This time around, we’re reviewing Groundswell via video. Don’t have a copy? Here’s why you should look into one.
httpv://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MrUH_E2Vp-4
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Buzzword Watch – 3 Cliches To Avoid
Before you use these crutch phrases, you should know their etymology.
1. Drink the Kool-Aid. It used to just be a drink that was “cheaper than soda” (so said the commercials) and had a large anthropomorphic pitcher of the beverage as its spokes-thing.
Then, tragedy in the form of the Jonestown murder-suicide – one of the largest losses of American civilian life before 9/11. Since most of the members of the People’s Temple who died drank a mixture of cyanide and a drink mix similar to Kool-Aid, the phrase “Drink the Kool-Aid” eventually became synonymous with those who will nod their head in agreement – even if they don’t really believe you.
Irony: the drink mix used in Jonestown was something called “Flavor Aid” and not Kool-Aid.
2. Going Postal. Between 1986 and 1997, more than 40 people died in 20 separate violent incidents at the hands of United States Postal Workers. The phrase became synonymous with those who would become uncontrollably angry – even if they were not postal workers.
3. “Grammar Nazi, Word Nazi.” A popular Seinfeld episode called “The Soup Nazi” led to communicators using phrases such as these often enough to get an Urban Dictionary reference.
Just remember next time you use one of these phrases – they’re often reminders of horrible, tragic events. There’s a better way to say whatever it is you want to say.
UnBook Report
If a guy writes a book called “UnMarketing” – your review should be more of an “UnBook Report,” right?
Buzzword Watch – How to Innovate with Truly Innovative Innovation
We’re at it again: after Friday’s anti-Engagement rant, today we think “innovation” is over-used.
Dissecting the buzzword “innovation” is going to get us in trouble with the pundits. After all, a good percentage of the readers, viewers and commenters on this site might, themselves, be innovative individuals.
For instance: are you the Chief Innovation Officer of your company? Good for you. You’re joining the ranks of companies that make innovation a priority. By announcing to the world that you have someone in charge of innovating, you prove that innovation is truly innovative at your company (which is probably called “Innova”).
If you don’t have a Chief Innovation Officer, then you could always hire this guy, whose ad pops up when you Google the term. (Here’s a link to the Complete Innovator.)
If you do have a Chief Innovation Officer, what is it that they do? (Other than this unfortunate recent incident from a company whose troubles go beyond hiring someone to innovate.)
Do they report into the Chief Strategy Officer?
Back in the day, Dave from Area 224 worked at a company in the financial data space. At the time, this company didn’t have a Chief Innovation Officer – but they did have a CEO whose plain-speaking style got the troops motivated. One of his favorite sayings ended up posted on quite a few cubicle walls:
If our customers knew what we were working on right now, would they pay us for it?
A-ha! That might not be “innovation” – but it makes a heck of a lot of sense in the client services universe.
Here are the challenges we’ll issue to you, gentle (innovative) readers:
Any Chief Innovation Officers who actually Innovate?
AND, is there a better way to articulate the fact that you are consultative, smart, and are adding value?
Let’s cut through the BS, please.
Underground Strategies for Selling Your House Without a Broker
Editor’s Note: This is a sneak peek of our upcoming “Underground Strategies” series – eBook, downloadable templates, and a complete course for anyone who wants to sell a house, condo, apartment, co-op or vacant land – and doesn’t think they need a broker. Pre-order the whole megillah using the link below.
Thing one: I come from a family of real estate agents. Thing two: Some Realtors are really good at their jobs. Thing three: you don’t need one.
This is going to sound counter-intuitive coming from Area 224; after all, we did write the book on Social Media Marketing for Real Estate. But, after working with Realtors on marketing for the better part of the last 18 months, watching their mistakes, weeding through the home selling clutter, etc., we can safely say that most of you can sell your home without using the services of a broker.
And the great thing is this: a good chunk of the tools that will help you sell your house without a broker are free.
Start Writing Killer Copy NOW.
Ah, the counter-intuitive approach. You have a home that might need a little work, and maybe you’re 90 days away from being able to actually list the darn thing – if you focus on fixing that creaky stair, or painting the porch, or whatever.
So why do we want you to start writing?
We want you – actually we NEED you – to get in the right mindset for selling your house. And the right mindset means you need to focus on WIIFM. “What’s In It For Me.”
And the “me” is your target – the person you want to buy your house.
Go ahead, start writing for them. Here’s the approach:
1. Write an email headline that will have a good chance of getting opened.
“Buy my house” is not what we’re going for here. In order to get yourself in the WIIFM mindset, you have to figure out why on earth someone would want your home. Then you need to focus on a couple of the attributes of your home that are attention-grabbing.
Five-minute walk from the train, lots of kids in the neighborhood, so why are we selling our home?
Notice that the email headline leaves the reader guessing.
2. You’re now ready to whet the appetite by being personal.
Any schmoe can talk about price here. You are not a schmoe, and there are scores of sites out there that will talk about price FOR YOU. That’s not the direction we’re headed with what the industry would call killer real estate sales copy.
Back to WIIFM. You don’t have to be all syrupy; but you do want to appeal to the senses.
When Bob and I first moved here, we couldn’t imagine looking out the kitchen window and being able to see our kids playing at the park. And the office upstairs was really an office – not a room with bunk beds in it. Having a beer on the front porch swing was replaced with a cup of coffee while the school bus pulls up.
Are you there yet? Imagining what made this house a home? That’s where you need to get the reader. A few paragraphs that go into details about the place – not granular stuff, just the basics, like when you replaced the furnace, or what you’ve done to the bathrooms.
3. No price, just permission.
The most counter-intuitive portion of the program is this: you are not selling your home with this email. In fact, you are not even talking price. Your whole point is to lay the groundwork for your underground marketing program.
You do this by asking permission.
Although it’s hard to believe, given all the history we have at this place, but we’re getting ready to sell our home. If it’s okay, we’d like to send you the listing information before we send it out to the rest of the world. Click here to confirm that it’s okay.
You’ve begun the process of circumventing the broker by putting yourself in the right mindset, and by writing some killer copy. So now what?
Yes, the rest is part of the Underground Strategies series, and, like we mentioned above, you can pre-order it below.
