What Company is Offering:
Let your place be more interactive! Our free widget lets visitors place their own audio and video messages on your site, blog or profile.In Other words:
Commentt is a video widget that you can place on your blog or website in order to accept video and audio comments from other users. This offers a comment thread that appears in the form of video clips that are submitted by site visitors. There’s an option for audio clips to be left as well.
How It Works:
As with most video widget commenting tools, you can only leave a comment if you’re equipped with a webcam or microphone–no uploading of files for commenting purposes. There’s also an option to email a comment. Each widget comes complete with a direct link and embed code for sharing options. This widget tool is very similar to blipback, and Your Truman Show is moving in this direction as well.
More at:http://commentt.com/index.html
Friday, October 12, 2007
Gifts.com, the leading online provider of gift ideas, announced the purchase of GiveFun.com.
What Company is About:
Gifts.com, the leading online provider of gift ideas, announced the purchase of GiveFun.com. Adding the gift card functionality of GiveFun to the high level partnerships of Gifts.com is a sensible move for IAC, holding company for a variety of one-stop solution sites including Ask.com, Evite, RealEstate.com, and others.
How It Works:
Users of Gifts.com can now customize gift certificates for a variety of retailers including GAP, Brookstone, Macy’s KB Toys, etc without leaving the main site. This move solidifies Gifts.com as a primary player in online gifts and also injects another personalization tool to compliment existing services like “Personality Profiler” and “Wish List.”
GiveFun will continue to accept orders for the immediate future, but will gradually migrate all operations to a featured section on Gifts.com.
More at:http://www.gifts.com/
Gifts.com, the leading online provider of gift ideas, announced the purchase of GiveFun.com. Adding the gift card functionality of GiveFun to the high level partnerships of Gifts.com is a sensible move for IAC, holding company for a variety of one-stop solution sites including Ask.com, Evite, RealEstate.com, and others.
How It Works:
Users of Gifts.com can now customize gift certificates for a variety of retailers including GAP, Brookstone, Macy’s KB Toys, etc without leaving the main site. This move solidifies Gifts.com as a primary player in online gifts and also injects another personalization tool to compliment existing services like “Personality Profiler” and “Wish List.”
GiveFun will continue to accept orders for the immediate future, but will gradually migrate all operations to a featured section on Gifts.com.
More at:http://www.gifts.com/
IncBizNet For Creating An Online Social Network For CEO's Of Top 5000 Inc Companies
What They Are Offering:
Inc. Magazine is the latest in the printed media industry to create an online social network. This one is ultra niche, honing in on the CEOs of private companies that are on Inc.’s 5000 list, making them the cream of Inc.’s crop. The site, IncBizNet, is currently in private beta, and you can request for your company to be added to the network if it’s not already “on the list.”
How It Works:
So for the actual community features, you’ll get a profile for your company, a free press release option through IncBizNet’s wire feed, and a company blog. Discuss topics with other CEOs in facilitated boards or connect on an individual level. Share multimedia items as well, including documents, video and images.
So will CEOs find value in such an online network? This isn’t the type of tool that needs to look to other social networks for leveraging purposes, and could be seen as merely a file-sharing intranet for executives. Does Inc. plan to offer additional resources for these people that rarely have time for online networking?
More at:http://incbiznet.com/
Inc. Magazine is the latest in the printed media industry to create an online social network. This one is ultra niche, honing in on the CEOs of private companies that are on Inc.’s 5000 list, making them the cream of Inc.’s crop. The site, IncBizNet, is currently in private beta, and you can request for your company to be added to the network if it’s not already “on the list.”
How It Works:
So for the actual community features, you’ll get a profile for your company, a free press release option through IncBizNet’s wire feed, and a company blog. Discuss topics with other CEOs in facilitated boards or connect on an individual level. Share multimedia items as well, including documents, video and images.
So will CEOs find value in such an online network? This isn’t the type of tool that needs to look to other social networks for leveraging purposes, and could be seen as merely a file-sharing intranet for executives. Does Inc. plan to offer additional resources for these people that rarely have time for online networking?
More at:http://incbiznet.com/
Thursday, October 11, 2007
On Becoming Second Life Entrepreneur
In the simulated world of Second Life, in which 9.6 million "residents" or registered users create the world around them, standing out is paramount.
"I have 500 different skins," says Arikinui Adria, a virtual fashion designer who is referring to various looks that can be worn by her "avatar," a character that she and anyone who registers for Second Life can create. "Just like real people change their lipstick to match their outfits, I change my hair style, my hair color and my skins to match mine."
Armed with a graphic-design tool and image-editing software, Adria creates fashions for herself and for sale in her virtual store, Nuclear Boutique, from which she earns between $1,500 and $3,500 each month. Granted, the real life 39-year-old Cocoa, Fla., resident who asked that her real name not be used, says, "I'm not making the millions Ralph Lauren is making." But the fact that a population of avatars admires her design skills is rewarding, she says.
In Second Life, "you can do anything you want, create anything you want and be whoever you want to be," says Daniel Terdiman, author of "The Entrepreneur's Guide to Second Life," which is due out in November. Since the fantasy word's inception in 2003 people have gotten married, taken classes, thrown parties, watched movies, gone shopping, built homes — and now, they're testing their entrepreneurial mettle. What makes Second Life so unusual compared to many other interactive 3D games (such as those played on Microsoft's Xbox) is that the virtual society uses a currency and thus an economy has begun to take shape.
Second Life poses a big opportunity for entrepreneurs, says Terdiman. "It is a virtual world in which personal expression is important," he says. Since there is no limit to what people can create, he estimates that "several hundred thousand consumers" will likely want to spend money on the latest designs for anything from vehicles that fly to enhanced body parts.
Entering the "metaverse" — a term used to describe immersive 3D virtual spaces such as Second Life — may not make much business sense for every would-be digital entrepreneur as it takes the same amount of hard work and stamina as owning a real-world business. But for those with an eye for design and technological acumen to boot, taking a second look at virtual worlds might, in fact, be worth the effort.
A Primer on Second Life
In 2006, according to demographers from Linden Lab, the San Francisco-based creator of Second Life, more than $93 million worth of transactions took place in Second Life. Additionally, in the last 12 months 2,082 entrepreneurs selling anything from cars and fashion accessories to parcels of their own private island made $20,000 or more. And just last month, 1,615 resident-business owners earned $1,000 to $2,000 and another 1,058 earned between $2,000 and $5,000.
Getting a Second Life is free. However, a computer, Second Life software, and a high-speed Internet connection are generally necessary for optimal use. A premium membership in which users can buy land and receive a weekly stipend is also available for $9.95 a month. The currency, known as "Linden" dollars, may be purchased using a credit card and earned during the game. Lindens can then be converted into real dollars via online currency exchanges.
Virtual worlds including Second Life and "World of Warcraft," an online role-playing game, are receiving massive inflows of money. According to a recent report about technology trends in small businesses from Intuit, it's estimated that more than $200 million real-world dollars are funneled through virtual worlds each month.
And entrepreneurs like Elizabeth Foshion, are capitalizing on the trend. Four years ago, Foshion, or "Surreal Farber" as she's known in Second Life, and her business partner entered the virtual community as content creators. "We started making stuff for ourselves and people liked it," she says. From there, the two invested in their own island, which today might cost $1,675, plus a $295 monthly maintenance fee.
More at:http://secondlife.com/
Via-Uncommon Business Blog
"I have 500 different skins," says Arikinui Adria, a virtual fashion designer who is referring to various looks that can be worn by her "avatar," a character that she and anyone who registers for Second Life can create. "Just like real people change their lipstick to match their outfits, I change my hair style, my hair color and my skins to match mine."
Armed with a graphic-design tool and image-editing software, Adria creates fashions for herself and for sale in her virtual store, Nuclear Boutique, from which she earns between $1,500 and $3,500 each month. Granted, the real life 39-year-old Cocoa, Fla., resident who asked that her real name not be used, says, "I'm not making the millions Ralph Lauren is making." But the fact that a population of avatars admires her design skills is rewarding, she says.
In Second Life, "you can do anything you want, create anything you want and be whoever you want to be," says Daniel Terdiman, author of "The Entrepreneur's Guide to Second Life," which is due out in November. Since the fantasy word's inception in 2003 people have gotten married, taken classes, thrown parties, watched movies, gone shopping, built homes — and now, they're testing their entrepreneurial mettle. What makes Second Life so unusual compared to many other interactive 3D games (such as those played on Microsoft's Xbox) is that the virtual society uses a currency and thus an economy has begun to take shape.
Second Life poses a big opportunity for entrepreneurs, says Terdiman. "It is a virtual world in which personal expression is important," he says. Since there is no limit to what people can create, he estimates that "several hundred thousand consumers" will likely want to spend money on the latest designs for anything from vehicles that fly to enhanced body parts.
Entering the "metaverse" — a term used to describe immersive 3D virtual spaces such as Second Life — may not make much business sense for every would-be digital entrepreneur as it takes the same amount of hard work and stamina as owning a real-world business. But for those with an eye for design and technological acumen to boot, taking a second look at virtual worlds might, in fact, be worth the effort.
A Primer on Second Life
In 2006, according to demographers from Linden Lab, the San Francisco-based creator of Second Life, more than $93 million worth of transactions took place in Second Life. Additionally, in the last 12 months 2,082 entrepreneurs selling anything from cars and fashion accessories to parcels of their own private island made $20,000 or more. And just last month, 1,615 resident-business owners earned $1,000 to $2,000 and another 1,058 earned between $2,000 and $5,000.
Getting a Second Life is free. However, a computer, Second Life software, and a high-speed Internet connection are generally necessary for optimal use. A premium membership in which users can buy land and receive a weekly stipend is also available for $9.95 a month. The currency, known as "Linden" dollars, may be purchased using a credit card and earned during the game. Lindens can then be converted into real dollars via online currency exchanges.
Virtual worlds including Second Life and "World of Warcraft," an online role-playing game, are receiving massive inflows of money. According to a recent report about technology trends in small businesses from Intuit, it's estimated that more than $200 million real-world dollars are funneled through virtual worlds each month.
And entrepreneurs like Elizabeth Foshion, are capitalizing on the trend. Four years ago, Foshion, or "Surreal Farber" as she's known in Second Life, and her business partner entered the virtual community as content creators. "We started making stuff for ourselves and people liked it," she says. From there, the two invested in their own island, which today might cost $1,675, plus a $295 monthly maintenance fee.
More at:http://secondlife.com/
Via-Uncommon Business Blog
Yuwie.com Is First Site Which Pays You For Networking
What Company is Offering:
Yuwie.com is an online social networking service that allows members to set up personal profiles for the purpose of linking to friends and sharing information, videos, blogs, and pictures. Yuwie also pays members for based on the amount of activity they have, and based on the activity of their referrals. To enrich members' experience, we request and display some personal information to other members and visitors, which allows our users to identify each other and expand their network of friends. Yuwie members can change their profile information at any time and can control if and how other members and the service communicates with them, and views their information.
How It Works:
Every action a member takes, and the actions resulting there from are compensated. This means everything from updating your profile, posting a video, picture or a new blog post, and getting profile views earns members money. Yuwie decides on the 15th of every month how much it will dole out to its members. Total amount earned can be tracked in the ‘earnings’ section of each member’s profile. While users aren’t exactly hitting the mother-load, the very prospect of earning cash merely for networking has already attracted a fair number of users. Apart from the financial bit, Yuwie’s got a vivid member search method: you can actually search for users not only by the standard age, gender, and location routine, there’s also a specific search for body type (ranging from ‘a little fluffy,’ to ‘scales are my enemy’), and income, religion, smoker/drinker, and education. Capitalism and all its vices in a nutshell.
More at:http://www.yuwie.com/
Yuwie.com is an online social networking service that allows members to set up personal profiles for the purpose of linking to friends and sharing information, videos, blogs, and pictures. Yuwie also pays members for based on the amount of activity they have, and based on the activity of their referrals. To enrich members' experience, we request and display some personal information to other members and visitors, which allows our users to identify each other and expand their network of friends. Yuwie members can change their profile information at any time and can control if and how other members and the service communicates with them, and views their information.
How It Works:
Every action a member takes, and the actions resulting there from are compensated. This means everything from updating your profile, posting a video, picture or a new blog post, and getting profile views earns members money. Yuwie decides on the 15th of every month how much it will dole out to its members. Total amount earned can be tracked in the ‘earnings’ section of each member’s profile. While users aren’t exactly hitting the mother-load, the very prospect of earning cash merely for networking has already attracted a fair number of users. Apart from the financial bit, Yuwie’s got a vivid member search method: you can actually search for users not only by the standard age, gender, and location routine, there’s also a specific search for body type (ranging from ‘a little fluffy,’ to ‘scales are my enemy’), and income, religion, smoker/drinker, and education. Capitalism and all its vices in a nutshell.
More at:http://www.yuwie.com/
Freemindshare is a web service will make it possible for you to share your FreeMind map.
What Company is About:
Freemindshare is a web service will make it possible for you to share your FreeMind map. The service is presently in beta and can consequently meet a few functioning problems.
This service is supplied free of charge and without any obligation. Please note that your files will not be confidential, their access is not securised. However, no list available, and a unique and alphanumeric identifier is required in order to accede to a file. Good luck anybody wants to scan the whole list.
How It Works:
A mind map is a diagram that helps you organize and study a number of things, such as; concepts, thoughts, ideas, theories, business plans, comparisons, goals, and much more. Mind maps help you in decision making processes and problem solving, their form can change from sprawling from a center idea or left to right. Free Minds is a software application that helps you make mind maps. Free Minds is written in Java Script and it allows you to make mind maps. Now there is a service called FreeMindShare which is a place where you can upload your Free Mind map. If you want to share your Free Mind map with others this is a perfect site for you to visit. You simply go to Freemindshare.com and hit the “share” button you can upload your Free Mind map and share it with the world.
More at:http://freemindshare.com/
Freemindshare is a web service will make it possible for you to share your FreeMind map. The service is presently in beta and can consequently meet a few functioning problems.
This service is supplied free of charge and without any obligation. Please note that your files will not be confidential, their access is not securised. However, no list available, and a unique and alphanumeric identifier is required in order to accede to a file. Good luck anybody wants to scan the whole list.
How It Works:
A mind map is a diagram that helps you organize and study a number of things, such as; concepts, thoughts, ideas, theories, business plans, comparisons, goals, and much more. Mind maps help you in decision making processes and problem solving, their form can change from sprawling from a center idea or left to right. Free Minds is a software application that helps you make mind maps. Free Minds is written in Java Script and it allows you to make mind maps. Now there is a service called FreeMindShare which is a place where you can upload your Free Mind map. If you want to share your Free Mind map with others this is a perfect site for you to visit. You simply go to Freemindshare.com and hit the “share” button you can upload your Free Mind map and share it with the world.
More at:http://freemindshare.com/
TrafficWave.net develops and manages AutoResponder technology for small and medium sized businesses in over 60 different countries
What Company Is About:
TrafficWave.net LLC is a Limited Liability Company located in Spring, Texas. Founded in the year 2000 by Brian Rooney and Stephen Hambright, TrafficWave.net develops and manages AutoResponder technology for small and medium sized businesses in over 60 different countries. Clients access our web-based AutoResponder system 24/7 to manage and send newsletters, sales letters, special offers, and other important communication to their subscribers.
