Blooming Footprint

It All Started With A #FollowFriday

2011-12-19T15:35:00.000-08:00

Trista Sutter was the runner-up on season 1 of the ABC reality TV show The Bachelor, before becoming the star of the first season of its companion show The Bachelorette. She has also appeared on Dancing with the Stars and Fear Factor. Why does Trista have anything to do with our lives...because she lives in Vail, CO and is an avid Twitter user of course ; )

Sweet Basil restaurant, located in the Vail Village, has been a Social Media Marketing (SMM) client of ours. We got their Twitter account all suped up and because they are a staple of Vail, had Vail locals and visitors conversing with us...including Trista!

So it was a Friday and we always make sure all of our clients participate in Follow Friday (#FF, #FollowFriday). Follow Friday is a way to give shout-outs to tweeple (Twitter-People) who have helped you out with re-posts or mentions during the week. So we gave a shout-out to Trista and guess what...she actually got back to us!

So after that exchange, we became Twitter friends. And because Trista is asked about all things Vail, she is always willing to throw out a Sweet Basil recommendation...

Most recently Trista re-posted a tweet of ours highlighting a Sweet Basil staple, their famous Toffee Pudding...

And it was re-tweeted by Nestle...

Now that's what we're talking about!

Thanks to Trista, Nestle and all the supports of Sweet Basil. Trust us, if you're in Vail, you need to go try it out!

New Logo for Antique Shop

2011-12-02T14:51:00.000-08:00

Harper's Bizarre Logo Just Launched!

The historic W.W. Harper Pools & Spa had to get creative to stay afloat in a declining pool market. So they decided to use their prime location store space to advantage. They converted it to an antique and collectibles shop, selling hand-picked items from estate and yard sales. Ranging from the funky, to the unique, to the bizarre, this store stands out in the mass of antique stores in downtown Bakersfield.

Harper Pools neon sign is a infamous landmark in Bakersfield so the owners wanted their Harper's Bizarre logo to be similar to associate the two. But they wanted their own spin on it to go along with their tagline ‘Funky Antiques & Collectibles.’ We kept the existing sign elements of the palm tree with waves and added an old wooden trunk floating in the foreground. This represents the idea that Harper Bizarre is a treasure chest of found objects.

We are happy with the result and wish the best for Harper's holiday shopping season and brand growth in the years to come!

Website: www.wwharperpools.com
Address: 2400 K Street, Bakersfield, CA 93301 (map)

Inviting Guests To Events on Facebook Pages

2011-11-18T07:40:00.000-08:00

It seems Facebook keeps making things more and more difficult on Pages, and you'll notice another change today.

Once your Event has been created, you can no longer just add guests from the main Event page. In order to do so, follow these simple instructions...

Click on the Event you want to invite people to
Click the little arrow pointing down with the the gear in the very top right corner (there will be a drop down menu)
Select 'edit event'
Then look for 'Who's Invited' and 'Select more guests'

From here, you will be able to sort your friends by friend lists and groups. Check the box next to your friends' names and click 'Submit' to send them an invitation to your event.

Hope this helps!!

Boost Your Visibility Online with Video

2011-10-30T14:37:00.001-07:00

The Facts:

Content:

The first step in using video in your marketing plan is to create great content. Here are some simple steps that you can take to start making interesting video to help drive viewers to your brand.

Do your homework:

Start by asking yourself: Will this content be relevant in 1-6 months from now?
Do some keyword research: Check out what kinds of video are popular for the keywords that you are going to be using and tailor your video accordingly.

Pick a Topic:

Company news can be a great topic.
Screencast is good for technical presentation as it allows you to use shots of your computer screen to create videos. Some screencast software includes:

*Screen Flow for Mac

*Camtasian Studio

*Jing (Free!)

Interviews recorded with screencast above can be inserted using:

*Skype

*ooVoo

*Tinychat if you want to record an interview with multiple people

How long should my video be?

60-90 seconds is about right for things like tips and how-to videos.
Shows (for example a concert or restaurant review show) can be a bit longer, around 10-15 minutes.
Make sure the first 3-5 seconds are very exciting, otherwise you will loose your viewers right off the bat.

Editing/Equipment:

Your camera doesn't have to be very high-tech these days to get good video, you can get started with merely an iPhone.
Flip cameras, Cannon or Kodak cameras that shoot video are also good.
However you MUST HAVE GOOD AUDIO as viewers will not sit through your video if there is fuzz or feedback in your audio.
You can get started with basic editing software like:

*iMovie for Macs

*Windows movie maker for PC

YouTube Optimization:

Metadata Optimization can help visibility. You can optimize your video title, tags, description and category. Thumbnails are also key. YouTube automatically chooses thumbnails from points in your video near the ¼, ½, and ¾ mark. So, make sure you have visually exciting content at one of these points in order to have a good thumbnail to choose from.

Video Promo and Distribution:

Use existing Social Media networks. Connecting your YouTube channel with Facebook and Twitter is easy!

*Go to your Username

*Click Account

*Click Activity Sharing

*Link your Channel to your Preferred Social Networks

You can also copy your YouTube url to post video on your Facebook fan page.
YouTube allows you to pay to be amongst their promoted video.
Annotations (links within your video) can drive viewers from your more popular videos to new videos.
Embed your video in your blog or website. Google’s algorithm factors in how many times a video is viewed and anytime someone views a web page where your video is embedded it will add to your YouTube tally.
Don't forget to re-post your video even if it's been on your channel for a while.

Use the YouTube Community:

You can create cool skins or add a subscription option to all of your channels.
Make sure to moderate and respond to your comments.
Engage with your fans who rate and view your content and encourage them to comment or subscribe to your channel.

Article Sources:

http://www.capturetheconversation.com/social-community/youtube-search-engine-optimization

http://www.socialmediaexaminer.com/how-to-integrate-video-into-your-social-media-marketing/

http://searchenginewatch.com/article/2117783/Optimizing-3-Types-of-Content-on-YouTube-Flickr-SlideShare

Blooming Footprint Goes Local...

2011-08-22T10:00:00.000-07:00

Since Blooming Footprint is relatively new to Colorado, Katie Fox and I thought it would be a good idea to get out and about and start mingling with the locals to help establish us in the community. This time we decided to escape the summer city heat and make some new friends in my favorite Colorado mountain town, Vail.

We spent two days in Vail and are beginning to get to know the Valley and most importantly we were able to see how supportive this community truly is. While tourism helps keep this small town running, its the locals who make you want to keep coming back.

We would especially like to thank the local business owners who took the time to meet with us and share their stories.

Blooming Footprint is proud to be a part of Colorado and we can't wait to continue to build local relationships!

~ @LAByram

Street Food Finds: Cream City Treats (Denver, CO)

2011-07-22T07:38:00.000-07:00

One of my favorite summer lunch spots is Civic Center EATS Outdoor Café . Every Tuesday and Thursday, what I consider to be the best of the best Denver food trucks, come out to one location from 11am-2pm. Whenever you need to get some fresh air during your lunch break this is the place to be. Not only do youhave a wide selection of appealing food but it’s fairly cheap as well; and with the backdrop of the State Capitol Building and the Rocky Mountains, life and eating can’t get much better.

I’ve had the opportunity to enjoy a few trucks and their specialty cuisines over the past weeks, and while all of them are delicious, only one in my mind is suitable for the 90° F heat we’ve had in the city. This truck is easily marked by the black and white cow print and goes by the name of Daisy, also known as Cream City Treats. Elisa Salvat is the brilliant creator/chef behind this idea and not only does she make these tasty treats, but she drives Daisy around town and serves to all.

