Watch a flooring company with no social media presence grow before your eyes

I’ve been contracted to work with Stradwick’s Carpet One Floor & Home in Mississauga, Ontario GTA, to build and monitor their Facebook, Twitter, YouTube, Yelp, web and blog presences… and it’s working quite well

It’s not a mystery that it’s working out so well because I’ve been doing this for nearly 15 years and most of that time in the flooring industry.

Check their website and other links here:

http://www.carpetonegta.ca
http://mississaugacarpettoronto.wordpress.com/2011/03/01/mohawk-carpet-sales-in-mississauga-gta/
http://twitter.com/carpetonegta
…

More on the way, but I had to squeeze this post into the two free minutes I had this morning.
All the best,

Chris

What’s Your Online Relevance Index?

Checked your online identity lately?

Here’s mine…

While relieved, I’m not surprised. It’s taken nearly 15 years to solidify this type of position and know how to duplicate it.

For more info, check out the “Online Identity Calculator“.

All the best,

Chris

RockMelt… Ok, I’m Excited About A Browser For A Change!

I’m a tad speechless… ok, maybe not – RockMelt is actually pretty cool.

Why am I ready to hit the RockMelt pipe? It says it integrates social media and, honestly, that’s all I want lately. Let’s see how it rolls.

Social Media book release: The Social Media Equation – Get Your Team Involved & Use The “Big 4″ To Bring Your Brick-And-Mortar Business To The Next Level

Know what people are saying about you online… even if you’re not saying anything?
Would you like to?
Or, have you heard so much about “social media” but are afraid to jump in because you may give a competitor valuable information?
This is where solid business meets Twitter, Facebook, YouTube and blogs.
It’s also full of advice and each chapter comes with an Action Plan for each platform.
The Action Plans are packed with immediate-action tips to keep you from looking like a beginner, even if you are.
They’re also written from the perspective of an executive who has been successful in off-line businesses, but used the internet to augment lead generation.

One tip could save you or make you thousands… or help you combat cyber-squatting and other brand-damaging internet iniquities.
But the key to this book is that it gives you helpful advice to get your team involved and buying in to the concept.
Because if they don’t come along for the ride, you won’t enjoy it nearly as much as you could.

Click the image to order and you will be able to download it immediately. As updates hit, you will receive them automatically. You will also have access to my exclusive newsletter… and this is the only way to get access to it.

All the best,

Chris

The Enchanted Floorist – no mistake on the name, just a pre-speaking test for a Green Bay, Wisconsin flooring company

When I first heard the name The Enchanted Floorist, I laughed out loud at the fun nature of the name itself.
Then, I tried to find them online.
Like so many others in the flooring business, it was rough going.
First shot was Twitter… no good.
Then, Facebook… nope.
Then Google… ok, we’re getting somewhere, but it’s still tough sifting through actual florists. Take the name out and look for a flooring company in Green Bay, Wisconsin, and I can’t find them.
I did come up with a Service Magic number, but I don’t want to incur a charge to them by trying to contact ‘em.
Well, I’m going to give them a hand.
Tomorrow, I’ll add their brick-and-mortar information to this post, as well as a link to their web presence.
So far, I’ve put them in a status update on Facebook, Tweeted their name and now comes this blog post.
Then, I’ll use this post as my url and leave a few comments on some high-traffic blogs.
Let’s go to town with this one and see where we wind up.
Nowhere to go go but up!

All the best,

Chris

Picture this!

Twitter tips – lists can grab the attention of even the busiest – aka “Chris Pirillo caught this!”

Heard of Chris Pirillo? Well, besides having parents with fantastic taste in first names, he’s routinely the #1 result when you Google the word “Chris”

Am I jealous? Nah… ok, yeah… but he deserves it and the millions of hits his YouTube channel gets every month!
Am I a fan? Well, absolutely because after you watch some of his videos, you begin to realize that he’s just plain sincere.
And, one may say there is nowhere online worth going where you won’t find Chris, and that makes for a tough time getting his attention, probably because sincerity is a commodity in short supply these days.
So, I was not trying to get his attention when I put his name on one of my Twitter lists “http://twitter.com/#!/webmindset/wow-these-guys-really-get-it” but here is what happened.
He saw it and reposted it here:

I was definitely not fishing for attention because Chris and I are working on a project right now for his home and he and I are both incredibly busy. This was just serendipitous and I wanted to take a minute to show you one more way to stand above the crowd.

A few minutes after I’d published this post, I checked Monitter.com and saw this:

I think I’ll add @TheCraigFisher to my list of smart guys who know a good post when they see it.
Oh, wait, it’s 5 minutes later and I need to add @TrishasTravels to that list.
Shoot, I better get off my tail and actually create that list!
Go for it, but don’t dilute the effectiveness by abusing it, and tell us about it.
I’ll blog it if it’s substantial.

All the best,

Chris… the other Chris
______

If you’d like to learn more about social media and real business, even if it’s just to check on your brand, check out the book The Social Media Equation. One tip from it could save you embarrassment or make you thousands!
Click the image to order and you will be able to download it immediately.

