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The Network Is Your Customer: Combining Strategy and Technology
Feb 6th
If you’re still looking for ways to make sense of the overwhelming amount of information and feedback that’s coming through on social networks, then The Network Is Your Customer: 5 Strategies to Thrive in a Digital Age may have some answers and insights for you.
This is a book I was eager to read because it focuses on how technology intersects with real life strategy. The first thing I did was look for the book’s website. I find that’s an easy way to get an overview and start developing an opinion. I also love it when books have blogs because the blog provides updates and new information that may not have made the printed version. However, I think you’ll find The Network Is Your Customer to be extremely current.
The Network Is Your Customer is a practical book with an academic twist. That’s because the author, David L. Rogers (@David_Rogers), is a teacher at Columbia Business School and the Executive Director at the Center of Global Brand Leadership.
The practical part of the book comes from Rogers’ observations during his BRITE conferences and smaller leadership summits that “brought together innovative companies and nonprofits with cutting-edge entrepreneurs and big thinkers to share ideas about the ways that innovative and emerging technologies are changing business.” Rogers noticed that many of the best and most innovative technical ideas weren’t coming from technical companies. He’s taken these experiences and distilled them into the five srategies that will help you thrive in a digital age. I call that the academic twist because Rogers uses his experience and skill in synthesizing information and then delivering it in a way you can learn from and adapt into your business.
It’s Not About the Technology or the Networks – It’s About Behaviors
If you’re still wondering how you are going to leverage all the social media and technology tools to help you achieve your objectives, then you will breathe a sigh of relief when I tell you that the core message of this book is to focus on your customers’ behavior, not the technology or the social media tool.
Rogers has distilled five behavior strategies that small business can focus on in order to leverage networked customer behaviors to create happier, more loyal customers.
1. ACCESS: Be Faster, Be Easier, Be Everywhere, Be Always On
2. ENGAGE: Become a Source of Valued Content
3. CUSTOMIZE: Make Your Offering Adaptable to Your Customers’ Needs
4. CONNECT: Become a Part of Your Customers’ Conversations
5. COLLABORATE: Involve Your Customers at Every State of Your Enterprise
Building on Layers of Context
I’ll admit that I’m a little biased against books written by academics. Maybe I’m biased for the same reason that you might be: the impression that they don’t live in the same world as we do. Academics have the reputation of thinking big thoughts, interacting with big companies and not really understanding small business owners.
In this case, Rogers’ academic experience is a real asset to the reader who is trying to tie together an overwhelming number of disparate ideas to actually create effective strategies. He does an outstanding job of giving a contextual overview, then focusing on each strategy and then providing specific real-life, familiar examples that you can look at. As I read through the book, I found myself thinking, “Oh, look at how they did that! I had no idea!”
Take the “Customize” examples here:
- Offer a vast menu: Take advantage of the Web to offer a huge range of products, but pair them with a useful set of filters to help customers find what they are looking for. (Think Netflix)
- Customize your playlist: Provide a steady stream of content that adapts to the preferences and feedback of your customers.
- Mash up your products: Let customers modify your products or services to express their individuality.
- Make the choice personal: Put a human face on the choice you offer customers, so that by choosing, they connect with real people.
- Create a platform for choice: Find or build a platform that allows others to create more products or content for your customers to choose between.
It’s Evolutionary
The Network Is Your Customer is to overall marketing strategy what Groundswell was to social media. These two books focus on slightly different aspects of networking. Yet, they both do something that few business books can do: help you get your arms around the technology and the strategy in a way that actually makes sense and helps you take action.
I’m glad I have this book on my shelf, and I intend to get some more copies to pass on to clients and colleagues who want to get smart very quickly about how to best integrate technology with sound marketing strategy.
The Network Is Your Customer: Combining Strategy and Technology
View full post on Small Business News, Tips, Advice – Small Business Trends
What Does Technology Want From Us?
Feb 1st
What Does Technology Want From Us?
This content from: Duct Tape Marketing
Marketing podcast with Kevin Kelly (Click to play or right click and “Save As” to download – Subscribe now via iTunes or subscribe via other RSS device (Google Listen)
Kevin Kelly by eschipul via Flickr
I ran a post last week outlining the way that I use a piece of technology called Evernote to run much of my life. I commented, almost as an aside, that the one thing I still keep on paper is my daily to do list. I do this for a variety of reasons, but I was struck by that fact that a great deal of the conversation surrounding that post concerned that fact that many others agreed that they too kept elements of their daily routine decidedly analog.
To quote John Naisbitt’s 1985 Megatrends – “. . . the more technology we introduce into our lives, the more we seek a high touch balance, a human ballast.”
