Skedaddle On Over to Squidoo

"Skedaddle?"

"Yeah, skedaddle... as in hurry up, get over there and get your Squidoo on. You know, that networking website where you can create a marketing "lens" to tell everybody about your business or services."

Anyone can set up a marketing tool whether it be a website, blog, Squidoo lens, ning, or other social networking sites like facebook or MySpace. The optimum networking is how the owner/administrator of that page "networks" to get optimum views from the intended audience. Your goal is to get your internet presence viewed by buyers instead of just attracting other sellers. While sellers are buyers, there is a limit to how much sellers will buy from each other. So, you need to targe prospective new buyers instead of just sellers. Remember that while there are lots of sellers on Bonanzle, there are MILLIONS of potential buyers out there shopping via the Internet. 

What is Squidoo?

"Squidoo is the popular publishing platform and community that makes it easy for you to create "lenses" online. Lenses are pages, kind of like flyers or signposts or overiew articles, that gather everything you know about your topic of interest  - and snap it all into focus."  -- from Squidoo home page

Squidoo, owned by Seth Godin, a renowned SEO (search engine optimization) marketing expert, is viewed by millions of people per month.  There are about 900,000 "lenses" written by lensmasters on topics that range from homeopathic treatment of animals to shopping. And, while treating animals nicely is a great thing to do, we'll concern ourselves only with the shopping in this blog. (see HERE if you really, really want to learn about homepathic treatment of animals).

Choosing Squidoo can be a wise choice and learning how to use it takes time.  The question you should ask yourself is "how will people know I have a Squidoo lens?" This is where the "hard work" starts.  The process is a continuous one that requires regular networking and the updating of information.

If you think about our personal lives, how does our network of people grow? For example, you might  attend PTA meetings and meet other parents and teachers. Exchange of information is critical and you're probably there to learn, offer information, or perhaps find a reciprocal solution to your purpose in attending the meeting.  You might meet a parent that has a transportation problem getting their child home from soccer practice.  After talking for a while, they find out that they live near your neighborhood and their child plays on your child's team.  Or, a new acquaintaince now makes an offer to drop your child off at home after practice. As our networks in real life work, so does social networking on the web.

So, how does this social networking work for you?

Social networking is no different and as powerful as our daily networking with people.  We are exchanging information that allows someone to either read,  give out our link to another person, or move it ahead by sharing it via other social networking exchanges, Twitter, DIGG, StumbleUpon and many others.

A written page must move on the web to be effective.  If you write a page and expect people to find you, it is not going to happen. It is like publishing a book.  If you do not advertise your book, the likelihood of selling it is not very promising.  This is where the "real work" starts with social networking.

Writing a Squidoo lens for the first time, is unchartered territory. Do so with an open mind, and acknowledge that it is not going to be written and marketed in one day.  For those that say they are technically challenged, most networking sites like Squidoo have created user-friendly pages that move you easily through the process. It may take you a few hours, days or months, but the first step has to be a commitment to use it.  Working a new page is best done when taken in little bites. It may take you a while to become fluent in all that Squidoo offerrs, but the benefits are worth it.

What are the keys to successful networking on Squidoo?

•  Your topic is critical.  Decide what interests you and then move your selling subject into it. Like any story or information you wish to impart, the who, what, when and where are important.

•  Once you have written your Squidoo lens, remember that it's only the beginning!  It will require updating frequently and is wise to never bite off more than you can chew.

•  What do I do with this publication once finished?

The first key to networking is letting the people within the Squidoo network know you have a lens.  Reading is key to networking in Squidoo.  Reading others' lenses on different topics is pivotal.  If you like what you read and know someone else would, you likely will refer the link to someone else - or at least should.

Squidoo happens to be one of those sites where the author may allow comments from readers, be favorited, all you to join their fan club, roll the lens so that when you have a message you want all in your network to know, they are on the list/roll you have created.  There is a star system that allows you to give the author a "heads up" that you like their lens.  Merely going in to leave a comment without doing the rest shortchanges the full advantage you have with Squidoo.

By favoriting the lensmaker's topic and joining another's fan club, your picture and link appear on their lens.  A picture of yourself is wise.  It tends to lend more credibly that a "real" person exists.  As with all networking, posting in forums will have a similar effect as when we meet and deal with people in person.

There are thousands of Squidoo lenses to leave comments on, to favorite, or join their fan clubs on topics that interest you (and not just sellers or people that sell online). There are folks that may reciprocate and read your Squidoo lenses.  In turn, some will comment, favorite, lensroll, and join your fan club.  Many are not sellers, but rather are in the process of networking to build their own network related to topics near to their hearts.  They may be aspiring writers, have expertise in homeopathy, love horses, travel, or merely share family interests.

There's other fish in the sea beside Squid(oo)

To further your goals of moving your Squidoo lens outside of Squidoo's website, it is necessary to apply other networking systems such as Twitter, DIGG, StumbleUpon and others.  You need to sign up for those services.  When you do so, be sure to set up your profile page with those networking sites. Merely signing up for other networking systems is not fully effective unless people know your interests.  If it's searching for treasures, say so!  There are lots of treasure hunters out there.  Built into the Squidoo process is a direct application that allows you to go directly to twitter, DIGG, or Stumbleupon using your password.  Sites like this are especially nice because you can do it directlyfrom your lens.

Networking takes sustained time and effort.  Your network will not happen overnight.  Your effort may not be apparent for months or years, but once established it can be very effectively generate traffic for your buisness. Over  time, people get to know you and vice versa, and bring in new people to your network.  There are many Squidoo lensmasters to follow covering many topics and others that offer stellar marketing tips critical to selling.  As more people follow this growing web of people, you end up expanding your own networking because a new reader may click on your link, comment, roll your lens and become a fan.

Neworking helps build business

Blogs and other networking work the same.  Reading a blog,  following it, or moving it along with twitter, DIGG, or Stumbleupon may result in someone else doing the same for you.  Networking is about sharing, not just your own links, booth or store. It's about moving others with you.

Bonanzle is relatively new, and growing daily with sellers.  What is key to its continued growth is increasing the buyer base from the outside.   For a selling venue to flourish, word has to be spread which builds a strong foundation of shoppers. What you pay forward in an effort to promote Bonanzle outside of the site, will help bring buyers or merely the curious.  That may translate into new and repeat customers and sales for everyone.

Networking should be a twofold venture.  The first interest is generating interest and a bringing buyers to a selling venue, and leading them to your booth.  Many times, sales result from this joint effort makes it a win-win for all. With this in mind, consider that all efforts made by sellers to promote Bonanzle, produces dividends in Bonanzle's future.

Submitted by Virginia (cleosgreatdeals)

Edited by Tom

Don't forget to check out the other BOP articles at www.bonanzle.com/bop