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Bald is the New Black
2008-05-08 12:00:00 I was at Chapters a little while ago, and while browsing through one of the isles, when something struck me. There were two books, both bestsellers, both featuring bald heads on the cover. A coincidence maybe? At first I thought so but then I began to wonder if there was more it, if i was on to something? I took another look through the Amazon bestseller lists, and was able to come up with a few other books featuring bald authors on the cover. These books obviously do well as a result of the quality of thought and writing, but the pattern seems just too compelling to ignore. Some of the bestsellers I came across included: Jim Cramer’s Stay Mad Life Total Money Makeover - Financial Fitness Many of Seth Godin’s books (Permission Marketing, Unleashing the Idea Virus, All Marketers are Liars) Then I also came across an article in USA Today which indicated that a recent survey of CEOs found that being bald is a business advantage. “The CEOs felt that baldness conveyed... More About: Black
Marketing: So Easy A Monkey Could Do It
2008-04-24 11:30:00 Almost everybody thinks that marketing is easy, that just about anybody could be a marketeer if given the chance. People figure that because they spend a lot of time watching TV and scrutinizing ads in the subway that this gives them a qualified opinion on the subject. Unfortunately, not everyone can be a marketeer because having on opinion on marketing isn’t the same as marketing. Fundamentally, great marketing is about great storytelling. We’ve all had the experience of being enthralled by the power of a good storyteller, their ability to bring their subject to life and create an experience. Conversely, we’ve all also had the unfortunate experience of having to endure some really bad storytelling. The kind that a lot of the times begins with “So have you heard the one about…..”. More often than not, we are the victims of boredom inducing, daydream inspiring stories during which we retreat to our mental play-garden and indulge our fantasies of b... More About: Marketing , Monkey , Easy
The First Rule of Marketing is…
2008-04-23 11:30:00 Never talk about your product. Not ever, not even once. Talk around it, talk over it, talk under it but never talk about your product. Why not talk about your product? Simple. You’re too close to it. No one will believe you. So talk about what other people are saying, experiencing and sharing about your product instead. I’m not talking testimonials here either, I’m talking about real stories about real people with real experiences. Stories in their own voices. It’s what people say about a product that speaks, not the the product. More About: Marketing , Rule
The Canadian Design Resource
2008-03-28 13:00:00 I was recently looking for a bit of the history behind the Government of Ontario logo and in the process discovered a fabulous blog called “The Canadian Design Resource “. The site features logos, brands, and other elements of Canadian (often nostalgic) design and identifies the year/designer/company behind them when available. It also allows you to contribute your own commentary and help fill in the back story to each of the pieces. A great resource and a fantastic reminder of the work behind many of the signs, logos, and items that most of us Canadians probably take for granted. I highly recommend checking it out, especially if you are a fellow Canadian marketer or designer.
The Canadian Design Resource
2008-03-28 13:00:00 I was recently looking for a bit of the history behind the Government of Ontario logo and in the process discovered a fabulous blog called “The Canadian Design Resource “. The site features logos, brands, and other elements of Canadian (often nostalgic) design and identifies the year/designer/company behind them when available. It also allows you to contribute your own commentary and help fill in the back story to each of the pieces. A great resource and a fantastic reminder of the work behind many of the signs, logos, and items that most of us Canadians probably take for granted. I highly recommend checking it out, especially if you are a fellow Canadian marketer or designer.
