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Blogging for Bankers - Online Course Coming This Fall!
 I'm excited to announce the launch of www.Blogging ForBankers.com, a site designed to help educate financial service professionals on the "ins and outs" of blogging. In fact, I am just returning home from an extended weekend planning session where I met with my fellow instructors Jeff Simpkins ( Community Bank Consulting, Inc. and my partner in www.FreeWebinarWednesdays.com) and Bea Fields (blogging expert, author and president of Bea Fields Companies, Inc.). This class had been "in development" for several months after meeting Bea through her guest appearances on www.FreeWebinarWednesays.com and sitting in on her Become a Blogging Maniac class. After several phone conferences, Skype chats and countless e-mail messages, we decided to get together "in-person" and churn out some content. The course will begin September 16, 2009 and be delivered over three separate, four week long modules where attendees will meet for an hour each week. Visit www.BloggingForBankers.com to check out the course outline, read more about the instructors and reserve your spot today. As the Internet becomes even more conversational, a blog will be just one more way for community banks to build relationships with their customers. Visit www.BloggingForBankers.com to learn more... |
Online Video Interview - Blogging Banker Craig Goodlock , Farmers State Bank
 Speaking of "blogging bankers", I recently had the pleasure of interviewing the Chairman and CEO of Farmers State Bank, Craig Goodlock, on my new Flip video camera to get his thoughts on blogging and ways that community banks could be using the Internet more effectively to connect with their customers.
Don't let the fact that Farmers is "only" $62 million in assets (which is pretty small in the banking world), fool you into thinking they are behind the times when it comes to using technology. Craig blogs regularly and they offer online banking, bill payment and even mobile banking to their customers (he gave me one of his cool "squishy cell phones" they used as a promotion giveaway - pretty cool).
Read (and see) the full interview here...
P.S. You can also listen to Craig's 30-minute interview on www.BankTalkRadio.net.
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Can I Get Some Computer Help... Please?
In past issues of the Internet Minute, I've talked about some great free services like Jing Project for screen capture and video sharing, TalkShoe for audio call recording ( check out the FWW.com webinar on TalkShoe) and several of the Google services that can really help to simplify your life. Well this month, I'd like to introduce you to another great (free) tool called CrossLoop. Depending on your "level of computer expertise", you've likely been on one side or the other of this conversation. In my situation, the phone rings and it's a friend or family member saying they are having "problems" with their computer, asking if I can fix it for them over the phone. While I've got a bit of computer experience, it always would be better to be sitting in front of the computer with them, to see what they are actually looking at because you just can't have every window and setting memorized. That's where CrossLoop comes in! I've been asking friends, family members (and yes, even my customers) to visit www.CrossLoop.com and download the program to their computer. It's a free download and once registered, you'll have a little program on your computer that can enable you to share your screen with someone that also has the Cross Loop program installed (like me). Don't worry, someone cannot take control over your computer unless you start the program and give them the "ID" number, so it's safe. In my situation, once the connection is made, I can easily see what's on the other end and enable me to quickly fix the problem. It's been a great way to also do training on different programs or show others how to do new things on their computer. If you're on a network, you'll want to check with your network administrator before downloading this (or any) program - since I had that job for a few years, I know how unauthorized downloads can cause problems. But the bigger value here may be on your home computer so you can help your parents with issues - or, if you're a parent you can get your kids to help YOU! Either way, it's an easy (and fun) way to deal with those pesky little computer problems that crop up from time to time. Visit Cross Loop and get started today... |
