Schipul

Blogging Etiquette - Online Webinar

Thu, 19 Mar 2009 21:09:52 GMT

Blogging Etiquette - Online Webinar
Start Date: 15-Sep-09 1:30 PM
End Time: 15-Sep-09 3:00 PM
Location: This event is an online webinar
Speaker: Fayza A. Elmostehi

Event Details:

So you've got a blog... now what the heck do you do with it?

This class will cover the top Do's and Don't's when comes to the blogosphere.

The presentation will include discussions and illustrations of real-life examples.

NOTE: This event is FREE for current Tendenci clients. If you are a current Tendenci client, call 281-497-6567 for a special registration code. For non-Tendenci users, the cost will only be $15 for this awesome training!

This event is an online webinar

Online Webinar - Introduction to Social Media

Thu, 19 Mar 2009 20:12:33 GMT

Online Webinar - Introduction to Social Media
Start Date: 27-Aug-09 1:30 PM
End Time: 27-Aug-09 3:00 PM
Location: This event is an online webinar
Speaker: Fayza A. Elmostehi

Event Details:

Social media this, social media that. What the heck is social media already?!

Well, guess what? It’s debunking time! Join us while we introduce you to one of the greatest new worlds out there – the Great Wide World of Social Media.

The “Introduction to Social Media” webinar will answer the following questions:

What is social media?
Why should you care about social media?
-People are talking about you without you!
-What you can and should do about it
What are the types of social media tools out there?
How do businesses and organizations use social media?
-Basic tenets
-Businesses making good with social media
How can I structure a successful social media strategy for my business?

The presentation will include discussions and illustrations of real-life examples, too! So whatcha waitin’ for?

This event is an online webinar

Managing Your Presence - Online Webinar

Thu, 19 Mar 2009 20:55:55 GMT

Managing Your Presence - Online Webinar
Start Date: 14-Aug-09 1:30 PM
End Time: 14-Aug-09 3:00 PM
Location: This event is an online webinar
Speaker: Fayza A. Elmostehi

Event Details:

What are people saying about you online?
What's the best way to respond?

This class will explore the tools used to audit and manage your online presence.

The presentation will include discussions and illustrations of real-life examples.

This event is an online webinar

Introduction to Social Media

Thu, 19 Mar 2009 20:17:30 GMT

Introduction to Social Media
Start Date: 30-Jul-09 9:30 AM
End Time: 30-Jul-09 11:30 AM
Location: Schipul - The Web Marketing Company, Houston, TX 77079
Speaker: Kim Hodgson

Event Details:

Social media this, social media that. What the heck is social media already?!

Well, guess what? It’s debunking time! Join us while we introduce you to one of the greatest new worlds out there – the Great Wide World of Social Media.

The “Introduction to Social Media” webinar will answer the following questions:

What is social media?
Why should you care about social media?
-People are talking about you without you!
-What you can and should do about it
What are the types of social media tools out there?
How do businesses and organizations use social media?
-Basic tenets
-Businesses making good with social media
How can I structure a successful social media strategy for my business?

The presentation will include discussions and illustrations of real-life examples, too! So whatcha waitin’ for?

Schipul - The Web Marketing Company

11757 Katy Freeway

Houston, TX USA 77079

Online Webinar: Introduction to Search Engine Marketing - Training for Marketing Your Web Site Ethically and Strategically

Mon, 11 May 2009 20:53:59 GMT

Online Webinar: Introduction to Search Engine Marketing - Training for Marketing Your Web Site Ethically and Strategically
Start Date: 28-Jul-09 1:30 PM
End Time: 28-Jul-09 3:30 PM
Location: Online Webinar
Speaker: Schipul Staff

Event Details:

Intermediate Search Engine Marketing training will cover the basics of planning a successful paid placement campaign in Yahoo! and Google to help you increase your exposure on the Web and build your brand even more.

What we will cover:

How does a search engine function, what is it's purpose and what are algorithms?
What is the difference between search engine marketing and search engine optimization?
How do I optimize my Web site ethically and strategically?
What are natural listings?
What strategy is involved in a paid placement campaign setup?
Why don’t I appear at the “top” in Yahoo! and Google and why is this OK?

This Houston-based search engine marketing training course will prepare you for your own work and bidding in the search engines and help you increase your business leads from the search engines.

There is no charge for Schipul's search engine marketing training in Houston. Seating is limited to 10 for this session and will be assigned on a first-come, first-served basis, so register TODAY! Additional search engine marketing training sessions will be offered in the future to accommodate all who are interested.

Online Webinar

Introduction to Web Analytics

Wed, 24 Jun 2009 21:22:38 GMT

Introduction to Web Analytics
Start Date: 24-Jul-09 1:30 AM
End Time: 24-Jul-09 2:30 PM
Location: Schipul - The Web Marketing Company, Houston, TX 77079
Speaker: John-Michael Oswalt

Event Details:

The website is running, the numbers are coming in and it all looks great! But, now what?

Google Analytics and other web analytics tools provide valuable and ongoing information about the metrics of your visitors and how they find your site. Let our Schipul Team help you understand the numbers and what actionable items this presents for updates to your website.

We will cover:

How to setup Google Analytics
How to access reports
Basic Metrics and what they mean
Top Content and Keywords driving traffic
Setting up Measurable Goals
Understanding visitor trending
Adding Custom reports and data comparisons.

Schipul - The Web Marketing Company

11757 Katy Freeway Suite 930

Houston, TX USA 77079

The Etiquette of Blogging - Online Webinar

Thu, 19 Mar 2009 21:06:31 GMT

The Etiquette of Blogging - Online Webinar
Start Date: 14-Jul-09 1:30 PM
End Time: 14-Jul-09 3:00 PM
Location: THIS EVENT IS AN ONLINE WEBINAR
Speaker: Fayza A. Elmostehi

Event Details:

**So you've got a blog... now what the heck do you do with it?**

You've mastered the blogging platform. You've thrown up a few (or more) blogposts. You think they're really, really great. But no one is reading your blog! Well, never fear, we can help!

This webinar will cover the top Dos and Don'ts when comes to writing for the blogosphere. It will cover such examples as:

Best practices for creating a post
Creating and nurturing your blogging community
Categorizing and tagging your posts

noemail@schipul.com — Mon, 30 Mar 2009 14:00:00 GMT

When President Barack Obama was just another hopeful on the campaign trail, we saw him embrace Web 2.0 technologies in a way that has morphed the old way of campaigning into something new and unprecedented.

Now that President Obama is in office, he has taken his use of technology to an even higher level with his special town hall titled "Open for Questions" that aired online last Thursday on the WhiteHouse.gov.

Ed Schipul recently weighed in on the topic of Obama's town hall meeting in an article by David Beizer publised on Federal Computer Week.

“What’s interesting is you usually see innovation in local communities and [then] working its way upward in society,” said Ed Schipul, a social-media expert and chief executive officer of Schipul – The Web Marketing Company. “What is surprising is that we are now seeing innovation from the executive branch going down.”

A marketing professor at Saint Joseph’s University, Scott Testa, thinks Obama's town hall will lead to the adoption of similar practices by other agencies.

“The lead is definitely going to be the president’s office and the administration, and it will filter out to other areas of the government,” Testa said. “Historically, governments have been late adopters, so I think it will be a wait-and-see situation as some of these early initiatives come online.”

While Schipul agrees with Testa that Obama's green light for the use of Web 2.0 will be a wonderful outlet for the government, he does warn that it may take some time for all of the agencies who adopt these new policies to understand exactly how to use them.

“We’re not out of the woods yet because we don’t necessarily have a way to respond to 92,000 people [during an online town hall],” Schipul said.

According to Tom Kellermann, vice president of security awareness at Core Security Technologies, security is also going to be a big issue on the Web 2.0 frontier.

Agencies, for example, should test Web applications for security vulnerabilities and their user communities for their susceptibility to client-side application attacks to manage the risks posed by Web 2.0, said Kellerman.

For more information on President Obama's town hall, check out his reca p on the White House website.

30-Mar-09 9:00 AM

March 2009 Schipul Newsletter

noemail@schipul.com — Thu, 26 Mar 2009 17:00:00 GMT

Hello [firstname],

Welcome to the Schipul newsletter - our very first in this exciting new year! Read on for upcoming training classes, tips/tricks and the very another installment of our Schipul Book Club.

Year of the Story: A Brand New Schipul Web Site!

Have you checked out our freshly updated Schipul Web site yet? You should, because it's all about you!

Our shiny new homepage features a 'Stories' section where we post Community-focused events, news and announcements that we want to share with you. If we're excited about it, chances are it will end up on our homepage!

Is your organization doing something exciting you'd like to see on the Schipul homepage? Shoot Maggie an email with a graphic and it will be your turn!

We've also made it easier to see our updated Blog posts, as our homepage also automatically updates whenever we contribute new content to our Schipul Blog, Tendenci Blog and SEM Blog.

What else is going on around Schipul? WE'VE EXPANDED!

Now that the expansion is complete, we have an extra sales wing to help us better serve our awesome clients!! This expansion will also enable us to continue to improve our Web marketing services and help our clients connect, grow and profit online.

The team is actually moving into the new space this week, but here this a special sneak peak just for you guys. You should stop by and say hello!!

Web Marketing Tips, Tricks and Other Cool Stuff

Tell your story any way you'd like.... with Empressr!

