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Have you ever wondered what viral marketing is? I was reading a great post on the Tall Poppy blog and found this great explanation from Ann – so have reproduced it for you.

Viral marketing is a term devised to describe what happens when an item of marketing is spread amongst people. It is a little like word of mouth on steroids. Viral marketing is now an accepted way to promote your business or product.

1. Put your URL on every piece of marketing that you create. It doesn’t have to be dead centre of every screen, but make sure it is there at the end.

2. Have a sign up form on your site. People who come to visit might just be interested enough to want more.

3. Think about a follow up. The Rick Astley clip was so popular that others made their own versions and people were videod being ’set up’ for a rick rolling. You can create your own follow up campaign to build on the first or you can have someone else do it for you. Why not create a strategic alliance with a fellow business and create follow up campaigns for each other?

So, I never thought it would happen, but there are my lessons from Rick Astley! If you are not familiar with this now famous pop song you can check it out at youtube http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Yu_moia-oVI

Thanks Ann!  What a great explanation. So go forth and get viral!

Until next time

Ingrid Cliff

We put your business into words

Heart Harmony – Freelance writers

The whole purpose of SEO copywriting is to make sure that the website using it gets as high as possible in search engine results.  Poor SEO copywriting will have the exact opposite effect. Most companies just starting out don’t invest in SEO copywriting – and don’t realise the damage they are causing their business by writing their web copy themselves.

The main problem when writing your copy is ensuring the copy reads well by your customers, as well as is competitive in terms of other websites and content.

SEO copywriters help you hunt down less popular keywords that still get reasonable traffic to give you a much better chance of ranking highly.  For example, using the phrase ‘credit card’ in your copy isn’t likely to get you on page one of Google.  But if the content is more specifically written about 0% interest credit card deals, then when people are looking for that particular deal, they are more likely to find you.

One of the secrets to good SEO copy that performs well is simply to narrow the focus of what is being written.  This enables us to target a smaller but more responsive audience to your message – meaning higher qualified buyers for your product and service.

Of course it is also necessary to weave the necessary keywords into the copy with care and attention. If keywords are used too often, search engines may view this as keyword stuffing, which has the exact opposite effect to the one trying to be created.  The more expertly this is done the smoother and more effective the final result will be.

In the end great content has to be well written as well as carefully constructed with keywords.  The two together make a dynamite combination!

Until next time

Ingrid Cliff

We put your business into words

Heart Harmony – Brisbane SEO copywriter

Today I was feeling very flat … then a great colleague Dean Bleasdale sent me this brilliant movie.

Take some time to watch it – everyone needs a little validation at times!

Until next time

Ingrid Cliff

We put your business into words

Heart Harmony – Freelance Writers

The impact of the Moving Forward with fairness workplace laws are already being felt through the industrial and business sectors of society. Workers and employers are taking note of how the new legislation affects their productivity and professional life.

Revamping HR policies and procedures manuals will help to stave off the worst effects that might concern either employee or employer and understanding the changes should lessen the impact.

In November 2008 the Fair Work Australia Bill was introduced. In March the Minister for Employment and Workplace Relations announced the Workplace Relations Amendment (Transition to Forward with Fairness) Act 2008 and the impact of the Act is still being understood.

The changes to the work place agreement laws have impacted HR policies and procedures manuals through all levels of business by altering the way in which employees and employers create their working agreements. Gone are the Liberal Government’s extreme and unpopular (with the workers) Work Choice laws.

The new Act demonstrated the Rudd Government’s commitments in the Forward with Fairness and the Forward with Fairness Implementation Plan. The key areas of impact for HR Manuals are concerned with workplace agreements between employees and employers.

The initial impact is that there are no longer any AWAs. The Australian Workplace Agreements no longer exist. Those using AWAs as at Dec 2007 were offered the ITEA, the Individual Transitional Employment Agreements until modernisation of existing Manuals could be implemented.

The new Act introduces the ‘no disadvantage test’ for new collective agreements and ITEAs and enables the AIRC (the Australian Industrial Relations Commission) to oversee the process of award updating. The Act also impacted on the areas of requirement of the organization or business owners to provide Workplace Relations Fact Sheets to their employees.

