For the first time in my life, I have ZERO business cards (other than mine) in my office. This suits my minimalist lifestyle just fine.

And yeah, I went through the stages, just like you:

1. I purchased that lovely black notebook with the plastic see-through sheets where you could insert people’s business cards into them. That ended up being crap. Like I had any desire to carry another damn notebook around.

2. Then I moved to containers on the desk, after I had collected thousands of cards. In these, I actually alphabetized them by last name. Spent hours and hours getting it set up. And then never looked at that pile of crap again. Once, I actually had to remove a spider web from the F – J container.

3. Then, I got the smartphone! And decided, “Hey, I won’t actually save the business card, but I will key in the person’s data into my database, and sync to the phone.

[Disclaimer: I never purchased one of those business card scanners. Mainly because 97% of the people I knew who had one constantly bitched that the thing was largely useless, and they spent more time correcting the scanned data than if they had just keyed it in themselves to begin with.]

And after about eight cards, this became a pain in the ass. And after a week, I was back to having stacks of cards sitting on the desk, waiting to be entered.

But then I discovered Evernote…

Now, this isn’t a post about how to use Evernote. Because, quite frankly, if you dig deep enough into Evernote, you will discover that you could probably run NASA with it, it’s that awesome. In fact, if you are using Evernote seriously, you are a fan. But most of you are probably saying, “I’ve heard good things, but just not sure what to do with it.”

Well, let me give you one suggestion for using Evernote. Here is my six-step plan for managing all those business cards:

1. First, open an Evernote account. The basic plan is free.

1a. Download the app to your handheld device. The iPad app that I use rocks.

2. When you receive a business card from someone who you want to – or might need to – contact again, simply snap a pic of the card with your digital camera/smartphone.

3. From your smartphone/iPad/modern digital camera, simply email it to Evernote. Once you set up your account, you are provided with a special email address to where you can send virtually anything for safe keeping in Evernote, on the cloud.

4. Then, tag the image of the business card in your Evernote account with relevant keywords. [Note: my iPad enables me to do this on my Evernote app, so I don't have to wait until I am back at my computer to complete this process.]

4a. I tag each business card in “Business Card File.” That way, when I am in my Evernote account, I can pull up ALL business cards. Just in case I want to see them all, or I can’t remember a name, and I want to scan them all…

4b. I tag each card with the person’s name. That way, once in your Evernote account, I can simply search for the person, and anything I’ve tagged with their name will appear.

4c. You can also add a relevant keyword or keyphrase to that person’s card, marketing expert, SEO specialist, graphic designer, etc… That way, if you want to find all the marketing experts you know, you can pull those up easily.

5. Toss the card into recycling.

6. Then, when you need to, you can email the image to someone else if that’s helpful.

But Todd, will the Evernote image translate to my database? What if I want that person’s contact info on my phone?”

Great question. What I’ve discovered over years of dealing with business cards is that I rarely ever try to contact someone after I collect their card. Maybe one in ten. And honestly, for that one person? I hand enter their contact info in my Google contacts list.

Note: For all I know, Evernote has a means to move that data into a database, or maybe soon will. Will have to look into that.

So that’s it. Just a handy weekend tip on how to manage that gigantic pile of business cards sitting on the floor, filling a drawer, or in a shoebox in the closet (or all three). And a handy way to use Evernote if you were looking for a way to test it out…

Enjoy. What are some other ways you are using Evernote?

###

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My Moleskins...

OK, so nearly every blogger I know does this exercise: publishes a list of the tools they use to perform their job.

So I will to. But not because I want to show off, or promote any particular product… Mainly because I want to leave behind a time capsule for myself and monitor over the years the evolution of the means by which I execute my work.

So here goes:

1. WordPress blog, with most on Thesis. Most of my blogs are on WordPress, such as this site, and here, here, and here. WordPress is solid, easy, reliable, and Thesis is good for SEO pop and customization. I can’t imagine a future where my web presence isn’t on these tools. But, that’s the purpose of this time capsule…

2. Tumblr. Although, I must say, my minimalist blog is here. And I am having a lot of fun with Tumblr.

3. Google Docs – Probably the biggest change I have made in my tool set over the last few years is moving a lot of my data to the cloud. My database, my invoices, client memos, calendar, my management spreadsheets – are all housed on Google docs. I love the idea of being able to access all my stuff from any machine anywhere…

4. Google Wave. Lots of conflicting commentary about Wave on the social web. But this is a tool of growing importance in my world. As a home-based consultant who is frequently mobile, Google Wave is changing the way I work with vendors AND clients…the ones who get it. As far as a means of project collaboration, I cannot live without it.

