I just read a great post on Seth Godin’s blog about making an eBay business exceptional. The posting is about thinking outside the box with an eBay business, or any business for that matter, and making the entire business an experience for your customers and prospects. It’s all about communication, and exceptional attention to doing the things that make the customers bond to you and your business, allowing you to create higher value for your products.
In almost all of his posts, you’ll find something that will make you scream, “Damn, that’s absolutely right. You’re a God, Seth Godin!” He takes the essence of Web 2.0 or the social economy, or whatever you want to call it and distills it down into concepts that you can actually use in your business, no matter if you’re a sole proprieter or working for a Fortune 500 company.
If you’re at all interested in how the new Internet economy will affect your business (and it will, no matter what you do), you owe it to yourself to put Seth’s RSS feed into your RSS reader. And if you don’t know what an RSS reader is, then shame on you!
This past Saturday, I found a really cool series of videos on a site called thinkorthwim.com. The posting was called “Off the Grid with Les Stroud” and it was about a family who was going to go out to the woods and try to live a semi-normal life - with power and modern conveniences - while eliminating their dependence on the power company and other government utilities.
I watched the entire series of 10 videos - or about 65 minutes - in one sitting. The story was that compelling, and it really got me wishing I had the guts to do the same thing. Although, I’m pretty sure I couldn’t convince the wife to do it, let alone the kids. Maybe some day…
There is a lot of good information about alternative energy and reducing your carbon footprint that was worth watching. If nothing else, it’s compelling story telling, so please check it out.
Here’s the first video:
Use the link below to check out the entire series of videos.
Scott Andrew (www.scottandrew.com), a guy who I’ve been listening to for a while, is getting ready to record his first studio album. How do I know Scott? Well, I found him while searching for Creative Commons music. I liked what I heard at his website, downloaded some music, and even used it in a couple of my YouTube videos, including a music video of his song, Dark Corners.He’s done a great job of getting the word out about his music, and now he has an audience built up and waiting for his first studio album. So, instead of trying to secure a deal with a record label, he’s decided to have his community of loyal fans help finance his album in return for some goodies. And, being a loyal member of the community, I’ve decided to help Scott out by becoming a “Pirate Kitteh” believer in his new album.
What a great idea! Instead of begging for money, and instead of giving up all the creative control to a record label, Scott is doing it on his own with the help of people who are invested in his success. Who doesn’t want to be part of the next big thing or just be part of another person’s success. I know I do (hence, I’m a Pirate Kitteh). There’s a lot of bands out there who could borrow this strategy for their own work. But, the trick is getting the loyal followers first.
So, in order to see if there were some other “believers” out there, I’m posting my video, “Tax Time Happy Music Fun Dance” that features Scott’s song, American Thing.
OK, I know I’ve gone off on this before (see the video below), but I truly hate smokers who throw their cigarette butts out their car windows. I can’t understand why they think it’s acceptable to throw lit garbage out onto the roads or the sides of the roads (which is usually dry grass!). It blows my mind.
Get an ashtray! I’ve got zero problem with smokers. I think if you want to smoke, go for it. It doesn’t bother me except in no-smoking areas, and if you’re outside or in a bar that allows smoking, then it’s my choice to breath the smoke.
But when you’re driving down the road, and you toss your cigarette butt out the window - still lit! - then it pisses me off. It’s littering, and it’s a fire hazard. Just cut the crap and get a damned ashtray already.
I just read a great post on Seth Godin’s blog about making an eBay business exceptional. The posting is about thinking outside the box with an eBay business, or any business for that matter, and making the entire business an experience for your customers and prospects. It’s all about communication, and exceptional attention to doing the things that make the customers bond to you and your business, allowing you to create higher value for your products.
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