smalbany

A minister, an IT consultant, and a small business owner walk into an auditorium…

No, no. It’s not the start of a joke, but what really what happened at the 6th annual smAlbany expo for Capital Area Small businesses. Every year hundreds of business minded folks gather to hear speakers, pick up tips, check out vendors, and connect with new businesses. So you might be wondering, does a pastor have any business being a business expo?

The answer is a resounding, yes!

This year the key-note speaker was Google’s Joe DeMike. Joe is a great presenter and has a really interesting background as a West Point grad and tech guy with Google. I have always known of Google’s importance since it’s inception in 1998, but yesterday I really saw the impact that Google has on business. If you want to move your product, business, or idea forward you need to be using Google. The tools, tricks, SEO, social media and apps really do rule the way we search for things. Check out the Times Union social media panel reflection on Twitter.

A few weeks ago, I was sitting and eating lunch at Chicago O’Hare Airport, when a very polite gentlemen asked if he could sit next to me. I said, “Sure.” and we starting talking. I discovered he worked for Google, in some sort of sales. I started to tell him my woes of my church‘s Google search engine results and mapping. He quickly helped me correct a few problems.

Google’s motto is “Don’t be evil.” It makes sense. Since Google is so powerful, they don’t want to end up as a big-bad tech company. Their employees live by that motto and it shows. Google wants to help you.

According to DeMike, 97% of people search online for a product or service online before buying it. And, most use Google to find what they are looking for. Hearing all the facts about how Google is used in business made me a believer in how much churches and faith communities are missing out on the power of Google.

Here’s what I learned from Google’s presentation that churches need to implement now: Continue Reading…