Branding Via Your Text Messages/Postings

There are so many ways to brand your business in addition to your logo and colors! What are some of the ways you have developed your branding? It is always interesting to see what people have discovered ... it also helps all of us in our own branding.

With social networking the "text" message is in many cases the first place a new prospect sees our business. It is important to start the branding process within these initial text communications. Branding "sinks in" upon repeat occurance and where else do you get such frequent visiblitiy than when social networking?

How do you do this, you ask? Text is text ... how do you apply a branding process with plain text? Here are several ideas for you to try "just" on your business postings. When being personal don't apply any branding ... it can negate the effect, I believe. See what you think.

• Have a consistent "sign-off" from your business postings. I end my postings with "Enjoy!"
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• Have a consistent "opening" ... begin each posting in the same manner. Doesn't have to be a formal greeting, per se ...just same intro, i.e. "once upon a time," "a funny thing happened, " etc.
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• Use a consistent "tone" within your postings. Be positive, be negative, be inviting ... but be consistent.
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• Use the same" format" consistently. Maybe your business postings will always be in the form of a question, or an analogy, a story, etc..

If you haven't noticed "consistency" is the name of the game when developing branding. You don't want to overdue it ... subtle consistency, I believe, works best. I'd pick one of the above to begin with and see how it works for you!

You can easily expand this to your email messages and blog postings as well! Before you know it your business will have an "image" just from how you present it within simple text postings. How cool is that?

Let me know how it goes for you?

Keep your business growing ...
margie

Happy New Year!

Happy New Year to all!

May your 2010 communications bring you wonderful new relationships to allow your business to grow and prosper! And with that may these relationships add to the quality of your personal life and bring you great joy and satisfaction!

I personally had such joy yesterday after sending out my new years greeting to my own business mailing list. I include a synopsis of each of my client's businesses so that all my clients might benefit from each other. Everyone already knows what I do, so no need to mention me in this mailing. The replies I get back from both the clients mentioned and the "not yet" clients on the list simply cement my intent of the mailing. It all makes me feel good as a business and also as a person.

Have you experienced this? Would love to have you share how business has added to your personal fulfillment! There are probably a number of ways, daily! If you are active on any of the social networks you may more easily get this feeling there? If so, talk to me!

This year may be the year to include activities that will grow your business and personal sense of fullfillment ... relationships are what it is all about, more and more! The line of separation between business and personal gets thinner and thinner.

Happy New Year!

Keep your business growing ...
margie

Random Thoughts On My 2009 Communication Experiences ...

It's New Year's Eve and so much as happened with online communications in this past year. Was sitting down with a cup of coffee and thinking back and thought I would just jot down a few things I learned that will, for sure, carry over into 2010!

Would love to know if you have experienced some of the same or have some of your own to add!

• Think Small!
  This stands out more than anything else in my mind. Social networking posts, email and newsletter subject lines, blog topics, etc all are more successful when the thought that is shared is small. Seems as if ;you try and cover too much in one communication it gets lost!
  Simple little things are like "hooks!" What do you think?
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• Create Replys and Interaction!
  Relationship building is what it is all about. If you want to create bonds it can not be done by talking at someone as far as I know. You must speak "with" which means you have to create some interaction, right?
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• Leave Comments!
  Don't you just love to get a comment ... good ones? It solidifies the start of something good in most cases. I think they are so much fun to get. Everyone loves to receive comments, so give a few yourself.
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• Be Consistent!
  Consistency with your communications is required in order to even get noticed in the first place! I am following the rule that the more consistent you are, the more your brand and presence builds, and you are on your way to having a community of friends, followers, prospects and clients!! :-) Been working for me ... you too?
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• Speak in Real Time ---
  This means speak like the person was sitting at your desk. People are "with" you on the internet. It is a very intimate personal one-on-one interaction that takes place when someone reads your postings, emails, etc ... right? What do you feel right now? Am I far away or close?
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• The Golden Rule
  This isn't new this year. I've had this for a long time but it remains important. Whatever type of content you communicate make sure it is convenient to the reader's interest and also requires no thinking! That's right - eliminate the need for the reader to think as they read what you write and you've got a home run!! :-) My long time personal experience here!

These are the highlights of what I've discovered "new" in 2009 and know will be of great value in 2010. What do you think? What have you found? Let me know!!!

Happy New Year!

Keep your business growing ....
margie

Creating The Subject Line For Your Newsletter ... What's Best?

Subject lines, on newsletters (and everthing you create), are more important than perhaps all of your content! Subject lines do two important things:

1. Get the newsletter opened
2. Put your business "in front" of a reader, even if they do not open your newsletter.

Do you ever find yourself in a delima as to what to put in the subject line? Or do you just throw anything up there? Maybe you don't put anything in the subject line (a definite tabu)?

It is important to give your subject line serious thought! One general thought that may help you is what I refer to as the "Golden Rule Of Online Communications" ... make sure your communication is convenient and removes all need to think!

Let me expand just a bit ... "convenient " means that you are delivering information that the reader wants to receive. Your information is not a hassle to receive. "Remove all thinking" means just that! Make sure your wording is clear and to the point. There should be no "grey" in the message - reader does not have to figure out anything, guess, etc.

