Successful Blog

Internet Click or Treating: Be Your Dog Dressed a Pirate

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Think of the Neighbors Who Might Want Children

The neatest part of Internet Halloween is that you can be virtually anything. Mix the theater of the mind with a little creativity and who knows what will develop? You could be the creator of spectacular click or treating innovation. I say, “Go for it!”

But before we do, let’s review a couple of disasters of Internet Halloween last year.

You might remember . . .

  • certain click or treaters . . . ahem . . . replaced their empty heads with jack-o-lanterns. A number of computer laptops melted on an equal a human lap tops. The folks whose laps they were haven’t been the same since. None of them will be having children.
  • one click or treater stood too close to his USB port. When a blogger sent out a 98 page FREE BUILD A BUSINESS ONLINE KIT, he was seriously injured by falling brick and mortar.
  • a dark costumed click or treater wandered into the DarkGravity WordPress theme and hasn’t been seen since.

The idea is to know what works for you and have fun without hurting your Internet neighbors who might one day want to have children of their own. Here are some ideas for this year.

Try on a new personality. Remember in a virtual world you can be anything.

image: i-pets.com

Or kick things to the highest level, be your pet dressed as your pet’s alterego.

Unfortunately the click or treaters above are no longer in the blogosphere. As they say . . .

These days on Internet even the dogs know if you’re a dog.

Happy Halloween. Safe click or treating.

What will you be for Halloween?

–ME “Liz” Strauss
Work with Liz!!

How Will We Answer the Twitter Question Then?

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Foggy Futures Then and Now

When I started writing here, I only hopes and ideas.
Three years ago this day was only a foggy future.

Here’s what I wrote (unedited) one month after I started . . . .
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It’s an odd thing to write under the masthead Successful Blog. It’s such an opportunity, such an “Okay, Big Shot,” moment. It’s a chance to model best practices, not just write about them.

The writer’s credo is Don’t tell, show. How much closer to that could I get than this?

I can talk about building community by answering comments relentlessly, but it’s so much more powerful when I do it and my readers actually experience how it feels. I can explain how to correct your public mistakes, but again how much greater impact it has when I actually do what I say. If I do this job right, everything I do has the potential to have a tiny positive effect on the blogosphere.

So I share with you my learning curve at the end of one month. I’ve learned.

  • That people respond positively when you treat them like people who are worth talking to. They pitch in, share ideas, and form a community that’s fun to be part of.
  • That when someone takes a negative viewpoint, it works better to take the conversation offline.
  • That the blogosphere doesn’t need me to keep it working right.
    That keeping focus on my readers takes care of almost every problem. (Except how I’m going to pay for my son’s college. )

In 1972, a friend said to me “You always leave the other guy a place to stand.”

That advice has served me every day since. It works with everyone from 6 to 106. We all need a place to stand –- no matter how scary we look. It can be the smallest thing. Here’s a fun read about Giving the Other Guy a Place to Stand that explains what I’m talking about.

If I could choose one best practice to pass on, that would be the one –- that everyone in the blogosphere leaves lots more room for the other guy to stand.

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That was then. This is now.

We still need each other to be visible, authentic and relevant. . . . connected. We still value the people we’re meeting. We still talk and listen.

I think we do. Right?

Three years ago, when this day was only a foggy future, I couldn’t see people talking in 140 characters. I didn’t hear anyone asking, “Am I following you?”

Dr. Michael Wesch says Change the media — the tools — and you change the way people relate. The Machine Is Us/ing Us.

Yesterday I got a telemarketing call on my cell phone from a well-known Internet personality. Before that, it had been sad enough getting his spam.

Three years from now, when this day is in the dimly lit past, it’s likely that companies exploring social media will be here, will have tried it out, will have had some sort of impact.

How will we answer the Twitter question — What are you doing? — then?

–ME “Liz” Strauss
Work with Liz!!

Why Would You Want to Use Facebook Advertising?

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by Guest Writer Alexis Brown

Last night, I learned I am the only person on Facebook.

Really, it’s true – according to a 30-year-old, female home-based business owner (also known as my sister).

As flattering as it would be for the world’s fastest-growing social network to exist solely for my benefit, I found myself more concerned than amused by her statement. Forget the constant barrage of buzz concerning how social media has turned traditional advertising on its head for big companies, like Colgate.

She – like quite a few freelancers, consultants and other small entrepreneurs – just didn’t get that social media has tremendous business value on a small scale.

Prospects in your own backyard are in reach through social media and – when reaching people in your backyard would normally cost money – getting in touch with them doesn’t have to cost a thing.

We were having this conversation because I explaining to her how to get free ads from Facebook. Since July of this year, The Visa Business Network has been offering USD$100 worth of free Facebook advertising through its social application. Facebook Ads allow advertisers to easily target people by age, gender, workplace, school, personal interests and any location around the world in order to create an ad for anything about you have to offer. I have nothing to do with Facebook, but I would encourage anyone to get on board with this because of the results I’ve had.

Sure, anyone can advertise on search engines or blog network ads (although, not for free), but these ads are targeted with more relevance based on information people put in their Facebook profiles.

Take this example – a very small campaign, from my own experience a few weeks ago, brought in more than 170 visitors in a weekend.

On the other hand, her traffic?

Zilch.

Her site brings her no new prospects and definitely no new business.

To boot, her hosting company just raised its prices.

You’d think a lot of people in this same position, would jump at opportunities to test and measure free marketing opportunities they can understand.

Understand face-to-face networking? Get into online social networking.

Understand classified ads? Get into Facebook Social Ads.

It seems, however, that no matter who builds it – if business owners don’t get it, they won’t come.

Your customers want you to get it.