Here is what our very own Fayza thinks of the tool.... "I learned about Empressr, an online rich media presentation application, at the SXSW Film & Interactive Trade Show. It’s probably one of the best things to happen to my professional workflow. As someone that does a great deal of presentations, both online and offline, I am never working on my presentation in the same location. It’s a hassle to transfer a presentation from one computer to the other, and have to worry about the presentation’s format from computer to computer. Empressr eliminates that worry, and prevents me from being tied to any particular machine! My favorite attributes about Empressr are the familiar, easy-to-use interface, and the ability to easily import media files from Flickr, Google, Yahoo, or YouTube with a mere drag and drop."

Wordpress Tip: Dominate Google with All In One SEO!

As the Schipul Wordpress family grows every week, we want to be sure that clients are still keeping a close eye on their site and blogs' search engine marketing friendliness. Enter the All in One SEO plugin!

This little plugin (which is basically just an addition to your behind-the-scenes site controls and functionality) helps you optimize your post and page titles, automatically generates your meta information and let's you fine tune just about everything search engine related on your Wordpress site.

So be sure to keep your site and blog updated regularly with fresh and relevant content (and lots of links!) - and look to great tools like All In One SEO to give you that extra kick. Questions? Call our amazing SEM team at (281) 497.6567, ext. XXX.

You're STILL not on twitter?! Here are some twitter tips and tricks to convince you to join!!

Twitter is a social networking service that allows users to publish short micro blog posts called tweets. While Twitter is growing in popularity and definitely causing a lot of buzz, what does it mean to your organization?

3 ways your organization can use Twitter :

Build a base of followers! Use tools like search.twitter.com to find people tweeting about topics relevant to your business or organization. Reach out to them! Follow them and start a (real, transparent) conversation!
Customer service! Use Twitter as another avenue to take care of your customers or members! Respond to questions, complaints, and compliments!
Get the word out! Spread the word about upcoming events! Link back to blog posts or other points of interest on your website!

Want to learn more? Be sure to check out Fayza Elmostehi’s online webinar “Introduction to Twitter” April 16 at 1:30 PM CST. Tendenci clients attend FREE!

Check out Schipul on Twitter at twitter.com/Schipul

Other friends on Twitter:
Client - Houston Zoo
Client - Kolache Factory
Houston friend of Schipul – Houston Museum of Natural Science

Client Congratulations Corner

We love our clients! Here are a few Schipul full design and Wordpress clients that recently went live:

YMCA Houston

Reality Spikes

Beau Rivage Poker

Schipul Book Club: Outliers by Malcolm Gladwell

It is time again for the Schipul Book Club! Every newsletter, you'll be seeing a new book that we're digging and offering you a chance to get on (for free!!).

Malcolm Gladwell is a master storyteller; he leads readers down winding yellow brick roads and provides them with insight into the mystifying and foresight into their future. He explains those “simple truths” about life and society usually kept secret by Sociologists in a way that your average Joe can understand and embrace them.

In Outliers, Gladwell irrevocably proves that there is no magic potion for success. Success is a beautiful balance of nature, nurture and quite a bit of luck…. Combine those three things with the 10,000 hours Gladwell insists you need to obtain “expert status” and it looks like an insurmountable hill to climb.

Want to win a signed copy of Outliers? Leave a comment on ________________ about who your favorite Outlier is and why.

Upcoming Trainings from Schipul

Introduction to Social Media presented by Maggie McDonald

WEBINAR

Tuesday 31-Mar-09 1:30 PM to 3:00 PM CDT

Social media this, social media that. What the heck is social media already?! Well, guess what? It’s debunking time! Join us while we introduce you to one of the greatest new worlds out there – the Great Wide World of Social Media.

Introduction to Twitter presented by Fayza Elmostehi

WEBINAR

Thursday 16-Apr-09 1:30 PM to 3:00 PM CDT

Everyone is atwitter about twitter! Interested in learning what a little more about twitter? Then attend this webinar that will cover topics from the basics to a little hard core twitter etiquette.

Recent Articles from Schipul

Social Media Programs: Cultivate, Don't Control as published in PR Tactics January 2009

This article was published in the January 2009 PR Tactics publication. Written by our CEO, Ed Schipul, this article was written help public relations professional wrap their brains around the 4 basic pillars of a Social Media program: 1. Planning 2. Recruiting 3. Training 4. Promotion. A few years ago, it could be a bit lonely when I hit the road to spread the word about the impending impact of social media technologies on the practice of public relations. How times have changed....

Recent Press Releases from Schipul

Schipul – The Web Marketing Company to Guide Social Media Strategies to Promote Beau Rivage Resort & Casino’s Spring Break Poker Classic

MGM MIRAGE Mississippi Operations has selected Schipul – The Web Marketing Company to design and execute a comprehensive social media strategy to promote the Spring Break Poker Classic. The collection of 21 poker events begin on March 27 at MGM MIRAGE’s Beau Rivage in Biloxi, Miss.

Ed Schipul explores the Social Networking Explosion on KPRC's Beyond the Headlines

KPRC TV in Houston devoted a half hour to social networking on its program, Beyond the Headlines, which featured Ed Schipul of Schipul - The Web Marketing Company, Ashley Minor an independent consultant, and Laura Mayes of kirtsy.com.

Stay up to date with our RSS feeds.

26-Mar-09 12:00 PM

Social Media Programs: Cultivate, Don't Control as published in PR Tactics January 2009

noemail@schipul.com — Mon, 05 Jan 2009 17:00:00 GMT

A few years ago, it could be a bit lonely when I hit the road to spread the word about the impending impact of social media technologies on the practice of public relations. How times have changed. Today, you can’t find a professional development seminar for PR that doesn’t concentrate on social media. Everyone seems to have guidance regarding the best ways to implement a social media communications program.

Many in the public relations community have jumped on the social media bandwagon thinking it puts the PR practitioner in control. Countless articles and blog posts argue that the public relations function should be in charge of designing and implementing corporate social media programs. It has turned into a turf battle, pitting PR against marketing.

All of this completely misses the central point of social media. Any effort to “control” a social media initiative is almost certain to doom the effort.

Jazz and Social Media

The most important person in an orchestra is the conductor, whose job is to guide the preparation and execution of a symphony. To their credit, many in public relations think of themselves as conductors. They know what they want to accomplish and set out to accomplish it with precision.

A completely different mindset is necessary for social media.

While research and strategy continue to be essential for successful social media programs, flexibility and improvisation are equally important. Instead of thinking like a conductor, a PR practitioner needs to think like an improvisational jazz musician. You may have an idea where you would like a piece of music to go and you can help to get it started, but nobody can dictate how the piece of music will develop as everyone in the group collaborates on the fly.

Staples of public relations planning such as linear step-by-step implementation timelines may help you sleep better at night, but they are completely irrelevant for social media. Instead, plan for unpredictability and accept that successful social media efforts are largely driven by people outside your control or influence, some of whom are suspicious of or oppose what you stand for.

Accepting and even embracing their opposition can add to the credibility of your initiative.

The Proper Role of PR

Instead of seeking to control social media initiatives, public relations practitioners should concentrate on the four pillars of social media success. These include: planning to assess whether social media makes sense for your organization and integrate the efforts with the rest of the public relations program; recruiting social media participants from within the organization; training the organization’s social media participants to ensure high standards and mitigate risks; and promotion to build awareness of your initiative.

Notice that none of the four pillars describes actually participating in the social media effort itself, let alone leading it. Instead, the PR person’s role is to cultivate an environment in which social media activities can blossom and succeed organically. In some organizations, the PR person is the only one who has the time or inclination to be involved in blogging or posting photos or videos online.

Here are some tips to implement each of these ideas:

Planning – Define what you want to accomplish through social media and what role the social media initiatives will play in your company’s overall public relations program. Realistic objectives can include establishing or strengthening the company’s position as industry thought leaders, driving qualified leads back to your corporate Web site and reinforcing personnel recruiting efforts. Take time to listen to customer feedback, which should guide your planning, and examine the best ways to measure results so you can adjust course as the effort progresses.

Recruiting – Even though you will be inclined to take the reigns and implement the social media program, it is essential that you step back. Instead, identify internal experts who “get it.” If you look closely, you will probably find some who are blogging, connecting on Facebook or posting videos on YouTube. These are the social media mavens in your ranks who will drive your program. Don’t be discouraged if these are not C-level executives – your leaders probably don’t have the time to devote to the effort. Even front-line personnel can help your effort be genuine and real. If your search hits a dead end, describe your interests to human resources and your corporate recruiters so they consider social media activities when assessing job candidates throughout the organization.

Training – Participating in social media activities requires a great deal of trust and autonomy. You can’t have a committee meeting about how to respond to every comment posted on the company’s blog. Therefore, the public relations counselor’s role is to accurately assess where best to devote time and attention, and build consensus for the initiative internally. Even if the CEO isn’t personally participating, the company’s leadership needs to be briefed. Finally, before going live with the effort, educate everyone involved about the subtle nuances of online interaction such as the importance of disclosure and being generous with credit and links. This work offline can ensure high standards and mitigate risks.

Promotion – Learn where the individuals with whom you intend to connect are congregating and have your mavens participate. Did you catch those three important points? First, social media is intimate, enabling interaction between individuals. You can reach a large audience, but never lose sight of the individual. Second, you should not be in dissemination mode. These are dynamic interactions in which what you receive is probably more important that what you send. Third, it is all about participation. Remember, it is PR jazz and everyone is collaborating in what is created.

