Tag Archives: online

Marketing , , , , Leave a comment

10 Ways To Reboot Your Email Marketing List

by

E-newsletters,  webinars,  Slide Share info-graphics and other email marketing content can go as flat as an open bottle of champagne after a while.  Business in the 21st century is sort of like show business,  folks.  Gypsy Rose Lee said it best,  “You’ve gotta have a gimmick”.  You need to know how to hold your audience.  For that matter,   you’d better know your audience well enough to recognize when they stop paying attention.

Assuming that the content you provide is relevant to potential readers and not just a 3 page sales pitch about you,  wonderful you,  there may eventually be a drop-off in the email open rate.  Attention spans are short and email in-boxes are filled to the brim with all manner of messages.  But you can’t afford to lose control of your “room”,  your list members.  Presumably,  that list is populated with clients,  prospects and referral sources.  They are the life blood of your business.  How do you win them back? Try these tactics:

1.   Examine your stats and identify who is not opening your emails.  Studies show that 60% of email marketing communications are never opened.

2.   Prune the list.  Facing up to audience members who have fallen out of love with you takes courage but like any love affair that’s over,  it is best to move on.  Resolve to remove the non-readers.  Carol Tice, who founded the Freelance Writer’s Den and maintains a formidable email list,  sends her non-readers an email and asks if they would like to remain on the list.  The overwhelming majority do not respond and their names are removed.  A handful ask to continue.  You will feel better when you do the purge.  You’ll have an open rate that makes you smile.  You will know that the creative energy and hard work invested in your content marketing will be appreciated.

3.   Ask list members to update their email information.  Your open rate could improve just by allowing readers to have communications sent to an alternate email address.  Those who don’t respond after a second or third reminder to update their info are clearly not interested and can be removed from the list.

4.   To maintain the interest of readers who remain,  especially if your open rate is dropping,  take a look at your subject line.  A well-written subject line is a siren song to potential readers.  See  headline hooks that reel in readers

5.   Include a tempting call to action and name it in the subject line.   A Survey,  free webinar (hosted by you or someone whose expertise you trust),  or a white paper on a subject of interest to your readers re-establishes your relevance and will persuade a certain percentage of non-readers and infrequent readers to click and engage.

6.   Think mobile.  In July 2014,  Forrester Research reported that 42% of emails from B2C retailers are opened on smartphones and 17% are opened on tablets.  Customize your email communications for responsive design,  so that reading will be easy on mobile devices.  Make it convenient for all potential readers to open your communications.

7.   Send on a regular schedule.  Frequent readers of this blog know that Tuesday is publish day,  even if Christmas or the 4th of July fall on that day of the week.  You may prefer to publish on a given date.   Whatever you do,  establish and adhere to a predictable publishing schedule.  Readers appreciate it more than you may realize.  Make readers anticipate receiving and reading your communications.

8.   Build your list.  Organically and with permission,  build your email marketing list.  You should have met each person on your list at least once.   At the email campaign launch,  send to all business contacts along with an introductory message that announces the debut,  explains the benefits to readers,  reveals the frequency (weekly or monthly)  and provides an easy and effective opt-out.  Resist the temptation to add to your list the names of everyone who hands you a business card.  When speaking with people,  do mention your email marketing campaign,  give examples of the subjects covered and how often you send.  Ask if they would like to receive at least one and let them know that if they choose to opt out,  that can be easily and quickly done.

9.   Personalize.  Whatever service sends out your emails should include a greeting to the individual recipient.

10.  Sign me up!  On your website and social media,  allow interested parties to sign up to receive selected email marketing communications,  register for webinars or receive a copy of any white papers.

Content marketing is the new advertising and emailing your content is the best way to reach clients and prospects who no longer answer the phone.  Create a viable list by continually adding and purging members to enable your campaigns to deliver optimal ROI.  Draw in readers with relevant content and intriguing subject lines.  Format in responsive design to include those who prefer to read on mobile device.  Fulfill expectations by publishing on a regular schedule.

Thanks for reading,

Kim

Administrative , , 8 Comments

Health Insurance Options for Freelancers in 2014

by

There are five months left in the year and it is time to start planning for a successful 2014.  One important element of the business strategy plan for self-employed professionals must be our health insurance.  In 2014,  our options and requirements will change and we must be apprised of those changes and prepare to either make the most of them or minimize impact,  depending on our circumstances.