After ninety days of an existing AWA expiring, the employer or employee would be entitled to apply for a collective agreement or award in the workplace. The employee or employer could retain agreements or extend or vary agreements in limited circumstances if the certified agreements were in place prior to Work Choices and these agreements could emain until the new laws come into place in 2010.

The impact of the Moving Forward with Fairness act should be limited and positive. The Government’s new workplace relations system appears to be and was designed to be fair, flexible and productive.

The Bill to dismantle the Workchoices legislation is a weighty 575 page document listing significant changes that have been proposed to take effect from January 2010. This includes abolition of AWAs and introduction of individual common law contracts with a no overall disadvantage test to ensure their fairness.

Within the legislation another item that will impact on HR policies and procedures manuals is the introduction of a minimum safety net of provisions for all employees earning under $100,000 including flexible work provisions for employees with children under school age. The safety net no longer applies to employees earning over $100,000, they will now fall outside of the award system which also means no protection against unfair dismissal.

The impact of an overhaul of the general unfair dismissal provisions means that small businesses must include a Fair Dismissal Code in their processes from 1 July 2009.

Comments appeared in newspapers and internet revealing how employees view the new legislation.

The idea of Gillard saying businesses need not fear the outbreak of pattern bargaining seems to alarm some journalists. The idea that the impact of the legislation would be returning the workplace to the way things were with the unions during the Whitlam era might be outspoken but does reflect on how people viewed the new laws.

The fear is that the impact of the new laws will restore collective bargaining and replace the individual arrangements between the worker and the employer, which could increase the rights of unions to enter worksites. Together with their ability to access employees’ records, this could possibly raise the likelihood of pattern bargaining or comparative wage justice.

The impact on HR policies and procedures manuals is yet to be finalised and won’t be until the draft legislation is finally passed through parliament and then in 2010 when it finally comes into effect.  We will be monitoring changes and keep you posted!

Until next time

Ingrid Cliff

We put your business into words

Heart Harmony – Freelance HR writer

Every successful business has a clear vision of what it is, the people it serves and where it is headed.  This vision is shared and understood by all of the team who work there, and explained to new employees and potential employees before they join the company.

Over the years I have seen many companies struggle with this concept. Some companies take teams of core people away on retreat and spend a few days working through what is their big vision. Others just wake up one day and “know” where they are to head.

Some just copy someone elses and still others think “we need a vision” so ring a copywriter and ask us to write one for them. (Just as an aside, I never do that without running a workshop with them first and helping them through the process of discovering their vision).

For a vision to be successful people need to feel it in every fibre of their being. They need to be able to close their eyes and explain what it will feel like when they “get there”. The act of getting the vision to a visceral level creates an energetic tension that helps propel you towards it.

Once your vision has been created, you need to have ways of reminding yourself what it is (or life will get in the way and you will forget why you are doing all of this activity).

Some people re-read their notes daily or weekly, some put the words into a poster on the wall and some like Jenny at Assential Scrapbooking create a scrapbooked version of their vision – complete with images that reflect the feeling their vision creates in them and their customers. They then laminate the scrapbooked vision and pin it up in their office for all to see.

Mark Silver from Heart of Business also has a great process to help you discover your vision. I recommend his “Unveiling the Heart of Your Business” if you are still finding it challenging to find your vision.

To summarise – in my experience if  you want to succeed in business

1. First discover your vision
2. Feel your vision in every fibre of your being
3. Document it in a way that is right for you
4. Share it with everyone
5. Remind yourself of your vision daily.

Until next time

Ingrid Cliff

We put your business into words

Heart Harmony – Freelance writer

One of my clients is a brilliant personal stylist in Brisbane - Bettina from Kahootz. She is also a very talented patternmaker, dressmaker and women’s clothes fashion designer so when she said she wanted to be let loose in my wardrobe I did what every self respecting woman did – I panicked!

Luckily for me Bettina is very persistent and persuasive and I finally let her into my wardrobe (it took 4 months for me to get up the courage). Guys – if you don’t know, having a trained fashionista cast her eye over a woman’s wardrobe is akin to the feeling that wandering around naked in peak hour in the centre of town would give you. Actually it is very similar as most of the time I was in bra and undies between changing outfits. It was terrifying!

It was also the most educational things that I have ever done. Having Bettina look  with a critical but caring eye over my figure good points (yes, apparently I do have a few) as well as my challenge areas, and then make me try on everything ( … everything including the raincoat!)  in my wardrobe, was brilliant.

