Jeff Korhan

Typepad vs Wordpress Series - Own Your Blog

This is the first in a series of posts in which I will compare the two most favored blog platforms, Typepad and Wordpress.  The purpose of this is not to crown a winner in a contest, rather to help you find the blogging platform that is right for you. 

One of the difficulties in making a proper determination about which platform to choose is that most of the people you talk to will be biased - they will recommend the platform they use.  And they will probably make this recommendation without even getting to know you and your objectives.  That's right, they will prescribe without diagnosing.  Brilliant, isn't it? 

This is one reason for this series of posts.  I hope to clear the air by educating you so that you can make your best choice.  And just to be fully transparent, this blog is indeed hosted on Typepad.  Stay tuned and you will learn why.

Own Your Blog Domain

Having a unique domain that you own is an essential feature for any blog.  And it is one that both Typepad and Wordpress offer.  To my knowledge, this is not possible with many of the others.  This alone is why I only recommend these two platforms - they allow you to protect years of blog content that is a living Web legacy of your business.

To be successful with blogging, regardless of your purpose, you will need to work very hard at it.  The good word is this places you in a very select group, because most bloggers ignore the cardinal rule of blogging consistently.   Here's the best part:  I can say without qualification that among the inconsistent bloggers are many self-described social media and blogging experts.

How It Works

Typepad assigns a unique Typepad URL when you sign up for their service. It will be something like myblog.typepad.com.  That URL never changes, but when you map over your own domain, which in my case is my name: jeffkorhan.com, that is what gets indexed on the Web.  As long as you maintain control of that URL by keeping it registered at GoDaddy.com (my preference) or wherever you wish to park it, then you are in good shape. 

To be clear - with Typepad you have two URL's.  You have the one they give you that still works but sits in the background, and you have the one you own that is mapped over it.  It works much like it does with email aliases.

With Wordpress, and this is Wordpress.org we are talking about, you set everything up on your domain from the get go, so there really isn't any mapping.  The key here is to understand that there is a difference between Wordpress.org, which allows you to own your blog, and Wordpress.com, which doesn't.  Many people do not understand this, and it is my belief they would make some changes if they did.

One advantage of having a unique domain for your blog is you can export your entire blog from Wordpress to Typepad or vice-versa.  Even if you are loyal to one platform, you never know with mergers and such if there will be a desire to change the base URL down the road.  So, do this.  You will thank yourself some day - that much I can guarantee you.

If you are Typepad blogger, here are the instructions for getting this done.  I highly recommend using GoDaddy for your domain because they provide phone support to work out the kinks in your mapping process, and I can assure you there usually are a few.

The Differences

Typepad is hosted on their servers - which to you and me means it is hosted in the cloud.  Some will consider this advantage a disadvantage.  It is a matter of perspective.   I like knowing that there is a company with technical expertise that is focused on making sure everything is working well - software and hardware upgrades are being made, protective measures against viruses in place, etc. 

Wordpress requires you to host your data on your computer or server.  Some consider this to be an advantage.  To me, it is an advantage akin to owning your own home.  It seems like the perfect scenario when everything is working well, until something terrible goes wrong, such as the housing market collapsing. 

Your Wordpress blog could get hit by a virus because you weren't upgrading the Wordpress software, as just one example.  Or your data is lost because you weren't backing it up.  You can solve this problem by using Jungledisk to automatically back-up to the cloud (actually Amazon's servers) - for just a few dollars per month.

You see, with Wordpress you do have control, but having that control also means you and you alone are responsible.  To quote Clint Eastwood (aka Dirty Harry) ... "you've got to ask yourself one question: Do I feel lucky? " 

Finally, as a consultant, another advantage to having the data in the cloud is that I can step in when necessary and help my clients.  In other words, their blog is much more easily sharable.  That is not as easily done when the content is housed on the client's servers.  To access that data poses all kinds of security risks for both of us.   

This Series

One intent of this series is to help you by giving you my perspective as a loyal Typepad user.  Many of my readers know I am a Typepad advocate, so I finally decided to take the time to explain why. 

You certainly have the right disagree with me.  In fact, if I happen to misrepresent either Wordpress or Typepad, please leave a comment and I'll do the research and set the record straight.  Naturally, I welcome agreeable comments too!

My True Purpose

I really want to see more small business owners blogging.  The data I've seen indicates the percentage of small business owners blogging is about 10%.  This is pathetic.  If you and I are to have more social media engagement within our markets, we need more people blogging. This is why I recommend the simplicity of Typepad to entrepreneurs and small business owners who have their hands full just running their businesses.

This is not a linear series, meaning I don't know when the next post will be, but it will be soon.

Photo Credit:  canonsnapper

 

How Many Social Media Tools Do You Need?

Tools

If you walk into Home Depot they will gladly sell you all the tools that you need.  How many is that?  That's up to you to decide.  It stand to reason that the more tools you have, the more you can get done.  Right? 

Wrong?  Home Depot is in the tools business. They want you to use every tool they have.  Google and hundreds of others are quickly becoming the Home Depots of the Web.  You have to discriminate.  You have to choose. 

If you love your tools, then you are tool guy (or gal).  You are a craftsman.  The problem with most craftsmen is they starve because they fall in love with their work.

If you love the results that you get with those tools, then I want to hire you.  You are someone who has discovered that you can do a lot of things with a hammer, so to speak.  If I hire you, I can only only imagine how much more you could accomplish with that hammer if I give you a couple of screwdrivers and a wrench.

Results

If I need a tool to get a job done - an important job, here is what I would do.

I would find one of the few remaining full-service hardware stores.  I would saunter into the place wearing my most worn-out jeans, and preferably a dirty John Deere cap.  Then I would find the representative with leathery skin from too much time in the sun working his ass off to get a job done.  He's the expert.

I wouldn't have to ask the first question.  He would ask me two questions that are critical to the success of my project.  "Whatcha tryin' to do?" And after a bit of conversation, he will ask: "How ya tryin' to do it?"

When it comes to work of any kind, this is what you need to know. What are you trying to do and how are you trying to do it? 

If I were building a deck, there would be a need for some lag bolts to properly secure the railing posts to the frame.  Nails could work, but bolts would be better.  I could use a hex wrench to secure those bolts, but a socket wrench would be even better.  It costs more, but it would be much easier and save time.  And I would then have that tool to use later for another project.

The only tools that matter are the ones that will help you get the job done right. So then, why are so many social media marketers enamored with their knowledge of tools?  I suspect they don't really know how to use them to help you get the results you are looking for.  They are stuck in the tools business, and you are in the results business.

Social Media

There are social media tools that will help you to measure just about anything you care to measure. You can research all kinds of demographics and gather all kinds of data that you will never need.  You will find tools that will allow you to do just about anything - to push messages to places where the sun don't shine.  Yet, at some point you have to ask yourself a couple of simple questions.

Whatcha tryin' to do?

And how ya tryin' to do it?

Social media is not about the tools.  It's about engaging with people to accomplish practical results.  Small business owners know this from experience. 

To be successful with social media, you have to to apply what you already know about your customers.

Then it is easy to choose the right tools to get the job done.

Photo Credit:  Danny_McL

A Big Social Media Mistake

Also happens to be the easiest one to fix - Inconsistency.

Consistency of Effort

If you study the habits of those who have been - and still are, very successful with social media, you will discover they are committed to this craft.  They have blogs that go back many years that are visible evidence of their willingness to consistently serve their readers.  

They will all give slightly different reason for this consistency.  Mostly, you will discover they simply enjoy what they do.  They enjoy sharing and adding value to a community.  Notable examples are Seth Godin, Brian Clark and Sonia Simone, and Chris Brogan.  Social media is work if you are going to be consistent, so you need a reason for doing that if you plan to go the distance.

Consistency of Innovation

Unfortunately, it is possible to work consistently and still accomplish little.  The effort may be there, but something is missing.   All good bloggers are compelled to be relevant to their audience by innovating.  You can do more research, change your topic, or just try new blogging strategies. Here are 27 blogging tips that will help you find your sweet spot.

If you read of few of Seth Godin's recent posts, you will discover they are quite short, sometimes only a dozen sentences.  Yet, if you go back to his work before 2005, his posts were easily 300 - 500 words.  Is the value still there?  Absolutely.  In fact, Seth's recent economy of words is a means of adding more value for time-starved readers.  That's innovation.

Consistency of Application

If you are applying what you recommend in your blog or social media work, then you are being not just consistent, but congruent as well.  

Have you ever noticed how many social media experts can talk up all of the new technology, but they can't quite seem to show you how its used - and most importantly, how YOU can use it to get results in your business.  You begin to wonder if they indeed know how.

That's a big mistake for my audience of small businesses owners and entrepreneurs.  So, if I'm not giving you enough how-to in this blog, which is what I try to consistently do, please let me know by leaving a comment.

Proof

For several months I have been playing around with Foursquare, the location based social networking service.  You haven't seen me comment on it in detail because I wanted to learn more than how it works.  I especially wanted to learn how it can work for small businesses owners like you. 

Today I made a breakthrough in my thinking that supports my hunch that this service will be valuable new tool in your social media toolbox.  What I'm trying to say is this:  I'm not one to say, "Hey kids, Foursquare is cool!!!  Check it out."  There's no value in that.  So, look for an insightful post on Foursquare this week, if not tomorrow.

I know a blog doesn't have to be perfect, and most aren't, including this one.  However, when you have standards, I believe you should consistently live by them.

To do otherwise on this social platform that amplifies who we are can be a big mistake.

Photo Credit:  Ohad

Using Google Alerts More Effectively

 
Google Alerts are an invaluable tool for monitoring your online presence or a very specific topic. 

The most common use of Google Alerts is staying on top of the Web presence of the most important person in our lives - ME!  And on this increasingly humanized Web, that is certainly a recommended practice to take advantage of positive mentions of your personal brand, and also to manage those negative comments.

The Web is a big place and specificity is the key to effectively using this tool.  Here are some tips for doing that.

Getting Started

The first step in using Google Alerts is to get a gmail address that establishes your Google Account.  Then simply go to Alerts in their menu of services and start setting up the words or phrases that you wished to be informed on.  You have a choice for being informed via email or with an RSS feed to your Google Reader, which you can use more easily with iGoogle.

Use ALL of Your Names

You have more "names" than you may realize.  Traditionally, we think of having a legal name and a nickname.  However, the Internet has created a need for more names that you should also be monitoring.  This includes usernames, addresses, and URL's. 

Because you do not know which name will be indexed, or sometimes which portion, you will be wise to establish a complete system of alerts that aims to go fishing for all them.

Your Name

Mostly I go by Jeff Korhan, but my legal name is Jeffrey J. Korhan, so I have alerts set for both. 

If there happens to be a famous persona that shares your name, use the minus sign to exclude them from the data sent to you.  For example, if your name is Bill Gates.

Set the alert like this in quotes to exclude (subtract) the famous namesake by using an associative term, such as: "Bill Gates - Bill Gates Microsoft." 

Social Media UserName

To simplify your life, it is best to choose one username and stick with it on all of your networks.  Mine is jeffkorhan - which is my name without spaces.  Yet, as far as Google is concerned, that one little space makes a difference.

Twitter UserName

Once again, one little symbol makes a huge difference.  @jeffkorhan is my Twitter username.  The key is to include the @ symbol.

Incidentally, Google is not going to index all of your Tweets.  However, once in a while one gets indexed.  You may as well know which ones those are. 

Website Name

For me this is jeffkorhan.com.  The key is the .com.  Because whether  your URL is indexed as http://, or www, or both together, because they are all contiguous, it is going to be the "yourURL.com" - or whatever extension applies, that distinguishes your site.

Company Name

If you are a small business owner, your personal name and company name are practically synonymous.  Setting alerts for your company name keeps you informed on any mentions on the Web so that you can encourage positive comments, and address any negative  talk.  

Plus, if you happen to have a registered or trademarked name or names, you are obligated to respond to infringing uses to protect your rights. 

Related Names

Related to your work as a small business are the products and services you provide, key customers, your competitors and what they are up to, and industry associations you are a member of.

In this area especially, you will have to discriminate and suspend Alerts if the content gets too overwhelming.  While I do a lot of work in the green industry, there is more content there than I have time to digest, so I discontinued those alerts.

Take a Drink

Google alerts just bring you to the trough of water.  It's up to you to take drink.  The important thing is to click through the indexed links and see where they take you.  When appropriate, make a response.  There is one thing other bloggers appreciate, and that is when a mentioned source shows up to participate in the conversation.

For example, I was recently mentioned in a post by the Social Media Club of France.  I discovered the link through Google Alerts and dropped down an appreciative comment, to which they graciously responded.  You won't see the comments in the link above because they have not yet been indexed.

Going beyond analytics to use Google Alerts for human interaction and building community is the highest use of this sometimes tedious work of monitoring your personal and company brands. 

It Works Fast

So, how fast do Google Alerts work?  This post went live at 11:54 a.m. CDT.  As you can see from the image below, at 12:19 p.m. - just 25 minutes later,  this post was indexed and an email sent to me.  Very nice, huh?!

If you have enjoyed this post, please leave a comment below.  Let me know other topics you would like covered and I'll do my best.  And feel free to use the buttons below to share this post with your community.

Photo Credit: Floeschie

Using Video to Sell Creatively

Relationships Selling

When most of us think of using video on the social networks, it is often with the vision of having that video go viral.  Not that we necessarily want to be worldwide celebrities - or do we? 

That's exactly what can hold you back. If it happens, that's wonderful and something to celebrate. Until then, think about what's important here.  You just want to be known in your market.   

Today I was ready to turn a proposal loose to a new client.  At the last minute I realized that taking an extra 15 minutes to shoot a 2 minute video introduction for anyone who might be involved in the decision-making process would be a good idea.  Is it worth that to get the business?  You know it is.  

We're talking about relationships here.  You obviously cannot develop a relationship with a video, but you can help give someone a glimpse into your personality - what it may be like to work with you.  That is something you cannot do in words.  And that is a powerful use of social media.   

How It's Done

When I tried to load up the aforementioned video to YouTube, I discovered (for the first time) that YouTube was down.   So, I strolled on over to Vimeo.  For one thing, I know the quality of a video presentation is better with Vimeo.  It may not have the audience of YouTube, but the quality is exceptional.

What I didn't know is their system of password protecting a video is very nice indeed.  With just one click they will email the link of your video, along with your personal message and the necessary password to view it.

Time to Think Better

There is tendency among marketers to think bigger - we are trained to reach for more customers.  While social media can help you with that, it also is ideal for helping you to better communicate with that small circle of prospects and customers that know you, that understand you, and are therefore more likely to do business with you.  

There is an energy to marketing.  You know it and I know it.  However, at some point you need to get off of the energy train and focus on the opportunities that are right in front of you.

You understand the tools. Just consider how you can use them to more effectively get results now. 

When we have access to the same tools, and similar skills for using them, it is often creativity that separates us.

You've got that creativity.  How can you use it to differentiate your business?

Photo Credit: Scott Kinmartin

Upgrading the Images on Your Blog

Where do you get those photos on your blog?

This is a question that I get asked frequently.  Some of them I go out and get and others I take myself and make better with a simple editing tool.  Here are some practices I use that are middle-of-the-road at best, as far as technology goes, yet they are fast, easy and effective solutions.

Picknik

Picnik is a photo enhancement and editing service that can take an average photo and make it look exceptional.  Best of all, no skills are required.  Just upload your photo and click on Auto-Fix and 85% of your work is done.  If you wish, you can experiment with other features like sharpness and exposure to get the image just the way you want it.

While Picnik is a free service, my recommendation is to pay the $24.95/year for the upgraded account.  This gives you full access to all of the features, and that speeds up your editing and enhancement work.  Picnik also integrates easily with Flickr.  However, Flickr is owned by Yahoo and today Google bought Picnik, so we are not sure what the future relationship will look like. 

Creative Commons

Creative Commons is a sharing license that allows you to use the quality images of others in return for giving them attribution.  This is what I have done on this post.  At the bottom of this page you will see the link back to the owner of the image used above.

