Adventures in Business and CRM

It seems that every time we turn around, there is some new Social Media website or application to keep us even more intertwined and attached to the webosphere.   If you utilize the popular social media sites right now, you are likely checking about 20 or 30 different accounts per day. There are sites to share photos, sites to share videos, sites to live-stream video footage of yourself, sites to display your GPS your location at any given time, and so much more. That’s a lot of time spent “socializing”. To a business owner, it’s hard to see the long-term benefits of going social. Social media has often been complained as a “time waster” by many of my friends and colleagues. They complain that each social network or site has it’s big shots, and that these big shots leave every aspect of their life on these social media sites.

This leads me to my ultimate question:

Does “Going  Social” mean you have to broadcast every aspect of your life to the internet? Does it mean that you have to twitter or update every time you eat lunch, buy an mp3, or take a walk?

No! In fact, most people tend to be annoyed by these types of updates. Unless you’re a celebrity (the Hollywood kind), people really aren’t that interested in whether you’re talking your dog for a walk, eating dinner, or boarding a flight to Los Angeles airport. Updating, also known as lifestreaming, has becoming an integral part of social media. In actuality, most people aren’t looking for your life’s details, they’re looking for advice, a confidant, or simply a new friend they can meet for latte’s the next time they happen to be in your locale.

Being social really means  putting yourself out there. You should be in it to make friends first, and make business last. Social media users are getting smarter and smarter to even the softest marketing tactics, and they have voiced many times over that they want friends, not robots, sale posts, and business icons on their social sites.

If you don’t think people care much about “updates”, just look at Facebook’s controversial new homepage layout. It’s a lot like Twitter, right? Over the past few years, Myspace, Facebook, LinkedIn, and other prominent social media sites have integrated the “update” function into their layout. They have access to all of the stats that likely show how much users like this feature… especially if it’s now being utilized across all major social media websites.

And remember, “What Are You Doing” doesn’t only mean “what are you doing”.

It can mean:

• What advice do you have for your network today?
• What important lesson did you learn today?
• Did anything funny happen today?
• Is anyone in my area who wants to meet for lunch or coffee?
• I’m at a convention… anyone else here who wants to meet?
• How are you feeling, and why?
• Come across any good articles or funny photos you’d like to share?
• Ready to offer a helping hand to someone who perhaps need a Digg, Stumble, or other prop?
• Who can I help today? Let’s chat!
• What do you guys think of this product? I’m thinking of getting one…

Updates are so much more than trivial details. They are making friends, helping others, and a great opportunity to add value.

What is your favorite way to utilize site updates?

Recently, I was having a pretty in-depth conversation with a colleague of mine who happens to be in an industry where innovation really matters. The newest, coolest, latest and greatest are all things that render big time success in his world. Money? Well, it’s no object in this industry. If you’re offering the best product, you can charge whatever you want, if it’s yours, and it’s one of a kind.

True Innovation and Business Success

This really made me think a lot about innovating in general. How many businesses do you see out there that are consistently trying to bring new into the world? New concepts, new ideas, new territory? Not too many, right? I mean, we all know Apple leads the way in this territory, simply because their type of innovation is generally the kind that most people can afford. Even I have an iPhone.  It was new, and it was very different. Truly an impressive piece of gadgetry.

Then we have the big money innovator companies like ultra high luxury car manufacturers, and amazingly high fashion clothing. These industries are in a consistent state of innovation. Last year’s product is hardly relevant today. Could you say the same about your business? If not, what if you could?

It would make you more money! It would be easier to market! HEY, it would be CHEAPER to market!

What if you took your concepts, and strived for innovation every time you re-marketed them? Consistent innovation where is generally isn’t called for… reminds me a lot of what Apple did. They changed a lot about technology in a relatively short amount of time. They made it trendy, colorful, and downright awesome at times. (and I’m not even a fangirl!)  They took a great product and made it more interesting. Gave it more appeal, and then charged quite a bit more money for it.

Innovating Makes Marketing Simpler

Imagine how tweaking a few of your products or services for the times can render better results when it comes to marketing? If your sales are down, perhaps you aren’t offering exactly what is being needed at that time. We fail and we learn. Tweaking a product or a service isn’t really admitting failure, it’s being strong, dedicated, and best of all; flexible. If you aren’t flexible, you’re losing out on a lot of money.

So go forth, grow your sales, make more money and sprinkle some innovation into your ideas!

Ever wish you had someone you could ask any question to and they’d instantly give you a viable answer that you were almost always satisfied with? Someone you could ask even your most embarrassing questions to? Someone who will always be there for you, never judge, never snitch…someone who always gives it to you straight?  Have an idea for a new business… run it by your all-knowing answer giver. Need a quick recipe to getting rich fast?

Oh this guy has a lot of “Get Rich Fast” answers for you.

I am referring to the all-knowing awesomeness that is Google. If you’re like the average or above average web searcher, you’re constantly throwing questions at Google. If you don’t, don’t worry… then you’re actually using search terms, which generally renders better results anyhow. The other 80% of the populous seems to be on the “Ask Google a Question” train. They approach Google with their most burning questions, and expect an instant answer.

The Question is: As A Marketer – How Do I Capitalize On This?

The truth is that many internet marketers aren’t doing one of their most important due diligence tasks before throwing themselves fully into the internet marketing game; and that’s studying the search habits of those same users that they’re targeting.

What is your user really searching for, and how are they searching for it?

To answer this basic question, set up a blog or small site on any topic of niche’ that you’re looking to know more about. Grow the site, post regularly, and watch your web analytics closely. You want to look specifically at the search terms people are using to find your site.  What are they? You may notice some astonishing results. Some may seem completely irrelevant.

Many of the search terms that people are typing into Google to find your website are questions.

What kinds of questions are your users asking? What do they want to know? The answers may be surprising to you.

Some interesting questions some of my own readers used to find my site:

• “How can I Build Trust in Sales?”
• “Why no one ever notices my online marketing efforts?”
• “How do I admit marketing weakness?”
• “How Can I save money on my internet marketing?”
• “How did someone find my website?”
• “Is My Website Updated?”
• “How do I redesign my website?”
• “Why Isn’t my Business Growing?”

Take a look at the questions your users are asking to get to your site. This is really priceless information that you can really use to your advantage.

What are your users asking?