Dynamic DO!

Fort Lauderdale, Florida

A Message From Steve Cabeza, Social Media Idea Man at Amplification, Inc.

Dynamic DO!

I get asked, often, as to my opinion on whether a business should spend more time, money, and effort on social media marketing (SMM) and search engine optimization (SEO). The answer is as easy as asking someone if they would like to make more profits: Yes. Both are important.

In the absence of the resources to do both, however, my default position is ALWAYS to proceed with SMM. Why? It is simply the difference between making your message become dynamic versus being passive. [ Find Your Way ]

If you are waiting for someone to search out your message/website/brand/product, then you are being passive. Even if you pay to have your website be top-ranked in “search” engines, you still are waiting for someone to search for your product or service.

Why not make your message dynamic and start generating activity, engagement, and interaction on social media? This way your message, piggybacked on what you do, eat, and see on a daily basis, becomes dynamic and you become proactive in your promotional and messaging efforts.

Barter Much?

Amplification, Inc. is always looking for new and exciting ways to proactively generate content on behalf of our clients and ourselves. Have you a product or service that you would like to barter or trade for social media marketing service/assistance?

Contact Marnie Goldberg or myself to schedule a brief WebEx presentation about Amplification, Inc.’s reach, approach, and capabilities. This is the first step in determining the best way to Amplify your message. [ Free to Register ]

Let us pitch the strategies and tactics to make your brand come alive on our social networks. Consider that 78 percent of people trust a peer recommendation versus 14 percent who trust advertising. Tap into our extensive, social media peer-network.

One Good Intern Deserves Another

Help us welcome Eric Seidmon to the Amplification, Inc. Team! He is an attorney and partner with the The SYM Law Group, LLC. His firm recently joined the Davie-Cooper City Chamber of Commerce. While at one of the Chamber’s recent networking events, he met Marnie Goldberg (Social Medium at Amplification, Inc.). One thing led to the next, and, well let Eric tell it in his own words:

“Starting a business, especially in this economy, is challenging and learning best how to leverage social media to support our efforts is paramount to our success, so I really was fortunate that Amplification, Inc. is so dynamic. I’ve learned a ton and I’m just getting started.”

Don’t worry, Eric, we plan to keep you busy AND help your business prosper. Eric’s firm can help you with contract law, consumer protection, and real estate law (http://www.symplelaw.com/). Follow them on Twitter at @SympleLaw.

Interested in helping out Amplification, Inc. as they help Ft. Lauderdale, Miami, and all of South Florida make sense of social media marketing? Do you just want to learn new and novel ways to help your business grow with social media? E-mail Marnie at Marnie@AmplificationInc.com for details. Amplification, Inc. is South Florida’s fastest growing social media marketing company. We have Business Development opportunities open, too.

'Tis the Season For Weddings, Jobs and Social Media Annoyances

The new "Timeline" is not popular. 

Gasp! Like Humans, Social Media Isn’t Perfect

Does the new Facebook Timeline bug you? Do you skip Words With Friends turns because your app takes forever to load? You’re not alone. Social media is like the freeway—you have to travel on it to get anything done, but you can reserve the right to get frustrated when there’s too much traffic, slowdowns or detours due to new construction.

What’s frustrating you in social media right now? In “Was This Broken, Why Did You Fix It?” news, the new Facebook Timeline is “Liked” by only 8 percent of Facebook users, according to The Daily Mail.

That’s a pretty low number, Zuckerberg. What’s often more concerning is that the timeline has been called a “Stalker’s Paradise,” that allows everyone to know what you’ve eaten, written, photographed and liked for however long you’ve been on Facebook, all wrapped up with a super-large, sometimes-scary “Cover Photo.”

While we’re on the subject of annoying social media, the results from the “Who Gives a Tweet” study from Carnegie Mellon, MIT, and Georgia Tech have recently launched. Time magazine reported that some, but not all, of the top Twitter annoyances were:

• Too Many Hashtags: When you have more hashtags than characters, you have too many hashtags. Give it a rest, already.

• Too Many @Mentions: See above about hashtags, but replace with @Mentions

• Talking About Old News or “Pedestrian Tweets”: If you’re only Tweet contributions are what you had for lunch or the last Presidential election, you aren’t using Twitter effectively.

If you’re afraid you’re turning into a Twitter offender, check out “Why Your Business Can’t Afford Not to Tweet” for some quality advice from the Amplification, Inc. experts about how to effectively use Twitter.

April from The D-Tales

The D-Tales: Making Grandma (and You) Happy 

April Dorsey, Founder of The D-Tales event planning and production, has dedicated her career to making weddings memorable and unique. But she says that when it comes to wedding planning, the most difficult obstacle isn’t the budget or even the amount of time to plan. Instead, the biggest obstacle has to do with balancing what the bride, mother, mother-in-law and grandmother all want from the wedding.

“The first advice I give brides is to realize that it’s not your mother’s wedding, and that throwing out the rules can equal a special, personal wedding,” April says. “The second piece of advice is to realize there’s a fine balance between traditions that are important to you and those that are not.”

Once you have these ground rules set, April says the next steps are a matter of give-and-take. Think about what you and your fiancé have to have to achieve the wedding you’ve always dreamed of. The rest of the details can come together and be achieved through compromise should your mother-in-law insist on a particular seating arrangement, having your cousin Mitzi circulate the guest book, etc.

“The key is to find a way to put little touches of your own that still respect traditions you hold most dear,” April says.

Need April’s touch for your upcoming wedding? Visit www.thedtales.com and click on “Contact Us” for more information or e-mail April@TheDTales.com.

Calling All Future Social Media Mavens

Position: Intern with the Social Media Experts at Amplification, Inc.

