Content Matters

As the 2011 New Year rang in, things were going my way. I ran a great half marathon at Lake Mead in January. I had clarity in my business. I was gaining new clients and expanding my reach within existing customers.

But less than a month in, I began sliding again. It was a slow decline at first. Chronic fatigue. Lack of clarity. Headaches. Stomach pain. But as the Texas summer began heating up, I became nearly bedridden.

For the last year, I’d been seeing numerous doctors: internist, endocrinologist, allergist, rheumatologist and multiple gastroenterologists. I prepared a 12-page document with all my symptoms, information I found doing my own research and theories I had to what was ailing me.

Yet after more than 100 individual blood tests and more appointments than I can count, they could tell me only that I had an unknown source of inflammation and my body was producing an auto-immune response although I didn’t have a clinical auto-immune disease. I even wrote to the Mayo Clinic requesting an appointment, and they turned me down.

Although I was experiencing 30 different symptoms, there was nothing “clinically” wrong with me. The doctors would shrug their shoulders and say I’d have to live this way.

But that wasn’t an option.

I wanted my life back.

At this point, however, my life had turned into mere existence. I wasn’t myself. I stopped running (a BIG deal for me). I stopped keeping up with friends and family. I stopped writing. I couldn’t think. I certainly couldn’t work. It was all I could do to get up in the morning.

Luckily, my journalistic instincts were still intact. On the good days, I kept researching, reading all kinds of blogs and books on digestive health. I knew in my heart that’s where the problem was. I had asked my physicians numerous times about a syndrome called leaky gut, but none of them new anything about it. Perhaps it’s because there are no prescription or OTC drugs to “cure” it. In fact, it’s the prescription and OTC drugs that cause it.

When the intestinal flora isn’t in balance with the healthy bacteria keeping the bad ones in check, the bad ones take over…with a vengeance. Did they ever. The integrity of my gut became compromised, which resulted in the inability to absorb nutrients properly (thus the chronic fatigue) and the inability for cells to maintain permeability (thus toxins leak out into the body causing the auto-immune response).

To make matters worse, consuming protein set off a reaction. It started with gluten, Then soy. Then even one serving of any kind of protein put me in a excruciating toxic haze for anywhere from three to seven days until my body fought and killed the “foreign invaders.”

But my persistence paid off. I finally began finding answers. One source would lead to another, and another, and another. I found programs that addressed leaky gut naturally, and for a near vegan who tries to eat primarily organic, that was extremely important. I began following a stringent diet and supplementation program—and it began working. I stopped feeling toxic. The chronic fatigue became less severe. The headaches that plagued me for nearly six straight months began to subside. The stomach pain resolved itself. I began running, socializing and working again.

While I am significantly better than I was six months ago, I still have far to go before I’m completely healed. But I finally understand what has been happening to me and have implemented a plan to fix it. I am ready to put 2011 behind me and welcome 2012 and all its possibilities with open arms. I’m optimistic. I’m feeling like myself again.

What does all this mean to you, my readers? It means that Content Matters, which ironically has be devoid of content, won’t be unattended for much longer. I’ll be back in 2012, stronger than ever. But I’m taking things slow. Being cautious. However, I want you to know that there is much for me to do to fulfill the mission I have this website—and myself. I have so much to give, and I can’t wait to share it with you.

Thank you for reading. And thank you for your patience. I appreciate all the love and support I’m receiving as I go through this life-changing journey.

As we get ready to ring in 2012, I wish you great health, lots of laughter and much love. May this year be the best one yet.

I recently saw tweet from a new follower that linked to a seemingly interesting blog post, so I clicked through to check it out. The topic was why companies should hire U.S.-based copywriters rather than the cheaper offshore variety.

The post was well written and made a compelling argument, and the facts were peppered with some of the author’s personal experiences teaching English as a second language in Asia. While the blog was associated with a company that provides copywriting services, the post was educational and didn’t read as self-serving promotional material trying to drum up business.

I wanted to complement the author on crafting such a nice piece, so I scrolled down the page only to find the comments section closed. What? Really?

Confused, I went back to the top of the page to check publication date. Perhaps it was an older post from the archives? No, it was published just two weeks prior.

