There Are 3 Contact Points
15 Nov 2005, 2:57:28 am
[an error occurred while processing this directive]

As I have mentioned already at various times, putting your website on the internet isn't a guarantee of sales, or even visitors. To get both, you have to pay attention to some basic information.

What every person doing business on the internet needs to understand is that on the web, the only way you are found is in one of these 3 ways, or contact points:

Searches You might start at Google, the Yahoo Directory, or if you are seriously shopping, at Froogle, Amazon, eBay, or other favorite haunt, based on what you are looking for.

Links You start your day at site X, see a link that is described interestingly, and you click on it. Maybe it's a sales page, & you shop. Or maybe it's a cool personal page on Civil War monuments, and they link to a book on Amazon, or you follow a link on their links page, to blog, then to another page & so on until you end up buying something.

Word of Mouth A referral from a friend or family member. Your sister tells you of this great place where she bought her sweater & you sit at your computer & type in the URL, or your co-worker sends you an email with the link to the place he got his groovy tie.

Some routes are more direct than others, but those are really the main ways anything is found on the web.

You, as a business person, must try to harness as much, as many, of these contact points as possible.

Since most folks will start with a search, and even the other 2 contact points often begin as searches, you need to know how to make the most of search engines.

Logos & Branding
15 Nov 2005, 2:54:46 am
[an error occurred while processing this directive]

Your company's image in the marketplace grows through repeated use of a consistent group of visual elements (especially on the web!). I don't care if you sell products, like I do, or sell services. When someone comes to your site, these are the elements that present the company's image: type style, name, color and symbol form. This is good news. You can control these elements!

In fact, there is a simple 'equation' for this. The more times your targeted audience sees your identity used in a consistent form, a message is built - your brand is born! Why? Because the consistent use of form, of the images, #1 makes it easier to remember, #2 your company is perceived to be larger, and #3 the corporate identity is begins to work for you.

Obviously, your logo is the number one tool to achieve branding, on the net & in the 'real world.' Once again, the good news is that you control that. Here are a few questions to ask yourself regarding your logo & company image:

Lessons from a Dirtbag
15 Nov 2005, 2:43:45 am
[an error occurred while processing this directive]

I met Douglas Canning over at Idea Cafe about three or four years ago I think, and then ran into him again on Ryze about a year after that. Douglas runs a clothing line for skateboarders (and wanna be's!) called Dirtbag Clothing. Just after that, he had started to make some huge profits, and all from hard work... The kind of low money out, hard labor in that we push here at Big Mouth. *wink*

In fact, Douglas has gone from eating mac & cheese everyday, to real meals! And he has the press to prove it. You can read about his success, and *how* he did it all in this INC article.

I recommend you read it, and take notes... See what you can learn from him! I am just happy to know that he made it, that means we can too!

And, if you are interested in some press from INC Magazine, or another large biz publication that profiles businesses & business owners, read some tips from an interview that I read with John Koten, Editor in Chief of INC Magazine:

Quotes from the interview:

"The biggest problem I have with pitches is that people don't try to think about what will make the story useful to our audience."

"People often think that business success alone is an interesting story. It isn't. What's interesting isn't growth or doubled sales, but the person behind it all, how his view of the world was different than everyone else's, and how he's taking advantage of that to succeed in business."

This makes sense, doesn't it? I mean we read publications like INC so we can learn things. We want to know the fundamentals that made a business a succeess, like Douglas, right? We want to know 'how' not just the figures earned.

Koten suggests that you keep your story idea pitch short, relevent to current events, and be clear what the 'news' is -- that is to say, let them know what is unique, unusual, creative etc. (Much like a press release.)

He suggests emailing pitches, and not just to the editor. If you see a columnist or writer who seems to focus in a certain area of business, contact them directly. Often, a columnist will tend to gravitate towards specific fields or particular ideas, such as creativity, women, trends etc.

Often, these publications are looking for columnists too, so if you think you have the writing style & credentials, go for it!

Here's a list of INCs editorial content, in case you are interested in reading more of what they cover -- either for sending in a pitch, or to know when to look for a copy of the magazine.

Quick Book Review
15 Nov 2005, 2:39:13 am
[an error occurred while processing this directive]

"A New Brand World: 8 Principles for Achieving Brand Leadership in the 21st Century" by Scott Bedbury. Copyright 2002. Some of you may be wondering what 'branding' is... Branding is the ability to make a company be more than just a company. It moves past the idea of selling a product through marketing, but into creating an entire concept around your company. Examples of branding are Nike (Just Do It is the slogan, but we 'feel' that empowering 'I can achieve it' rush), and Coke A Cola (I mean come on, folks buy & collect *anything* that says Coke!).

Who is Bedbury to talk about branding? Hehehe, glad you asked! This is the guy who took Nike from just another athletic shoe company, and created the Nike dynasty. Not only that, his next gig was Starbucks! So, this man knows what he is talking about. I kid you not.

