Question

Topic: Our Forum

Attracting More Questions To Know-how Exchange

Posted by Valerie Witt on 2/3/2004 at 12:22 AM ET 325 Points
Hi all! Today, I have a question for you. Now that we've got most of the kinks out of the Exchange, I'm working with Allen (our publisher) on a marketing campaign to draw more questions to the forum. The way I see it, we've got answers handled, hands down! We've got some of the best minds in the business here sharing ideas. But we haven't yet announced that to the outside world. I think it's time!

Here are a few guidelines:

OBJECTIVE: What we want now is lots of corporate folks and entrepreneurs with marketing dilemmas to think of us as a regular resource. We want to see dozens of new questions posted daily.

BUDGET: We are a (very) small business. To be doable, these need to be low-cost guerrilla marketing efforts ... things we can do on a regular basis going forward. (Think 100s rather than 1000s of dollars.)

OTHER RESOURCES: We are energetic and technically savvy ... so creative implementations requiring e-skills are not a problem for us.

USABILITY HURDLES: As you know, we're only 3 weeks old. So there may still be some usabilty issues blocking/frustrating new users (specifically Question Askers). If so, it would be great to understand that.

ASKERS VS. ANSWERERS: For the purposes of this question, I'm just looking for ideas about drawing in more questions ... nothing more. (We'll be offering a survey soon to gather feedback on other subjects.)

I would love to hear your suggestions. Thanks so much for your time and participation in the community!

Val (Moderator)
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RESPONSES

  • Posted by Blaine Wilkerson on 2/3/2004 at 12:51 AM Accepted
    Well, as you stated, you are not in short supply of people who are willing to answer questions.

    Given this fact, one method you can utilize to attract more questions is a series of banner links for the users to choose from to post on their marketing website. I would advise utilizing a title or credential of some sort (i.e. "Top Expert", "Premier Advisor", etc) attached to the banners in order to give the banners a perceived value to the members. Visitors to their sites will see this as a kind of "quality seal" and perhaps help validify the members site.

    Also, I would suggest providing an article search box or even an "ASK AN EXPERT" box that can be embedded into the code of Premier member sites. Some members may fear competition by leading clients to ask advice from some other marketer, but others may view it as a useful tool to provide their visitors.

    Larry Chase has already recognized you guys and has you listed in some of his search engine catagories. Perhaps you can contact him to annouce your new "Ask an expert" tool! Provide the code AFTER someone becomes a member...killing two birds with one stone.

    Not only is this free, but very viable!

    Larry chase is not the only resource. Make annoucements to the editors of Entrepreneur.com, Promomagazine.com and the like as well.

    You may even want to investigate a listing on download.com, a site where tons of "free" software is downloaded by all walks of life. Develop a downloadable question box that autoprompts the user to click to your site to register before they can use the box.

    Of course, there is the ever so popular email newsletter campaign. "Pepper Blue", a current expert, specializes in that niche. You may want to contact him for some advice!

    Regarding the the usability issues, who has to know? The current experts and the points they have earned are good indicators of action.

    If I think of more...which I probably will..LOL...I'l post again!
  • Posted by ReadCopy on 2/3/2004 at 2:34 AM Accepted
    MARKETING KNOW-HOW:
    Remember you also have a great network here. If you come up with somenice email copy (and I am sure you can), then have a "TELL A FRIEND" link within here, we can add our contacts to your prospect list.

    PROBLEMS:
    You have solved the ones I had.
    This is just a great place to give out advice, and many Anwerers on here think so too, its great to see people still answering questions then points have already been awarded, or the likelyhood or where there are no points on offer.

    Keep up the great work.
  • Posted by ReadCopy on 2/3/2004 at 2:45 AM Member
    BTW, this may be a nail in my own coffin, but I wondered what other experts thought ..... I answer many questions, I would probably agree to being a "Jack of all trades master of none", I can't help wondering if part of the Expert Ranking should be based on "percentage of acceted answers".
    I know we have some incredible talented 'basking sharks' out there who do not answer every question, but just waits for their moment to strike, provide a brilliant answer that gets accepted.

