Develop “Insanely Different” products like Steve Jobs

December 10th, 2011

This is a rash of articles out praising the Apple way of developing products.  Writers often suggest to companies that you need to create a product that is insanely different.

Sounds good?  But here are a few things to think about.

First, there are not 5 examples of a similar product out there.  Often when you propose a solution, people look at it and say, “Who else is doing it”.   If there were many examples, would your solution really be different?

Next, it may not be successful.  We all hear of the insanely different products that are wildly successful, but if it is different, it might not succeed.  If it does not, that’s OK, ask why and move to the next one.

Also, don’t look for customer affirmation about the idea.  Now this is hard, because there are many management gurus who suggest that everything you do should come from what your customers are asking for.  If it is different, your customer has no context.  But, do talk to your customer about the vision.  You might suggest to them, “what if we had a product that solved this  problem ”

Lastly, stay with your vision and don’t give up.  It may take a bit for people to catch on.  Or, today’s insane product morphs into tomorrows big hit.

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Does your business need a 50% off deal?

June 13th, 2011

If you are on Groupon or other “couponing” sites, you get an offer almost every day for a 50% off deal.  Are your customers going to start expecting that every business has a deal?  Think about what kind of 50% offer fits your business.

But, how much off is too much off.  I saw a golf swing offer that was 72% off.  A personal training offer that was 92% off.  With discounts that high, how real can “list” pricing really be?  As long as offers can be referenced against a menu or price list, discounts will work.  But sometimes with personal services,  it can get silly.

If you are considering an on line coupon, think about how it fits your marketing strategy.  Who do you want to attract? What will you do with them, once they have redeemed the offer?  Will you really attract new customers, or are you just giving a discount to current customers?  How can you condition the offer keep your business in control?

If you are not sure if you should do the deal, run some numbers.  What will happen if you sell more “coupons” than you expect?  Can you afford it? If you have concerns, think twice.

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e-Conversation Solutions workshops provide value and insights

April 9th, 2011

We’ve been doing a number of workshops in March and April.  A couple of comments.

From a workshop attendee

Thank you for your jolting presentation.  Jolting meant in a good sense.  I was aware of trends you presented, however, I had no idea of magnitude.  Percentages quoted equated to jolt.  Admittedly I’m probably a better engineer/project manager than a sales person.  Point on having a nailed down elevator pitch not lost.  You probably can be a little bit fuzzy on business plan but not on your elevator pitch.  Thanks for the good goad there too.

And, thank you for your kindness in spending a little bit of time with me after your presentation (understood, above and beyond the call of your duty).  I appreciated that you understood what I would like to accomplish.

Follow up from the workshop sponsor

This is awesome!  I hope we reach many more people like this!

I thought your presentation was terrific, and I am a frequent presenter, so I am a tough audience.  Love the anecdotes you are able to add because of your experiences.

A few comments from a program on April 8th.

Very succinct useful information.  We really appreciate the bank offering this presentation

Entertaining, flow was perfect. Cutting edge info!  Hard to keep on top of all the new tools!

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As a publisher, how do you respond when your link or site does not work for a specific viewer?

January 17th, 2011

Lately, I’ve been experiencing situations where links, sites, etc.  Don’t always work for people I send emails to.

For most of the 2000’s, we lived in the world of Microsoft XP and Microsoft Explorer.  Yes, people used Firefox or Mac’s, but if they did, you as a content creator could shrug your shoulders and say…. Well, that’s your issue.   But today, we have multiple browsers, Chrome, Safari etc., mobile browsers, even different operating systems (Android, Blackberry etc).  Even in the Microsoft world there is Vista and Windows 7. Additionally, with YouTube for example, there are internal links on the channel, that can’t be shared on the outside.

Often, there is a pretty simple fix.  If you are a receiver of the link let the author know.  If you are an author, take it to heart and try to figure out the fix. It’s not a perfect world, but innovation rarely is.

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One of the nice things about the Holiday Period…

November 22nd, 2010


Mark Goodman

One of the nice things about the holiday period is an opportunity to catch up on your reading. Over the weekend, I was reading “The Most Powerful Idea in the World; a story of steam, industry, and inventions” by William Rosen. The book is basically about the invention of the steam engine and steam powered locomotive. Early in the book, Rosen talks about an economic historian named Abbott Payson Usher. Usher wrote a book in 1929 called “The History of Mechanical Inventions”. In this book, Usher documents ways in which humanity has engaged in a continuous process of improving life by inventing.

To Usher, every invention inevitably followed a four-step sequence.

1. Awareness of an unfilled need
2. Recognition of something contradictory or absent in attempts to meet the need, which Usher called an “incomplete pattern”;
3. An all-at-once insight about that pattern; and
4. A process of “critical revision” during which the insight is tested, refined and perfected

Rosen goes on to say “the inventors of the steam engine… created a perpetual innovation machine, in which each new invention sparked the creation of a newer one…”

We live today in the perpetual innovation era. This innovation era is intellectually easy for us to grasp, but still difficult for us to exploit. However, as we implement our innovations, looking at Usher’s 4 steps, can provide some insights and guidance.

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Two things to consider when you are updating your website…

November 10th, 2010


Mark Goodman

We work with many companies who are looking to better utilize the internet to grow their businesses. The discussion about Search Optimized Video (SOV) sometimes creates a broader dialogue around their internet presence.

If you are in the process of updating your website, here are two suggestions:

First, make a list of the top 15 or 20 questions that your customers or prospects are asking you. Additionally, think about 2 or 3 questions that they should be asking you… and are not. We use these questions to create short video segments, but you can use them in developing your web content. Look at these questions in the context of your website. Are the answers on your website? Are the questions on your website?

For example, here is a question and an answer.



