An HD-DVD code hits the intertubes allowing Linux geeks to illegally play the HD format on their computers. The code gets posted to Digg. Digg takes it down for fear of legal action (though the site was sponsored by a HD-DVD promotional group a while back). Diggers (a swarming nerdfest of white, web-savvy geeks like myself) repost, repost, and repost. An online revolt is underway. I’m guessing it’s fleeting as Digg is such a stellar platform for junk news (sometimes good news), but the peeps are pissed. It’s interesting to see it all pan out. Read Ryan Block’s report for the full skinny.
Disclosure: I very much like Digg and use it on a regular basis to self-submit and drive mucho traffic to my articles.
UPDATE: One Digg commenter nicely summed up the phenom tonight, “It’s like watching a city on fire…” It really is. Crazy.
[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=av6fWfmugds[/youtube]
Good stuff, though I like more DC IP than I do Marvel IP. Best line from the spoof — Superman says, “I might actually fight a supervillain in my next movie.”
See also: Novell spoofs both PC and Mac with Linux
Search Rank has a nice little piece outlining 10 signs that you may be a blog addict. Here’s my take on each point:
- You always have your RSS reader open. While I am usually guilty of this, I’ve been cutting back to get more work done. Productivity for the win!
- You tell customers that you missed a project deadline because “some things” came up but in reality, you were blogging. Guilty.
- You periodically dream that you are blogging. I don’t know if I dream about the very act of blogging, but I definitely dream about post ideas…
- You get inspiration for new blog posts at the strangest times. Yes. Why else would I carry my Blackberry for notes at all hours of the day?
- You await blog comments like emails in your inbox. I actually have gotten better at this, but still do it religiously on Smooth Harold.
- In order for your family to keep up with what’s going on in your life, they have to read your blog. Guilty. I posted my second child’s conception announcement here before anywhere else. You heard it here first, folks!
- You have actually considered setting up a blog for your pet. No way I’ve done this. Lame.
- You can’t remember dates for your wedding anniversary, kids birthdays, etc., but you know what your Technorati rank is. First, Gcal remembers my dates for me, and honestly have never looked at my blog ranking. I’m sure it’s in the millions and I don’t write (at least not here) for popularity.
- You blog about anything and everything. Yup. Smooth Harold is more “general” than most, though I do like to stay true to the biz/tech angle.
- Keeping a blog is no longer enough but you now have to record your every move on Twitter. Not here. Twitter is a fleeting fad. I’m sure it will live on for those who don’t already have enough things to waste their time on, but this here blogger could care less.
Only 6.5 out of 10! Where are you?
See 10 cons of the Web 2.0 movement. My favorite one: “Spelling and grammr (beta) have gone to hell in a handbasket. I’m in ur domainz, droppin’ ur vowelz.”
I’m guilty (during one fleeting moment in time). Are you?
My Space
A little update on how fast My Space grows. Wikipedia: “According to Alexa Internet, Myspace is currently the world’s fifth most popular English-language website and the fifth most popular website in any language, and the third most popular website in the United States… The company employs 300 staff and does not disclose revenues or profits separately from News Corporation. With the 100 millionth account being created on August 9, 2006, in The Netherlands and a news story claiming 106 million accounts on September 8, 2006, the site reportedly attracts new registrations at a rate of 230,000 per day.”
Wow.
A recent survey showed that 57% of respondent executives view user-generated content as one of the greatest threats to existing business models. Why is that? “Because they can’t control user-generated content, and they only know how to make money when they are in control of people,” says Jason Calacanis in an email to Smooth Harold. “Over time they will learn you can make money when your not in control–but that will take years.”
No wonder. Not being in control is a scary thing, especially when trying to turn a profit.
[Thanks, Jason]
6 Pins has some nice examples of guerilla marketing up today. I especially like the above. Regarding the topic of Guerrilla Marketing, here a five reasons I didn’t include it on my upcoming Connect article about Viral Marketing:
- Guerrilla Marketing has more to do with promotional advertising than strategic marketing, although Guerrilla tactics are strategic in and of themselves.
