Leverage Blog: How to Exploit the Web.

(even) More proof that your clients visit websites.

Do we need more evidence that websites influence buying decisions?  That your customer is using the web more every day, trusting it more deeply, and pulling-out their credit card?

Well, we got some.

I read today that a recent art school graduate used a blog, a social networking website, and an online gallery online gallery to sell her art.  $20,000 worth so far.  She's using a website, blog and good-old-fashioned networking to grow her business.

She's succeeding (in large part) due to a striking design and compelling content.  Her website is attractive, professional and useful to her audience, and her blog sports a clean design and a message well-suited to her customer.  Well done Emily.

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Thanks to Seth for the discovery.

Firefox web browser

I don't often recommend products or software on Leverage-- I figure my readers visit a host of other sites and blogs for that info.  But I recently discovered a very useful feature on the Firefox web browser.  (Think of Firefox as an alternative to Internet Explorer...but with more features and flexibility.  It's free. More information and download at www.getfirefox.com.)

Among the time-savers and conveniences of Firefox is a simple way to increase the type size of any web page.  Hold down the [Control] key and press the [+].  A few clicks and you can reduce the eye-strain on those small-type websites.

Does this mean I'm getting older?  Hmmm.

Elton John earned over $50 million last year. (And what that has to do with your business.)

Good things happen to your business when you make the investment.  The Long Trail from Seth's Blog:

[...Want to guess what these musical acts have in common?

The Rolling Stones
The Eagles
Elton John
U2
Paul McCartney

They each made more than $50 million last year, according to Forbes. They accounted for 40% of the top 10 acts.  The long trail is what happened...

...The long trail explains why so many unprofitable movies turn a profit when the DVD comes out. The Shawshank Redemption got seven Academy Award nominations when it was released, but disappointed at the box office. Now, after more than 1.3 million reviews at NetFlix, it is one of the most enduring DVD hits ever.

The long trail is a reminder to invest like your product might just be around in ten years...]

Fuel the growth of America: Support the Arts

I believe the strength of America as a global business leader in lies in our ability to innovate. (Very simply stated) our core value lies in the creation of products, technologies and new markets that the rest of the world help us produce.

Innovation stems from creativity, and creativity is developed in the arts.

Our schools have all but forgotten about the arts.  There are no classes, no teachers and no supplies.  If we don't get our 8 year-olds painting, designing and building, they won't create the next Google.

And we'll be in trouble.

One answer is a project called Preserving America's Cultural Heritage, which proposes a tiny tax on art sales to fund individual artists.  This is one solution, not the solution.  Let's get the ball rolling, turn the tide, and survive.

A good reminder

Sometimes we're moving so fast to keep up with the competition that we forget.  Forget to plan and execute.

Or we're so consumed with our busy workday routines that we forget.  Forget to step back and create something new.

A consultant in San Francisco this morning knows this, and he has a reminder on his laptop:

Thanks to Seth for the wake-up call.

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Return to Leverage Blog homepage:  web design blog  >>

Spam filters should save time, and this one does

Why use a spam filter that you have to search through the filtered results to make sure it didn't grab something you need, like an email from your mother-in-law?

I've heard more than once people checking their spam folder for email from clients or newsletters; it's a huge waste of time and defeats the purpose of the tool, no?

MaFee SpamKiller?  Silly name and also not effective.

A better solution is Cloudmark.  $40/year, it catches all the bad stuff and leaves all the good stuff.  I could tell you why it works well, but you're busy, so foggetaboudit.  Big time saver, with a capital B.  Here's what I didn't have to sift through today (partial list:)

• re system report
• You have unclaimed cash
• Re: News ok
• Wall Street is Paying Top Dollar for Old Gold and Silver Coins and Collectibles
• What IS 0EM Software And Why D0 You Care?
• Your Order
• ?

