FaceBook - The Posts That Matter

What's the future of Facebook. I don't mean: "Will it be here in five years"? It probably will. Of course, it might not. But if it is here, it won’t be the way it is today, or even what it is today. It will be something completely different that's still trying to grab our attention. But whether it’s here or not, what's going to happen to all of our posts and comments?

Since most of what I post on Facebook is for my business, many of my posts are forwarding information or commenting about what's going on in the big wide wonderful world. Not stuff that I’ll actually care about in five years. Probably not even stuff that I’ll care about next week.

What I’m really wondering about is the posts where people are documenting their lives or their children's lives on Facebook. Maybe without even realizing it.

I know one new mother who is frequently posting about her newborn son. It's beautiful, and I love to hear about his progress and see the pictures of him with different friends and family members. But what is going to happen to all of this information? Will it be on Facebook when he's 10, 15, 20? Will his mother be able to take all of her posts, all of the comments, and put together a DVD showing him how much he is loved?

I don't know what Facebook's plans are for archiving everything, and I'm not such a prolific poster that I've tested that envelope or have any plans to. But I find it hard to believe that Facebook will keep an infinite record of everything that's posted.

After all, a lot of things on Facebook are throw aways. There will be records and commentary about today’s economy, politics and deficits years from now. But wouldn't it be wonderful to have the ability to capture the posts that actually matter? Anniversaries, pictures, events – things about friends and family. Wouldn’t it be nice to be able to separate the special from the boring things that we all post every day.

Copyright 2010 by I Write The Word, Judy Kane

Creating your Unique Value Proposition

For years, people have talked about the idea of a Unique Value Proposition (UVP) or a Unique Selling Proposition (USP).  But it’s hard to be unique since we compete against so many others who are offering similar services.  Instead, I’d encourage you to think about what you do for clients that’s different and better than your competition. 

Ask yourself this simple question:  “What do your clients like about you?”  In other words, what do they value? 

Of course, most of us get this wrong.  We believe that our client’s appreciate us because we’re honest with them, we are better at getting through the red tape, we listen to them.  But this isn’t what they value.  They value the benefits that these behaviors give them. 

Remember, it’s not about you.  It’s about what you give to your clients.

If you’re honest with your client, if you give it to them straight, what’s their benefit?  It’s learning the truth.  Knowing what’s really going on.  If you’re better at getting through the red tape, then they get an advocate who will work hard to push their project through.  If you listen to what they say, your client gets the outcome they want.    

If you can figure out what you do that your clients appreciate and how it benefits them, then you’ll know what your Value Proposition is.  Now you just need to figure out how to get that message to everyone who can use your products and services.

And remember, it’s not about being unique.  It’s about getting the word out on what you deliver.  Think about this: M&Ms isn’t the only candy that “melts in your mouth, not in your hand.”  It’s just the candy that said it first and so often that we believe that they are the only one. 

Copyright 2010 by I Write The Words