Successful Virtual Business

Test for Sigang

2011-03-17T06:09:00.000-07:00

西港我養育我三個混血兒

Sigang- Where I raise my three eurasian boys.

Networking in the Virtual World

2010-06-24T23:06:00.001-07:00

Virtual Networking

Vio Business Series #23

INTRODUCTION

The virtual world still presents a digital frontier for business, providing much potential for companies willing to explore and develop the benefits it provides. The real value comes to businesses willing to invest the time, and push the envelope of creativity to develop new functionality.

An obvious benefit of the virtual world, especially Second Life, is the social networking capabilities.

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VIRTUAL WORLDS, THE RICHER ONLINE SOCIAL NETWORKING MEDIUM

Why have online social networks become so popular? Think about it. People are busier. They have less free time. It is getting more difficult to keep up with friends and family living all over the world. Online social networks provide the technology that allows people to share more information, images and videos, with more people in less time. With the expanded ability to share, we also get a better ability to keep up with the lives of people we care about.

Also, as a source for business networking, social networks, especially those catering more to professionals (LinkedIn, FohBoh), do save time. Instead of going to networking events in real life to find people interested in your type of business, a person can visit an online social network, and access people who have directly expressed interest in specific business topics. You can join Groups of special interest and socialize with people immediately. This cuts down on an immense amount of time to reach the same number of interested people. In my experience, I have seen many service providers land contracts getting to know people socially in the online social networks. If one doubts the power of social networks, it is now an integral part of any web marketing campaign, because it has the power to attract more web site traffic than search engines.

I believe virtual worlds have the potential to be a serious challenger as a leading social media, because it has all the essential ingredients:

1) It gives people immediate access to instant communication with a large global network of people.

2) It provides the ability to share information, images and video.

3) It has groups of people, which makes it easy to find people interested in specific topics.

I believe virtual worlds have greater advantages than other social media because:

1) People can communicate through Voice.

2) Interaction with avatars is a richer, more 'human' experience.

3) The 3-D environment expands creativity level and providers a greater emotional connection.

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IS SECOND LIFE A FEASIBLE BUSINESS NETWORKING ENVIRONMENT?

Second Life is the virtual world with the largest membership base. The company has millions of registered users. But given that people can create multiple accounts, there is probably less than a million unique users. Given that a large portion of people who sign up for account explore Second Life and never return for one reason or another. There may be a few hundred thousand people who are active, and at any one time, there may be tens of thousands of people online at the same time. Most of these people are in Second Life to explore the social and gaming aspects of the platform. I'd be surprised if 10% of the account holders in Second Life were here for business.

If your company provides gaming, entertainment, or virtual fashion, Second Life would be a worthy investment of time to network and find potential customers. For other traditional businesses, the potential market is much smaller. In my opinion, there may be about 5,000-7,500 active members who are in Second Life to network and develop their business. This may be a small number of people to work reach for the amount of effort put into networking in Second Life. There are some key reasons why networking in Second Life is significant for business:

1) The base of SL members who are involved in business is growing. Even though this is small as a percentage, it is growing because more business people are hearing about Second Life and virtual worlds. Also, many people who come to SL to explore the social aspects, eventually discover it is a viable and inexpensive place to build a business or to bring in their RL business.

2) Second Life is a great place for people to reach "early adopters." Because it is an incubator for creativity and technology, SL attracts innovators. People developing innovation often find the audience in SL the best place to reach early adopters, who may become great sources of word-of-mouth.

3) Second Life provides tools to reach people with specific interests. There are Groups to join. There are events to attend to meet people. There is media in Second Life to get the word out about your business. There are many ways to focus your networking efforts.

Successful networking is about meeting qualified potential customers or referral sources in the least amount of time. Making the most of your networking time in Second Life means putting yourself in front of the most interested people in the shortest amount of time, and making the best impression possible. You should join groups related to your Business. You should attend business events, and meet people who are in attendance and the presenters. (DO NOT interrupt speakers during their presentations!) For even more effective networking, be a presenter at events. Speaking on a topic gives people a more favorable impression of you. If you can't find a networking group that fits your area of business, create one!

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HOW TO MAKE A BETTER IMPRESSION WHEN NETWORKING

Just like in real life, in the virtual world, you only have a short time to make a good first impression. Here are some guidelines to follow to make a good favorable first impression:

1) Have a professional-looking avatar. Not much needs to be said here. If you want to be associated with an elf or dragon, that's fine, but don't expect everyone in SL doing business to take you seriously.

2) Be professional and polite. When approaching someone to speak to them, ask if they are busy. Let them know succinctly who you are and ask when would be a good time to talk to them. Consideration goes a long way.

3) Be a good listener. When you listen well, you will find out more about the person you are talking to. This gives you more opening for discussion and connection. Let them know that you are listening well, by responding to what they are saying.

4) Offer something of value. People tend to resist being "sold to." Listen to them and think of what you can "give" that can be of value to them. This can be a helpful connection or resource, or even an item you have in your inventory that they may need. Sometimes, the best thing you can offer is some information, ideas or expertise that can save them time. Later, you can find ways to offer them "solutions" for things they may need that your company offers.

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HOW TO NETWORK AS A LEADER INSTEAD OF A FOLLOWER:

One of the most effective ways to use your networking time is to make appearances as speaker or presenter for a business event. You can sit on panels discussions, and even join Boards to attend board meetings. In any of these cases, you are viewed differently than if you were just sitting in an audience. As an opinion leader, your views and what you say carry more weight. People are also much more open when talking to you.

It is not too difficult getting opportunities to present business material to a network of professionals. Getting set up to present material is also easy. Contact Xander Newman in Second Life to be scheduled for a presentation to the ViO Business network.

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CREATING A SUCCESSFUL NETWORKING GROUP IN SECOND LIFE

A great opportunity to attract professionals in your industry is to create a networking group. You have control over the content presented, and you can grow a captured audience of loyal people. When creating a group, it is important to keep the membership engaged. Stay in their scope of vision, but don't spam them to the point of leaving the group. The Mission of the Group should be to promote collaboration, networking, sharing best practices, and providing a greater voice for all members. The Group should offer something of value to keep membership growing. Having events is one way to do that. Offering special deals to members can be another benefit. Offering the sharing of information and resources is another approach. Treat the members like family. Engage in conversation through IM and chat, and encourage all members to do the same. What you produce is a community with a shared purpose.

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RESOURCES

Here are some active Business Groups you can join:

1) ViO Business: Web Site: http://www.getvio.com

2) vBusiness Link: Web Site: http://vbusinesslink.net

3) Virtual World Business Bureau

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SUMMARY

Virtual Worlds provides a frontier for business networking that is still small, but is growing in importance. Networking in Second Life can be beneficial, especially if it is important to reach innivators or early adopters. Choosing a focused approach to reach potential business contacts will make your time more efficient. You can attend events and join Groups. If you are more ambitious and want to stand above the crowd, you can become a speaker or presenter at events. You can even create Groups and host your own events to build your own community.

As the virtual worlds mature, the opportunities will only increase and the networks will grow. The opportunity is how to be a part of shaping how the networking landscape will look in the future.

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BACKGROUND

About The Speaker: Tony Coolidge (Xander Newman) has owned Virtual Innovative Opportunities (ViO) since April 2007, a virtual business community and incubator in Second Life. ViO is a subsidiary of HybridWeb, Inc., a Texas corporation. His expertise is bringing together businesses and resources in SL and RL. In the real world, Mr. Coolidge has been an expert with Internet technologies since 1995, owning his own Internet development and SEO company. He also has a Bachelor's degree in Advertising from the University of Texas. Tony is trained in creating organizations, networking and team-building, and by combining all of his skill set, he has been able to:

1) Co-found a publically-trading Internet auction company

2) Create two non-profit organizations, including the largest volunteer organization serving the needs of Hurricane Katrina survivors.

3) Create a documentary film (http://www.voicesintheclouds.com)

4) Become an advocate for the indigenous (tribal) people of the world, speaking in front of world leaders at the United Nations in May 2004.

5) Co-founded a business consortium bringing companies to China for joint venture projects.

In his view, the secret to his successes in life come from making his goals about the benefit of others, and surrounding himself with a variety of talent and expertise. Tony enjoys building bridges between people and resources, and seeing the magic that is created.

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For more information on this topic, feel free to contact Tony Coolidge (Xander Newman), founder of the Vio Network.

E-mail: xander@getvio.com

ViO Business Feature - Issue 2

2009-12-20T08:22:00.000-08:00

ViO Business Feature

An interview with NESTO PHILLY of the SALES TEAM.

Visit their web site at: www.salesteameast.com.

ViO: Tell us a little about your RL self and how you got interested in or into SL.

Nesto Philly: I am Head Coach at SalesTeam East LLC in RL and realized this year the exciting potential of SL as a convenient and cost-effective tool we could use to deliver our unique and ongoing membership-based sales training to RL clients.

ViO: Tell us how you ended up with the business venture we are featuring here in our story?

Nesto Philly: I have been in the management and development of people just about all of my adult life. After my last position as a sales and management executive, I took advantage of the opportunity to start SalesTeam about 5 years ago.

ViO: What need/benefit do you see your venture providing and for whom?

Nesto Philly: We specialize in helping our clients reach their sales and service goals, and clients range from individual sales professionals and business owners to corporate teams and organizations.

ViO: If others are providing the same benefits or services, tell us what sets your venture apart.

Nesto Philly: At SalesTeam, we realize that human beings are creatures of habit. Our performance changes only when our behavorial habits change, and those habits only change over time and at individual rates. SalesTeam training is fashioned to maximize improved performance from behavior change over time. When that happens, client sales always increase.

ViO: Tell us what challenge(s) you have faced that you have overcome for your venture. What can others learn from your overcoming this obstacle?

Nesto Philly: My biggest challenge was being in business alone and wearing all the hats at first. Prioritizing became critical. Getting customers through marketing and sales must be a top priority.

ViO: Tell us what challenge you are currently facing that you are looking to overcome.

Nesto Philly: We are working to replace lost revenue in a lean economy and add some sales staff.

ViO: Tell us a success story about a client or customer that your venture has helped.

Nesto Philly: Through our RentASalesPro solution, we successfully performed contract sales work for a legislative research firm in the business to business market. The one-year effort was to develop new business in a new territory for the organization. Our work was so successful that the firm was able to place a full time sales representative in the territory for significant residual business after the project finished.

ViO: Tell us what the future has in store for your venture. (i.e. new product rollout, goals for expansion, more services, etc)

Nesto Philly: At SalesTeam, we will continue to offer affordable membership for regular client workouts to improve sales fitness, a no-brainer for anyone who is serious about selling. This includes access to solutions using the award-winning sales, service, and leadership curriculum from Integrity Solutions. We will also continue to offer contract business development services under the RentASalesTeam solutions, the ultimate in customer service training, and awesome coaching for those in leadership positions.

ViO: Tell us what your ideal target market is for your venture.

Nesto Philly: We can help any organization that is made up of human beings achieve its ultimate goal of providing a product or service to someone who will pay for it. All organizations have this goal, whether it is widely realized or not.

ViO: Tell us any special offers or deals you are offering to the ViO network.

Nesto Philly: We will offer the ViO network a $3.00 rebate on our introductory SL seminar, "Best Practices in Selling." Register for the seminar at http://www.salesteameast.com/best_practice_lic.htm.

ViO Business Feature - Issue 1

2009-07-23T23:22:00.001-07:00

ViO Business Feature
An interview with Mike Bemis (SL Name: Mike Burleigh)
Founder of Remembering Our Friends Memorial
http://www.rememberingfriendsmemorial.com

ViO: Tell us a little about your RL self and how you got interested in or into SL?

Mike Bemis: I started using Second Life about 4.5 yrs ago when I lost my mom to Multiple Sclerosis. I have 23 yrs in Sales in RL. I live in Michigan, USA.

ViO: Tell us how you ended up with the business venture we are featuring here in our story?

Mike Bemis: I had a friend pass away in SL. Plus with loss of my mom, I thought there needed to be a place to grieve in SL.

ViO: What need/benefit do you see your venture providing and for whom?

Mike Bemis: Support for those that have SL or first life friends or family pass away. Plus a collaberation with smaller SL/RL support groups. I want to provide them a way to get exposure in Second Life.

