Get fit…with tech

One word: Exercise. One problem: Where do you do it?

Anywhere…you do it anywhere!

With the help of technology and the web, finding ways to do exercise in and out of the gym on your own watch is increasingly becoming the go-to way of getting in shape.  While your iPhone and computer can never replace the personal experience you get with a trainer in the gym, or the energy you feel in a group fitness setting, there are many new applications and services out there to help you train, eat right, and balance your life.  What’s more, they’re all inexpensive solutions or…completely free!

I’ve put together a useful list of health, nutrition, and exercise based websites and iPhone apps that I believe will help you train and balance your life smarter – on your own time – while offering you the encouragement and reinforcement you need to get on your way into shape!

Getting Started

Body Mass Index Calculator – use this to get a baseline to see what kind of shape you’re in.

Life Expectancy Calculator – this is a little bit for fun, but can help you realize if you need to make any life changes to improve your overall health and life expectancy.

GymTicket.com – this site can help you find a gym near you with all the equipment and classes you might need. What’s best is they often offer free passes and discounts online for you to try them out first!

Nutrition

Calorie Tracker – use this iPhone app to access a massive database of foods to keep count of your daily calories.

CalorieKing.com – the largest online food database. Use it to research calories in normal foods, restaurant meals (hint: stay away from Cheesecake Factory), plus extra nutrition tips.

Lose It! – use this app to track everything from calories, foods, exercises and more – and it all displays in pretty graphs.

Graphite – this is an interesting website that also helps you track the foods you intake, while charting your progress interactively online.

Fitness Trackers

Traineo – use this site to not only track your progress, but download exercises and ideas to help you get in shape and stay motivated with over 200,000 other members.

PeerTrainer – this website is a great way to help you stay motivated.  Why work out alone when you can find a buddy to share your progress with over the web? The site also has a number of other features to help you stay on track and get fit.

HyperStrike.com – subscription based workout suggestions, full programs, instructional videos, tips on building muscles and more.

iMapMyRun – an iPhone app that uses your phone’s GPS to track your distance, speed, and route as you run.

Prêt-a-Yoga Lite – it’s like having your Yoga instructor in your pocket! Sort of…worth checking out.

Workout Videos

ExerciseTV – have no idea what to do in the gym for strength training or cardio? ExercsieTV has a huge repository of videos ready for you to watch anywhere you can access them for free.

MyPipeline – iPod and iPhone -ready workouts for you to download for free and use anywhere!

—

I hope you find some of these websites and applications useful or at least interesting – good luck!

Telling People What You Do (with TP)

Last night I listened to a speaker talk about something we all depend on, yet don’t think much of – for about an hour – at 11PM.  A 45 minute presentation on the art of selling toilet paper.  I have to say I spent a large portion of the presentation thinking about how the speaker must tell people what he does for a living, because saying, “Hi, I’m Bob, and I sell paper you wipe your ass with,” probably wouldn’t garner him much respect.

In my professional selling course we actually just went over how to tackle such an issue. How do you tell people what you do when it’s something so commonplace and boring that they won’t even give you a second of their time?

Step 1: Highlight the features of the item you sell (using TP as an example)

• Soft
• White
• Post-consumer material
• Durable
• Commodity
• Life necessity

Step 2: Define the benefits of these features

• Soothing to the touch
• Light and clean
• Great for the environment
• Holds up under any circumstance
• Frequently purchased item
• People live or die by it

Step 3: I’m in the business of…

“Hi, my name is Bob, and I’m in the business of providing the population with one of the most environmentally beneficial, clean, durable, and sought after products on the market.”

Would you feel a little more like talking to Bob now?  It’s getting that first meeting that counts – but just make sure that your following presentation is worthy of someone’s time.

“Bob’s” presentation was less than exciting, as expected, but I have to give him respect for getting up and presenting on a career in such an industry.  I’m sure he does his job very well, and let’s be honest – he sells the one thing everyone needs – but there was definitely more he could have done to engage our attention at such an ungodly hour to be at school. It was probably the longest night of my life. Craptastic if you will (ba-dum-CHING!)

