Spreading the net wider

I encourage my clients not just to rely on their websites as a means of building their businesses.  Sure, the website has to be "findable" and there is a whole art in doing this.  But the website on its own is not a very proactive marketing tool.  People have to be "looking" for it or referred to it by friends, colleagues, other advertisements and this is all a bit passive.

The Social Web (Web 2.0 as it is also called) provides a ready means of putting your marketing message out there much more proactively and obtaining far many more referrals than you could get just by having a website.  But for many, the breadth of tools available (email, social networks, blogs etc) and establishing a cohesive strategy to use them (without giving up one's entire life to the web!) is baffling.  

As I mentioned last month, I am compiling a "Brain" containing all the web and social web tools that really work. I have already added to it considerably and will continue to do so.  Check it here and check back.  The subject is large and constantly evolving.

But I've also put together a simple process flow below that really works and which takes just TWO STEPS to update all those platforms listed (presuming certain capabilities are put in place on the website itself).  I have just implemented this flow for two of my clients using tools I also mention in my "Brain".  Contact me for more details. 

Sites of interest this month

I have been involved with the following sites since May:

International Casting

International Casting is a model sourcing agency.  I have agreed with Deborah to do some initial competitor research both in terms of procurement (i.e. people wanting models) and sourcing (i.e. finding models).  This proposition should be able hugely to exploit the sort of Web 2.0 model I outlined above and I hope to make a huge difference to Deborah's web-based marketing.  For now, see International Casting's website.  Huge potential.

English speaking for Japanese

I am working with Simone to identify what the market is looking-for and how to optimise the web site for search.  It will be an interesting challenge to confront the Japenese side of this bilingual website!  I can only advise on the basis of what people search-for in English! Semantics are SO important in search, I will have to work with Simone's translator to determine the "most likely" equivalent phrases in Japanese.  This is a proposition that should also do well via Japanese social networks. Have a look at English Speaking for Japanese.

Green Energy (Eu)

Well, we have Mike's site wired for Web 2.0 using exactly the process flow and tools I have mentioned above.  So long as we perform the monthly email newsletter and use it to update the blog, every other social platform we choose now gets updated automatically.  It is a very nice process.  In June I am going to be adding an exciting new product to the site which Mike and his team now offer - more anon.  Meanwhile click here for Green Energy (eu) and energy-saving heating.