Posted by Greg Elwell on Thu, Feb 02, 2012
One of the themes coursing through the veins of presentations at the iStrategy Global Digital Marketing Conference 2012 in San Francisco recently was: influencers matter more than followers. It's not about having the most followers but having the best influencers.
Why are influencers important? According to Ted Wright (@fizz_womm) of Fizz Word of Mouth Marketing: "The translation rate to word of mouth from an influencer to their friends is 92%."
Influencers share your story, it resonates and it spreads. Here are the 3 personality traits of influencers Ted shared at the conference with my take on what they mean to marketers:
1. They do things because they're new.
Influencers look to be first to try new things. They're early adopters. They're interested in the story about what makes something an amazing product or experience and why you should try it too.
Sometime ago I learned how another B2B marketing firm was able to customize a time tracking tool to fit their business model. I immediately checked it out and am now using it in my business. After using it for just one month it's practically paid for itself by helping me create greater efficiencies in the delivery of services.
Things and ideas that are new, that innovate and can be put to practical use, or are just plain fun and entertaining in a refreshingly new way are manna from heaven to influencers. What new twist on a common problem do you have? What fresh new insights or clever solutions can you offer?
2. They like to share things with their friends.
The second trait of an influencer you want to look for is that they love sharing the new things they've discovered. These are the ones re-tweeting and commenting, talking about you and spreading your story.
Influencers are catalysts in the sharing economy Randi Zuckerberg said is one of the top 10 social media trends in 2012. And don't think we're just talking digital here, 71% of WOM (Word of Mouth) happens off-line, face-to-face. Getting someone to tell your story off-line just maybe the holy grail of influence.
3. They are intrinsically motivated.
Influencers aren't looking for a promotion and the principle of scarcity probably won't get them to talk about you. Real influencers do what they do and share with their friends because they've gotten into it themselves.
False influencers subscribe to a service that auto-publishes tweets of information with links they've never visited. Authentic influencers, the kind people take note of, get intimately involved and engaged with your idea, your content, your service, tool or product - what ever it is and share how amazing it is with their friends.
Don't despair then if you lack a gizzillion followers. Understand what motivates influencers and meet them on their own turf. You just might be pleasantly surprised by what they can do.
Posted by Greg Elwell on Fri, Jan 13, 2012
Can a storytelling blog help you rise above the numbers?
As I began to write this post, worldometers reports 2.1 million blog posts written today. And the number flies upwards as the seconds pass. Towards the end of the day it registered over 3.4 million. It’s downright mind boggling.
Frequent blogging we know is important to traffic, leads and sales, or a bevy of other benefits like branding and thought leadership. But sometimes I fear we get caught up in the numbers and it becomes more like work – something we feel we have to do vs. want to do (or do very well). When we miss cranking out a post or get off schedule we may even feel a sense of guilt.
Here are 3 insights for helping us get beyond the numbers with our blogging:
Develop purposeful mechanics
HubSpot exhorts marketers to be constantly “pumping out content not only at a high frequency but also at a high level of quality.” This post gives some very useful tips on cultivating strong habits – on what I’d call the blocking and tackling, or mechanics of blogging. Things like setting deadlines and goals, thinking like an educator and keeping your customer personas in mind.
There are many practical links shared in the article that can help get you mechanically sound with some fine tips. Like the one on business blogging short cuts for time-crunched marketers. But tips and mechanics alone won’t get you over the hump, won’t help you be just another number.
Utilize effective technology
Platforms like Zerys with its project management, communications and writer marketplace all rolled into one can help you generate blog content efficiently and affordably. And, blogging software tools like in HubSpot with its integrated blog optimizer, keyword tool and blog analytics will help optimize performance. What’s more, HubSpot Professional and Enterprise editions afford users the ability to auto-post from Zerys to their saved drafts with just a couple clicks.
All the mechanics, methodology and technology can work great to ignite activity and generate massive amounts of content. But a person can have great mechanics and use the finest systems available – completely amazing and eye-popping – but if that person can’t convince enough other people in the central idea, to change and be transformed, it doesn’t matter how many blog posts are generated. It's like whirling dervishes spinning to a state of dizziness. Okay, that may have been a little much. But did it stir your thinking, an emotion? Do you want to do more with your blog, like foster change?
