I just came across an article about wristwatches as the next web portal. I’m trying to imaging what this could do to web-standards.
Paul recently tackled the task of learning to make sites that rearrange and resize their content to fit browser windows on both computers and smart phones, (cool, right??) but at a watch size who knows what that could mean for the web.
Want to learn more? Here is the article.
-Jenny
Top-Of-Mind-Awareness (TOMA) is a big, abstract concept with entire books written on the subject. For this modest (yet longest ever blog post) we’ll stick to the basics which go something like this…
Certain businesses occupy a special part of our brains for various categories. When you need a new pair of running shoes you may think of Nike first. More often than not a transaction is decided before any advertisement has a chance to sway a customer. This is why TOMA is so important, and should be considered in any outreach campaigns you undertake.
If you prioritize TOMA as a goal for your outreach efforts you need to start thinking about branding and overall message to evangalize and what mix of platforms and advertising vehicles will reach your audience and connect with them most effectively.
Your “Brick & Mortar” Presence & Website - These two go hand-in-hand because nowadays they’re equally important. Achieve TOMA by building brand-charisma in your store, and online. Surprise and delight your visitors while communicating your unique selling points and you’ll be sure to stick in their heads.
Social Media - Having a strong presence here is great for TOMA. Statistics show that timespend on facebook and twitter is a growing percentage of people’s total time spent weekly on the Internet. Think of these social networks as semi-gated communities. You can get in if you don’t live there, but people will give you funny looks. You’ll reap all the rewards if you’re a resident within in them and If you are interesting or entertaining you will draw daily, repeat visitors and spark discussions.
The immediacy, almost daily nature of these platforms means they’re excellent for letting people know about new products, sales, deals or news about your company. Paid advertising on these platforms is also highly targetable, allowing you to reach out to only the groups of people you’ve identified as high-potential prospects.
Print Advertising - Great for targeting niché audiences aligned by common interests. Magazines or periodicals that cater to specific audiences usually offer a large-regional or national reach. Print casts a wide net with a medium amount of targeting. A clever TOMA-oriented message can really boost recognition and recall of your brand among a large audience.
Outdoor Advertising - A no-brainer for local, impulse-buy businesses. Gas, food, lodging and entertainment being advertised on major traffic routs can see an immediate return from a billboard or other type of outdoor ad (TOMA for those crucial 5 minutes can make all the difference). For other types of businesses outdoor can be a useful tool for driving traffic back to a website. This is where a short, memorable URL really comes in handy. Few people will take the time to write down a phone number and even fewer will actually call after they’ve gotten to their destination. However a clever outdoor message and excellent website can convert motorists into customers, while increasing TOMA for all passers-by.
Broadcast TV & Radio - The only platforms where you basically have a captive audience and get the chance to tell a story for 30-60 seconds. Here you have a real chance to convince them that you’re the one they need to buy from. Broadcast is often the most expensive form of advertising so the risk / reward analysis is on a bigger scale. However a properly-placed, well-crafted and executed message can bring about immediate TOMA and generate huge buzz around your business.
If you missed our last e-blast scroll down a bit and check out the post titled, “Real Life Customer Service Tales”. Since we sent that out we have managed to train Tugs to be our new phone wizard. He’s been getting quite pooped.
It's fool-proof! If the phone rings, I'll wake up!
-Paul
So, as usual, Paul is blasting some sweet tunes, ie Tenderoni, and it’s really lifting my spirits. Thanks to Paul, for making the work environment upBEAT!
- Jenny
I need to disclaim my glee by ensuring you all that I am NOT an ‘early adopter’… Generally speaking I’m skeptical of “new revolutionary technology to change the world, save time, protect bunnies and make sure senior citizens in Florida don’t get sun burned.” But I this time I’m just too excited to not jump on the hype bandwagon…
Google is cooking up a new web product called “Google Wave”.
It’s difficult to explain, but the gist is that rather than email being a package that gets delivered from point A to point B. Google instead is treating the ‘email’ as a destination. A single package that users can connect to, edit, make additions and then notify others connected to it that it has been changed. The changes that Wave will allow you to perform include basic text editing (like email) but takes it many steps further. Easily add audio, video, polls, translations, images and just about any other media to the Wave.
The glorious thing about this is that it would mark an end to long and confusing “reply to all” email chains helping to keep everyone on the same page and make clear who is contributing what to the conversation.
In certain cases when multiple people are editing a Wave the edits will appear on everyone’s screen in real time! It’s more like having a real conversation and thus can be a huge time saver, protect bunnies and possibly keep the senior citizens in Florida from getting sun burned.
Wave is currently in beta (and probably will be for a very long time) but some invitations have been dispersed. If you’re interested leave a comment (with your email address) and I’ll send you one!
-Paul
For those of you not familiar with Paul Thomas, he is a kick-butt designer, photographer, and web developer; and luckily for us, he has been with GCI for a little more than a year now.
Follow Paul’s lead and you’ll have the bad-economy monster running scared:
1) Reinvent yourself as needed. You are so much more than any one skill. When it’s logical, offer more interconnected services to your customers.
