January, 2011

Dilbert is Getting Serious About The Deficit

Posted on January 31, 2011 by --Jeff Yablon/The Answer Guy-- Influency & Integrated Marketing Strategist • 3 Comments

Either I’m really easily entertained, or Dilbert’s Scott Adams is a very smart guy.

I repeat the words of Mr. Adams every now and again, most recently a couple of months ago when the creator and author of the world’s most spot-on comic strip shared his opinion on how to fix the budget deficit.

In case you aren’t familiar with his back-story, Dilbert’s creator isn’t just a comic strip author. Before becoming one of the rich and famous he so often criticizes, Scott Adams was a well-educated cubicle dweller. The dude understands business and what works (and doesn’t work) about it. ... READ MORE of Dilbert is Getting Serious About The Deficit at Answer Guy Central, your Influency and Integrated Marketing Source By Clicking Here (317 words, estimated 1:16 mins reading time)

Filed Under: Business Change

Like Angry Birds, Runkeeper Goes Free. But It’s Not The Same

Posted on January 28, 2011 by --Jeff Yablon/The Answer Guy-- Influency & Integrated Marketing Strategist • 0 Comments

Welcome to the Internet. Everything’s Free!

OK, so almost nothing is free. When we made a “Hire Us for Free” offer at Answer Guy Central, there were strings attached. They were minor, but they were strings nonetheless. When Angry Birds became free, a lot of people got to watch a LOT of advertisements. That’s not really “free”, either.

Now, a fitness-tracking App called Runkeeper is free. But you’ll find that only the most basic features are actually free. Runkeeper is making a big deal about how it’s their “Pro” model that’s become free, implying that it’s the good version of their service (there was always just plain “Runkeeper”, for free). But hey . . . you need Runkeeper Elite if you want the good stuff. ... READ MORE of Like Angry Birds, Runkeeper Goes Free. But It’s Not The Same at Answer Guy Central, your Influency and Integrated Marketing Source By Clicking Here (453 words, 1 image, estimated 1:49 mins reading time)

Filed Under: Business Change, Customer Service

Is Business Blogging Dying? The Answer is “Maybe”

Posted on January 27, 2011 by --Jeff Yablon/The Answer Guy-- Influency & Integrated Marketing Strategist • 2 Comments

I’ve told you before about the client who asked me if the world has too many blogs. I’ve pointed out that kids hardly blog at all. And I’ve given my opinion: if you have nothing to say you should stop blogging.

You have something to say.

Yesterday I came across an article that I found intriguing enough to comment on. And if you read the information and examine the graphs in this well thought out piece you might conclude that business blogging is over.

What I pointed out was this: ... READ MORE of Is Business Blogging Dying? The Answer is “Maybe” at Answer Guy Central, your Influency and Integrated Marketing Source By Clicking Here (270 words, estimated 1:05 mins reading time)

Filed Under: Business Change, Customer Service, Marketing, Media, Search Engine Optimization SEO

Perception is Reality. Does That Make Groupon a Gift Card?

Posted on January 26, 2011 by --Jeff Yablon/The Answer Guy-- Influency & Integrated Marketing Strategist • 5 Comments

Is Groupon in the Gift Card Business? Do they sell Coupons? Maybe Groupon is trafficking in Gift Cards.

Do you care which discount-providing item Groupon sells? To my dismay, some people are starting to debate the idea, apparently with the goal of compelling Groupon to make the amazing deals they offers never expire.

Talk about Perception Being Reality (and I have, several times; my most recent “Perception is Reality” post is here)! ... READ MORE of Perception is Reality. Does That Make Groupon a Gift Card? at Answer Guy Central, your Influency and Integrated Marketing Source By Clicking Here (548 words, estimated 2:12 mins reading time)

Filed Under: Customer Service

HubSpot, Mental Health Days, and Search Engine Optimization

Posted on January 25, 2011 by --Jeff Yablon/The Answer Guy-- Influency & Integrated Marketing Strategist • 1 Comment

In the natural course of doing business, somewhere along the line we’ve become one of the go-to consulting companies for businesses looking to move away from Hubspot. That probably had something to do with my commentary on how great Hubspot is but that you still shouldn’t use it.

