Making Web Sites Work

Making Sense of Facebook's "Like" Button

Before we go any further, I've just got to ask, "Do you like me?". Do you really like me? Even more important than the answer to this question is, how do you feel about me asking that question right up front?

I was recently invited to visit a Facebook page so I could "Like" the organization. When I arrived I learned I really didn't have a choice. I was instructed to click the Like button before I would be allowed to access the content.

If my opening question caught you off guard, I'm not surprized. In most social settings, people like to get to know you before commiting to a "Like" relationship. The same is true with online Social Networking. Many novice Facebook business marketers use the Like button inappropriately. Not only are they unsuccessful, but it's such a turnoff they lose ground from the very start. Sounds downright needy to me.

Academy Award winning actress Sally Field was ridiculed for her acceptance speech for Best Actress for “Places in the Heart”. She is often quoted as saying “You like me, You really, really like me."Not only was she misquoted, but like Facebook's Like button, terribly misunderstood. I think she was acknowledging Academy members liked her performance, not her as a person.

What's missing? Your visitors really don't care how many folks follow you, or which color scheme you used to build your site. What they really Like are your blog posts or funny YouTube videos. They respect your community involvement, not your mission statement.

Tips for Using the Facebook Like Button

• Change your frame – switch your thinking from Like Me to Like This.

• Place the Like button after blog posts or announcements of your organization's accomplishments. Turn it into a Call to Action.

• Remove it from your home page. Do you really want visitors to leave your site?

• Before you place the button, ask yourself, “What is there to like right here?”

 Reference: Facebook Like Plugin

Virtual Visibility and the Art of Becoming a Media Darling

Can you imagine the impact to your organization of being mentioned on the front page of the Wall Street Journal? For Lydia Ramsey, author of Manners That Sell, adding the Polish that Builds Profits, it's more than wishful thinking. Lydia is quoted in today's edition in an article on one of Lydia's favorite topics, business email etiquette. In Hey, Folks: Here's a Digital Requiem For a Dearly Departed Salutation By DIONNE SEARCEY Lydia is quoted on her take on the use of "Dear" as an email salutation, "People who don't start communications with dear, says business-etiquette expert Lydia Ramsey, "lack polish."

Lydia's appearance on WJS.com is neither an accident nor a fluke. It's simply a product of her Internet marketing strategy. It's great to have client testimonials you can publish on your site. It's even better to have them mention you in their blogs or provide you with a Amazon review, LinkedIn testimonial or Facebook "Like". The sweet spot in virtual visibility is when a respected publication elevates your brand from expert to recognized expert.

It's more than just recognition. Whether Lydia is featured in the Journal, Inc, Cosmo, or on NPR, the emails from well wishers are soon followed by subscriber confirmations, orders from new customers and booking inquiries for speaking engagements.

Wish You Were a Media Darling?

Following in Lydia's footsteps is really very simple, even if it's not easy. It requires a commitment to knowing what's going on in the world of business and not being afraid to "tell it like it is".

To improve your "Virtual Visibility, you need to:

• Write about what's going on in your area of expertise.
• Increase the frequency of your publishing and balance it against the quantity of content.
• Be consistent in the words and phrases in your message. Lydia uses my Key Phrase Thesaurus to ensure important words like Polish from her book title: "adding the Polish that Builds Profits" are repeated in the published interview or blog post "lacks polish".
• Seek interview opportunities where your expertise can shine. Reinforce the linkage between your published blog posts, articles, white papers, products and services.
• Create an easy to follow linkpath from:
  • The content distributor, the magazine or network site, which leads to
  • Your published content including "Owned Media" like Twitter feed, Blog posts or Articles which leads to
  • Your product or services landing pages which leads to
  • Your bank account.

Although it's not easy, the interview strategy produces results in a relatively short time. Lydia has accomplished front page status in less than a year.

So when are you going to get started? Give me a call at 727-278-9382 and let me know how you are doing.

 

Tis' The Season For Reason



Happy New Year I know it's still the 31st in the US, but it's already New Years on Fiji!

Congratulations! You've almost made it through the holiday season. All the presents were delivered, opened and returned. You realize you only need to buy one more container to store those newly acquired decorations.

It's that brief moment of time between the sigh of relief for festivities accomplished and the deep breath of anticipation for a bright New Year. Go ahead, take a moment to reflect on the blessings of the season.

But what ever you do, don't let your guard down.

Come Monday morning I predict a Perfect Internet Marketing Storm is going to bury you in a blizzard of:

• Urgent!
• You Must Act Now!
• Secrets Never Revealed Until Now!

How can so much snow pile up so fast?