Here are a few more tips to go along with the Golden Rule:

• Use Clear and Distinct Wording
  Example: ABC Company News vs. Re: ABC Company January 2010 News!
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• Pay attention to the 1st 4 - 5 words. They are the most important words of your subject line.
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• If you can be clear in a short subject line, great! If not, make sure the 1st 4 - 5 words are clear and a longer subject line will be read by those who are "lured" by the 1st few words.
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• Remember that your recipients hear from other people as well.
  Example: Our Newsletter vs. XYZ 's January News!
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• Capitalize the first letter of each word, even the little single letter words. This gives your subject line a bit more presence in the inbox.
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• Say exactly what you are communicating about! Do not be cute or whimsical. Always good to state a benefit as the subject line when possible. If a challenge, try pretending someone "live" is in your office and write it as you would say it! Makes it much easier to create... !

One question that often comes up when creating the subject line for a newsletter is whether to use the same line - your newsletter title - over and over or use an article title as the subject line. Have you experienced this dilimma?

I say both! Your newsletter is a form of branding and people who subscribe want to receive it and know that is has arrived in their inbox. If you use your newsletter name consistently in the subject line that is your 1st hook - it becomes part of your brand and your readers know it has arrived.

This said, you want your readers to have a compelling reason to open your newsletter each month, not just know it has arrived! So after your newsletter name, I always suggest that you put the title or benefit of your feature article or news. This will change each month and give your readers something to "look for!"

I hope this has helped put some of the mystery away. Let me know if you have questions. I welcome any other tips you might have. Please share with all of us!

Keep your business growing!
margie

Are You Maximizing Your E-Newsletter Stats?

Are you maximizing all the ways you can use your online newsletter statistics? Do you know?

Of course it depends on how many types of statistics you are receiving to get the most from statistics ...which means, before choosing a web-based email system, it is a must to check out the types of stats that come with each system!

Let's start at the beginning ... why do you send out your newsletter? I believe it is the only way that you can "go to" your clients and prospects and be in front of them! I once had a sales manager who said, if you want to make sales you have to stay in front of your clients! In those days we had to do it by making face to face calls ... an online newsletter makes it a lot easier!

Most often sending an online newsletter is a useful way of letting subscribers (clients and quality prospects) know about what is happening at your business.,... new services, new products, new staff, etc. Some people use them simply for promotions of events and/or services and products. You will hear me refer to the online newsletter as the "town crier."

So, all of the above said, let's look at some typical statistics:

• Read or Open Rates
  This of course is the most fun statistic. You get to see how many people actually opened your mailing! Most web-based email systems will also break down your total and provide you with the name of each individual reader. AND, in a quality system you will be provided with "how many times" each individual read the mailing!
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• Send Rates
  This is of course how many emails were sent out in your broadcast. It is important because you want to compare it to the Unsubscribe Rate ( how many people opted "off" your list during your broadcast). The reason you compare it to the "unsubscribe" total is because as long as your subject line gets in front of your subscribers, you have achieved at least a part of your mission - to keep your business in front of your clients and prospects.
  Sends without being opened have value as long as you create an effective subject line. Think I will talk about that tomorrow!
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• Unsubscribe Rates
  As just mentioned in the above note, these are the people who opted out. Good to know! You would not want to be at a live event and assume someone was still on your list and find out in an embarrasing moment they had taken themselves off! Also, you might want to inquire why ( when appropriate) ... there is always something to be learned from knowing why someone says "no." It might not have anything to do with your mailing and then again the reason for opting out might help you create better newsletters in the future.
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• Bounce Rates
  Bounce rates are of course the number of emails that never reached their destination. A quality web-based email provider will detail for you the type of "bounce" that occurred so that you can take the proper action. You can have a typo, an address that doesn't exist anymore, an inbox that was full, an overcrowded network, a spam software bounce (the most common) and sometimes there just is no reason, it just bounced! Knowing why the email bounced can help you get the matter corrected or simply allow you to modify your list accordingly.
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• Open Link Rates
  This is what I've been referring to in my last two postings. You get to see which links that were included in your mailing were opened, which individual read each link and how many times! Great for identifying your reader's interests!
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• Quantities
  A quality web-based email provided will give you totals and often the % of the totals for your tracking purposes. Totals are valuable ... not only should you know how many total emails were opened but you should know how many total times each email was read! Your "read" total will be much higher than your open rate in most cases. Then you should also know the totals of how many times each contact read your mailing. A quality web-based email system will break these totals out for you into individual lists of their own, i.e. 50 people read the mailing 5 times or more ... and then of course also provide you with the list of the individuals making up the total.

Of course all of the above combines itself into information on where and how your "relationships" are developing ... who likes what, how much, etc. A smart business will create their newsletter so that it will provide the stats needed for them to know how to grow and develop their business. Do you see how you can do that?