I found out why I liked some clothes (even though I only wear them to costume parties), why other clothes didn’t quite work, why some needed to be shortened and others lengthened and which necklines worked.

She came up with combinations I would never have dreamt of in ten thousand years and new ways of wearing clothes I thought were only to be seen again in the dress-up pile.

I even finally had a name for my personal style – corporate bohemian (as a writer I need a funky label for everything).

Years ago I had my colours done by an image consultant. Bettina finally made me realise what the colours actually meant and the difference the right shades on the right outfits made.

Yes … 1/4 of my wardrobe is now going to St Vinnies (figured that was going to happen), 1/2 is off to get adjusted  and I am living with a few OK outfits until all the fab ones come back. We are also going to get some great new outfits made that actually fit my long legs and arms (a miracle!)

Did it feel good – yes … at the end of it all. I also am armed with knowledge and a whole lot more confidence.

So ladies … invest in a full wardrobe audit with Bettina. It is worth every cent and then some!

Until next time

Ingrid Cliff

We put your business into words

Heart Harmony – Freelance Writers

Sorry for the late running of the newsletter. Get Response (my newsletter email provider) must have a back-log and its instant delivery now means somewhere in the next 24 hours!  Reminds me again why I should have got Aweber the first time around.

Until next time

Ingrid Cliff

We put your business into words (when Get Response allows it!)

Heart Harmony – SEO copywriters

With the now you see them now you don’t changes to Facebook terms I contacted my colleague Kay Lam-Beattie, a specialist IT lawyer with her company IdeaLaw to get her take on the issue.

Kay is different to most IT lawyers – she started her life as a geek programmer before moving into law – so she understands the unique needs of people with net based businesses.

This is what Kay had to say this morning:

Most of the 175 million people who use social networking site Facebook have never read the terms of use on the site, let alone the revised terms of use that appeared a few weeks ago. But enough did for a major uproar to ensue which has resulted in the new terms being pulled and the old terms being reinstated.

But why all the fuss?  The new terms included a clause broadening Facebook’s licence to use any material that users posted to the site.  The licence was only limited by each user’s privacy settings.

In theory the licence was so broad that Facebook could have used user’s publicly posted photographs and material for anything, anywhere, anytime, even after the user deleted their material and left Facebook.

Facebook assured its users that it didn’t intend to use anyone’s material in a way that they wouldn’t want.  However it’s been known to happen on the internet before.

In 2007, a friend snapped a photo of a 15 year old Alison Chang goofing around at a carwash, and posted it online.  The photo was plucked from photo sharing site Flickr (apparently permitted under its user terms) and used in a mocking way in a Virgin Mobile billboard campaign, without Alison’s knowledge or consent.

While the old terms also give Facebook the right to use user content, the licence is worded a little less broadly and can be ended by a user deleting the content from Facebook.

Another of Facebook’s new clauses banned users from using their profiles for any ‘commercial’ purpose, which could have affected the many individuals and business networking groups on the site.

The problem being that as there are so many business related profiles and networking groups currently openly operating on Facebook it would be reasonable for everyone to assume that Facebook had agreed to the status quo – no matter what they publically stated in their terms of use.

Facebook has now reverted to its old terms of use, and set up a Facebook group for users who wish to comment on drafting the new terms, and has since apologised for the ‘confusion’.  Over 55,000 users joined the group within the first 24 hours.

This sort of response shows the depth of feeling and negative consumer response Facebook is experiencing from simply changing their terms of use. Facebook themselves are in damage control mode – frantically working to restore customer confidence in their site.

So what does this mean for people who use public sites and for businesses with websites?

Most websites contain terms and conditions of use somewhere within their site – generally somewhere in a back page with a small link to the page.

Unfortunately most terms and conditions are not drafted taking into account the full legal ramifications of what has is being required. They are often very loosely written and will not stand up in court if challenged.

Terms on websites need to be written in a way that people understand and which also clearly spell out what is acceptable and not acceptable use of the site.

In addition, for most sites there is no active strategy to let readers know and understand what is required to use the site.

This approach simply hasn’t been tested in Australian courts as to whether that will be enough to make them stick. If we look at law requirements for other matters such as sexual harassment policies in business – just having a policy in a manual is no defence. You need to actively educate users about the policy and what it means. Smart businesses should be proactively sharing this information with their users.

