Trocino . net

Google Email: Creating Order from Chaos

noreply@blogger.com (Richard B. Trocino) — Wed, 23 Apr 2008 14:32:00 +0000

How many of us can function without email? If you are like me you probably have several email addresses. For example, I use these addresses for my company: Richard, Sales, Info, and Feedback@GoOHSO.com. I also have a web site, and a blog site. Managing this many computer assets used to be a difficult task until I started using the free tools offered by Google.

The Old Way
I used to manage all these emails the old way. I rented server space at a hosting location where I placed my web site and email server. I registered my name (GoOHSO.com) then pointed my domain registration to the rented email server such as Send Mail. I used a client-side email program to read and send messages. I started with Microsoft Outlook, then went to Mozilla Thunderbird. I configured my client-email program to get messages from my email server. Every fifteen minutes (or whenever I pushed the send/receive button) my client-side email program retrieved new messages from the email server and stored them locally on my hard drive. Then the email server "checked" the messages as "read" preventing those messages from transmitting the next time.

Problems with The Old Way
The old way was problematic and had too many moving parts. If my web server went down, so did my email. A downed web site is a big problem but when your email goes down at the same time, it's a catastrophe.

Here is another problem. I usually have two computers: one for the office and a notebook for travel. On many occasions, I accidentally left the office computer on and it sucked up all the emails. So I missed a lot of emails from the road. If I remembered to turn off the office computer before I left, I'd get emails on my notebook sure enough, but when I returned, some of my emails were on the office computer and some on my notebook.

Suppose I wanted somebody else to handle the sales, info, and feedback emails while I was traveling. In that case, I would have to reconfigure their email program to retrieve sales emails as well as my own to not receive sales emails. I would like to be able to monitor the sales emails (both sent and received) from the road to see what's going on, but that couldn't be done. The "old way" had other problems as well: It was difficult to find old emails, it was difficult to share emails, and of course there was the spam problem. I had to make sure all the spam filtering software on my personal computer and email sever was functioning correctly. The "old way" was clearly not sustainable for me.

The New Way
What if I could wave a magic wand and all of my email troubles went away? Well I did. That magic wand is Google Mail. While it wasn't quite as easy as waving a wand, it still was something I could set up by myself in just a few days.

All of my email now goes through Gmail, and I can use my own domain name: GoOHSO.com, to set up email accounts for Richard, as well as Sales, Info, and Feedback@GoOHSO.com. I've also offloaded the task of monitoring sales emails to our Distribution Manager, Janie (Janie@GoOHSO.com). Now I can monitor sales emails from any computer, and it's a lot easier to collaborate over sales initiatives. We rarely lose emails because Google Mail uses the powerful Google search engine for managing emails. It doesn't even matter which computer I use; my email always looks the same. If my computer is ever lost or destroyed, I would still be able to access all of my email from any computer with an internet connection. If my web server goes down, I can still send and receive emails. And last but not least, my company's email is now spam free and I don't have to bother with spam filtering contraptions anymore.

How It Works
Google combines it's services into Google Apps. Google Apps is effectively an umbrella that provides access to a variety of tools including email, document sharing, scheduling, and much more. Here is how I set things up:

1. Get a Gmail account.
Go to this link if you don't already have one.

2. Sign up with Google Apps.
Go to Google Apps at www.Google.com/a and select "Sign Up". Specify your existing domain name. In my case, that was GoOHSO.com. If you don't have a domain name, you can register for one in Google Apps under "Admin Features/Domain Registration".

3. Add email Accounts.
Once you are logged into Google Apps with your domain, select "Manage this Domain" and "User Accounts". In my case I added email accounts for Richard, Janie, Sales, Info, and Feedback.

4. Switch Email Pointers at your Domain Registrar.
Go to your domain registrar and configured the MX (mail exchange) settings with the special address for Google Mail. These address are defined in Google Help. The screen below shows how I configured my email through my domain registrar. It might be a few hours until your domain registrar "takes" and beings directing emails to Google.

5. Start using Gmail.
Go to Google Apps and select "returning user, sign in here." Enter your domain name, then log in with your user name and password. After that, you should be good to go.

But Wait, There's More!
Take a look at all the tools Google has by selecting "more/even more" from the Gmail top menu. I use Google's BlogSpot.com for managing my blog sites (including Trocino.net and the OHSO Blog). I use Google Docs for sharing documents such as spread sheets and Word documents with Janie and other partners. I use Google Analytics to monitor the traffic of GoOHSO.com. I even use the Google Calendar for a ubiquitous appointment book that can be easily shared with others.

