Success Factor 1 for 2012: Short Communications for a Short Attention Span
I don’t know if you are like me, but Twitter, e-mail, phone calls, TV, and the radio in my car are bombarding me throughout my day and night.
There are advertisers and writers everywhere, vying for my attention. Therefore, we will need to write concise and riveting content to grab our potential customers’ and readers’ attention!
Jay shared three E’s to keep in mind.
Engage your audience.
Entertain Your Audience.
And Educate Your Audience.
For another example of a person who educates her audience, check out Maria Reyes McDavis, the @websuccessdiva. I have learned more from her via Twitter and her blog in a year than I ever could have from a lot of spamming twitterers!
Practical applications:
Utilize Twitter.
Engage, Educate, and Entertain your followers.
Treat them with care and with respect. Interact with them. Talk with them offline once you get to know them. Jay mentioned three other sites that I have not used, but that I will have to look into: Woot, Qik, and 12seconds.
Use an application like Feedly to subscribe to quality blogs in your area/s of interest. Start reading and understanding what the thought leaders and their readers are discussing in your niche/business area/s.
Success Factor 2 for 2012: Virtualization.
Is this a word? I don’t know, but that’s what I read 
What this means is that companies and people are moving more and more to communicating virtually. More and more of my business contacts are working and conducting business from home and over the internet, conducting virtual meetings, utilizing virtual employees.
Consider the pros and cons of possibly utilizing virtual assistants to help with some extra work that you have. Tim Ferris is a guru proponent of virtual assistants. But remember, you will need to manage your virtual assistants just as you would manage a regular employee. Check out references, tap into your followers on Twitter or LinkedIn, and make sure that you get a few reputable names to further check on.
Consider using Skype for phone meetings. This is a free application that will promote enhanced communication without the travel.
I confess, this is an area that I have to explore a lot further. How many of you are utilizing virutal meetings, employees, and other services in your current business? How many of you plan to do so in 2012?
Strategy #3 for 2012: Free!
Per Mr. Berkowitz, there are so many amazing, free products with a revenue model attached.
You can optimize your website with Google Adsense.
Also, you can use fantastic layouts from WordPress to create your blog .
You can use free Google Analytics to measure any number of statistics about your site to build upon what’s working, and stop what’s not working. (or tweak it).
You can start your own podcast on iTunes, or you can host your own talk show on Blog Talk Radio. You can also videocast yourself through YouTube or Ustream.
You can use the SEO Quake Mozilla extension to track the progress of your site in an at-a-glance sort of way, and you can also easily check out your competition in the same way, learning from them at the same time. You can also, after reviewing the product extensively, find affiliate programs that are in sync with the message and content of your site.
What free trends/tools/apps are you noticing or utilizing for your blog or business?
Success Factor #4 for 2012: Social Search
@chrisbrogan extensively emphasizes listening to your target market/customer/reader, as well as carrying on a conversation with them about important trends in your business. Utilize Twitter’s search function to find out what people are saying about important topics. Or you may want to search according to the keywords that you are building your site around.
An aspect of social search you will want to consider is to get yourself known locally. Utilize Twitter search to find other professionals in your area (You can also use Twellow to conduct your search for great Tweeps to follow locally.
I just signed up for Yelp. Not only did it waylay me from finishing this blog post, but the good thing is that I have my profile which links back to my main sites. Every time I eat somewhere, or go shopping, or whatever, I can write a review that gets published on the site. It’s free, it gives me a voice as a customer, and it provides future traffic back to my place of business for reviews. And believe me, if I know I am being reviewed, I will be working to give the best of service in 2012! Although I have not checked these other sites out, you can do the same thing on Angie’s List, Bazaar Voice. You can actually ask for friends, readers, and customers to rate your services, so that you build more buzz and community around your brand and your services.
Finally, in terms of building social community around your business, brand, and message, I’ve got to share this great article from @mashable about Building Community.
In the meantime, here is a great resource from one of my favorite authors, @briantracy: Create Your Own Future: How to Master the 12 Critical Factors of Unlimited Success
I’d love to hear some of your online business strategies for 2012 and beyond. Please share them below!
Great tips, Steve!
