Marsha Collier's Musings

Step By Step Guide to Leaving Feedback on eBay

noreply@blogger.com (Marsha Collier) — Tue, 21 May 2013 11:39:00 +0000

Leaving feedback for the seller after your item arrives is an important end to every eBay transaction. Your leaving feedback lets the community (and the seller) how happy you were to do business with this person.
There are several ways to leave feedback for a seller:

If you’re on the transaction page, click the Leave Feedback link; the Leave Feedback page appears.
In the Purchase History area of your My eBay page, click the Leave Feedback link next to the transaction.
In the Feedback Forum, click the Leave Feedback link to see a list of all your completed auctions from the last 60 days for which you haven’t left feedback.
On your My eBay page, scroll down and on the left side you will see your purchase history. Click there to find the item that's just arrived. Under Actions to the right of the item, you will see a Leave Feedback link, which will take you to the Feedback page.
Click the Community-->Announcements link, in the main navigation bar, and then click eBay Feedback Forum. On the next page that appears, click the Leave Feedback link.

To leave feedback for a seller, follow these steps:

Enter the required information.
Note that your item number is usually filled in, but if you’re placing feedback from the user’s feedback page, you need to have the number at hand.
Choose whether you want your feedback to be positive, negative, or neutral.
Type your feedback comment.
Fill in your star ratings by clicking the stars next to the questions (see further on, "Giving Detailed Star Ratings Properly ").
If you decide that the seller’s description was inaccurate, you will have to explain why by clicking next to the explanations that appear
Click the Leave Feedback button

In addition to a feedback comment and rating (positive, negative, or neutral), buyers should leave detailed seller ratings, too. After the buyer types a comment, he or she is prompted to rate the seller with one to five stars on four different factors of the transaction. The table below shows the specific rating factors, and a translation of what the stars mean.

To see the rest of the tips (and my personal take on the eBay Star ratings) please click visit the article on my website.

Personalize Mood and Activities to Facebook Updates and Comments

noreply@blogger.com (Marsha Collier) — Wed, 15 May 2013 20:13:00 +0000

Believe it or not, emoticons (or Smileys) have been in use since the 19th century to punctuate written words with graphics simulated by characters. An historical newspaper specialist found what appears to be a sideways winking smiley face embedded in The New York Times copy of an Abraham Lincoln speech written in 1862 "(applause and laughter ;)";. There is some debate as to whether it is a typo, a legitimate punctuation construct, or an emoticon.

Facebook gives you options to adding your mood (or activity) – to your own posts – or to comments you write on your friend’s content. Below are keystrokes you can use to form emoji, and further on I show you how to use Facebook's new mood and activities emoticons within your own posts

When you’re commenting, or in chat, you can type in these characters to add punch to your words:

For a quick tutorial on the rest of Facebook's emoticons and how to add moods to your own posts, click to see the full story on my website: Add Mood and Activities to Facebook Updates with Emoticons

Opps! How to Re-Open that Browser Tab & 40 more Shortcuts For Web Browsers

noreply@blogger.com (Marsha Collier) — Tue, 07 May 2013 11:00:00 +0000

I’m all about using keystrokes instead of clicking! I also love the controls available on my mouse. The tables below give you a list of documented shortcuts. You’ll see that whether you use Mozilla Firefox, Google Chrome, Internet Explorer or Apple Safari that they have many of these shortcuts in common.

Each browser has some of their own specific shortcuts, but learning the ones they have in common will serve you well as you switch between browsers and computers. I have listed them by browser (as I know these work) and have bolded some of my favorites. Test these shortcuts in the browser you are currently using and see if they work. Hopefully these tips help cut down your desk time.

Firefox Shortcuts

Press This	Firefox Will
Backspace	Go to the previous page you’ve viewed
Ctrl + O	Open files from your computer in the browser
F5	Refresh current page
Ctrl + B	View or search your bookmarks in sidebar
Ctrl + T	New Tab
Ctrl + N	New Window
Ctrl + Shift + T	Undo Previously Closed Tab (oops command)
Ctrln + H	View or search your History in a sidebar
Ctrl + U	View Page source (to study HTML)
F11	Display full-screen, reducing the amount of icons and stuff displayed
Esc	Stop loading the current page
Ctrl + P	Print the page
Ctrl + S	Save the current page to a file on your computer
Ctrl + F	Find an occurrence of a word on a webpage
Ctrl and + or Ctrl and -	Enlarge or reduce the text on the screen (Zoom)
Ctrl + 0	Return to default browser text size

View more in the full post at Cool eBay Tools

I'm Moving > Posterous Shutters Tuesday 4/30

noreply@blogger.com (Marsha Collier) — Sun, 28 Apr 2013 22:24:00 +0000

Posterous, was acquired by Twitter a while ago and Twitter decided to shut Posterous down as of April 30.

Everyone with a blog on Posterous has to move it to another platform. I imagine most people with a Posterous blog moved their stuff to another platform a while ago, but I'm one of those "last minute" kind of people.

Unfortunately I won't be able to take my current subscriber list with me, so if you want to stay in the loop and continue to get interesting content about how to maximize your online endeavors, please consider subscribing to my main blog, Marsha Collier's Musings, online since 2004. It will incorporate the Posterous posts, as well as future ...um ...musings.

In a few weeks, the blog will be incorporated into the latest iteration of Cool eBay Tools. A site a I founded in 1999, which now includes articles tools and tip that encompass eCommerce, Social Media, Customer Service ...and of course, succeeding on eBay.

Thank you all for tuning into my Posterous blog over the last two years. See you on the other, brand spanking new side!

Image credit: andresr / 123RF Stock Photo

Roger Ebert’s 8 Twitter Rules, Social Media For Brands, Social Multitasking - AllTwitter

noreply@blogger.com (Marsha Collier) — Mon, 15 Apr 2013 09:36:00 +0000

Need a little weekend reading? We’ve compiled our top ten Twitter stories of the week, which includes the late Roger Ebert’s 8 rules for using Twitter, 5 ways that social media content is evolving for brands, news that men are far more likely that women to use social media whilst on the toilet (or drunk), how small business are using social media (and what they might be doing wrong) and a look at the many hats of a community manager.

