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Offline Customers: Do You Make Room for Non-Bloggers To Comment?

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by Scott McIntyre

Scott McIntyre — The Avid Blog Reader Without a Blog

Last week, I explored the different ways in which your online offering can be the source of exactly the information the information hungry customer is searching for. At the wider level, correctly targeting your potential audience makes it more likely that your blog will appeal to those readers you want to attract. And, more specifically, if you’ve decided to follow a strategy of connecting with non-bloggers, it helps if you do a little research beforehand to work out what the needs of non-bloggers might be.

By taking time to assess exactly what type of information your target non-blogging reader wants, you will be in a great position to begin the process of winning them over. If your blog can meet their needs, either as it exists currently or with some adapting, then your site is more likely to be the destination of choice for the non-blogger.

I’ve previously suggested that the community you and your readers build around your blog is definitely a major draw. A vibrant comments section is a wonderful place to be.

But imagine that you’re a non-blogger stumbling upon your comments section for the first time. You’d like to join in the conversation, and you might ask yourself, “What am I supposed to say?” or, even more importantly, “What am I not allowed to say?”

So, how do you help the offline customer understand how to comment on your blog? What do you do when they say things that you’d rather they didn’t? I’m keen to learn of your suggestions in the comments section below.

Today, I’m going to look at how you might best explain commenting to your non-blogging reader, and what you can do if the comments they leave aren’t quite the ones you’d hope for.

Helping Non-Bloggers Understand Comments

Once your strategy and hard work has been a success and you have attracted the offline customer to your online offering, this is the first step in encouraging them to become part of your community. It would be an ideal next step if you could draw them even further in by having them leave a comment on what they’ve just read.

In most cases, it takes quite a few visits before the non-blogger is comfortable enough to leave a comment of their own. By observing the nature of what your other readers say as part of the conversation over a period of time, the non-blogger can see what is acceptable.

While leaving comments on other blogs is second nature to those of you who blog yourselves, it can be a daunting thing to do for the offline customer visiting a blog for the first time. They might be concerned that what they have to say won’t be regarded as important Or, they may not want to join in for fear of being embarrassed.

The following few questions might help you come up with answers to how you manage comments in a way which not only encourages the non-blogger to have their say, but also allows you to deal with inappropriate comments and so promote an attractive, positive comments section- for both bloggers and non-bloggers alike:

  • Do you have guidance on comments?

    I know that many of you have a Comments Policy that you use to help your readers understand what is, and isn’t acceptable. This kind of information can be of immense use to the non-blogger trying to understand the concept of comments. In a Comments Policy, you can describe the comments ‘culture’ you aim to promote and suggest how the reader can add their own unique voice in a positive way. Similarly, you can also highlight what you view to be ‘unacceptable’ comments. The type of comment you judge to be undesirable is very much specific to your own blog and its audience. There is a balance to be struck between allowing free speech on the one hand, and not permitting offensive and negative remarks on the other. I’d be very interested to hear of your views on having a Comments Policy, and how effective you find them in encouraging positive comments.

  • How do you follow up first-time comments?

    Once a non-blogger leaves that all-important first comment, do you send them a message to let them know you value their contribution? Receiving an acknowledgement for having made your debut contribution is a very friendly touch and one that is likely to be well appreciated by your non-blogging reader. The very fact that you took the time to welcome them to your blog, can encourage them to comment more often. While contacting every reader after they’ve made their initial contribution might seem to involve a lot of time and effort, you only have to do it once… that first time commenter could become a very valued member of your community the next time they have their say.

  • What is an ‘appropriate’ first time comment?

    This can be a tricky issue to deal with. I’d guess that nearly all of you have some moderation on your blog to filter the first and, perhaps, second time comments that someone leaves. There are certain comments that you will, quite understandably, not allow to appear on your blog. The reasons can relate to factors such as: the use of negative language, profanities, or trolling (there may be other factors specific to your own blog). But how do you handle a first time comment from a reader who may not be familiar with the ‘etiquette’ of commenting? Perhaps, they haven’t said anything offensive but ,instead, they haven’t said it in the ‘right’ way. How would you deal with that kind of comment that may be from the reader who is a novice to commenting?

The questions above can act as a starting point to help you work out the best way to assist the offline customer to understand your blog community as demonstrated through your comments section. If your non-blogging reader has a clear understanding of what kind of comments are ideal and which are not, then all members of the community, blogger and non-blogger alike, will benefit from the positive aspects of a vibrant blog conversation.

If you’re a blogger, leave a comment to let me know what you do to help non-bloggers understand your own comment ‘culture’? How would you encourage non-bloggers to leave the ‘right kind’ of comment?

