What would email look like if it were invented today? That was the question that Lars and Jens Rasmussen asked themselves and the answer they came up with is Google Wave. I love this question; and I think it is exactly the right question that everyone should be asking about their current products.
Google Wave is a new tool for communication and collaboration on the web and will be available later this year. Watch the demo video below to see this product in action. What I find the most interesting is the approach that was taken to design it. Let me ask you, “What would your products or services look like if you invented them today?” I’d like to encourage you to get rid of the decades and burden of old thinking and view the old in a new light. Would your stuff be exactly the same? I hope not.
Are you happy with your current business situation? In today’s economy, the only thing that’s going to change your situation is changing the way things are done. This is hard for a lot of businesses. They are so used to doing the status quo, that transformational change seems out of the question. They do what they are used to because it is easier. Explaining what you’ve always done to employees or even bosses is easier than trying to explain a new process or method. It is easier to do the same thing that everyone else is doing in the industry than to take a risk and do something different. It is easier to try and make small incremental changes than to transform the way you do things.
The problem is, if you don’t, you will find yourself on a slippery slope, headed in the wrong direction.
Now is the time to transform your marketing or salesforce. Start looking for the better way not the easy way.
It may be coming to a city near you but hopefully not. Listening to the radio in the car this morning, I heard that this weekend is the World Naked Bike Ride to protest high oil prices worldwide. Now to be honest I wasn’t seeing the connection between nude cycling and high oil prices. I would think cyclists as a group wouldn’t mind high oil prices as it might help their cause of getting more people using environmentally friendly transportation. So I googled it. Couple things I noticed… the website for the ride gives you potpourri of environmental causes; some related to each other, some not. Google also uncovered a bunch of media surrounding the event. A sampling of the media shows that the media is as confused about the reason for the event as some of the organizers.
Just because you can attract attention doesn’t mean it will help you reach your goals. I can attract hundreds even thousands of people with a dancing ape on the roof of my house but if the goal is to sell the house it is not likely to get me a sale.
After a number of web sites I finally found the main purpose of the Naked Bike Ride. It is to protest the use of cars in cities.
Goes to show you that getting your pants caught in the chain was nothing compared the possible consequences of this ride.
Nice to see that breaking news such as this has a place in the media.
NEW YORK—In response to flagging sales and plummeting prices, the American Chives Council launched a last-ditch advertising campaign Monday urging consumers to increase their daily chive intake by 12,000 percent. “There’s nothing like a hearty, fragrant helping of chives to jump-start your day,” celebrity spokeswoman Jessica Alba says in one of the new “Big Bowl o’ Chives in the Mornin’” commercials, which feature the actress smiling broadly with chives stuck in her teeth. “But that doesn’t mean eating a big bowl of chives is just for breakfast. The American Chives Council recommends three heaping servings a day. The bigger the better. Get some chives in ya!” Despite the push, analysts predict that the chive industry will continue to struggle, citing the ongoing repercussions of the ACC’s ill-fated 2005 split with the American Sour Cream Association.
I am not sure what my favorite part is? The fact that they have Jessica Alba as their spokesperson (most have been a lot of zeros in that cheque) or the the ill-fated split with the American Sour Cream Association.
I am waiting for the big news of World Peace or Whirled Peas. The campaign might not work but it sure gave me a laugh.
Those in search of a whiter and brighter smile have a new option: a trip to the mall. Am I the only one who doesn’t get this? While in Texas we saw kiosks in three different malls offering whiter teeth in just 20 minutes with bleaching treatments on the spot. I only saw one person getting their teeth done. It was quite a sight as shoppers stopped to watch this spectacle. It was as if they were watching a street performer or a magician…waiting to see what the outcome would be. Not exactly for the shy. Maybe they, like me, were shocked to see someone actually paying money to have his teeth worked on in the middle of the mall.
Stores selling a whiter smile have state regulators across the country grappling with the question of what constitutes dentistry. Dentists have raised concerns, urging those longing for a gleaming grin to visit the dentist, not the mall. Unique? Yes. Good business model? Not a chance.
I recently returned from a business trip in Texas. While there, my wife and I took a three day excursion to San Antonio. On the drive from Houston to San Antonio, we began to see interesting billboards for a gas station / convenience store called Buc-ee’s. The billboards started about 80 miles away and every 5 or 6 miles would appear with humorous sayings to pique your interest. We needed gas, so decided to stop and experience Buc-ee’s.
I can honestly say that Buc-ee’s should be the standard by which all gas station convenience stores should be measured. The cleanliness was one of the first things we noticed. The enormous bathrooms were extremely clean and nicely decorated; and the fact that they were decorated at all is noteworthy. (This was particularly impressive to my wife, a self-proclaimed germ-o-phobe.) There were plenty of cash register lines open. The clerks were not multi-tasking while customers waiting to be served. The customer came first. Buc-ee’s also has a large selection of Buc-ee’s branded merchandise for sale. (Although I passed on the Buc-ee’s beaver boxer shorts, we did pick up a fridge magnet.) They did have food available, but we are not talking about pre-packaged-gas-station-food. There was a fresh food counter with staff preparing made to order food.
Buc-ee’s strives to be excellent and to separate themselves from other gas station convenience stores. Do a google search on Buc-ee’s and you will find scores of compliments from people who have visited one of their 21 locations in Texas.
Our English language is full of metaphors. When used appropriately a metaphor can be effective in making a point. What I find amusing is that some metaphors are based on completely false information. The widely used metaphor that comes to mind for this blog topic is of someone “hiding their head in the sand, like an ostrich.” It is used to refer to a person, business, group, organization that is foolishly avoiding facing up to the truth of a situation and not wanting to see the facts or pretending that something isn’t really happening.
