Entrepreneur Bootcamp

THE IMPORTANCE OF CHARACTER

2013-06-19T00:30:00.000-07:00

That "Heaven helps those who help themselves," is a maxim as true as it is ancient. The great and indispensable help to success is character.

Character is crystallized habit, the result of training and conviction. Every character is influenced by heredity, environment and education; but these apart, if every man were not to a great extent the architect of his own character, he would be a fatalist, an irresponsible creature of circumstances, which, even the skeptic must confess he is not. So long as a man has the power to change one habit, good or bad, for another, so long he is responsible for his own character, and this responsibility continues with life and reason.

A man may be a graduate of the greatest university, and even a great genius, and yet be a most despicable character. Neither Peter Cooper, George Peabody nor Andrew Carnegie had the advantage of a college education, yet character made them the world's benefactors and more honored than princes.

"You insist," wrote Perthes to a friend, "on respect for learned men. I say, Amen! But at the same time, don't forget that largeness of mind, depth of thought, appreciation of the lofty, experience of the world, delicacy of manner, tact and energy in action, love of truth, honesty, and amiability—that all these may be wanting in a man who may yet be very learned."

When someone in Sir Walter Scott's hearing made a remark as to the value of literary talents and accomplishments, as if they were above all things to be esteemed and honored, he observed, "God help us! What a poor world this would be if that were the true doctrine! I have read books enough, and observed and conversed with enough of eminent and splendidly-cultured minds, too, in my time; but I assure you, I have heard higher sentiments from the lips of the poor uneducated men and women, when exerting the spirit of severe, yet gentle heroism under difficulties and afflictions, or speaking their simple thoughts as to circumstances in the lot of friends and neighbors, than I ever yet met with out of the Bible."

In the affairs of life or of business, it is not intellect that tells so much as character—not brains so much as heart—not genius so much as self-control, patience, and discipline, regulated by judgment. Hence there is no better provision for the uses of either private or public life, than a fair share of ordinary good sense guided by rectitude. Good sense, disciplined by experience and inspired by goodness, issued in practical wisdom. Indeed, goodness in a measure implies wisdom—the highest wisdom—the union of the worldly with the spiritual. "The correspondences of wisdom and goodness," says Sir Henry Taylor, "are manifold; and that they will accompany each other is to be inferred, not only because men's wisdom makes them good, but because their goodness makes them wise."

The best sort of character, however, can not be formed without effort. There needs the exercise of constant self-watchfulness, self-discipline, and self-control. There may be much faltering, stumbling, and temporary defeat; difficulties and temptations manifold to be battled with and overcome; but if the spirit be strong and the heart be upright, no one need despair of ultimate success. The very effort to advance—to arrive at a higher standard of character than we have reached—is inspiring and invigorating; and even though we may fall short of it, we can not fail to be improved by every honest effort made in an upward direction.

"Instead of saying that man is the creature of circumstance, it would be nearer the mark to say that man is the architect of circumstance. It is character which builds an existence out of circumstance. Our strength is measured by our plastic power. From the same materials one man builds palaces, another hovels; one warehouses, another villas. Bricks and mortar are mortar and bricks, until the architect can make them something else. Thus it is that in the same family, in the same circumstances, one man rears a stately edifice, while his brother, vacillating and incompetent, lives forever amid ruins; the block of granite which was an obstacle on the pathway of the weak, becomes a stepping-stone on the pathway of the strong."

When the elements of character are brought into action by determinate will, and influenced by high purpose, man enters upon and courageously perseveres in the path of duty, at whatever cost of worldly interest, he may be said to approach the summit of his being. He then exhibits character in its most intrepid form, and embodies the highest idea of manliness. The acts of such a man become repeated in the life and action of others. His very words live and become actions. Thus every word of Luther's rang through Germany like a trumpet. As Richter said of him, "His words were half-battles." And thus Luther's life became transfused into the life of his country, and still lives in the character of modern Germany.

Speaking of the courageous character of John Knox, Carlyle says, with characteristic force: "Honor to all the brave and true; everlasting honor to John Knox, one of the truest of the true! That, in the moment while he and his cause, amid civil broils, in convulsion and confusion, were still but struggling for life, he sent the schoolmaster forth to all comers, and said, 'Let the people be taught;' this is but one, and, indeed, an inevitable and comparatively inconsiderable item in his great message to men. This message, in its true compass, was, 'Let men know that they are men; created by God, responsible to God; whose work in any meanest moment of time what will last through eternity.'

. . . This great message Knox did deliver, with a man's voice and strength, and found a people to believe him. Of such an achievement, were it to be made once only, the results are immense. Thought, in such a country, may change its form, but cannot go out; the country has attained majority; thought, and a certain spiritual manhood, ready for all work that man can do, endures there. The Scotch national, character originated in many circumstances; first of all, in the Saxon stuff there was to work on; but next, and beyond all else except that, in the Presbyterian Gospel of John Knox."

Washington left behind him, as one of the greatest treasures of his country, the example of a stainless life—of a great, honest, pure, and noble character—a model for his nation to form themselves by in all time to come. And in the case of Washington, as in so many other great leaders of men, his greatness did not so much consist in his intellect, his skill and his genius, as in his honor, his integrity, his truthfulness, his high and controlling sense of duty—in a word, in his genuine nobility of character.

Men such as these are the true life-blood of the country to which they belong. They elevate and uphold it, fortify and ennoble it, and shed a glory over it by the example of life and character which they have bequeathed. "The names and memories of great men," says an able writer, "are the dowry of a nation. Widowhood, overthrow, desertion, even slavery cannot take away from her this sacred inheritance . . . Whenever national life begins to quicken . . . the dead heroes rise in the memories of men, and appear to the living to stand by in solemn spectatorship and approval. No country can be lost which feels herself overlooked by such glorious witnesses. They are the salt of the earth, in death as well as in life. What they did once, their descendants have still and always a right to do after them; and their example lives in their country, a continual stimulant and encouragement for him who has the soul to adopt it."

It would be well for every young man, eager for success and anxious to form a character that will achieve it, to commit to memory the advice of Bishop Middleton:

Persevere against discouragements. Keep your temper. Employ leisure in study, and always have some work in hand. Be punctual and methodical in business, and never procrastinate. Never be in a hurry. Preserve self-possession, and do not be talked out of a conviction. Rise early, and be an economist of time. Maintain dignity without the appearance of pride; manner is something with everybody, and everything with some. Be guarded in discourse, attentive, and slow to speak. Never acquiesce in immoral or pernicious opinions.

Be not forward to assign reasons to those who have no right to ask. Think nothing in conduct unimportant or indifferent. Rather set than follow examples. Practice strict temperance; and in all your transactions remember the final account.

WHAT IS SUCCESS?

2013-06-17T00:30:00.000-07:00

It has been said that "Nothing Succeeds Like Success." What is Success? If we consult the dictionaries, they will give us the etymology of this much used word, and in general terms the meaning will be "the accomplishment of a purpose." But as the objects in nearly every life differ, so success cannot mean the same thing to all men.

The artist's idea of success is very different from that of the business man, and the scientist differs from both, as does the statesman from all three. We read of successful gamblers, burglars or freebooters, but no true success was ever won or ever can be won that sets at defiance the laws of God and man.

To win, so that we ourselves and the world shall be the better for our having lived, we must begin the struggle, with a high purpose, keeping ever before our minds the characters and methods of the noble men who have succeeded along the same lines.

