OK, OK … I’m finally on Facebook

I don’t know why I put it off so long.

Facebook rocks!

(Actually, I think I like it better than my MySpace page.)

*Please feel free to poke me here.
*I’ve started (yet another) blog on Facebook called QREATIVITY. I’ll be posting a thought provoking question every day.
*OOH! And I started a Facebook Group called Make a Name for Yourself. If you make a living producing, writing, speaking, designing, drawing, consulting, training, teaching, entertaining, playing music … or any other creative endeavor, you need to hang with us!

LET ME ASK YA THIS…
How are you using Facebook for business purposes?

LET ME SUGGEST THIS…
Share your best ideas here!

* * * *
Scott Ginsberg
That Guy with the Nametag
www.hellomynameisscott.com

Are you the luckiest person you know?

Watch Scott’s interview on 20/20!

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What’s your currency?

Not the yen.
Not the dollar.
Not the deutschemark.

Today we’re talking about the metaphorical form of currency.

Consider two facts:

1. Currency is the transmitting of something, especially money from person to person.
2. Currency is just another word for “return.”

THEREFORE: You need to know ahead of time, prior to engaging in any new project, marketing effort or activity, “What’s my currency?”

In other words, “Why the heck am I doing this?”

Because if you don’t…

You won’t know when you’ve succeeded.
You won’t know what to keep, stop or start in the future.
You won’t know the lowest common denominator of your actions.

SO, ASK YOURSELF: “What would have to happen to make me feel like I’ve achieved a Return on Investment from this new endeavor?”

Take online social networking, for example.

Too many companies and businesspeople hesitate to get involved with this trend because they think it’s a fad. That it will just fade away like mini-discs, pogs and Ricky Martin.

BIG mistake.

Online social networking ain’t goin’ nowhere! It’s the future of the Internet, the future of the world!

And the reasons (excuses) people give for not getting involved in social networking are:

1. They don’t have the time.
2. They don’t see the payoff, aka, currency.

Well, remember this:

You WILL have the time…

…when-you-first-understand-your-currency!!

For online social networking, potential currency could be:

o Expanding your network
o Driving traffic
o Filtering in new leads
o Developing, storing content
o Branding and marketing
o Making money
o Projecting transparency
o Building community

Here’s an example.

I never thought blogging was worth it. For about a year, I didn’t see any return, any “currency” from my daily posting.

Then, on August 31st, 2005, I wrote a post that would lead to over $100,000 of new business.

If that happened to you, would YOU make time to blog every morning?

You bet.

So whether it’s online social networking, initiating a new marketing plan, attending a conference or deciding to publish a book, understand this:

It might take six to twelve months before you actually see your currency come to fruition. Heck, that’s the “I” in Return on Investment!

So, be honest with yourself and your business. Find out if you’re willing to pay the price.

LET ME ASK YA THIS…
What’s your currency?

LET ME SUGGEST THIS…
Share your best currency success story here!

* * * *
Scott Ginsberg
That Guy with the Nametag
www.hellomynameisscott.com

Are you the luckiest person you know?

Watch Scott’s interview on 20/20!

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24 reasons why content is KING

“Hey Scott, how do you get 35,000 hits a day on your website?” I’m often asked.

Google Adwords?
Sponsored links?
Pay per click?
Search engine optimization?

Maybe.

Still, I think the BEST answer is one powerful word: content.

Because content is KING.

And it comes in many forms:

o Articles
o Blog posts
o Pictures
o Videos
o Testimonials
o Profiles
o Lists
o Downloadable ebooks
o PowerPoint slides
o PDF’s and other documents
o Evaluations, tests and assessments
o Podcasts, either video or audio
o Message boards
o Comments and notes left by page visitors
o Any other form of value-added substance that a visitor to the web page would benefit from.

Content is king.

And here’s why:

1. It leads to sales.
2. It gives value first.
3. It helps sell product.
4. It forces you to write.
5. It shows thought leadership.
6. It shows you doing what you do
7. It boosts search engine rankings.
8. It gives social proof of your value.
9. It gets the media to come to YOU.
10. It support and enhances expertise.
11. It adds depth and value to your website.
12. It contributes to your company’s positive reputation.
13. It offers multiple forms of media to convey your message.
14. It keeps your website current, which creates return traffic.
15. It creates a web PRESENCE, since just having a web SITE is no longer enough.
16. It gives away free information; and the more you give away for free, the wealthier you will be.

Content is king.

