| |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
carriefreelance | PO Box 1284 | Menlo Park | CA | 94026-1284 |
Tuesday, November 10, 2009
Carrie Freelance November E-News & Views
Tuesday, November 03, 2009
5 Ways to Stretch Your Marketing Budget and Where You Should Spend
With many marketing budgets shrinking, and the pressure to keep your brand front and center amidst the competition, choosing the right tools and resources to get your message out to audiences is more important then ever. While many agree that traditional marketing alone doesn't cut it, social media on its own cannot take up all the slack either. So, finding the right marketing recipe is key. Here are some low or no cost ideas:
*Create white papers, reports, tips sheets, and short e-books that your website or blog visitors can easily download. You may be able to repurpose or expand on a previous blog post, presentation, or article you have written. Then, make sure you have a system such as a unique URL or landing page, to capture names, so that you are creating lists of new perspective prospects and clients. Use Twitter, your blog, or other social media to promote new products.
*Survey your customers and new subscribers about what information and products relevant to your business they would like to receive, and how they want to receive it. There are many free survey programs you can experiment with, such as Survey Monkey. If you use Constant Contact for your e-news software, it includes an excellent built in survey feature for just a small additional cost.
*Take advantage of speaking opportunities. Public speaking is a great way to get your brand and message across. Find out if any local groups in your area are in need of speakers, and let them know you are interested. It's a good idea to prepare a talk along with some great powerpoint slides ahead of time, so you'll have them ready to go. Make sure your visuals are easy to follow, organized, and interesting. I attended a talk recently where there was one slide on the screen the entire time! Practice in front of a few colleagues or trusted friends, and try to anticipate any questions or challenges you may encounter. You can also prepare a "speaker sheet," or "one sheet," that includes your photo, topics you'd like to present on, and who your appropriate audience might be.
*Write articles and submit them for publication on sites such as ezine. This can really boost your SEO, as well as further establish your expertise in a given field. To save time, choose a few blog posts you're really proud of and turn them into articles or update them as needed.
*Use social media to enhance your online presence, but have a strategy. Many complain about how long social media takes, but if you have an organized strategy, you get the most out of your time and effort. Don't try and be a social media mastermind and exhaust yourself creating blogs, podcasts, e books, and videos all day long, or you'll be spreading yourself too thin. Find a few tools you really enjoy, and focus on them. For example, if you really love writing, focus on blogging, e-books, and articles. If you're a video lover, focus on creating great videos as well as a meaty YouTube channel. You can also explore other video upload sites, such as Vimeo and Tube Mogul.
Where You Should Spend Money
Marketers may not realize that even with a specific strategy and gameplace, social media does not run on automatic. You need a real person on the other end, sending and responding to tweets, posting article links and video, and interacting with others in the network. If you don't have time to do it right, you should spend the money to hire an expert, and it will be money well spent. Make sure it's someone with a good track record of social media engagement, who can also recommend the right tools for you.
What are your suggestions for free or low cost marketing?
Saturday, October 31, 2009
Sometimes, Things Just Don't Work Out
Not every match is a match made in heaven, and the same is true in our professional lives. Sometimes, the client we had been longing to "land" for months or maybe even longer, turns out differently then we had planned. Or, the service provider we were so excited about being able to hire, doesn't fulfill our expectations in the end. Over the last few months, I have heard many stories from colleagues and customers that highlight just how complex the client/vendor relationship can be, and how often disappointments and frustrations can ensue. It is our natural instinct, and indeed we are taught, to end these relationships in these instances, and move on. But before we do, it is important to learn from these relationships, and also to get out of the experience as much as we can.
Here are a 5 tips to keep in mind if you are having a bumpy road with either your client, or a vendor you have hired:
1. Be clear from the beginning about expected timetables, deliverables, fees, goals, and approaches. A detailed proposal or contract can go a long way in making sure both parties are on the same page. If you are a writer like me, be sure to include the number of revisions you are including in your project agreement, so that you will not be losing time and money on an infinite number of revisions you had not anticipated, and the client understands the need for closure on the project. An excellent blog about this appeared today on the "Men with Pens" blog post, "How to Kill the Scope Creep Beast."
