Until My Voice Is No More

Dear Abba,

Yesterday, I got invited by my brothers to their Application Night in the Music Ministry. In Victory Ortigas, we call "Application Night" the night where the new members of the Music Ministry shall "apply" the lessons they have learned during the 3-week "training" with the leaders of the ministry.

My own Application Night is still fresh on my mind. At first, I thought that "Application Night" was the night when we'll know if we made it to the ministry or not. I can still remember how big of a surprise it was for me to know that I was wrong. There's no more cut off. It was a real treat from you, Abba. Thank you so much.

I was so blessed to see my 2 brothers, Jhon and MJ, lead the song "Here in Your Presence". I told Jhon that he will always remember his Application Night every time he will step on stage to lead the worship services. The first time I led "Here in Your Presence" on stage, I still can remember how filled I was with your love that tears actually fell from my eyes. My heart was touched when the people started to sing even without leading them and I thought that is the job of every worship leader. To lead the people to worship you, and to not just lead the song. In fact, I felt that I can already go down the stage and worship with the people once they started singing but you are also the God of order, so we also observe orderliness during worship services and a worship leader can't just step down. But that's how I felt. Once the people started to sing, my job was done. The next thing to do is to worship with them knowing that you will always receive our worship, not because we are so good at doing it nor because we sing so well. It is because of the Son who you gave to us 2,000 years ago for the salvation of our sins, that whoever believes in Him shall be saved. And thus, your grace and truth flowed from him to us, covering us with his most precious blood. This is the reason why our worship is pleasing to you. It is because you see the blood of the Lamb in us, not because of any of our good works.

I thank you for the gift of music. I have told so many people how amazing you were when you allowed me to be admitted to the Music Ministry, even without much knowledge about music. I can't tell them enough how funny I thought of myself during my auditions that I even did prayed my own prayer of acceptance that it's okay if I don't pass the auditions. But you did it for me! You let me in the ministry! I can't believe you! You are truly the living wonderful and amazing God!

Whenever I think about your faithfulness, I can't help but cry. I want to shout to the world about your goodness and greatness and your faithfulness! When I can't, you always can. When we have seemed to have forgotten our own dreams, you will remind us of those dreams and you will use those dreams for your glory and honor and praise!

Abba, use me and my brothers for your glory. Use our voices, our knowledge and whatever we have to proclaim your greatness in all the earth. We are small, a speck of dust, a vapor in the wind. But because you are with us, we can do anything.

Thank you for being our God, the God of love and the only God. Forever and ever.

Will sing praises to you until my voice is no more,

Mark

Thankful Thursdays

Is there something that you want to thank God for? If yes, we hope that you can join us every week as we transform your ordinary Thursdays into Thankful Thursdays!

All you need to do is Like our Page at www.facebook.com/Letters4Abba and then watch out for the poster above where you will place your comment with the things that you are thankful to God for.

It's fun and you will be blessed for sure! Afterwards, we can pray for each other and then go to bed with a grateful heart.

Our first run is set this coming Thursday, August 29. I hope you can help us share this to your loved ones.

Thankful for your support,

Mark

A Prayer in the Desert

Dear Abba,

Thank you for the desert, the season of being in lack. I know that the path that I chose wasn’t easy. I left my job in the corporate world for the desire of becoming an entrepreneur. I have no savings, no business plans, no business partners nor investors- I only have you. And that’s why I feel I have more than enough.

What’s amazing about being the desert is knowing that you are there to watch over me. I know I have lots of things to learn yet in this life and the fact that I am feeling all sorts of difficulties right now is because you are still in the process of refining me as a person. I know, one day, I will become fully what you intended me to become- a mighty man of yours.

Abba, I remember how you provided for your people in the time of Moses as it was written in the Book of Exodus. In the desert, you provided manna, quail and water. Despite the discontentment and the sinfulness of the Israelites back then, you never ceased to care. The cloud of your care and the firewall of your protection remained with them until they reached the promised land.

I thank you for your faithfulness. I thank you for the desert. I thank you for the time of lack. If there’s a place that this season in my life had brought me- that place is my end, a place where I have met my limitations as a human being. I can’t keep my money. I can’t keep my health. I can’t keep my shelter. They aren’t my security. You are. And the more that you take away from me, the more that I learn how limited and fragile and helpless I am. The more that I know about it, the more that I become dependent on you. And the more that I depend on you, the more that I get near the truth- that you are the God who is the source of everything and that you are the God who is more than willing to provide for us.

