Online Scams Proliferating - Economic Hard Times Make People More Vulnerable

WorldClass Brand Management can Protect Your Reputation

I'm certain you all have been inundated with classical Nigerian email scams, and I hope you are all staying alert with respect to new and ingenious variations on a variety of scams.  These scams can impact your online reputation so please consider this free information about protecting your online reputation with simple reputation management solutions.

As I have two college-age kids, I am trying to teach them how to protect themselves from online predators. Not just sexual predators, but financial predators who will stop at nothing to extract both dollars and information in any way possible.

I was asked recently what advice I would give to friends and family about protecting reputations online, so here's what I recommended. The SocialSphere is a whole new world with all kinds of opportunities and benefits, as well as some serious challenges. There are really three major pieces of advice I'd give:

1. Don't ever put ANYTHING on the Internet that you're not absolutely sure you're willing to have the entire world see. Words or pictures. Once it's on the net it is NEVER coming off. Assume that everything you post is eventually going to be read in front of a judge and a jury, that should keep you out of trouble.

2. Don't trust ANYONE on the Internet. It sounds cynical, but you have to start from a baseline that NO ONE is telling the truth and that everything should be suspect. There are so many crooks and fraudsters who are very bright and they are constantly coming up with ways to trick, cheat and steal.

3. Monitor your Name: setup a Google alert with every variation of your name you can think of, "firstname middlename lastname", "firstname lastname", "firstname", "lastname", "marriedname", "maidenname", "nickname." Make sure to look at all the alerts and link through to each one, it could save your reputation.

I monitor my kids names, and recently got an alert saying that their name had been found in a U.S. Court system. As I researched it, it was a Hungarian marketing company acting as a reseller for an Oregon based data company who basically uses this strategy to get you to sign up for their service so you can supposedly see what the U.S. Court has on you. This is a serious offense which I'm pursuing with my attorney...akin to the newest version of cyber-identity theft...but worse, reputation theft and character assassination by implication. They are using psychological intimidation and veiled threats of the U.S. Court system to try and induce unsuspecting or naive individuals (in this case, my kids...who don't know any better) to sign up for their so-called "service" for a fee. They are hoping that the kids will be so scared and worried about what might be on the court records (whether or not there's anything there) that they'll sign up and pay the fee just to answer a question that in the case of my kids doesn't need an answer.

I am dead serious on this issue and am now an unbelievably ticked off dad who is going to take these guys to the mat. They now know that I'm a dog and they are the bone. Stay tuned and I'll keep you posted about how this turns out.

Another recent example is an email I got as follows:

r u doing okay ? Kendell‏
From: Mariam Gabriel (hello_strawberry@hotmail.com)
Sent: Thu 1/28/10 5:00 AM
To: virtualcio@hotmail.com

where have you been Kendell

thought about you the other day, i thought that i saw you over by taco bell.

can u please give me your opinion on this it's set up over here, http://www.theknifecardpro2.com/8564447/Kendell

u know who
===============
Even though this was in my spam folder and even though I know it's a scam, I decided to explore what they were promoting so I could share with you what's going on. Now, when you click through to www.theknifecardpro2.com it appears to be a legitimate ecard site, interestingly titled "Crush Greetings." If you click on the "Contact Us" or any other link on the site, the URL auto-rotates to www.adorecards.com.

Here is the registration information for the Netherlands-based company behind the URL of www.theknifecardpro2.com:

Owner Contact:
Emile Aarts emile.aarst@yahoo.com

Keislagen 76
Breda, 4823 KM, NL

Punycode Name: theknifecardpro2.com
Unicode Name: theknifecardpro2.com

Admin Contact
Emile Aarts


Keislagen 76
Breda, 4823 KM, NL
phone: +31 768884191

Technical Contact
Hostmaster Strato Rechenzentrum hostmaster@cronon-isp.net
Cronon AG Professional IT-Services

Emmy-Noether-Str. 10
Karlsruhe, D-76131, DE
phone: +49 72166320305

Zone Contact
Hostmaster Strato Rechenzentrum
Cronon AG Professional IT-Services

Emmy-Noether-Str. 10
Karlsruhe, D-76131, DE
phone: +49 72166320305

Record expires on: 2011-01-19 22:30:20

Domain servers in listed order:

shades10.rzone.de
docks16.rzone.de

Registrant Search:"Emile Aarts" owns about 295 other domains and his Email is associated with about 291 domains.

