Death to Verizon's Billing Practices!!!!

Ok, so today I received my Verizon bill, and let's gerneally say that i now officially HATE their billing policies. Therefore, I'm looking for a class action lawyer who might be drooling over the possibility of suing Verizon for unfair billing practices. Know any?

The reason... Did you know that Verizon charges you regular airtime minutes for calling your voicemail, customer service and the payment system from your mobile phone? It's not considered IN-Network calling, even though you're calling their help lines. Often times, these minutes can cause regular plan overage, at the rate of $.40 per minute! 

That could result in millions earned every month on the backs of responsible plan users who never would have known! Arg!

So, if you're a class action lawyer, or know of a good one, let me know!

Predicting the Next Big Push

It's that time again. When we start working on the 2009 predictions of the people, technologies and trends that will change the world. It's a normal cycle in the PR calendar, where we sit down with our clients, and examine how they look at the innovation landscape.

In honor of this fun ritual, let's look at a post from Kevin Hall, of the SciFi Channel Device blog. Below are his thoughts on some 40-year old predictions that remind us of the potential brilliance or insanity of what looking into the future can hold.

"40 years ago, science fiction writer James R. Berry predicted what the future would look like on November 18th, 2008 — today. His piece for a 1968 issue of Mechanix Illustrated, "40 Years in the Future," made some impressive guesses, from flat-screen televisions to video conferencing. He also made a few understandable missteps: pollution-free air in cities, house paint that's always pristine, and — pardon me, ladies — the idea that women would still do little more than use a computer to plan recipes.

Click Continue to explore an amazing retro future that was wild, but isn't as far off as you would think.

FIVE ACCURATE PREDICTIONS…

1. Online Shopping

1968 PREDICTION "Instead of being jostled by crowds, shoppers electronically browse through the merchandise of any number of stores." 

2008 REALITY For someone writing during a time with phone-in catalogs and super stores, it's amazing Berry foresaw an age of digital distribution and online ordering. Berry's version was still a bit more like a telephone ordering system with punch-in numbers, but the services provided by Amazon and iTunes make his 1968 prediction a 2008 reality.

2. The Rise of Home Computing

1968 PREDICTION "The single most important item in 2008 households is the computer… Computers also handle travel reservations, relay telephone messages, keep track of birthdays and anniversaries, compute taxes and even figure the monthly bills for electricity, water, telephone and other utilities."

2008 REALITY Can you imagine what the world would be like without computers? Berry really honed in on the connectivity of the technology, and how that connectivity would factor into our lives. As he foresaw, the computer would not only become our household hub, but also a powerful social and financial tool for every individual. 

3. Laptop/Tablet Computers (and Email)

1968 PREDICTION "A business associate wants a sketch of a new kind of impeller your firm is putting out for sports boats. You reach for your attache case and draw the diagram with a pencil-thin infrared flashlight on what looks like a TV screen lining the back of the case."

2008 REALITY We don't use infrared flashlights to draw on laptop screens, but tablet computing is becoming more and more commonplace with the prevalence of touchscreen technology, and it's pretty common to see someone using a computer with a stylus. Likewise, designers and illustrators rely on computer tablets to create digital renderings. What does Berry's man from 2008 do when he's done drawing? He emails it to his business associate, just as we would today. 

4. Space Tourism

1968 PREDICTION "Another vacation is a stay on a hotel satellite. The rocket ride to the satellite and back, plus the vistas of earth and moon, make a memorable vacation jaunt." 

2008 REALITY We don't have space hotels exactly, unless you count the International Space Station. We do, however, have a budding space tourism industry that's sent seven people into orbit so far — first Dennis Tito in 2001, and recently Richard Garriott — with the promise of more regular orbital trips in the future. There's also Richard Branson's Virgin Galactic, which may just blow space tourism wide open.

5. Robot Labor

1968 PREDICTION "Robots are available to do housework and other simple chores." 

2008 REALITY You won't come home to Rosie the robot from the Jetsons, but you can enter a house with a Roomba vacuuming your floors, or other robots mowing your lawn and cleaning your house's rain gutters. Cars are built by robotic arms, workers in Japan are greeted by robot receptionists, and robots help us explore under the sea and even other planets. It's a bit more simple on the domestic front than what Berry envisioned in the '60s, and yet it's also a rapidly expanding industry that seems to make another new step toward his vision every day.

