Have you checked-in lately? An introduction to location-based marketing for business
February 2, 2012
In March 2011, I heard one of the founders of location-based application, foursquare, speak at the South By South West Interactive festival in Austin, Texas. Up until that time, I’d not used location apps except for the occasional checkin through Facebook places.
Since then, however, I’ve been playing with foursquare to understand its application and how it can be used as a marketing tool for business.
Location-based applications work because they are available on mobile devices. Wherever I go, whatever I do, I can share with the world what I’m enjoying. And, if what I’m enjoying is a product or service that your business provides, then that’s good news for you.
The key part of using location-based applications is to CHECK IN.
By saying “I am here” at this location (restaurant, bar, show, place of interest, live event, playground) and (if I want to) posting comments and photos, I share what I like and dislike about this experience so that friends can take that information on board to make a better decision in the future.
And as the system gets to know what I like better, it’ll provide me recommendations — ’facilitate serendipity’ as co-founder Dennis Crowley explains in this video:
A newbies special – a great way to reward new clients
I had my first experience of foursquare as a business tool a few months back when I went to visit a local hair salon. When I checked-in (the application invites me to register my visit in order to accumulate points and to share with my social networks great places I’m visiting), a message popped up – a Newbies Special.
It offered me a free hand massage while I was waiting to have my hair done. I was chuffed. Who doesn’t like a freebie?
A few weeks later, I was traveling to Melbourne and while in the hotel bar grabbing a pre-dinner drink, checked in on my iPhone. Up popped a special from the restaurant. Free glass of wine with my meal. I was planning on having dinner there, so this extra little bonus was the source of a promotional message from me out to my friends to share my good fortune.
Both these instances are examples of how thousands of small businesses are harnessing the power of location-based applications like foursquare to connect with clients and to reward customer loyalty.
Who doesn’t want to be mayor?
Foursquare is acquiring over one million new users per month. Millions of people in every city, in every country, are checking in and playing the game of foursquare – vying to be mayor of their favourite establishment.
The built-in gaming technology (you win points for multiple visits, you get crowned the mayor if you’re a regular – and many establishments reward mayors with extra love, attention, discounts) keeps fans using the application because loyalty and use is rewarded and because the built-in rewards system of acquiring points and beating your friends to a high score work.
(Quick aside: I’m the Mayor at my gym. Now, that’s not because I go there more often than anyone else who trains there, but I religiously check in to maintain my mayorship. When I’ve been ousted and de-crowned! — which foursquare takes joy in letting me know the minute it happens — I’m quick to get back on my game to redeem my position. Sounds silly, but for the business, it’s a good testament. And, because each time I check in I have foursquare post to my social networks, those that I’m connected to on those networks get to see that I like going to this gym – and that’s a powerful endorsement when your customers are posting your name all over the social-media-sphere.)
Recommendations and referrals from people you trust
Dennis Crowley - Co-founder of foursquare
The ability to know what someone whom I trust thought of a place is a shortcut for me. Should I spend time going to that show or visiting that exhibition? My friends recommendations matter and I can know them by seeing what they said when they ‘checked in’.
It’s very clever.
Location-based marketing and your business
Facebook, despite having it’s Places application recently bought foursquare’s major competitor – so you can bet they know the power of location and are looking to make bigger waves in this aspect of social media and social sharing.
Still relatively new to businesses in Australia, foursquare is a powerful tool that should be explored as part of an integrated marketing campaign.
But what is foursquare and why has it become the hottest customer magnet ever conceived?
Here’s what bestselling author, David Meerman-Scott has to say:
“The power to reach buyers at the exact time and the exact place they’re looking for what you offer has massive implications for all kinds of businesses worldwide. Carmine Gallo expertly shows you how to tap into the foursquare revolution, and he does it with a practical approach you can put to work in your business right now. There’s an epic swarm and it’s time for you to check in!”
—DAVID MEERMAN SCOTT, bestselling author of Real-Time Marketing & PR
Join the Australian Businesswomen’s Network on 8 February for a closer look at foursquare
International bestselling author Carmine Gallo not only has had unprecedented first-hand access to foursquare’s founders, he also has interviewed dozens of business owners and marketers who have revolutionised their businesses through The Power of foursquare.
He joins us on 8 February as our guest on BOOKED for Lunch, a free lunchtime webinar during which we’ll interview Carmine and ask him about his new book The Power of foursquare.
You can read more about this free upcoming webinar here.
Conquering the Facebook Frontier for Small Business
February 1, 2012
By Nerida Gill, Admin Bandit
If social networking is the new frontier of small business, then Facebook must surely be the wagon that gets us there. However, showing up and staking a claim isn’t enough; you’ve got to work that claim to unearth any riches.
I’ve been optimising my own Admin Bandit fan page over the last few months and here’s what I’m learning.
Use applications to make your page different
“Customisation” is the Facebook buzz word right now. What it means is that you can modify the look and functionality of your fan page… and you don’t need to be an IT geek to do it. All you need is one of the many templates available online (the basic ones are free, while the more advanced attract a monthly fee) — setting it up is like painting by numbers.
For example, I used Lujure to create my “welcome” tab, which is the first thing non-fans see when they go to my page. I’ve added a banner, photograph, Twitter feed, testimonials and a link to a 55-day free trial of my accounting software.
A friend who runs a small saddlery on Facebook used Pagemodo to create her “welcome” tab. Compare the two to see just how flexible customisation applications are; the same basic technology has created two “welcome” tabs that are chalk and cheese.
