Author Archives: debmcalister

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About debmcalister

I'm a Dallas-based marketing consultant and writer, who specializes in helping start-up technology companies grow. I write (books, articles, and blogs) about marketing, technology, and social media. This blog is about all of those -- and the funny ways in which they interesect with everyday life. It's also the place where I publish general articles on topics that interest me -- including commentary about the acting and film communities, since I have both a son and grandson who are performers.

Drawing the Line Between Personal and Professional Social Media

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Over the past week, thousands of new readers have visited this blog in response to an article on regulation and compliance in social media.  So  I’m happy to announce that’ I’ll be helping to put together a free webinar on July 14 that will … Continue reading

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What’s a Copyright Worth?

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I was reading posts in a LinkedIn Group the other day, and came across a question about whether or not it was worthwhile to register a copyright on a blog.  Copyright can seem like a jigsaw puzzle with some of … Continue reading

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How to Deliver Happiness

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In 1999, at the age of 24, Tony Hsieh (pronounced Shay) sold a company he co-founded (Link Exchange), to Microsoft for $265 million. He then joined Zappos.com  as an advisor and investor, and eventually became CEO, where he helped Zappos.com … Continue reading

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Who Owns Your LinkedIn Profile?

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On Wednesday, I saw this headline in a financial trade publication called Finextra: Actiance: All your LinkedIn profiles belong to us The accompanying story talked about compliance and social media software vendor Actiance, which had announced some new features for financial … Continue reading

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5 Things B2B Marketers Need to Know About Twitter

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I had lunch the other day with a colleague.  She’s a divisional marketing manager at one of the largest corporations in the world, and she’s gotten interested in social media as a marketing tool for her division.  About two years … Continue reading

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10 Rules for Your First Social Media Policy

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If you’re writing your first social media policy, start by clicking here to review more than 175 sample social media policies. When I look at the who’s who list of companies and their policies, the first thing that comes to my … Continue reading

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Facebook and Twitter are NOT Your Friends

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One of the lessons that seems hardest for people to learn about social media sites is that Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn and other social media sites — from dating sites like Match.com to online communities for people with specific diseases like RA.com — aren’t … Continue reading

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Memorial Day: Remember the Heroes

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Today is Memorial Day in the U.S., a time to remember those who died so that bloggers, social media users, and ordinary people could “have their say” online or anywhere else.   For me, it’s also a time to remember those … Continue reading

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Don’t Hire a Social Media Expert

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HARO (Help a Reporter Out)  founder Peter Shankman knows a thing or two about online, email and social media marketing. After all, the former Chicago reporter built an online service that links reporters, freelance writers, bloggers and sources. More than … Continue reading

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Managing Social Media Risk

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Ever wonder if social media marketing is a risky business – or a manageable risk?  I have.  But there are many ways to manage risk so that it doesn’t kill your ability to have your say in the evolving social … Continue reading

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