Why You Should Be A Content Curator

"Content curator" is such a new term that even Wikipedia doesn't have a definition for it yet. So what does it mean? And, more importantly, why should you start to think of yourself as a content curator for your customers and prospects?

In the traditional definition, a curator is someone with an expertise on a given subject. For example, a gallery or museum curator does the research, selects an object or piece of artwork for display, and shares that work with the public.

We need curators for the Internet.

The web has made an unprecedented amount of information available to anyone with access to a computer and an Internet connection. What's more, there seems no end to the dizzying pace at which new content is being added all the time.

Unfortunately, quantity does not always equal quality, especially when it comes to Internet content. Sure, there's plenty of outstanding content online, but there's also a lot of useless and, in some cases, wrong or misleading content, too. No wonder so many people find themselves feeling fatigued with information overload.

This is where you can be the hero. Everyone's an expert or has at least some expertise in something. Take your business, for example. If you're a plumber, you're pretty knowledgeable about plumbing, right? Or say you're a lawyer. Legal issues might be your thing. If you own your own company, whatever products or services you offer, you know a thing or two about starting and running a business, too, now don't you?

If you care enough about your community (customers, prospects, and peers) and are willing to find, sort, organize, and share quality information relevant to your circle of friends, customers and peers, you should consider becoming a content curator. With this relatively simple act, you will do a huge favor for others that are also looking for information in your area of expertise. The benefits you'll receive from this type of caring and sharing will far outweigh the amount of time you devote to it.

So start thinking about how you could be a content curator, too. Your customers, friends, and peers will thank you.

CitySeed

What began in 2004 with four neighbors in search of a locally grown tomato has become CitySeed, a community-based nonprofit that believes everyone should have access to fresh, healthy food!  In addition to establishing five farmer's markets that accept food stamps and WIC coupons in New Haven's neighborhoods, CitySeed has also advocated for food policy change on the local, state and federal levels.  We appreciate your support in helping us grow an equitable, local food system that promotes economic development, community development, and sustainable agriculture.

To Vote for CitySeed Click Here

Angel Fund

The Angel Fund funds, purchases and distributes, free of charge to partnering hospitals in Connecticut, beautiful boxes filled with items carrying importance and sentiment immeasurable to families whose babies are stillborn or who died shortly after birth. The boxes include items such as the Angel Fund's exclusive footprint pin, journal and memory book, a handmade receiving blanket and burial gown, the books Empty Cradle, Broken Heart and Tiny Hands Change the World as well as information on national support groups and web sites.

Partnering hospitals personalize each box with the baby's hand  and foot prints, measurements and priceless photos to include in the memory book. The baby's own hospital hat, measuring tape and bracelets also become a part of the memory box, and nurses distribute them to grieving families before they leave the hospital.

The Angel Fund also supports community bereavement services, contributes to the funding for research on stillbirth and SIDS, and donates monetary gifts to families in need, hospitals and other charitable organizations.
 

To Vote for the Angel Fund Click Here!

Vote For Your Favorite Non-Profit

You get to vote for your favorite non-profit organization in Connecticut. Goodcopy will donate $500 to the organization that receives the most votes (likes) on our Goodcopy Facebook Page.

Below you can read about each of these outstanding organizations who provide essential services to a diverse population. 

Best of luck to all the organizations and happy voting!  

Here's how to vote:

1. Go to our Goodcopy Facebook Page after reading all the profiles below.
2. If you are not yet a Goodcopy fan, "like" us by clicking the "like" button on the top right of the page.
3. Go to the Non-Profit Photo album and go through each of the photos clicking "like" on the photos you want to vote for. (The "like" button is located right below the caption of the picture.)
4. Happy Voting!

These are the participating Organizations:

• Angel Fund
• CitySeed
• Hole in the Wall Camp
• New Haven Ballet
• New Haven Home Recovery
• The Children's Center of Hamden

Voting will run from Tuesday, May 17 - Tuesday, May 31  

New Haven Home Recovery

It is the mission of NHHR to promote the independence of women and children confronted with homelessness, HIV/AIDS and behavioral health issues in a supportive environment where their potential can be realized. NHHR achieves its mission by sheltering, housing, stabilizing and furnishing families.

