Know-How Exchange : E-Marketing

Hi,
I use myspace for my business, an online shoe store,
www.myspace.com/shoeabuse

And it is great I can link it directly to my ebay store and vice versa, creating more interest from both ends. It also adds more of a personal touch, Its great to get from people in a message that they love their shoes! I can display photograpphs of my products and keep customers up to date, i.e. sales, competitions, new styles.

Also as a result of it I have met some shoe customisers/ designers who will be making some one off pairs of shoes for me.

:)

Hi Stafford,

Your Questions: "I wanted to see if anyone had an opinion, or stories on how these sites have helped you in business."

I have an opinion; I think that social networking sites are the most interesting development to come out of the Internet in a long time. They are entertaining on a personal and business level and for me have been financially rewarding on a business level, mainly because of my involvement in this forum. Now, granted I have many, many hours of question answering here so it has not come at an opportunity cost of zero, so for me the lesson learned is that to get something in social networking you have to give something and don't be surprised if the scorecard is skewed against you - but don't keep score.

My story of how social networking has helped me in business is how my involvement here on this forum has resulted in a number of great clients over the last 3 years.

Another nice benefit has been the lift in PageRank and the other search engine algorithmic friendly benefits that have occurred as a result of my contributions to the KHE.

Bottom line for me is that social networking, like real-life networking, takes a lot of time and effort but can deliver huge benefits - but do it because you enjoy participating, not because you expect financial gain.

I hope this helps!

I have used social networking sites to find new clients. I have also used social networking sites to find panel members for focus groups and for online surveys I was conducting.

I've been teaching clients how to use SN sites for prospecting for new customers. Recently, I've been teaching clients how to ask customers to add links (or add friend profiles) to my clients SN sites or their direct web sites. Like wearing your favorite pub's t-shirt to the neighborhood BBQ, having customers add your profile to theirs (badging is what we call it) sure is a public vote of confidence and helpd convert fence sitters into customers.

The bump in page rank is also another big help. My web site was stuck at a PR of 2, but when I referebced www.dcadshop.com a couple of time here in Marketing Profs in a couple answers, within a few weeks, my PR had shot up to a 4 (and a couple dry cleaning client leads didn't hurt either).

Here is a recent example of how SN can lead to unexpected bonuses. I had a call from a dry cleaner who had heard me speak at a conference years ago. He had a supplier stop by his plant, and hand him a print out of a web site he had found. The print out was from an exchange between W.M.M.A. and myself here on Marketing Profs a KHE member had posted. Well, W.M.M.A and I had a rather long exchange (heated too, but really, I think it was a great exchange, respect W.M.M.A.). Anyhow, the supplier had thought the exchange was one of the most brilliant arguements for NOT doing 99 cent shirts he had ever read (cause 99 cent shirts are the bane of the dry cleaning industry and he had a personal vendetta to help end the practice). This supplier had wanted to share the exchange with as many cleaners he could get to read his hand out as he found that much value in our debate. Anyhow, this cleaner said: 'I know the guy who wrote that!'. He ended up calling me, and has become a good client. The story does not end there. Word of mouth had spread, and I ended up picking up more work from that post, and a lot of web traffic, and a bump in credibility and expertise within the dry cleaning community. It has turned dry cleaners who visit this forum onto more dry cleaning related forums and online resources. Its become a gift that keeps on giving.

I have another business. We recycle computers. We have become one of the largest computer recycling companies in Western Canada. Well, our Provincial Government (the New Democratic Party of Saskatchewan) had decided to follow an electronics industry lead initiative and hand over computer recycling to competing group, effectively shutting our company out of the business (you can read more at www.ewastecanada.ca and www.ewastesask.com). Well, you can imagine the battle. The NDP government has effectively sold out/shut out free enterprise in favor of a pet social program of theirs and conveniently pass responsibility to the brands backing the 'recycling' program (it isn;t a true 3R's program, they miss two R's). I've been told by the Government that the political will to change the program to include others just isn't there. So, I have begun to use social networking to bring about a change in policy. I used my social networking links to find the right people at the highest levels of the brands behind the administering body responsible for the program and who lobbies gov't for the one sided regulations. Amazing how within four hours I had the names and phone numers of everyone I needed using just social networking, a phone, and email. Then, I spent days lobbying everyone from the board to environmentalists, to the opposition party. I haven't changed policy yet, but I know that there are alot of folks who are NOT happy that flaws in the program have become public. Next, I hope that the words of Ronald Reagan are correct: 'A politician doesn't have to see the light, they only have to feel the heat' and a ground swell of public opinion will bring about change or cost the NDP votes in an upcoming election. The jury is still out on this battle, but...let's see if this post turns up the heat just a little more. I know the powers that be have not enjoyed seeing negative press, letters to the editor, and a ground swell of bloggers coming out against their policy. Social Networking has become a major tool of politics (I have to write a white paper about this).

Anyhow, there is much untapped potential in SN. I hope your speech goes well. Feel free to call me or email me if you need more details (find me via my profile).

Darcy Moen
Customer Loyalty Network