Tuesday, July 29, 2008
Starting at the Back of the Pasture
Sunday, July 27, 2008
More Thoughts on Digital Identity
Saturday, July 26, 2008
Automated Phone Calls
Digital Identity and Profile / Update Aggregators
Wednesday, July 23, 2008
Who Owns the Data and Files on Yours Customers
Tuesday, July 22, 2008
Your Personal Brand and My Flight With John Edwards
Friday, July 18, 2008
Social Network vs. Collaboration
Social networks let me get a feel for you and you get a feel for me. No more commitment than that. They are great for sharing information with a group of any size without having to email every body one at a time.
But sometimes after I meet someone, I may want to do something with just them.
In the physical world this would be like going to a restaurant for a meal. Not everybody, just two of you.
In business this would be like going back to your office to talk about things I really do not want everyone else involved in.
This is more what I think of as collaboration.
I know social networks have give you the ability to set up Groups and some other private area's, but I want to be able to move further away from the network than that. I want to be able to meet you through social network tools, but I want to be able to do business with you in the privacy of your office.
I think this is the giant missing piece in social networks currently.
Thursday, July 17, 2008
My Car Is a Social Network
Let me explain why.
First, I have had many cars in my life and I have never had a car that I would have thought this about. I have had Porsche's, Pininfarina's, GMC 3500's, minivan's, Honda Accord's, Toyota Celia's, Chev Vega's, Ford F150's, Land Cruiser's, Peugeot's, VW's - including Herbie's Father, and Mercedes Benz's.
My current car is a social network because in the 18 months I have had it I still get people - OK strangers - coming up to me and wanting to talk about the car. The car creates a way for people to connect to me and for me to connect to them.
I have people come up to me in parking lots. I can understand that. Folks in drive thru's - I get that too. Dozens of times I have been pumping gas to have people pull off the road and park in front of me - not buying gas mind you - just to talk to about my car. I really can't see myself ever doing that. I took my son to several car dealerships to buy him a car and the sales folks all came out to see my car. In fact, we came back from a test drive and one of them was under the car looking at stuff. I can't imagine what.
As I think I understand things, that is what a good social network does. Creates a common connection that lets folks meet, greet and get to know in a non threatening way.
What do you think? I am getting close?
Tuesday, July 15, 2008
Who Is Using Social Media
http://business.rapleaf.com/company_press_2008_06_18.html
Thanks to Kipp Bodnar for his Twitter mention of this link.
Monday, July 14, 2008
RTP Startup Weekend
Wednesday, July 9, 2008
What Comes to Your Mind When I Say Folsom?
My favorite part of this is this comment...
“We are known for a lot more things than the prison.”
Here is what I think. I sure don't have any idea what else Folsom is known for. I asked the guy sitting next to me and he didn't know either. So I am not alone.
I don't intend to sound mean. I grew up in the middle of nowhere. As a result, I recognize it in a flash. Sure, I knew lots of things the middle of nowhere town I grew up in was known for. But anyone who lived more than 30 miles away didn't have a clue about any of them.
Folsom had a chance to use a connection with which they are known all over the world. They didn't do it because they only saw the name as it related to their own feelings about who they are. Not the way basically every one else in the world sees them.
If you want to change the way people think about you it can be a good plan to get them to think about you at all as a first step.
When you are working to create the image and you do not understand what your current image is, it can be much harder to change that image to the one you want others to accept.
Monday, July 7, 2008
Making A Commodity Special
But look at the enormous difference between how well local restaurants differentiate themselves from other local restaurants and national chains and how local insurance agencies differentiate themselves from other local agencies and national chains.
Here are some of the places in my hometown of Durham, NC I go to get a burger. These comparisons are for a CheeseBurger, Fires and a soda. No taxes.
Wimpy's - $7.15 - Just about everything at Wimpy's is homemade: fresh home-ground beef for the burgers. There's fresh baked banana pudding daily as well as some kind of cake. The draw back to Wimpy's is there is no drive through and no seating. Very low on the convenience factor.
Cook Out - $7.15 - Their burgers really do taste and look like burgers you would cook out yourself. But it is just a drive through, so I have to eat in the car or take it back to the office. Convenience to buy, inconvenient to eat.