…AND FIVE NOT-SO-ACCURATE ONES

6. 250 MPH Self-Driving Cars

1968 PREDICTION "You slide into your sleek, two-passenger air-cushion car, press a sequence of buttons and the national traffic computer notes your destination… The car accelerates to 150 mph in the city's suburbs, then hits 250 mph in less built-up areas…" 

2008 FANTASY Not only are you still driving your own car, but going 250 MPH is a great way to get a ludicrous ticket — or killed. The idea of a massive network of self-driving vehicles is one constantly explored by science fiction — and one that's even been put into practice — but we're nowhere near an age where private vehicles are banned in favor of automated ones. 

7. Domed, Climate-controlled Cities

1968 PREDICTION "You whizz past a string of cities, many of them covered by the new domes that keep them evenly climatized year round." 

2008 FANTASY Ah, the dream of controlling the climate. It's especially appealing today, when scares of global warming and a planet ruined by our presence run rampant. But we still can't get the weather right two days in advance, and I won't even begin to try to wrap my head around how we could possibly cover a city with a giant fishbowl. 

8. Modemixers

1968 PREDICTION "Giant transportation hubs called modemixers are located anywhere from 15 to 50 mi. outside all major urban centers… A major feature of most modemixers is the launching pad from which 200-passenger rockets blast off for other continents." 

2008 FANTASY Berry's modemixer is like a subway station that also has a rocket ready to blast off to anywhere in the world. Really, it's something like any modern-day airport, but with a variety of ways to travel by air. We're still stuck with jets and prop-planes, in contrast to Berry's "200-passenger rockets… [supersonic transports] and hypersonic planes that carry 200 to 300 passengers…" and "slower jumbo jets" to handle shorter, intercontinental commutes.

9. A Four Hour Work Day

1968 PREDICTION "The average work day is about four hours. But the extra time isn't totally free… A jobholder's spare time is used in keeping up with the new developments — on the average, about two hours of home study a day. 

2008 FANTASY Ha! Don't we wish. The 9-5 grind is still alive and well. Maybe it's for the best — who would want two hours of homework to do when they get home? Although, really, we all probably spend more time than that every night keeping up with pop culture affairs on the Internet and by watching TV. 

10. Automated Doctor Visits

1968 PREDICTION "Medical examinations are a matter of sitting in a diagnostic chair for a minute or two, then receiving a full health report." 

2008 FANTASY When you go to the doctor, what happens? Tests are run that take weeks to get results from, you have to see a myriad of specialists — one for an ear, say, and another altogether for your eye — and it can all be very expensive and, at its worst, confusing. Out of all of Berry's predictions for November 18th, 2008, an easy-and-quick diagnosis is probably the most attractive. Well, except for only working four hours each day.

Read the rest of James R. Berry's "40 Years in the Future" here. (via Rocketboom)"

The Research Wire-Trap

By: Chris Michaels, Sr. Account Manager, Fusion PR

Recently I received an e-mail blast of a study conducted by a company that was obviously hired by a newswire service. It claimed that service XXX was so much better than the rest because it garnered more “coverage” than any other service.

I laughed. Then I got angry. Because as I read the study, methodology, claims and results, I found that there were some very big flaws in this survey; the largest one is it's a giant hasty generalization.

Here’s what I found, and find offensive:

This first thing wrong with the survey, is that it does not take into account the newswire distribution ordered by the client (according to their parent company's earnings releases, “XXX Newswire’s clients use their YYY distribution”). It only looks at how many times someone mentioned the content of the release, regardless if it was to a desired outlet. Meanwhile other wire services allow for more customized local circuits and industries.

This survey also failed to take into account whether the client desired pick up or not. Some companies use newswires to meet disclosure requirements and as such, are not written to engage the average reporter but rather to provide key corporate information to the financial community/disclosure outlets.

The survey also didn’t take into consideration the media relations done by the client or their PR agency - who is to say that the newswire is responsible for the pick up? Because the study defines pick-up, “as any reference to the release subject matter in media published after the date and time of the release," it could claim that the wire service garnered any and all coverage. Therefore, if I did my usual proactive efforts, had an embargoed article that didn’t post until the story crossed the wire, and did my own distribution blast of the release to my client’s media “fans,” I don’t get credit for the hours of work that were put-in.