As the holiday season comes to a close, let's resolve to celebrate the Season of Reason. This year, let's think twice before accepting all those marketing claims. Let's consider paying attention to our customers instead of paying the hucksters. 

In the spirit of my New Year Season of Reason, here are answers to the 4 most outrageous questions found in the digital marketing offers you are about to receive.

Don't you want to have the latest technology everybody is talking about?

Not necessarily. It's really not about technology, in 2011 it's about connecting. The best way to evaluate the latest technology is get the answers to two questions. Will this new technology help me connect with the right prospects? Will it help me build a better relationship with my existing clients or customers?

I've found it's best to focus first on the task, then look for the right tools.

Is it true that people are making millions on the internet?

Yes, but only those who can convince you to invest in their “How I Made Millions on the Net” home study course. The increase in broadband and 4G wireless have made a tremendous impact on the speed of the Internet. But the speed limit will always be set at the speed of trust*. In 2011, the race to business success will be won at a slow and steady pace. It will require:

• The use of multiple communication channels
• An increase in message frequency
• A decrease in message length
• Congruency and transparency in message content

Why should I invest time and money in a (blog, YouTube Channel, Facebook Company Page, etc.).

Definite Maybe. Who are you trying to connect with? Would they connect with you via your blog, watch your videos on YouTube or “Like” you on Facebook? I recommend using as many digital communication channels as possible, but not all technology is created equal. Make sure you choose from each of the M.A.P.** Categories:
Marketing (M) - Blog Posts, Newsletters, Articles, White Papers.
Advertising (A) – Content Distributors, Autos – AutoTrader, Books – Amazon, Collectibles – eBay.
Promotion – Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn.

Should I invest heavily in the latest technology to jump ahead of my competition?

No, Fear of getting left behind is a common technology marketing ploy. They will do almost anything to get you to join their revolution. Wait until you see the direction of the inevitable evolution before jumping on board. Blogs started as platform for ranting, then evolved into Newsletter management platforms. Avoid the cutting edge, wait for the bleeding edge.

My New Year Wish... and gift.
My wish is that you have a safe and prosperous New Year.

And my gift?
When you start receiving those wild and crazy technology marketing offers next week, send them to me. I promise to respond with a measured response, a balanced perspective and links to additional resources you can use to make your technology work.

Happy New Year!

Jerry Gitchel
757-278-9382

*The Speed of Trust, by Stephen M.R. Covey, Stephen R. Covey, and Rebecca R. Merrill
**Growing Your Business, by Mark LeBlanc

 

 

Owning Your Message - The Power of Focused Blogging

In a recent post from eMarketer.com titled Companies Struggle to Keep Social Media Content On-message, 69% of company messaging was distorted when conveyed by blogs. When conveyed by mainstream media, distortion dropped to 45%. As reported by PR and communication firm Burston-Marsteller, bloggers tended to include "Opinions, personal experience... and speculation".

The post suggests the one of the best ways to combat message distortion is through the use of owned media. Forrester blogger Sean Corcoran defines Owned Media as "channels a brand controls". It's no longer enough to simply publish your story on your website. Each day, blogs increase in influence as they move toward mainstream media. You (and your message) need to be there.

Eliminating Message Distortion

 Here are some steps you can take immediately to to increase the power of your blog posts:

• Connect "Here" with "Now". Blog content changes frequently, compeling Search Engines to index frequently. Composing a post  about what's happening right now improves the search ranking of your post. Including your expertise and insight connects readers to the "here", your products and services.
• Switch to Draft Mode. Insight may appear to be inspired, but rarely is it instantaneous. I've configured my blog software to compose my post in draft mode instead of publishing each time I press Save. Leave room in your blogging process for research, reflection and fact checking.
• Use Just the Right Word. I recommend creating your own personal thesaurus of key search terms. Keep it close and refer to it while composing a brand message for digital distribution.
• Capture "This Just In!" With tools like Google Alerts and or an RSS reader, you no doubt will have plenty to write about. Consider creating an early warning system to alert you when topics aligned with your expertise appear in the news.

 How do you manage to stay on message when publishing blog posts? Please add a comment to share your tips.

Resources

• eMarketer.com - Companies Struggle to Keep Social Media Content On-message
• Forrester blog by Sean Corcoran - Defining Earned, Owned And Paid Media
• Key Phrase Thesaurus -Worksheet with instructions by Jerry Gitchel

 

Blog Commenting - Putting in Your Two Cents Worth

An article mentioned in this weeks Bloomberg BusinessWeek Tech Insider caught my eye. Working on the Waterfront outlined how technology (and self-employment) enables a growing number of people to actually work from the beach. Not much new here for veteran road warriors, other that how to get bargain access to Malibu beach from the Las Costa Beach Club.

