Successful Blog

SOB Business Cafe 08-29-08

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SB Cafe

Welcome to the SOB Cafe

We offer the best in thinking–articles on the business of blogging written by the Successful and Outstanding Bloggers of Successful Blog. Click on the titles to enjoy each selection.

The Specials this Week are

The Marketing Fresh Peel has brought us . . . an entertaining and enlightening conversation.
I’ve hosted some excellent authors in past Post2Post series, but interviewing Tom adds a whole new level of excitement for me. I’ve been a fan of his cartoons for a number of years and I’m routinely amazed at how with a simple cartoon, he can take issues that baffle brand managers and marketers and portray them with such clarity.

Loudmouthman has brought us . . . a real opinion.
There is this snobbish notion that my profession and interests are not Real. That conversations via email, skype and twitter are not real compared to conversations you may have when you meet face to face in physical sense , the term more commonly referred to In Real Life.

Confused of Calcutta has brought us . . . some reasons to remember how our links connect us to each other.
When I read this evocative piece by Tim O’ Reilly on Linking To Yourself, and began to understand just how widespread the “habit” had become, I began to wonder.

Engaging Brand has brought us . . . something to wonder about.
Seven more wonders of the — ahem — business world.

45 Things has brought us . . . the wisdom of family television.
When I saw the apartment, I fell in love. It was in an old Victorian home that the owner had converted into three units. High ceilings, a claw-footed bathtub and no olive green appliances. I immediately grabbed it and put down my deposit.

But after moving in, I began to discover some things that I had not observed in my first starry-eyed inspection of the place.

Related ala carte selections include

Less Ordinary has brought us . . . a reason to bring out the living color.
I don’t know about you, but when the weather is like this I find myself sinking into a colour slump: that state in which you no longer really see colour around you, you become very serious and work-orientated and you forget to have fun.

Meanwhile . . . thanks to everyone who bought my eBook this week.

Sit back. Enjoy your read. Nachos and drinks will be right over. Stay as long as you like. No tips required. Comments appreciated.

–ME “Liz” Strauss

Look to Have Fun with the World

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Look to Be Delighted

The Living Web

Some where around age 9 is when our the frontal lobe of brains develop the capacity to take on abstract thought. The new-found ability to shift in and out of literal thinking could make fun out of the most mundane thought.

Signs were particularly fun.

A sign like this meant where a fire would go out.

fire exit

And in 9-year-old humor, a sign like this meant it was time to visit the toilet. Spotting such signs gained “extra points.”

P sign

This pointed out an option among many we might choose.

one_way_sign

Growing up we spent lots of time in cars and signs like these kept us busy while we were awaiting the grownups in our lives. So naturally we got good at finding new meaning almost anywhere we looked.

With eye like that, imagine what I thought when this taxi came into view. Click to enlarge and read the sign on its roof. What route do you suppose that cab’s will take to get there?

Taxi_to_London_by_Liz_Strauss

This weekend I’ll be looking to have fun with the world like that.

–ME “Liz” Strauss
Images top3: sxc.hu taxi: LizStrauss
Work with Liz!!

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

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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?

Best Practices in Social Media with the Eyes

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It’s with the Eyes

SOCIAL MEDIA ON THE
The Living Web

Mitch Joel at Six Pixels of Separation has set out a challenge to put forth one social media best practice that we particularly stand behind. Chris Brogan took mine and then had the nerve to tag me.

So I moved from the ears to the eyes.

Watch What People Actually Do

Watch what people actually do — one person at a time. Spend at least an hour watching how someone uses a site you’re interested in. Note where they start, what features they use, in what order, and for how long. If you can ask them why. Then watch another the same way. Watch at least five. If it’s a site about to launch, watch new users. It’s a site, you want to learn, watch the pros.

Often what people say and what they do aren’t the same. Find the patterns and you’ll find the appeal of any site.

Now it’s your turn:
Blog it.
Link to Mitch’s blog
Tag it “social media marketing best practices”
And then tag someone else with the meme.

I tag: Drew McLellan, Toby Bloomberg, Shama Hyder, David Bullock, and Becky McCray

–ME “Liz” Strauss
Work with Liz!!

What I Like about Airplanes

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It’s the ultimate 30,000 view reality. I look out the window and notice that perception isn’t always reality.

I wonder whether the folks in the dark parts of town realize that the sun is shining a few neighborhoods over. Do you suppose the folks in the sunlit neighborhoods think about the parts of town that can’t see the sun?

Sunlight_on_Seattle_2_by_Liz_Strauss (2)

My guess is they don’t think about each other.

Sunshine, traffic jams, economic situations, social media conversations — we tend to think what we experience is what is happening everywhere.

That’s why I like airplanes. They remind me to look for the bigger picture.

–ME “Liz” Strauss
Work with Liz!!

Social Networking: 10 Reasons Why Twitter Folks Unfriend You

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relationships button

Hello friends, well people I know, I have something to tell you. We friended each other on a social site a few months ago. Last weekend, I might have unfriended you or unsubscribed to your list. I’ve been talking to people who’ve been doing the same thing.

The blogosphere has grown bigger and more social than most of us have time. It’s a fact. As much as we’d like to stay friends with everyone, we all have a threshold of noise. When waves of information and conversation pour over our threshold, we need to raise the wall and reasses where we’re spending our social time.

In my conversations with social networking people I find more like me than ones who are not. I’ve asked them what leads them to “unfriend,” or “unsubscribe.” It seems that we have the same reasons for quietly bowing out of your informational stream.

It’s time we let you know what they are.

10 Reasons Why We Unsubscribe or Unfriend You

We all approach to online conversations differently, and we all have different thresholds for noise. Unfriending people from your social stream can feel like breaking up. It’s good to keep in mind that a slew of variables can mitigate the choice of who stays on our “following” list.

This list couldn’t be all of the reasons someone might want to stop seeing you their stream. It’s only 10 reasons I’ve heard over and over again.

  1. I don’t know you. ahem. Maybe we met in passing and added each other. But we haven’t said a word since.

  2. You don’t @folks who tweet you. Your tweets are clever remarks @yourcircle of twitterbuds. Following you seems like being a fangirl.
  3. You talk @everyone about anything!! I’m jumping over you to see what other people are saying.

  4. You like to argue. I don’t.

  5. You talk about things I’m not interested in. We get along great, but the subjects you tweet aren’t my life’s passion.

  6. You tweet as if you don’t know people are listening, as if your life is a stage and your thoughts are high drama.

  7. You only plug your blog posts. That’s not conversation. That’s twitterfeed.

  8. You talk . . . ahem (whine) . . . about all of the work you have to do, but you twitter all day.

  9. I’m only hearing half of your conversations, because I don’t follow your 1000 other friends. .

  10. You constantly discuss your social media clients, but haven’t used the @ sign ever.

  11. You only talk about yourself. I’ve been gone for eleven months and you just noticed yesterday.

When the list we follow is small and focused the direction that we are, the conversation we attract is rich and compelling. It’s filled with opportunities for connection and collaboration. The more we know about who we follow and why we follow them, the more we can build a supportive network of friends and colleagues.

How do you decide who you’ll follow? Is it time to slim down your list?

–ME “Liz” Strauss
Work with Liz!!