| I think I figured it out. In learning about online social | | | | knew that 45% of MySpace users are over the age |
| networks, blogs, the 1% rule and all of the rest, I think I | | | | of 35 and many of his neighbors were members. |
| have developed a pretty good way to generate A | | | | Next Barrett went to Google and searched for online |
| LOT of online traffic, and because I am a big fan of | | | | social networks (he also went to Lycos, but he started |
| Who Moved My Cheese and Your Iceberg Is Melting, I | | | | with Google) that may serve his target clients. |
| will explain the process with a story. So here is my | | | | Knowing that for every 100 visitors to these sites only |
| Once Upon a Time to help you explode your presence | | | | one creates a profile, Barrett understood that he could |
| online: | | | | increase his visibility online, just by taking the time to |
| Before we begin our story we must realize that for | | | | become a member. Barrett spent the next three days |
| every online social network, 1% of the visitors will stop | | | | finding online social networks that may interest his |
| to create a profile and only 10% of those people will | | | | clients and becoming a member. (This was a dauting |
| actively participate in the network. This is the 1% rule. | | | | task because a new network is created every couple |
| With this in mind, let's turn our attention to Realtor | | | | of hours and that pace is accelerating.) |
| Barrett (no relation.) Realtor Barrett has been a real | | | | Now Realtor Barrett understood that membership just |
| estate agent for a while and has had limited success | | | | implied that some people may stumble across his |
| with real estate flyers, door hangers and farming an | | | | profile on these different networks. Therefore, when |
| area. He has spent his share of Saturdays sitting in | | | | he created his profiles he took action to ensure that he |
| empty open houses, and until recently was doing okay | | | | would receive the maximum amount of traffic. For |
| attracting clients. | | | | each profile that Barrett created, he uploaded his |
| Now Barrett's real estate business had slowed a bit | | | | picture, wrote (not copied from the previous profile, but |
| this year and he has had a bit more time to learn | | | | actually drafted anew) a real and genuine description |
| about online marketing. At the advice of his broker he | | | | of who he was and what he is about, and included all |
| started a blog and approached Advance Access to | | | | of his contact information (he used a junk email |
| create a web page. However, he was just not getting | | | | account to avoid spam.) In his profile he also included |
| the traffic and clients that he needed. So he started | | | | direct links to his Thneed with a very compelling |
| learning about Web 2.0. | | | | description about its benefits, as well as an invitation to |
| Barrett spent hours every day learning about online | | | | blog about it if they like it. Finally, in each network |
| social networks and the MySpaces of the world. He | | | | Barrett posted a copy of his press release and a few |
| started a flickr account, but didn't have many pictures | | | | quick blog comments about the tool. |
| to share. He read voraciously about the web and the | | | | Barrett visited network after network taking this |
| word of mouth and even accepted the mantra of the | | | | approach and his backlinks to the Thneed grew. |
| 1% rule. | | | | However, Barrett new that he hadn't yet started to |
| Barrett read and read and read until one day it hit him. | | | | move the viral iceberg. He was a member to all of |
| An EPIPHANY! An easy way to attract thousands of | | | | these networks and maintained his own blog, but it |
| visitors to his website and blog. A simple system to be | | | | was time for Barrett to move his promotions into high |
| all over the internet, and everywhere his target | | | | gear. |
| customer may be. A simple approach that uses the | | | | With this in mind, Barrett logged one of his online social |
| 1% rule and all of the other lessons of viral marketing | | | | networks. He spent about an hour reading and going |
| to explode his business. | | | | over different blog posts until he finally started writing |
| With this great new insight Realtor Barrett set to work. | | | | his own blog which was a commentary on one of the |
| The first thing he did was look for a cool tool on the | | | | blogs from one of the network's opinion leaders. |
| internet that every client would like, (I'm a big Dr. Seuss | | | | Barrett knew the individual was an opinion leader |
| fan so we will call it a Thneed) This Thneed would be | | | | because he had the most posts and the most views |
| a relatively unique tool that Barrett's target customers | | | | of anyone else in the site. Barrett created his blog post |
| would find useful, intriguing, and worthy of discussion | | | | and submitted it to Pingoat for syndication. He also |
| (perhaps a branded Zillow API, something to do with | | | | thought it was good enough to submit to Digg and |
