Moments of Clarity

Welcome Aboard: Attorney Rush Nigut Leverages The Mitchell Group's Interactive Learning Environment Platform to Bring More Value to Clients and Profession

Attorney Rush Nigut is the latest professional to adopt the Interactive Learning Environment (ILE) platform from The Mitchell Group. 

The online software platform provides the perfect medium for attorneys, associations, marketers, freelancers, consultants, business coaches, and any other information based business professional to extend their reach globally. 

We believe the ILE "Creates Time" because it enables professionals to move beyond the "billable hours" syndrome.  You can only be one place at a time.  If you're traveling 150 days or more per year...how exactly do you intend to grow your business?  You must move beyond where YOU can be...and add a global 24x7 medium that extends your reach while you sleep.  The ILE platform is that medium.

As today's business climate challenges grow in scope and magnitude...how will you be different?

If you're one of twenty or more relevant professional associations that companies may join, what will make you more relevant than the next?  Would providing an "Online University" for your members with training courses on "How to become more findable on the Internet" be the deciding factor that builds your membership by 25% next year vs. remaining stagnate?

The ILE platform lends itself to paid or free course offerings or a combination of both.  We leverage both models at RentalMetrics by offering a limited selection of course materials FREE and a full access option for $97/month.  Sign up for a free trial and see for yourself.

If you like the multimedia you see and hear inside the RentalMetrics ILE and think, "Hey but I can't do that," never fear.  We can help you with that too whether it's a video presentation, audio engineering, professional custom music, or voice over work. 

If you'd like to have your very own membership site and begin replicating yourself globally, email me.  The possibilities are endless.

the Ebook (e-book) as an accidental marketing tool

I wrote my "Confessions" e-book early this year.  After a short while, it has been downloaded/read thousands of times and I'm still getting calls for interviews/commentary for articles around the world. 

I knew nothing about ebook marketing when I released this and I'm certainly not an Internet marketing guru.  What I've learned though is that thoughtfully presented content written from the heart on a topic that matters gets attention.  Over 700 people have obtained the book via my embedded email form.  That means I can at least ask those same people their opinions on future books or even market to them if I have something of value to offer.

I've closed no business from the book but it has given me the confidence to write another full length book that will be industry specific and my "lead in" to introduce the construction/equipment rental industries to me and my company...RentalMetrics.

RentalMetrics Interactive Learning Environment Goes Live

It's been 8 months in the works.  Countless thousands of hours have gone into its creation.  Now, RentalMetrics has officially launched its Interactive Learning Environment (ILE). 

To sign up for a the free trial and poke around, visit http://signup.rentalmetrics.com.  Select the FREE TRIAL subscription.

The business can best be described as "Insourced E-Learning for the Construction and Equipment Rental Sectors".  It's a virtual online consultant.  So...no suits...no flights...expensive dinners.  Just fantastic content delivered in rich media formats (audio, video, screen casts, etc.). 

We're providing the resources, tools, analysis for every equipment rental company to have the kind of personnel firepower to execute technology solution deployments (and get the most out of them) like their well resourced larger cousins.  Of course the big guys will find quite a bit to use as well.  I'm guessing our Marketing & Promotions category will get some attention from the larger companies since they're still contemplating "that whole blog thing" or this new "social media revolution".  We'll see.

The bottom line is that we're open for business.  Most of my readers are probably not associated w/the Construction Equipment Rental sector.  However, if you're a consultant, business coach, or just operate any kind of "Information Based Business", think about how this Interactive Learning Environment platform could work for you.

How would you like to offer your clients rich content for sale?  Maybe you could offer your intellectual property to the world...while you sleep?  Have you ever woken up to new sales and new bank deposits each morning?  Maybe it is time to stop traveling so much and remove your income cap because you're "maxed out".

Lucky for you we built the platform for RentalMetrics so anyone can use it.  If you want to get global overnight, shoot me an email and I'll share more details.  I'd like to put out a special thank you to Andy Brudtkuhl and Paul Gratton for making all of this happen behind the scenes. 

Here's a video tour of the site in case you're interested.  Until we meet again. 

Agile Non-Development

I got the call last Friday afternoon from another highly respected destination site in the IT world asking my permission to do an expose on my "Confessions" book.  I decided in that moment that the book deserved its own website where I would:

1. Aggregate a list of subscribers that may enjoy future e-books I write or that may enjoy the expanded version of "Confessions" in the works.
2. Brand the e-book accordingly since before, it was merely linked on a page at my corporate website at RentalMetrics.
3. Provide a survey so readers could offer their feedback on the book and opinions on its expansion worthiness.

I emailed my technology guy and said, "Hey, I'm going to design a static web page with an opt in form built in, can you put it up and host it for me?"  (Sure no problem). 

I began with the usual suspects:  Google page creator, MSFT Publisher, Dream Weaver, NVU, then MSFT Word.  I was leveraging templates and trying to edit them in the WYSIWYG editors but ended up frustrated and flummoxed....as always. 

Then I accessed that part of my brain that I'd tucked away for safekeeping.   It's the part that uses Typepad for EVERYTHING I do (on my own) on the web.  The next 4 hours were a flurry of keystrokes and configuration and I had:

1. Purchased a domain and mapped it to my newly created typepad blog site.
2. Chosen a template and using TypePad's "pages" function, created a "static home page" that will always show when you hit the site (vs. the always updated blog posts).
3. Created an opt-in auto responder in Aweber.  That little gem of a software application is the best auto-renewing $20 I spend a month. This includes 2 follow up messages that get sent at a pre-determined interval, etc.
4. Created custom "thank you" pages on the blog site (again...all easily created in typepad.
5. Added some "right nav" content by sharing some of the TypeLists I have on other blogs here.
6. Configured/laid out the content blocks.
7. Made navigation links to pages in the right navigation at the top right including an Author Bio page (scraped from my company site at RentalMetrics)
8. Created a survey in Wufoo and had embedded this into a page.
9. Used Feedburner to create easy subscribability and pleasant RSS feeds including "Feed flare" to become more easily linkable.

Effectively, within 4 hours I'd created the full circle marketing and PR destination hub for my e-book on my own.  Now, this will not wow anyone in tech circles. In fact, it may seem rather Luddite.  However, for the entrepreneur, consultant, solo-preneur, small business...this power should NOT be underestimated.  A few simple skills will save you big bucks and big headaches (and be more effective than any generic site will be for you). 