Yesterday I took a mental health day. While most of us can’t take them too often, I’m a big proponent of the occasional day devoted to doing nothing more than clearing your head. Many times it’s where business change comes from; Bill Gates is a famous proponent of downtime, so who am I to argue? ... READ MORE of HubSpot, Mental Health Days, and Search Engine Optimization at Answer Guy Central, your Influency and Integrated Marketing Source By Clicking Here (495 words, estimated 1:59 mins reading time)

Filed Under: Business Change, Search Engine Optimization SEO

Perception is Reality. So What’s The New York Times Worth?

Posted on January 21, 2011 by --Jeff Yablon/The Answer Guy-- Influency & Integrated Marketing Strategist • 2 Comments

The paywall is up at the New York Times On-line. Or at least it’s about to be.

While some of this is still conjecture, the little graphic (pulled from a loading instance of The New York Times’ Website, by the way) at the top of this post says it all; The New York Times is counting how many pages you view at their web site. Why? Because soon The New York Times website isn’t going to be free.

... READ MORE of Perception is Reality. So What’s The New York Times Worth? at Answer Guy Central, your Influency and Integrated Marketing Source By Clicking Here (398 words, 1 image, estimated 1:36 mins reading time)

Filed Under: Business Change, Search Engine Optimization SEO

Using FourSquare, WeePlaces to Find Lesbian Bars

Posted on January 20, 2011 by --Jeff Yablon/The Answer Guy-- Influency & Integrated Marketing Strategist • 2 Comments

Got Your Attention, Didn’t I? Welcome to Search Engine Optimization Through Long-Tail Marketing. Now let’s keep you here.

I don’t know for sure whether Manitoba’s is a Lesbian Bar*. In fact, I’m guessing it isn’t. But as this graphic shows, there sure are a hugely disproportionate number of women to men hanging out there:

Why does that matter? Because aside from the obvious (wow, what a great tool for picking up chicks [guys] WeePlaces Ratio Finder is!), it also shows why playing with Foursquare is a tricky game. ... READ MORE of Using FourSquare, WeePlaces to Find Lesbian Bars at Answer Guy Central, your Influency and Integrated Marketing Source By Clicking Here (385 words, 2 images, estimated 1:32 mins reading time)

Filed Under: Media, Search Engine Optimization SEO

Fire Your Social Media Manager: The New York Times Did

Posted on January 19, 2011 by --Jeff Yablon/The Answer Guy-- Influency & Integrated Marketing Strategist • 4 Comments

A few months ago, The New York Times instituted a new policy: they made their reporters available for comment. It’s unusual for a large company to put their employees “out there” in that way, and groundbreaking to mandate that semi-famous (and even flat-out famous) people—hello, David Pogue—be that available.

I was impressed then, and thanks to this blog post, I’m even more impressed now. The New York Times has eliminated the position of Social Media Manager.

I’ve never seen a better example of why Search Engine Optimization matters to Business Change. ... READ MORE of Fire Your Social Media Manager: The New York Times Did at Answer Guy Central, your Influency and Integrated Marketing Source By Clicking Here (364 words, estimated 1:27 mins reading time)

Filed Under: Business Change, Marketing, Media, Search Engine Optimization SEO

NOFOLLOW: The Bane of Search Engine Optimization (SEO)

Posted on January 17, 2011 by --Jeff Yablon/The Answer Guy-- Influency & Integrated Marketing Strategist • 7 Comments

At the end of 2009 I told the story of C|Net’s Managing Editor asking me to keep reading his company’s stuff, keep commenting, but not seek attribution. I called him out for that ridiculous request both because I knew his motivation was to hamper my Search Engine Optimization efforts and out of indignation. Honestly, it was mostly about the latter.

Imagine asking someone to an event, putting them up on stage with a microphone, having them express their opinion, but not allowing them to identify themselves. Same thing. Ridiculous. ... READ MORE of NOFOLLOW: The Bane of Search Engine Optimization (SEO) at Answer Guy Central, your Influency and Integrated Marketing Source By Clicking Here (585 words, estimated 2:20 mins reading time)

Filed Under: Design, Development, Search Engine Optimization SEO

“The Julien Smith Model” & Customer Service

Posted on January 14, 2011 by --Jeff Yablon/The Answer Guy-- Influency & Integrated Marketing Strategist • 2 Comments

One more run at the wisdom of Julien Smith: Our final “Julien Smith is brilliant” angle? Customer Service.

