RSS stands for Really Simple Syndication. The Wikipedia definition is here. An RSS feed allows a person to “pull” content of their choice to their computer (unlike email being “pushed” to your account). You can “subscribe” to the news sites, newsletters, blogs, and podcasts that you want delivered to you and control the flow of info. When something new becomes published, it is delivered directly to your computer. There are thousands of blogs, info sites, or entertainment sites that continuously create great content on almost any topic you can think of. The content can be text, audio, or even video.

When you subscribe to a RSS feed, you receive only the information you want. Usually, a “feed reader” or “Feed aggregator” must be installed to subscribe to the content. Go ahead and Google “feed aggregator” there is a lot to choose from. Oh, yeah, they’re free.

“How does RSS change my business?”
Here’s one big one. Your customers can easily accumulate shopping info and prices and availability of items or services that they’re looking for on the internet. You want to be involved in that shopping activity don’t you? You want it to be easy for your customers to be reminded of your presence and aware of your new items, new services, and your special offers. Your business should be set up to deliver useful information that your customers would want to receive along with those special offers. “Useful information” can be seasonal tips, industry news, event news, new products, new uses for your products and so on. Each delivery of that information is your billboard directly on your customers computer screen. Be smart and make your delivered info something that your customers will want to pass on to friends and family.

To sum up…
When you offer and deliver an RSS feed to your customers, you stand out as a useful and informative business that cares about them. It’s a personal message served directly to your customers. They’re easy to set up and delivery is automated. You should offer the RSS feed on your website and tell your customers about it through email and/or in-store info, (flyers at check out…) If your business has a blog (as it should) a new entry can be delivered to your customers by making an entry to your blog. When you get up to speed and use powerful, available tools, like RSS, you’ll serve your existing customers better, create new customers, and see a payoff in the bottom line.

*Warning* Utterly shameless plug ahead…
I can help you market better and make more money by coaching and showing you how to implement cool web stuff that creates more business. Is this something that you might be interested in? If so, call or send me an email.

Next time we meet here…Social Networking!