Here are our top 10 Twitter stories of the week.

1. Roger Ebert’s 8 Rules For Using Twitter
Much-loved film critic Roger Ebert died on Thursday after a long battle with thyroid cancer. Surgery in 2006 had left him unable to speak, but he continued to be a prominent user of social media, and Twitter was a particular favourite. Indeed, after some initial resistance, with Ebert proclaiming that he would “never become a Twit” and that Twitter represented “the end of civilisation”, he would go on to write more than 30,000 tweets before his death.
2. 5 Ways Social Media Content is Rapidly Evolving For Brands
Anyone working in social media marketing appreciates the unique challenges of attempting to budget and plan for the upcoming year’s social media strategy. How can we know the type and level of resources we’ll need to be successful when the mix of social content is evolving so quickly? And when most social marketers have only recently secured budgets commensurate with the amount of time and resources required to succeed in social media marketing, how do we stay ahead of emerging trends in 2013? Did we know we’d need a Pinterest budget a year ago? Probably. Do we need a Vine budget today? Probably not.
Read More on MediaBistro
(Twitter image via Shutterstock.)

via mediabistro.com

My SXSW Experience - Real Talk: The Online Customer Service Shift Panel

noreply@blogger.com (Marsha Collier) — Tue, 26 Mar 2013 20:30:00 +0000

Friends had suggested I go to SXSW many times, but I never really saw the value. Then in mid 2012, I hear from +Kip Wetzel (whom I admire for his work in taking the reins of the @ComcastCares account in 2011). He told me he had a plan for a panel and when he was through with his convincing pitch, I knew this was a disruptive topic for the customer service industry. My book on the subject came out in 2011; this panel could be groundbreaking. It was time the philosophy of reaching the customer where they want to be reached become the norm.

Kip craftily assembled a group of folks with the backgrounds to handle the topic:

+Carla Saavedra Kochalski "Manager of Social Media & Digital Content for Samsung Mobile USA's Customer Care Team" - but in reality a very talented young woman who truly "gets' the customer and can apply balance to social media custiomer service. She's been a driving force in enterprise-level social media strategy since 2010.
+Bianca Buckridee "Social Media Operations Manager @ChaseSupport" American Banker Magazine said: "She has a thousand-watt smail that never seems to sitch off and a sunny personality that has surely servived her well on the front lines of customer service." She grasped the value of customer social media comments as early as 2009, and has been on a mission to perfect the outreach ever since.
+Brooks Thomas "Southwest Air: Emerging Media. A journalist who's defined "emerging media for his brand. He personalizes the airline's blog with words like, "I know how your morning went down. Your synchronized yawn-and-stretch routine happened as it always does. You almost tripped on a Tonka truck on your way to the bathroom. You groggily stumbled down..." Customers can related to a brand through his words.

Three incredibly intuitive and smart people. It was my job to keep the peace and help steer the conversation. I didn't have to do much steering. To a packed room of 500, we not only got our points across, but engaged the audience ... below is the Powerpoint, and a portion of the panel on video. I hope to see everyone next year and see how the #custserv philosophy has advanced.

Our Powerpoint - thanks to +Bianca Buckridee ...

SXSW Real Talk: The Online Customer Service Shift

Real Talk: The Online Customer Service Shift - SXSW Twitter

noreply@blogger.com (Marsha Collier) — Thu, 14 Mar 2013 08:12:00 +0000

Our panel: Bianca Buckridee (JP Morgan Chase), Brooks E Thomas (Southwest Air), Carla Saavedra (Samsung Mobile US) and I at addressed 500 social media, brands and customer service enthusiasts.

The crowd responded with a ton of Tweets including comments, quotes and links that carried actionable insights. Before I post the deck online, I thought I'd share this valuable collection

SXSW Panel "Real Talk: The Online Customer Service Shift" Tweetstream from Marsha Collier

The Ultimate Online Customer Service Guide: How to Connect with Your Customers to Sell More (Google Affiliate Ad)

STUDY: Online Customers Prefer FREE Over FAST When It Comes To Delivery

noreply@blogger.com (Marsha Collier) — Wed, 06 Mar 2013 11:24:00 +0000

Are you worrying about the recent trend to same-day delivery? Think it will cut into your business? Read on to see how your 24 hour shipping turnaround will stay competitive.

As several major retailers experiment with same-day delivery initiatives, a new study suggests that consumers are more interested in delivery price than speed.

The Boston Consulting Group (BCG) surveyed 1,500 U.S. consumers and found just 9 percent of the sample group said same-day delivery is a top factor that would improve their online shopping experience, while 74 percent cited free delivery and 50 percent cited lower prices.

EBay, Nordstrom, Wal-Mart, and many other retailers are beginning to offer the same-day delivery option to consumers in selected markets. These retailers face growing pressure from Amazon.com, which has been offering same-day delivery of selected items in certain cities since 2009.

The survey did find that “affluent millennials”—ages 18 to 34 and with a household income exceeding $150,000—who live in urban areas might be an attractive market for same-day delivery. While these consumers make up only 2 percent of the market, their online spending is about two times more than that of the average U.S. consumer.

BCG suggests that retailers should offer same-day delivery for only a select number of products that are small and light and that carry high margins. Electronics, office supplies, and apparel are likely candidates.

“Same-day delivery will be a niche service in the near future,” Rob Souza, a partner at BCG, said in a release. “Retailers may choose to offer it to build customer loyalty, enhance brand awareness, or keep up with the competition. But it is unlikely to generate significant revenues for either retailers or carriers.”

Affluent millennials are willing to pay up to $10 to receive a delivery the same day, according to the survey, while other consumers are likely to pay up to $6, less than the fee charged by most retailers today. At those rates, same-day delivery would generate between $425 million and $850 million annually in delivery revenues if—as the consumer survey data suggest—up to 2 percent of online orders are fulfilled on the day of purchase.