Here is the registration information for the URL of www.adorecards.com:

Registration Service Provided By: APM
Contact: +305.3205512

Domain Name: ADORECARDS.COM

Registrant:
Brandon Debois
Brandon Debois (skrilled@gmail.com)
437 P Dotnis Rd
Orlando
Florida,32835
US
Tel. +407.5551782

Creation Date: 04-Mar-2009
Expiration Date: 04-Mar-2010

Domain servers in listed order:
ns2.adorecards.com
ns1.adorecards.com

Administrative Contact:
Brandon Debois
Brandon Debois ()
437 P Dotnis Rd
Orlando
Florida,32835
US
Tel. +407.5551782

Technical Contact:
Brandon Debois
Brandon Debois ()
437 P Dotnis Rd
Orlando
Florida,32835
US
Tel. +407.5551782

Billing Contact:
Brandon Debois
Brandon Debois ()
437 P Dotnis Rd
Orlando
Florida,32835
US
Tel. +407.5551782

Status:ACTIVE

========================================

When I input the Pickup Code included in the email, here's what I find:

E-Card
Message:

Kendell,

This is difficult for me to do because I'm shy.. but I have a crush on you. I've
never been able to tell you for reasons which you would quickly identify as
obvious if you knew who this was. With that said, I want you to guess who I am,
and approach me yourself.

To help you out with your guessing I made a few pictures and videos with ''Kendell''
written on my body. They're kind of risque photos so I had to make a profile at
CAM SPACE ONLINE dot COM and post them there. I made my username on the site
''KendellandME09''. (It's a free website but you might need a CC or Debit to
verify your age because I had to. Sigh.)

But anyway sign up at
CAM SPACE ONLINE dot COM and once you are inside search for ''KendellandME09''. I
want you to guess who I am and then approach me yourself. I'm shy and this is
the bravest thing I've probably ever done, but you need to do the rest.

Kisses,
Secret Admirer?
haha. Bye

=====================

Here is the registration information for the URL of http://www.cam space online dot com:

Registrant:

None
Long Matt
4200 Castle Cove
Kissimmee, FL 34746
US
+1.4072010555

Administrative Contact:
None
Long Matt
4200 Castle Cove
Kissimmee, FL 34746
US
+1.4072010555

Technical Contact:
None
Long Matt
4200 Castle Cove
Kissimmee, FL 34746
US
+1.4072010555

Billing Contact
None
Long Matt
4200 Castle Cove
Kissimmee, FL 34746
US
+1.4072010555

Registrar..: gkg.net (http://register.gkg.net/)
Domain Name: CAMSPACEONLINE.COM
Created on..............: 06-JAN-2010
Expires on..............: 06-JAN-2011
Record last updated on..: 06-JAN-2010
Status..................: ACTIVE
Domain servers in listed order:
NS1.CAMSPACEONLINE dot COM
NS2.CAMSPACEONLINE dot COM

Of course this leads to pornography website which tries to entice you to sign up for a "FREE" membership which only requires that you give them either a credit card number or a check.  Yea RIGHT!

This all may be technically legal...but it's just not right.  Although I doubt there's going to be any pursuit of these shady operators, I have filed a complaint with the Florida Attorney General at:

Office of the Attorney General

PL-01 The Capitol
Tallahassee, Florida 32399-1050
Telephone: (850) 414-3990
Toll Free within Florida: 1-866-966-7226
They have an online complaint submission form at http://myfloridalegal.com/Contact.nsf/Contact?OpenForm&Section=Economic_Crimes
I have included below a link to the Florida Attorney General Website at http://myfloridalegal.com/, and it is interesting to note that they highlight the following scams:

Protecting Yourself from Consumer Fraud

This page will guide you to useful tools and tips for protecting yourself from consumer fraud.

