2010 June | A Sales Guy

The Blog Connection

I have over 50 blogs in my reader. I like them all. I read at least one post from all of them every week. All of them offer something I find compelling and interesting. Despite how good the content is and even the blog subjects, there are a few blogs I call favorites. These blogs are the first blogs I read everyday. I’ve put them in a “favorites” folder. I always open my favorites folder first. Within my favorites folder, there is an order in which I read them. I have a favorites of my favorites. I almost never miss a post from these blogs. I don’t read every post from all the other blogs in my reader, despite the fact that I do like them all. They are good blogs.

So, why? Why is that we read some blogs religiously and others sporadically.

Conventional wisdom will say it’s the content. It’s the subject matter. It’s the writing style. I agree, but I think it’s more than that. I think it’s a connection.

Blogs are personal. More so than a newspaper article. There is no editor white washing any personality from the story. Blogs are extensions of the authors personality. This personal element of blogging allows people to create a connection to the blog itself. It’s this connection that draws us to one blog over another despite content or subject matter.

I definitely have a connection to my favorite blogs. In some cases, the connection was created through the comments overtime. Other times it’s the authors perspective and attitude. Sometimes it is a combination. What I do know is the blogs I favorite have a personality to them that resonates with me. Like friends, it’s the personalities that draw me to them and determine how much time I want to spend with them.

I was flattered when a former employee told me that he reads my blog everyday. I have other friends and former employees who read this blog sporadically and I know I have friends and former employees who dont’ read this blog at all. It takes more than just a personal relationship to create a blog connection.

How do you create a connection with readers? You can’t.

Trying to create a connection with your readers is like trying to get the kids at the popular lunch table to like you. Either they will or they won’t. All you can do is be yourself. We’ve been trained to avoid controversy, not to offend, and not to be provocative in a public setting. Blogging is for sure a public setting. This approach does nothing to connect with readers. I constantly remind myself of this when I post. I post through my personality. I post with the conviction that this is my blog and therefore an extension of me. Some will connect with A Sales Guy and read it everyday, others will like it and read it when they remember, they rest will just come and go. I’m OK with this, because it’s exactly how I read others blogs.

What is it about one blog vs another? Why do you find yourself reading some blogs everyday, while only reading others a few days a week?

Is it a connection thing for you too?

7 Things to do From the First Day of Blogging. (shoutmeloud.com)
An Introduction to Blogging (globalthoughtz.com)
Don’t Worry if Your Blog Sucks – Here are 3 Tips to a Better Blog (howtospoter.com)

June 30, 2010 | Filed under: Asset of The Future,Web 2.0/Social Networking | View Comments |

Why Google Shouldn’t Copy Facebook – Google Me #Fail

Michael Arrington TechCrunch founder, has a post up today where he suggests that Google needs to copy Facebook, or clone it to be exact.

They need to raise the white flag and just copy Facebook right down to the details. Otherwise the war is over before Google even got to the battlefield. -Michael Arrington

Arrington’s argument is Facebook is making inroads on Googles self serve ad business and if Google wants to compete they need to play Facebook’s game better than Facebook. Arrington suggests it’s not improbable by 2015 Facebook and Google could be running neck and neck. I’m not sure I agree or disagree with Arrington’s 2015 prognostication, but what I am pretty sure is, Google’s not going to stem any Facebook tide by cloning them.

The reason Arrington’s plan won’t work is because of the simple rule of sales — there needs to be user value. There is no value to users in cloning Facebook.

Google needs a horse in the social networking race to be able to defend itself against Facebook over the long run. And the only way they’re going to be able to compete effectively is to just clone the darn thing.

The value in social networks IS the network. It won’t matter how many new features or bells and whistles Google can add on top of the “clone”. They won’t make a lick of difference without the network.

Yes, Facebook blew up in a crowded social networking space. They took MySpace out of the game. The difference between then and now is that social media was in the growth stage of the product or business life-cycle. Millions and millions of people were still deciding if social networking was for them. They were the late majority. This late majority were our Mom’s, Dad’s, Grandparents, business professionals etc. Feeling Myspace was too juvenile this late majority chose Facebook. Facebook took social networking mainstream.

Social networking has now entered the mature stage. Only late, late majority and the laggards remain. This means that Google has to convince Facebook users to switch and that ain’t gonna happen for a clone with a few extra features. The value is the network. No network, no value. There will need to be a seminal event or trigger to drive the switch.

