Squidoo working for You 2.0

by James Fowler

www.mywebsource1.com

In a world of Web 2.0 there is a plethora of new terminology: blogs, vlogs (video blogs), RSS, Atom, wikis, folksomony (or do you call it “tagging”?) and making things “SEO compliant”. It is enough to make your head spin.

What are examples of Web 2.0? A simple version of this is a blog.

“That’s something kids do, right? Sort of like mySpace.”
Well, sort of. mySpace is a type of blog. You can find blogs everywhere today on all topics and from all sorts of people – not just kids. Businesses use them to inform people about their products and services. Some businesses use them as educational pieces (like what I try to do).

Other examples on putting Web 2.0 to use are:

Flickr (www.flickr.com) a web site that enables you to put pictures online that are “tagged” and can be linked back to your web site. You can see my pets on Flickr at http://flickr.com/photos/8660095@N08/

Technorati (www.tecnorati.com) a blog search engine that allows you to find and rate blogs of all sorts.

Feedburner (www.feedburner.com) a blog site that helps you broadcast and promote your blog. You can sign up for this blog at: http://feeds.feedburner.com/blogspot/Kgxq

…and then there is…

Squidoo (www.squidoo.com) This is a new sort of site that allows you to build a single page, that the people at Squidoo call a lens. Basically, this gives a person’s viewpoint of a web site or group of web sites that have a related interest. You can put your favorite web sites together and bundle them in a group.

Sooner or later, someone else (maybe one of your friends) will put the same information on their lens and at this point, your two lenses become connected.

How does this help your web site?

A lens provides an insight from which search engines can help find you – increasing your page rank. People can find what they are looking for, as well, and this helps your business.

Because lenses link to so many other lenses, your chance of having your web site found by search engines. It gives you the chance to add tags that can overlap many times over, which makes this a perfect fit for content and whatever you create a lens about.

Check it out. Add your web site, blog, or hobby and see how well a lens can do for you.

Email: The Practically Free Marketing Strategy

by James Fowler
www.mywebsource1.com

Do you email your customers?

Email marketing can be very effective, but you have to be careful. The difference between an email marketing letter and spam is a razor-thin line. You must know your customer to email them. Most businesses don’t even know their customers to email them. It amazes me how many places I have worked with don’t collect an email with every person that walks through their door or purchases from them. I’ve even run into businesses that don’t keep the emails from the people who have purchased from them online! While you can rent email lists, the email method of contacting your customers is almost free and should be a staple in your marketing strategy!

Some simple rules to follow in making your own email campaign:

• Email specials to your customers once a month. Too little and they forget who you are, too many and you become a nuisance.
• Your email could be special, but better yet, if you want to get the emails opened on a regular basis, combine your special with some news-related items. Make it a newsletter if you have the time and mix in a special.
• If you want to email more than once a month, offer the customer something like a coupon aimed directly at them. Example: “Thank you for shopping with us. Here is an extra 10% off coupon if you buy something else in the next 60 days.”
• Invite your customers to open houses or meet-and-greets at your storefront.
• Always, always, always collect an email and keep it for your list. Have your customer service people automatically ask for an email when the phone rings.
• Add a spot on your web site to collect emails from potential customers.
• Every person you meet, every business card you collect should be added to your email list.
  

Hopefully, in time, your list will grow to thousands of people and your business will grow as your advertising costs go down!

Who Is Your Customer?

Who is important to your business?

Who should you sell to on your web site?

Who do you want to contact?

An existing customer is easier to sell to than prospecting a new customer. You want to keep in contact with people that have already given you money. Someone that has already said "Yes! I want your product or service!" should be at the top of your marketing plan.

In any business word-of-mouth (or "word-of-mouse" on the web) is generated by people that know you and your existing customers. Keeping these people happy is a keystone to your business success.

Finally, don't write someone off just because you "thought" they were going to be a customer. Keep their name and information. Email them or call from time to time. A "no" today, may be just a "not yet, thanks".

Needs, Wants, and Desires

by James Fowler
http://www.mywebsource1.com/

Traditionally, the three basic needs are food, clothing and shelter. They are the necessities to survive and have made man the predominate species on the planet. In our modern age, however, the “Need” has grown to more than just the “big three”. Today, we “Need” money to pay for certain things that are required, by law. For instance, you need to have electricity in your house. Thus, you “need” some sort of income or assistance to pay for that electricity.

“Wants” and “Desires” are similar, but different. A “Want” is something that is obtainable, but must have a “Need” to fulfill it. For instance, you “want” to go on vacation, so you “Need” to make the money to do so.

Finally, a “Desire” is something that is long-term and may be unattainable. It cannot be aided with use of a “Need”. You may desire to be an Olympic high-jumper, but you must face the reality that you are 40 years old and overweight.

In business, it is important to fulfill either a “Need” or a “Want”. Typically, “Needs” are easier to sell, but “Wants” will bring in the big bucks. But what happens on the very rare occasion that a “Need” moves over to being a “Want”?

This is happening today. Gasoline prices have now gotten so high that they have gone from the “Need” of fuel for transportation to a “Want” of being able to go somewhere.

With gasoline prices threatening to be above $4.00 and more a gallon this summer, the gas companies have over-priced a “Need” within this company and have moved it to be a “Want”. No longer can the average person making a minimum wage salary afford to fill their automobile with gasoline. This is a serious problem that needs to be addressed by our government.

While this is a burden on all of us, to some, it is a crisis. For example, let us say that the analysts are correct and gasoline goes to $4.00 a gallon. To fill a 15 gallon tank of gas will require you to put $60 worth of fuel into your gas tank. Most people need to do this once a week. So this means that approximately $240 a month is spent on fuel. Now, let us take a look at the person making minimum wage. If they work the full time of 40 hours/week at $5.15 per hour, they should bring home approximately $140.00 per week after taxes. Sixty dollars of that is going to fill up their vehicle (assuming they only have a 15 gallon tank) leaving them with $80 a week to spend on other “Needs”. Let us say they rent an apartment at a rate of $320 per month. Most of you will say that this is a very low price for rent. Well, that just ate up the remaining $80 they had to spend from their paycheck. This leaves them no money for food or clothing – the other basic “Needs”.

A person who makes $10,712 per year working minimum wage – and this is before taxes – is NOT considered at a poverty level – yet somehow they are expected to live off of this amount. Likewise, if it were a family of four, with two working individuals at 40 hours per week at minimum wage – they are just above the poverty line.

In a time when gasoline is so important to how we move around, the gasoline companies have overpriced their product. They have moved it from a “Need” to a “Want”. They say that it is because of our nation’s reliance on gasoline, problems with the refineries, injuries at the refineries, or someone had a hangnail…whatever the excuse, they are making billion dollar profits.

So, you will hear of “Gas Boycott Days” on the internet – which don’t mean a thing. The only true way of solving this problem is to find alternative fuel sources, buy vehicles that conserve gas (and these aren’t American cars unfortunately) and start carpooling the way they did it in the 1970s. The gas companies won’t feel a crunch until we stop using their resources in the abundance we do today. If everyone stopped driving in a car without a passenger, gas consumption would drop. Will it make a difference? I am not sure that it would be that significant. I am sure there would be a fire or someone with a stubbed toe to increase the price.

Will He Go Down In History As Being A Great President?

By James Fowler
www.mywebsource1.com

My father used to tell me two things all the time. Number One was, “Jimm, if you want to avoid controversy, don’t talk about religion or politics.” The second one was, “Son, you don’t listen to half of what I tell you.” Well, as you can tell by the name of this blog, my father is almost always correct.

But this blog is indirectly about the President. It is a means to an end. What this is about is two very important things to remember. This is really what I am writing about. They are:

1. History is Fickle. What you “think” is true today, may be completely different tomorrow.
2. The Media can change the paradigm on how you view your environment. What I mean by this is no matter what your news source; Fox News, NPR, Newsweek, CNN, the Daily Show – whatever…they are not in the business of telling you the truth. They are in the BUSINESS of selling you news and selling advertising.

That being said, how does the media picture our President? Well, they like to lampoon him. They will draw cartoons of him with big ears and a dopey look on his face. Sometimes they will put him in a big hat and put a gun in his hands. They will tell you “He can’t run a war. He’s never been IN a war.”

…and what a war it is! It has been going on for years and there is no end in sight. Thousands of our soldiers killed and the President and his boys are getting richer off the blood our boys. Our soldiers are under-equipped and if they are wounded, they get put into hospitals with rats and cockroaches to share their room. The democrats keep screaming their battle cry, “Impeach him! Impeach him!”

