OCTOBER 24, 2008

I am not a particularly nosy person. I like to think of myself as well-informed and proactive. Okay… who am I kidding? It’s so easy to be nosy nowadays! (And as David referenced in his post a few months ago, I’m not the only one.)

Google serves as a wonderful little sidekick that can give me juicy tidbits about people, places, and things whenever I want them. Thanks to Yelp, I can research the service at the restaurant I’m thinking of going to and read reviews from real patrons. Sites like Rate My Professor prepare me for what to expect from instructors, as well evaluate my books before I buy them for a class. Rate My Cop evaluates police officers based on personal accounts of interactions by people online. (As you might imagine, some people have not-so-nice things to say about the officer that just wrote them a ticket hours earlier.) A friend of mine even showed me how to look up county information to find out if people have traffic tickets or arrests. All you need is a name and a county to search in.

When I recently moved to a new house, Rotten Neighbors took the mystery out of the situation - it gave me the chance to screen my neighbors before even meeting them. And, I admit that after I finished checking out my own neighborhood, I had fun plugging in the addresses of my family and friends.

But, does this knowing all information, especially information about the people around us, make us safer? Happier? Probably not. In many cases, it just give us another thing to worry about. And let’s face it, for most of us, our list of worries is already pretty long as it is. Do we really need to think about that crazy write-up that someone posted online about our neighbor that may or may not be true?

When all is said and done, we should use these tools when necessary, but not go overboard. I am learning to take the information and reviews I read online with a grain of salt and focus more on the number and quantity of bad reviews more than the specific details of one person’s account. This keeps me from stewing over something that may or may not be biased, and unnecessarily ruining my perception of a restaurant, neighbor, cop, or person unfairly. Then both technology and my conscience will be on my side.

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AUGUST 5, 2008

In the latest edition of an EPM Communications Research Alert newsletter that I follow as part of the New Persuasion team here at TMG Strategies, I saw a startling piece about world-of-mouth marketing.  According to the article, ”WOM marketing” is the fastest growing segment of the marketing industry.  Surprisingly, in 2007, spending on this form of marketing exceeded $1 billion and is expected to hit $3.4 billion in 2011.

There is no substitute for word-of-mouth marketing  - it’s a dire necessity for the success of a company.  Studies have proven that consumers trust their friends, families, and even complete strangers more than they trust big corporations.  This is why understanding word-of-mouth marketing and its importance is a key element for any growing or fully-established business.  According to my Research Alert, about 90% of WOM marketing takes place offline in face-to-face or phone conversations.  People are also more likely to think that offline WOM is more credible– which directly correlates to the intent to purchase at a later date.

This is something that everyone needs to keep in mind– no matter what type of company they work for or what type of business they are in.  After all, how else could Google have risen to the top as quickly and as efficiently as it has in the recent past? 

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JULY 28, 2008

With over one million copies sold on a wimpy $300 marketing budget, this 256-page tale of human sorrow and divine redemption is undeniably a literary and religious phenomenon.  But how did this happen?

Just over a year after it was originally published in paperback, William P. Young’s The Shack debuted at No. 1 on the New York Times trade paperback fiction best-seller list, and hasn’t budged since June 8.  Currently it is No. 1 on the Borders Group’s trade paperback fiction list, and, until recently, it was No. 1 on the Barnes & Noble trade paperback list.  Motoko Rich at the The New York Times says it’s “the most compelling recent example of how a word-of-mouth phenomenon can explode into a blockbuster when the momentum hits chain bookstores, and the marketing and distribution power of a major commercial publisher is thrown behind it.”

To summarize (but without revealing too much of the story): Early in the novel the young daughter of the protagonist, Mack, is abducted.  Four years later he visits the shack where evidence of the girl’s murder was discovered.  He spends a weekend there in a kind of spiritual therapy session with God, appearing as an African-American woman who calls herself “Papa;” Jesus, who shows up as a Jewish workman; and Sarayu, an indeterminately Asian woman who incarnates the Holy Spirit.