The young man beginning the battle of life should never lose sight of the fact that the age of fierce competition is upon us, and that this competition must, in the nature of things, become more and more intense. Success grows less and less dependent on luck and chance. Preparation for the chosen field of effort, an industry that increasing, a hope that never flags, a patience that never grows weary, a courage that never wavers, all these, and a trust in God, are the prime requisites of the man who would win in this age of specialists and untiring activity.

The purpose of this work is not to stimulate genius, for genius is law unto itself, and finds its compensation in its own original productions. Genius has benefited the world, without doubt, but too often its life compensation has been a crust and a garret. After death, in not a few cases, the burial was through charity of friends, and this can hardly be called an adequate compensation, for the memorial tablet or monument that commemorates a life of privation, if not of absolute wretchedness.

It is, perhaps, as well for the world that genius is phenomenal; it is certainly well for the world that success is not dependent on it, and that every young man, and young woman too, blessed with good health and a mind capable of education, and principles that are true and abiding, can win the highest positions in public and private life, and dying leave behind a heritage for their children, and an example for all who would prosper along the same lines. And all this with the blessed assurance of hearing at last the Master's words: "Well done, good and faithful servant!"

"Whatever your hand finds to do, do with all your might." There is a manly ring in this fine injunction, that stirs like a bugle blast. "But what can my hands find to do? How can I win? Who will tell me the work for which I am best fitted? Where is the kindly guide who will point out to me the life path that will lead to success?" So far as is possible it will be the purpose of this book to reply fully to these all important questions, and by illustration and example to show how others in the face of obstacles that would seem appalling to the weak and timid, carefully and prayerfully prepared themselves for what has been aptly called "the battle of life," and then in the language of General Jackson, "pitched in to win."

A copy line, in the old writing books, reads, "Many men of many minds." It is this diversity of mind, taste and inclination that opens up to us so many fields of effort, and keeps any one calling or profession from being crowded by able men. Of the incompetents and failures, who crowd every field of effort, we shall have but little to say, for to "Win Success" is our watchword.

What a great number of paths the observant young man sees before him! Which shall he pursue to find it ending in victory? Victory when the curtain falls on this brief life, and a greater victory when the death-valley is crossed and the life eternal begins?

The learned professions have widened in their scope and number within the past thirty years. To divinity, law, and medicine, we can now add literature, journalism, engineering and all the sciences. Even art, as generally understood, is now spoken of as a profession, and there are professors to teach its many branches in all the great universities. Any one of these professions, if carefully mastered and diligently pursued, promises fame, and, if not fortune, certainly a competency, for the calling that does not furnish a competency for a man and his family, can hardly be called a success, no matter the degree of fame it brings.

"Since Adam delved and Eve span," agriculture has been the principal occupation of civilized man. With the advance of chemistry, particularly that branch known as agricultural chemistry, farming has become more of a science, and its successful pursuit demands not only unceasing industry, but a high degree of trained intelligence. Of late years farming has rather fallen into disrepute with ambitious young men, who long for the excitement and greater opportunities afforded by our cities; but success and happiness have been achieved in farming, and the opportunities for both will increase with proper training and a correct appreciation of a farmer's life.

"Business" is a very comprehensive word, and may properly embrace every life-calling; but in its narrow acceptance it is applied to trade, commerce and manufactures. It is in these three lines of business that men have shown the greatest energy and enterprise, and in which they have accomplished the greatest material success. As a consequence, eager spirits enter these fields, encouraged by the examples of men who from small beginnings, and in the face of obstacles that would have daunted less resolute men, became merchant princes and the peers of earth's greatest.

In the selection of your calling do not stand hesitating and doubting too long. Enter somewhere, no matter how hard or uncongenial the work, do it with all your might, and the effort will strengthen you and qualify you to find work that is more in accord with your talents.

Bear in mind that the first condition of success in every calling, is earnest devotion to its requirements and duties. This may seem so obvious a remark that it is hardly worth making. And yet, with all its obviousness the thing itself is often forgotten by the young. They are frequently loath to admit the extent and urgency of business claims; and they try to combine with these claims, devotion to some favorite, and even it may be conflicting, pursuit. Such a policy invariably fails. We cannot travel every path. Success must be won along one line. You must make your business the one life purpose to which every other, save religion, must be subordinate.

"Eternal vigilance," it has been said, "is the price of liberty." With equal truth it may be said, "Unceasing effort is the price of success." If we do not work with our might, others will; and they will outstrip us in the race, and pluck the prize from our grasp. "The race is not always to the swift, nor the battle to the strong," in the race of business or in the battle of professional life, but usually the swiftest wins the prize, and the strongest gains in the strife.

Does Your Business Story Stand Out or Blend In?

2013-05-01T05:00:00.000-07:00

I love a good story. Truth be told, I am all into mysteries, but not just any mysteries, Agatha Christie and Paul Temple are my favorite. Why? They require you to think. You are forced to really figure out who the guy is, and perhaps, the motivation behind their murder.

What does that have to do with your business? Quite a bit. I want a story where I am rooting for you, not one of "come to my business because we have the cheapest price." I want a story that tells me you put some thought into the service or solution you are providing. I want you to beat the odds.

One of my favorite business stories is The Kenneth Cole Story:

"I had an idea.
I called a friend in the trucking business and asked to borrow one of his trucks to park in Midtown Manhattan. He said sure, but good luck getting permission. I went to the Mayor’s office, Koch at the time, and asked how one gets permission to park a 40 foot trailer truck in Midtown Manhattan. He said one doesn’t. The only people the city gives parking permits to are production companies shooting full length motion pictures and utility companies like Con Ed or AT&T. So that day I went to the stationery store and changed our company letterhead from Kenneth Cole, Inc. to Kenneth Cole Productions, Inc. and the next day I applied for a permit to shoot a full length film entitled “The Birth of a Shoe Company.”
With Kenneth Cole Productions painted on the side of the truck, we parked at 1370 6th Avenue, across from the New York Hilton, the day of shoe show. We opened for business with a fully furnished 40 ft trailer, a director (Sometimes there was film in the camera, sometimes there wasn’t), models as actresses, and two of New York’s finest, compliments of Mayor Koch, as our doormen. We sold 40 thousand pairs of shoes in two and a half days (the entire available production) and we were off and running.
To this day the company is still named Kenneth Cole Productions, Inc. and serves as a reminder to the importance of resourcefulness and innovative problem solving.”
The innovative beginnings of Kenneth Cole Productions, Inc. was driven by the determination to become resourceful when confronted with NO."

How can you not want to reward that creativity and innovation with a purchase? You want Kenneth Cole to win, because they went above and beyond to stand out, when it was probably cheaper to blend in. They could have taken the shortcut route, but instead sold the consumer through this story that they not only spoke to their creativity, but also to the quality of the work. I mean, would Walmart do that for shoes they sell for $19.99? I doubt it since there is nothing special about them.

What's more impressive about this story is that I have remembered it over 15 years, and share it quite often.

So, again, what's your story? Why would I, as a consumer, being hoping you win the battle for business?

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Why I Like Selling on Amazon

2013-02-13T00:30:00.000-08:00

For the last couple of years I have sold on Amazon, but through a rather passive way. Meaning, I put my books on there, and that was that. They sold it, collected the money, shipped it, and all that fun stuff. And I like it that way for the most part.

A few weeks ago, I happened up selling on Amazon, in this case, used books. What's the difference? Quite a bit. First off, let's just Admit Amazon takes a hell of a lot in either case. However, with this way, I felt like I have more control. I know who the customer is, and where they live which is sort of empowering.

Of course, Amazon has rules in place to discourage you from dealing with that customer aside from the sale, but it is still helpful to have a name to go with a product being sold. Aside from the name, there is the text message alerting you to the sale, followed by an email. Then you pack and ship. The difference with this is it makes selling tangible. Withe the passive income, it is easy to forget that a person bought something from you since you only see the name of the book, how many copies it old, and what you made from it.
So, while selling tangible items on Amazon may be more work, there is a huge plus for actually feeling like you are really in business, which passive income does not provide.

Silicon Valleys Sexually Harasses it's Women to Keep it a Boy's Club

2013-02-06T13:32:00.001-08:00

Silicon Valley has a problem with hating women. Hate means "to dislike intensely or passionately; feel extreme aversion for or extreme hostility toward; detest." Over the last couple of days I have seen example after example with techies doing all manner of things to degrade, harass, and sexually objectify women.

Sarah Parmenter of "You Know Who" wrote a blog post about her experience where an unknown person put up faked porn pictures of women who LOOKED similar to her, and proceeded to send links of the photos to high profile people she knew in order to ruin her credibility. You can read that here

Whitney Hess tells her story of harrassment here. She knows who the individuals are, but has allowed the ones who have harassed her publicly on her blog, twitter, etc to go unchallenged which has brought some benefits (new clients), and loss (friends distancing themselves from her).

Dr. Lesie Jensen-Inman discusses a physically threatening situation from a conference attendee. And how the attendees were too busy discussing her physical attributes and clothing on Twitter to be concerned with what she was speaking on.

Here's what these all have in common:

All these women were afraid or ashamed to tell their story until time passed. In the case with Sarah, the person who did it was never caught.
The women were mainly subjected to the harassment at conferences where they were speaking, by men who did not like the idea of a WOMAN speaking.
Considering the average age of an employee in Silicon Valley is less than 35, this attitude towards women is being taught and re-enforced in the tech industry itself, and not necessarily through American culture where it is the norm for women to work, speak in public, and be the top in their field (i.e., Hillary Clinton).

Silicon Valley is supposed to be innovative, disrupting stuff, and creating things we want to buy, but how can the men of Silicon Valley have any idea what women want or need when they refuse to listen to those within their industry?. How can tech grow when there is a blatant attempt to silence women?

Forget about the laws being broken and potential lawsuits, and focus on the real issue; sexism and misogyny is just plain wrong. In order for it to stop, the good men are going to have to take the lead. Unlike the women who were fearful of disclosing their harassment but did it anyway, too many influential men in the technology industry have done something far worse, they ignored it.

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Did You Inherit a Nightmare?

2013-01-23T14:23:00.001-08:00

In this time where businesses are being gobbled up or acquired, sometimes we overlook the people who won't be part of the million dollar payout...the employees.

Over the last couple of months I have watched as one company took over another. The fallout was not pretty, but that is for another blog post. But he is one of the main things I have seen, the new place inherited a culture. What do I mean by that? The way the staff was under the old management, the new management got.

It seems like all chocolate and roses when you get a group of people already trained in their job, but that is only if they were trained correctly in the first place. And, second, how these people respond to each other. Oh, and third, do the clients you serve respect them. Hmmm.

Lets talk about the problems just for a moment, and then we will turn it around. The main problem the new company acquired was a group of people the clients did not trust or respect, and the staff did not trust or respect each other. The previous management had incited them to become backbiters (snitches), they then used that information to turn them against each other.

How do you turn it around? In some cases, you have to get rid of the root. I am on record for saying gossips and snitches should be fired first, but since the management encouraged the behavior we have to undo the damage.

Fire or move those employees who seem to have the biggest problem with letting go of the old way of doing things.
Disrespecting each other is not an option, and it is disrespectful to backbite and/or to use each other in a manner that is inconsistent with the mission. Also precludes, sex with each other or clients. A few broken relationships or just a whisper about who is sleeping with whom can destroy a place's morale.
Make expectations clear. You can't hold people accountable for what they don't know.

On the plus side, inheriting a staff saves a lot of time with hiring and training. They know who can or will do what, and what the result will be. Over time, as in this case, some weeded themselves out (quit or fired). It will take some time to undo some of the old ways, but those willing and able may then become your biggest assets.

Inheriting a staff can be a mixed bag, but with a clear mission and communication, it can work out for your good.

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Of Course it's the Money, Duh!

2012-11-19T08:53:00.001-08:00

I have one of two responses when I hear someone saying they are not doing something for the money. One, is to call them a straight out liar, or two, think they are some idiot living off parents, spouse or significant other, who doesn't get that someone is paying for their ability to "play."

No where is this "not doing it for the money" thinking so apparent then in writing circles. Yes, I get it, it's your passion, blah, blah, blah. However, if you REALLY did not want to get paid for said writing, you wouldn't submit it to places to get paid. There are these things called blogs. So, now that we have eliminated that first lie, lets move on.

Two, if you have put all your eggs (writing income) in one basket which has changed their payout and you just lap it up like a dog, you are not a business person. Over the last two years the online writing world has changed significantly, but it is clear some think they are being the "good guy" to just roll with the punches and not adjust.

At some point, if a person is doing something for pay where they have to consider the return on investment (ROI). Meaning, if you are spending two hours writing a researched article for $5, which no one reads, that's a waste of time and effort. It might help get other opportunities, but it depends on the credibility of the outlet. For example, If you wrote for Forbes for free vs a content farm, there is a HUGE difference in how an author will be viewed.

There are lots of writing outlets which have moved to payment based on views. This really only works for credible outlets (Forbes) and writers who have an audience and know how to market their work through social media avenues. If you don't have one or the other, the odds are that you will never see a payout since no one will be reading your work.

The bottom line is write for outlets which help you get to where you want to be. If you want to be considered an expert then choose an outlet where there is a built in audience and they are respected. You could do your own blog of course, but it takes time to make it profitable (ROI).

Wanting to write for your passion is noble, but if you need that income to live, then be wise and write for outlets who are willing to pay for your work or have an audience large enough where you will gain exposure which you can leverage.

What Makes Your Business Standout?

2012-11-14T10:44:00.001-08:00

Seth Godin says that in order to get your business noticed, it must standout. Of course, he wrote a book about it called "The Purple Cow." When I look at various businesses coming along, one thing is certain, most do not standout. In fact, many are just copycats.

It's sort of like a paint-by-number business model. The reason for this is usually because they took the idea of someone else or read books and articles on what the newest get rich quick scheme is.

In order for your business to stand out, you have to be doing something someone else is not doing. It is about providing a solution to a problem. Standing out may be as simple as simplifying a difficult process. Another issue is that the online business audience has zero clue who their audience is. They seem to go with the throw it against the wall and whatever sticks is your audience.

One thing I have learned is there are three primary audiences, you early adopters, masses, and laggards. The approach to each audience is difference. Why they buy is different, so it's up to the business owner to find out who they want to serve.

Standing out is not hard as long as the idea is yours. If you are just copying an idea to get "rich" then you will not put in the real work to do what's necessary.

So, some questions to help you think:

1. What problem are you solving?

2. Who is the audience you are targeting?

3. Have they ever paid for this type of product before?

4. What are they willing to pay?

5. If you have competitors, how are you different from them?

Who are You Listening To While You Build Your Business?

