Cat's Eye Marketing Blog

What Connects Us in Social Media: On Puppets, Davenports and Other Stuff

I had a strange memory return today.

On twitter (you know that micro-blogging thing where everyone talks at once?), a writer friend I follow, @copylicious, was having a bad day.

You see, the Bay Bridge from San Francisco to Oakland was closed. So she couldn't get home.

And the only word was that they would be sending "updates on when people might get the next update."

And, on top of it, it was her birthday!

And she had not one, but four writing deadlines staring her in the face.

So you see, she really was having a bad day, when she blurted (tweeted):

"Why don't they allow puppets in high-level meetings?"

Well, that started people talking.

"Yeah, why don't they allow puppets, anyway?" said @wildheartqueen.

"Did somebody say a meeting with puppets?" said @starshyne, "Sign me up!"

And so it started. Our puppet stories. Now, with twitter names like @copylicious, @wildheartqueen, @starshyne, and @CatsEyeWriter (that's me), you'd kind of expect it, right?

 

But wait. Why don't they allow puppets in high-level meetings?

My puppet story was begging to be told. So I told it. On twitter. The condensed story, that is.

Here's the slightly longer version:

Several years ago I was manager of writing resources for an international nonprofit that had 5,000+ life-saving relief and development projects in 126 countries around the world. Projects to bring clean water to villages. Health care. Agricultural tools. Schools and classrooms.

I worked from the headquarters in L.A.

It was a high-stress job. Tense deadlines. 14-hour days. I traveled to West Africa to film a documentary and got malaria. Survived 130-degree days and a sandstorm in a village chief's hut in the Sahara Desert.

When I returned, I was a changed person. And exhausted. And really needing a "normal" job again.

Of course, I was afraid to tell my boss, especially after having just returned from this month-long trip, which was my class in International Development 101.

Then I remembered. Bob and I had just been to a silly small-town carnival, where he won an adorable purple furry hand puppet for tossing a ring that landed on milk bottle lid. You know that carnival game. The one it's almost impossible to win? Oh, wait. Every game at a carnival is impossible to win.

We named him Pépe.

I didn't have the nerve to quit my job just like that. But I had a feeling I could get Pépe to do it for me.

We went to a restaurant by the Santa Anita racetrack called The Brown Derby. Just the three of us. Me, my boss Dori and Pépe, who I kept in my purse through lunch. After the meal, when the coffee had arrived, I pulled him out and he managed to say, in a high-pitched, squeaky voice, "I'm so sorry but I think it's time to leave this job."

Moment of silence. Okay, huge moment of silence.

Then Dori burst out laughing.

Pépe had broken the tension so we could have a conversation. I talked about how honored I was to have been selected from more than 200 applicants for the job. How much I had learned about myself and the world. How I would love to stay involved as a consultant (which ended up happening).

We connected, even though I had just quit my job.

 

How social media connects us

Yesterday on twitter, I found a way to connect. Over puppets. Again.

I found like-minded people who also loved puppets and weren't afraid to use them. Other weird people. Like me.

Plus, I recently connected with another twitter friend. The uber-talented and very cool @sparkyfirepants. He's a designer and illustrator who lives in the mountains of Oregon and raises alpacas.

I wrote an article for Biznik called FAQ Page Lessons from the Encyclopedia Man. It was all about overcoming objections in the Q & As on your website's FAQ page, so you can move prospects farther along the path to purchase.

@sparkyfirepants read the article and sent this message (publicly) to me on twitter:

@CatsEyeWriter: Enjoying your article. One of my favorite words is "davenport."

I had started my article with a scene from my childhood, where the door-to-door salesman was trying his best to sell my mom a new set of Encyclopedia Britannicas. I used the word "davenport" because that's what we called our couch.

I explained that to @sparkyfirepants (Don't you just love his name?).

He tweeted back:

@CatsEyeWriter: No, really, I love it. I have a story to tell you when we meet sometime. A funny davenport story.

 Another connection.

Now, mind you, I've known Sparky Firepants (real name, David Billings) for almost two years, but we've never met in person.

But I feel like I know him. We can talk about business, family and weird words like "davenport." How cool is that?