Creative Commons can be found on Flickr by clicking on the Explore tab and then following the drop-down menu to the various Creative Commons licenses.  These different CC categories can be difficult to understand.  However, as long as you provide an attribution link and not use the images for commercial purposes, you should be fine. 

iStock Photo

iStock Photo is a source for professional quality images that you purchase and own.  I like to have a supply of quality images for my presentations on social media networking and marketing.  So, I'll pay the price and have the right to use that image as I wish as I wish, which includes this blog. 

It used to be $1.00 for the smallest size, which is fine for use on your blog or Powerpoint presentation.  However, recently I'm seeing more images at $2.00, so shop around on their site for one that fits your budget.  Here's an example of one that I recently purchased for my post on 21 Reasons to Blog

Another service my friend Dr Bill Dean likes to use on his blog is Big Stock Photo. If you buy a lot of images, theirs are marketed as 10% less expensive.

Why Images

In my opinion, a blog post isn't complete without an image or video.  So, get in the habit of taking a few  extra minutes to enhance the experience for your readers.

Another reason is for search engine optimization - SEO.  If you haven't noticed, Google is indexing your images and videos along with your written content.  Be sure to tag them well and you have now helped your future customers find you on the Web!

These are just a few of the many resources available to the PhotoShop challenged.  That's where I'm at now, but in a few weeks I'll be joining the cool kids when I upgrade to a Mac.

Until then, to quote the musician Prince, "Take a picture sweetie, I ain't got time 2 wait!"

Photo Credit:  Arty Smokes

How To Add a Form To Your Blog

To make it easier for everyone to work with you.

Why a Form

One of the benefits of a form is that you can guide prospects through a process of providing you with the information you need to help them.  While you can use forms as a filtering tool, I find they are most useful for speeding up the process of working together.

Before we talk on the telephone, I like to do my homework.  This means a look at your website and blog is essential.  I also use my form on this blog (above - click to enlarge) to set up a time to talk when I know I will be able to give you my full attention.  This will not be first thing Monday morning!

Integration of Forms

I have three forms on my blog that were created using Google Docs, Batchbook, which is my customer relationship manager (CRM), and MailChimp , which I use to manage my bi-monthly newsletter.  All are excellent for their intended purposes.  However, in my situation, they are all interconnected

I have created a Working With Me tab on this blog that describes how I work.  This is where I use the form above that I created with in a few minutes with Google Docs to collaborate with those that are considering my consulting or speaking services.  If we decide to move forward, this information can easily be transferred to Batchbook in a CSV file, and from there integrated with MailChimp.

Creating Your Form with Google Docs

If you haven't set up your Google Account, this is your first step.  From there, go to Google Docs and look for the Create New button in the upper left corner.  Then (example above - click to enlarge) name your form and add a subtitle.  Use the Add Item button to insert new fields.  After you have added some fields, use the drop-down menu to select 'text' for a small field, or 'paragraph text' for a detailed response.  These are evident in my Working With Me form.  There are other choices too.

When you have added a few items, you can mouse over them to get the 'cross-hairs' that will allow you to sort them in your preferred order by sliding them around.

Click on the Theme button to find a them that matches the style of your blog.  Google offers you the option of viewing your responses in two formats.  I choose 'spreadsheet' so that I can collect the responses and then download them to my CRM in a CSV file (which is an Excel spreadsheet format).

Managing Your Responses

If you happen to be using iGoogle (I use it as my home page), you can get the Google Docs widget to stay on top of new responses.  Google Docs places a time-date stamp on all of your form inquiries so that you can process them accordingly.  How nice is that?!

The process of adding forms to your blog is as simple as adding a video.  You simply click on the More Actions button to get the Embed code.  Using the Typepad platform, it is a snap for me to plug this in.  I only needed to adjust the pixel width to 370 to fit it to the page on my navigation bar.

You Are in Control

What I find exhilarating about this is I don't need a webmaster to help me.  I can adjust my forms whenever I see fit.  And that puts me in control.

This is just one more example of why I believe blogs will replace websites for small businesses.  Of course, you can have your webmaster take care of this.  However, just a limited knowledge of technology puts you in control.

If you happen to use an assistant, either virtual or real, they can also access this information while you are busy running your business.  One of the advantages of Google Docs is the collaboration feature.  All you have to do is give your assistant access to your Google Docs.

If you have found this post helpful, consider subscribing to the feed, making a comment to share your thoughts, or use the ShareThis button to share it with your friends.

How To Attract the Right Customers with Social Media

Just be honest.

Some people will like your message, and others won't. That's OK, because you are only interested in the ones that do. 

Brutally Honest

My friend Dr Marc Swerdlick is a brilliant marketer - but his message is not for everyone.  And that is exactly why he is so successful as a marketer, and as a small business owner.  He doesn't compromise.  He doesn't water down his message to attract a larger audience. 

When you know Dr Marc personally, you understand his brash style of marketing reflects exactly who he is.  He's not trying be controversial; he just is.  Many are offended by his style.  And many others laud his pragmatic approach because it has helped them to get results.  Customers choose what they like.

One Size Doesn't Fit All

If you blog long enough, you will get comments that your content is either too general or too specific.  This is the Goldilocks syndrome.  It's never just right! 

You will be appreciated most when you do what you believe is right. That's all you can do.  Great artists like the Beatles and Bob Dylan understood this. That's honesty.

There is a range of capabilities and experience with any group, market, or audience.  And it is easy to respond to that by adjusting your message.  When you do that, everyone loses - both you and your customers.

Yesterday my post gave my 27 favorite blogging tips.  I wrote them for those that were saying I don't give enough practical steps for getting results.  I could have given them 101 tips!  I get them, because when I sit in on presentations by those that do what I do, I am often thinking that while they may know a lot about what works for them, I need to know how to get results with my business. 

One size doesn't fit all.  Having consulted with many small businesses, I can assure you they are all different - different markets, different capabilities, and different goals.  That is why I try help my audience understand the larger picture so that they can then better help themselves - without me, by learning with me.

Help the Ones You Can Help

I can't help everyone and neither can you.  Your style, your message, and your experience will only work with those that you understand, and that understand you.  

Read Seth Godin's new book - Linchpin.  He covers at length those fears that we all deal with that compromise our work.  And he provides some great insights and practical tips for exorcising those demons.

If you are an entrepreneur or small business owner who wants to learn how to use social media well, I believe you are at the right place - one of them anyway.

Stick around for a while.  Subscribe to this blog and I will help you to enhance your Web visibility, enhance your reputation, and attract more of the right customers.

The ones that are right for you.

Photo Credit: Mimax

Why Context is King

Because it makes your content relevant to me.

Fans

If you can make your message about your audience, your market, your customers - however you care to describe the target of your communications, then you have a greater chance of building fans.

Fans enjoy feeling like they are collaborators with you.  They enjoy feeling that they have something in common with you.  This is what makes them friends at a distance.

Social media is platform that is closing the distance between you and your fans.  

Here's How it Works

If I give you information that is valuable, you will appreciate it, but possibly never use it.  If I help you appreciate the value of that information by showing you how it works for me or someone like you, then the context makes it invaluable. 

However, no matter how many pragmatic examples I give you, they don't matter unless I can relate them to you.  And that means I have to understand you. 

Social media is a collaborative platform that is helping people to better work together.

Getting Closer

We all identify with what we know.  Local context shapes our lives. We have a tendency to seek what we know based upon where we live - or have lived.   If your local context is like mine, then it is likely we will feel comfortable working together. 

Social media can help you get closer with your client or customer to understand more about how they live - or want to.

Being Relevant

How do you make your blogging or other marketing communications relevant?  You show your audience you understand them. 

My audience happens to be entrepreneurs and small businesses like you - people that work hard because you care about serving your customers well.  I try to work just as hard as you do to earn your trust.

Social media gives your customers subtle clues about why you are relevant to them.

Customer Context

Show your customers you understand them - that you understand their context.  I was a marketer in a corporate environment for ten years.  Yet, I always felt like a bystander.  The context seemed designed to keep a distance between us and our customers. 

As a small business owner for over twenty years, I learned that there are others like me that are willing to put their heart and soul into their work. That I understand, and that adds a great deal of context to the work we do, regardless of how different it may be.

Bill Gates said content is king, and he's right, as long as the context is relevant. 

The more I use social media to accomplish more with my customers, the more I realize its true value is to close gaps, build bonds, and communicate information more effectively, even though there may be physical distance between us. 

Social media is more than a medium, its an environment that makes the work of serving customers more human.

Photo Credit:  C.P. Storm

The Highest Use of Your Blog

multiplies your ability to better serve your market.

A few days ago I was talking with a new client.   In our brief conversation regarding the social media strategy for his green industry business, he casually mentioned a specific concern that was the inspiration for my previous post on managing negative comments on the Web.

That post generated a surprising level of interest, on a weekend no less, which reminded me to share with you how I use my blog for its highest use.  While I have previously written about what you should blog about, today I will give you specific methods that you are probably familiar with, but that you may not have developed into a productive blogging strategy.

Listen

Your prospects and customers are a rich source of information that can help you serve them better - provided you are willing to take action.  Your customers presumably share the same issues, concerns, and problems.  Yet, only a few of them will truthfully open up and share their feelings with you.  This is one of the challenges with direct-selling.

One generally underused means of acquiring this information is through online surveys.  You may be able to get more reliable feedback by experimenting with acknowledging the participants identity and keeping them anonymous.  Compare the results and the response rate. Then compare those results with what your clients are telling you in casual conversation. 

One reason I am an advocate of comparing and tracking is that it is easy for a small business with a generally small client base to make false assumptions.  It's easy to assume the minority of vocal clients represent the whole.  It's also easy to assume all of your clients will tell you the truth.   Why would they lie?  A couple of reasons include protecting your feelings and their ego or reputation. 

Have you ever had a client tell you how good you are and then switch to a competitor without warning?  Often the reason is you were not listening.  Or you did listen but didn't take action.

Take Action

Use your blog as an extension of your conversations to show your clients how you can solve the problems you believe are the most relevant.  If it is indeed a relevant problem, you have now enhanced your credibility in a number of ways.  You have demonstrated you are a listener who takes action, and you have provided proof of your capabilities to other customers who may share that same problem.

This may even result in previously silent customers stepping forward to acknowledge your wisdom, which builds your relationship with them, and every other customer who happens to be reading.

Learn

Your blog provides you with incredibly valuable information that you cannot get anywhere else, and certainly not at the low cost of free.   The beauty of blog analytics is they are more likely to be valid because the audience is invisible  They have no reason to give you anything other than the unvarnished truth.  Look for spikes in your traffic and analyze the heck out of them.  Then look for patterns with the posts that created those spikes.

When you are blogging, you are not going to hit the mark as often as you you will wish.  This is why it pays to blog as often as possible.  I find that I consistently score well with every 3 to 4 posts, and exceptionally well about every 7 or eight.  That means I hit a home run nearly every week, which may be every year or so for the undisciplined blogger.  The simple lesson is you have to both listen and take consistent action.

All of this may seem to be tedious, and it can be.  What keeps me interested is the thrill of the hunt.  I love the challenge of helping my customers and those future customers in my market.  If that is tedious and boring for you, then maybe you should switch from the marketing department to something more exciting like accounting.  :)

Photo Credit:  Zoltan Papp

The Only Writing and Speaking Tip You Need

Trust yourself and the right words will come.

We are Different, and the Same

Today I had a conversation with a green industry peer about how to speed up the process of writing a good quality blog post.

I had a similar conversation with my son Zak about giving his next presentation in his high school speech class without notes.

And to be honest, even though I speak professionally, I have to remind myself of this in preparation for my speech to tree care professionals tomorrow.  Yep, I get anxious before a big talk - and sometimes even a small writing project.

Learn, then Forget

Here is a post I wrote on speed blogging.  There are links in there to several other sources.  This will help you to build your skills.  But that isn't what I'm talking about here.  You can have all the skills in the world and still struggle.  You actually have to learn to go beyond those skills.  You have to trust.

If you sweat the details, seek perfection, and do all of the things you and I were trained to do through our formal education, then you still may fall short of your capabilities.  I'm suggesting you may want to learn to forget - not what you know, but how you apply what you know.

Here is a personal example that may help you.

Get in the Groove

I have some time this evening to practice more for my presentation tomorrow - and I will.  However, I am confident I know the material.  I just need to get off to a good start and I will be fine.  More practice is just going to wind me up and increase the anxiety.  So what is my secret? I'm doing it now.  Blogging!

I discovered by accident that writing settles me down before a presentation.  What works for you?  What will help you hammer out your blog posts in record time. It may be as simple as the right piece of inspirational music that gets you jazzed. 

Give it a try.

But more importantly, learn to trust yourself. 

My friend shared this quote from Mark Twain that is insightful and humorous - and true.

" I know my worrying pays off and helps fix things because any problem I worry about never comes about!"

Photo Credit:  WallyG

The Simplest Social Media Strategy

involves the application of two skills: Attention and Intention.

Attention

Are you noticing any changes in the social networks?  I am.  I'm noticing that it is very quiet on Twitter.  This may seem like an odd thing to say because the number of people using Twitter it is huge.  However, unlike when it was young, Twitter is becoming so crowded with business messages looking to go viral that there is very little conversation. 

You can notice a lot if you use your attention.  Then you can adjust your strategy, and possibly put more effort into other networks.  That conversation on the early Twitter is exactly why I was able to achieve what I did back then. 

Now I'm giving more thought to LinkedIn.  This is where I recommend anyone new to social media should get started.  Although, I have to admit I haven't used it much over the years.  Lately, however, the functionality of LinkedIn has improved, and I'm finding more ways to engage with like-minded colleagues.

Look around and experiment a little.  I'm thinking of starting a LinkedIn group to work in conjunction with a new series with this blog on the small business challenges that many of us share.  I'm still not quite sure how I can be most effective, so I'm keeping my attention on it, with the intention of making it work.

Intention

When you make a commitment to accomplish a result, and you stick to your commitments, two things happen.  First, you tend to achieve your objective.  But more importantly, you tend to grow, which makes the next goal that much easier.

Whether you are here to learn, to help a community, or to build a business, or like me - all three, then you have to be willing to do the work.  And that is where we are going.

My belief is we are now entering a period where the social media networks are seeing a shift towards achieving practical results.  The more clear you are about what you wish to accomplish, the more likely the effort you make will connect you with those that you should be working with.

These are exciting times for anyone that is active with social media.  Many of us have worked through the various forms of technology to achieve a comfort level.  We now have our favorites tools.  We've settled in with the technology.  Now is the time to use those skills to be productive.

The logical question is this:  Why are you here?

I know that I am committed to helping other entrepreneurs and small businesses use this amazing platform to build a business that is stronger and more sustainable.  How I will do that will evolve over time and get better as long as I am doing two things:

1.  Paying attention to the what people in the small business communities want to do.

2.  Having the intention to apply my abilities to make it happen for them.

This simple two-step strategy can work for anyone.

And I love simple!

How about you?

Photo Credit:  Caro's Lines

How to Use Google Reader with iGoogle

This post will show you how to use Google Reader to easily manage multiple subscriptions to blogs or other news sites.   

I have come to learn through my consulting work with small businesses that using a blog reader is not necessarily common knowledge.  And having struggled with it myself, I can understand why.  Like anything else, it's easy once you understand how. 

You can read the details below, or watch the two videos.  The first video is a comprehensive overview, while the much shorter second video is specific to just subscribing a blog to a reader.

 

Google Reader vs Email Updates

Just about everyone understands how to subscribe to email updates of blogs like this one.  However, if you subscribe to more than a few, you are held hostage by those emails that crowd your inbox.  Like so many eNewsletters, your subscriptions become a form of interruption marketing, which encourages you to opt-out.

Using a reader allows you to get the news at the time and frequency of your choice by subscribing to the RSS feed, as opposed to feeling compelled to open an email, which is another subscription.  The reader puts you in control.  It also saves you clicks, as you will see from the video.  With a reader, you may open 10 of of the 20 posts you have just received, and then only read just the 4 or 5 that seem interesting.  Then you can delete all 20 with one click.  Poof!  