As intriguing is the storyline sounds, I’m not writing this post to encourage or even discourage you from reading The Shack – that’s entirely up to you.  But I’m curious as to why this book has become so popular so fast.  In other words, I want to know how we - the reading public - and even the author himself have turned this book into a best-seller.  I’ll offer five of my ideas:

1. It’s a quick read.  At 256 pages – a whopping 1055 pages fewer than the King James Bible – it’s no wonder that readers are drawn to a shorter rather than longer route to a cathartic encounter with the Christian God.

2. It’s cheap.  Foregoing the more expensive, hardcover version, Windblown Media originally published the book in paperback, making it approachable and affordable to everyone.

3. It’s bought in bulk.  In an effort to spread the word and share the love, many church leaders are asking bookstores for a dozen copies at a time – sometimes even a whole case – to distribute to colleagues, friends and family.  So, whether the book is digested in full or gathers dust on the bedside table, it counts as a sell.

4. It’s controversial.  Christian “feely-types” say it’s life-changing and will bring you closer to God.  Christian “thinking-types” warn that it’s subversive and will make you question the author’s intentions.  Sounds like it’s worth investigating for yourself, right?

5. It’s ambiguous universalism.  Beaner927 at the Closer to Free blog writes, “There were even parts of the book that almost seemed like they were meant JUST for me. . . . I got goosebumps!”  Inverse personalization?  Enough said.

Finally, I believe DHubka at the Thinking About Today blog has the most insightful rumination of all:

Why are so many people’s lives being changed by the book?  What can I take from the book and apply everyday?  I don’t know that there is anything. . .  I think it’s encouraging that this book isn’t life-changing for me, I think it means I’m already well on that path.

To be sure, with 40% of fickle - err, impressionable - American adults having changed their faith at least once since childhood, it’s no wonder The Shack is “changing lives.”  Today, it really doesn’t take much to become someone totally different than you were yesterday.

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MAY 26, 2008

“With outstanding skills and charming character, they are a treasure to the Japanese Beatles band scene, winning acclaim from numerous quarters. If you are The Beatles lover, you’re sure to be captivated by their music. Love lives? You’ll surely enjoy our show. Experience a stage full of excitement and enthusiasm!” - The Silver Beats

At the modern intersection of globalization and entertainment, you’ll find a Japanese Beatles cover band called the Silver Beats.  Allow me to introduce them to you.  There’s Hidemasa Mabuchi as John, Tadaaki Naganuma as Paul, Yukinobu Kabe as Ringo, and Hajime Kubo as George.  But don’t let their foreign names fool you: these gentlemen bear a striking resemblance in look and sound to the original Fab Four from Liverpool (not to mention that they boast a repertoire of nearly 160 Beatles songs).  Don’t believe me?  See for yourself: A Hard Day’s Night – She Loves You – Come Together.

Debuting in 2002 at The Cavern Club in Tokyo, the Silver Beats first made waves in the United States when the band opened for (and by many accounts upstaged) The Killers during The Killers’ 2007 national tour.  According to screenwriter/filmmaker Jason Whiton, the reason this Japanese tribute band is unlike any other American tribute band is that tribute in Japan is “an integral part of artistic tradition” in which “the student strives to follow in the style of his master.”  Whiton believes that modern Elvis impersonators, for example, place too much emphasis on the King and not enough on his music.  The Silver Beats do the opposite.

Last January, I had the privilege of attending a rare, sold-out encore performance by the Silver Beats at the 9:30 Club in Washington, DC.  I admit that I had never actually heard of the band prior to the concert; I only bought a ticket because a friend of mine had seen them open for the Killers and said it was a “must-see” experience.  So, I tagged along.

Within seconds I found myself transfixed in a time-warp of sight and sound.  At the same time, I couldn’t help but notice that the karaoke-singing crowd surrounding me consisted mainly of Gen Y music lovers, most of whom were born after John Lennon died in 1980.  Yet, there we all were, reviving a band we had never before seen live and resurrecting a man with whom we had never shared a single breath on earth.  Why?

