As part of the upcoming XML Global Media Ideas conference on 8 – 10 June in Sydney, we’ve wrangled an opportunity for our readers to

Have you ever wanted to try your hand at radio journalism? Do you have hidden aspirations to hob-nob with the world’s business elite?

Well, we’re about to make your dreams come true. With the help of XML, we’ve lined up an amazing posse of creative commercial thinkers.

Now, all we need is YOU to conduct the interviews.

Would you like to interview one of these amazing people?

• Ian Charles Stewart (Co-founder of WiReD Magazine)
• Warren Coleman (Co-writer and Co-director of Happy Feet)
• Michael Naimark (Founding Member of the Atari Research Lab, the Apple Multimedia Lab and Lucasfilm Interactive)
• Shinta W. Dhanuwardoyo (Recognised by Globe Asia as one of the 99 Most Powerful Women in Jakarta)
• Gerry Gouy (Senior Director, Global Business Development, MTV Networks International)
• Corvida Raven (One of Time Magazine’s 25 Facebook Profiles You Should Subscribe to)

What’s a podcast? How will this work?

A podcast is just like a radio interview. Here’s a sample. Your job would be to follow our instructions, be available when required and have a gripping 10 minute conversation with an international business leader. (We’ll prep you in advance.)

If it all goes well, we’ll publish the final result. You’ll have gained a new experience, possibly a new contact and, should we publish the podcast, greater fame and social capital throughout the interwebs (or on Anthill, at least). Use the form below to register your interest.

To get started, register here.

What are the deadlines?

Act quickly because the deadline for expressions of interest is this Thursday 24 May 2012, at 5pm. The interview would need to be conducted during the week Monday 28 May to Friday 1 June 2012. Deadline: Thursday 24 May 2012, at 5pm.

Terms and conditions apply (obviously).

We can’t guarantee that we’ll be able to coordinate every interview, even if you are lucky (i.e. persuasive) enough to be selected. The speakers at this year’s XML Global Media Ideas conference are busy people. We’ll be working damn hard to secure the interview but we can’t promise it. Interviews with high profile people have a habit of falling through. (Unfortunately, it’s just part of the game.)

We also require that you be able to get your hands on some basic interview recording software or hardware. For example, should your interview be scheduled to take place via Skype (as is the most likely option), you may need to invest in some cheap and simple software such as CallGrabber. As above, we will provide some basic assistance to get you prepared.

Even if you do conduct an interview, we reserve the right not to publish it, subject to quality and other editorial considerations. In that instance, the worst that will have happened is that you will have had a conversation with an interesting person. We take no responsibility if this conversation, promotion or activity causes you any harm – to your financial position, reputation, whatever.

We also reserve the right to do whatever we want with the recording. We won’t make you sound like a goose. But we may use your recording for promotional purposes and may even sell it. Through your participation, you’ll be waiving any right to copyright, fees or royalties for your involvement. You waive any right to losses or costs incurred from your participation.

That’s right. When it comes to this thing called capitalism, we can be kind of mercenary. In short, we can’t make you rich. We can only help make you famous.

Here’s how you can register

This is your opportunity to reach out and speak with a remarkable person (and maybe make an impression), record your conversation (we’ll teach you how), raise your profile through Anthill (we’ll publish your interview as a podcast) and have a whole lot of fun!

To get started, register here.

Have you ever wondered…

Why every industry has only a few businesses that thrive and get more leads? And they don’t suffer from cash flow problems or lack of leads, even when there is an ‘economic downturn’.

They don’t have to ‘push’ or make stacks of cold calls. Leads come to them like metal filings to a magnet. They have fun. And their owners have more money and time to spend with their families and their friends.

WHEN: Tuesday 29 May 2012 (8:15am start. 1:30pm finish.)
WHERE: Victoria University (directions on purchase)
COST: Normally $49. Now $19!

EVENT PROMISE: By the end of the workshop, you will have at least 5-10 new contacts to develop new business, and you will be crystal clear about what to do for the next six months to get more leads (both offline and online) on a very small budget. REGISTER HERE.