The last part is that the number of pickups is irrelevant to the number of eyeballs. Without the qualifications, I could get picked-up by 500 blogs with 3 readers, or I could get picked up by 4 blogs with 500,000 readers. According to the study, I would only have been successful had I attained coverage on the 500 blogs.

I think you get the point.

So, what would provide the better ROI?

Obviously it's something this study assumes is total coverage, regardless of outlet and article quality, and not the complete campaign effort from a PR team, in-house outreach. Instead it should have looked at combined campaigns, agency/in-house team outreach, and qualified the number of eyeballs.

Sticky-ness doesn’t rely just on the just distributing a release over a wire, but by the complete campaign efforts of a team to proactively pitch, follow-up and ensure that the news got to the right people.

Therefore the study begs the question, has this study, and the hiring agency, now alienated the entire community of PR professionals by claiming to do their work? 

Head in the Clouds??

It’s easy for people to get confused by tech concepts today, especially with the sheer number of technology advancements, software developer kits (SDK) and concepts being thrown left and right in the media. The other half of that confusion is that the many writers assume that their audience knows exactly what they’re talking about. Yes, we’re reading you because there’s some technology tie-in to our line of business, but what did that mean?

We can often get lost in the range of terms that get tossed around the brainstorm sessions, technology presentations or regular reading. And, based upon many of the inquiries from colleagues and friends, the most recent example has come from “cloud computing.” No, there’s no “Puff the Magic Dragon” and Lucy’s not in the Sky with Diamonds. Cloud computing is a pretty difficult thing to describe, but I‘ll try and do my best.

Have you ever tried to push a car? If you’re a native New Yorker, probably not, but this analogy should work nonetheless. Cars are heavy, and require a lot of force to get them rolling from a dead stop. However, the more people you have pushing, the less the workload on each individual, thus making it to the gas station much easier.

Cloud computing does much the same thing for data. Computers have advanced substantially with higher connection speeds, faster processors and more powerful hardware infrastructures and networks. But even as the systems evolve, so does our need for more advanced computations.

Remember the car example? Well, in order to process the enormous amount of data required for certain advanced computations and calculations, the data now gets separated to a number of machines, not just one. It’s the network of machines and data that becomes “the cloud.” Previously, this concept was used by the military, government intelligence agencies, universities and research labs, and large companies to tackle enormously complex calculations. Today, a number of highly recognizable companies are incorporating the cloud.

Google is a prime example of a company that everyone’s interacted with. Instead of relying on one server to search the entire Internet for a keyword or phrase, they use a network of data centers that share the information to pool your results fast.

The second aspect of the term comes from the number of ways people can interact with the “cloud,” or all of the ways you can get the car rolling. Google has their applications developer platform for Maps, Blogger, Reader, etc. For Apple, its SDK has been released for both iTunes and the iPhone. And, IBM’s “Blue Cloud” could be the next virtual server and engine for it all.

What does this mean? Well, all of these companies use their own network to power the next age of software as application services. So, as someone builds a new game for the iPhone, they’re not only writing a program, they’re writing one that will operate a portion of Apple’s cloud. So, that game on your BlackBerry came from the cloud, and the ringtones, and many of the recent Facebook applications.

If you’re still in the clouds about cloud computing, it’s ok. It took a while for the definition to be clear for the entire industry. Just don’t run out of gas trying to figure it all out.

Playing With Giants - Without Getting Stepped On…

By: Chris Michaels, Senior Account Manager, Fusion PR

Recently, my client and I had an opportunity to participate in a rather large public event . We were asked by a large corporation to contribute to the event, by supplying the technology that enabled a public demonstration. Children and their parents could all get to see the “science behind the magic.”

Sounds good, right?

Especially when you hear that you’re getting a joint press release, a spokesperson to endorse your client, a press reception with over 40 attendees and the ability to use footage for your own press efforts.

But then the “fit hits the shan,” so to speak. The event happens, and you’ve received bupkis. It’s been one headache after another trying to deal with their press liaisons; and after the dust clears your client is looking to you to clean up the mess.

