Archive for the ‘General’ Category
Social Marketing: Do I Really Need It?
December 31st, 2010 at 1:08 pm by Livvie
Not so long ago in our very own galaxy….on our very own planet,… changes began taking place that would change the face of marketing forever.
The Internet had made our globe smaller. We could send and receive information via searching online or via email. But unless we knew someone specifically, we still didn’t have direct access to interacting and engaging with specific people or businesses.
Marketing still consisted of traditional methods – direct mail, telephone ads, magazine and newspaper ads and presented a two fold problem:
- You had to be able to afford to place the ad and depending on the ad size, the larger ads went to “the big boys” due to the cost of ad space
- Once placed the fee was for a limited time period and being static in nature, there was no interaction or contact with the viewer unless they responded to the “call to action”
Enter Social Media Marketing. By the very name it’s “social marketing”, connecting and engaging with people on all levels, in all types of business and professions regarding the business of business. It’s no longer “business as usual”.
Social platforms, like Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, and YouTube – to name a few have changed the way people view marketing. They are free services to sign up with, have unlimited use, and have leveled the playing field for marketing your business or practice. Now for the first time, small business – even solo entrepreneurs - can market their business right along side “the big boys”!
But what’s even more important with social media is the access to people for connecting and engaging in conversations professionally and personally. Social media marketing is “word of mouth marketing”…on steroids!
The Internet and social media has certainly made it possible for people all around the globe to seem to be “sitting in the same room” discussing the different aspects of dentistry or any business.
We can ask questions, read articles, and have discussions all from the convenience of our computers, now even our phones, to information and people we wouldn’t have had access to just a few years ago…and the information –resources are available 24/7 – 365!
Facebook at this writing has over 500 million users with over half of those accessing Facebook daily. Twitter is approaching 200 million users. You Tube is the 2nd largest search engine in the world (Google is #1) and is owned by Google.
With numbers like these you can’t afford to not be using social media. If you and your business or practice aren’t utilizing social media and being talked about, referred by, or found online…you’re losing business!
Bottom line: Today, 85% of consumers are looking online for who they are going to do business with. They aren’t flipping pages in a telephone book, looking in a magazine, or scanning direct mailers. There’re on Twitter, Facebook, YouTube, LinkedIn, and Google. There’re asking questions and viewing what others are saying. Are they taking about or talking to…. you?
Merry Christmas Y’all :-)
December 25th, 2010 at 8:00 am by Livvie
Christmas is a wonderful time of year! There’s excitement as we hurry around decorating our homes, doing our shopping, planning our menu’s, and getting ready for the “big day”.
We have been so blessed in our home this year. Even though my husband, Jack, has had a turn of events with some health issues involving his kidneys and diabetes, we are blessed in the fact his strength is returning. Although his numbers are not where we would like for them to be, we are in hopes they are going to be.
But through all of this taking place over the last month, it’s brought back into focus the precious meaning of life and more importantly the Giver of Life.
The Charlie Brown meaning of Christmas video below says it much better than I could ever say it. I hope you enjoy it and that it speaks to your heart.
From our house, to your house….Merry Christmas, Y’all and may you have a healthy and blessed New Year!
Thanksgiving: Let Us Never Forget
November 24th, 2010 at 5:28 pm by Livvie
As we sit down with family and friends, please let us remember those who have given, and are still giving… for our country, our freedom, and our liberty.
Thank you and God bless you….Have a wonderful Thanksgiving!
Posted in General | 
Tags: Livvie Matthews, Thanksgiving, Thanksgiving video, Thanksgiving video for military | 
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Personal Post: How Quickly Things Can Change
November 19th, 2010 at 9:43 am by Livvie
It’s amazing how quickly things can change. It’s been a whirlwind week here in our household. As I write this, my hubby (Jack) is in the hospital due to high spike in kidney number. Considering numbers should be 1.6 or lower and his was 6 required immediate attention resulting in hospitalization!
Jack is my rock, my friend, and my husband of 36 years. There have been ups and downs and ins and outs…but through it all, he’s my rock! To see him in a hospital gown (he looks very cute in it by the way 
) lying there, and not in control of things….breaks my heart! But he’s been such a trooper about it all!!
Over the years the hard physical work he’s done has taken it’s toll on his body, He’s diabetic has high blood pressure and now the problem with his kidneys. He’s worked hard to keep his numbers down…and if you have diabetes OR high blood pressure you know you are limited in your choices of food. But for those of you, like him, who have BOTH…you are extremely limited and always fighting the numbers.
Although his numbers are extremely good on the diabetic side, try as hard as he could, he could not get the BP down. It was registering around 190 – 205 over 100 105! Horrible numbers.
He entered the hospital Wednesday and since that time, it’s been blood work, monitoring, scans, IV’s and numerous other tests. As a result, it’s been determined the kidneys have not been making the red blood cells need and has caused him to be anemic! Scans revealed no blockage in kidneys and functioning good…thankfully! When they told him yesterday his BP was 137 / 81 he actually cried he was so relieved!
They have hopes the kidneys can recover some of it’s function and with medication he’ will not have to have anything more serious than that. Dr’s will do a biopsy next week and hopefully he will not have to have a kidney removed or go on dialysis. So that is where we are at this point…and hoping he will be released from the hospital today!
Thank you to all of you who have been sending up prayers and well wished! Please continue to keep him in your prayers!
Sunday Inspiration: You Raise Me Up
September 26th, 2010 at 4:00 am by Livvie
Todays Sunday Inspiration has the Celtic Women singing You Raise Me Up. This chorus has such power in it’s words:
You raise me up, so I can stand on mountains; You raise me up, to walk on stormy seas; I am strong, when I am on your shoulders; You raise me up; To more than I can be.
Sit back, relax, and enjoy…comments welcomed.