This site is findable, link-able, comment-able, sign-up-able, pleasure-able, and functional-(able :)

It cost me exactly 4 hours on a Saturday and since I already use the hosted applications in all of my other businesses, there was zero out of pocket, only opportunity cost.

Invest little bit of your brain power in some simple techniques to build your own sites and for goodness sake, use a BLOG platform to do it!  Blog platforms come chock full of widgets and nifty little code bits that make your site go from zero to hero in minutes.  Well, at least 240 of them.

That's Agile. 

www.enterpriseconfessions.com

Some nice coverage for "Confessions" book

My "Confessions of An Ex-Enterprise Salesperson:  What I Really Meant When I Said ___________ " was picked up by the IT Project Failures Blog.  Michael Krigsman characterized the book properly as it's not a "hit piece" on sales people (we're all selling).  Rather, it's a more of a handbook to help cut through the clutter and noise of the enterprise selling process.

Each side of the sales equation (the one with the money and the one trying to separate him/her from it) will be served by the book I think.  If you'd like your copy, simply visit this link and request it.

Getting great recorded interview quality using Skype

Over at RentalMetrics...we believe we've turned a corner with regard to quality of audio production...not to mention our screen casting production.  We've figured out how to successfully use skype to execute digital interviews:  we use the studio microphone in the office and the caller calls in using our "skype in" phone number. 

We use a great piece of software called "CallBurner" that records the conversation.  Both sides of the call (me and the inbound caller) are recorded on separate channels allowing for great editing options (we use Audacity which is free also).  If the caller and I talk over each other, we can fix that is post production by simply moving tracks around. 

We've also raised the bar on the video screen casts (We're now using the free CamStudio).  It seems that after investing maybe 40 hours in learning and tweaking, we've found the right settings and resolution to make things look very appealing.

We're also now using Viddler to host our videos.  Much better quality and flexibility than YouTube or Google Video.  We can even make video's "private" for example if they're related to specific clients or part of our subscription service.

I say "We" when I really mean Paul.  Paul has tirelessly futzed with things and has become a great producer.  I keep telling him that if we're not careful, RentalMetrics will get asked to execute on social media/marketing projects for companies in our industry.  That wouldn't be so bad :)

Bottom Line
Here's the latest and certainly greatest Product Showcase on an industry leading Fleet Management GPS Solution.  Please watch it and let us know what you think.

Hey...I Just Realized....My Newspaper Delivery is Spotty

During the course of conversation about various forms of journalism, marketing, and media at our first Friday of the month meet up, I realized that I hadn't called to complain or really noticed all that much that my newspaper delivery has beens spotty at best.  I should be upset...but I seem to fine with my RSS feeds and my local talk radio on WOWFM 98.3.

Hummm.  Newspaper seems awfully irrelevant to me these days.  Besides, if I want an "ad filled book", there are plenty out there with glossy pages that don't turn my fingers black.

Rising above the vaccuum cleaner

If you can spare a moment....(really about a minute)...please listen.

Download vaccum_cleaner_podpost.wav

Use of Video in Company Promotion

Are you using video/rich media in your web/marketing/PR/media execution (notice I didn't say plan) for 2008?  I have turned the corner and have just gone live with my new firm's "Porch Pitch" (Like an elevator pitch but smaller).  The company is RentalMetrics.  Take a look and see if you "get what we do".  If not, it's back to the video drawing board :)

Special thanks to Mike Sansone for pushing/coaching/exposing we business bloggers to the power of the uncomfortable new technologies that await us when we try.  Double secret probation thanks to Chris Punke at Focal Point.  Chris is the uber video studio production genius that makes me look like I'm standing in front of tractors and such using chroma key technology (green screen).  I'd highly recommend both gentlemen who can make some magic for your business.  More thanks to Paul Gratton for key production support.

Message to Mediacom: Goodbye and Good Luck

Unfortunately, I don't believe my leaving will  make a difference at Mediacom...but I finally overcame inertia and bailed out.
Here's how I architected the departure.

1. Found acceptable speed dedicated DSL from Qwest at a fixed price for life.
2. Had home number ported over to Qwest basic line.
3. Bundled DirecTV HD package also.

Savings.  I'm down from the "you're not a new customer anymore so here come da' pain price of $167/mo to about $117 (4 tuners on the DirectTV system).  Yes, I had to pay some upfront for the equipment with DirecTV but amortizing over 1 year is still a savings then year 2 things are looking much better. 

I'm really not so concerned at this point with how GOOD Qwest and DirecTV are.  However, I'm elated to be exorcising the Mediacom demon (save for Scott Westerman who I think doesn't work there anymore).  It's pretty bad when ANYTHING is better than SOMETHING. 

I won't go into the reasons why I'm leaving.....oh who am I kidding.

1. Blatant disregard for the customer when resolving most issues.
2. Staff that doesn't seem to have the power to resolve anything...rather simply read the screen (not their fault I'm certain).
3. Laissez fare attitude regarding the competition and their offers.
4. They pulled my music channels (which we use a lot) and I have no idea why...nor could they answer this when we called.
5. We've been on a "waiting list" for new equipment (HD DVR and regular DVR receiver) that actually WORK most of the time vs. cutting out audio or pixelating because of a feed burp.  When calling again and again, "there is no list Mr. Mitchell...but I'll get you on the list right away" huh?

Blood boiling, pulse accelerating...time to put on some Limp Bizkit and go scrape ice off the drive way.  @$%!#@%#!@%$@#^%#@^#@$^%$
"Let the anger flow inside you Doug..........(breathing into toilet bowl).+

If you're from Qwest or DirecTV and you read this, sorry I'm not coming to you on better terms.  We'll have our chance to build a relationship soon enough. 

Hottest New Marketing Strategy For the Social Media Era: Kitchen Magnets

In our current world of facebooking your twitterlog and burning your flickrmeme, I find it very refreshing that the only marketing effort a few local businesses I deal with undertake....is delivering me a new kitchen magnet each year. 

I buy firewood from "The Woodman" (no extra charge for the attached little calendar) and I call the same garage door fixer guys if I have issues.

Don't underestimate the power of simplicity, a handshake, and magnetism.

Now go Fark a Widget.

