Archive for the ‘Uncategorized’ Category

« Older Entries

Expert presenters

Wednesday, September 1st, 2010

Do you think the Internet (and all the associated media that has followed) has changed our perception of an expert?

We all love ‘big names’ and are more likely to pay for a concert or conference with someone we know of than a complete stranger. And many organisers of events get caught up in finding a big name to draw crowds.

Yet I don’t think you have to be a big name to be an expert and some of the best presentations I’ve been to were run by people I hadn’t heard of before. Not every successful person is rich or famous, not all great business people own/work in the corporate world, not all talented people are widely recognised, and so on.

Getting back to my first question, is the net changing some of these perceptions? I think so as people in traditional ways were not recognised as experts or ‘worthy’ of teaching us can now share their knowledge and skills through articles, blogs, newsletters, tweets, webinars and more.

If you are thinking of attending an event, does the ‘size of a name’ influence you greatly? Would you Google (or use social media searches) the presenters to find out more?

Tags: , ,
Posted in Uncategorized, business events, business info | No Comments »

Social media relationships

Saturday, August 28th, 2010

My last post was about networking with a bottle of wine, so I thought I’d also aim it more specifically on social media as Chris did in his original post.

Using social media (facebook, twitter, blogs, You Tube, etc) is in many ways exactly the same as more traditional networking and socialising. Building these relationships depends on being friendly, listening to people and showing interest.

Even the differences are based on the same principles, they use technology to reach those aims. If you met someone at a party, you would answer them by talking; in social media, it is still polite and expected that you answer but you might do so by posting a comment or retweeting instead.

So some social media networking tips are:

  1. be generous with links – if you like something add the link to your blog, tweet it, write about it in Facebook, and so on. It costs you nothing but time, it actually gives you something to write about and is likely to help the creator
  2. visit other people’s blog, Facebook wall, twitter profile, You Tube channel and so on. You can learn more about them than just responding to their emails and comments, and they will probably appreciate you leaving comments when you visit
  3. if networking for your business, broaden your topics – chat with people about other interests (if you network in real life, you’d probably have some references to the weather, the food, the venue or major news/sports of the day, so why not on social media?)
  4. link all your social media outlets – it makes it easier for someone to find what they want but also helps your Twitter followers discover your blog readers, etc.
  5. give more often (by a long shot) than you promote or sell; Chris Brogan suggested a 15:1 ratio – what do you think is a good ratio?
  6. share information on how to socialise online - you don’t need to tell people how to talk but not all your customers and contacts know the purpose of # in a tweet or how to embed a video in a blog
  7. remember to touch base frequently – just like friends drift away if you don’t see them much, online contacts will forget you if you don’t tweet for a month or so.

I’m not a social media expert (closer to the beginner end of the scale really) so I’d love to hear your tips for maximising social media networking…

Tags: , , ,
Posted in Uncategorized, business info, social media | No Comments »

Bring wine when networking

Thursday, August 26th, 2010

Would you really take wine to every networking event? Probably not so let me explain…

Chris Brogan wrote a story in his blog about social media and not being ‘that guy’. In short, the story is that if you’re going on a picnic with friends take a bottle of wine rather than just coming along and eating everyone else’s food. Sounds obvious in that context doesn’t it?

The same principle applies in networking (Chris was specifically referring to social media but I am putting it together with all networking). People will respond better if you give something of value rather than if you just try taking.

So if someone at en event or on a forum says “I’m having trouble writing some promotional articles”, I could answer with “What questions do people often ask about your industry? Answering those questions is a good place to start your articles. Here are some tips in my blog.” Or I could be that guy and answer with “I write articles – you should pay me. Did you know I could also write your website and I …”

Effective networking is about building relationships rather than selling yourself.

