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Pre Digital. “Perhaps the most critical thing you can say of a typical institution,” says Seth Godin, “That place is pre-digital.”   He concludes by reminding us that we’re still at the very beginning of a huge transformation.  Middle Digital. Godin’s Pre Digital makes me think of the Kindle book I’m reading titled Race Against the Machine. Only 67 pages, but very insightful about the root cause of current high unemployment being accelerating technological advancement across all industries...

Social Networking Paradox. Enter the Community.   The paradox of social networking described in this Techcrunch Article is “as the size of the network increases, our ability to be social decreases.” Tweets, Wall Posts and Check-ins become broadcasts of an individuals’ experience to a vague and undefined audience.  Enter the Community, where we get back to shared experiences, comparing notes and perspectives. The Gig Economy. Other names include Freelance Nation, the Rise of the Creative...

Storybuilders.   We’ve talked about the power of stories before.  Here’s another good post on the subject from Duct Tape Marketing who quotes Mister Rogers, “It’s hard not to like someone once you know their story.” And from the author (not Mister Rogers), “I believe the new reality of marketing asks us to become great storybuilders.”  The story should include a shared vision, address the hopes and dreams of a very narrowly defined ideal client, focus on the challenges and unmet needs...

Expert Is as Expert Does.   A ScLoHo reference to Seth Godin with a reminder-slash-warning to not extend our expertise beyond our bounds by managing business functions that are better performed by others.  We one-person shops often “do it all,” but successful long-term businesses are more than doing the work. “I'm talking about intentionally building a structure and a strategy and a position, not focusing your energy on the mechanics, because mechanics alone are insufficient. The organizations...

Your product just happens to involve a piece of software.   A Top Shelf Seth Godin post on the business of software.   “You need to imagine (and then execute) a business that just happens to involve a piece of software, because it’s become clear that software alone isn’t the point. There isn’t a supply issue--it’s about demand. The business of software is now marketing (which includes design).” I spread your idea because... More Godin. Why would someone talk about your product? Because...

Transmedia and the Distributed Story. Heroes Creator Tim Kring in a Fast Company article on using multiple platforms to tell a story. “Kring believes one-channel storytelling has become archaic. Shows should no longer be designed around a platform; instead, platforms ought to be designed around a show. ‘You have to take the concept and put it at the center of the paradigm,’ he says. ‘You have to say: This is an idea. Part of it can live on television, but part of it isn't designed to be a television...

Startup Failure Simply Stated. The question “Why do you think startups fail?” was posted on quora.com with three possible reasons. 1) No one needs the product, 2) Management unable to change direction, and 3) Resources poorly managed. The most voted on answer was “inability to acquire and retain a substantial number of users.” That pretty much nails it, but there were other good answers, including this one even more simple in its truth than not getting enough users. “The ONLY reason any company ever...

Your Own Race. An Illuminated Mind post on lessons learned from one year of self employment. “Effectiveness is the name of the game when you’re self employed.” I couldn’t agree more. Quality is a given, but productivity is Job #1.  There’s too much to learn, too many technological opportunities to pursue. And on getting there from here, “we’re all running our own race. You can have a great product launch for you , and feel great about it, then get swept away in self-pity and envy when someone...

Simple to Share. After Hugh MacLeod’s book Ignore Everybody became one of my all-time favorite reads, I pay much more attention to what Hugh has to say, like in a recent CopyBlogger guest post on growing his business. According to MacLeod, nothing moved his business forward like old fashioned word-of-mouth marketing, with his newsletter subscribers telling their friends about his newsletter and suggesting that they sign up.  He then added a requirement. “Make it easy.” We cannot make subscribers...

Navigation Rethink. A new Landing Page Makeover clinic from CopyBlogger with the issue jumping out from the page being rethink your navigational scheme. The site had an image-based menu that was madeover with a menu representing the core points that the prospective customers cared about. The site was a kid’s clothing store, so the questions were, What are you selling? How do I order? (ORDER INFO) What about special requests? (FAQ) How do I contact you? (CONTACT US) What if I don’t like it? (RETURNS...

Micro magazines for a fast and specific world. Seth Godin discusses the allure of micro magazines, describing weeklies like Time and Newsweek as being slow and general, while in contrast the world is fast and specific. Godin lists why micro magazines reflect our current reality and are attractive to both advertisers and readers. Being digital, they are free to print, they have subscribers, are focused on specific issues to a very specific audience, enabling that audience to connect, and where significant...

Humanized Description. I love stories like this one where individuals in often menial jobs become celebrities because they blow away everyday expectations. Here Jay Baer describes how US Airways flight attendant Randy Lausen relishes the description of air travel. Baer transcribes both Lausen’s coach and first-class greetings. Here’s the opening to his coach greeting. “Ladies and gentlemen, I bid you a kind welcome to Flight 187, from St. Louis to Phoenix, Arizona otherwise known as paradise. We...

Bill Knew Better. I’m sure you found all of the press about Steve Jobs killing off non-Apple development platforms like Flash and MonoTouch on Apple OS4 devices as interesting as I have. Two of the most educational articles (along with their many good comments) were Econsultancy’s Steve Jobs will kill the goose that laid the golden egg and Gawker’s Dark Side of Steve Jobs. Too many good excerpts to share in a single link, and since Everyman is a Librarian and not a Professor I’ll keep my opinions...