Of course, you don’t need to stick to a single application. Horse Feathers Saddlery used Payvment to create a Facebook store, complete with an inventory function and a check-out linked to Paypal.
Just as exciting is how easy customisation applications are to find. The best ways are to check out the fan pages of other businesses in your industry, especially your competitors or do a Google search.
How to attract fans
Ah, this is where the rubber hits the road for fan pages… getting people to “like” you.
Let me say upfront that attracting fans is not a popularity contest — all fans, whether they purchase or not, have the potential to share quality content and boost your social proof; that is, your credibility and influence.
Start with the marketing basics:
- Add your Facebook address to your stationery, including your email signature, blog and website
- Regularly link to your fan page in electronic communications, especially blog posts and e-newsletters
- Give people reasons to “like” you. Make the benefits clear, such as special offers, free resources or sneak previews
- Ask. It sounds too good to be true, but “plugs” and requests through your personal Facebook page really work!
Apart from buying fans (yes, believe it or not, you can!), a competition or giveaway is the best way to get a sudden influx of fans, up to a couple of hundred at a time, especially the more elusive kind that you don’t personally know. However, Facebook has specific guidelines on hosting anything that comes under the “promotion” banner, so make sure you’re familiar with what you can and can’t do, and toe the line because I know people who have been unwittingly caught and temporarily suspended!
Viral marketing requires more work and doesn’t bring the same instant fix, but it does offer a sustained trickle for steady, long-term growth of fans genuinely interested in your business, not just the lure of a freebie.
In case you don’t know, viral marketing is about increasing awareness of your brand using pre-existing social networks. In the case of Facebook, it means regularly and actively participating in other fan pages, where you’ll meet and attract like-minded people. The really cool part is that every time you leave a comment or tag another user in a comment, you appear in at least one person’s news feeds, which puts you in view of that person’s entire network. Now, that offers possibilities!
So, which fan pages do you head to? The easy answer is to start with those related to your industry and expertise. For example, my business is part of the non-profit, accounting and IT industries, so you’ll see a stack of community, non-profit, philanthropy, IT and small business groups and peak bodies in my list of “likes”.
How to engage your fans
Getting conversations started is probably the biggest Facebook struggle for any small business. And it seems no expert or study has a fool-proof solution… yet.
Until anyone knows for sure, here are some ideas to try:
- Be human: share the bad with good, post photos of your office, life and day
- Don’t over-think your posts; say whatever pops into your head (within reason!)
- Ask for opinions and experiences, but make your questions quick and easy to answer
- Appeal to the emotions… people often respond to humour or injustice
- Thank people for simply being your fans
- Mix business and fun: I posted a photo of my dog at Christmas and my team at a convention with a spy theme
- Post regularly, BUT….
- Post quality over quantity: useful links, information, advice, famous quotes
- Tag people when you post about them or respond to comments
- Host Facebook events, such as sales, workshops, Q and A sessions
- Finally, look at super popular fan pages… what do they do?
MORE GREAT POSTS BY NERIDA GILL
- Energise Your Business with Easy New Year’s Resolutions
- Ho Ho Ho, A’ Christmas Networking We Go
- Entrepreneurial Qualities: Lessons from the Life of Steve Jobs
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Nerida Gill - Admin BanditNerida Gill is the creator of Admin Bandit, a web-based accounting package designed specifically to make keeping the books easy for volunteer treasurers in community groups. After winning numerous business awards, Admin Bandit is in a growth phase after recently attracting external investment.
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Taking Action in 2012: 12 Pointers for Marketing Your Website More Effectively
January 19, 2012
By Bianca Board, Web123
What’s one thing you’re going to do better in 2012? I hope it’s taking action to improve your website! It’s a huge untapped resource for most of us small businesses as we can sometimes fail to see it as an investment. Like any investment, it should be showing you a profit.
Marketing your website and ensuring it is converting leads and getting you more sales should be at the top of your priorities for 2012. I have 12 pointers to help you get started on this… but trust me; they won’t work unless YOU take ACTION!
Pointer 1: Set your goals.
If you don’t have a clear direction or a set goal to target, then how do you know you’re improving? You don’t! Setting special goals can allow you to plan each step of the way and measure how far away you are from reaching the end goal.
Make sure you have SMART goals; in other words, they need to be: Specific, Measurable, Accurate, Realistic and Timely. Here are some examples:
- Increase sales by XX% during the next financial year
- Grow my subscriber list by XX by June 2012
- Generate XX leads on a weekly basis
- Grow my Facebook fan base to XX fans by June 2012
- Grow online sales by XX% over the next 2 months without increasing my advertising spend
As you can see from these examples, they provide a specific target that’s measurable, accurate, isn’t unrealistic and provides a time frame in which it needs achieving. Make yourself accountable.
So, how can you carry out achieving these goals? Through the use of Tactics!
Pointer 2: Define tactics for achieving your goals.
Put simply, tactics are what you’ll use to carry out your strategies in order to accomplish your goals. Once you identify the reasons for creating and investing in your website, you’ll find it easy to put strategies and tactics in place.
So really you need to work backwards. Define your goals first and then work out how you’ll achieve them. Here are some examples of tactics you could implement:
- Build a database of email prospects
- Promote my business through email marketing
- Sell my products 24/7 using a shopping cart
- Share my expertise through a blog
- Get a guest blogging gig on XYZ blog
- Create one webinar per month on specific topics
These tactics will help you ensure your goals are SMART and can be accurately undertaken without being unrealistic for your business.
