Rescheduled to APRIL 17th!!! Mike has authored 2 books so far: The Toilet Paper Entrepreneur and The Pumpkin Plan. I think I heard him mention something about a third book and I hope he will!

The idea of The Toilet Paper Entrepreneur is: what you do as a startup, new business or small business entrepreneur when you are [metaphorically] finishing up your “business” on the toilet and you look at the roll of toilet paper… only to find that there’s only 3 little scraps of toilet paper left?!?!?

It’s entertaining, an easy read and FULL of smart business advice whether you are a first time entrepreneur or a more seasoned business owner – even if you’re successful, it’s likely you’ve picked up a few bad habits over the years and this book is like a MBA/Business Plan of only the parts that are necessary.

TPE came out just as the US economy was bottoming out, and at the same time the book retail industry was struggling in Canada (because although the Canadian dollar was worth more than US, we were still paying 15% higher for the same book retail) and in the US major book retail like Barnes & Noble were struggling financially. TPE is a self-published book, so not only is it a smart book for you to read, but Mike published and promoted the book successfully at a time when it couldn’t be more difficult to be a self-published author.

The Pumpkin Plan builds on the lessons Mike learned publishing (and promoting!) TPE, and shares advanced lessons especially for those business owners who may appear to be successful but who are actually finding it impossible to “break through” and find sustainable success and business growth. I have given The Pumpkin Plan book gift to a number of my clients and every time they become raving fans of his.

Won’t you join us on the Hangout? There are 10 seats available ON the Hangout (live video), and these are great seats for self promoting and gaining insights from our featured guest and the rest of the panel.

And as always, here is the #SparkleSOS Twitter chat. You can join it easily on Tweetchat.com.

Social Sparkle & Shine not only has this pre-planned, monthly G+ HoA available for suitable sponsors, but we also offer fully-customizable white label G+ HoA production services for businesses & professional organizations, and bootcamp style training for organizations who want an experienced guide while launching their own G+ HoA series DIY style.

Please register for #SparkleSOS emails to keep up to date with our speaking & conference schedule, programming and offers, and send an email to debbie@theSparkleAgency.com to enquire about rates for hiring Social Sparkle & Shine to help you successfully launch your own Google+ Hangouts on Air.

By the way, after you’ve left a comment here, we can continue the discussion on my Twitter, Facebook, LinkedIn and Google+.

Need to discuss this with me privately? For a limited time, you can book a free 30-minute consultation with me on LiveNinja.com.

Whitepapers and Playbooks referenced in this blog post are available free to download and share in my Social Media Concierge Public Resource Library on Google Docs.

Want me to attend your event, review your document or plans? Email me at debbie@theSparkleAgency.com

You can also request to participate as an expert or receive a free assessment of your social media activities on my new social media business show, #SparkleSOS on Google+ Hangouts on Air by emailing debbie@theSparkleAgency.com and don’t forget to add me to your G+ circles!

❤ By: Debbie Horovitch

Since launching #SparkleSOS in September, 2012, the program has grown and we know that preparation is key! I’ve welcomed Rodney Washington @PhotoMktMentor as my co-host for #SparkleSOS Book Authors & Publishers and I’ve also successfully launched special episodes of #SparkleSOS, featuring and launching businesses who are offering valuable tools and strategies for our Sparkle community of professional marketers.

Previous episodes of #SparkleSOS special episodes have focused on Pinterest for Business (with Lindsay Fultz), LiveNinja.com (get paid for providing your advice online), and will be hosting Peter Sandeen (internet conversion specialist) and Shel Horowitz (expert in creative marketing partnerships).

We know from experience that the authors who book their “featured” episode early generate a lot more audience and exposure – Mike Michalowicz confirmed his date (April 16) 90 days ahead of time and it allowed us to launch the Facebook event RSVP page early and prepare the blog RSVP page so that it is ready to launch the day after we finish the episode the month before.

Want to nominate yourself, your client or any other author for a featured spot on #SparkleSOS? While we like to have “celebrity” authors featured like Guy Kawasaki and Shawn Welch, Chris Guillebeau and Dorie Clark featured on the show, you do NOT have to be an experienced author to be welcomed on the show, to contribute value to our conversation and audience and to gain direct value yourself. Please don’t be shy – join us!

Fill in this form and let us know! You’ll be added to our #SparkleSOS email list and will receive occasional emails updating you on who we’re hanging out with – but you can unsubscribe to this list anytime you want!

