Time to Move on

Tuesday, March 25th, 2008

I’ve transitioned to my new blog, Engage Daily. Here are a few more links that might be of interest:

Engage Daily is part of my new website, AgeofEngage.com.

I also have an AOE Facebook page. Become a fan!

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Blog Move

Tuesday, March 25th, 2008

Well, it’s time to say good-bye to ViralVoice and hello to the AgeofEngage.com Engage Daily Blog. Please join me on my new blog. I sure hope to see — and hear from — you there.

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Marketing in the Age of Engage

Wednesday, March 5th, 2008

My new book, The Age of Engage, has launched. Heralded by Google CEO Eric Schmidt and Wikinomics best-selling co-author Don Tapscott, the book is off to a great start. And with the book is a new website, AgeofEngage.com and my new blog Engage Daily.

It’s been an incredibly busy time getting the book out and doing the book tour. I’ve been featured on the Public Relations Power Hour (WTSU) in West Palm Beach, Florida, Popp Off with Mary Jane Popp (KAHI) in Sacramento, California, Talkzone’s syndicated show Tracking Business Leaders, and The Financial Review and Afternoon Commute (KFNN) in Phoenix, Arizona, among many others.

Reviews are starting to appear such as this one from Jeb Blount at SalesGravy.com, and this interview on ChiefMarketer.com.

If the emails I’ve been getting from folks who have read the book are any sign, the age of engage is a great time to be in business. The personal touch from “friends” (actually strangers), the power of your own voice to speak up and get companies to change, and the opportunity for marketers to truly effect people’s lives is amazing.

The Age of Engage talks about what has changed on the Web (all about Web 2.0 and new media) and what strategies are critical to succeed, and offers hundreds of creative ideas, examples, and anecdotes to help marketers create authentic, interactive, and engaging marketing.

You can find the book on Amazon. Take a look at the great book reviews people are posting!

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Time to Move on

Tuesday, March 25th, 2008

I’ve transitioned to my new blog, Engage Daily. Here are a few more links that might be of interest:

Engage Daily is part of my new website, AgeofEngage.com.

I also have an AOE Facebook page. Become a fan!

Sphere It

Search is a Business of Volume

Friday, February 1st, 2008

Wondering why Microsoft would purchase Yahoo? It isn’t for the technology. I’m sure Microsoft considers their superior. It’s simply for the volume of users.

Even though Google has a significant lead over any other search company, Yahoo is always mentioned second. Microsoft is barely mentioned at all. Steve Ballmer wants this to be a two-man (uh-um, company) race. Volume gets Microsoft there. Now, every article written that talks about Google, whether it’s their commanding lead, their technology, their ad network, will also mention Microsoft. That’s an amazing amount of free branding.

Beyond that, Microsoft must have a huge volume of people using its search engine in order to build an online ad business that can compete. Will purchasing Yahoo narrow the gap with Google? In the short run, no. But in the long run, the increased brand recognition will draw many more users to Microsoft and possibly change the dynamics of the playing field. Show me more »

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What Matters Most in 2008

Monday, December 17th, 2007

What matters most in 2008? Well, it’s both new and old technology and some fundamental marketing that we often forget when we’re busy. Here are 5 ideas to help plan your year.

1. Widgets
If you haven’t jumped on the widget bandwagon, get going. Widgets are a great way to distribute coupons/discounts, blogs, product data, and anything customers or prospects might want to know. You can get them free on Widgetbox and dozens of other places. Or, you could get creative and design something fun that might go viral. The Web today is more about others distributing your information and message and widgets are a great way to get that done.
2. Mobile
Google’s Android should be out in the spring, and along with spectrum that isn’t controlled by the major cellular carriers, I believe it will have a huge impact on what marketers can do on cellphones. Take a look at how your Web-based marketing activities can be remade and run on cellphones, or think up new ideas that make cellphones a key part of your marketing. After several years of hearing this is the year of mobile, 2008 might actually be it.
3. Facebook Business Pages
It’s clear Facebook has taken the lead in defining the evolution of social networking. You an set up a business page. You can create your own applications for others to download. There are groups you can define based on something important aspect in your industry. If you’re willing to pour some energy into developing relationships and building community online, Facebook is a cost-effective way to disseminate your ideas and get people to interact.
4. Value
Before you kick off that next program or product determine what the one core value is to customers. How will you surprise or delight them? What are you giving them that they don’t already have? Too often we opt for more programs and products that don’t stand out rather than focusing on the one thing we can do really well.
5. Interaction
This is the age of engage. If you haven’t found the time to blog or wiki, get started. Add profile pages, comments and tags to your Web site. Get your customers, prospects, and employees talking, interacting, and collaborating. Show me more »

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