Top Ten Marketing Lies & What They Really Mean
2008-03-27 10:00:00 Have you ever read a disclaimer or a condition that comes with a a marketing offer and wondered what the $*%# does this mean? Well so have I, and after figuring these things out (the hard way), I’ve decided to spare you, my dear readers the same agony by putting together a little translation guide. So without further ado, and in no particular order, here are the real meanings behind ten of the most insidious marketing lies. 1. Loss Limited to Initial Investment - You can and probably will, lose all the money you invested, but hey, at least you didn’t lose more than you invested. 2. Including but not Limited to… - Basically, if anything goes wrong you can’t blame us for anything, especially the stuff we haven’t even thought of. 3. 15% Restocking Fee Applies - There really is no return policy, but we know that customers like that sort of thing so we advertise it. If you really want your money back you may be able to resell the junk we just sold you on ... More About: Marketing , Lies
Top Ten Marketing Lies & What They Really Mean
2008-03-27 10:00:00 Have you ever read a disclaimer or a condition that comes with a a marketing offer and wondered what the $*%# does this mean? Well so have I, and after figuring these things out (the hard way), I’ve decided to spare you, my dear readers the same agony by putting together a little translation guide. So without further ado, and in no particular order, here are the real meanings behind ten of the most insidious marketing lies. 1. Loss Limited to Initial Investment - You can and probably will, lose all the money you invested, but hey, at least you didn’t lose more than you invested. 2. Including but not Limited to… - Basically, if anything goes wrong you can’t blame us for anything, especially the stuff we haven’t even thought of. 3. 15% Restocking Fee Applies - There really is no return policy, but we know that customers like that sort of thing so we advertise it. If you really want your money back you may be able to resell the junk we just sold you on ... More About: Marketing , Lies
Why Are Companies Afraid to Hug Customers?
2008-03-20 13:00:00 When was the last time you told your mobile service provider that you love them or the maker of your cell phone? There is nothing a company wants more than to cultivate a love affair with customers. Now what’s wrong with that sentence? Well nothing really, besides the fact that its usually a LIE, and a pretty brazen one at that. Sadly, most corporations only preach this without actually practicing it. They prefer to behave like detached creatures that loathe closeness and recoil at the slightest twinge of customer affection. They prefer “customer adoption” and “customer retention” to customer affection. They shrink back from the warm embrace of their most ardent fans. Case in point, whenever customers become so enamored with some product or service that they are willing to contribute to its wellbeing and development by devoting copious amounts of their own free time to improving upon it, they get sued. Think Scrabulous here. Two brothers who are fans o... More About: Companies , Customers
Time to Profit from Customer Affection.
2008-03-20 13:00:00 When was the last time you told your mobile phone service provider that you love them or the maker of your cell phone? Why not? There is nothing a company wants more than to cultivate a love affair with customers. Now what’s wrong with that sentence? Well nothing really, besides the fact that its usually a LIE, and a pretty brazen one at that. Sadly, most corporations only preach this without actually practicing it. They prefer to behave like detached creatures that loathe closeness and recoil at the slightest twinge of customer affection. They prefer “customer adoption” and “customer retention” to customer affection. They shrink back from the warm embrace of their most ardent fans. Case in point, whenever customers become so enamored with some product or service that they are willing to contribute to its wellbeing and development by devoting copious amounts of their own free time to improving upon it, they get sued. Think Scrabulous here. Two brother... More About: Time , Customer , Profit , Affection
Rethinking the Resumé: Skills & Experience
2008-03-04 16:00:00 It’s been a while now since I’ve done the whole sending around the resumé thing, but I was talking over the weekend with a friend recently went in search of a new job. The resumé’s been around for a while now with relatively few changes to reflect the integrated skill sets of today’s employees (e.g. contacts and resources available through informal social networks) . Over the next week or so we’ll be taking a look at the Resumé (or CV) from some different perspectives. First up? The Skills and Experience Section. Resumé Skills and Experience Section The problem with the skills and knowledge section you tend to find in the run-of the-mill (often chronological) resumé, is that its ever increasingly difficult to list your qualifications without leaving out some skills or experience that might be relevant to the job. Add to this the fact that the section is completely flat, and conveys no weight as to how strong you are in each of those skills or how...
Rethinking the Resumé: Skills & Experience
2008-03-04 16:00:00 It’s been a while now since I’ve done the whole sending around the resumé thing, but I was talking over the weekend with a friend recently went in search of a new job. The resumé’s been around for a while now with relatively few changes to reflect the integrated skill sets of today’s employees (e.g. contacts and resources available through informal social networks) . Over the next week or so we’ll be taking a look at the Resumé (or CV) from some different perspectives. First up? The Skills and Experience Section. Resumé Skills and Experience Section The problem with the skills and knowledge section you tend to find in the run-of the-mill (often chronological) resumé, is that its ever increasingly difficult to list your qualifications without leaving out some skills or experience that might be relevant to the job. Add to this the fact that the section is completely flat, and conveys no weight as to how strong you are in each of those skills or how...