Despite the relatively modest levels of anticipated revenue, several startups, such as Shutl, Zipments, Instacart, and Postmates, have flocked to the space, and established carriers, such as the U.S. Postal Service and Federal Express, are also running tests.

New York and San Francisco, densely populated cities, are the sites of many of these tests. BCG’s analysis suggests that Boston and Washington, which have large shares of affluent millennials and population densities similar to other U.S. cities, would be more promising places to test national acceptance of same-day delivery.

BCG fielded the survey in November, eliciting a sample that was representative of the U.S. population in terms of gender, ethnicity, age, and household income.

BCG is a global management consulting firm.

via happycustomer.stellaservice.com

Visual vs Verbal: Reaching Out to Grab The Customer #storytelling

noreply@blogger.com (Marsha Collier) — Sat, 23 Feb 2013 12:13:00 +0000

I love hearing stories about businesses. I'm sure you've heard the apocryphal story about Nordstrom accepting a return of a set of tires, even though they don't sell tires, just to please a customer. (If you haven't, click here to read the full story). The fact that people enjoy repeating the story not only reinforces the mythology, but enforces Nordstrom's reputation for first-rate customer service.

The web can be a pretty cold place when it comes to selling. As customers, it's tough to see through a sales pitch and feel the love for a product or brand. That's the reason why websites need to have comprehensive 'About Us' and Frequently Asked Questions pages. The very best About Us pages tell stories about the people behind the business. The FAQs should be written in an engaging manner - not just filled with techno-fluff and acronyms. Friendly word phrasing is important; just as important as the visual impact of a picture.

If you've heard me speak, you've no doubt heard "post enough pictures to tell the story as if there were no description, and write your description as if there were no pictures." By doing so, the pictures can appeal to those who have a visual learning style and provide equal punch to those of a verbal bent who get far more out of words.

Stories and anecdotes can create just as much magnetism as a dazzling seventy-five year art provenance. Words. When phrased well they speak to people - and carry your message.

Building trust goes a long way to nurture long term customers. One of the best ways to build trust is to tell stories.

While reading Lou Hoffman's blog, I came across SlideShare deck below produced by the Hoffman Agency: “The Return of Storytelling vs. Corporate Speak,” which shares some of the science and anecdotal evidence on why storytelling works. It's well worth the time to take a couple of minutes and enjoy the message.

The Return of Storytelling vs. Corporate Speak from The Hoffman Agency

Take Control of Your Google+ Calendar Events

noreply@blogger.com (Marsha Collier) — Tue, 19 Feb 2013 09:48:00 +0000

Does your phone (tablet or computer) ever notify you of a meeting when you don't expect it? Yea, me too. Then I open my Google calendar only to find I have been invited to an "event" - hosted by someone I don't know - in a far away time zone.
Mind you, I enjoy being invited to events that are relevant to my work, but the Google+ invitations are more than invitations. Just about anyone, even if you are not in their circles (or they in yours) can reserve space on your personal calendar.
The settings to prevent this are not obvious (one would think you'd find them under the Calender tab, but no), so I thought I'd share...

Go to your Google calendar https://www.google.com/calendar/render?tab=mc
On the far right of the calendar, you will see a cog icon next to the word More. Clicking the cog will open a drop-down menu
Scroll down the page until you find the following words"Show events you have declined" as shown below

Click your mouse in the three radio buttons indicated in my screen shot. In essence, what this does is by selecting no, you will no longer see any events on your personal calendar except for those to which you've responded yes.

That should do it. From now on only the events you see will be the ones you put on your calendar. Note that if you share your calendar, others who see your calendar will see those events.

Thanks to +Kelly Lux for inspiring this post!

USPS to Continue Saturday and Begin Sunday Package Delivery

noreply@blogger.com (Marsha Collier) — Mon, 11 Feb 2013 19:50:00 +0000

In an exclusive interview with MSNBC's Craig Melvin, Postmaster General of the United States Patrick Donahoe talks about the future of the U.S. Postal Service;and says the organization will soon start delivering packages on Sundays.

Visit NBCNews.com for breaking news, world news, and news about the economy

This isn't t your grandparent's Post Office. They are facing new challenges using today's technology. In this exclusive interview, Patrick Donahoe, Postmaster General of the United States shared some strategies:

"Here is what we are doing. the reason we are delivering packages on saturday is because package growth is booming. 14% up in the last two years. 17% christmas this year. year over year. big, big growth in fact, you will see in some areas we will be delivering packages on Sunday starting soon. That is a big innovation. the other thing that you see, is the world of secure and secure digital messages. We are getting into that, people tell us, the same thing you can do from a hard copy, sealed against inspection, we need that in the digital, e-mail world. there's a lot on the table. we have to get the negative finance behind us in the rear view mirror so we can focus on growth."

via video.msnbc.msn.com

"I bought WHAT on eBay?" What to Know and Do When You've Been Impersonated

noreply@blogger.com (Marsha Collier) — Thu, 24 Jan 2013 09:26:00 +0000

So I'm clearing out my email before I go to sleep. Decide to clean out a mailbox that's pretty much dead - left over from my old marketing agency days. To my surprise, I see an email from eBay requesting that I pay for an item I supposedly purchased on the site.
I had to shake my head, as I knew I hadn't used this email address in years. I examined the email. In the area where eBay would insert the User ID of the buyer, was a series of numbers. Hmmm, strange ID. I try to check out the headers to see if the email came from eBay. This is close to impossible to do on the phone, so I examined the links - and indeed the email did seem authentic.
Within a few hours, an invoice was sent to the same email address, addressed "Dear 2679302013" with my name appearing at the top of the email.

It's after midnight, so I took to my laptop to research further. I perform an eBay bidder search by going to eBay's advanced search:

I find that this user ID made one purchase (the one I was invoiced for), but the purchase was made while I was on my radio show. I clearly couldn't have made this purchase. The User ID also showed eBay's new user icon with 0 feedback. By clicking on a user's feedback number, you can find out when the user first signed up for eBay. Clicking through I find that they signed up for eBay on a Saturday as well. Hmmm. I usually don't sign up for new accounts when I am on the air.