Pointer 3: Are you telling your customers where to go?
If your website doesn’t clearly state what the next step is for a customer or where they should go to purchase a product or download a report, how will the customer know where to go? They won’t and this means they’ll either wander your site aimlessly or leave your site as it’s ‘too hard to find’ what they’re looking for.
Therefore, ‘Calls to Action’, known as CTAs, need to be placed on your site in order to clearly direct your visitors to do what you want them to do. The customer came to your website to hopefully buy, so place a CTA on your homepage that clearly points to your products, and ideally at least one CTA on every single page to encourage secondary actions like add to cart, join your newsletter, download your eBook, book a consultation, etc.
The use of catchy headlines and compelling copy is what can also be used as a CTA. If your headline doesn’t catch your reader’s attention straight away, then you risk losing that customer.
Pointer 4: Lead Capturing – What ‘FREE’ can really mean for your business.
People love getting things for free – if they feel there’s value. Putting a small hurdle in the way of someone getting something of value and then seeing whether they jump over it is a great way to filter qualified leads from casual browsers. Lead capture is the capturing of details (name and email as a minimum) for this qualification process. On the flip side, you could always offer free content without a barrier to encourage your content to spread more virally.
Lead capture, properly implemented, helps a visitor get to know you, like you and trust you.
Give them something of value, offer them ongoing information and freebies – and once they’re ready to buy, you’ll be front of mind.
When you’re planning out how to do it, it’s best to think of it as a sale where the customer is paying with information. You’ll want to use all the sales techniques you’d normally use to try to convert visitors into leads as you would converting a prospect into a customer. Use eBooks, reports, whitepapers, webinars, calculators, templates, checklists or ongoing advice as your “product”. Keep in mind all the profiling you’ve done of your ideal clients and use their hot buttons. Create content that helps solve their problems and you’ll have them eating out of your hands!
Pointer 5: Ditch the generic stock photo!
Stop relying on the same old stock photos for your website. Hire a professional photographer or, even better, hire a student photographer who will only charge a small fee!
Nothing beats authenticity and originality.
People like to see exactly what they’re getting and they want to know it’s of good quality. Even with service-based business, having photographs of your staff and what they do will add that personal touch and feel to your website. Real is better. As Ali G would say… “Keep it real.”
I’m not saying don’t use stock photos because, in some cases, they are needed, but consider for your 2012 website marketing to include new and original photos of you and your team.
Pointer 6: How to get more email subscribers.
If you want to increase subscriptions to your newsletter, try changing the copy and making it more about your prospects’ problems, fears and concerns. Instead of saying ‘Join our Newsletter’, try ‘Free Expert Tips & Success Strategies to Make You More Profitable’.
Offering them something of value is the trick!
People’s inboxes are overcrowded with newsletters these days – what would entice them to join yours? A gift voucher? A Free report or eBook? Regular Free Advice? The list is endless.
We did this with ours and got a whopping 3600% increase in newsletter subscriptions!
What are you going to include in yours to convert them later on too? Free accounting advice? Industry updates? Expert webinars? Always send good quality content that will interest your subscribers. Continuous blast-outs of product announcements just doesn’t cut it these days.
Pointer 7: Accelerate your conversions via landing pages.
Landing pages are simplified pages on your website dedicated to capturing leads or sales for one specific offer or product. I’m sure you’ve come across these before – a page with a sales pitch, lead capture form and one button – one way in, and only one way out.
Your response and conversion rates can be drastically improved by directing campaigns to landing pages – it keeps your message and your sales pitch crystal clear and ensures they’re not distracted by any other of your messages. Landing pages for campaigns targeting different markets can push the hot buttons of different types of ideal clients.
How can you utilise this tactic? Simple:
- Create a landing page that includes all the information about the campaign you’re running. For example, if you’re offering a free eBook for the purpose of lead capture and you’re advertising it through online ads, ensure the landing page has all the information required for the prospect to download the eBook. Include the benefits they’ll receive by downloading the book and of course include your lead capture form. Don’t get greedy with the fields you make them complete either. Keep it simple at this first stage.
- All your advertisements should link to this one landing page. The one-click to the landing page allows the customer to qualify the product instantly and quickly download what they want.
- Ensure you keep your leads and add them to your database for further nurturing!
Landing pages are also great for promoting workshops, special product packages, eBooks or whitepapers and other valuable insider content you want to market.
Pointer 8: Become an Educator.
Building a higher presence within your industry comes down to how much credibility the viewers of that industry perceive you have. A blog is a great way to position yourself and your business as experts in your field – as well as generate quality traffic for your website. Think of it as a personal journal, explaining something related to your industry (and your ideal clients) without being sales-focused. And consider getting controversial too. Make a real statement with your opinion and you could gain more traction and comments on your blog.
This integrates closely with the building of trust – for the kind of reader who goes into depth on your website, they’ll see that you’re knowledgeable, trustworthy and not going for the hard sell.
A blog, like your website, is a living, breathing asset. Google loves recent content.
Google loves newsworthy content. Treat it with love and care to keep your customers and prospects coming back!
Other tools that show you are an educator within your field include:
- eBooks
- Whitepapers
- Reports
- Email Newsletters with tips and advice
- Tutorials
Test each type of tool and see which one your audience prefers the most!
Pointer 9: Go Video in 2012.
