Greetings,
It's Wednesday! By a small margin, you said in the survey that you preferred to receiveWeb Words mid-week. I didn't think it was possible, but . . . I did it!
There is nothing in this newsletter about politics or the economy. I figure you've had enough of both topics and are dying for a break. Instead, in the first article we turn our attention to the most compelling of all questions: Who is your target market? I finally found mine. For a hint about my Eureka, check out this recently completed Web site: Sage Leadership Consulting.
The second article is the final in our four-part series about Social Networking. I've only scratched the surface of this immense topic, but here are a few ideas for how you can actually benefit from joining LinkedIn and similar networks.
I got my first computer nearly a quarter of a century ago. It was a Mac, and even though it was easy to use (partly because there was hardly any software available for it), I needed help. So I asked around at the local Mac users group and met a recent Yale graduate named David Pogue. I didn't hire him because I thought he was overqualified for the job. But as you may know, he has gone on to fame and fortune and writes extensively about all manner of technology. He's the inspiration for this month's Web Tips.
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Ideal Customer
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Who is your target audience? Marketers love that question. When it's directed to me, I hate it. It asks me to specialize, to narrow my focus.
I'm a born generalist with a low boredom threshold and a natural tendency toward inclusiveness. If I pick one market, I'm leaving a huge set of possibilities on the table. Or so it seemed until one day last week.
My Web site is a shoemaker's child. It's sorely in need of refurbishing, and I've been working with marketing guru Debbie Guhl to bring it up to date. Of course, she asked the dreaded question. But this time, I found my way between the horns of the dilemma.
The Specialty
I often counsel new consultants who are uncertain about their ideal customer. "Start doing your consulting," I suggest. "And the market will reveal itself. Just notice the business that comes to you." So I took my own advice. And I noticed that most of my work recently has been with--drum roll please--consultants!
OK, you say. Surely this didn't come as a surprise. And no, of course it didn't. But here's the breakthrough part. I realized that in working with consultants (which includes other professionals like lawyers and accountants), I can specialize and still solve my hunger for new learning. Each of my clients has their own area of expertise and offers me a whole new world to discover. For example, Abbie von Schlegell's Web site educated me about not-for-profit consulting.
The Role
I'm a consultant to my core. I understand the family relationship carefully explained to me by my first client over 20 years ago: "You're like a distant cousin," he said. "You're invited to gatherings, but you're not really part of the family."
I cherish the role of bringing a fresh perspective and in-depth expertise that's not possible from inside the organization. And, like a good dinner guest, I do understand when it's time to leave.
I also understand that doing their Web site and launching their newsletters are not top priorities for my clients. I need to be a constant, gentle nudge to get anything done. But on the other hand, as my good friend Lin Schreiber pointed out, I also don't have a lot of heavy deadlines.
Shawenon Communications' tagline is "Our distinction is communicating your distinction." Having finally discovered my own specialty, I'm ready to put your personality into your marketing communications. I also welcome referrals.
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Social Networking
Let Me Count the Ways
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This is the fourth and final article in our series about online networking.
Previous articles were in the June, July and August issues.
An unexpected phone call is a rarity these days, so imagine how surprised I was to hear from Robb Kushner a few weeks ago. When I was a newly minted consultant back in the 80's, Robb hired me to work on a groupware project at Merrill Lynch. Robb's a consultant himself now, and he was considering changing his focus. Did I have any ideas?
My networking brain launched into gear, and I came up with several people he could connect with. "I'll email you the details," I promised. Then I remembered LinkedIn. Robb is a member and so were several of the contacts, so I sent him their names. He can connect to them directly or ask me for an introduction. Because it's so much easier to connect people, social networking boosts business.
Rolodex on Steroids
Debbie Guhl is also looking for something--in this case a job in the Berkshires. That's a challenge even in good times. Enter LinkedIn. In this case, Debbie joined up with a LinkedIn community. Doing so gives her access to 120 people in the county and then all of their contacts. That's a lot of people. I have those 120 plus my own 65 contacts (some are duplicates). This in turn gives me access to several thousand people. Talk about working the crowd.
I recently met an exciting new prospect--a technology start-up in the Albany area. They are just about to revise their Web site, and I have a chance to do the content. As part of my "pitch," I sent all my LinkedIn recommendations in an email. In aggregate, they tell a nice story about working with me-- exactly what I want a potential new client to hear.
Other Benefits
The social networks serve as a dynamic, up-to-date online resume for new business connections and keeping in touch with business associates. You can check out the background of your competition, a possible new client, employee or associate. And it's not just about people. Having a presence in the social networking world boosts your stature with search engines (especially useful if your name is shared with lots of others).
People who are great networkers to begin with embrace online networking. Dr. Tom Denham, who offered some suggestions for this article, is an example. He provided this tip. Each time you're invited to join someone's network or extend an invitation yourself, take a look at that person's contacts. Then invite the people in their network that you know to join yours. And before you know it, like Tom himself, you'll have hundreds of contacts.
To keep the dialogue going, send us your favorite uses of social networking, and we'll include them in a future issue.
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| Web Tips |
 Have you ever leaned over someone's shoulder when they were working on their computer and exclaimed, "I didn't know you could do that!"
In fact, there are lots of tips and shortcuts to computer use that each of us could adopt to save time and reduce frustration. We just don't know what they are.
David Pogue, technology writer extraordinaire, included a host of these in his Oct. 2, 2008 New York Times column. Here are a few of my personal favorites:
(N.B. in the list below, C means Control in Windows; Command on the Mac.)
- To open a new window in your browser, press C and the "T" key.
- To enlarge the text on any Web page, press C and the plus or minus keys (for bigger or smaller fonts).
- Tap the Space bar to scroll down on a Web page one screenful. Add the Shift key to scroll back up.
- If you can't find some obvious command, like Delete in a photo program, try right clicking the mouse. (On the Mac, you can Control-click instead.)
- You don't have to type www into your browser! Just put in the name and extension, such as Shawenon.com
Have any favorites of your own? Send them along.
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And Finally . . .
Shawenon Communications collaborates with small businesses, solopreneurs, professionals and not-for-profits to get their messages across in the written word.
We specialize in electronic communications, including e-zines and other forms of email marketing, and Web site content. We also ghostwrite articles and other business communications. As a business partner, we resell Constant Contact's email marketing service.
Thanks for reading. If you liked this issue, please click on the Forward email button below to share this newsletter with others.
You're also welcome to reprint material in this newsletter as long as it is unaltered and credited to the author. Be sure to send us a copy, too. If being reproduced electronically, the following link must also be included:
www.shawenon.com
Sincerely,
Susanna Opper
Shawenon Communications
413-528-6494
Copyright © 2008 Shawenon Communications.
All rights reserved. |
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A Workshop for You
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You can attend a free workshop on email marketing in November at the place of your choice. Have computer; will travel. You name the venue and recruit a total of five participants, and I'll be there if it's within an hour's drive of Alford, MA.
We're getting closer, but we still haven't gotten the 1,000th subscriber.
You can help and win a gift certificate to Barnes & Noble at the same time.
Here's how. Be the first to bring in five new subscribers, and you'll get the reward. You can forward this email
or talk up Web Words to your business colleagues. It's up to you.
Contact us for more information
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