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SEC Suspends 3 More Companies For Stock Spam and Video Promotions

Posted by AGORACOM at 1:13 AM on Wednesday, March 26th, 2008

A loud round of applause please to the SEC for suspending trading in 3 more companies that haven’t adequately disclosed information to investors and have been the subject of both spam e-mail campaigns and promotional videos on YouTube.

The action warrants even further commendation when you consider the SEC probably has its hands full with major Wall Street problems related to the sub-prime debacle.

This isn’t the first time we’ve applauded the SEC for taking action on this very important issue that we are very passionate about ourselves. We consider stock/fax/mail spam a scourge on the industry because it inundates investors with unwanted solicitations, while also hurting the reputation of the small and micro-cap markets.

HIGHLIGHTS OF SEC PRESS RELEASE

The SEC issued a press release with the full details but here are the highlights:

1] The SEC identified the three companies as:

  • NeoTactix Corp. (NTCX – OTCBB)
  • Graystone Park Enterprises Inc. (GPKE – Pink Sheets) and
  • Younger America Inc. (YNGR – Pink Sheets)

2] Trading in the three companies’ shares has been suspended for 10 business days and won’t resume until April 4.

3] “The videos often repeat information in the companies’ press releases and are posted to coincide with traditional spam e-mail campaigns.”

4] Each of the companies “inadequately disclosed its assets, business operations and financial condition.”

SEC ANTI-SPAM INITIATIVE HAS NETTED 50 COMPANIES, PROMOTERS, SPAMMERS AND INSIDERS

The SEC used the press release to also bring the public up to speed on the effectiveness of its Anti-Spam Initiative. You’ll be happy to know that more than 50 companies have had trading in their securities suspended and the SEC has brought several enforcement actions against the perpetrators behind these companies.

The Result? Spam complaints are down 68% in just one year, from 167,000 to 54,000. Like me, I’m sure you’ve also seen a drastic reduction in the amount of stock spam in your daily inbox (thank god).

CONCLUSION

It’s nice to know that complaints aren’t going into some black hole and collecting cobwebs. The SEC is obviously taking this matter very seriously, so you should do all you can to assist them and eliminate this scourge on our markets once and for all. If you have a complaint, make sure to send it to: [email protected]

Regards,
George

UPDATE: Footnoted.Org (a great blog that reports on the fine print footnotes in SEC filings) has some more details about the video hostess and company behind this latest SEC press release. Interesting stuff.

Posted in All Recent Posts, Online Investor Relations, Small and Micro-Cap Space, Stock Scams | 2 Comments »

Small-Cap Marketing Lesson: Your Website No Longer Counts

Posted by AGORACOM at 6:34 PM on Friday, March 21st, 2008

Technorati Web 2.0 YouTube Google Earth Delicious Word Press Blogger

Small-Cap Marketing Lesson Du Jour: If you don’t recognize or know how to leverage the companies above, it’s time to listen up.

In Web 1.0, the name of the game was driving as many people to your site as possible. The web was not connected. There was no syndication. Either a lot of people came to your website, or you were unheard of.

Today, in Web 2.0, the web is dominated by syndication. You don’t drive people to your website to find out about you. Rather, you let them read about you on sites they already frequent. Your job is to drop your information into a few strategic places, tag it with keywords that properly describe your business and let the web do the rest.

The process isn’t simple but invest the proper amount of time and/or money and the payoff is huge. Just look at AGORACOM. We were virtually unknown 3 years ago and we’re now serving 10,000,000 pages per month to ~ 140,000 investors….and that is just traffic on our site. This does not include the number of people that view our videos, blog posts and other content on sites around the world.

CONCLUSION

If you are a small-cap CEO, you have to start thinking about the world as your oyster. This is the greatest investor relations era of all time. Stop looking at the tape today and start planning to become one of the best small-cap brands of tomorrow.

If you are truly building a great company for the future, then 2-3 years is should be music to your ears. It has been music to ours and I want you to experience the same success.

