To be honest, we think it may be both…and then some! 

Let’s start with the “and then some”. There is great power in using visual cues to create a compelling future. What the mind can believe, the mind can achieve and vision boards are used by many of our world’s leading thinkers as one tool to attract the life of their dreams. Pinterest gives users a convenient online method to gather images that motivate and inspire them. 

Pinterest also offers businesses a convenient new means of communication with their clients. Creating a pinboard for a client’s project can offer retailers, designers, consultants and others a method for gathering project ideas and soliciting feedback. This virtual sample board is proven effective, increases communication, and saves time.

Waste of time or a good investment? In August of 2010, studies show that the average American Facebook user spent 5 hours and 46 minutes a month on Facebook , an increase of three hours in less than one year (for some of us in marketing and communications, that number is representative of a single day’s use!). Many believe Facebook to be an ineffective use of time, however, others have proven a tremendous ROI. Either way you look at it, Facebook, Twitter and Google+ have increased revenue and site traffic for millions of businesses and continue to influence our culture. The choice to engage is yours.

Massive Marketing and SEO potential: Pinterest has similar social networking components to Facebook and Twitter, but takes the effectiveness to a whole new level. Pinterest allows users to pin images to their boards and those images include links back to the original source site or file location. Can you see the potential here? Pinterest gives small, retail businesses the ability to gain exposure to a broader audience by way of recommendation from customers to their friend base.  Simply add the “Pin It” button to your blog posts and product images to increase the ease of sharing. The potential for increased traffic to your website is limitless!

We encourage you to jump in with both feet, play around a bit and discover how Pinterest can really make a splash for you and your clients.

Since 1984, TED has accumulated over 1,000 “ideas worth spreading” from the world’s most inspired thinkers. Live, annual conferences are an invitation only event and cost attendees $7,500. Over the course of 4 days, attendees hear from at least 50 speakers who receive only 18 minutes in the spotlight.  

Not on the guest list? Not a problem. Recorded talks (available online at TED.com since 2006) have attracted a worldwide audience of more than 500 million views.  

TED’s mission is to spread ideas in hopes of changing viewers’ “attitudes, lives and ultimately, the world.”

Fast paced, genius content, unforgettable delivery, and the most brilliant minds on the planet make talks 18 minutes of time well spent for any listener. Themes are diverse and include topics like: Best of Web, Celebrating Women, Health Matters, A Greener Future and more. 

Invest 18 minutes and expand your thinking. “There is no greater force for changing the world than a powerful idea.”

We're skipping a blog post this week AGAIN! That's good I suppose because we're busy but bad because now we've officially not blogged since last year. Whoa!