Smarts

Business and Net

There are times when advertisers need to be careful their message is not too overbearing or too frequent. If it is, they risk alienating their customers. I will use a recent example to illustrate this.

The live video broadcasting service ustream.tv has been around for quite a while. I’m a 24/7 broadcaster - I have a small number of viewers, but what I lack in numbers I gain in loyalty. As with many online services, ustream offer a free ad-supported service and a paid-for white label service. Good as their service is, I switched to one of their competitors, Livestream.com.

The prompt for switching to an alternative provider was a recent change in the ustream advertising format; going from a small overlay to a full frame 30 second ad - it was too frequent and obtrusive for me and my viewers.

Of course, data and servers cost money to run - especially video - but their white label service is excessively expensive and I am thinking the ad supported model might be causing them some problems. Allow me to explain my thinking.

As a broadcaster I applied to participate in ustream’s revenue sharing programme. I reasoned, I am the content provider and they provide the platform… good enough for them to place 30 second ads on. If ustream were making little or no money from my content - which I accept is quite possible - then I beg to ask why they would even bother with the ads? - scrapping the bottom of the jar for every little bit? I asked ustream to explain their criteria for revenue sharing but they declined and the ads persisted.

It could be ustream were simply shaking the tree to see what falls off, I’m not sure. But I think it’s useful to remember, when we’re bringing together two parties, in this case content providers and advertisers, things could be better by being more transparent and less self-serving.

Business

When building and diversifying a portfolio, we sometimes get ahead of ourselves and allow our overall strategy to slip a little. Sometimes it helps to go back to basics and perform some simple tests on our investments.

One bellwether

What’s the point of holding multiple investments when their price movements are so tightly synchronized? - might as well hold a single bellwether or an index.

Two competes

Sometimes it helps to play two competing investments, for example baidu vs google. Play your money both ways but set your proportions according to your preference for risk/reward.

Three options

An investment playing multiple locations / markets is great for diversification but be sure the exchange rates and overall strategy works for you.

Life and Net

The world is crazy… no wait, I’m really stupid.

On and off over the years I tried to take some time to get my head around facebook. It’s constantly used in mainstream media, apparently the whole world loves it. With all the hysteria, year to year, strength to strength, it must be something special. And friends will tell you about that wonderful game FarmVille… sounds exciting, not… like I’ve been yanked 20 years into the past.

So why is it I NEVER get it? Every few months I come back to it, desperately trying to get with it, only to come back to isolation, the only person on the planet that just simply can’t figure it out. It’s utterly complicated, confusing and mis-guided.

Again I give up, No need for replies, I know I’m stupid.

Business and Life

Whether we’re selling a product or an idea, positive and negative feedback will impact our mindset and decision making process, it can work for us or against us. Imagine for a moment, you go to a friend with an idea. Here are some possible outcomes:

• Your friend tells you all the reasons why it will not work.

  The continuous voice of negativity can destroy self-esteem. For many people, finding possible flaws is a habit and easier than seeking or accepting solutions.

• Your friend simply doesn’t get it.

  Early adopters and visionaries may get it but many of your friends may not understand your ideas and foresight.

• Your friend says you’re very smart.

  A potentially disastrous position, being lead into a false sense of confidence, that your ideas are great and worth pursuing. An initial boost of encouragement sometimes sets people off in the wrong direction.

Of course, your friend could also be right, so a balance needs to be made, where we carry enough conviction to pursue our dreams yet equally keep both feet firmly placed on terra firma. We need to learn when to listen and when to ignore.

To better explore your ideas, you may need to downsize them and let them evolve. You may also need to test your ideas with more like minded people.

With each milestone we need to re-examine our journey as it is very easy to believe an outcome was based on sound judgment or execution when, in reality, luck played a greater part.

It may also help to keep a sense of perspective, feedback is relative to failure and success. When you get it right you’ll be cheered on, get it wrong and…

Here are some thoughts on how to respond to feedback:

• Recognise the benefits you are bringing to others.

• The world is in constant change, try to be more adaptable.

• Accept your failures and learn when to cut your losses. Don’t let your losses run.

• Remember people love to see actions, meaning and results.

Technology

When looking at new or emerging technology and when trying to predict future trends, a balance needs to be made. We need to recognise game changers but equally to accept evolution over revolution.

Let’s take this by example; video tapes to DVD to hard drive recording. First was the battle of formats, Betamax vs VHS. VHS did not win on technical merit but it did win consensus. For a moment in time, multiple flying erase heads were setting exceptional standards of engineering and production. Then from left field, or so it seemed, digital formats were revolutionising our world. In truth, CDs and DVDs struggled to be accepted. However, as is so often the case, the turning point was characterised by a peak of exceptional bloom followed by sudden extinction.

Let’s translate that to display technology which is undergoing rapid change in so many areas. Aesthetic, sharper, wider and larger screens. Add some 3D technology and add a free roaming 360 degree view. Merge all that with tactile and gesture based interaction. With so much going on, you have to ask yourself, how big and immersive are those screens going to get before we move to the next level?

More inches, less bucks; TV is coming to wallpaper. Screen size will be a big indicator of change. Just when you think screens can’t bigger, thinner, brighter, they will. BOOM - screens will disappear. Direct to retina image projection is coming. Your mobile phone will track and project personalised images to both eyes. Screen size will become irrelevant and subliminal advertising to your peripheral vision is coming.

Life and Net

A few years ago I tried facebook in an attempt to understand the hype. I gave it a shot but still I didn’t get it. Millions of people use fb every day yet I found it confusing and I always found myself asking “why, why??” A week or so went by, then word got out that Microsoft was pouring money into it… it was time to get out. Seems I’m forever running from those guys at Redmond; hotmail, facebook, yahoo - you name it and Microsoft trashed it. A lot of hoops had to be jumped to close that fb account, which says a lot about such organisations unwilling to accept rejection.

The media loves to talk about personal data and privacy. The world, apparently, is full of scammers, losers, weirdos and pedophiles. SIX BILLION PEOPLE on this planet and the chances are it’s all about YOU. How to list the unfamous?

I can deal with the minority of crackheads in our society by applying some common sense and perspective. I’m more concerned about vulnerable groups of people and data hungry organisations. Which leads me to ask, whoever said the Internet is a child’s product? We don’t sell alcohol to children so why are Internet providers allowing unfiltered services to children? For children, we don’t just need filters on the PC or phone, the only true solution is to do it at the service level; filter in, not filter out.

We live in a society that sings the wonders of freedom yet simultaneously tells us why we should be fearful. Isn’t it time that large Internet providers and mobile operators be required to offer child-safe services?

Business

Seems to me, some people have too much money. When a customer says you are too expensive and starts to walk out the door, it might be a good idea to re-assess your offer, drop your pride and invite them back.

Two thoughts come to mind. First, the price might be low but the effort to keep the customer happy might be quick and painless. My other thought is, how much of the costs have already been met? For example, say you have organised an event and you’ve already reached breakeven, the rest is profit. So maybe this customer can bring me other benefits further down the road. I’m not suggesting we say goodbye to profit but, depending on the opportunity, there might be other benefits for making concessions to people you would not ordinarily reach.

Net

Google has no sense of humour.. a search for “funniest incident” gives the dullest of results!