Posts with the tag 'Hi 5 Marketing message'
My buddy Jim is a member of the First Collaborative Credibility Cluster, the very same CCC I’m in, the very same one that’s one of many brainchildren of Russell Cox, who’s… you guest it, another member of CCC#1!
Jim wrote a post at Community and Business on the CCC’s shared community website. Jim’s got a great sense of humor and he loves puns. In this post he’s asked, “What is the Web 2.0 Refrigerator Magnet?”
Great question, Jim. And I’ve got an answer for you…
Ah, Jim, there will always be a place in the world for ‘old fashion’ marketing! The answer to becoming known as an expert in your field or an authority in your niche is not an either/or, yes/no answer. It’s “Yes, and…” You want what I call a “HI-5 Marketing Message.” Imagine you could ‘Hi-5″ all your ideal prospects and clients in all your communications with them. Imagine you could deliver a message that’s Heart-Inspired, Integrated, interactive, Internet and Information-based.
How does HI-5 messaging relate to Web 2.0? For Jim’s post, the key word in the explanation of what a HI-5 message is Integrated. An integrated message platform weaves together traditional media channels with ‘old’ Web 1.0 tools, techniquest, technologies, and winning strategies with the new Web 2.0 and the coming Web 3.0 ones.
I want to get back to answering the question Jim asked in his post: “What is the Web 2.0 equivilant of the refergerator magnet?”
Hey, I think this is a great question to ask the LinkedIn community. We’ll get great ideas. And we’ll be building the web of links we’re weaving in Web 2.0.
By the way, in the spirit of taking a HI-5 message to the next level, I’d trade my refrigerator magnet in for:
- a bumper sticker with a URL that’s easy to read from the car behind
- a series of Tweets and re-tweets
- a conversation in Facebook or in your vibrant online community
- a continued asynchronous dialog among members of our CCC and anyone else who wants to participate
- a banner ad on your site and those of your strategic alliance partners and raving fans
- a real time conversation…
- on the phone, of course, as we live thousands of miles apart.
- We’ll record our conversation so we can turn it into
- a podcast which we’ll submit to podcast directories so anyone can find it and listen to at their convenience.
- an audio on each of our websites and our community groupsites.
- We’ll also transcribe the audio track and turn it into an article, a blog post, an e-book or e-course.
- a YouTube video of two or more someones who looks like a present day average Joe or Jane. In fact, they’re wearing T-shirts with the refrig magnet’s message on the front and back, with logos, of course.
- First this person goes to their mailbox to get and open the envelope with a refrigerator magnet inside, then
- Then he walks to their refrig where they place the magnet.
- Then she walks to their computer and looks at the banner ad, the blog post, and clicks on the audio play button to listen to the conversation.
- Then they walk to their car, T-shirts clearly visible and read-able, they get into the car, and as the car drives away with them waving, the camera zooms in to focus on the bumper sticker.
- What’s the bumper sticker say? You guessed it. The same message that’s on the magnet!
So, all of the above are my suggestions for the Web 2.0 equivalent of refrigerator magnets.
What are your ideas?
And what about your suggestions for what would appear on those magnets, bumper stickers, T-shirts, titles, and such?
Here are a few of mine:
“Want to make more money? HI-5 your audience.” www.MarketingToYOURworld.com
“Want to grow your business? Trade your refrigerator magnet in for a bumper sticker.” www.MarketingToYOURworld.com
What’s your HI-5 marketing message? Share it here and you’re building your audience. in Web 2.0. In fact, you’ve made your Web 2.0 refrigerator magnet. Now pass it on wherever you’re communicating with YOUR ideal clients and prospects.
“Whether you’re doing business around the corner or around the globe, take YOUR message to YOUR World!” www.MarketingToYOURworld.com
Tags: Develop Your Audience, Hi 5 Marketing message, Information Marketing, Internet Marketing, Web 2.0
December 21st, 2009
My friend and co-teacher of Develop Your Audience and Design Your Village with myself and creator of the courses, Russell Cox, is Your Book Publishing Coach. She’s written an article about why we recommend you start blogging today.