NHHR operates two homeless shelters for women and children. Last year, NHHR sheltered 347 families, including 131 children. The shelter program provides residents with more than simply a “hot and cot.”  Clients are provided with case management services that include, but are not limited to: housing advocacy, education, medical care, child care, financial assistance, food pantry and clothing.  The number of requests for a bed at the shelters has increased over 200% in the last year, meaning NHHR’s services are needed more than ever.

The agency provides supportive housing in the Greater New Haven area to families who are addressing a wide range of issues such as HIV/AIDS, substance abuse, mental health, homelessness and poverty. Supportive housing transitions homeless families into affordable homes in the community and provides the necessary services for them to transition to independence.  Ninety-nine families were housed by NHHR in the last fiscal year.   Most of these families moved directly from shelter or motels to a home of their own.

NHHR provides in-home visiting, advocacy, and stabilization services to families with children through a variety of programs in New Haven and Bridgeport.  Home visiting and intensive case management are crucial components in stabilizing a family.  Homeless prevention and rapid re-housing from shelters and other temporary shelter are important for the well-being of the families.   Last year NHHR served 462 children in stabilization programs.

The Furniture Co-op (TFC) collects gently used furniture from the public and distributes it to families transitioning out of homelessness, living with disabilities or suffering from other hardships. The Co-op has 27 member agencies that refer their clients to the program. From January 1, 2010 to December 31, 2010, 597 households, including 738 children receive furniture from TFC.  For $40 a family selects furniture out of four major and two minor items. Major items include: beds, dressers, kitchen tables and chairs, and sofas. Minor items range from coffee tables to cribs to nightstands.

To Vote for New Haven Home Recovery Click Here

The Hole in The Wall Gang Camp

Founded in 1988 by Paul Newman, The Hole in the Wall Gang Camp in Ashford, Connecticut is a nonprofit, residential summer camp and year-round center serving children and their families coping with cancer and other serious illnesses and conditions. Through Camp programs, year-round outreach to hospitals and clinics,and ongoing services for children, families and caregivers, the Camp serves more than 15,000 annually. All of the Camp's services are provided free of charge.

 To Vote for Hole in The Wall Camp Click Here

The Children’s Center of Hamden

The Children’s Center of Hamden is a private nonprofit multi-service agency whose mission focuses on providing quality treatment and education for children and their families. Approximately 85 boys and girls between the ages of 3 and 18 live at The Center and an additional 100 clients are served on a daily outpatient basis. The children suffer from one or more of a variety of problems: psychological and social problems; physical and/or sexual abuse; learning disabilities; substance abuse; and family trauma.

To Vote for The Children's Center of Hamden Click Here

New Haven Ballet

Now in its 26th year, the New Haven Ballet provides the finest classical ballet training in southern Connecticut.
The school's curriculum is designed to develop strong, flexible, and versatile dancers who can adapt to a variety of styles and dance forms.
The skills acquired by students of the New Haven Ballet can take them far beyond the studio and stage and help them succeed in every area of life.

To Vote for New Haven Ballet Click Here

Finding inspiration in unlikely places

Inspiration can come from the most unlikely sources. According to snopes.com, the shape for Coca-Cola's iconic bottle came from the cacao tree seed pod. The bottle's designer found the plant pictured in the Encyclopedia Britannica, while he was looking for information on the two plants for which Coca-Cola is named (the coca leaf and kola nut). Intrigued by the striations on the pod, he decided to base his design on that look. The rest is history.