Tell a meaningful story
People change because they get emotionally involved with a human connection. Facts and information and lists and how-to guides alone don’t transform behavior. Facts are important, but people make decisions based on emotional appeal. The best way to unite ideas with emotion is by telling compelling stories.
“Storytelling creates the emotional glue that connects an audience with your idea.” – Nancy Duarte, Resonate.
The trick is to combine methodology and technology with a little artistry. Storytelling adds much needed artistry to the mix. Story-based blogs have the power to:
- Create interest, attention and a sense of adventure, entertainment
- Move an audience from static information to dynamic meaning
- Make your idea more digestible, real, memorable and remarkable
- Persuade people to change their hearts, minds and behaviors
Blog story writing can be a sentence, a paragraph or be woven throughout as in the example of a case-study (customer success story) type blog that involves real people solving real problems that others will relate to. And that’s the main point: Use Story-based blogging to give us a real-life example of how what you’re writing about plays out in real life. (Disclosure: We created the afore-mentioned case-study blog, “How Porous Asphalt Pavement Helped Expand a Business”.)
Steve Jobs was driven by a sense of perfection and making products tightly integrated (technology), extremely useful and easy to use (mechanics), yet elegant in design (artistry). His unrelenting passion for the intersection of technology and artistry revolutionized industries and transformed the way we live, communicate, and so much more. We’d do well to find that balance in our blogging, and not just put up more numbers in the blogosphere.
Need help pumping out some meaningful blog content? Click the button below to view our blog article writing packages and pricing. We try hard to make sure your blog posts rise above the number game.
Posted by Greg Elwell on Wed, Sep 07, 2011
Selling big ideas is like quenching a thirst.
A couple months ago I bought a book that has transformed the way I think about creating blog posts, or for that matter any form of marketing content designed to move people to action. At the time, I was laboring over how to present ideas in a world where people are drowning in information yet thirsty for meaning.
The book I happened to stumble on is Resonate: Present Visual Stories That Transform Audiences by Nancy Duarte CEO of Duarte Design. Resonate is much more than how to generate big ideas, it is a comprehensive work on how to effectively communicate your ideas in ways that truly resonate with your audience.
In chapter 4, Ms. Duarte discusses "The Big Idea" and says, "A big idea is that one key message you want to communicate. It contains the impetus that compels the audience to set a new course with a new compass heading."
She recommends composing your big idea in the form of a complete sentence with the following components:
- Your unique point of view on a particular topic. The emphasis is on what you think and not a generalization.
- A conveyance of what's at stake. In other words, why should anyone care, what's the compelling reason to adopt your idea and spread it to others?
With these two components, a general idea can be transformed into a big idea with relevant meaning to your audience.
Example of a big idea
As I reflected on the key components of a big idea, I recalled hearing a presentation by volunteers from the Water for People organization about two years ago now (big ideas effectively communicated are memorable!).
They spoke of their vision of a world where all people have access to safe drinking water and sanitation, and where no one suffers or dies from a water- or sanitation-related disease. It's reported on their Web site that 884 million people don't have access to safe drinking water and that 2.6 billion are without adequate sanitation facilities, and because of this 6,000 people die every day.
Clearly, the Water for People big idea these visionaries shared that night: Together, we can fix the broken pumps and filled latrines to help prevent 6,000 people from dying every day.
This is a big idea. It articulate a unique and specific point of view of what needs to happen (fix pumps and latrines), it conveys what's at stake (6,000 lives each day) and it's expressed in a complete sentence.
Applying big idea generation
A key takeaway for me has been to think about what I want to communicate in the context of the larger whole. Create a complete sentence around that and let that be indicated in the title and woven throughout the entire communication piece. We can apply this to blogs, Web content, email newsletters, videos, presentations - you name it.
Mix in some emotional appeal, drama and elements of storytellling and there's no telling how far your audience can carry your big ideas forward.
For more resources on generating big ideas visit our new, Drive Your Marketing to New Peaks page.
How do you generate big ideas that sell?
Posted by Greg Elwell on Sat, Sep 03, 2011
How do you write compelling blog posts that not only engages your audience, but woos them to consider your point of view? Information-rich blogs with useful data, facts, how-to guides and checklists may do the trick from time to time. But if you've got a unique idea, want to persuade your audience to try something different you may need to do more.
Annette Simmons wrote in Whoever Tells the Best Story Wins: "People don't want more information; they are up to their eyeballs in information. They want faith - faith in you, your goals, your success, in the story you tell."
