“Free is such a powerful force in innovation”

Think about it…the financial risk is removed when something is free. Removing risk is powerful! We are much more easily motivated to take action when there is nothing to lose. But have you ever thought about how if something is free it encourages us to be innovative?

It intrigued me because although I know the word “FREE” is a proven motivating word in sales, I never looked at the fact that FREE is one of the great motivating factors behind the innovation of the Internet.

Now, FREE is one of those words that sets off the SPAM filters. The word is WAY over-used at this point and has become one of those words that sets off the skeptic in all of us…and yet:

FREE “giveaway” promotions are the latest and greatest in getting people to subscribe to your list. People sign up by the hundreds or thousands.

FREE information, free entertainment, free phone calls across the world, free software, free graphics, free hosting, free consultations, free samples…Just about everything that exists is given away FREE these days.

FREE helps “newbies” get started in the learning process of creating and interacting on the internet. FREE helps “intermediates” grow and start to compete with the “experts”.

FREE helps the Mom & Pops compete with the Mega Corporations.

FREE helps the “experts” create their Maven status, warp speed their viral marketing and position themselves as generous “good guys”.

FREE lets us spend our money on other things like gas & food

FREE makes us crazy when we’re on the other end of the deal…trying to make money.

Never-the-less, below is a list of some “freebies” I’ve used myself and like or have had other GutZy Women tell me they like.

 Check them out! And if you get some value out of these FREE tips, feel FREE to subscribe to our FREE RSS feed, or our FREE newsletter, or FREE social networking site for more FREE tips, strategies and valuable information.

1.   Website builders:           

      http://www.weebly.com

      http://www.webnode.com/en

2.   Resize & Optimize pictures:         

      http://www.shrinkpictures.com

3.     Public domain image resources:

       http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wikipedia:Public_domain_image_resources#General_collections

4.   Cover generator for ebooks, CD’s etc.           

       http://www.groundbreak.com/graphics2.html 

5.   Internet Calling:     

    http://www.skype.com 

6.   Live Video Broadcasting:      

      http://www.mogulus.com                        

      http://www.ustream.com 

 7.   Podcasting:    

     http://www.talkshoe.com     

Obviously this is a very short list compared to what’s out there, so why don’t you ADD to the list with YOUR favorites in the comments section below. I can just feel the Innovation coming on! For MORE innovative articles and videos click here:

Are you letting the weight of the world drag you down?

A few weeks ago I was feeling crushed by the weight of the world, with all the natural disasters, the recession, violence against women around the world, the number of our young men and women being killed and traumatized by the war and on, and on…UGH! It was really getting to me and I let it affect the way I thought about my life, my family and my business.  My family, whom I love dearly, were getting on my nerves and taking up my time in a way that I was resentful. I wasn’t going into my office because I didn’t want to leave my house. My girlfriends, who were always asking me to do things with them, were now too busy with their own lives. Money and clients seemed to just disappear.  

“HMMM….WHAT IS GOING ON???”…This is NOT ME! I’m NOT like that normally and have had very few bouts of depression throughout my life, so I had to step back and wonder why I was often on the verge of tears.  My poor mentor had to put up with tears and nose blowing for a couple of hours at the local coffee shop one morning in front of all these people and I had NO INTENTION of even mentioning what had been going on in my head, but when he asked me how things were, my emotions took over and I couldn’t stop myself, for the life of me! 

It was embarrassing and yet obviously it was something I needed to get out of my system. I felt better immediately, listened to some very sage advice and continued to re-examine my perception of life, the happenings in the world and the direction of business.  Funny thing is I talked to more than a few friends and colleagues who were going through something similar, to different degrees.  

Now, I know this is a personal issue, so why I am writing about this here?

In this blog and on my GutZy Women Website, I’ve always tried to focus on delivering valuable information for YOUR benefit. The majority of the articles and videos I’ve published have been to educate, illuminate, inspire and motivate YOU to leverage the power of technology and Multi Media to expand your reach, whether for business, personal or benevolent purposes. 

But now I feel drawn to take it a step further and use my knowledge, skills and passion not just for business purposes, but to seek out those who are using a more holistic approach to how we can serve each other and the world and align myself and GutZy Women LLC with those who are proactively seeking positive solutions and taking action to impact positive change. 

So one “ah-ha” that came to mind through this process is that I wonder if what I’ve been publishing, teaching and offering is actually accomplishing that which I intended. Another question in my mind is that since the vision of GutZy Women is HUGE and has so many facets, is it time now to add another piece of the vision?

The first question can only be answered by YOU and I would LOVE your feedback. Call, write or comment below:

The second question, although open for discussion, must pretty much be decided by me and the universe. Come back tomorrow to see what I decided and how YOU can benefit!

LOVE

Deb Ducic

PS: The third question is…How is the state of the world affecting you? How are you handling it?

 I am an Omnivore. What are you?

You can find out by taking a survey on the PEW Internet & American Life Project website. You probably already have a good feel for what kind of “techie” you are (or not), but you can see where you fit in with other Americans AND for those of you who are in “the business” you’ll find it valuable as well. Obviously, I’m fascinated enough to write about it.  Apparently I belong to only 8% of the American public who are deep users of Web 2.0 applications and mobile applications they’ve lovingly named “Omnivores”. 

Omnivores are a subset of people who fall into the “Elite Tech Users” categorywhich make up 31% of American adults. We are the most active participantsin the information society, consuming information goods and services ata high rate and using them as a platform for participation and self expression.We have a deep and varied tech appetite, which is why we are called the Omnivores. Most Omnivores are in their twenties (Where did I get lost?:) and nearly all have high-speed connections available at home or work. We are highly engaged with video online and digital content. Between blogging, maintaining our Web pages, remixing digital content, or posting our creations to our websites, we are creative participants in cyberspace. 

