Creative Mind Consulting

Transition Time for My Website....

After 5 years of partnering a blog with additional web site pages, I decided to rethink my entire web site and start from scratch. Using a web-based template tool, I've developed CreativeMindConsulting.com, with a whole new look and feel. 

It did take longer than expected (doesn't everything!), but I enjoyed the chance to re-vision how my company adds value to other businesses. By focusing on strategy, web-based tools, and innovation, I can share expertise and ideas to improve how organizations manage their business, serve their customers and develop their employees. 

I'll still continue to blog here; the new address is: http://www.creativemindconsulting.com/blog.htm

Please explore the new site and let me know what you think. If I can be of service to you or your company, I invite you to contact me to set up a time to talk. 

Computer Crash? Ninite Reinstalls Multiple Applications with One Click

In my travels around the 'net, I found an interesting service the other day: Ninite.com. Ninite allows you to complete a one-click download of a whole variety of useful cloud computing applications/ services. This is extremely handy if you're doing a fresh install (or reinstall) of Windows, for example.

Technically, this would definitely be a Fabulous Friday Web Freebie...but since I have the tab open in Chrome, let's just go with it. 

When you go their site, you'll see a simple interface, with a whole series of boxes to check. By clicking in those boxes, you can download and install a whole boatload of applications...instead of having to surf to each one individually. Could save someone hours of time, actually. 

It bypasses those irritating toolbar installations (...just say 'no' to Yahoo) and finds the most current version of the application for installation. 

Not to take away from their site, but I already am wishing for a variation of the service which would allow you to reinstall your cloud computing sites/apps/services with a one click. This would be incredibly handy in a worst case scenario of a hard drive crash, virus wipe out, etc. 

Regardless - great service for many computer users.

Fabulous Friday Web Freebie: Jing

Courtesy of my friend and excellent technical writing colleague, Mary Jo Koplos, a Fabulous Friday Web Freebie named Jing. 

Jing is a free web tool that allows you to create screen captures from your desktop (or laptop of course) and then upload them to the web. The app also allow you to generate short screen casts, which could come in very handy for the technical writers out there. They do have a Pro version that will let you add a webcam capture as well. 

So what could you do with Jing? 

• Demo software to clients, colleagues or friends

• Post annotated maps to your wedding reception on Facebook or Twitter

• Screen capture your marketing plan to share with your business advisor

• Narrate (in writing or audio) a series of nature photos

• Create a short (5 min or less) business overview for your website

• Upload your video into Snaggit or Camtasia Studio for further editing

Another powerful web 2.0 tool...for free. If readers decide to use Jing, would love to hear some stories about how you put it to use!

Fabulous Friday Web Freebie: WiseStamp

Another Fabulous Friday Web Freebie - this time to dress up that drab email signature. 

I use Gmail, and love the convenience of having my email readily available no matter what computer I'm using. But, their email signature block is a bit...restrained, shall we say.

Now, I don't want flashing lights and twirling buttons. Professional, yet more personal is my goal. In the course of doing some social media research, I came upon a nifty web tool called WiseStamp.

WiseStamp is a browser extension which allows you to create and use webmail signatures with a bit more pizzaz than the usual. Add social media profiles, logos, blog posts, quotes, bookmarks, etc. to Firefox, Chrome, Yahoo Mail, Hotmail, etc. 

They have specific versions for each browser, so be sure you download the correct one. It takes just a few minutes to set up and customize. 

I like the way my new sig looks, and love the social media profile buttons as well ~

Jane Neumiller-Bustad

Fresh, creative ways to connect businesses to customers through innovation, web optimization and social media strategies 

Cell: 612-730-4322
Email: [email protected]
Site: www.CreativeMindConsulting.com

Connect with me via social media: 

Social Media Tools for Trainers - LinkedIn Basics

I recently published a social media article in my professional association's newsletter - the American Society for Training and Development, Twin Cities Chapter (ASTD-TCC). Training and development professionals are curious about interactive tools, but not all have taken the plunge into the social media pool. My goal with newsletter articles is to help educate colleagues about the potential uses and challenges in using social media tools. 

