Let’s be practical, advertisement can only be so effective. For example, I went and saw the new Pixar film this weekend: Wall-E.

I’m a huge Pixar fan, and I knew as soon as I saw previews that I would go see it. Some of my friends however, were less enthused. In fact, they automatically assumed it would be “kiddy” and didn’t want to go with me.

I went anyhow and loved it. In fact, I raved about the stunning visual art and great story line to everyone I met. Today, I found out, because I talked up the movie so much, two of my friends decided they would go see it.

These people saw the same advertisements I did, listened to the same hype I did; but they would never have gone to see Wall-E if I hadn’t opened my mouth. I gave Pixar free publicity.

We do it everyday. We like totalk about our favorite, products, services and brands. We create sales for companies who don’t even know we exist.

So how can you harness the awesomeness of word-of-mouth (or, in the case of the internet, word of net) power?

eMarketer put out a study in April about the Influence of “Social Shoppers”. These are people who test products or services, then review them. Its not surprising that we are three times more likely to trust a peer than an advertising campaign. So, if you already have a good product and offer worthwhile service how do you get these “peers” to review you?

The Most Important Thing is Presence.
Being aware of these sites, and making your products visible is the first step. Many of these sites (for example, Kaboodle) allow you to “join”. Once you are an accepted retailer, you can post your products to be reviewed. Its that simple. Of course, some sites have an associated cost, so weigh carefully.

Follow the Golden Rule.
As with any other kind of online social media, “give to receive” is key. If you join a social shopping site, do some reviews yourself. Put meaningful comments on product spotlights. Offer the same quality you’d want from someone else.

Simplify.
If someone wants to review your product: make it simple. Make your website and products easy to navigate. Don’t create a profile, put up a link to your site and expect people to find you. Many sites allow you to upload images or link straight to your shopping cart. Explore your options! Check out other retailers and see what’s worked for them.

Be Active.
Many social shopping sites are also social networking sites. Of course you don’t have to dedicate time to networking, but it does help! Get involved, have fun! Who knows, you may learn something from your experiences that can make your product even better!

Everyone is a potential marketer.
The best way to ensure you get good reviews is to treat everyone like they are marketing for you. If you have great service, its going to eventually make it on to the internet. The same is true for bad service. Everyone has potential to be your personal salesman.

These are just some tips to get you started. The best thing to do is take action. Check out some social shopping websites and create a presence for your business.

I have only minimal experience with these kinds of sites, though I often browse them when I am considering a purchase. If you have joined or participated on a social shopping site, what was your experience like?

I am very excited to share my first podcast. Hopefully, this will become a regular show and I plan to call it: Word of Net.

I recently did an interview with Doyle Slayton of www.salesblogcast.com. If you have not read his fantastic blog you should. He has a very successful start-up blog and we discussed how he used social networking to gain readers, what to blog about and the response from different generations to blogging. If you are even considering blogging for your business, you should give it a listen.

The other blog I mention is by Problogger and and the article is about relationships with other bloggers.

Listen to the podcast here

Or download directly:

• Part 1
• Part 2
• Part 3

View full image here.

I know many, many people have felt like this, as both a customer and a service provider. And I think with websites in particular, there is a problem. What the client wants and what the client gets are not always the same thing. It feels like many websites are just lost in translations. The buyer is unhappy with the result which in turn, makes the seller unhappy. Unfortunately, the situation is often lose-lose.

I want to discuss some of the general issues with web design; the reasons a good website gets lost. Then I want to cover ways to simplify this process for both the buyer and seller and hopefully safe both sides hassle.

Issues:

• Terminology - Programmers and other “tech” people use a specific kind of language, just like lawyers, doctors and other professionals. The average person might not know what CSS or RSS is.

• Design - Many web designers are amazing artists. The consumer sees a design and knows if they like it or not, but that doesn’t mean they can always describe what they want.

• Function - Ever done your own business taxes? Sucks, doesn’t it? You never really know how much you need an expert until you’ve tried it yourself. Clients often don’t understand how much coding goes into a project. To them, it looks like clicking a button, when it really may take an hour to create one action.

• Time & Money - Both parties, the buyer and the seller, know their time is valuable. They both want the best deal for the money. However, these two sides may not sync up all the time. Who qualifies the worth of the service?

Solutions:

Terminology

• Buyer: Know, up front, the seller is not purposefully trying to confuse. He isn’t using tech jargon to make you feel inadequate. Don’t get defensive. Relax, ask questions. The seller should be happy to share what he knows. Use that to your advantage!