I thank you for you are my God. You are the God who loves me no matter what. You are the God who provides in the middle of the desert, despite the disobedience after disobedience after disobedience after disobedience.

You gave and gave and gave and gave to us. What can you not give if you had already given the Son 2,000 years ago to be the fountain of grace and forgiveness for us? Because of him, we can now approach your most Holy of Holies anytime in the temple that you have built within our bodies. You have also written the law in our hearts and that law is called love.

Thank you for being the mighty provider in Ararat, in Sinai, in Calvary, in Zion and in the desert.

Holding on to you,

Mark

Children of the Island of Fire

Dear Abba,

I still don’t know how to thank you enough for the beautiful experience you have given us last July when we visited the island of Camiguin, the so-called Island of Born of Fire. You have blessed the island with so much precious gifts such as the warm and gentle-speaking people, the rich marine life, the beautiful bodies of water such as the fall and the springs, and the lanzones fruit which you know my mom loves so much.

What are the odds that in the middle of our “rest” during our second day, you will give us a special mission to fulfill?

That night you gave us the children of Camiguin who were playing beside the sea. I know how special is the place in your heart that you have given the children. The moment I saw them, I knew that you sent your Spirit to us to approach them and minister to them. This is something that I will never even think of doing during my old life. Indeed, you have made me your new creation.

I thank you for my brothers who have the hearts for the kids. We used to say in our church that the Kids Church is the best church in the world! I agree on this. I will never forget the story on how you welcomed the children in your arms when your disciples told them to stay away from you. How you talked about becoming like them, the children, to be able to enter the kingdom of God. How fiery yours might have seemed when you told the people about the penalty for anyone who will defile those innocent ones. The children will always have the most special place in your heart.

And while we are sinful and undeserving of your grace, you allowed us to minister to your little ones and prayed for them during that night. I thank you for bringing my Spibu (spiritual buddy), Marvin, with me to whom you endowed so many talents. He taught the kids new worship songs as well as the dance steps that went along with it. It was a beautiful sight to behold.

And before the night was over, you poured out your Spirit unto me. PB had always encouraged me to ask for higher gifts, for that was your will for us. You take delight in giving us your blessings as our loving Father. You take delight in giving us gifts for you know that these are seeds that we’ll use, in turn, to bless the church.

I have never asked for higher gifts before but that night I knew that you wanted me to prophesy for the children. You wanted me to speak words of blessings and protection and hope for them, for it will help them be lifted up from the hard life that they have in the island. You are witness to their pains and poverty and I thank you for using me, small as I am, to bless them. They will grow up to be fine young men and women who fear your name.

Your Spirit was with us during that night. Beside the calm sea and above the velvety sand of Camiguin, we uttered a prayer for the children. A few moments more, we heard them sobbing altogether. At the innermost room of my heart, I praised your name. For how many times may we be given the chance to pray for the children and then hear them sobbing while at it? I knew that you were with us that night. You were speaking directly to the hearts of your little ones while we pray to you.

Abba, you are amazing. Words aren’t even enough. Tonight, my heart goes out to all the children in the world. Thank you for always being their protector, their defender, their banner. Send the evil ones out of their way and guard their hearts for always.

Your child always in awe of you,

Mark

Her Secret Place

Dear Abba,

A few weeks ago, Jie Jie (Chinese for big sister) and I had a date in her “secret place”. It’s called Casa Roces in front of Malacañang Palace, where the president of the land lives.

It was a joy to see her. I told her she is blooming. In Chinese, she’s “yue lai yue piaoliang”. I was being sincere when I said that. She looked really calm and happy that day.

She asked me to pray to you for her new venture. I think that she’s really built to be an entrepreneur. It delighted me a bit when she told me she already resigned from her previous post in the government, not because I don’t want her to serve the people. But because I think that she’ll be able to serve more people if she’ll do what she does best. I think she’ll be a good businesswoman.

When I visited her family business in Camiguin, there’s a writing on the wall that said “Profit with honor.” When I asked around for the person who wrote it, they said it’s the owner. I knew it. It runs in her blood.

That night, she treated me with really good food, the names of which I can't remember anymore. I know though that when I ask her about it, she’ll know right away. It was her “secret place”.

Thank you for giving me a big sister. Because of you, I have an older sibling in Spirit.