Cream City Treats is not the typical ice cream truck, you won’t find rainbow ice pops here; instead you’ll be completely surprised by the next generation of ice cream sandwiches. Elisa makes homemade whoopie pies and stuffs them with a creamy smooth ice cream that makes for a refreshing dessert. The whoopie has the perfect softness that you would expect from a cake, while the ice cream brings in a cooling element so that after one bite you’re hooked.

Since I attend Civic Center EATS frequently I have had the opportunity to taste a few of Cream City Treat’s menu items, but there is one in particular that keeps me coming back for more, Lemon Pistachio. The lemon pistachio whoopie tastes citrusy yet buttery and salty, and the chopped pistachio pieces take it to the next level. To top it off a lemon curd filling and pistachio ice cream is sandwiched between the lemon pistachio whoppie to make for one flavorsome treat.

To try a tasty treat, be sure to follow Daisy on Facebook and Twitter to find out her next location, and look out for her at the next Civic Center EATs or City Park Jazz.

Posted by @LAByram

Sonic Bloom 2011 Day 1

2011-07-10T14:57:00.000-07:00

When I arrived at Shadows Ranch in Georgetown, CO, I knew instantly that Sonic Bloom had found the perfect new home. I have attended Bloom, one of Colorado’s most progressive and cutting-edge electronic music festival and one of my favorite musical events of the season, for three out of the last four years. It has changed venues numerous times over the years, from small obscure mountain locales, to Winter Park, to The Mishawaka Amphitheater, but Shadows Ranch is by far the best layout and most beautiful location yet. It is no surprise that the festival will be returning to the Ranch in 2012 and 2013.

With Clear Creek running through the grounds, a beautiful lake on-site, flowers, landscaping, shade, and rustic buildings, Shadows Ranch helped make Sonic Bloom feel like and ethereal musical wonderland. The main stage was surrounded by huge flower sculptures, food vendors (may of which were vegetarian), painters, art installations, light sculptures, projections and four giant speaker stacks on all four sides of the dance area.

By crossing a narrow bridge over the creek, festival-goers were lead by large LED-light box sculptures to the COdome that was presented by Sub.mission, a side-stage that hosted local and lesser-known artist. Across from the COdome past the grassroots and chill domes was the entrance to the well-shaded campgrounds marked by red glowing sticks and a giant disco ball.

The festival began at 4:20 in the afternoon on Friday with an opening ceremony and a sage blessing. The first musical act, Dayquill, began what was to become a total whompfest with heavy beats and sporadic rhythms. Next to take the stage was multi-instrumentalist Fugate, a master of broken rhythms and smooth melodies who made his bloom debut this year. The day continued with high-energy acts as I began my shift working back-stage. I was disappointed that I was not able to catch Ishe, who had just blown up Steamboat Springs the night before, or Eminence Ensemble, an up-and-coming jam-tronic band out of Boulder who have surprised and impressed crowds all over Colorado. It’s no wonder EE’s next gig was an opening for The New Deal’s last Colorado show.

After working a chaotic shift checking in musicians, dancers, performers, painters and artists, I was finally free just in time to chug a few beers at camp and join my friends for Zilla’s set. Zilla, comprised of Jamie Janover (Sonic Blooms founder who played with numerous bands through out the weekend), Aaron Holstein (Vibesquad) and Michael Travis (EOTO, String Cheese Incident), played a mellow mix of laid-back dub with swirling melodies and moody rhythms.

Up next was MartyParty who definitely lived up to his name. He brought the party by playing heavy, hard dubstep and glitch with fun samples like the Mama’s and the Papa’s “California Dreamin’". His ever fluxuating samples, rhythms and sounds dared dancers to keep up.

I escaped the MartyParty madness to catch Michael Menert in the COdome, who helped to produce Pretty Light’s first album “Taking Up Your Precious Time.” His Pretty Lights affiliation was apparent as Menert played a soulful mix of funky melodies with futuristic danceable down-tempo beats. I have discovered in listening to his album “Dreaming of a Bigger Life”, that my favorite dance moment of his set was during a song called “Feeling Better”. The song features floaty flute samples and bright soul horn hooks that made me want to shake, flail, shimmy and move my hips in ways that I never imagined possible.

After dancing harder than I had all day, I returned to the main stage to see the another Pretty Lights Music artist, duo Adam Deitch and Borahm Lee of Break Science. BS was joined on stage by Aerialist who contorted their bodies into beautiful shapes while hanging from flowy fabric on the sides and in the middle of the stage. The highlight of the aerial performance was when a couple joined forces on the fabric and performed death-defying tandem tricks.

At the end of an electrifying first day I had to put myself to bed early to save up my energy, despite knowing that I would be missing British headliner Mala. He was meant to close out the main stage however his flight was delayed so he was forced to play a witching hour in the COdome around 4 a.m. Although I can’t really say that I missed his set, as I could still hear thumping sub-sonic bass well into the wee hours of the morning. Reports back were that he played a haunting sensuous set, perfect for a dream-state soundtrack.

Check back for more on day 2 and 3 of Sonic Bloom.

To see a full photo album click here.

What's New With Facebook?

2011-06-17T06:45:00.000-07:00

Facebook is notorious for constantly changing and updating their website. Some useful new features were rolled out in 2011 and here are a few tips on how to use these new features to benefit your business:

It's all about the like button
The Like button has become more powerful in 2011 as Facebook has phased out development on the Share button. There are now different styles and options for the Like button, including:

Standard (with and without faces)
Button count
Box count

According to Hubspot’s Facebook Marketing Update 2011, “Facebook users who utilize a Like button visit 5.3x more Web urls to engage with content and on average have 2.4x more Friends. Providing the "Like" button on a website gives content creators access to these more socially engaged consumers and their networks.” Since FB has now linked up with Bing, increased ‘likes’ can also increase a website’s SEO. It also drives FB users to your website and helps your content become viral.

Optimizing FB Search
Facebook search works differently than a Google or Bing search engine. Facebook relies on connections, like how many of your friends like something or know someone. So if you are searching for pizza restaurants, it will give results of pizza restaurants that your friends like first. It also relies on exact matches. You will find different results if you search wine than if you search winery.

Ways to Optimize Your Facebook Page:

Page name = page title tag so be specific, use your full brand name, and make sure you use spaces in between words
Your FB page URL (www.facebook.com/yourbusiness) can be customized. This will help users find your FB page when using a traditional search engine. Make sure to keep it short and simple and should clearly identify the artist/business. Create a URL that is close to your brand name as you can.
Use the FB categories and sub categories. This will make your business more identifiable in FB search.
Include detailed information about your company or band in the “about us” and “info” tabs of you your FB page. They are more available to search engines.
Stay active on your page. Make sue you you are frequently posting on your wall as this content will also help boost your searchablitly within Facebook.
Encourage people to "like" your page by creating content that is fun, informative, and engaging. Your content is what will draw in new fans and keep current fans visiting your page.

Engagement is Key!
An extremely effective way to engage your audiences is through Contests and Competitions.

Facebook has some very specific guideline on how promotions and contest can be conducted, so make sure that you visit this page and familiarize yourself will all of FB's rule before you launch your contest. www.facebook.com/promotions_guidelines.php

Tips for Creating a Contest:

Establish a broad appeal -- Don't offer something obscure or too specific.
Be Creative -- You want a promotion that stands out and makes people take notice.
Keep it simple -- Don't make the rules to involved or overwhelming. Have FB users like your page, enter an email, or tag themselves in a photo for example.
Go multi-channel -- Promote your Facebook contest in the rest of your advertising. As we like to say "keep the user in YOUR loop."
Be timely -- Make sure the promotion is relevant to something that is happening NOW, and the contest doesn't go on for too long.

