A place to share thoughts and resources about E-Commerce.
Saturday, February 27, 2010
CIS191 Spring 2010 Comments here
To comment on the Social Networking Online Auction assignment simply add a comment to this post. Don't forget to cut and paste a copy on Blackboard for a grade.
27 comments:
Jesse Nathason
said...
I currently use Facebook, but I used to use Myspace. Myspace was a fun and interesting social networking site in the beginning. However, the customization of people's pages made loading pages slow, hard to read, and way too cluttered. I now only use Myspace to check out band's music.
I check and use Facebook constantly to connect with friends, share/view other people's content and keep updated with events I might like to attend. My initial move to Facebook was due to its more simplified interface and organized connections. However, as more applications are used on Facebook, I often get unwanted/irrelevant notices about friend's virtual pets or ranking in Facebook games.
However, Social Networking/Facebook is useful for a business. I have become a fan of various music/venue/event companies to keep updated on the events that they are throwing or hosting. The incentive is being able to get on free/discount guest-lists and links to advance ticket sales. Moreover, it centralizes a calendar for things I may want to attend.
For the sake of the final project- social networking could be used to update people interested in the product: when a new piece is created, when it will be shown at an art gallery or showcase event, and perhaps give insight/commentary to inquiring fans. This last part is crucial in maintain a "real connection" (as said by Seth) to make such social networking beneficial. Otherwise social networking is just "a giant cocktail party" where everyone pushes their own agenda but doesn't follow through to build a relationship that would enable one party to "go out of their way for."
Going back to my use of Facebook/Social Networking- With some of the businesses I am a fan of- they message they send, the enthusiasm and the follow up dialogue they provide- makes their use of Social Networking to be a positive one- because they have built some sort of connection with me.
Facebook is the only social networking site that I use on a regular basis. It is clean and simple, and I living 2000 miles from where I grew up it is a great way to keep in touch with family and friends.
I’ve noticed that some people advertise quite regularly on Facebook. Some have site specific pages and then you can become a friend or fan of their business. Others simply try to become your friend on Facebook that work with you in the same industry. I think this makes it difficult in some ways to advertise your business. What is said between me and my real friends is not always what I want customers and colleagues seeing. However, I also see the benefit in that it is a quick way to communicate and stay in touch. I believe this is why LinkedIn came in and created a site that is strictly business. This site is not very user friendly or dynamic and gets boring quickly.
I agree that having thousands of friends on Facebook does little good in the real world of business. Even something as simple as asking my friends to fill out a quick survey for a class was almost impossible. I have over 80 friends and only 2 responded after posting 7 times that I needed help with my school and that it would only take 10 minutes out of their day. If this is the help I get for this, what kind of business can really be done? I also agree with what he says about it being a gateway to interpersonal contact. This makes sense, and if it does help in this way, then social networking is not a complete loss in the business world.
Currently, I use Facebook and Twitter for personal networking. For professional networking – that is, networking relating to my writing and my writing site – I use LinkedIn, MySpace, Twitter, LiveJournal, and Scribd.
I’m still pretty new to the social networking scene. So it’s hard to say what I think of it. I was against MySpace and Twitter for a long time, because I didn’t think I needed them. I was fine with my Blogger blog and my YouTube account. But I got Twitter and MySpace because I knew to create a platform as a writer, I had to promote myself in any way possible, and as a reasonably knowledgable techie, I knew social networking was the way to go at the moment. While I’m still not used to the concept, I imagine with some playing around I’ll figure it out. I'm playing around with linking my networks and with using iPod touch apps to check my networks on the go.
I am still exploring how to use social networking to promote my business, so I'm not sure how I would use it yet. I suppose linking my networks, as aforesaid, would help promote it, as well as providing exclusive content on them, like deals on Twitter (a popular idea) or exclusive videos on MySpace.
I think Seth Godin's ideas are very valid. I watched the video and read the whole first page of his blog, and I agreed with a lot of the things he said. I even bookmarked his blog! One good thing he says in the last post on the first page is: "Of course, there's a different strategy, a crazy alternative that seems to work: do the most you can do instead of the least. Radically overdeliver. Turns out that this is a cheap and effective marketing technique." That reminds me of my current day job as a general merchandise clerk at Stater Bros. Markets, a privately owned supermarket chain. Service is a priority at my work. Anyone who works on the sales floor is expected, for instance, to follow the “3 Foot Rule,” which basically states that if you see a customer within 3 feet of you, you should acknowledge that customer and ask him or her if he or she needs any help. I generally try to follow this rule, even if the customer says he or she doesn’t need any help. I also try to generally acknowledge people when I encounter them, either on the floor or on the front end when I help bag groceries. Since I have an autistic spectrum disorder, a people-heavy environment is not really ideal for me, but I make it work.
Social networking for business should be used to create real relationships, according to Godin. As Godin says in the video: "Networking is always important when it's real and it's always a useless distraction when it's fake." I totally agree with that actually. He makes a good point when he says there is a lot of fake networking out there and people who are only concerned with popularity, like how many hits they get on their sites (something I’ve been guilty of, I’m afraid). When you really need these people, they may not be there for you. He talks about this on his blog also when he talks about viral marketing and comments that it’s better to have a small base of followers/friends and be expressing high-passalong ideas then to have a huge fanbase but ideas that die out fast. It might take longer for you to get popular, but soon enough you will overtake those huge-base people. I have worried about not getting a big online following right away, but reading that post made me think perhaps it is best, as in all areas of life, to work hard, be patient, and wait for success rather than to sell out for fast gain.
[Note: I originally wrote much more than this, but I had to cut it down in order to post it as a comment].
Historically, the intricacies of "people connections" have been hidden from our view. It has been said we are only several degrees (people connections) away from knowing rich or famous people. However, there is no clear map that delineates the connections that link us to others. And, knowing the rich and famous is interesting, but not always relevant to our daily lives. Having links to a connection who can provide a job lead or business opportunity is germane and of interest. Social networks ingeniously brought into the forefront and highlighted connections between people that can actually benefit us Professionally. The Social Network I use is LinkedIn. It’s a Professional network that allows me to stay connected with past managers, colleagues and employees. The site contributes to my profession by allowing me to establish and maintain key industry contacts. It’s not a distraction, as other Social Networks can be. According to Seth Godwin, “It is worthless to have lots of friends on Facebook, because most are really not your friends.” What does he mean? The internet can be a useless distraction when it is fake. What are the real relationships? Well, according to Seth, they can be established by meaningful connections with real people by exchanging worthwhile ideas… in short, connected by real, useful things. You earn the privilege of establishing a real connection over the internet by going out of the way for someone. You know you have a real connection if someone will go out of the way for you. I couldn’t agree more.
To an extent I do agree with Seth that social networking “connections” should ideally be worthwhile and not fake. Yet I also feel as though any type of association is better than none especially when it is free. I could see being a little more conscious of these connections if every twitter post or facebook friend cost money but they do not.
