It is called Psoriasis and today happens to be the annual “World Psoriasis Day” 2014.

As with other “Awareness Days,” this particular day has been set up to raise awareness of this ailment. It is a day in honor of those who suffer and a concerted effort toward finding effective treatments and comfort for psoriasis sufferers.

Wondering how many people are affected? According to worldpsoriasisday.com, there are about 125 million people who suffer from psoriasis.

What is Psoriasis?

According to psoriasis.org, this ailment isn’t just one version. There are different types of psoriasis, including the following:

• Plaque Psoriasis
• Guttate
• Inverse
• Pustular
• Erythrodermic

To find out about these types, please visit one of the links, below.

Ways to Get Involved

There is a Facebook Page dedicated to World Psoriasis Day. This is a great way to share and to keep updated on the happenings surrounding Psoraisis and this special awareness day.

To find out how to donate to the diagnostic and treatment efforts of Psoriasis, as well as checking out the different types, including images and diagnostic information, please visit the web sites of those who specialize in Psoriasis:

HHP would like to remember all those who suffer from psoriasis on this special day and all days.

By Deborah Anderson

Building trust among your professional connections is absolutely critical to your success. It may take a long time to earn the trust of the other person in many cases; however, it will be well worth it in the long run because your business will flourish because of it.

People should be respected and treated people with equality, and sometimes (especially in the marketing field), there is so much hype and teaching about how to persuade someone they need something that they do not need. It is refreshing to read about building trust instead of manipulating people’s emotions. And, that is what I did this week, while reading “Flawless Consulting: A Guide to Getting Your Expertise Used” by Peter Block.

We Are On a Journey

Maister, Green, and Galford, in their Consulting to Management journal article called, “What is a trusted advisor?” remind us that we do not start out as trusted experts in our field, but many times, that is our goal in life. It is often apparent in those who have succeeded at reaching that goal.

Three Key Principles

So, from that awareness of the journey comes three key principles that can be gleaned, especially from Peter Block’s book, Flawless Consulting:

• Being authentic.
• Being thorough.
• Being fair.

Being authentic means discarding all of the techniques on how to “win someone over” or “impress them.” In the marketing field, that would be tossing out the very hype that we are often taught to use. There are some wonderful people who have combined degree paths of marketing and psychology. Those who apply it well realize the value of the human. Those who do not, seem to think that the study of psychology is the ticket to understanding what makes people tick and manipulating them into a sale. Even Mr. Block pointed out that people can see through that. They know when a consultant is being fake. Therefore, it is essential, in building trust, to be authentic.

One of the sections in Flawless Consulting included a discussion on “Completing the Requirements of Each Phase.” Skipping steps can cause the client or line manager to become edgy. Also, it does not enforce the foundational steps needed in building trust. Just like a house requires the foundation before framing and before the sheetrock, consulting needs to be thorough and built in the right order.

Being fair is a good ideal for life, but it also applies to consulting. Building trust does not mean becoming a doormat as a consultant, but finding balance and approaching it in a healthy manner, especially in the area of communication. This, too, will help the client or line manager to have a balanced view of the contract and working relationship and build further trust.

Personal Example

In one of my positions as Director of IT, I was often put in a position of serving other capacities. In that capacity, I became a consultant of sorts, offering answers to our wealthy clients’ questions and offering suggestions on how they could use their technology to help them reach their goals. After I had helped one particular client, he requested that his financial advisor put me on the access list for his bank account. That is trust. And, that is an example of building trust.

After graciously declining, with the explanation that I could still assist him in the same capacity without that access and that I appreciated the trust, I pondered the situation, wondering what it was that built trust in that situation. I realized that the respect of the person and understanding the client’s emotional needs was really what built up that trust. It is nice to have an explanation of what it is that happened. To me, it was about treating the client with respect and kindness because he was a human being and not because he had a lot of money. Somehow, that respect must have been what he needed, emotionally, being accustomed to good treatment based on his status, and it caused more trust than I was expecting.

Conclusion

Being able to learn new skills and re-frame past experience in light of this new-found knowledge not only helps us to see the success but also helps us to see it in practice. Are you ready to strive to be a respecter of people and not just implementing ways to manipulate people into thinking they are satisfied with the consulting? That method of really caring about people, in the process of consulting, seems to be a foundational cornerstone in building that trust. And, trust, well, it just seems to pay off in the long run.

We are pleased to provide you with the insightful comments contained herein. For a complimentary assessment of your online presence, let’s have coffee.