Search engines use word match to determine if your website is of value to a searcher. If a searcher is asking a question, and that question is on your website, then your site has a better chance of getting recommended. Also, if your website does not answer some of the key questions your customers are asking; you ought to go back and rethink your content.

For example, suppose you are a professional services company. Your customers are most interested in the services you offer and how you solve their problems. They may not be that interested in your office building. So, if you had a big picture of your office building and a description of your space on your home page, is that the best use of key web real estate?

Second, if you are planning on using video, think about where you might place it, even if you are not ready for internet TV. Work with your web designer to leave some places where you can provide updates. You can fill it with a picture, or a bit of text. But visually, design your pages so that there is a logical strategy for adding a video embed. That way when you are ready to record, the space is available.

Use these reserved areas as places where you can regularly add new content. Identify with your developer sections that you can update with a simple text entry or a “cut and paste”. Some web developers will tell you that they will update the site for a minimal charge, but if you do need to pay $50 or $100 to update your site, you probably will not do it very often. If your web designer says that you can’t update the site on your own, you might want to look at a new designer.

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QR Codes Series Part 3: Best practices

October 21st, 2010

What are the best practices for using QR codes? While the book has yet to be written as far as the full capabilities of QR codes, here are a few guidelines to consider:

1. QR Codes work best in print advertising. Hyperlinks are still the best way to link to sites online. The real value of QR codes is in allowing people to see an advertisement in print, and then quickly and seamlessly be taken to the digital environment of the advertiser.

2. Link to mobile friendly content. Whether it’s a video or a specific mobile-friendly site, a QR code is worthless if the content it links to isn’t readable on a mobile device.

3. Create fresh content around the QR code campaign. QR codes are exciting, and people expect to find content at the other end that is as fresh and innovate as the code itself. On the same note, people want content that aligns to the ad itself, not just a general website. For this reason, it’s best to program fresh content around the QR initiative.

4. Tell people how to use the code. QR codes are new, so they require some explanation. Consider this template that we use:

5. Track your QR campaign, but manage expectations. Like any other campaign, it’s important to track your QR campaign. There are numerous software products that allow you to create and track QR codes, like Qreate Buzz or beQRious. Initially, however, you need to manage expectations.

I was speaking with the lead media buyer for one of America’s largest magazines recently. He mentioned that for 20 million eyes, he got 20,000 people to actually use the QR codes. However, remember that at this point, even if people don’t scan the codes, they will either reinforce your company as a cutting-edge firm, or at least draw attention to your ad. As such, while it’s important to track the activity from your QR code, don’t rely on analytics alone to measure their effectiveness.

- Nick Farina, e-Conversation Solutions

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Take your experts, put them online, save money.

September 8th, 2010


Mark Goodman

I did a whole web initiative in the mid 1990’s. The web proponents said going online should save you money. The skeptical looked at the internet as a marketing effort. One person who worked at an overnight package carrier said that “no one wants to track their orders online, people like to call us!”

Fast forward to 2010. Not only do I really miss spending hours on the phone with shipping companies, but I have had two interesting discussions over the last month about mobilizing company expertise and featuring it on line with video. The feedback from a manufacturer was “we really can’t spare the time of our experts” or “the resources are not available”. But when we probed, it was determined that one expert was off to South America for two weeks. Another one was in Asia.

In professional services, pulling an expert who has billable hours can be problematic. We hear, “how can we afford to have someone who bills $250 per hour, spend 4 hours on a video?” But the video done effectively should cover 10 times the cost in personal sales visits that the expert does not have to make.

Yes, the video does need to be supported by a good website, and integrated into your marketing efforts. But you are spending that money anyhow.

Do the math. A trip to Asia can easily cost $20,000. An “in person sales call” with a billable expert may cost as much as $2,000. How many calls does it take to close a sale? What is the impact if you can eliminate one call per week?

So, putting your experts on line with video should save you money.

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Let’s Go Global

July 21st, 2010

How can your video portfolio take your business around the world?

Mark Goodman

When you create compelling content, companies will help you distribute it.

Here are two examples:


TerritorioScuola is an Italian content aggregator. They target a specific audience and find programming that appeals to that viewer. If your company creates quality content that would be useful to their viewers, you can appear in their channel.



Here is another version of content aggregation. Univision is a Spanish-language television network in the United States. It has the largest audience of Spanish language television viewers according to A.C. Nielsen ratings. In recent years the network has reached even parity with America’s five major English language television network.



Also note on these links how the whole series of videos is featured – the concept of aggregation at work.

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“Tricks” of the trade

June 4th, 2010


Mark Goodman

What was the editing trick on this video? We got a number of comments, but no one caught it.

So, here is what we did. I asked Ken the question “How can SCORE help me be successful?” As it turned out, Ken answered the question first for someone starting a business, then for some one who is in business. In a normal conversation, you as the listener would make the connection. No problem. But with internet video, viewers tend to click off once the first answer is finished. So rather than one clip, we made two clips using the same question. Check it out….



How do we know viewer behavior?
You Tube supplies graphs on selected videos as to how well a video holds a viewer’s attention. The line in the middle is average attention compared with other videos of the same length. A higher line is better. The graph on the left is typical of a “two answer” questions. You will note that after the first answer is given viewers drop off. The graph on the right is what you want to achieve. Capture your viewer’s attention and keep them.
Two Answer Question


Goal- Start High –End Higher


Why is it important to hold a viewer’s attention? First, your goal is to be a trusted source. If people don’t watch, you lose. Second, you may put a link at the end of the video to another video, if people click off, they don’t get that link. Third, YouTube recommends other videos at the end, if viewers click off, your lose a chance for one of your other videos to be found. Lastly, Google uses this data to determine if they want to rank a video higher in a search. Their assumption is that if people watch it more all the way through, it must be more valuable.

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