Jul
11
Business Blogging - Where do You Stop? (2)
Filed Under Blogging, Not for Profit, Success | 3 Comments
Back in the distant past I wrote a post on Business Blogging - Where do you Stop? and asked the question “Are there industries that should or shouldn’t blog at all?” My point was, does blogging solve a whole lot of problems or potentially create them, so it’s best left alone.
Banking was the industry I picked on as here, in Australia, and I’m assuming in other parts of the world, they have suffered a bad reputation of late.
John, from ThingsThatAreFun.com then commented that Not-for-Profits are an industry that would benefit from having a social commentary such as a blog. It was a ‘blinding flash of the obvious’ and I appreciate John’s time to let me know.
A Not-for-Profit (NFP) is all about building community to ensure they receive the necessary funds for their research and activities. And it’s a highly competitive field. I did some work with the Multiple Sclerosis Society in Perth, Western Australia a couple of years ago and found that is extremely tough to secure funds and there is ‘no rest for the wicked.’
So how, specifically, would blogging help?
Here are six benefits of a blog for NFPs.
- The key to communication is it’s timeliness and understanding. To have a tool that alerts constituents what is happening, real time, would be invaluable.
- The communication of ideas to the general public who don’t currently support the charity.
- Communicating to supporters how each initiative is tracking can achieve a momentum that is lost if the result is only communication after the event is finished.
- Building momentum. Having a common portal (the blog) can act as a meeting point for those wishing to know what is going on, build energy and promote events.
- The RSS feed is now the easiest way to keep up to date with your chosen charity. You will now, right away, what is happening.
- More than a website. A website, by comparison is static and if you visit it, you generally have to find the information. A Blog is the opposite - it pushes information to interested parties which can promote activity, energy and, most importantly grow a list of loyal supporters who will support the charity.
I am sure there are many other reasons that NFPs will benefit from a blog. I’m off to find some examples. Drop me a line if you know of any.
Jul
10
How to Build a Better Blog - List 1
Filed Under Blogging, Development, Management, Success | 3 Comments
I admit it, I’m cheating a bit here.
I’ve listed a few blogs that have posted on how to build a better blog. And I’m going to keep adding to the list.
Why? Well, firstly, because I want to know how to build a better blog and I know there are hundreds thousands millions of others out there who want to know as well. So over the next few weeks, I’ll be hunting good blogs for good ideas to create good blogs. If you’ve written a piece on how to build a better blog let me know and I may add it.
May? you ask.
Well, yeah. I only want to add great info, so the post has to be at least 3+ months old. So it’s more than just a good idea or just good theory - it has to be proven to work. Otherwise, what’s the point?
Okay, here we go folks!
Brian Bailey’s Leave It Behind Blog - post is now over two years old but has some good tips for those just starting.
Problogger’s 31 Days Project - probably the all time classic and Darren is certainly in the “A-League” regarding blogs.
Neil Patel’s Pronet Advertising - a good start list for better blogging, be sure to read the comments below the post.
Alister Cameron - a good article on the specifics of how Alister grew his traffic. He also lists all his plug-ins, so you;re getting quite a deal of information here. Wade through it, it’s worth it. (”wading” isn’t mean to mean it is arduous!)
The Simple Dollar - December 2006 was a big month for Trent Hamm. 31 Posts on how to grow a blog! Buy the man a beer!!!
SEOMOZ - a great post from ‘06 and one you can follow with confidence. Note that some of the tips here aren’t simply ‘implement and succeed’, such as “Write Title Tags with Two Audiences in Mind”, this is an ability that may take time to develop, it is nevertheless good advice we should follow.
Okay, that’s it for now. There are dozens of others. If you know any, drop me a line.
Jul
4
Quickie #2 - Say Hello to 5 People Each day
Filed Under Business, Development, Success | Leave a Comment
We are so busy these days there’s hardly anytime to do the important things. And one of those important things is connecting with people - family, colleagues, friends, staff.
Over at Merlin Mann’s 43 folders (www.43folders.com) you’ll find Merlin’s commentary on his efforts to de-clutter. Not a bad idea and, when it comes to de-cluttering, there are plenty of ideas around. Have a look at his site - you may want to give it some time though, there’s plenty of interesting stuff.
Today’s quickie relates to de-cluttering our relationships. I have taken steps to make sure I send out birthday cards this year no matter how much time I don’t have. If you send me your birthday details I’ll send you one too. No, really, I will!
Okay, this effort came to me when I was managing a large 24 hour call center. There wasn’t much connection between me and the team and I was feeling uncomfortable. I generally just walked from the lift to my office and got on with work.
But this small change made a huge difference …
Instead of walking directly to my office, I went the other way (the long way) and said hello to as many people as I could. I didn’t stay at a workstation to chat, just walked passed, said hello and kept going.
Changed the atmosphere immensely.
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
(And yes, send me your birthday details and an address (physical for a traditional card, email for an e-card) and I’ll be sure to remember your big day! Oh you don’t need to tell me your age!)
Jul
3
Why is CRM so hard?
Filed Under Business, CRM, Development, Success | Leave a Comment
I got a letter from my broker the other day. Good to know he’s staying in touch. Not like most brokers who promise the world and you never hear from them again. The only problem was this letter was to invite us to a new home buyer’s seminar. We have bought and sold quite a number!
Right intention, poor execution.
We bought a car 4 years ago. Brand new. When the sales person moved car yards we received a letter from him letting us know and, if we were ever shopping for a car, please come in and see him. Feel free to refer friends. Nice enough. Except my name isn’t Paul!
Why is it so hard to get customer relationships right?
These errors mentioned above are, to some degree, small issues that maybe I should just get over. I’m just being small minded and picky.
Yet … and yet!
These people were trying to do something that should have been easy to do.
The car dealer signed me up for a car. I had to fill in legal forms with full name etc. How could you get that wrong?
My broker, who is a good friend and I will chat with him to assist him in this, was also trying to be ahead of the game. But what went wrong? Surely a simple flag on my account or something. The other point of issues was this was a snail mail letter. Let’s say he sent out 250 to make it a worthwhile mailing. That is $250 he spent with a flawed qualifying mechanism. At least an email would have been cheaper, could have been even further personalised and include links with valuable information.
A database needs updating.
In his great book First Things First, Stephen Covey recounts an anecdote someone told him: “Without a gardener, there is no garden.” This applies so well to CRM and databases. Without good information, constant updating you may as well not even have a database.
And yet, as you constantly update the database you wonder why you have to enter so much information. (For a full profile checkout Harvey Mackay’s Mackay 66! Now that is a profile!) The value of information in a database is never realised until you extract it.
Why flag my home buyer status? Why spell my name right? Simply because one day you’re going to use it and if it is wrong it blows up in your face.
It isn’t that hard. Updating a database is the easiest thing in the world. But it is the difference between significant success and the also rans.
Someone said that successful people don’t do anything different to unsuccessful people, it’s just that what they do accomplish they accomplish more often, better every day.
Jul
3
Up for a Quickie? #1 - Who Are You?
Filed Under Success | Leave a Comment
Reading the paper this morning and I always end off with the comics.
Just for some light relief.
Loved Ginger Meggs today especially though:
The rich kid asks: Ginger, if you could be anyone you wanted, who would you be?
Ginger Meggs: I’d be me! I wouldn’t want to trust the job to anybody less qualified!
Exactly!