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This post will be valid for about an hour – Apple, iPods, and The Beatles
September 9th, 2009
It’s only an hour away. The big 9-9-09 Apple announcement. Rumors have been flowing about new iPods, iTablets, Beatles appearances, and Beatles music. I discussed that, and The Beatles: Rock Band with Curtis Sliwa last night on WABC Radio. Listen or download the 12:30 segment.
Filed under: Audio, Gaming, Products, San Francisco, Tech debate | Comments
14 Successful Techniques for Building Your Industry Voice with Social Media
August 4th, 2009
This article is part of a road show presentation series I did in Toronto for Intertainment Media, owners of Itibiti Systems.
Social media is far from prescriptive, that’s why I sought out stories of people who succeeded in creating their own industry voice using social media. The result of my research is this article, “14 Successful Techniques for Building Your Industry Voice with Social Media” (view on docstoc, download PDF). Check out the summary below, read the article, and/or watch an audio slidecast of the live presentation I did in Toronto. Let me know what you think. Do you have any stories of your own to tell?
Summary
Get inspired to capitalize on social media for your business with these successful tales of building industry voice.
- Ride current hot news and cultural memes: Mobile gaming company capitalizes on the Bernie Madoff scandal by launching a “create your own Ponzi scheme” game.
- Build your own memes: An unexpected Internet entrepreneur starts a new celebrity tracking trend.
- Connect an existing brand or talent to your brand: From complete nobodies to big product brands, more and more companies are using celebrities and entertainment to connect audiences to their brands.
- Focus on content, not social media: An unbridled focus on content and not gaming social media technologies is what made Alec Saunders a thought leader in Voice 2.0 communications.
- Use your own product to tell your story: Alec Saunders demonstrated Calliflower, his company’s free conference calling application, by hosting a daily roundtable podcast in which anyone could participate.
- Manage your industry’s community: An SEO entrepreneur launches his city’s professional networking community. With no revenue model, the connections and recognition have built invaluable goodwill with potential and existing customers.
- The community is the best help desk: Intuit is helping customers find answers quickly by building social networking capabilities right into its applications.
- Take care of your best resource, super users: Like Tom Sawyer did with painting the white picket fence, Boxee turned the arduous task into manning a booth at CES into something customers competed to do.
- Convert potential buyers into a word-of-mouth advertising network: Unknown book author becomes a New York Times best-selling author by podcasting his book for free.
- Feed everybody’s needs all along the sales cycle: In order to sell a new product, Microsoft engages with decision makers, and tries not to fall short of satisfying everyone.
- Own a word: With laser-like intensity and determination, The RFP Database focuses its energies on owning one word and succeeds.
- Customer’s perception of what they get must be greater than what they give: General Mills’ Yoplait Kids asks customers if they’re willing to trade personal information for a coupon.
- Own more real estate: NBC extends its reach to every screen, but also uses itiBiti to get prime placement on the user’s desktop.
- Do the opposite of what everyone else is doing: If everyone follows the same advice, social media becomes very crowded. Sometimes, as Harry McCracken of Technologizer discovered, it’s best to do the opposite.
What’s wrong with your current solution or why haven’t you chosen one yet: Most companies haven’t made the leap into social media because they’re either still trying to uncover social media’s ROI or they lack the necessary structural change in company communications.
14 Successful Techniques for Building Your Industry Voice with Social Media –
Filed under: Advertising, Be the Voice Podcast, Bloggers, Gaming, Mobile, Search, Tech debate, Tips, VoIP, Web 2.0 | Comments
Build Your Industry Voice with Social Media
August 4th, 2009
Above is an edited version of a presentation I led in Toronto as part of a social media road show sponsored by Intertainment Media, owners of Itibiti Systems.
The companion article to this presentation is entitled “14 Successful Techniques for Building Your Industry Voice with Social Media” (view on docstoc, download PDF, Summary of article). The article includes many more examples than you’ll see in the presentation (Time: 38:44).
During my research I was inspired to adopt many of the techniques for myself. I hope you find the same is true for you as well. Please watch and let me know what you think. If you have any stories of your own, please let me know as I’ll be writing a lot more about this subject.
