Forget B2B. Forget B2C. Today’s Business is P2P.

It is not without a good bit of irony that the cold hard world of technology has completely morphed marketing and sales from being Business to Business (B2B) and Business to Consumer (B2C) into Person to Person, or Peer to Peer (P2P). Instead of replacing humans and ruling the world, technology has instead connected humans in ways perhaps no one could have predicted.

Technology - and the swift infiltration of social media in particular - has enabled people from all walks of life to meet, converse and share information and ideas. It is breaking down geographic and cultural differences, and allowing us to interact on a much deeper and more meaningful level.

Think about it. As I engage in an online discussion about marketing, for instance, I don’t know where the person I am interacting with is, what they look like, the color of their skin, their religious or political affiliation. All I know is if they share my viewpoints, know what they’re talking about and are worthwhile to add as one of my connections. If I value what they have to say, I will choose to stay connected. If not, I will be moving on.

The way consumers interact with those they choose to spend money with is much the same. If they value what is being offered, if they find spending time there worthwhile, they will choose to connect and stay connected. Hell, they may even tell their friends to do the same.

As a marketer who is all about the never-ending game of figuring out what makes humans tick (and more importantly, what makes them buy) the concept of P2P marketing is intriguing.  It’s not a new concept - the chatter has been around in the industry for years - but the meteoric rise and buzz about social media marketing is bringing it to the forefront.

There was a time not long ago (it may have been last week) where marketing and advertising teams pondered how one business should speak to another business - B2B. You stepped outside of your human skin and took on the persona of ‘the company’ on either side. “How do we - Accounting Software Company X - speak with our target market - Mid-Size Manufacturer Y?” We spoke in the third person, and used terms like ‘the industry leader’ and ‘enterprise-wide’. And we wondered why these message - so expertly well thought-out and crafted - fell flat.

B2C was a little better, but not much. We spoke to humans and really tried to care about and address their issues, but again, we approached it from a Business to Consumer perspective. “How do we - Household Cleaner Company A - speaking with our target - Homeowner B?”

The influx of human conversation, painfully honest feedback, and spontaneous word of mouth marketing brought on by the internet and social media marketing is changing all of that. Now we are FINALLY realizing that business is done by people. At the end of the day, every purchase, every decision is not made by ‘the business’, it’s made by a person who just happens to represent ‘the business’. Simple logic tell us that our message, therefore, must be to a person, by a person.

So how does the ‘the business’ become ‘the people behind the business’? 

I believe the transformation starts from within. Subtle changes in the way a company communicates both internally and externally can make a big difference. Take third person speak, for example. Let’s say we have a marketing firm specializing in manufacturing called PlanNine Marketing. And let’s say we’re writing our ‘who is’ statement.

We could say…

PlanNine Marketing Offers Manufacturing Marketing Services to Move Small Businesses Forward

Or we could say…

Trust the Team at PlanNine Marketing to Help Move Your Manufacturing Business Forward

The shift from referring in the third person as ‘the company’ helping ‘the business’, to emphasizing ‘the team’ behind the company helping ‘the business owner’ is subtle, but powerful.

We soft and squishy humans want and need to know that we will be cared for. It’s instinctual. Try as we might to toughen that exterior, our basic instinct drives us to those that will look after us, protect us, care for us. Can ‘the business’ shake or even hold my hand and ensure me that I’ve made the right choice? No. It doesn’t have hands. But the team inside the business does. They have lots of hands for shaking and holding, and that makes me happy.

What else can be done?

Because all business is done by people, consider having some trusted members of your team become involved in public communications with customers. Blogs and social media outlets like LinkedIn, Facebook and Twitter, allow for virtual face-to-face interaction, with the added bonus of instant word-of-mouth marketing. Making connections takes a little up-front work, but once that is done, the base is established for having meaningful interactions with customers and prospects.

Webinars are other ways companies are using their in-house talent to connect with customers and prospects. Setting up and marketing a webinar, for example, is a miniscule investment. Develop a hot topic in your field of expertise, promote it through e-mail, the internet and social media marketing, and you not only have the chance to draw in new customers, but for your existing ones, you are reassuring them that you are, in fact, the leaders in your field.