Shining example of customer service and branding: Jared, The Galleria of Jewelry

My wife has been to a few jewelry stores looking for a new "screw on earring back thingy" that keeps the diamond stud deals securely in place.  (Earrings were purchased at Costco's little jewelry section).  Each store simply said, "No sorry, you need to go back to the place where you got them and get a new thingy".  I've always found this odd since they sell similar stuff but I digress.

Fruitless for months, we decided to visit Jared at Jordan Creek.  We were immediately greeted by Stephanie who asked us how she could be of service.  Once we told her that we wanted this little problem solved (and effectively that we weren't going to be buying a $5k ring that day), she solicited assistance from Arnold, another associate immediately.   Stephanie then offered us coffee, cappuccino, water, etc.  Shortly thereafter, Arnold returned with new back thingy installed and sent us on our way...free of charge.  Here are my first impressions, often the only ones that will matter.

1. Jared cares and is in it for the long haul with their customers (and potential ones).
2. Jared doesn't have people that shuttle you off to the "they're not buying anything so give them less service land" so prevalent (it seems) today.
3. Jared has a kid play area so they don't mind you bringing your little ones around.
4. Jared's brand promises are absolutely kept and executed upon when you visit the store.

Great job Jared.  In closing, let me tell you that my barometer of service excellence is my wife.  As we left the store, she said, "Well I guess we know where we'll be buying all of our jewelry from now on."  That's the kind of instant loyalty that you want...and you've got it from us.

Making Brand Promises One Can't Fulfill

Lately, I've heard a radio spot for local Big O Tire stores. It's the kind of ad where the owner believes that doing his own commercials will breed credibility and loyalty and put a "real face" on the business via the airwaves.  During the commercial, they make the promise that, "They'll do whatever it takes to (earn, get, or some other word like that) your business."

Whatever it takes!  Wow.  I wonder if I printed up my own coupon explaining that I'd like to have 3 distinct free services to test their service level at 3 times through a 6 month period before I pay a cent if they'd go along?

Something tells me that this promise is radio gobbledygook and rings empty.  Why would a business make such a desperate promise and likely have NO plans to follow through on it?  It's just cheap radio bunk that doesn't help the brand in my humble opinion.

Listen to 93.3 WOW FM to hear for yourself.

Low Post Volume...Big Opportunity

Big change in the works for me.  Lots of growth and exciting new opportunities await.  More detail as I can share. 

Do you think this is a wise publicity/marketing strategy?

A company in the Rental Software business, Genisys is offering a free software package for the "best horror story from using rental software packages".  What if someone submits a horror story about using THEIR system?

This just doesn't feel right as a strategy and cheapens the brand in my opinion.

Details are here.

I've gotten another article published...

Hello all.  I've written an article that has just been published in Rental Product News.  (I even got special permission in advance to post it on my own blog)

If you don't already know me personally, I do a fair amount of work in the industrial/heavy equipment rental sector helping these companies leverage technology solutions to their fullest potential while accurately measuring and recouping their investment in them.  I've written an article that introduces the often "old school" rental business to blogs and their power.  This article "wrote itself" after I attended a "Guerrilla Marketing" seminar for the rental industry...that didn't mention blogs whatsoever.  Shame.   

Here's the piece:

Ready for a blog?

You've heard of them. Perhaps you read them. You might even be one of the 50-plus million people that have created one. But it's not likely that you've drawn a clear connection between blogs (short for WeB-LOGs) and your rental business. In this article, I will shed some light on business blogging, the often misunderstood marketing tool, and provide some reasons why it might make sense for your rental business. (HINT: Blogging can be the most powerful weapon in your marketing arsenal … and it's free!)

Background on blogs
When all of the hoopla is stripped away, blogs are simply websites that make it easy for non-technical folks like you and me to show the world what we think in words and pictures. Disappointed? Don't be. The simplicity of blogs and the tools used to create them have spawned an entire industry focused on providing tools enabling the rest of us to make very professional looking blogs that complement our corporate websites.

Also, blogging is not just about writing, it's about reading. Although I won't focus on reading blogs in this article, using the power of RSS feeds (RSS stands for Really Simple Syndication) and feed readers, your company can search once and subscribe to feeds delivering real-time news and information on your industry and your competition. At least equally important, you can subscribe to what the industry and others are saying about your company, so you can answer.

But I already have a website!
If you ask 100 people on the street where they go first to look up a business, 80 percent will likely say, "I Google it." Have you spent some time searching for your own website using common key words? If you don't come up in the first page and your competitors do, don't feel lonely. Most corporate websites are put up with great intentions and many look great. However, they quickly become stale and stagnate.

Often, business owners are held hostage by the webmaster or design company that created the site. Want to put up a new event, press release, or product information section? Get out your wallet. As a result, most sites transition from "web" to "cob web" in less than six months. Stale websites do not impress search engines.

While there are techniques to make your website rise in rankings, typically called SEO or Search Engine Optimization, you can help your company ascend the ranks by posting quality content to your blog with regularity. Regular blog postings (three to five times per week) are consumed by search engines voraciously. As more people find and link to your quality posts, they become more "relevant" to the search engines and the site rises in the rankings. By linking your blog site to your corporate website, you can complete the circle and drive more people through the front door. Of course, simply posting random thoughts about the weather will not attract the masses.

Business blogging is really two-way communication between a business and its clients or potential clients. Blogs provide the platform for your company to become more findable and for the public at large to comment and link to what they're reading.

Before you jump in with both feet, it's important to establish the reasons why your business should blog in the first place. After all, you're probably not looking for more workload to fill the day. Let's not forget that your goal in creating this business blog is most likely increasing revenues and differentiating yourself from the competition.

Blogging tools
The most common blogging software platforms today are Blogger(www.blogger.com), WordPress ( www.wordpress.com), and Typepad (www.typepad.com). Each has strengths and weaknesses but all allow the author to create a blog site and start posting with zero upfront expense. If your company outgrows the software or desires more technical tools, they're readily available. These products allow even the most technically challenged among us to put a blog up and post entries in minutes.

Eventually, you might want to employ someone to match the look and feel of your blog to your website. Or, you might even go so far as transitioning your entire corporate site into a blog site. Remember, "findability" is what you're after and a blog's freshness of content provides the fresh new treats that search engines love to eat.