• Advance Fee Loans
• Art Fraud
• Auto Repair Fraud
• Automobile Repossession
• Business Opportunities
• Buying A New Car
• Buying A Used Car
• Car Ads
• Car Financing
• Car Leasing
• Car Rental
• Carpet Cleaners
• Caskets and Burial Vaults
• Charitable Solicitations
• Checking Account Numbers
• Chronic and Persistent Car Trouble
• Cool-Off Rule
• Cosigning A Loan
• Cosmetic Surgery
• Credit Card Bills
• Credit Card Fraud
• Credit Repair and Debt Relief Services
• Dance Studios
• Debt Collection
• Electronic Equipment and Repair
• Eyeglasses and Contact Lenses
• Fair Credit Reporting
• Food Advertising/Labeling
• Foreign Lottery
• "Gas Saving" Products
• Gemstone Investment Schemes
• Going Out of Business
• "Gold" Credit Cards
• Health Studios
• Health Fraud
• Holiday Buying
• Identity Theft
• Infomercials
• Internet Email
• Internet Shopping
  Investing In Precious Metals
  Investing in Wireless Cable
  Invention Promotion Firms
  Job Listing and Job Search Firms
  Land Sales Scams
  Lawn Service Contracts
  Lottery Fraud
  Mortgage Foreclosures
  Movers
  Multilevel Marketing
  Negative Option Marketing Plans
  Nigerian 419
  Odometer Fraud
  Overpayment Scams
  Overseas Job Firms
  Phishing
  Price Gouging After A Hurricane
  Rain Checks
  Rare Coin Investment Schemes
  Real Estate Brokers
  Recovery Room Scams
  Service Contracts
  Small Business Scams
  Sweepstakes
  Shopping By Mail Or Phone
  Smoking Cures
  SPAM
  Tax Evasion Schemes
  Telemarketing
  Title Loans
  Toy Ads On TV
  Timeshare Sales and Resales
  Unordered Merchandise
  Unsolicited Facsimile Transmissions
  Vacation Certificates
  Varicose Vein Treatments
  Water Treatment Devices
  Weight Loss Programs
  Work-At-Home Schemes
  Worthless Bank Checks
  Yellow Pages Invoice Scam
  "800" Prefix Telephone Services
  "900" Prefix Telephone Services

For additional information on protecting yourself from consumer fraud please visit our Consumer Links page.

Hopefully you find this information useful and if you are interested in professional reputation protection and online reputation management, please contact me at 760.445.3315.

Encouragement to Keep Writing!

Perseverance is Key

Encouragement to Keep Writing

by

Kendell Lang, New Media Consultant

For the writer in all of us we are inspired to write our thoughts on paper and express them to others. In some cases we keep a journal or a notebook of our thoughts and inspirations.  I write this blog to try and keep a clear thought pattern as I process a variety of ideas and issues in my mind. I am the future of myself, I am the writer and the future is mine.


I'm not going to worry about the rejection, I've had plenty of that. They say there are 99 “no’s” to every “yes” so I am looking forward to getting the rest of the “no” out of the way so I can get to a “yes”.  I am continuing to plug away at my regular job while I get my writing in as I can. I won’t give up and I will persevere.  I've learned that most authors who do it full time now had regular jobs once in their lifetime and they had the same dreams I do now. They didn’t give up and kept plugging away.

I won’t forget the Stephanie Meyer is a home-maker and Suze Orman used to wait tables. I see famous authors now and in the past who were teachers, consultants, garbage collectors and every other kind of career.

Sometimes I don't feel like writing, but I do it anyway. Sometimes I may be scared to write, but I do it anyway. Sometimes I wonder whether what I have to say is providing value, but I write it anyway. I just keep writing and I trust that I will find that what I am writing is getting better and better.

When I have a thought I try and write it out.  I do my research on whatever topic I'm working on and follow through being true to my idea. I study other works and read other authors to appreciate other styles and enhance my knowledge of the world through other author’s lives.

I am only writing what I know about.  That keeps me out of trouble most of the time. Well so to speak. I study life around me and what I see as stories in my world.  I don’t talk myself out of writing; thinking no one will ever read it. I forge ahead and write and stay positive. It can have a twist but will still be in my world.

