By: Shama l Date: September 9, 2010 l 2 Comments:; 
Most people know that I studied social media in graduate school. But, most don’t know that I also studied how people experience Time. Time with a capital T can actually be broken down into various dimensions. Some of these dimensions are: urgency, precision, scheduling, and pace. We all have 24 hours in a day but how we experience those hours is vastly different, even when our tasks are similar. While I applaud the fact that Google wants to save us a few milliseconds a search, I am not convinced that trying to guess my thoughts is the way to go.
Google recently introduced Google Instant. Long gone are the days where you had to WAIT a few seconds for Google to deliver your results. Now, Google will deliver them as you TYPE. That’s right. Before you even finish a thought, Google will provide you with helpful suggestions. Can you imagine Google Instant as a date?
Me: I love dog..
Google Instants: Dogs? Dogging? Dog toys? Dogs for sale?
Me: Just dogs… (Check Please!)
What can I say? I don’t like the idea of my friends
or my search engines trying to guess my thoughts as I try to construct them myself. I am, however, okay with it suggesting relevant searches after I’ve completed my query. I even appreciate such ingenuity.
“Did you also want to search for some dessert recipes while searching for entrée recipes, Shama?” Google asks kindly.
Why, yes Google. Thank you!
I am a big proponent of technology, and I’ve always believed that as a society it helps us more than it hinders us. In this case, I am not so sure. As a Millennial/Gen Y, I’ve always felt that technology has helped my generation.
But, what about future generations? How do you learn to communicate and to construct thoughts in an efficient manner when you never get the chance to do so? I gave up my math skills thanks to a dependency on the calculator. Do I want my children to give up their cognitive thought processing abilities thanks to a dependency on Google?
I think not.
And, what would happen if you offended the Google Gods? What if Google decides that you aren’t worthy enough or algorithmically okay enough to be a part of their database? What if it had no references to you? You’d cease to exist online because of people’s dependency on this search engine. You may blame me for being dramatic, but in this case it isn’t far from the truth. Just look at the millions of websites that no one will ever see because they can’t be found.
Is it possible for search to be faster than your mind can process? What happened to “Do No Evil?”
By: Shama l Date: August 31, 2010 l 2 Comments:; 
When I first started speaking about social media marketing in 2008, I’d survey the group to see how many people used social media sites. The majority of baby boomers in the room would NOT raise their hands. Fast forward to 2010, and there is rarely a soul in the room who isn’t using Facebook or LinkedIn.
The PEW Internet Research Center just released a report on how older users are using social media. I wanted to share some of the key statistics here and my thoughts.
My thoughts:
1) As social media infiltrates every aspect of our lives – online and offline – we are forced to learn and adapt. Imagine that you are a 60 year old HR executive. At first, you ignore social sites because you enjoy face to face interaction more, and don’t feel like you have the time to learn it. Then, you find that your kids have posted your grandchildren’s pictures on Facebook. The only way you can be a part of that is to join as well. Yet, you resist. You insist that they email you pictures separately. Then, you find that your 30 year college reunion is being canceled in lieu of an online reunion. You may still resist the idea. Finally, your boss comes to you and says let’s budget some of our recruiting dollars for social sites. How long can you hold back? Eventually, we give in and adapt to keep up with the world around us.
2) Social media has gotten easier. It may not be a piece of cake, but resources are now abundant. If you wanted to understand social networking two years ago, you may have struggled to find answers. Today, there are numerous books on social media marketing, hundreds of blogs, and even plenty of live social media workshops. It has become very simple to engage on social networking sites.
3) Just because they are using it doesn’t mean they are using it in the same way as their younger counterparts. One common misconception is to confuse usage with interaction. It isn’t. While younger generations prefer to create content (blogging) and partake in online discussions, older users prefer to observe and don’t actively engage at the same level. This is really important to note because if you cater to an older demographic, you may mistake their silence for their disinterest. It is important to base your metrics around your given audience.
What are your thoughts?
By: Shama l Date: August 28, 2010 l 5 Comments:; 
There are events in life that you prepare for: your wedding, the annual Thanksgiving dinner, graduation, the birth of your child. Then, there are events which you almost miss because you drank too much Pepsi and needed a bathroom break. Last night was such an event.