The individual mandate of the 2010 Affordable Care Act will require Freelance consultants and other self-employed individuals to purchase health insurance as of January 1, 2014,  or pay a penalty of $95.00 or 1%  of income,  whichever is greater.  That penalty will increase to $695.00 or 2.5%  of income,  whichever is greater,   in 2016.  If the revenue your consultancy generates is between 138%  and 400%  of the poverty level,  you may be eligible for a subsidy that will  ( in theory)  make the health insurance premium more affordable for you.

The subsidy for health insurance premiums will be available on the Health Insurance Exchange  (HIX).  Eligibility for a HIX premium subsidy is expected to be on a sliding scale,  but exact income thresholds have not yet been revealed.  It is possible that a single individual who generates about $45,000 annually will be eligible to receive a HIX premium subsidy,  according to information published by the National Association for the Self-Employed  http://www.nase.org .  It is expected that the income upper limit for a four person household to qualify for the HIX subsidy will be about $94,000.00 in annual revenue.

HIX enrollment is scheduled to begin on October 1, 2013,  for coverage that will commence on January 1, 2014.   Federal,  state and private health insurance plan options will be available for purchase through an online marketplace ,  where one can compare product features and prices.  One’s income tax data will be part of the enrollment application,  so that any subsidies applicable to enrollees will automatically be deducted as a tax credit.  Eligibility for Medicaid,  Medicare,  veteran’s benefits or HIX subsidy will be automatically calculated.  Be mindful that income of the self-employed tends to fluctuate and eligibility will fluctuate along with annual revenue.  It will be possible to renew with your present insurer,  but why not shop around and find out what else is available at your price point?

Unfortunately,  health insurance costs are expected to rise 10% – 13% in 2014,  in response to additional coverage that all plans must provide,  in accordance with Affordable Care Act regulations.  You may recall that in my April 2, 2013 post ,  I noted that when the Freelancers Union surveyed its members,  it was revealed that 58%  earn less than $50,000.00 / year and 29% earn less than $25,000.00 /year.  The majority of the groups’ members are in the New York City area,  a location that pays higher wages than many areas of the country.

That means many Freelancers will not qualify for the subsidy,  but will be required by law to pay large monthly health insurance premiums that will strain the already scarce cash flow.  As a result,  some will be forced to forgo health insurance,  because it is much less expense to pay the penalty,  even when it increases in 2016.

The penalty for avoiding health insurance in 2016 will be $1250.00 for those who earn $50,000.00 / year and annual health insurance premiums even for a healthy single person will far exceed that amount.  It’s a risky gamble that no one wants to take,  but for many it will be the only alternative.  When funds are both limited and unpredictable,  uncomfortable decisions must be made.

The rising cost of living and diminishing opportunities to generate adequate cash flow make it imperative that Freelance consultants must be savvy and diligent about marketing,  networking,  obtaining referrals and creating a good business model.  Responsible financial management is also necessary,  but first one needs to have money available  to manage.  Slacking off will not be an option,  at least not for those who are single or the primary breadwinner of their household.

Thanks for reading,

Kim

Administrative , , Leave a comment

Tame the Technology

by

Nonstop information crashing into our consciousness via the 24 hour news cycle,  added to the waves of pings from our social media entourage, has caused a whole bunch of us who live in the internet-connected world to feel pummeled.  Stir in the no-end-in-sight economic bad news to the mix and you’ll understand why Freelancers are feeling unacceptably anxious and overwhelmed.  Our colleagues and clients in the corporate and not-for-profit worlds are feeling that way,  too  (maybe that’s why our emails sometimes go unanswered?).

Freelance consultants are nervous about staying current with market trends and selling cycles as we strive to anticipate fluctuating client priorities and keep contracts in-house.  We fear missing out on something important and that causes us to fear not being on-call nearly 24/7.   The mental fatigue and resulting stress take a toll on peace of mind.

