Virtual VIP Newsletter, June 2009
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I’ve quoted Seth Godin before. The man is one of the most amazing marketers of all time, which may bother you at some level, but should absolutely earn your awe and respect.And . . . I kid you not, 
Virtual VIP Newsletter, April 2009
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| Does WHO Sends a Message Matter?
OK, I’m still a computer geek. But I used to be paid to talk about geeky stuff. I wrote for big-name magazines, TV for CBS News and a radio program, both as The Computer Answer Guy, I wrote software . . . like I said, I was a geek. So I still read a few geeky things, and I’m still in touch with some old geeky friends. And I’ve just read an article that make me really pay attention. It’s by John Dvorak, one of the oldest, crankiest, and geekiest of the bunch, and you can find it here. John makes a great point: if you develop a reputation for bad stuff, even your good stuff will be viewed as bad. And if you are a “good guy”, well . . . let’s just say that as much as I like iTunes, I don’t like Apple, but I’m in the minority on that. Are you a good guy, or a bad guy? Make sure it’s the one you want it to be, and then guard it like it’s the most important asset you own. |
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Social Media is Like Teen Sex
Everyone Wants to Do It . . .
. . . No one actually knows how. When finally done, there is surprise it’s not better
WOW, I wish I had written that. For that matter, I wish I could tell you who did.
Welcome to the new reality.
I came across that line here. The author I was reading found it on this blog. And that person acknowledges that he read it on Twitter, but has (intentionally!) chosen not to reveal who wrote it originally.
I expect I could find the author if I cared enough to check. I don’t, even though I think that quote is brilliant, and that’s (part of) the point.
We’re now operating our businesses in a world where everyone is talking at everyone else, quoting and requoting, sometimes revealing sources and sometimes not.
The curmudgeon in me wants to rant about “these kids today”, or complain about the strange new way we’re creating an even stranger new world. That’s not my point, though. This is:
PAY ATTENTION TO ALL THOSE SILLY ARTICLES ABOUT TWITTER. And Facebook. And LinkedIn. The Virtual World is not virtual any more. It’s here. It’s Real. And you live in it.
Oh: and you need to wear a condom. Even though it’s Virtual.
Virtual VIP can help you manage your changing world, but nothing happens until you decide it’s time . . .
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Spotlight
The Final Word on Marketing OK, not really. But after I polled you on the subject of ethical marketing I got this response (on LinkiedIn) from Pete “NetDoc” Murray. It’s beyond a question of ethics and into a question of futility. Why on EARTH would you send out an e-mail to an unqualified group? That’s like fishing for trophy bass in a brand spanking new retention pond. The only effect you can have is to make people think less of you for trying. It really doesn’t matter HOW you got the e-mail addresses. What matters is if you are simply wasting more time and generating ill will at the same time. And I agree. By the way: Pete received my note by mistake, and I suspect he thought I was spamming him when I sent it. So . . . |
Well, just keep talking, please . . .
About Virtual VIP
PC-VIP Inc.
Business and Computer Care for Those with Better Things To Do
Virtual Assistants, Business Coaching and Consulting, and Rent-a-C.O.O. Services
New York City, and On Your Desktop
PC-VIP Inc.
+1 646 827-3800
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Financial Corner
Sell a Thing-a-ma-jig, Pay Your Taxes 
Ever wonder what the government thinks of you buying and selling stuff in Virtual Worlds?Of Course not. You’re not a kid; you don’t even know what that means. Well listen up, because you may be digging into your pocket.
On Page 213 of the US Taxpayer Advocate’s Annual Report to Congress, there’s a recommendation that the IRS get aggressive about collecting taxes on income earned when one user sells things to another while playing on-line computer games. Yes, seriously. Sell something that doesn’t exist, pay taxes with real money. And this is from your advocate.
I’m not sure I even understand it. Except for the part about the government reaching into my pocket. Again.
Sure do hope your accountant is up to date on THAT part of the tax code!
What’s the lesson? One we preach all the time: Things are changing. And you have to pay attention, and change, too. And maybe pay taxes, as well.
Here’s a simple, fairly inexpensive idea: try selling at a trade show off in the far reaches of the dimly-lit booths. Talk about a Virtual World! Not a trade show in your industry, by the way . . . trade shows from other industries where your services might be needed. DO SOMETHING. Now.