ViO: If others are providing the same benefits or services, tell us what sets your venture apart.

Mike Bemis: Customer service... Opportunity to talk with a real person, not a bot or an empty sim.

ViO: Tell us what challenge(s) you have faced that you have overcome for your venture. What can others learn from your overcoming this obstacle?

Mike Bemis: Misinformation... People think we are only a memorial, when in truth we offer remembrance, education and support. We have learned that you should constantly get the word out through groups like VIO for example.

ViO: Tell us what challenge you are currently facing that you are looking to overcome.

Mike Bemis: The challenge now is finding new creative ways to get people to donate to a worthy cause. We need help to pay our tier, so we have resources to help other groups.

ViO: Tell us a success story about a client or customer that your venture has helped.

Mike Bemis: A person in SL named Pat lost her RL/SL husband. She came here to place a memorial. She has been here ever since. She now runs Remembering our Friends Memorial for us.

ViO: Tell us what the future has in store for your venture. (i.e. new product rollout, goals for expansion, more services, etc).

Mike Bemis: The future is here. We have created The ROF Group to manage Remembering our Friends Memorial, our new HIV/AIDS Education and Support area and Memorial, our M.S Education and Support Area, and The V-Innovate new player help and support at ROF.

We are using our sim and remaining donation after sim tier is paid to help smaller support groups get a foothold in SL to make people aware of theiir cause and to grow. Our goal is to help people. We are interested in working with SL and first life education and support groups.

ViO: Tell us what your ideal target market is for your venture.

Mike Bemis: Ideally, people that have lost loved ones, or who are interested in collaborating with us, or helping us educate and support people on the various cause we are working with.

ViO: Tell us any special offers or deals you are offering to the Vio network.

Mike Bemis: Well our services are free. They always have been. We strictly work on donations. If you are a smaller support group that has a good cause, IM me in world or e-mail me at mikeburleigh@comcast.net to setup a meeting. Also anyone can request a Voice tour so I can personally show them around. :)

Positioning yourself as a in-world solutions provider

2009-01-25T10:18:00.000-08:00

Positioning Yourself to Attract RL Businesses in SL
Vio Business Series #21

INTRODUCTION

Business is alive and real in the virtual world. All apsects of business are finding value in the virtual world. Even with the downturn in the economy, there are opportunities for those who know where to look or how to make lemons into lemonade. Companies looking to reduce the bottom line are finding new technologies and virtual environments as cost-savings solutions, and those who are positioned to provide the solutions are cashing in.

Vio Business and Innovirtua are proud to provide its members with the opportunity to learn from our own persepctive and from the perspective of other members of our dynamic business group.

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Positioning Yourself to Attract RL Businesses in SL
by Xander Newman

Yes, there is REAL money to be made in the virtual world, including Second Life. The best opportunities are getting paid by real-world companies for in-world business solutions. Last week, we discussed the first challenge, which was reaching these companies early on in their discovery process. We touched upon ways to get the attention of the decision-makers of these real-world companies. We discussed the importance of web sites, web 2.0, web marketing, PR and word-of-mouth.

But what if you get face time with the decision maker of the prospective client, and you aren't ready to present yourself as a top-level virtual world solutions provider?

This conversation will focus on positioning (and branding) yourself as a business entity that can:
1) Develop trust
2) Reach a commitment and contract to a working relationship
3) Create a reliable channel of communications
4) Follow-through and evaluation of your work.

DEVELOPING TRUST

There has been enough PR and a steady track record of results that decision-makers can find during their initial research into virtual world solutions. The key is for that decision-maker to feel you (or your team) is the ideal partner to accomplish his goals. In dealing with an industry that he ro she is unfamiliar with, the decision-maker is putting a high-level of trust or faith in someone they may not know very well. Thousands, or millions, of dollars may be at stake, and so may be the job of the decision-maker.

KNOW YOUR STUFF

When talking to you about the virtual world solution, the decision-maker will be listening for a high-level of knowledge. They may not know much about virtual solutions, so they will also listen for the level of confidence you convey. The decision-maker gains confidence as they learn more, so the more you can teach, or the more questions you can answer, the more confident they will be that you are the person they should be working with. Spend the time to evaluate their level of knowledge and offer what helpful information you can. When your knowledge is limited, create and count on a team of virtual world professionals taht you can work with to expand your knowledge base.

SPEAK THEIR LANGUAGE

When talking to a decision-maker, don't speak over their heads. Evaluate their level of knowledge and speak to their level. Ask questions and learn about their business, and try to relate what you know to their industry, and specifically share ideas and concepts that may be most valuable to their line of business.

PRESENT YOURSELF PROFESSIONALLY

Just because you are a SL or virtual world solution provider doesn't mean you should cut corners on your branding and image. Companies spend a lot of money in the real world to attract the attention of and protray a high-level of professionalism to attract larger and more professional clients. Your professionalism in your RL marketing is as important as your professionalism in-world. Professional avatars, meeting space, and communication are helpful in strengthening your first virtual face-to-face impression. If a company has enough at stake financially, be prepared to meet with your new clients in person.

PRESENT YOURSELF AS THE BEST SOLUTION PROVIDER

You will probably not be the only solution-provider that the decision-maker is interviewing. How do you earn the perception of being the best choice?

1) Make the decision-maker feel heard

I can't tell you how importanrt this one is. On many occassions I have been chosen by a client because they said I was the one who they felt listened to them. Other solutions-provider would tell a decision-maker what they should do often make them feel uncomfortable or feel like they are not listening to the specific needs of the decision-maker.

2) Show a strong track record

A good portfolio is a must, and also refer the decision-maker to people who can provide testimonials. Another benefit of having a team is that you can pool the testimonials and portfolios of more people to have a stronger presentation.

3) Be perceived as a leader

Companies love working with leaders in business. Being a leader and being perceived as a leader can come in many forms. Teaching people your expertise makes you seen as a leader. Serving on committees or boards gives you leadership credentials. Starting your own committees or groups gives you leadership value.

4) Expand your value through collaboration

Leaders like working with leaders. Large companies tent to trust organizations of larger size. If you are a one-man shop, you may not get perceived the same as a team of professionals providing a wider scope of work. Join groups, network and find good people you can trust and work with. Forming alliances, consortiums, netwroks or other business entities can position YOU as a solutions provider on a higher playing field.

We at Vio and Innovirtua pride ourselves in creating an environment of collaboration. Joining our group to explore how we can work together may open new doors. Or you can create your own working relationships with the people who call Vio their business community.

Go out, collaborate, and prosper.

Attracting RL Businesses in SL

2009-01-25T10:16:00.000-08:00

Attracting RL Businesses in SL
Vio Business Series #20

INTRODUCTION

Business is alive and real in the virtual world. All apsects of business are important in the virtual world. Even with the downturn in the economy, there are opportunities for those who know where to look or how to make lemons into lemonade. Companies looking to reduce the bottom line are finding new technologies and virtual environments as cost-savings solutions, and those who are positioned to provide the solutions are cashing in.

Vio Business and Innovirtua are proud to provide its members with the opportunity to learn from our own persepctive and from the perspective of other members of our dynamic business group.

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Attracting RL Businesses in SL
by Xander Newman

Yes, there is REAL money to be made in the virtual world, including Second Life. The best opportunities are getting paid by real-world companies for in-world business solutions. The challenge is reaching these companies early on in their discovery process. Afterwards, it's all about developing trust, reaching a commitment to a working relationship, creating a reliable channel of communications, follow-through with your provided solutions, follow-up and evaluation.

How does one reach the decision-makers of these companies?

Fortunately, there has already been a high level of visibility in the business world about the virtues of the virtual world. There was a boom of publicity in late 2006 and early 2007. PR is getting out in the media sporadically these days, but word of mouth in the business world has continued to spread the virtues of the virtual world and have companies continuing to inquire about the benefits of SL and other platforms.

Usually, the first line of decision makers are members of a company who are hired to make decisions on technical solutions. These could be IT Directors, the VP of Technology, CTO, or even the business owner. And these people are usually taking the initiative to research the solutions, so they are the ones you want to reach before others do. Their research may start with Internet searches, word-of-mouth, or print publications.

HAVE A WEB PRESENCE

We cannot underscore the importance of having a web site that can be found on the Internet. The web site should be rich in content about the virtual business solutions you are providing. It should also have the professional appearance that real world businesses look for to make the best first-impression. If you can't afford a web site, at least start with a blog, as they are free. An example of a blog can be seen at:

http://successfulvirtualbusiness.blogspot.com

Some web developers in the Vio Business group are:

Random Merryman
Hubi Hynes

GET THE WORD OUT EFFECTIVELY

Once you have a web presence, how do you get found?

People often use the Internet to search for answers, so the key is providing information people are looking for on a web site or letting people know who they can talk to to get the answers they seek. Being found on search engines becomes crucial in connecting with RL business decision makers before someone else does. This is where Search Engine Optimization (SEO) comes in. It is important to have one of the first found on the search engines when your taregt market does a search.

Also, use Web 2.0 tools and social networking sites to help you reach these decision-makers. Join these web site and join groups to network with people who are into technology and IT.

www.facebook.com
www.myspace.com
www.linkedin.com
www.youtube.com

These are just some of the top sites where you should have a presence.

When you have your initial conversations with the decision-maker, you will need to be well-positioned to be seen as a leader in your field. It will take building a level of trust with the person, to get to the point of ultimate decision-making.

The Topic of the next seminar will be about Positioning and Trust-Building in working with RL Companies.

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SUMMARY

When a virtual services firm deals with a real world company in the virtual world, make sure all terms and conditions are clear and understood before a financial commitment is made. When dealing with RL companies, be prepared to work with them using the same standards and procedures they are accustomed to working with, including having written contracts, phone conversations, or even face-to-face meetings. Be prepared to protect yourself legally as a business entity in case anything goes wrong.

PR in the Virtual World

2008-10-07T12:05:00.000-07:00

PR in the Virtual World
Vio Business Series #12

INTRODUCTION

The virtual world provides emerging opportunities for business and organizations. Any place where you can reach large groups of people worldwide is a good place to get the word out.

In the virtual world, there have been different forms of media developed by resourceful and entrepreneurial groups of people. They each provide business owners in the virtual world different opportunities to reach the eyes and ears of the virtual marketplace. When organizing a strategy for getting information and news about your business or group to many or just the right media outlets in the virtual world, it helps to work with someone who specializes in virtual world PR and has the established relationships to get your message noticed.

Vio Business believes in learning from the successes and mistakes of others, in order to improve your own chances for success. We also believe in using as many of the resources around us as possible to generate business. We are proud to provide Vio Business members with the opportunity to learn from a virtual PR specialist, Annette Wilder of Wilder PR.

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An Overview of the PR in SL
by Annette Wilder

Bio on the Speaker

website: http://www.wilderpublicrelationsfirminc.com/index.htm
blog: http://wilderprfirminc.blogspot.com/

Hello I am Annette Wilder. I am the Founder and CEO of Wilder Public Relations Incorporated. Wilder PR officially opened December 17, 2007. I began Wilder Public Relations Firm as a result of being the Public Relations Specialist for AVENUE Models. Rusch Raymaker, CEO of AVENUE Models, saw the ability in me to succeed at PR even when I did not see it in myself. Working as PR in the fashion world was fast paced and very interesting and I learned to sharpen my skills as a communicator. In real life I am a college graduate with a Bachelor’s degree in Science with an emphasis in Advertising. Public Relations seemed to come natural for me as I am a communications major who loves to talk, proficient writer and is really interested in how businesses are ran.

Wilder Public Relations could not live without Mahala Bing. Mahala is my PR Executive whose job performance cannot be described with any other word short of phenomenal. Mahala excels at all job duties I dole out to her and I have never had someone so dedicated and willing to work and learn. Wilder Public Relations is very lucky to have her. She is the first person all potential new clients must contact in-world. So be sure to send a notecard to Mahala if you are interested in our services.

When Wilder takes on your business as a client we want to know the ins and outs of how it works. We do not take on clients who we feel are not up to par. Wilder Public Relations has been called the best in SL and with that title comes the responsibility to also work with the best clients in SL. Each of our clients are hand picked and we represent them with pride. If you are chosen to come on this wild ride that we call PR with us, trust me it will be worth the trip and we’ll get you to where you need to go.Our clients are important to us and for those of you who have entrusted your business to us I say,

” Thanks for your trust, dedication and hard work. We look forward to continue to serve you as well as our future clients.”

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SUMMARY

When dealing with a PR firm in the virtual world, make sure all terms and conditions are clear and understood before you make a financial commitment. If you experience any disputes, you should use proven dispute resolution providers in the virtual world, such as OliveEue Sholokhov.

Virtual Land Owner and Merchant Resources

2008-09-21T17:18:00.000-07:00

Virtual Land Owner and Merchant Resources
Vio Business Series #11

INTRODUCTION

The virtual world provides emerging opportunities for business and organizations. Growing a company requires reliable resources that make the business owners job easier and more organized

Vio Business believes in learning from the successes and mistakes of others, in order to improve your own chances for success. We also believe in using as many of the resources around us as possible to generate business. We are proud to provide Vio Business members with the opportunity to learn from a virtual consultant, Aayia Jun of AJun Services.

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Land Owner and Merchant Resources
by Aayia Jun

Finding the right resources to run your business is the first thing you should consider when starting, or expanding, your business. You need to look at price, quality, customer service, and business stability of who your are buying from. The right tool ( vendor, rental system, greeter, counter, tip jar, even a consultant) can make or break your business. A lot of business owners in SL go through a "trial and error" period, finding the right tools for their businesses. This can be costly, time consuming, and frustrating for some who do not have the time to experiment. As a business consultant in SL, i can help you make better, faster decisions about your needs.

I am a Hippo Technologies Accredited Trainer, and use a lot of Hippo products:
hippoRENT
hippoVEND
hippoGROUPS
hippoSECURE
hippoSLIDESHOW
hippoTELL
hippoUPDATE
hippoWINDOWS
hippoVISIT

Other products that are available (and that I use regularly*):
THINC Publishing system*
THINC Inventory Box Organizers*
Prim Master prim counter* (the BEST)
Paskis Scripts*
ZONE Media*
@Home Media*
JEVN Vendors
At least a dozen great Builders

There are so many, I dont want to take up too much room!

I provide many services:
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I am a Hippo Technologies Accredited Trainer!
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Setup, installation and hosting of Hippo Technologies systems, and also other packages. I can integrate many systems to serve your needs.
I can also provide:
1. Estate Management and Planning
2. Club Management
3. Publishing and/or distribution of Books/Magazines/Newspapers for you or your business.
4. Mailing list management.
5. Training… ask us about our schedule of classes and subjects, or, we can develop a seminar just for you.
6. Set up of Structures, furniture, anything you desire.
7. Creation of spreadsheets and other documents for your business, delivered in RL. So, if you own a business in SL or RL, and don't quite know what you need, get in touch with us, we may be able to help you.

Bio on the Speaker - Aayia Jun

I have been in the consulting business for over 10 years irl, and for over a year in SL. I have owned (and sold for a profit) 2 business in my life so far. My RL company is a thriving business (that I havent paid much attention to recently, I have been focusing on SL) My SL company, Ajun Services, is growing steadily (mostly Estate Management), and I anticipate that I will be in SL full time by the middle of next year, if not sooner. I have 2 offices in SL, one here in VIO (for quite some time), and another on Robben Island, one of the estates that I manage.

You can find me on the web at www.ajunservices.com

I get my IM's offline on my trusty Blackberry, so, dont hesitate to IM me!

I am also a member of the Virtual Worlds Business Bureau.

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SUMMARY

When dealing with any firm in the virtual world, make sure all terms and conditions are clear and understood before you make a financial commitment. If you experience any disputes, you should use proven dispute resolution providers in the virtual world, such as OliveEue Sholokhov.

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©Copyright 2008 Virtual Innovative Opportunities. All rights reserved.

Non-Profits in the Virtual World

2008-09-18T20:08:00.000-07:00

Non-Profits in the Virtual World
Vio Business Series #10

INTRODUCTION

The virtual world provides emerging opportunities for business, including for non-profit organizations. Any place where you can reach large groups of people is a good place to share the message of a non-profit. Opportunities to expand a donor and mailing list are available as are the ability to host virtual events and fundraisers. The virtual world may also help non-profits provide services to the people they intend to serve.

Vio Business believes in learning from the successes and mistakes of others, in order to improve your own chances for success. We also believe in using as many of the resources around us as possible to generate business. We are proud to provide Vio Business members with the opportunity to learn from two successful directors of non-profit organizatons who have brought their efforts into Second Life, Louise Later and Carmen Grey.

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An Overview of the Non-Profit World in SL
by Louise Later

I am sure that you all share my gratitude to Xander that we are able to gather here today. His vision here at Vio is a great and generous one: we will all benefit together by sharing what we have learned. Thank you, Xander!

Our topic today is “Nonprofits.” You are business people who judge the success of your product and services by your profits—and rightly so. It is hard to make a profit—especially in SL where the whole venue is new and you are pioneers in a new way of doing business.

So, what do NON profits have to do with a business networking group? I am going to say something radical here: I think that a "for-profit" business can judge its true success by its interaction with nonprofits.

I do not say that just to “sound good” as a Public Relations sound bite. I mean every syllable. I think that what gives meaning to each of us is the sure, inner knowledge that “I am contributing something of significance!”

Helen Keller said it best—and this is my personal motto—
“Many people have a wrong idea of what constitutes true happiness. It is not attained though self-gratification, but through fidelity to a worthy purpose." Helen Keller lived from 1880 to 1968--think of the innovations during that time span! :)

Helen Keller says that true happiness comes from dedication to a worthy purpose.

And so, I came to Second Life to see if SL was really doing all the good for people with disabilities the media said it was—because that is how I came to hear about Second Life: the media.

My sister Jolie Mason founded the Los Angeles Radio Reading Service (LARRS.org), a radio service founded by and for those who are blind or print-impaired. And from Day One, she had my help. She is totally blind. Her avatar is KC Garfunkel.

For 15 years, LARRS has broadcast 24/7 topical material (the current best sellers, today’s newspapers, and so on) giving everyone the same access to in-depth information as those who can read text. Eventually, I would like to stream this broadcast in-world to improve SL’s inclusion for those with disabilities. LARRS’s non-profit designation is a project of Community Partners (Section 501 [c][3] Federal Tax ID #95-4302067.

But I did not hear about Second Life just through LARRS. I heard about SL through KPFK.org, the radio station where I am a producer. I help produce “Access Unlimited,” an award-winning radio program that airs on KPFK 90.7 FM Tuesdays 3-4 PM PST.

Jolie is one of the co-hosts on “Access Unlimited” which deals with current issues related to people with disabilities—and those working in the field, friends, family—in short, all of us!

“Access Unlimited” can be heard from San Diego up to Santa Barbara to a drive-time live audience of at least 30,000 up to 150,000.

It can be heard worldwide via the Internet at KPFK.org.

It is also streamed live in-world at Wheelies.

I had heard that Second Life was truly a second chance for people with disabilities—a chance to meet with others, share resources, and have fun!

I had heard about Wheelies on KPFK “Access Unlimited.” So I came to SL—and received a great welcome at Wheelies—a social club for everyone, including those with disabilities. I had found a world that was truly “unlimited” in some ways!

But SL does not make orientation easy. Only 1 out of 10 people who try SL stay—and those are just your average “I wanna be an avatar” folks. What about people with disabilities who already have a hard time navigating the physical world?

Take note: You are business people—and you know well the clout of a retail giant such as Target.com. Target ought to be great at doing business! Even on the Internet.

But Target.com has just had a six-million dollar legal ruling AGAINST them. Six million is hefty sum even for Target. So where did Target go wrong at virtual marketing?

Target had decided that “we are doing enough with our brick-and-mortar stores to provide access to people with disabilities. Our webpage doesn’t ALSO need to be accessible for those who have visual impairments.”

But on August 30, 2008, the “Los Angeles Times” published an article about what the judge decided about e-commerce and accessibility.

Target lost.

A six-million-dollar loss.

It is now “good business -- and it's the law -- for companies to make their websites fully accessible to the visually impaired.” This was a ruling in a California court and Linden Lab is based in San Francisco, California. (The full story can be read at: http://www.latimes.com/news/opinion/la-ed-target30-2008aug30,0,827817.story)

So, part of why we are sharing our expertise today at Vio is to do business right the first time! Learn from someone else’s mistakes. Let Target pay $6 million, and let the members of Vio do business right. Target did not truly welcome all its potential customers. Here, in SL, on Virtual Ability Island is a shining example of a way to welcome everyone—including those with disabilities. Soon we will hear from Gentle Heron who is here today to tell us about the Virtual Ability non-profit and its welcome to new residents!

Virtual Ability Island I is doing things right! For example, they are helping our volunteer development team create and test an SL Guide Dog and Mobility Cane.

The supporters of VAI share a dream that Helen Keller would approve of—a “worthy purpose” that some day, even people with visual disabilities will be able to enjoy SL—and help its commerce flourish!

Please join me in welcoming Gentle Heron and in supporting Virtual Abilitiy Island!

FYI:
Here is an article about the Guide Dog and Mobility Cane Project
http://tentacolor.com/2008/08/30/the-scripted-leading-the-blind/

You can find out more information about the Los Angeles Radio Reading Service at LARRS.org and “Access Unlimited” at http://www.kpfk.org/programs/40-access-unlimited.html.

And everyone is welcome at Wheelies! :))

And, for Vio members, Accessible Builds will modify your SL business to make it accessible to those with disabilities--free of charge!

ABOUT THE SPEAKER

Lousie Later is co-founder of the Los Angeles Radio Reading Service (LARRS.org), a radio service founded by and for those who are blind or print-impaired. We broadcast 24/7 topical material (the current best sellers, today’s newspapers, etc.) so that everyone has the same access to information as those who can read text. I would like to stream this broadcast in-world to improve SL’s inclusion for those with disabilities.

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Five Reasons Why People with Disabilities Make Great SL Customers!

1. Represent a Larger Percentage of the SL Population
Twenty percent of SL users identify themselves as having a disability. If the percentage were exactly parallel to the US population, it would be only 15 percent. AND this figure represents the group that is willing to say that they are disabled. Like everyone in SL, many people with disabilities may be here as an escape from reality and decide NOT to say that they are disabled.

2. Spend More Time In SL
People with disabilities log on more often and stay on longer. Lots of time to shop!

3. Use Technology Willingly
A little-known fact is that the typewriter keyboard itself was invented as accessible technology. A member of the British royal family wanted to do his own correspondence--even though he was blind. As Jolie Mason says, "Technology overcomes the handicap imposed by disability."

4. Network Well With Others
People with disabilities have learned to speak up! They know that you have to ask for what you need. So they tend to share what they have learned and pass on the good word to others. And what is better news than a good bargain?

5. Are a Growing Population
The Social Security Administration states that starting in 2012, each day, 10,000 Americans will be turning 70. With increasing age comes disabilitiy--so the disabled customer you are providing with excellent service now may one day be you!

So be a leader! Welcome Everyone!

http://www.latimes.com/news/opinion/la-ed-target30-2008aug30,0,827817.story

--
"Many people have a wrong idea of what constitutes true happiness. It is not attained though self-gratification, but through fidelity to a worthy purpose." Helen Keller (1880-1968)

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How Can Your Business Support Non-Profits in SL?
How will Supporting Non-Profits Benefit Your Business?

There are several ways that businesses can support non-profits in SL and RL.

1. Partner with a Nonprofit
By partnering with a non-profit, your business can pass on the success that you are experiencing. Your customers will feel good about helping where help is needed. Businesses supporting non-profits help thousands of people at one time, and it is a time-honored way to give back to communities.

2. Share Your Goods—and Do Good!
You can share the resources that your business has while also helping the non-profit —for example, donating your merchandise. In-kind donations that your business donates to non-profits are a tax-deductible donation to your RL business if they have a real world value. But way beyond that is the added benefit in goodwill. Your name and goods will be spread through out Second Life, collecting more customers for your business.