And if you haven’t already been convinced, here are a few more reasons:

1. Content drives action.
2. Content replaces selling.
3. Content replaces agents.
4. Content replaces pitching.
5. Content drives transactions.
6. Content replaces advertising.
7. Content replaces cold calling.
8. Content pulls instead of pushes.

Content is king.

So, now that you’ve realized the power of content, remember a few final tips:

1. Make content interactive. Can people comment on your stuff?
2. Encourage viral marketing. Can people (easily) share your content with their friends?
3. Link content directly into the sales cycle. At the end of your articles, do you have a call to action? Something that brings the reader over to your site?
4. Make content the focus of your site. When someone arrives at your site, is there a login that grants her full access to your online library?
5. Make your content answer your customers’ problems. Are you asking your target market what topics they want content about?

Content is king.

Speaking of content, for FULL ACCESS to my entire online libray (over 700 pages of content), become a member of The Nametag Network!

LET ME ASK YA THIS…
Do you have enough content?

LET ME SUGGEST THIS…
Email [email protected] with your best piece of original content. I’ll share your resources on a future post!

* * * *
Scott Ginsberg
That Guy with the Nametag
www.hellomynameisscott.com

Are you the luckiest person you know?

Watch Scott’s interview on 20/20!

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Yeah, but is it worth getting spammed for?

The other day I overheard a lady talking about her company website.

“That’s why I don’t list my ‘real’ email on the contact page,” she said, “I don’t want to deal with all that spam.”

Here’s why that comment irked me…

See, I get about 50-100 SPAM emails a day.

What happens is, spam comes in. Gmail nicely organizes them into my spam folder. And the end of the day, I empty it out.

No problem.

In fact, if you google my email, [email protected], it comes up 297 times. Between my websites, articles, blogs, myspace, squidoo and the like, I’d say it’s out there pretty good.

And I think it’s worth getting spammed for.

See, a lot of people complain, “I don’t want to get spam” and “I don’t want my email to be ‘out there’ for the just anyone to see.”

ARE YOU NUTS??!!

Are you saying that being difficult to contact, hard to reach and inaccessible is the price customers have to pay just so YOU don’t receive spam?

Seems slightly selfish and very backward to me. (Similar to the comment, “But I don’t want to wear a nametag because it clashes with my blouse. Or makes me look dumb. Or puts a hole in my shirt.”)

The first four words of The Purpose Driven Life had it right: it’s not about you.

Wouldn’t businesspeople think, “I want to make doing business WITH me and getting in touch OF me as quick and easy as possible for my customers and prospects. Even if that means I get a few dozen extra pieces of spam.”?

So, YES. The answer is yes. It is worth getting spammed for.

Right now, go to your website and remove any of the following things:

1. Catch-alls. Questionable, vague, annoying catch-all email addresses like [email protected], [email protected]. They suck. People need to know they’re getting YOU.

2. Images of your email instead of text. Don’t make potential customers memorize, then re-type your email address because you don’t want spam. That’s just one extra step they don’t have time for. Make it easy for them to cut, copy and paste your address into their email client. Image instead of text = perception of high maintenance.

3. Forms. Please fill out this form with your information and we promise to get back to you. Yeah, right, the customer thinks. Nobody buys that lie anymore. Forms may as well have a disclaimer that says, “We don’t care enough about you to give you our personal email (aka, a HUMAN) to contact. So leave us your information, and maybe in a few weeks we’ll respond.

In closing, I’d like to say this:

[email protected] [email protected] [email protected] [email protected] [email protected] [email protected] [email protected] [email protected] [email protected] [email protected]

Do your worst, spam. I’d rather get 100 emails about Viagra than piss off my customers.

LET ME ASK YA THIS…
How does inaccessible web contact make you, as a customer, feel?

LET ME SUGGEST THIS…
Go to your contact page and give it an “accessible face lift.” Send me the link when it’s done. You have my email 🙂

* * * *
Scott Ginsberg
Author/Speaker/That Guy with the Nametag
www.hellomynameisscott.com

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The most important word in any author’s vocabulary is…

Nope, it isn’t “marketing.”

Wrong, it ain’t “credibility.”

And no, it’s not “Oprah.”

The most important word in any author’s vocabulary is: platform.

