by Scott Howard | Feb 10, 2016 | Marketing and Advertising Insights, The Not-So-Secret Writings of ScLoHo
If you ever want to find a whole boat of opposing viewpoints, skip politics and just Google “Reinvent the wheel“.
After you read the definition, “wasting time by starting from scratch…”, you’ll find that words and the meaning behind them matters.
For today, my focus is on your business model and marketing.
My radio station, WOWO is now 90 year old. We have made changes as the world made changes. However WOWO began and continues to broadcast on the AM radio band. Originally WOWO was at 1320 AM in 1925. A few changes took place until 1941 when WOWO moved to their permanent home at 1190AM. But these kind of changes are not “reinventing the wheel” changes.
Facebook launched a dozen years ago and became the most successful social media site ever. It was not the first, but it did replace MySpace as the dominate social media site. You can debate whether or not Mark and his Facebook buddies “reinvented the wheel” or just made it “rounder”.
Smartphones “reinvented the wheel” in my opinion, but it was an ongoing process of technology that moved us from just talking to adding text messaging, to email via a Blackberry and finally iPhones.
Back to your business and marketing… Before you decide to throw out the old, “reinvent the wheel” and start with a new business or marketing model, you need to really ask why you are considering this and what you are wanting to accomplish. 
If your business is seeing a decline in sales or revenue or profit, you need to know what needs fixing before you scrap the current “wheel”.
If you believe your advertising is not producing the same results that you believe you were getting in years past, take the time to investigate instead of making quick reactionary moves.
Recently I was meeting with an upcoming advertising partner who wants a new website. I asked him why, and he has a pretty good handle on some things and I will offer assistance on others. The week before, I met with a friend who also wants to scrap his website, but as we talked, I learned that there were some cosmetic changes and function changes he wanted to include. He probably doesn’t need to “reinvent the wheel”, and start over, he just needs to make some adjustments.
Now sometimes you do need to get rid of the old. Updates and Upgrades are a part of life.
I lead off with the question, Do You Need To Reinvent the Wheel?
The answer is: It Depends.
It depends on how well what you offer matches what people want to buy.
It depends on if the methods you are using to invite people to buy from you are still effective methods, given the changes in our world.
Want help figuring this out? Let’s meet.
by Scott Howard | Jan 5, 2012 | ScLoHo's Web World
Because you have access to the internet, you too can do stupid stuff.
But I wouldn’t recommend it.
The entry point in 2012 to creating a name for yourself is now lower than ever before.
Even if you don’t own a computer, in my city, Fort Wayne, Indiana, you can get online for an hour a day with a library card.
And with the rise of smartphones, you could actually do all you computing on your phone if you really want to.
But just because someone can, doesn’t mean they should.
And I caution you to beware of who you trust to represent you and your company or organization online.
Remember common sense isn’t always common and once you say something in an email, on social media, or in a video, it can not be erased from the web.
There are tools to find stuff even after you remove or delete content.
The best advice is to be cautious. Check your emotions before you hit the button that sends that message into cyberspace.
Monday I was reading the email I received from Sonia Simone regarding 5 Lessons You Can Learn from a Breathtaking Customer Service Fail, which inspired this article.
Check it out for yourself including the links she included to the Just Wow post on Penny Arcade and the Chicago real estate firm that apparently was clueless in the customer service department.
The first step is to do a check up of your current online reputation.
My friend and co-worker Kevin Mullett wrote about this on the Cirrus ABS company blog which you really need to check out as soon as possible.
And feel free to contact me for help.
by Scott Howard | Jan 3, 2012 | ScLoHo's Web World
I was living in the outskirts of Warsaw, Indiana when I got my first email account.
We had dial up and a Gateway computer running the latest and greatest Windows 3.0 and we were always dealing with the 3 fingered salute due to the blue screen of death.
We’ve come a long way in the past 20 years.
My old dumb phone had more power than that first computer in our home and I have flash drives with more memory than some of the computers I used to own.
20 years ago, heck 5 years ago, we had a much different web world than we do today.
Take a peek at this history of “Social Media” if you want, but the direction is clear.
As consumers of the web, we have stopped thinking in the silos of the past.
When asked I asked a university class last January if they were involved with Social Media, most really didn’t think of it in those terms.
Everyone had a Facebook account, but we were introducing them to Twitter, LinkedIn and blogging.
Now days you can set up a website for your business or hobby or club using WordPress, which is a blogging platform!