For example, ever since I opened a twitter account for my family business, our followers have been expanding every day at an exponential rate. I understand that for every 50 “fake” followers I am getting, maybe 10%(or even less) are actually worthwhile connections. Yet the way I see it is that these are still potential clients that I would not be connecting with if it were not for our twitter account. In as little as 30 seconds I can send out a twitter post to a thousand people which in turn may lead to one sale. I think that is something worth doing, especially when it is costing a small business , such as ours, nothing. Now expand that to 5,000,10,000, 20,000 followers-if I can get 1 customers to buy $100 worth of products every couple of days, I see it as very beneficial to a small business.
I do agree with Seth that the content in each post or email should be important in some way. I can not expect to send out a blank twitter post and get any type of worthwhile response no matter how many followers I have. I agree that an important message to a few people is more beneficial than an empty one to many.
I also believe that if your message is important enough, it doesn't hurt to send it to everyone in your twitter account- even if a high percentage may not be interested in it. In his blog Seth quotes, “...don't send everyone a message aimed at just a few people...” The way I see it is, if it is not costing me any more money, why not? The time and effort it would take me to figure out who is interested in what, I am just better off spending 30 seconds writing an important twitter post , sending it to everyone and dealing with the sale that was generated from that little post. Focused twitter posts are great in theory, but if I am spending 30 seconds writing 20 different post to 20 different groups who are interested in 20 different products, thats is a lot of time wasted-especially when only 1 sale is generated.
The only social networking site I use is Facebook, but extremely rarely. I used it to reconnect with some friends from college, but have not logged back in in months. I completely agree with Seth Godin commenting that "networking is always important when its real..." Most of Facebook is just something to pass the time or for people to say "Hey look at me!" For a business to make use of social networking, I feel it would be more of an introduction to the business, or designed to get name recognition. Social networking sites strike me more like 30 second commercials on TV designed to appeal to the masses. If you can use these sites to drive business to your online site, it is worth the effort. Seth Godin makes a valid point when speaking about developing a relationship through networking where someone would go out of their way to do something for somewhere else. Social networking has the potential to help solidify a business relationship through contact, but only if this contact and and communication is genuine.
Craigslist is a great way to advertise items for sale. A lot of people visit Craigslist to post an item or check for great deals. I have experience as a sales person working at a car Dealership; I know the prices at the dealerships as well as the owners that sell their car on the street. Since my husband lost his job we decided to invest our savings and buy cars on auto auctions or by owners. Then we make sure that the car is at its best, my husband does the tune-up and detailing. I post the cars for sale on Craigslist.
One of the advantages is that Craigslist is free you can have your post for a week. I had posted cars for sale at Auto Trader but their prices went up and now they don’t publish the magazine anymore. The Auto Trader magazine was a great tool do business because there are still some people that don’t know how to use a computer or the internet.
From my previous experience I noticed that every online business or classified have different visitors. The people that visit Craigslist most like it will visit Auto trader 60% less than craigslist and vice versa. E-bay is a great online Auction. If the seller is realistic and place an item at the right price he will get bidders and sell it at a great price. A lot of people that have great experiences buying or selling on E-bay will return and recommend the site.
Tips to post items for sale *must be in good conditions *Do a search and compare similar items before posting *price it at the right price *detail important information * Add images * include shipping fees if applicable. *be honest
If you are a seller you have to think as a buyer. What will you like to see, what information do you want? Etc.
I believe that I can benefit from every online auction or classified if I use it properly.
Craigslist is a great way to advertise items for sale. A lot of people visit Craigslist to post an item or check for great deals. I have experience as a sales person working at a car Dealership; I know the prices at the dealerships as well as the owners that sell their car on the street. Since my husband lost his job we decided to invest our savings and buy cars on auto auctions or by owners. Then we make sure that the car is at its best, my husband does the tune-up and detailing. I post the cars for sale on Craigslist.
One of the advantages is that Craigslist is free you can have your post for a week. I had posted cars for sale at Auto Trader but their prices went up and now they don’t publish the magazine anymore. The Auto Trader magazine was a great tool do business because there are still some people that don’t know how to use a computer or the internet.
From my previous experience I noticed that every online business or classified have different visitors. The people that visit Craigslist most like it will visit Auto trader 60% less than craigslist and vice versa. E-bay is a great online Auction. If the seller is realistic and place an item at the right price he will get bidders and sell it at a great price. A lot of people that have great experiences buying or selling on E-bay will return and recommend the site.
Tips to post items for sale *must be in good conditions *Do a search and compare similar items before posting *price it at the right price *detail important information * Add images * include shipping fees if applicable. *be honest
If you are a seller you have to think as a buyer. What will you like to see, what information do you want? Etc.
I believe that I can benefit from every online auction or classified if I use it properly.
Marjorie Stine Week 5 Assignment Most recently I have been visiting Facebook and LinkedIn. I see the benefit of these sites for personal use. On Facebook I am able to keep in touch with my nephew and I have been able to reconnect with friends that I had lost touch with. I use LinkedIn as I am currently looking for a job and I have been able to make some contacts via this site. What I don’t fully understand is how these sites are being used for business purposes, particularly large companies. I am hoping I will learn this in this class. I thought Seth’s comments in his video made a lot of sense. That the benefit is in real relationships. He indicated that he believes it is worthless to have lots of friends on Facebook if they aren’t real relationships. I liked the idea that the internet is like a giant cocktail party. I am looking forward to understanding how having a business presence on Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn etc. can sell products and services.
I think it is a good site for professional networking.
How could you use it for promoting your business?
I use it to keep people up-to-date on what I am doing and hope they will pass my info along if they know of someone who is looking for a designer.
Quoting at least two different comments from Seth's video and blog:
What do you think about his ideas?
If you are using social networking for professional networking, then I agree with Seth that quality of connections is more important than the quantity of connections.
What is the proper way to use Social Networking for business?
If you have announcements such as “specials”, “coupons”, or “new product” you would like to get out to your followers, then I think social networking could be beneficial.
As a social networker, I have used myspace.com, but now i currently use facebook.com, and also deviantart.com.
As i started out on a social networking site, I used myspace.com as it was one of the first i knew. As it grew, though, with the new customization of homepage, it became quite annoying to scan pages, and embedded music codes automatically playing would slow my computer. I then made the switch to Facebook.com for the clean site, and easy access. it is easy to set your privacy settings and it is easy to tell who is who ( a friend, a company, a band, etc.)
Deviantart.com is a different type of social networking site that I have been on for a while now. It is a community for artists to meet together and share their art. (photos, sculpture, paintings, digital art, of all kinds!) What attracted me to this site is all the variety and the availability. you can even sell your art on the site!
I think these social networking sites are great for joining together, and if you use it correctly you can even meet people and you could gain a benefit from eachother!