Here’s what that means:

• A platform is what helps sell books
• A platform is the way you reach readers
• A platform is your expertise on your book’s topic(s)
• A platform is a network of notoriety and exposure
• A platform is how you communicate with your audience
• A platform is that which gives you access to sales
• A platform is what you stand for in the marketplace
• A platform is where you speak your mind beyond what’s already been said in your books
• A platform is where you inform your fans of future books, appearances, projects, news and the like
• A platform is your place in the world
•A platform is your accomplishments

With that in mind, here are the three reasons every author needs a platform.

1. To sell books. It’s tough to move 10,000 copies from the back of a cave. Too many authors – especially self-published ones – work their butts off writing and producing their books, and then do nothing with them! Sadly, writing and producing the book is the EASY part. The key is, building your platform so you can move those darn boxes out of your garage!

LET ME ASK YA THIS…
What’s your 12-month platform plan?

2. More media interviews. If media outlets see that you’ve got a platform, they will gladly book you for their shows. Why? Because they know you’ve got fans, customers and loyalists who will tune in. They know that viewers, readers and listeners will say, “Oh yeah, I’ve heard of this guy before!” And that’s what makes their producers (and advertisers) super happy.

LET ME ASK YA THIS…
How many interviews did you do this year?

3. Credibility is king. Every time you try to make a deal that books you for a speaking engagement, sells copies, secures a TV movie about your life, etc., the potential client is going to ask the question, “Have people heard about you?” It’s EXACTLY like the scene in the recent movie Little Miss Sunshine, in which Greg Kinnear’s book deal goes kaput because the publisher exclaims, “But nobody’s heard of you!”

LET ME ASK YA THIS…
Have people heard of you?

OK. Now that you understand the value of author platforms, let’s explore two well-known examples.

First, think about the most obvious example in the world: Oprah.

Personally, I’m not a diehard fan of The Big O, but you gotta admit, when she writes a book (or promotes someone else’s book, for that matter), BAM!! Millions of sales at the drop of a hat.

Now, does that happen because these particular books are “good”?

Maybe. But it probably has more to do with the power of her platform: TV show, magazine, radio show, reputation and Harpo Productions.

Another great example is Rachel Ray. How many cookbooks, DVD’s, appliances and other ancillary items do you think she sells each year?

According to a 2006 article in Business Week, about 40 gazillion bajillion.

OK, I might have exaggerated that number a bit. (I think it’s actually higher)

But why does she move so much product? Because her platform is strong. Really strong. Like, Schwarzenegger strong. Sure, she might be an annoying little troll, but you’ve to got to admit: she’s everywhere. TV shows, product endorsements, even her own magazine!

BUT, HERE’S THE CATCH-22…
In order to build a platform so you can get well known, you sort of have to BE well known already.

So, that’s your challenge. How will you get better known and known better?

Here’s a quick list of ways to start building your platform 2-day, 4-free:

• Blog every single day for six months
• Publish an ezine twice a month
• Give one free speech every week
• Publish articles regularly on www.ezinearticles.com
• Walk around conferences and events (filled with attendees who are your target readers) and hand out hundreds of free copies of your book to EVERYONE (This one works. I’ve done it many times!)

Look. I know you’re not Oprah. And I know you’re not Rachel Ray.

But nobody is! Those two women reside in the 0.01 percentile of authors whose platforms are so impossibly strong that they can sell millions and millions of books in short periods of time.

You and me, however, reside in that 99.9% of people who need work our butts creating, expanding and maintaining our platforms on a daily basis.

After all, that’s the single most important word in any author’s vocabulary.

LET ME ASK YA THIS…
How does the word “platform” apply to non-authors?

* * * *
Scott Ginsberg
Author/Speaker/That Guy with the Nametag
www.hellomynameisscott.com

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5 ways to punch your customers in the face

WARNING: This article does not encourage readers to actually punch their customers in the face.

Here’s what I mean…

In the process of breaking the silence, making the mundane memorable, turning strangers into friends, and turning friends into fans, you must IMMEDIATELY inform people of your credibility.

Get their attention quickly and blatantly. Like punching them in the face.

Here’s WHY I mean this.

We live in an untrusting culture. Customers and prospects are already skeptical before going to your site, reading your stuff or hearing you talk. You must disarm immediate preoccupation.

Everyone’s an expert. Or so it seems. And sometimes it’s hard to tell the gurus from the wannabe gurus. Which is why you must differentiate yourself.

More choices, less time. It’s the paradox of our generation. (It sucks, but it’s reality.) So, consider the fact that people form first impressions of you and your company within a few seconds.

