Small Business Revitalization Blog

Today we're welcoming Guest Blogger Lauren Neilson from ISP Media... enjoy!

YouTube is well known and well used. With something from just about every category you can think of from music, to charity and not-for-profit, through to education - it really does seem to have it all.

Now owned and run by Google, the site has a global reach with the functionality and brand awareness to back it up. But can it help you promote your business, products and services?

YouTube opens up a world of promise for business to promote their products and services, showcase your knowledge and expertise, monitor the success of advertising campaigns, encourage new interest from previously untapped or unreachable markets, enhance your brand awareness and more.

While there is a lot of time and effort involved, the broad ranging benefits of this channel are impressive and extremely cost effective.

It is very easy and free to open a YouTube account; however, you will need a Gmail account to sign up. If you do not have one they will happily walk you through the registration process (also free).

The site is very easy to use and has a familiar social media layout and feel to it. The navigation is clear and easy to follow and you can edit just about everything to suit you, from your colour scheme right through to your home page layout.

How can I use this site to benefit my business?

• Create your own unique channel URL to direct users to that links back to your site and has your unique profile
• Embed your web address on all video files that you upload to guide users to your main site
• Integrate YouTube with your other Social Media tools (Twitter, Facebook)
• Broadcast free training videos to encourage interest in your business
• Embed your video files into your web site or blog
• Showcase your TV advertising in another medium
• Send a video message to clients to complement or introduce your eNewsletter
• Visually launch new products simultaneously with your offline launch
• Promote and showcase your services
• Promote and showcase your products in action
• Promote and showcase yourself
• Broadcast seminar or speaking engagements
• Tag your video files with keywords to increase your searchability
• Categorise your video to make it easier for interested parties to find
• Use the YouTube community as a global focus group
• Get visual testimonials from your clients and put them on your blog and web site
• Discover real time trends in your industry by subscribing to related channels
• Guide clients to your video files anywhere in the world with the click of a mouse
• Encourage people to subscribe to your channel and gain a new audience for your business
• Utilise YouTube’s analytics tool, YouTube Insight, to hone your campaigns
• And if you get really popular, consider selling product placement in your videos

 
If it is a bit much initially, then simply create your free account, beef up your profile and begin engaging with the YouTube community. You can do this through searching, watching, selecting favourites and adding subscriptions to your account. Then when you are ready to launch into video, you will not be the new kid on the block!

I would like to end with a polite warning - this tool has the ability to bend the time space continuum to suck your valuable time into a vortex! It is extremely easy to get lost in space and time with YouTube. Not only is the content intoxicating, it is just a hop, click and a jump over to the myriad of Google tools (toys) and if you are not careful, you can spend hours in the exhilarating maze that is Google!

My hot tip is to treat YouTube and Google (including its ever expanding applications) like your grocery shopping, i.e. only visit the items on your list, follow this rule and you should be able to avoid spending over your allocated time budget every time!



About Lauren:
Lauren Neilson, co-founder of ISP Media - an internet marketing and web development business launched in 2000, has been has been researching,  socialising, blogging, publishing, surfing, writing, commenting and more recently tweeting about internet marketing strategies for over 9 years. You can find Lauren and ISP Media on LinkedIn, Twitter, the ISP Media Blog and most other places where Australian business meets the web! Please feel welcome to get online and get social with Lauren and ISP Media!
Connect here:  Email    Twitter    Blog    Website     LinkedIn - ISP Media     Lauren Neilson's LinkedIn Profile    

Image: FlickrCCYtseJamPhotography

Many businesses build their brand by educating potential customers. Informative, high quality content promotes what they do and demonstrates their expertise.  However, it pays to think of your content as the vehicle – i.e. content is plentiful and everyone has some!

What makes the difference and accelerates your results (besides an effective content marketing strategy!) is how you express your bliss.

Would you prefer to do business with a person who loves what they do and expresses it in all the ways they interact with you, or with someone who has one foot in the grave and simply can’t be bothered in making your experience with their business blissful?

The same applies to anything you write or produce as video or audio – how do you express your bliss?  When you have clarity and enthusiasm in expressing what you know, it’s contagious… and that is the point of content marketing… when you do it well it will accelerate how fast you can share your bliss with the world!!  

Here’s two examples of sharing business bliss through content marketing that really kick butt!!  Is it time to up the ante on how you share content with prospects?

Video: Doing Great Work (rather than bad or good work...)

Via Flickr: Intersection Consulting

Marketing guru Seth Godin has said ‘Content marketing is the only marketing left.’   New technologies mean traditional mass media is fast being overtaken by brands as publishers of content.  It’s easy to publish content online, but much more challenging to achieve tangible business results (like sales!)  Why?

As a business coach, I see a common marketing mistake that many small businesses make – they mistake participating in social media for actually having a content management strategy.  Here’s seven reasons why small business owners need to start with the strategy rather than the social media networks…

1. Activity (or busyness) in social media domains does not equate to goal achievement. It’s expensive to create content (time and/or money) – if your content distribution strategy isn’t clear you’re shooting blindly and wasting valuable resources.
2. Publishing is now marketing and marketing is now publishing. Your influence stems from your value.  Your value stems from your content and your relationships.
3. Until you answer the why… e.g. What are the informational needs of my customers?  What pain points can my brand address?  What brand story are we telling?... your strategy will be incoherent and won’t deliver results.  Relevance is key.  Listening is core to success.
4. Google already pushes Twitter updates through their organic search results and in February 2010 it was announced that Facebook Fan Page content is next – what keywords, key messages and topics will you be found for? The rules for being found by organic search are changing quickly!
5. Without a clear and relevant content marketing strategy, you’ll attract followers who are irrelevant to your business – there’s no point having 50,000 followers if they aren’t in your target audience.  How do you feed your ‘ideal client’ into your traffic generation strategy?  With content your ideal client needs!
6. Productivity – without a clear strategy, there will be no clarity about how all the pieces of your social media marketing connect together… which means it’s impossible to manage the distribution and flow of content in a meaningful way for your prospects and partners.
7. The answer to every question you have about online marketing of your business will come back to ‘it depends… on your content marketing strategy.’  Without one, your ship is rudderless.

Want to explore how to develop an effective content management strategy for your business?  Attend the Revive Coaching Playshop in Brisbane on 8 October 2010 - Book today.

What is your best strategy for managing content?  Share your thoughts in the comments section below.

Via Flickr: Annie Mole

If you are publishing content on a blog, you need a strategy.  Without one you are shooting at moving targets and missing opportunities to hit the triple jackpot of being visible, valued and visionary! John Batelle, creator of Wired magazine recently stated that for brands to stay relevant and develop a true online experience for their customers, they must master the art of content creation.

Here are a few tips to take the mystery out of blogging... whether you are a technophobe, unable to string a sentance together or just completely confused... ;-) successful blogging is possible!

• Blogging technology:  If your website does not have its own inbuilt blogging system (many content management systems do) then it’s better to use www.Wordpress.org with your own domain name rather than other free software.  You can use sites like Facebook or a Ning site as an alternative however you cannot use your own domain name and you lack control over your content – far from ideal!
• Content marketing strategy:  It’s essential to have a clearly developed content marketing strategy… why, what, how… etc! Without a strategy you’ll waste a lot of time and resources.
• Valuable content: You should only blog if you have plenty of valuable content that your target audience would be interested in.  Contrary to some of the advice out there, writing inane dribble about nothing won’t do you any favors in the search engines or elsewhere!
• Writing alternatives:  It doesn’t matter if you can’t write – use audio / video / photos and put just a few words around each idea.  Or, record your ideas and have someone transcribe and edit them.
• Developing connections: Get over the idea of ‘I don’t know what to write’ by talking to people about their challenges in the area your business serves.  Write about the solutions to those challenges in a way that invites people to respect you and share your ideas with others.
• Meeting deadlines:  invite other related professionals to ‘guest blog’ on your blog on a monthly basis – gives you more great content and they’ll probably promote your blog to their followers.
• Promoting your content: ensure you promote your blog posts in other social forums – ‘build it and they will come’ is generally only true in the movies!!!  Your blog offers the core content, social media are the outposts that create visibility.

Want to develop an effective content management strategy for your business?  Attend the Revive Coaching Playshop in Brisbane on 8 October 2010 - Book today!