Description: If you love all things social media, including Twitter, Facebook, blogging and video production, come and join us at Amplification, Inc. to learn and contribute in a fast-paced, ever-growing social media company.

Duties include, but are not limited to:

• Assisting in social media efforts for clients, including updating Facebook and Twitter profiles and helping to develop and implement social media strategies for clients.

• Contributing to growing video production efforts, including help with filming and conceptualizing video ideas.

“We’re really looking for an intern who loves social media and the digital environment—this is the opportunity to learn how something you love can turn into a potential career,” says Marnie Goldberg, Social Medium and Twitter Goddess at Amplification, Inc. “Our intern will be very involved with all of our projects, so prepare to get your hands dirty.”

If you’re ready to add “Amplification, Inc. Intern” to your resume, e-mail Marnie at Marnie@AmplificationInc.com, including your resume and cover letter about why you would be a great fit for the position. We are located in Broward County, Florida (Ft. Lauderdale area) so only local applicants need apply.

YOU Could Break Records

Our friends at Florida Community Support (get some more info on them by clicking here) have a fantastic event coming up. Here’s more information from our guest poster, Matthew Johnson, Florida Community Support Intern:

My name is Matthew Johnson and I am a student at Everest University in Pompano Beach, Fla. I am in my last semester and am doing my internship with Florida Community Support. While interning, I am one of the project managers for the forthcoming world record attempt of the “Largest Simon Says Game." Mark your calendars for August 27, 2012, to help us break the records and celebrate the anniversary of the Guinness World Records first publication in 1955. 


The August 27 event will take place throughout Broward County at Homeowner's Association meeting rooms and local community rooms. If you are interested in participating, you need only bring a plate of food from your culture or that celebrates your heritage that can feed at least five people.


The inspiration for the event is the same drive behind Florida Community Support's mission: The unfortunate reality that on any given day you can walk up to someone and ask them if they know their neighbors, and there is a really good chance that a majority will say no. This is why Florida Community Support is dedicated to “Building Communities One Neighbor at a Time.” We hope this event will bring each community closer together by allowing you to meet your neighbors from down the street or right next door. 


Don't miss out on the fun and your chance to be a part of the record books as we try to break the previous record that was set back on June 14, 2007, in Cedar City, Utah, at the Utah Summer Games Opening Ceremony and involved 12,215 participants. We anticipate the event will be fun for the whole family.

For more information on this event, stay tuned to the Florida Community Support website at FloridaCommunitySupport.org and like them on Facebook by clicking here.

Need help making sense of social media marketing? Turn to Amplification, Inc. Think you may be the beneficiary of a life insurance policy but aren't sure? Visit FindYourPolicy.com and thank us later. 

Your Business Can’t Afford Not to “Tweet"

Six years ago if you asked someone to “follow” you, it was most likely because you were leading them to their table at a restaurant. Thanks to Twitter, “Following” someone is as easy as clicking on their name, and you get 140-character or less updates about them daily…or by the hour…or seemingly by the minute.

“Twitter can be a divisive thing—I know many people who tell me they they just don't get it,” says Marnie Goldberg, Social Medium and Twitter Goddess at Amplification, Inc. “Twitter is designed to be simple and skipping out on the opportunities Twitter can provide your business keeps you from maximizing your business’ potential.” 

Marnie Goldberg

Users generate more than 200 million Tweets a day, according to The Wall Street Journal. What this means to most businesses is if you aren’t capitalizing on Twitter, you are missing out on a powerful opportunity to get your messages across. 
Twitter’s power is that it uses short messages to provide readers an enticing preview of what is to come on a website or a tight and succinct statement. In fact, some financial companies pay as much as $40 million per year on Twitter research that then informs financial decisions.

 “Underestimating the power of social media in 2012 would be a drastic mistake for a business to make,” says Kalia Garrido, co-founder of www.locallyrooted.com, a website dedicated to community conscious shopping. “Using Twitter allows us to get our messages out virally—we have the potential to reach the friends of our friends and their friends. It’s a seemingly unlimited audience just waiting to be tapped.” 

LocallyRooted.com

Social media-based businesses like Amplification,Inc. have capitalized on the seemingly unlimited influence of the Twitter feed.

“We work with our clients to target and constantly calibrate what messages they need relayed,” Goldberg says. “From sales to promotions to specific products to simply wishing customers a good day, we’re able to keep a Twitter feed active so followers start to eagerly anticipate the next announcement.”
A robust messaging tempo also helps attract new followers, which in turn gives your message more traction, reach, and greater influence. 

Decoding Twitter

While Twitter (technically a micro-blogging site) was invented to be a simpler alternative to social media giants such as MySpace and Facebook, it’s unique language and vocabulary can be understandably intimidating. According to Goldberg, you can make Twitter work for your business in a three-step process.

1. Head to Twitter.com and sign up. You’ll be asked to choose a name, such as @ClubCabeza and upload your company’s logo or any relevant photo that helps followers identify your business.

2. Start pushing out your messages. Goldberg recommends having a Twitter strategy as part of a larger content strategy. Deciding what message you want to convey within the 140-character Twitter parameters and when those tweets should deploy can be a bit overwhelming. Amplification, Inc. can assist you with developing your message and deploying your tweets throughout the day.

3. Build your followers to drive traffic. Obtaining a good amount of Twitter followers takes time and work. Once you have identified your target audience, following them isn’t enough. You have to make your account social and speak to your followers so that you avoid becoming “noise,” which means what you’re sharing must be of high quality and credible. Get it right, and Twitter can and will drive traffic to your website.

“People today are busy, but they typically have time to read a 140-character or less message about your business,” Goldberg says. “By capitalizing on this audience who needs quick, usable information and providing links to your site, followers have everything they need to buy and/or support your business.”