Ultimately, social media initiatives are about connecting in thoughtful ways. See an interview in your local business paper about a client? Have your maven post a congrats message on their Facebook wall. Heard a prospect speak at a recent conference? With your guidance, your maven can shoot them a Twitter or a brief mention on your blog about the knowledge they shared. It is not about your organization – it is about your connections with others.

Through it all, the most appropriate role for public relations is as a strategist, facilitator and promoter.

5-Jan-09 11:00 AM

November 2008 Schipul Newsletter

noemail@schipul.com — Tue, 25 Nov 2008 19:00:00 GMT

Untitled Document

Happy Thanksgiving! Well, almost. It doesn’t take a holiday for us at Schipul to say we are thankful for you!

Here are some recent updates from the Schipul team on new services and exciting announcements. Hope your holiday season is off to a great start, we'll be thinking about you as we nibble on turkey legs and sip homemade eggnog this week.

Brand new! Wordpress Blog design and hosting services

The Schipul team is very excited to announce a new line of services to help you grow your online marketing campaigns – Wordpress Blog design and hosting! We can help you set up your Wordpress Blog, hook you up with a template or custom Blog design and even provide $20/month hosting!

We have already guided prominent Community organizations just like yours through the Blogosphere, like the Houston Zoo’s Frog Blog, Houston Arts Alliance and our own brand new Schipul Blog.

Blogging is a cost-effective way to communicate with a large audience on a very personal level. Schipul has a team of experienced Bloggers that can’t wait to get you started!

Be sure to check out our customizable line of Blog service and design offerings – and keep an eye on our training calendar for upcoming Blogging and Social Media classes. We love our client Bloggers!

Coming soon! Drupal-powered Web sites from Schipul

Options are good - strawberry, chocolate, vanilla.... oh wait, we're talking about Web sites here, not ice cream. Well, good thing we like Web sites so much too!

In the spirit of appealing too all flavor preferences (and to help you power your organization's Web sites in the best way possible), Schipul will soon be offering Drupal hosting services in addition to our Tendenci software.

So what exactly is Drupal anyway? Drupal is an open source software that helps you power your site with Content Management, blogging utilities, powerful analysis tools and much, much more. Drupal is popular with non profits and entrepreneurs because of the Drupal Community and its amazing flexibility and customization. Stay tuned for more details!

Coming soon! Tendenci Software Support Forum

The Schipul gang is hard at work on a brand new resource for our Tendenci software users - a Tendenci Support Forum!

The Tendenci Forum will be an online place for users to seek Web site support, a spot to facilitate discussion between users and a super resource for Tendenci tips and tricks. Look for more information on our Tendenci Support Forum soon -- we expect to launch in early December!

Congratulations to Kim Hodgson on Mazzy! (the newest Schipulite)

Production team member Kim Hodgson and her husband Josh recently welcomed their beautiful daughter Mazzy to this world on September 18th. We are incredibly excited to have a sweet little future Internet geek and wish the new parents much love and luck (and hopefully a little sleep too).

The Schipul team welcomes new members!

Albert Hughes, Production Team Member

In 2001 I graduated from Clear Brook HS in Friendswood, TX and then decided to enroll at Prairie View A&M University to pursue a degree in Business Management. After 4 long years of doing what people do at college I walked across the stage in May 2005.

After graduation I worked at various places such as an elementary school, a landscaping company and a facilities management firm. In March of 2008 I made the decision to search for a company that would help me learn more about web marketing, content management systems and business management. Five months later the decision paid off unbelievably as I found out about Schipul The Web Marketing Company. After a few thorough interviews and prayer I had finally found THE place for me.

I am now a member of the Schipul Production Team where I field support requests, manage projects and instruct clients on how to use the Tendenci Software.

My favorite tools of the trade are Dreamweaver, Fireworks, and the Firefox add-on Firebug. When not at work you can find me recording music, taking pictures or filming something for independent artists or my Church. I am still very passionate about the internet, sports, music and business and his career goal is to eventually combine them all into one.

Alexis Hamil, Communications Intern

I was born and raised in Houston, Texas. I graduated from Cypress Springs high school in 2002 and expect to graduate from the University of Houston this December with a double major in English and psychology. I’ve been told my psychology background will help me understand the Schipulites, but everyone seems amazing (and sane) so far!

As a self-proclaimed bibliophile, I am blessed to have found a company that encourages such bookish behavior. Reading and writing are two of my passions and my long term goal is to become the Poet Laureate Consultant in Poetry to the Library of Congress. Until then, I hope to absorb everything I can at Schipul and be a productive part of the team!

Derek Key, Production Team Member

I was born in St. Paul, Minnesota and spent the first few years of my life there. Around the age of 10 or 11, I escaped the insanely cold winters and headed for the warmer weather of Texas. Other than a few years spent getting my degree in Advertising from the University of Texas in Austin, I have lived in Houston since.

I dig old records, music that makes you move (even though I can’t), movies, spending time with my family and friends, creative inspiration, bad television and turkey sandwiches. I am an Internet nerd and technology geek and am excited to learn and grow at Schipul.

Dave Wrangler, Production Team Intern

Dave is another one of our latest Schipul additions on the Production Team. Currently Dave is a student finishing his Entrepreneurship/Marketing degrees at the University of St. Thomas.

In his non-Schipul hours, you can find Dave making beautiful music all over Houston and beyond. His mad musical skills were recently featured on a Berlin radio channel and you can find him spinning classic Country records at his regular Vinyl ranch Houston music event.

Stay up to date with our RSS feeds.

25-Nov-08 1:00 PM

Physicians Can Use Social Media Tools to Bond With Patients

noemail@schipul.com — Fri, 31 Oct 2008 15:00:00 GMT

Physicians, to their patients' delight, have caught the social media bug. An increasing number of physicians are taking advantage of networks such as Facebook and Twitter to enhance communication with their patients.

While the authority of an M.D. provides a platform from which to speak in face-to-face interactions, doctors who are social media newbies must first hone their listening skills.

Ed Schipul was recently quoted in an article on Physician's Financial News entitled, Physicians Can Use Social Media Tools to Bond with Patients:

“Doctors approach social media as if they know everything, and it’s just not like that,” says Schipul. “Doctors are brilliant, but just because you’re brilliant doesn’t mean I’m going to have you repair an engine on the airplane I’ll be flying, because you’re not trained in that area. First, you have to walk in the room and listen.”

The room, in this case, is virtual, and Schipul says that social media are phenomenal tools to enable listening.

The article also offers Jennifer Texada's, program manager of digital and new media at the University of Texas M.D. Anderson Cancer Center, insight:

At M.D. Anderson, listening is helping patient advocacy staff assist patients with problems they have, such as being lost in the hospital or understanding a particular diagnosis. “We listen to what the conversations are about in social media, and we pass that on to patient advocacy,” says Texada, adding that physicians are active, too.

Ed Schipul offers a creative solution for physicians who are wary of embarking into social media themselves, but want to better connect with their patients:

“If I was a doctor and was doing social media outreach, one of the first things I would do is send an e-mail to all of my employees and ask if any of them are already blogging and active in social media,” suggests Schipul. “They’re already on my payroll. And if they’re doing [social media] and they’re excited about it, then all I have to do is change their job responsibility.”

Physicians' Financial News offers information on managing personal and professional business and finance matters that medical school's seven year curriculum forgot to cover.

31-Oct-08 10:00 AM

Schipul Featured in Houston Chronicle for Crisis Preparedness

noemail@schipul.com — Sat, 13 Sep 2008 13:00:00 GMT

As the response to Hurricane Ike continues, all the employees of Schipul - The Web Marketing Company tip our collective hat to the first responders and volunteers who are working hard to help Houston regain its footing. Thank you so much for all you are doing for our community, our families and friends.

In the hours leading up to Ike's landfall, CEO Ed Schipul spent some time talking about crisis preparation with the Houston Chronicle's L.M. Sixel. With responsibility for maintaining the Web presence of a number of important community assets, such as the Houston Chapter of the American Red Cross and Reliant Park among others, Schipul takes business continuity and disaster preparedness very seriously.

The article that resulted from the discussion, "Workers play a variety of roles during a storm," describes Schipul's approach to disaster preparedness:

At Schipul, a Houston-based Web services provider whose clients include the Houston Red Cross and Reliant Park, founder and CEO Ed Schipul has to keep the computers working and asked for five volunteers.

They definitely have a sense of pride, said Schipul. And when it comes time to consider promotions, their extra effort will be recognized.

But who is on deck during the hurricane doesn't necessarily mean they're the most essential, said Schipul.

"Technically, I'm a non-essential person," said Schipul, who was hunkered down in his office Friday. But he's got his network administrator there just in case servers go down.

And the programmers, while reachable remotely, aren't in the office. The very fact they're good makes them non-essential in a storm because they've written the programs well, he said.

Read the entire article here. After the Chronicle interview, Ed expanded on what he considers to be the fundamentals of cultivating a team that can be counted upon to keep the business operational through even the worst of circumstances:

Hire good people, train the heck out of them, and let them run – this means that perhaps even the upper management is “non essential.”
"Essential" is defined by only one thing and that is your crisis response plan. Be prepared, and pick the team that can respond to unexpected consequences.
Work hard to eliminate or at least minimize inefficiencies and duplicative work by doing work "once for all time for all users." By doing this, a good employee, depending on their job responsibility may not be needed in a crisis either.
Leaders must work themselves out of a job.
At Schipul, the emergency response team overlaps the “essential” employees who respond in a crisis.
The emergency response team, and volunteering for a position that is critical in a crisis is DEFINITELY a way to differentiate yourself and receive higher pay and/or promotions in the future.