Watch the video

Who are the speakers?

Antony Gaddie

He has closed $83 million in business in his career so far. He has helped Telstra, Pacnet, Cellnet and Microsoft, in addition to numerous other B2B organisations, get ‘big results from small budgets’. He is a guest lecturer, a brown belt in Karate and speaks four languages. A specialist in lead generation and workshop development, he is also widely known as the creator of the Gaddie Pitch, a pitching technique designed to streamline new introductions.

Troy Dean (Tonto Digital)

Troy Dean is the owner and a director or Tonto Digital. He is the author of “Page One in 24 Hours” and has lots of fun teaching people how to get more leads online. He is the social media manager of Jessica Watson and helps companies own their first page on Google.

James Tuckerman

James Tuckerman is an entrepreneur, angel investor, consultant, coach and public speaker. He is best known for launching Anthill Magazine, in 2003, from the spare bedroom of his parents’ home. He was then just 26 years of age. In early 2009, he reinvented the Anthill business model, abandoning its print origins in favour of a 100% digital product, taking the publishing industry by surprise and the blogosphere by storm.

Jen Bishop (LinkedInOlogist)

Jen Bishop is among LinkedIn Top Recommended globally.  Her articles have been published by NineMSN, Startup Smart and Dynamic Business. Jen is the director of Content and Copy, an organisation that specialises in how to get more leads through LinkedIn.

Attend and here’s what you’ll get

• Practical marketing ‘tools and weapons’ that you can start implementing within 30 days of the workshop, delivered by some of the biggest names in Marketing and Social Media in Australia.
• A system to help you understand marketing and how to get more leads without having to spend a bucket of cash!
• More confidence, more tools, greater understanding about how to use social media to get more leads.
• At least 20 new business contacts (from facilitated live networking at the workshop itself).

WHEN: Tuesday 29 May 2012 (8:15am start. 1:30pm finish.)
WHERE: Victoria University (directions on purchase)
COST: Normally $49. Now $19!

FREE WEBINAR

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

Wouldn’t it be awesome if your hard earned knowledge could make you the big bucks?

YOU SAY…
But isn’t this how all industries operate?
The people with the skills get rich and famous?

WE SAY…
What planet are you from!?
Seriously. We want to know. Is it far? It sounds like a pretty awesome place.

The truth is that, for most of us, our amazing skills and hard-earned knowledge stays firmly locked in our heads. And the cruel reality is that this common truth is not just restricted to consultants and knowledge workers. It applies to anyone who has accumulated any sort of specialist expertise — whether you’re a lawyer or a florist.

Anthill’s next webinar is all about how to unlock this knowledge and turn it into a product. It’s about how to increase the value of your business and take control of its future. (REGISTER)

Are you a business owner or does your business own you?

Think about it. Are you only as valuable as the number of hours you are available to work? You could be a consultant or a coffee shop owner.

If your business relies on you to open the doors, service clients or work by the hour, you haven’t built a business. You’ve built a 40 hour week coffin that won’t allow you to relax, go on holiday or ever realise the full value of your business if you ever want to sell it.

Successful organisations evolve beyond the founder.

And often the easiest way to kick start this evolution is through the ‘productisation of knowledge and services’. So, why might you want to ‘productise’ your knowledge?

1. You’ll create a new revenue stream – potentially a new market!
2. Productisation allows you to work on your business (rather than in it).
3. Suddenly succession planning is no longer the big deal you feared.

Best of all…

4. Productisation can be used to position you as an industry leader!

Haven’t you ever wondered why some people attract all the opportunities?

Their names come up in conversations. They’re the default ‘go to’ person in their industry. They choose what projects not to work on. And they have more fun!

At this webinar you will learn:

• The two types of products that every business needs.
• Four product strategies that DON’T work for small businesses over the long term.
• How to identity the most valuable intellectual property in your business.
• Techniques to tap into global distribution partners.

Click this link to register and get started. (REGISTER)

Who is our guest speaker? Daniel Priestley!

