Susan Finch Solutions

I think that's you, but I can't tell by your faceless avatar.

Forgive me for not introducing you to my friends below.  I can't keep their names and businesses straight.  People want to CONNECT with HUMANS with FACES.  They want to be confident they are connecting with the correct person they met at a business function, charity dinner, convention, seminar or at the home office.

 

 

When naming files, please don't use spaces or special characters.

Here's a tip, if you want everyone to be able to view the file or page you created, take some care when you name it. This goes for PDF files, Excel, Word and the like.

Different browsers treat a space in a file name differently. Chrome is NOT a fan of poor naming styles.  Naming a file: My Favorite! house.jpg could mean: my%20favorite!%20house.jpg or My%20Favorite&#33%20house.jpg. Getting the picture?  You will end up with broken links, frustrated recipients and you will look unprofessional.

You may think all browsers should understand when you name files with parenthesis in the name, mixed cases, special characters, etc.  PLEASE learn to do it the universal way:

• ALL LOWERCASE:  antarctica.html, 02092012antarctica.jpg
• NO SPACES: favorite-food.htm, feb-29-leap-year.jpg
• NO SPECIAL CHARACTERS: mr-browns-cant-and-wont-day.jpg

Following these suggestions will ensure that people can easily view the links and images you send.

Aspire to be more than most people would imagine you could be

After teaching Art Lit today I noticed a series of art hanging on the wall outside the classroom door.  During Martin Luther King week, the first graders were asked about what they want to be when they grow up to make a difference. These are first graders so the answers were the usual:  soccer player, ninja, teacher.  But one stood out to me and made me smile - this student went beyond what anyone would expect. This boy finds himself in trouble from time to time and gets into mischief, yet when asked the question, he had a simple but grand reply, one word:

HERO.

How wonderful if we all aspired to such a simple greatness in the service of others.  Why not "Hero?"  It sums up so many other professions - doctor, teacher, police officer, coach - hero.  What do you aspire to?  Challenge yourself to stretch - take the risk - say it out loud.

Thank you, Skyler, for inspiring me today.

Reply All is RARELY Needed.

Let's go over this again. It is the rare occasion that anyone needs to use "reply all" in an email. As a volunteer at our children's school, a member of several group lists, including one for my family and Girl Scout troop there seems to be a reminder needed about REPLY ALL. Stop doing it. Pretty much plain and simple. 95% of the time you should not reply all. You should reply ONLY to the person posting. This includes group emails. Don't just hit reply if it sends it to the group again. Take the time to copy/paste the email of the person to whom you wish to reply.  The group will not even know they should thank you, but will be happy you took the time.

The reason this keeps coming up is that new people are embracing the web each day, getting more comfortable with email and participating in group discussions. It's up the us seasoned list managers to hold their hands and tell them how it is.

Who Owns Your List of Followers and Fans?

Many companies are spread thin, especially small businesses, when it comes to maintaining and setting up social media venues such as Twitter accounts, Facebook fan pages and the like.  Everyone wants to pitch in and help. Or do they? Many times our employees are well-intentioned when they take the initiative to set these accounts up with their email as the contact because it's easier, etc.  I'm warning you - set up company policies regarding the use of the company name, tagline, logo, lists as soon as possible. It's difficult to go back and gain "custody" after a messy divorce.

If an employee sets up a Twitter account for your company using their email address, and then proceeds to represent the company with their tweets and efforts, this is no longer THEIR Twitter account.  People follow with the assumption they are following the company or product. If a list of followers is gained, then the staff person is fired or leaves the company, they can simply change their Twitter username and retain the list of followers. It's similar to stealing a company client list or mailing list of customers.  Don't think that some people won't intentionally do this to gain a big list of YOUR customers and fans with the plan to leave and bring the list with them.

Have a product? There's a gift guide blog ready to take advantage of you.

As a subscriber to many lists that call for entries, editorials, responses, I'm floored by the number of blogs that blatently ask for free stuff to "review" for their gift guides.  Most have fewer than 1,000 subscribers to their blogs and are still hoping you'll send them your products to review without the possiblity of return.  Some even get very specific with the requests asking for personal beauty items, electronic gadgets, etc.

Those with products all want better exposure for those products, you'd be better promoting to your own lists, cross-promoting on "friend" sites, donating to a charity or sponsoring a charitible event with a big list so you can be linked in there AND do some good for others.