Customer service: "Nice" is not "service"

The other day I took my car to AAA for an oil change.  They do auto repair as well so I asked the woman at the counter if they could maybe look into a small problem while they were under the hood.  Have a listen, if it's easy to figure it out lemme know how much to fix it.

She gave me a blank (yet friendly) stare, but I saw a technician and he said sure, they would take a look, but that a full-diagnostic would be better and that would require me to leave the car for half-a-day.  I knew my options, right?  I said I wouldn't have time to leave the car, but appreciated the 'quick look.'  Hey, maybe it was a simple problem?

When the car is finished the paperwork didn't say anything about the "quick look," so I asked her.  She looked at me with mystery and confusion in here eye, said "Hmmm, I don't now," and when I pressed further she didn't try and find the technician.  I expressed my disappointment, since I was told they would do this for me, and she says, as nice as can-be, "I guess that's how it goes sometimes."

Huh?  It's not like a rainout at a baseball game.  AAA listened to my request, gave me a big warm offer of assistance, and did nothing.  Then I get an "act of God" explanation as to why they did nothing.

Allegory on how to treat your customer:

1. Be nice.
2. Say no (nicely) if they ask for something you can't (or won't) deliver, and explain why.
3. If you say yes to a special request, do it.
4. Don't blame the universe if you drop the ball.  Try and understand and fix your error.

AAA was nice.  The place is clean.  I can get my car washed at the same time.

But I won't be going back.

Innovation takes many forms

We shouldn't be afraid to innovate; to go beyond consideration of a new idea and execute it.  Today's case study:  My Curry Ravioli:

                                Why are you laughing?

innovate innovation

Leverage Blog in your Email

Clients and readers have asked if they can receive Leverage Blog in email.

Yes.

I searched the blogosphere and found and great solution:  Feed Blitz. You can now sign-up for email updates in the "Subscriptions and Feeds" area in the left-column.  If you use an RSS reader (RSS is explained here) you can subscribe to the feed.

Keep the requests coming.  I'm listening.

The web is still growing very, very fast

Seth talked about a fungus today, and it made me think.

Seriously.

My comment after reading about his experience at the buffet is this:  The Internet is still growing, and fast.  Growing in terms of visitors.  Users.  Customers.  There are tens-of-millions of people out there that just started using email 6 months ago, and made their first online purchase last Christmas.  What will they be doing this Summer?  Reading blogs?  Using an RSS reader?

Not to mention the 75 million Americans retiring soon who will have time on their hands and may enjoy activities while seated.  What do you have for them?

Old habits die hard

I found this post from the research thought-leaders at Jupiter. It says the New York times will soon be dropping stock listings from their papers for most days of the week.  Of course most of us don't check our stocks in the morning paper, but the reason it stayed for as long as it did seems pretty clear-- old habits die hard.

I'm referring to old habits of the readers, not the top-brass at the NYT.  I'm betting that a small but influential (super-rich) group of older, more traditional readers enjoyed their 30-year ritual of checking the market in the morning paper.  That familiar routine marked the beginning of their day, and the Times was not about to rock the boat.

Summary:  Lead your customers to your new, more useful/efficient/smart products, but don't disenfranchise your oldest, most influential ones in the process.

Sheraton: Stingy with wifi = missed opportunity

I stopped by the Sheraton in Sacramento yesterday to hop online and do some research between meetings.  Wifi used to be free in the lobby areas that support the conference attendees (and road-trippers like me,) but no more.  $5.00 for 10 minutes, I believe.

Now that's dumb.

Wifi is now a profit-center...one that will drive hundreds (of nickels) in revenues.  Big whoop.  And what did they give up?  A cheap (very, very) cheap way to cultivate new customer relationships, to differentiate, stay 'top of mind' and get people in the door.

If they are concerned about squatters surfing the web all day then get creative.  Limit session-lengths, or fix the total number of connections at any one time.

Their default strategy (free) was smarter than their planned one (charge.)