I saw two of God's most delicate creatures today.

I'm writing this at almost eight o'clock on Thursday evening. Perhaps some of you noticed that I did not post my Smart Man Online interview today. It was a difficult day...a storm blew out a cable connection (or something) throughout two suburbs here-- one of them was the one I live in. :-(

I have gone through a whole day without Internet or cable!!! Yes, I know you all sympathize with me. (don't you?) But, surprisingly, it was not a wasted day. Because I could not do anything online, and because I am moving in a week, I cleaned my house and ... the most marvelous thing happened. As I was washing up in the kitchen sink, I glanced out into the jungle that is my backyard, and I saw not one, but TWO humming birds, drinking the nectar of the purple flowers growing under my windowsill.

My mouth dropped open in surprise! What a beautiful, awe-inspiring sight! At first look, I saw only one. She was magnificent enough, fluttering her wings so quickly as she flitted from flower to flower, that I could do nothing but stare in awe. Then, as if caught in a gentle wind, she rose up and met another hummingbird, mid-flight. They seemed to exchange greetings, circling each other in split second movements, darting to and fro, and before I could blink to prove to myself that I was being treated to this incredible delight, they were gone. Off to other parts of the untended garden I have in my backyard, out into the wooded area where I could not see them.

As you can see, despite my worry over being 'unconnected' for a whole day, the day was not lost. I was treated to the most marvelous thing in the world, mother nature at work. And therefore, while I am sorry not to have posted this interview as scheduled, I hope you will join me in pausing for a moment to remember there is a world of wonder beyond our computers and our monitors, a world created by hands unseen, a world that welcomes us to slow down once in awhile...and smell the roses. Or watch the hummingbirds.

I know my Smart Man of the day would agree with me, because I spoke with him at length last night and I learned that he is not only technically tuned in, but is also a talented writer and speaker. Wayne Hurlbert has several blogs, as you will learn, knows his Search Engine Optimization, and is a true gentleman. Often, the conversations I have with my interviewees are the best part of the interview, for me. When I get to chat with folks, really hear their voice in my ear, and exchange ideas in true real-time, it's as if I'm sitting across from my new friend, as if we've been friends for quite some time, as if we're two hummingbirds intent upon discovering the nectar of life in one conversation...then, flying off to share it with others.

Here, then, is my interview with Wayne Hurlbert of Blog Business World:

Lip-sticking: You're a blogger from way back-- a really startling thing to say, as blogging is still so new. How did you get started, and why?

Wayne: I started blogging to share information with others. My first foray into blogging was my roller derby blog called Wayne's Derby World. It provides daily news and commentary, on the once internationally popular sport of roller derby. The sport began a recent revival and a return to popularity. A number of people, sorely lacking in any sort of business experience or know how, were attempting league startups.

I decided to lend the new business people a helping hand. I wanted to share my years of business and marketing knowledge with the novice league owners. Many of them understood the way the game was played, but had no idea how to market the product. The blog began as a series of business and marketing columns, offering free advice.

That first blog was soon joined by my marketing, public relations, and search engine optimization (SEO) blog called Blog Business World. With the business blog, I continue to share business knowledge freely, with everyone who cares to read my posts. While I don't expect everyone to agree with me, I hope that some of my readers find my advice useful.

I believe that it's my responsibility, as a citizen of the business and blogging communities, to share my experience with as many other people as possible. I believe that successful small businesses are the backbone of every economy. I want to help their owners, managers, and staff achieves their goals for the benefit of everyone.

Lip-sticking: Lip-sticking is fortunate to be listed in a link on your blog...but your links stretch all the way to Australia! That's a lotta blogs for one guy to keep track of. Are you merely supporting the blogosphere, or do you personally stand by the content and value of all those links?

Wayne: I included Lip-Sticking as a link on my Resources section because you offer so much value to your readers. [awe! blush, blush] While a few of my links are there to support some friends and their blogging efforts, the overwhelming majority of my blog links are listed because of their potential benefit to my readers.

While I may not endorse everything that some of those linked bloggers write, I believe everyone has the right to express themselves as they choose. The readers have the right to read or not read, any of the blogs, at their own discretion. For the most part, I try to link to bloggers who offer something important to the blogging community.

Some of the bloggers, with much to offer to others, are not business, legal, or political bloggers either. They are often more personal bloggers and writers. Instead of offering traditional marketing advice, many personal bloggers have highly developed public relations and communications skills. We can learn much from their writing and communications abilities. [hear, hear...this is so, so true!]

Lip-sticking: SEO (search engine optimization) is getting a fair amount of attention lately...thanks to Seth Godin's remarks a week or so ago. You have an entire blog saying we shouldn't worry about submitting websites or blogs to any of the major search engines (and I agree) but where does that leave SEO? Do we need it, or not? And, how does one get a better Google PageRank on one's blog...mine's been stuck at PR5 for...ever! Do you have the secret for convincing Google to raise your PageRank? For that matter, should we care?

Wayne: Blogs are naturally search engine friendly. It's almost as if blogs were created with search engines like Google, MSN Search, Yahoo, Teoma, and AOL Search in mind. Blogs provide what the search engines want.

Search engines value fresh keyword rich content and lots of incoming links above almost all else. Blogs have those search engine desirable properties in abundance.

