Do you have a favorite company you like to buy from? Do you know why you like to buy from them?

Does it have something to do with how the company provides value to you?

There are a couple of companies that come to mind as my own favorites: Apple Computer & Subaru. Apple is legendary fro having a fanatical following. Why is that? Well you'll find a lot of places that will give you a detailed analysis, but it basically comes down to providing a great product and paying attention to the detail of aesthetics. And Steve Jobs is a marketing genius, but we can't all be Steve Jobs.

Subaru is on my short list for similar reasons. I've driven one of their vehicles for over 10 years with hardly anything more than routine maintenance. Also, ten years ago, there was nothing on the road quite like the Outback, which again plays into aesthetics. That's a lesson that US car makers are only recently applying.

I'm using the term "aesthetic" pretty broadly, taking to mean not only style & appearance, but customer service, long term value and overall quality. Apple and Subaru have used these qualities to build their businesses by developing a dedicated following.

With this in mind, what can you think of that you're doing in your own business to build a following? What makes you stand out in your market?

What is your aesthetic?

When you communicate to your audience, whether that's through email, blog posts or article submissions, you are (or should be) communicating in a voice that conveys your own personality. Your personal experiences color and enhance what you have to share with people, even if it's only a variation on knowledge that is already "out there". The way you communicate it can really help someone understand a subject in a new light.

This is why being yourself in your business is so important: it will help you build a following that really wants to your perspective on a subject, even if they are hearing about it from other sources. So listen to your audience and help them understand. Your biggest fans will help you spread the word and bring even more business your way.

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I hope you had a wonderful Thanksgiving holiday.  It may be a bit cliche to post on what I'm thankful for during this particular holiday, however I believe it offers a valuable point.  As a copywriter and ghostwriter I have a number of wonderful clients.  I've had my share of doozies too but everything has always worked out in the long run, and for that I'm grateful. 

What I've learned along the way is to tell my clients "thank you" as often as I can.  Not just because they're clients and they're helping me to keep my business profitable but because they're good clients.  They're clients that express what they want, offer helpful feedback, and of course generally pay on time.  By offering up a genuine thank you when emailing or talking on the phone, I know that they know they're appreciated. 

I'm also incredibly fortunate in that my clients are quick to share a "thank you" right back and that of course makes me feel appreciated.  Appreciation makes me work harder for my clients and I'm certain I'm not alone in this.  As a provider of a service or a marketer selling a product, it is important to know your products, services, and business efforts are appreciated. 

As a customer, it is helpful to share your gratitude because it will result in better service, better products, and an overall better customer experience. 

Reciprocal gratitude, that's good business! 

The other day I had the extreme pleasure of being interviewed by one of the country's top copywriters.  I was being interviewed for my experience with a particular copywriting process and program.  When I was asked to do the interview I felt extremely honored.  How exciting to be interviewed by one of the best copywriters in the world!  What a wonderful addition to my resume and how exciting if I am quoted in this particular piece of copy.  Great promotion for me too.

The call arrived, right on time and I was ready.  As most interviews go, there was a bit of friendly chit chat before the questions and after the interview questions were over there was a little bit more of friendly chit chat and then we said goodbye.  The call went well.  I'm a friendly person by nature and I enjoy talking with and meeting new people. 

Then the email came….. More on Email Manners - Take Care With What You Say and How You Say It.

Just when you think you have a handle on things… it all changes. Sound familiar?

The more I learn about social applications like Facebook, the more I realize how many more channels there are to get a message out to people. For example, because of Facebook, I'm now networking with people in Australia to help them build their businesses and get exposure for them while they do the same for me.

These aren't people in my downline or upline, either. In fact, they have no relation to network marketing whatsoever.

Because I'm hanging out in social groups geared towards internet marketers, I get to meet people around the country and around the world. We find out that we have common interests and some common knowledge. But what's really cool is the stuff you learn from other people and what you are able to give in return. Things that may be second nature to you may be a complete revelation to someone else.

And maybe, just maybe, you'll get to hook up with the people you look up to most in your industry. Chances are, if they're still going to be going strong with business on the internet, they're going to be on an application like Facebook.

In fact, here's an invitation for you: if you're not on Facebook, go sign up now. Create your account and look me up. My profile is here (follow the link) and feel free to add me as a friend.

This is a lot different than MySpace, by the way. Facebook is a bit more grown up and they are serious about kicking people out who misbehave.

So, just a short post for today - basically it's just a reminder to get social and your business will thank you for it.

There's a natural match between network marketing online and the various social networking sites and tools popping up. But just like anything else, there are right ways and really really bad ways to use these tools. Stay away from the bad ways.

