If you haven’t heard of UrbanDaddy, then you should read this blog! It is a website that I use to learn more about what San Francisco offers. UrbanDaddy is a free daily email dedicated to delivering you the information you need to know every day about your city. You will receive details on the finest: food & drink, style, entertainment and travel.

Not only does UrbanDaddy offer the latest information in your city, but they also provide perks! UB’s perks can include: Invitations to exceptional parties, exclusive give-aways (we hear Aspen is great this time of year) and special sales with some of the most fashionable brands around. Currently UB members can sign up to win: a private meeting with Seinfield in Vegas, a free night in a poolside Bungalow at The Breakers in Palm Beach, and the best seats in the house for Green Day’s Broadway show! UB is also offering discounts for renting Lamborghini’s and 50% off for men at the luxurious Elysian Spa!

For more info, check out: http://www.urbandaddy.com/about#ixzz0pFfbvlVs
Make sure to download their Iphone application too!

Learn How Groupon Works! from The Point on Vimeo.

How can anyone refuse daily deals offered in San Francisco? These bargains include discounts at: restaurants, gym memberships, laser hair removal, cruises, events, and much more. Who doesn’t love a deal? Andrew Mason produced Groupon in 2008 to, “make it easier for people to enjoy the great things in their community…we do it by offering daily deals at unbeatable prices through the power of group buying.” Groupon offers stunning deals for cities all over the United States, Canada, and is currently expanding as I write. Groupons main focus is on “unusual, special and niche things in each market.”

Groupons deal today:

$15 for $30 Worth of Indian Fare and Drinks at Maharani Restaurant. Did I sign up for it? Of course I did! This deal works up to two people, but if you are not an Indian food lover, it can always be a gift for a friend who is. Maharani has also been listed as “one of the top 10 Romantic Restaurants in San Francisco” – About.com I’m looking forward to eating here and receiving this fabulous deal. Here is the website.

How does Groupon work?

A specific number of people must sign up for the daily deal, and if not enough people sign up to reach the minimum, then no one receives the deal. Just because you sign up for the deal does not necessarily mean you will receive it, which means you should encourage your friends to join!

Now that you are aware of this incredible website, Groupon, then there is no excuse not to sign up and receive these outstanding unbeatable deals. Enjoy!

Cutting through the noise of social media can be quite difficult –especially once you decide to move on from social chatter, and start using social media for a purpose. Whether you’re using social media for marketing or promoting a note worthy cause, the fact is, you’ll be battling everyone else that’s trying to do the same thing as you.

Socialmediaexaminer.com wrote a great article on 10 ways to make your message more likely to get noticed, and here’s a recap!

• Simplify your message: make your message simple, direct, and have a hook.
• Find your space: time and location are vital, experiment!
• Use appropriate channels: break out of your mold, and find your place.
• Spread your message: don’t stick with one medium, re-purpose your content.
• Get help: Pitch your message to key influencers.
• Appeal to ego: most are concerned with their own self interest. So, make it about them, use “you” and “your”
• Cut the clutter: use short words and sentences.
• Appeal to primitive instincts: turn your message into a warning, highlight a problem, or emphasize the dangers.
• Use keywords: key into the words people are looking for.
• Stick to one point: Your entire article so be focused on that one point.

Don’t shovel you message out there, think about your audience and the best way to reach out to them. I know it’s not easy, I am constantly trying to improve at honing my messages, and you should too!

So how are you getting people to notice what you have to say? Any tips you could add to the list? Let us know!

How Starbucks Engages Millions of Fans – Michael A. Steizner on Vimeo

Recently, I watched this video featuring Alex Wheeler, Director of Digital Strategy at Starbucks. Alex shares how Starbucks built a Facebook community of over 7 millions fans –quite a staggering number in comparison to other fan pages. Alex gives many insightful tips on engaging customers: creating brand story videos to share, listening to what customers say to you and about your brand, and understanding how things fit into the big picture.

What really stood out for me was how she speaks of social media marketing as a relationship, and honoring all aspects of that relationship. Specifically, it’s not all about the offers, it’s much more than that. Just like a real relationship, social media marketing has different dimensions; seriousness, fun, involvement, and a range of different types of engagement. How do you use social media to better engage your customers?

Yes, that’s right, this event is still going on and Google seems to be delivering the goods! You can check out the LiveBlog over at Engadget for all the juicy details. The best news I’ve heard so far is about Android 2.2, and the public beta of Flash! Yes, Flash finally comes to mobile phones. Also,  you can watch the live-stream video here!

After reading the title of this blog you must think I’m crazy –don’t worry, I had my coffee this morning. Don’t get me wrong, SEO is important, but after reading an article posted by Chris Moody (Pragmatic Marketing Certified Social Marketing Manager at Bandwidth), SEO is killing our creativity. It seems that everyone is so worried about optimization that we forget our roots, what we were originally taught in our english classes –a compelling title, telling a story, have supporting points, and conclude with a solid conclusion. When did writing become like writing binary code?

