Sean Diddy Combs Is A Hustler

Sean Diddy Combs
in an interview on Ellen
explained why he has a portfolio
of ‘jobs.’

Coming from the Bronx,
he said
“we’re like hustlers
and we always have five or six jobs.”
“That’s the way I was raised.”

Most entrepreneurs
apply the lessons in one field
to others.
They also work hard.

Are you a hustler?

Sexy Avatars Raise Satisfaction Rates

A study by
Martin Holzwarth, Chris Janiszewski,
and Marcus Neumann
shows that websites with avatars
(virtual characters)
have a higher satisfaction rate
than websites without.

As with real salespeople,
the better looking the avatar,
the higher the consumer satisfaction.

Consider adding a virtual salesperson
to your team.

Published
Categorized as Sales

Felix Dennis’ ‘Sliver Of Ice’

Magazine Baron Felix Dennis
believes that within every successful entrepreneur,
there is a ‘sliver of ice’,
a ruthlessness
that allows his/her company to survive.

“There is only so much pie to go around.
If you’re going to take more
than your fair share of pie,
as socialists would look at it,
then someone else is not getting his.
That means you’ve got
to take it away from them.”

I know every sale I make
takes away a sale from someone else.
That is part of the game.

Published
Categorized as Sales

Boomer Language

Baby boomers
(individuals born from 1947 to 1966)
as a target market
is tempting.
They are in their peak wealth building years
and aren’t afraid to spend money.

Do NOT treat them as seniors, however.
Boomer expert Lina Ko
cautions marketers to watch
their language when talking with boomers.

Older boomers are NOT senior citizens.
They are leading edge boomers.
They do NOT retire.
They reinvent themselves.

Published
Categorized as Marketing

Can This Elephant Curtsy On Cue?

I recently finished the career planning book
Can This Elephant Curtsy On Cue?
written by Danielle Weinstock.

It is a great book.
I especially enjoyed
her unique insights
on dealing with unemployment
(a sure thing in the movie business).

However, I am unlikely to recommend it.

Why?

Because I can never remember the title
(too long)
and when I do,
it is too cutesy to be taken seriously.

Names are important.
Brand names, titles, company names.
Put some thought into choosing one.

Published
Categorized as Marketing

Helping People Move

A loved one moved on the weekend
and I was asked
whom I would rope in
if I needed help moving.

I said no one.
I’m lucky enough
to have a group of people
whose favors I value at
more than $10 an hour
(what I could pay people to move me for).

People are busy
and
favors are not unlimited.
I’m very particular about my requests.

That means when I ask,
contacts are more likely to do.

Published
Categorized as Marketing

The Next Facebook

Social networking is a hot buzzword
around the marketing watering holes.
Everyone wants a social network component
to a business.
They want to be the next Facebook.

Not likely to happen.

IT entrepreneur Robert Herjavec
points out
“To make a Facebook,
you need something
everyone would log into.”

It has to have mass appeal.

Allstate, The Recession, And Being First

I was told yesterday
we’re in a recession.
The person was 100% certain.

Why?

Because an Allstate commercial
mentioned recession.
The viewer remembered the commercial,
the mention of recession
and especially Allstate.

Being first meant taking criticism
(we’re not officially in a recession
and the Allstate commercial, in fact,
doesn’t say we are)
but that is more than offset
by being remembered.

Published
Categorized as Marketing

eBook Money Makers

It is possible to make a six figure living
writing romance eBooks.

But not by writing what
everyone else is.

Raelene Gorlinsky, publisher for Ellora’s Cave,
points out that the
two big money making genres
are
erotica and sci fi romance.

Why?

Because these novels aren’t
as readily available from the print publishers.
To compete with the big publishers,
eBook publishers have to offer something unique.

Is your offering unique?

Making Messes

I’ve been called a messy person.
I’m a piler.
If information is not important enough
to file in a binder,
it is in a pile.

Is being messy a bad thing?
Not if you’re organized.
Studies show that messy people
make more money than non-messy people.

Why?

Mess analyst David H. Freedman thinks
it may be because the world is messy
and neat people can’t cope.

He also says
“If you’re going to do stuff,
you will make a mess.”