Wednesday, May 27th, 2009
We’ve all heard the claims; “Cured my cancer!” “I am now off all of my medication!” “My Diabetes and depression are both gone!”
Without calling them out on this blog, there are several large and successful MLM companies that seem to have very loose compliance departments.
I am always shocked when I see a YouTube video made by a distributor that makes outrageous product or compensation plan claims. Maybe I shouldn’t be.
The surprise is from the lack of action taken by the corporation to enforce their terms of use. There have been many MLM companies that have been shut down by the FCC for misrepresentations on the part of the distributors.
A good MLM corporation does two things…
1. Educates their distributor force on what legal issues they must abide by. This education should focus on how a distributor can effectively share their story without interjecting the “cures” and “medical claims” that so many have as part of their story.
2. Actively enforce their terms by monitoring what is said, written and distributed, particularly on the internet.
A serious network marketer does two things as well…
1. Searches for a great company with great products, that also follows the above mentioned two steps. Why does a distributor care? Because a corporation that follows those steps mentioned above, is less likely to be shut down by the government and therefore is poised to be a long-term opportunity for the distributor.
2. Preserves the opportunity for themselves and others by abiding by the legal terms of their distributor agreement, and helps their down lines do the same.
This often overlooked area of a distributors business is key to having a long-term, successful network marketing business.
*shameless plug* It seems like a good place to mention that we here at IgniteHQ have solutions for our clients on how they can effectivly monitor the web and educate the distribtuor on “how not to ruin the opportunity.” Our technology platform also allows your distributors to pubish safe content to social networks, like facebook and twitter, without you (the company) losing control. Send us an email if you’d like to learn more.
Posted in MLM, MLM Legal, Network Marketing, consulting, interaction, social media | No Comments »
Friday, May 1st, 2009
Loved reading this article about Stewart Cink taking Twitter by storm. I’d love to get in-tournament commentary to my phone from Cink. I’d feel like I had the inside scoop, much like when Ryan Seacrest tweets during commercials (or so I’ve heard).
You can follow cink on Twitter @stewartcink
The ability to connect with people (fans) is what makes Twitter an excellent tool for deepening relationships. Follow us @ignitehq
Posted in interaction, listening, social media | 1 Comment »
Wednesday, April 15th, 2009
What is PropelHQ you ask?
Simply put, PropelHQ is the top destination for Direct Sales professionals, their teams, customers and prospects. It is a place to network, collaborate, help people and have fun. Some of the highlights include:
Who Created PropelHQ?
PropelHQ is the brainchild and is being developed by the team here at Ignite Media (IgniteHQ.com). We are the leader of social technologies for the Direct Sales (MLM, Network Marketing) industry. We have built social apps and consulted with both large and small Direct Sales companies in the area of social media, social networking etc. Using all the knowledge and expertise gained from these experiences, PropelHQ offers the power and functionality of Ignite’s enterprise solution and has made it available to individual distributors. If you are interested in a private social community for your team or your company, social media consulting or speaking engagements please contact us.
When will PropelHQ be available?
The team is hard at work-working ’round the clock to get PropelHQ opened up to the public the first week of June. We will be looking for individuals to beta test and help spread the word. If you are interested in this opportunity please contact us using the contact link on this site. Beta testers will have full access to all tools and the network at no charge. We will be looking to you for feedback and ways to improve the application.
We will keep you updated over the next few weeks as we prepare for takeoff. Check back here often for updates and the latest news.
Thanks for checking us out!
Posted in consulting, gathering, social media | No Comments »
Tuesday, March 24th, 2009
I think sometimes companies get so worked up with out of the box strategies and ways to reach their customers that they forget the basics of personal communication. I learned back in kindergarten that if you make a mess it is best to fess up. In your customer contacts, it is best to be up front and honest. Anyone can and will see through false social smoke and mirrors.
The thing that comes to mind right away is product recalls. If you know faulty merchandise is in the hands of your customers you need to get on the ball and start sending some emails. If you hope the problem will go away and that no one will find out, don’t quit your day job. Know your products back and forth and be ready with the tough questions. If a certain model isn’t right for a customer get them the right one.
When your participating in blogs and forums, don’t be afraid to rock the boat. Just make sure your rocking it in the right way. That isn’t ‘code’ for sneaky behavior or product pushing. Be there to inform with an authentic voice.
