I’m not a rock star. I’m really pretty conservative. But during the launch of my Podcast project I learned just how far out on the fringe I really am. It may seem like a minor detail to many folks, but creating a killer album cover seemed to me to be an essential element of creating a successful Podcast. During my photo shoot with Sheri Kendrick at Jannus Landing a younger patron with multiple piercing remarked "far-out" when I told him we were creating an album cover. I didn’t understand the full impact of this new endeavor until I received word that the Making Websites Work is now available from Apples iTunes store. It’s a short, to the point, weekly Podcast for business owners who are serious about making their website work. You’re invited to check it out. Use the comments link below to let me know what you think or

In a move that stunned Florida hoteliers Walt Disney World has stopped distributing its pamphlets through restaurants and hotels. The hotels were surprised Disney abandoned a marketing practice that had been a standard for decades. As reported in the St. Petersburg Times, "Several studies confirm most Florida visitors now use the Internet to plan their trip." I believe there are two factors driving organizations to adopt a similar strategy. First is the high cost of printed brochures including the labor to distribute them. The second is the shift by businesses and consumers to seek information from the Internet more than any other source. Where are qualified prospects learning about your business? If you’re not sure, just ask. Survey your existing clients to learn where they go when they need information. I suspect you’ll find the Internet appears near the top of their list. Not only are they going to the

I want to be the first to congratulate you on being named Time Magazines’s "Person of the Year"! At the end of each year the editorial board sifts through a list of all those who made news. As journalist Lev Grossman writes in the cover article, the selection would normally subscribe to the "Great Man" theory of history usually attributed to scottish philosopher Thomas Carlyle. But as Lev points out, this years selection proves, "That theory took a serious beating this year." Instead of choosing someone from the world stage, they wisely chose to visit your world. I know you’re going to be modest and say you were only doing your job, but I believe you should stop and really think about the significance of your accomplishment.You and other honorees used camera phones, instant messaging, blogs, podcasts and web publishing to capture events, share information and build communities. Often a

You would think after 3 decades of helping organizations make  business technology work I would no longer be surprised when it actually does. Each year as my client’s attention turns to the demands of the holiday season, my phone stops ringing. That is until December 26th, when everyone realizes the new year is only one week away. Then an urgent call goes out, "I NEED IT DONE BEFORE THE NEW YEAR!" and the my New Year crunch begins. To even out the work flow (and keep everybody happy) I decided to market a holiday special for my business consulting services. It consisted of a discount on services if ordered by close of business Friday night. It only took three steps to make it happen: Create a product in my shopping cart Create a landing page to explain the offer Broadcast a message to qualified prospects and loyal customers It’s the

Most of you have heard my business technology mantra "Tasks Over Tools". With holiday gifts to buy and end of year budgets to spend, it's a good time for some practical tips for surviving tech gift madness. Here in the south and especially in Florida we fry our Thanksgiving turkey. Being born in the south (Southern California that is) it was my duty to prepare this southern delicacy. It went off without a hitch, mostly because I have the right tools (plus I read the manual). If a tech tool purchase is in your future, here's some timely tips to make sure you don't burn the house down. Gifts for Others Will they use it? Even large organizations buy tech because it's "cool", or because "everyone else is doing it". Before laying down your credit card, think about how the recipient will use the item. Gifts for Yourself Price is

In a recent post I outline a three pronged approach to Practicing Safe Computing. It takes more that up-to-date software or a new computer to keep you safe. It requires "Liveware", an awareness and understanding of the issues surrounding online security. This week I launched a liveware update project that might interest you. The folks at Apple Computer offer a subscription based ProCare service that provides a low cost education program for all things Apple. For the ridiculous annual subscription price of only $99, you can schedule weekly one-on-one sessions at your local Apple retail store. When was the last time you received valuable personal computer instruction for only $2.00 an hour? I’ve heard the joke about Apple being more of a religion than a computer, so I expected a tent revival instead of a training session. I was pleasantly surprised when Jay (my ProCare advisor) revealed valuable tips for

I’ve noticed increased spam and virus activity recently and wanted to take a few moments to focus your attention on practicing safe computing. Current Virus Threat Symantec Anti-virus is reporting that W32.Stration.DW@mm is a worm that spreads by emailing itself to other computers. It also drops a copy on to the compromised computer. Because it uses your address book to send the infection to other computers you might receive the virus from someone you know. It’s classified as a "Medium" threat and easy to remove. It’s even easier to prevent. Best Practices – Safe Computing SoftwareReview your Anti-Virus, Firewall and Adware software. Are they installed? Are they up-to-date? Are the automatic update features turned on? HardwareWindows 98 is no longer supported by Microsoft. Could a new computer be in your future? With Windows Vista delayed until 2007, manufacturers are offering great deals this holiday season.Sounds Like a case of "Plausable

It’s been said that the late Hennie Youngman was the"King of the One-liners". After returning from assignment in New England I think I’ve found a new contender. Samuel Clemens is revered for his memorable chronicles about life on the Mississippi. While touring The Mark Twain House & Museum in Hartford Connecticut I discovered it was not his books but his mastery of the quick turn of a phrase over a century ago that endeared him to readers around the world. Carved in the stone and brick walls of the museum are dozens of "Twain-isms" including "Always do right, This will gratify some people and astonish the rest." Suddenly, halfway through the tour it hit me. Mark Twain’s enduring popularity was based on his ability to create memorable phrases. Creating a Memorable Personal Brand A century before branding and corporate identity became popular buzzwords, Mark Twain created a unique personal brand

In the beginning, everyone referred to the place you published your web site as "World Wide Web". Once we got better aquanted, we used the nickname "WWW". Using the web is now so comfortable and familar, everyone knows what you mean when you invite them to "visit my site". That’s why I can tell you without fear of contradiction that the W in "www " is silent. You don’t need to use it in print, or when you say it out loud or even when you type it into the address bar of your web browser. If I want to invite you to my site I simply say "Visit MakeTechnologyWork.com" I know your skeptical, so prove it to yourself. Launch your web browser, click in the Address Bar and type your domain name and press enter. If you end up on your site, great! You can stop stumbling over the

Have you ever gotten lost on the way to an appointment because the directions were so complicated? Wouldn’t it be great if the route was a straight line from A to B? To make sure prospects arrive at your online marketing destination, create a link that takes them straight from email (Point A), directly to the web content (Point B). If you send them to the home page, then might end up getting lost looking for the proper signpost (link). Speaking of signposts, the label or anchor text you choose to will have a huge impact on the the result. Head down Business 19 instead of Route 19 and you are sure to end up at a dead end. Use the same Anchor Text from beginning to end to keep your prospect on the road.