The Group of 8

What people want

Ebay, facebook, and youtube won't be spending much money on advertising this year. They discovered that the products and services have minimal value. The real value is the people. These new companies discovered what the people wanted. Naturally, people responded.

These companies are just a glimpse of the coming revolution.

Ebay is not trying to sell you a product, but they are helping you sell a product.

Youtube is not trying to show you something, but it allows you to show the world something.

These companies found success by finding what people want and then satisfying that want.

It may not be immediately obvious, but this model can transfer to almost any industry. Those that do it first and do it right, will win.

Start of the revolution?

The revolution will change the way business is done. We have a product or a service and we try to find people to pay us for our products or services.

After the revolution, we will finally realize the value is the people.

So, we now try to find products or services for the people.

This changes the entire game.

Another nail in the...

Technology and the internet continue to change the game for so many industries. Travel agents lost most of their value with the growth of people booking trips online. The valuable information that only travel agents knew in the past is now found online for free.

The agents that are still in business find it frustrating fielding phone calls to quote prices and then losing those people to the online sites once they give up the information.

Now, some travel agents will be charging a fee to find the rates for those that call. I am not sure if there is a way to overcome the dying industry, but this strategy of a search fee won't work. The limited contact agents had with potential client will drop severely once people know of this new fee.

If there is a way to reinvent this industry, travel agents better change sooner than later.

Travel agencies are not the only industry being forced to change or die. As we figure out the true potential of the internet, more and more industries will face change.

Are you ready for the revolution?

Do you have any knowledge?

Are we selfish with our knowledge?

Why do we hold on to our knowledge so tightly, but spew the latest gossip at every chance we get.

If we want to be heard, we need to give away our knowledge freely. Share our expertise. Offer our research.

If you have no idea what I am talking about, pick up a copy of Tim Sander's "love is the killer app". To practice what I preach, I am happy to send you a free copy if you drop me a line. [email protected]

Jack of all trades?

If you were diagnosed with a rare form of cancer, who would you choose? The doctor who works all forms of cancer OR the doctor who works only with your rare form of cancer?

Of course you want the expert.

What about if we are on the other side of the question. Do you want to be a general practitioner or the specialist?

What are you right now? Are you a specialist?

Overdeliver

If you had to choose, would you rather be WestJet or Air Canada?

Hands down, WestJest for me.

Air Canada can get you from point A to point B, but they are not happy about doing it. It shows.

WestJet OVER DELIVERS. They will get you to point B as well. But, they also relax. They tell jokes. They try to give you a pleasant trip.

Try to over deliver today.

Every 3 weeks

Coke Japan releases a new product every 21 days. Of course, many of these will fail.

If you have ever visited a place that serves pop from all over the world. You will realize why they fail.

The take home message is that Coke Japan knows that they will fail on the majority of their releases. Yet, because they are willing to try, sometimes they discover the new product that changes the market.

When is the last time you tried to discover something new?

Resolution?

I enjoy New Year's resolutions. Making positive changes and goals help us become better people. Of course we don't always meet those goals, but a large percentage of goals do get met.

Why wait until the end of each year to make a resolution? Treat the end of each month as an opportunity to set new goals for the coming month. These short term goals from month to month are easier to keep. Each of these smaller goals can add up quickly.

Losing weight over an entire year is hard. Losing weight each month is still hard, but easier to keep on track. Use each month end to evaluate your healthy eating habits. Each month beginning make the resolution to do better than last month.

It is also proven that goals (resolutions) that are written down and viewed often will produce better results.

Seth discusses options when problems pop up. Resolutions come with problems.

Good luck in 2008.

 

Be....

Be average.

Be a commodity.

Be cheap.

Be cheaper.

Be close.

Or...

Be different.

Same old way

Have you watched Larry King lately? I don't watch often, but did tune in last night for 10 minutes. I assume Larry was great back in the day, but was not on his top game last night. He would ask the same question several times and not in the good journalistic style either.

Did you remember seeing the clip of Jerry Seinfeld tearing into Larry? Larry asked Jerry if his show was canceled or if he decided to walk away from the show.

The point is Larry King is not the great interviewer anymore. The question is when will CNN replace or cancel him?

But Larry King has always been on CNN.

Since CNN is in the entertainment business instead of news, I predict he will be let go once he no longer makes money for the company.

It makes me reflect on what I am doing just because it has always been done that way.

The old way may be the best way. Or, maybe not.