Daniel Priestley has built several multi-million dollar businesses, spoken all over the world and is a best-selling author. His product strategy has driven several of his startups to achieve $1m revenues inside the first twelve months.

He’s spoken in ten countries and consulted with businesses in the UK, Singapore and Australia. He is also the founder of the internationally successful Key Person of Influence coaching program. And here’s something that’s also kind of important.

At this webinar, Daniel will share the one sentence that increased the valuation of his business from a £300k to £4.2m in under two years.

What do you need to do? Register and prepare to plugin.

Simply click the link below follow the prompts and you’ll be sent reminders and login details when the time is right.

When: Wednesday 23 May 2012, 12-noon
Where: At your laptop, Mac or PC!
Cost: Complimentary

Here’s the link: https://www1.gotomeeting.com/register/232539817

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.

Melbourne: 1 June 2012
Sydney: 30 June 2012
Normal Price: $39.

Anthill Price? 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 Anthill rate!

While no-one can promise the latter, pursuing the first three is not a bad start.

This one day event brings together a small posse of entrepreneurial talent — including Ian Elliot, Andrew Griffiths, Kylie Bartlett, Daniel Priestley and Marc Johnstone — and is tailored to solve the following five sleep destroyers:

Five Business Problems designed to keep you awake:

1.  Competing on Price.

Are you discounting to land new deals?  Do your prospects want to ‘shop around’?  If so, the market sees you as a low value, replaceable commodity.

Check out the 5 step ‘KPI’ formula that explains how to position yourself as an irreplaceable, premium service provider. Here.

2.  Chasing business (like a headless chook).

Does new opportunity find you or are you hunting for it?  Being great at what you do isn’t enough to ‘bring the rain’.

This event shows that becoming the ‘hunted’ isn’t as hard as you think. Here.

3.  Selling your time for money.

If customers buy your service because of your unique skills and talents, then you ARE the business.  If you stop, so does your cash flow… and it’s tough getting started again.

Products are the answer; come and learn how to turn your skill set into an asset. Here.

4.  Being unknown.

You are great at what you do; you love what you do; but not enough people know about you.  Raising your profile starts online (and you don’t need to be a manic tweeter to get profitable results).

If that sounds like you, Kylie Bartlett will set you straight. Here.

5.  Flying Solo.

Without the right partnerships, it’s unlikely you will survive the next recession. Businesses survive when they band together… do you have what others want?

If you’re done with being a “worker-bee” in your industry, it’s time to tip over into the inner-circle and become a Key Person of Influence.

Book your tickets today.

Save 40% for being a friend of Anthill.

Melbourne: 1 June 2012
Sydney: 30 June 2012
Normal Price: $39.

Anthill Price? Click here!

BONUS! Included in the ticket price is a copy of Daniel Priestley’s best-selling (UK) book, ‘Become a Key Person of Influence’.

Please share this message. Tweet it. Facebook ‘Like’ it. Spread the word.

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How to Improve Your Presentation Skills.

FREE WEBINAR

When: Wednesday 9 May 2012, 12-noon
Where: At your laptop, Mac or PC!
Cost: Complimentary*

What’s the first rule of professional speaking?

Don’t do it in your underpants — unless you are Superman, in which case undies-on-the-outside is probably to be expected.

However, that doesn’t mean that you can’t learn the skills to become a confident, professional and outrageously awesome public speaker… sans dacks.

That’s right. We’re bringing back Anthill’s UndieEmpire Webinar series.

How to Improve Your Presentation Skills (Register here.)

Great presentation skills are an essential part of any entrepreneur’s arsenal.

You want to pitch for capital? You want to woo that new client? You want to win the loyalty of your staff? Whatever your goal, the same rules apply.

It’s your job to present with confidence and professionalism.

Is that something you’d like to be able to do? (To register for the webinar, click here.)

Yet, so many Australians are sloppy presenters!

Your grandparents told you not to ‘skite’. Your teachers told you to keep your ‘head down’. And no-one, apparently, likes ‘tall poppies’ (except your friends at Anthill).