Video is the new way to improve your Google ranking. Utilising video on your site can improve your rankings in Google 50 times better than a page of text!
Not only does video improve your ranking, it also allows you to explain what you do easier and will give you a better chance to build trust with your customers rather than using text on its own.
You don’t need a film crew or expensive camera to do it either. There are heaps of free tools that allow you to edit video. Search your computer – it’s bound to have one!
Pointer 10: Slow and steady wins the race.
Search Engine Optimisation is a set of tactics and practices you can implement or outsource to drive your website up the natural rankings in search engines for the keywords you want to be found on.
The best way to handle SEO is to outsource it – make sure you go with a reputable provider, but know that the hours of work required to do a good job with SEO can be substantial.
However, there are a number of things you can do to improve your SEO performance without spending a cent or investing too much time:
- Think about what your ideal client is going to type into Google to find you. Do your keyword research.
- Update all your online listings. To find out where they are, type your domain name into Google with inverted commas like this: “www.mydomain.com.au” and hit search.
- Build additional external links. e.g., get your suppliers to link to your site, write guest blog posts, write articles and submit them to online directories for publishing.
- Set yourself up a Google Places Account – for help with this, you can see this post Listing with Google Places in 3 Easy Steps.
- And use video where you can.
It’s a known fact that 90% of search engine users won’t go past the first 3 pages.
In fact, about 42% of people click on the number 1 result. That’s almost half! Therefore, you need to get your business ahead of competitors. If you’re on a tight budget or the DIY type, you could even try a 30 day DIY program to improve your rank >>
Pointer 11: Social Media – Just do it really well.
As we all know by now, social media is where people (and your customers) are hanging out at. This means that your business should be there as well, utilising it to communicate with customers in a more personal way.
However, the point of social media tools like Facebook and YouTube isn’t about just being present. If you really want to make an impact and gain higher conversions from using social media, then you need to do it really well!
This is easier than you think if you have a good strategy behind you. Ensure you communicate on a regular basis if you’re on Facebook and encouraging participation in your posts from your ‘likers’. If you utilise YouTube, ensure you are regularly updating content and pushing links through to Facebook. Keeping active on social media will keep your audience aware of you and will eventually convert them.
Remember, only spend time where you know your audience does. Don’t waste time on Twitter if your audience isn’t using it yet. Research first then approach it from a strategic standpoint and you’ll succeed.
Pointer 12: How to implement and action for 2012.
Your brain has probably just overloaded and you’re now thinking, “How do I go about implementing things like this for 2012?” Don’t stress! It’s all about planning and setting out what you want to achieve… remember Pointers 1 & 2? They are your first steps. Then you need to sort out what tactics (pointers 3-11) you will use to achieve your goals.
Here are some quick tips of getting started on implementing:
- Set Your Goals – what do you want to achieve and by when?
- Create a Content Calendar – what are you going to market and when? Think of what you’re going to do on a daily, weekly, monthly, quarterly and annual basis, then plan it out in your calendar.
- Measure using Google Analytics and Your Website Statistics – Measuring is important to ensure you are on track to achieving your goals. Don’t miss this crucial step.
- Review your progress on a monthly basis – if you aren’t on track, then you should refine your processes or refine your goals to be SMART. If one medium isn’t bring any sales, maybe it’s time to ditch it and put your energy into something that will.
As you can see, when you break it down, it can be a lot easier to take action for marketing your website for 2012. By taking action, and being patient, I guarantee you’ll see positive results and you won’t look back!
What have you got planned for 2012? Share your ideas below. Leave a comment now.
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Bianca Board – Web123Bianca Board is a self-confessed perfectionist, but that’s a good thing, because as Web123′s chief designer and web strategist, she’s expert at helping small business achieve something that makes money and looks incredible without the designer price tag. With a creative streak that extends to sales, organic gardening, painting, decorating and generally making the world a more beautiful place, Bianca’s the person who will make sure that, along with functioning just as it should, your company’s website will look nothing short of amazing.
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The Technology Path for Women
December 27, 2011
Nikki Steadman, CEO of Loci Solutions, specialises in helping businesses find effective and practical solutions to their property management accounting and reporting systems.
Loci Solutions grew out of the desire to enhance the customer experience and system utilisation of current and potential clients in the property industry, primarily in the areas of property management and finance.
In this interview we discuss:
- How establishing a niche business has meant big wins for Nikki’s business
- Why the technology industry is a great career path for women
- How to get corporate doors to open up to your small business
- Nikki’s business success tips
Enjoy this interview with Nikki Steadman
Watch this interview on the Australian Businesswomen’s Network website
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About the In Her Shoes seriesIn Her Shoes is a regular video series presented by the Australian Businesswomen’s Network and BNet.com.au. Each interview features an inspiring businesswoman and her strategies for success. New episodes are released regularly. Become a Community Member for regular updates. StartUp and Growth Members get updates automatically. Become a Community Member with the Australian Businesswomen’s Network. |
Charity: Water – “Technology Changes Everything”
December 8, 2011
By Amy Lyden, Australian Businesswomen’s Network Advocacy Advisor
I had the pleasure of attending a Charity: Water event last week. Paull Young, the young passionate Aussie who just HAD to work for this organisation when he came across them, presented to a group of about 50 people in Sydney.
You may have heard of Charity: Water, especially if you are active on Twitter and other social media. Charity: Water has very successfully trail blazed new ways of fundraising and getting their story out to millions of people globally through the clever use of technology and social media strategies. Whether you are working for a charity or own your own business, there is much to be learnt from how they do things.