Wordpress Upgrade
2008-02-14 17:21:00 We’ve just upgraded to Wordpress 2.3.3 which seems to have broken a few things. Please bear with us as we get things back in place. Update: Everything should be fixed now. Let us know if you notice anything not quite right.
Wordpress Upgrade
2008-02-14 17:21:00 We’ve just upgraded to Wordpress 2.3.3 which seems to have broken a few things. Please bear with us as we get things back in place. Update: Everything should be fixed now. Let us know if you notice anything not quite right.
The Cure for the StumbleUpon Hangover
2008-02-14 05:27:00 Looking through our traffic analytics, there’s no denying the sheer amount of traffic that StumbleUpon can bring to a site. But there’s one thing that’s stood out about Stumblers over other sources: their lack of return visits. StumbleUpon visitors seem to be a lot like those heading out for a pub crawl. They’ll visit a few bars, have a few drinks (posts), maybe talk with friends, and have a good time. But by the end of the night (day), several sites later, they’re stumbling around, probably with little clue as to where they are. The details of the last few bars are hazy; but you’re having a good time. The next morning, sure, you can recall the first few sites that you visited, but anything past that - forget about it. You’re probably not even sure how you made it back home. StumbleUpon (like Digg) seems to be great for bursts of traffic, and stats show that Stumblers do actually read posts, but Stumblers rarely stick around or come back un... More About: The Cure , Hangover , Cure , Stumbleupon
The Cure for the StumbleUpon Hangover
2008-02-14 05:27:00 Looking through our traffic analytics, there’s no denying the sheer amount of traffic that StumbleUpon can bring to a site. But there’s one thing that’s stood out about Stumblers over other sources: their lack of return visits. StumbleUpon visitors seem to be a lot like those heading out for a pub crawl. They’ll visit a few bars, have a few drinks (posts), maybe talk with friends, and have a good time. But by the end of the night (day), several sites later, they’re stumbling around, probably with little clue as to where they are. The details of the last few bars are hazy; but you’re having a good time. The next morning, sure, you can recall the first few sites that you visited, but anything past that - forget about it. You’re probably not even sure how you made it back home. StumbleUpon (like Digg) seems to be great for bursts of traffic, and stats show that Stumblers do actually read posts, but Stumblers rarely stick around or come back un... More About: The Cure , Hangover , Cure , Stumbleupon
Focusing on the Little Things
2008-02-10 02:58:00 I was at a local breakfast chain (Chez Cora’s) over the weekend and there was a table with two children literally hanging off the wall and climbing anything they could, as children are apt to do. It was apparent that, aside from the food (and the colouring pages), there wasn’t much of anything for the kids to do but climb around their seat. For some reason this made me think that if only there was something that would capture their attention and keep them seated, if only long enough for their parents to relax a little and have a nice breakfast. Then it came to me. Themed booster seats! You could tie it to your restaurant’s theme, or go generic with an assortment of different available booster seats. Some of the ones we came up with included: Jet Pilot Booster Seat, complete with yoke and seatbelt. Firetruck Booster Seat Police Car Booster Seat Spaceship, Tractor, and Racecar, and my favourite, the Garbage Truck Booster Seat* What kid wouldn’t love to eat th... More About: Things
Focusing on the Little Things
2008-02-10 02:58:00 I was at a local breakfast chain (Chez Cora’s) over the weekend and there was a table with two children literally hanging off the wall and climbing anything they could, as children are apt to do. It was apparent that, aside from the food (and the colouring pages), there wasn’t much of anything for the kids to do but climb around their seat. For some reason this made me think that if only there was something that would capture their attention and keep them seated, if only long enough for their parents to relax a little and have a nice breakfast. Then it came to me. Themed booster seats! You could tie it to your restaurant’s theme, or go generic with an assortment of different available booster seats. Some of the ones we came up with included: Jet Pilot Booster Seat, complete with yoke and seatbelt. Firetruck Booster Seat Police Car Booster Seat Spaceship, Tractor, and Racecar, and my favourite, the Garbage Truck Booster Seat* What kid wouldn’t love to eat th... More About: Things
Getting Engaged (with your Customers)
2008-02-06 04:40:00 I was reading up on some of the VizThink 2008 session summaries that people have been blogging about, and there was one bit from Jim Haudan’s Drawing the Big Picture: Strategy Alignment and Deployment Using Visualization session that sort of stuck out at me: “Gallup polls indicate that 300 billion is lost in productivity as 25% of a typical organization is disengaged, 50% is ambivalent, and only 25% are agents of change. This lack of engagement results in the fact that 66-90% of strategies that are developed don’t get executed.” An interesting stat in and of itself, but what happens if we think of this not in terms of productivity within an organization, but rather, from the perspective of a company and its customers: “…$300 billion is lost in revenue as 25% of a typical organization’s customers are disengaged (buy the product service, but are not satisfied with the level of service or quality), 50% are ambivalent, and only 25% are agents of change... More About: Engaged , Customers