Through all of this technology, let’s not also forget REAL face to face interaction. Meet and greet events, trade shows and conferences, in-house seminars and even social events are a great way to truly connect with clients and prospects. Although the time and monetary investment is no doubt greater, sometimes there just is no replacing the soft and squishy handshake.

What are you doing to reach clients and prospects? We’d love to hear how you’re putting P2P marketing to the test, and the results you’re seeing. Comment, or connect with us on Facebook and share your thoughts at www.facebook.com/digidaze

Social Media for Corporate Leaders

The Top 5 Excuses Keeping You from Being There…and How to Get Over Them.

If you are in a leadership position in a corporation and you're not tweeting, blogging or connecting with clients and colleagues via Twitter, LinkedIn or Facebook, what are you waiting for?

Wait...let me guess...

• "I don't have time for that nonsense."
• "My tweets would only get me - and my company - in trouble."
• "I really don't have much to say, and besides, who will listen?"
• "I'd prefer to keep my social network and my corporate network separate."
• "I fail to see the benefit of chirping about my life."

Now...let me address these one by one...

"I don't have time for that nonsense."
If you have time to read the news over morning coffee, on the train, or at your desk, you have time for social media. While getting started on social media does require some time and effort up front, keeping up with it can be as quick and easy as your morning latte.

If you're like most, you are getting your news online. You browse to your favorite news site, jump to the news topics that interest you, scan the headlines for what you need, and read the articles. Add just one step to that process, and you're engaged in social media marketing.

Say you're the leader of a window manufacturing plant in Minnesota. Your daily scan of online news revealed breaking news about new tax credits for energy efficient home products, including windows. Great news for you! This could well mean that demand for your product will be on the rise. Now, instead of simply reading that article, smiling and going about your day, why not use social media to help spread the word?

The article that you just read most likely had a few little icons for sharing it with the world next to it. If you have a Facebook or Twitter account, sharing that news is seriously as easy as clicking those buttons. Instantly, your Facebook wall or your Twitter 'What's happening?' box is populated with the article headline and a link to that article. Add your two cents, click your Share or Tweet button, and voila! You've just engaged with customers, colleagues and friends with news about your industry.

"My tweets would only get me - and my company - in trouble."
While we hear news stories almost daily about loose-lipped celebrities, athletes or politicians releasing confidential or controversial information through social media, there’s a way to take care of that. Use your head! You are 100% in control of what you broadcast to the world on social media. Social media posts should be released with the same scrutiny as you would an e-mail or any other form of communication that is permanent record.

"I really don't have much to say, and besides, who will listen?"
If you’re a corporate leader, you should have lots to say. You’ve worked your way to where you are today by exhibiting high-level knowledge and thought leadership in some way, shape or form. You may not have shown it in writing, but you’ve shown it. Your thoughts and ideas have the ability to move business forward. By sharing them with others, you’re exhibiting superior expertise in your field of work, and you’re being recognized by others as industry expert.

So who’s listening? Who isn’t listening. If you’ve done your up-front work to gain followers and connect with clients and colleagues, they’re listening. And after they listen, if they like what they heard, they’re sharing. The viral legs that your thought leadership on social media can have is tremendous!

"I'd prefer to keep my social network and my corporate network separate."
That ship, my friend, has sailed. The days of 9 to 5 and ‘work/life balance’ have been replaced simply by ‘life’. Life is work. Work is life. News is everywhere all the time, and conversations with friends, family and colleagues are a mix of business and personal. We share with our families what’s happening at work, and we share with our colleagues what’s happening outside of the office.

While you may choose to have separate Facebook or Twitter accounts for business and personal, it shouldn’t mean that you keep all social media activities personal, and opt-out of using it for business.

"I fail to see the benefit of chirping about my life."
For each individual, the benefits of communicating via social media are different. For the corporate leader, here are just a few.

The first is relevancy. In order for you to remain relevant – with your customers, your employees and your colleagues – you must exhibit a mastery of how business is done today. To resist forward movement, technology or change is a sure-fire way to quickly become irrelevant…dare I say ‘old’. Yikes!