And looking back, the only thing we knew about Bob before he came in that night was that he was a “professional” …and haven’t we all fallen for THAT one before?

Facebook Stalking

Some consider Facebook stalking an art.  Me?  It’s just a common past time.

It’s amazing how much you can learn about a person online just by knowing a few bits of information about them: first name, location, email – plug those into Facebook, LinkedIn, Myspace, or of course, Google – and you have yourself a person’s life story.  Or at least a little background check and photo.

I think it is a good common practice to make sure you know what information about you is out there.  There are obviously many privacy settings installed on various social media sites, but it is very easy for information you post to get past you and be leaked on to the internets forever.

My favorite thing to do in this manner is Google myself – I often do this to see what a “normal” person would be able to find when searching for me.  My tip?  Control the information they might find about you.  I personally made sure that the top results in the search are of the professional nature, and I control the content that is on those pages.  If you Google yourself and nothing comes up, I would recommend creating a LinkedIn profile (which seems to always garner the top rank provided you have a unique name) or build a simple personal website.

Additionally – make sure your privacy settings for Facebook, Twitter, and of more recent popularity: Foursquare – are turned off to the public.  I understand how this limits your reach in information sharing, but if you need to have a personal account and do want to share with the world, I would certainly suggest opening up another account to handle these different aspects of your life and carefully moderating what you say.  While your friends may care that you hate people that don’t signal and cut you off and continue to drive erratically almost forcing you off the road, your future employer might not.  Note to future employers: Miami has the most incidents of road rage in the country.

On another note: I have a theory about the new chat feature showing “Friends Online” of the redesigned Facebook located on the left side populates these friends based on their browsing activity…more specifically, how recently they have interacted with you on Facebook, which includes stalking your profile. I believe this to be true because it shows people I would never talk to on chat, but have a feeling they may be looking at my profile…..or maybe I’m just paranoid and flattering myself. In any case, I’d investigate for yourself.

I would recommend reading this article by the NY Times for a good drill-down of the privacy settings you should make sure you check out.

NY, NY

Living four years in Miami is a long time, especially when you consider the fact that it is nearly impossible to communicate with anyone because my Spanish only goes as far as the Chipotle menu.  A Minnesotan at heart, I consider myself passively aggressive enough to pass for easy going under most circumstances, but Miami has hardened and prepared me for the next step.  Enter cliché: JM is moving to New York City.

According to Jay-Z and Alicia Keys, those streets will make me feel brand new, the lights will inspire me, and it’s the concrete jungle what dreams are made of.  Of course, getting off the plane all I could think about was how cold my hands were and how much lotion it would take to restore movement in my dry, frozen face.

I was nervous about missing my flight due to an impressive snowstorm that hit the city the day before, but things seemed to be back to normal by the time I made my entrance.  Making my way to the taxi line, I got my first real taste of the city: an oversized duffle body-blow from a woman running through the automatic doors outside. Luckily I was already numb at that point but imagined it would have really hurt under normal conditions.

I hopped into a cab after loading my suitcase myself into the trunk, which would have bothered me if not for being immediately distracted by the TV in the backseat of the taxi.  I began to think about how amazingly far we’ve come in life in terms of technology until ads started screaming at me to try laser hair removal and I decided we were probably better off in the dark ages of pay phones and roller skates.

Forty dollars and ten miles later I was at my friend’s apartment in Midtown where I was greeted by a friendly front deskman who had just finished listening to a resident complain about her new window installation that hadn’t taken place yet.  And loud enough for everyone in a three block radius to hear.

I had a great time exploring the city trying to find “the best” pizza (note: not John’s Pizzeria), tracked down some stationary after hitting up every pharmacy on the island, and spent a good amount of each day enjoying the people watching.  The nightlife in New York certainly resembles Miami, except for enduring the freezing temperatures on the outside and a $4 coat check.

Who knows what the city has in store for me, it seems to change people either for the better or worse and everyone’s story is different.  Though one thing is certain: no matter how long I end up living in New York, I promise to move back to Minnesota before I forget what “Minnesota nice” is.

