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C-to-B Marketing & Social Media Tips to Buy Vacuum

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I thought myself very clever over at Queen D’s blog yesterday where she had crowd sourced whether to buy an iPhone 4 of wait for 5 and all we spoke about was the iPad2. I shared in comments I was going to implement a little C-to-B marketing to crowd source and social media my need for a new vacuum.

You know how I love to coin words; I went to look and saw two previous mentions of C-to-B marketing (yet it’s not a trendy term). And, so, this effort is to replace my 10-year-old Kenmore canister which finally burned its motor (great hardworking machine).

I’m researching as a consumer using other consumers and asking businesses for their recommendations. I’m using social media only as my due diligence channel, and trying to avoid websites in the beginning. So, to recap, the purchase decision includes a consumer-to-business strategy, a consumer-to-consumer strategy, identifying Facebook pages and Twitter accounts for vacuum products, while absorbing word-of-mouth-tips from total strangers. (This is more fun than buying a car last year.)

My Expectation

  • Want direct interaction with a vacuum manufacturer to give me its sales spiel.
  • Want consumer recommendations for what they’re using today and why they’re happy with product.
  • Want to see social media engagement with the products I’m researching.

The Research

Step 1: Crowd Source

Twitter. I posted a question on two Twitter accounts about brand, quality, price, and longevity. The tweeps responded well – six votes for Dyson,  two for Kirby and thumbs down for Hoover and Eureka.

I looked for Twitter accounts for Dyson, Hoover, Kirby, and Miele, a German brand. Only @MieleUSA has a Twitter account! I posed a question this evening (“why should I buy”), and may not get a response as it’s after business hours.

Facebook

** I posted a question to my personal and business pages. On the personal page, I got 7 replies (mostly for Dyson) and one response on the business page. People are loving the Dyson Animal. One peep said she loves her Miele (and I’d never heard of that German brand before!).

** I did a search for company Facebook pages for Kirby, Hoover, Dyson, and Miele USA. I found nothing!!

Google+

** I posted a question to all circles on this channel. I got back a glowing recommendation for Miele with a link to its site and a second comment that this peep has had a Miele for 10 years and loves it for its great quality and high-end manufacturing.

Websites

** I finally succumbed to one website review with all the vacuums in one place. I learned that upright vacuums are perfect for wall-to-wall carpeting while canister vacuums are best for hardwood floors, ceilings, walls, stairs, and furniture.  (I didn’t know that.)

Conclusions

** Crowd sourcing in advance of a purchase decision is the way to go for something as expensive as a vacuum. I learned I’m going to spend $300 to $500 to get a high-quality machine that lasts 10 years or I’ll suffer like one peep did with three less-than-quality models (Hoover and Eureka) in five years.

** The vacuum product makers are absolutely nowhere on social media! This is astonishing to me! There is ample opportunity for companies to engage with consumers on Facebook, especially, with something that is a staple for every household in the world. Where are the marketing departments? Where is the PR team to advise these companies they ought to engage with consumers?

** I learned enough from consumer-to-consumer marketing within two hours to direct my buy decision. I also got sound advice about using coupons at Bed, Bath & Beyond and shopping online (after I went to a physical store to touch and feel the product).

I’m disappointed with the businesses; appreciative of those peeps who took their time to provide opinions and point me to the store.  (Any last-minute recommendations before I shop?)

Small Business Ruminations About U.S. Economy

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The news has been deafening these few weeks for investors, individuals, the world, and we small businesses. Deafening and frightening. The unknown is enough to dampen the best of spirits, and the waiting game will kill us. The volatility for no reason except for panic about Europe (and perhaps the fiasco that is the U.S. Congress?), has done nothing to ally our fears.

Kraft Foods spent $19 billion to buy Cadbury PLC last year, and now it’s splitting in two. It is scaling back the merger of a high-end luxury item with every-day lunch meat to better compete in the global economy. Meanwhile, ground turkey is infected with salmonella and killing people. And, that behemoth Google is purchasing Motorola Mobility (yes, that kind of money is alive and well in this stinkin’ economy).

Banks are now going to charge huge-scale investors a fee to stock pile large sums of cash apparently pulled from the too-risky financial markets. Shall we small businesses be following suit? Do rich investors know something we don’t? But, too much cash is not what banks want; in fact, they have to pay interest on that and with the truckloads of greenbacks pouring in…that means money is going back out.