Facebook Connect
You can now have users Connect (or log-in) to your site with Facebook. You can also provide enriched personalized content and provide customer services via Facebook.

Tips for using Facebook Connect:

Avoid pop-up connect, it's better to use a passive call for action like in the product review sections, community areas and post purchase.
Make sure you are open and honest about what their information will be shared and make it easy to disconnect if they want to. That way you dispel uncertainty and FB users apprehension over sharing private information.

Facebook Location Based Marketing
With the introduction of GPS enable smart phone, location based social marketing has become very popular and Facebook has also created an app called Facebook Places where people can check-in, tag friends at locations, and look at a list of other people who have checked-in at the same place. Facebook has also introduced incentive to check-in with Facebook Deals.

Facebook Deals Include:

Individual -- The user simply needs to accept the Deal and show the screen to the merchant to receive their incentive (usually a discount or free merchandise).
Friend -- Multiple users must combine forces to receive the incentive.
Loyalty -- Incentives are provided to a single user for recurring behavior.
Charity -- Donations are made on behalf of the user.

There are tons of business out there that haven't claimed their page in Facebook Places. So make sure that you check to see if your places page already exists before making a new one.

Comment Box Plug-In
In March, Facebook launched a more robust version of their comment platform. According to Facebook's blog here are some of the new features of the comment plug-in:

Comments are ordered to show users the most relevant comments from friends, friends of friends, and the most liked or active discussion threads, while comments marked as spam are hidden from view.
Comments in the comment box are posted on the users newsfeed.
Profile information is shared with your comments to give insight into each user.

This information was gathered from Hubspot’s Facebook’s Marketing Update Spring 2011. The information was compiled by a team of Hubspot bloggers.

By: Caitlin Morris
@COMusicNerd

Street Food Finds: The Biscuit Bus (Denver, CO)

2011-06-06T12:36:00.000-07:00

This past weekend I went to the Cherry Creek Farmer's Market, and this being my first time for the season, I was surprised to see a whole section dedicated to food trucks. In one area, a person could choose from Argentinian food, fresh roasted chili peppers, Southern comfort food, or to satisfy the sweet tooth there’s your choice between cupcakes and homemade ice cream.

That particular day, my stomach lead me towards the The Biscuit Bus. The best way to sum up this food truck is Southern hospitality food at its best. With their friendly service, you quickly forget that you are standing at the bus window ordering food.

After giving the menu a quick glance, I decided to go for something simple and satisfying, a biscuit with buttermilk fried chicken. From the first bite, I knew this chicken biscuit sandwich was superior to those found at some fast food joints. The biscuit was buttery moist and tasted fresh out of the oven, while the chicken offered the perfect balance of crispy texture and juicy flavor to make for one mouthwatering bite. The only thing this meal was missing, was a nice cold glass of milk.

Check out other items featured on The Biscuit Bus Menu including vegetarian gravy options.

This is just the beginning to my street food finds and I’m looking forward to tasting my way through it.

Post by: @LAByram

Ganga Giri - New Album: Good Voodoo

2011-05-24T20:46:00.000-07:00

There’s nothing more Australian to me than a Ganga Giri show. Their performance is a mix of hearthumping dance beats and traditional Didgeridu playing. To see this beautifully diverse band is a unique and powerful experience. I went to their album launch party on May 13th for “Good Voodoo”, an excellent follow up to their previous seven albums. The party was rocking with lots of fans and friends who couldn’t stand still at the Corner Hotel in Melbourne, Australia. This band attracts of a lot of followers globally and a solid core crew in Australia. Attending their launch party was very special as I’ve grown close to these guys over the last year since moving to this awesome country. Knowing Ganga, Jornick, and the rest of the band has been a highlight of my life here as the Indigenous Australian music connects me to the unique and special history of this country.

Download a free track from the new album here.

More about Ganga Giri on their website here.

Ganga Giri on Facebook.

Amy Kliever, Creative Director, Blooming Footprint
Melbourne, Australia

Social Media Has Little Impact on Online Retail Purchases

2011-04-29T12:27:00.001-07:00

So if you know me, you know I don't believe that headline, but this was an article posted by Mashable this week. Check it out here.

So of course I had a client that forward this to me and I thought I'd take the time to share my response as I feel it's very valuable to all the retailers out there who read this.

-----------------------------

What I keep reading is that Facebook and mobile commerce will become more acceptable sooner than later. Now we use social media to find our market and convince them our brand is a good resource to follow while building awareness and influence. Plus the well educated consumers are wanting to make smarter purchasing decisions, look for deals and share them: the new age referral.

Check out this survey from IBM>. Most people are simply following companies to get offers and deals.

Social media as about providing instant customer service, building brand loyalty and trust. TV commercials, magazines, newspapers and radio ads don't provide any of that or directly lead sales either. What it's about is finding out how people like to be communicated with, and its different for everyone; some via email and some via Facebook and Twitter as they can filter to their liking. So bottom line, you have to be where the people are and converse with them.

Although consumers might not be going directly from the social media platform to make a purchase, there is still a good chance that social media efforts DO influence purchase decisions. More and more people are looking for retail solutions that allow them to pay via mobile and social sites...and if you ask me, that's the next "big thing".

High Art In Denver

2011-04-03T21:11:00.000-07:00

The first ever High Times 2011 Medical Cannabis Cup was this weekend in Denver. So besides a competition there was also music (special appearance by Kid Cudi), parties, seminars and networking.

I didn't make it this year, but got my hands on a program and instantly was drawn in by the branding and creative page after page after page. I love the use of vibrant colors, bold fonts and understated simplicity and can definitely tell the demographics and audience they are all after.

Check some of my favorites out here...

Album Releases This Week - SuperDre & Govinda

2011-03-17T08:05:00.000-07:00

Big week of music with 2 clients dropping new tunes on the world. In both instances we wrote the official press releases, assisted with social media and coordinated the press/blogger outreach. Check out exclusive tracks released and get to know a little more about these 2 amazing artists!

Electronic Violinist & Composer Govinda Unveils New Album “Universal On Switch”
In constant pursuit of his gypsy roots, Govinda has opened his ears to music from around the world to produce this rhythmic, multi-layered masterpiece.

Govinda's newest album 'Universal On Switch', available worldwide on iTunes is an amazing blend of Eastern melodies, heart felt vocal passages, dirty basses and wobbly electronic sounds laced with hauntingly seductive violin melodies. The tracks take you on a journey of sounds and lyrics formed from dreams while dabbling in the mumblings of an ancient far away mystical world. The music combines sensual violin textures contrasted by dirty synth and wobbly bass lines that blur the lines between the provocative, the spiritual, and the artistic.

Check out "Hungry" by Govinda here.

PRODUCER, DJ & PERFORMER SUPERDRE RELEASES DEBUT EP “FOLLOW THE FRO”

SuperDre (aka Dre) has been extra busy as of late running her boutique label Bass Candi, spending long nights in the studio and playing to sold out crowds opening for major Nationals across the country. Her hip-hop influenced, minimal tech house sound is prevalent on her debut EP "Follow The Fro" tis not available on iTunes and creates that live environment experience, while the tracks are sonically rooted initiating those earth-shaking party grooves Dre is known for.

Dre continues serving up her distinctive brand while sharing the stage with acts like Slum Village, The Cool Kids and D12, Filastine, Ana Sia, Heavygrinder, Punisher and Terrence Parker. She was personally invited by Bassnectar to play his SOLD OUT Atlanta NYE shows, the OFFICIAL after party as well as to support his 2011 West Coast tour. Still active in the underground scene, Dre continues appearing at festivals, warehouse parties and after hours events where it all began.

