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What secrets do 40 top bloggers share?

February 1, 2009

That was the premise behind Stephane Grenier's book, Blog Blazers.  Grenier created a list of questions ranging from what makes a blog successful to you all the way to what are the most common pitfalls new bloggers fall into and several in between.

Each blogger's chapter ranges about 4-5 pages, depending on how verbose they were.  I asked Stephane what his criteria was for the top 40 and his response was "I first tried to vary it as much as possible, but obviously some types of bloggers are more common than others. That and I had certain minimum criterias I wanted everyone to meet. Than I also had to coordinate with who was interested and who had the time. It was a pretty big job."

After reading the book, I was left with a few impressions.

• Seth Godin is a master at dodging questions when he doesn't want to be pinned down or doesn't believe in the core of the question.
• There's no magic or even consistent answer to any of the questions — which reminds us that blogging, even business blogging, is about being genuinely you.  There's no one size fits all answers.  You need to blog from your organization's heart.
• Everyone seems to agree that ProBlogger is where newbies should start learning about blogging.

Beyond that…the answers are very interesting to read but if you are looking for clear-cut direction, you won't find it.  Lots of opinions but no definitive answers.

Probably as it should be.  One blogger's must is another's never!

If nothing else, you'll get a good insight into some very successful bloggers and find a new read or two.

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How do your customers describe you?

January 29, 2009

As promised, I want to spend the next couple Thursdays talking about word of mouth marketing.  We all want our customers to tell their friends and colleagues about us but do we have any idea what they might be saying?

Here's a ten minute assignment for you. 

Go to your favorite free online survey tool, like Survey Monkey.  Create a new poll and ask these three questions:

• Do you ever talk about McLellan Marketing Group (obviously, fill in your own company name!)
• If so, what do you tell people about us? 
• If you had to describe McLellan Marketing Group in a single word, what word would you choose?

Now, send an e-mail to all your clients, past clients, vendors, etc.  Explain that you're trying to understand how you're perceived in the marketplace and because you value the relationship you have with them, you're counting on them to be candid on a very quick, 3 question survey.

The power of this is two-fold.  One, you're going to get some eye-opening insights.  But second, you are making the people you survey feel important and valued.  And in a subtle way, suggesting that you might be talk-worthy.

Send out the survey and prepare to be surprised. Most of the time, people do not spout off your features and benefits.  They talk about what sticks with them, what feels different, something that surprised them.

What do you think they'll say?

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• Word of mouth marketing is about spreading the love (mclellanmarketing.com)
• Breppies and Word of Mouth Marketing (jeffnolan.com)
• What's on Your WOM List? (futurelab.net)
• Details tell a story (mclellanmarketing.com)

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HP launches MarketSplash to serve small businesses

January 27, 2009

One of the biggest challenges of a fledging small business is producing professional grade stationery, business cards and marketing materials.

HP believes they've created a viable solution at MarketSplash — a web-based shop that allows you to design and customize DIY templates for your business basics like stationery, business cards, static website, postcards and even promotional items like polos and mugs.

The templates give you several options — uploading your logo and beginning your design from there, or choosing one of their templated logos, or choosing industry-based templates that don't require a logo at all.

You can also opt to have them custom design a logo or stationery package for you, if you'd prefer.

The offerings and designs are vastly superior to the all too often heard "I designed it myself on Publisher" option that many start ups and small businesses rely upon.   Make no mistake, this isn't like hiring an agency to truly help you discover your brand promise and design your identity pieces to fit that promise.  But for many organizations, that's just not a viable choice.

So, MarketSplash is a happy middle ground for those companies who want to project a very professional, consistent image but can't afford an agency.

I spent about an hour getting a guided tour of MarketSplash last week and found it incredibly easy to navigate and use.  I was able to select a business card template, change the font, color and enter my own contact information in about 10 minutes. 

I have to admit, I was impressed by quite a few of the templates and the flexibility of the design modules.   But what I found most interesting were the delivery options.  After designing my cards (or whatever I needed), I could:

• Complete the order online (choosing paper, finishes etc) and have the printed materials delivered to me via the post office
• Have the order sent to my local Staples and pick up the printed materials in 45 minutes
• Download the PDF files and print them off on my office or home printer

That gives me hope that HP truly does understand some of the challenges and unique needs of the small business owner. 