Getting Engaged (with your Customers)
2008-02-06 04:40:00 I was reading up on some of the VizThink 2008 session summaries that people have been blogging about, and there was one bit from Jim Haudan’s Drawing the Big Picture: Strategy Alignment and Deployment Using Visualization session that sort of stuck out at me: “Gallup polls indicate that 300 billion is lost in productivity as 25% of a typical organization is disengaged, 50% is ambivalent, and only 25% are agents of change. This lack of engagement results in the fact that 66-90% of strategies that are developed don’t get executed.” An interesting stat in and of itself, but what happens if we think of this not in terms of productivity within an organization, but rather, from the perspective of a company and its customers: “…$300 billion is lost in revenue as 25% of a typical organization’s customers are disengaged (buy the product service, but are not satisfied with the level of service or quality), 50% are ambivalent, and only 25% are agents of change... More About: Engaged , Customers
What Does Creativity Really Look Like?
2008-02-01 20:13:00 Creativity; what is it and where does it come from? It is creativity that gives rise to Ideas. The question is, can it be brought about by some systematic means, some sort of process? Creativity is production, is making things, it is to manufacture and the result is Ideas. Manufacturing requires raw material. What is the raw material for the manufacture of Ideas? The answer is… Experience But not just passive experience, in the sense of simply being a witness to things happening. I mean active experience, the sort of experience in which one is present, is aware and is “in the moment.” This is not the experience of driving home on the same road at about the same time everyday at approximately the same speed. This is the experience of going skydiving for the first time or seeing the ocean for the first time. Creativity is thinking outside the box; but what is the “box”? The box is Monday morning meetings The box is brainstorming sessions The box is “creativity exerc... More About: Creativity
What Does Creativity Really Look Like?
2008-02-01 20:13:00 Creativity; what is it and where does it come from? It is creativity that gives rise to Ideas. The question is, can it be brought about by some systematic means, some sort of process? Creativity is production, is making things, it is to manufacture and the result is Ideas. Manufacturing requires raw material. What is the raw material for the manufacture of Ideas? The answer is… Experience But not just passive experience, in the sense of simply being a witness to things happening. I mean active experience, the sort of experience in which one is present, is aware and is “in the moment.” This is not the experience of driving home on the same road at about the same time everyday at approximately the same speed. This is the experience of going skydiving for the first time or seeing the ocean for the first time. Creativity is thinking outside the box; but what is the “box”? The box is Monday morning meetings The box is brainstorming sessions The box is “creativity exerc... More About: Creativity
Economics over Experience
2008-01-25 04:51:00 I’m typing this post from my newly resuscitated iBook (2005 vintage). Over the holidays, someone accidentally stepped on the end of the AC adapter, crushing the metal shielding and bending the center pin beyond repair (I tried to bend it back slowly and it snapped off). After the initial shock, I thought, oh well, I’ll just order a new adapter. More shock. The official G4 iBook AC adapter is $100 at the Apple Store. For something that is known to be so poorly designed, (the new adapters are purportedly much better), you can imagine my surprise at the price of a simple AC adapter. I know it comes with that Apple je ne ses quoi, but surely that can’t be worth a $100??? Given the options: expensive white paper weight or working iBook, I ended up purchasing the adapter but I wasn’t happy about it. I felt seduced and used by Apple. I bought into the Apple mythology of dream like user experience and ease of use whole-heartedly only to have my affections spurned. Apple ... More About: Economics , Experience
Economics over Experience
2008-01-25 04:51:00 I’m typing this post from my newly resuscitated iBook (2005 vintage). Over the holidays, someone accidentally stepped on the end of the AC adapter, crushing the metal shielding and bending the center pin beyond repair (I tried to bend it back slowly and it snapped off). After the initial shock, I thought, oh well, I’ll just order a new adapter. More shock. The official G4 iBook AC adapter is $100 at the Apple Store. (more…) More About: Economics , Experience
What Do Trend Spotting & Where’s Waldo Have in Common?