Some will argue that your blog should not be about you, your products or services. It should be about your audience, what they care about. True to a point. But by including some elements of storytelling you'll be able to connect the information with what it means to your audience in a way that truly resonates with them. Nancy Duarte, author of Resonate writes, "Storytelling creates the emotional glue that connects an audience to your idea."
Let's look at 3 elements of storytelling you could incorporate in your blog that would have positive effects on wooing readers to change their minds, hearts and behaviors.
An unique idea about something you want to change
Every story has a central idea championed by the hero representing some 
achievement, goal or new state of being. This idea is often unique and in stark contrast to the status quo. There's a deep sense of dissatisfaction with the world (as our protagonist finds it) and there's great passion to see it changed.
Think about what you'd like to see changed in your world. What's your unique idea? What would you like to see adopted? This central, unique idea strikes at the core of why you're in business in the first place. It's what makes you a creative force to be reckoned with.
Yes, you are creative!
Most people I talk to think you have to be a "creative type" to have ideas like this. Not at all. My wife tells me all the time there isn't a stitch of creativity in her bones. I beg to differ. She loves to cook (and watch food shows non-stop). She has 3-ring notebooks filled with recipes she's collected from all over the place. She is, however dissatisfied with nearly every single one of them! I don't think she's cooked many meals to the exact specifications and ingredients found in those recipes. She changes it up. She adds or subtracts and gives it her spin. Why, she'll even turn a boxed dinner into a Wolfgang Puck-like masterpiece!
Look at the status quo in your business, your industry and the products and services being offered today. What ideas would you like to see advanced? What are you dissatisfied with? What's your spin - your recipe for serving up a delicious meal unlike anything we've ever tasted before? Next, lets look at how to best create interest in your idea in the story you tell.
Contrast creates tension, interest
Now that you have a strong central idea you're passionate about you need a way to help generate interest in it. Contrast is a powerful element in storytelling. Whether in movies, books, theater, art, speeches or song. Contrast reveals tension and tension creates identification, interest.
"Whenever I'm dressed cool
My parents put up a fight
(Uh huh, uh huh)
And if I'm hot shot
Mom will cut my hair at night
(Uh huh, uh huh)"
In the lyrics of Hair, Lady Gaga contrasts how her dress and attitude is perceived as rebellion against her parents - and how they want her to be. It reminds me (identification) of my own Dad imploring me to get my haircut before visiting home from college in the early 70s. And right now, you may be identifying with contrasting ideals, views, beliefs between you and a family member that created tension and conflict.
Programmed for contrast
Contrast is inescapable, it's everywhere. Instead of avoiding the differences, embrace them. Try incorporating the element of contrast in your blog to either describe the difference between what is with what could be with your solution (idea adopted) or in calling out alternate points of view.
Knowing your audience and how your views may be similar or different from theirs and then dealing with it by injecting a human element of storytelling is a powerful technique to engage interest. Once you've demonstrated that you're on your way to resolving the resistance to inspiring and guiding people to change...to a new beginning.
An ending that is just the beginning
"What we call the beginning is often the end.
And to make an end is to make a beginning.
The end is where we start from."
T.S. Elliot
What does Star Wars, Harry Potter and The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo all have in common? One book ends and the next one begins. There's a continuity and body of work all supporting the main theme or central idea. Once your blog reader crosses the threshold to the new world the real work begins!
You can't just create one awe inspiring, story-based post and call it a day. You need to keep the story going and continue to support your engaged audience. Think in terms of developing a total body work as John Jantsch writes in Content as a Total Body of Work. Change is both exciting and scary. And quite often something must go in order to embrace the new. Help them sustain the commitment to adopt your idea by continuing to support it with more great content in context with their needs.
There are, of course, other elements of storytelling you can inject in your blog posts to woo your audience. Things like
- using a story-based structure
- instilling a human connection
- audience segmentation and mentoring, and
- mixing up the delivery with multiple forms of media.
But I'll leave those for the next chapter on incorporating story in your blog writing!
What elements of storytelling have you tried in your blog?
Ying and Yang photo attribution: Flickr oli23000
Finish line photo attribution: Flickr lululemon athletica
Posted by Greg Elwell on Thu, Aug 11, 2011
“Don’t bother me for a while, okay?” She needn’t explain. I know when my wife is immersed in that enticing juncture of a great novel. It’s not that she doesn’t want me around; she just doesn’t want to be distracted from what’s coming next. She’s totally into it. I’ll bet you’ve been there too.