For a limited time, HP is offering 100 free business cards (including shipping) to new customers. 

Go check out the site and let me know what you think.   And what else would you like to be able to buy right from the site?

Note:  I'm going to order some items from the site and will let you know about the quality/experience once the items arrive.

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Details tell a story

January 26, 2009

Long before you leave the front desk of Hotel Burnham in Chicago, you know you're going to have a different experience.   It's not anything big, in fact….it's something small. 

The key.

Today, every hotel from a Motel 6 to a Four Seasons, uses a magnetic key card.  Some are prettier than others but they all use the same technology.  It's what we expect.

At Hotel Burnham, they hand you a brass key. 

Is it some crazy stunt?  Is there incredible value in the key?  No.

The value comes in the surprise.  In being different.  The subtle message is "if they pay attention to that level of detail — they really care.  They've put a lot of effort into this."   It's something their guests talk about.  Organic word of mouth.

This week, pay attention to all of the things you do because that's how your industry does them.  Or it's how you've always done it.   What would happen if you changed that up?

What's one little change you could make that would signal to your customers that you've gone to a different level of caring about their experience? 

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Is my “best of” list the same as yours?

January 24, 2009

Robert Hruzek over at Middle Zone Musings does an interesting project every January.  He invited bloggers to submit a list of their favorite posts of the year, month by month.  So, in a 12 post snapshot, you get a sampler's platter of a particular blog.  It's a great way to discover some new blogs.

When I compiled my list, it occurred to me that your list (assuming you have a favorite) would probably be different.  Yours would probably (correct me if I'm wrong) be posts where you learned something new or got an idea. 

While I did choose some of those, mine tended to be a bit more personal and had some emotion tied to them.  Heck, one of them wasn't about marketing at all — or at least not very much.

My top two posts of the entire year would have to be:

June: Tim Russert – a lesson in branding

I was stunned and deeply saddened by the death of Tim Russert. As I followed all the news and commentary on his life and death, I was struck by how important he/his brand had become to me over the years. A wonderful lesson in personal branding.

July: And now, a word from our sponsor

Probably the most important message I delivered in all of 2008.

With this one following a close third:

August: The most brilliant outdoor campaign ever

Read about an outdoor campaign that broke every rule…and captured more media attention and consumer response than any outdoor campaign I have ever known about. I love this creative. Plenty of social media messaging lessons in this post as well.

So what's the marketing takeaway from all of this?  As we create a blog, company newsletter, website, mixed media ad campaign or whatever — we have got to remember that people have very strong preferences in terms of how they want to ingest information.  Some love having access online, others want to hear it, and many still like to take information in via text (printed or online).

It's our job to make sure we've covered our bases and offer many choices, so we don't lose someone along the way.

To check out all twelve of my favorites, check out Robert's post and while you're there, enjoy some of the other entries as well!

So, what do you think?  Would you have picked the same ones I did?  Do you have a favorite?  Is it a meaty, thought provoking post, something lighter with a video element or one that generated a great deal of conversation and learning in the comments section?

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How to go from book idea to the Today Show (Molly Rosen)

January 23, 2009

Drew's Note:  As I try to do every Friday, I'm pleased to bring you a guest post.  Meet another  thought leader who shares her insights via the blogosphere. So without further ado…Molly Rosen.  Again. Enjoy!

What’s it like to be a woman in her 40s? – How’s the sex? Do marriages and motherhood really work these days? What about career, community and faith? Are we still driven to make a difference?

I’m going on the Today Show on Friday morning, Jan. 23rd to talk about these questions, as described in our new anthology, Knowing Pains: Women on Love, Sex and Work in Our 40s.  I never thought we’d end up on national TV when I started this book project 18 months ago.  But then sometimes when we just follow our gut, do something that excites us, and good things happen.

When I turned 40 nineteen months ago, I looked for a book written by women about what I might expect during this new decade.  When I didn’t find it, I reached out to my network (who then reached out to their networks, and so on) to find interesting women who had experiences about work, sex, love, etc. that could together paint an honest, funny, updated portrait of this decade.  I posted the Call for Submissions on a few sites frequented by this demographic and ultimately received almost 100 essays from 19 states and even Paris.

I’m not an author, or even an editor, by trade, so this was all a bit of a stretch.  To generate some support, I developed a “review” team of six women to help me sift through the submissions, picking a compelling mix and providing feedback to those selected.