Of course Naisbitt was talking about copiers and typewriters, imagine how much more pressure we must feel today with a computer that could run a Space Shuttle mission in most everyone’s pocket and a 24/7 tweet meme running in our brains.
I see, feel and hear about the pressure small business owners feel every day and it’s a topic that find both important and interesting – in case your going to SXSW in Austin I’m on a panel called – Tweeting On the Weekends, where I’ll share some of my thoughts about employing and taming technology.
For this episode of the Duct Tape Marketing Podcast I had the pleasure of spending about 20 minutes with Kevin Kelly – cofounder of Wired Magazine where he served as Executive Editor for seven years, publisher of Cool Tools and author of New Rules for the New Economy and the recently released What Technology Wants
Before I jump into some of what we discussed I have to tell you that you should get your hands on a copy of New Rules – it’s out of print I’m told but there are used copies and a Kindle version. The book was very influential on my thinking about the changing role of technology back in 1998 or so and I’m amazed at how accurately the rules discussed have played out here in 2011.
Kelly is one of the closest things we have to a technology Renaissance Man. He was one of the pioneers of a great deal of the Internet technology that we take for granted today, yet spent large chunks of his life with no technology other than a sleeping bag and a flashlight.
He writes in What Technology Wants not in a straightforward futuristic way but rather in a historic backward looking way and it helps us realize that technology has been with us forever, it’s possibly the way we interact with it that’s changed the most.
I find it extremely compelling that for each and every vexing problem that more technology presents we typically find a way out or around it with more technology.
We are experiencing an exciting shift right now from the desktop to the mobile, from the static to the dynamic and from the scheduled to real time and that shift is creating such a fluid and sometimes dreaded need to adjust our thinking about what work is, how we interact, and how we consume information that I believe we are on the verge of something equal to or greater than the impact of the web’s early days in the mainstream.
You can listen to the show by subscribing the feed in iTunes or a variety of other free services such as Google Listen (Use this RSS feed) or you can buy the Duct Tape Marketing iPhone app. (iTunes link – Cost is $2.99) or Android app and listen to the show as well as about ten past shows on your phone.
View full post on Small Business Marketing Blog from Duct Tape Marketing
The New Small Delivers Big Technology Insights for Small Business
Jan 30th
Big business used to have a monopoly on resources and tools that virtually kept customers hostage if they wanted a certain level or type of service. This is no longer true, and Phil Simon’s The New Small: How a New Breed of Small Businesses Is Harnessing the Power of Emerging Technologies will show you exactly how small businesses just like yours are playing and earning big using tools and technologies that used to be out of reach for us.
Phil Simon: An Advocate and Example of Entrepreneurial Spirit
I don’t normally start a book review by talking about the author. But this is how I was introduced to The New Small: Phil Simon contacted me and asked if he could send me a copy of his new book. After a while, he called and we had a really terrific chat about the exciting technologies that make owning a small business today so rewarding and exciting.
Phil actually consults with companies on how to optimize their use of technology. He’s the author of two other books: The Next Wave of Technologies and Why New Systems Fail. Phil is one of the more accessible authors out there; what I find most inspiring about Phil is his boundless energy and ability to reach out to anyone he admires and wants to learn from. This tone comes through clearly in the book.
It’s a Biz Book. It’s a Tech Book. It’s Full of Ideas
Phil told me that he wanted this book to read like The Tipping Point. His intention was to pull together trend and research information supported by case studies that small business owners could relate to and use in their business.
The book is written in four main parts:
Part I: Trends and Five Enablers: This section will give you a framework and overview of the business landscape today. It will prepare you for the meaty information that’s to come and give perspective to what drove the companies that were profiled to use the strategies they did.
Part II: The New Small: This is where you’ll get a lot of the case studies that provide real-life examples of how businesses like yours adapted to trends. There are 12 short chapters that each dig into a critical business challenge and then show how a wide spectrum of companies overcame a challenge using technology.
Part III: Becoming One of the New Small: If you’re interested in using technology to build and grow your business, this section is priceless. It gives technology consulting advice in a language and context that’s easy for anyone to understand and apply.
Part IV: Thinking Ahead: In this short section, Simon gives you the proverbial pat on the back and sends you on your way with some parting words of advice. The lesson I took away is that adaptability and openness to technology and change are the successful small business owner’s best friends.
Is The New Small For YOU?
I normally wouldn’t go on and on about a technology book. I mean, how exciting can a discussion on e-mail, cloud computing or networking be? But when you see how Simon has linked marketing, sales management and finance, then you suddenly get interested.
This is a book I’d recommend to small business owners or anyone who has the decision-making power to evaluate, choose and implement new technologies in a business. I’d even stretch that recommendation to anyone who can make recommendations about which technologies will improve your business operations and productivity.