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Deborah comes from a corporate background, as a Chief Technology Officer and operational management, and combines that with her entrepreneurial spirit and her success as a writer and Los Angeles Jazz singer. Her educational background is in software architecture and project management. She teaches professionally, including teaching companies how to use Twitter Chats to enhance their social media campaigns.

With her SocialWebCafe.com, she is continually navigating the newer realm of Google+ Hangouts to iron out the glitches and present a platform that is workable for most businesses, as well as personal use.

You can connect with her on Google+ and follow her at @SocialWebCafe.

Tags: authenticity, Business Etiquettes, business relationships, Online Reputation, Reputation Management, trust, trustworthiness

This entry was posted on June 5, 2014 at 5:00 am. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site. 493

Posted in Business Practices Business Relationships Online Communication Online Reputation Relationship Management Reputation Management by Deborah Anderson

Your Problem: You need to coordinate the dates you will distribute your videos across various marketing channels. Our Solution: The Video Marketing Posting Calendar will help you plan and…

By Deborah Anderson

When participating in Google+ Hangouts On Air, there is inevitably a part of you that shines through and is revealed to the world. The good news is that you are in control of the part of you that is presented.

You may think that the amount of time spent in preparation is related to the time prior to the hangout, but, really, it is something that has more to do with planning than it does with preparation, as the preparation can actually inherit its direction from planning.

Benjamin Franklin has been credited with saying, “By failing to prepare, you are preparing to fail.” That quote applies to this situation, as well. However, that does not mean that there needs to be some complicated process to the planning element. There are going to be those who want to take planning to the nth degree and make checklists and defined processes. It is likely that those are also the types of people that take these steps for the many projects that they undertake, and it is their way of approaching many situations. There are also the types of people that abhor planning and the mere thought of the word sounds as if it squelches the essence of who they are. Both personality types are needed and appreciated, but there is a common ground, when it comes to Google Hangout planning, as presented in this article.

The “planning” that is being proposed is more like a definition process, which is a basic process of needs analysis in project management. In this case, the suggestion is to define elements of what is the desired outcome, or objective, of the presentation.

Checklist of Presentation Elements to Consider

The following elements are not an exhaustive list, but the hope is that it will create cause to evaluate what each person considers important and what is not important, in each situation. By understanding things that need to be considered, it is also easier to define those elements that may be intentionally ignored or discarded. This type of planning may be something that is done once and applied for each hangout opportunity or something that is assessed for each hangout, if you tend to participate in hangouts that have very different definitions. By defining these elements, the process of getting dressed and sitting in front of the camera actually becomes easier, because you know what you are doing and where you are going.

The Purpose of the Hangout

Ask the question of what the purpose is for the hangout. What is the topic? Are you a featured guest or expert? Is it simply a “public hangout” with seemingly no defined purpose? If the purpose is an informal gathering, then possibly a baseball cap is appropriate for attire, especially if it is sports-related. If the purpose is more professional or business-related, possibly a suit coat would be the appropriate choice. These are two extremes, and in our Web 2.0 world, there are many times that attire fits somewhere “in the middle,” allowing for personal style and professionalism or creative presentation, as the hangout objective dictates. Many of these questions may be ascertained by viewing videos of past hangouts (if they are available). You may also ask the host.

Regional and Cultural Considerations

The regional and cultural considerations analysis help to define whether these elements need to come into play for decision-making. It is impossible to think that any person can be all things to all people, including being knowledgeable about all cultures and cultural mores throughout the world, let alone, to adhere to those cultural “rules.” If the hangout is not global, and is only regional, this is less of a concern because it is assumed that the participants in the same region understand the cultural considerations. If it is global, generally speaking, aim for the culture of the hosting country while having an eye toward not trying to offend other cultures. This is tricky and is another example why viewing past hangout videos is helpful in determining what is appropriate and what is not. If past hangouts reveal that most of the participants are sitting upright and talking to the camera, then lounging in the favorite beanbag chair on the floor is probably not the message that the host is trying convey. However, if past hangouts reveal everyone wearing their favorite sports team shirt and drinking beer, while making toasts to each other over the Internet, then the beanbag chair may be the most appropriate presentation.

Understand the Audience

Similar to the preceding two points, understanding the audience is key. This applies to several aspects of business and not just preparation for Google hangouts. If the regional and cultural awareness seems too tricky, fall back on the understanding of the audience, which would apply in the example above. Remember that the audience includes the other Google+ hangout participants, as well as the viewers, and the consumers of the brand that is represented in the hangout (if there is one).