PEW divides Americans up into three main categories, as well as 10 subset groups and I’m sure you’re dying to know which group you belong to! Be sure to take the survey to find out, but in the meantime… Here’s the breakout according to the report written by John B Horrigan, Director of research for the PEW Internet & American Life Project, based on data from telephone interviews conducted by Princeton Survey Research Associates International between February 15 to April 6, 2006, among a sample of 4,001 adults, 18 and older. 

·                     Elite Tech Users (31% of American adults)

·                     Middle-of-the-road Tech Users (20%)

·                     Few Tech Assets (49%) 

Go take the survey, then come back tomorrow for some fascinating highlights and conclusions of this study.

To Learn More About Women, Technology & the Internet, CLICK HERE

This post is a continuation of a previous article about how to start and carry on a conversation with online visitors and communities about your nonprofit entity and it’s mission. Below are 8 more ideas and strategies to add to your list of possible action items to leverage the power of the Internet!

7. Speak to your visitors/users at their level. Let them determine how quickly and at what stage they choose to become involved with your organization

8. Develop a marketing strategy that will win over your website visitors, making them friends, and turning those friends into donors, and grow those donors into loyal donors. This form of marketing is a process; it provides the kind of stability needed within an increasingly cluttered Internet.

9. Develop a fundraising and acknowledgement application that encourages, affirms, and leverages recent and past online donations. Provide an integrated, personalized “story telling” system that describes saved and changed lives. By applying basic database marketing techniques learned in your direct mail program, tell your donors how their dollars are critical to your organization’s success; do the work necessary to grow them into loyal donors.

10. Update your homepage and the general content of your site daily. Blogs are GREAT for writing regular columns on such subjects as donor feedback, advisory board decisions, how lives are being changed and saved, and your future organizational goals. A website can become a gravesite if you do not refresh its content regularly. Give them a reason to return regularly. 

11. Consider an appropriate use of bonuses (books, booklets, contests, tapes, CDs, etc.) as gifts for a visitor/user’s response to a survey, donation, or participation in an online focus group. Tailor this strategy to the uniqueness of your mission.

12. Invite interactivity by providing an online calendar that highlights your nonprofit’s events. This calendar could include the promotion of a speakers bureau, Web casting, podcasting, overseas trips, conventions, weekend briefings, internal strategic staff meetings, etc. Ask people for their email address whenever and wherever you can, and use it to update them on changes or additions of new events and activities on your calendar.

13. Create “testimonial” opportunities for your friends, donors and other advocates. Video and audio testimonials are extremely effective as opposed to traditional text. This allows them to give you feedback on how your organization is relevant in their lives in a more personal, from the heart, way. Giving time and resources to help others is important; it is equally important to ask for “stories” from those people who make your mission or cause possible.

14. Create a “wish-list” of gifts or in-

kind items your organization needs to further its mission, such as food, clothing, cars, school supplies, building supplies, etc. Begin implementing this critical involvement content and you will be communicating with your donors more intelligently and effectively.

You will also start seeing results because you have initiated meaningful connections where future donors suddenly give you permission to continue the conversation.

However, you still may ask, how will these people remember the mission of our organization? How can we cut through the Internet clutter and be seen and remembered as unique? How can we make sure our new friends return again and again?Important questions and that’s what an effective brand strategy is all about!

Stay tuned for an INCREDIBLE EXAMPLE of a nonprofit that incorporates much of the strategies we offer in this article that GutZy Women discovered just the other day. The site is incredibly creative, visually appealing and incorporates much of the new Web 2.0 capabilities that sets their organization apart from the crowd!

 In the last article I wrote about how nonprofit entities need to engage people they want to attract to their organization in conversations that their readers want to engage in. So here’s 6 smart content ideas that can help you develop a comprehensive involvement strategy…

1. Capture email addresses from your visitors and send a regular, relevant, motivational enewsletter that describes the excitement of what is happening in your organization—one that invites involvement. Once you have captured a visitor’s email address, you’re on your way to turning those visitors into friends of your organization.

2. Ask your visitors to become offline and online volunteers. Online volunteerism is an innovative way to get people involved. For example, an online volunteer could be asked to become an e-advisory board member, giving your e-advisory board the privilege of shaping your online strategic direction. The secret here is to develop meaningful connections that encourage regular involvement.

3. Create online polls. Use technology, such as Instant Messaging and Chat, for the facilitation of online focus groups and benefits testing. Use surveys to solicit both general and specific information from anyone who logs on to your site. Your friends want to give you feedback, however you must first politely ask for it.

4. Tap the power of viral marketing. This is where you click on a box that asks “Would you like to share this article with a friend?”—after which the person types in his or her friend’s email address. This promotes great interactivity and exposes your site to someone who you, in all probability, never may have reached.

5. Keep it personal. When you solicit comments from visitors, make sure the user addresses a real person. When you solicit comments from visitors, make sure the user addresses a real person…not webmaster@, info@ or support@… Instead, it must be attn: Chris@…or Melissa@…etc.

Your website is your ultimate direct marketing vehicle—and your unique opportunity to stay up close and personal. A basic principle when implementing new technology is that it should enhance the facilitation of conversation with people, not put up “techno walls” that make it more difficult to carry on a conversation.

6. Develop communication strategies at all levels within your website with:

Visitors Friends

Volunteers

Members

eNewsletter and other eCampaign recipients

Donors

Annual Donors

Mid Donors Major Donors

Corporations and Foundations

Planned Giving

Stay tuned for the next article where I’ll give you even more great ideas and read more here: