Handshakin' - Blog about marketing, startups, online assets, and properties

How to Optimize Your Directory Listings to Rank Organically

1/21/2019

If your business relies mainly on local customers, you should take advantage of every opportunity to market your business within your immediate area.

This is where local search engine optimization (SEO) comes in, its purpose being to make your business more visible in local search results.

One way to increase your visibility is through fully-optimized listings on Google, Yelp, and other directories.

Latest YouTube Marketing Trends to Follow

12/21/2018

Videos have surely become the new frontier of storytelling. This fact has not been lost on marketers, and the rush to claim this new revenue avenue will only intensify in 2019.

Industry statistics show that video content is not only effective but more and more people are opting for it.

An example of a web property that generates great monthly income

10/18/2018

It's been over a year now that Handshakin turned from an online marketing services company to a web property investment company. ... What the heck does that mean?

It means we build our own websites on our own domain names. Instead of building websites for clients. Here's a concrete lead generation website. We built a referral website "Fort Collins Concrete Contractors" and after waiting and blogging for 6 months, it started to rank on the first page of google! We have signed agreements to get paid a 15-25% commission of the concrete jobs we refer to concrete contractors that are closed.

How to make a video with pictures

8/31/2018

If you want to make a personal video but do not own a camcorder, you can either borrow one, or make a video using photos and audio. Making a video using photos is a great way to capture memorable moments, such as a wedding, birthday or anniversary, or just about any special event that you have captured in photos.

Making videos of the photographs that you have taken will allow you to present your most prized images creatively, which will make a better impact on the viewers.

Secret Hacks For Branding and Building a Following on LinkedIn

8/1/2018

It's well-known that LinkedIn is the premier social media platform for business-to-business marketing. However, many companies find it challenging to get the most out of LinkedIn. It's not enough to simply create a profile and add a few contacts. If you want to build a large and engaged following, it takes time and a sustained effort. Let's look at some of the secret hacks that the top LinkedIn networkers use.

Basic LinkedIn Tips

There are certain actions you can take to establish a strong LinkedIn presence. Let's start with some of the basics.

Create a thorough profile. Take advantage of the space LinkedIn provides to create a detailed, keyword-rich description of your business. This makes it easier for people to find you. A quality photo is also important for attracting attention and personalizing your profile (which is crucial for businesses as well as individuals).

Thoughts from a US Entrepreneur after spending 2 months in Philippines hiring For His Startup

6/10/2018

I’m in the air flying from Manila to Bangkok and had a nice 3 hour flight to share some of my biggest revelations on spending 2 months in the Philippines focused on my online business, handshakin.com.

For context, the purpose of my trip was to meet my existing team, as well as hire for two additional roles as we continue growing.

I arrived April 11th and it was startling!

Here’s a couple things anyone from US is going to notice right away.

1. Guards have big guns, but they’re actually amazing at customer service and answer your questions. Plus, they love taking pictures with foreigners.

New thoughts on real estate assets v. online assets

5/15/2018

Basically, here's why it's better you keep investing on online stuff multiple times instead of investing all of your savings on a down payment on a single piece of real estate that hopefully was the right decision.

Here's some context on my argument you should start investing and learning about online assets: I own 2 houses with a total of 7 rooms for rent. Three years ago though, I got sick of too many angry tenants and unprofessional contractors that didn't show up. However, I will admit, the houses can appreciate meaningful amounts if you buy in the right neighborhood, and it's possible to net several hundred or comfortably above $1,000 each month on each house!

I'm about to Board my Flight to Asia

4/5/2018

I'm at SFO with just a few minutes to get this published before flying to Tokyo, Japan with my Startup Denver co-organizer Mike Kilcoyne. We're mostly visiting Tokyo for pleasure and it will be my first experience staying in a hostel for a few nights. We'll see the Cherry Blossoms with a 3rd friend who is in town, and then I'm quickly off to Philippines on April 11.

Should you brand on a New Domain Extension if you can't get the .com?

3/29/2018

It's that you should buy yourname.com! But chances are you already knew that.

-Purchase the name of yourstartup.com
-Add yourname.com to your cart

Even if you use only one now, that's fine, just buy both your brand and your name so no one else can get their hands on either one.

I'd recommend using instantdomainsearch.com to quickly search for available .coms.

BUT of course chances are your top choice may not be available or a domainer is asking way too much money for it. Should you buy a domain on a new extension (like .attorney, .dental, or .pizza)?

How to PRice your Product or Service

3/21/2018

Knowing how much to charge for a product or service is going to be a make or break decision for a successful business. Price too low, and you will probably receive a ton of business but won't make ends meet, but price too high, and it will push customers away.

Handshakin' is Hiring in Philippines Next Month

3/12/2018

That's right. I'm traveling to Asia next month for half personal (seeing Cherry Blossoms in Japan), and half business. I'm incredibly excited to finally meet my team in Philippines, including one who I have worked with for over two years!

I'm planning to hire two key roles while I'm out there, a trial and sales manager, and a SEO specialist. Here's more information on the vision of Handshakin in 2018 and my next blog post will be more details on who we're looking to hire.

Building Your Personal Brand as a Trusted Authority in Your Local Community

1/31/2018

Whatever your industry, from selling power tools to baking event cakes, there is a significant business boost for people who are considered authorities in their field. An authority to who, you might ask. After all, if you are a small, local business it seems unlikely that you'll quickly gain international notoriety and have other hardware vendors knocking at your door asking you for advice, but you don't need international notoriety to build a large customer base in your hometown.

Should you Go all in on christmas Gifts or Cryptocurrencies to close out 2017?