Thank you for always being with her anywhere she goes. You have been to all of her “secret places”. This gives me the assurance that you’ll always know where to find her whenever she calls your name and no matter how "secret" is the place where she can be found.

Thank you for being the good shepherd who constantly looks after us.

One of your sheeps,

Mark

The Letters 4 Abba Project

Dear readers,



If you will write a letter to God right now, what will it be about? Is it about you, your family, your church, your community, your country, the world? Will you write in the form of a note, a prayer or a song?



This is how the idea of creating The Letters 4 Abba Project came to me. My dream is to compile 100 letters written to God by different people and then publish it into an e-book.



I hope that you are one of those people that I am looking for. Our goal is to encourage others amidst the darkest of times and to let them know that God is just a prayer away from them.



To join, please submit the following to markjosephdelgado@ymail.com:



• Your letter to God using no more than 1,000 words

• A title for your letter

• Your photo (preferably in landscape format)

• Your short bio using no more than 5 sentences

• Your nickname



Please help us spread the word by sharing this to your family and friends.



You are loved,



Mark



P.S. Special thanks to Jenny for helping me refine the idea for this project.

First Letter

Dear Abba,

Thank you for creating this blog with me, for me. Make this piece an everlasting prayer of praise for you. Thank you for loving me no matter what.

Sincerely,

Mark

10 Ways to Get the Most Out of a Webinar

1. Invest on a good headset with microphone. 

"You need to adjust a little bit because webinars are different
 from what most of us were used to - ordinary classroom discussions."
Photo: www.excellenceinwriting.com

If you see yourself attending a lot of webinars in the future, a good headset with microphone should be your next best investment. When scouting for one, look for the one that is comfortable in the ears even for a long-time use and the one that has a good microphone quality.

2. Choose a quiet place. 

Assign a place that you will be your “webinar space”. It must be quiet, free from distractions and if you can, get a good couch where you can comfortably sit on.

3. Research a little about the topic before a session. 

Reading a little about the topic that will be discussed in the webinar can do wonders for you. Not only that it can help you spark more interest for the topic, it can help you formulate questions beforehand that you can ask the facilitator during the webinar. Questions and points of information enrich the discussion. Practice becoming a good webinar attendee.

4. Make sure that your computer doesn’t block webinar programs. 

Some anti-virus programs block external programs such as the ones for webinars. Make sure that you check your computer for these blockers before any webinar session.


5. Check your Internet connection. 

In a webinar, you will be accessing files and links; listening; looking at the presentation; and doing some talking. You need a good internet connection to be able to do all these things.

6. Close unnecessary programs. 

It is best that you close other programs during a webinar. Not only that this can help you get a better Internet connection, it will help you focus too.

7. Maximize the use of boxes and buttons given to attendees. 

Sometimes there are boxes and buttons being made available for attendees such as chat boxes, question boxes, “Raise your hand” buttons and others. Know how to use these boxes and buttons and use them well.

8. Take down notes. 

In fact, do everything to learn as much as you can from a webinar. If you learn better by taking down notes, do it. If you learn better by just simply listening, do that too. You need to adjust a little bit because webinars are different from what most of us were used to - ordinary classroom discussions.

9. Ask if you can take screenshots of the slides. 

Do this cautiously because some slides are copyrighted. But some facilitators are generous enough to allow students to do screenshots. Some even allow students to download the slides. All you need to do is ask.

10. Ask for a file or link to the recording of the webinar. 

Some webinars are being recorded to be accessed by the students who weren’t able to make it to the webinar and for others who need to revisit the session again. If you can, ask if the webinar shall be recorded before the session even starts.
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ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Mark Delgado is a Certified Blog and Social Media Entrepreneur (CBSME) who is passionate about consultative works, creative writing, events management, ideation, startupreneurship, strategic marketing and training. He founded Mediactiv8, a startup social media marketing company that advocates digital marketing education and entrepreneurship in the Philippines. To see more of his works, please check out www.facebook.com/Mediactiv8.

8 Things to Consider Before Starting a Blog

1. Purpose 

"Whatever your reason is for wanting to start a blog,
be sure that you know it full well."
Photo Credits: www.tumblr.com/tagged/solo-travel

Why do want to blog? If you have a determined answer to this question, considering the rest of things on this list will be a breeze. It is very important that you know why you want to start a blog or your blog will just be a parked domain uploaded on the web. Don’t be just a parked domain-owner. Be a dedicated blogger. Maybe you want to earn money through blogging or you want to put up a blog that can help other people. Whatever your reason is, be sure that you know it full well. And then the rest of the bullets will guide you.