Be different, honest, informative
Your company blog is a platform to highlight what makes your rental operation special. Here are some blog post topics that come to mind if I were posting to your blog:

Share stories that highlight interesting customer service experiences. Share your unique ability to resolve problems and satisfy customer demands.

Share times that things went wrong and what you learned from them. Sometimes I get bored with hearing about how well things go. Tell me about some times when you messed up and how you made them right. These tales get my attention.

Discuss specialized solutions your company provides the industry. I love hearing out-of-the-box solutions to complex situations. If your firm has innovated, tell the world! If you think the competition won't find out eventually, think twice. Share with the industry.

Mention specials or other unique promotions your company is offering. A blog is not merely a site for your electronic sales pitches, but it can be a place to strategically share your specials. If you offer your clientele something they need, they'll likely forward the deal to their friends.

Expose the unique talents of your employees. It's really cool to see that your sales coordinator is a drummer in a rock band and that your shop foreman is a gourmet cook, specializing in French cuisine. Expose a little bit more of what makes up your company's unique personality. These details give outsiders a glimpse of what it's like to deal with you before they walk through the door and might provide "instant rapport" when the potential client walks in the door.

Your unique blogging voice
Your company's "blogging voice" and flare will evolve over time. You should encourage many in your organization to write for the blog and see where they take it. Of course, the software makes it easy to moderate and edit the posts in case someone decides to post a rant about your management style. Also, don't forget that there might be a budding writer out there operating your equipment.

Engage your organization in blogging passion and watch the results!   

Doug Mitchell is the vice president of business development at Dispatching Solutions Inc., a provider of logistics software and GPS tracking solutions to the equipment rental industry.

Click here for copyright permissions!
Copyright 2007 Cygnus Business Media

A special thank you goes out to the Godfather, Mike Sansone who ignited the business blogging gene in me almost 2 years ago.

Central Iowa Golf Is Hurting: Here's Why & What To Do

Background
There was a sports front page article in the Des Moines Register yesterday highlighting the current tenuous state of Central Iowa golf courses.  Courses are experiencing flat or declining revenues, declining attendance, and price pressure. The piece provides a few reasons for the tough times.

1. Fixed costs have increased including wages and petroleum based fertilizers, etc.
2. High property taxes hurt courses because they're taxed as commercial property vs. recreational.
3. Municipal courses (owned by cities, i.e. subsidized by having less tax burden) green fees are low and getting lower to keep the crowds coming.  Private courses don't have the luxury of operating this way.  Sound familiar?
4. The high cost of gas to get to the course in the first place.
5. The war in Iraq.
6. More parents are "Dedicating themselves to their kids," by spending a day at the soccer or softball field.
7. Legalized gambling.
8. Too much supply.  Too many courses.  Aggressive overbuilding of "hole inventory".  Courses and developers have been using the 1990's website rule for business decision making, "Build it and they will come". 

Analysis
I believe that numbers 1-7 are somewhat true but not enough to make the measurable impact the industry is feeling. 

Number 8 is a BIG factor. The bottom line is that there are virtually limitless choices for golfers at all typical golf price points within typical driving distance around the metro.  In fact, the number of available holes for golfers within a 20-mile radius of Des Moines grew by 30% in the last decade.

The factor that is not mentioned, discussed, nor implied is the purple elephant in the room.  It's the largest single factor that impedes growth and repeat business. 

Golf courses make almost no effort whatsoever to market themselves, create brand identity, or create an experience for golfers that is ANY different than other courses in their competitive landscape.  Golf courses leave the entire branding function to the courses beauty and layout itself.

I have only golfed at about 10 courses since I've moved to Iowa.   One has asked for my email address.  None have created any experience or purveyed a brand.  If I asked you to name a brand of coffee that has created an experience and maintained a premium price for something that costs almost nothing to make...you could name at least one immediately. I should be able to do the same for Iowa golf courses...without having to resort to the $300+ per round facilities.

Recommendations
Golf courses need to get past the helpless, brand-less, malaise they're in now.  They need an injection of creative marketing (beyond the logo golf ball) and branding so their courses are synonymous with the kind of experience that creates raving evangelists that want to grow your business for you.  This is especially true when there is NO stand out, no leader, and a "that's just the way it is" attitude out there.   

1. Engage in meaningful email marketing.  Segment your audience and target them with offers that make sense.
2. Host customer appreciation days at the club house.
3. Leverage "course greeter liaisons" a la Walmart to welcome players and build the experience. 
4. Invite families to play together and space tee times to allow for slower play. Think Disney.
5. Blog.  I would absolutely subscribe to a blog written by a golf course that gave me offers, course condition updates, and opinions.  Extend the conversation beyond the 19th hole. 
6. Leverage SMS marketing (text message).  Would I choose a course that used my exact marketing preferences and sent me offers at key times just for me?  Yes.  I know many others that agree with me.
7. Develop unique factors that separate you from the competition.  I'm still looking for "self serve honor system for non-alcoholic beverages" at key points around the course.  I'm also looking for the "buy drinks from the cart on a tab that I can settle after the round".  This speeds up play and frees people up to spend more.  I promise it works.  Just about every course out there believes that price is the key in the buying decision.  Honestly, I've never asked once how much the round would cost in advance of stepping up to pay in Iowa.  Generally, we know that it's going to be between $30-$50 to ride for 18 during prime time.  A few bucks does not the decision make.

There are plenty more options for courses to engage in that would separate themselves from the crowd. But like many businesses, golf courses don't hire marketing/branding employees or leverage agencies or consultancies...rather they put these responsibilities on the course manager or owner.  While this man or woman may be excellent at running a golf course, they probably don't have the time or inclination to move beyond "coupons in the paper".

Courses must shift their mindsets and become competitive and agile.  They must develop a road map to uniquely separate themselves from the over supply in the market.  Remember, there are plenty of places to get coffee...but only a few that create an experience.  It's up to you.

Are you ready for help golf course owner/manager?



   

Struggling! (Marketplace at Jordan Creek per the Front Page of the Business Section Today

I've done my quick case study on the Marketplace at Jordan Creek (MAJC).  I've also highlighted another friends experience where "neutral service is negative".  Now today the front page of the Business section in the Des Moines Register has the following headline:

"Specialty Grocery Struggles in W.D.M."

(W.D.M. is West Des Moines non-Iowans).