We say, “No more!”

Join Anthill and Ken Molay of Webinar Success, on Wednesday 9 May, to learn:

• Tips and tricks for improving your vocal style.
• How to script and practice a presentation so you feel comfortable and confident.
• Common presentation errors that drive your audience crazy.
• Effective audience interaction techniques.
• The keys to a strong presentation.

Dodge lousy pitching errors and defy the odds! (Register.)

Who is Ken Molay and how did we score this public speaking cyrano?

Whether you are speaking to an audience of 10 or 1,000, it’s critical that you engage your listeners. As the presentation coach for some of today’s fastest growing companies, Ken Molay knows exactly what it takes to stand and deliver.

Through some Citrix connections, we were able to source our super-savvy cyrano and use the Citrix online meeting tool, GoToMeeting, for our initial ‘prep’ sessions.

Moreover, you’ll get to see their web conferencing technology in action, as this event will be delivered using the Citrix webinar tool, GoToWebinar. (Register.)

What is Anthill’s UndieEmpire Webinar Series?

In early 2011, with the help of Citrix, Anthill held its first ever webinar:

“How to build a global empire in your underpants.”

Let’s just say that the concept was sticky. It resonated with Anthill’s passionate and proactive audience of business builders and attracted the attention of entrepreneurs and innovators from far and wide, each seeking new ways to perform the ‘old’ fundamentals of business…

…in their underpants.

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. It’s so easy, some members of the Anthill crew have even convinced their own mothers (and a grandmother) to take part! Don’t put this off. Register now!

When: 9 May 2012, 12-noon
Where: At your laptop, Mac or PC!
Cost: Complimentary*

Click here to register.

Hello Fresco is all about simplifying your sartorial choices. Each month two new tee designs are released. Buy them, don’t buy them – whatevs.

Hello Fresco founder Jono Chatterton launched the biz to “support me and my global wanderings.”

In a similarly laissez faire approach, Chatterton reckons business plans are for losers.

“Business plans tend to take up a great deal of time and, as things change greatly from project commencement to finish, I opted not to bother.”

To celebrate the release of Hello Fresco’s brand-spanking video, Chatterton’s offering Anthillians a whopping 30% off your next purchase. Simply enter the secret password, ANTHILLERS, at HelloFresco.com.

The only tees you’ll ever need…

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.

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.

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Tweet it. ‘Like’ it. ‘Plus’ it.
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The Anthill Guide to AdWords… for Amateurs AND Assassins

FREE WEBINAR

When: 07 December 2011, 12-noon
Where: At your laptop, Mac or PC!
Cost: Complimentary*

Master farmer in the fields of online marketing? Or AdWords apprentice?

AdWords are the small text ads that appear alongside Google search results and within some websites. (We assume you already knew that.) Advertisers who use AdWords only pay when a person clicks on the link. (We hope you knew that too.)

You may have experimented with AdWords. AdWords might already be core to your strategy. Perhaps you’re an online newbie with a desire to dip your toes into the AdWords estuary, with ambitions to make your big splash as a Big Kahuna on the waves of the interwebs!

Well, to be frank, whatever your level of expertise, whether you’re a master farmer in the fields of online marketing or an AdWords apprentice, we suspect it’s safe to assume one more thing. You are not using Search Engine Marketing as well as you could.

This is why we have partnered with Google Australia to create…

The Advanced Guide to AdWords for Amateurs

During this one-hour webinar, Anthill’s editor (and ‘closet Luddite’) James Tuckerman will be joined by Google’s guide (and ‘SEM expert’) Kate Conroy for an educational and entertaining amble through the the private pastures and oft-overlooked, far flung paddocks of AdWords.

Plus, we’ll be joined by special guest Ross McDonald, Industry Head for Retail AdWords, to talk about AdWords for mobile. (Mobile advertising. It’s kind of a big thing.)

Learn like a Luddite. Execute like an expert.