Wendy's - $5.25 - They are just sort of a no mind habit. Cheap, the same everywhere. Impersonal. High on convenience.
Watts Grocery - $9.45 - Absolutely the best hamburger and bun I have ever eaten. This is a treat not because of the price, but because it is a nice, comfortable restaurant with a fine and friendly atmosphere. Takes longer than a fast food restaurant to have lunch.
Red Robin - $9.74 - When I have a crowd of youngsters, this is a first choice. They all like it. It is the "In" place for their age. Takes longer than a fast food, about as long as Watt's Grocery.
I rank these as favorites in this order:
- Watts Grocery
- Cook-Out
- Wimpy's
- Wendy's
- Red Robin
It is interesting that if I, a middle aged male, like the best burger and the slowest service. The Cook Out is a top choice when the family is out of town and I am feeding myself. Wimpy's is my choice when I want to remind myself I was born and raised here. Wendy's I eat mostly when I am traveling and need a fast stop off the Interstate. Red Robin is only for taking a crowd.
My son, a hungry young man, goes to Cook-Out most frequently. He also likes Hardees and Red Robin. He will not go to a Red Robin alone. He is more sensitive to price than I am.
Before I get to our local insurance agencies I am going to admit we all go to restaurants more often than we go to insurance agencies. That makes it easier for me to tell you how I feel about restaurants. Also, I go to several restaurants, but I will most likely only go to one insurance agency.
This lack of frequency of going to an insurance agency only makes your branding and my experience with you even more important in my way of thinking.
Back to insurance agencies. Here are the results i get from Google when I do a search for "insurance agency" + Durham, NC.
First I get "Local Business Results"
A. Mitchell Tom Insurance Agency - www.nationwide.com - (919) 286-4513 - more
B. Bull City Insurance Agency Inc - www.bullcityinsurance.com - (919) 596-0671 - more
C. State Farm Insurance Agents: Durham Agents - www.statefarm.com - (919) 477-7300 - more
D. Forrester & Associates Insurance Agency Inc: Durham-Pittsboro Area - www.forresterinsurance.com - (919) 383-8551 - more
E. Jessup Insurance Agency Inc - www.nationwide.com - (919) 479-6996 - more
F. Faircloth Insurance Agency - www.nationwide.com - (919) 383-6704 - more
G. Perry Insurance Agency - www.nationwide.com - (919) 471-1688 - more
H. Jones Andrew Insurance Agency - www.nationwide.com - (919) 493-2929 - more
I. Direct General Insurance Agency - www.direct-general.com - (919) 220-0887 - more
J. High & Rubish Insurance Agency - www.highandrubish.com - (919) 913-1144 - more
By the way, this Local Results is GREAT!
The Sponsored Search has:
Durham Car InsuranceFast Free Quotes. Save Over 20% onDurham Car Insurance Now!Durham.AutoInsure.orgNorth Carolina
Insurance AgencyLocal insurance providerInsurance to cover all your needs.www.E-Abacusinsurance.comRaleigh-Durham (Fayetteville), NC
Raleigh Insurance AgencyHomeowners, Auto, Life, and HealthInsurance. Get an Online Quote!www.CarterGlassInsurance.com
ABC Auto & Tricorp Ltd.Looking for a new insurance plan?Protect your family & investments.www.abctri.com
The non local, free search results has this...
Jason R. Redmond Insurance Agency - Durham, NC, 27712 - Citysearch
Come to Citysearch to get information, directions, and reviews on Jason R. Redmond Insurance Agency and other Life Insurance Companies, Consultants, Autos, ...triangle.citysearch.com/profile/45663635/durham_nc/jason_r_redmond_insurance_agency.html - 61k - Cached - Similar pages - Note this
Sizsiz Wong Insurance Agency, Durham NC 27713 -- MerchantCircle.com
Sizsiz Wong Insurance Agency, 105 W Nc Highway 54 Ste 279, Durham, NC. Tel: 919-544-7000. Come to MerchantCircle to get Sizsiz Wong Insurance Agency ...