Define Personal Brand and Image

This is probably one of the most important elements but was saved until last. This is the element that actually gives allowance for the “breaking of the rules.” For example, if you are a “shock jock,” it would not be beneficial to come to a hangout looking like a high school science teacher. Then again, it is unlikely that these two individuals would be on the same hangout unless there is a shock element or desire for contrasts, in which case, the “Purpose for the Hangout” comes into play. It may be helpful to sit down with an image consultant, or a friend, or other professional, to help navigate what the definition of your brand and image is, or should be, so that a game plan may be prepared and used for decision-making. This will also help in areas beyond Google hangouts, as it will help with the personal presentation and brand identification for the audience.

Understanding your objective and your brand and/or personal image will help you to be able to navigate the direction of aspects of your personal preparation for Google Plus hangouts, whether you are a host or a participant. Remember that the viewing of past hangouts is invaluable in providing clues and if those clues are not readily available, do not hesitate to contact the host and ask questions. Finally, don’t hold such a high standard that a lack of personal achievement in a particular hangout results in fleeing from all future hangouts. Life is a learning process and sometimes, even trial and error can provide the most helpful learning experiences in moving forward.

Conclusion

Getting involved with Google Hangouts will prove to be excellent for your business and for building awareness for your brand and your offerings. The tool will be worth a great deal for you if you learn to leverage it properly. It is beneficial for you to get used to being a part of various hangouts and really working it to its fullest potential.

We are pleased to provide you with the insightful comments contained herein. For a free assessment of your online presence, let’s have coffee.

The following two tabs change content below.

Deborah comes from a corporate background, as a Chief Technology Officer and operational management, and combines that with her entrepreneurial spirit and her success as a writer and Los Angeles Jazz singer. Her educational background is in software architecture and project management. She teaches professionally, including teaching companies how to use Twitter Chats to enhance their social media campaigns.

With her SocialWebCafe.com, she is continually navigating the newer realm of Google+ Hangouts to iron out the glitches and present a platform that is workable for most businesses, as well as personal use.

You can connect with her on Google+ and follow her at @SocialWebCafe.

Tags: Google Hangouts, google plus, Google+, Online Communication, Online Meetings, Social Media, Social Networking

This entry was posted on April 2, 2013 at 5:00 am. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site. 287

Posted in Online Communication Online Meetings Social Media Social Networking Webinars and Web Conferences by Deborah Anderson

Twitter Chats are a major part of my schedule, between coaching companies on how to implement them in their social media strategy, to hosting/moderating at least four per week. The more there is to learn about Twitter Chats, the more that the realization becomes clear that there is as a lot of potential for diversification in Twitter Chats, almost as diversified as the people who host and attend them. That said, there are also commonalities in Twitter Chats, and we are going to look at some of those commonalities when considering how to start your own Twitter Chat.

The obvious thing that Twitter Chats have in common are that they occur via Twitter, are limited to 140 characters, and use a #hashtag to allow for filtering on the internet. There are also some key, common things to consider when planning your Twitter Chat.

Clearing Out Some Myths.

Let’s dispel a myth, or two, first. I’ve heard people say, “Oh, I can’t have a Twitter Chat because I have to have hundreds of people in my community to do that.”

That isn’t necessarily true. For example, if you had 100 people show up at your very first Twitter Chat, it may lack the cohesive element of where the chat is going. You may have a lot of tweeps tweeting, but they may wonder what they are supposed to be tweeting about and not come back the next week. Building your Twitter Chat takes time and you want to ensure that you get that foundation built solid and sometimes it is actually an advantage to have a few core people at the first few chats and build from there.

A very active group of 4-5 people can cause your Twitter Chat to trend on Twitter (I’ve done it!). Also, the converse is true and you may have hundreds of people in a community and have them not attend a Twitter Chat, so it is not necessarily a case where you need one to have the other, although, that can be true as well.

First Things First: YOU.

One of the things that Madalyn Sklar, founder of the GoGirlsMusic.com community, says about Twitter Chats, is that when she started the successful #ggchat Twitter Chat, she simply tweeted that she would be “hanging out” on Twitter at a set time and whoever wanted to chat via Twitter could show up at that time. That is very key. If you determine that you have to have x number of participants or there is something wrong with you, your brand, etc., then you are looking at this backwards. Create a place that is conducive to others joining in and chatting. If no one shows up, that is ok. Let it be ok with you. If you become desperate, it will show, even in your tweets, begging people to come join you. This isn’t a credibility builder for you, so be cool and hang out. Invite a close friend to tweet about a topic during that set time. That is ok, because you have the right perspective and YOU are ok.

