Ideas are free

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.”

Vicious circle

Do we…

Work in a job we don’t like

To buy things we don’t need

To impress people we don’t like

?

 

To be really happy we need to ensure one sub optimal arrangement doesn’t feed another. This holds true if we run our own business or hire our time out to a company (have a job).

Quote – Ben Rowe

I asked marketing polymath Ben Rowe his thoughts on Facebook in 2008 and if it is going to grow or decline…

Response

“Facebook is so 2007…. it’s just p2p spam. I reckon facebook is going to die a fairly fast death this year.”

Sure the jury is still out, but it wouldn’t be the first time Ben’s predicted the future of a brand or launch. It does seem that there was something very wrong when Zuckerberg referred to his ‘army of viral marketers’ he forgot one thing…. viral marketing is always done by people, not companies. Abuse them and lose them.

The gaping void view in December was this

gaping-void-zuckerberg.jpg

I still think facebook is a great platform (especially the app’s component) which needs to take a few steps back before everyone disappears. It will be interesting to see how this one plays out.

Perception & reality

While in the airport I noticed that budget airline Virgin Blue had made their customers board the plane via stairs on the tarmac as opposed to using the aero bridge. Here’s a photo I took:

 virgin-walk-on.jpg 

The direct aero-bridge was open and connected to the plane. But instead they made their customers board via the tarmac. I can’t help but wonder if this is to help their customers feel like they really got a bargain price. Sometimes perception becomes reality.

Hands on

Neighborhoodies founder and CEO ‘Michael’ sent this personalized postcard with a order.

 

 img_2030.jpg

  

Not that I’m enamored with receiving his signature, but it shows he’s in touch, involved and hands on.

 

Now that’s an important message to send to any business audience.