This book is a bit more intense to read, not because he is a bad writer, or technical; it is very easily understood. However, he is talking about much larger companies, with larger budgets (even though he discusses how young these companies were, let's face it, they could hire someone full time, and give him a staff of his own!). So the trick then becomes how to take the examples he states & turn them into something folks like us can use. He provides plenty of details as to why he took certain steps, what the strategy was, which helps greatly. You can see what he is talking about. But it still requires some 'bending' and fine-tuning for us. I *do* recommend the book highly.

I think Bedbury is the kind of man who's head you want to get inside! If you are struggling to find a way to make your company & its philosophy stand out, then you have to read it.

TechieTalk, Part 4
15 Nov 2005, 2:20:24 am
[an error occurred while processing this directive]

Still not convinced you need a dynamic website?

Neither was I, right away.

It seemed to me, at the time, that these neat gizmos, other than those stat generating ones like page refers & forms, were more for 'play' than for serious business sites. I didn't see how features would be of much use. Now however, I see many uses that are deadly serious.

#1 marketing value

These neat gizmos provide what in the old days was called site 'stickyness.' Not only do features such as polls, quizzes and message boards provide areas of play for visitors, but if they are a great match for the target market, they can be used to draw in more traffic. If they are interesting, visitors tell their friends, and you have that great & totally free word-of-mouth site promotion. Clever people will use these toys to keep people coming to their website as well as sell products & services. But a *very* clever person will make them do something more as well...

Along with their appeal, some website features can be used to tell you great demographic information. Polls & quizzes provide you information, if you are asking the right questions. Yes, a poll on 'are you male or female?' is boring, but think of fun options that will serve both the purpose of the taker's amusement as well as your own fact-finding needs! Message boards that require registration to post (something simple - more on that later), can use the information to collect data about the people visiting the site.

And don't forget the classic 'would you like to be notified of site updates?' email offer. One quick email to list members and previous visitors will know when the latest quiz or goodie is available *and* your latest new product arrival or sale too!

#2 customer service

Aside from the fun & games, dynamic website features offer you to allow first-rate customer service, 24-7, without you being there! Shopping carts & order forms come to mind first. And yes, they can be tailored to your needs. You can have them connected to real-time tools such as merchant account processing (allowing both you & the customer to know a sale has been made) & your inventory data base (letting you & the customer know of orders that can be shipped, backorders etc.)

Another great tool for customer service is an onsite search engine. One that is yours - not branded (or co-branded) by another, free of advertising for other sites, free of limitations - you set the parameters! Customers get the added service of finding what they need/want without having to dig through all your pages, or wait for an email reply.

Dynamic sites offer the ability for visitors to get estimates quickly. They can submit information, and get answers quickly. This works well for service providers & others whose work is less than as simple as 'add one to cart.' You can have potential clients fill out an online order form for instant access to estimates.

Though this takes some thought on your part, your web designer/programmer does all the hard work! Once that form full of their information is sent to you, you then have the opportunity to not only make follow-up contact, but think of the data you have as well. You'll know more than the name of the person & an email, so you can see if you are reaching your target market, what types of services folks are looking for etc. Even if you 'loose' that job, you have the opportunity to find out why.

Another option, that thrills me, is the 'wish list service.' As an avid customer of Amazon, I use their wish list often! Think of the power you have if you offer this service to your customers as well? All those people forwarding your site & products to their friends, and you don't do any of the work - until you fill orders that is!

As you can see, there is cool functionality in these features.

Techie Talk, Part 3
15 Nov 2005, 2:15:48 am
[an error occurred while processing this directive]

In simplistic terms, you have two options in website design: static or dynamic.

As mentioned, static websites are about as effective as a business card or brochure when it comes to a call to action. You publish your content to the web, and wait & hope that a visitor finds either 'you' or your offerings worthy of making contact. For some people, this is enough. After all, a web presence is just another tool in your promotional arsenal, and if it provides enough information, it will bring you qualified leads, right?

Maybe.

I say 'maybe' as I don't know you & your business or your goals well enough to say anything for certain... But if I really had to hazard a guess, it would be 'no.

I know that plenty of you who are not in the business of selling products on the internet feel that a standard web presence is plenty. After all, you don't need a shopping cart, you aren't going to be blogging or offering community features; you are simply trying to entice clients. You want them to find you, read a bit about what services you provide, and if they contact you, you will be able to address the rest in your communications.

But is a static page really going to accomplish this?

Think for a minute about the websites you like. Aren't the ones with the most current information, the ones with updates, most interesting? If there is nothing new, do you feel the need to return? Aren't the best ones, the ones you visit regularly, the sites that you can interact with?

Static HTML sites/pages, while offering basic information & an email contact, just do not provide enough of the things that humans like. Even in a purely business mode, people are still human!

The internet is a new medium, and people are expecting more from it. No longer can you just publish the same information you use in brochures to the web & get attention - or, more importantly, action. Visitors are expecting functions past the basic level of a web version of your other standard promotional papers. Those are non-interactive documents. And web users want interaction.

Techie Talk Continued
15 Nov 2005, 1:49:05 am
[an error occurred while processing this directive]

Tthe types of web designs & the languages, scripts & programs (tools) used in creating websites.

Types of Website Designs

Static Websites: On a static web page the only 'interaction' is when a web page is requested (by a computer user clicking a hyperlink or entering a URL) & the server where the page is stored returns the HTML document to the user's computer and the browser displays it. That's it.