A quality web-based email system will provide all of the above and more! One last thing to look for when reviewing statistic offerings - at the end of each listing of individuals associated with a statistic (assuming the system provides that) check and see if there is a way to instantly make a new list of just those contacts. This is how you can do follow-up emailings specific to this group's interests! A great way to strengthen your relationships and build your business profit!

Would love to know what you are using and if you are receiving all of the above from your statistics. If you are receiving all of the above, are you maximizing your use of it? Let me know!

Also, if you need some ideas on systems to look at, my favorite for stats is CoolerEmail. You can find out more about them at www.cooleremail.com.

As always, you are invited to share your thoughts ...

Keep your business growing ...
margie

Building Bonds From Mailing Lists Having Multiple Interests

Hi everyone ...

Yesterday I spoke about how to find out who on your list is interested in what different types of products and/or services that you sell. The action I suggested to take assumed you "already" had a list of subscribers, but did not know their specific interests.

Before I continue with the next step to take with your list, let me just point out that some web-based email systems provide you with a sign-up form for your webpages that will allow you to include multiple fields (for notating specific interests) in the sign-up form. If this is available, use it and you will already have some specific demographics within your mailing list.

Ok ... let's go forward now. You have your list and you have contacts who have identified their specific interests within your business. Writing to your reader's specific interests will build the bond between the reader and your business. Any readers who see info on items not of interest simply place your business on the sideline or totally distance themselves from you. Nothing in it for them. It only takes one wrong mailing!

So how can you build bonds with multiple interests? There are several ways..

1. As covered yesterday, strive to keep your mailings to "all contacts" generic. Make sure it is information that "everyone" is interested in.
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2. If you must still mention specific interests within your generic mailings do the following: After writing some general content you can make individual paragraphs per interest notating that the interest in the headline. For example, a headline might be, "For Those Interested In Swimming, here are January updates". The next paragraph headline might be, "For Those Interested In Senior Bingo, here are January Bingo Game dates." You are still taking a chance with losing someone's interest so to make it more of a direct connection for each reader, put a summary at the top with links to each section so they don't have to go scroll through each paragraph that they don't care about.
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   Rmember the golden rule of online communication is make all content convenient to an interest and remove any need to think!
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3. Check and see if your web-based email system has a "dynamic rule" feature. This is where you can create one mailing, BUT... you create several optional individualized paragraphs per specific interest that the email system will automatically insert! It works this way - after you write your generic content you can arrive at an interest paragraph and insert the "dyanmic rule" that all contacts who have "swimming" in the database field #345 will have "paragraph #1" inserted, all contacts who have "Bingo" in the database field #345 will have "paragraph #2" inserted, etc. Creates individualized mailings and you only need to create and send one mailing. Let me know if you have questions on this ... it is a feature not found in all web-based email systems.
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4. You can also simply send out individualized mailings in addition to your monthly generic mailings ... of course by specific interests.

Just always remember how you feel when you walk into a "live" networking/business group and they are not talking about something that is of interest to your needs. What do you do? Usually people walk on .... ! Same reactions occur when reading! Use your mailings to create bonds, not destroy them.

Let me know what you think about the above. It might seem like a lot of work .. but you are really making business easier for yourself in the long run plus creating strong and loyal clients! As always, please share your thoughts via a comment or two!

Keep your business growing ...
margie

Is Your Email Newsletter "Distancing" People?

If you are one of the many sending out email newsletters, you know that they take time and work. The last thing you want to have happen from your efforts is to "distance" your business from a reader. Afterall ... one of the major reasons for sending an online newsletter is to "attract" ... NOT distance!

BUT ... there "are" time when you need to get information out to readers on your list that just doesn't interest everyone on your list. So what do you do? Have any of you conquered this situation? Please share with me what has worked for you?

I find there are several steps you can take, with some careful thought, that will prevent "any" distancing from happening with your mailings!

1. Choose a web-based emailing system that provides you with a large database capability. Make sure you can label your contacts with more than name and email address. There should be multiple fields where you can keep a record of a contact's interests and demographics.
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2. Choose a web-based emailing system that provides you with a good variey of statistics. In addition to seeing who opened and read your mailings, a good variety of statistics includes how many & exactly "who" clicked on a link, how many times and "who" read your message, "who" forwarded your mailing, and of course how many and exactly "who" did not open your mailing. These are starters. Anything beyond is even greater!
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3. Create a mailing that includes content that you know will appeal to everyone on your list. Within that mailing create a section where you ask people what their interests are. Of course the selections you provide will be the different subjects you want to talk about that you know will not interest all. Example .. if the YMCA sends out a newsletter to all its members they could ask, who would be interested in knowing about swimming activities, etc.
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4. Use links in your mailing per interest that appeals to only a portion of your mailing list. The link can go to a simple "thank you" page.
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5. Now go to your statistics and see who and how many have told you what their specific interests are from your business! You've now got the beginning of a strong foundation for building quality relationships with these contacts.
   

There are a couple of ways you can proceed from Step "5." I will talk about them tomorrow. Right now I want to ask if you have any questions on the above? Also, before tomorrow, check out your web-based system for what it provides in terms of database and statistic offerings. Let me know what you find out!

Keep Your Business Growing ...
margie