Be wary of those offering to promote your product for free, for the simple cost of a cross link and your item sent to them without guarantee of review.  It's not like the days when Oprah's people would latch onto something new and exciting, she'd share it and you were set for years with sales.  Free isn't always good.

If you still want to send people your cool items to review - check out the blog to see how many people subscribe, check out their Facebook page to see how many likes.  If you are happy with the numbers, go for it.

Some of my client's products are here:

 

 

  

Pet Peeves: Forums that only email you that there is a new post

I participate in many forums on many types of sites.  I must say one of the most annoying things, such as Circle of Moms and many others is that when there is a new post reply to a topic, it only sends an email notifying you someone replied to you post.  How hard is it for the programmer to add in the variable into the email to include the COMMENT or POST? with a link to the original topic AND to the REPLY OR COMMENT? 

Answer:  Less than 30 minutes to adjust the email portion of a template that is sent to forum or topic subscribers.

To build community, you have to make it easy for people to keep up. Facebook tells you what the comment on the photo is, the comment to your status, many CMS sites with forums include the original post, author and the reply and link to both.  Oregon WEO's site, Binky Patrol's site - their forums all include this. 

Come forum sites, make it easier for us to keep up without constantly having to click to go dig through and find the most recent comments or replies.  In a lively discussion I'm more apt to opt out because of all of the vague emails.

 

Reach them through humor and rhythm

Is it any wonder that haikus and other rhythmic poetry is coming into mainstream as a way to get your marketing message out?  We hum tunes, we remember jingles, we recall things better if music or RHYTHM is associated with them.  We're also more apt to share and pass along something clever.

Several clients of mine rely on my approach to a unique message.  One in particular loves the limericks we come up with about his products and current topics. They are the most shared posts on his blog.  Another client relies on humorous every day types of stories to tie to their products - true blog posts with a product punch at the end.  Another prefers recipes - that is his passion.

People don't pass around dry facts and figures, especially when you are B2C.  You have to make them laugh, cry, remember you and relate to you and your story. THEN, they'll be ready to listen to your message about your product or service.

B2B folks, you will still have to talk facts and figures, but sometimes you may be able to sprinkle in a bit of humor or lightness.

Here is a sample from a client's blog covering incontinence:

Leaky Lucy's Cinco de Mayo

Leaky Lucy likes a fiesta.
Before each one, she takes a siesta.
She stays up late for Cinco De Mayo,
She calls her sister, Deb, in Ohio.
And tells her Mom liked Lucy besta!

That Lucy!  Such a tease.  She better be careful.  One margarita goes straight to her head!  But she will be wearing her Adult Disposable Briefs from Pacific Medical Supply.  That way, she can party all night with out worry.  Nothing like a little leaky tinkle to ruin the fun.

Don't forget to keep your clients updated.

It's easy to get into a reaction only mode with clients, but we need to remember to reach out and catch them up on what you've been doing or learning lately.  Share the excitement of new knowledge, techniques, products or services that may benefit them.

Sometimes being so immersed in work or learning allows us to forget to talk about the new knowledge.  Are you expanding your services?  Adding new features to a product?  Why not make a video about it?  A video is a great way to give a long-lasting personal message with your voice to share the information or features.  Keep them to just a few minutes, as your client's time is precious.

Push Out Your News:

Create a newsletter that recaps your month or talks about upcoming training, events or product releases. You can include a still shot of your video and link to it from the newsletter.  Just because you don't find your typical month exciting doesn't mean your followers and clients won't find it interesting.  Think of it as a business lunch or cocktail party where you just recap what you've been up to lately.  You'd be surprised how many people will want to know more.

Then, you'll also have a series of articles to drip out the same month as blog posts.

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If you need help setting up an account to create newsletters, writing your newsletter or coming up with a plan, drop me a note and I'll help you get started.

How to help tech support help you quicker.

For those of you who have to regularly or even periodically contact tech or IT support via email, there are some ways you can help them solve your issues quickly and with fewer back and forth emails. 

It's similar to walking into a restaurant hungry.  Ordering: "I'd like lunch today." When actually you were interested in the daily vegan specials that were gluten free due to your intolerance, and you'd like a vegan beer to go with it.

Do you go into Starbucks and ever order "1 coffee" without being bombarded with at least three questions in rapid succession?

Until someone launches the "mindApp," we support people are stuck asking you the questions to get in your heads the old-fashioned way without assumptions.

This may seem like a lot of detail, but try this - they'll thank you and help you quicker: