We talk with Joe Zwiebel, President of New England Business Media., about: What is a flat business org chart? Why is flat better for selling? And we role play with Joe Zwiebel selling US on advertising with his online publications.
Issue: Your business model is about how you make money. Rules: Sell products - gross margins rule the day Sell personal services - hourly optimization is key Sell knowledge - licensing and distribution matter Solve a need - Uber has no cars; Alibaba has no inventory Actions: Answer the following questions: What problem do you solve? Is it worth solving? Is anyone else focusing on the problem? Are you better? Will people pay for the answer? Will they pay enough to make it worthwhile? Conclusion: ...
Social Media has become CLICK BAIT for business owners getting screwed by consultants. I observe people forgetting the basic tenant of social media, if they ever knew it at all, and that’s is SOCIAL! Engaging with other, sans sales pitch. For this episode I ask my friend Johnny Mac -- owner of Barbarino Nissan and Barbarino Mitsubishi, to visit with me to discuss social media and how he uses it.
At the age of five, Billy Nachman and Hobson Brown were forced into their first collared shirts to attend an all-boys school in New York City. Although initially squirmy and uncomfortable, the boys quickly began to notice the power of the polo: the approving nods from parents, the lingering glances from the ladies... These two lifelong friends have created a brand that is classic but not stuffy. They tell us how they did it.
CEO and Founder of iDevices, Chris Allen, iDevices - started with the invention of the iGrill - one of the first app-enabled devices to be featured in the Apple retail stores way back in 2010, This was the cutting / bleeding edge of the IoT era - the Internet of Things era. Today Chris’ company, iDevices, blends the art and science of app development and hardware infuse to create wondrous new products to make our lives more enjoyable.
Inbound marketing and accurate marketing ROI -- they are like two peas in a pod. Beer prices may go up if fracking messes up the water. Starting an online business? A few bases you need to cover. Customers leaving? A few questions to ask. Brian, Tommy and Ken go far and wide in this episode of Open for Business. Steve Hall from Hubspot was our guest this week (he also run AdRant.com). He wrote a HubSpot blog post about how inbound marketing aligns well with how people make buying decisions. The ...
Super Bowl ads for $3.9M, social media hijackers, inbound marketing bubbles?, and a message of endearment from LinkedIn. All this and more to help you get and keep customers, on the latest edition of OFB. Brian, Tom and Ken explore the mania of advertising tied to the Super Bowl, specifically looking into some marketing stories tied to the game. http://blog.hubspot.com/blog/tabid/6307/bid/34138/the-top-5-super-bowl-themed-marketing-stories-of-the-week?source=Blog_Email_[The%20Top%205%20Super%20B...
Ken, Brian and Tommy “fly off” on the airlines and airports and then segue into an enlightening conversation about the revolution going on in our universities. And speaking of revolutions, Facebook appears to be, at the very least, redefining the rules of the social media game leaving some “users: feeling that Facebook is being rather anti-social with some of their new restrictions . http://blog.hubspot.com/blog/tabid/6307/bid/34108/facebook-puts-their-foot-down-and-other-marketing-stories-of-th...
Short exploratory to marketing hell courtesy of HubSpot, wonder why Facebook needs a search engine, and discuss intrapreneurs vs. entrepreneurs. References to Dante aside, HubSpot says there are nine circles of marketing hell. From ugly content to bad automation to interrupting way too much, we take a look at all nine circles and how they hurt your marketing efforts. http://blog.hubspot.com/blog/tabid/6307/bid/34055/the-9-circles-of-marketing-hell-where-will-you-spend-eternity?source=Blog_Email_...
http:/www.podtrac.com/pts/redirect.mp3/ofb.s3.amazonaws.com/OFB63_TheTalkingStick.mp3 On this edition of OFB Brian, Tommy and Ken take a crowd sourced funded trip to Vegas, visit another innovative online retailer, and explore how collaboration works in Silicon Valley, but doesn’t work in Washington. HOT POTATO NEWS: Crowd sourced funding is still wide open because the SEC has not acted yet. But they will. CrowdTilt (another Kickstarter funding site) tapped their crowd while the getting was good...