Next is exposure. For companies and individuals alike, corporate leaders have become brands in and of themselves. CEOs are often in front of cameras and featured in news articles. The public wants and needs to hear what they have to say. By exhibiting your keen industry and business knowledge through social media, you have the opportunity to build your personal brand. Not only does this help your company stay relevant in the eyes of customers and stockholders, it helps your own personal marketability. And you never know when or where your next big opportunity lies.

Connecting with customers on a deeper level is probably the most important benefit in engaging in social media for business. If you’ve ever watched ‘Undercover Boss’ you can see how corporate leaders easily become disconnected from their customers and employees. Ten hours a day in a corner office crunching numbers and planning the next big thing has a tendency to isolate you from the very things that make your business thrive. The use of social media to connect with people, listen to their feedback and engage in dialogue on a regular basis should be of critical importance to you.
Ok. You’re convinced. You need to be there. Now what?

A corporate leader’s dive into social media should be done methodically. You need a plan for getting there and for keeping it going. Depending on the size and scope of your organization, you should consider developing a social media plan with a social media consultant. You don’t do your company marketing and advertising without a plan, so why should social media be any different?

Digidaze helps companies and corporate leaders use social media to drive business forward.

Connect with us today:
http://www.digidaze.com/    www.twitter.com/digidazenow   www.facebook.com/digidaze   http://www.digidazeyap.blogspot.com/ 
marketing@digidaze.com  1-855-digidaze

Why Your Nephew Shouldn't Be In Charge of Your Social Media Marketing

It's happening everywhere. Business owners are putting their young nephew, niece, child or a college intern in charge of their business’ social media marketing charge. Sounds harmless enough...until you truly realize the impact of this powerful new marketing medium.

Most business owners (unless you own Facebook) are not in their 20’s. 77% of all U.S. business owners are between 35 and 65+, with the highest number on that scale – 32%  – being somewhere between 45 and 54*. These entrepreneurs, while not un-savvy when it comes to technology, have only just begun to understand the reach, impact and importance of social media marketing. Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, YouTube – they hear the buzz and know they need to be there, but they don’t know exactly how to get there. So what happens? That 55 year old business owner turns to the person he sees utilizing social media the most for help – his nephew.

Now, I don’t want to knock the knowledge of someone in their teens or 20’s. They certainly do understand social media tools better than most. They practically post photos and information to Facebook in their sleep. They’re hardly ever disconnected. But understanding the medium, and using it to represent your company brand are two completely different concepts. Look at it this way. Your high school senior may get straight A’s in math, but would you put her in charge of your accounting department? I don’t think so. While the basic understanding may be there, the ability to use it properly to move business forward comes from experience. Not just experience using the medium, true business experience.

This phenomenon is like déjà vu taking us back to when the internet was brand new. It was such a foreign concept. Business owners didn’t get it, and many were slow to adopt it. And when they finally realized they were falling behind, many of them turned to those that they believed understood the medium best – teens. The result? A worldwide web littered with poorly written, poorly designed websites with flashing text and really, really bad animated clipart. Cool!

It took a few more years for business owners to fully realize that their website was the face of their brand and needed to reflect their core business. It’s 2011, and now, you wouldn’t dream of trusting something as important as your website to an amateur.

So here we are at the crux of the next big thing for businesses. Who will you trust to lead the charge?

Need Help with Your Social Media Marketing?
Digidaze helps businesses extend their brand identities and reach new customers through social media marketing and search engine placement. Visit http://www.digidaze.com/, e-mail marketing@digidaze.com or call 1-855-digidaze for more information. And don’t forget to connect with us on Facebook at http://on.fb.me/hTZiDN and follow our tweets at www.twitter.com/digidazenow




*Source: http://www.census.gov/econ/census02/sbo/age.htm

6 Ideas for Making Social Media Work

If you're like many business owners, you struggle to understand just how social media can work for you. You hear social media success stories, but your efforts thus far (if you've been brave enough to jump in) may not be producing the results to balance out your time. Social media - and more broadly, digital marketing - doesn't appear to be going anywhere anytime soon. It just seems to grow stronger every day. Smart money says get on board, but just like any other marketing medium, you want to do it right...you want to make it work.

Have a Plan

Just like any marketing medium that your company decides to invest in - whether that investment is time or money (or both) - you need to map out a plan for implementation. Decide who on your staff is in charge of managing it, and set realistic goals for both getting it done and for what you expect to get out of it.