The site visitor may continue to interact with other links, but the HTML document (or page) has no ability to return information such as forms, forum posts, database searches etc.

This is like a business card or brochure. You leave it out there, hoping someone sees it, and contacts you.

Dynamic websites: In computer lingo, dynamic usually means 'capable of action and/or change.' Unlike static sites, dynamic ones use other scripts, languages & programs to make the site more interactive. These are used with HTML to ensure that the document (page) is still uniformly displayed, but allow for more interaction with site visitors.

Generally, you may think of dynamic sites as blogs or community sites, where folks interact by posting comments that are seen on the site, in real time. But other examples are:

counters
web traffic logs
email feedback &/or forms
shopping carts/order forms
search features
polls & quizzes
wish lists

To make sites dynamic, there are several 'tools' that web designers use...

Tools of Web Design

HTML: Hypertext Markup Language. The coded format language used for creating documents. It is the simplest form of web design, allowing things to be published on the web in a uniform manner.

Pages created only in HTML are considered 'static.'

For dynamic sites, other tools are used with HTML.

Note: If you have no interest in learning to do these languages, scripts or programs, then skim just enough to get a general idea, but not enough to make your head hurt (skip the 'hardcore definition' sections!)

CGI: Common Gateway Interfaces. CGI is the communication between the web browser & the scripts on the server. Once 'submit' or 'ok' is clicked, the CGI sends the information in the proper way & form to the server scripts.

Hardcore Definition: A set of rules that describe how a web server communicates with another piece of software on the same machine, and how the other piece of software (the 'CGI program') talks to the web server.

Again, CGI is the server interface, allowing communication between the visitor (via their browser) & the server. The next batch of tools all use CGI.

Before we get to them, I'd like to make a few points:

#1 Not all host companies offer all of these scripts, so be aware of what your server host company offers before you invest to heavily...

#2 If you don't want to read the definitions below, here's all you need to know: In reality, none is 'best' as they all work. Each web designer will have his or her favorite, but each gets the job done.

That said, here we go!

PHP: Hypertext Preprocessor. Free to use. Hardcore Definition: A script embedded in HTML used to create dynamic web pages. The script is enclosed within special tags, allowing the author to jump between HTML and PHP instead of having to rely on heavy amounts of code to output HTML.

ASP: Active Server Page A Microsoft custom product similar to PHP. As it is by Microsoft, it has a price tag, and some host companies may not offer it, or without an extra fee.

Perl: Practical Extraction and Reporting Language. An older language, no longer being developed, but still accepted & used. Hardcore Definition: A programming language frequently used for creating programs on web servers because it is fast and can process very large files.

Other Website Design Considerations

Another Tool -- SSI: Server Side Include. Basically, what you need to know is that SSIs are on the server, meaning you won't see them until you publish them to the server.

Hardcore Definition: A type of HTML comment that directs the Web server to dynamically generate data for the Web page whenever it is requested.

A word about Graphic Designers: As I mentioned before, a graphic designer is most often used by ad agencies. They are asked to come up with 'the look' of the site, & that sketch is generally given to a CIS or IT professional, who takes the concept & uses 'the languages' to take the sketch from concept to web.

This is often pricier, as #1 you are talking about ad agency rates, and #2, you are then paying for the work of at least two professionals.

I also have a few functionality issues with the work of graphic designers...

Since they are specialized in the creation of graphic images, including fonts, they like to use or create fonts that are not widely used by most browsers. Obviously they know this. So these custom fonts are created and then put up on the web in an image form.

In my opinion, these images are pretty alright, but cost heavily. And not just in the monetary sense.

While they may look striking, they can slow the load time of your pages. They can also be a problem like flash pages -- they do not feed search engine spiders. The only thing that can be read are the image tags, which is not as 'content rich' as 'real text.' They also do not work well for visually impaired folks, especially if they use a text reading tool.

But you do what you want, it's your site!

Techie Terms
15 Nov 2005, 1:40:51 am
[an error occurred while processing this directive]

Since you are working with the web, you'll need some sort of web presence. After some initial research, you'll likely feel a bit overwhelmed. Not only is there a whole new lingo, but there are some references that look more like a spoonful of vegetable soup , such as CGI, CIS etc.

I asked my husband, my 'techie', to help with the terms.

Professions involved in web design.

CIS: Computer Information Systems. A general 'nuts & bolts' term that applies to many areas system administrator (set up install, manages, & configure the systems themselves), web designer, computer programming, systems administrator, programming (create software), setting up hard hardware... Sometimes just referred to as IS, Information Systems.

IT: Information Technology. Another generalist term, like CIS, which basically is tomato to the tomatoe above.

When it comes to web design, another profession is often mentioned - that of a Graphic Designer. A graphic designer does image work - print ads, logos, brochures etc. A graphics person is most often used by ad agencies to come up with 'the look' of the site. Their sketch is generally given to a CIS or IT professional, who takes the concept & uses 'the languages' to take the sketch from concept to web.

Quick Note
15 Nov 2005, 1:32:32 am
[an error occurred while processing this directive]

I read this bit in Poor Richard's Internet Marketing and Promotions, and I thought it was interesting...