What is it about certain books, movies, songs, plays and presentations that have overwhelming power to resonate deeply with us and in so doing engage our emotions and transform our behavior? The answer, I believe, is in the art of effective storytelling.
I’m on this story-based blogging journey myself. It started with a blog by Jeffrey L. Cohen that led to watching a Nancy Duarte TEDx video that in turn led to becoming totally (don’t bother me now) immersed in her new book: Resonate – Present Visual Stories That Transform Audiences. While her work on this topic is about making persuasive speaking presentations, the concepts and principles are transferrable to blogging or any other form of persuasive communications.
Here are a few concepts of blog storytelling that can help your audience get better engaged with your ideas:
Understand and apply the basic structure of an effective story
In its simplest form all stories have a beginning, middle and end. In the beginning we’re presented with the protagonist’s (hero’s) desire to reach a certain goal. But along the way there’s conflict and tension, opposing forces that threaten to derail the dream. There are twists and turns, ups and downs until finally, after some dramatic turning point, our hero breaks through and learns her lesson, reaches her new state of being. The post by Achim Thiemermann, What Drama Musicals Can Teach Us About Great Blog Writing is a terrific resource on this.
Mentor your audience through a journey of what is vs. what could be
In Resonate, Ms. Duarte exhorts storytellers not to view themselves as the hero of the story, but one who is helping guide, give confidence, insight, advice or training along the way. “The audience,” she says, “is the hero.” The blogger’s job is not to show how brilliant he/she is, but taking a position of humility help move the reader from a state of current reality to, what Nancy terms, the “new bliss.” Stories of your journey in that regard, or of someone else they can identify with, is a powerful vehicle to convey how change in others with similar challenges can, and do become reality.
Use the element of contrast to gain rapt attention
We’re wired for contrast. A common thread in all engaging stories is the comparison of one idea to another, one way of doing it to the, new idea way. Using this element of contrast in story-based blogging structure will enable your readers to engage, at an emotional level with the idea you want to see adopted and spread.
What does compelling, remarkable content look like? Remarkable content stands out because it’s different, it clashes. “Don’t blend in,” writes Duarte, “clash with your environment (and be vulnerable). Stand out. Be uniquely different.” Let this principle of comparing and contrasting through storytelling help an audience visualize what’s possible for them to attain – because they’ve seen how it’s worked out for others.
Here’s the main thing. You have the power to start a groundswell of support for your idea. Your ability to engage your audience with story-based blogging is literally at your fingertips, it flows from your unique experiences.
On my birthday this past summer, I found myself wandering the streets of my home town, Minneapolis. A guy who looked to be 5-8 years my senior walked up to me on a secluded street corner. Holding a shinny object he thrust his hand toward me. Before I could react he boldly asked, “What kind of music do you like?”
I was caught so off-guard, but in a euphoric state of mind, believing nothing evil would befall me today replied, “I like all kinds of music, why?” “Well said the man, because I’d like you to buy this CD, it’s my last one (‘ya sure, you betcha’ the Minnesotan in me thought) and it will help my Son and it will help me - it’s only $10.” “Ah, well I like classic rock,” I retorted, thinking this would be the end of it and I’d be moving on down the road. “Perfect,” said the man, “this music is classic rock, it’s your kind of music!”
“You see,” he continued, “my Son is trying to make it in this band and I’m trying to keep out of trouble. He has this idea of making and sharing his brand of classic rock and he’s giving me 20% of what I sell.”
No longer in fear for my life, instead I saw hope in the eyes of a man who had known trouble and way too much hardship. “I like your idea,” I said. We talked a while longer. I shared it was my 60th birthday and in surprise, Emanuel said, “I can’t believe it, you look younger than me, I’m 53!” “Well,” I replied, “it was great meeting you, best of luck to your Son, and keep out of trouble.” “Oh, I will,” he said, “and you’re going to love the music.” And I surely did. (Even though it wasn’t exactly my style of classic rock, surprise-surprise!)
So what’s your idea, your story? Do you have the courage to tell it, to be vulnerable? You have the power to create your future – to win us over to your idea. And there’s nothing better or more rewarding than that.