So I hold to this virtual notebook and take it with me on my journey of a lifetime as a writer. I don’t give up, I study life, I research and above all things I keep writing. I will find my unique story and the world will find it with me. If I write about it well, people will read it and appreciate it as a unique contribution. I keep on writing and I don’t give up.

CONCLUSION IS AN ILLUSION

CONCLUSION IS AN ILLUSION

If there could be such a thing as a good day to die, this would be it. Particularly for someone so full of life, always a ray of sunshine…the counter statement of the heavens to open the tear ducts of the angels and pour forth their sorrow to see a sister in Christ lay down her life without angst or anger, but in peace amid the storm. It is befitting that the soul of Mother Nature would become gray and mourns the passing of one of her sweetest inhabitants. The world is full of people passing time, and people die every day, but this day is different because this person is different. Because we know our rewards will be different in heaven, it’s logical to assume that special lives deserve special note and will not pass without reverberations through the fabric of our lives.

How did it come to this? Where in the world would you go to prepare yourself for something like this? For all the marvels of modern medicine, and despite the compassion and caring concern of Hospice workers, going through this has been worse than being on death row. Without committing any crime, without deserving such an unjust end, the sentence of death is not even accompanied by a date certain for closure. Even death row inmates are at least given the courtesy of a last meal and a date when they will transition to the afterlife. The cruelty of the death sentence imposed by cancer can only be described as horrific. To endure such a fate without complaint is a testimony to my wife’s faith and trust in her Lord and Savior.

I do not understand the necessity for someone to go through what she is enduring. How does this shape her character? How does this bring her closer to Christ? What is it in this experience that glorifies God? All of a sudden the attraction of why people would contact Kevorkian to assist in transition becomes crystal clear. It is an unfathomable option until you yourself sit by the bedside of your spouse and watch day after day as her body eats in on itself. But then you see her going through all this without one complaint, without anger, absent any questions of “why me?” and you start to understand the depth of her trust in God. Not some untested hypothetical book knowledge, but deeply honed love, trust and faith which is carrying her through this trial. This is her cross and this is her test which qualifies her to hear those sweet words of welcome which don’t even need to be written.

There are definitions for some things which you just shouldn’t have to learn, like terminal agitation or terminal secretions…hideous words from which you only cringe more when you actually understand the definition.

The beauty of the human condition and our ability to experience the greatest depth of relationships in life is dependent upon our willingness to experience the wretched despair and indescribable grief of losing the love of your life. The experience of my wife being taken out of this life is equally opposite in dark magnitude as was the radiance of her love expressions during our sweetest times together. I chose to remember the sweetness.

Throughout this tapestry of chaos and pain in losing the love of my life, there is an amazing thread being woven in God's amazing plan, an incredible symmetry of balance and purpose where we are given glimpses of the nature of God. Beautiful and simple, majestic and complex; just a pure revelation for me tonight which was both perfect in timing and substance. What an amazing thing this conversation was that I just had. Before I share the details of this gift, you need to have just a little more background.

Angie (name changed)...what a project she was. She was on my daughter Kjersti's soccer team a few years back, a talented athlete. We had the opportunity to get to know her and her family through our association on the soccer field. What started out as rides to soccer games turned into a friendship that revealed a dark and tormented young soul. Someone hiding behind gothic rage to try and blend in with the youth of today. So tormented that her mother didn't know what to do with her. Her friends were afraid for her, and Kjersti worried for her. Small signs turned into huge warning flags...long sleeve sweatshirts in the dead heat of summer, when lifted would reveal the scars of self-cutting. Angie hated herself so much and hated her life so much that she would cut herself just so she would know whether she was alive or not. Her senses so deadened that she didn't know whether her emotional pain was real or not, so she had to inflict physical pain on herself to create some sense of reality. A latchkey kid from a divorced family, an older sister who was an over-achiever, vegetarian going to Berkeley and seemingly had her act together. Angie struggled with the simplest things, and yet wrestled in very obvious ways with some of the most profound issues of life; why am I here...what is my purpose, does my life matter, what does it matter whether I live or die, will anyone notice if I'm gone?