By this time, I had decided to donate all the profits to a national breast cancer non-profit, Breast Cancer Action because having our first mammogram is a rite of passage into this decade for most women.  In addition to asking all the contributors to waive their royalties, we also asked a graphic designer, illustrator, photographer, web designer and web hosting service to all donate their services.  It’s been a powerful reminder of how much we can accomplish when working on a project that’s not only fun and creative but also benefits a larger purpose.

• We launched in October: Breast Cancer Awareness Month.
• I held an intimate book launch party with the authors, family and friends at the Scharffenberger Chocolate Factory.
• To build on this excitement, I coordinated with authors to schedule book readings.
• Each author forwarded a press release template to home town papers and college newsletters.
• Book reviews and interviews were secured by some authors who had connections with editors and producers.
• We used a mix of social media and online marketing to promote our readings and local press coverage.
• We created a Knowing Pains group on Facebook.
• We built a dedicated website at www.KnowingPains.com.
• We sent out updates with a Constant Contact newsletter.

When we reached out to The Today Show, we found a 40-something female producer who appreciated the honesty, the humor and especially the NO WHINING tone of the book.  Lacking a personal contact, we went through the traditional channels, locating the name of the Today producer responsible for books and emailed her directly.  She then vetted the book and our ability to speak coherently on TV (by watching a video previously done locally).

From the beginning, my goal was to cover all the costs of publishing the book and raise money for Breast Cancer Action. Three months later, I'm excited to write the first donation check with the proceeds from each book now going directly to breast cancer education and advocacy. And now two of my contributors and I will be appearing on the Today Show during the 9 am segment this morning.

Imagine what you can do if you follow your passion!

Molly Rosen spent the first part of her career in Central and Eastern Europe during the tumultuous early '90s. She then spent 13 years in leadership and management development, most recently on the senior management team of BlessingWhite, Inc. Visit her website Knowing Pains.

Every Friday is "grab the mic" day.  Want to grab the mic and be a guest blogger on Drew's Marketing Minute?  Shoot me an e-mail.

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Word of mouth marketing is about spreading the love

January 22, 2009

And when your customers love you….that relationship is like steel.  It's recession proof, low ball price proof and it's one you will both keep and enjoy for years to come.

With that lifelong belief in my head, I traveled to Chicago to attend GasPedal's Word of Mouth Crash Course.  Andy Sernovitz is a bit like a WOM preacher.  Dressed in black, he stood before the workshop crowd and told us the good word.  I am paraphrasing a bit, but…

“I love word of mouth because it’s about making our customers happy.  It’s not something that can be bought or faked.  It rewards companies who want to do it right and who care about their employees and their customers.  Word of mouth must be earned and if you do it the wrong way, you’ll be exposed as a poser.  If you do it right, you will be rewarded with customers who become your fan base, rather than a target audience.”

Amen Brother!

This is the same gospel that I’ve been preaching for years, both here at the blog and to the MMG clients.  You can’t be a good word of mouth marketer if you don’t understand your brand.  It has to come from your organization’s heart and sweet spot.

I thought I’d make Thursdays Word of Mouth Marketing Day here at the blog for a bit so we can explore some of what I re-learned at GasPedal’s event. 

  I want to encourage you to do this today. Yes, today.

Ask someone.  Ask them to give you feedback.  Ask them to introduce yourself to someone new.  Ask them to take a free sample of your product and share it with someone else.  Ask them to bring a guest for free next time they visit your establishment.  Ask them to share your free white paper.  Ask them to tell you what they love and hate about your service. 

Use surveymonkey.com, a photocopied form, a call to a former client,  a bill insert, a coupon, a free something.  But somehow, someway….ask the people who already love you to help you get better.    You will be amazed at the results.

In terms of the day itself, I’ve been doing this stuff for 25+ years, but I walked away with an entire page of “should try” ideas, “must do” actions and lots of good reminders and reinforcement.  I took more general notes in the workbook, but I kept an action item list separate — and it filled a page.  Even for this old dog – it was time very well spent.

My only complaint and I suppose in some ways it’s a backhanded compliment is that it was too much.  The Gas Pedal team tried to pack so much into the day, it was a bit of overload.  One of the things I was most looking forward to (each person actually creating an action plan for a specific project) didn’t get done, because there was so much content and discussion.    We started at 7:30 am and by 5 pm, I was absolutely brain dead.    Actually, I was brain dead by 3:30, but hung in there until the end.