Take it from me, it’s a lousy predicament. While you would love to take your slingshot and hit the Goliath between the eyes, you have to take into consideration a few things. Your client means little to them, even if they mean the world to your client. The third party validation alone is enough to raise eyebrows and get attention from the press, yet without having anything to show and only being allowed to press old news makes it difficult for you to do your job. Also, unless you have a contract that lays-out the explicit details the responsibilities and permissions; you may not be able to say a thing.

Larger corporations often play with a different set of rules when it comes to vendors, or service providers. They’re the story, not your client, and they might not want you to steal their limelight. So what can you do to make sure you can get something out of the whole situation?

Here are a few steps that should help:

1. Get it in writing – Even if your client has verbal agreements, depending on State, they don’t mean a thing unless it’s on paper and signed. Advise your clients to have a PR Section in vendor/service contracts that detail what you will need to put together an appropriate release/alert or case-study. Spokespersons, releases, brand guidelines, outreach and client liaison should all be detailed.
2. Get your contacts early – While your client may want to control the relationship with the big dog, push to get the conversations started ASAP with your counterpart at the other company. Explain the items in the contract and set up a deliverable schedule of when you will send things back and forth for review.
3. Don’t worry about doubling efforts – Unless contract clauses prevent you from doing your own outreach, press the heck out of the partnership. Even if the large company will continue outreach on its behalf, it may not be in your best interest to let them run the show. They have their own set of goals for coverage, and may not consider your messaging, positioning or even name when they reach out to the same person.
4. Eat your fiber – Well, at least call the counterpart regularly until the event. Either schedule a weekly check-in or become a pesky fly that keeps buzzing the ear, make sure you have the status updates well in advance. This way you’re more prepared and can have a better idea of success for both parties.

It can be easy to run with the big dogs, and don’t be afraid to hold your ground. They may have big feet, but don’t surrender unless you have to. Your client’s name is always bigger than theirs.

Microsoft’s Tongue-Tied Approach Resembles Something….

Whistle while you wor...no. We’re off to see the Wiza… closer. A Ha! If I only had a brain! That’s the one.

Ever since I’ve heard about Microsoft’s failed bid to take over Yahoo!, I can’t get it out of my head. Why you ask? Because as we hear time and time again, that public perception is key. And, right now, MS doesn’t have the best perception and they’re doing nothing to change it.

MS pushed for Y! and today we hear about Facebook talks, so there has to be a reason that the Redmond company wants to buy a larger chunk of the Internet and has been so secretive with growth strategies. The only conclusion I can come up with is because it’s feeling the crunch of the advertising bug and Web publishing failures.

Years ago, the company launched the “beloved” MSN.com, which has subsequently become the #3 player in the search market (as almost everyone has abandoned the preset IE homepage for their own favorite Web site). It has an existing social networking platform which only has minimal adoption. It also seems more advertisers aren’t using any company’s Internet properties to push their online marketing campaigns.

Now as they attempt to buy out other – more successful – sites (and face rejection), MS needs to take a new stance. Instead of being the 500 lb. gorilla that wants to bully competitors into selling, it needs to start a new chapter in external business and shareholder communications.

Humility.

If only the “Scarecrow” would recognize some short-comings and announce its strategy to be more competitive in the light of product failures, it might just be more easily swallowed. I’m not the company’s counsel, nor do I wish to have such a headache, but I do think that there is an easy way for MS to do better. It should put out releases, announcements and letters that have a humble tone, acknowledging the innovations from potential acquisitions, and how it would improve MS lines of business. Something like:

“…For many years, we have attempted to become a larger player on the Internet. However, we have yet to reach our full potential online. This includes our engagements in social networking. Facebook has developed the most cutting-edge platform for social networking, advertising and engaging individuals. As we strive to enhance our existing portfolio of products, services and destinations for the public, we hope to engage the current leaders in the space.. We look forward to conversations of how we can both improve our daily interactions; not only with computers, but with each other…”

This has been something missing as of late. Heck, it’s always been missing. But if MS wants to raise its image, shouldn’t it start with the character trait that has the most resonance?

I’ve said it before, but humility goes a long way. There’s no need to be an Oz character.

Networking to Pitch

I ran into a friend of mine at BusinessWire earlier today. She's always so chipper and told me about this great event she went to for networking. So, I asked more and she sent me a few links to Facebook groups that I promptly joined and offered my services as a speaker.