According to the 2008 Cone Business in Social Media Study:

  • 33% of consumers (18-34) and those with household incomes over $75,000 believe that companies should try to market to them through social networks
  • 60% of Americans regularly interact with companies on a social media site
  • 43% of consumers say that companies should use social networks to solve the consumers’ problems
  • 41% believe that companies should use social media tools to solicit feedback on products and services
  • Men are more likely to use social media tools to interact with a company than women (33% vs. 17%)
  • Companies should solicit feedback on their products and services (41%)
  • Companies should develop new ways for consumers to interact with their brand (37%)
  • Companies should market to consumers (25%)

The great news? “Getting it” with Facebook means up to $100 of targeted advertising at no cost! Although a credit card is required to sign up for an ad, the advertising costs are charged to your Facebook Ad Credit, as seen below. Anything in excess of $100, per account, is charged to your card. You can use daily budgets and maximum spending limits to control how much your ad performs, each day.

Writing a Facebook Ad is similar enough to writing an effective classified ad – just online.

With a good call to action, whether the goal is to get people to contact you or initiate a subscription, Facebook Ads can point people straight to any opt-in you have on your site.

In this example from the same campaign, one such goal received a 33% higher than normal completion rate with traffic originating from Facebook Ads.

Because the traffic is relevant, they have higher interest in your content than most sites and are more likely to leave their personal information, which equal more leads to begin moving down the sales funnel for more profits.

Last night, I learned I am the only person on Facebook. How do you advertise your business? Do you use social media?
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Alexis Brown writes about social media strategies for business owners at ActionCOACH Business Coaching. Her passion is being as plugged in as possible and helping others through social media and education!
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Thanks, Coach! Alexis, you won’t be the only one for long!

–ME “Liz” Strauss

What Vicky said . . . about Building a Dream

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A community isn’t built or befriended,
it’s connected by offering and accepting.
Community is affinity, identity, and kinship
that make room for ideas, thoughts, and solutions.
Wherever a community gathers, we aspire and inspire each other intentionally . . . And our words shine with authenticity.

When Dreams Feel Bigger than We Are

A dream can give a life meaning. But who hasn’t wondered whether we’ll ever reach what we’re after? What do we do when the dream feels bigger than we are?

Here’s what Vicky said . . .

I’ve always found that many times when I am getting down about not completing the “whole picture” of my dream, I break it down into smaller steps. These smaller steps help in several ways, first they get you thinking of the pieces that are needed to form the whole pie, you may get someone who wants to help, then you’ll know the pie piece to give away. When you complete a step it gives you confidence.

We all need a little to see something start, process, and end. There is something very rewarding in that. By only having the one dream at a high level, you are missing out on the little steps that you are accomplishing. Vicky H from a comment on October 1, 2008

A successful and outstanding blogger said that.
–ME “Liz” Strauss

The Mic Is On: Happy 3rd Birthday to SOBs Everywhere!

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It’s Like Open Mic Only Different

Here’s how it works.

open mike night

It’s like any rambling conversation. Don’t try to read it all. Jump in whenever you get here. Just go to the end and start talking. EVERYONE is WELCOME
The rules are simple — be nice.

DING! DING! DING! Some comment boxes are pre-loaded with a prize.

There are always first timers and new things to talk about. It’s sort of half “Cheers” part “Friends” and part video game. You don’t know how much fun it is until you try it.

TODAY, ALL DAY, IT’S A PARTY!!

Other Birthday Kids

Bring a Link! Bring a Link!

That’s right, you’re invited to bring a link to your most successful post. When you leave the link, please write a comment about how you chose the most successful post to bring.

  • Bring a link to a page, a picture, a post that demonstrates, celebrates, illuminates your success and outstanding-ness as a blogger.
  • Or bring that ebook, that manifesto, that photo, that priceless work that you want to offer as a birthday gift to everyone.

I’ll compile a list of all of the links when the party is over.

C’mon in and get to know us! There’s free beverages and snacks in the sidebar. Join the party. See who you meet. Stay and come back again.

Happy Birthday, all of you! Thank you for making what we do meaningful!

–ME “Liz” Strauss

Related articles
2006 Birthday Party!
The Mic Is On: Happy 2nd Birthday to SOBs Everywhere!

Social Media Stars and Solutions — Tomorrow!

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Mark It Down, It’s October 29

Don’t forget tomorrow!!! Click the logo to see a preview . . .

When: On October, 29, 2008 from 1 p.m. until approximately 3:30 p.m. EST.
What: Network Solutions proudly presents the “Solutions Stars Video Conference”
A Description: It’s a series of videos and live discussions featuring 32 of the world’s leading business and marketing experts. The live video conference will coach small business owners and entrepreneurs on how the Internet can benefit their business.

Nine content areas: Nine vignettes featuring the Solutions Stars will run during the conference and will cover these content areas:

  • Building a Web Presence
  • The Social Opportunity
  • Start with Listening
  • Strategy Drives Outreach
  • You Need Social Networks
  • To Blog or Not to Blog
  • Visibility Through Search
  • Rising Above the Noise
  • Time Demands

See the stars and be one yourself!

You’ll be able to watch individual videos based on the content areas you prefer or view the entire conference. While the videos are streaming, you’ll be able to chat online with the Network Solutions team (Social Media Swami Shashi Bellamkonda and Now Is Gone Author Geoff Livingston), or participate in a live public chat. Select video participants will also be in the chat.

Teaming with ooVoo, a popular online video chat and conference network, Network Solutions will run the “Solutions Stars Video Conference” on October 29.

Visit http://www.solutionsstarsvideo.com/ for updates, including the full programming schedule.

Find more information at the “Solutions Stars Video Conference” event pages on Facebook and Upcoming:

See a sneak preview of “The Social Opportunity” video here.

–ME “Liz” Strauss
Work with Liz!!