When the Alliance of Women in Technology nominated me for the Tech Titan Emerging Company CEO award, I was grateful. I felt h
onored that they would deem me worthy of their nomination. When I made one of four finalists I was thrilled. I thought “wow! the Judges really wanted to encourage a young entrepreneur.” And, that’s where I stopped. I didn’t dare dream that I would actually WIN the award. My fellow finalists were top notch CEOs and had accomplished more in their careers than most people accomplish in multiple life-times. I was truly excited about the Gala. Mostly about dressing up, going out with my husband, and eating good food! What can I say? I live for the simple pleasures.When someone asked me if I thought I was going to win, I just shook my head vehemently. “Who? Me? No way! Have you seem the other finalists? I am just going for the food. I am the kid they invited because you know – its cool to encourage the young folks.” I said it all with a smile and no false modesty. I was just plain thrilled to be there. I even asked my fashion forward social network if it would be faux pas to wear a sari to the gala. They unanimously agreed I should go for it. And, hey! Its not like I would be walking up the stage or anything.
The dinner was served, I made friends with the wonderful folks at our table, and we laughed at the entertainers who made fun of DC politics. They revealed the six magnificent trophies on stage, and I was bummed that as a finalist I wouldn’t even get a little one to take home. Oh well! Regardless, I decided I was glad I didn’t stick to my usual Friday routine of take-out and a movie in pajamas. This was cool! My award was the second announced and our table cheered when they called my name as a finalist. Then – they announced the winner. My husband turned to me said – “Oh my God! You won.” I looked at him and said “hey, that’s me!” I am glad the judges didn’t hear me just then because they may have decided they made a mistake. As I walked to the stage, I saw so many familiar and happy faces. I felt like Sally Fields probably did – “they like me! they really like me!” I shook hands, smiled, and was guided towards the podium. I mumbled something inaudible and blew a kiss to my husband. No, really. If I had the chance to do it again, this is what I would have said:
“Wow. I am humbled that the judges deemed me worthy of such a prize. It is one thing to encourage a young entrepreneur by naming her a finalist. All together another to honor her among her esteemed colleagues as their equal. To my fellow finalists – I look up to you all. Thank you so much. Thank you to the Higher Power that works in mysterious ways. Thank you to the Alliance of Women in Technology, especially Lisa Danzer, for their immense support and their kind nomination. Thank you to the DFW community for showing me so much love and welcoming me into the fraternity of Technology professionals. Thank you to my online community – although many of us have never met in person, you feel like family. Thank you to my family – my parents, my sister, my in-laws, my brother and sister-in law. Your love for me is the greatest gift I could have asked for. Thank you to my husband, Arshil Kabani, for being my partner in life and in business. To our clients, where would we be without you? Thank you for your continued faith in me. And, last but certainly not least, my team at The Marketing Zen Group. You guys inspire me in ways you will never know. A CEO is only as good as the people behind him or her. And, you are the best.”
Thank you.
By: Shama l Date: July 15, 2010 l 2 Comments:; 
Content marketing is an essential part of online marketing (and marketing in general) these days. If you have any information that helps educate your prospects and clients, chances are you are already engaging in content marketing.
Once you have crafted your message, how do you get it out there?
As I was brainstorming for a client, I came up with the list below -
1. Webinar
2. Teleseminar
3. Video
4. Blog Post
5. eZine Article
6. Print Article
7. Tweets
8. Facebook Posts
9. Email
10. Printed Book
11. Kindle Book
12. Mobile App
13. IPAD App
14. Website
15. Interviews
16. Guest Post
17. Press Release
18. LinkedIn Answers
19. Facebook Fan Page
20. Calculators
21. Charts
22. Polls
23. Editorials
24. Graders
25. Quizzes
26. Powerpoint
27. Skype
28. Squidoo Lens
29. RSS Feed
30. Facebook Group
31. White Paper
32. Status Updates
33. Text Messages
34. Auto Responders
35. Banner Ads
36. Podcasts
37. Radio
38. Television
39. Toolbars
40. Brochures
41. CDs
42. DVDs
43. USB Drives with Pre-Loaded Information
44. Flickr (A Collage of Information)
45. Online Glossary
46. Decoder
47. Packaging (Ever seen a happy meal bag?)
48. Flip Book
49. Business Cards with Tips on the Back
50. Posters
Did I miss anything? What else can you think of?