2012-11-12T15:42:00.001-08:00

Since as,long as I can remember I have always been aware of the importance of who you hang around or listen to. I have always taken the approach of watching and learning. Of late, I have been on a Seth Godin kick. I like him. He is smart and practical. You would be surprised how rare of a combo that is. He has a podcast called "Start-up School" where you hear excerpts of a three day event he held for people in the early stages of business. As someone who has been publishing for a little over two years, I needed his wisdom, because quite frankly one area seemed to dry up overnight, so I needed to adjust course or close down. I was in the process of adjusting when I found out about the podcast. What a time saver it has been. It helped me make some solid decisions on the path to pursue. Now, I know many talk about the importance of mentors in person, but, again quite frankly, he was/is a publisher, and not a whatever is popular now "expert." So, he earns credit for having been where I want to go. Sure there are slight differences, but not enough to chuck off his advice to the people he was teaching. Here is what I know for sure, I may not have been in the room when he taught the seminar, but he has mentored me. We all need to take stock in who we are going to or listening to for advice. You can go to the know-it-all with zero results to show for all that "knowledge" or you can listen and ACT on the advice of the ones who are actually DOING it. Somewhere along the line we started listening to anyone who hung up a shingle, and ignored those who were actually doing something. It doesn't take much to talk, but it takes guts to act. So, who are you listening to? How is that working out for you?

SALES WITHOUT SALESMANSHIP

2012-11-07T14:14:00.000-08:00

"Say, you're a funny salesman!" exclaimed the business man. "Here I make up my own mind that I need two motor trucks and decide to buy 'em from your company. Then I send for a salesman. You come down and spend a week looking into my horse delivery, and now you tell me to keep my horses. What kind of a salesman do you call yourself anyway?" "What made you think you needed motor trucks?" was the counterquestion of the serious, thick-spectacled young chap. "Everyone else seems to be turning to gasoline delivery. I want to be up to date." "Your delivery problem lies outside the gasoline field," said the salesman. "Your drivers make an average of ninety stops each trip. They climb stairs and wait for receipts. Their rigs are standing at the curb more than half the time. Nothing in gasoline equipment can compete with the horse and wagon under such conditions. If you had loads of several tons to be kept moving steadily I'd be glad to sell you two trucks." "Suppose I wanted to buy them anyway?" "We could not accept your order." "But you'd make your commission and the company its profit." "Yes; but you'd make a loss, and within a year your experience would react unfavorably upon us." So no sale was effected. Facts learned during his investigation of this business man's delivery problem led the salesman to make suggestions that eliminated waste and increased the effectiveness of his horse rigs. About a year later, however, this business man sent for the salesman again. He contemplated motorized hauling for another company of which he was the president. After two days' study the salesman reported that motor trucks were practicable and that he needed about five of them. "All right—fill out the contract," directed the business man. "Don't you want to know how these trucks are going to make you money?" asked the salesman. "No; if you say I need five trucks, then I know that's just what I need!" A new kind of salesmanship is being developed in many lines of business—and particularly in the rebuilding of sales organizations made necessary by the ending of the war and return to peace production. "Study your goods," was the salesman's axiom yesterday. "Study your customer's problem," is the viewpoint to-day; and it is transforming the salesman and sales methods. Indeed, the word salesman tends to disappear under this new viewpoint, for the organization which was once charged largely with disposing of goods may now be so intimately involved in technical studies of the customers' problems that selling is a secondary part of its work. The Sales Department is being renamed, and known as the Advisory Department or the Research Staff; while the salesman himself becomes a Technical Counsel or Engineering Adviser. Camouflage? No; simply better expression of broader functions. As a salesman, probably he gave much attention to the approach and argument with which he gained his customer's attention and confidence. But, with his new viewpoint and method of attack, perhaps the first step is asking permission to study the customer's transportation needs, or accounting routine, or power plant—or whatever section of the latter's business is involved. The experience of the thick-spectacled motor-truck salesman was typical. Originally he sold passenger cars. Then came the war, with factory facilities centered on munitions and motor trucks. There being no more passenger cars to sell, they switched him over into the motor-truck section. There he floundered for a while, trying to develop sales arguments along the old lines. But the old arguments did not seem to fit, somehow. It might have been possible to demonstrate the superior construction of his motor truck; but competitors would meet point with point, and customers were not interested in technicalities anyway. He tried service as an argument; but that was largely a promise of what motor trucks would do for people after they bought them, and competitors could always promise just as much, and a little more. Company reputation? His company had a fine one—but motor-truck purchasers wanted to know the cost of moving freight. Price? No argument at all, because only one other concern made motor trucks calling for so great an initial investment. So Thick-Specs, being naturally serious and solid, began to dig into motor trucks from the standpoint of the customer. He got permission to investigate delivery outfits in many lines. Selling a five-ton motor truck to many a business man was often equivalent to letting Johnny play with a loaded machine gun. Such a vehicle combined the potentiality of moving from fifty to seventy-five tons of freight daily, according to routing and the number of hours employed; but it involved a daily expense of twenty-five dollars. The purchaser could lose money in two ways at swift ratios, and perhaps unsuspectingly: He might not use his full hauling capacity each day or would use it only half the year, during his busy season. Or he might underestimate costs by overlooking such items as interest and depreciation. Thick-Specs' first actual sale was not a motor truck at all, but a motorcycle, made by another company. Within three months, however, this motorcycle added two big trucks to a fleet of one dozen operated by a wholesale firm. That concern had good trucks, and kept them in a well-equipped garage, where maintenance was good. But at least once daily there would be a road breakdown. Usually this is a minor matter, but it ties up the truck while its puzzled driver tries to locate the trouble. When a motorcycle was bought for the garage, drivers were forbidden to tamper with machinery on the road—they telephoned in to the superintendent. By answering each call on his own motorcycle—about an hour daily—the repairman kept equipment in such good shape that valuable extra service was secured from the fleet each day. The salesman-adviser did not originate this scheme himself, but discovered it in another concern's motor-truck organization; in fact, this is the advantage the salesman-adviser enjoys—acquaintance with a wide range of methods and the knack of carrying a good wrinkle from one business to another. He brings the outside point of view; and, because modern business runs toward narrow specialization, the outside point of view is pretty nearly always welcome, provided it is honest and sensible. In another case he had to dig and invent to meet a peculiar situation. There was a coal company working under a handicap in household deliveries. Where a residence stood back from the sidewalk coal had often to be carried from the motor truck in baskets. This kept the truck waiting nearly an hour. A motor truck's time is worth several dollars hourly. If the coal could have been dumped on the sidewalk and carried in later, releasing the truck, that would have saved expense and made more deliveries possible. A city ordinance prohibited dumping coal on the sidewalk except by permit. Coal men had never tried to have that ordinance changed. But the salesman-adviser went straight to the city authorities and, by figures showing the expense and waste involved, secured a modification, so that his customer, the coal company, got a blanket permit for dumping coal and gave bonds as an assurance against abuse of the privilege. Then a little old last year's runabout was bought and followed the coal trucks with a crew to carry the coal indoors, clearing sidewalks quickly. This salesman-adviser's philosophy was as simple as it was sound. Confidence is the big factor in selling, he reasoned. Your customer will have confidence in you if he feels that you are square and also knows what you are talking about. By diligent study of gasoline hauling problems in various lines of business he gained practical knowledge and after that had only to apply his knowledge from the customer's side of the problem. "Put it another way," he said: "Suppose you had a factory and expected to run it only one year. There would not be time to get returns on a costly machine showing economies over a five-year period; but if you intended to run your factory on a five-year basis, then that machine might be highly profitable. "In sales work it was just the same; if you were selling for this year's profit alone, you'd close every sale regardless of your customer's welfare. Let the purchaser beware! But if you meant to sell on the five-year basis, then confidence is the big investment, and the most profitable sale very often one you refuse to make for immediate results." He had a fine following when the draft reached him; and during the eight months he spent in an Army uniform he utilized his knowledge of gasoline transportation as an expert in Uncle Sam's motor service. Upon being discharged he returned to his job and his customers, and to-day the concern with which he is connected is taking steps to put all its motor-truck salesmen on this advisory basis. War shot its sales force to pieces—the Army and the Navy reached out for men and tied up production facilities; so there was nothing to sell. But war also gave a clean slate for planning a new sales force. As old salesmen return and new men are taken on for sales instruction, this concern trains them—not with the old sales manual, by standard approach and systematic sales argument, but by sending them out into the field to study gasoline hauling problems. They secure permission to investigate trucking methods of contractors, department stores, wholesale merchants, coal dealers, truck owners hauling interstate freight, mills, factories and other lines of business. They investigate the kinds and quantities of stuff to be moved, the territory and roads covered, the drivers, the garage facilities. They ride behind typical loads and check up running time, delays, breakdowns, gasoline and oil consumption. Engineering teaches people to think in curves. This youngster had to make a curve of the grocer's trucking before he could visualize it himself. His curve included factors like increase in stuff that had been hauled during the past three years and additions to the motor equipment. When you have a healthy curve showing any business activity, the logical thing to do, after bringing it right down to date, is to let it run out into the future at its own angle. This was done with the grocery curve, and its future extension indicated that not more than three months later the grocery house would need about four more five-ton motor trucks. Closer investigation of facts behind the curve revealed an unusual growth in sugar hauling, due to the increase in supply and removal of consumer war restrictions. And that grocery concern bought additional trucks for sugar within two months. With the insight made possible by such a curve a salesman might safely have ordered the trucks without his customer's knowledge and driven them up to his door the day the curve showed they were needed. "Here are the trucks you wanted to haul that sugar." "Good work! Drive 'em in!" What has been found to be sound sales policy in the motor truck business applies to many other lines. Yesterday the salesman of technical apparatus sought the customer with a catalogue and a smile—and a large ignorance of the technical problems. To-day that kind of selling is under suspicion, because purchasers of technical equipment have been led to buy on superficial selling points and left to work out for themselves complex technicalities that belong to the manufacturer of the equipment. In the West during recent years a large number of pumps of a certain type have been sold for irrigating purposes. Purchasers bought from the catalogue-and-smile type of salesman, hooked their pumps up to a power plant—and found that they lifted only about half the number of gallons a minute promised in the catalogue. Manufacturers honestly believed those pumps would do the work indicated in their ratings. They had not allowed for variations in capacity where pumps were installed under many different conditions and run by different men. The situation called for investigation at the customer's end; when it was discovered that these pumps ought to be rated with an allowance for loss of capacity a half to two-thirds of the power, due to friction and lost power. It might have been dangerous for the salesman to show up again in an irrigation district where a lot of his pumps were "acting up," armed only with his catalogue and smile. But when an engineer appeared from the pump company to help customers out of their difficulties, he won confidence immediately and made additional sales because people felt that he knew what he was talking about. The superintendent of a big machinery concern found that his expense for cutting oils was constantly rising. Salesmen had followed salesmen, recommending magic brands of the stuff; yet each new barrel of oil seemed to do less work than the last—and cost more in dollars. One day a new kind of visitor showed up and sent in the card of a large oil company. He was not a salesman, but an investigator of oil problems. The superintendent took him through the plant. He studied the work being done by screw-cutting machines, lathes and other equipment operated with cutting oil. Where salesmen had recommended brands without technical knowledge of either the work to be done or the composition of the oil, this stranger wrote specifications that cut down the percentage of costly lard oil used on some work; and he eliminated it altogether on others. Moreover, he pointed out sheer losses of oil by picking up a handful of metal cuttings from a box, letting them drip, measuring the oil that accumulated and recommending a simple device for reclaiming that oil before the waste metal was sold. This new viewpoint in selling is developing in so many lines that to enumerate them would be to make a national directory of business concerns manufacturing milling machinery, office devices, manufacturing and structural materials, equipment for the farm and the mine. People who purchase such products have been accustomed to meeting two different representatives of manufacturers: First, the salesman skilled in selling, but deficient in technical knowledge. "This chap is here to see how much he can get out of me," said the prospective consumer to himself; and he was on his guard to see that the visitor got as little as possible, either in the way of orders or information. The other representative came from the mechanical department to see how present equipment was running, or perhaps to "shoot trouble." He was long on technical knowledge, but probably dumb when it came to salesmanship. "This fellow is here to help me out of my troubles," said the customer. "I'll see how much I can get out of him." Presently manufacturers of equipment woke up to the fact that their mechanical men—inspectors and trouble shooters—had a basis of confidence which the salesman pure and simple was rapidly losing. Moreover, the technical man gained a knowledge of the customer's requirements that furnished the best foundation for selling new equipment. The salesman discovered the technical man and went to him for tips on new equipment needed by customers whose plants he had visited. The technical man also discovered the salesman, for it was plain enough that equipment well sold—skillfully adjusted to the customer's needs—gave the least margin for trouble shooting. So there has been a meeting of minds; and to-day the salesman studies the technicalities, and the technical man is learning salesmanship, and their boss is standing behind them both with a new policy. This is the policy of performance, not promises—service before sales. Under that policy the very terms salesmanship and sales department are beginning to disappear, to be replaced by new nomenclature, which more accurately indicates what a manufacturer's representative can do for the customer, and gives him access to the latter on the basis of confidence and good will.