3. Join with the Lindens in Being Generous
Linden Lab allows non-profits to buy land and pay tier at half-price. With land, the nonprofit can help Linden Lab fill SL to capacity while also attracting new residents to SL as the nonprofit gets the word out about their SL venue. A non-profit with land can put on special events, help others, and hire SL staff to fulfill the organization’s mission while in SL. As a business, you could fund a non-profit purchasing an island in SL. You could also pay the monthly tier on a island. As you do so, your business has the opportunity to give a great example to other residents as you create a worthy and beautiful movement in SL. Like a “big fish in a small pond,” you will be having an impact in SL that you might not have in RL. You could benefit in many tangible ways that parallel media advertising in RL: your name all over the island in major places as the sponsor, a special wing or building put in your company’s name as the sponsor, or—as Linden says—your world . . . your imagination! You also have the SL parallels to RL
advertising in SL television stations, news blogs, and other places in SL and on the internet about your business in SL.

Follow the example of the cancer society who has been able to partner with many businesses about supporting cancer research through their “pink ribbon” campaign. Now you see the ribbons on soup cans. This is a perfect example how businesses can give back help thousands and maybe millions of people and get great public relations as well. There is a long-lasting relationship there! This is forming a partnership for your business that connects in the most positive way with every company that comes aboard SL. Let’s all help business and non-profits reach some of their goals!

With DBA, we keep a record of funds donated through our SL account. Because we have a paid account, at any given time, we can get a record of any transactions coming in and going out of our SL account. There is no receipts in SL and the Lindens that are converted into US dollars go directly to the organization—100% of the funds! These funds help with things like summer camp for children as well as educational events in SL and RL.

A Word to the Wise from a Director of a NonProfit—“Drive By Agony” (DBA): We have not made enough Lindens to really go to far yet because it is not easy to fundraise in SL! We have found that we have to be determined. We rely on a great staff and volunteer base, which we have had to build—resident by resident. :-) DBA has been in operation since 1988; we received our 501(c)(3) in 1992, helping victims of crime—providing counseling and working with youth who are victims and or at-risk. We also have a parenting component and domestic violence as well.

ABOUT THE SPEAKER

Carmen Gray has been a av since 2006 but became active in December 2007 and has planned and implementd a march for peace , a health fair and succeessful live music venues raising lindens for the org. programs we do in rl and sl the last fundraiser was a Carnival and live music event in May were we raised 103k with the help of volunteers that worked very hard to make that happen. She is co-owner of Oleander Island where most of the special events are held at and her office is located.

Visit our web-site @www.drivebyagony.net

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SUMMARY

When dealing with a non-profit in the virtual world get receipts for donations and do ask where the money goes and how the group shows accountability for the funds. Ask what percentage of donations to directly to the people the non-profit serves. Make sure all terms and conditions are clear and understood before you make a financial commitment. If you experience any disputes, you should use proven dispute resolution providers in the virtual world, such as OliveEue Sholokhov.

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©Copyright 2008 Virtual Innovative Opportunities. All rights reserved.

Metasavers: Marketing With Virtual Coupons

2008-09-07T14:09:00.000-07:00

Metasavers: Marketing With Virtual Coupons
Vio Business Series #9

INTRODUCTION

There are many resources for success in the virtual world. Most of the marketing resources available in the real world, has a version in the virtual world. We all know about direct mail and coupon books in the real world. The same resource exists for businesses in Second Life... The MetaSaver.

Vio Business believes in learning from the successes and mistakes of others, in order to improve your own chances for success. We also believe in using as many of the resources around us as possible to generate business. We are proud to provide Vio Business members with the opportunity to learn from one of the successful entrepreneurs in Second Life, Guy Winkler of The MetaSaver.

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Metasaver: A retail marketing tool for virtual business
by Guy Winkler

The MetaSaver is a coupon book, specifically designed for the residents of a virtual world called Second Life. Second Life is a virtual world created 100% by its users. Our coupon book is the only one present in Second Life.

Not only do we advertise just Second Life businesses but we have expanded into offering real companies a chance to advertise in our book. We are 100% free to the residents of Second Life. They can get a virtual copy of the coupon book by clicking on our kiosks within the virtual world or by visiting our website.

If you want to be apart of this new advertising world, please check out our rates page!

Second Life’s First Coupon Book

How It Works

Advertisers

The MetaSaver works like so:

1. The advertiser places an ad in The MetaSaver Coupon Book.

2. Advertiser is given a unique Coupon Vending System.

3. On the ad in the Coupon Book, there is a numeric code on that ad.

4. That code gives a discount of whatever product, service, or item you are discounting. You can change this rate with the Coupon Vending System.

5. When a potential customer flips through our Coupon Book they see your ad and visit your store.

6. The customer then looks for the Coupon Vending System discounting that product, service or item.

7. While the customer is looking for that Coupon Vending System, they are seeing all your other products, services and items

8. As the advertiser, you are gaining traffic and customers to your location. Customers become sales.

Example:

You are selling a T-Shirt for 100L. The MetaSaver creates an ad design with what ever numeric code and % off you want. So lets say we are advertising this shirt for 20% off. We release this coupon book at the beginning of the month. The potential customer looks through the coupon book looking at all the deals. They see your shirt for 20% off. You have a Coupon Vending System somewhere in your store. They find that item and enter in the numeric code found on the coupon. They are able to purchase that T-Shirt for 20% off or 80L. You have created a sale of 80L, that would have probably not got sold to that person if they didn’t see it in the book. Also while searching for the Coupon Vending System of that T-Shirt they saw another pair of pants you were selling and bought that as well.

These Coupon Vending Systems look just like a board but with a numeric keypad that must be input by mouse click. They are modify so you can change the size and update the product picture you are selling.

http://www.themetasaver.com

Bio on the Speaker

Guy Winkler started in Second Life selling logos for a graphic design studio. Then he made his way to selling land which later payed for his honeymoon. After taking a few months off, he came back and started working for a real life company that brought businesses into SL. Now he runs The MetaSaver, Second Life's first coupon book. Residents can just sign up to join the group free of charge. http://www.themetasaver.com He is also writer for a new blog, http://metawear.blogspot.com . Guy also spends his time working with Club Mannequin, one of the hottest clubs in SL as well as a Showcased place, building and running rentals.

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SUMMARY

When dealing with a service company in the virtual world like The MetaSaver, make sure you read the agreements in advance. Make sure all terms and conditions are clear and understood before you make a financial commitment. If you experience any disputes, you should use proven dispute resolution providers in the virtual world, such as OliveEue Sholokhov.

Success in Virtual Real Estate Development

2008-08-23T14:18:00.000-07:00

Success in Virtual Real Estate
Vio Business Series #8

INTRODUCTION

Many people come to the virtual world prospecting for opportunities to generate real income. One of the most popular ways to do so is to develop virtual space (real estate). There is a lot of money to be made, especially in being able to duplicate a successful business model and real estate development plan, but there is also a lot of financial commitment and risk involved.

Vio Business believes in learning from the successes and mistakes of others, in order to improve your own chances for success. We are proud to provide its members with the opportunity to learn from one of the most prolific and successful real estate developers in Second Life, Giancarlo Takacs of Costa Rica Sims. He has built success around an attractive niche and has duplicated his success, owning more than 50 sims.

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Being Successful in the Virtual Real Estate Business
by Giancarlo Takacs

Have a plan! Successful business ventures are created by having a strategy, and not out of pure luck. In building this strategy, you will need information. What better way to gain answers to your questions than by talking to the owners and managers of established Estates? Build relationships with successful people and always be up front regarding why you are asking questions.

Today, it takes no more than two minutes for a sim to be delivered, so don’t rush or expand too fast as this can be detrimental to your goal. Remember, that while friends are supportive, they might not have the skills you need to be successful. Surround yourself with the best people you can find, those that will help you achieve your goal. In return, do not ever become greedy. And finally, do not expect that you are going to be making a real life income from Second Life overnight.

Giancarlo Takacs was created by the people behind Crest Custom Travel, a travel agency based in San Jose, Costa Rica. This creation was to explore the possibility of providing exposure to the company within a virtual world while offering the ability to book tours and excursions to Costa Rica utilizing the Second Life platform. At this time, the avatar named Giancarlo Takacs is used exclusively by the CEO of Crest Custom Travel.

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SUMMARY

When dealing with virtual real estate (virtual space), you are dealing with server space on the Internet, but in a form where many aspects of real estate apply. Shop around for good deals. Sometime, especially when traffic count is important, location may be more important than price. Make sure all terms and conditions are clear and understood before you make a financial commitment.

©Copyright 2008 Virtual Innovative Opportunities. All rights reserved.

Machinima

2008-08-16T15:03:00.000-07:00

Machinima: Visual Animation from the Virtual World
Vio Business Series #7

INTRODUCTION

Machinima became an established media, when video game developers used its computer-generated animation technology to produce media productions. Originally, such animations were developed to visually illustrate storylines within a video game. But over time, people explored using this technology to develop digital productions for entertainment purposes. As digital animation technology improved, the appeal of this format has dramatically increased.

The virtual world platforms, including Second Life, provide developers, an easy-to-use interface and 3-D space to capture in-world footage in digital video format. This format can be brought into video editor programs, edited with other video and sounds, to produce rich content.

Vio Business is proud to provide its members with the opportunity to hear more about what is out there, specifically from machinima expert AWM Mars.

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Machinima: A Resource for Business
by AWM Mars

If a picture can speak a thousand words, how many pictures are there in a movie media?

When we read a book, our imagination is allowed to interpret the scenes described by the Author. When we listen to a song, we relate that to our own experiences or feelings. When looking at Art or Photography, we again interpret our own impressions. With movies, we can immerse the viewer with all those tools.

The same 'tools' are used to give the viewer a message, deliver a ethos, a brand recognition, even a style of business, whether it is dynamic, calm, professional, sincere, robust, has a history, dependable etc.

Using Machinima, you can deliver those messages in a very short time to the viewer.

You can also use Machinima to record events, whether stages of progress that can be used to show trends, or historic landmarks. This can be useful for bespoke property builders, giving their clients their progress, or even as a history of the build.

Education, a powerful tool that leads to future business. Delivering information at a controlled rate is important. Doing so in the most efficient way is paramount. Delivering multiple forms of educational media in a singular form, is perhaps the most powerful attribute of movie media, when we combine the strengths of each of the media's (sound, text and pictures).

Machinima, which is the term used for 'non-real life staged productions'. Is perhaps the cheapest form of movie media creation available. Not just in terms of the Dollar Cost, but of that to the planet (Carbon Footprint).

Actors, set builders, graphics, storyboard, voice-over narrations, producers, camera, lighting are all available within the Virtual Reality Platform. However we have no need to bring them all together into one or more Real Life places, to utilise their skills and talents. Many can double up with multiple skill sets.

Real Life inhibitors no longer exist. Those unable to travel, for whatever reason, can now apply their talents from their own environment, without the need for special provisions. Talents and skills, that previously could not be accommodated, can now be realised. This also includes how clients, business, education were able to reach out into the 4 corners of the globe, and find the right resources, at the right costs.

Machinima is available and delivered direct to the source, via the internet, off transportable media such as DVD, even solid state memory cards. It can be created in cross platform formats and resolutions.

Formats that include present technology, iPod, Blackberry, Television, Cinema, Websites etc. It can also be 're-developed' to suit future formats with ease.

It has the ability to be created for various languages, by simply changing the layers of text and voice-overs for variations. Both of those 'layered' media's are used sparingly, and to support the foundation media of moving pictures, which remains unaltered. The Net result is cheaper cost.

My own history within the Virtual Reality Environments go back before the days of internet versions (over 10 years). I was developing VR buildings and structures for clients and developers. Creating replicas of those building from the 2D drawings, including services such as radiators, lighting, textures on all facets (floors, ceilings, walls and furniture).

Using 'avatars' based on each users height, I could produce 'walk through' movies, as each person would 'view' the building from a different perspective. Combined with the ability to show the building in its exact location in the world (latitude, longitude), then running a 'year cycle' within the programme, would show how outside/ambient lighting, reacts with all the various surfaces within each room.

Computer screens in offices showing if sunlight would reflect, reducing contrast and usability. Common spaces such as corridors, how they perform with multiple people using them, or whether they require either additional lighting by electrical means, or by introducing ambient light through 'borrowed light' sources. Making changes to the design, no matter how small, based upon the results of this development, saved a lot of time and money for the project.