By: Shama l Date: July 12, 2010 l 7 Comments:; 
I often get asked why I don’t write more about LinkedIn and how to use LinkedIn for business purposes. For all those who keep asking – and for the rest of us – here are five ways you can amp up your LinkedIn experience. Five minutes. Five steps. (Take that 30 minute meals! Someone get this girl a show!). Jokes aside – here are my tips.
Minute 1 – Add 7 Descriptive Keywords to your Specialties Area. Think not only about your specialties within the industry – but also how people outside the industry may seek you out. For example, airline companies for the longest time bickered over the keyword “low airfares.” Until, someone (probably in the marketing department of course) discovered that people were looking for “cheap airfare.” Also, think globally and locally. Example: Search Engine Optimization but also Dallas SEO.
Minute 2 – Add your LinkedIn Address to your Email Signature. Mr. Prospect may not decide to move forward now, but if they choose to connect with you on LinkedIn it makes it that much easier to stay in their periphery.
Minute 3 – Pull your Twitter feed into your Profile. This is a debated topic. Some say don’t pull your Twitter feed into your profile because the tweets seem disconnected. I say it depends on how you Twitter. If most of your tweets are complete thoughts (as complete as 140 characters will afford), pull your Twitter feed in.
Minute 4 – Look at the LinkedIn Questions & Answers Area. Pick one question that you can quickly and valuably answer. Save 30 seconds by sharing a link to a blog post which answers the given question. (You are making the Tazmanian devil look slow!). Worst case scenario – you just earned karma points for being helpful. Best case scenario – you just found a prospect who likes how you think.
Minute 5 – Update your Status with Value (for them) and Branding (for you) in Mind. How can you be helpful and further your personal brand at the same time? Think about your status update. “Just helped a client” is good branding (albeit vague) but not very useful for those who are reading it. Compare that to – “Just helped a client find a fantastic deal for their summer vacation. Try using new search engine Bing to find the best airfares.” Built brand – check. Provided value – check.
Got an Extra 30 Seconds? Feel free to Connect with me on LinkedIn.
What are your best LinkedIn marketing tips?
By: Shama l Date: July 9, 2010 l 18 Comments:; 

“Far better is it to dare mighty things, to win glorious triumphs, even though checkered by failure… than to rank with those poor spirits who neither enjoy nor suffer much, because they live in a gray twilight that knows not victory nor defeat.” Theodore Roosevelt. This is one of my favorite quotes – perhaps because I consider myself a constant creator and editor at heart. I was speaking with a reporter from MSNBC today, and we started talking about business ethics. As we explored what it means for businesses to be ethical, it made me think about the flip side of the coin – consumer ethics.
It is 1972 – you are watching a Television ad for a product you know sucks. What do you do? It ranges from nothing to telling your next door neighbor to perhaps yelling at the TV. Good luck. Today, you can call a toll-free number, post on Facebook or Twitter, write a blog post, leave a review on Amazon, and a million other things. We as consumers have never had it SO GOOD. We insist on businesses being ethical, as they should, but now that we have power, we must use it responsibly as well.
Almost every week, I address a “reputation management” issue – businesses struggling to undo the harm some individual has caused. 80% of the time, the back lash is unjustified. Businesses sometimes spend millions of dollars undoing this damage. Why? Because one individual didn’t really think through the repercussions of their actions. It can seem like you are fighting a “corporation” – but every corporation is made up of human beings. And you are no longer a powerless individual fighting the “big man.” The playing field has been leveled.
I recently heard about one small business that filed bankruptcy due to one individual (an ex-employee’s boyfriend) consistently blasting them online. I consistently hear from authors who have their book sales destroyed due to a few negative reviewers. We have all heard stories about teenagers who have committed suicide due to online harassment. From teens to business owners – it affects us all.
This doesn’t mean that if you have a legitimate concern, you can’t use the tools at your disposal. In fact, you should use them, but use them with care. I urge you to please think before you act online.
The best way to handle a grievance is to talk to the person or company involved privately using the channels they provide. Before you blast someone on your blog, please give them a chance to resolve the issue amicably. For example, I just took a cruise with my husband to the Caribbean. We had a few problems with the cruise line so we talked to the guest relations department. They quickly smoothed things over. We were happy, and they were happy. Now, if I do share my experience with people – it will be the whole picture.
