What Happens After They’ve Come?
Jul 6, 2008

Stowe Boyd has a really good post on what new social applications have to do.

clipped from www.stoweboyd.com

So, my New Social App, open the door, invite me in, and tell me up front what you can do for me. But don’t forget to serve drinks and give me a friendly tour. If all you want is registered guests at your party, I’ll be there like every other edgling that gets an invite. But if you want more than zombies standing in the corner dribbling ice cream, make sure I know why your ice cream’s the best, show me the ropes, and make sure I’ve got a personal reason to stay and love you.

blog it

It’s a very important point that we often miss. And again, it’s a lesson that stretches beyond just social applications.

It’s not just about getting new people in – new customers for your product, new readers for your blog, etc. What you do after they’ve entered the door is just as – if not more – important.

Do You Believe in Your Own Product?
Jul 2, 2008

I remember when I bought my hard guitar case. It was a relatively new/unique design, that’s less common. Even now, I rarely see people use it. But it’s lighter than normal hard cases, with just as much protection.

When I first bought the case, the store owner demonstrated the case to me. How? He used one of his own store guitars, put it in the case and tossed it on the floor. Literally. Practically like how the airline people tend to toss luggages. And the guitar was perfectly fine.

That one demonstration went really far in my decision to buy that case. The fact that the store owner was willing to risk one of his own guitars to demonstrate the case (which was cheaper than the guitar, definitely) showed how much he believed in it. And it made me believe too.

Would you be willing to take that kind of risk for your product? How much do you believe in your product? How much would you risk for it? (For those thinking about your personal brands, substitute “product” with “beliefs”.)

Because if you don’t believe in it enough to take the risk, and believe in your product, your customers are much less likely to either.

Trust
Mar 17, 2008

I’m sure we’ve all had experiences when two people tell us the same thing, and we listen to one and dismiss the other. We listen to people we have relationships with. We pay attention to those we trust.

Trust has become even more important in today’s world, where attention is becoming more and more scarce.

The challenge is to build a relationship with your customers – to get build trust. And for more on the topic, check out Chris Brogan and Julien Smith’s excellent manifesto on Trust Economies.

Calling Your Customer’s Name
Mar 8, 2008

When we hear our own name being called, we tend to have a greater response. It’s a biological fact. We’re more alert and responsive to our own name.

Marketers should take note of this, and make use of it. Call your customer by name. Make your messages personal. If it’s personal, it’s more likely to get a response. And you’re more likely to be able to get the person’s attention.

Here’s a great example of making your message personal (aimed at Jeremiah Owyang). And true enough, it definitely got his attention.

How are you making your message personal to your audience?