REGISTER FOR THE FREE WEBINAR AND BONUS MATERIALS BELOW.

In 2005, Steve Jobs said, “Stay hungry. Stay foolish.” In 2010, Derek Sivers said, “The first follower transforms a lone nut into a leader.” Today, we share the wisdom of Steve Carell’s Michael Scott, from the US version of The Office.

Watch and listen carefully. These inspirational words will change your life. Maybe.

The Office: Inspiring Quote

THE WEBINAR, 2 FEBRUARY 2012

BONUS MATERIALS

• Tools Summary PDF
• Creating WorkWiki Tutorials
• Content Leverage System Video

YouTube is now the world’s second biggest search engine, with over three billion videos viewed daily and 48 hours of video content uploaded every minute.

Join Internet video and search guru Jim Stewart as he reveals the 5 critical steps for creating and delivering web videos that stand out without breaking the bank.

FREE WEBINAR

When: Thursady, 23 Feb 2012, 12-noon
Where: At your laptop, Mac or PC!
Cost: Complimentary*

Click here to register.

*By registering, you are agreeing to allow the data collected to be shared with the sponsor of this event, Citrix GoToMeeting. Anthill will not share this data with any parties not involved unless indicated.

Best. Sickie. Ever!

Well, Matthew Broderick is clearly still no teenager. But this clip suggests that he hasn’t lost his zest for adventure. (Or the big bucks.)

Clearly crafted to appeal to the maturing Gen X market, this Honda ad has been released as an an attempt to score a pre-Super Bowl touchdown.

While traditional advertising budgets are decreasing, Super Bowl advertising costs are on the rise — not because of the vast number of people who watch ‘the game’ but because of the even vaster number who share the ‘made to be viral’ clips before and after.

Could it be that the most sought after marketing metric has shifted away from ‘Views’ to the more ellusive ‘Share’? What do you think? (Bueller? Bueller? Anyone? Anyone?)

Ferris Bueller, 2012

Outsourcing, offshoring and crowdsourcing (Harness the power of the global talent pool)

FREE WEBINAR

When: Wednesday 1 Feb 2012, 12-noon
Where: At your laptop, Mac or PC!
Cost: Complimentary*

You know the feeling.

There’s not enough time in the day to get all the niggling, annoying, mundane tasks done.

Plus, you want to build your brand. You know that it’s essential to work ‘on’ your business and not just ‘in’ it.

But where can you find the time?

If this sounds familiar, don’t fret. You are not alone!

This is the problem that this webinar was created to solve.

How to build a global empire in your undies… reloaded!

Why should you attend this webinar? Well, does this sound like you?

• You’re an upstart entrepreneur and you want to learn how to run a global empire in your underpants.
• You’re an established business owner and want to unearth new ways to cut costs, without compromising quality.
• You’re a big wig CEO and you’re wondering what’s all this hullabaloo about outsourcing, offshoring and crowdsourcing.

With the economy in its current state and the US dollar near parity, geo-arbitrage opportunities abound. (This simply means that it’s easier to pay for stuff OS.)

Combine that with the power of cloud tools, like DropBox, ScreenSteps, Dictamous and Screenflow, and it has suddenly become far easier than any time in history to employ and manage skilled staff and freelancers from all corners of the globe. (Register)

Be educated, engaged and entertained.

With the assistance of outsourcing extremist and author Pete Williams, we’ll be sharing the techniques he has used to build million-dollar e-commerce sites, a global marketing and communication agency, an international, award winning Telecommunications hardware company and largely replace himself in the process.

Plus, Anthill’s James Tuckerman (moi) will be working damn hard to keep you engaged and entertained for this one hour learning session. It’s the Anthill way, right! (Register)

Why choose this topic as an Anthill webinar?

In 2008, we had the plesaure of interviewing Adrian Giles, co-founder of Hitwise. This was shortly after he sold his business for a whopping $250 million.

When talking about ‘moving on’, he had these wise words to share:

“I used to think, ‘if my company goes belly up as soon as I leave, they really needed me’. But in reality, a good entrepreneur creates a business they work on, not in, that will survive them in every way. But the truth is that great entrepreneurs are measured by the success of what they leave behind.”

On that note, isn’t it about time that you made yourself redundant?

What’s a webinar?

