SOPA is a bill currently being discussed in the House of Representatives. It's aimed at providing law enforcement and judicial officials with tools to fight and punish piracy and copyright infringement.

While the agenda may be altruistic, the language of the bill and the restrictions it places on website operators pose some significant hurdles that could end up censoring the Internet in many ways.

As Google, Facebook, Twitter and other Internet giants said in a joint letter to the Senate, “the bills as drafted would expose law-abiding U.S. Internet and technology companies to new uncertain liabilities, private rights of action, and technology mandates that would require monitoring of web sites.”

How will this affect you as a business owner or professional?

Think about your blog or social media channels. If you share an article from an industry resource, you could be guilty of violating SOPA and your website could be blocked. There are many other implications. Mashable’s Chris Heald wrote a piece analyzing the language of the bill, translating it into simple context.

Read the bill in its entirety and decide how it might affect you as a marketer and as a consumer of online content.

The world of entertainment is celebrating the awards season once again. The Golden Globes. The Oscars. The Emmys. You know the list.

But what about your industry? Does it recognize great work or results with an awards competition? If so, here are a few reasons to consider entering.

1) Award competitions give you an opportunity to show off your best work to others in your industry, as well as potential clients.

2) If you win, you can promote the victory and the effectiveness of your work via your website, your social media outlets and press releases. If you win consistently, you’ll strengthen your reputation as the go-to company for your types of products and services.

3) Award shows also give you the chance to recognize your staff in public and internally. That may be especially important if they toil in obscurity. Of course, if you win, you’ll also have the perfect reason to throw an office party, which can be great for morale.

The 2011 holiday shopping season is over and, with overall sales projected to exceed figures from the last several years, economists and retailers are ready to call it a success.

But the Christmas season is just a six-week segment of a 52-week year, and retailers can’t rely solely on traffic-driving deals and deep discounts to keep their balance sheets in the black.

So, how can you encourage sales and engagement throughout the rest of the year? One way is to create memorable customer experiences.

From electronic endeavors such as email, social media and your website, to in-store sensory efforts using audio, video and even aroma, your marketing should create a customer experience that drives your customers to not only think of you first when they need to make a purchase, but to spend more (increase customer share) when they’re in your store – whether it’s virtual or brick and mortar.

Imagine the sleepless nights FedEx’s Vice President of Marketing must have experienced when this video was posted on YouTube.

In case you’re not a link clicker, it’s the home security camera video of a FedEx employee throwing a computer monitor over a recipient's fence. The box was clearly marked, yet it appears the driver made no attempt to ring a doorbell or deliver the package in a way that wouldn’t have destroyed the contents.

This type of mishandling may happen all the time; I don’t know. But now, thanks to a video camera and the actions of one employee, millions of people may think twice before shipping anything – let alone anything of value – via FedEx. A few seconds of laziness or thoughtlessness on the part of one person may have cost an international company an incalculable amount in brand damage. At the very least, the name FedEx will be a punch line for a few weeks.

There is the possibility that this was an isolated incident, but with modern technology and the worldwide inter-connectivity that the Internet provides, even one such incident can cost a company dearly. So, it’s worth asking: Is there anything about your company’s culture, training programs or deadlines that would cause an employee to take the kind of dangerous shortcut the FedEx driver took? If so, what can you do to fix it? Now!

Yes, digital technology allows us tremendous speed and convenience: a marketer’s dream! It also makes it possible for anyone to present your company’s weaknesses to a worldwide audience: a marketer’s nightmare!

It's become an annual tradition that we send our holiday best to you and yours through video. It's not that we don't enjoy sending Christmas cards anymore. It's just that you can't get a paper cut by watching a video, and we're all about preventing the unintentional slicing of skin.

Click the player to give her a spin or click this link. Hope you enjoy it. 

Over the years, more than a few of our clients have expressed a common concern: “We don’t know how to differentiate ourselves,” they say.

