Repost
Make the Connection: Social Media is the New Word of Mouth Platform for Marketing and Sales
by Peter Auditore on 06/30/2009 19:38 1 comment , 538 views Categories: Social Enterprise, Marketing Ideas
Social Media Today and SAP launched MyVenturepad.com in the summer of 2007 and it has now grown into a vibrant 2000+ member social network where small business owners are able to address, discuss and, in some cases, even help solve critical business problems for each other.
I want to thank you all for being a part of MVP and participating in the community that we have created together. Our intent from the beginning was to address all of the key pain points that small business owners face, not simply technology issues. This has been one of the keys to its success. As the community evolved, it began to focus on a wide range of topics of importance to growing businesses.
When we launched MVP we had no idea how far out on the bleeding edge of this newfangled "social media" approach to marketing that we were. Our partners didn’t get it, our marketing organization couldn’t see the light, but we persevered. Today, social media networks (of which, MVP is a pioneering example) are the “new platform” for word of mouth marketing in the millennium and they are forming and gaining momentum at an...
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Friday, July 3, 2009
Protect Your Privacy on Facebook
Repost
Protect your privacy on Facebook -10 privacy settings you should consider
by Drew McLellan on 06/28/2009 09:26 0 comments , 587 views Categories: Marketing IdeasTags: facebook, privacy settings
As Facebook and other social networking sites continue to grow by leaps and bounds, many privacy issues are also cropping up. Most of us end up blending our personal and professional lives on Facebook and Sometimes that can get a bit uncomfortable.
We've talked about the issue of whether or not you get to have a private life anymore, if you're active in social networking. But, there are some things you can do to protect your own privacy and also, the privacy of the people you are linked to/friended.
This has been a growing concern of mine, so those of you who are my Facebook friends (link to the right if you are not) might notice a few changes in my own settings after researching and writing this post.
Ten Privacy Setting You Should Consider:
Use your friends lists -- everyone doesn't have to see everything.
Remove yourself from the Facebook Search results -- if you only want to be found by people you reach out to -- this is an easy fix for eliminating most of the unwanted friend invites.
Remove yourself from the Google search -- Facebook listing seem to grab great Google juice. So if you want to be found, leave it be. But if you'd prefer more privacy, you can remove yourself from the listings.
The dreaded photo/video tag -- this one has cost people jobs, relationships and their own dignity. With a simple change in privacy settings, you can make it so that no one (or just those you choose -- think friend lists) can see those tell all photos and videos.
Not everyone needs to see every picture -- this holds true of your photo albums as well. You can set privacy settings for each one separately.
Prevent "stories" from showing up on your friends news feed -- is there anything more awkward than when your friend goes from in a relationship to it's complicated or single? Avoid that embarrassment with a few simple settings.
Keep your application updates from being published -- do you really want people to know you're looking for a tommy gun in Mafia Wars or that you've wasted yet another hour hitting a new high on Bejeweled?
Make you contact information private -- for some people, their cell phone number is public information. But for others who might have arms lengths relationships at best with many of their Facebook friends...a bit less shared would be good.
Censor your friends... keep their thoughts off your wall! -- I think this is one of the most critical on the list. You can control who sees your wall and who can write on your wall. Do you really need your frat buddies sharing stories with your boss? I'm guessing not.
Keep your friends private -- this isn't just about your privacy, it's about your friends' privacy as well. Remember, anyone who is a friend of yours can pop onto your friends list and cherry pick them for whatever reason they'd want.
The beauty of most of these privacy moves is that no one will ever know you've even implemented them. But you will... because you'll feel a whole lot safer and less exposed.
I found an excellent post on the topic over at www.allfacebook.com that covers all ten of these suggestions in great depth -- including showing you how to alter your settings.
Check it out and protect yourself a little.
Related articles by Zemanta
The Inside Facebook Guide to Protecting Your Privacy on Facebook (insidefacebook.com)
Social Networks Keep Privacy in the Closet (technologyreview.com)
Facebook Opens Up Privacy Settings to 'Everyone' (appscout.com)
5 Crucial Facebook Privacy Settings (socialmediatoday.com)
Link to original post
shareWidget.init('http://myventurepad.com/MVP/66976','Protect your privacy on Facebook -10 privacy settings you should consider');
Protect your privacy on Facebook -10 privacy settings you should consider
by Drew McLellan on 06/28/2009 09:26 0 comments , 587 views Categories: Marketing IdeasTags: facebook, privacy settings
As Facebook and other social networking sites continue to grow by leaps and bounds, many privacy issues are also cropping up. Most of us end up blending our personal and professional lives on Facebook and Sometimes that can get a bit uncomfortable.
We've talked about the issue of whether or not you get to have a private life anymore, if you're active in social networking. But, there are some things you can do to protect your own privacy and also, the privacy of the people you are linked to/friended.
This has been a growing concern of mine, so those of you who are my Facebook friends (link to the right if you are not) might notice a few changes in my own settings after researching and writing this post.
Ten Privacy Setting You Should Consider:
Use your friends lists -- everyone doesn't have to see everything.
Remove yourself from the Facebook Search results -- if you only want to be found by people you reach out to -- this is an easy fix for eliminating most of the unwanted friend invites.
Remove yourself from the Google search -- Facebook listing seem to grab great Google juice. So if you want to be found, leave it be. But if you'd prefer more privacy, you can remove yourself from the listings.
The dreaded photo/video tag -- this one has cost people jobs, relationships and their own dignity. With a simple change in privacy settings, you can make it so that no one (or just those you choose -- think friend lists) can see those tell all photos and videos.
Not everyone needs to see every picture -- this holds true of your photo albums as well. You can set privacy settings for each one separately.
Prevent "stories" from showing up on your friends news feed -- is there anything more awkward than when your friend goes from in a relationship to it's complicated or single? Avoid that embarrassment with a few simple settings.
Keep your application updates from being published -- do you really want people to know you're looking for a tommy gun in Mafia Wars or that you've wasted yet another hour hitting a new high on Bejeweled?
Make you contact information private -- for some people, their cell phone number is public information. But for others who might have arms lengths relationships at best with many of their Facebook friends...a bit less shared would be good.
Censor your friends... keep their thoughts off your wall! -- I think this is one of the most critical on the list. You can control who sees your wall and who can write on your wall. Do you really need your frat buddies sharing stories with your boss? I'm guessing not.
Keep your friends private -- this isn't just about your privacy, it's about your friends' privacy as well. Remember, anyone who is a friend of yours can pop onto your friends list and cherry pick them for whatever reason they'd want.
The beauty of most of these privacy moves is that no one will ever know you've even implemented them. But you will... because you'll feel a whole lot safer and less exposed.
I found an excellent post on the topic over at www.allfacebook.com that covers all ten of these suggestions in great depth -- including showing you how to alter your settings.
Check it out and protect yourself a little.
Related articles by Zemanta
The Inside Facebook Guide to Protecting Your Privacy on Facebook (insidefacebook.com)
Social Networks Keep Privacy in the Closet (technologyreview.com)
Facebook Opens Up Privacy Settings to 'Everyone' (appscout.com)
5 Crucial Facebook Privacy Settings (socialmediatoday.com)
Link to original post
shareWidget.init('http://myventurepad.com/MVP/66976','Protect your privacy on Facebook -10 privacy settings you should consider');
A Day in the Life of Washington's Elite Slimemeisters
Repost
Mike Allen, Michael Calderone Mike Allen, Michael Calderone – Thu Jul 2, 9:04 am ET
Washington Post publisher Katharine Weymouth said today she was canceling plans for an exclusive "salon" at her home where for as much as $250,000, the Post offered lobbyists and association executives off-the-record access to "those powerful few" — Obama administration officials, members of Congress, and even the paper’s own reporters and editors.
The astonishing offer was detailed in a flier circulated Wednesday to a health care lobbyist, who provided it to a reporter because the lobbyist said he felt it was a conflict for the paper to charge for access to, as the flier says, its “health care reporting and editorial staff."
With the Post newsroom in an uproar after POLITICO reported the solicitation, Weymouth said in an email to the staff that "a flier went out that was prepared by the Marketing department and was never vetted by me or by the newsroom. Had it been, the flier would have been immediately killed, because it completely misrepresented what we were trying to do."
Mike Allen, Michael Calderone Mike Allen, Michael Calderone – Thu Jul 2, 9:04 am ET
Washington Post publisher Katharine Weymouth said today she was canceling plans for an exclusive "salon" at her home where for as much as $250,000, the Post offered lobbyists and association executives off-the-record access to "those powerful few" — Obama administration officials, members of Congress, and even the paper’s own reporters and editors.
The astonishing offer was detailed in a flier circulated Wednesday to a health care lobbyist, who provided it to a reporter because the lobbyist said he felt it was a conflict for the paper to charge for access to, as the flier says, its “health care reporting and editorial staff."
With the Post newsroom in an uproar after POLITICO reported the solicitation, Weymouth said in an email to the staff that "a flier went out that was prepared by the Marketing department and was never vetted by me or by the newsroom. Had it been, the flier would have been immediately killed, because it completely misrepresented what we were trying to do."
Using YouTube to Build Your Network Marketing Business
Repost
Using YouTube to Build Your Network Marketing BusinessBy Sandra Essex
Sandra EssexLevel: Basic PLUSIf you are anything like me by this time you have realized that the job market in America is almost at a stand still. Companies ... ...
Article Word Count: 609 [View Summary] Comments (0)
Of all of the social networking sites out there, YouTube has the most potential to build your MLM Business. Where else can you directly communicate with literally millions of potential customers, and all for the cost of making a cell phone video?
The answer is: nowhere else. Like Twitter, YouTube has the potential to generate almost infinite and free MLM leads. YouTube has taken the 'net by storm, going from a place to share videos of family trips into a network of millions that has catapulted thousands of virtual unknowns into instant celebrities.
You know who they are; the 'Chocolate Rain' guy, the sobbing, mascara wearing Britney fan, and even that computer generated dancing baby have garnered millions of hits. Why shouldn't your MLM business cash in, too.
Of course, any medium that has the potential draw the attention of millions of customers, and for free, has almost limitless MLM advertising potential. They key is to successfully tap into it. Any MLM business would be wasting a huge amount of potential (as wells as passing on thousands of potential free leads) if they did not take advantage of the huge pool of potential customers by getting themselves out there on YouTube. Fortunately, utilizing YouTube as a marketing tool for your MLM business is simple, and getting staggering results and numerous free leads are as well.
YouTube is currently being used as a primary advertising medium for many successful MLM businesses. For others, it is less successful. You may be wondering what the successful MLM businesses are doing that the unsuccessful MLM's are not. It is really quite simple; the most successful YouTube advertisers are using YouTube for what it is: a social site. Its use as a MLM advertising site was only secondary. And while it may be tempting to look at your marketing from and MLM salesman's point of view, the key to utilizing YouTube is to be social. Get yourself out there. Check out some videos, comment.
Post video responses to the more popular videos. Let the traffic that is already being generated by the most popular videos generate hits for your ads and MLM business. It is simple mathematics. Set yourself up for success by using the most successful videos as foundations for your links and the free leads will start piling up.
Also, don't underestimate entertainment value. Be funny. Be honest. Be relevant. Remember, most people go out of their way to avoid ads, so market you in a way that doesn't appear to be commercial. You may be asking yourself when a commercial is not commercial. The answer is simple: when it's audience sees it as entertainment. How do you achieve this magical balance for your MLM? By showing off not only your expertise, but your down-to-earth nature; and by doing so in a way that potential free leads find entertaining. Do something that your potential free leads watch because they want to hear what you are saying, and conversely end up wanting to buy what you are selling.
Be clear that you can (and want to) help people to help themselves. People are more likely to react positively to your videos if you come across like a friend rather than a MLM salesman.
On a technical note, you want to make sure that the titles for your ads and their descriptions are SEO friendly. With millions of videos on YouTube, you want your MLM ads to be at the top of the list when someone conducts a search. Finally, have fun. People surf YouTube's videos, for the most part, to be entertained. So entertain them and watch your site traffic and leads snowball.
Sandra Essex is a TOP Producing internet Marketer. She enjoys helping new people learn how to build their business over the internet. I'm 53 years old and if I can learn these skills anybody can!
Using YouTube to Build Your Network Marketing BusinessBy Sandra Essex
Sandra EssexLevel: Basic PLUSIf you are anything like me by this time you have realized that the job market in America is almost at a stand still. Companies ... ...
Article Word Count: 609 [View Summary] Comments (0)
Of all of the social networking sites out there, YouTube has the most potential to build your MLM Business. Where else can you directly communicate with literally millions of potential customers, and all for the cost of making a cell phone video?
The answer is: nowhere else. Like Twitter, YouTube has the potential to generate almost infinite and free MLM leads. YouTube has taken the 'net by storm, going from a place to share videos of family trips into a network of millions that has catapulted thousands of virtual unknowns into instant celebrities.
You know who they are; the 'Chocolate Rain' guy, the sobbing, mascara wearing Britney fan, and even that computer generated dancing baby have garnered millions of hits. Why shouldn't your MLM business cash in, too.
Of course, any medium that has the potential draw the attention of millions of customers, and for free, has almost limitless MLM advertising potential. They key is to successfully tap into it. Any MLM business would be wasting a huge amount of potential (as wells as passing on thousands of potential free leads) if they did not take advantage of the huge pool of potential customers by getting themselves out there on YouTube. Fortunately, utilizing YouTube as a marketing tool for your MLM business is simple, and getting staggering results and numerous free leads are as well.
YouTube is currently being used as a primary advertising medium for many successful MLM businesses. For others, it is less successful. You may be wondering what the successful MLM businesses are doing that the unsuccessful MLM's are not. It is really quite simple; the most successful YouTube advertisers are using YouTube for what it is: a social site. Its use as a MLM advertising site was only secondary. And while it may be tempting to look at your marketing from and MLM salesman's point of view, the key to utilizing YouTube is to be social. Get yourself out there. Check out some videos, comment.
Post video responses to the more popular videos. Let the traffic that is already being generated by the most popular videos generate hits for your ads and MLM business. It is simple mathematics. Set yourself up for success by using the most successful videos as foundations for your links and the free leads will start piling up.
Also, don't underestimate entertainment value. Be funny. Be honest. Be relevant. Remember, most people go out of their way to avoid ads, so market you in a way that doesn't appear to be commercial. You may be asking yourself when a commercial is not commercial. The answer is simple: when it's audience sees it as entertainment. How do you achieve this magical balance for your MLM? By showing off not only your expertise, but your down-to-earth nature; and by doing so in a way that potential free leads find entertaining. Do something that your potential free leads watch because they want to hear what you are saying, and conversely end up wanting to buy what you are selling.
Be clear that you can (and want to) help people to help themselves. People are more likely to react positively to your videos if you come across like a friend rather than a MLM salesman.
On a technical note, you want to make sure that the titles for your ads and their descriptions are SEO friendly. With millions of videos on YouTube, you want your MLM ads to be at the top of the list when someone conducts a search. Finally, have fun. People surf YouTube's videos, for the most part, to be entertained. So entertain them and watch your site traffic and leads snowball.
Sandra Essex is a TOP Producing internet Marketer. She enjoys helping new people learn how to build their business over the internet. I'm 53 years old and if I can learn these skills anybody can!
Tuesday, June 30, 2009
Post From the Twitter Home Page
But isn't Twitter about social networking?
