If you’ve done any sales or offline networking you know the drill: Meet someone, exchange business cards and then do the ultimate magic move: get coffee. You meet at your local Starbucks, or if you’re adventurous, a non-chain locale. You both grab your cup o’joe and share. This is not a sales pitch, not a marketing strategy, this is a get-to-know-you-and-your-business hour. This is a relaxed, comfortable environment to share with someone about your passion and find out more about theirs. Afterward you usually feel like you know this person better and understand the “niche” their company fills. If you have any synergy, you establish it, and often you will exchange any referrals on the spot or in the next few days. Sometime the results of “getting coffee” or having a “one-on-one” aren’t apparent for months. But then again some of my most enthusiastic clients came from someone who was never going to use my services but talked me up to their friend…. someone I had coffee with once.

Getting Coffee can be a powerful, personal way to establish your business. So why is blogging like getting coffee? The first websites were cold, impersonal tools used mostly to get a sale out of someone. Now we have a new aspect to web, a more social aspect. And it is a fact that humans, as a whole, are social creatures. A blog is an awesome way to “get coffee” with someone you might never have a chance to meet in person. Here’s why:

• Neutral Ground: Most blogs are informal. The website itself carries all the “official” business information, but the blog gives you a chance to loosen your tie, roll up your sleeves and breathe in that espresso atmosphere.
• The Little Things: A blog let’s people see what’s unique about your company. Maybe you are a business law firm, but you happen to really be passionate about 503 (c) companies (nonprofits) and have lots of experience starting them. Or maybe your background was originally in the IT field and it makes your perspective different. These are all things that might not be appropriate in the “official” side of your website, but in your blog it can gain you an individualization. Its the small things that set you apart, so share them.
• Establish a Rapport: Trust is huge. One of the great things about getting coffee is being about to establish if they are the kind of person you would be comfortable referring to or not. Often you can discover information their background, their family life, their personality… in a blog you can reveal all these things and it builds trust with your readers. The more they feel like the know the real you, the more they will trust you.
• Spill the (Coffee) Beans: Share your secrets. Often, when I meet with someone, I like to find out something that isn’t common knowledge. Share something that’s not common knowledge on your blog. It doesn’t have to be incredibly personal, it can be an industry secret. If people feel like you are being upfront with your facts they will be more willing to come back to your site in the future.
• Q & A: Getting coffee with someone always involves conversation. Its an opportunity to ask questions and get feed back directly. I have no background with real estate. So when I have coffee with an agent I can ask them all kinds of questions without feeling stupid: “Is the market really as bad as the news says?” “What do you mean by ‘flip’ a house?” “What’s a good mortgage rate?” They ask me basic questions too: “What do you mean by SEO?” “What’s the difference between a link & url?” and “How does social media work?” The point is, a blog can be a conversation with your readers. Answer the questions you know they are asking. And make your blogs open-ended enough so that your readers feel comfortable asking you questions and even seeking out your advice.

If you get in the mindset that blogging is like getting a chance to get coffee with hundreds of individuals around the world, everyday, you might suddenly see the awesome potential blogging for your business has. If you already blog, consider what people ask you during a one-on-one and what the hot topics seem to be. If you don’t think the results of blogging can be as dramatic as getting coffee, think again. I love sharing links to my favorite blog sites with people who are looking for that information and I have made sales because other people did the same for me. People refer to those they like and trust. So make your blog trustworthy and friendly and see what happens.

Step back Linked-In, there’s a new kid on the block. If you have not yet heard of N10, you should try it.

N10 is more than just another site to list people you know. Here are some features that make this site unique:

• Track Referrals: Ever meet someone and want to send them a referral but forget? This site allows you to link two people together in your network and then tracks how many referrals you’ve given them.
• Categorize Your Associations: There are lots of different reasons for networking. This site allows you to categorize people based on how they network and why you network with them. They even have a cute little quiz you can take.
• Find Out Who Your Most Powerful Assets are: Not only does N10 track the referrals you give but also the referrals you receive.
• Tips and Training: Need help on your one-on-one or think your 30 second intro needs some work? N10 has beautiful presentations that can help you be a better networker.
• Post Proof: One thing Linked-In doesn’t allow you to do is post examples of your work. N10 lets you post articles, video, images and audio.

Why am I excited about N10? I don’t think N10 is here to compete with Linked-in. Like all social media, both sites have their value. But the ability to instantly connect two people I know in a simple way is something that Linked-in doesn’t really provide. That alone makes N10 worth my time. Of course, the opportunity to actually post my work is awesome too. That and I like to keep my network organized, so the category function is incredible.