2. Find Common Ground: Often, we are all looking for the same thing, we just have different styles and ways of going about it. If you are experiencing a repeated frustration or miscommunication with your client or vendor, try and paint a picture for them that shows exactly where you are coming from, and then ask their opinion. Highlight the common ground that you share with them, which should include a mutual desire for success, a quality, finished final product, and testimonials and case studies to use in future. It takes a fair amount of time and energy to match up clients and service providers, and no one wants to see that time wasted, so make sure each of you understands the other's point of view.
3. Listen, Take Notes, and Document Discussions: It's a good idea to get into the habit of taking detailed notes during all discussions of a project, particularly during key phases. The service provider in particular should listen closely to what the client wants, and after you have taken notes, send a follow up e- mail with highlights from the meeting, so that both parties are in tune with each other. Also, make sure to "read between the lines," when a client repeats a phrase or requests a specific deliverable. When they ask for a better web site, for example, what does that mean? More graphics? Better SEO? Easier navigation? Or if they say they want a brochure, maybe what they really want is a more useful home page, or a simple flyer or takeaway piece. It's the vendor's job to point out the best solution to the problem, and to offer an array of solutions if the client is open to it.
4. Don't Go to Bed Angry. There's no point letting frustrations grow. It's important to confront any issues head on and clear the air. If you have a concern either as a vendor or service provider, speak up about it as soon as you are aware of the problem, so that you both can move on and focus on the project at hand. If there are too many distractions and roadblocks, it will show in the end result.
5. End Things the Right Way. If a situation is not working out and you are fairly certain it won't improve, it is important to end the relationship and move on. If you have a contract, make sure you read the fine print and understand any financial repercussions of ending the project early, such as a "kill fee" or percentage of the final fee. Make sure you also provide as much notice as possible, and check your agreement terms on this. As much notice as possible will allow the client to move on and find another vendor if they wish, or allow for the vendor to make up any financial loss by finding another project or client. Sometimes, for whatever reason, things just don't work out, and in that case it is better to move on.
Got any thoughts or solutions you'd like to share in dealing with vendor/client relationships?
Tuesday, October 27, 2009
Monday, October 26, 2009
Is Authenticity the Precursor to Trust?
There has been a lot on the blogosphere lately about Trust and Authenticity. One could argue that it is our "social media responsibility" to make others comfortable with subscribing, friending, buying, and eventually becoming a client or stakeholder. But what exactly is required to make us feel that comfort level, or to create it for others, and what is the Trust/Authenticity magic formula, if there is one?
*Telling Their Story for the Right Reasons
Over the last few months, I have read a lot of “confessional “ blog posts, dealing with life’s sometimes ugly “underbelly.” Many bloggers I subscribe to have recently written about separation or divorce, illness, or financial hardship. They seem to feel a need to “confess,” or to clarify the situation when readers ask after their spouses or other aspects of their personal lives. Even new bloggers I just signed up with are often writing about having been bankrupt just a few short years ago, or deathly overweight, or maybe even coming out of prison. I personally don’t feel I need this information, since my philosophy is that someone’s personal life is just that, and I don’t need any explanation or details, nor would I expect that my readers would require it of me. If you are one of my close friends and we have lunch or coffee several times a week, of course that’s another story.
On the other hand, when someone is blogging their personal story and doing it well, (meaning tastefully and because they feel it from the heart), it can increase their authenticity, assuming the story is true and they have made a persuasive comeback or overcome a serious challenge. Moreover, if their own product has saved them from oblivion, surely it will save me? OK, so say I believe their story, and that they are telling it to be authentic and not to get “ratings.” But does that encourage me trust them for future transactions? It does, if…
*They do what they say they are going to do in small ways first, and their online equations “add up.” If they say “click here to download my e-book,” the link that follows takes me there.
*Apologies or explanations as appropriate. If they published a bad or broken link, or had a computer glitch of some kind, or were not where they say they’d be online or otherwise, they should provide an explanation and make it right. Send a new link right away, offer a freebie, don’t charge me if I didn’t receive what I should have.
*They have spoken before a group and/or published. It’s true that publishing and public speaking are great ways to establish credibility, or “instant cred,” as they say, but these are not deal breakers and should be part of a larger online picture. For example, self-publishing is rather common these days, and let’s face it, it’s not that much work to create a PDF and set it up as a download, nor is it to pay for a publisher to provide you with copies. This is where I’m a bit traditional and if someone has published with an outside publisher and not self-published, I tend to regard them as somewhat more credible. Public speaking is great, but speakers have to be careful that they are not overly marketing their products, or obviously feeding us free sessions today in order to lead us to the paid versions tomorrow.