Potsy of the DC Rock Club, also stopping by 9:30 that night, lends us insight.  He writes:

With The Rolling Stones, The Who, and potentially Led Zeppelin keeping yesteryear rock alive with tours, some of us still have a shot at seeing concerts featuring music that never seems to die. Never mind the fact that The Beatles consciously stopped touring at the height of their career, Lennon’s death certainly meant we would never get the chance to see The Beatles perform. Even if Ringo and Paul hit the road together today, I don’t think it would be at all interesting.

I couldn’t agree with you more, Potsy.

So, last weekend when I read a news release announcing that the Japanese foursome would be returning to the United States this summer to perform at the 2008 Virgin Mobile Festival with legendary rocker Chuck Berry, I wanted to spread the word.  Even if you can sing along to only one Beatles song, you’ll find The Silver Beats’ sonic resurrection incredibly enlightening, particularly when paired with Chuck Berry.  As John Lennon himself once said, “If you tried to give rock and roll another name, you might call it Chuck Berry.”  I wonder: what would Lennon call Chuck Berry plus The Beatles’ own Japanese tribute band?  Probably, he would call it Love. Love, Love, Love.

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APRIL 2, 2008

If you’re wondering how to identify the forces shaping our world, the answer is quite simple: listening. You would be hard-pressed to find a consumer who doesn’t want to be heard. And, when you step back and think about it, listening is one of the easiest things a company can do when trying to maintain and grow business. In our world where technology makes it so easy for consumers to voice their opinions, why wouldn’t companies take advantage of the opportunity?

With the launch of My Starbucks Idea, Starbucks has started listening. This post by ReadWriteWeb gives a great summary of what the two-week old site is all about. Customers offer ideas on everything from free Wi-Fi to making Starbucks environmentally-friendly. 
 
I’ve been participating in the site for the past few days and I’m both engaged and impressed. Discount days for seniors, happy hour, weekly coffee specials – just a few of the great ideas I’ve already voted for this week. Through the site, I have the power to influence a $9.4 billion company. The only way Starbucks could mess this one up is by not taking any of our advice. It’s great that they’re listening – but it will be even better when I see changes made. 

What other companies are most in need of a site like My Starbucks Idea? The first one on my list: Cosi. As much as I love the food, every trip into this neighborhood restaurant shop ends in frustration because it is lacking the most basic customer service. And, it didn’t take much searching to discover I’m not the only one who feels this way.
 
Which company do you wish was making an effort to listen?

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JUNE 26, 2007

I have a nephew in the Marines.  He’s in Iraq and he recently sent the family a list of things that guys in his unit would like to get.  High on the list was baby wipes.  Baby wipes?  Turns out soldiers use them for personal hygiene and cleaning their equipment and lots of other things. 

Now Matthew at Childs Playx2 says baby wipes are the new duct tape. (Thanks to Sarah at Strollerderby for the link.)  Besides wiping various parts of the body, he also uses wipes for:

• Cleaning the bannister
• Removing crayon from the coffee table
• Polishing your shoes
• Wiping snot off your computer screen
• Cleaning grout on kitchen tile
• Wiping dried oatmeal from the floor
• Cleaning high chair trays
• Cleaning the blades on your windshield wipers
• Wiping dirt from the top of a soda can
• Doing a quick wipe down of the toilet rim before visitors arrive

I love when people find new uses for a product.  A man I used to work with, who had no children at the time, always carried a bag of disposable diapers in his car.  He used them to suck up spills on the car seats or floors.  You can’t believe how well they work.  He used them at home for the same thing.  So I did it too - and continue to do it.

I always wonder why the manufacturers of these products don’t make use of the ingenuity of their customers.  If baby diapers can clean a carpet spill better than anything else, why not market them for that purpose?  I wrote about it awhile ago, but there is one company that does this - P&G has a fresh ideas section on its website for the laundry freshener Bounce.  Turns out you can use it for lots of different things and they encourage their customers to share their uses with each other. 