I’ll add a few comments of my own at the bottom of Diane’s article. Thanks you, Diane.
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Diane’s Article: 9 Good Reasons to Start a Blog
Do you have a blog yet?
If not, you should start one—today! As soon as you finish reading this article!
Why?
Here are at least nine good reasons why every author should have a blog.
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1. They are very easy to create, update, and maintain.
If you can write an email, you can create and keep up with a blog. Plus, it costs nothing! You don’t even necessarily need a web host (though it’s best to have it hosted on your own domain), a designer (most blogging platforms have templates from which you can choose), or anything fancy. You can literally set one up in five minutes or less.
You can go to www.wordpress.com and set one up there for free. If you already have a web site, see if you can install WordPress on your site. (If you have a C-panel where your domain is hosted, they often have something called Fantastico, which allows you to install a WordPress blog. For instance, with my web host, HostGator, it installs with very few, simple steps.)
Although I personally don’t prefer blogger.com, that’s another quick, easy, and free way to create a blog. You simply go to www.blogger.com , and follow their simple instructions on how to set one up.
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2. The search engines will find you quickly.
While it may take up to six months for the search engines to index your regular Web site (unless it’s an XSite Pro site, in which case you have search engine optimization superior even to blogs, in my opinion), with a blog you get found and searched within 24 hours!
Plus, blogs tend to get you a higher listing in the search engines. Why? Because search engines love content, and blogs are almost always pure content. Search engines also like fresh material. All you need to keep the search engines regularly indexing your blog is to post at least one paragraph, three times a week. Surely you can do that, right?
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3. Blogs enable other people to find you easily.
Related to the point above, people searching on your topic will find you quicker through a blog.
Also, you can easily link to other blogs and Web sites that are related to your topic, and they to you. This will again help your search engine rank, it will drive traffic to your blog and/or Web site (mine doubles every month because of this), and allow you to begin to create a “presence” on the Internet.
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4. Blogs allow you to interact with your readers.
Blogs allow other people to interact with your ideas, because they allow people to leave comments.
You can ask people questions about what they are interested in knowing about your topic, which can help you create a better book or information product. You can test ideas. You can ask for feedback on an article, post, or topic. You can tell them about something you have available and give them a link to another page on your Web site.You can update your book’s material via your blog, or answer questions from readers.
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5. Blogging can get you into a regular writing routine.
Hard to find time to write? Get into the habit of posting to your blog regularly, and you’ll have established a routine for writing. If you’re strategic about it, you can even write your next (for first) book via your blog—and get feedback along the way to boot!
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6. People can subscribe to your blog.
People can subscribe to be notified whenever you post to your blog, and receive notice via email or a feed to their own news groups. This can bypass email and spam filters and get your messages read.
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7. Blogs help you cement your relationship with your audience.
Readers love to feel connected to their favorite authors. If they know about your blog, chances are they will read everything you post. Don’t be afraid to share things about your personal life. Readers love it!
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8. Blogs help you establish your platform.
By keeping up with your industry and becoming a filter for your audience, you can establish your expertise via your blog. Find other people who are interested in your industry or topic, connect them to each other, and get them talking, debating, and sharing. In this way you become a thought leader, which leads me into the next reason….
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9. The media love blogs.
Media often pay attention to blogs. They too are looking for fresh content, new ideas, strong voices. They may find you, but it’s more effective if you supplement your blogging with press releases and personal contacts with the media. Point them to your blog for more information, and let them be impressed enough to put you on their “contact these experts” list.
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Diane Eble is a book publishing coach who connects authors (aspiring and published) with the resources, skills, and ideas they need to be well heard and well paid for what they love to do. Sign up at her website for news of articles and teleseminars at http://www.wordstoprofit.com. Check out her blog at http:/www.yourbookpublishingcoach.com. You might also want to listen to the replay of a teleseminar she did on blog security with Cathy Perkins, “the WordPress Wizard,” at http://www.publishingcoachweekly.com/teleseminarreplays.html. Check out Cathy’s Wizard Weekly teleseminars at http://www.your-blog-coach.com.