So much is written today about being authentic. Don't hide your uniqueness. Don't be afraid to show the real you.

But if the real you is someone who likes to make puppets talk, is that okay?

If you like to form bonds and connections with people by making them laugh, is that okay?

Once we started talking about puppets on Twitter, there was a separation. The people who definitely believe in puppets and story and magic. And the people who think it's a little weird.

We puppet people actually attracted each other.

What do you think? Do you attract people like you—on your blog, on Twitter, on LinkedIn? And if so, is that a good thing or a bad thing?

How has social media connected you with others? Do you sometimes connect over things that have nothing to do with business. 

Would love to hear your thoughts in the comments section.

 

 

Who Are You, Anyway?: Showing Up Online

It's been a strange week. I'm in day 10 of the crappy upper respiratory stuff.

Type. Cough. Sniffle. Repeat.

I'm keeping my water glass to myself and trying not to breathe on Bob. In fact, it would be better if I just didn't breathe at all, his eyes are saying.

And why is everyone talking about website bios all of a sudden?

This week had a weird synchronicity to it. People have been talking about website bios and social media profiles. In phone calls. On Twitter. On forums. In emails.

Everywhere. 

For a minute, I thought they'd all gone crazy. Then I put it together.

It's what I've been working on all week for clients. Fun, memorable bios. About Us pages. Social media profiles.

Bios are on my brain. So of course I'm paying attention more.

You know, like when you buy a new car and all of a sudden you see all the other ones on the road just like it? They were always there, but you just noticed them.

Showing up online: part II

This past week, I had lots of smart questions from people struggling to create their bios, to boil down the essence of who they are in a short paragraph or two—in a way that is consistent and that attracts the people they want to work with.

Here are some starter tips:

1. Align your profile and website bio with your brand.

Your website gives people a good idea of who you are (or it should). But if the bio on your website, the one on your blog and the one on Facebook sound like you are talking about three different people, I'd say you have a problem. Unless you have multiple personality disorder. Then, of course, it would make perfect sense.

Connect your profile with your brand. If you are playful, and your website copy reflects that, so should your profile. Got a quirky sense of humor? Go with it. Someone tweeted a line from my website bio on Twitter yesterday: She said, "@CatsEyeWriter's website bio says she can juggle, has been to Timbuktu and can say, 'Four knives will be sufficient' in Swahili. I LOVE THIS!"

Everything I said was true. And, yes, a little quirky. Just like me.

Just be sure you show yourself in a real and consistent way—across all platforms.

2. Tell what you do best—and for whom.

When I am browsing through Twitter profiles and bios or visiting someone's About Us page on their website, I am attracted to the ones that deliver their messages with style and originality.

One of my Twitter friends, Havi Brooks, says it this way on her website's About Havi page: 

My duck and I (okay, the duck is a little weird and that could be a blog post all by itself) help bright, creative kooky people (who she does it for) destuckify their stuff so they can do their thing (what she does best).

She goes on to say:

So they can work through all the overwhelming, sometimes-terrifying goo that gets in the way of doing what they love and biggifying it like crazy.

When I read this, I know right away. Either I am her target market or I am not.

3. Leave the cardboard person at the doorstep.

I saw a small business networking site recently that warned its members to only enter "basic business information" into their profile. They said, "It's not about you personally. It's a business profile.

I couldn't disagree more, particularly if you are a small biz owner. People who are deciding whether to interact with you are looking for someone real.

Asking yourself a few of these questions will help you uncover—and show—the real, multi-dimensional you:

1. What three things do you believe most about people?

2. What is the one thing you've done in your life that you are most proud of?

3. What's the one thing you haven't done yet that you want to do before you die?

4. What three adjectives best describe you?

5. Which movie or TV character are you most like and why?

6. What's your favorite food or beverage?

7. Name the two things that bug you the most when they happen.

Use phrases from these answers to make a list. From that list, mix and match until you come up with the whole person that best describes you.

On Twitter, it's a challenge to do that in just 160 characters, but that's part of the fun. And it's the very process that gets you to the core of who you are.