Because blogs are updated on approximately a daily basis, they score well for fresh content. Blogs are often written from the point of view of one major topic area, so the blog ranks highly for themes and topics. Bloggers are free and generous linkers, providing the essential incoming links to boost both search engine results for your most important keywords, but also your Google PageRank.

The question of the necessity of search engine optimization (SEO) leaves open another question. Do you want your blog to be positioned well in the search engines to get your blog some added visitors? If the answer is "yes", then you need some level of SEO applied to your blog.

Blogs are to a large degree "naturally optimized." They have fresh, keyword laden content, they have many incoming links, and outgoing links to important blogs and websites in their area of interest. Along with those attributes, most blog templates provide search engine friendly tags and are easily crawled by the search engine spiders.

You can enhance your blog SEO by writing good keyword titles for your most important search terms. Be sure to use those phrases in your posts, but make certain they appear as part of the post, and not as some artificial add-on. Nothing will lose your readers faster than unreadable posts and a lack of information.
Well written and informative posts will attract incoming links naturally. People happily link to good content.
Your PageRank 5 is a good middle level PageRank from Google. To increase your PageRank, you need more incoming links, preferably from other blogs. Remember, it's much harder to achieve a PR6 than it was to reach a PR5. A PR7 is even harder to receive.

The secret for raising your Google PageRank is to write good posts, and get more incoming links of all PageRank levels, from other blogs and traditional websites.

Lip-sticking: You write about submitting content to other blogs...isn't that giving away intellectual property for free? Radical thinking! What about copyright??? (This is a trick question. I think contributing to other websites and blogs is the BEST way to get the word out, to get noticed, and to make referrals for yourself, but recently I had to remove a comment on one of my blog posts because it referred to an article written by someone else who said she had not given me permission to quote her...and that I was violating her copyright. I wasn't, it was clearly fair use, but...I removed it, because I decided I wouldn't contribute to her success since she wasn't willing to let me.)

Wayne: I am happy to offer other bloggers advice on a wide range of topics, free of charge. I enjoy helping other people achieve their goals. In the end, we all benefit from the new friendships and business alliances created. By helping other bloggers, a rising tide truly does lift all boats.

All bloggers are free to link to what I write on my blogs provided they link back to the post page. It is considered "fair use," and no violation of copyright to quote a line from a blog post, provided the writer and blog are acknowledged. In blogging, the standard means is by a link directly to the post. Some bloggers, like myself, link to the home page of the blog as a further identifier of the blogger.

Being linked by another blogger is a good thing for any blogger. It is recognition of an informative post, as well as great free publicity. The incoming link will carry with it some brand new visitor traffic as well.
Refusing a link, or requesting its removal, is very shortsighted thinking. Blogs are about sharing and working together and helping one another. For that reason, blogs are likely to grow in importance over the long term.

We have only begun to scratch the surface of the power of blogging. The best days for blogging still lie in the future.

Lip-sticking: Do you find working with women different than working with men? Do you shop online? What kinds of things do you buy online? Would you buy your girlfriend/wife/significant other, a diamond ring or gold necklace, or other expensive gift, online?

Wayne: I have always enjoyed working with other people, whether male or female. I believe in working with and learning from everyone, regardless of gender or background. Everyone brings their unique perspective to the table, and has something to share and teach to others.

In the past, I have been known to hire and promote women for important positions. I based my choices on talent. Despite changes in society in general, women remain a slightly undervalued talent group. A smart business should always be first in line to find underutilized and underappreciated people. That discovery of good people has always been a major source of success in my business career.

As with all of my business philosophy: everyone benefits.

I rarely shop online, but I do bank online. Even for offline purchases, it makes sense to go on the internet and search out product information and merchants prior to any buying decision. It is part of doing sound research.

I would never hesitate to make any purchase online, provided the seller had a great privacy policy, and maintained a secure site. Those purchases would include making a lady very happy with her gift!

Lip-sticking: Before we sign off, tell us about the Carnival of the Capitalists. Notice how I saved the best for last? This is a triumph of blogging and social networking. But, I'd like you to describe it in your own words.

Wayne: Carnival of the Capitalists, along with the various other contributor and host driven blog events, are a tremendous way for everyone involved to benefit.

The host gains widespread exposure to an entirely new reading audience. The contributors receive recognition for their ideas and the quality of their blog posts. The blog visitors are introduced to some great new blogs. It's a winning combination for everyone.

I strongly recommend that serious bloggers submit their best posts to the various Carnivals. The publicity for the writers and their blogs are unlimited. Should a person be so inclined, the work involved in preparing the event as a host, is well worth the effort.

I have become friends with contributing bloggers to My hosting of Carnival of the Capitalists. I had never had the opportunity to discuss ideas with in the past, and hosting provided me with that opportunity. Any time a person can expand their circle of contacts and associates, and of course their friends, it's a wonderful thing for everyone. [like hummingbirds!]

Thanks for the opportunity to participate in this interview. It was an honour.

Lip-sticking: The honour, or honor, is always mine! I am so lucky to have found folks like you, Wayne. Folks who like sharing ideas, thoughts, information, even advice, without any other goal than to be helpful. The added benefit of having other bloggers write about you, or mention you, is surely the highest praise one can achieve. May my Internet connection never go down again...else I will be lost from the very people who populate my life with smiles.

What's not to like about that?