Home Wealth Project
Extensive Research On How To Build Wealth From The Comfort Of Your Own Home.
I Want to Choke the Word Synergy
Apr 5th
I Want to Choke the Word Synergy
This content from: Duct Tape Marketing
I don’t know why I react so violently to the word synergy – ask anyone, I’m a easy going person, but some buzz words just get to me. I know they get to you to so let’s kick off the work taking a few to on and why not turn it into a contest too.
Share you most dreaded or bizarre buzz word or phrase (social media fanatic) in the comments of this post by Thursday April, 7th and I’ll pick 3 winners to get a full enterprise edition of inDinero accounting software courtesy of Appsumo. ($1,200 value)
I really love inDinero and even interviewed CEO Jessica Mah on the Duct Tape Marketing podcast. I thought of this challenge because one of Indeniro’s marketing positions is that they help get rid of accounting speak and allow you to monitor the real time health of your business from a pretty straightforward dashboard.
So, get after it – what words and phases need to be wiped from the business vocabulary?
View full post on Small Business Marketing Blog from Duct Tape Marketing
Read Every Slide Word for Word
Dec 17th
This cartoon has happened to me more times than I care to remember.
But it wasn’t until my wife and I were at a presentation that they all coalesced into the above cartoon.
I drew this on a scrap of paper and showed it to her. It was a good thing we were sitting in the back of the room because we both got the giggles and had to look elsewhere and think sad thoughts so we could stop.
It’s one of my most popular recent cartoons, and I suspect it’s because we’ve all been there.
Read Every Slide Word for Word
View full post on Small Business News, Tips, Advice – Small Business Trends
Use Word of Mouth to Build Business By Staffing Your Store to Spread the Word
Nov 11th
Amy’s Ice Creams in Austin, Texas, is beloved for two things: the ice cream and the floor show. They are the ice cream equivalent of Seattle’s “flying fish.” Ice cream scoops are thrown from one worker to another and caught in cups balanced on their chins . . . while standing on one foot . . . hopping. You’ll see ice cream slingers sliding across the counters on their knees and bellies. It’s a carnival ride in there.
Finding people who are fearless and creative enough to come up with stunts like flinging ice cream balls across a room just can’t happen in the normal interview process. How exactly do you ask, “Are you a little bit nuts?” You can’t. So, at Amy’s, applicants receive a white paper bag. It must be brought back within a week turned into a creation that tells Amy’s about who they are. From this white paper bag, Amy’s finds the personalities to fill their shops.
Without the Right People, This Is Just Great Ice Cream
By using a plain white paper bag as its job application, Amy’s gets to know the creative soul lurking within the teenaged candidate standing before them. This idea began with an applicant who was given the bag instead of the boilerplate job application because Amy’s had run out of the forms. The applicant floated the bag back into the store with helium balloons; inside the bag were items about her life. She got the job. Now for all applicants, this is how Amy’s fills their shops with people who make getting ice cream like going to the circus.
Revel in “Being Real”
The Amy’s Ice Creams Web site says, “Amy’s looks at ‘going out for ice cream’ as a total sensory experience that can revitalize a less-than-stellar day.” Part of the joy of going to their ice cream shops is wondering what kind of floor show you’ll be greeted with. Getting the right people to work at Amy’s has spurred their growth from a single location in 1984 to over 14 stores today. In 1984, Amy’s sold 125,000 servings of ice cream. Now they sell well over 1 million a year, with gross annual sales exceeding $5 million.
Like many beloved companies, Amy’s Ice Creams doesn’t advertise. Word of mouth builds the business, and Amy’s redirects marketing money to community development, which fuels more word of mouth. Amy’s represents the power of the small business owner and how service and exceptional experiences can build a small business. Amy’s Ice Creams prospers because it revels in being real. Its employees revel in being their kooky, nutty selves–and people love it. This translates to Amy’s website, where the home page welcomes you with “Life is uncertain, eat dessert first!” Sound advice.
Go Try This
Get “real” in how you hire and bring people into your company
- First, define the core values of the people you want to fill your company.
- Next, determine the personality of your company. Are you serious and deliberate? Are you whimsical? (Have you thought about it?)
Next, examine your current hiring process:
- Are you deliberate about selecting people who will deliver your company’s distinct personality to customers?
- How would your customers say you are doing?
- Do customers rave about how unique you are?
- Are you selecting “memory makers” or just filling slots?
Decide to be real:
- What’s your version of a white paper bag you can use to select people who will become your company to your customers?
Use Word of Mouth to Build Business By Staffing Your Store to Spread the Word
View full post on Small Business News, Tips, Advice – Small Business Trends
Spreading the Good Word on Fox Business
Sep 25th
Spreading the Good Word on Fox Business
This content from: Duct Tape Marketing
I was in New York last week to participate in the New York Times Small Business Summit and stopped by the Fox Business studios to talk about my latest book – The Referral Engine (Note to self always carry copy of book even though the host is supposed to already have one.) Below is the clip from that interview.
