Mediaboss Marketing

Rene Ray De La Cruz Staff Writer @DP_ReneDeLaCruz

PHELAN The California Public Utilities Commission agreed to allow Race Communications to install its fiber-based internet system in the Tri-Community area.

Business owner Kimberly Lombardi, who offered testimony during the CPUC meeting Thursday in San Francisco, told the Daily Press the approval of the Gigafy Phelan project by a 4-1 vote was huge win for the High Desert area.

The scope of the project includes installation of a fiber-to-the-premises system for 7,600 households over 98 square miles in Phelan, Pinon Hills, Oak Hills and Hesperia.

Approval of the resolution awards Race approximately $27.6 million through a grant provided by the California Advanced Services Fund.

Its like Phelan has been given a new hope and a breath of fresh air, said Lombardi, who owns The Pizza Factory in Phelan with her husband, Brian. Weve been battling terrible internet connection by Frontier since April. It was like the whole town was being held hostage.

After Connecticut-based Frontier took over Verizons voice, video, data and FiOS network, customers across the High Desert and throughout California began complaining about a variety of service issues, with some cancelling their service and switching to other providers, the Daily Press reported.

Lombardi, who spoke with the CPUC, said her store lost an estimated $10,000 in sales since the takeover and her shops internet service began failing.

There were times when the whole town was out for days and even an entire week, said Lombardi, who traveled to the Bay Area with nearly a half-dozen residents from the High Desert. Our local tech had to finally come in and fix the problem because Frontier couldnt do it.

Once completed, the Phelan project will be the largest the company has ever completed. Engineering and design work should begin this month, with groundbreaking four to six months after that, Ally Hetland, marketing manager for Race, told the Daily Press.

Based on recent interviews with Race officials, the first customer to receive service from the company should be around the holidays in 2018.

Frontier replied to the Daily Press by saying the "company is disappointed in yesterday's vote," adding that Frontier continues to be dedicated to vital broadband expansion to rural Californians.

No other state is using, or proposing to use, state taxpayer funds to subsidize a second provider to overbuild Frontiers CAF-funded broadband upgrades, said Christy Reap, Frontiers assistant vice president, corporate communications. Frontier will continue to utilize Connect America Funds to bring the life-changing benefits of broadband to our service territories.

Reap said the company hopes the CPUCs vote does not set a precedent of overbuilding by multiple providers, which does not adhere to the FCCs guidelines for use of CAF funds.

We continue to urge California to use state broadband funds for expanding broadband where federal funds and private investment are not available, Reap said.

A split decision by the CPUC last month stalled the Gigafy Phelan project and disappointed several residents from the High Desert who attended the meeting.

According to Race officials, they heard many stories from Tri-Community residents who had and were experiencing substandard internet speeds and poor service.

Over the last two years, Race has filed numerous attempts to deliver fiber optic service to the Phelan region. Frontier Communications submitted an infrastructure grant challenge to the CPUC in April, but it was declared a late-filed challenge by the agency.

Frontiers CAF commitments bring $228 million in federal funds for California broadband expansion and Frontier will continue to engage in further discussion to ensure the CASF program accounts for critical federal funds to help close the Digital Divide in California, Frontier Communications Director of Public Relations JavierMendoza said.

Copies of letters from local and regional leaders who supported Races efforts were obtained by Daily Press. The letters came from Rep. Paul Cook, First District Supervisor Robert Lovingood and Assemblyman Jay Obernolte.

Other letters came from CalFire, the Snowline Joint Unified School District, the Phelan Chamber of Commerce, the Phelan-Pinon Hills Community Service District and other schools.

Cameron Christian, vice president of marketing western region with Frontier, told the Daily Press last year that despite the transition of approximately 3.3 million voice, 2.1 million broadband and 1.2 million FIOS subscribers across three states, We have experienced a small number of requests for assistance from customers in California, and those have been addressed.

Rene Ray De La Cruz may be reached at 760-951-6227, RDeLa Cruz@VVDailyPress.com or on Twitter @DP_ReneDeLaCruz.

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The Race is on for better internet service in some areas of the High Desert - VVdailypress.com

Usefulness Content Freshness

"Tired of being overwhelmed by marketing advice? Customer, LLC: The Small Business Guide to Customer Engagement & Marketing" was written to help small business owners break up with overly complicated, time-consuming, and distracting marketing advice. Customer LLC provides a simple perspective that can organize all of your marketing strategies into a powerful plan that will give your small business a realistic, but powerful advantage without breaking your budget, to-do list, or stress level.