- Guerrilla Marketing doesn’t spread itself as easily as other viral campaigns outside of word-of-mouth
- Guerrilla Marketing tends to be more direct than viral marketing (though not always)
- Guerrilla Marketing is most effective in local and/or regional markets as opposed to the global reach of viral marketing
- At its core, Guerrilla Marketing campaigns are nothing more than rogue, very creative, advertisements for a fleeting memory, though enough to generate short-term buzz and curiosity
That said, I really appreciate the creativity of most Guerrilla campaigns. United’s Ted Launch was one of the best examples of Guerrilla Marketing I’ve read about.
I’m 27. Married. And I have one little girl with one more (girl/boy) on the way due this October. I’ve been self-employed for over three years, I work from home, and I believe in God. Here are 10 things that scare/worry me at this point in my life: Continue reading…
On April 29, Microsoft will release their third flavor of 360 ice cream — the black Xbox 360 Elite. Let’s not be coy; the reason in adding a third, more expensive 360 is solely due to the existence of the $600 PS3. Since the inception of game consoles, prices have traditionally dropped with age, not increased. But If Sony can sell 3 million “supercomputers” in five months, why can’t Microsoft?
The Elite was largely criticized when it was announced last month and still is today. So at the dawning of its release, GamePro presents eight reasons why the Xbox 360 version 2.0 is anything but elite.
Continue reading at GamePro…
So reads Google Maps’ directions when traveling from New York to London. Good to know if your traversing the pond anytime soon…
ADVERTISEMENT: Since the concept of Search Engines has revolutionized the way of online business, the internet marketing as well as web site hosting providers are leading the way. Consequently the web design and hosting business is catching roots. Though web hosting companies are regarded as the providers of the web servers yet they offer broadband internet connections as well as facilitate their clients with free domain registration too. The high flying SEO firms advertise your web site on net and teach their clients about affiliate marketing techniques.
Lon Safko has created one of the coolest, most efficient business models I’ve ever seen. He sells paper model designs to kids for $10 on his Yahoo! store.Here’s how it works: a kid logs on the site, selects a structure he wants to build, buys the pdf file using Mommy’s credit card, prints off the design, and builds it in under an hour using only paper, Elmer’s Glue, and scissors. Lon then makes off like a bandit only having to pay server fees and the cost of contracting new paper designs (if any). He markets the site using good ole fashion PPC arbitrage and proper SEO.Sweetness! Forget these fleeting, unproven “Web 2.0” companies. Money 1.0 for the win.
[via Scobleizer]
AOL launched a new tech blog on March 20 called Switched. In case you didn’t know, AOL also owns Engadget, the world’s largest tech blog that just so happens to be the world’s “most popular blog” according to Technorati in terms of linkage. Sources close to Smooth Harold report that Switched is even being funded better than Engadget in terms of salaried individuals despite having zero traffic (read: no ad sales). Yeah, that makes a lot of sense.
Venture with me — if you will — into the mind of one of the slowest internet dinosaurs in existence. “CEO: Okay, Switched spearhead. You think we should start a new tech blog even though we already own the number one tech blog that’s also the most visited weblog in the world? Okay. But won’t that cannibalize our traffic, at least with the non-tech savvy crowd (because you and I both know Engadget will continue to be the best tech blog unless we suffocate it)? And where Switched isn’t cannibalizing our efforts, won’t we just be wasting money rather than reinvesting into Engadget to further secure its dominance? No? Okay, I’m sold. I don’t know why we didn’t think about this before. Matter of fact, didn’t CNN.com just launch a new world news website to compete with itself? No? Well, they should have.”
Way to support your $25 million purchase of Weblogs Inc, AOL. Your CEO should be fired for letting this thing even see the light of day. I’m amazed by the stupidity and behind the scene agendas that are going on here. Peter Rojas and Ryan Block must be reeling from this mediocre move.