The Post-It note is another story of unusual inspiration. Arthur Fry, an employee at 3M, sang in his church's choir and had trouble keeping the pages marked in his hymnal. His makeshift bookmarks would fall out whenever he opened the book, causing him to lose his place. A 3M colleague, Spencer Silver, had created an adhesive that was strong enough to stick to surfaces but weak enough that it could be easily removed without causing damage. One Sunday, as he sat in church, Fry realized that Silver's adhesive might be just what he needed to keep his bookmarks in place. From those bookmarks the idea for the Post-It note was born.

So where do you go to find inspiration? Books? Websites? Blogs? Colleagues? Friends? A walk in the park?

As businesspeople, we live busy, hectic lives. Sometimes, our fevered pace can limit our focus and stunt our creative growth. But inspiration is an important key to improving products, building efficiencies, and growing our bottom line. So today I challenge you to seek inspiration somewhere outside your normal "comfort zone." It may not lead to a revolutionary product or packaging scheme, but it might just provide the breakthrough you need to push yourself to the next level.

Finding inspiration in unlikely places

Inspiration can come from the most unlikely sources. According to snopes.com, the shape for Coca-Cola's iconic bottle came from the cacao tree seed pod. The bottle's designer found the plant pictured in the Encyclopedia Britannica, while he was looking for information on the two plants for which Coca-Cola is named (the coca leaf and kola nut). Intrigued by the striations on the pod, he decided to base his design on that look. The rest is history.

The Post-It note is another story of unusual inspiration. Arthur Fry, an employee at 3M, sang in his church's choir and had trouble keeping the pages marked in his hymnal. His makeshift bookmarks would fall out whenever he opened the book, causing him to lose his place. A 3M colleague, Spencer Silver, had created an adhesive that was strong enough to stick to surfaces but weak enough that it could be easily removed without causing damage. One Sunday, as he sat in church, Fry realized that Silver's adhesive might be just what he needed to keep his bookmarks in place. From those bookmarks the idea for the Post-It note was born.

So where do you go to find inspiration? Books? Websites? Blogs? Colleagues? Friends? A walk in the park?

As businesspeople, we live busy, hectic lives. Sometimes, our fevered pace can limit our focus and stunt our creative growth. But inspiration is an important key to improving products, building efficiencies, and growing our bottom line. So today I challenge you to seek inspiration somewhere outside your normal "comfort zone." It may not lead to a revolutionary product or packaging scheme, but it might just provide the breakthrough you need to push yourself to the next level.

What Can You Do in 10,000 Hours?

Does practice really make perfect? According to Malcolm Gladwell in "Outliers: The Story of Success," 10,000 hours can transform any ordinary person to greatness. Researchers claim that 10,000 hours of deliberate practice is the "magic number" to master a skill and become an expert at anything you put your mind to.

Contrary to popular belief, it's not always talent that makes one successful, but rather the effort and practice put forth that can make a person great.

Have you ever seen a kid who enjoys sports practice every opportunity he gets? You'll likely notice him get progressively better and soon become pretty good. Coincidence? Not likely.

If you dedicate three hours a day to something, it will still take you nearly 10 years to become an expert. So how do you dedicate enough time to become really good at something? It's easy... make your job something you enjoy doing.

While the amount of time it takes to become an expert may remain debatable, nearly everyone can agree that the secret to success isn't a secret at all. It's work.

For more information on Malcolm Gladwell's work, visit his website: http://www.gladwell.com/outliers/

The Difference Between Salad and Garbage

Dan Kennedy once said, "The difference between salad and garbage is timing."

The same concept is true with marketing. No matter how ripe and delectable your ideas, they can quickly become unwanted garbage if they are proposed to someone who's not in the market for your products or services.

Many businesses struggle to create a winning combination of the right customer, right offer, right channel, and right timing. While these are all important ingredients in the marketing mix, timing is often the most important factor. No matter how good your offer may be, if your customer isn't in the market for your product or service, you message may be ignored or pushed aside.

The key to successful marketing is to create messaging that not only piques the interest of those ready to purchase today, but also builds top-of-mind awareness and curiosity for those who may be in the market tomorrow.

Now think about your marketing messages. How can you create more salad and less garbage?