The main value in Facebook is everyone expects everyone they know or once knew to be on the site. Switching to a site where this doesn’t exist and then wait for their friends to show up is going to take a lot more than clone with improved privacy settings and an easy export tool.

Arrington is thinking like a technologist. Clone and offer a few cool new features and functions and it will sell. Unfortunately, like almost every other sale, features and functions don’t sell, value does. In this case the value is the network and Google can’t control that.

The other challenge Arrington misses, is users are more than engaged, they are INVESTED. They have invested time and in some cases money in followers, pages, applications, games and more. Users will not just simply walk away from that level of investment and start over for a clone.

I think Google needs to think like a start-up and innovate. Don’t clone, but get ahead of Facebook. There is always a next something. There was Friendster, then there was Myspace, then there was Facebook, then there was Twitter, then there was Foursquare, what’s next? That is what Google should be focused on. Not trying to be Facebook. That is so 2007.

Google — build a new network, don’t try to steal someone else’s. It’s much easier.

Google Me, Facebook Competitor, Confirmed By Former Facebook CTO (huffingtonpost.com)
What Google Me Needs To Succeed (regulargeek.com)
Former Facebook Executive Adam D’Angelo Confirms New Google Social Networking Effort (insidefacebook.com)

June 29, 2010 | Filed under: Asset of The Future,Technology and Products,Web 2.0/Social Networking | View Comments |

Customer Needs First

Nothing drives me more crazy than when companies don’t appear to know their customers. You’d think this wouldn’t happen too often, because those that don’t wouldn’t last too long. Unfortunately it happens more than you think, which just amazes me.

One of these places is Gordon Biersch in the San Jose Airport. I fly in and out of San Jose a lot. Gordon is right next to Gate 10. Gate 10 is where United flights to Denver depart, so it’s not uncommon for me to get some grub from Gordon Biersch before my flight. They are convenient enough that I am the Foursquare mayor. Despite their location being convenient, their service is anything but.

People in airports are coming or going. They have time constraints. Any shopping or eating must function with in those constraints. Leisure is NOT the mindset people in airports are working from. They are transitory. They need to get in and get out. They have a plane to catch.

Understanding this, everything a restaurant or store in an airport does NEEDS to operate from this perspective — in, out. The check out process, items for sale, the menu, the preparation process, the staff, the layout, everything must operate from the understanding that your customers are under a time constraint.

Gordon Biersch doesn’t seem to get this concept. Every time I’ve eaten there it takes just as long to get my food as it does in a non-airport restaurant. Sometimes it takes even longer. It can take 20 minutes to get your food. This is too long. Today I had 30 min before I had to board my flight. From hello to the time my food came took 30 minutes. I had to take my food to go. This is too long for an airport restaurant.

If I break down the process it went like this:

1:15 Sat myself
1:16 Waitress greeted me and asked what I needed (this was great, but unfortunately not the norm, usually I wait at least 3-5 min before I’m greeted)
1:16 Waitress takes my drink order, I ask for a few minutes to look at the menu.
1:19 The waitress returns with my drink and I give her my order.
1:33 The waitress let’s me know my food will be out shortly. I ask her for it to go, as now I don’t have time to eat it there.
1:35 I ask the waitress if she could check me out now.
1:37 She takes my credit card, and checks me out.
1:42 My food arrives in a to go box. I ask for a to go for my soda and the waitress tells me they don’t have to go cups. (really?)
1:43 I walk out, still haven’t eaten and no soda to drink with my meal.

Almost nothing about Gordon Biersch at San Jose airport is structured for speed. They aren’t structured to get you in and out, the most important thing for most people in an airport.

There aren’t a lot of options at SJ Airport, especially near gate 10. I have to believe that is why they can get away with it. But just because they can get away with it, doesn’t mean they have to.

The best companies build business that fit their customers.

A play place for kids in my neighborhood has little tiny toilets in the bathrooms. Everything in Build-a-Bear is kids eye view. These places understand who they sell to.

Build your business with your customers perspective in mind. The product or service is only part of it. It doesn’t matter if Gordon Biersch has the best food on the planet if I don’t get time to eat it.

I’m the Foursquare Mayor of Gordon Biersch. Yet, I’m not a big fan. It takes too long to get my food. It feels like they don’t really care about what I need . . and that’s food fast.

June 25, 2010 | Filed under: Customer Service | View Comments |

A Few Good Salesmen – You Can’t Handle More Facings

This has to be one of the funniest sales spoofs I’ve ever seen. I was laughing out loud.