To promote your business on a social networking site, you would simply want to gain the trust of the people. If you were to search people who had posted similar interests than of your company, you have a match!
"having a hundred friends on facebook means nothing" i do not agree with this statement by seth. That is, if you choose your friends correctly, it could be a benefit to you. "create friendships that are willing to do something for you" businesses can create relationships with clients over the internet, giving a more personalized approach. you need to "exchange worth wile ideas" to use networking to its fullest potential. real networking, not 'fake' networking, in order for these to translate.
I am currently not a registered user or regular visitor to any social networking sites. As it stands, my opinion regarding social networking on the internet runs counter to the majority. There has been a trend towards increasingly expedient means of communication since, I would suspect, even before the invention of written words when a messenger traveled on foot over long distances bearing information. During the last century, our progress in this endeavor was nothing short of astonishing. However, I believe we have finally crossed the line. Every new medium and technology carries the potential to further the enlightenment of our species, but no great prize comes without an associated cost. And the cost we are paying as a society in order to stay completely connected at any given moment is our ability to communicate. Ironic, is it not? Gone are the days of penmanship and correspondence, when every sentence carried weight and meaning. Seth Godin has written about the “five pillars of social media site success and why people choose to visit online social sites” as being dependent on these five questions and statements. “who likes me? Is everything okay? How can I become popular? What’s new? I’m bored, let’s make some noise.” An in depth analysis of this statement is beyond the scope of this assignment, but it should suffice to say that they would describe someone very shallow indeed. In spite of my own personal judgment, I will allow myself to admit that social networking does possess an intrinsic value for those who would genuinely be cut off from communicating with distant friends and loved ones. According to Godin’s article “Brands, social clutter, and the sundae” businesses still have a long way to go before they begin to successfully utilize social networks. If their attempts to pitch product at the mass of people most susceptible to consumption and advertising overdose fail; maybe they should take a hint.
I have never been a big fan of the social networking sites as I have always thought of them as a big waste of time, reserved for those who had the time to spare (and the whole twittering thing I thought could be even more ridiculous, just see Conan O’brien’s skit on twitter tracker: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KZGSc41jqfs ). I already have too many things wasting my time so I never really got into it. With already not enough time on my hands the idea of spending this time on the computer only meant more time away from other things I consider more important.
But now, with everybody’s time being such a commodity and the fact that it is becoming harder and harder to stay connected with friends and family, I am starting to warm up to the idea of these sites. My wife spends some time on these sites and now she is the one that keeps me informed on what some of my long distance friends are up to! It seems like it may be a kind of nice way of staying in touch with those that you may otherwise lose connection with.
In using it for business I would think it would come in handy in just letting your social network know what you are up to. Your family and good friends may be your greatest ally in spreading the word about your venture. If they are true they will support you in any way they can and they would offer anything they could to help you succeed (the same as you would for them). I would also consider having a separate account for my business connections and my friend/family connections as I would like to keep formal relationships from mixing with the informal. I would just rather not have to deal with any repercussions that may occur from this co-mingling. I thought the best idea I took from Seth Godin’s video on social networking was that the connections you have on these sites are only worth as much as you put into them. You should give more weight to quality over quantity. I really connected with many of Seth’s ideas on his blog. There were many useful nuggets of insight that will help yourself get out of your own way so to speak. I particularly liked his perspective on genius, “Genius is the act of solving a problem in a way no one has solved it before. It has nothing to do with winning a Nobel prize in physics or certain levels of schooling. It's about using human insight and initiative to find original solutions that matter.” I also enjoyed his thoughts on the greatest marketing strategy struggle of our time: “Should your product or service be very good, meet spec and be beyond reproach or... should it be a remarkable, memorable, over the top, a tell-your-friends event?” If you try to compromise for both types of customers you’ll find that you won’t be able to please either of them.
I first used eBay, Amazon, Overstock and Craigslist out of economic necessity, but eventually got comfortable with them.
Ebay has a vast product offering and initially makes it exciting to bid and hope for success. As a newbie, however, I don't know the inside track on how to win and eventually, bidding becomes off-putting. Also, recent reports of illicit auctions and an eBay online retail scheme has forced me to now avoid eBay.
I still use Amazon for low-priced items like used books. But I research the seller and buyer feedback first. Then, knowing I'll get an e-mail notification (verifying that I bought something) at the end, a customer number for tracking and even follow-up a few days later saying the product has been sent, creates company/customer trust and credibility for me.
As far as Overstock, I think the design best helps the user navigate the site. Shopping seems seamless from beginning to end.
Amazingly, both eBay and Overstock sell real estate. When did that happen?
Craigslist, probably the most popular online marketplace, requires strategy and an understanding of its advertising rules. Advertisers can't over-pose, for example.But being able to promote an eBay store or franchise operation is worth the jumping through Craigslist ad hoops.
I'm not sure which, or if any of my aforementioned sites would be a good fit for an online greeting-card business. My goal is to increase my customer base, and in turn, generate revenue and visibility. I guess I would try eBay and Craigslist for sheer viewership.
I visit Facebook and Flickr. Facebook is a sort of conversational in a selective ,detached superficial way. Flickr to me is more visual, it is a photo archiving communication site. Maybe I like to look at more pictures.
As a business related sites one could use the eyeball maxim , that’s get as many eyeballs as possible and your chances of good contacts and or sales increases. It may have value with that angle.
For my business I would use Facebook or Flickr as a reinforcement link.
Seth Godin has it right. “networking is useless when fake and real when you earn it as an exchange.” I do like his ideas, most of Facebook does seem superficial to me but also harmless. Reminds me of an Andy Warhol Quote, “I am a deeply superficial person.”
So the better way to use social networking would be to build more meaningful relationships thru a Facebook or better yet through more personal contact facebook on not.
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Farzeen Khan ..... Assignment 5 Which Online Auctions, Stores or Classifieds do you visit/use?
My favourite online websites to buy stuff are Ebay, Amazon and Craig's List. Each one of these websites are unique. Ebay has a broad variety of items to sell or buy. You just have to "google" it. I am amazed that literally anything can be sold on this site. You look for land, or lobster, its on Ebay! Amazon is the next choice mainly for books but what I really like is that you can read reviews about these books and conclude what you would end up buying. Craig's List is another cool site I prefer for local vendors and sale items.
I think Ebay would be useful for selling retail which is not too cheap such as a pencil or a single stamp. But then an antique item could sell for a lot more on this site. I would recommend the Featured Plus option if the product is top of the list item in Ebay sale items. I am not too sure about purchasing the keyword items, but adding a picture of the sale item, bolding the auction title, and adding links to my own website are some of the initial things I would start with. paying keen attention to details and error free listings would be make better sales and I would also follow the instructions that were listed in the article selling Tips for online auctions. Craigs List can be used for local advertizing, it is free of cost, and people find it instantly. I have used it to market copies cheaper than Staples etc and also have advertized for job recruiting.