Like this post? Share it with others
View full post on Small Business Marketing Blog from Duct Tape Marketing
Attention Internet Folks: Facebook Apparently Owns the Word “Book
Aug 26th
| We are getting pretty close to the point where… tricks that make us mere mortals shake our heads and ask that popular Internet question “WTH?” |
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View full post on Home Wealth Project Riot!
The paradox of promises in the age of word of mouth
Jul 20th
Word of mouth is generated by surprise and delight (or anger). This is a function of the difference between what you promise and what you deliver (see clever MBA chart to the right—>).
The thing is, if you promise very little, you don’t get a chance to deliver because I’ll ignore you. And if you promise too much, you don’t get a chance to deliver, because I won’t believe you…
Hence the paradox. The more you promise, the less likely you are to achieve delight and the less likely you are to earn the trust to get the gig in the first place. Salespeople often want you to allow them to overpromise, because it gets them through the RFP. Marketers, if they’re smart, will push you (the CEO) to underpromise, since that’s where the word of mouth is going to come from.
I have worked with someone who is very good at the promising part. She enjoys it. And when the promises don’t work out, she’s always ready with the perfect excuse. This is a great strategy if you have a regular job and the excuses are really terrific, but if you need internal or external clients, it gets old pretty fast. It certainly doesn’t lead to the sort of word of mouth one is eager to encounter.
Surgeons have this problem all the time. They promise a complete, pain-free recovery and work hard to build up a positive expectation, particularly for elective surgery. And the entire time you’re in bed, in pain, unable to pee, all you can do is hate on the doctor.
This is one reason why recovering from failure is such a great opportunity. If you or your organization fail and then you pull out all the stops to recover or make good, the expectation/delivery gap is huge. You don’t win because you did a good job, you win because you so dramatically exceeded expectations.
View full post on Seth’s Blog
Definitive Guide to Word of Mouth Marketing
Apr 11th
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Everything you could need to know about Word of Mouth Marketing, with extra reading and videos to help you better understand how to take advantage of… |
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View full post on Home Wealth Project Riot!
Tips for Taking Your Business Online – Build It, Optimize It, Spread the Word
Apr 7th
Of the nearly 350 million people living in North America, 74 percent of these are Internet users. So it’s not surprising that this powerful, universal medium for information consumption, networking and commerce has also emerged as one of the most important elements in almost every business toolkit.
But for many small business owners, the Internet is more than tool – it’s a lifeline that has helped them survive and prosper through the current economic climate.
Just think back to last year’s holiday shopping season, for example. Despite the recession, 2009 saw the heaviest-ever online shopping day (December 19) with $913 million in recorded sales. The U.S. Census Bureau also reports that e-commerce sales continue to grow by 23.1 percent per year compared with 5 percent for total retail sales.
Starting an Online Business – One Step at a Time
But for many small businesses, micro businesses and sole proprietors, taking their business online (whether e-commerce is involved or not) is easier said than done. Yep, anyone can secure a domain name and subscribe to a $5.99 monthly Web hosting plan. But an online business is merely a vehicle for the product or service you are selling. So starting a Web-based business – and making it a success – will take more than just “getting online”.
Which is why this question comes up time and time again on small business forums: “I’m starting an online business – where do I begin?”
In response to this question, Business.gov has compiled 10 Steps to Starting an Online Business. This guide walks you through the basic fundamentals of getting started – such as registering a domain name and finding a host – and offers advice for following the rules of the road that regulate online marketing and e-commerce (think sales taxes, etc.)
Starting an Online Store
If e-commerce is your goal, read this valuable primer on making a successful move to e-commerce: Getting Started with E-Commerce – An Entrepreneur’s Checklist.
Generate Traffic to Your Site
Starting your online business is one thing, generating traffic and making it a success is another. But without a store front or obvious physical business location, let alone any kind of physical signage, generating traffic is one of the biggest challenges of starting an online business.
Take time to write an integrated marketing plan that maximizes both online and offline channels – and delivers a consistent brand message through both. Read Starting and Growing an Online Business: An Entrepreneur’s Checklist to get tips on promoting your online business through online channels such as social media, pay-per-click advertising, and optimizing your site for search engines such as Google. The Checklist also offers tips on leveraging offline channels in your market place or community.
Get Blogging
Once you have optimized your site – keep it that way. Search engines love good organic content, and one of the most effective ways of keeping your site fresh and search engine-friendly is to incorporate a blog into your site.
Blogs provide business owners with unprecedented ways of reaching and engaging with large audiences in a way that the traditional one-way information push of a company Web site could never do.
