Are You a Small Business in Start up Mode?

As I travel the net talking about my new Twitter book, I meet many new people.

There is no doubt that you should be usin social media to form more meaningful connections. You can join them all, so you have to pick.

Here's some criteria that will help

1. How easy is it to join? If it just takes a minute, join as soon as you see it. At the very least, you have another URL, profile and photo up on the web
   
   
2. Do they have a following? Major social media networks have 10 or 100's of millions of users. Makes sense to have a profile on the largest
   
   
3. Are they targeted to your niche? Some groups are better because they are small. You won't get the wide reach, but you will have access to people just like you.

For instance, I like This Small Biz Startup network If you have a small business in start up mode, you will get a good sized group of people like you to network with


View my page on Sta.rtUp.Biz - The Small Business Social Network

business startup, small business help, business network

Who is Sending That Email. Play "Guess the Spammer" With Me

I just received an email from "Smile" with the Subject: Business Inquiry.

I'm sure you'd have no problem guessing it was SPAM.. it had 4 attachments and bad English throughout.

But something struck me that prompted me to post here... and maybe pass on some ideas how you can make your emails less SPAMmy looking.

First the game.

Can you guess what industry sent this?

Dear Potential Customer,

How are you doing? We are so sorry to bother you and send you this email, we are getting to know you from your company page on Internet but it's the only way for us to getting start with you communicating for the business relationship between our companies.
We send you this email just to see if we have any possibility to do business together in sooner future.

Post your answer in a comment. I have some best seller books here I will send to the winner.

And what is the lesson?

It's really not even in the email. Or a lesson on SPAM or writing (we could go on and on).

Today's lesson in the FROM line. The message was a dead giveaway from the start. I don't have any friends, customers or vendors who are called "Smile." Come to think of it, I don't know anyone named "Smile" or "Support" or a company name.

When you write to someone.. make sure the know it you.

Sound obvious?

Check you in box.. Some big companies think you'll like hearing from "no-reply"

Every study I've seen, every test I've done gives the same conclusion. NOTHING BEATS email from a human being for getting the reader to open and pay attention.

It's a little thing.. but that's where success lies.. Get all the little things right and you'll be much more successful.