Not sure what is was this week, but I received a lot of Spam via Linkedin. All well intended but all outside the bounds of established Linkedin etiquette.
Yes Linkedin is for connecting with business people. But more in the way you would ask a friend for a favor, recommendation or input. Not in the way that a friend tries to get you to join their MLM business.
The other big difference that I saw in the messages I received this week were, they were all generic. They may have had my name on it, but none were written with me specifically in mind. It felt like part of a mass email.
I am sure the down economy has something to do with it. But the truth is these tactics just aren't affective and may jeopardize future business relationships.
Don't overstep that social boundaries and group etiquette that has been established. It will get you no where.
Friday, July 30, 2010
Opt In
Opt In = A raised hand = A person who wants to hear what you have to say.
I would much rather have 10 people who have raised their hand and want to hear from me than 1,000 people that I am just sending a message to. The Seth Godin, Permission Marketing approach.
Working closely with the 10 Opt In people will be more powerful and will sell more product than the 1,000 emails that fall on deaf ears.
Build a marketing strategy around Opt In not Opt Out.
I would much rather have 10 people who have raised their hand and want to hear from me than 1,000 people that I am just sending a message to. The Seth Godin, Permission Marketing approach.
Working closely with the 10 Opt In people will be more powerful and will sell more product than the 1,000 emails that fall on deaf ears.
Build a marketing strategy around Opt In not Opt Out.
Thursday, July 29, 2010
Opt Out
Today I received an email from someone I am loosely connected to through Linkedin. Part of it read:
"I'm letting you know that I will be sending updates on a semi-frequent basis on topics related to B2B marketing and business development. But first, you should decide if you'd like to receive them or not!
If not, then please go to the bottom of this email and opt-out. I respect your time and if you're not interested I don't want to waste it."
Just because we are loosely connected through Linkedin doesn't mean that I want your Newsletter. And even if it was the most interesting newsletter in the world, I am surely not going to read it after YOU opted me in.
Whats worse is that this guy says he's the "founder and CMO" of a marketing company. He should know better than this.
If you are reading this mister CMO, you owe everyone you sent the email to and Opted IN an apology.
Wednesday, July 28, 2010
Tsunami of Information
The amount of information published via the internet is growing exponentially. Every year, we publish more than the previous year. This is all due to how easy it is to publish. Blogs, Facebook and Twitter connected to Desktops, Laptops and smart phones make it so anyone can publish anywhere. And it doesn't look like we are about to slow down anytime soon.
Three things that will help us not be crushed be the oncoming tsunami of information.
1. Adoption of Info/Web Standards
2. Better Categorization
3. Better Filters
Three things that will help us not be crushed be the oncoming tsunami of information.
1. Adoption of Info/Web Standards
2. Better Categorization
3. Better Filters
Tuesday, July 27, 2010
Option Overload
There are simply too many options on the internet. Too many hotels, too many books, too many shoes, shirts, pants, blogs to read, sites to visit. You name it, there are too many choices to choose from and its becoming harder and harder to navigate. The noise is confusing the good stuff. The long tail has exploded and its only getting worse. We are heading to option overload.
Many sites have attempted to filter it all for us. But they still show you every option that is available just broken down through filters. Its still to many options.
I don't want to see all of the options any more. I want to see the best options that are most relevant to me. Of all the popular clothing out there, show me the top ones that interest me the most.
Figure out a way to NOT show me the ones I don't want to see. And do it without me having to tell you. (I know, somehow you will have to figure out how to read my mind). Don't give me all the options, just the ones I will like. Let me choose from those and only those. Forget the rest.
Many sites have attempted to filter it all for us. But they still show you every option that is available just broken down through filters. Its still to many options.
I don't want to see all of the options any more. I want to see the best options that are most relevant to me. Of all the popular clothing out there, show me the top ones that interest me the most.