Here are some networking tips off the top of my head:

  1. hand out business cards to selected people rather than everyone in reach
  2. remember things about people you network with – jotting down some notes soon after helps – to show you are interested
  3. be generousand show an abundant mentality – tell others about great promotional opportunities, give your opinion and expertise, link to other blogs/websites whether or not they link back, and so on
  4. smile! It’s much more inviting than a scowl, and it can even change your voice if you are on the phone
  5. introduce people to each other. For example, a friend mentions needing a plumber and you met one last week at a networking event – give your friend those contact details. It also means introducing people looking alone at an event too
  6. use people’s names – it means a lot to them and using it soon after hearing it helps you to remember it, too
  7. don’t be afraid to ask for help (not for business mind you) as it shows you are human and you give people a chance to help. Maybe you ask for referrals to a service, opinions on a decision you need to make or for understanding a technical issue.  Pretending to know everything and be perfect is likely to alienate people than attract them

What other tips do you have for effective networking?

Tags: , ,
Posted in Uncategorized, business info | 1 Comment »

Take 30 minutes…

Monday, December 28th, 2009

If you suddenly found yourself with an extra 30 minutes, what would you do with your time? Would you waste it, fill with with the ordinary or do something different?

Chris Broganand many people in his blog community give some ideas on filling an unexpected half hour in order to make use of their ‘spare time’. Some of my favourites on the list are relaxing (meditating, walking, etc), a quick burst of filing or tidying, give some recommendations/referrals, contact people on a personal level (it can be a business contact, but chat to them instead of always focussing on what has to be done) and catching up on some reading/learning.

Moving on from that list, I like the idea of making half an hour a day for these sorts of tasks. Maybe start your day with them, lift the ‘low’ times around lunchtime or finish off the working day, but make a time to do some little tasks.

Why? Those little tasks can be very important – to your calmness, clarity, happiness, productivity, relationships and creativity. And doing them regularly for a short time will keep things under control.

I’m going to give it a try, now that I’ve been inspired. Could you benefit from making 30 minutes a day, too?

Tags: , , ,
Posted in Uncategorized, bit off track | No Comments »

Ranking for childcare?

Wednesday, November 18th, 2009

You have to laugh really – I mean, how can I take people seriously when they send spam that is so off target?

Let me share the laugh with you!

I received an email from someone who tried to be my friend and show how good he is at internet marketing – mind you, he isn’t good enough to find my name on my website and use it in an email! He does point out that he has my contact details, including phone number, from my site though.

This email was about word constructions - a professional writing service in Australia and his email includes the following (in blue – the black text is my response!):

I see that you’re not ranked on the first page of Google for a childcare centre search. And this is a problem for me why? 

I’m not sure if you’re aware of why you’re ranked this low but more importantly how easily correctable this is. I’m guessing it’s because I don’t have a childcare centre or use that keyword? If he found me through that keyword, it says a lot for my childcare articles though!

There’s no reason you can’t have a top three ranking for the keyword childcare centre based on your site structure and content. You have a very nice site. Perhaps the fact I don’t have a childcare centre (or a website about childcare) is a good reason not to rank top three? And if you don’t know that, I have no reason whatsoever to believe you have looked at my site to know it’s good!

I didn’t send this email out to very many people (oh please!) but I am currently reaching out to a list of your ‘keyword competitors’ (If their keyword is ‘childcare centre’, they aren’t my competitors at all) as well. But I do favor your website because I can see your website monetizing the targeted website traffic the keyword childcare centre can deliver. If you truly believe my site is best placed to maximise this keyword, you REALLY have no idea about relevant content and keywords – and I REALLY don’t want to make use of your ‘help’ and ‘skill’.
 
He followed this up with four requests to call me, and one to call him. Sure, Jason, call me so I can tell you how little you really know, at your long distant phone cost!
 
Hopefully that gave you a laugh, too.
 
If you want a serious message from this, here are some real marketing tips:
 
  •  be relevant – don’t contact a business about something they don’t offer
  • be honest – adding blatant lies makes it likely you’ll be caught out and lose whatever credibility you may have had
  • if you claim to have viewed my site, then have the courtesy to find and use my name
  •  don’t overstate your importance – if Jason is so successful and owns the 1,000s of sites he claims, why does he need to spam people around the world to get further business? Again, it just destroys your credibility if your claims and behaviours don’t match

Here’s to lots of laughs and very little spam in our lives!

Tags: , , , ,
Posted in Uncategorized, bad writing examples, bit off track | No Comments »

Backing up is a winner!

Thursday, October 29th, 2009

Yesterday, I listened to a webinar to announce the Smart Company web awards (I’m linking to their site but a it’s been down every time I’ve tried today, I apologise in advance if their site doesn’t show up.)

I don’t know much about most of the winners, although I intend to look at them to see what I can learn about effective websites, etc. However, I did recognise the winner of the ecommerce section.

Carbonite is a back up service to keep your computer files safe if something happens (something like a fire, a computer malfunction or even theft of your computer.) I’ve been using them for about 18 months and have recommended them a few times when people have asked about backing their files up.

I love the fact that I don’t have to remember to do anything – the files are automatically backed up for me regularly and I can even tell which files have been backed up in my file manager. I also like that I can access all copies that have been backed up – so if I want to go back to an older version of a document that I didn’t keep, I can access a previous back up and get the older file.

As for them as a winning ecommerce site, well I know I had no troubles subscribing or renewing so it is user friendly! I haven’t looked at them critically to agree or disagree with them winning this award, but I like their service – so congratulations Carbonite!

How do you manage your back ups? Do you have a written procedure for back ups, even if you use a service like Carbonite (so someone else knows how to access your files if you aren’t there and they are needed)? I know if l lost my computer files, it would cause a lot of stress and my business would suffer so I consider backing up a critical measure in business. And personally – I have my digital photos backed up off site, too.

Tags: , , ,
Posted in Uncategorized, business tools | 1 Comment »

Ask before sharing emails

Tuesday, August 11th, 2009

We all hate spam. Most of us get too many emails to deal with them all properly. We don’t have time to read every enewsletter, not even time to read all the good ones, so we can’t subscribe to them all and stay sane!

So why then do some business people think it’s ok to subscribe to you their lists without your permission?

Just because I am your friend or I have done some work for you does not mean I want to read your newsletter – rather, I may want to but I probably don’t have the time to read something I haven’t carefully selected.

A number of people have added me to their lists because they know me, or because I wrote for them or because I gave them a quote to write for them! None of these behaviours is acceptable to me – sure send me a copy and invite me to subscribe, but don’t just subscribe me.

A couple of specific recent examples that will hopefully help you avoid annoying potential (or actual) clients…

  • I attempted to watch an online seminar. I gave my email address purely for access to the seminar (there was no disclaimer I was signing to a newsletter) and she started sending me 3 or 4 emails a week. What’s worse is the seminar never worked so I have no reason to read even one of those emails
  • I responded to a newsletter which mentioned a particular offer; I asked for a few details so I could decide if I was interested. Next thing, I am getting emails from two totally unrelated people. What’s worse, both those people are including me in a cc field with a whole group of people! So not only am I getting unwanted emails from people I never gave my email to in the first place, they are sharing my email with other people! Not the way to impress me into using their services I assure you
  • someone who contacted me two years ago, and who has not maintained a relationship with me, recently added a new arm to her business and has subscribed me to that new arm’s newsletter. I have never contacted her or shown an interest in her services, so why can she assume I want her newsletter?

    • So to avoid annoying people and therefore potentially loosing clients and getting bad word of mouth, remember:

    • don’t subscribe people to your newsletter. EVER. Send a single copy and invite them, but do not subscribe them without their knowledge & permission
    • if sending a group email, use the bcc field not the cc field unless it a discussion and all parties are aware of each other. Especially as emails can be forwarded so who knows where my email address would end up…
    • don’t give someone else’s email address to others for their newsletter. It’s one thing to give it as a referral (e.g. “Email Tash on … as she’s a great writer”) but otherwise you should protect the emails you have been entrusted with. If in doubt, ask if it’s ok to pass on someone’s details

    Posted in Uncategorized, business info, newsletter content | 3 Comments »

    Spam denial…

    Friday, May 15th, 2009

    Following on from defining what spam is, I thought I should mention why adding ‘this is  not spam’ to your emails isn’t a good idea.