How It Works

First of all, there are other readers besides Google's, but most of us heavy users prefer it for its simplicity.  To get started you need a gmail address.  Then just search for Google Reader and set it up.  Many blogs will have a link like this on the homepage: Subscribe to This Feed.  You can click on that to subscribe to the blog's RSS feed, or simply go to the browser window and click on the orange chicklet, which is often easier to locate.  It looks like this:When you click on the chicklet, it will offer two options:  Add to Google Homepage or Add to Google Reader.  Choose Reader.

The Latest Feature:  Here's what has just been added as a capability.  In the upper left hand corner of your Google Reader you will see the button for "Add a Subscription."  I use this to read my local newspaper.  You can use it to stay current with any website that doesn't give you an RSS feed.  You just create your own by entering the url in that subscription box. 

iGoogle

After you subscribe to a few blogs, your reader gets to be a mess.  This is where iGoogle comes in handy to streamline everything, while also helping you manage other web web content.  My iGoogle interface includes my Google Reader, the Google Calendar that I use to remind me when to pay bills, along with a few widgets like espn.com, and of course jeffkorhan.com - this blog.  iGoogle is set as my homepage, which serves as a reminder to check my reader for updates.

iPhone

If you have an iPhone, get the Google Mobile App to get all of this functionality, and more.   Once it is downloaded and your settings updated, the apps button at the bottom will take you to your Google Reader.

That's all there is to it.  Simple.

Now you know how to subscribe to any blog to get regular updates.

If you are getting value from this blog, why not start by subscribing to this one? 

The Art of Blog Tags

is based on the understanding your blog serves multiple communities.

I was surprised to learn through my research that there is very little written on the art of category tagging for blogs.  My hope is this discussion will be both helpful, and also generate new discussions that we can all benefit from.

The Science of Tagging

Most of us understand the science of using category tags - to get indexed by Google.  For more on this, see How To Be Where People are Looking.

I would like to include Technorati in this discussion, as indexing blogs is what they do.  However, from someone who has been trying to 'claim' his blog on Technorati for over a year, their process remains a mystery.  My suggestion is to focus on the sure thing, which is Google.

The art of using tags is really to be found by human beings who want to do business with you.  This goes beyond the game you are playing with Google.  That said, once Google helps someone find your blog, your tags need to help them navigate your blog, and validate it.  

The Art of Tagging

Your goal with all of your readers is to be a credible and reliable source.  You want to be the 'go-to' guy or gal for your particular topic.  This means your work has to be easily findable. 

I prefer the service Google provides, for obvious reasons.  Lijit is another one that works well.  Both are best sourced through your particular blogging platform. 

In my mind, the three communities you should primarily be tagging for are your subscribers, new readers, and yourself.  You will need to select tags that are appropriate for each group, and provide a search tool that works well for your blog.

Your Subscribers

Regular readers of your blog are your fans.  They know you; they know your style; and they know your material.  You need to provide tags that help them find earlier posts that they may want to re-read for their own benefit, and better yet, share with their friends through the social media networks.

Your subscribers will remember characters in your stories, places, and other unique details.  Be sure to tag them so they are properly indexed.  When selecting these tags, familiar words are the best tags.

New Readers

New readers are checking you out.  They want to know if you can be the trusted source they are looking for.  The scope and depth of your work will be most valuable.  They will check your blog out at multiple levels to get a sense for your strengths.  Don't disappoint them.  

When tagging for this group, general words are the best tags for demonstrating your understanding and capacity for your topic.  Coincidentally, these are the same tags that Google will use to bring them to you in the first place.

Yourself

If you are a serious blogger, nobody reads your blog more than you do.  You need tags that allow you to quickly link back to a more through treatment of a topic that is relevant to the current post.  Your blog is an incubator for ideas, and it is a marketing tool.  The right tags will enable your to find information that you can use for articles and other marketing materials.

When tagging for yourself, tag the words that were the inspiration for the post.

For example, this post started out as:  "How to Add a Google Search to Your Blog."  After determining how much it varies from Typepad, the platform I favor, to Wordpress, Blogger, and others, I decided to help you be more effective with that search once you have it set up.   If you happen to use Typepad, here's the link to setting up a Google search for your Typepad blog.

Please share your ideas on this topic by leaving a comment below.  You'll be helping all of us to learn more.

And just in case Technorati is listening, I have gone back to Technorati.com to once again claim my blog by helping them find it on this Web where if you so much as sneeze, you will be found. :)

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5 Tips to Keep Your Blog Fresh: A Series Inspired by 150 Posts

Variety in all of its forms will keep your blog fresh, and your audience engaged.

Yesterday we covered speed as a method for getting your blog read.  I suggested taking a fast food mindset to accomplish that. 

Before that I discussed how to create titles that build curiosity.  Freshness takes all of this, and your blog, to a higher level.  Take a taste and let me know what you think.   

1.  Frequency Sets Expectations - I put this one at the top for a reason.  Very few bloggers are consistent.  Therefore, frequency is an approach that creates new expectations that are, well, unexpected.  This keeps your blog fresh and your readers engaged.

Increasing your blogging frequency is a challenge that enhances the value of your blog.

2.  Share Original Stories -  Yesterday I spoke to a group of entrepreneurs in the tent rental industry.   A show of hands indicated 90% of them had been in business at least 20 years.  Imagine the customer stories they have experienced in that time.  There is nothing more engaging than a fresh and original story that is well told. 

Stories engage new customers by helping them see themselves working with you.

3.  Avoid the Rant - There is nothing fresh about the rant. We've seen it and we are bored with it.  It is a  method used by inexperienced bloggers who don't have stories to tell, or don't have the guts to tell them.  Furthermore, the rant is usually about you, not the prospect or customer. 

You can rant or rave. Which do you think most people want to hear?

4.  Write a Series and Vary the Rate - I have written several different series and all have worked out well.  This series is sequential.  You can also vary the rate by 'leaking' the posts out in a random fashion to build suspense. 

A series is like a realty show that keeps people tuned in.  

5. Just Write and It Will Come - Sometimes you have to start writing from the seed of an idea with the hope that it will lead somewhere.  If you are earnest, it will.  This is the best way to crawl out of a rut and give your blog the texture that keeps it fresh.  Just be prepared to ruthlessly edit the big chunks of waste.

When your blogging starts to get a little weird, you are probably on to something original.

Thanks for tuning in to this series.  I built it on paper on a 4 hour flight from Phoenix to Chicago when the battery to my laptop was dead.  I soon realized my abundant 'think time' resulted in an idea that was too long for one post, so I made it a series. 

This alone is a lesson in blogging. 

Be open to new paths and your blog will achieve new levels of freshness.

Photo Credit: BrittneyBush

 

Getting Your Blog Read: 5 Tips from 150 Posts - A Series

Build each post for rapid consumption by developing a fast-food mindset. 

Content is not king.  Speed is.  Readers want to know at a glance that they can quickly consume your message.  That makes the first visual impression critical.  Most readers expect to read a blog post within a minute, with 90 seconds being the maximum.  

1.  Short Paragraphs - My rule is paragraphs should be no more than three sentences.  If I get up to five, I find I can usually break that paragraph into two, or cut one sentence out and cheat a little to make it four.  My preference is always to break - even if one paragraph is only one sentence.  That one sentence paragraph is now a point of emphasis.  Here's an example: Haiti Reminds Us.

2.  Sub-Headings - Sub-headings help to give the reader a quick overview.  They show at-a-glance that you have taken the time to organize your material.  Often when I am writing and have that dreaded thought:  "Where is this going?" - I simply need to set up headings of 2, 3, or 5, and occasionally 4.  This forces me give the post the structure it needs to get it going places.  Here's an example: A Social Media Shift is Happening. 

3.  Links to Previous Posts - This actually slows down the reading process when those links are clicked on.  However, those bold links often serve as a form of sub-headings that provide additional emphasis.  Here's an example:  Writing My First Book:  A Fortnight of Lessons.

4.  Less Than 450 Words - If you are going to be a writer, you have to start counting words.  This is part of the language.  Writers don't talk about short or long, they quantify in words.  You can read 300 words in less than a minute.  Here's an example that is 350 words:  Can You Handle The Truth?

5.  Write Well - The most frequent, favorable comment I get is that my posts have a depth to them that resonates with the reader.  This suggests they are written well, and that takes time.  However, if you enjoy writing, you will take the time.   And if you take the time to write well, it saves your reader time because it will then read well, too.   Here's an example with a comment of that sort:  How To Be Where People Are Looking

I suppose the paradox with blogs is that they can be quickly consumed like fast food, while also being nutritious, meaning educational, too. 

I'll wrap up this series tomorrow with How To Use Variety for Engagement.  

If you have enjoyed this post, please leave a comment to let me know why.  And feel free to use the ShareThis link below to share it with your community.

Photo Credit:  Quinn.Anya

5 Blog Title Tips from from 150 Posts: A Series

Start with Curiosity

Titles are essential for getting your blog read.  Vary the style to keep your readers curious, but also measure the response to determine what works best.  Here is what is working for me.

1.  How To - This is a very effective style that should be used when you have a legitimate tutorial style post.  Don't fake it.  And be careful not to overuse this style, or you may appear as a 'know-it-all.'  Here's an example: How To Build a Business Legacy With Your Blog

2.  Leave Them Hanging -  I've recently developed a title style that ends in mid-sentence, with the completion of that thought being a single line paragraph that opens the post.  Here's an example:   You Know Your Marketing is Right When.

3.  Suggestion of Humor - Everyone enjoys a message that is both upbeat and educational.  Try to deliver on this once in a while, even if humor is not your strength - which is certainly the case for me.  Here's an example of a post that worked very well, but would have worked better if the title had suggested the forthcoming humor: Do You Have a Social Media Callback?

4.  The Final Word - This title implies you've solved the mystery or puzzle.  It challenges the reader to have the final say, which is the whole idea.  Here's an example:  Proof We are Not Overly Connected. Use this to encourage comments.  You may also think of this as 'Taking a Hit for the Team,' because you may get knocked down, but there is a method to your madness.

5. The Answer to a Provocative Question - This requires no explanation.  Here's the example:  Why I Blog.

This is the first of a series.  I missed my post on Friday, January 22nd due to a speaking engagement and flight delays. So, I'm going to play catch up to stay current with my 2010 goal of 365 posts.

Next I will move beyond the Title to:  Getting Your Blog Read.

Look for that later today.

Photo Credit:  Ocherdraco

How to Be Where People Are Looking

on the Web for companies like yours.

You may be thinking, yes, but that is easier said than done.  Hold that thought, because a "yes, but" mindset is exactly what will get your business found.  Here's how it works.

Think Like Most People

Before you can apply the principles of Search Engine Optimization (SEO) to getting found on the Web, you have to first select the broadest term that relates to what you do.  This is your YES.

The more commonly a categorical term is used by a large group of people, the better.  You could call this the Family Feud test.  To get the most points on that show, you have to give the answer that most people will have said yes to.

For example, I'm working with a client who has just published a book with a unique message that pertains to "nutritional health", which is his true category.  What happens when you practice good nutrition?  Among other things, you optimize your weight.  That's why diets or dieting is his best category to get that yes.

What is the result you deliver that most people are looking for?  It has to be a large category that many people will say yes to.  This is the best place to begin positioning your company for maximum visibility. 

Help People See You Are the Right Fit

Obviously, the large categories are crowded.   No worries, because when it comes down to making buying decisions, people will be discerning if you give them some help.  Help them see that you are not just a good fit, but a perfect fit.  This is your hook, and it usually relates to how you do what you do well.

Is your hook speed?  That's a great one if you can make it believable.  Who doesn't want to lose ten pounds in ten days?

My work is focused on entrepreneurs and small businesses.  And as a result of my 20 years of experience in the green industry, I'm an even better fit for those entrepreneurs.  So, if you are looking for marketing help (my big category), and specifically social media marketing (my little category), and you are an entrepreneur (my focus), then we've got a fit.  If you happen to also work in the green industry, we've got a glove-like fit. 

Fear is the Enemy

Many companies are afraid of taking a narrow focus. They are afraid there will not be enough buyers in a niche to sustain their business. So they continue to swim, maybe flail is a better word, in that big category of a  pond with little to show for it.   

Instead, consider what the numbers look like if you could dominate a tight niche. 

The key to making this work is the top down approach.  Many companies start with the niche mindset.  As a result, they can only see so far.  It gives them tunnel vision.

Think like the herd first, and never forget it.  This gives you perspective.  You will always be looking far and wide.  And you will be where you can be easily found by those buyers who have already said yes, but are looking for something just right for them - you.  

To put this another way, if you want to be found on the Web, don't be a but - be a yes, but.

It's a matter of perspective.

Photo Credit: Andy Hay

Social Media Lessons from Jimi Hendrix

Rock's most iconic guitarist is about to be rediscovered when Valleys of Neptune is released on March 9th. As reported in USAToday, it will contain unreleased studio tracks, including a frenzied version of Fire, a sprawling cover of Cream's Sunshine of Your Love, and retooled originals such as Lover Man, Red House and Crying Blue Rain.

Of course, Jimi will demonstrate his usual virtuosity. 

Here are some new media lessons inspired by how Jimi favorably shaped his brief career.

1.  Develop a Unique and Consistent Username and Image

There are several ways to spell his common name, but there is only one man identified with the spelling 'Jimi'.  When you see that spelling, you know who we are talking about.  He made it his own.   

While it's nice to have interesting or descriptive usernames, I believe short and memorable is best. Some of us are fortunate that our original names are unique.  All we have to do is use them consistently, just as Jimi also developed a unique style of dress that he was consistently recognized for.  Other musicians like Prince have borrowed from it, but but we all know who is the original.

2.  Transform Your Content for Consumption

If there was anyone who could turn sound into something more, it was Jimi.  His sound was so original that even peers such as Pete Townsend were awestruck. 

Jimi took the same content that everyone else was working with and and transformed it.  He rearranged it into colors and emotions - through his music, his stage presence, and his relationship with the instrument of his music - the guitar.  He turned it upside down, played with his teeth, and yes, he even set it on fire a time or two.  What can you do that a community finds interesting?

3.  Focus on Communities That are Right for You

The United States was not particularly impressed with the early Jimi Hendrix.  So, off he went to London, where he honed his craft within a more artistically receptive community.  Soon, word spread to the US.  You could say he built his sound in a local community and then let that community spread it virally.  So, if you missed Twitter, why not become known in more localized social networks that better fit your style?

4.  Capture Your Legacy

Just a few days ago I wrote about building your business legacy with your blog.  I feel very strongly that any business, and especially any small business, can benefit enormously from this practice.  Most small business have a wealth of knowledge and little of it is written down.

Some day you may wish to sell your business, and that information will be a vibrant record of your successful track record.  The engineers said in the USA article that "Hendrix left a wealth of pristine studio and live tapes."  That's exciting.  As a fan I can't wait to listen to them - just as your fans and future employees need to hear about your best work.

I suppose applying all of this comes down to this:  Are You Experienced?

Then try some of these ideas to help your communities learn about that.

Feel free to leave a comment below.  If you've enjoyed this, share it with your social networks, and consider subscribing to the feed of this blog.

Small Business Ownership is Limited

to what you can manage and control.

That means if you cannot control it or manage it, it owns you. 

What Ownership Usually Means

Yesterday we learned social media marketing takes a commitment to working hard.  Yet, hard work doesn't seem like work at all when it generates productive results.  This had me thinking about the  work that sucks the life out of our businesses.

When I looked up ownership, then owner, and even own, all of the definitions were surprisingly vague.  The dictionary used words like possess, claim, and hold - words that fail to define.   

And this is my point exactly:  If you can only claim or hold something, then you have bought into the illusion of ownership.  You don't own your home; you only have a claim.  And so does the bank, who is in line ahead of you, which means that they own the house and you.

Real Ownership

While you clearly don't own employees, they are indeed human assets that you have to manage.  Yet, if you have to work at managing an employee, they own you.  The best and most productive employees don't feel like employees at all, but collaborators who are self-managed.  Besides, some day they will move own.  All you can do is to take advantage of the mutually beneficial collaboration.

For that matter, why not take the same approach with your depreciable capital equipment?  Get your mind right with it from the beginning.  Unless you have an awesome mechanic, and a bulletproof insurance policy and anti-theft system, you'll never feel like its really yours. So just lease it and let it go from the get-go. 