I went to eBay - and clicked the Customer Service link, hoping to send them an email alerting them of the impersonation. I was amazed to find that eBay's customer service takes phone calls 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. It was after 1 am at this point, but I figured, why not give it a shot.
The customer service representative (working from eBay's Salt Lake City hub) answered the call and listened to my tale of woe. I had forgtten several things:

eBay keeps all the data user's input when you sign up for an account
IP addresses are attached to transactions
eBay sends out an email upon opening an account

"Charm", the CSR sent an email to the registered email address with a code to confirm that I was indeed the owner of the address. I read her back the code from the email and she said that eBay would remove the email address from the account. What bother's me is that the account is still for Marsha Collier, and is still an active account on the eBay site.
Lesson learned? If you have old email accounts, be sure to check them regularly. If I would have followed my own advice, I might have noticed the initial registration email that came from eBay (sent 2 days after the user registered the bogus account) welcoming me to the site. I sincerely wonder why eBay no longer requires an email address confirmation from those who open an account. If they'd have, the user would not have been able to make a fraudulent purchase - as I'd not confirmed the authenticity of the address.

I recommend in my books to let brands know when they have done something right; when you are pleased with their service. (They must get so sick of social media complaints, that a compliment usually brightens their day, and the reply with a "thank you." So next morning, I used Twitter to thank @eBay (and @AskeBay) for their CSR's excellent service. All I got back was the sound of crickets - no response.

5 Things You Need to Know About Facebook’s Graph Search

noreply@blogger.com (Marsha Collier) — Sat, 19 Jan 2013 20:43:00 +0000

The world’s largest social network making waves with launch of a new tool called Graph Search.
The tool essentially allows people to discover information based on data that Facebook has collected from its users over time. For example, someone could use Graph Search to discover information such as “restaurants in Chicago that my friends like” or “photos of me that I liked.”
While Graph Search is currently in a limited beta release, the tool seems to improve the social network’s lackluster search bar, which previously only allowed users to search for people or pages on the social network. Moreover, Graph Search has the potential to impact businesses on Facebook. Discover five things you should know about Graph Search below:

1. Likes Matter
Facebook Likes are now more important than ever, especially for businesses. According to a Facebook blog post, Graph Search can make it easier for people to discover and learn more about businesses on Facebook. This is because the search results are based on Facebook’s robust database, which includes information that has been shared by businesses and individuals alike. That being said, businesses with a large fan base will be more likely to turn up in searches for phrases like “restaurants in Chicago that my friends like.”

2. Engagement is Key
Aside from obtaining likes, businesses should focus on maintaining an engaging Page that includes quality interactions with fans. Since the search results are based on information that has been shared by businesses and individuals, interactions between a business and their fans can help the business score higher in the search results. Furthermore, Graph Search also makes interactions like check-ins even more important, because users could potentially search for phrases like “Places in Los Angeles that my friends have been to.”

3. Invest in your Page
Facebook’s blog post states that the best thing businesses can do for their Page is to continue to invest in it and make sure that it is complete and up-to-date. Items like the name, category, vanity URL and information within the “About” section of a business Page can help make it easier for people to find the business on Facebook. Additionally, Page owners should make sure that their business’s address is correct because this information could help someone discover a local business when they are searching for places in a specific location.

4. There are No Graph Search Ad Formats…Yet
As Graph Search becomes more widely available, so will the speculation of a new ad format from Facebook. However, the social network confirmed in their blog post that there are currently no new ad formats available for Graph Search. However, it is important to note that Pages and apps can still use the Sponsored Results ad format to show up in the search results for all Facebook users, whether they have Graph Search or not.

5. Sign Up to Try It
Graph Search is currently in a limited beta release, which means that you must sign up for a waitlist to gain access to this tool. According to Facebook, the rollout of Graph Search will be gradual, starting with a very small number of users. This means that the company is still working out some of the bugs in order to provide the best search results possible to its users before the tool is available to everyone.
Original Post by Allison Howen

via fanpagetoolkit.com

Do You Use Cloud Computing? Survey Finds Americans Confused

noreply@blogger.com (Marsha Collier) — Thu, 17 Jan 2013 09:41:00 +0000

A whopping 95% of those claiming they never use the cloud actually do so via online banking and shopping, social networking, and storing photos and music.

While “the cloud” may be the tech buzzword of the year, many Americans remain foggy about what the cloud really is and how it works. A national survey by Wakefield Research, commissioned by Citrix, showed that most respondents believe the cloud is related to weather, while some referred to pillows, drugs and toilet paper. Those in the know claim working from home in their “birthday suit” is the cloud’s greatest advantage. The good news is that even those that don’t know exactly what the cloud is recognize its economic benefits and think the cloud is a catalyst for small business growth.

Survey Highlights:

95% of those who think they’re not using the cloud, actually are
3 in 5 (59%) believe the “workplace of the future” will exist entirely in the cloud
40% believe accessing work information at home in their “birthday suit” would be an advantage
More than 1/3 agree that the cloud allows them to share information with people they’d rather not be interacting with in person
After being provided with the definition of the cloud, 68% recognized its economic benefits
14% have pretended to know what the cloud is during a job interview

The cloud is what powers today's business and social sphere online, are you using it to your best advantage?

Study graphic courtesy of citrix.com

Prepare for the 2013 U.S. Postal Service® Price Change Jan. 27

noreply@blogger.com (Marsha Collier) — Tue, 15 Jan 2013 10:30:00 +0000

Beginning Jan. 27 the U.S. Postal Service (USPS) will introduce a First-Class Mail Global Forever Stamp at $1.10 (20 stamp sheet for $22), and is among new mailing and shipping changes for the new year. Here's the short take on the changes:

Parcel Post^® is now called Standard Post and is ONLY available at the retail counter. (Parcel Select is a comparable mail class for Endicia customers)
First-Class Mail International Parcel is now called First Class Package International Service.
International Electronic USPS Delivery Confirmation® will now be available, and FREE, for First-Class Package International Service and select Priority Mail International packages (only on shipments to Canada, 19 countries to be added in April 2013)
Express Mail International Flat Rate Envelope weight limit has been reduced from 20 lbs to 4 lbs
Express Mail International now includes the first $200 of USPS insurance
Optional expedited delivery of USPS packaging is available for $2.50
Commercial Base discounts are growing in 2013.
First-Class Mail 1 ounce stamp is increasing by $0.01 to $0.46.