What is your biggest challenge with blogging?  Please share your thoughts in the comments section below.

Today we're welcoming Guest Blogger Lauren Neilson from ISP Media... enjoy!

Since social media has exploded onto the scene, a new set of cultural rules have emerged to accommodate each tool and it sometimes it can feel like there is a secret handshake to gain access that no-one told you about!

Firstly, it is important to understand that all social mediums were not created equal! Socialising approaches are different for each channel, for example, I would not post on my blog in the same tone that I tweet, and I would utilise a different approach when updating my Facebook page in comparison to updating my LinkedIn account.

The manner in which you relate to your followers, fans, friends, tweeps, readers, contacts and associates, should mirror the social sophistication of the platform you are communicating through. Now, I can almost feel you breaking out into a cold sweat and asking yourself not only how you are going to figure this out, but when could you possibly find the time?

If you are just beginning, don’t be afraid, embrace social media with open arms, revel in your newbie status and take the time to learn the ropes as you go!

To get you started I am going to share with you some universal rules that span all platforms. Then as you ease into each of your chosen social mediums, your confidence will begin to soar and you will be wondering how you ever lived without them!

Give and Ye Shall Receive
Sharing is all par for the social media course. Sharing your expertise, your ideas, your thoughts, yourself and your business with others, is a great way to get noticed. Answer questions, offer solutions, suggest someone that can help if appropriate - by giving as much (if not) more than you receive – you will be well on your way to social media stardom.

Avoid Becoming Known as a Keyboard Cowboy
While the term is reasonably new, the “type” is as old as the hills. Remember the old adage, “if you don’t have anything nice to say, don’t say anything at all.” Well this is one saying that for the most part, should be adhered to. Trashing people or companies online is a sure way to get noticed for all the wrong reasons and you are sending it global – so the whole world will know to avoid you!

Cheats Never Prosper
Do not forward Mafia War invites to your professional contacts, do not send them links to test their IQ, and for the love of all things digital, do not offer to reveal the secrets of getting thousands of Twitter followers with one easy click - you will become very unpopular very quickly! Phishing and spamming your followers, friends, fans and tweeps is just not on!

Don’t Throw Stones in Glasshouses
The online community may be separated by distance, dots and digits, but they do tend to look after their own – you never know who knows whom online. Forgive those who may have wronged you in a previous life and move on, build a bridge, seriously - just get over it! Don’t air your dirty laundry out on the world stage for all to see, it is very unbecoming and is generally frowned upon in social circles!

Be Your Own Value Add
Before you hit the send live button, you should consider asking yourself, “Am I adding value in any way by sharing this information?” Try to share more than just a never ending list of your product or service specials, provide hints, tips, and suggestions, and physically interact through meaningful dialogue with the people in your chosen community. Do this and they will return the favour. Social media is about participating not advertising!

Practice Active Listening
Some people will use social media to vent at you, to you, about you, or your business. Before you shoot back a heated or defensive response, take a minute to actually listen to the real motivation behind their barrage. If you take the time to listen, you may actually learn something new about your business, resolve the issue amicably and potentially gain a client for life! 

Show Some Respect
This is the easiest rule to follow and probably the most critical. Be professional and polite, if you would not want it done to or said about you, then don’t do it or say it within your community. Consider this - If you would not direct your comments about people in a face-to- face situation, why would it be appropriate to do so online. Use your offline moral compass online – it’s that easy!

It’s all about the Relationship
The final overarching rule is to use social media the way it was intended. Build quality relationships with the people you interact with through your community, engage your readers and be engaged by others! This medium is a fantastic way to grow your network of quality professional and personal contacts, some you will most likely never meet in person, but that won’t stop them from referring you to a friend, offering quality advice when you ask for it or brainstorming with you to help get you over a hump!

Happy socialising!
 
