Using the Internet to Maximize Results

The Internet has become more that just a critical tool for small businesses. For some owners, it's a way of life.
A reporter's very informal survey of several small- business owners found that some of the most useful sites include those that help them network with other entrepreneurs. They also favor sites that help their companies communicate, either internally or with other businesses, or that help get tasks like teleconferencing done, sometimes at a low or no cost.
The blogs that are growing in popularity in an Internet society are also being embraced by small-business owners.
Marc Hedlund, chief product officer at Wesabe, a personal finance start-up based in Berkeley, Calif., said blogs have been a great help as the company prepares to launch. "For pretty much any kind of business, there's someone who's writing about getting that business to work and what works for them", he said.
It was through a blog that Wesabe found a site to help it with project coordination and to set up an on-line chat room for its employees, www.37signals.com. "It replaced e-mail for us," Hedlund said.
Hedlund noted that Web sites, like any other service that a small business might use, need to be tried out and compared with one another. So while 37channels.com worked for his company, it might not be as helpful for another business that supplies similar services; some shopping around and perhaps some trial-and-error are called for.
Christina Carathanassis, president of New York-based ChristabellesCloset.com, swears by Web sites that help businesswomen network or that help business owners find resources.
One of her favorites is www.lasieswholaunch.com, which, like other business network sites, allows owners to post profiles and connect with one another. "You can ask for advice from other women who have had similar experiences," said Carathanassis. Who's company is an online designer resale boutique. She also uses www.switchboards.com.
The beauty of networking sites is and blogs is their ability to bring many business owners together from not only around the country, but from around the world.
So an owner in a small town or rural area isn't isolated; the Internet can function as sort of a virtual chamber of commerce, continuing education resource, and business- to-business matchmaker.

Talk the Talk

WOMA, or word of mouth advertising, is getting significant buzz in the marketing industry of late. And yet, for many marketers, word-of-mouth advertising is as old as, well, it's been around for a long, long time.

As marketers look for more acute, more cost-effective or just more engaging ways to communicate with customers, WOMA has become more commercialized and more a part of smart marketing strategy.

While you may think the Internet has been a catalyst for WOMA, a new study indicates 92% of word-of-mouth conversations are off-line. Most off-line WOM conversations are face-to-face (71%); 21% are on the phone. The remainder is primarily a combination of e- mail, instant messages, chat rooms and blogs.

WOM conversations are surprisingly positive. The majority of these conversations are triggered by personal experiences with the brand, but 41% of conversations also reference something seen or heard in the media or in marketing material.

Many of us have heard about data that suggests that it takes 12-15 positive mentions to overcome a negative one. But in a recent survey by the Keller Fay Group, 62% of marketing-relevant discussions are described as "mostly positive" while only 9% are described as "mostly negative."
Whether you are a professional service firm or retailer, the customer is influenced from before they walk in the door until they leave. You should look at every point of contact with your customer as an opportunity. Your facility should be neat and clean. The first personal contact should be friendly and inviting. Your inventory and knowledge of staff needs to be complete and top-notch.

First, make sure you've got a product people WANT to say good things about. Is there something new, something crazy, something unexpected, something better? You certainly won't get people talking because you've added a service your competitor launched months ago.

Second, talk to people who are truly engaged with your brand or business category. I don't want to hear about the latest cool advance in nanotechnology, but someone else does. And make sure your employees know first. There's no excuse for not arming your best sales people, your employees, with good things to say, even before you go public.

Next, test your message. Check with your friends, influences, employees. Is the news as buzz-worthy as you think it is? Can it be remembered and communicated easily, and passed by word of mouth without confusion?
Channel planning comes next. How are you going to get the message out there and get is buzzing? WOMA is often considered a substitute for traditional "advertising" because it costs less. But to really get it going, WOMA often needs to be given a jump start with a smart mix of PR, online and offline advertising and sampling. Successful campaigns typically embrace many media vehicles.

Finally, consider measurement and refinement. As with any marketing campaign, you want to be able to measure properly to make sure you're maximizing results. Fine- tuning is the name of any marketing initiative, including one where WOMA is a significant component.