Can you not listen and have a relationship?

The other day while "virtually" working (Actual meaning: while working virtually from a nearby cafe") I eased dropped on two young twenty-somethings complaining about their boyfriends. "He just doesn't get it." The one said to the other. She continued, "I told him I just wasn't ready to meet his mother. I told him I didn't want to spend time with his friends. I asked him to please call me when he gets home after a night out with his buddies. He just doesn't listen. He never hears what I have to say. It is really annoying." She was so upset. Literally red in the face. Her friend calmly said to her "How can you have a relationship with this guy if he doesn't listen?" There was silence. She had stumped her friend. In response, a few seconds later our complaining gal changed the subject. I guess she was afraid to face the truth of what her relationship really looked like or where it was headed. As I was listening I realized that there was a great lesson in all of this for marketers. We all hear about relationship marketing. The importance of developing trust and connection with her customers and prospects. I know many that feel they are doing a great job of this. Many are doing e-newletters and set up Facebook Pages for their businesses to connect with others. They are posting fun facts and sales offerings. They have vibrant websites with lots of great infomation and their sales people are in the "face" of their customers and prospects daily with special offers and discounts That's great. But missing from all of this is a true strategy and committment to actually LISTENING to what is on the minds of those they wish to have a relationship with. Let's all stop for a second. Stop talking and listen to those we wish to be in partnership with. Instead of posting an offer on Facebook try posting a question. Ask your "Fans" what's on their mind instead of telling them what is on yours. Use your email communications to encourage discussion. Send a poll or survey to get feedback. Watch your email click through reports to see what your receipents are interested in. Follow your customers on Twitter and listen to what they are saying. The more we listen, the more we learn. Learn more about your customers and prospects. Your listening will be greatly appreciated and at the end of the day you will end up having a much stronger relationship.

Anxious are we?

With so much converation these days about how small business
needs to be taking advantage of all the digital tools out there it made me wonder how much digital media anxiety there is out there?

This week I spoke to a group of small biz owners. It was a mixed group. About half were doing something. The other half nothing at all. The group that is doing something is "really doing something"...facebook...twitter....linkedin...email ....blogging. But with mixed results. One guy ( who I shall call "Mr. I have been in business for thirty years and why do I need to change a thing") looked as though he wanted to chug the coffee pot at me while I spoke about ways
to integrate social networking and email marketing. Afterwards he cornered me
"Help. I am overwhelmed and truly do not know how I can do all of this. Who has all this time?

Digital marketing anxiety.Like any sort of anxiety we do too much without really thinking or we are just paralyzed and do not do a thing.
So call me yout digital marketing therapist. I won't prescribe any heavy duty meds but swallow these three things and tell me if they help.

1. First take some time to figure out what the heck it is your actually trying to accomplish by even getting started with this. Please do not tell me that you are doing this because everyone else is. Have some clear objectives in mind..generate prospects and referrals; plug my special and sales; be able to get to know my customers. There are tons of reasons. I want you to start by really being aware of what yours is.
2. You do not HAVE be doing it ALL. Find what works for you.
Working for you means mainly what fits your goals and personality the best. It is not about spreading yourself too thin. It is about.utilizing your valuable time most effectively. And enjoyably. So do some research and learn a little bit about all the vehicles out there and how to use them the right way.
3. Do not feel behind the learning curve
This is new to all of us. We are all learning something new everyday. And tomorrow there will always be something else to learn. And we will.

So as a famous sneaker once said...just do it.

For more advice comment below or email me at emailmarketingyenta@gmail.com

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Lessons from Martin

I spend hours on Facebook weekly. I have reconnected with my entire high school class, found out things I shouldn't know about my seventeen year old step-daughter and teenage daughter, and have been scolded by my mother for making typos in my status update. I have "stalked" the pages of old crushes and heard from old loves. It's been fun. I have over 500 friends and have lots of conversation on my wall. My own business page, that's another story. I get stuck.

One of my co-workers Martin is my friend on Facebook. I don't see him often as we work in different offices. I actually only met him a few times live in person. Yet, I feel like he is a good friend. I check his Facebook page every day. In fact I look forward to hearing what he has to say.

I realized, Martin has taught me several good lessons about personal social networking that can most definitely be applied to business social networking.

1. Be yourself. Martin has a great sense of humor. He shares it in his writing and with the content he shares. I am getting to know him.

2. Engage your followers. Martin certainly does. Blog postings, You Tube clips, photographs-he knows his friends, he knows what they will find interesting and he shares that stuff.

3. Be consistent. Martin is updating his page daily...quite often. It's exciting because it's like there is always something going on.

4. Make your friends/followers feel safe to leave comments. Martin always does. There are always folks having conversation on his wall because Martin has created a safe area to do so. A group of like-minded individuals having conversation.

5. Be a resource. Martin absolutely does this. Whether it's a hot news topic, or the cupcake contest at work, Martin is my go to guy. I always know I can find something about the particular item on his page.

Bottom line, if Martin were a brand name, I'd be sold. If he were a restaurant, I'd be celebrating my birthday there. If he were an Association, I'd be a member. I'm going to take all my personal face book energy and start applying it to business....sans my mother's grammatical critiques!

Do you think Social Networking is just for kids?

It hit me the other day that some marketers of a certain generation aren't paying enough attention to what is going on in the Social media world. "Ahh, that Facebook is crap!" "What's a twit; tweet: tw...t anyway" "Email is for spammers." What a missed opportunity. As advertising vehicles have changed and grown, I've yet to see one completely replace the other. They just evolve. And that is what is happening now. Marketers big and small must take a serious look at each marketing vehicle available to them. Not to do so is quite frankly simply laziness. Never make assumptions!

But where do you really start. It begins with understanding who you are trying to reach. What platforms they are on and how they are using them. Then, make sure you understand the best practices for each vehicle you are looking at. Also, everything is changing and changing quickly. Commit to weekly self-education as well!

Stop selling.

Stop selling. Yes, I said it. Stop selling. What if as marketers we simply stopped selling and instead engaged our customers and prospects with great information and resources.