If you do decide to post comments or critique someone online, wait until you are able to objectively view the situation. If you write in anger, you may come to regret it later. And, think about who you are writing this for. If you are writing as a way to vent, a personal diary may be much more suitable. If you are writing with the genuine intent of helping others (example – to warn them about the noise level of the rooms near the elevator), be sure to provide value. Luke-warm but specific feedback is much more helpful than a vague rant. If you are publishing something as pure revenge, think twice. Aside from legal ramifications, you may be harming your reputation more than you think.
Let’s face it. We all have our moments. Someone treats us badly or we feel sincerely ripped off. We want to lash out. It is human. But, when our actions are public and permanent (as all things on the net), the consequences can be harsh. If you must act online, do it with dignity and grace. It is so easy to be “anonymous” online – but behind every screen name is a real, living, breathing human being.
I feel very passionately about ethics – business and consumer. What do you think? Do you think that people are using the power of the internet with the care it warrants?
By: Shama l Date: June 26, 2010 l 15 Comments:; 
It seems like every day we wake up, Facebook has implemented a new policy or added a new dimension overnight. With almost 500 million users, it is truly turning into the ultimate powerhouse. Mark Zuckerberg, founder of Facebook, has even revealed plans for Facebook to hit 1 billion users by targeting countries where Facebook isn’t yet as in
filtrated – countries such as Korea, Russia, and Vietnam.
With more users, more features, comes greater opportunity to leverage Facebook for marketing purposes. Here are the top five things you need to know about Facebook marketing.
1) Facebook Fan Page Admin Rule – Previously, if you created a Fan Page using your profile (you have to have a profile to create a page), you were the default Admin – forever. You could add more administrators, but you couldn’t disconnect the page from your profile. Now, it doesn’t matter who creates the page. You can hand it over to anyone at anytime. This is great news if you had an intern or an ex-employee create the page. They can hand it over to anyone at any time. The downside? Just because you are a creator of the page doesn’t mean you can’t be booted. Key Lesson: Think before you add an administrator.
2) Facebook eCommerce – While Facebook still isn’t the ideal tool for direct sales, it may get there yet. Have a fan page? Sell products or services? Sell from the Fan page directly. Services like Payvment are making that possible – currently for FREE. Key Lesson: Start thinking about Facebook as more than just a relationship building tool. Think Facebook eCommerce.
3) Facebook Currency – It is only a matter of time before Facebook introduces their digital currency. Think of this as a premonition of what’s to come. Doing business globally will be easier than ever with Facebook Bucks/Dinero/Yen. Key Lesson: Think globally.
4) Facebooks Ads – The most exciting frontier yet! Facebook Ads remind me of Google Adwords in the early days. While Google is all about people searching for what they want and need, Facebook is about people searching for who they are. Identity scholars – get ready for some mind blowing research opportunities. Businesses – start thinking beyond regular search. Key Lesson: Get to know your target market better than the back of your own hand.
5) Greater Facebook Integration – Want to automatically follow your Facebook friends on Twitter? There is an App for that! (Update: Facebook may be battling it out with Twitter for now. The app is currently down). In fact, there may be an app for almost everything. Look for greater Facebook integration across the web. Key Lesson: Continue to make Facebook a key part of your marketing – online and offline.
For Facebook geeks like us here at Marketing Zen, this is all GREAT news. As we work clients across the world and help them understand and better use Facebook – we will also continue to keep all of you updated on what’s new and how you can use it to further your business.
By: Shama l Date: May 20, 2010 l 6 Comments:; 
Summe
r time is here! In Texas this means hot summers, ice-tea, swimming pools, and barbecue. It also means lots of student and graduates are looking for internships. As resumes fill my inbox, and I find myself dispensing advice more often than usual, a blog post on the topic seems fitting.
1) Re-do the Resume - As a student, I never understood it. My resume looked JUST like the template provided by the career center. Big mistake! As an employer, I hate seeing such resumes. Tweak your resume for each position. If you can’t take 30 minutes to do that, then don’t consider applying for that position. You don’t want it badly enough.
2) Beef up your LinkedIn Profile -Before you ask your parents and their friends to forward your resume, think twice. Instead, beef up your LinkedIn profile. Now, give the profile address to your network. Make it easy for others to help you find your dream job.
