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4 Reasons Why the Pokèmon Go Craze is GREAT for Entrepreneurs 

People have been found playing PokemonGo in the delivery room.

App developers around the world are sure to be in awe of the Pokèmon Go craze that has excited people around the globe. No one could have predicted the volume of interest in a gaming app even if they had the best predictive data of all time. The game has nostalgia, challenge, and a little bit of new technology all rolled in to one. This seems to be a winning combination!Here are some recent facts about the game:

  1. Initial release date was July 6, 2016.
  2. The game was developed between a partnership with Nintendo and Niantic.
  3. Nintendo has sold more than 277 million Pokémon games to date, over 21.5 billion trading cards in ten languages, and made seventeen feature films over the past two decades.
  4. Pokèmon actually means Pocket Monster.
  5. In less than a week after its release, Pokémon GO is reportedly bigger than Tinder in the US.
  6. According to SimilarWeb the Usage Time of Pokémon GO is taking up a lot of its user’s time. On July 8th, the app was being used an average of 43 minutes, 23 seconds a day. This is higher than other popular apps like Whatsapp, Instagram, Snapchat, and Messenger.
  7. In less than a week, Pokèmon Go has had 6 million mentions on Twitter. (Adweek)
  8. According to Spreadfast, the most popular cities for the game are Culver City, Calif.; Houston; Chicago; San Antonio; and Manhattan were the buzziest locations, according to the company.
  9. Several brands have been caught tweeting about the game. Check out tweets from Southwest Airlines, KFC France, Sprint, Walmart captured in the article from Adweek.
  10. Nintendo has sold more than 277 million Pokemon games to date, over 21.5 billion trading cards in 10 languages, and made 17 feature films over the last 20 years. Time will tell how Pokemon Go matches up to those numbers. (Pocket-Lint)

If you are confused on how to play and the terminology being used, Pocket-Lint has the best write up I have seen to date. Spend a few minutes here to get a better understanding.

If you are an entrepreneur, here is why you should pay attention to this phenomenon:

  1. Follow The Eyeballs – As Gary Vaynerchuck says, you have to figure out how to Day Trade Attention and at this moment, the world is paying attention to this game at the moment. This is one of the best news jacking opportunities that a business owner can jump on at the moment. Remember to add the hashtag #PokèmonGo to your post.
  2. Promote!  Promote! Promote! – You can create a promotion around the Pokèmon brand and get awesome reach without having to pay to boost your post. Many are advertising the fact that they have a Pokèmon stop near their business.  The discounts that they are giving to patrons are extremely creative and a lot of fun. This type of promotion is a great way to introduce yourself to a new audience.
  3. Market Research – The Pokèmon craze gives you a sense of what those around the globe are finding interesting.  Game play, nostalgia, mobile, getting outside, learning about a variety of landmarks, and the list could go on and on. Take note of how you could apply this to your business. Do you have an app that you are creating? Can you incorporate some of these elements in to your app? Can you add some sort of game play to a promotion that you are running? Now is the time to think out of the box and capitalize on this new platform that is only going to grow.
  4. Stand Out From The Crowd – Pokèmon Go is one of the first virtual reality mobile games that have been successfully created. This is the first of many more to come. To date, we are already seeing some copy cat apps trying to ride the wave. If you feel something in your gut, go for it.  Pokèmon Go actually started from employees at Google working on their side project.  Ultimately, Google decided to let them go because they thought that it would be better for the growth of their company to be a stand alone.  As they say, the rest is history.

Pokèmon Go is actually celebrating 20 years.  Be sure that you check out their celebratory website and post your favorite memories from Pokèmon over the years using the hashtag #Pokemon20.

Take a look at this video from The Verge that will really take you back through the Pokemon history.

The BET Award Show was LIT!

From the moment the 2016 BET Awards show opened with Beyonce to the after party where DJ Khaled released his new video, this awards show will be remembered as one of the best productions that BET has produced in many years. Even with all of the fun that was being had during the entire awards show experience, the bottom line is that this show was about business and each of the artists and actors that were on the show used the global platform to promote the projects that they had coming next.

We will explore The BET Award show from the business aspect.

The PreShow

Typically, you see newer acts perform during the preshow.  Acts that perform here are trying to break from being considered a newbie. So, although you have an act signed by Puff Daddy, they still have to work their way on to the main show. Diddy understands promotion and marketing on a level that many have been educated in marketing still do not get to this day. His act performed, he made an appearance in the audience, and he shared it out in social media.

The lesson for entrepreneurs here is not to be afraid to use a testing ground before you hit a ‘MAIN’ stage.  This will allow you to do some preliminary research before you release to the masses. But, when you do testing like this, its best to bring your A Game.  Testing out your B Game is a complete waste of time.