Here is the list of times & dates we’ve earmarked for live recording of #SparkleSOS Book Authors & Publishers Google+ Hangouts on Air:

• Tuesday May 14, 5pm PT / 8pm ET
• Wednesday June 12, 4pm PT / 7pm ET
• Thursday July 18, 5pm PT / 8pm ET
• Wednesday August 14, 4pm PT / 7pm ET
• Tuesday September 17, 5pm PT / 8pm ET
• Thursday October 17, 6pm PT / 9pm ET
• Wednesday November 13, 6pm PT / 9pm ET
• Tuesday December 10, 4pm PT / 7pm ET
• Thursday January 16, 5pm PT / 8pm ET

Of course, we can schedule #SparkleSOS tapings for any time of day or day of week, to fit in with our featured guests schedule, so please let us know if none of the above times works for you.

By the way, after you’ve left a comment here, we can continue the discussion on my social media professional blog, Twitter, Facebook, LinkedIn and Google+.

Need to discuss this with me privately? For a limited time, you can book a free 30-minute consultation with me on LiveNinja.com.

Whitepapers and Playbooks referenced in this blog post are available free to download and share in my Social Media Concierge Public Resource Library on Google Docs.

Want me to attend your event, review your document or plans? Email me at debbie@theSparkleAgency.com

You can also request to participate as an expert or receive a free assessment of your social media activities on my new social media business show, #SparkleSOS on Google+ Hangouts on Air by emailing debbie@theSparkleAgency.com and don’t forget to add me to your G+ circles!

❤ By: Debbie Horovitch

I also find many people are annoyed by the presence of hashtags “where they don’t belong” on other social networks, like LinkedIn and Facebook. But since I’ve been addicted to and fascinated by Twitter since late 2008, I’ve known for a long time that Hashtags were too powerful a connector to keep from spreading across all social and communication channels. We frequently see Hashtags on trade show signage and TV show promotion bumpers, so it was no big surprise to me to start hearing rumblings in conversation about Facebook’s plans to integrate Hashtags themselves.

I feel like I knew about this a year, or maybe even as much as 18 months ago…

Well, now that Facebook is announcing the introduction of hashtags, more and more people will start feeling the pressure to understand them.
http://allthingsd.com/20130314/facebook-to-introduce-hashtags-and-thats-a-double-edged-sword-for-twitter/

The basics?

• Clicking on a hashtag you see, on many websites and social media channels will aggregate the newsfeed to only show updates and conversations including that keywords
• Hashtags DO WORK on Google+, (awkwardly) on LinkedIn, on Pinterest, and soon Facebook, of course it originated on Twitter and so many of us who love Twitter annoy everyone else with our use of #
• On most social channels, inserting a # before a keyword or keyword phrase will create an aggregated conversation. If you are the person to create the next viral hashtag, it could mean some great exposure for you!
• Newsjacking: most effectively done with hashtag jumping; add your thoughts on the hot conversation,and add the most common hashtag to your update to bring additional exposure to your profile from a new audience
  • Pre-planned newsjacking: #Superbowl, #Oscars, #Halloween
  • Spontaneous newsjacking: Oreo cookies on the Superbowl made a comment on the lights going out (which increased social conversations, and audience pool, significantly)

Now, here’s your chance to help provide some early insight to people who are total hashtag newbies! Tell us how you use hashtags, and give us examples of the most effective hashtag use.

NOTE: This is also a HARO query, so I’m sure we’ll get a lot of responses and people included in the eBook who will want to share the free download featuring their insights and suggestions. If it’s not for you, we’re OK with that. (@Sparkle_Agency frequently achieves 50+ responses to our HARO queries)

Include your Twitter @name and your Facebook Page link and we’ll include you in our definitive guide to hashtags for regular folks…

• What is a hashtag? When you 1st heard the word, what did you think it was? Was a # called a “pound sign”, a “number sign”, or a “hash”?
• Do you prefer to use hashtags ironically or sarcastically?
• What are the best hashtags for events online or offline that you’ve followed and enjoyed?
• What [stories] do you know about the history of hashtags?
• What is one hashtag you will never use? i.e. #YOLO

Are there any great Tweetchats, groups or jokes centered around a hashtag you can recommend we include? i.e. #ReplaceMovieTitlesWithVagina

Any stats for how hashtag integration in traditional media (trade show signage) or TV show slugs improved second screen audience interaction is appreciated and ALL suggestions included in our articles and eBook will be credited with links!

Anyone who wants to participate and gain additional exposure for themselves or business – either have past experience with hashtags or research them and make us a suggestion that we choose to include.

Just be sure to let us know the link you want attribution to.

How else do you see newsjacking happening? David Meerman Scott has a new book available called Newsjacking: Your Way Into the Media with a FREE chapter available on the Sparkle Public Resource Library

By the way, after you’ve left a comment here, we can continue the discussion on my social media professional blog, Twitter, Facebook, LinkedIn and Google+.