• Seller: Be patient. Pay attention to the buyer, if he looks confused; stop. Try to explain in simpler terms. Make sure to explain abbreviations. Also, once you’ve explained, go back over it. Ask questions to gauge the buyer’s level of understanding. (As an aside: most people have some tech knowledge. When trying to simplify don’t go too far in the other direction. Don’t ever treat your client like they are stupid.)

Design

• Buyer: Even if you are unsure about what you want, try to give as much information as possible. It can be very frustrating when you don’t offer any guidelines but find fault with all the draft examples. Think of websites you like, and try to figure out why. Give examples. Think about layout, colors and design elements. If you can’t think of anything, say what you DON’T want! Most design companies have a limit on the changes you can make, so be as clear as you can upfront.

• Seller: Ask lots of questions. I’ve learned the hard way that if the buyer doesn’t give you any leads, create some. Use your own samples with yes or no questions: “Do you like this?” “Do you like the color?” “Do you like the font?” “Do you like where the text is?” Trust me, the less unknowns you are dealing with, the less redesigns you’ll do. Never, ever accept: “Whatever you think will look best.”

Function

• Buyer: Examples, examples, examples. I can’t say this enough. If you aren’t a tech person, show-and-tell is the best way to get across your meaning. Keep in mind: if you can only find one or two examples of what you want, the programming is probably more extensive; be prepared to pay the difference. Remember technology is like a good magic trick: easier than it looks.

• Seller: Be very upfront about what you can and can’t do, along with the associated prices. A client may think your job is easy. Its okay to gently explain the amount of time and effort you put in. In fact, knowing how much work you do could make them more appreciative. Don’t be afraid to say no, either. In fact, find other companies or individuals you can refer to. Great mutual business relationships have been built on this.

Time & Money

• Buyer: Web design is a service. We’re in business to make money. So please don’t ask for free things. We have rent and families, too. Also, our time is valuable. If he takes time out of his schedule to meet with you, be considerate. DO NOT take his ideas and give them to someone who will do it cheaper. (I know these two points are common sense, but it happens… a lot.) If you have questions/changes/concerns, give them to the seller in a reasonable amount of time. Communication is key.

• Seller: Same principles, communication is key. I used to get emails that had questions or problems. I would deal with them immediately. But sometimes the results would take a while, maybe days. Then the customer would be frustrated with me, even though I went out of my way to solve the problem. So I learned to answer phone calls and emails immediately. I would tell them my plan of action and let them know it was being worked on, even though it might take time. The results were fabulous. I was now the hero! The lesson here is: its okay to tell your client how great you are and what awesome things you do for them, its not bragging, its selling. Explain why you make your prices what they are, make sure your client understands how you and your service are valuable. Suddenly they feel their time was well spent and the money is a bargain

Obviously, I have more experience as a seller than a buyer, and I’m still learning. But I think communication and using examples are key to a successful relationship. I’m sure some sales people have things they would add and I love the feedback!

You’ve probably already heard of the sales technique where you throw in a “free gift” to get people interested in your brand. If you haven’t, check out this article about Offering Something for Nothing. Mr. Levinson, the author, calls this “bribing” the customer. I wouldn’t go that far, but it is a proven method to getting new and repeat customers.

Like most sales techniques, this one can be transferred to the internet. In fact, offering free content exclusively through your website can not only earn you extra customers but also increase your website traffic.

Here are some ideas:

1. Coupons for your services: Allow your customers to print off a coupon that proves they’ve visited your website. Consider giving them 10% off your services or products.

2. Samples: People can email you for a sample or a free consultation.  Think of other ways for clients can “sample” your business.

3. Use your blog: Give advice that relates to what you do. If you are a business attorney, give a tip once a week or keep your readers up-to-date on business law. Most people will jump on free advice it they find it relevant.

4. Downloads: Offer downloads that would be of interest to your readers: podcasts (interviews, live recordings of events, lectures), video, pdfs… think creatively.

5. Surveys: People love to take them. Link to a free service from your blog or put one directly on your site. Not only will you get active involvement from your readers, you can glean interesting information as well.

Do you ever download music? Lots of bands and recording companies get very offended by illegal downloading, but it still happens. The band ColdPlay decided to encourage downloading their music and offered it directly on their website. They went from ranking 305 among Bands and Artists websites to number 1. Their hits increased 1800% in 2 days.

Talk up your website and what you’re offering to your clients. Do it during consultations or when you are networking. Lots of people say “visit my website” but don’t give any incentive. Create your incentive and people will be asking you for your website’s address.

Have you used any of these ideas? How did it go? Post new ideas as well!

So I’m at the library and I notice this front page article displayed near the book drop. The cover of The Atlantic says in big colorful letters: Is Google Making Us Stupid? written by Nicholas Carr. Of course, this sparked my interest so I picked it up and read. After finishing it, I felt the need to respond. I found the article online but there is no way to reply (surprise, surprise). So I decided to post this in my blog instead.

Let me give you a quick synopsis… in case you don’t want to read such a long article. Mr. Carr claims that he has trouble sitting down and reading lengthy articles or novels. He believes this is because the internet is programming the general public so that they cannot assimilate large chunks of information. He accuses Google of making information too available. He ties this all in to a scene from 2001: A Space Odyssey where Dave unplugs the insane supercomputer HAL.

To start with, since Mr. Carr cited a personal experience as an example, I’d like to do so as well. Personally, I have no problem digesting large pieces of text. I read lengthy novels every week, check blogs, keep up with tech and marketing articles and occasionally treat myself to a neurology study (I know, I’m a nerd). The only problem I have is this, sometimes I don’t want to stare at my computer screen, so I print out the article to read on paper. Other than that… nope, no problems with understanding or following long works.

May I suggest that Mr. Carr’s problem is a result of… old age? I mean, I don’t want to get too technical and lose anyone but, well, its just a thought.

Mr. Carr reports that scientific studies prove that our brains adapt based on what we experience the most. For example, if we read only novels the size of War & Peace, we create a habit and our brains expect to learn via that medium. If we only read headlines, the same thing happens. I won’t argue that this is fact. However, it also proves that if we continue to read long articles or books just as often as we surf the web… this problem will not exist.

But now I challenge you: Is this really a problem? Let’s say all Mr. Carr’s assumptions are true, the majority of people learn primarily through short snippets of information. Is there any harm in this? The internet has made more information readily available than we ever thought possible. In fact, things are simpler. I used to miss the news because I was in class at 6:00. Now I can get it off their website at two a.m. if I want!

Here’s a better example. Let’s say you wanted to give a speech on the current politics of Iran but you’re not an expert. Ten years ago you would need to access a university library and ask permission to see their foreign policy journals, if they’d let you. And even then, those journals are often a month or two behind. Then, if you wanted to quote a politician or other leading expert you’d need to track them down by phone or in person which takes time, effort and possibly money. However, today, you could just go to the CIA’s website and then read some political blogs and then you could deliver something educated at the very least.

In addition, the speed at which we can now read things on the internet, gives us a chance to spend more time interpreting and analyzing what we’ve read. Then the reader can spend more time deciding what information is true and what can be left behind instead of spending hours getting to the heart of a one-sided argument. Don’t get me wrong, I love Tolstoy, but when it comes to making a decision on who to vote for, I want to having a multitude of information that I can quickly absorb and then decide for myself what to think.

If Google makes us stupid (which I doubt it does) it is our own faults. Google and other search engines merely offer a vehicle to get to information. In fact, this article has nothing to do with Google at all, it was merely dropped in as a big name that Mr. Carr could easily point to and therefore blame. I would even go so far to say the purpose of this article is just a backlash to the internet in general. The primary motivation: Fear. The internet is big and taking over. I can understand how someone whose job security relies on the printed page might see that as a threat. Of course, on the other hand, this article appears online as well as print, so the point is relatively obsolete.

If you want to see a different response to this article please do check out Google isn’t making us stupid at Lost in Translation.

I’ve stated my case. I believe Mr. Carr is using strawman arguments and relying mostly on sensationalism to promote his ideas. So, take a minute to consider, check out Chris’s article and then let me know you think - internet: friend or foe?

Imagine driving across the state to visit Grandma. Kids are in the backseat, laptops open. You see a sign for movie theater in a town you haven’t been to and ask everyone: “Who wants to stop and see a movie?”

In moments your kid has used his computer to go to the theater’s website, found out movie times, pricing, and the closest restaurant, along with the entire Google map of the town. All of this, while the vehicle is still moving. And to top it off, it cost nothing to access this information. Meanwhile, your GPS has been updating automatically from the web so that it knows exactly where the traffic and construction will be during your detour.