*Testimonials and/or Case Studies Done Right
The power of testimonials and case studies has been well documented, and that is why many companies are going to great lengths to tell their success stories. These stories create positive buzz, and provide multiple points of reference. We hear not only from the company itself on what their challenge was and how they tackled it, but from the client and how the end result impacted their bottom line. So of course, the testimonial builds trust. But it needs to be done right. The case study should clearly explain the project challenge, how it was handled, and the result. The client testimonial should include the name of the individual and their company. I have seen testimonials posted as anonymous quotes, and it really doesn’t work.
*Satisfaction with a Product – Style and Substance
I could hire someone who has had glowing reviews, but if I’m not happy with their work, of course I am not going to trust them again with an assignment. Not because I don’t trust them to fulfill the work – but because I don’t trust them to complete it in a manner I would like. However, I might try out someone less well-known, be thrilled with them, and then of course trust them for future projects. Keep in mind that satisfaction can be determined by personal criteria as well as objective ones, and this all still leads to trust in the end. Someone might have fulfilled all the technical deliverables required, but if the style or approach was problematic, I probably wouldn’t use them again.
*In With a Good Group
Some entrepreneurs or consultants make it a practice to align themselves and collaborate with peers in their field on a frequent basis. If I know of their colleagues but not them, I am more likely to feel a sense of trust about them and give them a try. However, the other side of the coin is that if they are trying too hard to be “in” with their colleagues, but don’t have a defined presence or identity of their own, this can work against them.
What are your thoughts and criteria for trust and authenticity?
Tuesday, October 20, 2009
“People Like Us” 5 Reasons Why You Need A Communications Specialist
For writers, editors, communications specialists,
and integrated content management experts:
Potential clients might make inquiries about your services, but in the end offer up all the reasons why you’re not worth it, like deciding the project is not even important, or that they can simply do it themselves, or that they just plain don’t want to pay you. This is why you are out there, and this is why you should be paid for what you do.
For entrepreneurs and business owners:
These reasons listed below are why you need people like us:
1. You don’t have time to do it yourself, or you already would have.
Writers are dedicated professionals who will take the time and interest needed to make you look good, whatever your business. They have a unique perspective on your business and communications needs that you don’t have, because you’re too close to them. If you had the time and resources to complete your own writing projects, you would have done so already, and you wouldn’t be talking to them in the first place.
2. Writing Means More Than Writing
Communications these days can mean a lot of different things, with writing being only a part of the pie. Everyone knows the buzzwords, like new media and tweeting and viral video, but what does that mean in the practical sense? It means writing in a specific way to gain online visibility. It means knowing how to grab the reader’s attention, highlighting quickly why your company stands out in the crowd, telling a great story, and knowing how to connect the dots online so that your company is communicating with the right people. Companies today are investing in social media marketing like never before, which means that writers are now front and center in communications and technology. They can be hired to blog, write e-newsletters and e-books, About Me pages and Profiles, create search engine optimized press releases, and even video scripts. These are all huge opportunities for your business to achieve greater visibility online then ever before. But not if you don’t engage the services of a professional.
3. Where’s Your Strategy?
You can have the greatest writing in the world, but if there’s no cohesive strategy behind it, all your efforts can prove a waste of time. A communications specialist will work with you to find out everything they can about your organization, including what has worked or failed in the past, future objectives and goals, your company’s brand and message, and how the right communications tools can make the pieces of the puzzle make sense. With so many choices out there today, you have to make decisions and streamline, and you need to work with someone who can explain the choices clearly and make sound, customized recommendations.
4. Money - The Elephant in the Room
There is a stigma about writers either being notoriously underpaid, or expected to work for nothing or next to nothing. We’ve all heard the counter-argument to this: would you expect a painter to paint your house for nothing? A chef to prepare your food for nothing? What about filling your tank with gas or getting groceries at the supermarket for free? Of course not…but then, writers are different, right? Money is one of those “funny,” elephant-in-the-room topics. It’s always somehow lurking in the background in most conversations about work projects and new ventures, and usually, the first one to bring it up is, “out.” You’ve heard the expression: he who names a price first, loses. Of course, it shouldn’t be this way, but it is.
