Warning: The video contains strong language.
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Warning: The video contains strong language. If history has taught us anything about the Internet, we should know by now that fitting in online won’t get you anywhere. Whatever you are trying to do: sell a product, solidify/reinvent your brand image or build a following; it doesn’t really matter. The challenge is: when you have nobody to look up to, do you and the people you have surrounded yourself with have the guts to actually create something that might be controversial? I have heard many people claiming that they are not talented or smart enough. I am sure you have, too. But the truth is, I think every single one of us has talent. (OK, maybe not world-class talent, but talented nevertheless.) It’s just sometimes we refuse to put in the work. It’s true that no matter how hard you work, the chance of you making it to the NBA is next to none. But that’s not to say that if you work hard enough, you will more than likely be much better than just about anyone in a pickup game on the playground. Isn’t that enough? …and the same could be said about your work, business, school, whatever. Apple never cease to amaze and create “buzz” after their product launch. This time, with the launch of their iPhone 4S, Siri, the virtual assistant, seems to have taken the world by storm. Here are some of my thoughts on it: - Should Yelp be worried? I think so. They’d better act fast to either come up with a better solution or team up with Apple. Imagine when I tell Siri: “Langer’s has the best pastrami sandwich in the world! You’ve gotta to try their #19.” And a friend of mine asks: “Pastrami sandwiches in LA?” - Traveling. Airlines, hotels, car rentals. They should all be salivating at this platform. How cool would it be if someone asks her phone to “plan my trip to Paris” and Siri puts your name first on the list? - Deals. “What’s the best deal on Sony Nex-5N in my area/online?” “Who has happy hours now?” A side note: If you are a product manager, you ought to really think hard now about naming your product. - Social. “I am free this Friday night. Who wants to hang out?” “Who among my friends are free this Friday night?” Once again, the possibilities are pretty endless, and I can’t wait to see what people can come up with. This is such a great article from a Googler on why Google+ might (already) be failing. The way I see it, you really only have two options: 1) Insist on building a product that people need (and love) before they know that they needed it. See the future, take a stance, and risk failure. It’s such an impossible thing to do, that when someone actually repeated does it, it leaves little doubt why Apple is where it is today. 2) Build a platform in which everyone could excel. Ignore the fact that most people won’t put in the effort, assume nothing and leave all the possibilities open. This is a rare footage of Steve Jobs and Bill Gates sharing a stage. Well worth the standing ovation. R.I.P. Mr. Jobs. …is that you have nobody to follow. Watching the Buffalo Bills coming from three touchdown deficit two weeks in a row taught me something. I think something bad is bound to happen, regardless of what you do. No one is going to have a perfect game, life, career, family or whatever. In the end, what defines us, and differentiates us from the rest of the field is how we choose to deal with those bad situations. Many businesses treat each interaction with their customer as a transaction. Get in; do the job; get out. I think a better approach is to treat each interaction as part of a lasting relationship. Knowing what you put in every time will likely have an effect on the relationship is probably going to change the way you deal with them. I think all Social Networks are biased, and most of the time, it’s a positive bias. I am not suggesting that there is zero negative comments online; that’s obviously not true. What I am arguing is that people tend to create and/or share things on Social Networks that can somehow help them to build their “online social status” in a positive way. Take Yelp.com for example, the characteristic of Yelp is biased heavily toward a remarkably great dining experience. Sure, there are complaints about crappy restaurants, but the majority of the reviews are either good to great (4 to 5 stars). This is especially true for popular restaurants. I make the assumption based on this simple idea: a 3 star restaurant is not really worth mentioning, and you would appear kind of stupid (to your peers) if you keep eating at places which you rate 1 or 2 stars. So here is the question you should ask yourself: if you want your customers to talk about you on their Social Networks, what can they say about you that would make them look good in front of their peers? I don’t know why businesses almost always seek to be like their competitors. Granted, most of time, they are trying desperately hard to catch up with their industry leader. It may have worked to some extend before, but it does NOT work for Web 2.0.
I was watching an episode of the Daily Show with Jon Stewart the other day, and thinking to myself: “I don’t mind waiting for the 30-second commercial clips in between each segment.” Not that I enjoy watching the commercials (I ignore them altogether), but because I understand he (and his show) is trying to make money. And because he is the only Jon Stewart in the world, It was worth the wait. You don’t win when you are better than everyone else. Not anymore. Not online. You win when there is no one else doing what you do. It’s okay to not include a feature in your product; It’s okay to not add a page onto your website; It’s even okay to not sell to a customer; …as long as you stick to your goals and do what you believe is best, for the people who actually matter. It’s a valid method to build your online fan base by spending a lot of money on advertisement. It’s proven, and it works. The problem is, that method (especially online) is losing its effectiveness in an world that is now filled with noise and distraction — interrupting people with more noise when they are getting so good at filtering out noise simply isn’t smart. This is when you should remember that advertising is only a (small) part of marketing. Now is probably as good a time as ever to ask yourself: if we take away advertising from our marketing, what are we left with? …and is that enough? 64% of small businesses think Social Media is unnecessary. And I bet most of them are doing pretty well. Here is the thing: when businesses are doing well, they generally don’t want change. They hesitate to add or try something new — afraid that the new addition will somehow disrupt rather than help. While that’s totally understandable, you should also keep in mind that the best time to invest in Social Media is while you are still on your way up. The most effective and efficient time for building a Social Media fan base is when there is still enough buzz about your business — when people can’t wait to hear from you. Many businesses treat Social Media (or any other new marketing tools for that matter) as a desperate attempt to revitalize their businesses when all else have failed. Guess what? Social Media isn’t some magic that will miraculously turn your business around. It is merely a new way of communication. When people don’t want to hear from you, they don’t want to hear from you, regardless of what method you are using to contact them. So, don’t be like those businesses who were forced to switch from fax to email at the last minute. Instead, be one of the first in your industry to reach out to where your customers are today (hint: Facebook). Accept the fact the this new form of media is here to stay, and try to master it before everyone else. I ran across two articles recently that offered designing tips: How to Build an iPhone App and 8 Tips For Small Business Homepage Design. I thought both were pretty refreshing (especially the one about iPhone Apps) and worth a read. How to Build an iPhone App, 15 tips:
8 Tips For Small Business Homepage Design:
Here is an idea: Wouldn’t it be cool if Netflix introduces a feature that allows us to grab a two-minute clip from any show that we are watching, and share it with our friends on Facebook? The individuals who have the most influence online are not easily swung one way or the other by you or anyone else. The bigger the influence, the more difficult it gets. That shouldn’t be so surprising. What you should be concerned as a marketers is: when you finally reach the bidding price which the influencer would speak on your behalf against his or her own belief, all of the sudden, the influence he or she has is greatly diminished. Trust in non-transferable. Pursue with caution. I understand why some (okay, maybe most) people want to have the option of remaining anonymous online. They worry about their privacy, identity and safety. I get that, and it’s perfectly okay. In fact, I am sure that you can think of some instances in which it’s probably better to remain nameless and faceless. It offers the freedom to do and accomplish some things that we simply can’t have in any non-virtual part of the world. But I think another Internet can and probably should also exist, and it doesn’t conflict with the one that we are accustomed to. In this Internet, you can only join if your true identity is revealed. In exchange, you get the peace of mind that you are guaranteed to be dealing other “authentic” human beings. When interactions take place, especially when someone is wronged by others, they can easily be tracked and traced back to the origin. I know I certainly don’t mind spending at least part of my Internet life in the second Internet: my online purchases, financial transactions, dating websites, etc. What about you? |
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