The Opening

 

Beyonce has not graced a BET Awards Show stage in many years, but this year she used her presence to the fullest. Sisters Chole and Halle Bailey, one of the first signees to Beyonce’s Parkwood Entertainment, were able to have a prime time for performing during the show.

The lesson here for your business is to always think about how you can negotiate to the benefit of your business. BET is going to benefit heavily for at least the rest of the year from Beyonce’s performance. So, in return, she has the right to also gain a little extra for her time to prepare and perform on the show. The searches that their website will get, the buzz that is created because of her performance, the boost to the BET brand is all things that Beyonce can bring to the table and deliver on.

What you have to do is to understand what you are bringing to the table to use as leverage as you negotiate for your business?

The After Show

DJ Khaled, who has a highly engaged Snapchat following, was allowed to perform at the PreShow and also promote the fact that he was releasing his new video that features JayZ and Future. What you have to remember is that DJ Khaled is a DJ, not a rapper, but he has a HUGE rap album with a mega collaboration being released.

There is a lot of business behind this act from numerous directions. The first element is that DJ Khaled can now be considered an influencer on Snapchat. The idea that he will be promoting the BET Awards show and the release of his new album on his Snapchat channel is a WIN for BET.

Secondly, DJ Khaled is touring with Beyonce on the Formation World Tour. JayZ looked at this as an AWESOME way to THANK DJ Khaled for stopping what he was doing to tour with his wife.  But, it really was a WIN-WIN-WIN for all involved.

Think about ways that you can collaborate with other business owners that can make for a mutually beneficial situation where everyone wins.  These collaborations have benefits that go beyond that of the actual act.

 

Spot The Story

As an advocate of your brand (be it corporate, entrepreneurial, or personal) you have to be able to spot stories that are around you. This skill may not come naturally, but you can train yourself to do it.

First understand that something in your average day may not be so average to someone else. Your shopping mall may look interesting to someone else in a different part of the world, your meal preparation techniques may be different then someone in your own neighborhood, someone may have no idea how you do what you do in your business. Each of these activities are stories that go behind the curtain (so to speak).

Spotting even the most basic story may lead to a viral push for your brand or message. Consumers are now more drawn to the story of people than a logo. Once the authentic nature of your brands story is told, then you will begin to attract an audience to you that remains loyal to your brand.
Everyone has a story….

So often we hear the complaint that I don’t have anything to share. My answer to that complaint is simply, “YES, everyone has a story and many of us tend to pass by all of the stories that are right at your fingertips.” Start with sharing your journey. How did you get to the point that you are at today. Better yet, WHY are you at the point that you are at today? When you share your WHY, you will be surprised how the right people gravitate towards you.

The obstacles that you faced and the lessons that you learned from those obstacles are all great sources for content. This is content that may find someone stuck in their journey and really help them through a tough spot.

Also, consider sharing the real benefit from what your product or service will offer along with what problem it actually solves. This will require true authenticity on why someone would need to purchase your product or service if you can clearly state what “problem” you are solving.

Additional ideas on creating content around your brand….

1. Look at sharing your milestones (i.e., your business anniversary, your birthday, a move to a new building)

2. Check the trending list on Facebook and Twitter. These list can give you an idea of what the “majority” of people are interested in. Figure out ways that you can tie in your story to stories that already have a bit of virality.

3. Share info about the people in your organization. This is a win all the way around. People love recognition and the people outside of your organization will love to learn who makes your organization tick.

Take-A-Ways From Attending DIGSOUTH

This was my first time attending the DIGSOUTH conference in Charleston, South Carolina.  I have attended many conferences and I have to say that this is now one of my favorites.  Because I was selected to live tweet some of the sessions, I have the perspective of an attendee and staff.

This is the 4th year of the DIGSOUTH Conference and on day one, the conference opened with upwards of 1500 people in attendance. The stage was beautifully designed and the music playing in the background always kept the atmosphere fun.

DIG Stage

POWER

The theme of the conference this year was POWER.  I saw the concept weaved in and I love the idea of the power that we all posses with the support of technology, collaboration, and innovation. This is a great time to be an entrepreneur.  At your fingertips, you now have access to the world.

The Venue: The Galliard Center

The Galliard Center is a new facility located in the heart of the historic district of Charleston. I was able to easily walk to King Street for lunch, catch a trolley that drove around the historic district, and find a nice hotel to stay that was within 2 miles of the venue.

The inside of the venue is what made the conference. From a ping pong table to rooms properly equipped for presentations, this venue was perfect for this style of conference.  The only negative was the fact that the sponsors that participated in the Trade Show were kind of tucked away from the main elements of the conference.  Because they were off the beaten path, many did not think to go visit the sponsor area.

