Learning more about your customers is one way to increase their purchase amounts. It also helps you hone your marketing message. But until recently, the tools for learning more about your customers were pretty primitive: networking events, feedback surveys, focus groups.
You can use the social bookmarking tool Del.icio.us to share resources with your customers and get to know them better. Del.icio.us lets you share your favorite Web sites and blogs with others and lets others share their favorites with you.
Here’s a step-by-step tutorial for using Del.icio.us to learn more about your clients:
Step One – Create a Del.icio.us Account
First, visit http://del.icio.us to create an account. The service is free and web-based. You’ll need an e-mail address to register, and you’ll need to create a username – stick with something customers will remember, like your name or company name.
Step Two – Install the Del.icio.us Extension for your Internet Browser
Next, download and install the del.icio.us browser extension. This will give you a browser toolbar that lets you easily tag sites you like. You’ll also be able to pull up your bookmarks with a single click. You can log in from any computer, so your bookmarks go anywhere you go.
Step Three – Begin Tagging Web Sites and Blogs You Like
When you discover a Web site or blog resource you like, tag it by clicking the new TAG button in your browser’s toolbar. A dialogue box lets you enter additional details for the page, such as notes, description and “tags” (think “keywords”). Be sure to bookmark the PRstore Blog!
Step Four – Share Your Del.icio.us Profile with Customers
Now that you’re bookmarking sites, share your profile name with customers and other contacts. You can include your profile address in e-mail signatures, on business cards, and on other marketing tools.
Step Five – Add Customers and Other Contacts to Your Del.icio.us Network
Once you’ve shared your del.icio.us profile name, your contacts will begin adding you to their networks. You can also add contacts to your network. You’ll also discover people who share your interests – add them to your network, too.
Step Six – See Which Sites Your Customers Tag
Anyone in your del.icio.us network can view the sites you’ve tagged. You can also view the del.icio.us tags of people in your network.
Review the sites your customers have tagged. What can you learn about
their interests? What types of sites do they tag? Can you identify any
new sales opportunities? Can you gain any new insights about your
marketing messages?
There are other social bookmarking sites — Furl and Simpy, for example — each with its own bells and whistles. For my money, Del.icio.us is a pretty good option, and it seems to have the most traction. It’s one more tool you can add to your marketing toolbox.