Ryan Stephens Marketing

Those of you that have read this blog for awhile will recall that I wanted to start an indefinite series entitled, “What’s in Your Feed Reader?” and let other bloggers highlight some of their favorite blogs they are subscribed to.

Certainly, some of the blogs showing up might get repetitive, but it should also give my readers a great opportunity to find some new blogs to subscribe to. Think of it like #followfriday for Twitter. Heck, I might even post one every Friday (if I get enough bloggers to participate.)

I want to provide you with a broad spectrum of different blogs from different personalities so that you find ones that align with your passions, and not just those I frequently showcase in this space. Helping me to revive this series, is an extremely talented up-and-coming blogger, Deontee Gordon.

———————I consider my Google Reader a home to some of the best blogs, content, and information available on the Internet. It’s a statement that one might find slightly odd considering I, sometimes, go days (and even weeks) without checking it. A New Year’s resolution might’ve been in order. But, sporadic and inconsistent visits aside, it still serves as a collection of some pretty good stuff ranging from copywriting and marketing to urban development and hip hop (I believe your RSS reader should be as diverse as you are). Below is a sneak peek into my Google Reader and, consequently, a peek into my life. Promise not to laugh.Copyblogger:

If memory serves correctly, Copyblogger was one of the first blogs I subscribed to. Brian Clark, the site’s founder, and a host of expert guest bloggers, pump out boatloads of stellar content on business and writing. Anyone who’s been involved in online marketing for a decent amount of time understands that your business is only as good as its message and your ability to communicate it. When it comes to highlighting and teaching that point, you’d be hard pressed to find someone who does it better than Brian Clark and his team.

Gary Vaynerchuk:

This man is a walking, talking (more like screaming) ball of wine-fueled passion. Gary is the founder of Wine Library TV, a show that’s all about demystifying and removing the “snobbiness” from the world of that fermented wonder. I discovered Gary — perhaps, America’s most intense entrepreneur — in the middle of 2008. I was instantly drawn in by his business savvy, grounded demeanor, and unbelievable dedication. He treats each and every fan (aka “Vayniacs”) like a long-time friend. How he manages to interact and stay plugged-in to so many different things is anybody’s guess. Either Gary has found a way to remain cognizant on 3 hours of sleep, or he’s one affable zombie. Regardless, you’ll be well served by following his work.

Ryan Stephens Marketing:

This isn’t an exercise in brown-nosing. Truth be told, I consider Ryan’s site to be one of the blogosphere’s best kept secrets. And while Ryan may not have Gary Vaynerchuk’s name recognition (or my dashing good looks) he still manages to emphasize and capture the essence of his area — an often overlooked thing called “relationship marketing.” Finding someone who echoed my principles of “relationships first” was a welcome surprise. Not only did I share his views but, I soon realized that Ryan was an incredibly talented, ambitious, and charismatic individual. All of those traits, plus his unique marketing insight, combined to create a blog that is definitely subscription worthy.

[Note: Including my blog wasn't a pre-requisite for contributing. All I can say is that I'm deeply flattered that Deontee would include RSM in this mix.]

Strategic Profits:

Strategic Profits is the creation of marketing whiz, Rich Schefren. There aren’t too many things I can say about that guy without sounding terribly cliche. But the fact remains, Rich is a top-notch guru who knows his stuff and — perhaps, more importantly — he knows how to teach it. His pragmatism is a refreshing departure from the, sometimes, hypey world of Internet marketing. There’s a very good reason why Rich is often considered “the guru to the gurus.”

Planetizen:

This selection isn’t really marketing or business related. However, the Planetizen blog belongs to a larger network of sites, forums, and news about everything concerning urban development and the built environment. Adding Planetizen to my RSS feed was a no-brainer considering my interest and passion for architecture, city planning, and the politics that affect it all. It’s definitely worth checking out. And given that it’s such a comprehensive resource, virtually every visitor will be able to find something that will hold his or her interest.

There are many more subscriptions in my Google Reader. Too many to include in this post. However, I’d be remiss if I didn’t mention a few more of my favorites. Topping out the list are: Problogger, THE source on profitable blogging; The Terminal, a digital finger on the pulse of Birmingham (my hometown); Fuel Your Creativity, an amazing source of design ideas and inspiration; Successfool, the blog of social media mogul, Alejandro Reyes; and MindValley Labs, home to some of the most comprehensive, innovative, and in-depth online marketing strategies and tactics.

Hopefully, I was able to introduce you to something new. If not, take a few minutes to do some searching. I’m sure there are a few undiscovered blogs out there just looking for a nice feed reader to call home. Or, if you’re anything like me, there’s probably a “Mark all as read” button that’s just dying to be used.

———————I really liked this piece of advice from Deontee, “I believe your RSS reader should be as diverse as you are.” It is one I am going to take to heart, and one you should probably contemplate.Deontee, among other things, is a Facebook and social networking consultant. He’s one of the most candid people I have met online and genuinely wants to help people achieve the success he’s garnered for himself. He describes himself an American with deep-south roots who has a love for medium-rare steaks, sushi, social media, and entrepreneurship.

If you really want to get to know him just watch this video on how being exceptional can impact your business. After watching this I knew I would be reaching out to Deontee in an effort to connect.

My only knock on Deontee is that he thinks the McRib is something you actually consume.

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