Check out "Ghetto Circus" by SuperDre here.

For full press releases or any other info, hit me up at katie(at)bloomingfootprint(dot)com.

A Social Media Valentine's Day

2011-02-09T06:31:00.000-08:00

Valentine's Day in this day and age can be an absolute no brainer if you just embrace the power of Social Media.

Check out this very timely video produced by the great people at Socialnomics, which was founded by Erik Qualman with the intent of providing Social & Mobile Statistics, Studies & Surprises. For all you guys out there, there are a lot of Social Media tools that will make life easier when getting your V-Day goodies lined up, as you'll see in this video...

And below, please find a couple great infographics from eHarmony on what men and women find most important in a relationship.

We hope you get some out-of-the-box ideas on making this a memorable Valentine's Day for your loved one!

Five Must Have Social Media Tools for Musicians - Repost from FanManager

2011-01-31T11:36:00.000-08:00

Recently I was asked to be a Guest Blogger by FanManager, which began as a grass roots street team management company in 2005, focusing mainly on bands within the jam band scene. FanManager quickly expanded into a full-service marketing powerhouse in just a few years time. The company has worked on campaigns for artists such as Depeche Mode, Shakira, The Crystal Method, Paul Oakenfold, Infected Mushroom, Umphrey’s McGee, Imagination Movers, The Disco Biscuits, and many others. Here is the re-post of the article...
------------------
As we roll in to 2011, the selection of band-friendly social media tools continues to grow. MySpace is on its last leg, the days of no music on Facebook are over and incomplete tour information is just unacceptable. The following are tools that encourage fan engagement and help you easily manage those relationships in this crazy era of social networking and branding.

1. Improve your Facebook Page with RootMusic’s BandPage

In minutes BandPage puts all your band’s info in one place on your existing Facebook fan page. Fans can listen, share and send new tracks from your SoundCloud music player, read your bio, check out your Tweets, videos and upcoming gigs all from one tab.

2. Share Music & Merch Directly To Fans With Bandcamp

Bandcamp is the do-it-yourself platform for the sale of physical goods and digital music distribution. Features include name-your-price (or free) download options in the format of your choice, metadata of songs and album art, lyrics, list-building features and real-time stats. You can also bundle physical and downloadable goods, you own everything, and can integrate it anywhere you’d like.

3. Share Song Links on Twitter with Twiturm

Twiturm integrates with your band’s Twitter account, allows you to post your music and track listens. You can choose whether or not listeners can download the track and users can share the track with their followers in just one click. Log in with your Twitter credentials, browse to a mp3 on your computer, fill in a few details about your mp3 and click submit. From there they tweet a link that your friends and fans can click and instantly hear your music.

4. Reach More of Your Fans With FanMail

FanMail is a digital marketing solution that provides you the tools to help you find, know and reach your most important assets via email, mobile, social, websites and design. Their interactive campaigns are powered by the best technology and are produced by seasoned marketing, design and development professionals who understand fans. FanMail reaches millions of fans daily, and they each get the information they want, the way they want it.

5. Measure ROI With Band Metrics

Band Metrics is for musicians, bands, labels, managers, booking agencies, venues, A&R reps, promoters, music supervisors, publicists, marketing agencies, analysts and anyone interested in measuring artists and music. Identify fans, measure social engagement, find hot markets, track radio plays and discover trends all with their multiple in depth reports.

Marketing Tips for 2011

2011-01-12T08:16:00.000-08:00

Use Facebook apps to increase fan engagement.

Blogging is still king according to Social Media Examiner. And Hubspot points out that businesses with an active blog get 55% more online traffic than those without a blog.

Spice up your Social Media strategy.

Focus on Customer Experience and learn about consumer behavior.

Enact good link building activities.

Use different kinds of content to drive results to maximize your Social Media marketing plan.

Get the Ecommerce Tips to Guide You Through 2011 ebook from GetElastic.

Integrate email into your Social Media plan.

Continually learn how social media is changing and how to stay on top of the latest trends, technology, ROI stats, devices, apps, and more.

For more marketing and social media tips, be sure to follow us on Twitter!

Prepare for the Holiday Season Now

2010-11-08T11:26:00.000-08:00

If you haven't already, its time to get your e-commerce holiday plan in order because in a blink of an eye, you'll be too late! These are preliminary steps you can take in order to have a successful holiday season for your online store.

Shopping Trends to Consider

Consumers are skimping on certain items in order to spluge on a few pricier favorites - be sure to tout what you have that's unique or affordable.

They’re planning more in advance to save on gas money - get the word out about your store.

People are researching online and purchasing offline - make sure your prices are competitive and maybe offer free shipping.

E-tailers are offering guaranteed delivery dates during the holiday season - add information in your "about" section on your Holiday ordering deadlines.

comScore Reports $29.1 Billion in U.S. Retail E-Commerce Spending for Full November-December 2009 Holiday Season, Up 4 Percent vs. Year Ago

What's The Plan?

Take advantage of your social networks and post reminders about Holiday shopping at your store

Ask your friends and fans to post your store on their website and profiles to help spread the word

Spruce up your store with a festive banner, holiday colors, cheerful descriptions

Consider announcing specials and sales the day before strategic dates (see below)

To help your shoppers find things easily create gift bundles or gift categories (for him, for her, by price, stocking stuffers, etc.)

Mark Your Calendars!
These are said to be the busiest shopping days for 2010. Structure your holiday plan around these days by including specials and discounts with deadlines to capitalize on the feeding frenzy.

November 26 is Black Friday

November 29 is Cyber Monday

December 13 is Green Monday...in 2009, $854 million was spent in online sales.

Final Thoughts

Get the word out about your shop now.

Make it easy for your customers to shop.

Enhance your site design with holiday flair.

Make potential buyers comfortable about your business.

Provide specific delivery lead times and shipping discounts.

Use holiday specials to convert shoppers to buyers.

Strategy is everything during this super competitive time of the year. Take this extra time to get organized and make this your most lucrative holiday season ever.

Website Launch - ROUND ROOM PRODUCTIONS

2010-07-07T10:02:00.000-07:00

LOGO, BRAND AND NEW WEBSITE JUST LAUNCHED!

Blooming Footprint was asked by Round Room Productions to create a clean and professional brand and website that would appeal to corporate clients seeking production services. There was an additional challenge as the concept of the company name was derived from the jam band Phish's song,'Round Room'. We were intrigued and inspired by the request and feel great about the results!

Tanzanian Student Fund - Website Just Launched!

2010-05-23T19:30:00.000-07:00

Blooming Footprint is proud to be a part of the Gayle Lyn Kliever Student Fund and happy to announce the launch of it's new website. We have been donating our time and energy to help raise awareness and funds for this worthy cause. The fund is the result of Amy's cousin, Gayle, living and teaching in Tanzania, Africa for five years. She fell in love with the people and culture there and is working hard to help citizens of all ages in this struggling country.

By donating to the fund, one can make a huge difference in a student's life and consequently, the country's economy. A small donation goes a long way (a large donation goes an even longer way! :) And the best part is, they have been able to channel 100% of all donations directly to student scholarships!

To learn more about the fund and make a donation, please visit the website:
www.glkstudentfund.com

Still Think Social Media Is A Fad??

2010-05-07T17:27:00.000-07:00

I loved the first video Socialnomics put out and here is the updated version. The social media & mobile statistics are hard to ignore. Watch for yourself...

Take Aways...
"We don't have a choice on whether we DO social media, the question is how well do we DO it."