The article paints a pretty bleak picture of the market's prospects and does well to prop up its competition.  (Which by the way has gotten pretty good marks from my ad hoc surveys of customer service experiences).

I still believe that the bottom line is this:
In retail, especially high priced retail (aka Starbucks)...experience is everything.  Create the environment that brings folks back over and over again, because single visits do not a successful market make.  It's repeat high average ticket sales that win the game my friends.

I'm still offering to recruit a cadre of black aproned customer service agents to make this a place that people rave about.  Shall I shine the signal light in the sky?  Is the MAJC listening to the blogosphere? 

I couldn't resist...I'm a rock star!

Thanks Drew, Gavin and probably a lot more for pointing this out.
What a hoot!  I wish this tool allowed me to post the Morph into Gavin Rossdale. The Des Moines Metro is going to be low on Grecian Formula and "Rustic Rock Star Black" from Loreal tonight Steph!  Of course I could shave my head leaving wispy white all the way around to become the VP. 

Helping College Grads Save Time & Misery

Over at McLellan Marketing, Drew "Top Dawg" McLellan is trying to put together an e-book that will assist recent grads in landing that first job.  He's soliciting nuggets of wisdom from his readership and I'd encourage you to add yours.  I've created a top 10 list for general career strategies to share with him.   Click on the above link to see his post and to add your comments, stories, or advice.

Doug's Nuggets - College Advice 13: 6-33

I graduated in 1994 with a degree in International Business.  I knew that I wanted to have an international flare in my vocation but I had no idea what that meant.  Like many business majors, I spent the first 5 years of my career in sales jobs that were fairly unfulfilling.  However, I spent those 5 years thinking, planning, learning about myself, improving myself, and building relationships. The time was not "wasted". 

Then, in 1999, I had a conversation with an early twenty-something guy that I'd built a relationship with in my sales days, "I'm looking to get venture capital financing for my start up company, He said, "I have one month's salary to give you to write the business plan.  If we succeed, you're in.  If we don't, that's it."  I took it, we did it, and the rest is history.   

So here are a few nuggets I've crystallized from my experience:

1. Always build relationships in everything you're involved with.  You NEVER know when that person might be EXACTLY what you're looking for in an employee or advisor.  These relationships will likely be the ones that either provide you jobs, financing, or business partners.  I haven't had a resume since 1999 and wear that as a badge of honor.

2.  Foster relationships with mentors.  I didn't do this early enough.  Create an honest self-assessment.  I call it a "Life Resume".  When you find someone you truly admire for their skills, business acumen, relationship skills, etc...ask them for a formal mentor/mentee relationship.  Structure it and meet monthly. I found a venture capitalist and said, "I want to know what it's like to be you and what you do all day," and that's been over 2 years now.   

3. Shift your thinking to solutions and you'll be a winner.  Everyone has problems.  Meetings are filled with idea killers and lamenters. Have you noticed though that many leaders are aware of the problems...but driven to break through to solutions without harping, getting down, or developing negative energy?

4. Become very comfortable in your own skin.  Speak in public, get terrified and overcome it.  Conquer that inner voice of doubt and break through to excellence.  Nothing will serve you more than being able to communicate to large numbers of people. 

5. Write. Become an effective writer by having your prose torn apart by someone good!  Don't be afraid of the red pen!  Learn to embrace it.  Say more with less (I should listen to my own advice).  Blogging is a great way to accomplish this.  Please keep the party photos and youthful indiscretions off the myspace pages though.

6. Follow your passions (hint: they may change). I'm not particularly passionate about a subject like real estate, economics, or art.  But I have discovered that I'm extraordinarily passionate about growing small companies into bigger ones NO MATTER WHAT THE SUBJECT MATTER.  It took me a while to gain the perspective and breadth of knowledge to grasp this. But when I did, doors began opening for me.  If you love an industry or segment, you may want to get some experience in any part of the value chain you can.  I bet if I took a job sweeping the shop floors at a NASCAR team's garage just out of school, I'd be a marketing executive by now. 

7. Embrace technology and be an early adopter.  This does NOT mean become a programmer!  Learn how to use all of the technology tools that successful companies use.  There's nothing more powerful than "the girl who just seems to know how to do it all".  It doesn't seem like it, but it will become harder keep up when you get older so consciously extend beyond your comfort zone throughout your career or you'll get passed by.  

8. Consider the option of NEVER getting a "real job". Self-employment may not be everyone's first best destiny, but you may not know until you try.  It may seem safer to be employed by someone else, but I'd beg to differ.  If you have it in you, do it.  I'd rather see try and fail vs. never try. 

9. Dress Well.  It's advice that seems to be missing from the "Golden Rule" list when growing up these days.  It's NEVER harmful to be the best dressed person in a room.  You will command more respect by being well dressed.  If you don't know what looks good, seek help. 

10.  Have initiative. Take on tasks and roles that extend beyond your comfort zone and knowledge base.  This could be the largest single factor in your success.  Immerse in something new.  Passionately obsess about something until you know more than most about the topic.  Do this enough times, and you'll find yourself able to participate in a much larger sphere of influence.  Nothing pleases me more than hearing, "I don't know how to do that, but I'll figure it out and have it done shortly."

In need of graphic artist

Hello all.  I'm looking for:

1. A graphic artist on the cheap.
2. A struggling student artist who will do something for me and reap the credit when everyone sees his/her work.
3. Someone that can take a scene, let's say with two people in it, and turn that scene into a "line drawing" or curvy outline image that conveys the same scene as in the movie but only with outline.  I'm sure there's a term for this in the business but I don't have a clue.
4. I'm trying to create a graphic that will go onto a t-shirt and other logo type items.

If you can help or direct me toward these persons, I will be most grateful.  Budget is $50-$100.  I have a very clear vision of what's needed so there won't be a lot of "paid discovery" time.

Thanks all!