[ Winning Friends and Influencing People! ]

A Little Help From Your Friends

Another aspect of what Amplification, Inc. does is build Twitter followers for an organization.

“When it comes to social media, reputation is everything, and Amplification, Inc. has worked to build its reputation,” says Steve Cabeza, of Amplification, Inc. “When we add a client to the Amplification family, that client is linking in to our well-established and time-earned reputation as a provider of quality content and useful information.”

Garrido agrees.

“Our Twitter traffic has improved drastically since we became involved with Amplification, Inc.,” she says. “They basically took our unused Twitter account and built it up to a following of almost 1K users, and it’s growing every day.”

Amplification, Inc.'s extended and growing social network includes many content aggregators that will take the information we send out and re-tweet (re-posting, forwarding, sharing) those tweets, which enlivens an even larger audience. One such content aggregator is Tonya Scholz, a South Florida-based communications consultant and broadcaster on www.kNOw-aging.com (@kNOwAging on Twitter). 

“I want to be a trusted source for information and part of the way I accomplish this is by assimilating people’s information on Twitter,” says Scholz, whose followers include The NewYork Post. “Twitter is all about creating influence. It’s like an introduction that allows you to then build a deeper business relationship offline.”

If you’re not ready to stick your toe in the Twitter waters just yet, Amplification, Inc. can help.

“Marnie and Steve at Amplification, Inc. have truly become valued members of our marketing team—we rely on them to handle our social media so that we can focus on what we do best: running our business,” Garrido says.

For more information on Amplification, Inc., visit www.AmplificationInc.com.This article was written exclusively for The Club by Rachel Nall. Check her out on Twitter by clicking here.

Winning Friends and Influencing People

Spreading the Social Media Love...


Mark Your Calendars for the McSorley’s Hennessey Cup Classic

Fore! The First-Annual “McSorley’s Hennessey Cup Classic” will be held on Thursday, March 8, 2012, on the West course of Jacaranda in Plantation, Fla. If you sign up for this golf scramble, you’ll be playing for a good cause: the tourney benefits the Carlow/KilkennyHome Care organization and is held in memory of Eamonn Hennessy, a true Kilkenny man who recently passed away.


[ Why you MUST be using Twitter to help your business! ] 

The Carlow/Kilkenny Home Care Team is a volunteer organization that provides home-based palliative nursing care services to patients in the counties of Carlow and Kilkenny, Ireland. As if that wasn’t reason enough to sign up the event offers a BBQ lunch, beverages throughout the course, a Nike Gift Package you’re going to hope you win, raffle prices, auction and a $10,000 putting contest. When your round ends, you’ll head to McSorley’s Beach Pub for a three-hour open bar. Hurry and sign up—the entry deadline is February 29. Amplification, Inc. is a proud sponsor. 

For more information, click here or call Kevin Ludke at (954) 551-1956 or e-mail him at kevinpge@bellsouth.net for registration and sponsorship information. 

10,001 Reasons to Support Those With Developmental Disabilities

There are 10,001 reasons to sign up for the 2nd Annual Mike Campbell Memorial Golf Tournament held on May 9, 2012 at the Palm Aire Country Club. The 10,000 comes from the $10,000 you could win if you make a hole in one. The one (and most important) reason is the tournament benefits the Ann Storck Center, a nonprofit organization dedicated to enriching the lives of children and adults with developmental disabilities.

The event will begin with a 7:30 a.m. shotgun start and also includes an auction with amazing prizes. Don’t wait to sign up—the deadline for entries is April 15, 2012. Hole sponsorships are available for $100 and the cost is $400 for a foursome. To find out how you can support this event, please call (954) 941-5566, ext. 6106 or mail checks to the Wyndham Santa Barbara 1301 South Ocean Blvd. Pompano Beach, FL 33062, noting “Ann Storck Center” on the envelope.

Even if you don’t play golf, there are many ways to support the Ann Storck Center. Visit www.annstorckcenter.org or call (954) 584-8000 for more information.

Caring for Your Friends and Neighbors

You’ve worked hard to build the skills that keep your job and support your family—but in your occasional spare time, do you use those for others? If you are looking for an outlet to get involved, Florida Community Support can help. This nonprofit organization takes a three-pronged approach to services:

The first is participating in community events, such as providing Thanksgiving meals, producing health fairs and promoting therapy support groups.

The second is educational support, offering seminars on a variety of 35 different skilled topics, including how to prepare a will, obtain a green card, how to prevent foreclosure and/or how to receive a loan or grant.

The final approach is serving as a bridge between churches and not-for-profit organizations, bringing the best of both government and not for profits to serve the community. Florida Community Support has a variety of committees that can offer services and connect you with local organizations for your mutual benefit.

“We accomplish these tasks by allowing those amongst us who need or want to improve job skills to learn and provide us with the manpower to do the activities,” said Eric Yankwitt, Esq., attorney and founder of Florida Community Support. “We’re always looking for volunteers who want to give back—and there are so many ways for people of all ages to do just that.”

For more information on how you can get involved with this organization, please visit http://www.floridacommunitysupport.org or e-mail Eric@FloridaCommunitySupport.org for a list of upcoming events.

Deals Made In Heaven

Who doesn’t love a good deal? At Deal Heaven 24/7, you can find the best deals in town and support local businesses. From coupons that save you money on your pets to saving money on being pampered yourself, Deal Heaven 24/7 has the discounted deals you love. The most heavenly part of all is that 2.47% of your online purchases are donated to charity, and you can find out more about local charities on the DealHeaven247.com site. Click here to sign up for your Deal Heaven 24/7 account to begin receiving your personal deals or refer a friend to receive $10 in Deal Dollar$ toward future purchases.