It doesn't matter how good your product is; if nobody knows about it, nobody will buy it. This is not news to people who have been in sales, promotions, & marketing in the real world. Many people on the internet don't understand this concept, though, for two main reasons:

1. Because it is relatively cheap & easy to set up business on the Internet, many people who have never been in business before are setting up shop online. Many of these people don't understand the basic principles of sales & promotions.

2. The media has hyped the Internet terribly. You've probably heard that a Web site is like a billboard on the Informatin Superhighway. It's not. If it were true, all you'd need to do is set up a Web site and take orders. But a Web site sits in the darkness of cyberspace, seen by nobody... until you convince someone to visit your site.

Quick Updates
13 Nov 2005, 4:21:27 pm
[an error occurred while processing this directive]

Sharon Housley discusses advertising in RSS feeds in this month's Working With The Web Newsletter.

The version for Adult Webmasters, Working With The Adult Web, is focused on holiday sales via affiliate programs. While the overly sensitive my find some of the talk of sex (in reference to webmaster niches) 'difficult', I highly recommend the information. Not only for those who have joined affiliate programs, but for those who run affilaite programs as well!

Last, I've finally gotten around to updating links at the site. So go click & learn ;)

Mini-Book Reviews
13 Nov 2005, 12:08:18 am
[an error occurred while processing this directive]

If I were teaching a class on internet marketing, these books would be required reading:

Selling on the Net: The Complete Guide by Herschell Gordon Lewis & Robert D. Lewis, was one of the first serious books I had ever read about selling on the net. It hasn't been updated recently, but since it is not a technology driven book, I don't think it is dated at all. One of the best books providing an overview of how the internet is viewed, how people react to it, and why ecommerce, selling services & marketing will work online. This is a great basic overview, and even if you have been online for awhile, you will benefit from reading it. Has many illustrations of websites that do & don't 'work' and profiles of companies, so you get real examples.

Net Words: Creating High-Impact Online Copy by Nick Usborne is a treasure! Copyright, 2002. Usborne uses his marketing knowledge & experience to detail just what works in writing on the internet. He covers everything you need to know on how to make your website work - that means how to get viewers to stay. If you site is not interesting to viewers, from a text & content point of view, they will click in & just easy quickly, click out. But, if your site is well written, they will stay, maybe even long enough to buy! If they don't buy, they will certainly remember you, be likely to use your 'tell-a-friend', bookmark your site, subscribe etc. In fact, what he tells you works for newsletters & zines too. You all know how much I believe in site content folks, so if this guy excites me this much, it must be fabulous! Not to sound like a Ginsu salesman, 'but wait, there's more!' Usborne also covers how to write the text that is your product/service description, or in the biz lingo, 'your sales copy.' So if you want to learn more ways to increase viewer interest & sales, then grab the book.

A New Brand World: 8 Principles for Achieving Brand Leadership in the 21st Century by Scott Bedbury. Copyright 2002. (I linked to the softcover to give you the cheapest option, however if you prefer, the hardcover is still available.) Some of you may be wondering what 'branding' is... Branding is the ability to make a company be more than just a company. It moves past the idea of selling a product through marketing, but into creating an entire concept around your company. Examples of branding are Nike (Just Do It is the slogan, but we 'feel' that empowering 'I can achieve it' rush), and Coke A Cola (I mean come on, folks buy & collect *anything* that says Coke!). Who is Bedbury to talk about branding? Hehehe, glad you asked! This is the guy who took Nike from just another athletic shoe company, and created the Nike dynasty. Not only that, his next gig was Starbucks! So, this man knows what he is talking about. I kid you not.

This book is a bit more intense to read, not because he is a bad writer, or technical; it is very easily understood. However, he is talking about much larger companies, with larger budgets (even though he discusses how young these companies were, let's face it, they could hire someone full time, and give him a staff of his own!). So the trick then becomes how to take the examples he states & turn them into something folks like us can use. He provides plenty of details as to why he took certain steps, what the strategy was, which helps greatly. You can see what he is talking about. But it still requires some 'bending' and fine-tuning for us. I *do* recommend the book highly. I think Bedbury is the kind of man who's head you want to get inside! If you are struggling to find a way to make your company & its philosophy stand out, then you have to read it.

Listening, with ALL of your 'Hats'
13 Nov 2005, 12:00:54 am
[an error occurred while processing this directive]

Small businesses are blessed. We are able to directly hear what our customers are saying!

We can gather this information from exisiting customers/clients, from online surveys, feedback forms, message boards etc. We don't need to spend lots of time & money on organizing a group to investigate how customers react to us. Thanks to the web, we can get this information quickly, and painlessly.

So when we are 'the sales person' and a customer reacts to some product, negative or positive, we can get that over to 'marketing' right way - no memo needed!

We can choose to use that client information to shape & form our marketing plan (how to get us to the customer/client's door). And then we can impliment that along all of our other channels, such as advertising, PR & back to sales again...

For example:

You are communicating with a customer who loves your product A, and is now ordering a second as a gift. She tells you that she found you from site X, and that she loves the product because it solved her problem or concern, and she knows it will help her sister-in-law too.