I pursued various platforms that would make the process, not just easier to create but could involve actual people participating. Adobe Atmosphere was the pioneer of the Virtual Reality platforms. Second Life in the next generation. Its potential has opened up a completely new way in which commerce can thrive. Our goals have been to utilise machinima as way of serving those thriving communities and business layers developing within the environment.

Nearly 3 years ago, when I started up our first company (WBA-Advertising) our motto was, and still is, 3D advertising for a 3D world. Secondlifes business community was thriving and developing at a fast pace, yet movies were seen in the light of hobbyist and entertainment. Usually in the form of Real Life movies being streamed into 'private' skypods.

We created the first raft of advertising for designers of clothing ranges. Now buyers could see whole outfits coming alive in full reality. We didn't stop there, we looked across the range of businesses developing, and created many forms of delivering those products to viewers.

We founded other companies within our group, that could utilise the many talents of people around the globe, developing many forms of advertising, to suit the needs of the fast growing community. Our business plans focused on the SL businesses, giving them opportunities to have professional media advertising, that could be transportable into Real Life, but within the micro economies of value.

Other business plans created for our other companies, would suit Real Life companies, infacing into SL to gain exposure, but still able to use that same media for their 'normal' forms of advertising. Still within the Real Life economies, and enormously cheaper in Dollar and Carbon Footprint costs to Real Life counterparts.

We have not only been expanding our capabilities and techniques within SL, but reaching out across the other growing platforms. This has also taken the form of developments in how media can be delivered. Our hardware gives us the in-house facility to deliver our media anywhere in the world, where there is a internet connection or postal service.

We have been instrumental in developing technical systems, that not only break the 'one movie per parcel' limitation to multiple movies, delivered across secure networks, but that can be transported across multiple platforms. Business can now reach multiple platforms from one source of delivery. Whether through static screens, or platform wide wearable media system, that not only allows for 'in platform' media, but links to other platforms, RSS feeds, iPodcasts, websites, collaboration tools. Winning awards for technical innovation.

We have created companies that not only have given us greater scope, but incorporate many different techniques and skill sets, from its members. We have many 'pools' of talent working in different fields, but under the umbrella of our group. Cross Investments in those companies for creation of avatar control systems, that not only get used in those particular business spearheads (fashion) but are available for our movie media for advertising and commercial creation.

Our portfolio of work can be viewed at http://www.wba-advertising.com and http://www.nex-core-mm.com The technical advancements for media delivery can be seen at http://www.eml-entertainments.com/silverstreamtechnology.html

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SUMMARY

When your ready to have a machinima production, interview several machima producers and choose the one you feel is the best fit for your needs. When agreeing to a contract or agreement with a virtual world machinima producer, get all of the details up front and get the agreement in writing. That should be a real world agreement.

©Copyright 2008 Virtual Innovative Opportunities. All rights reserved.

Virtual Worlds

2008-08-10T11:31:00.000-07:00

INTRODUCTION

When it comes to Virtual Worlds, Second Life isn't the only game in town. There are other companies that have gotten into the game, including corporate giant Google. Google has developed Lively, which recently made a splash in the media. Other virtual worlds or grids, include Open Life (http://www.openlifegrid.com), Central Grid (http://www.centralgrid.com), and VirtualLife Grid. In China, a very popular, Mandarin-language-based virtual world is HiPiHi (http://www.Hipihi.com).

Vio Business is proud to provide its members with the opportunity to hear more about what is out there, specifically from three panelists.

Kalvin Jefferson and Bazman Doobie will present VirtualLife Grid. BigTonny Goodfellow will present CentralGrid. Slatestone McCall will present Google's Lively. After the panelists present their information, there will be a Q&A session followed by networking.

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VirtualLife Grid
by Bazman Doobie and Kalvin Jefferson

VirtualLife Grid(tm) is based on the OpenSimulator Project witch is a BSD Licensed Virtual Worlds Server which is used for creating and deploying 3D Virtual Environments. It has been developed by several developers. Out of the box, the OpenSimulator can be used to create a Second Life(tm) like environment, able to run in a standalone mode or connected to other OpenSimulator instances through built in grid technology. It can also easily be extended to produce more specialized 3D interactive applications.

QUATRO Industries as built aopn this to create VirtualLife Grid(tm) and is now ready to officaly launch the service in 1 week. We will be send invitations to everyone with in the vio community in a few days to come check out the new wolds we have to offer.

We will also be offering Vio residents a discount on regions .

QUATRO Industries has tiers that are much loower than any competitor because we do not charge for prims. The cost if tiers is based on server rental space.

We have Regions avalable full prim and open space (Low Prim) and also Personal grid rental

Are prim count is also considerable higher than SL(tm) as a full prim region is conprised of 40000 prims and a open space region is comprised of 15000 prims and both can run attached to VirtualLife Gird(tm) or run in stand alone mode attached to nothing.

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Central Grid
by BigTonny Goodfellow

Central Grid to Bring Inworld Currency

Central Grid has moved to become the first grid using the OpenSim platform to bring inworld currency to its users. They will be called Cyber Coins with C$ being its active symbol. OpenSim Grids have all been fairly equal until now. There has been no true way to establish an economy. This will now be possible in CG. Currency has been active in a private test grid for some time now to ensure that it functions properly and is secure. There also has been extensive work to create an exchange sytem on the web site for users to be able to purchse, trade to other avatars, and sell Cyber Coins. CG will be selling C$ at the rate of C$200 to $1.00 USD. We will be working this week to add it to Central Grid. CG currently has 2316 user accounts with 2717 avatars and 363 regions. The current monthly tier fee for regions is $75.00 USD. This rate will be changing to $100.00 USD once the Cyber Coins become active. All regions that are currently online or that are activated before the Cyber Coins go live will lock in their monthly tier rate at the $75.00. We have also recently added several more servers to allow for the expected rapid increase of regions. Come join in the excitement as Central Grid pushes beyond the limits of OpenSim.

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Google Lively
An evalutation by Slatestone McCall
Real Life Business Owner
Marshwiggle Website Services
http://www.marshwiggle.com/SL543
http://www.OneTreeFrog.com

Yes, folks, Google has entered the social network 3D arena with their beta software, "Lively". I have found it not so lively...quite boring actually when you compare it with Second Life but let's take a look at it anyway. There are a couple of good benefits but I will get to them in a little bit.

First of all it is a quick and easy download. If you already have a Google or Gmail account you can login right away and start creating your avatar, which no matter how you change you just can't personalize it enough. Instead of being realistic like we are used to with Second LIfe, using Lively makes you feel like you are in a cartoon world.

Instead of a SIM type world where land can be connected to another person's land each person has a room instead. Each room is set up like a 3D chat room.

Personally, I would have preferred Google to wait a little longer before revealing their beta version. I found it to be quite cumbersome and awkward when trying to move your avatar around. The only way to move your avatar is by click on it and dragging to the spot you want it to go. When doing this your avatar gives a walking motion.

There is not much you can do with the avatar yet. You can get some basic simplistic clothing and accessories but again, they were quite basic and cartoonish.

When searching for rooms to visit I was surprised that Google would make it hard to find a room. Oh, you could search by most visitors or the date a room was created but there is something missing. I just can't browse and try to see what is out there by group, type or subject.

From a business stand point Lively is just too new to be worth while. You could use it as a meeting point for instant chat but that is about it. There is no classifieds and I don't think as of yet you can sell anything "inworld". Lively needs to "grow up" and gain some benefits and tools that businesses (real or virtual) could use. Right now Google's Lively is just something to play with and "fiddle around" with.

This leads me to the question, are there any benefits with Lively? The one feature that I believe could be a benefit, especially to a business, is that you can embed your room into a web page. This allows a virtual business to receive an easier exposure through search engines. For visitors to your website having your room embedded helps to make it easy for them to visit your virtual office or world.

Second, with a big company like Google they are bound to start good-healthy competition. This is if they get serious and start adding more robust features to Lively. Good competition between companies is what spurs on new, exciting and creative ideas.

For me, I don't have time to play with Lively. So for now, I am uninstalling it from my system and enjoying the creativity of those on Second Life.

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SUMMARY

There are different reasons for considering different virtual worlds. There is likely a trade-off between functionality, and price and the size of the marketplace. For some applications, such as architects designing a 3-D concept for a client halfway around the world, a sizeable marketplace is not important. So other grids may provide a boost in performance and cost-savings. You need to spend some time weighing your needs and options when considering what is being offered. Ask people who are members of a virtual world and get their feedback and experiences before making a choice.

When agreeing to a contract or agreement with a virtual world service provider, get all of the details up front and get the agreement in writing. That should be a real world agreement.

Your Image and Branding in the Virtual World

2008-08-04T16:44:00.000-07:00

INTRODUCTION

Business in Second Life (SL) is much the same as it is in “real life” (RL) first impressions matter!

In RL you have a brief window to make a first impression and in our virtual world you can bet that it is even smaller and your image is key to making the most favorable impression. But while introductions and impressions happen in a split second, creating a lasting, favorable perception requires a continuous concentrated effort across many platforms.

That effort is called branding and it is through branding and image that individuals, communities and organizations express their individuality.

I’d like to first define the words and put them into the context we'll be talking about today.

For our purposes, Image covers the appearance and mannerisms of your avitar, the environment that houses your business, and the furnishings and items associated with them

A brand is a promise or idea and a set of expectations held by an audience about a product, service or company. A brand is not what You say it is ... it is what your audience says it is.

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IMAGE

The appearance and mannerisms of your avitar, the environment that houses your business, and the furnishings and items associated with them

Your avitar (or avi) is literally your face in SL. It can be complex or simple, representing all the parts of who you are and who you want to be. (Some choose to express facets of themselves thru a second (or third or fourth... ) avitar, called an alt).

You might choose to have an avitar that looks just like you in RL, or you might choose an ideal you’ve always wanted to be, or you might choose one that is more apt to draw in the type of people you’re trying to reach.

Whatever you do, Present a professional image. Get expert help – what you want may not exist off the shelf, but affordable custom work is rapant in SL. And image makeover professionals can help you devise and implement a new concept.

Since avitars are really just a sum of their parts, it’s important to remember the many aspects that need to be properly addressed.

Avitars consist basically of a shape (think bones and muscles or what’s inside the skin), skin (colorings, photo-realistic body parts, etc.) and other items such as eyes, hair, clothes, shoes, accessories, animation override (AO or AO HUD), and other add-ons that make your avitar unique and memorable.

Here are some simple things that will help you get started ... try sitting down and identifying the following things in a very specific way:

1) What type of product or service do I have?

2) What is my main purpose (business/fun/exploring/etc.)?

3) What type of audience am I expecting to attract?

4) What types of presentations or meetings will I attend?

5) What activities will I be interested in exploring?

6) What are my RL hobbies or ones I would like to take up in SL?

7) Where do you live in RL and how does that impact your persona? OR what city do you WISH you lived in and what does that convey?

ENVIRONMENT:

As with your avitar, your office, home, skybox, platform, SIM, venue, or any other area you plan to have customers see is important in the same way.

The items themselves, the quality, the presentation, how “appropriate” they are for your audience will all add to your success (or failure) in the virtual world. Do you want your SL office to be a copy of your RL one or do you want to create a magical world that shows what “can” be?

Personal shoppers and inventory management become very helpful for those starting out or those who wish to upgrade or change their environments.

As SL becomes more sophisticated, so do the ‘objects” don’t forget to keep up with the times. ... AND REMEMBER ... the audience in SL makes a decision to stay or go in a split second. That first impression ... your TP in point, what they see, where they face ... all of it can make or break your venture.

BRANDING:

A brand is a promise or idea and a set of expectations held by an audience about a product, service or company. A brand is not what You say it is ... it is what your audience says it is.

First, every company creates a brand for itself, good or bad. Your reputation is your brand. Every time you have contact with a customer you leave an impression, you add to your reputation, and you create your own brand. But do you have a branding strategy?

Branding strategy is ultimately about fulfilling promises. It is about trust, quality, service, and reliability. It’s a relationship between your customers and your company. And it’s within your reach, if you can manage your customer contact points.