The world is in a constant state of flux. Virtual VIP can help you manage that change, but nothing happens until you decide it’s time . . . 
| In This Issue |
| Reality and Business Choices |
| Sell a Thing-a-ma-jig, Pay Your Taxes |
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| About Virtual VIP PC-VIP Inc. Business and Computer Care for Those with Better Things To DoVirtual Assistants, Business Coaching and Consulting, and Rent-a-C.O.O. Services New York City, and On Your Desktop PC-VIP Inc.+1 646 827-3800 |
Ethics, Morals, the ‘Net and . . . what is SPAM, really?
How Do We Communicate in 2009?
An interesting conundrum:
You receive a piece of e-mail. It’s from someone you’ve never heard of. It’s blatant marketing/sales stuff. No pretence about anything else, no content that you (with any luck) find at least a little bit useful in the hopes that you are encouraged to stay in touch. Just a sales pitch. No opt-out link on the e-mail, even.
And then you notice that your e-mail address is in the “TO:” line, along with that of several dozen, or hundred, or thousand others. You can see them all. They can all see you.
You “respond to all”. You express your opinion about getting the email in this way. The fact that it was spam? No big deal. The fact that your e-mail address has been revealed to all those other people? Sloppy, unprofessional, and opening you up to inclusion on that many more lists.
A couple of people respond back, negatively. You’re accused of being as bad as the person who sent out the original letter. It’s only a couple, so you presume those were his real-world friends trying to make an example of you for having the moxy to call him out publicly.
You then do exactly what you were thinking was going to happen to you: you include your new peers on your own mailing list, and you send notes like this one.
And you hear from the same couple of people. They are angry and indignant. They demand you remove them from your mailing list. They could have removed themselves by using the “unsubscribe link” clearly visible in the email. You don’t lecture them, and you don’t ignore their wishes; you remove them.
The Big Question:
HAVE YOU DONE ANYTHING WRONG?
I’m interested in your answer, and if you have an opinion I hope you’ll share it with me.
The business world has changed. Heck, the entire world has changed. Find me a parent of a child between the ages of 11 and 19 and I guarantee they’ll tell you how they really, really, really just don’t understand this new world with texting instead of talking, multiple simultaneous IM sessions, and “C U L8R”s .
So is being opportunistic by making new contacts the way I described above cool? Or is it crossing a line. Or lines?
You may hit “delete” now.
February 2009 Virtual VIP and PC-VIP Newsletter
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| You Call that Marketing? What’s the REAL Story?  Maybe by now you’re heard of Seth Godin. Seth’s one of this decade’s most noted marketers, and while I personally prefer the add-some-wit style of Malcolm Gladwell to the almost-too-much-wisdom approach that Seth puts forth, this man is the real deal.
A few weeks ago, Seth put a post in his blog that you must read. Seriously . . . right now, click this link. Coffee. Who Cares? Well, Starbucks cares, and they serve an awful lot of the stuff. And YOU CARE, TOO. Everyone knows what coffee does. Everyone knows when and why and by whom it’s consumed. And somehow, a message that says “let me tell you what I think of me” is still how this is getting sold. Wrong. Your clients care about you at some point. If you’re selling certain types of service they care about you somewhere during the sales process. Your prospects, though? They don’t care about you, and if you want to convert them to clients you need to let them know that they’re the important ones. For the record, you’re important to Virtual VIP, and to PC-VIP. But we’re not that important to you. Until you decide otherwise. |
| Financial Corner Amazon to Collect Sales Tax in New York  Don’t live there? Think you don’t care? Think Again
Unless you’re one of the lucky few businesses thriving on the things you do in your home territory (read: one country in Europe, one state in the USA, etc.), this one could be a problem for you. The New York State Supreme Court has upheld a decision that makes Amazon.com responsible for collecting sales tax on sales to people in New York, even though Amazon has no physical presence there. Sounds wrong? Well, the decision essentially says that people who sell through Amazon are part of Amazon, so that means Amazon “has a presence”. Never mind that there are multiple agreements between Amazon and their marketplaces partners stating that there is no relationship of this sort. Never mind that in establishing this precedent the day when Amazon has to pay benefits to their new “employees” might not be far off. Never mind that as soon as the first lawsuit alleging that relationship drops the whole infrastructure will implode. Just . . . pay up. The world is in a constant state of flux. Let Virtual VIP help you manage that change. |
| About Virtual VIP PC-VIP Inc. Business and Computer Care for Those with Better Things To Do Virtual Assistants, Business Coaching and Consulting, and Rent-a-C.O.O. Services New York City, and On Your Desktop PC-VIP Inc.+1 646 827-3800 |
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