Right there, your 'marketing team' (or other hat) needs to note the way the customer found you, and the need that your business &/or product solved for that person.

Perhaps this conversation doesn't surprise you. Her use of the product, is not 'new' - in fact, it is exactly what you describe in your product or service description. That's great, just keep using more of that (and get a testimonial!).

If it is a new point of view, a new benefit discovered, then get ready to investigate that opportunity!

In either case, be sure to listen to what she has described to you. Is there a press release just waiting to be written & distributed?

Perhaps her words seem more newsworthy than how you have pharased things before... Maybe, her personal story is one that should be brought to a particular editor's attention... Maybe she is the 100th customer to tell your this, and now you have an official 'trend' to announce to the media?

By simply listening, and then taking that information in, really in, and considering it from another point of view - from say another hat's point of view, you have just completed very quickly what it takes months for large corporations to do!

What's more, each conversation helps you realize how to handle sales objections.

So you have noticed that several of your customers have commented on the price of your service or product. Maybe they once thought it was 'high' and waited until there was a sale to try it out. But, now that they have used it, they are back for more because the higher price up front was worth every penny & then some because it saved them money, or time, or both.

Now you need to remember this bit of information - and use it to overcome objections to the sale! You can now say 'Yes, Sue, I realize this seems like alot of money to pay upfront, but our customers assure us of the time they have saved due to feature B, now doesn't that seem worth it?'

Who can resist a sales pitch that addresses your concerns?

So listen up, people!

Marketing, Advertsing, PR & Sales
12 Nov 2005, 11:57:52 pm
[an error occurred while processing this directive]

Marketing, Advertsing, PR & Sales

First, some basic definitions.

Many folks are confused by the terms, and think advertising is marketing etc. This is not the case. So let's look at the definitions...

"Marketing strategy is what gets you to the customer's door in the best possible light. Sales strategy is what you do when you are inside." This definition comes from Niche Selling: How to Find Your Customer in a Crowded Market, by William T. Brooks.

I like this definition because it is simple *wink* and because it tells you what you need to 'do' not some abastract theory...

He continues with "Marketing research concerns itself primarily with finding out what people want, whereas advertising seeks to interpret how products & services will give people what they want."

Again, simple, and clearly defines the actions of what you are to do.

The only definition he is missing is public relations. For this definition I am reminded of the one taught to me in college. Basically, the best definition of public relations is to swap the words around: relations with the public. This is how you interact with groups.

Generally thought of as press releases, or media attention, public realtions also 'threads' it's way into your conversations with groups or the public at large. With the power of the internet, some now consider websites to be public relations. This is because, unlike 'static' advertising, you are interacting with the consumer/public via email, feedback forms & the like.

So, think of public relations as how you directly communicate with groups. Be it a group of reporters that you'd like to carry your story for you, or other groups who may communicate with you about & for your business.

Typically, your marketing department covers both advertising & PR, and supposedly communicates with the sales departments. Though it is a common criticism these days that marketing & sales are 'not talking' as they should...

Our focus today

Today, our focus is to look at how to maximize both your impact & save you time by intergrating your marketing, PR, advertising & sales. By seeing each part of the larger 'marketing umbrella' as both a part of the 'whole' yet still acting upon each part as a separate 'to do list' you will achieve a consistent message for your company, as well as save yourself some money on Advil & other pain reliever products when you have less headaches!

Perhaps one of the best things about being a small company is that we are both 'marketing' and 'sales' departments.

I know, you are groaning.

You long for a team to handle these things for you. You'd love to reliquish a hat or 3, or at least delegate some of the grimey work to someone else... But really, wearing all these hats gives you an edge many large corporations do not have: the ability to listen & act without all those channels.

Unlike large companies with departments, you as the 'marketer' hear first hand what customers are saying to your 'sales team.' You don't need Davis to compile tons of consumer research or delegate a team of experts to do surveys, you can get all the information you need, just by listening... (but more on that next time!)

Worth Reading
12 Nov 2005, 11:53:12 pm
[an error occurred while processing this directive]

Citizen Brand: 10 Commandments for Transforming Brands in a Consumer Democracy, by Marc Gobé, is a book, a philosophy, a plan for the future - and one after my own heart...

In an age where many business fear for the future, claiming that customers are jaded, and even anti-business, Gobé presents the situation in more than a constructive manner, he gives a hopeful one.

Rather than throwing his hands up to the sky, pointing to groups that plan 'Don't Buy Anything' days as the end of it all, he shows us that commerce is not over, it is evolving.

Marc Gobé says, in the introduction, "The all powerful consumer today expects a deepening level of emotional commitment, sincerity, & social responsibility from banks & corporations - and not as a movement toward anti-consumerism per se." More than heart-warming, I think he is right. He sure has described me as a consumer!

And he has described how I want to run my business.

His message is more than an uplifting moment, or one of personal identification for me as a person - he gives concrete examples of how businesses can connect with today's customers as they want to be, need to be...

The author gives history, societal examples for the changes. He gives examples of how other companies have succeeded, how some have missed the mark. He gives the reader ideas, inspiration, and goals.