Here are five situations in which you must punch people in the face with your credibility:

EXAMPLE 1: Websites
When someone comes to your homepage, what are you doing to project credibility within the first few seconds? Check out SNAP’s homepage. The first thing you see are the awards they’ve won. Nice.

EXAMPLE 2: Products
I believe in The Sticker Theory. By that I mean, “What little sticker could you put on the front of your product that enhances its value through increased credibility?” As seen on TV? Featured on Oprah’s book club?

EXAMPLE 3: Presentations
Within the first few minutes of your speech, sales presentation, etc., you need to prove your credibility to the audience so (a) you lay a foundation to validate future points, and (b) your audience listens to you. Remember, every presentation of some kind involves at least one person wondering, “What does this have to do with me?”

EXAMPLE 4: Bios
At the end of your articles or on your marketing materials, you probably have some sort of “bio.” And it’s usually short. What key words and phrases could you include? Have you been recognized as an expert? Worked in your industry for 30 years? Been inducted into the Million Dollar Club? Whatever it is, put it on there. For more ideas on this, check out The Dolly Parton Theory.

EXAMPLE 5: Entrances
Ever see that little Zagat sign in the window of a restaraunt? Or a CitySearch award on the wall of a club? Or the coveted 5-star award behind the concierge of a hotel? If so, you’ve just been punched in the face. Therefore, if you own a store, club, restaraunt, hotel or any other place of business that has a lobby or entryway, consider hangning “decorations of credibility” for all your customers to see!

NOTE: I’m not suggesting interruption marketing here. (If you read my recent post on that idea, you’ll see that’s not how I roll.)

This isn’t about annoying, abusing or assaulting customers. It’s about informing them of your credibility quickly, obviously and honestly so they feel more comfortable working with you in the future.

The thing is, in our fast paced, choice-saturated culture, sometimes you just gotta punch people in the face.

In an approachable way, of course 🙂

LET ME ASK YA THIS…
Are you punching customers in the face with your credibility?

LET ME SUGGEST THIS…
Email me ([email protected]) with a list of all the ways your company punches customers in the face with your credibility. I’ll compile them for a future article!

* * * *
Scott Ginsberg
Author/Speaker/That Guy with the Nametag
www.hellomynameisscott.com

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God bless Triple D’s

Potential customers, fans, friends, family members, audience members, readers of your material, website visitors, and pretty much anyone else that comes into contact with your business needs to know three things.

This is what I call “The Triple D Factor.” (And no, it has nothing to do with Dolly Parton.)

PEOPLE NEED TO KNOW WHAT YOU:

i. DO – for a living, as a professional, for companies, for customers. So, is your positioning statement clearly defined and posted where everyone can see it? And if a stranger asks your aunt Patty what you do for a living, will she do your business justice?

ii. DOING – right now, current news and projects, upcoming events. Do you have a calendar, rss feed or “upcoming events” section of your website and ezine? Are people anticipating your arrival?

iii. DONE – past clients, past successes, whom you worked with, how you helped them. How many testimonials do you have?

DO, DOING, DONE. Triple D’s. Got it? Good.

Happy Thanksgiving everybody! See ya next week.

LET ME ASK YA THIS…
How do you use the Triple D Factor?

* * * *
Scott Ginsberg
Author/Speaker/That Guy with the Nametag
www.hellomynameisscott.com

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So this is what happens when you’re not tainted by the corporate world…

Alright. Something weird is going on here.

In the past few weeks, I’ve had three different people make almost the exact same comment to me.

First it happened in Salt Lake City. I was recovering from a multi-speech day, resting in my hotel room, watching Anchorman. I checked the voicemail on my cell. It was from a strange guy named Mike. His message explained that he’d read my first book and would love to chat sometime.

Cool, I thought. And since I’d already seen Anchorman 73 times, I decided to return his call. A few minutes later, I dialed his number from my cell phone ID. He picked up and said hello.

“Hey Mike, it’s Scott, The Nametag Guy!”

“Really?” he asked, followed by a brief silence. “Oh. Hi. Wow, I…uh…really didn’t expect you to actually call me back.”

Hmmm…

And so I said to him (in slight confusion), “Mike, why wouldn’t I call you back?”

“I…I don’t know, I guess. I just didn’t expect it.”

We talked for a few minutes. Pretty cool guy, too. Turns out one of my newest clients was Mike’s former boss at the University of Delaware. Small world, huh?

Anyway, after I hung up, I sat there and wondered: Wait, why wouldn’t Mike expect me to call him back? Isn’t that what you do when you get a voicemail?

