Archive for June, 2010
Boost Your Google Juice
Continuing to share my research when interactive marketing was just in the beginnings, and relating it to social media today, I am taking excerpts from Robert Scoble and Shel Israel, “Naked Conversations: How Blogs are Changing the Way Businesses Talk with Customers.
I just love the term “Google juice”, and they have many things to say about how blogging links boost your Google juice. Again, this also now applies to social media, a phenomena that was not present in 2006 when they wrote the book. In fact, nothing boosts your search engine’s standing better, they said. Neither a press release or a full page ad in the NY Times will boost your search engine rankings as much as regularly updated blogs. The shortest, cheapest, fastest and easiest route to prominent Google rankings is to blog. Note that this is still a great way to get Google rankings, but we now recommend using WordPress as the tool in which to design your website so you have the benefits of search engine friendly text and format, plus a ready to go built in blog. And that technology is affordable. Take a short web questionnaire to see costs. (more…)
Trust, Interest, Awareness, Enthusiasm
In working on several presentations I have upcoming, I credit the start of interactive communication based on a book by Robert Scoble and Shel Israel, “Naked Conversations: How Blogs are Changing the Way Businesses Talk with Customers” that I read back in 2006, I thought you would appreciate some morning musings/reflections on their message which is so very pertinent today.
The message was that the core marketing revolution is about the way businesses communicate – not just with customers but with entire constituencies – partners, vendors, employees, prospects, investors and the media. Author/philosopher Arthur Schopenhauer once observed: “All truth passes through three stages: first it is ridiculed, second it is violently opposed, and third it is accepted as being self evident.” This new interactive marketing (revolutionary at the time in 2006) was being called “conversational marketing, open source marketing, two-way marketing, even corner grocery store marketing”. Now we just use it and it has become self evident!
Basically, Scoble and Israel state that blogging is not for anyone, but it works for a company that is a good company, has a good product, and has some interesting stories or referral possibilities in a particular knowledge base. The blogger-writer must be authentic, passionate and an expert with knowledge to impart with the time to blog regularly. It is this transparent, authentic communication between business and customer that draws the attention of users who are interested in the product or service. Then the interactive communication becomes a customer generator, as trust is built.
Thus the crux of a good blog, and also now the use of social media, should build trust, interest, awareness and enthusiasm, just like they teach in Marketing 101. Is this working for you?
A Window of Opportunity: Open it!
“A window of opportunity won’t open itself. ” Now that is a thought for the day. A product or service, no matter how good, also must be placed in front of those who need it or who could benefit from it.
Understanding who needs to know and how best to get to them are key to spreading the word effectively about a product or service. Right now, in today’s world, one of the best, most universal ways to reach targets is through the Internet. Whether by a website or social networking, the key is first getting attention and then keeping it. And lastly it is in converting those who are interested into buying.
There are many distracters and much noise out there vying for attention. There are also many opportunities, but, alas, that window of opportunity simply will not open itself.
What are you going to do today to see just how you can open that window? For some deeper thoughts on a global opportunity, think on the video below.
A Pioneer without a Coon Skin Hat
When the word pioneer is used to describe my role in home care, it fits the definition. Lead the way. Open up. Found. Forge. Break new ground. Initiate. Establish. Prepare. These are all accurate descriptions of my personal background and experience in home care and geriatric care management. And they are pertinent to how I currently approach marketing home care, home health and hospice today.
I founded a geriatric care managed home care agency. I forged forward with developing systems for training, for recruiting, for marketing that unique (at the time) business. I broke new ground in Louisville and in other cities working with people to teach how to run that kind of business. I initiated organizations, and established the Midwest Care Managers group so like minded service oriented people would get together, share best practices, and grow the industry. I prepared, and continue to prepare, others with whom I work for meeting the future in home care.
Also a pioneer in marketing home care using traditional as well as new social media, the trend continues. I and my business team at corecubed are leading the way in developing Web sites that help agencies compete in today’s market place. We are opening up new referral sources through our MOST program. We founded the MOST program forging and breaking new ground in educating about home care and how to meet needs through in-home care. We initiated and established educational PPTs and handouts for download and for takeaways so teaching and spreading the word about home care as an option to many situations could be explained fully and understood by many. And we are preparing those with the potential to refer to home care so they will understand and use the agencies that use MOST when their clients or loved ones have home care needs.
Yes, I am a pioneer in home care, and corecubed is a pioneer in marketing and teaching about home care. And, as pioneers, we are continuing to forge and break new ground in ways that our clients can use traditional and non-traditional methods to have clients find them when there is a potential need for home care.
See what Barbra London has to say about MOST and Merrily and corecubed:
A Passion Keeps it Interesting
Having a passion for work or for a hobby makes everything else somehow more interesting. I have a passion for contemporary glass art and Louisville is hosting the 40th annual International Glass Art Conference here this week with over 1000 artists, educators, gallery owners, collectors and museum curators coming to town to learn, watch, mingle, network and enjoy a shared passion. Read a bit about the conference and my involvement.
Read much more about the conference, including lectures, visiting artists and exhibits in the area.
And forgive my inattention to all things work related as I delve into my passion and enjoy the over 30 exhibits around Louisville and Southern Indiana, and also the many friends and new friends who have the same love for glass art that my husband and I do!
