2008-11-16T03:34:00.000-08:00

Basically, there are six components of a sticky idea. They use a handy acronym to describe those components:

S: Simple
U: Unexpected
C: Concrete
C: Credible
E: Emotional
S: Stories

1. Simple

If you're looking for a way to sell products that people will relate to, keep your Web site ideas (or content) simple. Crowding pages with text links, image links, Flash item photos, a zillion items, different colors, and animation can lead to "decision paralysis," which means that the more choices a user is given, the less likely it is they'll make a decision at all.

The natural tendency of a small business Web site owner is to cram every speck of information into every nook and cranny. However, this causes information overload, and you're much less likely to achieve "conversion."

2. Unexpected

Make your Web site visitors pay attention. Draw attention to your content by offering it in an unexpected fashion. What can you do with your site to make it unique from every other site that sells or offers the same thing? If you're a brick and mortar, use your Web site to show how unique your product, service, and location are.

The Heaths' solution for keeping people engaged over a period of time is to plant ideas that form questions, and then answer those questions. Does your shopper really need that product? Well, if you suggest they need the product to do "x" and "y" because no other product will do both "x" and "y," then they know they need to buy that product from you. You've shown them the problem, and offered them a solution in one easy step.

3. Concrete

Use concrete images to describe your products. Avoid abstract descriptions, inane descriptions, and "buzzwords." Instead, describe your services and products using concrete words. For example:

Good: "Red, round apple"
Bad: "Circular-shaped nutritionally significant food product"

4. Credibility

Add credibility to your content by appealing to what your visitors relate to. The Heaths contend that using numbers and statistics to lend credibility is the wrong approach. Sure, you'll look smart, but you might alienate people who don't relate to numbers. Instead, let your online guests decide for themselves: "Would I rather pay more for this product and higher shipping costs at a competitor's Web site?"

5. Emotional

Most shoppers are emotional creatures. Once they need or want something, your Web site must fulfill that need better than the competition. Think about showing a cute little girl wearing the Easter bonnet you made for her, happy and smiling as she fills her little basket. This visual is much more effective than a picture of a hat sitting on a table.

6. Stories

Telling a story about your product, or using your product to tell a story, will endear the "idea" of buying from you. Using Web site content to tell a story is one of the most effective forms of selling online. Sell an experience, not just an item.

This is only a quick overview of the book. You'll get so much more from reading it. Buy a copy, read it, and share it with everyone in your office, shop, or store. It will inspire you to think more deeply about how you sell to your visitors, and how you use your Web site as a tool to make your brand "stick" with them to encourage repeat business.

Good Advice

Don't let others decide "your" attitude.

Always be early to work and always be willing to stay late. Moving up is often measured in �sweat equity�.

The best ethics are those that can stand being illuminated in the morning newspaper.

A positive attitude will take you further than your technical knowledge.

Decision making should always involve identifying the risks and assigning probabilities to possible outcomes.

Make an effort to improve your written and oral communication skills. Whatever the sacrifice - make it! -- Very few professionals move up without being good communicators.

If you are in a college major and you do not like the topics, homework, tests, teachers, etc., you should change majors. If you do not like this material in college, why do you think you will suddenly fall in love with the subject when you are working? (Note about accounting: The purpose of doing business is to make a profit, and accounting measures profits. All career paths need to understand accounting, and those who don't will remain at the bottom of the corporate ladder.)

College is the �real world.� There are obligations, responsibilities, and consequences.

Your college grades are a measure of your willingness to sacrifice. Employers want employees willing to sacrifice to improve the company.

If you don't like group and team work in class, forget the business world--change majors! You must be able to work as part of a team to survive in the business world.

Learn everything you can about the computer and the internet. The 21st century will be defined by "technocrats." Join them or fall behind.

Join professional business organizations. Career maintenance and the networking related to it will pay off.

Be a volunteer for community service, starting now. Recruiters believe if you give that extra two cents while you are a student, then you will likely give that extra two cents to the company.

Continually update your address, telephone, and e-mail information. Networking is an important key to success.

Join student clubs and take a leadership role. Leadership is the key to moving up in the business world.

Cultivate friendships among all the students in your major. You may need this network later on.

Develop a good rapport with at least one of your major professors. Make sure they know you and your career objectives.

Be attentive to details. It is not long in life before you will discover it is the little things that make the big difference.

Excuses for submitting reports and other paperwork late don't get it in business----nor do they in classes. If you can't handle the load, lighten up your course load by dropping a class, or reducing work hours. Time management skills are strong indicators of your ability to manage the tasks involved in your intended career.

Profitable Blog

There's no doubt that more businesses are realizing the power of blogging to establish their expertise, rank higher at the search engines, and improve their communication with prospects and customers.

But as more companies jump into the blogosphere it becomes more difficult for your blog to get noticed, and therefore to make you money. Here are ten quick tips to make your blog a profitable marketing tool.

Blog for your audience. As the blogosphere matures, the face of business blogging is changing as well. Although the discourse can still be freer than your Web site or email newsletter, people want content they can use. A few posts in a row about what you had for breakfast and you're toast.

Make your blog search engine friendlier. Blogs are search engine friendly by design. By choosing keyword-rich category names and writing keyword-rich post titles you can greatly increase your search engine visibility and drive more qualified leads to your site.

Engage your most active commenters. Some blogs naturally attract more comments because of their popular or controversial topics. You can increase the comments on your blog by responding to each commenter in an email, linking back to or commenting at their blogs, and mentioning them by name in later posts.

Promote your blog's newsfeed. Every blog platform creates a feed for syndication, but some blogs don't have it easily available. Make sure your is obvious.
Add an email subscription. Although newsfeeds are important, not all of your readers will understand how to subscribe to one. Everyone, however, understands how to subscribe to an email newsletter. I recommend using Feedburner for this task, as it also allows you to easily create newsfeeds and track subscribers.
Ping news aggregators. There are dozens of Web sites out there that want to know when you update your Web site. Take advantage of their insatiable hunger by "pinging" them: by letting them know each time you update your blog, they'll help you get the word out faster. I recommend Pingoat as it allows you to ping about 50 of these sites at a time.
Include social bookmarking links. Getting a post into any of the popular social networking/bookmarking sites, can generate thousands of additional page views. Make it easier on visitors to promote your posts by including links to these services within every post.

Leverage your blog traffic into real business. Don't forget that this is your business blog, not your personal one; you're looking for a return on investment. Create appropriate calls-to-action in the form of links that drive traffic from your blog to your Web site or online store.

Just don't be too heavy handed; visitors won't become subscribers or customers if you're doing nothing but self-promotion. Use a deft hand to establish your expertise and build relationships with readers, but make it easy for them to buy from you when they're ready.

While every item in this list will help make your blog more profitable, pay most attention to the first and last tips. Blog for your customers because nothing else will have an impact if you don't focus on their needs. Blog for your business because the purpose of a business blog is to help your company grow and succeed.

Sticky ideas for Successful Business

Profitable Blog