Why limit who I network with?
Twitter may facilitate social networking, but we're not specifically a social networking website. In fact, the way Twitter works is quite different from social networks: when you accept friend requests on social networks, it usually means you appear in that person's network and they appear in yours.
Following on Twitter is quite different, because instead of indicating a mutual relationship, following is a one way action that means you want to receive information, in the form of Twitter updates, from a person or entity. Twitter allows people to opt in to (our out of) receiving a person's updates without requiring mutual following.
If you have a public account, I can follow you but you don't have to follow me. Unlike most social networks, you follow me on Twitter NOT for the sake of a mutual connection, but because you want to get my updates, regardless of whether or not I get yours. If I want to read your updates too, I can-- and unlike social networks, if you change your mind and un-follow me, it doesn't stop me from continuing to follow you.
If you follow too many people, there is no way you can keep up with everyone's updates in your home page. If you're following more than 2000 people, you're missing quite a few updates from many people you follow. You can view a profile page to catch up with someone's latest updates.
If you need to communicate with someone but don't need to see their updates everyday, don't follow them. Send them an @reply when you need to; it doesn't require following and your update will appear in the person's replies tab, so they can reply back.
If you really need to follow someone and you've hit a limit, just go to your followers page and remove people whose updates you don't need to see everyday. (Hint: you'll only see a direct message link for people currently following you.)
Why limit who I network with?
Twitter may facilitate social networking, but we're not specifically a social networking website. In fact, the way Twitter works is quite different from social networks: when you accept friend requests on social networks, it usually means you appear in that person's network and they appear in yours.
Following on Twitter is quite different, because instead of indicating a mutual relationship, following is a one way action that means you want to receive information, in the form of Twitter updates, from a person or entity. Twitter allows people to opt in to (our out of) receiving a person's updates without requiring mutual following.
If you have a public account, I can follow you but you don't have to follow me. Unlike most social networks, you follow me on Twitter NOT for the sake of a mutual connection, but because you want to get my updates, regardless of whether or not I get yours. If I want to read your updates too, I can-- and unlike social networks, if you change your mind and un-follow me, it doesn't stop me from continuing to follow you.
If you follow too many people, there is no way you can keep up with everyone's updates in your home page. If you're following more than 2000 people, you're missing quite a few updates from many people you follow. You can view a profile page to catch up with someone's latest updates.
If you need to communicate with someone but don't need to see their updates everyday, don't follow them. Send them an @reply when you need to; it doesn't require following and your update will appear in the person's replies tab, so they can reply back.
If you really need to follow someone and you've hit a limit, just go to your followers page and remove people whose updates you don't need to see everyday. (Hint: you'll only see a direct message link for people currently following you.)
Monday, June 29, 2009
Middle of The Market......Seth Godin Article
Repost
Posted by Seth Godin on June 29, 2009 Permalink TrackBack (0)
The paradox of the middle of the market
The middle of the market is the juicy part, where profit meets scale.
The paradox is that it's almost impossible to make a product or service for this segment, because they want the tried, the true and the boring.
A friend writes a blog and books for this market. They need his writing. He delivers a lot of value. And yet, it's going to take years (if ever) before he reaches them. That's because this market doesn't seek out new ideas, doesn't leave comments on blogs, doesn't spend a lot of time urging others to check out this new thing. He's spending all his focus on this market, and they're not repaying his focus with their attention.
The middle of the market is the home of Sinatra, Diamond, and Streisand. There's an endless list of others that would like to break in, but it rarely happens. The leading edge of the market is a lot smaller, but far easier to cater to, because those folks are looking and listening and talking. The middle will catch up, eventually, but that doesn't mean you have to bet on them.
In my post yesterday, I talked about the temptation to merely pander to the geeks. It's not that difficult to write a blog, for example, that repeatedly shows up on Digg or Reddit. The thing is, this audience is fickle and they don't often convert into paying customers or long-term fans. It's not that difficult to be haute couture, to be fashionable, cutting edge or fickle. What's difficult is figuring out how to make it pay.