Flickr photo by Tom-Tom

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JUNE 12, 2007

From our colleague Sandy Moore:

As a poor grad student in the late 1980s, my then-boyfriend (now husband) and I drove from Gainesville, Florida, to Springfield, Virginia, for a quick family visit.    Mike suggested we take a bus to “Bob’s” on Old Keene Mill, where we could get in the slug line for a free ride downtown.

I had no idea what he was talking about, but it turns out that slugging – catching rides from commuter drivers – is a unique phenomenon that started in Springfield 25 years ago, and some say even earlier.  Bob’s isn’t even around anymore but sluggers still wait here for free lifts on the restricted high-volume lanes, saving everyone time and the “slugs” money.  Up to 6,500 people a day rely on this option.

The name came from bus drivers who initially mistook the folks standing in slug lines for actual paying riders.  They started calling them phony riders or slugs, which were fake coins that showed up in bus collection boxes back then.  Now there’s a website http://www.slug-lines.com that not only provides extensive slug history, but offers links to message boards with titles like Morning Slug Lines Into the City, Afternoon Slug Lines, and Proposed New Slug Lines Locations.

Slugging is still around but there are some external forces that may change this type of transportation:

o The Internet
o Rising gas prices
o Future HOV / HOT lanes

There was no Internet in 1978 and slugging caught on by word-of-mouth.  That’s still pretty much the case, but riders and drivers alike have an extra tool – they can go online to find each other.  The other day, my colleague was rushing out the door at the beginning of her grueling commute home to Fredericksburg, Virginia, about 60 miles south of Washington.  In her hand was a printout of the name of a driver who could pick her up.   Every day she checks another website – mikeburkhart.com – for a possible ride.  If she lucks out, she just goes to the Pentagon where there is always a driver headed her way.

We all know that gas prices are out of control.  According to the Department of Energy, gas is well over $3.00 a gallon on the east coast, an increase of 11% from a few weeks ago and 33% from a year ago.  It makes one think fondly back to 1979, when gas was $1.41 a gallon (higher in today’s dollars, of course).  So have rising gas prices increased slug traffic?  My colleagues say there are more riders out there, but that slugging usually increases in the summer anyway when the weather is more accommodating to waiting outdoors.  But according to a Washington Post/ABC poll, few people are making any travel changes due to gas prices alone.  Only 11% of drivers surveyed said that gas prices would encourage them to drive less and gasoline consumption is actually up from this time last year.

What may permanently change the slug world is the introduction of HOT lanes, or High Occupancy Toll lanes, that will allow drivers to pay for the privilege of using the restricted lanes during rush hour.  Just this month, Washington area transportation authorities approved HOT lanes for I-95 heading south of the city.  Drivers with three passengers can ride for free.  Although these lanes are years off, some say they will encourage drivers to pay a toll rather than pick up a few strangers for a ride; others say slugging will continue as drivers will want to avoid the tolls which could reach $1 per mile.

Despite the changing dynamics of the slug world, the online community has kept its sense of humor.  A recent chat focused on a posting that a local TV meteorologist would take some slugs home on a certain day.  Other writers doubted it was legit.

“This is a likely hoax. If Sue X. does pick up any slugs, please let us all know. 

Maybe some other local TV personalities would then pick up some slugs too to help their ratings. 

Are there any of them you’d particularly like to ride with? 

This could begin a new reality series: "Sluggin’ With The Stars"!

… or "Survivor: Beltway"

And then there’s "American Slug". (doesn’t quite have the same ring)

I don’t remember much about that ride I took many years ago, other than no one said a word and I thought that riding in a stranger’s car in complete silence was kind of weird.  Most often used as a noun – this morning I picked up a slug from the Lorton exit – it can also be a verb, as in – I would rather slug than drive home to Woodbridge – slugging is bound to change.  For now it still provides thousands of Washington commuters a free ride and the ability to find that ride in cyberspace.