Manage Your Ownership

I realized the projects on my 2010 plate that are  getting done are what I have taken mental ownership of.  A case in point is this blog.  I own this blog, and for good reason.  It is an integral piece of my marketing plan.  When I see that plan working, it fires me up to do more. 

Today I took some action on what was not working.  I forwarded the url of my seriously outdated website truenature.com to this blog.  I'm here.  This is where I'm doing my best work. So, that website was not speaking well for me at all.  While I have to protect those links and the 10+ years of history associated with them, I made a decision that puts me in the driver's seat. I'll get it fixed soon enough.

Liberate Yourself

There are piles of files, books, and reference materials in my office that I'm realizing I will never need.  So they are getting tossed or donated to someone that may be able to use them.  Try it. 

Liberate yourself of whatever is owning you - get rid of it all.  

Remain Free

If you have to take on work that you don't want to, make sure you own as little of it as possible.  How do you do this?  Don't make long-term commitments.  And get outside help with it if you can.  As a small business or solo-preneur like me, there has never been a better time to outsource.

There is a lot of talent out there looking for work.  If you can't find it locally, try sites like Elance or 99Designs.

Finally, protect your freedom.  Resist the temptation to do, think, or feel what somebody else says you should.  Include in that list the biggest enemy to your freedom - your ego - that misguided fool that works for everyone else but you. 

When you can manage that bad boy,

you will truly be free to own the rest!

I have a feeling we'll be hearing more about this in 2010.  How about you?

Photo Credit:  TheTruthAbout...

Dumb Things Business People Do

When it comes to using social media well.

1.  They Don't Do Their Research. 

Much of what I have learned about making social media work for me comes from following the leaders and learning from them.  This includes Mashable, Techcrunch, Chrisbrogan, Seth Godin's Blog, and Alltop.

If you are anxious to learn - go to these sites and use the search boxes.

Techcrunch is truly cutting edge.  Mashable and Techcrunch overlap a bit, with Mashable perspectives appealing to a wider audience.  Chrisbrogan and Seth Godin will freely offer opinions, just as I will, and most of them are well-founded.  Alltop is an aggregator where you can find more than you will ever need - thousands of blogs on a variety of topics besides social media.

To follow and learn from blogs, my recommendation is set up your Google Reader and subscribe to as many as you can handle.  Then set up iGoogle as your desktop where you can plug in the Reader, your blog, and other things like ESPN.com.  You choose.  What I like about the reader is I can research hundreds of articles at a glance, yet read only what applies to my business - all without cluttering my inbox.

2.  They Assume Too Much

Don't assume everything we all say is gospel.   While I don't rant, I opine, which comes close.  Chris Brogan will definitely rant, but not excessively.  And what's wrong with a little emotion to wake up a few readers.  We need it once in a while!

Also, if you are an experienced business owner, don't assume the tech crowd understands your 'brick and mortar' business.  They probably don't.  It's up to you to adapt to the new media ideas. You may wish to consult with a few gray hairs like me once in a while.

This gives you a reason to come back to this blog - to get a pragmatic perspective based on 30+ years in business - meeting payroll, acquiring new customers, dealing with excessive regulations.  You know what I'm talking about.

3.  They Cling to Old Habits

Look out, here comes an opinion.  How many of you are still using the Microsoft browser because it came with your computer?  Do yourself a favor and go to Mozilla.com and download the Firefox browser and make it your default.  Firefox now has the majority of the market, compared to the about 10% when I started using it.  Don't take my word for it, go to Techcrunch or Mashable and see what they have to say.

One great benefit to Firefox is the ability to drag and drop a bookmarklet to make your blogging or use of many social media sites easier and faster.  Some of my favorite bookmarklets are from Typepad, Evernote, Tbuzz and Bit.ly.

Typepad is the blogging platform I prefer.  Evernote is a wonderful site for bookmarking web pages into notes, and otherwise organizing any note for any type of endeavor, and you can carry it all on your iPhone with the free App.  Tbuzz is a site that gives you a shortened url of a page that you can push to Twitter in one click.  Pretty slick.  Bit.ly does the same thing with one or two  more clicks, but also gives you analytics to boot.

Finally, I'm not saying anyone is dumb ... or dumberer.  All of this is easy.

• If you don't like research, assign it to a staff member.
• Back up your assumptions with solid research.
• Build habits that support your social media marketing objectives.

And don't hesitate to drop me a note about what you may like to read about in the future. 

I'll even do the research!

Photo Credit:  Jungleboy

Before You Drink the Social Media Kool-Aid

Build a Great Bio that is a Clear Statement of Your Purpose:   What You Do, Who You Do it For, and How they  Benefit.

Thanks to people like me who have been pounding the drum, a new segment of marketers are ready to jump head-first into the social media networks.  I encouraged exactly that in my previous post on how to make your blog better.  Shame on me. 

Wait!  Before you jump into this, take a little more time to get clear about what you are trying to accomplish. 

What Not To Do

Today I read a meandering blog post three times just to discern the point of the communication.  Then I searched for quite some time before I could even locate the bio of the author.  It was equally muddy.  

Later in the day I read a Facebook post about social media newbies who were just getting started with this platform by setting up their Facebook fan pages, a practice that any seasoned user will advise you to do after you build your foundation.  That fan page is like a billboard!  Shouldn't you solidify your foundation before you stand on that huge stage?  

Get a Grip on the Essentials

Jack Nicklaus has won more major PGA golf tournaments than any golfer in history.  And during his playing days, he began every season with a session with his coach to examine his grip on the club.  This is his essential leverage point as a golfer.  Your leverage point is your bio.  It is your statement of purpose.

How to Build a Great Bio

First, you have to be able to do it in 20 words or less.  That brevity alone makes a statement about your focus.  If you cannot do that, you will seriously undermine your efforts in this arena of nano-second attention spans.

Here's How:  Pretend you are being interviewed for a television spot.  The announcer is about to introduce you.  She will need to say this in a few seconds.  That means one sentence.  In that sentence she has to capture why you are here.  She has to capture:

1. Who you are
2. What you do
3. Who you do it for

If she cannot do that, 50% of her viewers have already moved on.

My suggestion is to examine the bios of the leaders in your industry, as well as leaders in other industries.  We work on our bios and never stop refining them until we are crystal clear.  So, make your best effort, and then test it with your customers to see if it resonates with them.

How does it sound when you say it out loud?  Give it the elevator test.  Can you imagine strangers asking you ....."ah, really, how do you do that?"  When you have achieved that response, your mission is accomplished.  Congratulations!

To give you an example, here is my television interview scene:  "I have with me Jeff Korhan, a .... new media marketer who works with entrepreneurs to enhance their Web visibility, reputation, and referrals.

That's 15 words.

Now go do yours.

If you care to share yours, leave me a comment.  I'll be happy to help you if I can.  That's what your social media friends are for.  Tap into their experience. 

How To Build a Business Legacy with Your Blog

Make it Simple, Strong, and Social.

Blogging is the most powerful marketing tool available to any business marketer today - without exception.  It is the great equalizer.  Whatever you do well, it amplifies it.   And unlike your other social media networks, you own the content you create.  That is why it is also your legacy. 

You Can Run, But You Cannot Hide

You many have 100,000 followers on Twitter, or a Facebook Fan Page that is electrified with endless conversations.  But that is all transient. The time comes when your prospects want to know the substance that makes your business worthy of their investment.  Your blog is that proof.

When I am out speaking to entrepreneurs, I find many of them are operating very successful businesses.  They are the real deal.  Though many have yet to build an online legacy that illuminates their truth.

Here are my recommendations for building or refining your blog to make it a legacy that matches your business accomplishments.

Make it Simple

Words are powerful.  Images and videos are even more powerful.  Be discerning.   Choose your words carefully.  Keep your videos short.  And use images that capture the essence of your message.  Distill your message down to what will make a difference in the lives of the people in your target market.

Make it Strong

Marketing in all of its forms is about influence.  If your message lacks authority, than so do you - and by inference, so does the business you represent.  When you are blogging, you are standing on a mountaintop. Now say what you have to say as if you had the undivided attention of thousands of people.  Do it well, and someday you will.

Make it Social

Business is no longer about companies.  It is about people.  We are living in a world where superior quality and value are expected.  The differentiating factor is the opportunity to work with someone we can trust.  HOW you convey your message is even more important than the message itself. Make an emotional connection and you will be remembered forever. 

Be strong.  Keep it simple.  And use the power of this social media platform.

A great blog is the marker's marketer.

Photo Credit:  Jerrold

How To Improve Your Vision

Make it younger.  It's a game.

Yesterday I went to the optometrist.  His testing indicated my vision has actually improved.  Now that may be a shock to some people, due to the fact that we are all advancing in age, but not to me.  I've always contended that your physical vision is a direct function of your mindset.  If you want to see, you will!  It works the same way with your business.

When you were younger, didn't you have a vision that was practically unlimited?  Didn't you think that pretty much anything was possible?  Well, it was and still is.  What gets in the way of that is the simple fact that the fulfillment of any vision requires the willingness to do the necessary work. That can't be changed, no matter how many books you read about the Secrets of the universe.  You know what I'm talking about.

If you are six years old, you have no concept of the duration of a lifespan, so your vision is limitless.  As you get older, you associate with people who educate you on the realities of life.  They teach you not to see.

First you disagree with them, then you get comfortable with the idea.  And pretty soon, you become one of them. Yep, when you start following the herd your vision is only as good as those people you have come to believe.

Trust Your Gut

My business started to improve when I stopped  listening to how things should be done, and started doing what I felt was right.  This approach does not by any means guarantee results, but it frees you from at least some of the shackles that limit the thinking that restricts your vision.

The key to making this work is not to be a contrarian, although that helps, but to quietly go about your business.  When you talk up your wild ideas you will meet with many obstacles.  Play dumb if you have to.  Do whatever it takes to stretch your vision to what is mentally and physically possible.  It's that easy.  And its a safe bet that we were all put on this planet to have a mind of our own.

Do The Work

When I started blogging and learning about social media a few years ago, the people around me thought I was out of my mind.  The truth is I was just out of their mind, that collective mind that said this social media crap just isn't going to work.

Nevertheless, something told me I was on the right path, and I now I am building a business that helps others learn what I have learned.  How about you?  How is your business or industry changing?  That is a question we should all be asking ourselves.

Given the economic, technological, and social influences we are all witnessing, you would be insane to think that dramatic changes are not imminent.  Just look farther, wider, and in the places where the masses are not looking and you will likely find some invaluable insights.  It will take some work, which is exactly why most people aren't doing it.

Keep Doing the Work

We have been conditioned to think that technology will make our lives easier.  Marketing has encouraged this.  Yet, how often do you learn that regardless of talent, the hard workers always seem to succeed.  This formula is an old one, but it always works.  These days it may even become fashionable.  Imagine that? 

Here's my little secret.  I love to work.  It energizes me.  I can't say that I have always felt that way, but when I look back over my career, I have accomplished the most when I have been excited about what I am doing.  I have no doubts that many of you feel the same way.  If you don't, try to remember when you did.

When you were younger, you had boundless energy.  That energy is what made your wild dreams and visions possible. It's also what made you capable of working hard enough to bring your goals and objectives to fruition.

Here are some ideas for maximizing your energy, your vision,  and your results.

• Be Thankful - When you appreciate what's working, you feed your energy into more of it.
• Have Goals - They give meaning to what you are doing now, and that focuses your actions.
• Clear a Space - You cannot accomplish more if your life is cluttered.  Simplify it.
• Visualize - This is where we started.  A vision is a mental picture that holds a great deal of energy for its accomplishment.  This is the science of quantum mechanics - the body and the mind are linked.  If you can make it real in your mind, the body will figure out a way to make it happen.
• Learn to Meditate - I can honestly say that meditation is a discipline I fell into.  And after 15 years of practicing it - I know with certainty that it works.  Maybe I should do my next post on this, because in my opinion it is the ultimate tool for succeeding in business.  Meditation increases your focus; it helps you clear a space, and all of that leads to greater clarity for seeing what you know at a gut level to be real.

It's all a game.  See it.  Feel it .  Do it. 

That's what you did without effort when you were younger. 

Photo Credit:  Clairity

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My No-Risk Business Model for This Economy

This is the time of year when you are finishing up, actively involved with, or at least thinking about your business plans for next year. 

If you have been in business for a while, you know with certainty that business in the future will be dramatically different as a result of at least two influences that are reshaping buying behavior: the economy and the sensational growth of the social media networks.  The economy you know about.  If you have been asleep for a while, one measure of social media's influence is Facebook just celebrated 350 million user, which is over 200 million more users than this time last year.  

The economy has taught many of us to do with less, as we have discovered we really didn't need much of the stuff that was cluttering up our lives.  That habit is almost sure to prevail.  Then there is the habit that became a sport - getting a better deal.  Not everyone has been struggling, but it has become fun to search and wrangle for a better deal - better quality, a lower price or at least more value for the same price, and new and different options that only come your way when you are able to take advantage of them.

My belief is flexibility and choice are destined to be strong buying influences this coming year, and probably well beyond.  This creates a major problem for a specific business model that I'll refer to as The Club Model.  If you have been a member of a health club or a golf club, owned a cell phone or subscribed to a magazine, then you know the premise of the model: Get customers and keep them for as long as possible, preferably a lifetime.  Wasn't this partly the model of apparel and automakers?   Their brand was the club. 

The problem with the club is it is easy to get locked in, which of course is the idea.  Oh, but c'mon, you are a member of the club, so don't you want your club to do well?  Well, um...I guess so.  But what if you wish to try another club for a while?  Most club models are designed to keep you from doing exactly that. Cell phone companies love this model. You typically have to be a member of their club for two years, or you have to pay dearly for the flexibility of a shorter, one-year commitment, which in this economy still feels like a lifetime!

The model you should consider, and one that I am adapting to my speaking and consulting, is increasingly common in this Web based society.  It's the No Risk Model.  And coming out of a tough economy, this is exactly what a lot of your customers are looking for. 

Please understand I operated a contracting business for 20 years and I completely understand the need for annual contracts.  Nevertheless, I'm not in charge of this economy and neither are you, so maybe you should give this some thought.  Find the middle ground for your company and your customers.

Most of the social media services you and I use are free.  Since social media happens to be my business, I pay for a number of services too, and they all offer a no-risk trial with a low-risk payment plan that allows you to opt out at any time.  And that is what makes it easy to opt in in the first place!

Some of my favorites examples are Batchbook.com, Shoeboxed.com, and Freshbooks.com, which are all Web based services.  Batchbook is a customer relationships manager (CRM), Shoeboxed is a business card and receipt organization service, and Freshbooks is a time-tracking and invoicing service. These are great services for the entrepreneur who is usually on-the-go.

I tried all of these services out for little or no investment.  The "pay-as-you-go" method is easy on my budget and easy to budget for.  Though the best part is their model requires them to get better and offer more value to keep me as a customer.  I like that!  And let me tell you, the better they get, the more I sing their praises - as I am here. 

And to paraphrase Billy Mays - That's not all!  They listen to me.  I can get a live person on the phone, and I know for a fact they are listening to customers like me because they have made the improvements many of us have suggested.  This tells me they are looking down the road to what business is evolving to. 

And this leads me to my three requirements for a successful business model in this economy:

Vision - Always be looking ahead, because your customers are.

Voice - Listen to your customers.  Give them a voice and they will be your biggest fans.

Value - When you stop offering more, your customers start thinking about opting out.

Is your business model closer to the Club or the No-Risk Model? 

Your answer will help you get ready for the economic recovery.  When that happens, there will be a lot of people ready to make a change.  These people will remember the clubs that locked them up, and that's an opportunity for you. 

If a club is typically exclusive, then inclusiveness is the future.

Let 'em all in.  Make it easy.  Some may leave.  That's o.k. If you are good enough, they'll be back.  Let that door swing both ways.  No risk in that.

Here's my no-risk offer:  Leave a comment and I'll respond.  Guaranteed!

Photo Credit: BrianButko 

What You Should Do When You Get Here

What is social media? 