“You ever call on an account son?”

“Son, we live in a world with big accounts, they have to be called on by reps who know how to call on them.”

“You weep for more features, you whine for incremental displays, you have that luxury.”

This video is classic!

June 24, 2010 | Filed under: Random | View Comments |

Keepin’ It Real at TechStars

“Let’s Be Honest” The Founders | TechStars Boulder | Episode 4 from TechStars on Vimeo.

Most of you know I am a mentor at TechStars Boulder. I’ve talked about it before. Expect I’ll talk about it again, and again, and again. The reason — it’s an amazing program and because it gives me an energy boost every time I’m in the bunker.

The reason it gives my such an energy boost is how opposite the traditional world of business it is. Start-ups have a positive, can do, let’s make it happen, we are going to change the world attitude that is completely contagious and energizing. Although it’s there, fear is rarely an influencer. I wish this could be said about the corporate world.

I mentor a few of this years companies, however much of my mentoring time is spent with 3 specific companies. I will share more about them in a future post. These guys are building on some great ideas and I’m excited and honored to be a part of their journey.

Although it’s a start-up environment, it is far from a wild west, unstructured, place. There is a culture of execution that many, well established companies could learn from.

One of the things I really love is what they call “intellectual honesty.” Intellectual honesty is being true to what your customers and the data is saying. It’s not letting your passion or tunnel vision cloud your perspective. I love this practice. It’s all about keeping it real.

I’ve started and failed at startups two times. Keepin’ it real is absolutely key. It is too easy to fall in love with your idea and miss what the data is telling you. Passion is great, but if you’re not careful, it can get you.

Check out the video, it’s one episode in an on going series highlighting this years class and talking about intellectual honesty.

Caution, watching this video may make you want to start-your own company. If so, make sure you submit to be part of TechStars class of 2011.

How TechStars Is Launching Startups Across The Country – With David Cohen (mixergy.com)
David Cohen: You Have Acquisition Interest, Now What? (davidgcohen.com)
TechStars Spreads the Love with International Affiliate Program (readwriteweb.com)

June 23, 2010 | Filed under: Entrepreneur,Web 2.0/Social Networking | View Comments |

I Bought my Daughters Names

I didn’t actually buy their names, but I did buy their URL’s. I got them from Go Daddy. I bought my first two daughters last year and my new daughters this past week. I bought them for 10 years. That was the longest I could tie them down. It cost about 100 bucks for each name. Not too bad in the scheme of things. I think literally owning our names will be quite valuable soon. As identities online become more and more pervasive, owning the URL to our name will be an important element in managing our online presence.

I’ve talked about it before. The most valuable asset we will have in the future will be our online presence. It will act as an enabler to much of our life including; the schools we go to, the jobs we get, the person we marry and more.

There are a lot of things parents are responsible for with kids; education, values, safety, etc. I’m adding one more to the list and it’s buying their names, literally.

June 22, 2010 | Filed under: Asset of The Future | View Comments |

“Why?” a Tool or a Weapon

There has been a lot of discussion around the power of the question “Why?” lately. I’m not sure why, (no pun intended), but maybe it’s because of the new book Start with Why and the TED video by Simon Sinek, but “Why?” seems to be showing up a lot lately.

Generally I agree with the power of why, for so many reasons. I’ve written about the importance of “why” in selling here a lot.

As someone who uses “why” a lot, I love it as a tool. It allows me or others to get to the root of things. It allows for magic to happen as more information and motives are brought to the surface. Using “why” as a tool is a tremendous asset in solving problems, growing businesses, working on relationships and more. However, unfortunatley, overtime I’ve come to learn that “why” has a dark-side. A side that allows it to be used as a weapon to destroy.

When “why” is used as a weapon it is used to make people justify their decisions, their position, or their idea. In these cases “why” isn’t being used to grow, it’s being used to thwart. When being used as a weapon, the answers only hold value to the extent they can be used to tear down an idea, a person or a movement. There is no good seeking when “why” is being used as a weapon. Good answers are dismissed, bad answers are lept upon and exploited. When used as a weapon “why” is purposely embraced to put others on the defensive and to drive an agenda.

This is unfortunate, as the unintended consequence (or maybe intended, but I just don’t like to think people are really that negative) is that people stop responding well to the question “why?” When why is used as a weapon, people begin to become hardened to questions and inquisitive behavior. When asked, “Why did you do that, or why do think that way, or why should we do this?” they become instantly defensive, fearing an ambush. Internally they challenge the motives of the person asking the questions, they go into defense mode and in some cases come out swinging. When this happens all is lost, and even a well intentioned “why” has become a weapon.