How Charity: Water Started
Charity: Water started five years ago when its young founder, Scott Harrison travelled to Africa and saw first hand the terrible plight of so many without the most basic of human needs – water. When he returned to NYC and a friend bought him a $16 martini, he realised that that same $16 could have fed a family in Africa or built a well. He then decided that if more people understood what was needed, the world could be changed. He then founded Charity: Water.
The facts about water
- Out of the seven billion people living on the planet, one billion people do not have access to drinking water. Without seeing and experiencing this, it is hard for the people who do have water (and always have) to imagine what life would be like for these one billion people.
- 2.6 billion people lack access to basic sanitation – toilets, running water, etc
- This is a major cause of preventable disease. 40,000 kids die every day because of lack of access to clean water and sanitation. Not having a “tap and toilet” kills more people than all the wars around the world every year.
- In Africa alone, people spend 40 billion hours every year just walking for water. Usually it is women and children walking many kilometres to the nearest water source, and this water will likely make them sick.
- Charity: Water’s motto is “Water Changes Everything”. Simple, yet true. Not only does access to clean water (through taps and toilets) eliminate much disease, but also kids are able to go to school and entire communities can be transformed.
- $19 will fund a well. This is such small amount that will make such a huge difference to people without access to water – the price of a cocktail or two in a major city.
Online Philanthropy
“Technology changes everything”. Charity: Water does almost all of its fundraising online. It’s clever use of social media to raise money has certainly been its strong suit. In February 2009, they raised $250,000 through Twestival. This was the largest amount ever raised by a charity online.
Twitter: Charity: Water was first on twitter in 2007 with a few hundred followers (that was like rock-star status in those days), and now they have over 1.3 million followers!
Facebook: Over 200,000 likes.
Online Campaigns
Charity: Water doesn’t ask for money, it asks for fundraisers – people to raise money for them. And they have clever campaigns around this premise. One example is the “Give up your birthday for clean water” campaign. People raise money on their birthday and ask friends and family to make a donation instead of buying them a gift. Genius.
We already have more than we need – right? This is all done online and the technology makes it easy to set this up. We are seeing a lot of charities making use of this now, for example “Everyday Hero”, whereby a fundraiser (individual) can set up an online presence to track the donations etc. This is becoming very common particularly for fun runs and other events like “Movember”.
Stats for Charity: Water’s Online Campaigns
Average amount raised by a fundraiser: $1,000
Average campaign: 13 donors, average donation $80.
Charity: Water then emails all donors to show where and when the wells went. They send them links to googlemaps which actually shows the locations of the wells. Their model is that for every $1 spent, $8 is raised. That’s leverage.
A Winning Model
Paull Young says the culture of Charity: Water “Feels more like a tech start up than a charity.” They have raised $26 million so far, and 75% was raised through digital models, more than any other charity using these models. They are experiencing 100%+ growth. And they are just warming up. They have a big hairy audacious goal to raise $2 billion by 2020 (yes, $2 BILLION).
Some tips from Charity: Water
Start with your story and make it their story.- Show them where there money goes. Charity: Water uses googlemaps with GPS to show exactly where the wells were built.
- Use pictures. Charity: Water posts a “picture a day.” Pictures showing the sheer joy that water can bring to people. Real people. They believe in showing people the impact of their giving. Show by photos and share the stories of the people they impact. Show them where their money goes.
- Use narrative – sharing stories. One African woman named Helen said that now that she has water she feels beautiful, because for the first time in her life she can wash herself. Now THAT is powerful story sharing.
- Demonstrate the impact to the donor. Because you donated $30, this well (picture) was built in this location (googlemaps). Helen’s family (picture of Helen’s family) now has access to running water.
We are lucky enough to live in an age where our message can be reached by millions (and potentially billions) of people. Before the ubiquitous use of technology, mobile phones etc this simply was not possible without spending ungodly amounts of money. Today anyone can do this by utilising technology. The key is to have a compelling message that truly speaks to people around the world.
Charity: Water has done this well so far in their short life. And I would bet that with passionate people like Paull Young involved they will get their big hairy audacious goal of raising $2 billion by 2020 and then some.
MORE GREAT BLOG POSTS BY AMY LYDEN
- Developing an Asia Plan for Your Future
- Make Care Fair – the cost of not having affordable and flexible childcare
- “Balance is B*llsh*t”
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Amy Lyden – Advocacy Advisor – Australian Businesswomen’s NetworkAn entrepreneur and specialist in ecommerce and online strategy, Amy has had over 13 years of practical experience in these areas. Launching her first website in 1998 Amy was at the forefront of an online revolution without even realizing it. Within a year this site became and remains today a #1 ranking site and global community of pet lovers that attracts over 4 million visitors a year. This Australia-based business, Bow Wow Meow, now sells product online to over 100 countries worldwide. Amy sold this business in 2007 and turned her energy to the nonprofit sector. Amy is currently the CEO of Australian Scholarships Foundation, an organisation that facilitates scholarships for education and training for people who work in the nonprofit sector. Amy is the recipient of numerous business awards including the 2006 NSW Telstra Business Women’s Awards for Innovation, the 2002 National Telstra Business Award and the Leading Women Entrepreneurs of the World Grant. Amy is an Ambassador and former Chairperson for the Australian Businesswomen’s Network, an organisation that supports female entrepreneurs. Amy was also invited to serve on the Commonwealth Small Business Council, an initiative by the Federal minister for Small Business. Amy has been profiled in the following books: “Women’s Business, Women’s Wealth” by Amanda Ellis, “Female Entrepreneurs,” by Leiza Clark and “Secrets of Female Entrepreneurs Exposed!” by Dale Beaumont. Amy is passionate about using technology to connect people globally for positive change.