This is a question that I am asked to address in too many of my presentations.  It's a question that makes me want to stick a fork in my ear.  Maybe the reason is that you can easily learn the basics of this topic and any other by jumping on the Web and doing a search.

And right there is a clue to my frustration, as well as the frustration of those who ask the question.  They don't understand how to conduct a Google search, and this should not be a surprise, because to do this you first have to understand how Google thinks.  You have to understand how their system works. Do you really think the fellow at the grocery store is smarter than you?  Of course not, he just knows to send you to aisle 7 because he understands the store's system of organization. 

These days enough businesses are being led to social media that the more logical question becomes: What should you do when you get here?  Oops, you already missed a step.  This is a consideration that should have been made before you got here.  If you have to ask why you are here, then you are lost.  And being lost is never a good thing.

Let's assume you indeed have a plan for your business success, and you have a marketing plan that carefully subordinates those company objectives.  You are here.  Excellent.  Now lets take a look at what you should do if you are just getting started, and what you may need to adjust if you may have already jumped in without a solid foundation.

1.  Devote at least 1/3 of your social media marketing to listening and learning.  Use Google Alerts to monitor your company brand, personal reputation, and industry specialty.

2.  Use a personal photo for your profile, as opposed to an avatar or business logo.

3.  Standardize your usernames and profiles.  It will make your life much simpler.  Use namechk.com or knowem.com to search for availability.

4.  Start blogging.  This is the cornerstone of your social media presence that distinguishes your unique value for your customers and prospects.  Use it to help them solve their problems.  My favored platform is Typepad.  Here's why:

5. Don't try to "spin" your reputation or capabilities.  Social media amplifies who you are with amazing accuracy, so just be your best self.

6. Use multi-media messaging to make your your content consumable in as many different ways as possible, so that you can engage with as many people as possible. 

7.  Sharing is the grease that makes social media work.  Without this, there is no reason for anyone to link up to you.  And that means you don't have a reason to be here. 

Social media is a platform for interacting and engaging with people to make friends and build relationships that may create opportunities for your business.  This is what you should be doing once you are here.

If you understand this, you understand the most important thing about social media marketing: Business is a by-product of it.  And how do you find it? 

I think its over there on aisle 7.

Photo Credit: J-P-F

 

Here's What You Should Blog About

What should I blog about?

This is the most frequent inquiry I get from clients.  Do you know why this is such an interesting question?  Because you can blog about anything you please, notwithstanding a few guidelines that were recently laid down by the FTC.  New bloggers are like kids in the candy store with too much cash in their pockets.  They have no restraints, and this presents more choices than most of us are prepared to deal with in short order.

When I was in middle school in the early '70's, what we called "junior high school" back then, there was a curious thing called an underground newspaper.  This was a self-published document of potentially radical thoughts or opinions, created by the students, that was naturally in direct contrast to the establishment - the doctrine of the school system.  Eventually a teacher would get her hands on a copy and then the excitement was over.  But for a brief period, the students all felt like they had a voice. And that was exhilarating.

There was a great deal of work involved in preparing an underground newspaper because we didn't have copy machines, or any other means of easily producing them.  These documents were typed on a traditional typewriter with layers of carbon paper to create multiple copies - with multiple meaning about 2 or 3.  Of course, if one was brave enough to sneak into the office and use the mimeograph, more copies could be generated, which naturally resulted in trouble for everyone until the culprit was discovered!  But that too just added to the excitement.

When you have to fight a little to have a voice, you cherish the opportunity and take full advantage of it.  What if you didn't have this voice that blogging gives you? What then would you be dying to share with your community of friends or customers?  What is your most precious and valuable message?  That's what you should be blogging about.

These days we have easy access to a storehouse of literary works that includes time honored quotes, borrowed stories, and a great deal of history.  But these aren't yours.  Is this what you would share if you had just a few opportunities, or would you hunker down and write something that really matters - to you and your audience.  That's what you should blog about.

Everyone wants to have a voice,and this desire only increases as one acquires more experience and wisdom.  When you get to this stage in your life and career, you only need to borrow from your own personal storehouse of information.  This is the kind of wisdom that can really make a difference in the lives of those who haven't yet crossed as many fields or stepped into as many rivers and oceans.  This is good stuff that needs to be shared.  It is your garden. You only need to nurture it until it is ready for consumption. 

And if you do this well, it will be devoured.

That is what you should blog about.

Photo Credit: Douglemoin

Writing My First Book: A Fortnight of Lessons

On this day I had promised all of you that I would have the first draft of my book completed, all 60,000 words.  While I have only 30,000 to my credit, I didn't actually get started writing until after the first week.  This became the most important lesson of this little endeavor.  It isn't that tough to write 5,000 words in a day if you know the topic well, which I do --- and you are very clear about the how the book will be organized and what points you will cover, which I didn't.

Nevertheless, I'm calling this project a success.  The first reason is I maintained my promise to blog about my progress daily, which generated some supportive and beneficial feedback from readers like you.  The second is I now not only have the shape of the book, but with more than half of it completed, I feel like someone who has completed an equal portion of an agonizingly large and intricate crossword puzzle.  Once you have the finish line in your sights, it is a simple matter of methodically chipping away to make more progress, which may occur in big or little chunks.  However it occurs, you get more excited about reaching the destination, and that becomes increasingly motivating. Incidentally, I don't do crossword puzzles, but that seemed like a decent metaphor - so I'm using it!

To bring this phase of my book writing project to a close, here are the lesson I learned, either on my own or from friends who were happy to share from their experiences.  I've included the tips, lessons, and suggestions that helped me the most, along with an occasional translation, as well as links to the respective posts, mine or theirs, where you can read more in the context of the complete story.  And finally, I have given attribution to the respective contributors for their insights and inspiration.  Thank you to all!

Don't Boil the Ocean  -  better to cover just a few key points well - Judd Hoekstra (via Ken Blanchard)

Tap into the Power of Visualization - Gilda Bonnano.

Get the Shape of the Book as Quickly as Possible - do your research, organize your points, and see it coming alive, all the way down to the font that looks right to you - Jeff Korhan

If you have to do a great deal of research before you start writing, then you may be writing about the wrong topic - unknown blogger.

Write with the Door Closed, Edit with the Door Open - Stephen King

The Trend is Your Friend - Despite setbacks, stay the course with what you know and you will arrive at your destination - James Dines

Write about your industry and you will find the big news of the future today - Frank Schulte-Ladbeck 

The Power of Intention is Healthier (and therefore more effective) than the power of a goal - Dr. Bill Dean

You Need to Keep a Balance - my wife Leslie

Everyone has a Book Inside of Them - Dan Poynter

If your book is going to be different, it has to be the one YOU want to write! - Jeff Korhan

This ought to be enough for now.  In a few weeks, when I'm back from my business and holiday travels, I will share news about the next leg of the journey - editing.  I'm sure it will be another collaborative effort. Until then, keep writing.  I know I will.

Yes, I would love to read your comments and will be sure to respond in kind.  While you are at it, feel free to click on the green ShareThis button below to share with your friends.

Photo Credit:  Hddod

Get the Shape - Book Project Day 9

Good research makes for a good book. 

We all ought to know that, because good research gives you a foundation to build on.  Research should never stop, because the more you write, the more you will remember or discover ideas that you wish to incorporate into your finished product.  This is something to be careful with because you don't want to mess with that foundation.  None of that research is of any value if you don't have a foundation to place it on.

Whether I'm blogging, writing an article, or working on my book, I believe it is essential to get the shape as quickly as possible.  This simple approach makes your book an original, and that's what every reader is looking for.  That foundation is everything.

If you have been reading this blog regularly, you know that I am trying to write the first draft of my book before November 17th.  I started this process 9 days ago.  My average day of productivity seems to bounce between near zero and 5,000 words.  To put this into perspective, there are approximately 65,000 words in a typical non-fiction book.

Today I had the opportunity to have lunch with a friend who also happens to be a leader in my target market - entrepreneurs and small businesses.  Scott heard me speak recently and had some excellent insights about my presentation, which of course are relevant to this book. My temptation is to alter my scope and direction, and I have to guard against that.

Who is the ideal reader you are writing for?   If you don't have a clear answer for this, then you may have to stop and give it a great deal of consideration.  Scott is indeed an ideal reader, but he also happens to know a great deal about social media, which is uncommon in my market.  I will seriously consider and probably incorporate many of his ideas, but I have to be careful to stay committed to the shape I have envisioned.  I will give them their due during the editing and review process.

Every day is different and you can get to a point where you doubt yourself.  Don't do it!  You know more than you realize you know.  This goes back to my comments from yesterday.  Keep in mind that any kind of research amounts to opening the door, and that can be a dangerous thing.  Remember what Stephen King said,  write with the door closed, and edit with the door open.  He wouldn't even listen to his wife, who is also an accomplished author whose opinions he greatly valued.

There is plenty of time to polish, color, and dress up that shape after you get it.  Check my earlier post on how to do this with your blogging.  Keep thinking - "done is better than perfect."  Put 110% of your energy into that. Know that it is not going to be perfect.  Just push all of your energies into that shape, and I am sure you will see the value on the other side.

Photo Credit:  DanielaNob

Writing Project Day 8 - The Trend is Your Friend

When we were younger, many of us wanted to set the trend, now I'm just happy if I can recognize it.  

I borrowed the expression "The Trend is Your Friend" from James Dines, the publisher of a financial newsletter known as the Dinesletter. It is one of, if not the oldest financial newsletter, dating back to 1960.  That alone is one validation, and the other one is that I have done very well from its recommendations.  I should add for safety that I am not a financial expert, so take my comments for what they are and invest at your own risk.

One of Mr Dines premises is that when all others are losing their nerve in the market, just follow the underlying trend and it will protect and support you. 

If the market for a particular commodity is trending upward, then you should not be swayed by those that are selling selling short as a result of fear-based news that does not substantially impact the value of the commodity that supports the equity you are investing in, unless of course management has made some serious errors, which is another matter. The intrinsic value of a commodity is within the trend, not in the erratic behavior of human beings who may make decisions that are not entirely rational. 

This insight fits well with my topic of social media marketing, which is becoming increasingly more humanized, and therefore subject to a number of human influences that are impossible to predict in the short term. That is why I will be addressing how to understand and capitalize on that apparent unpredictability in my book.

Getting to the point, today I completed 4600 words, just shy of another Chapter, which is Chapter 2 of my anticipated 12 Chapter book on social media marketing.  As a result of this, I'm invoking the law of "the trend" to affirm I will be able to sustain this level of performance and complete the first draft in approximately 11 more days. 

My tip for today's accomplishment comes from my wife Leslie, who suggested I need more balance in my life.  "You are always working," she says.  Having announced my goal of completing this project to the blogoshere in an exceedingly tight timeframe, I have to admit I may have been operating under a slightly fear-based mentality.  So, today I allowed time to break up my writing with clients calls, social calls, and even a drive with the top down to enjoy the fresh, autumn air on this balmy Chicago day. It worked!  I'm right on track.

The commodity in my situation is not the gold, or silver, or rare earth metals that Mr Dines is currently recommending, but something very intangible - ideas.  I have to mine those ideas. I know they are there, yet, as with those precious metals, they are also buried beneath a bunch of rubble.  The key is knowing they are there and available to me if I allow them to come to the surface through a sustained, yet, balanced effort.  Keep digging Jeff, the trend is your friend.

Photo Credit:  Kadeeae

Book Project Day 6 - Go With What You Know

This has been an amazing day for me and my first book writing project.  For over two years I have been blogging.  It started with posts that were nothing more than words that were laid down and most likely never read by anyone other than me.  Over time, those posts became more targeted and meaningful, not just to me, but to my audience - entrepreneurs and small business owners.  This learning experience took more than weeks or months, it spanned at least a year.

When you write on a consistent basis you begin to build the communication and presentation skills that work for you.  In a few words, you get better at connecting with your audience.  I began to develop my skills by by finding what my friend John Reddish refers to as your groove.  He made the comment on one of my previous posts that there is a huge difference between a rut and a groove.  Well said John!

Just because blogging has become easy for me doesn't mean that I can easily write a book, or does it?  This is something that has been puzzling me the last few days.  So, today, I said to myself:  "Look Jeff, if it looks like a blog, and feels like a blog, then it must be a blog; so make it a blog."  So that's what I did.  I restructured my approach to be more blog-like, and viola - breakthrough!

Here is what I did.  When I am blogging within the Typepad platform that I have become intimate with, there are a number of things that give me the right feeling.  I usually choose a meaningful title up front and write from that.  And I also have an idea of the image that I will search for, usually using Flickr's Creative Commons.  This is an awesome resource for high quality images that you can use by simply providing attribution to the creator of that image.

You may now be getting a visual of how I create my jumping off point.  When I get these two things set, I'm usually off to the races.  Then I just start writing and everything evolves from there. I attempted to put this into practice today but something was missing.  Hmm...?  As I sat in front of my computer screen, staring at some of the words I had written, I realized something just wasn't right. 

Here is the aha moment that created my breakthrough.  It's so simple, yet in some way, profound too.  Ready?  I wasn't quite into the groove.  Why?  Well, the font that Microsoft Word sets you up with is typically an 11 or 12 point font.  When I see that font, my eyes just glaze over because it feels like work.  This is the visual of reports, articles with deadlines, and so many other things that I am doing because I have to.  For me, this is the font of responsibility, not creativity.

All I had to do was adjust that font down to 9 points and, voila again, everything suddenly looked like a blog post to me.  That's all I needed to get into the groove.  Amazing.

How can something so simple be so significant?  My honest answer is I have no idea.  I'm just glad I discovered it.  Today I wrote 5,000 words like it was nothing.  I accomplished that in less than 3 hours.  Now that's groovy baby!

After years of teaching meditation, a practice that is predicated on developing new patterns of conditioning that lead to productive results, I should have realized that there is also a reason to follow and reinforce those patterns that take you to those places where you want to go.  I'm not sure if this insight makes sense to help you, but I hope it does. 

Human beings are an interesting species.  We are all the same and different at the same time, like individual waves in the same ocean.  If we are writers, we want to write well, just as every wave seeks to eventually roll onto the beach in its own unique way. The trick is evidently understanding how to be part of something that is common, call that an ocean of humanity, while also expressing yourself in a way you know will work for you.

Go with what you know.

Yes, I would love to read your comments and will be sure to respond in kind.  While you are at it, feel free to click on the green ShareThis button below to share with your friends.

Photo Credit:  Felix63

Finding the Next Middle - Day 5 of My Book Project

When you are writing a book, one of your greatest challenges is not just writing something that is relevant now, but writing for a period of time in the future.  The tricky part is you don't necessarily want to create the future, you just want to be ready for it when it arrives.  A publisher would put it this way: "We don't publish books for markets that don't exist."

What does this mean to you and me?  Believe it or not, if your book is to be successful, you need competition.  Competition creates awareness.  You don't want to have to create the market for your book.  You want to show up at that marketplace with something that is newer, better, and different from the books that people are already considering.  You just need the right product that is available at the right time.

Finding The Next Middle

The next middle is the pond you are dropping your bait into - your book.  It is where your market will be fishing 3, 6, or even 12 months into the future, depending upon whether you will be self-publishing or using a traditional publisher.  The traditional publishers know that finding the next middle is exceedingly difficult, especially when your book is on a topic that is rapidly evolving, such as social media marketing, which of course is the topic of my book.

BookSurge and CreateSpace are two entities that have recently merged, and will soon operate exclusively under the CreateSpace name.  In all likelihood, this is how I will be publishing my book, because it is a means of getting to that middle before it vanishes.  Another key benefit of working with CreateSpace is it is owned by Amazon.  Selling through Amazon is not necessarily a picnic because they take a big piece of the action.  However, it is still financially more lucrative than going the traditional publishing route where you may completely miss the market.

Keeping The Game Real

There is a downside to getting into bed with Amazon. If you really believe you can be a New York Times bestseller, than you need distribution through Barnes and Noble, which isn't going to happen with this arrangement because the two are rivals. This is a big gamble for nothing more than bragging rights.  Unless you are a celebrity, you are most likely better off to forgo this dream and just put the extra profits into your pocket - and books into the hands of your market - your customers.  