"People care more about how their social graph ranks products and services than how Google ranks them." Second time I heard this today. First time was at a Hubspot webinar.

"We will no longer search for products & service, they'll find us via Social Media."

"One out of eight couple married in the US met via Social Media." This is why sites like Pickv are making waves in the online dating world.

"25% of search results for the World's Top 20 largest brands are links to user generated content."

"The ROI of Social Media is your business will still exist in 5 years."

The Big Kahuna...
"Listen First, Sell Second."

Performances Down Under: Around the World on 80 Quid

2010-04-14T18:16:00.000-07:00

A couple weeks ago, I met Aindrias de Staic while walking down Brunswick Street in Fitzroy with my friend Katie on the way to a show. He was standing outside an empty shop eating a chicken leg served by the shop-with-no-name which was doing a home-cooked meal, as advertised by a hand-written sign. Katie introduced us, knowing him from improv classes they did the year before. I told Aindrias I did websites so am now in the process of launching his new site.

Thus is my life in Melbourne - meeting random people in random situations. After seeing Aindrias' show last night, I was struck by the similarity of world traveling and how circumstances throw new opportunities your way. His performance, Around the World on 80 Quid, is an entertaining combination of comedic story-telling, spoken-word, acting, and beautiful fiddle playing. It was a riveting experience to hear of his true-life story of leaving Ireland and working his way around the world and ending up in Melbourne, Australia. He takes you through a story of drug and alcohol addiction, sex, jail-time, illicit employment endeavors, with his Irish fiddle-playing as a common linking theme throughout. The story ends with an optimistic message of living clean and finding a more balanced lifestyle. Keep your eye on Aindrias' career as a comedian, actor, and musician. His talent, experience, and bigger-than-life personality will take him far. New website to be launched very soon!

Aindrias is performing just another couple more nights at the Melbourne Comedy Festival so be sure to catch him while you can!

BOOK TICKETS HERE
Northcote Town Hall Comedy Fest

Aindrias on Facebook

Your Brand, Your Way

2010-04-07T14:57:00.000-07:00

An online presence for you business is an opportunity to establish a consistent brand through the various services and sites that you use. Branding is a simple concept: determining what distinguishes your business, and then marketing it consistently and persistently. Your brand then becomes your identity.

BLVD's Way
Blooming Footprint has been working on the BLVD brand for a few years now. From their main website, to their blog, Faceboook page and store, we are consistent in using logos, fonts, colors and style anywhere on the internet and in marketing collateral. This presents a clear and consistent identity while providing the information fans need in places where they can easily find it.

Is Branding Important?
Branding is essential in the current competitive business climate, and building an identity online might even be more important. There is a logical reason that what people do on the Web is called "surfing," not "reading." The Web is all about speed: take a look...click...that's not what I want...let me try this...click...no...click...not that...click...YES!

Think of a website as the ultimate "elevator pitch." An elevator pitch is a 30-second pitch that entices the prospect to want to hear more. You have to provide people with a compelling reason to go to your site and remain there rather than moving on to a competitor's site.

Communicating Your Brand Online
Your brand should be reflected in every facet of your online presence, from your website name to the colors you use. There are several factors to consider for a consistent online brand:

- Choose a web address that identifies your business and is easy to spell.
- Create a site layout and writing style that reflects your other marketing materials including colors, logos and even the font you use.
- Visitors want to know about the products or services you offer and how you differ from your competition.
- Tell your customers your company history, why you are in your industry and why you are the best!
- Get on the social media bus by starting a blog, joining social networks and engaging with others via forums or micro-blogging communities.
- Photos help reflect your company's culture, your staff and your products.
- Publish general information about your industry and expertise through the use of a blog or FAQ.
- Nothing can build a brand more effectively than satisfied customer testimonials.

Increase Your Visibility
After you grasp the big picture, you can then start being more creative in your space. Through the use of New Media you can shape your image and tell your brand's story, while building meaningful relationships that foster loyalty and promote advocacy. Create exclusive experiences for fans and loyal customers and reinforce those emotional attachment. A brand is now defined as the sum of all conversations taking place around it and these conversations are happening with or without you. You need to start paying attention and participate.

The Bottom Line
Remember, you're not coming up with a "whole new identity" for the Web. Instead, your web presence should reflect and reaffirm your company's existing brand. Keep in mind that every element of your site - logos, photos, colors, type style, writing style, and content - can contribute positively to your brand and win customers.

Blue Rabbit: Separate

2010-03-31T02:16:00.000-07:00

Do you ever pull out an album that you used to listen to so much before you had to take a break, then you start listening to it again and you realize all over again just how AWESOME it is? That's how I feel about Blue Rabbit's EP album 'Separate'. I illustrated and designed the album cover for them and it's one of my favorite projects I've ever done. The concept of a blue rabbit alone on a moonscape surrounded by a mass of white rabbits fits perfectly with the album title and entire feel of the album.

It's a goose-bump-causing album that I want everyone in the world to hear. This band has a unique emotional sound with beautiful lyrics that you connect with instantly. If you have ever loved and lost, been in a relationship, or even just lived in this crazy, scary world, this album will make you feel less alone.

Blue Rabbit was started by one of my best friends, Heather Anderson, who is an uber-talented songwriter and composer. She pulled together the band's amazing musicians and singers via a Craiglist's ad and now a couple years later, the band is going strong. They just got back from SXSW and are gearing up for their second album. Kudos to Heather for not only doing the roadtrip to Texas in a van while heavily pregnant, but for your endless love and devotion to this band. You have made your mark on the world and many look forward to hearing more from you!

Check out Blue Rabbit:
Website
MySpace
Facebook

Download Album on iTunes

Music From Down-Under: Casual Projects

2010-03-27T18:58:00.000-07:00

Last night I checked out a local live music venue called the Evelyn Hotel on the corner of Brunswick and Kerr. This place will definitely be a regular for me as it's only a couple blocks from my house and has live music almost every night.

The line-up was an excellent sample of Melbourne hip-hop, including You 'n UR Music, Emcee Whisper, and The Movement Fam, but my favorite band was the Casual Projects. These guys are definitely worth checking out if you love a unique combination of hip-hop, funk and rock. The band features talented musicians (guitar, keyboard, bass guitar, and drums) and several MCs who create a powerful sound of rhythmic rapping and singing, including harmonies. The performance was really tight and full of charisma. I look forward to seeing these guys again! If you're in Melbourne, their next show is at Bar Open on April 10th.

Check out Casual Projects:
Facebook Page
MySpace Page

Tonight is Earth Hour!!

2010-03-27T10:04:00.000-07:00

Music Down-Under: Pixies

2010-03-22T22:55:00.000-07:00

I was lucky enough to get to see the Pixies on Saturday night here in Melbourne at the Festival Hall. The experience was amazing! Such a solid, fun, snappy show and those Australians LOVED it. And no wonder, in the 34 years since the band started (minus the 11 years of separation), they have only been to AU once before in 2007. Tempers would run high if someone was in the way of another fan with enthusiastic dancing. I heard one guy yell "I paid $200 and waited 10 years to come to this show!" It was incredible to feel the energy and passion these Aussies have for the Pixies.

Being a tad too young to have enjoyed them in Chapter 1 of their career since they formed in 1986, it was a delight to discover now just how unique and special this band is. They have been influential of alternative rock that us later generations have enjoyed. Each song was super short with concise and sharp composition of intense, deep lyrics and emotionally provoking music. They performed their 1989 'Doolittle' album live, enhanced by beautiful, authentic visuals displayed on the screen behind them. Each song had coordinating photos and video in sepia tones; some with select lyrics displayed.