If you’re a technical Luddite (or just strange and backward), according to Wikipedia:

A webinar is a neologism, short for Web-based Seminar, a presentation, lecture, workshop or seminar that is transmitted over the Web, specifically a portmanteau of web and seminar, to describe a specific type of web conference. A webinar can be collaborative and include polling and question and answer sessions to allow full participation between the audience and the presenter.

If words like ‘neologism’ and ‘portmanteau’ get you confused, a webinar is simply a way to login, join a vibrant and instruction online-seminar, pose questions and participate in online learning.

How does is work?

Simply click the register button, follow the prompts and you’ll be sent reminders and login details when the time is right.

When: 1 February 2012, 12-noon
Where: At your laptop, Mac or PC!
Cost: Complimentary*

Click here to register.

Shit people say in Silicon Valley

Shit People Say on Facebook

Shit White Girls Say…to Black Girls

Shit People Say To Tattooed People

It’s a serviced office arrangement, with edge. It’s an incubator, without the need to give up equity. It’s a new home, on highly flexible terms, to launch and grow your new venture.

• Does your startup or upstart need professional digs?
• Do you want to work alongside equally passionate business builders?
• Do you want access to mentors, investors and the ear of Anthill?

Click here to start our Expressions-Of-Interest form.

What do you get?

Your own personal desk space (with cable or wireless internet).
Yes, in addition to your own desk space to launch your empire (and pin up photos of your pet cat), you will score your own blue-chord, directly connected to our internet machine (sometimes known as a server) or simply rock it with your online peeps using our wireless internet.

Professional meeting rooms with presentation and conferencing capabilities
So, you want to impress a client? Our meeting room is the bomb! (In a good way.) With a view of the city over the MSG and the Dimmy’s clock tower. If you need some privacy, we also have three small meeting rooms, to pow-wow with a colleague, make a private call or clear your head.

All the glorious cafes and bars Richmond has to offer!
A stone’s throw from East Richmond Station and a short walk to Richmond Station, this office location is surrounded by some of the best eating and bars Melbourne has to offer east of the smoke. Der Raum is nationally famous for its cocktails. At Pillar of Salt, you can’t find a better corn fritter. Or take a leisurely stroll up to Chapel Street. (You can do Chap-laps!)

What it doesn’t have:

• Fixed phone lines: But you’re industrious. Who needs a fixed phone?
• Parking (kinda): Parking is available at an extra cost of $45 per week.
• Reception: At least, not yet. Coming soon!

How much will this cost?

A slot in the Anthill incubator will cost tenants $150 plus GST per week, per person.

We think this is amazing value. Think about it. You probably spend more on petrol and cafe lattes juggling all those damn coffee meetings!

No long-term tenancy contracts
Stay a month. Stay a year.
Scale up. Scale down.

Best of all…

You’ll be working alongside equally passionate and entrepreneurial business builders, in a collegial environment.

Click here to start our Expressions-Of-Interest form.

In New York, the 11th Annual No Pants Subway Ride involved nearly 4,000 participants, spread out over six meeting points and ten subway lines.

Why? We don’t know.

But we love the fact that we live in a world where this sort of hobby is accepted. We may not approve of your nobbly knees and saggy bottoms but we’ll fight to the death your right to show them! (Happy Beer O’clock Anthillians!)

No Pants Subway Ride 2012

For those of you who’ve not had the pleasure, Innovation Bay’s Angel Dinners bring together angels and entrepreneurs. To date, the organisation has assisted entrepreneurs raise over $10 million in seed investment as a result of these dinners. (Heard of Spreets? Yup? Innovation Bay kick started the group buying behemoths capital raising endeavours.)

Are you an entrepreneur in the high-tech space? Fancy a bit of funding? Then you may well be interested in pitching at this event, held at Table for 20 in Surry Hills, Sydney.

Here’s what you need to do before 5pm, Feb 10:

• Submit a 90-second video in any format – don’t exceed the time limit – to info@innovationbay.com
• Spill the deets on your business and why Innovation Bay should select you to take part in the next Angels Dinner
• Explain your value proposition in a strong and punchy format. Why are you poised to succeed and why would someone want to invest in your business?

Here are some tips:

• Business overview – who you are, what you do, your experience, your team
• What problem you are solving and do you offer a different solution
• The market – size and opportunity
• Investment – how much, what do you need it for, why should someone invest

The four pitches to receive the highest votes from Innovation Bay members will be invited to present at the Angel Dinner.

