The Full Noise

Blenhiem Graphic Design and Website Designers

Al

Why you should be building and sharing your audience

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Here is my very first cinch cast. I’m pretty excited by Cinch as it is a great way to create content on the go.

Have a listen and let me know what you think in the Comments

In this Cinch, I talk about Tim Ferris’ Launch of his new book – The Four Hour Body, and how he worked with Evernote. Evernote is an application that allows users to keep text, images and audio notes everywhere (web, computer and smartphone).

Leveraging your audience

In the book Tim talked about how he used Evernote to track his workouts, eating and other health and body related information.

During the launch of the book, Evernote told their entire user base about how Tim used their application. Evernote now has over 3 million users (as per mid 2010), So by leveraging Evernote’s audience Tim got his book promoted to milllions of people. I am fairly certain Tim also used the same tactic with at least a couple of other services.

How much would you have to pay to advertise to 3 million people?

What can you do?

Do you have an audience for your business?

If not, start building one today. With Social media, it is easier than ever. You can use:

  • Facebook
  • Twitter
  • YouTube
  • even Email

Find other businesses that are related to yours and find ways to work with them and share audiences?

3 things all top influencers do on Twitter

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Twitter continues to grow at a phenomenal rate. And still the mainstream struggles to get it. Meanwhile others are building huge audiences and loyal fans all targeted to their particular industry or niche.

Twitter becomes more interesting the more followers you have. While engagement is the goal, more followers increase the readership of each update you post.

Over the years I’ve been on Twitter I have noticed some common characteristics of popular tweeters.

Here are 3 characteristics of top influencers on twitter that you should be emulating

1. Tweet more than average

By tweeting a lot, you increase your visibility. If I only log in to twitter a few minutes per day, I’m more likely to see your tweets than others. BUT before you run out and start tweeting like mad, influencers don’t tweet a lot purely for the visibility, their volume is related to spending the time on the points below.

2. Engage in conversations with others

Conversing with others shows you to be a real person with real opinions. It shows you are listening to and willing to engage with the community. The best tweeters really do build and maintain valuable relationships, which often lead into ‘real life’ relationships and opportunities.

On twitter, conversations has the added bonus of being public – you are sharing your audience with those you’re talking to, again increasing your exposure to new and wider audiences.

3. They promote others

Reciprocity is valuable on twitter as with all networks whether online or off. Nothing gains loyalty from someone faster than promoting them or their cause. Hailing someone as an expert or someone worth listening to is a huge compliment. And it is as simple as passing on their content or mentioning them in a tweet.

Two bonus tips:

4. Have a core message

Aside from the conversation and promotion of others, influencers have a core message. They specialise in one or two topics and become a hub of information and discussion around these topics. While they may make up less than 25% of their tweets these topics are consistent themes. It is much better to be a specialist rather than a generalist on Twitter (until you get at least 30 thousand followers).

5. Produce valuable content outside of Twitter or Facebook

Whether it is a blog, video on youtube, or photos on Flickr, consistently producing great content that people can use is the number one way to gain credibility in a field. It reinforces a core message and gains links and notoriety as it gets passed around Twitter and the wider web.

The most influential tweeters have most if not all of these factors in their twitter profiles.

How many of these characteristics apply to you?

Who are you selling to in Social Media?

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When did you last go to a networking event looking to buy a product or service?….. No me either, and neither does anybody else. Ivan Misner calls this the Networking Disconnect.

So you aren’t buying at networking events, and neither is anyone else, why do so many people go along to events with the goal to sell something to those they meet? There is no hungry crowd to feed.

The same is true of Social media.

Why are you on Twitter and Facebook? Do you have something you want to buy? – If you are honest, probably not. Sure you might follow Dell or some account that offers regular discounts, but of all the people you follow or friend what percentage are these? (and have you bought anything?)

If no one is there to buy, why bother?

Networking, whether online or offline, offers something more than a one off sale… It is the opportunity to build credibility in your industry, to create an audience and rally a tribe.

By providing as much value as you can you will gather others around you who want to spread your message and recommend you to others. The wider you spread your net, the more customers you are likely to catch.

Here’s an everyday example…

I don’t go to a barbecue and start selling to my mates over a beer, but what I do is build great relationships and I listen to them and find out about them and their business. And I tell them what I do and how I help people.

When I need some wine for a party, some electrical wiring done, or my car painted, I’ve got friends that I’ll go to without even thinking about any of their competition. I go to them because I know them, I like them,and I trust them. I also know when they need a product or service I offer, or even some advice, they will come to me.

I am NOT saying you shouldn’t be selling on Social Media OR that no one is buying – Just that no one is there with the intention to buy so you should be connecting and selling yourself first.

New Zealand businesses slow to invest in the web

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I just read an article on the TVNZ website about the incredibly low rate of New Zealand businesses having websites. According to a survey run by MYOB as of right now, only 34 percent of New Zealand businesses currently have a website.

I have to admit, that this astounds me. The internet is the biggest opportunity in a generation. in little more than 15 years, it has changed the way we communicate, find information and has broken down traditional barriers.

Even for small, local business, the internet can’t be ignored. As explained in the article:

“The way we shop today is very much just popping on to Google and tapping in a quick search. It’s really key for a business to think how they might use the internet to support them.”

MYOB says a business can just use a directory listing online but the evidence shows that a good online presence is a strong driver of business growth.

Opportunities

With only a third of all NZ businesses having a website, the internet landscape still has relatively low competition. In other words if you already have a website, or are moving to get one soon, you are still well ahead of the curve.

The web moves fast

Things change quickly online. Savvy businesses are already using Social Media to build an audience, foster relationships and create loyal fans. How hard is it going to be for latecomers to catch up?

Does your business have a website? Why do you think New Zealand businesses have been so slow to move online?

Stop forcing your customers to pay twice

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I watched a movie a couple of days ago with my wife. I’m not going to admit what movie it was, other than to say it was a chick flick…. ok a teen chick flick.

Anyway, my wife actually bought this movie so she can watch it over and over again whenever she feels the need (oh please no more).

But heres the problem

We load up the dvd, watch the dolby intro and the ‘pirates are costing you money’ announcement (don’t get me started), and 10 minutes of ads…

What the hell?

Five movie previews that we can’t fast forward!

Did I mention we paid for this dvd? not rented Bought! But now here we are spending our recreational time being forced to watch ads for the studios latest movies or special behind the scenes whatever…

I know someone worked out that we are now a captive audience and they should let us know of other titles we can buy off them… That is plain stupid. We paid for the movie, now we have to watch SPAM.

Heres what they should have done

Don’t force me to watch these Previews Ads. Stick them as a menu option, right beside the deleted scenes. Call them something like ‘similar movies’ or ‘suggested films’ (or probably something much better).

Now they’re not spam anymore, they are added value. Why? because we have the choice to watch them. The crazy thing is we would probably watch them happily.

What examples do you have of post sale silliness?

Finding Great ideas

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I came across this great video yesterday. It is a great analysis of the process of coming up with great ideas.

The take away for me, is that we need to share and discuss our ideas with others to allow them to incubate and grow and evolve… To let them become Great.

Keeping ideas hidden away from others is most likely to have them shrivel and die. they need to see the light of day to create something real and tangible.

Get out and network, connect with people in Social media – Talk about your ideas