Best Buy Customer Service Failure Saved by Twitter

2012-11-06T12:38:00.000-08:00

Recently I was replacing a phone which I had outgrown, so I went online, read reviews and did all the comparisons. Sorry, not an Apple girl, so was not even on the list. When I had decided on a phone, it came down to where to get it. I could get it from my provider via mail or an outlet near my home. Then I looked at Best Buy, and found they had the phone $30 cheaper. SOLD!!! So, I made the purchase online and all I had to do was pick it up. Bestbuy.com was great about selecting a location closest to my home or allowing me to choose. They also emailed me when the order was ready, so I wouldn't show up and have people looking at each other going "huh"? Well, turns out even though I had done my due diligence, and so had bestbuy.com, the store seemed like they lacked in some areas. - Walked into store at 10:15, gave them my information and they went and got the phone. - After noticing nothing was being done after 15 minutes, I inquired and found the one who initially helped me decided that he had to do something else first, and that another agent who was with a client would be handling me. -30 minutes later, she got to me. Then she, nor her other teammates knew how to process a pickup, so she had to go get information elsewhere. Here is my problem with the breakdown. First, the lack of communication. If they had been upfront, I would have had no issue, but instead, they pretty much ignored me until it was convenient for them to respond. Second, the one who did finally assist me was too busy reading her own text to consider that I might have something more to do than to sit around a Best Buy. Seriously, she was charging her green phone, and looked at it no less than ten times during my visit. I find that unacceptable. I am pretty sure Best Buy is not paying her to text. Third, while they were waiting around they proceeded to publicly disrespect a colleague who had walked through by gossiping about her. I found it offensive because your customers should not be hearing you trash the people you work with or for. Had it not been for the cheeful Tweets from the social media people from Best Buy, on Twitter, I doubt I would have completed my sale. As it was, they lost money because I had picked up other items, and put them back the longer I waited. What started as a positive experience could have ended very poorly, but I now know that I will not go back to that store again, and just finish my purchase online or at a different location. It just reminds me that as a business owner, you have to make sure that all your employees are on the same page when it comes to customer service, or your reputation could take a hit.