Sherry Turkle,  professor of the Social Studies of Science and Technology at Massachusetts Institute of Technology in Cambridge, MA and founder of the MIT Initiative on Technology and Self,  says  “We are struggling with the always-on feeling of connection that the internet can provide,  but we still need to figure out how to limit its influence on our lives.  We sometimes need to get a grip and separate ourselves from the iPhone”.  (New York Times April 17, 2011)

William Powers,  author of  “Hamlet’s Blackberry” (2010),  a book about taking control of your digital life,  appeared on a panel at the 2011 South x Southwest conference in Austin, TX and noted that he witnessed  “…a gigantic competition to see who could be more absent from the people and conversations happening right around them.   Everyone…was gazing into their little devices—a bit desperately,  too,  as if their lives depended on not missing the next tweet”.  (New York Times April 17, 2011)

I hereby suggest that you turn off your toys for a few minutes and let me help you learn how to manage your connections,  rather than be managed by them.  There is a time to  “just say no”  and we can figure that out here and regain control of our schedules,  handle our responsibilities with fewer distractions and increase opportunities for rest and regeneration.

Freelancers fear that if we are not constantly available,  our clients will become upset and lose confidence in us.  We’re afraid that competitors will obtain information that we don’t possess and use it to gain an advantage.  We’re terrified of being perceived as not being on top of things.  Maybe we’ll miss out on a good assignment,  an opportunity to shine and bring in some good billables?  Yet those who study the effects of stress and fatigue on productivity and creativity recommend that we find some downtime,  to recharge the batteries and calm the mind.  It is wise to set boundaries and unplug.

Try this strategy on for size: unless you’re on a big project,  Monday – Friday,  turn your phone off at 6:00 PM and check email and phone messages just once during the evening.   Start your day with a check-in by 7:00 AM.  On weekends,  check for business-related messages just twice a day,  in mid-morning and late afternoon.   Draw a definitive boundary between your working hours and personal time.

Revisit the practice of off-line communication.   Because there is such an intense focus on online social media as a basis for networking,  the value of face-to-face interaction,  or even live telephone conversation,  becomes increasingly valuable in cementing our relationships.   When working with a client,  pick up the phone every once in a while to discuss an issue that you’d like to clarify.  If you’ll be near a client’s office,  extend an invitation to come out and meet for coffee.  It will go a long way in building the relationship and will make working together more effective and pleasant.

Thanks for reading,

Kim

Technology / Office , , 2 Comments

Google Business Apps: The Best and The Rest

by

We are inundated by a deluge of online business management and office tools these days and it seems like a new product appears every month.   The choices are overwhelming.   Which,  if any,  might be useful to meet your business or personal needs?  Or maybe you say the heck with it and continue to use whatever you’ve been using if it works well enough?

But eventually,  one must update.   I decided to give the laggards a nudge and take a look at some  Google products.   Google Office Tools have several cloud-based options and the standard versions are free.   Premier versions,  which give greater data storage and unlimited customer support,  are $50.00/year.   Here are a few online tools to consider:

THE BEST

Calendar

 Google Calendar App is a platform to schedule meetings and other group events.   Calendar can be employed by multiple users in real-time,  since it functions in the cloud,  directly from the internet.  When a meeting or other event is scheduled,  Calendar will automatically generate confirmation emails for those who RSVP that they will attend and add the meeting to their calendars.   It’s also possible to merge the groups’ calendars with your own and thus manage a team’s schedule.   If you’re working with a team on a project or sit on a board,   Google Calendar is an excellent way to get everyone on the same page about scheduling and attending important meetings.

 Docs

I’ve been part of team projects that used Google Docs and can vouch for its usefulness.   If a group is creating and editing a report,  proposal,  or other document,  there’s nothing better.   Multiple parties can make additions / revisions simultaneously and real-time chats and comments that provide feedback are possible.   Changes are saved automatically and often,  another desirable feature.   The downside is that your documents,  when printed out,   may not look as slick and professional as those created in Microsoft Word.