Farzeen Khan ..... Assignment 5 Which Online Auctions, Stores or Classifieds do you visit/use?
My favourite online websites to buy stuff are Ebay, Amazon and Craig's List. Each one of these websites are unique. Ebay has a broad variety of items to sell or buy. You just have to "google" it. I am amazed that literally anything can be sold on this site. You look for land, or lobster, its on Ebay! Amazon is the next choice mainly for books but what I really like is that you can read reviews about these books and conclude what you would end up buying. Craig's List is another cool site I prefer for local vendors and sale items.
I think Ebay would be useful for selling retail which is not too cheap such as a pencil or a single stamp. But then an antique item could sell for a lot more on this site. I would recommend the Featured Plus option if the product is top of the list item in Ebay sale items. I am not too sure about purchasing the keyword items, but adding a picture of the sale item, bolding the auction title, and adding links to my own website are some of the initial things I would start with. paying keen attention to details and error free listings would be make better sales and I would also follow the instructions that were listed in the article selling Tips for online auctions. Craigs List can be used for local advertizing, it is free of cost, and people find it instantly. I have used it to market copies cheaper than Staples etc and also have advertized for job recruiting.
•Which Online Auctions, Stores or Classifieds do you visit/use? I use eBay on a regular basis •What do you think about it them? I think sites like Amazon and eBay provide the best customer and seller protection compared to other sites like Craig’s list. •How could you use these sites for your business? Selling items on any of these sites would allow me to expand my business to a broader range of clients. Marketing on some of these sites is inexpensive and attracts a broad range of customers. •Which specific marketing tips for EBay, Amazon and Craigslist do you feel are important? Explain why. The best tip is creating a gallery of your products of because people are visual and seeing a picture of the actual item you are selling or how your services can help them will increase the chances of them choosing you over the competition.
The 2nd marketing tip is to visually make your add stand out either by using color or bold lettering. People are drawn to what stand out therefore just by ‘sticking out’ you are more likely to be noticed.
The 3rd marketing tip is to have your own website. Using a site like eBay to draw buyers to your site is a great way to expand a business.
I'm a big fan of Craigslist because whenever I need to buy something I ask myself if I can find the same item used for a better price. You still have to do your own research before you commit to buying because alot of times the description are not 100% accurate.
Websites like Craigslist and others that offer free classifieds can be life changing technologies for someone starting a new business. I generate 20% of my income from customers looking for my services through craigslist. I'm also interested in learning how to advertise on sites like yelp and kudzu.
You can create an extremely successful Advertising campaign at no cost other then your time and effort.
I think adding photos to any online business venture is vitally important for attracting customers. Also making your marketing adds very concise and to the point will cause people to make a more educated decision.
I have visited Amazon and Craigslist, but I have only used Craigslist. I think that both are very interesting sites. I often visit them to compare the price of buying a used item instead of a new one and to find out if there is a large market for the item I am interested in purchasing. I could use Craigslist to advertise my business services and aslo to create a link to my business website. I think that one of the most important marketing tips is the use of photos when posting to these sites. If you add a photo to your posts on Craigslist it will generate much more interest than a text only post. I know this because I will often skip over posts that do not provide photographs.
I use Craigslist. I love Craigslist because the format has changed very little since it first started and it’s easy to use. It’s a great way to find jobs, sell things, meet people and discuss topics in forums, and it’s free! I could use Craigslist for finding employee’s if I need them. I could also use it as a way to sell certain goods across a few local counties. For Craigslist, I think it is important to post every few days so that you stay on the first few pages of the search. Craigslist allows you to repost but not abuse the site. I think it also builds trust and confidence with potential customers if you show you can use the site effectively and appropriately.
I use Craigslist for both buying and selling items. They are very simple to use and seem to be the best way to both find local items of want or need and to sell larger items locally to avoid shipping or transport. I can use Craigslist as a supplemental means to attract customers to my website by setting up an ad weekly that link people who search for my product to my website. I think it is important in any ad to include as much information about the product as possible. This will allow the search customer to be able to not only find your item in a search, but be able to clarify and questions they may have specifically about the product. Pictures are also important for this reason.
I use Facebook, Blogspot, and Myspace on a regular basis. Myspace is strictly for music while blogspot is for music promotion stuff. On Facebook I mostly use it for social reasons, however I do use it for music at as well with the band pages. I think Facebook is the most prevalent, Myspace used to be a social networking site, but it became too cluttered with promotions so now everyone uses Facebook to interact with friends. On the other hand Myspace gets the most music plays as a website so as a webpage it works well except for when it comes to interacting with fans. Facebook works well because everyone is on Facebook, this could help my business by getting as many people to like the page as possible. The tricky part is getting people to make the action though. When it comes Myspace it simply functions well as an online presskit. Also you could put links to your business’s main website on each of these different social nerworking sites. “Productivity comes from interactivity and the exchange of ideas and talents.” This quote applies itself in my business by stating that interacting with fans is the best way to move forward. You could have a wonderful page, but if you don’t interact with customers than you’ll get little done. In Social Networking you have the opportunity to communicate with so many people therefore they are within your arms reach to ask for help with their idea or talent.
“Marketers can't do their jobs without understanding what a prospect wants, talks about or is interested in. And managers (and leaders) are ineffective when they're unable to imagine life through someone else's eyes.”
I believe that he is trying to tell people to analyze their market before taking action. It is also important to take the viewpoint of a consumer when it comes to your web design and promotion within Social Networks. I wouldn’t reply to a random myspace message, so why would I send them out to customers.
I use Facebook as a social networking site. I used to use Myspace but it just got played out. I assume because of all the ads.
Facebook is a great tool to stay in touch and connect with others. Information about my business is very accessible to anyone. I can now have my own domain and put the address on a business card, completely free of cost.
"The challenge is to be edgy and remarkable and to have the market move its center to you." This is a great metaphorical statement. Basically, he means make your ideas or business the current fad. If you create the trend, then you really have no competition.
"Unskilled now means not-specially skilled." This quote is interesting to me. He means workers cannot expect more pay without having special skill like that of a surgeon, programer, etc.
These are both great statements and they deliver the brutal honest truth. Your business should always be seeking new technologies, innovations, etc. If we can succeed in this aspect we can create the popular trend. And, if you don't carry a skill in which the general public are in need of.....well, your out of luck and it's time you learn a skill or trait of some kind.
I'm not sure exactly why but this weblog is loading very slow for me. Is anyone else having this issue or is it a issue on my end? I'll check back later and see if the problem still exists.
I every time used to study piece of writing in news papers but now as I am a user of web thus from now I am using net for articles or reviews, thanks to web.
27 comments:
I currently use Facebook, but I used to use Myspace. Myspace was a fun and interesting social networking site in the beginning. However, the customization of people's pages made loading pages slow, hard to read, and way too cluttered. I now only use Myspace to check out band's music.