So for writers, be flexible and come up with a realistic project or hourly rate that includes all the details and the scope of the project, deadlines, deliverables, etc. Don’t give your services away, but price yourself right and fairly. Be clear about your terms, and offer payment options if needed. For businesses: ignore the stereotypes and pay writers what they are worth. Keep in mind how your communications projects are going to boost your branding and visibility, provide valuable marketing, and improved communications with your audience and other stakeholders. Can you really put a price on that?
5. Too Many Cooks Spoil the E-News
You have many talented individuals on your staff, but if they all get in the mix and involve themselves in multiple projects, it’s going to wind up looking disjointed, and you can end up confusing your brand and your audience. Not to mention the fact that their original job responsibilities will most likely get lost in these added tasks. Moreover, if you have one person handling video and another blogging and another doing podcasts or other projects, you will have what’s called “mixed media,” and not in a good way. For consistency of message, style, and approach, use one consultant who excels in the areas you need, or at the very least, serves as a liaison to your team.
Did I make my case?
Friday, October 16, 2009
Are You Afraid of Momentum?
Years ago, I went on a group bike trip on Martha's Vineyard. One afternoon, there was an incredibly long and thrilling downhill the likes of which I had never experienced before. While I was overjoyed at the feeling of going fast with apparently no effort, I was also afraid. Afraid of going too fast, or that I might fall over or collide with another rider, or that I might never get this kind of thrill again and therefore shouldn't enjoy it too much. It sounds silly, right? I mean, why spoil a good thing? I resisted the urge to brake, and went for it, and my thrill ride ended safe and sound with my coming to a natural slow down and stop at the bottom of the "hill."
We've all learned by now that life has its uphills and downhills, so much so that it has become a cliche, much like the term, "bumps in the road," or "rocky road," or "uphill climb." You get the idea. But I was thinking about the idea of momentum on its own, and realized that there is a distinct psychology to it, particularly in business. For example, you can go from having no clients to five clients, from having no activity to a flurry of activity, like a kid on Christmas morning. Suddenly you get an e mail from someone contacting you that maybe you wanted to hear from for a long time, or you get a phone call, or an invitation for a meeting that you'd been hoping for.
These things happen. Sometimes they mean more then themselves, and sometimes less. They could change your life, or they could just be a temporary flurry. In any case, make the most of your momentum, and don't ruin it by going for the brakes. You'll slow down any way, eventually. It's just the way gravity, and life, work.
Wednesday, October 14, 2009
5 Great New Web Site and Blog Discoveries
I've come across some really great web sites and blogs in the last few weeks. While they are not new, they are new to me. Here they are:
*More.com: the web site of MORE magazine. I stumbled upon this site after having become a FAN of More magazine on Facebook. The site is basically an extension of the magazine, but with a community focus. Users can set up a profile page called "My Studio," which allows you to publish a user name, a brief bio, some basic stats about where you live and your occupation, your likes, and how you would like to reinvent yourself. Beyond that, I was impressed the site encourages readers to post their "stories," for a wide variety of categories, such as "passions," self improvement, health, and others. Other readers can "Like," various stories, and they can be posted to Facebook, Digg, and other bookmarking sites. There is also a marketplace where business owners can include their links, and various contests and unique editorial that does not appear elsewhere. I was impressed with how easy it was to use the site, and got a kick out of reading so many other women's inspirational stories about overcoming challenges and reinventing oneself. Kudos to the team at More.com for getting it right.
*http://scribbit.blogspot.com/: The blog of Michelle Mitchell, a mother of 4 in Anchorage, Alaska, who blogs about crafts, recipes, communications issues, and other topics. I stumbled upon her blog while doing some research for a project I'm working on, and so glad I did. Michelle has a warm online personality and writes clearly and with good detail. Her blog was ranked fifth on the list of ten Top Motherhood Blogs in the Wall Street Journal, in April 2008, in "The Blogger Mom in Your Face" by Sue Shellenbarger, and featured on TwiTip as a blog to follow on Twitter by Darren Rowse of Problogger in 2008, "Top Ten Must Follows: Writers, GTD/Productivity and Moms."
*Blog Carnival: This is a cool site that groups blogs together by topic to form a "carnival." Bloggers submit their posts for editorial approval, and readers can rate the posts. From their home page:
"We think blog carnivals are a great way for bloggers to recognize each other's efforts, organize blog posts around important topics, and improve the overall level of conversation in the blogosphere. Carnivals come in edited "editions", just like magazines or journals. The fact that carnivals are edited (and usually annotated) collections of links lets them serve as "magazines" within the blogosphere, and carnival hosts can earn their readership by providing high quality collections.