2. Interest 

Is there something that you are genuinely interested in that you want to write about? I tell you the truth, once you started blogging about that interest, you will get more of it. I suggest that you really be serious in picking out an interest that you’ll be writing about. Remember the verse in the bible “For out of the abundance of the heart his mouth speaks.” (Luke 6:45)? It’s the same with blogging. You can only successfully blog about something that your heart is naturally full of that you want to express it and share it to the world.

3. Commitment

Let’s get this straight. Do you really have time to blog? Do you sincerely commit to it? Of course you can always start a blog and then just get back to it when you’re able to find time again, right? But if you do that, how different your blog will be from parked domains? I believe that a blog is a mirror of an author’s life. We live every day. I believe our blogs should live every day too. It can’t be just a parked domain that we’ll get back to when we’re free. You must have a commitment to your blog. How much time can you allot for it in a week? How many posts do you commit to write in a week? The minimum acceptable post per week (as per my last check) is 3. If your answer is below this number, I highly suggest that you rethink about your plans. Maybe you should start with your own Facebook account first or maybe create a Facebook Page for now. You will need both of it nonetheless when you are really ready to start blogging. It won’t be wasted, believe me.

4. Readers 

One thing that I’ve learned about blogging when I was still a beginner is that I must be able to think about my readers more than I think about myself. A blog is not just an Instagram account full of selfies. Even a personal blog cannot always be just about you. What do I mean about this? Your readers must find value in your blog. Using a single word, you must be able to describe what you want your readers to get out from your blog. Is it advice, inspiration, knowledge, suggestion or tip? When you write, don’t just think about yourself. Think about your readers. Believe me, if you consider this, people will, well, visit your blog. And bloggers become satisfied when they know that people find value in what they write.

5. Online Community 

The online world can be a difficult place to explore alone. You need allies. Good thing there are so many blogging communities out there that can help you in your journey. These people started out like you so don’t be afraid to ask questions when you find one. Join online communities for bloggers or maybe even found your own. Click here to see my blog post about 5 Keys to Founding Your Own Online Community.

6. Expenses 

This bullet surprised me myself. Aren’t blogs supposed to bring income and not expenses? When I look back to the day that I started as a blogger, I realized that blogging incurs expenses too. Not only that you need to invest talent and time to it, you need to invest your treasures too. For example, if you are really serious about being a travel blogger, please don’t think that someone else will sponsor all your travels just because you call yourself a travel blogger. Please don’t get me wrong. I believe that this is possible but you need to show credibility and results first before you can demand something like this. As a beginner, you will have to shoulder the expenses that you will incur for your blogging. There are ways to lessen the expenses though, like you may join other travel bloggers. So you see? Belonging to an online community is very important. Before blogging, please consider the expenses. If you don’t plan to shell out that much for this new activity of yours, I suggest that you pick a niche that you can write naturally about even without attending events, eating out or travelling.

7. Creative Tank 

Blogging requires a certain degree of creativity. You must at least have a little interest in lay-outing, photo-editing and of course, writing. If you feel that you need to work on these things first, well, I say that blogging itself can help you start becoming interested in these things. Don’t be scared in getting your feet wet at this point. You may now open a blog and learn everything that you need to learn from there.

8. Readiness to Learn 

Some people talk about blogging as if it was very easy. I say, yes, it can be easy only if you are ready to learn. But it can be excruciatingly difficult for a beginner who is not open to learning. For example, you may not fully like blogging if you are not open to learning a little about coding or HTML. I tell you, even this little thing is very important. You cannot always rely on someone to do this for you even if you have a lot of riches to hire someone for this task. I suggest that you embrace this hobby wholeheartedly. There is no getting away from small things that entail blogging such as HTML, lay-outing and photo-editing.

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ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Mark Delgado is a Certified Blog and Social Media Entrepreneur (CBSME) who is passionate about consultative works, creative writing, events management, ideation, startupreneurship, strategic marketing and training. He founded Mediactiv8, a startup social media marketing company that advocates digital marketing education and entrepreneurship in the Philippines. To see more of his works, please check out www.facebook.com/Mediactiv8.

5 Keys to Founding Your Own Online Community

Why bother? 

