Mar 11
7
March 7, 2011: CRUISE ADDITION
I’ll be on a cruise this week, so Top 5 is going to need to go on hiatus. However, I thought I’d do a special Top 5 today. “Top 5 Goals for the Cruise”
1. Survive.
2. Take lots of pictures.
3. Make sure I make everyone jealous that I’m on a cruise.
4. Make sure Pat, Mike and Kevin survive.
5. Speak some Spanish.
What I’m listening to: “Come Sail Away“ by Styx
Jan 11
18
The Best Gift Ever
My Facebook wall is starting to get filled up with baby pictures. Friends are having babies, becoming aunts and uncles and grandparents (yes, grandparents). I’ve only gotten invited to one baby shower (thank God), but it got me thinking about the absolute best gift you could get for a baby. And then it hit me: their name…their DOMAIN name. 
My name is Ryan Burch, and you’ve obviously arrived at my site somehow. Whether you know me personally, or Googled my name, or just came across a blog post randomly, you got here…to my site, with MY NAME as the website address. To tell you the truth, I got pretty lucky that it was still available. There are a few Ryan Burchs out there that are pretty famous (I’m mostly infamous). Having my own custom domain does so much for me though: It pops up on Google searches, so I have control over at least a portion of what people (think employers or business contacts) see when they search my name. I have a place to post my resume, and record stuff like this blog entry. I applied for a ton of jobs last spring, and almost every one of them asked to include my web address, or blog link along with the application. If employers are asking for this information right now, what kind of digital world will today’s babies be living in when they apply for jobs 20 years from now? Do your younger loved ones a favor, and by their name. They’ll thank you later. Trust me.
First off, I have all my domains registered through GoDaddy. I’ve found that their customer support is fantastic. I recommend calling them directly because they are experts at walking you through the process. If you’d like to set the domain up yourself online, here are the steps:
1. Check name availability.
You’ll need to first check to see if the name you want to buy is available. All of my domains are registered through Godaddy.com, so I’ll start from there. Go to that site and type your domain name idea into the search bar on the center of the page. Clicking “Search” will take you to a second page that will list whether your domain name idea is open. It will also list all of the available names that are similar to your search.
2. Refine your choice.
If the name you’d like isn’t available, try different iterations of the name. For example: www.FirstMiddleLast.com or www.FirstMiddleInitialLast.com. The “.com” or “.net” after your domain name idea is called a file extension, and it helps to be flexible with those if you’re trying to secure a popular name. “.com” names are obviously the most popular file extensions and probably the best to purchase. A popular extension of late is “.me.” So, you could choose www.FirstLast.Me.
3. Make your purchase.
a.) Pick which domain names you’d like to register. Godaddy (and most sites) will usually offer a discount for securing multiple names. If you really want to lock everything down, buy multiple extensions. For instance: I could purchase www.RyanBurch.com, www.RyanBurch.net and www.RyanBurch.me. In most cases, just one domain should be fine.
b.) If you’re booking the domain through Godaddy online, the steps are pretty simple to follow.
-Book the number of years you’d like to register the name for. Once again, Godaddy (and most registrars) will offer a deal for booking multiple years.
-An “uncertified” domain is fine.
-If you don’t know what a nameserver is, don’t mess with this option. Just click the “Park my domain at Godaddy” link.
-Make sure to specify whether you want your domain to be automatically paid for and renewed.
-The privacy tab is important. I have the “Standard” privacy in place, because I want people to find me. You may want to purchase one of the privacy packages so that your contact information is hidden when people search for the owner of the domain name you are purchasing.
-You probably won’t need any of the other add ons that GoDaddy offers until you are actually ready to set up a real website. Remember, we’re just locking in the name right now.
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OK, so when I finished Grad school (and undergrad for that matter) I was bombarded by all kinds of offers from various companies, honor societies, professional organizations, ice cream shops, vacation packages…you name it. I decided to join one of the honor societies, and I think I checked a box to get free copies of Businessweek. Either that, or I’m paying for it and just haven’t figured out yet. I should look into that…hmm. Needless to say, most of the issues have just been piling up on my nightstand because I’ve been working on my consulting website, and just trying to keep up with the ever-changing world of online marketing.
I did however have a chance to read through their “2010 Year In Review”…so glad I did! The year in review is basically just full of crazy statistics about 2010. It also includes some news stories that popped up during the year that either I didn’t hear about, or had completely forgotten about. Remember the stock market “Flash Crash” that happened last May? The most interesting stats were actually stats about unemployment. They’re particularly interesting because of some of the numbers that pertained to 20-35 year olds. These hit close to home.
