Their touch point, frame of reference, what gets their interest…is the ‘human experience’. Period.

Today’s American consumers (whose ever changing life stages must be taken into consideration) start their relationship with your business by examining and experiencing your intent and motivation. Consumers interact with brands like they do with other humans.  Since they highly value authenticity and transparency in relationships, all the more this is true regarding brand communication.

This is why your story…your purpose, your heart should be at the core of your branding. Your brand needs to be able to ‘touch’ the human heart in order to even get consideration in the first place. That is why sales pitches, hype, fast talking and slick in-your-face intrusive advertising does NOT work any longer.

Show me your interesting story (your human touch point) and you can call it a branding or anything else you like.

Character shows up in those little things most take for granted like keeping your word especially when it’s inconvenient, taking personal responsibility even if it cost you, returning phone calls, looking out for others well being before your own.

Basically, the way I see it is business success in this new economy will depend largely on your intentions, your motives. That is the way it used to be and that is how it should be in my books.

Everyone gets it you are in business to make a profit but what are your intentions and motives towards your customer, your employees, your vendors, your competitors, your community, your country?

That is the question and observation on the minds of today’s new consumer. Gone are the days of “Sell, Sell, Sell!!” Consumers have so much choice when it comes to deciding who they will spend their money with. You can’t rest on ‘old model’ business thinking and processes any longer if you want to ensure they choose you to spend their hard earned money with.

The intent and motive of your heart (your business, corporation, whatever started in the heart of someone) is going to be a deciding factor on what side of the “Great Business Divide’ occurring now.

What I am talking about here as to having a ‘Good Heart’ should be the basics for anyone in business. If it’s not…the new consumer emerging today will demand it and if you don’t genuinely deliver, you will have a hard time with business success in the 21st century.

Even though many businesses are jumping on the Twitter and Facebook bandwagon…they are finding they are on the outside of the bulk of conversations and not having the so-called instant success many of the Social Media gurus are promising. That is partly due to the fact businesses still think Social Media is just another form of advertising!! So how do they typically approach this? Well for the most part, they are still using the ‘old advertising model’ of shouting at people to get attention and conducting one way conversations about themselves, their brand, their great deal, and blah, blah, blah.

That is completely opposite of the way real live humans (consumers) converse and this certainly applies when it comes to social media. Conversations between people are two way. That is if you are really interested in connecting with people instead of just selling ‘at them’.

Marketers, businesses, and brands that are still pushing themselves on folks are being completely ignored and grouped with all the other annoying cyber noise class. Talking at your potential customer is OUT! It takes two way engagement to even get in the conversation game in the social media realm let alone influence someone to buy from you. Far too many believe they can just show up and Facebook friends will be eating out of your hands or Twitter broadcasts will ensure the masses come running. This is so far from the truth it’s sad.

Anyone selling you on the idea you can use cutesy or clever ads, quotes of the day, last minute deals or any other midway type of shenanigans to incite the masses to word of mouth you along like the greatest new ice cream flavor ever is just flat out lying to you.

People are talking! There is no doubt about that and this is what you want them to do about you. In my opinion, the social media platform is one of the greatest things that could ever have happened to businesses today if you understand what it really is, how to use it, and respect the people using it.

A perfect example of the incredible opportunities made available via social media is just this week Mashable.com reported on Facebook’s 500 million member milestone! That’s just amazing. One online application has managed to attack a cyber hangout of 500 million members and growing!!

Facebook 500 million

When it comes to Twitter, it’s also a powerhouse as well! Courtesy of Huffingtonpost stats as of the end of April this year check these few facts out…

• Twitter now has 105,779,710 registered users.
• New users are signing up at the rate of 300,000 per day.
• 180 million unique visitors come to the site every month.
• Of Twitter’s active users, 37 percent use their phone to tweet.
• More than 40% of all tweets start with @, which means they are directed at someone.
• 85% of Tweets are original and not re-tweets of other messages.

If you are in business, you MUST be in the social media space if you want to be taken serious and compete in this new business era. However…there is a right way to do it that can put you on the path to long term success. I’m telling you up front though, it’s not a quick BAM here I am kinda marketing thing. Expect it to take lots of smart work! And be clear here, Social Marketing Is Not For the Lazy, the Greedy, or the Arrogant. It not only takes smart and hard work to be successful in this sphere, but it also takes the RIGHT strategy, planning and execution. See more on this “Useless Social Media Plans” from my colleague Jay Deragon over at Relationship Economy.