If you’re a non-blogger, tell them what they can do to help you to contribute to the conversation.

–Scott McIntyre

Related

Week 1: Connecting with the Offline Customer: A Non-Blogger’s Perspective
Week 2: Targeting the Offline Customer: Do You Blog for Non-Bloggers?
Week 3: Reaching the Offline Customer: Do You Promote Your Blog Offline?
Week 4: Attracting the Offline Customer: Why Do You Promote Your Blog Offline?
Week 5: Top 10 Social Media Tips for Connecting With Non-Blogging Customers
Week 6: Welcoming the Offline Customer: Does Your Blog Create A Good Impression?
Week 7: Engaging the Offline Customer: Do You Talk With Non-Bloggers?
Week 8: Offline Customers: Do You Meet The Needs of Non-Bloggers?

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Offline Customers: Do You Meet the Needs of Non-Bloggers?

Filed Under Marketing, Successful Blog | 5 Comments

by Scott McIntyre

Scott McIntyre — The Avid Blog Reader Without a Blog

Last week, I discussed ways in which you might help to involve the offline customer in your blog community and, in particular, make it a little easier for them to participate in your comments section. It was very interesting to learn of the different ways you are already talking with non-bloggers.

Without doubt, one of the most exciting and unique features of a blog is the opportunity it provides for a dialogue to take place between the blogger and the reader- and, indeed, the chance it gives for conversations to take place between your readers themselves. By fostering a community around your blog you are also helping to create a sense of loyalty towards your online offering. Whether you are providing information or an alternative form of product or service, customer loyalty is the most powerful factor in long-term success. One-off visits are fine, but return trips are even better!

So, how do you begin to build a positive, long-term relationship between yourself and the offline customer- one which satisfies both of you? What do you do to provide value to the non-blogger? I’d be very interested to hear your ideas in the comments section below.

Today, I would like to look at how you can develop an ongoing dialogue between yourself and the offline customer, one that has advantages for you both.

Building Relationships With Non-Bloggers

Before you work to attract the offline customer to your online offering, it’s worth remembering that the new visitor will make instant decisions when they arrive. Will they stay around awhile or navigate away from your pages? Of course, it is fantastic when they find what they are looking for with you. The following three questions are worth considering as you aim for a benefit-packed relationship with the non-blogger:

  • What does the non-blogger want?

    This is, perhaps, the most basic- and critically important- factor to address. Successfully targeting your offline audience and delivering exactly what the non-blogger wants or needs is the first step to building any relationship. Each visitor to your blog has his or her own individual needs. For offline customers, these needs could be slightly different to those of your readers who are already familiar with blogs. It can be extremely useful to carry out some form of market research to work out what is of value to your potential non-blogging reader. Even if you do not have a profit generating website, it still helps to know that there is some level of demand out there for what you can supply. Every blogger wants an audience. It is even more vital to know what your target audience wants if your aim is to generate a profit.

  • Can you meet the non-blogger’s needs?

    In today’s information overloaded society, the offline customer is bombarded with choices regarding where they can get the information they want- both via traditional media like newspapers and magazines, and through new media like blogs and online knowledge banks. There are also multiple places for them to access the products and services that they demand. Is what you offer what the non-blogger is searching for? Put yourself in the position of a non-blogger coming to your site for the first time. What might you have that they want? If the format of your information does not match their requirements, then you can either adapt so that it is more suitable or else you might decide that targeting the offline audience will not provide an attractive return on investment. Your existing blog business model will dictate whether you embark upon this strategy.

  • How do you assess whether you’re meeting the non-blogger’s needs?

    To find out whether the offline customer is satisfied with your information, product or service, you can simply ask them. I know some of you gain feedback from your audience by having a ’suggestion box’ on your blog. Another basic way of judging whether you are keeping your offline customer happy is to simply keep a watchful eye on what they are saying in your comments section. Of course, we previously discussed the fact that non-bloggers are somewhat reluctant to actively participate in the conversation by way of comments sections. But, why not consider emailing the ones who do to gain their feedback? If they’re already moved to be involved in your blog community, they will likely be enthusiastic about sharing their opinions with you. I know that I was very pleased when Liz contacted me to hear my perspective as an avid blog reader without a blog.

The three basic questions above can help you to focus on the process of building mutually beneficial relationships with offline customers. By thinking of the specific answers in relation to your own blog, you can take action to delight the non-blogger right from the start… and keep them coming back for more!

If you’re a blogger, leave a comment to let me know what you do to deliver benefits to non-bloggers? What other things might you consider as you aim to satisfy the non-blogging customer’s needs?

