One way to get people talking about your products is to start the conversation yourself. Then, just sit back and listen.

That’s what consumer goods giant, Procter & Gamble, did with their mother-driven community space, Vocalpoint. Vocalpoint provides product discussions and lifestyle advice for thousands of women and homemakers- the target user of most of P&G’s products. The site frequently offers free samples and coupons for P&G products (e.g. Tide to Go Instant Stain Remover ) as well as other partnering companies.  In return, users weigh in on the products and share experiences with their friends, family, and other Vocalpoint members.

P&G’s role is limited, and somewhat veiled, but they gain more as a fly on the wall than as an active participant. Instead of spending a fortune to track perspectives on each brand, now they have a vehicle that can be used to track attitudes and perspectives across categories and brands.

The real take-away here is how easy it is to utilize web-based, community tools to create a virtual panel (PDF) to gain insight and drive word of mouth. Much of Vocalpoint’s success lies outside the site, as “connectors” (social butterflies, who are likely to share product information and make recommendations) spread the word. Of course, the free samples don’t hurt either.

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© tom klein for feed growth!, 2008. | No comment | Add to del.icio.us digg
Who's linking ? Technorati BlogPulse
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Do you rely on a Blackberry or iPhone throughout the day and communicate primarily by email? Even so, you can still blog like a rock star.

You can use a service like Posterous. No sign-up or account required- all you need is email access and “post@posterous.com” in your address book.

When you want to post something online, email Posterous and attach your file(s). Posterous accepts documents, images, movies, and MP3’s. You can attach multiple files, as many as your email service lets you, and Posterous will create an image gallery on your Posterous page . Images are automatically resized to web-friendly standards and music and videos are put in browser-compatible players. The service even recognizes urls, turning them into links; so if you want to post a YouTube video, they’ve got you covered.

Before anything is published, Posterous sends a confirmation back to your email address- keeping Posterous impostors at bay and making sure you didn’t email the service on a whim. Your Posterous page automatically appears at yourname.posterous.com, in a simple, easy to read blog format.

Posterous is a free service and provides a simple solution for sharing information online. Ready to start blogging? Here’s a little video overview to show you even more:

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© tom klein for feed growth!, 2008. | No comment | Add to del.icio.us digg
Who's linking ? Technorati BlogPulse
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Want your chance to shine?  We just unveiled this week’s cartoon- Sunday, Bloody Sunday.  The rules and rewards are the same ($30 iTunes gift certificate for the winner).  Remember- no limit on the number of entries, and on this fine Labor Day weekend, we strongly encourage drinking and captioning.

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© tom klein for feed growth!, 2008. | 6 comments | Add to del.icio.us digg
Who's linking ? Technorati BlogPulse
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Considering how complicated some websites can become and the short attention spans of visitors, it’s only natural to think about providing a guided tour of your “property.”

With Rovion’s InPerson, you can add a “virtual host” to your website, providing an engaging, rich media experience for your visitors. We’ve covered similar products (see We the people… ), but InPerson builds upon the concept and refines it. With InPerson, you can be the virtual host or choose an actor or spokesperson connected with your brand, like this example featuring Emeril Lagasse on the Barnes & Noble website. Your virtual host plays on top of your content and can easily be paused, muted, or deleted by clicking on the actor. Virtual hosts can greet visitors, show them how to navigate your site, or inform them of special offers and promotions.

There is no need to alter your website code or content with InPerson or even download a special media player. The platform works on all browsers and automatically detects user bandwidth, ensuring that videos play smoothly and consistently throughout the virtual host’s presentation and never slows down your site’s load time.

InPerson counts AOL, Fox Interactive, and a host of big names as their clients. Are your site visitors in need of a little guidance?

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© tom klein for feed growth!, 2008. | One comment | Add to del.icio.us digg
Who's linking ? Technorati BlogPulse
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from the baitshop

who’s it for?

We found this ad on Lifehacker and other sites heavily trafficked by active online users. The campaign is targeting the young and socially networked . . . naturally.

why is it being done?

Do a little good, shine a little light on the green card folks.

are the fish biting?

Looking at the activity on the site, it does seem to be working.

where to from here?

Go ahead and create, share, and promote your ideas for how to change the world. Be sure to vote by Sept 9.

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© vishi.gondi for feed growth!, 2008. | One comment | Add to del.icio.us digg
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