Secondly: Consistency.

After adjusting your perspective on the chat, consistency is key. I have had times where I have put other people’s chats on my calendar and then, when I arrive, the host or hostess has discontinued the chat. Why? More than likely, they reacted to a low attendance and decided not to have the chat. I have also had people tell me, “Oh, I have been meaning to attend your chat for weeks. Could you please send me a reminder?” What would happen if I had discontinued a chat prematurely?

Again, credibility can be affected and you create a larger mountain to climb if you want to start that second chat, if you have abandoned a previous chat. People may become leery about adding it to their calendar, and may just disregard it entirely.

Defining Your Twitter Chat.

Now that you have decided that you are not going to give into the myth and that you are not going to worry about numbers, unnecessarily, and that you are going to be consistent, it is time to take the next steps toward getting ready for the first chat.

Define General Topic.

What is the general theme of your Twitter Chat? Is it social media, marketing, authoring books, sic-fi movies, makeup? Don’t worry about getting too granular, at this point, but define the general theme of your topic so you know which direction you are going.

Research the Hashtag.

It is convenient to have a hashtag that represents your brand, but also keep in mind the number of letters. With GoGirlsMusic.com, #ggchat works well because it is short, but unique, and represents the gg in GoGirls and the chat for the Twitter Chat. #MyBlogGuest does well with a bit longer hashtag and it matches well with the brand of MyBlogGuest.com. Be sure and search for the hashtag to find out if it is being used. Ideally, you have the domain that corresponds to the hashtag, but that isn’t always possible, especially when the domain is taken, but unused. You will want to start posting your hashtag in directories and throughout the web to “claim” your hashtag. (That is another article, in and of itself.)

Select the Time Slot.

This one is a bit tricky because you want to find the time slot that is most conducive to your audience, but also works within your schedule, so that you can remain consistent with your Twitter Chat. Consider, geographically, where your audience is. Refer to the stats and analytics for your web site and see which region is providing most of your traffic. If you are global, you may want to consider that in your scheduling. Realize that you are not able to please all of the people all of the time and no matter what, someone will find the time inconvenient, somewhere. Also, realize that if someone really wants to be at your chat, they will come, even if it is in the middle of the night. Don’t fall victim to the change-it-for-one-person-because-they-are-most-vocal situation. My experience has been that when you do that, that person is probably not going to show up anyway. Some people simply feel best when they are complaining. Fortunately, I haven’t run into that in my communities and everyone is nice. 😉

Decide on the Format.

There are actually different ways to format your Twitter Chat and you will want to tune into what your audience wants and the flavor of your particular chat.

Some chats work well in the instructional format, as a sort of broadcast of expertise. These chats may not have as much visible interaction and engagement, but they do really well in visits to the archives and SEO content and building community around the expert. Many times, they have quite the audience of “lurkers” (non-participating tweeps). #MyBlogGuest is an example of this type of chat.

Some chats are great hangout, together-time. Picture the “Friends” TV show or hooking up at a local coffee shop. #ggchat is this type of Twitter Chat. This chat creates an intimate group of like-minded individuals kicking back at a set time each week.

One of the more opular formats for a chat is having Q&A, where questions are published and then asked throughout the chat with a Q1 tweet and then the tweeps responding with A1 and Q2 with A2, etc. This is popular for those who want structure and to know what the topic is, since it is defined. It is also popular because it allows for engagement, letting those who want to share knowledge, share it and those who want to learn, to ask questions. That is the format for #SocialCafe, which will soon take on an innovative approach (if I do say so, myself) in accompanying Social Web Cafe TV show at the same time. From this example, you can see that you are not stuck in a box on what you want to do with a Twitter Chat, but the sky is the limit and you can create your own format, or combo-format based on what you have seen work for other Twitter Chats. Or, be innovative and create a new format.

Promoting The Chat.

One of the easiest ways to promote the chat is to send out tweets and mention people in the tweet, with a friendly reminder that the chat is happening. The challenge here is that some people may not want to be reminded/mentioned. Ideally, you want to ask people if they want to be reminded each week. I experience a lot of “Thank yous” for the reminders and have had some people express how sad they are if they don’t see the reminder(s). One way to obtain the list of tweeps is via your archive or transcript of the chat.