How It Works:
TrafficWave.net provides AutoResponder technologies.AutoResponders allow small and home based businesses to generate, manage, and profit from their own in-house lists. Using AutoResponders by TrafficWave.net, clients can get their message out quickly and cost-effectively. Clients can create sends messages in plain text or full html. AdTracking capabilities allow clients to track the responses to each individual letter, follow-up, announcement or article. In addition, Clients can use AdTracker to track virtually any online ad. You can sart with a 30 Day Free Trial.
More at:http://www.trafficwave.net/
OnToplist.com ranking: Visionwiz
TrafficWave.net LLC is a Limited Liability Company located in Spring, Texas. Founded in the year 2000 by Brian Rooney and Stephen Hambright, TrafficWave.net develops and manages AutoResponder technology for small and medium sized businesses in over 60 different countries. Clients access our web-based AutoResponder system 24/7 to manage and send newsletters, sales letters, special offers, and other important communication to their subscribers.
How It Works:
TrafficWave.net provides AutoResponder technologies.AutoResponders allow small and home based businesses to generate, manage, and profit from their own in-house lists. Using AutoResponders by TrafficWave.net, clients can get their message out quickly and cost-effectively. Clients can create sends messages in plain text or full html. AdTracking capabilities allow clients to track the responses to each individual letter, follow-up, announcement or article. In addition, Clients can use AdTracker to track virtually any online ad. You can sart with a 30 Day Free Trial.
More at:http://www.trafficwave.net/
OnToplist.com ranking: Visionwiz
Industry Printing is for delivering a professional product at a cost effect price
What Company is Offering;
Industry Printing is for delivering a professional product at a cost effect price. They offer a wide variety of products and services including 13oz, 15oz, mesh banners, posters, contour cut stickers, car magnetics, floor graphics, wall graphics, photo enlargements, art reproductions, window decals and more. All this you can do it in three very easy steps.We give 110% care and attention to every customer & job. We promise to make your experience with Industry Printing enjoyable and remember able. We take great pride in our work and treat our customers like family
How It works:
First of all you have to choose your product, then your options and finally upload your artwork. Prices are very accessible and the quality is very good, they print in a considerably high resolution.
More at:http://www.industryprinting.net/
Industry Printing is for delivering a professional product at a cost effect price. They offer a wide variety of products and services including 13oz, 15oz, mesh banners, posters, contour cut stickers, car magnetics, floor graphics, wall graphics, photo enlargements, art reproductions, window decals and more. All this you can do it in three very easy steps.We give 110% care and attention to every customer & job. We promise to make your experience with Industry Printing enjoyable and remember able. We take great pride in our work and treat our customers like family
How It works:
First of all you have to choose your product, then your options and finally upload your artwork. Prices are very accessible and the quality is very good, they print in a considerably high resolution.
More at:http://www.industryprinting.net/
AskPoodle is a new local search tool for the service you need, and businesses and vendors are then contacted on your behalf
What Company is About:
AskPoodle is a new local search tool that lets you submit a request for the service you need, and businesses and vendors are then contacted on your behalf. The business that responds to your query fastest will obviously be the one more likely to get you as a customer.
How It works:
This whole process, which looks eerily like FastCall411, is supposed to be a hands-off approach to finding local businesses. If you’re looking for immediate answers, however, there are often search results that AskPoodle can provide. These are rather limited and don’t offer much in the way of information other than an URL and the address. To this end, you may be better off going to Google.
Aside from these consumer requests on AskPoodle, there are also social postings that allow you to post a query on the message board, and see what other users can help you out with. This operates much like Yahoo Answers, and can be used for those questions that don’t require an immediate response. In all, the site is rather cumbersome to use, and may not provide much in the way of value unless businesses are alerted to its purpose and design, and also incentivized for their participation. In other local search news, Grayboxx has just launched in another 100 cities.
More at:http://www.askpoodle.com/
AskPoodle is a new local search tool that lets you submit a request for the service you need, and businesses and vendors are then contacted on your behalf. The business that responds to your query fastest will obviously be the one more likely to get you as a customer.
How It works:
This whole process, which looks eerily like FastCall411, is supposed to be a hands-off approach to finding local businesses. If you’re looking for immediate answers, however, there are often search results that AskPoodle can provide. These are rather limited and don’t offer much in the way of information other than an URL and the address. To this end, you may be better off going to Google.
Aside from these consumer requests on AskPoodle, there are also social postings that allow you to post a query on the message board, and see what other users can help you out with. This operates much like Yahoo Answers, and can be used for those questions that don’t require an immediate response. In all, the site is rather cumbersome to use, and may not provide much in the way of value unless businesses are alerted to its purpose and design, and also incentivized for their participation. In other local search news, Grayboxx has just launched in another 100 cities.
More at:http://www.askpoodle.com/
iFoods.tv, the network for user-generated cooking shows
What Company is About:
iFoods.tv, the network for user-generated cooking shows, has officially launched today.
How it Works:
The site features shows from its own editors, as well as those submitted by users, which is a set up similar to VideoJug. Everything here focuses around cooking shows, so it is a rather niche website. With the official launch, iFoods also has a new feature for a monthly competition called Brownie Points. This is to encourage site activity, as active users get top prizes.
How It Could Be Improved:
The concept of iFoods is a good one, even though it’s not new. However, a few additions to its niche site would be helpful, such as transcripts for recipes, along with printing options for the transcripts as well. Incorporating better search and filtering options would be useful, and perhaps segmenting recipes by level of expertise will aid a user’s search and interest in the site. See here for more online food resources.
More at:http://ifoods.tv/site/
iFoods.tv, the network for user-generated cooking shows, has officially launched today.
How it Works:
The site features shows from its own editors, as well as those submitted by users, which is a set up similar to VideoJug. Everything here focuses around cooking shows, so it is a rather niche website. With the official launch, iFoods also has a new feature for a monthly competition called Brownie Points. This is to encourage site activity, as active users get top prizes.
How It Could Be Improved:
The concept of iFoods is a good one, even though it’s not new. However, a few additions to its niche site would be helpful, such as transcripts for recipes, along with printing options for the transcripts as well. Incorporating better search and filtering options would be useful, and perhaps segmenting recipes by level of expertise will aid a user’s search and interest in the site. See here for more online food resources.
More at:http://ifoods.tv/site/
"Bank of America Launched A Site" for small business owners to be part of the Small Business Online Community
Bank Of America :
Bank of America has launched a social network. Sort of. It’s a site for small business owners to be part of the Small Business Online Community, where they can share stories with each other, find experts in various topics, and network with each other.
How It Works:
This online community is set up somewhat like LinkedIn, where business info such as location, website, annual revenue and other information is shared on the profiles. The purpose of this site is to allow Bank of America be that singular resource for small businesses. You don’t need to be a Bank of America user in order to join the site, so what you’ll get once you log on to this community is a network of business people that are sharing their stories with each other, as well as access to articles from industry experts.
This format of “mentorship” is pretty straight forward, and those that provide the most amount of quality content will be promoted throughout the site. And guess what else will be promoted here? Bank of America products. This form of online networking has been used time and time again for drug companies looking to create hubs of potential and existing patients, do a little market research, and get new ways to push products to consumers. Coca Cola and Reebok have also launched social networks under a similar guise.
More at:http://smallbusinessonlinecommunity.bankofamerica.com/
Bank of America has launched a social network. Sort of. It’s a site for small business owners to be part of the Small Business Online Community, where they can share stories with each other, find experts in various topics, and network with each other.
How It Works:
This online community is set up somewhat like LinkedIn, where business info such as location, website, annual revenue and other information is shared on the profiles. The purpose of this site is to allow Bank of America be that singular resource for small businesses. You don’t need to be a Bank of America user in order to join the site, so what you’ll get once you log on to this community is a network of business people that are sharing their stories with each other, as well as access to articles from industry experts.
This format of “mentorship” is pretty straight forward, and those that provide the most amount of quality content will be promoted throughout the site. And guess what else will be promoted here? Bank of America products. This form of online networking has been used time and time again for drug companies looking to create hubs of potential and existing patients, do a little market research, and get new ways to push products to consumers. Coca Cola and Reebok have also launched social networks under a similar guise.
More at:http://smallbusinessonlinecommunity.bankofamerica.com/
eSureIT online backup service has raised $5 million in venture capital
What Company is about:
eSureIT online backup service Business Plans help insure that your critical information is secure and always available.
How It works:
After you sign up for an eSureIT online backup service account, you will download and install the data backup software onto your computer or your server. After installation of the eSureIT software, you will choose a unique encryption key for security that will be used to encrypt all of your files. You will then set up your backup sets, which are the list of files that you want to backup and the times that you want to do backups. Setting up backup sets is easy, and you have complete control over your backups.
Online data backups start automatically
From then on, as long as your computer is online and functioning, data backups will start automatically according to the schedule that you have set. While backups are typically scheduled during the night when there are few people using your computers, backups have little or no impact on your computer's performance and your ability to access the Internet. With eSureIT, you also have the option of manually starting an online data backup at any time.
How Much They Got from VCs:
They raised $5 million in venture capital. The funding comes from OpenView Venture Partners.
More at:http://www.intronis.com/
eSureIT online backup service Business Plans help insure that your critical information is secure and always available.
How It works:
After you sign up for an eSureIT online backup service account, you will download and install the data backup software onto your computer or your server. After installation of the eSureIT software, you will choose a unique encryption key for security that will be used to encrypt all of your files. You will then set up your backup sets, which are the list of files that you want to backup and the times that you want to do backups. Setting up backup sets is easy, and you have complete control over your backups.
Online data backups start automatically
From then on, as long as your computer is online and functioning, data backups will start automatically according to the schedule that you have set. While backups are typically scheduled during the night when there are few people using your computers, backups have little or no impact on your computer's performance and your ability to access the Internet. With eSureIT, you also have the option of manually starting an online data backup at any time.
How Much They Got from VCs:
They raised $5 million in venture capital. The funding comes from OpenView Venture Partners.
More at:http://www.intronis.com/
Wednesday, October 10, 2007
The UpDown is place where virtual portfolios can earn you real money
What Company is Offering:
The UpDown a destination for investors to collaborate and compete using virtual portfolios and real-life brokerage simulations, its members also have a chance to make real money derived from their on-site analyses.
By aggregating the trading activity of its members, we compile a community-based investment strategy, which is then used to manage a real-life fund. We believe that the organic competitive analysis is the ultimate hedge to investment risk. Instead of just one fund manager, we have an entire community.
The revenues from this fund are shared with the top members of The UpDown on a weekly and monthly basis. It all comes down to the individual investors - the more qualitative their insight, the higher the fund dividends, and the more money they'll earn.
How It Works:
Register at TheUpDown.com and create and maintain a stock portfolio. You have virtual money in your portfolio you can virtually trade, so no worries about blowing your salary you can trade away carefree and have a possibility to earn money from TheUpDown.com. There are three ways to earn money. You can earn money by beating the market, if your portfolio is better then the S&P 500 index you will get paid every month, by PayPal. You can also make money based on the history of your portfolio, if you have a good track record of beating the S&P 500 index you get money. You also get money from submitting good stock analyses. Your analyses are voted on by other users and who ever has the best stock analysis of the week gets money. The last way you can get money at TheUpDown.com is by referring a user who then gets money; you get 10% whenever your referral gets money. TheUpDown.com is a social network, so just like any social network you have a profile which shows your trading success among other stock related history. You can add friends and join or great groups. TheUpDown.com holds contests for users and at the moment there is a contest for university students so don’t miss out. Have fund trading stocks and learning at TheUpDown.com.
More at:http://www.theupdown.com/
The UpDown a destination for investors to collaborate and compete using virtual portfolios and real-life brokerage simulations, its members also have a chance to make real money derived from their on-site analyses.
By aggregating the trading activity of its members, we compile a community-based investment strategy, which is then used to manage a real-life fund. We believe that the organic competitive analysis is the ultimate hedge to investment risk. Instead of just one fund manager, we have an entire community.
The revenues from this fund are shared with the top members of The UpDown on a weekly and monthly basis. It all comes down to the individual investors - the more qualitative their insight, the higher the fund dividends, and the more money they'll earn.
How It Works:
Register at TheUpDown.com and create and maintain a stock portfolio. You have virtual money in your portfolio you can virtually trade, so no worries about blowing your salary you can trade away carefree and have a possibility to earn money from TheUpDown.com. There are three ways to earn money. You can earn money by beating the market, if your portfolio is better then the S&P 500 index you will get paid every month, by PayPal. You can also make money based on the history of your portfolio, if you have a good track record of beating the S&P 500 index you get money. You also get money from submitting good stock analyses. Your analyses are voted on by other users and who ever has the best stock analysis of the week gets money. The last way you can get money at TheUpDown.com is by referring a user who then gets money; you get 10% whenever your referral gets money. TheUpDown.com is a social network, so just like any social network you have a profile which shows your trading success among other stock related history. You can add friends and join or great groups. TheUpDown.com holds contests for users and at the moment there is a contest for university students so don’t miss out. Have fund trading stocks and learning at TheUpDown.com.
More at:http://www.theupdown.com/
GlobeFunder's Purpose is higher returns for lenders and lower costs for borrowers through the GlobeFunder online marketplace
What Company is About:
GlobeFunder uses proprietary technology and consumer finance industry best practices to offer loan funding to borrowers looking for lower interest rates. The goal is higher returns for lenders and lower costs for borrowers through the GlobeFunder online marketplace. GlobeFunder is committed to being the leader in providing alternative loan funding where it is needed most, at market-driven interest rates, with the highest levels of service and integrity.
How It works:
GlobeFunder provides a simple, scalable platform that will marry the best attributes of online borrowing with new profitable loan opportunities for lenders in a global loan marketplace,” says President and Co-Founder Benjamin Decio.
GlobeFunder has partnered with companies like Experian, CSC, and eDominate to screen borrowers, service loans and process repayments online. This cuts out consumer finance companies and banks, ultimately lowering borrowing costs to benefit consumers.
More at:http://www.globefunder.com/
GlobeFunder uses proprietary technology and consumer finance industry best practices to offer loan funding to borrowers looking for lower interest rates. The goal is higher returns for lenders and lower costs for borrowers through the GlobeFunder online marketplace. GlobeFunder is committed to being the leader in providing alternative loan funding where it is needed most, at market-driven interest rates, with the highest levels of service and integrity.
How It works:
GlobeFunder provides a simple, scalable platform that will marry the best attributes of online borrowing with new profitable loan opportunities for lenders in a global loan marketplace,” says President and Co-Founder Benjamin Decio.
GlobeFunder has partnered with companies like Experian, CSC, and eDominate to screen borrowers, service loans and process repayments online. This cuts out consumer finance companies and banks, ultimately lowering borrowing costs to benefit consumers.