    Also, it would be nice for everyone to know what sort of questions we are all expert in (i.e. an I getting accepted for more branding, metric or strategy questions! Might be nice and useful to know).
  • Posted on 2/3/2004 at 6:53 AM Accepted
    Hi Val,
    I'm not a numbers gal (marketing research--yuck); I'm a feelings gal (what gal isn't?). I always try to look at the question as though I were the consumer. And in this case, I AM the consumer. Now, how did I find your site? Pure chance--one of my off days, trying to find some obscure fact on the internet, et voilà: the Know How Exchange. C'est super.

    Now, everyone else who has any semblance of a forum will try to copy your format. You need to be the first mover. Like lightning.

    This means attacking marketing gurus (or those who would like to be marketing gurus) and allowing them to join THE marketing community. Who to tackle? MBA programs, the AMA, etc. And of course, your existing network is all you need. We all know someone (who knows someone, who in turn probably knows that guy from Footloose) so we can get you those question askers in no time. You can start by giving us an email, and we'll send it out. But most of all, give us a reward for getting you some question askers.

    Also, draw up a nice little press release and those of us in touch with some writers can send it out for you.

    Never underestimate the power of a happy customer.

    Ciao,
    Ricky
  • Posted by Blaine Wilkerson on 2/3/2004 at 7:28 AM Member
    Andrew,

    First of all, % of accepted answers is irrelevent. Rewarding a group of experts willing to to take the time to answer a lot of questions, knowing they probably will not ALWAYS get the points, is more valuable than having a few "sharks" lurking around ignoring people until they find a question "worthy" of their time. Plus, not all accepted answers are neccesarily the best ones. Many people go back and review all the answers for reasearch, new ideas, etc.

    What's the use of seeking out more question askers if the only "top experts", awarded by their ratio as you suggest, are asleep most of the time and snobbish about replying? Not only would that make the asker feel like they said something stupid (because none of the top "ratio" guys hardly ever respond), it would destroy the competetive nature of a point awarding system.

    Not to menton the math. Think about it...how many members out there have only answered one question and had one accepted answer? (or two or three as well...don't want to leave them out...LOL) Probably a lot. Going by the ratio system, we would have a hundred or so Top Experts tied for first place who are...well...either hardly ever here or just happened to drop in to check it out. It would destroy the integrity and activity in the forum.

    Personally, if I answer more questions and have more questions answered than any other user, yet I am ranked #37 because of my Q:A ratio, then I will be less likely to participate. This is a business site, and even though it is fun, I do not participate as a hobby, I do so to not only help enhance my skills and "know-how", but to gain recognition for my time and efforts (which is how the point system is currently structured) to show my current and potential clients as added "credentialing".

    Plus, restricting/stating a member as an expert in only one field may delineate his/her reponses to questions outside the field they have been "locked" into ( in the eyes of the askers).

    Currently, I have acquired one client directly from the forum who liked my answer so well he not only emailed me, but called my home number in effort to offer me a contract! In addition, I have acquired 3 additional clients in the last 2 weeks since I started mentioning my participation and status here in the forum and referring them to my profile.

    No offense, Andrew. I hold you in high esteem as a valuable member and a challenging "competitor", but as my tone suggested...I strongly and respectfully disagree with your suggestions on reformating the piont system.
  • Posted by ReadCopy on 2/3/2004 at 9:01 AM Member
    Jeff (Blaine), as you get to know me better, you will know that I rarely take offence to anything :-)

    And what I was suggesting is that only "[part] of the Expert Rankings hould be based on percentage of accepted answers" (it shouldn't altered the score greatly).

    I absolutely agree that if you start to remove the value of people that take the time and effort to comment on peoples problems, then there would be less of us, and that wouldn't be a good thing, but I still think that there is a place in the Expert Ranking for % of accepted answers no matter how small.
    But thinking it through, a major spanner in the works is the number of people who do ask questions then never release the points !!! (now that is annoying when some of us spend ages formulating answers for them)


  • Posted on 2/3/2004 at 9:40 AM Accepted

    We've got a great network here... and many *write* online - that makes them different from the majority of folk online, who just read.