While this book builds on his previous book, Emotional Branding: The New Paradigm for Connecting Brands to People, you don't need that one to keep up. In fact, he covers that book's 10 Commandments in this book. (Although this book is so damn good, I have added 'Emotional Branding' to my Amazon wish list...)

Some of my favorite quotes & points from this book are:

"A truly 'good' brand can even represent the qualities we seek most in friends & family - qualities like warmth, familiarity, & trust."

"Brands do not belong to corporations but to people - and this is even more the case with brands that have managed to capture people's hearts & become 'emotional' brands, because the strong bond they have built with people creates a true sense of 'ownership.' "

I can't truly give you simple 'tips' from this book to convince you how spectacular it is - you have to experience this. This book creates a shift in perception, a key that doesn't mean much without the door...

If you like the way The Body Shop, Ben & Jerry's, & even Oprah have branded themselves, with corporate images & philosophies that move past bottom-lines-only, then get your hands on this book!

Deep Branding on the Internet : Applying Heat and Pressure Online to Ensure a Lasting Brand, by Marc Braunstein & Edward H. Levine, is a book dedicated to using the web for branding - however, the authors caution "you are *not* an Internet business any more than you are a Telephone business or a fax machine business."

These guy's are focused on the net, but they see it as a part of your whole marketing/branding focus. And this is why I list this book second - get the whole plan set with the first book, then find out how to tailor it to the web!

The subtitle of this book is the metaphor for the book, using the original meaning of branding: "In the American West, the earliest entrepreneurs (that is, the ranch owners) signified ownership of their most precious asset - livestock - by branding them with their corporate symbols in such a way as to leave an indelible mark on the cattle's hindquarters... applying the right amount of heat and pressure."

The authors compare marketing branding efforts to cattle branding, by saying that efforts are wasted if you don't have the right combination - if you try to spread over too wide an area, or over too short a time, or don't have enough heat, it just won't work.

'Heat' is your single-minded values, such as the ideas & beliefs of your company &/or the *charismatic* leader. 'Pressure' is your investment - and covers the basic 5 marketing elements (price, package, place, promotion, product). The basic equation is this:(Heat + Pressure) x Time = Brand Depth

So you'll need to manage both heat & pressure effectively, right? But how?

The authors tell you!

From website visitors, search engines, internet behaviors, and case-studies, you'll get it all & then some.

This book gives you practical tips, and ways to outline as well as impliment your strategies.

And they even spend time on addressing small businesses having advantages over large corporations!

Some of my favorite parts of this book were the questions business owners should answer for themselves/their companies:

"What will your customers cite as the main reason they buy from you?"

"What are the oft-repeated stories & historical events that give your company meaning?"

And then there is the whole 'outside in' concept... Taking the information from the customers (outside) and using it. Very good for finding out why you may not be converting site visitors into customers/clients...

Sometimes we think we 'know'... This book may point out that you are on track in many ways, but I believe it will also help you find out the ways you aren't hitting the mark. It sure is worth the price (I have wasted larger amounts on banner ad programs that didn't do a thing...!)

The Soul of the New Consumer: The Attitudes, Behavior, and Preferences of E-Customers, by Laurie Windham (with Ken Orton), is a book that really narrows down what consumers on the web want. If you think you see a 'plot' with the placement order of these books, you do!

Full of stats on internet user behaviors, expectations, & desires the authors also give you tactics for reaching those goals.

From site visitor concerns with privacy & safety, to how visitors find websites; from loyalty issues to what website functions are mandatory, this book gives it to you. And more.

While this book is from 2000, I certainly don't think it is out-dated - this is largely due to the way they have grouped users...

Windham groups internet users in the following manner: Innovators, Early Adaptors, Early Majority (which we are in now), Late Majority, and Laggards. What is most important about these groups are the reasons 'why' they are in the group they are in...

The ability, confidence & motivation for each group allows you to understand not just the past or even the now, but the future. If you can believe why they are 'later' then you can see how to motivate them, and make them clients/customers!

I am sure most of you (if not all!) have been concerned about 'customer retention' and have followed the expert talk of costomer loyalty... This book will show you that loyalty may be more difficult than in days past, but it is not a thing of the past. And help you work on creating that loyalty.

If you are concerned about how to make your website function - and by that I mean get sales (after all, that is the goal, right?) then this book will help you get there.

This is not an html course, but it clearly shows the impact of site design & function from a visitor point of view. Forget about flash, and focus on navigation, be sure your site has the features visitors expect - heck, go further than that, give them their wishes!

If you can provide visitors the features & content they are looking for, then you are that much closer to gaining their loyalty. If you don't listen to this, you are throwing money out the window when you pay to bring them to your site (And yes, Virginia, you are paying to bring them there, even if it is only your time!)

**Big Mouth Re-Cap**

Ok, so here's the outline for these books. (I may have been lucky & stumbled into them in this order, but darn if it wasn't perfect!)

Read them in the order listed so you can:

#1 -- Take a serious look at how you want to build your entire business entity/brand, then#2 -- See how to take the 'heat' you just created, and learn how to apply it to your pressure points (the 5 P's), and then#3 -- Discover how you can use your website to (at the very least) not alientate your site visitors!

Simply marvy!

