who controls your image or brand ?

Okay, for anyone that doesn't like fairy tales - we have web 1.0 - which was like the beginning - I will add a link HERE to go into more depth on my history of internet marketing for those that are interested.

Permission wasn't generally asked in 1.0 marketing in the early days (spam and spyware didn't exist as we know it today at the big bang of hotmail - spam came later in the evolution) then at 1.5 a change happened 'permission based marketing' came in it came in after lots of complaints from customers about unwanted e-mail - permission based of marketing still happens today (it's when you agree to accept a newsletter or agree to let a social network use your photos) - then came along web 2.0 which is largely seen as the culture of sharing and trust - Ning, Facebook and Twitter are all example of permission based networks - where the network owners can use your photo for positive reasons.

When photo sharing goes bad (yes not all companies are nice I'm afraid)


An example I can give is in the dating scene - there is a negative practice (well known in marketing circles) of companies taking a persons image from one database and using it without permission on a number of other databases - they tell you it is for your benefit as they have millions of potential people that they can match you up with - Woow! you think - I'm gonna be everywhere.

What they are failing to tell you is that these databases aren't all the type you would like to be associated with (there is another agenda - they own some seedier databases that earn them a lot more money and they know people flock together - so for example if they fill it with pretty girls it attracts male customers)

From a consumer perspective - would you be happy for a widow to find a new love on-line and meet new people ? - I'm sure most people would say that's nice, the power of the Internet used for good things etc. - then how would you feel if you then found out that ladies photograph was going to be used in a way she had no idea of - plastered all over "adult" websites that cater to all kind of twisted fantasies by people of all age groups ?

If you are a person with ethics and follow any code of conduct - you might realize that this is a breach of permission based marketing - you'd not sign up your mother or sister for such a service would you ?. Hard sale marketers might say - they put their image on-line in the knowledge that it might be used (and abused) - hard luck, get over it - view it as a learning experience - move on already.

My argument would be that while celebrities, politician's and successful people are rightly or wrongly still classed as fair game - if you are going to use someone else's face for your own sales campaign and / or in a negative manner - you tell the person in advance that you plan to say something nasty about them, so they don't look like a rabbit that has just hit an electric fence - when they read about it over breakfast!

This is especially important in the 'trusting' medium that web 2.0 is - you are encouraged to share on trust which slightly bend around the 1.0 permission based marketing this doesn't mean you can use it for negative purposes - you are being allowed to handle a persons image in trust that they won't do anything nasty/un cool to it - not nail it to a dart board for people to take shots at it.- The darts might all hit the bulleye and logically make sense - but they don't save the perception (and possible reaction) of the giver if they are not warned that a person is running an ad campaign using their mug!

click on image to enlarge it:

coffee delays and venue changes

Sooo, what am I doing after two days in bed crying my heart out and feeling a Fail Fail Fail ?

Well I'm out of bed again, and I'm not going to ditch my coffee plans so quick, I haven't chucked my PC out the window in exchange for a TV either - if you know me, you'll know I am emotive and don't like critics.

My first order of local brand coffee is still in the post, I haven't uploaded my coffee stock to Zara's Venues yet as I'm wondering now if to forget the whole UK niche and focus on the USA sales - I could give away my own brand coffee to a local charity or something and focus on the States instead - if the American's don't want me then I might have to look at setting up a coffee stand on the moon instead.

- it's a big world USA does have more competition but they also don't kick a person when they are down - well not quite in quite the same way - imagine if Lauren Luke had been told she looked like a moose by the BBC rather than them supporting her ? - she might never have had the courage to get her make-up range started in New York - I hope she got credit for her brief appearance on YBC! I understand that she got a bit of a social dressing down from a model agency when she was there - I will have to watch that video again to see how she dealt with it.

I've no immediate plans to change my appearance, so if my feather duster and spare room look offends you, best leave now as it ain't changing.

I still like healthycoffee - as it makes me feel better (not look better!) - if you are a healthy coffee drinker - how does it make you feel ? - I shall be looking for videos on youtube to add to coffee venues so if you have a youtube video connected with coffee let me know add I will add it to the venues.

Note I watch a video somewhere else that said it is good to chop and change your strategies - changing venues is a part of that so I might be updating my TOP 28 to reflect my fav. networks

Can 'friendly fire' damage your social contacts network ?

I never expected to be writing this quite so soon, I was expecting a problem to come from a troll I know would get me -I have reached my first surprise already, but it is worth looking at as I've not had this particular situation before in a "social" environment on-line.

I'm talking about collateral damage - when a friendly person says something bad about you in public I belong to one network of people that are in my contact lists across multiple networks - my contacts network (which are independent from the network I am on at the time) has a range of people from both developing countries and the UK and USA - also from a range of social backgrounds in terms of education,employment and cash to spend - some of them are my up lines in affiliate programs, some are in my downlines, I also have my wholesale and retail suppliers in my social contacts network.

In old skool marketing (where I started 8 years ago) with an American slant I'd call the following scenario a "Two-Pronged attack" - the intent, according to the ethos of this particular network is 'friendly' and I have no reason to doubt this is the case (unless I was nominated by someone that doesn't like me of course), so I'll try and keep this as vague as possible, I belong to loads of networks so hopefully by explaining what the poison might be, you can be prepared for a similar disaster event in your own marketing efforts and take evasive action. - It might be the case that the poison is good for some people and causes an allergic reaction in others. Big companies deal with this all the time, they have the mental resources to fight fire with fire - or rainbow with rainbow (if they are the non violent types)

It is useful for affiliates and marketers to know - that if you put your real photo on a social network you might get someone say something really horrible about it - to do you a favor - this could potentially backfire if it gets into google with your name and your primary niche attached to it - sounds like good old fashioned 1.0 marketing to me, with an insidious twist - it is for your own good - so it's back to battle stations on alert from me - THEY - are still alive and out to get you baby don't let your guard down again!!!