Integrate

The success of your social media marketing efforts is integration. If you decide to establish a presence on Facebook, for example, in order to reach your intended audience, you must promote your Facebook page. Link to it from your website. Talk it up with clients. Have your staff talk it up to clients, vendors and partners. Add the Facebook icon to your business cards, print advertising - anywhere your URL and phone number appear, your social media icons should appear, too.

Keep Up

Social media marketing is fast-paced, which can seem overwhelming. But if you've set a realistic plan in place, it will eventually become as ingrained in your company culture as your website, e-mail, direct mail, or whatever other marketing mediums you use to get new business.

Make It Worth Their While

If your customers are going to engage with you via social media, they need to get something out of it. Give your connections special offers that are only available through social media. Offer an amazing deal (a la Groupon) that will get your information going viral. Provide valuable information that your customers are hungry for. Be creative - no matter what business you're in, you can find ways to get noticed.

Track Your Efforts

Digital marketing is highly trackable. On social media, you have the opportunity to connect with and engage your customers. You can also see how much activity is happening daily. And what you can't track online, you can get straight from your customers' mouths. Ask them how they heard about you, and whether or not they are looking for you or businesses like yours on social media sites. When you're paying attention to the results, you'll have a better idea of what's working and what's not.

Consult With an Expert

Because social media is such a new marketing medium, businesses large and small have made big social blunders. Before you dive in too deep, it is a good idea to consult with a social media expert. Through analyzing your business, your target market, and your ability to implement a solid social media program, a social media expert can help you map out a plan for social media success.

So go ahead - take the social media plunge! With a plan and a little effort, you're sure to see results ahead.

Understanding the Google Basics - A Helpful Guide for Small Businesses

Understanding digital marketing – Google, Facebook, Twitter, YouTube, LinkedIn – may have you in a digital daze. We're here to help! In this post we will cover the Google basics. Google is a robust search engine with many features that go well beyond the basics. But for those simply wanting to get to know a little more about how this search engine giant works, this article will be just what you need.

What is Google?

Google is in internet search engine. Internet search engines are computer programs designed to search for and find information on the World Wide Web. Search results are presented back to the searcher as a list of information and links, and may include images, maps, video and other types of files.

Google is so widely recognized and used worldwide, that it is responsible a reported 63% of all search engine traffic. The remaining 37% is shared by a host of other search engines including Yahoo, Microsoft, Safari and others.

How does it work?

Google runs computer programs called search robots, or search bots, that scour the web reading and cataloging its content. Google uses search algorithms which are very closely guarded to deliver content back to the searcher. These algorithms are designed to provide information that is highly relevant to the search terms used. Google reports that they change these algorithms hundreds of times each year, making it impossible for anyone to 'crack the code', and figure out exactly what makes a site most relevant in Google's eyes.

Search engine experts continuously speculate on what Google and other search engines deem relevant. There seem to be tried and true methods to achieving good search results, however they are not a sure bet. They are, however, your best bet! See 'How can I get listed on Google' below for more.

Sponsored Listings
Google's primary source of income is through its Sponsored Listings. Sometimes called pay-per-clicks, Google's sponsored listings are search listings that appear either at the top of Google's search results (slightly shaded in pink) or along the right side of the search results screens. Both areas are noted with the word "Ads".

In order for a company to obtain sponsored listings on Google, they must create a Google AdWords account. Google's AdWords service allows business to create ads, choose the keywords for which the ads will appear, control when and where the ads appear, and set daily and monthly budgets.

Google AdWords also users to log in to view reports on ad and keyword performance, and make adjustments to ad campaigns in real time. The system also allows for more in-depth ad tracking through the Google Analytics engine. See 'What is Google Analytics?' below.

Business Listings
Google recognizes that the majority of its search traffic comes from people searching for local goods and services. Therefore, Google allows businesses to create a Google business listing which can greatly increase your chances of being found on Google. Google business listings include a marked map location of your business, and allows for the inclusion of expanded information such as business hours, payment information, and photos and videos.