I check and use Facebook constantly to connect with friends, share/view other people's content and keep updated with events I might like to attend. My initial move to Facebook was due to its more simplified interface and organized connections. However, as more applications are used on Facebook, I often get unwanted/irrelevant notices about friend's virtual pets or ranking in Facebook games.
However, Social Networking/Facebook is useful for a business. I have become a fan of various music/venue/event companies to keep updated on the events that they are throwing or hosting. The incentive is being able to get on free/discount guest-lists and links to advance ticket sales. Moreover, it centralizes a calendar for things I may want to attend.
For the sake of the final project- social networking could be used to update people interested in the product: when a new piece is created, when it will be shown at an art gallery or showcase event, and perhaps give insight/commentary to inquiring fans. This last part is crucial in maintain a "real connection" (as said by Seth) to make such social networking beneficial. Otherwise social networking is just "a giant cocktail party" where everyone pushes their own agenda but doesn't follow through to build a relationship that would enable one party to "go out of their way for."
Going back to my use of Facebook/Social Networking- With some of the businesses I am a fan of- they message they send, the enthusiasm and the follow up dialogue they provide- makes their use of Social Networking to be a positive one- because they have built some sort of connection with me.
Facebook is the only social networking site that I use on a regular basis. It is clean and simple, and I living 2000 miles from where I grew up it is a great way to keep in touch with family and friends.
I’ve noticed that some people advertise quite regularly on Facebook. Some have site specific pages and then you can become a friend or fan of their business. Others simply try to become your friend on Facebook that work with you in the same industry. I think this makes it difficult in some ways to advertise your business. What is said between me and my real friends is not always what I want customers and colleagues seeing. However, I also see the benefit in that it is a quick way to communicate and stay in touch. I believe this is why LinkedIn came in and created a site that is strictly business. This site is not very user friendly or dynamic and gets boring quickly.
I agree that having thousands of friends on Facebook does little good in the real world of business. Even something as simple as asking my friends to fill out a quick survey for a class was almost impossible. I have over 80 friends and only 2 responded after posting 7 times that I needed help with my school and that it would only take 10 minutes out of their day. If this is the help I get for this, what kind of business can really be done? I also agree with what he says about it being a gateway to interpersonal contact. This makes sense, and if it does help in this way, then social networking is not a complete loss in the business world.
Currently, I use Facebook and Twitter for personal networking. For professional networking – that is, networking relating to my writing and my writing site – I use LinkedIn, MySpace, Twitter, LiveJournal, and Scribd.
I’m still pretty new to the social networking scene. So it’s hard to say what I think of it. I was against MySpace and Twitter for a long time, because I didn’t think I needed them. I was fine with my Blogger blog and my YouTube account. But I got Twitter and MySpace because I knew to create a platform as a writer, I had to promote myself in any way possible, and as a reasonably knowledgable techie, I knew social networking was the way to go at the moment. While I’m still not used to the concept, I imagine with some playing around I’ll figure it out. I'm playing around with linking my networks and with using iPod touch apps to check my networks on the go.
I am still exploring how to use social networking to promote my business, so I'm not sure how I would use it yet. I suppose linking my networks, as aforesaid, would help promote it, as well as providing exclusive content on them, like deals on Twitter (a popular idea) or exclusive videos on MySpace.
I think Seth Godin's ideas are very valid. I watched the video and read the whole first page of his blog, and I agreed with a lot of the things he said. I even bookmarked his blog! One good thing he says in the last post on the first page is: "Of course, there's a different strategy, a crazy alternative that seems to work: do the most you can do instead of the least. Radically overdeliver. Turns out that this is a cheap and effective marketing technique." That reminds me of my current day job as a general merchandise clerk at Stater Bros. Markets, a privately owned supermarket chain. Service is a priority at my work. Anyone who works on the sales floor is expected, for instance, to follow the “3 Foot Rule,” which basically states that if you see a customer within 3 feet of you, you should acknowledge that customer and ask him or her if he or she needs any help. I generally try to follow this rule, even if the customer says he or she doesn’t need any help. I also try to generally acknowledge people when I encounter them, either on the floor or on the front end when I help bag groceries. Since I have an autistic spectrum disorder, a people-heavy environment is not really ideal for me, but I make it work.
Social networking for business should be used to create real relationships, according to Godin. As Godin says in the video: "Networking is always important when it's real and it's always a useless distraction when it's fake." I totally agree with that actually. He makes a good point when he says there is a lot of fake networking out there and people who are only concerned with popularity, like how many hits they get on their sites (something I’ve been guilty of, I’m afraid). When you really need these people, they may not be there for you. He talks about this on his blog also when he talks about viral marketing and comments that it’s better to have a small base of followers/friends and be expressing high-passalong ideas then to have a huge fanbase but ideas that die out fast. It might take longer for you to get popular, but soon enough you will overtake those huge-base people. I have worried about not getting a big online following right away, but reading that post made me think perhaps it is best, as in all areas of life, to work hard, be patient, and wait for success rather than to sell out for fast gain.
[Note: I originally wrote much more than this, but I had to cut it down in order to post it as a comment].
Social Networks
Historically, the intricacies of "people connections" have been hidden from our view. It has been said we are only several degrees (people connections) away from knowing rich or famous people. However, there is no clear map that delineates the connections that link us to others. And, knowing the rich and famous is interesting, but not always relevant to our daily lives. Having links to a connection who can provide a job lead or business opportunity is germane and of interest.
Social networks ingeniously brought into the forefront and highlighted connections between people that can actually benefit us Professionally.
The Social Network I use is LinkedIn. It’s a Professional network that allows me to stay connected with past managers, colleagues and employees. The site contributes to my profession by allowing me to establish and maintain key industry contacts. It’s not a distraction, as other Social Networks can be. According to Seth Godwin, “It is worthless to have lots of friends on Facebook, because most are really not your friends.” What does he mean? The internet can be a useless distraction when it is fake. What are the real relationships? Well, according to Seth, they can be established by meaningful connections with real people by exchanging worthwhile ideas… in short, connected by real, useful things.
You earn the privilege of establishing a real connection over the internet by going out of the way for someone. You know you have a real connection if someone will go out of the way for you. I couldn’t agree more.
To an extent I do agree with Seth that social networking “connections” should ideally be worthwhile and not fake. Yet I also feel as though any type of association is better than none especially when it is free. I could see being a little more conscious of these connections if every twitter post or facebook friend cost money but they do not.
For example, ever since I opened a twitter account for my family business, our followers have been expanding every day at an exponential rate. I understand that for every 50 “fake” followers I am getting, maybe 10%(or even less) are actually worthwhile connections. Yet the way I see it is that these are still potential clients that I would not be connecting with if it were not for our twitter account. In as little as 30 seconds I can send out a twitter post to a thousand people which in turn may lead to one sale. I think that is something worth doing, especially when it is costing a small business , such as ours, nothing. Now expand that to 5,000,10,000, 20,000 followers-if I can get 1 customers to buy $100 worth of products every couple of days, I see it as very beneficial to a small business.
