need leads…need strategy
I hear about the near constant struggle of realtors, mortgage brokers and about every other business out there of getting leads. They look for the magic bullet. For years it may have been the newspaper, then direct mail, then having a website, then blogging and now social media sites. But, still they need good people to buy their product or service. They struggle to find that next new client and they plunge head first into every new concept out there with little thought to a strategy.
Many think that all they need to do is add the 3 “F’s” (fans, friends and followers), but what they really need is raving fans, great friends and die hard followers and the idea of adding thousands upon thousands does not cut it. You don’t want to wade through all the spammers and bots to get that one real person that seeks you or your product out.
What is your strategy when you start a new program whether it be social media, social networking or any other form of advertisement out there. Are you satisfied with just having your name shouted from the mountain top knowing full well that at any moment you could be easily tuned out. I see it on Twitter all the time when one person just simply becomes an echo chamber with her near constant drip of “come see me, come see my site, come hear me talk” banter that has to drive nearly everyone mad. It is like clock work that she found a new toy in the “send later” button and she scheduled it for every two hours.
In the coming weeks, as my life gets back to a normal state as I am launching a plethora of new affiliate sites while maintaining a happy home life. I will delve into a success strategy for social networking across the many platforms of social media sites and my own dual blogs of DaveWoodson.com and getUnoticed.com.
Social Media Day 2010
I am sorry that this has taken as long as it has to get this out, but within days of Social Media Day I went on vacation.
I had the pleasure of being a part of two different Social Media Days, one here in NW Indiana and the other in South Bend. It was great to see the 35+ that showed up at Pepe’s in Valparaiso for the #nwitwtweetup summit, if you will. We had some great first timers with a great mis of the usual crowd. I then made my way over to South Bend to be a part of their panel after a great talk by @donschindler and was hosted by Michelle Hillaert and Pinnacle of Indiana.
Thanks again to everyone that came out to both events
Dave
How much does it cost to make a successful site
The largest, the most heard excuse I hear from the many business owners, real estate agents, mortgage professionals and countless others is that a website is too expensive, it takes too much time and they general believe they lack the knowledge to develop a site.
I pin them to the floor when I explain to them the costs that I incur when I set out to develop my first site and the annual cost that I pay to run a site like this and about 40 others. My costs per year are less than what I pay per month for mine and the Wife’s cell phone bill.
Domain & Hosting
I use Hostmonster*, and I pay roughly $5 to $7 a month. I pay it all up front and so I get a little bit of discount. I like hostmonster, it allows me unlimited bandwidth and domain hosting. It gives you free email accounts, easy one button WordPress installs(plus, other services) ad great support for those that need it.
Godaddy.com for buying my domains,it has way above average support, and it runs specials all the time for even cheaper domain names often in the $7.49 range.
WordPress
Is a free blogging software that Google really loves, it offers tons of free themes. However, this is the biggest expense that I occur and it is often a one time expense. I like the Frugal* theme and that is what this blog is built on. It offers no coding options for color, width, SEO, and many more that other “free” themes do not offer.
I went to bed last with a feeling that this is not a complete list. So, I there will be a 2nd part to all of this.
Dave
* FTC require for me to alert you that I make money when I post an ad or a link
Communication vs. Harassment
Are you toeing the line? Are you engaging others in your social network or are you harassing them into talking to you or turning them off that they unfollow you or hide your stream. Essentially blocking you.
ready, set…
Dave
Busy: the new not committed
Busy: the new not committed
I recently did a blog post about being busy yet productive. I’ve learned that I may have been just not committed.
I recently heard a great podcast featuring the who’s who in affiliate marketing as well as direct marketing. Which I am learning can still be very effective with the right follow-up procedures but more on that coming soon. The whole podcast was very informative, if you don’t know I rarely passively listen to the radio anymore preferring to learn than be entertained.
I will admit that my ears perked up when made a comment about people complaining to him about being too busy.
“Busy is the new not committed”
Wow, that really hit me…and I mean like a 2×4 right up side of the head. For months, I played that card as I buried myself with events, speaking and other little side projects.
Recently, a new leaf was turned over in my life. I set a launch date for several sites and met each and every goal with success in my back pocket. I have set out on newer goals and markets to break into. I am creating what I have told others to do. I know the successes are there, I have witnessed other clients do it.
So, as I reach out, I know that I will not always find success, but I know that I will learn with each new venture. But, I know that for each failure brings me a tad closer to success. I tell my clients that all the time as I get many of same complaints of them being “too busy”. While they ask me about the latest TV show or did I see some baseball game. Yes, I watch them to, but I do it on my time, but not without a pad of paper near for when I have that good idea.
I am not preaching any “get rich quick” scheme. What I do takes time and it rarely happens over night, but without some work you will never get close to it.
If you want it you will work for it. I have a business partner and between us we put in over 60 hours a week working on content and a way about user experience.
So, the next time you say you are “too busy” you may as well say, “I am not committed”
Get committed, not busy
Dave
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