If you like new toys and notoriety, I may have something to satisfy your techno fathead and bring in a link or twenty.
I came across a social media service today called SayNow; they give away free telephone numbers people can call to hear personalized recorded messages from their favorite celebrities.
Once they’ve heard the message fans can leave a note for the celebrity and the celebrity can either answer personally or broadcast to his/her “followers”. Right now the service is entertainment and athlete dominated but that’s changing as anyone can sign up for a number and start calling. SayNow allows you to make your calls public or private, integrate with Twitter, Facebook and MySpace and send out mp3, photos or text messages. With over 10 million registered users, SayNow has some impressive numbers if you consider they had five million in November 2008.
My linkey senses went all tingly as I started thinking about how I could use this tool to deliver a targeted message and drive links naturally. I came up with two ideas to start:
1. Since the tool is integrated with Twitter and Facebook, tweet your SayNow telephone number and encourage your followers to call in. Create a welcome message and include
an incentive redeemable at your site
a retweet request of your SayNow account and most importantly
a request to link to your site.
2. I’d also recommend you:
write a press release announcing your SayNow telephone number, include info on the incentive program
email the press release to current customer and vendor list as well as your association and Chamber memberships
issue release through service such as PRWeb
highlight being an early adopter of the concept (make yourself look smart!)
encourage people to “fan” your SayNow account to receive automated updates
If you sell to the teen market, this might be a service to try since teens are known to be into cell phones. From the NYTimes:
But studios and stars are turning more heavily to the phone as a marketing tool as new services like SayNow pop up; cellphones become more ubiquitous; and evidence grows that their most crucial customers — teenagers — are not all that enamored with the likes of Twitter. A voice message is more intimate and authentic than a status update.
And even if you don’t, marketing your SayNow telephone number to your customers, your Twitter followers and your Association can put any future link building promotions squarely in their hand-held telephones 
Hey it’s free, what do you have to lose?
I stumbled across this webpage by searching Google. I have found it quite interesting. Thanks for providing this. I will definitely come back here again!
Sounds like an interesting service – and great recommendations about how to leverage it. Also, thanks for the mention of PRWeb!
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@Andre With the attention on mobile and so many people with phones, this is a good way to capture even more attention with your brand.
@Terry The ‘meet and greet’ is a great idea, thanks for adding that. Just seems to me this is really no different than a blog or email blast in you’re providing another touch point for people to interact with your brand.
And did I mention it was free?
Debra, nice outline of the potential. I’d add that with smartphones you’ve removed the need for email… redeemable offers and downloads could be done right from the device. Also it’s a rockin way to greet new followers.
There are still some great vanity url’s available too
saynow.com/forex for example
Thanks for sharing, Debra.
I like the concept, it just feels that it is moving backwards in the technological landscape. Why would I call when I could email?