As a side note, I was impressed with the number of sponsors that supported the conference. It may be worth considering to have a lot of small sponsors as opposed to going for just the bigger sponsors. As I put together conferences in the future, I now have a few ideas of how to add in some benefits to some sponsors that may not be able to shell out the big bucks.

Networking

Almost every person that I chatted with stated that they loved meeting the great people that are in #DIGNATION.  People were exchanging information in each of the sessions that I was in, at spaces in the hall ways, and sitting outside on the benches.  Those that attended this conference were a special group of start-ups, seasoned entrepreneurs, techies, e-gamers, and so much more.

Content

The comment that I heard most from attendees was, “I am now even more inspired to go after my dreams.” People left DIGSOUTH with information that they could apply to their businesses today.  Many of the speakers talked about situations that they really implemented on a limited budget. All of the speakers were approachable and willing to share everything that they experienced.

Top Business Take-A-Ways from DIGSOUTH

  1. It’s all about the story you tell about your brand that will encourage people to want to do business with you.
  2. Pay close attention to the e-Gaming industry. It sold out Madison Square Garden in 9 minutes.
  3. Don’t look at social media as a marketing tool, but as a medium to connect.
  4. Focus on the voice of your brand and post good content.
  5. 70% of social videos are watched without audio. – @Shonduras
  6. Humans’ attention span is now less than a goldfish.
  7. Innovation does not care about your feelings. -@GaryVee
  8. Don’t be afraid to use plain text emails. It’s a great way to stay out of the promotions tab on Gmail.
  9. If your demo is 30 and under spend 50% of your budget on Snapchat. -@GaryVee
  10. If pitching an investor, be sure to build necessary relationships first so they will be inclined to pay attention to your pitch.

Entrepreneurs Think Tank Launches on Periscope

Entrepreneurs Think Tank BannerPeriscope has presented many benefits to those that take advantage of the power of live streaming. From humanitarian work to increasing profits, we now have the ability to take our efforts globally. Recently, the team at Selsi Enterprises was discussing how great it would be to bring entrepreneurs together on a regular basis to talk about the good, the bad, and the ugly of entrepreneurship.

We presented the idea to Parachute TV on Periscope and a few months later, we got the green light to bring the show to life.  Our first show went great and the numbers were great for our first time on their channel. We had a quiet audience in the background, but hope to bring our audiences in to the discussion. The mission of the show is for entrepreneurs to help other entrepreneurs reach their full potential.

We did a lot to prepare for the show from checking the lighting to prepping the guest. We also did a little prepromotion for the show. Prepromotion is one of this most important task to do when launching an effort like this one.  Your followers may not realize what you have planned and may miss being there for the live broadcast.

I am not going to spoil the content that you are going to see in the video, but feel free to comment about additional information that you would have asked our guest. These seasoned entrepreneurs are open to sharing all that they have learned along the way.

Thank you to our friends at Sis and Moon’s for letting us come in to their space.  Follow Sis an Moon’s on all social media platforms from their website www.sisandmoons.com.

Scope Day Atlanta is coming – Jan 23

Scope Day Atlanta Jan 23, 2016

You may have heard that Selsi Enterprises is putting together an event titled Scope Day Atlanta. This event will be the first of its kind for any city to participate in around the world.  This is an event that will take place on Periscope and will highlight all of the great elements of the city of Atlanta and surrounding areas.

Scope Day was founded by a gentleman in Taiwan named Mike Lin. In a matter of 30 days, he pulled off a Scope Day that allowed people to travel around the world via their mobile devices on the app Periscope.

Here are some details about what took place on the original Scope Day:

  • Take a look at that scopes that were captured using the hashtag #ScopeDay via our partner Katch.
  • Here is a look at the press release that went out for Scope Day.
  • Recent press coverage – Australia and Adweek

The potential for Atlanta to be on a world stage with this effort is huge! This event will garner the attention of people globally and introduce them to a piece of Atlanta that they may not have seen.  From athletes to authors, the broadcasters in this event will be amazing.

If you are live streaming and you live in Atlanta, be sure to join our Facebook group titled Atlanta Live Streamers.

Stay tuned for additional details on Scope Day Atlanta.

 

Are you in?

Yes, that is the question of the day! Are you in?

We have issued a challenge to all of you that are brave enough to take it! We want you to Scope EVERYDAY! Yes, EVERYDAY.

The reason for this challenge is because the number one question that we are receiving at our agency is….’How can I grow the following for my brand?’ The answer. There is not magic bullet to grow your following, but Scoping can help speed the process. Well, if you put out GREAT content, consistently.