Organic Listings
Google's organic listings are those search result listings that appear in the main content area of a Google search results page. These listings are unpaid, and are the listings that Google has deemed most relevant to the search key words or phrase entered by the searcher. Finding your way to page one of Google's organic listings is not always easy, but most certainly possible.

What is Google Analytics?
Google Analytics is a part of the Google AdWords progam, and is a way for businesses and marketers to track a website's performance. After establishing your business on Google, you may sign up for Google Analytics and receive auto-generated code which you can place onto your website. This code is then tracked by Google, and provides information back to the Google Analytics program. Reports are generated in Google Analytics which allow for the reporting of things like top paths and visits, and conversion.

How does Google rank websites?

Once they reach a website, Google's search bots 'read' the site and catalog its content. By looking at items like page title, meta tags, image tags, and actual page content, Google's search bots rank a site's relevancy for the search terms and phrases contained on the site. Because Google changes their search algorithms frequently, what makes a site rank highly today may not be what makes it rank highly tomorrow. However, most search engine experts would agree that by following known methods of creating and  maintaining a site, you can enjoy solid Google rankings.

I have a nice site, why doesn't Google list it higher?

There are many reasons why a site may not be found or highly ranked by Google. There is no one universal answer. In order to determine why your site is not being found, it is best to have it analyzed by a search engine expert. There are also many online resources for analyzing your site.

How can I get listed on Google?

You can get listed on Google within 24 hours by creating a Google AdWords account and creating sponsored listings! You can also claim your Google business listings for free. And most importantly, you can analyze your site and make little programming changes, content updates and link building strategies that will help Google find and rank you higher now and in the future.

If the prospect of getting your business on Google has you in a digital daze, contact Digidaze. Our search engine experts will get you on Google fast. We can set you up to manage your Google accounts on your own, or we can manage them for you so you can focus on the business you do best. Visit http://www.digidaze.com/ or call toll free 1-855-DIGIDAZE.

Why Is Social Media So Important for My Business ?

“‘Like’ me on Facebook”… “Did you see my tweet?”... “A colleague wants to connect with you on LinkedIn”… “Check out my YouTube channel!”  If you own a business and you’re scratching your head trying to figure out why social media should mean anything to you, you’re not alone. Millions of business owners are struggling to determine if social media is right for them, and why. In this post, we’ll break down a few of the top social media sites and how businesses are using them to grow.

 

What Is Social Media?

Social media is a relatively new means of connecting people via the world wide web. People are able to establish personal and business profiles online, then use them to find and connect with either people they know or people they want to know. The first social media site to gain wide recognition was MySpace. On its heels, and a site that would all but put MySpace out of business was Facebook. Almost simultaneously new sites such as YouTube, Twitter and LinkedIn were online and quickly gaining followers. So exactly how many people are using social media? Facebook alone has over 400,000,000 users currently, and is projected to have more than 600,000,000 by the end of 2011! (Yes, all of those zeros are correct…hundreds of millions of users!)

 

Breaking Down the Top Four

While there are literally hundreds of social media outlets, four main sites are standouts for different reasons.

 

Facebook

Facebook is a personal social media site created by college students as a way to meet and interact with other students online. Facebook quickly graduated to a social media site that nearly every age group utilizes – from school-age children to grandparents. To be a part of Facebook, you must create a personal user profile. This profile becomes your Facebook identity, and you’re in control of how much information you share with other Facebook users. Once you have become established on Facebook, you can search Facebook’s database for friends, colleagues, celebrities, companies or anyone or thing you have an interest in finding.

 

How Businesses Use Facebook

Once you have established a personal profile on Facebook, you then have the ability to set up a business profile. Facebook business pages are like mini websites, but give the administrator(s) the ability to reach out to those who are connected to the business page via wall posts. Creating a business page on Facebook is relatively simple, however establishing the desired connections with customers and prospects requires work. Facebook also offers advertising opportunities (they have to make money somehow!), which are similar to search engine pay-per-click ads. The advertiser creates the ad, chooses its geographic and demographic reach, and sets a daily budget using a credit card. Ads can either connect to the businesses Facebook page, or out to their website.

 

YouTube

YouTube is a place where anyone and everyone can post video content to share with the world. Unlike Facebook, you do not need to create a user profile to view the content on YouTube, making it accessible to anyone with an internet connection. In order to post video content to YouTube, you must create a YouTube channel. Like all of the social media sites covered in this article, there is no cost to creating a YouTube channel.