Attracting people with a short spam of focus is indeed a challenge online. Everything has to go faster, more effective and more productive. I treat commenters on my blog as very valuable people – because they are too me.
About virtualization: this trend is very useful and everywhere. It makes it possible to communicate between countries and different sites without the need to use the car and get stuck in traffic jams.
Thanks for sharing!
marc van der Linden recently posted..Breakthrough experience seminar in London ( The results )
Marc, thanks for stopping by! I read your article about the breakthrough experience seminar in London. It sounded very powerful!
If it were not for virtualization, I would not have had the pleasure of meeting you through my blog
Steve-Personal Success Factors recently posted..Discover the Secret of Future Proofing Your Career
Thank you for sharing your knowledge about online success. I haven’t actually thought about searching for people on twitter and such that are in my area (not entirely sure why I didn’t think of it before?) but it makes sense to. You gave a lot of valid info here and it’s left me with a lot to think about.
Yolanda Panda recently posted..Kids And Biting
Twitter: martyinmaui
says:
Great article Steve, and I love that you’re thinking into 2012 already! I truly enjoy interacting online – have actually grown to value Twitter more than Facebook. However when it comes to comments on my blog, I’ve recently begun taking a bit harder line approach. I’m delighted when other bloggers comment – but when someone leaves a comment that’s obviously not meant to add to the conversation, but present a mini-me elevator pitch – at best I leave it but don’t reply, or I have been known to delete the comment if it’s just too commercial.
marquita herald recently posted..12 Pieces to the Puzzle of How to Create Your Best Life
Marquita, thanks for the encouragement. I was listening to a podcast recently. The author, a successful entrepreneur, already has all his 2012 goals laid out by November 15th! I’m not quite there, but I have read that the last 90 days can be the most productive for entrepreneurs, because most people are ‘winding down’ during that time period. Of course, let’s not forget to get our rest and relationships in as well
Steve-Personal Success Factors recently posted..Now You Can Be As Productive As These Top CEO’s
Steve,
Very informative post especially with all the links. Took me a couple of hours to read it and click most of the links. Then I’d get side tracked on the link and have to work my way back here.
Here’s my concern, and it’s not with what you’re suggesting to us, it’s with most everyone making suggestions. There are too many places to visit already to add more. It concerns me to know which sites are going to be to my best advantage.
Has anyone else had this issue? I’m a recovering SOS (shine object syndrome) sufferer so this is a very keen issue for me. I’m going to step away from the computer now. I think it’s sunny today.
RICK
Rick, you bring up a good point: Information Overload! I just finished reading Leo Babauta’s Power of Less. You might want to purchase his book or pick it up at the library, because it will bring you back to the power of simplicity. It certainly has helped me simplify for greater effectiveness.
Steve-Personal Success Factors recently posted..Now You Can Be As Productive As These Top CEO’s
Twitter: vanmarciano
says:
Great post Steve and some very good tips highlighted. I’ve always said to people that fans, followers, commentators etc should all be treated as potential clients, individual clients, and communication online is one of the most powerful tools anyone could wish to use more efficiently.
Fabrizio recently posted..5 Major Reasons your Blog Isn’t A Reader’s Spot!
Fabrizio, thank you for your helpful feedback
Twitter: KevinMartineau
says:
Hi Stephen:
These are awesome tips! Utilizing free is a great strategy. There are so many great free tools out there. I love using all the free Google products. They have been a great asset for me.
Kevin
Kevin Martineau recently posted..No one else can take your turn
Hey Stephen,
Great strategies here! It’s definitely a challenge at times to catch someone’s attention but it is even a bigger challenge to keep it. So it’s all about being organized here, engaging and knowing the right things to do. Love the tips and insights you’ve shared here. Thanks! Keep it up!
Pj Zafra recently posted..Are You Attracting The Right Things Into Your Life? (The Story Of A Pizza)
PJ, thank you very much for the positive feedback
Wow there is so much here I don’t even know where to start! I like your word Virtualization! We can invent a word absolutely! But truly we are all using it in one way or another. I have not yet started using Virtual assistants, but I do love the online webinar technology and skype use them constantly for my network marketing business!
