The WMT publication is an example of modern CMS/blog site design, using transparent effects with a layer of sophisticated and professional imagery.  Wordpress themes that have a strong CSS (Custom Style Sheet) structure behind them, plus have all the widget locations you need already coded in, are worth investing in.  We can easily  change the site’s design along with our business and at any time also duplicate the site for new or related purpose with a completely different look and feel to suit it’s reuse.

SMM means a whale of engagement

A Managing Editor at BE (BoomersEdge) Media asked me a couple weeks ago how her husband might go about drumming up some new prospects and customers for his small business using Twitter.  I  believe that Twitter can be a very powerful communication tool for reaching potential customers of almost any business and market.  However early market research (and surveys done) on Twitter usage show  that the vast majority of Twitter users are currently just seeking entertainment from this rapidly growing social media communications platform.   Twitter itself is a micro blogging syndication tool, and it does possess power and speed for getting a message out, as well as being able to give indications of what your potential customers and markets are interested in.

Your  Social Media Market Strategy might be greatly enhanced by incorporating Twitter, so we will be doing more research and reporting about our how’s and why’s of it’s use in the coming  months.  But since Twitter is just one of many core SMM (Social Media Marketing) tools which your business may want to deploy, we feel it is important to first understand the amount and kind of change which your business needs to be prepared for, before you start Tweeting away.  So before making specific suggestions, I first warned my friends that there can also be a  down side to using social media tools, including Facebook and others, if you are not willing or ready to engage with prospects AND customers, who may be happy to see your business is reaching out to them using this form of media.

Specifically, are you ready to answer all questions that any prospect for your product(s) or service(s) may have?  Do you have a web site that can answer most of those questions for a prospect, including packaging and pricing of same?  Do you have samples or references of your product/service benefits and value to current customers?  Is your value proposition clear, and without marketing smoke?

But perhaps most importantly, are you ready to be accountable for your business reputation?  Social media is all about building trust and reputation.  You may be able to delete an errant post, but you can’t delete a negative impression, or knock to your business reputation.  Those issues will have to be addressed, one by one, if you plan on getting up close and personal with your market(s) using social media.

Here’s a link I posted on Twitter last month to an article about the engagement factor of using social media to market your business.  There is no question about whether social media can get you closer to your customers, help find new prospects, and improve your revenues and bottom line profitability.   But you’ll need to be prepared to engage.

Social Media Engagement and Your Bottom Line http://su.pr/2F6hde

Live Blogging A Broadband Supplier

We inherited Comcast as a supplier from a company called Adelphia.  I think either the father or son, one of the primary owners of Adelphia did some time for book cooking after selling out, but nonetheless, it’s been Comcast broadband (for land service) since.  The service speed and reliability itself are good, but their home & small biz customer strategy, quite frankly is not.

I have had my television(s) off for one full week now in order to gain the inner strength necessary to go through with a switch in tv service provider.  My issue, I have been cutting channels and features for years (it seems), yet the price just steadily continues to climb.  Seems these chaps need to learn how to listen to customers a bit better.  But let’s see if they let me quit first without a serious fight

It’s ringing- -

Me:  Hi, I’ve stopped watching television, and would like to cancel my tv service, but keep Comcast’s i-net service please…

CSR:  OK, let me verify your address and account… “you decided you need to read a bit more???”

Me:  “No, actually I wish I could read less, it seems that is all I do”  … “haven’t watched tv in a week, so I figured I’d now have more time to brush my teeth more thoroughly”

CSR:  OK sir, your new monthly amount will be $59.95, and you will be billed for this months usage of your service through today.

Me:  Thank you, and what will be the total for the monthly invoice with taxes?

CSR: Oh, there is no taxes on i’net service.  Your total will be just 59.95 per month plus 2.95 for the modem.

Me:  So you mean about $63 bucks total per month, until your brilliant execs figure out how to raise the price without my noticing?

CSR:  Ummmmm……

I thanked her for such courteous and efficient service, and wished her a fine day.  Funny, but she answered the phone by announcing what a wonderful day she was having and asking me how mine had been.  So all in all, a very good customer relationship building experience for both parties .

What the CSR’s brilliant execs may never know, is that I am already watching lots of television over the same broadband line which delivers my i-net traffic.  Well, they probably know people are doing it, but they are horrible at segmenting their customer base into markets, and meeting the specific needs of those markets.  I watched all the Wimbledon tennis I had time for in a window on my tv/monitor, and it cost about $12 bucks total that I can remember, delivered through an internet based service.

As I pay for more and more live tv type programming over the ‘net, the economics won’t look this lopsided.  But considering that in 15 years (through many Adelphia’s being acquired by Comcast’s) fast, reliable, cable based broadband has gone up about 10 to 20 bucks per month.  And it had settled around $50 for most of those years.

On the other hand, the total cost of cable television programming (for my case) hit about $120/mth before I gave up the movie channels.  Just basic cable tv (and the Tennis Channel:-), was costing an extra $80/mth until today, when having survived a week without it, I quit cable tv.  I’ll still be watching much of the same programming, just not sure from where or what it will cost yet.  I’ve heard there is quality free HD programming for free.  And the US Open plus College Kickoff Games are just around the corner, so looks like I’ll have more to report on my quest into tv via internet.

My rating for Comcast’s customer service today was excellent.  My rating for their long term attention to my individual needs as a virtual office customer, not much better than abysmal.