According to the Pew Research Center:
37% of 18-29 year-olds are either unemployed or out of the workforce. This number is the highest it’s been in 30 years.
The number of25-34 year-olds living with their parents has doubled since 1980. (21.8% of men live at home, and 17.8% live at home.) These numbers are closer to the rates in 1950 than they are to the rates in 2000.
85% of students that graduated college in 2010 planned to move back in with their parents.
Think about that…almost 40% of “young people” are unemployed or out of the workforce! OK there are tons of debates and controversy surrounding the unemployment number. Some say it’s accurate, many say that it isn’t.
I think Businessweek did a good job of breaking it down:
The unemployment rate in December was 9.8% (15,100,000 people), but that doesn’t take into account “discouraged workers” who have given up looking for work (1,300,000), people who want a job but aren’t “actively looking” because of family obligations etc. (1,200,000) and those that are working part-time, but would prefer full time work: the “underemployed” (9,000,000). Then you add the numbers together you’ll get 26,600,000 who are jobless or unemployed. This is 17% of the labor force, and much higher than the 15,100,000 that are showing up on the “unemployment rate”.
All right, so what’s the good news in all of this? Well, there really isn’t any…not in the Businessweek “Year in Review” at least. Unless you’re in one of the growing professions on the graphic showing the careers with the most and least projected growth between 2008 and 2018:
Data Communication Analysts: +53.4%
Home Health Aides: +50%
Management Analysts: +23.9%
Sewing Machine Operators: -34%
Post Office Clerks: -18%
MBA plus online media on my resume is starting to look really good. I’m really glad I changed my major from sewing.
Posted in Interesting Stuff by .
The last couple years have brought out a lot of cliches about “focusing on the positive” and “finding a silver lining” in everything. Experts keep saying that “there is opportunity in every recession”. Some of the largest companies in the world were started during tough economic times.
But what if opportunity was much closer than that? Most small businesses don’t have the the money to invest heavily, and make huge moves during a recession. For small business, opportunities have to be much closer, and may come from the oddest places.
Recently, the CEO of Formula One racing, Bernie Ecclestone, was mugged outside his office. More than $300,000 worth of jewelry was stolen from him (including a very expensive watch), and he was pretty roughed up. Ecclestone (a billionaire) could have chalked up the loss as an unfortunate event, healed his wounds and moved on. Instead, he picked up the phone the next day, and contacted his marketing partner, Hublot Watches to suggest an ad campaign featuring himself.
Ecclestone returned to work 2 days later and was featured in the campaign. Naturally, the campaign itself gained a ton of great PR because of the shock value alone. (Did I mention Ecclestone is 80 years old!?) The result was a WIN for his company and for his marketing partner.
-It shouldn’t take a mugging for you to realize an opportunity, but be cognizant that they are all around you.
-Some opportunities for your business will come from helping your partners. What events affecting your business can help your partners and vice versa?
-This guy is a billionaire. My guess is that he’s thought like this his whole life. It might be a good idea to follow his lead…not the mugging part of course.
Here’s a link to the article that Matt Culbertson originally forwarded to me.
Jan 11
4
Wear T-shirts…for a living
There’s a good chance that you’ve heard of Jason Sadler and Evan White. If you haven’t, take a moment to look at their website. They’ve been featured by everyone from the New York Times, to Katie Couric on CBS. What’s the big deal? Well, they make money by wearing t-shirts every day. Not just money…six figures money. For wearing t-shirts. Seriously. Basically, a company purchases a day on the website and Sadler and White promote the heck out of that company on that day. They create blog posts, talk about the company on social media and upload Youtube videos.
“Wait, so a business pays these guys just to wear their shirt and talk about them on social media? This doesn’t seem like a deal…I can do that.”
It is a deal. Think about the company whose shirt Sadler was wearing when CBS interviewed him. You don’t want to do that.
Jason Sadler is the founder of IWearYourShirt.com.
Everyone comes across those “I shoulda thought about that” ideas every day. These guys work 14-16 hours a day to make sure they are bringing value to their clients, and I doubt you have that kind of time to devote to a “side project”. Rather than try to duplicate what their doing, it’s a much better idea to think about how Sadler’s marketing principles can work for your business. You see, Sadler and White are REALLY good at social media and REALLY good at connecting companies to their customers. They have built a large following online…because they are innovating; and because they are knowledgeable about the things they talk about.