I see this a lot in disfuntional organizations; non-profits, big companies, little companies, HOA boards and even families. When “why” is used as a weapon disfunction exists or is not far behind. When this happens, it is very difficult to recover. Communication is stunted, lines are drawn, and collaboration ceases.

“Why?” is a great tool. It is the tool of functional, high performing organizations and relationships. “Why?” is also a weapon. It is the weapon of dysfunctional, poorly performing organizations and relationships. It tears apart good ideas, brings down well intentioned people and stunts progress.

Learning to use “why” as a tool is valuable. Learning to stomp out the use of “why” as a weapon is equally important. Why is good and bad, it’s just how you choose to use it. I guess it’s kind of like the force. There is a good side and the dark side; avoid the sithe.

How are you using “why?” As a tool or as a weapon?

_______________

Grammar help – I was not sure how to represent the “why” in this post. I didn’t know if parenthesis was correct or not. If any of you are grammar experts and can help me understand how “why” should have been represented grammatically correct in this post, I’d appreciate it.

June 21, 2010 | Filed under: Leadership | View Comments |

Bill Gates Movie Debut

Is Bill Gates making his big screen debut, in the movie Despicable Me?

I’m convinced of it. He looks an awful lot like Vector. What do you think?

Vector is the computer nerd and arch enemy of Gru.

You go Bill.

June 18, 2010 | Filed under: Uncategorized | View Comments |

Just because “It Sucks”

I took my daughters to the driving range last week. It was their first time. I didn’t want to overwhelm them with “lessons” so I just let them hit.

After about 20 minutes, Kenna, my 4 year old looks up at me and says; “Dad, I like this, but it sucks!”

Welcome to golf, I thought to myself.

I also realized this is what life is all about. We do things that suck. Unfortunately, too often we measure our desire to continue to do them on whether or not it sucks. When things suck, they don’t feel good, so we want to stop. The problem is, we can’t get good at anything if it always feels good. Most people quit or say it’s not for them when it starts to “suck”.

Sometimes sucking does really suck and it means it’s time to move on. Other times sucking means your growing, your getting closer, your working hard, or doing more than others. When that happens keep going. Victory is not far away.

“It sucks” happens in everything and with everyone; entrepreneurs, start-ups, selling, athletes, parenting and more. You can’t get away from it. When it sucks just remember why your doing it. ”It sucks” is part of the journey. Embrace, don’t run from it.

After her difinitve statement, Kenna put her head back down and starting swinging again. She’s asked me to go golfing at least 10 times since then. We’re going to go today. I’ll take my kids do anything they say sucks, if they ask me to. That means they’re on the right track.

What do you like to do that sucks?

June 18, 2010 | Filed under: Personal Development | View Comments |

Who Do You Hang Around With?

My dad made me stop hanging around with Sean Baker when I was 14. He was trouble. He ended up doing drugs, quitting H.S. etc. It was for my own good.

Who we hang around plays a big role in who we are and who we turn out to be. My Dad made a good decision.

Who do you hang around with? Do you hang around successful people? Are they healthy? Do they volunteer? Do they spend vacations building houses with Habitat for Humanity? Do they have lots of toys? Do they gossip a lot? Are they flashy? Do they read a lot? Do they complain about Obama and the bad shape of our country? Are they diverse in religious, racial, political and sexual orientations? Do they go to church?

What are the people like you hang around? Look at who you spend time with and you’ll get a good look at yourself.

I think it’s the same at work. What does where you work say about you? Do you work for a big company that moves slowly, takes few risks, but is good at creating process, structure and direction? Do you work for a progressive company that expects you to define your own role and is intolerant of bureaucracy? Look at the people you work with. Do you share many of the same values? Do you have the same work ethic? Does getting things done seem easy or is it like pulling teeth?

Where we work and who we work with also says a lot about us. Hanging out with the wrong people can get us into trouble, working for the wrong company, with the wrong people can make it difficult to be successful.

We are at our best when we surround ourselves with successful people in companies that match our philosophies, approaches and beliefs. Like our friends and the people we hang around, the companies we work for influence how we do our job.

Don’t hang out with Sean Bakers or work for Sean Baker like companies. Who you hang out with and who you work for says a lot about you than you can say about yourself.

What does your company say about you?

June 16, 2010 | Filed under: Personal Brand | View Comments |