Schipul will be conducting an after-incident assessment to determine what aspects of the crisis response worked well and what can be improved. All of this is intended to ensure the safety of our employees and their families, to eliminate or minimize downtime for our clients, and to provide clients the excellent customer service they deserve and expect.

13-Sep-08 8:00 AM

Social Media Strategy: Step Back and Let Others Take the Lead

noemail@schipul.com — Fri, 12 Sep 2008 18:00:00 GMT

PR Week, the only weekly publication that directly targets the public relations industry, this week is featuring an article authored by Ed Schipul, founder and chief executive officer of Schipul - The Web Marketing Company. The article, "Social Media Programs: Cultivate - Don't Control," takes issue with conventional wisdom in the marketing and communications fields. While many so-called social media experts suggest that PR, marketing and advertising professionals can and should take an active role in implementing social media strategies, Ed warns that doing so can squelch the greatest positive impact of social media, which can only come through true authenticity.

"Any effort to “control” a social media initiative will doom the effort," says Schipul, who is scheduled to speak at the 2008 PRSA International Conference in Detroit. "successful social media efforts are largely driven by people outside your control or influence."

He says that instead of trying to control all aspects of social media strategy, PR practitioners should concentrate on the following four pillars of social media success:

Planning – Set realistic objectives (i.e., positioning the company as an industry thought leader, driving qualified leads back to your corporate Web site, and strengthening recruiting efforts). Take time to listen to customer feedback and examine the best ways to measure results so you can adjust course.

Recruiting – It is essential that you step back. Identify staff members who are blogging, connecting on Facebook, or posting videos on YouTube. These are the social media mavens in your ranks who should drive your program. Don't be discouraged if these are not C-level executives – your leaders probably don't have the time to devote to the effort.

Training – Participating in social media activities requires a great deal of trust and autonomy. Assess where best to devote time and attention, and build consensus for the initiative internally. Before going live with the effort, educate everyone involved about the subtle nuances of online interaction such as the importance of disclosure and being generous with credit and links. This work offline can ensure high standards and mitigate risks.

Promotion – Learn where the individuals with whom you intend to connect are congregating and have your mavens participate. You can reach a large audience, but never lose sight of the individual and remember that these are dynamic interactions in which what you receive is probably more important than what you send.

Schipul - The Web Marketing Company offers a range of Social Media Consulting services, providing a powerful double-punch of tech savvy public relations and effective communication technology to your organization's Web marketing plan. Schipul's Social Media Consulting expands your organization's outreach to an enormous online audience and enables you to interact with your visitors through engaging rich media and online conversation.

Strategic brainstorming do determine if this the right course for you
Connecting you with good online and book resources
Teaching online culture
Blog set up and content collaboration
Help building a presence on social web sites
Strategic and spamless e-mail marketing to existing network
Integration with Search Engine Marketing
Reporting to configure tracking and analytics
Consulting on how to monetize your activity
Guidance in how to set up a podcast
Cross promotion of video and audio assets you may already have
How to balance design for beauty with design for entertainment and design for sales

PR Week has a weekly circulation of nearly 17,000. See the entire article here.

12-Sep-08 1:00 PM

Schipul office closed September 12th for Hurricane Ike - stay safe!

noemail@schipul.com — Thu, 11 Sep 2008 17:00:00 GMT

Hello there!

As Hurricane Ike approaches the Houston area, we are hard at work buttoning down the hatches and getting ready for a weekend of weather excitement!

The Schipul office will be closed tomorrow, Friday September 12th, as our employees will be with their families. We will have a Core Team physically in the office to handle anything that comes up.

However, we do not anticipate any Web site or email outages. You may have limited access to some development sites, but again we do not anticipate any outages.

If you have an immediate need, you can call us at the office tomorrow (281) 497.6567, ext. 0. All training and general support issues will be resolved next week when the office is back open.

Please keep an eye on our Tendenci Blog for updates this weekend: blog.tendenci.com

Wishing you a safe and dry weekend!

The Schipul Team

11-Sep-08 12:00 PM

Web Marketing and Social Media Questions to be Answered at 2008 Tendenci User Conference

noemail@schipul.com — Wed, 10 Sep 2008 21:00:00 GMT

If your organization is like most associations and businesses, you are finding it challenging to keep up with the latest technologies. It can be tough enough just keeping your Web site updated, let alone thinking about how to use Social Media strategically to accomplish your business and communications objectives.

That’s why each year, Schipul – The Web Marketing Company, the folks who develop, marketing and support Tendenci^® online management software, offer the Tendenci User Conference. The event is designed to open a dialogue between the users of the software and the teams that are responsible for developing, improving and servicing it.

Did we mention that it's FREE for everyone who pre-registers?

The 2008 Tendenci User Conference is packed with two days of great information, scheduled to run October 2^nd and 3^rd. A complete agenda is available here, but the following are a few of the high-impact sessions that are getting lots of buzz:

The 2008 Tendenci User Conference will be especially valuable for anyone with a Web site powered by Tendenci software. Currently, Tendenci serves as the software platform for more than 300 organizations around the world, including nonprofits, associations and businesses large and small. But you don’t have to be a Tendenci user to learn a lot at the Tendenci User Conference; everyone with a desire to achieve more from their Web marketing initiatives should register.

The fun, interesting and fast-paced sessions will deal with the major challenges and opportunities faced by Web marketers today, including strategic uses of social media, the latest best practices in search engine optimization and the latest tools and techniques to measure the effectiveness of your site through Site Analytics.

We’ll tackle the most common questions, such as:

- What are the latest trends in Web marketing?

- What do Web users expect from a Web site today?

- What are the best ways to ensure an excellent experience for site visitors?

- Can you keep your site from becoming outdated as Web habits change?

- What are the best ways to get more people to participate in events?

- How can you cut through the clutter and get people to read your e-newsletters?

- What are some methods to prevent spam filters from blocking your e-mails and e-newsletters?

- Is possible to create my own social networking community for my customers or members?

- How can you measure the results of social media efforts?

- What are simple ways to improve your search engine rankings and make your site more visible?

If you are not familiar with Tendenci, it is a suite of online management software that enables you to maintain your Web site, connect and communicate with your visitors and grow your business online.

What is really great is that Tendenci is community-based software, which means that it is constantly evolving and improving. Every organization benefits as the software improves and every organization has a voice in helping to shape the evolution of the software. The teams that develop, improve and service Tendenci rely on and appreciate the candid feedback and participation of the Tendenci user community to grow the capabilities and usability of the software.

We hope you will consider joining us for the 2008 Tendenci User Conference so we can all work together to grow your Web site and online presence.

The 2008 Tendenci User Conference is free and will be held at the University of Houston Main Campus in the University Center Houston Room. Registration begins at 8:00 a.m. and the programs begin at 8:45 a.m. both days.

10-Sep-08 4:00 PM

Ed Schipul quoted in 'Business of Blogging' article in QSR Magazine

noemail@schipul.com — Wed, 03 Sep 2008 16:00:00 GMT

Embracing Social Media could enhance your corporate identity and appeal to younger audiences

With businesses turning to their marketing sights on the Social Media world as a relevant and cost-effective communication channel, many are seriously considering starting a company Blog to aid their outreach and campaign efforts.

Ed Schipul was recently quoted in a QSR Magazine article entitled 'Business of Blogging':

Keep in mind, too, that a good blog means a frequently updated blog. “The worst blogs are the dead ones that haven’t been updated regularly, and comments are disabled,” Schipul says. “Consider a blog a living document.”

In addition, before jumping feet first into the blogging world, businesses should be aware of the possible risks with blogging. Content that borders on libel or discrimination, discloses trade secrets, or leads to a hostile work environment can lead to serious legal woes for the corporation.

The article also mentions a couple of heavy hitting restaurant-related corporate blogs to outline different ways that a large company can interact with their customers in a very real and meaningful way - McDonald's Corporate Social Responsibility blog: http://csr.blogs.mcdonalds.com and Stone Creek Coffee's blogs: http://sccv3.stonecreekcoffee.com/blog.cfm.

Have questions on how your company can incorporate Social Media Marketing into your marketing strategy? Give us a call at (281) 497.6567 or email at info at schipul.com!

3-Sep-08 11:00 AM

Culintro Welcomes 1,500th Member on Tendenci Powered Culinary Trade Web Site

noemail@schipul.com — Mon, 15 Jun 2009 14:00:00 GMT

Designed by Schipul – The Web Marketing Company, Web site attracts executives in the restaurant, culinary, food, and related industries NEW YORK, June 15, 2009 – Culintro, the Culinary Trade Organization for restaurant professionals, is off to a fast start, thanks in part to its tastefully designed and highly interactive Web site, www.culintro.com. Designed by Schipul – The Web Marketing Company (www.schipul.com) and powered by Tendenci online management software (www.tendenci.com), Culintro’s Web site serves as an online gathering place for executives in the restaurant industry and other food-related fields. Just a few months after launching the organization, Culintro has registered its 1,500th member, an important milestone in the organization’s development. Co-founder Stephanie Kornblum credits the fresh look and functionality of its Web site with giving the organization a head-start. The Culintro Web site plays an important role in helping restaurant people connect with...