I mean, Minnesota passive-aggressive.

What’s in a name?

JM, John Michael, J’Michael, John…who?

I confuse a lot of people on a daily basis.  I was born John Michael, a combination of  two of the most popular names in Western Civilization.  Together, they form a unique first name most people feel is just too long and exhausting to say (coming in at a whopping 3 syllables).  When I came to college, I decided to make the world an easier place to live by nicknaming myself JM.

Yes, I nicknamed myself.

Beginning with a change to my name on Facebook a week before I left for Miami, I started calling myself JM – something no one had ever really called me save for in an email or on instant messenger.  If you’ve ever willingly changed your name before, you would know how weird it is to be called something you’ve never associated yourself with before.  Then again, I imagine only a dog has experienced that – which is how I felt to begin with.

The “cocktail party effect,” I learned, is the human ability to pick up on an auditory stimulus – like your name – that stands out to you in a mess of words and conversation, for example at a party.  You can ignore everything around you and focus on a single conversation, or immediately turn your attention when you hear your name in the background.  It took a good month for me to realize people were talking to me when they were shouting, “JM – JM!! – JM!!!!” right next to me.  Many thought I was either rude or hard of hearing.

Of course, JM doesn’t exactly flow off the tip of the tongue, which I realized when I started being called “Jan” and “Jim” by strangers I’d introduced myself to.  Additionally, I began to learn that people calling me John Michael were more or less calling me J’Michael, perhaps in a sort of evolution of the name in today’s fast-paced, urgent setting.

Professionally speaking, I go by John.  Sure, it isn’t my name of choice, and I sit next to three other Johns at work (including one Juan), but it’s easy.  Maybe it’s my own little way, in a sense, of separating my personal life from my professional life.

So, to all of you: call me what you want.  Either way – weird name, I know, but you’ll get used to it.

Just J'michael

StrengthsFinder: JM Edition

I recently took the StrengthsFinder 2.0 challenge.  I resisted it initially, because really – if there’s one thing I know really well, it’s me.  If I think you care about getting to know me, I could talk about myself until you don’t want to know anymore.  In fact, you might wish you had a time machine to go back and retract your initial, “How are you?” But still, as much as I do know about myself, sometimes it’s more difficult to really get my qualities down to a pin-pointed explanation.

I really like the message of the book: focus on what you do well, spending your time improving those areas even more.  I am a big fan of accepting what reality is in life, whether it be good or bad, and while of course improving your weak areas should not be overlooked, I feel we spend way too much time as a society (especially in business) focusing on what is wrong rather than excelling at what already works.  I’m fortunate to feel like I’m on the right track going into something I am already good at and really enjoy, so it shouldn’t be a challenge to shift my focus on my strengths.

Now for the StrengthsFinder analyzation of JM, excerpted from my official report:

1. Individualization:
   People who are especially talented in the Individualization theme are intrigued with the unique qualities of each person. They have a gift for figuring out how people who are different can work together productively. I think this is extremely true and something I’ve always known about myself.  I find myself to be very understanding of people different than myself, often a step ahead in the conversation.  Most importantly, this helps in terms of understanding the markets and the customers I interact with.  I guess you would say I am a good judge of character.  I can also sense dishonesty a mile away – so watch out…
2. Connectedness:
People who are especially talented in the Connectedness theme have faith in the links between all things. They believe there are few coincidences and that almost every event has a reason. I certainly believe that everything happens for a reason.  I wouldn’t be here right now if it didn’t, and I wouldn’t be who I am if not for everything I’ve been through.  Knowing that every experience has a way of making something right really inspires me.
3. Communication:
People who are especially talented in the Communication theme generally find it easy to put their thoughts into words. They are good conversationalists and presenters. This is true and not true.  In writing: yes.  In open conversation: it depends.  I find that in certain scenarios I really struggle to put my thought into word, often tripping over myself in situations I’m not an expert on.  If I am well prepared, I can present like a champion – if not, you will probably hear my mumbles (which I’m convinced is a speech impediment and need to see someone for).
4. Strategic:
People who are especially talented in the Strategic theme create alternative ways to proceed. Faced with any given scenario, they can quickly spot the relevant patterns and issues. When I was a kid, I would take apart TVs and radios to see how they worked.  I could build something amazing out of nothing.  I loved problems and finding their solutions in every form.  Today, I can write a computer program from start to finish, or develop a well-planned project strategy from a simple idea.  I’m not playing with legos anymore, but I’m still the analytic-minded kid deep down.
5. Ideation:
People who are especially talented in the Ideation theme are fascinated by ideas. They are able to find connections between seemingly disparate phenomena. I think one of my greatest qualities is the fact that I possess both an analytical and creative mind.  I’m a thinker – and I think big.  Whether or not anything comes of the out-of-this-world thought, it’s a quality that I think sets me apart.