A few emails later, I got a question from one guy who wanted to know what my recommendation would be for small Internet startups for engaging and promoting their company at a networking event.

Well, it starts with the pitch. I don't mean just the basic I work for company X and we do Y. You need something with an edge that not only piques interest, but sparks deeper conversations. Web companies and well anyone who's pitching business need to be armed with what's called "issues and experts."

I like to look at PR differently than pushing a press release, news alert or earnings statements. Granted, press releases and news alerts are necessary. They have their function for launches, announcements and big deals. But when you want to get the word out in a larger feature you have to be proactive and know what's going on in the industry.

So, I follow a lot of trends. Twittering, Web 2.0, and new technology of course; but there are lot of other things I read.

Here's an example. One of our clients has created an amazing Web-based job search system that acts as a digital headhunter for you. Instead of Monster or CareerBuilder where you post a resume and let recruiters and bots find you, this system searches for jobs on your behalf based on resume fit, and lets you select if your private information is sent to recruiters (not robots). It's like having a personal recruiter and not having to weed through the keyword search results.

So we followed trends. We looked at the economy and worked up a story about how to "recession-proof" your resume. We saw major CEO's and celebrities losing their jobs, so we created profiles for them and showed what person X or Y could do next based on our searches. There was an angle that came out of bosses putting your resume into LinkedIn and Google and finding your resume; therefore, you need to "covertly" job search so the boss didn't know you were looking. After we created the issue, we positioned our executive as an expert in the topic.

Successful campaigns don't originate with putting out press releases and hoping for coverage. Everyone and all publications need some sort of larger angle to take the interview. When you go to a mixer, whether meeting with media or potential investors, set up your company with an issue and how you're the expert to fix it.

Yes, it's problem and solution. But more importantly, it's a relevant problem because you've been tracking the trend, and you've come up with the best solution. That's how you get the larger features instead of the first two paragraphs of your wired release.

Boradband or Big Steal?

Today, Comcast announced that it was opening access to their DOCSIS 3.0 pipeline to the Twin Cities, allowing for faster Internet connections at a much higher price tag. Consumers who want the increased bandwidth of up to 50Mps download and 5Mps upload, will have to shell out quite a penny to subscribe, as prices start at an alarming $149.95 a month.

Now, some of you might not think that this is a high price to pay. But what you don’t already know, is that in 2004, the FCC passed a measure, enabling our cable and telephone providers to upgrade our systems with fiber optics to within 500 feet of consumers’ homes, without jeopardizing existing lines. On top of the measure, the Federal government has provided a plan and millions of tax dollars in grants and loans to assist independent and large providers in upgrading their networks.

So what’s the problem?

Well, instead of upgrading the systems, the companies have stalled their installation plans and slowly changed the “trusty old copper” to fiber. Moreover, now that only certain markets have fiber lines, like the DOCSIS 3.0 connection, they will charge you enormous rates to access what they were mandated to provide!

I understand the thought that you have to charge by bandwidth allocations in old infrastructure networks. I understand that I get raped when I want a faster connection. But instead of pilfering my wallet for another buck, shouldn’t you be upgrading our existing services, or do you just want to stymie the US’s broadband access?

Pay for Play or a Headache in Disguise?

Recently, one of my clients was approached by an editor about a potential advertisement and story opportunity with his publication. After careful research about the publication and advertising budgets, my client declined to contribute for an ad placement, but suggested a news article.

Accordingly, we reached out to this editor on behalf of our client, and sold him on a story about my client’s innovative technology and the numerous applications to entertainment, medicine and a number of other uses. The editor even came back with several questions regarding the system specifications and wanted a quotation or two to complete his story.

Yet then at 1:37 a.m. EST, he sends the following nasty-gram to my clients:

{President of company}:

I've been thinking about {your innovative} systems. You said my magazine would be great fit for your products, which is why your pr agency has contacted me several times to publish a story. But I'm still unclear about a few things. It sounds like you want me to publish a story for my 38,000 readers about your products, but you have no intention of ever supporting this or any other magazine because you have no advertising budget. Is that your position? You want all of the benefits of my magazine and others, but you aren't willing to support them, right?

{Pissed off editor}

Whoa! Not so fast.

