Category: events

Big Ideas

Posted on by Steve Sammartino

There is no such thing as a big idea.

All ideas are the same size.

Because ideas only exist metaphysically.

An idea that really works, becomes a big idea (after we proved it).To find a big idea, first we need lots of ideas (of which all are the same size). The ideas that worked didn’t have an advantage over the other ideas. They we’re all equal, but maybe other stuff happened to that idea.

Maybe we nurtured it,

maybe we believed in it,

maybe we developed it better,

maybe we tried a bit harder,

maybe kept pushing it,

maybe we modified it slightly,

maybe we resisted the temptation to modify it…

 

….maybe that idea had an advantage because of the way we treated it?

How to – Consumer promotion

Posted on by Steve Sammartino

Occassionally a consumer promotion does what it’s intended to do.

This is one such promotion.

redbull-helisurf.png

Summary:

Surfers compete in a surfboard paddle race.  The first four to the Red Bull buoy in each race will be the only surfers winched from sea to sky by the Red Bull helicopter, and whisked away to spend a weekend surf trip in a top secret location hosted by Ross Clark Jones & current World Champion Surfer Mick Fanning at an awesome beach house retreat.  Winners will get to mingle with Mick, demo some awesome new boards and order their very own free custom surfboard!

  

Click the image above to check out the details.

 

Simple mechanics, enhances brand value, anyone can have a go, zero cost to enter, unobtainable prize which money can’t buy, worth talking about.

Sure, they’ve got the budget to do it, and I’m a self confused surf junky… but neither of these things are what makes it so impressive. It’s the idea, the execution and more so “The Experience” – even the losers will enjoy participating.

   

As life becomes more about experiences, rather than consumption smart startups will take notice.

  

What experience does your start up offer?

 

Kudos Redbull – again.

Presentation Props

Posted on by Steve Sammartino

Ever the showman, Steve Jobs showed us how it’s done – again.

     

He didin’t need large flat screens

He didn’t need to buy the rights to a Beatles or Rolling Stones song

He didn’t need a montage of extreme sports

      

With the launch of the new Macbook Air. Jobs did something so simple, yet so powerfull

     

His prop: the humble manila evenlope.

  

manila-envelope.jpg

At the Macworld conference in San Francisco jobs wondered on stage unwound the string on a standard manila envelope and slid from it the new ultra thin MacBook Air. The crowed oohed and aahed in disbelief, some even laughing incredulously.

steve-jobs-macbook-air.jpg

It could have been any of us. The prop probably cost less than $1.00. This is great news for start ups because we’re only limited to the effort we put into thinking about it.

So the next time we present something to a customer, VC or employee, let’s think like Jobs and make it memorable.

Ideas are free

Posted on by Steve Sammartino

An excerpt from the blog of Seth Godin today. I had to post it:

“This isn’t about having a great idea (it almost never is). The great ideas are out there, for free, on your neighbourhood blog. Nope, this is about taking initiative and making things happen.”

Passion – in action

Posted on by Steve Sammartino

How many people do you know who are prepared to die “literally” – in order to achieve their goals? Robbie Maddison is, would and just might.  

[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sOtpKQ-dAlg] 

He was actually quoted as saying the following:

  

“There is no doubt in my mind if this next jump doesn’t work out it will be death.”

 

I’m not suggesting this level of sacrifice is required in your business, but extreme sportspeople do provide the best example of passion in action.

 

Also – kudos to Redbull for having the courage to sponsor an event in which the free PR could really have went either way.

Shop Front

Posted on by Steve Sammartino

Would you know what this shop is selling?

 storefront.jpg 

I wouldn’t.

Sometimes our shop front, work car, uniform, office, church or website is where the decision is made on whether or not our service is for them.

The good news is, just like a shop window we can:

  • change it if we’ve got it wrong (all of us at some point)
  • use for promotional purposes (Ebay)
  • rotate the message (fashion outlets)
  • keep it clean, defined and single minded (Google)

If our business is in the digital world we have the advantage of a low cost change over.

 

Start up lesson – make sure people know what you offer the instant they arrive.