When in doubt, website owners need to seek competent legal advice on their terms and conditions. The challenge is that there are very few specialists in IT law in Australia – so be very careful about who you select to advise you.

Facebook failed dismally in their approach. Other businesses need to learn from their mistakes and take action on their sites now.

So there you have it!  If you have a website it pays to have your terms checked over by a specialist IT lawyer. You don’t want to be in the same boat as Facebook this morning!

For the many Facebook users – keep an eye on the terms and conditions and add in your thoughts to the debate.

Until next time

Ingrid Cliff

We put your business into words

Heart Harmony – SEO copywriter

Referrals are the lifeblood of business. Satisfied customers telling their friends about you. Happy alliance businesses sending clients your way.

I like to think of referrals as networking on steroids, as the best and most qualified clients are ones who have already heard great things about you and your business.

That’s why all small business needs to know how to leverage referrals effectively.

John Jantsch writes  a brilliant marketing blog for small business and has put together the Make a Referral week concept. It is a week full of ideas, education and tips to help small business learn how to give effective referrals.

It is also designed to encourage small business to take that step – and refer business to other deserving businesses.

Check out the Make a Referral Week website, sign up to be part of it and enjoy sharing business referrals with great local (and not so local) businesses.

I look forward to seeing you there!

Until next time

Ingrid Cliff

We put your business into words

Heart Harmony – Brisbane copywriter

Yesterday I took my place at the inaugural Tall Women’s Group meeting in Brisbane. As someone who is 6ft in the old scale (183cm) and with a couple of tall teens not far behind me, I wanted my girls to meet other positive role models so they don’t feel like circus freaks even though they stand out in a crowd.

It was amazing in terms of a marketing niche going begging!  40+ women turned up to the first meeting from as far away as Warwick, Lennox Heads and the Sunshine Coast – all 2+ hours drive from the venue.

I was fascinated as they shared their favourite online stores for jeans that have long legs, shoes that go beyond a size 10 and dress shops that have shirts with long sleeves that actually reach the wrist.

With all the fervour of wine lovers – they discussed their favourite designers (Charlie Brown and Long Tall Sally (UK)). Each one of them craved a Brisbane shop that catered to their needs so they could try the clothes and shoes on first – yet it doesn’t exist.

These women were all well educated, generally financially very well off and were not afraid to chase what they needed even if that meant flying to the UK & the USA once a year to shop.

One lone tall man graced the group – wanting to set up a tall social club on the Gold Coast and received a very warm welcome. It appears men have it easier in terms of clothing, with a number of specialist shoe and clothes shops in Queensland to meet their needs … but tall women have to really search the world.

My daughter won the t-shirt for the tallest teen – on the back it says “yes I am tall, no I am not a model and no I don’t play basketball”. If you are not tall – you may not get the joke, but these are the three comments all of us get pretty much daily in our every day lives. For some reason people feel obliged to tell us that we are tall and yet no similar mention is made to people if they are short, old, fat or thin.

We all shared the common experience of comments such as “What’s the weather like up there?” (Grow up and find out); “Good things come in small packages” (That’s why I am made of two packages, I’m twice as good); and the usual nicknames of stork, stretch, leggy and hightower.

On a positive note I love being tall – being able to reach things easily, see above heads in a crowd to find missing kids or watch fireworks and stand out (yes I am a not so closet exhibitionist). It is just that there are the odd additional challenges we need to face.

So, in the interests of sharing the info, here are the links from yesterday

www.tallwomensclub.org

www.tallpeopleaustralia.org

www.xtralength.com (fabulous long jeans, pants and gym pants)

www.verticallyblessed.com.au

www.rosenbergshoes.com

www.longlineshoes.com.au

www.schumachershoes298.com

www.longtallsally.com/

www.tallgirlshop.com/ca/

If there are any other tall Queensland women out there (over 5ft 10″ – drop me a line and I will send you details of the next meeting.

… and if anyone is interested in setting up a specialist Tall Women’s shoes & clothes boutique in Brisbane, or have a range that we don’t know about – please let us know. I am more than happy to spread the wordfor you.

Until next time

Ingrid Cliff

We put your business into words

Heart Harmony – Freelance writers