Google AdWords

Technically not an app,  AdWords  (and WonderWheel)  are nevertheless fundamental to the basic marketing strategy of every business.   Good AdWords steer the marketing team  (that would be you,  Freelancer)  to distill the business value proposition down to a concise phrase that prospective clients will understand immediately.   From there,  you integrate that and other key phrases into text that is used on your website,   Facebook and LinkedIn pages,  advertising and in your elevator pitch.   One can pay for Google AdSense and get wonderful long-tail key words,  but why not start with the free versions  http://adwords.google.com and http://googlewonderwheel.com

THE REST

Presentations

Because the presentation is stored in the cloud,  it’s possible to create and update presentation slides from any computer and that can be a real convenience.   Presentations also makes it easy to insert images and video into your slide show.   Moreover,  the template library allows you to collect and save whatever images or video you might want to weave into future presentations.   Best of all,   it’s easy to publish the completed presentation onto YouTube,  your website,  Facebook,  LinkedIn,  or other sites of choice.

Alas,   Presentations is not Power Point.  Those for whom esthetics is important will find Presentation design features lacking.   Worse still,   Presentation text boxes don’t work well and as a result the layout can become skewed,   unless you are very proficient at navigating the system.

Spreadsheets

If a team must develop a spreadsheet,  the availability of cloud-based access is crucial.   Real-time updates are included in the basic spreadsheet functions and there is even automatic compatibility with Excel.   The auto-fill function allows you to avoid the necessity of re-typing the same terms over and over.   The ability to drag columns to new locations and a stream-lined copy feature that makes duplicates in one click are very useful and ease the drudgery of producing spreadsheets.   The unfortunate part is that the Spreadsheet App is clunky when compared to the gold standard that is Excel.    For example,  the system is known to freeze up as you’re working–ugh!

Thanks for reading,

Kim

Marketing , , , , 1 Comment

New Facebook Ads Up the Social Ante

by

Recently,  I taught a business plan writing class and one of my students,  a talented home baker originally from Mexico who specializes in Latin American confections  (her pecan balls are wonderful!)  and wants to upgrade her hobby into a formal licensed pastry catering business,   spoke of her business promotion success with Facebook and Twitter.  On her personal Facebook page,  Mariela utilizes the Fan page for her cakes and other desserts,  featuring attractive photos of the goodies.  Additionally,  she tweets maybe three times a day about what she’s making for the parties she sometimes caters,  new recipes she’s trying out or other baking topics.

To her great surprise,  Mariela received a response to her tweets from an employee of a huge US sugar company,  who tweeted to ask whose sugar she uses when baking  (she does use that company’s sugar).  Also,  a popular local blog in her town tweeted to ask if they could write an article about her.  So maybe it’s time to take another look at your social media strategy and think about how the benefits of Facebook and Twitter might help you get on the radar screens of prospective clients who would ordinarily be beyond your reach?

To grease the wheels of that process,  Facebook will soon announce a new premium ad format that will radically transform traditional online banner advertising and replace it with ads that potentially will become  “conversations” about the advertised product or service.  According to sources with inside information,  Facebook will make the new ads social by allowing Friends of the advertiser to Like the ad and make comments. 

The new Facebook banner ads will not exclusively contain the usual content written by the business and reading like a commercial,  but also endorsements personally written by Friends of the business,  who know and trust the products or services being touted.  These exciting new ads promise to be personal and active,  not finite and static.

When page visitors view an ad and decide to click the Like button or enter a comment in response,  those actions will be added to both the advertiser’s page and to the News Feeds of the poster’s and advertiser’s Friends.  Pictures of Friends who have Liked the ad or have made a comment will also be incorporated into the ad.  The goal is to start a conversation between Friends and Friends of Friends,  with comments traded back and forth,  spreading credibility and brand visibility far beyond the advertiser’s usual reach.  As a result,  the whole advertising process will become organic and based on who knows and trusts the advertiser.

To verify the process,  Facebook tested the new ads and found they produced 40%  more engagement  (meaning clicks,  comments and Likes)  and are 80%  more likely to be remembered by viewers.  Best of all,  Facebook claims that viewers of the new ads are four times more likely to follow-up and/or purchase products / services when they see their Friends interacting with the ads. The new ads are set to promote the coveted  “word of mouth”  that is widely seen as the most effective form of advertising.

The data have convinced Facebook execs that the hyper-social ads will have a substantially better conversion rate for advertisers than traditional print or online ads.  The top brass believe that ads  “written”  by those who know the products and services best will convey trust and credibility in a way that traditional advertisements cannot.  The company is expected to discontinue its traditional banner ads and offer current advertisers replacement with the new format.

