My friend Eric Stark, formerly a marketing WIZ at WaMu, challenged me and Steve Bradford to come up with some videos on “How to make money using the Internet.” He thinks there’s not yet a definitive guide. He thought there is a lot of money in it. I started to think of the different types of businesses that are trying to promote themselves over the internet:
Online commerce site?
E-Bay auctions?
Amazon merchant?
Promoting your bricks-n-mortar store or bistro?
Branding your professional services/self?
Selling your Knowledge-Base?
Online Seminars?
The diverse array of “types of business” seems to defy a common denominator. And so many types of online promotion have failed, i.e. Slate Magazine, Yahoo Auctions, etc.
I recently listened to a podcast in which the exploding presence of online communications is driving the value of most brands down toward “zero” in terms of differentiation and loyalty. Do you really care whether it’s Coke or Pepsi? Do you really care whether it’s a Pontiac or a Toyota? Ah-hah! Caught you there, didn’t I? The new brand differentiator is defined by terms like “engagement” and “conversation.” So if you don’t have a continuous effort to re-fresh your brand by refreshing the way you engage in conversations with your audience (YouTube videos, Facebook events, etc.) the lustre will dim.
Let’s look at trainers: both those employed inside an organization, and consultants. Here are some questions to ask:
1) What comes up when people Google you?
2) What comes up when people Google your specialty?
3) Do you have a website or Facebook identity that’s engaging?
4) What’s your ongoing conversation with your network and clients?
5) What change would you like to see in the above 4 in 12 months?
I think these questions will be a jump-off point to answer the question “How can I make money using the Internet?” whether you’re a soft-drink, a commercial strip-mall merchant, or a consultant.
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December 15th, 2008 at 4:38 pm
I still manage to rank pretty high when people “google” me. But the further I get from working for MS, the more my rank drops. I don’t have a clear enough “specialty” to come up when that is googled. But I’m not sure that’s a bad thing. I have a very engaging website, and a very unengaging Facebook identity. My conversation with network and clients is pretty one-sided, despite my best efforts.
Changes I’d like to see:
1. More two-way communication
2. More clarity for clients on what it is that I could do for them
3. Less stuff that I do