Now everybody in my organization gets spam free, secure, and reliable email using Google's excellent email interface. It took me a day or so to get everything set up, but I didn't have to hire an IT guy for help. Plus as of this moment, it's free. If you are struggling with email issues, I highly recommend Gmail and Google Apps.

The next step is to create my blog site to augment my existing web site. Google's blog management tools (www.blogger.com) makes short work of this. I'll discuss creating and managing your blog site with Google Apps in a subsequent posting.

-RBT

Amphibious Assault Part 1

noreply@blogger.com (Richard B. Trocino) — Tue, 15 Apr 2008 01:57:00 +0000

I've read a lot of books about sales and marketing techniques for the budding entrepreneur. The Guerrilla series by Jay Conrad Levinson are among my favorites. As a result, I almost never pay for advertising but still have enjoyed a lot of exposure.

One tactic mentioned by Levinson is to sponsor sporting events. So I decided to spend a little money and sponsor the US Masters National Swimming competition hosted by the Swimming Center at the University of Texas at Austin.

I thought it would be interesting to share my experiences both before and after the event, then evaluate my Guerrilla tactics during a live fire engagement. At the time of this writing, I have just begun to put my plan in action. Thirty days after the event, I'll share the results and determine whether or not this was a good move. Here is my plan of attack.

Justification
The Texas Swimming Center is a world class venue and the Masters National is expected to host nearly 2000 competitors from all over the country. For each competitor I figure there will be three or four friends, family, coaches, assistants, and officials. Hopefully, as many as six to eight thousand people will see one of my ads over the weekend competition.

I've been to a lot of meets at the Texas Swimming Center so I know the territory well. Most people spend their time chatting, reading, and working on their computer while waiting for their swimmers to compete. In this respect, they are a captive audience. There is a good possibility that a lot of them will visit my web site during the competition itself over wireless Internet. Additionally, I know the importance of the program booklet because it's impossible to follow the meet without it and it is often used to record race results. So, I think a lot of people will see my half page ad and take it home with them.

Cost
Most sporting events have several sponsorship tiers ranging from a business card in the program booklet to banners and video scoreboard spots. The top tier sponsorship for this event includes a thirty second video on the scoreboard, a three-by-five foot banner in the main arena, a half page ad in the program booklet, and a ticker message on the scoreboard. That's not a bad deal and I usually like the "big fish in a small pond" theory. So, I'm opting for the top tier sponsorship, which is priced at $1,500. Add $120 for the banner and $50 for the artwork. I already have a thirty second commercial, so there's no additional cost for that. That would bring the total cost to: $1,670.

Strategy
Utilize the video scoreboad commercial and ticker message to offer a "free shipping" promotion on GoOHSO.com. Create a familiar association with the print ad and banner. Use Google Analytics to measure web hits on my site. Use a promotion code on the buy-now page and special "where did you hear about us" selection to track orders directly to the event.

Goal
To sell one hundred OHSO Travel Toothbrushes within thirty days of the competition. If I can do that, I'll improve my cash flow and will have gained new customers that may otherwise have never hear of us.

I'll report back in a month or so with the final tally. Now that I am committed, like all entrepreneurs, I remain hopeful. Either way, I'm pretty confident that OHSO will benefit from this Guerrilla engagement.

Anything for a Friend

noreply@blogger.com (Richard B. Trocino) — Fri, 11 Apr 2008 01:41:00 +0000

Javier Muñoz wanted a really cool collar for his dog. Mr. Magoo's personality demanded a bold, distinctive, and durable accoutrement that Javier was not able to find. So he sat down with his leather tools and came up with several styles that satisfied his artistic eye.

He branded his new creation Bully Leather Collars using his digital camera and Apple Computer. With plenty of samples in hand and a distinctive brand image, Javier has set out to find the right manufacturing partner. His goal is an affordable line of quality collars suitable for Man's best friend.

Brush with Greatness

noreply@blogger.com (Richard B. Trocino) — Mon, 07 Apr 2008 05:06:00 +0000

One day I was processing OHSO orders and came upon a faxed order from Steve Wozniak. It was signed "Woz." Could this be the real Steve Wozniak inventor of the Apple I computer--one of the most significant inventions of our age?