The least favorite blogs and twitter feeds are those that constantly drop links. Let them know there is a person behind the screen every once and a while. I have been following Lance Armstrong for a couple weeks now and I don’t know a more authentic person to follow. Last thing you want to portray to your followers is that their getting an automatic robot updating the account. Talk about the game, tweet your drink, ask goofy but thoughtful questions. I don’t care what business your in. Do it.
Ease up on the blog advertising. It can be very easy to clutter up the sidebars with useless widgets. You don’t need to tell people your a blogger, their at your blog. Believe me, they know already. Focus on the content and try not to exploit your readers to banner ads. 2001 called, they want their blog back.
At IgniteHQ we can help you understand your audience and cater to them. We listen. We understand. Were real people talking to real people.
Posted in consulting, gathering, interaction, listening, social media | No Comments »
Monday, March 23rd, 2009
Lately I have been seeing my Facebook friends donating their statuses to certain causes.
John Doe is the 1,345,489th person to donate his status to support saving the tuna.
I think it is great to make people aware of your cause but as far as getting real results I would hope organizations dig a little deeper into their strategy. I worked with a business who insisted on using Paypal “Donate” buttons on their website. There is some debate with using Paypal. Personally I think if you want to make it ultra easy for someone to make a donation it is a solid choice.
Most people I have talked to have a Paypal account, even my mother who struggles with the right-click. I have heard some people calling it un-professional or ‘cheap’ looking. Yeah I guess it’s not the cutest little payment button I’ve ever clicked but when your talking non-profit your talking no scrill.
I donated $10 one time to my friends snowboarding fund about 6 months ago. I had some money from an ebay transaction I felt I could part with. I would do it again if I had the chance but she never sent a thank you email. Not a big deal but definitely send an acknowledgment email if your going to take peoples cash.
Posted in consulting, interaction, listening, social media | No Comments »
Wednesday, February 25th, 2009
This last Sunday night I was drifting in and out of sleep during the Oscars. The phrase “Slumdog Millionaire” kept sounding in my head as I was nursing a Dr. Pepper. After about the 7th award or nomination, not sure, I finally searched the trailer on my iPhone.
I’m no movie buff but has anyone else noticed a huge shift in movies? These producers obviously rolled with the market on this one and absolutely ruled the awards ceremony. Ahem…best film…or something like that?
When you talk about social media and drawing in customers you can use all the twitter feeds and blogs and facebook groups(careful, these can come off annoying) to listen and interact with your customer. But unless you have a viable product/service that people identify with or love to use; forget about it.
A couple extra hours in the garage working on that thinga-ma-jig is worth more then email blasts. Speaking of twitter, Erin here at Ignite is theorizing the gossip magazines will be struggling if actors start their own twitter accounts. I agree and disagree. If I can follow John Mayer to get the real story thats great…but my wife who loves the bullcrap opinions of the magazines might not care as much.
I say hang in there People magazine , don’t sell that Cancun abode just yet.
Posted in consulting, gathering, interaction, listening, social media | No Comments »
Tuesday, February 10th, 2009
My grandma, bless her heart, handed me a stack of photographs yesterday while I was visiting her. She was sooo excited about all these pictures she had taken over the last year. She told me that she had developed over 30 rolls of film. This got me thinking a bit. When was the last time you used a “film” camera? Or got a roll of film developed? I think for me it was about 10 years ago in high school. I don’t even know what to do with all these photos. I guess some will end up in frames and the rest will end up lost in a box somewhere.
A lot has changed in the last 10 years. Well for some of us, I don’t think Grandma will ever change :) The way we watch TV, thanks TIVO, the way we listen to music, watch movies, get our news, communicate, and so on. Some of these changes took place well over 10 years ago but it has only become part of our lifestyle and routine in the last 10 years. One of the changes that is taking place as we speak is how we interact with eachother. Web 2.0, Social Networking, Social Media, Social Marketing, Social Optimization are all buzzwords that are popping up all over the place. Again, they have been around a while but it has only been recently that they have gained wide accpetance and crossed generation barriers.