More at:http://www.globefunder.com/
ToneMine is a ringtone mixer
What Company is about:
ToneMine is a ringtone mixer that’s just been launched by mobile retailer LetsTalk.com. The ringtone mixer is slightly more extensive than most services out there, with a little bit of social networking mixed in as well.
How It Works:
The mixing composer on the site lets you work from a basic music package, which covers the basic genres from hip hop to salsa, jazz and rock. From there, you can add in music and effects from ToneMine’s library, the shared community sounds, and your own library. What’s useful about this editor is that you can “Save As” meaning you can create a ringtone, save it, tweak it and save it again without needing to start from scratch.
You can enjoy a good amount of ToneMine without creating a profile, but once your profile is created all of your favorite ringtones will be displayed on your profile, but not the ones you’ve made for yourself. Check out the community ringtones to see what’s new and what’s popular. Save good ringtones to your Favorites and add tags. The sharing options for each ringtone, which unfortunately cannot be done from the profile but only from the community section, lets you send the ringtone to your mobile phone, send it to a friend, or save it on various bookmarking sites like Digg and del.icio.us. Other ringtone services include RingBlender and Razz.
More at:http://www.tonemine.com/
ToneMine is a ringtone mixer that’s just been launched by mobile retailer LetsTalk.com. The ringtone mixer is slightly more extensive than most services out there, with a little bit of social networking mixed in as well.
How It Works:
The mixing composer on the site lets you work from a basic music package, which covers the basic genres from hip hop to salsa, jazz and rock. From there, you can add in music and effects from ToneMine’s library, the shared community sounds, and your own library. What’s useful about this editor is that you can “Save As” meaning you can create a ringtone, save it, tweak it and save it again without needing to start from scratch.
You can enjoy a good amount of ToneMine without creating a profile, but once your profile is created all of your favorite ringtones will be displayed on your profile, but not the ones you’ve made for yourself. Check out the community ringtones to see what’s new and what’s popular. Save good ringtones to your Favorites and add tags. The sharing options for each ringtone, which unfortunately cannot be done from the profile but only from the community section, lets you send the ringtone to your mobile phone, send it to a friend, or save it on various bookmarking sites like Digg and del.icio.us. Other ringtone services include RingBlender and Razz.
More at:http://www.tonemine.com/
BitTorrent DNA - which will leverage the company’s peer-to-peer technology to try and attract business
What Company is about:
BitTorrent is set to release their first enterprise product – BitTorrent DNA - which will leverage the company’s peer-to-peer technology to try and attract business customers. The company’s first client is Brightcove, who provides video content to many large publishers including Reuters, National Geographic, and TMZ. The move puts the company up against some major competitors in the Content Delivery Network (CDN) arena, including Akamai and Internap.
How It will work:
BitTorrent described the new BitTorrent DNA product in a statement as "the ideal solution for publishers seeking ways to overcome the obstacles associated with centralized content delivery, such as slow downloads, choppy video streams, and inefficient use of network infrastructure." The inaugural client for the new content delivery network (CDN) is online video start-up Brightcove, which powers a number of large companies' broadband media operations.
BitTorrent DNA will be used to "accelerate" the delivery of the video hosted on Brightcove's platform.
With the rise of online video and large-scale media downloads, content delivery has become a crowded niche in the market.
It looks like BitTorrent is following a similar path to Skype, whose founders first created the Kazaa p2p file sharing platform and then used similar technology to enable VoIP. BitTorrent has also created a legal digital download store that utilizes their technology, so the company is clearly starting to ramp up their commercial ambitions. Late last year, the company raised $20 million in venture capital to try and turn their massive user base (150 million downloads) into a profitable business.
More at:http://www.bittorrent.com/
BitTorrent is set to release their first enterprise product – BitTorrent DNA - which will leverage the company’s peer-to-peer technology to try and attract business customers. The company’s first client is Brightcove, who provides video content to many large publishers including Reuters, National Geographic, and TMZ. The move puts the company up against some major competitors in the Content Delivery Network (CDN) arena, including Akamai and Internap.
How It will work:
BitTorrent described the new BitTorrent DNA product in a statement as "the ideal solution for publishers seeking ways to overcome the obstacles associated with centralized content delivery, such as slow downloads, choppy video streams, and inefficient use of network infrastructure." The inaugural client for the new content delivery network (CDN) is online video start-up Brightcove, which powers a number of large companies' broadband media operations.
BitTorrent DNA will be used to "accelerate" the delivery of the video hosted on Brightcove's platform.
With the rise of online video and large-scale media downloads, content delivery has become a crowded niche in the market.
It looks like BitTorrent is following a similar path to Skype, whose founders first created the Kazaa p2p file sharing platform and then used similar technology to enable VoIP. BitTorrent has also created a legal digital download store that utilizes their technology, so the company is clearly starting to ramp up their commercial ambitions. Late last year, the company raised $20 million in venture capital to try and turn their massive user base (150 million downloads) into a profitable business.
More at:http://www.bittorrent.com/
Yoink’d is a new media search and viewing tool
What Company is About:
Yoink’d is a new media search and viewing tool that gives you a lot of functionality in a tiny package. There are a few things you can do with Yoink’d. You can use it as a media player, use it to find new videos on your own or through the Yoink’d community, and you can share it with the world using the Yoink’d widget.
How It Works:
Go to the Yonk’d homepage and you’ll see the mediabox player, front and center. Play around with it if you’d like, and create an account if you’d like to fully interact with it and save your changes. You can perform a web search for video directly from the mediabox, view them, and choose which clips you’d like to add to your playlist. Create a new playlist or use one of the defaults that Yonk’d has provided for you. You can also see what you’re Yoink’d friends are up to and grab their lists as well.
This mediabox can act as a stand alone player, so you can have it on and active as you surf the net. There are no downloads required, which is good if you use community computers, or just don’t feel the need to add another desktop application. Clips and playlists can be embed from the player, as it provides the embed code for mini players to be placed on your website or social networking profile. That means that if you’re doing a blog post and don’t feel like trecking to YouTube in order to find that video of OK Go on the treadmills, you can do a search with your Yoink’d mediabox player and get the embed code from there. This works for individual videos as well as entire playlists.
More at:http://www.yoinkd.com/
Yoink’d is a new media search and viewing tool that gives you a lot of functionality in a tiny package. There are a few things you can do with Yoink’d. You can use it as a media player, use it to find new videos on your own or through the Yoink’d community, and you can share it with the world using the Yoink’d widget.
How It Works:
Go to the Yonk’d homepage and you’ll see the mediabox player, front and center. Play around with it if you’d like, and create an account if you’d like to fully interact with it and save your changes. You can perform a web search for video directly from the mediabox, view them, and choose which clips you’d like to add to your playlist. Create a new playlist or use one of the defaults that Yonk’d has provided for you. You can also see what you’re Yoink’d friends are up to and grab their lists as well.
This mediabox can act as a stand alone player, so you can have it on and active as you surf the net. There are no downloads required, which is good if you use community computers, or just don’t feel the need to add another desktop application. Clips and playlists can be embed from the player, as it provides the embed code for mini players to be placed on your website or social networking profile. That means that if you’re doing a blog post and don’t feel like trecking to YouTube in order to find that video of OK Go on the treadmills, you can do a search with your Yoink’d mediabox player and get the embed code from there. This works for individual videos as well as entire playlists.
More at:http://www.yoinkd.com/
Companies using Voodoovox will be able to directly reach their consumers in a precise and timely manner
What Company is Is Offering:
Telephony will be free, and VoodooVox’s In-Call Media™ will make it happen. VoodooVox’s patent-pending In-Call Media™ process involves the targeted insertion of ad-supported audio content directly into the call stream of any type of phone traffic, providing new revenue sources for the call “publisher,” and additional features and services for the caller.
How It Works:
Their In-Call network, they claim, will be the next ‘breakthrough advertising channel’. Companies using Voodoovox will be able to directly reach their consumers in a precise and timely manner. So what exactly is their innovative and pioneering proposition? Audio ads. For example, Voodoovox can insert audio spots directly into a company’s callstream; instead of hearing vapid hold music and cyclic apologetic messages, callers will hear targeted, engaging ads. They’ve got three main products: RadioVoodoo, myVox for social networking, and On-hold network their inspired solution for ameliorating the on-hold situation.
More at:http://www.voodoovox.com/
Telephony will be free, and VoodooVox’s In-Call Media™ will make it happen. VoodooVox’s patent-pending In-Call Media™ process involves the targeted insertion of ad-supported audio content directly into the call stream of any type of phone traffic, providing new revenue sources for the call “publisher,” and additional features and services for the caller.
How It Works:
Their In-Call network, they claim, will be the next ‘breakthrough advertising channel’. Companies using Voodoovox will be able to directly reach their consumers in a precise and timely manner. So what exactly is their innovative and pioneering proposition? Audio ads. For example, Voodoovox can insert audio spots directly into a company’s callstream; instead of hearing vapid hold music and cyclic apologetic messages, callers will hear targeted, engaging ads. They’ve got three main products: RadioVoodoo, myVox for social networking, and On-hold network their inspired solution for ameliorating the on-hold situation.
More at:http://www.voodoovox.com/
"ServiceSeeking" mediates the selling and buying of any type of service
What Company Is About:
ServiceSeeking is an online service market based in Australia. The site mediates the selling and buying of any type of service whether it be contractual construction work or one time projects.
How It Works:
Finding the right professionals, contractors or freelancers to do your work can be exhausting, particularly if you’re not sure what you are really asking for or how much to pay. Welcome Service Seeking, the online market where people bid to do your work. You describe what you need and service providers bid for the job in an open market!
Then, you compare all the bids and choose the best value provider based on their bid price and their Service Score (our feedback system). You can communicate with a provider during the project via our private messaging facility and pay for the work securely whenever you like.
More at:http://www.serviceseeking.com.au/
ServiceSeeking is an online service market based in Australia. The site mediates the selling and buying of any type of service whether it be contractual construction work or one time projects.
How It Works:
Finding the right professionals, contractors or freelancers to do your work can be exhausting, particularly if you’re not sure what you are really asking for or how much to pay. Welcome Service Seeking, the online market where people bid to do your work. You describe what you need and service providers bid for the job in an open market!
Then, you compare all the bids and choose the best value provider based on their bid price and their Service Score (our feedback system). You can communicate with a provider during the project via our private messaging facility and pay for the work securely whenever you like.
More at:http://www.serviceseeking.com.au/
Freenormous shows the best free offers
What Company Is About:
Freenormous shows the best free offers, free samples, contests and freebies from around the web. Submit free offers for the community to review and promote to the main page based on votes. When a user submits a new offer, the article is placed in the "upcoming" area until it gains sufficient votes to be promoted to the main page.
How It Works:
Once you go to the homepage you have a list of the recently posted free offers. There are contests, free shoe give aways, free popcorn and shampoo samples, basically anything you can imagine. Click on the free product of your choosing and you will see what user posted it and when, the url of the site that is offering the free sample, comments, related links, and who voted. You can decide to discuss the free sample, or send it to a friend or if it is a fake offer you can bury it. You can search for free sample by category or tag or use the search engine. You must register to submit a free offer or sample. You can take a look at the top users and see their karma, which is a score that is created by how active and useful they are on the site. Take a look at Freenormous.com and see what cool free stuff you can find.
More at:http://www.freenormous.com/
Freenormous shows the best free offers, free samples, contests and freebies from around the web. Submit free offers for the community to review and promote to the main page based on votes. When a user submits a new offer, the article is placed in the "upcoming" area until it gains sufficient votes to be promoted to the main page.
How It Works:
Once you go to the homepage you have a list of the recently posted free offers. There are contests, free shoe give aways, free popcorn and shampoo samples, basically anything you can imagine. Click on the free product of your choosing and you will see what user posted it and when, the url of the site that is offering the free sample, comments, related links, and who voted. You can decide to discuss the free sample, or send it to a friend or if it is a fake offer you can bury it. You can search for free sample by category or tag or use the search engine. You must register to submit a free offer or sample. You can take a look at the top users and see their karma, which is a score that is created by how active and useful they are on the site. Take a look at Freenormous.com and see what cool free stuff you can find.
More at:http://www.freenormous.com/
Tuesday, October 9, 2007
SupportSpace is a new technical support service for individual users and small businesses that need online support
What Company Is About:
SupportSpace is a new technical support service for individual users and small businesses that need online support with a centralized platform, connecting them to a live technician. The service is not yet live, but will be available towards the middle of this week.
How It Works:
The SupportSpace tech team consists of independent tech experts that are all specialized in various areas like PCs, peripherals, networking, security, and more. As a user, you can select which area of expertise you need, and also choose experts based on availablility, pricing, specialty and user ratings/reviews. While all the experts are certified by SupportSpace, it’s clear that this is a marketplace for technicians that will be vying for your attention and competing with each other, to some degree. From the looks of it, you’ll be able to connect with technicians via phone and chat, and work from remote access for technicians to repair your computer.
There’s also a partner program for technology vendors and retailers that would like to offer users with their tech-support alternatives.
More at:http://www.supportspace.com/
SupportSpace is a new technical support service for individual users and small businesses that need online support with a centralized platform, connecting them to a live technician. The service is not yet live, but will be available towards the middle of this week.
How It Works:
The SupportSpace tech team consists of independent tech experts that are all specialized in various areas like PCs, peripherals, networking, security, and more. As a user, you can select which area of expertise you need, and also choose experts based on availablility, pricing, specialty and user ratings/reviews. While all the experts are certified by SupportSpace, it’s clear that this is a marketplace for technicians that will be vying for your attention and competing with each other, to some degree. From the looks of it, you’ll be able to connect with technicians via phone and chat, and work from remote access for technicians to repair your computer.
There’s also a partner program for technology vendors and retailers that would like to offer users with their tech-support alternatives.
More at:http://www.supportspace.com/
Chinese social networking site Wangyou Media (www.wangyou.com) has raised a US$6.12 Series B round of funding
Chinese social networking site Wangyou Media (www.wangyou.com) has raised a US$6.12 Series B round of funding, reports ChinaVenture.com.cn. Previous Wangyou investor Charles River Ventures participated in the round, as well as new investors Transcosmos Investments & Business Development, ADS Global Partners (Tokyo) and Oxsino Venture Ltd, said the report. Charles River Ventures invested in Wangyou in March 2006.
More at:www.wangyou.com
More at:www.wangyou.com
Is Wal-Mart Era Ending?
The ever-expanding chain of drab big-box stores emerged from its dusty down-home beginnings in Arkansas in the 1970s, teaching Americans to demand ever-lower prices and instructing companies to shave their margins to the bone.
But today, the Journal reports, Wal-Mart's influence is slipping as the Internet and smaller, hipper rivals take ever bigger bites out of its market share.
A big part of the giant retailer's problem, as the Journal sees it, is that it has become politically incorrect -- paying rock-bottom wages and offering its workers the slimmest of benefits while offering down-market products at prices that no longer seem very attractive.
As in every market sector, the Internet has played a major role in eroding Wal-Mart's dominance. Consumers can now find a wider selection of products at competitive prices online, and they can do so without driving miles out of their way and fighting the crowds and check-out lines at Wal-Mart.
