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Watch Your Day: Create Your Own Stock Images

By on February 14, 2012 in Blog Coach, Cool Tools, Marketing with 2 Comments

Create Your Own Stock ImagesHow many of you have a camera on your phone, raise your hand …

Whether you have a smart phone or not, the opportunities for taking your own stock images are plentiful. Additionally, improvements and growth of mobile apps such as Photoshop Express and Instagram make capturing, editing, and sorting images a breeze.

I’ve seen a lot of folks invest 20 minutes writing a blog post, then spend another 20 minutes looking for the right image. Better to take a few minutes here and there to be prepared.

Create some stock images of your own. Have a library ready to help tell your story. Just as you should Listen to Your Day in writing your blog, Watch Your Day for capturing great storytelling images.

 

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My Facebook: Business Page Public and Personal Profile Private

By on February 6, 2012 in Marketing, Social Media with 10 Comments

This weekend, I turned my Facebook profile into a Business page.

Most of the connections I had on Facebook were from business contacts, most of what I shared was about business. I was most of the way to a business page already.

I had been thinking about making the move for awhile. When Tracy Sestili said Bye-Bye to Facebook, I started making my move by following her lead. (By the way, Tracy is a solid-state, straight-shooting social media strategist – one to follow).

Tracy’s steps and reasons are sound. While Facebook is a closed system in many ways, it remains a confusingly open system in other ways. From a privacy perspective, Facebook has pieces in place – but good luck for the average user to find and use them.

So, I decided to create a “stealth” personal page, following the first six steps Tracy outlines in her exiting post. On the last step, rather than delete the account, I transferred to a business page.

The only real difference in  converting my profile rather than cancelling creating a new business page is those who were either “friends” or subscribed, become “likes” on the business page. My messaging still is part of the stream (and since most of what I posted was business …).

For me, I still want a presence on Facebook for “Mike Sansone”, though the only parts I want public and searchable are business postings. My personal page is for a very small group of people (mostly family).

I know a lot of business owners who want the same. To keep business separate from personal. To be able to maintain focus and balance. Many are just not comfortable with “transparency” on Facebook at this time.

 

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Display Merchandising: Your RSS Feed

By on January 27, 2012 in Blog Coach, Marketing with 0 Comments

Do you subscribe to your own RSS feed?  You should.

Sometimes, if you could see what I can see (and what your readers-prospects-customers see). A successful retailer and the restauranteur are always looking over their displays and presentation – and so should you.

When I click on your RSS button – if it goes anywhere – I sometimes get sent to a page that looks like this:

RSS-code view

 

Feedburner gives you analytics AND a stylized, browser-friendly result when readers click on your subscribe button.

RSS View with Feedburner

Now that you’ve subscribed to your own RSS feed, you can do even more “display merchandising” from your Google Reader (or however your read your feeds).

Is there a title? A byline with your name? Are the feed items formatted like your blog posts (I use the WP Plugin Align RSS Images)? Are you using Eye Rests?

Next time someone clicks on the orange button, don’t scare them. Display your RSS so its a friendly RSS.

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Something New: Searching for Apples in Pasta, Finding …

By on January 19, 2012 in Marketing, Social Media with 1 Comment

Finding Apples in Pasta with Google PlusLast night, I tried something(s) new.

First something new : I wanted to make a pasta dish with apples, maybe raisins.

I don’t normally cook with a recipe in hand, though I have one in mind. Yet I wanted some ideas so I went to Google for ideas.

Google and the new “Search, Plus Your World” search immediately caught my attention. My eyes were drawn to the images of people I’m connected with. Writing, Talking, and Sharing about what I was searching for. People from my Foodie circle appeared with some ideas. 

Second something new: I turned off the normal search, adjusted my search query and used just my personal results. Some of the folks I circled had results on their blog, some on a G+ post, some they simply “plussed” and others were images. Good stuff.

For years we’ve talked how a word by an online connection is more important than almost any other recommendation. Search, Plus Your World helps do that. In addition, the oh-so important, but thus far, largely ignored by “experts”, Authorship markup is going to draw eyeballs and clicks.