In a virtual world some of the same practices will apply … others will be different. Some things to consider are:

1) Spend the money to have a designer create a professional logo, business-note card and a space ad for your SL business.

2) Manage your brand. Continually look for opportunities to make improvements. As the virtual world becomes more sophisticated, so does your audience. What attracts them today will not hold their attention tomorrow.

3) Promote Testimonials and find ways to encourage word of mouth viral marketing. Start building credibility for your business from day one.

4) Build Buzz. Be creative. Look for a special promotions and tie-ins with SIMs or other businesses. Do something out of the norm for your business to get people talking about you, your product or service.

SUMMARY & TIPS

Creating a solid, strong physical impression gives you credibility. The fastest way to be “written off” is to communicate your “newbie” status. If you are new to SL there will be multitudes of nuances that escape you, but those with experience in SL can spot the “noobies” or “newbies” in a crowd and will go out of their way to avoid them

Every point of contact that your customer subsequently has with your company is an important part of your branding strategy. Your avitar, office and/or home are vital as well as your plan for getting yourself and your business known and paid attention to and supported and that process is continual. In the virtual world you cannot rest on your laurels!

Lastly I’d like to say a few words about working with professionals in SL. When agreeing to the services of a image and/or branding expert, get all of the details up front and get an agreement in writing. That can be a real world agreement that is received by fax or mail. Or it can be as simple (but not as binding) as a Notecard.

If you experience any disputes, you should use proven dispute resolution providers in the virtual world, such as OliveEue Sholokhov.

PRESENTORS BACKGROUND

Alexi Mizin: In RL I am in marketing and communications, I specialize in branding initiatives for non-profits and grassroots organizations, social issues, advocacy, and political candidates through print, exhibit, event and advertising mediums. My friends and associates call me "reference girl" or "resource girl" in SL I have adopted the same philosophies and love nothing more than a challenge of a look or a concept to fulfill.

My SL business is "image consulting" an umbrella term covering many SL consulting services including: Avitar makeovers, home or office interior, consulting/shopping, Inventory organization and a wide range of personal shopping services; also marketing and design services such as signs, logos, advertisements, and other visual branding solutions; Brainstorming business/marketing ideas

I also own an art gallery in the French Quarter SIM, and have exhibit space upstairs at the Vio Art Co-op as well as on the new art co-op on Roosevelt Island of NYC.

Virtual World Media and PR

2008-07-27T12:08:00.000-07:00

INTRODUCTION

In the virtual world, there have been different forms of media developed by resourceful and entrepreneurial groups of people. They each provide business owners in the virtual world different opportunities to reach the eyes and ears of the virtual marketplace.

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SL PUBLICATIONS

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Special Guest Carter Giacobini of Venture Magazine

Topic: How Virtual Magazines Work (An Introduction) and why this is good for Virtual World Business.

Inworld magazines and periodicals work in one of three ways:

1) They create a prim "magazine" that is used as either a hud to read or rezzable and the reader cams in close to the magazine to read it.

2) A publication uses a website or blog out of world on the Internet and simply advertises it inworld.

3) A combo of the above. Meaning, they print the magazine inworld and have a copy on the web for people to use. This is probably the best way to get maximum exposure and a more loyal readership.

There are many positives to advertising with inworld publications. Since advertising your virtual world business in the real world is just beginning, most residents count on blogs or inworld news publications to find out where they can find designers, prefab makers, great places to visit, etc. And, since most publications are fairly inexpensive to advertise in (compared to any real world publication) it's easy to be able to place ads in several magazines.

First, find publications that you feel would best represent you. For instance, asking Runway Magazine or Venture Magazine to run an ad about your Gorean sim would be a waste of money. However, running an ad in Runway about your new fashion mall would be right on target. You also want to be careful that the publications you advertise in represent the style and quality that you want your business to reflect. Rarely will you find Tiffany's advertising in the Enquirer, even though I'm sure some of the readers of the Enquirer can afford to buy from there.

After finding the right publications, contact the people listed in the publication who would be able to give you advertising rates and info. You'll need to find out the ad specs from each magazine, as many have restrictions and different sized pages. For instance, PrimPerfect Magazine requires that each ad be done in photoshop in order to ensure that they have a polished look and feel. My magazine requires that each ad be 512x512 in size, whereas many others have different size restrictions. Also, some magazines require that you email your ad to someone while others ask that you pass them the ad inworld.

You can also ask to be placed closer to the front of the mag, as well. This will generally cost more money, but you'll be seen by more people. Make sure that you request this right away and close to the beginning of the month or the publication cycle, as these spots get quickly taken.

Lastly, you'll want to keep track of where you put your ads in and get a copy of the publication to make sure that the ads are in there - just like in the real world :-) If your ad is forgotten, most of the time it's simply an oversight and you're entitled to your money back, or a free ad the following month. This has never happened when I've placed ads, but I've heard of it happening.

All in all, advertising inworld is VERY easy! And, just like with most other business dealings in the virtual world, it's the personal contact that may get you a spot closer to front, so try to develop a relationship with your publications!

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Special Guest Natalie Niven of SLInWorldToday

Topic: How Virtual Publications reach the virtual marketplace, including its own marketing strategies to reach more people.

When I first started in the sl media business I learned a lot of things really quickly. One was to be open and honest and the other was to thicken my skin. My newspaper has that "REAL" THING going on with it
I decided that since there was so many sl celebrities, I was gonna be the one to give them that full sl celebrity experince just like a real life newspaper.

Marketing such a paper isnt a problem as I only do fun stuff that people wanna read and its not done from newspaper boxes in the virtual world either.

My studies have shown its done by either passing links in sl while gossiping or at real life work on monday morning...

In fact, advertising has never been a big thing for me, I am in this business for the fun any money made from my site pays for other adverts for the paper.

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Special Guest Valerie Rosewood of Lipstick Publishing

Topic: Challenges in publishing a SL Magazine

Here in the Virtual World, one of the most important things is knowing your target audience or demographic. You attract readers to your magazine, or media by providing content that appeals to them. You have to know what they like and don't like, what is "old news," boring or of great interest. Ongoing research is important. Things often change, rules change, and in some cases, activities are outlawed and removed. Stay on top of what is important to your reader, and what is happening with the virtual Gods, so to speak.

You can make a publication, a magazine, newspaper, video, podcast about anything here in the virtual world. That's one of the magical things about the virtual world! Chances are that there will be others out there who are interested in the idea of the type of media and topic that you want to do. But if you do your homework and know your audience, you can stay ahead of the game. Giving the reader what they want is also important to success, but do use common sense.

There are alot of challenges in providing content. One, is you need to acquire that content! Either you yourself have to go out and get it, or hire a writer or reporter to do it for you. The information has to be accurate and true (unless you run a tabloid, then just make it interesting, LOL). Another thing to consider, is it relevant to the theme of your media? There is no use making a report about combat in the virtual world when you publish a Christian magazine for example. Finally, is the information current? Has it been around for a few months or years? If it's not timely news, people may not be interested in reading it, and have a negative opinion about your media.

One of our challenges has been getting people to talk to us about news. Some people "in the know" are reluctant to share any information until it's publically announced. Some people are so busy that they never get the information to you in time for your deadlines. The best way we at Lipstick Publishing found is just keeping in touch with sources of information, and keeping a good rapport with them, so they feel more inclined to share any information with us. Might not be now, or next month that something really good will come in, but over time, something might that will put you on top, or ahead of anyone else in the virtual world in covering this information. Make friends all over in beneficial areas and before you know it, you'll have interesting content to keep you in stories all the time. :)

We keep our eyes out on the SL blog for anything interesting, and we employ many writers to go out and meet with people to get their views on things for our magazines. Our magazines cover some unique fields so there's usually alot of good news and content to use for our magazines. Basically to over come any problems, we simply put ourselves into the shoes of our readers and ask ourselves "would WE be interested in reading about this? Why? Does it impact me?" To alot of our readers, it's about them, and what they're interested in. We go out and ask them, what do you want to see in our magazines? What would interest you? Sometimes readers come up with ideas we never thought of and it's worked for us. We listen to our readers alot and make changes for the better. Readership has gone up, and they're happy and return to get next month's issues. This pleases our advertisers and they renew their ads, or we attract more advertisers to our line of magazines. :)

Lipstick Publishing creates 10 monthly magazines, every month, and has been in Second Life for over a year (starting in January 2007). The company tailors to many unique areas of the virtual world including: Lesbians, Escorts/Nightlife, Weddings, Weapons & Security, Women's Shoes, Women's Lingerie, BDSM Doms and Submissives, and a new men's magazine.

For the conference here today, and to the Vio Business Group, Lipstick Publishing is willing to offer 1/2 price for advertising in any of its magazines, good to the end of this year. Lipstick Publishing has the best rates for advertising in the virtual world for an in-world publication. Message Valerie Rosewood if you would be interested in finding out more information about our line of magazines, and how you can advertise with Lipstick Publishing.

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SL STREAMING MEDIA

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Special Guests SmoothHcw Carter , Justice Rolls and Spinner Voom of WJAM Radio Network

Topic: How advertising or sponsorship works with streaming media outlets in SL.

Small startup companies as well as Global 1000 giants are recognizing that virtual environments can help improve the bottom line, by reducing costs and increasing revenues by extending reach to customers. The signs are clear: Virtual BUSINESS @ Work is becoming standard business practice, and is a great way for any company to easily take advantage of these emerging opportunities." WJAM will discuss how internet radio streaming plays a vital role in advertising and or sponsorship for the virtual business owner .

Let's take a look at some facets as it pertains to virtual business owners and the promotion of their businesses.

1. Virtual world streaming provides an opensource for vitrual businesses to reach global virtual businesses markets across the world.

2. Virtual world streaming also allows virtual business owners the privy to reach real life business that has tapped into virtual globe market by advertising there businesses via streaming by interactive stations like WJAM RADIO.

3. Virtual world audio streaming for virtual businesses allocates a source for reaching the average consumer on secondlife by featuring products and/or goods and services advertised via online streaming.

4. Advertising , whether audio or visual gives the business owner a platform for increase sales of a products produced by the company or individual.

5. Sponsorship as it pertains to virtual world media outlets/businesses provides an opportunity for growth and futher development of the company by enlisting sponsors that will generate and or provide revenues that will increase sales .

In conclusion, utilizing effectively the SL media streaming options will promise growth and increased revenue potential for your business.

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SUMMARY

When agreeing to advertise or sponsor a virtual media outlet, get all of the details up front and get an agreement in writing. That can be a real world agreement that is received by fax or mail. Or it can be as simple (but not as binding) as a Notecard. If you experience any disputes, you should use proven dispute resolution providers in the virtual world, such as OliveEue Sholokhov.

Visit our new blog for Vio Business Seminars: http://successfulvirtualbusiness.blogspot.com

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BACKGROUND

About The Speaker: Xander Newman has owned Virtual Innovative Opportunities (VIO) since April 2007, a virtual business community and incubator in Second Life. His expertise is bringing together businesses and resources in SL and RL. In the real world, Xander Newman has been an expert with Internet technologies since 1995, owning his own Internet development and SEO company. He also has a Bachelor's degree in Advertising from the University of Texas. Xander is trained in creating organizations and team-building, and by combining all of his skill set, he has been able to:

1) Co-found a publically-trading Internet auction company
2) Create two non-profit organizations, including the largest volunteer organization serving the needs of Hurricane Katrina survivors.
3) Create a documentary film
4) Become an advocate for the indigenous (tribal) people of the world, speaking in front of world leaders at the United Nations in May 2004.
5) Co-founded a business consortium bringing companies to China for joint venture projects.

In his view, the secret to his successes in life come from making his goals about the benefit of others, and surrounding himself with a variety of talent and expertise.

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For more information on this topic, feel free to contact Xander Newman or any of the Vio Team.

Xander Newman
Alexi Mizin
Kalvin jefferson
Slatestone McCall

©Copyright 2008 Virtual Innovative Opportunities. All rights reserved.

Virtual Marketing 201

2008-07-20T12:12:00.000-07:00

Virtual Marketing 201
Vio Business Series #3

INTRODUCTION

Most owners of a virtual business or organization usually focus on marketing in the virtual world. They miss out on the opportunity to reach potential customers through real world marketing venues. Not only can real world media venues reach people who already have accounts in the virtual world. It can also help bring new people into the virtual world, which means potential expansion of the virtual marketplace. That is a good thing for everyone!

