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Jeff Cobb – Hedgehog & Fox Newsletter – 03-4.10 – Cool Tools – Get Out of the Middle
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HEDGEHOG & FOX NEWSLETTER
from Jeff Thomas Cobb
Volume 3, Issue 3
==========================================IN THIS ISSUE
1. Quote of the Month
2. A Brief Note from Jeff – Cool Tools School
3. Are You Stuck in the Middle?
4. Ongoing Research – Get Some Good Data Free
5. Upcoming Speaking
6. High Value Clicks
7. Contact Me
8. Administrivia
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1. Quote of the Month
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Every revolution destroys the average middle first and most
savagely. – Seth Godin
from:
http://sethgodin.typepad.com/seths_blog/2010/02/who-will-save-us.html
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2. A Brief Note from Jeff: Cool Tools School 2010
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As I surf the Web on a daily basis, I try to do a decent job of
noting any “cool tools” I happen to come across so that I can
return to them at a later point, as needed. My favorite cool tool
for doing this is the social bookmarking site Delicious, and you
can find the list I maintain there at:
* http://delicious.com/jcobbm2l/cooltools
Aside from wanting to capture this knowledge for my own purposes,
another reason I bookmark these tools is that I give a session on
Cool Tools every year at the Association Executives of North
Carolina (AENC) annual Technology Showcase. I’ll be doing that
again this year and aside from offering up my own take on nifty
technology applications for improving productivity, saving money,
and generally making life and work a more pleasant affair, I am
hoping to get input from as many other people as possible on the
tools they find indispensable.
So, enjoy the list at the link above, but I’d also like to hear
from you if you have any great tech tools that make your life
better. Please either drop me an e-mail or comment on the my blog
post at:
http://jtcobb.wpengine.com/2010/04/cool-tools-round-up/
Enjoy this edition of the newsletter, and as always, I look forward
to any comments or questions you may send to jtc@jeffthomascobb.com
Jeff
jtc@jeffthomascobb.com
http://jtcobb.wpengine.com
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3. Are You Stuck in the Middle?
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In the last issue of the newsletter, I wrote about the concept of
“blue ocean” strategy as it applies to social media. The idea was
that most organizations that embrace social media do so with a
“keep up with the Jones” attitude. Social media doesn’t create a
strategic differentiator, it merely keeps them running with the
pack, stuck in the middle of an amorphous, competitive crowd.
Social media is not the only place this happens, of course.
Organizations and individuals get “stuck in the middle” in any
number of ways.
The Marketing Over Coffee guys pointed out in a recent podcast that
most Web projects are heavy on the middle layer of developing and
deploying – “We really need that new Web site ASAP!” – but very
light on actual strategy at the beginning or collection and
effective use of analytical data once a site is deployed. (I can
testify to the accuracy of the MoC guys on this.)
http://www.marketingovercoffee.com/
James Surowiecki, author of the Wisdom of Crowds, points out in a
recent issue of the New Yorker, that companies staking out the high
end of the market – like Apple, among computer makers – or the low
end – like Flip, among video camera makers – are much more
successful these days because “they don’t target the amorphous blob
of consumers who make up the middle of the market.” (via
http://bokardo.com/archives/apple-the-new-yorker/)
As Seth Godin, in his inimitable style, suggests in the quote for
this month, the middle is a dangerous place to be. The main
problem, as I see it, is that the middle is getting thinner, and
thinner. Demand for our run-of-the mill needs has not really gone
up, but our ability to find supply has – and how. Think back to
your economics 101 course in college, and you will realize why this
is a significant problem.
The edges appear to be where the clearest, lowest friction, and
ultimately, largest opportunities are right now. If you are going
to stay in the middle – with the average Web site, the average
product and pricing, the average member services – you better have
the resources to stick it out until everyone else drops.
If you can’t do that, it’s time to get out of the middle.
Jeff
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4. Ongoing Research – Get Some Good Data Free
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We have a couple of surveys going on over at Tagoras
(http://www.tagoras.com) right now. Complete either and you will
have the chance to receive a summary report on the data collected
and be entered into a drawing for one of five $50 Amazon.com gift
certificates to be given away during the month of April.