The Secret

Let me begin by saying that I've ordered "The Secret DVD" and the audio book too.  I'm totally into all manners of self-improvement and believe in the concept of attraction and positive energy that I've read about previously, heard tidbits about around the blogosphere, and seen on TV (I've glanced at Oprah as I walked by my wife but you'll never get me to say in print that I watch that show).  However, what fascinates me MOST about "The Secret" are the following nuggets:

1. It seems that society was "ready" for its next Tony Robbins.  There were many before him too but he was probably the most prolific guru of the 90's.  His tapes, CD's, etc. sold millions of copies around the world via the viral media of the time:  INFOMERCIALS.  Robbins did what many gurus do, repackage many teachings into a "new paradigm" that's easier for folks to adopt.  Throw in a flame thrower personality, huge white teeth, and put him on 24x7x365 and you have a commodity that a bunch of people really wanted and were willing to pay for.  His program was quite a bit more expensive I think though maybe a couple hundred bucks vs. $30 for a DVD.
2. The Secret has been marketed expertly via viral word of mouth media.  It's not the first product/company to do use these methodologies, but perhaps the first "self-improvement" system to do it.  I started getting YouTube clips and such here and there and honestly, I had built up anticipation about what the heck it was (and still do since the products haven't arrived yet).  These marketing campaigns don't happen by accident usually and mega kudos to The Secret staff for orchestrating this (or rather for emitting the positive energy that attracted the positive attention, etc). 
3. I really like the realism that many gurus have taken with regard to life's little pleasures.  Many gurus skim over things like drinking, nice clothes, and fine automobiles.  The abundance mentality accepts and embraces the fact that there's nice things in life to be had and that utilizing these things is part of a full life (if you want them to be and they don't throw your energy off in the other areas of life)...i.e. don't get plowed and crash your car.  The abrupt end of many a program for me was the "drinking is bad and must be stopped" part. 

Those are my pre-watch thoughts on the program...now off to the mailbox to see if it's there!

NASCAR Unleashes Technology To Further Enhance the Brand

As the NASCAR nation readies for its Daytona 500 fix, more details are emerging on the technology and coverage enhancements for your viewing pleasure.  Full article in USA Today.

These guys and gals really know how to do things right.  As NASCAR's viewership began to taper a bit last year and new broadcast mediums, marketing channels, and demographics were explored, all parties seemed to spare no expense to ensure growth for the next 10 years. 

Here's a sample of what's deployed this coming season:

1. 60-75 cameras used to shoot the NASCAR Busch Series races (does the NFL use that many?)
2. Carl Edwards will act as an "in-car reporter" as he races.
3. HD In-Car cameras.
4. 3-D virtual coverage using black box telemetry in real-time with 3 virtual views available including above, behind, and front of cars.
5. DirecTV is offering 10 "Hot Pass" channels allowing the viewer to see and hear everything from 10 teams per week in a "select a driver" format. 
6. Sirius is offering 10 in car channels each race as well.
7. NASCAR.com offers "track pass" where you can get much of this real-time telemetry and team communication via the web.
8. Finally, you can now purchase Sprint-Nextel's FanView for $415 (or rent one at the track) that give an LCD screen with real-time audio communication from all the team pre-programmed for your convenience.

Now with all of the pre-season cheating drama and all of this glorious technology...I think most NASCAR fans are sweaty and waiting.

Go Jimmie.   

Get A LIFE Bloggers!

I hope the headline has captured you and left you wanting more.  When you read this post, please keep in mind that I'm not attempting to discredit the internationally known author and speaker involved...rather I'm trying to make some observations about the fit of blogging into marketing tactics for any business. 

Background
I recently participated on a panel discussion and presentation on heavy equipment GPS monitoring and tracking at the American Rental Association show in Atlanta.  My session immediately followed one on Guerrilla Marketing for the Rental Industry presented by Orvel Ray Wilson.  Mr. Wilson has authored many books and his "hit hard and hit fast and be different" approach is awesome.  His company is called the Guerrilla Group and I recommend you explore what his company could do for your business.  His seminar was by far the best I saw, full of energy, humor, and valuable marketing advice.

The equipment rental industry is somewhat old school...but the perfect playing field to stand out and be different right?  Mr. Wilson's discussion had included only a mention of email marketing...but had zero mention of social media or blogging.  Anytime someone stands in front of me and ignores something that I believe to be incredibly powerful, I feel obligated to discover the big "why".   

I approached and asked the question below and I'm paraphrasing the best I can recall based on notes taken immediately afterward.

The Chat
Doug:  "I didn't hear you mention anything about blogging during your discussion, what role do you believe it plays in the guerrilla marketing equation?"
Mr. Wilson:  "Ahhhh blogging...well I don't blog...basically because I have a life...(chuckling)...I mean there's a million blogs out there and there's a lot of garbage.  You have to know how to write...write editorial copy...and write well....(he got busy and began doing some other tasks).
Doug:  "Interesting...I really wanted to see your take since blogging is a powerful tool for some."

Mr. Wilson was busy cleaning up his laptop, etc. from his speaking session and was interacting with many of the A/V staff so I stopped asking questions and tried to take in what I'd just heard.  Of course, the first thing that fired off in my brain was, "This is going to be a good post for discussion among my readers". 

So I'll leave you with a few observations and questions that are still resonating in my travel fogged head.