Well, this has to be the coolest list of lifehacks, productivity tips, and stress releivers I’ve seen in a long time. Some of my favs: Synchronize recurring events, put all of your home access points on a single key, outsource your chores to the local neighbor kid for $10, avoid traffic, use autopay, let the phone ring, say “no,” and keep lists (or send yourself notes). Get that!
First off, my heart, thoughts, and prayers go out to the families of 33+ dead from the Virginia Tech shooting today. It’s just a horrible tragedy; the worst shooting (not just at a school) in US history.
The BBC has compiled a piece on how the massacre unfolded on the internet, including a cryptic email blast sent out to all students that encouraged them to “stay put” and “avoid windows.” The article also includes a first hand instant message conversation between two brothers, one of which survived in a classroom where the shooter killed 9 out of the 15 individuals in the room, including the teacher.
Expect significant repercussions in university security.
Friend, colleague, and referral ninja extraordinaire Chris Knudsen outlines six ways to become a better salesmen, Zig Ziglar not required. He writes: “Bottom line: solve problems, sell benefits not features, sell value, show value, listen, educate, have empathy and build real relationships. By doing these things correctly, I promise you will see a dramatic increase in your sales.”
I especially like Chris’s counsel to ask good open-ended questions that show the client you’re thinking about their pain areas and how to improve their business.
Continue reading…
USA Today: “Vonage has finally confirmed what many had feared: The embattled Internet phone company has no ‘workaround’ in hand to sidestep Verizon’s patented Internet phone technology… While Vonage has studied methods for designing around the patents, removal of the allegedly infringing technology, if even feasible, could take many months to fully study and implement.”
So unless a judge grants Vonage a permanent stay in light of the Verizon VOIP lawsuit, the company will most likely go under. At least for a few months, and I can’t wait that long without an office number.
Any other Vonage customers out there following the news?
Snarky headline aside, Seth Godin — marketing author extraordinaire — got clever with his upcoming book tour and will make a fortune from it (further solidifying his staunch marketing prowess). He’ll also avoid being stuck in Fargo, North Dakota sans book sales in the process.
Here’s how it works: if a state populace raises at least $25,000 in pre-purchased books (his new one), Seth will come and speak free of charge to local residents. Grass root ninjas Matt Reinbold, Phil Burns, and Jason Alba have put together an impressive local campaign that’s sure to bring the acclaimed author to Utah. If interested, click here for the salient details on how to participate, or pledge your $50 now.
See also: Seth at Google HQ discussing what I believe to be his best work, All Marketers Are Liars (It’s the storytelling, stupid.)
[Thanks to all who sent this in]
Not to deflect the well deserved negative press surrounding Pay Per Post, but these are the real schmucks. Alibi Network is in the business of lying. They sell lies for a living, or more specifically “excuses for discreet relationships and extramarital affairs.” Brilliant! Clients pay the company to cover for them via professional sounding phone calls, collateral, etc. Just listen to this ridiculous use case from their FAQ:
“Ann is our client and she has an extramarital affair. It is a short-term discreet encounter and Ann does not want to break her marriage and disappoint her children over it. Obviously, Ann needs an alibi to justify her absence over weekends. Therefore, she contacts Alibi Network each time she wishes to spend time with her partner. Ann accesses our website and chooses an alibi that would best suit her situation (e.g. seminars, conferences, trade shows, etc.). After we receive all the information (e.g. date of the alibi, type, delivery method) we analyze several possible alibis.
As soon as Ann chooses a 3 day Computer Seminar and the delivery method (e.g. either an email, fax, print out from our website, telephone call or mail) and the payment is received, Alibi Network will deliver the alibi to Ann. A detailed course syllabus of the seminar along with the certificate of completion is also available!”
Whoa. That was a close one, Ann. Good thing you paid extra for that bunk certificate. That’d be cool if actual demand wouldn’t sustain this; sadly, I think Alibi Net will do just fine.
“What do you want to be when you grow up, Billy? I wanna sell lies for a living. Yeah!!!”