My Twitter profile says:

Slightly neurotic copywriter. Loves strong verbs, creating unique online identities, oaky Merlot & John Cleese. Thinks the word cree-A-tive is overused.

4. Act online in ways that match your profile.

People are getting to know and, hopefully, trust you, so your online behavior and the copy in your bio should not clash. Who you are should not change. Whether you write an article for a social networking site like Biznik, create a new blog post or make a comment on Twitter, stay true to yourself.

5. Play with the content as you change and grow.

You aren't going to be the same person you are today. None of us are. Hey, next year you might climb Mt. Everest. Or write a book. Or become a goalie on a women's indoor soccer team (which one of my clients did) You might join the hole-in-one club. Or master conversational French.

Profiles are easy to edit. Be sure to do that regularly so when things change, your customers, prospects and colleagues can keep up with all the cool things you are doing.

What does your profile say about you?

You'll laugh. You'll cry. You'll buy stuff.: 5 Strategies for 'emotion-based marketing'

There's a big fat war raging. We've always been told that people buy based on emotions, but need to justify their purchase with logic.

They satisfy the heart before the head kicks in to tell them they've made the right choice because…blah, blah blah (insert boring reasons here).

But, the thing is, two nights ago I was in a fun audience (how many educational events do you go to where you get to sit in the auditorium and sip on wine as the presenter goes through his PowerPoint show?).

Anyway, this semi-famous marketing expert from the cold white north (Canada) was talking about social media as a marketing tool for businesses when he turned around and said:

"Of course you would never use emotions in B2B (business-to-business) marketing."

Kind of caught me off guard.

 B2B, B2C, Aren't They All Just People?

We forget that business-to-business and business-to-consumer have something quite obvious in common.

Consumers are people who buy stuff.

Businesses are run by people who buy stuff.

So why treat B2B marketing any differently?

My 5 strategies for emotion-based marketing

Inside that business owner in the stuffy shirt is a real person. She laughs. She cries. She likes songs and movies because they make her feel. She has a heart and a head. And when her emotions are touched, she tends to remember the message more.

Here are some ways to reach her:

 1.    Tell her stories. 

You can do a lot with the right story, one that appeals to the senses, one that shows your personality and voice, and paints a picture.

 2.    Use analogies. 

People love an analogy because they "get it" right away. And because they are visual, analogies touch a deep, emotional part of the brain. We explained why we dumped our brand new business by comparing the needy "baby" to our jealous 16-year-old, Cat's Eye Marketing. Use this powerful tool when you can. 

3.    Make him laugh. 

John Cleese, one of my heroes, said it perfectly: "If I can get you to laugh with me, you like me better, which makes you more open to my ideas." I'm not talking cruel or sarcastic humor here, or just telling jokes. I mean the kind of humor that makes us all see that we are a lot alike. The kind that brings us together.

4.    Scare her (in a nice way). 

Don't underestimate the fear factor. We all have fears of losing something or someone. Of not doing something right. Of losing our best clients. Of our business failing because we made the wrong decision, went with the wrong vendor, spent too much money on a solution that didn't work. Find a way to identify that fear, then walk your client to the solution which, of course, is your product or service.

5.    Satisfy other emotional 'cravings.' 

There are tons of these. It takes a little time and skill to hit on the one your customer may be feeling, but it's worth it. Put yourself in their shoes, find the right emotional craving, then satisfy it. 

What about you? Do you think emotions should be used in B2B marketing? Do you ever market to people's emotions? 

Your Old Blog Posts Aren't Dead. They're Just Sleeping.

We've been tricked. All of us.

That freshly baked, piping hot, sweet-smelling, pie called Original Content grabbed us by the collar. Assaulted our nostrils. Made us salivate.

This pie was made just for me. It's fresh and juicy. No one else has had a bite. I want the first piece. 

We bloggers know this pie well. We should, because we baked it.

As we create the content pie that becomes a new blog post, someone is standing over our shoulder. Maybe it's that Internet marketer who sends us their weekly newsletter. Or that hot-shot author whose book, "Create Original Content or Die," is on the bestseller list. And they are whispering:

"Say something new! "

"Write with your own voice!"

"Be original. Be Cree-A-tive." 

Why Bringing Back an Old Blog Post Can Be a Good Thing

Attention spans are murderously short on the Web. Plus, you are always collecting new readers.

So you have your memory-challenged regular readers. And you have a brand new audience that has never read your old posts. That means that with just a little tweaking (or a lot, if it makes sense), you can get more google juice.

Of course, if you just start republishing old posts randomly, without choosing carefully, you'll just be rehashing stale, boring ideas. But done right, you'll get a surge in traffic and, very possibly, some new subscribers.

5 Steps to Waking Up an Old Post

1. Revisit your older posts often. Your goal here is to find which posts were the most popular. If you see a certain post being viewed again and again, this is prime content to bring back. Sometimes it will be a post that had a lot of reader comments and sometimes not. Pay particular attention if the referring site (where the reader came from) is Google. If people are searching for help with a certain problem and they keep finding your blog post, you have a winner and you should consider republishing it.

2. Look at your title, sub-heads and formatting with a fresh eye. Reworking the title just a little bit could make your post even more popular in a Google search. An added benefit: Google will look at it with fresh eyes, too. Google Analytics even tells you what terms people were using in their search when they found your post. Adding intriguing sub-heads also helps—to break up the text and draw the eye to the important parts of your post. And check your spacing. Do paragraph breaks often to help readers skim and scan. Sometime my paragraphs are just one sentence long, especially if I want to add emphasis to a thought.

3. Consider updating the content. Your most popular posts got to be that way for a reason. If you can add new content, or rewrite, you'll capture more readers, people who wanted to know more about what you were talking about. So think about the new things you could add.

4. Add new tags. A tag is merely a keyword or category used to describe the topic of your post. Tags are indexed by Google and Technorati, so someone doing a Google search is more likely to come across your posts. Revisit your tags and think about whether adding a few new ones might help more people find your post.

5. Think about adding a new image or two. If you are like me, you didn't give much thought to images when you first started blogging. But images can be very powerful, hitting the part of the brain that triggers memory and emotions. The result: You attract more readers—and keep them engaged in your post. For more advice on what the right image can do for your post, read 5 Ways the Right Photo Can Get You More Blog Readers. For some good sources of photos, see my recent post, How to Find Spectacular Free and Low-Cost Images for Your Blog Post.

What about you? Do you republish old blog posts? Do you think it's a good strategy?

How to Find Spectacular Free and Low-Cost Images for Your Blog Posts

I've had several questions about how I find my blog post images since my post last week, 5 Ways the Right Photo Can Get You More Blog Readers.

Okay, here it is. 

My Cliff Notes version of sources for intriguing, low-cost photos. Most I have tried at least once and some I go back to over and over again.

Keep in mind that there are tons of other ones out there. If you want to explore some more, just do a google search.

Two more things. When an image is offered royalty-free, that means you pay for the image once and can use it as many times as you like.

Also, some of these companies offer several different versions of the same image, based on lowest to highest resolution. For blog posts, you just need the lowest res one, which, happily, is always the lowest cost.

Visit these sites for lots of great blog photo choices

iStockphoto

This is my favorite. Most of the images in my blog posts come from IStockphoto.

The upside: Wide selection (more than 5 million images); outstanding quality. Royalty-free. iStockphotos is especially good if you are looking for animal images, which I use a lot. All you need to provide at signup is name and email address.

The downside: You do need to pay a nominal fee for usage, usually no more than one or two dollars 

How to get started: I usually buy a number of credits, which become my "bank." I buy my imaged with my credits and restock my credit bank when it runs low. Sign up here. 

Dreamstime

Also have used this one. Quality comparable to iStockphoto. Some free. Most for a fee.

The upside: More than 6 million images by 73,000 photographers. Royalty-free. A limited number of free images.

The downside: Can browse through free images, but it's time-consuming. Most of the better quality photos have a usage charge and, still, ae not quite the quality of iStock. They also requitre more personal information during account set-up.

How to get started: Register for an account here. 

FlickrCreativeCommons

Don't use this one quite as frequently, but occasionally find a photo that is perfect for a specific need.