Customer service
The lack of satisfactory customer service is the theme that runs through most complaints filed with ConsumerAffairs.Com by Wal-Mart customers.
When Amber of Lewisburg, Ky., and her husband went to Wal-Mart to buy a futon for their daughter, they found the item they wanted, marked at $99.96 but the box was so heavy they could hardly lift it.
"When we asked one of the store employees for assitance in lifting the extremely heavy box, we were greeted with blank faces," she said. "I was told to go to the lay-a-way deptartment and ask someone there."
It took 45 minutes for someone to help them move the box to the check-out counter, but then: "We got it to the counter and (SURPRISE) the item was priced incorrectly. The actual price was $199.96! When I complained, the cashier became very aggravated and said she wasn't going to sell me the futon for $99.96 just because I told her that was the price!"
"I even went back to the housewares dept., got the tag, and brought it back to her. Her response was 'Sorry, I don't price things. I have to charge you what it rings up as,'" Amber complained.
Amber, who said she is a long-time Wal-Mart customer, saw the incident as typical of the change in Wal-Mart's "customer first" policy.
"If I remember correctly, Wal-Mart used to have a rule where if a customer was charged more than $3.00 than the marked price of an item, they got the item for the lower price. Apparently, Wal-Mart tends to forget their own policies and only enforces the ones which make them money!" she said.
Forgetting its roots?
While Wal-Mart's attempts to penetrate urban areas have had medicore results, many of its traditional customers say it has also forgotten its roots. The company's plan to eliminate layaway purchases is often cited as an example.
"I am throughly disgusted at their lack of care and concern for the people that made them rich. It is the ultimate betrayal!" said LaDonna of Garland, Texas.
"Wal-Mart is a terrible place, and I spend thousands -- like about 8 of them -- a year there, but no longer! All of my Christmas will be done online this year!" she vowed.
Hit the wall
Wal-Mart's supercenter recipe no longer produces the growth it needs to sustain itself and its attempts to attract and retain more affluent consumers have fallen flat, Love Goel, chairman of a private equityu firm that invests in retail businesses, told the Journal.
"They have hit the wall," Goel said.
Via-Consumeraffairs
But today, the Journal reports, Wal-Mart's influence is slipping as the Internet and smaller, hipper rivals take ever bigger bites out of its market share.
A big part of the giant retailer's problem, as the Journal sees it, is that it has become politically incorrect -- paying rock-bottom wages and offering its workers the slimmest of benefits while offering down-market products at prices that no longer seem very attractive.
As in every market sector, the Internet has played a major role in eroding Wal-Mart's dominance. Consumers can now find a wider selection of products at competitive prices online, and they can do so without driving miles out of their way and fighting the crowds and check-out lines at Wal-Mart.
Customer service
The lack of satisfactory customer service is the theme that runs through most complaints filed with ConsumerAffairs.Com by Wal-Mart customers.
When Amber of Lewisburg, Ky., and her husband went to Wal-Mart to buy a futon for their daughter, they found the item they wanted, marked at $99.96 but the box was so heavy they could hardly lift it.
"When we asked one of the store employees for assitance in lifting the extremely heavy box, we were greeted with blank faces," she said. "I was told to go to the lay-a-way deptartment and ask someone there."
It took 45 minutes for someone to help them move the box to the check-out counter, but then: "We got it to the counter and (SURPRISE) the item was priced incorrectly. The actual price was $199.96! When I complained, the cashier became very aggravated and said she wasn't going to sell me the futon for $99.96 just because I told her that was the price!"
"I even went back to the housewares dept., got the tag, and brought it back to her. Her response was 'Sorry, I don't price things. I have to charge you what it rings up as,'" Amber complained.
Amber, who said she is a long-time Wal-Mart customer, saw the incident as typical of the change in Wal-Mart's "customer first" policy.
"If I remember correctly, Wal-Mart used to have a rule where if a customer was charged more than $3.00 than the marked price of an item, they got the item for the lower price. Apparently, Wal-Mart tends to forget their own policies and only enforces the ones which make them money!" she said.
Forgetting its roots?
While Wal-Mart's attempts to penetrate urban areas have had medicore results, many of its traditional customers say it has also forgotten its roots. The company's plan to eliminate layaway purchases is often cited as an example.
"I am throughly disgusted at their lack of care and concern for the people that made them rich. It is the ultimate betrayal!" said LaDonna of Garland, Texas.
"Wal-Mart is a terrible place, and I spend thousands -- like about 8 of them -- a year there, but no longer! All of my Christmas will be done online this year!" she vowed.
Hit the wall
Wal-Mart's supercenter recipe no longer produces the growth it needs to sustain itself and its attempts to attract and retain more affluent consumers have fallen flat, Love Goel, chairman of a private equityu firm that invests in retail businesses, told the Journal.
"They have hit the wall," Goel said.
Via-Consumeraffairs
Google SMS Now In India For Local Information On Your Mobile
Mobile users in the country can now easily get local information on their handsets as leading search engine Google introduced a service on 9 October to facilitate access to such content.
The new offering Google SMS, has been launched in beta version across four cities Delhi, Mumbai, Bangalore and Hyderabad. Google has tied-up with five operators Reliance, Bharti Airtel, BSNL, BPL and Aircel for offering the service, Google India head of products Vinay Goel said.
The local information would include movie timings, restaurants, local hospitals and taxi services among others. The subscribers do not need an internet-enabled phone for accessing the service.
The users would be charged between 80 paise and Rs3 per SMS depending on the operator, he said, declining to give details of the revenue sharing arrangement between Google and telecom companies. “We are betting big on the huge mobile subscriber base in India. After receiving the feedback from the four cities, we will launch the service across the country,” Goel said.
Google SMS is already present in other countries but India is the first Asian country where the service has been launched. “We are expecting a good response for this service,” he added but declined to tell how many users is the Google expecting from this service.
Via-PTI
The new offering Google SMS, has been launched in beta version across four cities Delhi, Mumbai, Bangalore and Hyderabad. Google has tied-up with five operators Reliance, Bharti Airtel, BSNL, BPL and Aircel for offering the service, Google India head of products Vinay Goel said.
The local information would include movie timings, restaurants, local hospitals and taxi services among others. The subscribers do not need an internet-enabled phone for accessing the service.
The users would be charged between 80 paise and Rs3 per SMS depending on the operator, he said, declining to give details of the revenue sharing arrangement between Google and telecom companies. “We are betting big on the huge mobile subscriber base in India. After receiving the feedback from the four cities, we will launch the service across the country,” Goel said.
Google SMS is already present in other countries but India is the first Asian country where the service has been launched. “We are expecting a good response for this service,” he added but declined to tell how many users is the Google expecting from this service.
Via-PTI
MillionBlogs.org is a brand new concept that allows users to create their own fully functional website based on the word/phrase purchased
What Company is About:
MillionBlogs.org is a brand new concept that allows users to create their own fully functional website based on the word/phrase purchased. It is an experiment aiming to become one of the biggest informational platforms on the Internet. The experiment is running on WordPress which is the best and the most popular publishing platform offering a friendly, easy to use solution for your website, weblog, blog or whatever you want to call it. Every website (blog) is dedicated to a unique word or phrase. The content on each blog is managed by the blog’s owner. Owners use their blog, to generate traffic, revenue and also to provide useful informations for the end users. As an owner you are allowed to sell advertising on your website and also to resell your blog for profit.
How It Works:
You can choose any available word or any combination of words providing that your phrase is not meaningless and does not include any irrelevant, offensive and pornographic content. Once you applied for a word we will review your aplication and will set up your own blog usually within 24 hours. If your aplication has been declined we will refund your aplication fees. Your url will look like MillionBlogs.org/example or MillionBlogs.org/your_website if you choose more than one word.
More at:http://www.millionblogs.org/
Via-Killerstartups
MillionBlogs.org is a brand new concept that allows users to create their own fully functional website based on the word/phrase purchased. It is an experiment aiming to become one of the biggest informational platforms on the Internet. The experiment is running on WordPress which is the best and the most popular publishing platform offering a friendly, easy to use solution for your website, weblog, blog or whatever you want to call it. Every website (blog) is dedicated to a unique word or phrase. The content on each blog is managed by the blog’s owner. Owners use their blog, to generate traffic, revenue and also to provide useful informations for the end users. As an owner you are allowed to sell advertising on your website and also to resell your blog for profit.
How It Works:
You can choose any available word or any combination of words providing that your phrase is not meaningless and does not include any irrelevant, offensive and pornographic content. Once you applied for a word we will review your aplication and will set up your own blog usually within 24 hours. If your aplication has been declined we will refund your aplication fees. Your url will look like MillionBlogs.org/example or MillionBlogs.org/your_website if you choose more than one word.
More at:http://www.millionblogs.org/
Via-Killerstartups
Text Link Center For "If you are interested in profiting from your website"
What Company is About:
Text Link Center is completely free, you'll receive twice the number of links and reap the benefits of exponentially greater traffic. If you are interested in profiting from your website, there is no better text link system on Earth.
How It Works:
By copying the paid link detection algorithm of Google and the other search engines, you can now input any URL and they will display the paid links on that page. There is great debate as to whether the search engines can actually detect a paid link...well, no longer. They prove that it can be done with their tool. Other sites either give away the URL, point hundreds or even thousands of detectable links at a site immediately, or have one or more factors in place that flag their links immediately.
More at:http://www.textlinkcenter.com/
Text Link Center is completely free, you'll receive twice the number of links and reap the benefits of exponentially greater traffic. If you are interested in profiting from your website, there is no better text link system on Earth.
How It Works:
By copying the paid link detection algorithm of Google and the other search engines, you can now input any URL and they will display the paid links on that page. There is great debate as to whether the search engines can actually detect a paid link...well, no longer. They prove that it can be done with their tool. Other sites either give away the URL, point hundreds or even thousands of detectable links at a site immediately, or have one or more factors in place that flag their links immediately.
More at:http://www.textlinkcenter.com/
MyBuys builds deep behavioral profiles on each and every consumer
What Company Is About:
MyBuys builds deep behavioral profiles on each and every consumer. These profiles allow MyBuys to deliver the highest converting recommendations - resulting in revenues 300% greater per interaction than traditional approaches.
By reaching consumers on a retailer’s web site, through email, and in RSS feeds, clients realize more repeat visits, increased conversion rates and larger order sizes.
MyBuys delivers these benefits with no upfront costs and a pay for performance model!
How Much They Got From VCs:
MyBuys has raised $10 million in Series B funding. The company provides software to ecommerce stores that allows them to serve up ads and products based on your behavior – for example, tracking what you search for and showing related items during a future visit. The funding comes from Palomar Ventures and Lightspeed Venture Partners.
Behavioral advertising is becoming another hot area in the online marketing space, with Tacoda recently selling to AOL for an estimated $200-300 million.
More at:http://www.mybuys.com/
MyBuys builds deep behavioral profiles on each and every consumer. These profiles allow MyBuys to deliver the highest converting recommendations - resulting in revenues 300% greater per interaction than traditional approaches.
By reaching consumers on a retailer’s web site, through email, and in RSS feeds, clients realize more repeat visits, increased conversion rates and larger order sizes.
MyBuys delivers these benefits with no upfront costs and a pay for performance model!
How Much They Got From VCs:
MyBuys has raised $10 million in Series B funding. The company provides software to ecommerce stores that allows them to serve up ads and products based on your behavior – for example, tracking what you search for and showing related items during a future visit. The funding comes from Palomar Ventures and Lightspeed Venture Partners.
Behavioral advertising is becoming another hot area in the online marketing space, with Tacoda recently selling to AOL for an estimated $200-300 million.
More at:http://www.mybuys.com/
"Fashion Mash" where you can upload photos of items in your closet, and mix and match objects to create outfits online
What Company is About:
Fashion Mash is a new social network for fashion folks, where you can upload photos of items in your closet, and mix and match objects to create outfits online. When you first sign up for the site, you can choose to import your own Meez avatar, create a new one, or choose a default avatar. From there, you can begin to upload your items.
How It Works:
The image editor lets you trace items by color or manually, which can be rather time consuming. The trace-by-color option doesn’t seem to work very well. Once you have a few items in your closet, you can begin to create your outfits. Each outfit gets its own profile, as do individual items. Others can leave comments for these outfits and items, and add their own tags. The embed code is provided for each outfit as well.
While you can’t add friends, you can subscribe to users. You’ll see what items they have, and be able to use their items for the creation of your own outfits. This is achieved by filters on the editor, which lets you access all the items of your subscribed users, and favorite items. The limited way in which items can be shared for this network makes it a bit more difficult to track items.
Adding a Q&A section and better search tools could help bring in more functionality and offer more purpose to the site’s social components. Similar networks include OurThreads, GirlSense and StyleMob.
More at:http://fashionmash.com/
Via-Mash
Fashion Mash is a new social network for fashion folks, where you can upload photos of items in your closet, and mix and match objects to create outfits online. When you first sign up for the site, you can choose to import your own Meez avatar, create a new one, or choose a default avatar. From there, you can begin to upload your items.
How It Works:
The image editor lets you trace items by color or manually, which can be rather time consuming. The trace-by-color option doesn’t seem to work very well. Once you have a few items in your closet, you can begin to create your outfits. Each outfit gets its own profile, as do individual items. Others can leave comments for these outfits and items, and add their own tags. The embed code is provided for each outfit as well.
While you can’t add friends, you can subscribe to users. You’ll see what items they have, and be able to use their items for the creation of your own outfits. This is achieved by filters on the editor, which lets you access all the items of your subscribed users, and favorite items. The limited way in which items can be shared for this network makes it a bit more difficult to track items.
Adding a Q&A section and better search tools could help bring in more functionality and offer more purpose to the site’s social components. Similar networks include OurThreads, GirlSense and StyleMob.
More at:http://fashionmash.com/
Via-Mash
ReachLocal, a company that provides online advertising services for small businesses
What Company is About:
ReachLocal, a company that provides online advertising services for small businesses.
How Much They Got From VCs:
They just gotten a massive $55.2 million in a round of funding. The round was led by Rho Ventures, with Galleon Crossover Fund also participating, and VantagePoint Venture Partners as return investors. This recent round of funding comes after the $12.7 million the local ad company has raised since its inception in 2004. This gives ReachLocal an estimated valuation at $305 million, which is $55 million more than its previous valuation.
According to LocalOnliner, this comes on top of the $12.7 million it has raised since its founding in 2004. The new funds give ReachLocal an estimated valuation of $305 million, at a pre-money valuation of $250 million, the post says, though we haven’t been able to confirm that. It sells for sites such as Yahoo (NSDQ: YHOO), Google (NSDQ: GOOG), MSN, AOL (NYSE: TWX) and Superpages.com.
More at:http://www.reachlocal.com/register/login.php
ReachLocal, a company that provides online advertising services for small businesses.
How Much They Got From VCs:
They just gotten a massive $55.2 million in a round of funding. The round was led by Rho Ventures, with Galleon Crossover Fund also participating, and VantagePoint Venture Partners as return investors. This recent round of funding comes after the $12.7 million the local ad company has raised since its inception in 2004. This gives ReachLocal an estimated valuation at $305 million, which is $55 million more than its previous valuation.