A New Sheriff In Town

The Presidential election isn’t the only important vote in town—the Broward County Sheriff’s election is one you’ll want to cast your vote for too. The “New Times” has started a series of candidate profiles, starting with Sheriff Candidate Scott Israel. Check out the profile here at “Broward Sheriff Candidate Scott Israel: ‘I Have a Pristine Record" to start learning more about this candidate in the upcoming election.

Sometimes Awesomeness Speaks for Itself

If you haven’t checked out some of our recent posts on 595 Corporate Park of Commerce (like “ThePerfect Fit for CrossFit” or “BrowardCounty Real Estate Markets Heat Up In Winter”) you’re missing out. 595 Corporate Park of Commerce is situated in the Weston/Western Broward County market, which is one of the fastest-growing real estate markets in South Florida. Not to mention that you’ll have some pretty amazing neighbors, including famous names like Guy Harvey and Dragados, USA. If you’re thinking of relocating your business or finally starting the business you’ve always dreamed of, contact Maiko Winer with REMS Group at (954) 474-1000 or mw@remsgroupinc.com.

The Perfect Fit for CrossFit

To have the outdoor space for running and the interior space for gymnastic rings and hanging ropes, Steve Bowser knew he was going to need plenty of room for his CrossFit facility. At 595 Corporate Park of Commerce, he found a 4,000-square foot space he and his trainers could call home—and put people through the challenging workouts CrossFit is famous for.

“Our location is right off the 595 corridor, so we loved the convenience for our clients when we were looking for new gym space,” said Bowser, who is the owner and program director of the CrossFit Affliction facility. “It’s been our location for three years, and the management company and owners keep it incredibly clean, neat and organized.”

[ Desk Job = Damaged Back ] 

At its core, CrossFit is a strength and conditioning program designed for everyone—the gym even offers classes for those ages 6 to 12. The space is a weightlifter’s dream, filled with power racks, kettlebells, rowing machines, medicine balls and Prowler sleds. For exercisers considering giving CrossFit a try, Bowser recommends calling their location and making an appointment. CrossFit offers introductory sessions to walk exercisers through techniques and common exercise movements so exercisers can start their first class feeling comfortable and safe.

Finding Your Space

Like Bowser and the CrossFit facility, businesses can find the space to fit their needs, from showroom and warehouse spaces ranging from 2,000 to more than 30,000 square feet of space.

[ Broward County Real Estate Heats Up ] 

“In business, location is everything—and we feel like we have the best location in town in an area that’s only going to expand,” said Robert Lechter, managing member with the REMS Group, who developed the 42-acre 595 Corporate Park of Commerce. “The Corporate Park of Commerce was built to be a complex that fit a business’ aesthetic needs, not to mention how convenient and highly visible it is from the interstate.” Check out the video tour. 

You’ll Get Hooked

Bowser’s gym has the term “affliction” in the title because that’s the kind of dedication CrossFit trainees have. When clients catch the affliction, they keep coming back to get fit.

“We have a broad base of clientele, from the grandparent who would like to lift her grandchild a little easier to the cage fighter that trains for a televised bout,” Bowser said. “The best part about CrossFit is that people see results so quickly. You’re never going to get bored.”

[ Rainforest Relaxation ]

To learn more about CrossFit Affliction, visit www.crossfitaffliction.com or call (954) 846-8666. The facility is located at 10400 State Road 84 #103 in Davie. To find out how you can become a nearby tenant at 595 Corporate Park of Commerce, visit www.595corp.com or call Maiko Winer at (954) 474-1000.

Rachel Nall wrote this article exclusively for Amplification, Inc. To check out more of her work, visit http://www.demandstudios.com/profile-7146611d-Rachel-Nall/.

Are you prepared for the coming battles? 

Fashion and Food Featured at SoMi Talk of the Town Rooftop Party #Parks #MIami-Dade

(MIAMI, November 1, 2011) – South Miami’s favorite fashion boutiques and restaurants are coming together all in one location for another rooftop party – SoMi Talk of the Town, showcasing great food and fine fashion, benefiting the Parks Foundation of Miami-Dade and the Million Trees Miami Project. SoMi Talk of the Town will be on Saturday, November 19, from 6:30 p.m. – 11 p.m. on the rooftop deck of the parking garage, located at 5829 SW 73 Street (above RA Sushi and across from Bougainvillea’s). Click here to go to the event on Facebook. 

Guests will enjoy live music by popular local bands the Mojo Scoundrels, Cat Shell and the Vibe, sample some of the finest foods from area restaurants, and enjoy a fashion show by local fashion boutiques competing for “Best of” in four categories – SoMi Chill (Casual), SoMi Style (Chic), SoMi Exclusive (Most Unique), and the coveted “SoMi Talk of the Town” award.

Zoo Miami’s very own Ron Magill returns as master of ceremony for the evening.

Advance ticket costs are $30 general admission per person, $50 general admission per couple, and $50 VIP per person for the VIP Package which includes a special seating area and complementary cocktails, in addition to the samplers and beer and wine. To pre-purchase tickets online, please visit www.mdparks.org. There will be an additional surcharge of $10 at the door the night of the event.

Parks Foundation members can receive one free general admission ticket to the event, or a $30 credit towards an upgrade to a VIP ticket, but must RSVP online at www.mdparks.org and enter their membership code to receive their ticket.

“We are excited to host another great evening event after the overwhelming success of the July 9 SoMi Taste of the Town where restaurants competed for the Taste of the Town award,” said Allison Diego, Executive Director of the Parks Foundation of Miami-Dade. “This time around the restaurants will be supporting the area merchants that will showcase their latest in fashion and accessories competing for the Talk of the Town award. The evening promises to be bigger and better than the first, and all for a worthwhile cause.”

Sponsors include Big Cheese, Casa Lario’s, Chamber South, Community Newspapers, Fox’s Lounge, Red Sunset Merchants Association, Miami Disc Golf Association, South Miami Hospital, SoMi Magazine, and United HomeCare.