I was unable to find any cost data on the new interactive ads.  If even a couple of your business clients are inclined to follow Facebook,  the new ads could be a very savvy way of spreading the good word about your services and giving those who don’t know you well the confidence to hire you based on the endorsements of people they know and trust.  I’ve thus far avoided Facebook,  but I plan to pay attention to this new ad format.

Thanks for reading,

Kim

Marketing , , , , , Leave a comment

Heads-up: Google + Business Pages

by

At last it is here.  The business page option for Google Plus was rolled out in November of last year.  The early adapters are still figuring it out,  but the consensus is that Google + is an innovative and useful social marketing tool for Freelancers,  business owners and our customers.   Google + combines and enhances the business-friendly social networking features of Facebook,  LinkedIn and Twitter and presents it all in one platform.

You’ll be able to share links,  location data,  photos,  videos and have interactive two-way conversations on the Plus platform.  Ian Schafer,  founder of the Manhattan digital marketing agency Deep Focus,  says  “Integrating with Google + is essential right now,  because of its impact on Google search results.  Experimentation will give businesses  (especially small ones)  a leg up on their competition.”

But all is not rosy.  First of all,  you need a Gmail address to set up and access the service.  On top of that,  there is as yet no cross-platform integration with other Google services.  Plus doesn’t mesh with Analytics,  Blogger or YouTube.  The company vows that full integration is on the horizon,  but an arrival date has not been promised.

As with all social media,  you must sign up  (with Gmail)  and create a profile.  Like LinkedIn,  describing your services is the name of the game.  The  “About”  tab is especially important,  for this is how visitors to your page will elect to invite you to connect with them  (or not).  Present an informative,  compelling profile and tell the story of you and your products and services.  You may provide a link to your website.

Like Facebook,  photos figure prominently in you Plus profile.  Before you sign up,  create five photos of yourself in action as you provide different aspects of your services,  sit on a panel,  speak or teach,  take a meeting or whatever.  Those photos will be uploaded to the Photo Strip,  which is displayed beneath your business name and tag line on your home page.

Next you can populate the  “Circles”,  “Sparks” and  “Hangout”  sections.  Circles are grouping categories for your connections.  Hangout lets you set up various group events and invite contacts from your Circles and also the public to interact in useful and engaging ways.  Sparks is a streaming feature that lets you choose to receive info that keeps you updated on business issues of interest to you.

Invite clients and professional contacts to join Circles that you will designate.  You get to curate what information is shared with contacts based on the Circle you place them in and that decision will be determined by their relationship to you and your business.  You may designate Circles for clients,  peers and colleagues,  members of your business advisory board,  friends,  press updates,  or whatever categories seem appropriate.

Through interactions with those in your Circles,  you may refine your understanding of what contacts would like to know about your business,  how your services can be packaged and marketed and/or what clients value most about your services and how you can become even more valuable.

Like the LinkedIn Answers forum,  questions can be posted and Google+ members can offer answers.  It’s a great way to expand your connections and build relationships by sharing your expertise.  Visit http://findpeopleonplus.com to find professionals in your target markets and find out what’s on their mind,  how you can help and who you want to invite into a Circle.

Hangout is a very intriguing feature of Plus.  It one-ups Facebook and the Skype connection.  Real-time interactive communication is possible on Hangout and with a larger audience.  Reportedly,  the Dalai Lama recently hosted a Hangout with Anglican Archbishop Desmond Tutu with an audience of millions. 

 With Hangout,  those of us who teach now have a way to present our courses and workshops in a free online classroom that will host up to 10 students in a group class.  Private consulting sessions are also possible with clients who live anywhere there is internet access.

So check out Google+ and consider the benefits for your business.  49 million hits were made on Plus in December 2011 and analysts predict that Plus will have 400 million users by year-end 2012.  Google is the word’s biggest search engine and inbound links are increasingly important in search engine marketing.  A well-thought out and crafted Google+ page has the potential to draw in prospects with the money and motive to join your client roster,  the best Circle of all.

Thanks for reading,

Kim

Technology / Office , , , , Leave a comment

What’s Your Influencer Score?

by

If you have a Facebook,  LinkedIn or Twitter account, get ready to have rating points assigned to your online presence.  There’s yet another way to keep score in this world and the newest yardstick is your social media reach. The rating system resembles a credit score or Google page ranking and it assesses your social media power and influence.  Three companies, Klout, Peer Index and Twitter Grader, will analyze and determine who the heavy hitters are.