Smart marketing is smart marketing, regardless of the venue. On this edition of OFB Brian, Tommy and Ken, along with our guest Chris Reimer explored some applications of smart marketing, and some not so smart marketing moves as well. Our first Hot Potato was ReferralKey.com. Describing itself as an online community of connected people sending lots of referrals to each other, we all concluded that what they really do is SPAM people and offer little in the way of new business opportunities. Our gu...
-Which do you like better ALL INCLUDED pricing, or ALA CARTE pricing? -What company lost millions in dollars and customers, then gave their CEO a 100% pay increase? -And How to raise prices for your products or services and not lose business Guest Host: Lon Seidman - Host of Behind the Video and Lead Writer of CTTechJunkie.com, but also a partner in the Safety Zone, his family’s glove and safety equipment business, SafetyZone.com. *******HOT POTATO NEWS 1. Is Ala Carte ruining the Airline Indust...
In 2012 we saw wonderful marketing from clever producers and agencies. Here's a rundown of the top campaigns in 2012. What can we steal from their great ideas? Happy New Year! Tommy and Ken
When it comes to content everyone wants a virus, or better said, wants their content to go viral. We’ll explore how to do that. Plus, warm your heart this holiday season with a feel good story out of rural Minnesota. Give holiday cheers at the signs of the resurgence of American Manufacturing. Give holiday jeers to the hyped language overused on LinkedIn. Joe Leuken is a retiring grocer in Bemidji, MN. After 46 years Joe is giving up his multi-location grocery business and plans to travel the wo...
An interesting mix of items this week -- A 30 year fan offers surprising suggestion to HP; Burn your business plan before it burns you; Thumbs up / thumbs down on the best business books of 2012. Plus, some insights and homage to Zig Ziglar, a man who inspired generations of successful salespeople. We begin with some Hot Potato News items …. We talked last time about another multi-billion dollar write off HP endured with the purchase of Autonomy. Bill George, the former CEO of Medtronic and a 30...
Hot Potato News -- iPad owned 88% of Black Friday deals LINK Arrests made at Walmart on Friday for snooty strikers LINK IPOs in a deep freeze for now LINK HOSTS: Brian Parker: Chief HORN at OnTheHORN.com Jeffery Powers: Jeffrey Powers - Owner and podcaster at Geekazine.com - Started 5 years ago this month. 3 podcasts - Geek Smack!, iPad app show iPad365 and Day in Tech History - Daily rundown of technology history 365 days a year. Also just started a new website - How to Record Podcasts - where ...
[audio http://www.podtrac.com/pts/redirect.mp3/ofb.s3.amazonaws.com/OFB56_SayThankyouToCustomers.mp3] OFB 56 | Saying thank you should not be reserved just for Thanksgiving, HP has no thanks for Autonomy, WalMart survived “no thanks” from workers, SAC Capital are just thankless bastards. On this edition of OFB Tom, Ken and Brian get in the spirit of the season and discuss saying thanks. First, some Hot Potato News items …. HP took another black eye in their strategy with a writeoff of $8B of the...
An American icon rises, Branson is audacious, and landmines and cliffs. On this edition of OFB Tom, Ken and Brian revisit a favorite from our childhood with the Radio Flyer wagon. Sir Richard Branson discusses the need for audacity. Ken rants on the dismal NFC East. And we look at the post election forecasts, fiscal cliffs and all. First, some Hot Potato News items …. The iconic Radio Flyer Wagon -- A Different Kind of “American Radio” success story http://www.inc.com/magazine/201211/reshma-memo...
Connecting – when you first meet do you elevator pitch, sell, connect, ask, tell …? How good are your first-impression-making skills? We explore The Art of Making a Connection on this edition of Open For Business. But first, some Hot Potato News items …. Oh Sandy!! The storm was devastating, disrupting lives and destroying billions in property. The aftermath in terms of long term economic impact could be worse. Read more … http://www.marketplace.org/topics/generic/weather-economy/hurricane-sandy...
There is a thin line between confidence and hubris. This is true is what ever we do, be especially in selling professional services. The top eleven business writers (Seth Godin, Alan Weiss, Keith Ferrazzi and others), have teamed up for a focused look at this most delicate endeavor: How to Sell Professional Services. Is it true that products are easier to sell than services? A product itself is has no ego to contend with in the selling cycle. This avoidance-of-arrogance makes the process concent...