The Festival Hall was packed to the gills with eager fans that didn't allow the show to end. The band ended up coming back on stage twice for encores after much stamping and chatting from the crowd. I think my personal favorite aspect of the show was Kim Deal's bass playing and singing. She's a strong female musician one can respect, holding her own in an all-male band for so long and uber-talented to boot. I never considered learning to play bass until I saw her play.

There's a rumor the Pixies will be going back into the studio this year to do a new album. I can't wait to hear what fresh music will come out of their long history and years of experience. In the meantime, we can get their new release, Minotaur, a box set of their previous albums. Presales start July 15th.

Pixies' Website: www.pixiesmusic.com

Amy's New Portfolio Website - Just Launched!

2010-03-18T03:43:00.000-07:00

After months of development, I have finally launched my new portfolio website! I've pretty much have had it done for a while, the launch just kept getting pushed to the back burner because of a bunch of other projects. Also, relocating to Australia this past month or so has occupied a lot of my time.

I put a lot of thought into the illustrations and design of my new website. I wanted to reflect the positive and uplifting mentality that I've been striving for in my career and personal life. After researching and thinking through what type of image I thought would best show this, I selected the image of a bird taking flight off from a tree branch. I researched many birds, their traits and size, and felt a swift would best represent me. The tree branch is drawn from a tree in my parents back yard.

I wanted the the color scheme of my design to be light and airy like a sky to help reinforce the feeling of 'taking flight'. I also used all organic shapes and lines to help give the feeling of flexibly and freedom. I build the site in simple HTML in Dreamweaver, using images I created in Adobe Illustrator. I drew the header illustration in pencil, scanned it, and edited it in Photoshop.

For the sake of launching the site, I included only a handful of images for my portfolio. I have a lot more pieces to add which I'll do soon, expanding my gallery with several more categories within my two galleries. I struggled a bit to figure out how to simply my portfolio pieces since I have such a wide range of projects I've done and mediums that I've used. I decided to keep it really basic and divide up my work by design and illustration. The design section includes logos, graphic design, and website design. The illustration section includes many of my design pieces that include some of my best custom illustrations. There's a big overlap between the two sections. I also felt it crucial to add a note on my gallery pages to also view my work on Blooming Footprint's website. Really, the amount of work I've produced the last couple years is rather overwhelming when trying to select the best for my portfolio. :)

New Portfolio Website:
www.amykliever.com

Blooming Footprint Website:
www.bloomingfootprint.com

Karl Denson & His Tiny Universe in AZ

2010-03-12T10:54:00.000-08:00

Great show last night at The Compound, in Scottsdale AZ!!

Check out the videos below for the funk filled grooves from: Karl Denson (sax), Chris Stillwell (Bass), John Staten (drum king), Chris Littlefield (trumpet), David Veith (keys), Brian Jordan (guitar)

Music From Down-Under: Ganga Giri

2010-03-10T17:49:00.000-08:00

I've recently moved to Australia and have fallen in love with a local band here in Melbourne called Ganga Giri. My first weekend here, a friend of mine, Ben Erickson (Elysian Artists), put me in touch with Ganga, who's a good friend of his. I had seen Ganga Giri at one of my favorite festivals, Joshua Tree Music Festival, last year and loved their high-energy, fun performance. I ended up going to Ganga's house here in Melbourne for a BBQ and felt instantly at home in his loving, accepting group of friends, even though I'm American! :)

A few weeks ago, I got to see Ganga's band live at a Sustainable Living Festival in Federation Square. I helped out selling CDs and could see how much love this city has for the band. The band has a beautiful, full sound driven by Ganga on a didgeridoo backed up by an awesome dance beat. If you like tribal dance music with a unique twist, check them out!

On a side note, and because I love promoting all my friends' art as much as possible, notice the cute little outfit I'm wearing - custom-made Onesie by Warrior Within Designs, founded by my one of my best friends, Jen Fritz, who, of course, is also friends with Ganga (the circle of friends goes round and round, even with a giant expanse of water between us!)

Ganga Giri has several great albums out, but check out his most recent one, Raising It Up.
Click here to listen and download on iTunes.

MySpace Page:
www.myspace.com/gangagiri

BLVD - CO Run Next Week, Free Track

2010-03-03T07:27:00.000-08:00

After wrapping up a full length album last spring with producer Jeff Saltzman (The Killers, Fischerspooner, The Black Keys) BLVD continued it's '09 blitz on the North American festival circuit with performances at Camp Bisco, Summer Meltdown, Shambhala, & Earthdance. A West Coast run with The Disco Biscuits ensued last November followed by NYE shows in Fiji. After a January tour of Australia, BLVD returned home to San Fran to a sold out crowd at The Independent in February. They just headed up the west coast and will be in Colorado for a run with BoomBox next week. See you on the dance-floor!

Vail, CO
Tuesday, 3.9.2010
Samana Lounge
RSVP here

Aspen, CO
Wednesday, 3.10.2010
Belly Up w/ BoomBox
RSVP here

Fort Collins, CO
Thursday, 3.11.2010
Aggie Theater w/ BoomBox
RSVP here

Boulder, CO
Friday, 3.12.2010
Fox Theater w/ BoomBox
RSVP here

Denver, CO
Saturday, 3.13.2010
Bluebird Theater w/ BoomBox
RSVP here

Steamboat Springs, CO
Sunday, 3.14.2010
Ghost Ranch Saloon
RSVP here

BLVD's 5th album "Return to Center" will be released in May 2010.
Download "Getting Away" FREE from the new album!

Beyond Vegetarian: The Vegan Diet

2010-03-02T09:56:00.000-08:00

Deborah Crooks, a singer/songwriter and freelance writer, from FYI Nutrition contacted Amy regarding an article she was writing on a vegan and raw food diets.

This was submitted by Amy...
"After a life-time of eating poorly and sporadically, becoming vegan about a year and half ago has improved my life and health dramatically. It began with a girlfriend loaning me the book, Skinny Bitch, which completely grossed me out about the food I had been eating and I was intrigued. I went on to do more research in the food industry and it's effect on the economy and the environment. To continue supporting the meat and dairy industries made me feel sick, so it was a very easy transition to completely stop eating those products. It became a fun, exciting challenge to view my body as a temple that I needed to fuel with only healthy, organic food. I thought twice about everything I bought at the grocery store and ordered at a restaurant, familiarizing myself with every ingredient. I feel and look great and another major bonus is I haven't gotten a cold or flu since I became vegan, something I used to be very prone to."

Check out the full article, featuring a couple quotes from Amy here.

What's All This Chatter About Branding?

2010-01-26T13:42:00.000-08:00

An online presence for your business is an opportunity to establish a consistent brand through the various services and sites that you use. Branding is a simple concept: determining what distinguishes your business, and then marketing it consistently and persistently. Your brand then becomes your identity.

Is Branding Important?
Branding is essential in the current competitive business climate, and building an identity online might even be more important. Your logo and website should be the #1 tool in the promotion of your business. There is a logical reason that what people do on the Web is called "surfing," not "reading." The Web is all about speed: take a look...click...that's not what I want...let me try this...click...no...click...not that...click...YES!

Think of a website as the ultimate "elevator pitch." An elevator pitch is a 30-second pitch that entices the prospect to want to hear more. You have to provide people with a compelling reason to go to your site and remain there rather than moving on to a competitor's site.

Communicating Your Brand Online
Your brand should be reflected in every facet of your online presence, from your website name to the colors you use. There are several factors to consider for a consistent online brand:

Choose a web address that identifies your business and is easy to spell.