For full information on the new changes - and how to best use USPS mail classes for your business, click here to download a comprehensive PDF from Dymo Endicia

Small business gets commercial base discounts on shipping when they use electronic postage for their shipments. I use Dymo Endicia's Dazzle software and they have given me a discount link for my readers. Click here for a code for a free 60 day trial.

Note that the USPS receives no tax dollars for operating expenses and relies on the sale of postage, products and services to fund its operations.

Best Practices: 10 Ways to Avoid Email Overload in 2013

noreply@blogger.com (Marsha Collier) — Tue, 01 Jan 2013 13:41:00 +0000

Email is possibly the biggest time-suck for most of us. It's good to remind ourselves of the best practices now and then. I came upon this valuable post from 2011. The recommendations are as valid today as they were then.

Most people I know share a common complaint - too many emails! However, I observe many people creating extra work for themselves in their haste to plow through it all. The results include miscommunication, slow response times, and even more emails!

I'm generally on top of my emails and my inbox only contains the current day's messages. I doubt I'm any less busy than the average person, but I do follow a few simple tips.

Think before you "Reply All"
A boatload of our extra email comes from people hitting the "Reply All" button, even when "All" of us don't need to see the message. Only use this feature when necessary.

CC and BCC cautiously
A close cousin of the "Reply All" problem is the CC and BCC. Copy someone who doesn't need to be copied and you risk having them add more unnecessary emails to your inbox.

Read carefully before responding
A lot of unnecessary email traffic comes from people sending partial responses to emails. In their haste to reply, they may miss a key detail. For example, I recently emailed a friend who invited me over for dinner to let her know I was available on Friday, Saturday, or Sunday. I asked her to choose the day that worked best for her and her husband. She replied, "We can't do Friday, but we can do Saturday or Sunday." Ugh - now I have to send a second message and she'll no doubt send a reply. Two additional emails would have been avoided if she had simply selected the day that worked best for her.

Write concise but thorough messages
Think of a question your recipient may have about your email and include the answer in your message. A short, well-written email leads to less back and forth which ultimately reduces your email load.

Describe what you want in the first paragraph
Make it easy for your recipient to understand what you are looking for. Put any request for action or information in the first paragraph of your message so it won't be missed.

Email isn't for conversations
Look at the messages in your inbox and see how many are from the same conversation. Do you need to discuss something with a colleague? Pick up the phone and knock it out.

Write descriptive subject lines
The subject line should give the reader a clear idea of what the message is about so he or she can determine how quickly to read it. A descriptive subject line also reinforces what you are asking the reader to do.

Set rules to automate email management
Outlook and many other popular email programs let you set rules to automatically manage certain types of emails. For example, you can have all your email newsletters automatically routed to a "Reading" folder that you can check once or twice a week. This unclutters your email box and allows you to get to those lower priority items when you have a free moment.

Use one program to manage all your email addresses
Many of us have multiple email addresses, but that doesn't mean we can't get all our messages in one place. This allows you to manage just one email inbox instead of several. I have rules set up in Outlook that route messages sent to my secondary email addresses to special folders so they don't get mixed in with messages sent to my primary account.

Check email only a few times per day
Constantly checking your email every time a message arrives is a huge distraction and productivity drain. Instead, set aside blocks of time to focus on email and power through your messages. Force yourself to make a decision about each message (respond, file, or delete) rather than just leaving it sitting in your inbox for later. You'll find this approach allows you to write better messages, get fewer responses in return, and dramatically reduce the number of emails in your inbox.

via toistersolutions.com

Actionable Takeaway: Four Professional Social Media Commerce Secrets

noreply@blogger.com (Marsha Collier) — Wed, 26 Dec 2012 11:39:00 +0000

I'm always honored when someone reviews one of my books and finds strategies that work for them. Below is a super takeaway from a review by Amy Bizzarri's blog TiramisùMom:

From Social Media Commerce for Dummies
by Marsha Collier

Here are four e-commerce strategies you don't want you to forget. Commerce is your goal — but "social" will get your business front and center. Include videos and engaging content on your website, and interact on other sites and blogs.

Keep your website fresh: With all the pressure about posting in social media, keep in mind that ultimately you need to direct visitors to a core website where they can learn all about your business — and make purchases. Create a web presence that reflects your business and your company culture. Make it accessible and engaging.

Include instructional videos: Build a library of YouTube uploads that pertain to your business and demonstrate your products. Link to these videos from your website and add a YouTube app to post them on your Facebook business page.

Friend and tag other businesses on Facebook: It's easy to tag friends on your Facebook personal page and fans on your business page, but you can also tag other business pages as well. Be social — and help spread the word — by including other businesses in your posts.

Make social media fun: Keep the social conversation going. Post more often on a couple of sites instead of posting rarely on many. Aside from posting relevant content regularly (and not self-promoting all the time), reply to those who post to your accounts. Answer and ask. The most desirable social media personas are those who interact regularly.

via tiramisumom.com

The Reader is My Customer: Social Media Commerce For Dummies

noreply@blogger.com (Marsha Collier) — Fri, 14 Dec 2012 09:49:00 +0000

by Marsha Collier

To many people, it's not news when I come out with a new book, I write books for a living; I don't write books to get speaking engagements. What most people don't realize is that writing and researching is my passion. Readers can go on the web and get "common knowledge" anywhere. My secret sauce is the pressure I put on myself to delve deeper. There will be no mention of a hot new tool unless I personally have tried it - and have checked out the company who provides the service. Nor will I tout expensive solutions, I know small business needs to run a tight ship. Money is time - and time is money.