[audio ] Hot Potato News items are two articles that connect very well with our discussion this evening. 7 Targeted Social Networks Niche Marketers Should Try. Hubspot’s blog is on the mark again, exploring how the social network world is becoming more and more fragmented, not unlike great traditional niche marketing. http://blog.hubspot.com/blog/tabid/6307/bid/33663/7-targeted-social-networks-niche-marketers-should-try?source=Blog_Email_[7%20Targeted%20Social%20Ne] 20 Stats That Explain Why Mar...
Franchising has great appeal, but is it right for you? Tom Russo, Brian Parker and Ken Cook take an in depth look at franchising; the good, bad and ugly of it. As always, we open with what’s Hot in the world of customers, marketing, and sales. Presenting the Hot Potato News for the first full week of October 2012. Are Facebook clicks totally meaningless? The answer is yes, no or maybe, depending on who you are. Hubspot’s blog explores how your social media metrics need to align with your marketi...
This is episode #50 – Who Loves You Baby!? If “customers” is not your answer, then tune in. Tom Russo, Ken Cook and Brian Parker explore seven ways+ to make customer love you As always, we open with what’s Hot in the world of customers, marketing, and sales. Presenting the Hot Potato News for the last week of September 2012. The Turf Wars Continue as Apple CEO Tim Cook says he is extremely sorry for IPhone maps frustration. The giants continue to battle for the control of your smartphone real es...
Marketing is a foundational and necessary element because it tells the world who you are and maybe why they should do business with you. At least that’s the hope. The challenge is marketing encompasses so many different things and can and should be different for every company. What you say, who you say it to and the means in which you say it are all unique because each company is unique. More importantly, the customers you want to reach are unique. However, there are some universal truths that h...
In the latest edition of Open for Business Tom Russo, Brian Parker and Ken Cook, along with our special guest Marc Halpert explore the world of Social Media. We looked at the Social Media universe and how the multitude of tools work, both independently and with each other. Our primary focus was on LinkedIn and its value in the B:B space; where it fits, how to use it, and the value it offers. We also talked about how Facebook and Twitter are much more B:C tools connecting businesses with consumer...
In the latest edition of Open for Business Tom Russo, Brian Parker and Ken Cook explore where the jobs are, what jobs are worth getting, and how talent wins out on a global scale. PLus, the continuing titanic battle between Apple & Samsung (with Google and every mobile equipment maker on the planet being drawn into it). According to Forbes, if you are in the energy, technology, and (believe it or not) manufacturing fields, your industry is doing well. The best job opportunities are in these area...
This show covers a lot of territory in 45 short minutes. Ken Cook, Brian Parker and Tommy Russo explore in some depth the growing trend of “sequestering” by manufacturers as one more way for them to stay viable and for that matter profitable, too! Another topic that took up some of the show’s real estate was whether or not investing in Facebook stocks would prove to be, both short and long term, a good investment. As a sidebar to the Facebook discussion the three hosts shared their observations ...
In our latest edition of Open for Business Tom Russo, Brian Parker, Ken Cook and guest Mike Lynch explore how understanding one’s passion and why you do something is a great accelerator for finding that ideal job. There are 631 people who are part of the CT Re-employment Group founded by Mike Lynch on LinkedIn. The group helps members with their job search. And one of the words they use most frequently to do that is why. Inspired by Simon Sinek’s bestseller Start with Why, members tap into their...
When it comes to getting things done everyone wants to do things right – being efficient. Everyone wants to do the right things – being effective. The best processes work though when everyone is disciplined to do things – they execute. Add to that the up front discipline of setting goals that are realistic, attainable and measurable, and you have a formula for success. In our latest edition of Open for Business Tom Russo, Brian Parker and Ken Cook went in depth on effectiveness, efficiency, and ...
Just because you get to the top of the mountain doesn’t mean you can stay there. Bad style had the proverbial door hitting CEO Bill Johnson on his way out. North Carolina Utilities Commission Board of Directors fired CEO Bill Johnson 20 minutes after the $32 billion merger of Duke Energy and Progress Energy. Why? Because the Board “felt Johnson’s style was too autocratic and discouraged different points of view”. Good leadership characteristics and bad leadership characteristics can be hidden, e...
