Successful Blog

SOB Business Cafe 07-11-08

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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

Productivity in Context makes a point about working together and does it via an interview.
When I got to meet Ryan face-to-face at SOBCon in Chicago this past May, I asked him about those discussions and how they led to a new product being offered by the company that he worked for.

Diva Marketing Blog makes a point about what happens when we know people.
I wondered if it would have made a difference to any of them if they knew the clerk behind the counter. I wondered if they would have bought more stamps, shipped more packages or been more patient if they had read a Postal employee’s blog.

Chris Webb makes a point that applies to more than book reviews.
We always hope for positive reviews of our books, but there is a rare and magical event that only occurs every once in a while. It is the ability of a single review or recommendation to propel a book to bestseller status.

the brandbox makes a point about when more is too much — unless you’re good with cream cheese.
Here’s why I’m adamant that a focused brand beats an “everything” brand any day (unless you’re a bagel).

Viral Garden makes a point about learning the culture in a new country.
But I saw an interesting example yesterday of how companies need to know the unwritten ‘rules’ of interacting with people via these sites/tools.

The Broad Brush makes a point about what prepares us to be successful.
You can’t go home until the paint is dry – folks want to come on the soc net scene and splash around and think they’ve done it.

Related ala carte selections include

Director Tom points out the big question.

Thanks to everyone who’s bought and blogged about the eBook!

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

Word Is You Can Be a Word of Mouth SuperGenius

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Learn from the Guy Who Wrote the Book

Working Plans logo

Many of you have seen Andy Sernovitz speak at SOBCon07 or in other venues across the US. He founded WOMMA — the Word of Mouth Market Association — at wrote the book on the Word of Mouth.

In just two weeks, Andy is launching a Word of Mouth Crash Course!
He says, “You’ll learn to be a word of mouth marketing supergenius!”

Andy sent me these details.

This is a very practical, hands-on course. In one intense day, you will:

  • Master the five steps of word of mouth marketing
  • Construct an action plan that you can use the very next day
  • Get the same training that big corporations (Microsoft, TiVo, eBay) have received — for a fraction of what they paid
  • Know how to translate word of mouth marketing into real ROI
  • Participate in an active, intense day of practical brainstorming (not boring theory)
  • Learn from the guy who literally wrote the book on word of mouth marketing

I promise you will learn a repeatable, proven marketing framework that is easy to execute,
affordable, and provides measurable results within 60 days.

You can find out more information: http://events.gaspedal.com
The course is in Chicago on three dates: July 30, September 4, and October 9

Oh yeah, and there are a couple of other things you should know if come for the Crash Course.

Andy can show you how to invite others to spread the news of your products and services in ways that make them feel proud to do it. My favorite takeaway from when I saw him speak was . . . if your product isn’t boring people will want to talk about it.

Word of mouth says this is a good investment.

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

Connecting with the Offline Customer: A Non-Blogger’s Perspective

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by Scott McIntyre

Scott McIntyre — The Avid Blog Reader Without a Blog

It is a little daunting to be out here for the first time, writing in front of you all. But I’m not too nervous because I know that you’re friendly folk. You see, I’ve been waiting around these parts for a few months now, watching what’s been going on with great interest. I’ve mostly remained in the background, only once or twice venturing out into the open space of the comments section.

Then, one day, Liz posed a question on the search for the non-blogging customer, and I just couldn’t stop myself — I bolted from the sidelines and let my presence be known. At last, I had something to add to the conversation! This was an issue that I knew about first hand — for I am one of that apparently rare breed — the avid blog reader without a blog.

When Liz invited me to share with you my non-blogging perspective on the blogosphere, I readily and gratefully accepted. While exploring many blogs, I have studied both the ‘art’, as well as the ‘technical’, aspects of blogging.

I have educated myself on the often bewildering, unique features of blogs. I can speak the lingo — I know what a ‘post’ is, I can explain ‘RSS’ and the benefits of ‘subscribing’. Heck, I even get what a ‘trackback’ is!

It’s been rewarding to spend time browsing and stumbling through a diverse variety of web pages as part of my active use of Social Media . . . and I’ve done this without the vehicle of a blog.

Over the coming weeks, I’d like to pass on my observations

  • to help you identify issues associated with targetting offline customers
  • and to offer suggestions on methods you can use to connect effectively with this group.

Together, we will highlight the challenges involved in finding and attracting the non-blogger back to an online business and find solutions for success.

But, first, let me explain on how I became such a passionate advocate of blogs.

Discovering The Blogosphere: My Journey Begins

Though I’ve always been a keen Internet user, I only clicked on my first weblog in March, earlier this year. Ironically, my introduction to the blogosphere wasn’t by way of a gentle, general interest blog but via the ultimate in “How to Blogs” — problogger.

I was fascinated to read Darren’s clear explanations and advice on blogging, and those of his readers. The more I delved into his archives, the more I realised the tremendous value of blogs. It was like finding a never ending supply of constantly updated magazines, delivered daily to the letterbox of my feed reader.

The biggest revelation was to witness how the audience is able to interact with the blogger, and with each other, through the community of the comments section. By doing so, readers are shaping and influencing the very content itself. I soon went searching for countless other blogs, subscribing to many as I went.

Certain blogs have made my experience easier to our mutual benefit. For example, I am more likely to hang around, or sign up to, a blog that has

  • a user-friendly design,
  • first class content,
  • a lively comments section,
  • and other elements which embrace all readers — bloggers or not.

It is clear that Liz works hard to ensure that the S.O.B. community here is accessible to everyone regardless of their familiarity with blog ‘netiquette’. That’s the reason why I felt compelled to contribute in the first place.

Back then, little did I realise how enthusiastic I would become about this dynamic medium, and by how much I would want to learn about the ‘mechanics’ of blogging. Nor could I ever have anticipated how strong my desire would be to encourage as many other non-bloggers as possible to discover blogs for themselves.

Why Don’t I Blog?

After espousing the brilliance of blogs, you might reasonably ask why I don’t blog myself. It’s a valid question. The more I read blogs and see their potential, the more I am drawn to becoming an active participant as a means of expressing myself. It just hasn’t happened yet.

In many ways, the very fact that I am writing this post today is a novel idea on Liz’s part. Usually, only bloggers do guest posts.

The best analogy I can use to describe my interest in blogs is to compare it to that of an automobile fan who can drive, but doesn’t yet possess their own automobile. There’s no reason why he or she, can’t become au fait with how a classic engine works or travel round automobile shows, admiring the gleaming models on display.

Just as you don’t have to write for, or own, a magazine to be able to read one, you don’t actually have to be a blogger to enjoy browsing through blogs.

I’m Scott McIntyre. I’m an avid blog reader without a blog.

If you’re a non-blogging reader, leave a comment to let me know you’re out there. If you’re a blogger, what advice do you have for non-bloggers, who want to be part of your blog?
–Scott

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Scott is a freelance writer based in Scotland, who only recently discovered the wonders of the blogosphere. A former policy manager with the Scottish Government, his background is in business and Human Resource Management. Scott’s interest in writing developed when, at the age of just 15 and still at school, he edited and wrote for a newspaper column. He is on a personal mission to live a colorful life, and to write about it along the way. You can find out more at LinkedIn, or be one of the first to follow Scott on Twitter.

741 Somersaults — Not a Fence in Sight

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I've been thinking . . .

about fences.

Where I grew up, we had this fabulous back yard. Three houses backed up to it. They stood high on an embankment. It was 18 cement stairs down to the basement level and another 16 stairs, if you took that way down to the yard. Most of the time we just ran down the hill next to the stairs. Sometimes we laid on our sides and rolled.

About 150 yards from the hill with the stairs was the river bank. From here to there was all green, green grass, not a fence in sight. I once did 741 somersaults across that expanse. It’s a record that I obviously still cherish.

A fence across that grassy field would’ve undreamed an endless stream of childhood somersaults. We wouldn’t have thought of doing many things that we did.

Fences would have changed our thinking. They have a way of dividing our view into greener and not so green grass. The worst are the fences disconnect us from our potential. Build a fence around your goals, and you’ll surely not reach them.

Draw a fence around your heart, and people will stay out.

I don’t like fences. They make it hard to set records we never forget.

741 somersaults — not a fence in sight.