About Lauren:
Lauren Neilson, co-founder of ISP Media - an internet marketing and web development business launched in 2000, has been has been researching,  socialising, blogging, publishing, surfing, writing, commenting and more recently tweeting about internet marketing strategies for over 9 years. You can find Lauren and ISP Media on LinkedIn, Twitter, the ISP Media Blog and most other places where Australian business meets the web! Please feel welcome to get online and get social with Lauren and ISP Media!
Connect here:  Email    Twitter    Blog    Website     LinkedIn - ISP Media     Lauren Neilson's LinkedIn Profile    

Now, at this point, many hard-nosed business owners will be thinking, "What do you mean creativity? Have you forgotten we're in a recession? Got better things to do with my time and resources!"  So, this is the moment when I’m going to ask you to forget your tunnel vision, and focus with total laser vision instead! I promise you won’t be sorry!

Marketing Guru Seth Godin says that “Ideas That Spread, Win”.  Now I bet you are thinking, yes, but my product isn’t interesting enough, isn’t innovative, isn’t new, isn’t….. whatever!

Just because what you are selling may be “boring”, does not mean you or your company should be! So, if your business was offering something boring, say a blender, what could you do to make people take notice of your offer? Take a look at this...



Is it cheesy?  Sure!   Is it cheap advertising? Well how would you like to spend $50 on props, make 5 ‘homegrown’ videos and get over six million views on YouTube within one week? BlendTec make the world’s best blenders, but until they thought creatively about their marketing, no-one knew! 

Is it worth starting a creative revolution in your business? Well, as business owners and managers, you know that results are where the rubber meets the road.  Since the introduction of the videos:

• Overall sales increased 43% in the first six months;
• Blendtec's consumer sales increased 500% in 2007;
• Website traffic increased 650%;
• The extended ‘Will It Blend’ campaign has received over 100 million views on YouTube;
• The campaign provided a breakthrough in market segmentation – previously the company was primarily a commercial blender manufacturer;
• Marketing department is now a profit centre for BlendTec!

So, what can we learn about combining creativity and marketing?

1. Be compelling, be quirky, be different.
2. Be entertaining, be surprising.
3. Be willing to experiment.
4. Solve a problem or provide proof your product works.
5. Create a personality for your business.
6. Be prepared to leverage your success.
7. Use social media to your advantage!

Creativity is about culture.  What can you do to encourage creativity in your organization?

Everywhere I look at the moment there is buzz around using social media as a marketing tool!  Twitter and Facebook are constantly in the news and the growth of 'how to' information is almost overwhelming.  It was refreshing to come across some great social media statistics today that shed some light on what's really happening out there! Over 800 businesses were surveyed by Michael A Stelzner from the Social Media Marketing Industry Report and the tangible results being achieved were very encouraging, especially as using social media is free (except for your time investment):

• Generated exposure for my business (81%)
•  Increased my traffic, subscribers or opt-in list (61%)
• Resulted in new business partnerships (56%)
• Helped us rise in the search rankings (52%)
• Generated qualified leads (48%)
• Reduced overall marketing expenses (45%)
• Helped me close business (35%)

So what is your social media strategy?  If you don't have one, now is the time to start!  Email me if you'd like my free 'Get Started on Twitter' guide! Of course, for Revive Coaching clients, there will be a much more comprehensive guide coming your way soon!

Just for the record, after being on Twitter for less than two weeks, I received my first prospective client enquiry!  How does it get any better than that?

Most people jump in without knowing why they are using a specific social networking site, don’t know what they want to get out of it, don’t know how to use it effectively, and then say ‘it didn’t work for my business!’ Here are five uses for social media which will help your business grow…if you effectively strategise your actions and interactions!!

1. Building profile – for many small business owners, you are the brand – represent yourself well!
2. Building relationships – engaging two-way interaction is essential – learn to listen.
3. Educating prospective clients – offering new information, insights and ideas will encourage quality lead generation to occur over time.
4. Market research – be observant, find out what's important to your target audience right now...
5. Creating collaborations, joint ventures and partnerships with complementary businesses.

For another 50 ways to use social media, see this great list from Chris Brogan.

Want to see how my strategy plays out?  You can connect to me here:
LinkedIn:  http://www.linkedin.com/in/enrichedenterprises
Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/people/Lisa-Murray/1469693584
Twitter: www.twitter.com/ReviveCoaching

What else have you done or seen that can make social networking effective for businesses? Share it in the comments section below. If you'd like some coaching on marketing strategies, call the Revitalization Experts!