• The Basics (of course):
  How to get beyond the ‘beans and carrots’ of AdWords.
• Strategies for Keywords:
  Why you should never sell ‘liquid transfer solutions’ if you make garden hoses.
• Strategies for Sniper Targeting:
  Get your corn in a row with geo-targeting and devices (like mobile!)
• Copywriting tricks and tactics:
  How to write a great ads, to get great results (that won’t cost the farm)

Plus, an introduction to mobile ads!
With special guest Ross McDonald. (No relation to Old McDonald, sorry.)

Discover how the AdWords system works, how campaigns should be structured and how to get the most from your campaigns. Most, importantly, you will learn like a Luddite so that you can execute like an expert. (That’s how we plow… we mean ‘roll’.)

Meet our presenter, Kate Conroy

Who is Kate Conroy? It’s Kate’s job to help small and fast growth businesses master their online marketing with Google AdWords.

She is an AdWords Product Specialist for Google Australia, where she has worked since 2006. She specialises in understanding and applying Search Marketing techniques for Australian businesses.

Kate is a native of Canberra with degrees in multimedia and law. She is also one of Australia’s most enthusiastic online shoppers – her list of online purchases even includes a kitchen sink!

She lives and breathes AdWords.

Plus, we’ll be introducing special guest Ross McDonald, Industry Head for Retail AdWords, to talk about AdWords for mobile!

What’s a webinar?

Okay, we admit it. Anthill has been a bit late to discover the wonders of the webinar.

If you’re just a bit strange and backward (like us), 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.

Bonus $75 AdWords Voucher

We even have $75 coupons to give away, so that webinar attendees can try out Google AdWords. (But please note, existing Google AdWords customers are not eligible for this offer. Just new ones. Sorry!)

When: 07 December 2011, 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, Google Australia. Anthill will not share this data with any parties not involved unless indicated.

Key People enjoy a special status in their chosen field because they are well connected, well known, well regarded and highly valued. They get invited to be a part of the best teams and projects and they can often write their own terms.

Key People also have more fun. They get invited on trips away. People buy them dinner and drinks. They are treated with respect and others listen when they speak.

Join like-minded business builders at an exclusive networking event, and learn how to become a Key Person of Influence. [EVENT]

When: 30 November, 6pm – 9pm.
Where: The Fleece Hotel, 120 Montague Street, South Melbourne VIC 3205
MORE: Visit Antmart.

What is a Key Person of Influence?

Several weeks ago, I was sent the Australian edition of ‘Become a Key Person of Influence’ by Daniel Priestly. I read it in an afternoon. And, several weeks on, my imagination is still buzzing.

Below you will find an excerpt from this book (published with the author’s permission). And, as of tomorrow, Antmart will be selling this book for $1, delivered in hard-copy form to your door (following some smooth negotiation by our friends at Antmart).

To ignite your imagination, let me ask you, “Are you a vital person? Or a functional person?”

Vitality is more valuable than functionality (By Daniel Priestley)

What’s the difference between a ‘functional’ person and a ‘vital’ person?

Most Key Persons of Influence fall into the ‘vital’ category.

Let me explain.

Functional people might be great at what they do. They might talk the talk and walk the walk but, at the end of the day, the sad fact is that they are replaceable.

If you can find a cheaper option you will take it and a functional person is usually just one solution to a problem.

Functional people see themselves as executing a set of processes. They try to get better at those processes and they make marginal improvements. Functional people worry about being downsized or overlooked. They are fearful that someone might come along who can ‘do it’ better.

A vital person doesn’t have these fears. Vital people align themselves to the result rather than the process. No matter what, they will always be okay to adapt and change dynamically if it gets them towards a better result, or a faster result.

This is because they feel like they own a specific piece of turf and no one could replace them.

They see themselves as redefining the game in some way. They have their own unique take on things that makes them almost impossible to replace or overlook.

Functional people are scared to take a holiday. They worry what will happen while they are gone. Will they have a job to come back to? Will their clients find someone else?

Will they lose opportunities they really need? A holiday is a scary thing to take when you are functional.