There are, of course, a LOT of things I wish I were better at; no one needs a book called WhyYouSuckFinder 1.0 to figure that out.  But if you really want to know, just sit back, relax, and watch me struggle…

Faith and Success

I just got a card in the mail from my mom and thought I’d share the words inside of it with you.  I don’t think I’ve ever really paid much attention to what was actually written on cards; maybe it has to do with the lack of sincerity in the hallmark-stamped message, but it meant a lot to me to get this from my mom, especially with what is going on in both of our lives at the moment.

As you grow and experience more things in your young life, know that there will inevitably be obstacles to encounter.  But don’t worry that they will seem too great for you to handle, because you can. You may doubt yourself at times, but know that if you have faith, you have everything. Faithis the key to being successful.

If you know you are capable of anything because of who you are, you will always reach your destination.  It may not always be easy, but it will always be worth it.  Look ahead of you, never behind. Have faith in yourself. If you do, you will be amazed at what you can accomplish.

Remember, Son, life is what you make it… and more.  -T.L. Nash

To let you know how proud I am of you.  I love you, Mom

I think these words ring very true, and I feel ready to tackle what lies ahead having been through a lot this past year.  These life-changing moments are the most challenging, but definitely the most rewarding because of it.  I’m proud of you too, Mom, and I’m excited to share the future with you.  I wouldn’t be where I am today if not for what we’ve already been through.

2010

[Insert Standard Apology] I have not updated in awhile.  Things got a little crazy towards the end of the semester as I was juggling several internships, school, and my social life in Miami.  I have to say things finished strong, and I am very excited about next semester.

I spent my New Year in San Juan Del Sur, Nicaragua, where I have spent my last 4 NYEs.  My dad moved down there about 9 years ago, and I have to say it is one of my favorite places on Earth.  I spent a lot of my free time on the beach thinking about my future and met some very interesting people in town (as I always do).  Nicaragua draws some remarkable people, all of whom I assume are on the same sort of journey – either looking to catch the killer wave (Nica is known for some of the best surfing on the Pacific) or getting away from it all in a low-key, beautiful town.

Bay of San Juan Del Sur, Nicaragua

I’m kicking the job search into full gear as we speak.  I now know I’m looking for a career in emerging media and digital marketing – I’ve become increasingly passionate about the internet and web technologies over the years, and this feels just right to me.  I know I have a lot to offer, it’s just a matter of demonstrating that to those that give me a chance.  I landed another great internship which I really hope to kick some major butt in – can’t wait!

I have faith in myself as I’ve made it this far, and can’t be anything but hopeful for the future.   New York, Chicago, DC?  We’ll see where the job search takes me, but one thing is certain: I have what it takes to find my place.

Cheers to the new year 🙂

Using Social Media to Sell Products

Why haven’t the rules of using social media to sell products online been defined?

From what I’ve heard, social media doesn’t sell products – PEOPLE do.  But I do believe that leveraging the many social media platforms and their useful functions can certainly push products much quicker and inexpensively than traditional online marketing techniques can.

I believe there are three key ways one can use social media to sell a product, outlined below.  These are some assumptions, understanding the concepts of social media and its interactive nature and using them to sell a product, so please comment if you have any ideas.