5. Blackberry. Yeah, yeah, I’d love to switch to the iPhone, but I am on the Sprint plan from hell, and that contract expires in 2018. That said, I do love my Blackberry. And I just upgraded a few weeks ago to a newer model (Curve), and although the battery lasts only 42 minutes, I love the improved functionality and improved apps within it…

6. FlipCam Ultra HD. This is one of most important weapons in my arsenal. Video, and the ease of producing it, is becoming a much more integral part of how I conduct business.

7. Moleskine notebook. My moleskins aren’t my most important tool…but they are my favorites. And while I am moving more and more to digital, I will NEVER get rid of notebooks to jot down notes. Plus, I just look cool sitting in a coffee shop, writing in my moleskin…

8. Toshiba laptop – I am counting the days until I can retire this machine. And I have made the decision that I will switch to a Macbook Pro, probably sometime in the next few months.

9. Tumi briefcase. This is where I keep all my stuff when I am mobile. This is an over-the-shoulder strap briefcase (I’ve had it a while). Someday, I do think I will move towards a backpack…

10. Sharpie pens, fine point. Just. feels. so. good using these pens in my moleskin.

11. Google calendar, synched with my Blackberry. I love this tool. This calendar is where I manage my life. And the cool thing is synching it with my clients schedules to better manage our time.

12. RSS reader. The tool I cannot live without. This is where I do most of my learning. This is where I get ALL of my news. This is where I keep my finger on the pulse of the planet.

13. Twitter. My main means of connecting on the social web. The better I get and striking up conversations with people, the more enjoyable, and the most useful Twitter becomes.

13.5. Search.Twitter.com. My new most favorite search mechanism. I learn how to better use this every day. And it is changing the way I do business, and how I help my clients do business.

14. Facebook. I do enjoy connecting with people, prospects, and clients here.

15. LinkedIn. I will be honest in that this is where I spend the least amount of my time. That said, now that LinkedIn status updates can be fed into my RSS reader, my time spent here is picking up.

What tools do you use? What changes do you plan to make in your weapons of war?

I am fed up with people who bitch about technology and the social web all day long. People who complain about everything. And you know who I am talking about.

Me. [and if you thought I was talking about you, you're probably right too...]

But I am done. I am done complaining. Because I am realizing how great these things actually are, and while I appreciate that most of them are free, they are also making me a better businessman and a more intrepid marketer.

So, join me in appreciating these fine things. In fact, I am going to celebrate these every day. And thank my lucky stars that tools like this exist to help entrepreneurs like me…

1. I will no longer complain that Gmail is sometimes slow to send and receive emails. Come on, it is a “free” email service, that indexes emails and allows me to tag and easily find them when I need them. Even if the email dates from 14 months ago…

2. I will stop complaining that it takes YouTube a while to process videos. I mean, how dare they host my High Definition videos for free and provide another search engine where people can search and find information on me and my business…

3. I will stop whining that Vimeo takes 30 to 45 minutes to upload and process my “free” video uploads.

4. I will stop fussing about dropped cell calls. I can make calls, which sound pretty damn good, from my bed, from my car, from my radio studio, from the airport, etc… In fact, there is only one spot in all of Metro Atlanta where there is a vortex in the universe and I drop calls. But only one.

5. I will stop complaining that Google Docs isn’t 100% perfect. The fact that I virtually run my business using Google Docs for “free” notwithstanding…

6. And speaking of Google, I love seeing people fuss about Google Wave. Every day. ["too slow" is what I hear most] In fact, I hope they stop using it. Because I will have an unfair competitive advantage…

7. I will stop complaining that it takes FlipShare a long time to download my video clips, and an even longer time to process the “movies” that I make. I mean, really, I can produce a High Definition video clip, from a hand-held camera, in the time it takes to drink a cup of coffee…

8. I will stop complaining that it takes GoDaddy a few minutes to accept changes to my Thesis WordPress websites. I mean, can you believe it takes 3 minutes for the changes to be reflected, instead of instantly?