Remember a widget called MyBlogLog? It started as a traffic-tracking tool but soon became THE widget when they added Faces. Faces draw clicks. Faces get found. Faces get remembered

Take of your “user” cap for a minute and think business. Whether you like Google Plus or not; whether you like Search, Plus Your World or not …  is secondary to what your customers / prospects / audience think.

Something next: Learn how to markup your site for authorship. Open a Google profile, learn to use G+ a bit, then do likewise for your business.

Will I find your pasta recipe? Or how to stage your house for a sale? Or how to write a business plan?  Will I find your face in my search, or your competitor?

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PageModo: Facebook Pages Easy

By on December 3, 2011 in Marketing, Social Media with 6 Comments

With guidance and nudges from my friends at Dialing 8, especially Ali Goldfield and Craig Kamman, I made a Facebook welcome page with Pagemodo.

There are many simple templates for Facebook pages (and fancier ones if you go “pro” with Pagemodo – which I may still do). Here’s a look at the page:

ConverStations on FacebookThe content uses the 3 C’s I’ve talked about for years: Content, Community, Commerce:

When done right, Social Media amplifies your business reach, relationships, and revenues.

If Content is King: Content is important. It drives conversation. It helps make you findable in search engines. But time & place is important too.
Community is Kingdom: Your community includes customers, fans, vendors and partners — and even those who are just about to find you.
Commerce is Key: Without commerce, social media is a hobby. Your content serves your community, but you’re in business to create customers.

There, typed that in, chose a few pictures and Easy-Peasy – Pagemodo helped me put up a Facebook Welcome Page in 12 Minutes.

I’m also going to try Tab Press, found from an example on Mari Smith’s Free Resources Page

Have you found an easy Facebook Tab or Page editor to spruce up your Facebook presence?

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How Personalised Branding Can Entice New and Existing Clients [Guest]

By on December 2, 2011 in Marketing with 2 Comments

Post by David Stevenson 

Branding for businesses is becoming extremely important, especially during the current economic climate.

This is because there is greater competition in trying to attract potential new clients, customers and partners.

So how can companies create a trustworthy brand that appeals to various firms?

One initiative is to offer them something. Now this does not have to be a huge gift but an item or product that they can use and find useful.

When looking at how to market this idea it is important for businesses to work out what promotional products they are going to focus on, how much this will cost and then make room in their budget to accommodate this.

Items that have become popular for organisations to offer prospective clients and customers include gifts such as branded bags, stationary, new merchandise, t-shirts and even personalised mugs.

Where to offer promotional products

The best places to push promotional gifts are at professional exhibits and tradeshows where potential clients will be passing by on a regular basis.

What I’ve learnt over the years after attending various fairs and events is that the companies with the best looking brand tend to attract the largest amount of interest.

So while firms are at these business shows it can be extremely worthwhile filling a branded, eco-friendly and re-usable bag with their firm’s information, and offers, along with some products like personalised mugs and stationary.

The benefits this can have is that other people see the brand once people are walking round with it, and if they use the bag again, or if the gifts are in their office it could generate potential interest and benefits for your particular company in the coming days, weeks or months.

However, it is not only new clients that can be attracted by using promotional gifts. Existing relationships with customers can also be enhanced and strengthened by offering gifts and giveaways.

By using personalised gifts such as mugs or a nice pen it can help create and increase customer loyalty for firms without it costing a fortune and is potentially a good advertising tool for them.

Conclusion

Therefore, it is important businesses consider the idea of using promotional products to increase the knowledge of potential clients about their brand, enhance their relationships with current customers and generate more interest for their firm at tradeshow and company events.

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We’re on Google+ (Plus Badge): How to Get Yours

By on November 28, 2011 in Marketing, Social Media with 0 Comments

Have you put your Google Plus badge on your site? It’s really quite easy (and important!)

Plus Badge for ConverStations

Once you’ve setup your Google Plus Page (even if it’s a Launch & Pause), you can get your “plus badge” and ready your site for +Direct Connect and better findability.