[via Scott Lemon]
Help menu from iSquint by way of Flickr.
From Lee Iacocca‘s book Where Have All the Leaders Gone?: “The President of the United States is given a free pass to ignore the Constitution, tap our phones, and lead us to war on a pack of lies. Congress responds to record deficits by passing a huge tax cut for the wealthy (thanks, but I don’t need it). The most famous business leaders are not the innovators but the guys in handcuffs. While we’re fiddling in Iraq, the Middle East is burning and nobody seems to know what to do. And the press is waving pom-poms instead of asking hard questions. That’s not the promise of America my parents and yours traveled across the ocean for. I’ve had enough. How about you?”
[via Kottke]
In case you didn’t know, Nintendo has been on a storm over the past year (I’m a big fan). Their stock has doubled over the past 12 months thanks to their nifty little DS handheld and motion-sensing Wii console.
So in commemoration of Letterman’s 60th birthday, Nintendo sent the late-night host a candid and personalized letter along with 2 handhelds and games that it’s pitching to an older generation, all with an insane amount of message consistency. The letter copy is far from the bloated stuff PR peeps normally send. Have a look for yourself.
Assuming Dave’s publicists personally delivers the loot, I’d be surprised if Letterman doesn’t name drop the product on his show. So let’s recap how to earn quality free media:
- Build a good product that’s in demand. You can’t make a ball roll up hill, neither can you with a crappy product.
- Get creative when pitching individuals, bloggers, newspapers, magazines, and TV personalities. Asking for coverage is lame. I’m amazed PR reps still do it. Get creative when pitching, and it better be good because bell cows have seen it all (see above example).
Despite being a celebrity, people still love free personalized goodies. Everyone has a flattering point. Make sure you product or service can do that, and it will be a lot easier to get free coverage.
The Chinese government will begin regulating the number of hours that minors spend playing online games starting April 15. The new law requires national game providers to install anti-addiction software that warns under-18 gamers when they have played longer than three hours a day, what the government considers a “healthy” level.
Gamers that continue to play above the three-hour mark will only receive half the normal points up to five hours. After the five-hour mark, players receive zero points in addition to an annoying message every 15 minutes that reads: “You have entered unhealthy game time, please go offline immediately to rest. If you do not, your health will be damaged and your points will be cut to zero.”
Keeping in mind I’m no World Of Warcraft player, the “three hours a day will keep the doctor away” system seems generous, especially for youngsters. My democratic roots from an American upbringing, however, take issue with the whole government mandate thing. It just doesn’t feel right.
Continue reading at GigaOM…
When I’m not helping companies flex their web muscle, I enjoy writing. I got my start as a independent blogger here on Smooth Harold. From there I started a few other blogs which later secured professional gigs on larger blogs and traditional websites/magazines. But I’ve been spoiled as a blogger as I’ve never had to deal with editorial overrides until recently. In case you didn’t know, bloggers ARE the editors for virtually every online publication. We decide the headline, angle, tone, image, and word use. It’s rather liberating. 🙂
I wrote my first “non-blog” article late last year. The editor kept my headline and whatnot, only changing a few words here and there. The changes were very minor and even added some clarity, so I didn’t mind. A few articles later, a different editor at another publication restructured a few sentences of mine after I sent in my final draft. Though I disagreed on a few of his changes, for the most part, I was fine with them. Especially his copy edits to the headline which were better than my original. So it was all good.
Today, however, I sent in an article that was getting published in a few hours. I really liked my tone, word selection, and to an extent, my okay-headline. Shortly after, my editor (read: boss) sent back a radically and controversially angled version. I wasn’t quite sure what to do, and to make matters worse, I disagreed with the new-found premise. His headline was sure to foster more link-bait, but at the expense of what I thought was “a stretch” of a story. I sent back my differing thoughts to which a compromise was made. I then updated my story under his direction adding additional clarification to his edit, and the article went live.