Create a site layout and writing style that will be reflected in all of your online and offline marketing materials including the tone/voice, colors, logos and even the font you use.

Visitors want to know about the products or services you offer and how you differ from your competition.

Tell your customers your company history, why you are in your industry and why you are the best!

Get on the social media bus by starting a blog, joining social networks and engaging with others via forums or micro-blogging communities.

Photos and videos help reflect your company's culture, your staff and your products.

Publish general information about your industry and expertise through the use of a blog or FAQ.

Nothing can build a brand more effectively than satisfied customer testimonials.

Increase Your Visibility
After you grasp the big picture, you can then start being more creative in your space. Start listening to the conversations happening and get involved. Tracking this is really the hardest part and Blooming Footprint can help you. We can teach you to listen and lead these conversations, create brand awareness and visibility, gain consumer insight while measuring the effectiveness. It is imperative to establish a dialog with your potential customers, know what is being said about your industry and competitors while being transparent to gain information about the personality, preferences and points of view of your potential customers.

The Bottom Line
Remember, you're not coming up with a "whole new identity" for the Web. Instead, your web presence should reflect and reaffirm your company's existing brand. Keep in mind that every element of your site - logos, photos, colors, type style, writing style, and content - can contribute positively to your brand and win customers.

Tip: Be A Green Small Business, Part 2

2010-01-18T19:25:00.001-08:00

I worked on many blog posts over the years with Jenny Martinez, Creative Director at MissJenny.com, when we were with the Cartfly and Sellit brands. Please enjoy Part 2 of our "recycled" Green Small Business series from back in July of 2008.
--------------
We started with Marketing Materials and Shipping Supplies, but why stop there? Greening your office can also mean saving some cash. Part 2 of Being A Green Small Business: Your Office and Supplies.

Whether you work from your kitchen table on the weekends or have a dedicated office space with a staff, here are some tips to get you started.

1) Office Supplies

Paper
Being a designer and merchant running my own business I tend to burn through a lot of paper if I'm not careful. I've learned to get into the habit of printing on both sides for drafts, which also cuts down on my paper costs. I have a paper-only bin in my office that I toss fully used paper to (or this can be shredded to become free packing material!). And I support businesses that make recycled products by purchasing 100% post consumer recycled paper and supplies.

Toner Cartridges
Instead of throwing disposable ink cartridges into landfill, you can use refillable computer ink cartridges. Most office supply stores carry these products now, but if you need a good online source The Green Office is a great place to start.

2) Equipment & Energy

Compact Fluorescent Lighting
This is an easy thing to check off the list. Your electric bill will drop and the bulbs will last longer. Don't forget you have to dispose of these properly because they contain mercury. Home Depot recently started a CFL disposing program.

Power Strips
Another easy one. Don't plug your chargers directly into the wall, they will always drain power whether or not your device is plugged in to charge. Add them onto power strips and switch the strip off when not in use.

Energy Star Rated
You can find Energy Star fax machines, copiers, printers and more. These will use less energy, save money and have less of an impact on the environment. Dell even has a line of Energy Smart computers.

Electronics Disposal
If an older electronic is not something you can sell or give away, as a last resort there are companies that will properly dispose your toxic gadgets. I've used Green Citizen who "provides convenient, safe and accountable solutions that make it easy for individuals and organizations to help save the environment from harmful electronic waste."

Energy Audit
If you've got a dedicated office space you can find out what changes to make by getting an energy audit. Most utilities offer this service for your business at a reasonable cost. And your changes are likely to offset this initial cost.

3) Shared Kitchen Space

Water Filters On Tap
Wow, Americans spend more than $8 Billion a year on bottled water. Install a water filter that will cost pennies a gallon, instead of expensive bottled water. You won't notice a taste difference and you won't have to recycle all that plastic.

BYOM!
Bring your own mug and do away with the disposable paper and styrofoam cups. Make sure that the cups are washed with green cleaners and you're totally good. Did you know that according to the United States Environmental Protection Agency more than 3 million tons of polystyrene is made in the U S each year and almost all of it ends up in landfill? This stuff practically never goes away.

Green Coffee
Oh how the office loves it's coffee. But do we realize that most coffee is imported after being cultivated on small farms in the tropics? For the highest standards, buy coffee that bears the Rainforest Alliance Certified seal of approval. This means that this product is from farmers who pledged to control pollution, conserve natural resources and wildlife habitat, while treating their workers responsibly.

For Further Reading and Advanced Greening!
The amount of online information about eco-responsible practices is endless. In addition to the links above, here are 3 great online resources all aimed at reducing your environmental impact.

Treehugger.com

Earth911.org

Green Living Toolbox from Mashable (80+ Green Sites & Resources)

Tip: Be A Green Small Business, Part 1

2010-01-18T19:02:00.000-08:00

I had the pleasure and opportunity to work with Jenny Martinez, Creative Director at MissJenny.com, when I worked with the Cartfly and Sellit brands. Together we helped create great customer experiences through graphic design and social media.

We worked on many blog posts over the years and I thought I would "recycle" our Green Small Business series from back in July of 2008. So enjoy!
--------
Branching out on your own and starting a small business can be an opportunity to establish some green business practices. Online info is endless and can be overwhelming to sort through but we are here to help! Part 1 is about your shipping resources and marketing materials.

Whether you work from your kitchen table on the weekends or have a dedicated office space with a staff, here are some tips to get you started.

1) Shipping Resources

Envelopes
By having an online shop, I've had to figure out how to package up and ship my product. I purchase eco-friendly envelopes from a company that also operates by eco-friendly standards, Action Envelope. From my research they look to be "the" online resource for eco-friendly envelopes.

Reusing Supplies
One very economic and green shipping practice is to enlist friends, neighbors and the local post office to collect previously used boxes and other supplies like bubble wrap. You can also get reused cardboard boxes from Usedcardboardboxes.com, a Co-op America approved company. While this is a great way to reuse and get free shipping materials, keep in mind that it is important to be mindful about not mixing boxes marked for particular delivery companies and services.

Packing peanuts come in two varieties: foam and cornstarch. Foam are not eco-friendly, but you can sign up to get reused foam peanuts for free through the Peanut Hotline and the Plastic Loose Fill Council. This keeps them out of landfills and re-used over and over. However, once they are out of your hands, you have no way to know what the person on the other end will do with them. If you depend on peanuts, the cornstarch variety are biodegradable.

2) Marketing

Green Printing
What I really want is soy or vegetable ink toner cartridges so I can continue to print my marketing materials, tags and inserts as I go. But that's not a reality yet. For those of you ready to print in large quantities you may want to consider a print shop that uses these friendly materials and operates in eco-responsible ways. Google 'green printing' and you find plenty of options including Greener Printer in Berkeley, CA or PS Print in Oakland, CA. They are certified "green business" as eco-friendly printers, using soy and vegetable based inks, and recycled paper.

Co-op America Business Network
"Co-op America's Green Business Network™" is dedicated to helping socially and environmentally responsible businesses emerge and thrive to form a global green economy." Benefits of membership include: listngs in the National Green Pages™, use of the Green Business Seal of Approval, invitation to participate in Green Festivals, special discounts, access to groups, media exposure, and more. Learn more here.

1% For The Planet
1% For The Planet is a growing global movement of 924 companies that donate 1% of their sales to a network of 1,601 environmental organizations worldwide. The company states that "membership creates opportunities for companies to network, conduct business and simply associate themselves with over 700 companies that have made the same noble commitment. From a consumer standpoint, member companies re-enforce a positive perception of their brand, adding value that can result in greater customer loyalty and an increased customer base, especially among the growing number of people who recognize and appreciate the importance of environmental responsibility." Learn more here.