In the midst of this turmoil God placed our family with a plan in mind. Kjersti was a teammate and friend to Angie. Patti and I coached, mentored and encouraged Kjersti to pray for Angie, be a friend to Angie and help Angie realize there was a purpose for her life. More than anyone, Patti prayed for Angie, prayed for her situation, prayed for her mother, prayed for her father and prayed that Kjersti would be used by God to reach Angie. We reached out to Angie on many occasions, letting her know we were there for her in whatever way we could be. We invited her to our home, Kjersti invited her to attend church...Patti reached out to her Mom. Patti never judged, she just let Angie's Mom know she was available...and several times Angie's Mom would call Patti at wits end, crying and at a loss, not knowing what to do or how to deal with Angie. Patti was always there, always listened, always encouraged...and always prayed.

We lost touch with Angie for some time...until tonight. I get a phone call, and a shaky voice on the other end of the phone asks, "is Mrs. Lang there?" I wasn't quite sure, but I thought I recognized Angie's voice. I told her this was Mr. Lang and asked her what I could do for her. She proceeded to tell me that she was Angie, that she used to play soccer with Kjersti and she wasn't sure whether I remembered her or not. I assured her that I did remember her and knew exactly who she was. Angie said she was just wondering if she could talk with Mrs. Lang. I thought for a moment, and wasn't sure exactly what to do, so I just told her the truth. "Angie honey...I'm so sorry you hadn't heard the news, but my wife, Patti, Mrs. Lang...passed away six weeks ago. I'm so sorry to tell you this on the phone, I know that has to be such a shock, I'm sorry." Crying on the other end of the phone. "Mr. Lang, I'm so sorry, I had no idea." I say, "it's alright Angie, you had no way to know, I'm just sorry you had to hear from me this way." Angie says, "I'm so sorry for Kjersti, how is she doing?" I let her know, "Kjersti is doing as well as could be expected under the circumstances, it's really hard to lose your Mom. She has a strong faith and she knows where her Mom is."

Angie says, "I always knew that about your family. You were always so kind to me, and I'm going through a program right now that I wanted you to know about. I'm in a Christian school program that is really helping me, and I wanted to know if it would be okay if I came to visit you when I'm done with the program in about five months or so?" I told her we'd love to see her, and that we'd continue praying for her. "Mr. Lang, I'm a Christian now and as part of my program I was encouraged to contact people who influenced my life, and that is why I called to talk with Patti. I just love your family and want to thank you for being there for me. I just always knew you were strong Christians and I really want to stay in touch with you."

"Angie, I can't tell you how happy that makes me" I say as the tears are streaming down my face. "Really, it may not sound like it, but I'm really quite happy that you called and I know it would mean a lot to Patti to know you called because you thought of her. It is very special to me to know you thought about her, and I'll be sure to let Kjersti know." Angie says, "Mr. Lang, I do daily devs now...so I'll pray for you and Kjersti."

After making sure Angie promised to keep in touch and let us know when she'd finished her program, I hung up the phone and just wept. I wept because I miss my Patti, but more than that I wept because God knew I needed a boost, something to let me know there was more purpose in her life than I could possible imagine...something tangible for me to hang on to that let me know she had been used for His glory beyond what I could currently know. Just one life...just one young woman who was touched for the Kingdom. You never know who, where, when or why...but in this instance I thank God for giving me this glimpse, just one slice into the pie of heaven we are one day going to experience when all the Angie stories of our lives will fall into place. Patti touched many lives, most of all mine, but God knew I needed to hear this story tonight.

Chapter 5 - THE PLAYERS

THE PLAYERS

Relationships are what people are all about. Good, bad or indifferent, the players in our lives shape the history of our time on this planet.

more to come....stay tuned!

Internet Marketing 101 - Personal Brand Development Components

Internet Marketing 101

Personal Brand Development Components

In a recent article titled "Personal Brand Management: The Secret to Career Mobility" by Todd Rhoad he states, "Developing personal brand equity is a key element to establishing and maintaining your career mobility. Increasing manager equity is the quickest method for improving and selling your brand throughout the organization. It requires an understanding of what managers like, how to measure your changes and how to influence their perceptions with less effort."


