Former CNN anchor Daryn Kagan has been busy building up a Web site centered inspirational stories, which she started after being told by CNN in January of 2006 they wouldn't be renewing her contract.
We talked about it here last year, and you can refresh your memory on what she's doing overall with the site and what motivated her.
This time around I want to mention a smart thing she's done to help interview subjects develop video content for her.
Since those willing to be interviewed for her are busy people, and are doing her a favor, she's returning it by wisely providing them a short list of instruction on how to do the interview with their own equipment. Kagan simplifies it so even the most technology-adverse people can take a couple steps and get the interview rolling for her.
While this sounds very obvious, most online marketers don't think in these terms. Everything online has to be minimalized, even when targeting a niche. So to provide extremely simple instructions for those providing her valuable content is not only the least she can do, but will land her more video interviews, just because those being interviewed are having the barriers to the interview removed.
If someone thinks something is too complicated, they almost always will pass on something, even it they may want to do it.
This is a good reminder to online marketers to always simplify and minimalize what needs to be done by people interacting with you or your product. Don't underestmate the importance of this in growing your online business.
The only caveat to this is if your core customer base is a highly technological group who expect much more depth in the field. Otherwise the rule of simplification applies to any other category of customer.
Another lesson from Kagan is in how she describes her web site: "I don't have a Web site. I have a media company." Think that way and you'll understand where the future of media lies.
New Book
Kagan also just released a book called "What's Possible," which includes 50 inspirational stories of people that overcome a number of obstacles to reach their dreams.
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