Liz's Signature

The Beam Global Cultural Switch Interviews: Meet Rory Finlay

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A SERIES in the quest to know more about the offline world

An Interview with Beam Global’s Rory Finlay

After SOBCon08, I asked Jason Falls, Social Media Explorer, to check in with with Beam Global. The question was whether we might share their social media relationship with their customers. Could we show how it started and tell the story as it grows? I’m delighted to say that the idea got an immediate approval — this is one of those interviews.

Meet Rory Finlay. He is the senior vice president and global chief marketing officer of Beam Global Wine & Sprits, Inc. Rory is leading the charge in this cultural shift.

Hi Rory! The first question probably won’t surprise you. Corporations turn as slowly as aircraft carriers. Why did Beam Global invest in a Social Media Initiative?

Beam Global is committed to its Vision of “Building brands people want to talk about.” We pride ourselves in developing bold, innovative, creative and unique campaigns that engage our consumers in meaningful ways. With the evolution of social media, we’re finding that people are talking less around the water coolers at work and more through blogs and social media outlets such as Facebook.

As our consumers engage in conversations in the social media world, it seemed only natural that we should as well. Through social media tools, we are able to move beyond merely talking about our brands, but actually showing consumers what our brands stand for and how our consumers connect with those brands.

What worries, concerns, and hurdles did you have? How did you make them dissolve?

One issue we focused on solving was how to accurately measure “talkablity” and the tone of the conversations generated in the social media world. We worked with Jason Falls, social media explorer, who helped us implement metrics and tools to do just that. We are able to capture our consumers’ comments (good and bad) and use the feedback to improve our work in the social media arena and our brands’ place within those conversations.

We have also tasked our marketers with the goal of creating new and innovative ways to utilize social media. For example, Jim Beam® has turned conventional marketing on its head by linking the quality of what’s inside the bottle to the positive qualities and attributes of selected individuals and organizations that personify “The Stuff Inside.” As Jason mentioned to you earlier this month, Jim Beam is using 100% of its advertising budget to support individuals and organizations with “The Stuff Inside,” and help them reach the next level of success by amplifying the story of their true character to a broader audience. We have issued a social media release on this movement and developed a micro site (www.thestuffinside.com) that invites consumers to talk with each other about what “The Stuff Inside” means to them and provide real-life examples. The implementation of ideas and commitment to concepts like this is will continue to set Beam Global and its brands apart.

Rory, what did it take for your team to see what Jason meant when he says you have to “live social media”?

In order to understand social media, we truly had to engage in it. Merely talking about things like webcasts, Twittering and blogging really do not mean much until you actually connect with the medium. Marketing to consumers through social media allows us to experiment and test different ideas and concepts, which eventually helps us to evolve and adapt the presence of our brands in this arena. “Living” social media ultimately helps us “live” our Vision; getting people talking about our brands in social media is one of the key ways we strive to achieve “Building brands people want to talk about.”

What surprises did you hear of from JJ Betts (Jim Beam brand manager) and Scott Kolbe (relationship marketing manager) when they immersed themselves with social media bloggers at SOBcon?

JJ and Scott were able to speak with veteran bloggers about “The Stuff Inside” and showcase the movement for critique and feedback. My main takeaway from SOBcon was that the “The Stuff Inside” effort is among the first major social media efforts for the spirits industry. It validates Beam Global’s goal of executing bold ideas and actions that inspire conversations about our brands.

What are your hopes for “The Stuff Inside” (http:/www.thestuffinside.com/) and how can the bloggers who love you help?

Through “The Stuff Inside” we want to celebrate and support integrity and character. Superficial images inundate us all the time and when we came across individuals and organizations that personified quality and integrity, we want to do whatever we can to champion these anchors of genuineness. By supporting real-life subjects in non-traditional ways, Jim Beam is putting the brand’s timeless values into a context that makes them contemporary and relevant to today’s consumer. We ask not only bloggers, but all legal drinking age consumers to join in the conversation with us.

Thanks, Rory, and thanks, Beam!

–ME “Liz” Strauss
Work with Liz!!
Get your best voice in the conversation!

You can read the other Beam Global Cultural Shift Interviews here:
The Beam Global Cultural Switch to Social Media: How It Began
The Beam Global Interview with Jason Falls Continues