Episode 8: From the Mailbag of Rob Cairns

Show Notes

Welcome to this week’s SDM Iinterview Show where I Rob Cairns do something a little different this week, I answer questions that people have sent me by email, by tweets on Facebook, and even in person about who I am and what I do. So sit back and relax and enjoy this short but informative episode. That tells you a little bit more about me Your host Welcome to the interview where I rub Karen’s answer questions that I’ve received on my Facebook page by email by many people on Twitter in the last while since we started podcasting. So sit back and relax as I answered those questions. One of the questions I get most is people asked me to tell them about myself. Well, first of all, I’m married 51 year old who resides in Toronto, Ontario, Canada with my wife, Jill McLean. Karen’s actually got married at the age of 49. After having been through some tough relationships in my life. And I currently offer a digital marketing agency called stunning digital marketing Comm. My background was in computer programming. And before that, I got into healthcare, in technical support, and was the technical support and project leader up at Sunnybrook Health Sciences Center in the Client Services Division. And for the last nine years, as I said, I’ve operated stunning digital marketing. And then people ask how I went from working in health care to working for myself and running an agency. Well, basically, nine years ago, my dad was suffering from cancer. And nine years ago, at the end of March, I was packaged out after being on one of the number one corporate projects and being on vacation, the director said she didn’t need me anymore. Frankly, it was poor. But that’s beside the point. And then I started doing website design on WordPress, for clients. And then from that I moved on to doing more including for digital marketing, PPC ads, etc, etc. How did I first get involved with computers is a question I most often get asked. Well, my dad who was Bruce Cairns, who is the CFO for a company called Morris and McKenzie insurance brokers brought home the company first personal computer and Apple two plus when I was 1213. And he was using a spreadsheet called visicalc. At the time to work on financial data. Well, I fell in love with the apple two and plus some whenever my dad wasn’t using it, I started using it. And I learned how to program and basically a little bit. And then I just carried it through high school and into college where I got a major in business administrator and then minor in programming analyst. And that’s how I first got involved in computers. People asked me recently how I felt about the internet and Facebook in 2019. Wow, there’s a loaded question. Firstly, about the internet. Well, what I’ll share with you that many people don’t know is I met my wife Jill on the internet about 19 years ago, 20 years ago, and actually dated many years ago didn’t work, then stay just good friends and then and it’s blossomed into what it is then an amazing marriage. So from that perspective, I don’t think the internet’s all that bad. of Facebook is another story. I can take or leave, especially in today’s political climate. What that all said, If you hang around like minded people, there’s a lot of great people in some of the groups on Facebook, especially Kim doors, content creators group to vendor, his group, my friend, Trevor and his health group for web developers and people like that. So and the people in those groups so I’ve got a lot of amazing friends on Facebook, and the internet. And frankly, I wouldn’t be able to run my business. If I was not On the internet, I’m a digital marketer after all, so that’s what I do. So I do like the internet very much. I think it’s just a vehicle. All those people slamming the internet only the bad in it. But the problem is, is bad people in society, no matter what you do, or how you do it. So the reality of it all is, you know, the internet can be good or bad. The key is we got to keep educating, and we got to keep making a difference. Another question I get lately is, why and when did I get into podcasting?

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Well,

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before I started my last two podcasts with our CEO and the STM interview show, I actually did a talking head video series to them. One called stop the online bullying, which was basically a podcast except on YouTube, about online bullying prevention. And the other one was a show called this weekend review, I talked about tech stuff and review. Again, the talking heads, both would have fit in a podcast format very easily. And I got really seriously in the podcasting, again, in November of last year, have gotten the pod camp in Toronto, and frankly, I get fed up with blogging every day, or every couple of days and burned out after 1400 blog posts later. So I started podcasting instead to support my business. So that’s how I got back in the podcast. And many people ask what kinds of services does my agency offer stunning digital marketing comm we offer PPC, branding, graphic work WordPress design and development, website security care plans, which is really important, how to secure your website, consulting, one on one coaching, and anything else client needs in business or digital marketing? What’s my ideal client? Now that’s an interesting one. Really, I want a client who recognizes the value of the services I provide. And I also want a client who, you know, he wants a partnership, he just doesn’t want to dump on the marketer and let him go to it. He actually wants to work with me and do a partnership on what I’m doing and how I’m doing. How do I see my business growing? Well, I’d like to do some more PPC pick up some more big clients in that realm. And the other thing is, I’d like to keep up with some new technologies, chatbots voice search and things like that. They matter. They’re becoming more and more prevalent by the day. What’s my biggest goal for my clients? While the biggest goal I have is to help my clients succeed with their marketing means I want them to be successful. I want them to make money. And I want them to do well. If they do well, frankly, I’ll do well. So that’s really important to me. People call me to learn at all, and they want to know how I like doing. That’s really I take courses online and offline. I read a lot try to read a book every week or two. I listen to podcasts. I’m a podcast junkie. If you go over to the about our the our SEO recommends page on our website, I actually list the podcasts or listen to I’ve got 14 or 15 on my phone right now a lot of them most of them marketing and business related one sports podcast just relax with but that’s how I learn. And I try and find people smarter than me. I go to networking events, I talk to people I talk to people on the phone. I try and absorb what what I’m talking about and how what people are saying and how I can get ahead and how I can benefit from that. And I like to share with people I sit down and have coffee and discuss and talk about sharing. So that’s kind of a little bit about me, I hope it helps. This podcast is a little shorter. People want to get a hold of me they can reach out at Robert at Robert B counts.com. Or my business site Robert died stunning digital marketing.com either way COVID is stunning digital marketing.com go to our contact page. You can follow to speak pipe which is a voicemail or a contact form. Be glad to help you out. tweet at me at Rob Karen’s. Or if you want to find me on Facebook facebook.com slash Rob Karen’s is my personal Facebook page or my business page facebook.com slash stunning digital marketing Look forward to talking to you soon. It’s been a pleasure. Tell everybody a little bit about myself. And I hope you succeed in business. Have a great day. Bye for now. STM interview show has been brought to you by stunning digital marketing calm. The website agency based in Toronto, Ontario, Canada works worldwide to help your business and your marketing digitally succeed. If you want more information, please jump on over to our website at stunning digital marketing comm or Facebook page@facebook.com slash stunning digital marketing. Feel free to tweet at our CEO at Rob Cairns on Twitter, or

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feel free to contact us in any way via the contact form on our website. We’d be glad to answer any questions or help you in any way we can. This show has been dedicated to Rob Cairns’ his late father Bruce Cairns that he misses very much and keep working and make your business succeed. Keep your feet on the ground and keep reaching for the stars. Have a great weekend. Bye bye for now.