I do agree with Seth that the content in each post or email should be important in some way. I can not expect to send out a blank twitter post and get any type of worthwhile response no matter how many followers I have. I agree that an important message to a few people is more beneficial than an empty one to many.
I also believe that if your message is important enough, it doesn't hurt to send it to everyone in your twitter account- even if a high percentage may not be interested in it. In his blog Seth quotes, “...don't send everyone a message aimed at just a few people...” The way I see it is, if it is not costing me any more money, why not? The time and effort it would take me to figure out who is interested in what, I am just better off spending 30 seconds writing an important twitter post , sending it to everyone and dealing with the sale that was generated from that little post. Focused twitter posts are great in theory, but if I am spending 30 seconds writing 20 different post to 20 different groups who are interested in 20 different products, thats is a lot of time wasted-especially when only 1 sale is generated.
The only social networking site I use is Facebook, but extremely rarely. I used it to reconnect with some friends from college, but have not logged back in in months. I completely agree with Seth Godin commenting that "networking is always important when its real..." Most of Facebook is just something to pass the time or for people to say "Hey look at me!" For a business to make use of social networking, I feel it would be more of an introduction to the business, or designed to get name recognition. Social networking sites strike me more like 30 second commercials on TV designed to appeal to the masses. If you can use these sites to drive business to your online site, it is worth the effort.
Seth Godin makes a valid point when speaking about developing a relationship through networking where someone would go out of their way to do something for somewhere else. Social networking has the potential to help solidify a business relationship through contact, but only if this contact and and communication is genuine.
Online Auctions, Stores and Classifieds
Craigslist is a great way to advertise items for sale. A lot of people visit Craigslist to post an item or check for great deals. I have experience as a sales person working at a car Dealership; I know the prices at the dealerships as well as the owners that sell their car on the street. Since my husband lost his job we decided to invest our savings and buy cars on auto auctions or by owners. Then we make sure that the car is at its best, my husband does the tune-up and detailing. I post the cars for sale on Craigslist.
One of the advantages is that Craigslist is free you can have your post for a week. I had posted cars for sale at Auto Trader but their prices went up and now they don’t publish the magazine anymore. The Auto Trader magazine was a great tool do business because there are still some people that don’t know how to use a computer or the internet.
From my previous experience I noticed that every online business or classified have different visitors. The people that visit Craigslist most like it will visit Auto trader 60% less than craigslist and vice versa.
E-bay is a great online Auction. If the seller is realistic and place an item at the right price he will get bidders and sell it at a great price. A lot of people that have great experiences buying or selling on E-bay will return and recommend the site.
Tips to post items for sale
*must be in good conditions
*Do a search and compare similar items before posting
*price it at the right price
*detail important information
* Add images
* include shipping fees if applicable.
*be honest
If you are a seller you have to think as a buyer. What will you like to see, what information do you want? Etc.
I believe that I can benefit from every online auction or classified if I use it properly.
Online Auctions, Stores and Classifieds
Craigslist is a great way to advertise items for sale. A lot of people visit Craigslist to post an item or check for great deals. I have experience as a sales person working at a car Dealership; I know the prices at the dealerships as well as the owners that sell their car on the street. Since my husband lost his job we decided to invest our savings and buy cars on auto auctions or by owners. Then we make sure that the car is at its best, my husband does the tune-up and detailing. I post the cars for sale on Craigslist.
One of the advantages is that Craigslist is free you can have your post for a week. I had posted cars for sale at Auto Trader but their prices went up and now they don’t publish the magazine anymore. The Auto Trader magazine was a great tool do business because there are still some people that don’t know how to use a computer or the internet.
From my previous experience I noticed that every online business or classified have different visitors. The people that visit Craigslist most like it will visit Auto trader 60% less than craigslist and vice versa.
E-bay is a great online Auction. If the seller is realistic and place an item at the right price he will get bidders and sell it at a great price. A lot of people that have great experiences buying or selling on E-bay will return and recommend the site.
Tips to post items for sale
*must be in good conditions
*Do a search and compare similar items before posting
*price it at the right price
*detail important information
* Add images
* include shipping fees if applicable.
*be honest
If you are a seller you have to think as a buyer. What will you like to see, what information do you want? Etc.
I believe that I can benefit from every online auction or classified if I use it properly.
February 28, 2010 12:03 AM
Marjorie Stine Week 5 Assignment
Most recently I have been visiting Facebook and LinkedIn. I see the benefit of these sites for personal use. On Facebook I am able to keep in touch with my nephew and I have been able to reconnect with friends that I had lost touch with. I use LinkedIn as I am currently looking for a job and I have been able to make some contacts via this site. What I don’t fully understand is how these sites are being used for business purposes, particularly large companies. I am hoping I will learn this in this class. I thought Seth’s comments in his video made a lot of sense. That the benefit is in real relationships. He indicated that he believes it is worthless to have lots of friends on Facebook if they aren’t real relationships. I liked the idea that the internet is like a giant cocktail party. I am looking forward to understanding how having a business presence on Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn etc. can sell products and services.
What Social Networking sites do you visit/use?
www.linkedin.com
What do you think about it?
I think it is a good site for professional networking.
How could you use it for promoting your business?
I use it to keep people up-to-date on what I am doing and hope they will pass my info along if they know of someone who is looking for a designer.
Quoting at least two different comments from Seth's video and blog:
What do you think about his ideas?
If you are using social networking for professional networking, then I agree with Seth that quality of connections is more important than the quantity of connections.
What is the proper way to use Social Networking for business?
If you have announcements such as “specials”, “coupons”, or “new product” you would like to get out to your followers, then I think social networking could be beneficial.
As a social networker, I have used myspace.com, but now i currently use facebook.com, and also deviantart.com.
As i started out on a social networking site, I used myspace.com as it was one of the first i knew. As it grew, though, with the new customization of homepage, it became quite annoying to scan pages, and embedded music codes automatically playing would slow my computer.
I then made the switch to Facebook.com for the clean site, and easy access. it is easy to set your privacy settings and it is easy to tell who is who ( a friend, a company, a band, etc.)
Deviantart.com is a different type of social networking site that I have been on for a while now. It is a community for artists to meet together and share their art. (photos, sculpture, paintings, digital art, of all kinds!) What attracted me to this site is all the variety and the availability. you can even sell your art on the site!
I think these social networking sites are great for joining together, and if you use it correctly you can even meet people and you could gain a benefit from eachother!
To promote your business on a social networking site, you would simply want to gain the trust of the people. If you were to search people who had posted similar interests than of your company, you have a match!
"having a hundred friends on facebook means nothing" i do not agree with this statement by seth. That is, if you choose your friends correctly, it could be a benefit to you.