Want Social Media Marketing to work for you?

Well you better get in tune with the right information flows that give it to you straight and truthful. Really take the time to identify who you want to have as customers and start talking to them. The best place a business can start the transformation they must embark upon in order for any of this to make sense or even work for them is to consider your motives and intentions for being in the social sphere in the first place. Yes, I get it…you are in business to sell, to make a profit. That is understood and expected by even your customer. But what worked in the past does not work now. This is really an age of connectedness like never before and people don’t want to be connected to fakes, wanna-be’s, get rich quick quakes, ‘get more eyeballs’ types, or the socially irresponsible and so on. They want and demand to be connected to the real deal. And when they read your mail (in the conversations you have socially) and see you are the real deal…they will gladly share you with their sphere of influence and on, and on. Powerful, but it can be unsettling if one of your business values is not integrity. Integrity is at the core of meaningful conversations and relationships online and off. Always had been…always will be.

Wow! What a sad situation our country is facing as we prepare to celebrate and enjoy the freedoms that have been purchased and ransomed for us today on the backs of many a fine American. I thought to myself, “Is this our story for 2010 and on?”

The article went on to say “even though we’ve gained about 600,000 private sector jobs back, we’ve got nearly 8 million jobs to go,” said Lakshman Achuthan, managing director of Economic Cycle Research Institute.

The article went on to point out; it would take the creation of 10.6 million jobs immediately for the same percentage of the population to be working as was the case three years ago. Many of the workers who have lost jobs were in industries that are not likely to recover their former strength. They are predicting that as many as half of the people who lost their jobs will have to find something else to do.

This is very disturbing news. Millions of folks who have lost their jobs are not going to be able to find jobs in their line of work so they better figure something else out, right?

Ok, well I ask myself… what can be done about this? Are we just going to throw up our hands and except this? How are we going to turn this mess around? Are we going to wait for the government or big business to “bail us out”…again? Whatever good that did!

I THINK NOT!!

While I don’t pretend to have all the answers I do know a thing or two about entrepreneurship, small business and this New Business Era we have been sucked into!

I know they are right when the Foreman says these” jobs are going boy and they ain’t coming back”.  Those dinosaur industries and companies are falling like flies and more are to come. Much more judging by the way they are not willing to enter in to this new digital age and 21^st century marketing!

I know the golden egg for economic recovery and stability in this country is in the rise and well being of entrepreneurs and small business.

I know there are incredible opportunities for ANYONE to be in business for themselves doing what they love doing like never before! The internet and social media has knocked the feet out from under the gatekeepers. You can go in there and get yours now!

I know if we (the average everyday American) would support and commit ourselves to conduct the majority of our business transactions with entrepreneurs and small businesses across this country we would not only start money flowing into our communities again but we would see lots of jobs being created.

I know the internet and social media can and will facilitate the needed handshake where we tell one another about small businesses in our circle and community that are providing great products, services and customer appreciation and we recommend them to our friends and family to support them.

I know entrepreneurs and small business can beat out the big boys hands down, every time, on quality, price, creativity and service to make us want to transact with you…so Do It.

I know we all (both those of us in business and those of us the customer) care deeply about this and want to do our part.

I know we can and will support buying Local!

I know we are still the GREATEST country in the world and we have not lost who we are because we are innovators, creative, hard workers, good hearted, resilient, and we love to help each other out when we are in a jam. And folks, we are in a JAM!

I know when we make supporting our entrepreneurs and small businesses a priority like we have for causes like ‘Green living’, ‘Recycling’, Relief for Haiti, Tsunamis and countless other good things we do without a second thought…we can get behind entrepreneurs and small businesses who are committed to earning our business and support them so we can get back on the path to financial stability in this country.

I know this Fourth of July, 2010 we can also commemorate the adoption of…

BUY AND SUPPORT AMERICAN ENTREPRENEURS AND SMALL BUSINESSES.

I know anyone can make it in this great country and they don’t have to be left at the mercy of companies who care more about their bottom-line and shareholder than they ever will for you!

I know you can say loudly to those companies that sent our jobs abroad to increase their profitability, who managed poorly, who didn’t give a heck about the customer, our communities or our country, who over built, over indulged, and just passed their wows on to the employees…
Take this job and shove it! I ain’t working here no more”!!!! I’m starting my own business!