3) Tweet Tweet - If you want a job in PR, Marketing, or Social Media, you need to be on Twitter. And, I don’t make sweeping generalizations like this easily. Twitter is faster than the API. You need to have an account and use it responsibly.
4) Clean up Facebook - Facebook has no privacy controls – only the illusion. Don’t fall for it. If something isn’t meant to be public, don’t put it on Facebook. Yes, employers do check your profile. Yes, they can access your account even if you think it isn’t public.
5) Reach out to the CEO – This may be tougher at big companies, but small to mid-size companies often have their CEO in the limelight. Often people don’t reach out to the CEO because they think he or she wouldn’t care. On the contrary, it makes quite the impression. Just be respectful of their time.
6) Build a Portfolio - A portfolio is not just for designers. If you write, I want to see writing samples. If you want to be a community manager, I want to see samples of you engaging an audience.
7) Cater to the Job Description – This is the #1 mistake I see applicants making. Do NOT send a canned cover letter and resume. Employers can see through it. If the job description asks for a detail oriented person, address that in the cover letter. Don’t substitute perfectionist for detail oriented – they are not the same thing.
Be Willing – Flexibility is an asset. Are you willing to work from home? Are you willing to take an unpaid internship to prove your merit? Times are tough; are you willing to be flexible?
9) Fine tune your Attitude – This is an issue I often see addressed to the millenials, but I think it applies across the board. It does not matter how good you are at your job, if your attitude sucks – you won’t keep a job. Millenials/Gen Y/Gen X – The world owes you nothing. You want something? Work for it. Show that you can make a difference, and don’t give up. Baby Boomers – You always have something to learn. A younger boss or colleagues? Treat them with respect. Your qualifications don’t allow you a bad attitude.
10) Showcase Loyalty – This is tough to find these days, but good employers know how to spot it and value it. I know employers who won’t even interview someone if they have moved jobs too quickly in the past. It isn’t always about the money. Countless studies show that people may take a job for the money, but rarely stick to it for that reason. In fact, it ranks well below a good environment, challenging work, and potential. Like a company? Stick it OUT!
11) Attend Local Networking Events – If you live in a major city, the chances are that there are multiple marketing related groups. Attend their events. Don’t rely on your career center. Get out there and network. Be kind, ask intelligent questions, and let people know you are looking.
12) Create Business Cards – You don’t need a job to have a business card. Create some for you – the individual. This is a great way to stand out from the crowd. Here is a video on how to create a good business card.
13) Educate yourself – Marketing is a changing field, and an amazing one at that. You have to keep up. There is no reason why you should walk into an interview and not know what an RSS feed is or why geo-location is hot. There is no excuse for a lack of education. Your employer will give you real world experience, but you need to educate yourself.
Want to help someone looking for a job or an internship? Feel free to share this post. Have your own tips to share or questions to ask? Share/Ask away!
By: Shama l Date: May 5, 2010 l 4 Comments:; 
“Super! Danke. Ciao.” – That is my chosen foreign phrase around here. I am in St. Gallen in Switzerland for the Leaders of Tomorrow S
ymposium. Every year, 200 young leaders are invited to join the symposium to discuss entrepreneurship. This is the 40th year, and I was honored to receive an invitation. Over 46 countries are represented. This is a two day “pre-programme”, then the actual symposium with today’s leaders starts. Today was the 2nd day. Here is a recap of my two days here so far.
Day 1 -
I landed in Zurich at 8:30 am. That would be about 1:30 AM Dallas time, so I was extremely jet lagged. After quickly refreshing in one of the airport bathrooms, I decided to buy a pre-paid SIM card for an unlocked phone so I could make and accept emergency calls. There are two big carriers in Zurich – Sunrise and Yellow. If you are wanting to call the U.S. – Yellow offers better deals. For 20 CHF (roughly 20 Swiss Francs equals 20 dollars), I purchased 100 minutes with a Swiss number and texted the number to key parties. It is 25 cents per minute to the US. I made sure my iPhone was turned to airplane mode and the roaming was turned off. There are many horror stories about people being charged an arm and a leg for using their iPhone abroad. Also, the exchange rate at the airport is decent, but they do charge a processing fee – so it may be preferable to find a bank. Using your credit card depends on your bank, Chase takes 3% of the purchase as a transaction fee.