The reader is my customer. In over a decade of writing on e-commerce and customer service, I feel a strong responsibility about what I write. I don't want to steer anyone in the wrong direction. When you read one of my books for small business (whether the book is directed at beginners or advanced readers), know you are getting honest and well-thought out advice. My books reflect hundreds of hours into investigation into the tools, strategies and ideas in each book. I try to update my books to a new edition every 18 months, so the information is always fresh.

I especially enjoy, over the years, getting emails from my readers. I put my email address in all of my books - even back in the 90s when people thought I was nuts for doing so. Readers keep me apprised of their successes and failures.

Below is the first review of the book that appeared on Amazon (I'd like to thank "Dad of Divas" whoever he is). I hope you'll give my latest book a look. I think it might clear up some social media misconceptions for you. You will find it here.

Thank you to everyone who has read my books. If you've never read one, I think this book might be a great place to start. (Here is the press release from my publisher - I've never thought of myself as a "blockbuster)!

Wiley Announces Latest Book by Bestselling Author Marsha Collier - Social Media Commerce For Dummies®
Blockbuster author Marsha Collier empowers brand owners to capture customers, sales and revenue using social media

Social Media Commerce For Dummies

Indianapolis, IN (PRWEB) December 13, 2012
Today, the world’s bestselling reference series, For Dummies® announces Social Media Commerce For Dummies (Wiley, 978-1-118-29793-3, November 2012) to help brands and small businesses understand why social media is important to their bottom line and how to adapt their online presence to include social commerce.
The undisputed expert on eBay and a recognized authority on social media marketing, author Marsha Collier delivers another one-of-a-kind For Dummies guide that introduces readers to social media commerce and explains how to use social media to provide better customer service, generate sales online and build a customer base. Social Media Commerce For Dummies helps readers determine where the best market reach opportunities exist, which sites to integrate with, and more.
"Social media enables small business -- even professionals -- the opportunity to compete on a level playing field with big brands. After much research, I've found the strategies in this book will change the marketing game as we know it,” said Collier.
Social Media Commerce For Dummies is now available for purchase online and at retailers nationwide in both print and all e-book formats. For a full list of retailers, visit http://www.dummies.com/buy/9781118297933. Additionally, the Cheat Sheet on Dummies.com includes helpful hints for social media commerce including useful Facebook keyboard shortcuts, Marsha’s Social Media Commerce Toolkit and more. For additional information about this book and related For Dummies products, visit http://www.dummies.com.
About the Author
Marsha Collier (Los Angeles, CA) is the world's bestselling author on eBay topics. Her books combine for over a million copies in print. Leading titles include eBay For Dummies, Starting an eBay Business For Dummies, and eBay Business All-in-One For Dummies. She has recently branched into social media topics, authoring Facebook & Twitter For Seniors For Dummies and The Ultimate Online Customer Service Guide. Marsha is also an in-demand speaker and trainer who appears at over 50 events per year.
About For Dummies®
After 20 years, more than 250 million copies printed, and millions of e-books downloaded, For Dummies is the world’s bestselling reference series, well known for enriching people’s lives by making knowledge accessible in a fun and easy way. Loyal customers around the globe agree that For Dummies is “more than a publishing phenomenon … [it is] a sign of the times,” [The New York Times]. With more than 1,800 active topics covering everything from health to history, music to math, sports to self-help, technology to travel, For Dummies is dedicated to Making Everything Easier. The For Dummies brand presence continues to expand wherever there is a need to know, including e-books, mobile apps, e-learning courses, a corporate custom publishing program, a robust consumer website and a licensed product line that includes consumer electronics, culinary, crafts, video, software, musical instrument packs, home improvement, automotive, game and more. For more information, visit Dummies.com. For Dummies is a branded imprint of Wiley.

via prweb.com

Want to Write A Book? Guy Kawasaki's APE Author, Publisher, Entrepreneur-How to Publish a Book is a must read

noreply@blogger.com (Marsha Collier) — Sun, 09 Dec 2012 21:51:00 +0000

As one who makes a career as a book author, people come to me with a book idea. They ask a bevy of questions: Should I write it? How do I write it? Do I need an agent? How do I get a publisher? Although folks think I am a fount of knowledge on the subject, these questions cannot simply be answered in a one hour phone call.

Guy Kawasaki’s new book, APE: Author, Publisher, Entrepreneur - How to Publish a Book, answers every query and more. Guy’s words mirror my own experiences and add actionable tasks and tools to guide you through the process of writing and publishing. I will no longer dodge requests from budding authors; I will just recommend they read his book. If you want to be an author in today’s digital world, this book is a must have.

As Guy points out, writing is a very personal endeavor. It is not an easy art; not for everyone. Writing a book takes discipline and organization -- on top of creativity. The prolific story-teller, Paul Gallico, best known for “The Poseidon Adventure” (although my favorite of his is "The Silent Miaow”) said “It is only when you open your veins and bleed onto the page a little that you establish contact with your reader.” Even with my non-fiction I feel responsibility to the reader; I bleed to be sure my words are clear and engage the reader along the way.

By reading APE: Author, Publisher, Entrepreneur - How to Publish a Book, you may not avoid the bleeding, but Guy keeps you from making rookie mistakes. His top notch tips on producing a book and self-publishing are worth the read. So much so, that reading this book has convinced me to update and self-publish my great aunt’s French Normandy cookbook (a solid old time seller in Europe).

If you’ve ever thought of writing a book, you must read Guy’s latest work.

Social Media Policy: Why You Should Have One and What to Consider When Creating One

noreply@blogger.com (Marsha Collier) — Wed, 05 Dec 2012 11:02:00 +0000

Post by Marsha Collier

If you intend to promote your brand and interact with customers through social networks and social media channels – and I highly recommend that you do – you must realize your employees will be there as well, with their own personal accounts. There’s no reason not to encourage your employees to explore and engage in social media communities online, but remember, they are also the face of your company to all their friends and associates – as well as to the customers they know. What they say online or the type of photos they post on their personal accounts may reflect, albeit in a roundabout way, on your business. When they directly talk about you or your business, it will have a cause and effect relationship.
It is your job to guide your business’s online culture and protect your brand’s online persona. Provide guidelines for your employees in the form of a Social Media Policy. This written document, similar to other codes of conduct you have for employees, will let them know what type of behavior you expect from them online and any limits as to what business-related information they can share in the public stream.
Here’s how one of our nation’s biggest companies handled it. Back in 2009, before most people thought about setting guidelines, Adam Brown broke ground by developing a 4R social strategy (review, respond, record, redirect) and spearheaded the development of social media guidelines for the Coca-Cola Company. Aside from designating a code of conduct for their official online spokespeople, Coca-Cola also laid out specific principles for their associates. By taking a look at what Coca Cola deemed appropriate, perhaps it will help you forge a set of standards for your own employees. From Coca-Cola’s Online Social Media Principles, the guidelines below with my explanations outline expectations for any online activities – personal or professional – where employees reference the company or have made their association with the company known.

