Successful Blog

Buyers, Readers, Buzz Snackers and Bandwidth Bandits

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Not Live, but from Blog World Expo

Some asked that I post my slide deck. I’m delighted to say an hour after I put it up on slide share last night it was featured on the front page.

The Presentation had two parts.

The main points of Part One are about stats.

  • Stats are great for drilling down and sorting information.
  • We can learn about past behaviors from statistical data.
  • Statistical data does not aggregate into something human.
  • People don’t behave like stats.
  • People are important for many reasons stated on slide 8.
  • People are also important because they make exclusive relationships, understand / interpret your intentions and can tell you what you’re doing wrong.
  • The web talks a lot about traffic. Traffic comes in more than one kind.

The main points of Part Two are about strategically using stats.

  • Use them to know your position
  • Understand your objective.
  • Know the players and their objectives.
  • Then use statistics to choose your tactics.

The rest supports those points.

Buyers Readers Buzz Snackers Bandwidth Bandits By Liz Strauss

View SlideShare presentation or Upload your own. (tags: strategy business)

Note: Clicking the little screen next to the x/23 pages allows you to see the show full screen.
Hope you enjoy it as much as I enjoyed making it.

–ME “Liz” Strauss
Work with Liz!!

Bloggy Question 86: Google Is Coming!

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Is It Evil?

For those who come looking for a short, thoughtful read, a blogging life discussion, or a way to gradually ease back into the week. I offer this bloggy life question. . . .

You’re a social media consultant. You’ve just established a working relationship with an event planning bureau. Your client provides a service — they match clients who want to sponsor international conferences and trade shows with experienced, local event planners. Your task is to develop a strategy to reach new potential sponsors and to establish a strong and visible online presence for the client company.

Two weeks into your relationship, the Chief Marketing Officer contacts sends you a link to the first page of Google Search. The search is on “Google Event Planning Center.” You read a few of the listed results — all contain the same basic information. Google has announced intentions to establish an international meeting place for event planners and sponsors to do business. . . . not much more. Some industry leaders offer speculation on Google’s strategy. No date for launch or further information is given.

How do you advice your client to respond to the announcement?

–ME “Liz” Strauss
Work with Liz!!

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Bloggy Question 82: It’s the Truth, Well, Sort of . . .
Bloggy Question 81: A Nice Gesture

Not All Customers Are Equal — Which Are Yours?

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Not All Customers Are Equal

Models and Masterminds logo 20080

When we talk about clients or customers, we often mention them as if customer means “one who buys.” But not all customers are equal. Look at the depth and breadth of consumer offerings. Take in the business services and products. You’ll soon realize that customers come in more than one kind.

You can fly Southwest. British Airways, or take a private jet. You can buy M&Ms in all sorts of special packages and colors. You can turn almost anything into a refrigerator magnet now. But if you go to “In and Out” in California, you’ll only get a burger.

Traditional business models outline three:

  • Top of the Line Buyers
    Elegant, elite, one-of-a-kind, cutting edge. Stand in line, pay higher price, doesn’t mind a few complications or an occasional bug. These are the folks who stand in line for the first iPhone. Folks in this group go on vacations to places that other folks never see. Sell one for $$$$$/each
  • Service and Fit
    Value beats price. Relationships matter. Service is remembered. They look for their values as well as their size. Google is making this group larger as it makes it easier to find what we want in a world wide inventory. Sell more for $$$/each
  • Volume Shoppers
    Go for the discount. No frills. Don’t spend on what we don’t need. Lowest price. Generic is the same thing. They’ll give up service for speed and low price. Sell boxes and boxes for $/each.

When you decide on your product or service, think about which customer you serve. If you’ve already got an offer out there, should you be looking more closely at the customers you are reaching?

Not all customers are equal — which are yours?

–ME “Liz” Strauss
Work with Liz!!
Models and Masterminds starts the week of June 16.

Traffic, Readers, Colleagues — Are They Customers?

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Reaching Customers in the Offline World

The Living Web

As I put together the SOBCon materials for Models and Masterminds course, I’m thinking about the folks we call visitors and whether they’re really customers.