Here are the rules of the challenge:

1. Use the #SED16 in your title
2. Sign up for a Katch account at www.katch.me
3. Sign up for our eNewsletter by clicking here.
4. Scope EVERYDAY. There is not time limit on your scopes. The idea is simply to hi the Start Broadcast button.

Winners will be chosen randomly by the team at Selsi Enterprises as prizes are available.

Have fun!

The Success of World Anti Troll Day

Anti Troll Day RecapWorld Anti Troll Day came together from an idea that Zsuzsanna Szkiba (Susie) had and brought to life with the help of her community, The BoPoTribe.  From the moment she mentioned it, the BoPoTribe Ambassadors were ready to help out. This team effort came to life in a matter of weeks via Periscope, Google Hangouts, Face Time, a lot of text messages, Dropbox, and Google Drive.  This was truly a virtual team working together at its finest.

If you are not familiar with World Anti Troll Day, here is a brief synopsis for the reason for the day.  

Since Periscope’s beginnings, people have come on to others Scopes and made comments like ‘Open Boobs’ and ‘Sex’ just to name a few. These ideas are not only inappropriate, but they keep people from wanting to share their message on social media. These individuals that come on to someone’s Scopes and say terrible comments are called Trolls.  Trolls like to stay hidden in the shadows and try to discourage others from their greatness. But, on World Anti Troll Day, we have decided to silence the Trolls.

Read more about all that went on throughout World Anti Troll Day by clicking here.

#WATD was an Amazing Day

There were so many positive messages shared around body positivity and anti bullying. People shared their stories for 24 hours on Periscope, Blab, and several other platforms. I loved the fact that you could log in and see several scopes going at a time with the #WATD in the title. The community stepped up and I truly feel that a small dent was made to raise awareness about body shaming and cyber bullying.  I also feel that the best is yet to come.  Many stated in their scopes that this was only the beginning.  I think what the BoPoTribe has successfuly done is to awaken people around a topic that needed this new found attention.  The organization is sure to change the world!

Lesson’s learned from #WATD

  1. One person can have an idea that will change the world.
  2. You never know how many more people are out there that will help you bring your dreams to reality.
  3. Your words are powerful, select them wisely.
  4. All bodies are good bodies!

Next steps

If you are not connected to the BoPoTribe, look for our group on all social platforms.  You will be able to stay in the loop on what we are working on next to fight against body shaming and cyber bullying.

My scope

http://katch.me/embed/v/fad8f4d2-d7fa-3c9e-8c28-0ffd65ff30ac?sync=1

Selsi University is Underway!

Are you getting noticed in the media?  
If the answer is no, what are you doing to change it?

Many entrepreneurs find themselves stuck on trying to decide if they should be working in their business or on growing their business.  Unfortunately, you need to do a little bit of both.

If your business is young, it can sometimes be a challenge to determine how to fit PR into your budget.  Because we have heard this so much, we decided to create Selsi University for those entrepreneurs who are ready for a little media attention, but are not to the point that they can retain PR representation.

Click here to learn more about what Selsi University has to offer!

Periscope Summit Recap

periscope-logo-1920

New York Scope Week (AKA Periscope Summit) was one of the best “conferences” that I have attended in a long time. For a first time event, this by far exceeded my expectations. Here are my top take-a-ways from the event:

  1. Community – The supportive nature of the Periscope community is almost hard to believe. Everyone was exchanging contact information and business tips every day of the event. The authentic networking at this event is probably the top reason to attend in person. This is more than just exchanging a business card.
  2. Location – MIST Harlem turned out to be an AWESOME location. The stadium style seating was great and made it easy for everyone to see the presenters. New York City, although an expensive city to travel to, is full of a variety of activities to do outside of the conference. That was great for those of us that had family with us on the trip. Having a conference in a city with great public transportation is also a WIN.
  3. Presenters and Panelist – Everyone that spoke provided gems of information that we could all take back and apply to our business immediately.  Take the time to go to each of the speakers Katch.me sites to see if they saved their presentations. For the speakers that did, it will be well worth the time to watch the presentations in their entirety.
  4. Attending the next Periscope Summit is a must – If you were like me at the Summit, it was difficult to get to speak with all of the people you may have wanted to speak with that were in attendance. The beauty of attending in person is that you could pick up with conversations right off the bat that you may have started on Periscope.  Many people made connections that they will be able to call on if they visit that persons city.  The presenters were also very approachable and stayed around for the entire conference. I can’t imagine how AWESOME the next conference will be as more people are taking about attending.

If you attended the conference, please put your thoughts in the comments below. Many people have asked me why you should attend in person if you can see everything on Scope.  The answer is simple…..the in real life connections are invaluable.  They are worth way more then the price of the ticket. This is a conference that you want to attend in person!