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Filed under: Advertising, Audio, Be the Voice Podcast, Bloggers, Gaming, Mobile, Search, Tech debate, Tips, Video, VoIP, Web 2.0 | Comments
My new pilot: Power Tech Builders
July 10th, 2009
Few weeks ago I appeared in a pilot for a new technology show called “Power Tech Builders.” Dubbed as “Not your daddy’s Nova.” The show is on builders who use technology to express creativity in everything from robotics to medical applications. The show is directed, produced, and shot by TJ Walkup. It’s edited by Brent Jones. The field engineer is Seth Worden, and I’m the talent. The first part of this three part program covers RoboGames, which is essentially the Olympics for robots held once a year in San Francisco. I’m really impressed with the work TJ, Brent, and Seth put into this. They truly did a fantastic job. Please take a look at the ten minute pilot. Watch below, or see the larger version here.
© 2009 all rights reserved by OMNIFIC PICTURES.
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Filed under: Gaming, Products, San Francisco, Video | Comments
Spark Minutes on the air for the week of 3/9/09
March 8th, 2009
For those listeners of the Spark Minute on Green 960 or 910 KNEW in San Francisco, you’ve found the summary of all the follow up information and reports you heard on air for the week of 3/9/09.
- The number one spot for prostitution: Nevada or Craigslist?
- The market for used games, online and offline
- Find best electronics deals with Gazaro
- Products I love and actually use – OneNote
- ABC Radio Interview: Have you been “textually” harassed?
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The market for used games, online and offline
March 8th, 2009
You remember when your local video store made all of its money off of late fees? And then Netflix and video on demand came around and all that money washed up. It was fun while it lasted, but now that money is gone.
The rise and fall of the video rental store could be a map of success and failure for GameStop’s market for used video games. That’s what the market thinks as the company’s stock tumbled after Best Buy, Toys ‘R’ Us, and Amazon announced they’re all entering the used video game market. Up until now, GameStop more or less cornered this market. Bring your old video games you don’t like playing anymore and we’ll give you a new one or another used one. It was a very lucrative business for GameStop as 44 percent of its gross profits came from the buying and selling of used games.
GameStop isn’t deterred by the announcements by competitors. They’re banking on its relationships with customers and that people want instant gratification. Amazon’s model is to give customers the option to trade in used games for store credit to buy anything. I think Amazon will be hugely successful. Many of us just give our games away to Goodwill or try to sell them at garage sales. And I believe we are willing to wait. I’ve traded in books to a local book store in my area, Green Apple Books, and I’ve got about $40 credit I’ve yet to use.
Yes, in some cases people want instant gratification, but in other cases we can wait. And with the multitude of options of ways we can entertain ourselves, I think most of us are willing to wait for a game as we amuse ourselves with all the other games, movies, and on demand movies we have access to.
Good Morning Silicon Valley has a great write up that I highly recommend.
This news item is for the Spark Minute week of 3/9/09 which can be heard daily on Green 960 and 910 KNEW in San Francisco, CA.
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A military camp in China for Internet addicts
March 1st, 2009
Are you on the Web 6 hours a day consecutively for three months? If so, then you fall under the definition of an Internet addict and your parents need to ship you off to military camp. Such is the case in China where Internet addiction has become a real problem and parents who’ve failed at limiting computer time are having to take far more drastic steps like sending their kids to a military camp for Internet detox.
Parents have to go with junior as well as they’re often the problem with the addiction. Patients and parents stay in the camp for three months and undergo non-Internet related activities such as military training, reading, therapy, and sports.
The most common symptoms of Internet addicts is that they get upset very easily and they’re afraid of people. Looks like one solution for both is a lot of “hugging it out” therapy.
Check out Time Magazine’s great story about Internet addiction and props to my friend Patrick Mauro, sports radio host, for bringing this story to my attention.
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Filed under: Computing, Gaming, Spark Minute, Tech debate | Comments
VIDEO: Siftables: Toy blocks that are aware of each other
February 14th, 2009
This is a video from the recent TED conference in Monterey. Siftables are these blocks with computer chips, software, a screen, and near field communications. The combination of all allows them to be aware of each other and interact learning math, playing a Scrabble-like game, and connect with a program playing on TV. My description alone can’t do it justice. Watch the video, they’re pretty darn cool.