Hurricane Sandy Delays Barnes and Noble Payments to Publishers

2012-10-31T17:36:00.001-07:00

Barnes and Noble is not exactly openly sharing the pay delay. In fact, you had to go to their help board to see the announcement which they only put up around 2 pm EST: Due to the impact of hurricane Sandy, the PubIt! October payments are delayed. We apologize for the inconvenience and appreciate your patience. Updates will be posted here on the PubIt! Community Board as soon as they become available. Sincerely, The PubIt! Team If they were going for cryptic, they were successful and some posters were not too happy: I don't understand, you knew Sandy was coming so why didn't they send them out before it hit this way there would be no delay. Kind of hurting everyone here. I totally get this is caused by a Natural Disaster. But what I don't understand is how your company isn't able to function at month end to process automatic payment distributions. If you can keep your websites up and running, if you are able to continue to sell books online, if you can come on here and give this lame update, surely your staff can remotely process the transactions owed to your authors???? I'm also a bit disturbed that your comment is vague and gives no insight into how long this will take to be resolved. A day, a week, a month? Why aren't we learning anything on your plans to resolve this issue. For some of us this is our livelihood.

Building Customer Loyalty by Making Customer Service Personal

2012-10-31T11:28:00.001-07:00

Having worked in everything from mom and pops to Fortune 1000 businesses, as well as my own, I have noticed something which I want to share. There seems to be a wrong approach with many businesses which make their most important employees the ones who get the least monetarily and in praise.

Meaning, customer service which is at the heart, if not the foundation of every business. This group represents your company. Anything a client walks away thinking about your company is largely on their shoulder. Right or wrong, it is a fact. These people can make or break your reputation. So it baffles me that they are often the least empowered.

When a customer has a problem, it should not take having to go to multiple people to have that problem fixed. In fact, it would not be wrong to say that the more people who have to be involved, the more your reputation goes in the toilet even if the issue is resolved.

Harrods in London has a different approach. They empower every employee to assist the customer. No need for a manager to have to come along to say the same thing. They are left to do what they were hired to do, manage.

The American approach has people running in circles, if they can get ahold of anyone at all. Some businesses, particularly online ones, have eliminated any direct contact with customers. They use a crowd sourced approach, which basically means customers answering each others questions. On some things, like how-to, this might work great, but on others it is a very dangerous approach.

People who make purchases have bought a solution, and usually it is because of a person behind it, so if you cut off the person, you are not building brand loyalty, but hard feelings. Just like people don't want to have to press a gazillion buttons to get to a human voice, they don't want to feel like they are no longer of value after a sale has been made.

To build a good reputation businesses are going to have to go to the one person direct approach. This way, they have a name to go with their solution. In it, there are also safe guards for businesses. They know who to deal with if something goes right or wrong versus trying to figure out who did what to provide a solution.

This make take some getting used to, but the personal touch is what customers want today. They are no longer satisfied with only getting great service until the sale is made, and then being left to fend for themselves afterward.

Imitation is Fatal

2012-10-22T10:15:00.000-07:00

God has a specific purpose in life for each individual. There is something which you are destined to accomplish, and you can accomplish that something better than anyone else. Therefore, "insist on yourself; never imitate. Your own gift you can present every moment with the cumulative force of a whole life's cultivation; but of the adopted talent of another, you have only an extemporaneous half-possession. That which each can do best, none but his Maker can teach him." ( Source:Thoughts that inspire). We live in a world where everyone THINKS that the life or business of another is better than their own. We don't consider the things that person or business has been through to get where they are. Tech journalist want every new start-up to be like someone else. Google+ was supposed to "kill" Facebook, because surely with 7 Billion people on earth, there was not room for both. After Steve Job's death, techies wanted to be him. They overlook the HEAVY price he paid before he became a tech god. Some might think they can skip the hard stuff and just take up his good habits, but did you consider it was the hard parts which helped shape him? Hmmm. As entrepreneurs, we know that we have something to offer the world. Think about it, the average person doesn't think like that. They just want a check and weekends off. So, because you are already thinking differently, how about acting differently by being yourself and not imitating the fairy tale you have in your head about someone else. The world needs you, not a copy of someone else.

Self-Improvement As An Investment - Orison Swett Marden

2012-10-04T11:18:00.000-07:00

EVERY NORMAL PERSON is capable of independence and self-reliance, yet comparatively few people ever develop their ability to stand alone. It is so much easier to lean, to trail, to follow somebody else, to let others do the thinking and the planning and the work. Do not think that, just because you are not a born leader, you are a born ‘leaner’. Because you have no great commanding qualities of leadership is no reason why you should not cultivate the little you have. We never know what resources or possibilities of strength are ours until we put our powers to the test. Many a man has proved himself a great leader who did not seem to be so naturally – who showed at first very little evidence of self-reliance. Leaders do not copy. They do not reflect the opinion of the majority. They think. They create. They make their own program and carry it out effectively. How few people stand for anything in particular! The majority of mankind are merely so many individuals in the census; they help make a little larger crowd; but how few men stand above or beyond their fellows and are self-sufficient! In later life we never quite forgive those who have allowed us to lean upon them, for we know that it has deprived us of our birthright. The greatest service a teacher can render a pupil is to train him to depend upon himself, to trust to his own powers. If the youth does not practice self-reliance, the man will be a weakling in adulthood. One of the greatest delusions that a human being could ever have is that his is permanently benefited by continued assistance from others. Power is the goal of every worthy ambition, and only weakness comes from imitation or dependence on others. Power is self-developed, self-generated. WE cannot increase the strength of our muscles by sitting in a gymnasium and letting another exercise for us. Nothing else so destroys the power to stand alone as the habit of leaning upon others. If you lean, you will never be strong, or original. Stand alone or bury your ambition to be somebody in the world."

Online Customers Hold the Power?

2012-09-28T10:33:00.001-07:00

This 100 year old ad spells out exactly what seems to be happening in the online sales world. Businesses with no history seem to almost be demanding that prospects buy their stuff just 'cuz. Meaning, they have no relationship, have not developed any kind of trust or even engaged with them, but the resounding message is "buy from me." Today's consumer really holds all the cards (power) because they not only compare businesses, products, services, etc before they buy, but they also have a global stage to tell what they think of those products or services. Social media and review sites have given the buyer the power to spread their message. Yes, a few lie and manipulate to get something they don't deserve, but most don't. So, it is time businesses took their head out of the sand and really find out about today's buyer, and stop with the whining of days of old. The tables have turned, so you have to change how you do business or lose out to your competitor.