Need to get some blog articles written? Check out B2B Inbound’s blog article writing plans most of which include story-based blogs.
Posted by Greg Elwell on Fri, Aug 05, 2011
According to Seth Godin, “Content marketing is the only marketing left.” He could be right. Consider the value of high quality and consistent blog content to:
- Generate more traffic
- Engage a loyal following
- Increase keyword ranking
- Attract inbound links
And, ultimately of course, drive business value in terms of leads and sales.
But how do you, a business manager or marketer, already stretched for time create effective (and consistent) blog content at a rate you can afford? Do you write it yourself? Hire fulltime writers? Search for freelancers? You could, but these options take considerable time and money.
What if you could efficiently, and cost effectively, outsource blog content creation? What if you could partner with a professional content agency that provides 3 important features? Features that include:
- The right process – that makes things simple and ultra-efficient
- The right system – that integrates all the required tools and communications into one place
- The right talent – to get the job done, without increasing your full-time payroll
Now for the good news, there is a solution that includes all these features and more! Now you can get professional, engaging and regular blog content at a rate you can afford, without all the headache and time commitment that was previously required.
The solution?
Outsource Blog Writing to a Certified Content Agency
Six months ago I was speaking with a HubSpot customer who needed help with inbound and blog marketing. We had been ghostwriting blogs in-house for some time, but were very near our capacity. We were eager to take on more business but also concerned about continuing to deliver content in an efficient and high-quality manner.
I was then referred to the agency side of Zerys, an emerging content development platform, project management system and professional writer marketplace all rolled into one. We jumped in with both feet and soon discovered how operating as a Certified Zerys Pro Agency could transform our business.
Utilizing the unique, Zerys for Agency platform over the past six months, we’ve been producing professionally written, keyword optimized and high-quality blog content at extremely affordable rates for dozens of clients across multiple industries.
“I thought the articles were interesting and well-written, and your
service/staff were very easy to work with." (IT industry client)
We’d like to do the same for you too!
Posted by Greg Elwell on Wed, May 25, 2011
One way you can improve your site with Website Grader is to 
continue to add indexed pages to your site. Adding pages has a compounding effect in contributing to inbound marketing success. It has the potential to increase visibility and authority with your target audience and search engines alike. Adding more keyword optimized pages will attract more visitors, inbound links and can also lead to, well, more leads! There's plenty of evidence and data to back this up.
I believe having a strategy and plan to add quality content to your website over time is the single most important thing you can do to not only improve your grade, but to build your business. In fact, for those with limited resources, I will tell, you it's better to invest in creating new, optimized content than it is to spend resources performing on-page SEO on existing pages.
You can (gasp) ignore SEO, but you can never stop creating fresh, interesting and helpful content if you want to improve the business value (and grade) of your site.
We all know one of the best tools for creating and publishing new content is the blog. Or, shall we say, "to blog?" I'm preaching to the choir here. But sometimes even the best preachers and singers backslide. That's OK. We are forgiven. Now, what's one thing you can do to get back on the straight and narrow?
Create and Use a Blogging Worksheet
I like the term, blogging worksheet vs. editorial calendar because to me, it's less formal and intimidating. And believe me, we need fewer barriers when it comes to the planning and doing of our blogs.
I also refer to this tool as a blog calendar. Put it together and you've got a Blogging Worksheet and Calendar. Use it as a tool to help plan and schedule your blogging activity.
I created my own that I also use with clients. It includes:
- Target publication date
- 1-3 long-tail keyword choices
- General/Working topic, title or idea
- Topic specific notes
And that's it. If it's not simple enough to use, it won't be. Start by picking out 5 to 10 long-tail keywords out of your target keyword list (or Keyword Grader for HubSpot customers). Next, you might do a Google blog search on your keywords to get inspired for creating your working topic. Jot down some notes, and finally enter a publication date.
If you dare, schedule it on your calendar - this is your deadline. But go one step further, schedule a start date. This is the date you're going to start writing. Think of it this way: Start dates are more important than due dates.
I think if you follow those simple, but practical steps you'll be adding more indexed pages through your blog in no time. Check your Website Grade every 4-8 weeks and see if you haven't improved your grade - and your business! You could also keep track of your improvement over time by displaying your Website Grade as a badge on your site. Like this:
Whoa! Now we're really getting committed!
Here's a little bonus for reading this far: Download my Blogging Worksheet and Calendar for free (opens in new window, no registration required).