San Antonio's United Arts Fund Selects Schipul to Upgrade Web Site

noemail@schipul.com — Thu, 14 May 2009 16:00:00 GMT

Tendenci® online management software is easy to use and delivers greater control SAN ANTONIO, May 14, 2009 – San Antonio’s arts community is turning to the Internet to encourage investment in the arts. theFund, San Antonio’s United Arts Fund, which is devoted to generating new sources of operating support for San Antonio’s arts and cultural organizations, has launched a new upgraded Web site, www.thefundsa.org. The site is powered by Tendenci online management software and was designed by Schipul – The Web Marketing Company (www.schipul.com). theFund's purpose is to support an active and flourishing arts and cultural community in San Antonio, through donations, increased awareness, and participation. Toward that end, the upgraded Web site features a hard-to-miss donate now button on every page that makes it easy to contribute online. The upgraded Web site also features upcoming events and a photo gallery showcases various arts-related activities. As an arts organization,...

Schipul Upgrades ThirdBiotech Web Site with Tendenci Software

noemail@schipul.com — Thu, 23 Apr 2009 13:00:00 GMT

PHOENIX, ARIZ., April 23, 2009 – The Web is playing a vital role in helping to connect the people and organizations leading Arizona’s booming biomedical research and bioscience commercial center. ThirdBiotech, which promotes Arizona’s development of science and technology for the formation of life sciences companies, has launched a new community Web site, www.thirdbiotech.com, powered by Tendenci online management software. Recognizing that collaboration and support are keys to advancing Arizona’s biotech industry, ThirdBiotech has assembled experts, curriculum and resources to assist bioentrepreneurs. The Web site serves as the epicenter of the organization’s activities, delivering news and information, promoting and reporting on events, enabling online membership management, event registration and donations, and a Scientist’s Center where early stage biotechnology companies can seek financial support and guidance. We are working to fill the gap that exists between the...

Social Media Specialist Ed Schipul to Present Uncommon Storytelling to PRSA Gulfstream Chapter

noemail@schipul.com — Mon, 20 Apr 2009 14:00:00 GMT

FORT LAUDERDALE, April 20, 2009 – Social media tools have become essential for public relations professionals, but many still wonder how to get the greatest positive impact from these technologies. Social media and Web marketing specialist Ed Schipul, CEO of Schipul – The Web Marketing Company (www.schipul.com) will present, Uncommon Storytelling: Putting the Relations Back Into Public Relations with Social Media, at this week’s Public Relations Society of America Gulfstream Chapter luncheon. Schipul will discuss how to leverage social networks such as Facebook, Twitter, Flickr and YouTube to accelerate PR success. He will also reveal the dos and don’ts of participating in online conversations. Virtually every week we see examples of companies that make serious mistakes or miss opportunities because they don’t understand the rules of engagement in the online environment, said Schipul. He points to Dominos Pizza as an example of an organization that was slow to embrace social...

YMCA of Greater Houston Selects Tendenci Online Management Software to Power Upgraded Web Site

noemail@schipul.com — Tue, 07 Apr 2009 13:00:00 GMT

HOUSTON, April 7, 2009 – The 120-year-old YMCA of Greater Houston is learning some new tricks to stay connected with its communities. YMCA leaders have unveiled www.ymcahouston.org, an upgraded and interactive Web site designed by Schipul – The Web Marketing Company (www.schipul.com) and powered by Tendenci (www.tendenci.com) online management software. The YMCA of Greater Houston’s Web site plays a major role in connecting the organization’s 38 centers with the almost 100,000 people they serve every day. Every page features a zip code search tool that makes it easy for anyone in the 600 square mile service area to find the center closest to them. The upgraded Web site also makes it easy to apply for financial aid, join the Y as a facility member, register for upcoming programs and subscribe to receive e-mail alerts. We serve nearly 900,000 people each year, so our challenge is to make it easy for each of them to find the services they need, which saves them time and helps us...

Schipul The Web Marketing Company to Guide Social Media Strategies to Promote Beau Rivage Resort & Casino's Spring Break Poker Classic

noemail@schipul.com — Wed, 25 Mar 2009 14:15:00 GMT

BILOXI, MISS., March 25, 2009 – MGM MIRAGE Mississippi Operations has selected Schipul – The Web Marketing Company (www.schipul.com) to design and execute a comprehensive social media strategy to promote the Spring Break Poker Classic. The collection of 21 poker events will run from March 27-April 13 at MGM MIRAGE’s Beau Rivage in Biloxi, Miss. Social media strategies in support of the Spring Break Poker Classic will include blogging, Twitter updates, an online video channel on YouTube, sharing photos on Flickr and connecting via a Facebook group. The Spring Break Poker Classic is one of five major poker events MGM MIRAGE hosts at its Mississippi resorts each year and the first in the series at Beau Rivage. As Beau Rivage ramps up its e-marketing and social media efforts, the Schipul team was the clear choice for the Spring Break Poker Classic initiative, said Brian J. Bork, Vice President of Marketing for MGM MIRAGE’s Mississippi Operations, which includes Beau Rivage in Biloxi...

Ed Schipul explores the Social Networking Explosion on KPRC's Beyond the Headlines

noemail@schipul.com — Sun, 22 Mar 2009 18:00:00 GMT

What is up with this Social Networking Explosion?!?! It seems like everyone from our our favorite businesses to our long lost aunts are now networking online. If you're a self-proclaimed Social Networking novice like KPRC anchorwoman Kim Davis, you probably have a million questions about the do's and don'ts.

To answer her questions about Social Networking, Davis decided to round up some of Houston's PR Pros for a little networking chat. Ed Schipul, Laura Mayes and Ashley Minor join Davis on Houston's KPRC Local 2 "Beyond the Headlines" to answer all of her questions and more!

You can follow Kim Davis on twitter @kimydavis

Top three takeaways from this Social Networking Chat?

It's kind of like a giant cocktail party online!!
It is all about CONNECTIONS and because of online tools it is easier now to connect than ever.
Jump in and don't be afraid. Watch how others are doing it and then jump in.

Check out the video here!!

Safety Vision Upgrades Web Site with Help from Schipul The Web Marketing Company

noemail@schipul.com — Mon, 09 Feb 2009 15:00:00 GMT

Powerful Online Video Clips Illustrate Importance of Safety Vision’s Solutions HOUSTON, February 9, 2009 – Safety Vision, a global provider of mobile digital video solutions, is taking full advantage of the popularity of online video by incorporating actual examples of its client cameras on its newly upgraded Web site. Designed by Schipul – The Web Marketing Company (www.schipul.com), Safety Vision’s upgraded Web site, www.safetyvision.com, offers stunning proof of the importance of the company’s mobile video solutions. Powered by Tendenci® online management software that is developed and marketed by Schipul, the upgraded Safety Vision Web site focuses on key customer benefits, such as safeguarding people, securing property and enhancing productivity. The Web site’s design clearly features Safety Vision’s four key industry segments – law enforcement, mass transit, pupil transportation and fleet operations – and entices visitors to learn more. At the end of the day, we sell...

Schipul The Web Marketing Company to Expand Headquarters in West Houston

noemail@schipul.com — Mon, 05 Jan 2009 14:00:00 GMT

HOUSTON, January 5, 2009 – Schipul - The Web Marketing Company (www.schipul.com), a Houston-based Web marketing and Web design firm, today announced an expansion of its headquarters in Kirkwood Atrium 3 at 11757 Katy Freeway in West Houston. The 15-story Class A office complex is owned by Equastone. After the build out into the new expanded space, Schipul will occupy more than 7,100 square feet on the building's ninth floor. The added space is needed to accommodate Schipul’s continued growth. In this economic environment, we do not take our continued growth for granted and we owe a debt of gratitude to our clients for their continued trust and support, said Ed Schipul, president of Schipul - The Web Marketing Company. This careful and strategic expansion will enable us to continue to improve our Web marketing services to help our clients connect, grow and profit online. Schipul develops and markets Tendenci® online management software, which powers the Web sites of...

Web Design and Branding Expert JJ Lassberg Joins Schipul The Web Marketing Company

noemail@schipul.com — Tue, 23 Dec 2008 15:00:00 GMT

HOUSTON, December 23, 2008 – Schipul – The Web Marketing Company (www.schipul.com), a Houston-based Web marketing and Web design company, has announced the appointment of JJ Lassberg to its production team. Lassberg, who brings 10 years of experience in Web site development, will be responsible for taking Web sites online as well as for training and support on Schipul’s Tendenci (www.tendenci.com) Web site management software and project management. She has worked closely with the Schipul team for years on various Web site design projects and Web marketing initiatives. We are very excited to add JJ’s talents in Web design, branding and Web marketing strategy to our growing team, said Ed Schipul, President of Schipul – The Web Marketing Company. It is exciting to welcome a seasoned Web professional who shares our company values and our passion for connecting people and organizations online. Prior to joining Schipul, Lassberg was co-owner of True Light Resources...

SchipulCon 2009 coming Oct. 15 -16th!

Wed, 17 Jun 2009 18:28:44 GMT

We are excited to announce that our Web marketing and software conference will be at the Houston Zoo on October 15 - 16th. Tickets on sale soon!

Congrats to our Schipul Fan Mania winners!

Mon, 15 Jun 2009 21:18:21 GMT

We ran our Schipul Fan Mania campaign this month and want to congratulate our winners! Still want in? Fan us to be in the running for future prizes and fun!

Want to be a SXSW 2010 speaker!?

Mon, 08 Jun 2009 15:30:28 GMT

We LOVE the annual SXSW Tech conference - great content, super networking and all sorts of Austin adventures. Want in? Submit a panel of your own today!!