 

How Businesses Use YouTube

Businesses use YouTube in a variety of ways. Businesses often post how-to or other instructional videos intended to engage their audience more deeply in what they do and how they do it. While some may view this as giving away trade secrets, others find that transparency in what they do actually increases their customer base – particularly when people realize just how difficult it can be to do something that they originally considered a DIY project! Outside of instructional videos, businesses often post advertisements that are either highly entertaining or extended ads which are more like mini feature movies. Old Spice found great success in 2010 on YouTube with their entertaining ads – some with more than 30,000,000 views. Luxury brands like BMW and Tiffany and Company use extended movie-like ads to tell a story and immerse the viewer in an emotion.

 

Twitter

Unlike most social networks, Twitter is relatively one-sided. Where most social media invites interaction and comments, Twitter is a way for people – in 140 characters or less – to shout out some information and move on. From the mundane, to the outrageous, people will tweet just about anything. Whether or not anyone is listening to what is said is another story. In order for anyone to know what you have posted to Twitter, they must ‘follow’ you. Once a person has agreed to follow you on Twitter, your tweets will appear in their Twitter feed in real time when you post them. Information can gain viral attention on Twitter through its ‘Retweet’ feature. If something is tweeted and people want to ‘forward’ that information out to their followers, they simply click ‘Retweet’ and in the blink of an eye, it’s viral!

 

How Businesses Use Twitter

Twitter is successfully used by businesses who have cause to regularly distribute sought-after content. Obviously news outlets find Twitter useful in getting their stories out, but even small businesses may find connecting with customers via Twitter beneficial. A retail location, for example, may drive traffic to their store or their website by tweeting about a large or limited time sale. A business holding a conference may drive traffic to networking events or breakout sessions by tweeting the information to conference attendees. Or a nonprofit may increase donations by tweeting about a timely cause such as a natural disaster. Does every business need to tweet? No. But with a little thought and creativity, Twitter can be a quick and cost-effective way to reach many customers and prospects.

 

LinkedIn

LinkedIn is a way for people to connect for business. Unlike Facebook, LinkedIn users do not generally share personal information, but use it strictly for business. Users can create a profile for themselves, and one for their business. Employees and customers can connect to the business page, and information can be distributed to those connections. LinkedIn has a wide variety off added features beneficial to connecting businesses such as discussions, industry groups, and presentation sharing. LinkedIn is often used by companies and recruiters to find new talent. It is also used to find goods and services.

 

The Pros and Cons of Getting Into Social Media

Many business owners are currently wondering if they should take the plunge into social media. It’s uncharted territory for most, and if they do it, they want to do it right. Here are some pros and cons that may help you decide whether social media is right for you.

 

Pros

• Each of the social media sites discussed in this article are free to join. Not many other marketing mediums come with a price tag like that!
• Information is distributed in real-time. Delivering up-to-the-minute information is as easy as typing and clicking.
• Engaging in discussions with customers is easy and beneficial to business. Many social media sites encourage feedback and comments, which can promote good word of mouth advertising. And if there are negative comments, you are able to respond to them promptly and show good customer service.
• Social media broadens your reach through viral marketing. It’s the old “she told two friends, then they told friends, and so on…” effect. Only through online social media, it happens much faster!
• Connect with customers on a more personal level. Social media allows you to connect with customers a little deeper, creating a more loyal following.

 

Cons

• It’s easy to offend. Because social media is more personal, people engage with you on their terms. They are wise to blatant promotion, and will disconnect from companies who simply push ad messages.
• If your business or industry typically gets negative public feedback, you can expect that 10-fold (or more) on social media.
• Social media requires continuous care. Having a presence of Facebook or Twitter requires regular updates and customer engagement. It’s definitely not a ‘set it and forget it’ ad medium.

Still not sure if social media is right for you? Take a look around on some social media sites and check out your competition. If they are there, are they doing it right? Are they seeing results? If they aren’t there, is that an opportunity or a red flag? Only you can decide, but taking a look around is most certainly a good first step.

 

Learn more at http://www.digidaze.com/