But I ask you, “Will he go down in history as a great president?”

On the homefront, we are told our First Amendment rights are being leaned upon. If you say the wrong thing, you stand the chance of going to jail. Worse still, maybe your spouse, child, or other loved one will reap the rewards of your words against the administration. You don’t want to be an enemy of the state. As Americans, we read the “truth” – we torture our enemies. Be it physical, mental or emotional – and our President obviously approves of these actions.

Let’s not forget the immigrants, either! They are coming here by the thousands in endless waves, offering to work for less and taking away YOUR jobs! Who do you blame? The president, of course! And still the cry of the democrats resound: “Impeach! Impeach!”

But I ask you, “Will he go down in history as a great president?”

The Press also likes to attack the personal life of our President, no? They rumor and whisper that he is having an illicit affair. An affair surely to destroy the lives of his wife and children. And let’s not forget, it is a bit taboo, too. Nothing that the Republicans who voted him into office would support. This isn’t very becoming of a man of God.

And he is a man of God! He has God on his side! He prays to God asking for support in his decisions. Praying to do the right thing and to not let him falter.

I often picture him sitting there – behind the big desk – and asking God,

“God, five years from now, will they look back on my presidency and say I did the right thing?”

“Ten years – no fifty years from now, God – will the country be in a better place because of how I led our nation under my command?”

“ONE HUNDRED AND FIFTY YEARS from now will school children recite my legacy and wand to be just like me?”

Remember what I said? History is fickle and the media can change the paradigm on how we see our environment.

The Republican I am writing about is not George W. Bush.

It is our sixteenth president, Abraham Lincoln.

“Honest Abe” had all of these problems and more during his presidency. He led us through a Civil War where over 620,000 Americans lost their lives. He was a hated man during his time. Hated so much he met his end with an assassin’s bullet. As for the affair, it was rumored to be between him and a friend named, Joshua Fry Speed. But with all of this hatred and controversy, you can ask any person walking down the street who are the greatest American Presidents, and you will find Abraham Lincoln will be near or at the top of the list.

I don’t know how George Bush will fair a hundred years from now. Will he go down in history as being a great President? The media (and presumably most of the country – if you believe the media) hates him today. I do know that History is fickle and the Media can change the paradigm of how we view our environment.

Just don’t ask my dad…he doesn’t like the controversy.

Time Marketing - The Patient's Revenge

Marketing is the method of creating a perspective for people. Typically, this is done in a way so you can sell them something. Whenever you are trying to create a mindset, you are marketing. Sometimes we market without even knowing we are doing it. Sometimes, it isn't how we expected the outcome to turn out.

Case in point: I went to the doctor's office and he was running behind. For many of us, we already know it is going to be a 15 to 20 minute wait to see the doctor, because he or she is ALWAYS running behind. This changes the way we feel about the doctor. Maybe it is subconscious, but you know, deep inside, that his marketing message is loud and clear. It says, "My time is more valuable than your time."

I don't have a problem with a 15 to 20 minute wait. Maybe someone has an emergency. OK, that is fair. I will wait the time.

A few months ago, I waited for 50 minutes. The nurse apologized and said this was "uncharacteristic" and that an unforeseen circumstance had arisen. I was OK with that. Who am I to get in between a patient that may be dying and a check up?

After my appointment, he asked me for a follow-up the next month. When I came in, I found myself waiting a half hour.

Then 45 minutes…

After an hour, I went up to the nurse's desk and said, "I'd like to fire my doctor. Is there another doctor you would recommend?"

She looked at me like I was crazy!

"What do you mean?", she stammered.

"I've been waiting an hour to see him. That is too long. It is inconsiderate and my time is more valuable than to spend my afternoon in a waiting room."

"Well, I am sorry, sir, this is uncharacteristic of the doctor. An unforeseen circumstance arose this…"

"It must have been the same one he had last month when you told me the exact same thing.", I interjected. "To quote Donald Trump, 'He's fired.' Now, do you recommend someone else with the courtesy to not keep their patients waiting?"

Being late sends the message that you don't care. It is the exact opposite of what Domino's did with their "30-minutes or less" ad campaign. Being late is a message you don't want to market. They may have a medical degree, but you and your insurance are paying their student loan.

Oh, and I am very happy with my new doctor who doesn't keep me waiting.