Participating restaurants and retailers include Casa Lario’s and Fox’s Lounge hosting the VIP tent, A Venue Boutique, Aurum Collections, Bougainvillea’s Old Florida Tavern, Cervezas, Co-Sign of the Times, D Find at Sunset, Fresh Beer, Gardner’s Market, Gold Coast Beverage Distributors, Massage Envy, MD Ageless South, Outback Steakhouse, Roaster’s n Toaster’s, Secret Vanity Boutique, Shula’s 347, Si Belle, Sports Grill, Swensen’s, Tastie Treats Café, Teleboro Wireless, The Boston Beer Company, The Irish Times, Wok Master, and more.

Proceeds from the event will benefit the Parks Foundation of Miami-Dade and the Million Trees Miami Project.

About the Parks Foundation of Miami-Dade
The Parks Foundation of Miami-Dade is a non-profit 501(c)3 organization supporting the Miami-Dade Parks, Recreation and Open Spaces Department’s efforts to further develop Miami-Dade County’s world-class parks system for residents and visitors. Its mission is to create a healthier, more livable and sustainable Miami community by ensuring the implementation of the Parks Open Space Master Plan and the development of year-round park and recreation programs for local children, adults and people with disabilities.

Monies raised through membership and fundraising efforts help fund: scholarships for disadvantaged children to attend after-school and summer camp programs; recreational and community programs, such as disability services and health and wellness initiatives for people of all ages; and Parks Open Space Master Plan initiatives, such as the development of trailways, bikeways and safe access to parks and open spaces throughout Miami. For more information on the Parks Foundation, please visit www.parksfoundationofmiami-dade.com.

About Million Trees Miami Project
Million Trees Miami Project Campaign is a community-wide effort to plant one million trees by 2020 in order to achieve a thirty-percent tree canopy cover for Miami-Dade County. The campaign was developed by the Miami-Dade Community Image Advisory Board and was born of the idea that a healthy and sustainable urban forest provides significant social, economic, and environmental benefits that foster a high-quality, livable, vibrant, and beautiful community. In order to reach our urban tree canopy goal of 30%, everyone needs to participate.

This blog is part of Amplification, Inc. We combine the best aspects of reputation management, awareness, marketing, advertising and public relations via social media. Become a fan! 

All Things Social #Florida #Amplify

by Steve Cabeza / Amplification, Inc. 

There has been a recent explosion of businesses establishing “person” pages as their business page on Facebook. Per the Almighty Facebook TOS (Terms Of Service), this is not a good idea. Personally, I see the allure, as you can proactively add friends more easily with a “person” page than with a business fan page, which forces you to grow your fan base naturally and organically.

With that in mind, put down your guard and peer into Cabeza’s crystal ball for a view into the future.

You’re going about your daily routine, when ding! You receive a notice from Mark Zuckerberg, founder of Facebook. Anxious to know what the Zuck has to say, you waste no time reading the memo, which reads, “Dear Friends: Your non-human ‘people’ pages are set to archive and go buh-bye in 24 hours. Too bad, so sad. Toodles!”

Don’t think it could happen? You’ve not been keeping up. Seriously, do everything you can to convert, churn, change, transition, and evolve your non-human people pages over to a fan page. And don’t do it tomorrow. Start the process now!

“Personal pages are for people, and people do business with people they know, like, and trust,” says Sharon Gadbois, #1 Bully of Social Media Bullies. “How are people supposed to get to know you as a person if you're busy shoving ‘buy my products’ in your friends’ faces all day long?”

Obviously, your Facebook friends won’t know you at all if you’re shoving unwanted ads down their throats and they may hide you from their Facebook news feed. Facebook made pages specifically for businesses. People who actually like your page can get your business updates whenever they want, plus it's SEO (search-engine optimization) driven.

Afraid of losing folks when you go from a personal page to a fan page? Facebook makes it easy for you to download your information and keep a backup copy before you make the transition from the personal page to fan page.

“Facebook fan pages are an extension of your website that offer a free and interactive form of communication with your customers,” says Marnie Goldberg, Social Medium with Amplification, Inc. 

Running ads in a newspaper or elsewhere? Gadbois recommends asking yourself the following questions:

• How much does it cost?

• What is the expected and real return on investment?

• Am I getting any leads?

• Are those leads enough to fuel my business and to pay the cost of expenses every month?

“If you don’t like the answers to these questions, social media is a great solution,” Goldberg says. “Because despite what you may think, social media isn’t a fad. It’s an effective channel through which you open the lines of communication to reach your intended audience in a cost-effective way that is relatively low maintenance. Stripped to its essence, social media is a conversation, a way to stay in touch with the very people who pay your light bill and mortgage. So why not spend a few hours a day doing it the right way?”

Timely Media

I read a great article recently (The Science of Social Timing) that broke down the best times for interacting on social media. Good stuff to keep in mind if you’re doing your best to get your marketing message to break through in the most effective manner.

• Best time to tweet: 5 p.m. ET

• Ideal tweet frequency: 1 to 4 per hour

• Best days to tweet: midweek and weekends

• Best day to share on Facebook: Saturday

• Best time to share on Facebook: noon ET

Wish you had someone on your team who could keep up with your social media presence? Amplification, Inc. would love to discuss how we can take care of this for you. And we can deliver an established audience, which we have painstakingly built over the past few years, of almost 40,000 people!

foursquare X 10 Million

Congrats are in order for foursquare surpassing the 10,000,000-users mark! If you don’t have a foursquare account (or haven’t heard of foursquare) but would love to have more consumer traffic through your door, please read my recent article on location-based marketing (using Facebook Places and foursquare "check-ins") and then call Amplification, Inc. We can help you with strategies and tactics that translate to immediate, new business within 60 days or less!