"create friendships that are willing to do something for you" businesses can create relationships with clients over the internet, giving a more personalized approach. you need to "exchange worth wile ideas" to use networking to its fullest potential. real networking, not 'fake' networking, in order for these to translate.
I am currently not a registered user or regular visitor to any social networking sites. As it stands, my opinion regarding social networking on the internet runs counter to the majority. There has been a trend towards increasingly expedient means of communication since, I would suspect, even before the invention of written words when a messenger traveled on foot over long distances bearing information. During the last century, our progress in this endeavor was nothing short of astonishing. However, I believe we have finally crossed the line. Every new medium and technology carries the potential to further the enlightenment of our species, but no great prize comes without an associated cost. And the cost we are paying as a society in order to stay completely connected at any given moment is our ability to communicate. Ironic, is it not? Gone are the days of penmanship and correspondence, when every sentence carried weight and meaning. Seth Godin has written about the “five pillars of social media site success and why people choose to visit online social sites” as being dependent on these five questions and statements. “who likes me? Is everything okay? How can I become popular? What’s new? I’m bored, let’s make some noise.” An in depth analysis of this statement is beyond the scope of this assignment, but it should suffice to say that they would describe someone very shallow indeed. In spite of my own personal judgment, I will allow myself to admit that social networking does possess an intrinsic value for those who would genuinely be cut off from communicating with distant friends and loved ones. According to Godin’s article “Brands, social clutter, and the sundae” businesses still have a long way to go before they begin to successfully utilize social networks. If their attempts to pitch product at the mass of people most susceptible to consumption and advertising overdose fail; maybe they should take a hint.
I have never been a big fan of the social networking sites as I have always thought of them as a big waste of time, reserved for those who had the time to spare (and the whole twittering thing I thought could be even more ridiculous, just see Conan O’brien’s skit on twitter tracker: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KZGSc41jqfs ). I already have too many things wasting my time so I never really got into it. With already not enough time on my hands the idea of spending this time on the computer only meant more time away from other things I consider more important.
But now, with everybody’s time being such a commodity and the fact that it is becoming harder and harder to stay connected with friends and family, I am starting to warm up to the idea of these sites. My wife spends some time on these sites and now she is the one that keeps me informed on what some of my long distance friends are up to! It seems like it may be a kind of nice way of staying in touch with those that you may otherwise lose connection with.
In using it for business I would think it would come in handy in just letting your social network know what you are up to. Your family and good friends may be your greatest ally in spreading the word about your venture. If they are true they will support you in any way they can and they would offer anything they could to help you succeed (the same as you would for them). I would also consider having a separate account for my business connections and my friend/family connections as I would like to keep formal relationships from mixing with the informal. I would just rather not have to deal with any repercussions that may occur from this co-mingling.
I thought the best idea I took from Seth Godin’s video on social networking was that the connections you have on these sites are only worth as much as you put into them. You should give more weight to quality over quantity. I really connected with many of Seth’s ideas on his blog. There were many useful nuggets of insight that will help yourself get out of your own way so to speak. I particularly liked his perspective on genius, “Genius is the act of solving a problem in a way no one has solved it before. It has nothing to do with winning a Nobel prize in physics or certain levels of schooling. It's about using human insight and initiative to find original solutions that matter.” I also enjoyed his thoughts on the greatest marketing strategy struggle of our time: “Should your product or service be very good, meet spec and be beyond reproach or... should it be a remarkable, memorable, over the top, a tell-your-friends event?” If you try to compromise for both types of customers you’ll find that you won’t be able to please either of them.
Online Auctions, Stores and Classifieds
Week 5
I first used eBay, Amazon, Overstock and Craigslist out of economic necessity, but eventually got comfortable with them.
Ebay has a vast product offering and initially makes it exciting to bid and hope for success. As a newbie, however, I don't know the inside track on how to win and eventually, bidding becomes off-putting. Also, recent reports of illicit auctions and an eBay online retail scheme has forced me to now avoid eBay.
I still use Amazon for low-priced items like used books. But I research the seller and buyer feedback first. Then, knowing I'll get an e-mail notification (verifying that I bought something) at the end, a customer number for tracking and even follow-up a few days later saying the product has been sent, creates company/customer trust and credibility for me.
As far as Overstock, I think the design best helps the user navigate the site. Shopping seems seamless from beginning to end.
Amazingly, both eBay and Overstock sell real estate. When did that happen?
Craigslist, probably the most popular online marketplace, requires strategy and an understanding of its advertising rules. Advertisers can't over-pose, for example.But being able to promote an eBay store or franchise operation is worth the jumping through Craigslist ad hoops.
I'm not sure which, or if any of my aforementioned sites would be a good fit for an online greeting-card business. My goal is to increase my customer base, and in turn, generate revenue and visibility. I guess I would try eBay and Craigslist for sheer viewership.
Week 5 Assignments: Social Networking
I visit Facebook and Flickr. Facebook is a sort of conversational in a selective ,detached superficial way. Flickr to me is more visual, it is a photo archiving communication site. Maybe I like to look at more pictures.
As a business related sites one could use the eyeball maxim , that’s get as many eyeballs as possible and your chances of good contacts and or sales increases. It may have value with that angle.
For my business I would use Facebook or Flickr as a reinforcement link.
Seth Godin has it right. “networking is useless when fake and real when you earn it as an exchange.”
I do like his ideas, most of Facebook does seem superficial to me but also harmless. Reminds me of an Andy Warhol Quote,
“I am a deeply superficial person.”
So the better way to use social networking would be to build more meaningful relationships thru a Facebook or better yet through more personal contact facebook on not.
Jim Hornung
Glad to greet you, ladies and gentlemen!
Sure, you’ve heard about me, because my fame is running in front of me,
my parents call me James F. Collins.
Generally I’m a venturesome gambler. all my life I’m carried away by online-casino and poker.
Not long time ago I started my own blog, where I describe my virtual adventures.
Probably, it will be interesting for you to read my notes.
Please visit my web site. http://allbestcasino.com I’ll be interested on your opinion..
Farzeen Khan ..... Assignment 5
Which Online Auctions, Stores or Classifieds do you visit/use?
My favourite online websites to buy stuff are Ebay, Amazon and Craig's List. Each one of these websites are unique. Ebay has a broad variety of items to sell or buy. You just have to "google" it. I am amazed that literally anything can be sold on this site. You look for land, or lobster, its on Ebay!
Amazon is the next choice mainly for books but what I really like is that you can read reviews about these books and conclude what you would end up buying.
Craig's List is another cool site I prefer for local vendors and sale items.
I think Ebay would be useful for selling retail which is not too cheap such as a pencil or a single stamp. But then an antique item could sell for a lot more on this site. I would recommend the Featured Plus option if the product is top of the list item in Ebay sale items. I am not too sure about purchasing the keyword items, but adding a picture of the sale item, bolding the auction title, and adding links to my own website are some of the initial things I would start with. paying keen attention to details and error free listings would be make better sales and I would also follow the instructions that were listed in the article selling Tips for online auctions.