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News: New Google AdWords Information Hub developed to support women in business to get online
October 20, 2011
The Australian Businesswomen’s Network today launched a Google AdWords information hub on its website.
This new multi-page feature provides resources and easy-to-follow details on how Google AdWords can help small businesses drive results.
Within this hub, small business owners can access all the AdWords basics including how to begin, what to expect and how to make the most from advertising dollars (which are often scarce in small business).
“By introducing this new information hub, we hope to provide small-business owners with new tools and skills to harness the power of an engine like Google and to drive the traffic that we know is available to them if they get their business in front of the right eyeballs,” explained Community Director, Suzi Dafnis
“It’s not news that more and more people are looking online to find what they want. We want to be sure our community members are armed with the tool and knowledge to use internet traffic to drive people to their businesses,” says Dafnis.
Google AdWords Information Hub
A few features of the Google AdWords for Small Business Information Hub are:
- Free eGuides show businesswomen how to grow their business with adwords and provide tips for finding new customers online, measuring results, understanding how to pick great keywords for ads and how to write attention-grabbing ads
- Ask a Google expert – Viewers can ask their questions online and Google AdWord’s expert Kate Conroy will reply with customised answers.
- Case Studies – The hub features a number of real stories from small businesses who share their AdWords results and the results they’ve seen since they started using AdWords.
- Free Webinar – The Australian Businesswomen’s Network is offering a free Google AdWords for Small Business webinar in November to give women access to even more resources and education.
Take a look at these resources:
- What is Search Advertising?
- Why Google AdWords Makes Sense for Small Business
- How to Grow Your Business with Google AdWords
- Free Tools and Resources
PLUS – visitors can request a free voucher to try AdWords out. The vouchers, valued at $75 are available to first-time Google AdWords users.
The Australian Businesswomen’s Network looks forward to working with its community members to improve their understanding of Google AdWords and to having them start to get the types of results these small business owners have enjoyed since they started using AdWords.
PayPal releases news of online purchasing trends
October 19, 2011
By Suzi Dafnis, Australian Businesswomen’s Network
Buying online is not only on the increase, the way we buy is also changing. At a 700-strong breakfast yesterday morning, PayPal released the results of a recent study on the monumental changes seen in online commerce in Australia, where merchants and consumers are harnessing new technologies to connect in new ways.
Buying incidence and frequency
The report, “Secure Insight: Changing the Way We Pay” was developed in conjunction with Forrester Research, Nielsen and the Australian Centre for Retail Studies and explores the factors influencing Australia’s boom in online commerce.
Powering the growth in online commerce is the increasing prevalence of smartphones, with ownership of Internet-enabled phones currently at 65 per cent of the total handset market in Australia. Now accounting for two out of every three phones sold in Australia, smartphones are disrupting both the traditional and online retail environments. Australians are heavy users of mobile phones to transact, with PayPal Australia seeing mobile payments on a steep trajectory of 430 per cent year on year. (I got my iPhone 4S yesterday and am thrilled with it, by the way.)
As transactions begin to take place in new environments, PayPal’s report reveals a changing attitude amongst consumers when it comes to making payments. According to the research, consumers feel the choice of payment method is not theirs to make, with retailers restricting choices. Regularly having to switch between payment methods depending on the product they are purchasing, 40 per cent of consumers desire a simpler payment solution.
Interesting Insights
Here are some of the insights and comments (from the many presenters and the panel) that I found interesting:
- QR codes make non-traditional venues (e.g., a bus shelter) places where you can now transact (just scan the code and go!)
- New platforms, e.g., daily deals sites, bring new opportunities to transact (both from a computer and via mobile).
- Generally, there are now MORE ways that people can buy – but merchants aren’t necessarily accommodating this change.
- A customer today is more aware of your product or service when they come to you than ever before. Generally, they have researched you, compared you to your competition and are ready to transact – if you make it easy for them,
- More than 10% of Paypal’s transactions are via mobile.
- The average expected growth rate, as reported by Aussie online retailers, is 30% in the next year (How fabulous!)
- Coupon businesses reduce the risk of purchase with low prices and money-back guarantees.
- Cudo CEO says coupon businesses address two needs: 1. Unsold capacity and 2. Customers want to try new things.
- Multi channels are used to research and decide on a purchase (We also post the process to social networks as we go.)
- When it comes to social media, larger companies are more likely to stick to traditional media, whereas (because of the low cost of entry), smaller businesses are more likely to use social to market.
Meandering path to an online purchase
Understanding the barriers that customers need to overcome to transact can give you an advantage over competitors.
- 39% of consumers using their phones for product or services research.
- Cash is still king for most smaller purchases. New landscape sees people prefer fewer, more consolidated online payment options (for ease) – men mainly
- How are consumers deciding WHICH payment method to use? 1. Security 2. Price. Mobile payments PERCEIVED to be less secure by some.
- A hungry lean self-starter online retailer is probably doing better than high street retailers (due to being flexible and nimble).
The best question posed:
Are you making it easier for customers to do business with you? Or are consumers using tech to make it easier for themselves?