According to the books I mentioned above, it matters not if you are branding for world domination or to be the number one brand for dry cleaning in your home town. The tactics are the same. So no excuses...

Marketing Tips That Include The Real World
12 Nov 2005, 11:46:55 pm
[an error occurred while processing this directive]

Your business is in reality *not* just an Internet business.

Even if you 'only' have a website, and not a physical location, the internet is only one means of reaching your customers. Sure, it may be the only channel you use to sell directly with, but your business needs more than just a website & online promotions to market it.

How many of these tactics are you using to promote your company?

Answering Machine/VoiceMail Message: Even if it's not 'the business line' are you leaving your URL on your recording? Hey, telemarketers are consumers too! LOL

Vehicles: Are there ways to promote you business on your car? If needed, you can get materials that are temporary, as in easily put on display & then removed - so if others use the car, they are not asked questions...

Printed Postcards: The Internet is really just another means of direct marketing. So you *can* implement the same standards of postcards, letters etc. to direct folks to your site. Since reading of several companies who had great success with post cards I have been playing with them - and just like websites, it takes time to tailor the message to the audience (the list), but I have seen smaller successes - it is just a matter of time until I find the right combination!

Printed Swaps: Exchange your postcards, flyers, or even your business cards with another business with a similar target market - you put their materials in with your orders or information packets, and they do the same for you!

Print Advertising: Advertising in your local city paper can be quite wonderful for service providers trying to reach other small business folks who need to outsource! Don't rule out this option if you sell products, classified adds have workd for years with just phone numbers, why not a web address? Don't forget the local colleges/universities, churches etc, they have print publications too!

Events: Local press loves to cover local news, so give them some! If you can't swing an event solo, see what local events you can sponsor. Send a press release, it can't hurt. And get photos from the event itself to put on your site while you are at it!

Pay It Forward: Put business cards or even post cards in with your bill payments, with the paperboy's payment, & leave them with your tip at reastaurants.

Drop Off, Not Out: Drop off a biz cards or postcards at local companies, you don't have to do stacks, even just 2-4 cards can mean you reach extra folks... Leave them discretely at the wrap stand or cashiers area at stores, include them with your bank deposit, or at the teller's window. Leave them at Doctor's offices, with the school office staff, the dry cleaners, at the library, any errands you run... Do you volunteer? Bring cards along & leave them out at bake sales, etc. Hand out stacks to family, neighbors, & friends, and ask them to do the same when they are out! (A friend dropped a few of mine off at her beauty salon & witnessed 2 girlfriends fighting over one!)

Extras: Get URL crazy! Put your URL on your Christmas cards, thank you notes, fax cover sheets, return address labels, Do you make gifts at holiday time - like homemade cookies, jams etc? Slap your URL on at the bottom! Do you lend out books? Put your URL on your book label inside the book - Those babies travel! Signing in at a hotel or leaving info in a guestbook? Include your URL!

You can target these ideas too - just like on the web! Targeting women, then 'drop things' where women are. Pet owners? Dog parks, pet shops, vet's offices. Parents & kids? Pediatrician's offices, day care centers, parks. You get the idea, right?

Is blogging here to stay? Can you use it?
12 Nov 2005, 11:37:37 pm
[an error occurred while processing this directive]

Is blogging a fad borne of technology that will fade faster than pet rocks, even if it can do more? In a world of digital & technology leaps, most anything can be a fad, at lightening speed. Just because the technology makes this online public diary possible, will they become equally as useless as the diary under a teenage girl's bed? Aside from the sneaky little brother, who cares what is written?

It's a debate that continues with folks much more intelligent than myself, but in reality, I am very suited to this debate. After all, it will be a decision reached by people. For in order for it to survive, it must become part of popular culture, so who else is more qualified to discuss the issue than BW's resident Pop Culture Queen? Especially as I also manage to be quite 'average' when it comes to technological things.

Why are blogs so popular?

Blogs are cheap & easy. In seconds, and for free, you can be set up with one. A few seconds more, and your blitherings are available for the public (or just your friends if you wish). Want some serious features? You can opt for upgrades for a couple of bucks.

However, like most of the webmasters, bloggers are discovering, just because you have built it, it doesn't mean they will come. Aside from your mom, your best friend, who is going to come to read your blither-blather? In reality, you have likely already told then in an email or phone conversation that your dog ran away, you were promoted, you like cheese, and that your recent x is an idiot from hell & that you are going to burn his favorite jeans in the back yard. So why blog?

Most blogs are part of online communities. You can link up with other dog owners, cheese lovers & jilted lovers, all of you blither-blathering on & on until someone gets a cat, becomes lactose intolerant, or finds Mr. Right. But the truth is, just as with real multiple conversations, no one is listening as much as they are talking. Many bloggers are saddened by little traffic, minimal comments, and tire of having to post chipper little comments at the entries of others in order to try to get some to reply to their entries.

The now fact what webmasters everywhere have known for a long time: if you don't promote, you die.

All the 'big names' in blogging are just that, Big Names. In fact, the most successful bloggers are professionals in their fields. Folks seek out their wisdom & experience, often for fees. So the chance at free information & tips, with or without the pithy asides & insider rib poking, is why they visit.