The real gem in this article came from the posted comments. The best was posted by Sherry Paprocki. It simply said, 'Hey, part of the book The Complete Idiot's Guide to Branding Yourselfwas written at the beach!' So who is Sherry Beck Paprocki? She's the author, of course. And not just any author. She's published over a dozen biographys on celebrities including Katie Couric, Martha Stewart, Vincente Fox, and Bob Marley. Quite a group to be associated with.

Which was Sherry's goal in the first place. By adding a comment to the post she created an association linking:

• Business News- Bloomberg BusinessWeek
• Working on the Beach - alternative office environments
• Entrepreneurs - interested in alternative environments and personal branding
• Sherry's book -  The Complete Idiot's Guide to Branding Yourself

I agree that not everyone would have searched for the book from the comment. Only Sherry's target prospects would have invested the effort, but it only took a 17 word comment on her part. Hey, it was just like a day at the beach!

Let's Go Fishing

Ready to try you hand at it? It's easy, it's kind of like fishing:

• What are you trying to catch?
• Where are they hiding?
• Which bait should you use?

The bait is your book, product or service. The fish is your prospect. Where are they hiding? Online of course. Identify online news outlets catering to your prospects. Use Google Alerts or set up a feed to keep track of the topics associated with your area of expertise. When you get a nibble identifying a likely article or blog, post a comment and see if you get a bite.

Posting comments to business blogs is a easy, low cost tactic to put your marketing two cents worth in front of likely prospects. Go ahead, post one here.

 

 

Thank God It's Monday! Book on Kindle available at no cost from August 2-7, 2010

This extraordinary message appeared in my inbox last week. I simply had to share it with you...

"Here's your chance to get the Kindle version of the Best-selling book, Thank God It's Monday! How to Create a Workplace You and Your Customers Love, without paying a cent.

If you have a Kindle, iPad, or even your PC (there now is a Kindle reader for the PC and it's free too), you can download your very own edition of Roxanne Emmerich's best-selling TGIM book for the Kindle... but you have to mark your calendar to remember to get it during this special promotion."

Why on earth would a best-selling author, speaker and CEO give away something so valuable, for free? Her message explained "This is a limited time offer, sponsored by the publisher to create a massive impact and help companies looking to bust bad attitudes, kick-start sagging sales figures, and create companies that employees love to work FOR and customers love to work WITH." 

I believe it's just another example of visionary business leaders who know how to make technology work. Making her best-selling book available in Kindle format costs virtually nothing. Amazon wins by promoting the Kindle, the Publisher wins by building a buzz for the book, Emmerich wins for taking the lead with this marketing tactic.

Don't waste time trying to figure out why she decided to launch this campaign. Whatever the reason, this is a limited time offer, so you need to act now!

"How to get it? Visit www.Amazon.com or search using your Kindle Reader device between August 2nd through the 7th and shop the Kindle Store for the title: Thank God It's Monday! by Roxanne Emmerich and then download it."  

Thanks Roxanne!

Is your book available in Kindle format? If so, post a comment on how it's working for you.



How to Jumpstart Your Digital Day

Did you have a little trouble getting started this morning? It may have more to do with your work environment than a lack of caffeine. Whether your morning commute takes you across town or from the kitchen to your home office, at some point we all sit down, boot up and launch a software tool.

Back in the day all our apps were neatly organized under a start menu or arranged (not so neatly) on our desktop. With the evolution from desktop to web-based software, today your morning started with a web browser. The problem is that although installing a desktop application includes the creation of a Start Menu shortcut, opening a web-based business account does little to organize your digital toolbox.

Using web-based tools means you're stuck trying to remembering how to spell the URL or trying to find a bookmark in a haystack. Once you finally arrive at the right site you still have to jump through hoops to get past the login screen (Now where did I put that sticky with the password?) All of this frustration was brought into focus for me by an attendee of last weekend's OSAP Symposium in Tampa, Fl when she said, "I can't spend my whole Friday on Social Networking". 

Sound familiar? If you find your mornings starting at a crawl, consider investing a few minutes organizing your browser instead of springing for that double mocha latte. All it takes is two steps:

Setup your Browser

• Choose a Browser Start Page - I start each day with my web-based calendar and contacts organizer (SugarCRM). Choose your "Go-To" web app and set it as your browser start page.

• Create a Favorite's Bar Folder - Create a folder on your browser Favorites tool-bar. Create bookmarks for your top five web destinations like Skype, Facebook, your shopping cart and blog login.
  Need more that five? I've created sub-folders for Research, Social Networking, Writing, and Reference and add bookmarks to your web-based tools.