Earlier in the year, I did a series of articles and webinars on how to make your small business and your marketing look like a bigger company. There was a lot of interest in this topic, and if you’re someone that’s set that goal for yourself this year, The New Small will give you the information, insight and inspiration you need to get that done.
If you’re interested in learning more about how to use technology to build and drive your small business, pick up a copy of The New Small. You can also check out the book’s website, The New Small, and if you want help in implementing some of the principles, visit Phil Simon’s site. Tweet the author @philsimon or @thenewsmall.
The New Small Delivers Big Technology Insights for Small Business
View full post on Small Business News, Tips, Advice – Small Business Trends
Biz Owners to Google: Give Us More Online Technology and Education
Jan 9th
We small business owners have long been the kings and queens of do-it-yourself solutions. When we are starting out, we have more time than money. As startups we focus on do-it-yourself solutions because we cannot afford to pay others to do for us — yet.
Later, as our businesses grow, we start hiring staff and outsourcing work to outside providers. Even so, we’re likely to continue doing a lot of work ourselves because it makes economic sense and because by nature many small biz owners are hands-on and like it that way.
So it should come as no surprise that asked for our wish list for 2011, small biz owners put on the list “more education” and a desire for more tools to run our businesses.
This information came out as part of the Google Wishes initiative. Late last year, Google asked small business owners and entrepreneurs to “share our 2011 aspirations.”
The results are in, and they paint a picture of business owners who are serious about growing and improving their businesses, and looking for tools and assistance to make it happen.
First, we business owners love online technology, and want more features. Seventy-six percent (76%) wanted more features from online tools. Also, according to Leslie Hernandez, Product Marketing Manager, Google Small Business Team, the small business owners who responded ” … acknowledged that referrals are now happening online through social media channels and, as such, you want to understand how to use these online tools. You also want more out of your websites. Ultimately, you said you want to do more online to run your business more efficiently and spend more time concentrating on your customers.”
Another thing on the wish list: more education, as well as help to get our businesses started. In other words, we small business owners know that we need more knowledge if we’re to run our businesses more efficiently and effectively.
Biz Owners to Google: Give Us More Online Technology and Education
View full post on Small Business News, Tips, Advice – Small Business Trends
The Selling System Technology Toolkit
Nov 5th
The Selling System Technology Toolkit
This content from: Duct Tape Marketing
Image credit: chuckoutrearseats via Flickr
In response to yesterday’s post Installing a Selling System, a reader asked me what tools I favored for each of the steps in the system I described.
There’s no question that the act of selling, building trust, and educating prospects has been dramatically impacted by the onslaught of online tools available today, but I think the perfect blend lies in fusing the online with the offline. Selling is still about building relationships and few things compare to hugs and handshakes in the relationship arena.
Smart marketers and salespeople are using technology to help provide additional points of contact, training, and research in ways that enhance, rather than replace, the overall process of moving people to making a purchasing decision.
With that in mind, here are my tech toolbox suggestions for amplifying the selling system. This is not meant to be the complete list of every option, but more of a starter list of tools I like to help get you thinking about fusion. (Details on each step)
Discovery – Move a lead to the next planned step
- Wufoo – a brilliant form building tool that can be used to present a series of qualifying questions that feed your CRM pipeline
- Flowtown – a tool that appends an email lead with a full suite of social media and online activity giving you a much richer picture of a prospect. (Integrates with Wufoo and email service providers)
Presentation – the planned act of presenting your unique approach, case statement and story
- iPad - the small, yet brilliant display of the iPad running Keynote or even a PDF viewer makes the perfect intimate presentation tool. Don’t create the 50 slide info dump, but use a handful of slides to create impact and reinforce your primary point of view and story.
- SlideRocket – an online slide presentation tool that can be used live or as an on demand show. The power of this tool is the ability to create presentations that contain multimedia and forms tied to your CRM system
Nurturing – Keeping a prospect interested and engaged as they move through their buying cycle
- Office AutoPilot – a little known tool that has the power to run your entire marketing automation process. The full suite includes form based email marketing, direct mail integration, lead scoring and tracking, and pURL technology, but best of all, it’s built with the small business in mind.
- InfusionSoft – another small business oriented tool that includes CRM features, autoresponders, branching and personalized follow-up based on click tracking
- Constant Contact, Vertical Response, MailChimp, AWeber – all great, reputable email marketing services that allow you to create multifaceted email follow-up campaigns
Transaction – a process that focuses on delivering a remarkable experience once a prospect decides to buy
- MavenLink – one of the many online project management suites, but focused on simplicity for the service provider. Using a tool like this allows you to create an online portal for every client and give them access to orientation materials as well as an online collaboration space for project work.