Who are the movers and shakers,  experts and taste makers,  across a range of topics and specialties within a certain geolocation? Marketing departments want to know.  While authors, celebrities, politicians and athletes have traditionally been capable of influencing opinions on a large scale, social media have given a powerful voice to ordinary citizens and a new league of authorities has emerged.

The rating companies measure your Facebook (Klout),  LinkedIn  (Klout, coming soon)  and Twitter  (all three)  friends,  connections and tweets on their respective algorithms.  According to analysts at Hewlett Packard who tried to crack the codes,  a large network of contacts and friends is not the primary value of the influencer score.

Peer Index focuses on topic resonance  (how much interest you generate within your area of expertise),  subject authority  (perceived credibility and trust)  and activity  (how much content you generate within your topic)  in its ranking recipe.  If you’re looking to game the system  (you wouldn’t try that, would you?),  it is beneficial to become well known for a particular topic and avoid being a generalist.

In other words,  go narrow and deep.  Boost your influencer score  (and online brand)  by demonstrating knowledge and expertise,  trustworthiness and credibility and enthusiasm and passion for your preferred subject.

Furthermore,  demonstrate your ability to influence those in your network with calls to action and recommendations that engage and inspire followers and friends and cause them to spread the word about your choices and opinions.  Did you get out the vote for Obama or persuade people to join the revolution in Cairo? If so, then you are an influential social media darling.

Surprisingly,  blogs,  newsletters and YouTube are not in the ratings mix at this time,  but tweets and online profiles most definitely are.  The rankings of your connections and friends also factor impact your score,  as do the rankings of those who retweet you.

It’s possible to sign yourself up for free and learn your Twitter rating on Peer Index http://peerindex.net or Twitter Grader http://twitter.grader.com and your Facebook score on Klout http://klout.com.  The latter recently announced a deal to rank LinkedIn profiles  (I wonder if activity on the Answers Forum will be in the algorithm?).

So what’s in it for high scorers? Thousands of companies have already signed on to buy data and big influencers are positioned to receive all manner of promotional goodies.  As reported in The New York Times on June 26, 2011,  Audi will begin to offer special promotions to Facebook users based on their Klout scores.

Last year, Virgin America selected highly rated Facebook influencers in Toronto and rewarded them with free round-trip flights to Los Angeles or San Francisco.  The Palms Hotel and Casino in Las Vegas used Klout scores to choose Facebook influencers and give them either free room upgrades or free admission to Cirque du Soleil.

Nevertheless,  a corrective is in order.  While it is apparent that social media influencers exist and in certain circumstances they are able to impact the actions and opinions of others,  they do not necessarily live up to the hype.  Duncan Watts,  author of  “Everything is Obvious Once You Know the Answer” (2011),  asserts that the  “influencers”  do not always obtain impact through their expertise,  persuasiveness,  popularity or reputation.

Watts used computer simulations to model how information is likely to disperse through social media and found that the spread of an idea or story depends upon  “a critical mass of easily influenced people,  who in turn influence other easy-to-influence people.”  When this critical mass exists,  “even an average individual is capable of triggering a large cascade.”

Well,  so much for algorithms.  However,  it may be fun to sign up and get your influencer score anyway. You might somehow manage to get a high rating,  perhaps because you’re connected to other high influencers,  and get some promotional comps as a result.  But then again,  being connected to the right people has always  been how to get the goodies,  with or without social media influence!

Thanks for reading,
Kim

Technology / Office , , , , 2 Comments

In the Cloud

by

Cloud computing hooks you up to numerous computer based business functions,  including email,  website hosting and data storage,  directly through the internet.  Access to those computer functions,  which you select based on your needs,  is available from any computer that has an internet connection.  When your computer functions are in the cloud,  your business is truly mobile.  You can tap into your data and work from anywhere in the world.

Needless to say,  cloud computing offers big advantages to businesses and individuals.  A big plus is the tremendous flexibility available.  It’s possible to access numerous computer applications and software functions and operate your business entirely in the cloud.  Users of cloud computing essentially rent space on a virtual server and order a la carte the applications and functions that are desired,  be it Linux or Windows.