After reading the my piece in published form, I went back and decided that I liked my original piece better with its accompanying angle and tone. In hindsight, I think it would have been better received. The take-away of all this? It’s nice to have your cake and eat it too as an experienced craftsman. Any Smooth Harold readers out there ever experienced the same? I suppose I should have seen this coming, as paying clients always have the last word, despite your creative opinion.
…Though I’m not sure how effective of an ad it is. Click for the full hi-res spot. Sony’s agency gets bonus points for the soundtrack.
[via email; Thanks, Robert]
Well this is rare; an ambidextrous switch-pitcher. NY Times has the scoop: “Venditte (pictured) is believed to be the only ambidextrous pitcher in N.C.A.A. Division I college baseball, the ultimate relief specialist. A junior, he throws left-handed to lefties and right-handed to righties, and effectively… Against Nebraska last year, a switch-hitter came to the plate right-handed, prompting Venditte to switch to his right arm, which caused the batter to move to the left-hand batter’s box, with Venditte switching his arm again.”
It’s looking like MLB could see its first legitimate switch-pitcher. Theoretically speaking, the dude could pitch twice as many games as the other guys. Crazy.
The alleged secret behind the trick here. Best line from the video: “I’ve never seen a Statue of Liberty disappear like that one before.”
Game development, like any software development, is an immensely intricate process. Given its temperamental nature, delays are inevitable — it just comes with the territory. Sometimes, game developers delay a game’s release in order to enhance the gameplay or polish the presentation, frustrating original release dates in the process.
“Typically, development teams delay games because they want to add an extra feature or spend more time on a specific aspect to get it just right,” says Dave Karraker, senior director of communications at Sony Computer Entertainment of America. “You need to remember that at the end of the day, the developer is truly an artist and their name is on that final product,” Karraker continues. “They will take every opportunity to get just a little more time to make the game as great as it possibly can be.”
But even though quality is a major reason for game delays, it’s far from the only reason. “Delays occur for both strategic and quality reasons,” says analyst Michael Pachter. Contrary to what you may think, publishers are just as as likely to delay a game for strategic reasons as they are quality ones.
Continue reading at GamePro…
If you haven’t already, go read Clive Thompson’s excellent Wired article on transparency in business and how it’s helping companies outperform the old way of doing things. “Fire the publicist. Go off message. Let all your employees blab and blog. In the new world of radical transparency, the path to business success is clear.”
And please. Let’s not turn “transparency” and “authenticity” into half-hearted memes. They should be guiding principles towards a better way of doing things in this Cluetrain world of ours.
This, my friends, is just too weird not to post. From the Associated Press: “Keith Richards has acknowledged consuming a raft of illegal substances in his time, but this may top them all. In comments published Tuesday, the 63-year-old Rolling Stones guitarist said he had snorted his father’s ashes mixed with cocaine.”
Rock ‘N Roll snorted my soul ™.
Presidential candidate Mitt Romney denied his Mormon fundraising connection in speaking to ABC News today. When asked if the $3M raised in Utah of his Republican-leading $20 million was tied to his being a Latter-Day Saint, Romney dodged the affiliation citing his 2002 Olympic popularity and his being a former resident of the state. The presidential hopeful corrected NY Times allegations that Utah raised “more per capita than any other state” citing California as holding the honor (Nota bene: In shere numbers, Cali is home to more Mormons than Utah).
First, I recognize that Romney is liked for what he did at the 2002 Olympics, for once living in Utah, for his success as a business man, and for his work in Massachusetts as Governor. But is there anything wrong with Romney stating the obvious? Like, “My record aside, of course people with a similar faith are more likely to financially support me.” Just seems like human nature to me, and I’m sure Catholics were extra generous with Kennedy. Despite some journalists fishing for stories that Romney’s church quietly endorses him, is there anything wrong with like individuals supporting each other due to a natural affinity? The issue seems akin to asking Obama about high black turnout or high female turnout for Clinton supporters.
So from a strategic standpoint, I think Romney has a better chance being forthright about his religious supporters.
