With marketing and business development, it’s all too easy to focus only on the BIG issues. However, small things can make a massive difference and totally change how people think about us.
I decided to write this quick post, after receiving the comment below from one of my readers, Joni Mueller. Here’s what Joni said:
Excellent article and excellent case study. I also like the little subtleties on your web site. For example, I’ve never seen anyone invite me to “join” them on Twitter, it’s always follow me or find me. “Join” me implies there will be a two-way interaction. That’s great. Glad I stumbled onto this site from Twitter.
One small word
A marketing professional knows there’s a massive difference between the phrase ‘join me’ and the phrase “follow me.” By changing just one word in that phrase, you dramatically change the meaning of the phrase. Asking someone to follow you sounds incredibly arrogant! It suggests you are referring to your readers as if they are fans.
Pop stars, movie stars and professional sportspeople have followers / fans – not people like you and me.
We have friends and contacts. People don’t follow us, they join us.
I really never thought of that. That just made me change my “Follow me” to Join Me” on my blog Twitter links. Great post.
It IS very subtle, but very, very compelling. Marketing is all about getting inside the human mind.
Hello Joni,
You made a very good point with your comment. It inspired me to post on a Sunday!!
Thanks!
Hello Jeff,
Glad to be of help!
By the way, I would have replied to your comment earlier, but I’ve been reading your website / blog at http://www.weatherzine.net/blog/
Hi Jim,
Excellent post. Thinking about this, it does make perfect sense. No more “follow me.”
Mario
Mario,
This is just one small example of what happens when people refuse to have their websites / marketing material written by a marketing professional.
A professional copy writer can very quickly increase the success of most sites by hundreds of percent – By re-writing the copy.
Hardly any sites are professionally copy written, losing the site owners an absolute fortune.
Why are people so stupid?
If a site is copy written by the owner and not a pro copywriter they will never convert visitors into clients or customers they way they could.
It’s costing these guys a fortune. Do they think they are being smart by screwing it up for free by doint it themselves or something?
Sheeesh!!
Eddie,
Thanks for the comment.
No, I think people are just unaware that they are seriously limiting their chances of success, by relying on non-compelling copy writing to sell and market their services.
I agree. I have a Facebook page I started and using the word “join” instead of “become a fan” makes a big difference…even if in my case I am an artist so the word “fan” is more acceptable than in other industries…I prefer the word join. Thanks for the article.
Great post, Jim. So simple, but so effective. Just changed my ‘follow me’ button on my home page as a result! Thanks for sharing your expertise.
One small gesture makes a big difference.
Word crafting is a great art.
Thanks!
[...] have had many blog comments, tweets and emails from people, simply because I ask people to join me on Twitter – not follow me on Twitter. In my opinion, the idea of social media rockstars is not only wrong, it makes me [...]