Last week I wrote about Julien Smith’s common-sense diet plan. Based on a few simple ideas, it’s a great place to start if you need to lose a few pounds. Take a look; I said it then and I’ll repeat it now: Julien Smith Rocks.

I promised then to apply what I’ve coined “The Julien Smith Model” to Business Change, Customer Service, and Search Engine Optimization. We’ve already covered Search Engine Optimization and Business Change, so let’s move on to how The Julien Smith Model applies to Customer Service. ... READ MORE of “The Julien Smith Model” & Customer Service at Answer Guy Central, your Influency and Integrated Marketing Source By Clicking Here (565 words, estimated 2:16 mins reading time)

Filed Under: Customer Service

PROOF That Older People Are Smarter Than Younger People

Posted on January 13, 2011 by --Jeff Yablon/The Answer Guy-- Influency & Integrated Marketing Strategist • 1 Comment

Want Proof that Older People Are Smarter Than Younger People? Just read this article from The New York Times.

Turns out that younger people, given to choose between pizza, sex, or a good old fashioned “atta boy!” will take . . . the atta boy.

OK, so that doesn’t prove anything about age, per se. But it speaks volumes about the mind set of the so-called “Generation Me”. These young people are so caught up in their egos and self-esteem that a pat on the head actually feels better to them than food, or even sex! ... READ MORE of PROOF That Older People Are Smarter Than Younger People at Answer Guy Central, your Influency and Integrated Marketing Source By Clicking Here (162 words, estimated 39 secs reading time)

Filed Under: Search Engine Optimization SEO

Setting Expectations: The Key To Great Customer Service

Posted on January 12, 2011 by --Jeff Yablon/The Answer Guy-- Influency & Integrated Marketing Strategist • 3 Comments

Have you ever had a customer service representative, immediately after doing the opposite, speak the words “I hope I’ve provide you outstanding customer service today” as your contact with them ended?

Of course you have. Not actually providing customer service and calling it customer service seems to have become the standard in that endeavor. And that’s a problem. When your customers expect something and you provide something else, you’re sabotaging your business. ... READ MORE of Setting Expectations: The Key To Great Customer Service at Answer Guy Central, your Influency and Integrated Marketing Source By Clicking Here (586 words, 1 image, estimated 2:21 mins reading time)

Filed Under: Customer Service, Media

“The Julien Smith Model” & Business Change

Posted on January 11, 2011 by --Jeff Yablon/The Answer Guy-- Influency & Integrated Marketing Strategist • 1 Comment

Let’s continue the Julien Smith love-fest. Today’s “Julien Smith is brilliant” angle? Business Change.

Last week I told you about Julien Smith’s common-sense diet plan. It’s based on a few very simple ideas, and if you need to lose a few pounds I think you want to take a look. I said it then and I’ll repeat it now: Julien Smith Rocks.

I promised then to apply what I’ve coined “The Julien Smith Model” to Business Change, Customer Service, and Search Engine Optimization. We’ve already covered Search Engine Optimization, and today at Answer Guy Central, we’ll move on to how The Julien Smith Model applies to Business Change. ... READ MORE of “The Julien Smith Model” & Business Change at Answer Guy Central, your Influency and Integrated Marketing Source By Clicking Here (559 words, estimated 2:14 mins reading time)

Filed Under: Business Change, Customer Service, Search Engine Optimization SEO

Are Really Smart People Just Like You And Me?

Posted on January 10, 2011 by --Jeff Yablon/The Answer Guy-- Influency & Integrated Marketing Strategist • 1 Comment

OK, the answer’s obvious, right? You are a smart person, so there’s no difference at all. Me, though, maybe you aren’t so sure about.

Ben Horowitz isn’t so sure smart people make the best employees. Or more to the point, the very successful venture capitalist has a few words to say about what makes some smart people into bad employees. Which sounds pretty un-smart to me. How can great intelligence and a bad attitude even go together?

Ben breaks it all down into three basic issues. Smart people who turn out to be bad employees are either: ... READ MORE of Are Really Smart People Just Like You And Me? at Answer Guy Central, your Influency and Integrated Marketing Source By Clicking Here (416 words, estimated 1:40 mins reading time)