The upside: Most images are free. Has a good selection of landscape/vegetation photos. Attribution licensing category gives you the royalty-free right to copy, distribute and display the copyrighted photos—as long as you give the photographer credit.

The downside: Consumes gobs of time because you have to wade through tons of images, some of dubious quality, to find what you need. Sometimes the credit and link back to the photographer can spoil the aesthetic beauty of a photo.

How to get started: Sign up here.

 

Stock.xchng

Haven't used this one, but a colleague, Christa Dunk, recommended it and said she loves it.

The upside: Large variety of no-cost, royalty-free images. 350,000 photos by more than 30,000 photographers.

The downside: Like FlickrCreativeCommons, it takes time to browse, sort and find. Need to provide lots of personal information to sign up. Be sure to read the fine print under Terms of Use.

How to get started: Register for an account.

Hope this helps. Do you have sources for good blog post images? If you do, would love if you add to the collective wisdom here.

Oh, yes. And I got the photo for this post from iStockphoto. 

5 Ways the Right Photo Can Get You More Blog Readers

If you are like me, your blog posts take some time. Sometimes lots of time.

I'll toss a topic around, let it marinate. Even start writing and abandon it because I'm not feeling particularly passionate about it.

So by the time I'm finished, I want to be finished. I want to get it out of my brain so those guys Stepehen King calls The Boys in the Basement can come out. You know, the ones with more bright, shiny ideas?

But wait. Now I have to think about a photo?

Why you need an amazing photo for your blog post

Because words alone are boring. Your reader wants a reason to read your post. If she sees too many words squeezed together all bunched up, like they're in a hot room and they can't breathe, well, she'll feel the same way.

Because, let's face it, we're all attention-disordered. A photo (or the right one) will pull us by the shoulders and make us stop long enough to read the post.

Because at least 60 percent of your readers are visual learners. Cave men knew it. A picture just makes us sit up, makes us remember a story. And yes, 60 percent of us are engaged more by the visual than other ways of taking in information.

Because photos work beautifully with analogies and metaphors. The photo is the powerful partner of metaphor. Something is like something else and here, this photo helps you see that.

Because photos pull your reader into the post. We are all curious creatures. We are hard-wired to want to know why. Photos can make your reader wonder, "Why is this here? And they'll have to read your post to find out.

Because photos evoke emotions and give your business a personality. Photos set the tone. Love. Fear. Laugh-out-loud images. At Cat's Eye, we don't take ourselves too seriously and our photos reflect that.

5 ways the right photo can increase your blog posts views

The right photo can increase reader engagement and blog post views by:

1. Conveying the overall feeling or emotion of your post. My post on why negative headlines work is one of my most-read ones. The photo: a sort of mean-looking rock star guy sticking his tongue out.   

2. Illustrating an analogy or metaphor that was part of your main idea. We wanted a way to explain why we gave up our 10-month-old baby, marketingyoursmallbiz.com and went back to a sole focus on our 16-year-old company, Cat's Eye Marketing. What better way than to show how contentious and needy the baby was and how jealous the teenager was because she had lost our love and attention? The photo: A very cute baby staring out from the page, focused, looking like he wants all your attention. 

3. Evoking surprise and/or curiosity. I did a blog post on finding your niche that also later became an article on Biznik.com that happened to get 1,700 page views and 81 comments. Using a little humor in the article, I talked about Swedish cowboys who collect Star Wars memorabilia as being, perhaps too limiting of a niche. The photo: A Marlboro Man-type cowboy with his horse.

4. Complementing your headline. This is a good way to engage the reader more. But don't look for a photo that, in a boring way, is exactly what your headline says, I mean, literally. In one post in a series on marketing with e-newsletters, the one on building your list carefully and ethically ("Rule # 1: Get Permission First"), the photo was a little boy in a classroom holding up his hand, waiting to be called on by the teacher. 

5. Simply making your reader smile. Okay, some photos I choose just because of the smile factor. I wrote a post called "The Crazy Cat Edition: Does the Real You Show Up Online?" and started with the story of my cat, who is a ventriloquist. He imitates lots of different sounds and I never know which cat is showing up until he starts talking. The photo: the craziest-looking cat I could find.