According to LocalOnliner, this comes on top of the $12.7 million it has raised since its founding in 2004. The new funds give ReachLocal an estimated valuation of $305 million, at a pre-money valuation of $250 million, the post says, though we haven’t been able to confirm that. It sells for sites such as Yahoo (NSDQ: YHOO), Google (NSDQ: GOOG), MSN, AOL (NYSE: TWX) and Superpages.com.
More at:http://www.reachlocal.com/register/login.php
Monday, October 8, 2007
"Ring-To-Number"lets you offer tool free ways for people to call you, without you giving out your real phone number
What Company is Offering:
CallDigits has just launched a new service called Ring-To-Number, which is a tool that lets you offer tool free ways for people to call you, without you giving out your real phone number.
What Its Purpose:
This product is being promoted as a way to protect your identity from people online, but this can be used for off line purposes as well. The biggest difference between Ring-To-Number and similar call-me tools like Jajah and Jaxtr is that this isn’t a web-based service that requires callers to use VoIP in order to contact you.
How It Works:
There are two different types of accounts you can get with Ring-To-Number: the free account provides you with a non-local number that people can call, along with the necessary shortcode to get in touch with you directly. The paid account gives you a local number with no required shortcode. This will cost you about $5.00 per month. These calls can be directed to a landline, a mobile phone, or a VoIP service of your choice. There are also widgets that display your Ring-To-Number assigned number that will also let site visitors see if you’re available to take call.
More at:http://www.ringtonumber.com/
Via-Mash
CallDigits has just launched a new service called Ring-To-Number, which is a tool that lets you offer tool free ways for people to call you, without you giving out your real phone number.
What Its Purpose:
This product is being promoted as a way to protect your identity from people online, but this can be used for off line purposes as well. The biggest difference between Ring-To-Number and similar call-me tools like Jajah and Jaxtr is that this isn’t a web-based service that requires callers to use VoIP in order to contact you.
How It Works:
There are two different types of accounts you can get with Ring-To-Number: the free account provides you with a non-local number that people can call, along with the necessary shortcode to get in touch with you directly. The paid account gives you a local number with no required shortcode. This will cost you about $5.00 per month. These calls can be directed to a landline, a mobile phone, or a VoIP service of your choice. There are also widgets that display your Ring-To-Number assigned number that will also let site visitors see if you’re available to take call.
More at:http://www.ringtonumber.com/
Via-Mash
Price comparison engine "Tjoos"
When you take a closer look at price comparison sites you will soon notice that most sites only compare stores that have affiliate programs. These stores pay a commision to referring sites. In essence you get to choose from several store advertisements, we call this 'Ad comparison shopping'. At Tjoos we believe the user should be provided with the largest possible range of store options. For contact lenses we already list over 50 stores, where others only list a handful.
Tjoos is to be pronounced as choose, as in, were are helping the consumer make a wiser and more educated choice. Currently the only thing that you can compare on Tjoos.com right now is the contact lenses, the same expirement that the project started with.
More at:http://www.tjoos.com/
Tjoos is to be pronounced as choose, as in, were are helping the consumer make a wiser and more educated choice. Currently the only thing that you can compare on Tjoos.com right now is the contact lenses, the same expirement that the project started with.
More at:http://www.tjoos.com/
Is Google's Rival Coming?
It's the nightmare of any Silicon Valley CEO: The thought that a smart kid in a messy garage in Silicon Valley is right now developing technology that will make his company's products obsolete.
So should Google founders Larry Page and Sergey Brin be losing sleep about a tiny German company called Proximic?
While the notion may at first seem ridiculous, given Google's strengths and cash hoard, computer scientists at some of Silicon Valley's biggest Internet companies have been struck by the firm's promising new search technology.
Although in this case, contrary to stereotype, the extremely powerful software code was actually developed by a 54-year-old German mathematician working in a spick-and-span office near the University of Munich.
Thomas Nitsche's program matches Web pages with relevant advertising. That's what Google's AdSense network also does. But Nitsche and his 33-year-old partner, Philipp Pieper, chief executive of Proximic, believe they do it better. People who have played with their program say that seems to be true.
While Google looks at the words on a Web page, Proximic looks for patterns of characters. That means Proximic's approach is completely language-independent, so it works as well with German and Chinese as it does with English.
In theory, this makes Proximic ideal for the random spew of user-generated content posted daily on blogs and social-networking sites around the Web, material that often gets the the better of Google's algorithms.
"If they can do this, it could be a breakthrough," said Sue Feldman, an analyst with IDC.
A veteran of an Internet giant who recently took a close look at Proximic's technology and who asked to remain anonymous said it has the potential of being a game changer, but that Nitsche and Pieper face the challenge of proving that a dramatically different approach is better than existing methods.
Currently, Proximic is showing off its technology via a Firefox plug-in available at www.proximic.com. The plug-in produces a sidebar that matches the content of a Web page with additional articles on the Internet or other information, such as an ad.
It is currently being used by the Independent, a daily newspaper published in the United Kingdom, and the Nature Publishing Group, which is owned by one of Proximic's venture backers.
Proximic raised $4.5 million in its first round of founding from Wellington Partners, a European venture capital firm, and Holtzbrinck, which owns Nature through Macmillan.
Ian Mulvany, a product manager for Connotea.org., Nature's social-bookmarking service, said he has tested Proximic and Google AdSense and that Proximic had so far come out ahead. "The matching seems to be of a very high quality," he said.
So should Google founders Larry Page and Sergey Brin be losing sleep about a tiny German company called Proximic?
While the notion may at first seem ridiculous, given Google's strengths and cash hoard, computer scientists at some of Silicon Valley's biggest Internet companies have been struck by the firm's promising new search technology.
Although in this case, contrary to stereotype, the extremely powerful software code was actually developed by a 54-year-old German mathematician working in a spick-and-span office near the University of Munich.
Thomas Nitsche's program matches Web pages with relevant advertising. That's what Google's AdSense network also does. But Nitsche and his 33-year-old partner, Philipp Pieper, chief executive of Proximic, believe they do it better. People who have played with their program say that seems to be true.
While Google looks at the words on a Web page, Proximic looks for patterns of characters. That means Proximic's approach is completely language-independent, so it works as well with German and Chinese as it does with English.
In theory, this makes Proximic ideal for the random spew of user-generated content posted daily on blogs and social-networking sites around the Web, material that often gets the the better of Google's algorithms.
"If they can do this, it could be a breakthrough," said Sue Feldman, an analyst with IDC.
A veteran of an Internet giant who recently took a close look at Proximic's technology and who asked to remain anonymous said it has the potential of being a game changer, but that Nitsche and Pieper face the challenge of proving that a dramatically different approach is better than existing methods.
Currently, Proximic is showing off its technology via a Firefox plug-in available at www.proximic.com. The plug-in produces a sidebar that matches the content of a Web page with additional articles on the Internet or other information, such as an ad.
It is currently being used by the Independent, a daily newspaper published in the United Kingdom, and the Nature Publishing Group, which is owned by one of Proximic's venture backers.
Proximic raised $4.5 million in its first round of founding from Wellington Partners, a European venture capital firm, and Holtzbrinck, which owns Nature through Macmillan.
Ian Mulvany, a product manager for Connotea.org., Nature's social-bookmarking service, said he has tested Proximic and Google AdSense and that Proximic had so far come out ahead. "The matching seems to be of a very high quality," he said.
TextPayMe
What is TextPayMe?
Use TextPayMe to Send and Receive Money with your Phone via Text Messaging.
How It Works:
With TextPayMe, you can send a payment to anybody, anytime, and anywhere just by using your mobile phone.
To pay with your mobile phone, simply send a text message to the short code 262966 with the following command:
Pay
WhatPurpose It have:
Use TextPayMe to
Send and receive money with your phone
Split your restaurant bills
Purchase items from Amazon.com
More at:https://textpayme.amazon.com/
Use TextPayMe to Send and Receive Money with your Phone via Text Messaging.
How It Works:
With TextPayMe, you can send a payment to anybody, anytime, and anywhere just by using your mobile phone.
To pay with your mobile phone, simply send a text message to the short code 262966 with the following command:
Pay
WhatPurpose It have:
Use TextPayMe to
Send and receive money with your phone
Split your restaurant bills
Purchase items from Amazon.com
More at:https://textpayme.amazon.com/
Deadline for entries for Entrepreneur of the Year Award is October 27
The Ernst & Young Middle East Entrepreneur of the Year Award is currently accepting nominations from entrepreneurs in the region, the deadline for which is October 27.
To enter the awards programme either download the application form from www.ey.com/me/eoy or contact local Ernst & Young office for more information.
To be eligible to enter, entrepreneurs must be an owner/manager who is primarily responsible for the recent performance of a privately held business that is at least two years old or be a founder of a listed company, who is still active in senior management or is still a 51 per cent owner.
Self-nominations are encouraged and there is no fee to enter.
‘The Ernst & Young Entrepreneur of the Year programme honours exactly what its name implies — the entrepreneur. Being a recipient of this prestigious business award means that you are at the top of your game,” said Ahmed Al Aiban, chairman, Ernst & Young, Middle East.
“Celebrating entrepre-neurs and the business they build and grow has always been a priority for Ernst & Young. This has been particularly evident for the past two decades in other regions through the Ernst & Young Entrepreneur of the Year programme and we see no reason why the Middle East business leaders shouldn’t benefit from the same recognition as the rest of the world’s entrepreneurs.”
To enter the awards programme either download the application form from www.ey.com/me/eoy or contact local Ernst & Young office for more information.
To be eligible to enter, entrepreneurs must be an owner/manager who is primarily responsible for the recent performance of a privately held business that is at least two years old or be a founder of a listed company, who is still active in senior management or is still a 51 per cent owner.
Self-nominations are encouraged and there is no fee to enter.
‘The Ernst & Young Entrepreneur of the Year programme honours exactly what its name implies — the entrepreneur. Being a recipient of this prestigious business award means that you are at the top of your game,” said Ahmed Al Aiban, chairman, Ernst & Young, Middle East.
“Celebrating entrepre-neurs and the business they build and grow has always been a priority for Ernst & Young. This has been particularly evident for the past two decades in other regions through the Ernst & Young Entrepreneur of the Year programme and we see no reason why the Middle East business leaders shouldn’t benefit from the same recognition as the rest of the world’s entrepreneurs.”
MSNBC Acquired Newsvine Inc
MSNBC Interactive News LLC said it acquired Newsvine Inc., a small Seattle startup that lets visitors read and comment on news stories from mainstream media outlets.
MSNBC, which is jointly owned by Microsoft Corp. and NBC Universal, did not disclose financial terms of the deal late Sunday. NBC Universal is a joint venture of General Electric Co. and Vivendi SA.
Newsvine launched in 2006 and employs six people. Mike Davidson, its co-founder and chief executive officer, said about a million people come to the site each month to read articles and submit their own articles and commentary.
Charlie Tillinghast, president of MSNBC Interactive News, said Newsvine will remain a stand-alone site. MSNBC.com will provide technology resources to the startup and add links to drive more visitors to Newsvine. MSNBC.com gets about 29 million unique visitors a month, he said.
MSNBC also plans to incorporate some of Newsvine's social and community aspects into MSNBC.com, Tillinghast said.
Newsvine will stay in its Seattle offices. Davidson will retain his CEO title and report to Tillinghast.
On the Net:
Newsvine Inc.: http://www.newsvine.com
MSNBC: http://www.msnbc.com
MSNBC, which is jointly owned by Microsoft Corp. and NBC Universal, did not disclose financial terms of the deal late Sunday. NBC Universal is a joint venture of General Electric Co. and Vivendi SA.
Newsvine launched in 2006 and employs six people. Mike Davidson, its co-founder and chief executive officer, said about a million people come to the site each month to read articles and submit their own articles and commentary.
Charlie Tillinghast, president of MSNBC Interactive News, said Newsvine will remain a stand-alone site. MSNBC.com will provide technology resources to the startup and add links to drive more visitors to Newsvine. MSNBC.com gets about 29 million unique visitors a month, he said.
MSNBC also plans to incorporate some of Newsvine's social and community aspects into MSNBC.com, Tillinghast said.
Newsvine will stay in its Seattle offices. Davidson will retain his CEO title and report to Tillinghast.
On the Net:
Newsvine Inc.: http://www.newsvine.com
MSNBC: http://www.msnbc.com
Underwear Entrepreneurs
An online underwear store for men, women and children, has been launched in New Zealand.
Undiesonline is the brainchild of founder Carmen Whitaker. The site – which officially launches nationwide on October 11 - is already proving a hit with people who don’t have time to go shopping or live some distance from the shops, says Whitaker.
She plans to become the leading online underwear and lingerie seller of men's, women's and children’s underwear throughout New Zealand.
"Overall, our prices are cheaper than in shops and we send out all underwear orders free of charge. We have all the most popular brands like Calvin Klein, Macpherson Man, Books to Wear, Snuggle Bums, Hey Sister, Fayreform, Trinny and Susannah, HOTMilk, Pleasurestate, James and August and Bendon.
"I had a dream of providing underwear online for men and women to take the stress and time out of shopping. I want undiesonline to become a New Zealand icon for women and men’s underwear."
Whitaker lives in Christchurch with her husband and young son, Angus, who has had a liver transplant. As a result the family stayed at a Ronald McDonald House in Auckland - and a percentage of sales from the new website will be given to the charity running the houses.
More at: www.undiesonline.co.nz.
Undiesonline is the brainchild of founder Carmen Whitaker. The site – which officially launches nationwide on October 11 - is already proving a hit with people who don’t have time to go shopping or live some distance from the shops, says Whitaker.
She plans to become the leading online underwear and lingerie seller of men's, women's and children’s underwear throughout New Zealand.
"Overall, our prices are cheaper than in shops and we send out all underwear orders free of charge. We have all the most popular brands like Calvin Klein, Macpherson Man, Books to Wear, Snuggle Bums, Hey Sister, Fayreform, Trinny and Susannah, HOTMilk, Pleasurestate, James and August and Bendon.
"I had a dream of providing underwear online for men and women to take the stress and time out of shopping. I want undiesonline to become a New Zealand icon for women and men’s underwear."
Whitaker lives in Christchurch with her husband and young son, Angus, who has had a liver transplant. As a result the family stayed at a Ronald McDonald House in Auckland - and a percentage of sales from the new website will be given to the charity running the houses.
More at: www.undiesonline.co.nz.
Should We Hire Search Consultant For Our Startup Companies?
As a small-business owner with a Web site, you know that one of the most important things you can do is get your site ranked high on a search-results page at Google, MSN and Yahoo!. But how to achieve that high ranking?
You've learned all about keywords, link building and unique page titles. The question is, how do you do it? And should you go it alone or call in the hired guns?
"The right answer is somewhere in between," says Gord Hotchkiss, CEO and president of Enquiro, a search marketing agency, and the chairman of SEMPO, a nonprofit organization serving the search-engine marketing industry. According to Hotchkiss, outsourcing every aspect of search-engine optimization would mean giving up complete control of your Web site--something most small-business owners would, and should, be unwilling to do. "It needs to be a partnership," he says. "You don't want to lose control."