Archives of Your Chat

A great way to promote your future chats and provide a way for those who miss your chat to feel connected is to have an archive or transcript of your chat. There are different options for this, including downloadable PDF. And, depending on the service you choose, different prices ranges and options. I find that Storify is a great quick and easy tool to use for your archives. You can create an archive in the form of a transcript or a slideshow and place that directly on your site. Also, you have the option to grab the full HTML for the archive. You will want to do that. I started by using the javascript and when Storify crashed last year, I lost one of the archives because it went corrupt during Storify’s crash. By using Storify to create your archive and then capturing the full HTML, you have it, even if Storify crashes. Another benefit is that Storify does quite well in the search engines, so you will have another opportunity to stake that claim on the hashtag you have chosen.

Handling Changes.

It is true that many people do not like change. However, there are times when change is necessary. When that happens, approach the change in your Twitter Chat with a three step approach. If you must perform a change in your chat, announce it weeks ahead of time. For example, my #SocialCafe chat that has been on Wednesday, for weeks, is moving to a new night. For weeks I have been announcing the time change, during the Wednesday chat time. I have also downplayed the promotion of the chat during these past few weeks so that I don’t attract new people to the soon-to-be-old time slot. And, finally, I have been promoting the new time and co-host, and getting the buzz out there via press releases, which are a great way to broaden the scope for the promotion of your Twitter Chat.

Take Action.

Last, but not least, take action. Don’t sit and ponder when you will do it, but do it. There is a lot to be said for a proper launch of a Twitter Chat (i.e. with press releases, articles, creating buzz), but there is also such a thing as waiting too long and not taking that step. What is the worst case? You sit and talk to yourself via Twitter? Hey, send me an invitation and we can Twitter Chat together.

Years ago, even before my time, there were the rotary dial phones and households would share their phones with other households in a party line (where do you think the “town gossip” got her information?). We have come a long way since those days, with touch tone, cell phones, digital calls, video calls, and conference video calling (by choice and not necessity).

There is a new app that allows you to use your Facebook (or desktop app or smart phone) as a sort of operator, to assist you in connecting to your Facebook friends. The operator is free and there is a small surcharge, per minute, for the long distance phone call. However, you have an opportunity to make long distance calls, with this friendly computer-based operator, for free, as well!

The app is called CallBux and it is available to install straight into your Facebook profile all you have to do is Click on icon to sign up on Facebook (the rest is simple). It is also available via smart phone (iPhone, Android), and PC or Mac Desktop dialer.

This free application allows you to Make Free International Calls from Facebook by connecting to your Facebook, and using your friends list like a contact database. Now, you don’t have to add your Facebook friends to your smart device contacts or address book because this nifty little application will use your Facebook friends as its phone book. It is rather fun, to get ready to call someone and click on the image within Facebook and have it start to connect the call. If your Facebook friend has already listed their telephone number, it will be available for the call. If your Facebook friend has not listed his or her telephone number, there is an opportunity to request the phone number. Also, if you already know the phone number for your friend, you can add it manually and it will be there for future use, as well.

The next step, after choosing who you want to call is that the application will ring your phone at the number that you provide during registration of the application. Don’t worry, the application prompts you for the information that it requires and I like that the application does not ask for more information than what it is entitled to have. No providing the name of your firstborn or social security number to use this app. That is a plus!

After you pick up your phone, you will hear the “operator” say that she (maybe in some places it is a “he”) will ring your friend. At that point, you have now called your Facebook friend, using the Callbux application, complete with its free operator.

I did notice a bit of a delay in the conversation, but I was testing with someone in the other room, where I could hear him on the cell phone and through the walls. However, assuming you are calling someone in another location, this probably won’t be that noticeable, with the delay.

The rates are very reasonable and Callbux provides these rates on their site, here. You also have the opportunity to see the remaining credit on the home page of the Facebook application, as well as the “home page” of the smart device, so you always know where you are at with call credits.

There are a couple of options to get more call credits. One is to pay for more credits with the “load funds” option within the Facebook application interface. The other is to share the application with your friends. Callbux rewards you with more credits and explains how you can get these credits added to your account. This is the basis for making free calls, as you are able to obtain credits so that you may not have to load funds.