- Central Desktop – another project management tool, but with a nice wiki feature for building lots of easily searchable content for your customers.
- Jott – this tool does a lot of things, but primarily it’s a way to speak a message and have it sent via email. Try this right after you meet with a new client and send the action steps from your just completed meeting via email as you drive back to the office.
Review – one of the most overlooked points in selling is measuring results, both yours and the clients
- MyNextCustomer – a simple way to measure phone calls, web leads and sales from social media, seo, paid search and offline marketing campaigns to determine where your highest conversion payoff is.
- GetSatisfaction – a very nice tool that facilitates the act of bringing customers and companies together to create a better shared experience.
- SurveyGizmo – my favorite online survey, poll and questionnaire tool
View full post on Small Business Marketing Blog from Duct Tape Marketing
Hillary Bressler is Awarded Women’s Achievment Award for Technology
Oct 14th
.Com Marketing announces CEO, Hillary Bressler to receive award from the Women’s Executive Council. Through successful pay per click management and SEO campaigns for clients, Hillary has made the company a trusted authority in the internet marketing industry.
See the full press release here:
.Com Marketing, a full service marketing and online advertising agency, offers their clients such solutions as Pay Per Click Management, website design and search engine marketing strategies, or SEO.
View full post on .Com Marketing Blog | Internet Marketing Trends | Interactive Marketing
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Small Business News: Technology Torrent
Oct 7th
We live in a time when the changes in technology rush at us like the torrent of information that technology now allows us to exchange. For small business owners, wise use of technology is the key to success. Failure to use it or to keep abreast of the changes all around you is a doomed strategy. At the same time, it’s important to be discerning, to be able to tell the difference between what will be important for your small business and what is only a passing fad. In this roundup we have looked at some of the change out there as it relates to small business, collected what we believe may be important for you to know about, tapped into the torrent of change. But entrepreneurs and small business owners must chart their own way through these changing times deciding what is important and what, like yesterday’s styles, will soon be forgotten. Welcome to the future of business.
The tech your SMB needs. When it comes to technology, it’s important to understand what your small business needs. That will mean different things to every business and to every small business owner and entrepreneur. The above list is a great start but a look at the comment section under the linked to article will show you there’s still some difference of opinion. As a rule, buying the best of anything will not always make you more productive but skimping on needed technology may cost your company more in the end. Entrepreneur.com
How will your business use the new Facebook? Facebook is at it again with a technical tweak that arguably could prove more far reaching in its impact then the new “places” feature at least as far as productivity is concerned. The new Facebook “pals” space creates smaller groups with a private default creating an environment much closer to a private corporate intranet. Could this become a new collaboration tool for small business? Yahoo! News
Coming soon, your own custom Foursquare URL? Well, not exactly. However, it would definitely be on the list of new features to be added to the next upgrade of the popular check-in software if some marketers had their way. Food for thought. Hope you’re listening foursquare developers. This one could be a winner! Catalyst Marketers
Geolocation basics. It’s everything about Foursquare you wanted to know but were afraid to ask. How this new check-in software is giving more mature social media a run for its money in the world of marketing, especially when it comes to marketing a bricks and mortar business. Check out this overview of how it works and how small businesses are using it. nytimes.com
A better screen and no more lap top. As technology keeps growing more complex while making our lives simpler, there are new features that increase the range of what our ordinary business computers can offer us and, at the same time, help us reduce our dependence on bulky equipment especially inconvenient while traveling. You may never need an “IMAX on your desk” but exchanging a laptop for a PC-on-a-stick has its appeal. Entrepreneur.com
When upgrading to Mac, remember safety first. It’s that time. Time for your small business to exchange those rough-and-ready Toshibas or those comfortable but perhaps not quite powerful enough Dells for your first Macs. But with a better machine comes new concerns, espedcially when it comes to security. Though Apple is known for its security measures, be aware that it’s wise for you to take steps to protect your data as well. Entrepreneur.com
Need some help with all that technology. IT professionals are happy to lend small business owners and entrepreneurs a helping hand with increasingly complex technology they assume is taking more and more away from running a business. Well, guess what IT guys, for years you called the shots even though many forms of technology are becoming so intuitive that IT pros may want to worry about their job security. USA Today
Small Business trust in technology rather than hiring. With an uncertain economy it seems logical that thrifty small to medium sized businesses would seek ways to cut costs even as they begin to climb out of the depths of the recession. But those cuts aren’t across the board since small businesses are wise enough to realize some investment must be made for the future. Instead it seems small businesses are turning to technology in an effort to do more with less. Data Solutions
Small Business News: Technology Torrent
View full post on Small Business News, Tips, Advice – Small Business Trends