 But, that feels a little like complaining because you got an extra dessert.   

I can’t think of a company or marketing pro I know who wouldn’t benefit from the day.     I would have liked more B-to-B examples and it might make sense to do an all B-to-B class, just so everyone is talking about the same kinds of scale and challenges, but even with that said – this is a workshop you should put on your calendar for 2009.   They’ve got a special discount code (CCalumni) that will get you $250 off.   

Fresh, sustainable ideas, new tactics that will turn your customers and prospects into fans, and $250 discount.  What more could you ask for?

Disclaimer:  Andy invited me to audit the workshop for free.  I paid to fly there and stay in Chicago but he graciously waved the registration fee.   Hopefully you all know me well enough to know, if it sucked, I would tell you anyway.

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Hey non-profits, is Facebook your next fundraiser?

January 21, 2009

If you've been on Facebook for any length of time, you know that causes run rampant there.  You can join non-profit pages, you can play games that benefit non-profits, you can declare your allegiance to a cause.  You name it, you can probably do it.

Most non-profits, if they're there at all, are stumbling around, trying to figure out how to best use the space.  But some have really got it figured out.

Over 6 million Facebook users send each other virtual plants/flowers for their (lil) green patch.  And they're told that every time they do, they're saving bits of the Rain Forest.   But what does that really mean?

How about over $109,000?

That's how much The Nature Conservancy has earned from people passing pansies.  (Say that 5 times fast!).  And they didn't even develop the actual application.

Toby Bloomberg has an eye-opening interview with the Digital Membership Manager of The Nature Conservancy that should be must reading for non-profits looking for a fresh fund-raising idea.

If you're a non-profit or involved with helping one — how are you using Facebook to date?  How COULD you be using it?

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Could you get customers to buy even more?

January 20, 2009

I'm heading to Chicago today to attend Andy Sernovitz's day long World of Mouth Crash Course on Wednesday.  (I'll tell you all about it when I get back.)  The event begins with a dinner tonight and then 10 packed hours of no doubt some serious learning and some serious fun.

So…I get to stay overnight in Chicago, one of my favorite cities.  And it also boasts one of my favorite hotels — Hotel Burnham.  I made my reservations online and within an hour or two of receiving my confirmation e-mail, I also received what I am calling the upgrade e-mail.

The strategy is simple.  I have already made a purchase (or in this case, a reservation) and now they're going to invite me to upgrade my purchase for a small additional fee.

The airlines have been doing this for awhile, selling more legroom, exit row seats, etc.  But I am seeing more and more businesses of all varieties using the same technique.  It's much easier to get someone to spend a few more dollars as a perk, than it is to get them to choose the deluxe option from the get go.  Or in most cases, they probably didn't even consider the deluxe option or know it existed.

So here's the interesting question.  How could you use this sales technique with your customers?  Do you think this only applies when you have a product to sell or could service industries use it too?

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Do we have to over think everything?

January 16, 2009

I spent several hours on a recent Saturday with a 25 year old entrepreneur. What struck me the most about him was how quickly and nimbly he moved from idea to action.

I'm not talking huge actions — but test the water actions. 

I think many companies suffer from "Overthinkitis."  By the time they have vetted, committeed and white papered an idea…it's not new anymore.  In fact, someone else launched it 6 months ago.

One of the biggest benefits of the digital world is that we can leap from idea to action quickly and often — inexpensively.  We don't have to vet it in a boardroom — we can vet it in the market.

I'm challenging myself and you — let 2009 be the year that you move from thought to action faster and with more of a "lab experiment" mentality.  Don't wait until it's perfect.  Stop thinking…start doing.  And start doing — faster.

John Moore at Brand Autopsy has an annual tradition.  On New Year's eve, he posts Bruce Mau's Incomplete Manifesto for Change.  Bruce is a remarkable design consultant who first crafted his manifesto in 1998.  Bruce's manifesto captures the spirit of this idea far better than I could.

Please take time to read it.  Better yet — take time to do it.

What's one idea you want to quickly take to action?  Could you do it in 10 days?  Tomorrow?

Update:  Jay Heyman's brain is on the same wave length.

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