This news item is for the Spark Minute week of 2/16/09 which can be heard daily on Green 960 and 910 KNEW in San Francisco, CA.
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It’s got to be better than Microsoft Bob: Making connections at Microsoft’s retail stores
February 14th, 2009
This week Microsoft made an announcement that they’re going to be opening a “small number” of stores, and they’ve hired 25-year Wal-Mart veteran, David Porter to handle the retail deployment. There has been plenty of discussion and jokes as to the viability of such a venture.
Microsoft’s previous retail venture at the Metreon in San Francisco was a bust, but it’s unclear what the purpose of that store was. They didn’t seem to be selling anything. There was no experience. It had the look of a museum where you just looked at things and didn’t buy anything. It was on the second floor of the Metreon which is essentially a ghost town. For those of you who haven’t been to the Metreon in San Francisco. It’s not set up like other malls. There are huge portions of it that people simply don’t go to.
Apple, Best Buy, and Fry’s seem to be the only retail electronics stores still standing. Apple has hands down the best experience, and they’re obviously paying for it with a very high employee to customer ratio, In return, customers pay for that experience by paying Apple’s premium prices. Best Buy and Fry’s aren’t so lucky. That’s because they’ve positioned themselves as being a meta-store for all electronics. So their brand is intrinsically tied to multiple brands.
The amount of money Microsoft can make from a handful of stores will truly be negligible. It’s obvious this effort is all about building brand. I know it’s been hip to slam Microsoft, especially if you’re an Apple lover, and Microsoft is well aware of its public image. It’s not a secret.
I think Microsoft is launching stores to make a personal connection with its customer base.
Putting a face on Microsoft
When you think of Microsoft, what’s the first face that comes to mind? Most definitely Bill Gates, maybe Steve Ballmer. But the image of Bill Gates is fading away as he’s distanced himself with the day-to-day operations of the company. Microsoft and almost all other tech companies have been accused of using stock photos of “Genericans” or general Americans. Nobody truly identifies with these people.
Conversely, when you think Apple you strongly think of Steve Jobs and then you think of those smart young adults that work at the Apple store who are eager to see you and help you out. THAT’s what Microsoft needs. And the value of personal interactions and word of mouth satisfaction will be huge for Microsoft’s brand. Microsoft simply needs more positive human interactions to be associated with its brand and its technology.
Can you pull it off with just software?
While I’ve always believed that software sells hardware (e.g. Milton Berle sold televisions. Who wants a box in their living room? No, but that box will let you watch “The Milton Berle Show.”), people come to retail stores to see gear. And Microsoft is a software company that made small ventures into hardware. They have a handful of peripherals (e.g. keyboards, mice) and the Zune and the XBOX. I don’t think that’s enough to get them to walk through the door. I’m very interested to see what kind of experience they pull off or if they partner with other hardware manufacturers like HP or Dell and sell their products alongside Microsoft products. We’ll see.
For advice on how to pull off a great electronic retail experience, read Robert Scoble’s piece on FastCompany. He goes through a thorough analysis of what works and what doesn’t in retail electronics.
Disclosure: Microsoft has been a client of Spark Media Solutions.
This news item is for the Spark Minute week of 2/16/09 which can be heard daily on Green 960 and 910 KNEW in San Francisco, CA.
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Spark Minutes on the air for the week of 1/12/09
January 12th, 2009
For those listeners of the Spark Minute on Green 960 or 910 KNEW in San Francisco, you’ve found the summary of all the follow up information and reports you heard on air for the week of 1/12/09.
- Porn stars on Twitter…How could THEIR lives be this dull?
- Scuba cams as cheap as $99
- Best product pitchman: President-Elect Barack Obama
- Musical accompaniment for people who can’t sing
- Palm Pre: iPhone and Android G1 killer?
Filed under: Advertising, Audio, Gaming, Mobile, Products, Spark Minute, Tech debate, Tips, Twitter-Tweets, Video, Web 2.0 | Comments