Over the 10+ years I have been in IT, it probably comes up once every 2 years. Whatever thing we’re building is not only gonna fix our current problem – but it’s gonna fix everyone’s problem.
When I caught the computerworld UK post called “Run IT as a business — why that’s a train wreck waiting to happen” – it was a serious flashback.
From a post I found over at SimsBlog with some really good thoughts:
…is how journalists “spent nearly a century denying responsibility and involvement in business decisions”.
…
The result of this siloed newsroom is that a large chunk of the organization has no real understanding of how the business works.
That is a very real idea. In fact, I think they are still running from the business end today.
But let’s not let the advertising department off the hook!
The Big Advertising Department Myth: We sell eyeballs
Not really.
Eyeballs are about mass and placement in the form reader demographics, circulation numbers, lines, columns, colour and position requests.
What advertising departments actually sell is connection and context that lead to sales results.
The article has more interesting information, but it really talking about as newspapers are making excuses and fussing…it’s time to take some responsibility.
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Tags: attitude, business, newspapers, responsibility 
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There is so much buzz about free and paywalls and hybrid of the two. There is a nice article on Logic+Emotion called “The 4 Kinds of Free“:
This is a new kind of currency that we’re seeing being used and what fuels it is the accessibility we have to each others through more of an open source way of working.
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Posted in business, ecommerce, web concepts Tags: business, Business model, ecommerce, free, web commerce No Comments »
Some say the only kind of fail that is bad, is to not fail at all. I had saved this post from unstructuredadventures for a while – and now seems like a great time to pull it out. It’s called “How to fail: 25 secrets learned through failure” and it is GOOD!
As I was reading, I really wanted to put them all down in my highlights…but I settled on these. They are my favorites considering the current climate I work in. But they may be different for you, Taylor Davidson is the author and he kind of puts up the “normal” analogy and then tells you what we should be looking at “instead”.
5. Solve your problems.
Instead: Solve their problems.Tom’s comment: How true. How many times are we looking to fix our issue or increase our revenue. That will last only as long as WE want it to. When we give up passion – the idea will wither.
6. Focus on the long-term.
Instead: Focus on the short-term.Tom’s comment: I cannot tell you how many times I’ve built a process/data manipulation/system which took longer to build than the project actually lasted. It gets you down.
7. Build prototypes, mockups and samples.
Instead: Start building in a format and medium as close to the finished product as possible, and iterate, iterate, iterate.Tom’s comment: Guilty as charged. :)
15. “We can build a successful business by capturing just X% of the market.”
Instead: Sell to one customer. Repeat. Repeat. Repeat.Tom’s comment: How many times are decisions made for a huge group. If we went out and solved an issue for one mom, student or business owner – then repeated. How would that change the outcome?
19. Hire resumes.
Instead: Hire people: curiosity, passion, interpersonal skills and drive.Tom’s comment: I’m a gut feel kind of guy. So this is a no-brainer to me, the smartest person who cannot function on a team will ruin us all.
22. Meet to discuss.
Instead: Meet to decide.Tom’s comment: This hit me like a ton of bricks. Wow, how many times have I facilitated a meeting which resulted in discussion – when it could have been decision!
Please take a look at the full post, there are 19 more which are as good as these. If you have more – please share.
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Posted in business, innovation Tags: best-practice, business, fail, failing, failure, start-up 2 Comments »Not sure who owns this site “wediabuzz.com” – I just know who used to own it…me. I had it in my Google Reader feed, I let it lapse and then it started to percolate again.
Either way – this is a good post. ”How telemarketing lists are made”
One such company compiles a consumer list that can be used by any number of customers that are looking for a specific product or service. These lists can be used to target people who are looking for such items as car or home insurance, real estates, cars and more.
I first want to say – Pepsi’s idea to skip the super bowl and work the social angle is fantastic.