What happens when Cinderella doesn't leave the ball at midnight:

So imagine you are at a fancy dress party, you go with group of friends and you have been going to it for many years. Your costume isn't that great, maybe you are a bit poor and rather then the nice shiny fabrics others are wearing you decided to wear what you have, bottle tops and tin foil and scraps of paper.

You've been wearing this costume for many years and you think that maybe it's time to look at wearing something a bit more flattering but you are unsure if it is the right move. Nobody has ever complained or mentioned your costume, they are friendly hosts and accept people from all backgrounds, but this year you decide to take a new costume anyhow and plan to change into it once you get there, rather than turn up in a new dress and make a grand entrance (a grand entrance is like a prelaunch something that is not my cup of tea (or coffee!).

Now you have invited friends, they are all standing around chatting and talking as usual, you are mingling as usual all seems normal and friendly. Then a good friend of the host comes up to you and your friends - she is well known (as you are about to find out) she designed the costumes of the host, she is well turned out and liked, you have seen her about over the years but haven't particularly watched what she is doing when she mingles with the hosts and their social circle of fine clothed people.

What you didn't know, but came to realize was that this lady judges the costumes every year - you weren't aware that such a thing even existed at the party, what competition you think as she begins to look you up and down ? looking puzzled your friends gather around to listen to what she has to say about your costume...

The judgment goes straight in for the kill - she tells you you personally look terrible (your personal brand sucks prong 1.) and your dress is a heap of bottle tops and paper sown together in a such a bad design that it would put them off associating with you in public in case anyone thought you were actually together at the party (your personal branding is putting people off your product and services prong 2.).

She recommends a couple of fundamental changes you could make to instantly make you more popular and acceptable , that is her job (as you are finding out) - then pulling out the big, fat ZERO card as judgment - she walks off to the next group of people.

Due to being a "lady" you faint - and fail to see just how many of your friends have been influenced by this judgment and left your circle of friends, you have been branded a Zero - so it doesn't seem right in the circumstances to wear your new costume - as friends are of mixed opinion - will make any difference now you think ?

Some of them have clothes only slightly better than your own, some have clothing that equal the quality of the hosts. Some friends defend your honor - and your cheap clothes - reminding people that a person is more than their costume, there is more to this party than the beauty competition right ?

Others wonder why you are confused, you are lucky to be chosen by the hosts dress maker for such a judgment - it is an honor, so you say thank you and go out for some fresh air to try and decide the next course of action, you've actually grown fond of your rags in a strange kind of way as you know that the friends you have are not judging you on your dress, the clothes have kept you warm, your dress would never match up to the quality of the hosts circle in reality, you'd never agree to be judged in such a way in front of friends without warning.

You also know that none of your friends would surely have nominated you, in your cheap dress to be judged in a negative way in public next to the fine costumes... like putting a 3 wheeler next to a Ferrari and expecting people not to take the piss out of the old banger.

Question is - does it matter if you are given a negative review in a highly public place in front of friends ? - Should a person be thankful - or have they effectively been ousted from the circle of influence by proxy ? (we are all equal on the Internet- unless someone of greater influence says you are LESS equal) - Bearing in mind the mantra of social networking is to be liked, does bad press in social networking make you more liked or more ignored ?

Two Non-Fat, No-Whip Starbucks Apps, Coming Right Up.

Two Non-Fat, No-Whip Starbucks Apps, Coming Right Up.

Coffee Blog 12# Nescafe Menu Vanilla Flavour

!FB general update from Zara

Hi - just an update - what Zara is up to:

 

Firstly !FB is a code that should mean that none of my updates with links in go to my facebook profile page - this is because a change in the facebook rules that mean's business posts / status updates aren't allowed to have sponsored links in - and if you are anything like me, it's almost second nature to add a link or reference to the latest product or gadget I am promoting in relation to my business interests - but commerical posts outside of the business pages can get you a facebook ban  however if you use Plurk to update your facebook status you can add !FB and that post won't go to your facebook profile - this is handy if you use hellotxt or ping.fm to say good morning to alot of people on different networks - as it means you can do a generic hello then - another one to your coffee buddies for example - which is what I do - that way I can still use one interface - i.e hellotxt first thing in the morning - then check up on individual networks when i feel like it.

 

Okay other stuff - I've quit the paid version of Zlio for the time being, I might have to retire Ning Nomads too in the future as like other networkers - it just doesn't 'pay to pay' and while I carry lose leaders for a while - the cash could be used to pay eBay fees instead - and eBay is virtually guarenteed quick sales - I am a bit more hesitant to give up Ning Nomads as I kind of like it there but it's running at a loss and I don't have the funds that twitter and facebook do to keep loss making activities afloat for long like they do!

So I'm clearing up ready for winter, my venues and other free blogs however can stay up as long as blogger is free - thus they are growing naturally using mybloglog and I am using the power of "cloud" hosting to set up venues - I am planing on making them more interchangeable - I am growing networking friendships of the networks - which is great - I have eBid (a free version of eBay) for UK sales, I have web hosting for storage - in short all the tools are there - it's just tweaking and optimising that takes the time - the groups will start to have people soon.

I am testing out Google websites, a way to have hosting for free with a theme - I have another wordpress blog for the coffee venues - the google website may act as a "cloud" point of reference so if you are an Affiliate on http://ilovegano.blogspot.com I might direct you over there for examples.

Anyway got to go now, I will speak again soon.

 

Zara x

 

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