New Amplifications

We recently started assisting Courtney Refkin to drive traffic and interest to her blog, Kiki's Corner. Using a little of our social media magic, we were able to…well, Courtney says it best.

“Marnie and Steve boosted web traffic to my blog by over 200% in less than 30 days! It was amazing!” says Courtney.

Told you she said it best.

Davie Style

We love being members of the Davie-Cooper City Chamber of Commerce. Sophisticated yet sincere, close but transported, capitalistic yet altruistic, business-oriented yet neighbor-centric, the chamber is a great group of business pros. We are helping the chamber with two upcoming events, one centered on restaurants and dining, the other a golf outing. In the process, we’ll be asking for help, raffle prizes, and sponsors, and we’re prepared to incentivize participants and donors with access to our social media network, currently pushing 40,000 people. Interested? Let’s talk.

The Thrive Network recently joined the Amplification, Inc. family. Fran Asaro, founder and CEO of the successful Fort Lauderdale-based Thrive Any Way coaching network, recently relocated to Asheville, North Carolina. But don’t let her location fool you. She can help you no matter where in the world you find yourself. Fran works with businesses and individuals across the US, helping them create balance in their personal and professional lives. As a proponent of natural/alternative wellness, balance, and harmony, Fran’s network of Thrive programs include Thrive Any Way, Thrive Raw, and Thrive Any Weight. To schedule an appointment for a free consultation, call Thrive Any Way at 954-370-8001 or send email to Fran@thriveanyway.com. Visit Fran online at www.thriveanyway.com.

Equally exciting is the addition of Gulf Coast Tankless Water Heaters to the Amplification, Inc. roster. Do yourself a favor and toss your old hot water tank for a Gulf Coast Tankless Water Heater, and you’ll save water, money, space, and the planet, while having an unlimited supply of hot water in your home. Join their fan page on Facebook or follow along on Twitter (twitter.com/GCTanklessWater).

The List Goes On!

More interesting people, causes, and businesses being Amplified include:

• Endlessly Organic

• South Florida Hotspotz

• Fitwize 4 Kids Fitness Center

• The Grizzly—Mixed Martial Arts Fighter

• Calvin Johnson Home Inspection

Need help blogging, tweeting, linking, YouTubing (it’s a word—trust us!), and Facebooking but don’t know where to start? Marnie Goldberg, Social Medium at Amplification, Inc. wants to answer your questions. Email her! Need help wording your message just right? Email Daniel Brantley, our resident copywriter and editor and the only person who thinks Mark Zuckerberg would say “toodles,” at daniel@danielkbrantley.com or hunt him down at his website (www.danielkbrantley.com) or Twitter (www.twitter.com/danielkbrantley).

Bring Your Marketing Home #LBM #Amplify #Florida

Behold the power of location-based marketing!

With your marketing dollars having to do more than ever, you need to stretch your dollars a little bit further. And you may be surprised to find out that the best way to do that is to keep them closer to home.

“The old ways of marketing are going the way of the dinosaur,” says Steve Cabeza, Marketing Ninja at Amplification, Inc. [www.AmplificationInc.com / Facebook / Twitter] “Businesses used to have to spray their messages to the masses and hope to get some sort of return, but that’s antiquated and has been replaced with more effective and efficient methods. One of the most exciting is location-based marketing.”

The Case for Local 

Use direct mail to grow your business? Wish it was working a little better? You and everyone else. That’s because direct mail coupons, which cost money to print (and are not eco-friendly) and more money to ship, have a single-digit redemption rate. That’s right. Spend all the time you want on them, and you’ll still get less than a 10% return on your investment.

On the other hand, location-based SMS (short message service) coupons consistently generate double-digit redemption rates if used properly. How do they work? Through the power of social media and smart phones. Via platforms such as Foursquare and Facebook Places / Deals, social media-savvy customers (which is a much higher percentage of folks than you may realize) can instantly see what deals are being run by businesses in their vicinity. There’s no coupon to lose, no need to cut anything out of a magazine. Instead, the customer shows their phone to the cashier and gets a discount. And it’s happening all the time and all around you.

“I was unsure about location-based marketing until Amplification, Inc. convinced me to run a Facebook Deal,” says Scott Goldberg, chiropractor with 212 Chiropractic [www.212Chiropractic.com / Facebook / Twitter ] in Sunrise, Florida. “Since starting to use Facebook Deals, I’ve had an incredible number of people check in when they come for treatment. And every time someone does, all their friends know where they are. So while my clients are getting a discount, I’m getting free social media exposure which equates to free advertising.” 


A great example of a business doing location-based marketing the right way is the Bellagio Hotel in Las Vegas, click here to visit their fan page. With one Facebook check-in for every three people who “like” their Facebook page (132,590 fans at the time this was written) and near constant interaction with fans, the Bellagio promotes their sophisticated message of the good life, while their clients are voluntarily interacting, providing unparalleled marketing that enlivens the Bellagio brand and keeps the conversation alive—even amongst those who are thousands of miles away. And it’s all courtesy of location-based marketing.

Bigger than a Single Platform

But Facebook Deals isn’t the only way to encourage and enliven this win-win situation. Foursquare, Gowalla, and other platforms do the same thing. The trick is figuring out which your clientele use and calibrating your efforts accordingly. Since some folks would much rather be part of the Foursquare community as-well-as or versus Facebook, and some others would use another platform altogether, representing your business in as many as possible ensures the greatest likelihood of success. The first step to increased sales is increasing the awareness of your brand.

Sully Dawson, owner of Eco-Friendly Auto Center [www.EcoFriendlyAutoCenter.com / Facebook ] in Oakland Park, Florida, has his hands in a few location-based marketing pots. Each takes effort to maintain, but the dividends are well worth it.

“I’ve found that my customer base is very plugged into social media, so location-based marketing is an essential,” Sully says. “It’s a fun way to engage customers, and it’s the best way to interact with them in a way they appreciate and relate to.”

More SMS coupons are being created and redeemed each day, and as more people are turning to social media, the numbers will only increase. Pile onto this the fact that consumers are approximately five times more likely to trust their friends’ recommendations than advertising, and it becomes clear that if you haven't 'claimed' your burgeoning social media presence and started promoting your goods and services via location-based marketing, you’re missing a big chunk of business.

“By adding relevancy and context to your customer social media engagement, the result is enhanced customer service, stronger loyalty, and increased credibility,” says Marnie Goldberg, Social Medium at Amplification, Inc. “In an economy that is markedly more competitive and relies on constant, honest communication, the business that does this best is the business that wins and retains new customers.”

Want to find out how to make location-based marketing work for you? Need to out-communicate your competition? Forget about your next direct mail piece or print ad and e-mail Amplification, the window decals (thanks to Davie SIGNARAMA!) are included!

Thanks to our freelance writing resource, Daniel K. Brantley [www.DanielKBrantley.com ] for another fabulous article. Contact Daniel via email, or follow his chicken-loving life on Twitter. 

Another Marnie Minute

Welcome back to another week in the life of yours truly. What has been going on with me? Thanks for asking! 


Chamber Love 

Amplification, Inc. (www.AmplificationInc.com) recently joined the Davie-Cooper City Chamber of Commerce (http://www.davie-coopercity.org/) and our newly established membership has already paid dividends for us (join their fan page, please, by clicking here and follow along on Twitter, too!). We attended their free Business & Community Expo and loved the seminars provided by BrowardSCORE. Apparently we weren’t the only ones to reap the benefits. 

“The expo was a hit!” says Gina Leggiere, who represented her business, Davie SIGNARAMA (http://www.daviesignarama.com/), at the expo. “I got a solid six contacts that I am confident will lead to new business soon.” Follow Davie SIGNARAMA on Twitter and Facebook.

John with Chase Roofing & Contracting (www.chasefl.com), who was adamant about only getting his picture taken with his business associate by his side, got two sizeable clients from the expo. “It was a homerun for me,” he says. “Great event!”

Really? Two sizable clients from a FREE event? How could you go wrong? Right on, Davie-Cooper City Chamber!

Another fellow Chamber member of note is Kathy Blanton, owner of Ameribiz.net. Check her company out if you need website hosting, design, or promotion thereof. We look forward to freshening up our website after we get our video-sharing division up and running later this month. Yes, this is big news, and yes, you should stay tuned to learn how this will positively impact your bottom dollar!

Security Concerns

I recently learned that approximately 96% of new security system purchasers buy because their house was recently broken into. This nugget came courtesy of fellow Shenandoah Business Group member, Richard Reid with GoToMyControls.com. Seems to make a lot more sense to buy a security system before you get robbed! Please welcome Richard to our area. He is here adding to our economy as a recent transplant from Canada. Email him if you have questions or need info on how you can better secure your home today.

Location, Location, Location

Have a brick-and-mortar place of business? Want to attract and retain new consumer-customers? Then you’ve got to understand and embrace location-based marketing. Why? Because people are constantly using their GPS-enabled smartphones to “check-in” and “like” your place of business via social media platforms like Facebook Places and Foursquare.

“People are interacting with your brand using social media, and if you don’t own your presence and take control of the messaging and leverage it to your benefit with photos, specials, incentives, and other important information, you’re missing a huge opportunity to connect with people who are demonstrated and enthusiastic customers!” my partner Steve Cabeza (Idea Man at Amplification, Inc.) likes to say all the time.

What’s all the fuss about? Consider this:

78% of people trust a peer recommendation (one of your friends checking in on Facebook Places for example), whereas a measly 14% trust traditional advertising methods, such as newspaper ads.

So, spend money on social media (that is what Amplification, Inc. does and we want to help you!) or spend money on advertising? We think that’s one of the easiest choices you could ever have to make!

To see someone who does location-based marketing right, check out McSorley’s Beach Pub’s Facebook presence (http://www.facebook.com/McSorleysFTL ), courtesy of Amplification, Inc., and please “like” their page while you’re there. They are a great and fun bunch! And check out their rooftop and beachfront sundeck if you like tasty cocktails and rooftop beach vistas like I do! Oh, and almost forgot, I love the beautiful scenery, too. Wink, wink.

Boys, Girls, and Labradors

In case you don’t know, the Boys and Girls Club of Broward County knows how to throw an enjoyable happy hour. Their recent event at the Riverside Hotel (love that place) on Las Olas was made even more enjoyable because the usual suspects: Anja (VP of Business Development at Dauerflora USA Inc.), Jonathan (attorney with Rosenberg & Pinsky), and Sharon (#1 Bully with Social Media Bullies) were there to keep things fun and interesting!

I’d also like to give a shout-out to Steve’s friend, Heidi, for giving Club Cabeza some love on her blog page. Thank you, Heidi, we are getting traffic to our blog from your blog! I guess I need to send you a friend request! LOL! Friends, please check out Heidi’s blog (http://themindthatneverstops.blogspot.com/). You may find something interesting there, like the photos of her gorgeous Labrador retriever!

We finished up the week by hitting a GBLX networking event hosted by King’s Cup. They are a coffee (and so much more!!) delivery service, and they really know how to put on a great event. Thanks go to Shawn, and Will, and the entire crew. The food, bar, prizes, networking, and entire event was fabulous. And thanks to Eco-Friendly Auto Center (check out the news coverage) for bringing us into this great group.

Help & Health

Friend of the Club Gary Hough asked us to throw some love his way. I’m here to oblige! Gary is taking part in The Make-A-Wish Dream Date Auction event on July 29 at the Opium nightclub. The website is www.dreamdateauction.net. He is part of the board and is tasked to help find sponsors. It is great exposure for a truly worthwhile cause. If you are interested and willing to be a sponsor, connect with Gary on Facebook by clicking here! Gary is a bo-hunk firefighter (must be all that delicious MonaVie he drinks!) and all-around super guy. If that isn’t enough to convince you to be a sponsor for the event, how about this? Gary spends a lot of time in the gym and will be flexing his abs in the upcoming firefighter calendar. Gotcha now, didn’t I? He also gladly takes part in fundraising date auctions, and is a loyal supporter of Club Cabeza (www.ClubCabeza.com).

If you are interested in MonaVie and the fabulous health benefits purportedly contained in each bottle of the delicious juice and weight loss product, attend a meeting and see if it’s for you. The next one is set for Tuesday, June 28, 2011, from 7:30 to 9:30 p.m. at Renaissance Hotel & Resort, 1230 South Pine Island Road, Plantation, Florida 33324. Cost is $5 per distributor, and guests are free. Speakers are Brian & Jackie Thayer.

This blog post was written by Marnie Goldberg, Amplification, Inc.’s Social Medium. Thank you for reading. Please subscribe to this blog, connect with Amplification, Inc. on Facebook or Twitter, and email me if Steve and I can help you AMPLIFY your message and increase your billing. Daniel K. Brantley is the freelance-writer/magician who keeps our grammar in line and makes our posts SHINE! Visit danielkbrantley.com or connect with Daniel on Twitter.

Are you active on Facebook and Twitter and interested in working part-time for Amplification, Inc.? Email me and tell me why I should consider hiring you, and we can take it from there.

Making friends and raising funds! #Amplify

I recently attended a fundraiser for the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation at McSorley's Beach Pub (http://mcsorleysbeachpub.com/). If you haven't had a chance to check out McSorley's, I strongly suggest it (click to find them on Facebook and Twitter). They are located right on A1A—directly across from the beach, just south of Sunrise Boulevard and Hugh Taylor Birch State Park, and just north of the Bonnet House Museum and Gardens. 

In my humble opinion, the greatest thing about McSorley's is their rooftop sundeck, where you can chat with one of their awesome and engaging staff members as you watch the waves caress Ft. Lauderdale Beach. It’s a nice spot and  something of an undiscovered gem. 

Your Event, Better

I met Jamie Lipman at that CF fundraiser. A special events planner, Jamie spent the last few years at The National Hotel South Beach, where she was the sole manager and developer of the Social Catering Department. She was the onsite event and wedding planner and was in charge of every facet from inception to completion. In the last year alone, she planned 166 weddings.

Besides being a hottie and an interesting person, Jamie supports the CF Foundation and runs her own full-service wedding and event planning company, absolute. All her clients benefit from the experience and loyalty that has made her a standout in the event industry. Check out Jamie's website (www.theabsoluteevent.com) or click here to email her.

A Driving Business

When Amplification, Inc.’s Social Medium (Marnie Goldberg) and I attended a fundraiser at Passion Nightclub to benefit the Ann Storck Center (http://www.annstorckcenter.org/index.html), we had the great pleasure of being introduced to a genuinely interesting company called RedCap. 

RedCap is a membership-based driving service through which members reserve a driver to drive them in the member’s own vehicle. Interesting, right? This eliminates the challenge of being with your vehicle when you can’t drive, shouldn’t drive, or prefer to let someone else take the wheel. More than just a designated driver, RedCap is perfect for a night on the town, trips to the airport, a ride home from a doctor’s appointment, and shuttling kids around town just to name a few.

Once you’re a member, simply call, text, or use the RedCap mobile app (available June ‘11) to make a reservation at least 45 minutes prior to the desired pick-up time and a RedCap Driver will be dispatched to your location. You’re then driven to your preferred destination and your keys are returned to you later. Mindy Karr, the RedCap rep, stressed RedCap’s emphasis on safety, which begins with a rigorous screening process for every driver and continues with comprehensive training to ensure every detail of the RedCap experience is as safe and seamless as possible. Perfect driving records, glowing professional references, and clean background checks are required of all RedCap Drivers. All drivers are subject to random drug tests, and RedCap has a zero tolerance policy. Additionally, drivers are continually trained on safety issues, are held to the highest standards of professional conduct, and they never disclose personal information or activities to outside parties.

Visit www.myredcap.com or call 866-937-4837 to learn more. If you call, mention Amplification, Inc. and you get a special discount for joining.

Lawful Love

I recently reconnected with a longtime friend via the wonders of Facebook, Colleen Leonard Feinstein, and I want to congratulate her on being a newlywed! I met her and her new hubby, Michael Feinstein, at Coconuts on A1A for a spot of paella and a martini. Michael is an interesting, tech-savvy, funny, and likable guy. Oh yeah—he’s also the principal at Michael L. Feinstein, P. A., a business law practice (www.feinsteinlaw.net) located nearby on Las Olas Boulevard. Best wishes to Colleen and Michael.

This blog post was written by Steve Cabeza, Idea Man at Amplification, Inc. Thanks for reading. Follow us on Facebook and Twitter, please, and take a moment to subscribe to this blog. And thanks to Daniel K. Brantley, the magician who makes our blog posts hum, and a super-talented freelance writer. Email him, follow him on Twitter, and check out his website: www.danielkbrantley.com. And while you’re surfing the web, check out my latest Critical Condition segment on smoking and regulations in the healthcare workplace. It has generated quite a bit of controversy: http://www.mdnews.com/video?video=20187&page=1.

Photo courtesy of the Bonnet House Museum and Gardens, visit today!