If You Think You are beaten, you are

2012-09-19T17:34:00.001-07:00

Whenever I read this poem, made popular in the book "Think and Grow Rich" by Napoleon Hill, I am instantly reminded that I get to choose how I respond to situations. Most of the time it comes down to the mind. Sadly, some entrepreneurs are defeated in their mind long before a competitor comes along. Take time to read and memorize this poem, and more importantly, live by it. If you think you are beaten, you are If you think you dare not, you don’t. If you’d like to win, but think you can’t It’s almost a certain you won’t. If you think you’ll lose, you’ve lost. For out in the world we find Success begins with a fellow’s will: It’s all in his state of mind If you think you’re outclassed, you are You’ve got to think high to rise, You’ve got to be sure of yourself before You’ll ever win that prize. Life’s battles don’t always go To the stronger or faster man, But sooner or later the man who wins Is the one who thinks he can.

My Favorite Apps for the iPad

2012-08-31T09:49:00.001-07:00

Blogsy: This gem is a must for Bloggers everywhere. It is compatible with Blogger, Wordpress, Tumblr, and more. This $4.99 app is worth every penny because of it's ease of use. What makes it even more fun is that you can draft your post offline and post it either in draft (unpublished) or scheduled. One of the best things is that you can associate multiple accounts, which is great for the majority of Bloggers who have more than one blog. It automatically saves not only the post, but in the exact spot you left off. How convenient is that?

Tweel: I tend to be on Twitter quite a bit, apparently 70 percent of the time according to Klout. So, you can imagine that seeing lists of Tweets gets a little monotonous after a while. Enter Tweel which makes it more fun to skim and read post.

TuneIn Radio: Everyone who knows me knows I am a HUGE fan of British radio. This app has allowed me to hear the dramatized version of "War and Peace," introduced me to Lord Peter Wimsy, and increased my knowledge of European football. You can use the app for free, but the $0.99 is worth it for the increased features, like recording shows, and getting rid of ads. You can save your favorite stations, share on your social networks directly from the app, and more

Google+: When Google finally released their iPad version of their social network, all the iPad users jumped up and down in unison. Now, we can do hangouts (video conferences) on it, post our content, chat and much more. The interface is very user friendly. It takes into account that you don't necessarily want to see your whole stream, so it opens where you left off. You can edit your profile on the iPad, accept or decline event invitations, share post, plus one, or just peruse and make comments on other people's posts.

Trapit: Is sort of like a news feed, but goes beyond the regular tech places. Further, it can be trained on what kind of articles you like. As a publisher, I tend to focus on book related issues. You can rate the content and block some sites from being used as sources such as spam sites or sales pages. You can also share the content on your social networks.

Journalist Caused the Demise of the Content Farm Writer

2012-07-30T12:17:00.002-07:00

Writing online today is not as rosy as in the old days, thanks to journalist who didn't like the change the Internet brought about. In days gone by writers were paid for their work, but then some old school journalist decided that if they didn't want to write a particular kind of content, then no one should, so they started calling some sites "content farms" and bashing those who wrote for them. In some cases their criticism was justified, but not for the most part. OK, even I admit "How to place a body in a casket" is beyond a stupid title to write about, but even more creepy was that someone had searched for it. You see, the whole basis of a GOOD content farm is to give the people what they want. So, they found out what people were searching for and handed out assignments to willing writers, paying them $15. Well, again, the "real" journalist got upset because the other farmers were getting paid for that. They thought a writer should be paid hundreds of dollars for that article which was a quick read. So they made enough of a stir that Google pretty much slammed content farms, and almost made them go away. So now you only see a piece by some card carrying member of the press corps, or rather, you can see the syndicated column of one person on a ton of sites. It should be noticed that the main plagiarizers online have been by traditional journalist, since content farms required all content to go through a Copyscape type program. Demand Studios threw their loyal writers under the bus and other sites have either shut down or now require "unique" (not available anywhere else) content to be posted for FREE or for the promise of "exposure." So, card carrying journalist won sort of, but in a way they didn't since you have sites like HuffingtonPost and Forbes.com with free writers and requiring those writers to bring in readers. Oddly enough, journalist also had issues with bloggers too, but bloggers (the good ones) have been able to live past the changes and have audiences that can rival some of the best news sites, ie, Mashable.

Exclusive Publishing Rights Required for Ebooks on Amazon

2012-07-18T10:32:00.004-07:00

Amazon has been on a roll lately with blocking, suspending and terminating Kindle accounts. Some with good reason, but others just going way overboard. Let me note, these rules do NOT apply to print editions of books, but specifically e-books. The reason is simple, it is faster to publish an ebook, so everyone has been. I received this email from Amazon yesterday demanding that I submit the following lines to them, though the book is not available on their kindle site except by me, but since you can get the book after hours of looking, elsewhere, it is now off limits. Thanks whiners who insist you KNOW where to get all your ebooks free. “I confirm that I will remove any content for which I do not have the exclusive publishing rights and that I will adhere to all terms in the Content Guidelines when submitting new content.” When you break it down, it boils down to this according to Amazon. ANYTHING that you can find for free including your blog posts may not be then turned around and made into an ebook. It doesn't matter if you add pages, but the fact that the posts were free and distribution encouraged, you may not sell them on Amazon. But wait, there is a work around if you sign up for their blog program where they set the price and give you some money (if you make any). So, bottom line, all the "ebook gurus" who have been selling you PLRS, evergreen ebooks for you to slap your name on, etc are off limits on Amazon. You may NOT use ANY content which is available freely online unless you translate it, illustrate it or annotate it. Or, as I would think, rewrite it enough that you can file a copyright on it which Amazon can then not argue with. I applaud Amazon for cleaning up the store, but it is clear they are not really going by their own guidelines and are just throwing everything out including the kitchen sink. Those who send that idiotic line in will get their account restored, and those who don't won't. It's that simple.

Amazon Effectively BANS All Public Domain E-Books

2012-06-13T12:55:00.003-07:00

With a new twist due to some people (translate, whiners) complaining they could get public domain books free online, Amazon has basically banned public domain books. Even more, they have gone above and beyond, and basically said they don't care if the work is a derivative and therefore, copyrightable by the Library of Congress. First, Let's understand what is allowed according to their terms: In order to provide a better customer buying experience, our policy is to not publish undifferentiated versions of public domain titles where a free version is available in our store. We consider works to be differentiated when one or more of the following criteria are met: • (Translated) - A unique translation • (Annotated) - Contains annotations (unique, hand-crafted additional content including study guides, literary critiques, detailed biographies, or detailed historical context) • (Illustrated) - Includes 10 or more unique illustrations relevant to the book Books that meet this criteria must include (Translated), (Annotated), or (Illustrated) in the title field. OK, I can go with that, but then they changed it up just enough to destroy any republishing of public domain books online, and not just books, but ANYTHING that someone can find online. That's where my problem with Amazon comes in: Examples of some features we do not consider to be differentiated include a linked table of contents, formatting improvements, collections, sales rank, price, and freely available Internet content.. You might ask what they mean by "collections." It's a fair enough question. Here's the answer: Please note that we are currently not accepting anthologies or collections of public domain titles if any part of the collection is freely available in our store. The same is true for individually published stories, chapters or poems that are part of a complete work. Here is the bottom line. If you compile a book of love letter from online sources, you would not be allowed to publish it, although by any measure of the word it is a new work according to the Library of Congress. Why? Because if you go by Amazon's rule, the information is "freely" available on the Internet. I am not talking about you just taking a book and republishing it, but real editing stuff and compiling the letters from 100 different books being given away online. Why? Because the content is in there. The only work around is to translate it, annotate it, or illustrate it. Let's talk about illustrations. It can not be from ANY public domain source who is giving the book away. It has to be "unique." Though I understand the logic of Amazon, I think they went way overboard when they exceeded what the Library of Congress considers to be differentiated enough. Granted there was a problem with some unscrupulous people scraping Wikipedia and such, but they knew who they were and all they had to do what shut them down. As for people complaining, from what I have observed in the forums, it is competitors who have an interest in getting others shut down.

