Marketing
Advantages of using an Email Marketing Program for your Newsletter
Tips for Follow-Up after Events
How to Talk Online when Networking or Selling
Okay… I have to vent a little. Now, those who know me know this is not my style (hehehe … well, maybe a bit). I always indicate to people that I am very much a black and white type of person, there is little grey area when it comes to my opinions…
So today, I got fed up when I read a newsletter that was in my inbox (from several days ago so no one needs to panic if you sent yours today or yesterday). It just set something off in my head and now I have a little rant, vent…or maybe a better term is a Lesson for All of Us!
I was reminded yesterday by my business coach that my main philosophy with regards to networking online is very much: Be the same online as you are in person.
If you can master this and apply it to anything you do online, you can authentically get your presence out there and have people feeling you are the real deal. Distance, location, and even platform will not matter – if you can be you anywhere – even typing a 120 character update – then you have mastered online networking. You have figured it out. And people will get that. They will see this in what you do online, they will get to know you – even from small back and forths on Twitter or Facebook or Linked in. The “Get to Know” you, is that vital first step before getting to Trust and Like you – and that’s the kind of person we all want to do business with. Someone we Know, Like and Trust.
Now, putting my philosophy into place… Can anyone see why I need to rant about a little section in this person’s newsletter that said:
Need a Keynote? HIRE ME!
What is that!?!? If you apply this statement, with a link to a website that was not working by the way, to my adage of: Don’t say anything online you would not say to someone face to face – how would this come across?
For those of you who have done keynote speaking, when you are talking to people in person would you ever say that to someone? “Need a Keynote? HIRE ME!”
Yes, I often look people in the eye when having a conversation and say – “Hey, Do you need a Keynote speaker? Hire Me!” NEVER! Wow, talk about how to sound pushy or sales-sleazy… It just would not fit into a conversation – maybe as a joke but not as part of a conversation.
The placement in the newsletter did not help. It was in a section at the bottom all by itself – without any other contact info near it. Just like that – “Need a Keynote? HIRE ME!” (and for those who are not up to speed with online speaking– because of the all capital letters, it seems like the person is yelling the HIRE ME!)
It would make more sense within the contact info on the newsletter, maybe under Connect Online, or link to Services … add it here as a section that says: Keynotes or Speaking, something like that, but not with the HIRE ME beside it. Sorry, but I just don’t see that as being appropriate at all here. Not in the context as it was.
What do you think? Would you click on a section like this if you were thinking of hiring a keynote in this type of industry? Am I overreacting?
Pay it Forward – It does comes Back!
One of the things I did in 2008 when I started networking online for my business was to set a goal of helping others online. If I see someone who looks like they were hacked, have a typo in their BIO, you know, the little things… I try to help by letting them know how they can fix the situation. If I see someone asking a question, needing help I point them in the right direction. It’s my way of paying it forward ( the concept of asking that a good turn be repaid by having it done to others instead – ie. if you help 3 people and they each help 3 people, it’s just like word of mouth or viral marketing, but instead people helping others) for all the help I got in my life from others and especially when I started my business.
It’s the little things that I see when I am networking online – looking at new followers, chatting on a Facebook page, and talking to people. Really, it’s the same as you would help out people in person too (well, except for the old one of someone’s ’fly being down’ and never knowing if you say something or not – can’t see that situation happening online!) – just being kind and helpful.
Anyhow this past week I ran into a different type of way I could help someone. It started when I got my mail and my new Moo Cards were in there. Whoohoo – More Moo! And the Bonus was these were the 100 FREE mini moo cards I got from a Klout Perk. They were even free but for the shipping. I flew in the house all excited to open the package and see them (and by the way if you are wondering what a Moo card is, you have obviously never held one in your hand. They are a delight to hold and touch and feel. If you want to see one live and in person, send me an email with your address and I will mail you one of mine! Seriously, I will)
…. back to the story
I get the package open and then open the little box they come in … and the first one is usually a reference card for the order, I look past that and it is another odd card, I keep looking and then finally it dawns on me… they are all these odd cards and not mine! UGh! All the excitement for nothing!