If we wanted to do an advertorial, we would have inquired about one when you first approached us. We were clear that we did not want to run an ad, and you were clear that there was a potential story opportunity. But now you’ve gone and attacked my client? Big mistake

This is exactly the type of publication we would NEVER want our clients associated with. One that only lends its credibility to the monthly advertising billings. Apparently you don’t have enough trust in your journalistic prowess, nor do you believe that compelling articles and fair reviews are what your audience wants. Instead, you think that building a “magazine” that is completely full-page ads is journalism that any company would want to be associated with.

I’m sorry, but pay-for-play is not our cup of tea. We believe that it completely devalues and discredits any story that might have run. I understand that you may have sales goals. But you should first and foremost have quality goals.

We don’t care if you need an ad now, we care about the quality of story that you might publish. If it’s a great run, we might reward you next month with an ad buy. But if you’re setting paradigms where coverage is only guaranteed or warranted by an advertising contract, adios.

A Call to Arms

By, Chris Michaels and Ben Baruch

Just do it – Mark Cuban – Dancing with the Stars?

No, we will not comment on these segments of pop culture, we'll leave that for Finnegan. We do, however, want to relay Paul Boutin’s message So You Want to Be a Blogging Star?” article in today's New York Times. A fellow colleague brought this piece to our attention in response to the ongoing battle of inspiring colleagues as bloggers. In his article, Boutin shows that anyone, even a billionaire CEO can make time to blog, so why can't we?

“Write about what you want to write about, in your own voice,” Boutin stresses. Fusion allows us, within bounds, to communicate freely with the outside world about our profession and our experiences. Mark Cuban later said in the article, “Blog about your passions. Don’t blog about what you think your audience wants.”

Blogging should be easy. We're passionate about our work and clients. We see and interact with the media all the time. We notice the trends that get picked up and what tips and tricks work best for us. So why not share that with the rest of the clan? Most of us communicate freely/hourly with our friends online through social media portals, why not allow this behavior to percolate into the company Blog.

What are the benefits you might ask? We step out of taking in hyper-technical jargon; we step outside of our buckets, focused on business and technology; but most importantly, we become advocates for our own experiences. The more we share about what's working or what we notice, the better we are as a whole. This is your chance to help your colleagues, even if it's just to point out an article you read recently.

In the adapted words of one of our favorite film characters, “If I can [blog], and you can [blog], we all can [blog].”

David Kirkpatrick points out, in the new issue of Fortune Magazine, “Web 2.0 Gets Over Its Goofing-Off Phase," that Web 2.0 and social media will be the prevailing information hubs and are here to stay. The transparent and accessible disposition will only benefit us professionally. So we ask, shouldn't we leap at this opportunity to educate ourselves about this fundamental medium and benefit from its cooperative nature?

An emphatic yes, we say.

Now, whose turn is it?

Know your Brand Architecture

“So they put over 820 million whosawhatsits on the thingy and provided 2.0 Gigasomethings, coupled with a gizmo that drives another doohickey! …And that’s why we’re the leader in innovation.”

Yeah. Right. What he said.

We’ve all been there at some point, sitting in a pitch, or a brainstorm or a strategy meeting that goes all loco. The kind of meeting where the architects or engineers or people that work in development, are flooding you with technical information that’s over your head. Better yet, they’re trying to push those features or specs into the communications message and strategy.

The kind of meeting where you just want to take their 800amps of power something and shock yourself to make sure you’re still awake.

Just relax. Take a deep breath and remember that you’re not alone.

Let’s face it, we work in the tech industry and have an outstanding book of business because we’ve established a level of trust with our clients. And sometimes, it takes that meeting to listen to the engineer and ask some basic questions, in-order-to gain the trust of not only your client, but also yourself.

I’ve had a wide-range of clientèle, from hospitality to medical, caterers to adult beverage makers. But it was the high-tech clients that taught me the most. I’ve learned from them not only how to be a better client representative, but also how to take a higher-interest in the “behind the scenes” development and innovation that gives us products and services to represent.