“Adhere to the Code of Business Conduct and other applicable policies” – Coca Cola has several policies regarding specific business activities, including general conduct, information protection and insider trading. All employees (from the CEO to interns) are expected to follow these when mentioning online that they are employees of Coca Cola.

“You are responsible for your actions” – This point is a reminder to exercise sound judgment and common sense when posting online because employees will be held responsible if their actions negatively impact the business or its image.

“Be a ‘scout’ for compliments and criticism” – This guideline acknowledges that employees are “vital assets for monitoring the social media landscape.” Coca-Cola even supplies an in-house email for forwarding both positive and negative comments employees observe online, so they can feel confident negative situations will be addressed without feeling like they must be the one to take action.

“Let the subject matter experts respond to negative posts” – This point stresses, again, that should employees encounter a potentially damaging post about the business, the post should be referred to those trained and approved as official online spokespeople to handle responding.

“Be conscious when mixing your business and personal lives” – This principle recognizes that personal and business personas often intersect online and reminds employees that everything that is posted online – even when channels or profiles are “private” or “protected” – can still ultimately be seen by anyone at any time through sharing, forwarding and general unintentional carelessness.

via thinkingforward.tumblr.com

Social Media Commerce: Make it Easy for Your Customers to Do Business with You

noreply@blogger.com (Marsha Collier) — Fri, 30 Nov 2012 10:36:00 +0000

December 4th, 11 AM PST / 2 PM EST - Live Chat with Marsha Collier

Are you struggling to gain new customers or earn repeat business from existing customers? It could be because you’ve made the process of doing business with your company too difficult – everything from product discovery to customer service to ordering, payments, delivery and merchandise returns. Join us to discuss how social media commerce can make doing business with your business easier for customers.
Submit your pre-chat questions, and add the event to your calendar so you don’t miss the conversation. The conversation will take place at the Endicia Thinking Forward Website on December 4th, at 11 AM PST / 2 PM EST.

This Live Webcast precedes the publication of my latest book, Social Media Commerce For Dummies. It's one that will help your business build revenue and customer base through social media. Please join me - and be sure to post some pre-chat questions on the Endicia website.

8 Simple to Apply SEO Tips for Your Online Store

noreply@blogger.com (Marsha Collier) — Thu, 15 Nov 2012 20:24:00 +0000

If a consumer searches Google for one of your products, what would they find? Would your online store be at the top of the results? If your site doesn’t appear within the first few pages of search results, you’ll lose the opportunity to earn additional traffic and potential customers. While you may advertise your store through social media or paid advertisements, if your ecommerce site isn’t properly search engine optimized, then you’re missing a big piece of the pie.

By implementing SEO techniques, you help search engines like Google and Bing better crawl and index the content on your site. This means your website and product pages are more likely to show up when users search keywords relevant to your online store. While search engine optimization can be a full-time job, there are eight steps you can take right now to improve your site’s standing and increase its visibility:

Create unique, user-friendly content on each page. Search engines are placing more value on quality content that results in lower bounce rates, longer time spent on the site, better user experience, and diversity of site traffic. Be sure that you’re using relevant keywords on each page, but write content that’s meant to be read by humans, not just search engines.
If you have different URLs that lead to the same product page, avoid getting dinged for duplicate content by indicating a canonical (preferred) URL. See more on canonicalization here.
For each product page, include the product name in the URL, title tags, text, and the titles and alt text for images. Since search engines can only index what they can crawl, try not to leave any element “unreadable” by search engines.
If you sell a coffee mug in black, red, or green, state the color options on the product page in addition to having color swatches (with alt text), since users might be searching for “coffee mug” or “green coffee mug.” A warning about creating different pages for each variation of a product: this can result in “thin” content that could be penalized by search engines.
Be smart in the long-tail terms you include in your copy, since these keywords can drive better quality traffic (i.e., consumers closer to making a purchase). Plus, your site is more likely to rank high for detailed keyword phrases like “tan Italian leather loafers” rather than a very popular and general term, like “loafers.”
Allow your customers to leave feedback, reviews, comments, photos, etc., so you get additional content on each page that could help drive more long-tail traffic. Including reviews on your site also improves the user experience and builds better customer relationships.
Use rich snippets to display additional information underneath your URL and meta description in search results. Rich snippets provide additional information such as a product’s price, availability, and ratings, which could help users decide to click your link. See more on rich snippets here.
If you are serious about your SEO efforts and don’t mind spending a little money, you could take advantage of Google products, such as AdWords and Google Shopping, to help boost your web traffic.

via thinkingforward.tumblr.com

10 Must-Know Holiday Tips for eBay and Online Sellers

noreply@blogger.com (Marsha Collier) — Sat, 10 Nov 2012 23:46:00 +0000

Thanks to Dymo Endicia, you can download a free Holiday Selling Tip-sheet: Maximize your holiday shipping success with ten tips from Marsha Collier, eCommerce authority and one of Forbes' Top 50 Social Media Power Influencers in 2012. According to Accenture, up to 59% of 2012 holiday shoppers will buy more than half of their gifts online–up more than 18% over 2011.* And to make sure you're prepared, DYMO Endicia asked Collier to put together a list of ten ways to help you. Visit http://dymoendiciaforward.com/tips/ to download.

