A craze that is picking up a lot of steam is V-Networking or Virtual Networking, that is; using the Internet to get to meet new people who might be interested in using our products or services, or simply getting to know us better. One site that has been quite instrumental in achieving this is MySpace (http://www.myspace.com). Set up in the United States by Tom Anderson and Chris DeWolfe, the site is now making overtures to the Australian marketplace.

Well that’s well and good I hear you say, but what is the point?

MySpace is about making friends. You set up a page about you or your business on the site (it is free), this is called a profile. Others can view this public profile (let’s call it advertisement in our case!) and if they like your message, they will ask to become your “friend”. Over time most users will get a lot of friends on their lists for one reason or another and this is when MySpace really shines.

You see, by allowing others to become your “friends”, and you becoming theirs, you now have permission to hit those people with bulletins and news items. There is a control panel built into your profile that allows you to post bulletins and news about anything you like. The titles to these posts will allow all your friends to see them and if you make up a compelling enough title, you are sure to get some readers. In essence it’s free advertising to a group of people who have already shown an interest in what you have to say by checking out your profile and either asking to be your friend, or approving your friend request to them. Always the best group of people to market to are the ones who are already warm to your message!

Although it does make reference to Australia and contains Australian advertising, the site is still hosted in the United States and you should be aware that the privacy laws that bind this site are still under the govern of the USA. It really doesn’t make much difference, but is a point worth making.

I would say that currently MySpace is definitely aimed at youth culture and for business to take a fun look at networking within it. There are many businesses that run almost exclusively from MySpace and the worldwide exposure that it gives them. It has been a launching point for many bands, with the ability to listen to tracks or download music for free legally.
Have a look at MySpace and do some searching on there. There is a good chance that you will find a group that suits your own interests, whether they are personal or business related, see what others have to say and get networking! You might just be surprised at who you make friends with!

Till next time,

Tory

Podcasting (a term coined by the popularity of the Apple iPod music player) is a growing type of communication used by both business and individuals to reach out to a larger, often international audience. Podcasts are often in MP3 format (an audio file – although video is now becoming popular too), and they can be subscribed to so that you never miss an episode, or simply downloaded so that you can listen to a program that interests you. Now you can choose the content that you want, to listen to when you want, where you want.

There are many programs that can subscribe to, and play Podcasts, but the best known would be Apple’s iTunes. This program works on both Windows computers and also Apple computers, and will allow you to listen to Podcasts on your computer or transfer them to your iPod if you like. One thing I would like to stress here is that you DO NOT need to have an Apple iPod to use iTunes or listen to podcasts. To download the iTunes Software (it’s free), go to http://www.apple.com.au/itunes and follow the prompts.

With broadband in Australia increasing, some people are now also using Podcasts to put video commercials and printed information onto consumer’s computers. These people are ideal to promote yourself to, as they have essentially given their permission to receive your material by having subscribed to the Podcast, thereby indicating that they have an interest in what you have to offer.

Podcasting can open the world up to your business, the results can be absolutley amazing! If you want to hear an example of a podcast, you can find our show on the website at http://www.think2design.com and simply follow the Podcast link.

Who would Podcasting benefit? Almost anyone with a service or product to sell it would seem. Podcasts range from variety shows, music programs, through to your traditional Podcasts about business, marketing, your choices are endless. Great for the end user and an absolutely fantastic business resource for the producer. Everyone wins, which after all, is what it’s all about.

PS: Further to this article, if you believe you have a story or profession of interest and would like to be interviewed for the show please do not hesitate to contact me. I am more than capable of recording the show regardless of where in the world you live so please do not let distance put you off. Our show is aimed at entertaining and educating business people so interviewees should be aware of this.

Here are some key details to always have on your business card.

Do:

Have your business logo somewhere prominent on the card
Have your name in an easy to read location
Have your job description or title
Have your phone number
Have your fax number
Have your mobile phone number

and finally, never ever overlook having

Your email address & your business’ web address

Do Not:

Have single sided business cards; once a plain card is up the wrong way, it becomes a blank piece of paper, otherwise known as a scrap that will ultimately be written on and thrown out. Make sure that your card is eye catching on both sides and is clearly a resource to those who you wish to deal with. If your card is as comprehensive as possible, then people will hold onto it.

Do not have blank cards where your staff can write their names. It is unprofessional, looks bad to the customer and is also detrimental to the morale of the staff who are giving them out.

It’s simple; your staff are assets, either they have cards or they do not, don’t have blank business cards with a space to write their names. It merely reinforces a number of key points to both the staff and the customer.

1. To the customer it says that they are not dealing with a decision maker
2. To the staff it says that they are dispensable.

Do not EVER, EVER, EVER put a line through details on your card and hand write the new ones. This is one of the worst mistakes that businesses make when trying to save a dollar after some of their details have changed. Put those old cards straight into the bin and get some new ones made up with the new details.

A talking point……

A neat thing that you can do is have multiple styles of cards. As long as your logo is intact across all design elements, it is a great point of interest to your customers and associates to have these different cards. It leaves them wondering what you are going to do next and even sets your card up to be a collectable of sorts. We launched 3 business cards within one year and the feedback was tremendous. I would often go to see a client and they would have all three cards lined up in their card holder. When I asked why it was simply that the client thought that they looked great. The upside of this is that now I occupy a whole side of one page in their card wallet.

Now ask yourself, what would you prefer…….to be a scrap or something worth holding onto? The answer is obvious, isn’t it?

Till Next Time,

Tory