From the cloud,  you can request functions specific to your business,  without buying an entire software package that may cause you to pay for and install what is not useful to you.  One can order online accounting and payroll management functions,  for example,  rather than buying Intuit’s QuickBooks software.

Cloud based website hosting can be customized to provide the appropriate bandwidth to support video,  audio,  e-commerce, survey, etc.  Furthermore,  cloud computing is significantly less expensive to operate as compared to buying separate software components like the latest Windows,  traditional website hosting,  plus whatever else your business must run to operate efficiently.

There will be less money tied up in technology and more money available for marketing,  customer outreach and otherwise carrying out the business mission.  Prices start at about $4.95 US per month.  Amazon,  Google,  IBM,  Microsoft and Yahoo are among the companies that offer cloud computing services.

Many familiar online functions already live in the cloud: gmail and Hotmail; VoIP telephone services like Google and Skype;  social media sites,  including Facebook,  LinkedIn and Twitter;  media services like Flickr and YouTube;  and Microsoft WebApps,  which offers internet-based access to Excel,  Outlook, Power Point, Word,  etc.

So should you migrate your online operations to the cloud?  Maybe,  maybe not.  Cloud computing may be pervasive,  but it’s not yet perfect.  Reliability,  security and privacy are real concerns.  The major cloud service providers claim they deliver 99.95% availability with 5 hours/year downtime on average.

Nevertheless, during the week of April 21-24 of this year,  the data center that houses Amazon’s Elastic Compute Cloud servers (EC2) went down and internet access for thousands of businesses was lost as a result.  Although this exciting new technology is being promoted as safe,  comprehensive,  user-friendly and inexpensive,  the underlying infrastructure may not be there yet.

Moreover,  can some pimple-faced brat hack his/her way into your data and wreak havoc on your business?  Let’s pray that never happens,  but to provide the maximum available protection to the integrity and security of your cloud computing,  be sure to use secure sockets layer (SSL) encryption to keep your user name and password safe.

Issues of capability and capacity have also been raised.  Can the present technology support the fast expanding weight of VoIP,  website hosting,  video streams and data storage demands?  What happens as developing nations in Africa,  Asia and Latin America ramp up their internet access and 3 billion more global citizens elect to join the cloud?

All that remains to be seen,  but my guess is that the necessary upgrades will be made to accommodate new cloud users,  because money is the mother of invention.  Data security is probably the larger issue.

On Friday June 10,  the International Monetary Fund learned it was the victim of a major cyber attack.  The data breach occurred over several months and has the potential to expose highly confidential information about the fiscal condition of many nations.  In an article that appeared in the June 12, 2011 New York Times,  the incident was called  “political dynamite”.  There was no mention as to whether the IMF computer system operated in the cloud.

Thanks for reading,

Kim

Marketing , , , , Leave a comment

Optimize Online Multimedia

by

Because the February-March session sold out,  I have been invited to reprise my three-part workshop  “Become Your Own Boss: Effective Business Plan Writing”  at Boston Center for Adult Education 122 Arlington Street Boston MA on three Mondays,  May 9, 16 & 23 from 5:30 PM – 7:30 PM.  For more information or to register please visit http://bit.ly/becomeyourown59  or call 617.267.4430.

A picture is worth 1,000 words and a good online multimedia presentation can help prospective clients connect the dots on why it’s smart to bring you in.  To that end,  many Freelancers,  small business owners  and countless other organizations and individuals have added video to their websites or posted online. 

Unfortunately,  many presentations do not achieve the expected objectives.  It’s necessary to think strategically about how online multimedia might draw in prospects and promote business and additionally,  determine what aspect of your talents or services will do the trick.

What can you say and do in three minutes or less that will persuade prospects to follow up?  Should you demonstrate a product or discuss a service,  show yourself in action as you conduct a workshop or give 3-4 pieces of advice that will validate your understanding of client needs?

Whatever you decide,  deliver a simple,  uncomplicated experience for viewers to ensure that your message is understood.  Produce a presentation that focuses on what’s in it for the customer and you’ll have their attention.  Be aware that a little multimedia goes a long way.  In other words,  use audio,  visual and animation effects judiciously and always in service of your business strategy and customer priorities.  Make sure your content delivers what prospects want to know.