With the possible exception of Facebook, probably the social media tool most familiar to members, is LinkedIn. We have a LinkedIn group for our members, and many members have profiles. But quite a few of those profiles are not very detailed, or "optimized." My article advises trainers and learning professionals how to maximize their LinkedIn profile.

Social Media Tools for Trainers

by Jane Neumiller-Bustad, Director of Interactive Communications, ASTD-TCC and President, Creative Mind Consulting

Several social media tools have skyrocketed in popularity over the last year or so. Many people are trying to decide which tools to use, and how they might be of benefit both personally and professionally. Over the next couple of months we'll examine several key social media sites and explore how training and development professionals can make effective use of each one.

LinkedIn

LinkedIn is a good starting point, since so many people are using this service. Here in the Twin Cities, as in most major metropolitan areas, LinkedIn (www.linkedin.com) has become a key tool for people across virtually all professions.

If you choose to limit your social media exploration, you really should make an exception for LinkedIn. If there's one thing the “Great Recession” is teaching us, it's that we are the only ones responsible for our careers and business ventures. Managing one's brand, image or reputation is a key responsibility for each professional. LinkedIn is a great tool to help you with that task.

Fabulous Friday Web Freebie: Time to Note CRM

In my continuing search for the "perfect" customer relationship management (CRM) software tool, I recently discovered the Time to Note web tool via the new Google Apps Marketplace site. I've been test driving it over the last couple of weeks and am impressed with what I see so far. It's a lightweight, easy-to-use option for small businesses and project teams. The basic version is free, which will take you up to 250 contacts. 

Time to Note is a sleek, elegant tool, with a clean interface and minimum of clutter on the dashboard. Your main view contains links to the Dashboard, Contacts, Tasks and Projects - with a running To Do list off to the side. 

You can add contacts one at a time, or import them via a CSV file. Contacts can be exported, or happily enough...synchronized with Gmail/Google contacts. Once in the system, you can add notes, to do's or project tasks to a contact. 

The Task feature allows you to create simple tasks, which I find most useful if I'm waiting for something in relationship to a Contact - like waiting for a return call or email. There's no ability to create nested, or subtasks, at this point, nor can you reorder them...a frustration. 

The Projects tab holds your project's contacts, notes and to do's, and is collaborative as well. You can invite different people to different projects, and you can all keep up to date on the next steps for a project. As a collaborative platform, it compares well with products like Basecamp, although it offers less features. 

You can add files to Contacts and Notes, which is handy, and there is a new Dropbox feature for attaching emails to either Contacts or Projects.

The customer support is currently excellent. The site's creator, Lucien Baciu, uses a Google group to log questions and comments. He is very timely with his responses, usually within an hour or so. As the site grows that could become an issue, but for now it's easy to get questions answered. 

There's another Fabulous Friday Web Freebie for you ~

Comments always welcome....

Don't Stop Believing...

At last - a reason to put my favorite song on my blog...

These kids are just awesome!!! I hope each one totally takes these words to heart ~

Hat tip to NRO for finding and posting the clip. 

Don't Ask My Opinion If You Don't Want It

Customer service 101 story ~~ cranky customer alert!

On the recommendation of a trusted online colleague, I went to a web site yesterday and signed up for their free membership. The site has a track record of success at what they do, and they seem to offer a good value in exchange for my contact information. 

One problem - the site is dense, full of links, and while very well organized...I was left with 2 key questions:

• "How does your process work?" 

• "Where do I start?"

The first question is a central failing of many software tools and web sites. I think developers get so involved with their product, they tend to forget that customers don't have the same level of awareness of their site's capabilities...or intended purpose. 

You often find sites with lots of "how to's" or the mechanics of what the site does. The best comparison I can think of? Picture someone who's never seen a car. Now, hand them the owner's manual and let them figure out exactly what it does. At no point does anyone explain that the purpose of the car is to transport people, getting them from point A to point B quickly and efficiently. How useful is the owner's manual at that point?

The next question your web site visitors, or business customers, will ask is "where do I start?"

In the middle of all your links, lists, white papers, ads, titles, etc...how do I figure out the starting point? What do you want me to do first? Second? Third? 