Whatever pursuit that you have online, you can have your
online community as your support group behind you.

In Seth Godin's book called “Tribes”, he argued that the Internet has ended mass marketing and revived a social unit from the past that is called, well, tribes. Because of these so-called “tribes”, ordinary people were given authority and power in the online world. In his book, he urged everyone to be “tribal chiefs” of their own online communities.

What is an online community?

An online community is an established online group of people who share common ideas and interests. As a blogger, I know how important it is to belong to an online community. In my own blogging community is where I can find my most passionate readers. This is also where I can find my best critiques, friends and mentors. This is because I have the same passion that these people have-blogging. I can sincerely say that if someone didn’t invite me to belong in a blogging community a couple of years ago, I may not be the digital influencer that I am now. This blog post is dedicated to helping people discover, or even establish, their own online community.

1. Begin with an idea or interest. 

As defined, an online community is an established online group of people who share common ideas and interests. In order to find one, you must first be able to identify an idea or interest that you feel strongly about. Make a list of them if you need to and then examine them carefully, one by one.



2. Look at your phone book. 

Before you go searching for clues online, I highly suggest that you exhaust all possibilities that you have offline. Look at your phone. What kind of people are you in touch with? What common ideas or interests connect you with each other? Are there people in your phone book who are mountaineers, photographers and teachers? Jot all these ideas and interests and start thinking from there.

3. Tell me who are your friends. 

First, look at your current friends and repeat the questions asked to you from #2. What common ground can you find with them? Second, look at the people who are adding or following you. Are there any insights that you can draw from thinking what kind of people you “attract”? Why did you think they added or followed you? Do you have common ideas or interests that connect you with each other? Think along this line. Do this to your other friends and followers in Twitter, Instagram, Pinterest, LinkedIn, Google Plus and other Social Networking Sites (SNS).

4. The people and pages that you followed. 

Now this is “their” turn. Turn the table around and look at the people and pages that you added or followed. Why did you add them? What “attracted” you to them? Who are your common friends?

5. The kind of blogs and websites you love to visit or write about. 

If you are subscribed to or are currently writing on a blog, this will be extremely helpful for you. What kind of topics do you love to read, think or write about? Do you love fashion, gadgets and selling stuffs? What kind of people are subscribed to your blog (read: Liked your Page, followed your blog’s Twitter and etc.).

*** 

Have you found any interesting insights upon carrying out the suggestions given above? Is there any idea or interest that stood out among the many that you have in mind or jotted down? If there is one, I say, that you are ready to be the "tribal chief" of that online community.

Whether you are a blogger, entrepreneur, marketer or hobbyist, belonging or establishing your own online community will be immensely beneficial for you. If you are a blogger, your best readers, critiques and mentors are your fellow bloggers. If you are an entrepreneur, your next business partner, investor or supplier can be your fellow online community member. If you are a marketer, your next social media campaign must be rolled out to an online niche group that you have established. If you are a hobbyist, yes, your next best buddies can be in your online community too.

Whatever pursuit that you have online, for sure, you can have your online community as your support group behind you.

***

Learn from the most influential "tribal chiefs" in the Philippines-slash-people behind successful online communities such as Mommy Mundo, Mercato Centrale, PhotoMarket Philippines and DigitalFilipino.com! Join the 2nd Digital Influencers Marketing Summit. For more information, please visit www.influencersummit.digitalfilipino.com.

***

Join our blog communities online!

• Bloggers 4 Jesus
• Bloggers 4 Network
• Bloggers 4 Business
• Bloggers 4 Change
• Bloggers 4 Intramuros

***

To get Seth Godin's book "Tribes", please click the image below.

 

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ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Mark Delgado is a Certified Blog and Social Media Entrepreneur (CBSME) who is passionate about consultative works, creative writing, events management, ideation, startupreneurship, strategic marketing and training. He founded Mediactiv8, a startup social media marketing company that advocates digital marketing education and entrepreneurship in the Philippines. To see more of his works, please check out www.facebook.com/Mediactiv8.

5 Types of People Who Make Good E-Commerce Entrepreneurs

"There is no substitute to hard work. Embrace it."
Photo Credits: www.flickr.com/people/kevdiggs

1. People who embrace hard work. 

If you can't stand hard work, any kind of work will just be too hard for you. No work is easy. People who know this truth are always a few steps ahead of the game. The sooner that you embrace this truth, the sooner you will advance in your game. The quicker that you advance in your game, the quicker you'll succeed. There is no substitute to hard work. Embrace it.