Personality

Social Media is a highly personal platform.  While many companies choose to simply represent their brands online as a different marketing channel, some choose to add personality to the company by allowing employees and high-level executives to actually communicate and interact with customers.  This, in turn, allows the customers to have a more personal aspect in their interaction with the company.

• Applying this to selling a product is simple: form a relationship in a similar way a salesperson might when meeting a person for the first time in real life.  Do not go for that “hard-sell” – leverage the relationship, push for communication, stress the qualities of the product, and encourage feedback.
• Work in relatable stories or a history to bond with customers.  Many salespeople use this technique to appeal to a wide variety of customers, and just because you’re hidden behind a computer screen doesn’t mean you shouldn’t either.  Prove you’re human – try blogging or giving them a link to your personal Twitter.
• Incorporate images of the person who is actually interacting with the customer.  This might include a simple employee profile, or integrating with personal social media platforms. The customer will feel like you are authentic, more comforting than feeling like an entire conglomerate of a company is behind the sale of the product.
• Try to leverage the “halo-effect” – when people have a good opinion about someone or something, it translates to other aspects of them, including the product they may be offering.  Using a personality online with great appeal (which is up to you who you could choose) may translate into better buyer sentiments toward your product.

Authority

In most cultures, people respond to and trust authority.  The sense of authority gives people stronger faith in the product and service they are receiving.  Hearing about a product from a high-level executive, celebrity endorser, or simply a person with some authoritative power will give the customer the sense trust needed to build a relationship and bond with the product.

• In selling a product, the source of the message carries a high value.  Emphasize credibility.  Credible sources can serve as peripheral cues for making a simplified judgement.
• No snake-oil salesman tricks do the job online these days, people are too skeptical.  Use personalities that a person can trust to sell your product, those who seem to want to form a true bond with the customer.  This should be your main goal in using social media, anyway.
• Link to credible sites to backup your product to use as reinforcements from other well-established online sources.  Studies show that consumers are less likely to trust a blogger’s or website’s opinion over their friend’s – which isn’t shocking – but what if the website links to other credible websites or other bloggers that either backup their product or link to information about problems the product solves?  Hearing it from more than one source will make the opinion more popular.

Social Proof

People want what their friends want.  People listen to their friends and other people to make judgements: the trendier the item, the more people want it.  It’s a no-brainer to offer social proof to emphasize your previous customers and hype the responses you’ve gotten in the past (of course, highlighting the positive reactions).

• Allow reviews.  While you may receive negative responses in reaction to some of your products, reviews allow customers to make a judgement based off of others.  Offer incentives to get customers to come back and leave reviews.
• Answer questions and offer solutions in the public space.  Interact with your customers.
• Tie-in to Facebook, Twitter, and LinkedIn accounts – but go beyond simply offering a link.  Get users to login to your site with a commenting application like Disqus – this will prove that users visiting your site are real people, and will offer people more ways to connect than ever before.

I have used some of these strategies in campaigns to sell very unique products that have wide appeal, and modifying as time goes on to see which strategies have the best effect in selling the product online.  There is always a way!

VMAs

What did you think of the VMAs?

I watched it live, and have to say I was just as shocked as everyone else when Kanye made Taylor Swift cry (word has it she was hysterical backstage and had to be convinced to stay), Lady Gaga’s disturbing rendition of her song Paparazzi, and Lil Mama’s major stage-rush fail.

I wanted to commend MTV for doing such a great job incorporating social media into the event in live time.  The company worked with Radian6 to provide live visualization of online buzz surrounding the event, and reported the results throughout the show as well as on its website.  The number of tweets surrounding each event skyrockted traffic at Twitter and certainly created more buzz for the event.

I personally found it much more enjoyable to watch knowing I could have instantaneous conversations with hundreds of friends via Facebook and Twitter, and certainly made each show-stopping event all the more exciting.  I believe upcoming widely televised events, including the Oscars and the Super Bowl, will become even more popular and give each event a new life.

As for my favorite tweet of the evening?

Kanye West just jumped on the train and told Taylor Swift that the 4/5/6 is a better subway line.

Major props to Taylor Swift for killing it minutes after Kanye proved to the world he still isn’t worthy of anyone’s respect.