Hire a professional videographer to ensure presentation quality.  Expect to pay $500.00 – $1500.00,  depending on what you do and who you work with.  Get references and see examples of their work before signing a contract.  You want expert production,  lighting that flatters and flawless editing.  Remember to confirm that your website has the bandwidth necessary to support video.

Location,  location  Place the video link on your website home page at eye level,  so those with smaller screens will not need to scroll down to find the link.

Control  Give website visitors the choice to opt in to your multimedia.  Avoid presentations that play automatically.  Indicate the length of the video and include play,  pause and stop buttons.  Make the viewing experience interactive and easy.

Context  Let potential viewers know what they’ll learn from your video clip before they click “play”.  Do not leave it to your audience to figure out its purpose and how they will benefit from taking the time to have a look and listen.

Short & sweet  Produce a video that runs no longer than three minutes.  The clip is an hors d’oeuvre and not a banquet.  Your objective is to whet the appetite for more of what you know and do.  Keep your message clear and easy to absorb as you demonstrate a core capability or service and spell out what’s in it for the viewer when they work with you.

Call to action  Tell viewers to take the action that you want them to take.  As you close the presentation,  advise viewers to contact you for more information.  Tell them how to leave a comment,   order your book or sign up for your newsletter.

Distribution deals  Upload your video at Tube Mogul http://tubemogul.com , a free site that will not only send your link to a wide range of social media and other hosting sites,  but will also allow you to track the number of views,  clicks and comments received.

Thanks for reading,

Kim

Marketing , Leave a comment

Making Use of Online Video

by

Because the February-March session sold out,  I’ve been invited to reprise my three-part workshop  “Become Your Own Boss: Effective Business Plan Writing”  at Boston Center for Adult Education 122 Arlington Street Boston MA on three Mondays,  May 9, 16 & 23 from 5:30 PM – 7:30 PM.  For more information or to register,  please visit http://bit.ly/becomeyourown59  or call 617.267.4430.

Communicating with prospective clients (and others) by way of video has become an accepted practice and the phenomenon continues to grow by leaps and bounds.  Digital media tracker ComScore reports that YouTube had 12.2 billion videos viewed by 129 million unique visitors in November 2010 and growth shows no sign of abating.

In addition to adding a video clip to one’s own website or posting video on YouTube,  nearly all major social media sites provide the option to add either photos or video content.  So maybe you’re sorting through a decision tree,  trying to figure out your place in the multimedia revolution?  Here are four ways that video can make sense for your business:

Demo a new product or service

Create a video to demonstrate a new product or introduce your new service—or make a  personalized case for what you’ve been doing all along.  The video will allow you to show how your product works or explain how and why your services bring important advantages to your target market. 

Initiate a conversation with prospects as you tell a story that illustrates when and why it is wise to use your product or service.  Describe key features and benefits and demonstrate how they will make life or work less complicated and expensive or more effective and rewarding.  Define your target audience by describing who will benefit most by using the product or service.  Differentiate your video from traditional advertising by including a viewer comments feature and making the video about sharing relevant information and not a sales pitch.

Smarty-pants

Maybe you wrote a book,  or perhaps you gave the keynote address at a prestigious conference?  Can you obtain the footage from the ceremony when you stepped on stage to accept a coveted award and make a speech?

Or maybe you’d like to share your business acumen and offer prospective clients three or four pieces of valuable advice that will stoke their appetite for more of your expertise?  The right video will present you as the go-to guy or girl who knows how to solve problems and get the job done.

Promote an event

Use a video promo to create excitement around and build the audience for an important event that will showcase you,  whether it’s a book signing for your latest tome or the seminar that you’ll conduct.  Include highlights from a previous event,  with testimonials from those who attended.  Tape the proceedings of this year’s event to provide juicy content for the following year.

Create buzz

The best online videos avoid an overt sales pitch.  A clever video can do wonders for your reputation and your business,  especially if it goes viral.  At the very least,  a well-conceived and produced video clip will raise your profile and create good word-of-mouth for your new service,  your expertise or your upcoming event.  Next week,  we’ll get into video best practices.

Thanks for reading,

Kim