If you have a waiting room, where people are likely to sit for longer than 5 minutes (doctor’s offices, corporations, hotels) you need to offer free wireless internet access. From personal experience, it’s the difference between continuing check things off my daily to do list and the frustration of being held hostage.
Category: Business
Is Closed a Cultural Benefit?
This weekend, I caught up with a college friend in central Wisconsin. Starbucks recently opened their first storefront in Wausau. Given Starbucks’ consistency and my lack of knowledge of other options, I suggested we meet there. “How about something local, like Jeannie’s Cafe?”, Tom asked. I’m always up for tasting the local flavor and we […]
Lots of Conversation, Lots of Energy
This week was chock full of conversations with people interested in how podcasting can work for their business. The amount of enthusiasm and energy I consistently received from across the table blew me away. Two other things that struck me: The people I’m talking with aren’t currently that far away from podcasting. It’s just a […]
Podcasting is Closer to Voicemail than Radio
Yesterday, I listened to the latest from the Podcast Brothers featuring an interview with Todd Storch. You’ve probably gleaned that I don’t see the viability of an ad subsidized podcast. As I’ve mentioned in the economics of podcasting, existing broadcasters have huge amounts of money sunk into transmitters, spectrum, studios, and talent. The easiest way […]
The IKEA Furnishings Subscription Model
I had a couple of apartments completely furnished via IKEA. As I’m sure you know, once assembled Billy isn’t going anywhere. Drooping and wabbly, the Billy entertainment system lasted – to the day – as my last rental lease. Not a bad thing, I didn’t have to move it. Though it did leave me without […]
Podcasting is Ron Popeil for the Radio
Mark Ramsey at Radio Marketing Nexus nails the value of podcasting to business: Podcasting is to Radio spots as infomercials are to TV spots. I’ve used the informercial comparison before, I’m glad others see it also. The traditional model of commerical spots interrupting a regularly scheduled program falls apart in podcasting. Podcasts can shrink and […]
How Netflix Could Use Recommendations To Increase Subscriptions
One of the challenges of highly customer-driven systems like the iPod, Tivo, and Netflix is the keeping it fresh. I wrote about my experience with this problem last fall (New, Unexpected Music on Your iPod). I’m sensing the same “2,000 songs and nothing’s on” wall with Netflix. Sure, there are 50 discs in our queue […]
The Buzzword Blacklist
Here’s a small (and growing) list of meaningless, negative words that I’d like to strike from my world. User Consumer Content Sticky Leverage Synergy Facilitate Doc Searles has a nice follow-up on these terms and language in Relating to Customers …customers don’t like being “consumers” or “targets.” Being “reduced” doesn’t stir their hearts, either. Least […]
A Business Model for Abundance
Heretofore, most business were founded on the idea of scarcity. Being the One and Only as Seth Godin describes. If you’re the only vendor offering something, it used to be easy to make money. Just convince people you’re the only one that can solve their problem. Then surround yourself with huge barriers to entry while […]
Kayak and PinPoint Changing the Face of Online Travel
A couple years back, I helped Orbitz.com redesign their shopping process. During that time, if you wanted to book travel the major players were Expedia and Travelocity, with Orbitz aiming to be the more usable, better-looking alternative. Today, those three players are equally mature and equally less than compelling. They don’t capture all airlines and […]