Since blog carnivals include lots of posts on specific topics, they also serve as a place to connect with those who are expert (or at least highly opinionated!) and those who are interested in that field.
Blog Carnival simplifies carnivals for two kinds of people:
- People who read and contribute to blog carnivals, and
- People who organize and publish blog carnivals. "
*Animoto.com: those who know me know I love my Animoto, the cool make your own video site that I first saw demonstrated at the YouTube developers conference last summer. I loved how it turned still photos into great video, but now the program's been upgraded so you can upload video clips as well, either your own or some stock footage they have. They've also upgraded the options on how to post the video after it's done, with easy widgets for sharing on social networks, YouTube, etc. These people rock, and I've told them so!
Here's one of my latest videos:
*New York Public Library's Digital Gallery
digitalgallery.nypl.org
Lose yourself in this vast collection of rare prints, vintage maps, manuscripts, posters, photographs, sheet-music covers, dust jackets, menus, cigarette cards and other artifacts. There are more than 300,000 digital images of original materials available for viewing. Access is free, and you can download images to your computer for personal or research use. The My Digital page will store your favorite discoveries along with your search history.
What are you latest favorites? Share them here.
Monday, October 12, 2009
5 Social Media Life Lessons
photo: http://www.flickr.com/photos/jimm9349/
What follows are some "social media-isms" I have found to be true from my experiences over the last few weeks. Confirms that many best practices are still evolving, and some old standards need to be reaffirmed.
1. A Comment About Commenting...Where's the Host?
It's disturbing when bloggers enthusiastically promote the importance of commenting and acknowledging comments on blogs, both in person and online, and then basically ignore your comments. If I repeatedly show the interest in your blog, you should comment back and show that at least you have seen it, and don't say you're too busy, especially if you're going on in your blogs about how important community is to you. It's like throwing a party and then leaving the room. Everyone is left to wonder: where's the host?
2. You Wrote a Book? Congratulations, but Please Don't Overpromote Ad Nauseum
We all know that marketing a book or e-book can often be harder then writing it. I have read blog posts about it, heard speakers go on about it, seen many comments on it. Online marketers are exhausting themselves trying to promote their books, and readers are exhausted hearing about it. Enough is enough. It's on your signature tag, you wrote a post about it, tweeted, and facebooked. Enough is enough. We get the idea, you wrote a book.
3. How About a Link Once in a While?
Posting spontaneous thoughts once in a while is OK, but doing it all the time without any links, just gets flat after a while. If you don't have a resource handy, it usually only takes a few minutes to find a relevant video or article that highlights your point, and it helps objectify your topic. It also give your viewers something tangible to chew on.
4. Be Congruent. Really.
Ever had the experience when you talked to someone over the phone for a while, and then you finally meet them in person and it's...well...not the same? It can be an unpleasant surprise. This hold true online as well. There should be a congruity between your online persona, and how someone perceives you, if and when you meet in person. If I have been having online chats with someone for months, and finally meet them in person and they decide not to even say hello although they know who I am, I am troubled by this. I would rather have someone match the impression I had had from them online, even if they aren't the warmest fuzziest. It's like getting the economy room at the hotel - no frills - but I knew this when I signed up.
5. Are You Only As Good As Your Last Blog Post?
Well.... Yes. Attention spans are short, and as brilliant and articulate as you might have been last week, it's now this week and the challenge is keeping current. I'm amazed at how many social media experts I have come across have outdated blogs, with the last post being almost a month old, or even older. While keeping up with Facebook and Twitter is admirable, I'm a firm believer that the blog is still your basic foundation and everything stems from there. You don't really want to have to explain to people: my dog ate my blog...
What are your "social media-isms?"
Monday, October 05, 2009
The Parable of the Tree
It was determined that the tree in front of our house needed to be taken down, as it was over 1o0 years old and had some perilous branches.
The workmen came on Thursday, and again on Friday, and sawed off many of the branches. It was really noisy, and we had to put on some Suzanne Vega just to help obscure the sound. I had gotten "Truth and Beauty" for my birthday, so we had great music at the ready, although you could still hear the steel hum of the saws in the background.
There was a lot of discussion. People stopped to look at what was going on, and wondered if there would be any part of the tree left. We said to ourselves, "if that tree could talk, I'm sure she would have lots of stories." We said, "It was probably all farmlands here, when that tree was first planted." No 7-11. No McDonalds.
The tree was left looking oddly unfinished, with half branches sticking out at strange angles, as if it were a homemade prop in a play. It looked unnatural, clearly resenting that man had messed with it.
The next day, the winds came up. Leaves swirled all around in clusters, shimmery and frantic, like schools of tiny brown fish. Clouds were stretched to thin whisps, with faint ridges, like the beginnings of ideas. Someone called the authorities, because they noticed that one of the tree branches was left exposed and dangling dangerously close to the power lines. Within minutes, the police came, and then the fire department, and the electric company. There was a situation. Then in a few minutes, the power went out. They had shut it off so they could tend to the repairs.
A woman ran out frantically into the street, concerned that her dinner roast was now ruined. I wondered what kind of roast she'd been cooking, a pot roast or maybe a rib eye, and also what kind of side dishes she was planning, and who all had been invited, not that it was any of my business.
We got out our lanterns, glad that we had them and could consider ourselves somewhat prepared for life's calamities. We noticed that they cast a strange orange light on the walls, as if we suddenly lived in a different place. We thought about perishables in the refrigerator, and whether we would have to buy new milk and eggs the next day. After several hours, we called the electric company, and their recordings seemed to know who we were rather readily. The recordings assured us that they knew about the problem, and that if we needed to get up early for work the next day, they would provide a wake up call. We found this humorous. The problem was scheduled to be fixed by 4 am.
It was so dark without the lantern that I couldn't sleep, so I read by its light for hours. The thought of it being too dark at night was strange, like water being too wet, or earth being too brown. Strangely unnerved, I started folding the clothes in my dresser drawers at 2 am by the light of the lantern, and I kept going to the window to look at the moon, opalescent and nearly full. I felt stupid doing something that didn't need to be done, since my clothes were already fairly neatly folded, and I had a lot of other things I needed to do, but somehow, this seemed like what I should be doing. I thought about what I might have watched on tv if the power had been on. Some late-night infomercials no doubt, illustrating handy mixers and magic vacuum cleaners, or maybe a special about Petaluma or Chefography, or child stars - where were they now. I realized I hadn't heard a word about Susan Dey in quite some time, and I missed the rainbow peacock logo from "The Patridge Family."
Life is little things and big things all mixed up, I thought to myself, and this is part of being human. The elements and details and incongruities and parallels don't naturally filter themselves into categories. You have to place them there. In your mind, in a photograph, on a piece of paper.
By 4 am, the power was back and made itself known, with all the appliances and clocks flashing for attention, as if a UFO had landed and sent strange electromagnetic signals all around. The familiar sounds of life returned --the hum of the refrigerator and the television, the glow of the hallway light through the front door, and the street light, illuminating the semi naked and unhappy tree, which had been further disfigured during this latest round of repairs.
We slept, and awoke by late morning. The sky was a brilliant azure blue, and there was a calmness in the air, as if we had been on a boat that had become becalmed, and was just drifting for a while. We went out to the 7-11 to replace the milk, touching the trunk of the tree as we walked by, as if it were a right of passage.
Wednesday, September 30, 2009
Is Social Media Replacing Blogging? 5 Reasons Why It Shouldn't
I've met or heard about at least a dozen people over the last few months who have mentioned that for whatever reason, they are no longer blogging. "It's not worth it," or, "it's too time-consuming," are just some of the reasons they articulate. They prefer to use Twitter and Facebook, and some focus on just retreeting or posting links from other articles and resources. I can understand it, as it takes a lot of time and effort to come up with interesting topics, get and keep subscribers, integrate technology such as sound, video, and tutorials into posts, and be "viral" enough so as to make an impact.
So why start and maintain a blog? I have a few theories as to why it's so important to do so:
1. Blogs serve as "connectors" or "hubs." They are the one place where your web site, social media, and other online identifiers are all assimilated. Without a blog, you're like a plant with no routes - throwing thoughts and ideas out there like loose branches, with no foundation except for a static website which others may not absorb the way you want them to.
2. Social media is a trend. We don't know how long Twitter, Facebook, Linked In, and all the myriad of niche sites out there will exist. When the trend disappears, or gets replaced by something else, there is no anchor for your followers and friends, where they can receive updates and fresh content by only you. In other words, you will lose your following and your most important asset: your subscribers.