I'm not talking about compromising or dumbing down your product. A very hot hot sauce is remarkable. A sort of hot one is boring, and no one, not even the geeks will talk about it. I'm talking about designing products that are simultaneously remarkable and palatable to people in the middle of the market.
The middle of the market is a paradox because of the inherent contradiction between the ease of reaching the nerds and the geeks and the need to reach the middle. The solution, if there is one, is to enter a market to the enthusiastic cheers of those in search of the new, but to build a product/service that appeals to those in the middle. After the initial wave of enthusiasm, you hunker down and ignore those that first embraced you, obsessing instead on the needs and networks of the middle. It's a difficult balancing act, but it's the only one that works.
Ultimately, you end up disappointing the hard core that first found you, but because of their initial enthusiasm (and more important, because you designed your work for the masses in the first place), your product crosses the chasm and reaches a larger group. The formula starts with a service or product that's purple enough to spread, but not so hyper-fashionable that it merely entertains the insiders.
Technorati Links • Save to del.icio.us (44 saves, tagged: marketing business sethgodin) • Digg This! (2 Diggs) • Email this • Stumble It! (1 Reviews) • Subscribe to this feed • Share on Facebook • Twit This!
Posted by Seth Godin on June 28, 2009 Permalink TrackBack (0)
Posted by Seth Godin on June 29, 2009 Permalink TrackBack (0)
The paradox of the middle of the market
The middle of the market is the juicy part, where profit meets scale.
The paradox is that it's almost impossible to make a product or service for this segment, because they want the tried, the true and the boring.
A friend writes a blog and books for this market. They need his writing. He delivers a lot of value. And yet, it's going to take years (if ever) before he reaches them. That's because this market doesn't seek out new ideas, doesn't leave comments on blogs, doesn't spend a lot of time urging others to check out this new thing. He's spending all his focus on this market, and they're not repaying his focus with their attention.
The middle of the market is the home of Sinatra, Diamond, and Streisand. There's an endless list of others that would like to break in, but it rarely happens. The leading edge of the market is a lot smaller, but far easier to cater to, because those folks are looking and listening and talking. The middle will catch up, eventually, but that doesn't mean you have to bet on them.
In my post yesterday, I talked about the temptation to merely pander to the geeks. It's not that difficult to write a blog, for example, that repeatedly shows up on Digg or Reddit. The thing is, this audience is fickle and they don't often convert into paying customers or long-term fans. It's not that difficult to be haute couture, to be fashionable, cutting edge or fickle. What's difficult is figuring out how to make it pay.
I'm not talking about compromising or dumbing down your product. A very hot hot sauce is remarkable. A sort of hot one is boring, and no one, not even the geeks will talk about it. I'm talking about designing products that are simultaneously remarkable and palatable to people in the middle of the market.
The middle of the market is a paradox because of the inherent contradiction between the ease of reaching the nerds and the geeks and the need to reach the middle. The solution, if there is one, is to enter a market to the enthusiastic cheers of those in search of the new, but to build a product/service that appeals to those in the middle. After the initial wave of enthusiasm, you hunker down and ignore those that first embraced you, obsessing instead on the needs and networks of the middle. It's a difficult balancing act, but it's the only one that works.
Ultimately, you end up disappointing the hard core that first found you, but because of their initial enthusiasm (and more important, because you designed your work for the masses in the first place), your product crosses the chasm and reaches a larger group. The formula starts with a service or product that's purple enough to spread, but not so hyper-fashionable that it merely entertains the insiders.
Technorati Links • Save to del.icio.us (44 saves, tagged: marketing business sethgodin) • Digg This! (2 Diggs) • Email this • Stumble It! (1 Reviews) • Subscribe to this feed • Share on Facebook • Twit This!
Posted by Seth Godin on June 28, 2009 Permalink TrackBack (0)
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