John Driscoll

Are Apps Changing Everything? Again.

Lately I have been talking a lot about how "apps" (short for phone applications) are a great way to market yourself.  Whether you are making your own app with AppMakr.  Or utilizing an existing app like Yelp or Yowza.  Apps seem to be here to stay.  Just look at the recent release from Zillow for the iPad.  Apps are now starting to take over more than just our phones.  With Apple expecting to sell 1 million plus iPads this month and the HP Slate coming soon, it seems we need to jump on the app bandwagon.  So don't wait until everyone has already done it.  Start thinking about how you can utilize this as a strategy for your business.  Then you can say, "yeah, I have an app for that".

  

Why I Bought An iPad

Ok.  So you are immediately going to lump me in with all the Apple crazies.  Guilty as charged.  However, have you ever asked yourself "why" we exist.  I think we all have our reasons for getting up early Saturday morning to buy what some would call an "overpriced" big iPhone.  Let me list you some of mine.  Maybe it will help you to create that kind of devotion from your customers.

1.  Unspoken Needs - This is a phrase that comes from The Ritz Carlton.  It means to understand what your client wants before they know themselves.  Apple does this better than anyone.  I wasn't sure if I wanted an iPad.  Really questioned what I would do with one.  Until I sat down on my couch and realized just what I was missing.  Browsing the apps, a book, or the internet with the iPad, is so different than a laptop.  Yet it does more than a book.  It is a casual digital experience.  Something I will use after work.  Read a digital magazine.  Organize quotes in a digital book.  Things I never really thought about.  I trust Apple because they seem to understand me as a consumer.  Then they deliver almost every time.

2.  Marketing - I believe that everyone of us "wants" to be marketed.  We love hearing a story that fits our world view.  It's why people always believe their hair stylist, dentist, or doctor are the best.  We want to think we already have it figured out.  Apple makes me feel that I am a part of a community of people who love technology.  That they are not just building gadgets, but they are producing art.  So you say I am a victim of marketing, while I believe I am a beneficiary of it.  I guess it's all in how you see it.

3.  Early Adoption - Most people believe early adopters do it to be the first to have it.  I guess that is part of the appeal.  I would like to think I do it more for me.  I think we are more like technological explorers who test the landscape for everyone to let them know if it's worth making the journey.  Call it a justification, but I am sticking to it.  All in all I like the experience of trying things early then spreading the good or bad news to everyone else.

The lesson I take away from Apple is that people want to have a relationship with those that offer goods and services.  They want to know that those companies "get" them.  That they care and are passionate about what they do.  Once a company builds that kind of trust with their customers.  The customer will do or pay almost anything to get their hands on it.  Just look at me, my son, and the nearly 600 other crazies in the picture above.  Don't worry.  It was worth it :)

Nerdy Pays The Bills

When people find out what I do for a living, they often follow with varying degrees of comments.  Sometimes they think that I play on Facebook all day, or I just build websites.  My favorite is one that my wife always addresses for me.  "So your kind of a nerd".  For many years my wife has had the best response to this.  "Nerdy Pays The Bills".  I like it, because she says it like she is proud of me. 

Lately, I have really started to own it.  Probably because nerdy really does pay the bills.  What I mean is, knowing and understanding technology and the media it produces, has an amazing effect on your business.  I have noticed a trend of people embracing and educating themselves with social media and their businesses thriving as a result.  Then there are those that are doing it half-heartedly.  They got involved for the money or because they care about their business.  That sounds good.  But it's not the same thing as caring about "social media".  Or caring about people so much that you will jump on anything that helps you to reach out to them.  This kind of soul will breathe life into your business.  Cause others to be drawn to your energy.  Real social media is empowering and puts you on a level playing field with wealthier competition.  Truth is, social media is not a quick fix.  This fact weeds out the unbelievers and those that are just in it for "results".  You may call it nerdy, I call it art.        

Making Old Spice Cool & Hilarious

I am sure many of you have seen this.  Thought it was worth posting anyway. 

"Look at you man, sadly he isn't me"  Too funny.

Facebook, More Than A Web Page

I have been marketing web pages for a long time now.  Haven't counted how many I have built, maybe too many :)  Once you are done building a web page, it is often frustratingly difficult to try and get people to come say hi.  Even with perfect optimization and search marketing included, you have to keep reminding fans to come back.  In the past this included a healthy email marketing campaign to remind people what was "new" and why they need to take another look. 

Just think about it unless it is your favorite page on the internet, you don't really think about it.  That is why I am such a of fan of Facebook Pages.  Due to the form and function of Facebook, people are reminded to take a look every time you post something new.  Take a look at some of these numbers from Kristy Owen.  The author of 365 Things To Do In Austin Texas.  (Thanks Kristy for letting me show these)

If you notice Kristy has an unbelievable amount of fan traffic.  13,427 visits per week.  19% of her total fan base.  Sound high?  It's actually lower by percentage than what I normally see.  Expected for someone with such a high number of fans.  Where Kristy really gets her mileage is the amount of people posting to her wall.  She has over 2000 wall posts per week.  WOW!!  That is an active fan base.

So why am I breaking this down for you?  Well, because you would never get this kind of activity on the average web page.  In fact on most Facebook Pages with 500 or less fans, I see almost a 1 to 1 ratio of fans to weekly traffic.  That means on average "every fan" comes to your Page every week!!!  I can promise you, you can't say that about your web page. 

Don't get me wrong.  I love web pages, integrated blogs, and marketing plans that include them.  It's just for the average person that isn't marketing their page, they are a waste of time.  Yeah, you heard me.  Throw away your website if you aren't going to work it!   However you might be perfect for a Fan Page.