Organize your Web Logins

• Stop carrying that huge digital keyring in your head. Ditch the yellow stickies and go digital instead. I use a secure password vault called SplashID because it provides both AES and 256-bit Blowfish encryption. It allows me to sync my logins between my computer and smart-phone. Now I only have one password to memorize.

How do you kick-start your computer in the morning? Post a comment below to let me know how you make technology work for you.

Shift Your Article Marketing Strategy from "Exposure" to Profits

Do you make presentations, conduct Webinars, or write articles for the "exposure"? A prospective client shared her frustration with the strategy by saying, "I've published all these great articles online, but no one's buying anything!" I suggested perhaps it was time to choose a career. Did she want to be a Journalist or a Businessperson?

If you find yourself writing more but enjoying it less, maybe it's time to rethink your article marketing strategy. Look behind an appearance by most talk show guests and I guarantee you'd find a book promotion. Savvy entrepreneurs know the importance of not only having a heart-warming story, but also a valuable product, available immediately.

Have you invested a bunch of time and effort in an article marketing strategy and received little in return?
Here are some tips you can use immediately to turn words into dollars.

Article Marketing Tips

Choose Topics Carefully - Have you ever listened to a friend tell a story in a social setting only to hear someone in the group say at the end, "So what's your point?" Avoid dead-ends articles, shift the topic focus from article marketing to product sales. Pick a product to feature then chose your topic to match. Either write a new article or pick one from your library that features the benefits of the product.

Make the Length Just Right - Goldilocks had a knack for making the right choice. From monthly newsletter to hourly tweets on Twitter and everything in between, when it comes to the written word, shorter is better. Measure article length by "Can I write it and will they read it?"

Once Upon a Time in Productville - My professional speaking clients continually prove to me the power of storytelling to inspire their audiences to action. If your articles focus on How, there's no reason to buy. Use stories to tell readers Why they should buy.

Be a Resource - Each article should end with a resource box. It should provide the reader with a clear call to action. Three items to include; short paragraph about the author, another about the topic/product and a click-able link to the product detail page. Use "These ideas are from ..." to highlight the product name.Avoid the bland. generic "Visit my site" link. Take their hand and lead them directly to the "Add to Cart" button. 

The path to profits starts by creating a path from from your article to your checkout. I hope you'll find these tips help make your technology work!

Jerry

Save the Date - Check your inbox next Tuesday for my annual Red Tag Sale!

_______________________________________________

Jerry Gitchel works with organizations who want to become the master of their digital domain. He coaches entrepreneurs who need to make strategic technology decisions and with business owners who want to connect with qualified prospects.

The ideas presented are from Jerry's popular presentation - From Internet to Profits in 5 Simple Steps.
Call Jerry now to learn how you can bring the Jargon-Free Zone to your event. 727-278-9382

Making Web-Based Event Management Work

In my work with various non-profit organizations including the Celma Mastry Ovarian Cancer Foundation, I use a very methodical event management system. As sure as Spring follows Winter, there is a rhythm to the life of an event that flows from Save the Date to Celebrate!

I'm preparing the materials for a training session for the Foundation's Event Committee Chairs in March and it occurred to me that you, or someone you know, may be involved with a non-profit who could use this information. These organizations are especially vulnerable during a economic recession. Please share this post with the charities you support, not only the Web-based Event Management Phases by more importantly, the Marketing Message Opportunities section that follows.

Do you belong to an organization that uses the web for event promotion? I invite you post a comment to share your tips for creating successful charity events.

Web-based Event Management

Each event flows through several phases from Save the Date to Celebrate! Savvy event planners can use this outline to guarantee the success of their event before it happens.

Phase 1 - Save the Date- Add a new page to your site to announce your future event. Include contact information for the event team. Create a home page link to the page within your "In the News" page section.

Phase 2 - Promote Sponsorship - Add a new page outlining the benefits and commitment expected at each sponsorship level. Publish newly committed sponsors immediately, then use their commitment as and example to garner additional sponsors.
 
Phase 3 - Participant/Volunteer Registration - Create product links within your shopping cart to provide on-line registration. The ability to Identify registered users allows you to communicate directly with them as a group and prevents the annoying, Have you Registered Yet? messages from reaching those who pre-register. It takes a village of volunteers to make any event run smoothly. Create a separate volunteer section with registration, work schedule and reconizition of these valuable team members.

Phase 4 - Event Reminder Broadcast - Your busy sponsors and patrons appreciate follow up reminders. As the date draws near, publish driving directions, map links and event detail updates and send an event follow up email to your world. This also serves as a gentle reminder for those who have not yet registered.