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Here are a few of my own thoughts:
10. Establish youreself as an expert in your field.
In fact, it makes you a VIP with VIP: A Very Important Professional with Valuable Information Products.
In case you’re wondering, Information Product is today’s buzz world for Intellectual Property. In fact, now you can get your knowledge, wisdom, and expertise, AKA your intellectual property, from your head into a multitude of media channels. Many of these channels serve as both the message and the channel through which you deliver your message. You become more visible and credible which leads to becoming more profitable.
And you can more easily than ever reuse and reuse and reuse the same information: a blog post can become a published article, a topic for discussion during a radio show online or off, which of course gets recorded and posted as a podcast as well as transcribed into another article.
Now you’ve got the makings of an e-book with a digital recording or two – voila, you’ve got a multi-media package. And it’s digital – once you’ve produced the original and set up the delivery channel – your website, clickbank, your blog, squidoo lense and more, the cost of selling additional copies is extremely low, which means your profit margin is extrememly high! Abd you’re now generating passive, residual income. How cool is that!
This is important to do if you’re looking to establish yourself as the go-to guy or gal in your profession.
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11. If you’re in career transition, start your blog right now!
Have you ever thought of starting a blog if you’re in or poossibly going to be in career transition?
If that’s you and you’re wondering yhy I’m recommending you start a blog, consider this:
If you were the person looking to hire someone, would you choose someone who is exactly who you’re looking for or someone who’s exactly who you’re looking for AND they’re a published author, well known in their field?
Having your own blog gives you a degree of credibility others won’t have.
And if you’ve got your own blog, you might get to start or take over the employer’s blog.
This two possibilities give you a strategic advantage. And how important is that in today’s competitive market.
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12. Turn your blog posts into articles.
With a little extra time you can polish a good post and turn it into a great article. Submit it to a few article banks, AKA article directories, and you’ve given yourself yet another strategic advantage. While search engines like blogs because they’re updated more frequently than the typical static website, they love articles archived at article banks that get a HUGE amount of traffic even more. Your article on selfgrowth.com, ezinearticles, and specialty directories like biznik.com will show up even higher in search results than your blog post. Check it out!
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Well, it’s after 8 am and I’m in Florida, so if I want to walk with my 5 pound dumbbells, I’d better get out there right now.
While I’m out walking, how about starting your blog, or if you’ve already got one, write a post and share it with me so I can comment.
And how about paying it forward! Find a friend who would benefit from having their own blog and help them start today!
Happy blogging!
Oh, how could I forget… having your own blog is one great way to take your message to YOUR World. Guess what?
That’s considered marketing! Breathe! I know many of you consider marketing a four letter word. Well, it’s abbreviation is. And that’s no reason to let your marketing resistance keep you from spreading the word about who you are, what you love to do, and who you want to serve, to help solve a problem, especially because they’re out there looking for you.
So, yes, you’ve just taken another huge action toward Shattering YOUR Marketing Resistance. Congratulations!
And if you know you suffer from Marketing Resistance Syndrome, if MRS is stealing your dreams, if you’re determined to be well seen, well heard, and well paid, and you’re ready to do whatever it takes to overcome YOUR Marketing Resistance, go to my website right now and register for my upcoming teleclass series, Shatter YOUR Marketing Resistance. The first session is free. AND there’s a huge savings if you register for the whole program before the first session. Instead of costing $197, you pay only $97, and you get to sign up a with Study Buddy for the same $97.
That’s a great deal, isn’t it? So before you start your blog or next blog post, go to my website and sign up with that buddy you’re going to help with their blog or someone else who’s ready to take their business to the next level and they know it’s time to shatter the resistance that’s been standing in the way
I’ll be announcing dates soon. And to insure we create a safe space for transformation through the class activities and sharings space is limited. So go sign up today and as soon as I’ve finalized all the details, you’ll be among the first to know.