We’ll come back to that in a minute. Check out what happened the next day…

I got an email from a potential client who was interested in booking me for an upcoming conference. Excited about the opportunity to work together, I emailed her back two minutes later (like I usually do) with my fee schedule, program description and availability.

Sure enough, later on that afternoon, she wrote back to confirm the engagement! Excellent! I thought.

Then – and I kid you not – the exact words in the body of her email: “Wow, I can’t believe you actually emailed me right back! Are you sure you’re a speaker?”

Yes. She actually said that.

And again, I was thinking, But why wouldn’t she expect to get an email right back from me? Isn’t that what you do when a potential customer inquires about hiring you?

But wait. It gets better.

Last week I was working in Toledo at an entrepreneur conference. The night before my speech, I went out to dinner with my client and a few of her colleagues from the organization.

“Scott, meet Laura,” my client said, “She told me the two of you have already spoken, right?”

“Oh yeah, right. I remember! Nice to meet you in person Laura,” I said.

“You too Scott,” she said. “And by the way, I was really impressed that you actually picked up your cell phone when I called last week. I wasn’t expecting that!”

“Really? But why wouldn’t I pick up the phone?” I asked.

“Oh I don’t know, I…just…didn’t think you would.”

OK. Just stop right there. I gotta figure this out.

I pondered for a minute. Scratching my head like I’d been doing something wrong this whole time.

And then it hit me. Holy crap!

All of these people expect to be ignored because that’s the attitude they have developed after working in the corporate world.

The world of unreplied emails.
The world of unreturned phone calls.
The world of unapproachable professionals.

And I never worked in the corporate world. That’s why this is news to me. How am I supposed to know, right?

Never had a cubicle.
Never had an office.
Never had to fill out TPS reports.

See, I started my company right out of college. No experience. Fresh meat. Untainted by the cruel hands of the white-shirted, red-tied corporate drones a la Dilbert cartoons.

I guess I just don’t know any better.

And I say that in a good way.

See, I return calls and emails right away because, well, that just seems like the right way to do business.

Like the right way to treat people.

Like the same way I would treat my friends.

Like the same way I would want to be treated.

Now, maybe I’m naïve. Sure, I’m 26 years old. I don’t know much.

But I DO know that the one compliment I seem to get more than anything is, “Gosh Scott, you’re so easy to get a hold of!”

And the sad thing is: that should NOT have to be a compliment.

That should be standard operating procedure for all professionals, regardless of age, industry, annual income or job title.

Something weird is going on here. And I don’t think it’s just me.

Ain’t no hollaback girl? Not for this guy.

LET ME ASK YA THIS…
Have you ever “surprised” someone by being easily accessible?

LET ME SUGGEST THIS…
For one week, try returning calls and emails within five minutes of receiving them (if you don’t already). See what happens. I Triple Dog Dare you.

* * * *
Scott Ginsberg
Author/Speaker/That Guy with the Nametag
www.hellomynameisscott.com

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The Approachability of Web 2.0

It’s true: blogs, instant messaging, wikis, widgets, podcasts and the like are all contributing to a higher level of approachability on the internet.

This article from Brand Republic says, “It’s better to let users talk about you in a branded environment: A brand can gain so much in terms of the credibility it will receive by being approachable and having a human face rather than just communicating one way.”

<-----Look here. This is a Meebo Widget. It’s the coolest thing I’ve ever seen on the Internet.

Here’s how it works: click on the above image (or here) and you’ll be transfered to my website’s Contact page. This widget enables you to simply type a private message in the box below, and if I’m online, I will chat right back!

Unbelievable.

Here’s a toast to you, Web 2.0! (Holds up a glass of Crystal Light)

LET ME ASK YA THIS…
What’s your favorite part of Web 2.0?

LET ME SUGGEST THIS…
Get a Meebo Widget today. Start interacting with your customers. Let me know what happens.

* * * *
Scott Ginsberg
Author/Speaker/That Guy with the Nametag

Are you That Guy?
Find out in Scott’s latest book at www.hellomynameisscott.com

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Tag: approachability 2.0

OK, OK … I’m finally on Facebook

What’s your currency?

24 reasons why content is KING

Yeah, but is it worth getting spammed for?

The most important word in any author’s vocabulary is…

5 ways to punch your customers in the face

God bless Triple D’s

So this is what happens when you’re not tainted by the corporate world…

The Approachability of Web 2.0