If you’re a non-blogger, tell them what they can do to give you value from their blog.

–Scott McIntyre

Related

Week 1: Connecting with the Offline Customer: A Non-Blogger’s Perspective
Week 2: Targeting the Offline Customer: Do You Blog for Non-Bloggers?
Week 3: Reaching the Offline Customer: Do You Promote Your Blog Offline?
Week 4: Attracting the Offline Customer: Why Do You Promote Your Blog Offline?
Week 5: Top 10 Social Media Tips for Connecting With Non-Blogging Customers
Week 6: Welcoming the Offline Customer: Does Your Blog Create A Good Impression?
Week 7: Engaging the Offline Customer: Do You Talk With Non-Bloggers?

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Social Networking: — Who’s in Your Business Conversation?

Filed Under Marketing, Successful Blog | 8 Comments

The Living Web

As I work on a research project that has me going through blog archives, an interesting pattern has turned up. Things we were talking about in 2005 and 2006, still apply to what we’re doing now. In particular, the conversation about social networking hasn’t changed as much as all of the new communities and places to meet might make us think.

If you click through on this this Social Networking graphic you’ll see that it was posted to Flickr in May of 2005. The information refers to cell phone networks, but I think you’ll agree that it applies as easily to today’s social networking site.

Social Networking User Segmentation Model


The graphic shows that people at social networks break into four quadrants or types. They divide first by their need to know about the world or other people, and they divide again by the group with which they want to share what they know.

The four quadrants become these:

  • Content Consumers want to know about the world and share what they know with their friends.

    Content consumers consider close friends a priority, but they have an interest in everyone. They share their lives with friends and family, but enjoy reading about the lives of others. Content consumers go wide finding information — these are the folks who read hundreds of feeds — but they go narrow when they pass it on. They prefer , messaging, and cell phone to stay connected. These are the keepers of information we think of a mavens. They know where to stay, where to eat, when to plant our gardens, which car / computer / camera to buy, and where to find out more.

    If you find Content Consumers on Twitter, they’re probably listening more than they’re talking. They’re the masters of LinkedIn. They’re the one’s you want to plan your next personal conference meeting agenda — they get you the most for your investment. Some also make great “Stumblers” and “Diggers” because they filter content well.

  • Relationship Builders want to know about the people in their lives to and want to share what they know with them.

    Relationship Builders are power networkers. They keep a small group close and know them each well. Relationship Builders see no need for hundreds of connections in their life. Ask a relationship builder to be your “friend,” and he or she might ask how you think connecting will help you both. Relationship builders might take longer to know, but they also invest the time to know you. They’re the fiercely loyal, brand evangelists we all want, but their small social circle can also make them hardest to reach.

    You’ll recognize Relationship Builders on Twitter by the small list of people they follow — no matter the number of people who follow them. They plan a conference around relationships they want to extend and partnerships that have mutual goals. On Twitter, they look for ways to showcase their friends. On SU and Digg, Relationship Builders review content they find useful to pass on to their friends.

  • Social Networkers understand the value of being tapped into a network of connections.

    Social Networks connect openly and with enthusiasm, thinking that, if we cannot directly help each other, our connections probably can. As part of their open networking, Social Networkers are generous with help and share what they know as often as they can. Social Networkers want to be where the people are and the action is happening. They understand what makes a party fun and how to engage and inform hundreds of connections.

    On Twitter, you’ll know Social Networkers by the thousands of friends they have and by the fact that they usually friend back everyone who friends them. You’ll find them at most important conferences and on most social sites. They’ll be the ones with the crowds of friends. On Twitter, it might seem that everyone is talking to them. On SU and Digg, you might find them in huge networks that share content regularly.

  • Content Creators would be those we call thought leaders.

    Content Creators like to connect with close friends, but want their thinking to be heard beyond their own group. Content Creators value the ability to publish their ideas. They believe that knowledge gained is valuable and worth sharing. They use the Internet to discover information, solve problems, and share new thoughts.

    On Twitter, Content Creators will be discussing ideas in longer conversational threads and pointing to useful information they’ve found. At conferences, they’ll be speakers or the first to ask questions. On SU and Digg, if they are there, what they share will reflect their thoughts.

You might call the four groups by different names than those on this chart — I do — that aside, the ways we act are familiar. People are people now as we always have been.

Who’s in Your Business Conversation?

For those of us in business or looking to increase our readership, the first question that comes to mind is how can I use this information to improve my social networking ROI?