Tags: Career transition, Develop Your Audience, Hi 5 Marketing message, Information Marketing, Marketing for Professionals, VIP with VIP, Why Blog
June 27th, 2009
This post is my comment to what Hans van ‘t Riet posted on the LinkedIn Group, “Inbound Marketing for Marketing Professionals.”
The title of his post is The TRUTH about Online Marketing! The Comfortable Illusion vs. the Uncomfortable Truth. Here’s what Hans wrote:
The Comfortable Illusion —– The Uncomfortable Truth
Remarkable advertising sells —– Only remarkable products are bought
You can target consumers —– Consumers might target you
Claim & seduce the market —– Honesty invites good customers
Marketing is about control —– You never have control
Your time, place, message —– The consumers time, place, content
Push hard enough and it works —– You need to work very hard to get pull
He also asked a few questions and made a great suggestion:
What are your take aways when you read this? Do you have other examples which underline this further? Please let me know here or even better, let me invite you to join this and other interesting discussions/news like this in our Strategy, Marketing & Innovation Forum by clicking below link: http://www.linkedin.com/groupRegistration?gid=1899487
Of course, I had to agree with Hans. I started what I thought would be a short comment. Half an hour later I was still writing. So I said to my VIP with VIP self, “Bonnie, this is good stuff. All professionals who want to be well seen, well heard, and well paid need to read this. Go add it to your blog right now. And then really polish it and submit it to a few article banks, like selfhelp.com, ezinearticles.com, and biznik.com. You’re an Information Marketing and Business Development Specialist. Model what you teach.”
So here’s my comment to Hans’ post:
Hans, thanks for being so honest. I know there are people making lots of $$$ online, many of them selling their products promising we can do the same ~ promising us instant success, no less! If only we’d buy and follow their proven method. I wish it were that quick and easy. As The Web Woman says, “Success on the Internet isn’t instant pudding.”
Because we all want a quick and easy path to success, we are vulnerable to thinking this guru or that product is the answer. We buy, maybe we read and/or listen. Then we find ourselves back where we started ~ suffering from Marketing Resistance Syndrome. If you’re feeling confused, overwhelmed and intimidated by what to do next and how to ‘do it all,’ welcome to MY World.
Maybe you’re uncomfortable promoting yourself and your product, maybe you don’t think you know how to language your message so ‘they’ get it, maybe you want to turn your knowledge, wisdom and experience into information products and don’t know where to start, maybe it’s how to package and price what you’re offering so your prospects KNOW you’re the right person for them.
The good news is these are obstacles we all face at one time or another. The difference between those who succeed and those who flounder? Those who persist and make continuous progress turning their dreams into reality are willing to overcome any obstacle that appears in their way whether it’s real or imagined. How? their dream, their passion, their purpose, their vision for a better future for themselves and their clients/customers is so BIG they are willing to do whatever it takes to get the job done.
THIS IS HUGE! The attitude of “I CAN & I WILL!” assumes there is a solution ~ probably more than one, or two, or three. The challenge then is to find and implement one.
This is a much smoother path to success than what happens when we wonder, “Can I? Is there a way?” Why? because implied in those questions is the possible no. Then you have to convince yourself there is.
Having worked with thousands of professionals and spoken to thousands more, I’m convinced there are a first things we each need to do before we start another new marketing project:
* Shatter YOUR Marketing Resistance.
Start with believing YOU CAN!!! YOU WILL!!!
* Look at what you’re already doing and give yourself credit for those things. Then ask yourself, others you trust, and maybe even an expert or two, what you could do to make it better. I’ll share A simple example: what’s your email address? If you nave a domain, yet your address ends in aol, yahoo, gmail or the like, you’re hurting your professional presentation. Contact the company where you registered your domain name and have them set you up an email box that looks like this: YourName@YourDomain.com. That’s so easy.