The social web has changed how we interact with eachother. It allows us to reach many people, friends, family, colleagues, strangers, customers with a click of a button. It is extremely easy to find new friends as well. A simple google search and I am only milliseconds away from joining a new conversation with thousands of new friends. This is a powerful movement that is taking place and one that is changing the way we communicate and interact with eachother.
Businesses are recognizing this change and are finding new ways to interact with customers and potential customers. A business can now quickly find their enthusiastic devotees as well as their unhappy customers. Businesses are using these social methods to listen and connect with the consumers. As a result the people have a voice and companies are making decisions based off of real people and real feedback. Businesses that have accepted this change in behavior and understand why it is important are rising to the top and consumers are quickly and easily finding them. The companies that are not changing and moving with the people are being pushed down and will eventually be lost.
Though the economy is not in anyone’s corner at the moment, the economy itself will not be the reason these companies are lost. The companies that will be lost will be the ones that lost track of their customers. The online social movement is a way for companies to plug-in and interact with their customers. Be a part of their daily routines and lives. Social marketing is all about the people and making your business all about the people.
It’s a new style of business and one that is popular with your customers. Businesses have said it for years “our focus is on the customer”. Now it’s time to put those words into action. Embrace this new style and put it into action–Your customers have.
Tags: Business, customers, social marketing
Posted in Small business, listening, social media | 1 Comment »
Friday, February 6th, 2009
I could post some famous website to give all the answers on finding your audience online. I could post the most famous Facebook groups where conversations are updated by the second. But in all honesty, the joy of engaging in conversation is finding it yourself. It’s always fun do research and spend time finding that perfect conversation that you identify with and can contribute to.
For example, I’m a huge fan of Deep Thoughts by Jack Handey. In about 3 seconds I can find the official Deep Thoughts site, but the fun part was finding homemade Deep Thoughts by an avid skier on a ski forum I like to visit every so often. Google is a great search engine and widely used, but if your looking for the real gold you have to dig deep.
You really get what you put into it. If it takes you less then a couple minutes to find what you “think” you are looking for, I’d say keep searching. Make sure to play in the sandbox before you start telling everyone in a forum about your product or service. Nothing worse then a SPAMMER with less then 5 posts under their belt.
I’ll even leave you with my own “Deep Thought”.
If you find yourself spending too much time online chatting with strangers and playing subscription video games, you can finally attribute the coke cans and crushed chips all over your living room. Ah yes, thats where that came from.
Tags: deep thoughts
Posted in gathering, interaction, listening, social media | 1 Comment »
Wednesday, February 4th, 2009
Let’s be serious. Valentines day is this holiday retailers came up with to ride the Christmas season coat-tale sales. For us guys were having to get off the comfortable couch, goto the store, and sequel another shopping escapade. And you thought you were done for a while….
You always hear the grumble from the men but I’d like to dedicate this post to the retailers out there. Thank you. I’m grateful that you invented this holiday out of thin air to strengthen my relationship with the misses.
Absolut Vodka has done quite the campaign for defining an Absolut World. This one of a protest group fighting SWAT is probably one of my favorites. I’m looking for their Valentines Day video. I don’t drink so I’m not affected by this advertising at all because I don’t drink….TRUE or FALSE? You choose.
This year I got my wife a gym membership, do you think that’s sending the wrong message? “Honey! I love you! Hit the gym and work on those abs.” I’ll keep brainstorming on something really charming, this might not go over well.
Tags: valentines day 2009
Posted in interaction, listening, social media | No Comments »
Monday, January 26th, 2009
I always got picked last for kickball in grade school. You line up with 20 of your friends and then someone randomly becomes a team captain who then proceeds to begin the chopping block. Those who don’t get picked or picked last walk away with heads hung low not sure what to do with themselves. Talk about damaging.
In this consumer oriented marketplace no one is picked last. Everyone has a voice. No more shutting people out. No more scratching them off the roll. Blogs, social sites, micro-blogs….these are the arenas for your customer to scream their opinions on the cyber roof tops. You can try to turn it off. Write them an email maybe. How does one turn a situation around resulting in a customer deleting their critical post?
When your utilizing social media to achieve company goals know that your entering a whole new playground. You play by their rules. You get water when they want it. And if your lucky, smart, and have that look…hopefully you won’t get picked last. And if you do there is always tomorrow’s recess.
Tags: consumer interaction, damage control
Posted in interaction, listening, social media | No Comments »