Yet, when we show them several fresh, new website designs, they often choose the “safest” look or the design that most resembles their existing site. Or, while we’re working with a client to generate content ideas for an On Hold Marketing update, he will ask, “What is everyone else in our industry talking about?”

Separating your business from others in your industry requires risk and, often, a lot of work. Choosing to present yourself as everyone else in your field does is akin to stuffing money under the mattress: it may seem like the safe thing to do, but without the possibilities that come with investing your money, you'll see no growth and inflation will eventually devalue your nest egg.

Likewise, without daring to plant your company’s flag in the sand and proclaiming “here’s who we are and here’s how we’re different,” you risk stagnation and being passed by others who understand the value of establishing their own unique place in the world.

No one ever tells their friends about the same old same old. Nobody recommends the sequel as enthusiastically as the first movie. And no one remembers the website that looks like all the other websites.

So, rule number one: advertise and market your company to separate it from all the other companies who do basically the same thing, and create your own cozy little spot in the minds of prospective customers. If that’s not your primary goal, then why ARE you spending the money?

So often the things we share with friends and family are the things that make us laugh: a funny email, a goofy video, a sarcastic card. The fact that we want to be known for creating or passing along funny material proves just how much we value humor.

Now, what if you - as a business owner or member of your company's marketing team - could capitalize on your audience's innate desire to laugh? What if you could use humor to attract attention, create a unique impression, and differentiate your brand? What if you could provide a more enjoyable experience for your callers?

Well, you can - with Humor On Hold from BusinessVoice. Talk with your BusinessVoice Creative Consultant for more details. If you're not yet a BusinessVoice client, call us toll-free: 866/473-9733.

By the way, we're happy to announce that our humorous approach to On Hold Marketing has been honored once again with a Gold MarCom Award. Watch this video version of the OHM we created for Walter's Goodyear. (If you can't see the video, click here.)

I have always believed that true change begins with individuals, not governments or even industries. But, especially lately, it feels like so many Americans are waiting on Washington to “do something” about our economy, when we as individuals have so much power to create positive change, especially when we unite behind a good philosophy.

That philosophy, as detailed below, combines two ideas, neither one of which is new: 1) Buy American and 2) A journey of a thousand miles begins with but a single step.

I’ve never re-purposed a mass email as a blog post, but I was so inspired by the simple message titled “Birth of a New Tradition” that I thought I’d share it with you in this forum. I don’t know who wrote it, but I hope you’ll adopt these ideas as your own and share them with your friends and family members, because each one of us has the power to make America stronger, one step, one purchase at a time.

Birth of a New Tradition (Author Unknown)

As the holidays approach, the giant Asian factories are kicking into high gear to provide Americans with monstrous piles of cheaply produced goods - merchandise that has been produced at the expense of American labor. This year will be different. This year, Americans will give the gift of genuine concern for other Americans. There is no longer an excuse that, at gift-giving time, nothing can be found that is produced by American hands.

It's time to think outside the box, people. Who says a gift needs to fit in a shirt box, wrapped in Chinese-produced wrapping paper? Everyone - yes, EVERYONE - gets their hair cut. How about giving gift certificates from your local American hair salon or barber?

What about a membership to an American gym? It's appropriate for anyone who’s thinking about improving his or her health.

Who wouldn't appreciate getting her car detailed? Small, American-owned detail shops and car washes would love to sell you a book of gift certificates.

Are you an extravagant giver who thinks nothing of plunking down big money on a Chinese-made flat-screen TV? Perhaps that American recipient would also like his lawn mowed for the summer, or his driveway plowed all winter, or a few games of golf at a local course.

There are a bazillion owner-run restaurants, nearly all of which offer gift certificates. But remember: this isn't about the big national chains. It’s about supporting your fellow Americans in your home town or state, helping them keep their doors open and creating local jobs.

How many people could use an oil change for their car, truck or motorcycle from a shop run by an American working guy? Here’s the answer: Everyone who drives!