Vital people love taking holidays. They know that part of what makes them vital is that they have a certain spark that few people have and they have fresh ideas that people want to tap into. For a vital person a holiday is a place to get re-energised and to stimulate ideas. It’s also a great reminder to everyone just how vital they are.

A vital person knows that while they are gone, people are worried that they won’t come back!

Functional people like to associate with people who reaffirm that life is tough. They like to be reassured that the economy is affecting others too and that times aren’t what they used to be. A functional person loves the comfort of their friends who don’t push them or inspire them to step up to a whole new level.

A vital person likes to be seen and challenged by their contemporaries.

They welcome debate and stimulating ideas. They want people to push them, to bring the best out of them and to stay true to the idea that there’s always a new level to play at. A vital person will leave a group of people who slow them down for a group that stirs them up.

A Functional Person wants to get more
… A Vital Person wants to produce more.

A Functional Person wants to learn more
… A Vital Person wants to share more.

A Functional Person wants to be shown a path
… A Vital Person wants to create one.

A Functional Person is worn out by their functionality
… A Vital Person is re-energised by their vitality.

Want to see what a person of vitality will do (even after they have the money and the fame) in order to keep pushing the boundaries? Check out this video of David Blaine telling you what he’s willing to do in order to make “magic”.

David Blaine at TED

So, are you a vital person or a functional person?

There is really only one way to answer this question. If you had all the riches in the world, would you still be doing what you’re doing now? Think about it. Are you making magic?

To get the full 188-page hard-copy book for $1, visit Antmart.com.au.

Blogging for your business… or blogging as your business!

FREE WEBINAR

When: 16 November 2011, 12-noon
Where: At your laptop, Mac or PC!
Cost: Complimentary*

Learn from a commercial blogging phenomenon.

Darren Rowse is one of the world’s most successful professional bloggers.

In 2002, he “stumbled” across a book on blogging. Within five years, his ProBlogger blog was listed as number two on Technorati’s most favourited blogs list and number 40 on its most linked to list. His blogs generate around 85,000 page views… wait for it… a day!

They also generate over $20,000 in total ad revenue a month (and that’s before affiliate and product sales) from his one man office in outer-suburban Melbourne.

Why should you care about blogging?

• Are you a business owners and want to harness the power of blogging?
• Have you been given the task of blogging within your organisation?
• Are you a hobbiest with big dreams for your blog?

We know at Anthill that there is only one way to guarantee traffic to your website.

And that’s to create compelling, remarkable, shareable content. And the easiest way to start is by blogging. Yet, blogging doesn’t need to be so hard!

Why choose this topic as an Anthill webinar?

Hundreds of thousands of Australians turn to Anthill to learn about about development tools, techniques and tactics.

In the niche realm of online marketing, Anthill has become quite an authority.

What’s a webinar?

Okay, we admit it. Anthill has been a bit late to discover the wonders of the 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. Don’t put this off. Register now!

When: 16 November 2011, 12-noon
Where: At your laptop, Mac or PC!
Cost: Complimentary*

Click here to register.

According to AWCCI CEO Yolanda Vega, the 700,000-odd lady-folk small business owners are long overdue some attention.

“While significant information is available on women in leadership and management roles, there is very little data on the hundreds of thousands of women running small to medium-sized business in Australia.”

“The Women in Business Poll will provide a better understanding of the challenges, rewards and opportunities for women running a business in both regional and metro Australia.”

“It will explore such issues as how and why women start businesses, in what industries, where the businesses operate, revenue and wages, procurement of contracts, superannuation, childcare issues and more.”

Vega believes the poll will play an essential role in ultimately securing small business owning women the support and recognition they deserve.

“Women need to get involved if they want changes to take place; they can no longer afford to stay silent because their community and the economy rely on them.”

If you’re a small business owning women with an opinion or three, visit the folks over at AWCCI and share the love. You may even win stuff for your efforts – like a Wild Bush Luxury holiday, two executive coaching sessions with Avril Henry and a three-month Virtual Office Platinum Package from Servcorp. Booyah!