Individual investors have money stuck in the markets, and we’re subject to the high risks of the fluctuating volatility. Where else shall we put our money? The FDIC only insures up to a certain limit, and not all vehicles, money are insured! If a bank goes belly up, and you have more than the insured amount sitting in the bank, you lose (the traditional amount is $250,000). In our lifetimes, we need to have eight times that amount to comfortably retire. Can any of you say you’ll make it?

Shall we buy gold? It’s a bit too late with the price sky high (now trading at $1600+), and you can bet people ran to melt their gold jewelry for an instant fix. Stories are all over the news with families forced to trade in family heirlooms and wedding rings.

Shall we invest in real estate and hope the market turns? Real estate agents have been saying “there’s no better time to buy a house than right now” since 2006 believing the market to be at bottom, but they don’t really know. How about investments in rental units? Apparently, rental vacancies are low in some regions, like near military bases where there is higher need.

Our financial advisors have never seen markets like this, so they tow the company line and say “ride the wave, you’re in for the long term!” Except, the graying of America has 50 percent of the nation’s population suffering from the demise of their portfolios. And, the wild ride is expected to remain volatile through 2013, say economists.

I knew with absolute certainty the market would crash again; I rode the wave and the uptick felt good for awhile. For young peeps with the income to consistently invest, the markets are still something to consider. With the global economy now dictating market fluctuation (something the U.S. markets were not affected by eight years ago), no one can assess the health of their portfolios by looking at the U.S. economy only.

What does this mean for us small business owners?

We hire contractors; we hire service vendors; we purchase technology and services to run devices; we service clients; and we manufacture and sell products. Jobs? Yes, we create jobs, but these may not be full-time positions. What if our clients look to saving money and decide not to need contract work or decide to forego partnerships that have been in place for decades? These are the questions small-business owners are faced with in light of the current debacle that is the U.S. economy and economic future.

While the news of late has been oriented to banks not lending to small businesses, the news today is that small businesses don’t want to add to their debt burden without comparable or higher sales to offset the debt.

This roundup all came from one day of news stories in the Wall Street Journal. I’m a bit un-nerved for the first time about all this and wonder today about filling the queue for the coming year. We’ve been through a recent recession that we never really came out of healthily, but this time? We’re royally screwed, and I encourage small businesses to shore up and brace for the worst. It’s going to be a long haul, Friends.

Follow Friday Thanks, Community

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It’s a gorgeous Friday, Peeps, and all I’d like to do today is say THANKS to you, my fab community. The love and support you’re showing me #RockHot, and I’m (bet you didn’t know) embarrassed and blushing. <3 U

https://youtu.be/IB0PnkFToyo

Power Blogger Bullies Baby Blogger, Threatens Lawsuit

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A baby blogger in my peer group (we’re young) has been writing incredibly investigative and analytical posts about in-depth topics many of us wouldn’t take time to write. I’ve been noticing and marveling over the time and thought she’s puts into her content. She’s also become a guest author on a regular basis for several Ad Age Power Bloggers the likes of Danny Brown and Mark Schaefer.

And, that is exactly with whom she had a run in this week — a power blogger (not Danny or Mark); a run in that is akin to a cyber blogger bullying experience.

This woman wrote an article about the use of back links to drive traffic to websites via affiliate marketing. Apparently, there’s something of a black social media market for +1, links, SEO and key-word rich posts, and the like.

What ensued on her post in comments was an outright negative attack by this power blogger who demanded the blog post be retracted, threatened to sue her for libel and refused to calmly review the issue. Following this incident, the said power blogger was tooting his horn on Twitter saying he’d successfully corralled and shut down another “hater.”

Imagine that. An Ad Age Power Blogger took the bull by the horns and called out this baby blogger with no phone call, respect or attempt to understand the facts and the reality.  The power blogger’s brand remained intact with another notch on his belt while the baby blogger’s psyche and brand are in need of repair. And, the communications strategy to manage her response has been ongoing throughout the weekend; I know because she and I have been in continuous conversation about appropriate messaging and the strength of the story she needs to tell as a follow-up.

This situation makes me sad — there are so many of us who don’t know the ins and outs of every aspect of blogging — there is a back end that needs coding, there are tools and apps to drive traffic and interactivity, and link building and affiliate marketing have a key place in driving success, too. We who are innocently learning the ropes and bringing authentic content to the forefront are suffering from the likes of egocentric individuals who elect to use bullying tactics and the threat of a lawsuit instead of coherent conversation.