Thinking about a heartfelt gift for mom? She might love the services of a local cleaning lady for a day or two.

Could your friend’s computer use a tune-up? I know you can find a young American who is struggling to get his computer repair business up and running.

Oh, you were looking for something more personal? Local craftspeople spin their own wool and knit it into scarves. There are local artists who make jewelry and pottery and beautiful wooden boxes, and local painters and photographers who create original works of art. You can treat your favorite couple to a weekend at a romantic bed and breakfast right here in America. Buy them tickets to an area playhouse or locally produced ballet. Or hire a local musician to provide a private concert in their home or for their next party.

Honestly, people, do you REALLY need to buy another ten thousand Chinese lights for the house? When you buy that five-dollar string of lights, about fifty cents of it stays in your community. If you have that kind of money to give away, leave your local mailman, trash guy or babysitter a nice big tip that they, in turn, will spend in your hometown.

You see, Christmas shopping – and shopping at any other time of the year – need not be about draining American pockets so that China can build another glittering city. Let’s make spending choices that show we care about the United States; choices that encourage American small businesses to keep plugging away, keep hiring, and keep contributing to our hometown’s success. When we care about other Americans and turn that caring into action, the benefits will come back to us in ways we can’t even imagine. Choose to make THIS the new American Christmas tradition.

Forward this in an email. Re-post it on your blog. Link to it on your Facebook page. Send it to the “Letters to the Editor.” Spread the word any way you can and make this a revolution centered on taking care of each other here in America.

I flew to Jacksonville, Florida yesterday to meet with a new client: 1,662 miles round trip, four flights, two airlines, 22 hours. It was a long day.

While traveling though, I had a great experience, but not with either of the airlines or even one of the 12 flight attendants I encountered.

My great experience lasted about 14 seconds in, of all places, the line to get through security in Detroit Metro Airport.

I didn’t catch his name (I really wish I had thought to), but the T.S.A. officer who checked my boarding pass and driver’s license could not have been more genuinely friendly or shown more care about our quick exchange if he had tried!

It was amazing. This guy completes the same mundane task at least a thousand times per shift, meeting people who are often rushed or grumpy. In that sense, his job is like millions of other employees across the country, maybe even those in your company. The difference is he made the decision to turn every customer encounter into a remarkable shining moment in each person’s day. Wow!

Remember, I’m writing about an anonymous T.S.A. agent here, not the major airlines that may spend tremendous sums of money to say they provide a great customer experience. The problem with that type of message is that it’s not rooted in truth. Providing service that you’ll tell your friends about is not part of airline DNA, so any message that says they do is quickly understood to be lip service by anyone who’s flown.

Genuine, repeatable customer service excellence is based on an authentic desire to serve and please each individual person you call a customer. When you reach that wonderful mindset as a company, people will willingly and enthusiastically spread the word about your company for you, and new customers will find their own way to your door.

We’ve written before (here, for instance) how sloppy use of the English language on your website or in other marketing materials may leave your audience wondering what else your company is careless about when no one is looking?

But there’s an even more urgent reason to make sure there are no typos or misspellings in your online content: they can cost you serious money!

Online entrepreneur Charles Duncombe of England’s “Just Say Please Group” measured the revenue-per-visitor for one of his company’s websites. He found that the revenue doubled after a spelling error on the site was corrected.

"If you project this across the whole of Internet retail, then millions of [dollars] worth of business are probably being lost each week due to simple spelling mistakes," said Duncombe for a BBC article. 

Another point: Errors in your online content - whether on your website, your social media postings, email newsletters, etc. - eat away at your legitimacy. Visitors who spot them may question your professionalism and your commitment to doing accurate, detailed work.

Sure, mistakes can happen, but remember that attracting online traffic is tough enough with a perfect website. Don’t invite suspicion, damage your brand and lose money by taking a lax approach to spelling and grammar.