But Hotchkiss believes that within that partnership, search-engine-optimization consultants can bring some good value to the small-business owner. "Any consultant will have a good understanding of search engines and algorithms," he says. "There is a learning curve that is fairly steep."
What's Your Time Worth?
Indeed, Google's (nasdaq: GOOG - news - people ) continuous changes in its algorithms keep small-business owners like Matt Mavir, managing director of Last Night of Freedom, a 10-employee company that puts together bachelor party weekends, busy with search-engine optimization for nearly a third of his working hours. Little wonder: Search-engine results account for nearly 90% of his business.
Mavir has kept his SEO work in-house since he founded the business eight years ago, but he said that businesses in very competitive fields should take on SEO consultants. "It's a constant battleground," he says. "I constantly have to be on top of this."
Aaron Rubin, founder of S&A Industries, a 23-employee company with six Web sites, also does all his SEO work in-house. He says that he spends about 20% of his work time on SEO, and that search engine rankings are a very important part of his business: "It's how we generate sales." For his part, Rubin doesn't see a benefit to hiring an SEO consultant. "They will change tags, change filters and factors, like page titles and keywords, on the page, and it will help to a small degree," he says. However, "most are not going to make a significant difference to your business."
Danny Sullivan, editor in chief of Search Engline Land and a Web consultant, agrees that small-business owners don't need to hire an SEO consultant--as long as they are willing to do the work on their own. "Many people can and do learn the basics of SEO and do well with just that," he said. "But many people find it easier to find outside help, just as they might want outside help to write press releases or do other types of marketing."
In addition to saving time, consultants also bring a fresh perspective--a valuable resource for small-business owners who can have a hard time viewing their businesses dispassionately. "Consultancies have a good understanding of how people use search," said Hotchkiss. "Small-business owners sometimes have a hard time stepping back and understanding how people do that."
Finding Your SEO Soulmate
If you're convinced you need outside help, choose wisely. Search engines are swarming with ads for SEO deals. "There are a lot of crooked SEO consultants and a lot of popular scams," says Elizabeth Osmeloski, editor of Search Engine Watch.
First, beware guarantees. "If it sounds too good to be true, it is," says Hotchkiss. "We would all love to have guarantees, but no one has that influence over what Google shows as No. 1. A guarantee is a red flag." Over-promises can lead to "black hat" practices--like keyword stuffing and link farming--which can get a site banned from search engines. Once that happens, it's very hard to get back in Google's good graces.
Osmeloski also warns against using any consultant who wants to sell you a service that requires you to download a toolbar. These companies are often getting you a top spot, but your exposure is only limited to Web users with that toolbar.
A final consideration: To be effective, consultants should want to know everything about your business--and that means asking a lot of questions. Says Hotchkiss: "If you are talking to a vendor and if you are spending more time listening than talking, that's a red flag."
Via-Forbes
You've learned all about keywords, link building and unique page titles. The question is, how do you do it? And should you go it alone or call in the hired guns?
"The right answer is somewhere in between," says Gord Hotchkiss, CEO and president of Enquiro, a search marketing agency, and the chairman of SEMPO, a nonprofit organization serving the search-engine marketing industry. According to Hotchkiss, outsourcing every aspect of search-engine optimization would mean giving up complete control of your Web site--something most small-business owners would, and should, be unwilling to do. "It needs to be a partnership," he says. "You don't want to lose control."
But Hotchkiss believes that within that partnership, search-engine-optimization consultants can bring some good value to the small-business owner. "Any consultant will have a good understanding of search engines and algorithms," he says. "There is a learning curve that is fairly steep."
What's Your Time Worth?
Indeed, Google's (nasdaq: GOOG - news - people ) continuous changes in its algorithms keep small-business owners like Matt Mavir, managing director of Last Night of Freedom, a 10-employee company that puts together bachelor party weekends, busy with search-engine optimization for nearly a third of his working hours. Little wonder: Search-engine results account for nearly 90% of his business.
Mavir has kept his SEO work in-house since he founded the business eight years ago, but he said that businesses in very competitive fields should take on SEO consultants. "It's a constant battleground," he says. "I constantly have to be on top of this."
Aaron Rubin, founder of S&A Industries, a 23-employee company with six Web sites, also does all his SEO work in-house. He says that he spends about 20% of his work time on SEO, and that search engine rankings are a very important part of his business: "It's how we generate sales." For his part, Rubin doesn't see a benefit to hiring an SEO consultant. "They will change tags, change filters and factors, like page titles and keywords, on the page, and it will help to a small degree," he says. However, "most are not going to make a significant difference to your business."
Danny Sullivan, editor in chief of Search Engline Land and a Web consultant, agrees that small-business owners don't need to hire an SEO consultant--as long as they are willing to do the work on their own. "Many people can and do learn the basics of SEO and do well with just that," he said. "But many people find it easier to find outside help, just as they might want outside help to write press releases or do other types of marketing."
In addition to saving time, consultants also bring a fresh perspective--a valuable resource for small-business owners who can have a hard time viewing their businesses dispassionately. "Consultancies have a good understanding of how people use search," said Hotchkiss. "Small-business owners sometimes have a hard time stepping back and understanding how people do that."
Finding Your SEO Soulmate
If you're convinced you need outside help, choose wisely. Search engines are swarming with ads for SEO deals. "There are a lot of crooked SEO consultants and a lot of popular scams," says Elizabeth Osmeloski, editor of Search Engine Watch.
First, beware guarantees. "If it sounds too good to be true, it is," says Hotchkiss. "We would all love to have guarantees, but no one has that influence over what Google shows as No. 1. A guarantee is a red flag." Over-promises can lead to "black hat" practices--like keyword stuffing and link farming--which can get a site banned from search engines. Once that happens, it's very hard to get back in Google's good graces.
Osmeloski also warns against using any consultant who wants to sell you a service that requires you to download a toolbar. These companies are often getting you a top spot, but your exposure is only limited to Web users with that toolbar.
A final consideration: To be effective, consultants should want to know everything about your business--and that means asking a lot of questions. Says Hotchkiss: "If you are talking to a vendor and if you are spending more time listening than talking, that's a red flag."
Via-Forbes
Sunday, October 7, 2007
How To Make Money From Visas And Passports
When Bill Gates applied for a visa for a recent trip to Nigeria, his paperwork hit a snag. The Nigerian government required proof that the billionaire chairman of Microsoft would not stay in the country and become a drain on Nigeria's social services. The company helping him with his application, travel document expediter CIBT, obtained a letter from Gates' bank that reassured the Nigerian authorities, and the visa was approved.
More than 200 U.S. companies profit from helping travelers navigate the maze of documents they need to obtain visas and passports, according to Robert Smith, executive director of the National Association of Passport & Visa Services, the industry's trade group. While there isn't research available on the size of the passport and visa expediting services industry, Smith estimates it's a $150 million business in the U.S. alone. And as countries tighten their borders because of concerns about security and immigration, he expects that the market for such services will only expand.
CIBT has grown quickly. Originally founded in 1989, it had 60 employees and $15 million in revenue by 2003. That's when Jeffrey Fine, CIBT's chief executive officer, partnered with a private equity group to buy the business and lead an aggressive buyout strategy. CIBT has made 14 acquisitions in the last five years, and now has 560 employees and offices across the U.S. and Europe. Fine says CIBT processes about 800,000 visa and passport applications annually worldwide and expects 2007 sales to hit $135 million.
Fine's background in leveraged buyouts spans sectors from real estate to home health care. He describes the passport and visa expediting business as a highly fragmented industry where most of the players are mom-and-pop shops, making it ripe for consolidation. "Our ultimate goal is to create a global brand in visa and passport expediting," Fine says. What FedEx is to the U.S. Postal Service, Fine wants CIBT to be to passport services.
The changes in passport and visa rules have been a boon to the industry. Starting this year, U.S. citizens traveling by air are now required to have a passport to re-enter the U.S. from Canada, Mexico, or the Caribbean. And the Homeland Security Dept. plans to start enforcing the same requirement for U.S. citizens traveling by land and sea as early as January, 2008, as part of its "Western Hemisphere travel initiative." The new rules have increased the demand for U.S. passports from 13 million applications last year to an estimated 16 million this year, according to the State Dept.
Getting a U.S. passport through the normal channels can take 10 to 12 weeks. Even the government's expedited service takes two or three weeks. Travelers who urgently need passports in less than two weeks can make an appointment to visit one of the government's 13 Passport Agency offices in person. But for many applicants, companies like CIBT save time and headaches. The expediter can get customers' passports in one week, three days, or even 24 hours, for fees ranging from $50 to $100 on top of the government's normal processing fees.
How does it work? Passport expediters are registered with the government and allocated a limited number of slots to process urgent applications. The company makes sure all the paperwork is in order, delivers it to the agency office, and obtains the passport. Because the number of slots is limited, expediting passports is a tough business for new players to enter, Fine says. "It's kind of like a country club, because they say they're only going to expedite a million [applications], and those million are allocated right now," he says.
Many of CIBT's customers are corporate travel departments or cruise ship and tour operators—clients who need a large number of applications processed at once. Other customers are individuals traveling on short notice for funerals or family emergencies.
Even with the growing demand, passports make up only 20% of CIBT's U.S. business, Fine says. (CIBT expedites only U.S. passports, but processes visas for all nationalities.) The company's bread and butter is foreign visa applications. With roughly 200 passport-issuing countries in the world, each with different visa rules, expediters have to keep track of myriad combinations that each require particular—and often mind-boggling—documentation.
Add to that factors such as whether people are traveling for business or leisure and whether they need single-entry or multiple-entry visas. "It creates tens of thousands of combinations of visa and passport requirements," Fine says. "That's why companies outsource to us, because there's a lot of content to be aware of."
CIBT doesn't expect that to change any time soon. If anything, Fine says, he thinks terrorism concerns will make the paperwork needed for international travel more complicated. He plans to continue the company's aggressive acquisitions and open offices in more countries. "It's a highly scalable business and therefore you can achieve good operating margins the larger you become."
More at:http://www.us.cibt.com/
Via-http://uncommonbusiness.blogspot.com/
More than 200 U.S. companies profit from helping travelers navigate the maze of documents they need to obtain visas and passports, according to Robert Smith, executive director of the National Association of Passport & Visa Services, the industry's trade group. While there isn't research available on the size of the passport and visa expediting services industry, Smith estimates it's a $150 million business in the U.S. alone. And as countries tighten their borders because of concerns about security and immigration, he expects that the market for such services will only expand.
CIBT has grown quickly. Originally founded in 1989, it had 60 employees and $15 million in revenue by 2003. That's when Jeffrey Fine, CIBT's chief executive officer, partnered with a private equity group to buy the business and lead an aggressive buyout strategy. CIBT has made 14 acquisitions in the last five years, and now has 560 employees and offices across the U.S. and Europe. Fine says CIBT processes about 800,000 visa and passport applications annually worldwide and expects 2007 sales to hit $135 million.
Fine's background in leveraged buyouts spans sectors from real estate to home health care. He describes the passport and visa expediting business as a highly fragmented industry where most of the players are mom-and-pop shops, making it ripe for consolidation. "Our ultimate goal is to create a global brand in visa and passport expediting," Fine says. What FedEx is to the U.S. Postal Service, Fine wants CIBT to be to passport services.
The changes in passport and visa rules have been a boon to the industry. Starting this year, U.S. citizens traveling by air are now required to have a passport to re-enter the U.S. from Canada, Mexico, or the Caribbean. And the Homeland Security Dept. plans to start enforcing the same requirement for U.S. citizens traveling by land and sea as early as January, 2008, as part of its "Western Hemisphere travel initiative." The new rules have increased the demand for U.S. passports from 13 million applications last year to an estimated 16 million this year, according to the State Dept.
Getting a U.S. passport through the normal channels can take 10 to 12 weeks. Even the government's expedited service takes two or three weeks. Travelers who urgently need passports in less than two weeks can make an appointment to visit one of the government's 13 Passport Agency offices in person. But for many applicants, companies like CIBT save time and headaches. The expediter can get customers' passports in one week, three days, or even 24 hours, for fees ranging from $50 to $100 on top of the government's normal processing fees.
How does it work? Passport expediters are registered with the government and allocated a limited number of slots to process urgent applications. The company makes sure all the paperwork is in order, delivers it to the agency office, and obtains the passport. Because the number of slots is limited, expediting passports is a tough business for new players to enter, Fine says. "It's kind of like a country club, because they say they're only going to expedite a million [applications], and those million are allocated right now," he says.
Many of CIBT's customers are corporate travel departments or cruise ship and tour operators—clients who need a large number of applications processed at once. Other customers are individuals traveling on short notice for funerals or family emergencies.
Even with the growing demand, passports make up only 20% of CIBT's U.S. business, Fine says. (CIBT expedites only U.S. passports, but processes visas for all nationalities.) The company's bread and butter is foreign visa applications. With roughly 200 passport-issuing countries in the world, each with different visa rules, expediters have to keep track of myriad combinations that each require particular—and often mind-boggling—documentation.
Add to that factors such as whether people are traveling for business or leisure and whether they need single-entry or multiple-entry visas. "It creates tens of thousands of combinations of visa and passport requirements," Fine says. "That's why companies outsource to us, because there's a lot of content to be aware of."
CIBT doesn't expect that to change any time soon. If anything, Fine says, he thinks terrorism concerns will make the paperwork needed for international travel more complicated. He plans to continue the company's aggressive acquisitions and open offices in more countries. "It's a highly scalable business and therefore you can achieve good operating margins the larger you become."
More at:http://www.us.cibt.com/
Via-http://uncommonbusiness.blogspot.com/
Youlicit
What Company says:
Youlicit's underlying premise is that of reducing information overload using collaborative filtering.
We gather data from our users as well as other sources of user annotated web data (from social bookmarking sites such as Del.icio.us, other collaborative filtering sites such as Digg and Amazon, "people-generated" classifications of sites, and a multitude of other sources) to return the most recommended and relevant websites for the topic you are interested in. All this is provided to you, the user, with a simple and easy-to-use web browser plug-in that lets you find the most similar & recommended sites to the site you are on with a click of a button.
So how are we different from the other search engines such as Google or Yahoo! or MSN?
Simple. While the other search engines return sites based on algorithms that determine the popularity of a site with other sites (how many web pages link back to the web site among other things), our unique algorithm processes the sites that people are finding important and interesting and providing you with just those results.
More at:http://www.youlicit.com/about.aspx
Youlicit's underlying premise is that of reducing information overload using collaborative filtering.
We gather data from our users as well as other sources of user annotated web data (from social bookmarking sites such as Del.icio.us, other collaborative filtering sites such as Digg and Amazon, "people-generated" classifications of sites, and a multitude of other sources) to return the most recommended and relevant websites for the topic you are interested in. All this is provided to you, the user, with a simple and easy-to-use web browser plug-in that lets you find the most similar & recommended sites to the site you are on with a click of a button.
So how are we different from the other search engines such as Google or Yahoo! or MSN?