Customer LLC: The Small Business Guide to Customer Engagement & Marketingis designed for small business owners who want effective marketing that doesnt feature a call to action on every single social media channel or online outlet. It redirects attention away from the distracting chase of higher social media numbers (without the accompanying increase in revenue) towards a more comprehensive and budget-friendly system that helps small businesses connect with customers on a deeper level in the era where customer loyalty can change with a click.

Customer LLC wants small business owners to stop chasing Facebook Likes and Twitter Retweets. It offers recommendations for marketing strategies to hold a customers attention beyond a momentary click. Small businesses, author Hilary Berman suggests, should focus on their distinctive area of expertise, customer expertise. While big businesses, like Amazon and Google, can collect boatloads of data on customers, they cant match the unique experience and relationships offered by a small business.

This distinctive combination of customer expertise and relationships mixed with technology is the key to small business competitiveness in Customer LLC.

For small businesses to leverage their competitive advantage, they need to use their marketing resources (money, time, ideas) effectively. Using these resources effectively requires small business owners pay attention to their customers and allow this relationship to direct their efforts. Instead of placing all of their bets on time-consuming or expensive marketing campaigns, small business owners should invest their primary efforts in becoming customer-centric. Customer-centricity, as defined in the book, is a whole-business approach that focuses on optimizing the entire customer experience rather than aspects of it. For example, a restaurant that engages its Twitter audience through coupons but then charges them for parking would not fall under the category of customer-centric.

Customer LLC helps small business owners take a look at all of the traditional marketing advice (social media, newsletters, etc.) to see if it applies to small businesses in the same way. Small businesses dont have the same resources as a large business, the book argues. A small business isnt left hopeless, however. It can tap into its greatest asset (customers), however, and achieve a closer and more fulfilling relationship than a large business ever could.

Bermanis the founder of Popcorn and IceCream, a business providing marketing consulting for small businesses. Berman graduated from Syracuse University and began her career on Madison Avenue. She is the mother of three budding entrepreneurs.

In a confusing (and growing) wave of marketing advice, Customer LLC offers a beacon of hope for small business owners. The distinctive factor in this book is that the author tackles a big chunk of marketing advice from a small business owners perspective. Instead of focusing exclusively on social media or advertising, the book delves into the underlying principle behind it all. In other words, Customer LLC is designed to help small business owners, no matter what technology or type of marketing is popular at the moment. That is a definite plus because many small businesses fear getting left behind.

Customer LLC is not designed to be a comprehensive marketing guide. Instead, it is designed to demonstrate how small businesses can use a specific strategy (customer centricity) to gain and maintain a competitive advantage. It is not designed to provide an in-depth guide to each section. A brief look at Chapter 21 (Pay for Play) would show this. The chapter, which covers advertising, trade shows, community events and sponsorship, introduces the topic but does not even come close to digging into the resources or strategies for getting started. The point is to introduce readers to the various options available.

Customer LLC is the perfect book for the small business owner who knows marketing is important but has no clue about how to tie it all together. Customer LLC demonstrates how one simple approach, customer-centricity, can be used in strategies that can fit every single budget, whether your marketing budget is zero or a million dollars. It untangles small business owners from the confusing advice and brings marketing back down to Earth. At the end of the day, Customer LLC continually reminds readers, marketing isnt about the number of Likes you get on a Facebook post. Its about the amount of revenue that is generated by those customers behind those Likes.

See the rest here:
Customer LLC: Moving From Social Media Hype to Deeper Customer Expertise - Small Business Trends

In a world where (according to an Adweek study), over 90 percent of businesses say social media is crucial to their overall marketing strategies, solopreneurs arguably have the most to gain and lose via social networks.

Related: 10 Laws of Social Media Marketing

Sure, those platforms often have a reputation for being total time-sinks or wastelands of marketing ROI. But savvy solopreneurs understand how to use platforms like Facebook, Instagram and Twitter to spread the word about their businesses. In many cases, these same solopreneurs are growing those businesses and bottom lines without spending a dime.

But, when you're using social media to pursue networking opportunities or seal the deal with new customers, how do you know whether you're using your time wisely or merely spinning your wheels?

Fear not. The following checklist is a guide for solopreneurs looking to pinpoint their social strategy and use their time on these platforms wisely, to build their investment in their business.

Simply put, you need to decide on a single social channel that's going to command most of your attention. That's not to say you can't focus on both Facebook and Instagram, for example, but trying to be in multiple places at once will inevitably burn you out.