| Google Maps, perhaps a widget developed from Trulia | | | | Reddit and made sure that in the text he included all of |
| or some other innovative tool.) Barrett spent some | | | | the bookmarking widgets. |
| time on the blog and found some unique API's which | | | | Now keep in mind that for every social network, only |
| he used to create a unique, and quite discussion | | | | ten percent of the members generally contribute and |
| worthy Thneed. It may be important to note that | | | | that the contributing group generally has only a handful |
| Realtor Barrett is not a programmer, but a | | | | of opinion leaders that create the most dialog. Also |
| REALTOR® and as such had to outsource the | | | | keep in mind that this group of content creators is less |
| programming of his Thneed. | | | | than 0.01% of those that end up reading the |
| Barrett posted his Thneed on a single webpage under | | | | commentary. Barrett understood this and understood |
| a graphic with the WordPress and Blogger logo's that | | | | that he only needed to make friends with a handful of |
| said "Spread the word. If you like this tool Blog about it." | | | | people in every network. He simply needed to connect |
| Next to his Thneed Barrett placed links to his blog and | | | | with the opinion leaders in each network and share his |
| his home page. Barrett added forms that allow visitors | | | | Thneed with them. Barrett knew that if he could |
| to ask for more information, and he even added a | | | | befriend these few people who generate a lot of |
| feature to the page that would allow visitors to | | | | content and help them to share their opinions about the |
| comment. Under his Thneed Realtor Barrett placed the | | | | value of his Thneed with the rest of the online social |
| social networking widgets so that visitors could Digg, | | | | network, the Thneed would become something that |
| Reddit, Del.ic.ious and otherwise bookmark and share | | | | everyone needs. |
| this wonderful new Thneed with the world. Barrett | | | | So with every network, Barrett posted his blogs. He |
| hoped that his Thneed would compel people to share | | | | took part in discussions and commented on the |
| and that his request to blog about the Thneed would | | | | opinions of the opinion leaders and participants in the |
| be heeded. | | | | network. He invited commentary about his Thneed and |
| Now that Barrett had his Thneed (which by the way | | | | how it could be improved. He even asked his peers in |
| cost him about $800 but was hopefully worth it) he | | | | each network to write formal review that he could link |
| wrote two specific articles about his new tool for his | | | | to from his Thneed. |
| customers. The first article that he wrote was actually | | | | It took time.... most big projects do. However, in just a |
| a press release that described the excellent new | | | | few months, Barrett saw his web traffic explode. |
| features of his great new tool. He submitted his press | | | | Online communities kept sending new members his |
| release to Expertclick.com, PRWEB.com, and He also | | | | way. In addition, those millions of people that visit the |
| sent a copy to the editor of the local community | | | | networks but never participate (only 1% ever bothed |
| magazine. The second article that Barrett wrote was | | | | signing up) end up learning about the Thneed. They visit |
| posted directly into his blog where he included the | | | | in droves and Barrett's online presence soars. |
| widgets to allow his readers to syndicate, bookmark, | | | | Strangely enough, this exercise pays off. Realtor |
| digg and share his article with their peers. | | | | Barrett can be found everywhere on the net, and |
| Barrett had is new Thneed and had announced it to | | | | clients for Barrett start coming out of the woodwork..... |
| the world, but Realtor Barrett knew that this would | | | | and Barrett Sold Real Estate Until He Retired.... Happily |
| only give him a small amount of traffic and only for a | | | | ever after. |
| short time. He also knew that online social networks | | | | Some closing thoughts on this very lengthy post: |
| that served the specific needs and interests of his | | | | Whenever you create a post in your blog, syndicate it |
| neighbors and target clients were being launched | | | | across the web with Pingoat. If your entry is interesting, |
| every day. Finally, Barrett knew that even though | | | | be sure to Digg it and Reddit. Finally, when participating |
| these sites may have many visitors, only around 1% | | | | in all of these networks, and there are a lot of them, |
| will take the time to contribute. | | | | be genuine, be consistent and be a productive and |
| With that knowledge, Realtor Barrett set out to create | | | | contributing member. In every community, you are a |
| a viral wave around his Thneed. His approach was | | | | member of a family that shares common interests. |
| simple, but proved to be immensely effective. First he | | | | Respect this relationship and care for your online |
| stopped at MySpace and created a profile. Barrett | | | | friends. |