Now an ostrich does a great number of things, but hiding its head in the sand isn’t one of them. Unfortunately many businesses do. In our blog post dated April 4th, I made reference to Eli’s Cheesecake in Chicago. Much to my surprise, we received a comment on this blog from Marc Schulman, President of The Eli’s Cheesecake Company thanking us for the compliment. I was impressed and feel we could learn a lesson from Mr. Schulman. I am sure he is a busy man, yet he is obviously taking time to scout cyberspace looking for what people are saying about his company and their product.
I have worked with companies in the past that have made major strategic decisions based upon what they think the perception of their products are in their marketplace, without doing the roll-up-your-sleeves work of finding out if what the company thinks is true, is really true. Over time, a disconnect can occur between corporate beliefs about a product and the market’s belief. And guess what? It is what the MARKET believes your product to be, that you really are.
Staying in touch with what customers, cyberspace, suppliers and media have to say about your product is vital. Major strategic decisions should not be made in isolation without knowing what those who use your product believe.
If your organization needs help in gaining a unique perspective on your business, give us a call! At the very least, take lesson from Mr. Schulman on keeping your head out of the sand!
While working in Newport Beach California, I came across a sports radio show called “The Jungle” hosted by Jim Rome. I loved the show, and one of the perks to my time in California for business was the opportunity to tune in. I now have an annual subscription to download the show daily via the internet. ”The Jungle” has a very loyal, almost cult-following base of listeners. It is funny, relevant, interesting and audience-interactive. In spite of these great things, the show has trouble getting ratings in new markets. This limits the number of radio stations that carry the show.
The reason for this is simple. The show is built for insiders. If you tune into the show for the very first time, you would have a tough time following the caller conversations and much of Jim’s jargon. It is only after you have been listening for a while does the show get really funny. As you learn the “inside jokes,” as you learn the references to past shows and guests, as you learn the lingo for the call-in listeners, the show becomes hilarious.
The problem is, new listeners don’t get the show right off the bat and are not willing to put in the time so they tune out.
This is not a problem just isolated to this radio show. I see it almost everyday with different kinds of businesses. Businesses assume that the customer has as much knowledge as they do. They assume you understand the industry-specific jargon, acronyms or nuances. Where this can do some damage is that the prospect might not understand what you are talking about, might never ask for clarification, and will simply “tune out.”
Selling opportunities are squandered because you have gotten too granular with your information too soon. The Information put out from your organization must correspond to where your prospects are at in the sales cycle. Too little or too much information at the wrong time can slow down, or worse END, your sales cycle with out the intended result.
Your prospect in all likelihood is not going to stick around until they “get it.” They will buy from someone who can give them the needed information at the appropriate time. If your sales people need help in identifying customer’s buying process and the steps involved OR if you need help identifying what information is appropriate when, give us a call. This is what we do!
I first experienced Eli’s Cheesecake at the Taste of Chicago, some-odd years ago. My wife is from Chicago and if you ever get the chance to attend a “Taste,” I highly recommend it. And don’t forget the cheesecake. It’s pretty darn GOOD!
I recently learned of an entrepreneurial young woman who is using cheesecake in a unique way. Lisa Adrianne is a 22-year old recording artist from British Columbia. 2 years ago this month Lisa lost her mom to cancer. As a talented songwriter and singer, it is no surprise that music has played a big role in her grieving and emotional healing. Lisa and her friend Debbie Fortnum are now using music, and cheesecake, to bring hope and inspiration to others who are in the fight against cancer. They offer families a fundraising opportunity to host a Cheesecake Concert. They provide help with the marketing materials and provide the program for the evening, with proceeds benefitting the family. The desire to use their musical gifts to help others is inspiring.
We all have something that we have been given that can be used to help encourage others. Organizations that give back to their communities in selfless ways, simply because they can are unique in our “what’s in it for me” culture. Consider the ways that you currently ‘give back.’ Look for places where you can give where others may not be able to. This can go a long way to helping you stand out in your industry.
When I was in my early 20’s I played professional squash. I wasn’t half bad and managed to win a few tournaments. One of my favorite tournament prizes was a convertible Dodge Dakota pick up truck. It was a great truck. In the years that have passed since, I have held a special place in my heart for great old trucks.
Over the past couple of months I have decided it’s time – I’ve been keeping my eyes open for an old truck that I could pick up and with a little TLC, make into a GREAT old truck. Last week, I found it. The picture on the internet showed a black Chevy Blazer looking truck with a removable fiberglass roof. It is in solid shape and has all of the right new enough parts to make the purchase a decent deal. It is also nearly 30 years old.
After we exchanged cash-for-truck, I brought it home and my wife and I had fun checking it out in greater detail. One thing we found – my new truck isn’t a Chevy Blazer at all. It actually is pieced together with parts from all different makes and models. It has a GMC rear on it, Silverado side panels, the front end off of a 1986 Suburban, and who knows what else. The hood ornament has a logo of a “W” that I’ve never even seen before. We’ve decided it stands for “What Is This Truck?”
Here’s the message, this is OKAY for a great old truck – NOT OKAY for a company. If your company, or business, or even the message of what you do seems to be picking up so many extra parts that you can’t succinctly say “This is what we are” then my friend, you are in for trouble. Your customers should be able to look at a glance and say, “They do this.” You don’t want to wake up one day and find a weird hood ornament on your company brochure and wonder where it came from.