I had the opportunity to meet with Jim Penny, N10’s creator. He created the site based on his book: Networking Genius. Jim Penny has years of experience in networking and wants to make what he’s learned available to everyone else. He’s excited about the potential his system has.

The site is still in beta but I can only imagine that it will continue to grow and change into an invaluable tool for any serious networker. If you are in my personal circle expect to be receiving and invite from me so that we can send each other referrals more simply online!

Since there has been microblogging there has been the Microblogwars.

The original war was between Twitter and a service called Jaiku, which launched a few month before Twitter but has since been closed to the public by Google. A number of social sites also include microblogging as part of their service. These are often called status updates and can be found on Facebook and MySpace.

Pownce, created by Digg founder Kevin Rose, also joined the fray just recently. Along with Spoink which includes all forms of multimedia blogging. Even Plurk is considered a contender for the Microblog Crown.

One of the most recent additions has been Identi.ca. Identi.ca is an open-source service, which means that not only is it free, it also makes all its code public. However, the look and feel of Identi.ca is almost indetical to Twitter which made it a huge competitor during Twitter’s down time. Identi.ca had record sign-up in its first 24-hours. Many disgruntled Tweeple at least tested the service, many more simply reserved their name and waited to see what would happen.

Since Indenti.ca’s opening it has stayed mostly under the radar. Little buzz has continued about Identi.ca “replacing” Twitter. This may be due to a number of small glitches from Identi.ca.

But why is there a need to compete? Is one service really better than the other? MySpace and Facebook really offer two different services yet they are always lumped together and compared? The same thing happened when Plurk got hot. Die-hard Twitter fans raged that Plurk was a copy-cat out to ride on Twitter’s famous coat-tails. Are they really offering the same service? I think not. Identi.ca has a lot of similarities with its cousin Twitter, but if they begin to offer something extra (as foretold in the wondrous FAQ), they will have earned their place among the Microblogging Nobles.

Though the true colors of Identi.ca have not yet been revealed. Whether Identi.ca’s extreme replication of Twitter’s interface will help or hurt has yet to be seen. But, I think the one of the joys of the internet is being able to access and experiment with numerous social sites. Then you can test and try them and find a personal fit. Plus, a little healthy competition never hurt anyone.

I know Twitter’s been having a hard time with capacity, but it is still a useful tool in my mind. Last time I discussed Twitter I gave a general overview. This time I want to look more in-depth at what Twitter can do for business owners.

Time Warp

First of all, know that Twitter is an investment. Just like real life networking, it takes a certain amount of patience and persistence. It takes relationship building. Strangely enough, many business owners write off services like Twitter because they “can’t reach their audience” or they “don’t have time”. And yet they are willing to sit through a two hour luncheon, talk about their business for 30 second and get one or two leads (maybe). Pause and consider this for a moment; if that is good networking, how can Twitter not be? Twitter will list your activities for the whole world to see 24 hours a day. Even if you update just once a day and make 5-6 replies… you’re still building your brand! If you still think this is time misspent, check out Problogger’s argument about how all forms of communication can be a waste of time when handled inappropriately.

Follow the Leader

Once you’ve made up your mind to get on Twitter you might not know where to start. Who do you follow? How do you get people to follow you? Rule #1: Never, ever try to follow 20,000 people and see who subscribes back. Just don’t. Its just another form of spam. You may be completely legit but most serious business owners will dismiss you. I suggest searching for people with similar interests. Check out some names in your industry who you admire. Find posts that interest you, and give them some feedback (Remember: the Golden Rule is Networking!). If you need some more help, check out some useful tools like Twellow. Or find people in your area with TwitterLocal. There are lots more!

Quality over Quantity

Some people post 40-50 times a day on Twitter. That’s fine if you want to and have the time. However, I suggest making quality posts about your business, your website, your blog - just a few times a day and giving lots of replies back. Follow one or two new people everyday. If you talk about what interests you, maybe ask some questions, you should start building worthwhile relationships. Not only will people respond to you on Twitter but you should start seeing increased traffic to your blog, articles and website.

The Niche Glitch

I’ve mentioned previously that social media is a lush garden of opportunity for tech-inclined individuals. This does not mean if you aren’t a techie you aren’t welcome. In fact, I love finding writers, stay-at-home moms and students: they give some of the most meaningful feedback. I was just commenting the other day how I wish more “everyday” businesses would create corporate Twitter accounts; I’d follow them in heartbeat. If Barnes & Noble put up book deals on Twitter, I’d check my feed every hour! But not just big business, small ones too. If the owner of Dunn Brother’s Coffee Shop in Addison had a Twitter account, I’d promote them constantly!