That’s exactly how our writing would look if we specifically wrote blogs to optimize every SEO trick in the book. Creativity will draw readers, those readers will pass it along; yes, SEO optimization helps, but we shouldn’t base our writing around it! Creativity first!

source: www.Chris-Moody.com

San Francisco Small Business Week is back! If you’re an entrepreneur or small business owner, this is something that you don’t want to miss. SF Business Week is a partnership that honors and supports San Francisco’s small businesses through a series of educational and networking events that inspire, educate and connect the business community.

There are lots of great events this week. Check out our recommendations!

1. How to Engage or Build a Community for your Business Brand management is a thing of the past, and community building represents the future? Truth?  Or is it some false ideology brought upon the social marketing craze that everything is supposed to be community driven?

This event is presented by Edith Yueng at the SFSU downtown campus. She is also the executive producer of BizTechDay Edith, and is highly passionate about connecting, educating, and inspiring entrepreneurs. She will show you how to look at the world in a whole different way!

Come to this session and learn:

• How to find your customer communities
• How to engage with your customer communities
• How to create your very own community for your business or industry
• Do’s and don’t in building community

http://buildacommunity.eventbrite.com/

2. Business Success Through Networking

Networking; networking; networking! Which type of business networking activity is right for you and your business? No one method is necessarily the “right” method, but at this panel you’ll get to hear from several different business people, and see what works for them. And remember, networking isn’t about just exchanging that business card, or connecting with someone via Facebook. This panel will also be sharing tips and help teach you how to get results from your network and community.

http://successthroughnetworking.eventbrite.com/

3. Women Innovators: Inside Success

Tomorrow evening there will be an inspiring panel of uniquely innovative women including special guest Jennifer Siebel Newsom, Business Owner and First Lady of San Francisco. During this program you’ll hear their stories, gain insights from their experiences and learn first hand how these women define personal and professional success. This event will be held at the Julia Morgan Ballroom in San Francisco.

http://womeninnovators.eventbrite.com/

The SMASH Summit is an exploration of social media marketing strategies, tactics, tools, & campaigns used by successful online companies to acquire and retain customers on search, social, and mobile. May 12th, 21010 @ The InterContinental Hotel, SF

Acquire new customers, hear and meet with the experts, learn invaluable tips and tricks, and NETWORK!

SMASH Your Internet Marketing. Make it BETTER with new tools & platforms:
Why SMASH?

* “I wish i understood SOCIAL MEDIA strategies and tactics better.”
* “I want to understand how to collect METRICS on our campaigns.”
* “We need TALENTED PEOPLE to help get our online act together.”

Overview of topics, tools & tactics they’ll cover:

* Social Media, Blogs, & Content
* Search Engines (SEO, SEM)
* Social Networks
* Platforms & Apps
* Mobile & PDA
* Social CRM
* Metrics & Analytics
* Lead Gen & Affiliate Marketing
* Email Marketing
* Customer Acquisition Channels
* Links, Embeds, & Widgets
* PR 2.0 vs Good Old PR

Morning Agenda: In the morning SMASH will feature a series of strategy conversations around social media and platforms. They will explore popular social environments like Twitter, YouTube, & Facebook, and see examples of successful campaigns and case studies that “connected” with customers.

Afternoon Agenda: The afternoon will feature a dual-track conversation focused on

1) Tools & Platforms – for technology-focused attendees interested in the latest developments in social networks, apps & platforms.

2) Content & Distribution – for marketing-focused attendees pursuing a content and distribution strategy using social media.

Register here to Attend the Smash Event!

The 99th Annual ING Bay to Breakers 12K is back in SF this coming Sunday, May 16th!  One of the world’s largest and oldest footraces, the name reflects the traditional course which takes tens of thousands of participants from the northeast end of the downtown area near The Embarcadero (the “bay” side of the city) to the west end of the city and the “breakers” of Ocean Beach. The 7.46 mile (12 kilometer) race features world-class athletes in addition to costumed runners and ‘fun-loving’ folks out for a great day of running and walking through San Francisco.

There are over 60,000 participants, including 33,000 registered runners and walkers. If you live here in San Francisco, then you know what the other 30,000+ unregistered participants are doing and it’s not something you want to miss!

ABCey Recommends:

Deep End Port-A-Party- The Burning Man Deep End camp’s mobile PINK Port-a-Party float and sound system is supposed to be bigger and better this year! This is the way I’ve been doing this race for the past 5 years now, and I’m really excited to be part of it again. Featuring live DJ sets, let’s hope they can reclaim their favorite nesting spot underneath the bridge on JFK drive in Golden Gate Park. Look for the Sea of PINK!

House of Lotus: Bay to Breakers at MILK- Race on over to MILK with the House of Lotus and enjoy and celebrate another hard year of training! Located in the Haight, drinks are poured at noon, and go until the crowd is done.  Surely an afternoon of freakiness, dance moves, and debauchery!