Need help with blog article writing?
B2B Inbound specializes in providing high-quality blog content. We are an Interact Media, Zerys Certified Agency and offer multiple levels of blog packages beginning with 1 article per week. Find out what we can do to help you grow your blog!
Posted by Greg Elwell on Sun, May 08, 2011
Sadly, one of golfs most imaginative and brilliant players, Severiano ("Seve") Ballesteros has died at the age of 54. After a gallant effort to recover from a malignant brain tumor, first diagnosed in 2008, Seve passed away at his home in Pedrena, in northern Spain at 2:10 a.m. local time Saturday, May 7th.
Seve won a record 50 European titles and more than 90 tournaments worldwide. He won 5 major tournaments, led Europe in Ryder Cup dominance for two decades and became known as the "Car Park Champion" for his first Open win in 1979 at the age of 22.
Win the British Open at Royal Lytham while hitting only 9 fairways in 72 holes of golf and just one on Saturday's final round? Nothing ever seemed impossible for Ballesteros who came to rely on his imagination as a 10-year-old learning to play the game while smacking pebbles around with the only club he could find - a rusted 3-iron.
After yet another wayward tee shot during the final round, this time into a car park approximately 70 yards off the fairway, Seve took a drop, hit a sand wedge to within 18 feet of the pin. He followed that moments later with the birdie putt that gave him a 3-shot lead; and he was on his way to becoming the youngest British Open champion in 86 years, beating Irwin, Nicklaus and Crenshaw.
"It wasn't because he was lucky," said Irwin who was leading the Spaniard by two strokes beginning the final round. " It was because he created some shots that were unbelievable."
See the shot that made him the "Car Park Champion" on the left; on the right is Seve making an unbelievable shot through a tree and back onto the fairway from, of all places, his knees!
No wonder Nick Faldo called Seve, "golf's Cirque du Soleil." "Seve has been probably the most creative player who's ever played the game" and, "He was a genius," said 14-time major champion Tiger Woods. Tony Jacklin, a former U.S. Open winner and Ryder Cup captain said of the smiling Spaniard, "Pulling off the impossible was an every day thing for him."
As for me, he was an entertaining, inspiring and instructional figure on many levels. The thing that seemed to drive the fearless, swashbuckling hall of fame golfer more than anything was his undeniable passion to succeed.
Johny Miller who faced and defeated then 19-year old Seve at the '76 British Open said of his rival, "You could see how much the guy cared about winning...he just wanted it so bad."
And so I tip my hat to the incomparable Car Park Champion from Spain. And thank him for these lessons of perseverance and success:
1. Have unwavering faith in your ability to overcome trouble.
Trouble happens. Following the victory at Lytham Seve was quoted as saying, "I don't aim for the rough it just goes there."
"He was a man who got into trouble. Only for Seve, there was no such thing as trouble," said South African, Gary Player. Writers and fellow competitors have assigned such attributes of genius, undeniable skill, brute strength, unequaled imagination and unquenchable enthusiasm to Seve's ability to see clear through any trouble and overcome it. Seve had nothing to do with being in trouble, only a vision to see beyond and a will to triumph over it.
2. Keep moving forward.
On another occasion that led to one of the greatest shots he ever made, his tee shot landed near a swimming pool with a 7-foot wall in front and trees all around. With his caddie imploring him to pitch out to the fairway, Ballesteros knocked a wedge up and over the trees just short of the green. He then chipped in for a birdie. "I like to keep going forward," he said.
I don't think Seve ever believed in the 2-steps forward, 1-step back approach. He kept looking to move forward toward the goal. He kept looking for that crack of opportunity. And when he found it he went forward towards the goal. And so should we.
3. Imagination is developed one "club" at a time.
The story is told of when his son, Javier was first learning to play golf. Ballesteros would send him out to play with his friends with just an 8-iron while the others carried a full bag of clubs. And Javier would ask his friends, "Why do you carry a full bag?" "That's how it's suppose to be," came their reply. "No, no. My father says it's supposed to be played with only one club. "One club," he added, "You have to develop your imagination." How many times do we try and succeed with multiple "clubs?" We spread ourselves thin while we try and become the "jack of all but master of none."
Maybe Seve was on to something. Maybe we should take up one club, one tool, one specialty from which to develop a greater imagination in how we might use it to succeed. Then, maybe it wouldn't be such a big deal when we run off course and fall into those traps or rough spots. We'd just trust our abilities, look ahead and with determined imagination create Seve-like magic.