Yes, it really is a game. Who is my market?  How many are they?  Will they be interested in my book as much now as they will a year from now?  My bet is on the short term.  This economy demands solutions now.  If you have a good one, you need to seize the day. If you are an entrepreneur you understand this.  My market is entrepreneurs and small business owners, so my decision is uncomplicated.

The End Around

Entrepreneurs are dreamers, and yes, some of us wonder if we can become the big fish - the solution that everyone is searching for.  No problem, you can always sell out to the major publishers.  Everybody likes a sure thing.  It has happened many times.  The One Minute Manager, The Celestine Prophecy, and  The Fred Factor, which was published by my friend Mark Sanborn, are just a few examples of successful books that were initially self-published.  They were successful enough to attract the attention of traditional publishers who were more than willing to help carry the load. 

When the lifting get too heavy, let someone else lend a hand.  Move on to the next book.  You are an entrepreneur first, and an author second.  Your work is complete.  Now you can just enjoy the ride and get started finding the next middle. It's down that road that is right ahead of you.

Photo Credit:  Aikiway

Book Project Day 4 - Find That Voice

Cheryl Crow wrote that Every Day is a Winding Road.  And that is how my book writing project went today; just as I was getting started I made a U-turn. Something was bothering me about the road I was on.  Either that or maybe I had to see it in a new way.  So, I rewrote my chapter summaries in a new voice, with a little help from a 'new voice.'

The voice I imagined was this.  "Look Jeff, just cut through the noise and show me how to use this social media stuff. No B.S.  Lay it out for me.  I'm a successful businessperson.  I've been around.  I'm street-smart.  I don't need the 'dummies' version.  So, don't talk over me just because I don't understand this technology.  Talk to me."

That's the voice I had in my mind, with a picture to go with it, thanks to an excellent comment on yesterday's post from fellow speaker Gilda Bonnano to use the power of visualization.  What Gilda may not have known is I'm a huge believer in visualization, having suggested it at the close of a recent post on getting the most out of conferences and trade shows.  Nevertheless, we all need a gentle reminder once in a while, and this one was both appreciated, and exactly what was needed.  That voice helped me find the right voice for my writing.

Suddenly, I was in that special place where time stops because you are so jazzed with what you are doing that you are not even aware of it.  I was writing and reorganizing when I excitedly realized, "now I've got this baby in my sights!"  It is still out there, but it's not nearly as distant as it was yesterday.  This can only happen by getting into the hunt, getting into the race, getting into the game.  Whatever metaphor works for you, use it! 

Every day is a winding road, and it leads somewhere, but you aren't going to know where that is if you don't take a good hard look ahead.  This certainly works for writing a book, and it's sound advice for getting traction with your social media efforts too.  Will you be ready when that big whale of a fish jumps out of the social media waters?  (Yes, ha ha, I know a whale is not technically a fish. I'm nutting this out for clarity because a whale looks like a fish!)

Do you have your business in order to handle the work you are trying to get?  What happens if you get that dream inquiry and you are unprepared to respond quickly and professionally?  Then all of this work has just been play time.

Experience matters.  If you don't have enough of it, you still have to at least be ready when it comes your way.  I've said before that social media is a dangerous place to 'fake it till you make it.'  There are a lot of people out there with a lot  of experience that want to know how you can help them.  And they can spot a fake a mile away.  So just do your best, but know that social media a tool like any other that requires learned skills and consistent effort if you plan to get results with it.   

Now go fishing.

Yes, I would love to read your comments and will be sure to respond in kind.  While you are at it, feel free to click on the green ShareThis button below to share with your friends.

Book Writing Project Day 2 - How to Be Different

Research is not a part of the writing process that I particularly enjoy, but it is absolutely necessary.  You have to do it, do it well, and do most of it before you get started.  I'm realizing I may only have done an average effort with it, and as a result, I have lost a day of writing.

I'm not too worried about this because I know it is better to start well and build momentum, rather than muddling through a faulty premise.   To put it bluntly, you need a razor sharp statement about why your book is different.  Your audience has to know without hesitation that your book is the answer to a problem they have that is worth solving.  That is, of course, if your book is targeted to a business audience.

One purpose of my book is to cut through all of the B.S. of social media.  Sometimes I wonder if God didn't invent social media to see how we would use it, you know, as a test.  There is a lot of power there and using that power well is a huge responsibility.  Some people are not trying to abuse that power, they are just clueless about how to manage it.  In some ways, this is a lot like the process of writing a book, isn't it? 

Today as I organized my chapters and major points, I realized I have several social media books in me - using social media to grow a small business, building sustainable relationships, enhancing customer service, increasing referrals, .... and much, much more.  I am so glad my friend Judd Hoekstra made a comment on yesterday's post that cautioned me to focus on a few key points, rather than trying to  "boil the ocean."  I really like that, because that's exactly what I was preparing to do.  Judd knows what he is talking about as he has co-authored several books with legendary business author Ken Blanchard.

Would you like to hear my great aha for the day?  For months I have submitted proposals to traditional publishers.  To their credit, they were much more approachable than I had expected, especially considering I wasn't using an agent.  My challenge was to sell them on my book idea, why it was different than anything else on the market, and why that market would line up to buy it.  I did an equitable job at this, as one of them gave me a verbal yes. 

However, now that I am writing solely for my audience, having elected to self-publish, I am experiencing a freedom of expression that would have been stifled by thoughts of ...."I hope my publisher agrees with this."  I know my customers, and I'm sure you know yours.  There is an understanding with them that you have that is beyond words.  When you know, you know; and whenever you have to check that against a distant third party, a portion of your message is lost forever -  maybe the most important part.

This may be my first lap around the track of book publishing, but I now sure of one thing:  If your book is going to  be different, it has to be the one you want to write.

Photo Credit:  PaperbackWriter

My Book Writing Project Launch - Know Your Audience and Yourself

How This All Started

My friend and the recognized self-publishing expert Dan Poynter, better known as The Book Guy, is known for saying everyone has a book inside of them.  I know I do, and I'm going to prove it over the next couple of weeks. That's right, weeks.

While I have yet to put pen to paper, in many ways this book has been percolating in my brain for the better part of a year.  If you are a regular reader of this blog,  you know I have been examining perspectives on social media marketing from as many angles as an entrepreneur can have - and there are many, many more to examine, given the millions of entrepreneurs and business owners out there.  I like that! 

Why are We Here?

So, it is that path that I plan to explore.  After speaking to thousands of entrepreneurs from numerous industries over the last couple of years on this topic, I believe I have a good idea what is needed for small business owners like you and me to take full advantage of this revolutionary marketing platform.   Naturally, having been an entrepreneur myself for over the last 20 years, I intend for this book to especially help you get business traction with social media in the simplest way possible.

The true purpose of this series of posts is not to just take you through the process of writing a book, getting it published, and marketing it, but to show you how bringing your audience into your personal world is a humanizing and effective use of social media.  Here's the thing:  since I'm not a social media guru, rather a business owner like you who happens to have a solid understanding of this platform, just following along is a likely way for you to learn from the perspective of another entrepreneur - me. 

I'm a regular guy who is writing for regular guys (and ladies) like you.   Suspend your disbelief and lets take a trip together.  What can you expect to learn:  how to use the power of intention for accomplishing a major milestone,  how to orchestrate a successful marketing campaign using social media, and possibly how traditional marketing methods need to be ruthlessly reexamined if you plan to excel in the new economy?   

Why This Will Work

The first step when undertaking a project like this is to clearly understand who you are so that you can build a system that works for you.  Putting that another way, how do you get your best results?  This is a vital consideration, and exactly why I am taking this particular approach.   

Here's what I know:  I work best under the pressure of peer accountability and short-term deadlines.  How do I know this?  From experience mostly, but there is also another way to gain some insights into your preferred way of getting results.   Take the Kolbe A Profile.  If you need help getting started or interpreting the results, my friend Jason Cupp is a Certified Kolbe Consultant who will gladly help you out. 

Back to the plan.  I will write this book, somewhere around 200 pages, plus or minus, within the next 15 days.  That will be the first draft.  I will share my progress, the thrill of victory, and the lessons learned from the occasional mistakes.  Whatever happens, I can assure you that it will be real.

For clarity, I have not yet written a single word.  I have a title that I am very excited about, especially since I have also managed to secure the matching URL's, but for now I will be keeping it to myself.  The process begins right after I hit the "publish" button on this post. I will write an average of 4,000 - 5,000 words per day to get the first draft done.  Then I have some business responsibilities and holiday travels planned.  After the Thanksgiving holiday I will be on a tear to get this book published in time to offer it up to audiences that I am already scheduled to speak to this winter.  What's possible?  Join me and we'll both find out.

How You Can Work With Me

What interests you about this endeavor?  Let me know by leaving a comment. If you can get involved with me, I have a feeling you'll learn a few things too.  Do you have resources or ideas that have worked for you?  Would you like to write a book some day?  Have you tried and failed.  Have publishers rejected you too?  Let's share everything we've got to help as many as we can.  Tomorrow I'll share some thoughts about publishers and self-publishing. 

Anything else?  Uh, yeah...wish me luck!

Photo Credit:  Libraryman

How to Score at Trade Shows and Conferences Using New Media

Trade shows and conferences are time-honored business events that are presently experiencing significant challenges.  In this tight economy, attendance at many events is down, and some are questioning whether we should reinvent the format, or even if we should have them at all.  

The forces of social media are influencing how adults want to learn.  We want to be engaged.  We want to be involved, and we want to participate in the creation of solutions that affect our businesses.  This means we need trade shows and conferences, but maybe with more emphasis on interaction that gives attendees, vendors, and and presenters alike an equal voice.  

This week I will be an attendee and a presenter at the GIE/GIC - The Green Industry Expo and Conference in Louisville. I have been attending this event since 1995 when I was building my practice as a green industry professional.  Now I am a consultant to this industry, so I am able to give a perspective from both angles for maximizing the ROI from such an event.

Hollywood likes to characterize the conference attendee as a disheveled businessmen who is clueless about his local surroundings.  This is usually typified by the guy who is out on the town trying to look cool to score a date while being completely unaware he is still wearing his nametag. I believe that stereotype is behind us, especially in this economy.

The one thing we are all trying to score is new business. So, lets look at how you can maximize your ability to score a return on your conference investment by using lessons from the social media networks that give us some excellent clues about social engagement.

Be Human

Being human is the first step with social media effectiveness, because it mirrors what works in real life situations. Regardless of your objective at trade shows and conferences, your first goal is engagement.  The best approach for accomplishing this is to just be a human.  Learn what is going on in the lives of your customers and peers.  Find out how the family is doing.   I'm sure you've noticed this from the true professionals in your industry - the class acts that everyone respects. They aren't showboating about their latest success, they are just being human.  And we remember them for that.

Friends First

When you meet someone new, get to know them first before you offer up your freshly printed business cards.  Walking up to someone and eagerly pushing your business card into their hands is the same as subscribing everyone to your eZine list without their permission.  This is interruption marketing.  Try permission marketing. 

Permission marketing is engaging with people on a personal level first, so that you earn the right to present your business card or brochure. Make this a personal challenge.  Don't be the first to bring up business. Then when you are asked for your card, show it with pride.  You just scored.  Better than making just a business connection, you also made a friend you can build a relationship with.  This is exactly how it works on the social networks - friends first.

Social media is much more than broadcasting your message.   You want to create a dialogue so that everyone can learn more and make better decisions.  Since we know the social networks are great for this, you will want to improve the effectiveness of your business cards by incorporating your social media addresses.  My card is below if you need an example to get started with.  For my latest order ,I used overnightprints.com - they did a great job, delivered quickly, and the price was very fair.  Note that my usernames are consistent.  This way people can find me if they don't have my card, but have a decent memory.

Travel Light

Travel light to avoid looking like a tourist, even though we all are visitors at these events.  You have to resist the temptation to load up on all of the junk that everyone else is packing.  Carry a light load so you can be ready to easily shake hands, lend someone a hand with their load, especially an association staff member, or take in an impromptu dinner without having to make a trip to the hotel to drop off your 'luggage.'

These are lean times my friends.  Maybe you are enjoying a great year and want to tell everyone about it.  Resist the temptation.  In most cases, you will remembered more by the way you handle your interactions.  This is something social media teaches us.  Be a giver first and foremost, and be prepared to add value to every relationship you have.  Just let the opportunities unfold on their own time.

Bonus Tips

For those of you who like lists, you will probably like this one. 

Prepare - Jot down one thing you want to discuss with those people you hope to connect with so you can naturally do a little business if the opportunity presents itself.  If you have been networking well with social media, this will be a natural transition for taking that virtual conversation offline to get some business accomplished.

Be Visible - Use Twitter, Facebook, and LinkedIn to broadcast the sessions you plan to attend so your peers can keep an eye out for you.  Pressed for time?  Use sites like http://hootsuite.com to schedule your Tweets in advance.  I like to do this to Tweet during my presentation, when in fact I've actually scheduled them days prior.

Share - Use social media to highlight the good works of others.  Did you notice a new product at the show that is helpful for you business?  Spread the word.  Just attended a great presentation? Let others know so they can get the handouts before they are gone.

Pick up the dinner tab or a round of drinks.  Bring a small gift or two for nobody in particular.  I enjoy a cigar once in a while and have friends that do.  While I won't have time to enjoy one at this event, I'm bringing a few for my cigar aficionado friends to say thanks for being a valued resource.

On the healthier side, you can share a workout.  I've already had an invitation from Facebook so I'm bringing my gear to log a few miles with an industry friend.  This is a nice break and an excellent way to share quality time.

Engage - Bring your camera or Flip Mino camcorder to shoot a video that captures the excitement and action.  It's a great way to capture the energy of the event on your blog when you get back home.

Be Green - Take what you need.  I used to pick up the little promotional do-dads when my kids were younger.  Now that they are in college, or soon will be, there is no need for me to bring trinkets home that I am just going to toss out. 

Visualize - Who is the special person you are hoping to connect with, that recognized expert in your industry?  Jot their name down in your trip folder with some ideas to share - this is a visualization exercise - and it works.  Don't be surprised when they walk around the corner and you are prepared with just the right thing to say. You scored again! 

Remember, luck is simply opportunity meeting preparedness.  Help it along with some new media strategies and it will.

  

Yes, of course you can leave a comment.  And I'll be sure to respond in kind.  While you are at it, feel free to click on the green ShareThis button below to share with your friends.

What is Social Media? It's Inviting

As I polish a few presentations I will be presenting at a conference later this week (see tomorrow's post for new media rules for trade show and conference) --- I once again have to pay respect to that question that will be on the minds of at least 50% of the audience members:  What is social media?

Social media is a unique animal, and that is why some people do not understand it at all, while others misunderstand it, and then proceed to abuse it, to the point where that animal becomes a monster.  In some respects I am an evangelist for social media because I cringe when I see people abusing it.  This is such a great tool for your business if you can learn not to be heavy handed with it.  It isn't a quick fix. And you cannot "game the system" as so many try to do. 

To be effective with social media, a term I am using to be inclusive of blogging, social networking, and all other Web 2.0  interfaces, you have to employ a human touch.  Business relationships have evolved over the years, from the traditional market forces of pure selling and buying, to increasingly more personal relationships that emphasize partnering, and finally to one step further to where we are today - "inviting."

An invitation is how you engage with people on the social networks.  And every day we see an explosion of creativity applied to doing this better.  How about you?  What methods are you using? The abusers are still pounding out their message Internet marketing style in the hopes that some of it will stick.  Good luck with that one.

Try this: Let your friends know they are special?  Recently I had a goof with my LinkedIn account where I lost lost all of my recommendations.  Don't ask me how, but I'll admit it was all my fault!  While LinkedIn allows you to solicit recommendations from up to 200 people at at time, I chose to limit my reach to a select group of friends - and I told them so.  The result was an amazing response of well thought out recommendations that are helpful to me professionally, and maybe more so personally.  That's inviting.  

You have the freedom to set your own guidelines, boundaries, and rules with social media.  You determine how you will live and who you will be sharing that life with.  Your social media domain is your secret club.  Do you want to invite thousands, or just a few. You see, at some point you have to work with these people. 

