Wednesday, July 26, 2006

The world is flat - Thomas L. Friedman

I've just started to read "The World is Flat" by Thomas L Friedman. Just got through the first 100 pages and it's been a long haul.

If you've read this blog before, I'm guessing you haven't, you'll know I am a man of few, long, words. I ramble but the words are easy.

The ideas in the first section are rally opening my eyes to a lot of what I already do in my day to day work. I sure you do too.

Although I'm chained to Microsoft windows (when I long for my Mac back), I already use a lot of the remote software Tomo, as I call him, talks about.

You're reading my blog, which is free courtesy of Google. It's hosted for free somewhere in the ether, just for me and millions of others to write what we feel like. I use Gmail, Google Earth, Google Analytics and Google Desktop (have you noticed a theme?).

At work I send my email campaigns using a site called Campaign Monitor. I'm in the UK, they bill me in US$ and they're based in Australia! The service blinds any commercial service I've used and it only costs me $0.01 per email.

My own company has it's IT team based in Bulgaria, so my web designer (who's great, well done Viktor) works in the former communist block. This really is the walls come down.

As I said I've only done 100 pages and could do without the VERY detailed description of all the protocols for the Internet and Web. But I'm going to continue and let you know how it goes. I'm sure I'm going to learn a lot and hopefully share it too.

P.S. Tomo has a great Magnum tash!

Monday, July 24, 2006

STOP! Think before you report Spam

I hate spam. It annoys the hell out of me. I don't want viagra, I have no money to invest in shares, and I don't even enter the lottery!

This type of spam which everyone knows about and can easily recognise should be eliminated. Just as junk mail via the post has been.

I'm a Direct Marketer so I know that even those really annoying credit card mailing I and you get at least 5 of each week have involved a lot of hard work from Marketers, copy writers, printers, postmen and I hate to say it lawyers as well (sorry if I missed anyone). But the reason all the effort goes in is that's it's a numbers game and timing is all important. The one time these mailings win is when they drop through your door and the offer is just right, the timings perfect and the price is good. That's when you pick up the phone, email, visit a website or whatever is asked.

The same goes for email. The same guy who's slaved over the email is the same one who did the work on the postal mailing. The difference is that you didn't instruct the postman to stop having these mailing pushed through your door. You simply put it in the bin and forget about it.

But what if you've requested information from a company?

Lets say you want a holiday. You request lots of brochures, you need as much information as possible. After the brochure search you decide and that's the end of that. But the smart company remembers that you asked for information. So, next booking season they send you a brochure automatically. Last year you requested it, so they must be in the ball park somewhere. But just because you have different plans this year you don't tell posty to stop these brochures, or go an tell the Post company to stop the company sending their mailing s to any other people who they know are interested.

So, my question is why would you do that with an email from a company?

because when you hit Spam, rather than delete. The company who carried the email (e-Posty, if you will) gets a message from your email provider, and if they get lots the e-Posty stops the company emailing not just you but all the people who have requested information.

The internet is supposed to make worldwide business and entertainment better for everyone and email is a tool of that. Without communication the world stops and that mean for everyone. So before you hit spam think. Is this legit? Did I ask for this info before? If you don't want anymore hit Unsubscribe a good company always has one, or if it's just not this time just delete.

Sorry for going on... and on...

By the way I'm not a spammer, trying to double bluff you. It just makes me mad.

Thursday, July 20, 2006

You want Customers NOT clients!

This is going to be very one sided. I have strong views on this so get ready!

For me a customer is the type of person who you spend time with to fully understand their needs and wants. You tailor your approach to make the service or product they are buying from you as easy to buy as possible, you give them the best personal after service you can.

In return they value your help with the problem you can fix. This means they come back and buy more of your service. They also tell their friends what a good experience they had and tell them to come to you when they have the same need.

Before you know it you have an army of raving fans, who'll do your marketing and sales for you (as long as you keep up your end of the bargain).

On the other side. There are clients.

Clients are people you keep at a distance the owner of the relationship is your company, there is no give and take. Companies build client bases, huge faceless lists of money generators. They don't care about long term, they care about now.

There is a reason Solicitors and Prostitutes have clients (sorry to both professions)

I've tried to implement this in my company and it's tough, especially in sales, but this small difference makes a huge mental difference in the way people act.

For a much more lucid argument, with facts too, read this.

Wednesday, July 19, 2006

The day for saying sorry!

After my last post I thought I'd check back through the blog. Matt's comments was very welcome, but not the first one.

My apologies. Now I have two comments. Cheers Maverik

Wow! Now I have an audience!

Thanks to Matt Cutts at Google - And an apology

I've been a bad blogger! It's been a lot harder than I expected to keep up to date and maintain the enthusiasm to keep this going.

Anyway today I thought I'd have a read of the blog and see if I could get back into it. As I scrolled to me surprise I found a comment! My first one!

I eagerly clicked it open and found that Google are listening! Matt Cutts left a comment.

If you're curious you can read it here

So thanks Matt, for coming to my rescue and for being the first to leave a comment. Sorry it took so long to thank you.

I'm now re-rejuvenated and will be back blogging as I should.