Simple. While the other search engines return sites based on algorithms that determine the popularity of a site with other sites (how many web pages link back to the web site among other things), our unique algorithm processes the sites that people are finding important and interesting and providing you with just those results.
More at:http://www.youlicit.com/about.aspx
Shopatron Got $6 Million from Kern Whelan Capital and Rivenrock Capital
What Company Says:
Shopatron is the leading provider of retailer-integrated e-commerce solutions, allowing branded manufacturers to accept orders online and fulfill them through their retailer or dealer channels.
Shopatron serves the needs of manufacturers, retailers and consumers, allowing consumers to purchase online from their favorite brands and still receive the service and convenience of interacting with a retail store, whether the product is shipped or picked up in a nearby store.
How Much The Got From VCs:
Shopatron received $6 Million from Kern Whelan Capital and Rivenrock Capital.
About Company:http://www.shopatron.com/on/
Shopatron is the leading provider of retailer-integrated e-commerce solutions, allowing branded manufacturers to accept orders online and fulfill them through their retailer or dealer channels.
Shopatron serves the needs of manufacturers, retailers and consumers, allowing consumers to purchase online from their favorite brands and still receive the service and convenience of interacting with a retail store, whether the product is shipped or picked up in a nearby store.
How Much The Got From VCs:
Shopatron received $6 Million from Kern Whelan Capital and Rivenrock Capital.
About Company:http://www.shopatron.com/on/
A Startup "DIAL 1298 FOR AMBULANCE - has received $1.5 million funding from New York’s Acumen Fund
What They Are Offering:
1298 Dial for Ambulance, is an initiative started by a group of young professionals with a high degree of social and public commitment with the primary objective of rolling out a nationwide network of Life Support Ambulance Service accessible to anyone, anytime and anywhere through an easy to remember four digit telephone number.The project has been setup in association with London Ambulance Service, a UK Government Agency, which has provided the processes, systems, protocols, training and project implementation assistance to ZIQITZA.
The Vision
To assist saving human lives by becoming the leading network of Basic life support Ambulances in India.
How Much They Got From VCs:
DIAL 1298 FOR AMBULANCE - has received $1.5 million funding from New York’s Acumen Fund. Acumen is a nonprofit venture fund which invests in “sustainable, scalable solutions addressing poverty in South Asia and Africa”.
Acumen has made the investment in Ziqitza Healthcare Limited (ZHL), which owns the ambulance service. It plans to roll out a nationwide network of life support ambulance service, essentially filling in a gap in the emergency medical support in Indian cities.
About Company detail:http://www.1298.in/
About Funding :http://www.acumenfund.org/
1298 Dial for Ambulance, is an initiative started by a group of young professionals with a high degree of social and public commitment with the primary objective of rolling out a nationwide network of Life Support Ambulance Service accessible to anyone, anytime and anywhere through an easy to remember four digit telephone number.The project has been setup in association with London Ambulance Service, a UK Government Agency, which has provided the processes, systems, protocols, training and project implementation assistance to ZIQITZA.
The Vision
To assist saving human lives by becoming the leading network of Basic life support Ambulances in India.
How Much They Got From VCs:
DIAL 1298 FOR AMBULANCE - has received $1.5 million funding from New York’s Acumen Fund. Acumen is a nonprofit venture fund which invests in “sustainable, scalable solutions addressing poverty in South Asia and Africa”.
Acumen has made the investment in Ziqitza Healthcare Limited (ZHL), which owns the ambulance service. It plans to roll out a nationwide network of life support ambulance service, essentially filling in a gap in the emergency medical support in Indian cities.
About Company detail:http://www.1298.in/
About Funding :http://www.acumenfund.org/
TryThis.com is a new player on the question & answers scene that wants to help you find answers to just about anything
What Company Says:
TryThis.com is a new player on the question & answers scene that wants to help you find answers to just about anything, and give you easy to locate recommendations while you’re at it.
How It Works:
Started by two friends, who left their jobs at a hedge fund, the site is easy to navigate, and community driven. Say you need to know a unique food item to take to an apartment warming, ask your question, and people can not only answer you, but embed a Google map showing you where to get what they suggest. Ask for a good documentary to watch, and people can reply with their answer as well as an image of the cover of the DVD or a poster for the film.
The site is wide-open as to what you can ask about, be it restaurants, movies, bars, books, music and more.
more at:http://trythis.com/
TryThis.com is a new player on the question & answers scene that wants to help you find answers to just about anything, and give you easy to locate recommendations while you’re at it.
How It Works:
Started by two friends, who left their jobs at a hedge fund, the site is easy to navigate, and community driven. Say you need to know a unique food item to take to an apartment warming, ask your question, and people can not only answer you, but embed a Google map showing you where to get what they suggest. Ask for a good documentary to watch, and people can reply with their answer as well as an image of the cover of the DVD or a poster for the film.
The site is wide-open as to what you can ask about, be it restaurants, movies, bars, books, music and more.
more at:http://trythis.com/
Saturday, October 6, 2007
Siemens Venture Capital Is Organizing Business PlanCompetition Open To Entrepreneurs
Siemens is a leading infrastructure solution provider active in areas of Energy and Environment Care, Healthcare, Automation and Control, Industrial and Public infrastructure, Lighting, Automotive, and Information Technology.
Siemens Venture Capital intends to act as a catalyst to promote innovation and entrepreneurship in these sectors in India. It invites business proposals from Indian entrepreneurs and innovators.
Participation requirements:
Competition open to entrepreneurs, innovators
and research scientists
based in India
Product or prototype ready
Focus on any of the specified sectors.
Seven finalists that have innovative and financially viable solutions in these specified sectors will get an opportunity to present at the Siemens Venture Forum in April 2008 in Mumbai.
The top three finalists will receive a token cash prize. In addition to the prize, the winners also will be evaluated for a funding opportunity from SVC and / or opportunities for collaboration with Siemens.
Detail:http://www.siemensventurecapital.com/
Submit plan:http://www.siemensventurecapital.com/india/submit.htm
Siemens Venture Capital intends to act as a catalyst to promote innovation and entrepreneurship in these sectors in India. It invites business proposals from Indian entrepreneurs and innovators.
Participation requirements:
Competition open to entrepreneurs, innovators
and research scientists
based in India
Product or prototype ready
Focus on any of the specified sectors.
Seven finalists that have innovative and financially viable solutions in these specified sectors will get an opportunity to present at the Siemens Venture Forum in April 2008 in Mumbai.
The top three finalists will receive a token cash prize. In addition to the prize, the winners also will be evaluated for a funding opportunity from SVC and / or opportunities for collaboration with Siemens.
Detail:http://www.siemensventurecapital.com/
Submit plan:http://www.siemensventurecapital.com/india/submit.htm
Upspring For Promoting Your Company
What Company says:
Upspring is a new network for businesses that’s aimed to help you promote your company through social networking with other businesses.
How It Works:
You bring the products and upspring brings the marketing tools. It’s specifically designed for local businesses looking to leverage the Internet for attracting customers and gaining offline sales. Upspring will essentially provide a space online, within its network and marketing platform, to do just this. By marketing you across search engines, offering web surfers a certain amount of information on local businesses, and offering tools to connect them directly to the businesses, Upspring hopes to bring value to both ends–businesses and consumers.
As a business, you’ll need to first complete the Essential Business Profile and Professional Profile, where you give upspring a plethora of information about what you do and who you are. This information is used to help you promote your products and also build your online network. Now you can chat with other local business owners, see what’s going on at the business chamber, and exchange ideas with others in your industry. Upspring will also offer a space for retailers to promote their products, though there doesn’t seem to be a way to purchase items online. This isn’t surprising, as upspring has determined to help local businesses get offline connections with consumers.
Upspring has a free plan which offers limited features that you can take advantage of for the business you’re promoting. For about $20 per month you can get a premium plan, which lets you do things like offer coupons, embed videos, and send and receive private messages. The Storefront plan for $50 per month lets you display products and offer real time inventory updates for site visitors.
More at:http://www.upspring.com/
Upspring is a new network for businesses that’s aimed to help you promote your company through social networking with other businesses.
How It Works:
You bring the products and upspring brings the marketing tools. It’s specifically designed for local businesses looking to leverage the Internet for attracting customers and gaining offline sales. Upspring will essentially provide a space online, within its network and marketing platform, to do just this. By marketing you across search engines, offering web surfers a certain amount of information on local businesses, and offering tools to connect them directly to the businesses, Upspring hopes to bring value to both ends–businesses and consumers.
As a business, you’ll need to first complete the Essential Business Profile and Professional Profile, where you give upspring a plethora of information about what you do and who you are. This information is used to help you promote your products and also build your online network. Now you can chat with other local business owners, see what’s going on at the business chamber, and exchange ideas with others in your industry. Upspring will also offer a space for retailers to promote their products, though there doesn’t seem to be a way to purchase items online. This isn’t surprising, as upspring has determined to help local businesses get offline connections with consumers.
Upspring has a free plan which offers limited features that you can take advantage of for the business you’re promoting. For about $20 per month you can get a premium plan, which lets you do things like offer coupons, embed videos, and send and receive private messages. The Storefront plan for $50 per month lets you display products and offer real time inventory updates for site visitors.
More at:http://www.upspring.com/
The One Minute Entrepreneur
Author of The One Minute Manager reveals how to turn customers into your big- gest fans
WHAT DOES NORDSTROM know that other department stores don't? The retailer's customers routinely praise it. Wouldn't it be great if your customers did the same--in effect becoming unpaid members of your sales force?
Impossible? Not according to Ken Blanchard, co-author of Raving Fans (William Morrow & Co.), who says just three little steps can transform your business so thoroughly that your customers are sure to become devoted fans.
But aren't all businesses already going full-bore to deliver customer service? "They all say so, but few actually deliver," says Blanchard. "Customers today are thoroughly displeased with the service they get. When you go the extra mile, you'll find you quickly create 'raving fans.' "
Blanchard issues a stern warning, though: In today's market, it's not enough to compete on price and superior product alone. "Someone will always come along who can beat you," he says. "The only way to differentiate yourself and gain lasting success is by creating raving fans."
Blanchard's credentials compel us to heed his advice. He's co-author of a business classic, The One Minute Manager (William Morrow & Co.), and in the years since that book's 1982 publication, he's built his Escondido, California, training and consulting company, Blanchard Training & Development Inc., into a thriving, multimillion-dollar business. Here, he reveals the secrets that helped him create "raving fans"--and will help you do the same.
Entrepreneur: Why do we need raving fans?
Ken Blanchard: You may have competitive prices and good products, but that's not how you differentiate yourself from the competition. The way you do that is by taking care of your customers to the point where they become raving fans and want to brag about you.
Raving Fans is about serving your customers so well, they become part of your sales force. Just satisfying them won't do that. Going the extra mile will.
Entrepreneur: What's the first secret of creating raving fans?
Blanchard: First, decide what you want. The mistake many businesses make is that they start by asking customers what they want, but that is the second step. Asking customers isn't where you start because customers don't know what the big picture is. They only know what they like or dislike about what you do.
Only you can create the picture of perfect customer service for your business. Ask yourself: If I could create perfect customer service, what would it look like?
Jan Carlzon, former CEO of SAS, set the goal of having the number-one business airline in Europe. He decided he would beat the competition in the "moments of truth," which he defined as the times a customer comes in contact with you in a way that gives him or her an impression of your company. "Moments of truth" are the way you answer the phone, how customers are greeted, how invoices look. Carlzon set out to excel in those areas, and that's a good example of building a picture of what you want.
Entrepreneur: Don't you often recognize "moments of truth" when something has gone wrong?
Blanchard: Yes, that's true. Any picture of customer service needs a built-in recovery strategy because one of the best ways to create a devoted fan is to recover from a customer's bad experience. I must say, though, that I am seeing more instances where businesses go out of their way to help customers even when there is no problem--and that creates loyal fans.
Entrepreneur: Once you know your vision of customer service, what's the next step?.
Blanchard: To complete your vision, you need to listen to what customers want. Then go back and test their desires against your vision of perfection to see if you want to include their desires or not.
Entrepreneur: Isn't that where many businesses get in trouble?
Blanchard: It's where my company gets in trouble. When a customer requests something that's not in our vision of perfection, in the spirit of customer responsiveness we may try to take care of this customer but end up screwing up the job because it never was something we were good at or saw as part of our vision.
Don't take on a customer's suggestion that you're not committed to, then do it poorly. Much better is saying to the customer, "Gee, that's an interesting idea. We can't do it, but maybe we can find a company for you that can." Do that, and you will blow the customer away.
Entrepreneur: Yet you also warn that very often customers cannot and will not tell us what they really want.
Blanchard: That's true. You can't just leave "How are we doing?" cards on the table and expect to get useful information. You have to keep after customers in creative ways. The questions you ask are important. If a restaurant manager asks, "How was everything tonight?" what's the answer? "Fine." In that case, maybe it's the question that's not very good.
Instead, we suggest managers say: "Excuse me. I'd just like to ask one ques- tion. What one thing could we have done differently tonight that would have made your time with us even better?" Managers who try that tell us they are blown away by the responses they get.
Entrepreneur: Your last step is "Deliver the vision plus 1 percent."
Blanchard: A lot of companies are much better at talking the talk about customer service than walking the walk. You've decided what you want, you've asked customers what they want, now deliver what you promised--plus 1 percent.
It all comes down to implementation. What do you do every day to prepare your people to execute good customer service? Consistency is what customers will judge you on, and consistency is about execution. Think about McDonald's. The Big Mac tastes the same in Amsterdam as it does in Arizona.
Entrepreneur: What does the "plus 1 percent" mean?
Blanchard: You should always be trying to improve, but don't get carried away. At first, concentrate on what you can do well. Trying to do too much too soon overwhelms your customers and your employees. You are better off doing less, but executing it well, than doing everything without being prepared.
Entrepreneur: Is the "raving fan" strategy a good one for a small business competing against giants?
Blanchard: Absolutely. This is the one way small businesses can clobber larger businesses. In La Jolla, California, for instance, there's a little grocery store that does a fabulous amount of business because they deliver groceries. Grocers just don't do that anymore--but this little store does. It has a vision of serving customers differently than the big stores. Even people from outside the neighborhood go there because of how they treat customers.
Entrepreneur: In seeking to improve your service, should you measure yourself against your competition--or the national sales leaders in service?
Blanchard: I was working with a fast-food company whose president said to his employees, "I don't want us to be compared to McDonald's. I want us to be thought of as in the same league as Disney and Nordstrom." I agree. You are better off comparing yourself to the very best [in any industry] than to your competition because your competition might be nowhere.
Entrepreneur: When does a business achieve perfect customer service?
Blanchard: It's a continually evolving process. And as soon as you get com- placent, someone will come along and beat you. You cannot go to sleep. Delivering excellent service is an ongoing job.
Via-nichegeek
WHAT DOES NORDSTROM know that other department stores don't? The retailer's customers routinely praise it. Wouldn't it be great if your customers did the same--in effect becoming unpaid members of your sales force?
Impossible? Not according to Ken Blanchard, co-author of Raving Fans (William Morrow & Co.), who says just three little steps can transform your business so thoroughly that your customers are sure to become devoted fans.