When I first started my writing blog, I had one reader, a friend who likes to read. Then I joined a “click traffic group” and as long as I clicked other blogs I got a related number of pageviews. Those clickers became the first visitors to my blog. I’m fairly sure few actually read anything.

At day 21, a comment appeared. Shortly after that a few folks started coming back. I had regular readers. Then I had 10 subscribers. I even knew who some of them were. When page views reached 1000/day and comments were plenty and regular, I put up some ads. I thought I’d make some holiday money.

I was confused.

I hadn’t really been looking at who was visiting my blog.

Traffic, Readers, Colleagues — Are They Customers?

When you look at the people who visit your blog, what do they do and how long do they stay?

  • Traffic – If they come in swarms following a link or bookmark and leave in a few seconds flat, it’s traffic. If someone stumbles a page and thousands come only to go away, isn’t that the same as people visiting a store because they were downtown to watch a parade? Traffic is noise unless convert it to readers or customers.
  • Readers – If each visitor reads 1.5 pages or more, you’re building a community of readers. If an audience is your goal, you’ll well on your way. If selling is what you’re about, you’ll need to convert readers into customers. Readers ignore ad that sit in the sidebar. To sell to readers, talk about what they want. Be helpful in solving their problems with products and services that naturally draw from the content you discuss.
  • Colleagues – Being helpful and solving problems can convert readers into customers. But look closely at your audience. Are they potential customers? If you run a “trade” blog — one that discusses the ideas, trends, and people in your industry — your discussions might be with an audience of colleagues not potential customers. Colleagues are unlikely to buy your products and services, at least not long enough for your business to thrive.

We can build a thriving blog that knocks everyone’s socks off, but it can be an investment of love and time that has no customers.

In a world where mostly bloggers read blogs, it’s a good habit to watch our audience. Unless we’re selling specifically to bloggers, our businesses will grow faster if we connect to customers outside the blogosphere.

How would you help a new blogging business connect to customers in the offline world?

–ME “Liz” Strauss
Work with Liz!!
Models and Masterminds begins with offline connections to customers.

Get the Most Out of Your Network with a Mastermind Group

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When Wendy and I had a great conversation not long ago about mastermind groups. She’s been in groups for different purposes and of different configurations. So when I wanted someone to explain the concept is was Wendy I asked to do me the favor. She graciously said she would.

Get the Most Out of Your Network with a Mastermind Group

by Wendy Piersall

I have a close circle of friends here in Chicago that have known me for several years – whenever we get together they like to take credit for eMoms at Home, even though they have never worked for me. I actually totally agree with them – the reason is because this group of friends was my Mastermind Group when I was first started my business.

I wholeheartedly advocate being in Mastermind Groups, and I’ll go so far as to say that yes, eMoms at Home wouldn’t be what it is today if it weren’t for the groups I have learned from along the way.

So What Exactly is a Mastermind Group?

Although Mastermind Groups can take a variety of forms, most function as basically a group that co-mentors each other. Participants will always get the most out of a mastermind group when they put a lot into the mastermind group. I currently participate in a weekly call with Dawud Miracle, Char Polanosky, Edward Mills, Gayla McCord, and Easton Ellsworth. We set up the group with the following ‘ground rules’:

  • Participating in the call is close to mandatory – though we’re flexible when ‘life happens’
  • We start on time and end on time – no exceptions
  • We take turns each week, and two people get 30 minutes every call
  • When it’s your ‘turn’, you get to bring a question to the group and we all brainstorm together to help each other come to a solution – any question is game
  • There are no stupid questions and there are no stupid answers
  • What is said to the group stays with the group – confidentiality is important when we are talking business strategy

We’ve been conducting our conference calls for about 9 months or so – I think the reason it has worked so well (and continues to work) is because:

  • We work hard to give each other really great input, basically giving each other free consulting
  • We keep a good structure in place to make the most of our time
  • We have really learned from each other – probably more from giving advice than from getting it

I think that last point is really key – we give a lot of ourselves in our calls. I’ve participated in very expensive paid mastermind groups that weren’t half as valuable as this group of friends. I really believe it was because everyone paid money and came to the group expecting to get something, rather than coming together to give to each other.

So, How do I Start a Mastermind Group?