I know I am going to do my part and practice what I preach. Will you join me?

HAPPY FOURTH of JULY EVERYBODY!

Independence Day

During the American Revolution, the legal separation of the American colonies from Great Britain occurred on July 2, 1776, when the Second Continental Congress voted to approve a resolution of independence that had been proposed in June by Richard Henry Lee of Virginia.^[4][5] After voting for independence, Congress turned its attention to the Declaration of Independence, a statement explaining this decision, which had been prepared by a Committee of Five, with Thomas Jefferson as its principal author. Congress debated and revised the Declaration, finally approving it on July 4. A day earlier, John Adams had written to his wife Abigail:

Adams’ prediction was off by two days. From the outset, Americans celebrated independence on July 4, the date shown on the much-publicized Declaration of Independence, rather than on July 2, the date the resolution of independence was approved in a closed session of Congress.

Wikipedia

This has stemmed mainly from the fact social media opportunities are powerful marketing options today.

My concern with this is someone in business may think these self proclaimed digital marketing experts preaching this point of view really know what they are talking about. Some do for sure…but I find that loads of them don’t.

To suggest a business does not need to have their own business website real estate clearly indicates to me this person has not been on the marketing scene very long and they certainly do not understand marketing in its entirety nor do they understand today consumers and what motivates them to emotionally connect with a business, online and off.

In my 20 years in marketing and sales and the past 13 years in digital media development…I have worked with businesses from all types of industry sectors both large and small and I know firsthand the real value of what I call business digital assets.

I also know firsthand that many business clients are a bit confused on this fast moving vehicle called digital marketing so they rely heavily on their “web people” or “digital marketers”.

Hey… I am both of these and I am proud of that. What I am not proud of though is I am sad to say I have seen too many clients taken advantage of because they don’t really know enough about this arena and what really is best for their business. It is for that reason I decide to address this topic and offer my perspective and experience on this so that I may bring to light what I believe are  advantageous reasons why if you are in business today…you must have a business website!

Reason # 1
Your business needs a ‘Homebase’ (your website) online. No other type of web presence you invest your time and money into can provide you the ability to “own” your customer base like your own website. Here is where you can really develop the trust needed to begin to build a huge email list or digital rolodex and other connections which you own. When using 3^rd party websites and platforms, you do not “own” your customer…they do! When I say “own” your customer, I mean that in the most respectable way of course, but you get the picture of what I am saying I’m sure. It’s simple…he who owns the customer wins!

Reason # 2
Your website or websites can be strategized and designed to fit your target audience to the tee. You have the creative freedom to really connect on a deeper level with your customer or potential customer on a deeper level than any other digital platform available can offer because the content, format, message, landing pages, emotional value, etc. can be specifically tailored to that audience therefore providing fertile ground to create a powerful emotional connection with your audience which in turn gives your business the credibility and relevance needed to build lasting relationships which are so vital in this new business era. Personalization and customization are very powerful tools today.

Reason # 3
A professional business website can give you instant credibility and leverage. By the way, when I say professional I don’t mean some template cookie cutter website. I mean a website that has been strategically and creatively designed to benefit both the customer and your business. But…that’s another topic for another time. Research has shown most people who are doing organic searches for a product or service or people who have heard of you in some manner…go to the internet search engines (Google) to look up your website! They don’t go to look for the social networking site your business is a member of, or email campaigns you have done, or online ads you invest in, etc. No…they usually go directly to your website first if it is listed. Yes, those other digital presence destinations you have may be important to them but it is not the initial point of credibility they identify with you at.

Reason # 4
A business website is a very valuable business asset. Just as your domains, digital media, graphic designs and images are. Yet after 13 years in this business, I still am surprised at how many clients not only don’t know if they own these assets which in most cases they paid lots of money for…they don’t even realize the value of these digital assets to their business overall.

Digital assets are like your cyber fingerprints so to speak because they most likely will follow the life of your business and are key identifiers for your digital front door to the world, your digital access,  protocols, and even branding.  Of course this will be ever evolving if your business is really invested in staying fresh on the digital side of business but none the less, these are very valuable assets. So much so, I know digital assets have even been key factors in the determining the net worth of a business.