At first, I thought that this app was going to be like a Skype phone call, where you are calling user to user, but when it is referred to as a phone call, it is truly a phone call, with the application connecting the two phone numbers. I can see where this is very helpful in international calling, especially in cases where you may not have an international calling plan available on your cell phone, or you travel so infrequently that it is not worth adding. In this case, if you need to travel abroad, you can still reach your family back in your home country for a very reasonable rate considering the comparison cost of roaming charges and international calling fees. If you have a 45 cent roaming fee, per minute, you are looking at a lot less using CallBux!

CallBux is not limited to just travel. In this day and age, we are making friends globally and more and more family members are settling or working or doing projects in other countries. CallBux makes it possible to keep in touch for less money than it used to cost before local long distance became free. You are connecting with loved ones, and new found friends and old friends, from your Facebook contact list, for pennies!

This is a truly fascinating era, with the ability to use video to chat (think “Jetsons” cartoon of the decades past), and interview people using Google+ Hangout On Air, and even create your own “Reality TV” series, right from your own home.

Personally, the Logitech HD Pro C920 Webcam is an excellent choice for web cam to really make your entrance into the online video world. Before discussing the C920, what are the two main reasons that you would want to add video or vlogging to your blogging task list?

Variety of Uses

There are many different applications of the use of video in blogging. The list is almost endless, but here are some uses to get you going:interviewing people via Google+ Hangout on Air (or your favorite video communication tool).screencast tutorials (especially those that have you showing yourself in the corner).vlogging with your “daily thoughts” provided via a video instead of written post (or both).video testimonials or reviews of products or web sites (getting exposure from the reviewed site, as well). your own talk show or reality show…. and the list goes on …

Relationship Building

Years ago (decades), you could get by with just posting text and possibly get a few clicks, a few views, even a few products/services sold. Today, it is getting more competitive, especially with the addition of social media. People want to know people and want to understand more than just the brand, but the face behind the brand or blog.

What Next? Recommended: Logitech HD Pro C920 Webcam

You could use the built-in camera in your computer, or a cheap web cam, but why not use an affordable high definition camera like the Logitech HD Pro C920 webcam to go for “high quality output” relationship building/branding?

Even the high quality camera in some laptops may not rise to the level of quality that the Logitech C920 has, with its full 1080p HD. You can try to make HD videos without the 1080p, by stretching the size, but they are more grainy and not as high quality as what you would get with the C920. The quality can only rise to the level of the recording technology that is used.

There is a balance between high quality recording, which the C920 does, and small file size for mobile viewing and faster loading. However, the advantage of recording with the C920 is that you can create the high quality 1080p high definition version and still create a smaller file for mobile viewing. Now, you have taken the time, once, to record, with this affordable C920, and have two videos, for different media uses. You simply can’t go the other direction, recording on a low quality camera and trying to make it look high quality, like what you would have gotten had you used a C920.

If you are thinking that it isn’t frugal to have more than one camera (i.e. laptop camera and C920), think again. It isn’t too far out and applications will provide opportunities for multiple camera angles (they are already here!). Get ahead of the game and use your built-in web cam AND the C920 to create a professional looking video. Also, the C920 is ready for that video chat. So, even if you aren’t recording, you will be looking good in that video chat window (think “networking” opp).

One of the truly amazing things about the Logitech C920, beyond its quality, is its price tag. When you are talking video and recording equipment, $99 is a good buy for any camera, but especially what you get with the C920! It may sound like a lot, but compared to “low end” microphones costing $1300, on sale, $99 is doable for the C920. Yes, it is still a web cam, versus a studio camera, but Logitech, in the C920, has figured out a way to maximize the features and quality and ability of this C920 to bring it as close to the brink of “non-webcam” that a web cam can go. So, with this Logitech C920, you have the best of both worlds: the quality (at an affordable price) and the web cam integration with all of your favorite video applications.

So, when can we expect to see your next online video or vlog?

This is a Sponsored post written by me on behalf of Arcsoft for SocialSpark. All opinions are 100% mine.

Is it possible for a software application to be “too fun?” If so, ArcSoft’s Perfect365 software would be in the running for that designation.

I purchased the Perfect365 iPhone app, at a reasonable price of 99 cents. You never know when you are going to be waiting in line somewhere and bored silly. 99 cents is a small price to pay, even for a program that may be mediocre.

Well, Perfect365 is far from mediocre! It is a program similar to Instagram, in the sense that it allows you to add effects to photos (especially when comparing apps on a smart phone), but it does something rather different. It allows you to create makeup looks on photos of people, not just an image overlay, but complete “looks” with eye color, eyelashes, lipstick, even facial reconstruction.