A bit more challenging to set up a way for you to receive emails sent there. For example, I use Outlook so I had to set up Outlook to check my email box, bonnie@marketingtoyourworld.com. Notice I said only a bit more challenging. Either the customer support person at the domain registration company, or your web master, or a friend will help you do this. All you have to do is ask. For someone who’s done this before, it’s a very quick and easy task.
Then next time you get your business cards printed, change your email address. Go change it on your website, blog, all social networking profiles immediately.
You may think it’s only a small thing. And in one sense it is. Yet every little thing you do to build a solid, well-crafted and integrated brand is one more brick in your solid foundation. It’s one more thing you can feel good about doing. And taking action is one of the best ways to Shatter YOUR Marketing Resistance!
* Learn more about the “new-to-you” marketing tools and techniques.
While there are lots of them, there are only four, yes 4 ways to share and receive information… Yes, you read that right. Here they are: text, graphics, audio and video. Everything, yes everything you hear about uses one or more of these four to communicate: blogs, webinars, websites, articles, podcasts, ezines, e-radio… all new words used to describe unique ways of producing, packaging, and delivering information. I
* Develop a strategic plan to achieve your desired business outcomes.
It’s not instant pudding AND it’s not ‘one size fits all.’ If you know you don’t have the expertise to evaluate your current marketing / media mix, STOP! Before you choose the next thing you start, before you dive into the deep end ~ again ~ waste precious time, money, and energy, and worse ~ feel even more disappointed, frustrated and overwhelmed than before, spend the time and, if necessary the money, to evaluate what you’re already doing, how to optimize these, and what is the smartest, best, most powerful thing or things that are best for YOU to learn, do and master next.
A few things done well ~ woven into a Hi-5 Marketing Strategy ~ one that’s Heart-Inspired, Interactive, Integrated, Internet and Information-based ~ will produce far better results than many things done poorly, haphazardly, without focus of purpose.
And remember, marketing alone isn’t enough to produce the success of your dreams. While you are developing the strategic plan and taking daily actions to do what needs to be done, take the time to look at how you run your business. You want to have a solid business infrastructure with tested and proven processes for things like practice management and customer care so you can easily take exceptional care of new clients while treating your existing ones like gold. And remember, to look at your systems and procedures for managing basic business functions like finances, administration, human resources,legal and such.
In addition, it’s time to turn your expertise from words you repeate day in and day out into information products. Your clients and prospects would LOVE to take you home, learn from you at their convenience, and share with others how you’re helping them. It’s time to become known as an expert in your field.
The best way?
* Become a VIP with VIP ~ A Very Important Professional with Valuable Information Products.
You’ll be amazed and delighted at how easy this is to do and what it takes to market these products… when you develop a plan that’s right for YOU, your style, your budget, your current skill level, your available time and energy.
What I’m saying makes sense, doesn’t it? If you know in your heart you need to stop and build a solid foundation before adding anything new to your marketing, STOP! Take a deep breath, let it out slowly. Do that again… maybe a few times. Know there is hope. You have what it takes. KNOW THAT!
If you know that’s what’s next for you and know you can’t do it alone, find a coach, a specialist, a strategist who can help you evaluate, plan, and then execute a well-crafted marketing strategy. Everything you do from there will turn out far better, and produce far better results. The time, money and energy you invest in the big picture will more than pay for itself in the results you get. I promise!
And if you’re ready to Shatter YOUR Marketing Resistance, sign up now for my upcoming teleclass series. I guarantee you’ll be transformed from the reluctant marketer to VIP with VIP! You can do it! Yes, you can!
Tags: Branding, Hi 5 Marketing message, Information Marketing, Information Products, Marketing for Professionals, Marketing Resistance Syndrome
June 24th, 2009
I just bought a new domain! I love buying them! Means I came up with a new name or tag I think’s worth owning and branding. Today’s domain:
Hi 5 YOUR Marketing Message
Heart-Inspired
Interactive
Integrated
Internet-based
Information-packed
Take your Hi5 Marketing Message to YOUR world!
That’s all for now.
The Energizer Bonnie
Tags: Hi 5 Marketing message
April 7th, 2009
