From the monthly archives:

December 2008

Click: What Millions of People are Doing Online and Why it Matters (Book Review of the Week-ish)

by Tim on December 31, 2008

in Book Reviews

What do Arctic Monkeys, The Biggest Loser, Dancing with the Stars, Ron Paul and a fear of intimacy have to do with each other? And what do they have in common with your business?

According to Bill Tancer – in his entertaining and useful new book, Click: What Millions of People Are Doing Online and Why it Matters – all of these popular searches conducted by consumers on the web help researchers like Tancer – and by extension, you – understand customers’ intent. In his book, Tancer helps unravel the hidden meaning behind various search terms, piercing the veil of mystery surrounding, why customers do what they do and what their searches tell us about what matters to them.

The book – an easy read, I got through it in a few hours – offers a number of case studies, each illustrating some aspect of consumers’ online search behavior. Tancer then pieces together disparate data sources, unlocking customer intent inherent in each search. It reads something like a mystery novel – and a fine one at that. While not as “big picture” as John Battelle’s The Search: How Google and Its Rivals Rewrote the Rules of Business and Transformed Our Culture, nor as practical as Grappone and Couzin’s Search Engine Optimization: An Hour a Day, Tancer’s book makes a fine addition to your business bookshelf. It may not answer every business question you have. But it will get you thinking about what questions you should be asking. And that’s worth every penny.

Pick up a copy of Click today.

Are you getting enough value out of your small business website? Want to make sure your business makes the most of the mobile, social, local web? thinks helps you understand how to grow your business via the web, every day. Get more than just news. Get understanding. Add thinks to your feed reader today. Or subscribe via email.

And while you’re at it, don’t forget to follow me on Twitter.

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Blogging from the Bold

by Tim on December 30, 2008

in Uncategorized

I picked up a Blackberry Bold the other day – a Christmas present to myself – and now am trying out BB Meta Blog to post from the phone. Look forward to regular content going forward.

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Leading the way in 2009

by Tim on December 29, 2008

in Leadership

Change the world - courtesy of robinrkc's photostream on FlickrJohn Mayer is a moron. Sure, he’s written some great music. But rarely has so dumb a sentiment been expressed as in his hit, “Waiting On The World To Change.” John, son, here’s some advice. If you want the world to change, make it change.

2009 likely represents a tough year for many businesses. But one of the things I admire most about small business owners, about innovative managers – about leaders like you – is that you see solutions where others see problems. Opportunity where others see risks. Profits where others see costs.

So 2009 may be tough. But tough times grow strong leaders.

Case in point: I was struck by a letter Newt Gingrich wrote to the RNC about its attempts to link President-elect Obama to Illinois governor Rod Blagojevich’s alleged chicanery, stating, “In a time when America is facing real challenges, Republicans should be working to help the incoming President succeed in meeting them… Furthermore, once President Obama takes office, Republicans should be eager to work with him when he is right, and, when he is wrong, offer a better solution, instead of just opposing him.” (Emphasis mine).

Now that’s the spirit of leadership. Seriously. Don’t just oppose something. Offer a better solution. And not just in politics. Everywhere.

Leaders don’t fix little problems. Leaders fix big problems. Leaders don’t worry about a lack of credit. They ask, “How can we get cash to run our business?” They use techniques like “The 5 Whys” to get at root causes of problems. They make mantras others want to follow.

Leaders don’t wait for the world to change. They change it.

We’re all in the same boat. And we all need to be working towards solutions. If some jackass stands up and says, “your end of the boat is sinking,” hand him a bucket to bail with. Or pitch him overboard. Either way, you’re solving a problem.

Are you ready to lead?

Are you getting enough value out of your small business website? Want to make sure your business makes the most of the mobile, social, local web? thinks helps you understand how to grow your business via the web, every day. Get more than just news. Get understanding. Add thinks to your feed reader today. Or subscribe via email.

Oh. And while you’re at it, don’t forget to follow me on Twitter.

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Happy Holidays!

December 26, 2008 Personal

Just a quick note to wish you all healthy and happy holidays! thinks will be publishing new content over the next week or so on a less regular schedule. So don’t forget to add thinks to your feed reader or subscribe via email so you won’t miss an update. And make sure to follow me [...]

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Reader’s choice: Top posts of 2008. Now with bonus content.

December 24, 2008 del.icio.us links

As we’re winding down the last days of the year, it’s useful to look back and see what mattered most during the last 12 months. According to you, Big thinkers, here are the best posts of 2008. Internet Marketing and E-commerce Lots of you looked for answers to online marketing, internet strategy and e-commerce questions. [...]

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thinks now available for subscription via email

December 23, 2008 Personal

Do you offer an RSS feed for your site? I have here at thinks for some time. And thanks to the fine folks of Feedburner, not only can you subscribe to thinks via RSS, but you can now also subscribe by email. If you choose this option you’ll receive a once-a-day email every day we [...]

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