You can take a picture with your phone, right from inside the Perfect365 app and the Perfect365 will scan the photo to find the face. By the way, it only works on humans. I tried it with my Chihuahua and the Perfect365 told me there were no faces. Once the Perfect365 finds the face, it positions what it calls, keypoints, to the image. These are represented by little dots in the edges of the eyes, nose, lips, cheeks, to help the software to know what to change. These can all be modified. So, if the app doesn’t quite find the edge of the eye, you can tap the point and move it to the correct position. On the iPhone, there is a pop-up image showing you were the point should be, by demonstrating on a diagram for you.

On the free Perfect365 Windows 8 app, there is a little more control, since you have a larger screen and a mouse or trackpad, and you are able to fine tune the positioning. Also, with the Windows 8 desktop Perfect365 application, it was convenient to apply the “look” and then re-position the keypoints with the look applied. Why? Because, for example, if the lipstick looks like a 4 year old applied it, repositioning the keypoints will correct that and position the “lipstick overlay” where it should be (or as close as our ability to fine tune the keypoints). In my example, I started with a photo taken with the iPhone, of a model with no makeup on her face (shown above, left).

After allowing the iOS version to apply the keypoints, I chose a preset that was available, called “Fantasy” (shown above, middle).

After un-doing my changes, I tried the customized method and fine-tuned the keypoints and choose my own “effects” to apply to the photo (shown above, right).

Granted, I felt like I might need binoculars to see what the text was on buttons on the iPhone, but you can certainly see much clearer on your Windows 8 desktop version of the software, or, even an iPad. Besides, if I were to use the software to create a masterpiece, I am more likely to do so on the Windows 8 desktop version. Playing with it on the iPhone is a lot of fun to “play” and see what you can come up with by playing with the settings. If you are unsure what one of the buttons says, as soon as you click on one of them that requires settings, you will see the text and an option to change the settings. So, for example, in the photo (above), I change the shape of the models face, nose, cheekbones, and the depth of her smile. This app really does do facial reconstruction! I then added color and makeup and Perfect365 allowed me to save “myStyle” so that I can apply it to future photos, along with the presets like “Fantasy” (shown above, middle).

By using the Windows 8 desktop version, I was able to have a much more granular control over the effects. The downloadable version of the software at Perfect365.com allows you to try out the software, to see for yourself. There are limitations, until you purchase it, but at least you get a chance to see if this is the software for you. The image (to the left) was created with the Windows 8 desktop version, using a preset, and then manually modifying the settings, colors, facial structure, etc. I confess, I am tempted to take photos of people when I am waiting in line and create makeovers of them. Technically, that isn’t nice without asking their permission, but imagine how entertaining and relational that could be if you did ask if you could take a picture of someone, while waiting in line with them, and show how you can perform a makeover? And, what about the parties in the park? Too tired to go play soccer with the young ones? Sit back and snap pictures of each other and perform makeovers. At the beauty salon? Snap a photo of yourself or your stylist and show them the “look” you want. You are a blogger? Have a contest with Perfect365.com photos submitted to the contest. Oh, the possibilities for fun are literally endless. Like I said, this app is “too fun” and being able to download Perfect365 it and try it right now makes it even better.

P.S. There are even more versions available for download (and more features!). Check it out. There is literally, something for everyone.

Recently I had the privilege of interviewing Justin Germino (a.k.a. DragonBlogger). Now, I don’t know Justin personally, but I had always found him to be helpful and courteous when crossing paths with him in blogging communities (like Blog Engage), as well as Facebook, and Twitter (Don’t miss the #SocialCafe Twitter Chat with Justin Wed, 1/16 at 3p EST).

In a world where image is important, almost essential to some, it was refreshing to “meet” Justin via the video interview and find that Justin is not just an image, but he is truly genuine. I know, you may be thinking, “Yeah, right. You can tell that from an interview?” My response? “Yes, I think I can.” But, don’t take my word for it, watch the video interview and see for yourself!

Not only was I impressed by how authentic Justin was, but I found that he has so much to offer, as lessons for other bloggers, even in his own example and his personality, which is a personality that exudes “sharing” and helping others. Justin is not the type to discover successful techniques and horde these discoveries as heavily guarded secrets just for himself and for his team. No, this blogger shares what he learns, positive and negative, helping other bloggers to find that path of positive progress and success and warning them against techniques that may have detrimental effects on their efforts. He challenges his audience to try it for themselves, and even improve on it if they can.