Need to discuss this with me privately? For a limited time, you can book a free 30-minute consultation with me on LiveNinja.com.

Whitepapers and Playbooks referenced in this blog post are available free to download and share in my Social Media Concierge Public Resource Library on Google Docs.

Want me to attend your event, review your document or plans? Email me at debbie@theSparkleAgency.com

You can also request to participate as an expert or receive a free assessment of your social media activities on my new social media business show, #SparkleSOS on Google+ Hangouts on Air by emailing debbie@theSparkleAgency.com and don’t forget to add me to your G+ circles!

❤ By: Debbie Horovitch

I’ve been asked by the conference organizers to produce a series of Google+ Hangouts on Air through the conference dates, giving speakers and attendees a chance to participate in creating YouTube video content and connecting with audiences live on the internet.

This is so exciting for me and is happening as a result of my hard work to produce and organize #SparkleSOS the Social Media Turnaround Show, and #SparkleSOS Book Authors & Publishers a monthly G+ Hangout on Air that brings together experienced book authors, celebrity book authors and aspiring book authors (like myself!) to share stories, celebrate successes and create immediately actionable solutions for the challenges that arise when writing, publishing, and promoting your book.
#SparkleSOS Book Authors & Publishers launched in October 2012 and immediately proved a strong desire and appetite for this type of conversation regularly.

#SparkleSOS Book Authors & Publishers has previously welcomed:
Guy Kawasai & Shawn Welch, co-authors of APE: Author, Publisher, Entrepreneur – How to Publish a Book

Also booked on the show are:
Dorie Clark, regular writer for Forbes and Harvard Business Review who just launched her first book Reinventing You: Define Your Brand, Imagine Your Future, a guidebook for effective personal branding applicable to anyone transitioning in their career or just getting started. Dorie launched her book last week at SXSW 2013 and will be joining us on #SparkleSOS on March 14th at 7pm ET. RSVP Details are HERE

Mike Michalowicz, business coach & regular guest on MSNBC, self-published author of The Pumpkin Plan and The Toilet Paper Entrepreneur. Mike has a LOT of great tricks for the self published author to promote their book and use it to build their business. I’ve been working with Mike & consuming his content since I first found him on Facebook after seeing a guest appearance he did on MSNBC The Big Idea with Donny Deutsch. Mike joins us on #SparkleSOS April 16 at 9pm ET. RSVP Details TBD.

We are also currently book monthly featured authors for #SparkleSOS Book Authors & Publishers for our Google+ Hangouts on Air through January 2014. If you would like to suggest or recommend a featured author & want to join us on the Hangout yourself, email debbie@theSparkleAgency.com

#SparkleSOS the Social Media Turnaround Show is available to clients of Social Sparkle & Shine as a done-for-you long-form video production optimized for YouTube. #SparkleSOS has been used to bring together professionals for discussions on:

• Using Pinterest to Boost Holiday Sales, including Linsay Fultz
• LiveNinja.com including CEO & co-funder Will Weinraub
• Upcoming: “Web Conversion Master Class” with Peter Sandeen, where we will be providing free live video assessments of guest landing pages and optimization of online sales offers. RSVP Details TBD.

Will YOU be attending Social Media Camp in Victoria May 6-8, 2013? If you’re not attending in person, who would you most like the join us on a Hangout with??  Let me know in the comments and I’ll be sure to try to coordinate a special session with them, and be sure to invite you for a seat on the live Hangout.

By the way, after you’ve left a comment here, we can continue the discussion on my social media professional blog, Twitter, Facebook, LinkedIn and Google+.

Need to discuss this with me privately? For a limited time, you can book a free 30-minute consultation with me on LiveNinja.com.

Whitepapers and Playbooks referenced in this blog post are available free to download and share in my Social Media Concierge Public Resource Library on Google Docs.

Want me to attend your event, review your document or plans? Email me at debbie@theSparkleAgency.com

You can also request to participate as an expert or receive a free assessment of your social media activities on my new social media business show, #SparkleSOS on Google+ Hangouts on Air by emailing debbie@theSparkleAgency.com and don’t forget to add me to your G+ circles!

❤ By: Debbie Horovitch

Have you optimized your YouTube channel for your business yet? Every time I see someone using video to invite people to an event, or even the videos on Thank You pages for webinar registrations, I always click through to check out the video on YouTube and it always surprises me what I find there:

• surprisingly low views on the video, even from some people I would presume would be able to generate significant views
• few videos
• non-optimized channel

Optimizing my YouTube Channel is even something I need to get better at myself, and I am going about the process of improving it, by doing it!