After you’ve placed the code generated on the ‘get your “plus badge” page just before the </head> tag on your site, you can then place the sidebar code where you want your badge to show, you can then link from your Google+ page to your site. Test the validity from the Rich Snippets tool.

Tip: When pasting your Google+ page ID into the “get your ‘plus badge‘ tool, just use the numbers in your profile (see URL in address bar when you are on your G+ page), not the “/u/0″ portion.

Plus Badge for Dialing 8

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Content Marketing Examples from Home Depot

By on November 23, 2011 in Marketing with 3 Comments

Like anything, there’s probably some gray area about what is and isn’t “content marketing” – though if you read Joe Pulizzi or attend the Content Marketing Institute via RSS (I do both), then the picture is a little more clear.

There are still a lot of business folks who think since “content is king” – it’s all about pushing their (the company’s) content to everybody, everywhere. This practice is closer to spam than content marketing.

You’ve heard it from me (and hopefully others) for years: Content is King, Community is the Kingdom it serves.

Home Depot gets this in a big way, and we’ll use some of their examples of content marketing (notice it’s not all online and not all of it is overt pitching of products):

Online Community: Home Depot Forums allow customers to ask questions about projects and repairs. By being accessible and by answering the questions in a helpful manner gains loyal customers (and sometimes, the customers are answering the question!)

YouTube Videos: These DIY helps and hints are valuable and seasonal. The content is produced and released in advance of when the customer may begin to think about it (this Hanging Your Lights came out mid-October).

Twitter: They share their own stuff, but also other valuable links on DIY too, and they talk a lot of football (catering to their intended audience).

Books: They have a line of books (like the one pictured above) on various repairs that come in handy at the right time. From wiring to plumbing – this is a must have for any DIYer.

Workshops:  Free Home Improvement Workshops are offered on weekends. In my view, this (and the books) are one of the best examples of  ”content marketing” – building the relationship with your customer and your products/services before, during, AND after the sale by helping them use the content (product, service, consumables).

I’m sure there are a lot of other things Home Depot does right with Content Marketing, but these should give you ideas about how you can helping your customers and prospects – from the ZMOT to the after-they-bought.

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3 Plans for Dialing 8 Membership

By on November 21, 2011 in Blog Coach, Marketing, Social Media with 0 Comments

Dialing 8 Monthly Dialing 8 Quarterly Dialing8 Annual
Budget-Minded Testing the Waters Committed to Success

 

The Dialing 8 Project is designed to be a professional learning community, focusing on the profitable and simplified use of social media and social networks as an augmentation to your core business.

We build our learning around the Dial of 8 social media model, so that business owners can integrate social media into their business plan (and not have social media take over their business).

Members get full access to:

  • Core Content
  • Screen Cast tutorials
  • Membership Forums and Directory
  • Video Conference Workshops (twice each week)
  • Live Co-Working using Google Hangouts
  • eBooks & eLearning Modules
  • Templates & Organizers

The site is intended for small businesses, rural business, independent contractors, and solopreneurs. Join Dialing 8 Today – stay strong, last long. And at $271 year, you can’t go wrong.

Simplify the process
Amplify your voice
Monetize your efforts

Become a member of Dialing 8 today 

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5 Things About Your Intended Audience

By on November 18, 2011 in Blog Coach, Marketing with 1 Comment

5 Things to Know About Your Intended AudiencePop Quiz:

  • What does your Core Customer think about most?
  • What is your Target Market talking about?
  • What does your Readership share most?
  • How does your Audience feel about _____?
  • What are the pain points and complaints they have?

Knowing the answers to these questions will put you in a position to recognize your customer and allow them to recognize – and engage more readily – with you.

Understanding these five things about your “intended audience” will help you stay on track to writing, producing, serving, and attracting readers, followers, and most importantly – customers.

Remember there’s a difference between your intended audience and an attending audience. We all have two crowds.

Conversations around these types of things are often a topic within the Dialing 8 Project community. To become a part of this growing professional learning community, visit the site or, join in a ConverStations Google+ Hangout on Monday, Wednesday, or Friday afternoons.

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