 Interview with Justin Germino DragonBlogger

DragonBlogger Lesson 1: Authenticity

Justin is the real deal. He does not shy, or reel in fear, from being real. That takes courage, but it also causes people to be drawn to that authenticity and find a camaraderie in the “realness” or scratch their heads and say, “What makes that guy tick.” Either way, it is a non-threatening approach that draws people into the community. Interestingly, it is actually very effective as a business tool, but the irony is that it doesn’t work if it is a tool, because it would lack authenticity. Authenticity starts with looking in the mirror, understanding oneself, understanding where there is room for improvement, and saying, “That’s ok.” Or, more simply put, discarding the “fake,” put-on, and allowing your true self to shine. That is what Justin has figured out and it is working for him!

Action Step: Don’t fear being “real” with your audience. (It is actually fun!)

Videos clips:

“Key To Success” in full video.
“Sharing and Transparency” in full video.

DragonBlogger Lesson 2: Share

It has already been said, but one of the things that Justin does is to share what he has learned and what works and what doesn’t work with his efforts. He also follows through on his commitments and does his own analysis, and then shares that with his readers so that they can take his experience and improve on it with their own efforts (hopefully sharing, again, with the blogging community).

Action Step: Share with your audience. Share a bit of yourself, and also, share some tips, and lend a helping hand.

Videos clip:

“Finding What Works and Doesn’t Work” in full video.

DragonBlogger Lesson 3: Pick Yourself Up and Look Forward

A subtitle that came to mind for this section was, “Own Your Efforts / Take Responsibility.” I really appreciate how Justin is candid about the Google Page Rank loss that he experienced. He doesn’t make excuses. He calls it what it is and he explains how he lost the page rank and also shares how he regained the page rank. Just like the first lesson, he was authentic, and as with the second lesson, he shared what “didn’t work” in this case. He also continued to support his community and showed that the loss did not impact his traffic. Oh, page rank may be important, but part of the reason that Justin did not suffer the loss to the extent that others may feel they would experience is because he didn’t let it get him down. He picked up right where he was at and continued to do what works. And, he showed us that picking yourself up and walking forward IS successful.

Action Step: Hit a roadblock or a bump? Don’t let it stop you. Move through and past it. Don’t waste time with complaining about the mishap, take your last look in the rear-view mirror and move forward.

Videos clip:

“Justin Talks About Google” in full video.

Join us on Wednesday, January 16, 2013, as Justin is the featured guest at the #SocialCafe Twitter Chat at 3pm EST. Recommended tool: TweetChat.

DragonBlogger Lesson 4: Find Your Personality

You have a personality. Your blog has a personality. Sometimes it is the same personality. Sometimes it is not. Many people, including me, including Justin, started with some vague lines of what “fits” within a particular blog, but as we grow as bloggers, the blog personality started to emerge (if we let it). Beyond determining the niche and core pillars of his dragonblogger.com blog, Justin also defines the personality of his approach to reviews. He chooses to approach it as positive as possible, with an analysis of ROI (return on investment), but taking into consideration that if the investment is low, the feature set is understandably low, as well. This is an example of how Justin has not only defined the niche (which includes offering reviews on his blog), but how he approaches his reviews (personality of the blog). He does not strip his dragon blogger team of their personalities, but rather has a clear sight of what dragonblogger.com is and what it is not so that the diversity of the team highlights that niche and personality of the blog.

Action Step: Take some time to determine what your blog(s) would define as its niche and personality.

Videos clip:

Justin’s “Philosophy on Reviews” in full video.

DragonBlogger Lesson 5: Give Credit Where Credit Is Due

Keeping with the personality of sharing, Justin does not horde credit. As an example, in his contests, he finds ways to share and to highlight those bloggers who help him out with the contest, featuring them on his blog home page and “giving back.” Even the other day, I “overheard” Justin saying some nice things about me on Facebook. Hey, you know what? That feels good! And, it is an honor that Justin allowed me the privilege to be the first one to interview him via video.

Action Step: Don’t fear sharing the credit. It doesn’t always have to be about us. Share… it usually comes back. And, what would the world become if we tried to out-share each other?

Videos clip:

“Dragon Blogger Contests” in full video.

That said, is it any small wonder that talking to Justin inspired me to do the same and give credit, with this article? To learn more about Justin and his team, visit dragonblogger.com.

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