So I looked up Steve Wozniak on Google and found an article showing an Apple I computer singed by The Woz. The signature was a match. Then I tracked down his email address and sent him a message asking if he had just purchased an OHSO Travel Toothbrush and where he heard about it. He replied in short order and said he indeed had just bought one for his son, and they both liked it. He read about it on a blog site. I then asked him if I could mention that fact in my blog and he said yes.

It's easy to be star struck when you consider that history has recored the Apple I as the World's first general purpose computer for the masses. Steve Wozniak was truly instrumental in ushering in the Information Age. In my book he is one of the all time Greats.
-RBT

Innovation Flows

noreply@blogger.com (Richard B. Trocino) — Fri, 04 Apr 2008 19:29:00 +0000

Mark Kimbrough's career as a designer spans nearly two decades. He is one of the founders of Austin's Design Edge as well as chief designer and founder of Wetnoz, a complete line of upscale pet accessories. He has won so many awards that if they were written on a wall, the list would go from ceiling to floor. Even still, this next story is pretty impressive.

A while back, Mark's brother-in-law mentioned an idea he had for an outside faucet insulator to protect against freezes. He was unhappy with the typical Styrofoam cup approach and thought it could be done better. That weekend, Mark sketched out a design that used Neoprene and Velcro. A few days later he had complete CAD drawings which he emailed to a manufacturer. The following week he had samples. He gave the samples to an independent sales rep who in turn contacted several buyers. Within a few weeks, the Tapwrap Outdoor Faucet Freeze Protector was for sale on the internet and stocked on the self of his local hardware store.

Taking Notice of Innovation

noreply@blogger.com (Richard B. Trocino) — Fri, 04 Apr 2008 16:34:00 +0000

One summer day back in 2005 I happened to strike up a conversation with a complete stranger. He was an entrepreneur of sorts and I told him about my new invention. I had my first shipment sailing from China at that moment and I wasn't at all happy with my marketing plan. I couldn't shake those dark thoughts of "what would I do with six thousand travel toothbrushes that I can't sell?"

He told me about Josh Spear and his blog site dedicated to new and innovative products. I had never considered blogging as an approach to promoting my new product, so I decided to take a look at JoshSpear.com.

I emailed Josh a picture of my product and a short description. Then I noticed a spike in my web site activity which had sat dormant for over a year. It was a big spike. I checked JoshSpear.com and sure enough he had posted my product. Not only did Josh post my product, but dozens of other blog sites had picked up the story from JoshSpear.com (later I learned how all that works) and in a few days OHSO was all over the Internet.

Josh did a second posting when my product was available and that's when the fireworks started. Much to my surprise, orders began flooding in, from all over the world. That continued for several weeks and before I knew it, we had taken orders for thousands of units.

That chance meeting back in the summer of 2005 ended up being the single most significant event in the marketing of my new invention. Before I learned about Josh Spear, a Google search of "OHSO Toothbrush" used to return with the following message: "Did you Mean OSHA?" Because of Josh, Google took notice and now returns with hundreds and hundred of web sites all talking about my invention.

One to Watch

noreply@blogger.com (Richard B. Trocino) — Wed, 02 Apr 2008 03:40:00 +0000

When Thomas Clark was four years old, he had a liver transplant. Since that day Thomas has had to take immune suppressant medication every twelve hours on the clock--where ever he is, and whatever he is doing. His life literally depends on it.

This is challenging since he leads an active life. What he needed was a pill dispenser that would always be with him, keep his medication safe, and remind him to take it.

Thomas knew that a lot of other people would need the same thing so he invented T-Rx. T-Rx is a watch that holds a pill dispenser. The watch is programed with the user's medication schedule and sounds an alert at the appropriate time. The medication is stored at the right temperature in a moisture tight compartment safe from contamination and always close at hand.

Thomas has successfully engineered, branded, and patented his invention and is in the funding and manufacturing phase now. His progress is impressive, especially when you consider he is only nineteen years old.

How Do You Invent Something?

noreply@blogger.com (Richard B. Trocino) — Mon, 31 Mar 2008 02:51:00 +0000

People ask me that question all the time. Of course it's a long answer so I decided to dedicate a blog site to the question. But "how do you invent something?" is not the only question. For example how do you market your invention? How do you protect it? How do you make money from it? And there are many, many more questions to be answered.