Regards,
George

Posted in All Recent Posts, Online Investor Relations, Small and Micro-Cap Space, Small-Cap CEO Lessons | 3 Comments »

Small-Cap CEO Lesson: Slow Economy = More Online Ad Spending

Posted by AGORACOM at 2:36 PM on Thursday, March 20th, 2008

Here is the small-cap CEO lesson Du Jour. Despite the fact the economy is struggling along, online advertising is going to increase by 23% in 2008.

Why? The quote below sums it up best:

eMarketer senior analyst David Hallerman: “The greater ability to measure ads online will likely encourage marketers with reduced budgets.”

Not surprisingly, Search Engines will account for the largest portion of online ad spending this year, making up 40 percent of web-based ad expenditures. Read my post on January 15th as to why Google (a primary weapon in AGORACOM IR programs) is the greatest investor relations tool ever.

Bottom line: If you want to attract new investors without breaking the bank, online marketing is the only way to go. You can get with the program now and become a pioneer, or fall behind smart CEO’s that will be a part of this trend over the next 5 years:

Your call but don’t say I didn’t tell you so.

Regards,
George

Posted in All Recent Posts, Online Investor Relations, Small-Cap CEO Lessons, Web 2.0, 3.0, ... | Comments Off on Small-Cap CEO Lesson: Slow Economy = More Online Ad Spending

Why Broker Road Shows Don’t Work For Small-Cap and Micro-Cap Companies (US Version)

Posted by AGORACOM at 11:02 AM on Monday, March 10th, 2008

Time and time again I hear from new potential clients that insist on broker meetings as a part of their IR program. Time and time again I have to explain to them that broker meetings (AKA “broker tour” “dog and pony show” “rubber chicken circuit”) are of no use to them because of 2 simple facts. For the sake of not having to repeat myself in future conversations, I’ve provided the following summary for your convenience:

  1. 99% of brokers do not speculate on penny stocks. It’s hard enough for them to keep up with Citigroup, Google and Exxon, let alone trying to keep up with the typical small/micro-cap. Despite the fact you are a “good deal” at current prices, brokers would prefer paying a much higher price once you’ve separated yourself from the pack.
  2. The “Penny Stock” Rules. Even if you found that 1 in 100 broker that takes a liking to your company, he/she still won’t bother selling it to their clients due to the penny stock rules. For your convenience, here is a summary taken from a typical “related risks” section of a small-cap filing:

==========================

Our shares may be considered a “penny stock” within the meaning of Rule 3a-51-1 of the Securities Exchange Act which will affect your ability to sell your shares; “penny stocks” often suffer wide fluctuations and have certain disclosure requirements which make resale in the secondary market difficult.

 

 

Our shares will be subject to the Penny Stock Reform Act, which will affect your ability to sell your shares in any secondary market, which may develop. If our shares are not listed on a nationally approved exchange or the NASDAQ, do not meet certain minimum financing requirements, or have a bid price of at least $5.00 per share, they will likely be defined as a “penny stock”. Broker-dealer practices, in connection with transactions in “penny stocks”, are regulated by the SEC. Rules associated with transactions in penny stocks include the following:

·

the delivery of standardized risk disclosure documents;

·

the provision of other information such as current bid/offer quotations, compensation to be provided broker-dealer and salesperson, monthly accounting for penny stocks held in the customers account;

·

written determination that the penny stock is a suitable investment for purchaser;

·

written agreement to the transaction from purchaser; and

·

a two-business day delay prior to execution of a trade

 

These disclosure requirements and the wide fluctuations that “penny stocks” often experience in the market may make it difficult for you to sell your shares in any secondary market, which may develop.

==========================

I’m also compelled to throw in another major practical impediment – waste. Touring like the Rolling Stones and picking up every expense related to travel, meals, lodging and every stick of gum for your entourage is a colossal waste. Factor in the time and energy you take away from your business to both prep and tour – and I have to start questioning whether or not you are even a suitable officer for your company.