    So give the writers something to work with...one of Kevin Kelley's core principles (Wired mag, August '97) was
    - feed the network -

    so for example,
    give experts who have had an answer accepted a 'latest question on ea' banner box, changing to show the latest question...
    If the banner design said/implied: 'I'm a trusted marketingprofs ea expert' I'll bet a lot of us would use it to validate our expertise.

    or

    are you up for an rss feed?
    perhaps offering a daily Q&A from the ea?


    I'll bet a good number work for themselves, & run blogs or websites that could take it.

    hth

    Will Rowan
  • Posted on 2/3/2004 at 6:45 PM Accepted
    Val:

    This may go against the spirit of the expert award system, but it might be nice if THE KNOW HOW, as big brother, rewarded posters -- not just panelists -- from time to time based on truly exceptional answers.

    I would think it was pretty cool if one of my responses to a poster's dilemma earned recognition in a newsletter or even just in an e-mail. Something for my 'glory file' perhaps? I'll take any ammunition that I can get in my battle to make marketing matter to my CEO ... And I'm guessing I'm not the only one.

    Thanks!
  • Posted by tjh on 2/4/2004 at 2:27 PM Accepted
    Just streaming some thoughts...

    1. Affiliate links already mentioned, excellent. I'd work on those intently for a while. Let the site build before any full-throttle promotions. Are you ready for over-limit bandwidth fees? Will you quickly need additional (volunteer?) moderators?

    2. This crew will generate word of mouth enough for the next few months (2 - 3).

    3. The high-level talent answering Q's is wonderful, vitally needed, and will help to educate less able marketers and business operators. It's an "insider's" view most never get to see. Wonderful attraction to the site. And if less well-known marketers are never castigated for their answers in counter-posts, their continuing involvement will be needed.

    4. A judicious mention in a couple of marketing newsletters wouldn't hurt - but I'd hold back on broad public promotions for a bit.

    5. There are wonderful word-of-mouth, and viral opportunites with this site - especially if it maintains the professional responses it has shown so far. I suppose I'd be interested in helping/letting these forces work for a while.

    6. Send marketing newsletter publishers an email with their already created account, with a temporary password, inviting them to read and post - maybe they'll mention it in their pubs later...

    7. Same with columnists in Business 2.0, Inc., etc...

    8. When someone asks a question, and posts a Thank You in the thread, ask them if you can excerpt it in your newsletter and home page...

    9. Small crowds make big crowds, so maybe publish in your own publications, numbers of questions and answers recently, a short sample list of questions, maybe an answer excerpt. Maybe success stories from question-askers, and stories from answerers - why do they like posting answers?

    10. Write a script that automatically puts a few most recently asked questions on the home page.

    Then, after the guerilla elements are biting, and you're confident of your technology, bandwidth/code/site loads, adequate moderator control, etc., branch out into much larger thinking.

    znetlady posted this:
    "Secondly, I believe the name does not speak instantly to what the resource actually is. Know-How Exchange may sound more like a community bulletin board to many. You may want to consider something in-your-face like Ask Our Marketing Experts. Yes, not very cute, but perhaps more effective?"

    Frankly, I like the "community bulletin-board" concept. Feels friendly, approachable, needed attributes, especially in the beginning. But promoting the expertise is also desirable.

    ---
    I've wished I could edit a post after posting...
  • Posted by Valerie Witt on 2/4/2004 at 5:01 PM Author
    Just a quick note to say, YOU ARE PHENOMENAL! Thanks so much for all your ideas! I'm running an RSS feed, so I know almost instantly when someone posts something new. I have lots of comments to make and questions to answer here in this thread. But I need a big block of time to do it ... and I'm on deadline with a couple of hot projects at the moment. But I will post again late tonight or early tomorrow. In the meantime, thanks for your time & energy around this question!

    Best,

    Val
  • Posted by Valerie Witt on 2/6/2004 at 4:39 AM Author
    Hi all! I've just spent the last 2 hours digesting your messages. I had read them all before, so I knew they were good. But BOY are they good! I'm truly proud to be part of such a bright and thoughtful group.