Phase 5 - Conduct Event- Depending on the needs of the event and your ability to connect to the web at the event site, consider using your on-line eCommerce resources to process on-site registrations, accept donations and conduct real-time auctions.

Phase 6 - Celebrate Success- Sharing the results of your event with loyal sponsors and patrons paves the way for their future participation. Publish fund-raising totals, prize and award winners, Images of HSP (Happy Smiling People) and acknowledgment of sponsor and patron support.

Phase 7 - Event Hibernation - Once the cheering dies down, replace your registration links with a  "See You Next Year" invitation. This year's event description, results, photos and valuable sponsor links should remain visible, leaving the page dormant until it's time to launch the "Save the Date" phase next year.

Marketing Message Opportunities

Distributing incessant, gratuitous marketing messages is the fastest way to kill the promotional buzz for your event. The solution to this marketing challenge lies in the event phases outlined above. Inviting sponsors and patrons to "Save the Date" demonstrates your respect for their busy schedules and the value you place on their participation. Announcing sponsorship opportunities reveals your understanding that sponsorship relationships are built with the handshake of partnership, instead of simply begging for a handout.

Each event phase provides a natural marketing message opportunity. It allows you to include the 3 W's vital to all successful on-line marketing:

Who - "I'm Jerry of the [blank] organization."
Why - "I'm contacting you to announce ..."
What - "Please Save the Date", "Consider Sponsoring", "Download the driving directions.", etc.

The 3 W's are especially useful for email messages. They not only tell you what to say, but when you have said enough!

I hope you find these tips valuable and invite you to share them with your favorite non-profit organization.

Thanks for visiting, and may all your days be Just Another Day in Paradise.

Jerry Gitchel
727-278-9382



They Say Email Newsletter, I Say MARKETING

This is a tale of two email newsletters, one on my whitelist and one just added to my in-box blacklist. Judging from their subject lines they started pretty even. One read, "AAA Member Newsletter", the other (from our local farmer's Saturday Morning Market) read, "December 2008 Customer Email".

Each message was delivered in HTML (web) format. Each contained plenty of color, text and images. Each cost just pennies to deliver. But that's where the similarity ended. The AAA message contained over 30 links, only one pertained to news (a future event listing) the rest were marketing offers for upgraded membership, offers to purchase AAA gift memberships, cruises, gift cards or event tickets.

Some of the links appeared to lead to valuable news including the The Road Map to Good Health for Seniors. The landing page stressed "you will get straight talk on the pros and cons for all plans". The link lead to a "FREE INSTANT QUOTE" page at an AAA affiliate. Check out little insurance man in the the pop-up video.

By contrast, the Saturday Morning Market message left me with a favorable impression. Although both messages contained marketing information, the use of the word Customer instead of Newsletter, as well as the ratio of news to marketing, set an accurate expectation for the farmers market organization.

Each organization has taught me what to expect from their email marketing, which is why the AAA subject line is now marked as spam. While I intend to continue to be a customer of both businesses, AAA has forever lost the opportunity to use permission based email to contact me. Here are some tips to help your organization avoid a similar failing grade from appearing on your permanent record.

Set Realistic Expectations - Customers don't mind receiving marketing messages, as long as they know what to expect. Use the subject line to describe the true nature of the message, not to trick your valued customers into opening your marketing messages.

Respect My Time- Customers visit the web for only two reasons, they want relevant information and they want it fast. Include a limited number of links your customer will see as having value.

Stay on Message- Sending a "Join/Renew Now" link to existing members demonstrates both ignorance and arrogance. Don't they know I'm already a member? And why is their need for my early renewal payment more important than my need to maintain a budget?

Creating Value Leads to Valuable Relationships- My expectation for the content of an December automotive club newsletter includes information on Winterization, Winter driving, or tips for planning a trip to Grandma's house during the holiday. Sit in your customer's (driver) seat as you choose the content for the next edition of your newsletter.  

Make Unsubscribe Links Unnecessary- Forcing customers to unsubscribe is no excuse for a poorly conceived newsletter, in fact, it's dangerous.  Marketers can take little comfort in the excuse, "If they don't want to receive it, they can unsubscribe." Recipients rarely unsubscribe, they simply block it from appearing in their in-box. It tarnishes your brand image, trashes customer goodwill, and in rare cases, may provoke a customer to complain via a blog post.

And now a question for you. Did this post hit the mark by providing relevant information, fast? If it did, which point hit home (or struck a nerve)? If not, where or what did I miss? Feedback through an open dialog is the only way to create valuable customer relationships. Please share your thoughts.