Also, “People on social media are a community of interest. Be relevant.”
— Colin McLeod, Australian Centre for Retail Studies (ACRS)
What I took away:
Merchants: It’s time to recognise consumer needs have changed and to adapt accordingly.
Here is a copy of the full report.
Entrepreneurial Qualities: Lessons from the Life of Steve Jobs
October 17, 2011
By Nerida Gill, Admin Bandit
© peitrozuco.com
The recent passing of Steve Jobs, the inventor and entrepreneur behind Apple and Pixar, at the tender age of 56 reminds us not just how young computer technology, but also how much an individual can change the world.
In 1984, when I was singing “Girls Just Wanna Have Fun” into my hair brush, drooling over Tom Selleck in Magnum PI, and discovering lycra (aerobics with Jane Fonda, anyone?), Jobs and his pal Steve Wozniak had just released the first Apple Mac, the grandparent of all our IT gadgets today.
Jobs was a controversial figure, as seen in the dramatically mixed responses to his death — some obituaries have hailed his charismatic leadership and brilliant sales technique, while others have slammed his erratic personality and perfectionist tendencies.
Whichever you believe, Steve Jobs had powerful entrepreneurial qualities, which make a valuable lesson for those of us trying to make our mark in small business.
Seek knowledge
Jobs was still in high school when he started going to after-school lectures at Hewlett-Packard. He may have formally dropped out of college in 1972 after one semester, but continued taking non-assessment classes in subjects as diverse as calligraphy and from 1975, attended meetings of a hobbyist group called the Homebrew computer club.
These activities may seem minor, but they resulted in life-changing opportunities and relationships, including a summer job at Hewlett-Packard, where he met Steve Wozniak, as well as relationships with future Silicon Valley high rollers.
Even that calligraphy class proved useful — without it, Jobs once said, our computers would have only one typeface and font!
Think outside the square
You may not think the hippie era and IT have a lot in common, but Jobs’ desire to learn about life took him to India in 1974 at the age of 19, where new experiences gave him a fresh perspective and a new way of thinking. Apart from converting to Buddhism and developing a penchant for bare feet, he came home with:
- A desire to change the world
- A belief in simplicity, which meant focusing on what is important
- The ability to say “no” in order to maintain that focus
Choose your people
“Many hands make light work,” the saying goes and Jobs knew he needed specialists, people with skills beyond his own, to make Apple a success. He first showed a flair for putting his ego on hold and choosing a team to deliver results as an employee at Atari, not long after returning from India. Offered $100 for each chip he could remove from the arcade game “Breakout”, Jobs offered Wozniak half the reward to do the technical work.
In the end, Atari paid the pair just 14% of what they earned, but had inadvertently introduced them to the third founding member of Apple, Ronald Wayne, a fellow employee.
Wayne may have left Apple only two weeks after it started in 1976, but, 20 years older than Jobs, he gave the company the maturity to start up.
Become an innovator
Innovators have the unusual gift of foreseeing and setting trends — they can see what their market needs when the market itself sees no gap. And this was one of Jobs’ key skills.
Let me give you a bit of history….
Not that long ago, computers were command-driven; that is, the user sat in front of a screen and typed text-based instructions to get results. For example, you typed the words “erase” or “save” to get your computer to do these things. Talk about fussy and time-consuming… no wonder only “geeks” used computers!
Then a division of Xerox developed a system called “graphical user interface” (GUI) which allowed the user to tell the computer what to do by using a mouse to click on icons, navigate through windows, scroll through menus and check boxes.
Sound familiar?
Xerox didn’t see the potential of their innovation, but Jobs did and he was the first person to apply it to the personal computer, the Apple Mac.
So as you go to the next web page, send an email, write a report, play Solitaire or download photos from your camera, think of Steve Jobs… who made computers accessible to everyone and allowed us to get a lot more done with a simple click of the mouse.
MORE GREAT POSTS BY NERIDA GILL
- Keeping Up With Your Brand: A Reality Lesson from the Kardashians
- Are You Responsible? How Small Business Can Give Back
- How to Dress to Communicate Skill and Success in Business
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Nerida Gill – Admin BanditNerida Gill is the creator of Admin Bandit, a web-based accounting package designed specifically to make keeping the books easy for volunteer treasurers in community groups. After winning numerous business awards, Admin Bandit is in a growth phase after recently attracting external investment.
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The Problem With Online Engagement
September 12, 2011
(or the Anatomy of an Online Engagement That Went Pear-Shaped)
By Cat Matson, Alito
I spend A LOT of my professional and personal time online. I tweet, Facebook, write blog posts and comment on blog posts. I love it… and for the majority of the time, I have a blast engaging, networking, exploring, collaborating, educating and being educated through online platforms.
There’s a catch though. Sometimes you can find yourself engaging in discussions that have nothing to do with your online strategic outcomes.
Sometimes in the online space, people take liberties they wouldn’t take if they were talking with you face to face (or even over the phone).
This isn’t a new topic… many before me (and no doubt after me) will write about online etiquette… and readers of this blog are savvy, classy and most importantly respectful. So this isn’t a post about such etiquette.
Rather, this post is about what happens when you are at the effect of an online trouble maker (also known as an online troll)… and the lessons I recently learned in dealing with just this situation.
By way of background, an anonymous commenter on my Alito blog left what I interpreted as inflammatory comments. After due consideration, I decided to delete the comments.
That was mistake (and learning) number 1.
In this case, the commenter escalated his comments, asking why I invalidated the comments by deleting them.