Do you want to work with good friends or complete strangers.  You can only get to know so many people well.  Today Seth Godin made a comment on his blog about Dunbar's Number of 150.  It fits nicely with this post, which I started writing about two months ago.  Isn't it great when life seems to orchestrate things better than you could have planned?  That too is inviting.   And that my friends, is social media. 

Are you waiting for an invitation?  O.K. then,  yes, of course you can leave a comment. :)  And I'll be sure to respond in kind.  While you are at it, feel free to click on the green ShareThis button below to share with your friends.

Photo Credit: Ewanr

Sales and Marketing Leadership: Exploit the Gap

It is human nature to work hard to improve.  The challenge may determining where to apply your efforts.  If you focus on your most important actions, you will make progress. However, every entrepreneurial marketer knows the juicy opportunities, the ones that nobody is presently serving, lie within the gaps between the worn out ruts of everyday commerce.  

 

Opportunity always exists in those hidden areas that others have not exploited.  Financiers understand that when margins get fat, there is an opportunity to exploit them.  Even practitioners of meditation understand the goal is to find the space between the conditioned and ordinary thoughts, because it is there that you will tap into original thoughts. It just takes a new perspective - looking with fresh eyes.

When I actively participated in triathlons, I trained like a crazy man.  In a single week I would swim up to a dozen miles, run up to fifty, and bike well over a hundred miles.  While I made progress in my race results, my easiest and most sustainable progress occurred when I discovered the opportunity between the swim, bike, and run legs of a triathlon.  These are referred to as the transitions.  You have to change gear at each transition and engage the next activity as quickly as possible, while your muscles ache with fatigue and your focus is dulled --- and the clock is running.

So, I started to measure my transitions.  They were a little over a minute each.  That's not a lot of time, but each second counts.  And in our ultra-competitive business environment, profits are like those seconds.  They all count.  The swim to bike transition in a triathlon involves putting on your required safety helmet, attaching the strap, getting into shoes and securing them, and safely getting onto the bike, which has to be pulled out of the rack with sweaty hands, and tired feet that are prone to mashing a gear and throwing the chain off.  Plus, if you are wearing a wetsuit during the swim leg to increase your buoyancy and swim speed, you also have to remove that first.  This all takes time, and one misstep adds 10-20 valuable seconds to that minute it takes when it all works well.

My discovery was that with practice, I was able to take that unproductive time and reduce it by an amazing 70%.  Those are valuable seconds!   When you are already at peak physical condition, reducing your swimming or running time by 45 seconds is huge.  And to think you can alternatively accomplish this just by studying, planning, and arranging your equipment in new ways to minimize unnecessary actions.  Yes, the easy gains were within the spaces between the activities where we all of us typically focus our efforts. In short, I realized that following the herd was leading me nowhere.

Where are your transitions and spaces?  Where are you mindlessly following the herd? Where can you refocus your sales and marketing efforts to reach customers and build the those bulletproof relationships we all value so highly?  If you don't take a hard look , your competitors eventually will.  And as we know, the prize usually goes to the leader, who will always remain ahead of the pack.

Are you blogging now? Are you actively using social media to complement your mainstream marketing methods?  I work with clients in many diverse industries, ranging from contracting, publishing, commodities, and healthcare.  In each one, we've identified a gap. These gaps are easy to find, but it takes work to realize the results. 

We all cling to habits and tend to stay on the path that used to lead us to productive results - but that now pulls us straight into a rut.  But you don't see the rut because you have been there so long you have become comfortable with it.  You indeed have your blinders on.

Consider being the one that finds and exploits the gaps in your industry to achieve more with less effort.  First you have to explore your business processes.  My suggestion is to write out the steps of your best efforts - your home runs, your huge successes.  Then seek to trim and refine your process.  Find the gap between where you are now and where you can comfortably own your market and those customers that are ideal for you. I guarantee if you look you will find that space - and within it, the the opportunity for growth.

Photo Credit: ant.photos

Speed Blogging - How to Write in Layers

If you are looking for a way to speed up the creation of quality blog posts, consider writing in layers.  The idea is to first get the framework of your post together.  Then you write it, shape it, color it, polish it, and finally dress it up for the audience you are targeting. 

I was first introduced to the concept of writing in layers by Dianna Booher when I attended her presentation at the 2008 Fall Conference of the National Speakers Association.   Her methods are geared for writing books, and she has written many.  So, if that is one of your aspirations, you can click on her name to learn more.

Here is the method I have developed that allows me to lay down a nice blog post in less than 10 minutes, and to refine it in less than 35.

1.  Lay Out the Framework - Your Idea Points 

Be clear about the purpose of your post.  Know where you are taking the reader.  This is usually 3 - 5 points, with three being the number that is easily digestible by most readers.  I'm a visual person, so I'll often graphically represent this on paper by three rectangles with my three points written within them.  Maybe the post will be three paragraphs, but I won't know that until I start writing.  But seeing the shape of the post helps me a great deal.

When you have this set, write out a Title that captures this in as few words as possible.  I find a title with a subtitle often works best for me.  Also, if you can use tangible, benefit oriented, action words, that is better yet.  Important:  Use common language if you want these keywords to be findable in a Google search.

2. Write It

It is well known that the best way to get better at writing is to write.  Whether you think of this as stream of consciousness writing or not, the approach is to start at the beginning and go where it takes you.  Your framework is those idea points;  but don't let that stop you from developing better ideas as you move along.  Write more than you think you will need, as you can edit the fluff out later.

3.  Shape It - Edit for Content

Here we go!  I often find that the good stuff comes to mind after I get into the flow of writing.  For this reason, do not be afraid to take paragraph 2 or 3 or 4 and move it up to the beginning.  After you do that, you will likely find some of the other paragraphs were unnecessary. Ruthlessly cut them out!  In my previous post, I talked about speakers "starting in the middle."  That same concept applies here. 

4.   Color It - Edit for Speed 

I believe the style for blog posts should be SPEED!  This means taking your paragraphs and breaking them up into no more than a few sentences.  Big fat paragraphs are not appealing to the eye, regardless of how well they are written.  There is even a name for this: AP Style.  Most news outlets and PR firms know to write for a fast read.  And guess what, the faster your content is read the more easily it is consumed by the reader. They will love you for it. 

5.  Polish It - Edit for Grammar and Punctuation

This is the aspect of writing that discourages most of us; but you still have to do it if your content is to be well received.  The method I use is to have a scratch pad handy and just write a few words and maybe a paragraph number to locate the errors so I can go back and do all of the editing at once.  As you edit, cross the notes off of your scratch pad.  You'll feel great about your progress.  This approach is especially helpful when you are working online.

6. Dress It Up - Insert Images, Video, and Links

Your choice of images, links, and multi-media content will depend upon your message and your audience.  I'm a big proponent of video because it enhances the message, and video gives you an additional presence on other sites, such as YouTube.  Of course, this also helps your SEO.  However, only do this when you have a solid, contextual message.  Don't do a video just to read us your top ten list.

That's it.  As I said, the more you write, the better you get at it. I wrote a post on How to Write for Blogs and Social Media last year that was very well received.  That information is still valid, however, I've learned a few things since then and this post is a result of that learning.  The final word is to make sure you are still comfortable with your title.  You will usually want to make it better, and then light up your post to the Web and move on to the next one!

What are your favorite tips for sharing your message with your community? 

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Photo Credit:  Bekah Stargazing

Trust Your Community - Start in the Middle

Occasionally I see comments on the social media networks that read something like this.  "Full disclosure - Bob is not just a good friend, but an investor in my company."   What are we supposed to make of that?

Affiliations and partnerships are a productive means for maximizing results with social media marketing, and are a regular practice in the general course of business.  So, why the apology? If you are indeed being authentic and forthright with your social media as we have discussed previously, everything should be cool.  You don't have to show us your financial statements; nobody is running for office here.  No apologies necessary.  We judge by your actions, which are already in full view.  Let's just play ball. 

As a professional speaker, I have been coached to start in the middle.  This is good advice for your social media networking.  The idea is to do the necessary preparation, which basically amounts to thinking before you speak - then jump right in to give your community what they came for - which is your best attempt at the real thing - who you are personally, that indescribable thing that connects with people.

Much of the pre-emptive chatter on full disclosure that precedes conversations on blogs undermines the writer's authority, just as it does when you speaking. People are wondering where you are going, if anywhere.  Imagine listening to a glowing introduction for a speaker - (they are glowing because we write them for ourselves!) - and then the speaker walks out to the audience members who are wide-eyed with anticipation, only to give these first scintillating words......"Um....before we get started, let me explain ......" Someone just died on stage.

Your social media community is like any other audience.  99% of them show up ready to trust you to take them where they want to go.   That's what you have to do.   Trust them because they are not stupid.  Be yourself and make NO APOLOGIES! 

If you are a wide-receiver on a football team, you have to trust the ball will be there when you make that leap.  Likewise, a golfer knows you have to trust your read of the putt if you expect to make it.  The more you stand over it, the more nervous you get, and the more nervous your playing partner gets.  And so it is in business.  Don't make us nervous.  Just trust your community without hesitation.  That's the only full disclosure you need. 

How do you show your community you trust them?  

Photo Credit:  Roger Smith

Digging Into Customer Behavior to Build Market Relevance

Going back more years than I care to admit to, when I was studying for my MBA, I began a fascination with how and why people buy.

In college I learned the foundation of market behavior, but I later learned to always trust my gut, which is backed by invaluable observations and analysis from real, live customers that I've had direct experience with.  You have this same experience too, and there is no better time than now to mine the data that you have been collecting in that computer you call your brain.

If you dig in and strategically analyze your market, specifically your customers, you will discover they mostly buy what they want, not necessarily what they need.   So, your job is to always be asking yourself what they want next.  You have to be one step ahead of them.  This may be the most important tool in your marketing and sales process.  I'll tell you why as we wrap this up.

During the 20 years I owned and operated my landscape business, I was pleasantly surprised on many occasions by customers that willingly extended their budgets far beyond their initial target.  Why?  We introduced them to something they had only imagined was possible.  If you can stay on top of your game, you can help your customers complete their imagined ideas, what they really want, and discover that gold which lies in the rubble your competitors are leaving behind.

You see, the customer's imagination is limited by their experience.  They cannot possibly know what is available to them, and for that matter, what the investment may be to realize that imagined possibility.  We all have imaginations, and we can all imagine some pretty cool things.  The problem is finding an expert with the courage to show us the way - someone who will take the time to help us dig through our needs and wants, and ultimately bring us to the value proposition that stands tall above the easy sale.

The success of your business lies in being a necessary part of the buying process.   If you aren't relevant to the customer's buying process, then they may as well make the purchase online.  Fortunately, computers cannot yet alert us to the ever so subtle signals customers will reveal to you when you have built a relationship with them.  Where else can you find these clues?  You guessed it, by using social media. It amplifies who they are through their daily actions - their postings. 

How important is it to be relevant to your marketplace - a player that is known to deliver the goods?  The interesting part of this learning process is your customers will sense your efforts.  Even if you don't come up with a solution, they will admire your inquisitiveness, and more often than not, stick with you until you do.  Contrary to what some believe, they WANT you to succeed!

Think of your market as a community that is rooting for your success.  You have to believe that. Use your interpersonal skills to build trust.  Use social media to reinforce your community and make it even stronger.  It will support you; that's what communities do. 

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Photo Credit:  Caro Wallis

Social Media Greatest Hits - Live!

Live albums were unique to the seventies when rock artistry was arguably at its peak.  These recorded, live performances were the opportunity for musicians to go deeper and push the limits that indulged the audience with the finest qualities of their craft. 

I'm no Peter Frampton, and certainly not Bob Dylan or Jimi Hendrix.  Though, I am a fan and have been know to mention them from time to time in my writing.   We are alike in the sense that I will occasionally go deeper with my content, typically by taking these posts and transforming them further into articles, which later this year will become chapters in my new book.

Photo Credit:  Pink

Here is a sample of some of those articles where I've discovered additional layers of clarity and color that may be helpful to your use of new media in your business.

I write for a number of publications.  However, just to keep this simple, these are all recent articles from GIE Media's Lawn and Landscape online magazine.   They are generally directed to green industry professionals, but no doubt applicable to most entrepreneurial businesses.

Here is the column we just posted this week:

Using Video to Promote Your Green Industry Business.

Here are some of the earlier columns on social media and Web 2.0 marketing - predominantly for green industry professionals, but certainly applicable to most entrepreneurs and small business owners and  marketers. 

Social Media Marketing to Grow Your Business

How Social Media is Changing the Face of Marketing

Social Media Marketing Basics for Landscape Professionals

Using Social Media to Be a Relevant Force in the New Economy

3 Essential Layers of Protection for the Social Media Storm

Selling in the Web 2.0 Marketplace

What inspires you to go deeper and push the limits of your craft?

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How to Separate Social Media Pros from Novices

If you are a regular reader of this blog you know that social media visibility is merely a stepping stone to your business goals.  As experienced businesspeople, the pros understand this - the novices don't.   Novices tend to scratch the surface, and that behavior is even more apparent on this social media platform.

If you are a novice, that's fine.  We've all been there, and to some extent, we are all novices when it comes to social media because it keeps changing daily.  Just take your time and study the pros.  Learn from them and use what works.   Build your own best practices.  Here are three approaches to consider that will keep you moving in the right direction.

Redefine Expectations by Doing What's Common in Uncommon Ways

Last week President Obama held a "Beer Summit," at least that's what the media called this little get together to smooth out some minor differences between Harvard professor Henry Gates and James Crowley, the officer who arrested him.   Who would have guessed that the origin and type of beer would overshadow the nature of the conversation?

Having a beer is not necessarily a presidential thing to do, which is exactly why Obama did it.  Having a beer is what regular people do.  It's a ritual of sorts.  It suggests Obama is a regular guy, just like you.  It wasn't about the beer, but what the beer symbolized to working class people.

Consider how you can use social media in a way that is unexpected.  It may be as simple as doing the common in uncommon ways, something President Obama seems to have a knack for (see previous post).  This time, instead of simply calling a meeting at the White House, he got together with people - outside, in the Rose Garden, on plastic chairs, with his sleeves rolled up and a few cool ones on the table - just like a regular guy.

Use Details to Make Your Social Media Come Alive

There is nothing like detail to make your social media come alive.  If you are looking to make a connection, the phrase 'chocolate brown' is so much more effective than just brown.  We can taste chocolate - it is a modifier that makes that color come alive.  Be careful though, a novice will describe everything in too much detail. Just enhance what is most relevant to your message (see previous post on writing for blogs).

How do the pros use detail?  One way is to learn from professional humorists.  Here's an example:  A green industry friend (not a pro humorist) recently posted his status on Facebook -"Scott is on Lake Minnetonka."  To that he received a response - "Let me know if you see Prince there!"  This was a simple statement that led to a humorous engagement with another friend due entirely to the specificity of a particular place and and its strong association with the musician Prince.  Scott didn't say he was in Minnesota, or on a lake, he was specific - and that gave us a clear, mental picture of my friend in the middle of the woods looking for Prince!

Tell it Like it Is To Be Believable

When I was applying for my first business loan I was told to forecast revenue growth at 10% each year because that's what the lenders expected - consistent and believable results.  I should have told them this: 50% growth the first year, followed by 30%, then 17% growth, and then a decline of 4% before returning to double digit growth again - because that's exactly what happened!   Anyone with real business experience knows there are cycles, learning curves, and unexpected circumstances.  Tell it like it is if you want to be believed.

If you wish to be a pro, being believable may be as simple as following the old adages - "If it sounds too good to be true, it probably is."  Novices sensationalize.  Social media pros keep it real and authentic, because they know that's what comes through loud and clear on the social media networks.   

You can expect the social media networks to get more cluttered with novices as the platform gains wider acceptance.  Follow these simple steps and you'll be able take your everyday experiences and use them to grow your business.  There is another old saying - "Fake it 'till you make it." Please, don't do that, there is already too much of that.  Be a pro - learn to use what's common in uncommon ways, spice things up with juicy details, and tell it like it is.  It's that simple.

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Time is The New Marketing Collateral: How are You Spending It?