The Takeaways

1. The belief that blogging is something for only good copy writers is a serious miscalculation.  Blogging exposes the writer's true voice and reveals their style, tone, and method doing business very often.  Anyone that reads my blog "already knows me".  They know my positions, my pauses, my emphasis and my passions.   Many of my top 10 marketing blogger friends around the U.S. often use "real language" to communicate their vision/passion/point.   Editorial blogging is typically as boring as "mainstream media"...you know the media that folks are paying less attention to.  Although many bloggers write well and with clarity, others destroy the English language and its grammar and do just dandy.  Should everyone blog?  I'm sure there are reasons why some shouldn't...but one of those reasons should not purely be the editorial quality of the writing.  Should everyone read blogs or have searches automated to see what folks are saying about them?  Yes.  In fact, Mike McLaughlin who wrote Guerrilla Marketing for Consultants,  blogged on this same topic a while ago.  Interesting.  Mike says, "If the purpose of a business blog is to reach your targeted audience, it’s best to know someone out there would want to read your stuff. Any one of us could rattle off a number of industries where blogs are still an oddity, not a fixture."  No and Yes.  How would I have ever known that finding a certain part number for an internal air card on my Dell laptop could help so many people around the world?  Well...it happened, because I blogged on it.  I had absolutely no idea that anyone would find that valuable...but they did, by the boat load.  In the heavy equipment rental space, I bet there are few blogs if any.  If yours was the first and you blogged with even a modicum of skill in tagging or linking, you'd be found.  Trust me.  Why must the only value in your blog come from your direct industry?  I've achieved higher search engine rankings and first page results on many key topics that I blog about often like customer service and relocation.  In many cases, my more popular blog entries show up well ahead of the company's intended marketing message.  Old school business models may benefit from a blog more than more high tech businesses.  There's more cutting edge technology and marketing taking place in some seemingly old school segments than one would imagine.  GPS technologies and telematics are taking this industry by storm and allowing equipment rental companies to provide an unparalleled level of service. I'd bet that within 90 days, I could place higher than most when searching for "equipment rental" if I put my blogging efforts toward it.
2. The belief that blogging is relegated to those that don't "have a life", is putting it lightly...ignorant.  AUTHOR'S NOTE:  I received a phone call from someone that knows Mr. Wilson suggesting that his comment about "not having a life" was likely geared towards his own personal schedule...meaning that "He'd not have a life if he were to try and blog". I have updated my post to reflect that I can see this point of view.  I had been quite fair that the comment was probably just a passing commentary lacking much context, but the rest of my post stands on its own and I hope the larger point is still the overriding one)  I'm pretty sure that Mr. Wilson's comment wasn't meant as a direct derogatory commentary on me, Seth Godin, Brad Feld, Tom Peters, Mark Cuban, and Guy Kawasaki.  Likely it was a humorous off the cuff remark that we all make from time to time.  I could list a thousand other blogs written by not so known names but the point holds.  We have a life.  In fact, we've taken on blogging as a means to communicate in an unfiltered way with our customers, potential customers, and casual observers.  We're using our real mojo and experiences in the life-business ecosystem to provide value for others.  We've all simply put a priority on understanding a new technology and new media platform.  It's the platform that our future employees are very familiar with.  It's the platform that can bring thousands of visitors scrambling to see what you think about the business trends and emerging issues.  Undoubtedly, this post will reach Mr. Wilson because of linking and tagging, and will probably be forwarded to him by a blogger with a life. 
3. At the very least, interpret "blogging" as maintaining automated blog searches and tag searches to find out what people are saying about you when you're sleeping.  Nothing is more powerful than receiving an unsolicited "Thanks" or "Ooops" from the CEO of a company because they were paying attention.  If you're paying attention you have a serious competitive advantage vs. those who aren't.  Leverage that and odds are, you'll do better than "the rest".  Period.

The essence of guerrilla marketing for me is doing what isn't normally done, doing it cheap(er), doing it different.  Blogging is the pinnacle of cheap, different, and REAL.  It's worth an hour long workshop to understand the basics.  Then, if the CEO can't seem to put a coherent thought together, then find someone in the organization who can or hire someone. 

I think next year, you'll see a seminar by Doug called, "Social Media and the Heavy Equipment Rental Industry:  How To Get A Life Through Blogging!".   I invite your commentary.

De-Branding

I'm not sure if I've heard the term "De-Branding" before, but it appeared today in a piece from the NY Times.

AT&T is going to eliminate the Cingular brand over the next 6 months since buying the cellular phone company a while ago.  It's hard to keep track of the acquisitions/mergers in this space...but basically, AT&T, broken up many years ago into regional "Baby Bells" has come back to life after one of those baby bells bought AT&T.  Huh?  Exactly. 

At the end of the day, I know their are many well paid analysts that decided this was the way to go but here's my focus group of one.

1. AT&T equals old, stale, high priced long distance, and failed customer service
2. SBC, the baby bell that bought it's former mother ship (AT&T) back, had plenty of name recognition and did better at customer service, but SBC is a boring name and never really took off as a brand.
3. Cingular is "hip" and new.  It represents the future (wireless, connectedness) and now, even the iPHONE by Apple announced a couple of days ago.  Doesn't Cingular just sound good?  Like the "Cingular source for X, Y, and Z?"

Of note were these quotes by Wendy Clark, a Senior VP of Advertising for AT&T,

“What consumer and business customers want is a single provider of services for the way they live and work today,” Ms. Clark said, “and if it’s one company, they want it under one name.”

Also from the piece

As for the opinions of some brand-identity consultants that the Cingular brand appeals to youth more than the venerable AT&T name, Ms. Clark said: “The youth market is incredibly fickle when it comes to branding. If you give them what they want, the brand is secondary. It’s incumbent upon us to keep delivering what Cingular offered its customers.”

These are very powerful statements!  And their weight should not be "mis-underestimated" (It's Friday let's have fun!).  Think about what Ms. Clark is saying.  I think she's hinting that they went with AT&T vs. Cingular even though they knew better.  The brand is secondary!  So what you deliver (the most important thing) apparently "Isn't the brand".  Interesting.  I think they're missing the mark here and valuing "unity" over "reality".  That darn fickle youth market (and probably the one that drives a massive portion of their revenues since most over 30's don't use their cell phone for music, TV, or texting) is not as fickle as you think.  Those "Yutes" love a good brand and they'll spend endless sums of their parents money supporting it.  Just ask Mr. Jobs.

I'd love to hear the experts chime in on this deal. 

Frustration!

Argh!  I sent this email to the Marketing Manager, Laura Manatt at the Iowa Speedway, our new and wonderful raceway here in Newton Iowa. 

Hi Laura:
Do you have any plans to offer RSS feeds of news and upcoming events on the site? It would extremely helpful and is a great marketing tool.  Thanks for letting me know.

Below is the response I received:

Please sign up for ou fan club out on the website.  We will send you updates from time to time regarding activities out here at the track.

Laura

I understand the response and I'm not angered at it's simplicity and redirect...but it didn't answer my question...and I'm sharing the way in which I'd like to be marketed to!  How valuable is that?  I have signed up for the "Fan Club" already anyway and I've not received jack since I did.  I don't want to sign up again...besides email updates are NOT the preferred method of receiving information for me, nor is it for throngs of hungry bloggers and others that had NO IDEA that NASCAR Nextel Cup teams were practicing at the Speedway today and through this week!  I found out from a friend who visits Jayski.com daily (even though they don't offer feeds...he still goes there religiously which is more than I'd do)  It's so darn simple to capture an additional stream of people's attention if you use a tiny bit of nearly free technology to market yourself. 

Rusty Wallace, please find this post in the blogosphere and get a blog and some RSS feeds going...I want to spend money and attend your facility...but I don't know what's happening there.