So I answered… and copied and pasted the original comments in full back into the blog.
That was possibly mistake (and learning) number 2.
In my answer, I also engaged with this anonymous commenter, attempting to answer his concerns/questions/challenges. Given his challenges were regarding my professional expertise, this was certainly mistake number 3. Because here I was having an argument, defending myself, with a faceless, nameless, anonymous commenter.
I engaged because I value robust discussion… and given the commenter’s persistence and assertion that he was reading my blog as a potential client. This engagement was a mistake because it was very easy for me to get just as inflammatory in my responses with someone who was anonymous – after all, I couldn’t visualise the person who may have feelings or sensibilities. I was responding to these comments from a position of wanting to defend my reputation… not a clean intention of discussion.
My further mistake was inviting further anonymous comments from this contributor. It meant the conversation has continued (with one other contributor adding their thoughts to the conversation) to more than 21 comments… 21 comments of argument, not discussion, about the original video post.
My takeaway learnings … that I wish to share:
- If you blog to raise your business profile – establish a code of conduct for your blog that commenters need to abide by. If they don’t, then there is a clear cause for deleting offending comments and not engaging. A Code of Conduct also gives you a clear guide for your own use when the stakes are high and judgement can be clouded.
- Regardless of your own desire to be professional and to deliver strong customer service, remember your own blog is just that – your own. As such, you choose who you engage with and how.
- Be less willing to fight. This commenter used my own phrases, like ‘robust conversation’ as bait to lure me into an online battle. The world of online opinion is just that – opinion. I don’t have to convince anyone of mine… and nor do I need to defend mine. I can just be OK with other people having, and even stating, different opinions… even on my own blog
- Be clear on the purpose of your blog. Mine is to share my ideas, my opinions and ‘speak’ with those who are interested in what I have to say. Of course, it is also to build my profile and to encourage people who like my approach to engage my services. It is NOT to convince people who don’t like what I do that they should engage my services.
Read point 4 again. For me… this has been a MASSIVE turning point.
The purpose of my blog is not to convince people who don’t like what I do that they should engage my services.
My blog is about expressing me, my approach, and what I can do for my clients. That approach, my personality, will resonate with some. Great, I hope those people stick around.
It won’t resonate with others. That’s ok. There’s other blogs that will.
Please don’t invest any time visiting the Alito blog post in question… chance are, by the time you’re reading this, I will have removed all comments anyway… it has left a bad taste in my mouth that I don’t want contaminating the good stuff that I think my blog is.
But I would love to hear your thoughts.
What are your ‘rules of engagement’ in the online space? Particularly for your own blog? Do you insist commenters on your own blog reveal their name, for example? And how do you ‘withdraw’ from an engagement that goes ‘pear-shaped’?
MORE GREAT POSTS BY CAT MATSON
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Cat Matson - AlitoCat is a Business CATalyst, sparking ideas for peak business performance. With a keen interest in strategy, marketing, social media and personal effectiveness, Cat works with clients to have their business firing on all cylinders. Appalled by the notion of ‘silver-bullet’, ‘one-size-fits-all’ approaches to business success, Cat works with savvy business owners to connect the RIGHT resources with the RIGHT strategy to produce the desired business outcomes. When not working, Cat enjoys time with her 2 young boys, her husband and exploring the ever-evolving possibilities of social media. She is a connection junkie – getting a buzz out of connections both on- and off-line and is often seen with iPhone to ear and iPad at fingertips.
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Empowering Women Through Technology – Podcast with Aliza Sherman
August 28, 2011
The Wall Street Journal said: “It’s a man’s world out there in cyberspace – but not if Aliza Sherman has anything to say about it. Her mission: empower women and girls through technology.”
Aliza Sherman, the original Cybergrrl’, explains who blogs are most suited to, why today’s tools allow us to be on our soapbox in new ways and the question to ask yourself BEFORE you choose what publishing tool you’ll use.
Watch our podcast interview with Aliza Sherman here.
About Aliza Sherman
Aliza Sherman is the Original Cybergrrl – an Internet thought leader, highly sought-after online marketing expert and passionate evangelist for the Internet, particularly as a valuable and useful tool for our personal and professional lives. She is a motivational and inspirational speaker who has spoken around the world about the Internet, social media, virtual worlds entrepreneurship and women’s empowerment.
Named by Newsweek as one of the “Top 50 People Who Matter Most on the Internet,” Aliza Sherman is a Web pioneer, online marketing expert, published author, international speaker and regular contributor to national magazines and web sites.
BOOKED for Lunch – A Complete Idiot’s Guide to Crowdsourcing
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Aliza Sherman will be joining the Australian Businesswomen’s Network on Wednesday, 31 August 2011at 12:00pm AEST for BOOKED for Lunch. |
Connect with Aliza Sherman
Website: Aliza Sherman
Tune in to The Digital Marketer weekly podcasts
Books by Aliza Sherman
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The Complete Idiot’s Guide to Crowdsourcing By Aliza Sherman
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Mom, Incorporated: A Guide to Business + Baby By Aliza Sherman and Danielle Smith
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Streetwise eCOMMERCE: Establish Your Online Business, Expand Your Reach and Watch Your Profits Soar! By Aliza Sherman
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The Everything Blogging Book: Publish Your Ideas, Get Feedback and Create Your Own Worldwide Network By Aliza Sherman Order your copy of The Everything Blogging Book from Booktopia today and save. |