    1. As I posted recently, certain words can trigger spam filterswhen an email arrives. The word spam itself rates highly in these filters so referring to spam in any way can actually prevent your email reaching your recipient(s)
    2. Most of us are sick of spam and therefore are suspicious of emails we don’t expect or that include questionable content. As soon as you mention you aren’t spam, we are going to wonder why you feel the need to tell us that - a genuine message should speak for itself.
    3. If the person reading your email disagrees and believes your message is spam, they will perceive you as having lied to them and any trust you may have had is gone or at least badly dented.

    Tags: , , ,
    Posted in Uncategorized, business info, newsletter content | 1 Comment »

    Stimulus bonus

    Wednesday, April 29th, 2009

    Assuming you qualify, you may get (or already have) a bonus from the Government as part of the stimulus package. Remembering this is a tax free payment (how many hours would you have to work to get that much after tax?) have you seriously thought about how to use that money?

    I think there are two useful ways to spend your bonus – pay off debt (credit cards or mortgage) or investing it (shares, property, etc, or to your super or in your business.) Either way, the bonus can then go towards your financial future. Of course, the aim of the stimulus package is to get us spending rather than saving which is why I think the bonus could be well used for your business…

    1. spending on your business is an investment that can increase your long term profits – which means you can spend more later!
    2. whatever you purchase will help another business and stimulate the economy!
    3. this tax free money can buy you things that are tax deductible – and I suspect your accountant will approve of that!
    4. depending on what you buy, it may also be eligible for the extra tax deductions available at the moment – this can make bigger things much more affordable for tight budgets

    Given we’re potentially talking about $600 or $900, I don’t mean buying a few pens and a ream of paper! Investing in your business could include some of the following expenditures:

    • upgrade your computer or some software
    • update your website – think about a CMS, shopping cart, design, content, new photos and graphics
    • attend some training – seminars and conferences can pay back their price and time many times over through information, ideas and people met
    • get some professional help – a trademark lawyer, accountant, coach, writer, image consultant and so on can make a long term difference for your business
    • hire some help, whether it is a cleaner, VA, packer or letterbox deliverer
    • buy a good chair – your comfort is worth it especially if you sit for hours to run your business, and it will increase your productivity
    • buy some resources – books, DVDs, videos, business guides, magazines
    • get some flyers or postcards printed or some promo items made to spread the word of your business
    • look for some sponsorship or prize opportunities to help others and build exposure and publicity for your business

    Tags: , , , ,
    Posted in Uncategorized, business info | 4 Comments »

    Phone or email…

    Wednesday, April 22nd, 2009

    When writing about including an email address on printed materials the other day, I mentioned that I prefer emails to phone calls.

    Other than anyone’s personal preferences between writing and talking, here are some of the reasons I prefer communicating via email in my business:

    • it is much easier to ignore an incoming email than phone call. If I am concentrating on a document for a client, I don’t like interruptions and prefer to keep working so ignore incoming messages
    • I can manage my time better with emails – I choose a time to go through emails and respond as it suits me, but a phone call won’t just sit and wait for my convenience! Yes, I have an answering machine which can allow me to call back later but that doesn’t mean the other person is available when I do call back…
    • I don’t always work conventional hours – I can read your email at 3am but I doubt you want me to return a phone call at such hours!
    • an email forms a record of what is discussed. This makes it easier for me to check facts and deadlines when working on a project rather than relying on memory or finding where I scribbled notes during a phone call!
    • in an email, I have the time, when necessary, to plan what needs to be said and how to present it; on the phone, an immediate response may be regretted later
    • I can appear professional in an email no matter what is happening in the office – not always feasible over the phone in a home office with three children and renovations in the background!

    That said, the phone can be quicker and easier for clarifying information or an involved discussion. And obviously my reasons don’t apply for different types of businesses.

    Do you prefer email contacts over phone calls? How do you prefer to contact potential suppliers/service providers yourself?

    Tags: , , , ,
    Posted in Uncategorized, bit off track, business info | No Comments »

    « Older Entries