For those of you who don’t know, I come from the land of marketing communications and branding. There’s an exercise that I started doing with every client of mine so I could understand more about what they do, their user impact and how the end-user will benefit and make their preference choice. I sit in my office, and develop their brand architecture statements by answering the following questions to the best of my knowledge with as many responses as possible (we’ll use the shoes I’m wearing as an example):

• What are the product features? (non-slip sole, strong arch support)
• What are the product’s functional benefits? (Support, stability, non-slip)
• What are the product’s emotional benefits? (Strength, comfort)
• What are the psycho/social benefits? (When I use this product, I feel/am: secure; ready for the road ahead)

It’s a basic framework. But it gives me a better understanding of the top-level product pitch. Now comes the hard part.

Because I start this on my own, I don’t always know all of the product features. I might know that this shoe has an arch support, or a non-slip sole, but do I know the technical details of it? Why did they choose to support the arch with a hard-plastic or gel base instead of foam? Why is this sole non-slick? Is there something special about the tred?

Sometimes asking those “why” questions about the basics, not only gives us a better product understanding but lets the client know you’re interested. And if you don’t understand something that’s explained to you, have them try and spell it out.

One of my old clients was a medical implant company. They created spinal cord stimulations devices for chronic-pain sufferers and I was in-charge of their re-branding campaign. All the product marketing team kept talking about was “independent current control,” and “1% increments,” and this funny word “parasthesia.” Though tech savvy, I’m no biomedical engineer and I was completely in the dark.

It wasn’t until I had them explain the system to me, teach me Ohm’s law, and show me the cadavers (yes dead people), that I finally understood the impact of their product. They controlled electrical current and nerve stimulation. They got people off of pain-killers for a more functional life. They made pain “feel like champagne.” Moreover, because I took the time to learn, the team was more responsive to my future recommendations.

It sounds daunting. Heck, it’s down right scary sometimes to have these conversations with people more technically-savvy than ourselves. The good news is we’re not expected to hop on the production line and make the next chip. But, if you can build your knowledge and get through the gigabytes, semiconductors, and the nuts & bolts, you’re way ahead of the game.

Is Web 2.0 Right for Your Company?

Recently I was asked by one of my former clients, “How effective is the use of blogs for internal corporate communications?”

He was trying to determine how blogs work best as part of a company's internal communications program. His idea or need is to convey company news to the entire organization in a timely way but in contrast with a static newsletter, invited participation and comment, but doesn’t know whether blogs or wikis are the way to go.

I've worked for companies that have had both and have used the successfully. The problem is two fold.

First of all, there have to be clear-cut corporate policies in-place for use of the blog as well as how information posted inside is still company intellectual property and therefore not to be shared. I believe that if you host a corporate blog, it MUST be on an intranet server and not visible to the public. While opinions and positions are vastly important to the creative process and flush out the ideas that come from playing "devil's advocate," there is often the temptation to take the information that has been posted and disseminate it to outside posts, publications or reporters. Moreover, since the information posted within a blog can often be damning to a company’s reputation, trade relations or business, it has to somehow be kept invisible to the public at-large.

The second issue is with Wiki. While some might pose this as a solution, Wiki's aren't the end-all be-all. Wiki's can be an extremely useful tool, especially when documenting processes, sharing development procedures or delivering code for designers. However, Wiki's also have a separate markup language that if you want to have dynamic involvement from the personnel, requires a well developed GUI or full tutorial. They're best suited for manual-like implementation, lexicons or internal FAQ's for process management.

Another option not mentioned or asked about, is forums. However, forums can often be difficult to monitor as discussions can go on and on based on different "folders" that contain threads. On the plus side, forums and the code behind it provide an advanced ability to selectively replace specific speech or profanity - or even make it so the text cannot be copied, further securing the information. You can also select keywords to “FLAG” posts for a moderator to review. You never know if you have a rogue employee.

I think the best solution is when you have a combination of all platforms. If you look at a Web site like www.woot.com, they have created a model for posting new items, customer interaction and documenting threads that combines the best of Blogs and Forums. Rather than posting each thread in a different folder, they created a unique thread per post, thus falling off of the page over time by the replacement of new items. By creating individual posts in a forum that is linked from the originating page, it provides a cleaner look and ability to better interact with corporate officials, opinion leaders and the average employee that may have stumbled across the day's post.

If your client is looking at utilizing web 2.0, be sure they know how they want to implement the newest trends. But more importantly, make sure they know all of the impacts, good or bad, to opening the dialogue.