Mediacom's Continued Service Recovery

Last week, I posted on a Mediacom Cable VIP program customer service experience that went from bad to good....while pointing out some serious marketing program flaws that I assumed larger companies like Mediacom had the smarts to avoid.

Here's an update since my phone service was out for a day until I reset my router last night.

1.  I called the VIP phone number that was given in the marketing documentation: 1-877-304-7466.  It now identifies as "The VIP customer service line". 

2.  The website for VIP's  http://www.mediacomcable.com/VIP is working now.

I'm not sure if my post had anything to do with these victories...but at the end of the day...my big beefs have been resolved.  Power to the people.

Honda Airtaxi Is Here

Will over at 2-Speed posted on one of the most awesome developments in aviation history...the release of the Honda VLJ (Very Light Jet).  I'm not a pilot, nor do I intend to become one.  However if there were a fleet of these babies offering me a hassle free business trip along with Honda's safety and reliability to back it up...I'm on it.  Of course Honda will be about 30% more fuel efficient than its competition...standard fare for Honda.  Honda's design will provide a quieter ride and more interior space too.  Sound familiar?  I'm just wondering if they'll keep their concept of packaging options in the LX or EX models.  "I'd like the 420 knot, 6 seater, EX model...does that come with A/C, leather, and navigation?"

As reported by Will, "The big news is that Honda just announced that they have taken orders for well over 100 of these piloted missiles in the first 30 days of sales.  At $3.65M per plane, it appears that their move into the aerospace market has been validated by potential customers.  Honda is applying for FAA approval now and expects to be shipping planes to customers in 2010."

When we have fleets of thousands of these jets in the air...the business models of traditional air carriers will be challenged yet again.  I don't think they'll survive the next salvo without massive disruption and business model flux.  The only problem I see is pilot training and safety.  Some of these jets are so "easy to fly" from what I've read and require less hours than their larger cousins, that I'm afraid we'll see a bunch of them making boo boos that cost lives.

Follow Up To The Iowa VC Conference

I'd like to add an addendum to my previous post on the Iowa VC and Entrepreneur Conference put on here in Des Moines by the Iowa Economic Development Department last week.

Here are some observations / personal preferences:

1. If you're at the conference pitching yourself or your brilliant idea, invest the $30 for 1000 real business cards.  I know the technology, look, feel of self-printed and perforated ones have gotten better, but I get the impression that this is only a "thing that you're doing on the side".  Besides, if I spill my conference coffee on the card, the ink will run and ruin my shirt.
2. Even more importantly than number 1, at least have a business card.  Some really interesting people and I will never cross paths again unless they contact me (because I gave them a card.)
3. Buy a domain name and use the free email account they give you to have a more professional image.  Visit GoDaddy for a really cheap domain registration, great management tools, free email account, and lightning fast account modifications.  You can even forward your new fancy domain email to your regular account if you'd like.  I've recently dumped all of my Yahoo and DNS Central domain registrations in favor of Go Daddy after Mike Sansone at Converstations turned me onto it.  I remember the revealing super bowl commercial a few years back but really didn't explore it after that.  It's just a bit more validating to see something other than @yahoo, @hotmail, or @othercrypticandimpersonaldomain.net on your card if you've invested the $8.99.
4. Don't leave home without your cards.  Carry some in the car, your wife's car, and anywhere else that ensures you'll have them when you need them most.  I have a leather business card holder that goes most everywhere with me + back ups in the car.  I ran out the other day since Mr. Sansone introduced me to more people than I had cards in reserve :)  A quick visit to the car in the Panera parking lot made sure that I was back in action.

So there we have it.  A total investment of $38.99 + tax to reinvent yourself, your business, and your image.  Oops, I forgot to add the $1.39 for the cup of coffee at the Panera University Virtual Office and Social Networking Club. 

Marketing & Customer Service Fumble and Recovery: Mediacom

It seems like I'm attracting customer service incidents these days.  I'm a walking trouble ticket apparently.  I'm really not trying, but as an advocate, watch dog, reporter, blogger, dad, concerned netizen, value conscious consumer and evangelist...I must do my duty.

A few days ago, I received a very impactful direct mail piece from my cable company Mediacom.  This piece was shiny opalescent light blue and had the words "Open to explore your VIP benefits".  I'm hugely in favor of being treated well by them since I get my TV, Phone, and Internet service from them...resulting in a monthly bill upward of $120.  I shrieked like a school girl and ripped the envelope open with eager anticipation.  Then I read this....see below.  Read the sentence marked with an arrow at least 2x and get yourself in the state that you get in when you're given something pretty darn cool..absolutely FREE!

I was about to actually PAY FOR THE UPGRADE to the higher bandwidth about a month ago...now it was being handed to me as a VIP!  I was told back then, "It would be $59.99/mo (versus the $29.99/mo I am paying now) and that my equipment had to be upgraded along with an installation fee. (I have a VOIP Aeris telephony modem)....Now all costs were to be waived...oh joy! 

I decided right away to visit the special web site that had been created just for me! http://www.mediacomcable.com/VIP
Wow, my very own special place.  Notice that there's an 800 number just for me too.  I figured the website would likely answer all of my questions and allow me to upgrade at will (after all, cable companies are big into "ON DEMAND").  I typed in the URL and found this:

Not good.  I tried again and again...and at the time of this posting, the website still doesn't work. 
Next I called the 800 number.  It's nice to have your own "hot line" and I let the website issue slide.  When I dialed in, there was nothing special about the menus or the options.  It was simply (so it seems) a generic 877 number created to track response to the direct mail piece. 

Fine.  So I reach a human.  He was very kind and I explained my new VIP status and asked for my free upgrade.  He had no idea what I was talking about.  After 5 minutes of explanation, he put me on hold for about 5 minutes (not feeling much like a VIP now).  He came back on the line and proceeded to explain that actually, what automatic free upgrade means is that my price is going up to $59.99/mo and that Mediacom is only waiving the "fees to upgrade".  When asked what's involved, he said he said he simply "changes a setting in his software" and my speed is upgraded automatically....love those "installation fees".  Even though I've cropped the letter in this post...there are NO fine print sections and no small * sections explaining that free is actually quite expensive.  For once, I really thought I had scored big.   After reading my letter verbatim and having the rep politely say that he checked with 2 supervisors and 2 managers and that I was wrong and he was correct...I informed him that I would not be taking my "free upgrade" today.  (