2. People who are willing to fight for their freedom. 

Freedom can take many forms such as freedom to decide, financial freedom, freedom in time and other things that entrepreneurs enjoy and those that an ordinary employee doesn't. A lot of people dream of becoming their own bosses not only for the sake of becoming their own bosses. Some of them fight for their freedom to decide on their own. Some want to earn while doing what they are passionate about. Some just simply want to have more time with their families and ministries.

3. People who believe that there are many earning opportunities outside their 9-5 jobs. 

Most of us, Filipinos, were raised by our parents to become employees. We endure 17 years or more of formal schooling just to be employed. Sadly, not too many of us were taught of the value of working only for a few years to acquire new knowledge and skills and then afterwards build our own business. What's sadder than this is that we tend to choose popular courses that we think will take us to another country only to land in a local company that shall require us to do things that are totally irrelevant to our degrees. If there can be anymore sadder than this, it is the fact that there are more graduates every year than jobs being generated. 
Despite these things, opportunities still abound. Graduates who won't be able to land to a job right away may think of other ways to earn such as accepting projects or putting up a business, may it be online of offline.

4. People who believe in the Internet as a game-changing tool for entrepreneurs and marketers. 

Did you know that no single individual or organization owns the Internet? Thus, no one has an absolute control of it. This also means that anyone can succeed in the Internet provided that he has the right skills and tools as well the right products to offer the market. Although you have to make minimal investments (i.e. domain, Internet subscription, laptop and etc.) to build your presence online, the Internet has given way to more people to earn for a living. It has been good to small businesses too. The Internet has given them opportunities to promote their products aside from the usual media such as TV, radio, print, Out of Home (OOH) ads and Point of Purchase (POP) ads which are relatively more expensive.

5. People who know the importance of taking a leap of faith as a prerequisite to success. 

All ventures require a certain amount of risk. Thus, only those who are ready to take a leap of faith can truly succeed. While it is true that not all startups will succeed, still there is no substitute to the experience that failure can teach us. I say, let’s embrace failures and risks. Let us always remember that a faith even as small as a mustard seed can move mountains.

***

If you can identify to at least 1 type of people given above, then you can become a successful E-Commerce Entrepreneur. In fact, I believe that anyone can be an entrepreneur but having at least one of the 5 characteristics given above can make it easier for you to decide if you are contemplating to be one.

If you are ready to become an E-Commerce Entrepreneur, I suggest that you take DigitalFilipino.com’s E-Commerce Entrepreneur Program. Ms. Janette Toral, founder of DigitalFilipino.com, had been an E-Commerce Specialist since 1997. She is often dubbed as the “Mother of E-Commerce Law in the Philippines” and she can truly help you in your dream of becoming an online entrepreneur some day.

Combine your entrepreneurial gifts with technical know-how’s that this course can offer you. To get more details about this course, please click the link below. Classes start on August 19, 2013.

DON'T MISS THIS CHANCE: www.certified.digitalfilipino.com

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ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Mark Delgado is a Certified Blog and Social Media Entrepreneur (CBSME) who is passionate about consultative works, creative writing, events management, ideation, startupreneurship, strategic marketing and training. He founded Mediactiv8, a startup social media marketing company that advocates digital marketing education and entrepreneurship in the Philippines. To see more of his works, please check out www.facebook.com/Mediactiv8.

4 Essential Elements of a Social Media Content Calendar

"You can customize your own Social Media Content Calendar if
you know clearly the 4 basic elements that comprise it."

What is a Social Media Content Calendar? 

A Social Media Content Calendar is a kind of tool that can help you plot out your contents for your online campaigns that shall be rolled out to specific social networking sites (SNS) following a timeline.

How does a Social Media Content Calendar look like? 

Imagine a worksheet where all the essential elements that you need for a calendar are in place. My goal for this blog post is actually to help you come up with one. The clearer that you know about the elements that you need, the easier you will be able to customize your own calendar.

How was I able to come up with these 4 essential elements? 

I was trying to come up with my own Social Media Content Calendar that shall fit my needs, as well as my client’s. After a few revisions, I observed that there are 4 things that never left the worksheets that I used. I believe that these 4 things are the 4 essential elements that must be present in any Social Media Content Calendar. I am resolved that if these 4 things are present, a Social Media Content Calendar is complete.