Affordable Search Engine Marketing for Online Lead Generation and Conversion

Thu, 02 Jul 2009 21:03:04 GMT

If I build it, will they come? Will they buy? We can set you up with anything from a simple template to a full-fledged design that includes a social media platform. Schipul's Search Engine Marketing (SEM) Services are focused on aligning your Web site and marketing investment with the way your prospects use the major search engines on the Internet to gather information and make buying decisions. You must have a Search Engine Marketing Strategy to give your website a well-optimized presence, and the friendly folks at Schipul are more than excited to get you there! Schipul's SEM Pricing Schipul's SEM service costs include: $2,000 for initial set-up $750 per month $1,000-$3,000 budget per month for pay-per-click in Google or Yahoo We understand the complex nature of search engines so you don't have to. Give us a call at (281) 497-6567 and let's talk about how we can get your site ranked. Want us to call you? No problem! Feel free to e-mail us and we'll get in touch...

Professional Search Engine Optimization for Increased Rankings in Natural (Organic) Listings

Thu, 02 Jul 2009 21:01:03 GMT

Tightening your budget? You can optimize your site to appear higher in the listings without spending a dime. Search Engine Optimization, or SEO, is a fundamental part of your search engine marketing strategy, and the Schipul Houston Search Engine Optimization team can help you define that strategy. The essence of my experience with the Schipul SEM team is best summarized as professional, results driven performance. I was very pleased to see my web site come up prominently on the first page of the major search engines when searching for our services in Houston during my company's first year in business. Dr. Bernard Arocha Higher rankings in the natural listings (organic listings) of search engines will get your Web site more exposure to your target market if positioned correctly. However, a first page position in a search engine result for a particular term does not ensure success. There are many factors to consider...

Schipul Web Design Partial Client List

Wed, 01 Jul 2009 16:08:58 GMT

Every web site design project requires the talents of numerous marketing people both inside and outside of the organization. Without any one link, the chain is not complete. We owe these people a debt of gratitude and look forward to working with them for years to come. Thank you for the opportunity to serve through marketing and web design and Tendenci software. You can also view our graphical website design portfolio here. Schipul Full Design sites with the Tendenci software: AAJC - Asian American Justice Center ACAOM - American College of Acupuncture & Oriental Medicine Ace Advertising Signs - Houston Unique Large-Scale Sign Solutions Automotive Consulting Company - Complete Direct Marketing Campaign and Promotional Gifts. Alameda Condominiums - Santa Fe's new high-rise condos, one and two bedroom residences Alonti Catering - Catering for Businesses Allied Concrete - Concrete provider for residential homebuilding and commercial building Arocha Hair...

Tue, 30 Jun 2009 22:20:10 GMT

Maggie McDonald // Public Relations Schipul - The Web Marketing Company 11757 Katy Freeway, Suite 930 Houston, TX 77079 Employment Schipul - The Web Marketing Co. Public Relations, 2008–Present Houston, Texas River Oaks Country Club Catering Coordinator, 2007–2008 Houston, Texas Houston Dynamo Marketing Assistant, 2006–2007 Houston, Texas Education University of Houston BA in Public Relations, Minor in Marketing Cum Laude (2007) Houston, Texas, Public Speaking Public engagements focus on Public Relations; Social Media; Internet strategy; Personal Branding; and Blogging for Business. Recent public speaking engagements include: ...

The Schipul Web Marketing Conference

Tue, 30 Jun 2009 21:49:29 GMT

Get ready for it.... Schipul's going wild in the fall 2009 and we want you!! So Save the Date!! Join us on October 15 & 16, 2009 at the Houston Zoo for SchipulCon09! Early Registration is open now!! We've got a passionate team full of subject matter experts on the Tendenci software that powers our clients websites to the magic that is Search Engine Marketing and beyond. We want to share all of this knowledge with you! Over the next couple of months we will be filling you in on all of the details including a super speaker lineup and all kinds of other awesomeness you've come to expect from the Schipul Crew. We'll also have some super special guests presenting. Our keynote is the one and only Deirdre Breakenridge! She'll be dishing on PR 2.0 and more. Check out her PR 2.0 Strategies Blog for more info!! We'll be covering everything from the Web Marketing Fundamentals to how to execute a successful marketing campaign using your Tendenci Software....

Schipul Conferences - Helping you tell your Story and Grow your Organization

Tue, 30 Jun 2009 21:29:44 GMT

Our Conferences and Tendenci and Social Media Training Classes are an awesome way for our clients and friends to learn more about the programs that power their Online Communities and have a great time while learning how to tell their stories! Unfortunately for us, we had to cancel our Second Annual Tendenci Conference last year due to Hurricane Ike but fear not, we're revamping and coming back better than ever. Join us for our Schipul Web Marketing Conference! Or as we like to call it.... SchipulCon09. We've got a passionate team full of subject matter experts on everything from Tendenci to Twitter and we want to share all of this knowledge with you! On top of the Schipul Team, we'll also have some super special guests presenting. Our keynote is the one and only Deirdre Breakenridge! She'll be dishing on PR 2.0 and more. Check out her PR 2.0 Strategies Blog for more info!! There will be lots to learn and multiple tracks for you to choose from. Just like our...

A.Hughes - Personal Brand

Thu, 25 Jun 2009 23:37:03 GMT

In 2001 a guy named Albert graduated from Clear Brook HS in Friendswood, TX. He then decided to enroll at Prairie View A&M University to pursue a degree in Business Management. After 4 long years of doing what people do at college the young guy from Friendswood walked across the stage in May 2005. After graduation he worked at various places such as an elementary school, a landscaping company and a facilities management firm. In March of 2008 a decision was made to search for a company that would help him learn more about web marketing, content management systems and business management. Five months later the decision paid off unbelievably as he found out about Schipul The Web Marketing Company. After a few thorough interviews and prayer he had finally found THE place for him. Albert is now a member of one of the two Interactive Client Teams at Schipul where he fields support requests, manages projects and instructs clients on how to use the Tendenci Software. His favorite...

Our Personal Brands

Wed, 24 Jun 2009 23:09:40 GMT

Branding is a tricky thing. We all have our own brand, and yet we represent a company brand, or a product brand. The great part about branding is that while brand extensions may dilute a brand, additional brands in different categories, in our opinion, actually HELP the associated brands. The question put before our employees, as well as friends of the company, was: What’s your brand? If you can’t answer that question about your own brand in two or three words, your brand’s in trouble. - Al Ries The answers are being posted on our personal brand pages. This is an experiment started in January of 2008. Last year we started listing our personal brands on the back of our business cards. This is the next logical step. It will be interesting to see where this goes! So, with a drum roll sounding in the background, here are a few of our personal brand pages. Current Employees eschipul - Ed Schipul jbrooks - Jennifer Brooks rsabrsula - Rodney Sabrsula longstation - Aaron Long...

Schipul Public Speaking Availability

Wed, 24 Jun 2009 22:14:24 GMT

Schipul - The Web Marketing Company takes great pride in our diverse and knowledgeable team. The fast-paced world of online technology affects many industries and businesses. Knowledge is power! We offer a clear, informative and interesting voice on a variety of technology and online social interactive topics for your organization. We would love the opportunity to speak to your organization! Contact us by e-mail or call us at (281) 497-6567. Presentation Topics The Schipul speakers bureau is constantly innovating and refining our presentation topics for business, non-profit, marketing, public relations and advertising organizations. Take a look at the latest topics and let us know if one is exactly what you have been looking for! Every presentation is created for and tailored to your specific audience. Presentation lengths can vary from 45 minute luncheon presentations to 2-5 hour workshops. Here are some sample presentations to give you a taste of what Schipul has to...

Social Media Consulting - Guiding Your New Media Approach

Tue, 23 Jun 2009 15:36:31 GMT

I have a great web site. Why do I need social media tools? Social Media Consulting brings a powerful double-punch of tech savvy public relations and effective communication technology to your organization's Web marketing plan. Schipul's Social Media Consulting expands your organization's outreach to an enormous online audience and enables you to interact with your visitors through engaging rich media and online conversation. Social Media Consulting Action Plan Schipul can help you prepare and implement a Social Media Marketing Plan by: Strategic brainstorming - is this even the right course for you? What you need to know about social media Defining success in the Social Web world Connecting you with good online and book resources Teaching online culture, simple stuff like disclosure, linking out, yes, and and other ways to play nice in a post-Cluetrain Manifesto world Blog set up and content collaboration ...

Customer Service Satisfaction Survey

noemail@schipul.com — Thu, 26 Feb 2009 22:00:00 GMT

Objectives: The purpose of this surveyis to find out if clients expectations were met when they contacted a Schipul Team Member for support or training.

Release Date: 26-Feb-09 4:00 PM
Expiration Date: 27-May-22 4:00 PM
Schipul would love to get your feedback on your recent customer service experience. Please fill out the very short and hopefully painless survey below. Your participation is very much appreciated!

Customer Satisfaction after Website Launch

noemail@schipul.com — Fri, 01 Feb 2008 19:00:00 GMT

Objectives: The purpose of this site is to find out if clients expectations were met with the launch of their new website. Particularly, we want to know if the project processes were properly communicated, deadlines were met and customers received the proper level of support and training.

Release Date: 1-Feb-08 1:00 PM
Expiration Date: 1-May-10 1:00 PM
Schipul would love to get your feedback on your recent website launch experience. Please fill out the very short and hopefully painless survey below. Your participation is very much appreciated!

