Express Marketing Memo

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Your customers aren’t the only ones making use of social networking sites like Facebook, LinkedIn or MySpace. The article “Journalists + Facebook = Scoops” on Scientific American asks the question, “Should journalists be hanging out on Facebook?”

Let’s skip the “should they be there” question and consider the FACT that journalists are already there. Does that worry you a little? Or open your mind to a few interesting possibilities?

I was made aware of this article via Friendfeed, an application that at first glance is overwhelming … a clear case of information overload. Ok, it was the same at second and third glance too. But thanks to Ed Dale of Thirty Day Challenge fame, I’m beginning to find my way around and finding that Friendfeed may have enormous potential as a market research and tracking tool, as well as be a convenient way to disseminate information.

Let’s face it, social media is rapidly changing the way we communicate with our market and opening new avenues for public relations. The traditional press release is still alive and well, but the way it’s distributed is changing. The information it contains is evolving. The smart small business owner will take note of these trends and consider the implications for his business.

Do you devote a portion of your week to learning about technologies, applications, or ideas that could improve how you share your message and market your business?

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It’s nearly Spring in Wisconsin. After a long, cold winter with record breaking snowfall, it feels so good to get outdoors without bundling up head-to-toe! Oh, who am I kidding? Skip the bundling up part … I hibernate when it’s bone-chilling cold.

The very thought of stepping outside when it’s below 20 degrees makes me want to put on a sweater and pour myself a hot chocolate.

It’s the thought that holds me back though, not really the cold. Our thoughts and perceptions always lead the way. Have you ever noticed that you can get more done when you’re really busy and you HAVE to meet a deadline, than when you’ve got just a few projects and less urgency to complete them?

For instance, I’ve found that I really CAN write in this blog nearly every day, regardless of my workload. Last year, I thought I had to make a choice and of course, I chose to finish client work over blogging. The thought (belief) that I couldn’t do both held me back, not the actual client work. And I’m here to tell you that daily blogging is a growth experience in so many ways!

When you really believe you can do something, you generally can. What’s holding you back?

Photo Credit: wokka

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What have you learned in the past week? What has you stumped … where you’re not quite sure what to do next? What are you wondering about? I’m a big believer in writing to learn. In fact, I’m well aware that the more I write, the more I learn.

When I look back through my journals, it’s clear to see the times of intense personal growth … nearly daily entries with lots of questions and lots of answers. The same holds true for any type of writing, whether it’s marketing copywriting, ghost writing, or creative writing. The more you write, the more you learn about your topic.

Does this hold true for all learning types? I have no idea. I’m a visual, kinesthetic learner so I learn best by seeing and doing. That kinesthetic part is what holds the key. It’s more than just “doing.” It has to do with being in motion. More often than not, the ideas flow more freely when I’m moving around. Recording those ideas on paper or the screen helps commit them to memory.

So what have I learned lately? Simply this:

• Writing about balancing work with the rest of life has helped me to find a better balance.

• Sharing personal beliefs about God with an acquaintance is worth the risk and can result in friendship.

• The exercise of writing with much greater frequency has helped me to develop ideas into written articles much faster.

• “Pestering” my clients results in more business for all of us. Thank you, Bill.

• Write first, before checking email or getting involved in any other business activities. Even if it’s just a few lines or a few paragraphs, always write first.

Talk back to me. What have you learned lately? What type of a learner are you – visual, auditory, kinesthetic? Was writing part of your learning process?

Photo Credit: Lost In Scotland

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Marketing is Like Housework!
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Imagination Key to Small Business Success
Strange But True
3 Important Questions to Ask Before You Start Writing
Just Do It!

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