5 Essential Tactics for Maximizing your Profits For eBay and Online Holiday Sales

noreply@blogger.com (Marsha Collier) — Thu, 01 Nov 2012 06:29:00 +0000

Post by Marsha Collier

Want to succeed as an online seller? Too many folks try to tell you how easy it is. Bottom line? It isn’t easy – especially the part where you actually try to make a profit. You have to keep up with changes in the market— like shifts in consumer buying behaviors— study from tried and true experts, and practice!

The best place to get a feel for online selling is on eBay. I’ve written many bestselling books on the subject, and I’m a Top Seller on the site. Remember that you can’t make a dime if you don’t actually list anything, and you probably won’t be successful without making a few mistakes. But, you can also learn from the successes and mistakes of others. So in this post, I want to offer some advice on how to create listings that sell – and how to earn the most profits from those sales!

1. Listing title. Nothing is more important than your title. You’ve no doubt heard about SEO (search engine optimization). Well, you can apply these same practices on eBay to increase sales. It’s all about “keywords” – the terms people will use to search for your item. Note that rarely would anyone search for a “beautiful” sweater. More than likely, someone would search for a sweater in a certain size, color, fabric, brand name, sleeve length – get it? Do not waste your 80 characters (total allowed on eBay for your item title) on fluffy adjectives or adverbs. The item title does not have to be a proper sentence; instead, be sure to make the verbiage descriptive with practical details. Since eBay buyers see less than the full title listing when browsing (mobile only shows 25 characters), keep the less important words at the end. Search will find the matching words anywhere in your title when someone searches for them.

Bonus Tip: Use tools like Google’s Keyword Tool (used by advertisers who place ads with Google) or Title Builder, an accurate eBay-centric search tool to identify top keywords people search for.

2. Pictures. You may post up to 12 pictures at no charge, but most new items can be illustrated completely in just two clear, well-lit photos. Be sure the photos you upload are at least 500 pixels wide or you run the risk of eBay rejecting them. Use multiple photos if you are selling a collectible or rare piece so that you cover every possible angle. Be sure to photograph any flaws so the customer can effectively evaluate an item’s condition before bidding on or buying vintage items. If you would prefer to show images within your description, go to the HTML description builder and use the code <img src=”URL of the photo on the web” height=”height in pixels” width=”width in pixels“>. When shooting images of jewelry, coins or anything detailed, use your camera’s macro setting. Do not use any fancy backgrounds that may distract from your item.

Bonus Tip: To accurately portray colors of metals, use a Cloud Dome (or Cloud Dome Nimbus for smartphone cameras). It holds your camera steady and uses a mathematical formula to reflect light at exact angles for the best images possible.

3. Price it right! Check eBay’s completed listings search to see if your item actually sells well on the site and how much similar ones have sold for in recent auctions. Prices and trends may change by the minute and there is no point in listing when an item isn’t selling well. Check current listings too: How many sellers are selling your item? And at what price? As with any market, eBay items sell based on supply and demand. Choose your items carefully, price strategically and put slow selling items in your store. If you have a bit of wiggle room in your pricing, consider using eBay’s “Make Offer” option when listing. This way you can determine the sale price based on a customer’s offer. You can make up to 3 counter-offers to a buyer. Free shipping is also a good strategy for attracting customers and can make your listing seem more appealing than another seller with the same or a similar item – buyers feel like their money is going further, and there’s no guessing as to what cost the final invoice may reflect.

Bonus Tip: Double check your profit margin before you list. Although eBay has fee calculators, one of the best I have found is at http://salecalc.com/ – this tool takes all fees and expenses into account and gives you an accurate picture of how much you will make on your item if you sell it at a certain price point.

4. Don’t ignore the value of Customer Service. Good customer service will set you apart (and give you a leg-up on the competition from big brands) by letting the customer know you care. Communicate with your customer, even within your description. Let the customer know you are invested in their happiness with the purchase. Sell to international customers; American goods are very popular overseas. Putting the customer first through stellar customer service promotes repeat business and helps you reach the goal of Top Seller Status (where you receive a 20% discount on final value fees and are advantaged by eBay’s Best Match search algorithm). Find out more about Top Seller Status here.

Bonus Tip: Print out “thank you” notes and include them in your orders. Include information about you, your website or other merchandise you carry. Consider also offering customers a discount on their next order.

5. Ship the item out FAST! Know when your auction listings are scheduled to end, and be prepared to immediately pack and ship any items that have sold. For “Buy It Now” listings, set aside a few minutes each day to take care of shipping needs. Once the customer has sent you money, the item belongs to him or her – it no longer has a place in your inventory area. Keep a stock of shipping supplies (padded envelopes and free Priority Mail® packaging here) that match the items you sell. Use First Class mail whenever possible for items less than 13 ounces and send them in a bubble wrap envelope to save on weight. When it comes to shipping costs, box weight can make a big difference, so you might consider Priority Mail® Flat Rate Boxes, depending on the size and shape of the item. Priority Mail® Regional Rate Boxes can also be an economical option, depending on your shipping destination. Use the postal zone charts at this link to calculate shipping rates from your ZIP Code. Remember, Top Seller Status, which can increase your profit margin, is impacted by how buyers rate your shipping time and shipping costs.

Bonus Tip: As your business grows, no doubt you will sell on other sites like Etsy, Amazon, Facebook or your own website. Keep all your shipping records in one place: on your computer. Use this link for a 60 day trial to DYMO Endicia and see how easy postage and shipping can be. http://bit.ly/free60days

via thinkingforward.tumblr.com

Live Webcast Chat: How to Mine $ocial Media

noreply@blogger.com (Marsha Collier) — Mon, 29 Oct 2012 09:42:00 +0000

Tuesday, October 30th, 11 AM PST / 2 PM EST

Can social media be used to help you make money? Yes it can. I've learned a lot while writing my upcoming book, Social Media Commerce For Dummies and I want to share with you. Submit pre-chat questions or ask them live. Let's share strategies and tactics to help your business make the most of social commerce.

Live broadcast by Ustream

The conversation will take onthe link above on October 30th, at 11 AM PST / 2 PM EST.

via thinkingforward.tumblr.com