Book Review: The Digital Handshake

We are in the midst of a paradigm shift for the methods employed to communicate an organization’s message. The Digital Handshake, written by Paul Chaney, describes this new state beautifully by saying that “markets are conversation.” No longer do businesses have the sole control over their message with advent of social media. Individual consumers now have the voice to support or condemn a business and others are listening to what these individuals have to say.

The Digital Handshake is great book describing the Why, What, and How of social media. Why you should pay attention to social media, what are the different social media tools and service out there, and how to effectively incorporate social media into your organization. Paul Chaney presents a compelling case for the importance of social media as the barriers to becoming a content producer diminish. He offers several strategies and guiding principles when using social media to become part of the conversation about your company. Chaney’s effective use of anecdotes and analogies make for an entertaining read and further solidify the concepts he conveys. The stories about Kryptonite Locks and Zappos are still fresh in my mind. Chaney also excellently organizes the book so it can serve as rudimentary reference as you begin to add the different social media platforms into your business.

Chaney definitely practices what he preaches. Throughout the book, he stress that the importance of social media is that it is not just a platform to sell a business’s products on (one-communication/broadcasting) but rather to engage the customer in conversation and become a source for information and help. While reading this book I tweeted about it and a little while later Paul Chaney replied. He wanted to know how the book was going and if there was any areas for improvement. This act alone gave Chaney great creditability in my mind for the subject of social media because he walks the walk by engaging his readers in conversation.

The Digital Handshake is a great book for anyone who is beginning to be exposed to social media or is trying to incorporate it into a business. The book presents the material in clear and well-organized style that can later serve as a quick reference. The concepts expressed in the book can be a source of inspiration for generating new ideas for using social media in your activities.

For more information on the book visit the book’s website at: http://www.thedigitalhandshake.com

LupasRename – File Renaming Tool

Have you ever had to rename file after file on your PC? Wanted to change the number sequence on some of the pictures you just downloaded from your camera? Or wanted to find a quick way to replace a common string found in some of your files? If so, LupasRename may come in handy for you.

LupasRename is freeware available to PC users to help with renaming a batch of files. There are three basic renaming options provided, which are modifying the file’s name, modifying the file’s extension, and concatenating an auto-numbering sequence to the file’s name. Inside these three basic options there are several sub-options which truly make this program a powerful file renaming utility.

LupasRename has a simple GUI that easy and straightforward to use.  It includes a preview window so you can quickly view the effects that your option settings will have on your files. Also, there is “UNDO” button to revert the files back to earlier name if you spot any errors upon closer inspection.

This program may not be for everyone, but if you do find yourself renaming files frequently or in large batches this software could come in handy. This program can be found on CNET at the following link: http://download.cnet.com/Lupas-Rename/3000-2248_4-52374.html

Regaining Focus

Focus and productivity go hand-in-hand. Have you ever had one of those days where it seems like you have tackled all of your tasks simultaneously but at the end you have no real progress to show for yourself? I think most of us can say we have days like that. When I find myself in that situation I attribute it to losing my focus. Here are some of the things that I will do to regain my focus.

1. Exercise for 30 minutes. There is something about getting your blood flowing again that really rejuvenate the brain and brings back your focus.
2. Visualization exercise. A specific example that relates to me is that I will visualize one of my martial art forms from start to finish without interruptions. By focusing on a single thought for an extended period, the random thoughts passing though one’s head seem to calm down and/or disappear.
3. Turn off the distractions. I will try to turn off as many distractions as I can by shutting down email, closing extra applications, and then play some white-noise through my headphones to flush out the background clatter. Sometimes removing the distractions is all you need to regain your focus.
4. Change up the environment. Taking a pen and pad to a new location can sometimes jolt you out of your unproductive mode. It also completely removes you from the distractions in your current environment.
5. Prioritize tasks and commit to one. This is extremely helpful when I have several small tasks to do. By making that commitment to focus on one task for a specified amount of time and nothing else, it re-channels one’s energy on that sole task. The most rewarding part about it is that once a few tasks have been completed your momentum really begins to pick up.

What helps you to regain your focus? Any small tips or tricks that you could share?

VirtuaWin – Your Digital Workspace

“VirtuaWin is a virtual desktop manager for the Windows operating system. A virtual desktop manager lets you organize applications over several virtual desktops (also called ‘workspaces’).”

Think of a wood shop when you think of VirtuaWin. In a wood shop you typically have several areas that the work will flow through. The pieces will pass through an area to get cut and drilled, then move into an area where they receive detailing by sanding and other methods, and then end in the assembly area. Each of these areas is a different workspace, having its own unique purpose and tools. To combine these processes into one workspace the woodworker would incur extra time from setting up and tearing down the equipment. Having separate workspaces allows the woodworker to quickly move the piece through all the different processes.

VirtuaWin is the concept of workspaces digitized. It allows you to move work through your different workspaces without incurring setup and tear down time. VirtuaWin lets you setup multiple virtual desktops, each having their own unique purpose and set of tools. Navigating through the different workspace is as quick as a simple key stroke.

One drawback to VirtuaWin is that it can become counterproductive if you don’t stick with the workspace mentality. If an individual opens applications randomly on different virtual desktops, extra time could be wasted searching for the correct application. Even then, VirtuaWin does have some added functionality that will allow you to bring any open application on to your current virtual desktop.

Overall this is a great program that can give you more desktop space by creating multiple desktops. If you would like more information, here is a link to the program’s site: http://virtuawin.sourceforge.net/ Best of all its free!

Removing the Broadcast Email Distraction

Email can be one of largest distracters during the day. An email alert can easily divert your attention costing you valuable time to regain your focus on your primary task. Finding ways to manage your email effectively can make a significant difference in your level of productivity.  Here is one tip to help with managing emails.

Broadcast emails are one category of email. They serve as one-directional communication to inform their recipients of such things like company announcements, status updates, and upcoming events. Broadcast emails require no response on the recipient’s part.

The trick is to identify this category of email and filter them into their own bin. By automatically sorting emails by bins you can review the emails during natural stopping points in your day such as the first thing in the morning or after lunch. This can help reduce the number of distraction during your day.

A large number of email services come with a way to filter and group your emails. Gmail uses labels and filters, Yahoo uses folders and filters, and Outlook uses folders and rules. A quick internet search for filtering mechanisms associated with your service will yield a variety of techniques and strategies for filtering  and sorting your emails.

As you start to build your filters your goal is that no broadcast emails hit your inbox or pop-up on your email alert.  I would also recommend that they remain marked as unread so you can quickly see if a bin has a new message. By applying automatic filters correctly you can cut down on a large portion of noise associated with email.