I know you love your baby and believe it is the most beautiful baby in the world. However, do you think there’s a small-cap CEO on the planet that doesn’t believe the same thing? Welcome to the club – they’ve even got jackets.

Once you understand all of this, you’ll finally understand why brokers don’t care about your baby’s potential. Sure, they’ll give you a pat on the back, wish you all the best and tell you to stay in touch – but they aren’t going to buy until your baby starts showing Tiger Woods talent and separating itself from the pack. Until then it’s “don’t call us, we’ll call you.”

I know this may come as a disappointment to some of you but the sooner we can get this nonsense out of the way, the sooner we can focus on a real investor relations plan with a real chance of success – focusing on retail investors.

Regards,
George

Posted in All Recent Posts, Online Investor Relations, Small and Micro-Cap Space | 1 Comment »

AGORACOM Breaks 500,000 Page Views In One Day

Posted by AGORACOM at 7:31 AM on Friday, February 29th, 2008

 

Congratulations are in order for our members, HUB Leaders, pubco clients and the AGORACOM team for hitting yet another milestone this week. Yep, we broke through 500,000 page views for one day with 507,595 on February 25. We also hit 465,000 (Tuesday) and 497,000 (Thursday)…I knew I shouldn’t have given my twin boys the day off on Wednesday.

This follows our quarterly traffic report issued at the beginning of the month in which we hit 27,000,000 page views in the first 3 months of launching our wiki-powered forums.

Great job everyone. I’ve said it once, I’ve said it a thousand times. Quality wins over quantity any day. AGORACOM has provided a great platform, while members provide utopian quality via great content and self-monitoring. Together, we’ve created the community investors have always deserved.

Discussion Forums are never going to be the same. Spread the word and see you at 1,000,000.

Regards,
George

Posted in AGORACOM News And Events, All Recent Posts, Online Investor Relations, Web 2.0, 3.0, ... | 1 Comment »

Small-Cap IR Lesson: Obama Ran 70,000,000 + Ads In January…Dwarfs All Candidates

Posted by AGORACOM at 7:57 PM on Thursday, February 28th, 2008

If this guy is using the web to attract voters and beat his competitors in a US Presidential election, do you think it’s a strategy that might work for your small-cap company?

Obama ran more than 70,000,000 display ads in January and coincidentally started running away with the nomination.

If you want to reach your target audience, the web is the solution. Period. No dog and pony shows, no lists. Use the web to pinpoint your audience and deliver your message. Simple as that.

Regards,
George

Posted in All Recent Posts, Online Investor Relations, Small and Micro-Cap Space, Small-Cap CEO Lessons | 1 Comment »

IDC – Internet Use Now Doubles TV Time

Posted by AGORACOM at 4:20 AM on Thursday, February 21st, 2008

I’m happy to say that my efforts to help educate the small-cap industry regarding the importance of online IR has yielded amazing results in the past 12 months. Nonetheless, I still find CEO’s who have their doubts about the web, so my job is never done and I’m only too happy to continue the education process.

Today’s lesson is courtesy of IDC – the premier global provider of market intelligence in the IT and consumer technology space. This is a serious and well respected organization, with more than 900 analysts in over 90 countries worldwide. As such, when they speak, you should listen. I know I do.

The latest research out of IDC indicates that Online Consumers Spend Almost Twice as Much Time Using the Internet as Watching TV. They also spend 8 times more time on the web than reading newspapers and magazines.

I could go into the details but my legal education taught me there are times when it is best to just shut up because Res Ipsa Loquitur – the thing speaks for itself.

Thus endeth the lesson.

Regards,
George

p.s. Thanks to Paul Kedrosky for finding the article.