Do you want to turn your existing skills, talents and experience into a profitable business?

This event will show you how.

You will learn the Five Step Sequence to becoming a Key Person of Influence and become a highly valued (and did we mention HIGHLY PAID) person in your industry Learn from five of Australia’s most inspiring minds.

When: January 20th, 2012
Where: Melbourne Convention & Exhibition Centre
Normal Price: $39.

Antmart Price: $24. Click here!

Being GOOD at what you do is no longer enough in the new economy. Spend ONE DAY learning from THE BEST.

Bonus – Get The KPI Fast Start Kit [FREE WITH YOUR TICKET]

1. A copy of ‘Becoming a Key Person of Influence’ by Daniel Priestly;
2. Free access to a 90 minute live interactive webinar on helping people who are committed to becoming a Key Person of Influence;
3. A series of 45 minute videos of high level talks given by some of the worlds top entrepreneurs from London and Australia.

Who are the speakers?

Ian Elliot – Australian Advertising Icon

Ian Elliot spent 30 years at George Patterson Advertising, rising from mail boy to CEO and Chairman. George Patterson were Australia’s largest Advertising Agency throughout this period and voted “Agency of The Century” in the middle of Ian’s CEO term. He was responsible for developing the Optus Brand Strategy, including the still highly successful “Yes” campaign.

He has adapted his pitch winning skills to apply to every business, big or small and documented the tools in the best selling Book ‘Stop Bitching, Start Pitching’.

Marc Johnstone – Silicone Valley VC Veteran

Marc co-founded his first company at 29 in the financial services industry and upon partial sale left to join Shirlaws Coaching in 1999 – its foundation year.

Shirlaws is now established is six countries, with 160 coaches and has clients across thirty seven countries.

Andrew Griffiths – Australia’s best selling small business author

Acknowledged as Australia’s #1 Small Business Author, Andrew has eleven books that are now sold in over fifty countries. His bestselling books take complex ideas and make them practical and simple. Andrew’s latest book, The BIG BOOK of Small Business, is a culmination of his extensive work to date in the Small Business arena.

Andrew is also an energetic and engaging keynote presenter. He draws on his own life experiences and big sense of humour to deliver powerful messages in an engaging and authentic way.

Andrew presents on a diverse range of topics including business success, business evolution, being a professional presenter, writing bestselling books and personal growth.

Kylie Bartlett – The Untapped Opportunity

Better known these days as The Web Celeb, Kylie Bartlett is an international public speaker, a published author and a successful business woman.

She is dedicated to helping entrepreneurs create social buzz, build a brand and get celebrity results in their business.

Kylie teaches business owners how to use the latest web techniques, tips and strategies you can use to generate more traffic and make more money.

Daniel Priestly – Author of Becoming a Key Person of Influence

Event producer, seed capitalist and technology entrepreneur. Best selling author of Becoming a Key Person of influence and creator of the 5 steps.

Daniel Priestly shows you how to stop being a worker ‘bee’ and explains exactly how to get into the inner circle of any industry, fast!

Register today to get the AntMart rate!

It was once said with humour: “I know that half my advertising works. I just don’t know which half.”

Such a sentiment is no longer likely to raise a smile. This is because smart marketers (including business owners) now expect a return on investment (ROI) from their marketing (like duh).

So, what brought about this change in expectations? One player in the mix was undoubtedly Search Engine Marketing (SEM). In this first installment, we introduce SEM, and why it’s important for ROI.

SEM is a clever wee abbreviation used to describe Search Engine Marketing. Why is it worth an acronym? Aside from being a verbal mouthful (don’t you just lurve tech speak), over the past 10 years, or so, it has become wildly popular with business builders and marketers.

The cause is simple. SEM has proven itself to be a manageable, transparent and generally affordable way to increase a website’s traffic and provide brands with better visibility on search engines (and the like).

Search Engine Land describes SEM as an umbrella term that encompasses search engine optimisation (SEO) techniques and pay per click marketing. Advertising services by Yahoo! and free knowledge channels like Wikipedia have resulted in a distorted definition that moved SEO away from SEM. This early definition may rock some peeps’ worlds but, to keep things simple for us foolish mortals, we prefer to use the term SEM to define paid search marketing.