3. Linking or retreeting other people's ideas - only - does not help your brand. One of the main purposes of a blog is to heighten your online credibility and authority. If you are merely tweeting and posting other people's links all the time without creating your own fresh content, you will only be seen as an imitator or follower yourself, and not an innovator or thought leader. The way we distinguish ourselves online is by expressing our unique vision and thoughts - this is how we brand ourselves and set ourselves apart from others, particularly in a crowded marketplace.
4. So Long SEO. As we have all read and heard about for years now, search engines love fresh content. The fewer words you post online, the less chance you have to be found by search engines. Twitter has the infamous cut-off of 140 characters, and Facebook and Linked In have restricted word counts. While you want your blog posts to be readable and concise, they still give you more online real estate to play with.
5. No More Launching Pad: Many online marketers use their blogs and subscribers as a jumping off point to expand their online presence in other ways, such as through forums, community or member-only sites, or to promote publications such as e-books, e-newsletters, speaking engagements, or events. Blogging stars such as Darren Rouse of Problogger, recently launched a new initiative called Problogger.com, a paid monthly site where bloggers will have access to special forums and other educational resources. A blog gives you a natural way to grow your most important commodity: your subscriber list. If you have no dedicated list, but are only a friend or someone who is followed by people already following thousands of other people, you and your marketing projects will get lost and you will have no audience for your products or services.
There are many other reasons why you should keep your blog. If it's not doing well, instead of giving it up, why not try and troubleshoot what the problem may be, or work with a consultant to see what improvements you might make in the writing or design that could make a big difference.
Did you recently decide to keep your blog after coming close to deleting it? What's your story?
Friday, September 25, 2009
Don't Make These Call-In Marketing Mistakes
photo: icanhascheeseburger.com
Today, I was excited about a teleconference call I had signed up for, with a coach whose web site and materials I had become familiar with over the last few weeks. After about 5 minutes into the call, I realized there were several marketing/communications problems going on, and not only was I disappointed, but I was surprised that someone who supposedly led her clients on the way to "6-figure incomes," really missed the boat. It was one of the few such events that I hung up on early (I never do this!), and instead of taking notes on great information as I usually did, I instead noted on what went wrong.
1. Antiquated technology.
It seems to me that the days of dialing in are really over. Maybe you, like me, have become accustomed to online sessions where you go to a URL, and not a phone number. When I typed in my pin #, an automated voice told me it was not recognized, and I had to redial and check in all over again.
2. No acknowledgement of audience/participants
On most of the calls/webinars I have been on recently, there is always a confirmation, even if in general terms, of the audience on the call. One I attended recently even had my name on file and knew I had logged into the seminar. Here, you could hear a lot of clicking as the speaker talked, and yet there was no confirmation of her audience at all. I found this very odd, given that she was talking about connecting with her customers!
3. Repetition of material.
It's understandable that one would reuse their content to a certain degree, but I was dismayed that the content on the call was exactly the same as that of 4 short videos I had just watched the week before. Why did the speaker/business owner assume I had not seen her videos? If she had organized or segmented her lists better, she would have been able to organize who had seen her videos already or not, and created different material. Or, to make it even easier, how about new material that no one had ever seen before?
4. The hard sell came, shall we say, fast?
If we've learned anything from social media, we've learned it's about relationships first, and business second. I was shocked that only 15 minutes into the call, the speaker was pretty much finished and had already started to attempt to convert her listeners (who she hadn't recognized earlier) into clients! To say this was rushed would be an understatement. So what did I do? I hung up. I don't think this is a sign of a good teleconference.
Lessons Learned
*Use current teleconferencing systems, such as webinars, and forget the dial-in, particularly if your brand is tied into being savvy and sophisticated.
*Recognize your audience, and get them involved by suggesting they introduce themselves and their businesses, ask questions, etc.
*Come up with new materials or don't do it.
*Don't start selling your solutions, products, etc. during the call, or at least wait until at least an hour has passed. Even better, send a follow-up email with an offer for free stuff and another webinar or video.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
Posts
Special Offer! Subscribe to this blog and/or the carriefreelance monthly e-news, and receive a free e-book, "Finding Opportunity in a Down Economy," with great tips on marketing and reaching your audience with dynamic communications.