In order for me to feel comfortable with your site (or membership, or social media profile, etc) right out of the box, hold my hand. Give me that clear starting point, and a roadmap of next steps. What is the typical progression of a new customer, or new member? What are the things that need to happen in order for me to successfully use your site and keep coming back?

This is even more critical when you have multiple entry points for your main site. Facebook Fan Pages offer small businesses great portals to direct customer traffic to their main web pages...as is the case with the site I joined last night. 

But - when neither the main web site or the Facebook Fan Page tells me the purpose, or where to start, then what?

Now - the customer service part....

At the bottom of every page on the site was a submission box asking me what I thought, how the site could help me and did I need any support. Cool - handy and easy to find...and I had those two burning questions I mentioned above. 

So, I typed in each question separately and submitted. I was very polite and helpful - when I've taught customer service classes before, I make a point of telling students that it's often the new employee or new customer who offers a company the best insights into their processes and how they can be improved. 

Today I received two nice emails in response to my questions...yet neither one really took the time to answer my concerns (more owners manual instructions). To top it off, one of them politely informed me that the appropriate way to contact them was a button in the top right corner of the screen, not the support form that I had used at the bottom of the page. 

Ooops - guess my "customer ESP" just wasn't working very well last night!

Sorry to sound a bit cranky, but it makes me wonder. This site is very successful at what it does (so, perhaps I'm the only one who's confused...wouldn't be the first time!)

But - what if this site could be even more successful than it is? Wouldn't the site/business owner like that?

Wonder how many folks sign up to join the site, but never really take advantage of what is being offered...and how many dollars are being lost....

Latest Client Project is Live and Online!

I am delighted to showcase my newest client website: AccidentalTrainer.com!

Offered by two wonderful friends and colleagues, Sheila Krejci and Terri Cheney, AccidentalTrainer.com provides public and customized workshops designed to help "non-trainers" create and present highly successful adult learning sessions. 

They offer a full day workshop on facilitating effective training sessions (including how to handle difficult participants), another full day on how to design those engaging sessions...and a half day on how to really evaluate those sessions to determine if your students learned what they needed to know. 

Their public calendar and workshop registration is located on their site, and they welcome the opportunity to discuss customizing the classes for a company's specific needs. 

One of the qualities making the Accidental Trainer workshops so successful is the use of cutting edge brain research to design their sessions. Sheila and Terri provide attendees with hundreds of tips, tricks, tools, ideas and techniques proven to enhance adult learning and development - based on the latest brain science. They truly are experts at helping adults successfully teach other adults.

Attendees also leave with an Accidental Trainer workshop binder filled with dozens of tools and resources...and their site will be continually adding new resources to benefit their clients and workshop attendees. 

It was wonderful working with two such dedicated professionals, partnering to create the best possible site for their business. 

Who is the next solo-preneur, entrepreneur or small business needing a great looking, highly functional web site? Please contact me if I can be of help to you or your organization ~

Fabulous Friday Web Freebie: Tom's Planner

How about a "Fabulous Friday Web Freebie" to kick off the weekend?

I've explored a number of online project management tools, and I have a new one to add to the mix: Tom's Planner.

This is a visually appealing product, and one that looks quite easy to learn and adopt. Project Management software is a very useful tool, particularly for the linear minded...or for those in jobs which require that type of mindset.

However, while Microsoft Project is the gold standard - it is complex tool, and overkill for many people who end up using it anyway. Online, cloud computing web sites are a great alternative for many smaller projects or organizations.

I like the fact that Tom's Planner allows you to jump right in a create a project plan, without needing to go through a complex registration process. That let's you "try before you buy" quite easily. 

They currently offer a free version, with plans to move into a paid status once their beta testing is complete. From their web site:

What happens after the beta? We plan to release Tom’s Planner and turn it into a paid service post-beta launch once we’re confident enough that there are no bugs. Once Tom's Planner is released out of beta, it is our intention to extend all actively used beta accounts for a minimum of one additional year without any obligations. This will enable all Tom’s Planner beta users to continue to work with and use Tom's Planner for free for at least one more.

If you give it a try, let us know your thoughts in the Comments.