The POWER of ONLINE Social Media

"You gotta keep up!

You can't just ignore the fact that Facebook has over 400 million users worldwide!"

That's right. How about these other ones? Twitter? MySpace? Then, there are those called Orkut, Hi5, Delicious, Flickr....What in the ONLINE world IS all of THAT? StumbleUpon? Digg?

Well, let's welcome ourselves to the ONLINE SOCIAL MEDIA ERA.

Nowadays, an online presence is not a real online presence if you only have a web site. Work hard, at least, so your web site can be found through the main search engines. Nowadays, you need to create a different type of online presence. One that identifies your brand, one that allows for different means of communication. One that brings alive a more personal, maybe even humorous side of your company's brand identity that others can easily connect with.

We decided to be on Facebook and Twitter. We decided to have a Blog (this one!). Is it enough? No. We're continuously learning more and more about online social media in order to increase our online presence. It's a VAST virtual world, this online world. There's a lot of "land" available, but we gotta know where the best real estate is.

Our industry is so different, in so many senses, than other industries. It's a very secretive industry. People don't just go around telling others "Hey, guess what a great private investigations agency I just found!?", like they were to say in reference to a good restaurant they ate at. Most clients don't want to make others aware they have hired an investigator. Of course, we all understand this.

Nevertheless, being a part of and an active member of the online social world, is almost like being part of a few "social clubs" here and there. The difference is that you are meeting in a virtual place and time, even, and you might never really meet in person. The online world is instant, it's fast and it's very competitive. BUT, don't let that scare you off. Online Social Media is extremely powerful in spreading word-of-mouth, whether negative or positive, and depending on your behavior online, things can work out very well or not so well for you. Watch your language and your manners. Watch the links and pictures you post and share with others in this never ending online world, and stay active.

Start conversations, join special groups and forums within the online networks such as Facebook and Twitter and build a MUCH better and stronger online presence.

It TAKES TIME. You will probably not have 1000 fans on Facebook overnight, unless you are Carmen Electra or Lebron James. However, your active participation and consistent behavior in what you do and say (write), will get you there. This, on the other hand, can get you a good presence in the real life community in your town, city or home community as well, and certainly can get you future fans and ultimately, business.

Believe in the power of online social media. It has come to stay. Be an active part of it. If we can do it, you can do it too! In fact, let's build our own group, our own shared-interests online group, invite many others and we can start a very strong and cool network! Just an idea...

Remember:

"You gotta keep up!

You can't just ignore the fact that Facebook has over 400 million users worldwide!"

Are you IN or will you just be watching and missing out?!

Our NEW Web Site is UP!

Our new web site is up and running, and we are so happy with it! Thank you, Eileen with EKay Graphics, for the wonderful work you do!

www.pibrown.com

Writing up a new web site is not a very easy or fast task. Reviewing it is even harder. When you think you spotted all "little mistakes" you did, you approve it just to re-read it the next day and find one more thing to change. But the ride has been a worthwhile one, and Eileen, like always, has been the best professional ever.

A web site is, nevertheless, like our home. It can always need some improvements, some new embellishments, maybe an additional room (a new page?), new paintings on the wall (new pictures on the site), so, for now, all we say is that our web site has a new look, and will keep its doors open for any necessary "home improvements"!

Busting Undercovers

I was on surveillance at a very popular tourist destination. While you can imagine many people walking around with cameras, would you believe that undercover security agents managed to stand out more than "suspicious subjetcs"?

What happened was that I observed 2 undercover security agents "spotting me" while I had already figured out who they were. How embarassing for them. I had to end the ridiculous chase. They didn't look like tourists really and were doing everything cliche undercovers do. Well then, of course you'll stand out like that!

When I approached them, they insisted that I, a single 30 something guy with a video camera, dressed in shorts and wearing sunglasses was suspicious. OOOhhh.. I told them: "Now, let's take a moment and look at you: 2 ladies walking around separately, with no direction, watching people continuously, with belly pouches where they carry all their gear, all alone. You ladies look suspicious and I was able to identify you! How embarassing is that?"

They didn't know what to say.

Thank goodness, work was done and nothing was jeopardized.

Busy yes, but not too busy for the Blog! Welcome!

Welcome to our Blog!
We started a Blog last year, but "busy days and nights" took over and our Blog didn't get an update as much as it deserved.
The 2nd semester of 2010 seemed to us to be a great time to bring back the Brown & Divar P.I. Blog, and here we are!

We all hope you will enjoy the Blog posts, will post your own comments, share your expertise, your questions, your experience, making this Blog a fun, informational forum for many P.I.s and industry enthusiasts to gather in this virtual world and exchange interesting pieces of knowledge!

Thank you, for stopping by at The Private Investigations Blog!

The busy life of a P.I. makes it sometimes hard to update blog postings. Nowadays, technology is so great, that one can have wireless connection in their car. Wow...That should help me with blogging, but, on the other hand, I cannot complain about work having been busy...


Talking about busy....sometimes a cheating partner becomes busy "all of a sudden". This is noticeable when he/she doesn't have a history of being in the social scene with friends too often, or even wanting to go out after work, or staying longer at work. Notice that, many times, busyness can mean something. Now, I'm not trying to influence your 6th sense, but it is something that can hint towards a cheating partner.

Is the sudden busyness accompanied by extreme grooming, wardrobe updates, new cologne or perfume and even more trips to the gym than usual?

You know your partner best. Therefore, only you can judge if an added, sudden busyness exists.

Just a thought..