Developing a compelling personal brand image still remains essential to positioning yourself. Everyone is overworked and unable to focus entirely on any one thing, so your ability to have someone managing your personal brand is essential. Professional development in the corporation has morphed into the reality that you have to manage your own personal development. In other words, management doesn't have time to help you develop your career. Sure, they'll take a few minutes to help you jot down your goals but it won't go much further than that. Employees don't get the kind of attention nowadays that helps develop careers. The best way to promote yourself is to promote your personal brand and that is what I deliver for my clients, personal brand management.

Personal brand management has a variety of components and you should carefully consider how to integrate all of the following into your personal brand strategy.

Internet Marketing

Methodology. Strategy. Technology. Execution.

These elements are the foundation to delivering powerful results. Having the ability to do a 360 degree evaluation and to seamlessly implement all aspects of an Internet marketing plan provides my clients a single source solution when partnering with me.

Pay Per Click Management

Pay Per Click Management (PPC) - My personal brand management implements a pay per click strategy which has a solid track record of delivering superior ROI.  My results are certified by Google, Yahoo!, and MSN.

Search Engine Optimization Search Engine Optimization (SEO) - My experience as an SEO analyst provides my clients with efficient, high ROI producing organic search engine optimization campaigns that are part of a fully integrated Internet marketing strategy.

Paid Inclusion (SSP)

Paid Inclusion - I help businesses extend their Internet marketing reach at a low and controllable cost through paid inclusion marketing also known as Yahoo SSP.

Content Advertising

Content Advertising - My Interactive marketing expertise continuously maximizes content advertising opportunities for my clients and refines a placement strategy to give my clients new leads, eCommerce sales, and millions of impressions.

Social Media Marketing

Social Media Marketing - My targeted social media marketing will help you personally or your business control, protect, and grow your brand.  There is a huge brand awareness developed through social network marketing and you need someone with my experience to help you protect your personal brand.

Website Design Website Design & Development - As a full service Internet marketing specialist, my ability to create custom websites and landing pages that blend visual appeal with usability for the end goal of conversions is part of the overall personal branding strategy.

Online Video Marketing

Video Marketing - I cannot underestimate the importance of developing compelling, rich media content to effectively communicate your value proposition and convert visitors into customers. I spend a great deal of time getting my customers into the studio to produce effective video interviews to share their personal brand via video.

Affiliate Marketing

Affiliate Marketing - I have broad experience managing affiliate programs in various industries, including one of Commission Junction's top 10 affiliate marketing programs. If you are providing a service and are looking to leverage your solution, you must have an affiliate marketing strategy and I can help you accomplish this.

Discovering your personal brand is the most challenging part because it takes the most thought. I can help you find yourself.  Once you understand that, it is time to create your brand. Once the creation process completed, you are now able to deliver this content, both verbally and electronically, to whoever you want to understand who you are and what value you provide.

Even with a strong Personal Brand, over time it may decay or be out-of-date. That is why the third strategy is to maintain your Personal Brand over time. The brand must be updated with the latest technical competencies, attire, and feel in order to survive. The market changes rapidly and corporations transition, forcing you to evolve in the same fashion. It's all about knowing where you are, who you want to be, and strategizing how to get there.

 

Top 5 Personal Branding Tips for Success

1. 
   
   Start by letting me help you discover your personal brand.
   
   
   
2. 
   
   Ensure your skills, competencies, interests, and personality match your objectives.
   
   
   
3. 
   
   Network with peers, professionals in your field, and family members.
   
   
   
4. 
   
   Create all tangible pieces simultaneously with your intangible core message for maximum consistency.
   
   
   
5. 
   
   Send out as many invitations to network as you can, with the strongest content you have.
   
   
   

Career development is dead and Personal Branding is in. There are far too many job applicants for you not to take into account the entire personal brand management issue. Personal Branding is about differentiation, positioning, and creativity. It allows you to have a better insight into what you're interested in, your career, and your pursuit of happiness. Ask yourself this: Do I want to be like everyone else? If you do, then you will not be chosen for a competitive position. Those who aren't distinct are known, in marketing, as commodities. Commodities have to battle on price and you want to be compensated for your value, so stick with Personal Branding. Commodities are easily replaceable and unrecognizable by the target audience.