Wouldn't that be something?
For more on Seve Ballesteros, visit SeveBallesteros.com
Sources for this Post:
USA Today, Swashbuckling golf legend Seve Ballesteros dies at 54
Golf.com, Adios, Amigos!
San Francisco Chronicle,Sunday, May 8, 2011: Charismatic shot-maker who 'had it all.' Story by Doug Ferguson, Associated Press.
Posted by Greg Elwell on Thu, Apr 28, 2011
For the past couple of months I've been working on developing a new web widget, the Inbound Marketing Calculator Tool. This tool will help you see how traffic, leads and conversion rates impact and are calculated to help you achieve your revenue goals.
In addition, I've also been putting together some associated resources and information, like the calculator story and how-to's that will give you some perspective and help you get the most from using it.
Why a web-based version? There's been lots of downloads of the MS Excel version of the calculator. You can still get it here. It's a great tool to have in your inbound marketing toolkit.
You can pull it up on your local machine, work with it, save and then share it with your team members. But, I also felt having it more readily accessible as a web widget would allow inbound marketers instant access in order to:
- Get a quick idea of what's needed to achieve your goals
- Help keep you focused on the metrics that matter most
- See how changes in conversion rates impact results
So I hope you find it useful. Whether you're just starting out with inbound marketing, making changes to your revenue plan or simply doing a check-up, the inbound marketing calculator tool is now live, totally free and available to use 24/7!
I'd love to hear your comments, feedback and success stories from using the tool.
Posted by Greg Elwell on Sun, Mar 27, 2011
Here are the topics, tools and thoughts that captured my attention this past week.
Add a Widget to Your Web Site to Bring in Fresh Content
In last weeks digest I wrote about a cool social media, content curation service via the folks at SmallRivers and their http://paper.li service. You might want to jump over to that post and get acquainted with the 3-fold benefit of publishing your daily newspaper like my B2B Inbound Daily.
Well now, I've discovered a 4th use or benefit of subscribing to this tool. You can embed a widget that will display the current headlines according to your content curation topic or criteria.
You can see an example of this in the left column of my blog page and also in the side column of my Newsroom page. Once you embed the javascript code where you want it the content in the widget updates automatically. It's kind of like adding a Twitter widget to your site to show your Twitter stream.
Note that you can customize the color in the header and footer to match your color scheme. Like I did with the orange background. The default width is 200px but you can change that too to meet your space requirements.
To get your Paper.li widget first sign up for a free account and publish your newspaper. Be sure to turn the "Promote on Twitter" setting to ON so your daily will be shared on Twitter. Then, click the "Embed" button to copy your code.
Next, you might want to paste that into a text file like Notepad, save it to your computer and customize the color and width before you embed it on your page. Here's what the code looks like before editing:
Pretty cool, huh? So, give it a go for yourself and let me know what you think here on blog comments.
Take your Email to the Cloud via Google Apps
A client contacted me this past week to say her computer had crashed (again) and she needed to have it rebuilt. Her computer guy also recommended she stopped using Outlook Express as it was known to induce viruses that could have been the culprit for her issues.
So I recommended she go with Google Apps. In case you haven't heard, Google provides a suite of cloud- or web-based apps. The free version includes:
- Messaging Apps: Gmail, Google Calendar, Google Talk
- Collaboration Apps: Google Docs, Google Sites
- More: Google Reader, Blogger, Picassa, Web Albums, AdWords
With Google Apps you get up to 50 user accounts. Here are a few of the advantages:
- Gmail is one of the best anit-spam email services available
- You can use Gmail with your branded domain name: yourname@yourcompany.com
- You can access your email and Google Apps from any computer connected to the Internet
- You can easily configure Google Apps email and calendar to work with your smartphone or iPad
You will need to prove you own the domain you wish to use with Google Apps. And, you'll need to be able to access and configure the DNS and Mail (MX) settings. I took me about an hour to get my client all set up and running. Google provides helpful and very detailed step-by-step instructions. But, if you're unfamiliar with how to configure the settings at your domain Registrar you may want to hire a professional to do it for you.
So, if you're looking for better email security, use of your branded domain in your email address along with the convenience of accessing your account from any computer, Google Apps may be just the solution for you!