Bye, Bye Mr. Olympics

It seems today, that our dear friend, Mitt Romney, has dropped out of the race for the Presidency. My only thought, is that it's a big loss for the party. One of the most articulate, passionate and energetic members of the campaign trail, has said goodbye to the race.

I had hoped that Romney would remain in the race, even as a vice-presidential candidate. Though, the electoral math was not in his favor, and Huckabee can deliver the South, Mitt became the candidate that invigorated people and gave them a sense of belonging with the party. He hasn't polarized the party on issues, yet found the common ground we all stand on, and started building a solid foundation there.

When you look at our successful presidential bids, our commanders-in-chief have all had those traits. Kennedy, Lincoln, and even Dub'ya have all been able to mobilize, charge and enthuse the masses. They've all found collective goals that needed to be changed. They all rallied around social change, economic growth, but most importantly, national unity. Today is no exception.

I never thought I would see the day when a candidate who has secured the nomination, has such a deadpan delivery, monotone speech, and seems to show as much emotion as Darth Vader's helmet. Shouldn't a candidate excite the party? Shouldn't a candidate unite the people?
With John McCain as our candidate, I feel we've already thrown in the towel to real change, given our seat to the democrats, and, as Romney said in his statement, resigned to a surrender to our enemies around the world.

I think moderate has its place in politics, especially as our nation is dramatically pushing for social changes. I think holding onto tradition can often alienate individuals and makes us more isolationist. But I also think that the incendiary rhetoric that we should now expect in the coming months - no matter how flat the delivery - is not going to unite a party, a nation or a global community. It will only tear us apart.

To read more about Mitt's departure from the trail, I have included the text from the Associated Press.

WASHINGTON (AP) - John McCain effectively sealed the Republican presidential nomination on Thursday as chief rival Mitt Romney suspended his faltering presidential campaign.

"If I fight on in my campaign, all the way to the convention, I would forestall the launch of a national campaign and make it more likely that Senator Clinton or Obama would win. And in this time of war, I simply cannot let my campaign, be a part of aiding a surrender to terror," Romney will say at the Conservative Political Action Conference in Washington.

"This is not an easy decision for me. I hate to lose. My family, my friends and our supporters... many of you right here in this room... have given a great deal to get me where I have a shot at becoming President. If this were only about me, I would go on. But I entered this race because I love America, and because I love America, I feel I must now stand aside, for our party and for our country," Romney said.

McCain prevailed in most of the Super Tuesday states, moving closer to the numbers needed to officially win the nomination.

G-strings for toddlers...

Pros•ti•tot - (n) 1. Young Girl who dresses in a scandalous manner. 2. Female preteen intent on attracting adult men. 3. A child resembling, or working as a prostitute. Usually the result of admiring Britney, Xtina or their skanky-ass mother

For years young teenage girls have "Britney-ized" themselves into walking billboards for the red-light district. I mean with role models like Paris Hilton, Tara Reid and Lindsay Lohan, young women are wearing more and more revealing clothes either ill prepared for the sexual overtones or unaware of the message they send.

The worst part is that it is the parents that are often arming these "prostitots" as I call them.

I recently went to the mall, and happened to park at the entrance to JCPennys. Unfortunately, the entrance which I arrived was the door to the young miss' department. As I wander my way to the closest escalator, I look to the left only to see a mother of a girl - who couldn't be more than 6 - holding a child's thong and saying "Oh honey, this would look so cute on you!"

I couldn't be more disgusted with the values these parents were instilling in their children. Who would have guessed that we should promote our young children as sex symbols or that we should be proffering the notion that beauty is more important than anything else.

These young children often do not know the risks associated with dressing provocatively. Moreover, it confounds me how many of these parents could inadvertently be setting up their children, not only for disappointment later in life, but for immediate harm.

So many individuals in the world would jump at the chance to take advantage of an unsuspecting peer or child. Older kids may also encourage promiscuous behavior before these children learn the physical, emotional or psycho-social risks associated with sexual conduct. Worse, according to MegansLawCA.gov, in the county surrounding this particular mall, there are over 678 registered sex offenders.

As such, are we setting up our children for possible attacks, abductions or worse?
Some times I fear for these kids. I fear for their parents. Worst of all, I can't help but feel sorry for a society that supports, condones and endorses this kind of behavior.