Paid search marketing (also known as pay per click and cost per click marketing, just to keep things interesting) is usually achieved by buying ad space on search engines such as Yahoo!, Bing and of course, Google.

Why SEM whoops traditional advertising’s patootie

Don’t confuse paid search marketing with purchasing ad space in a traditional advertising market such as a newspaper or television channel. Search engines act as the great equaliser; small and large businesses compete on a level playing field due to its cost effective model.

Need more reasons to heart SEM? It’s got advance reporting tools a-go-go. That means businesses can tie each ad click to the term that triggered the ad, the dosh they paid for that click, and the profit generated by – you guessed it – the click.

Gone are the days when marketing gurus and business analysts failed to determine what percentage of advertising costs resulted in a positive ROI.

By comparison, print, radio, and television advertising may provide a rough estimate of the people your ad reached out to or the number of eyeball views it caught, but it’s impossible to tie each sale to the channel it came from.

SEM is now used by hundreds and thousands of businesses to reach a global audience and get more customers at a fraction of the price they’d have paid for traditional advertising.

The big kahunas

Now that you’re all over SEM, it’s important to understand the options that it provides and how you can use them to your advantage. Though there are several PPC channels on offer, here are the four biggies:

1. Google AdWords

2. Yahoo! Search Advertising

3. Microsoft Ad Center

4. Facebook Ads

Many businesses use all of the above for promoting products and services but, if you’re a SEM newbie, we recommend that you ease yourself in with AdWords.

It has a fairly simple user interface, making it easy to navigate and create advertising campaigns.

Another argument that works in AdWords’ favour is the wide reach that Google offers. According to the stats, AdWords can help you reach more people than Yahoo! and Microsoft combined.

So, why would anyone use AdWords?

As a business owner, you have only one goal: better profits and a positive ROI. (OK, so two goals.)

AdWords helps you achieve exactly that. Wouldn’t it make you happy if every penny you spent in advertising or marketing your business was accounted for?

It should go without saying, but just in case: to understand how SEM can help in calculating your return ROI, it’s important to know what ROI is.

For online advertising, your ROI is the ratio of your online advertising costs and the profits you generate through these mediums. And, as your mother will tell you, profits must always exceed costs.

What tools does Google AdWords have to help achieve ROI?

Sophisticated reporting tools

Advanced reporting available in the AdWords interface is useful for generating hourly, weekly, and monthly reports that provide insight into key metrics like cost per click, conversion rate, keywords that generated maximum revenue, and weak performing keywords. Knowing this data can help you eliminate keywords that are dragging down your ROI while increasing the CPC for profitable keywords.

Analytics linking

If you’re not already in the know, Google Analytics is the preferred free web analytic program. Its suave features make ecommerce tracking a breeze. All you need is a bit of code that must be put on all pages of your website. Analytics gives you the information required to calculate your ROI and tie it to the channel it came from, allowing you to segregate profits according to organic sales, online sales, AdWords sales, and so on. This helps you in determining which advertising channels are earning their keep.

If you don’t want to get into the intricacies of advanced Analytics set up, conversion tracking is a good alternative for measuring advertising success. (And it’s part of the AdWords package.)

Keeping it simple

When starting out with Google AdWords, it is advisable to read the Help Center for an advertising 101. Video tutorials, seminars, and presentations make it easy to understand the process and help you create a successful advertising campaign.

But, we at Anthill HQ, couldn’t think of a more apt way to share our sincerest holiday wishes than via… singing hedgehogs.

Have a merry festive season Anthillians! See you in 2012.

Christmas in a parallel multiverse.

The Japan Earthquake. Floods in Brazil. And the launch of Google Plus. (Hmmm.)

The purpose of the video is to promote for Google’s Zeitgeist 2011 page. Based on an aggregation of billions of search queries, it presents lists such as Fastest Rising, Fastest Falling.

However, if you’re able to keep your inner cynic contained, the clip is masterfully assembled, with a flair for the dramatic that would make even the most hardened movie-trailer editor shed a tear in his popcorn.

The year according to Google

It’s often said that thrill seekers and entrepreneurs have many things in common. They do crazy things that defy common sense and both seem to have a high tolerance for risk.

But, no matter how many big deals you closed this week or how many personal mountains you conquered this year, chances are they pal in comparison to this.

We suggest you crank up the volume and watch this in full-screen mode.

Hat-tip: Paul Ryan

Sense of Flying