I don’t believe in ever closing comments—this is where some of the best content can be found (assuming the blog has an active and vocal readership base). This is why it was so completely baffling that there was no ability to have a dialogue with the author. And for a company that sells writing services, this sends the completely wrong message.

Disappointed, I left the website scratching my head…and feeling the immediate need to share the experience so you don’t make the same mistake.

There are many reasons to have a blog, and one should be to create dialogue between and within your audience. No one has all the answers, and a healthy discussion—even with points of view that are contrary—is essential for growth and change to happen. Denying yourself and your audience of this opportunity is simply bad business.

Takeaway: Content matters. This applies to content you write as well as the comments your audience shares. Don’t shun comments, even if what others write can potentially make you uncomfortable. Acknowledge their perspectives and agree to disagree.

Feedback: What do you think about blog comments? Do read them? Do you add to the conversation by posting your opinions? Keep the discussion going and share your ideas below!

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This week’s Internet Marketing Club Wednesday Webinar featured Jay Berkowitz, the big cheese over at TenGoldenRules.com, who spoke on how to make great online ad banners. Here are the top tips:

The Twitterverse may seem like a vast expanse of streaming, oftentimes useless, information. But for those doing it right, Twitter is a powerful content marketing & customer engagement tool. In a recent PPAI webinar, I shared the 10 steps to getting started on Twitter, from setting up an account & choosing a name to writing a bio & crafting that first tweet. In case you missed it, here’s a recap:

After recently reading an enlightening blog post on social media, I checked out the author’s bio and clicked on the link to follow him on Twitter. Much to my surprise, an unattended profile appeared. There was no profile picture, bio or company website. He had tweeted seven times in the nine months, had 16 followers and was following zero. His credibility was shot, and I was completely uninterested.

I went back to the article to close out the window and I noticed there was another location for the author’s Twitter feed. This time, I was directed to the proper profile, complete with photo, bio and website—with 2,000+ tweets and a 600/414 followers/following ratio. This is what I expected.

But what if I hadn’t stumbled upon the correct profile? The damage would have been done. In the world of social media, having an outdated, unattended profile can be more damaging to your reputation than no profile at all.

If you find yourself in this situation, you have two choices:

1. Get Active.

Of course, this is the preferred action, as social media is a powerful communication tool—and one than more and more buyers expect you to have. Don’t say you don’t have time. That’s merely an excuse. If you understand the value of social media and believe in its importance, even the busiest executive can carve out 30 minutes a week to create 3-4 tweets and/or status updates. Use a social media management tool (I use HootSuite) to schedule your tweets/updates in advance (as well as to multiple platforms, if desired), and you won’t have to think about it for another seven days.

2. Delete The Account.

If you have created multiple accounts within a social media site and are only using one of them or if you truly don’t see the value of the particular platform, delete the inactive account and move on. It reduces confusion for your audience while keeping your reputation intact.

Just because a social media site exists doesn’t mean that it is a good fit for you or your business. Evaluate where your customers and prospects are and go there. It’s not possible to be everywhere, so choose the site that appeals to you. Doing something you don’t enjoy is simply a recipe for disaster.

Takeaway: Content matters. This applies to content that is there—and content that isn’t. Inactivity sends a negative message just as damaging as bad content. If you’re not using it, lose it.

Feedback: What are you tips for making time to be active on social networks? Keep the discussion going and share your ideas below!

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Where is the best place to order custom promotional items? Here’s my answer on Quora.

How do you define best? Lowest price rarely means best—in customer service or product quality. To me, best is defined as a company that designs creative promotions that meet your specific marketing objectives. In this case, You need more than an order taker; you need a promotional consultant that works with you to understand your business, customers, branding objectives, etc.

First, I recommend asking your professional network for referrals. Additionally, each year, Promotional Products Association International (PPAI) Pyramid Awards honors the top promotions based on creativity, product usage, ROI, etc. To see the list of winners, click here.

When evaluating any promotional products distributor, look at the company’s website. Is it simply a shopping site or does it offer value-added services? Are there case histories that illustrate expertise and creativity? Has the company won any awards? Is there a blog that demonstrates knowledge base? With the answers to these questions, you’ll quickly be able to separate the true marketers from the basic product salespeople.

What’s your perspective? Do you agree?

To read all the answers on Quora, click here.