So, what are the bad ways to use social networking?

Treat social networking online like you would hanging out with friends or at a party. What would you do there? Would you loudly announce your presence to everyone in the room and then start proclaiming how great your products and business were? Gee, I hope not!

Rather, you would you find out what's going on with the other people in the room and then talk about your own projects, as long as it was a natural fit.

You go to enough parties, or hang out with friends often enough, and they know you're the real deal and the little bits your drop about your product and business become more natural over time. What? You're surprised that you don't make your millions overnight?

Why? Because it's the interent?

It's true that things do happen faster with the online version of being social, partly because people can go back and see your conversations from days, weeks and months back. They can see where you are coming from and can tell if you're a shuckster or the real deal.

The down side of all of this is that when you start going to the online places to meet other people, there's a good chance that you will be meeting a lot of other online marketers. That's bad, right? After all, everyone is after the same target audience - people who want to make more (or any) money online.

Not so!

And this is part of the brilliance of doing business online. The internet is huge! There are so many market segments there is no way you could hope to corner everything. Even when you come across people who may be in your company marketing the very same thing, you could appeal to totally different demographics, and you would be found in completely different places!

In fact, having friends who are internet marketing savvy will help get you more exposure because they can help promote your sites and your personality. Why would they do that? Because, of course, you will do the same for them.

But remember the party - you don't do this carelessly or without tact. You just introduce friends naturally and in a positive light.

The final question is "how do you do all this", right? Well, that's a discussion for posts. Just suffice to say for now that it can be a very natural extension of the kinds of offline networking you're likely already doing.

Have a specific question? Leave a comment on the blog!

The whole idea of making money from a blog really rankles some in the "blogosphere". There is still a group of people that believes that the internet should be a pristine place where information is altruisticly shared and no one makes a dime.

And then there's the real internet.

You know, the one where you spend lunch hour shopping for new running shoes, or watching a YouTube video, or even starting to work on your Christmas shopping. Somebody, somewhere, makes a little bit of money every time you do that, whether you whip out your credit card or not. The Internet is commerce driven and I would argue that's a good thing.

But back to the point of making money with your blog…

The guys over at Blue Sky Brothers are coming out with a process to help make it a bit easier to make some income from your blogging efforts. Now, to be completely frank, I haven't seen the product, don't know what it does, or if it's even any good.

But I like the concept, and I like the fact that they point out "having a niche blog is not the same as having a niche web site". I couldn't agree more. The real basis for a good blog is to build a relationship with your audience. Write stuff that you wouldn't mind your friends reading.

If you do it right, new people reading your blog will become your friends too, at least as how "friends" are defined these days on the online social networks. Since you're an online professional, you're more likely to come across things that these friends will find interesting. You might even be able to make a comission if someone buys the product you recommend.

Does that cross a line?

Why would it?

If you've used a product or service and found it valuable, why would you avoid getting some of the money from the company that makes that product if a friend buys it? Your friend will pay the same amount regardless, but you just get a bit of a "thank you" from the company for spreading the word. That's how affiliate marketing works.

And that's really key to your online business. Whether you are company that provides products or you make a living recommending other people's stuff, it's about getting the word out.

…which is exactly what blogs are great at doing. Go spread the word!

When you're just getting started with bringing your network marketing business to the internet, your first inclination might be to try and get your company's "replicated" page to rank well in the search engines. You're "replicated" page is the web site you send prospective customers or business builders to.

The one that looks just like everyone else's.

The one that lacks your personality.

The one that all the other distributors in your company are also trying to get to rank well in the search engines.

Do you see where this is going?

One of the "secrets" used by the network marketers who are successful online is that they let their personalities show through, flaws, foibles and all. It makes us human. It gives other people who are like us someone to connect with. People are not going to connect with a corporate web site.

So, going back to trying to get your company's web site to rank well, can you see a couple of good reasons to do something other than that?

Try starting a blog. There are many good free solutions out there. You don't need to be an "expert" on anything. Just be yourself. As you get more familiar with the technology you will find out how to interact with other people on the internet and become known for the person you are.

It's actually pretty similar to how the business works in the "dirt world". People get to know you, then they start to listen to your message. If it's right for them, then they'll join you. If not, they can still be your friend.

This can take some time to learn on your own, and I hit bits and pieces of these techniques on my own blog. For people who want to learn it faster, I recommend this mlm training course that takes people from beginner level and moves them through to advanced topics. It's continually developing as new methods are tested and refined, so even veteran marketers have something to gain from it.

Of course, if you have any specific questions, I encourage you to leave a comment at the blog.