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MAY 24, 2007

Our colleague Sandy Moore writes about her experience with a service that’s basically local, word-of-mouth (via the Internet), and all about crowdsourcing.  The key to Angie’s List is the trust Sandy has in other consumers like herself   –Nellie Lide

I’m pretty good at juggling – a fulltime job, two kids, husband with long hours, new puppy (who is sick and needs antibiotics twice a day which no one can get him to swallow but me), plus the weekly soccer practice-ballet lesson-Girl Scout meeting-playdate scheduling and overall “stuff” coordination required as a 21st century working parent.  I do the meal planning – my husband does the grocery shopping.  I do the babysitter scheduling and payment – he is the IT person.  I mow and garden – he goes to Home Depot.  We both try to get the car into the shop every once in awhile.

What baffles us is basic home maintenance.  Oh, I can change an air filter or two, lower the temperature on the hot water tank, or even stop the toilet from running, but electrical projects overwhelm me, as do any tasks that require sanding, sealing, or standing on tall ladders.  Luckily, there is a terrific website called Angie’s List that ranks service companies based on geographic region.  Say you live in Silver Spring, Maryland and you have termites.  Just type in “Pest Control / Exterminating” and your address and 10 bug-elimination companies pop up, complete with contact information, grades from A to F and local reviews.

I think of Angie’s List as an online Consumer Reports customized to my neighborhood.  In the past six months, I’ve hired an electrician, roofer, handyman, exterminator, fence-builder and pet-walking service.  I’ve taken my car to a recommended mechanic and my dog to a recommended vet.  I always mention that I found them through Angie’s List; some respond positively, some are surprised to find out they are listed and some do not know what Angie’s List is.

Here is what it is – a privately held for-profit company founded by an Indianapolis entrepreneur named Angela Hicks.  She started her first chapter in Columbus, Ohio, in 1995.  According to the website, more than 20,000 people use the service, members submit 5,000 reports a month, and overall there are more than half a million members in 124 cities.  You can join for $6.95 a month or $53 dollars a year, plus a $10 sign-up fee.  It has only been available in Washington since January of 2006.  A Washington Post July 2006 article described it as:

“…a very large community bulletin board where neighbors exchange references and anecdotes about carpenters, roofers, landscapers and appliance stores.” Companies do not pay to be on the list but can run ads in a hard-copy magazine sent by snail mail. 

Over the years, I have used the non-profit Washington Consumers’ Checkbook which rates local services, but there are differences.  The hard copy comes out twice a year and while the website is available all the time, it is only updated every six months.  Services fall into six categories:  Cars & trucks, Your Home, Health Care (including doctors and hospitals, not available on Angie’s List), Getting Things Fixed, Personal Services and Other (banks, hardware stores, etc.)  Overall, Checkbook has fewer categories of services but significantly more reports on each.  The auto body section alone contains 150 different outlets with ten ratings each.  It is also cheaper at $34 for a two-year subscription.

Angie’s List has saved me more than once.  The week before Thanksgiving, my washer and dryer died.  I bought a new set but apparently the power required was greater than my circuit box was willing to provide.  I had two weeks of laundry piled up, a traveling husband and a houseful of guests arriving in days.  I found a local electrician who replaced my system the next day, wrapping up at 8:00 pm.  He was great but a bit expensive, which I reported in my online evaluation.  Obviously Internet savvy, he gave me a hard time at the next electrical emergency:  “I can’t believe you said I was expensive!”  Reviews clearly are not anonymous.

If you have a problem, there is a dispute resolution service.  That has not happened to me yet but is a reassuring thought.  You can also give a membership as a gift.  My mother-in-law asked me to look up local contractors so often that I bought her a membership for Christmas.  How else can you track down someone who will rebuild your brick fireplace?

My membership lasts another six months.  I don’t know if I’ll renew –
It depends on what services I’ll need at that time.  I thought I’d rely on it for home maintenance, but with categories like insurance agencies, mulch and topsoil and piano tuning, the categories – and the home/life improvement projects – are endless.