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WHY SHOULD WE REACH EXISTING VIRTUAL WORLD MEMBERS THROUGH REAL WORLD MEDIA?

Think about it... As fun as it is to spend time in the virtual world, no one is here 24/7. Many people who are enthusiasts of the virtual world read magazines and browse the Internet for virtual world information and trends.

One of the general concepts of marketing is the importance of branding. The more a customer sees a brand name, even a virtual brand name, the more credibility they associate with that brand. It is also a fair assumption that customers may attach more credibility to a (virtual) brand they see in the real world media than they do within the virtual world, especially if they still see the virtual world more as a game than a serious business marketplace.

Also, the search tools for business in the virtual world are not very sophisticated. It is not easy to find what you are looking for or to be found in virtual world searches. As more virtual world businesses create a presence on the Internet, the more customers will realize they can use Internet Search Engines to find what they are looking for in the virtual world.

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Example:

One of the leaders in virtual world scripted products in Hippo Technologies. They sell products and solutions that only exist in the virtual world. Vio uses their rental box solutions and billboards, because they are a trusted name and their products are very good. We found out about them through a RL web site, SLExchange.com, and saw that they had a decent RL web site and was found easily in the search engines. They also had a good community presence in real world blogs. Because of this real world branding, I see them as being more reputable than another company with no real world presence that may provide the same services.

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To recap this section, what virtual business owners achieve through the real world media is:

1) Improved branding to existing virtual world members
2) Access to more sophisticated and accurate searching available on Internet search engines

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WHY SHOULD WE TRY REACH VIRTUAL WORLD NON-MEMBERS THROUGH REAL WORLD MEDIA?

The marketplace in the virtual world is relatively small. In Second Life, there may be 30,000-40,000 people who spend any significant time in-world, and of that group, perhaps less than 25% bring their RL money into the virtual world to spend. The biggest benefit of marketing and branding through RL media is to add momentum and visibility of the virtual world to the general public. There was a huge influx of new members into Second Life around November 2007 - January 2008 when there was a flood of news stories in the media about the virtual world. The reason people are making money today in the virtual world owes a lot to that "rush" of new members signing up to find out about what they were hearing.

Getting your brand and virtual company seen by people in the real world also helps change people's perceptions of the virtual world. In the early days of the Internet, most people saw the Internet as a place for entertainment and porn. They did not see it as a serious marketplace for business. It took some time and a lot of businesses who were pioneers to start changing that perception.

The virtual world is seen by a majority of the general public as a place for games and sex. The virtual business community has grown considerably, but the perceptions have not changed accordingly. It is up to the virtual business community to make the effort to change the public perception by communicating in the real world what is available in the virtual world. There are enough resources available for every budget to accomplish this goal.

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REAL WORLD MARKETING RESOURCES

Here are some examples of Real World Marketing Resources:

INTERNET
1) Web Sites: Every SL business should have a web site, so they can be easily found in real world search engines. One should also search for web sites that provide content about the virtual world. On these sites, one can try to have links to thier web site or perhaps banners. One excellent web site for the SL marketplace is SLExchange.com. Another good web site about SL businesses is www.OneTreeFrog.com, owned by Slatestone McCall, a member of VIO Business. If you can get your virtual business in the SecondLife.com web site by mention or product placement, that will also have a huge impact on your virtual business.
2) Blogs: Blogs are a popular and free resource. You can find popular blogs to be mentioned on, or you can create your own blogs in a matter of minutes, with no costs to you. Content on blogs is searchable in real life search engines as well. One popular blog is RLSL.org (German) owned by Vio Business member Peach Asbrink. Others include: virtualworld.blogspot.com, blogs.cisco.com/virtualworlds, and http://virtualeconomicforum.com/content-library/blogging. These blogs are looking for content to stay fresh, so contact them.
3) Internet Radio: Get your message heard on a fast-growing and important media. One such Internet (and SL-streamed) radio nework is WJN Radio Network owned by SmoothHcw.
4) Publications and TV: To get stories published about your virtual business, or virtual solution, write a press release about how it applies to people in the real world. You can send press releases to the news wire for free, but be prepared to spend about $80 per release to have them also included in the search engines. PRweb.com is the online news wire of choice for Vio Business.

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SUMMARY

Marketing virtual business in the real world media provides great opportunity, but the virtual business community is not taking advantage of these benefits. Also, the virtual marketplace is hurting when the perception of the general public is not accurate about what is available in the virtual world. It is up to the virtual business community to educate themselves and get the world out to the real world as to what they offer. Only when we apply a serious business mentality to our virtual business can we expect the rest of the world to see our business as a serious opportunity.

The community needs to spend the time and capital if they are to make an impact. Successful businesses, including virtual, typically set aside a budget for their branding strategy, which is a part of the marketing campaign. Successful businesses typically spend 15-40 percent of their revenues on their marketing campaigns. There are plenty of free and cost-effective media outlets to use, so there are plenty of options for every budget.

When agreeing to use a real world marketing resource, get all of the details up front and get an agreement in writing. If you experience any disputes, use an attorney or mediator in the real world.

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BACKGROUND

About The Speaker: Xander Newman has owned Virtual Innovative Opportunities (VIO) since April 2007, a virtual business community and incubator in Second Life. His expertise is bringing together businesses and resources in SL and RL. In the real world, Xander Newman has been an expert with Internet technologies since 1995, owning his own Internet development and SEO company. He also has a Bachelor's degree in Advertising from the University of Texas. Xander is trained in creating organizations and team-building, and by combining all of his skill set, he has been able to:

1) Co-found a publically-trading Internet auction company
2) Create two non-profit organizations, including the largest volunteer organization serving the needs of Hurricane Katrina survivors.
3) Create a documentary film
4) Become an advocate for the indigenous (tribal) people of the world, speaking in front of world leaders at the United Nations in May 2004.
5) Co-founded a business consortium bringing companies to China for joint venture projects.

In his view, the secret to his successes in life come from making his goals about the benefit of others, and surrounding himself with a variety of talent and expertise.

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For more information on this topic, feel free to contact Xander Newman or any of the Vio Team.

Xander Newman
Alexi Mizin
Kalvin jefferson
Slatestone McCall

©Copyright 2008 Virtual Innovative Opportunities. All rights reserved.

Virtual World Marketing 101

2008-07-20T12:10:00.000-07:00

Virtual Marketing 101
Vio Business Series #2

INTRODUCTION

When it comes to marketing your business or organization in the virtual world practically the same rules apply as they do in the real world. In order to reach people who may become your customers, you need to get your value proposition in front of people. There are ways to use real life marketing resources to market your virtual business or organization, but for the purpose of this presentation, we will focus on virtual resources.

There are some things that make marketing in the virtual world different than marketing in the real world.

1) Nature of the virtual marketplace
2) Dynamics of virtual relationships
3) Improving economies of scale
4) Marketing resources

Making an effort to understand these differences and catering your marketing campaign to the virtual marketplace will go a long way in determining your success.

THE NATURE OF THE VIRTUAL MARKETPLACE

Many companies in the virtual world are real-world companies who use the virtual world platform to promote their product or service to a global market, much like they do on the Internet through web sites and other new media. Some companies in the virtual world, actually only exist in the virtual world, providing a virtual service or virtual product.

The marketplace within virtual worlds is similar to the marketplace reached by web sites and other online forums. You are reaching people from around the world in the comfort and security of their homes, sitting behind a computer. You are communicating to them using text, images and sound.

The communication experienced in Virtual Worlds is a deeper (more dimensional) and more interactive visual format. With the element of human Voice introduced, interaction becomes more social and impactful.

Although the marketplace in the virtual world tends to be global, it also seems to me to generally consist of a demographic of younger adults who visit for entertainment purposes, and older adults who visit to experience a more youthful virtual lifestyle. The motivation for the great majority of the virtual population is to have fun and to socialize from the safety and comfort of their homes. Business-minded people are making headway in the virtual world, but if you want your product or service to be noticed, you may want to consider how to tap into the entertainment aspects of the virtual world with your marketing efforts.

For example, a real-world financial services company can do something like:
1) Purchase a banner at a virtual concert event
2) Sponsor a virtual fashion magazine
3) Sponsor a virtual music stream
4) Create and sponsor a virtual car race event.
5) Host a financial workshop for virtual club/entertainment venue owners.

Look at your own virtual business, and think of ways you can tap into the entertainment realm. If many people view the virtual format as a game, then it may be best to incorporate your message into "the game" so it becomes "relevant" to your target market.

DYNAMICS OF VIRTUAL RELATIONSHIPS

In the real world, one of the most effective marketing tools is word-of-mouth. People value communication from people they know far more than from paid advertising. In the virtual world, word-of-mouth can be even more effective, as things happen and move at a much faster pace in the virtual world.

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Let me illustrate a real example:

I can tell you about a brilliant scripter named Loki Ersetu who has created something really helpful to me as a business person in the virtual world. Meeting people and networking is very important in my line of business, and when I am online, I want to know WHO is around me online in the same area, because they may be interested in business in general, or perhaps my business. I want to be able to strike up a conversation with them quickly. So nothing is more helpful than a HUD (heads up display) script she created called LYRS. It pulls up on the screen in front of me the names of anyone who is about a half a Sim away from me in distance, and tells me how far and in what direction they are located. This makes it easy for me to send them an instant message or look up their profile quickly and before they leave the Sim.

Loki is now creating an upgraded version of the LYRS HUD script that allows me to click on the name in the HUD to pull up their Profile, so I don't even have to type their name in the Search tool. The first version sells for only 100L (US 3.7 cents?) and the new one, which REALLY saves time because it is a much more complex script, will cost about 1,000 L (US $3.75) The time it will save me is worth far more than that. so it's a no brainer for me.

I now share that with you in this room. Or I can even throw a spontaneous party of about 50 of my virtual friends, which can be created within a matter of minutes. I can share about this hot new script, and even use it to send IM's to everyone. Then I ask them to go home and invite all of the friends on their Friends List to see them and check out the new product. Through the power of word-or-mouth and viral marketing, this script can be wanted by thousands of people in a matter of a few hours.

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Conversations happen fast in the virtual world, and can be easily supported with files, images and links to web sites to illustrate the message. Social structures exist in the virtual world with great variety, and maybe to even a greater extent as people feer more free to express themselves in the virtual environment. Also, people are leaders or followers, and in the virtual world, people often feel more freedom to take on both roles. It doesn't hurt to establish yourself in a leadership position, or partner with those who are already established to share your message.

IMPROVING ECONOMIES OF SCALE

If there is one thing you notice quickly in the virtual world, is the relative cost of objects and services is much less than in the real world. Cost of something is relative to the perceived value. You may notice that virtual services, like advertising in virtual publications, or banner in shopping malls costs very little. There are several factors at play here:

1) The reach (exposure) may not be very high.
2) The reach in virtual space is much harder to track and validate than in RL media
3) The cost benefit of customers of virtual services may not be very much (a sale in the virtual world may only provide a few pennies)

As an advertiser, one may not be able to do much with the first or second factor. Perhaps we can provide more valuable and attractive content to the SL media to increase interest and viewership, but that is something that needs to be developed across the board by many people over time. We can have a more direct effect on the third factor.

The return on investment on your advertising can be much greater if we can justify higher prices or attract a very large base of customers. If the perceived value of things in the virtual world (seen as a game by many people) is hard to justify, then try to find value for your product or service as it relates to the real world. This may be a stretch for some products, but you may be able to adjust the way your product or service works in order to be tied to a function in the real world.

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Example:

Bill sells furniture in the virtual world. He sells exquisite bookcases. An opportunity is to position the bookcases as a "Real World Money-Generating Affiliate Library System" for virtual world residents. He creates a system of customizeable books that fit perfectly in his bookshelves, that can link to any URL, but for this purpose can link to affiliate links selling books, services and products on real world web sites. He can marketing this bookshelf and linkable library system in-world as a way to use virtual space to generate real revenues from real world affiliate programs. He offers instruction and help with setup, and even a list of real world affiliate programs to link to.