Disclosure: I’m Mormon, not a Republican or Democrat, won’t vote in the primaries, and still don’t know whom I’ll vote for in 2008.
I despise seeing bloggers or sites in-line link using their affiliate codes without disclosure. I don’t mind helping others turn a quick buck on something they really believe in, but recommending without disclosing affiliate participation feels counterfeit. Either physically separate your affiliations from your posts and label them as such, or disclose. The long-term benefits of straightforwardness are far greater and lasting than the the few bucks you may or may not earn from an affiliate link. A quick roll over is all it takes to get busted, so link responsibly. I promise you’ll earn just as much if not more by disclosing your affiliates when linking. Believe it or not.
Long-time Smooth Harold readers know I like baseball. I like to watch it, and I like to play it. After becoming eligible this year (I turn 28 in July), I will be playing in an adult baseball league starting next week. Not softball, baseball. The problem is I haven’t formally played the game since being a freshman in high school some 13 years ago.
Rumor has it a handful of ex-college players in the league can throw upwards of 80 miles per hour. Yikes! To further compound the problem, a lot of pitchers put quite a bit of junk on the ball, so that’ll be a challenge as well. I hit some fast-pitch balls on Saturday at the local batting cages and made a lot of contact, but keep in mind these balls don’t move position, nor do they break. Oh, and my arm is way out of shape.
I’m really in over my head…
I don’t really care for MadTV. It’s never as sophisticated as I like my satire to be. Still, this little piece is spot on. We laugh because it’s funny, and yet we laugh because it’s true.
[via My Woman Cooks]
My last year of business was the best ever. Griffio has yet to hit the growth stage in its 3.5 year life, but every year has been better than the last. Growth, albeit small. And I feel blessed.
However, I owe the tax man a hefty sum this year. I owe him even more for being a profitable LLC (darn pass-through entity). It’s funny because as I was sitting down with my tax adviser, I realized how much money I owe Uncle Sam. In the process I caught myself saying, “Man, I wish I incurred more losses so I wouldn’t have to pay so much. Why did I have to be profitable?” That’s brilliant.
Although I don’t agree where all my tax money goes, I’ll pay my dues appreciating the many opportunities this great economy has created for me. Does knowing that make it any easier to pay taxes? Maybe. At least that’s what I tell myself.
When I first started my company back in July of 2003, I was gun ho on proposals. I’d spend hours on ’em. They’d generally end up being 9-10 pages detailing what we intended to do on a project, but they were also filled with a lot of marketing fluff. I have since reduced the number of pages of my proposals/contracts focusing solely on scope and deliverables, and I now do something I should have always done; estimate first, then scope out a proposal.
I have been estimating first now for about a year and I can’t tell you how much time it has saved me. People have been estimating for years now, and I still don’t know why I didn’t take advantage of the idea earlier. Here’s how I put the very old best practice to work: when someone asks for a request for bid, I ask a few more detailed questions. I then get with my lead developer and estimate how much each “chunk” of work will cost. I’ll send back the totals, and assuming the client is satisfied, we’ll further the discussion to clearly define the scope of expectations and put together a final proposal or contract. Estimate options are, of course, subject to change as the initial scope can change.
I’m sure most of you have been smarter than me. So do you use estimates before bidding on work? If not, you should.
Former rivals Nintendo and Sega announced today a mashup title featuring the largest two franchise characters in video game history. Mario and Sonic At the Olympic Games will exclusively ship for Nintendo’s DS and Wii platforms later this year preparatory for the 2008 Beijing Olympics. Granted, cross-promotional games like Square/Disney’s Kingdom Hearts and Lego Star Wars have sold well in the past, but here are five reasons why the announcement doesn’t really matter.
Continue reading at GigaOM…
Everyone and their dog says “mischEEvious” not “mIschievous.” So should the spelling be changed to reflect widespread American use, or is that English heresy?
Here’s an easy, if not cheap, content strategy to drive copious amounts of traffic to your website or blog really fast. No mischievous cats needed.