They have become what Malcolm Gladwell would call “connectors”… People that have the power to reach a huge audience. Not only that, but their audience trusts them. In a sense, the “T-shirt guys” have become marketing cheerleaders for each of the companies they represent. So the question to ask yourself as a business owner or a marketing manager is, “Which of my customers are connectors?”
Which customers of yours seem to know everyone, know everything and know how to persuade others? Reach out to them, give them freebies, and make sure they talk about you. More importantly, ask them what THEY want from you. Connectors can feel the pulse of your customer base, so listen to them.
If your customers aren’t connectors, become one yourself. Companies that understand social media understand that it’s the individuals talking on social media that make ideas and products go viral. Become a resource for those in your industry, do things just a little different and you’re sure to get noticed. The T-Shirt Guys did.
If you’d like to “purchase a day” from iwearyourshirt: Click Here
If you haven’t read Tipping Point: Check out this summary.
I really recommend you read the book though: Amazon.
Posted in Blog Posts Business Interesting Stuff Uncategorized by .
Gary Vaynerchuk has built multiple brands on social media, using his wacky personality.
Gary Vaynerchuk is insane. He’s got crazy energy, crazy passion and is an extremely prominent figure in social media today. Thing is, he started out running his parent’s wine shop in New Jersey. Today, he’s built the wine shop into a multi-million dollar business, started an ad agency, authored two books and hosts his own radio and online TV show. He’s been on virtually every cable news network and has talked about wine with everyone from Conan O’Brien to Jim Cramer.
So how’s he done it? By being himself. Vaynerchuk has been described as crude, obnoxious and hyper. But he’s self-aware, and uses his personality to his advantage. Social media breaks down barriers between brands and their customers and Vaynerchuk argues that a person’s personal brand is no different. Vaynerchuk is a relentless video blogger and constantly chatters on Twitter and Facebook. He’s extremely personal with his posts. He talks about whatever is on his mind at the moment, and followers feel closer to him.
Last April, Vaynerchuk posted the video below talking about how he was going to take some time off to focus on re-learning some of the projects he has been struggling with. 380 people commented on the post…offering support, encouragement and even criticism.
Complete strangers reached out to him because they felt such a strong connection to his personal life. Vaynerchuk’s personality has become part of his personal brand, and that’s spilled over to the businesses he runs and promotes. His passion for customer service, and for the products he sells attracts customers in waves.
So is this to say that you need to be loud, hyper and overbearing when portraying yourself or your business on social media? No. It means that you should be yourself. Being Gary Vaynerchuk is good for Gary Vaynerchuk. Being yourself is good for you and good for your business. Only you, as a business owner knows what that means.
Jan 11
4
You don’t need a website
Ok, maybe I take that back…sort of. There was (is) a time when a website was the hallmark of a successful company. If you’ve got a great website, you must be a great company. And why not? After all, your website is your company’s main connection to outside world. However, websites are notoriously difficult for most small business owners to maintain, update and understand.
The multitude of social media tools currently available make it possible for a business owner to maintain a web presence without maintaining a website. One of the best examples I’ve seen lately is that of ad agency Boone Oakley. They’ve chosen to operate their online presence entirely from Youtube. Take a look at their “website” here:
As a business owner, how do I know whether I need a website?
Why would Boone Oakley choose to operate without a traditional website…especially given the fact that they are obviously working with numerous different types of media? Put simply, its a differentiator for them. They go to great lengths to show how they are “different than the other advertising companies” and a non-traditional website helps them break the mold. That being said, what are some other considerations for a business owner looking to develop a web strategy that doesn’t include a traditional web site?
1. Where are your customers at?
Marketing rules still apply. If you’re customers are web-savvy 18 year olds, you’re going to have a lot more trouble getting away with not having a website than if your customers are in their 70s and have never seen a computer.
2.Can you commit to a social-only strategy?
Social media takes a lot of work. It takes constant monitoring, constant updating and a willingness to listen. Is there someone in your company that has the time and the know-how to make sure that all of your social media outlets are up-to-date, relevant and utilized?
3. Does your company culture support a social media strategy?
Piggybacking on #2, does your company have an open culture that cultivates the free flow of ideas. Is your company comfortable with all employees having a voice in the community, and a direct line of contact to customers? Does your company encourage employee blogs, or have a dedicated blogger that can post to social sites like Tumblr?