I had someone else’s cards! I called Moo Customer Service and we go through the order numbers and they realize that I have someone else’s cards and someone out there probably is getting mine. A little shipping mixup. No big deal, they tell me to chuck the cards in the garbage because they are sending me a rush order, as well as this other person whose cards I have in my hands.
Chuck them out??? No way - they are Moo Cards. Mini or not – they are too nice to put in the recycle bin. Luckily the cards had the twitter id of the company – @QuipMag (and the special order reference card had the name of the person who made the order) – so I looked them up on twitter, got their website, then found the right person on the “About” page.
I emailed and said what happened, that she would probably get an email about an order problem and that more cards were coming… but in the meantime – what is her address so I can mail this box of cards off. (I could not in any way throw them out).
She was so happy I emailed and very appreciative that I was willing to mail the cards. I did, she got them last week and was so grateful I took the time to send them. We also got to know a little bit about each other’s business in the process.
A little help and a little pay it forward – it always comes back I say…
So today I got a tweet from Kateryna:
@timeontaskva So guess what, I just got your cards! Will mail them tomorrow please DM me your address
Pay it Forward, It ALWAYS comes back one way or another and not always from the recipient as was the case today – but somewhere somehow it will come back to you.
PS. Don’t forget to send me an email if you want a sample mini-moo card. The postage is on me!
Business Referrals – How NOT to accept one
This was the look I got!
For the first time EVER in my life, I was given a referral and was absolutely floored by the response it got! The response was really an eye opener for what people and businesses should never do when someone refers you a client or business.
What happened?
Well, we have been renovating our house and tore down a wall between our kitchen and dining room. The reno has meant we had to look at a few options for filling in the gap where the wall used to be. I was trying to salvage the new flooring laid in the kitchen last year so we were looking for a unique solution.
Since we moved here in 2008, we have been using the same flooring place for everything we have needed. The service has been excellent, the work as well and that has meant we are a loyal customer to this company. Anytime I need flooring or information I head straight to TK’s Carpet and Flooring in Dartmouth and talk to Claude.
This unique solution I was looking for involved getting a custom piece done so they referred me to another local company, close by that specializes in hardwood (I’m going to play nice and not say their name). So off I went this weekend to inquire about me needs.
When I explained what I was looking for, the woman indicated that they actually could not do this type of item and she gave me some other advice about how to go about it as well. As always, if I was referred to a business I like to let them know, most people always like to know why your chose their business. So I mentioned that TK’s had sent me there thinking they would have the skills/abilities to help. The response?
Oh yes, they always like to send people here when they don’t want to help you out.
Now, this might not seem like a big deal when the words are written out, but when you add the change in her facial expression along with the disdain in her voice as she said this the entire tone of the comment changed. I should have commented right there – but I have not always been as quick with retorts as some can be (My sister is really great at this and would have taken her down for sure).
I left thinking “What a rude way to take a referral for business”. No matter what she thought, she should have said something complimentary as opposed to shooting down the business that sent me to her doors in the first place.
As I drove away, heading in fact to TK’s to check out my other options, I was really thinking about how that was such a crappy thing fro her to say. I appreciated TKs giving me a name to check out, but definitely not her reaction to it.
SO… I did what any good and loyal customer would do – I let them know at TKs the response to their referral. I highly doubt they will refer to them again. And I will never recommend them either.
Lesson learned: Always think about what it means to accept a referral.
Someone, no matter who they are, felt you could help the person they sent to you. Accept this complement in the way it was intended, with courtesy and thought. Anything less and you may find yourself losing customers and future referrals because of your attitude.
What referral good / bad stories have you experienced? Please share here by posting a comment.
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