There is an even bigger picture with Personal Branding and that is life. Those who have strong brands will not only succeed at their profession, but will also have a better life experience because they will gain confidence in their skills and feel unique in a world where there are billions of people. Career development was only the beginning and now Personal Branding has taken over and you must brand yourself!

Let me help you, so call me at 760.445.3315 or email me at kendell.lang@gmail.com

Personal Web Marketing and Internet Marketing Coach

Personal Web Marketing

There is an approach to personal web marketing, or personal internet marketing, which I provide for my clients which is very sophisticated, very technically detailed and very effective.  This strategy is not for everyone, but for anyone who wants to be perceived as a rock star in their profession, you must develop a personal web marketing strategy.  I have honed my skills over two decades and have developed a unique and proprietary solution to provide maximum impact to my clients for their Personal Brand development.

In a recent article in Dental Economics, author Bill Blatchford talks about the reality that, "Life is moving so fast, we can barely keep up. Business practices and marketing ideas are happening on the Internet at a speed we cannot comprehend. Called Web 2.0, social networking is the idea of bringing people together for friendship and business."

Bill goes on to say, "The importance to me for people and businesses (dentistry) to be involved in social networking is so we can have an opportunity to direct our brand or offer services instantly and uniquely. If we have no presence, our marketing still happens but could take a negative turn such as, “Dr. Smith doesn't listen and her hygienist hurt me.” You can't be on every site every minute, but part of your marketing effort is to be present and put a positive spin on yourself personally and professionally."

So how can you translate Personal Brand and personal web marketing into a way to grow your business and impact your wealth?  That is what a Personal Brand Continuum Plan is all about.

The average perception is that high profile athletes who get paid huge contracts for their physical abilities make up a large percentage of millionaires in America.  The reality is; athletes, musicians, actors and actresses make up less than 1% of the millionaires in America.  Here is something you probably didn't know!  99% of self made millionaires in America come from these four categories.

Self Owned Business = 74%
Senior Executive Positions = 10%
Doctors, Lawyers, Engineers = 10%
Salespeople and Consultants = 5%

Being a self-owned business is what has made America great and it is the small business owner who has been the driving force behind every economic recovery and/or growth in our economy.  Yet your success or lack of success is determined by the following.
40% - Genealogy = This is your thoughts, culture, instincts and beliefs.
20% - Environment = Where you were born, and raised, and how many resources you had growing up.
40% - You

Social networking is huge and this is something you need to understand if you intend to compete in this economy. Daily, 450,000 people join Facebook.  But that is just one small tip of the iceberg in terms of a total strategic Personal Web Marketing Plan.  Of course you're familiar with YouTube, Flickr, MySpace and Twitter, but did you know that;

• There are more than 200 major social networking websites
• There are more than 50 major photo sharing websites
•  
• There are more than 200 Free Press Release websites
•  
• There are more than 200 Video Sharing websites

The challenge is knowing how to maximize your online presence across some/all/none of these sites, as well as to protect your Personal Brand from being diminished by the link farm robots that grab your personal information and repost without your permission or control.  If you haven't Googled your personal or business name recently, you should make it a regular habit to periodically check on your Personal Brand.  You may be surprised by what you find.  You can setup a Google alert to keep track of your personal brand with periodic updates if anything comes across the web relating to your name.

A Personal Brand Continuum Plan will put you in the drivers seat to proactively manage your online presence and you will have me as your personal internet marketing coach to make sure your image and personal brand is both protected and presented in the most impactful way.

It all starts with a need.  Do you need a Personal Brand Strategy?  Call me today at 760.445.3315 to discuss how I can help you build your Personal Brand into a powerful online marketing tool to generate more leads, build market credibility or just help you find your next gig.  You can email me at kendell.lang@gmail.com

Personal Brand Continuum

Personal Brand Continuum

Kendell Lang, new media consultant, presents to the San Diego City Council

This Presentation was made by Kendell Lang, new media consultant who was the CEO of SensorWave Technology at the time, given to the San Diego City Council as part of the Amerland Review of Sea Breeze Gardens, a project of The Amerland Group.