Pragmatic Social Media: An example of how to integrate social media into your off-line, brick-and-mortar business

Put your social media presence everywhere.
It’s so simple, it never occurs to many.
Look how long it took many businesses to get their website addresses on vehicles, business cards and ads.
And some still have yet to get with the program (very few).
In fact, I haven’t seen a sign like this yet… except at this business outside DC (a business very close to my heart!)

Of course, it’s bigger than this and there is other information on the door, but I know many clients both current and potential who’ve expressed delight at being able to contact this business in so many ways… especially since it’s closed on Sundays unlike many traditional retailers.

But, hey, who wants to be traditional?!

In fact, this business encourages people to friend them, fan them, tweet them, check in on foursquare, and anything else they can think of.
And they offer rewards like Starbucks gift cards, drawings and merchandise.

Give me your thoughts on this one because I humbly think it’s genius
If you’d like to learn more about social media and real business, even if it’s just to check on your brand, check out the book The Social Media Equation. One tip from it could save you embarrassment or make you thousands!
Click the image to order and you will be able to download it immediately.

All the best,

Chris

Using YouTube and my iPod Touch to facilitate product knowledge and sales excellence

These things are second-nature to me, but I often wonder how many managers, trainers and reps don’t realize just how much more effective they could be by using social media (YouTube in this case) to duplicate their message.
Just today I had a lunch meeting scheduled with a rep from a large distributor and one from a manufacturer.
The information was key and we were swamped, so I was the only one (that’s what bosses do) who could make it.
Why?

See for yourself and let me know what you think.

I want to support my team. They had to keep selling and working with clients, but I didn’t want them to miss this training opportunity.
YouTube to the rescue!
… and my iPod Touch with its fantastic video quality and ease-of-use.
I asked the questions my team would have asked. Of course, they’re a smart bunch, so I’m sure I missed some, but it’s still good.
Then, I published the video to our YouTube presence (yes, we’re all there, even though my main field is off-line).
Now, all of them are getting an email with a link to the video so they can get the answers they need for a product and system we rely on routinely.
This, my friends, is a fantastic use of social media for business and represents one of my favorite aspects – duplication of effort.
The rep, although good, won’t need to come back in right away because we have his PK recorded.
The comment section on YouTube will serve as an interactive focal point.

I hope this helps in your business.

All the best,

Chris

 

Target and Facebook

Is it any coincidence that Target is the first big-wig to offer Facebook giftcards… and then change the url they show on TV commercials to Facebook.com/…?
Facebook.com/Target in this case.
Well, call me silly, but I’d say no.
Or nope.
Or hell no, it’s so friggin’ obvious that Target actually GETS IT!
You may be thinking “Hey, Chris, what’s this “it” you’re so jazzed about?”
Well, friends, the “it” is that the way business has been spoon-fed to us by ad agencies for hundreds of years SUCKS… to put it succinctly.
Social media represents the missing link for businesses not afraid of transparency, or at least savvy enough to curate their online real estate.
And don’t worry, I won’t say “make no mistake” anywhere in this post… except… ah forget that one.
Seriously, Target may be ahead of the curve in understanding that business is done with people, and we “people” value relationships.
Although I think the movie “The Social Network” is a piece of Hollywood overly-dramatized, soap opera-esque crap, Facebook is phenomenal and I truly enjoy the new connections made, and old ones re-kindled.

So, what are your thoughts on this?
What other businesses have you seen that have implemented the use of their Facebook.com/ url in advertising, if any?
Friends, I think we’re on the cusp of some really big changes and those of you who already get “it” are well-positioned to not be taken by surprise.

All the best,

Chris

The Social Media “Lone Wolf” – Thankfully, A Dying Breed In Concept Only

Maybe you’ve been there… the outside-of-the-box thinker who actually “got it” when it comes to social media -
aka the Social Media Lone Wolf.
Yep, you know what it’s like to look at a business’ Twitter posts and say, “Stop selling, idiots! It’s about relationships and branding first, business second… good, solid business.”
Or, maybe you’re less tactful -
“Cold selling on social media is like sex without foreplay, jackass!”
Guilty here on both counts.
Or maybe, heaven forbid, you share information with people in your field or those who may not know as much as you or be able or willing to pay you for that knowledge!
Mercy me.
Heck, maybe you’ve even brought your smartphone into the bathroom just to connect with your kind (yep, it’s more common than you think).
Hopefully, you’ve transitioned to a new industry and are welcomed among the understood of the pack, appreciated at last.
If not, you’re probably a masochist or you just don’t know how valuable you are.
Well, my friend, if you “get it” when it comes to social media, you’re valuable.
Just go to LinkedIn, Mashable, Monster, and any other employment site and enter “social media” into the search box.
Then hold onto your geeky hat and prepare to smile. 
Here’s a hint, do whatever you can to get “social media” added to your business card…
And when “they” finally come around and see how blasted wrong they were to:
- force brick and mortar metrics on you;
- bring up ROI within the first month of a “campaign”;
- sift tweets through a committee of ignorant suits;
just try to hold your fingers down and not smile too broadly… but smile!
You deserve it
Now, watch this video and enjoy, my fellow “new dork”:

All the best,

Chris

Yes, I’m smiling…