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APRIL 30, 2007

Almost everyone has heard of MySpace.  People use MySpace to stay in touch with old friends, make new friends, look up an employee or a potential date before you meet them for the first time, or even as a way to keep the world informed by writing daily blogs.  MySpace has taken America by storm and WikiPedia even claims that it is the "third most popular website in the United States."

MySpace began in July of 2003 and the number of created accounts has exceeded 100 million (as of August, 2006).  It is interesting to wonder if it would impact other countries the way it has impacted us in America.

An April 27th article in the Wall Street Journal mentions that MySpace has "finally found it’s way into China."  MySpace China launched it’s test version and will be run and controlled by a Chinese company.

MySpace China’s independence will give it an advantage, Mr. Luo said, that other foreign-affiliated sites haven’t had in China’s intensely competitive Internet market, which boasted 137 million Internet users at the end of 2006, second only to the U.S.

"Our team here will have the sole right to decide on the operating model, the technology platform, as well as the product strategy," said Mr. Luo, a native of China who worked for 12 years at Microsoft Corp., most recently running its MSN Internet service in China, before leaving in December. "That’s very unlike the other multinationals you might have seen in the Chinese market."

Moreover, despite its high profile in the U.S., MySpace’s brand "is not very big" in China, Mr. Luo conceded. He said MySpace’s technology will give his company a leg up on less-well-equipped Chinese rivals and that its ability to link Chinese users with existing users of MySpace in other countries could be a selling point. But he said the company’s main challenge is to attract the user base necessary to build a thriving community.

Like its U.S. affiliate, MySpace China will get most of its revenue from online advertising. Mr. Luo said he doesn’t know how long it will take for the company to become profitable.

The idea of international interest in MySpace says a lot about the way the world is changing.  The ability to stay connected with your peers and your community through a social networking website is something that has done amazingly well in our country, and, the thought that other nations may embrace this trend speaks for itself.  I think that we are always trying to step back and look at the big picture… and this is definitely a positive thing.

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JANUARY 8, 2007

I’ve been down and out the last month or so (health issues) and I removed myself from the computer for much of that time.  But I’m back baby. 

Anyway - what seems a lifetime ago, Jill Fallon at Estate Legacy Vaults blog (and Business of Life) tagged me with the Five Things You Don’t Know about Me Meme.  So normally I hate too much personal stuff on the blog, but because I love Jill so much, I’ll do it:

1.  I am the seventh of 13 children - 3 older sisters, 3 older brothers, 3 younger sisters, 3 younger brothers.  Terry, Dwight, Bruce, Lee Anne, Doug, Mary Joan, Me, Bernadette, Mimi, Jimmy, Glenn, Brian & Monica.  My mother had 13 children in 19 years (no twins).  Being the 7th of 13 has defined my existence.  And the 3 comments I always get are:  "You’re Catholic right?"  (Yes)  "Your parents must have had a lot of fun –wink, wink." (I don’t like to think of my parents like that thanks.)  "Who did the laundry?"  (My mom, until we each got old enough to do our own.)

2.  My first job out of college (besides working in the men’s underwear department at Hecht’s) was at CBS News 60 Minutes in their Washington, DC office.  I was a secretary, then a researcher, then an associate producer.   At one point I must have visited every maximum security prison in the country.  I learned this about prison -  everyone is innocent, and I wouldn’t wish my worst enemy a prison stay.  My most memorable moment was accompanying Mike Wallace to Plains, Ga to do an interview with former President Carter.  I was alone in his kitchen and did what I always do in a strange kitchen, I opened the cabinets and looked around.  There was a box of unopened Godiva Chocolates on the counter, and I figured they were never going to eat them, so I opened it and had a couple - I chewed quickly and swallowed just before a secret service agent walked in. 

3.  I have luged at Lake Placid - I highly recommend it.

4.  I secretly long to be a screenwriter.

5.  I find that I can’t watch The Office - it’s too much like real life and it makes me cringe.  I once worked with someone who argued with me over the spelling of my name. 

(13 photo courtesy LeoL30 - see more of his photos here on Flickr; godiva photo courtesy Kathryn Kurioso - see more of her Flickr photos here.)

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