Posted in All Recent Posts, Online Investor Relations, Small and Micro-Cap Space, Web 2.0, 3.0, ... | Comments Off on IDC – Internet Use Now Doubles TV Time

AGORACOM Sponsors PIPEs 2007; Presentation – How To Turn The Web Into Your IR Machine

Posted by AGORACOM at 8:33 AM on Friday, February 8th, 2008

AGORACOM was once again the proud Investor Relations Sponsor of The PIPEs Conference in New York. This conference has become the largest and most important event on Wall Street for those of us in the small and micro-cap space. The team at DealFlow Media continue to put together an agenda that creates a great mix of education and networking.

As the IR Sponsor, AGORACOM provided the entire audience with a keynote presentation titled “How To Use The Web To Find New Investors and Turn Them Into An IR Machine”. It was a concise but strong presentation that covered how to use Google to find new investors and Community to keep them both together and spreading the word for you. Pretty powerful stuff as you will see.

Reaction was so positive that many of those in attendance asked for a copy of the presentation. It also made sense to provide it for those of you that could not attend this year (but should be attending next year).

Ask and you shall receive. Please view the presentation here. It also includes Q&A from the audience, so any questions you have were probably asked by a delegate.

Enjoy and contact me to discuss further.

Regards,
George

Posted in AGORACOM News And Events, AGORACOM Presentations, Online Investor Relations, Small and Micro-Cap Space, Small-Cap CEO Lessons, Web 2.0, 3.0, ... | 3 Comments »

AGORACOM Hits 27,000,000 Page Views In 3 Months

Posted by AGORACOM at 5:38 PM on Monday, February 4th, 2008

It gives me great pleasure to announce that AGORACOM has recorded 26,802,451 page views in the first 3 full months since we announced the launch of our wiki-powered “Investor Controlled Discussion Forums” on October 11, 2007.

When we made first made the announcement, we set out to destroy the stock discussion forum status quo that we have all come to hate over the past 10 years thanks to unrelenting spam, profanity, stock bashing, stock hyping and assorted noise. Many thought it could not be done because we could neither change habits nor unseat the incumbents. We not only knew we could, we knew that we would. Now, more than lip service, the following numbers speak for themselves:

THE TALE OF THE TAPE

(Figures for November 2007 to January 2008. All figures reported by Google Analytics)

  • Page Views 26,802,451
  • Visits 1,776,973
  • Unique Visitors 296,610
  • Pages Per Visit 15.08
  • Avg Time On Site 10:55
  • Number Of Countries/Territories 187
  • Top 10 (Canada, USA, Germany, Netherlands, Belgium, UK, Sweden, Mexico, Switzerland, Austria)

The numbers look even better when you consider:

  • December 10 – January 7 is pretty much a write-off for financial discussion.
  • The numbers stem from pure discussion. No spam, flaming and bickering traffic.

HAPPY TO SEE A HAPPY COMMUNITY

We are very happy to see the data back up our theory that investors deeply desire the ability to amalgamate and discuss individual stock investments in a civilized community.

However, we are even happier to read the reaction of our members. Here are just some of the raving testimonials we’ve been able to pull from the site so far.

While we’re talking about our members, I want to take this moment to thank each and every one of them for believing in our model, spreading the word and breathing life into it. Without them, this would be one hell of an application with no users. A special thanks goes out to all HUB Leaders that abandoned their former communities at Stockhouse, Raging Bull, Yahoo Finance and others in hopes of a better experience. I’m glad our promises to you have been fulfilled.

STATUS QUO ISN’T SHAKING – YET

Now, I know we haven’t shaken any boots at the big 3 (AOL, Yahoo, Microsoft) just yet but the numbers and testimonials clearly show we have tabled a solution that is far more appealing to investors that are no longer willing to accept the unacceptable.

Until now, the trash has ruled the day, forcing the masses to abandon discussion forums and conduct due diligence either on their own, or in small groups. It is inefficient but it is the best option we’ve had for nearly a decade.

Eventually, the market corrects inefficiencies and AGORACOM has set its sights on correcting this one.

By refusing to sacrifice quality for quantity, AGORACOM is attracting and will continue to attract smart and conscientious investors that understand the wisdom of crowds. Eventually, quality begets quality and a massive community that both generates its own content and moderates itself will replace the status quo.