- Wait for a hot, buzz-worthy product or service to take over the internets, like a new iPod, Twitter, etc.
- Post a listicle on 5-10 reasons why the newly released product sucks. Objectivity is optional.
- Watch the traffic roll in if your Digg copy is well written and/or if you get picked up by niche sites covering the product in question.
Don’t confuse my simpleton post with sarcasm; this is guaranteed to work, I promise. In this case, you’re banking on human nature alone, tabloid-style. It will work every time assuming you’re first to market with a well-written post, however subjective. This applies to any product or service that gains easy notoriety on the web.
According to Digital Spy, market research firm NPD says the PS3 is selling marginally better in its first four months than the 360 did for the same period. “Figures show that the PS3 is selling slightly faster in the US than the Xbox 360 did at the same stage in its release,” an NPD spokesman told the UK publication. The news comes amid a lackluster PS3 launch across most of Europe last week.
Continue reading at GigaOM…
Not the most creative ad-parodies, but still funny… assuming you know your Linux history. Sadly, not many people do, so not many people will get the new Novell ads. The second one is the best.
[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rtp5gNhBZgo[/youtube]
[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GVOnFdMf0RU[/youtube]
When I first read this headline, I thought, “Oh boy. Here we go again.” Usually when someone makes the one-sided case for becoming an entrepreneur, I just roll my eyes. Nearly all of them try and convince you of the following: “Everyone should be an entrepreneur,” “realize your dreams and be happier while making it on your own, ” and “let your money work for you.” Ugh. That train of thought is so tired and illogical. Fact: risk averse individuals will be happier and more successful working for someone else. There’s no shame in that. On the other hand, if you have an unusual fetish for making something better, entrepreneurship or independent contracting may be a good fit.
But Why You Need To Be An Entrepreneur — despite its clever link baiting headline — is a misnomer as the article’s recommendation is more balanced than the headline suggests. “There is nothing wrong with working a 9 to 5 because one of the main goals in life is to be happy. It’s just that different things make different people happy.” Well said. The column’s points for entrepreneurship are also correct for the most part, though I dispute numbers 1 and 4 a bit.
Pick the Brain has abridged George Orwell’s 5 rules for effective writing. All together now:
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Don’t use cliches. We’re all guilty of this, but avoid them at all costs. Writing should evoke emotion. Cliches are cozy expressions that humans don’t internalize, thereby no emotion is felt.
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Be concise. Wordy thoughts don’t sound intelligent, well-structured sentences do. (If I hadn’t written #1 above, I’d say “Less is more,” here.)
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Strip out filler words. Trim the fat from your sentences. Never use two adjectives when one will do.
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Use active voice over passive. The man wasn’t bitten by the dog (passive), the dog bit the man (active). It’s shorter and more forceful that way (Latin-based languages do this very well).
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Avoid trade jargon. If you want your ideas to spread, avoid technical jargon in favor of an everyday word.
Thanks, George!
First, let me preface this post with a disclaimer: I come from a long line of individuals that simply must be right all of the time. No inaccuracy, however insignificant, can go uncontested in my immediate family. Part of that stems from the high number of intelligent siblings I grew up with, not to mention two shrewd parents. And while I can’t speak for others, I know my motivation to cross-examine every single statement was — and still is to an extent — rooted in my desire to display how much I know rather than enlighten others with meaningful truths. Truths with value. How noble of me, right?
That said, my feelings have slowly changed over time, especially since courting the beauty and brains that is Lindsey Snow of Seattle, Washington. In the last 4 and a half years of knowing her, Lindsey has taught by example in discerning what warrants correction, and what doesn’t. I can’t imagine how many times she must have let slide something I inaccurately said. I doubt she even acknowledged the act, rather opting to just let it go. At the same time — and while typically a quiet individual — Lindsey will readily stand up for something that matters; a material truth. “What matters,” you ask? I’ll leave that up to you, but I do know the order someone was cut from a reality show or what color shirt someone was wearing (when not profiling a criminal, of course) doesn’t matter.
