This is an interesting article if you are seeking to influence your market though reviews and endorsements, some of the points apply across the board whatever your product or service.

Link to original article: http://griff.in/z

This article is a plug for the book of the same name, but I was grabbed by a factoid it highlighted: "30% of negative buzz comes from people who have never owned or used a product or service." That's a compelling argument why companies cannot afford to ignore social media; it can circulate and amplify negative buzz which you need to identify and deal with as soon as it emerges.

Link to original article: http://griff.in/d

The are two factors that can conspire to frustrate an email marketer's efforts. One is the ease with which people can subscribe to an email newsletter, the other is the ease with which they can set their spam filter to block them.

There is an argument that says you should make it as easy as possible for people to sign-up: just collect their email addresses and do not trouble them for anything further. That could be a missed opportunity, but it could also create a problem later if they sign-up on a whim having seen something that was only of interest at that moment in time. I know, I do that all the time.

You can easily create channels or topics so subscribers can choose which of your messages they wish to read. If you do that and stick to them in future mailings - and there are systems that will help you - you will keep their interest. If you don't, you risk losing their interest over time until you send something you really want them to read only by then they are already filtering you out.

My argument, therefore, is that you should make it as easy as possible to unsubscribe: it is counter-productive not to do so. If you don't offer an obvious and easy way out, human nature means they will take the next easiest method which is to block all your messages using a spam filter.

Viral marketing is the old-fashioned "word of mouth" concept, wired-up and electrified for the Internet Age. Compare a Mexican Wave with the old game of Chinese Whispers and you'll see the difference. It's not a message being passed down the line one person at a time, it's a tidal wave that spreads and rushes across a crowd. Think of all those emails you see from friends and colleagues passing around the latest joke or outrageous video. Have you ever forwarded one? They spread like a virus, and when they are deliberately created to promote a product, that's when they become viral marketing. How can you do that for your business?

Internet retail spending is predicted to grow by 32%, according to Verdict Research Consulting, compared with off-line spending growth of just 1.2% over the coming year. Why should that affect your business if you are not in retailing? Quite simply because more people are spending more time and money on-line.