I heard on an Empower Network webinar the other day where they said the biggest problem for many people is the amount of time and learning they lose by planning, rather than doing! I think is is SO true! Instead of ready, aim, fire; try fire, aim, fire, aim, fire, aim. Really, everyone starts at zero at some point, so there’s nothing for you to be embarrassed about starting where you are, TODAY. Also, I’ve always found that no matter how much time I take (spend) planning, I’m still pretty terrible when I start & there is no way of getting better, without doing it. Bottom line.

If you’ve been watching what’s happening on Social Sparkle & Shine over the last 6 months, you know we’ve been getting really involved in video development and programming, especially using Google+ Hangouts on Air, YouTube, and all Google tools overall. Our popular monthly feature #SparkleSOS Book Authors & Publishers are becoming significantly more popular and attracting some very recognizable names, including multiple bestselling authors and people who I’m sure will become bestselling authors!

If you’d like to experience #SparkleSOS the Social Media Turnaround Show firsthand, you can join us for a conversation with Dorie Clark, Forbes and Harvard Business Review writer who has just launched her first book, a non-fiction guide to personal branding. Every month, we welcome a group aspiring writers and self-published authors, to have a conversation, sharing what works and finding solutions to challenges with the whole group and our featured author.

The best way to ensure you’ll produce a great quality product, book, video or Hangout is to get involved!

YouTube’s New Layout “One Channel”

A walkthrough of your new channel:

Reviewing your new sections:

One of the things I never figured out about YouTube what how & when to start another channel. Last Summer, when I met with Corey Vidal (a YouTube partner and superstar who gained fame after hundreds of videos, one literally blew up and he ended up on the red carpet at the People’s Choice Awards for his viral YouTube video), he said, when you find a niche/category of videos that is working for you, then it’s time to branch off and launch a new YouTube channel.

For me, I’ll need to find a way to change the name DH Partners Media Planning (which was the brand name of my business when I launched in 2009). Also, I’ll probably set up separate sections for #SparkleSOS Book Authors & Publishers, and special episodes of #SparkleSOS (like with LiveNinja.com, organizations hire me to plan & produce a Google+ Hangout program for their business > it’s like publicity; I do all the production, marketing, organizing guests, etc they just have to show up up, for their “show”)

Channel Setup / Optimization Checklist
One of the nice things is that you can always edit, optimize and improve your channel.

Channel Art
Channel Art is very similar to Facebook Cover Photo, Twitter Header Image and Google+ Cover Photos (G+ just changed their cover photos layout and sizing last week).

It’s your signage, that tells people who visit your YouTube immediately what you’re all about.

The size of this new channel art is 2120px W x 1192px H

I also did a search for guidelines & rules around the YouTube channel art, similar to Facebook Cover Images (FB doesn’t allow a Call To Action, contact information, Like encouragement and maximum 20% of the space can be copy/words).

My Channel Art without customization (I need a designer who can redesign all my Social Sparkle & Shine branding and create smart, consistent branding for each social channel for me… Is this you?)

“YouTube isn’t forcing the new channel on everyone just yet, but if you want to start using it you can.  To switch over to the new YouTube One Channel design, just head over towww.youtube.com/onechannel, scroll down to the bottom of the page and click the ‘Get started’ button.  For tips on setting up and optimizing your channel, visit YouTube’s Channel Optimization resource, as well as the YouTube Creator Playbook.” Megan O’Neill Social Times

I do find the Channel Optimization resource interesting & helpful, and was especially interested to see the opportunity for “Bulk Actions” where you can make changes to hundreds or even thousands of videos on your channel at the same time.

For me, this means easily updating multiple videos on my channel with new optin links to promote upcoming events, drive traffic to product landing pages, and more!

They also feature some of the best newly redesigned channels, including Epic Meal Time and GoPro Camera

Also:

• The Next Web – YouTube’s redesigned “One Channel” layout is now available for all users
• Mashable – YouTube One Channel Now Open For Everyone
• YouTube Creator – Official YouTube Partners & Creators Blog – YouTube One Channel, now available for everyone

Have you started optimizing and rebranding your YouTube channel yet? When I searched Google, I saw a bunch of people asking for a designer to create their new YouTube Channel Art > an opportunity for you graphic designers looking for clients!

By the way, after you’ve left a comment here, we can continue the discussion on my Twitter, Facebook, LinkedIn or  Google+.

Whitepapers and Playbooks referenced in this blog post are available free to download and share in my Social Media Concierge Public Resource Library on Google Docs.

Want me to attend your event, review your document or plans? Email me at debbie@theSparkleAgency.com

You can also request to participate as an expert or receive a free assessment of your social media activities on my new social media business show, #SparkleSOS on Google+ Hangouts on Air by emailing debbie@theSparkleAgency.com and don’t forget to add me to your G+ circles!

❤ By: Debbie Horovitch

‘