By the way, if you really want results from your online presence, just setting up a website won’t cut it. There is an incredible amount of work that goes into a successful online marketing program. Contact me and my team at Cirrus ABS can set you on the right path for success, as we have for hundreds of other clients the past 15+ years.
Here’s what I see as the current factors that are melding all things web related:
- The rise of smartphones (iPhones, Droids, and the like).
- The huge rise in tablet computing (iPad, Amazon Kindle Fire, to name a couple).
- The growth of cloud computing where your stuff is stored online instead of in your computer.
Also consider that static webpages are not as valuable to Google Search as sites with fresh, current content.
Your website needs to be alive. You need to feed it. If you don’t and your competitor feeds his website, they win. It’s that basic and simple.
Social Media follows that same methodology naturally.
20 years ago, my youngest daughter was 5 years old. She has grown up with this evolution. She is now a Mom of a 7 month old and expecting her second this summer. Those kids will know nothing about a world without the web.
It is because of all of these changes going on now and in the future around us along with the change in my own career when I left the world of radio to join the web world professionally, that I’ve dropped ScLoHo’s Social Media Adventure and instead created ScLoHo’s Web World.
Daily at noon, I’ll be updating this column with insights from me and others as we venture forward in this new year. Join me, won’t you?
by Scott Howard | Dec 23, 2011 | ScLoHo's Web World
Take a look at this report from Mediapost:
Consumers Looking For Seamless, Pervasive, Wireless Connectivity
According to a new consumer poll by Broadcom Corporation, exploring technology trends on the go, in the home, and on the road, 32% of those who own a capable mobile device say they consume more than 10 hours of content a week while on the go, and 51% say they consume more than five hours a week.
Survey highlights:
- More than one-third of survey respondents experience “connectivity withdrawal” when away from technology.
- More devices than ever are competing for wireless connections in the home. Nearly four times as many respondents have six or more wireless devices today than just two years ago.
- Two-thirds of respondents said they would stream video content to multiple wireless devices if their cable or satellite provider offered the service.
- Almost 90% of respondents would prefer to connect devices like digital music players to stereo systems wirelessly rather than using a cable.
- Navigation systems, driver safety features and online entertainment are top considerations for automotive purchases.
Consumers are connecting more devices to the Internet and to other devices than ever before, and want to spend less time configuring those connections and more time enjoying them. The demand for seamless, pervasive connectivity will be possible with new technologies. Based on survey findings:
- The survey explored the notion of “connectivity withdrawal,” the feeling of stress or anticipation of not being able to get online with a mobile phone, laptop or tablet. 35% said they’ve suffered from connectivity withdrawal, while 30% said it happens at least once a week
- 22% of those surveyed claimed to have six or more wireless devices in their homes. Compared that to just a couple of years ago, the change was staggering. The percentage of people with six or more devices has almost quadrupled (from 6%) in the last three years.
- More than a quarter of those surveyed said that they’ve had to wirelessly configure and connect a device in the last month (28%). Less than half (46%) found the experience a pleasant one, so there’s room for simpler connectivity technology, says the report.
Consumer demand for entertainment and safety features in vehicles is high, increasing the need for auto makers to include more complex networks in cars they produce. Ethernet technology is set to become the standard for in-car connectivity to help address consumer needs while reducing cost, complexity and weight.
Based on survey findings, the importance of features in vehicle purchasing decisions are as follows (percentage ranking as important):
- Driver safety features such as automated collision avoidance: 70%
- Navigation system, GPS: 69%
- Real-time access to traffic reports, other downloaded data: 52%
- Easy attachment point for iPod or other MP3 player: 50%
- Easy attachment for smartphone or tablet: 43%
- Surround view park assist: 41%
- Automated park assist system: 35%
- Infotainment (Rear-seat entertainment, etc.): 33%
- Internet access: 31%
In the home, multi-screen home entertainment is becoming a reality with the benefit of new technologies and standards. Based on survey findings:
- 68% of people surveyed say they watch more than two videos a day, while 24% say they watch at least five videos a day
- 87% estimated that they consume more than 10 hours a week of digital content. 54% of all respondents consume more than 20 hours a week.
- 62% said they would stream content that can normally only be watched on their TV to wireless devices such as laptops, smartphones or tablet PCs throughout the home should their cable or satellite provider offer the service.
- 67% are more likely to purchase a new HDTV that can easily connect directly to wireless devices such as smartphones, tablets or laptop PCs and the internet vs. one that cannot.
For additional information, please visit Broadcom here.
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