So the next time you hear some so-called digital expert state your business does not need a website…I highly suggest you not be swayed by this ridiculous opinion but rather see the incredible value your business website can and should be as it adds to your bottom-line and overall marketing approach. For more on this topic see my article Why You Better Stop Treating Your Website Like a Redhead Step Child!

Show some love to your website!

Oh, also bookmark Jay’s website while your at it. He has a great forward thinking mind!

Also, while you are at it…check out the Facebook Era website where Clara Shih has wrote a new book explaining the psychological shift going on in minds and hearts of consumers!

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Every type of online advertising scored better with consumers in 2010 than a year ago.

Consumers say articles that include brand information are the type of online advertising they’re most likely to read and act upon, compared to banner ads, pop-up ads, email offers or sponsored links.

Article-based advertising was preferred by 53% of respondents who said they are “very likely” or “somewhat likely” to read and act upon the material.

Coveted demographic groups are even more likely to express a preference for articles. According to the survey, 66% of people between the ages of 25 and 34, and 60% of those making at least $75,000 per year, say they are “very likely” or “somewhat likely” to read and act upon article-based advertising. Pop-up ads were least likely to be read or acted upon.

In the national study of 1,053 adults conducted in March 2010, survey respondents rated their likelihood to read and act upon five types of online advertising: banner ads, pop-up ads, e-mail offers, articles that include brand information, and sponsored search engine links. Respondents said they were “very likely” or “somewhat likely” to read and respond to:

Articles that include brand information: 53% compared to 51% in 2009.
Email offers: 51% compared to 47% in 2009.
Sponsored search engine links: 40% compared to last year’s 39%.
Banner ads: 28% compared to 25% in 2009.
Pop-up ads: 19% compared to 13% in 2009.

Sad to see these folks lose their jobs for sure but on the other hand I think this is a great wakeup call for those who depend on using custom social networks in their business strategy.

This is one reason I believe placing your most important digital assets in someone else basket is NOT a wise strategy. If you realize the advantage of valuing your digital assets…you will be way ahead of many competitors who simply want to pass this off to their web people.

Using free services is extremely valuable to businesses and groups today but the strategy should be to use these to lead the client, customer or members to your own web property so you have most of the control and say so. Not the other way around!

Keep in mind when using these 3rd party sites, the member data belongs to the site…not you! Your web presence strategy should be designed to ensure you end up being the owner of your tribe. After all, you are the one putting all the work into providing the platforms and opportunity for your tribe to connect. As you often hear me say…”He who owns the client wins”.

There are still many good options for you to own your social network platform and these can provide you the longevity and security to keep your online organization flowing, growing and safe.

Protect your digital assets! They are valuable to your business growth.

Now you tell me how anyone in business who is fairly intelligent can ignore this or not see the significance of what is going on here? Honestly, it does not take a PhD to see this in not just a trend! No this is the END of business as usual forever. This is a new age, a new business era, and huge shift in our culture.

This is so significant that anyone in business whether it be the local cleaners to the hair stylist…would be foolish not to embrace what is going on and partner up with professionals who can help them bring their business practices into the 21^st century way of doing business.

If you need referrals to fine folks who do this contact me. I will be glad to refer you.

Facebook Company Timeline

2010

• February

Facebook reaches over 400 million active users

2009

• December

Facebook reaches over 350 million active users

• September

Facebook reaches over 300 million active users

• August

Facebook acquires FriendFeed

• July

Facebook reaches over 250 million active users

• June

Facebook launches Facebook Usernames

• May

Digital Sky Technologies makes a $200 million investment for preferred stock at a $10 billion valuation

• April

Facebook reaches over 200 million active users

• February

Facebook reaches over 175 million active users
Facebook joins OpenID board
“Like” feature added

• January

Facebook reaches over 150 million active users
CNN Live/Facebook integration

2008

• December

Facebook Connect becomes generally available

• August

Facebook reaches over 100 million active users

• April

Facebook launches Facebook Chat
Facebook releases Translation application to 21 additional languages

• March

Facebook updates privacy controls to include Friend List privacy
Facebook launches in German

• February

Facebook launches in Spanish and French

• January

Facebook co-sponsors Presidential Debates with ABC News

2007

• November

Facebook launches Facebook Ads

• October

Facebook reaches over 50 million active users
Facebook launches Facebook Platform for Mobile
Facebook and Microsoft expand advertising deal to cover international markets; Microsoft takes a $240 million equity stake in Facebook