So this decision by Coke to follow is too little to late for me. Check it out at socialtimes:
Coca Cola is planning to run a social media campaign on Facebook during the Super Bowl, that would coincide with its advertisements in Cable TV, according to a web cast news conference by Coca Cola executives on Wednesday. This follows Pepsi who previously announced their intention to remove all SuperBowl ads and opt entirely for social media channels.
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Danny Brown had a great post about IKEA and the design of their stores. It reminded me of the struggles my work is going through right now trying to be come better eCommerce people. Here are a few things from the article – see the full post here:
Great point and one that is hard to do. Hard to have the discipline:
Consumers love simplicity. We don’t want to be confused with multiple messages and options. We just want to buy the product or service that we need at that time and have it work, or improve our lives. Make our lives simpler.
Same concept we should emulate online:
BUT… I am a huge fan of the layouts in their retail stores. You go in the front entrance, and you simply follow a path until you reach the checkouts. You never feel lost, or cluttered – everything is relaxing.
Anyway – great food for thoughts. Please leave comments if you know of other great user experience in online or off line stores.
Posted in Featured Post, Web design, business, ecommerce, web concepts Tags: business, Danny Brown, Electronic commerce, Online shopping, Retail, Retailers Comments Off
The paywall discussion is in full force at my job (Gazette Communications) and my buddy and I were discussing the idea of adding a paywall to our electronic edition yesterday at lunch. Funny – as the exact same thing we were talking about was pointed to in this Boing-Boing post:
The critical point here is that advertising is still what makes money for news, even when there’s a cover charge. Paywalls aren’t just sold to readers. They must be sold to advertisers. Paid walls make the eyeballs behind them much more valuable.
It will just be very interesting to see how long the paywall phenomenon lasts – i may well be a short term solution, but the problem is a super long term one.
To succeed with paywalls, then, publishers need not only an established monopoly on something valuable (local news, scoops, reporting quality) but also a plan to translate that into advertiser interest. Paywalls alone, unless they are ridiculously expensive, just won’t be enough.
Either way – I’m sure we’ll do it. I wish we wouldn’t, I’m not sure we’ve looked at the complete array of options objectively yet. Wish us well. 
Why paywalls won’t help most big newspapers
Posted in Featured Post, business, marketing, new media Tags: Boing Boing, business, newspapers, paywall 2 Comments »
E-Commerce is hard and there are more competitors every day, more big box stores, more drop shippers, more eBay’s and more craigslists. But you have to read this to believe it:
A 10,000% increase in sales over 5 years. Sounds incredible doesn’t it.
8 ways we increased ecommerce sales by 10,000%
They outline an 8 step process, I highlight a few below – but please do not miss this post.
1. Remove clutter
This is a great point – and they have a great visual to go with it. Make it easy. What are you selling? Show that then.
2. Make sure the shopping cart stands out
If someone is ready to buy, then let them. And please, do not make it HARD.
4. The bigger the better
Big pictures and lots of them. People need to see what they are buying and from every angle.
6. Always be there to help
People’s attention span is small. If they have a question…they want an answer. If you don’t have the answer – they will ask your competitor.
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I have not been paying a lot of attention to Jeff Jarvis lately – but his recent post hit home. Maybe it was the friendly objection via a co-workers tweet to my re-tweet, but either way – this is a good read.
Here are a few of the better quotes IMO:
The momentum is toward including ever more data. But now come Murdoch and Microsoft, threatening to take their balls and go home.
But I would hate to see walls go up just as we are tearing them down.
Rusbridger reminds us that advertising freed newspapers from ownership and control by political parties and special interests who exercised that control via patronage. Advertising gave journalism independence. Advertising also subsidized news and reduced its cost so more people could get it.
There are many more – check it out, and good news. It’s free to read and free to be commented on!
The new divide: Walled v. open
Posted in Featured Post, business, innovation, new media Tags: advertising, business, jeff jarvis, journalism, media, newspaper, paywall, Rupert Murdoch Comments Off