But aren't all businesses already going full-bore to deliver customer service? "They all say so, but few actually deliver," says Blanchard. "Customers today are thoroughly displeased with the service they get. When you go the extra mile, you'll find you quickly create 'raving fans.' "
Blanchard issues a stern warning, though: In today's market, it's not enough to compete on price and superior product alone. "Someone will always come along who can beat you," he says. "The only way to differentiate yourself and gain lasting success is by creating raving fans."
Blanchard's credentials compel us to heed his advice. He's co-author of a business classic, The One Minute Manager (William Morrow & Co.), and in the years since that book's 1982 publication, he's built his Escondido, California, training and consulting company, Blanchard Training & Development Inc., into a thriving, multimillion-dollar business. Here, he reveals the secrets that helped him create "raving fans"--and will help you do the same.
Entrepreneur: Why do we need raving fans?
Ken Blanchard: You may have competitive prices and good products, but that's not how you differentiate yourself from the competition. The way you do that is by taking care of your customers to the point where they become raving fans and want to brag about you.
Raving Fans is about serving your customers so well, they become part of your sales force. Just satisfying them won't do that. Going the extra mile will.
Entrepreneur: What's the first secret of creating raving fans?
Blanchard: First, decide what you want. The mistake many businesses make is that they start by asking customers what they want, but that is the second step. Asking customers isn't where you start because customers don't know what the big picture is. They only know what they like or dislike about what you do.
Only you can create the picture of perfect customer service for your business. Ask yourself: If I could create perfect customer service, what would it look like?
Jan Carlzon, former CEO of SAS, set the goal of having the number-one business airline in Europe. He decided he would beat the competition in the "moments of truth," which he defined as the times a customer comes in contact with you in a way that gives him or her an impression of your company. "Moments of truth" are the way you answer the phone, how customers are greeted, how invoices look. Carlzon set out to excel in those areas, and that's a good example of building a picture of what you want.
Entrepreneur: Don't you often recognize "moments of truth" when something has gone wrong?
Blanchard: Yes, that's true. Any picture of customer service needs a built-in recovery strategy because one of the best ways to create a devoted fan is to recover from a customer's bad experience. I must say, though, that I am seeing more instances where businesses go out of their way to help customers even when there is no problem--and that creates loyal fans.
Entrepreneur: Once you know your vision of customer service, what's the next step?.
Blanchard: To complete your vision, you need to listen to what customers want. Then go back and test their desires against your vision of perfection to see if you want to include their desires or not.
Entrepreneur: Isn't that where many businesses get in trouble?
Blanchard: It's where my company gets in trouble. When a customer requests something that's not in our vision of perfection, in the spirit of customer responsiveness we may try to take care of this customer but end up screwing up the job because it never was something we were good at or saw as part of our vision.
Don't take on a customer's suggestion that you're not committed to, then do it poorly. Much better is saying to the customer, "Gee, that's an interesting idea. We can't do it, but maybe we can find a company for you that can." Do that, and you will blow the customer away.
Entrepreneur: Yet you also warn that very often customers cannot and will not tell us what they really want.
Blanchard: That's true. You can't just leave "How are we doing?" cards on the table and expect to get useful information. You have to keep after customers in creative ways. The questions you ask are important. If a restaurant manager asks, "How was everything tonight?" what's the answer? "Fine." In that case, maybe it's the question that's not very good.
Instead, we suggest managers say: "Excuse me. I'd just like to ask one ques- tion. What one thing could we have done differently tonight that would have made your time with us even better?" Managers who try that tell us they are blown away by the responses they get.
Entrepreneur: Your last step is "Deliver the vision plus 1 percent."
Blanchard: A lot of companies are much better at talking the talk about customer service than walking the walk. You've decided what you want, you've asked customers what they want, now deliver what you promised--plus 1 percent.
It all comes down to implementation. What do you do every day to prepare your people to execute good customer service? Consistency is what customers will judge you on, and consistency is about execution. Think about McDonald's. The Big Mac tastes the same in Amsterdam as it does in Arizona.
Entrepreneur: What does the "plus 1 percent" mean?
Blanchard: You should always be trying to improve, but don't get carried away. At first, concentrate on what you can do well. Trying to do too much too soon overwhelms your customers and your employees. You are better off doing less, but executing it well, than doing everything without being prepared.
Entrepreneur: Is the "raving fan" strategy a good one for a small business competing against giants?
Blanchard: Absolutely. This is the one way small businesses can clobber larger businesses. In La Jolla, California, for instance, there's a little grocery store that does a fabulous amount of business because they deliver groceries. Grocers just don't do that anymore--but this little store does. It has a vision of serving customers differently than the big stores. Even people from outside the neighborhood go there because of how they treat customers.
Entrepreneur: In seeking to improve your service, should you measure yourself against your competition--or the national sales leaders in service?
Blanchard: I was working with a fast-food company whose president said to his employees, "I don't want us to be compared to McDonald's. I want us to be thought of as in the same league as Disney and Nordstrom." I agree. You are better off comparing yourself to the very best [in any industry] than to your competition because your competition might be nowhere.
Entrepreneur: When does a business achieve perfect customer service?
Blanchard: It's a continually evolving process. And as soon as you get com- placent, someone will come along and beat you. You cannot go to sleep. Delivering excellent service is an ongoing job.
Via-nichegeek
simplyCricket Is social networking site devoted to cricket
What C's :
simplyCricket may be the only social networking site devoted to cricket, so that’s one thing they’ve got going for themselves. Another is the huge forum sections which also includes many sub-forums. It’s truly all-encompassing, you can even find a sub forum devoted to what type of bat you should buy. That’s right, an entire forum, not just a few back-and-forth postings.
How It Works:
It’s basically a social network for cricket fans; you can create a modest personal profile and interact with other members. You can read recent articles about the sport or post one of your own, or hop in a discussion on the site’s forum, which features cricket training tips, suggestions, a question and answers section, an equipment guide, and anything else you’d ever want to discuss related to the sport. You can also follow your favorite teams and see who, when, and where they’re playing. In order to access most of the site’s features, including viewing profiles, you’ll need to register (it’s free). If you make a mistake at any time or perform an illegal action, the site will alert you in that characteristic polite British manner .
More at:http://www.simplycricket.net/
simplyCricket may be the only social networking site devoted to cricket, so that’s one thing they’ve got going for themselves. Another is the huge forum sections which also includes many sub-forums. It’s truly all-encompassing, you can even find a sub forum devoted to what type of bat you should buy. That’s right, an entire forum, not just a few back-and-forth postings.
How It Works:
It’s basically a social network for cricket fans; you can create a modest personal profile and interact with other members. You can read recent articles about the sport or post one of your own, or hop in a discussion on the site’s forum, which features cricket training tips, suggestions, a question and answers section, an equipment guide, and anything else you’d ever want to discuss related to the sport. You can also follow your favorite teams and see who, when, and where they’re playing. In order to access most of the site’s features, including viewing profiles, you’ll need to register (it’s free). If you make a mistake at any time or perform an illegal action, the site will alert you in that characteristic polite British manner .
More at:http://www.simplycricket.net/
TringMe allows your website visitors, friends and customers to call or leave a voicemail to you - directly from the web
What's Company About:
TringMe allows your website visitors, friends and customers to call or leave a voicemail to you - directly from the web. You will instantly receive a call or a voicemail on your existing cell phone, landline Gtalk or via e-mail. It’s pure web-based telephony.
How It Works:
When users arrive at your page, they slick on the widget to call you. You will have specified where you want your calls routed (your mobile device, Gtalk, etc), and your site visitors can either talk to your directly or leave you a voicemail. You do not need to download any software, your callers need none of your information, and if you miss a call or aren’t around to receive a voicemail, fear not: TringMe sends email notifications of all voicemails received while you were offline. Best of all, it’s completely free.
More at:http://tringme.com/
TringMe allows your website visitors, friends and customers to call or leave a voicemail to you - directly from the web. You will instantly receive a call or a voicemail on your existing cell phone, landline Gtalk or via e-mail. It’s pure web-based telephony.
How It Works:
When users arrive at your page, they slick on the widget to call you. You will have specified where you want your calls routed (your mobile device, Gtalk, etc), and your site visitors can either talk to your directly or leave you a voicemail. You do not need to download any software, your callers need none of your information, and if you miss a call or aren’t around to receive a voicemail, fear not: TringMe sends email notifications of all voicemails received while you were offline. Best of all, it’s completely free.
More at:http://tringme.com/
Revyr is a workplace review site were you can search for data on different companies, and leave reviews of your own
What's Company About:
Revyr is a workplace review site were you can search for data on different companies, and leave reviews of your own.
How It Works:
Revyr wants to be a place where you go to find information on a company you may want to work for. So in leaving a company review (which is anonymous), you enter a fair amount of data regarding your experience at the company, from your tenure, age, commute time, pay, and several other rating scales to indicate the company’s culture and such. This data is collected from users in order to provide feedback for those searching for information on a particular compan.
You can read individual reviews and see the overall ranking of various companies. You can also chart different aspects of company life, such as benefits and pay, in a comparative manner, which supports up to 5 companies at a time. Revyr also features a job search, and a personal dashboard where you can mark up to 5 favorite companies that Revyr will track, and a section for recommendations.
How Far It Will Go:
As all the data provided by Revyr is user-generated, there is a large opportunity for information to become skewed, and the system to be gamed. There doesn’t seem to be any way to confirm a user’s employment status or company. The graphical data could probably stand some outside influence, so that graphs can be based on hard facts and not solely from user-submitted content. The job search tool seems rather lightweight as well, and could stand to offer some personalization tools that are tied in with the user recommendations, reviews and tracked favorites. PayScale is another workplace comparative tool.
More at:http://revyr.com/
Revyr is a workplace review site were you can search for data on different companies, and leave reviews of your own.
How It Works:
Revyr wants to be a place where you go to find information on a company you may want to work for. So in leaving a company review (which is anonymous), you enter a fair amount of data regarding your experience at the company, from your tenure, age, commute time, pay, and several other rating scales to indicate the company’s culture and such. This data is collected from users in order to provide feedback for those searching for information on a particular compan.
You can read individual reviews and see the overall ranking of various companies. You can also chart different aspects of company life, such as benefits and pay, in a comparative manner, which supports up to 5 companies at a time. Revyr also features a job search, and a personal dashboard where you can mark up to 5 favorite companies that Revyr will track, and a section for recommendations.
How Far It Will Go:
As all the data provided by Revyr is user-generated, there is a large opportunity for information to become skewed, and the system to be gamed. There doesn’t seem to be any way to confirm a user’s employment status or company. The graphical data could probably stand some outside influence, so that graphs can be based on hard facts and not solely from user-submitted content. The job search tool seems rather lightweight as well, and could stand to offer some personalization tools that are tied in with the user recommendations, reviews and tracked favorites. PayScale is another workplace comparative tool.
More at:http://revyr.com/
StartPix is a new bookmarking tool that offers an online space to save all your links
What Company is offering:
StartPix is a new bookmarking tool that offers an online space to save all your links. These are saved on a grid, which operates like a whiteboard, complete with drag’n'drop technology. The site is currently in private beta, and I took it for a test run this morning.
How It Works:
Your saved links appear on your grid in the form of a logo, or really its th image that displays beside the site’s URL in your browser. These icons can then be arranged, rearranged and organized according to your personal preferences. You can also add what StartPix calls functional blocks. These are like widgets that you can add to your grid, enabling search boxes and RSS feed readers to display on your grid as well.
StartPix is supposed to be social, as grids can be shared with others, but the act of finding others with which to share is not easy or breezy. Getting started with your grid isn’t all that intuitive either, but StartPix offers some help by including starter links on your grid. In addition, the search functionality for StartPix will need to be improved, because looking at a page full of icons can be daunting when you’re looking for something in particular.
More at:http://www.startpix.com/
StartPix is a new bookmarking tool that offers an online space to save all your links. These are saved on a grid, which operates like a whiteboard, complete with drag’n'drop technology. The site is currently in private beta, and I took it for a test run this morning.
How It Works:
Your saved links appear on your grid in the form of a logo, or really its th image that displays beside the site’s URL in your browser. These icons can then be arranged, rearranged and organized according to your personal preferences. You can also add what StartPix calls functional blocks. These are like widgets that you can add to your grid, enabling search boxes and RSS feed readers to display on your grid as well.
StartPix is supposed to be social, as grids can be shared with others, but the act of finding others with which to share is not easy or breezy. Getting started with your grid isn’t all that intuitive either, but StartPix offers some help by including starter links on your grid. In addition, the search functionality for StartPix will need to be improved, because looking at a page full of icons can be daunting when you’re looking for something in particular.
More at:http://www.startpix.com/
SquidBids is a promotional tool for individuals that live and breath eBay, whether they’re regular sellers or have an eBay store
What Company is Offering:
Squidoo has just launched SquidBids. This is a promotional tool for individuals that live and breath eBay, whether they’re regular sellers or have an eBay store.
How It Works:
What SquidBids does is establish a sphere of associated information around you and what you do, kind of like having your own website and company blog. This enables you to establish yourself as an authority, so people will value you for your expertise, thus buying items from you just because you’re you. Branding yourself, essentially, so that you’ll be the trusted go-to person that people pay extra money for.
So tell SquidBids what your specialty is, and it will begin to build your “presence.” It offers a place for you to write blurbs, showcase your eBay items, accept notes from others, cross-promotion with other eBay sellers, Flickr photos, Twitter updates, related Google search results based on your specialty, and a few other features. It also gives you a mechanism to connect directly with your customers so you can give them email updates and newsletters on your items. SquidBids also incorporates its own user rating system that allows site visitors to offer multiple levels of feedback.
Establishing an “authoritative longtail” is what SquidBids is doing, and the result is an integrated network that does for e-commerce individuals what MySpace did for musicians. SquidBids seems to be integrated with Squidoo, and I expect integration with the newly launched SquidWho as well.
More at:http://www.squidoo.com/
Squidoo has just launched SquidBids. This is a promotional tool for individuals that live and breath eBay, whether they’re regular sellers or have an eBay store.
How It Works:
What SquidBids does is establish a sphere of associated information around you and what you do, kind of like having your own website and company blog. This enables you to establish yourself as an authority, so people will value you for your expertise, thus buying items from you just because you’re you. Branding yourself, essentially, so that you’ll be the trusted go-to person that people pay extra money for.
So tell SquidBids what your specialty is, and it will begin to build your “presence.” It offers a place for you to write blurbs, showcase your eBay items, accept notes from others, cross-promotion with other eBay sellers, Flickr photos, Twitter updates, related Google search results based on your specialty, and a few other features. It also gives you a mechanism to connect directly with your customers so you can give them email updates and newsletters on your items. SquidBids also incorporates its own user rating system that allows site visitors to offer multiple levels of feedback.
Establishing an “authoritative longtail” is what SquidBids is doing, and the result is an integrated network that does for e-commerce individuals what MySpace did for musicians. SquidBids seems to be integrated with Squidoo, and I expect integration with the newly launched SquidWho as well.
More at:http://www.squidoo.com/
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