Rarely are these blogs about mundane daily events, trifling tidbits on cheese - unless this is a dairy or food manufacturing site. No the popular blogs are very similar to the biggest & best websites: they are all about business.

The loyal rag-tag gang of readers & posters are those who work in, or desire to work in, the particular arena the blogger does. Or they hope to make an interesting discovery which will help them in their work, such as Mr Corporate or Ms Entrepreneur reading blogs on marketing.

Right now, blogging is so popular, that businesses are not just thriving on the tips, nor just being created to support the business of blogging, but they are even business models trying to utilize blogs as an income source.

To promote. You have corporate blogs, where loyal customers can find out the inside scoop directly from the PR department. Blogs are now becoming direct marketing pieces. Where once normal consumers were jaded & viewed all corporate communications as a sales pitch, they now sign up to post & receive mailings. They believe what they read is as rare & private as a teen girl who reads Tiger Beat magazine thinking they now really, really know their heart-throb de jour.

*sigh*

If I sound jaded, forgive me. And I don't mean to say blogs or bloggers are evil spawn to be avoided. But where is the realism in all of this?

The media loves to play up the popularity & power of blogs. They love stories such as new authors being 'discovered,' how so & so got a job because of her blog, but sheesh, is it such a surprise?

Remember when Hollywood starlets were 'discovered' at coffee shops? Was that the norm? No. Remember the beginnings of biographies of famous people who claimed they got their professional start simply by being in the right place at the right time? They delivered something, gave someone a ride, made a good impression somewhere to the wife, the son, the man himself, and *boom* they got the job of a lifetime - or at least the start to one.

That's what blogs are: a way to make a good impression.

In this world of digital & instant communication, as folks spend more time with their monitors than they do in coffee shops or at cocktail parties, this is how we meet people. Sometimes it's a link in an email from a friend. Other times, it is a referral in the from of a links list. Sometimes, a cheese lover will find an excellent writer in his fellow cheese lover. Who knows? Folks surf, so why is it a surprise that occasionally a connection is made? The web is made up of data & pixels, but it is humans that absorb & interact with it.

So, will blogs die out or become a fixture?

My bet is that there is more to come. Both in technology & in the goals of the users.

Those bloggers who find what they are looking for, be it pals that love cheese or that writing gig, will stay with it. Like the readers, those who can't find a community where they fit in, will likely move on.

As for businesses, I suspect it will be much like all in business: those that are honest, remain flexible, and focus on their customers will only grow larger.

(Despite being from Wisconsin, I do not blog about cheese.)

"Thank You"
12 Nov 2005, 9:38:01 pm
[an error occurred while processing this directive]

No matter what kind of business you have, you reach a point where you need to thank a customer, client, or visitor. Be it for a purchase, a sign-up or a referral.

I have several years of experience in non-profit work, which included volunteer management. The rule of thumb there is you thank each volunteer 7 times for one action.

No, you don't say 'thank you thank you thank you thank you thank you thank you thank you.'

You ought to thank them at various natural points: at the time they express interest in volunteering, at the time they show up to work, when they leave.

But then you should also thank them in other ways. Often a thank you letter, printing their name (or group name) in a brochure or event flyer, and at the year end, offer a small thank you recognition, such as a certificate or an item with the organization's name on it.

These little things make a person feel appreciated *and* keep them connected to your organization.

Getting & training volunteers is an expensive part of operating a non-profit organization, so keeping them is much better in the long run.

And it is no different in businesses that you run for profit. Everyone talks about how much cheaper it is to retain customers than it is to go out & attract new ones.

So what are you doing to thank your customers, your clients?

Here is a short list of both natural points or places to say thank you on your website as well as other ways to surprise them:

Subscriber sign-ups

When a surfer joins your email list, newsletter etc, they have shown interest in your company. They are pre-qualified. After they hit submit, send them to a "Thank You" Page, where there is an incredible offer to thank them for signing up. (Be sure to include a link back to your home page, so even if they decline the offer, they can still find you!)

Those who buy items

Include with the order a bounce-back coupon with a special thank you discount or free item with their next purchase.

Clients

Consider purchasing your clients gift subscriptions to their favorite professional magazines as thanks for their business. Each issue, they'll be reminded of you.

Everyone

Keep a list of all clients/customers and do a yearly mailing. Pick a date to thank everyone for their support. I personally think this should not be 'Holiday' theme one, as 'everyone' does that, and you are one of how many companies? But a solo one on say your company's anniversary, or some other unique date, means you will not have to compete for their attentions!

Who: Other times to say Thank You

Referrals Anyone who sends business your way deserves recognition.

When you are late on shipping or providing a service - not just an emailed apology or explanation at the time to announce it, but a follow up with sincerity!

Service providers, vendors, those you network with - thank them for all they do to assist you, and remember, they are people with purchasing power themselves!

How: What stands out

Send a personal, hand written Thank You Note. People who send personal notes are though of as gracious, with excellent manners. And since so few people do it, you'll appear as a clear cut above the rest!

Sometimes, we try to be so creative, so original, we overlook the simple kindnesses. Classics do work. Who doesn't like to be thanked?!