From the monthly archives:

May 2007

Another Seth item today. Too many companies focus on price alone, causing their customers – potential or otherwise – to do the same. He wants to know what, besides price, you’ve given them to care about. There are at least four key things that customers look for when shopping for products and services online:

  • Design – Apple hasn’t sold 100 million iPods solely because of content. Does your design stand apart?
  • Convenience – Are you making your customer’s lives easier? Are you letting them know that you are?
  • Location – Are you closer than your competition to where your customers want to be? Even if you’re not, do you make it easy for your customers to find you?
  • Choice – What options do you give your customers? Do you provide more choice than the competition?

There are probably dozens more. What do you use that I’ve missed?

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Seth points out who to hire. Here’s how to hire. Find the folks with:

  • Passion for the job
  • A willingness to learn
  • Spirit of teamwork
  • Solid, consistent demonstration of the behavior needed for the job (think behavioral interviewing

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Five factors lead to great performance among your staff. They include:

  • Hiring folks with the ability to do the job
  • Providing them attainable, yet challenging goals
  • Giving feedback, both positive and constructive
  • Training for missing skills
  • Ensuring proper motivation and incentive for a job well done

Seth Godin consolidates this list into a single item: alignment.

If your brand is a promise – and God help you if it isn’t – delivering that promise relies on capable, competent folks. And that relies on the steps above.

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Is it time to hop on or off?

May 22, 2007 Strategy

Now is the only time you get. Sure, Mike Arrington is in a pissy mood about now. He’s bummed that the good ol’ days have rolled up their tents and headed for the hills. Evidence like Wallstrip selling out after nine months and the whole Microsoft/aQuantive hook-up suggests he’s right. Right? Is it silly money [...]

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Does the price of gas fuel e-commerce?

May 21, 2007 E-commerce

So, gas prices have hit record highs this week. Seth Godin has an interesting point of view on how to get people to conserve. I’m somewhat curious as to what impact these fuel prices will have on e-commerce. Will consumers stay at home and shop online? Or will higher fuel prices decrease disposable income, slowing [...]

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Is Microsoft relevant anymore?

May 20, 2007 Strategy

At what point does an acquisition signal a white flag? Is it just me or is it weird that the largest purchase in Microsoft’s history is for a company it could have bought for half that price (at least) a couple years ago. I’m pretty sure overpaying for a company in an industry you could [...]

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