Future?
Perhaps not so distant. I’ve been predicting free wifi for a few years now, and sooner or later it will happen. Wireless will be like TV, as long as you have the television, you can access it. Of course, most people buy cable or dish too, but if you want basic news, you can buy a used TV and get the 6 o’clock.

Already there are towns being set up as completely wireless. Not far from Dallas there is a city called Richardson. Now, in Richardson there will be a flat fee to access this wifi, but imagine, anywhere in the city, access to the internet.

The FCC has already started an auction that plans to include a free wireless plan. The bidder who wins can do as they please, as long as it is a.) free and b.) has no porn. Pretty neat, huh?

A company suggested to me by James Tyler on Plurk, is FON. FON allows users free wifi after buying an inexpensive router. Then they “share” their internet access with users all over the world.

However, there are naysayers too. The points are that an add-supported network would be too slow to be worth using and that no company would waste its money. I tend to disagree, I think that the potential is massive.

Google has been trying to do this for years and their company is probably one of the only ones who could manage it and do it right. I think the potential for free wireless won’t knock out the competition, just drive more of it in. Everyone will want to offer the “upgraded” and “ad-free” service.

Also, imagine the potential for businesses. This is a business-centered blog, so let me bring it full circle. If everyone could access your website, don’t you think that (With good SEO) your potential to reach clients increases? Think about the scenario above! Knowledge is power, therefore access to more knowledge is key.

The center of the internet, in case you didn’t know, is here

But all joking aside, where do you think the center of the internet is? In the past, most
people might say a search engine like our friends at

.

Or perhaps your browser is central to your online experience. Of course that is very important and I suggest if you are still using internet explorer, please consider switching to firefox.

I think the center of the internet, however is quickly becoming personalized. If you own an antique bookstore you don’t need to be as big as Amazon. The Niche website is coming into power and with it, the power of small business.

Don’t let this scare you:

In the end, all that matters is this:

So, I’ve been following the rabbit hole of online social networking (which they should just shorten to OSN already) for a while now. It took me awhile to get on board with twitter but once I did, I loved the potential. When twitter started having the “fail whale” appear lots of people began to look for a new playground.

That’s when I started to hear about Plurk.

Potential:

I’m still trying out its potential for business owners. It is far more lucrative than twitter, but the ability to have conversations in real time is an awesome power. I’m hearing a lot about Plurk “replacing” Twitter but I have to disagree. Twitter allows you to search for people in your industry and follow them through microblogging. Plurk lets you start conversations, meet other people in your friend’s network through mutual interests as well as answer the eternal question: what are you doing?

What Plurk is like:

Plurk is not a linear format like Twitter which threw me off at first. Instead it is more of a web type design. You can click on plurks you want to read and then reply. Other people can reply too, so you can have a huge meeting of mind in a 5 minute span of time just to answer one question. While on Twitter you can have an instant response, watching it all be threaded in one box is pretty exhilarating.

I will admit, my first day on Plurk, I wasn’t impressed. The colors bothered me, the timeline confused me and I thought the random plurk creatures were creepy.

[Caption] Is that a headless dog? Who designed this?

Plurk vs. Twitter:

But, like any new experience, it took me a few hours to get used it and soon I felt compulsively drawn to Plurk. The great thing about instant interaction is that after a few days with Plurk I felt like I knew my friends better than with 3 weeks of twitter. Both will have their ups and downs, but both can be important tools.

Personally, I hope someone makes a site or application that combines them. They should call it pitter because it sounds like raindrops and that is the essence of both these sites: the little droplets of conversation and thought that make up a storm.

Contagious Media:

I saw someone comment on Plurk that the willingness of so many twitters to try this new site was interesting. I think so too. It took me months to give in and sign up for twitter but only a day or to to try Plurk.

This, I believe, is a trend that we are seeing and will continue to see, in regard to new interactive mediums. MySpace took a while to catch on, Facebook, much less. Perhaps this is an offshoot of Moore’s law that the speed of technology acceptance grows exponentially. As Generation Y’s influence grows and their desire to be immersed in the power of social internet has more power, more people outside of that generation will get involved as well. And as people as a whole discover that the “new” is nothing to be afraid of, they will more rapidly get involved with things that previously frightened them.

These are just my thoughts. Let me know what you think about the acceptance of new technology. Am I just becoming an early adopter or is this a trend? Will Plurk and Twitter go head-to-head? I’m sure there will be more on this as I continue to discover and learn.