Avoiding the MySpace Mistake

Follow these eight dos and don'ts for marketing your small business through online social networking, and you won't be the bore of the party

by Kerry Miller

To believers, social networking sites like News Corp.'s (NWS) MySpace are powerful tools for building awareness, strengthening customer loyalty, and driving sales. Skeptics scoff that with free advertising, you get what you pay for. What both sides sometimes miss is that online social networking—like networking in the real world—is all about giving, not taking (see BusinessWeek.com, 3/26/07, "Network like an Entrepreneur"). We rounded up a slew of experts to share online networking best practices and common mistakes to avoid. Their top eight tips follow.

1. Forget the hard sell. Communications consultant Olivia Fox Cabane says that trying to sell your products, services, or yourself when you first meet someone is the fastest way to ruin a networking relationship before it begins. Instead, she suggests using your own tools and expertise to give something to the other person. On MySpace, too, the most successful businesses are ones that know how to give, whether it's a downloadable screensaver, a chef's exclusive recipes, or a roundup of upcoming local events. "This isn't a direct marketing tool, this is human communication," says Rob Key, chief executive officer of social marketing firm Converseon. "You don't have to beat people over the head."

2. Do your homework. Showing up in flip-flops at a white-tie event is no way to make a good impression. Even when properly attired, attending an event without researching the potential attendees is a waste of time, says Cabane. Online, your virtual behavior and dress is just as important. Online communities like MySpace, Google's (GOOG) YouTube, or Second Life have their own cultures, rules, and social mores that business people disrespect at their peril. Key recommends spending a few weeks experiencing a social networking site as a user before charging in with your business. "You don't want to be like those 45-year-olds hanging out at spring break," Key says.

3. Focus on quality over quantity. Collecting a thick stack of business cards may make you feel important, but it's not a very good way to glean useful contacts. Similarly, sending out flurries of MySpace friend requests probably isn't an efficient use of your time. Instead, Key says, focus on the quality of what you're providing. "If you're giving useful information to the community, you will get friends," he says.

4. Listen before you speak. Networking is a two-way conversation, so be prepared to interact. Beware of being the cocktail party equivalent of the bore who only talks about himself.

5. Authenticity counts. While a phony smile might get a few rolled eyes at a networking event, being reported as a spammer on MySpace can get you kicked off for good. And whether online or in-person, being uncovered as a fraud can trigger a damaging backlash.

6. Be engaging. Talking about the weather is no way to impress, and neither is the same old song and dance. Use your MySpace page to show off the persona of your business, and be sure to refresh your content regularly.

7. Always follow up. Establishing a new connection doesn't end when the party's over, and successful online social networking requires offline connections, too. Integration is key, says Linda Zimmer, president and CEO of social media consultancy MarCom:Interactive. For maximum impact, your MySpace address should be visible on your other printed materials, your Web site, and in your physical storefront, in order to "close the loop."

8. Think long term. Approaching a networking event with the expectation of leaving with a new contract or job offer is missing the point, and so is looking to MySpace for immediate results. "You need to give something to the community before you start looking for an ROI [return on investment]," says Key of Converseon. Although many businesses see a MySpace profile as a free virtual billboard, Rex Briggs, CEO of Marketing Evolution, a marketing ROI measurement firm, says that community outreach programs make for a better analogy. Giving back to the community has long-term value, even if it doesn't show up on today's balance sheet.

Miller is a reporter with BusinessWeek.com in New York.

Make an Offer They Won't Refuse

Creating special offers that get your readers to take action

by Gail Goodman, Constant Contact CEO

Take action. Isn't that what you want your readers to do when they receive and read your emails? You may want them to buy a product, pay for a service, come to a special event, or volunteer for your organization. Whatever your goal may be, you are looking for a "direct response" from them.

When you email the people on your list, you engage in some level of "direct response" marketing—marketing that requests an action on the part of the recipient. One element of good direct marketing is an offer that engages the reader (or watcher, or listener) to take action.

Why is the offer so important? The 40/40/20 rule of direct response marketing says that the success of a campaign (in this case, an email communication) is based 40 percent on targeting the right audience, 40 percent on the offer you make, and 20 percent on your creative execution (including copywriting and design). This month's article reviews different types of offers—and the common characteristics of all great ones.

