Interesting article this morning in the Wall Street Journal revealing that many older Americans, Baby Boomers, are still working and plan to keep working into their sixties.  Also, many boomers are losing their jobs and unable to find new jobs.  If they do find a job, most often it is for much less pay than their last employment.

This article goes hand in hand with what I see when going out to see my senior clients.  Just last week I met with a couple who were 62 and 72 years of age.  Both were working and both wanted to stop working,  but their life savings was wiped out 3 years earlier through the stock implosion of 2008. Continue reading →

Spread the word, not the SPAM

Continuing our viral marketing message, here’s a mistake you don’t want to make.

Don’t make the fatal mistake of being mistaken for SPAM among the social media circles of the World Wide Web. “But I’m not a SPAMMER,” you say? Well, you may not be a SPAMMER, but being mistaken for one is equally as detrimental to you and your business.

So, if you’re not a SPAMmer, how would you get mistaken for one? Easily. Too easily, in fact.

In the world of viral marketing, there is a fine line between frequent communication and excessive updates. If you cross that line, you will become blacklisted among piers and customers alike, which is bad news for your business. To avoid overdoing it, consider the following: If you wouldn’t care, why should they?

In other words, with every tweet, status update or blog post, you must be clear, concise and strategic. To balance these elements is the true test. How do you get your message across in such a way that is enticing, yet explains your complete offering while doing so in 140 characters or less? Okay, 140 is excessive, but it is the total characters allotted for on Twitter for each “tweet”. Continue reading →

Continuing our blog posts and tips for making the most of your viral marketing success.

 Messages will only go viral if others like what  you are saying. And in order to appeal to others, you will have to follow these simple rules of viral marketing etiquette.

 #1. Don’t neglect your audience. Viral marketing is only effective if it is managed properly, and to manage it properly takes time and effort. Daily time and effort. Viral marketing is not like an advertising campaign of old where 10 decision makers sit in a room, decide on a tagline and apply their message to branding across the board. Instead, viral marketing requires daily updates, changes and a constant shift in approach. If you don’t maintain your efforts, you will not only go viral, but you will quickly lose favor among current and potential customers.  A good example is this my One Minute Marketing Tip.  Hard to believe I have sent about 1600+ tips.

 #2. Don’t overdo it. While some make the mistake of neglecting their viral marketing efforts, others feel the need to make updates on a minute-to-minute basis. This approach is just as bad, if not arguably worse. Nobody likes SPAM. It’s become an ugly four-letter word, and the last thing you want for you or your business is to ever be associated with it. So, don’t inundate your followers, friends and connections. Instead, make updates and send out messages as often as necessary. Daily, sometimes twice a day is often enough to get the message across and do so effectively. Continue reading →