Schipul Customer Service Satisfaction Survey

noemail@schipul.com — Wed, 30 Jan 2008 17:00:00 GMT

Objectives: The purpose of this survey is to get an idea of the overall satisfaction of clients after a recent contact with a Schipul representative.

Release Date: 30-Jan-08 11:00 AM
Expiration Date: 29-Apr-08 11:00 AM
The following survey will only take a few minutes. Please answer the questions to the best of your knowledge. We appreciate your help in making Schipul's customer service better!

Greater Fort Smith Ad Club Social Media presentation

noemail@schipul.com — Fri, 19 Oct 2007 16:00:00 GMT

Objectives: Thanks for attending Ed Schipul's Social Media presentation!

We want to hear your feedback and ideas from last week's Greater Fort Smith Advertising Club presentation.

Release Date: 19-Oct-07 11:00 AM
Expiration Date: 17-Dec-08 11:00 AM

SEM - Lost Client Exit Survey

noemail@schipul.com — Thu, 26 Apr 2007 21:00:00 GMT

Objectives: To improve our Search Engine Optimization services and client support.

Release Date: 26-Apr-07 4:00 PM
Expiration Date: 25-Jul-10 4:00 PM
Thank you for filling out this brief survey. Your time is precious and we are grateful for your feedback.

Feel free to be as candid as possible in your answers. We greatly benefit from your honesty and are always looking for ways to improve. What could we be doing better? How could we have made you as a client happier?

We wish you the best of luck and are always available for further discussion - (281) 497.6567.

Red Cross Volunteer Communication and Engagement (Internal)

noemail@schipul.com — Sat, 05 Aug 2006 22:00:00 GMT

Objectives: So how are we doing communicating with our volunteers? This is an initial snap shot survey to help the marketing team understand the current level of volunteer engagement.

Survey completion is anonymous. Aggregate results will be shared without any individually identifying information. We need and value your honest feedback to help us improve volunteer communications.

Release Date: 5-Aug-06 5:00 PM
Expiration Date: 10-Aug-06 10:30 AM
Please read each question carefully. Note in particular that some questions ask what YOU think. Later questions ask what you believe the VOLUNTEERS think.
Given the opportunity information from this survey will be used to develop a more comprehensive survey to be sent to the volunteers and other stake holders.

Internal Tendenci Training Session - how'd we do?

noemail@schipul.com — Fri, 21 Jul 2006 16:00:00 GMT

Objectives: To gain feedback on the Internal Tendenci Training Session - was it helpful, too technical, not technical enough, etc.

Release Date: 21-Jul-06 11:00 AM
Expiration Date: 19-Oct-06 11:00 AM
Please fill out the survey - feel free to remain logged in or to log out if you wish. Honesty and constructive criticism is appreciated.

Lost Client Exit Survey

noemail@schipul.com — Wed, 19 Jul 2006 17:00:00 GMT

Objectives: To improve our Tendenci product, Web marketing services and client support.

Release Date: 19-Jul-06 12:00 PM
Expiration Date: 17-Oct-10 12:00 PM
Thank you for filling out this brief survey. Your time is precious and we are grateful for your feedback.

Feel free to be as candid as possible in your answers. We greatly benefit from your honesty and are always looking for ways to improve. What could we be doing better? How could we have made you as a client happier?

We wish you the best of luck and are always available for further discussion - (281) 497.6567.

Texas Lottery Commission Keynote Speaker Evaluation

noemail@schipul.com — Tue, 04 Apr 2006 16:00:00 GMT

Objectives: To gather event attendee reactions and comments to Ed Schipul's presentation material.

Release Date: 4-Apr-06 11:00 AM
Expiration Date: 3-Jul-06 11:00 AM

TSAE Blogging and Podcasting 'Learn @ Lunch' Attendee Survey

noemail@schipul.com — Wed, 22 Feb 2006 15:00:00 GMT

Objectives: To gather TSAE Blogging and Podcasting 'Learn @ Lunch' attendee reactions and comments to the presentation material.

Release Date: 22-Feb-06 9:00 AM
Expiration Date: 23-May-06 9:00 AM
Thank you for attending TSAE's Blogging and Podcasting 'Learn @ Lunch' seminar with Ed Schipul.

We hope that you learned a lot and had fun doing it. Please provide answers to the following questions so that we may better serve you in the future.

Please feel free to contact Ed directly with any questions or comments at:

Schipul - The Web Marketing Company
Ed Schipul, CEO
(281) 497.6567, ext. 500
eschipul@schipul.com

Thanks!

That he which hath no stomach to this fight, Let him depart; his passport shall be made, And crowns for convoy put into his purse; We would not die in that man's company

Tue, 30 Jun 2009 13:15:46 GMT

That he which hath no stomach to this fight,

Let him depart; his passport shall be made,

And crowns for convoy put into his purse;

We would not die in that man's company

That fears his fellowship to die with us.

William Shakespeare

Two ways growth takes place 1. &nb

Fri, 05 Jun 2009 15:00:34 GMT

Two ways growth takes place

1. When you’re open to feedback from other people

2. When you’re willing to disclose your vulnerabilities to other people

Ken Blanchard

Servant leaders understand that everyone needs to be heard, praised, encouraged, forgiven, accepted and guided back to the right path when they drift off course.

Fri, 05 Jun 2009 15:00:13 GMT

Servant leaders understand that everyone needs to be heard, praised, encouraged, forgiven, accepted and guided back to the right path when they drift off course.

Ken Blanchard

The three most universal and powerful temptations a leader can face: 1.

Fri, 05 Jun 2009 14:59:58 GMT

The three most universal and powerful temptations a leader can face:

1. Instant gratification

2. Recognition and applause

3. Improper use and lust for power

Ken Blanchard

When the heart, head, hands and habits are aligned, extraordinary levels of loyalty, trust, and productivity will result. When they are out of alignment, frustration, mi

Fri, 05 Jun 2009 14:59:31 GMT

When the heart, head, hands and habits are aligned, extraordinary levels of loyalty, trust, and productivity will result. When they are out of alignment, frustration, mistrust, and diminished long-term productivity are the result.

Ken Blanchard

Fri, 22 May 2009 17:29:27 GMT

" Where there is no vision, the people perish." (29:18)

Proverbs

No trick is worth performing if the secret of how it's done is more important than the impression it makes on the audience. - Dariel Fitzkee, Showmanship for Magicians

Wed, 15 Apr 2009 16:39:14 GMT

"No trick is worth performing if the secret of how it's done is more important than the impression it makes on the audience." - Dariel Fitzkee, Showmanship for Magicians

Failure early on is a necessary condition for success, though not a sufficient one

Wed, 08 Apr 2009 22:07:48 GMT

"Failure early on is a necessary condition for success, though not a sufficient one"

R.J. Kirk

Tweeting Tips for Twitter

Wed, 27 May 2009 19:12:53 GMT

Terminology

Some of the examples that we used for the terminology definitions:

@User (mention): http://twitter.com/qcait/status/1596280243
RT (retweet): http://twitter.com/qcait/status/1594192097
HT (hat tip): http://twitter.com/qcait/statuses/1530395719
OH (overheard): http://twitter.com/qcait/statuses/1491974756

Hash tag (give context): http://twitter.com/qcait/status/1595770014

To shortern URLs

To shorten URLs, use http://tr.im . It will give you reports of who has been clicking on your URLs.
There is also a Firefox plugin for tr.im. Link: https://addons.mozilla.org/en-US/firefox/addon/10232/

To search for things

Go to http://search.twitter.com and search for topics that pertain to you to find people that might be interesting to follow.

I also suggest searching for your company name, and subscribing to the RSS feed for that search so you will see if anyone posts about you.

Direct link to the feed: http://search.twitter.com/search.atom?q"x3dsokol+volleyball

What to tweet about?

Tweet about anything relevant to you and your business. ex: fundraisers, helpful links, events, cool information and developing news. Make it relevant to the people who follow you.

Twitterfeed – Setting up automatic tweets

You can set up any RSS feed to automatically post to your twitter when it gets updated.

I do this with my blog. Example: http://twitter.com/qcait/statuses/1573152609

Set this up by signing into http://twitterfeed.com and creating a feed. You will need to enter your twitter username/ pass, and paste in the RSS feed you want to use. You can do this for each time your website, YouTube, or any site that supports RSS.

Getting started on Facebook for non-profit organizations

Wed, 13 May 2009 21:00:12 GMT

This is a help file originally written for Children's Museums in metropolitan areas that lists how to get started on Facebook. If you can read between the examples, most of this can be used for any organization that has a need for a presence on Facebook. DON'T BE AFRAID OF TEXT. Read on this is good stuff! Completion of Profile: Complete your Facebook profile if you have not already. In your profile, add links back to your main site, blog, twitter,myspace, and other sites that represent your organization. Survey your current staff To find who has interest. Get the evangelists on board and put them to work. Invite others who have genuine interest and time to be an admin to help with marketing efforts for your new page. Encourage others within you organization to add themselves to Facebook and become part of the Facebook Network. Explain your Facebook initiative to them, including the goals you want...