Offers that Prompt an Immediate Sale

The first question to ask yourself before you consider what to offer is, "Is my product (or service) one that I can sell directly?" Do you sell a product that people can (and will) pick up the phone or visit your website to buy immediately as a result of your email? If you sell jewelry, clothing, pet supplies, a workshop, or a host of other products, then, yes, you can expect direct sales as a result of your email. Also, if you want to get people to sign up for a special event (fundraiser, golf tournament, summer camp, etc.) then you can expect a direct response as well.

In these cases, the appropriate offer should sweeten the purchase; it should super-charge your readers' desire to buy or sign up now. In a perfect world, it also creates a sense of urgency. Examples of direct sell purchase offers are "Buy One, Get One Free", coupons with a percentage off, or giveaway items with a purchase..."Buy $75 worth of flowering plants, and receive The Handbook for Gardeners by award-winning gardener and author, Bob Greenthumb."

If you need to promote a special event, you might offer an "early bird" discount or provide a price break for multiple registrations. Giveaways also work well for events. Some example offers are, "Sign up for the 5K run and receive a free t-shirt" or "Purchase the VIP package today and receive a coupon for a free limo ride to the show."

Offers that Identify Interest and Generate Leads

If your products or services require more consultation and nurturing before someone decides to buy, then the two-step lead generation approach is right for you. With this method, you make what is known as a "soft offer" with the goal of engaging your receivers, building their trust, and moving them closer to an eventual sale.

Example offers include a white paper—a brief article about a topic that is of interest to your readers and helps educate them about topics related to your product or service. For example, if you are a public relations consultant, you can offer a white paper on the "10 Tips for Getting Great PR." Or suppose you are a nutrition counselor, you can offer a white paper on "The 7 Healthiest Foods You Can Eat." Other offers include a free consultation or a free sample of your product..."Call today and receive a free 2 lb. bag of our new organic dog food."

Organizations that are not in commercial business can use the two-step lead generation approach as well. To create interest in an upcoming class or workshop, a church may offer a brief article or a podcast on a related topic to engage its members and pique their interest in the event.

Three Attributes of a Great Offer

When you've decided on your offer, run it through this checklist to make sure it is as effective as it can be.

1. Does your offer have a high perceived value? "Perceived" is the key word here. The good news is that an effective offer doesn't have to cost much at all. It just has to be something of value to your audience. If you are a professional dog trainer and send an email to your list of people who each just got a new puppy, a valuable offer would be the downloadable article, "How to Train Your New Puppy."

2. Is your offer easy to understand and take action on? Have you gotten a direct mail piece or an email that had an offer that was so involved, so convoluted, that you just said, "forget it!"? You don't want people to be overwhelmed and forget your offer. Make it simple. Don't add a lot of conditions or steps. If you can, stick with one step...call this number, click here to download this whitepaper, type in this discount code, or register here.

3. Is your offer relevant to the product, service, or event you are promoting? A great offer isn't just good for the person who receives it; it's good for your business or organization too! Especially in the case of lead generation, you want your offer to tie into the product you're selling, event you're promoting, or service you're providing. That way, it will help advance the sale, or—better yet—inspire your audience to take immediate action. A white paper or a "10 tips" list are both great examples of this. They keep your reader focused on areas in which you are an expert and can be of further help to them.

Think of the 40/40/20 rule when you prepare your next email. Remember, 40 percent of your direct response success depends on your offer, so it's well worth giving some careful thought to what you want that offer to be. Also, have some fun testing different offers to see which ones get better responses. This will help you understand what your audience values.

Do you remember going to the grocery store as a kid and begging mom to buy you that box of Lucky Charms—just so you could get the toy inside? That was the power of the offer in action! Somehow the toy was never as exciting as it appeared to be, but you were eating Lucky Charms that next morning.

Take a lesson from the cereal aisle and create an offer your readers won't refuse.

Source: Constant Contact

Oh, Heavenly Spell Check

Do you remember when spell check came into existence? The angels’ trumpets sounded and God opened the Heavens. Ok, that’s a bit dramatic, but still, the non-spelling bee champions of the world could finally be on par with everyone else. But … spell check doesn’t help with web copy if people don’t use it. Ta-dah! I know, it’s common sense, but many companies aren’t checking and their web copy is suffering. You know what that means? Potentially, a loss of business! Impression is everything … especially on the web.