9. I will stop complaining that Twitter sometimes has a system overload. I mean, it is quite frustrating that my ability to communicate with the entire world – for “free” – requires me to wait for sometimes almost 10 seconds…

10. And for those rare times when Twitter goes down? Don’t whine about it. Go create your own social network…

11. How dare Facebook have privacy issues. I mean, who do they think they are that I can connect – on a personal level – for “free” – with over 400 million people? The nerve….

12. I will stop fussing about my Blackberry, and how it occasionally operates very slowly and lethargically. Never mind that it has more computing power than Apollo 11, and that I can almost entirely run my business from this little thing…

13. I will stop complaining about how my GPS device, whether I am using my TomTom or my Blackberry, sometimes loses the satellite for a few minutes. I was much much happier when I had to pull over and unfold the map. That was so much more fun…

14. I will stop complaining about how Foursquare sometimes doesn’t let me “check-in” somewhere. You know…all these free social web apps are just getting more and more out of control… I just hope I don’t win the “whiner” badge…

I saw Chris Brogan give a presentation where he shared a story about his Trust Agents co-author Julien Smith, where Brogan said that whenever Julien meets a blogger, he greets them with “So what do you complain about?”

Julien is right. Us bloggers do complain about a lot of stuff. Even me. [I like to think that in my "complaining" I am trying to educate, trying to serve, trying to enlighten folks... but, you know...]

And I am not suggesting that our “reporting” isn’t important, and necessary. But I think we oftentimes go over the top. Sure, when a brand delivers poor service, for something you are paying good money for, I suppose it is fair to tell that story.

But to complain about technology that does amazing things – to complain about social  networks that do amazing things AND are free – to complain about the speed of things that weren’t even imaginable just a few years ago – is getting sillier and sillier. And I have been just as guilty as the next person…

So from here on out, I am celebrating these tools. And if you ever catch me fussin’? Call me on it…

[cartoon by @gapingvoid]

We remember our intrepid heroes who gave the last full measure of devotion to our country, and the cause of freedom.

“It is for us the living, rather, to be dedicated here to the unfinished work which they who fought here have thus far so nobly advanced. It is rather for us to be here dedicated to the great task remaining before us — that from these honored dead we take increased devotion to that cause for which they gave the last full measure of devotion — that we here highly resolve that these dead shall not have died in vain — that this nation, under God, shall have a new birth of freedom — and that government of the people, by the people, for the people, shall not perish from the earth.” | Abraham Lincoln, Gettysburg

[pic from Just Add Light on flickr]

cartoon by @gapingvoid

Hello everyone, and welcome to my Intrepid upgrade!

I have long wanted to move my wordpress blog to a Thesis template, and finally got the switch done over the last few days. Am told Thesis really is a better platform for SEO, customization, and quality of site. Needless to say, I am very excited.

That said, I still have a few wrinkles to iron out. Transfers such as this will skew the formatting on some old posts that I will have to correct, and I have some lingering transfer issues with comments and such.

But we’ll get ‘em worked out.

In the meantime, as I get more serious about my blogging and the impact it is having on my marketing, it was time to raise my game to the next level. I still have much to learn about this process, and this new platform will provide me with a stronger foundation on which to build.

I am excited. I would welcome any feedback on the new design in the comments. Appreciate – as always – you stopping by!

I just discovered that the link to subscribe to receive email notices of new blogs posts was not working. My sincerest apologies.

I have corrected the problem. In the future, please notify me when you notice it isn’t working. And I promise to be more diligent in monitoring this in the future.

Thanks for your readership, and for your continued support of Intrepid!

pic by joshua davis on flickr

OK, so I’ve just finished reading my 38th blog post on predictions for 2010. And I have read 26 posts on trends for 2010. So, I guess as a blogger, it is my duty to report on trends and predictions for the coming year. I will do this too. However, I will combine the two. So here are ten predictions and trends for 2010 – in no particular order. Well, except for #10 [which is most important...]:

