn your online shopping habit into a fundraiser for the cause of your choice. When you visit one of Endorse for a Causes online retailer partners, you can send a tweet or FacebookFacebook
update with an endorsement of brands or products that you like. You decide exactly what to say in the message, though starter tweets that begin with phrases like Im a fan of, Shopping for, and Help me help are provided.
When your friends click on your endorsements and make purchases, Endorse for a Cause receives a portion of the money and allocates about 70% to your cause. You can track how much money youve raised on Endorse for a Causes personal home page and earn badges for participation. Right now there are only about 10 cause choices, and they are primarily large charities like the American Cancer Society and the Humane Society. You can, however, vote to add a cause if yours isnt yet included.
2. Rec.fmrec.fm
Create a Rec for a product you love by telling Rec.fm exactly what you like about it. The site will generate a short URL that you can share on your Facebook or TwitterTwitter
profile. When your friends click on it, theyll be taken to a Rec.fm site with more details on the product. If they choose to buy the product, Rec.fm receives a payment from the retailer and more than half of it is passed on to the charity of your choice. You can also add a tab to your Facebook profile that shows your friends all of your Recs in one place.
3. SixDegrees.org
The idea behind the game Six Degrees of Kevin Bacon is that everyone in the world, including the prolific actor, is connected by no more than six steps of acquaintance. Although not initially pleased with the name of this game, Kevin Bacon decided to put its philosophy to use for good causes by starting SixDegrees.org.
The website partners with Network for Good to offer individuals the opportunity to create charity endorsement widgets called fundraising badges. These badges can be placed on their social networking profiles, blogs and websites. People who visit their sites can donate to the endorsed charity via the widget.
4. adCause
The platform adCause gives you a little more control over the money you can make from Twitter. While structured as a network where publishers (tweeters) and advertisers can sync up and seal an advertising deal, you can decide what percentage of your profits should go to charity and what percentage you want to keep. You can also split your profits between different charities.
Unlike other sites, however, advertisers need to select you based on the tweets you create. These adspot profiles include a short description of what you usually tweet about, how long you would be willing to advertise a product, how often you would tweet about a product, and how much you would charge for this service (the site suggests about one penny per follower).
5. SocialVibe
SocialVibe donates money to your selected charity based on participation in branded activities like surveys. A Facebook app encourages your friends to help by completing the same activity. Your friends earn points, and therefore donations for your charity by completing the activities that you post.
You can also integrate a widget into your WordPressWordPress or Bloggerblogger site.
More Social Good Resources from Mashable:
– 5 Trends Shaping the Future of Social Good
– 10 Ways to Start a Fund for Social Good Online
– Why Social Media Is a Game-Changer for Causes
– How Social Good Has Revolutionized Philanthropy
– 5 iPhone Apps to Help Fight Poverty
Image courtesy of iStockphotoiStockphoto, Sveta
Article source: http://feeds.mashable.com/~r/Mashable/~3/BPJbpNibhGE/
LIVE: Watch the UN Digital Media Lounge [VIDEO]
September 22, 2010
MashableMashable
is proud to be working with the United Nations Foundation and 92nd Street Y to host the first ever UN Week Digital Media Lounge this week. Todays speakers include recording artist Lupe Fiasco, Helene Gayle, president CEO of CARE USA, and leaders in social good. Weve also added 100 slots for the week to allow more media and bloggers to attend.
The conversation about the worlds biggest challenges no longer belongs to a small set of voices it is a global conversation with an increasingly online pulse. As the worlds leaders convene in New York, the UN Week Digital Media Lounge offers a dedicated venue that is completely wired and accessible to todays top online voices and up-and-coming bloggers. The Lounge brings the conversations from this historic UN Summit out of the halls of the UN and into the 92nd Street Y, where digital media will deliver it to the world.
A comprehensive agenda will give bloggers the chance to interact with thought leaders on the most important global issues. Confirmed briefings include experts such as Samuel Kargbo, Department of Health, Sierra Leone; Martha Kwataine, executive director, Malawi Health Equity Network; and Steve Cockburn of EndWater Poverty. We will also announce the participation of high-level government officials, UN Goodwill Ambassadors and celebrity advocates shortly. This is truly a unique program bringing the best of UN week to the leading voices in the digital world.
AGENDA
Wednesday, September 22
9 a.m. Lounge Opens
9:30-10:00 a.m. Oxfams breakfast with the world
Live via SkypeSkype
, Oxfam brings us experts from around the globe to discuss the reality of issues on the ground. Get answers for your community from people who live and know the situation firsthand.
10:30-11:00 a.m. The Media Map Project: Medias Impact on Development
While there is general agreement about the importance of free and independent media in
developing countries, the media is an often overlooked and under-invested sector with great potential to scale up improvements across all development goals. Internews, The World Bank and The Brookings Institute are collaborating to bridge the gap in current research by analyzing empirical correlations in the data on media and development. Funded by the Gates Foundation, The Media Map Project aims to answer the questions: What does the evidence say about medias role in development? And what are the most effective ways to strengthen media?
12:00-12:30 p.m. Philanthropy goes viral: what girls can teach women
Moderated by the CEO of Vivanista the go-to site for women bridging social and impact discuss how girls worldwide are embracing social media to drive social change.
- Helene Gayle, president CEO, CARE USA
- Kimberly Perry, director, Girl Up
- Layne Gray, CEO of Vivanista
1:00-2:00 p.m. Keynote Session: Saving 16 million lives the Global Strategy for Womens and Childrens Health
To set the context for the UNs groundbreaking new strategy to be launched by the Secretary General directly following this briefing a panel of leaders take on the big issues and challenges faced by women and children worldwide.
- Tamara Krenin, executive direction, Women Population, UN Foundation
- Sue Mbaya, director of Advocacy Justice for Children in Africa, World Vision
- Dr. Abhay Bang, co-founder and director of SEARCH
- Dr. Luc DeBernis, senior maternal health adviser, UNFPA
- Patricia Mechael, director of Strategic Application of Mobile Technology for Public Health Development, Earth Institute, Columbia University
- Dr. Dorothy Shaw, MBChB, FRCSC clinical professor, Obstetrics Gynecology,
- University of British Columbia, PMNCH spokesperson in Canada
2:30-4:00 p.m. LIVE BROADCAST: Secretary-General Ban Ki-Moon Special Event Every Woman, Every Child.
Watch the UN Secretary Generals special launch live on the 92Ys state of the art big screen.
4:30-5:00 p.m. Live in the lounge: music, media, activism
Closing out the day, a group of world-famous musicians and social activists team up to discuss the power of music, social media, and some-good-old-fashion adventure to change lives!
- Lupe Fiasco, artist, musician, and global do-gooder
- Simon Isaacs, VP Sustainability Marketing, ignition
- Azita Ardakani, founder and chief idea officer, Lovesocial
6:00 p.m. Lounge Closes
Article source: http://feeds.mashable.com/~r/Mashable/~3/CY9LhK9kKn0/
Social Media and Real Estate. It’s here to stay!
September 22, 2010