Finding a committed group of individuals isn’t easy, but it’s not hard, either. A few tips:

  • Contact people that you want to learn from, but who still realistically also have something to learn from you
  • Lay down some sort of ground rules in your invitation so that people know what they are committing to
  • Let people know that participation is expected on a regular basis, and if they can’t commit to at least a 6-10 week initial time frame, they should probably pass
  • Meet at the same time every week/two weeks/month – either in person, or use a free conference call service like FreeConferenceCall.com
  • Have group members take turns leading the group to give everyone a chance to develop their leadership skills
  • Play with the idea of holding each other accountable to tasks or results if you really want to push each other to succeed

The blogosphere is a very close community, and filled with some of the most talented and brilliant people I have ever met. I’ve learned a ton from reading all of your blogs – and I’ve learned just as much when I’ve thrown my heart and soul into writing a post that teaches. Great Mastermind Groups work because we teach best what we most need to learn.
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Wendy Piersall is the Chief eMom at eMoms at Home the business blog network for moms and dads who balance business and life at home beautifully.

Thanks, Wendy!

–ME “Liz” Strauss

How to Make Your Dream Come True — Thought, Strategy, Action

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You Decide

Personal Identity logo

Where do you want to go? What do you want to do? Do you have a dream waiting for someday? What are you doing to make it happen?

You decide whether your dream will happen.

You can wonder. You can wish. You can wait for help. Say that you will, or say that you can’t right now. The most important key to a dream come true is personal investment.

Dreams that come true need commitment and action.

Wonders, wishes, and waiting without commitment are a whole lot of nothing happening. Folks who might help us won’t show up for “what ifs” and “could bes.” Their lack of support can be a convenient excuse. That’s the wrong reaction. If we want a dream to come true, we have to be able to explain it how it can be turned from a dream into a reality. That takes thought, strategy, and action.

How to Make Your Dream Come True

A dream needs more than a wish. Wishes dissolve in the mist. To come true, a dream needs a foundation of concrete not sand. When you offer a solid foundation, people listen. They pay attention because you’ve moved the dream into the realm of possibility.

Here’s how to get to the concrete foundation you need.

  1. Define the dream. Take the idea out of your head. Put it in front of you to look critically at it. How does the “dream come true” look? How does it work? Do you see a living example in the world? Describe it in the smallest details.

  2. Define where you sit. Is the dream a good fit to who you are, what you know, and what you can do? What seeds for the dream are in your life already? How might you nurture them?

  3. Plot your strategy. What’s the path from here to the “dream come true”? Start with the finished dream and work backwards until you’re where you sit.

  4. Detail your needs. What work have you already done? What can you do on your own? What sort of help and resources can you hire, borrow, or dig up? Sort them into three lists.

  5. Determine your commitment. What will it take to make the dream come true? Why this dream not another? What arguments will you face? How will you answer them? What will you be willing to give up and invest? Would you do it alone if you had to? Will you give yourself permission to go after the dream — even when the world says you should not?

  6. Enlist support and advocates. Who sees the same dream? Who wants your success? Who helps you think? Who can help you meet the needs you’ve outlines above?

  7. Write the story. Name the dream come true. Write one sentence about what the dream will do. Write three points that explain how other folks benefit from helping this dream become reality.

  8. Know how you’ll ask. Visualize yourself asking for help. Choose the words you will use. Write several kinds of requests based on benefits folks will get from helping the dream into reality.

  9. Define yourself by the dream. When people ask what you do, tell them about the dream you’re making come true. Think of your “day job” as support and supplemental to the dream. I’m an actor who works here now, not I’m a waiter who working to be an actor.

It’s willingness and determination to give ourselves over to our dreams that makes them happen. What’s the difference between me and the guy who got what I wanted when I didn’t? He wanted it enough to stick when it got difficult. I decided somewhere that something else was more important.

The dream is there. It’s not magic. It’s not the big break. It’s giving ourselves permission to pull out all stops. Surely you’ve known someone you would defend at any cost. Find a dream like that — one you’ll single-mindedly protect — and you’ll make that dream happen.

Got the dream? When will you make the investment?

— ME “Liz” Strauss