You know, these strategies can apply to your other online communication tools, too. We use a sharp, interesting and unique photo every week in our weekly marketing e-tip. Check this one out for the issue, "The James Brown Guide to Copywriting: 5 Tips for Putting a Little 'Soul' in Your Marketing Copy."

In a future post, I'll share some of the free and low-cost sources I've found for incredible, fun photos 

What about you? If you use photos in your posts, what kinds are you attracted to? Any tips to share?

I've Wanted to Be An SOB for a While. And Now I Am!

Seriously. Liz Strauss just called me an SOB. And I have the badge to prove it. (See official-looking pink badge on side of post.)

Wait. It's not the kind of SOB you think. Besides, I'm a woman so that would be physically impossible. 

This SOB is short for Successful and Outstanding Blogger. Liz, who has been called "the most influential relational blogger on the Internet," and was also named one of the 50 Most Powerful and Influential Women of Social Media, started the SOB club as a fun way to gather together bloggers who, in her words, "take the conversation to their readers, contribute great ideas, challenge us, make us better and make our businesses stronger."

I am honored and humbled to join this amazing group of bloggers. Visit Liz's website and you'll find an A-Z Directory with the names of a bunch of very cool bloggers who are doing "successful and outstanding things." Actually I'm a little in awe of this company I'm keeping. 

Be sure when you visit Liz's site to read more about SOBCon, her incredible biz school for bloggers, in Chicago next year, starting on April 30. It's the most talked about blogging conference in the world of social media.

Thanks, Liz, for the recognition! I'll do my best to live up to it. 

Just Say 'No': Why You Shouldn't Have a Blog

Bob and I have taught our Savvy Blogging workshop long enough to recognize a certain person. You may recognize her, too. In fact, it may be you.

Class before last, a student who had been very quiet throughout the session came up to Bob afterward. She wore a deep frown.

Bob was lost in thought himself. Wonder what I did?

Right at this moment, this bright articulate woman broke into a grin. 

"Thank you," she said.

"Yeah? For what? Bob said. 

"For giving me permission not to blog," she said.

Too many blogs

Every social media expert on the planet has one or two or three blogs. All our friends and colleagues are doing the blogging thing. Or so it seems. I think my hairdresser has a blog.

Here are some frightening stats:

• 22 million people in the U.S. blog.

• Technorati has tracked 133 million blogs since 2002.

• A new blog is born every half second.

• 184 million people worldwide have started a blog.

• 346 million people worldwide read blogs.

It's easy to see why someone might think their business will go down the toilet without one. In the above mentioned workshop, Bob walks his students through the benefits and the commitment required to be a successful blogger. The woman in question was relieved that anyone would  suggest that not everyone needs to blog.

Reasons not to blog

1. Your customers don't go online. This is a big one. Obvious, exaggerated example: Say you are a service station owner. Do your customers go online to learn about your products and services? And if they do, will their habits in buying gas change as a result of reading your posts?

2. It would take you four hours to write a post. Depending on what you charge clients for your services, the marketing benefits you get from blogging could be eaten up by spending a half a day noodling with one post. Again, your call.

3. You don't have anything to say. Maybe this is true and maybe it isn't. But related to reason #2, if you are constantly stressed out because you don't have a topic, if you have to reach deep every time you come up with a subject, this might be too time-consuming and draining an experience for you 

4. You have something to say, but you aren't a writer. This may be good or bad, depending on what you think "writing" looks like. But if you honestly get tongue-tied every single time you sit down to write, or you have an inner critic, say, your 5^th grade teacher, who just won't let up on you, maybe you should rethink things. (Or maybe you want to hire someone to blog for you.)

5. You and your computer don't have much together time. I hear this frequently. "I'm away from the office a lot." Part of blogging is posting. But another key part is responding to your readers. If you don't go back in and recognize them with a comment, they might not come back.

6. You have to be careful about what you say. Maybe you are an attorney or a therapist. If you blog under your business identity, weigh carefully whether you risk someone construing your personal post as professional advice. The blogging professionals who might be subject to lawsuits have this down. Just be careful.

Can you think of other reasons someone might not want to start blogging? Do you have a blog? If you've considered starting one, what stopped you?

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