Lynda Cromar recently posted..Success in MLM Network Marketing – Take Masive Action!
Lynda, I hope that your use of these techniques can help you continue to grow and succeed in your business in 2012 and beyond
Twitter: reachnathalie
says:
Hello Stephen,
I loved all the tips and resources you give! Wow… you truly give a lot of valuable ideas and reminders. Some of these tips are fundamentals and so important to keep place and continue to grow our business and get closer to our friends and fallowers!
Thank you for sharing with us and I look forward to get to know you more! Have a great weekend!
~ Nathalie
Nathalie Villeneuve recently posted..Target Your Audience On Facebook With Video Creation
Natalie, thank you for sharing. I appreciate you stopping by and providing your input
Twitter: learnit2earnit
says:
Wanted to thank you so much Stephen for taking the time to put together all this great information. Sharing the links is also very helpful. I am looking into Feedly which I think will be a huge benefit for my business.
I do use Skype almost everyday. I have purchased and used Skype’s video software so I am able to do split screen interviews. I also like the feature on Skype ‘share your screen’.
If there is one area that I see growing, it would be in the Virtual Assistant or Social Media Marketing Manager areas. I am seeing and hearing (and as you mention here in your post) small online business is in need of building a team and virtually is becoming more and more the norm.
Looking forward to sharing your article with my fans, followers and clients. You provide lots of good tips and advice that will be helpful to so many folks.
Lynn Brown recently posted..Check Your Linked Profile for Skills and Expertise
Lynn, thank you for stopping by! It seems as though you are becoming somewhat advanced already in your approach. I have a feeling you’ll have a lot to teach me. I need to get set up with a webcam this year. I’m going to put it on my savings and marketing lists so that I have it by the end of 2012.
With regard to virtual assistants, if we are going to scale our online businesses, virtual assistants become invaluable. You may want to listen to this podcast regarding outsourcing and virtual assistants Pat Flynn from Smart Passive Income put together.
Hi Stephen,
I’m a beginner in social networking an dI have to admit that all these places to connect with people on the one had are exciting ( i’ve met so intresting people lately I would never inmagine to connect with otherwise)on the other hand I felt that the net is overwhelming. Too much information out there and too many things to learn and keep up with at one time.
I ‘ve decided as a successful business woman to put goals and to go .. on a .. social network diet! Small measurable goals on estep at the time , 1 hour per day;) Your tips are great in this blog, I took notes;) Thanks Stephen!
Stephen,
Some really valuable tips here. I had not heard of Feedly.com or BazaarVoice.com.
Although I have heard about Yelp and Angie’s list, I never looked into them.
There are so many choices, so many different things we can do online. It is really a matter of deciding what is most important for us at any given time. I am currently getting my product launch ready and I can honestly say I have very little time for anything else right now.
Warmly,
Dr. Erica
Dr. Erica Goodstone recently posted..The Only Way Out is Through
Twitter: mindnod
says:
Thanks for these tips Steve, quite a bit of new stuff for me here but especial thanks for the tip about Maria at Websuccessdiva.
Always keen to learn more about Twitter and she has a great post on Social SEO http://websuccessdiva.com/blog/social-seo-blog-traffic/
Chris Richards – Mindnod.com recently posted..Why you’ll never win an argument and what to do about it.
We owe a lot to Jay Berkowitz from Ten Golden Rules for many of these online business success strategies
Indeed, we do!
Twitter: MUTUNGA
says:
Stephen,
I’m big on the Social Search stuff, so much so that I removed the links to all my social networking profiles except Google + because that what I really want to focus on.
Social Search is really powerful. People no longer have to stress over ranking #1 on Google because thanks to social search you can rank #1 for those your connected with without actually being number #1 in reality.
Dewane Mutunga recently posted..Creating Email Subject Lines That Work
Dewane, that’s a really interesting strategy. Have you written an article about your rationale and strategy? I’m looking forward to reading it! I may need to consider the same thing.
I had used Surveymonkey before as a paid service and the free service from Datapoo.com is equivalent. I love it.
Twitter: harleysteele
says:
Steve,
Just found your blog using StumpleUpon. Like your style brother! Rock it in 2012 my friend!