Flickr Social Marketing list for Metropolitan Area Children's Museums

Thu, 07 May 2009 17:10:19 GMT

This is a help file for Children's Museums in metropolitan areas that lists how to get started on Flickr. If you can read between the examples most of this can be used for any organization that has a need for a presence on Flickr. Complete Profile Complete your profile on Flickr and add your logo to as the icon – edit your profile page to do this. http://www.flickr.com/people/yourflickrname/ Add images of Exhibits categorized by sets Tag and title all image with good key words EX of image tags: Children’s Museum of Houston Children’s Museum Exhibits Museum Exhibits Houston Area Kids Houston Attractions Name of the exhibit Houston, TX Etc. The more *relevant tags the better Note – you can use these tags on every set. They are general enough to relate. Add descriptions if possible to each image to help tell the story and further engage ...

How to get started on Twitter and why?

Thu, 07 May 2009 17:10:08 GMT

There has been many conversations on whether or not Twitter is a useful social media tool that helps marketing your business. What is Twitter and why should I care? Read this post before moving forward. Here's is a to-do list for getting started on Twitter: Sign up on Twitter. If you are interested in tweeting for your business make sure you use your brand name and logo for consistancy. Your user name will also be your URL name: http://www.twitter.com/ Find people of relevant interest and follow them. They will in return follow you too if they respect and like your content. Or maybe they just want to stalk you. Make your first tweet. Ideas for good tweets that are relevant and useful: Post events and links Give fans props on their ventures Post news that is helpful to your organization Give people updates that will promote them and your brand. Tweet once day ...

Help! What is social media?

Thu, 07 May 2009 17:09:47 GMT

Gotcha covered right here.

Introduction to Social Media from Schipul - The Web Marketing Co. on Vimeo.

Help! What is Twitter?

Fri, 17 Apr 2009 20:19:12 GMT

What is Twitter about? I don't get Twitter. Twitter confuses me. Why would I use Twitter?

Here you go, friends.

Introduction to Twitter - Online Webinar from Schipul - The Web Marketing Co. on Vimeo.

Email Subject Lines, Links and Numbered Lists

Wed, 11 Mar 2009 15:42:38 GMT

The burden of communication is on the communicator; not the recipient. Therefore proper email etiquette is to use strong subject lines, links, numbered lists and reasonably short paragraphs. Specifically emails must use: Subject Lines - all emails need a well articulated and relevant Subject Line. Examples of good email subject lines: Client X going live on Tuesday July 29 before Friday Board Meeting Training help file on email etiquette posted on schipul.com Feast with the Beast Presale Facebook AD text (sent to the zoo) Bad subject lines torture your coworkers with anxiety which lowers morale and greatly reduces profitability. Every time an email is sent with a bad subject line, a baby seal dies. This is sad. Save the baby seals! Use good subject lines! Links - ease of use changes behavior. Ease of use changes behavior. Without links people will NOT click through to see work that has been...

Visualization of Social Networks

Thu, 18 Dec 2008 16:46:53 GMT

Resources on visualization of social networks

NetMap - physical method of graphing social networks and influence of actors

http://netmap.wordpress.com/about/

NodeXL - an Excel add-on for graphing social networks

http://www.codeplex.com/NodeXL

Blogs that talk about social network graphing on occasion

Conference Proceedings on the topic

Awareness: Artistic Experiments in Revealing Invisible Networks (click the resource docs)
Communities and Technologies Conference 2007

Slideshare.net tags for CCT2007 - some great presos here.

What else? Please email me eschipul @ this domain name suggestions?

What is the goal of business?

Tue, 16 Dec 2008 21:31:41 GMT

One of my favorite interview questions to ask is quite simply:

What is the goal of business?

It amazes me how people stumble over this. The answer is straight forward.

The goal of business is to make a profit.

There are of course wrong ways and right ways to run a business, to generate a profit, but the bottom line is without a profit you are NOT IN BUSINESS so all bets are off. If you want to create change, it is much easier to do if you have a profitable business.

To quote someone who knows a bit more about profit than me, Jack Welch says in the introduction to the book WINNING:

"...I think winning is great. Not good - great. Winning in business is great because when companies win, people thrive and grow. there are more jobs and more opportunities everywhere and for everyone." - Jack Welch (more)

How do I calibrate my monitor's color?

Wed, 18 Jun 2008 17:29:26 GMT

Reviewing colours from one monitor to the next can provide various saturations and colour perceptions. Monitors, video cards, cables and circuitry can alter the consistency of the light source and signal. It is often helpful to have the monitors calibrated to a consistent level so everyone is "seeing" the same thing for design reviews and critiques.

The following information is for external colour calibration devices. They can be used in an office to calibrate the various monitors.

External devices called colorimeters read the light levels on the monitor and calibrate with a corresponding software. X-rite is an example in the $200- $300 price range. These can be used on multiple monitors to coordinate values. The devices such as the i1Display attach to the monitor and perform a series of tests and calibrations to reach industry standard coloration. The results are sent to the computer and software through a USB cable and before and after color values are typically available to review the correction. X-Rite is the same parent company as Pantone and work with the Munsell colouring system.

Sat, 04 Jul 2009 21:06:44 GMT

File uploaded by Ed Schipul.

Schipul

Blogging Etiquette - Online Webinar

So you've got a blog... now what the heck do you do with it?

Online Webinar - Introduction to Social Media

Managing Your Presence - Online Webinar

What are people saying about you online? What's the best way to respond?

Introduction to Social Media

Online Webinar: Introduction to Search Engine Marketing - Training for Marketing Your Web Site Ethically and Strategically

Introduction to Web Analytics

The Etiquette of Blogging - Online Webinar

So you've got a blog... now what the heck do you do with it?

Company Anniversary - Founded in 1997

Company Anniversary - Founded in 1997

Company Anniversary - Founded in 1997

Company Anniversary - Founded in 1997

Company Anniversary - Founded in 1997

Company Anniversary - Founded in 1997

Company Anniversary - Founded in 1997

Company Anniversary - Founded in 1997

Company Anniversary - Founded in 1997

Web 2.0 in the White House: What is the impact of Social Media on the American Government?

March 2009 Schipul Newsletter

Year of the Story: A Brand New Schipul Web Site!

What else is going on around Schipul? WE'VE EXPANDED!

Web Marketing Tips, Tricks and Other Cool Stuff

Tell your story any way you'd like.... with Empressr!

Wordpress Tip: Dominate Google with All In One SEO!

You're STILL not on twitter?! Here are some twitter tips and tricks to convince you to join!!

Client Congratulations Corner

Schipul Book Club: Outliers by Malcolm Gladwell

Upcoming Trainings from Schipul

Recent Articles from Schipul

Recent Press Releases from Schipul

Social Media Programs: Cultivate, Don't Control as published in PR Tactics January 2009

November 2008 Schipul Newsletter

Brand new! Wordpress Blog design and hosting services

Coming soon! Drupal-powered Web sites from Schipul

Coming soon! Tendenci Software Support Forum

Congratulations to Kim Hodgson on Mazzy! (the newest Schipulite)

The Schipul team welcomes new members!

Physicians Can Use Social Media Tools to Bond With Patients

Schipul Featured in Houston Chronicle for Crisis Preparedness

Social Media Strategy: Step Back and Let Others Take the Lead

Schipul office closed September 12th for Hurricane Ike - stay safe!

Web Marketing and Social Media Questions to be Answered at 2008 Tendenci User Conference

Ed Schipul quoted in 'Business of Blogging' article in QSR Magazine

Culintro Welcomes 1,500th Member on Tendenci Powered Culinary Trade Web Site

San Antonio's United Arts Fund Selects Schipul to Upgrade Web Site

Schipul Upgrades ThirdBiotech Web Site with Tendenci Software

Social Media Specialist Ed Schipul to Present Uncommon Storytelling to PRSA Gulfstream Chapter

YMCA of Greater Houston Selects Tendenci Online Management Software to Power Upgraded Web Site

Schipul The Web Marketing Company to Guide Social Media Strategies to Promote Beau Rivage Resort & Casino's Spring Break Poker Classic

Ed Schipul explores the Social Networking Explosion on KPRC's Beyond the Headlines

Safety Vision Upgrades Web Site with Help from Schipul The Web Marketing Company

Schipul The Web Marketing Company to Expand Headquarters in West Houston

Web Design and Branding Expert JJ Lassberg Joins Schipul The Web Marketing Company

SchipulCon 2009 coming Oct. 15 -16th!

Congrats to our Schipul Fan Mania winners!

Want to be a SXSW 2010 speaker!?

Affordable Search Engine Marketing for Online Lead Generation and Conversion

Professional Search Engine Optimization for Increased Rankings in Natural (Organic) Listings

Schipul Web Design Partial Client List

The Schipul Web Marketing Conference

Schipul Conferences - Helping you tell your Story and Grow your Organization

A.Hughes - Personal Brand

Our Personal Brands

Schipul Public Speaking Availability

Social Media Consulting - Guiding Your New Media Approach

Customer Service Satisfaction Survey

Customer Satisfaction after Website Launch

Schipul Customer Service Satisfaction Survey

Greater Fort Smith Ad Club Social Media presentation

SEM - Lost Client Exit Survey

Red Cross Volunteer Communication and Engagement (Internal)

Internal Tendenci Training Session - how'd we do?

Lost Client Exit Survey

Texas Lottery Commission Keynote Speaker Evaluation

TSAE Blogging and Podcasting 'Learn @ Lunch' Attendee Survey

That he which hath no stomach to this fight, Let him depart; his passport shall be made, And crowns for convoy put into his purse; We would not die in that man's company

Two ways growth takes place 1. &nb

What are people saying about you online?
What's the best way to respond?

**So you've got a blog... now what the heck do you do with it?**