Claiming an existing business on Google listings

This is something i've come to be responsible for only recently - managing a whole big list of stores on Google MyBusiness. When an acquisition occurs stores need to be transfered from one Google account to another but if you'd can't get in touch with the current listing owner you're in trouble.

Trawling through Google support pages there are confusing references to transfering ownership (only if you're currently listed as a manager or can contact the owner) and verifying businesses but nothing written in plain English about how to claim ownership of an existing listing without contacting the owner.

Here is it in plain English:

1. In your Google Business account create an identical listing to the one that exists under a different owner
2. Google will identify this as a duplicate listing
3. Google will present you with a form to submit a request to the current owner to take Admin rights of the existing listing.

The lesson of Australian wine

I've been reading a great wine book, Why the French Hate Us, by Campbell Mattinson. Not only does it tell the story of Australian wine, it provides ample lessons about the folly of so many 'business strategies'.

Back when I was at Uni, we were given case studies after case studies about the growth of the wine industry. About Foster's ambitious plans for Southcorp.

Campbell's book shows us how hype can get the best of even the most senior business people.

Campbell gives every university professor or business executive a lesson in two short sentences:

The point to come out of it all: wine is meant to be about wine. The wine investment frenzy was related to wine, but was mostly about greed.

Learning CSS layout.

As a fair DIY digital marketer I often have to sort out my own web design layouts. Quite frequently the CMS I'm using doesn't quite have the design templates built that I want. Sometimes I just want some images laid out in a specific way on the page.

And other times i just want to create funky buttons using CSS.

So, when I need to figure out a little bit of CSS magic I turn to CSS-Tricks and Learn CSS Layout. They're two great resources that range from basic design to stuff that I have no idea about!

I'm also keen to learn more with resources like Code School.

Always Keep Learning!