BLOGS CAN NOT REPLACE DISCUSSION FORUMS

With the advent of financial blogs – and some pretty great ones that include Paul Kedrosky, Roger Ehrenberg and Marck McQueen to name but a few – some might argue discussion forums are no longer necessary, even outdated. Don’t make that mistake. Blogs are great for insight into the most important economic issues from a wide array of great minds. However, they rarely stay focused on a particular topic for more than a week, if not a day.

Stock discussion forums, on the other hand, provide investors with an ability to exchange ideas and analyze one particular stock 24/7/365. You might read about macro events (i.e. sub-prime) on a blog but figuring out how it impacts your specific stock investments requires a micro discussion that blogs can not provide.

CONCLUSION

This is Wiki meets IGC (investor generated content) at its finest. There are bigger communities to be sure – but can you find another vertical in which the need for a drastically more efficient model is more needed? Trillions of dollars are at stake. People’s futures are at stake. We can DIGG for this and research on Wikipedia for that but what are their implications for inefficient or imperfect information?

Stock discussion forums are vital to the lives of so many people. I believe we are about to witness a paradigm shift that makes them valuable once again. Stay tuned for more.

Regards,
George

Posted in AGORACOM News And Events, AGORACOM Traffic, All Recent Posts, Online Investor Relations, Small and Micro-Cap Space, Web 2.0, 3.0, ... | 7 Comments »

AGORACOM US IR Programs Now Include Bloomberg TV and CNBC TV

Posted by AGORACOM at 11:12 AM on Friday, February 1st, 2008

AGORACOM is proud to announce that our US Investor Relations programs now include the ability to reach investors via Bloomberg Television and CNBC TV. These incredible tools were made available thanks to our powerful partners at Google, who are now handling offline ad space for the likes of (TV) Bloomberg, CNBC (Newspapers) New York Times (Radio) Clear Channel.

ONLINE VS. OFFLINE

Though the primary focus (98%) of our partnership with Google is targeting and attracting new online investors, we also understand the value of a highly targeted offline audience. Specifically, investors viewing prime-time stock market television programming between the hours of 5PM and 8PM, every Monday to Thursday. That’s right, no 2AM slots on Sunday nights that others have tried to push in the past. This is strictly prime-time.

As such, via our partnership with Google, we are now able to target investors viewing Bloomberg Television and CNBC during this time slot on the Dish Satellite Network.

BLOOMBERG AND CNBC DEMOGRAPHICS ARE IDEAL FOR SMALL-CAPS

CNBC TV and Bloomberg TV are North American’s most respected business channels, airing business and financial news 24 hours a day. The quality of their prime-time programming between 5 – 8 PM make their combined audience the most valuable business audience in the United States. The Mendelsohn Affluent Surve has found that Bloomberg TV viewers have an average household income of $199,000, the highest of any cable network it measures. CNBC viewers have an average household income of $184,000.

IDEAL FOR SMALL-CAP BUDGETS

Dish Network provides Satellite TV to 13,000,000 households and businesses across the United States. The demographic and audience size are actually ideally suited for small-cap companies. Namely, an affluent but affordable audience size.

HOW ABOUT ALL THOSE PVR’S SKIPPING COMMERCIALS?

If you thought about this, then you are on the same page with us as this was one of the first questions we asked. You will love the answer. The combination of Satellite technology and Google tracking provides the valuable benefit of being able to track and not count any ads in which a viewer changes the channel within the first 8 seconds.

As such, you don’t have to worry about dilution of your ad spend due to skipped commercials….and focus on acquiring new shareholders via a couple of great mediums. If you have a great story to tell, let’s talk. Please send e-mail to:

AIR at AGORACOM.com

Regards,
George

Posted in AGORACOM Small-Cap TV, All Recent Posts, Online Investor Relations, Small and Micro-Cap Space, Web 2.0, 3.0, ... | 2 Comments »

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