1. Campaign/Goals/Milestones 

What is the campaign all about? What are your goals? How will you achieve them? What are your milestones within your timeline that can help you achieve your goals? How will you formulate your milestones given the timeline that you have?


2. Timeline 
All projects are bound by a certain period of time or else, a project can go on forever and ever. Decide how often you are supposed to post contents on SNS. Is it monthly, weekly, daily or erratic?

To get the permalink, right-click on the date/timestamp of each post
and then click "Copy link address".

3. Social Networking Sites (SNS) 

What are the SNS that you should use based on your goals?

4. Contents/ Activities/ Permalinks 

What kind of contents and activities will you create based on your goals?

What is a permalink? 

After posting your actual content on SNS, get the permalink. Permalink is the shortened word for permanent link. This means that you will have greater chances to access this link in the future because it remains unchanged for a longer period of time as compared to the regular link. To get the permalink, right-click on the date/timestamp of each post and then click “Copy link address”.

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ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Mark Delgado is a Certified Blog and Social Media Entrepreneur (CBSME) who is passionate about consultative works, creative writing, events management, ideation, startupreneurship, strategic marketing and training. He founded Mediactiv8, a startup social media marketing company that advocates www.facebook.com/Mediactiv8.
digital marketing education and entrepreneurship in the Philippines. To see more of his works, please check out

7 Ways to Maximize the Use of Calling Cards During Networking Events

Why calling cards? 

My not-so-wild guess is that calling cards were invented during the time when people realized that they cannot anymore scramble for pen and paper whenever they need to leave their contact information to someone. Practically, calling cards are just sheets of paper where someone’s details are printed upon and readily available in times of need.

"When giving calling cards, give them with both hands."

Before Facebook and LinkedIn, there were calling cards 

Calling cards are the first social networking tools, don’t you think? Calling cards contain our names, companies, designations, addresses, contact numbers and email addresses. How are calling cards different from Facebook, LinkedIn and other social media touchpoints? I say, the latters are glorified calling cards. 

Offline social networking touchpoints 

For as long as we live, calling cards will always be our best offline social networking touchpoints (aside from our warm bodies). I couldn’t emphasize to you enough how important these sheets of paper are so I am just going to share with you how to get the most out of them.

1. Have one. 

You need one. This one is self-explanatory especially if you are in a business with the need to connect with people. These jobs include Account Executive, Business Development, Sales and the like. If you want your network to connect with you via social media, consider placing your social media touchpoints too such as your Facebook Page, LinkedIn, Twitter, website and etc.


2. Get a sleek-looking case for added protection and plus points for your looks. 

During networking events and you have to make a good impression, consider getting a sleek-looking case for your cards. When it’s time to pull out your cards, pretend for a second that you’re James Bond and flip open the case like a boss. These tactics along with the others that you have in mind won’t replace real professionalism inside though. Be sure to bring this virtue with you anywhere.

3. Remember the calling card etiquette. 

Match the professionalism inside you with some calling card etiquette. When giving calling cards, remember to give them with both hands. And when you receive, look at the card for a while before you keep it.

4. Join networking events. 

You need calling cards? Swim in a sea of it during networking events. You will see the schedules of upcoming events on the websites of your favorite event venues. Learn how to choose the right event to go to based on your target market.

5. Get a bag for collected calling cards during networking events. 

Calling cards are gold mines for people who need to acquire new clients and generate leads. Make sure that you bring with you a bag where you can place them whenever you attend networking events.

6. Write keywords at the back of calling cards to easily remember your new-found contact. 

Unless you are gifted with photographic memory, you need to write keywords at the back of your calling cards so that you’ll be able to remember your new-found contact. For example, you have met someone who turned out to be a professor of one of your colleagues, you can write at the back of the card the name of your colleague and the word “professor”. In the future, it will be easy for you to remember the person behind the calling card. Upon saying this, it is also helpful to note that your calling cards should be made of paper with writeable surface. Avoid the fancy of printing it on glossy papers, which are more costly and unnecessary.

7. Encode the calling cards using Google Form. 

Encoding the calling cards is about having a back-up for all the data that you have gathered in case you lose the cards. It will also make it easier for you to email your contacts when you need to since the email addresses are already encoded. Also, it will help you keep an organized database that you can share anytime, anywhere. Lastly, since you’ll just be encoding the important details that you need, retrieving the data in the future is much easier and faster.