2) Keep doing an awesome job. As things change it is good for your customers to know they can always depend on you for quality work, an impressive turn-around, and a professional attitude.
3) Focus on how great it is to be doing what you do. When things are stressful it is be easy to feel jaded. Passion and enthusiasm for what you do is great for your endorphins (and your customers will appreciate it).
4) Remind people that you are still around and want to help. It can be as simple as a message like this or a phone call.
5) IF ALL ELSE FAILS… Get cast in a movie that provides scary props, like monster teeth. No one will mess with you, especially that would-be-tough, bad-economy monster.
-Jenny
Often, here at the studio, interesting photos or recent news happenings are forwarded throughout the office, followed by scattered responses or comments. This particular day, the feedback was particularly amooosing and the steaks were high in what became a pun cowntdown…
This is the original photo Paul sent that started the mad cow disease
On Oct 7, 2009, at 12:22 PM, Paul Thomas wrote:
Taken during a protest by dairy farmers of something having to do with their cows.
On Oct 7, 2009, at 12:34 PM, Ed Mund wrote:
Boy that cop’s shield is really getting creamed. (I know, some people will milk any opportunity for a bad pun.)
On Oct 7, 2009, at 1:26 PM, Paul Thomas wrote:
no point crying over spilled milk… unless you’ve been maced, then cry away.
On Oct 7, 2009, at 1:30 PM, Ed Mund wrote:
Oh boy, we’re just starting to skim over the pun possibilities here. Think we can come up with more than 2%?
On Oct 7, 2009, at 1:31 PM, Paul Thomas wrote:
You bet we can! Hopefully we can figure a whey to keep this joke from spoiling.
On Oct 7, 2009, at 1:33 PM, Ed Mund wrote:
Cheese, that’s another good one.
"Anarcowst"
October 7, 2009 1:46PM Donnie Miller wrote:
I bet those are the cows the cream cheese comes from. That all I got.
On Oct 7, 2009, at 1:47 PM, Ed Mund wrote:
She seems to be alone. I guess she believes anarchist cows should be seen, but not herd.
On Oct 7, 2009, at 1:47 PM, Paul Thomas wrote:
Rogue bovine! Mad cow! It’s a disease on society!
On Oct 7, 2009, at 1:57 PM, Ed Mund wrote:
How do you know? Are you such an expert that you’re outstanding in the field? Looking pasture diagnosis, how do you propose we get this cow out of Monterey, Jack?
On Oct 7, 2009, at 2:24 PM, Paul Thomas wrote:
As much as I hate to digest this defeat I’ll take this grazing in stride. I’m no expert in the fields of cows and related disudders. The cow can stay in Monterey, so long as it’s shelfish life doesn’t expire.
Just-the-same, there’s just something that curdles my blood about such rude, no– icy, ‘cream vulgarity’! The smug look on the mans’ face just makes me want to teat cookies and drink water out of spite!
On Oct 7, 2009, at 2:36 PM, Ed Mund wrote:
It takes a big man to know when the bull is so deep it behooves him to just turn away and mooove along. And as much as you may be cowed by the edam man’s vulgarity, steer clear of any retribution. Don’t let him prod you into doing something you may regret. Just turn away and show him your dairy air as you hoof it home to your cottage.
"Lest we forget" caused a final creative stampede
On Oct 7, 2009, at 2:57 PM, Paul Thomas wrote:
lest we forget…
“Oh, teat squeezer you shot that swat geezer
His shield has blocked the stream, but your supporters know what you mean
Long after the herds disband, your sour milk will still stand
A reminder in the streets of what it means to walk a mile in your teats”
On Oct 7, 2009, at 3:11 PM, Ed Mund wrote:
Ode to a Poor Constable:
His sweatbreads saved by shield,
His goggles did not yield.
But the crowd looked on with disdain,
As they caught a whiff of methane.
Yes even cops get scared
When milked in a public square.
And now that we’ve had our fun,
Please, no more bloody puns.
-courtney
It’s been a little quiet here on the GCI blog lately. It’s mostly because we’ve been so busy rocking projects and soaking up the sun that we just haven’t been able to find the time to post. With this recent heat wave however I’ve been finding myself indoors a bit more… and so has this little guy.
He’s cute, he’s fluffy, his name is Tugs and he thinks your feet are mice, no seriously he’ll eat your toes.
He’s been a little bundle of energy around the office and great at helping us keep our desks clear of… well, anything that can move he wants to play with… so everything. So cute!
Oh feel free to drop by and see him, also we have A/C!
-Paul
Ask questions, make mistakes, learn new things, understand more than only who and when, but how and why. Curiosity is where rubber meets to road on the highway of life. Stay in the drivers seat and take corners way too fast. It’s usually worth it.
Curiosity– An emotion related to natural inquisitive behaviour such as exploration, investigation, and learning, evident by observation in human and many animal species. The term can also be used to denote the behavior itself being caused by the emotion of curiosity. As this emotion represents a drive to know new things, curiosity is the fuel of science and all other disciplines of human study. [wikipedia.org]
-Paul
