Rid your Business Documents of Abstractions

Is your organization a world-class provider of cutting-edge solutions? Do your people offer turn-key robust service? I’m sure you do. Unfortunately, your customers and donors have no idea what all those abstractions really mean or should mean to them.

We might criticize teenagers for talking in a language that defies comprehension (whose BFF R U?), but if you are writing business documents, be careful that your messages can be easily understood. Business language, no matter what the business, is too often laden with meaningless jargon. In fact, it’s so common that we stop recognizing the words as meaningless hype.

If you want to build your brand (who doesn’t) stop using mumbo-jumbo and start talking so that your messages are crystal clear.

Want to know how? Log on to our website and read this month's enews for our top tips.

Word of Mouth at WOMMA, Featured Blog and More

Technology, new media, social marketing - we're all abuzz with all the latest. And that goes for both nonprofit marketers and small businesses. I'm not budging off our foundation and steadfast belief in solid strategic planning, critical thinking and implementing tools based on strategy - as discussed in our missive earlier this week. But it is wonderful to have so many new tools and channels to work with.

Spending some time at the WOMMA (Word of Mouth Marketing Association) conference in New Orleans this week, I was wowed with the creative ways people are using social networking, technology - and some old-fashioned strategies to boot - to generate great buzz. And if you are feeling a little behind, not to worry. Some of the national players at this conference didn't have it figured out either! In the next couple of weeks, I'll be passing along some of what I learned and some examples of success stories. (You won't believe the success some people have had in generating business through with very little in the way of traditional advertising support!)

And speaking of buzz, we were honored this week to be a featured blog on TypePad, where we were cited as a "castle of contemporary marketing wisdom with room after room of tools and resources for your perusal." You can still check out the profile. 

Happy marketing - social, traditional, e-based and otherwise!

Small Business Marketing and Non Profit Marketing: "I Get By With A Little Help From My Friends"

We're in the business of telling our clients how give their small businesses and nonprofit organizations a marketing a "fix." But, this week, I've been the one learning a lot about getting connected. By this point in life I think I have mastered the art in the real world, but it has been amazing to learn how different virtual networking is!

Blogging offers so many forms of education to small businesses and nonprofit marketers. Here are our favorite sources. Duct Tape Marketing Blog -- John's article about the snack culture only reiterates what it is that blogs are all about -- bite size treats (yum, my favorite). Likewise, props to Made To Stick. While you are reading what Chip and Dan Heath have to say, also download their Talking Strategy Manifesto. It's worth the read. Nonprofit Communications Blog is a great site for very specialized tips for a non-profit organizations. This week's piece about re-designing a non-profit website struck a chord. Most people see non-profits only as different in their lack of funding. What they don't realize is that the differences involve top line strategy. A website for a non-profit should look very different than a site intended to sell a product. Read Kivi's tips and make sure your nonprofit site is making the grade.

I wrote about "When not to Blog" earlier in the week. Would love to hear from more of you why companies should pass on blogging. It seems our friends at Diva Marketing Blog had this on the brain too. They offer a great expansion on the subject.

So, happy Friday and happy MARKETING! Talk to ya'll next week!

Search Engine Optimization: A Marketing Art Form

The internet is full, full, full of people discussing this topic! Being a prevalent website on search engine lists is so important to the success of your business.

Here's a rundown on our best advice:

Go to TopRankBlog to get a great list of SEO sites.

Consider your market first. Don't be so concerned about getting found in these engines as much as getting found by the right people. Your business' success rides on turning web viewers into relationships. not just on getting as many hits as you can.

We've written in the past about the new tools found on Google to find out which search terms are the most popular, but here's something else to consider...
Google gives 80% of it's search weight to off-page optimization. 80%!
That means you need to remember these three points:

• The amount of links pointing to your site and its pages
• The actual linking text (anchor text) of these links
• The quality of the pages which the links are

Don't always focus on your HTML tags but remember to be highly involved on the web as a whole!
We will be working on ours and hope you do to.

Let us know your recommendations for how to best obtain off-page optimization.

Getting In the Blog "Scene"

After reading a post recently on the Diva Marketing Blog I started to consider what a great social networking tool this blog has been!

Blogging allows us to almost effortlessly talk to you and by doing so strategically market what we have to offer. While we think we are creative, blogging doesn't require much time. All it really takes is for us to put out for the world to see and read -- who you really are and what we have to say. That essence of a blog is what opens so many doors for social network marketing.

As big as the world is, blogging has allowed all of us to have a discussion. We have found an endlessly expanding round table around which we can present our beliefs, talents and interests. It gives us the chance to find common ground and discuss our differences. It also gives many opportunities to learn from each other. And it's changed the way we think about the Internet too. I began to realize, after a little trial run, that when we search the web now with any search engine. Almost half of the results we find are in the form of a blog post.

Web 2.0 -- means we're vulnerable to potentially incorrect information, but more importantly, it means we have the potential to learn from the experiences of so many others that we might never have meet.

Call me an eternal optimist, but I think the trade-off is worth it. I would rather the chance to dig through stories and tips than to never hear them at all.

5 Reasons Why We Blog

Our friends at Flyte tagged us to write about blogging via a blog “chain letter”. I normally object to anything to do with chain letters -- but since this one didn't threaten my health, pocketbook or general well-being, ok. And besides, it's easy to come up with 5 reasons why we blog -- so here's our list:

#1. To Increase Viral Marketing. Bottom line -- so that you'll visit our website.

#2. To Give What We Have.We have experience and want to share it with you. If you are turned into a customer, great, but even if not, maybe you'll gain a nugget of information from us that will make you into a better marketer.

#3. To Practice What We Preach. As marketing consultants we have unique situation. We HAVE to be good marketers. We see the blog as an extension of our brand.

#4. To Be Relevant. Experts say that in the next decade consumers will obtain the majority of their information via blogs. We want to build a name for ourselves in this realm.

#5. To Have a Voice. Yeah, we said it. We like the sound of our own voice and we want to talk to you. Blogging is a great way to do it because it’s not invasive. If you like us, subscribe to our feed, want to contradict us, comment! And want to hear more, send us an email or call!

Bottom line: we are great advocates for blogging as a viable marketing outlet. A very minimal effort can be great to get started and overtime any blogger can determine the right level of involvement for them.

As for who I'm tagging to carry this torch -- some of my favorite blogs. So here you go tag, you're it:

Creating Passionate Bloggers

Copyblogger

Diva Marketing Blog

Small Business Marketing Ideas and Strategies

Your Neighbor does it. How about you?

Forbes.com "Web Celeb 25. The ranks of the world's celebrities used to be dominated by millionaire actors, athletes and musicians, but the Internet has leveled the playing field. A kid with a video camera has access to as large an audience as the biggest Hollywood star. A mom with a blog can attract more readers than a best-selling author. And an opinionated entrepreneur can become a guru to millions."

This quote, from Forbes.com is interesting to think about. Watch as the web trends away from professionals to expertise of the 'guy next door.' What this means for professionals, you ask? Our content has to be enriching. It has to be something that people need. We need to be everywhere online so that you will will find is in the enormous sea. We also need to tap into our society's need to talk, respond and be provoked by continually fresh and refreshed content.

On a side note: As I sit here writing this blog I laugh at the red marks all over my screen. The dialog of our country is changing, but where is Microsoft? Why is the word “blog” or “podcast” still unrecognizable in the widely sold Office Suite? It will be interesting to see how technology affects the English language. How long will the language resist what people are so openly embracing?