12/20/2017

I always thought i was late to the game with Bitcoin and the other cryptocurrencies. One of my friends wrote about Bitcoin in 2012, and then bought one at $1000. He watched it fluctuate up and down, and today it's worth $17,000, down from $19,500 just a few days ago. Why would I buy now and of course, what's the least sketchy way to buy?

I never bought cryptocurrencies because i didn't understand how. It wasn't easy, plus I was more focused on investing in real estate and online assets (like domain names).

However, watching the market in the past 2 weeks has changed everything about my strategy...

The CTO of Dell EMC Big Data Consulting: how to value your data

12/1/2017

I recently linked with Bill Schmarzo, the CTO of Dell EMC, on LinkedIn, since I wanted to learn more about how the volume, variety, and velocity of data can be well managed. Of course, in corporations, it starts with what Bill calls the four M's, "Make me more money."

Bill knows that a great data strategy involved knowing what your goals are, not just looking through the data to see what you can find. I asked him these questions to help IT professionals plan for 2018.

I teamed up with a Data Analytics Consultancy!

11/8/2017

I recently met Philip Lima, the Founder of Mashey, at a 12 Mavens Mastermind group for Founders a few weeks ago. He shared with me that his business is a 2 year old data analytics consultancy. That means that they help larger companies get their data organized, pull valuable insights, and build automation around that to improve the team's performance. I got really jazzed about that because..

the modern-day handshake and 10 Ways it Differs around the world

10/16/2017

Alright, for everyone who thinks Handshakin.com is about improving your actual handshake, this piece is for you.

And if that's what you thought, we are actually about helping you meet and connect with more customers online. And yes, many of our customers have improved their in person handshake after working with us ;)

Did you know that the handshake is believed by some to have actually stemmed as a motion of peace by demonstrating that the hand holds no tool?

How a Personal Brand can Build Industry Reputation

10/8/2017

There are many things that a company and a person have in common, and one of those is the ability to make and maintain a complementary brand. For businesses, this often takes the form of a logo that thousands of employees could identify with and work under but for an individual, the central theme of your personal brand should, naturally, be you. When you have a personal brand and associate it with good work, that brand grows. As more people have the opportunity to see either your work or your brand, your reputation will grow. Soon, people will be recognizing you as part of your brand and the quality of work you provide, but you've got to start at the beginning.

How to Ensure Website Video Content Increases Engagement

9/18/2017

(Guest Post)

Odds are you know that using video content on websites has been proven to help increase
engagement. However what if you’re already publishing videos on your website and you
aren’t seeing the sort of tangible increase in engagement levels that you were hoping for?

Make no mistake, videos can’t increase engagement levels magically – and for them to do
so, you need to take the right steps.

Encouraging Employees to Help Build the Brand with a Few Simple Tips

9/13/2017

Many times employees feel disconnected from the main goals or the overall brand of a company. They come to work, clock in, put in their hours, clock out, and go home for the day.

There is no sense of belonging to the company, there is no sense of responsibility for the company brand, and many employees are not even aware of – or care about – the company’s main goals. As an employer, it is your job to fix that.

Assuming you're not the founder of one of those corporate gems, here's some tips on increasing your sales using your employees personal networks.

The Only Way to Negotiate a New Car

9/4/2017

Several months ago one of my YouTube videos really started taking off. Which for me is only 30,000+ views.

Usually I really have trouble getting more than 1,000 views.

No this post is not about personal branding, it's title, you ask? "This is How You Buy a Used Car!"

Due to popular demand here's a blog you can print and take with you for your next new car purchase.

My Crazy Experiment for September (EDIT: & October)

8/28/2017

Recently, I've had too many projects and new ideas at Handshakin'. Additionally, I've been pretty busy outside of work with friends, happy hours, intro meetings, and coffees. And I'll admit it... the occasional Netflix binge.

Sometimes I wonder what's worth it and what's not.

Weekly Vlog: You don't have a personal website?!

8/20/2017

This is the video I shot to go over last week's blog post "Personal Branding DOs and DONTs for Founders," But it took a turn for the worst the first time 'personal website' came out of my mouth.

Want to get more Vlog content? Subscribe on my YouTube channel here.

Personal Branding DOs and Donts for Founders

8/11/2017

As a startup founder, I constantly ask myself, how can I create more valuable content to increase our exposure at Handshakin, without compromising the integrity of the content.

Do you ask yourself the same? Are ghost writers okay? Are you spending too much time reposting your blog to 3rd party websites? Is consistency or quality more important?

Here's my list of the Dos and Don'ts for personal branding for founders.

Assets & Entrepreneurship: Online Assets (Part 3/3)

8/7/2017

Today, I'm most excited to tell you about a couple different ways I'm making money online. In case you missed Assets & Entrepreneurship Part 1 (Automotive) and Part 2 (Real Estate), fear not, as these are by far the most exciting strategies with the most opportunity.

Assets & Entrepreneurship: Real Estate (Part 2/3)

7/30/2017

Last week, you may have seen my blog post detailing the various ways you can make money and build your net worth in the auto industry. You might have also noticed that, although it's the easiest to get into, I don't recommend it because A) they are depreciating assets, and B) they are small assets. You'd have to own a lot of cars to make enough for one persons salary from them.

Let's talk about Real Estate and how to leverage debt (mortgages) in order to make money off appreciation of assets that are worth hundreds of thousands of dollars. Not including monthly cash flow and rental income. When building assets, let's ditch the auto industry where any asset over $100,000 is going to cost you tens of thousands instead of make you tens of thousands.

Photo & Link to my most recent fix and flip