Additionally, blogs can help put a human face to your business while showcasing your knowledge and passion for your chosen field. Just about anyone from a landscaping business to an IT security company can share tips of the trade that connect them with their customer base. For example, restaurant owners can share recipe secrets; hair salons could blog about hair care and the review the latest hair products; and tax specialists could offer tax tips.
And unlike the static content of a business Web site, blogs are collaborative and invite comments – a great way to engage with and solicit feedback from your customers!
Read more about setting up a blog, choosing blog software, and planning your blog strategy in Thinking of Starting a Blog? Tips to Help You Start, Maintain & Grow a Small Business Blog!
Additional Resources
Ready to dig a little deeper into making your online business a success? Here is just a sampling of other great articles and resources from across the Business.gov Community of small business experts and entrepreneurs.
Domain Names
- All About Domain Names – Explains the ins and outs of selecting, registering and managing a domain name.
- Tips for Choosing a Business Name that is Unique, Web-Ready, and Legally Yours! – Explains the basics of choosing a business name that works for your small business venture in a Web-savvy world.
E-Commerce
- Online Payment Services – Explains e-commerce payment options such as PayPal and Bill Me Later and helps you understand if they’re realistic for your small business.
- Making Money Online – When Are You a Business? – Explains the regulatory and tax obligations involved in the various stages of e-commerce from selling on eBay, to affiliate marketing, to opening your own online store.
Marketing Your Online Business
- Google AdWords Explained – Growing Your Small Business with this Cost-Effective Marketing Tool
- Getting Started with Social Media Marketing
- Small Business Marketing: Making Social Media Pay Off for your Brand and Your Bottom Line
- Getting Started with Email Marketing: “The Most Powerful Tool in Your Relationship-Building Toolbox”
Protect Your Customers and Your Online Content
- Creating a Privacy Policy for Your Online Business
- Understanding Intellectual Property Law and How it Can Protect Your Online Business
Online Advertising Law
- The Basic Rules of Online Advertising Law – From the CAN SPAM Act to customer privacy laws, this guide covers all the obligations you need to be aware of when you operate online.
Tips for Taking Your Business Online – Build It, Optimize It, Spread the Word
View full post on Small Business Trends
Word of Mouth and Social Media: A Tale of Two Burger Joints | Forrester Blogs
Mar 29th
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Both have used Word of Mouth (WOM) to become successful small businesses, but… the other used social media to become a success in just one year. |
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View full post on Home Wealth Project Riot!
Helping spread the word
Mar 11th
Since Linchpin was published six weeks ago, I’ve gotten some terrific email. Most of it is about individuals who used the ideas in the book to instigate a process of self-reinvention or validation. Some of the best mail, though, has come from managers and leaders who are using the book to inspire others. One company bought 800 copies for its management, while another reader told me how two copies helped change the way her organization coped with change.
When I find a book that moves me, I spread it to everyone who’s willing to listen. I hope you feel the same way.
It’s ever more clear to me that an author has very little chance of writing a book that goes directly to a large number of new readers who become book buyers. There’s not enough time or money or leverage to get in front of a stranger and say, “here, read this!”
On the other hand, that’s exactly what someone like you can do. “Here, read this, and then let’s discuss it…” In fact, I’d argue that just about every book that has made an impact has spread in exactly that way.
Given that truth, here are two ways I’d like to support you if you think the ideas in Linchpin are worth spreading:
Plan 1: FIVE PACK WITH A READER’S GUIDE
We’re working with 800 CEO Read to offer the following: buy five copies of Linchpin and we’ll send you a digital ten-page reader’s guide. Packed with questions and ideas dreamed up by fellow readers that you can use to inspire or guide group conversations.
Buy five, give them away, have a conversation, make change. (PDF will be sent by email to arrive before your books do). I think you’ll be delighted at the impact five books can have on the people you work with or teach.
Plan 2: LEADERSHIP TRAINING
I’m going to do a live session in New York on April 16, 2010. Instead of charging my usual fee for tickets, I’m offering seats only to people interested and able to train lots of others. If you’re a manager, a coach, a teacher, the leader of an organization or someone who has the desire to teach a group about the ideas in Linchpin, I’d love to have you come.
The entire session will be focused on how to talk about and spread the ideas in the book. Because it’s a small group, seats are limited and are reserved for people who can buy fifty or more copies of the book from the retailer of your choice. All the details are here. We’ll accept applications until all the seats are allocated, so hurry.
Thanks to each of you who have read the book and hugs to those of you touched enough by it to want to share it with others. I appreciate it. Your support made it a NY Times bestseller, #1 in the Journal, etc., but I’m far more satisfied that it has helped people do something that they’ve always wanted to do. Thanks for making something happen.
View full post on Seth’s Blog