I applaud Neiclole Crepeau for her steadfastness in this matter, and she’s aware it’s been a learning experience. She admits she could’ve chosen a word or two differently, and she has sought counsel to determine how best to proceed. At the same time, she is smarting from the experience, and yet, she’s done absolutely nothing wrong; she has corroborated this. While I will not name names in the event that this dude gets his underwear further in a bundle, I will share that his blog rhymes with “sloppyfrogger.”

As we experience the tipping point in social media where automation is devouring authenticity, those of us still developing and delivering authentic content in small communities should open our eyes widely that something as innocent as blogging can be fraught with landmines. This situation is a good reminder that words are not innocent; they can be taken differently by whomever is reading.

30 Tips To Blog With Confidence

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Everyone likes a good tips list, and it’s been awhile since I’ve developed one. They can be so annoyingly mundane; however, this topic ought to resonate with many a peer blogger. I’m seeing too many peeps having crises of confidence, and I’m hoping that some of these thoughts will help boost morale, ‘raderie, and support to keep on.

I invite yours; I also invite your selection about which of these you may want to see fleshed out into a more in-depth blog topic. (Heh, then I’ll ask you to write it! Kidding, but I may ask you to join with me on its development.)

Here we go:

1. Give yourself one full year before you cash it in. That means posting a minimum of three times weekly!

2. During that year, expect depression, lack of voice, few comments, fewer RTs, issues about what to write, and general malaise. But, you have to embrace these emotions and push yourself forward.

3. If you struggle with what to write about, then pick a favorite topic and begin writing. Make sure it’s comfy – talk about your grandma’s pie crust; share a story about a book you just read; review a social media book and share why you like it.

4. Focus OUT! If you’re depressed, your writing will be, too. See number three.

5. Select topics that are general, safe, and free of painful emotion. If you’re seeking a support network because of a very personal situation, you may turn away some readers who don’t wish to know that aspect of your life.

6. Try to define who you’re writing for – is it for small businesses like the writing by Ken Mueller, Laura Click or Erica Allison? Is it for sales people like Marcus Sheridan writes at The Sales Lion? When you define your audience, you’ll begin to tailor your writing to them.

7. Do you have a mission? Lisa Gerber at Spin Sucks shared their mission is to change perception about public relations. They develop content with that mission statement squarely in front.

8. How about some goals? Why do you blog? I have peeps who tell me they blog for themselves – just to write; others blog to help inspire and lend support to anyone who’s down and out, and still others blog to earn money.

9. Answer the question “why is blogging important?” Are you just blogging because everyone else is? Do you thrive on pushing the envelope and jumping into the limelight? Are you trying to overcome being an introvert and blogging is the way to do it?

10. Get someone to help you with the design of your “house.” When you write and post in a house that looks nice, clean, and sophisticated, then your content gets a boost, too.  There’s a sense of pride that you’ve just built a new home, and you want people to comment positively about that new look and feel.

11. Spend some time on others’ blogs and comment there. See how the comments come alive, and participate actively.  Try not to sow your oats in a community forum; it’s best to stay positive and contribute professionally without too much negative energy. You can become uplifted when others are passionate about what they’re saying.

12. Cautiously share your material. You’ll know when you love something you’ve written. That’s when you can distribute it from the roof tops and use ALL the channels available to you – including Triberr, Twitter, Facebook and Google+. You’re aware of the various ways these channels bring new readers over to your blog, right?

13. Do a round-up of your favorite bloggers for a #FollowFriday post. Bookmark your faves, and repeat them as a weekly feature, but be sure to share why you’re calling people out. Has a post hit home with you? Did you notice a ton of cool comments and were impressed by that? Others who follow you will be impressed with your generosity (that of sharing and recognizing peers, mentors, and others you appreciate). You know who always does this is @nittygriddyblog. She’s amazing.

14. You can do the same with a theme – select a topic you like; it could be stamp collecting or parenting or dachshunds.  Find all the bloggers you can on each of these topics and share them; or, begin writing your own “how-to” series on a topic and link back to others as resources.

15. Interview someone and write a story.

16. Launch a weekly Q&A – you ask the questions and ask your favorite peeps to answer.

17. You might think this list is about how to write good content for a blog; however, when you become comfortable about your content, then you also become inspired and excited about blogging.