1. Video will change everything. In fact, I predict that a majority of blogs in the next couple of years will become strictly video-based. As it becomes easier and easier to record, upload, and share quality video, people will jump on the bandwagon. The big question for 2010 appears to be “do it yourself” verses “hiring professionals.”
2. There will be a continued focus on improving the overall customer experience. The significant growth in use and understanding of social media in handling customer outreach, means we will see more and more use of these tools. In fact, just listening and responding to customer complaints online is no longer unique. Be on the lookout for the next big idea.
3. Social media, however you define it, will play an increasingly larger role with small businesses. It wasn’t long ago I read an article that said 76% of small business people saw no value in social media in terms of marketing their business. My prediction? That changes in 2010. Big time. And those who don’t figure out how to begin integrating it in 2010 – will be out of business in 2011.
4. Personal branding will be more important than ever before. Since we are moving away from cubicle nation, and more and more people are going entrepreneurial, I expect there to be a larger push from the masses on a strategic utilization of modern tools to build their personal brands. And this commonly heard statement that “Facebook is for my friends only…” will start to go away too.
5. Users of Social Media will achieve a better understanding of how to measure success and ROI. This is STILL the biggest mystery when it comes to the application of social media to business. How do you measure it’s success? How to I measure my return on investment. Since this question is asked one million times a day, I expect better and more articulate thought leadership on how people can get these questions answered. And I think the answer – the realization rather – will be different than most people expect…
6. Sharing will become recognized as a marketing tactic. If you don’t know what I mean by sharing (certainly in terms of social media), then you probably don’t believe in or practice this approach to marketing. Yet. But you better figure it out, because that’s where all this is heading…
7. There will be an explosion in mobile marketing. Yes, you will start getting marketing messages via text. And assuming you opt in for these, it will be the wave of the future. I am already exploring this for several clients. And I can only imagine the possibilities when more and more people get smart phones…
8. More people will learn how to make money online. [Including me!] I am in the midst of building and soon launching my very first online product with High Velocity. And now that I am moving into that space, I am realizing there is a lot of advice and thought leadership on the subject. But with case studies and a lot of lessons already learned, I think the marketplace will refine how people can achieve success in this endeavor.
9. Niche and passion marketing will finally be understood. Marketing thought leaders and teachers have been saying for generations that you must market towards a niche, and if you do what you love, you’ll never work a day in your life. Nothing new here, other than I believe that the masses will start understanding this, and creating business opportunities for themselves around a passion. This naturally leads to marketing towards a niche. The modern tools are there to really capitalize on this, and I think you will see a new movement…
10. People will begin to fearlessly JUMP, to dive in head first, to be intrepid, and take more risks. This attitude, this new way, is how you have to set yourself up to compete in the new world. People stuck in their shell, afraid to do anything wrong, will slowly fade away. I don’t mean that people will en mass begin to take silly, uncalculated risks. I just think people are beginning to realize they have to be a little less afraid to jump, and not be afraid of where they will land… What about you?

The following video is very disturbing. It is a photo play from the HBO Miniseries Band of Brothers. I try to make it a point to put out video on Memorial Day and Veterans Day each year.

My purpose in showing this very difficult clip is to demonstrate two things: One, we are grateful for America’s servicemen and what they have done – and what they have sacrificed – to protect freedom throughout our history. And two, there is a lot of evil in the world, and sometimes, we have a duty – as freedom loving people – to stand and fight.

Thank you veterans, for all you have done.
[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Flt3B3QWmOo]

Give people HOPE!

OK, you know how I am always talking about how giving back is good marketing? You have another chance to participate and make a difference in some one’s life.

And you could and should do it in the name of you and your company! This helps people – and makes you and your company look good.

There’s an event in Atlanta early December that will raise money for the Furniture Bank of Metro Atlanta and MUST Ministries. The event is the Not So Silent Night Holiday Bash!

Register for the event RIGHT HERE!

We look forward to having a great time AND doing some good all at the same time!

[Disclosure: I am on the Board of Directors for the Furniture Bank of Metro Atlanta]

You know, in this day and age, it would be pretty easy to get down. Tough economy, tricky world stage with North Korea and Iran, governments raising taxes and spending, difficult life decisions round every corner, and the Red Sox losing four in a row…

But everywhere you look, there are little inspirations that ought to raise you up. For me, this morning, it was the guy at the drive-thru window at Starbucks. He had an amazing attitude, was warm and pleasant, took sincere pride in every little thing he did from counting change to ensuring the lid was on nice and tight.

He took pride in his job. That’s always an inspiration to me. Not only did it leave a nice impression of Starbucks, but it gave me a nice boost to my difficult day ahead…

And I’ll take those little pick-me-ups any way I can get them. We ALL should look to have the same impact on people. Not only to improve our business, but more importantly, to improve the quality of life. Yours and theirs…