4. Does your company selling structure need a traditional website?
Companies that have large sales staffs, or that operate from brick and mortar locations may find it easier to operate without a website. Take a look at your sales cycle. Ask you salespeople what resources help them, and how they sell. Do your employees at the front lines of customer interaction feel like a traditional website will bring more relevancy to the product or service your organization sells?
5. We think we can answer all those questions correctly. What’s next?
The internet is a confusing place, and defining a marketing strategy for the web can be even more confusing…especially given the amount “snake oil” that’s out there. It’s best to get the job done right, by someone who has experience developing integrated strategies.
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There are literally thousands of social media sites, and this Wikipedia post has a good breakdown of most of them.
I’ve listed some of the most common sites below.
Facebook.com – Largest social networking site in the world. Fan pages, and profile pages connect you directly to customer.
Twitter.com – “Microblogging”. Say whatever you like, 140 characters at a time.
Linkedin.com – “The professional Facebook”. A list of resumes and profiles, more business focused than Facebook.
Tumblr.com – An uber-simple blogging site. You can set up a blog in literally minutes. Very user-friendly
Youtube.com – Video sharing website.
Flickr.com - A photo sharing website.
Posted in Blog Posts Business Uncategorized by .
Jan 11
4
Viral Marketing
The new “holy grail” of marketing is the concept of “viral” marketing. An idea, or product gets reposted across social networks and becomes a phenomenon in pop culture. To me, the term “viral” is almost synonomous with “buzz”. How do I get people to talk about my business? Not sure what I’m referring to? Well, check out the Old Spice Guy:
Old Spice ran that commercial on Super Bowl Sunday, and it instantly went viral. The video was posted across the internet, talked about on network news broadcasts and next to water coolers for months. The commercial has spawned an entire campaign for the company…each video consisting of the same quick, random, dry humor. So, as a small business, how can you capitalize on the success of a viral marketing campaign?
1. “Viral” is not about being funny.
Sure the Old Spice guy is funny, but being “funny” is extremely difficult to do, and causes many companies to lose focus on the message that they want communicated. How many times have you watched a commercial, laughed at it, and had no idea what the commercial was for? How many times have you watched a commercial that wasn’t funny at all, and lost a little respect for the brand that sponsored the ad? Sure, funny stuff gets forwarded along the internet all the time, but a better strategy is to be helpful with your “viral” campaign.
Create videos, blog posts, photos and information that is useful to your core audience. Companies are better off producing consistent, relevant content for their target audience, rather than swinging for the fences with a risky “viral” ad. Useful content gets pushed along on the internet just as often as “funny”. Plus, it’ll be easier for you to stay on point with your message.
2. Be memorable, but stay relevant.
One of the best viral campaigns that I’ve seen was done by clothing retailer Marc Ecko. (His marketing genius deserves a whole post by itself. I’ll get to it.) He bought a 747, painted it like Air Force 1, and then tagged it with graffiti. Watch the video:
The video became instantly memorable because of the shock value in someone tagging a national icon. Media picked the story up, and it was shared across the net. However, the beauty of the video is actually in who it speaks to. Ecko’s core audience is 13-30, a group that looks to “break free” from the status quo. The video was an extension of his brand’s message.
Contrast that with the “spongmonkey” campaign that Quizno’s ran. Quizno’s tried to be a little funny, and used characters that were memorable. But, the characters don’t fit with their brand message. (Quiznos is more expensive than Subway, but says they are unique because of their ingredients and toasting). Why use inferior characters that have strange attributes when you are trying to sell a product that is supposed to be superior to competitors?
3. Make your content easy to share.
A buzzworthy viral campaign should be uber-easy for your core audience to share. Once again, traditional marketing concepts still apply. Go where your audience is. If your core audience is active on Facebook, create a Facebook fan page specifically for the campaign. If your audience is all about email, then reach them with email. Your probably don’t have money to purchase a 747, or a Super Bowl ad, but there are small steps you can take to ensure that your content is accessible. For example, if might be necessary to set up a separate domain name to handle the traffic for your buzz campaign.
Ecko purchased and set up www.StillFree.com, entirely separate from his regular website, with more information about the campaign, the making of the campaign, and of course a call to action to purchase his products. If you’re looking to get your message into mass media, purchase a few domains that are easy to remember, and talk about.
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