   

 

Marketing Events Just Got Easier

I have been waiting to chat about this one for a while.  I just wanted to make sure it lived up to the hype.  I have been marketing events for many many years.  From church events to more workshops than I can count.  Marketing workshops can be difficult, costly, and very very time consuming. 

Eventbrite.  The latest in online software, seems to have changed all that.  They have managed to make marketing an event easy, stylish, and incredibly efficient.  All that and it will integrate into your present website.  Here are some key features:

1.  Pay to Play - I think one of the best ways to market a seminar/workshop is to "charge" for it.  Free workshops are often viewed by would be attenders as sales events or just not valuable enough to waist their time.  I am amazed at how people are having luck by charging a reasonable amount for a  "high value" event.  If you are looking to charge, you can integrate payment right inside Eventbrite.  Just enter your PayPal info and you are producing a high priced ticket.  Try raising the stakes at your next event by making it a premium workshop with serious value.

2.  Widgets R Us - Website are increasingly being filled with widgets from other social media and/or other productive software.  The idea is to manage the item on one website while feeding in the data into yours.  This allows you to add an RSVP button, how many tickets are available, or just create a more stylish page without being a web designer.  Eventbrite has a very easy to use method of dropping these right into your website.  Just cut and paste the embeded code and you are taking orders.

3.  Free - Eventbrite offers a free service and allows you to upgrade based on functionality.  This is so important to allow you to get used to the software and build events.  Without a big subscription price.

4.  Email - One of the most difficult tasks in holding an event is the ability to promote it though email.  Creating an effective HTML email can be costly or very time consuming.  Eventbrite is way ahead of you on this.  You can drop your list into the system and promote away.  Where was this 5 years ago?

5.  Social Media - Eventbrite could have stopped there and would still be the best thing in the event world.  Thank God they didn't.  They have also managed to integrate with Facebook events to help you promote the event through your Fan Page or even your Facebook profile.  This can really help you get people to the event.

Well If you are in the market to market an event.  Look no further than Eventbrite .  Can you say "no more spreadsheets"?  

Is Stik.com Changing the Way People Buy Mortgages?

"Stik to Who You Know".  That is the motto of the founders of Stik.com.  Another sign of a new trend I like to call "Social Search".  You see Stik.com allows consumers to search for a mortgage, insurance agent, financial planner, and more from their Facebook friends.  This is especially powerful when you consider the numbers.  With just one degree of separation. (friends of your friends) There is on average of 1,300 mortgages transacted each year.  That means mortgage people would never have too go far beyond their immediate influence to find all the business they will ever need.  These numbers going even deeper if you have more than the average of 200 Facebook friends. 

You would think that would be enough to make you sign up for FREE.  However Premium Stik gives them the permission to run adds on the sellers behalf.  With a very tastefully method of marketing Stik.com will provide the seller phone calls and connections from real interested buyers.  In my conversation with Jay Gierak and Nathan Labenz we talked about the many possibilities that this technology opens up for sales people everywhere.  I have a feeling this thing is just getting started. 

Jay and Nathan did give me an offer that you can get only HERE.  Mention my name when you sign up and Stik.com will give you a FREE 60 Day trial of Premium Stik.  That is FREE LEADAS folks.  What are you waiting for.  Go Stik to who you know.

This Video is Probably Too Edgy for You!

Make way for the "New Dork".  This video may be too edgy for most of my clients.  Conservative people that are still trying to figure out what social media "is".  Just a minute ago, I had a client say that he thought Facebook was for "silly girls who want to keep in touch."  I answered quickly "it is, and so so much more".  So you see why I am skeptical to post a video like this.  Showing not the entrepreneur of the future, but of the present.  You see things aren't "changing".  They have completely "changed" right in front of you.  Jump on and become apart of the new way of selling, sharing, and making a living.  It's fun, it exciting, it's going to happen whether you want it to or not.  Make way for the "New Dork". 

 

Are You Connected?

This is definitely not one of my better pictures.  Yes I am still vain at 25,000 feet.  I took this while surfing the web on American Airlines in flight WIFI service.  Now I know this is not that new, but haven't done it much myself.  I must admit I have used my travels to DIS-connect from the world at times.  Arghhh they have found me here too.  Just another thing to get used to.  It is nice to be able to email, blog, and yes connect while taking a long flight from west to east.  I thought I would use this to illustrate something that is happening everywhere.  People choosing to connect and yes people choosing not to.  I guess that is no biggie if you are just a person ignoring your family, but what about an entrepreneur.  Is this really a choice that we can make?  Is connecting to the world really "optional".  After all if you are selling a product or service isn't it your job to connect your product to people.  It seems to me that there are some that have a "disconnect" with connecting themselves with those would be fans.  They think somehow they can separate the selling of their product with their "participation" in the social conversation. 

Is this realistic?  Can we really earn any right to approach people to sell them, if we haven't first earned their attention?  I don't think so.  This is the great mistake so many sales people are making today.  Trying to use social media as a means to their end.  It's funny how the consumer can always see through that kind of approach.  In fact, more now than ever entrepreneurs must connect in an authentic, valuable, and passionate way.  People just aren't buying the spam hearted, do anything as long as it works once approach.

To be honest I feel sorry for those that think this is a viable strategy.  They are missing out.  Missing out on the blessing (yes I said it) of being connected to their customers.  The incredible energy that you receive when those that believe in what you are doing, want more.  I hope you don't miss out on connecting.

        

The State of the Internet VIDEO

JESS3 / The State of The Internet from Jesse Thomas on Vimeo.