CYBHER – The First UK All Inclusive Event For Women Who Blog

2012-05-14T06:13:00.000-07:00

Cybher is the first all-inclusive female blogger event of its kind in the
UK. It took place on the 12th May 2012 at 8 Northumberland Avenue in the
heart of London. This one-day event brought together the most influential
bloggers and speakers from all corners of the blogosphere to network,
inspire, share and learn.

Cybher is the brainchild of Siân To who after 15 years PR experience went
social when she started blogging in 2009. In January 2010 she founded
CyberMummy and in August that year she embarked on a life changing journey
as an ambassador for Save the Children, that took her from the slums of
Bangladesh to the UN summit in New York and tea at Downing Street.

This vast experience of how to use social media, and how to use it for
social good is the foundation of Cybher.

Siân To, said: “We are so proud that Cybher can offer such a variety of
workshops and activities for our bloggers to enjoy. Cybher has attracted
woman from all blogging genres from beauty and fashion to parenting, travel,
politics and more. Not only do these social savvy woman want to learn and
develop the core content of their blogs, they also want to connect with
brands that reflect their own key values as women.”

Cybher is poised to become the shared platform for bloggers from all walks
of life. If you’re a woman and you blog then Cybher is the SOLD OUT event to
be seen at.

Speakers included;
Zoe Margolis (Girl with a one track mind), Mario Cacciottolo (Someone Once
Told Me), Poppy Disney What I wore today), Liz Scarff (Blogladesh, World
Vision), Daryl Willcox (DWPub Media), Mark Solomon (Tales from a black cab),
Cate Sevilla (BitchBuzz) and our youngest speaker, the 10 year old Biba
(bibasphotos.com).

The Facts. The Stats. The Attendees.

- 70% of all bloggers use their blog to share their expertise and experience
with others.
- 36% of all bloggers have been quoted in the traditional media for
something they posted on a blog.
- 82% of bloggers surveyed are using Twitter. 
- Those who use Twitter say they do so to promote their blog (77%) and bring
interesting links/content to light (59%). 
- 96% of bloggers have an independent blog. This means they choose who they
work with. It could be you.
- The blogosphere is influencing itself - the number one influencer for
bloggers is the blogs that they read.
- Almost one third of bloggers have worked for the traditional media. They
know how to write and how to engage their audience.
- Compared with other media, blogs continue to lead in terms of trust and
generation of consumer recommendations and purchases.

Source: Technorati State of the Blogosphere 2011

Eight out of 10 PR professionals work with bloggers to gain coverage

2012-03-29T06:56:00.000-07:00

More than eight out of 10 (82%) PR professionals work with bloggers to
provide coverage for clients, while 98% find bloggers useful or invaluable,
according to new research from DWPub.

Results of the survey of 252 PR professionals conducted in March 2012
accompany a new whitepaper called ‘The smart PR’s guide to blogger
outreach’. The whitepaper, which assesses the importance of working with
bloggers and offers practical tips, is written by freelance writer and
blogger Sally Whittle.

Of the 18% of PRs who don’t work with bloggers, 54% find it difficult to
evaluate the usefulness of a blogger, indicating the industry needs to
develop measurement skills.

“The relationship between bloggers and PRs continues to provoke debate, so
we decided to get the PR industry’s perspective on working with bloggers,”
said Daryl Willcox, chairman and founder of DWPub. “Our survey results show
an overwhelmingly positive response. Bloggers are here to stay and the PR
industry is beginning to embrace them. Bloggers need to be approached in a
different way to journalists - our research and whitepaper reflect this
view.”

The survey looked at how PRs deal with bloggers compared to journalists –
just over two thirds (67%) of respondents stated they have a dedicated
approach for bloggers, with 75% of these citing they communicate with
bloggers in a more informal tone.

Interaction with bloggers is on the rise – 74% said their communication is
gradually increasing or has become commonplace, indicating that bloggers
play a significant role in the PR industry’s daily routine.

When asked about their relationships with bloggers, 26% of PR professionals
said they consider theirs to be strong. 54% said they have built a rapport
with bloggers, while 20% don’t have strong relationships.

The PR industry was also asked about how they measure the importance of a
blog. Interaction with readers came top, with 48% of respondents citing
number of comments, followers and presence on social media sites as key
factors.

Number of views on posts that feature clients is the primary way to measure
results from interacting with bloggers, with 33% stating this is their main
measuring tool. Clicks through to clients’ websites came a close second
(31%). Just 9% believe number of comments on a post featuring a client is
the best way to measure results.

"Bloggers are still relatively new when it comes to the press mix and not
everybody understands the etiquette when dealing with them," said Sally
Whittle, freelance writer, blogger and founder of the Tots100. “The
whitepaper shows how PR professionals can effectively work with bloggers to
create successful campaigns for clients and build strong relationships.”

My Sales Call From Hell With a Narcissist

2012-03-07T10:37:00.000-08:00

I am not a novice when it comes to making a sales call, but the one I had the other day took the cake. By the time the sales call was over I needed a shower, it was that vile.

First a little background. As CEO of Del Williams Media, we have lots of media assets and properties, one being a channel with over 2 million viewer minutes. I decided I wanted to add to the roster so reached out to someone who had video and has a story to tell.

I won't mention his name since that is not the purpose of this post and I don't want to give him traffic from my nice audience. Anyway, it went like this. I called a number, which was out of order, then I sent an email telling him exactly what I wanted. He returned the call but I did not answer because my phone was being a tad whacky and I didn't hear it ring (need new phone). Anyway, so I called him back, he let it go to voicemail, and then called me back within 2 minutes.

That should have been red flag number one, but let's move into the call. He acted like he was strung out trying to figure out who I was, to the point I had to remind him of the email. Red flag number two. Anyway, before I can get into my nice sales pitch, he starts off with: "I hate people." "I don't care about people." He went on spreading his venom while I sat with my jaw to the floor.

The bitterness and hate that was coming from this man, not directed at me, was so vile I think Leona Helmsley would have felt sorry for me. I never presented my pitch because I wouldn't let this man near my audience.

Here is what I learned from this experience:
1. I did nothing wrong, but clearly he had some issues which only a therapist should deal with.
2. Don't take people on as a client if you don't like them. That call killed any chance of my offering him a position on my channel.
3. Know your values and what is/is not acceptable. His behavior was not of a professional, but someone deeply troubled.
4. Be able to spot a pity party quickly and end your involvement in it. I did not hesitate to end the call when it was clear this was not a match and I have too much respect for myself to keep listening to someone spread hate.

I should note in this call that he was very critical of his competitors and thought he was the bees knees and could do a better job than them. Let's just say this call was one for the record book.

Target Garners Free Advertising Since Flash Mobs Love Them

2012-02-14T06:25:00.000-08:00

We see advertisements often from Target, but they could save their money with all the free advertising flash mob give them. Yes you heard me. Flash mobs love Target as you can see from the videos below.

Zumba Flash Mob

Senior Citizen Flash Mob

Beyonce "End of Time"

These videos have garnered millions of views which translates into millions of potential customers. It seems Target takes it all in stride, particularly since flash mobs don't last long.