More tips

In the event that your contact ran out of calling cards or failed to bring one during networking events, make sure that you have brought with you a sign-up sheet. In the sheet, ask for their name, company, designation, e-mail and mobile number. Also, leave a space for your remarks or notes. This one is very important because among the many contacts you will meet, you will never remember each one of them when you revisit the sheet. Make sure that you also check their contact information after writing because not everyone writes legibly. You can also use a laptop instead of a sign-up sheet but more people prefer writing than typing during networking events. Also fish bowls for collecting calling cards are still very effective. You can creatively use freebies as incentives for your contacts to drop their calling cards in the fish bowl.

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ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Mark Delgado is a Certified Blog and Social Media Entrepreneur (CBSME) who is passionate about consultative works, creative writing, events management, ideation, startupreneurship, strategic marketing and training. He founded Mediactiv8, an independent social media marketing agency that advocates digital marketing education and entrepreneurship in the Philippines. To see more of his works, please check out www.facebook.com/Mediactiv8.

5 Ways to Become a Social Media-Friendly Speaker

Yours truly speaking in front of bloggers and social media influencers
during the Intramuros Bloggers Challenge 2012.

What does it mean to be a social media-friendly speaker? 

To become a social media-friendly speaker means calibrating your presentations and speaking style to fit the social media-savvy crowd that you’ll be speaking to.

Why speakers should consider becoming social media-friendly? 

If you’ll be speaking in a big crowd, there is a fat chance that most of your audience has a Facebook, Twitter or blog account. There is also a fat chance that during or after your talk, some of them will post something about your presentation over social media.

How, then, can you proactively maximize this free exposure that these social media-savvy netizens are giving you? Is there really a way for you to prepare so that these special members of the audience will be able to get the most out of your talk?

Backed up with a few opportunities to speak in front of bloggers and social media influencers and also, numerous experiences in covering events as a blogger and listening to social media lecturers and speakers, here are some of the few tips that I have come up with, which may help you in preparing for your next talk.

1. Make a list of ideas that you want to share. (Think Buzzfeed) 

First, list down all your ideas about the topic that you’ll be talking about. Second, choose 5-10 ideas from your list for your 1-hour talk. You may add more to these if you’ll be speaking for more than an hour. Third and last, arrange the ideas for coherence.


2. Transform your ideas into impact statements. (Think Twitter) 

With Twitter’s 140-character limit in mind, create statements that are easy to remember and thought-provoking enough to create impact.

3. Place each impact statement on each slide and then add an image (optional), your Twitter handle and hashtag. (Think Call To Action) 

Help your audience find you on social media by placing your Twitter handle (or Facebook account/Page name) and hashtag on your slides. Don’t expect them to know about these important CTA details if you haven’t even shared it to them.

4. During your talk, use the impact statements as your talking points. (Think Talking Points) 

If there are 10 things that you need to remember before and during your talk, those are the 10 impact statements that you have placed on each slide. Use them as your talking points. Expound on each and allot time for each. Also during your talk, do your best to have a smooth transition from one talking point to another. Don’t just enumerate. Tell a story. 

5. Begin with a bang! End with a boom! (Think Fireworks) 

I’m not saying that you dance, sing or swallow fire in front of your audience unless, of course, you are willing and able to do so. What I am saying is, at the very least, be able to capture the attention of your audience. Creating your presentation and getting your audience to listen are two entirely different things. Most of the time, the second one is more difficult than the first.

As a speaker your job is not only to tap into the intellect of your audience. Your job is to capture their emotions too and to move them into action. These are the things that separate a good speaker from the regular ones.

Thank God there are so many helpful tips out there for good speakers-wannabe. Some say ask your audience to do a simple exercise. Some say play nice videos. Some say pose thought-provoking questions. 

Whatever you choose to do, aim to capture the mind, heart and will of your audience and at the end, leave them wanting to hear more. During your talk, help them bring you online by considering the 5 tips I shared to you.

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ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Mark Delgado is a Certified Blog and Social Media Entrepreneur (CBSME) who is passionate about consultative works, creative writing, events management, ideation, startupreneurship, strategic marketing and training. He founded Mediactiv8, an independent social media marketing agency that advocates digital marketing education and entrepreneurship in the Philippines. To see more of his works, please check out www.facebook.com/Mediactiv8.