| Greetings,
Ever find that things take longer than you expected? Do your projects sometimes get delayed? Well you're not alone. "Taking Time" is about falling behind and also about how a new user interface at Constant Contact is worth the wait.
Saying something really worth reading is an increasing challenge as more and more messages are posted in cyberspace. How do you find your own gems to share with your audience? We address that question in the second article.
|
| Taking Time |
Last spring when I first started working with Constant Contact, I had a few complaints about the user interface. "No problem," said Deb, the helpful Customer Service rep I was speaking with. "We've got a new interface in the works."
Of course I asked when. "June," she replied. Well, June became January, but it's here. And it was worth waiting for.
Rewards of Delay
In the old days, creating an e-mail communication in Constant Contact meant entering copy and graphics in one place and viewing the result in another. It wasn't exactly like working in the dark, but it was close.
The new interface is WYSIWYG (pronounced wisiwig), that's computerize for "what you see is what you get." If you're already using Constant Contact, it will take a few hours to get used to the differences. And if you've been planning to get started, but other things have gotten in the way, you reap the rewards of delay.
Unexpected delays are the name of the game in business. And if you think it's just you and other small companies like Constant Contact, think again. Consider the behemoth Microsoft whose major operating system upgrade Vista began releasing in the summer of 2005. It was finally available to the public late in January 2007. OK, so "Microsoft's track record is clear; it consistently misses target dates for major operating system releases," according to Gartner, a computer industry research firm.
But what about you? Most small businesses juggle a lot of different projects. Beginning with what you do for a living serving your customers or clients and ending (always last) with business development for your own business. Of course, e-mail marketing falls into that category.
So how do you translate good intentions into actions? The answer is simple--one step at a time. Especially with e-zine development, there are a lot of tasks. While I can help you with some of them, others will be your responsibility--like assembling e-mail addresses.
Begin with Intentions
Everything (yes, everything) begins with an intention. I find that when people sign up with me for a free 60-day Constant Contact trial, most of them eventually launch a project.
In the August Web Words, I mentioned Red Nose Response, an organization of clowns. After a natural or man-made disaster, they mobilize teams of trained clowns to provide support and smiles to survivors and relief workers in the affected areas. Their e-zine, which will provide timely updates to their community, launched recently. Once started, they will find it much easier to continue. And the benefits, in their case getting news out to all members immediately when there's a disaster, will inspire them to take the next step.
If there's a project you've been meaning to begin, start it. Take the first step, even if it isn't going to happen right away. If you're considering any form of electronic communication, you could begin by contacting me.
|
| Say What? |
Our free monthly introductory e-zine startup sessions allow people to think seriously about what they have to say. Usually there are four or five people from diverse backgrounds, and they actually help each other by serving as a mini-focus group. For example, Joanna Ezinga is starting a new business as a personal trainer. What would people actually want to read in a newsletter about physical fitness? Joanna got some concrete suggestions.
Frank MacGruer is a master craftsman specializing in restoring antique furniture. Obviously, he can include tips for taking care of fine furniture. But Frank also wants to create a persona; he seeks a particular voice to communicate with dealers and antique furniture owners. This is a bit more complicated and requires introspection, research and observation.
Readers First
Early in my career in written communications, I discovered the secret of successful messaging. Know who your audience is and speak to them in their own language. Sometimes that's easy--when you have a homogeneous audience who are all motivated to read what you have to say. The clowns in the previous article in this issue are a good example. But what if your readers are a diverse lot, and you don't necessarily know who they are?
That's the dilemma of a columnist, for example. In the end, they set the tone by adopting a voice that suits them and attracting an audience who likes what they have to say and how they say it. Increasingly, I have the same challenge. Web Words now goes to over 700 people. I don't know all my readers personally, the way I did just a few months ago. That's exciting--and challenging.
It encourages me to dig deeper into what I really want to communicate, and inspires me to find messages that are distinctive and valuable. As always, I'd like to know how I'm doing, so please stay in touch.
High Standards
Recently one attendee presented an interesting challenge. "I have to be very careful in my field," she said. "There are a few consultants who have published electronically and their messages are trivial and their communications self serving. In fact, they are ridiculed for this by others in the field."
Because there is so much material being generated today, it's increasingly important to espouse quality. The goal is to offer your readers something unique and valuable that they just can't get anywhere else. To find this, you need to dig deep into your core knowledge about your subject and find gems to share. While it may be difficult, the rewards are great.
When your audience really gets to know you, they will call you ahead of your competition. And that's what it's all about, isn't it?
|
| Web Tips |
Ever wonder where I get the photos for Web Words? One source is iStock, which is an online visual library and a community, all rolled up in one.
Photographs, vector illustrations, flash files and video clips are available. Joining iStock is free; photo costs begin at $1, with a minimum purchase of $12.
They offer public lightboxes with selections of photos on a particular theme; a monthly newsletter all about on-line visual arts; even an e-mail system so you can communicate with other members.
All photos in Constant Contact must be Web based. You can get the URL of any online photo by right clicking on the photo and copying the code listed in Properties. If you do this, just be sure you have permission to use the photo, if it's required.
Of course, many of the photos are my own. They are hosted with my Web site in a private, electronic file cabinet. Most ISP's (Internet service providers) offer that service.
|
|
|
Sincerely,
Susanna Opper
Shawenon Communications
|
|
|
| Seminar on Demand |
 |
|
Our free, custom intro-
ductory e-zine startup
sessions are a lot of fun.
We're scheduling now for March, so let me know if
you would like to attend and where you'd like the session to be held.
We will create one
just for you.
We are planning a session in Pittsfield, MA in April and one in Springfield, MA soon. We still intend to offer these sessions on-line, but, well, "things take time."
|
|
|