Craigs List can be used for local advertizing, it is free of cost, and people find it instantly. I have used it to market copies cheaper than Staples etc and also have advertized for job recruiting.
Farzeen Khan ..... Assignment 5
Which Online Auctions, Stores or Classifieds do you visit/use?
My favourite online websites to buy stuff are Ebay, Amazon and Craig's List. Each one of these websites are unique. Ebay has a broad variety of items to sell or buy. You just have to "google" it. I am amazed that literally anything can be sold on this site. You look for land, or lobster, its on Ebay!
Amazon is the next choice mainly for books but what I really like is that you can read reviews about these books and conclude what you would end up buying.
Craig's List is another cool site I prefer for local vendors and sale items.
I think Ebay would be useful for selling retail which is not too cheap such as a pencil or a single stamp. But then an antique item could sell for a lot more on this site. I would recommend the Featured Plus option if the product is top of the list item in Ebay sale items. I am not too sure about purchasing the keyword items, but adding a picture of the sale item, bolding the auction title, and adding links to my own website are some of the initial things I would start with. paying keen attention to details and error free listings would be make better sales and I would also follow the instructions that were listed in the article selling Tips for online auctions.
Craigs List can be used for local advertizing, it is free of cost, and people find it instantly. I have used it to market copies cheaper than Staples etc and also have advertized for job recruiting.
Online Auctions ~ Adriana Alvarez
•Which Online Auctions, Stores or Classifieds do you visit/use?
I use eBay on a regular basis
•What do you think about it them?
I think sites like Amazon and eBay provide the best customer and seller protection compared to other sites like Craig’s list.
•How could you use these sites for your business?
Selling items on any of these sites would allow me to expand my business to a broader range of clients. Marketing on some of these sites is inexpensive and attracts a broad range of customers.
•Which specific marketing tips for EBay, Amazon and Craigslist do you feel are important? Explain why.
The best tip is creating a gallery of your products of because people are visual and seeing a picture of the actual item you are selling or how your services can help them will increase the chances of them choosing you over the competition.
The 2nd marketing tip is to visually make your add stand out either by using color or bold lettering. People are drawn to what stand out therefore just by ‘sticking out’ you are more likely to be noticed.
The 3rd marketing tip is to have your own website. Using a site like eBay to draw buyers to your site is a great way to expand a business.
I'm a big fan of Craigslist because whenever I need to buy something I ask myself if I can find the same item used for a better price. You still have to do your own research before you commit to buying because alot of times the description are not 100% accurate.
Websites like Craigslist and others that offer free classifieds can be life changing technologies for someone starting a new business. I generate 20% of my income from customers looking for my services through craigslist. I'm also interested in learning how to advertise on sites like yelp and kudzu.
You can create an extremely successful Advertising campaign at no cost other then your time and effort.
I think adding photos to any online business venture is vitally important for attracting customers. Also making your marketing adds very concise and to the point will cause people to make a more educated decision.
I have visited Amazon and Craigslist, but I have only used Craigslist. I think that both are very interesting sites. I often visit them to compare the price of buying a used item instead of a new one and to find out if there is a large market for the item I am interested in purchasing. I could use Craigslist to advertise my business services and aslo to create a link to my business website. I think that one of the most important marketing tips is the use of photos when posting to these sites. If you add a photo to your posts on Craigslist it will generate much more interest than a text only post. I know this because I will often skip over posts that do not provide photographs.
I use Craigslist. I love Craigslist because the format has changed very little since it first started and it’s easy to use. It’s a great way to find jobs, sell things, meet people and discuss topics in forums, and it’s free! I could use Craigslist for finding employee’s if I need them. I could also use it as a way to sell certain goods across a few local counties. For Craigslist, I think it is important to post every few days so that you stay on the first few pages of the search. Craigslist allows you to repost but not abuse the site. I think it also builds trust and confidence with potential customers if you show you can use the site effectively and appropriately.
I use Craigslist for both buying and selling items. They are very simple to use and seem to be the best way to both find local items of want or need and to sell larger items locally to avoid shipping or transport. I can use Craigslist as a supplemental means to attract customers to my website by setting up an ad weekly that link people who search for my product to my website. I think it is important in any ad to include as much information about the product as possible. This will allow the search customer to be able to not only find your item in a search, but be able to clarify and questions they may have specifically about the product. Pictures are also important for this reason.
I use Facebook, Blogspot, and Myspace on a regular basis. Myspace is strictly for music while blogspot is for music promotion stuff. On Facebook I mostly use it for social reasons, however I do use it for music at as well with the band pages.
I think Facebook is the most prevalent, Myspace used to be a social networking site, but it became too cluttered with promotions so now everyone uses Facebook to interact with friends. On the other hand Myspace gets the most music plays as a website so as a webpage it works well except for when it comes to interacting with fans.
Facebook works well because everyone is on Facebook, this could help my business by getting as many people to like the page as possible. The tricky part is getting people to make the action though. When it comes Myspace it simply functions well as an online presskit. Also you could put links to your business’s main website on each of these different social nerworking sites.
“Productivity comes from interactivity and the exchange of ideas and talents.”
This quote applies itself in my business by stating that interacting with fans is the best way to move forward. You could have a wonderful page, but if you don’t interact with customers than you’ll get little done. In Social Networking you have the opportunity to communicate with so many people therefore they are within your arms reach to ask for help with their idea or talent.
“Marketers can't do their jobs without understanding what a prospect wants, talks about or is interested in.
And managers (and leaders) are ineffective when they're unable to imagine life through someone else's eyes.”
I believe that he is trying to tell people to analyze their market before taking action. It is also important to take the viewpoint of a consumer when it comes to your web design and promotion within Social Networks. I wouldn’t reply to a random myspace message, so why would I send them out to customers.
I use Facebook as a social networking site. I used to use Myspace but it just got played out. I assume because of all the ads.
Facebook is a great tool to stay in touch and connect with others. Information about my business is very accessible to anyone. I can now have my own domain and put the address on a business card, completely free of cost.
"The challenge is to be edgy and remarkable and to have the market move its center to you." This is a great metaphorical statement. Basically, he means make your ideas or business the current fad. If you create the trend, then you really have no competition.
"Unskilled now means not-specially skilled."
This quote is interesting to me. He means workers cannot expect more pay without having special skill like that of a surgeon, programer, etc.
These are both great statements and they deliver the brutal honest truth. Your business should always be seeking new technologies, innovations, etc. If we can succeed in this aspect we can create the popular trend. And, if you don't carry a skill in which the general public are in need of.....well, your out of luck and it's time you learn a skill or trait of some kind.
I'm not sure exactly why but this weblog is loading very slow for me. Is anyone else having this issue or is it a issue on my end? I'll check back
later and see if the problem still exists.
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