Figure out a way to NOT show me the ones I don't want to see. And do it without me having to tell you. (I know, somehow you will have to figure out how to read my mind). Don't give me all the options, just the ones I will like. Let me choose from those and only those. Forget the rest.
Tuesday, July 13, 2010
Rethink Copyright
I saw this video speech today from the Ted conference and wanted to share it. It talks about rethinking copyright and the creation of new content. Larry Lessig is onto something.
The last two minutes are deeply profound.
"we need to recognize you can't kill the instinct the technology produces; we can only criminalize it."
The last two minutes are deeply profound.
"we need to recognize you can't kill the instinct the technology produces; we can only criminalize it."
Maybe "Like" is the Wrong Word
I am not sure that the word "Like" on the Facebook Like button is always the right word to describe that you are interested in and want to share a particular story.
Case in point. This morning, the New York Daily news announced that Yankees owner George Steinbrenner has died of a heart attack. My condolences to his family.
In this case, placing the Like button just below the headline creates an interestingly sad header. "Yankees owner George Steinbrenner has die" "199 people like this. Be the first of your friends." Even a bitter Red Sox's fan wouldn't be so cold as to "Like" the fact that he died.
I am sure that most just wanted to share the story with their friends. In this case, it may have been better to go with the Recommend option for the button instead of the Like option. But the installation of the button doesn't allow you to switch between the two on the fly. You are semi committed to one or the other. Definitely something to think about when installing the button.
And what about all the people who dislike a particular page on the web. Do they get a say in whats good and bad on the web?
I think the Like button is an interesting and ambitious idea. However, I still think there is a lot of room for improvement if Facebook wants to achieve its goal of cataloging the entire web one Like at a time.
Case in point. This morning, the New York Daily news announced that Yankees owner George Steinbrenner has died of a heart attack. My condolences to his family.
In this case, placing the Like button just below the headline creates an interestingly sad header. "Yankees owner George Steinbrenner has die" "199 people like this. Be the first of your friends." Even a bitter Red Sox's fan wouldn't be so cold as to "Like" the fact that he died.
I am sure that most just wanted to share the story with their friends. In this case, it may have been better to go with the Recommend option for the button instead of the Like option. But the installation of the button doesn't allow you to switch between the two on the fly. You are semi committed to one or the other. Definitely something to think about when installing the button.
And what about all the people who dislike a particular page on the web. Do they get a say in whats good and bad on the web?
I think the Like button is an interesting and ambitious idea. However, I still think there is a lot of room for improvement if Facebook wants to achieve its goal of cataloging the entire web one Like at a time.
Friday, July 2, 2010
Facebook and Facial Recognition
I just read an article about Facebook's new Facial Recognition. My first thought, SCARY. Very Big Brother sounding.
Its not entirely clear what they intend to do with it. For now it says that it will be used to help people tag friends in an album. Which sounds harmless enough.
I think the scary part comes in when you think about what they could do with it. Imagine if they could ID everyone in every photo posted to Facebook. They would know who was in the photo together. And while they already know who's friends with who on Facebook, this seems more invasive. There is a difference in a friend I know and trust tagging me in an a photo and a machine tagging me.
I can't quite put my finger on it exactly, but it just feels like that with this type of technology they are invading a personal space that they shouldn't. A personal space that they have invaded before and don't seem to understand the boundaries.
I hope there is a privacy setting for this.
Its not entirely clear what they intend to do with it. For now it says that it will be used to help people tag friends in an album. Which sounds harmless enough.
I think the scary part comes in when you think about what they could do with it. Imagine if they could ID everyone in every photo posted to Facebook. They would know who was in the photo together. And while they already know who's friends with who on Facebook, this seems more invasive. There is a difference in a friend I know and trust tagging me in an a photo and a machine tagging me.
I can't quite put my finger on it exactly, but it just feels like that with this type of technology they are invading a personal space that they shouldn't. A personal space that they have invaded before and don't seem to understand the boundaries.
I hope there is a privacy setting for this.
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