    I made a list of every idea. I grouped together like suggestions. And then I set aside (for later) the ones about Answerers and Students. I'm very interested in both of these groups. But as Sarah H mentioned, I need to segment and focus. We concentrated on Answerers as we designed the system. Since then we've gathered more fun ideas for that audience (a list made longer by your ideas above). And, as an MBA student, I'm certainly interested in the academic community. So I'm thrilled when these folks show up, but for now, the core group I need to be targeting is the corporate & entrepreneurial Askers.

    And here's why. This forum needs a revenue stream to support it. As I explained in bbee's thread (see link below), MPs plans to roll out a premium level of membership in the near future. This will not impact anyone who wants to continue using KHE as you have been. It will just provide Askers who have run out of points the opportunity to buy more (instead of spending time trying to earn them through Accepted Answers).

    See bbee's thread, if you're curious:
    https://www.marketingprofs.com/ea/qst_question.asp?qstID=202

    So, it makes sense to focus on Askers for the next few weeks. Then, when we have some momentum going, we can shift our attention elsewhere. (Not to mention the side benefit for the Answerers of finding better qualified potential clients here, the more corporate people we can attract.)

    I'll paste my great-big list below ... so you can see what I heard you say. Tomorrow morning I have a meeting with Allen (publisher), and I'll be sharing the ideas with him. We'll discuss and prioritize. I'll post again to let you know what's in the works for starters.

    Again, thanks for all your wonderful suggestions! I know how busy you are. Your time means a lot to me.

    Happy exchanging,
    Val

    USE OUR OWN SITE, MEMBER LIST & PARTNERS MORE
    Promote KHE next to article search results (perhaps integrate?)
    Embed a question form in our email newsletter or special email broadcast
    Add a question teaser to the story list on the homepage (or list recent ques.)
    Gather testimonials from happy Askers; publish success stories
    Ask Askers if we can excerpt their question for newsletter & homepage
    Include question teasers in ads … regular banners are less effective
    The image banner on the homepage is “invisible”
    The name doesn’t communicate what it is (Ask Our Marketing Experts)
    Email our competitors/partners and ask them to promote KHE
    Focus on our current members/traffic before new members

    CREATE WAYS MEMBERS CAN INVITE OTHERS
    “Top Expert” icons that members can use as banner links on their own sites
    Banner for members’ sites with link to their latest Accepted Answers
    “Ask an Expert” question box that members can add to their own sites
    Article search box that members can add to their own sites
    “Tell a Friend” link with promo copy that members can trigger to friends
    Write an email that members can distribute
    Offer an RSS Feed to members with blogs and sites
    Ask members to tap personal networks: MBA programs, AMA, etc.
    Offer a reward for members referring friends who ask ques.
    Create ways to make it easy for members to invite their friends
    This crew will generate enough word of mouth for the next 2-3 months
    Encourage viral marketing

    EXTERNAL PROMO CAMPAIGNS
    Ask Larry Chase to plug the “Ask an Expert” box
    Send press releases to writers, editors, sites, pubs, clubs, enews
    Offer a downloadable tool on download.com (a question box)
    Email newsletter campaign
    Banners on search engines / marketing websites
    Market to BPO offices (business process optimization?)
    Offer closed questions as syndicated content to business sites
    Swap (or buy) ads or links with key marketing groups
    Create banner ads teasing specific ques. in the forum (link to ques.)
    Concentrate on showing up in the top 20 for Google (meta tags & titles)
    Use Google’s top 20 as a list of potential partners
    Focus on SEO (search engine optimization?); don’t skimp; get external expert
    Affiliate links program (for points rather than $$)
    Send publishers / columnists an email with a pre-registered account

    FUNCTIONALITY / USABILITY / MISC.
    Create a beginner level board for people with more basic questions
    QC measure: have Askers score every answer for usefulness
    Clarify the points thing for corp. people, so they know they won’t run out
    Corporate people don’t care about earning status; they have a burning ques.
    Points & procedures are too complicated; make it easier for the Asker
    Make it harder for people to get in … require qualification
    Consider segmenting Askers … what kind do we want?
    Let the site build before full-throttle promo (bandwidth? staffing?)
    Study expert.com and others with a similar model
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