My heros have always been the great American inventors. People from history like Benjamin Franklin, Edison, and Henry Ford. And then there are the great contemporary inventors like Steven Wozniak inventor of the Apple Computer, Burt Rutan aviation inventor, and my Father who invented Elmer's Glue.

I live in Austin Texas, home of some of todays best innovators. I was lucky enough to team up with a few of them and together, we created the OHSO Travel Toothbrush.

So if I were to break down "how I invented OHSO" into various aspects it would look something like what you see below. Each aspect has many more questions. I look forward to sharing my experiences in subsequent postings. I hope other inventors, innovators, and entrepreneurs will share their ideas and experiences as well. So here is how to invent something in a nutshell.

1. Write it Down
Before you can invent anything you have to first write it down. Some of the best inventions started as a napkin sketches. I used a Big Chief notepad myself. But even my limited skills were enough to convey the general idea. Also look for other's who have written down similar ideas. You can lookup every patent ever granted by the United States government at the uspto.gov website. I spent many, many hours looking at similar patents and that helped me refine my concept.

They say Christopher Columbus wasn't really the first to discover America. But he was the first to write it down, so he got the credit.

2. Partner
Nobody can do it alone. You have to find good partners that add value to your invention. If you don't have all the money in the world, your only option is to partner. I partnered with a local design firm called Design Edge. It would have been difficult to afford such a world class group of designers. They provided the essential design and branding expertise in exchange for an equity position.

Even if you do have a lot of money and can afford to hire professionals, you will need to find manufacturing, distribution, and trading partners to be successful.

3. Engineer It
If you are designing a self-dispensing toothbrush, a new web site, a music album, or the first private spacecraft to reach outer space, you have to build it. Before you can build it, you have to design and engineer it. If you possess the engineering skills and necessary tools yourself that's all the better. If you don't, find somebody who does. I was lucky enough to partner with Austin's Design Edge for the engineering of OHSO. It was no simple task and required a lot of effort.

4. Protect it
I'm still paying off my patent attorney bills. Unless you partner with a lawyer (which I would hesitate to) it will cost you cold hard cash. But it's money well spent. What good is all your effort if somebody can snatch it away from you? A patent is your best protection from the wolves. There are a lot of horror stories about great innovations that were not properly protected only to have the inventor deprived of his just rewards.

5. Brand It
Image is everything. I've seen a lot of great ideas that were poorly branded and failed to live up their potential. Your product has to look great, and the better it looks, the better it will sell. You don't have to hire an expensive ad agency but you do have to find good right-brain people who can give your idea style. I've found a lot of good graphic designers on Craigs List.

I also can't stress enough the importance of quality pictures. People like good pictures and you can get a lot of exposure on looks alone. Unless you are a photographer, resist the urge to take your own pictures and hire a professional.

6. Fund It
If you want to build something really cool, it only takes money. So the story goes. You have to be creative when it comes to finance. There are as many funding options as there are entrepreneurs. It helps a lot if you have good credit. So do what it takes to establish or clean-up your credit. I funded OHSO the old fashioned way, I borrowed money. With good credit, borrowing money is easy. Paying it back is the hard part. Credit cards are an excellent mechanism for this. But be careful, its easy to spiral out of control. There are a lot of other options as you progress: licensing, selling equity, raising venture capital money, and of course, going public is the Holey Grail of funding options. I hope to write about that first hand some day.

7. Build It
Setting up manufacturing for OHSO was an odyssey that took me to Hong Kong and mainland China. Seeing first hand how things are manufactured was a real eye-opener for me. Cost effective manufacturing is done in huge general purpose factories. Nobody can build their own factory like in the old days. So you need a good manufacturing partner. I currently manufacture OHSO in Shenzhen, China. However Mexico also has a lot of manufacturing resources.

8. Sell It
You have to sell. I can't tell you how many invention how-to books I have read that brush-off this extremely important aspect of your invention. They would say "find a marketing specialist to help sell your invention" Who are these marketing specialists? I remember telling a friend early on, "I wish I could find a guru sitting on top of a hill who could explain how to sell my invention." Then I realized that I had to become my own guru.

9. Get 'er Done
There are so many tactics you will have to employ to make it all work: setting up a company, establishing a web site, sales channels, email, inventory, and the list goes on and on.

So how do you invent something? By obsessing over it for a long time. In the end, it's passion, determination, and commitment. But whether you succeed or fail this time around, it will be an exciting ride.

Richard B. Trocino
OHSO/CEO