Bill is now no longer selling bookshelves. He is selling a money-making system to the virtual marketplace. The value of his bookshelves, which once sold for 500L, can easily be justified at 5,000L. Plus he can sell components along with the bookshelves to improve the system.

Bill also has the opportunity to sell to the real world marketplace, a money-making affiliate program tool using a unique "virtual technology," thus expanding the number of people he can reach. With the ability to make at least 10 times the revenues for his product, and probably get a lot more people interested, his investment into virtual marketing will seem insignificant.

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MARKETING RESOURCES

Marketing resources in the virtual world is largely underdeveloped. As the business grows its presence and financial influence in the virtual world, more efforts will be given to virtual marketing tools and systems. For example, there is no online PR newswire to get press releases to all of the media in the virtual world. Vio is actually in the process of building such a system. Until the developers of this virtual world provides a more plexible format, we will be using their framework of a GROUP membership and communication.

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Here are some examples of Virtual Marketing Resources:

1) Image Consultants, Photographers, Designers and other Creative Professionals: Before paying to share your message, refine it and make it stand out. It is always best to use professionals and experts to refine the image you project in the virtual world. We have great resources on Vio, such as Alexi Mizin (image consultant) and BigTee Goodliffe (photographer).
2) Virtual Publications (magazines and newspapers): Most are entertainment-related, but there are some business-oriented publications such as Venture Magazine published by Carter Giacobini. Also check out SLInWorldToday published by Natalie Niven.
3) Virtual Radio Stations and Radio Shows: Have your message heard, and not just seen. There is are pioneers in this industry on Vio such as Sean Cinquetti, Novad Rovio and Spinner Voom.
4) Groups: There are thousands of Membership Groups covering a wealth of topics and interests. This is a great way to get to know people interested in what you have to offer. If you can't find one, create your own. Also, create a Group just for your business and give people incentives to joining your group. This will give you a nice customer database you can contact with special deals and promotions. Join as many business groups as you can handle. There are quite a few with large memberships.
5) Banner and Billboard Space: These may not be as effective in creating direct sales, but they do build brand awareness and trust over time. You can find the most popular Sims in the virtual world and ask for billboard opportunities. Always ask for authentic Traffic Count and make sure they are not pumped up by TrafficBots. Virtual world-related web sites and blogs offer great banner ad opportunities. Check our SLExchange.com and also RLSL.org blog published by Peach Asbrink.
6) Networking Events and Seminars: This is, of course, my favorite for obvious reasons. Attend seminars and networking events. Get to know as many people as possible and find out what they need and what they offer. You may not need what they offer, but you may be able to refer them to others you meet. What comes around goes around.

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When agreeing to use a marketing resource, get all of the details up front and get an agreement in writing.
That can be a real world agreement that is received by fax or mail. Or it can be as simple (but not as binding) as a Notecard. If you experience any disputes, you should use proven dispute resolution providers in the virtual world, such as OliveEue Sholokhov.

BACKGROUND

About The Speaker: Xander Newman has owned Virtual Innovative Opportunities (VIO) since April 2007, a virtual business community and incubator in Second Life. His expertise is bringing together businesses and resources in SL and RL. In the real world, Xander Newman has been an expert with Internet technologies since 1995, owning his own Internet development and SEO company. He also has a Bachelor's degree in Advertising from the University of Texas. Xander is trained in creating organizations and team-building, and by combining all of his skill set, he has been able to:

1) Co-found a publically-trading Internet auction company
2) Create two non-profit organizations, including the largest volunteer organization serving the needs of Hurricane Katrina survivors.
3) Create a documentary film
4) Become an advocate for the indigenous (tribal) people of the world, speaking in front of world leaders at the United Nations in May 2004.
5) Co-founded a business consortium bringing companies to China for joint venture projects.

In his view, the secret to his successes in life come from making his goals about the benefit of others, and surrounding himself with a variety of talent and expertise.

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For more information on this topic, feel free to contact Xander Newman or any of the Vio Team.

Xander Newman
Alexi Mizin
Kalvin jefferson
Slatestone McCall

©Copyright 2008 Virtual Innovative Opportunities. All rights reserved.

Collaboration and Team Building

2008-07-20T12:08:00.000-07:00

Collaboration and Team Building
Vio Business Series #1

INTRODUCTION

When it comes to your business in the virtual world (or the real world for that matter) are you feeling too busy or overwhelmed, and having limited results?

If so, you may want to consider that you are not taking advantage of the power of teamwork and duplication of your efforts.

The ability to make real profits in your business and get a large return on your investment comes from the ability to duplicate your efforts and to get compensated for those efforts. And where do you start to make sure your business is duplicatible?

OPTIMIZING YOUR BUSINESS MODEL

Before you begin your venture, you should analyze and evaluate the feasibility of your business. With the information you gather, through research and competitive comparisons, put together a business plan, or in the very least, map out your business model. Often, during this stage, one can determine that a business may not be worth getting into, OR even better, may see improvements that need to be made to have the company achieve profitability.

Study your business plan and identify your income streams, and profit margins. Determine if those profit streams can be duplicated, and if the profit margin will change as you duplicate. Once you know your business model is duplicatible, then you know your company has expansive profit potential.

The following VIO Business Partner can assist you in this area:

Complex K, Suite 2, 4 - Vanguard - Research and analysis services. Compile reports on businesses that are currently considering selling up, or liquidating within SL, and distribute those reports to potential investors. Market research and feasibility studies. - Contact Barnes Boa

TEAM BUILDING

Only with a team can enough coordinated effort be provided to get timely results on an expanded scale. But even with the obvious benefits, many people do not work as part of a team when they take on a new business. Why is that?

Roadblocks to Team Building

Most people with their own ideas, especially in their own areas of expertise have a hard time building a team. They may have the following concerns:

"No one can do it as well as I can."
"How can I really trust this person?"

People may have been disappointed or had their trust broken in the past, and they may be influenced by their past experiences in making decisions about their business. Remember, in looking back to the past too much, you will be slowed down and too cautious in your approach and be overtaken by people who are more natural forward thinkers and risk-takers. Before deciding to build your team, remember, that although other people may not have your knowledge or abilities, they may have abilities or even connections you may not know about that will add depth and dimension to your business.

Another roadblock is poor communication. Not being on the same page or having the same goals is the quickest way to being disapponted with your team effort, and losing faith and trust in them. Make sure you build in with your team, organized goal setting, (daily, weekly,quarterly) structures of communication, and a good chain of command.

Effective Team Building

1) Identify key positions in your business model
2) Evaluate team members and determine where their skill sets best fit in your business model
3) Provide clearly to team members their roles, and responsibilities, and give them an understanding on how they fit in with the rest of the team.
4) Make sure your team members have the proper training necessary to fulfill their tasks.
5) Provide clearly to team members what compensation and benefits they are working for.
6) Provide the structures and channels of communication to your team. Make sure they know how to use them and are committed to using them.
7) Have meetings/conference calls to set (weekly) goals and to evaluate progress.

COLLABORATION/PARTNERSHIPS

Another great resource to growing your business is working with other businesses to provide greater value for clients. This type of collaboration enhances the value of your business by association, and increases credibility. Being part of something larger than yourself often connects you with larger opportunities. Think about how your business can be a missing piece for a larger purpose, or think about how other pieces connected to yours can serve a bigger purpose.

How to build effective partnerships

1) Search for and work with businesses that are related and complementary to yours. You probably don't want to find a business partner that does exactly what you do. Find one in your industry that does something different.

2) Join business groups, and network.

3) Create clear roles and distinct separation of roles and responsibilities between your companies. Establish clear compensation models.

4) PUT ALL AGREEMENTS IN WRITING!

SUMMARY

Your business deserves the chance to flourish. Why restrain its potential with an overly slow, analytical, safe approach. Yes, we should do our due diligence, check for feasibility, create a business plan, analyze results, build teams, set goals, etc, etc... This is only slow and painful if we don't learn to let go. The magic happens in business when you allow the element of the unexpected and energies of other people to be a part of your game plan.

BACKGROUND

About The Speaker: Xander Newman has owned Virtual Innovative Opportunities (VIO) since April 2007, a virtual business community and incubator in Second Life. His expertise is bringing together businesses and resources in SL and RL. In the real world, Xander Newman has been an expert with Internet technologies since 1995, owning his own Internet development and SEO company. He also has a Bachelor's degree in Advertising from the University of Texas. Xander is trained in creating organizations and team-building, and by combining all of his skill set, he has been able to:

1) Co-found a publically-trading Internet auction company
2) Create two non-profit organizations, including the largest volunteer organization serving the needs of Hurricane Katrina survivors.
3) Create a documentary film
4) Become an advocate for the indigenous (tribal) people of the world, speaking in front of world leaders at the United Nations in May 2004.
5) Co-found a business consortium bringing companies to China for joint venture projects.

In his view, the secret to his successes in life come from making his goals about the benefit of others, and surrounding himself with a variety of talent and expertise.

For more information on this topic, feel free to contact me or any of the Vio Team in Second Life.

Xander Newman
Alexi Mizin
Kalvin jefferson
Slatestone McCall

©Copyright 2008 Virtual Innovative Opportunities. All rights reserved.

Successful Business In The Virtual World

2008-07-20T10:25:00.000-07:00

With the surge in growth in the first quarter of 2007 of Second Life® (http://www.secondlife.com) , a well-established virtual world created by Linden Labs, the business community began to take notice of this global online community as a potential marketplace. Since then, a host of other virtual platforms or grids, such as CentralGrid (http://www.centralgrid.com) have been born, catching up to capitalize on this trend. Even behemoth Google has gotten into the act and created its own virtual world platform (Lively). From our observations of its roll-out, Lively shows promise, but it has a long way to go.

There was a virtual Gold Rush of new members joining Second Life, when an article appeared on CNN about the first "virtual millionaire," Anshe Chung (real name: Ailin Graef). With a growing economy within the virtual world, consisting of credits convertible into real currency, there was a opportunity for people to make real income.

Many businesses sprung up as entrepreneurial members explored a virtual platform that had seemingly fewer barriers for business. Stores selling accessories for avatars, clothing, vehicles, homes, scripts, and animations became very successful. People could buy and sell or rent "virtual land" or space in the virtual world, and could turn a profit as long as demand surpassed supply.

There has been a growing trend of real world businesses (Such as IBM, Toyota, and Oracle) who have ventured into the virtual world to expand their marketing efforts and/or to develop communication and technology tools that benefit their business. The virtual business community of VIO has attracted the likes of real world companies Fedex, Oracle, and Camenae Healthcare. By providing the real world clients with access to virtual world resources, tools and training, VIO has shortened the learning curve of these companies.

For most people in the virtual world, this trend hasn't grown fast enough. There have been challenges to growth of the virtual world. There has been a general lack of momentum for embracing the new technology, and a general perception of the virtual world as a place for gaming and sex. This was a similar perception experienced by the pioneers of the world wide web in the early 1990's. What it will take to overcome these perceptions, is for the business community to take the lead. They will need to invest in the technology, and share their successes with the public through the media. More blogs about virtual business won't hurt, either.

We welcome feedback from others in the business community about their successes and challenges faced when forging a beneficial presence in the virtual world.

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The Successful Virtual Business blog is a service provided by Virtual Innovative Opportunities (VIO) and the web solutions provider, PROactive Media. The blog is mediated by web technology consultant and speaker Tony Coolidge.

VIO, founded by Howard Odor and Tony Coolidge, is a leading in-world business community and incubator within Second Life®, promoting collaboration and growth through partnership between virtual world businesses and real world companies.

PROactive Media has developed web solutions for hundreds of clients since 2001. The company's current strength is web marketing and search engine optimization (SEO) solutions. Its web marketing packages, branded as SEO TrafficBoost™ (http://www.seotrafficboost.com), builds traffic-building web assets for clients, including assets in the virtual world.

Tony Coolidge has been a web development professional since 1995. He started as a partner with Orlando Online. In 1999, he co-founded a B2C Internet auction company that became a publicly-trading company on the American Stock Exchange. In 2001, he founded PROactive Media, an Internet and new media consulting company. In 2005, he founded Katrina's Angels, one of the largest non-profit volunteer organizations serving the needs of Hurricane Katrina survivors.