After handling the basics, I headed towards the convention table which was mentioned in the personalized programs (had my picture and name on every page!) that were mailed to us weeks ago. I was amazed to find that every airport employee seemed to know exactly what the Symposium was – and where I was supposed to go. Most of Zurich speaks German, but there are English translations . At the conference table, I was greeted by enthusiastic students who had a packed lunch and a shuttle waiting to transport the group to St. Gallen (1 hr from Zurich). The entire symposium is organized by the students. This is an AMAZING feat considering that the students are undergraduates, and have to organize individual trips for over 200 GLOBAL busy entrepreneurs.
We were then taken to a buffet lunch. (They like to keep us fed here!) After lunch, we had four panel discussions on topics ranging from barriers to entrepreneurship in foreign countries to general barriers to entrepreneurship. KEY TAKEAWAY - I realized I had a very American-centric view of entrepreneurship. I never realized how tough it is to start businesses in other countries (regulations, corruption, etc.). Also, the culture around “Failure” is dramatically different. The west sees failure as a necessary step in moving forward, while the East sees it as something to be avoided at all cost.
Day 1 ended with a dinner and us being driven to our hosts. The tradition is that current students host the leaders of tomorrow. My host, Natalie, was most gracious and had a very comfortable bed for me prepared where after checking in with the Dallas office – I promptly collapsed.
Day 2 -
After 7 hours of sleep, I felt more like myself. We were told to meet at 9 am at the Old Abbey – one of the oldest libraries in the world. Using a map, I promptly got lost. But, if you must be lost – this is the city to do it in! I got a cup of hot chocolate from a local shop (real melted chocolate – no powder) and continued to wander the streets of St. Gallen. It truly looks like a city from a fairy tale. After two hours of wondering around and trying to communicate in German (which I don’t speak) – I found the location.
Pricewaterhouse Coopers conducted an entrepreneurial workshop where we discussed everything from risk management to financing. I met some VERY talented yet super humble young entrepreneurs (many younger than me!). Hindy from Indonesia owns over 650 restaurants as part of his national franchise. Raj Dey from the UK who started Enternships – internships for the entrepreneurial minded soul. Rohit from India who just sold his last business for 7 million. Just amazing people with excellent stories. KEY TAKEAWAY: Dig your well before you need it. Find the resources, do your research, be prepared. And, always surround yourself with big thinkers and doers.
A late Italian lunch preceded a keynote by Bert Twaalfhoven – super entrepreneur. He talked about how he built 54 start ups -and failed 17 times. He was the one to introduce coin operated laundromats to Europe. KEY TAKEAWAY from his speech: Do your competitive analysis on ANY industry before you enter. MBA students are great for such. He was a definite inspiration.
Now, I am back from a heavy dinner. I am typing this from an amazing little apartment in the middle of the city. Tomorrow, the main symposium begins – leaders from all over the world are attending. I’ll keep you posted.
Ciao!
By: Shama l Date: April 13, 2010 l 4 Comments:; 
I can’t BEGIN to tell you how excited I am. As many of you know, I’ve worked really hard on my first book -

The Zen of Social Media Marketing: An Easier Way to Build Credibility, Generate Buzz and Increase Revenue.
Well -it is FINALLY here! Amazon has released it and so have bookstores across the country.
The BUZZ is building!
- I debuted it on Good Morning Texas last week.
- FastCompany.com wrote a review of it here:
http://bit.ly/fastcompanyshama
- I am on the COVER of this month’s Online Strategies Magazine:
http://www.onlinestrategiesmag.com/
Now, I need your help because I couldn’t have gotten this far without your support. Here is how you can help:
1) Order your copy if you haven’t already done so. You can grab it online at http://www.ZenofSocialMedia.com or at Amazon: http://amzn.to/zsmmbook
2) Contact your local bookstore and library to make sure they get a copy.
3) Spread the word using social media. For example, you can tweet: Just read @Shama’s book – The Zen of Social Media Marketing or you can leave an Amazon review.
*If you are a blogger or a journalist, please email April at MarketingZen.com for a F’REE review copy of the book.*
I have my monitoring systems online fired up. Every week I will pick one random supporter of the book, and give them a FREE 1 hour social media strategy session with me.
This will be my way of saying thank you. I am SO grateful for your support. Thank you.
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