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Show map of 105 W Nc Highway 54, Durham, NC 27713
www.merchantcircle.com/business/Sizsiz.Wong.Insurance.Agency.919-544-7000 - 30k - Cached - Similar pages - Note this
How To Select An Auto Insurance Agency Durham NC - Durham NC, car ...
You can have success in selecting auto insurance by choosing the right auto insurance agency – one that has your best interests in mind.articles.directorym.com/How_To_Select_An_Auto_Insurance_Agency_Durham_NC-r852276-Durham_NC.html - 68k - Cached - Similar pages - Note this
Payless Insurance Agency - Durham, NC - 27703
Listing for Payless Insurance Agency - Durham, NC - 27703 - includes address, phone number, map and areas of specialization.
var mb14=ManyBox.register('14',3,'o7hiqLqcsD0J','','83a5',14,'Show map of 3502 Holloway St, Durham, NC 27703','Hide map of 3502 Holloway St, Durham, NC 27703')
Show map of 3502 Holloway St, Durham, NC 27703
www.kanetix.com/profiles/payless-insurance-agency-in-durham-nc - 13k - Cached - Similar pages - Note this
Jason R. Redmond Insurance Agency - Durham, NC 27712 - Reviews ...
Read Reviews of Jason R. Redmond Insurance Agency in Durham, NC.
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www.insiderpages.com/b/15240070986 - 25k - Cached - Similar pages - Note this
Dominick Huckabee Noblin & Trent Insurance Agency, Durham, NC ...
Get directions, reviews, payment information on Dominick Huckabee Noblin & Trent Insurance Agency located at Durham, NC. Search for other Business ...www.yellowpages.com/info-BS309253487/Dominick-Huckabee-Noblin-Trent-Insurance-Agency - 30k - Cached - Similar pages - Note this
PAYLESS INSURANCE AGENCY, DURHAM, NC on MacRAE’S - Business Info ...
Info for PAYLESS INSURANCE AGENCY powered by MBB YELLOWPAGES.COM Industrial Directory includes address, phone, map, . A specialist in INSURANCE, ...www.nexport.com/company.cfm?company=1326450_PAYLESS_INSURANCE_AGENCY_INSURANCE_DURHAM_NC - 20k - Cached - Similar pages - Note this
Faircloth Insurance Agency - Durham NC - Insurance - (919) 383 ...
Looking for information about Faircloth Insurance Agency in Durham NC? Open List offers business information, reviews, and recommendations about this ...www.openlist.com/durham-nc_faircloth-insurance-agency/202512465/ - 54k - Cached - Similar pages - Note this
Life Insurance Businesses in the Durham Yellow Pages
Faircloth Insurance Agency (919) 383-6704 3310 Croasdaile Dr Ste 800 Durham, NC 27705 Top Rated listings for "Life Insurance" ...www.hellodurham.com/Marketplace/Life_Insurance.Cfm - 104k - Cached - Similar pages - Note this
George Stevens Insurance Agency, Inc. - Insurance in Durham
Providing auto, home, life, business, and more in NC . Includes area info, insurance info, and online quotes.www.georgestevensinsurance.com/ - 15k - Cached - Similar pages - Note this
For starters, can you tell from the results above what they offer? What is their specialty? Do you have any feel for the experience you will have with them?
Second, go to several of their web sites. When you visit the web site, can you then tell me the answers to the above questions?
Are any of these agencies going after the same customer types you are going after? If so, pay attention to what they are doing that makes you aware of that. Especially pay attention to things they are doing that you think successfully bring in new customers or keep existing customers. You will want to do these things also.
So, after a round about trip, here is my point, with all these links and comparisons. Even if you think you are not creating a brand - you are.
Even with commodities like hamburgers and insurance, you are different. You need to understand how you are seen as different. You need to decide if that is that way you want to be seen as different. You need to intentionally create the difference you want others to see, experience and understand.
Figure out the impression and experience you want to create for the customers you want to attract. You can learn this by seeing what the most successful agencies in your market are doing to get their results.
Friday, July 4, 2008
How Many Visitors Do You Need?
This kid has had 45,000,000 visits. But how does he make any money?
You want targeted visitors who are interested in what you are doing.