2008-01-22 20:45:00 A few weeks ago I read an article about a rather iconic maker of parkas that I’d never heard of before. The company is called Canada Goose. They’ve made a name for themselves outfitting polar explorers and now produce very durable, warm and fashionable parkas. Naturally, I thought “if these parkas are so great how come I’ve never seen them before???” (more…) More About: Common , Trend
5 Secrets to Maximizing your Tips as a Server / Waiter
2008-01-18 18:03:00 While I typically like to focus on customer experiences from the customer side, this post is a win-win from both sides. For anyone that’s been a server or a waiter in a restaurant, these should, for the most part be common sense, but you’d be surprised at how often people get them wrong. Put these into action, and you’re guaranteed to see your tips improve - unless, of course, the food is just plain terrible. (more…) More About: Tips , Secrets , Server , Waiter , Serve
Ipod Touch: $399, Firmware Upgrade: $20, Getting Suckered by Apple: Pricele
2008-01-16 18:09:00 So yesterday was Macworld and Macophiles from all corners of the known universe descended upon San Francisco with cult like devotion to hear High Priest Steve Jobs preach the Gospel of Mac. I listened fairly intently to the keynote and one thing struck me as worth writing about. No it’s not the Mac Book Air or the Apple TV Take 2 or the Time Capsule for that matter. (more…) More About: Ipod , Firmware , Touch
Guess Who’s Cofffee Requires Math to Prepare
2008-01-14 13:30:00 Starbucks is, by definition about creating remarkable experiences and going that extra mile. They’ve built their entire reputation on it. So why is it that the store experience doesn’t quite translate whenever I try to make that “perfect” cup of their coffee at home? (more…) More About: Math , Guess , Pare , Prep
Is There Such a Thing as a Dumb Customer?
2008-01-10 22:41:00 Yesterday I was over at Seth’s blog and read his article basically advising marketeers not to dumb down their messages because doing so attracts dumb customers. Then I thought about it, and something about it bothered me. So I thought about it some more, gave it time to digest but it just didn’t sit well because I completely disagree with the whole notion of a “dumb customer”. There are no dumb customers, only customers with different needs. (more…) More About: Customer , Dumb , Thing
Is There Such a Thing as a Dumb Customer?
2008-01-10 22:41:00 Yesterday I was over at Seth’s blog and read his article basically advising marketeers not to dumb down their messages because doing so attracts dumb customers. Then I thought about it, and something about it bothered me. So I thought about it some more, gave it time to digest but it just didn’t sit well because I completely disagree with the whole notion of a “dumb customer”. There are no dumb customers, only customers with different needs. (more…) More About: Customer , Dumb , Thing
Has Facebook become Spambook?
More articles from this author:2008-01-09 03:37:00 You have been bitten by a vampire, so and so’s added some innocuous application that you really could care less about, add this application to spam and alienate the few friends that you have left. This is just a sample of the garbage that now populates the Facebook mini-feed (cynicism aside of course). What was a once a rather gratifying exercise in voyeurism has now turned into a something resembling a flea market escapade. Then there’s the wall which went from elegant simplicity to becoming the equivalent of an elementary school art project and the mini-feed, which is now full of mostly junk interspersed with the occasional treasure of friend related gossip. (more…) 1, 2 |
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