Web copy like traditional copywriting is powerful! Your website may be the first impression for your company and a number of things need to be aligned just right. First, make sure to have a balance between your writing style and your website design. Like mismatched clothes, mismatched web copy and website design, will leave customers confused and unsure about your business. Consistency establishes trust, and customers learn what can be expected from you. Second, depending on your business, you need to determine your web copy objectives. All companies want to lure in and capture visitors on their website, but once granted customer attention, what is it that you want to divulge and how do you want to communicate it? Do you want to entertain? Inform and educate? Persuade? Compare? Once objectives are established, begin to create web copy that matches the tone of the objectives without being too aggressive or too subtle. For example, we want to create eager anticipation not a feeling of being pestered, harassed, or pushed too far. If you’ve studied your customers, web copy can help communicate your ability to listen and respond!

While in some instances (and with some businesses) details are imperative, a good rule of the thumb is to keep text short and simple. So thirdly, don’t use 10 sentences when 5 will do just fine. However, have the option to learn more. It’s better to raise questions on your website that are easily answered (only a click away) than to dump all the answers on the homepage or in one spot. Why? By raising questions, you engage the customer to actively seek answers. By providing quick links to answer questions, you provide excellent customer service and the customer feels good about your company. Furthermore, dumping a lot of text or providing more text than is necessary, encourages disengagement (eyes glaze over), and visitors are more likely to just not read the information. Instead, lead them through your maze (website) and make it delighting, interesting, and informative. Also, in order to keep customers coming back for more, be known to constantly refresh your website content and/or products or services. Keep your website changing, and they’ll keep coming back!

Customers today want to know a little bit about the companies they are purchasing from, and that’s good news for small companies who communicate their unique points and strengths! Here-ye, hear-ye, small companies must differentiate themselves from competitors and larger companies taking over the nation. Through web copy, you have the power to communicate your businesses’ unique points and strengths while also, building a strong community of customers. It’s imperative that small companies build a community element into their web copy! A nurtured community can build a solid, loyal customer base that can be the point of differentiation. However, web copy still needs to remain professional … personal, but professional. A little personality goes a long way. Small businesses can show a lot of personality within their web copy without getting too personal and without the fear of losing professionalism. Go on … find the right voice for your web copy, communicate your unique points, and don’t forget to spell check!

Remember, web copy may be your company’s first impression. What kind of impression do you want to make and once you’ve made that impression, what do you want to communicate to your customers and where do you want to take them? If you would like help finding the right voice for your company, contact us at Ripley Designs, Inc. We specialize in web copy that will meet your needs.

WIN UP TO $1,000 FOR KNITTING AND CROCHET DESIGNS!

Showcase Your Patterns in the 2009 Accord Pattern-A-Day Calendars

Atlanta, GA (May 1, 2007) – Ripley Designs, Inc. will be producing the 2009 Accord Pattern-A-Day Calendars for knitting and crocheting. You have the chance to win up to $1,000 if you submit patterns to both calendars and win first place!

If you’ve ever though that your pattern was pretty darn good, here is your chance to get your design published in calendars that sell out each year in most LYS, major bookstores, and boutiques around the globe. You’ll receive a free copy of the calendar you submit too, and if you submit to both calendars, you get two free calendars with over 300 designs. Cash prizes will be awarded to first ($500), second ($250), and third ($100) place for both calendars. Last years knitting calendar winners are:

• 1st Place– Mette Buchreitz, Most unique entries to use up yarn leftovers
• 2nd Place –Roberta Shaner, U-Turn Messenger Bag
• 3rd Place- Anne Niles, Yarn-Andrea Reversible Scarf

Last years crochet calendar winners are:

• 1st Place- Kristin Omdahl-Swirl, Cardigan
• 2nd Place- Sandi Prosser, Long & Lacy Scarf
• 3rd Place- Caryn Southwick, Pretty-as-a-Picture Sleeves

To learn more about the 2009 Accord Pattern-A-Day Calendars or to showcase your knitting or crochet designs, visit www.knittingpatternaday.com or www.crochetpatternaday.com.

Ripley Designs, Inc. will be the happy creator of the Accord Pattern-A-Day Calendars. Check out our services at www.ripleydesigns.com.