For many solopreneurs in the B2B space, Facebook is the number one channel to focus your efforts. There's a good chance that your clients and customers are already connected to the platform in some way, shape or form, especially considering that users spend an average of 50 minutes on Facebook per day.

Niche businesses, however, are booming on Instagram, especially those within B2C industries such as fashion and beauty. Growing and monetizing Instagram followers is arguably easier than ever; meanwhile, Instagram has one of the highest average order values via ecommerce, at $65 per order.

When in doubt, you can pick your primary channel by answering one simple question: "Where are my clients and customers hanging out?" If there's a clear answer, then you know where to start.

Despite popular belief, you don't need to be active on each and every social site. In fact, there are no "must-have" networks for solopreneurs, truth be told.

Related: Don't Believe Those Reports You're Hearing About the Death of Social-Media Marketing

But, think about it: There's absolutely no way you can effectively manage a presence simultaneously on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, Pinterest and LinkedIn by yourself. If you try, you'll neglect at least half of your social sites.

Solopreneurs have two options when it comes to attacking the various social channels available.

For example, apps such as Buffer and Sprout Social allow solopreneurs to curate and queue content to their social network of choice without lifting a finger. While such solutions do require a monetary investment, they allow your brand to be in multiple places at once, so to speak.

The old adage, "Always be prospecting," rings incredibly true for today's solopreneurs on social media.

There are seemingly endless opportunities to connect with new clients, win over customers and share your business's content all at once. Private Facebook groups based around your industry represent potential gold mines of new business. Likewise, sites such as LinkedIn put you on the same level as CEOs and industry bigwigs.

Oftentimes, making yourself heard via social media means playing the role of a bigwig yourself. By positioning yourself as an influencer, you grow your authority within your niche and make yourself more attractive to potential clients and customers. Some smart yet simple positioning strategies on social media include:

Any combination of these strategies not only puts your name out there, but also publicly displays your commitment to your industry.

Especially if you're a new solopreneur, social media represents a great place to curate social proof on behalf of your business.

Ever leave a comment that got tons of positive feedback? Created pieces of content that just about went viral? Have clients who've given you a digital "thumbs up" or a public "thank you" via social?

If so, you can use such social proof as a way to seal the deal with future clients and customers. By highlighting your positive social experiences either on site or throughout your marketing materials, you can break down the trust barrier for any skeptics who may not think you're the real deal.

This point is crucial but so easy to ignore: Something as simple as your professional headshot can make all the difference when it comes to networking via social media.

If you want to be taken seriously, present yourself accordingly. Bathroom selfies and party pics aren't going to cut it if you really want to make an impression on your audience.

Finally, don't let your social presence fall to the wayside. Period.

Consistency is key to gaining followers and traction via social: The more you post, the more you will grow an audience that's hungry for what you have to say.

Related: How Social Media Marketing Generated $7 Million in Affiliate Sales for This Entrepreneur

On the flip side, if a certain channel is netting you absolutely no engagement, don't be afraid to cut it loose for the sake of your time and energy.

Today's solopreneurs are living and dying by their social presence. By sticking to this checklist, you can save yourself from scrambling for a social strategy and focus on what really matters: growing your business.

Nathan Chan is the publisher ofFoundr Magazine, a digital magazine for young, aspiring and novice stage entrepreneurs. He has had the pleasure of interviewing rock star business leaders to find out what it takes to become a successful...

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The 7-Point Smart Solopreneuer Social Media Checklist - Entrepreneur

An ACLU letter sent to Kansas Senator Mary Pilcher-Cook, 10th District, has resonated with at least one Gardner resident. Wes Rains, Gardner, recently sent a letter to Lee Moore, Gardner councilman, requesting Moore unblock his ability to post to Moores official city councilmans Facebook page.