18. I cannot stress how important it is to be inspired and excited when you blog. People want to feel your passion about a topic; when you’re earnest about something, then others want a piece of that, too. And, they want to share their own experiences, or join your community and participate.

19. Energy; POSITIVE energy. I just commented on Alaska Chick’s blog for the first time, and this woman is a newbie blogger, yet she’s crushing it with her positive energy.  She’s Amber-Lee Dibble, and you may see her commenting on blogs; she’s everywhere.

20. Brand yourself appropriately – Amber-Lee, may I pick on you here? You tweet @GirlyGrizzly; you sign your name Amber-Lee, and your blog is Alaska Chick, yet your company is something else entirely — something like Pioneer XX. Regardless, I’m confused what you’re branding, and with that confusion lack of confidence may follow.

21. Ask questions and no question is stupid; it’s the only way to learn. Here’s a funny story about my foray into blogging – I had no idea I had to upload WordPress.org as the foundation for my self-hosted blogging platform.  I tried to upload Headway Themes first and of course failed miserably. When I kept asking questions of the Headway developers, I became persona non grata – they didn’t have time for a dumb broad’s questions, yet I was their audience!  I was a wet-behind-the-ears blogger who knew nothing about the tech back end of a blog!

22. Admit your weaknesses, ask for help and add someone to your team who knows what you don’t. I use the word “team” loosely. My weakness is the tech back end; see #21, but I’ll struggle to DIY and fail! Only then I’ll ask for help. I’ve since added a great tech expert, @CarbonSpace. He’s Dwight Maskew, and he was recommended to me from a Twitter pal. (I recommend him; run, but I have first dibs.)

23. If you’re having a tough time blogging every day, keep that to yourself. Try not to air your laundry to the entire sphere; work around your roadblocks by taking a day off from the whole thing. Put it aside until you’re interested in seeking inspiration again.

24. Don’t be afraid to overhaul your blog’s look and feel. You’ll never stop doing this, but your house needs to be in order because it’s the first impression that’s the strongest.

25. Gingerly approach and master voice. Early on in this list I provided many ways to develop content; this was intentional. When I started I had no voice; I wasn’t confident about what the heck I was saying, and the writing was poor, forced, and uninteresting. Because I read everything, I take inspiration from articles in Ad Age, BusinessWeek, Fast Company, The Wall Street Journal, Inc., and other publications. (I still do.) When I saw an article that prompted a serious reaction, I sat down and wrote about it. And, I wrote with conviction that a company was wrong, right, or had erred in judgment. Conviction begets passion, and people appreciate a good opinion. What are you passionate about?

26. When you get a commenter to visit, embrace them. Do not treat people like persona non grata if they only pop in once every two weeks or less. People are very busy, and your blog is out of sight and out of mind. When you do #13, you nearly guarantee people are popping in to pay you homage for the link love. If they like what they see, they will come back again, and it’s OK to nudge the people you most want back! (I love an invitation and reminder. There are so many places and people to see; it becomes challenging to visit everyone’s house.) Shakirah Dawud just wrote about this at Deliberate Ink!

27. Before you ask for help about your blog; know whether you’re prepared for brutal honesty. In my first year, someone asked me “Why are you blogging again? You’ve had a rough go of it the last five weeks.” I nearly threw in the towel; honestly!  I was discouraged, depressed, and knew this was not for me. And then I got all mad and said, “Who the flip does he think he is? I’ll show him!”

28. If you’re really down and out about blogging, look introspectively for a moment. Are the kids driving you insane? Are you and the partner having issues? Are you struggling to find a paying gig? Did you recently lose your job? Is it summer and are you just too crazed to be inspirational? Did you recently lose a family member or friend and you’re mourning? It’s life people! Life rocks our world, and that’s expected to influence blogging, too. Take a breather…it’s OK to go on hiatus until you get your mojo back.

29. Rather than hang out at the power bloggers’ houses, select a mid-tier group of bloggers (who also are experts in their own right) and hang out there. It’s less chaotic, the pace is less frenetic, the comments are not fast and furious, and you’ll earn respect and support in ways you’ll never expect. (Not that you don’t over at Gini’s, Danny’s, or Mark’s…)

30. KEEP ON! Do not stop; do not lose your moxie or mojo. If you do make that decision; however, know that you can always turn the switch back to “on.” And, when you do, that journey may take you on an entirely different pathway where new peeps you’ve never met become your best supporters.

What might you add? Which tip might you  like to see as a deeper exploration?