I’ve been presented with three opportunities in the last week alone to correct another individual on some minute detail. In realizing what was important, I decided against correction without telling myself, “Don’t worry, Blake. You REALLY know what s/he doesn’t.” I just moved on in the moment, and it felt really good. Like, “Wow, that was really nice. I should do this more often,” good.
So, yeah. It’s a refreshing experience not to have to be right all of the time. There I go boasting again…
Juicing the Orange by Pat Fallon/Fred Sen of Fallon Worldwide. Not only has Fallon developed some of the most memorable ad campaigns in recent memory, these ad ninjas know how to leverage creativity to the fullest. And by that I mean driving trackable revenue. This book has heavily inspired my thoughts on creativity, messaging, and how to position my company before my competition does it for me. Highly recommended for any business professional. Black turtleneck optional.
It’s a geometry game called Planarity. You simply drag the dots so that no lines are intersecting. It gets harder the more you succeed. Very addicting. Perhaps cubical Minesweeper or Solitaire has finally met its match…
Click for enlarged image. As featured in the March 2007 issue of Connect Magazine (a local trade magazine). Now let’s see if I wasted my money… Whatd’ya think?
One of the things the new Griffio website is lacking, outside of the all important content that is coming soon, is footer paragraphs. Footer paragraphs are a great way to increase your website’s usability, user goals, and traffic via SEO juice. Take this one for example that I use on a fan site I publish:
“Infendo is a gaming blog for gamers passionate about all things Nintendo. The site covers news, tips, cheats, rumors, speculation, reviews, culture, Wii, DS, GameCube, Game Boy Advance and a whole bunch more several times daily. Subscribe to our RSS feed, listen to Infendo Radio — the number one Nintendo podcast on the internet — or send us a tip! Infendo. Always informed.”
As you can see, the footer copy serves as a site summary and a call to action featured at the bottom of every page on the site. It’s keyword rich, it makes sense to humans, and encourages them to further interact with the site in a way we desire. Will your site see an explosion of traffic after implementing such an idea? Probably not. But it’s better than the alternative as analytics prove. White space and a bland copyright statement in your footer is a waste of space despite their clean looks. People like suggestions when reaching the end of content. Make sure you give it to them with well written, key word rich, and action-encouraging footer paragraphs. I promise you’ll see results, however small.
[Thanks, Nicholas]
According to a survey by MediaPost, 50% of 1,100 business respondents feel that viral marketing is a fad. From the article: “A lot of people are asking for viral campaigns because they see a lot of free reach and the creators getting a lot of PR. There’s a lot of desire to do it, but viral is dependent on something big, outrageous or new… It’s hard for everybody to be outrageous, new and funny. That doesn’t mean you shouldn’t try, but it’s not appropriate for many marketers.”
It’s not a fad, it’s just severely misunderstood. Virality is indirect marketing (which most marketers don’t like and largely don’t understand how to execute), and its success is almost entirely dependent on consumers and consumers alone. That makes for a tricky and unpredictable result.
Seinfeld is the greatest sitcom ever and one of the best comedians of our time, if not the best. With that, 2 Spare has compiled what they dub the 30 funniest Seinfeld quotes. Here are a few of my favs from their list:
- You know you’re getting old when you get that one candle on the cake. It’s like, “See if you can blow this out.”
- Sometimes the road less traveled is less traveled for a reason.
- People who read the tabloids deserve to be lied to.
- I once had a leather jacket that got ruined in the rain. Why does moisture ruin leather? Aren’t cows outside a lot of the time? When it’s raining, do cows go up to the farmhouse, “Let us in! We’re all wearing leather! Open the door! We’re going to ruin the whole outfit here!”
According to a recent study, 32% of the city’s households own a video game system, more than any other metropolitan area in the nation. That’s what happens when teetotalers don’t spend their money on booze, or at one of state’s million plus restaurants. Mormons have to do something with their spare time…