Traditional marketing materials - what we sometimes called marketing collateral, were expensive.  I'm talking about brochures, folders with colorful inserts, and postcards.  And indeed the cost of those 4 color brochures and die-cut folders was some serious coin.  We called these pieces marketing collateral because that's what they were - evidence that you had made a financial investment to be in the game.  You were a player. 

Today your marketing collateral is predominantly an investment not of money, but of your time.  As entrepreneurs, you have flexibility with your time.  And it is potentially more renewable than money in this economy.  You have to make an investment of your time in online marketing if you expect to be a contender.  Thanks to the red-hot trend toward interactivity and greater user control with the social marketing networks, time is the primary resource you should be investing into your marketing. 

Let's consider three ways the marketing game is changing and how you can adjust your business to that for success in the new economy.

Be a Interactive Player

When it comes to online, interactive marketing, a website is your business card.  You still need a website to demonstrate to your market that you are indeed in the game.  However, a website no more validates your commitment to a market than a business card.  When are most websites created?   Exactly, the same time as most business cards - before the business is a serious player. 

You can't fake it on social media, although many people try.  If you are blogging about your expertise and what you do for your customers, it comes through loud and clear.  Customers today are savvy and they can quickly determine whether or not you have a valid process for serving them.  Your interactive marketing needs to communicate this, and that is what it is ideally suited for.  Your prospects and customers want to learn how you do what you do that makes you the best choice. Like the old Wendy's TV commercials, they want to know "Where's the Beef!" Show them.  Be an interactive player.

Spend Like Your Market

If you are selling a luxury product, it may be appropriate to spend heavily on your selective target market.  Remember, we're spending time here.  However, even today people with money have social concerns that should be reflected in your marketing.  Keep it green.  By that I mean keep in tune with your market.  Green is as much about social consciousness as it is about conserving natural resources.  Know where they are and how to communicate with them.  Spend wisely.

If your market is youthful, then you know they spend for today.  They aren't making long-term buying decisions.  Their spending is not an investment.  This will suggest you can get a little crazy, be playful in how you use the social media networks, and otherwise mirror the habits of your consumers.  Let's face it, people associate with others that they see as being like them.  If you are too conservative with a youthful market, your message is less likely to resonate.

Invoke the "Need to Know" Rule

The need to know rule balances out my first two suggestions.  Your strategy may change over time and what you put out on the Web has staying power.  You can't easily change gears.  For this reason, I suggest something I learned early in my marketing career from my first mentor.  Invoke the need to know rule - it gives you flexibility. 

Here's an example of what I mean.  When you are setting up your Facebook profile you can express your political and religious views - or not.  In some respects this is your brand, so maybe you should make your views known.  I prefer to avoid labels that can polarize my market and distract them from my core message - which is how I help some of the millions of entrepreneurs out there with this social media platform, as well as the organizations that support them.   

Look at it his way, business can be a poker game -  how you act, spend, and what you share are all choices that you have complete control over.   You can play the game any way you wish, but there are consequences.  So spend wisely and build your interactive marketing collateral well.  I can assure you of this much, just thinking of your marketing in new ways like this is an enormous investment in your future.

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How to Know if Your Social Media Friends are Fake

"Fake friend" is just a phrase I borrowed from the film Almost Famous.  I use it to remind you that we all share the same challenge of building relationships with the people we meet through the social media networks.  The networks are committed to a purpose, and that purpose is to get you more friends.  And they do that well. Soon, you have more friends than you could ever need.  Or do you?  Lets take a closer look at how you can maximize the value you get from your social media friendships. 

A good friend of mine for the past 15 years recently hired me to build his social media and Internet marketing campaign to market a variety of information products.  He already had recommendations to companies that would do his SEO (search engine optimization) work.   This is an area where I can also help, so we discussed the approach that they were going to take.  He was told he only needed to know that he was going to be at the top of the search rankings lickity split - and have lots of friends too. 

Bill is a bright guy.  He wondered what kind of relationship he was going to have with these people that were driving his websites to the top of the search rankings.   "No worries," he was told.  But worry he did.  This got me thinking about friends --- and how you can determine who are the ones you can count on.  How do you know?  Better yet, how do you develop valid friendships in the first place?

The basis of Web 2.0 Marketing and the social networks is the exchange of value.  If you have that on both sides, you have a valid friend.  There is always a give and a take - and an equal exchange back again.   The equal exchange doesn't necessarily have to be substantial.  Sometimes its purely appreciation for the value you give.  Many of my friends, and me included, will continue to give through experience, insights, or hard work, just as long as there is sincere appreciation from that friend.  How about you? 

How do you get more friends through social media - real ones that is?  Simple.  Have a conversation and look for ways to make an exchange of value.  Sometimes you can ask for advice or assistance of some kind, but whenever possible, I always try to offer up something that improves their situation - the work they are doing.  Make a referral.  Offer some tips.  Suggest resources that have worked for you.  And my favorite, work together on a project.  You never know where it will lead.

My goal with social media is to look for the good that is out there with everyone and make a value exchange.  Yep, it usually has to be done slowly - one friend at a time.  Nevertheless, this is where the magic of social media kicks in.  The energy you put into that friendship gets passed along and the next relationship you make almost seamlessly follows the first.  These are sustainable friends.   Make the effort to engage and exchange and you'll have a solid business model that works,  regardless of the next wave of social media change.

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How to Sell in a Web 2.0 Economy

Yesterday I spoke at the 2009 Snow and Ice Management Symposium - The Four Greatest Days of Snow.  Sometimes you are with a group of people and the collaborative energy is undeniable; this was one of those experiences.   The snow business has changed dramatically since this organization was formed over ten years ago.  Professionalism is expected these days or you are out, just as with virtually every other other industry.  At the same time, our society is changing, especially the last couple of years.  It only stands to reason then that you need to adjust your selling practices to accommodate these changes.  

My role at this event was to educate the members about selling.   As I prepared my Selling Like a Natural™ program, which I have presented to SIMA on several occasions over the last 5 years, I began to wonder if the word selling is even relevant anymore.   Customers today have complex needs that reach beyond those satisfied by just professional service.  Why?  Customers are people.  They have personal needs, and being members of a community that may be dealing with economic challenges, they tend to engage with brands that are consistent with their views of society - companies that care. 

This is actually great news for entrepreneurs whose business brands are practically synonymous with their personal brands - what they personally care about.  They are the company.  Their personal involvement within the communities they serve wraps a layer over their company brand that can differentiate them in bidding situations where all other things are equal - if they have the tools and know-how. 

One way this  can work is to use social media to show prospects and customers what you really care about.  Give them a behind the scenes look at your company's operations and how you have integrated this with your way of doing business.  Are you passionate about safety, a logical one for snow professionals?  How about the environment, education, or possibly a family oriented workplace?  Customers know that who you are is inseparable from your company brand, and that is engaging and builds trust, which is a huge selling too when much of the cost of your operations lies in prep work or the work that is performed late at night  -- both of which the customer never gets a good look at to appreciate its value.

To show how easy this is, I pulled out my Flip Mino camcorder and recorded an impromptu video for my enthusiastic audience (posted below).   A video blog like this one would be an excellent tool for developing a reality show - short segments over the season that give glimpses of what's really involved for snow professionals that deal with unpredictable and harsh weather conditions at every turn.  If that's too complicated, taking that Flip and shooting some 2 or 3 minute videos and posting  YouTube® would also tell a powerful story.  Prospects and customers could be directed to these through ezines, newsletters, and even direct sales conversations. 

Social media is a powerful medium for selling, marketing, and building relationships.  There is a common perception that technology creates a distance between us.  The opposite is true.  Social media engages people in new ways if you know how to use it.  It humanizes the selling experience by communicating what people need and want to know.   Traditional selling isn't going to work in an economy that is heavily influenced by Web 2.0 methods.

My impression of the snow and ice management industry is they get this.  They are a relaxed group of people that love what they do.  I have no doubt the SIMA members I had the pleasure of engaging with will embrace these new methods for engaging their customers at all levels - professionally, socially, and personally.   Good luck everyone.  It was my pleasure learning with you. 

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The Key to Serving Your Clients with Your Blog: Heart

I'm thinking about that line from the film Planes, Trains, and Automobiles.  "When you tell a story, here's a tip - have a point - it makes it so much more interesting for the listener!"  The lesson I take from that sarcastic bit of humor that also tugs at the heartstrings is you have to take your clients needs to heart when you are doing what you do for them, and that includes your blog posts.  If you are keeping it interesting, you demonstrate to them that you are aware of their needs.  You have a point.

If you check the stats on your blog, you will quickly discover that regular posting is the key to serving your readership. When I fall off the wagon, as we all sometimes do, those stats drop dramatically.  When you are blogging, your clients speak with their actions through comments, or lack of, and that is something that you have to take to heart.  Enough said.  Here are some tips that have helped me and I hope will do the same for you. 

Follow the Leaders

Successful bloggers like Chris Brogan and Brian Clark post with amazing frequency, and most importantly, regularity.  They deliver on your expectations.  How do they do that?  -- Guest bloggers fill in the gaps when they are busy with other activities.  How else?  Pre-blogging.  Build your blog post inventory when you have time.  Get those ideas down as drafts that you can refine later.  I made this post 6 weeks ago --  saved it as a draft -- and now that I have a few moments I'm fleshing it out.

Be Consistent to Stay on Top of Your Game

I've historically chosen to post on a weekly basis with a high-quality video blog. That is my core strategy and it takes time, but its one that I'm committed to.  I do this because the heavy lifting of doing my job well keeps me motivated.  Thinking about my clients again, I've wondered if that is enough.

Now I'm preparing to amend that strategy by alternating video posts with occasional text-only posts to keep the energy alive!  The lesson: Keep learning how you can serve --- and don't stop.  When readers see you haven't posted in a month, well, they have to assume you aren't serious.  It's no different than any other endeavor.  Does Tiger Woods stop practicing because he's on top of his game?  I doubt it.  He knows practice keeps him at his best and his fans appreciate that.  His victory this past weekend at the Memorial Tournament just goes to show that preparedness does meet with opportunity. 

Be Clear about Your Purpose

What problems are you best solving for your subscribers?  You can see from the title of my blog that my target market is entrepreneurs.  Some are using social media well, and some, like my bookkeeping client I worked with today, are just getting started and need to learn the basics.  Shirley and I had a lot of fun fine-tuning her social media profiles.  It reminded me that you can't ask yourself this question enough: How can I help?  What do I do better than anyone else in my profession for my clients? 

I try to have something in every blog post that will help my clients regardless of their level of experience with this powerful medium.  If you are sincerely trying to help and you take that responsibility to heart, the good stuff you have to offer will fall into the right hands.  We are all usually moving fast.  Getting one helpful piece of information that sparks an idea or reinforces what one already has learned is a service to your clients that they will appreciate.

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How to Keep Your Customers Tuned into Your Social Media

Curiosity is one of those human behaviors you can count on when you are marketing your business.  People want to know what's new, better, and different.  They also want to know what doesn't work.   They love to see the underdog win, and not surprisingly, they love to see the perennial leader fail.  Of course, most will not admit to this, but we all know it to be true nonetheless.  Our curiosity is what moves us through life.  We usually just want to know what's going to happen next.  We want to know if everything works out? - (and it usually does) That's why we stay tuned to life, and why reality television shows are successful. 

Why is there so much attention now with the reality series Jon and Kate plus 8?  It depends upon your perspective.  My daughter says the kids are cute.  I personally haven't watched even one complete segment.  Nevertheless, for the few minutes I have viewed I was impressed with how their lives are presented in an unpolished and stripped down manner.  I'm sure there are plenty of scenes we would have liked to have seen that were cut, but what we do get to see seems real.  You get the impression that you have stepped inside of their kitchen to witness the laughter, the whining, or whatever happens to be going on at the time.  In my opinion, there is exactly the right amount of tension to keep us engaged.

You may be wondering what this has to do with social media and how you can use it to grow your  entrepreneurial business.  Thank you for being curious.   You may think your day-to-day business operations are uninteresting.  Then again, you are the entrepreneur and business owner.  Do you think one of your prospects would be interested in how your company safely and carefully manages your operations to deliver a quality product while being responsible to the community?   This is the type of information that makes social media so powerful for building a business.  It isn't what you do that we are interested in but how you do it.   When we go to a nice restaurant we enjoy a great meal.  But isn't that meal more special and memorable when we get invited back to the kitchen to see the drama, tension, and the energy that led to its creation? 

So take us back to your kitchen.  We all know it's not spotless - any more than our kitchens at home are.  How does your staff interact?  Is there tension and a bit of whining like in Jon and Kate Plus 8?  I'll bet there is.  You don't have to show us everything, just as they don't.  Give us a sense for the fact that it is honest to goodness work to create your product and we'll appreciate it more.  We work too and we know the process is never seamless, save for a few glorious days that we all celebrate.  Show us one or two of those, too.  Just keep the cameras rolling, document what you can,  and deliver it all in such a way that keeps us engaged.  If we stay tuned long enough, the possibility of our becoming a customer is a likely result.    

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Social Media Wizardry - The Art of Looking Good

Putting your face in front of your company can be intimidating. Why? Well, many people are afraid that social media will cast them in a bad light.  That's possible.  But, if you hide behind the curtain and don't give people a clear look at who you are, then they will make their own conclusions - right or wrong.

In the classic film The Wizard of Oz, Dorothy was told the Wizard was a good wizard.  He was going to solve her problems.  So off she went to Oz.  What she discovered when she got there was something else.  You could say he turned out to be a horse of a different color.  He didn't come across as a good wizard at all.  But he had what she wanted and she was going to get that broomstick and hold him to his word.  Is this how you want your relationship to be with your customers?

Do you want them work with your company just because you happen to be the best at what you do right now?  Of course not.  We all want to be loved and respected for not just what we do, but how we do it, and more importantly who we are when we are taking care of our customers. 

When Dorothy finally pulled the curtain back on the Wizard she discovered a kind-hearted fellow who was more than happy to help out.  He was like an old friend.  Actually, he was an old friend, right?  You see, when you get your face out in front of your audience, your marketplace, it personalizes your brand.  It makes the brand more human and relevant because there is an emotional connection.  Soon, you become the brand, complete with freckles, wrinkles, and other imperfections that serve to reinforce the real person behind that logo that otherwise represents your company.

 Have you ever wondered why artists sell most of their art in person at shows, fairs, or gallery openings?  When you meet the artist and get to know them personally you immediately make the connection between their life and what is on that canvas. There is an emotional connection.  I believe this is possible with social media. A painting can be a pretty picture or it can be a visual image that is full of the the emotions that give life so much texture.  In the same way, your image reveals so much and helps to create that connection that helps to build your business community. Sure, it takes some courage to pull back the curtain on your life, but any artist will tell you that's the only way you are going to make those connections that build communities of loyal fans -- customers and friends. 

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How to Strategically Amplify Your Message with Social Media

You cannot hide who you are.  That has been true for the history of humanity.  Though, there are some people that like to hide.  Social media is changing that.  It does this by doing what it does best - amplifying who you really are.  Your values, personality, and actions are all magnified, amplified, and scrutinized through the lens of social media.  You may not be directly plugged into social media, but it has a way of finding you.  If you don't believe me, do a search on Google, not just for your name, but for your kids too.  You'll find results for their sports activities, club meetings, and just about anything else that is considered news.  This information is finding its way to the Web with lightning speed.  There just aren't many filters to slow it down.  Naturally, some like this visibility and some don't.  For those of us who use the Internet to bask in the glow of the spotlight, a new term has been created - "web celebrity."  It made me laugh when I first heard this term from David Armano.  He's an interesting guy who helps companies build and polish their brands, and recently spoke at the Chicago Social Media Club. 

A great deal of my work is helping organizations build communities of customers using social media and Internet marketing.  Many of these are green industry companies that have to be sure their companies are following green practices to the highest level possible.  I recently spoke with Dick Bare of Arbor-Nomics in Atlanta who is looking forward to using social media to put a spotlight on what he considers to be the first class practices of his production teams.  He gets it.  He understands you can't hide, and if so, you may as well seek the spotlight because its going to find you anyway.