Twitterpated

You don’t need to be twitterpated (or smitten, for the Disney illiterate) to appreciate Twitter. It is a tool. You don’t have to write about how you got stuck in traffic or the 5 different salad dressings offered at lunch. But you can write about events you’re attending, sales, opportunities or just what makes you passionate about what you do. You’ll be pleasantly surprised that being real with people on the internet, might just close a sale.

Feel free to follow me: http://twitter.com/Veribatim

When I first wrote about my experiences with Plurk, the social media site was still very new, and I had only been toying with it for a few days. Now that its been a month, I wanted to write a follow up post.

Plurk and Twitter: The Continued Saga

Everyday I see someone on Plurk post a blog or other entry comparing Plurk and Twitter. Overall, most of the social media savvy say that the two websites are very different and not comparable.

Bitter Twitter

Are Twitter users boycotting Plurk? Its a rumor in Plurkland. Obviously, not everyone will like Plurk. The rapid pace and disjointed time line can be more than one ADD person can handle. However, many Twitter users are trying plurk on for size. The Twitter community is full of techies and early adopters, most of them will at least use Plurk before they knock it.

Plurkopia

It is true, that many “Tweeple” have left Twitter in favor of Plurk. I do not believe Plurk is stealing Twitter user. Many people have become fed up with Twitter’s lack-of reliability and were bound to leave anyhow. Plurk just happened to offer a vibrant, similar experience.

Plurk has many of Twitter’s good points. In fact, users often grow to love (and obsess) over their Plurkiness. Will the utopia of Plurk last? Maybe. Plurk grew quite rapidly the past few weeks and though it hasn’t experienced anything like Twitter’s Failwhale, there have been a number of small glitches. Is it due to over-capacity? Or is the Plurk team working hard to prevent the problems Plurk developed? Its hard to say.

Plurk Fever

Over the past month I plurked a few questions to take Plurk’s temperature, so to speak. At the beginning of June I asked how people felt about the service. I asked a similar question last week. Some of the answered varied in that period of time, for example:
June 5th:

And then on June 23rd:

Many people who plurk regularly think website takes up a lot of time and becomes addicting. But more people toward the end of the month felt like they had adjusted to plurking reguarly and were enjoying it. Some commented that the interface took time to adjust to (I felt the same way). But overall, Plurkers feel positive about Plurk.

Plurking: Serious Business

I’d like to end on how I think businesses can benefit from Plurk. After discussing business ideas with an internet postcard company, I realized how much they could benefit from plurking about their concept. Most plurkers are early-adopters and many of them have a business closely tied to the internet. So if your business can be marketed to knowledgeable internet users, welcome to your perfect market! Plurk, at the moment, is mostly a niche market. Not all companies have the time to devote to social media as it is, and would not be able to build relationships with other Plurkers. But if you use the internet on a regular basis and so do your clients… isn’t one of the keys to marketing, go where your clients are?

If you have also written an article about Plurk please put a link in the comments. I love reading other Plurkers views.

Far too often I meet small business owners without websites. I’m incredulous. I immediately ask “Why?” Often I hear this: “Why should I spend money on a site no one will look at?”

I’m floored that so many business owners still think only big businesses need a website. To me, the internet exists for small businesses. People want to buy from local businesses! They are often cheaper, have better customer service and often fill a niche. Kroger may offer meat when you need it but sometimes you want that perfect type of fish, rare enough not to be stocked in the big stores… or you may have a thing for German pop music and the selection at Virgin Music will probably not be very big. Thus, the need for local, niche business.

The great thing about the internet is that now, if you own a niche, people across the globe can find you! Niche websites have practically become a buzz word in internet marketing circles. iMedia says that people are moving away from portals in favor of blogs and websites revolving around their particular interests. This trend is called The Long Tail effect. Chris Anderson coined the term and wrote an interesting article back in 2004 all about it. What it boils down to is that mainstream isn’t the entire pie, there is a huge market out there for what’s not “popular”. Everyone has their distinct needs and interests.

Chris has a book and a blog that go into more detail about what The Long Tail is and how it effects business. Its worth checking out.

I’m curious if anyone has experienced the niche effect, like receiving internet business from across the country. I’d love to spotlight some cases, let me know if you have one.