Webinar Marketing Survey
http://www.surveymonkey.com/s/8X6R9M3
If your organization offers Webinars – whether as a tactic to
cultivate leads, a member benefit, or an educational product for
sale – this survey is for you.
Association Technology Survey
http://www.surveymonkey.com/s/tech-survey
If you represent a trade or professional association (or can
forward this to a friend, family member, or colleague who does),
we’d appreciate your help in gathering data about how associations
are using technology.
(BTW – I’ll be discussing results from this one at the upcoming
AENC Technology Showcase – see below.)
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5. Upcoming Speaking Engagements
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Here are some of the speaking engagements I have booked in the
near future:
AENC Technology Showcase
http://jtcobb.wpengine.com/aenc-technology-showcase/
April 16, 2010
Pinehurst, NC
(This will be my third year doing this one.)
***
Vistage International
May 20, 2010
Baltimore, MD
Social Media – Stay tuned for details
***
South Carolina Society of Association Executives Annual Meeting
June 7, 2010
Asheville, NC
Social Media – Stay Tuned for Details
***
Home Care Alliance of Massachusetts
Keynote: Maximum Bang, Minimum Bucks: Leveraging the Internet to
Boost Your Brand and Blow the Doors Off Your Business
June 9, 2010
Sturbridge, MA
***
Empire Society of Association Executives
Rubber Meets Road: How Actual Organizations Are Using Social Media
to Get Actual Results
June 23, 2010
Saratoga Springs, NY
Visit http://jtcobb.wpengine.com/speaking to find out more or
contact me at jtc@jeffthomascobb.com if your are interested in
having me speak at one of your organization’s events.
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6. High Value Clicks
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Here are some great free or low-cost resources and insights to help
you boost your success on the Web and off:
Start With Why: How Great Leaders Inspire Action
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u4ZoJKF_VuA
A great video from author Simon Sinek on his book about the
importance of asking “Why?” before setting strategy. Well worth the
investment of 18 minutes.
****
The Ultimate Guide to E-mail
http://www.blueskyfactory.com/ultimate/
With all the buzz about hot new social media applications and
mobile computing, it’s easy to forget that a well-cultivated,
well-managed e-mail list is still one of the single best marketing
tools there is. Don’t think twice about forking over your e-mail to
get this great guide.
****
Eight Things Executives Hates About It
http://hbr.org/web/extras/8things/1-intro
So true. So true. (I think I got this one from Maddie Grant at
Socialfish.org.)
***
Evernote shares the insider secrets of free apps
http://mobile.venturebeat.com/2010/03/26/freemium-summit-evernote-shares-the-insider-secrets-of-free-apps/
This article from MobileBeat offers an overview of how Evernote has
become profitable using a “freemium” model – i.e., giving away
something for free but converting a percentage of users to a paid
model for premium services. Good insights into an important Web
business model. (And if you don’t know what Evernote is, I
definitely recommend clicking the link and finding out!)
****
Kill Useless Web Metrics: Apply The “Three Layers Of So What” Test
http://www.kaushik.net/avinash/2010/03/kill-useless-web-metrics-apply-so-what-test.html
I mention above that many Web site initiatives fail to make good
use of analytics. If you want to bone up on what actually
constitutes “good use of analytics,” there is no better source than
Avinash Kaushil. This link is to a recent post on his blog, but
also consider getting his latest book, Web Analytics 2.0.
http://www.webanalytics20.com/
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7. Contact Me
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I truly welcome your thoughts on how I can make this into a
newsletter that fits your needs in the best possible way. Always
feel free to e-mail me at jtc@jeffthomascobb.com or call me at
919.201.7460 with any comments you have about the content provided
in the newsletter and suggestions for future editions.
If this newsletter was forwarded to you and you would like a
subscription of your own, go to:
http://jtcobb.wpengine.com/newsletter/
For more information about the services I provide, visit my Web
site at:
http://jtcobb.wpengine.com/blog
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8. Administrivia
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