I hope you found these tips helpful and interesting! Check back next Thursday for Part 2: Greening Your Office and Supplies.

Optimize Your Blog for 2010

2010-01-12T12:31:00.001-08:00

If you have a brand or a business, you should be blogging. This is one of the best and easiest ways to generate fresh, up to date content for your site and keep people coming back.

1. Find your own niche and try to be as unique as you can. Creative and thought provoking topics create interest and clearly defines who your audience is. You should always blog with your core audience in mind.

2. Use attention grabbing titles and relevant keywords. Anything you can do to grab users attention will help grow your audience. This also includes graphics, video and links you can find to relevant blogs.

3. Comment on popular blogs in your niche to make a name for yourself out there. Link back to the original stories in your own blog to give recognition and share the knowledge.

4. Make sure to have RSS (real simple syndication) and subscription buttons available at the top of your blog in the sidebar. This makes it easy for visitors to subscribe to your content and for your to track them. You will need to add these buttons yourself, but with services like Feedburner, it's not very difficult...mostly a copy and paste job. It's now owned by Google and is available with any Gmail account.

5. Post often and get on a regular schedule. If people are interested in what you have to say, they will appreciate consistency. Post weekly, bi-weekly or monthly, but stick to a schedule.

6. Use your networks to get the word out about your new posts. Market each post on Twitter, Facebook, directories and bookmarking sites.

7. Don't give up. Blogging is sometimes tedious, boring, monotonous and downright draining. Keep your ultimate goal in mind of educating and growing your audience and keep on truckin'.

Fiji New Years Update: Day 9 & 10

2010-01-09T21:06:00.000-08:00

So the festivities continued with a White Party on Yanuca Island. We took 2 30 minute boat ride to a private surf resort called Batiluva Beach Resort in the center of the world famous Beqa Lagoon, acclaimed by many as the location of some of the world's best diving. The resort is a quick boat ride from Frigate Passage, one of the most consistent surf spots not only in Fiji, but also the South Pacific.

There was a bar and bbq set up as well as a DJ hut set for a dance party. Here are Garth, Frank Richards and Adam Freeland, one of the most well established and heavily toured DJ's on the planet...who I had the pleasure of sitting next to on the boat ride! Feel free to check out an island interview with Adam from Laurel May (my villa mate) in 944 Magazine.

Needless to say, the party was awesome and the beats were epic...and we were on a private island!

So that is the end of Fiji New Years 2010. Quite an experience and certainly one for the books! Happy New Year to you and yours!!

Fiji New Years Update: Day 6, 7, 8

2010-01-09T20:41:00.000-08:00

I finally lost track of days and time, but thought I'd just give the highlights and finish what I started ; )

We ventured to the neighboring Pearl Resort for lunch one day. Food was great, staff was friendly and helpful and the resort was extremely chic and well maintained.

Pearl lobby...

Pearl lobby bar...yes that is a waterfall mirror...

Mantarae Restaurant...

The Pearl beach...

BLVD provided us with a beachside set during happy hour...awesome!

And here are John and I enjoying the music and sunset...

Fiji New Years Update: Day 5

2010-01-01T16:31:00.000-08:00

Most everyone took it easy on January 1st and we came to find out that New Years Day is a big celebration for the Fijians. John and I walked down to the public beach and there were thousands of families eating, partying, playing rugby and enjoying the ocean.

We were invited to participate in a Kava Kava ceremony where we learned about Fijian culture, traditions and rituals. Kava kava is an esteemed mind and mood altering agent enjoyed by the non-drinking locals. After a few rounds of drinks we all were dusted with powder and told we would all sleep well.

Fiji New Years Update: NYE

2010-01-01T16:09:00.000-08:00

December 31, 2009

The day we have all been waiting for finally arrived...New Years Eve!! There were 2 seatings for dinner and the music began promptly at 9pm. The staff built a stage right off the beach and with the help of BLVD's own Leon Cook, the sound system actually came together.

Fiji is actually one of the first places to celebrate the new year and here is the list of celebration times from around the world...

It just so happen to be a Blue Moon on this night as well which is the second full moon in one calendar month. Here are some pics from the night...I'll go back and add names later ; )

Fiji New Years Update: Day 3

2009-12-29T19:02:00.000-08:00

December 30, 2009: There was a boat ride to what has now been coined "Crazy Island". The actually name is Nanuku Island (or Storm Island). We decided to sit this one out, but you apparently can walk around the entire island in under 10 minutes and it is truly untouched paradise.

We had dinner delivered to all of us in our villa and was by far the best meal yet...a few different curry dishes and delicious fried bread. Two of our villa mates, Brett and Laurel, got engaged earlier in the day, so we celebrated with them.

More to come!

Fiji New Years Update: Day 2

2009-12-29T11:45:00.000-08:00

First things first. We wanted to get some staples for our stay and heard about a little market place right up the road. The area is called 'Pacific Harbour Cultural Centre and Marketplace' and has a grocery store, a hand full of of clothing and souvenir shops and restaurants. Very convenient if you need anything during your stay.

We got back to the resort and headed to the second pool in our villa area. Taunovo Bay is divided up into 13 villas (about 5 more are currently under construction) that each accommodate 10-12 people. There are 5 private rooms for everyone and there is a shared house with a full state of the art kitchen, living and dining room and rockin' sound system.

Finally it was time to check out the beach. Fiji was hit by a cyclone a few weeks ago and they are still clearing the beached of all the debris, however, the water is just perfect temperature wise. John and I took a walk on Taunovo's privately owned beach to see the sights...

We went to another resort late in the afternoon called Uprising. Had a great time and heard some killer beats.

More tomorrow!

Fiji New Years Update: Day 1

2009-12-29T10:59:00.000-08:00

We're here!! After a flight from Phoenix to LA and a 9 hour layover, we departed LA at 9:30 pm on Saturday, Dec 26th for a 10 hour flight and arrived in Nadi at 5:30am safe and sound on Monday, Dec 28th. We crossed the international date line and completely lost the 27th. After a quick stop at the Duty Free shop, we embarked on a 3 hour scenic bus ride of the coast, drinks already in our hands, to Taunovo Bay. Here are some shots from the bus ride and pit stops...

Our gracious and hospitable host Tony Alfaro...

Shots from the bus ride...

We were greeted with friendly faces and cold smoothie fruit drinks by the hotel staff, who were more than accommodating upon our arrival. It was raining on and off, but being from Arizona, that was OK by me! We were given our keys and escorted to our rooms, which are just as impressive as the pictures from the website.

Living area and bed (and John)...

Bathroom and closet area...

Our own private pool...

After a nap and getting settled, we of course had to take time to enjoy our first sunset in paradise from one of the many hammocks on the property...

More tomorrow!

Merry Chistmas!!

2009-12-25T12:33:00.001-08:00

Blooming Footprint would like to wish you and yours a Merry Christmas! No matter what you celebrate this holiday season, enjoy time with your friends and family.

This is a nutcracker a friend of mine owns. We are both huge Les Claypool fans and this little guy happens to look remarkably like Les...had to share!

Our next post will be from Taunovo Bay Resort and Spa, located in the town of Nadi, on the western side of Viti Levu, the main island of Fiji. The Fiji New Years kick off party is Monday at HEAVEN Sky Bar. Stay tuned!!

In The Spirit of The Holidays...

2009-12-24T09:24:00.000-08:00

...a tree made out of Heiny's!!

From the good people at Inhabitat.

Facebook Comments - The Flow Chart

2009-12-23T09:11:00.000-08:00

I came across this and had to share!!