• July

Facebook acquires startup Parakey

• May

Facebook launches Marketplace application for classified listings
Facebook hosts F8 event to launch Facebook Platform
Facebook Platform launches with 65 developer partners and over 85 applications

• April

Facebook reaches 20 million active users
Facebook updates site design and adds network portals

• March

Facebook reaches over 2 million active Canadian users and 1 million active UK users

• February

Virtual gift shop launches as a feature

2006

• December

Facebook reaches more than 12 million active users

• November

Share feature added on Facebook, simultaneously launched on over 20 partner sites

• September

News Feed and Mini-Feed are introduced with additional privacy controls
Facebook expands registration so anyone can join

• August

Facebook development platform launches
Notes application is introduced
Facebook and Microsoft form strategic relationship for banner ad syndication

• May

Facebook expands to add work networks

• April

Facebook raises $27.5 million from Greylock Partners, Meritech Capital Partners and others
Facebook Mobile feature launches

2005

• December

Facebook reaches more than 5.5 million active users

• October

Photos is added as an application
Facebook begins to add international school networks

• September

Facebook expands to add high school networks

• August

The company officially changes its name to Facebook from thefacebook.com

• May

Facebook raises $12.7 million in venture capital from Accel Partners;
Facebook grows to support more than 800 college networks

2004

• December

Facebook reaches nearly 1 million active users

• September

Groups application is added; the Wall is added as a Profile feature

• June

Facebook moves its base of operations to Palo Alto, Calif.

• March

Facebook expands from Harvard to Stanford, Columbia and Yale

• February

Mark Zuckerberg and co-founders Dustin Moskovitz, Chris Hughes and Eduardo Saverin launch Facebook from their Harvard dorm room

Source http://www.facebook.com/press/info.php?timeline

With so many things available through technology to market and reach your customer directly today…why don’t more business owners take on more of their own marketing efforts?

You would have to have been on another planet this past decade not to know we have entered into a new business era. This is so a direct-to-consumer market now. People want customization and personalization and a one-to-one experience.  The middle man and gatekeepers are dying off by the droves in every industry segment!

One thing I’ve discovered and relate to as a consumer over the past few years is people want more than a transaction! They want a meaningful connection.

That’s one reason the middle guy can’t deliver anymore. People want real. Who better can deliver ‘real’ connections than you…owner of the business?

The way I see it, you have a really huge edge over those who just hand off all their marketing to some agency or organization that probably cares more about you paying your invoice to them than if your customers really have a lasting emotional connection with you and your business. That edge you have is YOU know your products and services best and you know your customers and can interact with them on a personal level regularly. What gets me though is I see lots of business owners not take advantage of this huge opportunity either because of fear of the new digital frontier (although they don’t readily admit it) or because of what I call ‘Status Quo Mindset”.  You know…it’s the “that’s the way we’ve always done it” or “I don’t care about all that Internet stuff it’s not hurtin my business”. RIGHT!

Well, I’m convinced business has changed forever…not all are going to be successful in this new business era because there will be many who will not change. We hate change for some reason when that is what life is full of. But that is another story

Point is, if you are recognizing you gotta do something different to not only compete but transform your business…technology and Social Media has made it sooooooo possible for businesses to be more hands on with their marketing if used properly. Blogging, Social Networks, Twitter (your 24/7 broadcasting network), Share bookmarks, and more all provide you with direct customer interaction and get this… Most of the tools are Free!

Yep, it’s true. Many marketers don’t want you to realize this but Do-It-Yourself Marketing can work well to move your business in front of others because you are the one in the center of building relationships with your customer. And, you can do an excellent job to market your business YOURSELF.

Am I saying you just get online and jump in and see where you end up? No. Am I saying you should not seek out professionals in marketing to help your business? No again. Why that is what I do for a living!!J

What I am saying is YOU should learn about the DIY options available to help your business and enlighten yourself on the importance of the new landscape in marketing and relating to your customers in this digital economy.

I’m also saying you should seek out marketing professionals who want to empower YOU by teaching you how to do this yourself rather than them selling you a bunch of hype and programs to hold you hostage so you feel you have to have them to help you do this successfully.

Look friend, all I’m trying to relay is this is a brand new business era we are in. Don’t let technology or anything else keep you away from taking the reins of your business and guiding it into 21^st century marketplace. You have a lot to lose if you don’t DIY.