Lee Moore

Recently, a more famous public official (state Senator) has practiced the same form of censorship that you have, and she now has been asked by the ACLU to cease this behavior, Rains said in his e-mail. I believe this to be a similar situation, and am considering writing to the ACLU myself to appeal to your better nature and judgement, but before I do that, I am asking you myself as a Gardner citizen and constituent and voter. Rains attached the American Civil Liberties Union July 5, 2017, letter to Sen. Pilcher Cook in his email to Moore. According to the ACLUs letter, blocking opposing views violates citizens well established First Amendment rights to criticize elected officials and express opinions of public concern. Censoring a constituents viewpoint violates the First Amendments Speech Clause. According to Moores response received by Rains and supplied to The Gardner News, I am not required by ordinance or by statute to maintain an official Facebook page. Therefore, my social media activity, all of it, is a completely private endeavor. In fact, all of the content I place on my page, is licensed to Facebook by virtue of the EULA they make you sign when you create the account. In fact, because they own the platform, they may even elect to censor me, should they so desire. So, to make the argument that I can somehow violate your First Amendment rights from within a platform that I do not own or otherwise have any authority over, beyond that licensed to me by the owner of the platform, and that I am not even legally obligated to use for official business is absolutely laughable. I mean, what are you going to do if Facebook bans you for violating their terms of service? Will you claim that is also a violation of your First Amendment right? Thanks for the laugh. You may engage with me anywhere you find me in public, over the phone, and through my official email just like constituents who have no access to Facebook. You may also share content from my page on CFG and engage me there. Until I am required by statute to maintain an official public social media presence, I will reserve the right to control the content associated with my name. That said, I think you were banned only because you were backing the opposition and got obnoxious with me when I was running for office and this page was servingas my campaign page. However, I checked and you are not even banned and have not been banned for a very long time. If I do ban you in the future, maybe all it takes is asking me nicely instead of threatening me. Enjoy your weekend. Cheers, Lee According to Doug Bonney, Kansas legal director for the ACLU, Social media has become an essential tool of communications between elected officials and their constituents, and blocking someone from an officials Facebook page violates the First Amendment and the well-established right of the public to criticize elected officials. On July 5, we sent a letter to Senator Pilcher-Cook outlining these concerns and requesting that she cease censoring the comments on her page and reinstate those who have been blocked. In an e mail to The Gardner News, Moore said there was not anyone currently blocked on his social media page, although he admits Rains was temporarily blocked during Moores election campaign two years ago. He also says he is unclear when Rains was unblocked. Nobody is currently blocked from posting comments on the Lee Moore Gardner City Councilman Facebook page, Moore wrote. However, he indicates that he reserves the right to limit abusive or harassing language and makes note that the social media platform is not required nor government owned. Moore says he will not be bullied, but that he will not try to use his Facebok page to silence opposing opinions. Thus, Mr. Rains email to me and the rest of the Governing Body was received by me as an ignorant, ill-conceived, and unprovoked threat, he writes. Although, the ACLU is an organization which holds no authority over me or the City of Gardner. Nevertheless, I will not be bullied. Likewise, I cannot and will not try to use my Facebook page as a tool to silence people who hold opposing opinions. However, I will also not tolerate comments from people who are unable or unwilling to maintain civility and basic relevance to the topic being discussed. The complete text of his response is adjacent to this story. Since the ACLUs letter was sent, it appears the problem with censorship is more widespread than originally thought, said Bonney, ACLU. Theres a lot more of this than I realized, he said. The core first amendment right is to speak and be heard by your elected officials, Bonney continued. When elected officials censor those voices, they are violating the First Amendments core principle. If elected officials dont voluntarily comply by allowing constituents to comment, Bonney said other options will be considered. We will evaluate our options, Bonney said. At this point, there are no individual lawsuits anticipated, but it may become necessary to file a lawsuit. ACLUs around the country are looking at this, Bonney said. Currently, there is at least one ACLU branch preparing a lawsuit. The American Civil Liberties Unions website says, Last month, we were contacted by a constituent of the 10th District of Kansas who had been blocked from the official Facebook page of Senator Mary Pilcher-Cook, the state senator representing her district. The constituent was blocked after leaving comments on the page expressing opposition to the policy stances taken by Senator Pilcher-Cook, which were also subsequently deleted. The ACLUs letter to Pilcher-Cook is available online at: https://www.aclukansas.org/en/news/aclu-letter-senator-pilcher-cook-regarding-facebook-page-censorship As of July 11, Rains said his posts to Moores page were still blocked.

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ACLU may sue over censorship of social media pages by elected officials - Gardnernews.com

Karen Cook

As with most things these days, people do not agree.

I have lived in West Peoria for 43 years, having participated in the Fourth of July parade in various capacities and watched it many times. If the spirit of the Fourth of July stands for anything, it's for the freedoms we enjoy in America. Freedom of speech is No. 1.

I certainly hope the parade does not become censored because there are some groups I would like to see banned. That's not where freedom should lead us. The kids aren't much interested in antique cars, politicians, the pro-life movement or Planned Parenthood, but they are all part of the parade. That's America. I doubt any kids even noticed or understood the float.

The parade is always a fun event. Please don't force it to become a battleground.

Karen Cook

West Peoria

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Letter: No censorship in West Peoria parade - Peoria Journal Star