When you’re looking for evangelists and loyal customers, remember relationships get built one at at time. To find more Relationship Builders, keep in mind they prefer in their own social circle. Look within your own business and social circles to find relationship builders with whom you might have strong compatibilities. Encourage relationship builders you know to refer you and introduce you. When relationship builders ask how they might help you offer them ways and words to share what you do with their friends. They might write you a valuable LinkedIn referral or introduce to the ideal client.

When you’re looking to extend your reach, Social Networkers offer all of your friends a reason to pass on your words / work on your behalf. To enlist their support, be sure what you ask them to share is something of high value that will reflect well on them. If you offer a product or service that resonates with their needs, it’s your lucky day. They’re the broadcasters and the buyers.

Don’t discount the Content Consumers. Your subscriber base is likely to have a huge percentage of them. They may check read your blog, check your profile, but you’ll only know through your referral stats. Constantly offer opportunities to subscribe and reach out to them to become friends. When their friends are in need, they will remember your name.

Identify Content Creators you respect and read their blogs. Comment with thoughtful, well-written insights and questions. Trackback to articles that connect their thoughts to yours. Relate to them as a respectful colleague not a fan. In time you’ll be a part of their network and they’ll part of yours as well.

The conversation and the way we relate hasn’t really changed. The people talking are still people talking just the same. The art and science of social media is to understand, which people you want to listen to, learn from, and have as friends.

Have you met all four social networking types? Do you have all of them in your business life? Now that you know, how will you serve them?

–ME “Liz” Strauss
Work with Liz!!

Get your best voice in the conversation!

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When a Hammer Beats a Swiss Army Knife

Filed Under Marketing, Successful Blog | 6 Comments

One by One by One Thing Well

Working Plans logo

Any tradesperson will tell you, “Use the right tool for the job.”
The same logic applies when it comes to the people we hire.
Get great art and design from the people who went to art school.
Get great writing from great writers.
Get great programming from . . . you know who.

That’s the most efficient way to get the work done well.

In your own shop concentrate on your stellar skills and get other folks to do what they do better than you. Offer your best and nothing else, and smart business folks who value their time will value what you do.

Clean, Clear, Simple: Example 1

e-junkie

At SOBCon this year we were offered a pro account at e-Junkie.com. If you were an attendee and didn’t take advantage the promocode was SOBCon08. Check out their services. They do what they do so well that I’ve set up my affiliates there.

Clean, Clear, Simple: Example 2

How to Start a Business Website logo

Another great example of focusing on what we do well is Michael Martine’s new eBook launch. His book, How to Start a Business Website and Hire a Web Designer focuses in on on specific problems and how to solve them well. The answers he’s brought are the best tools for the job, and his discussion of the product only talks about that. I think his product — content and presentation — is so well done that I’m selling it to you. I don’t do that unless I find the values that I would put there myself.

Click here to see what I’m talking about.

When a Hammer Beats a Swiss Army Knife

People have problems and search for answers. The answers they search for are straightforward and specific. They want the best tool fix what’s broken not an expensive toolkit. If you want to win their attention, solve the small problems before you try to win the big ones.

Be the best answer to what they’re searching for. When we need to pound a nail, a hammer beats a Swiss army knife every time.

–ME “Liz” Strauss
Work with Liz!!
Buy the ebook and find out the secret.

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Social Media: Great Marketing Is . . .

Filed Under Marketing, Successful Blog | 14 Comments

Tuesday Open Comments Night, The Virtual Conference, and The Blog-to Show

The Living Web

This weekend we had an event that some folks have been calling a success and a few have written me to say what a great marketing idea was. Other things I do have been called masterful marketing too. None of them started out as such.

We all know that promoting an event or a blog looks easier than it is to do. Word of Mouth only works when folks want to talk. I learned that the same way everyone does by inventing great marketing ideas that didn’t take off.

I quit trying to market. Here’s what I recommend instead:

  • Get to know people who stick around and who pass on the word when something cool is going on.
  • Find ways to invest more in the folks who invest more in you and your blog.
  • Make a stage where your readers can connect and show everyone what they know.
  • Celebrate all of the above with as much creativity, fun, and dignity as you can think up!

Open Comment Night started because, on a Tuesday afternoon, I thought it would be fun if we all could just talk. The Virtual Conference for SOBCon07 was invented as a way to include folks who couldn’t come to the first SOBCon. The 25-Words project was a way to share the experience of how limiting our words can change how we think. The Blog-to Show happened because folks said they needed a way to talk about their blogs.

All of those got called “great marketing.” If that’s so then,

Great marketing is connecting and celebrating readers and customers.

Let’s talk about how to help readers and customers connect with each other.

–ME “Liz” Strauss
Work with Liz!!

Buy the ebook and find out how to write for a community.


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